Suddenly Solo Trip--October, 2008

[TLinden16]

Day 1—Thursday, October 09, 2008

I woke up long before sunrise to head into work for a half day before heading to Logan Airport for my 3:00 p.m. flight to Orlando. My good friend KristaTX was supposed to join me on this trip, but she injured her knee, and after much discussion and thought, she decided it would be better to stay home and let it heal since she has another trip planned in December.

I should know better than to go into work for a half day before a vacation. People go into a panic and expect that I can do three days of work in five hours, but I managed to get everything done, and I was out the door right on time at 1:00 p.m.

One of my friends drove me over to the airport. It was just a quick ride through a couple of leaky tunnels, and I was in terminal C dropping off my bag at Airtran (I had checked in online the day before). I grabbed a bite at the new restaurant owned by Boston Red Sox legend Jerry Remy. I ordered buffalo chicken tenders and fries. The food was very good, served hot and fresh, and the server was quick and attentive. It’s definitely worth checked out if you have time before your flight in Terminal C.

This was my first time and last time flying Airtran. Nothing about Airtran was enjoyable from the time I booked my flight. They changed my flight four times in a month, and I wound up having to fly down a day early when they changed my flight from a 7:40 a.m. to a 3:00 p.m. I found dealing with Airtran staff to be very unpleasant pretty much every time I had to call or talk to one of them.

When I got on the plane, there was a baby sitting in my seat. There was a family of seven, and they asked if I would switch seats with them, so I did. Midway through the flight, grandma spilled her beer on me. Nothing like spending half of a 3 hour flight in capris dampened with beer. So cold and stinky, especially to someone who doesn’t like beer at all. Nothing says, “Thanks for doing our family a small favor” like pouring beer on the person next to you.

The flight was a bit bumpy, but we landed in Orlando about 10 minutes early. After making a quick pit stop, I headed over to baggage claim to wait for my luggage. Since my flight arrived in Orlando at 6:00 p.m., I decided to get my own bags instead of tagging them for Magical Express. I know it can take several hours to get your luggage when you use Magical Express, and I didn’t want to have to wait until 9:00 or 10:00 at night to get my bag.

Can I just stay that waiting for luggage stinks? It was close to a half an hour before my luggage came out. For those who think Magical Express takes too long, wait for luggage at MCO, and then rent a car to drive to MCO. I bet most times Magical Express will beat you.

Luggage in hand, I headed over to Magical Express. I was seated on a bus right away and only had to wait about 10 minutes for the bus to leave. I think Jeff Gordon was our driver. He was zooming down the highway on his way to Pop Century. When we got off the high way, he slowed down to a crawl. I think he realized that he had driven too fast because the movie they show during the ride still had a lot of time left in it. I arrived at Pop Century at about 7:10, an hour and twenty minutes after my flight landed, which wasn’t too bad considering I had to get my own luggage.

There was a short line to check in at Pop Century, but the line seemed like a millisecond compared to the 3 and a half mile hike to get to my room. I was in room 8309 in the 90’s building. I was about as far from the main building as you could get. My room overlooked a gigantic Rubix Cube, and the Walt Disney World archway that cars drive under when they enter Disney property (I never realized how close it was to a resort). The room was relatively clean, although a candy wrapper was left on one of the beds, and one of the hand towels looked a bit questionable.

When I arrived on my floor, there was a couple sitting out on chairs on the pathway outside their room. I’m sure that it’s annoying not to be able to smoke in your room, but it’s just as annoying to have to walk by smokers smoking in an area that is non-smoking. Thanks to the considerate folks who go to the smoking area to smoke your cigarette. You’re a lot nicer than the folks down the hall from me.

After dropping my bags off, I took a bus over to Downtown Disney. I lucked out and got on a bus right as I stepped up to the stop, and was at Downtown Disney within 10 minutes. I rode the bus with the loud family. They were a group of about 10, and the spread themselves all over the bus. For the first half of the ride, they were shouting questions to each other. For the second half of the ride, the kids sang the chorus of a Hannah Montana song over and over and over again.

When I arrived at Downtown Disney, I went over to Guest Relations to pick up my annual pass, Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party ticket, and a Tables In Wonderland Card.

I then headed over to Wolfgang Puck’s Express to grad some dinner. There was a long line to order food, but once I ordered, I was able to get a table right away. I ordered the barbeque chicken salad. The salad was excellent. The chicken was smothered with a tangy, but not too spicy barbeque sauce. It was tossed in a very tasty ranch dressing. This salad is one of my favorite meals on Disney property.

After dinner, I headed over to the World of Disney store. The store was very crowded, and the lines to buy stuff were 10 or more people deep. I wound up walking out of the store just a few minutes after walking in.

I also browsed around the Christmas shop for a bit. I noticed they had a new Goofy Christmas ornament. I have over 50 different Goofy ornaments, so I will definitely be adding that to my collection.

It started to rain pretty hard by the time I got out of the Christmas store. I didn’t feel like walking around in the rain, so I headed back to Pop Century and relaxed before hitting the hay. I wanted to get a good night’s sleep so I could for my first day in the parks.

[OhMari]

Good to see you posting another TR Karen. How did the luggage situation go. Remember we posted on the Transp. board, that AirTran was being picky about luggage being to large in dimensions?

I should have taken mine along when I dropped my sons off at the airport, but I forgot since it was 5 in the morning.

[Ron from Michigan]

Glad to see another trip report Karen. We also just returned from our 10 day stay Oct.1-11.

[TheDISneyFamily]

Hi Karen! I'm really looking forward to reading about your F&W adventures! :thumbsup2

[TLinden16]

Good to see you posting another TR Karen. How did the luggage situation go. Remember we posted on the Transp. board, that AirTran was being picky about luggage being to large in dimensions?

I should have taken mine along when I dropped my sons off at the airport, but I forgot since it was 5 in the morning.

I wound up buying an LL Bean Duffle before I left, as my suitcase was right at 61 inches, and I didn't want to risk having to pay the extra $40--I figured if there was a good chance I was going to have to pay $40 for the bag, I'd rather put the money towards a new duffle bag instead of giving it to Airtran.

[Minnie&Nana]

Karen, I learned about AirTran the hard way back in 1996 or so...one trip too many. Sorry to hear things are not any better these days.

Would have asked for a room change at POP - you're a trooper!

Have not read many good reports of ME luggage and POP - would take it with me too, but oh, what a bummer it would be to wait for the darn suitcase after being spoiled by ME.

Write more soon, please! Looking forward to your first day at the parks. :)

Often wonder if I could enjoy a solo trip - fun to read your adventure. Don't forget a few photos! ;)

(p.s. How about those SOX...now what will today bring??)

[SlightlyGoofy]

Hi ya Karen!

Glad you got the trip in and looking forward to reading what you got up to. I am sure that you had many adventures.:thumbsup2


M&N, I just love looking a the picture of your wee one and all her hair! Beautiful child. Has she got you all trained yet?:)

Slightly Goofy

[Donald is #1]

I'm on board!

I have never used AirTran, but your experience has convinced me not to. I will stay with Jet Blue.

