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Victoria Kahler -- January 2002 -- Walt Disney World (ASMoR)January 9-16, 2002 The Characters: Walt Disney World First Timers, Disneyland Veterans
Introduction I had always wanted to go to Walt Disney World (WDW), but as a kid I never thought I'd get to go. Growing up in California, my family had many vacations at Disneyland. Walt Disney World, however, seemed very far away and much too expensive. I thought that only really rich people could go there. After a few years at my job at a community college, I had saved some money and proposed to my sister, Mae, that we look into a WDW vacation. I was happily surprised to find that it was within our budget. So, I booked our trip months in advance, made priority seating reservations for a few restaurants soon after-for the Sci-Fi Dine-in Theater, Le Cellier, and the Crystal Palace, and exactly sixty days before my sister's birthday, I called at 4 a.m. pacific time for a priority seating for breakfast at Cinderella's Royal Table. We counted down the days, and I read every article and book I could. On my lunch hour at work I read the new postings at Mouse Planet. I think my coworkers thought I was obsessed. Travel Day: Tuesday, January 8, 2002 To save money on airfare, we flew out of the California Bay Area at about 10 p.m. so that we arrived in Orlando the next morning and enjoyed a full day in the World. We also took two separate flights. Mae used her frequent flier miles for one airline, while I flew with another airline that had a better price. Neither of us got much sleep, but once our planes landed and we met up at the Orlando airport, we were ready to go. Arrival Day: Wednesday, January 9, 2002 We boarded the shuttle to WDW at 10:30 a.m. The weather was beautiful, cool but not cold, and though the temperature dropped quite a bit in the evening, we felt very fortunate since a few people told us that there had been some bad storms the previous weekend. We stayed at the All Star Movies Resort. It was important for us to stay on-site since we wanted the full Disney experience, we used Disney's transportation rather than renting a car, and Mae loves to meet the characters. I know that a lot of people are disappointed that Early Entries are gone, but since this was our first trip we didn't know the difference and Mae wanted to see the Resort's Character Caravans. Checking in was actually a lot of fun. The Cast Member who helped us was very enthusiastic, answering all of our questions about package delivery, the transportation system, and our priority seatings; he printed out each one and congratulated us on our choices. He recommended the Cheddar Cheese Soup at Le Cellier and marveled that we had a reservation for Cinderella's. We were able to get into a room early. Mae, a Toy Story fanatic, was desperate to stay in that section of the resort, but rooms were only available in the 101 Dalmatians section. So we opted for that so that we could get into our room right away, unpack, and change our clothes. DISNEY-MGM STUDIOS We were so happy on the shuttle to the Studios. I saw Epcot's Spaceship Earth in the distance and couldn't believe I was at WDW. As I said before, I never dreamed I'd make it, and to me Spaceship Earth was THE symbol of the World. This was especially true since I can remember seeing so much on television about the park when it opened in '82. Our first stop was at Toy Story's Pizza Planet. While not the best pizza I've ever had, it sufficed. We were anxious to see the attractions. After lunch, we went to the Sorcerer's Hat and Mae's pin-craze began. She decided to collect a pin of each park, but her collection later included everything she loves from Disney, not just the parks. So I watched as she added Pooh characters, princesses, and Toy Story characters to her lanyard throughout the week. She also bought a Magical Moments Pin. Every time it lit up, she practically squealed with delight. I truly felt like I was her mom, making sure she had a good time while I kept her on schedule! We met a few characters. This sent my sister into a fit of joy. She got the autographs of Tigger, Baloo, Rafiki, and Timon. She had tears in her eyes when Eeyore (her favorite Pooh character) signed her autograph book. She told him, "I'm your number one fan!" and he signed, "To Mae, my number one fan." I just watched with a laugh and took pictures. We then rode the Great Movie Ride (we got the gangster theme), Rockin' Roller Coaster, and Tower of Terror. I absolutely loved the Tower. My favorite rides at Disneyland have always been