Trip Reports

• Time of Year: Spring
• Travel Method: Plane, Rental Car
• Resort: Old Key West Resort
• Accommodations: 1 Bedroom Vacation Home
• Ages Represented in Group: Infant/Toddler, Elementary, Teen, Adult, Senior
• WDW Experience Represented in Group: Veteran, DVC Member
• Comments: Gaylene and Bob took a wonderful trip to WDW. They stayed at OKWR since they are DVC members. One really unique thing about this report is that Gaylene used a pedometer (walking mileage meter) to measure how much walking she really did do each day in the parks. You'll probably be as surprised as I was that the mileage is so low...it seems so much more when it's YOUR feet that are tired...A couple side trips to Universal Studios and the DVC resort at Vero Beach rounded out the trip.

Background:

This trip was taken by me (Gaylene age 37, AKA the "Disney Crazed" one of the family) and significant other (Bob age 38, who gets dragged along with me). We have been DVC members since 1994, and this would be our second time to stay at OKWR. We stayed at OKWR in January 1996 (studio) and my mom, sister, and I stayed in a 2 bedroom in March 1996. This will be my 7th trip to WDW.

DVC Members: I have also used my points to stay at the Disneyland Hotel in California, and I used them for a graduation gift to a friend of the family.

I made our reservations in May 1996 for a one bedroom. I later extended our stay by three nights. Unfortunately, I was 16 points short, so I made a cash reservation for our first night. When my points became valid, I called to try to switch to a point room. None were available, so I was put on the wait list. Within the same week Member Services called to switch over to a point room. Coming from the West Coast I like to make the trip worthwhile and stay for a long enough time to justify the airfare, and we wanted to take this trip at a more relaxed pace (yeah, right) and enjoy OKWR more. I made our reservations for the Hoop Dee Doo as soon as I booked our room, and made our other dining reservations 60 days prior to our check out date. This trip we are eating at new restaurants to us except the Hoop Dee Doo, 50's Prime Time, and Italy at Epcot. Since Bob is Italian, we have to eat in Italy.

We are taking the "red eye" from Seattle (because Bob hates to waste a day flying). We get into MCO at 8:00am. We are renting a car from National. I really like the convenience of having a car, even though it makes my vacation cost more. We like to use it to resort hop, go to the grocery store, and this trip we are going to try to go to Vero Beach for the day and maybe Universal Studios.

This trip we are doing two things that we have never done before, and they are related. First, we are not going to be commando tourists and stay at the parks from opening until closing. We are going to take Brian Bennett's advice and have a mid-day nap or swim. Second, we are taking a pedometer to see how far we DO walk. I've said several times that I felt like we had walked MILES, so now I will know for sure. Hopefully, we really will cover a lot of ground, so I won't feel like a total wimp. <g>

Everything is ready, so all we have to do now is get traveler's checks, give the house keys to the dog sitter, pack, and WDW here we come!!!!

Day 0: Tuesday, March 4

We both took this day off from work even though our flight doesn't leave until 10:00pm. I like the ability to sleep in (we won't get much sleep on the plane), do last minute laundry, and get the house and dog ready for the sitter. My mom is taking us to the airport and will be picking us up too. So, without further ado, "please take small children by the hand move all the way across the row, filling in all available seats."

We left home at 7:45pm for the trip to the airport. We arrived about 1.5 hours early, and checked in with very little wait. We pushed back from the gate at 10:20pm and we are off. Pretty uneventful flight, watched the movie "Michael", and tolerated the drunk guy behind us.

Day 1: Wednesday, March 5

Landed in Atlanta at 5:30am. I have flown into Atlanta before, and have seen a lot of the airport because of switched gates, delayed flights, and have covered many miles. Boy did we get lucky!!! The plane we arrived on, would be the plane going to MCO!!! All we had to do was pick a chair and wait. ;-) Hopefully this would be an omen as to how the rest of our trip would go.

Pushed back from the gate at 7:00am and landed at MCO at 8:05am. Right on time. Got our luggage and rental car (National) with very little wait and we were on the road by 9:00am!!! We decided to take 417 instead of 528 to WDW. 417 is a very nice road, took us about 30 minutes to reach OKWR, and paid $2 in tolls. We later realized that this was the better route because of all the construction on 528 and I-4.

Ahh, I am now on Disney property. Purple road signs, busses, the OKWR guard shack. I tell the guard we are checking in (with BIG grin on my face). He says...Welcome Home. Pinch me, I'm really here!!! Pre-registered (we will be in building 34), picked up our resort IDs, changed our clothes, dropped off luggage, and we are now hungry!! Olivia's was a zoo because of the character breakfast, and McDonald's wasn't really what we wanted, so we decided to check out The Boardwalk.

