Trip Reports

Introduction:

The following is a trip report for our February 25th - March 3rd trip to Walt Disney World.

Cast of Characters:

Me (Tim) - 32 yr. old retail store owner, father, and 2-time veteran of Disney World as an adult and 1-time for Disney Land as a kid.
Deanna (my wife of 7 years) - 31 yr. old mom of two, homemaker, pt sales clerk at a major dept. store chain, 5-time veteran, trip coordinator, and avid trip report reader.
Sara - 3 1/2 yr. old daughter, pre-school student, 1-time veteran, and all around daredevil.
Michael - 18 mo. old son, menace when he sets his mind to it (but generally pleasant fellow), and 1-time veteran as well.
Background:

Our previous trip to Disney was in mid-February of 1998. We only spent 4 days at Disney, but thanks to our diligent planning and preparation (reading every trip report we could get our hands on) it left an indelible twinkle in all our eyes.

Now some might say that bringing children so young (particularly our son, who was a mere 6 months at the time of our first visit) is a waste of money and pure torture, but we beg to differ. Sara was fearless even at 2 1/2 yrs. and Michael, to this day, perks-up and smiles from ear to ear at the image of Mickey or at the sound of "When you wish upon a star".

Initial Planning For The Upcoming Trip:

Our last trip went so well that we decided not to tamper with fate and chose to repeat all the aspects that went so swimmingly. First and foremost, we plan on avoiding the crowded airports (O’Hare & Midway) and fly out of Mitchell in Milwaukee. Not only is it less hectic, but it is a short enough drive (about an hour or so), and it’s a bit cheaper to boot. As before, we’re gonna stay at a motel near the airport the night before our flight due to the 6:15 am departure time (Ouch!). Transportation from Orlando Airport to our hotel went smoothly and classily last time with Florida Towncar so we decided to repeat that as well.

Our accommodations for our 6 night stay will be at the neighbor resort to that of our prior stay (All Star Music) in the newly opened All Star Movies. AS Music was charming and inexpensive, but we were curious about the new resort, having seen it under construction last year. By the way, we just love "new" stuff to begin with. We will be relying solely on Disney transportation for the entire stay due to our aversion to car rental agencies, parking in immense parking lots, and returning to a broiling auto after a hot day at the parks (if we even manage to find our auto in the first place). A particular plus for us is the ease with which the busses allow hopping from property to property.

Day by Day Journal:

Thursday, February 25

We awoke at 3:30am at the Milwaukee Red Roof Inn to discover that a smooth coating of ice had formed on every imaginable surface outside in the parking lot. The 2 inches of slushy snow that had fallen the evening prior had formed a slick glaze. After rousting the kids from their peaceful slumbers at this ungodly hour, we headed out cautiously toward Milwaukee’s Mitchell Airport for our 6:15 departure. Our flight was on-time and we left for Memphis (our stopover) without a hitch. The brief layover in Memphis was a breeze and we were on board for the final leg on route to Orlando’s International Airport. We arrived ahead of schedule at 11:30. Our Florida Towncar driver was punctual and polite. He popped a tape into the car’s cassette deck of Disney tunes to put us in the mood for the trip to come and "when you wish upon a star" came on just as we entered Disney property putting lumps in our throats. Our daughter, unfortunately, missed out on the magic of the moment by napping for the whole drive.

AS Movies is just as gaudy as it’s AS neighbors even though it wasn’t completely finished yet. Check-in went smoothly and we were instructed to call after 4pm to find out what room we were assigned in our building of choice, 101 Dalmatians. After a quick stop at the restrooms to don our shorts and T-shirts, we were off to the food court for lunch. Just as we had hoped, our mugs from AS Music from last spring were sufficient to get free drinks. They look identical to Movies mugs with the exception of a musical note where the film reel should be. The kids had grilled cheese and Deanna and I each got the philly cheese-steak sandwich (bring breath mints if planning on getting one of these due to the overabundance of onion bits).