[TLinden16]

Day 2—Friday, October 10, 2008
I woke up refreshed and ready for my first full day at Disney World. I headed over to the food court and grabbed a breakfast platter for breakfast. It had scrambled eggs, breakfast potatoes, bacon, sausage, and a biscuit. It was excellent. The eggs were very tasty and not overdone. The breakfast potatoes were wedges of potatoes perfectly seasoned. The biscuit was a bit dry, but had a nice flavor. The sausage was great, but the bacon was flavorless.

After breakfast, I walked around Pop Century for a bit before dropping my luggage off at bell services so they could deliver it to the Boardwalk for me. I then took the bus to the Magic Kingdom, where I would be meeting my DIS friend LoveThatTink, and her mom and son later in the morning. As soon as I arrived at the Magic Kingdom, I followed the masses into Fronteirland. My original plan was to grab a fast pass for Splash Mountain to use later, but I noticed they didn’t have the water cannons on, so I knew I wouldn’t get as wet, so I jumped on the ride. I sat in the back row, and got barely a drop on me—it seemed like they water level of the ride was a bit below normal, as the water didn’t even come over the sides of the log when we went down the drops. I then took a ride on the wildest ride in the wilderness, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.

I then head over to Pirates of the Caribbean. Most of the people were filing into the line on the left, so I headed for the road less travelled and hopped on the right line. I walked to the dock, and rode in a boat all by myself. It was very trippy riding by myself. The strangest thing was I couldn’t even feel the little drop on the ride. The best part of riding by myself was I could sing along as loudly as I wanted to and not worry about disturbing anyone else.

After my ride on Pirates, I went to meet my friend LoveThatTink, and her mom and son. We grabbed fast passes for the Jungle Cruise, and went on the Magic Carpets and followed by the Tiki Room. We then went on the Jungle Cruise and had an excellent skipper. He was very funny, had great timing, and even added in a few jokes that I had never heard before.
We then went on the happiest cruise that every set sail. All together now:

It’s a small world after all
It’s a small world after all
It’s a small world after all
It’s a small small world.

Now in German!

After Small World, Luvthattink and I went to get fast passes for Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin, and then went to see Mickey’s Philharmagic. LoveThatTink’s son really enjoyed the show. I was enjoying leaving over and looking at him watching the show. After the show, we headed over to use our fast passes for Buzz Lightyear.

We then headed out of the Magic Kingdom and took the monorail over to the Polynesian to have lunch at the Kona Café. I ordered sticky wings, which I shared with everyone. They were very tasty with a slight kick. For my entrée, I ordered the beef teriyaki salad, which was excellent, but some of the beef was a bit on the tough side. My only complaint about Kona is the service was incredibly slow, which wasn’t a good thing with a hungry four year old at the table.

After lunch, we took the monorail over to the Ticket and Transportation. LovethatTink was kind enough to drive me over to the Boardwalk. We made a quick stop at the Hess Station for gas, and I grabbed a case of water.
When I arrived at the Boardwalk Villas, check-in was quick and easy, and I went immediately to my room. I was in room 5061, which is a preferred garden view room that actually has a nice view of the Boardwalk. It is just three rooms down from the elevators, so it was nice not to have to walk too far down the hall, as that can be a long walk after a long day in the parks. The room was in excellent condition. The bed seemed new, and didn’t squeak at all. I had my own balcony, which was nice, as some of the rooms in this area have a shared balcony with a partition between them, which can partially block the view.

After unpacking and getting settled into the room, I walked over to Epcot, where I was planning on eating some of the offerings for the food and wine festival. I went to see “Oh Canada.” I really love the new movie here. Martin Short makes it quite comical, and I enjoy looking at all of the beautiful places in Canada—I really need to spend some more time in the real Canada one of these days—once I stop going to Disney World so much.

I also took a ride on Spaceship Earth. The computer went down in the middle of the ride, so the interactive movie section at the end wasn’t working. The backwards section of the ride is long and boring if you don’t have the movie going.

I then started to eat my way around the world. Here are my thoughts on the dishes I had:

Cheddar Cheese Soup —I really love the cheddar cheese soup at Le Cellier, so of course, I had to have some at the food and wine festival since I wasn’t eating at the restaurant on the trip. The soup was delicious. My only real complaint about it was the serving size was miniscule (just one small ladle full—for the money.

Kielbasa and pierogies—the kielbasa was excellent. There were two good sized slices. It had a lot of flavor in it. The pierogie was very good as well. This was one of my favorite things at the food and wine festival.

Chorizo quesadilla—This was another of my favorite offerings at the food and wine festival. The quesadilla was perfectly cooked, and had a lot of flavor.

Chicken Sha Cha—The chicken was good, but not the best I’ve ever had. The sauce was a bit on the boring side.

Pork Pot Stickers—I have always loved the pot stickers at Nine Dragons, so I knew that I would love the pot stickers out her, and I was right about that.

Baked ziti—the baked ziti was fantastic. It had a nice flavor to it. My only complaint about this dish was it was a bit on the dry side—I wish they had added some extra sauce on top.

I ran into my friend David, who works for Disney Vacation Club at the DVC booth in the American Pavilion. It was nice to stop and chat with David for a bit, and catch up with him.

It was starting to get a bit cloudy, so I decided to head back to the Boardwalk before the rain started. I stopped on the Boardwalk and chatted with one of the DVC staff members on the Boardwalk. It was drizzling while we chatted, and then the skies opened up into a downpour. I was able to make it to an overhang over by the Screen Door shop. I stopped in the store for a while and browsed around. I then made my way back to my room so I could get ready for a night at Jellyrolls.

Michael and Mike were the first piano players that evening. I was sitting in my normal bar stool, and Mike came over to say hello and give me a big hug before he took the stage. I was very excited to see Mike play again, as I have only seen him a couple of times at Jellyrolls. Mike played “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” for me, and he also did an excellent Disney medley. Michael did the song from the free credit report commercial, which got a lot of laughs.

Scotty and Daniel were the second pair of piano players that night. I put a large tip on the piano to hear “Drift Away,” which the four guys sang together at the top of the hour. Scotty was the lead singer, and I really love hearing him sing this song. He just does such an amazing job on it.

Unfortunately, the smoke in the bar was really bad this night, and I just couldn’t make it to the end of the night. I had a sore throat and my eyes were bothering me. This was only the second time I’ve had to leave Jellyrolls due to the smoke in all my years of going to Jellyrolls. I just wound up with two people blowing smoke in my face.

I headed back to the room and got ready to go to bed.

[OhMari]

I don't understand why Jellyrolls allows smoking. You would think it would be so harmful for the piano players while they sing. Talk about a Hazardous working envirnoment.

I'm getting nervous about attending the Food and Wine Festival. I don't know if we should do it. I have a feeling it is going to be so crowded on the last weekend it is open.

[TLinden16]

I don't understand why Jellyrolls allows smoking. You would think it would be so harmful for the piano players while they sing. Talk about a Hazardous working envirnoment.

I'm getting nervous about attending the Food and Wine Festival. I don't know if we should do it. I have a feeling it is going to be so crowded on the last weekend it is open.

I really wish they would stop allowing smoking at Jellyrolls. It's really the thing I hate most about Jellyrolls. It's the only indoor place on Disney property that allows smoking.

