Extreme Commando "Shock and Awe" Campaign (Report completed)

[thptrek]

BEGIN Transmission*******

REPORT No.: WDW/THPTREK 032007 – WPASADI/TPAS2

TO: Disboard HQ
FROM: Commando THPTREK (Wapasadi TPAS#2 member)
MISSION: WDW March 10 – 16 excursion
MISSION OBJECTIVES: Ride all the “E” rides in all the parks without any lines while at the same time enjoy the parks in a relaxing non-commando style manner. Have a great time without knocking ourselves out.

SECONDARY OBJECTIVES: Terminate any enemy combatants seen wearing healies, pool-hopping, or using non-approved refillable beverage containers.

This debriefing will be structured into report sections detailing:

1.Commando team members
2.Objective successes
3.Base Camp details
4. Rations Overview (detailed description of daily MREs will be incorporated into daily digest briefs
5. Daily Digest briefs

Photos will be forthcoming after imaging section has cleared photos for publication.

Debriefing Section 1 : Commando team members

Commander, THPTREK – planner and leader of the mission. Member of WPASADI TPAS#2 team, Extreme Commandos. Veteran of many WDW campaigns since 1974. Known for keen sense of direction, doesn’t need park maps and has ability to guide forces to objectives while avoiding enemy crowds.

Lieutenant, Wife – not too excited on going to WDW for Spring Break. Team assignment is to relax and have fun.

Private, DD – age 10, very excited as is now tall enough for all the rides. Favorite princess is Aurora. Team assignment is to collect princess and other character’s autographs.

Private, DS – age 13, would spend all day on the thrill rides but is also gracious enough to go on the non-thrill stuff with the rest of us. Appreciates there is more to WDW then roller coasters. Team assignment is to slip behind enemy lines and gather FastPasses.

Team support members, MIL and FIL - Mostly there to spend some time with grandkids but also like WDW and the rides too!

Commander and Privates DD & DS

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p278/thptrek/image88.jpg


Debriefing Section 2: OBJECTIVE SUCCESSES

Mission Successful!!!! The team had one of the best WDW trips and vacations ever. The weather was fantastic (sunny with mornings in the low 60s and daytime highs around 80) and this added to our enjoyment.

Analysis of Commando team’s Daily Digests will show team completed numerous rides/shows/attractions during the day, had downtime at the resort, had table service dinners, enjoyed nighttime attractions and still did not feel blown out by end of day.

You could tell that it was Spring Break and that there were a lot of people in WDW. However, by using our touring plan, going against the grain, using Fastpasses, etc. we never felt the brunt of the crowds. Many afternoons the big rides had 60+ minute waits but we never waited more than 20 mins for anything by using Fastpasses. I think it is one of those mysteries why folks will spend over an hour in a line when they could grab a Fastpass and go enjoy something else.

Special commendations are in order to all the DisBoard members for their planning help and Tour Guide Mike. Tour Guide Mike information was worth the subscription fee for his site. His park plans were accurate and by going to the right park on the right day was probably the one most important factor in the success of our mission.

Most days we were generally in a park from 9am – 2pm. Then returned to hotel and relaxed around pool or such. We had dinners around 7pm and then normally headed over to Magic Kingdom to catch Spectromagic and Wishes. Being at CR made this really easy and a great way to end our days. We could catch the 10pm Spectromagic parade and be back snug in our beds by 11pm.

During mission, Private DD was awarded Year of Million Dreams Tinkerbell “share” pin by a cast member while exiting Soarin. Private DS was awarded a free Mickey bar ice cream at Animal Kingdom.

Spies reported that many WDW vacationers reported being overwhelmed by the crowds, not being able to get into the restaurants they wanted, and high levels of dis-satisfaction. Commando intelligence officer’s analysis explains most likely cause of these problems are poor planning and faulty intelligence by such vacationers.

I do want to add something about the service we received. We found CMs to be wonderful and overall very cheerful and happy. We had great service almost all the time. We had CMs go out of their way to help us out and we had a lot of fun with them. You can tell that WDW is understaffed and the CMs are working hard but our interaction with them was terrific!!

***Report transmission interuppted***
***Attempting to reestablish report transmission,
*******stand by for updates*****

[Cruz Family]

Great start Trek! I especially enjoyed your Commando De-briefing:rotfl2: :rotfl2:
I have to commend you on a few things,
1. Thank you for taking on those healie-wearing pain in the donkey butts
2. Amen brother to the mid-day break :thumbsup2 , nothing better then letting those hot and tired feet air out of a bit:rotfl:
3. Fastpasses who are all those people not using it????:confused3
4. Planning, planning, and more planning, isn't it amazing after just standing around waiting for your table how many parties are turned away or will have to wait hours to get in!:confused: I feel bad for them but soooo good for us!!!
Looking forward to the rest!

[AMaloy314]

I can't wait to hear the rest, trek!

[Tigger&Belle]

You are too funny, trek! It almost makes me miss WPASADI. :cool1:

[NMAmy]

Very funny stuff! :rotfl2: Love the debriefing. I can't wait to read more!

ETA: Oh, yeah, I leave for WDW tomorrow so please hurry with more installments so I can learn from your experience!

[ncseric]

What is/are healies?

[tlinus]

Great start trek!!! Get yourself all dosed up on Cold Medicine and continue this report!!!

Hope you feel better today!!

[tlinus]

What is/are healies?

http://www.heelys.com/

They are the sneaker with the wheel in the sole - not allowed in Disney, Sea World or Universal.

[thptrek]

Thanks, too sick to continue today but will post next section soon.

[ncseric]

OK... I'd second my hate of those things. I got hit by an idiot kid wearing those. I'm surprised Disney hasn't started watching for those... seems like it would give the security folks something else to do.

[thptrek]

***Signal reestablished***
**Report briefing continuing***

Debriefing Section 3: Base camp details

We are big fans of the Magic Kingdom, and intelligence reports have given the Contemporary Resort (CR) favorable reviews. Team members agree that staying at the CR was tremendous. If your primary objectives are going to be Magic Kingdom and Epcot then the CR is the best base camp location. Monorail access can’t be beat and the walk from CR to Magic Kingdom front entrance was only 10-15 minutes along a beautiful pathway. When our reservations were secured I requested a room on a high floor. We got it. We were in room 4733 (11th floor) facing the castle. Nothing like seeing the castle from your balcony! The magic kingdom view costs extra but worth every penny, IMHO. Besides a great view of the Magic Kingdom you could see Mount Everest in the distance along with the Grand Floridian and the Polynesian Hotel. Sunsets were beautiful to see from the room’s balcony. In the mornings we ate our breakfast sitting out on the balcony looking out at Cinderella’s castle and the Seven Seas Lagoon. Recon photos will be posted in upcoming posts.

The new remodeled CR rooms are very nice. Modern and sleek with flat panel TVs. Computer in the room provided Online Concierge access and also full internet access. No fee for the computer or internet access.

For the four of us in our room we had adequate storage space. We requested extra hangers and this helped a bunch. Space in the bathroom was challenging though. There is almost no counter space in the bathroom because the dual sinks are so big. They need to add some shelving or something. Also the towel bar is made only for the 4 towels they give you so if you request extras there is no place to put them.

Quarters consisted of two queen size beds with comfortable bedding. Private DD slept on day bed which is about the size of a regular sized bed. It sort of flipped over and had a regular mattress on it. I would say that most kids up to about 12 would have no problem sleeping on the day bed.

The pool area is nice but not a main attraction at the CR. It has a small slide for the kids and a small water play area for the young ones. There is a marina from which you can rent boats or catch the resort launches to Wilderness Lodge/Fort Wilderness. There is also a beach area with chairs and a beach volleyball court. The theming is lacking around the pool, but it is fun sitting around the pool looking up at the CR A-frame structure.

Construction was seen on the main level (level 4) with the old gift shop boarded up. The sundrie shop is still open and Bay View Gifts is open. There are some kiosks for small items and trading pins in the open lobby area in front of Bay View Gifts. The selection of gifts at Bay View was very good. Our quartermaster had forgotten to pack some of the team’s supplies (including underwear) and the team was able to find substitute provisions thereby avoiding having to go Commando all week.

During the week we saw the end of the Contemporary North Garden wing. Though rumors persist about building a Disney Vacation club there, we were unable to confirm this or add to any information already reported.