Drove over to The Boardwalk, showed resort ID to guard, and he waved us in. (For the remainder of the trip, we were waved through all resorts by showing our resort ID.) Spoodles was still serving breakfast, so in we went. It is an "all you can eat" buffet with the usual breakfast stuff (eggs, bacon, fruit, etc.) with a couple of Mediterranean dishes thrown in. Bob thought that It was very good, but I thought that it was nothing special...$25.22 including tax and tip. Walked around The Boardwalk but Bob's feet were getting sore (new sandals) and it was getting into the high 70's, so we cut our exploring of The Boardwalk short, and drove around checking out the rest of WDW. By now we were noticing that we were operating on about 3 hours of airplane sleep, so we headed back to OKWR.

Hung out at the Turtle Pond pool. The main pool by The Hospitality House is being redone because of severe cracks and would be closed until March 23. Swam, dozed, and soaked up the sun. At 3:00pm we pale Pacific Northwest people had had enough sun, so we decided to check on our room. Went to front desk, and WOW, our room was ready. Room 3425. Walked into room at 3:30pm. Unpacked, showered, and went to Olivia's for an early dinner.

Our server Laura was great and Bob had the daily special (sea bass) and I had the grilled shrimp. And of course, we both had key lime pie for dessert...$55.27 including tax and tip. After dinner we went to Goodings for a few groceries (I found out about the Super WalMart later), then came back to OKWR and went for a walk. It was 77 degrees out at 8:00pm!!! Went to bed at 9:00pm, we were tired and wanted to do Early Entry at Magic Kingdom tomorrow.

Day 2: Thursday, March 6.....2.6 miles

Got up around 6:15am...it was foggy and 66 degrees!!! We are not acclimated for this climate, but who cares, we are at WDW!!! Had a granola bar and some juice and we were out the door for Magic Kingdom. Waited about 3 minutes for a bus. Caught the 7:10am bus for Magic Kingdom and waited at turnstiles for about 7 minutes. Entered Magic Kingdom at 7:30 and made a bee-line for Fantasyland. Here is where Early Entry paid off. We rode 10 attractions in 2.5 hours!! The longest we waited in line was 10 minutes for Alien. We rode...Snow White, Peter Pan, Mr. Toad (left side - saw naked lady), Mad Tea Party (my first time EVER and Bob made the tea cup twirl), Tomorrowland Speedway, Space Mountain (2 times back-to-back), Alien, Carousel of Progress, and Tommorrowland Transportation Authority. By now it was 10:00am and we had a 10:30am Priority Seating for Tony's Town Square.

On our way to Tony's, we watched the Magic Kingdom band marching down Main Street. Checked in at Tony's at 10:15am and were seated at 10:20am. Bob had the country frittata with bacon, and I had the 2 eggs scrambled with hash browns, biscuit and bacon. We both had orange juice. and iced tea. Total...$30.55 including tax and tip.

After breakfast we went to the Welcome Center and got our GoH badges and Lithographs. We thought that the preview movie was fine. Not as bad as I had expected from the RADP. Rode the train around Magic Kingdom then had ice cream on Main Street. We then rode the monorail to the Ticket and Transportation Center and transferred to the Epcot monorail. I just love the trip from the Ticket and Transportation Center to Epcot. Got off the monorail and walked to the bus stop for OKWR. Got to bus stop at 12:55pm and the bus arrived at 1:00pm. Why is the OKWR bus stop so far away from the entrance??? Came back to room and napped.

We slept for about 3 hours (remember only airplane sleep the night before) and showered and drove over to the Poly. Caught the monorail over to Magic Kingdom to pick up our photo at the Camera Center. We had to work our way through the SpectroMagic crowds, but made really good time. Rode the monorail back to Poly. We were about 1 hour early for our Priority Seating at Ohana, so we sat in the Tambu Bar and had daiquiris. We watched the Magic Kingdom fireworks and started the compulsion of pressed pennies/quarters. Our Priority Seating was for 8:30pm, and we were seated right on time. Ohana is an "all you can eat" heavy on the meat dinner. We started out with our host explaining that Ohana means family, so we are all cousins now. He took us by the fire pit and explained how the meats were cooked. Had a very nice table by the windows and got to watch the ferries go by, and later the Electrical Water Pageant. Dinner starts out with bread and some unusual salads, then pork sausage, chicken legs, and turkey breast, followed by noodles and stir-fried veggies, then shrimp, beef, and ribs. All the meats are marinated for 72 hours before they are cooked over the wood fire. For dessert we had the pineapple to dip into the caramel sauce <G>, the burnt cream, and the cake with coconut cream filling. (I hope that my clothes fit by the end of this trip)...$65.44 including tax and tip. Before we had dessert an entertainer came out and taught us some hula steps, and had a hula-hoop contest (yes, we hula-hooped, great for the digestion). There was a high school dance team from Utah having dinner there also, and he got them to do a short routine for us. They did very well especially since they didn't have any music.

We waddled out to the car and went back to OKWR to hang out. Went to bed around midnight. Weather should be the same tomorrow, highs 82-85!!

Day 3: Friday, March 7.....2 miles

Slept in until 10:00, got ready and caught the 11:30am bus to Studios. Packed our sweatshirts in a back pack (just in case), so we rented a locker first thing. Went to Muppets with a 10 minute wait, then went to our 12:30pm Priority Seating at Mama Melrose's. We arrived 5 minutes late, and were seated at 12:40pm. Bob had the combo pizza, and I had the 4 cheese pizza. We both had Caesar salads and ice tea...$34.90 including tax and tip.