I found that the Food and Wine festival was less busy during the day than it was in the evening. I'd definitely try some things out while you there. It's fun to try things you normally wouldn't eat.

[TLinden16]

Day 3—Saturday, October 11, 2008

I woke up bright and early to head over to Disney’s Hollywood Studios to take a ride on Toy Story Midway Mania. I have always been a big fan of the morning early entry, but this time it was so crowded that it was nearly 8:30 by the time I even got in line for an attraction. I’m not even sure that they were looking at resort keys—I know that they never asked to see mine. I arrived at the Studios a few minutes before 8:00, and was met by a huge line at security. It took me ten minutes to get through security, and then another ten minutes to get through the gate. Then it took me another ten minutes to get a fast pass for Toy Story Midway Mania.

I then jumped in line for Toy Story Midway Mania, as I knew I would want to ride it twice. I was chatting with the family in front of me in line, and realized that it was a DISer, EddieRas. They were a really nice family, and I really enjoyed chatting with them while I waited in line. It really made the time in line fly by.

Toy Story was a lot of fun, although I don’t think it was worth a 40 minute wait. It is a lot easier than Buzz Lightyear—I didn’t get thumb fatigue. It was fun looking around the queue while I waited, and Mr. Potato Head was very cool.

After Toy Story, I made my way down to the Tower of Terror and Rock ‘N Roller Coaster. At 9:05 in the morning, the line for the Tower of Terror was already 40 minutes long so I grabbed fast pass to use later. I went over to the Rock ‘N Roller Coaster and rode it a couple of times using the single riders line. I’m really glad they added a single rider’s line to this attraction. I can usually get on the ride within 10 or 15 minutes using the single rider’s line. I wish more attractions had single rider’s lines.

I then headed over to the Great Movie Ride, but the line was about 20 minutes long, and I didn’t have time to go through the line before my lunch reservation at the 50’s Prime Time Café.

I did some shopping on Hollywood Blvd. I picked up the Goofy Christmas ornaments that I had seen at Downtown Disney, and some stickers for my scrapbook.

I then went over to 50’s Prime Time Café. I started off with a mixed green salad, which had a delicious citrus vinaigrette on top. I ordered the pot roast, which I usually enjoy. This time, it was a bit on the fatty side, and not as flavorful as it usually is. It was good, but not great. For dessert, I ordered the s’mores, which could have been a bit warmer. I enjoyed my meal, but it wasn’t the best meal I’ve had there.

After lunch, I went over to use my fast pass for the Tower of Terror. The fast pass line was very long—it was almost to the entrance to the ride. I have never seen a line that long for a fast pass line at the Tower of Terror! I wound up skipping the ride and heading out of the Studios.

I took the bus over to the Animal Kingdom, hoping it would be a bit less crowded, but it was still very packed. I was able to jump in the single rider’s line for Expedition Everest, and rode that twice. I was considering going on the Kali River Rapids since it was so hot, but the line was an hour, and I just wasn’t worth the wait.

I browsed around the shops for a bit, and headed to the bus stop to catch a bus to the Animal Kingdom Lodge, where I was meeting some DISers. I arrived at the Animal Kingdom Lodge early, so I did some shopping in the gift shop, where I bought myself a nice DVC pullover jacket, and picked up a visor for my sister.

I ran into LoveThatTink and her family in the lobby of the Animal Kingdom Lodge, and we waited for LauraBearz and her family in the lobby. We all then went down to Mara to meet Belle1962. We grabbed some food, and chatted for a while. We had a lot of laughs, and great conversation while we ate. I got the chicken nuggets and fries. They weren’t very good, though. They were only lukewarm.

After dinner, Laurabearz was nice enough to let me hitch a ride back to the Boardwalk with her family. We took the scenic route, briefly leaving property, but made it to the Boardwalk in one piece. I wound up hanging out in the lobby while Laurabearz checked in. I think the poor kid who checked her is going to need serious therapy after dealing with her. She made so many crazy comments and questions that the poor kid got frazzled a bit, but it was all in good fun, and he took it all in stride. It was truly a hysterical event to watch, though, and I was glad I witnessed it.

After saying goodbye to Laurabearz, I went up to my room to drop off my things, and headed back over to Epcot. Since my dinner at Mara wasn’t very satisfying, I decided to go over to Epcot to try a few more items in the food and wine festival. Here are the items I sampled on my second trip around the world showcase:

Chicken Brewat Roll—This item reminded me of a spring roll. It was chicken and veggies rolled in a thin and crispy shell. It had a lot of flavor, and was actually a good side portion for the price—I liked it a lot, but only ate half of it, as there were a few other things I was hoping to try.

Chilaquiles—This was another large portion. It was a shredded chicken and cheese on a tortilla with a green sauce. This was one of the most flavorful items I tried, and one of my favorites.

Beef Empanada—This was another favorite. It was a small puff filled with a tasty ground beef.

I wanted to try the beef medallion with cheddar cheese polenta, but the line for this booth was ridiculously long, and not moving, so I wound up skipping it.

While I was at Epcot, I went on the Maelstrom and the Gran Fiesta Tour. I chatted with a really nice family from Massachusetts while I was in line for the Maelstrom. They were using the Unofficial Guide as they toured, and we chatted about what a fantastic book it is, and how helpful it is when planning a trip.

I then headed back to the Boardwalk to head over to Jellyrolls. I arrived at the bar at about 8:15, and Tommy and Michael had not taken the stage yet. Tommy was walking around chatting with the folks in the bar, and when he saw me, he came over to say hello. We chatted for a few, and he asked me what I wanted to hear. I always have to hear Tommy sing James Taylor songs, so he promised he would. When Michael came out, he came over to say Hello to me as well, and then they took the stage. The first song Tommy played was “How Sweet It Is” by James Taylor, which he dedicated to me.

Early in the evening, a friend of some of my DIS friends Carol came in with my DIS friend and fellow moderator FantasiaSam. Sam came running over to me when she saw me, and gave me the biggest hug. I had met Sam briefly a few years earlier, so it was nice to see her again. She invited me to join their group for the evening, and I was glad that I accepted that offer, as they were a fun group that included many DISers.

Scotty and Christian took the stage at 9:00. I put a request for “Dirty Water” on the piano with a note saying “Go Sox!” as this is a song that is played after every Red Sox home win, and the Sox were playing that night. Christian teased me a bit about being at the bar instead of being somewhere watching the Sox game.

Among the highlights of the evening was hearing Scotty sing “Build Me Up Buttercup” for the first time in a long time. I first heard Scotty sing this song on the first night I saw him play at Jellyrolls about five years ago, and it was a song that I never particularly liked but loved the way Scotty sang it. I haven’t heard him sing it in ages, as it’s a song that the other piano players usually sing, so hearing Scotty sing it again was really a great thing that made me smile—I think Scotty remembered me loving the way he does that song, because he was glancing over at me smiling while he sang.

I also requested “Callin’ Baton Rouge,” which is one of my favorite songs that Scotty does. Another interesting moment was Scotty and Christian singing “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart” for Sam and her friend Chuck. Scotty and Christian learned the song after getting a ridiculous amount of money for the request.