One negative experience was at check-in. Arrived at CR about 2:30pm and room was not ready. The team was given a number to call at 3pm to receive its room assignment. We went off to lunch and room was not ready to almost 4pm. The extra delay in getting the room was not major but it was annoying as the team was anxious to head down to the acquatic facilities.

**End Section 3**
***Prepare for Section 4 Dining Update***

[thptrek]

I will have the dining section up later this morning.

[thptrek]

***Report debriefing update****

Debriefing Section 4: Dining and rations quick review

An Army travels on its stomach and this team took those words to heart! We had ADRs for almost all our dinners and most lunches. Commander had secured them 6 months out to insure access to primary time slots. During past missions, the team found it best to have ADRs available for use and could cancel if decided to forgo as compared to not having ADRs and getting stuck with MREs for dinner.

Forget about trying to walk up and get seated at Disney dining locations, especially table service places. It is best to make ADRs and then cancel them or you may find yourself with limited dining options. The team generally arrived about 10 minutes before the ADR time and the longest time we had to wait was 10 minutes after our ADR time. The team was not on any dining plan.

Team found it best to schedule lunches around 130pm. A mid-morning snack was normally procured to provide sustenance between breakfast and the late lunch. By 130pm the team had experienced most of the attractions that it desired and was ready to sit down and relax with a nice lunch experience. Afternoons after lunch were very relaxed with only taking in a couple of attractions as the team made its way out of the parks and back to CR base camp.

Here is a quick debriefing of our rations with more complete descriptions in the following Daily Digest section.

Chef Mickey, Contemporary resort, dinner – Character interaction better than the food but not bad buffet. Desserts are particularly good. A very fun time with Mickey and a very festive atmosphere. A great place to start a vacation.

Chefs du France, EPCOT, lunch – Beautiful room and very good lunch. Pickey eaters may not find menu choices to their liking though. We had front window table overlooking the World Showcase and it was wonderful just sitting down with a glass of wine watching the tired people go by.

California Grill, Contemporary Resort, dinner – Very good meal with a menu that is sure to please all. From sushi to steaks, every team member was satisfied. The décor must be seen. Great bar and lounge area to have a drink before dinner. Was not as loud as some past intelligence reports complained about. One of the best restaurants on Disney property.

Columbia Harbor House, Magic Kingdom, lunch – Good fish and chips. Upstairs seating area was relaxing with nice views of FantasyLand. A really good spot to unwind after battling the FantasyLand stroller hoards.

Tony’s, Magic Kingdom, dinner – Much better than intelligence reports have reported. Eggplant Rotini was especially good. Calamari appetizer is also recommended. This place seems to get poor reviews but we have always found it to be good. The Lady and the Tramp setting is nice and if you get a table on the porch you can sit and watch the Main Street crowds go by.

Brown Derby, MGM Studios, lunch – Great feel to the restaurant. Very relaxing. The famous Cobb salad was good but the Tuna Cobb Salad was better. Also had a very good wine list.

Cinderella Royal Table, Magic Kingdom, lunch – Were treated like royalty! Majordomo pie was very good as was the Grilled Salmon. Service here was very very good. DD & DS were surprised with Cindy Slipper desserts and they loved them. Pics will follow.

Kona Café, Polynesian Resort, dinner – Nice setting overlooking the gardens but food was only fair. Service was pleasant but the café was so understaffed that the timing of the meal really suffered. Probably would not return.

Tusker House, Animal Kingdom, lunch – Rotisserie chicken was very good. Came with mashed potatoes and grean beans that were both good side dishes. Imagine getting a green vegetable!

Narcoosee, Grand Floridian, dinner – One of the best dining spots Disney has. Great location at the Grand Floridian overlooking the water. Service was spot on. Seafood entrees were great. After dinner the team watched Wishes and the Electric Light Water Parade from the restaurant’s dock.

**Day by Day debriefing notes will follow**
*Graphics section reports picture uploads nearly accomplished**
**End transmission**

[thptrek]

**Daily briefing reports being received**

Daily debriefing report - March 10th (Day One)

After months of planning, reading post after post, and developing ops plans, D-Day is finally here. We head out to Bush Airport in Houston for our flight to Orlando. Commander had previously printed out all boarding passes at home knowing that the airport would be busy with Spring Breakers heading out of Houston. Sure enough, the crowds at the terminal were huge. Being elite travelers the team passed the civilians in line and headed to the elite baggage drop area. After leaving the team’s gear with the Continental Airlines logistics officer the team waited for TSA clearance to proceed.

After stripping down to our skivvies and passing through the electromagnetic scanners, the team made its way to the flight departure gate. At the gate the Commander hears that the plane is oversold and if anyone would like to give up their seat, Continental will reward you with $400, place you on the standby list for flights later in the day and give you a shiny medal. Now while the team would have really appreciated the medal, given that it is Spring Break and your chances of getting a seat on a later flight to Orlando was less than zero, the team passed up the offer.

With a flight time of just under two hours the team landed in Orlando, was met by FL Tours, collected its luggage and was off to the Contemporary Resort (CR). The FL Tours driver was excellent. The van was clean, the driver was friendly and drove well. Commendations are in order for FL Tours.

Why is it that driving through the Magic Kingdom archway always makes me verklempt? Anyways, we arrived at the CR at about 215pm and proceeded to the desk. Check in was smooth and easy. We had requested to be placed on a high floor and were told that although our room was not yet ready we were going to be on the 11th floor, Magic Kingdom View.

Commander led the team to the Fun & Food center for lunch. The menu is poor and the food is generally not too good. Private DD had the kids macaroni and cheese and it looked like it was under the heat lamps for days. It had a thick hard shell over the top. Fries were greasy and limp. It is understood that the CR is going to revamp this place and it needs it.

While having lunch the team reports one strange incident. A family was in the dining area eating their lunch. Mom, Dad and two kids about 6 – 8 years old. The kids are running around and Dad is trying to get them to come back to their table to eat. Dad yells out that if they come back to the table and give him a high-five he will give them a real $100 bill. He yells this out again. A Cast Member who was sweeping the area casually strolls alongside the Dad and without breaking stride high-fives the Dad!! We just laughed out loud. The team however could not confirm that the Dad paid the CM. Private DS then asks Commander how much he would get paid if he gives Commander a high-five. “Hah Hah get back in ranks private.” Throughout the mission the team’s inside joke was about $100 high-fives.

Lieutenant wife begins calling the check in number to ascertain the status of our room assignment. We did not get our room until 4:30pm. This was not the best deal as it hindered the team’s exploration of the resort’s aquatic facilities.

The team reported to room 4733. The view from the room was magnificent. Lying in bed you could see the Castle and Space Mountain. See previous debriefing section 3 for more details on the base camp.

The team met support members FIL & MIL in the lobby at 645pm to prepare for the team assault on Chef Mickey. The Privates had their picture taken and the team hit the buffet. Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, Donald and Goofy all came by to wish the team well. As the characters came by we took photos with our own camera and with the Photopass photographer. (Over the course of the next six days we would take over 75 pics with the Photopass photographers). Here is the Commander and Private DD with Donald.

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p278/thptrek/donald.jpg

The buffet was well stocked and was fresh. Besides the character interaction which is always great at Chef Mickeys, the desserts are the highlights. We had miniature carrot cakes, chocolate dipped Oreos with Mickey ears on them, and make your own soft serve ice cream sundaes.

The team left Chef Mickeys and retired to the room in order to watch Wishes from the balcony. As a side note, MIL & FIL were staying in the Atrium club on the 12th floor and had a room facing Bay Lake. In the past the Wishes soundtrack was broadcasted on the CR TV channel but it is no longer being done. However, even without music the show was great and the view from the room was great.

Since it had been a long travel day the team was tired and decided to make it an early night. Also, Daylight Savings Time was starting so we were going to lose another hour of sleep during the night. Coming from the Central time zone to the Eastern time zone we lost one hour so combined with daylight savings time change it would feel like two hours to us. The team settled into bed, watched some Disney shows and drifted off to sleep with the castle glowing in the distance.

**End March 10th debriefing transmission**

[ncseric]

Message received, acknowledged. Continue with report forthwith.

[nicolemarie]

I'm enjoying your report!!

And my dining reviews are almost exactly the same as yours...especially loved Narcoossee's. Also, I kept watching Cobb Salads go by at Brown Derby and really wished I had tried one. Good to know that they were as good as they looked!!