Just after lunch we decided to try Animal Kingdom for the first time since most trip reports said the park clears out around 1pm and we were arriving at the gate at 1:30. Everybody was right about the time of day because the crowds were exiting pretty steadily. The walkways here are very narrow and difficult to negotiate with a stroller (even a lightweight one).

Our top priority here was to do Kilamonjaro Safari and the wait wasn’t all that bad at 35 minutes (after all, we were fresh and rarin’ to go). We really enjoyed the ride and our guide helped smooth-over the lame poacher storyline with some David Spade-like cynicism. I particularly enjoyed his comments about the naked mole-rat. Even the awkward moment of an elephant relieving himself was lightened by a few snickering remarks (btw, I took a great action photo of the event). From there on in the attractions were all walk-ons.

Next we strolled the walkways through the Tree of Life to view It’s Tough To Be a Bug. The absence of a que allowed us to casually meander and take in all the ornate details of the Tree and it’s roots. The kids handled the show well although a handful of other children crumbled midway through and were escorted out. Sara especially liked the part with the stink bug.

Our final must-see at AK was The Festival of the Lion King show. Along the way to the theater we came across a greeting area for Pooh, Tigger, and Eeyore. Michael was fixated on Pooh the whole time there. Before we entered the line for the show we came across Baloo, Rafiki, and King Louie for some more photos and autographs (btw, King Louie is one of the only characters who can’t sign autographs due to his elongated hands). Before our 4:30 show we were entertained by the Woodchucks. Michael was mesmerized by the show and was on his feet clapping to the music with a big grin on his face.

Following the show we left the park and returned to our hotel. Despite the fact that we had requested a ground floor room, we found ourselves on the top floor (oh well, at least they got the building right). Once in our room we changed to warmer clothes and headed for Epcot to make our 7:15 PS at the Garden Grill. We had some time to kill upon entering the park so we decided to do Spaceship Earth for the first time and it was a walk-on. This ride is very well done and meaningful. It makes you think as you leave. At the Garden Grill we were seated immediately and really enjoyed the fare. Although Michael slept through the entire meal, Sara loved all the characters (Chip, Mickey, Chip again, Pluto, Chip again, and finally Dale). Our server was sharp as a tack and very conscientious. The whole rotating room thing is a bit dizzying, however. Deanna and I really loved the rotisserie chicken and marinated flank steak. Sara’s chicken strips and macaroni and cheese were equally well done. She particularly loved the gummy worm chocolate pudding dessert. Yuck!

We finished dinner just in time to take in Illuminations at a great spot, directly across the lagoon from America, behind some trees at the rear of a gift shop. Sara fell asleep on my shoulders about 10 mins. into the show and had to be wheeled out in the stroller amidst the crushing of the departing masses following the show. I guess we pushed the limit for a first day by 15 min. or so.

Thus far the busses have been prompt and the passengers polite as can be. Back at the hotel we put the kids to bed following a hurried and belated dinner of grilled cheese from the food court back in the room for Michael.

Friday, February 26

Today we began our day with our first big wait for a bus on route to MGM. Following a pleasant breakfast at the food court, we waited nearly 15 minutes and took the bus to MGM. We arrived about 9:20 and were greeted by Donald Duck. Once through the gates we went directly to the ride Sara hadn’t stopped talking about since she saw the ad for it on a Disney vacation tape, ToT. She barely met the 40" height requirement and was undaunted by the eerie music and decor. Due to the child swap we were both able to ride with her. She was shaken after her first ride but insisted on riding with me too. We rewarded her with a commemorative ToT T-shirt afterward.

Next was HoND, which never disappoints (my favorite show in all of Disney). Matt the juggler was reliably funny in the pre-show. We then criss-crossed the park to see VoLM. On the way we met Mulan and Chang in front of the Chinese Theater for autographs and photos. The wait for VoLM was minimal and both kids enjoyed the show, but Mike fell asleep about midway.