At one point in the evening, Sam turned to me and said, “I would kill to get a picture with Chirstian.” I told Sam that I would be happy to introduce her to him. Shortly before their second set of the evening ended, we headed to the back hallway, and waited for Christian to get off stage. When she saw him and Scotty come through the door, she went running over to him. I said, “Christian, this I my friend Sam, and she just adores you and would love to get a picture with you.” Of course, Christian was kind enough to oblige, and Sam was so excited, she kissed her camera afterwards.

At one point, Michael said, "We're going to stay open until 5:00 in the morning. Who'll still be here?" Some folks cheered, and I threw my hands in the air and screamed "Wooooooo." Michael said, "Who are you kidding? You're all going home. Karen would be the only one who would still be here."

I wound up staying at the bar until closing. I was having such a great time with Carol, Sam, and their friends. We were singing along and dancing all night. It was one of the best nights I’ve ever had at Jellyrolls.

I chatted briefly with Scotty and Christian before heading back to my room to get some sleep before another busy day in Orlando.

[OhMari]

I"m glad you had a really good time at JellyRolls. I can't wait to go. My oldest son wants to go, since he goes to a dualing piano bar in Milwaukee. Would you believe Milwaukee is a smoke free city? Go figure.

[SlightlyGoofy]

Hi Karen!

I love Jellyrolls but the smoke keeps me away a lot. I did send the piano players a special glass that I have been hauling around for a few years. It says "Please don't shoot the piano player, he is doing the best he can". lol Ants delivered it for me, sweet gal.

I would love it if you and I were able to spend a day in the parks sometime. We would have a blast! I remember meeting a couple of years ago in line at the Safari and a couple of other times.

Slightly Goofy

[Minnie&Nana]

Karen, what a great trip!! I have had the chance to enjoy Jellyrolls doue to the smoking, but still hold out hope for that to change!

Can't wait to read more! ::yes::

[TLinden16]

Day 4--Sunday, October 12, 2008

I decided to spend Sunday at Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure, as I hadn’t been there in about five years, and wanted to check out a few of the attractions that I had opened since my last visit. So, despite staying at Jellyrolls until 2:00 a.m., I was up at 7:30 to get ready for Mears to pick me up for a ride to Universal.

I grabbed a cinnamon roll at the Belleview Lounge in the Boardwalk for breakfast. I just want to say that Kay and Mary were working here this week, and they are both wonderful. They really have a knack for remembering what people want, and are just so nice and personable.

After breakfast, I headed down to wait for my shuttle to Universal. Since I was the only person heading over at that time, they wound up sending me over in a cab, which was nice. Since there was no other stops along the way, we made it over to Universal in just 20 minutes, and I was in Universal Studios a few minutes before official opening time of 9:00 a.m.

I decided to hit Universal Studios first, as the rides I had never been on before were in the park. My first stop was the Simpsons ride. I really loved the theming here. It was fun to go into the Kwik E Mart, and they were even selling Squishees. I even had my picture taken with Homer and Marge. I loved the ride entrance through Krusty the Clown’s mouth.

I really enjoyed the Simpsons ride. It was similar to the old Back to the Future Ride it replaced. Eight people sat in a car, and went on a very thrilling roller coaster ride through Krustyland. I don’t want to go into too much detail, as I don’t like to spoil things for folks who have not ridden it yet, but it had a storyline and was just a lot of fun.

After riding the Simpsons, I headed over to Men in Black. I had remembered really liking this attraction when I rode it several years ago, but it wasn’t as great as I remembered it being. I enjoyed the ride, but didn’t feel the need to rush on it again.

I then headed over to ride the Mummy, which was another attraction I had not yet gone on. It was a short, but thrilling coaster with a nice storyline and theme. Even the staff loading the cars were acting in the theme of the ride. They did a nice job on this on considering the amount of space they had to work with. I wound up riding this twice.

I then went to see the Twister special effects show. The film parts were a bit dull, but the demonstration was excellent.

I was going to go to the Disaster show, but there was a huge line for a show that wasn’t going to begin for 25 minutes, so I decided to skip it for another trip. You think it will still be there in five years when I return to Universal? (Although I probably won’t wait another five years--I’ll probably go to Universal again after they open the Harry Potter area).

I then went and got an early lunch at Mel’s Drive In. The line to get food was long and slow. I got chicken nuggets and fries. The chicken nuggets were really good. They were served piping hot and had a nice flavor to them. The fries were good as well.

After lunch, I left Universal Studios to head over to Islands of Adventure to get my coaster fix. Islands of Adventure was a lot more crowded than the Studios were. I had a long wait to get into the park. I decided to make the Incredible Hulk Roller Coaster my first stop. Since they didn’t have the single riders line open, there was a 35 minute wait, so I got out of line and went to see what the wait time for the Spiderman ride was, and saw it was 45 minutes.

Since I was on a limited time schedule, I decided to buy an Express Pass for Universal. This pass cost $20.99, and gave me front of the line access to most attractions. It would have been $25.99 if I had gotten it for both parks. This pass was definitely worth the money--it allowed me to accomplish everything I wanted to at Islands of Adventure in just a few hours. I would have had to skip some things if I didn’t use this pass.

After buying my pass, my first stop was the Spiderman ride. This is probably my favorite ride at Universal. It is just so much fun, and the effects are awesome.

I also took rides on Bluto’s Bilge Rat Barges, Dudley Do-Rights Ripshaw Falls, and Jurassic Park. I put a poncho on, hoping to spare myself from getting totally drenched, but it didn’t help that much. Thankfully, it was a hot day so I dried out pretty quickly.

I then went on both sides of Dueling Dragons. I really love these coasters. They are just so thrilling--my favorite coasters in Orlando. I love the way they time them so that you feel like you are going to collide with the other one.

I then went on the Cat in the Hat ride. This ride is a lot of fun and really cute. I wound up riding with three teenage girls who screamed on the top of their lungs every time our car spun around.

My last ride at Universal was the Incredible Hulk roller coaster. The take off on this coaster is really amazing--even better than the take off at the Rock ‘N Roller Coaster or California Screamin’ at California Adventure. This is a must do for any coaster fan.

I grabbed an ice cream and started to head out of the park. I had a bit of time before I was being picked up, so I browsed in some shops on my way to catch my bus back to the Boardwalk. I definitely was ready to get back to Disney property.

When I got to the bus stop, I noticed that some of the buses were labeled with signs reading “Wakefield Dance Studio.” I had wondered if it was for the Dance Studio in my hometown of Wakefield, Massachusetts. All of the people walking to the buses wearing Red Sox and Celtics gear made me realize it was. I looked to see if I recognized anyone, but I did not.

My bus driver asked someone if they were from Wakefield, MA, and he told them that I was from Wakefield. One of the chaperones asked him to find out what my name was and tell me that I was on the wrong bus, but he explained I wasn’t part of the group. The folks on the buses were all waving at me after that.

My bus driver was really nice. As we waited to leave Universal, he was doing some magic tricks for me and the other folks on the bus. The little girl sitting across from me was really amazed by it. We also had to pick up people at Sea World. I have to say that while the bus driver was very nice, he also annoyed me. One of the kids who got on the bus at Sea World was interested in magic, so everyone on the bus had to wait for 5 minutes at Sea World while he taught the kid a trick, and then we had to wait a few minutes more when he dropped the family off at Pop Century while the kid showed him how he did practicing the trick. The bus ride was long enough without having 8 minutes of extra time added in while the driver showed some kid how to do a magic trick.

