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Kevin Stringer -- January 2000 -- Walt Disney World (ASMuR, DL)

A Very British Trip Report - Millennium Edition

DAYS 1 & 2 - TUES 28th & WEDS 29th DEC

Well, we are back and now you have to suffer the epic 21 day trip report. This is going to be the Gone With The Wind of trip reports. A sprawling roller coaster of a trip report. A gigantic block buster of a trip report. A huge, mind expanding, ground breaking, history making trip report.

Oh dear, perhaps I've gone a little bit over the top. The truth is that it will be big and possibly a little boring if you like short concise reports but, hey, I never promised quality, only quantity. Just to let you know up front we had a glorious time and the Millennium celebrations were amazing. Regrets? We had a few but then again too few to mention. Hang on, I've heard that somewhere before. We are all depressed but happy with our memories. Can you be happy and depressed at the same time?

Let's have a quick introduction to the intrepid travelers:

• Kevin (me): 41. Getting older but no wiser. You will all be pleased to know that my famed good looks are not diminished in any way, in fact I think that I look even more distinguished as the years go by. Sniggering is a sign that women are attracted to you, right?
• Tammy (wife): 35. Still makes this wolf whistle. Bright enough to handle me. She knows when to massage my ego and when to laugh derisively. Not that she does that often. Laugh I mean. After all I am practically perfect in every way.
• India (daughter): 9. As bright and cheery as ever. Likes to try nearly all the rides. I have just asked my family how I should describe India, and Georgia said 'A genius'. Whether this is factual or sisterly love you will have to decide.
• Georgia (daughter): 6. Pretty and loving but moodier than her sister. I also asked India to describe her sister and she said 'A smelly little piggy'. I said that I couldn't put that in my trip report, so she said 'OK, a smelly little piggy with big blue eyes'. I'm not sure whether this tells you more about India or Georgia.
• Dorothy (my mother): 74. My mother is an amazing woman. At 4' 10" tall she even makes Mickey Mouse look big. What she lacks in height she more than makes up for in character and energy. Her physical prowess was tested more than a few times in this trip, as you will come to see. Although she is my mother, while in the presence of the girls she is usually referred to as Grandma, so that is what she will be called in this trip report. This may become a little confusing to you, the reader, but frankly that's just too bad as this is my trip report and I will write it however I like!

DAY 1 - TUES 28th DEC

Unfortunately I have to start on a sad note. Our dog, Duke, died just before Christmas. Tammy and I had taken him to the vets for an X ray but he was riddled with cancer and they advised us that the best thing to do was to put him to sleep while he was still under the anaesthetic. It surprised us just how much we miss having him around. He had been an excellent dog, never getting in the way and never once biting either of the girls although heaven knows he had enough to put up with from them when they were babies.

Don't feel too sorry for him because he was 13 ½ and had a good life since we rescued him from a dogs home when he was 3. When we took him to the vets for the last time he messed all over their courtyard. Now, this is probably a piece of information that you may not have wanted to hear but it makes me chuckle as I imagine him thinking 'Damn vets! I'll show 'em!'.

Anyway, on to the trip report proper. The morning of departure is spent rushing around cleaning the car, cleaning the house and packing. We have been planning this day for 3 years and still end up rushing around at the last minute. We are finally set and leave home at 2:00 PM. It is a pleasant, sunny day and the drive to Gatwick takes just over 2 hours.. We book into the Corner House Hotel and dump our suitcases into the rooms. The 4 of us are in a family room while Grandma has her own little room. After the long(?) drive a drink is required, so we head off to a pub we have seen on the way in that has a play area for children. They get to let off steam in the Wacky Warehouse (horrible name) while we sit and discuss our forthcoming adventure. It isn't the most relaxing of environments but who am I to complain, I've got a beer in my hand so I'm perfectly happy.

Back to the hotel where we eat our evening meal, which is very good. After this there is some debate as I want to watch Match Of The Day (football) back in the room while the women all want to watch Pretty Woman. A compromise is reached and it is decided that I will sleep in the small room while all the ladies share together. Result!

DAY 2 - WEDS 29th DEC

Up at 8:00. The ladies have had a somewhat restless night with a game of musical beds at 5:30 in the morning as Georgia wakes up scared in a very dark room. Shame. I slept very well thank you. We have a very nice cooked breakfast. If you want to stay somewhere before your flight but don't really want a big brand name hotel then this place makes a nice alternative.

We drive over to Tammy's Godmother's house where we are going to leave the car and spend a pleasant hour or so having coffee and talking before leaving for the airport around 10:30. Check in is swift and easy for our 1:25 Delta flight to Atlanta and we begin our usual last minute shopping. Tammy goes to a chemist to stock up on all sorts of pills to try and prevent any of us getting the flu as it is rampant at the moment.

Our usual duty free fragrance sniffing session is less painful than usual this time and we probably only try about 20 each. The combined effect probably doesn't smell too good but it keeps the flies off.

We board the plane and walk through first class casting envious eyes about us. Why do they board the first class passengers first and then make the economy class passengers walk past them to get to their seats? I suspect it is to make the rich people feel good. Oh look at us, we can afford this luxury you know. Off you go back to the cheap seats now.

Anyway, the flight takes off on time and I am a little worried, things are going too smoothly. You can't win really, can you? I'm worried if things are going well and worried if things are going badly. Mind you, I'm not as bad as Tammy, she checks everything 10 times and cannot really relax until we are actually in the air.

The food on the plane is quite good. I have the salmon but Tammy is not so impressed with her chicken. The first film we get is awful. Something about a football playing grandson who gives up a kidney to save his grandmothers life. A nice sentiment but done in such a sickly manner as to be nauseating. Never mind straight to video this one went straight to airline! I would gladly have given one of my own kidneys if they had turned the damn thing off.

The next film is better, the live action version of 101 Dalmatians. OK, so I know I'm twisted but I always want the villains to win. I love Glenn Close as Cruella DeVil and also Horace and Jasper. The only bad thing about this film is where do the skunks and racoons come from? These are certainly not native to the UK.

The girls have been excellent so far and this is further helped by the third film, Inspector Gadget. I find this to be reasonably entertaining but nothing spectacular. Yet another gripe of mine, why is it that in Hollywood films all Brits are either rich aristocrats or evil villains? Having said that, I myself am an aristocratic villain, unfortunately a poor one.

We land in Atlanta at 6:15 local time. Immigration and customs go very smoothly and we recheck our luggage for the Orlando flight. Now here is where the problem starts. Half an hour before take off an announcement is made. They cannot shut one of the plane doors. Now I don't suppose this would do much for the confidence of any nervous fliers but give me a crow bar and I'll do it.

They have to find another piece of 'equipment'. What the heck is that? Do they mean another plane? I have visions of us being transported to Orlando by train or Tibetan yak. 'Ladies and Gentleman, thank you for flying Delta airlines, please be careful while descending from your yak'.

Well, Delta comes up trumps and another plane is made ready, eventually we take off just one hour late. I had visions of an overnight stay or at least a long delay. I usually judge a business not on what goes wrong but on how they react to put it right. I must say that I was impressed with the speed with which Delta acted.

We land in Orlando at 10:30 and are met by Asfar from Tiffany Town Car. They provide an excellent service and after a quick stop at Goodings for essentials (beer!) we are off to the All Star Movies. We check in around midnight and are allocated rooms 1516 and 1517 in Fantasia which are very handy for both the food court and the bus stop. We don't unpack, just tumble into bed at 1:00 AM. The girls drop straight off to sleep and Grandma is tucked up safely in her own room.

Well, that's the end of the first couple of days. I know it was long but don't say I didn't warn you. I suggest you keep your seat belts loosely buckled because it is going to be a long and bumpy trip.

DAY 3 - THURS 30th DEC

Tammy and I both sleep badly and are awake by 5:30. It is the old time difference thing. We lay around until 6:30 then sneak out leaving the girls asleep to have a look around the resort. We walk past the Fantasia pool just as the sun is rising. Steam is floating up from the warm water as Sorcerer Mickey looms in the background. It almost looks as if he is conducting the mist himself.

The Toy Story section is really well done as you enter Andy's bedroom through a huge door to find Buzz and Woody as the giant figureheads. This is the most visually appealing of all the buildings and would be a firm favourite with children. The Fantasia and 101 Dalmatian sections are also very good but the Mighty Ducks and Love Bug areas don't really do a lot for me, they are also the farthest from the food court and bus stop. We visit the food court next to pick up the refillable mugs and partake of coffee and a Danish before returning to the rooms where Grandma and the girls are up and about.

We shower and unpack and head back to the food court for a proper breakfast. I shan't regale you with the details of every meal we have as many of them tend to be the same sort of thing, you will of course get the full description of any proper restaurant meals we have.

The bus stop is next and we are off to the Magic Kingdom after just a few minutes. The first thing we notice on entry are the Christmas decorations and the Christmas music playing everywhere. The tree is a very impressive sight and Main Street looks very pretty, if a little cluttered. I am so used to looking straight along to the castle that I'm not entirely sure if I like it.

There are some characters in the Photo Centre so we go in and the girls get autographs and photos. It is at this point that Grandma spots Dopey. He has always been her favourite and she runs over and plants a big kiss on him. They then spend the next few minutes dancing around together. I'm starting to worry about Grandma. While all this has been going on I have been trying to take a photo with Grandma's camera but it will not work. It turns out to be the batteries but they do not have any of the correct size and direct us across the road to the Emporium. It is here that we come across the first bit of Disney magic of the trip. A lady called Rhonda serves us but does not seem to have any batteries either. She asks where we are going today and we tell her that we want to see the afternoon parade and then head over to Epcot. 'Oh, you can't possibly miss all the photo opportunities at the Magic Kingdom' she says and runs over to a counter, picks up a 39 shot disposable camera and gives it to Grandma. When we ask how much it is she just says 'That's OK, have a lovely day'. It is gestures like this that make WDW such a wonderful place full of wonderful people.

We catch the train round to Mickey's Toontown Fair and all go on Goofy's Barnstormer. Grandma is a bit reluctant as she has been on Big Thunder Mountain before and it makes her feel sick, but Georgia insists and she survives. Georgia loves this ride and we are hoping that this will bode well for the rougher attractions later in the week. The girls want to run about in Donald's boat for a while so we let them have a play. After a few minutes Grandma thinks that this looks like fun and is off in to run around with the girls and get wet.

We walk down to Tomorrowland and have a quick ride on the TTA before returning to Main Street to find a place to watch the Christmas parade. As we are waiting for it to start Georgia is sucking on a lolly and her first tooth comes out. Tammy wraps it up in tissue paper so that it can go under the pillow tonight for the tooth fairy. The parade itself is surprisingly long, my favourite part being the marching toy soldiers. It does seem slightly strange watching a Christmas parade in the heat. By the way, it has been a gloriously warm, balmy day with temperatures in the 70's and practically no breeze.

We leave after the parade and get the monorail to Epcot where we get our first proper view of the 2000 logo over Spaceship Earth. I really like it as it sparkles and glimmers in the afternoon sun. It is not until you stand underneath it that you realise how absolutely huge this structure is.

We are trying to pick up our tickets for the Candlelight Processional and a CM sends us to Guest Relations. Wrong place. You have to pick them up outside the park entrance. We have booked Le Cellier for the dining package and our seating is supposed to be at 4:30. It is now 4:00 so we should have plenty of time. Hah! The video battery has also chosen this time to run out so we decide that Tammy will go and get the tickets while the rest of us go to the Camera Centre to get the battery charged and we will meet there. Nice theory. Well, the minutes tick by and Tammy has still not returned. I keep walking up to the entrance to see if there is any sign of her. It is now 4:25 when I finally spot her waiting in the queue to get back in. To cut a long story short, she went to get the tickets only to be told that there was no record on the computer. Further investigation revealed that we had been booked in for the 13th not the 30th! As every restaurant in Epcot is fully booked for the next two days things do not look good. Tammy said that the tears sprang to her eyes as she had really been looking forward to this but the lady that she was dealing with was wonderful. She tried several times to ring Le Cellier in vain and finally managed to get through on a mobile. They said that they could fit us in if we were there within 10 minutes.

So here we are with Tammy in a large queue waiting to get in and the clock ticking. Tammy gets out of the queue and asks the CM on the gate to hand me the dining reservation and says she will meet me there. Back to Grandma and the girls at the Camera Centre and we are off! Marching at double speed with the girls nearly running and Grandma's legs going like the clappers, we scuttle round the bottom of World Showcase as fast as we can, with me bellowing commands as we go. 'Come on you 'orrible little children, move yourselves. Where do you think you are, Disneyworld?'

Let me tell you, that is quite a trip to make in 5 minutes but we arrive with seconds to spare. Not the best way to start a nice relaxing meal but we all take deep breaths and try and calm down. The first beer helps greatly.

We start with Cheddar Cheese Soup and the Steakhouse Caesar Salad. Tammy and I have half of each, something we continue to do for most meals. you get to try two things on the menu instead of one that way. Tammy really likes the soup although I prefer the salad.

Our entrees are Buffalo Rib Eye and the Mushroom Stuffed Fillet. The meat is very tender but maybe a little highly seasoned for our taste. For dessert we have the creme brulee with a glaze of maple syrup which is very good. Overall I would say that Le Cellier is very good if you like steak, the surroundings are relaxing and the service was very friendly. A look at the watch tells us that we are now cutting it fine for the 6:45 Candlelight Processional, so it's time to get the walking shoes on again.

We set off fighting our way through as Tapestry of Nations has just started. Even though we are walking we watch as we go and it really is a glorious sight. As Tammy says it makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. We will see it properly later on in the trip.

We are seated on the left hand side of the theatre towards the front with 5 minutes to spare. We have a slightly restricted view from there but boy, what a show. The lights are twinkling in the trees the choir is going full blast then it starts snowing. All right, so it's pretend Disney snow but it still makes a marvellous sight. I am by no means a religious man but it still highly impressive and moving.

We are going to leave the park now as there will be plenty of opportunities to watch Reflections of Earth later on. the girls really should get as much sleep as possible as tomorrow is New Year's Eve and they will need all the energy that they have to last all day. As we walk out I reflect that you can see that Disney have made an effort at Epcot for the Millennium Celebrations, I don't think that I have ever seen it look better.

Back to the All Star Movies and we pick up our Millennium gift from the shop. Anyone staying on the Millennium Package is entitled to a free gift from Disney. Now I am expecting something a little bit cheap and tacky but what we are given is really beautiful. The box is wooden, inlaid with a hardened steel plate with Spaceship Earth depicted in 24 carat gold. Inside is a crystal block about 3 inches long with a picture of Mickey astride a globe picked out in tiny bubbles created by a laser. It almost looks holographic. There are only 4500 of these made and when I see a similar one in the crystal shop in Main Street later in the holiday it has a price tag of $295. The good thing is that, because she has her own room, Grandma gets one as well.

By this time we are all pretty tired, I have only had about 8 hours sleep in two days, so off to bed to prepare for tomorrow. By the way, the tooth fairy did come and paid five Disney dollars. Flipping generous these American tooth fairy's, aren't they?

DAY 4 - FRI 31st DEC

Wake up at 6:30. Yahoo! This is the day that the whole trip has been based around, the eve of a new millennium. We shower and have breakfast in the room while Georgia discovers her gift from the tooth fairy. Her prime objective for the day will be to find something to spend her new found wealth on.

