Mickey, ducks & snakes-oh my!! DDP $$ recap, OKW 5/24-5/30/10

[saintstickets]

While on the Kilimanjaro Safari, there are quite a few animals to see. Here are just a few...

These guys were a bit camera shy

Watch the horns on these bad boys

A few more

And then the king and queen themselves...stand up and take a bow...or not

 

[saintstickets]

Then we headed off to Kali River Rapids. As I stated previously, this is one of my favorite rides. No pics from that one unless you have a waterproof camera.

From there we had just enough time to make it to Everest Expedition using our FP's.

Another pic from the shutterbug shy crew.

With 5 in our group, sometimes you don't get to ride together so dear ole dad did not make it in the previous pic. That's okay. It probably saved them a camera lens from cracking!

 

[saintstickets]

It may be hard to imagine but DD will be starting her last year (I hope!) this fall on her pre-med degree. Just imagine, in a few more years you may be bringing your children to see her as Dr. Becky. At least she'll have plenty of experience making faces to try and cheer the kiddies up!!

From there we ate our CS meal at the Flame Tree Barbecue. For a CS meal, they have some really good smoked meats especially the St. Louis style ribs. The 1/2 smoked chicken and the beef or pork sandwiches are very good as well. Be careful when you eat though. The fowl have a habit of walking right under your table or seat looking for food! It makes you wonder though with all those animals in the AK and all that meat being sold....hmmmm

We rode and shopped some more. We didn't get to see the Festival of the Lion King this trip but I would highly recommend it if you get the chance. It's a first class show.

Reservations at Mama Melrose's in HS at 4:15 warranted our departure sooner than we wanted but this was part of the Fantasmic Dinner Package mentioned earlier. If you want the dinner package, you have to make dinner reservations between 3:30 and 5:00 even though the show didn't start until 9:00. So it's off to find our bus from AK to HS.

 

[saintstickets]

We made a quick trip back to the room for a change of clothes since someone (ahem) did not bring their poncho for Kali River Rapids. Also, AK is probably the hottest place at WDW and I believe we reached 93 degrees by this time. That's a good thing about staying on site. A couple of quick bus rides to the room and back and you're ready to go again. It makes it real nice if you have little ones that need their afternoon nap (and big ones too!) in order to make it until dark and closing time at the parks.

We made it to HS in plenty of time so we decided to try the Rock N Roller Coaster. We didn't get to do this the last time we were here. That is one great thing about being a DVC member. You don't feel as much pressure to go commando at the parks and ride everything because you know you'll be returning soon. Nevertheless, you probably can guess what is coming next. Yep, another ride pic! Here's another case where 5 aren't in the same picture so dad was left out again. Feeling sorry for me yet?

As you can see, DD's bf is starting to loosen up a bit and ham it up for the pics!

 

[saintstickets]

Then it was on to Mama Melrose's for our ADR TS meal. They were packed and running behind schedule but we only had a 15 minute wait and it was air conditioned so we didn't mind. We had a great CM waiting on us named Michael G and he explained the dinner package deal to us. We didn't realize that by making reservations for the dinner package and having the DP that we were entitled to an appetizer at no extra cost in addition to the entree, dessert and non-alcoholic beverage that the DP allowed. Appetizers ordered were the antipasto (large selection of meats, cheeses and marinated veggies), calamari, brushcetta and a caesar salad. I could have made a meal on this alone. Entrees were spaghetti fra diavolo (pasta with clams, calamari, mussels and shrimp), chicken alla parmesan, four cheese flatbread (we asked for pepperoni to be added and it was not a problem) and a charred sirloin (remember the earlier post saying we lean towards a lot of red meat?). For dessert we had crema limone (a nsa lemon custard topped with fresh berries and whip cream), honey hazlenut and ricotta cheesecake, tiramisu and a vanilla gelato. Oh boy...did I eat too much. It was all so good and we passed it around so everyone got a taste of it all. I can't stand to see food go to waste so I think I cleaned everyone's plate for them. I'm on a perpetual see food diet...I see food and I eat it!!! I was stuffed.

 

[saintstickets]

I wanted to walk some of the meal off but the rest of the crew was having none of that. It was straight on to the Tower of Terror.