It was nearly lunchtime by now so we decided to head back to the hotel for lunch and a bit of rest. A gigantic Argentinean girls’ tour group was congregated at the AS Movies bus stop so we opted for the nearly empty AS Music bus. This proved to be a great idea because our building is only about 100 yards from the AS Music bus drop.

Lunch was pretty hectic at the food court with all the tour groups present. For an unfinished resort the crowds were pretty thick. Neither child would rest so we had a swim at the Mighty Ducks Pool since the main pool still wasn’t completed. The water was comfortably warm.

Following a brief but refreshing swim, we opted to change clothes and head for the MK since our PS at Chef Mickey’s was at 6:30, and it was nearly 4:00 already. Upon arrival Sara’s first ride choice was Small World and then Splash Mountain. SM proved to be a mistake at this time of day due to a deceptively long line. SM gobbled up all available time before dinner so we decided to pass on the child swap and head for dinner. Sara really loved all the antics of Brer-this and Brer-that on the ride. Unlike her old man, she wanted to get splashed as much as possible.

On the way out the gate we noticed nearly a dozen characters signing autographs, but we had to get to the Contemporary in time for dinner (rats!). We rode the monorail to the Contemporary for our 6:30 PS character dinner. Michael was repulsive and over-tired. He refused to eat and couldn’t get enough of the characters. He broke loose and mauled the characters at will, much to our embarrassment. The sour-puss older couple seated at the next table sighed and grimaced to no end. Even the waiter seemed intolerant and bitter. The food was superb as always, but the atmosphere was darker tonight than it was last spring. The characters were sweet and spunky, however, and spent more time than usual at our table, fortunately. [A word to the wise... in preparation of the Mickey Mouse celebration each half hour, keep clean napkins handy for twirling. Sara began twirling a filthy napkin that had just been used to mop up spilled ice cream with sprinkles. Needless to say, my wife wasn’t celebrating getting sticky goo flung at her.]

Leaving for our hotel proved to be an ordeal at this late hour. The MK had just closed and the monorails were packed. The bus from MK was just as crowded. Just as we arrived at our hotel room Deanna realized that the waiter hadn’t returned her room key card. She then had to trudge back to the lobby to get all new cards made. Meanwhile the kids fell fast asleep in bed while I retraced our steps from this busy day for my trip report.

Saturday, February 27

We awoke at 6am in preparation of EE at MK today. Deanna got ready first and ran to the food court to pick up light breakfast for us all. We then headed past the Mighty Ducks pool to catch the bus at AS Music (we’re now certain that these busses are not only more frequent, but less crowded too). Once through the gates we strolled briskly to Dumbo (a walk-on), then Peter Pan (a walk-on), then Tea Cups (another walk-on), and finally Peter Pan (walk-on again). With Fantasyland outta the way we strolled down to try Buzz Lightyear which was a blast (pardon the pun). My score wasn’t too shabby for a first try (191,000). Sara sadly looked up from her score screen flashing zero and said "I didn’t shoot any of em." Well, she had fun anyway. We then crossed the park to do BTMR and the wait was only 10 minutes. Sara rode twice because we did a child swap. The waiting area near the exit is so pleasant at this time of day. Mike was entranced by the geysers and the random birds and squirrels that wandered over from time to time. [Funny sidebar here... as Sara and I waited to board for her second ride, a French family was in line for the front two rows of the last car and we were positioned for the last row (end of train). As the train arrived, they bolted into the last two rows forcing us to take the front row. When I spoke up and said that we were supposed to take the seats in the end of the train, they pretended they couldn’t understand or speak English. After the ride they were so excited that they slipped and yelled over to the CM doing the loading "Hey, would it be all right if we stayed onboard for another ride?" To my delight, the CM told them "If you’d like another ride, you can get back in line with everybody else." They understood him pretty well and grumbled all the way out of Frontierland.