Very clever report! Looking forward to the rest!

NM

[thptrek]

Thanks for the encouragement. I am going to add in some pictures later today before proceeding with next day.

[luvtheBuzz]

Just have to say I love your objectives for your trip. Your secondary objectives just cracked me up!:rotfl: Looking forward to hearing about the rest of your mission!

[tlinus]

Brilliant and entertaining trip report, trek!!
But that is to be expected!!! :hyper:

Looking forward to more photos and narrative!!:cool1:

[AMaloy314]

trek, love the report!

I couldn't help but laugh when I read about the stripping down to skivvies at the TSA check point. They have no idea how lucky they were, do they???;)

[Tigger&Belle]

trek, love the report!

I couldn't help but laugh when I read about the stripping down to skivvies at the TSA check point. They have no idea how lucky they were, do they???;)
:rotfl:

I'm lovin' it, trek! :yay:

[thptrek]

In the near future we will all be required to arrive at the airport only wearing those open back hospital gowns.

[Tigger&Belle]

In the near future we will all be required to arrive at the airport only wearing those open back hospital gowns.

And since we're Extreme Commandos that will be a problem why? :woohoo: :yay: :rotfl:

[thptrek]

***Begin transmission daily debriefing reports continued**

Daily Debriefing March 11 (Day Two) - Epcot

Commander had done exhaustive research both on DisBoards and using Tour Guide Mike in order to plan which parks to visit on which days in order to minimize crowd interactions. During big crowd periods like Spring Break the two most important aspects to avoid crowds are 1) getting to the parks early and 2) choosing the right park. The team often laughed at the mission plans that Commander developed because they did not realize how large Spring Break crowds are and the implications of being caught up in the crowds. By the end of the trip however, when the team had no long waits, the team commended the Commander on his great planning. From the Commander’s research the mission for the day is Epcot.

Breakfast was procured from the Food & Fun center and the team was careful in their choices. The breakfast plate of pancakes with bacon was good. Other team members chose some fruit like apples and bananas along with cold cereal choices such as Raisin Bran. The breakfast croissant was unedible (cold and greasy). On the second floor of the resort is Contemporary Grounds which is like a Starbucks coffee shop. The coffee was good (yes we found good coffee in WDW) and they had very good selection of muffins. We brought our breakfast rations up to the room and sat on the balcony watching the castle and WDW come to life in the morning glow.

The team rendezvoused in the 4th floor monorail lobby at 815am to catch the monorail over to the TTC and then to Epcot. While on the monorail, MIL stated that it was so dark inside the monorail and wondered why they tinted the windows so dark. FIL then explained that one reason everything may look so dark is that she had her sunglasses on! The whole team laughed at that one. For the rest of the vacation whenever the team entered a dark place someone would whisper “why is it so dark in here.” :cool2:

We got to Epcot just before rope drop. After passing through the park turnstiles we handed our park passes to Private DS who was appointed as our FastPass runner. His mission was to quickstep over to Soarin to obtain Fastpasses and then meet the rest of the team at the standby line. He completed his mission perfectly obtaining Fastpasses with a return time of 10:45am.

While Private DS was getting the Fastpasses, Commander and Private DD were waiting near the standby line entrance. A CM came up to Private DD and awarded her a Year of a Million Dreams Tinkerbell pin (You get to keep one and you have a second pin to share with a friend). It was a great surprise and a great way to start our vacation. Here is a pic of the pin.

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p278/thptrek/tinkpin.jpg

Soarin is one of the best WDW rides. We were lucky enough to be seated in the front row! The front row offers the most immersive ride experience. The team later returned to ride again and sat in the 3rd row. The ride was still very good but the first row is just so much better. It would be awesome if Disney would do a Soarin over the USA!

After Soarin we headed over to do the new Nemo ride. It was cute but I would not wait more than 10 minutes for it. After Nemo we got to meet Crush. This is a very funny show and the interaction with the crowd is very good. It was now around 10:30 and sent our Fastpass runner over to Test Track and to meet rest of the team by Mission Space.

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p278/thptrek/disney_005.jpg

Commander and Privates DD & DS did Mission Space Orange (full spinning) while the rest of the team relaxed on nearby benches and enjoyed a nice coffee from a nearby coffee stand. We had done MSpace in 2004 and we enjoyed the ride again. I did think they added the fans that blow cool air in your face during the mission. Perhaps it is to try to minimize protein spills during the ride.

At this time we had our FastPasses for Test Track and Soarin in our pockets and decided to start leisurely strolling over to the World Showcase for our 1pm ADR at Chefs du France. We stopped to watch the Fountain water show.
http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p278/thptrek/disney_007.jpg

We then stopped by Character Connection. The Connection was just about empty. We got to meet Chip & Dale, Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, and Pluto all done up in Epcot style future costumes. Belle was also there but in her peasant clothes.

Here is the whole mission team
http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p278/thptrek/image32.jpg

After this we stopped in to see the Honey I Shrunk the Audience show. The whole Kodak commercial preshow was a bit much but we all still enjoy the main 3D movie. Coming out of the show we saw Figment.

Lunch at Chefs du France was excellent. We had a nice table in the front window overlooking the World Showcase. The whole restaurant is beautifully done and is very reminiscent of some cafes we go to when we visited Paris. Our menu selections included the quiche, the salad nicoise and the rotisserie chicken. All were very good and there was a nice selection of wines by the glass. I especially like the salad nicoise and highly recommend it.

After lunch we decided to make our way out of the park and head back to home base for some aquatic time. On the way out we used our FastPasses for Test Track and Soarin. MIL was not so certain about TT but decided to give it a try. She was fine except on the high speed section. In this picture of us you have in the front row: Commander, DS, wife. In the back row is unknown lady, MIL, and DD.
http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p278/thptrek/image02.jpg

As we were leaving Epcot at about 3pm we saw the standby time for TT was 60 mins and for Soarin was 75 mins.

In review we did Soarin twice, Mission Space, Test Track, Honey I shrunk the Audience, Character Connection, watched the Fountain, did the Nemo ride, visited with Crush and had a nice relaxed sit down lunch all between 9am and 3pm. We did not wait in any lines and took our time strolling from place to place enjoying the sights and sounds of Epcot.

On the monorail from the TTC to the CR we were able to ride with the monorail pilot in the front. The pilot was undergoing final training so we were able to hear all about how things work and such. It was great and we all got co-pilot cards.

Back at the CR, Commander stopped by the sundrie shop to pick up a six pack for the room’s refrigerator (not for himself but to give the fridge something to keep cold as it looked so lonely being empty). Sitting on the balcony enjoying a cold one (a good brew but nothing as good as wmjivey brews up) while looking at the Magic Kingdom . . . it doesn’t get better than that. If you are thinking about the CR, go for the Magic Kingdom view and you won’t regret it.

MIL and FIL called to say that Mickey and left them birthday cards and balloons in their room and were wondering how Mickey knew they were having their birthdays during our trip. I wonder how too??? Lol.

To end the day we had ADR for 730 at California Grill. It was FIL and MIL birthday during the week and Commander had advanced ordered a birthday cake for dessert. California Grill is spectacular. When you arrive at the top of the CR there is a really great lounge area to have a drink. The restaurant is open kitchen and the décor has to be seen to be believed. Of course the views are wonderful too. If you want to see some great pics of the place and the food visit this thread by ehagerty:
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1331459

Here is a sample of one of the great pics he has in his thread.
http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p278/thptrek/eb185830.jpg

Our table was decorated with all kinds of magic kingdom confetti to help celebrate the birthdays. The server came over to me and quietly let me know he was aware of the cake for dessert and would serve it after Wishes. Our food was very good with the slight exception of one steak being requested med rare and it was more towards the med side. Watching Wishes was nice and the music was piped into the room. The lights were not dimmed though and they should have been to reduce some of the reflections on the windows. Cali Grill was a great dining experience and we would place it at the top of our list to return to in future trips.

We had finished dinner around 10pm and the Magic Kingdom was open until 2am that night. After some discussion it was decided that we were planning to see SpectroMagic later in the week and that we did not want to wear ourselves down the first full day. So the team decided to call it a night and relax on the room’s balcony and watch the castle lights. This was in keeping with our primary trip objectives. This turned out to be a great decision as the whole team never felt run down during the whole week’s vacation. Its hard to hold yourself back cause you want to do it all, but pacing yourself is important.