After lunch we went on the Backstage Tour with a 15 minute wait, then rested in the shade with a snack. Saw Hunchback of Notre Dame show, was good, but Beauty and the Beast is still my favorite. After the Hunchback of Notre Dame show we ran into the Hollywood Hit Men, stopped and listened. They are a great band. We then went on Star Tours (5 minute wait), Tower of Terror (10 minute wait), then we did some shopping and penny/quarter pressing. Put our purchases in the locker, grabbed our sweatshirts and went to our 6:25pm Priority Seating at the Brown Derby.

I didn't know until we checked into OKWR, that Sorcery In The Sky would be going on while we were there. I have NEVER seen Sorcery, so I requested an outside table at the Brown Derby so we could watch the fireworks. We waited about 5 minutes, then we were seated outside. Bob had the tuna steak and I had the filet mignon. We both had the Derby salad and margaritas. For dessert Bob had the Earful Sundae and I had the grapefruit cake...$86.56 including tax and tip. The grapefruit cake was very yummy, I would recommend it highly. As we were eating dessert, Sorcery started. We liked it much more than IllumiNations 25. Decided to change our Priority Seating at 50's Prime Time on Sunday so that we could watch and take pictures of Sorcery.

After dinner and Sorcery, we picked up our pictures at the Dark Room, did a little more shopping and penny pressing, then headed out to the bus stop. Arrived at bus stop at 8:00pm, and a bus pulled up at 8:05pm. After getting back to OKWR I put a load of laundry in (great advantage of the 1 bedroom unit over studio) then we went swimming and sat in the hot tub for a while.

Called home to check on everyone (it has been raining, snowing, and hailing at home), <G> and wrote out a few postcards. Went to bed about 11:00pm.

Day 4: Saturday, March 8.....3.2 miles

Wanted to get up early, but didn't make it until 7:00am (hey, we're on vacation).

Had muffins, Poptarts and juice in the room. Caught the 8:10am bus to Epcot. Weather was sunny, warm, with a slight breeze. Went on Honey I Shrunk the Audience (10 minute wait), Figment (walk on), then walked over to The Land. Went on Living with the Land (walk on), Food Rocks (walk on) and Circle of Life film (5 minute wait). Took a break and had a giant Rice Krispie treat, iced tea and juice...$5.08 including tax.

We had 11:30am Priority Seating for lunch at the Rose and Crown, so at 11:00am when World Showcase opened, we wandered over. Called my sister from the phone booth at UK. Checked in at 11:25am, but they were not ready to seat anyone yet, so we hung around and saw Alice In Wonderland, Tweedle Dee and Dum, and Tigger and Pooh, all hanging out in the UK. Got seated at 11:40am at an outside table right against the railing. We both had fish and chips and iced tea...$33.62 including tax and tip. It was a beautiful day, sunny with a slight wind. I could have sat there with a glass of iced tea all day.

By now we were starting to get warm, and ready to take off our shoes, so we wandered back to Future World, stopping to press pennies along the way. Stopped at Innoventions and played some video games, and drove the formula cars. The formula cars were fun, but pretty spendy ($4 each). I really don't get the purpose of Innoventions. It just seems like a big video arcade. Headed back towards our far, far, away bus stop. Caught the 2:00pm bus back to OKWR. Soaked in the whirlpool tub and rested.

At 5:00pm we drove over to the Beach Club. We walked around the Yacht and Beach Club, then over to The Boardwalk. I would really like to stay at the Yacht and Beach Club some time. The idea of walking to Epcot is really appealing to me. The Boardwalk seems okay, but I would be concerned about the noise level. Walked into Epcot via the World Showcase Promenade. Took our time walking around to Italy for our 7:00pm Priority Seating. Pressed pennies at the AA.

We checked in at Alfredo's at 6:50pm and we were seated at 7:00pm. Bob had lasagna and I had penna Mediterranean. We both had iced tea and chocolate mousse...$55.33 including tax and tip. Finished dinner about 8:20 and began to scout out a place for IllumiNations 25. Found a good spot by France and settled in to wait. IllumiNations 25 was okay, but the old IllumiNations was much better. Wandered back to the Beach Club and drove back to OKWR. Hung out in our room and went to bed around 11:00pm. We are going to try to do Early Entry at the Studios tomorrow.

Day 5: Sunday, March 9.....2.4 miles

Well, so much for Early Entry. We didn't get to the Studios until 9:15, so we headed directly for the 9:45 Beauty and the Beast show. The best show Disney has in the parks IMHO. It always makes me laugh and brings a tear to my eye. Whoever was playing Gaston was the BEST. I would have loved to see it again, just to watch him. GREAT. After Beauty and the Beast, we wandered over to the Soundstage restaurant for our 10:30am Priority Seating. Arrived at 10:20am, and we were seated at 10:30am. This is a great buffet with lots of fresh fruit, bagels and cream cheese, plus the basics (eggs, bacon, etc.)...$34.58 including tax and tip. We got to meet Aladdin, Genie, Esmerelda (who Bob kept calling Jasmine), Quasi (Bob says to him..."I had a hunch you'd be here") and Meeko. Had our pictures taken (yes, I am a big kid) with the characters.