We took a pass on Splash Mountain again since the line was now quite formidable and we headed to PoTC. Sara really loves pirates and listens to the song from the Disney cd over and over in the car. She had saved up change that she stole from atop our dressers all year long so that she could buy souvenirs. She had accumulated nearly $20 so we exchanged it all for Disney dollars at the local Disney Store and put it in her Disney princesses wallet for the trip. Proudly she gave the clerk at the gift shop her Disney dollars to purchase a pirate’s hat, eye patch, sword, and even a sword for Mike.

Next stop was the Tiki Room, which was really fun for the kids. Michael was up on his feet dancing to the music. Just outside the exit we ran into Jasmine, King Louie, and Baloo. Since we’d already seen the latter two, we opted for just Jasmine (that decision made Dad a happy man). :o)

We decided to do one last ride before lunch and walked-on to HM. Neither Mike nor Sara were all that scared this time. Too hungry to wait till we got back to the hotel, we stopped at the Plaza Pavilion for a quick, peaceful, and inexpensive lunch. [A word to the wise... don’t make the mistake of giving any food to the birds. They relentlessly beg and beg if you do.]

After lunch we hit the exit before the mid-day crowds could engulf us. The hotel grounds were relatively empty, so we decided to hang out there for a spell. Deanna and Mike stayed in the room for a nap while Sara and I swam in the Mighty Ducks pool, and later, the newly opened Fantasia pool. Wizard Mickey stands atop a cliff of rocks and fires water down into the pool from his outstretched arm. The children’s pool is located near the main pool and is so small that it hardly seems worth using. Sara was having so much fun with the floaty vest we had rented at the front desk (free for the duration of the stay) that she didn’t want to leave the pool.

We then regrouped and headed over to Epcot to kill some time till our PS at the Plaza Restaurant at MK. We started off and saw CC. I liked it but Sara was so exhausted from the swimming that she dozed off. We rented a stroller for Sara since we planned on doing lots of walking. We happened upon Sport Goofy outside CC and Sara got an autograph and photo.

After that we took a leisurely stroll through the World Showcase. In China we saw Shan-Yu and avoided him, but noticed Mushu further on and ran to meet him. The smell of food that was coming from the cafe was too much for our empty stomachs, so we stopped in for a snack of fried rice, sweet-n-sour chicken and an eggroll. In France we met up with two of the mice from Cinderella, Perla and Suzie.

We then headed for the monorail to the TTC and changed over to the MK monorail from there. It was exactly 6:00 when we arrived at the Plaza Restaurant for our PS. This is more of a sandwich shop than a full-blown restaurant. The food was good and the atmosphere was bright and airy. We had a cheerful waitress that was eager to please. As much as I would have loved to stay for dessert, this was the only night during our stay to view Spectromagic, so we hurried through the end of our dinner and headed out onto Main Street. The crowd was very thick so we worked our way around to Liberty Square to catch the parade further down the route. We took the walkway near the lagoon just past the riverboat dock and climbed atop a stone wall and had a perfect unobstructed view. This turned out to be the ideal location from which to view the parade. It was high enough that, for once, I didn’t have to put Sara up on my shoulders. Ahhh!

When the parade had passed, we headed straight for Ariel’s Grotto and walked right in to see her with no lines (dumb luck I suppose). Then we did Toontown. We rode Goofy’s Barnstormer and did a child swap, although we could have taken Michael. Apparently, any child that can sit on his own can ride with a parent. During and after our ride fireworks were exploding overhead from the Fantasy in the Sky Show. At the character tent we saw Minnie, Goofy, and Pluto.

By now it was nearly 8:30, so we called it a night. The bus back was jam packed. I stood the whole way holding a sleeping and quite sweaty Sara in one arm and the safety bar with my free hand. Back at the hotel after what seemed like an exceptionally long bus ride we noticed nearly a dozen kids in the swimming pool. I am always amazed how many people swim at night when the air temperature is so cold. They must have very warm blood I guess. Brrrr! Then we all collapsed in the room. I, however, sat up fighting sleep to update my trip report. Yawn...

