Trip Reports

09/27/97 - 10/04/97

During the week we spent in Central Florida we toured the Magic Kingdom, Disney-MGM Studios, Epcot, and Universal Studios. We had the pleasure of visiting many of the WDW resorts and eating at a few very nice restaurants. We also went to two dinner shows: the Murder Watch Mystery Dinner show and the Hoop-Dee-Doo Revue. We were even able to do some sightseeing outside of WDW by visiting the towns of St. Cloud and Celebration. Finally we spent time bargain hunting and window shopping along International Drive.

Introduction

My wife, Rosie and I are avid Disney theme park visitors. We've had annual passes to Disneyland in Anaheim for the past 4 years. We visited Tokyo Disneyland in April 1997, and we've been to Disneyland Paris twice (April 1994 and September 1996). This trip was my 4th visit to Walt Disney World. My wife and I made our first trip in May 1993. For a trip in December 1994, I invited my mom and cousin to join us. Rosie ended up staying home, on what turned out to be the best trip so far. We went again in February 1996 and were caught in a cold snap that kept the temperature under 50 degrees the entire week. Our most recent trip was filled with many new activities, and the weather was near perfect the entire time. Rosie was 5 months pregnant with our first child, so this would probably be our last trip to WDW for a little while.

Day 1 - Saturday

September 27, 1997

We got up early to catch the 7:15am flight out of Los Angeles International on Delta flight #172. A friend dropped us off at the Delta terminal and he agreed to pick us up the following Saturday. After we boarded the plane and sat down, Rosie said she was thirsty and that she wanted some orange juice. I went to the front of the plane and asked a flight attendant for some water. When I took the water back to Rosie, she rejected it. I had to return the water and request a glass of orange juice for my pregnant wife. The flight attendant asked me to return to my seat.

[Tip #1]

Always take something to eat and drink with you when boarding a plane. Especially if it's a long flight. If you're not in 1st class you'll appreciate having something to eat or drink without having to wait for the beverage and meal service.

The four hour flight to the east coast was smooth and uneventful. We arrived in Orlando at around 2:30pm. At the Disney gift shop inside the terminal I picked up some park information maps. Made a mental note to stop here on the way home to get last minute souvenirs. Hearing the voice of the late Jack Wagner as we rode the airport monorail, made me feel a little sad. After collecting our luggage, we boarded a shuttle bus to the Alamo off-site location. While picking up our rental car it began to rain a little, but nothing to complain about.

[Tip #2]

Always get a rental car. The WDW transportation system is wonderful. But having a car makes it one of your options, and not your only option.

I noticed a few new billboards alongside the Beeline Expressway. The ones for Universal Studios had the words, "the world's best theme park" written on them. We got off Interstate 4 at the Crossroads exit. We then drove through the Disney Village Hotel area on our way to the All-Star Music Resort. As we drove by the Grosvenor Hotel, I pointed it out to my wife. I had made reservations there to see the Murder Watch Mystery Dinner show at 6pm. On Buena Vista Drive we drove by Pleasure Island, Typhoon Lagoon, the Caribbean Beach Resort, the Boardwalk Resort, the Swan and Dolphin hotels, and Disney-MGM Studios. Then we drove by the Coronado Springs Resort and Blizzard Beach. It amazed me how long it took to get to this resort. I must have been eager to get there, since I hadn't stayed there before. At the security booth I told the attendant that we were checking in. He told me to take the forth right.

Waiting to check-in at the ASMR was sheer torture. Maybe it's because the front desk area is so bland. I had requested a room in the Calypso wing, but they were out of non-smoking rooms. I reluctantly accepted the smoking optional room, and figured if the smell was too much I'd get another room the next day. It turned out that the smell wasn't a problem, plus we were close to the food court and the parking lot wasn't too far away either.

After unpacking our bags we drove back to the Grosvenor Hotel to see the Murder Watch Mystery Dinner show. The all-you-can-eat buffet was filled with tasty items and there were plenty of desserts. We were seated very close to the action and we both thoroughly enjoyed the show. I won't give away the show's DARK, Dark, dark secret. After the show we drove to the Goodings supermarket at the Crossroads of the World shopping center. My wife bought some sundry items and a four pack of Evian water to drink while touring the parks. The night was still young, and we weren't tired, so we drove over to Downtown Disney. First stop was the World of Disney store. WOW, this place has a lot of Disney stuff, duh!

We eventually made our way to the new West side. At the Planet Hollywood store, I noticed that the new PH shirts say Orlando instead of Walt Disney World. I asked about the change, but nobody could give me a good answer as to why this was. Probably some licensing issue. They did tell me that there is a new Planet Hollywood store inside the Disney-MGM Studios theme park. After walking around for a while longer we decided to call it a night and headed back to the ASMR. At the security booth I showed my parking permit to the attendant and he waved us through.

