Trip Reports

October 22-28, 1997

Cast of Characters (and I mean characters )

Candy (Mom), age 36 at time of trip - 2nd timer - planner and packer and writer of this report.
Mark (Dad), age 41 - 2nd timer, not much for motion rides but a good sport
McKenzie, age 6 1/2, chief "whine" steward for this trip who (thankfully) turned into "best ride buddy". 1st timer.
"Mad" Max, age 4, - the name says it all. 1st timer.
Accommodations: Caribbean Beach Resort

Background

I had yearned (a corny, but appropriate, word since I could feel it in my very soul) to return to Disney World ever since my 1st trip in 1979. That trip was part of a graduation adventure with three of my best buddies and we spent only one day at the Magic Kingdom - granted it was a 14 hour day at that. That was "way back" when they had the "ticket" system (thank you, thank you for changing it) and Space Mountain was fairly new. Epcot and the other parks didn't exist. Still, it was enough to hook me and ever since then, I have wanted, no needed, to return.

Mark and I had mulled the idea over a couple of times and had even sent for the promotional video. We watched it so many times it finally broke. We never made it but when the 25th Anniversary came along, we called for another video. A few of my friends at work had gone and I could hardly stand it. Finally, I just did it! I decided that we were going to go. This was January and we wouldn't be going until October. I finally realized that like with so many other things, there would always be a "reason" why we should wait and said "Enough! We deserve this!

We went down to our travel agent and found out that for the dates we wanted, we could get airfare out of Grand Rapids for $208 per person. It would have been $360.00 more to fly out of Traverse City. Grand Rapids is only about 2 1/2 hours away and we had decided to spend the night before at the Holiday Inn and take advantage of the free shuttle to the airport. They had told us we could leave our car parked there since we were also planning on spending the night of our return from Florida. This worked out great because we had planned on visiting Mark's sister in Grand Haven after we got back. Even with the price of the 2 hotel nights, we still saved approximately $120.00.

This was going to be quite the adventure for us as a married couple. Although we would be celebrating our 8th wedding anniversary on the day we returned, Mark and I had never taken a "real" trip (not even a honeymoon) away from home together, let alone with two children who had never flown before. Either we had always worked opposite schedules or we couldn't afford anything and now we were finally going.

I had opted for a package plan. Mark had gladly left the planning and organizing up to me. I called a couple times to WDW (note: why no 800 #?) and got a different price quote every time. I finally went with the Classic Plan using our Magic Kingdom Card discount. I realize that we could have probably saved more money if I had been a little more diligent and perhaps did things ala Carte or even stayed off property but I wanted a hassle free vacation (at least on that end). I told him that some other time we could look to save money but this time I was doing it as easy as I could and that included staying on-site.

We chose to stay at the Caribbean Beach Resort for 6 nights. I had thought about the All-Star Resorts since the kids would like the theming (and of course it was less expensive). My friend Deb. convinced me to try the CBR. She was there earlier in the year and loved it. The bigger room size appealed to us, as we did not know how we would fare after 6 days of togetherness.

Mark and I had agreed ahead of time that we did not want to do this trip on "credit". I wanted to have enough money to be able to do and get what we wanted. We saved our change, had a garage sale and with our tax refund and some late help from an estate settlement, were pretty much free and clear. I purposely overbudgeted. I'd rather come home with money than get there and not have enough.

Waiting was excruciating - more so on me than the kids I think. To pass the time - I read up on Disney World taking books out of the library and I even bought the UnOfficial Mini-Mickey and started formulating touring plans in my head and on paper. Mind you, although some of my friends laughed at me, I wanted to have some idea of what we wanted to see, when to go, and what to avoid.

The rating system in the book was helpful as well as the descriptions of the attractions. I did not want to become a "Disney Commando" but I didn't want to go into it blind either. I made sure I left room for flexibility (a must!).

A side note: a couple of people tried to dissuade us from taking our 4-year-old by citing "he won't remember it". Phooey! How much did I really remember of my trip to Disney World almost 20 years ago other than my vague happy memories and by looking at pictures? My husband and I agreed that the question was "would he enjoy it now?" Personally, I wouldn't have taken our kids as infants but that is a strictly private decision. Do what your heart tells you.

The Trip

Day One - October 21, 1997

We had decided to go in October because we cannot take vacations in the summer and during Christmas. I refuse to go at Spring Break. October is usually one of the less crowded months with highs of 85( and lows of 65( and with an average rainfall of less than 3 inches. That sounded good to us. Also it actually sometimes snows in Michigan in October so we felt that the weather would be a nice change.

We waited until my daughter got out of school and then headed down to Grand Rapids. McKenzie's first grade teacher was great about letting her miss school. McKenzie was given homework assignments and was told to keep a journal of her trip. Education is where ever you want to find it.

We arrived in Grand Rapids around dinner and then hit the beds early. We had to take the shuttle over to the airport at 6:00 am and I knew I would have a hard time sleeping.

"When you wish upon a star..."

Day 2 - October 22, 1997

We all woke up bright and early and ready to go. We ran into a slight situation as two of the hotel guests decided they wanted to take the shuttle although they had not reserved a spot. If they went, the van would be one seat short. One of the guys suggested that I carry Max on my lap. I very nicely said "No way". I wanted Max alive to see WDW. The two strays ended up getting there some other way.

We flew Northwest out of Grand Rapids with a layover in Detroit. It is a quick trip - once you get in the air. The kids were a bit apprehensive about the plane but did very well - once we were able to get on it. Due to some sort of computer problem, we were delayed. We got to Detroit later than we should have but early enough to catch our next flight. Of course that was largely due to the fact that once again we were delayed. Ah, air travel.

This time a member of the previous crew had left a message regarding some sort of problem and no one had checked off that it had been taken care of. Since they didn't know if it had been taken care of or not, we had to wait while they went over the whole thing again. Better safe than sorry but I was trying not to use my entire bag of tricks I had brought to keep the kids occupied on the plane.

