Well, here it is.....
I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed doing it and then reliving it!
NancyL
The Link. Family 15 day WDW vacation
Participants:
Me- Nancy aka Mom
DH Brian aka Dad
DD- Allie age 8
DS- Brad age 6
DS Christian age 2
10/11/02
430am: Woke up at the Days Inn Newark Airport after a TERRIBLE nights sleep w/ DH and Brad in one bed and Me, Allie, and Chris in the other. Chris is just not a good group sleeper and we did not get a crib for the one night. Anyway, off to the airport to catch 7am flight. No problems, arrived in Orlando at 10am. Jim from Yourride picked us up in a surprise (for the kids) stretch limo. They were very excited and Jim was absolutely terrific. We got to the Wilderness Lodge around 11am. Our room wasnt ready (we stayed concierge this time) but we got a tour of the concierge floor and were offered snacks and drinks. We changed clothes, signed up to be Flag Family for the following Thursday and hooked up with the boat to the Magic Kingdom. First we rode the railroad around the park (Christian was so happy- hes a BIG train lover) then Brian and Allie went on Splash Mt (Allies first choice). There was a 45 min. wait so we bagged baby swap and headed over to the Buzz Lightyear ride (Brads choice). That was a 20 min. wait but it went quickly. After Buzz we went on the Tomorrowland Transit Authority which was cool b/c Space Mt was broken down and it was all lit up inside- we got to see the coaster in full light (and all the people that were stuck on it). It was really neat. We were kind of tired by now so we took the boat back to the hotel. Our room was ready by now so we unpacked and settled in. Went to Whispering Canyon for dinner and ordered ketchup (you have to do this at least once a trip) and a large soda. Had a quick swim in the pool and were in bed by 9pm. Very nice first day.
10/12
Woke up ourselves around 730 (we were all excited I guess) and were at Epcot by 910am. Got a FP for TestTrack then rode Ellens Energy Adventure. Did Baby Swap on Test track- this was our first time actually on this ride- in the past it had been broken down or we got rained out. What a GREAT ride! Next we headed over to Journey into your imaginiation w/ Figment- Oh how I missed that little guy! Glad hes back. Ate lunch at LeCellier- yum!! Brian had the salmon trio to start and I had the cheddar cheese soup (to die for). Next, Brian had the BarBQ end tips and I had the NY Strip- this was the best meal (of many good ones) for me all vacation. The roasted garlic cloves- Oh, what a memory!! Sigh. Ok, back to the vacation- headed over to Spaceship Earth, hopped on the monorail to the Magic Kingdom and then took the boat to the Wilderness Lodge. Got back to the hotel around 3pm, pool for a half hour then nap till 5pm. Back to the Magic Kingdom to meet our neighbors for a few rides and dinner at 530. Why we thought it would only take a half hour to get from the hotel to the Liberty tree tavern on a Sat. is beyond me but needless to say we were about a half hour late and missed them. We relaxed on the porch for about 20 minutes just in case and finally gave up and went on Pirates of the Caribbean and then the Jungle Cruise. The parade started at 8pm so during the parade we went on the Haunted Mansion, Small World, the Carousel and Snow White. Our PS at the Liberty Tree Tavern was 850pm and we were hoping our neighbors would show up for that (turns out they were just too tired and went back to their hotel- they had been there for a week already and were going home the next day). Had a great dinner w/ Chip and Dale, Pluto, Minnie and Goofy and left the restaurant with perfect timing to see the 10pm Spectromagic parade. I can only say I felt pure joy watching this show- it was magic in action. Back to the room very happy and relaxed by 1130pm. Zzzzzz
10/13
820 PS at Donalds Breakfastasaurus got us into the park early which was fun. The food was good but we did feel rushed at this meal- we met all the standard characters and got photos- lots of nice people sitting near us which made it more fun. After we ate we got right on Triceratops spin twice then Allie and I went on Primeval Whirl (we went on it twice but dont tell the boys that hee hee hee). We met up at the carnival section and hurried over to the safari ride. There was only a 15 min. wait and we got to see quite a few animals- Brad especially loved the giraffes. Christian thought the jeep was really cool. Next we did the Maharajo Jungle Trek then took the train to Rafikis planet watch. Christian really loved the train and the petting zoo.
When we got back to the main park, there was a posted wait of 25 minutes on Kali River Rapids so we decided to wait instead of fast pass it- well, somehow we just hit it right- went on 4 times in a row without getting off! Theres some more Disney Magic for you!
Now its around 2pm and were quite tired, hungry and wet so we ate at the Flame Tree BarBQ. They forgot the fries and since I was going to run over and get FP for Dinosaur, on the way back I got some Mcdonalds fries for the kids- they were very happy with this. Our FP at Dinosaur was for a little before 4pm so after we ate the kids played at the Boneyard for about an hour. They LOVED this place- it took a bit to get them out- especially Christian- he was running around unable to decide what to do next. Very cute. Used babyswap at the Dinosaur ride so the kids got to ride it twice which they enjoyed. At 4pm the parade started. We sat in front of the dinoland bridge right on the sidewalk and had a great view. It was thundering and lightning the entire length of the parade but didnt rain till the parade was over. Got to the bus stop just in time for a thunderstorm that only Disney could have produced opened up the skies- the kids were a bit scared (The thunder was very very loud and the lightning was very very close) but the bus pulled up and we got on safely. Back at the room we got some soup (cheddar cheese- yum), mac and cheese and wine and since we were so tired, cancelled our PS at Bomas. I was very disappointed w/ this b/c we were supposed to meet my internet friend Barb (aka my friend the pin person lol) at Bomas. I called her on her cell phone and explained that everyone was asleep or almost there and that we wouldnt be able to meet. The boys were out by then and Allie and I headed to the WL gift shop for some shopping then we too went to bed by 8pm. Brian woke up around 10pm and went down to the bar to watch some sports game and get a snack. I dont know what time he returned as I was sound asleep.
10/14
715am we were awakened by Brians work calling on the cell phone. Poor guy just couldnt get away. He was on and off the phone all day but didnt let it interfere too much in our activities. Anyway, after a quick breakfast at the concierge offerings, we were off to Epcot via boat to MK and Monorail to TTC then Epcot. Kind of convoluted but pleasant as we got to ride up front from the TTC to Epcot. First we Fast passed Test Track then on to Ellens Energy Adventure. After the movie (which does get boring after the 6th-7th time) the ride broke down so we all had to get off and leave the building. We spent the next hour in the Fitness Fair (during this time Allie and I went on Body Wars- if you are even vaguely succeptable to motion sickness, stay off this ride- Even I was a bit queasy at the end!). Time for Test track! Did baby swap again so the kids got to ride twice. (they will be so disappointed when Christian can go on these rides- grin) and off to Japan for our Teppanyaki lunch. The food was excellent, the chef was pretty good and our tablemates were boring and openly disapproving of our taking the kids out of school for the vacation. Considering one of them was a grade school teacher who called in sick that day, we felt they were somewhat hypocritical, but well heck, we didnt let them ruin our time. After lunch we walked through Japan, US, Italy, Germany, China, Norway, and then Mexico (where we had some very smooth and refreshing margaritas- yum).
