Steve Russo -- November/December 2003 -- Walt Disney
World (Offsite/BVR)
This is Steve's fifth trip report for MousePlanet: The Cast - Steve - The planner, tour
guide, official photographer, driver, luggage carrier, Disney veteran, and your
humble narrator. DVC member since 1999.
- Barb - My bride of 31 years. Also
a Disney fan but less fanatical than her handsome, dashing spouse.
Prologue Our
last WDW trip was in January 2003 and I believe it’s fitting to begin this report
with the closing comments from that one:“We‘ve talked about postponing
our next trip until late 2004 or early 2005, mostly due to the impending nuptials
and tuition, but I’m now thinking a short trip in December 2003 might be just
what the doctor ordered. I’ve never really seen the Christmas decorations… or
the Osborne lights…or the Candlelight Processional….or…..”The “nuptials”
I spoke of referred to our daughter’s (Michelle’s) wedding in October. Writing
that check was only slightly more painful than writing the one for our son’s (Stephen’s)
first year college tuition. I still tear up just thinking about it. 2003 is a
very expensive year for us but, I was unwilling to completely forgo a WDW trip
and it didn’t take much to convince Barb (she’s such a pushover). Anyway, we had
already resigned ourselves to living in a cardboard box with a steady diet of
Alpo in our retirement years. Our children’s inheritance? Bwahahahaha!This
trip, for the first time ever, would be just Barb and me. No kids, no friends,
no parents. Could we stand a week together – just the two of us – without her
beating me senseless with a Pal Mickey? Stay tuned.Pre-Trip PlanningWe
started planning with the assumption that this would be a short, bare-bones trip
in December. I say “bare-bones” because I just couldn’t use the word ‘inexpensive’
when talking about a WDW trip. To cut costs, we’re planning to hitchhike from
the airport, share a Park Hopper (child’s of course), use our 1995 CBR refillable
mugs at the Boardwalk, get our meals by fighting the seagulls for scraps in Frontierland,
and walking out of restaurants before the check comes. I’ll let you know how it
goes.We started planning on 4 or 5 days. As DVC members, there’s no real
expense for the room (beyond the monthly dues, of course) so, once the airfare
is paid, you shouldn’t be that concerned about the length of stay. Right? Based
on that sound reasoning, the trip stretched to 6 days (11/30 – 12/5). Barb was
OK with it (damn, she’s easy) so I called DVC and booked a studio at our home
resort – the Boardwalk Villas Resort. I started watching the Southwest
Airlines web site to see when they would begin booking for our dates. I also began
thinking that we may as well travel down on Saturday rather than Sunday. Recognizing
genius, Barb was quick to agree (OK, this is getting a tad ridiculous!) so we
now had a 7-day trip. When Southwest opened up, I snared two round-trip tickets
for $254 each. It was a bit more than normal (we typically get SW for $200-225)
as there were no heavy discounts for the flight down. Flying on Thanksgiving weekend
was something I had neglected to consider – d’oh!For the first day’s stay,
we decided to book the Courtyard by Marriott near Downtown Disney. The chief reason
is that we had some leftover money on several Marriott gift cards. They were given
to us, for our 30th anniversary, by our 3 children and were intended to be used
for a trip to Montreal, which we took in September. Why did we have leftover money
despite my best efforts to drink it down to the last Loonie (that’s Canadian for
a $1 coin, eh)? It’s a long story that involves US/Canadian exchange rates, a
very self-serving Marriott policy, a mayonnaise jar, a rope and a monkey (OK –
just kidding about the rope).I learned over the summer that the Osborne
Lights were taking a one-year sabbatical. Ah, that ‘Russo luck’. While disappointing,
we still had the Candlelight Processional and all the Christmas decorations that
we had never seen. It would also provide an excuse (like I need one) for another
December trip.We spent the late summer and early fall discussing a number
of things that would affect our decision on passes. Our APs had expired so renewal
wasn’t an option. We may spend our first day just visiting resorts and Downtown
Disney. We may take another trip next fall for the Food and Wine Festival. We
may visit Universal and/or Islands of Adventure for a day. We may spend a day
shopping at Downtown Disney. Four-day? Five-day? UPHs? Plus features? APs? Oh...we
also planned a wedding.We celebrated Michelle’s wedding in October. The
ceremony was beautiful and the reception even better. More than a few of the guests
indicated it was the best wedding they’d ever attended. Can I throw a party or
what? It’s not often I have the chance to buy dinner and drinks for 150 of my
closest friends (thank God!). Michelle and her new husband, Will, opted for an
8-day honeymoon in Aruba despite my repeated pleas for WDW. “C’mon. Mom and I
can join you. Why are you rolling your eyes?” In late October, we finally
decided on 5-day Park Hopper Plus passes. Looking at our next 2 trips (planned
for November 2004 for the Food & Wine Festival and January 2005 for a ‘whole
family’ trip), we decided we’d go with 5-day passes for this trip and Annual Passes
for the trips in November/January. That would give us 2 trips on the APs. A quick
run to the local Disney Store and we purchased our passes for $250 each, after
DisneyClub discount.About this time, the dates for Mousefest were announced.
The festivities would begin just as we were leaving. While I think it would be
fun to hook up with some of the ax murderers from this online community, we just
couldn’t move our dates.For the next several weeks, I basically bugged
the hell out of Barb with impromptu ‘planning sessions’. What do you want to do?
How about if we eat here on Tuesday? Shall we rent a car or use Tiffany? Shall
we make Wednesday a non-park day and do some shopping/sight-seeing? I find that
these sessions add to the trip and increase the excitement in the weeks prior
to leaving. Anyone else feel this way? Barb hates them and has, on more than one
occasion, threatened to stuff the 2004 Birnbaum into one of my body orifices.Still
with me? Wow, what stamina. Now for the trip…November 29, 2003 – Day
OneLast night I set the alarm for 4:30 and woke up promptly at 3:15.
I have one of those hi-tech alarm clocks that allows multiple alarm settings,
will wake you to a buzz, music, South American waterfalls, etc. I don’t think
I’ve ever heard it actually go off.We get ourselves caffeined, showered
and dressed. I loaded my car last night so we just need to load up the carry-ons
and my camera bag. Earlier this year, my 27 year-old Minolta SRT-102 finally went
belly up. I hemmed and hawed over purchasing a digital but eventually opted for
a Maxuum 5 – I’m still partial to film. Anyway, the SRT-102 was like an old friend.
I knew exactly what I could do with it and how to do it. I’ve shot so much with
it that everything was instinctive. The Maxuum is a much different animal. Totally
automatic with the ability to program overrides that will, hopefully, allow me
to take some of the risks for those special shots. Unfortunately, the manual reads
like an un-translated Japanese origami guide. I’ve shot about 6 rolls so far with
mostly good results but I’m still learning. My goal on this trip is to capture
some special photos of the main park icons to use in a display planned for my
soon-to-be implemented Disney-themed office. We’ll see.Daughter Stephanie
drives us to the airport and we give hugs and say goodbye. It’s about 40 degrees
and breezy. The forecast is calling for a drop in temperature, some precipitation
and very high winds (gusts to 40-50 mph). It should be a fun time today in this
area. We hit the Southwest desk and, after a 15-minute wait, we check our 2 bags
and receive ‘B’ boarding passes. It takes about 5 minutes to get through security
and we make our way to the gate – after Barb stops for coffee, of course.Now
it’s 6:40 AM and the flight leaves at 8:10. There are around 20-30 people camped
out on the floor at the front of the A and B boarding lines. 90 minutes before
the flight. This never ceases to amaze me. Can anyone explain the rationale?The
flight goes off on schedule. I think you realize you’ve got a bad Disney-jones
when the reading materials you bring for the flight are trip reports. There’s
some mild turbulence along the way but we land in Orlando just about on schedule.
One of our flight attendants is particularly, er… flamboyant. At touchdown he
announces over the PA, “aiight, we’re here”. As we’re pulling up to the gate,
he asks everyone on the left side of the plane to press their faces to the window
so the folks at Delta can see what a full flight looks like. The pilot announces
that it’s 54 degrees – a full 14 degrees warmer than Albany. Woo Hoo!We
tram to the terminal and are greeted by our Tiffany Driver, Bel. I tell him he
can go for the car while I retrieve the luggage – usually a time saver. He decides
to wait saying he “parked close”. Our luggage comes off quickly, he grabs both
bags and leads us downstairs and outside to the curb. He then darts across the
street and retrieves the car that is parked, illegally I’m sure, in an area outside
the garage. He’s back in 30 seconds and we’re on our way.In 20 minutes,
we’re checking in at the Courtyard by Marriott, across from Downtown Disney. Our
King room won’t be ready until 4:00 but there are rooms with 2 double beds available
now. I check with Barb and she agrees we can do the ‘Rob and Laura Petrie thing’
for one night (any child of the 60s should get that reference). I ask for a room
that’s as high as possible hoping for a fireworks view.We head up and do
some minimal unpacking – we attempted to keep the bathroom stuff and a change
of clothing in a single suitcase for this 1 night of ‘off-site’. The room is reasonable
but nothing fancy – 2 double beds, table with 2 chairs, etc. I notice it doesn’t
have the desk that is offered in most Courtyard rooms. I step on the balcony and
discover we have a lovely view of… I4. Yessir, a gorgeous view of the never-ending
stream of 2-way traffic accompanied by all those sounds we’ve come to know and
love. I’m already questioning this decision.After freshening up, it’s time
for a resort tour so out we go. We begin to walk to Downtown Disney when I realize
it’s colder than I thought. I’m wearing a golf shirt with a pullover rain slicker.
