A Land and Sea Adventure - Pre trip - Day 2

[EastYorkDisneyFan]

Mnay of you may have noticed so odd coments to me from tiggerbell (Jaime) on her trip report and are probobly wondering waht we are talking about. I have decided to explain it by posting my own trip report here as well as at the Pasporter boards.

 

[EastYorkDisneyFan]

First let me introduce my self my name is Thomas and I am 26 years old and have made at least 4 trips to Walt Disney World. My first two trips were day trips from Clearwater and St. Petersburg area of Florida with my family in the 1980’s to the Magic Kingdom. Then in March of 1998 we actually made a one week trip to the world itself. We stayed at the now closed Teahouses at the Disney Institute. For the first time I was immersed in the Magic. Now that I’m up to 3 you’re probably wondering when my forth was. Well that was in February of this year from the 13th – the 19th and that was my first sol trip. I stayed at Port Orleans French Quarter and truly loved my time there. However there were so many things that I wanted to do that I missed or wanted to see again that I had to return. But the question was when. Unfortunately next year the same time was out as I work at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto and the Leafs would likely be in town then as there is no break for the Olympics until 2010 for the NHL. So I thought what about do, something really crazy and book one from the end of the summer.

My plans were as follows leave Toronto at about 10:20 on August 23rd aboard a flight from WestJet and head to Walt Disney World via there bus transport from the airport (not sure which one it is yet either DME or DCL) and on to the Port Orleans French Quarter until August 27th when I boarded the Disney Wonder for my first ever cruise. After returning from the cruise on the 31st of August I stayed at Port Orleans Riverside until the 5th of September when I will once again return to Toronto via WestJet.

 

[EastYorkDisneyFan]

My plans as they were at the begining of the trip

August 23rd - no plans

August 24th - 9:30 Breakfeast at Chef Mickey's

August 25th - breakfast at Kona Café in the Polly

August 26th – Magic Behind Our Steam Trains Tour at the Magic Kingdom at 7:30 Am.

August 27th – Disney Wonder boarding day.

August 28th – Disney Wonder – Nassau – Discover Atlantis tour

August 29th – Disney Wonder – Castaway Cay – Personal water craft echo tour

August 30th – Disney Wonder – day at sea – no plans

August 31st – Disney Wonder – disembarkation – check in to POR and maybe spend day at Disney Quest and DTD

September 1st – Breakfast at Boma

September 2nd – Around the World on a Segway tour at Epcot at 9:00 am
- Meet Jaime and others for Whishes Cruise

Setember 3rd - Donald's Breakfastosaurs at AK-8:30 am
- Hoop Dee Doo at Pioneer Hall-7:15 pm

Setember 4th - Boatwright's at Riverside-7:30 am
- Boma's at 6:30

September 5th – return to the real world

 

[EastYorkDisneyFan]

On Wednesday August 23rd my trip officially begin I woke up at 6:00 am Toronto time to get ready to head out to the airport at 7:00. I got to Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport at about 8:15 or so and checked in with West Jet, after that I went through US customs then left my bags tagged with Disney Cruise Line tags on the conveyor belt to be checked in.


Once that was done with it was time to head trough security and find my gate. Once there I grabbed a coffee and some Yogurt and sat down to wait for my flight to board. I was both excited and nervous at the same time.

Soon it was time to board my plane and head off to Orlando International Airport. My flight was about ten minutes late taking off, but we landed in Orlando only about 5 minutes behind schedule not bad. Oh yeah and one other thing on west jet they have TV’s in the seat backs so I watched American Chopper on the way down.

As soon as my plain landed I head off to check in with DME to get transportation to WDW. I was on one of the busses that had the video triggered by GPS. That was really neat as the driver pointed out that he had no control over the video as we left the airport.

The first stop as we entered the world was Saratoga Springs, then on to Port Orleans French Quarter. One I got there I checked in and headed off to room 3114 to drop of the carry on luggage I didn’t need such as my laptop and a few extra Items in my back pack.

After doing that I headed back to the main building and paid a visit to the Concierge to upgrade my 7 day hopper ticket to a 9 day hopper ticket with the water parks/Disney quest/ etc. option.

Then it was time for lunch I got a Chesesteak Sandwich and picked up a refillable mug as well. After lunch I headed over to the bus stop to get a bus for Disney’s Animal Kingdom where I caught the afternoon parade before heading out on Kilimanjaro Safari’s. After that I walked the Pangani Forest Exploration Trail to see the Gorilla’s and other animals on it. When I returned from that wristbands for EMH that night were being handed out so I got in line to grab one, I then headed off to Kilimanjaro Safari’s again. This time it started to rain well I was about half way though the line. I was actually really cool seining it in the rain and a little wet too as the roof over the jeeps leaks a little bit.

Once I had returned from the shortened two week Safari I headed in the Rain over to the Festival of the Lion King. This time I got to sit in the Warthog section. The show was great just as it was when I saw it in February.