Haunted Mansion and Space Mountain. This ride combined what I love about those two rides: theming, music, and thrills. Mae liked it too, but she was very preoccupied with her Magical Moments pin, which lit up during the darkest parts of the ride. We also saw a few shows: Beauty and the Beast, Magic of Disney Animation (very similar to Disney's California Adventure's Sorcerer's Workshop), and Fantasmic. The pre-show at Beauty and the Beast was especially great, while we were a little disappointed with Florida's version of Fantasmic. We have seen Fantasmic in California several times, so the comparison was an eventuality. I missed the Columbia and the "surprise" of a lit-up Mark Twain. Since it was January, the park closed early, but we did manage to see quite a few attractions and planned to visit again later in our stay. I also congratulated myself on planning the vacation for January. Not only was the cost of the vacation much cheaper than during a traditional vacation time, the crowds were very small. We did not wait in line longer than 10 minutes for any attraction. We went to dinner at the Big River Grille and Brewing Works at the Boardwalk, where they served big portions of home-style food. After strolling the Boardwalk, we returned to our room for some much needed rest. Day Two: Thursday, January 10, 2002 EPCOT Arriving at Epcot at 10 a.m., I was again in awe of Spaceship Earth. Mae had not done the research I had, so I had to point out to her that there was a ride inside. We decided not to go in just yet, since it seemed like everyone was headed there first thing. Instead we had a quick breakfast at the Fountain View Espresso and Bakery. We strolled through Innoventions (finding a few of the games a bit too aerobic) and Ice Station Cool. A Character Caravan came through, and we were able to meet them without waiting in lines or with a big crowd around. This time we met Minnie, Pooh, Donald, Goofy, Chip, Dale, and Mickey. Goofy danced around with Mae for a few minutes, which delighted her. The attractions at Epcot were very different than ones at Disneyland, which I expected, but I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed them. Test Track was really interesting and thrilling. Body Wars was a bit gross. The Living Seas was very touching, especially seeing the manatees and hearing their story. When we finally rode Spaceship Earth, both my sister and I had tears in our eyes at ride's end. We had lunch at the Sunshine Season Food Fair in the Land pavilion. We went on the Living with the Land boat ride and saw the Circle of Life movie. Both were inspiring. We went to the Imagination pavilion, but bypassed Honey, I Shrunk the Audience since we had seen the California version, and just strolled through the Image Works kiosks. The Monorail went by at that point, so we decided to ride it. In Disneyland, we ride the Monorail to relax in the middle of the day; it was strange to us to see that Florida's Monorail is a true mode of transportation to get around in. We rode in the front and Mae asked for a pilot's license. The Cast Member gave one to each of us. At 5:30 p.m. it was time for our priority seating at Le Cellier. The Cheddar Cheese Soup was indeed delicious. Our waiter, Mo, was very nice, letting us take our menus and smiling, "Scrapbookers, huh?" We nodded. I'd definitely return to eat there. To end the day, we visited Downtown Disney and made several purchases at the World of Disney. Day Three: Friday, January 11, 2002 Epcot (World Showcase) Since World Showcase opens later than the rest of Epcot, we slept in that morning. Arriving in the park, we bought "Passports" first thing and, throughout the day, stopped to get stamped. We entered in Mexico since I had read that most people go to the right, Canada, first. However, crowds were not really an issue. In Mexico, we rode the El Rio del Tiempo boat ride and ate churros. I planned for us to eat or drink one thing in each country. Of course, churros are nothing new to us; it was just the point of it. In Norway we tried a lefse. Sorry, we hated it. It was like a tortilla with WAY too much butter in it. I thought Mae was going to spit it out at first bite. She made the most awful faces! The Maelstrom boat ride made us both happier, though we actually feared that there would be a big drop. The Character Caravan came by and, of course, that meant it was time to get more autographs. This time from Pluto, Geppetto, and Smee. In China, was saw the Wonders of China film and drank Bubble QQ tea, which was very refreshing. In Germany, we shared a shot of blackberry