Day 2 - Sunday

September 28, 1998

Then next morning we got up and drove over to the Coronado Springs Resort to have breakfast. The attendant at the parking lot security booth said that this new resort had some great places to eat. The Coronado Springs Resort had been my first choice of accommodations. But when I was making my reservations, they were out of Magic Kingdom Club discounted rooms. We ended up walking into the Maya Grill restaurant. Nice, but expensive. After breakfast we walked over to the front desk and bought our 4 day value park passes. Funny thing, they wouldn't let me use my ASMR room charge card. I also made 6pm dinner reservations for Tony's Town Square restaurant at the Magic Kingdom.

[Tip #3]

If you want to waste the least amount of time waiting to be seated at a restaurant, always make reservations. The best time to do this is before you get to the park, either by phone or at the front desk.

After walking by the lake and taking a few pictures, we went to the bus stop in front of the resort. The bus arrived after a short wait and made one more stop to pickup passengers at the resort's other bus stop. The ride to the Magic Kingdom takes you under the water bridge that connects the Seven Seas Lagoon with Bay Lake. It's a short walk from where the bus drops you off to the main entrance turnstiles of the Magic Kingdom.

We walked into Town Square and made our first stop the 25th anniversary Welcome Center. Here they gave us a stick-on button with the year of our first visit. We both asked for the year 1993. Then we waited to see a movie that would tell us about all the things that Disney is working on for the future at WDW. The movie was a little dry and all the information was old stuff announced last year. After the movie we walked out into a Disney's Animal Kingdom display area. Here they have a model of the newest WDW theme park that opens in the spring of 1998. On our way out of this display area they offered us each a small poster. We decided to come back and picked them up on our way out of the park. At the AAA counter I picked up a map of the Orlando area. We then walked over to the train station and boarded the train to Mickey's Toontown Fair.

At Mickey's Toontown Fair we went to Minnie's House and I took a photograph of Rosie with Minnie Mouse. Then we both rode Goofy's Barnstormer roller-coaster . Afterwards, Rosie had to go use the restroom. While I waited, I got out the video camera and taped the warning sign that says pregnant women shouldn't ride Goofy's Barnstormer. I also taped some squirrels climbing a tree. We then walked past the closed 20,000 leagues attraction and saw King Triton's fountain in the lagoon. After riding Peter Pan, we went back to Ariel's Grotto and watched some kids run around. Rosie got a snack as I waited in line for a chance to see Ariel, the Little Mermaid. After about 20 minutes I decided the wait was too long. I did get to see some kids slip and fall while running around the musical fountains. None of them were seriously injured.

Next we went over to Liberty Square and joined the line for the Haunted Mansion. The little kids we saw going inside were very scared, I can't wait to take my kid on this attraction. We then left Liberty Square and walked through Frontierland. At the bridge overlooking Splash Mountain we watched as the logs made the dramatic drop into the briar patch. On every third drop an air cannon would shoot water over the bridge and onto the unsuspecting spectators. The Pirates of the Caribbean was our next attraction. Surprisingly the line was not as short as I thought it would be. Forget about video taping this attraction, it's way too dark. BTW, at Disneyland Paris the caverns filled with the Pirate's treasure come after the town that's looted and burned. We thought about going on the Jungle Cruise but the line was way too long.

Back in March, I had made reservations for the Hoop-Dee-Doo Revue. I wanted to pick up our tickets for the following Thursday's show, so around noon we each got our hand stamped and exited the park. At the nearby dock we boarded a lovely boat to the Fort Wilderness Resort. I really enjoyed these boat rides across the lake, very peaceful. We made a stop at Discovery Island before reaching Fort Wilderness. After picking up our tickets (a receipt really), we took another boat over to the Contemporary Resort. The boat dock at the Contemporary Resort is on the side facing away from the Magic Kingdom. Is it just me or do the Contemporary Resort garden wings look like a futuristic penitentiary?

After riding two flights of escalators we reached the Contemporary Resort Hotel's Grand Canyon Concourse. We were both hungry and decided to have lunch at the Concourse Steakhouse. Rosie ordered soup and a tuna melt sandwich, and I had a hamburger with a plate of grilled onions. All I really wanted were some grilled onions on my burger, somehow I also ended up with a plate of sautéed mushrooms. The food was very tasty and the Monorail Ale wasn't bad either. After lunch we rode another escalator up to the monorail loading platform for our return trip to the Magic Kingdom.

We got lucky and sat in the front section of the monorail with the driver. As the monorail approached the Magic Kingdom, the announcer said something that I found interesting. He called the Magic Kingdom, "the most magical place on earth." I asked the driver if this description was written anywhere inside the park. He didn't know. On the marquee outside of Disneyland in California, it says "the Happiest Place on Earth." Immediately after going through the turnstiles, I headed over to City Hall. I really wanted to find out if this description was written anywhere. The cast members didn't know, but they liked my Nissan T-shirt (Nick and Roxanne in a toy 300Z).

