PrincessTToo
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- May 11, 2003
- Messages
- 159
5/6/06 getting there is much less than half the fun
I got to the MSP airport early for a 7:05 PM flight to Orlando so watched Tivo on my laptop while waiting. I love technology!
The crew of this NW flight was very happy. Very, very, very weirdly happy. The lead flight attendant kept cracking jokes over the PA and kept telling us that one of the other flight attendants and the captain were going to be on Fear Factor next week. Then the captain made a joke about the Griswalds being on board. Then the lead flight attendant introduced himself as Queen Latifah. I have flown over 150,000 miles on NW and believe me, this is very abnormal. They usually are the most sour group in the air. I guess they were glad it was the last flight of the day or maybe they were happy that NW is still flying and they still have jobs.
The seats next to me were empty until just before the doors closed. Then down the aisle comes a young mother with two little kids. Oh no, please dont let them sit next to me.
The 4 year old son fell in love with me. He wanted to live with me because I have two kitties and because I live on a lake that freezes in the winter so hard that you can walk on it. (He is a native Floridian.) I taught him to play tic-tac-toe which was very interesting. He kept switching back and forth between Os and Xs in the middle of the game. I applauded his creativity. He also told me he wants to be a bull rider when he grows up which is perhaps the most interesting career goal Ive ever heard.
It was a long flight or perhaps just felt like it. We left almost half an hour late but we arrived fairly close on time (11:30 PM). I was one of the first ones to get their luggage and then quickly found my car at National and was on my way.
Ive got lots of excuses why I got lost on the way to the Dolphin, but the truth is I hate freeways and got off way too early and it took forever to get back on the freeway because of road construction. I got to see lots of Kissimee before finding my way back to the freeway but then I was going in the wrong direction so I headed back to the airport and started over. I was also freaking out because the unmanned tollbooths required exact change ($.50) and I was quickly running out of change. This time I memorized the directions before I left the airport and was there before I knew it.
Since it was 1:30 AM when I got checked in and not surprisingly my room was ready. It was room 12-160 on the concierge floor but I didnt have a concierge room and it looked liked the concierge lounge was closed anyway.
DOLPHIN NEGATIVES:
No place to lock up laptop. The safe was too small and the desk was part of the dresser so it didnt have a pedestal or anything like that to loop the lock through. I thought this was a little odd because it is a convention hotel.
The makeup mirror was over the mini-bar/coffee maker area. I cant imagine why it wasnt over the sink in the bathroom.
The slate tile floor in the sink and mini-bar/coffee area was very uneven around the grout lines. It really hurt if you were in bare feet. I heartily recommend taking slippers if you are going to stay there.
The door to the room was very hard to close. You had to close it with a lot of force. Also, because the doors were so hard to close the maids just love to slam them when they start cleaning very early in the morning. And after such a late night, this was very unpleasant in the early morning.
The shower/toilet area was very musty smelling. Found out later that they were replacing all the bathroom fans. When I left on Monday morning, all the rooms on my floor had the bathroom fan taken out and they were lying out in the hallway.
DOLPHIN POSITIVES:
It was very, very quiet. But I think the big reason for this was because no one else was on my floor after Saturday night. It got really spooky to walk around and know that no one else was there but me.
The bed truly is heavenly. Perfect mattress, perfect pillows, perfect sheets and comforter. Just perfect.
The robes were heavenly too. Very plush.
Normal TV channels. No 500 Disney and ESPN channels.
LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION. I love the Epcot resort area.
5/7/06 a day in the parks
Despite falling asleep at 2:00 Am, I was wide awake at 6:00 AM. I should have tried to sleep in because I started the coffee maker and then went back to bed. I kept hearing hissing and dripping but I kept thinking the coffee pot must have had some water on the outside. When I finally got up, there was coffee all over the floor. The top on the pot had moved out of place when I put it back on the burner. I cleaned up as best I could and left a big tip for the maid.
I got ready and unpacked very slowly (mostly due to lack of caffeine) and got to the bus stop at 9:30 AM. The AK bus came fairly quickly and we got there by 10:00 AM. On the bus I sat next to 6 year old T.J. and his grandparents. I found out that they take each grandchild on a trip to WDW for their 6th birthday. I asked T.J. if I could see his autograph book and he gave it to me and asked me to sign it. So far he only had bus driver autographs. As much as I admire the WDW bus drivers, thats pretty sad to have just their autographs and mine. Hopefully TJ found some worthy autographs later in his WDW trip.