It’s between 55-60 and very breezy so I hoof it back upstairs for another jacket.
We head off to find our way to Downtown Disney. We’re looking to start the tour
at the Wilderness Lodge (WL) so we make our way to the Marketplace bus stops and,
as I’m reading the signs to select our stop, the WL bus pulls up in front of me
(this would be a recurring theme). We board and make our way to the WL.Previously,
I’ve only seen the WL from outside. I am impressed with the lobby. I can see the
similarities, which others have discussed, with the Animal Kingdom Lodge lobby.
The Xmas decorations are fantastic; particularly the large tree that is the focal
point. We wandered around, shooting pictures of the decorations, pool area, waterfall,
geyser, etc. We checked out the restaurants and menus. Satisfied with our mini-tour
we head to the docks where there are two waiting boats. We opt for the boat to
the Magic Kingdom.We spend a few minutes viewing some of the 75 Mickeys
displayed around the front. Some are well done. Others, like Rosie O’Donnell’s,
are … well, I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder.We hop the Resort
Monorail and exit at the Contemporary. I know some folks love this resort and
it’s certainly convenient to the Magic Kingdom but I find it a bit sterile – almost
austere. Just not my taste. We attempt to get up to the California Grill (CG)
to check out the view. The elevator button for 15 does not light and, I assume,
only operates when the restaurant is open. We exit at 14 and I ask a passing maintenance
CM if there’s any way to get to the 15th floor. He suggests asking at the Front
Desk. I quickly pull out my personal WDW tip sheet; garnered from RADP and other
TRs, indexed and printed out in a handy size that fits neatly in a camera bag
pocket (did I mention I’m somewhat anal?). Somewhere I remember reading about
a ‘secret’ path to the observation deck using the 11th floor.We elevator
to 11, take a right and a left, and go through the exit door (Mission Impossible
theme music here) – after carefully checking that no one was watching. Outside,
we go up 3 flights to the Observation Deck outside the CG. OK, we started on 11,
went up 3 flights which should put us on 14 not 15. Is the Contemporary one of
those hotels without a 13th floor? I didn’t notice.The view is spectacular
and I agree with some previous comments that the Magic Kingdom looks a lot smaller
from here. Of course, I also think everything looks smaller from any high rise
so… I shoot several pictures in all directions. We make our way down to 11, stopping
at each floor to try the door – locked. Is it only the 11th that’s open?We
hop the next monorail to the TTC, which is teeming with people making their way
to the Magic Kingdom, and stay on to the Polynesian. Again, this is a first for
us. The lobby is nicely decorated but much more subdued than the WL. We venture
outside to the pool and beach. I shoot pictures while Barb tries a swing and a
hammock. Back inside, we decide it’s finally time to wash off the dust of the
trip so we grab a seat in the Tambu Lounge for a coupla brews – Bud Light for
Barb and a Sam Adams for me. We sip, chat with the bartender and watch a little
college football. I think here is where it finally settled in that we’re at WDW
and on vacation.We settle the bill and catch the next monorail to the Grand
Floridian. We have toured this resort previously, although we have not stayed
here. As you enter the lobby, you’re greeted by a fantastic view – decorated trees,
wreaths, chandeliers, etc. Beautiful. We took the stairs down to the first level
and checked out the gingerbread house (I resisted the urge to eat a shingle or
two) and take some photographs. My last time here, I was amused at the number
of folks (seniors mostly) dozing on the sofas and easy chairs. It has kind of
a surreal effect. This was no exception as there were 6-8 people spread out through
the lobby - sleeping.We wandered out to the bus stop, pausing to take my
picture with one of the vintage automobiles out front. There was a waiting bus
to Downtown Disney so off we went. I don’t think I’ve ever spent a day like this
when every mode of transportation was so available.It was getting close
to 3:00 and, other than the bagels we carried on the plane, we hadn’t eaten yet.
We decide on the Rainforest Café (RFC). As I walk up to the counter, the
man in front of me is given a slip of paper and told to return at 4:00. I ask
for a table for 2 and we’re immediately brought into the Elephant Room. Our waitress,
Stacy, delivers the menus and takes our drink order – ice tea for me and coffee
for Barb. I notice Stacy is wearing a pin that says something like ‘Ask me how
to save 10%’, so I ask. She goes into a long spiel about paying $15.95, getting
a free appetizer, discounts in the gift shop, first born males… I stop her and
ask if they accept the DVC card, which I’m pretty sure they do. They do and we
get our 10% that way. Barb orders the Turkey Wrap with Caesar dressing
and I opt for the Blue Mountain Chicken Breast. Tracy takes our order and my DVC
card and disappears. Our food is delivered by another waiter. We nosh through
several thunderstorms and God-knows-how-many “Volcano” servings. If you’ve never
been, a Volcano is a dessert that is very large, consists of a brownie (or brownies),
ice cream, syrup, etc. Every time one is served, a waitperson walks it through
the restaurant yelling “Volcanoooo”. Every other waitperson, upon hearing this,
is obligated to repeat “Volcanoooo”. It’s cute the first 2 or 3 times it’s done.
After the 5th one, not so much.Food’s eaten, drinks are drunk. No Stacy.
We sit. We sit some more. Finally, Stacy shows and apologizes and offers to take
our dessert order. I’m tempted to yell “Volcanoooo”, but resist. We get our check
and, after discount, it comes to just over $30 before tip.We make the walk
back to the Courtyard. There is a crosswalk at the intersection where you cross
from the Marketplace area to the Downtown Disney hotel side. It’s very wide with
lots of travel and turn lanes but it’s also well lighted (stop lights, turn signals,
pedestrian signals). We got our ‘Walk’ signal, complete with the 45-second countdown
timer, and began across – as did a group coming from the other side. This other
group was almost run down by two cars (yes, two) that moved through the red-light
signal as if it were barely a caution. I’m wondering how many pedestrians are
killed here each week?We chill in our room for a bit. We call home and
are informed that it was very cold, snowing, and 45 mph winds. It’s a bit cool
here but I’ll take it.Around 6:00 we decide to head back to the Marketplace.
It’s very crowded. We stroll through taking in the Xmas music, all the decorations,
and the many window displays. It’s just chilly enough to get that Xmas feel.We’re
browsing the stores but not buying anything – that’s for later in the week. We
come upon a small shop where you can buy things for pets. They have a red bandana
with the inscription ‘My human went to Disney World and all I got was this lousy
bandana’. We decide we’ll buy that later for our dog, Gunnar. Barb was looking
at a set of Mouse Ears that fit on the dog’s head but, if you knew Gunnar, these
would be impossible to put on and/or he’d eat them.We stroll through the
Marketplace and decide to head through Pleasure Island (PI) to the West End. Unfortunately,
PI is blocked off. Is this new? You used to be able to walk through until 7:00.
I notice signs indicating they’re offering a ‘Sneak Preview’ of PI from 7-9 PM
(no clubs included) so maybe that’s the reason. We backtrack and take the path
to the West End. We’re looking for a couple of coffees to cut the nighttime chill
– preferably decafs. Can’t find any. We finally settle for the cart outside Wetzel’s
Pretzels and get a decaf mocha (Barb) and decaf latte (me). These take about 5
minutes to prepare and it comes to $8 plus – a stiff price when all we wanted
was a Styrofoam cup-o-joe. Barb’s mocha is better.We sip and stroll back
through the Marketplace. We stop quickly at Ghiradelli’s for a free sample. The
Marketplace is packed and there are a ton of not-so-happy children (read screaming).
Parents, get a clue. It’s late. It’s cold. You’ve been on the go all day. Your
child’s banshee screams are their way of communicating to you that they are not
happy. It’s time to head back to the Courtyard and take advantage of our
free drink coupon. We have a cocktail at the lobby bar, which Barb accompanies
with a complimentary decaf coffee (sheesh). It’s off to the room to rest up for
our first Disney day.Our first 2 trips (1984 and 1990) were spent off site.
I know there are tons of people that prefer to do this for lots of reasons – primarily
financial. I have to say that I really do not feel that I’m truly at WDW in this
hotel. Maybe it’s me, maybe it’s the Courtyard, but it just seems to be missing
something.One last thing before I turn in. We’ve always wondered exactly
how much walking we do at WDW. For this trip, I decided to wear a pedometer each
day. Now, it’s not a high tech laser guided, plutonium calibrated, kryptonite
driven model, so it probably has a margin of error. At least it should be close.Musings
and Observations- I’ve stayed on-site for 14 trips since 1992 and will probably
never stay off-site again. It’s a personal preference but it’s mine. It’s damned
hard to find a simple cup of decaf at the West End. Miles Walked Today
– 8.1November 30, 2003 – Day TwoThe Courtyard rears its ugly
head. I discovered last night that: the mattresses are way too soft; the pillows
are like handkerchiefs; my feet hang off the end of the bed (I’m 6’3” – not exactly
Shaq); I can hear the I4 traffic as if it’s sleeping next to me; everyone in this
hotel allows the room door to close on its own – rattling every door and window
in the hotel. This goes on all night. I did not sleep well and am awake at 3:15.