Out to the bus stop at 7:45 where there is already a queue of about 100 people. One Epcot bus turns up quite quickly and then nothing for the next hour. there are dark mutterings afoot in the queue. (Can a foot mutter?) Eventually a CM comes out to explain that the delay is due to heavy traffic around the Epcot area and the buses just can't get through. He also reassures us that, as we are guests at a Disney resort, we will be guaranteed entry into Epcot. I am reassured by this and relax and enjoy the lovely sunny morning. We have no plans to do anything except wander round and enjoy the atmosphere so I am not really worried how long it takes to get in.

We eventually enter Epcot at 10:15 and head for the lockers to try and store our clothes for later. These, of course, are full but they point us in the direction of Guest Relations where there is a long line of people waiting to leave their spare baggage. It does not take too long to reach the front and you have to give credit to Disney for setting up a service to their guests.

We try to get a fastpass for Test Track but just as Tammy reaches the machine it stops giving out tickets as the allocation for the day is full. We will have to wait a little longer for our first ride. We wander round World Showcase and stroll into Mexico where we take a trip on the boat ride. This must be one of the few attractions with practically no wait today. After this Tammy starts to get that strange look on her face that means I have not had any food for 3 hours and I will start to get grumpy very soon if you don't feed me. By good luck we are in Norway so a visit to the bakery is in order. There follows a ¾ of an hour wait for coffee and pastries. It's funny how Tammy hates to wait in line for any ride but would gladly hang around all day for a cake. While we are queuing the girls have fun in the Viking ship. The pastries are excellent as usual.

We are not really worried if we have to queue for anything today. this is New Year's Eve, the place is packed, the lines are long but this is just what we expected. We don't care, nothing is going to spoil this day.

The next stop is to watch the American Adventure. Why is it that I always come out of there feeling proud to be an American? I thought that one or other of the girls might fall asleep but they both watch enthralled.

We walk round to the Land to meet Patricia O'Brien for her RADP meet. We cannot immediately see anyone so get in line at one of the food outlets. Grandma spots a lady with an RADP badge and is off to introduce herself. The rest of us soon follow and meet Trish and her husband Kevin. (Wonderful name, always reminds me of handsome, intelligent men). we find a table and soon after are joined by Tony (Panflight). We spend a very pleasant half an hour discussing our various trials and tribulations getting into the park today. Trish and Kevin were waiting in the car park at 7:00 and had very little trouble while poor Tony was kept waiting for 2 hours at the International Gateway. They are all very nice people and it was a shame that more people couldn't make it to the meet as I would love to meet as many people from RADP as possible. I know that there was another RADP meet in Italy at 6:00 PM but we already had priority seating for the San Angel Inn at 5:45 and so were unable to make that one. By the way, I sample my first beer of the day here. Be fair, it is nearly 2:30.

While we are busy chatting the girls and Grandma have been off to the Green thumb Emporium and Georgia has achieved her objective of spending her Disney dollars. She has bought a bag of those little gem stones. We meet another lovely CM here who tells Georgia that she should be able to fit a few more into her bag and to go back and get some more. Well, Georgia is never one to miss an opportunity and comes back with the bag bursting at the seams. The lady just laughs and asks Georgia her name. when she tells her the lady says 'Oh, you must have one of the new quarters with the state of Georgia on it' and spends a few minutes searching around to find her one. Just a little kindness but it is the sort of thing that makes you feel good.

We say our farewells and wander off to get changed for the evening. The ladies do like to dress up and look their best for the big event. Back at Guest Relations we recover our things and after a quick wash and brush up we are raring to go. One thing that is unusual about today is that we have seen quite a few people who have decided to make an effort for the evening, some going so far as wearing tuxedos, OK, they have shorts on as well but the thought is there. All around the lagoon we have seen people that have laid down blankets and staked out there place for the fireworks right from park opening. As have been walking around we have also seen people lying out on any grassy surface available, just relaxing, sunbathing and enjoying a drink. It is a really laid back atmosphere, almost similar to a big rock festival.

It is nearly time for our meal in Mexico but we are hoping to catch a few minutes of Tapestry of Nations first. It is 5:30 PM and this is going to be the only showing today. Unfortunately we are right at the end of the parade route and so it has not even reached us when it is time for us to go to eat. While we have been waiting Georgia asks Tammy 'Mummy, are we going to watch the race?' Tam can't think what she means for a while and then twigs it. Georgia has seen all the people in wheelchairs lined up across the path at the end of the parade route with a rope across them and she is ready for the great wheelchair dash!

The food in Mexico gets a mixed reception. Grandma finds her shrimp dish to be too hot whereas I quite like my beef dish. The girls really push back the culinary borders and order chicken fingers. This is the second time we have eaten here and I think that the attraction is definitely the setting rather than the food. Still, we all enjoy the Sol and we get given silly plastic top hats which we not only wear all night but somehow manage to get home in the suitcase as well.

Our aim is to be in front of the Rose and Crown for 7:00 PM which is midnight back in the UK. The crowds are now quite heavy around World Showcase but we just take our time and go with the flow. We arrive in plenty of time and the purchase of a mini yard of ale for me makes me feel much better. There are so many silly plastic hats around that it looks like some sort of mad milliners convention.

I will try to explain the scene. It is absolutely packed with people, they are climbing up on the cross and all over anything to get a vantage point. The atmosphere is absolutely electric and there is much singing of patriotic football songs. It is all wonderfully good humoured and the countdown is greeted by enormous cheers and a very rowdy version of Auld Lang Syne. I like this, I like it a lot, two New Year's for the price of one.

Off to catch the end of the British Invasion and the first attempt by the Stringer family to dance this evening. Not a pretty sight. Well, I'm pretty good, it's the rest of them you understand. Georgia is now getting tired but, ever resourceful, we have planned for this possibility and the stroller is brought into play. At 6 years old she is really too old for this but we brought it all the way from England just for this night as we know there is no way she will last without it. Sometimes even I am amazed at my forward planning.

Our plan is to see Off Kilter next but it is so thronged with people as we approach Canada that we can't get through. Never mind, we just turn around and walk towards France instead. Forward planning and flexibility, what a guy!

Around we go as far as Japan where a huge disco is in full swing. They play 'Tubthumping' and everyone starts to jump. Rolling back the years to show that there's life in the old dog yet, I grab India and we push our way through to the dance floor and start leaping. As we look around there is Grandma, elbowing a few youngsters out of the way and doing a pretty fair Tigger impression herself.

On to Italy were another disco is in full swing with lights and lasers going like crazy. Another dance or two, this time with Tam. I think there is some obscure law in Florida that states that you must dance with your wife on New Year's Eve. Damn, and just as I was getting on so well with those two good looking girls. I assume the gestures they were making sticking their fingers in their throats and holding their stomachs is something American girls do to show that they are impressed?

We then wander off to the dancing fountain where another big stage is set up with some obscure boy band are going at full bore(dom). When we pass later on our way out the lighting rig has been lowered. I hope they were underneath it at the time.

Onward back round to Canada to catch the end of Off Kilter where Georgia wakes up for a dance with her embarrassing parents. the worst thing so far has been the queues for the drinks (mmm...... beer) and the loos. The ladies have to stand in line for ages as usual.

A return to the UK sees us up front with the British Invasion again with much singing along to 'Hey Jude'. For the rest of the week Georgia is singing 'Hey Jude'.

It is now 11:15 and we decide to find a place to watch the fireworks. We move on to Japan and find an area that is not too crowded, passing the blanket people on the way. Much as I admire their resolve there has been too many wonderful things to see and do today to spend it camped out on the pavement.

Celebration drinks are required for midnight but, as time is running out, the only thing we can get is champagne, sake and plum wine. The sake is horrible but the plum wine is nice.

Reflections of Earth begins. I did not realize that the globe moves across the lagoon to its position in the centre. We cannot see too much of the water level effects but the music is fantastic and we will see later in the trip without the crowds. Poor Georgia has had enough and is crying that she wants to go home. Tammy sticks Georgia's head under her fleece and we carry on watching. Horrible parents aren't we? As Reflections of Earth finishes a huge fireworks display begins in the sky above Japan. It is truly beautiful and as it fades away I think 'That's it, they can't top that'. Oh no? The countdown to midnight begins and the globe has the numbers spinning on it as we approach zero. Everyone goes wild and the skies around the top of World Showcase erupt in a huge wall of fireworks. I do not remember too many colours, mostly gold, silver and white. At one point the whole sky seems ablaze with fire for as far as I can see, I just stand there with this stupid grin plastered across my face watching this amazing event. As India points out, it is like daylight, there is so much light being shed. When I do manage to look around there are fireworks shooting from the barges in the lagoon as well! All too soon it is over and, as Tammy says, 'I want to see it all again please'.

Gradually we calm down and New Year hugs and kisses are exchanged. We walk on past the American pavilion and a swing band are in full ...... er, .. swing. People are up on the stage dancing so clamber up and let rip again. After a while we decide on a quick snack and a return to the bus stop as it is now 1:45 AM. We planned not to leave straight after midnight as the bus queues would be awful. Burger and hotdogs in America are the order of the day. (night?) We are all amazed by the gingerbread house. Tammy would like to live here but she would eventually end up with no roof ...... or doors ....... or windows.

Another slow walk to the bus stop sees us line up with the rest of mankind on this planet at 2:15. Our plan to miss the crowds has not been entirely successful. The buses roll in and out with great regularity but the sheer volume of people means we do not get on the bus until 3:15 AM. Still, a one hour wait with that many people around would not be too bad if it were not for the fact that we are all very tired.

We eventually clamber on to the bus and come to the low point of the day. We are all standing and not one person offers any of us a seat. What kind of ignorant, stupid, self centred people allow an adult carrying a sleeping 6 year old, a lady of 74 and a clearly exhausted 9 year old to stand in a moving bus?

Tammy and I exchange rather loud comments about ignorant people and how good manners are a thing of the past but no one seems inclined to move. The only way I can remain upright is to wedge myself across the gangway between the seats. I am sure that the person in the seat closest to me must have caught Georgia's food around the head a couple of times. GOOD!

I don't mean to be rude but had this been a bus in Britain you would have had people (both men and women) falling over themselves to offer a seat to a child or elderly person. Men even get up to let women sit down for goodness sake!

I apologize profusely to my wonderful American friends for these remarks but I'm afraid that it is the truth. Maybe we just had a bus full of selfish tired people.

OK, enough moaning, we reach the All Star Movies and clamber into bed at 4:00 AM. Not even the ending could spoil an incredible, wonderful day. I can honestly say that I will never forget where I was when the new Millennium began. Oh yes, and one other thing. In all the hours we were in the park, which was full to capacity with happy, drinking adults, we did not see one incident of violence or even rudeness. Now THAT is something that is would be very unlikely had this event taken place in the UK. Good and bad in all societies I suppose.

DAY 5 - SAT 1st JAN

Despite the late night I wake up at 9:00. I leave the rest sleeping and sneak out to the food court and drink 2 large mugs of coffee to clear my head. While there I catch up on my trip notes. I am using a different method this trip. Last time I just made brief notes as I went along but the trip is so long this time that I am practically writing the report as I go. This tends to take much longer but hopefully will mean that I don't forget too much.

Back in the room we have breakfast and everyone gets ready to leave. The plan today is to take it easy and tour the resorts to see the Christmas decorations, ending up in the Disney MGM Studios tonight to see the Osbourne Family Lights.

Tammy buys a phone card and phones her mother to see how the New Year was for her family. Her mother and one sister had it at home, her brother was in London and her other sister lives in Sydney, Australia. They all had a great time.

We clamber aboard a bus to the Magic Kingdom at 11:00 where a kind American gentleman offers his seat to Grandma. So much for my moaning last night.

The first stop is going to be the Grand Floridian, so we catch the boat across. It is another beautiful day and the sun is glinting on the waters of the 7 seas lagoon as we enjoy our brief crossing. We walk in to the atrium and are stopped in our tracks by the sight of the huge tree. It is so perfect that you have to go up to it and get a closer look. Some of the decorations are enormous, hang one of these on my tree at home and it would collapse! The rest of the decorations are very pretty as well. Tammy has decided that this is probably her favourite resort now, just ahead of the Wilderness Lodge. I suppose the girl can dream.

The monorail takes us round to the Contemporary. This has never been our favourite resort and the Christmas decorations are minimal here except for the large silver tree out front.

The Polynesian resort is next where the Christmas theme is again understated. We try to get into the Kona Cafe for Tonga toast (something that we have never tried but is on Tammy's 'must do' list) but they stop serving at 11:00 so we catch the monorail back to the Magic Kingdom to get the boat across to Fort Wilderness. The idea is to have a meal in the Trails End Buffet and then walk to the Wilderness Lodge.

The boat ride is very relaxing. On a balmy afternoon there is no better way to travel. At Fort Wilderness we have the Southwestern Chicken Salad and the Philly Cheesesteak accompanied by beer. The food is very good and reasonable value for money. Afterwards the girls spend some time in the playground and Tammy and Grandma spend some time in the shop. It is soon time to set off for the Wilderness Lodge and Tammy has the bright idea of hiring bikes as she thinks we get them free with our unlimited magic passes. I think that we should walk, pointing out that it is a fair walk just to get to the bike barn. As usually happens with these disagreements I mumble and grumble and then let her have her way. Well, we troop off to the bike barn where one of the very few miserable CM's that we meet all trip informs us that we have to pay. So we all trek back again with Kevin harbouring dark thoughts about females in showers and sharp knives.

We aim in the general direction of River Country and come across the petting farm and stables. There are peacocks wandering around and the girls enjoy petting the goats and looking at the horses. From here we set off in what we think is the right direction. We walk for a little while and it seems to be getting quieter as we go. I am starting to think about strange men asking me to squeal like a pig when we come across a sign for an exercise trail. This seems about right so we head off along it. Very soon we arrive at the shores of Bay lake and enjoy a stroll along to the Wilderness Lodge in complete isolation. It is very beautiful and peaceful and I can't help thinking what a complete contrast this is from yesterday. It reminds me that there are many ways to enjoy WDW. You can rush around enjoying the theme parks or you can relax around the pool or the water parks. I think that my favourite way to enjoy things is to just walk around looking at the magnificent scenery and seeking out the quieter, off the beaten track areas.

The Wilderness Lodge is, in my opinion, the best decorated of all the resorts. The tree seems to be completely at home here and the all round effect is quite stunning. The gingerbread village is also lovely but what do they do with all that food when Christmas is done? All I can think of is, what a waste. We climb up to the second floor and spend a peaceful few minutes sitting around the fireplace. This is one of my favourite places to just sit and relax. Sorry, you can keep the Grand Floridian, this is the place for me. One day I will stay here, if only for a couple of days.

After a happy hour or so absorbing the atmosphere we catch the bus to the Studios. It stops at the Polynesian and the Grand Floridian before finally heading for MGM. I must agree with the people who say that if you pay the big bucks to stay at the Wilderness Lodge you deserve a better bus service than this.

At the Studios we head directly for the Osbourne Family Lights. I had seen lots of pictures of this on the internet but none of them did this justice. Understated it is not but breathtaking it is. I wouldn't want to pay the electric bill for this lot. Grandma is enthralled by it all and Tammy says she could spend hours here. I am told that there are 5 million lights here and I believe them. Good job they are not like the old Christmas tree lights where if one went out they all went out.

We had intended to head home after this but we are on such a high that we decide to catch the last showing of Fantasmic! Another first for the Stringer family.

We enter the theatre half an hour before the show and there are plenty of seats available. There is no pre-show entertainment so the note book comes out again, after getting a beer of course.