schnapps, and I teased Mae about not being old enough to drink. She really did squeal like a kid whenever a character appeared. We passed through Italy very quickly since we were now starving. My plan of nibbling all day in each country was not working. So, we rushed to Japan for a sushi lunch at Matsu No Ma. I took pictures of our food since it was so delicious. We then went to see the American Adventure Show. I'm sad to say that I did not get the full impact of it, because as soon as the lights went down, I got very drowsy. I didn't sleep, but I know that I could have better enjoyed it. I began to think that those trip reports I read where the family rests in the afternoon were right, but I was determined to see all I could. So, we pressed on. In Morocco, we tried (too sweet) baklava at the Tangerine Café. We strolled through France and England. We caught the end of the British Invasion's set. Again, I could not help but compare them to a group we've seen in Disneyland: the Fab Four. Both are good, but California wins. In Canada, we saw O, Canada. The sushi lunch satisfied for a few hours, but by 6 p.m. it was time to eat. We had burgers at the Electric Umbrella and then hurried to Test Track. We ended the day watching the Tapestry of Dreams parade and Illuminations: Reflections of Earth. Particularly for a non-character show, it was great. Both of us "Ooohed" when the outline of the World Showcase countries lit up. The music was lovely too. Epcot is definitely my favorite park in WDW. I really felt transported. My sister, though, was definitely ready for some fantasy and magic-being the big kid that she is. Day Four: Saturday, January 12, 2002, Mae's Birthday THE MAGIC KINGDOM Upon arriving at the Magic Kingdom, we were ecstatic that I had made a priority seating for Cinderella's Royal Table. We were allowed to enter the park before everyone else when we showed the Cast Members our printed-out priority seating slip (the one we had asked for at check in). We had Main Street all to ourselves. We laughed a lot when we considered how small Sleeping Beauty Castle is in comparison to Cinderella's Castle. Score one for Florida! Mickey and Minnie were standing in front of the Partners Statue. Mae gushed about how our photo, with the two of them, in front of the castle and the statue, without another person in sight, must be a one-of-a-kind thing. One of a kind or not, we treasure that picture. Once inside the castle, we both choked up a bit; it's like walking into a storybook. Our waiter, Lord Ron, greeted us as "Princesses," seated us by the window overlooking Fantasyland, and everyone made a big deal over Mae's birthday. She, of course, was in heaven, getting autographs from Cinderella, Belle, Mary Poppins, Aurora, Snow White, and the Fairy Godmother. The latter said, "Tell City Hall that the Fairy Godmother sent you to get a birthday button." I even got into the act a bit and told Aurora that I enjoy her castle in California and that she has always been my favorite princess. Mae looked pleased. For the food, atmosphere, and setting we agreed that the price was very reasonable and the early morning phone call worthwhile! Our first destination after the meal was Tomorrowland. I was happy to see the Tomorrowland Transit Authority-I miss the Peoplemovers at Disneyland. Space Mountain was great, as always. We were terrified in the ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter. That ride is definitely not for kids, but I liked it since I love scary attractions. Then it was off to Fantasyland. As expected, this land was Mae's favorite. We went on the Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh and saw Legend of the Lion King. I was sad to hear that it would soon be replaced. Finally, we HAD to visit Ariel's Grotto. This was the longest line we waited in (about 15 minutes), as Ariel is very popular. It was imperative that we see the Little Mermaid, however. Just before our turn, Mae whispered to me, "I'm going to give her a hug." I was like, "Okay," and tried not to laugh. Ariel noticed her birthday button and wrote a special note in the autograph book. In the picture I took of the two of them, Mae has tears in her eyes! We walked through Toontown Faire, meeting Cinderella's mice friends, and then headed to Liberty Square. Like at The American Adventure Show, I felt drowsy during the Hall of Presidents show. I have an Imagineer friend who worked on that show and to him I say, "Sorry." For lunch we bought chili cheese fries at Pecos Bill's Café and found a spot to view the Share a Dream Come True parade. Liberty