After repeated tries to return to sleep, I finally give in and get up at 4:00.
There is an in-room coffee maker so I prepare a pot and step out on the balcony.
Where are all these people going at 4 AM on a Sunday morning? I also notice it’s
very cold (30s-low 40s). The forecast is a cold morning and then warming to low
70s. It should be warming a bit more each day for the rest of the week.We
get coffee, showers and pack up the few things we unpacked yesterday. At 6:15,
we’re downstairs and I’m attempting to check out. This is where the fun begins.Remember
those Marriott gift cards? When I checked in, I informed the desk clerk that I
intended to pay for the room with them. From past experience, I know this is done
at checkout and they’re scanned the same way they would a credit card. I did give
them a credit card to keep on file against charges. This morning, we received
our bill under the door with the entire amount on the credit card. I talk with
the desk clerk, Judy from Massachusetts, and explain the problem. She’s confused
and I explain again. She tells me there’s no way to tell how much is on each gift
card. I suggest she call the number on the back of the card, which she does. She
gives them the serial numbers from each of the 3 cards and they give her the dollar
amounts on each. She writes these down and asks if I agree with them, which I
do. She then tries to scan the cards in and they show as ‘invalid’. She apologizes.
I ask how they can be invalid when she was just given the amounts still present
on each of the cards. She calls again. After a lot of conversation and many attempts,
she hangs up and informs me that there’s nothing she can do. She’s entering the
information as she’s being told but it keeps rejecting it. I’m angry but I’m also
looking to get out of there. I know Judy has tried and it’s not her fault but
I would have expected a different resolution. I accept the credit card charge
and ask for the best way to get transportation to the Boardwalk. There’s a taxi
stand out front.We step out and see the women at the stand who, I presume,
will call a taxi for us. She places a call then ducks inside. When she comes out,
she motions for us to bring our bags to a minivan parked under the awning. My
assumption is that Judy told her of our problems and arranged for the Courtyard
to shuttle us to the Boardwalk. Wrong again. After a 5-minute trip, I’m charged
$11.00 for the ride. The Courtyard just made my list.We head into the Boardwalk
lobby and this is when I feel that I’m on site. The lobby is decorated beautifully.
There are two large Xmas trees and decorated garland strung everywhere. There’s
a display in the center that depicts a carousel, Ferris wheel and roller coaster.
There’s houses, people, etc. and a train running around the whole thing. It’s
made from 150 lbs of white chocolate, 150 lbs of sugar, etc., etc. The area is
roped off so you can’t get at anything although later in the week, Barb saw a
little girl go out on the porch, back in the door behind the display and under
the rope so she could touch a few items. Never saw a parent.We head to
the front desk and check in with Mari. She gives me a “Welcome home” and all is
right with the world. As she’s registering us she indicates the reservation is
for 4 people. I correct it to 2 and she asks “No kids?” I tell her we left them
at home and she asks if we’re celebrating anything. I tell her we recently celebrated
our 31st anniversary and we swap stories about years married and kid’s ages. She
then hands me our ‘package’ and tells me the room is ready. At 7:00 AM! Yahoo!
I thank Mari profusely.We wheel our bags to room 4048 and unpack. It’s
a handicap-equipped studio. It appears a bit larger and more open – probably for
easier wheelchair access. The bathroom is definitely larger and, instead of a
tub, has a large shower with rails, a fold down seat and zero clearance for wheelchair
access. This proves a slight problem as it allows water to seep into the bathroom
during showers. We solve it by building a small dam out of the bathmat. The room
also offers a kitchenette with microwave, toaster, and full size coffee maker
(thank you).Unpacked, we head over to the Dolphin for breakfast at Tubbi’s.
I opt for bacon and eggs while Barb goes for the French toast. We get 20% off
the bill here through DVC. Walking back we stop at the Screen Door store on the
Boardwalk for some supplies. We brought some breakfast items from home (coffee,
bagels, oatmeal, and muffins) but we need the perishables. We buy milk and butter.
It took a while to find the milk in the cooler and I eventually had to ask a CM.
Where I come from, the plastic milk cartons are white and the orange juice cartons
are orange. Here, the milk was clearly labeled ‘Milk’ but was in orange cartons
so we completely overlooked it.I am in the market for a Disney watch and
spend some time looking at one here. It has a black face with a subdued Mickey
outline in silver. It also comes with 3 bands (silver, silver and gold, and black
leather) and 2 bezels (gold and silver). I like it (sort of) and the CM spends
several minutes showing me how easy it is to change bezels and bands. I ultimately
decide to look around a bit more during the week before deciding.We stow
the groceries in the room and walk to Epcot via the IG. There’s a fairly large
crowd already there. We enter with the masses at 9:00 and stroll through World
Showcase to Future World. We decide that our first stop will be Honey, I Shrunk
the Audience (HISTA). As we walk through the entrance, I can see that there’s
been a change in the pre-show. The screen at the front has been replaced by several
(9?) monitors spaced around the room. I ask the CM what happened to True Colors
– I loved that show. He sympathizes and says he wished they had offered it in
video before shutting it down.The new pre-show is OK. A little too cute
for my taste although some folks didn’t like True Colors for the same reason.
That’s what makes the world go around, I guess. I do think that the story of the
lost dog will wear a bit thin on me after 3-4 viewings.We head in to HISTA
and the theater is about 2/3 full. It’s a good show, as always, and has the usual
number of screaming toddlers that needed to be consoled after the mice, snake,
lion…Now it’s time to give Journey into Your Imagination (JIYI) another
shot. I’m still ambivalent about it. It’s not terrible but, in my opinion, comes
up short in several areas. It leaves me feeling that there should be more. We
head into Image Works and mainly just look around. We do send a picture, via email,
to Stephanie and Stephen. We have to have the picture taken twice because Barb
didn’t like the way she looked in the first one. Women!It’s about 10:00
and the temperature is climbing nicely – it feels like 70. We decide to head to
the Living Seas. It’s an attraction we enjoy but don’t feel obligated to visit
each trip. We enter with a small crowd and stop in the circular room where the
pre-show begins – or at least it used to. This attraction has changed significantly
over the years. There used to be a short pre-show here, followed by a film, and
followed by a trip through the Hydrolators to Sea Base Alpha. Now, after congregating
in the circular room, you have a choice of the film or the Hydrolators. We choose
the latter and are quickly through and viewing the aquariums. This may be urban
legend but I recently read (somewhere) of a woman that sued Disney over ear damage
caused by the increased pressure as one rides the Hydrolators to their destination.
A cute story but I’m having a hard time buying in.We begin upstairs and
there are many, many fish about. It appears we got there at feeding time. There
are also 2 divers in the tanks so I snap off a couple of pictures. We wander
over and ride Spaceship Earth with a short (2-3 minute) time in line. Always a
fun ride.Epcot is crowded today, as I’m sure are the other parks. My hope
is that many people will be leaving today with the end of the Thanksgiving weekend.
We’ll see. Next, it’s off to Test Track where there’s a 50-minute Standby and
45-minute Single Rider line. We think about Fast Pass but the return time is later
than we’ll be here. We walk to Mission: Space (MS) and there’s a 60-minute wait.
I admit to having reservations about riding Mission: Space. I’ve read every review
and report on it that I could find. I’m not prone to motion sickness but I did
find a touch of claustrophobia during an MRI. Barb does suffer from occasional
disorientation, especially when spinning. She swears it’s only when she turns
left too quickly (I kid her that a drive to the corner store takes her 90 minutes
because she can only make right hand turns). Nevertheless, I have to ride this
once just to judge for myself – maybe later in the week.I shoot several
pictures of Spaceship Earth – shooting through the fountains from the Showcase
Pavilion area. Hopefully one of them will be good enough for the 4-park montage
I have planned.We head to World Showcase, through the lighted archway (it’s
not lit yet) and view Epcot’s Xmas tree. We head to the left and stop to ride
El Rio Del Tiempo in Mexico, something we haven’t done in quite a while. The ride
is a walk-on. We spend some time browsing the shops, menus, etc. before heading
back out.We follow the left side of World Showcase, strolling and browsing
until we hit the IG and decide to walk back to the Boardwalk for some pool time.