After breakfast we went to Indy (30 minute wait), this show is OK, but couldn't they make some changes to it? We missed the Toy Story parade while we were in Indy, so we went directly to the The Great Movie Ride. Waited about 15 minutes and got the back car (gangster). The guide we had was OK, but our gangster was awesome. He did a great job; was very convincing. I really wanted to see the Voyage of the Little Mermaid, but the line had been reeeaallly long all day. Finally, it was a 10 minute wait, but now I know why...little black bugs were everywhere!!! They were disgusting. Someone said they were "love bugs", but then other people said they weren't. Whatever they were, thank goodness we only ran into them this one time. Voyage of the Little Mermaid is great. I don't care that it is marketed to kids, it is one of my favorites!!

Now it was decision time, do we go back to OKWR for an hour, or do we take a break, and hang out until our 5:45pm Priority Seating at 50's Prime Time. Well, we decided to hang out at the Studios. It wasn't worth the travel time to go back to OKWR for 1 hour. We sat and had ice cream in the shade, then decided to do the Backstage Tour again, then got something to drink and watched people go by. We were sitting by one of the kiosks that make the red badges, so I decided now was the time to have them made for us, and to take them home as souvenirs for my family. We had rested a while, so we decided to do the Muppets again.

Now comes the memories that vacations are made of...On our way to the Muppets we decided to do a restroom break. I was on my way to the restroom when... I got pooped on by a bird!!! Not only down the front of my shirt, but on the back. I rushed into the restroom, ripped my shirt off, and started to rinse it out. It was still stained, but the big hunks were gone, except that it was pretty wet. Put my shirt back on and went to the restroom only to have the zipper in my shorts break!!! As I stood there in a very wet shirt and shorts with a broken zipper I had to wonder if we should have gone back to OKWR for an hour <g>. At least then I wouldn't have gotten pooped on, and my zipper probably would have broken at a place where I could easily replace my shorts. Oh well. I got the zipper to work, and prayed for very few restroom stops between now and when we got back to OKWR.

Since it was a warm day I thought that I could make it with a wet shirt, so we went to the Muppets (10 minute wait). By the time we got out of the Muppets I couldn't stand it anymore...I had to buy a new shirt!!! We stopped off at the gift shop outside the Muppets and I bought a 25th anniversary T-shirt. Ahh, much better. By now it was time to wander over to the 50's Prime Time for our 5:45 Priority Seating. We checked in at 5:30, and went to wait in the bar. We both had daiquiris...$10.07 including tax. We waited about 10 minutes, but boy was it worth it.

Our waiter was Ray, and he was excellent. The lady at the table next to us got the "airplane treatment" and another lady got the "choo-choo train treatment". Bob and I both got into the clean plate club. <g> Bob had the pot roast and a hot fudge sundae, and I had the beef stroganoff and the smores...$46.20 including tax and tip. Ray was totally in character and very fun. This was a very enjoyable dining experience for both of us. The food was very good, and the smores were yummy. There were 20 marshmallows on top!!!

After dinner staked out a place in front of the Chinese Theater for Sorcery in the Sky, and again it was great. I loved the music and the big inflatable Mickey Mouse. If we had to choose between Sorcery and IllumiNations 25, we would choose Sorcery every time!!!

After Sorcery we took our time leaving the park. We got to the bus stop about 8:30pm and waited about 10 minutes for a bus. Got back to OKWR and soaked in the whirlpool tub and did a load of laundry. Tomorrow is the day I have been looking forward to...the Backstage Tour.

Day 6: Monday, March 10.....2.5 miles

Got up around 7:00am and had a good breakfast before we left for Epcot. We drove over to Epcot because I didn't want to risk the bus system on something so important and expensive. The price was $128 paid with my AMEX card.

We were met by our host Doug outside of Epcot Guest Relations at 8:45am. There were 17 of us for the tour. We had a very nice mini-bus driven by a nice driver named Jan. On board we had a cooler full of water and pop at our disposal. On our way to our first stop Doug gave us some Disney trivia like the WDW property is 49 square miles and only 30 percent of the land is developed, and they have 30,000 cast members and growing.

Our first stop was the American Adventure at Epcot. We entered through the back door and into the area behind the stage and screen viewed by the audience. There we saw the computers that control the entire show. Once the show is started for the day, no one is back stage. The audio-animatronic figures are in a large metal cage called the War Wagon. The War Wagon actually starts out under the audience and as the show progresses, ends up all the way backstage. The film that is shown is 3,030 feet long, the longest film anywhere. These audio animatronic figures are the most complex on the property except for the Wicked Witch in the The Great Movie Ride at MGM. When the Animal Kingdom opens, it will have 4th generation (or the most complex) audio-animatronic figures in it. All audio animatronic figures have human hair wigs, but the "face" characters have synthetic hair wigs because of the heat and humidity. Jasmine just couldn't have a bad hair day. <g> Doug also explained that there are two codes that cast members use to describe an attraction: Code 101 means that the attraction is broken, and Code 102 means that the attraction is up and running.