Poor Georgia is whacked out and goes to sleep on Tammy's lap. I know that some people have said that the water screen sections are too long but I thought that they did a very good job of explaining the battle between good and evil in Mickey's imagination. Tammy and India are asking if there are any loud bangs in the show and I just get through saying I don't think that there are when a loud explosion goes off at the start of the Pochahontas section. Accusing eyes are turned my way. Hey, I didn't know!

We all think the show is excellent although the fire when Mickey fights the dragon fails to work. We will see it again later in the holiday so we are not really worried. The paddle boat at the end is much larger than I expected from what I had read and is greeted with cheering and clapping from the crowd. It is one of the advantages of reading RADP that when you read a lot of bad reports about something and are expecting mediocrity you can be pleasantly surprised.

I can't understand all the fuss about clearing the stadium at the end of the show. We wait for 10 minutes and then walk slowly out. Have a little patience people. Mind you, I suppose you must have if you have read this far.

We catch the bus back and once again all have to stand. I thought it was too good to last. Don't misunderstand, I don't want to sit down personally. Most of the time I stand if the bus is full anyway, it is just that the elderly and young children should always get a seat. Nice to end with a good moan. It makes me feel better!

DAY 6 - SUN 2nd JAN

I wake up at 4:15 AM with an aching back and flu like symptoms. I doze on and off until 7:00 when we get up. The forecast says that it is going to be a lovely day with the temperature up to 80 degrees so we decide to make the most of it and visit Typhoon Lagoon.

We arrive at 10:00 and find a good spot in Blustery Bay. It is quiet early on but soon fills up and is pretty packed by midday. The girls go off into the water while I try and recharge the batteries with a lie in the sun.

Grandma joins the girls in the main surf pool where they all get wiped out by a big wave. India scratches her back a bit but takes it well which is more than can be said for Georgia who hates water going over her head.

Grandma then stays with the kit while the rest of us go for float around the park. She declines to join us after an incident where she fell out of the ring and went under the water last time she was here. As you may have guessed Grandma can't swim and is not the greatest water fan in the world. We have a relaxing float but Georgia is not impressed when she gets soaked again going through the cave.

The family raft ride is next, which is fun but very short when compared with the one at Blizzard Beach. (This is down for rehab) Another soaking for Georgia. Not her day is it? The girls play in Katchakidee Creek and Tammy and I do the other tube rides. I am finding it hard to get enthusiastic as I'm still not feeling too good.

We return to Grandma and have another relax before lunch at the Leaning Palms. Tammy gets in the line at 2:15 and, although it is not that long, she still has not paid for the food by 2:45. Eventually we pick up our order at 3:15. Fast food? Understandably many people in the line are getting a little annoyed. The poor girl on the cash register does her best to placate people, she is very nice and it is not her fault. In the end anyone that had to wait more than 15 minutes from paying gets their money back. We have $33 worth of food for nothing. This is another example of a company rectifying a mistake in an acceptable manner. Maybe I would feel less charitable if I were only in WDW for a few days but we are in no real hurry to do anything. During our wait I have to keep leaving Tammy in the queue to sit down as I feel a bit weak and shivery despite the warm weather. After our meal we have another lie down then return to the All Star Movies where the girls want to play in the pool. I lie there for a while and then return to the room for a sleep. The womenfolk eventually return and there is much mopping of the fevered brow and sympathy for the little wounded soldier.

We go to the food court for a snack (I find the food here to be acceptable but no more) while I write up my notes and the girls play in the arcade. Then it's back to the room for a hot bath and an early night. I think we all need to have a good evenings rest. On the plus side the weather has been sensational so far, we are so lucky. We plan to go to the Animal Kingdom tomorrow so I hope I'm better.

DAY 7 - MON 3rd JAN

I wake up at 6:30. This is the first good nights sleep that I have had since we arrived and I feel much better for it. Although I have a chesty cough and a slightly fuzzy head the aching and dizziness has gone. I had horrible visions of me not being able to get out of bed. Tammy had threatened to push me around in a wheelchair.

Breakfast in the room and we are on the bus to the Animal Kingdom by 7:40. We arrive in time for opening and head straight to Kilimanjaro Safaris. We should spend more time in the Oasis but to make the most of being there early we walk straight through. This is Grandma's first time at the Animal Kingdom and we want to show her how wonderful everything is.

It is true what they say about riding the safari early in the morning. We see just about every animal that there is to see. Tammy asks me what is the rarest animal to see and I have just finished telling her that I think it is the cheetah when we round a corner and see one sitting very close to the track. We also get to see the lions enjoying the early morning sun.

Georgia is a little concerned when we go over the rickety bridge and asks if anyone else will be able to get over it now.

Over to Countdown to Extinction. Grandma enjoys this immensely and I get to ride twice after we do the child swap. This would definitely be too intense for the girls. By the way, it is a complete walk on. On to the boneyard to let the girls have a play. Unbelievably the girls unearth a dinosaur skeleton in the sand and spend a happy time uncovering it! Grandma is in there amongst them, actually we think she has more fun than the girls.

It's Tough To Be A Bug is next. India tries this for the first time and says she enjoys it but when I ask her if she wants to go back in with me (we did the child swap) she says no. Grandma leaps at the opportunity. I am really enjoying the attractions in the Animal Kingdom today, I had forgotten just how great they are.

We move on to Asia and see the Flights of Wonder show. Many Disney shows manage to be informative at the same time. The theming in Asia is every bit as good as in Africa, truly a beautiful and fun area. The Kali River Rapids queue area is exceptional. As everyone says the ride itself is quite short but we all think it is enjoyable. If you are used to raft rides you may look on it differently but, as it is unusual to us, we think it is good fun. Of course, I am the one that gets soaked, although everyone gets wet to some extent or another. Outside they have a large hot air blower to dry people out but the queue is a bit long so we just walk by. The weather is lovely again so we just let nature dry us out, I'm not sure if I would want to ride this on a cold day.

Lunch follows from the chicken place and is the noodle bowl, chicken satay and an ear of corn split between us. Oh yes and the obligatory beers. The satay and noodle bowl are a big hit with all concerned and we find a lovely quiet area to eat it in. It is down by the side of the Siamang monkey temple. If you walk back towards the bridge and then down the path on your left just past the temple there are a couple of tables at the end by the waterside. Very peaceful and pretty. Even in a quiet, out of the way place like this Disney continue the theming with statues and an old bicycle alongside the bamboo fence reminding you are in Asia. It is very peaceful and pretty.

The Maharajah Jungle Trek is next. If you thought that the theming in the main part of Asia was good then this place will just blow you away. Built mostly around a ruined temple there are the remains of beautiful murals showing through the decay. Absolutely wonderful. I love the giant bats, they have such pretty faces. If you stand there long enough you will see them stretching or moving around and get a real idea of their true wingspan. That could be the trouble with the areas where you stand and watch the animals, you could just stay and watch them all day and never see the rest of the park. I keep hearing myself saying that we must move on.

The tigers are truly majestic creatures and I suddenly realise the clever design of most of the animal enclosures. They allow the guest multiple viewing areas so that you will get to see the creatures no matter where they are.

A spot of shopping is next. I think I have been getting off lightly up to yet. Perhaps the worst is yet to come. We buy the Making Of The Animal Kingdom video and two photos that were taken on the way in as they manage the difficult task of making the Stringer family look almost human. Grandma buys a beautiful poster of the Animal Kingdom.

Wandering round we come across a cart where you can get temporary tattoos. India wants a Winnie The Pooh and Tammy gets one with all the Pooh characters, while Kevin has to sit down very quickly when told the price. $9 each! What a rip off, particularly as Tammy's tattoo starts to crease and peel off within hours. Kevin needs a beer quick to recover from the shock.

Back in Africa Georgia has her face painted and looks very pretty. I think it costs $12 but at least there is some time and artistry involved in this. On to the Pangani Forest Trail. We go through the bird enclosure and another small thing happens that adds to the overall magic. We stop to watch quite a large bird ( don't ask me which type) as it tries to pick up a stick to take it back to a nest it is building. The stick is too large and every time it attempts to take off it drops it again. The bird won't give up and tries time after time, gathering a small crowd to watch. We humans stand around looking superior and wondering when the stupid creature will give up. Much to our amazement it suddenly succeeds and flies off to its nest in triumph to cheering and clapping. Birds 1 Humans 0.

On to the hippos. We watch for a while with not much happening when suddenly the mother and child start playing. They frolic around and come right up to the glass, rolling around and messing about and play biting. It is an engaging sight and we spend a lot of time watching. The gorillas are next and we spend time looking at the mother and baby interacting. As Tammy says they look almost human. Probably nicer than some humans I know!

I have come to the conclusion that the real joy of the Animal Kingdom is not in the rides and shows (good as they are) but in the beauty of the animals themselves. Take your time, do not rush through and you will be rewarded.

We take the train to the Conservation Station. I love this ride, not for the scenery but the train itself is marvellous. Once there we see two very informative talks about the possum and the fanuc fox. I find them interesting as neither are native to the UK. The affection section (yeuk!) has the goats head butting each other with gay abandon.

The park is about to close so we head to the Rainforest Cafe where we are seated with less than a 10 minute wait. The awesome appetiser is, well, awesome. I have the chilli ribeye which I find too highly seasoned for me and Tammy has the pork chops which she enjoys a lot. I don't really have to mention by now that the meal is accompanied by a beer. if you just assume that every time we eat we have a beer then you will be correct. The portions in this place are just too large. They must throw away vast quantities of food if the leftovers on all the tables are anything to go by.

We are just too late to for the last bus to the All Star Movies so jump on a bus to the Studios and so on to the Movies from there. We are forced into a detour on the way to the room so that the girls can spend a short time in the arcade before showers and bed at 10:00. At this late hour Georgia's face painting has changed from a beautiful butterfly into a bad Gene Simmons.

DAY 8 - TUES 4th JAN

I am wide awake and look at the clock. It is 2:50 AM. I doze fitfully until 7:00 when we all get up. I still do not feel quite right but compassion for my ailments is now gone and I am accused of faking it for the sympathy. I have decided that all the women in this family are evil.

It is e-ticket night so we have decide to go to the Magic Kingdom and do some of the lesser attractions, leaving the main rides for tonight. We arrive at 9:10 and head for Fantasyland. Ariel's Grotto is closed and so Georgia must wait a while longer. We ride Pooh for the first time and enjoy it so much that we ride again straight away. It's not a groundbreaking ride but is pleasant and amusing. Tammy likes it better than Toad but then again she would enjoy the Chinese water torture better than Toad, so this cannot be regarded as much of a recommendation.

We ride It's A Small World next with Tammy having to be practically carried on. The girls all like this though. I go on Dumbo for the first time. It is really only a simple fairground ride but at least it doesn't make me feel sick as rides of this type normally do.

We walk back through to the hub where there is a Christmas show going on in front of the castle. I will be glad when it is finally finished and the decorations are down. The Christmas music everywhere is beginning to drive me nuts.

The girls want to buy ears to wear so we stop at a cart and India chooses Mickey, while Georgia gets Piglet. There follows a discussion about Piglet's gender and, when told that he is a male, the girls decide that Georgia must be Pigletta.

Hunger is setting in so we have a late breakfast/early lunch at the Plaza Restaurant. This is another first for us and is very pleasant. I eat a reasonably healthy meal for the first time on this holiday, a tuna salad sandwich, which is very good. This health kick can only go so far, so the adults share a Plaza Restaurant Sundae for dessert. Caramel, chocolate sauce, pecan and maple ice cream, nuts and whipped cream. Lovely.

Into Adventureland where a Disney Vacation Club salesman gives the girls some stickers. I ask him how long the tour takes and he says about an hour. Well, as we are moving to the Dixie Landings tomorrow I think it will be a good opportunity to go and do this. We book a time and he tells us that because we are staying on Disney property we will also get a free lunch afterwards. This new is greeted with great delight from Tammy - a meal and it's free!

All but Tammy go into the Tiki Room. She says it is boring. Don't worry, I will grass her up to Ronnie when we meet her later in the trip. On to the Swiss Family Robinson Tree House, one of Tammy's favourites, she wants to live here. I would prefer one of the rooms above the shops opposite. What bliss waking up every morning with your own balcony overlooking Adventureland and enjoying a cup of coffee in the warm Florida sunshine.

Pirates Of The Caribbean is followed by the Jungle Cruise. This is our first experience of using Fastpass and I have to say it is excellent. John is our skipper and he is very adept at delivering the corny lines with just the right amount of drollness. Tammy says her face is aching from so much smiling.

We now plan to leave the park and let the girls have a swim while we relax prior to returning for e-ticket tonight. We make it as far as the Camera Centre in town square where we see Meeko. This is one of the characters that the girls have not got in their autograph books so we stop for a signature and photo. Here we encounter CM Pat, who is friendly and helpful in the extreme. She fusses over the girls and compliments them on their autograph books before giving them enough stickers to fill a small wall. Our second attempt to leave the park fails as we reach the train station. Pat comes running up the road after us to tell us that Daisy Duck is inside the Camera Centre if we would like to meet her. Another missing character from the girls books, so back we go. Pat ensures the girls are in the right place and introduces them to Daisy. After the formalities Grandma and the girls have their photo taken with Pat, who is suitably embarrassed by the whole episode.

We say our goodbye's and are about to leave the park for the third time when I remember about the Guest Comments Forms in City Hall, so over we go and write out our appreciation of both Pat and Rhonda (who gave us a disposable camera on our first day.) A quick look around the art store and it is 2:55, may as well stay for the parade now. We plonk ourselves down on the curb in front of City Hall and watch it all go by. When the first float reaches us it stops and Prince Charming and Cinderella alight and invite the girls to dance with them. The girls love this and Cinderella is so pretty I am tempted to join them but a firm hand on the shoulder from Tammy suggests that this is not a good idea. Prince Charming looks like he packs a mean left hook as well, so perhaps she is right. The girls have enjoyed this enormously, like all young girls they enjoy being the centre of attention as long as it is in a way that is not too embarrassing. We finally manage to leave the Magic Kingdom at our 4th attempt around 3:50.

This is a prime example of how time just disappears at WDW. One thing seems to lead on to another and before you know it the day has gone. I suppose it illustrates the case of those who say that you should go with the flow and enjoy things as they happen.

Back to the All Star Movies where the girls finally get their swim while Daddy writes up his trip notes and the old women take a snooze in the room. It is slightly more cloudy and windy today but still nice and warm.

We return to the Magic Kingdom at 6:00 PM and pick up our wristbands for e-ticket. The Christmas tree is lit and Main Street looks beautiful. We look in a couple of shops and then take up position in front of the hub for the 6:30 fireworks. Georgia is set to try out the earplugs that I normally wear at night. All right , you can stop laughing now, it doesn't make me any less masculine. The fireworks are as lovely as ever and the earplugs are a success, Georgia watches and there are no tears.

As we walk through Frontierland on the way to Splash Mountain the country bears and a lot of dancers are heading down the street. They stop and enlist everyone around to learn how to line dance. All the women give it their best while I video the whole sorry affair. It is actually very good fun and the girls enjoy it so much that they continue dancing after everyone else is gone and they have the road to themselves. This is another small thing that sets Disney apart from all others in my opinion. There are probably more dancers than guests left in Frontierland when they start their show but all the people that are there have a real good time and leave with an enhanced feel for the Disney magic.

We walk straight over to Splash Mountain. Georgia has been begging to do this for ages. Bad mistake. After the first small drop she is in tears and wants to get off. Big Thunder Mountain is next and Grandma and Georgia wait outside. It is a shame that Splash Mountain has put her off because we know that she would enjoy this but, like all small children, once she is frightened then you just have to let her come round in her own time.

