Trip Reports

July 14 - August 8, of which July 15-August 3 was spent at WDW

The Cast: Dad (44), Mom (ahem, but to change), Stina (7), David (5.8)

Day 1- To Dillon, SC (Wednesday, July 14th)

We planned to leave early and to travel further than in past years, and it worked. Except for a few items, the car was packed the night before. The good news is that this time we are travelling without strollers. This gives us more room for things like snacks and a cube refrigerator to use in our room in an attempt to save money on our extended stay.

The parents are up at 4:00 and 4:30 a.m., and we get the kids up at 5:00. Getting them ready was a bit easier than normal- we put them in their clothes the night before. So, gathering up the last few items, putting the dog out, leaving notes for the petminders, we get in the car and are on our way at 5:40 a.m. from Hopewell Junction, NY. Our route is local and state roads to Interstate 84, then more local roads to NJ route 17, then from there to famous I95. We hope to miss most of the traffic along the way, and we start by getting to New Jersey at 6:45 a.m. With one bathroom break in the state, we get to Delaware at 9:14 a.m. We make another bathroom stop there, and hit Maryland at 9:46 a.m.

There is no traffic to speak of yet, so we make good time knowing that the dreaded interchange that turns I95 south just past Washington, DC is ahead. There is a stop for gas before Baltimore, and get into Virginia at 11:30 a.m. And, lo and behold, there is no traffic! We make the turn south and stop at the first rest area in VA (tradition) for lunch- only this year it is at noon when we stop, instead of 1:30 p.m. or so as in the past. Forty minutes later, we are back on the road.

At 3:00 p.m. we are in NC, and we continue to make good time. All the traffic seems to be northbound (a point to be remembered on the way home. At 5:45 p.m. we stop for supper at a Cracker Barrel in Lumberton. We get *excellent* service from a server named Chele, and the price is very reasonable. We fill up in gas again, and arrive in South Carolina at 7:08 p.m. Twelve minutes later we are in Dillon at the Howard Johnson's Express. After checking in, we work our way to McDonald's in town for dessert, and to let the kids work off some energy in the Playplace. After about a half-hour, we go back to the motel to get a good night's sleep so we can get another early start in the morning.

COSTS FOR THE DAY:

NJ Turnpike toll- 4.60 Delaware tolls- 4.00 Baltimore tunnel toll- 1.00 Gasoline in MD- 17.30 (1.112/gallon) Coffee stop- 1.69 Supper at Cracker Barrel- 27.60 (not including tip) Gasoline in NC- 19.25 (1.039/gallon) McDonald's break- 9.87 Room with tax- 43.75

Day 2- Dillon, SC to All-Star Movies (and more) (Thursday, July 15th)

We almost make it up on time, but still we get up early enough to take advantage of the continental breakfast, and leave Dillon at 6:45 a.m. We run into rain showers during the entire trip through South Carolina, and we enter Georgia at 9:55 a.m. There is smooth sailing through Georgia, with one gas stop (exit 4, with almost the lowest gas price we see on I95), and into Florida at 12:03 p.m. Lunch at 12:05 at the first Florida rest area, then back on the road at 12:32. With one more bathroom break along I4 (just after going through some driving rain), we go past Universal Studios (what a change in I4 in that area in just a year!) and go down to the 192 exit, then turn up World Drive and then off to All-Star Movies, getting into the checkin area at 3:54 p.m.- about an hour and a half ahead of last year.

After unloading the car right before it starts to rain, we go to the food court where we end up eating and sitting during a big storm. As the rain stops, we go to the bus for the Magic Kingdom, hoping to catch the Main Street Electrical Parade.

As we enter the gates at 7:30 p.m., there are already people sitting on the sidewalk. So, we decide to head up to the new ride, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. Since the sign says a 20 minute wait, we get in line... just as they change the sign to 25 minutes. We wait, and we all enjoy the ride and we all catch the owl and toad picture. David says he sees another Toad on the road, but the rest of us haven't seen it... yet. Maybe when we go on it again.

Kristina wants to try Space Mountain again, and we don't see a line, so in we go. We get all the way up to the top of the mountain, where David is measured, measured, and re-measured, but fails to make the height by about a quarter-inch. Since he really doesn't want to go on it, we don't make him try standing up straighter and do a switch. The full trundle inside at the top takes about twenty minutes, not long at all. Kristina and I go first, getting seats five and six (she takes 6) on the right side- the faster, rougher side in our opinion. It is fun, and then she gets back on with Karen, and they get the same two seats.

It is now after the parade has started, so we go on to Buzz Lightyear. I'm teamed with Kristina the first time, and the scores are: David 0, Kristina 1000, Karen 12200, and Victor (the Dad) 154000. Karen is not pleased with this, claiming her laser did not work. This time I am paired with David, and the scores are Kristina 0, David 500, Karen 45100, and Dad 45200. By the way- for a really fun ride, in the tunnel with lasers and exploding stuff, right before the Zurg room, go into full 360 spin mode- it makes the ride seem a lot faster.

Mom doesn't want to lose... I mean, try again, so we go on the Astro Orbiter next, then Wedway... sorry, the Tomorrowland Transportation Authority. Now David wants to go on Big Thunder, so we cut across the Tomorrowland Terrace, past Casey's, through Adventureland and to Thunder Mountain, where we are just outside the mine as the fireworks start right behind us. We watch as we move up, and end up with about another 15 minute wait to go on. Kristina holds her hands up the entire ride (our little daredevil). Out and onto Splash Mountain, where the line doesn't start until the first building. Another 15 minute wait, and then off we go. Mom gets splashed pretty bad, not from the drop (we are in rows four and five), but when we get stuck at the waterfall after the drop. After we get off, we get onto the Walt Disney World Railroad for the last train of the night, and return to Main Street Station in time to catch the last two floats coming out for the second showing of the MSEP- Pete's Dragon (Pete included) and the Eagle. After that, it is back on the bus ("If you are standing, hold on for dear life") and back to Toy Story 9- the Woody building. We are in bed around midnight after a very long day.

Costs:

Breakfast at McDonald's (no coffee at the free motel breakfast)- 4.05 Gasoline- 14.00 (at 0.949 per gallon) Supper at Food court- 24.72 (Two personal cheese pizzas, Pasta Alfredo, Meatball Sub, 2 small salads) Dessert at Food Court- 5.98 (Chocolate Chip Cookie Sundae, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough ice cream with sprinkles in a cup)

Favorite rides: Karen: Pooh and Buzz; David: Pooh, Buzz, BTMR; Kristina: Space Mountain; Dad: Buzz

Day 3- Magic Kingdom (Friday, July 16)

Mickey gets us up at 7:00 a.m., and his saying it is going to be a special day gets David up and moving much quicker than normal. Not much breakfast is eaten, and I get Karen coffee (BTW- we continue to use the ASM mugs we bought two and three years ago). Then it is to the bus to get to the MK right at rope drop. We actually get there around 8:30 a.m., and get on the bridge from the hub to Tomorrowland so we can get on the ride that gets backed up really bad during the day- the Speedway. We are among the first 10 cars to go around, and we wave to Pluto at Toon County Fair as we drive along, as, thanks to Kristina's steering, I get whiplash <g>.

David goes with Mom, and Stina goes with me on the teacups next, where I get my revenge <very evil grin>. After walking (kinda) off that, we go to Toon County Fair and get on the Barnstormer. We get in the front for the ride, and like it. So much, that Cindi and Pauline, the CMs running the ride, invite us to get right back on in the back. So we do. And they say stay on as long as you like, so we do, for a total of eight trips, with both Stina and David holding their hands up by the time the last trip rolls around. We go from there to Mickey's house, then to the tent to meet Aurora, Pocohontas, Cinderella, Goofy, Pluto, Donald, Chip, Dale, and Minnie. Pluto gets down on all fours for his picture, and he is rewarded by some rubbing behind the ears, which gets him shaking with joy. And Dale is hot, so he borrows David's water bottle/fan and cools himself off- and then goes and helps others in the various lines cool off as well <g>.

From Toontown, it was to Fantasyland for two spins on the carousel (catching the Sword in the Stone ceremony), then It's a Small World, then back to the room for some lunch (cereal and milk for the kids, cheese and crackers for the parents), and a much-needed nap. We awake after a rainstorm, get into bathing suits, and head to the Fantasia pool. It is closed, as is the Mighty Ducks pool, so the kids go on the playground for a while. As the thunder disappeared in the distance, the Fantasia pool was reopened and we spent about a half-hour swimming.

I go into the Food Court for supper (cheese pizza for Kristina, grilled cheese for David, grilled chicken and salad for Karen, and a quesadilla wrap and fruit cup for me), and we eat at the Reel Place, an outside covered dining area- nice touch. Then back to the room, change, and back to the Magic Kingdom to try and catch the MSEP. It is early, so we go to the Haunted Mansion which David rides for the first time, enjoying it and staying safe by shooting the ghosts. We then stake out a spot for the parade around 8:30, and have ice cream, soda, and popcorn while waiting. We watch the marching band, and around 9:15 p.m. the lights dim at Liberty Square, and those magic words are heard: Ladies and Gentlemen, boys and girls, Disney World proudly presents.... and the woman in front of me says "You must have seen this before or work here.", as I say the words at the same time.

The kids are enthralled by the parade, as are mom and dad. The only other visit I had seen MSEP was on our honeymoon in 1989. As for which parade is better, I don't think I can say, and neither can Karen. I love the music, and there is something about the opening introduction and starting notes that get me smiling without stopping for the entire parade. But the music of Spectromagic grew on me over the years. Hey, maybe they should run both so we don't have to decide <g>.

We follow the parade to get on Pirates, and come out from there in time to catch the fireworks. Then it is out of the park since we plan an early start on Saturday for the Animal Kingdom.

Funniest sight (Karen)- seeing a woman in high-heel sandals, carrying a child, walking along the tracks on Main Street.

Favorite ride: Karen- Barnstormer, over and over <g>; Dad- Barnstormer; David- Barnstormer; Kristina- Barnstormer

Cost for the day:

Autograph book and pen (x2)- 15.90 Supper- 21.23 Ice cream- 6.05 Three sodas and two bottle straws (Sorceror Mickey)- 12.75 (and this is why I told Todd at check-in *not* to give the kids charging privileges- we let them go about 20 feet away to get the three sodas, with enough extra for them to come back saying "We had enough to get these too!!!") Soda and popcorn- 4.25

Day 4- Animal Kingdom (Saturday, July 17)

We awake at 5:30 a.m., and get out to the bus stop around 6:20 a.m. to get to Animal Kingdom at the opening at 7:00 a.m. We are the only ones on line, and a cast member soon tells us why- AK opens at 8:00 a.m., a change from the last schedule we looked at. So, into the food court we go to grab a quick bite to eat before breakfast, and then back to the line.

As we wait for the bus, a bus to the Magic Kingdom (the EE park for the day) arrives... then another... a third... a fourth... one for the Disney-MGM Studios (????)... another Magic Kingdom. Finally, around 7:15, the AK bus arrives. We get there before the turnstiles open, and are treated to an awakening ceremony just inside the park. At 7:30 a.m., the turnstiles open and we powerwalk up to the safari. Well, not quite. They have the rope across the path right before Camp Minnie-Mickey. Eric, an Adventure Guide today, entertainingly gives us tips and information.

At 8:00 a.m., the strains of the opening of "The Lion King" fill the air, and Mufasa greets the day and us. The rope drops, and we all walk over to the Kilmanjaro Safari, bypassing a couple of lonely CMs trying to entice us over to see "It's Tough to be a Bug". We end up on the fourth jeep on the safari, and see a good variety of animals who have come out to eat. We then head back and do CTX, with Kristina riding twice as we have to do the switch since David is still not quite high enough to ride. On my ride with Kristina, we get a rover to ourselves, and it was a great ride.

From CTX, we go back to do Kali River Rapids ride. It, like CTX, is a walkon- we have a full raft and get soaked. And, because there is no one waiting for the ride, CM David lets us stay on for a SECOND trip! We could have gotten off and gotten right back on, but we decide to forego that and take a Radio Disney cruise.

