mikki.young
Knows Dreams do come true!
- Joined
- Aug 11, 2000
- Messages
- 3,187
Tuesday 16th January
The weather says tomorrow may be cooler but it will be hot today. So Mikki planned a morning at Blizzard Beach and did not expect to wake up to fog! This causes us to change round the programme for the day and go off property in the morning looking at the Lake Buena Vista outlet mall. This place has very poor memories for us starting from the idiotic welcome my humans got when they were travelling on a package holiday That was a long time ago - before Figaro or DVC. More recently, we were treated shamefully by an electronics shop (it appears still to be here but we will never enter it again). On our trip last year we discovered the internet café which is also still here but which we dont need now. Mikki did find something to buy but I doubt we will be visiting this mall again this trip.
Next stop was Premium Outlets including a food court lunch. Even as food courts go, this is definitely not the best. We tour one side of the mall and Mikki gets some new Addidas tennis shoes for use at home. She plays a lot of tennis but in England its not so much fun outdoors in January. The prices here are good. Also, its Tuesday so she can get Andrew to buy them for her and get the over 50s discount available on Tuesdays.
Now its time to leave Andrew (and me cats dont like water) at the room and for Mikki to go to Blizzard Beach. They have a cute idea of having photopasses you can wear round your wrist though it does mean we now have 2. Next time we have a day of Internet, we intend to check up on our photos online.
Mikki has more fun on the rides of Blizzard Beach that she expected. The nice Disney folks let her ride the kids slide (it wasnt too busy with kids at the time). My Mikki has no problem in being a bit of a mouse when it comes to big water slides.
In the evening, we went off property to look for somewhere to eat. After checking out parts of International Drive and Sand Lake Road, we settle on Tony Roma. The food was good enough for Mikki to want to try other items on the menu another time; the atmosphere was relaxing (thats another way of saying no loud music); the service was friendly; and they had tables available immediately.
Wednesday 17th January
It is quite late in the morning by the time we take the Disney bus to the Studios. We soon see a character I have never met. Chip n Dale have their friend Clarissa. Sadly, there is a long line and they leave before we get to meet them although Mikki does manage to take her photo as they leave. The park is quite busy with even the Great Movie Ride showing a 20 minute wait. We look around a bit before going down Mickey Avenue and deciding it is time for early lunch at the Studio Catering Co.
After lunch we look for photo opportunities for me on New York Street. Theyve taken away the British post box but we may have found some other things. A 50 minute wait for Star Tours was not our idea of fun so we walked back towards the lake and Sorcerer Hat. I was going to have my picture with the stars of Cars but one of them shook me off so I sent my stunt kitten, Travelling Beanie. In the Animation Court, I had pictures with Mr and Mrs In credible and Frozone. Things were very quiet for them.
After some more wandering, the humans decide they need a rest so we go to the Prime Time Lounge and they have a beer each. Then, its about time to leave the park to go to the Boardwalk for the DVC Welcome Home Wednesday meeting. We take the boat.
The DVC meeting is at the Atlantic Dance hall which we have never been in before. It is promoted as a change from the old member get togethers. These tended to vary with the person presenting them. Sometimes they gave interesting insights into what is new (in DVC and Disney generally). More often, they were an excuse to try to sell more points. This one was certainly different. There was no sales talk.
The show as presented by Miss DeeVee Cee. We assumed she was played by one of the actresses you sometimes get shouting up and down the street at the Studios. If her unaided voice could fill the street outdoors in the Studios, imagine her indoors, miked and amplified. If you fancy doing all the Ooos and Aaahs of the audience of the more down market tv game shows then this may be for you. Mikki, who can see better than Andrew, suspected most of the typical DVC members in the audience were not in that category. Anyway, three lucky members were picked at random to play a game vaguely reminiscent of Jeopardy with categories all based on DVC trivia. In due course, DeeVee C who could allocate points as she liked announced them all winners (cos members are magical) and gave them a slightly better piece of DVC merchandise than the hat everyone else got for staying the course listening. Andrew walked out early on. He doesnt see very well and the lights and noise left him feeling so out of it that he knew he could not even pretend to be playing along and enjoying himself.
Today is the coldest day we have had yet though not bad by British standards and nothing compared to ice storms we hear about in the northern USA. Out on the Boardwalk there is a good breeze that Andrew thinks is rather authentic for the seaside theme. Actually, it is more like an English seaside resort in summer although the latest European report on global warming says that by the end of the century UK seaside resorts may have to suffer Mediterranean temperatures but thats another story.
We walk to Epcot as the easiest way to get a bus back to Old Key West. We wander through the shops of the UK pavilion and chat to some of the cast members. There seems to be a lot from Scotland today. We learn they move round to different shops every two hours. This must help bring variety to the job and increase their knowledge of what is in the other stores in case a guest asks.
As we get to Canada, Mikki has an idea. We go to Le Cellier just in case they have a vacancy this evening. We can take you now. Well, its only 5.30 but lunch was quite early so we go in. So much again for the guy in the Studios who said Disney restaurants no longer take walk-ins. The humans each have the same: cheddar cheese soup and mushroom fillet. They even have space for dessert. Mikki has a crème brulee sampler and Andrew a Chocolate Moose as fun to look at as it is delicious to eat.