The Haunted Mansion is next and is great at night as always. I think that the complexity and the sheer variety of things to see is what keeps this ride one of the WDW greats. Every time I ride it I see something new.

Over to Tommorowland where we ride Buzz Lightyear for the first time, swiftly followed by our second and third times. This is one great attraction. They just got it so right with this one, it is addictive. I get 90,000, 110,000, and 145,000. The next closest is India with 106,000 on her third go. My stature has increased and I walk from the exit in my best John Wayne gait, knowing I have once again saved my womenfolk from the evil alien threat and asserted my role as the dominant animal in the Stringer family pack.

We leave Georgia and Grandma at the Lunching Pad and go to Space Mountain for India's first ride. She comes off beaming and wants to go straight on again. Tammy and I look at each other, think about our stomachs and decide against it.

Back at the Lunching Pad Tammy sits with the girls while Grandma and I go to Alien Encounter. I have not done this for 4 years and so it is a nice change. Be advised never to take small children on this. India loves adventure and thrills but there are certain things that are best left until they are old enough to handle them, unless you want your child to have nightmares for weeks afterwards.

When Grandma and I get back to the Lunching Pad India is not there. Tammy says she has gone off on her own to do Buzz again. Game little lady is India. I never had the confidence that she has at her age. Maybe this is a sign of the changing times, children do have far more self-belief than years ago. Whether this is a good thing or not I will leave up to you to decide.

Georgia is very tired and has just about had enough by this time, so we start the homeward trek. We get briefly delayed at Casey's where we enjoy hotdogs and watch the closing ceremony. There is something really quite moving about the castle changing colour so beautifully while 'When You Wish Upon A Star' plays in the background. It is even better on e-ticket night when you are sat there virtually on your own. It is our own personal closing ceremony.

See, I have had a wonderful day and not once did I have a beer. Bet you didn't think I could do it, did you?

DAY 9 - WEDS 5th JAN

We are moving to Dixie Landings today so breakfast in the room is followed by packing. We are finished by 10:30 and leave the cases in the room as bell services will take them over for us.

We take the bus to the Studios and change there for Dixie Landings. Check in is pleasant and efficient, it is only 11:30 but our requested room in building 14 is ready! The luggage will not be over until later so we take a look around the resort. Our first impressions are that it is very nice indeed, quiet, green and very pretty. You can see why you pay the extra money to stay here. The main pool looks great for the children and I'm sure that we will make use of the hot tub.

At 12:10 we are picked up to attend the Disney Vacation Club presentation. I have wanted to do this for ages and it seems like a good time while we are changing resorts.

The girls go into the play area and we have a cup of coffee and meet Bobby who gives us the presentation, he is nothing if not enthusiastic. It is supposed to take one hour but eventually ends up nearer to two. Bobby certainly knows how to talk! The Boardwalk apartments we are shown are wonderful, especially the en-suite jacuzzi that allows you to watch TV while soaking. The sales pitch is not too overpowering and Bobby is at pains to tell us that we are under no obligation. My only problem is how do I talk Tammy into it? Oh yes, and where the heck do I get the necessary £7500 for the 180 points? Much as I would love to do it, it is unlikely to happen for the time being.

We are finished around 2:30 and are given a voucher for a free lunch at either Spoodles, the ESPN Club or the Brewery place. Spoodles is closed so we go to the ESPN Club. If you like sport and TV you will be in heaven here. Various sports from around the world are being shown on the numerous TV's that seem to be everywhere you look, including in the bathrooms.

We start with 1lb of shrimp between us. This is the second time that I have had shrimp this holiday and both times it has been flavourless. I'm not sure if this is to do with the fact that it is winter. Next I have the steak sandwich, which is fine. We could have had a dessert as well but we are all too full. The only thing we have to pay for is the beer. Hah! Bet you thought I'd forgotton about that, didn't you? Back to the Disney Vacation Club and they give us a ride back to Dixie Landings.

In our room we ring bell services and our luggage arrives within 5 minutes. Very efficient. Unpacking follows. The room itself is slightly larger than the All Star Movies but it needs to be as all 5 of us are sharing. The extra sink unit will be really handy and the storage space is quite deceptive as everything fits in OK. The best thing about the room is the individual air conditioner. That blasted communal air conditioner at the All Star Movies that you cannot turn off really gets on your nerves at night. Even though we have a parking lot view, the majority of the window looks out on a very pretty wooded area.

We all have showers and are on our way to Pleasure Island by 6:30. We use the boat to Downtown Disney, which is an incredibly civilised way to travel. A walk through the Marketplace sees us at Pleasure Island. Our first stop is at the Art of Disney where there is much temptation. It would be so nice to take home something to remind us of our Millennium holiday, we will have to see how the money lasts. Into the Adventurers Club where an intended brief visit lasts all night (well, until 9:30 anyway) as we have a marvellous time. There are the usual jokes about 12 year olds in a bar (ho, ho!), mine are 9 and 6 so they can't be on about them. It is only 8:00 for goodness sake! The maid, Annelle, is very nice and makes sure the girls move into the treasure room and sit up front to watch her show. Both Georgia and India are loving it, singing the Adventurers song, learning the Club salute and watching all the shows. It really isn't a problem with the relatively mild sexual innuendo as it goes straight over their heads. As long as we are out of there by 10:00 PM, who are we harming?

Anyway, Grandma nearly scores! The Colonel takes a fancy to her but, unfortunately, nobody has a spanner to loosen his nuts so she has to come home with the rest of us. Kungaloosh's and various other beverages are enjoyed by all during our delightful evening. Thanks to all the talented and fun performers for keeping us so royally entertained.

We walk back through the West Side at 9:30. I don't remember the ice rink before, it must be a winter thing. Has anyone ever managed to visit all the shops and eat in all the restaurants here? The choice is amazing.

We are back in Dixie Landings and in bed by 10:30. India has the trundle bed and Georgia sleeps with Grandma. They will alternate over the next two weeks to keep it fair.

DAY 10 - THURS 6th JAN

We are up at 7:30 and have breakfast in the foodcourt. I have the French toast which is very good. We arrive at Epcot in time for the 9:00 opening. The Leave a Legacy monoliths may not be universally liked but I have to say that I much prefer the new fountain to that old perspex thing which was beginning to look a bit dated. As we walk towards the dancing fountain we are stopped by a CM who gives the girls a Mickey balloon each. Another nice touch. We walk to Test Track for our first ever ride. We practically walk on and strap in for our ride through the test facility. Everyone is very impressed, just the right amount of thrill without being too scary for the little ones. I don't know about you lot but it has my adrenaline pumping. A big hit.

On to the Wonders of Life pavilion where Tammy does Body Wars while the rest of us do Cranium Command. I must have seen this at least a dozen times by now but it still makes me laugh. General Knowledge is my hero.

The Universe of Energy is next. This is only the second time that I have ridden this since they changed it to the Ellen story line. I still enjoy it, let's face it anything with Jamie Lee Curtis in has got to be good. I'm referring to her fine acting ability, obviously. How could you possibly think I meant anything else?

We head towards Innoventions stopping to watch the Jammitors (drumming on rubbish bins) and Kristos (alien acrobats) on the way. Cast in Bronze are about to begin so we find a bench and relax. We really enjoy this as the music is played by a 4 piece band including a huge instrument made up of a large number of bells called a carallon (sp?). It produces a unique sound and, among other things, they play part of Tubular Bells.

We are getting thirsty so we head into Ice Station Cool where India tells Grandma how wonderful Beverley is. I don't think Grandma agrees, much to India's delight.

Innoventions is next but, after sending an electronic postcard and playing with the games for a while, we leave. It is very easy to spend a long time in here and your time just slips away.

The Imagination pavilion is next for the much maligned Journey Into Your Imagination. I suppose one advantage of reading RADP and having everyone telling you how bad it is, has the positive effect of making me feel that this is better than I expected. Nowhere near as good as the original, too many plain areas with nothing much happening, but there are one or two good effects though. Tammy thinks it is better than the old version but this is no recommendation as she hated it. Sometimes I worry about the woman.

On to the Millennium Village pausing to catch Off Kilter on the way. The Millennium Village is a great surprise, much better than I expected. In Scotland I play golf and manage to reach the top. What a multitalented individual I am! In Brazil we play football and we toucans trounce the pathetic jaguars. Saudi Arabia is really pretty and the Spirit Oasis is particularly nice. We go through the giant eggs of Sweden which are pleasant but Autumn is a bit of a bore isn't it? Just a few leaves blowing around.

We start our snacking and drinking in the food court here with a pulled pork sandwich and coconut cake. What is that about? Where are they pulling the pork from? Or pushing it to? Just one of life's great mysteries I guess.

The Israeli simulator ride is down and the second half of the Village is mostly standing exhibits and shops. At the end we play the World Culture Game where Georgia and I get beaten by Tammy, India and Grandma. Now let's be fair, they had superior numbers on their side. They actually are the winners of the whole game which has the added depressing effect of making Tammy all smug and superior. Georgia sulks because India crows about her victory and I sulk just because we lost. I put it down to a sticky button in the vital last round, well, that and the fact that I didn't know the answer but we won't dwell on that. In total we spent two hours in the Millennium Village and enjoyed it immensely.

When we come out it has sprinkled with rain. The only time it has rained in a whole week and we missed it! Nice one!

From here on in this report is going to turn into a bit of a food and drink rating session. We marked each snack and beer out of 10, which wasn't easy when we came towards the end as every beer tended to taste wonderful!

First is the UK. Now I would not be patriotic if I did not give this top marks but the truth is that it was very good. Fish and chips 9/10. Bass ale (for me) 9/10. Dry Blackthorn cider (for the ladies) 10/10.

On to France for cheese and French bread 7/10 accompanied by red wine 9/10 while we watch the World Showcase Players perform Cyranose de Bergerac. The girls are at the age where they love watching anything like this. We also buy Epcot Passports for them here and start the epic trek to get them all filled in. There are several characters in the area including Esmerelda and Clopin. Poor Phoebus is standing on his own with nobody paying attention to him. Serves him right for being named after a sun god.

Morocco has us sampling Chicken Shawarma sandwich 8/10 and Casablanca beer 7/10.

In Japan we have Yakitori (chicken on a skewer with teriyaki sauce and rice) 9/10 and Light Kirin beer 8/10.

Italy sees us trying some sort of horribly dry pistachio biscuit 3/10 and Peroni beer 6/10. Tapestry of Nations is just about to start so we stand on the steps by one of the statues to watch it properly for the first time. Whoever thought of this has some imagination. The colours, the lighting, the costumes and the wonderful music are all perfect. We will definitely see this a few more times before we return home.

On round to Germany for chocolate sticks from the sweet shop 7/10 and Becks beer 8/10.

In China we have Sweet and Sour Chicken, rice and a spring roll 8/10 (5/10 for the spring roll) and Chinese beer 5/10. We spend some time looking around the beautiful shop. There are so many lovely things in here, it is one of the very few shops that I don't mind spending time in. Tapestry of Nations is about to start for the second time at 8:10 so we find a place to watch. The girls love dancing to this and enjoy the interaction with the performers enormously.

We find a place to watch Reflections of Earth just to the right of Germany and have a very good view. New Year's Eve was so packed that we did not get to see much of it, so this is our first proper viewing. We have also forgotten Georgia's earplugs, so a crying, unhappy child follows.

What an amazing show! This is ten times better than the last Illuminations. The fireworks are spectacular, the music more stirring and the globe is the icing on the cake. Like Tammy said, every time you think it is finished they crank it up another level. We will see this again as I was videotaping some of it and you tend not to enjoy it so much that way.

A slow walk out of the park, a quick bus ride back to Dixie Landings followed by a swift entry to bed at 10:30. The girls are both exhausted. I think we need a quiet day tomorrow to recover.

DAY 11 - FRI 7th JAN

We all sleep in until 8:00. The plan was to relax around the pool but it is a fairly cool morning so we decide to go to Disney MGM Studios for at least a short while. A rest day? No chance with the Stringer family. We do intend to return in the afternoon for a swim though.

Breakfast is in the food court. The food is slightly better here than at the All Star Movies. Not great but certainly reasonable. The surroundings are much prettier though. It is more spacious and more interesting with the water wheel workings and the views over the waterfront.

We arrive at the Studios at 10:00 and head straight for Rock 'n Roller Coaster, which is nearly a walk on. A word about the crowds. after New Year's Eve the crowds dropped off quickly and it is now very quiet in every park, wonderful for seeing everything quickly and easily. There is no putting it off anymore. Tammy and I clamber into our stretch limo and blast off along the highway. The launch is thrilling and you race along wondering when the first inversion is coming. You are into and out of it before you know what is happening. The rest of the ride is smooth and maybe even slower than I anticipated. One thing I did not expect is that we both came off feeling a little queasy. I suppose I should not be too surprised as this is the first inverted coaster for both of us. A great ride but I would have trouble riding this more than once a day. India decides she would now like to ride but we decide she can do it another day.

Across the park we take our seats for the Hunchback of Notre Dame. This is a classic Disney attraction. It has to vie with the Festival of the Lion King as the best show on property. The voices are excellent as usual and the puppetry joins in with the live action very well. This is the first time that Grandma has seen this show and she is lost for words afterwards.

Half way through it starts raining hard and is still hammering it down at the end. We wait inside the theatre for 10 minutes and it clears.

Over to Doug Live, another first. Now this must be the first time ever that my children know more about a Disney character than me. The girls really like this, especially India. Although the performances are very good and it is a bright and cheerful show, it all seems slightly strange to me. I mean, what is it with Quailman and the underpants? A little too surreal for me. What is children's television coming to?

Voyage of the Little Mermaid is next. Both Tammy and I think that they have turned down the volume in here. we can barely hear Ariel, who has a weak voice anyway. Maybe Disney have had complaints from parents with frightened children but it spoiled it slightly for us.

Outside in the shop Georgia is going to get the Ariel costume she has been on about for weeks. So what does she buy? An Esmerelda outfit! Women! Oh well, at least she is happy. By the way, these costumes are a complete rip off - $55 for the one we get but Georgia has her Christmas money and is allowed to spend it on whatever she wants. Why she doesn't want a barrel of beer for Daddy I don't know.

While Georgia is choosing her outfit I go over to the Animation Gallery. I have always wanted an animation cel but they seem to have gone up enormously in price. I know that when we first went to WDW you could get a genuine cel from the films for $100 - $150. Now you are talking thousands. You can get hand painted limited edition cels but they are not from the films. Hindsight is a wonderful thing.

We return to the Dixie Landings where we spend a very pleasant couple of hours around the main pool enjoying the hot tub and slide, along with a beer for me and pina coladas for the ladies.

After showers in the room we leave for our meal in the California Grill at 5:55. We just miss a bus and so have a little wait for the next one reaching the Magic Kingdom at 6:30 just in time to see the fireworks as we walk to the monorail. Around to the Polynesian where the girls are going to the Neverland Club. Being a bit of an expert on the Disney kids clubs (ours are off loaded at every opportunity) I would say that this is the best themed of all of them. The girls are sprinkled with pixie dust as they climb through the bedroom window on the way to Neverland. We leave our happy twosome at 6:50 and Tammy, Grandma and I move on to the Contemporary.

We are 20 minutes early for our 7:30 priority seating and so we sit at the bar for a drink while we wait. Within 5 minutes our pager goes off and we are on our way to our table. It really is a lovely restaurant, formal yet relaxed. There is a real mix of people from couples to families with children.