The team drifted off to sleep after a fantastic first day watching the castle’s lights flicker in the distance.
***end of current report section***

[ncseric]

Great picture from the mess hall atop CR. My wife/executive officer and I might have to TDY there for a meal.

[nicolemarie]

Sitting on the balcony enjoying a cup of coffee :thumbsup2 while looking at the Magic Kingdom . . . it doesn’t get better than that. If you are thinking about the CR, go for the Magic Kingdom view and you won’t regret it.

While I'm not a drinker, I will agree with you on the MK balcony thing. It is incredible. A great way to start and end a Disney day.

I'm still enjoying your report...I'm a HUGE fan of TGM and love to hear how it worked out for other subscribers!!

Thanks for sharing with us!

NM

[KimAshton]

How in the heck did I miss this TR.

[thptrek]

Kim, glad to have you with the Extreme Commandos.

[thptrek]

I probably won't have another installment up for a couple of days. Got a project to complete and a busy sports weekend with the kids. I'll try though.

[Ana~n~Joseph]

Great report! I'm loving it. :yay:

[thptrek]

***Continue report transmission***

Daily Debriefing March 12 (Day 3) – Magic Kingdom MISSION

Got our breakfast and coffee, sat on our balcony and prepared our assault on the Magic Kingdom. Here is our morning breakfast view:
http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p278/thptrek/disney_002.jpg

We were all giddy just waiting to walk through those gates and enter Main Street. We took the walkway from the CR to the Magic Kingdom and it was only about a 10 minute walk. It’s a nice landscaped walkway with the monorail rushing over us nearby.

We got to the gates at about 9am. We made our way through the security station and entered the most magical place in the World.
http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p278/thptrek/disney_004.jpg

Private DS was our FastPass runner again and he was sent to Space Mountain and told to rendezvous with the rest of us at Buzz Lightyear. The rest of us strolled down Main street, got some character autographs, and took some pics. At Buzz, the Commander beat everyone else in saving the galaxy from Zurg.

The team then headed to Fantasyland. Enroute we stopped to chat with the Mad Hatter and Alice.
http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p278/thptrek/disney_001.jpg
We rode Peter Pan and then Private DD wanted to wait to meet Ariel. The Commander and Private DS headed over to Splash Mountain to get FastPasses while the rest of the team waited to see Ariel. This worked out great in that everyone was being able to do what they wanted and we were still grabbing FastPasses for use later in the day when the lines back up.

Commander and Private DS got the Splash Fastpasses and then walked on BTMRR. We called the rest of the party and they were still with Ariel. So we walked onto Splash. After Splash we all grouped up again. It was about 11am and we all went on BTMRR with about a 15 min wait. Splash was only a 20 min wait so we rode it standby and saved our FastPasses for later. As we walked off Splash it appeared that the crowds had found us. The standby wait was 60 mins! Why folks were waiting is still a mystery to me when you could have grabbed a FP at that time and it had return time around 2pm. The Commander’s plan of attack was working like a charm.

After that we headed over to Fantasyland because we wanted to have lunch at Columbia Harbor House and then see Mickey’s Philharmagic. We saw no wait at Haunted Mansion and headed on in. We then sent our FastPass runner over to Mickey’s Philharmagic to get our FPs to use after lunch. (Notice that we are going from ride to ride with no waits and collecting FPs to use later in the day)

Lunch at Columbia Harbor House was pretty good. The fish and chips were good and we sat upstairs overlooking Fantasyland. The upstairs seating area is a great place to relax and get out of the crowds for awhile.

After lunch our Philharmagic FPs were ready to be used so we headed over there. Fantasyland was a mob scene of kids, parents, and strollers-strollers-strollers. We fought our way through the strollers with Private DS using his flamethrower to cut open a pathway (only joking but if we had one we would have used it). We all enjoyed Philharmagic. It is one of the best shows. I only wish the show was longer so we could hear more of the music and could include more Disney songs.

We cut around the castle and headed over to Pirates and had a short 20 min wait. The updated ride is fantastic. Capt. Jack Sparrow is awesome and fits right into the attraction. After Pirates we stopped by the Tiki Room. Many people don’t like this show but we like it a bunch. However, I do like the original show better then what the new management has done to the place.

After the Tiki Room we made our way over to use our Splash Fastpasses. Some reports have said that Splash has become run down but I took particular notice on this time on the ride that most of the animatronics were working and the sound sounded great throughout. The team then headed over to the Commander’s all time favorite Disney ride – Space Mountain.

There was a big crowd around the FastPass return area. Commander did a recon of the area and reported that most of the waiting crowd did not have FastPasses whose time was up yet and there were a bunch of teenagers trying to scam their way past the CM. They were using all kinds of stories but the CM held fast and asked them to move away. The standby time for Space was 90 mins at 230pm. Commander showed the CM our valid FPs and the team proceeded to explore the cosmos. No matter how many times I ride Space Mountain, I love it every time.

It was now just past 3pm and we made our way out of the park stopping at the Ice Cream Shop for some rations. We enjoyed our ice cream while we watched the parade go by and then made our way out of the park and back to Base Camp to relax.

For dinner we had ADRs at Le Cellier and at Tony’s. The team decided to head to Tony’s and then catch the 8pm SpectroMagic show. MIL, FIL, and Lieutenant wife had never seen Spectro and they really wanted to make sure they saw it. Another deciding factor was that with staying at the Contemporary Resort it is just so easy to come and go to the Magic Kingdom.
Tony’s gets a lot of bad review but we have eaten there several times in the past and we again had a good meal. It is not true Italian cooking but the Eggplant Rotini was especially good. My pasta with sausage was basic but the pasta was cooked properly. Service was excellent and the Lady & the Tramp décor is fun. We were seated next to a family with young kids who probably had been pushed way past the point of no return and needed to go back to their hotel room and sleep if you get my drift. They finished their meals and left shortly and we were much happier. During dinner the team commended the Commander on his “Shock and Awe” plan. The Shock was in how much we did during the day and were not worn out and the Awe was on how despite it being Spring Break we did not “feel” the crowds in the park

We finished our meal just in time to step out onto Main Street and catch the Spectro parade. There was some open curb space right in front of Tony’s and this was for the 8pm Spectro show! Thanks all you Disers for sending us that PixieDust to have that happen.
http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p278/thptrek/disney_003.jpg
Spectro is a can’t miss show and MIL was just besides herself. She could not believe the lights, the colors, the sounds, and the whole effect. The float with Chernabog (Bald Mountain monster from Fantasia) was awesome in how it unfurled. After Spectro we decided to catch the Wishes show. This would be the third night in a row to see the show but the first from inside the MK! With the massive crowds departing down Main Street, Commander led the team through the shops to get up Main Street and lead the team to the Rose Garden area. There were huge crowds for Wishes but in the Rose Garden area there were only a few people. What a great place! You are right near the castle watching it change colors. It is a serene place and yet the Main Street horde is just a stone’s throw away. Here is Commander and his troops in the Rose Garden waiting for Wishes to begin.
http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p278/thptrek/image83.jpg

Standing in the serene Rose Garden with my kids at night with the castle in the background is a time I will always remember. It brings a tear to my eye even now. It reminds me of a TR I once read that said that they were standing next to a man and his little girl during Wishes and they heard the girl tell her dad that “she was waiting her whole life for this moment” and dad responded “me too.”

We say Tinkerbell fly right over our heads and were sprinkled with PixieDust. After the great show we grabbed some ice cream and sat on a bench to let the crowds lessen. Eventually we made our way back to Base Camp and fell asleep with thoughts on what a great day it had been.

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p278/thptrek/disney_006.jpg

***end section transmission***

[ncseric]

The team then headed to Fantasyland. Enroute we stopped to chat with the Mad Hatter and Alice.


Believe it or not, we have a picture of this exact same Mad Hatter character. In all the character photos I've seen online, I've never seen any of the same people playing the characters. Obviously they've got lots of people for each character, but you'd think eventually you would see one you saw.


After the Tiki Room we made our way over to use our Splash Fastpasses. Some reports have said that Splash has become run down but I took particular notice on this time on the ride that most of the animatronics were working and the sound sounded great throughout.


When we were at MK in January, Splash was down for major maintenance. I'd bet that's when they made some of the fixes you saw now.

[thptrek]

I think you may be right about Splash.

[thptrek]

I'll try to get the next day up soon.

