It's Thanksgiving Eve and I made the trek to Augusta for turkey with the family. I've been sucked (no pun intended) into the Twilight frenzy and decided to go see the 10 p.m. movie so I could have all of Thanksgiving day free to smell turducken cooking through the house. (Don't even ask about the turducken - I am going with the flow this year.)
Since I have already decided that after reading Twilight and Midnight Sun twice that maybe dating a vampire might be sort of exciting, it was time to see if Edward Cullen is really as "hot" as all the teenager girls think he is. And I have to say he is pretty darn "hot".
What can I say? I am a teenage girl at heart.
So, after the movie I decided to go to Walmart to get the last two books in the Twilight saga so I could read as I smelled the turducken cooking. (Don't even get me started about the turducken. Not sure what Mom and Dad were thinking? lol) I wasn't sure if Walmart would be open on Thanksgiving Eve but it was.
I parked in between entrances #2 and #3 of the store and went into #3.
Of course Walmart didn't have the books. Ugh!!! I need to find the next books so I can get my Edward fix!!!!
But I managed to find a few things I had to have. The only open registers were near the #2 entrance of the store.
The line was excruciatingly long - long enough for me to pretend that the very pale check-out clerk was a vampire and she was actually smelling all of our blood which is why she was taking so long. (I told you I had been sucked into the Twilight frenzy.)
Anyway, I finally pay and go to leave toward the #2 doors when I am told that #2 is closed and I would have to leave out of the #3 doors. So, I trudge past the 30 empty registers to the #3 doors.
Why in the world would a store only have registers open near the #2 doors but make you leave out of #3 doors. It makes no sense to me, at all. And I still don't have my books!!!!
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Day 5 - Flat Brody takes a Pick-A-Number DISUnplugged Podcast Trip!!!
Day 5 - One Last Chance To Shop!!
It was time to face reality that our time at Disney World was over. We reluctantly woke up and had the last of our yogurt parfaits. It didn't take us long be ready to leave since we had pretty much packed the night before. I called down to the valet stand to retrieve the car and we made the dreaded walk to the elevators and through the lobby with our luggage dutifully rolling behind us.
We gave the Swan lobby one more gaze as we left the building to find our car ready and waiting for us. With the car loaded, we got under way but not to I-4. I made a detour to Downtown Disney. Mom was still talking about the LEGO watch she had seen Soarin' Joe wearing so I told her since it was only 9:00 a.m. and we were way ahead of schedule we were stopping to find that watch. And amazingly Mom agreed to my plan. Of course what could she do since I was driving.
Since it was so early, we got a front row parking place at Downtown Disney. We were walking to the LEGO Imagination Center when I couldn't remember if I had locked the car. Don't you hate it when that happens. It's like when you can't remember if you turned off the clothes iron. So I turned around and went back to make sure I had locked the car. I think I did actually lock it but I pressed the lock button on the key fob a good bit just to make sure - especially since the car was full of all of our luggage.
We finally made it to the LEGO Imagination Center where a nice lady asked us if she could help us. Mom said she was looking for a LEGO watch but the woman said they didn't have any in stock right now but that she could order one for us. We both shrugged and said okay. The LEGO lady went online and ordered it for Mom and it arrived a few days later. They didn't even charge for shipping and handling. Mom loves the watch and wears it all the time which I am sure drives Dad crazy since he just bought her a really expensive watch earlier this year.
This is the infamous watch:
http://shop.lego.com/product/?p=W341&LangId=2057&ShipTo=US
Flat Brody even got into the action when he met the LEGO dogs at Downtown Disney.
After our little detour we made our way to I-4 through Hotel Plaza. Whenever I see the Hotel Plaza hotels I am always amazed that I don't try to stay at some of them - the hotel rates seem reasonable and if you already have a car it is probably more convenient than some of the Disney hotels. I need to make a mental note about this.
Another Mom and Me tradition is that we like to stop in at DSW Shoes while we are in Orlando. If I had to choose between Disney and shoes which I loved more, I might have to say shoes. I know - heresy!!! DSW is a shoe Mecca and we pass right by it on our way home. This trip I only bought a pair of sneakers but Mom bought a few pair of dress shoes. When I was working in an office I would have bought a few pair of black pumps along with my sneakers but since I work from home now I was good - especially since the last thing I need is ANOTHER pair of black pumps.
We had an uneventful trip home except for our lunch stop. We stopped at a Wendy's in St. Mary's, GA. As soon as we walked in Mom said I think we have been here before and I think this is restaurant I wrote to complain to Wendy's headquarters about. I couldn't remember if it was indeed the dreaded Wendy's but we were already in line so we waited and waited and waited. It had been about 10 minutes and we hadn't moved. We finally decided that we would never get those 10 minutes back and we should just cut bait and move on to the Burger King next door. All that agrivation for a cheeseburger and fries. I will definitely remember to bypass this Wendy's the next time I am in St. Mary's, GA.
We made it back to the Savannah airport parking garage where Mom and I said our good byes. We had a wonderful time and did a lot of things we hadn't done before. And I loved having Flat Brody along for the ride. It was so fun to all of a sudden think "this would be a great Flat Brody picture." It certainly added a new fun element to our Disney adventures.
Finishing up a Disney trip is always bitter sweet. I am sad to leave Disney World but I am always thrilled to be home and see Real Brody. I do miss him when I am gone - he is just so darn cute.
Flat Brody is glad to make it back home to his spot on the couch.
And I was glad to be home because I was getting really sick. My throat was killing me and I was starting to cough. And things got worse before they got better. But me being sick after a Disney World trip seems to be par for the course. After our October 2007 Mom and Me trip I was sick for about a two weeks with a dreadful sinus infection that took two courses of antibiotics to clear up and after my December 2007 solo trip I was sick for a week with a terrible flu like illness where I was so sick I was unable to pick up Brody from the kennel. Not sure why I keep getting sick because I am really careful to wash my hands a lot and use hand sanitizer. I think it has to do with not getting enough rest and staying in hotel rooms for too long. But I am determined not to get sick on my next trip - so say a pray for me.
What ever happened to Flat Brody you ask? Well, you remember in my first post when I said that Real Brody was a dog who liked to chew. Yep, you guessed it - Real Brody chewed on Flat Brody to entertain himself one evening. It is my own fault though because I had left Flat Brody on the coffee table for a few days and it was just too much for Real Brody to take and he had to give in to his inner chewer. I should have known better.
Real Brody causes injuries to Flat Brody.
So, I made a new Flat Brody tonight for my next trip to Disney World - which happens to start tomorrow. Woohooo!!! But the fact of the matter is I haven't finished packing and it is already after midnight and I still have to break the news to Real Brody that he has to go to puppy camp tomorrow while his alter ego gets to go to Disney World. Life is so unfair!!!
Thanks so much for following along on Flat Brody's DIS Unplugged Pick-A-Number Mom and Me Trip. I've enjoyed pretending to be a writer and hope I brought a little Disney fun to your life.
It was time to face reality that our time at Disney World was over. We reluctantly woke up and had the last of our yogurt parfaits. It didn't take us long be ready to leave since we had pretty much packed the night before. I called down to the valet stand to retrieve the car and we made the dreaded walk to the elevators and through the lobby with our luggage dutifully rolling behind us.
We gave the Swan lobby one more gaze as we left the building to find our car ready and waiting for us. With the car loaded, we got under way but not to I-4. I made a detour to Downtown Disney. Mom was still talking about the LEGO watch she had seen Soarin' Joe wearing so I told her since it was only 9:00 a.m. and we were way ahead of schedule we were stopping to find that watch. And amazingly Mom agreed to my plan. Of course what could she do since I was driving.
Since it was so early, we got a front row parking place at Downtown Disney. We were walking to the LEGO Imagination Center when I couldn't remember if I had locked the car. Don't you hate it when that happens. It's like when you can't remember if you turned off the clothes iron. So I turned around and went back to make sure I had locked the car. I think I did actually lock it but I pressed the lock button on the key fob a good bit just to make sure - especially since the car was full of all of our luggage.
We finally made it to the LEGO Imagination Center where a nice lady asked us if she could help us. Mom said she was looking for a LEGO watch but the woman said they didn't have any in stock right now but that she could order one for us. We both shrugged and said okay. The LEGO lady went online and ordered it for Mom and it arrived a few days later. They didn't even charge for shipping and handling. Mom loves the watch and wears it all the time which I am sure drives Dad crazy since he just bought her a really expensive watch earlier this year.
This is the infamous watch:
http://shop.lego.com/product/?p=W341&LangId=2057&ShipTo=US
Flat Brody even got into the action when he met the LEGO dogs at Downtown Disney.
After our little detour we made our way to I-4 through Hotel Plaza. Whenever I see the Hotel Plaza hotels I am always amazed that I don't try to stay at some of them - the hotel rates seem reasonable and if you already have a car it is probably more convenient than some of the Disney hotels. I need to make a mental note about this.
Another Mom and Me tradition is that we like to stop in at DSW Shoes while we are in Orlando. If I had to choose between Disney and shoes which I loved more, I might have to say shoes. I know - heresy!!! DSW is a shoe Mecca and we pass right by it on our way home. This trip I only bought a pair of sneakers but Mom bought a few pair of dress shoes. When I was working in an office I would have bought a few pair of black pumps along with my sneakers but since I work from home now I was good - especially since the last thing I need is ANOTHER pair of black pumps.
We had an uneventful trip home except for our lunch stop. We stopped at a Wendy's in St. Mary's, GA. As soon as we walked in Mom said I think we have been here before and I think this is restaurant I wrote to complain to Wendy's headquarters about. I couldn't remember if it was indeed the dreaded Wendy's but we were already in line so we waited and waited and waited. It had been about 10 minutes and we hadn't moved. We finally decided that we would never get those 10 minutes back and we should just cut bait and move on to the Burger King next door. All that agrivation for a cheeseburger and fries. I will definitely remember to bypass this Wendy's the next time I am in St. Mary's, GA.
We made it back to the Savannah airport parking garage where Mom and I said our good byes. We had a wonderful time and did a lot of things we hadn't done before. And I loved having Flat Brody along for the ride. It was so fun to all of a sudden think "this would be a great Flat Brody picture." It certainly added a new fun element to our Disney adventures.
Finishing up a Disney trip is always bitter sweet. I am sad to leave Disney World but I am always thrilled to be home and see Real Brody. I do miss him when I am gone - he is just so darn cute.
Flat Brody is glad to make it back home to his spot on the couch.
And I was glad to be home because I was getting really sick. My throat was killing me and I was starting to cough. And things got worse before they got better. But me being sick after a Disney World trip seems to be par for the course. After our October 2007 Mom and Me trip I was sick for about a two weeks with a dreadful sinus infection that took two courses of antibiotics to clear up and after my December 2007 solo trip I was sick for a week with a terrible flu like illness where I was so sick I was unable to pick up Brody from the kennel. Not sure why I keep getting sick because I am really careful to wash my hands a lot and use hand sanitizer. I think it has to do with not getting enough rest and staying in hotel rooms for too long. But I am determined not to get sick on my next trip - so say a pray for me.
What ever happened to Flat Brody you ask? Well, you remember in my first post when I said that Real Brody was a dog who liked to chew. Yep, you guessed it - Real Brody chewed on Flat Brody to entertain himself one evening. It is my own fault though because I had left Flat Brody on the coffee table for a few days and it was just too much for Real Brody to take and he had to give in to his inner chewer. I should have known better.
Real Brody causes injuries to Flat Brody.
So, I made a new Flat Brody tonight for my next trip to Disney World - which happens to start tomorrow. Woohooo!!! But the fact of the matter is I haven't finished packing and it is already after midnight and I still have to break the news to Real Brody that he has to go to puppy camp tomorrow while his alter ego gets to go to Disney World. Life is so unfair!!!
Thanks so much for following along on Flat Brody's DIS Unplugged Pick-A-Number Mom and Me Trip. I've enjoyed pretending to be a writer and hope I brought a little Disney fun to your life.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Day 4, Part 2 - Flat Brody takes a Pick-A-Number DISUnplugged Podcast Trip!!!
Day 4, Part 2 –Our Final Dining Decisions
After our ferry ride to the TTC, we found the bus stop for MGM. There isn’t a formal queue and there weren’t many people waiting so we found a spot on a bench and relaxed as we waited for the bus. And then it happened. About 50 teenage cheerleaders showed up just as the bus pulled up. Of course they were the first ones on the bus and I began to worry that we wouldn’t even make it on the bus let alone find a seat. In a matter of seconds I went from not a care in the world to worrying if we were going to even get on the bus. It was sort of like being on Stitch’s Great Escape - sort of fun but not really.
We did make it on the bus and Mom actually got a seat and I stood next to her. Of course all of the cheerleaders were sitting while all of the elderly passengers were standing. Don’t parents teach their children about giving up seats to the elderly anymore? Maybe since public transportation isn’t the norm anymore and manners are a lost art - like eating Moroccan food in an upright position.
After settling in for our trip to MGM, I asked Mom the dreaded question "what are we going to do for dinner?" After mentally walking our way through the Park and thinking about our choices, Mom wondered if I thought we could get in to one of the table service restaurants. I didn’t see why not so I whipped out my mobile phone and dialed the number. Mom was perplexed that I knew the Disney World dining reservations phone number by heart. Do you think I spend too much time DISsing?
