puffkin
DVC Owner- SSR & AKV
- Joined
- Apr 30, 2001
- Messages
- 9,848
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
Our story:
Monday - June 3rd
After a very busy day yesterday, it was time for me to start slowing down and relaxing a bit. This is very hard for me since I am a true commando at heart, but I compromised. We got an early start each day and rushed to the main attraction or ride, but then we slowed down and enjoyed the day. So with this in mind, here is Day Three.
We again made our wake up call for 7:28 am and the Mouse called right on time. As usual, I headed to the food court for drinks while Buzz showered. The POR food court was always very busy in the mornings, but not bad the rest of the day. Just something to keep in mind
We got to the bus stop by 8:20 and waited less than 10 minutes for a bus. We breezed through security and were at the rope drop for Test Track by 8:55. I noticed that the fountain was up and running and made a mental note to try to catch one of its performances. I ran ahead and grabbed fast passes for Test Track while Buzz checked out the single rider line. The CM said it would be about 30 minutes, so we decided to pass.
We decided to walk through Innoventions East while we waited for our fast pass window. We did the 100 years of Magic Kiosks and thought they were really neat. Make a point of doing these in each park! We also walked through the technology house and especially enjoyed the hi-tech bathroom. We then took the Astronaut test and became certified to ride Mission Space when it opens.
After Innoventions, it was time for our Test Track Fastpass. There wasnt anyone standing at the Fast Pass return entrance so we walked right in. We ended up waiting 20 minutes because the ride broke down (a common occurrence on Test Track). Nobody ever collected our passes, so after our ride, we gave them to a nice young couple who were just getting into the 60 minute standby line. They were a little confused, but we saw them go in the right entrance, so they were probably shocked when they got to the front of the line.
After Test Track, we decided to walk through Ice Station cool. I had tricked Buzz into trying the Beverly last year, however he was the one who wanted to go back (probably for the AC). So, we sampled all the sodas. We both like the Watermelon one from China. We each took a small taste of Beverly; it is amazing that something that gross is even on the market!
We then headed over to the Land pavilion to grab Fast Passes for Living with the Land. Why does this ride have such a long wait always? I just dont get it. With fast passes in hand, we headed over to the Imagination pavilion and did the newly reopened Journey into your Imagination ride with no wait. We didnt like this ride last year, and we still didnt like it. Figment is an improvement, but the ride still is lame. Also, it broke down right before we entered the upside down house, and we were stuck for about 5 minutes. After JIYI, we headed over to Honey I Shrunk the Audience. We just missed getting into the show, so we had to watch the whole Kodak preshow. Buzz jokingly said that the preshow brings a tear to my eye (he didnt realize that he said the exact same thing last year, lol). After the 15 minute wait, we saw the show, which is still very good. I love to watch all the people trying to reach up and grab the special effects.
We walked back and used our Living With the Land Fast passes after this. We still had to wait 5 minutes for a boat, which was better than the 55 minute standby line. After our boat ride, we walked right in on the Food Rocks show, which we both enjoyed. I think that the message is good, and that kids will enjoy the show without realizing they are learning something.
While it seems that we did a lot, we were really moving at a much slower pace than last year. We stopped to enjoy some of the topiaries left up from the Flower and Garden Festival that had ended the day before. We saw the Snow White and Seven Dwarves, Lady and the Tramp, and Dalmatian topiaries. They were very beautiful, but they were removed when we returned to Epcot later in the week. We also caught the fountains performance, which was very nice. I also made a mental note for when we have kids: bring bathing suits to Epcot. The kids love those little side walk fountains throughout the park. They were having a great time and the water probably felt very good. I hate it when parents won't let their kids go in the fountain because they have an itinerary or don't want them to get wet. Afterall, it is the kid's vacation too...
We headed to the World Showcase and were seated right away at the Rose and Crown for our 1:00 PS. We were seated outside on the lagoon, but it wasnt too hot. Our server, Jenny, was very nice. Buzz had Chicken Pot Pie and I had Fish and Chips. We both enjoyed our meal and the bill came to $39.63 with tip. On the way back to Future World, we caught the last few minutes of Off Kilter. Buzz liked their style of music, so we made a mental note to try and catch a performance later.
We browsed in MouseGear and then did Spaceship Earth with a 5 minute wait. I couldnt remember this ride from last year, but I loved it this year. I really like the message and I enjoy the narrators voice. This is now one of my favorite rides. We then headed out of the park, but first we stopped to find our Leave a Legacy tile from last year. Our tile is located in the first row of monuments inside the gates! I made a new tradition of saying bye to our tile every time we exited the park.
We waited about 5 minutes for a bus and were back at POR by 3:00. There was a message from the front desk to pick up our Hoop Dee Doo Revue tickets for Wednesday night, so I went down to guest services to do so. They didnt want to give me the DC discount (I had booked before I had gotten the card) but I politely insisted and they finally obliged. I refilled our mugs in the food court and we headed back to the room for a nap. We napped about an hour (until 4:30). I should also mention that our mousekeeper was pretty good. We got towel bunnies and towel man today in our room as well as plenty of towels and toiletries.
