puffkin
DVC Owner- SSR & AKV
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Buzz and Woody Return Day 1
Cast:
Woody planner, 22 year old recent college graduate who is obsessed with Walt Disney
World, third trip
Buzz 23 year old fiancé who just wants to go on vacation, second trip
Dates: June 1st June 8th, 2002
If you missed the pretrip report, click here Pretrip Report
Our story (very long):
Friday - May 31st
Wow, the day has finally come to embark on our second Walt Disney World vacation. I forgot to mention in the pretrip report that Buzz and I found a house that we would like to purchase about two weeks before our trip. It wasnt exactly the right time for us, but this house has exactly what we are looking for in a starter home. It will go up for auction on June 22nd, so we had to do a lot of things before the trip such as a home inspection, getting preapproved for a mortgage, ect. It did make the time pass by faster and suddenly it was May 31st- the unofficial start to our vacation.
Buzz and I both worked a half-day on Friday so that we could finish packing a tie up a few loose ends. After a trip to the bank (Woody) and barber (Buzz) we were ready to leave. We left my home near Reading, PA for the drive to Philadelphia around 6 pm. After a quick stop at a Wawa gas/convenience store, we were on our way. We hit no traffic and were at our hotel and checked in by 8 pm.
Rather than pay for long term parking, we had decided to do a park and fly for our first night. We had never flown out of Philadelphia International before, so we weren't very familiar with the airport. Plus, our flight was at 6:10 am, so we would have had to get up very early. AAA recommended the Holiday Inn Airport, so we booked them for $83. This included one night accommodations, airport shuttle and free parking for up to two weeks. I would highly recommend going this route. It took a lot of stress off of the first morning. The hotel was very nice and spacious with plenty of well lit parking. We felt comfortable leaving Buzzs truck there. The room also had lots of extras such as a hair dryer, iron and coffee maker. We would definitely stay here again. After watching some TV and a shower for Woody, we were in bed by 10:30.
Saturday June 1st
I think that I got a much better nights sleep at the hotel than if I would have been at home. For some reason, I sleep much better in hotels. We woke up around 3:00 am to prepare for our flight. After a shower for Buzz and packing up, we were waiting out front for the shuttle by 3:45. We wanted to make sure that we got on the 4:00 am shuttle (they only run on the half-hour during the off-peak hours). Sure enough, plenty of people came out right at 4, but we all squeezed in. The driver dropped us off at the USAir terminal first and we proceeded to the e-ticket kiosks. They didnt come online until 4:15 am. I highly recommend using e-tickets. It was very easy and convenient. We breezed through security and were at the gate by 4:30.
I was hungry, but nothing was open yet except for a newspaper shop. I purchased some snack items and a bottle of water there for breakfast. We boarded our flight on time but were about 5 minutes late for take off. This was my first time on an Airbus (321) and I liked it very much. I thought it was roomier and more comfortable than the Boeings. The drop down movie screens were nice too. I would have really enjoyed them if we had an inflight movie. Plus, I thought the airbus was much quieter than other planes I have been on. After a smooth flight with no turbulence, we landed at MCO about 5 minutes late.
One of the things I was looking forward to the most was using the towncar service. We went with Tiffany Towncar because of the good reviews on the boards and the Passporter coupon. Our driver, Dave, was waiting at the bottom of the escalator in baggage claim. He took us right to the front of the baggage carousel and helped us with our bags. He wheeled both suitcases outside and had us wait while he went to pick up the car. It took him about 5 minutes to go get the car because they are not allowed to park right outside anymore because of increased security regulations.