The Boardwalk was the third stop, and it took me about an hour to get back from Universal. It was really the only bad part of taking a trip over there.

I took a bit of a break at the room to get refreshed and ready for another late night. I knew it would be the last Jellyrolls night of my trip, so I was planning on staying until closing.

Once I was ready, I walked over to Epcot, where I was hoping to walk in and have dinner at Nine Dragons. As I walked to China, I noticed that there wasn’t a line at the San Francisco food and wine kiosk, so I decided to grab the beef medallion with cheddar cheese polenta that I had been wanting to try for an appetizer. This was one of my favorite food and wine festival items. It was a good sized piece of beef in a tasty sauce with a nice scoop of cheddar cheese polenta. Both the beef and polenta where very flavorful. The beef was very tender as well. I’m glad I got the chance to try it.

I then made my way over to Nine Dragons. Now, I know many people didn’t like Nine Dragons prior to the renovation, but I have always been a big fan of Nine Dragons, and I’ve always gotten excellent food there. It was a must do for me on each trip. I was excited to hear that it was reopening earlier than originally planned, so of course I knew I had to try it on this trip. My only disappointment was that the General Tso’s chicken was no longer on the menu.

As soon as I walked into the restaurant, I was seated right away. I really like the décor in the restaurant. It’s a lot brighter than the old Nine Dragons--the light fixtures were very vibrant. Right away, it was a lot more appealing than the dark woods and reds of the old Nine Dragons. I was glad to see the decorative tables were gone--the old tables had a decorative edge that went down a couple of inches that I always banged my knees against.

As I read the menu, I decided I would try the honey sesame chicken. When my server came over, I commented that I was disappointed they took the General Tso’s chicken off the menu. He told me that the General Tso’s chicken was a special that evening, so I wound up ordering it. I also ordered the cucumber salad, which was always a favorite of mine at the old Nine Dragons. The cucumber salad was excellent, but the portion is tiny for the $6 price. The serving size was about one average sized cucumber in a sweet and spicy soy sauce. It was perfectly chilled, and very tasty. Despite the price, this is something I will get each time I go to Nine Dragons.

The General Tso’s chicken was supposed to come with a spinach noodle, but I asked to get rice instead. The portion size of the General Tso’s chicken was huge--I couldn’t eat it all, and they brought me a good sized bowl of rice to go with it. The chicken was excellent. It had a lot of flavor, and was a bit more spicy than what they used to serve. I really loved it.

After dinner, I headed out of Epcot to head to Jellyrolls. Tommy and Michael were already onstage when I arrived. I took my regular bar stool in the back. As soon as I sat down, Tommy played “How Sweet It Is” for me again.

Scotty and Daniel took the stage at 9:00. Once again, I got to hear Scotty sing “Build Me Up Buttercup.” Near the end of the night, I put up a request for something by Michael Buble, and Scotty played, “Save the Last Dance for Me.” One of the things that I love about seeing Scotty at Jellyrolls is hearing him sing really great old songs like “Save the Last Dance for Me,” “Beyond the Sea,” and “The Way You Look Tonight.”

I said goodbye to Scotty at the end of the night, as I knew I wouldn’t see him again on the trip (he was working Monday, but I was going to the Halloween party). I can’t wait to go back in December and see him and the rest of the guys again.

I went up to my room and went right to sleep.

[SlightlyGoofy]

Karen, I have to request that if we ever spend the day together it NOT be at Universal. I do not do thrill rides. Big chicken, me.

BTW, I take umbrage with the fact that you consider those songs to be OLD!!! :lmao: (Minnie will second that, huh???)

Slightly Goofy

[TLinden16]

BTW, I take umbrage with the fact that you consider those songs to be OLD!!! :lmao: (Minnie will second that, huh???)

They are older than me. hehe.

[Minnie&Nana]

Karen, I have to request that if we ever spend the day together it NOT be at Universal. I do not do thrill rides. Big chicken, me.

BTW, I take umbrage with the fact that you consider those songs to be OLD!!! :lmao: (Minnie will second that, huh???)

Slightly Goofy

MS SG, we will be the official wall holders. ;) When we spend some WDW time together, just remember that Soarin' and POC are thrill rides for me. ::yes:: We'll have a grand time!:thumbsup2

As for oldies...well....my oldies are so so old, I cannot even find an oldie station that plays them anymore!! :rotfl:

[SlightlyGoofy]

Karen, and your comment is supposed to make me feel BETTER? :sad1: :lmao:

Minnie, I do not even do Soaring, Peter Pan's Flight is scary enough for me. BTW, even though you might be a tad bit older than I it is entirely possible that I know your songs as well. I grew up with my grandma's music and books and know things well before my time. I know the newer music as well. I am interested in most everything.

SG

[TLinden16]

Day 5--Monday, October 13, 2008

I was woken up by a text message bright and early Monday morning, and I took it as God’s way of waking me up to go to the Animal Kingdom for extra magic hours. So I took a quick shower, and grabbed a quick breakfast, and headed for the bus.

Once again, the masses were out for extra magic hours, but at least this time they were definitely looking at room keys. I made it into the park pretty quickly and made my way back to Expedition Everest. I grabbed a fast pass and jumped into the standby line, which was only about 15 minutes long. My time at the Animal Kingdom consisted of 3 rides on Expedition Everest. I’m not a huge fan of the Animal Kingdom, with the exception of Expedition Everest, so I decided not to wait in line for any of the other attractions.

One thing of note during my ride through the Expedition Everest is a family waiting in line. It was a mom with her three sons, including one boy with special needs. It was just the boys in line for the ride, and I have to say it was so heartwarming to see these two teenage boys with their special needs brother. They were just so fantastic with him--they were so patient with him. I could really tell how close the three brothers were, and how much love was in that family. Just in the few minutes I observed this family, I could tell just how strong the mom was, and what an amazing job she is doing raising her boys.

I walked out to the bus stop at about 9:30, and waited for a bus back to the Boardwalk. A bus came within 10 minutes labeled VIP Cast Member to take me to and a few others to the Boardwalk, and another group to Pop Century.

When I got back to the resort, I put a load of laundry on, and headed down to the pool to take a dip. It sure was refreshing, as it was a warm day. The pool was busy, but not overly crowded.

I headed back to the room to decide what to do the rest of the day. My original thought was to go to the Magic Kingdom, and have a late lunch at the Whispering Canyon Café, and I headed out to the bus stop.

One of the things that’s nice about solo trips is you can change plans on the fly pretty quickly. The bus to Downtown Disney pulled up, and I decided to head there for lunch instead of the Magic Kingdom. I did some browsing around the shops, and decided to grab a bit to eat at the Earl of Sandwich. I had first tried the Earl of Sandwich back in October of 2004, and thought they had the best sandwiches ever. I haven’t eaten there in a while because the past couple of times, I’ve been disappointed in the food I’ve gotten this.

I got in a very long line, but it moved surprisingly fast. I was placing my order within about 10 minutes, and had my sandwich five minutes after that. I ordered the Hawaiian Barbecue Chicken Sandwich, and it was excellent. It was grilled barbecue chicken, smoked ham, and Swiss cheese. I wound up asking for cheddar cheese instead of Swiss. I also got a side salad and potato salad.