Rosie found a couple of rocking chairs on the east side of Town Square. There we sat down to wait for the 25th Anniversary parade. The parade did not show up until 3:30pm. This parade is fun to watch and the floats are quite elaborate. Afterwards we headed over to Adventureland and got in line for the Jungle Cruise. This line was listed as 30 minutes but seemed more like an hour wait. As we boarded the ride I overheard one of the cast members say that it had rained the entire day before. Rosie was getting a little tried so we decided to take a break by riding the TTA (PeopleMover) in Tomorrowland.

We then took another relaxing break by going on Dream Flight. After this break we went to see my favorite attraction, Timekeeper. Every time we've waited for this attraction we see people leave because they think that this is just a CircleVision movie. Too bad, IMHO they're missing out on one of the best shows around. Following Timekeeper we decided to take in the scenery. As we strolled through Tomorrowland, we saw something rather strange near the Grand Prix Raceway. A small crowd had formed around an enchanted trash can. This not-so-ordinary trash can had music coming out of it. It moved by itself and even seemed to be dancing. To me, seeing these little surprises adds so much to the whole experience.

It was approaching dinner time so we then took the train from Mickey's Toontown Fair to the Main Street station. As we waited for our table at Tony's Town Square Restaurant, I checked out the Animal Kingdom merchandise on display at the gift shop next door. Mental note, buy an AK T-shirt before we go home. Once we were seated I noticed that the place was a beehive of activity. Fortunately we were seated in a fairly quiet corner. Our waiter seemed to be in quite a hurry. For some reason we weren't that hungry so we ordered a small cheese pizza from the appetizer selections and an antipasto salad. Breakfast turned out to be the most expensive meal of that day.

We finished our leisurely snack and walked out to find a spot to watch the SpectroMagic parade. This was the second time I had seen SpectroMagic and I enjoyed it just as much as the first time. After the last float with Minnie on the back went by, we made a mad dash to Tomorrowland to see Alien Encounter. We weren't the only ones running through the shops on Main Street. With almost everyone still watching the parade there was no line for AE. The pre-show was the same as I remembered, poor six-legged Skippy. I was surprised by how much I liked this show. We sat in the second row from the bottom and it was great. As we left AE we could hear the fireworks going off. What a way to end a wonderful day at the Magic Kingdom. It was time to head back to our room.

Instead of waiting for everyone else to leave the park, we made the grave mistake of walking out with the rest of the crowd. At the bus stop for the resort hotels, the line for the ASMR was incredible. I remember thinking where did all these people come from. Believe me, there were so many people it was a real mess. Then it occurred to me that we had left our car at the Coronado Springs Resort. There wasn't even a line for that resort. We walked right onto the bus and even found seats, although not together. Once at the CSR we got into our car and drove the short drive down the street to the ASMR. Rosie got hungry when we arrived at our room. So we went over to the hotel's convenience store and bought a small carton of milk.

[Tip #4]

If there is a new resort that has recently opened, the buses for that resort will usually be less crowded than the other resort buses.

Day 3 - Monday

September 29, 1997

Woke up to another beautiful day. I had been eagerly awaiting this day because we would be going to Disney's Boardwalk for the first time. I remember seeing it under construction during our February 1996 visit. After picking up a croissant for Rosie at the food court, she couldn't wait, we drove to the Boardwalk for breakfast. The attendant at the parking lot security booth was very pleasant.

We parked and walked through this magnificent hotel trying to soak up the atmosphere. The attention to detail at this resort is Disney at its best. We walked outside and leisurely strolled the Boardwalk. After getting a blueberry bagel and a cup of coffee at the bakery, I walked into Spoodles. Here I made reservations for dinner at 6:30pm, I was also able to make lunch reservations for Mama Melrose's at the Studios. We then walked down to the dock and waited for the boat to Disney-MGM Studios. The boat ride was very relaxing and the pilot seemed to really enjoy his job. We made stops at the Yacht Club dock and at the Swan and Dolphin hotel dock before reaching the dock at the park, where the boat then docked. BTW, did I mention we also saw a few ducks by the dock.

As we walked from the you-know-what to the park entrance I let out this huge burp. Boy, was I embarrassed. Good thing we were walking behind everyone else. After going through the turnstiles we headed up Hollywood Blvd., and then up Sunset Blvd. to ride the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. Due to her condition, Rosie took the chicken exit elevator and met me outside. When we visited the park in February 1996, the lines were almost nothing and we both rode the ToT four times in a row. I was seated next to some guy with huge thighs, this left a lot of space between the lap bar and my legs. Talk about getting air. The next attraction we did was the Great Movie Ride. I like this attraction, but I think it could be made better. I personally think that the ride operators should go.