When I got into the park I found out that Expedition Everest was not working and neither was KRR. And it took me a while to get to the FP machines because the signage for EE was a little lacking (yeah, I could have gotten a map but Ive been there so many times I really should know my way around by now). Plus you cant see the mountain except at a few places. I was really expecting to be able to see it from anywhere in the park. Anyway, the FP machines were working and I got a FP for EE for 1:15 PM. Now I had to figure out how to kill 3 hours in AK. Turned out I had a blast. AK is starting to become a favorite of mine. Its so laid back but there is still a lot to do.
I started out by going on the Majarajah Jungle Trek. The big cats were sleeping and it made me think about my kitties. I also love the bats. They are so cute.
Then I got in right away for Flights of Wonder. Or as I call it Flights of Wonder-ful. I cant believe Ive never gone to this show before. I loved it. Sure the jokes were cheesy and the CMs were a little stiff but I loved the birds. I cant believe how close they got to the audience. And we got to go up to them after the show. I love hawks and he and I just stared at each other for the longest time.
Then I went on the Pangani Trail which I havent done since my very first visit to AK. I still like Maharajah Jungle Trek better but this was fun.
Then I went to the Conservation Station. And this was another thing I hadnt done since my first AK visit. I really enjoyed the train and theyve added a lot to the exhibit area. They were giving some reptile a hysterectomy. I didnt need to watch it, Ive lived it. I wish her a speedy recovery. I wonder what reptile menopause is like.
Ive forgotten to mention that today Orlando had record high temperatures (94 degrees) but I thought the breeze made it fairly tolerable. I went to WDW in May a couple years ago when it was in the mid-90s but there was no breeze. Yuck.
When I got back from the Conservation Station, I stopped at Tusker House and got a veggie sandwich, carrot cake and some iced tea. It also came with some lovely purple grapes which I could have eaten all day. I was able to find a small table in the dappled sunshine. What a wonderful break. I made it last as long as I could.
Next came the Lion King which I love. And not just because I have Tumbling Monkey fantasies. The show is really good and besides there are weirder things to fantasize about than Tumbling Monkeys. Or so Ive heard.
As I was leaving the Lion King, some kid turned around and gave me a big hug and just wouldnt let go. I made him look up at me but he kept hugging. His Dad grabbed him and said his Mom wore the same outfit yesterday. The poor little kid was so tired and overheated that he didnt know what he was doing. I said she has good taste, referring to the outfit. And the Dad said yes, he does. I just smiled and moved on. Either he had heard he instead of she or I had. But I started to think like father, like son!
I got lost on the way to EE. Im still surprised at how hard it was to find. Youd think a mountain would be easy to find.
Anyway, the FP line was very short. Too short. I really wanted to take my time in the queue area. Oh well, next time Ill do standby line but it was 50 minutes today.
I got a seat almost immediately in the middle of the train. A very nice young man hopped in next to me. I started the conversation with one of my best conversation starter lines Im a screamer. He said he was too. Turns out he was a CM and this was his 30th ride on EE. It was great because I got my cues from him on when to hang on with all my might. The view from the top is amazing. I love this ride. Its right up there with The Hulk and Rock n Roller Coaster. Its definitely on my WDW must do list now.
I decided to end my visit to AK on this high note and took the bus back to the Dolphin. I got water and popcorn at the Dolphin Gift Shop and chatted up the CMs there. The maids were still working on my floor (very loudly) but had finished my room. So I watched TV, snacked, and surfed until about 4:30 PM. Time for the long boat ride to Epcot. I know I could have walked there faster but the heat and lack of sleep were starting to get to me.
There was a very, very long line for Paul Revere and the Raiders so I just got some pop and cinnamon pecans (yum) and stood in the shade until the line started to move. I got a seat at the end of the row next to a young man. But he left and then 3 ladies tried to push me inside behind a tree. I refused to budge so they left and a couple came so I was only half-way behind a tree. No problem because the show was great. It was one of my primary reasons for this trip (the other reasons were a trip to the Gulf Coast, riding EE and using Frequent Flier miles).
Paul is 69 years old. Most of the band members have been with him for over 30 years. Except the lead singer who is only 40. Hes the son of one of the Righteous Brothers. So now theyve added Righteous Brothers songs to the show. It was getting later and later and I thought they werent going to play my favorite Indian Reservation. It turned out to be the finale. Yeah! What a great way to end the show.
After the show, I took the long way around WS and rode SE. Dont know if it was just the heat and my imagination but it seemed crisper somehow. I think they might have fixed some of the audio-animatronics. Like I say, it was probably just my imagination.
I noticed that Soarin had a 50 minute wait so I just walked to France and saw the movie. Its my favorite attraction in all of Epcot. Then I went to the bakery and got a cheese plate with a baguette.
I went back to the hotel and crashed. What a nice day at WDW.
