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Andrew Della Vecchia -- February 2000 Walt Disney World (BVR)Trip Report for WDW February 2000 General Info Travel
Comments on Travel The travel to Orlando was completely carefree. The plane departed as scheduled. During the flight, I kept looking out at the clouds. I just kept imagining that the cloud layer was a snow-covered mountain. It was easy to imagine myself skiing through the thick powder. Next thing I know, we arrived at MCO right on time. After a monorail ride ("look, palm trees") and a stroll through the scenery in the airport, we found the baggage claim area. There was some confusion as to which belt our luggage would be on. That was cleared up very quick and found the bags. We usually take a taxi/shuttle from the airport to our resort. I was a bit nervous about renting the car at the airport. Fortunately, the process went off without a hitch. The service counter for National was on the other side of where we were. So, we enjoyed even more airport scenery. The service was great. I mentioned my name and the basic rental info. Instantly, they retrieved all of the info. They gave me all of the necessary info as well as directions direct to the Boardwalk. When I finalized the rental agreement, we were directed to go to the parking garage. I was a total stranger to this type of experience. You go to the area in the garage for National (1st floor), then locate the area that contains the class of vehicle you are getting. Once there, you get to pick out which car you want. This was a very pleasant experience. Sometimes with other rentals, you get stuck with a car color you do not like; or worse (cigarette smell, poorly kept interior, etc.). I can say that all of the cars were in very good shape. Driving to the Boardwalk was simplistic. There are some tolls to go through. At the gate, you mention that you are checking in and show them your reservation. The guard lets you in. Then, you can go to the front door or direct to the parking. That’s it, you’re there! Coming home was not as nice of an experience, but we were not stressed out or the like. Airports are synonymous with confusion. However, MCO is well organized. Finding the rental car drop off was fairly easily, but I did have a great navigator to direct me <grin>. National cars get dropped off in a typical airport fashion. There are several lanes that you are directed through. Once stopped, there are some attendants that check out the mileage and such. When the inspection is complete, you get your receipt right on the spot. This ties some ends nicely. OK, now the fun part. Getting our tickets rearranged. We were originally supposed to leave Thursday, March 2, 2000. There was question as to what this was going to take. Surprisingly, the process was over before it started. The only hard part was paying that $75 fee! Going to the departing terminal has to be the most depressing part. This is the point of no return. You keep saying to yourself, "Where did the time go?" Then, you remember that you are a DVC member and you can return very soon ("WOOHOO!"). So, the departing plane has some problems. They were late coming in from Pittsburgh. There was some service delays which made it about 20 minutes late. Other than that, we made it on the plane. Passes Used
Comments on Passes When we did the preplanning, the LOS with DVC discounts turned out to be the best option. We tried our best to utilize them fully. Having a day left on the Escape Passes was a great feeling. Costs on vacation can sometimes spiral out of control. We were pleased that we purchased the 2-day pass back in November. Weather
Comments on weather: WOW! I said it before, the weather was a true blessing! Resort
Comments on Resort: The Boardwalk is a great resort! We stayed in a villa back in 1998. The experience was great back then and it was great this past trip. Almost every day, the Jacuzzi was used. Coming back from the parks, relaxing in this type of tub is a must! The 1-bedroom villas come with a wash/dryer, kitchen (not kitchenette), LR, small DR, master BR (king size bed), bathroom, Jacuzzi/dressing room, plenty of closet space, and a very large balcony. The room can be thought of as a very nice condo in the center of WDW. Have you ever thought about the amount of dirty wash you bring back from vacation? Having a wash/dryer is a great addition to the vacation. You do not have to pack as many extra clothes. You also do not have to do a lot of wash when you get back. If you are a DVC member, you also know that you have to take care of your towels. This is an area where you are grateful for the machines. You can take or leave the preferred views. They cost more, but you do get a pleasant view. The Boardwalk standard views are really nice as well. You look over the front side of property, but there is some very nice landscaping to see! Our room looked over to the Swan and Dolphin Resorts. This was pleasant and would recommend it. Please note that you do hear the horns of the Friendship Vessels during the day (standard view might eliminate this). The rooms are well designed to reduce noise, so that helps more than you may think. At night, this area was very quiet and the view was beautiful! Here are the pros/cons that were experienced with this resort.
We used the complementary transportation on other trips to WDW. Sometimes, the buses, boats, and monorails get to be too much. With a rental car, there are some added pluses. Let me list them as pros and cons.