We ended up getting into Orlando about 2 1/2 hours late. Prior to leaving we had made arrangements to be picked up at the airport by Rae - she owns her own "taxi" business (Rae of Sunshine). We had called her to let her know we would be delayed. Twice. We had decided against Mears because we didn't want to be delayed by making other stops and the cost of using Rae's service was very comparable even with the discount for Mears we had received with our reservations ($37.00 one way).

This was one of the smartest things we did on the trip

We were so glad we did this (Thanks Harold for the suggestion). It was a very pleasant sight to see Rae waiting for us right at the gate with a "Welcome Goldens" sign. She got us on the tram to go to the baggage claim and then on to her waiting van. I think I may have been overwhelmed and a little lost otherwise. I'm not used to big airports. Rae had brought a car seat for Max and she was very pleasant and informative on the way to our hotel. She dropped us off at the CustomHouse and we made arrangements to be picked up by her for our return trip to the airport.

Caribbean Beach Resort is beautiful. We half joked that this would be as close as we got to go to the Caribbean Islands. You really did get a feel for it. The kids had been impressed with the room at the Holiday Inn (ok so we don't get out much) so I knew they would really like this.

Check-in was no problem. Since we were on the Classic Plan - our room keys were also our length of stay passes to the parks. We had not asked for any particular room ahead of time and we ended up in Barbados - the very fist building on the first floor. We were pretty much right across from the CustomHouse and the 1st stop on the bus route - most of the time. We were a littler farther from the food court that I would have liked but I figured the exercise couldn't hurt. The proverbial silver lining showed through. Since our plane had been delayed, our room was ready.

The room was very nice. I liked having a double vanity. The kids really liked the colors and the décor. We also ended up having an end room so we did not have neighbors on one side, which cut down on any possible noise. We made a pledge not to break into the honor bar (and actually kept it). The room wasn't huge but roomy enough for the four of us. Of course grace herself (me) ran into one of the bedposts right away and ended up with quite a large bruise. Oh well.

After we got situated we headed for the bus stop. We decided to catch a couple things at Epcot. McKenzie, who unfortunately had been going through a very whiney stage, was very worried that the "rides" would be closed. I explained that it wasn't like at our local fair and there would be plenty to do. Note: My husband and I really appreciated the location of our Resort. The bus rides to anything didn't feel too terribly long and we generally had very minimal waits for the busses. We were also lucky and had some very friendly and entertaining bus drivers. Off we went to Epcot.

The kids were immediately enthralled with the "Giant Ball". I have to admit so was I. This was the first time I had ever seen it, as Epcot hadn't existed when I was at WDW the last time. There was no wait so we went right on Spaceship Earth. Max was a little apprehensive at first but we were able to assure him it was ok and he ended up really enjoying the ride.

We then headed over to the Living Seas. The kids (and once again, Mom) were awed at the Manatees. We spent a little time there and then took pictures out by the entrance.

By this time, we were getting hungry and stopped to get something to eat at the Electric Umbrella. Our meals weren't that memorable and my husband had his first taste, so to speak, of Disney's food prices. This was repeated a few times during the trip. I just smiled. I had read up and knew that things were not going to come cheap so I had budgeted accordingly. I had to resist the urge to say, "I told you so", remembering the "you must be crazy" look he had given me when I told him what I had planned in our budget for food. This wasn't even an "expensive" place to eat.

One good point. We were able to get 25th Anniversary refillable mugs at discounted prices, as they were included in our meal for nominal fee. I asked the CM at the Electric Umbrella if they could be used at our food court - she didn't think so but I had remembered seeing one in our room for purchase (as well as CBR ones). When I got back to our room later that night I placed a call to guest services and found out, yes, we could use the Anniversary mugs for our refills. We probably only saved a couple of bucks but I liked the anniversary ones better anyway. (Note - even if you have to pay $8.95 for the mugs it is worth it if you drink anything besides water. You can get coffee, juice or pop (sodas - I'm sorry I am from Michigan and we say pop) in your mugs - as much as you want. It definitely paid for itself in our case.)

We had planned a surprise morning (i.e.: early entry) at the Magic Kingdom the next day so we headed back on the bus to our hotel. Before going to bed we strolled to the Old Port Royale food court to check it out. The kids got their 1st (of many) pressed pennies. I also snuck into the gift shop and bought them autograph books and pens for the next day. We returned to our room and started to get settled for the night when the kids heard some noises outside. Turns out we could actually see some of the laser /fireworks from Illuminations from our room. The kids sat outside on the sidewalk in their pjs and watched the show. This was one of my fondest memories.

Day 3 - October 23, 1997

Our First full day at WDW! Our family is a bunch of early risers and the kids are always up early. Today was no exception. Both my husband and I like to get up and go and take a break later on Vs a leisurely morning and a late start. A pet peeve of mine is being "late" and after all, we had a date with Mickey didn't we?

We had packed a carry on of snacks and poptarts etc. and the kids had a quick bite in the room. We also took a backpack into the park with a few snacks, extra film etc. You are not supposed to bring food into the park but we just had a few small snacks that the kids could have while waiting in line if need be. I figured we wouldn't be scrimping on buying their food anyway. We caught the bus to the Magic Kingdom with little wait. The MK is a little bit farther from Caribbean Beach than some of the other parks but the bus ride was pleasant. I remembered thinking (the first time of many and my husband agreed) that I was glad I didn't have to drive. We got off the bus and headed towards our destiny (ok, melodramatic but that's how I felt).

We let the kids slide their own cards through at the gate (and then Mom quickly collected them again so they wouldn't get lost). They thought this was pretty neat and Max felt very grown up.