[lamagique]

Got our breakfast and coffee, sat on our balcony and prepared our assault on the Magic Kingdom. Here is our morning breakfast view:
http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p278/thptrek/disney_002.jpg

You were not kidding when you said you had a great view!

This is a fun trip report! :)

[princessjv]

I have never given CR a second thought...you just may be changing my mind! Wow what a view! :)

Enjoying your TR...keep it coming!popcorn::

[AlyssinWonderland]

Your reports are fantastic! If I had one, I'd give you a gold medal! :thumbsup2
popcorn:: Looking forward to more. popcorn::

[Baghdad Bob]

Awesome, keep posting more pic's:thumbsup2

[thptrek]

Thanks everyone, I am working on next installment.

[tinkamom]

I love your report! I felt like I was right there with you! I'm going in exactly one month from today and have'nt done as much planning as I usually do since I've been so busy with WPASADI. Do you think I'll find TGM valuable at this point? I though about subscribing months ago but never got around to it. Do you think its too late?

[crossbonz]

Great report, love the pic of TT, making me wonder if my 5 yr can handle this ride now. We will be visiting May 5th -13th.

Keep it going

[thptrek]

Tink, I think you will find TGM valuable. I found it most useful in my park planning process. Also, TGM published a big spring break update the day before I left which had some great last minute info on what was going on at the parks. I made some changes based on the last minute info and it helped a bunch.

[AMaloy314]

trek,
After seeing your writings in the past, I expected nothing less than the best from you. But you have exceeded all my expectations!

Fantastic trip report!! Keep it coming.....:)

[thptrek]

Thanks AM, after working with you I take that as a major complement.

[thptrek]

**Prepare for incoming transmission**
***Continue TR***

Daily Debriefing March 13 (Day 4) – MGM Disney Studios MISSION

Today the team was going to leave the confines of the Monorail Loops and head out to Disney Studios. We have been in WDW for three days now and the only transportation we had used was the monorail. We gathered our gear and made our way to the Studios using the greenhouse gas belching bus. Is it me or is traveling by bus “un-disney like.” There should be monorails connecting all parts of WDW.
http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p278/thptrek/momo.jpg

The team entered the Studios at about 915am. We immediately sent our FastPass runner to obtain FP for Rock & Roll Rollercoaster. Commander headed over to Guest Services and surprised FIL with a “Its my Birthday” badge as it was FIL’s birthday. Throughout the day he would get best wishes from all kinds of folks.

Only Commander and the Privates were going to ride RNR and Tower of Terror. We still used all 6 park passes to get FastPasses so that we could ride twice using the FPs. We got on the standby line for RNR and waited about 10 mins to get into G-Force Records recording studio. This was the first time that Private DD had ever been on the ride and she just soaked in the whole atmosphere of the ride. We got in the next to last row of our super stretch limo and pulled out of the loading area. With music blaring we spun out and sped off!! The ride was awesome and we had “Dude looks like a Lady” blaring in our limo. Private DD said that it was an amazing ride and was screaming the whole way. Too bad you could not get your ride pic added to your Photopass.

Our FP window was open and Private DS was sent over to get FP for TOT. We left Sunset Boulevard and headed over to Star Tours and Muppets. Along the way the High School Musical Show was just starting and we watched this fun show. The dancing and the music was really good. Private DD did request that the Commander not sing along or do any of the dance moves during the show though and the Commander kept himself under control.

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p278/thptrek/muppets.jpg

The Muppets is a pretty old show but still gets all of the team to laugh. Before the show we looked for the key, and took in all the sight gags and jokes in the pre-show area. Muppets humor is just timeless. After leaving Muppets we assembled at Star Tours. Darth Vader and some Stormtroopers were guarding the entrance to Star Tours but the team made it around them. Commander is a big Star Wars fan and can remember seeing the original movie on opening day in 1977. However, in all honesty, Star Tours is dated now and is begging for an update. The Force was with Star Tours, but it is not now. “Help Star Tours, Obi-Wan Kenobi, you’re our only hope.”

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p278/thptrek/startours.jpg

The next operation was the Great Movie Ride. We had a really fun CM and it made the ride much more interesting. I love the movies but I think this attraction could be so much more. By this time, the team was ready for some rations and had an ADR for the Brown Derby.
http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p278/thptrek/derby.jpg
The Brown Derby is a very cool place to have lunch. The atmosphere sucks you right into Hollywood back in the day. You can just imagine sitting there and waiting for some Hollywood star or starlet to come walking in making a grand entrance. The service was outstanding. There is a very good wine list for your enjoyment. The Original Cobb salad is excellent. Lieutenant Wife had the Tuna Cobb salad and requested that the tuna be cooked rare. She reported that it was sushi grade and was very very good. Private DS had BBQ Chicken with a salad. The dressing on the salad was Green Goddess. Now when was the last time you had Green Goddess dressing. What a great blast from the past. The Brown Derby is a bit expensive but the team can report that it was worth the money.

We received a distress call from Agent Kim Possible and headed out to meet up with her and Ron Stoppable. There was one operative and her young (about 8 y.o.) daughter in line in front of us. The daughter was telling her mom that if her mom was going to take any pictures she did not want to meet Kim Possible. Sure enough as they are about to walk up to Kim and Ron, mom looks like she is going for a camera. Daughter sees this and takes off. Maybe they were enemy agents for Drakken? We make contact with Kim and Kim transferred the secret data into Private DD’s logbook.

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p278/thptrek/kim.jpg

Commander and the Privates headed over to Sunset Blvd while the rest of the team explored the stores and did some shopping. We used our FPs for TOT. DD was a bit freaked by the whole Twilight Zone story but we all had fun.
http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p278/thptrek/tot.jpg

Then it was back to RNR using our FPs. After riding it twice back-to-back it was hard to “Walk This Way” or any way.

During previous missions to WDW we had done Indy, Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, etc. The timing for the next Lights, Motor, Action show would not work out with our evening plans so in keeping with the primary mission objectives “Have a great time without knocking ourselves out,” we headed back to base camp.

The nighttime activity was to go to the Atlanta Braves Spring Training game being played at the CrackerJack Stadium at WDW World of Sports. The entire mission team are big baseball fans so going to a Spring Training game while at WDW was awesome. It was even more special in that is was our hometown Astros that we would get to see. FIL has some MLB contacts and we procured seats right next to the Braves’ dugout, second row up from the on-deck circle. Here is the view from our seats.
http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p278/thptrek/scoreboard.jpg
http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p278/thptrek/gardner.jpg
The baseball stadium is a great stadium to see a game. It is small in that it seats about 6000 so all the seats are good. There is also a lawn area behind left field that you can sit in. The food at the stadium was excellent. We all had hot dogs and they were some of the best stadium hot dogs we have had. I wish Minute Maid Park in Houston served dogs that were half as good as the ones here.

During the game I told DD to go ask the bat boy if he could give her a game ball. The bat boy waved her off but one of the Brave’s coaches heard her and told her to hang on. Lance Berkman, the Astro’s best hitter and best player on the team, fouled one off into the Braves dugout. The Braves coach reaches around the dugout and gives the ball to DD! Wow, what a great thing to do. The whole area around us gave the coach a cheer!

It was really fantastic to see a Spring Training game and the WDW stadium is a really great stadium. The Astros won the game with a big rally in the top of the ninth and the team headed back to Base Camp to end the night.

**end daily transmission

[tksbaskets]

Very nice trip report commander. Sgt. TK will stand by for further transmissions...over and out.:thumbsup2

[thptrek]

Thanks TK, I'll be working on the next installment (Return to MK)

[lamagique]

I thought this was so cute:

Along the way the High School Musical Show was just starting and we watched this fun show. The dancing and the music was really good. Private DD did request that the Commander not sing along or do any of the dance moves during the show though and the Commander kept himself under control.

And also, I agree with you for GMR.

[nicolemarie]

More great pics!

I'm still enjoying reading all about your trip. It sounds so much like our Spring Break trip last year. TGM is worth three times his subscription price, IMO.

Don't tell him I said that, though. It's about the closest thing to a bargain you'll get when Disney is involved!

NM

[jordancej]

Heres a big Howdy to you from Sugar Land, TX!! :)

I just LOVE your report!! Awesome!!! Can't wait to read more!

[thptrek]

Thanks Jordancej. Always great to hear from a fellow Texan.

