Trip Reports

• Time of Year: Fall
• Travel Method: Plane
• Resort: All Star Music Resort, Offsite
• Accommodations: Standard Room
• Ages Represented in Group: Adult
• WDW Experience Represented in Group: Frequent
• Comments: Lisa spent several days at the All Star Music Resort in October. She extended the trip by staying offsite for a few additional days. Her report isn't in the usual "diary" form, but rather is a compilation of her opinions of the attractions, restaurants, and resorts. To learn more, read Lisa's report from December, too...(she was lucky enough to go to WDW twice in 1996!)

Vital Statistics:

Hotel:

• 10/18 - 10/21 All Stars Music
• 10/22 - 10/24 Fairfield Inn, International Drive

Last visit to WDW: 1985

Participants: Lisa (age 29) and one day at MK with sister Sue (age 35).

I will provide a summary of a description of each park rather than detail of each day. I visited the park as follows:

• Fri. Oct 18: 1-5pm Epcot
• Sat. Oct 19: 7:30am - 10:30pm MK (no break - not recommended)
• Sun. Oct 20: 7:30am - 3:30pm Studios
• 4:00 - 5:00pm World of Disney at VMP
• 5pm - 10:30pm MK
• Mon. Oct 21: 5:30-9:30pm Epcot
• Tues. Oct 22: 5:30-9:30pm Epcot
• Wed. Oct 23: 1:00-5:00pm Epcot

As you can see, I really enjoyed Epcot. It was my favorite park. But let's save that for the park descriptions. I will try to provide helpful tips on how to see attractions, parades, etc.

Part I - Magic Kingdom (MK):

Overall impression: A fun place to go. The park is very similar to Disneyland. I went on an early entry day which was great. However, by about noon, it got very crowded. My sister did not have a park hopping ticket so we had to stay there (not recommended). The crowds did not die down until the line up for the first showing of SpectroMagic (around 7pm). But we did not wait over 30 minutes for any ride. Rides we did not do: Tiki Room, Swiss Family Treehouse, Country Bear Jamboree, Diamond Horseshoe Revue, Tom Sawyer Island (closed), Riverboat (closed), Keelboats (closed), Carrousel, Mad Tea Party (vertigo - eek). We skipped these attractions due to lack of interest. We also skipped the Legend of the Lion King as the lines were too long all day. We had planned to see it during SpectroMagic, but we did not see that the last show was at 7:20pm (the park closed at 10pm). Here are some impression of rides/shows and tips on getting the best seat:

Alien Encounter: saw the show twice. I loved this show. Even though I read all the spoilers, it still scared me. I liked the theming of the show. I had no problem suspending my disbelief. Has the ride restriction changed? I asked a CM, and she said 44". PARENTS BEWARE: I saw many terrified, crying boys and girls exiting this ride. (A good place for JT Toad's crying child guessing game - our average was around 75%). The show includes complete darkness, where you are lead to believe you are the next person to be eaten by an alien. Not recommended for kids under 10. Know your own child, and PLEASE ride first before you take your child. To get the best seat, in the indoor waiting area, stay to the left of the lines in order to be in the front during the preshow. When you enter the seating area, stay in the upper two rows for the best view.

Space Mountain: I am a big roller coaster fan, and am not especially impressed with the ride. It is a fun ride, and the best "thrill" seat is the back seat. The front seat is the smoothest ride (you can see everything that is coming). To beat the early entry Space Race, turn right at the end of Main Street before the hub, at the Plaza Pavilion seating area. You will get there first and will not even have to run. One question - are our dogs in the future destined to be robotic as in the exit area to this ride? This ride was the worst case of commercialism in WDW (second prize goes to HISTA). Pirates: the PC'ing was not as bad as I expected. I liked the last scene which is not in the DL version. The DL version, however, is superior. The WDW queue area is great! Best seat: front seat middle of the boat. I miss the Blue Bayou. No crocodiles, cricket noise, or old guy playing the banjo (sigh).