Would I use a rental over the WDW transportation? Let me explain which transportation options that were used on the trip:
So, would I get a rental car for another trip? To be honest, the answer would be a maybe. If I were going to go to Universal and could get an economy class, I would definitely go through the extra effort. Having the rental car for Downtown Disney and the water parks is a great way to go. If Universal, Downtown Disney, or water parks were not in the picture, then I would just use the standard transportation. Either way, I would use WDW Transportation for the MK. Transportation Times Experienced Since we used a rental car most of the time, I am going to list driving times when appropriate. I factored a few minutes for finding the car at the Boardwalk parking as well as the shuttles to the lots. The Magic Kingdom: 15-25 minutes (car + monorail) Epcot Center: 5-10 minutes (walk); 10-15 minutes (boat + waiting) Disney-MGM Studios: 5-10 minutes (car) Animal Kingdom: 15-20 minutes (car) Downtown Disney: 10-15 minutes (car) Typhoon Lagoon: 10-15 minutes (car) Overall Park Touring (Fireworks/Evening Show Seen is in parenthesis)
Comments on Touring: Our biggest decision was what to do first? When you go to WDW, there are a plethora of options. Typically, we go to a theme park first. This time around, I needed a bit of unwinding to do. What better place to unwinding then on an inner tube at the water park? Typhoon Lagoon was the place to be! The crowds were good. Some days, the crowds seemed more lite than November. Other days, the opposite happened. We noticed that there were a fairly large amount of families on their Spring Break (Elementary / High School level) vacation. Even though the crowds ebbed and flowed, we did not have much waiting to do. If you pay attention to what is going on, you can avoid playing "follow the leader." If you want to get a more detailed view of our touring strategy, then go to "The Anti-Lemming Touring Plan" page (http://www.geocities.com/andrew_dv/wdw/antilemmingtouring.html). ****** Story Time ******* If you are reading this, you want to know why we had to stop by Centra Care. I am putting this in for informational purposes and not to cause a fervor. What happened was real. By me telling you how we handled the situation, you have more knowledge in case the same happens to you. The story starts at Artist Point. We were getting into a relaxed vacation mode at a nice dinner. In the past, I had some Wild Salmon from this restaurant and decided to do the same. My wife and I were having a great time chatting away. The salads came and were good. After the appetizer, the main entrees were up. The waiters came by with the Salmon on a large, smoking cedar plank. After saying grace, we began to eat. The meals seemed very well prepared. About half way into the meal, I took another bite. This time, something was not quite right. The fish tasted colder. I decided to explore a bit more. After dissecting the rest of the fish, I noticed that it was not cooked in the center. This has happened before at the Coral Reef Restaurant. I was disappointed that this happened here. This was one of my favorite restaurants. It is also one of the most expensive. I would have never thought of this here. There was not much left of the fish that was edible at this point. Only the other end was cooked well enough. Well, I decided that I was not going to let this get me down. When he came to clear the plates, the waiter seemed to have no interest in the fact that there was an uncooked mound of Salmon staring right at him. At the Coral Reef, the waiter was more than apologetic. That was about it for that meal. We headed over to Epcot for a great time. After the fireworks, we went back to the room. Later on that night, my stomach started to get very upset. The pain increased as well as the setting in of some very bad nausea. I began to receive more symptoms. A fever set in as well as shaking and chills. Noticing the symptoms, I began to drink water and started to worry. Still, I did not want to cause any problems. I kept saying to myself that it would pass. It did not pass. As you might guess, I did get very sick over and over again. My wife’s level of concern could not be described. The entire cycle kept repeating itself till I just knew I needed help. This is an important body defense that you should not fight. You do have to keep yourself hydrated, so water is a necessity. Even though we come to WDW a lot, we did not know where to go. My wife called the front desk. They informed us about Centra Care. If we wanted, we could be picked up. As I do not like to cause a scene, I opted for us to take the rental car (again, this rental car helped us out). If you do not know, Centra Care is located near Downtown Disney between 535 and Hotel Plaza Blvd (off of Apopka-Vineland Road). They do have day hours, so call the front desk if you need emergency assistance at night. On top of the incredible pain, I had many questions about this. How serious is this? Would I have to go to the hospital? Would my insurance cover this? Fortunately, the