Okay, so the Radio Disney part is lame, and we miss the animals on board, but it still a pleasant trip, especially since we find the escaped dragon that the radio broadcast tells us about. Yes, the fire is back in the ride. CM Chris, our skipper, is okay and does the best he can with a ride that really needs something more.

After that, we hop on the train to the Conservation Station. We spend a fair amount of time inside, with the most riveting feature being emergency surgery on a duck that got in a fight. Taking a break from that, we visit the affection area outside. There is a stage there, and I ask and find out there is going to be a show in 10 minutes. We wait, and are treated to a great show of "Let's Eat Bugs!"- great as David and Kristina are chosen to help out on-stage, with David feeding a bug to a hedgehog, and helping to feed bugs to a lizard and oppossum. While the kids refuse to eat bugs, for helping CM Stu they get a collector's button and a certificate. Then back inside to see that the emergency surgery is going well, then over to Camp Minnie-Mickey to see who we can meet.

It turns out that the Festival of the Lion King is about to start, and we get walk right in and take seats near the top of the giraffe area (where we sat last year), and once again get treated to arguably the best live show at Walt Disney World. Then we go out, and to avoid the crowd head to the Jungle Friends greeting area where we get to meet and greet Baloo, King Louie, and Rafiki, all of whom are in a playful mood. After that, it is back to the All-Star Movies and lunch and a nap. We leave the AK at 1:00 p.m., and feel we did pretty good for five hours.

When we return, Beanie Baby Chip the Cat is in the window waiting for us. The idea of putting the daily housekeeping tip in an envelope and leaving it is working well, as we get thank-you notes from Mary, our housekeeping each of our first two days.

Nap time takes us to 5:00 p.m. We got for a swim until 6:00 p.m. at the Mighty Ducks pool, then back to the room. We try to call ahead for seating at Spoodles, but are told that they are only taking walk-ups at the restaurant. We decide to take our chances anyway, and drive over to the Boardwalk. When we arrive, we walk to Spoodles and I ask how long a wait for a table for four. Answer- follow me. We get a table by the doors and are greeted by Skokie, IL native Robyn. We look over the menu as she goes to get our drinks, and when she comes back we have decided what we wanted. She then proceeds to go over the menu, and as a result we send her back as we re-decide what we want. Karen ends up getting scallops, I get the lamb loin, and we share the bread appetizers.

Service is incredibly fast, and Robyn brings us our bread and appetizers quickly, and the kids are eating their meals at the same time as we have our appetizers. We get our dinners and they are fabulous. This is easily one of the best meals we have ever had at the World, and only the service we had two years ago at Artist's Point at the Wilderness Lodge rivals that we got tonight. You can bet that Robyn will get a glowing commendation in our traditional letter to Disney at the end of our trip. Oh, I didn't mention dessert- needless to say, it was fantastic as well.

From dinner, we work off our meals by renting a surrey bike and circle the Boardwalk/Yacht Club area three times, catching parts of Illuminations from a number of different vantage points. Kristina gets her hair wrapped, something she has been looking forward to since last year. David and I play the water pistol horse race game, and two others join us so that when I win we get a medium prize. I fail to win a prize at the ball in the milk can game, and both kids make spin-art buttons. While the buttons dry, we walk to the arcade and play a few games there. Then back to pick up the buttons and then to the car to call it a day.

Favorites: David- Conservation Station show; Kristina- Conservation Station show and bike ride; Karen- Kali River Rapids and Conservation Station show; Dad- Conservation Station show and Kali River Rapids

Costs:

Breakfast- about 15.00 (don't have the exact amount) E-Ride ticket purchase (for 7/20)- 38.16 Supper- 109.61 (not including tip) Bike rental (1/2 hour single)- 16.01 Game playing on the Boardwalk- 5.00

Day 5- EPCOT (Future World) (Sunday, July 18)

Mickey rings at 7:00 a.m., and then, since we don't get to the phone fast enough, Mickey rings again at 7:05 a.m. We then rise, get breakfast, and head out to Epcot by 8:15. We get there just as they are ready to open the gates, and we make a quick jaunt over to Test Track. The bad sign is that there is no line- they are experiencing technical difficulties and won't be up before the afternoon to their best estimate. So, we go to plan "B".

Back to Spaceship Earth, where we get in after about five minutes. We get out and call Karen's father using the family phone booth. Then, over to Innoventions, but on the way we are stopped by Kaytee, who takes three shots of us that we can pick up later in the day. We spend a bit of time at the IBM area, then on to HISTA, which we take David into. He refuses to put on his glasses and watch the show, but the rest of us enjoy it.

From HISTA, we go to The Land, where we start off with the "Circle of Life" show which we skipped last year. Then the boat ride through the greenhouses, and then Karen left us to get coffee while we took in Food Rocks, which always is a crowd favorite. We met up with Karen and left. I suggested stopping off at the Corn Tent, a temporary exhibit just outside the land. It is very interesting and informative, and JT and Tiffany are friendly hosts, giving out free samples of cornstarch peanuts which can be used as toys and that dissolve in water when you are done with them. Tiffany explains that the tents have been up for about three months, and will move to the Millenium Village when that is opened.

Seeing how good that tent was, we went across the way to the recycle tent exhibit, which was not as good but was still interesting, especially with the basketball hoops. We then cut back through Innoventions to check out Test Track, detouring through the Hot Wheels tent (okay, it has to do with perserverence, including a quote from Thomas Edison- I have not failed: I have just found 10000 ways not to succeed).

Test Track is open, but the line is over 1 1/2 hours long, so we move on to MetLife's Wonder of Life. For the first time, we catch about half of the Anacomical Players. Then, up to lunch, then back to catch a bit of the players next show. Then we go get on Body Wars (a walk-on), and then Cranium Command. Back out for a final showing of Anacomical Players (is one of the people from the Comedy Warehouse?).

We finally leave after two hours, and look towards Test Track- we hear no cars, so we turn right and take in Ellen's Universe of Energy. After that, the kids and Karen go back to IBM while I go out to pick up the ticket package I have reserved for Le Cellier and Lord of the Dance. I get them (the last two ticket booths on the left as you enter Epcot), and then meet up with the rest of the family and we go to The Living Seas, Karen's favorite (just about) thanks to the manatees, who are interesting as they eat and cavort. We have to cut short our visit, though, to make it for supper. We get in, and Robert, our server, makes some recommendations, which we take. I have the shrimp cocktail to start and Karen has the cheese soup, both of which are delicious. The breads are excellent, especially the pretzel bread. The kids try the "Snowman", a virgin Pina Colada, but Robert ends up bringing them Cokes as it turns out the snowmen are not to their tastes. David has the cheeseburger and Stina has the pasta for the entree, and Karen and I have the mushroom-stuffed filet steak. All is delicious, and the adults finish off the meal with the chocolate "moose".

We chow down the dessert and then beat feet to make the 6:45 p.m. Lord of the Dance Show. We get there just after the flute solo, but get seats in the fourth row. The show is excellent, and easily Karen's favorite item of the day. After the show, we go back to Future World and get in the line for Test Track around 8:15 p.m. with the sign saying there was a 70 minute wait. However, we end up getting on in about 40 minutes, and are tempted to get on line right before the park closes, but we decide to head back to the resort. On the way out, we look at the pictures and select two of them, then it is out to the bus and back to the room- just in time to get about a 20 minute swim in. Overall, a busy day and a great deal of fun.

FAVORITES: David- Test Track; Karen- Lord of the Dance; Dad- Test Track; Kristina- Food Rocks

COSTS:

Karen coffee at The Land- 1.54 Lunch at MetLife- 21.84 Pictures- 22.21 (2- 5x7) NOTE: I did not include the cost of the meal today since it was already paid for; however, it did run about $113 which was all non-alcoholic beverages, food, and tip already included.

Day 6- Blizzard Beach / Winter Summerland (Monday, July 19)

Once again, we head out at "crack of dawn", which we define as about 8:00 a.m. today as we make this our "beach day". We are there as the second family, and wait until Eileen comes over and starts off by telling us the captain of the day has "abandoned ship", and she needs to find another person willing to do a dangerous... sorry, adventurous... job- test out the last ride before the park opens. The first person chosen, a young man from Orlando, declines the honor but another person agrees. We move inside (past the free coffee for the parents who were dragged out of bed) and wait until everything is ready. The crowd yells "WE WANT TO GET WET!" and down comes the substitute captain, and the day has begun!

An aside- one of the cast members on duty at the entrance has a water pistol and is squirting people, until another one gets his attention and shakes his head "NO", and the shooting/squirting stops.

The biggest disappointment of the day comes early- Kristina is BARELY under the limit for Summit Plummet (and thus Double Dipper and Slush Gusher). The good news is that the ski lift up to the top has a new height restriction- 30 inches, instead of the 48 inches of April. They have modified the lap bar with two "loops", with your legs going on each side. Infants are still not allowed on the lift, and the maps and front entrance signs have not been updated.

We end up spending most of the day in the Junior Ski Patrol area, with four trips down Teamboat Springs (yes, you can steer those big tubes so that Mom gets the wettest <g>), a couple of mat runs, a dip in Meltaway Bay, two lazy river floats, a tube run or two on Runoff Rapids, and no time in Tike's Peak. There were more signs warning about waits, including a new one at the top of Mount Gushmore. Oh, Karen does Summit Plummet and Slush Gusher.

Also, we experience a first- a full day at Blizzard Beach without a thunderstorm trapping us in the changing area. We stay until about 5:30 p.m., and then go over to Winter Summerland to play the Summer Course, having played the Winter course last time. Many holes are the same, only with a different surface ("sand" instead of "snow". Stina does well, David does okay, and once again Mom somehow manages to best dad. By the way- there is a small parking area near where the main entrance to Blizzard Beach used to be now set aside for Winter Summerland.

After that, we come back and do three loads of laundry, get supper at the food court, and then call it an early night.

BESTS: Karen- Teamboat Springs; David- Winter Summerland; Stina- T-Bar at Junior Ski Patrol; Dad- Teamboat Springs

COSTS:

Teamboat Springs pictures (2 poses)- 19.08 Winter Summerland (2 adults, 2 free kids with annual pass)- 19.61 Hat and candy at Beach Haus- 26.48 Supper (Ribeye Steak, Quesadilla, Kids Grilled Cheese, Kids Chicken strips)- 23.50

Day 7- Disney-MGM Studios (Tuesday, July 20)

Ho, hum. Another early day. We are on probably the first bus from ASMovies to MGM. We get the park by 8:30 a.m., and head down Sunset Boulevard. We are not alone, as the sign at the entrance to the park previewing Rock and Roller Coaster says "NOW OPEN!" The cast member at the rope states that it may be up, and at rope drop we head down on the left side of the street. We get in line, and we're IN! Kristina and I take the first ride with the switch (since David is not tall enough to ride), we get in, and ZOOM!

Okay, let me tell you- I faced this with trepidation. I, like Craig, am somewhat of a ride chicken, but when your seven year old daughter wants you to ride with her, you do. This is a *great* ride. You really can't tell you are upside down in the dark except maybe at the end of the second loop, and through the corkscrew. We do the switch, and Kristina rides a second time. David gets a certificate stating that he will be allowed to ride once he is tall enough, and it is signed by Mickey, Pluto, Goofy, and Donald- a really nice certificate, by the way.

From there, we go over to Tower of Terror, and after a short wait we get in. This year, all of us ride. The lap bar is a little loose, and both Karen and I (and, of course, the kids) are in the air a lot on the drops, which we loose count of. The bad part of the kids being tall enough (and willing) to go on the ride mean we can't switch, so we leave and head back to Rock and Roller Coaster, hoping the line won't be long. We can see people walking up the ramp, so we go back and get on again within 15 minutes.