We walk out of Epcot wandering into shops as we go and are happy to take a survey on our dinner that night it was good to be able to report an excellent meal.
The weather says tomorrow may be cooler but it will be hot today. So Mikki planned a morning at Blizzard Beach and did not expect to wake up to fog! This causes us to change round the programme for the day and go off property in the morning looking at the Lake Buena Vista outlet mall. This place has very poor memories for us starting from the idiotic welcome my humans got when they were travelling on a package holiday That was a long time ago - before Figaro or DVC. More recently, we were treated shamefully by an electronics shop (it appears still to be here but we will never enter it again). On our trip last year we discovered the internet café which is also still here but which we dont need now. Mikki did find something to buy but I doubt we will be visiting this mall again this trip.
Next stop was Premium Outlets including a food court lunch. Even as food courts go, this is definitely not the best. We tour one side of the mall and Mikki gets some new Addidas tennis shoes for use at home. She plays a lot of tennis but in England its not so much fun outdoors in January. The prices here are good. Also, its Tuesday so she can get Andrew to buy them for her and get the over 50s discount available on Tuesdays.
Now its time to leave Andrew (and me cats dont like water) at the room and for Mikki to go to Blizzard Beach. They have a cute idea of having photopasses you can wear round your wrist though it does mean we now have 2. Next time we have a day of Internet, we intend to check up on our photos online.
Mikki has more fun on the rides of Blizzard Beach that she expected. The nice Disney folks let her ride the kids slide (it wasnt too busy with kids at the time). My Mikki has no problem in being a bit of a mouse when it comes to big water slides.
In the evening, we went off property to look for somewhere to eat. After checking out parts of International Drive and Sand Lake Road, we settle on Tony Roma. The food was good enough for Mikki to want to try other items on the menu another time; the atmosphere was relaxing (thats another way of saying no loud music); the service was friendly; and they had tables available immediately.
Wednesday 17th January
It is quite late in the morning by the time we take the Disney bus to the Studios. We soon see a character I have never met. Chip n Dale have their friend Clarissa. Sadly, there is a long line and they leave before we get to meet them although Mikki does manage to take her photo as they leave. The park is quite busy with even the Great Movie Ride showing a 20 minute wait. We look around a bit before going down Mickey Avenue and deciding it is time for early lunch at the Studio Catering Co.
After lunch we look for photo opportunities for me on New York Street. Theyve taken away the British post box but we may have found some other things. A 50 minute wait for Star Tours was not our idea of fun so we walked back towards the lake and Sorcerer Hat. I was going to have my picture with the stars of Cars but one of them shook me off so I sent my stunt kitten, Travelling Beanie. In the Animation Court, I had pictures with Mr and Mrs In credible and Frozone. Things were very quiet for them.
After some more wandering, the humans decide they need a rest so we go to the Prime Time Lounge and they have a beer each. Then, its about time to leave the park to go to the Boardwalk for the DVC Welcome Home Wednesday meeting. We take the boat.
The DVC meeting is at the Atlantic Dance hall which we have never been in before. It is promoted as a change from the old member get togethers. These tended to vary with the person presenting them. Sometimes they gave interesting insights into what is new (in DVC and Disney generally). More often, they were an excuse to try to sell more points. This one was certainly different. There was no sales talk.
The show as presented by Miss DeeVee Cee. We assumed she was played by one of the actresses you sometimes get shouting up and down the street at the Studios. If her unaided voice could fill the street outdoors in the Studios, imagine her indoors, miked and amplified. If you fancy doing all the Ooos and Aaahs of the audience of the more down market tv game shows then this may be for you. Mikki, who can see better than Andrew, suspected most of the typical DVC members in the audience were not in that category. Anyway, three lucky members were picked at random to play a game vaguely reminiscent of Jeopardy with categories all based on DVC trivia. In due course, DeeVee C who could allocate points as she liked announced them all winners (cos members are magical) and gave them a slightly better piece of DVC merchandise than the hat everyone else got for staying the course listening. Andrew walked out early on. He doesnt see very well and the lights and noise left him feeling so out of it that he knew he could not even pretend to be playing along and enjoying himself.
Today is the coldest day we have had yet though not bad by British standards and nothing compared to ice storms we hear about in the northern USA. Out on the Boardwalk there is a good breeze that Andrew thinks is rather authentic for the seaside theme. Actually, it is more like an English seaside resort in summer although the latest European report on global warming says that by the end of the century UK seaside resorts may have to suffer Mediterranean temperatures but thats another story.
We walk to Epcot as the easiest way to get a bus back to Old Key West. We wander through the shops of the UK pavilion and chat to some of the cast members. There seems to be a lot from Scotland today. We learn they move round to different shops every two hours. This must help bring variety to the job and increase their knowledge of what is in the other stores in case a guest asks.
As we get to Canada, Mikki has an idea. We go to Le Cellier just in case they have a vacancy this evening. We can take you now. Well, its only 5.30 but lunch was quite early so we go in. So much again for the guy in the Studios who said Disney restaurants no longer take walk-ins. The humans each have the same: cheddar cheese soup and mushroom fillet. They even have space for dessert. Mikki has a crème brulee sampler and Andrew a Chocolate Moose as fun to look at as it is delicious to eat.
We walk out of Epcot wandering into shops as we go and are happy to take a survey on our dinner that night it was good to be able to report an excellent meal.
