Trip Reports

I am too lazy to break down the report by days, so here goes a condensed version of events and opinions of this trip:

Day 1 May 22 Saturday:

Arrived a DxL at about 6:30 building 16. Plenty of time to make it to the Contemporary for the Chef Mickey's Character Dinner, NOT!!!. Big mistake: rely on WDW transportation. The bus to the Contemporary took 45 min to show up and that was besides the time it took to not be able to pick any passengers at PI and the West Side. Arrived at 9:30. The Cast members were understanding enough to still let us in. However my aunt and cousins opted to watch the fireworks instead. If you guys are reading this thanks anyway, really appreciate the gesture. Nice view from the observation deck, I felt kind of uncomfortable walking around the tables at the California Grill, Oh well.

Day 2 May 23 Sunday:

What else can we do but MK, it's the best way to jump start the vacation. First thing Splash, we were almost the first to get in. Some guy lifted his arms and covered my cousins face, bad picture shame, you could see how my aunt and I come from the same family, we both scream the same way, you just have to look at our faces. Next BTMR no line, rest of the day almost no line for the rest of the day except for Dumbo. I was afraid my little 7 yo cousin would be afraid of AE, never mind, she wants to go in again. SM no problem, she was hoping it would turn her upside down but still liked it. Damn, Pooh is not done yet, still needs some paint on the facade, hope is open soon.

The next two days were Universal, if you dont want to read about it skip till wednesday. I will include this, I do not care if I get flamed:

Day 3 May 24 Monday:

Bought tickets for both Universal Parks. Impressive Parking lot. This Citiwalk thing looks kind of crowded but cool, only drawback I prefer going to PI with free parking than driving further to pay parking at a place I can do the same things that I can do at PI. Today we do the Studios. Horrible, just Horrible: very long lines to get tickets, we are told that a new window will open and we move there, it opened 20 minutes later: The little respect I got for Universal is fading, quick. First thing T2 very cool, The rest of the day mainly lines. MEntal note: Never go into Nickelodeon again. Twister was Ok, liked the Hercules and Xena show, this last two were the only new things since I went there last. Universal it's still not my kind of place. Ate at a Pizza Hut while lost loking for another exit to I-4

Day 4 May 25 Tuesday:

IOA, A lighthouse as the gate to enter, unimpressive, I don’t get it. The theming is very good though. WDW watch out. The islands are very well done, some of them will need a lot of upkeep, I hope, for their own sake that the keep it the way they look now. Spiderman is Awesome. I, not a coaster fan, specially the ones that put you upside down, rode the Hulk, I still can't believe it, It was not as bad as it looks, the problem is the floor keeps moving under you after you get off. as per Dr Doom: ToT still better. The raft ride was closed all day and I chickened out of ripsaw falls, My cousins take ( both the 10 and 7 yo): Splash was much more fun. JP was not as good as I thought it would, way short and unimpressive, I keep CTX. The "living" dino was funny, hour and a half wait for the Pteranodon Flyers, Never mind, it looks stupid anyway. The lost continent is amazingly done, very impressive. I was still dizzy from hulk and did not ride the DD, I regret it now. That Sinbad show was kind of corny, I still like Indy better. Poseidon's Fury was very good, great perplexed faces at the end of the show, awesome effects. Thought the Cat in the hat was nice soft ending to the day WRONG, I should have gone in the Hulk again for a milder effect. This got me really dizzy, it was fun though, well done. That fish thing looks refreshing. Shoot, I forgot I wanted green eggs and Ham, well maybe next time. Yes, Unlike Universal Studios, to IOA I will come back.

Day 5 May 26, Wednesday:

We'll try to take advantage of Surprise mornings. The buses are working wonderfully for us. First the tower, everybody is very tense, but might as well get it over with early in the day. as we are ascending my cousin has a panic attack and bites me OUCH. Just one SMACK!!! in the head does the job, he apologizes and the ride goes on. He held me down to the bar, this new sequence feels stupid, I liked it better before. Big mistake, wrong day to come to the park, horrible lines. Mental note: avoid surprise mornings at all costs!!! We left at 1pm to wait forever for a bus to go back to DxL. From now on we use the car. To Typhoon Lagoon we go, Love the big waves and body slides things BB is missing. After a couple of hours, we decide to head back to the Studios and see Fantasmic!, and Indy just before that. We got to F! an hour before, and it was already SRO!!! how come?, there was two shows that night This is ridiculous. Well enjoyed F! anyway; however IMHO F! could be much better than it already is, Mermaids Myths and Monsters awed me at SeaWorld (Shame they pulled the plug), F! makes me cry with the songs and characters.