Square is a great spot since it seemed that most people sat down on Main Street. We had a very clear view. We went on a few rides in the afternoon, and tried, unsuccessfully, not to compare them to their California incarnations: Haunted Mansion (a beautiful façade, but not as scary as Disneyland's), Enchanted Tiki Room Under New Management (the original is still the best), and Pirates of the Caribbean (California wins that one too). After the great Spectromagic parade, we checked in for our priority seating at the Crystal Palace. I was starving, and the buffet was just what I needed. Mae loved the attention of the Pooh characters. Eeyore sat at our table for a few minutes and played a peek-a-boo game with her. On the shuttle back to our resort, we met a couple from Japan. We did not speak each others' languages but managed to talk "pins." He had a book, which was very full, and he liked Mae's small collection on her lanyard. He gave us a brochure from the Tokyo Disney Resort. I would love to visit the parks there. Right now, it seems out of reach but not so long ago so did WDW, right? Day Five: Sunday, January 13, 2002 ANIMAL KINGDOM I had read that Animal Kingdom is usually ten degrees warmer than the rest of the World. While this may be true in summer or spring, this January day was our coolest yet-but still no rain! We met Daisy and King Louie (I laughed when he showed us his paws and shrugged-no autograph from him). Our first destination was Dinosaur. This ride was absolutely terrifying for us. I could not have been more thrilled. See, because of the previous day's experience on the ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter, we thought that something would touch, drip, or spit on us. Nothing did, but we were scared every time a dinosaur jumped out at us. The ride picture is hilarious. Mae and I are screaming and clutching each other, while a little boy and his father have looks of mild concern. We walked through the Maharajah Jungle Trek and the Pagani Forest Exploration Trail and then went on Kilamanjaro Safari. The animals were out and about since it was cool, and we enjoyed seeing them. After a late breakfast at Tusker House, we took the train to Conservation Station. My favorite thing there was the listening booth. It really felt like Grandmother Willow was right next to me, talking to me. The rest of the day was spent watching shows: Flights of Wonder, Tarzan Rocks, It's Tough to be a Bug, and The Festival of the Lion King (in comparing it to the Magic Kingdom's Legend of the Lion King, it was not as much fun for me, making me sadder that Legend will be replaced). We left Animal Kingdom after Mickey's Jammin' Jungle parade. The music was infectious, so I bought the CD. We had a quick dinner at the All Star Movies food court and then went to Disney Quest. I highly recommend the Virtual Jungle Cruise, Pirates of the Caribbean simulator ride, and Cyberspace Mountain. Day Six: Monday, January 14, 2002 DISNEY-MGM STUDIOS This was our second day at the Studios so we wanted to see the attractions we had missed on the first day. We also found that the Studios were a great place to meet characters. We continually missed the Resort's Character Caravans! That morning we met: Queen of Hearts, Gideon, Captain Hook, Jessie, Woody, and Buzz. While getting their autographs, it began to rain. We put on our ponchos and pressed on. We saw several shows, which also kept us out of the rain. The Voyage of the Little Mermaid was just cute, The Hunchback of Notre Dame was pretty good, and the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular was a little less than epic; we liked all the shows, however. Today's lunch was at the Sci-Fi Dine-in Theater. The food was a little overpriced, but we loved the atmosphere and spent a lot of time taking pictures of the cars and signs. I was a little disappointed by the brevity of the Backlot Tour but the parade made up for that. We had feared that the rain would put a kibosh on the parade, but we took a seat on a bench on Hollywood Boulevard and waited. The Disney Stars and Motor Cars parade went on as planned. The cast held clear plastic umbrellas that did not deter our enjoyment. We again ate dinner at the Resort's food court and then went to Pleasure Island. It was still lightly raining, so the nightly New Year's Eve street party was cancelled, but we visited each club for a little while, and spent the majority of our time at the Adventurer's Club. All I had heard was that it was fun and to go to the library. We were invited to go to the library by a Cast Member/Maid. It