One of my favorite WDW commercials is the one where you see a little boy just staring off in space with his mouth wide open and you hear his mom saying "Max..., Max..., Max..." and then she says "this is just the entrance, why don't we go inside" as the camera pans to show you Cinderella's Castle. I think I like it because it has a "Max" in it and also because that is how I sort of felt. I had waited so long to get back here. It was magical and I felt like that little child.

The kids liked seeing the castle made into a cake and although I appreciate all the work that went into it, I prefer the castle in the original form. I promised them (and myself) to bring them back so they could see the castle as itself.

I like the early morning entry. I knew we would have to let the kids ride the carousel and Dumbo but I had no desire to wait an hour for either ride. By getting there early we didn't have to go through that but this is also where we experienced our first ride crises.

As we were getting the kids situated on the carousel (the horses and work on this ride is beautiful), McKenzie decided to freak out. She started whining and crying to get off which started to get her 4-year-old brother upset. The other little kids were giving her worried looks too (""what does she know that we don't know?").

Now I am not usually a mean, sadistic mother that forces her kids to do things they are afraid of but in this case I got a little firm (after first attempting the coaxing route). Luckily just then the ride started up and once it got going (as mom knew), McKenzie was fine and actually enjoyed the ride. The crisis was averted but it got me wondering if this was going to be an omen.

After that near disaster, we got in line for Dumbo. There was a short wait and I rode with McKenzie while Max rode with his dad. Mark had to gradually raise Dumbo so that Max didn't realize it while McKenzie and I proceeded to go up and down as many times as we could. This had me wondering if I was riding Dumbo with an imposter. I am not complaining though - it was a nice change for moments before.

Since the kids hadn't eaten much, we stopped and got them muffins and some milk. We relaxed for a moment while the kids played in Ariel's grotto. It was fun watching them try to tell where the next squirt of water would come from. Max didn't want to go on Mr. Toad's Wild ride so McKenzie and I headed over there. We got in the left queue and the line really did go faster. McKenzie love this ride, especially the "train". We got off and collected the men and went over to "It's a Small World". I enjoyed that because when I was in sixth grade, our Christmas Pageant in school consisted of singing "It's a Small World" in different languages and I was happy to see that I could still sing most of the words when we passed the German dolls.

After that, we headed over to Peter Pan's flight. The flight over London at night is just awesome. We left that and got in lion (oops I mean line ) for the next presentation of "The Lion King". We all loved the show. I thought it was well done.

It was almost time for a character autograph session (located where 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea used to be). Apparently they started to do this because of the limits the characters can be in the hot sun. Before we did that, we went over and rode the Mad Hatter Teacup ride. Dad even went and was a good sport although he is not much for spinning around in circles. When we were done Alice and Tweedle Dee, Tweedle Dum and the March Hare were there so the kids got their autographs.

We headed back to the place for the autograph signing and the kids were able to get Goofy's, Max's (not our Max) and Chip and Dale's autographs. Max was so excited. Chip and Dale are his absolute favorites (Do you know how to tell them apart? - think of a chocolate chip and then look at their noses). The kids were happy that they had gotten quite a few autographs already.

Then on to the Toon Town Fair. We didn't end up spending that much time here although we did tour Minnie Mouse's house. The microwave was neat. McKenzie took a nice picture of me in a wicker chair.

Out of the blue, McKenzie had announced her intentions of riding Space Mountain with me - where that came from. I didn't know but I was doubtful after the carousel thing. I suggested that she go on the Barn Stormer as a "pre-coaster" but she wouldn't do it. Space Mountain huh? We'll see.

The lines seemed too long for some of the other things at Toon Town so we didn't dawdle. The kid's favorite part was Donald's Boat. This is much like Ariel's Grotto but wetter. Max and McKenzie got soaked but had a blast. We let them try to "catch" the "leaks" on the boat for a while. When they got done, McKenzie started whining (we had been working with her on that) about wet clothes when ta-da! - Mom to the rescue. Since I had done my homework, I had packed dry clothes in the backpack thus perpetuating the "Mom, you know everything" myth (hey go with it while you can).

After the kids had changed, we hopped the train back around to Adventureland. Max adores trains and it certainly saved on walking. We went on Pirates of the Caribbean and Max promptly fell in love with it. "Yo ho, yo ho a pirates life for me". Since it had been my favorite ride from my trip before, I have to admit I encouraged him. Next we took the Jungle Cruise. Our skipper was so-so. The boat behind us was much livelier. Still it was a good trip and the kids liked being under "attack". We started to get hungry so we headed towards the Diamond Horseshoe Review. Turns out it was packed so instead we tried our luck at the Liberty Tree Tavern. We were in luck and were seated even without Priority Seating. (Note: I found out that the kids meals at the food courts and various restaurants were comparable price-wise with what you could get at home as they usually included a beverage and a dessert).

It turned out to be a good thing that we were at that restaurant. When we had finished, people had started lining up for the afternoon "Remember the Magic" parade. We found a place to sit outside the restaurant and plopped the kids down. (We are used to waiting for parades - during the Cherry Festival in Traverse City - there are 3 parades that last anywhere from 1-hour to 2 1/2 and the crowds are big.). For this parade we were basically at the start - for the evening parades, they start at the other end - past the castle. Cast Members came along and our kids were picked to participate in the parade. The kids got the biggest thrill out of this. Max was in the Lion King segment while McKenzie was with the Little Mermaid section. I was sort of surprised that the kids actually got up and did it but they did -what a nice memory for them.

When the parade had passed us, we followed it out and took a detour over to the Haunted Mansion. We had to wait 15-20 minutes but looking at the tombstones and listening to the sounds made the time go faster. The kids liked this although McKenzie didn't like the "ghosts" popping up at her. She did think our hitchhiking "guest" was funny.