Splash Mountain: I enjoyed this version more than DL as I was finally able to follow the story. This ride is not open during early entry. To beat the Splash Dash, wait for the rope drop at Adventureland. It is the shortest route (although it looks longer on the map). Sit in the back if you do not want to get wet (I got very wet in the front seat). To avoid the long lines at this attraction, ride first thing in the morning and during SpectroMagic / fireworks. Big Thunder: This is a great ride. To avoid the long lines all day, ride immediately after Splash in the morning or during SpectroMagic / fireworks. We noted no significant parade factor (i.e. shortening of lines) during the Remember the Magic parade. On this ride, watch the two sided entry. Everyone follows each other not realizing the other line is OPEN. If the line is not blocked at the entrance, it is open (This was also true at Star Tours, BTW). All seats on this ride are great.

Jungle Cruise: our guide was incredibly unfunny. As an adult, I thought the time I spent waiting for this ride was a complete waste of time. However, it is great for kids and I will ride it again in Dec. with my son. The left side of the boat (the one away from the dock) is the best to see the cute elephants and cave effects. BTW, they have a cave here which was neat - I don't recall a cave at DL. Haunted Mansion: One of the all times great rides. This version is much better than the DL version - I don't recall the Bride in the attic scene. I also like the graveyard portion - they had fewer cheap pop out of the grave effects at WDW. This ride seemed longer and seemed to go slower than the DL ride, which I liked.

Small World: This version was different than DL (which is better), as was the exterior of the building (also better at DL). I don't recall the ferris wheel in DL (and BTW, why is it turning backwards?). I missed the topiaries, the clock, and the welcome greetings in different languages as you enter the new scenes which exist in the DL version. I do like that the ride doesn't empty into a gift shop as in DL (I can't believe WDW doesn't). The front row is probably the best seat in this ride.

The Hall of Presidents: The slavery theme is very evident here as many have mentioned. Not that this is bad, but I would have preferred the attraction to center more around the presidents and their accomplishments (or lack thereof), rather than the "We are the World" approach. The best seat is the middle of the theater. I did not feel that Clinton got top billing. He speaks, not in partisan terms, but about the topic - we are one - or whatever the name of the show was. Snow White: waste of space - 'nuff said.

Take Flight: another waste of space. I did enjoy the vertigo effect at the end of the ride.

Tomorrowland Speedway: not worth the wait unless you have someone under 10 with you. My sister crashed me at full ramming speed which actually HURT (lawsuit pending). The two sided effect is also at work here. The right side - the closest side as you turn the corner - services more cars and is the fastest.

Tomorrowland Transit Authority: I really enjoyed this ride. It was a relaxing ride where I could put my feet up, Plus it had some great views of Tomorrowland and the Castle.

The Timekeeper: This is an excellent show. Robin Williams is very funny in this show. The best location is definitely middle of the theater. They usually enforce the "please proceed to the end of the row" rule here, so wait at the entry and pretend like you are looking for someone until you have let an adequate number of people in. Carousel of Progress: Call me crazy, but this was one of my favorite rides. I like the optimistic view of the future - a great big beautiful tomorrow. Maybe I watched too much Star Trek. One thing I did notice though. Does he have his shoes on the wrong feet in the 20's scene? They just don't look right.

Food: The following restaurants were open for early entry: Crystal Palace, King Stefan's, and Tony's Town Square. We ate breakfast at ASM so I can't comment on breakfast food. Food we had: Turkey Leg (4.75) - dry and messy - gave me a major upset stomach; Cosmic Ray's - Chicken Caesar Salad (5.80 - good) and Hamburger (2.95 - tasteless), and chicken sandwich (adequate). A tip for Cosmic Ray's - you can order any food at all registers. They appear to be separated by sandwiches/salads, chicken, hamburgers, etc. but just choose the shortest line and order everything there. I loved being able to use my resort charge card. Cut down on carrying weight (all I needed was my resort card and AP). Citrus Swirl (2.25) at Sunshine Tree Terrace was great (doesn't open until 10am). Tried a Churro and didn't really like it. Parades, Fireworks, etc: Watched SpectroMagic from in front of the Hall of Presidents - got a front row seat 10 minutes before the first parade. Watched the fireworks directly in front of Pecos Bill Cafe which was a great location. Can't see Tinkerbell's flight, but still a nice location. We watched the Studio's fireworks from the Skyway which was wonderful (hard to time out though).