Bottom line- by 10:30 a.m. Kristina has done RnR four times and Tower once, David has done Tower, and the parents have done RnR twice each and Tower once. From there, we slow down and take the Great Movie Ride, finally getting the Western hijacking (our last three or so times has been the gangster takeover). They have added Shakespeare in Love, along with a brief clip from Armegeddon(sp).

Next, over to Sounds Dangerous, a somewhat okay show although I liked the audience participation version better, and the original Chevy Chase movie the best. Over to the animation courtyard and the Bear in the Big Blue House show, which was very well done and lots of kids had a lot of fun, and I suspect a lot of parents as well.

Now, at 1:00 p.m., we leave the park and return to our room for some lunch and an afternoon nap. BTW- a security guard is now watching over Woody. Now, I don't think Disney feels someone will take a forty-foot tall pull-string toy home; rather, they are stopping the kids from climbing on him. Since I don't recall a guard being there the first day, this started within the last two or three days.

I make a run out to Publix on 192, thanks to directions found on rec.arts.disney.parks and pick up such essentials as bagels, cream cheese, and soda. Then a stop at a Circle K to pick up oil- the van seems to have gone down a bit during the trip. Then back to the room for a brief rest, then up with Kristina to go to the pool for about 30 minutes, then out.

The MK Bus is loading as we get to the bus stop, and in ten minutes we are at the Magic Kingdom, just to walk to the boat dock for the Wilderness Lodge. We go there (and one of the boat cast members says that Discovery Island is completely shut down now) and have supper at Whispering Canyon Cafe. Some interesting things occur- the woman next to me checking in asks for a specific waiter, and the hostess says "No." <g> Our server is Jeffro Bodine, and he is attentive and okay, but not particularly entertaining. Chuck Wagon, however, in the next section, is pretty funny. Our kids take part in the horse race around the restaurant (we later see an older girl doing the horse race around the posts in the lobby, why, we don't know). Chuck announces that someone has said "The 'P' word", and we all get to put up two fingers on each hand, point to her, and yell "MICKEY DRINKS COKE!" Jeffro announces that a guest at the next table has asked for a clean plate, and the restaurant joins in saying "EMILY, THIS ISN'T THE GRAND FLORIDIAN!" There was some byplay between the waiters, and someone made the mistake of asking for ketchup for chicken fingers "YUCK!". As far as food goes, David has the grilled cheese, Kristina has chicken fingers, and Karen and I go for the All-You-Can-Eat buffet, which is excellent.

We head outside to catch the Electric Water Pageant, but two cast members warn us about the thunderstorm going on. We decide to stay inside, play some games, and wait out the storm. It does not end, and eventually around 10:15 we walk through the rain (no lightning at this point) down to the boat dock and catch the launch over to the MK for E-Ride night. At wristband pickup, the CM says 5000 bands were sold, although we kind of doubt it.

Before 11 p.m., we ride Peter Pan and the Carousel, then at 11 we go over to Space Mountain, do that on the left side (Kristina rides twice thanks to the switch, and she announces the left side is much slower). From there we do Buzz Lightyear twice (the Dadster winning both times, including one score over 700K without a stop in the ride). Next, across the park over to BTMRR, then two spins on Splash Mountain (we get the photo from the first run as we have the log to ourselves), then the Haunted Mansion, then back to the Astro Orbiter and one final spin on Buzz Lightyear. We exit the park around 2:30 a.m., and hit the beds around 3:00 a.m. A long day, but a lot of fun. We open up the Studios and close the Magic Kingdom 18 hours later.

FAVORITES: Dad- Rock and Roller Coaster; Karen- Rock and Roller Coaster; David- Tower of Terror; Kristina- Rock and Roller Coaster

COSTS:

Soda (4)- 9.00 Entry picture- 13.73 Tower picture- 10.55 Whispering Canyon (w/o tip)- 76.35 Publix- 11.57 Oil for car- 4.12 Splash picture- 10.55 Frozen carbonated beverages(2), small sodas (2)- 8.17

Day 8- Magic Kingdom + (Wednesday, July 21)

Our wakeup call comes about an hour too late for David- he is up at 9:30 a.m. while we wanted to sack in until 10:30. Karen gets coffee as I finish up yesterday's trip report (we *still* haven't found time for uploading). We get going around 11:45, catching the bus that is just loading for the MK. We get there, and head for the Crystal Palace for our "breakfast", which in this case is the Pooh Buffet Lunch. Karen gets to show Piglet her Piglet shirt and her Piglet earrings, and the buffet is really good.

After having our fill, we take a refreshing boat ride on the Jungle Cruise with our two-week guide, Steve. Steve is good, the audience unresponsive. David gets to wear the skipper's hat, and Karen provides one good laugh with a delayed response to a pun. Question to anyone in the know- do the skippers now carry scripts? I noticed one flipping paper under a plastic cover.

Next, we make our way to Frontierland and stake out a claim to a spot for the Magic Moments parade, which has changed, at least from how we've seen it in the past from Main Street- instead of multiple stops, the whole parade rolls out, and then everything happens at once without pre-show "casting". Rafiki's stick shows a "Hidden Mickey" as it rests on the float. Karen and I both think the parade does not last as long with the single rollout and audience participation. However, it does make sense since kids without stickers came out anyway using the old method.

After the parade, we *finally* catch the new Tiki Room pre-show, which we had not seen before (we had seen the show twice already, but both times we walked right on in). After that we did Pirates again, taking the left side which did seem shorter. We made our way back to Mike Fink's keelboats, where Coyote Chris was our captain.

Now, thank you RADP! We went up to ride the Liberty Belle, and asked CM Amy if we could ride in the wheelhouse. She said sure, and we said who do we have to ask, and she said her! We went up to the top, waited for her, and then Kristina and David got to "steer" the boat. We somehow avoided Big Thunder Mountain, Superstition Bridge, and Aunt Polly's and made our way back to port. On our way out, Amy gave the kids their Pilot's Licenses, good for one year, so look out- between their previous Monorail CoPilot's licenses and this, there is almost no transportation completely safe at WDW with us around.

To close out our day at the Magic Kingdom, we saw the Country Bear Jamboree, and it is always fun to watch and listen to the first-time viewers. As we exited that, a dance broke out on the streets of Frontierland- a nice addition of "spontaneous" entertainment. After that, it was back to our room, a quick swim, a bite to eat at the food court, and then over to Fantasia Gardens. Two holes were closed for rebuilding- seven and eighteen, so we got to play two holes twice, and we chose four and sixteen (16 is the broom hole, my favorite). Karen got six holes in one, Kristina made par, David "won" with the most strokes (64), and Dad got low score of 45- including taking 7 strokes on the first five holes (1-2-2-1-1). After that the result was never in doubt.

Since I won, I got to choose what to do next, and, since it was just a little after 10, and since we could hear (and see Sorcerer Mickey at the end of) Fantasmic!, we drove over to the Studios, walked in, and got into the Sebastian section, row L, towards the center. With special effect lightning in the distance in the sky (especially effective during the Witch's appearance), the show is excellent, as is the opening act "Four for a Dollar". The dragon is working, unlike the show we saw in April, which makes the show a lot better. In my opinion, there is no better show at WDW, and no more thrilling or striking scene as The Sorcerer's Apprentice at the top of the mountain, bringing out the fireworks.

We join the thousands of others (couldn't be 6000, as the two sections at the extreme sides of the theatre are empty) exiting, thankful the rain and thunderstorm held off, and get back to the room and go to bed.

FAVORITES: Karen- meeting Piglet at the Crystal Palace; David- Fantasia Gardens since he "won"; Dad- Fantasmic!; Kristina- Fantasia Gardens.

COSTS:

MK Passports (2): 10.50 Lunch: 49.56 (not including tip) Supper: 24.36 (Grilled cheese, single pizza, large pizza w/two toppings, small salad, small fruit cup) Fantasia Gardens- 15.64 (two free kids rounds for Annual passholder, 20% off adult rounds for Magic Kingdom Club) Soda (4) at Fantasmic!- 9.00

Day 9- A light day (Thursday, July 22)

After dragging Kristina out of bed at 8:00 a.m., we drive over to the Grand Floridian for breakfast at 1900 Park Faire, with friends Mad Hatter, Alice, Snow White, Dopey, and Mary Poppins. As usual, breakfast was practically perfect in every way, although David and Kristina would not meet the Mad Hatter because they were afraid he was mad at them.

From the main building we walked to the boat dock and rented two water mouses, err, water mice, whatever. While we seperate (David with mom, Kristina with me), we end up spending an hour exploring Bay Lake and Seven Seas Lagoon, including a spin around Discovery Island where a lone CM is spotted walking along the paths. A boat is digging up seaweed near the Wilderness Lodge, and a boat delivers some large bags of something to Discovery Island- I think concrete, Karen things bird feed. From our distance, however, we can't tell.

We end up spending an hour in the boats, but we get charged for only 1/2 hour. We dock the boats (did anyone ever mention how much fun it is to get a mouse to do a donut <g>?), and head back to our room for a nap, then in the pool until it is closed due to nearby electrical activity. So, up to the room for some snacks while we wait out the storm to see if our second-half plans will be washed out.

There is a light rain, so we follow our schedule and head over to the Animal Kingdom for an afternoon view of the animals. As we pass the Tree of Life, we turn to the right and see that Flik is there giving autographs. We get his, although Ata has already retired for the evening. After that, we head first to the safari, where the FASTPASS lane is in view; however, it is not in operation at the time because there is no line. A cast member there says that it is being well received, however. The afternoon safari is good, and lots of animals are out. We next head over to Kali River Rapids, where everyone gets a little wet, but Karen and David get really soaked as we spin going down the hill- the first time I remember that happening.

From there, it is onto the Maharajah Jungle Trek, and the bats are just beginning to wake up and eat and stretch their wings- really neat. CM Oh explains the bats very well. As we continue into the aviary, CM Nate from Illinois is very knowledgable about the birds there, and is very friendly. By the time we get out, the park is officially closed (7:00 p.m.), but they continue the "It's Tough to be a Bug" show until 7:30 p.m., so we catch just about the last show of the day. David spends the entire time on the floor so the bees won't get him and Hopper won't see him.

Gluttons for punishment, we grab the bus to the MK, and get supper at the Plaza Restaurant with our MKC discount. Without priority seating, we still only wait about 10 minutes. We then go to Tomorrowland and do Buzz Lightyear yet again, then over to Fantasyland for Snow White and Winnie the Pooh. Over to Toontown next, where we shut down the Barnstormer after we get in four consecutive rides thanks to CMs Ana and Lourdes, and then catch the last train to Clarksville, or at least Main Street, and leave as the parade keeps most others in the park.

We get back to the hotel, the kids fall asleep, and I drop off- until Karen comes out of the shower and says the shuttle is about to be launched! We watch the launch on TV, and then head out to the balcony. I guess where east is, and I am right, and Karen and I and more people than I would have thought watch the orange streak rise into the night sky, then turn into a dot. About 3-4 minutes after launch, we hear a rumble that lasts for about 30 seconds or so- AWESOME! I can only imagine what it is like a lot closer to the site.

FAVORITES: Karen- Mary Poppins at breakfast and the boat ride; Kristina- riding the Barnstormer four times in a row; David- the boats, Buzz Lightyear, and Pooh ride; Dad- Boats and watching the shuttle.

COSTS:

Breakfast at 1900 Park Faire- 54.91 (without tip) Small bottle of sunscreen at GF- 10.07 (!- don't forget it again!!!) Boat rental- 38.16 (two Water Mice) Supper- 48.29 (39.29 with MKC Discount, without tip)

Day 10- Disney/MGM Studios, Mom and Dad night out (Friday, July 23)

We beat rope drop and get to the front of the line, ready to hit Rock and Roller Coaster again. Fran, a CM for RnR, says that ground has been broken on a new coaster, with inversions, at the Magic Kingdom. He states it is located between Jungle Cruise and Pirates of the Caribbean, set far back and thus having an incredibly long queue area. He says nothing has officially been said at this point.