It feels like 70s and the sun is shining brightly.We visit the quiet pool
for quick swims and lengthier soaks in the Jacuzzi. This is very relaxing and
there are only 3-4 others by the quiet pool. On the way back to the room, I stop
by the Screen Door and pick up two 6-packs of Coors Light for the room – well,
actually they’re for me but you know what I mean. I decide it’s time to
call Marriott and am prepared to do battle over the ridiculous way the gift cards
were handled. I call the toll free number and after maneuvering through several
menus and entering the 15-digit card serial number, I’m told that their hours
are Monday-Friday from 9-5:00. However, if I am a customer with an emergency (that’s
me), please call a different 800 number. I call the new number and re-enter the
15-digit number, follow several menus, and hear the same ‘hours’ recording on
the previous call. You have the same option for an ‘emergency’, which I take and
I’m given a number to call – the same number that I just called. I find nothing
more frustrating than being caught up in these circular nightmares. I vow to call
Monday and vent.We spend a few minutes in the room, cleaning up and watching
some football. At 3:15 we decide to head to the ESPN club on the Boardwalk to
have a late lunch – early dinner while watching a few of the games. The bar area
is packed with no seats available so we get in line to be seated in the dining
room. It takes almost 30 minutes but the time passes quickly because you can see
many TVs from the line. Due to my involvement with Fantasy Football, and the fact
that I’m a huge NFL fan, the 30-minutes go by quickly.Once seated, we appear
to be surrounded by Patriots fans that are going berserk as they come close to
blowing a large lead to the Colts – only to save it with a stop on the one yard
line on the game’s last play. To one side, there’s a family of 4 (Dad, Mom, small
son and daughter – maybe 6 and 4). As the Bengal’s game ends (they won), Dad stands
up, pumps both arms in the air and screams “Who ‘dat. Who ‘dat. Who ‘dat gonna
beat them Bengals”. And Barb thinks I’m a rabid fan?Barb gets a burger
and a coke while I opt for a roast beef sandwich and iced tea. I think the food
here is very good, if over-priced, and the portions are huge. We eat while watching
several of the 4:00 games and head out around 5:15 for Epcot. We stroll through
the IG and toward France. The only real plan tonight is to try and see
the Candlelight Processional (CP). As we get to the American Gardens Theater,
we can hear the end of the 5:00 show (it’s about 5:30). We keep walking to check
out Test Track and find it’s 50-minutes with no Fast Pass (FP) left so we pass.
We don’t look but I’m guessing M:S is similar. We decide to take in the 6:00 tree
lighting ceremony so we head to the area that connects Future World to World Showcase
and take a spot, with lots of other folks, by Showcase Plaza inside those arches
facing the tree. Precisely at 6:00, the show begins. We have a couple of CMs that
do some singing and dancing then are joined by Mickey, Minnie, Chip, Dale, Donald
and, eventually, Goofy. It’s a fun show with good music and the actual lighting
is well choreographed with the illumination of the arches (what are they called?).
On the negative side, as soon as the show starts, a lot of people start winding
their way through the waiting crowd – trying to get closer to the tree. In several
cases, I watched parents with children on their shoulders simply move in front
of folks (some in wheelchairs) and block their view. I know this happens all the
time at parades, fireworks, etc. and it shouldn’t bother me – but, it does.When
the ceremony concludes, we make our way back to try and get in the 6:45 CP – after
Barb makes a rest stop in China. When we get there, a large line is already moving
in. I ask a CM if we will get in the theater and she says “They tell me you should.”
Several people jump in behind us. As we’re nearing entry into the theater, they
guy behind me asks his wife “So what is this? The Christmas story or something?”This
was our first CP and it was very good. Andy Garcia did a nice job with the narration
and the orchestra and choir were excellent. It’s a wonderful way to spend 30-45
minutes and it is a very moving show. In fact, it’s so moving that the gentleman
seated to my left spent 15 minutes of the show on a cell phone – completely ignoring
my not-so-subtle hints.After the show, Barb needed another rest stop so
it’s off to the side of the American Pavilion where the line to the Ladies room
is out the door. It seems every woman attending the CP has the same idea. We decide
to stop in Japan for a refreshment and head up to the Matsu No Ma Lounge. I ask
and am told that the lounge is open seating so we head in, walking past a guy
who informs me we have to wait there for seating. Not wanting to line-cut, we
slide in behind him and he’s joined by his wife and 4 children (ages approximately
4-13). I overhear him say to his wife that “We should have 10 drinks while the
kids eat someplace else.” The servers in the lounge are going about their business
paying no attention to us so I tell the guy that I was told it was open seating.
He rushes off, has a quick word with a server and then motions to his family to
join him at a table.We go in and find a table for 2. I opt for the Kirin
while Barb has a Midori, complete with tiny umbrella. The guy and his family are
seated one table away. He and his wife are drinking Kirins while the kids have
soft drinks. They ordered a large sampler tray of sushi. I’m mildly surprised
when the sushi arrives and the 4 kids dig in like it was chicken wings. I’ve never
seen people that young go for sushi so ravenously.Thirst quenched we stroll
the World Showcase making our way to France. We think about seeing the film but
have just missed the last showing at 9:00. We take some bench and people watch
while we decide if we’ll stay for Illuminations at 9:30. Ultimately, we decide
we’re too tired to sit and wait and we’ll catch it later in the week. We head
back to the Boardwalk and hit Seashore Sweets for waffle cones – vanilla for Barb
and chocolate for me. As we’re sitting on the Boardwalk, devouring the ice cream,
we almost decide to head back for the fireworks. Fatigue wins out and we head
back to the room for some rest.Musings and Observations- Everyone has their
favorite resort – the Boardwalk is mine. I love the atmosphere and the proximity
to Epcot and MGM. I really feel like I’m home. They replaced True Colors in the
HISTA pre-show which, IMO, is a bad move. The Living Seas needs to do something
to turn this aquarium into a ‘show’. The Thanksgiving crowds are still here. Some
people will get into a line with no concept of why. The soft-serve chocolate in
a waffle cone at Seashore Sweets is a very, very good thing.Miles Walked
Today – 7.5December 1, 2003 – Day ThreeAwake at 3:40 but
I doze until 5:00. It seems that every trip, my internal clock goes out of whack
for a few days. I get up and make a pot of coffee then head to the balcony. It’s
a mild morning, maybe in the 60s with a forecast of mid-70s today. Our room overlooks
the Luna Park pool and I can already hear music coming from the Leaping Horse
Libations bar area. I decide I need a newspaper so I head down to the lobby gift
shop. It’s closed but a CM is bringing some items in and there’s a stack of USA
Today papers by the door. I ask if I can buy one and she tells me it’s $.54. I
find 3 quarters in my pocket and tell her we’ll call it even.We have a
light in-room breakfast and are out at 8:30 for a brisk walk to the MGM Studios.
We join a moderate line, after the security check, and enter the park. There’s
a rope up before you get to Sunset Blvd. At precisely 9:00 (my watch is once again
synchronized to Disney-time) we hear “Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls…” and
we join the mob heading down Sunset for Tower of Terror (ToT) and Rock ‘n Roller
Caster (RnRC). Barb joined us on RnRC on our last trip and has vowed never
to do it again. We head into ToT where we move continuously until we’re in the
library. Through the boiler room and into a waiting elevator. We share Row 2 (front
row – right side) with a dad and son who are riding for the first time. ToT has
always been a favorite. I love the theming and the ride although, as I get on
in years, I’m less enthused about the drops. This ride we get a drop sequence
I’ve never had before – several drops (4-5?) of varying lengths before we finally
stop at the bottom and that circular, spinning video plays. However, something
about the design of the spiral looks different and I immediately remember reading
something… “We’re not done yet” I say to Barb. Sure enough, we shoot up one more
time, nothing but air at the top.The lap bars are no longer there. They
have handles on either side that you can grip although, because I was on the end,
I only had a right-side handle that I held in a death-grip the entire time. Next
up is the Great Movie Ride (GMR) with only a 2-minute wait (the crowds are officially
gone). This was in a lengthy rehab since I visited last January but I saw nothing
different at all. Our CM guide was only so-so (I’m so tired of hearing “Take it
away, CB”) and we had a female gangster for the second consecutive ride. Also,
I’ve said this before and, in case someone important ever reads this stuff, I’ll
say it again. I may be alone in this but; I would like to see the film montage
at the end extended to 10-15 minutes. Keep it updated and current. You could bring
3 trams at once into the room to keep things flowing (kind of what they do at
Universe of Energy). I know this will never happen but I gotta ask.We head
to Star Tours and walk through the queue without seeing another (non-droid) soul.
We board a cruiser with about 12 people and take our tour of the moon of Endor.
In 1992-1997, this was my favorite ride. It’s still good but, people, it needs
to be updated. I’m delivering the lines along with our robot pilot.On to
MuppetVision 3D where we catch the entire pre-show again – always fun. I can not
find the ‘Net Full of Jello’. Did they move it? Is it gone? Muppets is always
fun. I think I’d like to watch it once from the balcony with the 2 old guys (Statler
and Hilton?).We head over to Who Wants to be a Millionaire (WTTBAM) to
see if we can get in the 11:15 show. If not, we figure we’ll FP it for the next
one. The Standby queue is empty and I assume everyone is inside already. I ask
a CM and he hands me 2 FPs for this show. We walk in and the place is about ¾
full.The Fastest Finger brings up Micky (a lady – Mikki? Mickey?) from
the UK. She does pretty well although she had to ask the audience on a fairly
simple Civil War question. I guess they don’t teach the Civil War in the UK. At
the 32,000 point mark, they flash the Leader Board and I’m #7. Micky misses at
the 64,000 point question and they bring up the Leader Board from bottom to top.