Sunday, February 28

We ate a brisk breakfast at the food court, then strolled through the resort to the AS Music bus lines. Our friend Beth from Sarasota and her 5 year old son Corey were waiting for us at the gate to MK at 9 o’clock. Once through the gates we went directly to Splash Mountain. Deanna, Sara, Beth, and Corey walked right on while Michael and I observed the geysers behind BTMR again, then played in the Laughing Place play area. Next Deanna, Sara, and I rode BTMR with no waiting while Beth and Corey watched Michael near the geysers.

From there we crossed the park and walked right on to Small World and then Peter Pan. We then set off to do Buzz and met Alice near the teacups for photos and autographs. Only a short wait to ride Buzz. Today my score was 281,000 and Sara still had zero, although she really felt she had improved her technique from yesterday. We all felt kind of hungry so we walked next door to the Plaza Pavilion for a relatively inexpensive lunch. From our seats we could just barely see the show going on in front of the castle, but we could hear all the music. Why are they singing Christmas songs in February? After lunch we went down to Toontown to ride the Barnstormer. Corey chickened out at the last minute, so Deanna, Sara, Michael, and I rode. The CMs seemed wary of an 18 month old riding, but he loved it. It’s just short enough in duration so as not to overstress younger children. Be careful, however, to cradle their heads at that age due to all the jostling.

The next destination was Adventureland to ride PoTC. Sara and Corey both requested this one, and Corey began to open up and lose some of his shyness from earlier. Mike used the ride to take a nap. Clouds were moving in and the crowds let up for a spell leaving no line to ride. I think the rain in the forecast combined with the fact that MK had early entry yesterday really keep folks away.

As we came out of PoTC it began to drizzle. We walked over and saw the Tiki show next while the rain intensified. To avoid the rain we headed for the shops near the Tiki Hut. There we saw Aladdin, Genie, and Rafiki. Helpful hint: write your child’s name on the inside cover of his or her autograph book. Some characters check there before signing and will personalize their message personally or greet them using their name. Winnie and Aladdin both did and Sara was thrilled that they seemed to know her name.

The rain began falling in torrents, so we put our ponchos on and stopped at a shop for Beth and Corey to purchase some for themselves. We braved the rain and walked to the Mexican cantina by PoTC to rest and have a quick snack. The churros were perfect to tide us over until our 4:05 PS at the Liberty Tree Tavern.

Conditions improved fast and we were back out and about once again. We had intended to catch the Country Bear Jamboree but they were setting up for the Magical Moments Parade on the street in front of the theater. As we collected our thoughts as to what to do next, a CM stopped us and asked if the kids wanted to be in the parade. Corey declined, but with some coaxing, Sara agreed to do it on the condition that I join her. The CM put Aladdin stickers on us both and said I was welcome to join her. A group of teenagers from a tour group from Uruguay squeezed in next to us where we were waiting to view the parade, each one eating a turkey leg from the cart across the street. They began to congregate and crowd out younger kids and refused to stay behind the ropes. When Sara and I were called out into the parade, a group of them ran out as well (even though they weren’t chosen to) and really confused everyone. They pushed and shoved the children chosen to participate making a planned activity rather chaotic. The CMs are so gracious that they just shrug that sorta thing off, but I feel bad for the kids that got shoved around.

Following the parade we walked in to catch the Country Bear show. Sara nodded off right away and woke up just as we walked out of the theater following the show. It was now 4:00 so we went over to Liberty Tree for dinner. I have to say that this was the best meal so far. The staff is superb, the food couldn’t be better, and the characters really interacted with us well. Minnie, Goofy, Pluto, Chip and Dale were there. They each spent real quality time with the kids and horsed-around with them. Unlike the stiffer and more prim-and-proper mood at Chef Mickey’s these characters were all relaxed and fun-loving. The turkey there was to die for. I couldn’t keep from eating seconds, and thirds. Don’t overlook Liberty Tree when planning a character meal.