We then went and saw the first showing of SuperStar Television. I couldn't believe it when they announced that video taping wasn't allowed. Actually I'm glad I didn't waste any tape because the show's really not that good and they had some technical difficulties. Looking at the show schedule, we had just enough time to catch the next showing of the Hunchback of Notre Dame. Now, there's a show worth seeing as well as taping. I thought that this production was of an incredibly high quality. The Hunchback show at Disneyland is also very good, and also very different.

Well, it was time for lunch, so off we went to Mama Melrose's Ristorante Italiano. Rosie ordered a bowl of soup and I ordered the never ending pasta bowl. I had four plates of different pastas and sauces. Big mistake, I could barely get up after that exercise in gluttony. Our waitress told us the record was six plates. We decided to walk off lunch and then find a place to watch the Hercules parade. On our way we passed through the Toy Story Pizza Planet fast food place. Next to this eatery they had some computer games running on Windows 95, that had crashed. Oops!

We found a good spot for the parade on the steps in front of SuperStar Television. Before the parade started, a couple of cast members prepped us on when to cheer and boo. You know, cheer for the good guys and boo for the bad guys. I liked this Hercules parade much more than the one at Disneyland. The female dancers are way better looking and all the performers appear more professional. Following the parade we saw MuppetVision 3D and then we went to see the ABC Sound Studio. Boy was that a disappointment. This used to be the Monster Sound Stage with Chevy Chase and Martin Short. The change that was made to use the animated 101 Dalmatians TV show was definitely for the worst.

Keeping with that theme, we then went to take the Animation Tour. For some reason, I have never had the good luck to see any of the animators working. Rosie wanted to see the Beauty and the Beast show, but we had missed the last show at 4pm. So, we decided to see the Voyage of the Little Mermaid. Boy, did this show get packed. Afterwards, a stroll down Mickey's Avenue led us to a delicious strawberry-shake-and-coffee-over-ice break. Then we took the Special Effects tour that had been shortened and merged with the backlot tram ride and Catastrophe Canyon. After picking up a cool new Disney-MGM Studios refrigerator magnet we ended our day at the park. Out to the dock we went, to take the boat ride back to Disney's Boardwalk.

When we arrived at the Boardwalk dock, we disembarked and made our way to Spoodles for dinner. I sat down and waited for our table while Rosie went to the restroom. Unfortunately, I didn't realize that you had to line up to be seated. Oh well, I eventually figured it out and we were shown to our table. This restaurant reminded me of the Macaroni Grill, with its open kitchen and all. We enjoyed a light dinner of Tapas (appetizers) and also saved room for dessert. We had planned to watch Monday Night Football at the ESPN Club, so dessert would probably be a few bottles of beer.

Once outside the restaurant we decided to rent a surrey bicycle. These bicycles look like automobiles from the early 1900s. They even have a steering wheel and a bell for getting people to move out of the way. For $14 you get 30 minutes of physical exertion. It took everything I had to make it around the lake and back. The Boardwalk's night atmosphere is very festive and we had a blast. After I had finished working up a sweat, Rosie went to get a table at the ESPN Sports Club. Meanwhile, I went out to the parking lot to drop off our stuff. After getting a table in the main room, we sat back and watched the 49ers beat up on the Jaguars. Rosie ordered some spicy nachos and I had those few beers. Around 11pm we drove back to the ASMR.

Day 4 - Tuesday

September 30, 1997

This day was scheduled to be our take-it-easy day. We got out of bed late and went down to the food court to have breakfast. The place was crowded and noisy. We decided to return to the room with our food. I telephoned the Swan hotel and made 7pm dinner reservations at Gulliver's. It was then time for a swim. I put on my swim trunks and went down to the pool. The Calypso pool has the Three Caballeros fountain with, Panchito, Jose Carioca, and Donald Duck squirting water high into the air. A few dips in the pool and I was ready to soak up some sun. Rosie came down a little later and we swam together for a while longer. After a quiet morning spent by the pool, we showered and got dressed. I put on a Hawaiian shirt and pair of shorts. We drove over to Hwy. 192 and headed east towards Kissimmee.

We passed the town of Celebration and began to look for the Vacation Break office. There we would pickup our hotel vouchers for the second half of our vacation. A few months earlier, I had the misfortune of seeing a TV commercial that advertised an Orlando vacation package for $99. I ended up paying $256 ($99 per person plus a $58 processing fee) for a vacation package that included three nights at a "world class hotel" (actually a $40 per night rundown hotel) and a tour of the Star Island timeshare resort. When we arrived at the office our vouchers were waiting for us. I was then asked to leave a $20 refundable deposit, for the breakfast that we would be served before going on the timeshare tour. I guess some people don't show up for the resort tour. Our tour was scheduled for the following Thursday. What a scam this deal turned out to be.