I’m #2 – beaten by a smidge by Roy from NY. Roy does well but misses just after
64,000 and…we’re out of time. Another visit without the hot seat…damn!It’s
just about lunch time so we decide on the 50’s Prime Time Café (PTC). I
ask about seating for 2 and am told 20 minutes or less. We head into the bar and
grab seats there while we wait. Barb gets a coke, I get an iced tea and we wait
to hear our name called. There’s a couple next to Barb. She’s drinking rum and
cokes; he’s drinking shots of tequila. With each shot, he’s clinking her glass
and toasting “To Nemo”, “To Dory”. She’s also offering unsolicited advice to others
at the bar that are perusing menus. “The meatloaf here is the best”. “You HAVE
to go to Alfredo’s”. I just want a table. Quickly.After 30 minutes, and
just after Barb gave me that “Do you want to go somewhere else” look, we’re seated.
Our server is Cousin Elaine and she’s a lot of fun without overdoing it – just
the right amount of kitsch. Barb had the meatloaf and I, at Elaine’s suggestion,
had the pot roast. Both were good and the place is a lot of fun. The table next
to us had a very young waitress who was having a great time. She did the airplane
thing with one of her patrons and asked me if I’d oblige my “cousins’ by taking
her picture with them.As a large group on our left got up to leave, Elaine
said goodbye and “don’t worry about the mess you left, I’ll take care of it”.We
left PTC and headed into the shops. I found the same watch I saw at the Screen
Door – same price, $150. I just couldn’t decide. I told Barb that I thought the
numbers on the face were a little large making it look a bit childish. She replied
“You don’t think having a cartoon mouse on the face is childish?” Touché.
But I think you’d agree there is a difference.Back to the Boardwalk. I
have a bone to pick with Marriott. I call and, thankfully, this time I get a human
being. I’ve managed to work myself into just enough of a rage that… whoops, not
so fast. After a quick check, this nice young lady apologizes and informs me that
the full value of the gift cards will be applied to the Courtyard bill. Any amount
due over that will be applied to the charge card. Uh, thanks. We’ll see.We
sit around the room resting when, after an intolerable amount of time (about 12
minutes), I announce that I’m bored. I do this a lot at WDW. We decide to head
to the Magic Kingdom so, after a quick freshen up, we’re off at 2:15.We
head to the bus stop and on to a waiting Magic Kingdom bus (this is getting just
a bit scary). The Share a Dream Come True (SDCT) parade is at 3:00 and we’re hoping
to make it. We enter the Magic Kingdom and just as we pass through the tunnel,
we hear a train coming in (man, our timing has been impeccable). Up the stairs
and on the Railroad – we exit at Frontierland at about 2:50. We take a look at
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (BTMRR) but it shows a 20-minute wait. We grab FPs
for 5:20 and make our way to the porches in front of Pecos Bill’s. We grab a spot
by the wall, leaving an area in front for those moving through.The parade
starts at 3:00 and as the first float comes by, a family of 4 decides to stop
and stand right in front of us – inches away. Barb asks, fairly loudly, if she
“should use my invisibility to fight crime or for evil”. They moved on. There’s
a short wall that’s “street side” here and there were a number of folks sitting
there. As the parade starts, a number of children stand on the wall for a better
view – this is fine. A number of adults also stand, completely blocking the view
of those behind them. If they sat where they were, or leaned against the wall
while standing, they’d be able to see fine – and block no one. Why do these shows
seem to bring out the rudest behavior?SDCT was good. I’m not much of a
parade person but I did enjoy it. When it was over we decided to brave the 20-minute
wait for Big Thunder. We were on the ride in 15. Evidence of the rehab was obvious
– fresh paint on the railings, etc. It was, and is, a fun ride. We managed to
get one of the rear-most cars so that made it more enjoyable.We walked
to Liberty Square and decided to hit Haunted Mansion (HM). The line was out through
the gates but the posted wait was 10 minutes. I found that surprising but, in
10 minutes, we were inside. Always a fun ride. I tried to show Barb the 3rd Hidden
Mickey we learned about on the Keys to the Kingdom tour last year but she wasn’t
able to see it. It’s very difficult to pick up – even if you know where to look.
After the ride, I tried, again unsuccessfully, to find the wedding ring by the
gates.We walked through Fantasyland, pausing at Mickey’s Philharmagic –
no FPs available. In Tomorrowland we hit the Timekeeper – a favorite that’s been
closed during our past few visits. I enjoy the show and noticed that the flight
over New York still has the World Trade Center towers in it. We then took a spin
on the WEDWay (I know, I know). Buzz Lightyear had a 50-minute wait (I guess some
of the Thanksgiving crowd is still here) and no FPs.It was getting near
dinner time and we were hoping to catch SpectroMagic at 6:00. We stopped near
Main Street so I could get some Castle photos (need to fill the montage). We had
talked about getting dinner at Tony’s Town Square but I thought that, with the
crowd level, there’d be no way we’d get seated in a reasonable time. At Barb’s
urging, we forced our way through the Main Street crowds and into Tony’s. I asked
about a table for 2 and was told it would be 10 minutes and to stay in the lobby
until called.In 10 minutes, we hear “Attencion, attencion. Tony’s has a
fine table for the Russos” and in we go. Unfortunately, we got a table in the
back and couldn’t see the windows so Spectro was going to be missed. Our server
(Princess – I kid you not) obliged and took our picture – cheek to cheek in a
booth with a display of poinsettias behind us. I had the NY Strip Steak and Barb
chose Chicken and polenta. Both were very good and the steak was done to perfection.
I’d had my doubts about ordering a steak there but was pleasantly surprised. We
skipped dessert and, with soft drinks, the bill came to right around $50 (sorry
this isn’t more precise but I’m terrible with receipts).We had missed Spectro
but were anticipating the new show, Wishes. We thought we’d grab a coffee in the
Plaza Pavilion but it was closed. There were a lot of people grabbing seats in
there for the fireworks so we found a table. Just before 7:00, I realized that,
with the roof overhang, we’d probably miss a good deal of the show. We moved around
the corner and part way toward Main Street to an area that was relatively free
of trees blocking your view.The show started and, for the first time up
close, we saw Tinkerbell soar down from the Castle, passing almost directly over
our heads. The view was so good I could almost tell you the color of her eyes.
I can also say that this woman (I’m assuming it was a woman) must be fearless,
or at least a lot braver than I. That’s quite a trip to make suspended from a
wire.Wishes was fantastic. I’m a fireworks lover and this did not disappoint.
I’m ranking it up there with Illuminations, maybe (gasp) better. The narration
is good, the music outstanding. Most of the music that I remember was directly
from a Disney film. Anyway, during your next visit, take the time to see Wishes.
You will not be sorry.We waited for 15 minutes to let some of the crowd
disperse but, it became apparent, there were tons still there. We joined the herd
on Main Street and did that Disney waddle out of the park to the bus stops. Many
of the stops had more people than could fit within the railings so it was difficult
finding the right line to get in. We had to ask some folks “Is this the line for
Boardwalk?” Once in line, we watched a number of people saunter up to the railing
and ask and were pointed back to the end of the line. I’m happy to report that
I saw no line cutting or otherwise rude or obnoxious behavior here. There was
also a steady stream of buses, one after the other, that got us out of there in
15 minutes. Not bad at all.We exited the bus at the first stop, the Swan,
and walked to the Boardwalk. We took in some Boardwalk entertainment (balloon
animals and card tricks) before heading up the room so I could watch my beloved
Jets take on the Titans. When we get to the room, we’re surprised to find
several balloons attached to a card. It’s congratulations on our anniversary and
includes an autographed picture of Mickey and Minnie. I’m very, very impressed
and make a mental note (uh, oh) to commend Mari for her attention to detail. I
think it’s this type of thing that helps separate Disney from everyone else.I
popped up some microwave popcorn, cracked open a beer, and watched the game. It
could not have gone better. The Jets won, 24-17, while Steve McNair (my Fantasy
quarterback) had a big night for the Titans. McNair’s big night puts me into the
playoffs with a chance at some big money.Musings and Observations- Parades
tend to bring out the rudest behavior in people – or maybe just the rudest people.