Another bit of useful information Fran gives us is that RnR is having trouble with the doors closing (I somehow resist the great temptation to say "I thought Aerosmith does all the music for the ride), so we turn to the right and go to Tower of Terror. Amazingly enough, *EVERYONE* else has gone to the right side of the entrance queue. We go to the left and we are the first ones at the bellhop station. Thus, we are the first into the library, the first out of the library, and the first on the ride in the morning.

Doug LIVE! is next, and Karen is not picked for the role of one of the Beets- however, the family suggests I raise my hand, and I am chosen as the drummer, Chap Lipman. I and the other Beets are taken backstage for costuming and makeup, and we get our 37 seconds of fame as we take our places, get spun around amid smoke and fireworks, and finally spun back to get out of costume. A really neat experience, even if I did have to get a blue mohawk haircut.

Wandering over to take the Backlot Tour, we end up taking in Voyage of the Little Mermaid, then the Backlot Tour (look for hidden mickeys on the valves of gas cylinders at Catastrophe Canyon). We give in to the kids and let them play for a bit on the Honey I Shrunk the Kids playground, and then out to Muppet Vision 3-D (unfortunately missing most of the preshow as we go right in). David chooses Pizza Planet for lunch (since I order, I see the hidden mickey in the stars above the left side ordering line). The kids play some games, then spend about three times as much time trying to figure out what to get with the tickets they win. Finally, on to Star Tours as a walk-on ride and the Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular (this time with the plane scene). Then back to the room.

The flashing light on the phone indicates a message- actually, in this case, three of them, all from Fairy Godmothers trying to confirm our need for a babysitter. I call back and tell them yes, and Vivian is on the way. Fairy Godmothers, for those of you who don't know, is an in-room sitting service that charges $10/hour for up to three children, plus travel time and a minimum of four hours. Vivian is coming because Mandy and Joyce, the godmothers we have had the previous two times, are on vacation. Vivian has known Gertrude, the owner of FG, forever and worked for her for 17 years or so. She comes equipped with toys, and she is very pleasant (like the others). We leave her one of the kids' door cards and money for food at the food court, and we are on our way... except for one return to the room I make to tell her the time we will be back, and to give her more money so she can take the kids shopping for mom's birthday on Saturday.

Karen and I get on the bus and go back to the Studios and go straight to RnR, which is open. We get to see Aerosmith head to the concert, and when the doors open, no one has moved from the previous session- the ride is down. After about ten minutes, everything comes back up and we are on our way. We get in row seven, and the ride is a lot more interesting from there. From row four, you can't really tell when you go upside down. From row seven, when you can see the cars in front of you suddenly go up, you *know* what is coming. When we get off, we look at the picture and the look on Karen's face is priceless, so we get it and have it sent to our room for the next day.

By this time, our priority seating time for the Brown Derby has arrived, and I check us in, discreetly telling the receptionist that we are celebrating Karen's birthday a day earily. CM Cynthia is our waitress, and she is great, giving us great recommendations for supper that we take much to our delight. She says that there are no specials because they have a new chef. One thing they have done is downsized the Cobb Salad into an appetizer. At the close of supper, Karen's dessert is served on a triangular plate, with "HAPPY BIRTHDAY KAREN" written in chocolate around the sides. A fine meal and a nice touch to top it off.

We leave, heading over to the Animation Tour, where the CMs there repeatedly tell us that if we want to catch the 9:15 Fantasmic! show, that we should not take this tour. Since we've already seen the show, we stay. Quite a bit has changed since two years ago when we last took it. A new building, new animation features, a different direction all are indications of the expansion of animation in Orlando; the movie with Walter Cronkite and Robin Williams remains the same and as humorous as ever.

Karen and I then go to the Tower of Terror, where Matthew is our bellhop, and he takes one look at me at goes REC ARTS DISNEY PARKS as he sees my RADP pin- he thus becomes the first person who notices it and knows what it is; I have not yet seen any others at the park. After we get off (and the others in the car are mostly first-timers, so they are really screaming), we go back to RnR. We get up to the ramp, and then people start coming down- the ride is down and there is no assurance the ride will be back up. We decide to wait, and we end up inside the building in the lobby. A few requests to leave the building and check back later go unheeded, and we decide to wait until 10:15 p.m. before leaving. But the "please leave" announcements stop, and Frank at the turnstiles talks on the phone a lot. So we decide to give it a few more minutes, and then decide to wait until 10:30 so we could still see Fantasmic! Finally, at 10:40, the ride reopens and we go in row 12- what a great ride it is from there! You *really* feel everything then, along with seeing everything as well to let you know you are upside down.

We get out, and it is still a few minutes before 11, so we go into the Fantasmic theatre and get in and sit on the left side, row L again. Another great show, and we are ready to get a drink as we walk out and head to Sunset Blvd. However, we are directed out to the left, and walk backstage behind the Beauty and the Beast theatre and other stores, and re-enter right by the exit. There is music coming from the park, and a CM makes it plain the park is closed; my guess is that the park is open for a private party, which explains why RnR came back up so late.

The bus is entered, and we get back around 12:30 a.m. with the kids asleep, gifts hidden in the corner, and us ready for a good night's rest for the next day's "celebration".

FAVORITES: Kristina- Muppet Vision 3D; David- Star Tours, Pizza Planet, and HISTK Playground; Karen- Brown Derby; Dad- RnR 12th row ride, Brown Derby

COSTS:

Pizza Planet lunch- 30.82 (2 Pepperoni pizza meal deals, 2 ind. pizzas with small sodas) Pizza Planet games- 5.00 (20 tokens) Rock 'N' Roller Coaster picture- 17.97 Kid's supper- 7.26 (Grilled cheese, chicken finger meals) Parent's supper- 91.07 (with MKC discount, without tip) Birthday presents- 43.87 (2 MM candles, Piglet figurine, Mary Poppins figuirine, ASMo Freezer Mug)

Day 11- A Surprise Day! (Saturday, July 24)

Karen is awakened at 6:30 a.m. with a wake-up call from Mickey Mouse, telling her this is a special day, and it is- her birthday!

Rousing the kids, Karen has to open her presents and cards, and then we head into the Magic Kingdom and go right to City Hall to pick up her "It's My Birthday" button. From there, we head over to Buzz Lightyear (this is during the Surprise Morning hour, when only Fantasyland and Tomorrowland (along with the stores on Main Street) are open), where Karen wins for the first time, and announces she has found a target that gets 100000 points for hitting it. We then do Space Mountain twice on the left side, and my daughter promptly declares it is too slow.

It is now "official" rope drop, so we march over to Splash Mountain. They have just started letting people in, and the water isn't on yet, so we get to see the chute down Chickapin Hill without water, and then see the start as the water starts cascading down. We start winding our way through the line, but hit a snag as technical difficults shuts the ride down for about 10 minutes. Still, we wait it out knowing that the line will be impossibly long in a little while. We finally ride, and as we get off they start moving the line back towards Adventureland- a long wait awaits those who did not try to do Splash first.

Next it is over to Big Thunder Mountain, and we get the first two rows for the "Wildest Ride in the Wilderness". After this, people are getting hungry so we go to the Castle, hoping to get in, only to find out that they are no longer serving breakfast. We trek back over to the Diamond Horseshoe Review, and get their breakfast specials, in some cases twice. And, we eat slow enough to be there for the first show of the day. The crowd is really into it (in fact, one performer says "The early crowd isn't usually this vicious" as we do the "It ain't me, it was HIM!" song), including one person chosen by the comedic magician who turns out to come from Poughkeepsie- five miles from where we live! Karen *almost* gets in trouble for arguing with the magician, but he moves on after telling her "This is my show. I don't come to Burger King and tell you how to flip burgers!" A great show and unexpected treat.

Cinderella's Carousel is our next ride since it is one of Karen's favorites, and then on to Barnstormer for one flight, and hence into the character greeting area where Karen gets autographs from Goofy, Pluto, Donald, Mary Poppins (in chimney sweep mode), Snow White, Alice in Wonderland, Minnie Mouse, Chip, and Dale. Goofy draws a self-portrait on the card, and Donald motions that Goofy is, well, a little goofy. The autographs and such go on a Mickey Mouse birthday card, an idea she got from Deb Wills' site.

We go through Mickey Mouse's house and wait for about 20 minutes to get his autograph and a family photo, and then saunter through Donald's house and cool off a bit. Next, back to Tomorrowland for a trip through the century on the Carousel of Progress, and the theatre is filled more than normal. After that, it is on to the Tomorrowland Transportation Authority and a scenic tour of Tomorrowland. At the CoP, we notice a hidden mickey- the two ears on the glass in front of the father in the final scene of the "kitchen of tomorrow". Also, Stina notices the three large steel loops at one of the Tomorrowland theatres which form the three most famous circles in the world (a quote from the animator on the Animation tour of the previous night).

Coming back to the ASMovies main building, David goes up and asks for birthday balloons for Karen, and gets two. I also get E-Ride tickets for July 27th, just for Karen and I this time. We come back to the room, where Karen is surprised to see a sleeping Snoopy, Mickey confetti, and an envelope with "Happy Birthday" set up in our window- thanks to a note left for Mary, our housekeeper.

We quickly change, then get in the car and drive to Blizzard Beach for a few minutes at the Junior Ski Patrol, then up for one run down Teamboat Springs, with Dad once again successfully steering the ride down the run so that Karen gets soaked at the last drop, and this time *really* gets soaked. A few more minutes are spent at the Ski Patrol area, then we get changed and zip off to the Beach Club and the Cape May Clambake. The kids enjoy it, and both Karen and I find it filling and delicious. Durland, our waiter, is good, and at the close of the meal brings out a large chocolate chip cookie with "Best Wishes" written on it, and a balloon, thanks to a little guidance given at check-in. Karen thought it was really funny as two other tables got "sung to". And she was even more embarrased when our waiter announces "Karen is having a birthday, let's give it up for Karen" and she got a round of applause.

After supper, we stroll outside, and Karen strongly suggests we head towards Epcot, so she can go to Norway and do some shopping. I, however, direct us the other way, past Stormalong Bay and the shuttle boat dock ("Can we get to Epcot on one of those boats?" "Yes, but we're not."). We see a pontoon boat decorated for a party, and I non-chalantly say "Yes, you can reserve that boat by calling 60 days in advance at 7:00 a.m." We continue walking, and Karen just about begs to turn around and head back towards Epcot, and I say "We better stay here, the boat leaves in 20 minutes." Unfortunately, I was caller number TWO, so we don't have the party boat, but we do have Kimi as our Illuminations Cruise captain. We get on board about 8:30, cruise over to MGM past Boardwalk, the Swan, and Dolphin; then over to dock next to the party boat under the bridge at the International Gateway, and the Breathless "drops anchor" next to us for the show. It is a great view of the fireworks, and afterwards we go and stay for a few minutes outside the Atlantic Dance Hall. Then it is back to dock and for us, back to the room for the night.

FAVORITES: Karen- Cruise; Dad- Diamond Horseshoe Review; David- Buzz Lightyear; Kristina- Space Mountain

COSTS:

Breakfast at the Diamond Horseshoe- 24.81 Drinks in Tomorrowland- 8.38 Cape May Clambake- 98.37 Pontoon Boat- 100.70 (including tax, not including tip) E-Ride Tickets- 21.20

Day 12- Epcot (Sunday, July 25)

Up a little late, and not getting a great bus time, we get to Epcot a bit after opening, so even though we head straight to Test Track, we hit a line. But the wait is broken up by a comedic juggler outside who is funny and involves the audience in the act. Inside, we look for hidden mickeys and find three washers arranged on a cart behind exhibit 2a; a MM figure in a pencil holder at the same location; a Ludwig Von Drake sticker at 5b; three upside-down washers at 8b, along with a koosh Mickey ball and a Woody figure at the same location. The ride itself is good, as we have some who have not been on the ride before in the pre-show and who gasp a bit at the crash test our car is scheduled for.