The kids still had a lot of energy so we headed over to Tomorrowland. McKenzie swore that she was going to ride Space Mountain. Mark is a FedEx employee and FedEx is the sponsor of Space Mountain. They have a lounge for visiting employees but on this day it was apparently closed. We asked the cast member at the entrance about the "courtesy" ride but he really didn't know what we should do. We went up the left stairs a bit but ended up waiting in line with everyone. Max and Mark stayed behind. I was positive that we would get all the way up in line and be ready to board when McKenzie would say, "I don't think so". I didn't voice this aloud to her but instead gave her all the tips I could -the main one being: Just close your eyes, hold on tight and SCREAM!

Magic does happen at WDW. McKenzie not only went on the ride but loved it. I kept my hand on her shoulder so she would know I was right behind her but I don't think she needed it. What a girl! From then on she was Mom's ride buddy.

We met up with the guys and took the Tomorrowland Transit Authority around. Max thought this was a roller coaster as it does move about 10 mph and it gave Mark a chance to see the inside of Space Mountain. He was glad he left the riding up to us. After that we decided to call it a day - we planned on coming back, as we wanted to see SpectroMagic and the fireworks (and of course, Tinkerbell). We stopped for a Mickey ice cream bar (very good chocolate) and off to the hotel.

Once we got back we experienced a little more of the Disney magic. McKenzie had brought "Lucky" her stuffed 101 Dalmatian and Max had brought Winnie-the-Pooh with him. To our surprise, when we arrived at the room, there they were on the bed with a card that read "We missed you today". The kids thought that was neat. I thought Housekeeping was neat.

We decided on a quick swim in the smaller pool near our building. Unfortunately due to a mosquito problem and encephalitis scare, they had to close the pools early the entire time we were there. We did swim for a little while but had to get out by 6:00 PM. We then went to dinner at the food court (a common occurrence for us) and the kids started their "fun bucket" (i.e.; pail with shovel) collection. No one argued when we said bedtime. Now that's a first. Like I said - Disney Magic!

Day 4 - October 24, 1999

Early Entry at Epcot!

Even though yesterday was a full day we managed to get to Epcot early. We went on Spaceship Earth again and then wandered over to The Land. We saw Circle of Life and then Food Rocks. Although I have read that a lot of people think the latter isn't very good, I enjoyed the play on the name of the "groups". The kids liked seeing food sing and dance. We then took the Celebrate the Land tour. Having no green thumb, or even pinkies, I appreciated what was being done.

Next we went over to Journey into the Imagination ride and my daughter became real attached to Figment. In fact she still talks about him. We did not spend much time at all in Image works (although in retrospect we should have) but moved on to the Wonder of Life Pavilion. We all went on Body Wars (Max was just tall enough. My husband wasn't thrilled with being thrown about (or imagining you're in a body with all those fat cells) and felt a little queasy. After that we saw Cranium Command and we all enjoyed Buzzy. I had decided beforehand to skip "Honey I Shrunk the Audience" as I thought it may be too intense for the kids.

We returned to our room and McKenzie worked on her homework and journal. We then took another swim in the pool nearest to our building. Sad to say we never made it to the main pool or Parrot Cay. I also had grand notions of walking around the pathway but those never materialized.

We decided to go back to Epcot to catch Iluminations up close and personal. Max fell asleep on the bus on the way over but woke up as soon as we tried to put him in the stroller we rented (Murphy's Law for Parents). We couldn't pass up McKenzie's pal Figment and took a diversion to visit him again.

As we passed through the Centorium, we saw Winnie the Pooh so we waited in line for an autograph. Unfortunately my kids got a lesson in other people taking cuts but at least I got to throw in an explanation of why we don't do that. Mom even got her picture taken with Pooh also.

We had a quick dinner at the Cantina de San Angel - the line to order was fairly long but we were able to secure a table and the food was good and filling. Next we strolled along the lagoon and found a fairly decent place to watch Illuminations from. We got the kids glow-in-the-dark necklaces, which made them happy while we waited. The lasers and fireworks were great.

Day 5 - October 25, 1997

This is the day we had planned for a character breakfast. It was hard trying to decide which one we wanted to go to but we had chosen to go see Captain Mickey and friends at Fulton's Crab House. Luckily we had given ourselves a good head start because we ran to the only real snag we had with the Disney transportation system. We had to wait a good 30 - 45 minutes for a bus, by far the longest wait we had the entire trip. We tried to make a game of guessing which bus would come to the bus stop next. Luckily the kids played along.

We were seated on tip of the boat for our breakfast. Somehow we missed getting Mickey's autograph but the kids were able to get Minnie's, Goofy's, and Pluto's as well as having their picture taken. I think the kids were a little too excited to eat too much breakfast but they tried.

After eating, we walked around and visited Lego Land. That is just amazing. I couldn't believe what they made out of legos. I had my picture taken with the "sleeping" man on the bench. My friends couldn't believe what he was made of. He actually snored!

We did a bit of shopping at World of Disney. All I can say about that place is WOW! I told McKenzie to look around first, as I knew she'd want to buy everything she saw. (The MKC discount helps but not that much. ) She ended up buying a small plush Minnie and Mickey while Max bought Chip and Dale.

It was still mid-morning so we decided to go with our plans and visit Typhoon Lagoon. I didn't budget a lot of time there because we were going to go to the campfire program at Wilderness Lodge so Max could sing a long with, you guessed it, Chip and Dale. It was pretty crowded at Typhoon Lagoon when we got there but we were able to get a large locker. We changed and headed off to Ketchakiddie Creek so the kids could play. They loved splashing around and sliding. The CM there was very good about making sure kids took their turn and did not run. We let them play for a while and then decided to take a tube trip around Castaway Creek. Max rode with Mark and McKenzie had her own tube. They like going under the waterfalls. McKenzie could stand up in the water so she wasn't scared but it was reassuring to see the CM strategically placed all along the "creek".

We made the circuit and then got in line for the family raft ride. Our CM thought he was funny and at the last moment, rotated our raft so he stuck the side with McKenzie and I right under the big waterfall. For some reason Mark thought this was hilarious too . The ride was fun but I thought it was too short.