The Tower is still cool but Star Tours really needs an update. PTC is a lot of
fun. I haven’t eaten at Tony’s in 5(?) years but it’s still very good. Wishes
is awesome – a must see. The Jets still have a shot – but not a good one.Miles
Walked Today – 9.6December 2, 2003 – Day FourUp at 6:15 –
this is more like it. We have a light, in-room breakfast and are out the door
at 8:20 – headed for Animal Kingdom. We catch a waiting bus (I think I should
buy a Lottery ticket) and are through security at 8:40. We’re let into the park
to a rope just over the bridge from the Oasis. I use this wait time for some shots
of the Tree of Life (the montage). By the way, I’ve been contemplating what shot
to use to represent MGM in this montage. I’m leaning toward ToT over the BAH,
mainly because I like it more. I’ve shot both. Any votes?There’s a very
large crowd here – much larger than I’m used to with our off-season visits. I’m
afraid this will mean crowds and long lines all day. Once the park opens, the
crowds disperse and it actually seems light during the entire day. Wrong again.We
head first to It’s Tough To Be a Bug (ITTBAB). This is always fun. Once again,
there are a number of screaming, inconsolable toddlers here. Several are finally
taken out by a parent. Parents of young ones really need to heed the warnings
here. It’s pretty intense when Hopper shows and the spiders drop. I can only guess
what a 3-year old is thinking during these parts.We head to DinoLand for
a ride on Dinosaur. The CM out front hands me one of those cards on a lanyard
and asks me to give it the CM that boards us. My assumption is they somehow encode
the time on the card and do the same when you get on the ride vehicle. The resulting
difference is used to post the wait time. I take the card and we walk through
an empty queue and into the pre-show that is about half over. We’re climbing into
the ride vehicle about 3 minutes after walking in. A good ride and that last blast
effectively ruins an otherwise good hair day.We exit into the ‘carnival’.
OK, last time I mention this. I get it. I understand the kitsch. I get what they’re
trying to do. I just don’t think it belongs in Animal Kingdom. Add a hub in Magic
Kingdom and call it CarnieLand. Anyway, we ride Primeval Whirl with a 5-minute
wait. It’s a fun ride that is a lot rougher than I remember from January. I get
thrown into the lap bar several times.We head back to Kilamanjaro Safaris
and a posted 15-minute wait. It seems shorter because the line moves continuously
until we board the truck. I really like the fact that no two rides are ever the
same here. We see lots of animals but the highlight is Pride Rock. Our guide tells
us that the lions typically sleep 18-20 hours a day (where do I sign up?) and,
true to form, they’re sleeping. The male is on his side while the female is on
her back, head on his side, with all 4 legs in the air. Pretty comical.Anyone
else think the Little Red story can go? I’ve seen this too many times with different
renditions. Remember when you had a live guard at the end, holding the rifle on
the poachers? Now it looks like there’s a mannequin in the truck.Next up
is Tusker House for an early lunch. I get the Turkey Wrap with Corn Chowder and
grapes. The chowder is good but the wrap is almost tasteless. Barb gets a chicken
sandwich that tastes like chicken – or so she says.We decide to try the
Flights of Wonder show. We’ve not seen it yet. It gets a mild thumb’s up. It’s
a little cute and corny but fascinating to see the bald eagle. There’s a point
where something very large flies very low over the crowd. I’m not up on my birds
and it’s not in my notes but I remember it was scary and had about a 6-foot wingspan.
An African condor-vulture, or something like that. Anyway, it flies out to a handler
in the far reaches of the bleachers. We’re told to get our cameras ready and I
do. As I’m adjusting aperture or something, Rodan flies right at me actually grazing
my hair with its talons-of-death. OK, maybe that was my imagination but Barb said
he came really, really close.We then strolled Maharajah Jungle Trek looking
at and photographing bats and tigers and dragons – oh, my. Now it’s time for our
last ride at Animal Kingdom. Kali River Rapids. Why do we save it for the end?
Because you get wet – sometimes very wet.We head through the queue and
it’s almost a walk-on. We board and I’m, once again, seated next to my lovely
wife. This is like an albatross around my neck wearing a sign saying ‘Soak Me’.
My camera bag won’t fit in the center area so I pull my golf slicker around it
and carry it under my shirt. The woman across from me remarks that I now look
pregnant. I leave that alone but Barb smirks.The first drop has us at the
front of the boat, first over the drop. A large plume of water goes straight up
and lands just behind my head, but in front of my shirt collar. Yep, right down
the back. Now that’s refreshing. Through the rest of the ride, we stay relatively
dry. The woman to Barb’s left catches a wave over the side that absolutely engulfs
her pants. They’re soaked all the way through. Great fun!Done with Animal
Kingdom, we make our way out and wait about 3 minutes for a bus. What? Did no
one tell them I was coming? We decide to exit at the Swan, walk to the Dolphin,
and grab one of the ice cream treats from the Dolphin Fountain. After perusing
the menu, the waitress informs me that I can downsize the ‘Sundae-Sundae’ and
just make it a ‘Sundae’. Wish they had told me that last year. I opt for the chocolate
ice cream with chocolate sauce and… topping? Why not chocolate chips? The waitress
is amused. Barb got a vanilla something or other – who cares. Mine was great.
We flash the DVC card for 20% off.We walk back to the Boardwalk and decide
to stop in at the DVC office to view the Saratoga Springs rooms. Keep in mind
that we live about 20 minutes from Saratoga Springs (the real one). I’ve seen
the architecture at the DVC resort and it’s close but Saratoga (the real one)
has a charm that is difficult to capture. There’s something about those old Victorian
homes with wrap-around porches… Anyway, the rooms are nice. I score 2 pins. Barb
scores a bag full of mints, taffy, and cotton candy. We gotta stop here more often.We
spend some time in the room freshening up and change before heading to Downtown
Disney at around 5:30. We get off the bus at the Marketplace and stroll through
to the West End. We decide on Wolfgang Puck’s for dinner and are seated almost
immediately. We share an appetizer: spinach and 4 cheese dip with focaccia bread.
I have a Bass Ale and Barb a coffee (what else). We decide to split a pizza and
I let Barb choose. She picks a barbecued chicken. Now I’m an old Italian boy and
a pizza connoisseur. You can have tomato sauce, tomatoes, mozzarella, peppers
(red or green), olives, anchovies, pepperoni, sausage… but chicken? Well, I pride
myself on being ‘Iron-stomach Joe’ and often say “I can eat anything”. I get a
second Bass and we dine.After dinner, we go into PI and stroll around a
few of the shops. The first Comedy Warehouse (CW) show is at 8:15 so we try the
Adventurers Club (AC). I’ve been in there several times but we always leave (usually
to the CW) before any shows. It’s about 7:30 and there’s a new member induction
going on in the bar. We take some seats upstairs with a few others and watch Pamela
(?) Perkins and Samantha Sterling interact with a few guests. There’s a couple
upstairs to our left and the girl has shouted something to Pamela. I didn’t quite
hear it but Pamela took it as “I’m horny” so she, for the next 15 minutes, was
referred to as the “horny girl upstairs”. There was a butler involved and an aviator
was upstairs shouting some things down. We grabbed each other’s ear lobes and
took the pledge. The group retired to the Mask Room for a show and we made the
decision to go to the CW instead. We got a taste and it looks like fun so… maybe
next time.We got in line at the CW and were ushered in at 8:15. There was
a large group already in the floor chairs – must have been a party or something.
We got the seats next to the couple by the phone. They spoke with British accents
and overheard me say that I’d like to get the phone once and offered us their
seats. I declined and told them to have fun. It didn’t matter as the opening actor
rang the ‘other’ phone. The first show featured Lisa, Brian, Phillip, John and…
another guy whose name I forgot. There was a light crowd. None of the second seats
in each row were filled and not every row was filled either. It was also a ‘dead’
crowd. No suggestions, no embarrassing stories, no nothing. The show was just
OK. The cast tried but the audience was just out of it.We got back in line
for the 9:15. This show had a few more people but, unfortunately, they were just
as dead. Same cast except add Joy (and drop the guy I couldn’t remember). Again,
it was just OK. The highlight was when Brian (who I really like) and Lisa had
to perform a song called ‘Laxative Friday’. Brian came out in a wig that was bald
on top and had large shocks of white hair at the sides. Lisa had a white wig and
‘old lady’ dress – complete with sagging breasts about waist high. They did a
great improve number. I think it was supposed to be a Show Tune but they did more
of a Vaudeville review. I thought it was great. If only the rest of the skits
were as good.We bus back to the Boardwalk and decide to hit the Bel Vue
Room for a nightcap. Allen was, once again, behind the bar. He said I looked familiar
but I think he was just being nice. He’s apparently leaving the Boardwalk. His
children are now in school so he’s looking for daytime hours so he can spend more
time with them. He’s hoping for the pool bar at Saratoga Springs. I hope he gets
it because he’s really a great bartender – very personable and very efficient.We
chatted a bit about bartending, different liquors, scotches, etc. He espoused
his theory of what makes a good bartender. Everyone can mix a drink. The recipes,
if you don’t know them, are in a book or Rolodex behind the bar. He spends time
reading books (and labels) so he can make appropriate recommendations. If they
don’t have your brand of scotch/gin/vodka, he can recommend something close to
it based upon flavor, origin, etc. He does take it seriously. We quit after
one drink, said our goodbyes to Allen, and called it a night.Musings and
Observations- What looks to me like a large park crowd, often isn’t. You will
get wet on KRR. The Turkey Wrap at the Tusker House needs to have something (dressing)
added for taste. It’s too much shredded lettuce and is bland. People in the DVC
office treat DVC members very well. Barbecued chicken and pizza are not a match
made in heaven – regardless of what Wolfgang tells you. The Bel Vue Room is a
great place to end a Disney day.Miles Walked Today – 7.9December
3, 2003 – Day FiveI wake at 6:15 and immediately know something is
amiss. I feel ill. Very ill. I haven’t felt this way in a long, long time. I have
a little trick that I read about years ago and I used with my children when they
were young… and sick. It’s a breathing technique that, I believe, is based in
yoga. I think it relies on focusing your mind away from the discomfort and it
(almost) always worked with the kids. Not so much for me. I fought the feeling
until 7:00 when…let me put this as delicately as possible… have you heard of driving
the porcelain bus? I drove it. I drove it hard and long. I felt awful. Completely
drained.I crawled back to bed and slept until 9:00. This is unheard of
for me. At 9:00 I awoke and – you guessed it – decided to drive some more. I slept
off and on until 1:00 PM. At 1:00, the nausea had subsided but I still
felt a bit queasy and totally spent. I have no idea what caused this (food poisoning?