staff was well trained. I underwent a few tests that determined that the problem was definitely food related. I had to receive an injection as well as be put under observation for a reaction. On top of that, I had a prescription to be filled. After the compound went into effect, I began to feel better. I was also fortunate enough to get the drowsy side effect. When I was released, I headed for the resort for a good long nap. When I woke up again, I felt much better. I decided there was no need for us to just sit around the room. We headed off to the MK and had a nice evening. I was not 100% (more like 50%), but still enjoyed some rides and Fantasy in the Sky. Unfortunately, our insurance does not directly cover this type of visit. We had to pay out of pocket for this. I remain hopeful that we can recover some of the costs back through out of network options. Do not get me wrong, I am going to make sure that Disney is made known of this incident. There is a chain of letters being written along with copies of documentation and the names of everyone involved. It is very important that we, the customers, inform those, that wants our money, about our satisfaction and discontent. To end this story, let me state that I am not telling anyone to avoid eating at Artist Point or WDW restaurants. Just remember to always check for proper cooking. ******* Adding an extra day ******* Our original date of departure was going to be Thursday, March 2, 2000. Even before the trip, we batted around the idea of adding an extra day to our stay. During the medical experience, we were thinking that the trip would end early. Fortunately, we were blessed with the opposite. My wonderful wife said we should definitely add an extra day to make up for lost time. She is just so fantastic. She even did all of the rearranging. Obviously, I concurred with her. Dealing with DVC Service is nearly painless. After a phone call, an extra day at the Boardwalk was solidified. They could not guarantee the same room. This was not a big issue for us, but would be a nice point on our trip. Thanks to great service, we indeed had the same room. The next step would be to try to get the flight arrangements set. This is where it gets a bit hairy. Hearing some of the added costs brought a bit of sweat to the forehead. After a couple of phone calls, we were able to get on the same flight for Friday. There was a small difference in fares along with the $75/ticket service charge. I never understand why the service charge is so exorbitant. As you read previously, we ended up paying a total of $75. There was no explanation for the cheaper fare. I took it as a blessing. Next on the list was the rental car. The rental rate on the agreement was for 7 days. After a handful of phone calls to find the appropriate department, the car was set for another day. What is left? Ah, the tickets needed to be extended! Right, some more phone calls to get the lowdown on what to do. The front desk told us to come down Friday morning. The extra day was in the mid $20 range. This did take some doing by the front desk team, but all was set. Whew! Was it worth it? Definitely! That extra day did not cost a lot. Both of us are so grateful for having it! Well, now I owe my wife a favor or two <grins>. ******************************** Place of Interests ****************************************** Before going into each POI, I would like to share the definition of my ratings. I summarized all of the days into one to avoid confusion. Average Wait Time Ratings (Note: This rating deals with queue time for rides and attractions)
Crowd Level Ratings (Note: This rating deals with the ability to navigate the park.)
Oppressive: One big concrete block +++++++++++++++ +Magic Kingdom+ +++++++++++++++ Avg Wait Times Experienced Morning: Low Afternoon: Moderate Evening: Low -> Moderate Perceived Crowd Levels Morning: Low Afternoon: Moderate Evening: Moderate Used Fast Pass? Yes, we used this feature on Space Mountain. Definitely use this for Space Mountain. Please, be concerned about walking through the queue area. There were a few people that enjoyed running down the open queue. This is just dangerous. You do not want to end up going to the emergency room <grin>. Comments on MK How can you not enjoy this park? The first day here, I was recovering from the medical incident. Even though I was not in perfect shape, there was plenty of fun to be had. The Pirates of the Caribbean was scheduled for rehab, but it was still open. What a wonderful blessing! This is one of my favorite rides. Thankfully, we were able to add an extra day. Without question, the plan was to go to the MK. Ah, a full day at the MK! Sometimes there are certain rides and attractions that get better with each experience. Certainly, WDW has plenty of these. One attraction that is in this category is the extraTERRORestrial show. Try to sit in a different seat/row/side each time. There are some parts that you notice better depending on where you sit. There seemed to be more musicians than normal this trip. That’s fine, because it just added more to the experience. Probably