Following dinner we started back toward Main Street. Sara wanted just one more ride before we left so we appeased her and did Snow White. As we passed the carousel Corey spoke up and requested one ride, so we walked on and rode the carousel. Beth and Corey were both rather chilled by the drop in temperature following the rain, but the upper sixties were balmy to us upper-Midwesterners.

We made our way toward the exit and stopped for some sweets at the confectionery. Just inside the gates we bid our farewells. We strolled over to meet Alice and the White Rabbit before exiting the park as Beth and Corey made their way to their car for the long drive home. Once again we opted for the AS Music bus because it was far less crowded than the Movies bus. The majority of the South American tour groups appeared to be staying at Movies, and I couldn’t bear to sit next to any of those rude teenagers after what I’d seen of them thus far.

Back at the hotel we stopped at the gift shop for laundry detergent, milk, and apple juice. The same pint of milk that is sold at the food court for $1.35 is only $.85 at the gift shop. The kids and I stayed in the room while Deanna did one quick load of wash at the laundry next to the Mighty Ducks pool. Then we turned in to rest up for last minute PS at Cinderella’s Royal Table for breakfast. Tomorrow is EE at MK so we’re eating at 8:20. Sara really misses the one-on-one with the princesses from our last trip, so we pulled out all the stops for one final character meal.

Monday, March 1

It is now nearly 3pm, March 1st and I am reclining under a poolside umbrella recollecting on the day’s happenings thus far. Deanna and the kids are up in the room getting much needed naps. I am not especially tired so I decided to read a few chapters of my book and gawk at women in their bathing suits here at poolside. Um... getting back to the day thus far... We woke up early and headed for the AS Music bus stop. The line for the MK went on for nearly 30 yards, so we foolishly hopped the Epcot bus with the intention of grabbing the monorail to the TTC, and then another to MK. The monorail direct to MK, however, wasn’t running yet. We were forced to take the resort monorail instead and it crawled along. We arrived 10 minutes late for our PS at CRT but the CMs were all quite gracious about it and we were seated immediately. Snow White, Cinderella, Aurora, and Peter Pan were there today. The food was the usual blah, but the kids enjoyed themselves and even had alittle food. Jasmine and the Fairy Godmother were seated down in the lobby for autographs and photos following our meal. I never noticed it last time, but, up on a high ledge in the lobby, Jack and Gus are looking down on everyone.

The only attraction I still wanted to do at MK was Timekeeper, since I’d never seen it. We walked right in and the show began. Robin Williams really made the show worth seeing. Sara was angry because we weren’t doing any rides and complained all the way to the monorail. It was nearly 10 o’clock on an early entry day, and there was no way I wanted to stay for the chaos.

We then took the monorail to the TTC from MK and a bus to MGM. At the gate we were greeted by Timon. Sara seemed to want to ride ToT again and the wait was only 10 minutes so we made our way there. She got cold feet when we got there so we opted to cross the park and do Star Tours to satisfy for Sara’s urge for a ride. The child swap went swimmingly and Sara really loved the ride. Next we did the Beauty and the Beast show. We had rented a stroller for our tired and cranky daughter for our time at MGM which proved to be so comfortable she began to doze off from time to time.

Following the show we decided to escape the crowds on this magnificent sunny afternoon and have a relaxed lunch at the hotel food court and take it easy for a spell. So far this has been a truly fractured day, but naps are expected to do wonders for the balance of the afternoon and evening (see what happens when you stop planning in advance).