Summary: We had a great time but I enjoyed Epcot more. It is the best park for children. I was surprised by the lack of corporate sponsors in the MK rides. My top five rides were (not necessarily in this order):

Timekeeper, Alien Encounter, CoP, Splash, and Big Thunder. Rides that were open for early entry: Main Street Cinema, Alien Encounter, The Timekeeper, Astro Orbiter, TTA, Grand Prix Raceway, Take Flight, Space Mountain, Mad Tea Party, Mr. Toad, IASW, Dumbo, Snow White, Carrousel, Peter Pan. Consider riding the following to avoid long lines during early entry: Alien Encounter, Grand Prix Raceway, Space Mountain, Dumbo and Peter Pan. The other rides don't have long lines in the afternoon. Early entry is worth it ONLY if you plan to leave the park around noon (which is a good idea as the food at MK is not very good). One difference I noted right away between WDW and DL was the complete lack of walk arounds. This policy has pluses and minuses. The character encounters were organized but the lines were long. It's nice to know exactly where and when to see Pooh but there is nothing more magical then turning a corner and seeing Mickey waiting to give you a hug. Some of my best memories are from DL's ToonTown where Pluto, Chip and Dale, and Goofy played with my son for over 15 minutes. It seems to me that the no walk around policy encourages people to eat with characters. Tigger showed us his secret bounce that sends him from WDW to DL in seconds and Jasmine appears to have the most pictures taken with adults (mainly males)?

Some questions:

• I asked at the Haunted Mansion about the rose on Gracey's (I think) grave stone and they said "no story". Is this a sinister cover up?
• Why do all Disney parks have grains of sand soap? Is Disney trying to help us remove old layers of skin?
• Why do they give you colored dots on the Dumbo ride? Is it that hard to keep track of how many Dumbos you have filled?
• Castle painting - why did they leave portions unfinished like the Fantasyland side and the blue roof towards the top?
• Why doesn't anything in Mickey's house do anything? The props in DL all do funny things when you touch them, but I didn't find a single thing at the WDW version.

Trip Report: Part II MGM Studios (or whatever they call it now)

Overall impressions: This park has some of the best theming touches - for example, there is a corner at the back of the park where you can pose like Gene Kelly in "Singing in the Rain" with actual rainfall. I went to the park on an early entry morning during the Soap weekend. This was slightly disappointing as SuperStar TV and other sets were converted to Soap sets. But I still had fun. Here are some impressions/tips on some of the rides:

Tower of Terror: I rode this ride first thing, twice in a row. The two sided line effect is present here - everyone lined up in one line then a whole group of people came up the second line and went first (oh well). Truthfully, I was slightly disappointed with this ride. The theming is fun, but the actual ride is short. If there is a long wait for this attraction, I advise waiting. The crowd control people (Green Army Men) are quite serious about preventing people from running at the Studios. But they lost control of us anyway.

Star Tours: I LOVED this ride. It is exactly the same as DL, except for the exterior of the building, which is excellent. I rode this ride three times in a row with no wait during early entry. This was one of the rides where I did not like being alone ("single"). They are always looking for that one last person to fill a row. So I always got the left most seat in a row. The seat was ok, but I would have enjoyed sitting more towards the middle. Watch the two sided entry on this attraction. You can save a lot of time by paying attention to which line is open.