Next we meandered over to Innoventions West where we spent some time playing and sending email postcards (none of them went through and I had a TON of viruss when I returned home- quite a coincidence, eh?).
We left Epcot around 410 to take the monorail route to the Contemp where we had 515 PS for Chef Mickeys. Excellent food and great character interaction- this is a great meal-and a nice bang for the buck. After dinner we took the boat back to the Wilderness Lodge, had a quick swim and were in bed by 9pm.
10/15
First of all, Id like to note that this was supposed to be an MGM day after CRT but somehow that never happened. Heres the day
PS for CRT at 9:05, we arrived just about quarter to and the lobby was packed. It was very noisy and crowded but the people were very friendly and as excited as we were. We stood in line for the Fairy Godmother for a while but somehow the line never really moved. Finally they called The Royal Linkevich Family (pronouncing it correctly I might add) and up the magic elevator we went. Food was good, the view was spectacular- we had GREAT seats and we met Prince Charming in addition to the princesses- very fun time.
When we finished breakfast, we decided on a quick ride on Dumbo since the park wasnt too crowded yet. While on the ride, somehow, Brad snagged Allies new earring (first time she had changed earrings since having them pierced 6 weeks prior) and it came out, causing her ear to bleed. To make matters worse, she lost the earring. Came off the ride sobbing. We walked her over to the 7 Dwarfs mine and asked Liz, one of the girls behind the counter, where we could purchase a new set of earrings. Liz not only walked us over to the store where we could get them, she pulled the one that was lost from a 3 piece set and GAVE it to Allie- the only thing she asked was that Allie please stop crying because it made her sad. Theres that Disney magic. Allie was thrilled so of course I purchased another 2 pairs of earrings there- one for me and another kind for Allie.
Finally, back on track- we began heading out of the park to go to MGM but there in front of us w/ no line and no people about was Bert (from Mary Poppins) and the two penguins. By the time we were done playing w/ them, Christian had spotted the carousel and wanted a ride on that- so we did that then Dumbo again, Peter Pan, Pooh, the Raceway, Space Mt and Buzz. We spent about an hour in the video arcade area outside of Space Mt (my kids discovered arcades on this trip- sigh). Finally saw the talking trash can and almost lost Allie- she was following it just mesmerised. Very funny. Got back to the hotel around 3pm just as it started to rain. Hung around, watched TV and relaxed, changed our clothes and headed out to MGM around 430. Checked in for the Fantasmic Dinner Package at Hollywood and Vine and hung around watching some street performers, bought some pins and waited about 20 min. past our PS time to get in to Hollywood and Vine. The food was just ok- the service was alright- nothing to write home about honestly. At 7pm it was still raining really really hard and some of us were getting cranky (Brian) so we headed home skipping Fantasmic. At the hotel, on the way to our room, the kids spotted the arcade- so guess where we spent that rainy evening and most of our pocket money. Yup- we were there a long time that evening. Finally got back to the room, wrote some postcards, and then to bed around 930.
10/16
I woke up kind of sad today- our vacation was almost half over. Sounds silly, but I had put so much effort and energy into planning this- and here I was living it. It was a weird feeling. The whole day just didnt roll along smoothly like the rest of the trip. Everyone was cranky and argumentative (we all have days like this- but youd rather not have one in Disney, you know?) Again, this morning we ate breakfast at the concierge lounge then did the scenic boat-monorail-ttc-monorail-epcot journey to Epcot. 1st thing we toured today was The Living Seas. Perhaps my memory is going but I remembered this as a much more entertaining and fun exhibit. This time around it was just plain boring. The only fun part was seeing the Manatees. We were all a bit disappointed I think but perhaps it was just the collective mood rather than the attraction? Next we watched Food Rocks which I had never seen and thought was adorable. Brian thought it was dumb- The kids liked it- especially Christian. After the show we watched Circle of Life which was pretty good- anything w/ Lion King theming seems to be a hit at Disney- they do it well. Oh, heres some more Disney Magic! At the Circle of Life, I had dropped my disposable A&P brand camera with about 5 photos on it. I was kind of bummed but since there were only a few photos I figured it was lost. I mentioned it to a passing custodian and asked that if he found it to please send it up to the lost and found and Id check later in the day if it was there. Well, after about an hour we passed by the lost and found and just for kicks I checked. There it was waiting for me! Apparently the custodian (I wish Id gotten his name) went into the theater after the next show and searched under all the seats till he found it. What a great guy! I was really touched. Ok, back to the bad day (for how can any day at Disney be really a bad one) After the Circle of Life we got a fast pass for the Living with the Land boat ride and headed over to Figments ride. I really like this version. That figment is so cute. Next we cruised through Canada and had some Fish and Chips in the UK pavilion. Very very tasty. We fed some ducks too right next to the lagoon on the lower level of the deck.. Did the Living with the Land boat ride then off to Honey I shrunk the Audience adventure- very funny- thats a great attraction. We then hung out at Innoventions East for about a half hour till it was time for our Ice Cream Social PS. Of course, Christian had fallen asleep and woke up cranky, Brian got some really bad motion sickness in the revolving restaurant- the characters tried really really hard to play with the kids but they really werent having any. I have to give those characters credit- they kept coming back and trying. We finished up around 415 (Brian met us outside the restuarant- he just didnt feel good in there-). Did Ellens energy Adventure (again) then sat to watch the musical fountain. This is one of my favorite parts of Epcot but Allie was nagging to go back to the hotel to swim and Christian was crying and Brian was grousing so we cut the watching the fountain time short and headed back to the hotel. We decided to take the monorail to the Contemporary this time (for a change) and while waiting for the boat from the Contemporary to the Wilderness Lodge we fed the ducks and fish for a while- that was the most fun we had had together all day. Those fish are cool the way they jump up to get the pellets. And the ducks will eat right out of your hand! Even Christian had fun. Go figure. Feeding ducks is the hit of the day. Sometimes the simplest things .(grin).
