Adventurers in Septemberer -- Food & Wine, MNSSHP, and Adventurer's Club!

[girlbomb]

Yay!!! Another TR by Girlbomb!

Hey there, addictedtothemouse! Nice to see you again!

OMG, you're right! I'VE NEVER SEEN US IN A ROOM TOGETHER! What does this mean??? Do I not exist? Does that mean I don't have to go to work tomorrow?

No...wait...I don't do water parks. Whew. Guess that proves our separate existences.

Great update! I love your description of a totally unnecessary Disney-stress moment. I know I've been there! I'm bound and determined to actually have one relaxing -- perhaps even park-free! -- night next time I go, so I don't have to be quite so tired by Day 3 (we'll see if I can actually do something so crazy).

Norybell, I suppose I must accept your proof. But still, the vicarious thrill I get from your TR is awfully suspicious...

I somehow got unsubscribed and was pouting a little bit about not having any of Janice's report to relish, when I took a glance at the trip report board and saw I'd been left way behind! The reward of missing a chapter is having two to read at once, which I just did, lickity-split!

Party night was way fun, and I loved hearing about all the things you did after we parted ways. Glad you got some jumps in at the dance party (after all, you were wearing your bouncing Tigger ears!) I always want to get up and get down at the dances, but when I'm solo I'm just too inhibited to get there. Are you going to do a MVMCP in December? I agree about Hallowishes - a good show, but not emotional.

Ah, Disney angst. There is some moment in every trip where the quest for perfection gets a little out of hand, exhaustion smacking into enthusiasm. Super sweet that Bill was so lovely around your cranky-fest. Glad the first ride at Typhoon Lagoon got your happiness rolling! So now that you've done both water parks, do you have a favorite?

Thanks for the great ride!

Circusgirl, we are in fact doing the Christmas party, on Tuesday the 8th. Might you be there that night? Hope hope hope?

And I was reluctant to write about the hour of Disney angst I had, but I am nothing if not thorough in these trip reports! And I knew I'd be writing for sympathetic readers in my "quest for perfection," as you so aptly put it.

As for which water park is my favorite, I'm going to have to be dull and say both of them, because I really can't decide. I liked the rides at TL a little better, but the atmosphere at BB a little more. What's your call?

Sounds like you had an absolutely amazing time at TL (except for the grumpiness)!!! DH took the kids last trip and they all loved it, too!

Praisehisname, I am happy to say that after the grumpiness, the morning really turned around beautifully. I'm glad your family had the same kind of fun we did!

Haha!! I was lmao about your time being spent on line for TL--myself having never been there I would have been eyeing everyone up as well...fabricating all these different scenarios in my mind about who was going to go where

Then the people on the lazy river that you had to backstroke from Very funny reading today! Not that I am laughing at your stress and anxiety, just that I would have been acting/reacting exactly the same!

It's factual, everything is not satisfactual!

Tracy

See, I knew I could count on my DIS friends to know where I was coming from! I'm laughing at myself, weeks after the fact, for getting so bent out of shape over nothing -- I hope I can catch myself from "going there" on our upcoming trip.

I hate it when I get behind on TRs!

I'm caught up now!

MNSSHP sounds like it was such a great time. I'm hoping to make it there next fall, I really loved the party atmosphere.

Lady Lallie, we'll keep an eye out for your upcoming plans, to see if we can get worlds to collide!

I'm so glad I found your report! We had a good time hanging out with you guys in the mask room at Adventurer's Club!! Here is our picture of you and Hathaway Brown. I love it! It was great to meet you!

Christine, it was great to meet you and Chuck! Thanks so much for this pic -- it's a moment I will treasure forever!

I'm sad that I haven't been able to update very often, and that I had to bail on including pictures, but it's been hectic here behind the scenes, and I want to get this report finished before we leave for our next trip in just 10 days!

Day Four, Part Two: It's Almost Like this Kingdom is...Magic, or Something!

So our Saturday had gotten off to a rocky start, because of my moody moods -- the downside of being a compulsive planner! But the day improved considerably once Typhoon Lagoon opened and the fun began, with lots of sliding and splashing and beating the heat that’s been beating us for the past few days. Now we’ve headed back to the Animal Kingdom Lodge for a short nap before a night of fun at the MK.

We arrive back in the room around 4, but as tired as I am, as soon as my head hits the pillow, my mind starts racing. I manage to drop off into a light doze, but not for long, and it seems like Bill is experiencing the same restlessness. By 5 or 5:15, we decide to get up and get back out there into the fun – it’s waiting for us, and the precious time we have left here in Disney World is dwindling away!

So we take a cab to the Contemporary (well, to the walkway near the Contemporary) and then walk to the MK. It’s 5:45 now, and there are massive crowds flooding the entrance. Eek! Where did all these people come from? The Touring Plans crowd calendar had today as a “four” on a scale of one to ten. This looks more like a fourteen, right here. But we join a line for a turnstile and wait a minute or two while the family in front of us struggles with the finger scan; then it’s right over to Frontierland, where the FastPass machines for Splash Mountain are down (?) and the standby is 80 minutes. So we grab FPs for Big Thunder, and decide to take a nice, relaxing loop on the railroad.

This is the biggest crowd I’ve ever seen waiting for the railroad. And those guests who decide to fill in the empty spaces in the queue are getting stares of death from other guests. Usually, it doesn’t seem to matter much if you are ahead of or behind someone else while waiting for the train; everyone’s going to get on when it arrives. Today, not so much. The train comes, and we are lucky to find two seats; it leaves from the station completely full, with plenty of people still on line waiting for the next one.

I love riding the MK railroad, maybe because it’s something we tend to do after we’ve run around everywhere else in a frenzy, and we’re sort of chilling out and cooling down, and I love that mood. There’s so much to see – I love the peek inside Splash, the scenes past Big Thunder, the view of Toontown as we pull into the station, and the quiet of the path between Toontown and Tomorrowland. We pull into Main Street, and there is an announcement that there will be a short delay here – okay. Nice to be off our feet, nice to be here among the sounds and sights and smells of the MK…

…For about five minutes. And then we get impatient, because the train still isn’t moving, and we jump off. During the jump off, I manage to whack my knee against the decorative ironwork, and I wince with awful, nauseating pain – argh! Please tell me I’m not going to have to limp for the rest of the night!