After getting through all of the phone prompts, I was speaking to a Reservationist without even being on hold. I asked her if there were any tables for 2 at MGM for around 6 p.m. At first she said Mamma Melrose’s and Hollywood & Vine and I relayed this information to Mom while explaining what type of food each restaurant served. When the Reservationist all of a sudden said there was an opening at 6:20 at The Hollywood Brown Derby. Wooohooo!!! I quickly exclaimed "we’ll take it!" My lucky panties were still working since we scored a 6:20 p.m. reservation at 5:20 p.m. Chalk one up for not making ADR’s at 180 days out.
The Reservationist took all of my relevant information and then wanted to give me the reservation number. I told her I couldn’t really write down the number since I was standing on a Disney bus on the way to MGM and didn’t have a pen handy. She laughed and said we didn’t really need it and to enjoy our meal. I assured her we would.
After entering MGM we still had forty minutes before our Brown Derby reservation so we thought we would try to do The Animation Academy before dinner. But my lucky panties failed me because the doors had just closed as we walked up. Hmmmm, guess we need to go to Plan B.
Always being on my toes, Plan B quickly became a tour of Walt Disney: One Man’s Dream. During our Future World tour, our tour guide Janet had told us some to look for Walt’s desk and the ash tray on it. This was the desk Walt used in his office at the Walt Disney Studios and just about the only place you will find any indication that Walt Disney smoked. It made me sad to think of all the people who have died a premature death because of smoking. And if you have never seen the movie at the end of One Man’s Dream you make sure you put it on your must do list - it is a great history lesson on Walt and gives you some insights to his genius.
It was about 6 o’clock by now so we decided to check in for our dinner a little early. And we were seated within a few minutes. We weren’t seated in one of the booths but had a nice table for two towards the back of the restaurant.
Flat Brody was impressed by all of the caricatures at The Hollywood Brown Derby
After our ferry ride to the TTC, we found the bus stop for MGM. There isn’t a formal queue and there weren’t many people waiting so we found a spot on a bench and relaxed as we waited for the bus. And then it happened. About 50 teenage cheerleaders showed up just as the bus pulled up. Of course they were the first ones on the bus and I began to worry that we wouldn’t even make it on the bus let alone find a seat. In a matter of seconds I went from not a care in the world to worrying if we were going to even get on the bus. It was sort of like being on Stitch’s Great Escape - sort of fun but not really.
We did make it on the bus and Mom actually got a seat and I stood next to her. Of course all of the cheerleaders were sitting while all of the elderly passengers were standing. Don’t parents teach their children about giving up seats to the elderly anymore? Maybe since public transportation isn’t the norm anymore and manners are a lost art - like eating Moroccan food in an upright position.
After settling in for our trip to MGM, I asked Mom the dreaded question "what are we going to do for dinner?" After mentally walking our way through the Park and thinking about our choices, Mom wondered if I thought we could get in to one of the table service restaurants. I didn’t see why not so I whipped out my mobile phone and dialed the number. Mom was perplexed that I knew the Disney World dining reservations phone number by heart. Do you think I spend too much time DISsing?
After getting through all of the phone prompts, I was speaking to a Reservationist without even being on hold. I asked her if there were any tables for 2 at MGM for around 6 p.m. At first she said Mamma Melrose’s and Hollywood & Vine and I relayed this information to Mom while explaining what type of food each restaurant served. When the Reservationist all of a sudden said there was an opening at 6:20 at The Hollywood Brown Derby. Wooohooo!!! I quickly exclaimed "we’ll take it!" My lucky panties were still working since we scored a 6:20 p.m. reservation at 5:20 p.m. Chalk one up for not making ADR’s at 180 days out.
The Reservationist took all of my relevant information and then wanted to give me the reservation number. I told her I couldn’t really write down the number since I was standing on a Disney bus on the way to MGM and didn’t have a pen handy. She laughed and said we didn’t really need it and to enjoy our meal. I assured her we would.
After entering MGM we still had forty minutes before our Brown Derby reservation so we thought we would try to do The Animation Academy before dinner. But my lucky panties failed me because the doors had just closed as we walked up. Hmmmm, guess we need to go to Plan B.
Always being on my toes, Plan B quickly became a tour of Walt Disney: One Man’s Dream. During our Future World tour, our tour guide Janet had told us some to look for Walt’s desk and the ash tray on it. This was the desk Walt used in his office at the Walt Disney Studios and just about the only place you will find any indication that Walt Disney smoked. It made me sad to think of all the people who have died a premature death because of smoking. And if you have never seen the movie at the end of One Man’s Dream you make sure you put it on your must do list - it is a great history lesson on Walt and gives you some insights to his genius.
It was about 6 o’clock by now so we decided to check in for our dinner a little early. And we were seated within a few minutes. We weren’t seated in one of the booths but had a nice table for two towards the back of the restaurant.
Flat Brody was impressed by all of the caricatures at The Hollywood Brown Derby
We studied the menu and the wine list. We wavered on the food choices a bit but quickly decided on our wine choices - Mom decided on the Eroica Reisling and I decided on the MacMurray Ranch Pinot Gris. Except they no longer had my wine choice. Now what do I do.? After drinking too much Chardonnay in the 90's I am not a fan of it much any more and there weren’t that many more white wines to choose from and red wine doesn’t like me anymore. But our wonderful waitress took matters in to her capable hands and brought a few bottles for me to sample. I eventually decided on one but I have no idea what it is now - the receipt abbreviates it as Kim Craw Svb. No idea what that stands for but it went well with my meal.
Mom and I decided to split the Market Greens Salad with asparagus, tomato grapes, candied pecans, Midnight Moon goat cheese and Cabernet vinaigrette. This is what is left of my salad when I remembered to take a picture.
Mom ordered the Pan-Fried Halibut with yellow squash, haricots verts, Roma tomato preserve, and citrus juices
Flat Brody enjoyed my Roasted Sterling Silver Pork Rib Chop with mustard spaetzle, white cheddar, rainbow chard, vinegar onions, and pan juices
Dinner was very nice and the service was great. I had hoped to have enough room to finally try the famous Grapefruit Cake but once again I had no room for dessert right after my meal. Some day I will just go to Disney World and only eat desserts. A girl can dream, can’t she?
After dinner we stopped by the bathroom and let me tell you that Playhouse Disney has ruined the Brown Derby bathroom. Smelly!!! It isn’t a large bathroom and it used to be a hidden oasis to freshen up in but not anymore!! Having diapers changed right where you walk in and you almost run into the changing table doesn’t make for a pleasant experience. They really need to add another bathroom in that area to handle all the smelly diaper changes. I am definitely going to have scope out a new bathroom oasis. I like a little peace and quiet when I tinkle, after all.
Since we missed The Animation Academy earlier we decided to try again. I was really excited that I converted Mom to being an amateur animator. It was hard to believe that she hadn’t even wanted to do it the other day and now she was asking to do it. We had a little wait before the next session so we took a seat on the padded benches where Mom promptly closed her eyes and went to sleep. (She is such a light weight when it comes to drinking wine - and we only had one glass with dinner.)
I woke Mom up when it was time to go in and we got to drawing right away. And once again we had a good time drawing - Goofy this time.
Flat Brody meets my version of Goofy. He was happy to meet a fellow canine.
Mom and I then strolled over to see Muppet Vision 3-D. I just love the Muppets so we try to always see my felt covered friends while at MGM. I think my love of the Muppets must stem from growing up watching Sesame Street. They should do another Muppet movie. I would pay to see Kermit singing another song about being green. But I digress - we liked Muppet Vision 3-D as much as the first time we saw it. I think Fozzy is my favorite but you have to love Sam Eagle too. Hmmm, maybe I shouldn't pick a favorite - it would be like picking one child over another.
On the way to Muppet Vision 3-D we noticed cheerleaders everywhere. It was like they had invaded MGM. We even saw a cheerleading squad from Japan. I know - who knew the Japanese were cheerleaders??? To be perfectly honest - there is nothing more irritating to me than large groups of cheerleaders who are pumped full of adrenaline and sugar after a competition. It almost makes me want to yell "WHO CARES!!! AND WIPE THAT GLITTER OFF YOUR FACE!!" I try to be understanding since my niece is a competitive cheerleader but I can only take a little bit of all of that frenzied energy at a time and this was putting me over the edge.
Actually I was probably just irritated because I was starting to feel poorly. I actually woke up this morning with a sore throat. It wasn’t all that bad and seemed to be under control with Tylenol. But as the evening went on my throat seemed to be getting worse. At this point I hadn’t really put two and two together but I seem to get sick every time I go to Disney World - more on that in the next installment.
Okay, back to our last evening at Disney World.
We still hadn’t ridden Tower of Terror and I still had the Fastpasses from the other day. I know there is a date on them but I have heard on more than several occasions that the Fastpass dates weren’t really enforced so I thought it was worth a shot. It’s not like they would hit me for trying.
So we walked back down Sunset Boulevard to finally ride a thrill ride this trip. As we approached the Hotel’s gate it was just like deja vu all over again - the Fastpass line AND the Standby line were all the way at the gate. UGH!!! It was just not in the cards for me to be thrill seeker this trip. I didn’t ride a single roller coaster or even Tower of Terror. I must be getting old because I didn’t really care though - although I did mind missing Tower of Terror because that is a Mom and Me trip tradition. Oh well, guess that means we just have to plan another trip.
After being disappointed, we walked back up Sunset Boulevard fighting our way through all of the cheerleaders - Fantasmic had just let out. It was definitely time to indulge in a Mickey Bar. It had been 4 days at Disney World and I needed a premium ice cream bar - and my throat was killing me. The Mickey Bar helped things immensely - physically and emotionally. Of course I had to sit down to eat the Mickey Bar or else I would have had chocolate all over my shirt.
On the way out of MGM we decided it was such a nice evening that we would walk back to the Swan - but only after I elicited a promise from Mom that she would basically stroll and not race walk . The evenings in April are nice because it cools down - unlike July and August. It is very dark at night on this path though. Not sure I would want to take this walk by myself at night since it isn’t a very busy path. And of course we played Beat the Boat. But this time it was a tie - the boat docked just as we arrived at the Swan. Guess all of my strolling slowed us down.
We straggled up to our room and settled in to our Heavenly Beds for one last night. Isn’t the last night of your trip so depressing? The worst part is having to pack - and realizing how much money you spent on "stuff".
Next Installment - One Last Chance at Shopping.
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Day 4, Part 1 - Flat Brody takes a Pick-A-Number DISUnplugged Podcast Trip!!!
Day 4, Part 1 –TMI on the bus to the MK
After two non-stop days, Mom and I decided to sleep in and get a late start. It was a nice change of pace after two days of being up and at Parks before the rope dropped. And of course the Boardwalk Bakery muffin we picked up the night before was a nice addition to our yogurt parfaits.
I lazed about while Mom got ready and then she went and checked out the hotel and spa while I got ready. All in all, a very relaxing way to start the day. It was just what my tired feet needed - time propped up on a Heavenly Bed.
We left the room about 11:30 a.m. to catch the bus to the Magic Kingdom. It didn’t take long to arrive at the Swan but it was almost full when it arrived. I never really figured out the bus routes for the Epcot hotels since the buses we took never repeated the same pattern. I guess that just means I will have to return to investigate further. My curious mind needs to know!!!!
Since the bus was crowded, Mom and I were relegated to standing in between all the strollers crowding the aisle. I don’t know what the solution to the stroller/bus crowding problem is but I do know that strollers are cumbersome and aren’t fun for the stroller holder or the stroller neighbor.
Okay, so we are on the bus on the way to the Magic Kingdom and we’re standing next to this large Italian looking family that based upon their accents were probably from the New York area. From my perspective, it looked like a Mom and Dad had taken two of their adult daughters with their husbands and all of their children. But apparently one daughter and her family were not able to attend the family trip to Disney World.
As it turns out one of the son-in-laws was talking (loudly) with the patriarch of the family about one of the other son-in-laws and all of his business dealings. It seems that the SIL in attendance did not think that the absent SIL would be able to afford his mortgage payment since he over paid for the house and that the boat that was just purchased was stepping way above his means. I ended up knowing more about this family and their finances than I know about my own affairs. I don’t really understand why people need to discuss these types of things loudly amongst total strangers. It wasn’t like any of us were impressed or even cared. A little discretion goes a long way. This was definitely under the category of TMI - too much information.
We arrived at the Magic Kingdom at noon, so there were no lines at the security bag check. And the park didn’t seem all that crowded. Once again the Crowd Calendar at www.touringplans.com was correct and Saturday is a good day for visiting the Magic Kingdom.
As we walked through Town Square we saw Jiminy Cricket and had to snap a few pictures.
Of course our pin shopping wasn’t over so we stopped in at Uptown Jewelers to see if there were any pins we hadn’t seen yet. And actually we found a few we just couldn’t live without. But is our pin shopping over? Hmmmm, you can never be sure.
We had missed Adventureland earlier in our trip so we started our tour there. Don’t you just love the tropical drum music as you pass over the bridge - it just makes want to stop and do the hula. (Thankfully for the other guests I have not done any hulas - but you never know when I might.)
We didn’t really have any plans as we walked through Adventureland but when we saw that The Enchanted Tiki Room was just starting we took the opportunity to indulge ourselves. I know there is a lot of debate about the merits of the new version of the Tiki Room versus the original version but I enjoy the new version. It still has the charm of the original version but has the named characters that younger generations can relate to. And besides, it is a good way to get out of the sun for a few minutes. Besides, who doesn’t love a chanting tiki god amongst singing flowers.
Argggghhh! Of course Flat Brody wanted to see Pirates of the Carribean but we only took a picture this trip. Flat Brody will have to wait a few more days to see all of the pirate booty.