Buzz wanted to eat dinner in the food court, so I obliged. He had Chicken Strips, French Fries and Jello while I had Chicken Quesadillas and Vanilla dirt and worms pudding. Our total came to $16.39. After dinner, we dropped the mugs off at the room and waited about 5 minutes for a bus to the Magic Kingdom. I had originally planned on doing World Showcase tonight, but tonight was the only night Spectromagic would be running during our trip so we had to rearrange our schedule (it had originally been scheduled for Friday night).
Wow, the MK was mobbed! We didnt have high expectations of getting much done before the parade, so we browsed through some of the shops. We did the penny movie machine in the sports shop on Main Street. It shows an old movie that you have to crank to see. We each watched the boxing one, but there is also a golf one as well. It is a great (and cheap) way to show kids what things were like in the past. We then grabbed a fast pass for Haunted Mansion and rode Its a Small World (15 min. wait). For some reason, we decided to walk over to Toontown and do the Barnstormer. We waited 20 minutes for this fun, but very short ride.
After the Barnstormer, we used our Fast Pass for the Haunted Mansion and waited about 5 minutes. We both really enjoy this ride. Then we staked out a spot for Spectromagic around 8 pm. I had caught a glimpse of this parade last year, and it was a top priority for this trip. We sat in Frontierland right across from the Frontierland shooting arcade and Diamond Horseshoe Revue. Buzz didnt want to stand right up against the ropes, but when he saw how crowded it was becoming, he quickly changed his mind. The sun wasnt out at this time, but the humidity didnt die down. We were dripping, the spray fan sure came in handy. I LOVED this parade and Buzz really liked it too. I wish we would have brought the video camera, but then again I probably wouldnt have enjoyed it as much if I had been taping.
After the parade, we did a round of shooting at the Frontierland Shooting arcade, which is another one of our favorite attractions. We then joined the mass exodus out of the park and headed to the bus stop. We managed to catch a few of the fireworks from the bus stop. There were at least 3 busloads of people in front of us as well as several wheelchairs (which take awhile to get on the bus) so when a French Quarter bus pulled up right away, we decided to get on. We were back at the French Quarter in no time and took the pleasant, if somewhat long walk back to POR (about 10 minutes). If we would have been staying in one of the mansions, this would have been a great way to get back to the resort. After a shower for Woody, we were in bed by 11:30.
Click here for Day Four
Best and Worst of the Day-
Woody:
Best Spectromagic
Worst the stifling humidity (even at night) and the crowds; having difficulty adjusting from the lower crowds on our trip last June
Buzz:
Best Rose and Crown lunch
Worst Having to stand and wait for the parade
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
Our story:
Monday - June 3rd
After a very busy day yesterday, it was time for me to start slowing down and relaxing a bit. This is very hard for me since I am a true commando at heart, but I compromised. We got an early start each day and rushed to the main attraction or ride, but then we slowed down and enjoyed the day. So with this in mind, here is Day Three.
We again made our wake up call for 7:28 am and the Mouse called right on time. As usual, I headed to the food court for drinks while Buzz showered. The POR food court was always very busy in the mornings, but not bad the rest of the day. Just something to keep in mind
We got to the bus stop by 8:20 and waited less than 10 minutes for a bus. We breezed through security and were at the rope drop for Test Track by 8:55. I noticed that the fountain was up and running and made a mental note to try to catch one of its performances. I ran ahead and grabbed fast passes for Test Track while Buzz checked out the single rider line. The CM said it would be about 30 minutes, so we decided to pass.
We decided to walk through Innoventions East while we waited for our fast pass window. We did the 100 years of Magic Kiosks and thought they were really neat. Make a point of doing these in each park! We also walked through the technology house and especially enjoyed the hi-tech bathroom. We then took the Astronaut test and became certified to ride Mission Space when it opens.
After Innoventions, it was time for our Test Track Fastpass. There wasnt anyone standing at the Fast Pass return entrance so we walked right in. We ended up waiting 20 minutes because the ride broke down (a common occurrence on Test Track). Nobody ever collected our passes, so after our ride, we gave them to a nice young couple who were just getting into the 60 minute standby line. They were a little confused, but we saw them go in the right entrance, so they were probably shocked when they got to the front of the line.
After Test Track, we decided to walk through Ice Station cool. I had tricked Buzz into trying the Beverly last year, however he was the one who wanted to go back (probably for the AC). So, we sampled all the sodas. We both like the Watermelon one from China. We each took a small taste of Beverly; it is amazing that something that gross is even on the market!
We then headed over to the Land pavilion to grab Fast Passes for Living with the Land. Why does this ride have such a long wait always? I just dont get it. With fast passes in hand, we headed over to the Imagination pavilion and did the newly reopened Journey into your Imagination ride with no wait. We didnt like this ride last year, and we still didnt like it. Figment is an improvement, but the ride still is lame. Also, it broke down right before we entered the upside down house, and we were stuck for about 5 minutes. After JIYI, we headed over to Honey I Shrunk the Audience. We just missed getting into the show, so we had to watch the whole Kodak preshow. Buzz jokingly said that the preshow brings a tear to my eye (he didnt realize that he said the exact same thing last year, lol). After the 15 minute wait, we saw the show, which is still very good. I love to watch all the people trying to reach up and grab the special effects.