The sandwich was excellent. The chicken was all white meat, and the barbecue sauce was very tangy. The side salad was very good. They offered to put cucumbers and tomatoes on it, and I asked for just cucumbers. I got a balsamic vinegarette on it, and it was very tasty. The potato salad wasn’t very good--it had way too much mayonnaise on it.

After lunch, the skies were starting to darken, so I decided to head to the bus stop. I cut through the Christmas store, and it was starting to drizzle as I made my way to the bus, and then the skies just opened up as I walked under the archway leading to the buses. In the 30 seconds it took me to get undercover, I got pretty drenched.

I decided to take a bus to a monorail resort and then head to the Magic Kingdom. The bus to the Wilderness Lodge and Grand Floridian came first, so I jumped on that one. It was still raining pretty hard, so I decided to browse around the shops for a bit before heading to the monorail to the Magic Kingdom.

I arrived at the Magic Kingdom shortly after 3:00 p.m. and saw the streets lined for the parade. I decided to stand in Town Square to watch the parade. It was drizzling a bit, so they announced that the parade would be replaced with the Rainy Day Character Cavalcade. I was actually glad to see this, as it is something I had never seen, and didn’t even know existed.

The Character Cavalcade only lasted about five minutes, but it was a lot of fun. They had a special song for it, and there were tons of characters walking the parade route, or riding in Main Street vehicles. The characters and other cast members were having a blast in the parade. They were jumping into puddles, splashing each other and the guests. Everyone was laughing and smiling throughout the Character Cavalcade. Tigger was making some really big splashes in the puddles. They had small Main Street vehicles with Mickey and Minnie, the villains, and the princesses and their princes. I really enjoyed the Rainy Day Character Cavalcade.

After the parade, I browsed around in the Emporium, and made my way over to Tomorrowland, where I grabbed a fast pass for Space Mountain, and then headed over to the Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor. I really love the Laugh Floor. It’s always fun to see how the people react when they realize they are on the screens. At the end, they did a parade of princesses, where they showed many of the little girls who were dressed up as princesses for the Halloween party. One little girl looked completely shocked when she saw herself--it was so adorable.

After a riding on Space Mountain, I spent some time chatting with my friend Christina, who works for DVC. It was nice to catch up with her. I then grabbed my wrist band for the Halloween party, and cut through Fantasyland, and went over to the Haunted Mansion. I ran into Adarsh, another DVC cast member I know, over in Fronteirland, and chatted with him for a while. It started raining again, so I stayed undercover with Adarsh hoping it would stop pretty quickly, but it didn’t.

When the rain slowed down, I made my way over to Pecos Bill’s to grab some dinner. Goofy4Tink told me that the fast food burgers had gotten better, so I wound up ordering a cheeseburger with bacon. I added some ketchup and pickles to my burger, and while it was not the best burger I have ever had, it was better than the fast food burgers I’ve had on previous trips.

After dinner, it was still raining, so I put on my poncho and started walking through the rain. I have really bad karma when it comes to the hard ticket events. At least half the times I’ve gotten tickets to a hard ticket event at the Magic Kingdom, it has rained. I have gone to a few Mickey’s Very Rainy Christmas Parties, and had a particularly rainy Pirate and Princess Party back in March. So, I was kind of bummed to see that my rainy party streak was continuing.

But I decided to make the best of it, hoping it would clear up, which it eventually did. As the party time began, I started to trick or treat--not because I wanted the candy, but because I could. I really had a lot of fun trick or treating all night long, and got a huge bag of candy, most of which will be handed out to the kids at my office Halloween party this year.

I caught some of the first parade from a distance as it came through Frontierland, and wound up getting my face painted with the enchanted eyes that evening. There was no line when I got there, so I figured I’d may as well have my face painted--they always look so cool when the kids have their faces done, and since I’m a big kid, I can have it done too, right?

The rain cleared up after about an hour, so at least my bad party karma wasn’t in full force this evening. It’s really not fun doing these special parties in the rain.

I headed out to the front of the castle to find a good spot to watch the fireworks from, and found a great spot right in front of the partners statue. I stood behind someone in a scooter, so I knew I would be able to watch without someone tall standing in front of me at the last minute. I really liked the soundtrack for the fireworks, but the fireworks themselves were good, but didn’t really wow me. I prefer the regular Wishes or the Holiday Wishes.

After the fireworks, I went to town square to have my picture taken with Goofy, as a cast member had told me he would be there at 9:00. Mickey and Pluto were also there, so it was fun getting my picture taken with three characters. Goofy tried to steal all of my candy after we took the picture, but I told him that wasn’t very nice, so he gave it back to me.

I did another round of trick or treating, and found a spot to watch the parade in Frontierland across the street from the buildings. I have to say that I will never stand across the street from the buildings to watch a parade again. There are lights on top of the buildings that illuminate the parade, and I found it made getting great pictures a bit of a challenge. Many of my pictures feature a glare from the lights.

I had a bit of a frustrating situation happen at the parade. I chose my spot about 25 minutes before the parade started, and I was next to a nice family of about 10 with several children in strollers. Another nice family of five stood on the other side of me. There was about six inches of space between me and the family to my right, and about an inch of space between me and the family to my left.

Well wouldn’t you know that right as a the parade started, a family with three boys came in and the parents pushed their three boys into the six inches of space between me and the family on the right--I didn’t realize they were there until I nearly elbowed the youngest boy in the head as I put my camera up to take a picture of a float. The space wasn’t even enough for one small child, let alone three young boys. They really crowded in both me and the family to my right. As little boys tend to be, they were moving around a lot, and kept on bumping into me, and they had crowded one of the little boys in the family to my right so much that the father wound up holding him for part of the parade so that he could actually see.

Midway through the parade, the father of the three boys had the audacity to ask me to move over so that his boy could see better. Now, I’m normally the first person to move aside so a kid can have a better view of the parade. I try to be considerate of others when choosing a spot for a parade or fireworks, making sure that I’m not blocking anyone else’s view, especially a child’s view. I have made room on curbs or in front of me so that kids could get a view countless times in my 30 plus trips to Disney World.

However, this I declined the father’s request because in my opinion, if I had moved over to make room for his boy, I would have crowded and blocked the view of the little boy to my left who had waited patiently with his family for 20 minutes for the parade to begin. The father said, “I’m only asking you to move three inches” and I replied, “I’m not crowding this kid,” pointing to the family to my left. I know the father was not too pleased with me, but I’m not going to inconvenience myself, and another family who had been waiting for 20 minutes for a family that strolled up as the parade began and expected to be catered to.

What I really wanted to do was tell that father is that the world does not revolve around his children, and if having a spot on a rope was that important to him, he should have gotten there earlier like the hundreds of others who lined the streets. We all make choices in life, and we have to live with them. The boys weren’t complaining about not being able to see--they may have been jockeying each other for position because they were squished into a space that wasn’t big enough for them, but they weren’t complaining. It was the father that was the problem--he thought his kids were more entitled to a spot up front than me or the other families around me. The father had many choices he could have made without involving me or the other families around us--he could have chose a spot for his family, he could have held his younger boy so he could see, he could have walked further to try to find a better spot where his family could actually fit in, but he chose to not do those things.