Day 6 May 27, Thursday:

Epcot, Test track was fun, I really enjoyed the exhibit during the short line at 9:00 in the morning. Not too many people at the park, very relaxed day. we planned to do the same as the day before and go to River Country or BB, but after going around the countries and browsing for 3 hours in Innoventions, we ended up staying all day and watching illuminations. Only complaints, Bubble Nicholas had no bubble, and every time a WS show was about to start the performers had to pull out due to scattered showers. Missed the Chinese acrobats and the candy lady at Japan. Could not help it, I got to see Star Wars, I can't hold it anymore. So AMC here I come. I was not disappointed, but it is not the greatest movie ever.

DAY 7 May 28, Friday:

AK, now we get the chance for a character breakfast, no reservation, and no waiting that was fun, but the kids did not enjoy the food, I think they were just acting up. Me, I really ate, made the price of the meal worth for all five of us. Taking advantage of the early hours we ventured into CTX, I did not want to warn them af the shakiness because then they'll want to leave it till later, when there is a line! They loved it and nobody got sick. everything was great. That new raft ride at Asia was kind of short though, but beware, you WILL get wet, soaked or dilluted in water depends on your luck. I got half wet, my aunt was dripping all the way from her underwear. I loved the bats and the tiger enclosure. We closed the day by going to the bug movie twice and to CTX again. A menacing cloud is on the horizon, we better get out of here. Barely made it to the car, whoever was waiting for the next tram I felt sorry for. I should watch the weather channel early before going to the parks. After the storm cleared: Shopping at the Marketplace, We almost got kicked out of the WOD store, we were the last ones out, I think.

Day 8 May 29, Saturday:

Being the beginning of a three day weekend, forget the parks. BB for most of the day. That got me really tanned. We did the Family raft ride twice, this is much better than the one at Typhoon. My aunt did the double dipper and so did my cousin, the one that bit me on the ToT. I dont get it. I could recognize the screams a mile away. That night we headed back to MK and rode BTMR and SM again forget the hour wait for Splash, I endured the scariest ride of all: IASW and we watched the MSEP twice, I like this better than Spectromagic. Pooh was still closed but It looked finished this time.

Day 9 May 30, Sunday:

We overslept, of all days, the one we oversleep is the day we check out. 45 minutes and we broke a record including showering, packing and all the rest of the morning routine. Forgetting that it was surprise morning day for MGM we went there anyway, just to finish because we had not seen any shows like Hunchback, B&B and Doug, Doug was pretty cool liked the opening in particular, just like the cartoon. And to say goodbye, I rode the tower again, only with my aunt since nobody else dared. I can't believe I convinced her to ride hands free. WOW! this is much better than the old sequence, I did not feel anything because I was held down, now this new sequence is cool. does not give you time to see the RnR Coaster though.

Well then I drove back to South FLA and end of story.

The lessons I learned:

Never rely on WDW transportation if you need to get somewhere, anywhere.
On site is kind of cool, but it does not cut it for me. The theming may be nice, but I just go to the Hotel to sleep mainly. I can get a Hotel just as close to property for half the price.
Surprise Mornings are out of the picture!!!
Write down where you parked if you are going twice to the same park, it's confusing when you mix it up with the last time you parked, and it is not funny.
Don't let anyone hold you down while on the ToT.
Never use new shoes when going to WDW.
Don't fall asleep at a water park without some sunblock on your face.
Ride everything, NO FEAR, No regrets.
Scream moderately on a RollerCoaster, your mouth gets really dry if you scream all the way till you can't scream no more.
Juan Carlos Bordo

juan.bordo@gte.net

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