We left the Vacation Break office $20 poorer and decided to have lunch at Hooters. I ordered a turkey burger and Rosie had a plate of baby back ribs. Good food and good looking waitresses. After lunch we stopped at an official tourist office and asked about antique shops in the area. We were directed to the row of shops in St. Cloud about 10 miles down the road. After browsing the shops for about an hour and not buying anything, we got back into the car.

As we were heading back to Kissimmee I spotted a used book store. While Rosie went to buy something to drink, I picked up a used copy of The Disney Touch for $5. Our sightseeing adventure then took us towards Orlando. We eventually found our way to the Beltz Outlet Mall at the end of International Drive. After asking for directions, we located the Character Warehouse store. This place has a large selection of Disney merchandise that nobody wanted at slightly reduced prices. Needless to say, I didn't buy anything but some Epcot postcards and stickers for 9 cents apiece.

In the WDW guide book "Disney Like a Pro," I had read about this toy train museum called Trainland. We left the Beltz Outlet Mall and began our quest to find this roadside attraction. As luck would have it the museum was leaving their present location at 8255 International Drive and relocating to Downtown Disney, or so they said. We eventually found the place and watched as they finished dismantling their once beautiful train layout and gift shop. I picked up a promotional video tape and poster for $8. Oh well, another one bites the dust. We then drove across the street to Bargain World and spent about $80 on souvenirs. On all our WDW trips we somehow end up spending money at this chain of souvenir shops. With our car trunk full of stuff we drove back to Lake Buena Vista. It was getting close to dinner time so we drove to Gulliver's at the Swan hotel.

We were seated quickly in a practically empty but beautiful restaurant. Our waiter was very friendly and gladly accepted my $50 dinner coupon from Fodor's WDW for Adults guide book. Rosie and I ordered the dinner special and I had a glass of wine. The meal began with a creamy crepe appetizer filled with crab meat. This was followed by a Caesar salad prepared at our table. The entree was a broiled salmon with a wild rice pelaf. Everything tasted incredibly good. For dessert I had the key lime pie and Rosie had a bowl of mango sorbet. A truly elegant dinner and expertly prepared. Total price after the discount was $6.00. During dessert we were entertained by a magician from Essex, England. He finished his routine by asking Rosie what kind of balloon animal she wanted. He inflated a long white balloon and shaped it into a swan, and then gave it to Rosie.

As we were walking through the lobby of the Swan hotel, I wondered if Epcot's Illumination fireworks could be seen from the hotel. The hostess at the concierge's desk told me that since the Boardwalk Resort had been built, there wasn't much you could see. She did say that someone had told her about a round window on the 9th floor on the east side of the hotel. We couldn't resist the invitation and took the nearest elevator to see for ourselves. We found the picture window and sure enough the Boardwalk blocked the view. Nevertheless, we were able to see quite a bit of the show. I even tried to imagine the classical music that we obviously couldn't hear.

For a day in which we were supposed to take it easy, we had seen and done a lot, but the day was still not over. A short walk from the Swan hotel is the Fantasia Gardens miniature golf course. Although this course cost twice as much as the other courses in the area, it is very popular. Some of holes were very amusing, while others were somewhat challenging. I did well on the front nine and Rosie caught up on the back nine. We had a great time playing and ended up with the same score. We were in high spirits as we walked back to our car at the Swan hotel . The drive back to our room at the ASMR was filled with conversation of the day's events.

[Tip # 5]

Spend a day or two doing nothing or things that seem like doing nothing. Walking around, window shopping, lying by the pool, just taking it easy. Remember you're on vacation.

Day 5 - Wednesday

October 1, 1997

The next morning we packed our bags and got ready to leave the All-Star Music Resort. There was no need to check out, an envelope containing a detailed list of our expenses was slipped under the door that morning. I telephoned the reservation line and made lunch and dinner reservations for the United Kingdom and Japan at Epcot. After another noisy breakfast at the food court, we reluctantly drove to our so called "world class" hotel in Kissimmee. The check-in at the Ramada Fountain Park Hotel was quick and painless. Our room was quite large and had a view of the parking lot, a children's playground area, and the hotel pool. After making sure that everything worked properly (i.e., the TV, toilet, climate control unit), we unpacked our bags. It was a good thing that we wouldn't be spending too much time at this hotel.

We left the Ramada hotel and drove to Disney's Yacht Club Resort. This trip took us about 30 minutes without much traffic. I've read somewhere that during peak tourist seasons, a short 5 mile trip can take over an hour. We quickly found a parking spot and walked through the main lobby. As we walked out to the boat dock, we noticed that they were doing some renovation work to the outside of the resort. After a short wait under the New England style lighthouse we boarded our Friendship to Epcot. The boat made stops at the Swan and Dolphin dock, and the Boardwalk dock before arriving at the International Gateway entrance to Epcot.