We start with flatbread with salmon and sour cream between us all. The only criticism from the ladies is that it could do with a twist of lemon to compliment the salmon. Both Tammy and Grandma choose the pork tenderloin for their entree while I go for the sea bass. Both the ladies think that their meals are excellent. I am not too sure when I see mine as it has clams and also olives in the rice. The clams are not as bad as I expect and I remove the olives as I find that their strong flavour tends to overpower the fish. Anyway, in the end I really enjoy it.

Dessert is a double lemon souffle shared between the women while I have the chocolate quake with a chocolate snap. Both are excellent. Oh yes, we also had a nice bottle of red wine which was the cheapest on the menu at $28 but fine nonetheless.

This was probably as good an overall dining experience as we have ever had at WDW. It is not a quiet romantic place (Artist Point is probably better for that) but for overall quality, atmosphere and the stunning views, then this place cannot be beaten. It is also nice to eat a reasonable size meal, one that would not feed a small nation for a week. Quality is sometimes better than quantity.

We also get to see the Electrical Water Pageant at several places around the Seven Seas Lagoon as well as the fireworks from Epcot at 9:00. Altogether a wonderful experience.

Hey, I bet you didn't know that I would make a good food critic. I will gladly come round to your house to give my valued opinion, I hardly ever eat the soup directly from the bowl and only wipe my face in the tablecloth when there is no napkin. It is perfectly acceptable to use your sleeve in these circumstances as well.

Back at the Neverland Club we pick up the girls at 9:30 at a total cost of $40. A lot of money but sometimes it is nice just to enjoy adult company for a few hours.

Georgia thinks that it is the best kids club she has been to but India still prefers the Cubs Den at the Wilderness Lodge, I suspect this is because they bring animals in for the children to see.

A taxi takes us back to Dixie Landings and we are in bed by 10:30. A slightly more relaxing day but probably all the more enjoyable for it.

DAY 12 - SAT 8th JAN

Up at 8:00, breakfast in the room and off to the Animal Kingdom. We arrive at 10:00 and go straight to Kilimanjaro Safari's which is only about a 3 minute wait. It is a foggy morning and there are quite a few animals out. One thing I have noticed both times we have ridden - no zebra. Have they gone or did we just miss them?

A brief walk through the Pangani Forest Trail follows. In the bird enclosure we hear a lot of noise and look up to see two fairly large birds ..... er ... mating. India asks if they are fighting! They may have been earlier if they are anything like humans as fighting is often followed by mating.

It is still dull as we walk across to Camp Minnie- Mickey for the Pochahontas show. It is packed. This is probably more crowded than it has been in days, maybe because it is a Saturday. The show itself is a bit cutesy. The animals are nice but my main gripe is that Pochahontas is not such a babe as the last time I saw this. I know this is a bit shallow but I am very particular about my Pochahonti.

We hurry across to Festival Of The Lion King and are seated 3 minutes before it starts, perfect timing. This has always been an excellent show but is even better than I remembered. Overall I still prefer Hunchback of Notre Dame, probably because I find the music so stirring.

Lunch is at the Tusker House, I remember Ronnie recommending this. We have the fried chicken, the stew bowl and the chicken salad between us along with beers. The food is very good, Tammy is particularly impressed with the stew. I have noticed something about the restaurants in the Animal Kingdom. They seem to have avoided large areas with loads of tables laid out in rows. Most restaurants have smaller sections with areas leading off them. It is easy to find a quiet and pretty corner to eat in.

The weather has improved and it would be very easy to sit here and enjoy a couple more beers, relaxing in the sunshine and listening to the African band that are playing. Unfortunately the rest of the party have different ideas.

A brisk walk to Dinoland sees us seated and ready for Tarzan Rocks, again arriving just a few minutes before the start. This is better than I thought it would be, high energy and all action. India is particularly impressed. Tammy can have Tarzan if I can have Jane. The fact that neither of them would want either of us does not enter into it. The lovely Jane makes up for the below par Pochahontas.

After the show we leave the park and return to Dixie Landings for an hour around the pool. This time we choose one of the quiet pools. Be warned that this is much colder than the main pool, even the girls don't stay in for long. Another thing, rather than getting a life jacket for Georgia from Guest Services as we did at the All Star Movies, you have to traipse over to the main pool to fetch one and return it to the same location. OK, I have to confess that we kept it in our room for the rest of the trip, but even a saint is naughty now and again. It is absolutely glorious again , pushing 80 with clear blue skies.

We are going to the Grand Floridian for the afternoon tea so we all shower and get ready. This always seems to take longer than anticipated, 4 women, 2 sink units, not a good equation, but we manage to leave the room at 4:50. A bus comes as soon as we reach the bus stop (the buses have been very good this trip, certainly no worse than on previous trips) and we are off to the Magic Kingdom. We get the launch across the seven seas lagoon and it is a lovely trip in the warm sunshine of the late afternoon.

We are seated immediately for our tea in majestic surroundings and our server is Wanda who is very friendly and efficient. Tammy and I both have the Grand Tea while the girls have Belle's Tea (peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, two pastries and chocolate milk.) Tammy and I are first served with a glass of sparkling wine with a strawberry on it, followed by our large pot of tea (Earl Grey) and 4 small sandwiches, no crusts of course. Next is a jam tart (home made with lots of jam) and a scone with jam and cream. Finally we have two pastries, I have a chocolate eclair and a swan shaped cream filled pastry. We all enjoy this very much. It is not cheap, $20 each for the Grand Tea, but it is very good, served wonderfully on beautiful china. There are lovely fresh flowers everywhere and it feels very refined and pleasant. We think that it is worth the money. By the way, the girls have their chocolate milk served in china tea pots so that they can pour their 'tea' as well.

On to the Magic Kingdom for the fireworks and the Main Street Electrical Parade. As we enter the first parade of the night is just starting so we go straight to the station and ride round to Mickey's Toontown Fair where we take the quiet path to Tommorowland. We intend to ride Buzz Lightyear but the wait is too long so we go on the TTA instead. This is much prettier at night and we even see the end of the Main Street Electrical Parade going around the hub. Back towards the castle to watch the fireworks. There is some trouble with the sound and it is late starting. When it does the sound is still not working properly where we are standing and this does lessen the enjoyment a bit. It just shows that you need all the elements in place to get the complete experience.

We move down Main Street (along with half the population of Orlando) to find a place to watch the parade. Most places on the kerbside are already taken, so we position ourselves behind two rubbish bins with about half an hour to go. We let Georgia sit on one bin with India, Grandma and me round one side and Tammy next to the other. We have a fine view down Main Street towards Town Square. Just as the parade starts a lady (?) and her daughter, who must be about 12, push in front of Tam and the woman struggles to lift the girl onto the rubbish bin. Tam is leaning on the bin and tries to make it obvious that she is stood there but the woman takes no notice. Tammy then tells the woman that we have been waiting here half an hour and to please move her daughter. The woman says something to Tammy not in English and ignores her. Now, Tam is generally a reserved and even tempered girl but when she does get riled, look out! She starts to elbow the woman, who shows no sign of moving. I can see things are getting a little hot under the collar, so I tell Tam to swap places with me. I think it may be better to separate the parties concerned as a cat fight on Main Street is probably not the best idea. I don't get that good a view from then on but at least no one has to clean blood off the pavement. I could not say with any certainty that the woman was Brazilian, but she was from South America.

Tammy is still fuming and has trouble enjoying the rest of the parade. The stupid thing is that the girl is perfectly old enough and tall enough to see clearly anyway. Oh well, I suppose there are ignorant, self-centred idiots everywhere.

The parade itself is very impressive, especially Pete's Dragon and the Tribute to America float (why do I think of Sam the Eagle when I write that?) but I prefer Spectromagic. Maybe it was just the circumstances I viewed it in. The woman disappears as soon as it finishes, which is probably just as well as Tammy is looking to scrape the heel of her shoe down her shin and stand on her foot. (And you thought she was such a nice girl, didn't you?)

We leave the Magic Kingdom and get on the bus to Dixie Landings. I get India to sit on my lap to free up a seat for a lady with a young baby. She is from South Africa and we chat away on the journey back. It just goes to show that you meet many more nice people than nasty ones at WDW.

DAY 13 - SUN 9th JAN

Up around 8:00. Tammy goes to the food court to get the coffee and chocolate croissants. What a kind person you are probably thinking, but I see through this cunning plan for the devilish work that it is. She is loose in the food court with no one to control her, lock up your pastries!

Over to the Studios by 10:00. Today is the WDW Marathon and they have been running for 4 hours as they pass through the Studios at the 23 mile point. If I had to do a marathon anywhere in the world it would be here. They start and finish in Epcot and run through all 4 parks. There are lots of people clapping and cheering and encouraging them, including the CM's who are very enthusiastic.

The actual park crowds are again minimal and we walk on to the Tower of Terror. When I say 'we' I mean me, India and Grandma. Tammy chickens out and stays with Georgia. The new multi-drop sequence is good fun but does turn my stomach over a bit. Maybe it's just because I have a weak stomach, I am slightly prone to motion sickness.

Across to the Great Movie Ride which is again a walk on. As we pass through the movie theatre India is reading the film titles. When Fantasia comes up India reads about the 'Nutcracker Suet'. A real pudding that one. The Great Movie Ride is still nice but could probably do with updating now.

On to Drew Carey's Sounds Dangerous. While we are waiting to get in India is telling Georgia about Star Tours (one of her favourites.) Apparently it is a 'stimulator' ride. Now I had heard that it was going to have a rehab but this may be going a bit too far! I enjoy the sound show, but then again I have always enjoyed the sound booths and this is just an extension of them.

Rock 'n Roller Coaster is next with fastpasses we got earlier. This time India rides for the first time with Tam. She says she has a headache when she gets off. I don't think she was leaning her head back fully into the restraint. While we are waiting for them to come off the ride Georgia has been looking at the Tower of Terror and has decided she knows how it works. She tells me that it goes up and down because it has got string on it. So there you go all you technical people, now you know.

As we entered the area in front of Rock 'n Roller Coaster we see someone drop a bucket of popcorn on the floor by a bench. I comment to Tam that I wonder if it will still be there when we come out. Sure enough, as we leave it has all been cleared away.

It's lunch next at the Backlot Express. I have the chicken in a bun and Tammy has a hot dog. We are both amazed when the girls decide to have something reasonably healthy, a tuna sub.

The Muppets are next and we arrive perfectly to see the whole pre-show. I like the construction guys putting up the signs best. You have got to love the Muppets.

Next is Star Tours. Even at 2:30 this is still only a 10 minute wait. As we head off to Endor, Georgia asks if this is real. A little later she asks in a slightly worried voice if this is really happening. I tell her that it is not but she doesn't look too convinced.

At 3:00 we leave the park with the temperature touching 80 and beautiful blue skies. We set the girls and Grandma up by the pool and Tammy and I set out to pick up our Interamerican hire car. Well, we are supposed to be picked up at 4:00. At 4:15 they have not arrived so we call again. They say that they have had a problem and that the man is on his way. He finally arrives at 4:50 and off we go to get the car. He takes us to a place called E-Z Car who then proceed to charge us $250 for 4 days rental (including insurance and taxes) which is not bad but is certainly more than the $180 we were quoted. Anyway, the guy does not seem interested in doing anything about it only in repeatedly telling us that it is a good rate. As we are stuck out in the middle of nowhere we just take the car and make the best of it. I suppose that it shows that sometimes it is better to stick to the well known reputable names.

Back at the room we shower and change before going to the lounge to enjoy a pitcher of beer and a plate of very spicy chicken wings. These things must put the sales of beer up no end.

We take a walk along the Sassagoula River to Port Orleans. This is a very pretty walk, especially at night. We sit in Scat Cat's Lounge and have more beer (at least I do, the ladies have a coffee liqueur thing) and share a huge plate of nachos with cheese and chilli and tomatoes and peppers and onion and roasted iguana. OK, so I made that last one up, but it seemed to have just about everything else. We all attack it but it still defeats us.

A slow walk back to Dixie Landings sees us all in bed just after 10:00 as we are going to venture off site for the first time tomorrow.

DAY 14 - MON 10th JAN

The plan today is to get up early and go to Islands of Adventure. Well, you know what they say about the best laid plans.

India wakes up in the night and is sick. She continues to be sick at least half a dozen times during the night and again in the morning. Islands of Adventure is put on hold.

Tammy and I jump in the car and drive to the Crossroads to pick up a few groceries (and beer) and to get India something to settle her stomach. While out we visit the World of Denim and pick up some jeans for ourselves. I get a pair of 501's for $29.99, a real bargain compared to UK prices.

On return India is still really bad, so Grandma and Georgia go for a walk around and to visit the playground while Tam and I shut the curtains and try to keep as quiet as possible while India catches up on some much needed sleep. Tam soon falls asleep as well, so I leave them to it and catch up with Grandma and Georgia who have been having a rare old time of it in the playground. They have being playing hide-and-seek and tag. I suspect that Georgia wanted to stop playing long ago but Grandma is having too much fun.

We head off to Muddy Rivers (the bar by the swimming pool) and enjoy ham subs and beers while sitting in the rocking chairs on the porch. Georgia wants to go swimming so grandma stays with her while I wander off for a look around. This turns into a wonderful hour just strolling around and video taping in Magnolia Terrace. The sun is shining and there is a lovely warm breeze blowing. The more I visit WDW the more I think that this is an enormous part of the pleasure for me now. Not just the theme parks or water parks or Pleasure Island but the beauty and tranquillity of the resorts and other areas.

The two areas of Dixie Landings are very different in appearance and feel. Alligator Bayou is rustic, with winding paths and walkways surrounded by trees and vegetation, while Magnolia Terrace is altogether more formal and spacious. Southern style mansions with fountains and lawns alongside the banks of the Sassagoula River. Both are lovely but some of the Bayou buildings are closer to the food court and main bus stop.

Eventually India and Tammy surface. India is feeling a little better for her sleep so I take her to the food court where she feels up to eating some fruit.

We meet the others on Ol' Man Island and India paddles her feet in the water. We have a family discussion to decide what to do for the rest of the day. My suggestion of visiting Hooters is rejected (can't think why) in favour of going to see Toy Story 2 at the cinema, after which Tammy and I will go on to Pleasure Island while Grandma will take the girls home for an early night.

Just as we are about to set off India is sick again but immediately afterwards says she feels much better. I suspect that is because she doesn't want to jeopardise a trip to the cinema but we will see how it goes. We get the boat to Downtown Disney. This really is the most pleasant way of travel and the fresh air does India a lot of good.

Toy Story 2 is excellent. It is unusual for a sequel to be better than the original. Tammy is very enthusiastic about it, which is a great compliment as it is unusual for her to be so upbeat about a film. I think it has something to do with when the second Buzz calls Hamm a slotted pig. This tickles her fancy for some reason and she keeps saying it all night, although I must say that I take exception to continually being called a pig. Just because I suggested a visit to Hooters, purely for educational purposes you understand, I am interested in the cultural differences in the approach our two countries take to the role of women in the workplace. What do you mean you don't believe me? I am hurt and offended that you would think that I could possibly have any other reason.

We walk Grandma and the girls to the West Side bus stop with India looking a lot better. Hopefully a good nights sleep will put her right.

Tam and I go on to Pleasure Island, starting out in the Comedy Warehouse. I have not seen this in many years and I enjoy it more than I remember. 'Improv' (God I hate that word) usually leaves me cold as I sometimes feel faintly embarrassed by the whole thing, but this is better than I expect.