As we entered Frontierland, we caught the tale end of Woody’s Round Up.
We didn’t catch any of the performance but it looked it would have been cute. Maybe we will be lucky enough to catch it on our next visit.
Mom had never been to Tom Sawyer Island so we decided to check it off the list and take the raft over to explore. It always seems to be a classic Magic Kingdom thing to do since it has been around so long and often overlooked by those thrill seeking park guests. I had forgotten that the raft drivers really have to pilot the rafts - there is no ride track. Which made me wonder where the life jackets were? Does the Coast Guard check up on the Rivers of America vessels? My inquiring mind needs to know.
Flat Brody on the raft to Tom Sawyer Island.
Although only about 1 o’clock, I told Mom about the hidden paint brushes just in case we were lucky enough to spot one. You never know - there could have been one that was missed. But there weren’t any missed paint brushes this time.
We explored Fort Langhorn first and even shot the rifles from the turrets. You really need to be nimble though because some of the stairs wells were really tight and steep. After fighting off the "Injuns", we took a break to watch the action on the Rivers of America.
Flat Brody waving from Tom Sawyer Island to the passing Ferry Boat.
Flat Brody wishing he was riding on Big Thunder Mountain.
We then ventured on to explore the caves. I forgot how small those caves are. If you are the least bit claustrophobic you should avoid them at all costs because they are tight and narrow. I am getting a little panicky just thinking about it.
Mom and I also had a good time on the barrel bridge but I think we had a bit too much fun since our shoes got a little wet. I am glad I had on my quick drying Crocs. I don’t ever recall getting my feet wet before. Hmmmm. But since our feet were wet, we took the time to sit in a rocking chair at Aunt Polly’s to air dry our toesies. It is a great spot to sit and get a good glimpse of the river boats and a unique view of The Haunted Mansion.
After making the return raft trip we moseyed over to Liberty Square to get some American history at the Hall of Presidents. Alas, our timing was off since the doors to the theater had just closed as we walked up. But it was getting sort of late, so we decided to go to one of our favorite restaurants in Disney World, the Columbia Harbour House. Mmmmm, if I close my eyes I can taste the french fries right now.
Since it was a later lunch the lines to order weren’t very long but I had Mom go stake our our table. There were plenty of tables but I love the tables upstairs that overlook Fantasyland. Since there are only a couple of them you have to have your lucky panties on to get one. But today I must have had them on because when I walked upstairs with our food Mom was sitting at "my" table. I did a little inner dance of joy - since I was carrying a tray of food and drinks I thought it best to not dance with abandon.
Unfortunately, I didn’t take any pictures of our food. But I had the Chicken Breast Nuggets and Mom had the kid’s Garden Salad with Chicken. (I shared my fries with Mom.) I do have to say that I prefer the Chicken Strips better than the Nuggets - I like more chicken than breading. What can I say, I like to save room for the french fries.
After enjoying our lunch at our favorite restaurant at our favorite table, we ventured back to The Hall of Presidents. We still had our lucky panties on because we caught the very next show.
Flat Brody feeling presidential at the Hall of Presidents
I know some people don’t like The Hall of Presidents or just use it to go to take a nap but I find it very interesting and patriotic. I love history so it fills a need for me. I suppose most children are probably bored out of my mind when they get dragged into The Hall of Presidents but I recall always loving it as a child. And who doesn’t love an opportunity to buy a bunch of presidential pencils and dolls at the end of the show.
We ventured to Fantasyland next but still didn’t ride "it’s a small world". Not sure why we skipped over it because it is a ride that makes me happy. Call me crazy but I could be stuck on it for hours and still enjoy singing along. I know - call me crazy!!!
But we stopped in at Mickey’s PhilharMagic which was basically a walk on - guess our lucky panties were still working. Seeing PhilharMagic always makes me want to get out all of my Disney movies and watch them again - but they are all on VHS and I don’t even have a VCR hooked up anymore. I might have to invest in some Disney DVD’s - it would certainly be easier than trying to work a VCR.
After dutifully returning our 3-D glasses , we stopped in at Tinker Bell’s Treasures to browse all the cute and pretty girly stuff - every once in a while you have to satisfy the girly girl in you or she will explode. As we left the shop we ran in to Cinderella’s Step Sisters.
Of course we couldn’t be in the Magic Kingdom and not try our hands at Buzz again. Besides I had to regain the Mom and Me Buzz Champion title back from Mom after her win earlier in the trip. But when we arrived at Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin there was a 40 minute wait posted so we got Fastpasses with a return time at 3:05 p.m.
Since we had some time to kill we thought we would take another trip on the People Mover (a.k.a. Tomorrowland Transit Authority). So we walked over but there was a Cast Member roping off the escalator to the platform. It was broken!!!! UGH!!!! Thankfully Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress was right there or we might have had to resort to seeing Stitch’s Great Escape! - and that would have been tragic.
Carousel of Progress was as it usually is - outdated in the modern scene and charming as always with everything else. I love seeing all of the old kitchens. Mom felt very nostalgic to see the kitchen from the 50's.
Afterwards we still had a few minutes to burn before our Fastpass time for our Buzz Lightyear rematch so we decided to sit down in the Galaxy Palace Theater and listen to a high school choir that was singing The Lion King songs. They were very good and a very large choir. I can’t really remember where they were from though, since we missed their introduction. I felt bad for them though because the theater was practically empty and it was obvious they had worked very hard on their songs - and probably had a lot of carwashes to pay for the trip. At least they can always say they performed at Walt Disney World.
On our way to Buzz, Flat Brody decided to stalk the Tomorrowland ducks.
Although an upland bird dog and not a water fowl dog, Real Brody does like to point at any bird given the chance so I though I would indulge Flat Brody since I was missing Real Brody at this point in the trip.
We made it on to Buzz in no time flat with our trusty Fastpasses. And I am happy to report I am the reigning Mom and Me Buzz Champion once again. But I will say that Mom’s laser gun wasn’t working properly because she only scored 2700 points - which is was too low for even Mom on a bad day. I am sure a rematch will be called for later this week.
It was getting to be early evening so we decided to make our way out of the Magic Kingdom. But before we got out of the Park we were approached by one of the survey taker people. In all of my trips to Disney World (and I have lost count of my trips) I have never been asked to do one of the surveys, so of course I said yes. She ushered us to this little area of City Hall with a few laptops where I sat down and answered some questions about my dining experience in the Park that day. Overall I rated our meal as very good but did suggest that paying over $2 for a fountain soft drink was too much. And I also said they should bring back the chicken strips and the Monte Cristo sandwich. I miss that sandwich!!!!! I was the one thing I looked forward to eating at Disney World when I was a child. ***sigh*** Sometimes change just sucks.
Since we weren’t going back to our hotel but instead going to MGM we decided to take the Ferry Boat to the TTC. After many trips on the Ferry Boats when leaving the Magic Kingdom I have decided that if you see the Ferry Boat at the dock then you don’t need to rush because you won’t make it. Instead you should only rush to the loading dock if you see the Ferry Boat approaching the dock. (Those are my words of wisdom for the day.)
Flat Brody anticipating his first Ferry Boat ride.
Next Installment - Our Final Dining Decisions
After two non-stop days, Mom and I decided to sleep in and get a late start. It was a nice change of pace after two days of being up and at Parks before the rope dropped. And of course the Boardwalk Bakery muffin we picked up the night before was a nice addition to our yogurt parfaits.
I lazed about while Mom got ready and then she went and checked out the hotel and spa while I got ready. All in all, a very relaxing way to start the day. It was just what my tired feet needed - time propped up on a Heavenly Bed.
We left the room about 11:30 a.m. to catch the bus to the Magic Kingdom. It didn’t take long to arrive at the Swan but it was almost full when it arrived. I never really figured out the bus routes for the Epcot hotels since the buses we took never repeated the same pattern. I guess that just means I will have to return to investigate further. My curious mind needs to know!!!!
Since the bus was crowded, Mom and I were relegated to standing in between all the strollers crowding the aisle. I don’t know what the solution to the stroller/bus crowding problem is but I do know that strollers are cumbersome and aren’t fun for the stroller holder or the stroller neighbor.
Okay, so we are on the bus on the way to the Magic Kingdom and we’re standing next to this large Italian looking family that based upon their accents were probably from the New York area. From my perspective, it looked like a Mom and Dad had taken two of their adult daughters with their husbands and all of their children. But apparently one daughter and her family were not able to attend the family trip to Disney World.
As it turns out one of the son-in-laws was talking (loudly) with the patriarch of the family about one of the other son-in-laws and all of his business dealings. It seems that the SIL in attendance did not think that the absent SIL would be able to afford his mortgage payment since he over paid for the house and that the boat that was just purchased was stepping way above his means. I ended up knowing more about this family and their finances than I know about my own affairs. I don’t really understand why people need to discuss these types of things loudly amongst total strangers. It wasn’t like any of us were impressed or even cared. A little discretion goes a long way. This was definitely under the category of TMI - too much information.
We arrived at the Magic Kingdom at noon, so there were no lines at the security bag check. And the park didn’t seem all that crowded. Once again the Crowd Calendar at www.touringplans.com was correct and Saturday is a good day for visiting the Magic Kingdom.
As we walked through Town Square we saw Jiminy Cricket and had to snap a few pictures.
Of course our pin shopping wasn’t over so we stopped in at Uptown Jewelers to see if there were any pins we hadn’t seen yet. And actually we found a few we just couldn’t live without. But is our pin shopping over? Hmmmm, you can never be sure.
We had missed Adventureland earlier in our trip so we started our tour there. Don’t you just love the tropical drum music as you pass over the bridge - it just makes want to stop and do the hula. (Thankfully for the other guests I have not done any hulas - but you never know when I might.)
We didn’t really have any plans as we walked through Adventureland but when we saw that The Enchanted Tiki Room was just starting we took the opportunity to indulge ourselves. I know there is a lot of debate about the merits of the new version of the Tiki Room versus the original version but I enjoy the new version. It still has the charm of the original version but has the named characters that younger generations can relate to. And besides, it is a good way to get out of the sun for a few minutes. Besides, who doesn’t love a chanting tiki god amongst singing flowers.
Argggghhh! Of course Flat Brody wanted to see Pirates of the Carribean but we only took a picture this trip. Flat Brody will have to wait a few more days to see all of the pirate booty.
As we entered Frontierland, we caught the tale end of Woody’s Round Up.
We didn’t catch any of the performance but it looked it would have been cute. Maybe we will be lucky enough to catch it on our next visit.
Mom had never been to Tom Sawyer Island so we decided to check it off the list and take the raft over to explore. It always seems to be a classic Magic Kingdom thing to do since it has been around so long and often overlooked by those thrill seeking park guests. I had forgotten that the raft drivers really have to pilot the rafts - there is no ride track. Which made me wonder where the life jackets were? Does the Coast Guard check up on the Rivers of America vessels? My inquiring mind needs to know.
Flat Brody on the raft to Tom Sawyer Island.
Although only about 1 o’clock, I told Mom about the hidden paint brushes just in case we were lucky enough to spot one. You never know - there could have been one that was missed. But there weren’t any missed paint brushes this time.
We explored Fort Langhorn first and even shot the rifles from the turrets. You really need to be nimble though because some of the stairs wells were really tight and steep. After fighting off the "Injuns", we took a break to watch the action on the Rivers of America.
Flat Brody waving from Tom Sawyer Island to the passing Ferry Boat.
Flat Brody wishing he was riding on Big Thunder Mountain.
We then ventured on to explore the caves. I forgot how small those caves are. If you are the least bit claustrophobic you should avoid them at all costs because they are tight and narrow. I am getting a little panicky just thinking about it.
Mom and I also had a good time on the barrel bridge but I think we had a bit too much fun since our shoes got a little wet. I am glad I had on my quick drying Crocs. I don’t ever recall getting my feet wet before. Hmmmm. But since our feet were wet, we took the time to sit in a rocking chair at Aunt Polly’s to air dry our toesies. It is a great spot to sit and get a good glimpse of the river boats and a unique view of The Haunted Mansion.
After making the return raft trip we moseyed over to Liberty Square to get some American history at the Hall of Presidents. Alas, our timing was off since the doors to the theater had just closed as we walked up. But it was getting sort of late, so we decided to go to one of our favorite restaurants in Disney World, the Columbia Harbour House. Mmmmm, if I close my eyes I can taste the french fries right now.
Since it was a later lunch the lines to order weren’t very long but I had Mom go stake our our table. There were plenty of tables but I love the tables upstairs that overlook Fantasyland. Since there are only a couple of them you have to have your lucky panties on to get one. But today I must have had them on because when I walked upstairs with our food Mom was sitting at "my" table. I did a little inner dance of joy - since I was carrying a tray of food and drinks I thought it best to not dance with abandon.
Unfortunately, I didn’t take any pictures of our food. But I had the Chicken Breast Nuggets and Mom had the kid’s Garden Salad with Chicken. (I shared my fries with Mom.) I do have to say that I prefer the Chicken Strips better than the Nuggets - I like more chicken than breading. What can I say, I like to save room for the french fries.
After enjoying our lunch at our favorite restaurant at our favorite table, we ventured back to The Hall of Presidents. We still had our lucky panties on because we caught the very next show.
Flat Brody feeling presidential at the Hall of Presidents
I know some people don’t like The Hall of Presidents or just use it to go to take a nap but I find it very interesting and patriotic. I love history so it fills a need for me. I suppose most children are probably bored out of my mind when they get dragged into The Hall of Presidents but I recall always loving it as a child. And who doesn’t love an opportunity to buy a bunch of presidential pencils and dolls at the end of the show.