A few ouchy steps later, and the pain starts to wear off, so we walk slowly over to Big Thunder to use our FPs. The FastPass line is really long, for some reason – it takes about ten minutes to get to the ride – but it’s nothing compared to the long, close, hot, unmoving standby line. If I were on that standby line, I’d be freaking out with claustrophobia and impatience! Which is why you will not find me on any standby lines posting 50 minute waits.

We are seated in the last row again, for a wild ride through the wilderness. I have great memories of riding this with my much younger brother – he was eight at the time, and I was twenty-two – while our mom sat it out on a nearby bench. I remember the excitement in his eyes when we hit the hill with the rumbling boulders threatening to drop on us, and the whoosh of the downhill turn. Bill is only slightly less enthused about the ride, and only because he knows what’s going to happen next, as do I – still, it’s a bunch of fun to swoop around the mountain, hands up, even as centripetal force smashes me into his side as we careen to the right.

We are delivered safely back to the station, and decide that – since it’s been hours since lunch, and our dinner ADR is not for a while yet – our next stop will be a sweet, tangy, refreshing Dole Whip. On the way to whipdom, we see that the wait for Pirates is only 10 minutes – with the park as packed as it is right now, we’ll seize the opportunity to take advantage of a short wait. This time, we are spared the company of a nattering family behind us, and can concentrate on the scenes and characters as they play out before us. Including the drunk, “Old Bill,” with the cats heckling him as he mutters and sways.

I whisper to Bill. “That’s you, you rummy.”

We exit the ride, noting the home of the new Pirates experience across the way, and we laugh as we pass the Magic Carpets and hear a familiar Disney sound – “MOOOOOOOOOM!” Ah, the music of an insistent four-year old.

There is a short wait for the Dole Whip, but it’s worth it. Very pleasant, to sit there and share it with Bill, watching the people pass by, eavesdropping on everyone else’s plans for the evening. Again, this is the part of the trip I treasure the most – no, wait – the whole thing is the part I treasure the most: arriving, the first night, the first table service meal, every other table service meal after that… But this part feels extra good right now, the part where we’ve done all of our must-do’s, and are taking it slow and easy, letting it all soak in.

We pass back through the buildings to Frontierland, where there are throngs of people waiting for SpectroMagic – it really is surprisingly crowded here right now. The waits on all the attractions in Liberty Square and Fantasyland are longer than we want to deal with, so we make a big loop and find ourselves in front of Monsters Inc., with only a 10 minute wait. We spend most of it giggling at the pre-show, and looking around to see if we can spot who they’ll choose as That Guy – every heavyset, balding guy is a possible candidate. What we don’t guess is that Bill will be the person chosen to appear on the screen offering to buy churros for everyone after the show!

I seriously spend all year trying to collect riddles to text into this show. This one is kind of lame, but I’ve texted it in anyway, and they use it: How do you make an orange laugh? Tickle its navel!



Okay, I’ll try to do better in December…

After the show, it’s almost 8, and judging by the crowds, we should probably check in early for our 8:30 ressie at Crystal Palace. We struggle through the hub, lined with parade-waiters, and make it onto the porch of the restaurant, where there is a loooooooong line of people waiting to check in. Guests keep joining the line and looking dismayed and asking each other, “Is this the line to check in?” in this incredulous, whiny voice that leads me to believe they’re either first-timers, or just whiny whiners. Yes, this is the line. No, there is no shorter line for people like yourselves who don’t want to wait on this one. The line is the line. Sorry.

The dad in front of us keeps turning around to get support from the crowd. “Wow, this is busy.” I smile, non-committal. I don’t need to get into a discussion of how crowded it is while standing in a huge crowd – as they say over in the American Adventure, “we hold these truths to be self-evident.” But the dad won’t quit trying to make conversation. “Happiest place on earth, but nobody’s smiling.”

Except me, patiently, while ignoring him. It’s true that most people around us look weary, stunned, and overwhelmed, but I’m not taking that as a knock against Disney, nor am I interested in any Disney-bashing conversation. I maintain my smile, and very soon we are checked in. It took maybe five minutes – really not so bad at all. Bill and I find two seats on a bench and sit, knowing that it will be a while before we’re called, and fine with that knowledge. Unlike Dad, who’s still busy complaining to anyone who’ll listen.

While we’re sitting, someone knocks on the window behind us. It’s a boy of about eight or nine, and he turns away as soon as I turn around, then laughs to his brother. Ha ha! I startled that woman! I give him a big smile and a wave – I see you, you naughty scamp! – then turn around and resume my conversation with Bill. So he knocks on the window again – ha ha! I’m really annoying now! And I turn all the way around and give him a really big smile and a thumbs up, hoping his parents will see me, and will figure out that their kid is being kind of a cretin, trying to amuse himself by annoying others. This freaks the kid out sufficiently, so I turn around, and there are no further knocks on the window. Again,

This drama having been completed, we are called to our table, after only a ten minute wait. So despite the huge crowd, we are seated pretty much right on time. We can’t help but admire the cast members who are keeping their cool in this hectic atmosphere, and we tell them each that they’re doing a great job and we’re thankful. Our poor waitress, Melanie, is rushing around like her skirt’s on fire, but she manages to be pleasant and get us everything we need quickly. We write her name down on our list of CMs to praise when we get home and send our annual email to Guest Communications. There’s also a lovely heart made of Mickey confetti on our table – they must have heard that it was just our fourth anniversary!

