Thumper's Dad
03-06-2001, 01:33 PM
I say reflections because I didn't keep copious notes--just some quick memory triggers. So this may seem a bit disjointe--and long.
The three of us (self, almost 17 y.o. son and wife) departed 13 degrees here and arrived at Clearwater/St. Petersburg 80 degrees on Thursday, 2/22. Spent the next three nights on the Gulf Coast or in Lakeland, then hit Kennedy Space Center for the day on Sunday.
Driving from Lakeland to Kennedy, on I-4 at about exit 25 C, D & E, we saw our first "hidden Mickey." Just opposite that exit there is a power line substation and the top of one of the powerline towers is shaped like Mickey's head! Well, that got us psyched, for sure.
All of us loved the space center. Didn't do any of the extra tours and still didn't have time to see everything as thoroughly as we wanted. Went back to the car to eat our picnic lunch and discovered son had left the side van door wide open (2 1/2 hours!), but not one crumb was touched. We figure angels were watching over us!!!
Checked in to our off-property hotel around 8-ish and just crashed.
Monday wife and I attended a timeshare presentation (perc was a $175 savings on purchase of three 5-day park hoppers), so we arrived at MGM a bit late. Took in all we really HAD to see and do, then headed for Fantasmic!. All the dinner and show packages were taken, but we had no problem with wait or seats. Loved it.
Tuesday was MK. I had done some preliminary planning before we left home (will help from all of you, of course!) and we fine tuned our plan for the day the evening before. Didn't make a couple of things we'd planned, but they were the "if it works out" level of attractions for us, so no one was disappointed. Found another "hidden?" there--on Thunder Mountain RR, while in line, if you look out over the scene, there are a group of gears laid out in the sand. One large one and two of the smaller ones form Mickey's head.
We got pretty tired. So for a "rest", we road the train around the park, then took the Monorail resort loop, followed by the trip to Epcot and back. Great way to rest and still see WDW from a totally different vantage point.
Didn't see the afternoon parade, but did get great place to watch the Electric Parade. It was wonderful and we're glad we got to see it before it ends at end of March.
HINT: Package Pickup is now located way in the back at the Emporium. If you're staying off-property, try to pick pkgs up before the fireworks start and beat the long lines at the end.
Wednesday, our first Epcot day, we called and were able to make a PS for Akershus (Norway) for 6pm. We were staying off property and had no trouble. As it turned out, wouldn't have needed them. We went to the park around 1pm, spent most of our time in Future World, then headed for dinner. After, we got a great spot for the Tapestry of Nations parade and then for Illuminations. Both were spectacular, but I personally found the parade to be quite thrilling. The most wonderful thing about it is that it seemed that the "puppeteers" interacted most with people who really PARTICIPATED in the parade. They would bend their characters down and shake hands with kids and adults, swoop over them, even take the hands of a few and pull them out into the street to dance with them. And they all seemed to really LOVE being part of this beautiful spectacle!
Thursday we went to AK. I'd have to say I have very mixed feeling about this particular park. We went first to Safari and got FP's, then went looking for breakfast (hadn't made PS's for this). Ended up at Restaurantasaurus and were seated IMMEDIATELY for Donald's Breakfastasaurus. The food was wonderful, the servers were great and great fun, and best of all, without actually planning it, we were able to have breakfast with Mickey, Donald, Pluto and Goofy! Even my 17 y.o. son was thrilled as the characters interacted and funned around with EVERYONE, not just the little kids.
Festival of the Lion King is also great. And by the way, while in line, just before you enter the theater, look off to the left. There is a birdhouse there and the opening is Mickey's profile.
We enjoyed the Tree of Life and ITTBAB, and the safari was fine--a rhino decided to trot down the road right in front of our vehicle--but most of the rest of the park we thought was just OK. We ended up leaving about 1:30, feeling we could see most of the animals at our own zoo. Besides, it was very warm that day. So, we went back to our hotel, napped for about two hours and then went back for a few more hours of MK that evening. We parked at Epcot and took the Monorail to MK. It was much faster both ways than parking at the TTC and going to MK.