Next stop, the Living Seas. We were escorted "through" the hydrolaters directly to Sea Base Alpha. The aquarium is so large that you could put Spaceship Earth inside it and still have 10 feet of open space around Spaceship Earth. We went to the top of the aquarium and watched the divers feeding the fish. The sharks are fed from the side of the aquarium every other day so that they do not get too hungry. Since they are fed from the side of the aquarium, they do not bother the divers, since they do not associate them with food. Back at Sea Base Doug pointed out the small letters and large numbers on the beams. Since Imagineers cannot sign their work, they try to find different ways to identify themselves. At Sea Base the numbers are the Imagineers birth dates, and the small letters are their initials. Doug said that the same thing was done at Star Tours on the packages you see being loaded onto the Star Speeders in the pre show area.

Next stop, Body Wars, but unfortunately Body Wars was Code 101, so we did not have an opportunity to see the simulators work.

Next stop the animator's building by MGM. While on our way to MGM Doug asked if anyone knew what Epcot stood for, of course I knew, but no one else does. So I tell Doug...Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow...Every Paycheck Comes On Thursday...Every Person Comes Out Tired...Excruciating Polyester Costumes Of Torture. Doug was really surprised...I had stolen all his jokes. <g>

We were met by Tom who is an instructor at the Disney Institute. He taught us how to draw Goofy and Pumba. First we drew Goofy, but since animation is a cooperative art, we started our drawing then passed it to the person on our left. We added some to our "new" drawing, then passed that drawing to the person on our left. We finished with the 3rd drawing we got. Then we drew Pumba, but we worked on it totally by ourselves. They turned out pretty good. At least we could recognize who we had drawn.

Next stop was LUNCH at Mama Melrose's. They had two tables set up for us in the back. They served us family style. We had the Caesar salad, lasagna, cheese pizza, seafood fettuccine, and a pasta with marinara sauce. They then gave us a sampler plate of desserts. We were joined by a Streetmosphere Character during lunch. She was really good, and played Trivial Pursuit with us during lunch. After lunch she joined us on the bus, then dropped out of character to explain her job. Here name was Allison, and she had been in the Hoop Dee Doo for several years before becoming a Streetmosphere Character. She really enjoys her job.

Next stop was back to the animation building where we got to paint our own Mickey cell. The trick to successful cell painting is to dab the paint on thickly, and to stay inside the outer black lines. We also watched a video on Hercules which will be released this summer. We left our cells to dry, and we will come pick them up at the end of the day.

On our way to Central Shops, Doug asked if anyone knew why Tower of Terror is only 199 feet tall. Well, of course I knew. Because if it was 200 feet tall, it would have to have a big airplane light on top, and that would ruin the theme. By now Doug was beginning to wonder if I was a plant!! <g>

At Central Shops these people make everything...if you need it, they can do it. We got to see portions of the Tree of Life for the Animal Kingdom, and got to see them making the character heads. All the heads are made in Florida for consistency. Met Isle, the lady who hand paints the carrousel horses. Each horse is different, and they have a "show side" and a "back side". The show side is much more elaborate. She was putting 24k gold leaf on a horse while we were there. In Central Shops they have even made metal look like wood. The signs and garbage cans that look like wood and actually metal.

Next stop, the parade area behind Splash Mountain. Got to see the SpectroMagic Floats and the preparation for the Easter Parade. Also go to see the floats that make up the electrical water pageant. This parade was the forerunner of the Electrical Light Parade.

Next stop, the Magic Kingdom Utilidors!!! The Utilidors are all color coded so you can look at the map and find out where you are by the color stripe on the wall. Got to see the "smell canister" that provides that chocolate chip cookie smell on Main Street. Went into the main computer room and say rows of computers labeled "Pirates", "Peter Pan", etc. We then got to meet the man monitoring the Remember The Magic Parade. On the computer is the parade route and each float is a "blip" on the screen. He can communicate with the driver to let them know whether to slow down, speed up, or anything else that might come up. We watched part of the parade via a camera on the castle. We left the computer room and walked towards Main Street. We popped on stage by the Welcome Center just in time to watch the parade. The parade was OK. I'm glad that I didn't wait an hour on the curb to watch it.

Basically, that ended our tour. We went back to the animation building to pick up our cells, then back to Epcot guest relations.

We went back to OKWR, and decided to go swimming. We walked down to the Turtle Pond pool. Just as we were getting ready to jump in, two cast members come running up to the pool telling everyone to get out of the pool IMMEDIATELY. THE POOL IS CLOSED!!! Well, a small child had pooped in the pool, and they had to clean it, and cycle everything through the filters which would take about 1.5 hours. This was REALLY a bummer especially since the main pool was already closed for repairs. We walked back to our room, and jumped in the car and went to the pool at South Point. That pool is nice, and has a nice view of the Trumbo Canal. Swam for a while, then went to dinner at Olivia's. Bob had the ½ of a broiled chicken and I had the sirloin steak. We both had iced tea and key lime pie...$52.30 including tax and tip.