We made our way through the turnstiles and walked past the United Kingdom and Canada pavilions. Our first stop was the Honey I Shrunk the Audience attraction. This show really scares young children. Then we went to the Land pavilion. Rosie had to use the restroom before we went on Living with the Land. I wanted to know if the change in sponsorship did more than change the name of this attraction. We were actually hungry after seeing all that food being grown, so we headed back to the United Kingdom pavilion. Even though we showed up at the Rose & Crown restaurant early, we were immediately seated. I ordered a plate of fish and chips and Rosie had the meat pie sampler. After lunch we went to see the film O Canada! I videotaped the entire theme song. Next on our list was the Universe of Energy, staring Ellen DeGeneres and Bill Nye, the science guy.

On our way through Future World we took some pictures of the new Test Track attraction, that was still under going testing. We could hear the roar of the attraction vehicle as it sped by overhead. At a gift cart nearby they had some Test Track merchandise. I meant to pickup a Test Track matchbox car, but I forgot. Mental note, remember to buy souvenirs when you first see them. We arrived at the Universe of Energy just after the pre-show had started. I think the new additions make the attraction funnier, but I also liked the older show as much, if not more. I remember especially enjoying the thunderous shuttle launch at the end of the attraction.

Our next stop was the Wonders of Life pavilion. There we saw the always hilarious Cranium Command. Since Rosie was pregnant we just had to see the film "The Making of Me," staring Martin Short. We left Future World and strolled back to World Showcase. On our way I had Rosie take of picture of me kneeling down in front of Spaceship Earth. The way she took the picture made it looked liked I was Atlas carrying the world on my back.

At the Mexico pavilion we rode El Rio del Tiempo. We then visited the shops and listened to the Mariachi band playing. Rosie was born and raised in Mexico and I had a hard time dragging her out of there. Every time the Mariachi band would start playing she would stop and turn around. She also had to try on every type of hat they sold. She made me try just about every musical instrument. Once outside we saw Donald Duck dressed in his Mexican outfit. We walked over to Norway but decided to skip Maelstrom when we saw the line outside. We were not the first to pass this attraction due to its long line.

As we entered China, we passed a demonstration by young Chinese acrobats. Through the Temple of Heaven we went to see the film Wonders of China. This film was also shown at the CircleVision theater in Disneyland. I like the part when the film's narrator contemplates calling Venice, Italy the Suchou of the West. We left China and passed by the Germany pavilion. On the other side of the Germany pavilion was an elaborate miniature train garden. There were many types of trains on different tracks that ran by Bavarian villages, streams, and forests. There was even a castle on a hill.

As we passed the Italy pavilion we skipped the visit to the fountain. A scan of the entertainment guide revealed that a Latin musical group would be performing on the America Gardens Theatre. We went and sat down near the front of the stage. Just after we arrived, a large group of kids from Venezuela began arriving. They wore red T-shirts printed with the name of their school. The performers on stage were a group from South America called Carlos Olivia and the Judge's Nephews. They sang a few songs in Spanish, and were joined on stage by a dance troupe that did Vegas style dance routines. The show was so energetic that people were dancing in the aisles.

We continued our clockwise trip around World Showcase by walking pass Japan and Morocco, on our way to France. Of all the pavilions, Morocco seems to me to be the most out of place. I wish they had a Spain pavilion instead. The film Impressions of France was the next attraction we saw. This film is my favorite of all the Epcot films. The music is majestic and the scenes of the sights are extraordinary. After the film we stopped to watch a human statue. The statue had fun with a woman and her backpack. We then went to have dinner at the Teppanyaki restaurant in Japan. This is a popular place where the food is cooked on an open grill in front of you. The service is very good and the food is presented beautifully.

After dinner we went to the boat dock near Morocco. We waited to take the boat across the World Showcase Lagoon. The wait was too long so we decided to walk instead. We arrived on the other side of the Lagoon before the boat had left the dock. It was after 8:40pm so we hurried to see the Living Seas. The Living Seas pavilion was almost empty. We spent a few minutes looking at the different areas and then left to watch Illuminations. We found a spot to view the action between the United Kingdom and the International Gateway. The show ended with an incredible display of fireworks that lasted for minutes. I had never seen so many fireworks go off at one time.

Our day at Epcot ended with a desire not to leave. There is so much to see and do, that two days are really a minimum. We made the short walk over to the International Gateway exit and down to the boat dock. The line at the dock was long but we were still able to board the first boat that arrived. At the Yacht Club we disembarked and walked back to our car. We then drove back to the Ramada Fountain Park Hotel.

Day 6 - Thursday

October 2, 1997

This day started off poorly but finished great. We drove over to the Vacation Break office and met our timeshare tour guide. He walked us to the TGI Friday's next door for a buffet breakfast. As we ate he asked us about our vacation habits and future vacation plans. After finishing breakfast we boarded a golf cart and headed down the street to the Star Island Resort.