We promised the kids that we would check out the wave pool. They had been listening to the people scream every time a big wave would start with a whoosh! We didn't go very far out and Mark and I both held onto Max's hands. McKenzie was right with us but still got knocked down a bit. I can only imagine what it would be like to be farther out where the waves start. We stayed for a couple of waves but then went to leave so we could get back to the room and change before the campfire program. At this point McKenzie decided to throw a temper tantrum and we had to walk away from her. We didn't get very far before she realized she was going to be left alone so she shaped up and stopped crying.

As we were emptying our things out of our locker, a man came up and asked if he could have our locker and key. Now I am all for helping out my fellow man etc, but I knew I would never have dreamed of doing that. Since we were responsible for the key and had paid for the locker, I didn't really feel like giving this guy a free ride. I suppose I was still a little angry over McKenzie's behavior but I thought the guy had a lot of nerve. It wasn't as if there weren't any other lockers available and even if there hadn't been, he could have followed us up and got the key after we turned it in. Plus, for turning our key in, we could have gotten a couple dollars back or a refillable mug (we chose the mug). He just didn't want to pay. Maybe I needed a touch of pixie dust but at the time I just thought the guy was rude.

When we got back to the room I made a call to check in about the campfire program to find out that it had been cancelled because of the mosquito problem. I felt bad because 1) I had really talked it up to Max and he was looking forward to it and 2) if I had called before we left I would have known it was cancelled an we could have spent more time at Typhoon Lagoon. Oh well, even "Super-Mom's" are infallible.

We ended up going back to the Magic Kingdom that night. McKenzie really wanted to ride Splash Mountain and we hadn't seen the SpectroMagic parade or the fireworks yet.

We figured we had plenty of time to get in line for Splash Mountain before the parade started even thought he queue was up to the 45-minute mark. McKenzie struck up a friendship of sorts with a guy in front of us after stepping on his foot. She proceeded to talk "Bill's" ears off but he was very friendly and humored her. The line actually moved along quite well and I thought, "hey, we'll have plenty of time before the parade starts to get decent seats". Famous last words.

We boarded the ride. Bill was in our log and had been on it before so he was giving us some tips and pointers of what to watch for as we wound our way through the briar patch.

Note: The Laughing Place can surprise you.

We were right at the bottom of the big hill when the ride stopped. For the next 30 or so minutes we stared up at what was in store for us and talked to Bill. That helped McKenzie because one of her friends had gone and told her that he fell off Splash Mountain. Even though she didn't really believe it, hearing from Bill that it was ok made her feel better. In the meantime, Mark and Max waited for us to come down the chute. I was jut beginning to think that we should have brought our sleeping bags when the ride started and WHOOSH! Since we weren't in the very front seat we didn't get soaked but it was exhilarating. What fun. I waited to see the picture and it was a very cute one of McKenzie so I bought it.

Luckily we found the guys without too much trouble. The parade had started from Main Street so we didn't miss it although the delay in the ride caused us to get mediocre spots to watch the parade. We followed the parade out and caught the Fantasy in the Sky fireworks at the castle and of course Tinkerbell's appearance. That was magical. We caught a bus back to our hotel without too much trouble even though Mark and I had to stand. People were very nice about doubling up so that the kids didn't have to stand - we tried to do the same throughout the trip. The bus driver was very friendly and we made it back in one piece. We were able to salvage they day even without Chip and Dale.

Day 6 - October 26, 1997

Today was our day for MGM. This is my place. I love movies and was really looking forward to this visit. Next time I will go earlier in the trip however (more on that later).

Bus service was again prompt and we arrived in time for the Early Entry. I rode Tower of Terror alone as I was not sure that McKenzie could handle it. I wish now that the rest had gone at least as far as the "chicken-vators". I think they would have enjoyed the theming. In retrospect I think that McKenzie would have been fine on the ride. At this point there were only 2 drops. I'd love to try the new drop sequence. I bought my picture so that my friends back home would believe that I went on ToT.

A CM took our picture in the street and then we headed for the Great Movie Ride. The kids really had a good time. Max loved it - I think he really enjoyed the action. I liked seeing the film clips.

Our next stop was Star Tours. Mark went on it even though he had a slight problem with Body Wars. He liked this one better. I think it was easier to pretend you were in a spaceship than in someone's body. I love Star Wars and thought it was neat. Following that we went over to Muppet Vision 3-D. This was definitely a crowd pleaser. McKenzie like the bubbles and the fact that one seemed to some right at her. We laughed and laughed.

We wandered around a bit and then went to the Prime Time 50's café for lunch. We had a short wait and then were seated. Our "brother" Corey served us. He was funny (and very cute). Mark had the chicken dinner and I had the chicken Caesar salad. Mark gulped a little about the prices but I just smiled (remember I had told him that food would be a big budget item but I had planned accordingly). We didn't eat a lot at full service restaurants so we actually cut our costs quite a bit. The kids got specialty drinks but neither cared for them especially. We got to witness another party getting "scolded" for not finishing their veggies (Open wide, here comes the airplane). Once when I returned from the restroom, Corey was singing a very good rendition of "Rockin' Robin". All in all, quite a memorable meal. For some reason McKenzie says she didn't like it that well. My theory is that she had a little crush on Corey and was embarrassed.

After a filling lunch and with "Rockin' Robin" still going through our heads, we strolled over to the Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular. The previous show had just gotten over and the next one was in about an hour. We debated whether to leave and take our chances on getting a seat or get in line now and know we'd have seats. Since a lot of the queue would be shaded where we would be, we decided to wait. We kept the kids occupied by playing little games and talking about our adventures so far. It was getting close to show time when both kids announced they had to go "potty - really bad Mom" (another Murphy's Law for parents). It took me a few moments to find a restroom, wait in line and get out. I was sure we would be late but we made it back in time. Some people were trying to cut/crowd the rope but after a few comments from the crowd, the CM took the hint and advised the violators to move back.