We ventured to Fantasyland next but still didn’t ride "it’s a small world". Not sure why we skipped over it because it is a ride that makes me happy. Call me crazy but I could be stuck on it for hours and still enjoy singing along. I know - call me crazy!!!
But we stopped in at Mickey’s PhilharMagic which was basically a walk on - guess our lucky panties were still working. Seeing PhilharMagic always makes me want to get out all of my Disney movies and watch them again - but they are all on VHS and I don’t even have a VCR hooked up anymore. I might have to invest in some Disney DVD’s - it would certainly be easier than trying to work a VCR.
After dutifully returning our 3-D glasses , we stopped in at Tinker Bell’s Treasures to browse all the cute and pretty girly stuff - every once in a while you have to satisfy the girly girl in you or she will explode. As we left the shop we ran in to Cinderella’s Step Sisters.
Of course we couldn’t be in the Magic Kingdom and not try our hands at Buzz again. Besides I had to regain the Mom and Me Buzz Champion title back from Mom after her win earlier in the trip. But when we arrived at Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin there was a 40 minute wait posted so we got Fastpasses with a return time at 3:05 p.m.
Since we had some time to kill we thought we would take another trip on the People Mover (a.k.a. Tomorrowland Transit Authority). So we walked over but there was a Cast Member roping off the escalator to the platform. It was broken!!!! UGH!!!! Thankfully Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress was right there or we might have had to resort to seeing Stitch’s Great Escape! - and that would have been tragic.
Carousel of Progress was as it usually is - outdated in the modern scene and charming as always with everything else. I love seeing all of the old kitchens. Mom felt very nostalgic to see the kitchen from the 50's.
Afterwards we still had a few minutes to burn before our Fastpass time for our Buzz Lightyear rematch so we decided to sit down in the Galaxy Palace Theater and listen to a high school choir that was singing The Lion King songs. They were very good and a very large choir. I can’t really remember where they were from though, since we missed their introduction. I felt bad for them though because the theater was practically empty and it was obvious they had worked very hard on their songs - and probably had a lot of carwashes to pay for the trip. At least they can always say they performed at Walt Disney World.
On our way to Buzz, Flat Brody decided to stalk the Tomorrowland ducks.
Although an upland bird dog and not a water fowl dog, Real Brody does like to point at any bird given the chance so I though I would indulge Flat Brody since I was missing Real Brody at this point in the trip.We made it on to Buzz in no time flat with our trusty Fastpasses. And I am happy to report I am the reigning Mom and Me Buzz Champion once again. But I will say that Mom’s laser gun wasn’t working properly because she only scored 2700 points - which is was too low for even Mom on a bad day. I am sure a rematch will be called for later this week.
It was getting to be early evening so we decided to make our way out of the Magic Kingdom. But before we got out of the Park we were approached by one of the survey taker people. In all of my trips to Disney World (and I have lost count of my trips) I have never been asked to do one of the surveys, so of course I said yes. She ushered us to this little area of City Hall with a few laptops where I sat down and answered some questions about my dining experience in the Park that day. Overall I rated our meal as very good but did suggest that paying over $2 for a fountain soft drink was too much. And I also said they should bring back the chicken strips and the Monte Cristo sandwich. I miss that sandwich!!!!! I was the one thing I looked forward to eating at Disney World when I was a child. ***sigh*** Sometimes change just sucks.
Since we weren’t going back to our hotel but instead going to MGM we decided to take the Ferry Boat to the TTC. After many trips on the Ferry Boats when leaving the Magic Kingdom I have decided that if you see the Ferry Boat at the dock then you don’t need to rush because you won’t make it. Instead you should only rush to the loading dock if you see the Ferry Boat approaching the dock. (Those are my words of wisdom for the day.)
Flat Brody anticipating his first Ferry Boat ride.
Next Installment - Our Final Dining Decisions
Friday, July 4, 2008
Day 3, Part 5 - Flat Brody takes a Pick-A-Number DISUnplugged Podcast Trip!!!
Day 3, Part 5 – Smoke (Among Other Things) Gets In My Eyes!!!
Sorry I missed the bride and groom in the picture - I was still catching my breath after exercising my ninja skills to get to our new location in time.
Flat Brody enjoying the wedding festivities.
Another bad picture but it's Flat Brody so I couldn't resist!!!
After a quick refresh break at the Swan, Mom and I walked over to Epcot for the remainder of the evening. I love staying in a hotel that is close enough to walk to the Parks!!! And the walk gave us enough time to discuss where we wanted to eat for dinner - which can be a problem for Mom and me.
As we were leaving the Swan we noticed that there were lots of conventioneers around but we didn't think too much about it. You can always tell people at Disney World for a meeting/convention - they are the people not wearing baseball hats and t-shirts and Crocs or having any fun. I've been to a meeting at Disney World and it was WAY too hard for me to go to the sessions when I knew that the Parks were so close. It was like showing a child their birthday cake and telling them they can't have any cake until they sit still for 6 hours - sheer torture!!!!!
We made it to the International Gate of Epcot and realized that Mom had never gone in to Epcot through this gate - so we accomplished another first!!! After much deliberation, Mom and I decided to check out the Tangeirine Cafe in the Morocco pavilion for dinner. We had never eaten there before so it would be another first for both of us.
As we strolled through France towards our dinner of couscous and kabobs I spied the delightful little kiosk that sells those sumptuously yummy Grey Goose slushies. I looked longingly as we passed by and was tempted to stop but thought that it would be a nice after Illuminations drink so I'll wait. And since the last time I had a Grey Goose slushie was on an empty stomach and it went immediately to my head so I knew that dinner should come first.
We arrived in Morocco and checked out the Tangeirine Cafe's menu to make sure we both found something we wanted to eat. We both approved so we got in line - the line that way out the door and well into the courtyard. I don't think I have ever seen the World Showcase so busy! It was as if all of the attractions were broken and everyone was milling around the Promenade with no place to go. One thing was certain, Spring Break certainly wasn't over.
Finally at the point of almost ordering, Mom gave me instructions on what to order for her and she went to find us a table. She stalked tables while I navigated the ordering process. Actually the ordering process went smoothly but the pick up process was somewhat hampered by a man who just didn't quite understand that his kids' Disney Dining Plan children's meal included both carrots and applesauce and that he didn't have to choose. I think the Cast Member's Moroccan accent was throwing the dad off because the poor Moroccan Cast Member was having a difficult time explaining it to him. Eventually the dad gave up understanding and just went along with it - which meant that I finally got our Moroccan feast.
Mom found us two chairs at the counter area which faces the kitchen. It took some squeezing around chairs for me to get to my seat since there was a table right behind us with an older couple waiting for their daughter to join them. Mom and I both ordered the Mediterranean Wrap. Mom got the lamb and I got the chicken and they were good - messy but good. The wraps were both served with couscous salad and lentil salad - both of these were surprisingly nice.
But the most "entertaining" thing about our meal was the table behind us. This was the table with the older couple and daughter. The daughter sat down with all the food shortly after I sat down. I was happily eating my Wrap and drinking my beer when I heard this chomping and snorting sound. I stopped and wondered what it was but didn't hear it again so I went back to eating. But there was the noises again. So I put my fork down and looked around. And what I saw would make Emily Post come back from the grave and write another etiquette book. It was the daughter (about 50 years old) behind us laying on the table and shoveling the food into her mouth while making away grunts and groans. She didn't just have her arm on the table, she had her head on the table next to her plate!!! It was the most horrific thing I have seen in a long time. It was like a car accident and I just had to keep looking. At some point I think I was actually staring because I was so amazed that someone could be so lacking in table manners. It was truly unappetizing so Mom and I quickly finished up and moved on.
Our goal was to find the Guest Relations Cast Member in front of Italy holding a clipboard with our names on it so we could be VIP's again. Of course we decided to take a bathroom break - well because of my rule - so we stopped of in America by the Liberty Inn. There were lots of people in the facilities - lots of people in non-Disney like clothing and with name tags on. Hmmmm, what are these Convention People doing in Epcot? They are supposed to stay at the hotels!!! No mind though.
We fought our way through the ever increasing crowds to Italy. We located what appeared to be our Illuminations VIP viewing location. But there was no plaid vest clad Cast Member - only officious looking Cast Members in blue oxford shirts. Hmmmmm, no mind though. I approached the officious Cast Members but before I could even get to them an overly zealous oxford clad Cast Member came at me with the speed of a super hero asking if she could help me (in a rather nasty tone I might add.) I got the impression that she thought I was a terrorist who had an evil plan to get in a VIP area without authorization so I could spoil Illuminations for all of Epcot to make small children cry - an evil plan indeed. I explained to her that we were trying to locate our VIP viewing area for the Undiscovered Future World Tour from earlier today. The overly zealous Cast Member didn't have any idea what I was talking about but thankfully a more peaceful loving Cast Member overheard and said she thought that had been moved to the United Kingdom. HUH?!?!?! We had just come from there!!!!
Okay, change in plans. It was 8:47 p.m. at this point and we needed to get to the other side of World Showcase. It was time to let my inner Disney commando come out and play!!! Mom and I quickly got our butts in gear and got moving. But wait a minute - what is in front of us? There was a wall of conventioneers flooding the area in front of The American Adventure and each and everyone of them had on flashing Mickey ears. And they were tipsy from their dinner in America. Lord, help me!!!
Mom knows my plan without even having to ask - she has seen the look in my eye and knew I was in the zone and to let me work my magic. We had fireworks to see from a VIP location after all and I was not going to miss it just because of some drunk flashing eared conventioneers. So, I take the lead and Mom stealthy follows. I bob and weave like a ninja through the throngs of blinking ears and Mom keeps up like a trooper. It was mayhem. As we passed through France, I only had a moment to longingly look at the Grey Goose slushie booth with disappointment knowing that any chance of a frozen bit of heaven was now gone. But we made it to the UK in record time. My work was done.
We located the plaid clad Guest Relations CM with only minutes to spare. Our VIP viewing area was just before the Yorkshire County Fish Shop - basically on the other side of the Rose & Crown outside dining area. A nice location to view Illuminations. We were right next to Lower Terrace of the United Kingdom. And guess who was using the Lower Terrace? Nope, not the conventioneers - the wedding we saw earlier in the day at the Yacht Club. They were having an Illuminations Dessert Reception. It looked like a lovely wedding - although I questioned the bride's choice in dress but if it made her happy then okay by me. But who was using the Upper Terrace of the United Kingdom you ask? Yep, the conventioneers with those silly blinking Mickey ears.
The wedding reception from earlier in the day.
As we were leaving the Swan we noticed that there were lots of conventioneers around but we didn't think too much about it. You can always tell people at Disney World for a meeting/convention - they are the people not wearing baseball hats and t-shirts and Crocs or having any fun. I've been to a meeting at Disney World and it was WAY too hard for me to go to the sessions when I knew that the Parks were so close. It was like showing a child their birthday cake and telling them they can't have any cake until they sit still for 6 hours - sheer torture!!!!!
We made it to the International Gate of Epcot and realized that Mom had never gone in to Epcot through this gate - so we accomplished another first!!! After much deliberation, Mom and I decided to check out the Tangeirine Cafe in the Morocco pavilion for dinner. We had never eaten there before so it would be another first for both of us.
As we strolled through France towards our dinner of couscous and kabobs I spied the delightful little kiosk that sells those sumptuously yummy Grey Goose slushies. I looked longingly as we passed by and was tempted to stop but thought that it would be a nice after Illuminations drink so I'll wait. And since the last time I had a Grey Goose slushie was on an empty stomach and it went immediately to my head so I knew that dinner should come first.
We arrived in Morocco and checked out the Tangeirine Cafe's menu to make sure we both found something we wanted to eat. We both approved so we got in line - the line that way out the door and well into the courtyard. I don't think I have ever seen the World Showcase so busy! It was as if all of the attractions were broken and everyone was milling around the Promenade with no place to go. One thing was certain, Spring Break certainly wasn't over.
Finally at the point of almost ordering, Mom gave me instructions on what to order for her and she went to find us a table. She stalked tables while I navigated the ordering process. Actually the ordering process went smoothly but the pick up process was somewhat hampered by a man who just didn't quite understand that his kids' Disney Dining Plan children's meal included both carrots and applesauce and that he didn't have to choose. I think the Cast Member's Moroccan accent was throwing the dad off because the poor Moroccan Cast Member was having a difficult time explaining it to him. Eventually the dad gave up understanding and just went along with it - which meant that I finally got our Moroccan feast.
Mom found us two chairs at the counter area which faces the kitchen. It took some squeezing around chairs for me to get to my seat since there was a table right behind us with an older couple waiting for their daughter to join them. Mom and I both ordered the Mediterranean Wrap. Mom got the lamb and I got the chicken and they were good - messy but good. The wraps were both served with couscous salad and lentil salad - both of these were surprisingly nice.
But the most "entertaining" thing about our meal was the table behind us. This was the table with the older couple and daughter. The daughter sat down with all the food shortly after I sat down. I was happily eating my Wrap and drinking my beer when I heard this chomping and snorting sound. I stopped and wondered what it was but didn't hear it again so I went back to eating. But there was the noises again. So I put my fork down and looked around. And what I saw would make Emily Post come back from the grave and write another etiquette book. It was the daughter (about 50 years old) behind us laying on the table and shoveling the food into her mouth while making away grunts and groans. She didn't just have her arm on the table, she had her head on the table next to her plate!!! It was the most horrific thing I have seen in a long time. It was like a car accident and I just had to keep looking. At some point I think I was actually staring because I was so amazed that someone could be so lacking in table manners. It was truly unappetizing so Mom and I quickly finished up and moved on.