Friday was back to Epcot, where we did some of what we'd missed in Future World our first day, and visited more of the nations.
HINT: If you are going soon, look for the black swan pair that are sitting a nest of four eggs. If you stand facing Odessey just to the left of the left hand walkway, their nest is located below you and to the left right at the edge of the water.
A big highlight of this visit was the living statue in front of France. She was SPECTACULAR! Again, she interacted most with those who interacted with her, but always with surprises and grace. If you see the living statue, be bold and creative and walk up and pose or greet her. This is no time to hold back. Oh, make sure someone in your group has a camera ready because you never know WHAT will happen or when.
I stayed to watch the early Tapestry parade while my wife and son went back to Future World to touch a few more bases. Then we slowly made our way to the exit. Slowly because it was the end of our last night at WDW.
Saturday, we spent several hours visiting Downtown Disney with the friend who was taking us to the airport for our 5:45 departure. We had lunch at Fulton's, did a little last minute shopping and then bid a somewhat tearful goodbye to WDW.
Sorry for the length of this post. I have just a little more to share with anyone who's willing to read it. We all enjoyed our trip to WDW. However, the most special thing about this vacation was the fact that we took it together, enjoyed it together and most of all, enjoyed being together as family. Yes, we had a couple of moments where fatigue and the heat effected our moods, but we held tight to the fact that being together was more important than being at WDW and those "rough" spots were very small and short lived.
The World is truly a magical place, but it really only reflects the "magic" that's already in your own heart. We saw (sadly) moms and dads bickering and fighting with each other and their kids, we experienced rudeness and inconsiderate behavior from other guests. We even came across CM's who didn't seem to love their jobs (though, over the course of the whole week, we only saw three of them--the rest couldn't have been happier!), but none of that seemed to have an effect on us because we weren't depending on someone or something outside ourselves to produce the "Disney Magic." Our enjoyment and yes, JOY, came from a much higher, much deeper source that could not be exhausted or even diminshed by mere discomfort or inconvenience.
So, that's my report--and my reflections. Thank you all for your patience and help. We had a great visit. We may not get back again for a very long time, but we'll remember this trip always.
And remember, "...it all started with a mouse." WD
Ted
The three of us (self, almost 17 y.o. son and wife) departed 13 degrees here and arrived at Clearwater/St. Petersburg 80 degrees on Thursday, 2/22. Spent the next three nights on the Gulf Coast or in Lakeland, then hit Kennedy Space Center for the day on Sunday.
Driving from Lakeland to Kennedy, on I-4 at about exit 25 C, D & E, we saw our first "hidden Mickey." Just opposite that exit there is a power line substation and the top of one of the powerline towers is shaped like Mickey's head! Well, that got us psyched, for sure.
All of us loved the space center. Didn't do any of the extra tours and still didn't have time to see everything as thoroughly as we wanted. Went back to the car to eat our picnic lunch and discovered son had left the side van door wide open (2 1/2 hours!), but not one crumb was touched. We figure angels were watching over us!!!
Checked in to our off-property hotel around 8-ish and just crashed.
Monday wife and I attended a timeshare presentation (perc was a $175 savings on purchase of three 5-day park hoppers), so we arrived at MGM a bit late. Took in all we really HAD to see and do, then headed for Fantasmic!. All the dinner and show packages were taken, but we had no problem with wait or seats. Loved it.
Tuesday was MK. I had done some preliminary planning before we left home (will help from all of you, of course!) and we fine tuned our plan for the day the evening before. Didn't make a couple of things we'd planned, but they were the "if it works out" level of attractions for us, so no one was disappointed. Found another "hidden?" there--on Thunder Mountain RR, while in line, if you look out over the scene, there are a group of gears laid out in the sand. One large one and two of the smaller ones form Mickey's head.
We got pretty tired. So for a "rest", we road the train around the park, then took the Monorail resort loop, followed by the trip to Epcot and back. Great way to rest and still see WDW from a totally different vantage point.
Didn't see the afternoon parade, but did get great place to watch the Electric Parade. It was wonderful and we're glad we got to see it before it ends at end of March.