Barb ate the same food.) but I’m blaming Wolfgang’s barbecue chicken pizza. Barb
popped out to the Boardwalk and grabbed a salad for her and a Sprite for me. I
wanted something cold and sweet. I did eat a tomato wedge from her salad but was
afraid to risk anything more.We (I, actually) had already wasted half a
day so I thought we should do something. Barb didn’t think a bus ride was in order
(smart girl) so she suggested Epcot. I dragged my wretched body into the shower
and got dressed. At 2:30 we headed out and I suggested the boat to Epcot – I was
really dragging. We never take the boat.We walked down to Future World
and saw that M:S had only a 10-minute wait, but we agreed that wouldn’t be a good
move in my condition. Damn. Test Track (TT) had a 50-minute Standby time and I
thought I could handle that so we picked up FPs for 4:36. We then wandered back
to World Showcase to catch some of Off Kilter’s 3:00 show. I had decided I needed
some sustenance and thought a soft pretzel would work. There are no pretzel stands
between TT and Canada.In Canada, barb asked at the Popcorn stand where
we could get a pretzel and was told that America would be the closest. We hung
out and listened to Off Kilter play We Three Kings on the bagpipes, followed by
several of their standards. We then went in search of the pretzel.No carts
by America (do they have pretzels inside?) so we continued to Germany. As I walked
up to the cart, another guy got there just ahead of me. He looks at the menu,
and then shouts back to his wife “What do we want?” She shouts back “Two cokes
and a pretzel”. Can you see it coming? The CM takes the last pretzel, my pretzel,
and gives it to this heathen with his cokes. I step up and ask if there are any
more. Not for 20 minutes, I’m told. They do send me to the beer line in Germany
where, thank God, they have pretzels.I take one and Barb grabs a coke and
an iced tea from the cart. We find a bench facing the lagoon and I slowly eat
the pretzel. We’re the only 2 on this bench and no one else is around. A woman
comes over, speaking loudly and frantically into a cell phone, and sits down next
to us. For the next 5 minutes, I’m subjected to hearing this woman, an obvious
realtor, attempting to close a deal on a home for $370,000 – firm. Don’t most
of us seek out a private area to converse on a cell phone?I’m feeling a
bit better, stomach wise, but still have that lethargic feeling. I felt like a
just ran a marathon, uphill. We head out of Epcot and catch the boat (another
boat?) back to the Boardwalk. We stop in the bakery to pick up something for dinner
later. I opt for the fruit cup and a container of yogurt. We head to the room
and relax – I actually sleep more.Around 6:00, I manage to get the fruit
cup and yogurt down and, feeling a bit better, we decide to hit Epcot for Illuminations.
Around 8:30 we walk into Epcot (yes, I made the walk this time). We walk around
a bit and eventually stake out a spot near the bridge between the UK and France.
Around 9:00, we see a bride and groom coming over the bridge. They have a small
entourage and are being escorted by CMs waving those red flashlights. They move
down to a spot on the lagoon, below and to the France side of the bridge. They’re
set up for what looks like coffee and desserts.Illuminations is, as always,
great. I’m always struck by the combination of music and show here. We stroll
out through the IG with a lot of other people. Barb and I wonder if these people
are all staying at the Epcot resorts. That’s answered as we reach the Boardwalk
and throngs of people exit up the stairs to the parking lot. Folks must come and
park at the Boardwalk just for Illuminations.Barb gets a vanilla waffle
cone at Seashore Sweets. It looks good, and I’m hungry, but I use discretion and
pass. My total consumption today has been ¾ of a pretzel, a fruit cup,
and a yogurt. Add in a half pound of chocolate and I could be Sue Holland. There
must be an easier way to lose weight.Musings and Observations- Skip the
barbecued chicken pizza at Wolfgang Puck’s. Take better note of the location of
pretzel carts. Illuminations is still my favorite fireworks show but Wishes is
now a close second (maybe 1A). Miles Walked Today – 4.9 (too many boats)December
4, 2003 – Day SixI’m up at 5:45 and I don’t think I’ve ever been so
well rested. I must have slept 15 hours yesterday and I slept like a baby last
night (a friend always asks if that means I was up every 3 hours looking to eat).
I feel much better.We do the coffee and light breakfast, showers, and we’re
out the door at 7:40 for Extra Magic Hour at Magic Kingdom.We enter at
opening and head directly to Tomorrowland. First up is Buzz Lightyear’s Space
Ranger Spin. As we’re walking in I turn to Barb and suggest a wager. “Loser buys
lunch”. She agrees but then says “Wait. You always beat me at this”.Ladies
and gentlemen, I was on my game. Barb came in with a pitiful 19,000 points. I
maxed out at 999,999 and was only 2/3 of the way through. I used the last third
to practice trick shots. You know…off Space Mountain, through the TTA, nothing
but Zurg. Galactic Hero my butt. Steve Russo – Interplanetary Space Stud. We
head to Space Mountain with a short wait. Good ride, as always. We then decide
to give Winnie the Pooh a second chance. We rode this in 2001, shortly after it
opened. I was less than impressed but thought it may have been my mood or something.
We get in the short line and, as we’re moving through, I notice a guy’s tee shirt
coming the other way. It says (I didn’t write it down then so I’m paraphrasing
slightly) ‘Having a positive attitude may not solve all life’s problems but it’s
annoying enough to piss off everyone around you.’ I really like this and the guy
sees me admiring it and hands me a business card. Apparently, this is his business.
His card has his URL and he tells me to call and mention I saw it at Disney and
he’ll provide free shipping. In the next 5 minutes, I see him do this with 2 other
guests.We ride Pooh and I am not impressed. It’s just not me. I was never
that fond of the characters, excepting Eeyore. Other people love it and I think
it’s great for the kids. I doubt I’ll ride it again, though.We’ve timed
it perfectly as it’s now 8:58 and park opening is at 9:00. We head to Mickey’s
Philharmagic and walk in to the waiting area. At about 9:05 they open the doors
and in we go. This is a great show. Well done, great 3D effects, great musical
score, humor. It has it all plus some great audience effects that are timed perfectly
to the film. I’ve now seen two of the three ‘new’ attractions (this and Wishes)
and have been awed by both. If Mission: Space is good, Disney has hit the trifecta.We
head back for another ride on BTMRR and score the rearmost seats. Another great
ride. We get muffins and coffees from a cart in Frontierland and head inside Pecos
Bill’s to eat. We’re the only ones in there.Next up is Pirates of the Caribbean,
which we ride after a 5-minute wait. This is really the last thing we’re looking
to do at Magic Kingdom so we stroll out and take the monorail to the TTC and change
to Epcot.Test Track has a 45-minute Standby so we get FPs for 12:33. We
then head to Mission: Space. It has a 15-minute wait posted but we’re on in 10.
The pre-show is pretty cool. There’s an actual lunar rover there, on loan from
the Smithsonian. I admit to a fair amount of trepidation and I’m really concerned
for Barb. She has that motion thing and I know she almost freaked on RnRC. Nevertheless,
we push on and get our instructions from Gary Sinise. We board with another couple.
I’m the Flight Commander (must have heard about my prowess at Buzz) and Barb’s
the Engineer.We get settled in the pod and I realize that my camera bag
won’t fit into the compartment. The CM tells me to just put it on the floor between
my feet. The doors close and the console slides forward. I have no feelings of
claustrophobia. We sit in semi-darkness for a good 3 minutes before it comes to
life. The pod rotates backwards so we’re now reclined and the ‘doors’ open so
we can see sky and clouds. The next thing I know, Gary is shouting something like
“3-2-1, launch” and it starts.I liked it. So did Barb although I don’t
think she’ll be up for multiple rides. The G-forces are real; you can feel pressure
on your face and chest. It’s difficult to move your arms during acceleration.
The ‘sling shot’ move around the moon is, I think, awesome. A lot of folks think
it ends rather abruptly but I was satisfied. Overall, thumbs up and I think Disney
has scored with all 3 new attractions.We wandered through Innoventions
without really stopping at anything. We then went to Ice Station Cool for some
refreshments. I had some Beverly and while I don’t think it’s particularly good,
I don’t seem to have the aversion that many do.Now it’s time for Test Track
and another Russo Complaint. We have FPs. The Standby wait is still 45 minutes
and there is a sign that says that only one group will be taken every 5 minutes.