10/17
Happy 10th Anniversary to Nancy and Brian! This morning we were chosen to be Flag Family. Ranger Stan was waiting for us in the lobby and we went up the secret staircase to the roof. What a perfect day. Deep blue sky, warm temps, cool breeze- you could see forever up there! We all got to raise a flag and got some great photos. We hung out w/ Ranger Stan up there for about an hour- what a great guy he is! After our adventures on the roof, we went back to the room, picked up our water things and headed to Typhoon Lagoon. Chris and Brad played in Katchakiddy creek the whole time while Brian and I took turns taking Allie on the big kid slides. Very nice morning for all of us. We left around 1230 to go back to the hotel for some much needed nap time. Brian and Brad went to the Whispering Canyon for a bite while Allie Chris and I headed to Roaring Forks. They all napped in the room after lunch and I went to the pool and slept in the sun. AHHH this is what a vacation is all about. After a quick and refreshing dip, I laid out some more to dry off and headed back upstairs to get everyone ready for the Hoop De Doo! This was a highlight for the kids- they loved the slapstick humor, the clapping, and especially loved watching Mommy and Daddy dance during the celebration song. Really really fun evening.
10/18
Woke up late this morning and took our time getting dressed and ready. Had breakfast at the Whispering Canyon. We got to the Magic Kingdom around 945 for the Family Magic Tour. Wonderful tour! Brandye was our guide- very cute but needed to be louder. There were a lot of people w/ strollers and that kind of hampered our way (including us by the way) but everyone was into the spirit of the game and participated which made it fun. We got to meet Wendy and Peter at the end of the tour and they took us to the front of the line and rode Its a Small World with us. What a GREAT time we had w/ them. The MK was very very crowded today. After the tour (around noon) we jumped into a line lull at the Haunted Mansion and then hopped on the train over by Splash Mountain. We WERE going to take the train all the way around but the kids wanted to get off at Toon Town. We did the whole left side of Toon Town (Mickey and Minnies house, the Judges Tent) and got a lot of autographs. It was our plan to return later in the vacation to do the other side but we never got around to it- next trip maybe. We got to the main areas just in time to watch the Share a dream come true parade- very well done- I got goosebumps (again) watching it. Got back to the hotel around 4pm and got take out from Roaring Forks for the kids dinner. Vivian from Fairy Godmothers came to the room around quarter to 6 and the kids seemed fine so off we went for our night out. First stop was Marakesh in Morocco where I had EXCLLENT beef kabobs following a nice salad appetizer of chicken and beef pastries. Brian had a seafood thingy that he said was very spicy but he liked it a lot. Dessert was assorted Moroccan pastries. YUM.
Done w/ dinner by 830 so took the Epcot boat to the Boardwalk and waited (for almost 45 minutes) for the bus to Downtown Disney. First we went to the comedy club but they had just started a show and werent letting anyone in so we headed over to the Adventurers club. What a GREAT time we had! We got home around midnight, paid Vivian (who was absolutely WONDERFUL- we found out later that she had quite the evening with the boys and the potty) and went to bed. The hotel staff had thought that this was our anniversary so left us a card and a chocolate bar with an edible photo of the Wilderness Lodge on the top as a happy anniversary gift. It was cute and we appreciated the gesture a lot.
10/19
Slept in till 9am and headed over to Ft Wilderness to try the best kept secret for budget dining in WDW The Trails End Buffeteria. Well, the price and the food quality met our expectations- tasty and cheap, however, the crowd that was there was really really rude, pushy and generally offensive. The service was also very slow- it took Brian 3 requests to get a second cup of coffee. Worth the price tho. Next we went to the petting zoo and rode the ponys which the kids absolutely loved. They also enjoyed an impromptu tour of the stables and meeting many of the big horses. Back to the hotel for a nap- Brian and the kids slept and I changed clothes and headed out to Epcot to meet the DisneyNation crowd. It was a ball- I met WDWDen and his very pregnant wife Jenine, Colleen and Mike Means, Alicia G and her sister, PammyK, Linda C, LoriBell and FlSharon. We also met another poster briefly and Im so so sorry I cant remember her screen name- very nice lady- she left early so I didnt get to cement her name in my memory. Im sure Ill talk to her soon. We hung out for about an hour then I called Brian and the kids to come meet me and the group split up (more or less).
Since this was the first day of the food and wine fest, we decided to take a walk around World Showcase and check it out- we tasted this and that (dont remember much- we had a bit of wine to taste as well) and got back to the room around 730- ordered room service pizza and in bed by 9pm.
10/20
MNSSHP Tonight! Woke up, relaxed in the room for a while and headed down to the pool. Brian took the kids one at a time (not Christian- hes too little) on the water mice- Brad lasted a half hour, Allie lasted an hour- they had a total ball. Meanwhile back at the pool, I had initiated a game of throw the water shoe up the stream and see if it comes back and was entertaining most of the kiddies in the area. It was lots of fun till the shoe got stuck and the kids all wanted to climb in the stream to retrieve it- the lifeguards had a fit but overall they were very nice about it and retrieved it themselves. We went up to the room and napped from about 1-4pm, showered, changed into the costumes, and got to the MK around 625pm for our 630 PS at the Liberty Tree Tavern. This was an ok meal but a GREAT atmosphere. After dinner we headed over to the Haunted Mansion, rode it twice, got some special pins, a key to the mansion for Brad, and a doom buggy replica for Christian then headed over to Splash Mt and Big Thunder Mt RR. Allie got mad b/c she got wet on Splash Mt and ruined the feathers in her tail but she got over it. Next we headed to Fantasyland and went on the Carosuel and Its a Small World, Snow White, Pooh, and Dumbo- all these were walk ons. While the kids were on Dumbo, the fireworks started. This was the most spectacular fireworks display I have ever seen bar none. They started innocently enough behind the Dumbo ride (with our backs to the castle) but then boom- all over the park from the perimeter in- it was absolutely breathtaking. Really something to see. Afterward, we went over to Alien Encounter. Brian and Allie went on while the boys and I waited in the child swap area. When it was my turn, 0 Allie wouldnt go on it again with me and it was parade time anyway so we headed over to Main St. and got some good standing space on Main St with our backs to Tomorrowland. Great parade- again, well done. Next we hit Buzz and I went on Alien Encounter (alone) while the kids and Brian did Buzz a second time. The boys went home around 11:15 and Allie and I had a girls hour out going on Space Mt twice and then dancing with some characters (Chip,Dale,Buzz, others- I cant remember them all- there were about 10- and of course my camera was w/ Brian) in the Tomorrowland Stage area. We trick or treated our way out of the park and got to the room around 12:30 tired and very happy.