I think the dinner buffet at the Crystal Palace is really good. There’s an edamame salad I like, a consistently well-prepared salmon, and some delicious broccoli in puri puri (which is…what? I don’t know). Bill likes the adobo pulled pork, the pasta salad, and the beef tenderloin from the carving station. And the atmosphere is lively and fun, with Pooh, Eeyore, Piglet, and Tigger making their rounds. Even tonight, when it’s crowded and hectic, their presence is warm and happy, and kids around the room are excited to see and take pictures with them. No “hip hip hooray” parade around the room – they must be having trouble keeping the characters on schedule – but plenty of people-and-character watching opportunities. When Eeyore comes around to say hi to us, I compliment him on his Halloween costume, and he nods in recognition. When Tigger comes around I get out of my seat and jump up and down a bunch of times like an overexcited spaz.

In between characters, we notice a big kerfuffle outside, guests cramming on to the porch, and when we look up towards the windows near the ceiling, we can see in the shafts of light that it’s suddenly pouring out there. Yikes! Huge sheets of rain are pounding down, and we have no rain gear aside from our hats, which won’t do much to keep us dry. We don’t want to take up a table for too long, but we don’t rush through our food, either. We’re hoping that the rain will slack off, but it doesn’t.

So we decide to take our chances out there and get a move on. As soon as we step outside and out from under the awning, I regret it. It’s pouring! Bill is laughing, saying he doesn’t mind getting wet, as long as a bunch of people leave the park (and they are leaving, in droves), but I am not having as much fun with my feet getting soaked. We duck into the Emporium and I grab a poncho (this is the first trip we’ve taken where I didn’t bring one, so of course I need one now), then we head back out into the downpour and quickly make our way to the Haunted Mansion.

There’s only a very brief wait under the canopy before we’re escorted inside, where it feels chilly – not just a ghostly chill, either, but the chill of air conditioning when it’s just dropped fifteen degrees and is raining outside. But hey, it adds atmosphere to the ride (not that it lacks any atmosphere on its own), and the ride itself is as diverting as always. The ghosts in the graveyard are just so gosh darn happy – way more grinning than grim!

We head towards the mountains, but both rides are not running because of the heavy rain, which has started to slack off some, but not enough. So we head towards Philharmagic – along with many, many other guests who seem to have had the same idea. Once again, we are subject to a narrating family – this one featuring two young children who keep asking questions in their piercing little voices, and a mom and dad who answer them full-voiced, no whisper or murmur, just like nobody else is around. And I know, we’re ogres for complaining (not to the family, but to each other, and to you fine readers here online) when children express their adorable native curiosity and parents satisfy it, but couldn’t they be adorably natively curious a little bit quieter?

It’s slackened off to a drizzle outside, but we don’t feel like going all the way back to Frontierland to hear that the mountains are still down, and after more than 12 hours in the parks, I’m getting a little weary. So we decide to take one last ride on the TTA, as we usually do before leaving the MK on any given night, and then do a quick sweep of the stores for a gift for my little “niece” (our friends’ kid – I wish she were my niece!).

The TTA is, again, a little weird without the Space Mountain portion operating. And again, if I’d known that it would be the past time we would hear “Paging Mr. Tom Morrow,” I’d have taped the whole spiel for posterity. Alas, all things must change, and that includes the TTA – I look forward to riding it again in December (very soon!), and to making new memories with the new spiel.

We walk slowly through Tomorrowland towards the hub, stopping to run our hands over the planetary sculpture near Stitch, gazing at the lights on the castle, the glow reflected in the pond. A whiff of popcorn as we pass the vendor by the hub, a whiff of the bakery behind it. We take a tour through the Emporium, and I finally settle on a soft, pink Sleeping Beauty nightshirt for our two-year-old friend. Then it’s past the rest of the windows on Main Street, through the gates, and out to the bus stop.

We see the bus departing as we approach, so we change the plan and head towards the Contemporary, where we’re happy to find a cab waiting. The cab gets us back to the Lodge in short order, and soon we’re back upstairs and in the room, packing for our departure tomorrow. The only thing keeping me from utter sadness is knowing that we’ll be back soon – and soon it is! Ten days from the day I’m posting this, as a matter of fact!

(But first, our last day of our September trip – coming soon, I swear! Thanks for reading. )

 

[praisehisname]

Great update! You really conveyed the nostalgic, last-day feeling. I felt like I was right there with you.

 

[Lady Lallie]

I love reading your about your Disney adventures. The way that you write makes me feel like I'm right there with you. Not in a creepy stalker way either.

I can't believe you leave in just 10 days!!

 

[manntra]

I love reading your about your Disney adventures. The way that you write makes me feel like I'm right there with you. Not in a creepy stalker way either.

I can't believe you leave in just 10 days!!

Exactly LL!!

I can picture the family in POC, the Dad on line at CP, eavesdropping on conversations while eating a Dole Whip, the freezing cold in HM after the rain...

Speaking of your upcoming trip...we want all the details of SM!!!!!

Tracy

 

[Circusgirl]

I have been thinking of attending MVMCP on the 8th, and now I'm sure of it!

I've only been to Typhoon Lagoon, so will have to go to BB to be able to have a preference. I picked TL for a second visit because I liked the variety of rides a little better (and I wanted to try Crushin' Gusher), but will check out BB one of these visits. I am never very good at the "what's your favorite ride" type of questions. I have very many favorites, all for different reasons.

It was darn crowded - more crowded than on any of my other trips, ever!! It is one of the things I worry about as a CDP (compulsive Disney planner), my week being more crowded than one of the more superior weeks before or after mine. Last year I really enjoyed he week after Labor Day when the parks were deliciously empty, but I didn't mind the crowds this time the way I might have on another trip because of all the good company to be had during our week.

You were two for two at Monsters Inc.! I'm glad they took your joke, even though I agree that it is a little weak. Bill looks like (and in fact very likely is) the kind of guy who would buy churros for everyone!

I so relate to the agony of the "narrating families" as you so brilliantly named them. One of my pet peeves is poor theater manners, when people act like they are at home in front of their TV instead of properly respecting the magic bubble of the show. I've showed up to be immersed, thank you very much.