I didn't want to take a chance on losing my meal so I sat this one out. The ride kept breaking down which was another reason I was a bit leery to go on it but they finally made it. As you can guess, another ride pic is in store.

Don't you feel sorry for the family sitting behind them when they went to get their picture?! They'll be asking themselves how they were so unfortunate to be sitting right behind a bunch of degenerate, semi-humanoids!!

 

[saintstickets]

We've seen Indiana Jones stunt spectacular, Journey into Narnia, Lights Motor Action stunt show, Studio Backlot tour and the Beauty and the Beast show before so we did not see those this time. They are all good shows, especially Beauty and the Beast. We have not seen Muppet 3D or Toy Story Mania before and we did not have enough time this trip. Maybe next one after Thanksgiving. A little more walking, a little more shopping and it was time to go see Fantasmic. For those of you that have not seen Fantasmic, it is a 25 minute show in an outdoor amphitheatre that will house nearly 10,000 people. The show is a combination of dancing fountains, fireworks, live actors, laser light water screens and much more. It is recommended that you get there 1 1/2 to 2 hours before the show in order to get in but we had reserved seats with the dinner package so we were told to be there 30-45 minutes ahead of time. They have 2 sections reserved for the dinner package guests and you enter through the exit. It was a really good show depicting a journey into the imagination of Mickey Mouse. Here are a few pictures of the show.

A few of the characters in the water parade

Some of the laser water screen scenes

And last but not least, the hero himself

Great show, great time at HS. Now to let the bus driver worry about getting us home after a long day at two separate parks.

 

[saintstickets]

Today is all EPCOT. We have 7:40 ADR's for our TS meal at LeCellier. As most of you know, LeCellier (in Canada pavillion) is a premier restaurant. Currently it is a 1 TS credit meal but there are rumors that it will soon change to a 2 TS credit meal like Jiko, Flying Fish Cafe, Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue, Mickey's Backyard BBQ, Citricos, Narcoossee's, Yachtsman Steakhouse, Brown Derby or dining at Cinderella's Royal Table. If it changes, it will be the first in EPCOT to require 2 credits on the DP.

In the Future World, we rode Test Track, Mission Space, Living with the Land and Soarin. We heard Soarin was real popular so we got a FP for it first thing. Honey I shrunk the audience, Ellen's Energy Adventure and Spaceship Earth were working and then not working all morning long so we missed them this day. We headed to Mission Space after getting the FP for Soarin. The last time we were at WDW in 2007, we all rode the orange side. This is the intense side of the ride and for whatever reason, that time it made me very queasy. This time DW and I rode the green side (less intense) and DS, DD and DD's bf rode the orange side. No problems this year so it was on to the Test Track. There was a 45 minute wait for the multiple passenger side but only a 15 minute wait on the single side. DW, DD and DDbf took the multiple side (each car seats 6 with 3 abreast in the front and 3 in the back) and DS and I took the single rider side. I rode in a car with a couple that had 3 young girls that sat in the front. After it was over, I told them that they were ready to get their driver's license. I don't think the parents appreciated it very much!

After waiting for DW, DD and DDbf to finish Test Track, we headed back across Future World to use our FP for Soarin. It was our first time to ride Soarin and it was fantastic. Did you smell the evergreens and orange blossoms? We will definately add this to our "must do" list at EPCOT.

It was time to get something to eat and since we were already in the building, we ate our CS credit meal at the Sunshine Season Food Fair. We had the chicken caeser salad, smoked ham salami sandwich, rotisserie chicken and the spicy chicken cashew meals. Desserts were cinammon roll, white chocolate macadamia nut cookie, strawberry shortcake, soarin brulee and butterfinger cheesecake. All tasty and all good and plenty to eat. Sitting next to us were a couple with 2 teenage girls. They saw my shirt with the New Orleans Saints logo on the pocket and said they were Saints fans too. They were from south Louisiana only about 150 miles from where we live. It's a small world....no wait, we rode that the next day!

We rode Living with the Land in the same building and then headed to the World Showcase. DD and DDbf had to have the obligatory picture taken with Spaceship Earth in the background.