Voyage of the Little Mermaid: This show is mildly entertaining with some great laser effects. There is always a long line for this show and I don't think I will ever wait for it again. The better seats for the show are in the middle to front of the theater. To sit in the front, in the indoor waiting area, stay to the right of the theater as you face the doors. Let approximately 20-30 people ahead of you so you can sit in the middle.

Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular: I GOT PICKED TO BE AN EXTRA, which was really fun. If you want to be picked, stand up and wave your arms (and generally make a fool of yourself). After you are picked, they bring you up in front of the audience and make you do something embarrassing. Then they take you to an area for wardrobe and to sign a disclaimer. They seat you in the back of the audience during Act 1 (the big rolling ball scene). Then you go up front to point & scream, clap, and run from gunshots. I highly recommend volunteering. You get the best seats in the house to see the Act II effects, you get to meet the CM actors/actresses, and you get a free glass of water! Then they take you to the back, thank you, and send you back to your seat for Act III (the exploding plane scene). The best seats in the theater are in the center section towards the front rows. If none are available, wait for the move and slide command and snag a good seat at the end of a row. Muppet 4D: This is an excellent show. A must see!!! The best seats are in the middle of the theater. In the back of the theater, you will miss some of the effects. To get a great seat, in the preshow area, go to the front of the lines (the furthest away from the entry - the closest to the monitors - or the left most door as you face the doors to enter the theater).

Great Movie Ride: This ride is great. Thank goodness we had a brave guide who saved us from a robber cowboy. The best seat for this ride is on the right side as you face the guide when seated - or the closest seat to the loading area.

Hunchback Show: This show was spectacular. Broadway quality!!! The best seats are in the middle of the theater on the inside aisle. If you get there early, you are entertained by a juggler. My favorite people to watch were the prop movers or prop holders. They make some great expressions.

Backlot Tour: Is it only me, or is this ride boring? Maybe it is because I am not interested in seeing used movie props. I think kids would find this ride very boring. I am interested in anyone's opinion here - did your kid find this ride interesting??? You will get wet in Catastrophe Canyon if you sit on the driver's side of the tram (the left most seat). The only thing that interested me on this ride was the Muppet Treasure Island stuff they had in the exit area (and the Jolly Holiday dress from Mary Poppins).

Food: I ate at the Commissary and had the BEST chicken sandwich in all of WDW. Highly recommended!! I also had dessert at Sci-Fi - the sundae which was not very good. All the toppings were at the bottom and the ice cream was soft serve. Not worth $5. The atmosphere is unique though.

Summary: I intentionally skipped the parade, Beauty and the Beast show, the Making of Hunchback, the Sound Stage, and the Magic of Disney animation so I can enjoy it for the first time with my son. Attractions open during early entry were: Tower of Terror, Star Tours, Great Movie Ride, and Muppet 4D. IMHO, this park has nice touches, but for me, was at the bottom of the pile of the parks. I enjoyed the theming and the CMs in costume, but it only offered a few things that I will want to do again.

Trip Report 10/18 - 10/24: Part III - Epcot

Aah...Epcot... Land of fountains, dinosaurs, virtual reality, Figment and orange smells. What is not to love in this park? I spent a majority of my time in Epcot (well, Future World to be more specific) and felt like crying when I was leaving Epcot for the last time. As you can see, I really enjoyed Epcot. It was my favorite park. I have been reading this newsgroup for a little over a year and had planned on spending little to no time in Epcot based on what I had read (well, also the last time I was there - 1985 - Epcot was a bi boring commercial). This time I found a different Epcot. An entertaining, uplifting Epcot. Rides like Horizon, Spaceship Earth, Universe of Energy, and Journey into Imagination show us where we have been, and what is possible. And in the World Showcase, you can watch live musicians and comedy performances. Aah...Epcot...