I'm glad you got some Tigger bouncing in.

I can't believe how soon we'll be back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[girlbomb]

Great update! You really conveyed the nostalgic, last-day feeling. I felt like I was right there with you.

Praisehisname, thanks for following our adventure!

I love reading your about your Disney adventures. The way that you write makes me feel like I'm right there with you. Not in a creepy stalker way either.

I can't believe you leave in just 10 days!!

Lady Lallie, I'm glad we could bring you along with us too!

Exactly LL!!

I can picture the family in POC, the Dad on line at CP, eavesdropping on conversations while eating a Dole Whip, the freezing cold in HM after the rain...

Speaking of your upcoming trip...we want all the details of SM!!!!!

Tracy

Tracy, I can't WAIT to ride Space Mountain, and to report back with a full review.

I have been thinking of attending MVMCP on the 8th, and now I'm sure of it!

I've only been to Typhoon Lagoon, so will have to go to BB to be able to have a preference. I picked TL for a second visit because I liked the variety of rides a little better (and I wanted to try Crushin' Gusher), but will check out BB one of these visits. I am never very good at the "what's your favorite ride" type of questions. I have very many favorites, all for different reasons.

It was darn crowded - more crowded than on any of my other trips, ever!! It is one of the things I worry about as a CDP (compulsive Disney planner), my week being more crowded than one of the more superior weeks before or after mine. Last year I really enjoyed he week after Labor Day when the parks were deliciously empty, but I didn't mind the crowds this time the way I might have on another trip because of all the good company to be had during our week.

You were two for two at Monsters Inc.! I'm glad they took your joke, even though I agree that it is a little weak. Bill looks like (and in fact very likely is) the kind of guy who would buy churros for everyone!

I so relate to the agony of the "narrating families" as you so brilliantly named them. One of my pet peeves is poor theater manners, when people act like they are at home in front of their TV instead of properly respecting the magic bubble of the show. I've showed up to be immersed, thank you very much.

I'm glad you got some Tigger bouncing in.

I can't believe how soon we'll be back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Circusgirl, we're down to the last few days now -- woohoo!

But first, the last day of our September trip -- Day Five: Sunday, Sept. 28

So here we are on the last day of our super awesome bonus trip, our five-day (well, three full days and two half-days) jaunt to the happiest of all places on Earth. So far, it’s been action-packed, food-filled, friend-studded, and HOT. We’ve enjoyed staying at the slower-paced Animal Kingdom Lodge, which has such vivid artwork and inspiring design, not to mention the exotic animals right outside the window. We’ve been to the Adventurer’s Club special event, the Halloween Party, and the Food and Wine Festival, as well as all four parks and Typhoon Lagoon. We’ve hung out with our pal Circusgirl, and made new pals in Chuck, Lynn, and Christine. And now it’s our last day, and our trip is winding down.

But you wouldn’t be able to tell we were winding down, to see us spring up with the alarm at 6:30. Fortunately, we’ve already done the majority of our packing, as we plan to do something today that we’ve never done in any of our five Disney trips – we’re going to a park on our departure day. Dun dun dun dun! Of course, we’ve never had a 7pm departure time, as we do tonight – in the past, we’ve either hit the road at the crack of dawn, or caught a 2-ish flight after breakfast at one of the resorts. I hope that departing later will work for us, and that we’ll have a good time on our last (half) day in the parks.

We get ready and out of the room by 7:45. The fat, sad envelope of doom that the Disney elves have slid under the door looks correct, so there’s no need to stop in the lobby to check out. We just stash our bags at Bell Services, and grab a cab to Epcot – we’re there way ahead of rope drop, at 8:05.

Again I have to ask myself, why would we rather stand at the turnstiles and wait for almost an hour for the park to open, then wait the hour on lines for rides and attractions later, after some more sleep? I don’t know – maybe we could time it a little better in the future, so that we’re there only a half hour before the gates open. We’ll see how it goes in December…I have a feeling my anxieties will override my common sense, and that we’ll be first at the turnstiles every day.

And it certainly doesn’t hurt to be there at the turnstile, gazing into the empty park, watching the CMs go about their pre-opening business, chatting here and there. When the turnstiles open, we hoof it quickly to the Soarin’ rope, where we have an amiable chat with a lovely CM about the Food and Wine Festival (apparently, he owns a lot of wine as a result of working there). Then the rope drops, and we all trip over our own feet trying to walk at the exact pace of the CMs without getting edged out by other guests.

But we all get to the Land building and down the stairs and to the Fast Pass machines, where we nab FPs for 9:40, and then into the queue and then into the loading area. We watch our boarding instructions while shifting happily and impatiently from foot to foot. Then it’s the ride itself, which remains breathtaking every single time. One good ride deserves another, so we loop around as soon as we’re released and get back in the very short line. Once the line passes the CM taking FPs, and we reach the hallway before the loading area, we stop, as usually happens.

A father and son are behind us – I guess the kid’s about seven, and he’s impatient. “When is the line going to move?” he asks; his dad says he doesn’t know. This is the part of the line that often doesn’t move for five minutes at a time, and I decide to lean over and let them know this, so at least they’ll have some idea of when they’ll be moving, rather than standing there confused and expecting the line to shuffle forward slowly the way Disney lines usually do. “This part of the line usually doesn’t move at all for a few minutes, but when it moves, we should be in the next group that gets to the loading area.”

The dad is grateful for the intel. “First time?” I ask. They confirm that this is their first time on Soarin’, and here at the park. Which means they are DISNEY NEWBIES. My tongue practically hangs out of my mouth, and I have to restrain myself from completely pouncing on them and planning the entire rest of their day. But the dad must sense my overwhelming desire to meddle, and mentions that mom and younger sis are waiting for them after the ride, and they have a whole plan for the afternoon.

Okay, then – you get away this time…

I love watching the two of them during the pre-show, the buckling-in procedure, and as the seats lift into the air. And then I’m watching the screen, immersed again in soaring over California.