HINT: Package Pickup is now located way in the back at the Emporium. If you're staying off-property, try to pick pkgs up before the fireworks start and beat the long lines at the end.
Wednesday, our first Epcot day, we called and were able to make a PS for Akershus (Norway) for 6pm. We were staying off property and had no trouble. As it turned out, wouldn't have needed them. We went to the park around 1pm, spent most of our time in Future World, then headed for dinner. After, we got a great spot for the Tapestry of Nations parade and then for Illuminations. Both were spectacular, but I personally found the parade to be quite thrilling. The most wonderful thing about it is that it seemed that the "puppeteers" interacted most with people who really PARTICIPATED in the parade. They would bend their characters down and shake hands with kids and adults, swoop over them, even take the hands of a few and pull them out into the street to dance with them. And they all seemed to really LOVE being part of this beautiful spectacle!
Thursday we went to AK. I'd have to say I have very mixed feeling about this particular park. We went first to Safari and got FP's, then went looking for breakfast (hadn't made PS's for this). Ended up at Restaurantasaurus and were seated IMMEDIATELY for Donald's Breakfastasaurus. The food was wonderful, the servers were great and great fun, and best of all, without actually planning it, we were able to have breakfast with Mickey, Donald, Pluto and Goofy! Even my 17 y.o. son was thrilled as the characters interacted and funned around with EVERYONE, not just the little kids.
Festival of the Lion King is also great. And by the way, while in line, just before you enter the theater, look off to the left. There is a birdhouse there and the opening is Mickey's profile.
We enjoyed the Tree of Life and ITTBAB, and the safari was fine--a rhino decided to trot down the road right in front of our vehicle--but most of the rest of the park we thought was just OK. We ended up leaving about 1:30, feeling we could see most of the animals at our own zoo. Besides, it was very warm that day. So, we went back to our hotel, napped for about two hours and then went back for a few more hours of MK that evening. We parked at Epcot and took the Monorail to MK. It was much faster both ways than parking at the TTC and going to MK.
Friday was back to Epcot, where we did some of what we'd missed in Future World our first day, and visited more of the nations.
HINT: If you are going soon, look for the black swan pair that are sitting a nest of four eggs. If you stand facing Odessey just to the left of the left hand walkway, their nest is located below you and to the left right at the edge of the water.
A big highlight of this visit was the living statue in front of France. She was SPECTACULAR! Again, she interacted most with those who interacted with her, but always with surprises and grace. If you see the living statue, be bold and creative and walk up and pose or greet her. This is no time to hold back. Oh, make sure someone in your group has a camera ready because you never know WHAT will happen or when.
I stayed to watch the early Tapestry parade while my wife and son went back to Future World to touch a few more bases. Then we slowly made our way to the exit. Slowly because it was the end of our last night at WDW.
Saturday, we spent several hours visiting Downtown Disney with the friend who was taking us to the airport for our 5:45 departure. We had lunch at Fulton's, did a little last minute shopping and then bid a somewhat tearful goodbye to WDW.
Sorry for the length of this post. I have just a little more to share with anyone who's willing to read it. We all enjoyed our trip to WDW. However, the most special thing about this vacation was the fact that we took it together, enjoyed it together and most of all, enjoyed being together as family. Yes, we had a couple of moments where fatigue and the heat effected our moods, but we held tight to the fact that being together was more important than being at WDW and those "rough" spots were very small and short lived.
The World is truly a magical place, but it really only reflects the "magic" that's already in your own heart. We saw (sadly) moms and dads bickering and fighting with each other and their kids, we experienced rudeness and inconsiderate behavior from other guests. We even came across CM's who didn't seem to love their jobs (though, over the course of the whole week, we only saw three of them--the rest couldn't have been happier!), but none of that seemed to have an effect on us because we weren't depending on someone or something outside ourselves to produce the "Disney Magic." Our enjoyment and yes, JOY, came from a much higher, much deeper source that could not be exhausted or even diminshed by mere discomfort or inconvenience.
So, that's my report--and my reflections. Thank you all for your patience and help. We had a great visit. We may not get back again for a very long time, but we'll remember this trip always.
And remember, "...it all started with a mouse." WD
Ted