10/21
Slept in (till about 8-grin) and headed over to Blizzard Beach fore the morning. Had a ball. The older two loved the pre-teen area and Christian really liked Tikes Peak area but I think he preferred the Typhoon Lagoon one. Again, Brian and I switched off with taking Allie on the big slides and watching the younger boys areas. Christian was too little for the pre-teen area. Back to the room around 2pm, napped till about 5pm then off to Epcot for our PS at the Biergarten. GREAT dinner. The kids really liked the band and danced a few polkas. The big highlight was the chicken dance. They got a great kick out of that one. After dinner we headed over to Norway and went on Maelstrom- I love that ride and feel it dosnt get enough attention in the media describing Disney. We stopped by the outpost (Africa) and picked up a set of (bamboo?) wooden windchimes that I had had my eye on all vacation. They are so cool- I cant wait to hang them up! We also stopped by Italy to pick up some quite tasty sparkling pink wine we had tasted the other day. Yum!
We took our usual route from Epcot to the TTC and b/c the MK was closed, we stopped at the Contemporary to catch the boat to the Wilderness lodge. Of course, we forgot the boats stopped running at 10pm and since it was 11 by now (we took our time leaving the park) we were stuck. We ended up taking a cab (cost $5.00) from the Contemporary to the Wilderness lodge so it wasnt too bad an error.
10/22
Downtown Disney/Rest day.
Left the room around 9am and got to DD about 10:15. Was a very long trip but we made a lot of stops. We managed to spend quite a bit over budget,but isnt that what Downtown Disney is for? We got some great pillows for our bed, some tee shirts, a new trivia book (for me) and some cool Lego swords that you cant find anywhere else. In the new toy store alone (Once Upon a Toy) we were about an hour and a half just looking around. We ate lunch at McDonalds (which Brad stated was his favorite meal for the entire trip- go figure!) and got home around 230. We slept till about 5 then hit Mickeys Backyard BarBQ. The food was excellent. Again, we had a similar experience as with the Trails End Buffeteria. The people were very rude and pushy. Not like any of the other meals we had attended, including the hoop de doo review. Very odd- One explanation could be that it was very very humid that night and quite warm so people maybe were just irritable? Allie was having a wonderful time dancing the line dances so Brian took the boys home and went to bed right after they ate and Allie and I followed about an hour later.
10/23
Finally! Today were going to MGM! First off we got Fast Passes for Tower of Terror and the Rock n Roller coaster. This worked out well b/c we only needed two passes for each ride. (Brad, Brian and Christian were not planning on going on either of these two). Because it wasnt too crowded we ended up going on the Tower of Terror twice- First tho Allie and I went on the Rock n Roller coaster. I have to say, it was an ok ride, but my head banged around so much I came off with a doozie of a headache. I had Brian take Allie on the Tower of Terror first so I could grab some aspirin and try to recover, then it was my turn on the Tower of Terror- yes, it got rid of my headache all right! What a GREAT ride! I really loved the sensation of dropping like that! When we got off, we still had a fastpass left over for the RockN Roller coaster but Brian wouldnt go on it and I didtn want to- We ended up putting Allie in the care of a VERY nice UK family and let her go on it again. She did fine and had a ball. Next we headed over to make PS at the Sci Fi café which we got for 2pm. Did the Great Movie Ride, Voyage of the Little Mermaid, lunch, Muppetvision and Playhouse Disney. Before Muppetvision, we hit the parade route with perfect timing and watched the great Stars and Motorcars parade. Christian thought it was really cool to see Rollie Pollie Ollie and some of his other friends. The Sci Fi café was pretty neat but I have to say I thought some of the cartoons they showed were a bit violent for my kids (and I let them watch superheros, power rangers etc with no problem). It was a bit expensive but they got some cool souvineer glasses with these light up ice cubes that were a big hit.
When we left Playhouse Disney it was absolutely pouring (had been raining and thundering on and off all day) so we hung around for a bit to see if it would stop. After about an hour, Brian wanted to go back to the hotel and Allie, Brad and I wanted to stay to see if Fantasmic was going to show. Brian ended up taking Christian back to the hotel and Allie Brad and I settled in for a long wait in the rain. Of course Brian had most of the money that day along w/ my credit card so all I had was about 10 in cash and our room key (which I could charge on of course). We get in to sit down (got GREAT front and center seats) and I went up to get us something to eat. Of course the food vendors at Fantastmic do not take room keys so I got 3 waters and a pretzel to split. We had $3.00 left so after the pretzel and water, we split a cotton candy from a vendor (small small portions there!). Fantastmic was good but not as good as I expected. For some reason I expected a bit more bang. The water screen movie was cool and the floats at the end were neat but other than that, well, I liked Illuminations and Fantasy in the Sky a lot better for nighttime sky shows. The highlight of the evening was the nice people we were sitting with. Allie had to go to the bathroom toward the end of the show so I let her go alone (it wasnt that far). Well of course the show ended and 15000 people get up to leave and shes not back yet. The VERY very nice people around me (there were about 15 of them) searched and looked and held up crowds and basically went way out of their way to make sure she was found and returned to me. She was a bit scared but I only lost her for about 3-4 minutes so it wasnt too bad. Very scary there for a minute or two. Anyway, we got back to the hotel without further incident, tired and wet, but happy.
10/24
Last full day. How sad!! Today was a free day and the kids (believe it or not) chose to go to Epcot (they knew we were going to the MK for the very last day). We did everyones favorite rides again (Brad- Test Track, Ellens Energy Adventure- Allie (Journey into Imagination, Spaceship Earth- Me- Maelstrom and the Fountian, Brian- wandered through World Showcase) and headed over to the Animal Kingdom Lodge for our PS at Jikos. We took a quick tour (by ourselves, no guide) of the lodge while there and were pretty impressed. The only down side is that it was very humid (and kind of hot) and there were lots and lots of bugs. It was neat seeing the animals so close to the hotel like that tho.
Jikos was great altho a bit expensive. We also liked the gift shop at the Animal Kingdom Lodge a lot- it seemed like it had a lot more stuff than the one at the Wilderness Lodge. Took the bus to Downtown Disney and then hopped onto the Wilderness Lodge bus from there to get home. That was another really long trip- Disney definitely has to work on the transportation issues. They were better than my last visit however.
10/25
Check out day! (sigh). We packed our bags and had them all sent down to the storage room, bid our concierge floor/staff and food goodbye, and headed over to the Magic Kingdom to one last time experience the heart of the magic. We mostly wandered around, went on our favorite rides again (the Mountains, Buzz, Pirates, Haunted Mansion, Small World) and headed back to the hotel around 3pm for a quick swim before Jim (Yourride) came to pick us up. Jim arrived at 545, 15 minutes early, which was fine, we were ready, and off we went to the airport. No problems getting home, we got to our house around 12:30am Sat. morning, didnt even unpack the car- just went right to sleep and had sweet dreams of our next vacation.