We got our seats and settled in. We were pretty much in the center but not too close (I didn't want the kids to be scared). This ended up being another one of our favorites. The stunts were great and the audience members that participated were all good sports. It is amazing what a little movie "magic" can do.

After the show we decided to catch the Zero to Hero parade. It was hot and the wait was hard on the kids. Although they liked the characters, we could have easily skipped this. I think the past days activities were catching up to them. I wanted to do the Studio Back Lot Tour but the line was too long so we ended up just going back to our room. We knew better than to push the kids too far. They were being really good and we didn't want to spoil the trip by making them hotter and crankier. There was a lot we missed at MGM much to my dismay but there are times where I just have to be the MOM even if I would rather indulge the kid in me.

When we got back to our room we found Minnie, Mickey, Chip, Dale, Lucky and Pooh lined up in the window waiting for us with another note. I have to admit our first day we walked past a window that had a ton of stuffed animals and thought "that's just advertising for trouble". Of course then I discovered it was housekeeping's way of making the kids feel special - it worked!

Since it was so warm, we took another brief swim and then I went over to Port Royale to get some pop refills and to pick up a couple of souvenirs. I also picked up a couple of bottles of beer. I admit I felt a little funny having my beer put in a little 25th anniversary bag, but hey...

Mark and I were going to go out tonight - by ourselves. I had called the Fairy Godmother service earlier to arrange for a sitter. We knew it wouldn't be cheap but it was going to be our time and we were going to celebrate our 8th anniversary, which was actually the 28th - the day we would be leaving.

As with a lot of parents I'm sure, I was a little hesitant about getting a sitter. I did the homework, got references etc. The woman they sent, Joanne, was a grandmother-type and was very nice. The kids hit it off with her right away. She had even packed a few of her own toys that her grandchildren played with. After chatting with her for a while we felt more comfortable about leaving the kids with her and off we went to start our adventure.

Mark and I had decided to have dinner at Fulton's Crab House. We both love seafood and had liked the atmosphere when we were there for the character breakfast. We did not make priority seating so we knew there would be a wait but as most parents know, waiting without children is an entirely different thing. (I do have to say that for the most part my kids were extremely patient waiting in line - applaud, applaud.)

We put our names in and then went to have a cocktail on the lower deck (the Stone Crab Lounge actually) where unfortunately we experienced a side of Disney we hadn't run into before.

Before I explain let me say that I have the utmost respect for waitresses/waiters of all kinds (I wouldn't do it) and everyone can have a bad day. You do come to respect a certain level of service though - whether at the "happiest place on earth" or at home however.

Our cocktail waitress took our order and asked us to settle up right away. I didn't like being rushed but ok, we could live with that. Easier said than done. For someone who insisted on getting paid right away, she virtually disappeared. Once in a while we would get a flash of her but her attitude was leaving a sour taste in our mouths. We tried to get her attention but I wouldn't let my husband stand on the table and wave his boxers - it's doubtful that would have even brought her over. While we lamented over this, our names were called for dinner. I went up to claim our table while mark tried to pay our tab at the bar. I explained our situation to the hostess so she let me wait for Mark but after about 10 minutes I could tell she was thinking "yeah, right there is someone else - this is probably a pathetic attempt to pick up someone". I was afraid our table would be given away but finally Mark appeared. Turns out that they wouldn't let him pay at the bar. Somehow Mark got a hold of our waitress (he didn't say if tripping was involved) and then she got huffy when Mark paid with a large bill. Not at all what we expected. Oh well. We shook this off and headed up to dinner.

We were on the top of the boat but pretty much stuck in a corner. To add to that we were seated next to a large party with children. Ok, we left ours at home but what got me was that they were allowing one of the kids (a boy of 3 or 4, maybe even older) to crawl around on the floor and under the table. I about choked on my salad. What were the parents thinking? I could just see the kid tripping up a waitress or getting something spilled on him or stepped on. Our basic rule has always been at a restaurant, if our kids can't behave we take them out until they can. There was no excuse for that in my eyes.

Our server was named Sherry and she was very nice and seemed a little embarrassed about the other table. We had an excellent meal and some meaningful conversation. After dinner we asked to see a manager so we could mention the incident downstairs. We had decided someone should know. The manager listened and was very apologetic and offered us a free dessert or drink but we declined. We didn't complain to get a freebie (I hate it when people do) but to hopefully prevent someone else from having a negative experience.

Pleasantly full, we headed over to Pleasure Island. I thought it was a neat place. We went to the Rock and Roll Beach Club and had a drink and listened to the live band. I bought a shot glass for my collection. We left there and strolled down the street and bopped into 8 Traxx - what a retro trip. We enjoyed watching the people and hearing the old familiar music.

I then dragged Mark into the Adventurers Club. He took a look around and asked me "What did you get me into? I just laughed. I had read about it and was really looking forward to it. We got there in time to be ushered into the library by the "maid" for a special meeting - Halloween style. I about died laughing. Mark liked it too although he hated to admit it. It is different from anything we have back home. Speaking of home, Mark ran into someone he used to work with. "It's a small world after all..."

We left after the "meeting" and squeezed into the last show at the Comedy Warehouse. Our seats were in back but we could still hear very well. The improv was great - another gut buster. The show ended and it was time for the nightly New Year's Eve celebration. That was pretty wild. It was also weird seeing waitresses in the "street" selling shooters. I almost forgot where I was.

After we picked the confetti out of our hair, we headed back to the hotel. The kids were fast asleep and had been for quite some time. Joanne said they were very good and did not fuss at all at bedtime (like I said, WDW is a magical place )

I am glad we took the time just for us. We got a chance to talk and just be with each other - a rare commodity for us. As much as we love our kids, we needed "couple time" even at WDW.