By the time we’ve done our two rides on Soarin’, it’s almost ten a.m., and the park is crowded. The wait boards show long lines for most of the attractions – even Spaceship Earth is posting a fifteen minute wait. We head that way anyway, choosing another ride on SE over exploring the Living Seas, riding Imagination, or spending close to an hour with Ellen on her Energy Adventure. The line is curved around a bunch of times, and kids are climbing everywhere on the railings, but fortunately the line moves quickly, and we’re in our vehicle within minutes.

Another amazing ride through the history of communications, another invitation to imagine our futures. This time, our future shows us as entrepreneurs, working on our surfboard company via portable communications devices as we travel. Well, I have answered some business-related emails on my phone this trip – this future is not so far from the truth!

After SE, we use our FPs for Soarin’, grab another set of FPs, and then head out into the hot, hot sun, past the flower beds and the upside-down fountains, towards England to watch the 11:20 performance of the World Showcase Players before our noon ADR at Rose & Crown. (And why have a World Showcase ADR during Food and Wine, you ask? Well, when we were planning, we thought we might have had enough of walking and eating by Sunday, and might want a nice sit-down meal on our last afternoon. And I am definitely looking forward to having an air conditioned lunch – it’s beastly out today!).

We were hoping to coordinate with CircusHeather today, and have left each other messages – she’s somewhere in the park today, but we don’t know where. But our luck is with us once again, and in a park full of thousands of guests, we manage to spot Heather as soon as we hit Canada. Hooray! She’s grabbing a bite from one of the F&W stands, and once she’s through the line with tastiness in hand, she agrees to join us for the World Showcase Players.

We spend a good ten minutes sitting on an almost-shady bench, talking about traveling and life, enjoying each other’s company, and watching one of the world’s pushiest squirrels successfully beg for food from guests, until the WSPs arrive. We get curbside seats for the performance, and we note that one of the Adventurer’s Club alumni is playing one of the parts in the production of the Legend of the Grail (grail, grail, grail, whoopee!). I think we’re all kind of hoping to be chosen to perform with the troupe, but it’s other guests’ turns today, so we’ll just spectate. It’s a decent performance, but I don’t know… I think it would have been better if there were some circuspeople in it or something.

(I also kind of wish they’d write some new scripts for the very talented and game World Showcase Players – as wonderful as they are at improvising, some fresh material would help them a lot. It seems like the Streetmosphere scripts change fairly often, but not the WSPs; I wonder why? Maybe they need another writer on staff, for instance ME ME ME ME ME ME ME ME…)

After the show, we give Heather a big “goodbye for now” hug – it’s been a totally new experience for us to share our time in the parks with a friend, and it’s been a great pleasure.

Then we check into the Rose & Crown. I am dying for some air conditioning, so I am a little perturbed when they go to seat us on the porch. Nice view – awful heat! But Bill says he doesn’t mind the porch, and there is a fan pointed at us, so I say okay, as long as they’ll bring us lots of ice water, and fast. I kind of feel like we’re missing out on the full themed experience by not eating inside the restaurant, but okay. They bring us the menus, and we’re ready to order quickly.

Bill has the Scotch egg, bangers and mash, and a Boddington’s beer; I order a Stilton salad (yummmm) and some fish and chips. The fish and chips come wrapped in newsprint, which I take the time to read – boy, they really theme every single centimeter of the experience, don’t they? The food is good, but not exceptional, and the atmosphere is a little stifling. Next time, when the weather’s this hot, I will override my super-polite domesticated partner, and insist on eating indoors.

We skip dessert at the R&C so that we can avail ourselves of some of the Food and Wine desserts we may have missed (or enjoyed so much that we want a repeat). First stop: a crème brulee in France. It’s much more crowded than it was on Friday – looks like a lot of people are here specifically to enjoy the festival. And why not? The only drawback to our food and Food and Wine experience is that we spend so much time acquiring and eating food, we hardly explore the countries.

A stop at New Orleans for some of the bread pudding we liked on Friday, and then it starts to drizzle. You’d think this would reduce the heat and humidity somewhat, but it doesn’t. We duck into Norway and endure a ten-minute wait for Maelstrom, taking the time to check out the explorers’ maps on the wall. The crowd is full of impatient teenagers, but really, is there any other kind of teenager?

Maelstrom…is what it is. I almost kind of like it. But I mostly don’t get it. It makes Norway look like a terribly forbidding place, full of trolls and giant carnivorous animals and rainstorms on oil rigs. (The film afterwards, which we skip this time around, would have you believe differently.) And why is it that the boat goes backwards when it peeks outside? Don’t you kind of want to…see the view from the window? I do, which is why I turn almost all the way around in my seat before we take the plunge over the rapids. A strange ride all around.

Then it’s off to Barcelona, for a crème Catalana. The walkways are packed with people, and the few characters in sight are drawing long lines. But everyone seems to be in a good mood, despite the heat and the drizzle and the crowds. We’re used to December temperatures, which are slightly more forgiving, but we’d rather be here under these conditions than not be here under any conditions at all.

We have time for one last single rider trip on Test Track, then we use our last FPs for our fourth Soarin’ of the day. We’re about to be shuttled into the B2 line, but I ask the CM at the gate if we can get into the last few seats in B1. She’s saving those for a party of three, so we say “no problem, thanks anyway.” This changes her mind, and she lets us into B1, then grabs a single rider to fill out the row. Thanks, Helen from the Bronx!

After the ride, we pick up more FPs – we won’t be around to use them, but we can gift them to another set of guests. We look for a likely couple, and spot two smiling young people wearing “First Time” buttons. “Do you want these Fast Passes for Soarin’?” we ask, and though they don’t really understand what they are, they look pleased anyway, as do I. If I couldn’t plan the heck out of the dad and kid’s day earlier, we can at least pass on some FPs to some first timers!