Our goal was to find the Guest Relations Cast Member in front of Italy holding a clipboard with our names on it so we could be VIP's again. Of course we decided to take a bathroom break - well because of my rule - so we stopped of in America by the Liberty Inn. There were lots of people in the facilities - lots of people in non-Disney like clothing and with name tags on. Hmmmm, what are these Convention People doing in Epcot? They are supposed to stay at the hotels!!! No mind though.
We fought our way through the ever increasing crowds to Italy. We located what appeared to be our Illuminations VIP viewing location. But there was no plaid vest clad Cast Member - only officious looking Cast Members in blue oxford shirts. Hmmmmm, no mind though. I approached the officious Cast Members but before I could even get to them an overly zealous oxford clad Cast Member came at me with the speed of a super hero asking if she could help me (in a rather nasty tone I might add.) I got the impression that she thought I was a terrorist who had an evil plan to get in a VIP area without authorization so I could spoil Illuminations for all of Epcot to make small children cry - an evil plan indeed. I explained to her that we were trying to locate our VIP viewing area for the Undiscovered Future World Tour from earlier today. The overly zealous Cast Member didn't have any idea what I was talking about but thankfully a more peaceful loving Cast Member overheard and said she thought that had been moved to the United Kingdom. HUH?!?!?! We had just come from there!!!!
Okay, change in plans. It was 8:47 p.m. at this point and we needed to get to the other side of World Showcase. It was time to let my inner Disney commando come out and play!!! Mom and I quickly got our butts in gear and got moving. But wait a minute - what is in front of us? There was a wall of conventioneers flooding the area in front of The American Adventure and each and everyone of them had on flashing Mickey ears. And they were tipsy from their dinner in America. Lord, help me!!!
Mom knows my plan without even having to ask - she has seen the look in my eye and knew I was in the zone and to let me work my magic. We had fireworks to see from a VIP location after all and I was not going to miss it just because of some drunk flashing eared conventioneers. So, I take the lead and Mom stealthy follows. I bob and weave like a ninja through the throngs of blinking ears and Mom keeps up like a trooper. It was mayhem. As we passed through France, I only had a moment to longingly look at the Grey Goose slushie booth with disappointment knowing that any chance of a frozen bit of heaven was now gone. But we made it to the UK in record time. My work was done.
We located the plaid clad Guest Relations CM with only minutes to spare. Our VIP viewing area was just before the Yorkshire County Fish Shop - basically on the other side of the Rose & Crown outside dining area. A nice location to view Illuminations. We were right next to Lower Terrace of the United Kingdom. And guess who was using the Lower Terrace? Nope, not the conventioneers - the wedding we saw earlier in the day at the Yacht Club. They were having an Illuminations Dessert Reception. It looked like a lovely wedding - although I questioned the bride's choice in dress but if it made her happy then okay by me. But who was using the Upper Terrace of the United Kingdom you ask? Yep, the conventioneers with those silly blinking Mickey ears.
The wedding reception from earlier in the day.
Sorry I missed the bride and groom in the picture - I was still catching my breath after exercising my ninja skills to get to our new location in time.Flat Brody enjoying the wedding festivities.
Another bad picture but it's Flat Brody so I couldn't resist!!! The poor bride and groom didn't really get to enjoy any of Illuminations though because the photographer had them busy taking pictures the whole time. At least they have the memories saved for posterity sake.
Illuminations started and everything was going fine except for the wind was blowing the smoke right towards the United Kingdom. No problemo, right. It's only a little bit of smoke. Well, it was no problem until a piece of fireworks debris got in my eye. And it hurt!!! It was singed pyrotechnics after all. After having no luck of getting the debris out of my eye I resorted to flushing my eye out with my bottled water. Ahhhh, sweet relief - except now my shirt was really wet and I had no more water to drink. Oh well, at least I could see enough to continue taking really bad digital pictures.
Illuminations pictures - I was experimenting with all of the different camera settings. Eventually I just went back to the automatic setting which seemed to work best.
As soon as Illuminations finished I suggested that we go to Beaches & Cream for ice cream since we were right at the International Gate and we could probably beat some of the crowd. Mom concurred and off we went.
We were really in the mood for a No Way Jose so sitting inside seemed like the way to go. Except when we inquired about the wait, the Beaches & Cream Hostess said it would be 45 minutes - even though the restaurant was only half full. Hmmmm, must be a long list of people waiting for big tables. But 45 minutes was way too long to wait for ice cream so we decided to just get regular take our sundaes.
After figuring out the system for the take out line - one line is for ordering and one line is for picking up - we got in the ordering line. The ordering line was about 5 groups long - you can't really say 5 people long because it is hard to tell how many people are actually with each group. (It's complicated ordering ice cream these days, my friends!!) When we got to the cashier we were informed that there was no more hot fudge. WHAT!?!?!?! Okay, on to Plan B. I wanted caramel but they only had butterscotch so I finally decided on chocolate sauce on vanilla ice cream and Mom ordered marshmallow cream on chocolate ice cream. And off to the pick up line I went while Mom went to find a table by the pool.
The pick up line was out the door but seemed to be moving a little. I finally made it inside the building while I occupied my waiting time by noticing that no one had been seated in the restaurant and the restaurant was now almost empty. I was confused but was too tired to figure out the absurdity of the situation.
After about another 5 minutes I got to the front of the pick up line where I could see the person making the sundaes. I saw her making a sundae with vanilla ice cream and marshmallow but I didn't say anything because it could have been for someone else. I wasn't privy to the inner workings of Beaches & Cream after all. And then she looked at the ticket and noticed it was supposed to be chocolate ice cream - so she threw the almost finished sundae away. I cringed. All of that good ice cream gone when all she had to do was ask me and I would have taken that one and she could have made another one for Mom. But it happened so fast that I just watched and thought of all the wonderfully empty calories just thrown away. ***sigh***
Finally I had our ice cream sundaes and I located Mom by the pool. Ahhhh, sweet frozen bliss. The sundaes were huge!!! And before I knew it I remembered Flat Brody and his love of ice cream.
Flat Brody enjoying some of my half eaten sundae from Beaches & Cream
And then the most amazing thing happened, Mom asked me more about Disnay Vacation Club ownership. YES!!!! My evil unorganized plan was working. So I tried to explain about the points and all the different resorts and how it was different from ordinary timeshares and that you could buy resale points instead of points directly from DVC. She pretty much got it and just then Dad called and Mom even mentioned it to Dad. Who knew I was such a good salesperson. My little plan was working better than I could have imagined. I knew to bring my plan home all I needed to do was talk about how wonderful owning DVC points would be for the grandchildren. Mom loves to swim with her grandkids and since we were sitting right by Stormalong Bay I knew this would make a huge impact. (Wow, I am really good at this.)
With our ice cream finished, it was time to walk back to the Swan - which we did via the Boardwalk. As we strolled along we walked through ESPN Zone to check out the restaurant for future meal purposes. It is a really happening place - lots of people enjoying themselves. And of course we had to look at the ESPN gift shop. They had lots of great stuff to buy but we refrained from indulging. But I did press a penny for my collection. I'm such a big spender.
As we were walking by the bakery, I decided that we needed a little treat for breakfast and ordered 2 muffins for the morning. It was time to treat ourselves to more than yogurt parfaits after all. You can only be so good on vacation before you have to be a little bad.
Next Installment - TMI on a Bus
Illuminations started and everything was going fine except for the wind was blowing the smoke right towards the United Kingdom. No problemo, right. It's only a little bit of smoke. Well, it was no problem until a piece of fireworks debris got in my eye. And it hurt!!! It was singed pyrotechnics after all. After having no luck of getting the debris out of my eye I resorted to flushing my eye out with my bottled water. Ahhhh, sweet relief - except now my shirt was really wet and I had no more water to drink. Oh well, at least I could see enough to continue taking really bad digital pictures.
Illuminations pictures - I was experimenting with all of the different camera settings. Eventually I just went back to the automatic setting which seemed to work best.
As soon as Illuminations finished I suggested that we go to Beaches & Cream for ice cream since we were right at the International Gate and we could probably beat some of the crowd. Mom concurred and off we went.
We were really in the mood for a No Way Jose so sitting inside seemed like the way to go. Except when we inquired about the wait, the Beaches & Cream Hostess said it would be 45 minutes - even though the restaurant was only half full. Hmmmm, must be a long list of people waiting for big tables. But 45 minutes was way too long to wait for ice cream so we decided to just get regular take our sundaes.
After figuring out the system for the take out line - one line is for ordering and one line is for picking up - we got in the ordering line. The ordering line was about 5 groups long - you can't really say 5 people long because it is hard to tell how many people are actually with each group. (It's complicated ordering ice cream these days, my friends!!) When we got to the cashier we were informed that there was no more hot fudge. WHAT!?!?!?! Okay, on to Plan B. I wanted caramel but they only had butterscotch so I finally decided on chocolate sauce on vanilla ice cream and Mom ordered marshmallow cream on chocolate ice cream. And off to the pick up line I went while Mom went to find a table by the pool.
The pick up line was out the door but seemed to be moving a little. I finally made it inside the building while I occupied my waiting time by noticing that no one had been seated in the restaurant and the restaurant was now almost empty. I was confused but was too tired to figure out the absurdity of the situation.
After about another 5 minutes I got to the front of the pick up line where I could see the person making the sundaes. I saw her making a sundae with vanilla ice cream and marshmallow but I didn't say anything because it could have been for someone else. I wasn't privy to the inner workings of Beaches & Cream after all. And then she looked at the ticket and noticed it was supposed to be chocolate ice cream - so she threw the almost finished sundae away. I cringed. All of that good ice cream gone when all she had to do was ask me and I would have taken that one and she could have made another one for Mom. But it happened so fast that I just watched and thought of all the wonderfully empty calories just thrown away. ***sigh***
Finally I had our ice cream sundaes and I located Mom by the pool. Ahhhh, sweet frozen bliss. The sundaes were huge!!! And before I knew it I remembered Flat Brody and his love of ice cream.
Flat Brody enjoying some of my half eaten sundae from Beaches & Cream
And then the most amazing thing happened, Mom asked me more about Disnay Vacation Club ownership. YES!!!! My evil unorganized plan was working. So I tried to explain about the points and all the different resorts and how it was different from ordinary timeshares and that you could buy resale points instead of points directly from DVC. She pretty much got it and just then Dad called and Mom even mentioned it to Dad. Who knew I was such a good salesperson. My little plan was working better than I could have imagined. I knew to bring my plan home all I needed to do was talk about how wonderful owning DVC points would be for the grandchildren. Mom loves to swim with her grandkids and since we were sitting right by Stormalong Bay I knew this would make a huge impact. (Wow, I am really good at this.)
With our ice cream finished, it was time to walk back to the Swan - which we did via the Boardwalk. As we strolled along we walked through ESPN Zone to check out the restaurant for future meal purposes. It is a really happening place - lots of people enjoying themselves. And of course we had to look at the ESPN gift shop. They had lots of great stuff to buy but we refrained from indulging. But I did press a penny for my collection. I'm such a big spender.
As we were walking by the bakery, I decided that we needed a little treat for breakfast and ordered 2 muffins for the morning. It was time to treat ourselves to more than yogurt parfaits after all. You can only be so good on vacation before you have to be a little bad.
Next Installment - TMI on a Bus
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Day 3, Part 4 - Flat Brody takes a Pick-A-Number DISUnplugged Podcast Trip!!!
Day 3, Part 4 – Mom Cries "No, No, No, No, No!!!"
Upon arriving at Animal Kingdom we did the only sensible thing and grabbed a Times Guide. It was just as I suspected, there were only a few Festival of the Lion King shows left in the day and we would have to run to catch the next one. So we decided to make our way over to the Maharajah Jungle Trek and see Simba sing at the last show of the day.
It was almost parade time but not close enough that the street had been closed. (Although I think at AK the streets are probably better classified as paths.) Since people were waiting behind the ropes so the paths were fairly clear and we made it to Asia in no time flat.
As we approached the Jungle Trek we watched all the people just getting off Kali River Rapids that were SOAKED. I have been one of those people and it isn’t much fun especially when you are wearing a white t-shirt. I felt like I was on Spring Break and in a wet t-shirt contest with out the benefit of tequila shots. Now I use a poncho on the Kali River and enjoy myself much more. But I digress.
We found the Trek which isn’t always the easiest. You really have to be looking for it or you won’t find it which suits me fine - it keeps people out. I am not sure why I love the Maharajah Jungle Trek so much. I rarely ever go on the Pangani Forest Exploration Trail so I think it must be the tigers. Which surprises me since I am NOT a cat person.
We saw the Komodo dragon first.
On our way out we saw the monkeys. I've never seen them so playful as they were today.
Aren't the mom and baby so cute?
We started to walk back towards FOTLK by Expedition Everest since the parade was still going on. We had plenty of time before the next show so I decided to let my thrill seeker out to play and got in the single rider line for EE. Mom was going to do a little browsing.
I was in line for about 5 minutes when I just couldn’t take it anymore and got out of line. The line was slow moving and there were three young teenagers behind me. It took me about 3 minutes of their incessant babbling chatter to get irritated and after five minutes I thought I was going to throttle them if I had to hear another second of it. It was all "OMG", "like I know" - ugh, I can’t even go on or my blood pressure will get too high. I felt like I was having to listen to Valley girls on speed. It was just too much for my adult brain to take and my sanity was not worth a ride on EE. I have since decided that parents must build up a tolerance to this kind of thing starting at the birth of the child so that they are immune to the incessant babbling chatter when their children become teenagers. Next time I will be prepared and bring my ipod.