The tour began in the resort lobby with a stop at the wall of celebrity photos, mostly NBA players. We saw the main pool area and then we walked through one of the 3 bedroom suites. Everything was very nice, although I didn't recognize the brand names of TV or VCR. For the next hour we were subjected to a mind-numbing sales pitch that ended with another guy that wouldn't take no for an answer. I finally had to tell him that I was never going to take another vacation again. I picked up my $20 deposit and left feeling I had wasted a good morning for nothing.

We drove to WDW promising to not visit another timeshare for a long time. I told the attendant at the Magic Kingdom's parking lot entrance booth that we were going to the Wilderness Lodge. I parked our car and we made our way to the boat dock. The lobby at the Wilderness Lodge is like no other, definitely my favorite. The boat ride to the Magic Kingdom smoothed out most of the morning's tension.

We passed through the turnstiles at the Magic Kingdom and walked down Main Street. When we reached Adventureland we sat down to have lunch at El Fuente Cantina. I bought a couple tacos and a plate of nachos and joined Rosie at a table nearby. We finished lunch and wandered back to the Central Hub. We found a shaded bench and sat down. At 1:00pm we watched the Castle forecourt show. Winnie the Pooh sang his Rumbly in my Tumbly song. This was becoming the anthem for our trip. After the show we walked to Tomorrowland and rode the Carousel of Progress. After the third act the attraction broke down. When it started again we had to sit through the third act a second time.

I wanted to ride Space Mountain and Rosie said she didn't mind waiting in line with me. The line wasn't too long, and I was soon asking to sit in the front seat. Actually the ride in the last seat is much better, and since it's dark inside there isn't really much to see. We then decided to watch the afternoon parade again. We found a good viewing spot at the end of Main Street near the entrance to Tomorrowland. Rosie used the umbrella we carried with us, for much needed shade. After the parade went by, we went back to Tomorrowland to see the Galaxy Search stage show. This show was literally out of this world and the T-Rex Elvis was a riot.

We made our last attraction of the day a ride on the Skyway. Now that it no longer exists at Disneyland, the Skyway at the Magic Kingdom is really special. It is a truly magical journey that takes you high above the crowds. We got off the Skyway in Fantasyland and made a leisurely stroll through Liberty Square. As we walked by the fruit cart, I purchased a juicy slice of watermelon for each of us. The look of envy on the other guests as we walked by eating the watermelon was frightening. We headed for the main entrance and stopped at the 25th Anniversary Welcome Center to pickup our free posters. We also received two more first time stick-on buttons. I bought two Animal Kingdom T-shirts and two different Magic Kingdom 25th Anniversary T-shirts at the souvenir shop. We then exited the park and went to the boat dock. There we waited for the boat to the Wilderness Lodge.

After arriving at the WL, I went out to the car to drop off our packages and Rosie found a seat in the lobby. At the front desk I asked which was the quickest way to get to Fort Wilderness. The Hoop-Dee-Doo Revue show started at 7pm and I didn't want to be late. We walked out to the bus stop to catch the Boone bus to Fort Wilderness. The bus ride took about 10 minutes and left us a short distance from Pioneer Hall. We checked in with the show's greeter and got in line to be seated. We were seated at a table that was just a few feet from the left side of the stage. Our server was very friendly and was the same one from the first time I saw the show in 1994. It was the first time Rosie had seen the show and she enjoyed it a lot.

We weren't in a hurry to return to our hotel after the show, so we took the slow boat back to the Wilderness Lodge. We arrived at the WL just as the Electrical Water Pageant was passing by. I tried to take some pictures of the floats but I wasn't able to get any good shots. Inside the hotel's lobby we lingered for a while. We watched a portrait artist at work drawing a little girl. The mother of the little girl told me that I looked just like her brother-in-law. On the drive back to the Ramada Fountain Park Hotel I pulled into the Exxon station and put gas in the car.

Day 7 - Friday

October 3, 1997

Our last full day before we had to leave. We left the hotel and drove north on Interstate 4. With Rosie's stomach grumbling we looked for a place to have breakfast. I stopped at the International House of Pancakes across the interstate from Universal Studios. After breakfast I pulled into a Longs Drug store and bought a twin pack of 8mm video tape. We then drove to the parking lot at Universal. After finding a spot in the parking structure we walked up to the overpass that takes you to the main entrance. We spent the next hour in line waiting to buy admission passes. While waiting in line I read a notice that mentioned a pregnancy discount. After asking for the discount, we ended up paying about $33 each for admission.

Once we entered the park we picked our first attraction. The Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera simulator ride was it. Rosie was able to join the fun by sitting in a section that didn't move. This trip through the world of Hanna-Barbera's cartoon characters is one of my favorites. It was still early in the day so we decided to try to see the new Terminator 2: 3-D attraction. There was a half hour line, but the overhead TV monitors make the wait interesting. Wow, this show is incredible. The 3-D effects are done on three screens that wrap around the theater. This attraction also has a section of seats that don't move. We decided to see it again before the end of the day. We then took a lunch break at Mel's Diner.