 

[saintstickets]

I LOVE World Showcase! I could spend 2 days just looking at all the different items for sale and all the shows in each country's pavillion. I really want to make it back one year for the Food & Wine festival in the fall. There are all kinds of nooks and crannies in each country that you miss if you don't take your time. Here are a few we found this trip.

Norway waterfall

Germany outdoor train set

Morocco tile fountain (DD got a henna tattoo on her wrist in Morocco-it wore off in a week-WHEW!)

Japan koi pond

Japan anesaiku artist aka Candy Lady - she makes these figures out of rice toffee

Canada gardens near entrance to LeCellier

We took in the shows at Mexico, Norway and China. Mexico is expanding one of its restaurants and Italy is building a new restaurant. There is a rumor that Turkey will build a pavillion where the outpost is between China and Germany but you know how rumors go. In the United Kingdom you can look up your family surname and see if there is an associated coat-of-arms. In 2007 I found both my parents surnames and had a plaque made with both their coat-of-arms on it with a brief description. It is on display at their house to this day. There are not as many rides in EPCOT to have pictures taken on so DW and DD made up for the lack of expense by buying around the world! If you stay at one of the WDW resorts, they will deliver your purchases (and ride pictures) to your resort so you don't have to carry them around with you all day. I like this a lot because I know who ends up carrying the packages!!!

 

[saintstickets]

Time to eat our TS credit meal at LeCellier. We were early as usual but very little wait time. I was looking forward to this meal as we had never eaten here. Our entrees were the New York Strip, salt-crusted prime rib and the mushroom filet mignon. Desserts were maple creme brulee, chocolate "moose" (this is Canada remember), sorbet and a canadian club chocolate cake. The entrees were super tender and the mushroom risotto with the filet was fantastic. I found the recipe for the risotto online at www.illuminatingepcot.com and we will definately try this at home! A word of caution on the desserts. I guess Canadiens REALLY love their maple because each dessert has some type of maple syrup or flavoring on them. When we return after Thanksgiving I will skip the dessert and use our TIW card for an appetizer. I did use the TIW card for the first time here to get a beer. I tried Moosehead beer while in college many, many, many years ago and decided to give it a go again. It was very cold and very good after a long hot day.

 

[saintstickets]

After our meal we tried to stake out a place to watch the EPCOT fireworks display - Illuminations Reflections of Earth but people were already camping out in their spots. DW, DD and DDbf were to find a place while DS and I went to Mexico for him to get a gift for a co-worker. There was some lightning in the area so we weren't sure it was going to proceed. We found our crew near the Showcase Plaza and waited for the show to begin. It wasn't long and here is some of what we saw.

We thought it was over and started walking across the bridge that connects World Showcase and Future World when the display continued

As we were walking across the bridge I noticed the crepe myrtle trees lining the walk and made the comment to DS that I wonder what they do in the winter when all the blooms and leaves are gone. He reminded me that when we were at WDW Thanksgiving 2007 that the bridge was covered with lights. I guess that college education panned out after all!

A familiar site as we were leaving EPCOT

 

[saintstickets]

Today we head back to MK until it is time for our 6:55 ADR TS meal at Biergarten in EPCOT-Germany. We grabbed a FP for Big Thunder Mountain RR and then headed to Adventureland for the Jungle Cruise. Jungle Cruise CM's are corny but you can't help but laugh. Recognize this?

We've ridden just about every ride there is at MK (I really miss the Skyway to Tomorrowland) so we ride now out of tradition. We rode, walked through or visited Swiss Family Treehouse, Pirates of the Caribbean, Splash Mountain again (no pic this time), used our FP at BTMRR, Haunted Mansion and It's a Small World.

Time to eat so we use our CS meal credit at Pinocchios just around the corner from Small World. Entrees were standard fare - lots of chicken nuggets, a decent meatball sub and a pepperoni pizza salad. Desserts were either strawberry cheesecake or strawberry yogurt. We took our time as it was air conditioned inside and hot outside.

We made our way to Tomorrowland to ride Space Mountain. Years ago (1985) when DW and I came alone, you sat in the ride two to a capsule and the person in the back straddled their legs to the side of the person in the front. DW put her purse on the floor and as we went down that first steep drop off, her purse came out of the capsule. I don't know how I did it but I grabbed her purse and hung on to the purse, her and me with a death grip for the rest of the ride!