On to the Rock 'n Roll Beach Club. A very good band are playing to about 5 people. It is only 8:00 so that probably explains it. We leave for the Jazz club where we eat a cheese dip sort of thing while watching an excellent band called Blue Dice. A 4 piece brass section boosts the sound, I wouldn't call it jazz exactly, more blues. A visit to 8 Trax reminds us just how old we are and we beat a hasty retreat to the Rock 'n Roll Beach Club. the band are just finishing, so another beer and a couple of records later we are leaving for the bus stop. Another attempt to reach Islands of Adventure will be made tomorrow.

DAY 15 - TUES 11th JAN

We manage to wake up at 7:00 and, although not perfect, India is feeling much better. After breakfast in the room we leave for Islands of Adventure, arriving at 8:30. The multi-storey car parks are very impressive and we take the precaution of noting down our space, Jurassic Park 304. It must be very easy to lose your car here.

We exchange our vouchers for tickets where we realise that we are definitely not in WDW anymore as the women behind the counter has all the enthusiasm of a dead slug. The park opens early and in we go. The Port of Entry is lovely, very pretty with plenty of flowing water. They have certainly learned from Disney.

We head straight for Super Hero Island and Spiderman. Tam and I ride first. Wow, absolutely sensational! I can see why so many have called this the ride of the future. Everything about it is right and the impression of depth from the 3D is stunning. I know that India would like this but we will let her settle down a little today before doing anything too rough. Tam goes back on with Grandma and they both come off smiling.

We walk through Toon Lagoon to Jurassic Park. It does remind you of the film as you walk through the gates. Again Tam and I go on the Jurassic Park River Adventure to try it out. We are not entirely impressed by this. It is OK, but is spoiled for me by the fact that, as the gates open and you supposedly float into Jurassic Park, you see the huge white ride building looming in front of you. This definitely detracts from the immersive quality of the ride. Also the T.Rex that is supposed to frighten you at the end is visible well before you get to it and so wouldn't frighten a small child with a dinosaur phobia. The actual drop is less intense than Splash Mountain. The animatronic dinosaurs are good but they seem to be few and far between.

We have to find something for the girls to do next so we head into Camp Jurassic for the Pteranodon Flyers. You can only ride this with a child, so Georgia and I go with Grandma and India. I really like this. You get great views of the park, even though it is very short. Georgia wants to go again, so she goes with Tammy. I am sniggering to myself because Tam is not too keen on heights and I know she won't like it. Sure enough she comes off saying never again. (Stifles laughter with back of hand).

We then let the girls have a run around in the play area for a while. The girls opinion: better than the Boneyard.

Back to Toon Lagoon and we all go on Popeye's Bilge Rat Barges. I get drenched, the rest get merely soaked. This is much better than Kali River Rapids. Why did Disney not make Kali as long and rough as this? The only problem is spending the day trying to get dry. It's a good job it's warm and sunny again. The girls and Grandma then go to play on Me Ship, The Olive.

I think one problem with this park is that the two big roller coasters dominate. You can see and, even worse, hear them from practically anywhere in the park. This detracts from whichever area you are in. By the way, there is no way I am riding either coaster. All I would succeed in doing is making myself sick, so there is not much point. Rock 'n Roller Coaster is about my limit, I think.

We backtrack to the Pandemonium Cartoon Circus Show. None of us can believe how incredibly bad this is. I realise it is supposed to be for children but even they are embarrassed by this. They ought to get a clue by the number of people that walk out half way through. Remove it quickly please.

India and I go off to do Dudley Do-Rights Ripsaw Falls but just as we get to the front of the queue the ride goes down. What actually happens is that the ride is being loaded and just as the log starts to move off somebody decides to jump in the front. One of the ride attendants hits some sort of emergency stop and they have to reset the whole thing.

While India and I have been queuing the others take the opportunity to avail themselves of a hot fudge sundae or two. (Well, 3 to be precise but at least there is some left for me and Ind.)

Walking back through Jurassic Park we go to the Triceratops Encounter and India gets to stroke a real live dinosaur. Honest! This is very clever and believable. The Discovery Centre is pleasant enough but nothing really stunning.

On to the Lost Continent. By general consent this is the most spectacularly themed of all the islands. Just the right blend of ancient sorcery and eastern mysticism. Even the shops are varied and interesting.

We stand in front of Duelling Dragons (or as India thinks it is called Drooling Dragons) and watch the fools going to their certain doom. Are these people daft?

Next is the 8th Voyage of Sinbad. This is a theatre show and the stage is stunning based around a huge cave filled with wrecked ships. The show itself is very good but does contain some loud bangs. Georgia's earplugs are doing a sterling job and she watches it all. We wander around the shops and come across the wishing well. This is a pleasant surprise which I will not spoil for you but we watch the interaction for a few minutes.

Poseidon's Fury is set inside a visually amazing building. A half destroyed ancient temple with the remains of a giant statue of Poseidon lying around. The show itself never quite seems to lead anywhere. The vortex is impressive but in the main show you are sort of waiting for a big finale that never really happens.

We like the look of the Mythos Restaurant and decide to have a late lunch there. If you are looking for something more than burger and fries then give this place a try. Tammy has chicken in a balsamic vinegar sauce and I have herb crusted swordfish on a bed of polenta. Both are excellent, not too filling, just very good quality. Dessert is orange pecan bread pudding and ameretto creme brulee. Again both are good. Total for the 5 of us including 2 children's meals, 3 beers and a coffee is $75. Good value when you consider the ambience, service and high standard.

Seuss Landing has the girls going on the Caro-Seuss-El and then 1 fish 2 fish. Here we once again witness a family with children too numerous to count clambering over everything in sight. Three of their brood ride twice in a row by hiding on the opposite side of the ride from the attendant and then jumping into one of the fish. Their parents are watching and smiling. They try it a third time but get caught. Instead of leaving by the exit they clamber over the railings and trample all over the plants in the process, while mum and dad look proudly on. If the parents allow them to do this then what chance do the children have?

The Cat In The Hat ride is good fun and Georgia enjoys it greatly. The girls then run around in the play area for a while. This is a beautifully designed place with lots for little ones to do and lots of devious ways to get them wet.

It is now 5:00 and, with the exception of the couple of big roller coasters, we have done nearly everything. Islands of Adventure actually looks much bigger than it is and can easily be done in a day if the crowds are as low as today.

Is it better than WDW? No.

Is it worse than WDW? No.

It is a different park with a different feel and many different things to do. Spiderman, to me, is a ride that pushes back the boundaries of what is possible and something that I'm sure Disney will take notice of. Some of the scenery is spectacular and stunning but being able to see one totally unrelated area from another is a little off putting. Should you visit Islands of Adventure when you are in Orlando? In my opinion, yes. However, I also agree with those that say that it is more thrill oriented than WDW. You tend to notice this more if you visit with children, a large part of their day is spent waiting for you to ride. Seuss Landing is the only true kiddie area, even Toon Lagoon has more adult rides. Having said all that, the children's play areas are excellent and India and Georgia still had a lot of fun.

We walk back towards the Port of Entry but then decide to ride Spiderman again. This time India rides with Tam. She enjoys it enormously. Tam now thinks that this is the best ride in any theme park, due in no small part to it's originality.

It is now 6:00 and the park is closing, it is also starting to get dark. We now do something that often happens when we tour the parks. Instead of leaving we decide to walk around the park to look at it at night. The Lost Continent is lovely in the growing gloom and Jurassic Park is more foreboding. This is as far as we get before an Islands of Adventure employee turns us back. We finally head for the exit and walk through the Port of Entry (Exit?). This is very prettily lit and we go into a couple of shops which are unusual and fun. Georgia thinks we should go to Epcot to watch Tapestry of Nations but, knowing the long day we have had, I don't think this is a good idea.

Back to Dixie Landings for a snack in the food court, showers and bed by 10:00.

DAY 16 - WEDS 12th JAN

I attempt to rouse a rather reluctant rabble at 7:30. After breakfast we are on our way and arrive at Universal Studios by 9:00. We head straight for Back To The Future where India rides for the first time. She really likes it. I think it was ground breaking in it's time but in comparison to newer rides it now feels a bit bumpy. It is still fun though.

Over to Hanna Barbara where we all chase Dick Dastardly and Muttley through a cartoon. I am rooting for Muttley as he is a real star in my book, but that fool Dastardly louses things up again. Georgia really likes this and would like to ride again.

Twister is next. This is the first time any of us have done this and we are all very impressed. Georgia's ear plugs work again.

King Kong sees India and Georgia riding for the first time and both have a great time. I've always had a soft spot for old Kong, it's just a fun attraction.

Earthquake is next, again the first time for the girls, these ear plugs were a real brain wave.

We walk over to Amity where Grandma and I do Jaws. This is the first time for Grandma and at one point she is so startled by the shark that she grabs the leg of the man next to her. It all ends well as they have a hot date tonight.

As we walk towards the Woody Woodpecker play area we pass the Animal Actors Stage. The show is just about to start, so in we go and enjoy a happy family show. At the end they bring out a baby chimpanzee complete with nappy. Tammy says she wants to take it home, funny, I thought we already had a couple.

On to Woody's Roller Coaster, where Georgia enjoys herself so much that she goes straight back on again with India. She has definitely got more adventurous as the holiday has gone on and we are now thinking that she might be able to do Big Thunder Mountain Railroad when we meet Ronnie on Friday.

We are going to do Terminator 2 3D then leave for Islands of Adventure. Just as we arrive for the pre-show they shut the door and we are first in line for the next show. We wait 30 minutes, this is obviously not that long but, on this holiday of complete walk ons, this seems like an eternity. They then say that they are having technical difficulties and we are delayed a little longer. When the show starts I am a little disappointed as it seems like just a 3D film until they enter the Skynet building, then the action really hots up. A very impressive show that I would like to see again alongside Twister. The only minus point is that the technical difficulties must have been with the motorbike as Arnie has to walk on stage. He looks manly enough anyway.

Off to Islands of Adventure which is only a short walk away. We are headed for the Enchanted Oak Tavern for lunch but get side tracked as Georgia wants to ride The Cat In The Hat again. Tammy rates this better than Pooh. It is certainly longer and the ride vehicles are better.

We finally make the Enchanted Oak Tavern at 3:00. This is a very pretty self service restaurant in the roots of an old tree and does a good job of conveying a magical feeling. You expect to see an elf or goblin jump up at any time. We have the chicken and rib BBQ combo with clam chowder. The food is fine and we sit at a table on the terrace outside to finish our beer and discuss the relative merits of Disney v Universal. As I have said before I think both should be visited as both have their various good points. I think that one area that WDW wins in is that it provides a more fully rounded product. There are shows, parades, fireworks and entertainment that go on until late in the evening when the parks close. All that Universal can offer is the fairly dated stunt show.

Off to Popeye's Bilge Rat Barges. Now, we have learnt the lesson of the previous day and come prepared with swim wear all round and a towel to dry off. You can fool the Stringer's once but you don't get us twice. (All right, a good trick would probably have us going round in circles for ages, but we won't talk about that.) We all ride and then Grandma and Georgia dry off while the rest of us ride again. Tammy has got mildly damp all 3 times we have ridden, whereas I have got completely drenched every time. There is probably some sort of moral to be learned from this, but I can't put my finger on it.

It is now 5:00 and we are going to ride Spiderman one last time before we leave the park, even Georgia has decided to give it a go. We are just about to board when the ride goes down. They mention something about a 'power flux'. I think we must be in Back To The Future for a minute. Doc Brown should come over and feed it some garbage. We wait around for 15 minutes but nothing happens, then they ask us to leave the building A major disappointment as we have all enjoyed this ride so much.

Back to Dixie Landings and a quick freshen up then off to Epcot, primarily to watch Tapestry of Nations and Reflections of Earth. We arrive and hot foot round to Japan where we are lucky enough to walk straight into Tempura Kiku. We have wanted to try this for a long time. You are seated around a tall bar along with everyone else, where you watch the chefs prepare your food. We start with soup which you drink straight from the bowl, followed by salad with a ginger dressing and rice. Our main meal is a combination of chicken, beef and shrimp deep fried in batter. Although very good, it is typical of eating a lot of fried food in that it becomes fairly greasy after a while. A nice experience but not one we will rush to repeat.

With precision planning (all right, it was plain good luck) we are outside with 5 minutes to spare before Tapestry of Nations. The girls really have a good time as they get a lot of attention from the dancers.

We watch Reflections of earth from in front of Italy and this is the first time we have had a completely unhindered view. It is very close to perfection. The music, fireworks, lasers, water, fire and globe are so well co-ordinated to produce a display of wonderful quality. In my opinion this is the best show that I have ever seen at WDW. A Disney masterpiece.

We take a slow walk out as is our usual way and a bus has us back in bed by 10:30. Oh yes, Georgia lost another tooth today and the tooth fairy only leaves $3 this time. Business can't be good in the second hand tooth market.

DAY 17 - THURS 13th JAN

I wake up at 8:00 sweating, shaking and delirious. No, I am not ill again, it is much worse than that. Shopping day. AAARRGGGGGH!!! I'm sorry to have to write about this as I'm sure that many men reading this have now had to go and sit down quietly with a cold beer to recover from the shock.

We have breakfast in the food court as I need all the sustenance I get can to steel me for the terrible ordeal ahead.

I drive us to the Belz Factory Outlet at the top of International Drive, arriving around 10:00. The mall buildings loom menacingly out of the eerie mist as thunder and lighting crash around us and a wolf howls in terror. OK, so it's a lovely sunny day but that doesn't have the right mood setting gothic feel to it.

I will not burden you with the hideous and often frightening details of our purchasing spree, suffice to say the credit card is gasping with relief when it is finally put away for the day and the plane will struggle to take off on the way home. As we leave the mall (was it only hours? seems like days) the shop managers have laid down a red carpet and are kissing Tammy's feet as she passes.

We finally manage to drag her kicking and screaming to the car, her eyes bulging as she begs for just one last ring of the cash register.

With Tammy subdued at last we head back to the 192 to return the car. I wouldn't exactly say that E-Z Car were poor but they did not have the professionalism of the major car companies. We are driven back to Dixie Landings by an Egyptian gentleman who regales us all the way with tales of why England is such an awful place and how Prince Charles was involved in a conspiracy to murder Diana. He doesn't even know the way and is asking me for directions! Not the best way to get yourself a big tip. In fact he receives exactly what he deserves. Nothing.

Back at Dixie Landings Tam has to do some washing, so Grandma gives the girls showers while Tam and I go to the laundry by one of the quiet pools. While the washing is being done we sit by the pool and I write up my trip notes. It is 5:00 and still a balmy warm late afternoon. I mention to Tam that this has a slightly surreal feel to it. Back in the UK it is cold and probably wet, while here we are, sat by a pool surrounded by trees and shrubs in a beautiful resort with the sun shining down. Freeze this moment in time, I want to stay here forever.

This reflective time has even managed the near impossible task of pushing all thoughts of this mornings terror to the back of my mind.

We shower and get ready for the evening, then catch the bus to Epcot. Here we leave Grandma and the girls in front of Spaceship Earth as Tammy and I are going to have an evening on our own, eating at the Yachtsman's Steakhouse and then on to Jellyrolls. We walk around World Showcase and then out of the International Gateway. The walk along the waterfront to the Yacht and Beach Club is very pretty and quiet. This is our first time at this resort and we begin with a walk around the pool area. I can see why this is regarded as the best pool in the Disney resorts, it is sprawling, with little inlets all over the place. One thing I was not expecting was the sand in the bottom of the pool, this is a very nice touch. The pool itself was closed, which surprised me as it is only 7:30. The pool at the All Star Movies stayed open until midnight. If I was paying the money to stay at the Yacht and Beach Club I would expect to be able to swim in the evening if I wanted.