By now, it’s getting towards departure time, so we make one last stop at Club Cool to rehydrate and perk up (my butt is dragging). I’ve read other people’s reports that claim that Club Cool is losing its appeal, with empty dispensers and sticky floors, and I guess I can see that it’s not as well-maintained as it could be, but I’m not complaining – it’s still a lively atmosphere where they serve delicious free soda. Bill, as usual, drinks some Beverly on purpose. Because he likes it.

Then we hit MouseGears so I can snag the Epcot tee I saw on Friday. Good thing, too, as my old Epcot tee is now officially holey – still good for sleeping in, not so good for wearing outside. This new one will be the star of our December trip, I can already tell!

It’s hard to walk back through the park and see all the pavilions we skipped for “lack of time.” The truth is, we had the time, we just spent that time on riding our favorites again and again rather than branching out a little. I’d hoped that we might stop and smell the other pavilions a little bit on this bonus trip, but that was not to be – we felt even more pressure to compress and condense our experience. But we still had a blast, and it’s tough to leave.

There’s a monorail in the station as we approach, and we decide to pour it on and run for it – phew! We make it, though our legs are jelly and we’re kind of disgustingly sweaty when we do. But we have to take one last trip around the Epcot loop before we go. Wow, that Epcot loop. What a great idea, to let guests get a preview of the park before they enter – or, in our case, a review of the park before they leave. Once the monorail pulls into the station again, we disembark and grab a cab back to the AKL.

And because we couldn’t leave without one more meltdown, I decide to have that now. I want to call the town car company that’s picking us up and have them get us a half hour earlier than scheduled, but their phone is busy, and I can’t reach them. The run for the monorail, on top of being tired and full and hot, was probably the thing that pushed me over the edge, because I am very suddenly SUPER CRANKY, and I keep getting a busy signal and I think I’m going to lose my mind for no good reason at all. Finally, after ten minutes, I get through, and we’re able to change the reservation. (Not that it makes much a difference – if it had picked us up at 5, we’d have been fine for a 7pm flight.)

We get out of the cab at the AKL with about an hour to kill before our pick up, and head straight for one of those comfy sofas in the lobby. I follow the lead of the young Japanese couple on a nearby couch – I remove my shoes, curl up with my feet on Bill’s lap, and close my eyes. Aaaaah, heaven. Feet up, eyes closed, merry sounds in the background, but not too loud to doze. Perfect. Bill closes his eyes for a few minutes too, and we get a quick dose of much needed downtime.

We surrender our sofa with fifteen minutes to spare before the pick-up. I’m a little hungry (amazingly), so we go to the Mara and I get some hummus and chips. Not zebra domes – I know, crazy! But now that we’re almost home, it’s time to think about eating responsibly again (BOOOOOOOO).

We sit on the patio while I enjoy my chips and hummus. It’s so relaxing and beautiful out here. I REALLY don’t want to leave. We’re just getting into the swing of things, and we have to go? Good thing we’ll be back in two and a half months…

Our town car picks us up right on time, and Bell Services has our bags ready promptly – great service, everyone, thanks! The driver, of course, wants to chat, so we learn allllll about him and his family by the time we reach MCO. I guess this is a ploy for a bigger tip, but we’re consistent 20 percent tippers anyway, and you really have to go above and beyond to get more than that out of us. So he gets his 20 percent, and we decide that next time, we’ll just take a regular cab, so we can enjoy each other’s conversation, instead of the driver’s entire life story.

Well, here we are the airport. Bleh. It’s under construction, wires hanging out of ceilings, dust and sheetrock everywhere. But the lines through security are minimal, so that’s nice. We have plenty of time to sit at the gate and be not-entertained by a family with two AWFUL children, a mother who ignores them for her book, and a father who ignores them with headphones on, staring balefully out the window like he hates his life. I understand the baleful look – I must have it right now, as we’re leaving Disney behind. But for the love of God, your children are dying for your attention! I can tell, because they are shrieking! And Dad, we don’t all have the fancy headphones that you’ve donned to shut them out! I wish we did…

Anyway, we board, we depart on time, and we fly home. We get a taxi from Newark to our apartment near Union Square. The cats are happy to see us, and we’re happy to see them. We unload the suitcases, and spy the happy souvenirs we’ve brought home, including the wonderful gift bag from Circusgirl (minus most of the edibles, plus some leftover Halloween candy). It’s hard to believe we were in Epcot just a few hours before!

Now all we have to look forward to…is our next trip! Coming up in just THREE DAYS FROM NOW! Woohoo!



But first, some final thoughts:

It was wonderful to take an extra, unexpected trip to the World, on top of our annual trip. It really helped, during those long months of waiting, to know that we’d be getting a little magic in sooner rather than later, and it allowed us to attend some events we otherwise would have missed. It also gave us a chance to try out a new resort and a new time of year, without missing our old favorites.

We loved the Animal Kingdom Lodge. We’d been here before, to eat at Jiko and check out the animals, but staying here was a real treat. Yes, it’s further from most of the action, and the pace is slower than at the Contemporary. But it’s a spectacular place to stay – “deluxe” in every sense of the word. We like the bathrooms at the Contemporary better, because the toilet is separated from the sinks and shower (at AKL, it’s separate from the sinks but in the same room as the shower). But the décor of the rooms and all the common areas can’t be beat, and the views of the animals…WOW. It may not be a Magic Kingdom view, like we get at the Contemporary, but it’s a magic view for sure.

And we loved the time of year. Okay, it was very hot and humid – temps were in the high 80s and low 90s for our stay, only going down into the 70s at night. But the chance to attend the Halloween party and Food and Wine made it pretty great. And even though the crowds were bigger than expected, wait times were generally very good. It didn’t have all the magic that December has, but it was a wonderful experience all the same. I don’t know if we’ll be changing next year’s plans to September, but we’ll consider it – based on the crowd estimates for next week, it looks like we may want to move our trip next year.

New-to-us restaurants: Jiko was fantastic. Very upscale, very satisfying experience all around. It will be hard to decide between Jiko and Boma for upcoming trips – Boma will probably get the edge, since we don’t have to dress up for it and can come straight from the park, but Jiko is worth the extra money and fancy dress.