the most important comment with the MK this time has to do with the landscaping. Disney did an outstanding job keeping a balance of colors and variety! I hope all of the pictures turn out. ++++++++++++++ +Epcot Center+ ++++++++++++++ Avg Wait Times Experienced Morning: Low Afternoon: Low -> Moderate Evening: Low Perceived Crowd Levels Morning: Low Afternoon: Moderate Evening: Moderate Used Fast Pass? No Finally, Test Track is a Fast Pass. OK, we did not use it for Test Track. If you get there early enough, there may be no need. Comments on Epcot Disney has done a wonderful job improving Epcot for the Millennium Celebration. We tried our best to spend plenty of time here. If you read my report from our November 1999 Trip, you noted how much my wife and I enjoyed Tapestry of Nations. Did we like it this time? Of course! I did notice they made changes to the narration. There was more narration added and the voice was mixed slightly different. IMHO, the extras took away some of the mysticism-effect of the parade. When I watch this parade, I begin to ponder about the meaning behind the music, color, symbols, narration, and general co-ordination. Many different thoughts and feelings come, but there is a consistent theme for me. The world is highly diverse and each individual is special in their role. When we listen only to ourselves, we live only in a tiny thread blown away by the winds of time. When we all listen to the True Composer, we become knitted together into a united creation. Typically, we watch the nighttime shows somewhere between the French and Italy Pavilions. This time around, we mixed it up a bit more. We watched Illuminations 2000 from the bridge between the China Pavilion and Africa Area one night. This was a good viewing area. The only drawback is that you can get caught downwind from the smoke. For a treat, get some cinnamon roasted pecans! It is like getting the best part of a pecan pie! You can get them from the vendors on the pathways around World Showcase. Sit down with this treat and just enjoy being at Epcot. Tips/Secrets If you do not want to see the Tapestry of Nations Parade, you can get on the attractions with little wait during this time. ++++++++++++++++++++ +Disney-MGM Studios+ ++++++++++++++++++++ Avg Wait Times Experienced Morning: Low Afternoon: Low -> Moderate Evening: Low -> Moderate Perceived Crowd Levels Morning: Low Afternoon: Low -> Moderate Evening: Low (everyone is at Fantasmic!) Used Fast Pass? Yes, we used this for the Voyage of the Little Mermaid Show. Anyone who has waited for this really can appreciate Fast Pass. Comments on Disney-MGM Studios When walking into the park, there was a sign reading that the Indy Stunt show was being redone. Good! We both felt the show was getting long in the tooth. If they could change the Backlot Tour, this park would be a bit more polished. Can I recommend that you can not go to MGM without going on the Tower of Terror? The new drop sequence is great! The ride has more drops, shakes, sparks, and sounds. The line wait goes by quick, so get on it over and over again. I am not sure if it is really necessary to mention the new roller coaster. The initial launch sequence is the best part of the ride! The rest of the ride is still great fun, but the indoor setup takes away from some of the inversions. As with ToT, you can ride this one over and over again. An unhidden benefit of MGM is that you can easily take an afternoon break. Stay as long as you want, but both of us fully enjoy relaxing in the afternoon. After a few hours of mellowing out (poolside, etc.) adds to a fun filled evening. Special Comments on Fantasmic! Last trip, we skipped this show except to see the chaos of the SRO area. Funny thing, this trip we _wanted_ to go to the SRO area. Please, let me explain. The plan was to leave a bit early so that we could go to Downtown Disney. Using the front SRO area, we could get away without bothering anyone. We arrived about 30 minutes before the show started. There were still seats available on the far sides. The CMs assigned to crowd control could not understand why wanted to be in the SRO area, but were gracious nonetheless. They warned us that large amounts of people are going to be unleashed from the pathway. That was an understatement! When the show was just about to start, the crowds were released to fill the SRO area. There was some miscommunication somewhere, because the walking and handicapped areas became filled with people instead of the SRO area. Unfortunately, some folks just do there own thing. Things are not as bad as they seem. Some of the more rude folks refused to move until they could not take the heckling anymore (I told you the Fantasmic! crowds get a bit rowdy). Eventually everyone squeezed together. How was the view? The view from the SRO area is pretty good. Sometimes, I thought it was even better than having a seat view! This show is great fun and has some incredible FX! If Disney could just raise the SRO level above the walking path and add railings, this would be an incredible spot to view the show! Of course, that is my