With the kids well rested, and after a quick swim with their mom, we set off for an evening at Epcot. First stop was Spaceship Earth since there was no line and we truly loved it the other day. On our way to do World Showcase in counter-clockwise fashion we passed through Ice Station Cool. Sara fell in love with the watermelon soda from China. If you know what’s good for you, don’t even take one sip of the horrid Italian soda. Yuck!!! This trip around was done intentionally casually with numerous meanderings from here to there. In my opinion, that’s the ideal way to do it.

In Canada we saw Off Kilter for a bit. The bagpipe can get brutally loud, so keep a safe distance from the bandstand. Further down the path we caught the last half of the British Invasion’s show. Sitting on the curb in front of the shops to view the performance was so relaxing, and the pavement was nice and warm from the setting sun. The warmth was welcome due to a cool breeze that was blowing in. The shops are really fun to browse, but the prices are frightening.

In France we got a glass of wine and passed a performing mime. The pastry shop was so tempting, but not before supper. We stopped for dinner in Japan at Yakitori House. The food was good, but exceptionally salty. Apparently the Japanese don’t use high chairs or garbage cans. With two kids as young as ours we were lost without them.

At our turnaround point in Mexico we rode El Rio Del Tiempo for a pleasant diversion from the street outside. Back at America we stopped in to see American Adventure. This can be brutally dull for kids under 5 years old, so avoid it unless the kids are overdue for naps. When we sleepily emerged from the presentation, Illuminations was set to begin. We took this as our cue to vamoose back to the hotel before we could become engulfed by the mass exodus following the show like last time.

Our bus was nearly empty when we pulled out of the depot for a change. Both kids fell asleep on the bus which made for a peaceful remainder of the night for Deanna and I. I used this time to make a trip to the food court for a pizza and drinks. We ate back in the room and discussed what we’d do tomorrow for our final day. Ideally, we’d like to make one last trip to MK to do SM and BTMR again, and pass through Fantasyland for a few last rides. Other places we plan to visit tomorrow are the Boardwalk and the Marketplace downtown.

Tuesday, March 2

Today, for our last day, the only carved-in-stone plan was to pay a final goodbye visit to our favorite park, MK. The rest of the day was up in the air. After breakfast in the food court we hopped the bus to MK. We arrived precisely at 9 o’clock. Just in time to hear Mickey & Minnie’s greeting over the loudspeaker.

First priority was Frontierland. We rode SM twice in succession and then likewise for BTMR. Following our second ride on SM we met up with Brer Fox and Brer Bear near the gift shops. After so many rides on BTMR it finally occurred to me what the story behind the ride was. Apparently it’s a mining town that’s become flooded, but all the townsfolk are too drunk on whiskey to care.

Next stop was Fantasyland, where we let Sara choose the attractions. The crowds were still very light, but we chose to do two and stop for lunch. Her choices were Peter Pan and then Small World. Both rides went briskly and we were at the Columbia Harbor House eating lunch in no time flat. They need to brighten this restaurant up a bit. Everything is so depressing and dark. The kids both ate well though. The CMs there were very un-Disneylike however. They bellyached and grumbled about supervisors and work all while we were in line for our food.

Following lunch we let Sara choose one last ride before we left the park to try a few new areas of Disney. She chose PoTC making it our 3rd time this trip. On our way out of the park we stopped to see the show in front of the castle "Everyday is a Holiday". We finally learned why we were hearing Christmas music while having lunch on Sunday. After leaving the park we caught the bus to the Boardwalk in order to catch a glimpse of what everyone seems to be bragging about in the trip reports. They all must be referring to the place after sundown because the hotel grounds, though lovely, were dull as hell. During the daytime hours I can only compare it to watching two feeble old men play a few hands of canasta on a Sunday afternoon.