The End.
I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed doing it and then reliving it!
NancyL
The Link. Family 15 day WDW vacation
Participants:
Me- Nancy aka Mom
DH Brian aka Dad
DD- Allie age 8
DS- Brad age 6
DS Christian age 2
10/11/02
430am: Woke up at the Days Inn Newark Airport after a TERRIBLE nights sleep w/ DH and Brad in one bed and Me, Allie, and Chris in the other. Chris is just not a good group sleeper and we did not get a crib for the one night. Anyway, off to the airport to catch 7am flight. No problems, arrived in Orlando at 10am. Jim from Yourride picked us up in a surprise (for the kids) stretch limo. They were very excited and Jim was absolutely terrific. We got to the Wilderness Lodge around 11am. Our room wasnt ready (we stayed concierge this time) but we got a tour of the concierge floor and were offered snacks and drinks. We changed clothes, signed up to be Flag Family for the following Thursday and hooked up with the boat to the Magic Kingdom. First we rode the railroad around the park (Christian was so happy- hes a BIG train lover) then Brian and Allie went on Splash Mt (Allies first choice). There was a 45 min. wait so we bagged baby swap and headed over to the Buzz Lightyear ride (Brads choice). That was a 20 min. wait but it went quickly. After Buzz we went on the Tomorrowland Transit Authority which was cool b/c Space Mt was broken down and it was all lit up inside- we got to see the coaster in full light (and all the people that were stuck on it). It was really neat. We were kind of tired by now so we took the boat back to the hotel. Our room was ready by now so we unpacked and settled in. Went to Whispering Canyon for dinner and ordered ketchup (you have to do this at least once a trip) and a large soda. Had a quick swim in the pool and were in bed by 9pm. Very nice first day.
10/12
Woke up ourselves around 730 (we were all excited I guess) and were at Epcot by 910am. Got a FP for TestTrack then rode Ellens Energy Adventure. Did Baby Swap on Test track- this was our first time actually on this ride- in the past it had been broken down or we got rained out. What a GREAT ride! Next we headed over to Journey into your imaginiation w/ Figment- Oh how I missed that little guy! Glad hes back. Ate lunch at LeCellier- yum!! Brian had the salmon trio to start and I had the cheddar cheese soup (to die for). Next, Brian had the BarBQ end tips and I had the NY Strip- this was the best meal (of many good ones) for me all vacation. The roasted garlic cloves- Oh, what a memory!! Sigh. Ok, back to the vacation- headed over to Spaceship Earth, hopped on the monorail to the Magic Kingdom and then took the boat to the Wilderness Lodge. Got back to the hotel around 3pm, pool for a half hour then nap till 5pm. Back to the Magic Kingdom to meet our neighbors for a few rides and dinner at 530. Why we thought it would only take a half hour to get from the hotel to the Liberty tree tavern on a Sat. is beyond me but needless to say we were about a half hour late and missed them. We relaxed on the porch for about 20 minutes just in case and finally gave up and went on Pirates of the Caribbean and then the Jungle Cruise. The parade started at 8pm so during the parade we went on the Haunted Mansion, Small World, the Carousel and Snow White. Our PS at the Liberty Tree Tavern was 850pm and we were hoping our neighbors would show up for that (turns out they were just too tired and went back to their hotel- they had been there for a week already and were going home the next day). Had a great dinner w/ Chip and Dale, Pluto, Minnie and Goofy and left the restaurant with perfect timing to see the 10pm Spectromagic parade. I can only say I felt pure joy watching this show- it was magic in action. Back to the room very happy and relaxed by 1130pm. Zzzzzz
10/13
820 PS at Donalds Breakfastasaurus got us into the park early which was fun. The food was good but we did feel rushed at this meal- we met all the standard characters and got photos- lots of nice people sitting near us which made it more fun. After we ate we got right on Triceratops spin twice then Allie and I went on Primeval Whirl (we went on it twice but dont tell the boys that hee hee hee). We met up at the carnival section and hurried over to the safari ride. There was only a 15 min. wait and we got to see quite a few animals- Brad especially loved the giraffes. Christian thought the jeep was really cool. Next we did the Maharajo Jungle Trek then took the train to Rafikis planet watch. Christian really loved the train and the petting zoo.
When we got back to the main park, there was a posted wait of 25 minutes on Kali River Rapids so we decided to wait instead of fast pass it- well, somehow we just hit it right- went on 4 times in a row without getting off! Theres some more Disney Magic for you!
Now its around 2pm and were quite tired, hungry and wet so we ate at the Flame Tree BarBQ. They forgot the fries and since I was going to run over and get FP for Dinosaur, on the way back I got some Mcdonalds fries for the kids- they were very happy with this. Our FP at Dinosaur was for a little before 4pm so after we ate the kids played at the Boneyard for about an hour. They LOVED this place- it took a bit to get them out- especially Christian- he was running around unable to decide what to do next. Very cute. Used babyswap at the Dinosaur ride so the kids got to ride it twice which they enjoyed. At 4pm the parade started. We sat in front of the dinoland bridge right on the sidewalk and had a great view. It was thundering and lightning the entire length of the parade but didnt rain till the parade was over. Got to the bus stop just in time for a thunderstorm that only Disney could have produced opened up the skies- the kids were a bit scared (The thunder was very very loud and the lightning was very very close) but the bus pulled up and we got on safely. Back at the room we got some soup (cheddar cheese- yum), mac and cheese and wine and since we were so tired, cancelled our PS at Bomas. I was very disappointed w/ this b/c we were supposed to meet my internet friend Barb (aka my friend the pin person lol) at Bomas. I called her on her cell phone and explained that everyone was asleep or almost there and that we wouldnt be able to meet. The boys were out by then and Allie and I headed to the WL gift shop for some shopping then we too went to bed by 8pm. Brian woke up around 10pm and went down to the bar to watch some sports game and get a snack. I dont know what time he returned as I was sound asleep.
10/14
715am we were awakened by Brians work calling on the cell phone. Poor guy just couldnt get away. He was on and off the phone all day but didnt let it interfere too much in our activities. Anyway, after a quick breakfast at the concierge offerings, we were off to Epcot via boat to MK and Monorail to TTC then Epcot. Kind of convoluted but pleasant as we got to ride up front from the TTC to Epcot. First we Fast passed Test Track then on to Ellens Energy Adventure. After the movie (which does get boring after the 6th-7th time) the ride broke down so we all had to get off and leave the building. We spent the next hour in the Fitness Fair (during this time Allie and I went on Body Wars- if you are even vaguely succeptable to motion sickness, stay off this ride- Even I was a bit queasy at the end!). Time for Test track! Did baby swap again so the kids got to ride twice. (they will be so disappointed when Christian can go on these rides- grin) and off to Japan for our Teppanyaki lunch. The food was excellent, the chef was pretty good and our tablemates were boring and openly disapproving of our taking the kids out of school for the vacation. Considering one of them was a grade school teacher who called in sick that day, we felt they were somewhat hypocritical, but well heck, we didnt let them ruin our time. After lunch we walked through Japan, US, Italy, Germany, China, Norway, and then Mexico (where we had some very smooth and refreshing margaritas- yum).
