Mini Golf Adventures: Pixar Putt Wharf DC

Date of Visit: July 19, 2024

Location: Pixar Putt, Washington, DC

Several years ago we were going to do Pixar Putt in Chicago and even had bought tickets, but then we did not end up going to Chicago and when in Chicago later that summer we had heard it was not that great and did not want to pay for it again. At $30 a person, I was kind of hesitant to do it in DC, but Dad and I got done with organizing the storage unit with several days to spare before the U-Haul truck rental and the weather was actually not to bad (warm, but not so humid). Since it was right there by the marina and we could just go back to the boat, we did not worry about making reservations because it cost extra to book online and we ended up a few more bucks with the senior/military discount.

Overall it was fun Pixar theming and do not regret doing it, but we do agree with the impressions we had gotten before that it is not really worth the high cost. The holes are definitely interesting, but they are also very challenging. Part of the challenge is that it is not all turf, but some of it is the playground rubber surface that really affects the way the ball rolls. What was most annoying, though, was that there were several holes that there just was not enough space to stand to hit the ball. This happens at times at many mini golf courses, but usually it is only when you end up hitting your ball to an odd spot and here the issue was at many of the starting spots. There were also several holes where there was not enough room for the ball to go in from certain angles because the pin was not centered on hole.

Hole 1: Toy Story

Hole 2: Turning Red

Somehow a Par 2, but you have to first get it through the angle between the feet and then opening to hole is off to side

Hole 3: Wall-E - encourages you to hit it hard to go around, but that just leads to it bouncing totally off course

Hole 4: Monsters Inc

Hole 5: Toy Story 4

Hole 6: Finding Nemo - I got it in with it stuck between pin and edge of hole, but then Dad had a lot of trouble because there really isn't enough room on backside of pin for ball to go in.

Hole 7: Incredibles - This one was interesting in that there were four different holes you could go for (one under each claw).

Hole 8: Ratatouille

Hole 9: Toy Story - This hole was kind of weird in that you dropped the ball in the hole instead of putting to start.

Hole 10: Cars - This one had a loop to go through the 95. Dad could not get it to go around even after several tries (no one was behind us and we had to wait for the next hole).

Hole 11: A Bug's Life

Hole 12: Coco - This hole was complex with you first going down the neck of the guitar and then having to come back around to go over the guitar to where the hole is. 

Hole 13: Inside Out - This is another hole you drop your ball to start. There are two different ramps it could roll down as well as two other openings at the bottom. Dad ended up with it going down one that made the ball bounce off course.

Hole 14: Onward

Hole 15: Lightyear

Hole 16: Soul - This one you put the ball at the top of the stairs and tap it to go down. Tap too hard and it will probably end up off course. The change to the turf around the hole totally brings it to a stop, though.

Hole 17: Luca

Hole 18: Up - This one is quite hard to get the ball in the house and not bounce out. The staff then cranked the house up and over to drop the ball down the falls towards the hole.

Final Scores

• Kj - 62
• Dad - 67

See full list of our Mini Golf Adventures here.

Mini Golf Adventures: Disney's Winter Summerland Miniature Golf - Summer Course

Date of Visit: December 13, 2023

Location: Disney's Winter Summerland Miniature Golf,  Lake Buena Vista, FL

Course: Summer Course

After playing the Winter Course, we did the Summer Course. This one has all the holes with a sand theme instead of snow. There are a few similar holes such as there being a sand castle instead of snow castle on this course and the end with a computer, although the Summer one seemed broken and did not give a message like the Winter one.

There were also some different features on this course to go with it's summer theming such as a hole with surfboards standing in the "sand." One of the funniest is with Santa asleep in the sand and you aim to hit your ball to go over him. Hole 17 with trains going around under the tree is also interesting, although the balls seemed to get really stuck up there if you did not manage to get it through between the trains.

Final Scores

• Kjersti - 42
• Dad - 41

See full list of our Mini Golf Adventures here.

Mini Golf Adventures: Disney's Winter Summerland Miniature Golf - Winter Course

Date of Visit: December 13, 2023

Location: Disney's Winter Summerland Miniature Golf,  Lake Buena Vista, FL

Course: Winter Course

We have played the courses at Disney's Winter Summerland at least once before, but that was before we started tracking the mini golf courses we have played. Since it was the holiday season, it seemed a good time to do this trip. We started with the Winter Course, which has a variety of snow themed holes.

Two of the most interesting for the theme are the ski moguls and ski slalom holes. There are also some fun holes with things that happen such as the cooler opening when your ball goes under it and trying to get under Santa's feet that move slightly up and down in a chimney. The end of the computer is also fun with it giving you a message from Santa.

Final Scores

• Kjersti - 41
• Dad - 42

See full list of our Mini Golf Adventures here.

2015 Year in Review

 January

Several days of snow and geese hanging out by the George Washington Masonic National Memorial in Alexandria. Mik and Orchids exhibit at National Museum of Natural History and statue at National Museum of the American Indian.

February

Mik and I visited the National Building Museum to check out their current exhibits at the time, which included the building model exhibit called "HOT TO COLD: Around the World in 800 Feet."