We discretely exited via the Marketplace bus to do some shopping. The World of Disney was my primary objective. Being the cheap guy that I am, I had hoped to find a few items that I had admired in the Disney catalog, but refrained from ordering because of the shipping charge. These particular items never seem to be in stock in local Disney Stores, but with WOD being so vast, I was certain they would have them. I was proven wrong, however. Deanna did find a nice T-shirt for herself though, and an Ariel dress and Mickey earrings for Sara. Mike got a new sweatsuit, and I came up empty (that is unless you consider a set of Pooh kitchen placemats a family gift). Woohoo! OK, I can stop feeling sorry for myself now. Sara played in all the areas of the Marketplace that have water spouting out from sidewalk cracks and/or plastic domes clustered on cork-like sidewalk. She enjoyed herself so, that she was soaked to the skin. That’s what you get for being an overly tolerant parent, kids that you can wring-out and shoes that exude water with each squishy step. Best to keep swimsuits handy for such potentialities. We should’a learned that from all the trip reports we’d read, but we all have a few lapses down here.

The bus from the Marketplace to the AS resorts is unbelievably slow due to numerous stops along the way there. A cab would be much less agonizing here. Sara napped in the bus and Mike had napped earlier in the day, but we all just wanted to stay put at the hotel for the remainder of the day. We did some swimming in the pool and brought dinner from the food court back to our room. Tomorrow we fly back home around noon, but the towncar is scheduled to pick us up around 10:00 to take us to the airport. We packed tonight so our morning will be free to stroll the grounds and take a leisurely breakfast.

Wednesday, March 3

Today turned out to be the worst weather day of the trip, making it less painful to leave. We had express checkout so that went painlessly as well. It was a steady drizzle outside and the temperature had dropped about 10 degrees from what it had been the other days. We trudged to the lobby and set our bags down near the front doors in preparation for our departure. Breakfast at the food court was somber but the kids seemed anxious to get back home to their friends and pets. Florida towncar was flawless and punctual as usual and we were at the airport ahead of schedule. Our plane boarded early and left early which was a relief. The sooner we got home, the more time we’d have to get our affairs back in order. The plane ride was a bit bumpy and the kids had a terrible time keeping their ears from popping. Our layover in Memphis was brief and we were home early.

Final Thoughts

Well, if I had it to do over again, these are the things I might do differently:

Try a water park for cryin out loud. We had a few days that would have been ideal weather conditions for it (Monday and Tuesday) and we opted to re-do our favorite rides at some of the parks and got caught in some heavy park traffic.
Pass on Chef Mickey’s for a character dinner. This one has lost a bit of the charm from last year. The atmosphere far too cold and indifferent to diner’s needs.
I would stay at AS Music over AS Movies. AS Music has a prettier pool with more relaxing music and its a better overall layout.
Next trip I’ll be sure to plan each day from beginning to end. By not having a basic agenda for each day one has the tendency to waste precious time. Or using time inefficiently (time is money).
Stick to my guns and insist of a ground floor room. The elevator and stairs can really get annoying.
If I had it to do over again I would do this over again...

Use the towncar service again. Its inexpensive reliable first class transportation.
Bring my refillable mugs back again from prior trip. They work just as well and they save you money.
Get to MK early to do Fantasyland and Frontierland when the lines are short. This made Dumbo and Splash Mountain and BTMR walk-ons.
Do Liberty Tree Tavern as our main character meal. Great food, courteous wait-staff, and quality time horsing around with characters.
Use Liberty Square as my parade viewing location (particularly the stone wall near the water). Even small children get an unobstructed view without breaking dad’s back.
Take a relaxed evening stroll through World Showcase. It’s the best way to do it. We got to catch some shows, ride some rides, view some presentations, shop and browse, sample some food, and just relax.
Continue to take scheduled mid-day hotel breaks. The kids get revved back up for the second half of the day.
Bring and use as much film as possible, or use a digital camera. We took nearly 7 - 24 exposure rolls this trip. This allows for photos wherever and whenever. This was you take an extra shot in case anyone had their eyes closed. You may never get another chance at some of these photos so you need insurance.
Tim Haverty

ClkKent98@aol.com

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