Next we meandered over to Innoventions West where we spent some time playing and sending email postcards (none of them went through and I had a TON of viruss when I returned home- quite a coincidence, eh?).
We left Epcot around 410 to take the monorail route to the Contemp where we had 515 PS for Chef Mickeys. Excellent food and great character interaction- this is a great meal-and a nice bang for the buck. After dinner we took the boat back to the Wilderness Lodge, had a quick swim and were in bed by 9pm.
10/15
First of all, Id like to note that this was supposed to be an MGM day after CRT but somehow that never happened. Heres the day
PS for CRT at 9:05, we arrived just about quarter to and the lobby was packed. It was very noisy and crowded but the people were very friendly and as excited as we were. We stood in line for the Fairy Godmother for a while but somehow the line never really moved. Finally they called The Royal Linkevich Family (pronouncing it correctly I might add) and up the magic elevator we went. Food was good, the view was spectacular- we had GREAT seats and we met Prince Charming in addition to the princesses- very fun time.
When we finished breakfast, we decided on a quick ride on Dumbo since the park wasnt too crowded yet. While on the ride, somehow, Brad snagged Allies new earring (first time she had changed earrings since having them pierced 6 weeks prior) and it came out, causing her ear to bleed. To make matters worse, she lost the earring. Came off the ride sobbing. We walked her over to the 7 Dwarfs mine and asked Liz, one of the girls behind the counter, where we could purchase a new set of earrings. Liz not only walked us over to the store where we could get them, she pulled the one that was lost from a 3 piece set and GAVE it to Allie- the only thing she asked was that Allie please stop crying because it made her sad. Theres that Disney magic. Allie was thrilled so of course I purchased another 2 pairs of earrings there- one for me and another kind for Allie.
Finally, back on track- we began heading out of the park to go to MGM but there in front of us w/ no line and no people about was Bert (from Mary Poppins) and the two penguins. By the time we were done playing w/ them, Christian had spotted the carousel and wanted a ride on that- so we did that then Dumbo again, Peter Pan, Pooh, the Raceway, Space Mt and Buzz. We spent about an hour in the video arcade area outside of Space Mt (my kids discovered arcades on this trip- sigh). Finally saw the talking trash can and almost lost Allie- she was following it just mesmerised. Very funny. Got back to the hotel around 3pm just as it started to rain. Hung around, watched TV and relaxed, changed our clothes and headed out to MGM around 430. Checked in for the Fantasmic Dinner Package at Hollywood and Vine and hung around watching some street performers, bought some pins and waited about 20 min. past our PS time to get in to Hollywood and Vine. The food was just ok- the service was alright- nothing to write home about honestly. At 7pm it was still raining really really hard and some of us were getting cranky (Brian) so we headed home skipping Fantasmic. At the hotel, on the way to our room, the kids spotted the arcade- so guess where we spent that rainy evening and most of our pocket money. Yup- we were there a long time that evening. Finally got back to the room, wrote some postcards, and then to bed around 930.
10/16
I woke up kind of sad today- our vacation was almost half over. Sounds silly, but I had put so much effort and energy into planning this- and here I was living it. It was a weird feeling. The whole day just didnt roll along smoothly like the rest of the trip. Everyone was cranky and argumentative (we all have days like this- but youd rather not have one in Disney, you know?) Again, this morning we ate breakfast at the concierge lounge then did the scenic boat-monorail-ttc-monorail-epcot journey to Epcot. 1st thing we toured today was The Living Seas. Perhaps my memory is going but I remembered this as a much more entertaining and fun exhibit. This time around it was just plain boring. The only fun part was seeing the Manatees. We were all a bit disappointed I think but perhaps it was just the collective mood rather than the attraction? Next we watched Food Rocks which I had never seen and thought was adorable. Brian thought it was dumb- The kids liked it- especially Christian. After the show we watched Circle of Life which was pretty good- anything w/ Lion King theming seems to be a hit at Disney- they do it well. Oh, heres some more Disney Magic! At the Circle of Life, I had dropped my disposable A&P brand camera with about 5 photos on it. I was kind of bummed but since there were only a few photos I figured it was lost. I mentioned it to a passing custodian and asked that if he found it to please send it up to the lost and found and Id check later in the day if it was there. Well, after about an hour we passed by the lost and found and just for kicks I checked. There it was waiting for me! Apparently the custodian (I wish Id gotten his name) went into the theater after the next show and searched under all the seats till he found it. What a great guy! I was really touched. Ok, back to the bad day (for how can any day at Disney be really a bad one) After the Circle of Life we got a fast pass for the Living with the Land boat ride and headed over to Figments ride. I really like this version. That figment is so cute. Next we cruised through Canada and had some Fish and Chips in the UK pavilion. Very very tasty. We fed some ducks too right next to the lagoon on the lower level of the deck.. Did the Living with the Land boat ride then off to Honey I shrunk the Audience adventure- very funny- thats a great attraction. We then hung out at Innoventions East for about a half hour till it was time for our Ice Cream Social PS. Of course, Christian had fallen asleep and woke up cranky, Brian got some really bad motion sickness in the revolving restaurant- the characters tried really really hard to play with the kids but they really werent having any. I have to give those characters credit- they kept coming back and trying. We finished up around 415 (Brian met us outside the restuarant- he just didnt feel good in there-). Did Ellens energy Adventure (again) then sat to watch the musical fountain. This is one of my favorite parts of Epcot but Allie was nagging to go back to the hotel to swim and Christian was crying and Brian was grousing so we cut the watching the fountain time short and headed back to the hotel. We decided to take the monorail to the Contemporary this time (for a change) and while waiting for the boat from the Contemporary to the Wilderness Lodge we fed the ducks and fish for a while- that was the most fun we had had together all day. Those fish are cool the way they jump up to get the pellets. And the ducks will eat right out of your hand! Even Christian had fun. Go figure. Feeding ducks is the hit of the day. Sometimes the simplest things .(grin).