After a break in the Cool Wash outside, Karen and David join Goofy in the play fountains outside of Horizons. We send an IBM postcard to Karen's sister, then on to World Showcase. We stop for a minute on a bench outside of Odyssey, and CM Bobby from California, who appears to be part of the maintenance crew due to the blue and white uniform, provides a lot of information on the black swan, who has been tamed despite the fact bird experts said it couldn't be done. Mr. Rebecca has been tamed to a degree because he was so agressive. Now he and his mate, Phoenix, do not immediately go after the hand that feeds them.

We go into Mexico to get the kids' passports validated, then into Norway for Maelstrom and shopping. We get some sweets from the bake shop, and hang out as the kids play on the Viking ship until the Kidcot Fun Stop opens so Kristina can make an art project. By that time, it is early afternoon, so we start back with another stop at Mexico for a flower-making activity, then out of Epcot, being stopped briefly by CM George who is taking some kind of survey, asking us if this we are from America, and if this is the last park we will be visiting.

We take the monorail to the TTC, then the resort monorail to the MK. Karen and the kids catch a bus back to the resort, and I go into the park to get our picture with Mickey from yesterday. Inside the camera center, there are some neat shots, and in progress is the installation of electronic postcard stations- about five altogether. One pretends to be up, but does not work when I try it. I get on the bus and end up getting back to the room just a few minutes after the rest of the family.

The kids watch The Disney Channel while the parents nap, and Karen and the kids go for a swim while I get in a longer nap. When they get back, I get up and we go back into Epcot. We go to China first, where Cathy from Hong Kong is very nice as Kristina and David make fans. Inside the store, Kristina finds a panda bear she likes and we get it for her as a late birthday present. We continue around, picking up Mushu's and the Warrior's autographs at China, and Jane's autograph between Africa and Germany.

At Germany, Kristina finds a hidden mickey in the farm field at the train set; the kids work on some crafts; and I am saddened to see the last World Key kiosk now just an ATM stand with two telephones to dining reservations. We continue on to Italy for the making of bracelets while Karen goes ahead to catch a bit of the 8:00 p.m. show of "Lord of the Dance". We catch up with her as the show lets out, and go on to the American Adventure for the Kidcot stop. We leave there as the lights start to dim, and start our walk right around 9:00 p.m. We get to the monorail station ahead of the crowds, and David asks for and gets a card entitling us to ride in the front of monorail lime, the second time we've done that today. When we get to the TTC, we transfer to the express line, and David once again asks and gets us in the front cab.

For supper, we grab some pizzas and salads at the Plaza Pavilion, and from there over to Buzz Lightyear, then a TTA ride, and then we make a dash seconds before 11:00 p.m. to Space Mountain, where we get in one run, then a switch that makes Kristina and I (and two cast members) the last two riders on the right side for the evening. We get ice cream at Main Street, since there are short lines as the MSEP goes by. We watch most of the crowd leave before we start heading out with the kids half-asleep. They complete the job before the bus has left the bus stop, and get them up and back to the room. A busy day, a good day yet again.

FAVORITES: Karen- Norway; David- Norway (Lego); Dad- Space Mountain (last run with CMs)

COSTS:

Pandas from China (large, plastic)- 31.80 Christmas ornaments from Germany- 50.87 Jewelry from Norway- 96.31 Candy from Germany- 6.21 Supper at Plaza Pavilion- 27.30 Mickey Photo- 13.73 Kringla Bakery- 18.40 T-Shirt and pins from Test Track- 31.80 EPCOT passports and souvenir coins- 29.53 Film at Centorium- 9.54

Day 13- Typhoon Lagoon and Disney Marketplace (Monday, July 26)

Karen is up early to do some wash, and the slow driers give us a late start to Typhoon Lagoon. Still, we park in row 7 and find a table and some chairs at Ketchakiddee Creek. The kids spend a few minutes getting wet as we set up camp, then we go down to the wave pool for about 15 minutes, then up to the tube rides, doing the family tube ride last. Then back for lunch at the table, then a spin around the park on the lazy tube ride. We get off at Shark Reef exit, but there is thunder in the air and an announcement that the National Weather Service has put up a severe thunderstorm watch for central Florida sends us packing.

However, there is about ten minutes of panic as David gets seperated from us. Kristina and Karen head back to "home base" as I look around for him where we last saw him. I head back to home base after about five minutes to get my glasses, and David is there, thanks to lifeguard/CM Jordan. David, realizing he had become seperated, went up to a lifeguard, told him where we were, and was escorted back. Thanks, Eileen at Blizzard Beach from the previous week, who gave out those instructions that stuck with him the entire week.

Together again, we change and head over to the Marketplace. We do some heavy shopping at the World of Disney store, then over to the Lego Imagination Center, then on to the train, the Pooh store, the playground, the toy store, and then Studio M where Kristina orders an airbrushed t-shirt with her name and Tinkerbelle on it, and Karen and I both make CDs at the "Forever Disney" center. During the wait, we get supper at McDonald's and dessert at Ghiradelli's. We make the pickup and then we go for a little spin down to Celebration, back up to 192 where we have no luck in finding the Wal-Mart, then back to Publix for some groceries. We get back to the resort around 9:00 p.m. and get the kids to bed a little early in preparation for tomorrow's breakfast at the Polynesian.

FAVORITES: Dad- Studio M and making the CD; Karen- Wave Pool at Typhoon Lagoon; Kristina- getting the personalized t-shirt; David- Lego Store

COSTS:

Supper at McDonalds- 18.28 (with free quarter-pounder with coupon from "Birnbaum's Official Guide") Ghirardelli's- 15.53 Publix- 38.65 Karen's Pooh Stuff- 57.24 (51.52 after MKC discount) CDs- 42.36 (38.12 after MKC discount) T-Shirt- 32.86 (29.58 after MKC discount) Days of Christmas- 9.54 (8.59 after MKC discount) Danish at food court- 2.13 Souvenirs from World of Disney- 424.63 (382.17 after MKC discount) (items- Belle clothing for Kristina, Y2K logo pin, WDW Pictorial book, PVC Piglet figure, Millenium expanding washcloth, Millennium disc, Fantasmic CD, Instrumental CD, 1999 photo album, Millenium freezer mug, Piglet coffee mug, 22 postcards, Monorail, Four 1999 t-shirts, Four Millenium t-shirts, Millenium polo shirt, Time Capsule)

Day 14- Magic Kingdom and more (Tuesday, July 27)

At 8:20 a.m. we are at the Polynesian Resort and being seated for Minnie's Minnehuna breakfast with Mickey, Minnie, Chip, and Dale in island outfits. The food is served family style, but is all you can eat and very good. Out to the monorail and into the Magic Kingdom, we take the horse-drawn trolley to Cinderella's Castle, then into Fantasyland for a flight on Peter Pan and then a cruise on It's a Small World. Then it is off to Adventureland.

Rollie, the cast member in charge of the Missing Quote Challenge, remembers me from the previous week, when we picked up the clues but did not return because we went back to the hotel for a nap. This time, we are determined to play and WIN. We first head over to Tom Sawyer Island, and find the missing quote in Harper's Grist Mill. We spend time there, letting the kids play on the playground, explore Fort Langhorne, and then head back to the mainland. We next see the Country Bear Jamboree to verify some answers to three questions, which, by the way, are different than the questions we had received the previous week.

We decide to alternate outside attractions and inside, so we get on the Liberty Belle for a trip, stopping to ask a cast member outside the answer to one of the questions (Me- "I have a question to ask you." CM (who sees the question sheet in my hand- "I bet you do.") and picking up the answers along the way. After we dock, we head up to the Hall of Presidents, where Karen and I have a disagreement as to the number of portraits inside the hall (does a group scene count as a portrait or not? I compromise and write the lower number but then add in the group painting on the answer sheet). Coming out of the cool show, we then make the trek back to Adventureland for a climb up the Swiss Family Robinson treehouse.

Dole Whips break up the search for answers, then we go on the Walt Disney World Railroad to get the last answers we aren't sure of. We skip the new Enchanted Tiki Room, knowing the answers to those three questions asked, and we speed from the Frontierland Station back to the starting point in front of the Tiki Room and hand in our answers in the nick of time. The result- another couple and us end up with the quote and 19 correct answers- perfect scores! Just for taking the time to play (starting at 10:30 a.m. and handing in the answers at 2:15 p.m.), we get three "Head of the Line" passes. Then, as a winner, we get our choice of three more passes, or two passes and saved seating for the 3:00 p.m. parade. We opt for the three additional passes, and Rollie tells us that we can exchange the dated passes another time for a different date if we don't use them all today, which we won't.

However, we do use three of the passes. Before our first ride, we stop at the store outside of Pirates of the Caribbean, where Kristina purchases "gemstones" and the cast member who checks her out recognizes my RADP pin- the second person who knows what it is. For rides, we start at Splash Mountain, with at least a 75 minute wait (a line stretching past the 60 minute wait sign) and get in. As we come out, a group of three guys gets on- we notice them because they are accompanied by a cast member, and one has red-orange hair and another is in leather and has spiked hair. More on them later. After that, we go to Big Thunder and bypass the 30 minute wait there.

A leisurely ride on the WDWRR takes us to Toon County Faire, and we take the quiet path from there to Space Mountain, where we get lots of dirty looks and comments as we squeeze past people, walking behind the other family who won the contest, showing them our pass and telling them we got them by playing a game. Others who see us going up the cast member side come in behind us, only to be turned back at the top of the line. Even though he is taking his vitamins, David is still not tall enough to ride, so we do a switch at the top. By 4:00 p.m. we have done the three mountains- pretty impressive since the line for Space Mountain, when we came out, stretched out of the building and back to Merchant of Venus- we estimated at least a 90 minute wait. We figure the investment of less than four hours seeing attractions we wanted to see was worth it, especially since we still have three more passes and bypassed over three hours of line-waiting.

After that, we go back to ASMovies and Karen and Kristina go to the pool, while David and I change and wait for a Fairy Godmother to appear. She arrives on time at 5:00 p.m., and we go to the pool and leave the children in her hands. Karen and I get in the car and drive over to Blizzard Beach, where we walk and swim across Meltaway Bay, go down Runoff Rapids once, then share a Teamboat Springs ride, and finally take the chair lift up for a mat ride before walking/swimming back across Meltaway Bay and go to the locker rooms to change.

Emerging, we walk back to the car and drive over to Pleasure Island and Downtown Disney Westside. At Westside, we go to Magnetron where Karen finds a lot of Snoopy magnets. We then eat supper at Wolfgang Puck Express, and after that we go into the Virgin Megastore in search of the Japanese double-CD with lots of the Disney songs I enjoy; however, there are none to be found. A store clerk says that she remembers seeing it but she hasn't seen any in months. Along the way, we see those same three guys that we saw on Splash Mountain with another cast member, and someone informs us that they are VJs from MTV. Karen assumes they are down here for the opening of Rock N Roller Coaster, which she has read is scheduled for the 29th.

We stop in at Starabilia, where Karen finds *more* Snoopy stuff. From there, we make our way to PI and go to Dzertz, where we both get chocolate Corruption cake, which is delicious. We then go to the Comedy Club, where we both make contributions to skits. Mine comes in the form of an occupation for a hero named Fred- his job is to stuff cotton into small bottles. This works out well since his new superpower is superstrength, and he learns his new power by continual breaking bottles when stuffing them with cotton (a villain gets the same treatment Fred does, only he becomes Austin Powers, baby). Karen has her tale of running out of gas on the way to the dentist, and having the kids get upset when she says she is going to kill their father (me) for not filling the car up, become a ballad to close the show; this ties in the dentist part of the superhero sketch, her story, and the phone-call answerer, a funeral director from England, together in a neat little package.