I got to the MSP airport early for a 7:05 PM flight to Orlando so watched Tivo on my laptop while waiting. I love technology!
The crew of this NW flight was very happy. Very, very, very weirdly happy. The lead flight attendant kept cracking jokes over the PA and kept telling us that one of the other flight attendants and the captain were going to be on Fear Factor next week. Then the captain made a joke about the Griswalds being on board. Then the lead flight attendant introduced himself as Queen Latifah. I have flown over 150,000 miles on NW and believe me, this is very abnormal. They usually are the most sour group in the air. I guess they were glad it was the last flight of the day or maybe they were happy that NW is still flying and they still have jobs.
The seats next to me were empty until just before the doors closed. Then down the aisle comes a young mother with two little kids. Oh no, please dont let them sit next to me.
The 4 year old son fell in love with me. He wanted to live with me because I have two kitties and because I live on a lake that freezes in the winter so hard that you can walk on it. (He is a native Floridian.) I taught him to play tic-tac-toe which was very interesting. He kept switching back and forth between Os and Xs in the middle of the game. I applauded his creativity. He also told me he wants to be a bull rider when he grows up which is perhaps the most interesting career goal Ive ever heard.
It was a long flight or perhaps just felt like it. We left almost half an hour late but we arrived fairly close on time (11:30 PM). I was one of the first ones to get their luggage and then quickly found my car at National and was on my way.
Ive got lots of excuses why I got lost on the way to the Dolphin, but the truth is I hate freeways and got off way too early and it took forever to get back on the freeway because of road construction. I got to see lots of Kissimee before finding my way back to the freeway but then I was going in the wrong direction so I headed back to the airport and started over. I was also freaking out because the unmanned tollbooths required exact change ($.50) and I was quickly running out of change. This time I memorized the directions before I left the airport and was there before I knew it.
Since it was 1:30 AM when I got checked in and not surprisingly my room was ready. It was room 12-160 on the concierge floor but I didnt have a concierge room and it looked liked the concierge lounge was closed anyway.
DOLPHIN NEGATIVES:
No place to lock up laptop. The safe was too small and the desk was part of the dresser so it didnt have a pedestal or anything like that to loop the lock through. I thought this was a little odd because it is a convention hotel.
The makeup mirror was over the mini-bar/coffee maker area. I cant imagine why it wasnt over the sink in the bathroom.
The slate tile floor in the sink and mini-bar/coffee area was very uneven around the grout lines. It really hurt if you were in bare feet. I heartily recommend taking slippers if you are going to stay there.
The door to the room was very hard to close. You had to close it with a lot of force. Also, because the doors were so hard to close the maids just love to slam them when they start cleaning very early in the morning. And after such a late night, this was very unpleasant in the early morning.
The shower/toilet area was very musty smelling. Found out later that they were replacing all the bathroom fans. When I left on Monday morning, all the rooms on my floor had the bathroom fan taken out and they were lying out in the hallway.
DOLPHIN POSITIVES:
It was very, very quiet. But I think the big reason for this was because no one else was on my floor after Saturday night. It got really spooky to walk around and know that no one else was there but me.
The bed truly is heavenly. Perfect mattress, perfect pillows, perfect sheets and comforter. Just perfect.
The robes were heavenly too. Very plush.
Normal TV channels. No 500 Disney and ESPN channels.
LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION. I love the Epcot resort area.
5/7/06 a day in the parks
Despite falling asleep at 2:00 Am, I was wide awake at 6:00 AM. I should have tried to sleep in because I started the coffee maker and then went back to bed. I kept hearing hissing and dripping but I kept thinking the coffee pot must have had some water on the outside. When I finally got up, there was coffee all over the floor. The top on the pot had moved out of place when I put it back on the burner. I cleaned up as best I could and left a big tip for the maid.
I got ready and unpacked very slowly (mostly due to lack of caffeine) and got to the bus stop at 9:30 AM. The AK bus came fairly quickly and we got there by 10:00 AM. On the bus I sat next to 6 year old T.J. and his grandparents. I found out that they take each grandchild on a trip to WDW for their 6th birthday. I asked T.J. if I could see his autograph book and he gave it to me and asked me to sign it. So far he only had bus driver autographs. As much as I admire the WDW bus drivers, thats pretty sad to have just their autographs and mine. Hopefully TJ found some worthy autographs later in his WDW trip.