10/17
Happy 10th Anniversary to Nancy and Brian! This morning we were chosen to be Flag Family. Ranger Stan was waiting for us in the lobby and we went up the secret staircase to the roof. What a perfect day. Deep blue sky, warm temps, cool breeze- you could see forever up there! We all got to raise a flag and got some great photos. We hung out w/ Ranger Stan up there for about an hour- what a great guy he is! After our adventures on the roof, we went back to the room, picked up our water things and headed to Typhoon Lagoon. Chris and Brad played in Katchakiddy creek the whole time while Brian and I took turns taking Allie on the big kid slides. Very nice morning for all of us. We left around 1230 to go back to the hotel for some much needed nap time. Brian and Brad went to the Whispering Canyon for a bite while Allie Chris and I headed to Roaring Forks. They all napped in the room after lunch and I went to the pool and slept in the sun. AHHH this is what a vacation is all about. After a quick and refreshing dip, I laid out some more to dry off and headed back upstairs to get everyone ready for the Hoop De Doo! This was a highlight for the kids- they loved the slapstick humor, the clapping, and especially loved watching Mommy and Daddy dance during the celebration song. Really really fun evening.
10/18
Woke up late this morning and took our time getting dressed and ready. Had breakfast at the Whispering Canyon. We got to the Magic Kingdom around 945 for the Family Magic Tour. Wonderful tour! Brandye was our guide- very cute but needed to be louder. There were a lot of people w/ strollers and that kind of hampered our way (including us by the way) but everyone was into the spirit of the game and participated which made it fun. We got to meet Wendy and Peter at the end of the tour and they took us to the front of the line and rode Its a Small World with us. What a GREAT time we had w/ them. The MK was very very crowded today. After the tour (around noon) we jumped into a line lull at the Haunted Mansion and then hopped on the train over by Splash Mountain. We WERE going to take the train all the way around but the kids wanted to get off at Toon Town. We did the whole left side of Toon Town (Mickey and Minnies house, the Judges Tent) and got a lot of autographs. It was our plan to return later in the vacation to do the other side but we never got around to it- next trip maybe. We got to the main areas just in time to watch the Share a dream come true parade- very well done- I got goosebumps (again) watching it. Got back to the hotel around 4pm and got take out from Roaring Forks for the kids dinner. Vivian from Fairy Godmothers came to the room around quarter to 6 and the kids seemed fine so off we went for our night out. First stop was Marakesh in Morocco where I had EXCLLENT beef kabobs following a nice salad appetizer of chicken and beef pastries. Brian had a seafood thingy that he said was very spicy but he liked it a lot. Dessert was assorted Moroccan pastries. YUM.
Done w/ dinner by 830 so took the Epcot boat to the Boardwalk and waited (for almost 45 minutes) for the bus to Downtown Disney. First we went to the comedy club but they had just started a show and werent letting anyone in so we headed over to the Adventurers club. What a GREAT time we had! We got home around midnight, paid Vivian (who was absolutely WONDERFUL- we found out later that she had quite the evening with the boys and the potty) and went to bed. The hotel staff had thought that this was our anniversary so left us a card and a chocolate bar with an edible photo of the Wilderness Lodge on the top as a happy anniversary gift. It was cute and we appreciated the gesture a lot.
10/19
Slept in till 9am and headed over to Ft Wilderness to try the best kept secret for budget dining in WDW The Trails End Buffeteria. Well, the price and the food quality met our expectations- tasty and cheap, however, the crowd that was there was really really rude, pushy and generally offensive. The service was also very slow- it took Brian 3 requests to get a second cup of coffee. Worth the price tho. Next we went to the petting zoo and rode the ponys which the kids absolutely loved. They also enjoyed an impromptu tour of the stables and meeting many of the big horses. Back to the hotel for a nap- Brian and the kids slept and I changed clothes and headed out to Epcot to meet the DisneyNation crowd. It was a ball- I met WDWDen and his very pregnant wife Jenine, Colleen and Mike Means, Alicia G and her sister, PammyK, Linda C, LoriBell and FlSharon. We also met another poster briefly and Im so so sorry I cant remember her screen name- very nice lady- she left early so I didnt get to cement her name in my memory. Im sure Ill talk to her soon. We hung out for about an hour then I called Brian and the kids to come meet me and the group split up (more or less).
Since this was the first day of the food and wine fest, we decided to take a walk around World Showcase and check it out- we tasted this and that (dont remember much- we had a bit of wine to taste as well) and got back to the room around 730- ordered room service pizza and in bed by 9pm.
10/20
MNSSHP Tonight! Woke up, relaxed in the room for a while and headed down to the pool. Brian took the kids one at a time (not Christian- hes too little) on the water mice- Brad lasted a half hour, Allie lasted an hour- they had a total ball. Meanwhile back at the pool, I had initiated a game of throw the water shoe up the stream and see if it comes back and was entertaining most of the kiddies in the area. It was lots of fun till the shoe got stuck and the kids all wanted to climb in the stream to retrieve it- the lifeguards had a fit but overall they were very nice about it and retrieved it themselves. We went up to the room and napped from about 1-4pm, showered, changed into the costumes, and got to the MK around 625pm for our 630 PS at the Liberty Tree Tavern. This was an ok meal but a GREAT atmosphere. After dinner we headed over to the Haunted Mansion, rode it twice, got some special pins, a key to the mansion for Brad, and a doom buggy replica for Christian then headed over to Splash Mt and Big Thunder Mt RR. Allie got mad b/c she got wet on Splash Mt and ruined the feathers in her tail but she got over it. Next we headed to Fantasyland and went on the Carosuel and Its a Small World, Snow White, Pooh, and Dumbo- all these were walk ons. While the kids were on Dumbo, the fireworks started. This was the most spectacular fireworks display I have ever seen bar none. They started innocently enough behind the Dumbo ride (with our backs to the castle) but then boom- all over the park from the perimeter in- it was absolutely breathtaking. Really something to see. Afterward, we went over to Alien Encounter. Brian and Allie went on while the boys and I waited in the child swap area. When it was my turn, 0 Allie wouldnt go on it again with me and it was parade time anyway so we headed over to Main St. and got some good standing space on Main St with our backs to Tomorrowland. Great parade- again, well done. Next we hit Buzz and I went on Alien Encounter (alone) while the kids and Brian did Buzz a second time. The boys went home around 11:15 and Allie and I had a girls hour out going on Space Mt twice and then dancing with some characters (Chip,Dale,Buzz, others- I cant remember them all- there were about 10- and of course my camera was w/ Brian) in the Tomorrowland Stage area. We trick or treated our way out of the park and got to the room around 12:30 tired and very happy.