As you can see from the ride pictures below (imagine that? we have a ride pic!) the seating is different now. The seating is different but the facial expressions haven't changed!

 

[saintstickets]

Buzz Lightyear was Take Flight in 1997 the last time we rode this ride. We didn't ride it when we came in 2007. Likewise, Monster Inc Laugh Floor was The Timekeeper in 2007 so both Buzz and Monster are new to us. They are both great. Buzz is an interactive ride where Monster incorporates the audience into the show. With Monster, several of the audience members are used in the show so this will be a bit different each time you watch it. It's a good family show and you can even text a joke to them while waiting in line that might be used in the show.

On Buzz, DS and DDbf rode together; DW and DD rode together and I rode alone. You help Buzz fight off the Evil Emperor Zurg's robot minions with your laser cannon and it keeps score. Naturally I had the highest score but DS claims it was because I was in a spaceship by myself. Yeah...right!!

 

[saintstickets]

Now it is time to head to EPCOT for our ADR at Biergarten in Germany. We got mixed up and instead of turning left when entering World Showcase, we turned right and had to walk almost all the way around the World!! For once we were a few minutes late but it wasn't a problem. We were seated within 15 minutes. Each table seats 8 so unless you have 7 or 8 in your party, you will be seated with others to fill up the table. Biergarten is a Bavarian buffet with a floor show.

The buffet has dozens of items. Cold items include numerous types of salad (potato, bean, cucumber, mixed green, pasta, tomato and sausage - yes sausage salad!), cheeses and meats. There were two types of soup that vary with the season. The hot items included rotisserie chicken, pork roast, roasted potatoes, spaetzle, bratwurst, a meatloaf type dish in a red wine sauce, braised cabbage, salmon filet, various sausages and vegetables . There were several sauces for the meats but one in particular was an apple chutney. Put that sauce on the roast pork and add in the cold german potato salad and it was fantastic!! Desserts included florentiner cookies, Blackforest cake, Bavarian cheesecake, fresh fruit salad, vanilla pudding with chocolate chips, rote gruetze with vanilla sauce and baked apple strudel with vanilla sauce. Yum, Yum!! I think I tried almost every item they had!

The floor show is musicians playing in the Oktoberfest tradition. Diners are encouraged to make their way to the dance floor or follow along at your table in what I can only describe as a cross between the chicken dance and the macarena! No pictures here...I wouldn't wish that on anyone!!!

After our meal, we shopped Italy, France and the U.K. We did not watch Illuminations this time but today was EMH at EPCOT so we made our way back to Future World. Spaceship Earth was open now so we headed up into the big silver ball. It is a continuously moving ride through time and space with interactive touch screens in your capsule that allow you to build your view of tomorrow by entering in your choices. The ride uses image capturing and facial recognition technology so that at the end you can see yourself on a huge screen in various hilarious scenes such as

 

[Goofy442]

Great update!

 

[ADAMANDLISA]

Great trip report so far! I can't wait to hear more.

We stayed in the same building our first (and only) time to OKW. We loved the location so much that we have requested it for this trip!

 

[heathers4um]

I cant wait for our first trip home for the F&W the first week of Nov! Great trip report! I am also weighing out the TIW/DP...or to just stock up and eat in the 1 br we have! We are only doing EPCOT this particular trip since its just DBF and I. We want to relax and resort hop, go to DTD and get to know our new home! Still havent decided but you have been so helpful!

 

[GaRain]

Subscribing! Love the ride photos!

 

[sisaaliyah]

Hey there! Loving your TR. I came over after finding your link on the OKW lovers thread. We just bought into OKW and have yet to stay there, so glad to see how much you enjoyed it. I see on the Hank's rentals sign you posted they have a pirates cruise for the kids, I didn't realize they had one of those at OKW. Too bad you missed TSM at DHS, we were able to ride it on our last trip and it's fantastic. Our stand out meal on our last trip was Biergarten. Can't wait to hear more about your trip. Thanks.

 

[Mai Ku Tiki]

Loving your TR....helped make Monday bearable