It took me a few minutes to find Mom since she wasn’t expecting me for another 15 minutes. She hadn’t bought anything since common sense won out and she decided that she didn’t really need a Yeti plush animal. Maybe next trip she will indulge herself and come home with a white furry monster toy.
We strolled over to DinoLand, U.S.A. and had no intentions of riding anything. We were on our way to see flying monkeys and hear Simba sing after all. But wouldn’t you know, my thrill seeker self was still out and about and there was no wait for Primeval Whirl. Zero, none, zilch, na da, no people in line!!!!! How could I resist!!!!!! Other than Tower of Terror, Primeval Whirl is the only "thrill" ride I can get Mom on. So I checked the time to see if we had 3 minutes to spare. We did! So I grabbed Mom’s arm and said let’s go!!!
Every time we ride Primeval Whirl Mom has the same reaction. When we get to the spinning part, she closes her eyes, holds on tight and yells "No, No, No, No, No, No, No!!!" over and over again until the spinning stops. Of course to be fair, I have the same reaction to her reaction each time - I laugh. I can’t help it, it’s funny. It isn’t like she doesn’t know it isn’t coming - she can see it coming and we have ridden it together at least 6 times. It’s just an endearing Mom thing.
Flat Brody really enjoyed Primeval Whirl
We finally made it to the Festival of the Lion King. (It is a long trek to get there!!!) We were seated in the Lion section which is always fun - I always feel sorry for the Warthog section (who wants to snort when you can roar). And then I saw them! The cheerleaders! They were coming in the theater in droves. Where were they before? How could I have missed them? What is going on? A little voice inside my head said "Oh, this could be bad!!!"
As it turn out, it was World Cheerleading Championship at Disney World this week (which I knew about but everyone on the Boards said you won’t even notice they are there) and the competition was over for the day (or at least some of it was.) My niece Skatie is a cheerleader and I have never really understood all the various cheerleading competitions but apparently this is for the creme de la creme of cheerleaders. Skatie will be old enough next year so who knows maybe I will be back at Disney World some April hanging out with the cheering crowd.
As we sat there, nothing was happening and it was after time for the show to start. And then there was an announcement. Now, I’ve been to Disney World enough to know that announcements are never a good thing. This one said the show was going to be another 5 minutes due to technical difficulties. Hmmmm, this is not looking good - but I was patient.
Thankfully my patience paid off and the show went on. It is such a good show. And for some reason I got really weepy. Not sure why - maybe dust got in my eyes? Yeah that’s it - dust.
Flat Brody loved FOTLK
Okay, so it is a bad picture. I haven’t figured out the indoor dark setting for my camera yet and I didn’t want to leave out a Flat Brody picture.
After the show we stopped in at Island Mercantile to do some more pin shopping. We got some pins for Dad. But Mom and I also snagged the last two AK 10th Anniversary Annual Passholder Exclusive pins left. We were very excited.
In our excitement, we also decided we were a bit peckish so we stopped at a cart and got frozen bananas to snack on as we strolled out of Animal Kingdom. (It wasn’t ice cream but I can’t eat a Mickey bar and walk at the same time. The chocolate cracks and falls all over me and makes a mess.)
On our way out we saw a Cast Member collecting all of the birds that were in The Oasis. She was trying to wrangle a parrot off his perch but the parrot was having no part of this. She would try then step back and then try again. It took about 10 minutes before the parrot finally cooperated. The parrot wrangler was very patient. But there was this idiot guy who walked by and kept yelling for the parrot to talk. Everyone watching the parrot and the wrangler just sort of looked at him like he was stupid. And then when the guy walked off he called the bird dumb since he wouldn’t talk. A perfect example of a smart bird and a dumb man.
We got to the buses and only had to wait a few minutes. (I think I am a bus person after all!!!) As we were sitting there some cute little girls commented on the Jibbitz in my Crocs. The family was English but lived in Spain and very friendly. We talked about our favorite characters and our favorite rides and whether they had met Mickey yet. I even got to tell them some helpful hints on how to enjoy Disney World better. Nothing earth shattering - wake up call from Mickey on speaker phone, don’t miss this show, ask to ride in the front of the monorail - that kind of stuff. But it makes me happy to spread the magic. Isn't that what it's all about?
Next Installment - Smoke Gets In Your Eyes.
Upon arriving at Animal Kingdom we did the only sensible thing and grabbed a Times Guide. It was just as I suspected, there were only a few Festival of the Lion King shows left in the day and we would have to run to catch the next one. So we decided to make our way over to the Maharajah Jungle Trek and see Simba sing at the last show of the day.
It was almost parade time but not close enough that the street had been closed. (Although I think at AK the streets are probably better classified as paths.) Since people were waiting behind the ropes so the paths were fairly clear and we made it to Asia in no time flat.
As we approached the Jungle Trek we watched all the people just getting off Kali River Rapids that were SOAKED. I have been one of those people and it isn’t much fun especially when you are wearing a white t-shirt. I felt like I was on Spring Break and in a wet t-shirt contest with out the benefit of tequila shots. Now I use a poncho on the Kali River and enjoy myself much more. But I digress.
We found the Trek which isn’t always the easiest. You really have to be looking for it or you won’t find it which suits me fine - it keeps people out. I am not sure why I love the Maharajah Jungle Trek so much. I rarely ever go on the Pangani Forest Exploration Trail so I think it must be the tigers. Which surprises me since I am NOT a cat person.
We saw the Komodo dragon first.
I’m just glad that thing was on the other side of the railing. I imagine his bite is worse than his bark.
I was being brave today and we stopped to see the fruit bats. Sometimes I avoid them since they can be creepy. I’ve seen these before but I don’t think I have ever seen more at one time. Every available wire was covered by an upside down bat. I am just glad these bats liked fruit and not human blood because they are huge. I wasn't brave enought to take any pictures though.
Flat Brody was very interested in the tigers - although I think he was a little frightened since these cats were bigger than the ones he usually chases on our walks.
On our way out we saw the monkeys. I've never seen them so playful as they were today.
Aren't the mom and baby so cute?
We started to walk back towards FOTLK by Expedition Everest since the parade was still going on. We had plenty of time before the next show so I decided to let my thrill seeker out to play and got in the single rider line for EE. Mom was going to do a little browsing.
I was in line for about 5 minutes when I just couldn’t take it anymore and got out of line. The line was slow moving and there were three young teenagers behind me. It took me about 3 minutes of their incessant babbling chatter to get irritated and after five minutes I thought I was going to throttle them if I had to hear another second of it. It was all "OMG", "like I know" - ugh, I can’t even go on or my blood pressure will get too high. I felt like I was having to listen to Valley girls on speed. It was just too much for my adult brain to take and my sanity was not worth a ride on EE. I have since decided that parents must build up a tolerance to this kind of thing starting at the birth of the child so that they are immune to the incessant babbling chatter when their children become teenagers. Next time I will be prepared and bring my ipod.
It took me a few minutes to find Mom since she wasn’t expecting me for another 15 minutes. She hadn’t bought anything since common sense won out and she decided that she didn’t really need a Yeti plush animal. Maybe next trip she will indulge herself and come home with a white furry monster toy.
We strolled over to DinoLand, U.S.A. and had no intentions of riding anything. We were on our way to see flying monkeys and hear Simba sing after all. But wouldn’t you know, my thrill seeker self was still out and about and there was no wait for Primeval Whirl. Zero, none, zilch, na da, no people in line!!!!! How could I resist!!!!!! Other than Tower of Terror, Primeval Whirl is the only "thrill" ride I can get Mom on. So I checked the time to see if we had 3 minutes to spare. We did! So I grabbed Mom’s arm and said let’s go!!!
Every time we ride Primeval Whirl Mom has the same reaction. When we get to the spinning part, she closes her eyes, holds on tight and yells "No, No, No, No, No, No, No!!!" over and over again until the spinning stops. Of course to be fair, I have the same reaction to her reaction each time - I laugh. I can’t help it, it’s funny. It isn’t like she doesn’t know it isn’t coming - she can see it coming and we have ridden it together at least 6 times. It’s just an endearing Mom thing.
Flat Brody really enjoyed Primeval Whirl
We finally made it to the Festival of the Lion King. (It is a long trek to get there!!!) We were seated in the Lion section which is always fun - I always feel sorry for the Warthog section (who wants to snort when you can roar). And then I saw them! The cheerleaders! They were coming in the theater in droves. Where were they before? How could I have missed them? What is going on? A little voice inside my head said "Oh, this could be bad!!!"
As it turn out, it was World Cheerleading Championship at Disney World this week (which I knew about but everyone on the Boards said you won’t even notice they are there) and the competition was over for the day (or at least some of it was.) My niece Skatie is a cheerleader and I have never really understood all the various cheerleading competitions but apparently this is for the creme de la creme of cheerleaders. Skatie will be old enough next year so who knows maybe I will be back at Disney World some April hanging out with the cheering crowd.
As we sat there, nothing was happening and it was after time for the show to start. And then there was an announcement. Now, I’ve been to Disney World enough to know that announcements are never a good thing. This one said the show was going to be another 5 minutes due to technical difficulties. Hmmmm, this is not looking good - but I was patient.
Thankfully my patience paid off and the show went on. It is such a good show. And for some reason I got really weepy. Not sure why - maybe dust got in my eyes? Yeah that’s it - dust.
Flat Brody loved FOTLK
Okay, so it is a bad picture. I haven’t figured out the indoor dark setting for my camera yet and I didn’t want to leave out a Flat Brody picture.After the show we stopped in at Island Mercantile to do some more pin shopping. We got some pins for Dad. But Mom and I also snagged the last two AK 10th Anniversary Annual Passholder Exclusive pins left. We were very excited.
In our excitement, we also decided we were a bit peckish so we stopped at a cart and got frozen bananas to snack on as we strolled out of Animal Kingdom. (It wasn’t ice cream but I can’t eat a Mickey bar and walk at the same time. The chocolate cracks and falls all over me and makes a mess.)
On our way out we saw a Cast Member collecting all of the birds that were in The Oasis. She was trying to wrangle a parrot off his perch but the parrot was having no part of this. She would try then step back and then try again. It took about 10 minutes before the parrot finally cooperated. The parrot wrangler was very patient. But there was this idiot guy who walked by and kept yelling for the parrot to talk. Everyone watching the parrot and the wrangler just sort of looked at him like he was stupid. And then when the guy walked off he called the bird dumb since he wouldn’t talk. A perfect example of a smart bird and a dumb man.
We got to the buses and only had to wait a few minutes. (I think I am a bus person after all!!!) As we were sitting there some cute little girls commented on the Jibbitz in my Crocs. The family was English but lived in Spain and very friendly. We talked about our favorite characters and our favorite rides and whether they had met Mickey yet. I even got to tell them some helpful hints on how to enjoy Disney World better. Nothing earth shattering - wake up call from Mickey on speaker phone, don’t miss this show, ask to ride in the front of the monorail - that kind of stuff. But it makes me happy to spread the magic. Isn't that what it's all about?
Next Installment - Smoke Gets In Your Eyes.
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Day 3, Part 3 - Flat Brody takes a Pick-A-Number DISUnplugged Podcast Trip!!!
Day 3, Part 3 – Ohhhh, Look Big Towels!!!!
As we walked back to the car we actually had to search a little bit for it. We took a walkway back that took us to the middle of the parking lot so we couldn’t see the row numbers. Hmmmmm, what to do?!?! Well, in a pinch when finding your car you can always rely on a car’s automatic trunk/door release on the key chain. And that is what we did - we looked for the car with the back door going up and down until we spotted it. What can I say - if you can’t use technology to your advantage what good is it?
(And as it turned out anyways, Mom and I had remembered different row numbers when we arrived that morning so we would have had to search either way. )
Back in the car we quickly found our way to the Swan Resort. I can hear you now asking "did she get lost this time?" And the answer would be nope, not this time. I knew it was just around the bend and let my navigational skills do the rest.
The next big decision was whether we would valet park or not valet park? Since I was driving and getting on the hungry cranky side of things I opted to valet park and not really giving Mom a choice in the matter even though it was her car. Some things in life are just worth the price and valet parking is one of those things, especially when you are getting hungry and cranky.
The valet quickly had our car unloaded and all of our various bags on a cart as we made our way inside. Ahhhhh, quiet elegance. Afer a few busy days at Disney World a little luxury was just what I needed. We found the registration desk and there was no line at all. A nice young man checked us in quickly. (You know you are old when you call a man in his 20's a nice young man.) Of course I was a little apprehensive checking in because this was the part of the trip that I had won on the DIS Unplugged Podcast and I didn’t have a confirmation number for the reservation since I didn't make the reservation. It was just the uber-planner in me itching to come out and play. But everything was as if I had made the reservation myself and went smoothly.
I didn’t remember to bring my newly acquired Starwoods Rewards number but I had just gotten an email from them on my mobile phone so I looked up the number and gave it to the clerk!!! Woohooo - a free Swan stay and rewards points to boot!!!! All was right with the world.
With room number in hand, we found the elevator and made our way to Room 420 East. We opened the door and this is what we saw
(Actually, the picture was taken after I moved our bags off the bed. Some picture moments have to be recreated for Trip Report purposes you know.)
And then we checked out the view
Not an Epcot view but nice all the same.