Since we are not party-goers, we leave PI and go to the Magic Kingdom and E-Ride night. Daniel takes our cards and becomes CM (and person) #3 to recongize the RADP pin I have been wearing. Once again, all 5000 tickets have been sold, so there are some lines. Karen and I end up doing Buzz Lightyear twice, then Alien Encounter (our first time to see this), Buzz again, Space Mountain, Buzz a final time (we end up splitting, with the spin controller winning each time), get a frozen carbonated beverage at the Lunching Pad, Big Thunder Mountain, and finally two rides on Splash Mountain. We slowly walk out of Frontierland, back through Liberty Square, and to the Ice Cream Parlor for two cones. We then walk down Main Street to the resort monorail, and looked back to see maybe another two dozen people leaving the park at 3:00 a.m. We finally got back to the room around 3:15 a.m. We pay Laura the Fairy Godmother and get to bed around 3:30 in the morning.

FAVORITES: Kristina- Passing the line at Space Mountain; Karen- Winning the Missing Quote Contest; Dad- Playing the Missing Quote Contest; David- Going to the head of the line at Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

Costs- I'm beginning to lose track of the details at this point. <sigh> I don't know if that is a good sign or a bad sign.

Day 15- River Country and Magic Kingdom (Wednesday, July 28)

We sleep in today, getting up about an hour after David awakes at 8:30 a.m. or so. We take the bus to the Magic Kingdom, and then the boat to the Fort Wilderness/River Country dock. When we arrive, it is busy but not terribly crowded. There are some new things there- a new log and cargo rope area, akin to the ice floes and net rope at Blizzard Beach; also, there is no longer a height restriction on the tube ride. Instead, they have added four-handled tubes for the smaller riders, a nice change over last year when I had two kids who could ride Tower of Terror but not the slow downhill tube ride at River Country.

In addition, squirting animals have been added to the little kiddie pond. However, there seems to be less activities during the day for the kids. We spend about seven hours there, including eating lunch and walking the Cypress Point, pool time, little kid slides, boom ride, ice floe, body slide, and tube ride. We change and exit at closing, and visit the petting zoo and see Minnie Moo for the first time (for the kids) in a number of years (for us). We go back to the hotel for a bit, and at 8:30 p.m. call for priority seating at 9:00 p.m. at Chef Mickey's. We get them, and quickly drive to the Contemporary Resort where we get to the podium a little early and enjoy a great buffet and character interaction. There is also another picture-taking before we are seated: is this something new at the resorts? This makes the second time we've been portraited before a meal, the other time was at Minnie's Minnehuna breakfast.

After the meal, we get on the resort monorail (with some effort, the up escalator is being repaired and the elevator is not working, so we have to wait for the unloading passengers to come down and then the CMs reverse the escalator for loading us up. When we get off the monorail, it is about 10:45 p.m., so we starting walking up Main Street. We grab a seat on the curb in front of the Emporium facing Town Square, when we notice an entire blank area on the street behind the ropes. An inquiry is made of a cast member, who says, sure, sit there, so we do. As a result, we get to see the Main Street Electrical Parade up front just about 50 feet from the spot where it makes its entrance onto Main Street USA.

After the parade, we grab a resort monorail back to the Contemporary, get in the car, and get back to the room for a fairly good night's sleep.

FAVORITES: Dad- MSEP; Karen- Flume slides at River Country; David- eating at Chef Mickey's; Kristina- Pool slide at River Country

Day 16- Animal Kingdom and Epcot (Thursday, July 29)

Morning arrives too soon, and we get to AK a bit after opening. One of our objectives today is to test out the Fastpass system. We start by going to the Kali River Rapids ride, after watching some performers at the entrance, one of whom just about causes a guest to jump out of her skin as he comes up behind her and blows a bird call, which causes her to turn and see a 12 foot high bird looking at her.

At Kali, we go around once, then get to stay on for a second run which makes the rest of the group with us happy because I did not get very wet the first time. I make up for it on the second run, and two people leave and two new ones get on as we make a third straight run. Leonardo, the CM who let us stay on for all those trips, makes this a great start to the day, since we now hope evaporation will help us keep cool for the rest of our journey.

As Karen goes shopping for butterfly items, I bring the kids to the playground and boneyard, where they get to go wild for a few minutes until Karen arrives and we all go to the Tarzan Rocks show. I find it strangely unsatisfying, as I think I'd like more of it to be about Tarzan. Technically, it is a wonderful show with acrobatics, gymnastics, roller blading, and audience participation, and it is well worth a view at least once. But don't go expecting Edgar Rice Burroughs.

From there, it is back to Asia for Flights of Wonder. The covering over all the seats is a welcome addition, and the use of a tour guide as the comedic foil for the show is a nice change over the previous version of the show.

After Flight, we go over to the safari. It is 11:30 and a 40 minute wait time is projected. I go over to the Fastpass station, and after about a four minute wait get four tickets for use between 11:55 and 12:55. We try to get in the 11:40 Pocohantas show, but a soda stop gets us to the show a few minutes late. So, we work our way back to the safari at the 11:55 time, and we walk past at least one hundred people in the standby line and wait about five minutes to get in on a jeep. So, at least from our standpoint, this is a great system. We want to test it on other rides and at Rock N Roller Coaster, which, by the way, turns out to be having its grand opening today at the Studios with Aerosmith.

Anyway, back to Animal Kingdom. We get to the 12:40 Pocahontas show, with the cast member outside telling us there were still some seats, and that children between the ages of 4 and 10 could sit up front in special seating. When we get inside, all seats are gone, adults are in the front seating area, and our children are turned back. The show is still good, but afterwards Victor, the lead CM at the show, faces the wrath of Karen, who points out that you shouldn't have somebody outside saying one thing while the truth is different inside- better communication is needed between the inside and outside people.

From there, we go back to ASMovies for a rest and a swim (for some), then back to Epcot to see how far we can get with passports. We go to China to catch the movie, then on the American Adventure. We visit Japan and the kids do some origami, then on to Morocco for a stamp in the passport, as there is no Kidcot activity there. Then on to France for the Kidcot, and Kristina and I get to take in the Living Statue who is funny and good. For supper, we stop at Germany to get the kids frankfurter sandwiches, then carry that over to China where Karen and I get supper at the Lotus Blossom Cafe. I have the stir-fried beef and Karen has the Shanghai Grilled Chicken- both are filling and good. Dessert is at the Kringla Bakery, where we hear Illuminations before we wander back out to the bus stop and back to the room for the night.

FAVORITES: Kristina- Nothing; Karen- Kali River Rapids 3x; Dad- Fastpass to the Safari ride; David- Kali 3x

Day 17- Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Typhoon Lagoon, and Disney-MGM (Friday, July 30)

The bus line awaits us around 8:30 a.m. today, and we get to the Magic Kingdom about 10-15 minutes after rope drop. We head over to Tomorrowland where there is a new electronic wait time sign at the Tomorrowland Speedway announcing that there is a five minute wait. We go for a spin, and by the time we get off the line is about three times longer than when we got on. From there, it is on to Buzz Lightyear twice (switching pilots each time), then Space Mountain with a posted 30 minute wait but what turns out to be closer to 15. We take in the Timekeeper show next, then climb the stairs up and then climb into the sky ride, passing what must be among the loneliest roles at the world- the person at the turn point on the skyride.

In Fantasyland, we go to the Legend of the Lion King show, something we haven't seen in at least two years. Everyone is still impressed by the show and how everything is so well coordinated. We next walk over to the Toon County Faire and do the Barnstormer once, then take the train to Main Street where we catch the firetruck jitney to the castle, then walk back to Casey's for a quick drink before leaving the Magic Kingdom for the day.

David does his thing and gets us into the lead car on the monorail, and we get our co-pilots licenses. When we get to the TTC, we walk across to the EPCOT monorail, and David gets us in front there. This trip, by the way, completes our complete circuit of the monorail system- over 13 miles according to the spiel on the EPCOT to TTC run.

We go through Ice Station Cool on our way to taking a Friendship over to Morocco/France/Italy. Once there, we go to France where we just get into the 2:00 p.m. showing of the movie; then on to the United Kingdom where Karen finds a new Piglet to get, and she also gets to play with Tweedledee, Tweedledum, the Sheriff, Alice, and the Queen of Hearts (who makes her kiss her hand twice before she would give autographs) while the kids make crowns. We watch most of the World Showcase Players, who put on a good show with a very participatory audience. We then wrap up our world tour with O Canada, stopping to get a bit of Off-Kilter in along the way. When we emerge, the sky has darkened and we fear for a thunderstorm. Bravely, we make our way across World Showcase Plaza where Kristina asks a CM to reopen a buttoned-up cart with puppets, and she purchases a Mickey Mouse puppet. Then on to Norway yet again for more jewelry shopping by Karen. We wait out the expected onset of the storm at Kringla Bakery <tough wait, huh>, and then, when nothing happens, we head out of EPCOT, but not before taking advantage of a walk-on Spaceship Earth. As we board, Will from St. Louis notices my RADP pin, the fourth during our stay to do so. On the ride itself, Karen sees the TL (for Typhoon Lagoon) on the surfboard in the transoceanic communications scene. Then, we leave.

Back to ASMovies for a brief rest, then we drive over to Typhoon Lagoon around 7:30 p.m. to take in the beach party: one problem, though- there isn't one. We do some waves at take our leave at 8:30 at park closing, and drive into the Studios lot. We eat supper at Rosie's All-American Cafe, and then mosey over to Rock N Roller Coaster, whose sign at the front entrance no longer reads "NOW OPEN" but "STARRING AEROSMITH". At 10:00 p.m. there is an hour wait and no Fastpass, so we go into the Tower of Terror line. The kids won't ride, so Karen does the trek "alone" and from there we go over to the late showing of Fantasmic. As usual, it is fantastic, although the mist screen on the left side looks out of focus to us, and I think the canoes had some problems.

We wait a bit as we leave, and I mention to a cast member at the corner of Sunset and Hollywood that Fantasmic! is the best show at the world, at least in my opinion.

FAVORITES: David- Riding in the front of the monorail twice; Karen- riding the Skyway (so she could see what was going on); Kristina- Typhoon Lagoon wave pool; Dad- Fantasmic! (What can I say, I'm addicted?)

Day 18- Blizzard Beach, Disney-MGM (Saturday, July 31)

Pulling ourselves out of bed, we make it to Blizzard Beach before opening, and get enjoy Beth and Bethany put the crowd through warm-ups before official rope drop. We grab the same picnic table undercover at Junior Ski Patrol as we did the last time we did rope drop, and I stick with the kids there while Karen goes down Wedgie Plummet (sorry, Summit Plummet) and Slush Gusher before the crowds build. Then we all climb Mt. Gushmore for a Teamboat Springs run. After that, we climb back up and David and I do mat racers while Karen and Kristina go down the curvy slides.

David and I then take the lazy river back to Ski Patrol, with Karen and Kristina doing a tube run. He and I share a triple-tube, which used to be used on Runoff Rapids. Unfortunately, we *have* to pass our stop and go under the melting snow of Mt. Gushmore and the cave. "The Girls" take the same route back, only avoiding the snow. We spend time there, then take the ski lift up for a final run down Teamboat Springs.

When we get back to the table for snacks, it turns out someone has usurped a third of the table, saying it was it her daughter's birthday and that she could take the whole table if she wanted. They had spilled soda on the table and were elsewhere by the time I got there, so I avoided the encounter. After snacks, Karen took the kids into Ski Patrol and got some pictures while I waited. Then I joined them for a last few minutes of swimming, and then we left, probably for the last time on this trip. On the way out, Heather listens sympathetically to our tale of "bad neighbor" experience.

After lunch at the Food Court, we take a brief respite, and then head out to Disney-MGM Studios. We arrive in time to stake out a good site to watch the Mulan parade on the steps of the "Doug Live!" show. It is good, and the view is terrific as the parade turns the corner in front of the Great Movie Ride.