After dinner we went over to the Marketplace and spent a couple hours and a couple hundred of dollars. I could have spent days in the World of Disney Store (but I guess that's the point). The Christmas Shoppe is also one of my favorites. Loaded up our purchases, and headed back to OKWR. Went to bed around 11:00pm. Universal tomorrow.

Day 7: Tuesday, March 11.....3.2 miles

Got up around 7:00 and had a light breakfast in the room. Since we were doing the Hoop Dee Doo tonight, I decided to stop by the front desk on our way to Universal to pick up our Hoop Dee Doo tickets. I didn't have to wait in line at the front desk, but that was where the wait ended. The girl couldn't get the tickets to print out, then when she did, it was on plain paper instead of the official paper. Instead of trying to reprint it (20 minutes had gone by), she decided to hand write the information on the official paper. She assured me that the hand written tickets would work. I left hoping that she was right.

Drove to Universal with no problem. They have a very nice parking garage (we parked in King Kong 311), but you have to walk and walk and walk to get to the front gate. No trams to transport you, but at least your car stays cool. I had decided to follow the Unofficial Guide's Tour Plan today. So once we got in we made a beeline to BTTF. Only one word describes this attraction. YUCK. I'm glad it was basically a walk on, because if I had waited in a line, I definitely would not have been happy. We then went on ET (cute), Jaws (very good), and Earthquake (good). We then stopped for lunch at Mel's Drive In. Basic bad hamburgers and fries...$18.08 including tax. Then went on King Kong (what's all the hype about?), Hanna -Barbera (cute), and T2 (excellent).

By now we had seen all the big attractions, and decided to do some shopping. We found some great Scooby Doo stuff for my nephew Victor. He is a big Scooby fan. It was getting really hot so we left around 1:45pm and went back to OKWR. We napped and relaxed until it was time to get ready for the Hoop Dee Doo.

Drove over to Fort Wilderness, and caught the bus to Pioneer Hall. We checked in and yes, our hand written tickets will work. Had some time to kill before our 7:15pm Hoop Dee Doo, so we went to the Trading Post and looked around (more pressed pennies), then went to the petting zoo and saw Mickey Moo and some cute goats. We watched the peacocks until it was time for dinner.

Our table was #13, and we were right up front, center stage. Ya Hoo---Hoop De Doo!! The show was great, one of the best that I've ever seen there, and the food was good also, except that the corn is not on the cob anymore, and it was too spicy...$93.44 including tax and tip. After dinner we wandered down to the lake to watch the Electrical Water Pageant. After the EWP, we made our way to the bus stop, and waited, and waited, and waited. I wish that we had parked at the Wilderness Lodge, there were 3 Crockett busses for every 1 Chip or Dale. Finally got on a bus, and we were rewarded by a very personable driver. He was great. Telling jokes, and making the ride back very enjoyable. Got back to OKWR about 10:30pm. Did some laundry and caught up on my notes for this trip report.

Day 8: Wednesday, March 12.....2.4 miles

We slept in today until 9:00am. Did a couple loads of laundry, then left for The Disney Vacation Club at Vero Beach. Stopped at the front desk to get driving directions, and we were off. It was about 2 hours of very flat and somewhat boring landscape. Also, I now know why the construction cone is the official tree of Florida. They were doing construction everywhere!!!

We had lunch at Shutters, the restaurant at Vero Beach. We both had the shrimp Caesar salad, ice tea, and key lime pie...$40.60 including tax and tip. The key lime pie at Olivia's is MUCH better than at Vero.

Vero is beautiful. Very laid back and relaxing. We walked along the beach and in the Atlantic (which was 75 degrees that day). We found some great shells and a rock shaped like Mickey!!! We did some exploring of the grounds, then sat on the back verandah in rocking chairs listening to the ocean and watching the kids play on the back lawn. I didn't want to leave. Now I want to come back.

Drove back to OKWR and ran into a rain shower or two when we got onto 528, but by the time we got back to OKWR, it was all over. Stopped by Goodings to pick up a few groceries. Then went to play Fantasia Golf. We decided to play the gardens instead of the fairways. The course is a lot of fun, and has some surprises. I beat Bob by one stroke...$19.08 including tax. The golf is a lot of fun, and I would not recommend playing in the heat of the day...there is no shade.

By now we were getting hungry so we decided to head over to Dixie Landings to try out their food court. We check in at the guard shack and proceed to the parking lot. Something is wrong, I can barely see the signs, and here comes a lady through the parking lot with a flashlight??? A power outage?!? We think, well let's try Port Orleans. Stop at guard shack and he explains that the power is out at Dixie Landings, Port Orleans, OKWR, and the Magic Kingdom!!! Great. So now what? We decided to go back to the Boardwalk and have some of the pizza we saw earlier. Get to The Boardwalk and it is a zoo. We have to valet park (no charge to resort guests), and wander over to The Boardwalk. We order our pizza at the outside window at Spoodles. We had the fresh basil and tomato pizza and iced teas...$17.39 including tax. We watched part of IllumiNations and wandered around The Boardwalk.