During our ride, Dave told us about how he was a retired army veteran who retired and drives for a living now. He is an independent contractor that Tiffany uses and he owns his own vehicle. The car was a brand new black Lincoln Towncar in impeccable condition. He took us to the Kash and Karry for our grocery stop. He said that he likes to use this store because it has very reasonable prices and is never crowded. It was about half way from the airport to Walt Disney World. He said that most other companies wouldnt go to the stores in this area because they have to pay an extra $0.75 toll, but Tiffany believes that they are a better value for their customers. I would have to agree. The prices were the same as here in PA, and the store was empty. On a Saturday morning, grocery stores in my area are always mobbed, so this was a nice change.
After purchasing bananas, candy, doughnuts, poptarts, chips, mountain dew, and 3 ½ gallons of water ($21) we were on our way to Port Orleans Riverside. Dave dropped us off by 10 am and we put our bags in storage. The luggage service guy affectionately referred to our driver as the governor, because he said they all think he resembles Governor Jesse Ventura.
The line for check in wasnt very long, however our CM appeared to be new. We got building 15 in the Alligator Bayou section (which we had requested for its proximity to the food court and the main transportation stop). However, he gave us a hard time about putting the 6 day park hopper plus passes I had bought at the Disney Store onto our room key. However, after I politely insisted that it was possible, he went and found a manager that helped him do it. This took about 40 minutes, but I was satisfied. Afterwards. I stopped at guest services to purchase E-ride tickets and arrange the Fantasmic dinner package for Sunday night. The latest time they had for Mama Melroses was 5:20, which was a little earlier than I would have liked, but I took it. After a stop in the food court to purchase our refillable mugs we went to catch a bus.
Food had been a low point on our last trip, so I wanted to start this trip off on the right foot. I thought that Buzz would enjoy the offerings at the Trails End Buffet, so we went there for lunch. We waited about 5 minutes for a Magic Kingdom bus. This proved to be our first encounter with the Red Shirts. I had known that GayDay for the Magic Kingdom would be today when we had originally booked our trip, but I wasnt really concerned about it since we werent doing any parks on Saturday. However, they were everywhere!!! At the Magic Kingdom, all you saw was a sea of red. The ferries and monorail coming from the transportation and ticket center were packed. I can easily say that the MK was mobbed and we didnt even go in the park. We also did notice some public displays of affection. It wasnt overly obvious, but parents may want to explain some things to their children before they go on GayDay to avoid some embarrassing questions. I heard plenty of kids ask why men were holding hands and why everyone was wearing a red shirt, so they will probably notice.
Anyway, besides the crowds at the MK, the festivities really didnt affect us. We caught a boat to Fort Wilderness (20 minute wait) and had a very tasty and delightful lunch at the Trails End buffet. The food was good wholesome picnic fare and very good. Our total came to $27 with tip, and this is by far one of the best dining values on Disney property. Highly recommended, and the place wasnt crowded at all.
After a quick look around Fort Wilderness, we caught a waiting boat for the trip back to the MK. I thought that Buzz would enjoy the watermice, so we caught the monorail to the Polynesian. We got to ride up front on the monorail, which was really neat. Definitely ask to do this, since they dont offer unless you ask. We looked around the Poly since this is my dream resort. I would love to stay there if the budget ever permits. Buzz really liked the place too, so maybe some day
The watermice were great! A little expensive, but tons of fun! Definitely rent them from one of the resorts on Bay Lake or Seven Seas Lagoon. You can go much faster and you have two large bodies of water to explore. I liked getting a close up look of Discovery Island as well. The total cost for the two watermice for a half hour with a Disney Club discount was $39.59.
From the Poly, we walked to the Transportation and Ticket Center to catch an Epcot monorail. This way, we could actually go to a park without actually using a day of our passes. Epcot looked relatively uncrowded when we passed through. We walked to the POR bus stop and waited about 5 minutes for a bus.
Back at Port Orleans Riverside we found our room (1533) in the Alligator Bayou section and called for our luggage. Bell Services had it there within minutes. The room was very nice, much more spacious than our room at the All-Stars last year. The double sink was also very nice and we had plenty of drawer space in the big armoire. I really liked the rustic décor, especially the bedspreads and log bed frame. Everything was very nice except our view. I would have preferred a better view, but all we got was parking lot. It wasnt very busy in our lot though, so it wasnt too bad. Plus, we had a corner room with two windows, which was nice.