Day 7 - October 27, 1997

This was to be our last full day. We decided to do our shopping and to have lunch at Planet Hollywood. I wanted to check it out (have never been to one) and I had promised to get my friend Leslie a pin - she collects them from Planet Hollywood. Our weather had been great up to this point but it looked like rain so we had packed our rain ponchos. We had our own that we had gotten back home.

We went back into the World of Disney and the kids picked out a few more things. I still can't believe how big that place is! I picked up the special edition Barbie for my sister. It is nice getting 10% off with the MKC. We explored a couple of other stores and then headed over to Planet Hollywood. It had started to rain a little and the restaurant wasn't open yet but we were under an awning. I was glad we went. It was neat seeing a car hanging from the ceiling but the food was so-so. I heard that the best thing to get there is dessert. We stopped at the gift store and got Leslie's pin (and one for me too). By this time it was really pouring. We decided that Mark would take the kids back to the room and I would shop. I remember thinking that looking over that sea of yellow Mickey Mouse ponchos that I was glad ours were different colors. If we had stayed together, I wouldn't have had trouble spotting our family.

I wandered around and was able to find a shirt that Mark had really wanted but the World of Disney didn't have in the right size. I bought him a couple of cigars for our anniversary (he doesn't smoke as a rule but enjoys an occasional cigar) from Sosa's.

On the way out, I stopped at the Rain Forest Café and looked in their gift shop. I wished I would have taken the kids there and eaten at the restaurant. I'm sure they would have gotten a kick out of it.

I boarded a bus but instead of going straight back to the hotel, I got off at MGM. I didn't so any attractions but looked in a couple stores and found myself a really neat shirt with Mickey Mouse and MGM embroidered on it - it was perfect and even on sale! I hated to leave but finally headed back to the room.

The kids had taken a much-needed nap. We ate dinner at the food court and then McKenzie worked on her homework. We decided to stick close to home since this was our last night. The kids sat outside and watched the fireworks/lasers one last time. Mark told me when they had returned to our room, the TV was on and all the animals were on one bed watching TV (the Disney channel of course) "waiting" for the kids to get back. I really loved that touch!

Day 8 - October 28, 1997 (last day )

We had packed up all our stuff early. Our snack suitcase had been emptied and filled with souvenirs (another "Gee Mom you're smart moment). We took our bags to the Custom House, making sure to leave one carry on accessible that had warmer clothes in it (hated to admit it but we were returning to Michigan in late October). We had until about 2:00 p.m. to play in the parks and we decided to return to the Magic Kingdom one last time.

Boy, does early entry make a difference. We didn't do it this day and all I can say is "wow". The crowds seemed so much bigger. We had gotten there right about the time for the rope drop to Splash Mountain. While everyone dashed off to get wet, we were able to walk right on the Haunted Mansion. McKenzie knew what to expect a little more this time. We did Pirates of Caribbean one last time and then caught the Country Bear Jamboree. It was almost 11:00 am now so off we went to lunch.

We arrived at the Plaza right before they opened for lunch. A good idea since we did not have Priority seating. We got right in though. We thought the meal here was once of our best - the kids like the sundaes.

We let our stomachs settle a bit and took in the Carousel of Progress and the Timekeeper. The kids enjoyed both presentations and of course I had the theme song from "Carousel" going through my head.

We went over to Space Mountain and the FedEx lounge. It was opened today and we went in and had a nice cold pop (soda, whatever) and chatted with the FedEx staff manning the lounge. We mentioned that McKenzie and I would like to ride Space Mountain again and we escorted to the very front of the line - right onto the loading zone. This time I sat in front. Once more we had a blast. When we left I had the grace to feel a little guilty about the special treatment but I also smiled to myself when I saw how long the queue was. Hey, Mark works hard and this perk was nice but earned. (Note: for those of you afraid that FedEx employees will overrun the ride - the courtesy ride is limited to once a day and only when the lounge is open).

We did the TTA again. This was the only morning where it was cool enough to start out with a jacket or sweatshirt. But hey, we are from Michigan so shorts were fine for us.

We looked in the gift shop and I got McKenzie a really cute tee shirt that depicted Mickey and friends on the coaster. She was very brave and I knew that I found someone to share my love of those types of rides.

Although we had already been over there, we went over to Liberty Square one last time. Our feet dragged a little knowing that it was almost time to go home to "reality". McKenzie wanted to go on Splash Mountain again but the line was way too long. She started to cry (it was nice while it lasted) and we mollified her a little by taking her on the Liberty Belle Riverboat. At least she could see Splash Mountain from the boat. Some of the guys from the Country Bear Jamboree rode the boat with the kids and us got some more pictures and autographs. We never rode Big Thunder Mountain Railroad but at least got a good look at it from the boat. McKenzie and I vowed to ride it "next time".

It was time to head out and catch the bus back. We did get one last Mickey ice cream bar. Max got the ice cream sandwich version. It was good but the sandwich part stuck to the roof of your mouth.

We arrived back at the CustomHouse and chanced our clothes. Rae was waiting for us and she was just as pleasant on the way back asking what our favorite things were. Max fell asleep on the way to the airport. We got to the airport in plenty of time and believe it or not, our plane was on time. When we got to Detroit it was another thing. We had a huge delay. There was a mechanical problem on the plane that they tried to fix but ended up waiting for a plane out of Chicago so we could take it back to Grand Rapids instead. Groan. It wouldn't have been so bad but we had two very tired and sated kids.

On the plane to GR, Mark sat with the kids. Figures - the shortest leg and the only time Max fell asleep on the plane. Mark didn't even have to keep him occupied. Since the plane was late, we had to call the hotel for a special shuttle to pick us up. All in all a very long day. We got back to the hotel and the kids crashed immediately. Mark checked on the car and it was fine. I was very glad we had decided to spend the night. It's not a bad drive home but...

The next day we went to mark's sister's house, saw our new niece for the fist time, dropped off a couple of "fun buckets" to the cousins and then headed back home. Our first family vacation was a success!