The parade itself was fun. There were lots of cast members handing out candy along the route, and the floats were fun. It was neat seeing the headless horseman go by. It wasn’t as long as I recall the Christmas parade being, but it was still a lot of fun.

After the parade, I did some more trick or treating, and just enjoyed the atmosphere of the park. I had made the decision not to go on any rides during the party, as I wanted to just really enjoy all the extras at the party. I really enjoyed watching the kids dancing with the characters at the dance parties. They seemed to be having a blast.

Late in the evening, I was walking along the wooden pathway in Fronteirland. It had been hosed down, and was a bit slippery. I had walked the same pathway an hour earlier, and it was dry, but it had saturated since my last visit. My right foot slid away from me, and I went down hard on my left leg, banging up my knee pretty hard. A nice family heard me fall and came back to make sure that I was OK--even they were commenting on how slick it was. My knee was swollen and stiff, but I was able to walk on it.

I thought about stopping at first aid, but kept on walking up to City Hall, where I stopped to report the incident. While my knee felt fine at the moment, I didn’t know how it would feel in the morning. A cast member at guest relations filed an incident report, and offered me assistance to get to the monorail, which I declined since I was walking OK.

I had a long wait for the bus to take me back to the Boardwalk--I must have just missed one, as I was the first person in line. My leg was pretty sore by then, and starting to swell up. When the bus arrived, I took a seat near the door, and waited for everyone else to get on the bus.

It was nearly 1:00 a.m. by the time I got back to the room. I wound up icing down my knee for 20 minutes before bed. The knee was still swollen and bruised the next day (and I still have a huge bruise on my knee 9 days later), but thankfully, it didn’t hold me back the rest of my trip.

[ILuvCrush]

Hi!!! I've been lurking you TR. But I had to say hi cause we were both there at the Party solo at the same time:goodvibes

I thought the same thing about hallowishes. And I also got stuck on the same side of the street as you in frontierland for the parade... same problem w/ my pics!! I did get some good ones, but the lighting made it tough.

If I'd have been you, i'd have had a very hard time keeping my cool w/ "dad who owns the universe":headache:

Looking forward to reading more about your trip. I hope your knee didn't put too much of a damper on your trip:upsidedow

Paula

[TLinden16]

http://photopost.wdwinfo.com/uploads/44383/DSCN0139-2.JPG
This is my favorite picture that I took on my trip. Looks like guys are going to get something great to enjoy very soon. hehe.

[Minnie&Nana]

OUCH! Hope you didn't limp your way through the rest of the trip, but that knee sounds plenty sore.

You have the patience of a saint! I think most of us are happy to move over so little one(s) can see a parade, but when a parent is so pushy it makes it harder in the children.

I realize not everyone knows there will be a parade or did not know how crowded it would be, but that does not allow for obnoxious behavior.

Karen, you have so many friends who work at Disney it's hardly a solo trip! :thumbsup2

How about more photos? Please??? ::yes::

p.s SG, I'm not nearly as old as your grandmother! ;) :rotfl: :eek:

[SlightlyGoofy]

Karen. we are twins. I fell my last day at DW. Same knee too. That was a month ago and I thought all was well but now I find I can barely walk. I hope you do not have repercussions from your fall. I love kids too and will usually make room for them. It is usually the grownups that are a bit rude but maybe some of them are first timers and just a tad bit over anxious?

Minnie, there is no way that ANYONE is old enough to be my grandmother. :lmao: I meant that I know songs that old.

Slightly Goofy

[TLinden16]

Day 6--Tuesday, October 14, 2008

My original plan for Tuesday morning was to set the alarm for 7:00 a.m. so I could be at 8:00 for Early Entry, but after staying up later than expected icing down my knee after my fall, I decided to just sleep until I woke up instead. I woke up at about 8:00, and got ready to head over to Epcot.

Once through the International Gateway, I walked straight to Soarin’ and grabbed a fast pass, which wasn’t going to be usable until after 11:45. I went to the front of the park to ride Spaceship Earth, as the interactive video portion hadn’t been working when I road it earlier in the week. Thankfully, it was fine today. I like choosing different options when I ride this so that I can see the different movies.

I then headed over to Test Track to see what the single riders line was. The stand by line was 50 minutes, and the single riders line was 30. I started to get in the single riders line, knowing that the posted time is often shorter, but when I saw the huge amount of people in line, I decided to walk out, thinking it could be more than the 30 posted minutes.

I looked at the nearby information board, and saw that Mission: Space had a 5 minute wait time, so I headed over there. I got in line for the wild version, and saw that the wait time had been changed to 50 minutes! There were more people in line for Mission: Space than I have ever seen since it opened! So, I turned around and walked out of there as well. I never did make it on Mission: Space--one of the good things about going to Disney two or three times a year is you can just catch things on your next trip.

I still had some time before my Fast Pass window for Soarin’, so I browsed around in Mouse Gears for a bit, and got a cold drink. When my Fast Pass for Soarin’ came up, I went on it. I was seated next to this adorable boy who look about 8 or 10, who just absolutely loved the ride--he was laughing, smiling, and reacting to the movie throughout the ride. I commented to the mother that I enjoyed watching him more than I enjoyed the movie, and she told me that it was his second time on it, and he just loved it. It’s really fun seeing it through someone else’s eyes when you’ve seen it many times yourself.

I then I grabbed a fast pass for Test Track, and made my way over to Nine Dragons for lunch. I had really enjoyed my dinner here earlier in the trip, so I was looking forward to trying some more of the offerings on the menu. I decided to order some appetizers instead of an entrée today. I started off with the chicken consommé with pork dumplings. This soup was simply two pork dumplings in a very bland chicken broth. While it was edible, it wasn’t anything special--I wouldn’t order it again. I ordered the cucumber salad again, and once again loved it. Interestingly, the cucumbers were diced instead of in sticks today. But they still had a sweet and tangy flavor with a slight kick. The final item was the General Tso’s Pot Stickers, which was basically pot stickers with General Tso’s sauce poured on top. These were very tasty, but I definitely prefer my pot stickers with a ginger sauce. Overall I enjoyed my meal at Nine Dragons, but next time I’ll stick with the entrées.

After lunch, I walked back to the Boardwalk to relax for a bit. I also stopped by the DVC model to visit with my cast member friend who was working there for a while. I had promised to bring her some candy from the Halloween party, and gave her a quart sized bag filled with yummy candy.

Around 4:30, I headed over to the Beach Club to meet my DIS friend and co-moderator on the theme parks board, BrianWDW_74 for dinner at Beaches and Cream. We were able to get a table right away. I ordered a bacon cheeseburger and fries. The burger was good, but not the best burger I’ve ever had.

After dinner, we walked over to Epcot. We were planning on catching a set by Sister Hazel that evening. Since we had time, we wandered around the World Showcase for a bit, and got a cold drink at the refreshment outpost before heading back to the America Gardens Theatre for the show.