After unpacking and a quick dip in the quiet pool (only about 1 minute away), we changed and headed back to the Magic Kingdom to transfer again. We waited about 2 minutes for a bus. At the MK, we transferred to the monorail and got off at the Contemporary for our Chef Mickey PS. I like the characters but Buzz doesnt, so I only planned this one meal with characters. We checked in at 7:00 for our 7:15 PS and were seated almost immediately. We saw Mickey, Minnie, Chip, Dale, Donald and Goofy. Our meal came to $53.62 with tip.
After our meal, I bought a Magical Moments pin at the stand in the Contemporary for $16. This was very neat and provided much enjoyment throughout the trip whenever it would get triggered. We had originally planned on going to Fantasia Gardens to play miniature golf, but we were too tired after a long day, so we decided to catch the Electrical Water Pageant. We got off at the Poly and went down to the beach to catch the pageant. We got there around 8:50 and sat on the lounge chairs on the beach. The EWP passed by at 9:00 and both Buzz and I enjoyed it. We got back on the monorail and headed to the MK to catch our bus.
We got there right as Spectromagic was ending, but we beat the crowds to the bus stop (plus lots of people stayed in the park for the fireworks at 10). A POR bus pulled up right away and we were back at the resort in no time. We stopped by the lounge and caught part of Bob Jacksons show. It was pretty neat and the kids seemed to really like it. I had a banana daiquiri and Buzz has a White Russian. Then back to the room, showered and in bed by 12:00. All in all a great first day for our vacation. Click here for Buzz and Woody Return - Day Two
Best and Worst of the Day
Woody:
Best - Tiffany Towncar service and the Watermice
Worst crowds for GayDay
Buzz:
Best Trails End Buffet and Watermice
Worst waking up at 3 am
Cast:
Woody planner, 22 year old recent college graduate who is obsessed with Walt Disney
World, third trip
Buzz 23 year old fiancé who just wants to go on vacation, second trip
Dates: June 1st June 8th, 2002
If you missed the pretrip report, click here Pretrip Report
Our story (very long):
Friday - May 31st
Wow, the day has finally come to embark on our second Walt Disney World vacation. I forgot to mention in the pretrip report that Buzz and I found a house that we would like to purchase about two weeks before our trip. It wasnt exactly the right time for us, but this house has exactly what we are looking for in a starter home. It will go up for auction on June 22nd, so we had to do a lot of things before the trip such as a home inspection, getting preapproved for a mortgage, ect. It did make the time pass by faster and suddenly it was May 31st- the unofficial start to our vacation.
Buzz and I both worked a half-day on Friday so that we could finish packing a tie up a few loose ends. After a trip to the bank (Woody) and barber (Buzz) we were ready to leave. We left my home near Reading, PA for the drive to Philadelphia around 6 pm. After a quick stop at a Wawa gas/convenience store, we were on our way. We hit no traffic and were at our hotel and checked in by 8 pm.
Rather than pay for long term parking, we had decided to do a park and fly for our first night. We had never flown out of Philadelphia International before, so we weren't very familiar with the airport. Plus, our flight was at 6:10 am, so we would have had to get up very early. AAA recommended the Holiday Inn Airport, so we booked them for $83. This included one night accommodations, airport shuttle and free parking for up to two weeks. I would highly recommend going this route. It took a lot of stress off of the first morning. The hotel was very nice and spacious with plenty of well lit parking. We felt comfortable leaving Buzzs truck there. The room also had lots of extras such as a hair dryer, iron and coffee maker. We would definitely stay here again. After watching some TV and a shower for Woody, we were in bed by 10:30.