After finishing a good hamburger we went to see The Gory Gruesome & Grotesque Horror Make-Up Show across from Mel's. Maybe not the best show to see after having eaten. Nevertheless, this show demonstrates makeup techniques used in the movies and is very funny. The two hosts had a lot of fun with a newlywed couple from Japan. After the show we wandered over to the cartoon gift shop near the Hard Rock Cafe. Rosie had to use the bathroom. We stopped to take a trick photograph by the Back to the Future attraction. This shot puts the Space Shuttle on top of the BTTF building. We then went to see the Wild, Wild, Wild West stunt show. Following this very funny show we made our way down the Amityville/San Francisco section of the park. The facades and props used throughout the park are very realistic.

We did a little browsing through the shops and Rosie rested for a while on a bench. Then we made the mistake of following a large crowd into Kongfrontation. The line was about a hour long and Rosie did not think the wait was worth it. We still went on the ride, and as we left the attraction we noticed the line had all but disappeared. We spent the next half hour visiting the Islands of Adventure Preview Center. Here they had rooms displaying the themes for each of the islands. They also gave out souvenir passports that we put into machines to get stamped. This new theme park will open in 1999.

We then went to see Alfred Hitchcock The Art of Making Movies. This show demonstrates the genius of the famous director, and shows a scene from one of his movies in 3D. Although entertaining, I think this attraction would appeal to film students more than anyone else. We then went to see Terminator 2: 3-D again. This time Rosie sat next to me and felt the seats move. Following T2 we ended the day at Universal by trying to watch the Dynamite Nights Stuntacular show on the lake. It was hard to see, let alone follow the action. We left the "world's greatest theme park," and drove to Disney's Port Orleans Resort for dinner.

The attendant at the Port Orleans's parking lot security booth handed me a visitor's parking pass. After parking the car we entered the hotel's bustling lobby. With all of the activity going on, I regretted not having made reservations. Luckily the Bonfamille's Cafe was not busy, and we were seated right away. Rosie ordered a plate of ribs and I had a chicken and rice dish. After dinner we strolled around the resort's pool and then drove to the Disney Marketplace. At the World of Disney store we spent $100 on a couple T-shirts and souvenirs. We also browsed through the Virgin Megastore and some of the other souvenir shops on the West side. We walked around for a while longer and then drove back to the Ramada Fountain Park Hotel.

Day 8 - Saturday

October 4, 1997

We woke up late and packed our bags. Checking out of the Ramada Fountain Park Hotel consisted of paying for the hotel tax, that was not included in the vacation package. We loaded up the car and drove to the town of Celebration. We parked the car and walked down the main street. At Max's Cafe we sat down and had a nice breakfast. We then stopped at the visitor center to pick up some brochures. At the visitor center we were also shown a film about the town and the philosophy behind its construction. We added our names to their mailing list and said farewell.

I next wanted to show Rosie a place called Splendid China. I had visited this mini theme park with my mom and cousin just after it opened in 1994. They were now allowing visitors into their Chinatown section without charge. We parked the car in an almost empty parking lot. Once inside the courtyard, I browsed through the shops while Rosie rested on a bench. A small group of people gathered near the front entrance to see a juggling and acrobatics show. We spent about $30 on some souvenirs and then drove back to the Crossroads Shopping Center. We went into the TGI Friday's there, to get a bite to eat. I ordered a chicken quesadilla that wasn't very good. After lunch I went over to the White's bookstore, and bought a book on finding a job in Orlando.

On our way back to the Alamo rental office, I stopped and filled up the car's gas tank. After dropping off the car, we boarded the Alamo shuttle bus that took us to the Delta terminal. Rosie bought a hot dog, fries and a soda to take with her on the plane. I bought some postcards at the Disney gift shop. We didn't have to wait very long to board the plane. The movie on the flight was Angels in the Outfield. But not the Disney version, instead they showed an old black and white version from the 50's. The flight went very smooth and we arrived at LAX at 4:50pm.

Conclusion

Our WDW vacation was a fun-filled week that I'll remember for quite a while. Staying at the All-Star Music Resort was not as nice as I thought it would be. I definitely would not recommend this resort to anyone but those on a very tight budget. Next time I'd like to schedule more time at Epcot, hopefully Test Track will be open. The Disney-MGM Studios theme park was somewhat disappointing, hopefully that will change. In stark contrast, the Universal Studios theme park does come very close to being "the world's best theme park." Although, I still think Disneyland Paris holds that title for me. We had a great time overall and I already want to go back. This was certainly a memorable trip for me and hopefully one worth writing about.

Fernando Duque

funmeister@rocketmail.com

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