We grab some sodas at Min and Bill's, and I notice the crates in front of the boat addressed to Dorothy Gale in Kansas (Bicycle, some assembly required), Camel Saddles to T.E. Lawrence in Saudi Arabia, Peaches to Mrs. Scarlett O'Hara at Tara Plantation in Georgia, and a delivery from Rosebud Sleds to a Kane in Xanadu, Florida. Then go to Rock N Roller Coaster and pick up Fastpasses at 5:40 for entry between 6:25 and 7:25. As planned. We go across Sunset Boulevard and are among the first dozen people into the 6:00 p.m. Beauty and the Beast Show. Many are surprised when the setup crew breaks into song <g>. The show is beautiful as usual, and we have seats in the center, about five rows back. Oh, and Four for a Dollar sings "When You Wish Upon a Star" to a couple who are celebrating their 35th wedding anniversary.

Back across the street at 6:40 p.m., we go in the Fastpass entrance and within ten minutes we are at the loading area. I do the switch with David first as Karen and Kristina take the first stretch... sorry, make that a super-stretch limo to the concert. Then Kristina and I ride, both times in row 9- a good car since you can stretch your feet out during the ride and see the cars ahead of you go up, up, up in the loops.

Sci-Fi Dine-In is our choice for supper, and we wait about five minutes after our priority seating time to go in. We have to share our car with another couple, and David H., our waiter, is excellent with the kids and everyone. Karen and I both enjoy our meals (hers sirloin, mine shrimp and pasta), leaving us stuffed and definitely not ready for Tower of Terror. Nice touches here include a different film selection from our previous visit of three or four years ago, and a "flying saucer" occassionally appearing in the skies off to our our left from behind the fence. The kids, who are sitting together in front of us, are incredibly well behaved the entire meal, as the movie clips enthrall them.

The Great Movie Ride is our first ride after the meal, and there is a technical glitch as there is no explosion and fire at the Western scene that we are hijacked in. Billy, our driver, is the first one who reacted to seeing a skeleton at the temple jewel switchback. I really would have liked to have seen what went on in the car behind us, which just had a driver.

Star Tours is called for by the kids to end our day, and we go right on. Another great flight with a rookie driver <g>, and even some first-time riders as well which helps enliven the trip to (and past) Endor.

Our day is made complete by Anthony, the bus driver back to All-Star Movies, who leads us in song (although pointedly *not* "It's a Small World"). We get to bed early (more or less), as tomorrow is the scheduled "BLITZ DAY", the last day our annual passes are good for.

FAVORITES: Karen- Teamboat Springs; David- Star Tours and Teamboat Springs; Kristina- Rock N Roller Coaster; Dad- Sci-Fi Dine-In

Day 19- AK, MK, FW, EC, DS (Sunday, August 1)

Dawn. Well, okay, a little after dawn. Karen and I are up at 6:45 a.m., and we manage to rouse the kids and be at the bus stop around 8:30 a.m. for the bus ride to Animal Kingdom, our first planned stop of the day. We've got a backpack packed with bathing suits so we can get in a quick swim later in the day at River Country, and we are psyched to hit all the parks in one day.

When we get to AK, we stop for a family portrait on the bridge with the Tree of Life in the background, then the kids go right to the playground and Boneyard while Karen and I go to Countdown to Extinction, our first chance to ride together since David does not meet the height requirement. We're in the front row, and it is a good ride. We get off, look at the photo (it isn't anything spectacular so we pass on it), then gather up the kids and go to Kali River Rapids Ride. The Fastpass isn't going on it yet, as we walk right on and get a soaking wet ride. Since there isn't a line, we get to stay on for a second trip to really get drenched.

Exiting Kali, we go over to the Safari where there is a forty minute wait in the standby line. I get four Fastpass tickets for about an hour later, then we go over to Tusker House for breakfast, then walk the Pangani Jungle Trail, where we see some gorillas, neat birds, and other assorted and sundry critters (no, I am not a zoologist, thanks for asking). After coming of Pangani, our appointed time for entry on the safari has arrived, and we bypass about forty rows of people and end up waiting about seven minutes for our jeep. It is a good trip, with the usual assortment of animals visible, but many are *much* closer than normal, including the giraffes.

We our ready to make our way out, but before we go we meander around the path outside the Tree of Life around the river, and CM Tina tells us a lot about the Galapagos tortoises there. That was an impressive facet of the AK- the CMs knew their animals, and were eager to share that knowledge with anyone who would listen.

That ends our time in the AK, and Kem at the lockers asks if I plan on going to other parks. I say yes, and she says just show the green card she gave me and all we pay is the deposit for the next rental, and we get that back when we return that key- ie, renting lockers is like parking at WDW- you pay once per day, no matter how many different lockers/parking lots you use. While I was doing that, Karen orders the pictures that were taken earlier to join the safari Piglet she picked up outside of Tamu Tamu and Tusker House. Oh, did I happen to mention that we were fairly cool at this point- at least, my back and Karen's back were, since Angel at that cart (who was shoveling ice into a big tube holding Disney Squeeze Breeze bottles) put ice down our backs. Since our shirts were tucked in, the ice couldn't escape like it did for the kids. At least it was all melted by the time we got on the bus for the Ticket and Transportation Center.

Monorail Orange takes us into the MK, where we rent another locker and then catch the train to Frontierland. We backtrack to Adventureland, where Rollie is just starting up an Adventureland Challenge game. Today, however, we aren't there to play- we are there to exchange our three remaining "Head of the Line" passes for ones dated for today. We get them, and get some sodas to drink. We then get on the walk-on Pirates of the Caribbean, then over to Big Thunder Mountain where we use our first pass to bypass a posted 20 minute line. We sit near the front, which seems really slow. We next hop on over to the exit of Splash Mountain, where we use our second pass to get the next ride there, passing a line of 60-75 minutes along the way. We do see, however, that Fastpass installation is coming along quite nicely here.

After Splash, we repeat our performance of the previous week and take the train to Toontown Faire, then walk over to Space Mountain. The line is not so bad this time, but it is still at least 40 minutes long as we reach the head of the line. Once again, we take the right side and get seats 5 and 6 twice, Kristina's favorite seats. We take on the evil emperor Zurg two final times, take a spin on the Tomorrowland Transportation Authority right before it breaks down for a few minutes, then stop by Le Chapeau to pick up a family set of ears. Before cleaning out the locker and moving on to Fort Wilderness and River Country, we go to City Hall where CM Reed recognizes the RADP button I've been wearing as much as possible. We didn't stop to see Reed, though, we went to see if Kristina's old hat, which we lost somewhere around Splash Mountain, had been found and turned in. It hadn't been, but he gives me a card with the number for Central Lost and Found and tells me to try tomorrow. We leave, and on the way out CM Daniel also notices the button, and we exchange email addresses.

While waiting for the launch, however, we see the red-lighted Boston Whalers going out into Seven Seas Lagoon and get the sprites and other boats into harbor, as dark clouds loom ominously closer. We get on the launch, and just before going through the canal see Goofy and Tigger being pulled by a speedboat riding inner tubes, obviously trying to get to a safe haven before the storm. By the time we get to River Country, others are coming out telling us it is closed, but may reopen later. It is nearly 4:30 p.m., so we go over to Trail's End Buffet, which we were going to try earlier in the week. We get there right at opening and enjoy a really good meal- I had to "force" myself to have the hot cherry pie for dessert.

The weather is still not looking too good, so we head back to the boat dock and catch the launch to the Contemporary, and then go upstairs to the monorail, a trip made much more "interesting" by the fact that the up escalator is down and the elevator isn't up, either. We finally get upstairs, and then go "mono a mono" to Epcot.

When we get there, we check at the tip board and Test Track is listed as "Delayed", with the CM there not knowing exactly when it will be up. She explained the procedure as first they have to wait for all the storm to go by, then they check the track, then they run cars around to dry the track out; all of this is at least a half-hour procedure.

Instead of waiting, we go to The Living Seas to finish our observations there, as we had left early for our dinner package engagement our previous time there. Karen picks up more manatee stuff for school, but is disappointed because the manatees are now in their "rest" period for the night. By the time we emerge from the up hydrolator (after I tell David not to play with the emergency doors next to them or else tons of seawater will probably come pouring in) and get to the tip board again, Test Track is listed with a 75 minute wait- this at nearly 8:00 p.m. We wait it out, and it was worth it just to find this little gem that the Imagineers have placed in the queue. It has to do with the test dummy at 10B, and if you want to discover it yourself, skip the next paragraph <g>.

At station 10B, there is a partially-assembled test dummy. Every so often, the left leg kicks up. At stations 7B, 8B, and 9B (I believe, I am sure on 8B), they do various tests where they have weights hit test dummies in the knee, chest, and neck. When the weights hit the chest and neck, about three seconds later the 10B dummy kicks up the left leg. When the weight hits the left knee at the test along the wall, the 10B dummy IMMEDIATELY kicks up the leg, just like what would happen if a doctor, testing your reflexes, hit your knee with one of those rubber hammers. This was so cool to determine, it almost made the entire trip for me <g>.

Now that you're back... We got in our test vehicle just around 9:00 p.m., and off we went. When we emerged outside for the loop, we could see the fireworks going off for Illuminations- at least Kristina and I could. Karen, however, was bent over holding onto David, since his seat belt had become unhooked on the uphill climbing test at the beginning of the ride, and she couldn't reach far enough to get it back in and the person sitting next to David didn't/couldn't hear Karen's requests for help. Karen was sore, afterwards, and was surprised when the cast member who was loading in people in the car after we got out didn't have any reaction when she told him what happened.

Anyway, from Epcot we went out and caught the bus to the MGM Studios. Fastpass was down, so there was no way we could get one last ride in on Rock N Roller Coaster. Instead, we got some frozen drinks and sat outside the entrance to Hollywood Hills and waited until the crowd awaiting the late Fantasmic! show got inside. We followed leisurely, and got in row E of the section next to Mickey- Maleficent. There was another preshow, this time featuring someone who had just been promoted to some VP type position. He asked for people who were lost to come down, and he did manage to hook up two people with their families. Every few minutes he said, "Wouldn't it be great if I could just turn around and start the show early?", at which point he would turn around, say "Start the show!", and then turn back around and said "Wouldn't it, though?" He had us do a flash camera wave ("It won't be a waste of film if you focus on something interesting, like me.") It was a very good preshow- maybe not as good as Four for a Dollar, but different and entertaining.

Finally, the show really began. It was disappointing in a number of respects. First, the smoke really hung around the mountain, making some things tough to see. Also, the wire that the flaming arrow is shot down on to start the Pocohontas fight again did not come down, so John Smith could not swing over from one side of the mountain to the other (the same thing had happened at the show Karen and I had gone to the previous Tuesday). The river didn't catch on fire nearly as much as the other times. And, worst of all, NO SORCERER MICKEY! The mountaintop was bare as the water shot up and the fireworks went off- I think there was simply a lot of trouble with that smoke and they didn't want to take a risk with Mickey at the top of the mountain. (BTW- Have I mentioned that you can see through the mountain when the steamboat comes around if you are on the left side of the amphitheater?)

And with that, we made our way out of the parks for the last time on this trip, our annual passes good only for another 20 minutes but nowhere to go anyway.

No Favorite List- how can you have a favorite when you're "done" with the World?

Day 20- Laundry, Belz, Shell World, DisneyQuest (Monday, August 2)

Preparing to return to the "real" world, we sleep in and head over to the laundry room to do most of our wash, so there won't be too much to do when we finally return home. There is almost no one there, so we are able to grab five washers and get everything done at once. A woman from England is also there after a while, and she helps fold clothing as she talks about her home and visit. We eat breakfast during the wash cycle, and then play in the arcade while the dryers are going. We skip lunch, taking the laundry back to the room and then heading to the car and Belz Outlet Center, with 170 stores in a number of different malls and annexes. We pick up some good buys at the two Disney-operated Character stores along with a bookstore.

Next, it is down International Drive and out 192 to Shell World (we did not see the one at Kirkham and I-Drive). Karen picks up some shells, then it is back to Downtown Disney for a late visit to DisneyQuest. Tip- do not arrive at 9:00 p.m. or so and eat, then start playing. We get pizza, and play some table games (golf, shuffleboard) while waiting. After eating, we go to the first floor.