We stroll around for a while. This is certainly a very impressive resort but, then again, all the luxury resorts are.

We are seated promptly at the Yachtsman's Steakhouse at a very nice table by the window. One thing we were impressed with here was the level of service. It was attentive without being intrusive, everything was cleared away efficiently without ever giving you the impression that you were being hurried.

Tammy and I share the Chateaubriand for two which came with mashed potato and asparagus. The steak is carved and served at you table and is excellent. We share a dessert of macadamia nut and white chocolate pie which is a little bit too sickly for us. This is definitely not a cheap place, our bill for 2 entrees, 1 dessert, 2 beers and 2 glasses of wine (very good) comes to $100 not including tip. If you are looking for a good quality but more expensive restaurant then this would be a good choice.

We walk around a little more afterwards to let the meal go down before wandering over to the Boardwalk and going into Jellyrolls. There is a $5 cover charge when we enter at 9:30. I think that this place could definitely blow hot and cold. On a good night when the place is full it would be a really fun and raucous experience. However, if there are not many people in then it could get old real quick.

The pianists themselves are very good indeed and could really kick up a storm with the right crowd. On this particular night it is not really packed and the atmosphere comes and goes along with the crowd. We both enjoyed it but I would imagine you could have real fun if you were with a group of people.

We leave around 12:30 and get a taxi back to Dixie Landings.

DAY 18 - FRI 14th JAN

Up at 8:00 and as soon as we are ready we are out of the room as the plan is to eat at the Kona Cafe in the Polynesian before meeting Ronnie and her family in front of the Diamond Horseshoe Revue at 11:00.

As usual when the Stringer family are on the move things don't go exactly to plan.

We wait for the Magic Kingdom bus but it is taking a while so when an Epcot bus turns up we decide to hop on it and then get the monorail to the TTC. This takes longer than intended due to a short wait for the monorail at Epcot and we finally reach the Kona Cafe at about 10:20. Luckily we are seated straight away.

The purpose of breakfast here is to try the Tonga Toast. The pigs .... er... I mean, the family devour it and give their considered opinion. MMMMmmmmmm! This is a 100% sure fire hit with all of us. The ham that comes with it is also good. Having read about Tonga Toast I was expecting something similar to French Toast. What I was NOT expecting was something akin to half a loaf of bread, filled with banana, coated in cinnamon and smothered with enough sugar to keep the economy of a small Caribbean island on course for a year. There must be a million calories in this but, boy, is it good. It is immediately put on Tammy's list of things that must be done again before the end of the holiday.

By the time we have finished it has gone 10:45 and we rush off to the monorail. We enter the Magic Kingdom at 11:02, route march across to Adventureland and arrive about 10 minutes late for our meeting with Ronnie. She is, of course, very gracious and accepts our apologies.

After introductions to Grandma we head off to the barbers shop on Main Street where Mike (Ronnie's husband) and I are going to get our hair cut. I suppose it must be about time as I look like a cross between a rock musician and Cousin It.

The ladies in the barbers shop are very good, chatting away while Ronnie takes pictures for her web site. Mike and I both come out looking much improved (mind you, how can you improve on perfection?) as Tammy and Ronnie look up at us in awe, as doe eyed as two love struck teenagers. Or it might have been pity, I'm not sure.

Off to Splash Mountain where we all ride except Tammy and Georgia. This is the wettest Splash Mountain ride I have ever known with India and Jill (Ronnie's daughter) taking the front seat and getting very wet. India's trousers take hours to dry out. Ronnie buys two copies of the picture and kindly gives one to us, lovely lady that she is. It shows the two girls screaming their heads off while Kevin looks ice cool and composed in the back seat. Well, maybe not. This is really the only walk on of the day, the crowds seem much heavier than for the last two weeks. The other thing that you should know is that it is cold today. Although in the high 60's and sunny for most of the day there is a very chilly north wind. I'm sure there are many people regretting wearing the shorts and t-shirts today.

The queue for Big Thunder Mountain is 35 mins so we go back to watch the Diamond Horseshoe Revue. This is a nice little show with a singing cowboy, an excellent magician / card trickster and the lovely can-can dancing saloon girls. Mike and I particularly appreciate our front table seats for this last section. In fact we appreciate it so much that Ronnie and Tammy have to furl up our tongues and poke them back in our mouths at the end of the show.

I'm a little vague on the order of things from here on in but I'm sure Ronnie will put me right if I get it wrong. Pirates of the Caribbean is next before we return to Big Thunder Mountain. Everyone rides except Grandma. This is Georgia's first time and she loves it. She has certainly got over her early scare on Splash Mountain and is willing to try most things now. Tammy, Grandma and Georgia now go to Ariel's Grotto as Georgia has been dying to meet her. The rest of us head for Space Mountain but there is a 35 minute wait so we all go on Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin instead. I triumph with 240,000 points due to superior skill and tactics, or could it be just pure luck?

We meet up again in Fantasyland where Tammy has taken the opportunity to sample a peanut butter brownie cup fudge sundae, probably took me longer to write that than it did for Tammy to eat it. Snow White has very little wait so on we all go. The 3 girls are now riding together.

On to the Pooh ride to use our fastpasses that we got earlier. Without these the wait is 1 hour! Ronnie explains that it is probably because it's Martin Luther King Day on Monday and many people have made a long weekend of it. I enjoy Pooh even more than before particularly after Ronnie points out the picture of Piglet in the queue area looking like he is desperate for the bathroom.

We head off for Space Mountain again but Georgia throws a paddy so I have to go with her and Grandma to ride Buzz while the rest blast off through space. Another lifetime best for me with 325,000 points, due in some small part to the ride slowing up towards the end, a fact that I conveniently forget to tell everyone when I crow about my score. The fireworks are approaching but another quick ride on Buzz for everyone is fitted in.

We walk up to the hub in perfect time and can pick our spot in front of the castle as a lot of people have left due to the cold. I'm not sure why but Tink doesn't put in an appearance but the fireworks are as good as ever.

The park is nearly closing, so what do we do? Why, rush over to ride the Haunted Mansion of course! These O'Rourke's are people after my own heart! I really do love this attraction, it is one that you can repeat time after time and not get bored.

A slow walk down Main Street and it is time to say goodbye to Ronnie, Mike and Jill. Grandma says to me later that we managed to talk about WDW nearly all the time we were in the park. Yep! That's the idea, Grandma! It has been a lovely day that we have all enjoyed, let's hope that we can all meet up again soon. Hey Ronnie, it's about time you made it over this side of the water!

We arrive back at Dixie Landings at 8:00. We intend to have a quick snack in the lounge but end up watching a man playing the piano. He really knows how to get the crowd going, playing such varied things as the Flight of the Bumble Bee, YMCA and Brown Eyed Girl in a boogie-woogie style. A couple of pitchers of beer disappear as we have a foot stompin' table thumpin' time. Grandma and India get up and do the Macarana and then the Conga. We finally leave just after 10:00 and fall into bed.

DAY 19 - SAT 15th JAN

We lie in until 8:15 then eat a quick breakfast in the room. We take the scenic option of the boat to Downtown Disney then walk to Disneyquest which we enter at 10:15.

First we do the Mighty Ducks Pinball Slam. I finish second, while Georgia shows a real aptitude for this, coming in third. On to Ride the Comix where I follow the instructions a little too literally, using long slow strokes of my laser sword to try and defeat the enemy, while Tammy is much quicker and wipes out 10 villains to my 2. I put it down to faulty equipment.

Next is the Buzz Lightyear bumper car thing. This is fun but I don't see anyone spin out of control. It seems very difficult to get a direct hit.

The Alien Encounter sees me as pilot with Georgia and Grandma as gunners. Although we pick up 15 colonists we fail to make it back to the transport place.

Down to the second floor to ride on Aladdin's Magic Carpet. I think that this is the most realistic of the virtual reality rides and you can see your co-riders as you go along. The Virtual Jungle Cruise is enjoyable, paddling like mad we manage to make it back before we are destroyed by the meteor.

Hercules in the Underworld has me as Hercules, Georgia as Pegasus and India as Meg. One of the drawbacks with most of the virtual reality rides is that they are for 4 people, so we are having to split into two groups. The final battle with Hades requires Pegasus to steer the chariot which Georgia is not too clear about, so Hades triumphs and we slink out with heads bowed.

Prior to lunch we all have a go at the Animation Academy where a Disney artist teaches you how to draw a Disney character. We attempt Pluto and I must admit that mine turns out OK. We buy a print out of our efforts and later on India and Georgia decide that Tammy's is the best. Huh, what do they know about art? Critics!

Lunch is at the Cheesecake Factory. We split a pizza, teriyaki chicken wrap and chicken with fries. The food is very good as it was last time we ate here.

After lunch we return to the Mighty Ducks Pinball Slam. Even though every station is being used, Georgia wins! The attendant tells her that she gets to stay on again and that if she wins 3 games in a row she will get a small prize. We are all watching and cheering Georgia on and she is in the lead right until the last few seconds of the game, eventually finishing second.

Tammy and Grandma want to go off shopping but the girls want to go back on Hercules, so we split up. This time I am Pegasus and we defeat Hades due mostly to my excellent flying. All right, so the girls did manage to shoot him down with their lightning bolts too.

We leave Disneyquest to meet up with the ladies at the Lego store. More shopping follows and we end up in the Art of Disney where the girls both buy a poster for their rooms and I buy a villains print, although where Tammy will let me put this heaven knows.

The boat back has us in the room by 5:15. Once again it is a rush to get ready and we are running to a tight schedule again as we have priority seating for 'Ohana at 7:20.

Unsure of when the next Magic Kingdom bus will arrive we jump on the Epcot bus and then take the monorail, arriving at 'Ohana only a couple of minutes late.

We are seated within 10 minutes and I am surprised to see so many of my 'cousins' there. If you like BBQ flavoured food with a slightly sweet taste then you will really enjoy it here. It may not be up to the standard of the California Grill or the Yachtsman's Steakhouse but if you have children it is an excellent place for nice food in convivial surroundings.

We end up stuffed so full of food that I wonder whether we can waddle down to the beach to watch the 9:00 PM fireworks over the castle. We just about manage it and stand on the edge of the dock just as they start. It is surprising that you get more of a feeling for the scale of the fireworks watching from this sort of distance then you do if you are standing underneath the castle. The bigger shells are really huge and look beautiful as they are reflected in the Seven Seas Lagoon. Then, just as the fireworks finish, the Electric Water Pageant begins. This may not be a major event but I try to see it on every visit as I can always remember seeing it for the first time and being amazed at how far Disney go to entertain their guests.

I try to talk Tammy into getting a taxi back to Dixie Landings but she thinks we should get the bus from the Magic Kingdom, despite the fact that it has just closed for the night and everyone will be leaving. We get the monorail round and walk across to see a large queue of people waiting for the Dixie Landings bus. With teeth almost biting through my lip and sweat appearing on my brow with the effort of holding back the 'I told you so' we join the line.

Two buses are already being filled up and when they leave another one pulls up within two minutes. We don't get on this one but the next appears 10 minutes later and we are on our way. The buses have been as good as ever on this trip. OK, if you are unlucky and just miss one, you can wait 15 - 20 minutes for the next, but our average wait cannot have been more than 7 - 8 minutes. (If you ignore New Year's Eve.)

We are back and tucked up in bed by 11:00.

DAY 20 - SUN 16th JAN

We all lie in until 8:30. Well, it's a lie in by WDW standards. By the time we all get moving and into the Disney MGM Studios it is 10:30.

We get fastpasses for Rock 'n Roller Coaster then visit the villains shop. I would like to spend a lot of money in here but my horrible wife will not let me. This is a pattern for the day with me liking things and Tammy saying 'no'. All right, so most of the things I like are along the lines of the $180 Disney Studios jacket but I'm worth it aren't I? Don't answer that.

Off we go to watch Bear In The Big Blue House for Georgia. She enjoys it but I can't say that I am riveted. The best I can say is that he is slightly less annoying than Barney, although that's not saying much as a mosquito bite is less annoying than Barney.

On to the Animation Tour, which I always enjoy. Being Sunday there are no animators working. It is a shame that they rush you through this, they used to let you take as long as you wanted and see everything at your leisure. I suppose I can understand it as they have to move so many people through.

Tammy, India and I go to use our fastpasses for Rock 'n Roller Coaster. I can't understand people not using fastpass. The standby queue is over 45 minutes but we walk straight on. Wow, I enjoy this even more the second time. The launch is a blast, as is the rest of the ride. I also feel less wobbly after I get off and India and I are grinning at each other like fools.

We go to Starring Roles for multiple pastries and coffee and we are ready to go again. There are a lot of characters in front of the Chinese Theatre and the girls get autographs and pictures with Hercules, Meg and Alice. Their books are getting pretty full now. I have got to say that Meg definitely has babe status. Hercules is one lucky guy. Alice is more... er... developed than an Alice should be. Cruella is also there and asks the girls whether they have got any puppies at home!

The backlot tour is always good. I always see different props as they change dependant on the films that have been made recently.

A stop for a beer is required while the girls have a play in the Honey I Shrunk The Kids playground.

On to watch the Mulan parade. Would you believe that this is the first time I have ever seen this parade? Well, you'll have to because it is, so there. It isn't the best show in WDW but it is entertaining enough. We have a quick rush across to the Hunchback of Notre Dame for the 4:05 show. We sit in the back tiered seats and quickly discover that this is a bad idea. People leave in the middle of the show, children bump around on the metal seats and it is all generally distracting. At one point the seats are vibrating so much I feel like I'm on the old Mission to Mars.

At the ABC Commissary we share a chicken caesar wrap, a beef sandwich and a grilled chicken sandwich. It goes without saying by now that we have a beer accompaniment. I have never eaten here before and the food was fine for a fast food place and the surroundings are interesting although I could probably do without the TV's. The problem with having televisions in public places is that I am naturally drawn to watch it. People talk to me and I reply without my eyes once leaving the screen, even if the adverts are on. A sad condemnation of our society, I am just an innocent victim.

We wander through a couple of shops on the way over to Fantasmic!, arriving about an hour before it starts. 15 minutes later it is packed solid with all the seats taken. I have read that the pre-show entertainment here is not very good but we all found it amusing and it made the time go quickly, along with the obligatory beer. I actually do not see all the pre-show as I am busy writing up my trip notes. See how I suffer for you people? Oh all right, person. At least you are faithful to have read this far. Haven't you got any paint you can watch dry?

This is only the second time that I have seen Fantasmic! and I have to say that it is excellent. A full theatre only adds to the atmosphere. My only complaint is the number of people who get up to leave as soon as the paddle steamer appears. Hey, you might not want to see the end of the show but the rest of us do, you ignorant pigs! I mean this in a kind and loving way, you understand.

The exit from Fantasmic! is again reasonable, a little crowded but not too bad.

The bus is waiting and we return to Dixie Landings. We are hoping for another sing along night but it must be the piano players night off. We have a pitcher of beer and a pizza big enough to feed the whole of Alligator Bayou. It even defeats the amazing stomach of Tammy, but she does at least prove my theory on TV in public places as she stares glassy eyed at the screen, making the occasional grunt as her input into the conversation. Perhaps I should have asked her if I could buy my $180 jacket, she would probably have mumbled her agreement while peering mesmerised at the screen.

DAY 21 - MON 17th JAN

The girls are off on the pirate cruise this morning and Tammy wants to go to the Polynesian for Tonga Toast while they are buckling their swashes. Told you she would fit it in again. If there's one thing this woman looks after, it is her stomach.