Final thoughts, ideas, tips:



( Weather: The weather during our stay was great. Warm, not unbearably hot with rain only one afternoon. We did find out later that there had been tornado warnings but what we didn't know didn't hurt us. Of course we are from Michigan and we are used to all kinds of weather. 70º weather (in October especially) is short weather for us.

" Crowds: The crowds were a little bigger than I thought they would be for October but they were still manageable. I think the 25th Anniversary hype played a part. We did not have to wait obnoxiously long times in line and at least Disney takes that into consideration with most of their queues.

? Hotel: Caribbean Beach Resort was great. We liked the "extra " room (CBR has the biggest rooms of the moderate hotels and about 80 sq. feet more than the All-Star resorts). The setting was a real tropical paradise and the kids liked seeing the rabbits hop around. We were a little too far away from the food court - another building in the Barbados complex or one in Martinique may have been better - but of course with proximity, you get noise. We never made it to the main pool or around the path. I heard both are pretty cool.

? Housekeeping: A +. The room was well maintained and our room was always clean when we returned to our room. The "notes" from the kids' animals were a whimsical touch that made the stay a special one for our children. Although I am sure they do this all over - it made the kids feel unique. Note: I made sure to tip housekeeping at least every other day. In some hotels, the same housekeeper may or may not clean the same room every day of your stay so if you wait and tip at the very end of your stay, someone you doesn't clean your room until check out could get your full tip. (I know this from experience. I had a temp. job as a housekeeper after college and both lucked out and got stiffed because of this happening).

? Taking young children: You know your own kids but don't let "they won't remember" dissuade you. Our son who was four years old actually behaved better than his sister who was 6 1/2 years old did. Although she was not naughty, she was in her "whining" stage. I think Max was too awed by the whole thing to act up. Note: We had Max on a leash of sorts. Now before people go "how cruel", let me say it was not around his neck. Actually we had a fanny pack that we looped the 'leash" through. He carried his own autograph book and pen in the pack and we had control of him. He had not earned the nickname of "Mad Max" for nothing. The one comment that people (still) make to me is "Boy, he has a lot of energy". We just sure it was directed this time. I knew if he got lost we would find him but I didn't want him traumatized. I think it gave him a sense of security while still letting him be a big boy who had his own fanny pack. I am a Mom but I also work in Law Enforcement so I admit that even at WDW, I had to consider (not dwell) on the darker side of life.

? Food: We didn't do a lot of exploring in the food department but most of it was adequate. We did especially enjoy our meals at the Liberty Tree Tavern, Fulton's, the Plaza and the Prime Time 50's Café. The food court at CBR was fine (approximately $4.50 including pail and shovel for a kids meal) A word of advice. Budget high for food - that way you can eat what you want and there are not unpleasant surprises. A 20oz bottled soda was $2.00 but that is what they were selling it for at the Detroit airport. The Mickey ice cream bars are wonderful.

Plusses/tips/Favorites:

* Having Rae pick us up at the airport gate and be our taxi. The fare was reasonable (comparable to MEARS) and she was prompt, pleasant, informative and accommodating.

* Take a suitcase/carryon full of snacks. At the end of our trip the snacks were all gone and we had room for all of our "finds".

* Refillable mugs are a great idea and good way to save. We certainly got our money's worth (and my legs got a workout running back and forth to get them filled). At CBR you could get coffee, soft drinks and juice all refilled for free (some resorts do have a charge for refills). We were able to use the 25th anniversary mugs at CBR.

* Let the CM photographers take your pictures and at least look at the pictures coming off rides like Splash Mountain, Tower of Terror etc. You don't have to buy them and they usually turn out pretty well.

* Favorite (Max and Mom) - Pirates of the Caribbean. Max still talks about it. (Side note: Does anyone else think that there is one pirate that looks an awful lot like Mick Fleetwood of Fleetwood Mac? Ok, maybe I've been in the grog too much).

* Favorite (McKenzie and Mom) - Splash Mountain and Space Mountain (the latter with or without the FedEx courtesy ride). These rides knocked McKenzie out of her whiny stage a bit and brought her and mom even closer. A little bit of pixie dust works wonders.)

* Favorite (Mom and Dad) - A night out with no kids (of our own). Time to relax talk and rekindle some of the "magic". Pleasure Island - especially Adventurer's club for me - Comedy Warehouse for Mark.

* Favorite (the Golden clan) - Muppet Vision 3-D and Indiana Jones and Early entry to the Parks.

Hindsight is 20-20



* I would have planned more time at Epcot and probably would have checked out World Showcase. We listened to other people about taking kids there and did not give our kids enough credit therefore missing out on some neat experiences.

* I would have checked into E-ticket night. There was one the night of our arrival but I knew nothing about the concept until the next day when a guy on the bus was telling us about it and what a blast it was. Darn!

* I would have taken more pictures of the kids instead of the parades.

* We would have done another character meal.

* McKenzie and I would have ridden Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.

* I would have taken McKenzie on Tower of Terror with me and talked Mark into at least taking Max up to the chicken escape.

* I would have called ahead about the campfire program thus allowing us more time to play at Typhoon Lagoon.

* Would have skipped the Hercules parade and caught the Backlot Studio tour and overall would have spent more time at MGM - maybe have gone earlier in the trip.

* Would have done a little more digging as far as "best rates". The package plan worked for us this first trip though.

All in all we had a wonderful experience. Other than a very few instances the cast members were friendly and helpful. We came back with money but did not feel we had skimped on our vacation. Granted I could have spent it all but we all felt satisfied with our souvenirs and we kept our promise and did not do the trip on credit cards.

I am now priming myself for a trip to WDW in October 2000. We plan on at least a 9- night stay. I can just feel myself getting all excited again. I am definitely worse than the kids are. Time for a new video.

Until then, remember the magic!

Candace Golden

DulceGo@aol.com

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