view ;-{> ++++++++++++++++ +Animal Kingdom+ ++++++++++++++++ Avg Wait Times Experienced Morning: Low Afternoon: Low Perceived Crowd Levels Morning: Low Afternoon: Moderate Comments on Animal Kingdom The AK was a more pleasant experience then usual. Crowds seemed to be kept in check, the main path was more than manageable, and the animals were out and about. Typically, you only get a couple of morning hours of this. We were pleased that even the Oasis area could be enjoyed. I really like this park as a place where rides are not the main attraction. You can spend plenty of time talking to the caretakers, observing the animals, gazing at the beautiful landscaping, pondering on the effort in detail, and just sitting around listening to the sounds around you. There is a small difficulty with the AK. Finding a meal that we enjoy is not an easy task. The options at Pizzafari and the Flame Tree Barbecue do not appeal to either of us. The Rainforest Café is ok, but always so crowded. The Tusker House is a good place to eat, but the food is not for everyone. There are food carts, but the offerings are not appetizing. I do hope they can add another table service restaurant along with another counter service. I would be a dedicated customer of it, if they could make the food a bit more on the light side. If you have not seen Asia, you should really go see it. As with Africa, there is a major attraction along with an animal trek. You can also see several animals from the entrance area. Do not forget all of the nifty structures as well! Used Fast Pass? Yes Definitely, use this for the Safari. As soon as we went to the line at opening, the line wait was up to 20 minutes. We got the Fast Pass ticket, then saw the movie and CTX while everyone else waited at the Safari (why?). Using this technique real was a time saver for us. This allowed us to take in more of the scenery outside of the queues. +++++++++++++++++ +Downtown Disney+ +++++++++++++++++ No wait times here. Lots of shops, restaurants, nightclubs, House of Blues, Bongos Cuban Café, Cirque Du Soleil, and DisneyQuest. General Comments We were so glad we had the rental car. Going to Downtown Disney gets to be brutal using the buses. Driving to this attraction is the way to go! Parking is plentiful. Comments on Disney Quest Since we had the LOS passes, we had to hit Disney Quest. You can spend a good 2-3 hours just walking around looking at the gadgets. I really hope they keep the tech updated here. CyberSpace Mountain is still a lot of fun. ++++++++++++++++ +Typhoon Lagoon+ ++++++++++++++++ Avg Wait Times Experienced Afternoon: Moderate Perceived Crowd Levels Afternoon: Moderate->High Comments IMHO, this water park gets highest honors for best place to relax. Blizzard Beach has better slides, but Typhoon Lagoon has a great vacation feel to it. The park is built with extra detail to a tropical getaway theme. I could spend many hours just going around the park on an inner tube. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +Universal's Islands of Adventure+ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Avg Wait Times Experienced Morning: Low Afternoon: Low->Moderate Evening: Moderate Perceived Crowd Levels Morning: Low Afternoon: Low Evening: Moderate Comments After our November 1999 trip, I could not talk about it more. This left a challenge. Would IOA be as fun as the last time? We arrived an hour early because it was considered an Early Opening Day. When you walk from the parking garage into the City Walk, you can not help noticing how well Universal Escape is planned out. From the City Walk, you can get to both parks as well as the parking garage. The pattern flow is well designed for park hopping. Entering IOA is an experience in itself. Their version of Main Street, USA is more of an experience into a far away land. There is more detail than first thought. First things were first for me. I had to get to Spiderman! We went on this several times in a row. Great, fantastic, tremendous, stupendous, terrific ride! I have to get the music to this ride. I was surprised that Universal’s Early Opening meant that only 1 ride was opened (that being Spiderman). If they want to compete in this arena, other rides need to be available. Once the other rides opened, we walked right on in. The Hulk Coaster still astonished me with all of its twisted metal. Jurassic Park was a blast along with all of the other attractions. The weather was warmer this time around which meant water rides! After riding Kali River Rapids at the AK, I was somewhat damp from a few rapid hits. After riding Popeye and Bluto’s Bilge Rat Barges, I was completely soaked! This ride just keeps on going! When you think it’s over, you are only half way through (Bluto wouldn’t let you down). It’s a fun, wild rapid ride that fully delivers! OK, so was it as good as the last time? Definitely! ++++++++++++++++++++++++ +Universal Studios Florida+ ++++++++++++++++++++++++ Avg Wait Times Experienced Afternoon: Moderate Perceived Crowd Levels Afternoon: Moderate Comments on USF As with our November trip, we went on T2, Back to the Future: The Ride, and Twister, Ride it out. It was great to experience them again! T2 always gets a big thumbs up for its blending of 3D, FX, and real life stunts. The generation of a real vortex in Twister is more than impressive. Finally, Back to the Future is one of the best simulator rides ever made! If you have never gone to USF, plan on spending a day there. The "2days-2parks" advertising campaign is appropriate. Besides what we went on, there are plenty of shows, rides, and attractions. This is also a real movie production set. Look on their website (http://www.universalescape.com) for more info on what is shooting the day that you arrive. The MIB ride is almost ready. From all of the propaganda, this is going to be a success. ******************************** Restaurants ****************************************** Star Rating * - Don't bother. ** - Ehhh, it's a meal and it did not make me sick. *** - Good eating. **** - Now we are talking! ***** - Can I live here? ++++++++++++++++ +Boardwalk Bakery+ ++++++++++++++++ Where: The Boardwalk Type of Service: Counter Type of Food: Pastries and other baked goods Characters: No Meal Experienced: Breakfast Ranking: 3.5 Comments I really wanted a good croissant one morning. My wife decided on a muffin. We could have used room service, but it is a quick walk to get to it. The service was quick and the prices were moderate. The food was good, but not different than some of the other bakeries. One night, I tried an apple turnover and found it enjoyable as well. ++++++++++ +Spoodle’s+ ++++++++++ Where: The Boardwalk Type of Service: Table Type of Food: Mediterranean Characters: No Meal Experienced: Dinner Ranking: 3 Comments It is a neat name to say, isn’t it? The atmosphere in this restaurant is reason alone to go. I like the open-air kitchen design. All of the seats are made of a dark wood while the flooring is a bit more airy. One side of the restaurant is a complete set of windows looking out onto the boardwalk. At night, this gets to be a romantic spot to dine. The food was average quality. It is good, but not great. You can find more exotic dishes here, so be sure to read the menu before making arrangements. The standard meals tend to be common pasta dishes that you can find elsewhere. The biggest drawback is the price. Even the most simple pasta meals leaving you wondering how they could charge these prices. ++++++++++++++ + Leaning Palms+ ++++++++++++++ Where: Typhoon Lagoon Type of Service: Counter Type of Food: Fast Food Meal Experienced: Lunch Characters: No Ranking: 2 Comments The lines here moved quite a bit slower than at other counter service stops. You may find it difficult to get seating, so send someone in your party to stake out a seat. Salads are the best option. ++++++++++++++++++++ +Columbia Harbor House+ ++++++++++++++++++++ Where: The Magic Kingdom Type of Service: Counter Type of Food: Chicken and Seafood Meal Experienced: Lunch Characters: No Ranking: 2.5 Comments What first hit me about this restaurant was how few people go here. The options are slightly different than the standard counter service menus. The inside décor is subdued making it a bit easier to relax. ++++++++++++++++++++ +Tony's Town Square+ ++++++++++++++++++++ Where: The Magic Kingdom Type of Service: Table Type of Food: Italian Meal Experienced: Dinner Characters: No Ranking: 3 Comments Going to Tony’s Town Square is always a good decision. The meals do tend to be pricey. The location is close to the MK entrance. We always walk over to see the Flag Retreat Ceremony. If you want, you can request outdoor seating to view this during your meal. +++++++++++++++++++ +Electric Umbrella+ +++++++++++++++++++ Where: Epcot Center Type of Service: Counter Type of Food: Burgers and such Characters: No Meal Experienced: Breakfast and Lunch Ranking: 2.5 Comments You find your typical counter service meals here. The prices are average. The view of the fountain is the main reason we find it enjoyable. ++++++++++++++++ +Yakitori House+ ++++++++++++++++ Where: Epcot (Japan Pavilion) Type of Service: Counter Type of Food: Japanese Characters: No Meal Experienced: Dinner Ranking: 3.5 Comments This little restaurant changed my feelings about counter service. While most places sell the typical fare (chicken, salads, hamburgers, etc.), the World Showcase has more interesting selections. My wife and I both had meals that had skewered meats along with rice and an orange slice. The rice was just the way I like it (not soggy, not crunchy, but sticks together nicely). I am not a fan of meats, but enjoyed the chicken. The teriyaki sauce was just right and not overdone. If you want a quick meal that is not typical fare, this is where to go. Yes, you do pay more. I feel that this is worth a try. +++++++++++++++++ +Backlot Express+ +++++++++++++++++ Where: Disney-MGM Studios Type of Service: Counter Type of Food: Chicken, burgers, and such Characters: No Meal Experienced: Lunch Ranking: 2.5 Comments Good, quiet place away from the crowds. With the Indy Stunt show being rehabbed, it is even more quite than usual. ++++++++++++++++ +Mama