We walked back and used our Living With the Land Fast passes after this. We still had to wait 5 minutes for a boat, which was better than the 55 minute standby line. After our boat ride, we walked right in on the Food Rocks show, which we both enjoyed. I think that the message is good, and that kids will enjoy the show without realizing they are learning something.
While it seems that we did a lot, we were really moving at a much slower pace than last year. We stopped to enjoy some of the topiaries left up from the Flower and Garden Festival that had ended the day before. We saw the Snow White and Seven Dwarves, Lady and the Tramp, and Dalmatian topiaries. They were very beautiful, but they were removed when we returned to Epcot later in the week. We also caught the fountains performance, which was very nice. I also made a mental note for when we have kids: bring bathing suits to Epcot. The kids love those little side walk fountains throughout the park. They were having a great time and the water probably felt very good. I hate it when parents won't let their kids go in the fountain because they have an itinerary or don't want them to get wet. Afterall, it is the kid's vacation too...
We headed to the World Showcase and were seated right away at the Rose and Crown for our 1:00 PS. We were seated outside on the lagoon, but it wasnt too hot. Our server, Jenny, was very nice. Buzz had Chicken Pot Pie and I had Fish and Chips. We both enjoyed our meal and the bill came to $39.63 with tip. On the way back to Future World, we caught the last few minutes of Off Kilter. Buzz liked their style of music, so we made a mental note to try and catch a performance later.
We browsed in MouseGear and then did Spaceship Earth with a 5 minute wait. I couldnt remember this ride from last year, but I loved it this year. I really like the message and I enjoy the narrators voice. This is now one of my favorite rides. We then headed out of the park, but first we stopped to find our Leave a Legacy tile from last year. Our tile is located in the first row of monuments inside the gates! I made a new tradition of saying bye to our tile every time we exited the park.
We waited about 5 minutes for a bus and were back at POR by 3:00. There was a message from the front desk to pick up our Hoop Dee Doo Revue tickets for Wednesday night, so I went down to guest services to do so. They didnt want to give me the DC discount (I had booked before I had gotten the card) but I politely insisted and they finally obliged. I refilled our mugs in the food court and we headed back to the room for a nap. We napped about an hour (until 4:30). I should also mention that our mousekeeper was pretty good. We got towel bunnies and towel man today in our room as well as plenty of towels and toiletries.
Buzz wanted to eat dinner in the food court, so I obliged. He had Chicken Strips, French Fries and Jello while I had Chicken Quesadillas and Vanilla dirt and worms pudding. Our total came to $16.39. After dinner, we dropped the mugs off at the room and waited about 5 minutes for a bus to the Magic Kingdom. I had originally planned on doing World Showcase tonight, but tonight was the only night Spectromagic would be running during our trip so we had to rearrange our schedule (it had originally been scheduled for Friday night).
Wow, the MK was mobbed! We didnt have high expectations of getting much done before the parade, so we browsed through some of the shops. We did the penny movie machine in the sports shop on Main Street. It shows an old movie that you have to crank to see. We each watched the boxing one, but there is also a golf one as well. It is a great (and cheap) way to show kids what things were like in the past. We then grabbed a fast pass for Haunted Mansion and rode Its a Small World (15 min. wait). For some reason, we decided to walk over to Toontown and do the Barnstormer. We waited 20 minutes for this fun, but very short ride.
After the Barnstormer, we used our Fast Pass for the Haunted Mansion and waited about 5 minutes. We both really enjoy this ride. Then we staked out a spot for Spectromagic around 8 pm. I had caught a glimpse of this parade last year, and it was a top priority for this trip. We sat in Frontierland right across from the Frontierland shooting arcade and Diamond Horseshoe Revue. Buzz didnt want to stand right up against the ropes, but when he saw how crowded it was becoming, he quickly changed his mind. The sun wasnt out at this time, but the humidity didnt die down. We were dripping, the spray fan sure came in handy. I LOVED this parade and Buzz really liked it too. I wish we would have brought the video camera, but then again I probably wouldnt have enjoyed it as much if I had been taping.
After the parade, we did a round of shooting at the Frontierland Shooting arcade, which is another one of our favorite attractions. We then joined the mass exodus out of the park and headed to the bus stop. We managed to catch a few of the fireworks from the bus stop. There were at least 3 busloads of people in front of us as well as several wheelchairs (which take awhile to get on the bus) so when a French Quarter bus pulled up right away, we decided to get on. We were back at the French Quarter in no time and took the pleasant, if somewhat long walk back to POR (about 10 minutes). If we would have been staying in one of the mansions, this would have been a great way to get back to the resort. After a shower for Woody, we were in bed by 11:30.
Click here for Day Four
Best and Worst of the Day-
Woody:
Best Spectromagic
Worst the stifling humidity (even at night) and the crowds; having difficulty adjusting from the lower crowds on our trip last June
Buzz:
Best Rose and Crown lunch
Worst Having to stand and wait for the parade