Picked up our car and went back to OKWR about 10:30pm. Yes, all the clocks were flashing, our power had been out for about 1.5 hours. We went right to bed because we wanted to do Early Entry at the Magic Kingdom again tomorrow.

Day 9: Thursday, Mach 13.....3.8 miles

Got up about 6:30am, but didn't get out to catch a bus until 7:30am, and arrived at Magic Kingdom about 7:45. Not early enough :o( Made a beeline for Fantasyland and rode Cinderella's Carrousel (with a new appreciation since meeting Isle), then It's a Small World. We then went back to the hub for rope drop into Adventureland. Went on Jungle Cruise (5 minute wait), Pirates (walk on) Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (10 minute wait), then Splash Mt. (40 minute wait). The PC Pirates are OK. I still don't understand the need to change it. Splash Mt. was of course the best. We had to buy the picture. I had my mouth wide open!!! We then checked out the Haunted Mansion, but the line was way too long, so we wandered back to El Pirata for lunch. Bob had the nachos and I had the taco salad and we both had iced teas...$13.40 including tax. Of the counter service restaurants in the Magic Kingdom, this one is one of the best IMHO.

Decided to check out the Haunted Mansion again, but stopped in Liberty Square for ice cream. Haunted Mansion was still a zoo, so we went through Fantasyland on our way back to Main Street. As we headed towards the castle-cake, the sky was looking pretty black, the wind was coming up, and what was that smell in the air??? Rain, and lots of it. We waited out the rain inside the castle for about 40 minutes, and tried to decide if we wanted to become one of the yellow poncho people. The rain let up, and we headed for Main Street to call home, and to do some shopping and to press some more pennies. Hopped the bus back to OKWR, and it started to rain again. We rested and got ready for our dinner at Chefs de France.

Drove over to the Beach Club and walked to Epcot. We had an OK dinner. The food was good, Bob had the shrimp and I had the veal chop. We both had house salads, iced tea, and we shared a caramel cream...$75.82 including tax and tip. The service was slow, and we were seated next to the "devil family". There were three adults and two children. We should have known it was an omen when we were being seated and the boy almost pulled everything off our table. Now don't get me wrong, I like children, but I have certain standards of behavior in a sit down restaurant. My standards will not tolerate hand-to-hand combat with your sister, pushing your sister off the bench seat, standing on your head on the bench seat...well, you get the point. Finally, I very gently tapped the boy on the shoulder and asked him to please sit down. His father agreed that that was a good idea. Duh? Fortunately, my request had the proper effect on the boy, and he behaved for the rest of dinner. It is this type of family where I don't blame the children. It's the parents!!!! Okay...I feel better now.

After dinner we went to AA and we just love this show. It is very moving and a "don't miss" on our list. We then staked out a place for IllumiNations 25. We didn't like it any better than the first time. Walked back over to the Beach Club, got our car, and home to OKWR. Tomorrow is our last full day :o(

Day 10: Friday, March 14.....4 miles

We were going to do Early Entry at Epcot today, but when we got up it was pouring.

Not raining, pouring. So we rolled over and went back to sleep for a while. When we got up, it had stopped raining and we caught the 8:45am bus to the Studios. I must digress here for a minute...when we started this trip, I had brought the list of pressed pennies/quarters from Deb's web site. I had thought that we would pick up a few here and there. Well, it started to become a obsession, and Bob decided that we should try to get all of them!!! So, last night I made a list of the one's we were missing from the theme parks, and our quest begins at the Studios.

We went to TOT and pressed the quarters that we were missing, then headed out of the park. We stopped to watch some great Streetmosphere characters on Hollywood Blvd., then we caught the launch for Epcot. We rode to the Yacht Club, then walked over to Epcot. We went to Future World and went on the Living Seas (10 minute wait), then had lunch at The Land. Bob had the Italian Sub, I had the ham and cheese sandwich, and we both had iced teas and yummy strawberry shortcake...$19.58 including tax.

After lunch we went to Ellen's Energy Adventure (too long), then Horizons (probably for the last time). I'll miss the orange smell. Then to Spaceship Earth. Got the rest of the pressed pennies at Centorium, and rode the monorail over to Magic Kingdom. I wish they would expand the monorail, its one of my favorite rides. Now the pressed penny patrol really begins. We went up and down Main Street through all the shops, then went over to the Haunted Mansion. I think that this Haunted Mansion is better than Disneyland's. We then went in the Lion King. Very well done. Then we popped into Country Bears to get my pressed pennies, then over to Liberty Tree Tavern for our 6:30pm Priority Seating. Checked in at 6:20pm and we were seated at 6:30pm. While we were waiting a "Disney suit" came in with a family of four and seated them immediately at a table. Hummm?? Then as we were finishing up our dinner he came into our area and seated a large family of 10. Hummm?? What's going on??? Anyway, our dinner was very good, and Bob liked the fact that he could have as much mashed potatoes as he could eat...$51.30 including tax and tip. We got to meet Minnie, Meeko, Chip and Dale, and Goofy. I would recommend this restaurant very highly. Now here is where my planning really paid off. It is now 8:00pm, we walk out of the restaurant, and found a great place for SpectroMagic. I just love this parade. We had ice cream and churros while we waited. After Spectro we wandered towards Main Street and found a great place on the bridge between Liberty Square and the hub to watch the fireworks and Tinkerbell's flight.