And then there was a knock on the door. It was the Bellman with our luggage. That was really fast. We only had enough time to fall on to the Heavenly Beds and appreciate their luxury and there our luggage was. I could get used to having people be at my beckon call.
The Bellman was very nice and efficient. He chatted while he brought in our bags and even turned on all of the lights to make sure they were working. This may seem odd but I have been in hotel rooms where a light bulb has been burned out and it is a pain to get another light bulb for some reason in most hotels. It must be a union thing or something and only maintenance can change a lightbulb and not housekeeping.
Flat Brody really enjoyed the Heavenly Bed.
More room pictures:
But enough about the room, we had lunch to eat and Animal Kingdom to see, so I decided to tinkle before we left - you know the rule - do it while you get the chance. And that was when I really realized I wasn’t at a value hotel anymore - BIG TOWELS!!!!
It was then that I decided I prefer deluxe hotels to value hotels because a deluxe hotel has better towels. It was like an epiphany and my inner girly girl came out - especially when I saw the wonderful smelling Bath & Body Works products on the bathroom counter top. Now don’t get me wrong, the value hotels are nice. But after a few days a girl needs some decent products and a towel that covers her butt. It is just the laws of girly girlness. And if the towels and product weren’t enough, there was a wall mounted magnified make up mirror in the bathroom. ***HALLELUJAH*** It is just a crying shame we didn’t have time to enjoy the spa.
Okay, back to the real world. It was time for lunch and it was time to introduce Mom to the joys of Beaches & Cream. I was determined to eat both lunch and ice cream this time. It is a challenge for me to have room after a meal for dessert. I always think I will but never do. It is a curse because I love dessert and cheeseburgers. Since I follow tradition and eat my meal first dessert usually falls by the wayside. Some day I will eat dessert first!!!!
We decided to walk over to Beaches & Cream from the Swan. It was a nice afternoon and it would give me another opportunity to put my "evil" DVC plan in to action. ***Insert evil laugh*** And I got to show Mom how fabulous the Stormalong Bay area is - another part of the master plan to get to go to Disney World more often.
We had seen the Boardwalk area the night before while we waited for our table at Big River Grille & Bar so we opted to walk around the Yacht Club way. There was lots of hubbub going on because they were setting up for a big wedding. It was out on the lawn facing Crescent Lake. (Just remember this wedding for later in the evening.)
We made it to Beaches & Cream and guess what? We only had to wait a minute for our seats. They didn’t even give us a pager. We were seated at the counter which suited us just fine since we got to watch them make ice cream sundaes - only making my desire for a No Way Jose sundae more palatable. Mom even said the Milky Way Sundae sounded really good.
Mom and I both ordered cheeseburgers but Mom got the fruit instead of fries. But now that I think about it, maybe Mom ordered a hamburger to save the calories by going cheeseless - she’s got Weight Watchers on the brain even on vacation. I think I even told our waitress that we wanted ice cream for dessert. Alas, that was not to be our fate.
It took about 15 minutes to get our food and it was just as yummy as I had remembered. Nice and juicy - well that may be grease but who cares, I am on vacation. They make a really good cheeseburger. (Plaza Restaurant take note!!) But as usual I was way too full to even think about eating any dessert let alone a No Way Jose. In an hour I would be ready but not at that moment. Darn!!! I was soooooooo wanting ice cream and hot fudge sauce and peanut butter sauce served with whipped cream and a cherry. And to make matters worse, I forgot to take any pictures!!! I must have been so distracted by the anticipation of ice cream and then the disappointment of not having any that I just plum forgot to share my cheeseburger moment with Flat Brody.
Pleasantly full of fries and cheeseburger - at least I was, Mom was full of hamburger and fruit - we needed to get to Animal Kingdom. But should we catch a bus from the Yacht Club or the Beach Club? This trip is just full of decisions.
We chose the Yacht Club bus. But before we found our way to the bus stop - which is no easy task because there are no signs saying "this way to the bus stop dummies!!" - we took a bathroom break since . . . well, you know my saying by now.
Flat Brody in the Ladies Room at the Yacht Club. Very scandalous indeed!!!!
I like the bathrooms in the Yacht Club lobby because they have real towels to dry your hands with - just like a real yacht club or country club have. It is a nice touch.
Once we found the buses - we finally had to ask someone where to go - we waited about 10 minutes for the Animal Kingdom bus which was just enough time for Mom and me to decide what we wanted to do once we got there. As it turns out all we really wanted to do was the Festival of the Lion King show, the Maharajah Jungle Trek, Expedition Everest, Primeval Whirl and to see if there was any 10th Anniversary merchandise left over. (The Animal Kingdom 10th Anniversary celebration was on Tuesday earlier in the week and we missed it by one and a half days. I also missed the 25th Anniversary celebration at Epcot last year by a week. I need to plan these trips better. I’m missing out on all the fun!!!)
Next Installment - Mom cries "No, No, No, No, No!!!!"
As we walked back to the car we actually had to search a little bit for it. We took a walkway back that took us to the middle of the parking lot so we couldn’t see the row numbers. Hmmmmm, what to do?!?! Well, in a pinch when finding your car you can always rely on a car’s automatic trunk/door release on the key chain. And that is what we did - we looked for the car with the back door going up and down until we spotted it. What can I say - if you can’t use technology to your advantage what good is it?
(And as it turned out anyways, Mom and I had remembered different row numbers when we arrived that morning so we would have had to search either way. )
Back in the car we quickly found our way to the Swan Resort. I can hear you now asking "did she get lost this time?" And the answer would be nope, not this time. I knew it was just around the bend and let my navigational skills do the rest.
The next big decision was whether we would valet park or not valet park? Since I was driving and getting on the hungry cranky side of things I opted to valet park and not really giving Mom a choice in the matter even though it was her car. Some things in life are just worth the price and valet parking is one of those things, especially when you are getting hungry and cranky.
The valet quickly had our car unloaded and all of our various bags on a cart as we made our way inside. Ahhhhh, quiet elegance. Afer a few busy days at Disney World a little luxury was just what I needed. We found the registration desk and there was no line at all. A nice young man checked us in quickly. (You know you are old when you call a man in his 20's a nice young man.) Of course I was a little apprehensive checking in because this was the part of the trip that I had won on the DIS Unplugged Podcast and I didn’t have a confirmation number for the reservation since I didn't make the reservation. It was just the uber-planner in me itching to come out and play. But everything was as if I had made the reservation myself and went smoothly.
I didn’t remember to bring my newly acquired Starwoods Rewards number but I had just gotten an email from them on my mobile phone so I looked up the number and gave it to the clerk!!! Woohooo - a free Swan stay and rewards points to boot!!!! All was right with the world.
With room number in hand, we found the elevator and made our way to Room 420 East. We opened the door and this is what we saw
(Actually, the picture was taken after I moved our bags off the bed. Some picture moments have to be recreated for Trip Report purposes you know.)And then we checked out the view
Not an Epcot view but nice all the same.And then there was a knock on the door. It was the Bellman with our luggage. That was really fast. We only had enough time to fall on to the Heavenly Beds and appreciate their luxury and there our luggage was. I could get used to having people be at my beckon call.
The Bellman was very nice and efficient. He chatted while he brought in our bags and even turned on all of the lights to make sure they were working. This may seem odd but I have been in hotel rooms where a light bulb has been burned out and it is a pain to get another light bulb for some reason in most hotels. It must be a union thing or something and only maintenance can change a lightbulb and not housekeeping.
Flat Brody really enjoyed the Heavenly Bed.
More room pictures:
But enough about the room, we had lunch to eat and Animal Kingdom to see, so I decided to tinkle before we left - you know the rule - do it while you get the chance. And that was when I really realized I wasn’t at a value hotel anymore - BIG TOWELS!!!!
It was then that I decided I prefer deluxe hotels to value hotels because a deluxe hotel has better towels. It was like an epiphany and my inner girly girl came out - especially when I saw the wonderful smelling Bath & Body Works products on the bathroom counter top. Now don’t get me wrong, the value hotels are nice. But after a few days a girl needs some decent products and a towel that covers her butt. It is just the laws of girly girlness. And if the towels and product weren’t enough, there was a wall mounted magnified make up mirror in the bathroom. ***HALLELUJAH*** It is just a crying shame we didn’t have time to enjoy the spa.
Okay, back to the real world. It was time for lunch and it was time to introduce Mom to the joys of Beaches & Cream. I was determined to eat both lunch and ice cream this time. It is a challenge for me to have room after a meal for dessert. I always think I will but never do. It is a curse because I love dessert and cheeseburgers. Since I follow tradition and eat my meal first dessert usually falls by the wayside. Some day I will eat dessert first!!!!
We decided to walk over to Beaches & Cream from the Swan. It was a nice afternoon and it would give me another opportunity to put my "evil" DVC plan in to action. ***Insert evil laugh*** And I got to show Mom how fabulous the Stormalong Bay area is - another part of the master plan to get to go to Disney World more often.
We had seen the Boardwalk area the night before while we waited for our table at Big River Grille & Bar so we opted to walk around the Yacht Club way. There was lots of hubbub going on because they were setting up for a big wedding. It was out on the lawn facing Crescent Lake. (Just remember this wedding for later in the evening.)
We made it to Beaches & Cream and guess what? We only had to wait a minute for our seats. They didn’t even give us a pager. We were seated at the counter which suited us just fine since we got to watch them make ice cream sundaes - only making my desire for a No Way Jose sundae more palatable. Mom even said the Milky Way Sundae sounded really good.
Mom and I both ordered cheeseburgers but Mom got the fruit instead of fries. But now that I think about it, maybe Mom ordered a hamburger to save the calories by going cheeseless - she’s got Weight Watchers on the brain even on vacation. I think I even told our waitress that we wanted ice cream for dessert. Alas, that was not to be our fate.
It took about 15 minutes to get our food and it was just as yummy as I had remembered. Nice and juicy - well that may be grease but who cares, I am on vacation. They make a really good cheeseburger. (Plaza Restaurant take note!!) But as usual I was way too full to even think about eating any dessert let alone a No Way Jose. In an hour I would be ready but not at that moment. Darn!!! I was soooooooo wanting ice cream and hot fudge sauce and peanut butter sauce served with whipped cream and a cherry. And to make matters worse, I forgot to take any pictures!!! I must have been so distracted by the anticipation of ice cream and then the disappointment of not having any that I just plum forgot to share my cheeseburger moment with Flat Brody.
Pleasantly full of fries and cheeseburger - at least I was, Mom was full of hamburger and fruit - we needed to get to Animal Kingdom. But should we catch a bus from the Yacht Club or the Beach Club? This trip is just full of decisions.
We chose the Yacht Club bus. But before we found our way to the bus stop - which is no easy task because there are no signs saying "this way to the bus stop dummies!!" - we took a bathroom break since . . . well, you know my saying by now.
Flat Brody in the Ladies Room at the Yacht Club. Very scandalous indeed!!!!
I like the bathrooms in the Yacht Club lobby because they have real towels to dry your hands with - just like a real yacht club or country club have. It is a nice touch.
Once we found the buses - we finally had to ask someone where to go - we waited about 10 minutes for the Animal Kingdom bus which was just enough time for Mom and me to decide what we wanted to do once we got there. As it turns out all we really wanted to do was the Festival of the Lion King show, the Maharajah Jungle Trek, Expedition Everest, Primeval Whirl and to see if there was any 10th Anniversary merchandise left over. (The Animal Kingdom 10th Anniversary celebration was on Tuesday earlier in the week and we missed it by one and a half days. I also missed the 25th Anniversary celebration at Epcot last year by a week. I need to plan these trips better. I’m missing out on all the fun!!!)
Next Installment - Mom cries "No, No, No, No, No!!!!"
Friday, June 27, 2008
Day 3, Part 2 - Flat Brody takes a Pick-A-Number DISUnplugged Podcast Trip!!!
Day 3, Part 2 – You know, the Tom Hanks Movie!
After figuring out that Beverly & Vodka might be the new "in" drink, we crossed Future World and went to Universe of Energy. We walked to the left of the building and took a side door and down a corridor to a room just on the other side of the ride. We could hear the dinosaurs growling and snarling and Janet told us that if the door was opened during the ride it would immediately stop and have to be evacuated and would take an entire ride cycle for them to get it restarted. Needless to say, I stayed away from the door since I didn’t want to risk having all those people on the ride waking up from their naps and getting made at me.
(If truth be told, I enjoy Ellen’s Energy Adventure. It is 45 minutes of air conditioned, sitting down, educational enjoyment. And, how someone could sleep on that ride with all that noise is just beyond me.)
There was also a few terradactyl animatronic models for us to look at. They were older models now used for salvaged parts for the newer models but they were intact enough for us to make the wings and beak move. I felt like an Imagineer-in-Training.
This room we were in looked like some kind of break room for the Cast Members and there was the oldest looking microwave I have ever seen. It had to be original to the building which dates back to Epcot’s opening (1982). It might just be time for Disney to splurge a little and buy the Cast Members a Walmart $59 microwave - sort of a way to usher in the 21st century.
Next up was Mission: Space. We stopped outside to explore the Planetary Plaza. There is a big Moon sculpture that has markers on it of where all of the Moon landings occurred. I happened to notice that there was no Apollo 13 marker and mentioned it. (Apollo 13 is the ill fated mission that never made it to the moon but did make it home.) Janet looked at me sort of weird so I explained the Apollo 13 mission and Jim Lovell and the lunar and command modules and using a free-return trajectory to get the crew home safely. She looked at me like I was some sort of space geek who had just come home from Space Camp with a head full of NASA trivia.