We are up at 8:00 and down to the food court for the girls to have breakfast. Georgia plumps for the healthy option of lemon cake. As we arrive at the bus stop an Epcot bus is waiting, so we hop on with the intention of riding in the front of the monorail to the Magic Kingdom. Unfortunately the monorail is not running. Curses, foiled again. Back to the Epcot bus stop for a bus to the TTC , then the monorail to the Grand Floridian.

At the marina we pay for the cruise ($20 each) and the girls are kitted out with life vests and pirate bandannas. One little boy is reluctant to leave his mum but the Disney CM's are wonderful. The captain comes out and talks to him and tells him that he can be captain for the day and sit alongside him and steer the boat. Off they go with a very jealous Tammy looking on as she wants to dig for buried treasure, unfortunately she is 30 years too old and two feet too tall.

We take a rather hurried walk past the wedding pavilion to the Polynesian as we think that they stop serving breakfast at 11:00. When we get to the Kona Cafe at one minute to 11:00 we find that it ends at 11:30. Oh well, that's our exercise for the day. The Tonga Toast is also forgotten as we all remember how good the Eggs Benedict looked last time we were here. This gets the thumbs up all round, so another wise choice.

We take a leisurely stroll back to the Grand Floridian, stopping for a swing in the hammock on the Polynesian beach. As we stroll past the wedding pavilion we decide to have a look inside. This is exceptionally pretty, it really must be a dream to get married here if you are a Disney fan. In fact I'm thinking of getting divorced from Tammy just so I can get married again here.

The ceremony and exchange of vows take place in front of an arched glass window giving a lovely view of the castle, but it is not plain glass, it actually magnifies to make the castle bigger and closer than it actually is. Trust Disney to think of every last detail.

We pick the girls up from the pirate cruise. they come back armed with all the booty they have looted from the treasure chest they found. According to the girls this is a must do for children. They get to have a go steering the boat and the crew were a lot of fun.

Into the Magic Kingdom for a last go on Big Thunder Mountain. The attendance is high today as it is Martin Luther King day and there is a 30 minute wait despite both sides being open. Georgia laughs all through it and once again professes it to be her number one ride. Back to Liberty Square where both girls have their silhouettes done for $14, the frames being another $14. I am amazed how quickly this guy works. It can't take much longer than 90 seconds to do both of them.

Into Fantasyland for pretzels and a chocolate sundae before leaving the park. Only a flying visit and we say a fond farewell to the Magic Kingdom as we won't be back again this trip.

Back at Dixie Landings we get the girls to have a sleep for an hour or so as we are going to Pleasure Island later and a rest this afternoon will enable them to stay out longer tonight. While they snooze we have a look around Magnolia Terrace. I like the look of this side of Dixie Landings, more refined but not so convenient for the food court and other main areas.

We rouse the girls and all shower before getting the boat to Downtown Disney at 5:00.

A little more shopping follows. Notice I did say a little. Over to the House of Blues at 6:30 where we are told that a private function is taking up the majority of the place and it will be a one hour wait. This does not seem like a good idea so it's off to Planet Hollywood. I would guess that everyone knows about this place by now, not a quiet, romantic place but reasonable food at a reasonable price. (By Disney standards.)

On to Pleasure Island. We intend to briefly visit the Adventurers Club but Georgia is loving it so much that we stay until 10:00. She wants to go to every show and does not want to leave. The cast are great but I have noticed that the only one who makes jokes about children in a bar is the woman playing Samantha Sterling. She made the same jokes the first time we were there. Let me tell you that my children are a damn sight better behaved than many adults. I know some of you think that the cast temper their material because of the presence of youngsters, but any off colour jokes go straight over their heads. We are out of the place by 10:00 for goodness sake. Everyone else is very pleasant and makes us feel welcome. Please do not think that I am over sensitive on this issue, I can take a joke as well as anyone. (I married Tammy didn't I? Oooh, I'll suffer for that one.) I just think that, no matter what Ms Sterling's personal opinion might be, she is a Disney Cast Member and should act accordingly. Anyway, it certainly doesn't stop us enjoying ourselves enormously.

On to the Rock 'n Roll Beach Club. Here the girls have a great time playing air hockey and arcade games. The highlight of their evening is when they find 4 cents on the floor, the next half hour is spent combing the area for more cash. The band we watch are called Blue Stone Circle (awful name) and they have a very talented guitar player who also plays the violin. He manages to play it upside down, behind his head and also between the legs of a woman from Chicago who is wearing a skin tight short skirt. Now that's not a sight you see everyday.

We leave around 11:45 and Georgia has a few tears because she wants to dance before we go! Tammy, the walking zombie, thinks that it is too late for that so off we go. As we walk past the Virgin Megastore Tammy decides that it may be too late for dancing but not for shopping. In we go to get a t-shirt she wants.

We eventually make it back to Dixie Landings and bed at 1:00 AM.

DAY 22 - TUES 18th JAN

After our late night we sleep in until 9:00. We could probably stay in bed a little longer but this is our last full day (sniff, sniff) so we have to get up to make full use of it.

We are going to Epcot but get the bus to the Magic Kingdom to try and ride the front of the monorail for the first time. Goodness knows we have tried many times on this and previous trips.

We ride the resort monorail to the TTC and then have to wait for the second train before the front is free. Unfortunately only 4 can ride but Grandma is very gracious and sits in the main compartment. The rest of us pile in alongside the driver and off we go. I really enjoy this up front view a lot and video most of the journey over to Epcot. You really do get a different perspective up there.

So now we are all sorted. I am going to be a monorail driver, Tammy is going to be a seamstress in the costume department and Grandma is going to help out in the gardens. (She might do a bit of night work as a dancer at Mannequins as well.)

In Epcot we go straight to Test Track and pick up a fastpass then stroll over to Honey I Shrunk The Audience. Tammy gets all misty eyed at True Colours as usual. The mice don't work for me or Tammy, I'm not sure if the effect comes from the seat in front of you or under your own seat. We both have bags in front of our legs but I always thought that it comes from behind you.

On to the Millennium Village to ride Journey to Jerusalem. This is a very tame simulator, but at least it adds something rather than just watching a film.

The whole Millennium Village is somewhat similar to the Tardis in Dr Who, it is deceptively big inside.

Over to Test Track to use our fastpasses. We all think this is a great ride, just the right amount of thrill. I used to enjoy World of Motion but this is a worthy successor.

It is now about 3:00 and a late lunch is called for. We leave through the International Gateway and walk to Beaches and Cream in the Yacht and Beach Club, another first for us. We have 2 Grand Slams and an order of onion rings between 4 of us while India has the chicken noodle soup. The waiter divides the 2 burgers onto 4 plates and it is still too much for us. These things are huge, triple decker burgers with cheese.

We follow this up with a Milky Way Sundae which again is massive but , with all of us attacking it, we manage to eat it all. You can practically feel the arteries clogging.

We take a SLOW walk back to Epcot and Canada where we watch O Canada. This is always a favourite, not least because of the music.

Back to ride Spaceship Earth. This is only the second time that I have ridden on this trip, practically a sin.

Into Innoventions where we send a video postcard. Hardly worth it really as we are going home tomorrow. (sob!)

We want to make a CD to include the music from Spaceship Earth and so we trot across to the Image Works in the Imagination pavilion. As we pass there is no line for Journey Into Your Imagination so we go in. Second time round I appreciate a couple of the clever illusions like the butterfly in the cage and the explosion at the end, if they had made the whole ride to this standard then it would have been very good. As it is they need to revamp quickly.

In the Image Works we are disappointed by the limited selection to choose from to make a CD so we don't bother.

We walk around World Showcase sampling a Beaver Tail and a Funnel Cake, after all our cholesterol level has probably dropped below the critical level, a couple of fried products are just what we need. We stake out a place in front of Germany and watch Tapestry of Nations for the 4th time with a large Becks and it is soon time for Reflections of Earth. It seems that no matter how many times I see this show it never fails to move and amaze me. How do they detonate those large shells so perfectly in time with the music? It is a bitter sweet moment as it finishes, knowing that it is the last major event of the holiday.

A walk around World Showcase is followed by some MORE last minute shopping, although this time Tammy is not entirely at fault as I manage to buy the Tarzan CD and WDW screensaver. We all walk out of Epcot for the last time, pausing at the entrance to turn around for a last farewell to Spaceship Earth. As I look something strikes me about the Leave a Legacy blocks. They really are not bad looking if you stand in the centre of the entrance. They actually do what they are designed to do, which is to provide a visual lead in and framework to highlight Spaceship Earth. The problem is that the majority of people enter from one side or the other and this makes the whole thing look lopsided and a bit of a mess.

Anyway, it is now 10:30 and the buses are supposed to have stopped 30 minutes ago but, Disney being Disney, they sort out transport back to Dixie Landings. The only people on the bus are us and a family going to Port Orleans. Well, you have to make full use of your last night, don't you?

Trip report notes are written and we are all in bed with heavy hearts at 11:30.

DAY 23 - WEDS 19th JAN & SUMMARY

What can I write about today? We are going home. Up at 8:15, shower and pack. By some amazing miracle we manage to get everything inside the suitcases, although we do need the assistance of Tammy to sit on them while I do them up. Hand luggage is also bulging at the seams.

Our Tiffany Towncar driver, Darcy, is 10 minutes early. Tammy and I are in the shop. Incredible, we have been here 3 weeks and there is still last minute shopping going on.

The drive to the airport is swift and smooth. I can thoroughly recommend Tiffany Towncar, they have been on time courteous and friendly throughout.

As we pull away from Dixie Landings Grandma looks at me and says 'I've made a wish. I hope that I will be able to come back again just once more.'

I think perhaps we will manage that, don't you?

The flight home is fine, if long, as we have to go via Atlanta again.

On arrival in Gatwick we leave Grandma and the girls with the luggage while Tammy and I get a taxi to her Godmother's house to pick up the car.

It is hard not to draw comparisons between our two recent taxi rides. Darcy was pleasant and talkative whereas this driver remains silent apart from the occasional moan about the 'bloody traffic'. As we drive straight past the road to Tammy's Godmother's I tell the driver he has missed the turning. 'Oh, I thought you were going to tell me where it was.' he says, not having once told us that he did not know the way. Tammy and I look at each other and shake our heads sadly. We're home.

OK. A few random thoughts on our holiday.

• Weather: Wonderful. We were just so lucky. We had no rain to speak of and only two cool days in the entire three weeks. If you could guarantee this weather every year I'm sure it would become much busier. The sun shone, the sky was blue most of the time and it was perfect for park touring.
• Crowds: As soon as the New Year celebrations were over the crowds disappeared. The last weekend of our holiday there were more people as it was Martin Luther King Day but , apart from that, the queues were minimal. It is lovely strolling around uncrowded parks and being able to walk on to whatever you choose.
• New Year's Eve: I couldn't begin to explain what a good day and night we had. Everything just seemed so right. Yes, it was packed but that just added to the atmosphere and the sense of fun and enjoyment. I don't think that I will ever forget the fireworks and the entertainment. I would definitely like to return at this time of the year to enjoy it all over again.
• Buses: I know that I have already mentioned this but, with all the bad things that you read about the buses, I feel it needs saying again. I experienced no deterioration in the quality of the service. Sure, if you expect to stroll up to a bus stop and clamber aboard immediately, you are going to be disappointed. You are on vacation, settle back, relax, enjoy the scenery, a bus is on its way. Let Disney take the strain.
• Rude People: As you may have gathered while reading the trip report, there were one or two people that really got on my t..... er .. I mean, annoyed me intensely on this holiday. I don't think there was any one group or nationality that stood out. Ignorant people are ignorant people wherever they are from and I am an Equal Opportunities Moaner. It is easy to get carried away complaining as we tend to remember the 1% of people who annoy us rather than the 99% who were wonderful. I will try to forget the lousy, no good, scum of the earth, flea ridden, pestilent excuses for human beings that have no right to roam upon this fair planet, I have their names and will be starting a vicious campaign to ........Oops! Like I said I will try to forget the rude people and remember the many kind and generous individuals we met, especially some of the fantastic CM's.

• Resorts: It is a little unfair to compare the All Star Movies to Dixie Landings. The old adage about getting what you pay for holds true here. The All Stars are perfectly fine, I have stayed there 3 times, you just get a little more luxury at the moderates. Dixie Landings is relaxing and pretty. Sprawling it may be, but very well designed. I would be hard pushed to choose between here and Port Orleans, I think Dixie might just come out on top.
• Dining: As usual we had some very good meals. Tammy and I both agree that we enjoyed the California Grill the most. I found it to be a pleasant mix of sophistication, relaxation and excellent food. And the views! A close second would be the Yachtsman's Steakhouse. Smaller and more intimate, this is probably a better choice for a couple out for a romantic evening.  Obviously these were also the two most expensive meals that we had. For slightly cheaper but pleasant food we all enjoyed 'Ohana and Le Cellier. Fun food is also to be had at Beaches and Cream. I just asked Tammy what she enjoyed eating on holiday and she said 'everything'. Well thank you for that well thought out critical appraisal of our dining experiences Tam.
• Favourite Park: We all agree on Islands of Adventure. This is not because we think that it is better than any Disney park but purely because it was completely new to us. There is a certain thrill to enjoying a new attraction for the first time and a whole park full of new attractions is wonderful. A close second would be Epcot.
• Favourite ride: Again unanimously, Spiderman. (Except for Georgia who did not ride it). Fun, thrilling and totally original. Georgia's favourite was Big Thunder Mountain. While Spidey was our favourite ride, the best overall experience of the holiday was Reflections of Earth. I really hope that this lasts beyond the Millennium Celebrations. This could run for the next 5 years and I would be happy.
• Shopping: Not that I like to recall the whole unpleasant experience. We did seem to get a bit extravagant on this holiday. Jeans, CD's, trainers, shirts, watches, clothes for the girls, books, posters, pens and Meg. All right, I admit I did not bring back Meg but that was not for the want of trying.
• General holiday thoughts: What can I say? A fantastic holiday. Was 3 weeks too long? NO WAY! We still did not do everything, although we did do all of the things on our 'must do' list.

Highlights? Too numerous to mention, just a great time throughout.

Finally I would like to thank everyone who has taken the time to e-mail or post comments about my trip report. I know I have not been able to respond to all of you individually but I appreciate it very much.

Tammy will now have me all to herself again in the evenings, a mixed blessing if ever there was one.

Now, I know I said 'finally' but I was just messing about. The very best news of all (for me at least) is yet to come. You remember that Disney Vacation Club presentation we went on? Well, we got back home, discussed it at length, I locked Tammy in the cupboard under the stairs for a week and a half until she agreed to sign and ...... WE'RE MEMBERS!!!!!

* loud celebration music * * Kevin does a jig of joy *

I still can't quite believe it. We have smashed the piggy bank, sold a child, searched down the back of the sofa and spent every last penny we have in the world.

Tammy is still saying things like 'This doesn't mean we're going to WDW every other year' but she can't deflate me.

We are looking upon it as a long term investment, hopefully we will be able to enjoy the Florida sunshine for many years to come as well as being able to swap out to some of the finest resorts around the world.

Subject to being able to book it all, a tentative plan is in place for the end of October. We are hoping to fly into Orlando, spend a few days at the Boardwalk Villas (our home resort) and then a week or so at Disney's Vero Beach Resort. It will be a sort of Non-Disney Disney holiday and I will, of course, keep you all informed of our exploits.

Well this really is the end this time. Thanks for reading all my ramblings, I hope you managed to enjoy at least a small part of it all.

Until we meet again.

Kevin Stringer

kevin.stringer@virgin.net

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