Saturday June 1st
I think that I got a much better nights sleep at the hotel than if I would have been at home. For some reason, I sleep much better in hotels. We woke up around 3:00 am to prepare for our flight. After a shower for Buzz and packing up, we were waiting out front for the shuttle by 3:45. We wanted to make sure that we got on the 4:00 am shuttle (they only run on the half-hour during the off-peak hours). Sure enough, plenty of people came out right at 4, but we all squeezed in. The driver dropped us off at the USAir terminal first and we proceeded to the e-ticket kiosks. They didnt come online until 4:15 am. I highly recommend using e-tickets. It was very easy and convenient. We breezed through security and were at the gate by 4:30.
I was hungry, but nothing was open yet except for a newspaper shop. I purchased some snack items and a bottle of water there for breakfast. We boarded our flight on time but were about 5 minutes late for take off. This was my first time on an Airbus (321) and I liked it very much. I thought it was roomier and more comfortable than the Boeings. The drop down movie screens were nice too. I would have really enjoyed them if we had an inflight movie. Plus, I thought the airbus was much quieter than other planes I have been on. After a smooth flight with no turbulence, we landed at MCO about 5 minutes late.
One of the things I was looking forward to the most was using the towncar service. We went with Tiffany Towncar because of the good reviews on the boards and the Passporter coupon. Our driver, Dave, was waiting at the bottom of the escalator in baggage claim. He took us right to the front of the baggage carousel and helped us with our bags. He wheeled both suitcases outside and had us wait while he went to pick up the car. It took him about 5 minutes to go get the car because they are not allowed to park right outside anymore because of increased security regulations.
During our ride, Dave told us about how he was a retired army veteran who retired and drives for a living now. He is an independent contractor that Tiffany uses and he owns his own vehicle. The car was a brand new black Lincoln Towncar in impeccable condition. He took us to the Kash and Karry for our grocery stop. He said that he likes to use this store because it has very reasonable prices and is never crowded. It was about half way from the airport to Walt Disney World. He said that most other companies wouldnt go to the stores in this area because they have to pay an extra $0.75 toll, but Tiffany believes that they are a better value for their customers. I would have to agree. The prices were the same as here in PA, and the store was empty. On a Saturday morning, grocery stores in my area are always mobbed, so this was a nice change.
After purchasing bananas, candy, doughnuts, poptarts, chips, mountain dew, and 3 ½ gallons of water ($21) we were on our way to Port Orleans Riverside. Dave dropped us off by 10 am and we put our bags in storage. The luggage service guy affectionately referred to our driver as the governor, because he said they all think he resembles Governor Jesse Ventura.
The line for check in wasnt very long, however our CM appeared to be new. We got building 15 in the Alligator Bayou section (which we had requested for its proximity to the food court and the main transportation stop). However, he gave us a hard time about putting the 6 day park hopper plus passes I had bought at the Disney Store onto our room key. However, after I politely insisted that it was possible, he went and found a manager that helped him do it. This took about 40 minutes, but I was satisfied. Afterwards. I stopped at guest services to purchase E-ride tickets and arrange the Fantasmic dinner package for Sunday night. The latest time they had for Mama Melroses was 5:20, which was a little earlier than I would have liked, but I took it. After a stop in the food court to purchase our refillable mugs we went to catch a bus.
Food had been a low point on our last trip, so I wanted to start this trip off on the right foot. I thought that Buzz would enjoy the offerings at the Trails End Buffet, so we went there for lunch. We waited about 5 minutes for a Magic Kingdom bus. This proved to be our first encounter with the Red Shirts. I had known that GayDay for the Magic Kingdom would be today when we had originally booked our trip, but I wasnt really concerned about it since we werent doing any parks on Saturday. However, they were everywhere!!! At the Magic Kingdom, all you saw was a sea of red. The ferries and monorail coming from the transportation and ticket center were packed. I can easily say that the MK was mobbed and we didnt even go in the park. We also did notice some public displays of affection. It wasnt overly obvious, but parents may want to explain some things to their children before they go on GayDay to avoid some embarrassing questions. I heard plenty of kids ask why men were holding hands and why everyone was wearing a red shirt, so they will probably notice.