[Kimberly815]

I just found your report today- great job!! Bring on some more!

[thptrek]

Thanks Kimberly, I am working on next installment.

[jennyh2829]

I am waiting on pins and needles!! I can't wait until your next installment.

BTW, Howdy from Longview TX!!:wave2:

[thptrek]

Jenny, i used to run USAgas Pipeline that was based in Kilgore. We had gas gathering sytems all around Longview/Kilgore/Cass County area.

Thanks for you encouragement and I'll get on the next section.

[Cruz Family]

Trek, it has been well worth the wait! Infact, when I see you have a new instalment up. I wait untill lunch so I can sit back and really enjoy it.:surfweb:

PS - I forgot to tell you, I loved your idea of soarin going across the country. That would be just too cool!!!

[SorcererDonald16]

Great trip report! Oddly enough, I was at MGM on the 13th followed by the Astros-Braves game too. My seats were way up top near first base, though, and we barely got there in time for the game (FP return time for Tower of Terror was kind of late). Glad y'all had so much fun. And I couldn't agree more about the hot dogs! popcorn::

[thptrek]

I hope you were an Astros fan and not a Braves fan. The 11 run ninth inning by the Astros was a lot of fun.

[pigletforever]

Reading your report makes me so ready for October to get here.

[thptrek]

***Begin briefing transmission**
**Signal confirmed*************

Daily Debriefing March 14 (Day 5) – Return to Magic Kingdom Mission

In what had become our SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) we got our breakfast items from the Food & Fun Center, coffee and muffins from Contemporary Grounds, and sat on our balcony preparing ourselves for the day’s mission. Today it would be back to Magic Kingdom to follow up on our successful mission of March 12th. Given that this was a follow up mission we would concentrate on hitting some of our favorites and make it more of an atmosphere relaxing day as compared to a commando day. The highlight of the day was going to be having lunch with Cinderella in her castle.

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p278/thptrek/castle.jpg

The team assembled in the CR lobby and walked over to the Magic Kingdom. Here is the entrance to the pathway.
http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p278/thptrek/walkway.jpg

Private DS was sent ahead as our FastPass runner and procured our FP for Space Mountain. The rest of the team strolled up Main Street. Private DD obtained various character autographs. The standby line for Space was minimal so the team rode Space Mountain and saved their FPs for later.

Commander then steered the team through FantasyLand to head to BTMRR and Splash Mountain. While passing It’s a Small World the team decided to take the world tour and hop on the boat. It’s a Small World seemed very bright and cheery and the music sounded a lot better as compared to previous trips. Disney did a great job in fixing up this classic ride.

In Frontierland we grabbed FP for Splash and rode BTMRR. BTMRR may not be the fastest coaster in the world but it is a great ride with a full storyline and great theming. This is one thing that really sets Disney apart from other “thrill/theme” parks. After BTMRR the standby for Splash was minimal so we waited on the standby line (saving our FP for later).

Commander did not want to get too wet this time on Splash Mountain and many times you barely get wet. However, Commander did feel a foreboding sense of doom but shook it off as ride chills.
http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p278/thptrek/maidofmist4.jpg

If you can visualize the ride you will remember that after you leave the boarding area you flow in front of the Briar Patch where the big drop is. As logs come down the drop into the Briar Patch there are two sets of water cannons. The first set sprays out at the logs passing in front of the drop. The second main set are the large cannons that burp large volumes of water across the path of the descending logs and also hit the logs heading up into the main ride area to the left of the main drop.

As we came around the front of the Briar Patch the first cannons go off right across our bow, --we were safe. However, the team had noticed that if we did not go fast enough we would be dead even across from the main cannons when the next log comes down the big drop. It was as if time slowed down to the crawl!! The log came down the big drop and the cannons went off with the mother of all water volumes. It was as if Poseidon himself had decreed to empty the oceans into the cannons. As the impending waterfall of water arched up into the air, Commander and Private DD quickly calculated the trajectory of the water bomb and realized there would be no escaped. Commander saluted DD and told her “We are doomed and it was great serving with her.” We were hit full broadsides. We were so wet you would have thought that we came out of a shower. Now remember that this was the start of the ride so we rode the whole ride dripping wet and wondering if the log could actually sink (we had that much water sloshing around the bottom of the log). The team spent some time in the rest rooms drying off after that wild ride. It was a sunny warm day and that helped a lot too.

The team proceeded to ride Pirates and then make their way back to FantasyLand. The team arrived a bit early for their 1pm ADR with Cinderella so decided to ride Snow White’s scary adventure. I think it was the first time since 1986 that I had ridden that ride. It’s fun to do things like that. Just before lunch we sent Private DS to obtain FP for Mickey Philharmagic. This was in keeping with Standing Order #1: Always obtain FastPasses as soon as your next Fastpass window opens up.

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p278/thptrek/sisters.jpg
By the Castle next to Cinderella’s water fountain was Lady Tremaine, Anastasia, and Drizella. They were fantastic. When a child was slow to walk up for a picture they would firmly tell them to “Come, come we don’t have all day you know.” The CM had already closed the line so we were not able to get their autographs.

It was time for lunch and we entered the Castle. Being a group of 6 we were entitled to two pictures with Cinderella. Private DD posed first with Cinderella and then it was Commander, Private DD and Cinderella for our second pose. We were seated at a nice table next to the windows for lunch. Our table was covered in Magic Kingdom confetti as Commander had alerted Cinderella when making the ADR that we were celebrating birthdays. Our server was excellent (he was a baseball fan). We had the Majordomo pies and the salmon. Both are very good. For dessert the Commander surprised the Privates with Cinderella Slipper desserts.

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p278/thptrek/slipper.jpg

Fairy Godmother, Jasmine, Snow White, and Belle all came around to the table during the lunch. Having lunch in the castle is an experience. Yes it is expensive, yes it is hard to get an ADR for but c’mon now, you are at DisneyWorld eating in Cinderella’s castle!! Nuff said.

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p278/thptrek/jasmine.jpg

Finishing lunch we headed over to Philharmagic and Private DD saw that Princess Aurora (her favorite) was coming out of the castle. She immediately got in line and was rewarded with Aurora’s autograph and a big hug.

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p278/thptrek/Kathaurora.jpg

The team headed over to Jungle Cruise but the standby line was huge so we grabbed some FastPasses for later. The park was packed and it was getting to be late afternoon so we decided to head back to base camp. It was just past 3pm so the parade route was packed and Commander knew that heading down Main Street was going to be a tough task. Using his DisBoard knowledge, Commander led the team through the garden path by the castle, around in front of Crystal Plaza and then cut through the shops down Main Street, finally emerging at the end of Main Street near the Firehouse. FIL saw the barber shop and Commander told him they really did cut hair there. Well FIL decided to pop in for a quick cut. While he was getting his hair cut, the rest of the team watched the parade from in front of the barber shop.

Standing in front of the barber shop is a great parade watching spot. It is at the very end of the parade route. The floats come around the flagpole and come right at you before turning and disappearing behind the fencing by the firehouse.

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p278/thptrek/parade.jpg

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p278/thptrek/parade3.jpg

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p278/thptrek/parade1.jpg

While leaving Magic Kingdom, the Commander and Private DS stopped in front of the castle for a quick recon picture.
http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p278/thptrek/image60-1.jpg

On the walk back to Base Camp the team had a decision to make about today’s nighttime operations. The team could go to Hollwood & Vine for dinner and then catch the late Fantasmic showing or the team could have dinner at Kona Café and then come back to Magic Kingdom for Spectro/Wishes. The Commander sensed that the team’s energy levels were low and knew that going to Fantasmic was going to mean a late night (The show was 10pm) He suggested and the team agreed to do Kona Café. Staying at the CR with monorail access is just so convenient. Also, we are just huge Magic Kingdom fans!!!

This was the first time for eating at Kona Café. The décor and setting is beautiful. Kona gets lots of good reviews but the team found it lacking. The biggest issue was that the place was tremendously understaffed. Our waitress took our order, was busing tables, getting drinks, taking care of refills, etc. She had no help at all. Our orders generally came out cool as they were sitting around waiting for them to be brought to the table. The best items were the pot stickers and the prime rib. This may be one example of the Spring Break crowds overwhelming a place.