Now comes the really sad part...leaving the Magic Kingdom for the last time. I always stand at the train station and look up Main Street towards the castle one last time. It almost brings tears to my eyes. I say good-bye to Mickey for this trip, and we head towards the bus stop. Wow, there is a bus waiting. We jump on and head back to OKWR. I finished up the laundry (I ended up coming home with one load of laundry to do), and prepared for check out tomorrow.

We have a 5:55pm flight tomorrow, so we were trying to decide what to do tomorrow. We decide that we should visit the rest of the resorts and get the rest of our pressed pennies/quarters!!! I know, we are certifiable by now. <g>

Day 11: Saturday, March 15

Got up at 8:30am and started packing. How DO we get all this stuff home??? Well, we managed it, and we were showered, packed, and ready to go by 10:45am. Went to Hospitality House and tried to leave our luggage with them so we could resort hop. Well, they couldn't take our luggage because they had a ton of people checking in, and they didn't have room. Great. Now what do we do?? We don't want to leave our luggage in the car unattended, and it was going to be in the mid-80s today. We regroup and decide that we still want to get the rest of the pressed pennies/quarters, so I drove to all the resorts, dropped Bob off, and he went inside and got the coins, then I'd pick him up. We went to Port Orleans, Dixie Landing, Wilderness Lodge, Contemporary, Poly, Grand Floridian, All Stars, and Caribbean Beach. It only took us about 2 hours!!!

Now we are hungry, so we head back to OKWR for a final meal at Olivia's. We found a place to park in the shade, and head to Olivia's. The bell people were right...they had luggage stacked everywhere!! Bob had the club sandwich and a cup of soup, I had the prime rib sandwich and the house salad. We both had iced teas and key lime pie...$44.88 including tax and tip. After lunch we strolled around Turtle Crawl and did some last minute shopping at the OKWR store. By now is was heading toward 3:15pm, and time to get gas and head for the airport. We gassed up the car, and headed to MCO.

Returned the car no problem, and then made our way into the terminal. The Delta area was a zoo!!! Long, long lines and people and luggage everywhere. I check outside, and there is no one there!! We head outside and check in our luggage with maybe a 10 minute wait. We head towards the gate, and Bob spies a toy that he thinks Victor needs, so we buy that and head to the gate to wait.

We pushed back about 10 minutes late. It was a very uneventful flight. We were fed lasagna for dinner, and watched the movie The Preacher's Wife. We landed in Salt Lake City about 10 minutes late, and Bob's brother and family had come from South Jordan, Utah to see us during our layover. We had a very quick family reunion, then time to get back on a plane for the longest two hours. I always hate going home.

We arrived in Seattle about 10 minutes late (notice a pattern?), and my mom and sister were there to pick us up. We waited a long time for our luggage, and one of my bags was the last one off. Got home safely.

Conclusions and last thoughts:

It still amazes me how we could have 10 days and still not do everything we wanted to do. Just think what it will be like when the Animal Kingdom opens. Taking a break in the middle of the day was new to us, and it was one of the best things we did. It made the evenings more enjoyable. I really noticed a difference in our energy levels and attitudes the days we did not take the break.

Since the cost of food is always a big discussion, here is a short breakdown of what we spent on food:

Breakfast 78.35

Lunch 171.58

Dinner 501.05

Snacks 91.03

Groceries 56.03

Tips 138.00

Total Food 1,036.04

• Best Show: Beauty and the Beast
• Favorite Ride Magic Kingdom: The Mountains (Splash, Thunder, Space)
• Favorite Ride Epcot: Honey, I Shrunk the Audience
• Favorite Ride MGM: Muppets
• Biggest Disappointment: Main pool being closed at OKWR
• Favorite Dining Experience: 50's Prime Time
• Favorite Character Meal: Liberty Tree Tavern
• Biggest Surprise: How well Early Entry worked at Magic Kingdom
• Most Lousy Guest: The family next to us at Chefs de France
• Best CM: The magic was alive, they were all great
• Favorite Parade: SpectroMagic
• Best Fireworks: Sorcery in the Sky
• Favorite Snack: Mickey Ice Cream Bars (Bob), Churros (Gaylene)

Will we go again? You bet. Will it be soon enough? Definitely not. Hope that I didn't bore anyone too badly, and if you want more information, please e-mail me.

Gaylene Gray

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