We’re in the FP line for 30 minutes. Now, if you see a sign that says 1 group
every 5 minutes what would you do? Get a FP, right? The result is that everyone
gets a FP so the FP has become the Standby line. How to solve it – do away with
FP and let everyone go Standby? Give out fewer FPs? Take a few more from Standby
each cycle? I don’t know but it stinks the way it is. Someone at Disney must have
the statistics on ride times, load times, etc. that could serve to improve this
situation.Time for a stroll through World Showcase and we stop at Germany
and get a Beck’s to share. It’s rather warm and this hits the spot. Time for a
late lunch and we decide to hit the Chefs de France. We both opt for the ‘French
Menu’, which is a bowl of French Onion Soup, grilled ham and cheese sandwich and
a Crème Brulee. This is $14.95 and, as we learned too late, we could have
gotten a 10% discount through DVC. Need to read the welcome package better.Here’s
a tip – IMO this is too much food for one person. We should have ordered one French
Menu and a second bowl of soup. That would have been fine. As it turned out, we
both ate the soup (with accompanying fresh roll). I had 2/3 of the sandwich, Barb
about half. I ate about half the Crème Brulee, Barb about ¼. If
you’re a big eater (and I usually am) this may be fine but you’d better be hungry.While
we ate we watched a show outside the windows where a guy was balancing himself
on stacked chairs. I think he had 6 of them stacked by the end.We headed
back to the Boardwalk, via the IG, for some rest and relaxation. At 4:30, it was
time to head to MGM for Fantasmic. We made the walk to MGM in about 20 minutes
(I am feeling better). Barb wanted to hit WWTBAM once more but I was unsure if
we’d get in for the last show of the day without FPs. Not to worry, the show was
2/3 full.In the hot seat is Brant from Jersey. At 32,000 points, I’m 8th
on the Leader Board. At 64,000 points, I’m 3rd. Two questions later, Brant misses
and we’re out of time. I’ve decided I’m too competitive to enjoy WWTBAM. I’m competitive
in every thing I do. I really think I should win and I’m disappointed when I don’t
even get in the hot seat. There’s a character flaw here - I’ve got to chill.We
take our time getting to Fantasmic and walk in about 6:15. We’re surrounded by
groups of teens. I noticed them yesterday but thought it too early for Pop Warner
(next week) or (shudder) Cheerleaders. Barb is seated next to a mom/chaperone
and learns that they’re a marching band from Massachusetts. This group is relatively
well behaved although I hear a couple of F-bombs dropped behind me. I did see
this mom/chaperone turn and throw some eye-daggers to quell it – and it seemed
to work.Fantasmic is still a great show but it seems each time I see it
there is more projected film on the water screens. I know this is only my perception
and probably due to the fact that I’ve seen it multiple times. Anyway, we enjoy
the show. It’s interesting as the show starts; the teenagers around me are talking
and joking as if they have no interest. Gradually, they go silent as the show
captures them. Soon, you hear “Ooh, Tinkerbell”. At the end, I think they’re cheering
the loudest when the victorious Mickey appears atop the mountain.After
Fantasmic, we stroll/waddle out with the herds and make the walk back to the Boardwalk
(after Barb’s inevitable rest stop, of course). When Barb returns from the Ladies
Room, she shares a cute story. A little girl asks her mom, “Mom, are the parks
closed now?” Mom replies, “Yes, honey. I’m sorry but they are.” The little girl
says “But how will we get out?”We head back to the room and decide that
an evening at Jelly Rolls is in order. We head down and pay the $7 cover charge
(it was $6 in January) and grab a table to one side. The room is about ½
full but is almost packed within an hour.Jelly Rolls is dueling pianos
and sing along. Throw in a couple of group dances (The Big Tree and the Unicorn)
and it can be a lot of fun. There are 4 singer/piano players that perform, 2 at
a time. They take requests on cocktail napkins that are dropped on to the pianos.
I’m always amazed at the breadth of songs they know. It’s rare to see them stumped.Two
performers are new and two I recognize from last November. Scotty is the ‘kid’
I describe as a cross between Bill Gates and Rob Lowe (if you’ve seen him you’ll
know what I mean). IMO, he’s the most talented of the group – great on the keys
with a great voice. They converse a great deal with the audience and, at
one point, find a group of about 8 people. It includes a girl that’s getting married
this Sunday at the Wilderness Lodge. She’s there with her parents, her fiancé,
her sister and her fiancé (having just paid for a wedding, I don’t envy
this dad). They get the girls and their fiancés up on stage where Scotty
leads them in the Big Tree dance. Then the girls get to leave while the guys stay
and entertain us some more. It’s goodhearted fun – no slams but some minor jibes.At
some point this evening, Barb asked if I thought a trip next April might be do-able.
I don’t think it will be but I am impressed. I think my bride has made the jump
from Disney fan to fanatic.We hung out for a couple of hours and had a
great time. I’d recommend it to anyone who enjoys good entertainment and doesn’t
mind looking or sounding a bit foolish at times. They played anything and everything
including the Doors, Beatles, Billy Joel, Elton John, Jimmy Buffet, etc. On to
bed.Musings and Observations- You can hit 3 parks, and Jelly Rolls, in
one day without going commando. I rock on Buzz. I don’t need to ride Pooh again.
Mickey’s Philharmagic is great. So is Mission: Space. Disney has 3 winners in
the newest attractions. Split the French Menu with someone. Jelly Rolls is not
for everyone but we really enjoy it.Miles Walked Today – 11.4December
5, 2003 – Day SevenLast day. Big sigh here.We wake up around
6:30 but lounge in bed until 7:00. No hurry today.We have a light breakfast
and coffee and then pack up all our junk. We carry our bags down to Bell Services
and store them there. Around 10:45, we head to Downtown Disney via the bus and
spend about 2 hours, and several hundred dollars, buying souvenirs. I get a golf
shirt (no surprise there) and Barb a nightshirt. We get some stuff for the kids
and my Dad and also splurge on some very nice Christmas ornaments.We catch
a bus back and decide to exit at the Yacht and Beach Clubs to check out their
decorations. Very nice. I also use this opportunity to finish off a roll of film,
shooting mostly across the lake towards the Boardwalk. We stroll around to the
Boardwalk Bakery and decide to split a turkey sub and have a cup of coffee which
we take at a table on the Boardwalk. We sip, eat and people watch until about
2:30.We take up some space in 2 easy chairs in the lobby for a while. At
3:00, I decide to go outside and begin retrieving our luggage. Our driver is due
at 3:30 and actually shows at 3:15. It’s an uneventful ride to the airport. We
check in curbside, get ‘A’ boarding passes and enter. There’s a Disney
Store in the airport, which we visit, and Barb reminds me I never bought the Mickey
cocktail shaker I was looking for. I find it here and part with another $20.We
head to our gate where we learn our 6:10 flight is now listed as 6:25. We hit
‘Seattle’s Best Coffee’ – in my opinion, false advertising - for coffee and a
bagel. Our flight now just says ‘Delayed’ which is not a good sign. We head to
the gate to sit – barb with her book and me with the NY Times Crossword Puzzle
(I’m addicted. I do it every Sunday). They finally explain that our flight
is delayed in Islip due to weather. The Northeast is getting a major storm – a
classic Nor’easter. They tell us it should be in by 7:00.At 7:00, they
announce that the flight is in range and should land around 7:10. It will take
8-10 minutes to clean the aircraft and then we can board. The 75 people waiting
at the gate use this as a cue to jump up and rush to line up at the A-B-C ropes
for boarding. I cannot believe this. Not only are the A-B-C’s in line, so are
the 25 people that are waiting to pre-board. I can’t understand this mentality.We
finally board and leave at 8:00. It’s a fairly bumpy ride home (exactly what is
‘chop’?) and we arrive at 10:45. We left Orlando at 78 degrees; we land in Albany
where it’s 16 degrees. Michelle and Stephanie are waiting there for us. We grab
our luggage and drive home. Another trip in the books.Musings and Observations-
I hate to leave. It’s not so much I don’t want to go home – I do. I just hate
to leave.Miles Walked Today – 3.7Post Script – About 2 hours after
we arrived home, it began to snow. It snowed all night, all day Saturday, and
into Sunday morning when it changed to flurries. It finally stopped completely
Sunday afternoon – as the Jets lost. Complete bummer all around. I wound up cleaning
up 22” of snow. In 15 degree weather. In the wind. April is starting to sound
pretty good.Final ThoughtsI love Disney World. I probably
love it for different reasons than I did 15, 10 or 5 years ago. When I’m there,
I lose all (well, most) stress. I enjoy most everything about it; the resorts,
the parks, the attractions, the restaurants – all of it. In seven days, I never
ran into a nasty CM. I love that everyone I do business with while I’m there seems
happy and eager to help.I especially enjoy seeing the smiles on other guests.
I enjoy exchanging ‘Good Mornings’ with a complete stranger in a hotel hallway.
I enjoy hearing other families asking “What was your favorite ride?” I guess I’ll
go back.Thanks for reading.Questions or comments? If you email me,
please ‘Trip Report’ in the Subject line.Steve Russo srusso@nycap.rr.com
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