After dinner we took the monorail to the Magic Kingdom and caught Spectro from the area around the flagpole. We all just can’t get enough of Spectro and Wishes. The Commander then led the team through the stores again and headed out to Jungle Cruise. We used the FPs we had from earlier and boarded our boat. Jungle Cruise at night is 1000000 times better than during the day. Everything just looks better and it gives you more of a jungle feeling. If you are not a fan of Jungle Cruise, try it at night and you will change your mind!

The team then split up with some members heading back to Main Street to catch Wishes and then head back to Base Camp and others heading to Space Mountain. Commander and Privates headed through FantasyLand to get to Space Mountain. Just as we were passing by the area in front of Pooh’s ride, Wishes started. We just stayed in that area as the fireworks exploded over our heads. If you have seen Wishes before and want a new perspective, try this area! It was so cool and the area was empty.

After Wishes we used our FPs for Space Mountain and rode it twice. The standby wait at the time was about 45 mins. It was getting late so we decided to get some ice cream and then head back to Base Camp.

Strolling through the park at night with the castle glowing, the lights shimmering is just magic. When the privates were younger we could never stay in the parks at night so we missed this on past trips.

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p278/thptrek/castlenight.jpg

After a quick ride back to the CR we were snug in our bed rolls and dreaming of the next mission – The Animal Kingdom.

****end of transmission**
************************************

[Ana~n~Joseph]

:cool1: Love your trip report!

[Baghdad Bob]

Great pictures, and awesome report:)

[thptrek]

Thanks everyone and I am glad you are enjoying the report. I like writing the report because it helps me relive a great vacation.

[tlinus]

Trek,

I am speechless! (yeah yeah yeah - hard to believe, right?!)

This trip report is fantastic!!! I love the pictures and WOW what a view from the balcony!!! :cool1:

You know, I am leaving in 15 days - you will have the mission report completed by then, right??!!?? :hippie:

Seriously - great job and looking forward to more.

[LindaBabe]

Terrific report and I really appreciate the way you are staying in Character, yourself!

[thptrek]

I'll have it done by the time you leave. I only have our last day and the Commander's Personal Log to finish up. You are going to have a great time. Where are you staying? Lol.

[thptrek]

I found this picture taken by Alabamagirl that shows what I was talking about regarding Splash Mountain and the location of the soaking. If a log was coming down the hill the people in this photo would get the cannon blast. It also seems that about every third blast is a heavy blast.

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p278/thptrek/86553mk9.jpg

[kindakrazy2]

Loving you trip report! I've even got DH reading along at work! Can't wait to hear about the last day of your trip! Thanks so much for doing this!

[50 years Too!]

Loving your report!
In my unit I'm the commander. Would love to relinquish power to a more suitable leader. My second in command hasn't even passed boot camp! I can dream, I guess.

[thptrek]

It can be tough being a Commander but someone has to do it for the good of the whole outfit.

[thptrek]

I am working on new update and should be able to have it up tonight.

[Mkrop]

subscribing

[thptrek]

**Retransmitting Day 6 Briefing**
********************************

Daily Debriefing March 15 (Day 6) – Animal Kingdom Mission

Today’s mission was Animal Kingdom. In reality it was to ride Expedition Everest. Generally speaking we are not big fans of the Animal Kingdom. I know that many folks love the AK but we are not in that group. However, EE beckoned us. Why? Because it is there.

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p278/thptrek/eeest.jpg

We did our morning SOP and headed out to wait for the AK bus. If I could have a wish it would be for monorails to all the parks. Since Disney is not going to be spending billions on monorails anytime soon, we boarded the bus.

There was not a big crowd waiting for rope drop but 99.99% of the people head for EE. Commander and Private DS were the team’s FP runners. They would obtain the EE FPs and rendezvous with the other team members at Kilimanjaro Safari.
http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p278/thptrek/marathon2.jpg
The opening run for EE FPs is not for the faint of heart. It was blur of people with Summit Fever.

Commander and Private DS bobbed, ducked, and weaved their way through the crowd and had about a 15 min wait at the FP machines. The standby line for the ride was instantly 50 mins!!! We’ll be back later to ride EE and met up with the team at KS.

Kilimanjaro Safari ride is a great attraction. Sometimes there are more animals than other times but it is a bunch of fun. We saw a lot of the animals and had a very good CM. He pointed out a lot of animals and had some interesting facts about them to share. We saved Little Red. Is it me or is the runway they land the plane on very short!

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p278/thptrek/elephants.jpg

After Safari something was bugging us so we decided to see It’s Tough to be a Bug. MIL and FIL had never seen this attraction and really liked it. A small girl seating near the Commander did not think the show was fun at all. When Hopper had the black widow spiders attack she lost it. Her mom was quick and whisked her away and out the door. Still, I am sure she is scarred for life, lol.

Our plan was to head over to EE but we could see from the distance that there was a railroad car stuck on the lift hill.

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p278/thptrek/stuck.jpg

Instead we wondered over to meet Winnie the Pooh and his friends.

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p278/thptrek/image72.jpg

Commander had checked the park schedule and the plan was to see the 2:30 Nemo: The Musical Show. However, while walking by the theatre area we overhead a CM saying that the afternoon shows were cancelled. We immediately hopped in line for the 11:30 show. It would have been a big bummer to have missed this show. The Nemo show is fantastic. It takes place in a big (and I mean big) indoor theatre. It is a live musical show with the characters being large puppets. Don’t miss this show and tell the seagulls bye-bye for us.

It was getting to be lunch time so we made our way to Tusker House. This is a very good place to eat. There is a whole wall of rotisserie chickens being roasted over open flames. They look great and taste great. You get half a chicken plus green beans and mashed potatoes. It is a good deal. It would be even better if they offered some African sauces to go with the chicken. We sat outside on the patio and relaxed while having a nice lunch.

After lunch we saw the Festival of the Lion King while we allowed our stomachs to settle before taking on Expedition Everest. FOTLK is a great show and the performers are wonderful. While waiting for the show, Private DS when over to an ice cream stand to get a Mickey bar and the Dream Patrol was there!! What did he win????? A free Mickey bar and a certificate.

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p278/thptrek/_DSC2438fotlk.jpg

Then it was time to head over to EE. The crowds all along the walkways to EE were just amazing. It was packed shoulder to shoulder. The FP entry was clogged with people who either did not have FP or had FP for later in the day. A CM came out and told the crowd that if they did not have valid FP to please leave the area. Commander waived his FP and we were allowed inside.

EE is everything that people have raved about. The theme is carried through the whole ride. You feel that you are in Tibet and looking up at the great mountain. Getting on this ride was a special thrill. Space Mountain or RNR are great rides but because you have ridden them before you know what to expect. Being the first time on EE my heart was racing in anticipation. It is a fantastic ride!

After this we slowly made our way out of the park doing some shopping along the way and headed back to Base Camp.

This was our last night in WDW and we had ADR for Narcoossee’s at 7pm. Commander spent the rest of the afternoon having a cold one on the room’s balcony looking out over 7 Seas Lagoon and the Magic Kingdom.

We have dined at Narcoossee’s previously during other trips dating back to 1986. We really like this place. We had great service and the seafood was very good. Private DD especially enjoyed her bucket of mussels. As we finished dinner, Wishes was starting and we watched it from the dock outside of the restaurant. After Wishes the Electric Water Parade came by and we watched this too. It was a neat treat.

Commander mentioned that there was a 10pm SpectroMagic show and despite seeing it several times already during the week, we got off the monorail at the MK and headed in. This is why we choose to stay at the CR because it is just so easy to get to and from the Magic Kingdom. The crowds for the 10pm show were nominal and we had no problem walking about half way Main Street to find a great spot to watch the show. After the show we did some shopping on Main Street and headed back to the CR.

This was our last night in WDW and as we left the gates we all felt a little down.

***end daily briefing********

[Cruz Family]

Trek, that running picture was freakin hilarious!!!
Your report was just great and it was a pleasure to read. It really amazes me how much reading about someone elses trip helps me relive my own. I would love to follow your lead and stay a CR next year, especially with that view! I just won't tell DH how much it will cost.
Thanks so much for sharing, and adding a little Disney magic to my days.;)
-Melissa

[thptrek]

Melissa, CR magic Kingdom view can be expensive but I thought it was worth it. I hate it when you pay money and don't get what you paid for but this was not the case. GO FOR IT!!! Money is earned to be spent.