Rides I did not do: The Living Seas pavilion (all - we have a huge aquarium here at the Mall of America), Food Rocks, and Impressions de France. Here are some impression of rides/shows and tips on getting the best seat:

Ellen's Energy Adventure: incredible, funny and entertaining. I am a HUGE Bill Nye the Science Guy fan (hey, the guy has basically taught me everything I know about science). Also, I love Ellen DeGeneres' sense of humor. My only complaint on this ride is the NOISE. My ears are still ringing. Without a doubt, the best seat for this ride is the front row of the center vehicles. To get this seat, you need to stand very near the center door as you are in the preshow area. (The door next to the person with the microphone who tells you not to videotape). The seat in the middle or to the right most side of the front row are great for dinosaur views.

Body Wars: ok, maybe it is just me, but this ride was, well, boring. I expected so much more. This ride is no Star Tours. I could never get the suspension of disbelief thing going. Why was that woman floating around in the blood stream? Couldn't we have made the white blood cells counts? I could see perfectly well from where I was. Neck injuries beware - my neck was sore after this ride and my neck is healthy. The Making of Me: Well, my parents certainly never explained to me where babies came from this clearly. I thought that the subject was handled very well. (I took notes for when my son asks me - just kidding). The film was entertaining, but I think by now, everyone reading this newsgroup knows the subject matter pretty well. Best seat is in the center. Not to worry about getting the best seat, the place was never full when I was wondering around. Cranium Command: Wow, what can I say? This is the greatest of all WDW rides. Multiple star performances (Hans and Franz, the guy from Cheers, and many others that I obviously know by sight, not by name). This show was incredibly funny and entertaining. Ok, maybe young children won't get a majority of the jokes (it centers around a 12 year old's infatuation with his lab partner). I am interested to know - anyone out there take a 6 year old? Did they enjoy the show? I can just imagine the look on my son's face when they screw on people's head like a lightbulb. The best seat for the show is the center of the theater. To get there, stand near the center door to get into the theater - the doors nearest the preshow screen go to the front rows, etc. Honey, I Shrunk the Audience: Another great show. I hated the preshow, however. The sayings were interesting but all I could think of was a Kodak commercial. This really irritated me because there was not way to get into the ride without seeing the preshow and the preshow lasts so #$*! long (somewhere around 15 minutes). This was the second worst commercialism of WDW - second only to the endless Federal Express commercials in Space Mountain. But the show is great and entertaining. The mouse effect is hard on the legs if you have shorts on - ouch. The line for this attraction was long no matter what part of the day I went. It was long even when you could walk on every other attraction. Take it in first thing in the morning if you can. All the seats seemed pretty good.

Journey into Imagination: I loved this ride. It is charming and sweet. I loved Figment and Dreamfinder. I rode this ride multiple times. It loads quickly and there was rarely a line. One tip - people tend to go directly from HISTA to this ride. If you see a ton of people leaving HISTA, either go up to the Imagine Works or come back later. I am still singing that song in the ride. And it is on my Disney music CD, so every time I really miss Epcot, I put the song on and think of Figment and feel much better.

Horizons: A truly great ride. This ride is a continuation of Carousel of Progress from MK - same guy, same song. I love that orange smell (BTW, smelled the exact same smell in the bathrooms by Canada - are they spraying air fresher at us as we ride by?). Another great tomorrow is going to be great - if you can dream it, you can do it ride. Love that optimism. The only thing I did not like about this ride was that I could hear the sound track from the vehicles around me. It made it sound like one big echoing canyon. I'll miss this ride when it closes. But I got it on video. The video doesn't capture that movie section well. I would love to get stuck there and watch the space shuttle, etc over and over. I never had to wait for this ride. Living with the Land: This ride was interesting. I liked seeing the greenhouse section and all the different ways they are raising food. I need one of those moisture sensor thingies for my plants at home. Circle of Life: Preachy environmental show. Good and LOUD though, just in case you missed the point. I enjoyed the show but would definitely not see it more than once. Best seat is in the center of the theater. Stay towards the left of the preshow area to get to the front/center section.