It was a lot of fun seeing Sister Hazel at Epcot, and there were a lot of diehard fans there, since Sister Hazel is from Florida, and went to FSU. I didn’t recognize many of the songs, but they closed their set with their biggest hit, “All For You,” which had the up and dancing, and singing along. It was interesting seeing them now. We were sitting a row behind the rows reserved for VIPs, and it was interesting seeing their kids. At one point, one of the guys brought his young son on stage, and the little one just ran off stage and back to his mom. At the end of the song, the guy in Sister Hazel said, “For all you parents out there in bands, don’t bring your kid onstage for time out. It doesn’t work.”

After the show, Brian and I started to walk towards Test Track so I could use my Fast Pass. Brian said goodbye to me at the Gran Fiesta Tour.

After Test Track, I wandered back to France, where I was meeting John from Owner’s Locker, and some other Owner’s Locker owners for drinks. I had a yummy Orange Grand Manier slushie (thanks John). It was a beautiful evening, and it was nice to chat with John, and the other owners. It was really nice to hear that so many folks out there love their Owner’s Lockers as much as me--everyone had positive things to say about it. It was also nice to hear about John’s hopes for the company. I have to say that the more I interact with John, the more I feel confident storing my stuff with his company.

Before I continue my trip report, I just have to put in a little plug for Owner’s Locker. Owner’s Locker is a large purple plastic bin where you can store your stuff in Orlando so you don’t have to lug it back and forth every time. It’s really surprising to see how much can fit in there. I have mine filled with four days of clothes, a polar fleece jacket, two pairs of sneakers, a pair of sandals, a full sized hair dryer, laundry detergent, toiletries, and other odds and ends so I don’t have to lug as much down in my suitcase each trip. I have enough stuff stored down there that on most trips, I can get away with just a carryon right now. It’s really a great service, and in my opinion, a lot more economical than paying the extra fees for luggage that many airlines are imposing. And as an added bonus, lighter luggage going down means that I have more room for souvenirs on the way home.

Getting this trip report back on track, a few of us stayed at our table on the edge of the water in France through Illuminations. It was a really fantastic spot to watch Illuminations from. We had a great front row seat. It was nice to be able to sit down and rest the feet after wandering around the parks all day.

After Illuminations, I walked back to the Boardwalk with a couple of the Owner’s Lockers owners. I can’t remember their names, but they were really nice. So if you’re reading this now, it was great to meet all of the Owner’s Lockers owners out there.

When I got back to my room, I packed up my luggage, and my Owners Locker. I always hate the last night of my trips.

[OhMari]

Getting this trip report back on track, a few of us stayed at our table on the edge of the water in France through Illuminations. It was a really fantastic spot to watch Illuminations from. We had a great front row seat. It was nice to be able to sit down and rest the feet after wandering around the parks all day.

Is this an open area by France?

[TLinden16]

Is this an open area by France?

Yes. It's to the right of the stand where you by the slushies.

[SlightlyGoofy]

Hey Karen, sounds as if you had another wonderful day. The food did not impress me last trip either. I miss the days when you got some really good and different things especially at EPCOT.

I think the Owner's Locker is a great idea. A mini storage idea and so useful for frequent visitors. Wish I had thought of it first. ;)

Looking forward to the rest of your reports. You have some nice ideas for small things that add to the pleasure of a trip.

SG

[TLinden16]

Day 7--Wednesday October 15, 2008

I woke up early to get a jump start on my last few hours in Disney World. I got ready, had some breakfast, and did my last minute packing. Bags checked with resort airline check-in, and my Owner’s Locker dropped off at Bell Services, I was ready to make my way over to Disney Hollywood Studios. I really wanted to get on Toy Story Midway Mania one more time before heading home.

I was through the gates a few minutes after 9:00, and I walked straight to Toy Story to grab a fast pass. I had to wait 20 minutes in line just to get a fast pass for Toy Story! I have to say that the set up of the fast pass line was very frustrating. The cast members send you to a machine only after the previous people had left the machine. It would have moved a lot faster if they had double up groups at the fast pass machines. In the 20 minutes that I waited for a fast pass, the fast pass return time changed by close to two hours!

Fast pass in hand, I headed down Sunset Blvd. to try to get on the Tower of Terror. The line for Tower of Terror was already 40 minutes long! It extended almost out to the front entrance gate of the ride! It was crazy!

I skipped Tower of Terror, and jumped in the single riders line at Rock ‘N Roller Coaster. I had a bit of a wait for the single riders line, as they were only letting five people into the preshow at a time. I chatted with a nice woman from Alberta Canada and her grandchildren while I waited in line.

I stopped by the DVC booth on Sunset Blvd. to chat with my friend who was working her. She didn’t see me approaching her, so I said, “I hate people.” She just looked up at me, laughed, and said, “That was the best line I’ve heard all day.” I told her that I was very annoyed that everyone was where I wanted to be.

I headed over to the Great Movie Ride to try to get on it, but there was a 45 minute wait (well, it changed to a 40 minute wait when I got there)! I couldn’t tell you the last time I saw a 40 minute wait for the Great Movie Ride. I actually took a picture of the sign because I was so shocked to see it was so long!

At one point in the morning, I called my good friend Goofy4Tink. I have hung around at Disney World with Goofy4Tink many times, and when the parks are crowded, she always says, “Don’t these people have homes?” I called her up to let her know that she is correct. With the economy the way it is, people don’t have homes--they are all living in Disney theme parks, and they were all there that week! An annual pass is a lot more economical than a mortgage, I tell ya.

Since it was clear that I wasn’t going to get on many rides, I decided to make a reservation to have lunch at the Sci Fi Drive In. I got there at 11:00, and was seated in my car pretty quickly. I ordered a cheeseburger, and a vanilla milk shake. The milk shake was a bit disappointing--it was very thin, and didn’t have much flavor. The cheeseburger and fries were good, but not great. It was fun sitting in the car watching the clips on the screen, though.

After lunch, I went to use my fast pass for Toy Story. I road with a really nice woman, who was just laughing and having a blast on the ride. She was laughing and really having a blast shooting everything.

After Toy Story, I did manage to get on Tower of Terror. I didn’t think that I would make it on, but managed to get on it for my last ride of the trip.

I said stopped at the DVC booth on Sunset to say goodbye to my two friends who were working there, and made left the park to head over to the Dolphin, where I was meeting my DIS friend BriarRosie at the Fountain.

Since I had eaten a cheeseburger a couple hours earlier, I just got a side salad. BriarRosie got a cheeseburger, which she said was very good. My salad was good, but a bit on the boring side.

I then headed back to the Boardwalk to grab my carryon bags, and wait for Magical Express. I have to say that I didn’t have the same sadness that I usually have at the end of a trip. I was actually glad to be leaving the crowds, and I knew I had another trip planned for December, when, hopefully, the crowds will be a bit lighter.

[Donald is #1]

At one point in the morning, I called my good friend Goofy4Tink. I have hung around at Disney World with Goofy4Tink many times, and when the parks are crowded, she always says, “Don’t these people have homes?” I called her up to let her know that she is correct. With the economy the way it is, people don’t have homes--they are all living in Disney theme parks, and they were all there that week! An annual pass is a lot more economical than a mortgage, I tell ya.


Excellent point! :lmao: :lmao:

[Angelrose]

Thanks for another great report. I always enjoy reading your reports.