I then headed off to Dinosaur in Dinoland USA. After a thrilling ride through time I headed over to Asia to look at Expedition Everest. I made a little trek through Asia before deciding to go to Epcot to see Iluminations Reflections off Earth.

I arrived at Epcot at about 8:30 and there were people leaving why would you leave Epcot without seeing Iluminations? I then headed over to Spaceship Earth to take a trip though the History of Communication. (It looks way better then it did in February.) After that I headed over to the Electric Umbrella where I grabbed so chicken strips and a coke. Once I was done with dinner I headed over to the Worldshowcase to catch Iluminations Reflections of Earth. The show was great. Afterwards I walked from Canada all the way around the Worldshowcase Plaza just so I could here the song Promise and the score from Tapestry of Nations (I really wish I could have seen that parade) . Then it was time to return to Port Orleans French Quarter.

When I got into my room I found that my bags had been delivered, I then grabbed my shampoo (packed in my checked luggage of coarse) and headed to the shower. I then caught up on my E-mail read some posts on websites.

 

[EastYorkDisneyFan]

On Thursday August 24th I got up early and wrote up my first day’s trip report before hitting the shower and heading off too the Magic Kingdom.

Once there I walked over to the Resort Monorail station to get a Monorail to the Contemporary Hotel as I had a 9:30 Breakfast reservation at Chef Mickey’s. I got there half an hour early and was seated anyways.

After breakfast I took the resort loop all the way back to the Magic Kingdom. After entering through the main gate I took my time walking up Main Street. I then headed into Adventureland where after walking through Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse, I saw that the line for the Jungle Cruise had spilled out over by Shrunken Ned’s. I thought about grabbing a Fast Pass for it but there weren’t using them today. So instead I headed over towards Pirates of the Caribbean. Just as I arrived in Caribbean plaza Mac (Jack Sparrow’s First Mate) came in and started the Pirate Tutorial.

After Jack had run off because we had been informed that he had a king’s ransom on his head, I headed into Pirates of the Caribbean, where I sat with someone who had ridden it back when it first opened. Well we were waiting to board we had a discussion about the History of the ride here in WDW. After that I headed off to Frontierland to see what the line-up for the mountains was like. During which time I saw engine number four, the Roy O. Disney, from the Walt Disney World Rail Road pull into the station so I walked into the station to get on board. As we crossed the bridge over the entrance to the Rivers of America I saw just around the corner the Liberty Belle sitting there back from her time in the Dry dock. I then got off at Toon Town and walked beside the train, along the path leading to Tomorrowland, fowling it as it made its way up the hill to Main Street.

Once in Tomorrowland I got on the TTA and took a around trip tour of Tomorrowland. After that I walked out of Tomorrowland and headed to Fantasyland. I passed by all of the attractions before deciding to jump on Peter Pan’s Flight. The stand by Line was only 30 minutes where as the fastpass line was backed up a little bit. After riding Peter Pan’s Flight I rode It’s a small world.

After that I headed around the castle through Liberty Square and took the Adventureland Bridge into the hub. I then headed to Casey’s Corner to grab a hot dog. At this point they were making announcements that the afternoon parade would be delayed do to the rain. The parade finally started on Main Street at about 3:30. Well I was waiting for the parade to start I saw a couple of Main Street cast members arguing about weather to do the hooky poky or play duck, duck goose with a crowd they had assembled in the street.

Once the parade was over I headed back to the hotel so I could give all my cruise information into the cruise line desk.

After doing that I headed over to Epcot and road Soarin’ even though it had a 60 minute wait, also I got to carry one of the red cards for checking the accuracy of the wait time clocks. After riding Soarin’ I grabbed some dinner at the Sunshine Season’s food court, where I had the rotisserie beef and mashed potatoes.

Once I had finished my dinner I headed over Spaceship Earth. After enjoying my favourite ride, I started to head over to towards the World Showcase to find a spot for Iluminations Reflections of Earth and go on a few attractions on the way.

Well on my way I went on El Rio del Tiempo in Mexico and Malelstrom in Norway, by then the Torches were lit and it was time for Iluminations to begin. After that I headed for home again for the night.

 

[OhMari]

"After that I headed for home again for the night."

Don't we all wish WDW was our home.

 

[Viki]

Hey, what's up with Spaceship Earth looking better???

I had the exact same experience. When we were there in December, with first-time visitors, I was postively embarrassed while on the ride. But when, on a whim, we rode it again in August, I got really sentimental!

In any event, thank you for taking the time for such a great TR!

 

[EastYorkDisneyFan]

Hey, what's up with Spaceship Earth looking better???

I had the exact same experience. When we were there in December, with first-time visitors, I was postively embarrassed while on the ride. But when, on a whim, we rode it again in August, I got really sentimental!

In any event, thank you for taking the time for such a great TR!

When AT&T left as a sponsor Disneylet a few things slip in it such as lighting not being as good and efects not working right.

 

[EastYorkDisneyFan]

... but I have been busy and also stupidly did not write anything down as to waht I did except for one day. Also can someone plese tell mehow to add pictures?