Dad and I went to Mount Vernon on President's Day when the George Washington Birthday Parade in Alexandria was cancelled due to cold weather (Potomac was even frozen)

[Top Left] Mom and I checked out Capitol Hill Books to find some 1940s books for my collection. [Top Right] For Valentine's Day, I took Mik to the Newseum for his first time and he was impressed by the Berlin Wall pieces. [Bottom Left] Mik loves to nap on the Metro. [Bottom Right] I enjoyed see Rosanne Cash at the Fox in Tucson.

March

I took Mom to see the Oak Ridge Boys at The Birchmere, which has become our favorite concert venue because it's small and it's dinner and a show style.

[Top Left] We got our first Amazon Echo. Mik now also has one in his room. I love it for playing music, but the reason we both love them is that now makes controlling the Hue lights much easier, which we started putting in other places besides just Mik's room. [Top Right] Grumpy statue on our porch covered with snow. [Bottom Left] Dad took us on a private tour of the Capitol for the first time after he started working in Visitor Center. I laid on the ground to get this photo. [Bottom Right] Mom and I saw Angela Lansbury in The Blithe Spirit at National Theatre.

April

 

Mom, Dad, and I visited National Harbor on Easter mainly to check out the Peeps, but also because I had been wanting to ride the Capitol Wheel.

Mik and I saw Opening Day this year at National's Park and enjoyed trying out the new grilled cheese concession stand.

During Grandpa and Jeannie's visit, we went to the National Cherry Blossom Parade, National Cherry Blossom Festival, and the Udvar-Hazy Center.

We experienced some of the 150th anniversary of Lincoln's death events. Mik and I saw Lincoln's carriage at the National Museum of American History and the reenactment of Lincoln's last ride. Dad and I saw the beginning and end of the Lincoln Tribute event at Ford's Theater, which reenacted Lincoln getting shot and the updates throughout the night until the announcement of Lincoln's death in the morning.

May

Dad, Mik, and I spent a few days in Shenandoah National Park and also went to the Natural Bridge, Washington, and Museum of the Shenandoah Valley.

Mik and I went to Disneyland in May, since we were doing the D23 Expo this year and got Premier Passes and there's now a Hyatt Place close enough to walk from where we can use Mom's Hyatt points. Ended up also being there for the start of the 60th Anniversary celebration and did the 24-hour event from 6am, although we only lasted until about 2pm, but that's longer than Mik ever lasts in the parks even when we start at 8am.

June

I spent most of June at the cottage in Michigan.

Mik turned 21 and got to celebrate three times. First was with Dad, who took him out to dinner on his birthday. Mom took him out for lunch a few days later when she got back in town. Then when I got home from the cottage I made him a pina colada mug cake.

July

[Top Left] Dad and I watched the Capitol Fourth rehearsals, which included Alabama. [Top Right] Mom, Mik, and I watched the D.C. fireworks from the boat, where Mom and Dad now live. [Bottom Left] Mik got his own Amazon Echo. [Bottom Right] Dad and I went to the Star Wars Day game at Nationals Park.

August

Mik and I went to the D23 Expo. This time we managed to get Sorcerer tickets, which made a huge difference. The past two Expos we mainly did everything in a day and never tried to even do the presentations. This time we spent most of the entire four days there and did went to quite a few presentations. Mik's favorite parts were seeing George Lucas and Johnny Depp at the Disney Legend's ceremony and the Disney Interactive presentation. My favorite part was seeing Richard Sherman perform a song during the Disney Legend's ceremony.

September

 

Mom, Mik, and I spent Labor Day weekend in Illinois and Mom and I happened upon Norway, Illinois.

Mom and I went to the Brad Paisley concert at Jiffy Lube Live. I didn't like the venue, so we didn't actually stay to see him perform. However, we really did enjoy the radio fest before the concert that included Rainey Qualley and saw Mickey Guyton perform, who was the person I really went to the concert to see.

October

For my birthday, Mik, Mom, and I went to Nashville. We saw the Opry at the Ryman as well as the Grand Ole Opry House, where we also saw the Oak Ridge Boys for the Opry's 90th Birthday Bash Concert. Mik only went with the the Ryman show, but he loved Nashville for the food, Goo Goo Clusters, and the car museum.

I spent a week in Paris with my godmother. We climbed to the second floor of the Eiffel Tower, which I have been wanting to do for years after only going to the first floor back in 1999. I also finally got to Disneyland Paris.

In Paris, I also found the same spot to take a photo as the only photo I could find of me from my first Paris trip in 1999.

Mik and I fit in one more Disneyland trip while we had Premier Passes this year since we had DVC points left for the year and wouldn't be able to do Disneyland again until at least next D23 Expo. Plus, Mickey's Halloween Party is way better at Disneyland than the Magic Kingdom, although Disneyland Paris does have the best Halloween decorations.

November

We took a day trip to see the last of the fall colors on Skyline Drive.

Dad and I put up the Christmas tree on Thanksgiving.

December

Dad and I decorated the boat for Christmas.

 

We went on a 4-day Bahamian Disney Cruise on the Disney Dream, so we've now been on all the Disney cruise ships.

Mik was hesitant to go see the National Tree after the state trees being all the same looking last year, but I convinced him to give it another try. He really enjoyed it now that it was back to the traditional style of having ornaments made by people from each state/territory.