Tusker House had a terrific lunch buffet – much like Boma, but right there in the park. We haven’t loved any of the counter service places in AK; Flame Tree is decent, but doesn’t have a lot of non-meat options for me, and Yak and Yeti was greasy. I’m glad we have an ADR for Tusker House for our upcoming trip!

Rose & Crown was okay. I don’t think it got a fair shake, as we ate outside on a hot day; the food was good but not extraordinary. Maybe we’ll do this again, if we’re trying to sit on the patio for Illuminations, but there are too many other good options to make this a staple of upcoming trips.

And Liberty Tree wasn’t entirely new to us – we ate there on our first or second trip, when everything else was full. The theming is so-so, but the food is exactly as advertised – traditional yummy Thanksgiving-type food. The company, however, was stellar!

New-to-us experiences: Typhoon Lagoon was a fun day, especially in the heat. It’s not as Disneyfied as some of the other out-of-park experiences, but still worth a trip, if you’re going in the hot weather, or if you’ve got more than a week to spend at the World. I like the rides better than the ones at Blizzard Beach, but BB wins for décor and music and overall fun feeling. It will be hard to choose between them on future trips.

Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party was a winner! Rides were almost all walk-ons, even in Fantasyland, the parade was aces, and the fireworks were a brilliant show. I’ve read other people’s accounts of not getting great candy, but we got a lot of name-brand chocolate and sweets on the night we attended. The atmosphere is terrifically fun. We would definitely do it again.

Food and Wine was another winner. Some of the booths seemed to have similar offerings to the counter and/or table service restaurants in the countries they represented, but some booths offered totally new options. A great way to see World Showcase – or, in our case, to miss most of it in favor of eating. We probably could have availed ourselves of more of the special seminars and events, but just the basic “walk around and eat stuff” plan was great for us.

Adventurer’s Club…Sigh. A bittersweet return to this inspiring and fun venue. Can’t write much about it because the frustration that it’s gone overtakes me. WHY, DISNEY, WHY?

And new-to-us attractions: American Idol was a lot of fun – like the old Millionaire, it’s a good show for after lunch, while you’re digesting and ready for some entertainment. Not a must-do, but a fun time nonetheless.

Kim Possible gets mixed reviews from us: Bill gives it a thumbs up, while my thumb is qualified. I wanted to love it; instead, I liked it. It did cause me to notice new details about some of the countries, but it doesn’t encourage you to take the countries at your own pace and explore them thoroughly, like I prefer to do. We may do it again in the future; then again, we may not.

As always, the Cast Members do so much to make our experience so wonderful. From the hardworking crew at the Crystal Palace, who were cheerful and efficient in the face of stunning and grumpy crowds, to the loaders at Soarin’ who gave us seats in B1 when we asked for them, to the friendly CMs at the turnstiles and rope drop who chatted with us, we are in awe of the CMs who go out of their way to smile and accommodate us. And we always make sure to drop a note to Guest Relations to commend them!

I thought we’d be able to take it a little bit easier on this trip, because we knew we’d be coming back in December. This didn’t happen! Bill and I are certified Disney Maniacs, and when you put us in the parks, we’re going to go go go until we come to a crashing halt. There was less rose-smelling on this trip, rather than more, because we were so aware of the limited time we had. But maybe we’ll be able to slow down a little on our upcoming trip – maybe, but not likely!

We’ll let you know when we return…in the meantime, thanks so much for reading! As the smiley says, the DIS rocks!

 

[2xcited2sleep]

You've done a great job finishing up before heading off again! Loved your final thoughts and the whole report. It was a fun trip!

See ya real soon! TSM party here we come!!

 

[Lady Lallie]

That was a wonderful last update and wrap up!

I loved having a bonus trip report to read before you December one.

I hope you have a wonderful trip!

 

[manntra]

Thank you so much for your final update and thoughts. I knew your upcoming trip was right around the corner and I was hoping you would update before you left. You did not disappoint
for your new trip! 3 days!!! Or is it 2 now? Whatever the case have a great time and I can't wait to hear all about it when you get back.
ESPECIALLY Space Mountain.
I am going to be keeping an eye out in your new TR for my friend and her family. They are flying down from Connecticut on Saturday for their first trip Let's see if they show up as an unruly family on line somewhere! I have given her 3 page printed out guide and told her to get Passporters. I think she is thinking I am a bit neurotic but I want them to have the best trip possible and how can you do that without months of planning?
Have a magical trip

Tracy

 

[praisehisname]

Great wrap-up! Are you going to be at the TSM Party on the 12th? DH and I will be there and I'd love to meet you!

 

[Circusgirl]

FANTASTICO!!!!!
I loved your gloriously well written trip report, and super fun wrap-up. The post trip analysis is a perfect counterpoint to the planning, dreaming and obsessing of the pre-trip time.
It was absolutely terrific to play in the parks with you, and I look forward to seeing you in just a few days!!!

 

[girlbomb]

You've done a great job finishing up before heading off again! Loved your final thoughts and the whole report. It was a fun trip!

See ya real soon! TSM party here we come!!

Christine, I've loved reading your report as well! We're looking forward to seeing you very soon!

That was a wonderful last update and wrap up!

I loved having a bonus trip report to read before you December one.

I hope you have a wonderful trip!

Thanks, Lady Lallie! We've never been there and back again so quickly; it's very exciting to think that in 24 hours, we'll be in Epcot, heading towards dinner at Akershus!

Thank you so much for your final update and thoughts. I knew your upcoming trip was right around the corner and I was hoping you would update before you left. You did not disappoint
for your new trip! 3 days!!! Or is it 2 now? Whatever the case have a great time and I can't wait to hear all about it when you get back.
ESPECIALLY Space Mountain.
I am going to be keeping an eye out in your new TR for my friend and her family. They are flying down from Connecticut on Saturday for their first trip Let's see if they show up as an unruly family on line somewhere! I have given her 3 page printed out guide and told her to get Passporters. I think she is thinking I am a bit neurotic but I want them to have the best trip possible and how can you do that without months of planning?
Have a magical trip

Tracy

Tracy, I should stop calling out other people on their behaviors! Kids are going to climb on railings, families are going to narrate -- everybody just wants to have a good time. I hope your friends will have a great trip -- they're lucky to have a planner like you in their life!