was such a fun and funny show. The show was hosted by Samantha Sterling who greeted us with a "Kandaloosh" (How is that spelled?). While not Disney themed, this show had the fantasy of Disney shows and was the highlight of the day. When/if I go to WDW again I will make sure to go to Pleasure Island just to see what happens at the Adventurer's Club. Day seven: Tuesday, January 15, 2002 MAGIC KINGDOM and EPCOT For our last day in the World, we divided the day between Mae's favorite park and mine. At the Magic Kingdom, we went on the Jungle Cruise, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Snow White's Scary Adventure, and Peter Pan's Flight. All were just as good if not better than Disneyland's versions. Peter Pan, especially, seemed more immediate, and Big Thunder's man-in-a-tub was a cute addition. We ate lunch at the Liberty Tree Tavern. The waiter let us take the paper insert out the menu holder for our scrapbooks. I liked the homey feeling of the restaurant and thought the food was well priced. In the afternoon we went on Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin a couple of times. We took turns steering, and each earned the rank of Planetary Pilot at 100,000+ points. Disneyland should have a ride like this. Kids love it and so did we. We took the monorail to the Grand Floridian. I adored the elegant grounds and buildings. I kept saying, "If I win the lottery, I am staying at this resort!" We then hopped on the monorail again to Epcot. Both of us had liked Spaceship Earth so much, we had to ride again. We wanted to see Illuminations again, but it was early. So we shopped and walked around the world (showcase.) After dinner at Mexico's Cantina De San Angel, it was obvious that we would not have a problem getting a seat for the show. We couldn't decide what to do. Finally, I suggested Universe of Energy. Neither of us was very excited. I hadn't read much on it. No one had recommended it as a "must see." We entered without much expectation. We thought it would just be a little movie. We were confused when we entered the ride vehicles. And when they split apart and moved . . . we were saying "Wow!" The dinosaur panorama was really cool too. I should have known I'd end up liking it, since everything else in Epcot was good. It truly was a great surprise. We ended our wonderful vacation with the poignant Illuminations. Mae cried; I bought the soundtrack. Day Eight: Wednesday, January 16, 2002 We checked out of the All Star Movies Resort early. Again we took two separate flights, meeting in California in the evening after a long day of flying and layovers. Be sure to . . . Book early. Give yourself plenty of time to find out what will be open when you go. Also, you'll be able to figure out where you'd like to eat and make priority seatings accordingly. Make a plan. I've talked to a lot of people who didn't get to do half as much as we did. I'm glad I spent all those lunch hours researching and planning. I thoroughly enjoyed the fruits of my labor and my sister was happy to go along with my arrangements. Consider the off-season. January was a great time to go. The weather was not extreme while we were there-not hot, not freezing. The parks were not crowded either. Confirm priority seatings; at check in, ask for a print out. This is great so that you don't have to remember confirmation numbers. Talk to the Cast. Letting the Cast Members and Characters know about us, we had an even better time. They were great about catering to us when Mae said she loves Eeyore or that it was her birthday, and our waiters were nice about letting us scrapbookers take our menus. Find out if your credit card or Disney Club card entitles you to a discount. Do your souvenir shopping all at once. This saves time and can save money. For instance, you might qualify for a percentage off if you buy enough with your card. Rest. While we did get to see and enjoy a lot, a few attractions didn't get my full attention because I was tired. Sit in Liberty Square; it's a great spot to see the Magic Kingdom parade; it seemed that most people sat down on Main Street. We had a very clear view. Finally, don't underestimate Disney. Universe of Energy and the Adventurer's Club were great surprises. Maybe the attraction, ride, or show others didn't like or recommend will suit you just fine. That's it! Sometimes I still can't believe that I went to Walt Disney World. My sister and I truly did "Share a Dream Come True." Victoria Kahler vakahler@hotmail.com Mail a Comment to Victoria Kahler |
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