Anyway, besides the crowds at the MK, the festivities really didnt affect us. We caught a boat to Fort Wilderness (20 minute wait) and had a very tasty and delightful lunch at the Trails End buffet. The food was good wholesome picnic fare and very good. Our total came to $27 with tip, and this is by far one of the best dining values on Disney property. Highly recommended, and the place wasnt crowded at all.
After a quick look around Fort Wilderness, we caught a waiting boat for the trip back to the MK. I thought that Buzz would enjoy the watermice, so we caught the monorail to the Polynesian. We got to ride up front on the monorail, which was really neat. Definitely ask to do this, since they dont offer unless you ask. We looked around the Poly since this is my dream resort. I would love to stay there if the budget ever permits. Buzz really liked the place too, so maybe some day
The watermice were great! A little expensive, but tons of fun! Definitely rent them from one of the resorts on Bay Lake or Seven Seas Lagoon. You can go much faster and you have two large bodies of water to explore. I liked getting a close up look of Discovery Island as well. The total cost for the two watermice for a half hour with a Disney Club discount was $39.59.
From the Poly, we walked to the Transportation and Ticket Center to catch an Epcot monorail. This way, we could actually go to a park without actually using a day of our passes. Epcot looked relatively uncrowded when we passed through. We walked to the POR bus stop and waited about 5 minutes for a bus.
Back at Port Orleans Riverside we found our room (1533) in the Alligator Bayou section and called for our luggage. Bell Services had it there within minutes. The room was very nice, much more spacious than our room at the All-Stars last year. The double sink was also very nice and we had plenty of drawer space in the big armoire. I really liked the rustic décor, especially the bedspreads and log bed frame. Everything was very nice except our view. I would have preferred a better view, but all we got was parking lot. It wasnt very busy in our lot though, so it wasnt too bad. Plus, we had a corner room with two windows, which was nice.
After unpacking and a quick dip in the quiet pool (only about 1 minute away), we changed and headed back to the Magic Kingdom to transfer again. We waited about 2 minutes for a bus. At the MK, we transferred to the monorail and got off at the Contemporary for our Chef Mickey PS. I like the characters but Buzz doesnt, so I only planned this one meal with characters. We checked in at 7:00 for our 7:15 PS and were seated almost immediately. We saw Mickey, Minnie, Chip, Dale, Donald and Goofy. Our meal came to $53.62 with tip.
After our meal, I bought a Magical Moments pin at the stand in the Contemporary for $16. This was very neat and provided much enjoyment throughout the trip whenever it would get triggered. We had originally planned on going to Fantasia Gardens to play miniature golf, but we were too tired after a long day, so we decided to catch the Electrical Water Pageant. We got off at the Poly and went down to the beach to catch the pageant. We got there around 8:50 and sat on the lounge chairs on the beach. The EWP passed by at 9:00 and both Buzz and I enjoyed it. We got back on the monorail and headed to the MK to catch our bus.
We got there right as Spectromagic was ending, but we beat the crowds to the bus stop (plus lots of people stayed in the park for the fireworks at 10). A POR bus pulled up right away and we were back at the resort in no time. We stopped by the lounge and caught part of Bob Jacksons show. It was pretty neat and the kids seemed to really like it. I had a banana daiquiri and Buzz has a White Russian. Then back to the room, showered and in bed by 12:00. All in all a great first day for our vacation. Click here for Buzz and Woody Return - Day Two
Best and Worst of the Day
Woody:
Best - Tiffany Towncar service and the Watermice
Worst crowds for GayDay
Buzz:
Best Trails End Buffet and Watermice
Worst waking up at 3 am
!