Great wrap-up! Are you going to be at the TSM Party on the 12th? DH and I will be there and I'd love to meet you!

Praisehisname, we will indeed be there, and I hope we'll get to say hi to each other in person!

FANTASTICO!!!!!
I loved your gloriously well written trip report, and super fun wrap-up. The post trip analysis is a perfect counterpoint to the planning, dreaming and obsessing of the pre-trip time.
It was absolutely terrific to play in the parks with you, and I look forward to seeing you in just a few days!!!

WOOHOO! Heather, we're very much looking forward to making merry with you! If we close our eyes real hard, it's almost like we never left...which means we never have to leave! (Disney logic)

I suppose everyone knows what the night before feels like -- super excited and happy! Of course, we still have to pack, clean up so the catsitter won't think we're slobs, and go over all the park info, plans, and packing items 80 million more times.

BUT FIRST, a little pre-trip exultation about our plans! Because people in real life don't care! They don't want to hear about your planned "Lunch with an Imagineer," they're like, "What in the who did what now?" They think that riding a Segway is...get this...dorky. They are not impressed that, in just 24 hours, we have reservations to dine inside a Norwegian castle where comely lasses of fantastical pedigree come by to converse in mythology with you!

They don't get it!

And that's fine too. More room for those of us who do!

So here's the plan:

Friday: hit the ground at MCO around 10, jet to Contemporary then MK. Dinner at the aforementioned Norwegian castle. Illuminations afterwards, mebbe? We'll have been up since 4:30, so mebbe not.

Saturday: Parade taping day, but we're still opening the MK. Fun fact: This will be our first time opening the MK -- we've always been inside the park at opening for an early breakfast ressie. Dinner at Coral Reef. Illuminations afterwards? Mebbe...

Sunday: AK, all day. Tusker House lunch, Boma dinner. After Boma, the infamous Boma Coma, from eating too much.

Monday: DHS. Lunch at Hollywood & Vine, where I plan to hug a lion.

Tuesday: Epcot. Very interested in the new Sum of All Thrills ride in Innoventions. Lunch at Biergarten. Nap time, then MVMCP -- woohoo!

Wednesday: Early breakfast at Chef Mickeys, dinner at Cali Grill, nothing in between. Hoping for a water park day here -- we'll see what the weather says about that.

Thursday: World Showcase Segway tour, lunch at Teppan Edo.

Friday: LUNCH WITH AN IMAGINEER! Thank you! Sheesh! You can't imagine the blankness of the looks I'm getting over this!

Saturday: Breakfast at Crystal Palace...and then dinner there too.

Sunday: Departure day! Leave the resort by 4:30 or 5, fly out at 7. Then figure out when to book the next trip!

Thanks, lovely readers, for all the encouragement along the way. See you on the other side -- if I don't see you there in person!

 

[praisehisname]

Have you done the Segway tour before? DH did it in 2007 and absolutely LOVED it!!! He wants to do it again!

 

[Lady Lallie]

Your plans sound wonderful! The lunch with the Imagineer is going to be amazing I am sure. Have a magical trip!

 

[Circusgirl]

Your whole schedule is packed with goodness! Lunch with an Imagineer will be fantastic fun, and I know you are Segway-experienced so you know what a terrific time you'll have breezing around.

 

[girlbomb]

And we're back!

We've been back for a few days, actually, but I have been suffering from a MASSIVE ear/throat infection that started as a minor sore throat and cough on our last two Disney days, and was majorly exacerbated by the flight home. Three days and a bunch of antibiotics later, and I am finally recovering my voice and balance, but am still so unwell that I had to cancel a bunch of work and fun engagements this week -- boo!

I wish I could go to Disney without getting sick -- something I managed in September, but have not managed on any of our other December trips. I was religious about handwashing and sanitizing while we were there, and tried to take it easy when I realized I was getting a cold, but I don't think I did myself any favors by running around on Saturday and Sunday when I should have quarantined myself in the hotel room (but how could I miss the Toy Story party? How could I miss our last day at Disney?). I only hope I didn't spread my sickness to others (though my doctor assures me that by the time symptoms are noticeable, you're not infectious anymore).

Anyway, we had a wonderful trip -- especially the first seven days of it. AND the Toy Story party on Saturday night, where I got to hang out with Heather, Christine, and Missy (and looked at every single nametag for praisehisname!). But right now I can't think about Disney without thinking about how unwell the trip made me, for the third December running!

I did take lots of notes on our adventures, and hope to post happy reminiscences of the trip, as soon as I'm recovered enough. I hope those of you I saw on my trip, and those of you planning upcoming trips of your own, fare better in the health department than I did, and I hope to read about your own adventures soon!

 

[Lady Lallie]

Oh no to being sick...again! That is no fun, especially in Disney.

I can't wait to hear all about your trip though!

 

[manntra]

so sorry you are not feeling well.
Thank you for using one of my favorite words "exacerbate ")

Hope you feel better soon and I am really looking forward to hearing about your trip, your meets, and SPACE MOUNTAIN!!

Tracy

 

[norybell]

I have no idea how it happened, but somehow I missed your final update (which was great, by the way), and the news you were there and back already!

Hope you're feeling better soon...I'm sure this freezing-as-heck weather isn't helping much. I'm frightened to go outside, seriously.

 

[Circusgirl]

So sorry you ended the trip with a fun killing infection. Hope you're feeling lots better and are soon back to your fabulous well self!!

It was more fun than fun itself to run around the World with you and Bill, and I can't thank you enough for the way you got my trip off to the best start ever by plussing my happiness into exuberance with the extremely cool surprise!