El Rio del Tiempo: ok, so the Mexican as street vendors section was VERY tacky. But, they did have skeletons in the Small World look alike section which was cool. Skeletons playing guitar even. I am excited to eat at the San Angel Inn restaurant. It is the Blue Bayou of WDW. Maelstrom: Good gracious. I cannot believe I waited for 40 minutes for this ride. Complete waste of time. This ride was incredibly short. Not scary and the drop was not even noticeable. This ride really irritated me. I am glad I snuck out of the movie or I would have been very annoyed.

Food: I ate at both Electric Umbrella and the Land Pavilion. At the Electric Umbrella, I waited 15 minutes to order and then another 15 minutes until I got my chicken sandwich which was not even good. Sigh. But the Land - know that is another story. If a person goes to the Land food court area, and cannot find something they like, I would be very surprised. What I didn't like about the area was that you had to pay separately at each window. Kind of inconvenient. Parades, Fireworks, etc: Watched Illuminations 25 from in front of France. Bad choice. If you are going to watch Illuminations avoid the area by France. When you are selecting a spot, look for any and all obstructions, keeping in mind that many effects happen on or close to the little ball in the lake. From France, a tree on an island makes all the laser effects on the lake impossible to see. Also, the ball has an area on each side where no effects can be seen on the ball. You guessed it - France is on one of the sides. Finally located the "secret park" as I was leaving the last time. This is a great place to see Illuminations. As you pass Rose and Crown heading towards the International Gateway, turn left towards the lake. It looks like you are going nowhere, but there is a nice area there. Also, before selecting a viewing location, check for speakers. I was right in front of one and just shortening my hearing by at least 3 years. World Showcase: The World Showcase is really an adult's playland. There is shopping, live theater, live music performances, and strange and exotic food. There is a great deal of walking and standing involved in enjoying the World Showcase. As a tip, if you have small children, consider letting them have fun at the Neverland Club while the adults enjoy the World Showcase. There are numerous live performances throughout the World Showcase. My favorite was the World Showcase Players in the United Kingdom who do the Holy Graille skit. This skit was featured on Inside Out.

Summary: ok, I'll admit it- adults will enjoy Epcot more than kids. But there are rides there that kids will enjoy very much such as Journey into Imagination, Horizons, Ellen's Energy Adventure, and Spaceship Earth. Best advise: go to early entry and do all of Future World. Take the kids to Neverland Club, and enjoy Epcot with only adults. You will not regret it. Don't miss the great displays such as the AT&T Global Neighborhood outside of Spaceship Earth, Innoventions, Epcot Discovery Center, Image Works, and the fun activities at the Wonders of Life pavilion. And don't miss the fountain shows every 30 minutes. They are spectacular. I could easily spend my entire vacation in Epcot.

Other - Tips and Suggestions:

• Saw the Electric Light Water Pageant from the beach at the Wilderness Lodge. The only thing that made this worth the time was the beer I was drinking. It was, well, boring, and the music STUNK. Why can't WDW come up with music like the ELP in DL? SpectroMagic music is ok, but the DL music is much better - and know that music is going to Yesterland. SIGH!!!
• I fell in love with Wilderness Lodge. Even if you are not staying there, it is worth a visit. Try late at night after the park. Get a beer and sit on the beach, or sit by the fire in the lobby area. Heaven!!!
• If you have an opportunity to visit the World alone, do it. You get to ride what you want, when you want. You will meet lots of interesting people. I never felt lonely or scared (well, not until I got to International Drive - that area is touristy and ugly?.). I highly recommend staying on property if you travel alone. You will feel safer, and the bus system is very convenient.
• Watch the two sided entry - if there is not a line across it, it is open. This is especially important at ToT, Splash, Big Thunder, Star Tours, and the Speedway.
• To get involved in a show, stand up, wave your arms, and act like an idiot - kindergarten rules do not apply here.
• Take advantage of the early entry and leave the park by noon. If you do not have a park hopper, or are staying off property, AVOID the early entry park.
• Take a break in the afternoon - swim, or eat a relaxing meal. If you plan on spending a lot of time in the parks and are planning to eat there, consider carefully if the refillable mugs are worth it. Due to my park habits (in from beginning of day until end), the mugs from ASM were not a value. I only bought morning cold caffeine (i.e. Diet Coke) from the ASM food court. However, YMMV.
• If you are on site, take the bus. Parking is a major annoyance. Especially at the Magic Kingdom - trust me on this one. When I was visiting Epcot at night time, I parked either at the Beach Club or the Boardwalk (I actually did eat there so let's not start discussing ethics - Spoodles is great, BTW). The walk or boat ride from the Boardwalk is very relaxing. When I was on site at the ASM, I never waited more than 5 minutes for the bus, and the longest bus trip to a park was 18 minutes.
• Pay attention to character greeting times - I rarely (never) saw walk arounds. None in MK, none in MGM and only Dreamfinder & Figment in Future World and Belle and the Beast at the International Gateway in Epcot.
• Remember to check the chalkboard that is up at the entrance of the park. When I was at MK, hours were extended from what was on the internet and extra SpectroMagic performances had been added from what I expected. The chalkboard will also tell you which rides are open for early entry, the average wait at attractions, etc.
• Don't miss the fountain in Epcot. Shows are on the top of the hour and half hour, I believe. It is worth the wait, and if you are sitting at the FountainView Cafe, it is relaxing on the feet.
• If you are going before Spring 1997, don't miss Horizons. It is closing when World of Motion opens. I'm sure the new attraction will be wonderful, but I LOVE this version. (Aah.. that orange smell)
• The All Stars are really not all that bad. I stayed at both the King sized bed room and the two double bed room. Believe it or not, the two double bed room was better - the room is larger (but the bathroom is smaller), and the bathroom has a door, rather than a sliding door. No they are not the Grand Floridian, but they are NOT Motel 6. They are truly a great budget alternative. I thought the rooms were worth the $69 per night that I spent. Plus they were not noisy and overrun with kids. I saw more kids at the Wilderness Lodge in the pool area. A tip from the front desk at ASM, do NOT get a pool view room if you want a quiet room. The walk from even the farthest building is not far, and none of the rooms have a "bad" view (basically, either trees, or pool - but the windows look out on to the outside corridor - no indoor corridors here - so you will not spend a great deal of time admiring the view).

Best fast food locations by park:

• Magic Kingdom: Cosmic Rays
• Epcot: The Land
• MGM: The Commissary

Other best-ofs:

• Best chicken sandwich: Commissary at the Studios
• Best ice cream dessert: The Land (however, I did not try Beaches and Cream)
• Best dessert: France pavilion in Epcot
• Best overall ride/show: Cranium Command in Wonders of Life at Epcot
• Best ride/show MK: Alien Encounter or Carousel of Progress (can't decide)
• Best ride/show Studios: Hunchback show
• Best souvenir shop: World of Disney (almost all park merchandise with a 10% MKC discount)
• Best souvenir t-shirt shop: Contemporary gift shop (prices for t-shirts were lower than the park)
• Best deal: Using the $50 coupon from Fodor's WDW for Adults book - used it for a delicious dinner at Harry's Safari at the Dolphin
• Biggest complaint: The NOISE at Epcot - what - I can't hear you? Especially at the Universe of Energy and during portions of Circle of Life
• Next biggest complaint: Rides where you can hear the soundtracks from other cars - example Horizons or Spaceship Earth. This drove me bananas.
• Biggest surprise: How much I loved Epcot!!!
• Best lines overheard: From the Dolphin concierge desk - "You can't see the Electric Water Pageant from the Wilderness Lodge" or "I have a map for the Studios, Epcot, but no Disney map (referring to Magic Kingdom) or grouchy old guy at Cranium Command "When does the show start?" (he was directly under the clock that says "Time to next show").

If you have any comments or questions, please feel free to email me. These opinions are my own and I own no flame retardant wear.

Lisa_Harris@atk.com

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