10/21
Slept in (till about 8-grin) and headed over to Blizzard Beach fore the morning. Had a ball. The older two loved the pre-teen area and Christian really liked Tikes Peak area but I think he preferred the Typhoon Lagoon one. Again, Brian and I switched off with taking Allie on the big slides and watching the younger boys areas. Christian was too little for the pre-teen area. Back to the room around 2pm, napped till about 5pm then off to Epcot for our PS at the Biergarten. GREAT dinner. The kids really liked the band and danced a few polkas. The big highlight was the chicken dance. They got a great kick out of that one. After dinner we headed over to Norway and went on Maelstrom- I love that ride and feel it dosnt get enough attention in the media describing Disney. We stopped by the outpost (Africa) and picked up a set of (bamboo?) wooden windchimes that I had had my eye on all vacation. They are so cool- I cant wait to hang them up! We also stopped by Italy to pick up some quite tasty sparkling pink wine we had tasted the other day. Yum!
We took our usual route from Epcot to the TTC and b/c the MK was closed, we stopped at the Contemporary to catch the boat to the Wilderness lodge. Of course, we forgot the boats stopped running at 10pm and since it was 11 by now (we took our time leaving the park) we were stuck. We ended up taking a cab (cost $5.00) from the Contemporary to the Wilderness lodge so it wasnt too bad an error.
10/22
Downtown Disney/Rest day.
Left the room around 9am and got to DD about 10:15. Was a very long trip but we made a lot of stops. We managed to spend quite a bit over budget,but isnt that what Downtown Disney is for? We got some great pillows for our bed, some tee shirts, a new trivia book (for me) and some cool Lego swords that you cant find anywhere else. In the new toy store alone (Once Upon a Toy) we were about an hour and a half just looking around. We ate lunch at McDonalds (which Brad stated was his favorite meal for the entire trip- go figure!) and got home around 230. We slept till about 5 then hit Mickeys Backyard BarBQ. The food was excellent. Again, we had a similar experience as with the Trails End Buffeteria. The people were very rude and pushy. Not like any of the other meals we had attended, including the hoop de doo review. Very odd- One explanation could be that it was very very humid that night and quite warm so people maybe were just irritable? Allie was having a wonderful time dancing the line dances so Brian took the boys home and went to bed right after they ate and Allie and I followed about an hour later.
10/23
Finally! Today were going to MGM! First off we got Fast Passes for Tower of Terror and the Rock n Roller coaster. This worked out well b/c we only needed two passes for each ride. (Brad, Brian and Christian were not planning on going on either of these two). Because it wasnt too crowded we ended up going on the Tower of Terror twice- First tho Allie and I went on the Rock n Roller coaster. I have to say, it was an ok ride, but my head banged around so much I came off with a doozie of a headache. I had Brian take Allie on the Tower of Terror first so I could grab some aspirin and try to recover, then it was my turn on the Tower of Terror- yes, it got rid of my headache all right! What a GREAT ride! I really loved the sensation of dropping like that! When we got off, we still had a fastpass left over for the RockN Roller coaster but Brian wouldnt go on it and I didtn want to- We ended up putting Allie in the care of a VERY nice UK family and let her go on it again. She did fine and had a ball. Next we headed over to make PS at the Sci Fi café which we got for 2pm. Did the Great Movie Ride, Voyage of the Little Mermaid, lunch, Muppetvision and Playhouse Disney. Before Muppetvision, we hit the parade route with perfect timing and watched the great Stars and Motorcars parade. Christian thought it was really cool to see Rollie Pollie Ollie and some of his other friends. The Sci Fi café was pretty neat but I have to say I thought some of the cartoons they showed were a bit violent for my kids (and I let them watch superheros, power rangers etc with no problem). It was a bit expensive but they got some cool souvineer glasses with these light up ice cubes that were a big hit.
When we left Playhouse Disney it was absolutely pouring (had been raining and thundering on and off all day) so we hung around for a bit to see if it would stop. After about an hour, Brian wanted to go back to the hotel and Allie, Brad and I wanted to stay to see if Fantasmic was going to show. Brian ended up taking Christian back to the hotel and Allie Brad and I settled in for a long wait in the rain. Of course Brian had most of the money that day along w/ my credit card so all I had was about 10 in cash and our room key (which I could charge on of course). We get in to sit down (got GREAT front and center seats) and I went up to get us something to eat. Of course the food vendors at Fantastmic do not take room keys so I got 3 waters and a pretzel to split. We had $3.00 left so after the pretzel and water, we split a cotton candy from a vendor (small small portions there!). Fantastmic was good but not as good as I expected. For some reason I expected a bit more bang. The water screen movie was cool and the floats at the end were neat but other than that, well, I liked Illuminations and Fantasy in the Sky a lot better for nighttime sky shows. The highlight of the evening was the nice people we were sitting with. Allie had to go to the bathroom toward the end of the show so I let her go alone (it wasnt that far). Well of course the show ended and 15000 people get up to leave and shes not back yet. The VERY very nice people around me (there were about 15 of them) searched and looked and held up crowds and basically went way out of their way to make sure she was found and returned to me. She was a bit scared but I only lost her for about 3-4 minutes so it wasnt too bad. Very scary there for a minute or two. Anyway, we got back to the hotel without further incident, tired and wet, but happy.
10/24
Last full day. How sad!! Today was a free day and the kids (believe it or not) chose to go to Epcot (they knew we were going to the MK for the very last day). We did everyones favorite rides again (Brad- Test Track, Ellens Energy Adventure- Allie (Journey into Imagination, Spaceship Earth- Me- Maelstrom and the Fountian, Brian- wandered through World Showcase) and headed over to the Animal Kingdom Lodge for our PS at Jikos. We took a quick tour (by ourselves, no guide) of the lodge while there and were pretty impressed. The only down side is that it was very humid (and kind of hot) and there were lots and lots of bugs. It was neat seeing the animals so close to the hotel like that tho.
Jikos was great altho a bit expensive. We also liked the gift shop at the Animal Kingdom Lodge a lot- it seemed like it had a lot more stuff than the one at the Wilderness Lodge. Took the bus to Downtown Disney and then hopped onto the Wilderness Lodge bus from there to get home. That was another really long trip- Disney definitely has to work on the transportation issues. They were better than my last visit however.
10/25
Check out day! (sigh). We packed our bags and had them all sent down to the storage room, bid our concierge floor/staff and food goodbye, and headed over to the Magic Kingdom to one last time experience the heart of the magic. We mostly wandered around, went on our favorite rides again (the Mountains, Buzz, Pirates, Haunted Mansion, Small World) and headed back to the hotel around 3pm for a quick swim before Jim (Yourride) came to pick us up. Jim arrived at 545, 15 minutes early, which was fine, we were ready, and off we went to the airport. No problems getting home, we got to our house around 12:30am Sat. morning, didnt even unpack the car- just went right to sleep and had sweet dreams of our next vacation.
The End.