Not wanting to seem like a freak of nature I explained that Apollo 13 was one of my favorite movies. She still didn’t really get it so I said "you know, the Ron Howard movie with Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon and Billy Bob Thornton in it." At this point I think she just humored me and we moved on. Janet must not be a movie buff.
We went in another side door and Janet punched in a code on a secret key pad and we got buzzed in to the Red Planet Room (HP Lounge). It was a nice lounge but nothing terribly extra special. They have drinks and some chips for the HP employees when they stop by. Mom took a bathroom break and we watched the ride queue from up above since the lounge looks over the queue. Janet pointed out the Gravity Wheel prop from Horizons which is a nice homage to the former attraction. I like it when the Imagineers pay tribute to extinct attractions - I think Walt would approve.
We did happen to chat with one of the HP Hostesses who was planning her wedding. She had recently come back from a wedding dress shopping trip at Kleinfelds in New York and was filmed for "Say Yes To The Dress" on TLC. I haven’t seen her on the show yet but keep looking for her in hopes I will recognize her.
Next up was Test Track. We walked along side the building to the back of the attraction right underneath the outdoor track. It is very noisy!! We saw the maintenance shop where they repair the cars and all the extra cars. Janet told us about how the Imagineers had a hard time with the car designs at first but eventually got it right.
We then entered a side door to the Test Track building and ended up in the line for the pre-show. Woohooo, we’re VIPs again!!! Some man tried to engage Janet in conversation while we waited. She was polite to him but essentially turned her back to him in favor of chatting with us since we were her 'peeps'. Janet was very protective of us at this point and made sure we had VIP treatment by holding people back for us to pass and such. (We had been together for almost 4 hours and we knew all about Janet’s husband, kids, parents, siblings and she knew about us also. So we had formed a little bond.) I could get used to being a VIP.
After the pre-show we got in line for the ride. During the pre-show Janet and I had noticed this man in his late 50's with a young woman - early 20's. At first we just thought it was his daughter but it soon became clear that she was NOT his daughter. The woman appeared to be Filipino and the man was a little on the tubby side and not what you would call attractive so it made me think of a mail order bride situation. What was really odd was that the man was wearing what I call a Boca outfit - you know those outfits worn by older woman in South Florida during the late 90's. It was white pull on pants and a white button up shirt with flowers painted on it with some glitter. Janet and I both commented on it and decided it was definitely a woman’s outfit. We may have giggled a little also. All he needed was a Bedazzler to give it a true South Florida look. It was very strange - but part of going to Disney World is the people watching and I am rarely disappointed when I look around.
We got in our test car and had a fun ride. I was in the middle seat which is no fun on the curves because I don’t want to smush the people next to me so I end up bracing myself and not enjoying it as much as I would if I didn’t care whether I end up in my neighbors laps. And I love the end of the ride when you race around the track. It is just too short for me. I’ve decided that my Disney Dream might be to just race around the track over and over without having to get out of the car or doing all the testing part. But has anyone ever noticed that your hair flies forward into your face instead of blowing off of your face. It is really weird since you are moving forward and not backwards. Hmmmm?
After racing around the track in our test car, we found another side door and went back stage to check out the Epcot Cast Services building. Janet asked if anyone needed a bathroom break but I think it was just because she had to go REALLY bad. It had been about 4 hours at this point and we had all been drinking lots of water. I, of course, took advantage of the break and used the facilities because of my adage that you never know when you’ll get another chance.
We checked out the costuming department. Things have changed since I was a Cast Member. We used to have to go up to a window and tell where we worked and what sizes we wanted. Now there are just rows and rows of costumes and the Cast Members just walk in and get their own costumes and take them home - which makes it much easier. But the Cast Members don’t get walk time any more. (Walk time was extra time you got paid for because you had to change in and out of your costume.)
There were lots of awards on the walls and Janet explained those to us. Her husband is a Cast Member and had won some big award. There was also a hall way that each department got to paint a section - of course the Imagineering department’s section had fiber optics in the design - show offs!!
We then wandered over to the Illuminations staging area. And egads!!! Mom snapped a picture of backstage. I said I wouldn’t post it so Janet wouldn’t get in trouble but here it is anyways. (I whited-out any distiguishing parts other than the globe which you can see when they bring out the barge. And I saw this area shown on Modern Marvels so I don’t think I am showing anything secret.)
And this is the only picture we took while actually on our tour. We just sort of forgot about taking pictures. In the moment you just forget taking pictures but afterwards you kick yourself for not capturing the moment. It is a hard balance to achieve.
We then took another random door and ended up in the Yong Feng Shangdian Department Store in the China pavilion. (Who knew the store had a name?!?! I had to look it up.)
Our tour was over. Janet told us that we could get a 10% discount in the China restaurant and in the shop and gave us a commerative pin. I had no intention of eating bad chinese food but I appreciated the offer. (If they had only ended the tour at the Mexican margarita stand!!!) The pin is a nice souvenir though.
And then she told us about our special viewing privileges for Illuminations later that night. Yeah!!! Another VIP moment. All we had to do was find a plaid clad CM later tonight in front of Italy and we were good to go. More on that later.
Saying thanks and good bye was a little awkward though. We had been buddies with Janet for over 4 hours but we really didn’t know her know her. In the South we hug but you never know if other people are huggers so you hate to go in for a hug and have it rebuffed. And Mom got all weird because she thought we should tip her like they had on tours they had taken other places. I told her I didn’t think she could accept tips and that we shouldn’t. Of course all of this is going on with whispers and nods and facial expressions because Janet was standing right next to us. I felt like Lucy and Ethel on their trip to Hollywood. In the end, we shook hands with Janet and thanked her profusely saying how much we enjoyed the tour.
The tour was a great experience for us. Basically, with our Disney Visa discount, we paid about $80 for a private tour of Future World. If we had booked a VIP tour it would have been over $600. I’m not sure if the tour would have been as much fun if we had been with lots more people but Mom and I thoroughly enjoyed it and the time we spent together.
It was getting late and we still needed to check in to the Swan, eat lunch, and get to Animal Kingdom, so we made our way back to the parking lot. But on our way out of Epcot we spotted the F&G guy and had to snap his picture.
Next Installment - Finally Big Towels!!!!
(If truth be told, I enjoy Ellen’s Energy Adventure. It is 45 minutes of air conditioned, sitting down, educational enjoyment. And, how someone could sleep on that ride with all that noise is just beyond me.)
There was also a few terradactyl animatronic models for us to look at. They were older models now used for salvaged parts for the newer models but they were intact enough for us to make the wings and beak move. I felt like an Imagineer-in-Training.
This room we were in looked like some kind of break room for the Cast Members and there was the oldest looking microwave I have ever seen. It had to be original to the building which dates back to Epcot’s opening (1982). It might just be time for Disney to splurge a little and buy the Cast Members a Walmart $59 microwave - sort of a way to usher in the 21st century.
Next up was Mission: Space. We stopped outside to explore the Planetary Plaza. There is a big Moon sculpture that has markers on it of where all of the Moon landings occurred. I happened to notice that there was no Apollo 13 marker and mentioned it. (Apollo 13 is the ill fated mission that never made it to the moon but did make it home.) Janet looked at me sort of weird so I explained the Apollo 13 mission and Jim Lovell and the lunar and command modules and using a free-return trajectory to get the crew home safely. She looked at me like I was some sort of space geek who had just come home from Space Camp with a head full of NASA trivia.
Not wanting to seem like a freak of nature I explained that Apollo 13 was one of my favorite movies. She still didn’t really get it so I said "you know, the Ron Howard movie with Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon and Billy Bob Thornton in it." At this point I think she just humored me and we moved on. Janet must not be a movie buff.
We went in another side door and Janet punched in a code on a secret key pad and we got buzzed in to the Red Planet Room (HP Lounge). It was a nice lounge but nothing terribly extra special. They have drinks and some chips for the HP employees when they stop by. Mom took a bathroom break and we watched the ride queue from up above since the lounge looks over the queue. Janet pointed out the Gravity Wheel prop from Horizons which is a nice homage to the former attraction. I like it when the Imagineers pay tribute to extinct attractions - I think Walt would approve.
We did happen to chat with one of the HP Hostesses who was planning her wedding. She had recently come back from a wedding dress shopping trip at Kleinfelds in New York and was filmed for "Say Yes To The Dress" on TLC. I haven’t seen her on the show yet but keep looking for her in hopes I will recognize her.
Next up was Test Track. We walked along side the building to the back of the attraction right underneath the outdoor track. It is very noisy!! We saw the maintenance shop where they repair the cars and all the extra cars. Janet told us about how the Imagineers had a hard time with the car designs at first but eventually got it right.
We then entered a side door to the Test Track building and ended up in the line for the pre-show. Woohooo, we’re VIPs again!!! Some man tried to engage Janet in conversation while we waited. She was polite to him but essentially turned her back to him in favor of chatting with us since we were her 'peeps'. Janet was very protective of us at this point and made sure we had VIP treatment by holding people back for us to pass and such. (We had been together for almost 4 hours and we knew all about Janet’s husband, kids, parents, siblings and she knew about us also. So we had formed a little bond.) I could get used to being a VIP.
After the pre-show we got in line for the ride. During the pre-show Janet and I had noticed this man in his late 50's with a young woman - early 20's. At first we just thought it was his daughter but it soon became clear that she was NOT his daughter. The woman appeared to be Filipino and the man was a little on the tubby side and not what you would call attractive so it made me think of a mail order bride situation. What was really odd was that the man was wearing what I call a Boca outfit - you know those outfits worn by older woman in South Florida during the late 90's. It was white pull on pants and a white button up shirt with flowers painted on it with some glitter. Janet and I both commented on it and decided it was definitely a woman’s outfit. We may have giggled a little also. All he needed was a Bedazzler to give it a true South Florida look. It was very strange - but part of going to Disney World is the people watching and I am rarely disappointed when I look around.
We got in our test car and had a fun ride. I was in the middle seat which is no fun on the curves because I don’t want to smush the people next to me so I end up bracing myself and not enjoying it as much as I would if I didn’t care whether I end up in my neighbors laps. And I love the end of the ride when you race around the track. It is just too short for me. I’ve decided that my Disney Dream might be to just race around the track over and over without having to get out of the car or doing all the testing part. But has anyone ever noticed that your hair flies forward into your face instead of blowing off of your face. It is really weird since you are moving forward and not backwards. Hmmmm?
After racing around the track in our test car, we found another side door and went back stage to check out the Epcot Cast Services building. Janet asked if anyone needed a bathroom break but I think it was just because she had to go REALLY bad. It had been about 4 hours at this point and we had all been drinking lots of water. I, of course, took advantage of the break and used the facilities because of my adage that you never know when you’ll get another chance.
We checked out the costuming department. Things have changed since I was a Cast Member. We used to have to go up to a window and tell where we worked and what sizes we wanted. Now there are just rows and rows of costumes and the Cast Members just walk in and get their own costumes and take them home - which makes it much easier. But the Cast Members don’t get walk time any more. (Walk time was extra time you got paid for because you had to change in and out of your costume.)
There were lots of awards on the walls and Janet explained those to us. Her husband is a Cast Member and had won some big award. There was also a hall way that each department got to paint a section - of course the Imagineering department’s section had fiber optics in the design - show offs!!
We then wandered over to the Illuminations staging area. And egads!!! Mom snapped a picture of backstage. I said I wouldn’t post it so Janet wouldn’t get in trouble but here it is anyways. (I whited-out any distiguishing parts other than the globe which you can see when they bring out the barge. And I saw this area shown on Modern Marvels so I don’t think I am showing anything secret.)
And this is the only picture we took while actually on our tour. We just sort of forgot about taking pictures. In the moment you just forget taking pictures but afterwards you kick yourself for not capturing the moment. It is a hard balance to achieve.
We then took another random door and ended up in the Yong Feng Shangdian Department Store in the China pavilion. (Who knew the store had a name?!?! I had to look it up.)
Our tour was over. Janet told us that we could get a 10% discount in the China restaurant and in the shop and gave us a commerative pin. I had no intention of eating bad chinese food but I appreciated the offer. (If they had only ended the tour at the Mexican margarita stand!!!) The pin is a nice souvenir though.
And then she told us about our special viewing privileges for Illuminations later that night. Yeah!!! Another VIP moment. All we had to do was find a plaid clad CM later tonight in front of Italy and we were good to go. More on that later.
Saying thanks and good bye was a little awkward though. We had been buddies with Janet for over 4 hours but we really didn’t know her know her. In the South we hug but you never know if other people are huggers so you hate to go in for a hug and have it rebuffed. And Mom got all weird because she thought we should tip her like they had on tours they had taken other places. I told her I didn’t think she could accept tips and that we shouldn’t. Of course all of this is going on with whispers and nods and facial expressions because Janet was standing right next to us. I felt like Lucy and Ethel on their trip to Hollywood. In the end, we shook hands with Janet and thanked her profusely saying how much we enjoyed the tour.
The tour was a great experience for us. Basically, with our Disney Visa discount, we paid about $80 for a private tour of Future World. If we had booked a VIP tour it would have been over $600. I’m not sure if the tour would have been as much fun if we had been with lots more people but Mom and I thoroughly enjoyed it and the time we spent together.
It was getting late and we still needed to check in to the Swan, eat lunch, and get to Animal Kingdom, so we made our way back to the parking lot. But on our way out of Epcot we spotted the F&G guy and had to snap his picture.
Next Installment - Finally Big Towels!!!!
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