When I got into the park I found out that Expedition Everest was not working and neither was KRR. And it took me a while to get to the FP machines because the signage for EE was a little lacking (yeah, I could have gotten a map but Ive been there so many times I really should know my way around by now). Plus you cant see the mountain except at a few places. I was really expecting to be able to see it from anywhere in the park. Anyway, the FP machines were working and I got a FP for EE for 1:15 PM. Now I had to figure out how to kill 3 hours in AK. Turned out I had a blast. AK is starting to become a favorite of mine. Its so laid back but there is still a lot to do.
I started out by going on the Majarajah Jungle Trek. The big cats were sleeping and it made me think about my kitties. I also love the bats. They are so cute.
Then I got in right away for Flights of Wonder. Or as I call it Flights of Wonder-ful. I cant believe Ive never gone to this show before. I loved it. Sure the jokes were cheesy and the CMs were a little stiff but I loved the birds. I cant believe how close they got to the audience. And we got to go up to them after the show. I love hawks and he and I just stared at each other for the longest time.
Then I went on the Pangani Trail which I havent done since my very first visit to AK. I still like Maharajah Jungle Trek better but this was fun.
Then I went to the Conservation Station. And this was another thing I hadnt done since my first AK visit. I really enjoyed the train and theyve added a lot to the exhibit area. They were giving some reptile a hysterectomy. I didnt need to watch it, Ive lived it. I wish her a speedy recovery. I wonder what reptile menopause is like.
Ive forgotten to mention that today Orlando had record high temperatures (94 degrees) but I thought the breeze made it fairly tolerable. I went to WDW in May a couple years ago when it was in the mid-90s but there was no breeze. Yuck.
When I got back from the Conservation Station, I stopped at Tusker House and got a veggie sandwich, carrot cake and some iced tea. It also came with some lovely purple grapes which I could have eaten all day. I was able to find a small table in the dappled sunshine. What a wonderful break. I made it last as long as I could.
Next came the Lion King which I love. And not just because I have Tumbling Monkey fantasies. The show is really good and besides there are weirder things to fantasize about than Tumbling Monkeys. Or so Ive heard.
As I was leaving the Lion King, some kid turned around and gave me a big hug and just wouldnt let go. I made him look up at me but he kept hugging. His Dad grabbed him and said his Mom wore the same outfit yesterday. The poor little kid was so tired and overheated that he didnt know what he was doing. I said she has good taste, referring to the outfit. And the Dad said yes, he does. I just smiled and moved on. Either he had heard he instead of she or I had. But I started to think like father, like son!
I got lost on the way to EE. Im still surprised at how hard it was to find. Youd think a mountain would be easy to find.
Anyway, the FP line was very short. Too short. I really wanted to take my time in the queue area. Oh well, next time Ill do standby line but it was 50 minutes today.
I got a seat almost immediately in the middle of the train. A very nice young man hopped in next to me. I started the conversation with one of my best conversation starter lines Im a screamer. He said he was too. Turns out he was a CM and this was his 30th ride on EE. It was great because I got my cues from him on when to hang on with all my might. The view from the top is amazing. I love this ride. Its right up there with The Hulk and Rock n Roller Coaster. Its definitely on my WDW must do list now.
I decided to end my visit to AK on this high note and took the bus back to the Dolphin. I got water and popcorn at the Dolphin Gift Shop and chatted up the CMs there. The maids were still working on my floor (very loudly) but had finished my room. So I watched TV, snacked, and surfed until about 4:30 PM. Time for the long boat ride to Epcot. I know I could have walked there faster but the heat and lack of sleep were starting to get to me.
There was a very, very long line for Paul Revere and the Raiders so I just got some pop and cinnamon pecans (yum) and stood in the shade until the line started to move. I got a seat at the end of the row next to a young man. But he left and then 3 ladies tried to push me inside behind a tree. I refused to budge so they left and a couple came so I was only half-way behind a tree. No problem because the show was great. It was one of my primary reasons for this trip (the other reasons were a trip to the Gulf Coast, riding EE and using Frequent Flier miles).
Paul is 69 years old. Most of the band members have been with him for over 30 years. Except the lead singer who is only 40. Hes the son of one of the Righteous Brothers. So now theyve added Righteous Brothers songs to the show. It was getting later and later and I thought they werent going to play my favorite Indian Reservation. It turned out to be the finale. Yeah! What a great way to end the show.
After the show, I took the long way around WS and rode SE. Dont know if it was just the heat and my imagination but it seemed crisper somehow. I think they might have fixed some of the audio-animatronics. Like I say, it was probably just my imagination.
I noticed that Soarin had a 50 minute wait so I just walked to France and saw the movie. Its my favorite attraction in all of Epcot. Then I went to the bakery and got a cheese plate with a baguette.
I went back to the hotel and crashed. What a nice day at WDW.
So glad you're enjoying yourself. More, more, more!!!
Tivo!