Melrose's+ ++++++++++++++++ Where: Disney-MGM Studios Type of Service: Table Type of Food: Italian/Seafood Characters: No Meal Experienced: Dinner Ranking: 4 Comments Best meal of the trip. I am giving this a 4 out of 5 because it is consistently a great place to eat at. The food is not only good, but affordable as well. The service here is always friendly and attentive. +++++++++++++++ +Artist Point+ +++++++++++++++ Where: Wilderness Lodge Resort Type of Service: Table Type of Food: Wildgame, seafood, and beef Characters: No (there are character breakfasts) Meal Experienced: Dinner Ranking: 0 Comments Well, it made me sick (see *story time*). Please, if you do want to try it out, then go to it. I still think this is a good restaurant. ++++++++++++++++ +NASCAR Cafe+ ++++++++++++++++ Where: Universal Escape’s City Walk Type of Service: Table Type of Food: American Characters: No Meal Experienced: Lunch Ranking: 3.5 Comments Competition must be what they are going for here. The prices are inexpensive and the quantity of food is high. The quality is on the higher side. If you are not a fan of racecars, you probably will not find the décor to be attractive. If you are a fan, you have come to the right place. The general setup is 2 floors that are made to look like a garage. There are stock vehicles suspended from the ceiling. In the dining area, there is a position tower. As always, there are plenty of TVs. Every once in awhile, the cars rev up for a mock race. Enjoyable! ******************************** General Comments ****************************************** Best Of (this trip) Best Park: Epcot Best Parade: Tapestry of Nations Best Firework Display: Illuminations 2000 Best Ride: The Amazing Adventures of Spiderman (My wife thinks Tower of Terror is her favorite) Best Immersion Ride: The Amazing Adventures of Spiderman Best 3D: The Amazing Adventures of Spiderman Best Coaster: The Incredible Hulk Coaster Best Show: T2 (Poseidon's Fury is 2nd) Best Lunch: NASCAR Cafe Best Dinner: Mama Melrose’s Best Place to Relax: Besides the villa (of course), the butterfly gardens at Epcot. Late February vs. other times If the weather behaves, this is a good time to go. IMHO, the fall is the best time to go for crowds and weather. With late February, you do have to be concerned about President’s Week and the timing of Spring Break. Crowd effect of the Millennium Celebration The crowds were a bit higher than our trip in February 1999. This could be attributed to the incredible amount of advertising being done. The MK tended to be the most crowded during the day, while Epcot was the most crowded at night. The other parks were mixed. My take on Fast Pass They are making this better and better. I was surprised at which rides they did add this. Some rides definitely need this, while it is a waste on others. One thing to be noted is that I consistently noted that the more people that use Fast Pass, the less of a wait time in the "Stand By" line. Sometimes, the wait was equal to or more at the Fast Pass line (not by much, but there was still a wait vs. a walk-on). The distribution of the queue is a good idea, but it is not 100% yet. When theory meets the reality of chaos, there is always a needed for observation and adjustments. My rule of thumb is if the ride has this option and the wait is more than 15 minutes, get yourself a Fast Pass ticket. The process is easy and has some hidden benefits. A word on DVC When we purchased into DVC, we really wondered about the validity of the decision. This was our initial experience with DVC. It was better than we ever thought it would be. Disney makes it easy for you. There are no complicated hoops to jump through. You plan the trip, you call them, they confirm availability, and that’s it. To me, this was a great vacation investment for our current and future family. Our accommodations are paid for in today’s (well, yesterday’s) dollars. The flexibility with their resorts (and cruise lines) worldwide along with top-notch service makes the pain of initial costs almost negligible. In the past, I used to wonder if we would make it back to WDW. Having a DVC membership gives that added sense of relaxation. You can take that trip to WDW, Hilton Head, Vero Beach, or wherever and whenever knowing it is already paid. Finally This was a great trip. Yes, there was a bump in the road with the "incident." Some would have just been stubborn about having fun after that. Bad things happen everywhere. You just have to keep moving forward. I want to be able to bottle up the feeling you can only get here. Sometimes just remembering the trip is not enough for me. There are way too many items to mention that make up the WDW experience. To show pictures, watch videos, talk about the service, or listen to music is not enough. From the largest to the smallest detail, everything is there for you. The most important item is that you must remember that you and your family are the ones that make it special. Andrew Della Vecchia andrewdv@adelphia.net Mail a Comment to Andrew Della Vecchia |
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