[Cruz Family]

Melissa, CR magic Kingdom view can be expensive but I thought it was worth it. I hate it when you pay money and don't get what you paid for but this was not the case. GO FOR IT!!! Money is earned to be spent.

Now I have to convince the hubby!!:sad2:

[thptrek]

You are part of the Extreme Commandos, don't ask him, just give him his orders!!!

[lamagique]

Great report. I love riding rides for the first time... there's nothing like the first time. EE is a great ride, glad you liked it! :)

[tksbaskets]

Love the report! My family loved EE as well. Thanks for sharing,
TK

[thptrek]

I should have the last day and personal log posted later today if all goes well.

[Cruz Family]

You are part of the Extreme Commandos, don't ask him, just give him his orders!!!

Why didn't I think of that?:thumbsup2

[thptrek]

***Com link established**
************************

Daily Debriefing March 16 (Day 7) – Final Day Mission

It had finally arrived. The day that we all dread, having to leave WDW. The team ate a very leisurely breakfast on the balcony trying to soak up as much of the view for the last time as they could. The team then assembled its gear and the Commander proceeded to the Airline Check-in Counter to hand off its gear to the airline representative. This is a great service to use even if you are not doing Magical Express. MIL and FIL had not assembled their gear and did not use this service (this would later prove to be an extremely good move on their part).

We had half a day and decided to finish up our trip in the Magic Kingdom. After a week of perfect weather the day was starting out to be rainy and grey. The team did TTA and then the Carousel of Progress. We then took the WDW Railroad for a ride. The team slowly made its way along Main Street, looking in the various shops as we made our way. It was a very relaxed morning for the team.

Just around noon the team headed back to the CR to have lunch at the Contemporary Steakhouse. The lunch menu was quite good and the food was good. Service was very friendly but slow. I think the place was understaffed and the waitress was having to do it all just like at the Kona Café earlier in the week. While having our lunch we could see CNN on the TV in the lounge and it appeared that the Northeast was having some bad weather. Commander and his team were heading back to Houston but MIL/FIL were heading back to NJ so this could cause some problems (sinister foreshadowing music plays).

FL Tours was right on time and the troops headed to MCO. Commander and his team checked the flight board and their flight was listed as on time. MIL/FIL’s flight was listed as CANCELLED. Their flight was cancelled due to weather in the Northeast. We are all seasoned travelers and knew that this was going to be big problem. The next confirmed flight they could be put on would be on Thursday of next week (5 days from now). That is crazy, what are they supposed to do, hang out in the airport for the next 5 days. After a lot of flight searching the Continental rep did find two open seats to Cleveland the next day and then from Cleveland to Newark the day after that. MIL/FIL took them. A confirmed seat is much better than having to play “standby” roulette. Because the flight was cancelled due to weather, Continental was not responsible for accommodations, meals, etc. The CO rep handed FIL a list of nearby hotels that would offer them discounted rates and wished them good luck.

Thank goodness they had their luggage with them and their schedules allowed them to be able to get back home two days later than planned. Weather is not the fault of the airlines but having plans to get folks who had flights cancelled to their destinations is controllable by the airlines. The way it is right now if your flight gets cancelled you are *** out of luck. You are put on the standby list and with so many flights being full (especially with Spring Break) there are very few open seats.

We called several of the hotels on the list but they were all full. Commander is an elite traveler with Hyatt hotels and was able to get a room for them at the Hyatt Cypress. We said our goodbyes and wished them good luck as the Commander and his team made their way to the gate.

After a non-eventful plane ride the team arrived back in Houston and headed home.

**end of transmission**

[tlinus]

just to let you know I am waiting!!! popcorn:: :cool1:

[thptrek]

***Confidential transmission following**
********************************

Commander’s Personal Log Entry

As you can tell from this TR, it was a fantastic trip. MISSION ACCOMPLISHED. We never really got caught up in the crowds and the hustle and bustle but as you have read we did an awful lot during the trip. TGM was great, as was the research done on the DISboards. All the team members congratulated the Commander on a job well done and for safely seeing them through enemy lines.

We terminated (with extreme prejudice) a few healie wearing enemy combatants along the way, sunk a few pool hoppers, and destroyed many non-approved refillable beverage containers. Though we wanted to expand our mission objectives to include attacking crazy stroller pushers, and wild ECV drivers, the team left these objectives for future missions to WDW.

As I reflect on the trip I ask myself why is going to WDW so special to me. I think the answer begins in 1974 when my grandparents first took my sister and me to WDW. After that we had several trips to WDW as a family and all were memorable and special. There are things at WDW that help me mark the years as time goes by. One trip you are riding Dumbo with your kids and the next trip its Mission Space and then RNR and TOT.

Star light, star bright,
first star I see tonight.
I wish I may, I wish I might,
have the wish, I wish tonight.
We'll make a wish, and do as dreamers do,
and all our wishes (all our wishes),
will come true.

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p278/thptrek/image83-1.jpg

**Signing off, over and out***
************************************************** ****

[wic0721]

Thptrek this was an awesome trip report! :thumbsup2

I'm so glad you and your family had such a great vacation! :woohoo:

Job well done Commander!!! :)

[thptrek]

Thanks for your kind words.

[AMaloy314]

Awwww, trek. You got me all teary at the end!! The wonderful times and the memories we make are truly the magic of WDW!!

I'm so glad that you had a wonderful vacation. This was a great trip report!

Thanks for taking the time to do it.:thumbsup2

[Cruz Family]

:sad:
What a great ending to a wonderful TR. I am so glad your trip went well and even happier you took the time to share it with us.
TREK, YOU ROCK!!!!:thumbsup2

[thptrek]

Thanks again for the compliments. I have also realized that while going to WDW can make for some special touchstone moments, there are those moments happening to me all the time. Watching the kids play sports, helping them with homework, sharing some ice cream, etc. I am blessed.

[Cruz Family]

Thanks again for the compliments. I have also realized that while going to WDW can make for some special touchstone moments, there are those moments happening to me all the time. Watching the kids play sports, helping them with homework, sharing some ice cream, etc. I am blessed.

Well said!!

[tksbaskets]

Loved the report!!

[liquid]

Wonderful trip report!!! Thanks for sharing it :goodvibes

[50 years Too!]

Loved your report. Too bad about the inlaws delay, though.
I'm surprised a commander like yourself rides WDW busses. This commander always needs her rental car for rapid movement! She has her second (but not in charge) chauffeur the troops.

[MazdaUK]

Great report! And I know exactly why you relinquish control over transport - those long cool ones on the balcony;)

[thptrek]

Transportation can be easy or can be hard. Your results may vary. Just look at threads about WDW buses. If you have to wait long for a bus or are the last stop, you hate them. If you walk up to the bus stop as a bus in arriving you'll say these buses are so easy to use.

Monorail > buses

[nicolemarie]

thptrek -

I enjoyed your report a lot. We're headed to the World in May with my parents, and I hope things work out for us as well as they did with y'all!!

This was a fun trip report and I appreciate you sharing it with us -

Take care!

NM

[thptrek]

Thanks and have a great time during your trip.

[Tigger&Belle]

Great report, trek! Loved all the details and of course your way of telling them. :teeth:

[thptrek]

Thanks, I knew I wanted a theme to the TR to make it interesting and being on the WPASADI team made it all fall in place.

[LovintheLodge]

I really enjoyed your trip report. Very unique style! I am impressed by how much you were able to do during such a busy time at WDW.

[thptrek]

Thanks Lov. We did do a lot but at not time were we crushed by the crowds or frustrated. We did see a lot of folks suffering burnout though. A little research and planning makes all the difference.

[thptrek]

Just wanted to thank all the folks who read this report and for the great messages I have been sent.

It was a lot of fun writing the report.

[mouseRD]

It seems I rarely read an entire trip report to its completion, but yours was so fascinating with all of the wonderful pictures and analogies, I couldn't wait to scroll down or page over to the next installment! I, too, used TGM for our last trip & found his advice extremely useful, although my DH was rather wanting a little less activity & a little more rest! We squeezed in a Segway Tour & an Illuminations Cruise + 1 day at TL in addition to all of the parks (this is in 5 days), so maybe it was a bit ambitious! I can't wait for our next WDW trip in October 07 & our first F & W festival! After seeing your pictures, I definitely want to consider a future stay at the CR!

[thptrek]

Glad you enjoyed the report and the pics. I think next time we go we are going to try to get to TL or BB. We have never been to one of the water parks.