First to beckon us is the Virtual Jungle Cruise, a very relaxing game. At least for David, who is too short to paddle and thus gets to sit on the floor of the raft while the rest of us paddle like crazy, trying to get out. I'm not exactly how we did, but it was fun. Our second attraction was Hercules, where we collected lots of thunderbolts but Pegasus was a very unsteady flyer (me), so we ended up losing.

Up one floor to Aladdin's Flying Carpet game- this was fun, especially turning and seeing Karen as a blue-jacketed monkey <g>. We lost again, but it really was neat. While Karen and David played old arcade games, Kristina and I played the Mighty Ducks pinball game. I lost, and Kristina bested the other two players to win the game!

By this time, it was midnight, the bewitching hour for DQ. A brief walk through the West Side to show the kids the shops, then back to the car for the ride back to the resort.

Day 21- Sea World (Tuesday, August 3)

Today, we visit another world. We get up early and arrive at Sea World around 9:00 a.m., a little after opening. We get our family portrait taken, rent a locker to throw in a backpack with swimwear for the kids, then head over to "Journey to Atlantis", which was just being built when we visited the last time in 1997. We are hassled in line by a group of touring teens with no adult supervision, as they bump into us throughout the line. When we reach the front of the line, Robyn (who is divvying up the groups into boats) admonishes them- we are grateful even if nothing comes of it.

As we enter the boat, David asks for the dry side. Kristina and I are in the front with Karen and David behind us. Summary of ride- you sail through Atlantis, seeing artifacts; some woman/deity tells us we aren't welcome, we go up a big hill with an eye on top, and then it is down a VERY steep slope and into the "catch basin", where the water comes into our boat up to the top of my socks- and I'm wearing HIGH socks.

I'd rate the ride here, but as we turn the corner we face ANOTHER lift hill, and that woman's voice comes out saying "Leaving so soon? I DON'T THINK SO!" Then it is up the hill, and down like a roller coaster with a good drop and a number of twists and curves, all before we finally get out and get to see our picture from the first drop. It is good, so we get it. More thrilling than Splash Mountain? Yes. As good overall? No. The theme is weak and not well-presented: TVs that are supposed to add to the story while you are in the queue cannot be heard, the buildup is shorter that Splash. Splash immerses you (no pun intended) more in the story than in the actual drop aspect of the ride.

We go to the manatee exhibit next, which is very well done and allows ample opportunity to watch these amazing creatures, along with fish who eat the algae off their backs. That's a nice touch you don't see at The Living Seas. We feed dolphins next, then stingrays in the Key West area. Alex at the stingray area answers David's questions about them with due respect. We see the giant tortoises next, and then visit the hands-on Tropical Reef area.

Our first show of the day is the Dolphin Fest, which is good. From there it is onto Penguin Encounter, a chilling experience that is appreciated on a hot day. Next is the Clyde and Seamore sea lion show. This has been changed from a hotel premise to a pirate premise, including the mime in the pre-show who is now dressed as a scurvy pirate, but still does things to the incoming audience, including taking over pushing a woman's wheelchair. She gets *very* agitated when it starts being pushed erratically, at least until she turns around and sees it isn't her companion now doing the pushing <g>.

I won't go into the details about the actual pirate show. Let's just say either they have a lot of scripted ad-lib stuff, or else they are still working on the show a lot because they make a lot of mistakes, such as one of the trainers calling Seamore Clyde, missing a set of lines, having the otter not come out at the right time, etc. Since this is supposed to be a comedy, though, it makes the show all the funnier, especially when the second trainer says, in response to the first saying they are searching for a treasure, that "I hope the treasure is a script." If you do go to Sea World, *DO NOT MISS THIS SHOW*.

"Terrors of the Deep" is next, which used to be Shark Encounter. They have redone this exhibit, eliminating the movie or two that used to be part of the attraction prior to the trip through the shark tank. The Pacific area is next, where we get more fish to feed the seals/sea lions, who make a whole lot of noise to make sure you know they are more than willing to ham it up for fish. Total of fish food for the day- $20. Food for us- about $30.

There is only one showing of the "Captain Ecology" show, which is advertised as being aimed for children. Thank goodness, as this is probably the lamest show I'd ever seen. If you put this show on the Radio Disney River Cruise at Animal Kingdom and turned off the radio part, this would make the cruise at least ten times worse. Very bad jokes that are punctuated with sound effects, not much of a storyline- very forgetable and missable.

Last time, David and Kristina were too small to go on the flying part of "Wild Artic"; this time, both make it and the line is not too bad- maybe ten minutes. So, we get in and fly over and into the Artic Ocean, land on a glacier, fly through a storm, and finally arrive at the Artic station. The second we got on board, Kristina said "This is like Star Tours". And it is- it is a simulator ride, but I'd rate it rougher than either Star Tours or Body Wars. It is very well done. The station itself is okay, although I would have made it colder than it is. Also, the animals are not very sociable today, so we only catch one polar bear around, and a few other things swimming.

When we leave, we end up in a store (hmmmm, I wonder where they got this idea from?), and we stay there for about a half-hour while a storm blows through the area. This is much better than two years ago, when we got caught in the sandbox area of Shamu's Happy Harbor for about 45 minutes. I go retrieve the backpack from the locker, and the kids change and head into the harbor, running ahead of us. Karen and I set up base under the closed four-story climber (other things are closed as well as they got wet during the storm), and observe Stina from time to time. David, however, is no where to be seen. After scouring the area for a while, we are about to get Sea World personnel involved, when Jim from SW walks over with David- the third time he has gotten seperated from us on this trip (Typhoon Lagoon and DisneyQuest being the others).

The kids stay in their bathing suits as we go to the tower to go up the 280 feet to see the area. Just as we are about to board, they announce that the tower is closed due to lightning being within 10 miles of the area. We get a refund ($3 per person over 4, I think), and then go and look at our entry pictures. They are okay, so we buy two, then we go over to Shamu Stadium for the 8:45 p.m. show there.

ShamuVision is rather dull and unimpressive while waiting for the show, until they turn on the stadium cameras and start showing members of the audience- then it really starts to rock! Shamu Rocks America is a great show, and even though we are in the Splash Zone (much to David's fear), we do not get wet during the show. We leave the stadium and head back to the resort, not stopping to get our "second day free" tickets as we feel we have seen everything. We did not go on the tower, or see the Pet Parade show in the old Dancing Waters building, or the daytime Shamu show or either the day or night waterski show and fireworks spectacular, but we leave tomorrow and don't want to delay our departure too much. The kids are asleep almost before we are out of the parking lot, but we wake them up for supper at the McDonald's near the All-Star resorts when we get back. Then it is to bed for a lot of packing in the morning.

Day 22- Packing, Disney Marketplace, Karen's Parents (Wednesday, August 4)

Getting up at around 7:00 a.m., we start packing. And packing. And packing. At 9:30 a.m. I'm finally starting to take stuff out to the car, but the kids aren't up yet. At 10:00 a.m. the kids are up and we have the top of the car loaded and the refrigerator in the back.

The 11:00 a.m. checkout time comes and goes, but no one hassles us as it takes another half-hour to finally clear out. We leave a final tip for housekeeping, along with a thank-you note for everything they've done over the last three weeks for us.

Now loaded up, we go have a brunch at the food court, using our refillable mugs one last time. Then it is off to the Marketplace since there are still a few empty cubic inches in the car. We get a few more things at the World of Disney store, including Millenium shirts. We leave, and Kristina orders a pair of shorts with Figment and her name on them at Studio M, and we bypass the chance to make more CDs. However, I am scanning through the "Put your picture in our picture!" book when I see one featuring the Toy Story characters and a box with the words "The Ultimate Talking Action Figure". This is too good a chance to pass up, so we all look through and choose pictures to be in- David for Toy Story, Karen in a Classic Pooh picnic scene, Kristina in Bambi, me in Fantasia, and a family shot in front of the castle at night, with Tinkerbell flying overhead.

Back to the car and over to Crossroads, where Karen goes into the Disney store there (nothing spectacular) while I call her parents for directions. Then, it is off on I4 to the Florida Turnpike and Inverness, Florida. We see IOA from a distance on I4, and get into a bit of traffic right before the turnpike, but it is just a 90 minute trip and we arrive in time for supper, sharing pictures, some souvenirs, and stories. Then it is off to bed for a long ride the next two to three days.

Day 23- From in-laws to South Carolina (Thursday, August 5) Day 24- From South Carolina to Salisbury, Maryland (Friday, August 6) Day 25- From Salisbury, MD to Hopewell Junction, NY (Saturday, August 7)

We awake not quite at the crack of dawn (okay, about 9:30 a.m.), have breakfast, repack the car somewhat, and leave around 12:30 p.m. after breakfast. Karen's mother makes sandwiches for us, and we still have cold soda in a large cooler in the car. We drive up to I10, then east until we reach a rest area just outside Jacksonville where we stop for lunch.

After eating, we resume our journey, stopping for gas about ten miles south of Georgia, unfortunately getting too close to "E" to risk reaching the Peach State. Too bad, as gas prices are about 15 - 20 cents per gallon cheaper north of the border. Our drive through Georgia is uneventful, and we continue making good time into South Carolina, where we eventually stop and spend the night about 60-80 miles into the state in a town whose name I cannot remember.

The next morning, we get up and are out of the hotel (after eating a fairly decent continental breakfast in the hotel lobby) and on the road again. Around 11:30 a.m. we reach Schlock Heaven, aka "South of the Border". I stop here where we use some of the grungiest bathrooms we've seen, then pay 1.50 (50 cents each, David at 5 and under is free) to go up to the top of "The Big Hat" itself. After partaking in the view of all the other tourist traps, and glad that David did not see the train tracks down below, we get back in the car and continue north, stopping in Lumberton for lunch at a Subway in a strip mall. We get gas here as well, and then get back on I95. We get to Virginia around 4:30 p.m., and follow the signs to the Chesapeake Bay-Bridge Tunnel.

The toll is $10.00, and we stop at the first man-made island for a rest stop and a look around, and it is very neat to see the other islands, the other parts of the bridge and tunnel system, and looking out at the large boats waiting to enter the bay. Unlike my first (and only other) trip across this modern wonder, we don't see dolphins near the end of the last bridge.

We continue driving north, stopping for supper at a McDonald's and then try to find a room for the night. Our first three or four tries are not successful (well, okay, we could have rented a room for about $130 a night but passed on that), but we finally find a room in Salisbury, MD. And settle in for the night.

Awakening the next morning, we are out by 9:00 a.m. since there is no breakfast. We go a few miles and get gas and then stop at an adjacent Dunkin Donuts/Exxon/Baskin-Robbins for breakfast. We continue north and then turn onto US 9 east and head towards Lewes, DE. Much to Karen's sadness, we do not go to the outlet stores at Rehobath Beach, but instead go right to the Lewes-Cape May ferry dock where we get in line for the 11:20 ferry across Delaware Bay.

Again, the trip is uneventful (the kids think it is boring), and we arrive at Cape May and disembark. We get on the Garden State Parkway (motto: You really can't see one toll plaza from another), but get off after a while to find a place to eat. Yes, Mickey D's provides sustenence, and we then get back on the GSP. Traffic is incredibly heavy heading south- luckily we are going north. We finally leave the parkway at the Route 17 north exit, follow it to the NYS Thruway, get off at Newburgh, and head east. I wouldn't normally mention this, but as we get off the Newburgh exit, we see the clouds of smoke coming off the mountains behind West Point. Forest fires have been raging there since July 28th (Karen's father told us about them), and Karen can even smell the smoke from this far away, about 15 - 20 miles. A really good view is available as we cross the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge on I84. A half-hour later, we pull into the driveway at 7:11 p.m., our journey finally over and our unpacking just ready to begin.

I hope you've enjoyed our trip reports! Coming up next- our hints and reminders to ourselves about next year.

Leaving - Leaving at 5:00 a.m. was great with respect to traffic, especially leaving mid-week when beach traffic should be non-existant. Although our complete lack of hitting traffic was something that probably wo