billybaruch1
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Jun 4, 2003
- Messages
- 455
I was in Walt Disney World October 18 - 25. I went by myself, with no one to please but me. If I didnt completely exorcize the demons of the wife-to-be I had loved and lost, at least I had a lot of fun and made some new memories.
Day 1: Jump Time
I called for a cab to the airport. The dispatcher had my name and address on the computer from a prior trip and said my cab would arrive in 30 minutes. It did and I was very happy to be off to such a good start. I splurged by paying the $12.20 fare with a $20 bill and saying, Keep it. I could tell this older man with a pleasant conversational style appreciated my gesture, just as I appreciated him and his companys service.
While waiting at the airport, a family sat down near me. It was a dad, a mom, and two boys. Later on the plane, the mom was seated next to me and I learned her boys were named Mitchell, age 5, and Taylor, age 8. In the waiting area I noticed the little sandwiches and fruit and candy and toys they had. They were always busy talking or playing. The older one had a GameBoy with extension cords so some of the other kids around there sat on the floor and joined in the fun. There was also another family of four: a dad, a mom, Christopher, age 7, and Nick (probably short for Nicole). The parents were wearing Make A Wish shirts. The baby girl in the stroller appeared to have Downs Syndrome. The boy did play with the other kids, which made me glad, but he seemed a lot less animated. My heart went out to that special family. The contrast between the two families made me wonder once again who gets to be happy in this life and why.
At the Orlando airport I went to the Mears counter and asked for one roundtrip to All Star Movies. I went outside and got the beeper disk. The signal came and I smiled when the guy said to me, Oh, youre the movie star! ASMo was the last drop-off on the van drivers list and I got a chance to ask him about his retirement job. He said he doesnt need a bus driver license to drive the van around all day, a few days a week. After the half hour wait at the airport and the hour-long ride, Im in line at the check-in counter. Woohoo! Yolanda is very nice and Im done in 20 minutes. I ask her about whether I may walk to Blizzard Beach from here. At first she says of course, no problem. But then shes not sure if theres a sidewalk. This convinced me of her sincerity. A few minutes later she remembered some of the resort staff would exercise in the mornings by running all the way to Coronado Springs and back.
DownTown Disney. The weather was perfect as it was all week. 5:30 pm and its sunny and warm. Its a five minute wait for the bus. There are two stops. For the West Side I got off at the second one, Pleasure Island. I got a beeper disk from the House of Blues and checked out DisneyQuest for about a half an hour. Then I had the Creole Seafood Jambalaya with shrimp, chicken, Andouille sausage and roasted green onions. There was enough food there to feed two or three people. Be careful with the habanero pepper in your bowl. My server alerted me to its existence, which was very nice of her, considering its fearsome capsaicin rating as the hottest chili in the world. Unless you know what youre doing, pick up the pretty orange thing with a spoon (do not use your fingers!) and carefully set it aside.
Over at the West End Stage the hard rockers named Stormbringer were pounding away. The Adventurers Club held an Open House and their 1937 Membership Drive that night! The Comedy Warehouse was also a lot of fun - very talented Cast Members. Another highlight of the evening was the Pleasure Island Jazz Company. The act was named Dennis Gruenling and Jump Time. The six-member band featured harmonica, bass guitar, saxophone, guitar, drums, and singer.
I was at the West End Stage for the midnight countdown. I was asked to take pictures for a group of four girls and again for a mixed group of about six other young revelers. Each time I remembered to take off my glasses and ask someone to hold them before taking the picture. If I look in a cameras viewfinder with my glasses on, the pictures come out with peoples heads cut off. The fireworks were puny, maybe two or three bursts and that was it.
After another set of Jump Time tunes at the Jazz Co., I walked to the bus stop and the bus arrived when I did. Next - Day 2.
Day 2: Magic Kingdom and Epcot
Mickey Mouse called to wake me up and said therere big doins today. At 7:30 am I walked out and on to the bus with no waiting. I had to stand and got to talk to a couple of guys about baseball and golf. The Extra Magic Hour was great. Were not the first ones there, but the anticipation was high as maybe a thousand of us waited outside the turnstiles for the few minutes before 8 am arrived. I was asked to take pictures of the family just behind me in line. They were all wearing the same Mickey t-shirts. I tried to give my glasses to one of the little ones, but the mom held them for me instead.
Mickeys PhilharMagic was great! I saw it first thing with no waiting.
Since I wasnt interested in Space Mountain, I then hobbled over to the Tomorrowland Transit Authority. My feet were killing me. I had developed some blisters in both my little toes from the night before. Here it was, my first full day of a WDW vacation and my feet hurt. What a rookie mistake! This is the number one rule of successful theme park touring: wear comfortable shoes and take care of hot spots before they become a real problem. I was wearing the same kind of shoes Id worn during my six-year-old habit of walking two-mile cardiovascular workouts 3-5 times a week, but maybe all the Kungalooshes last night had led me away from remembering to wiggle my toes while walking. Now the blisters had formed and unless I wanted to just give my toes a rest for the one or two days theyd need to be back in the pink, I would have to take each step carefully and play through the pain.
I went to the 9 am rope drop at the entrance to Liberty Square and walked (very gingerly) on to Splash Mountain with no waiting. Continuing the boat ride theme, I rode PotC and then waited a few minutes to go on Jungle Cruise when it opened at 10 am. I used a FastPass I had gotten earlier for Winnie the Pooh and, man, did I feel out of place on that ride! I went on the Haunted Mansion. The Carousel of Progress wasnt open when I went on the TTA, but I didnt feel like hiking back there. I hadnt picked up a Times Guide when I entered the park so I went back down Main Street U.S.A. to get one. The crowds were building and the people were streaming in so I walked out to the monorail and went to Epcot.
A lady in the seats behind me on the monorail was telling her group what EPCOT means. She said it stands for Environmental, uh... People, uh... well Im not sure of the rest, but I think its something about the environment. The first thing I did was get a FastPass for Test Track. At noon I waited maybe 20 minutes in the Single Rider line for Mission: SPACE. Very good ride! Try moving your arms or legs during liftoff. Continuing the training theme, I then went to see Cranium Command. While walking with some difficulty over to see Honey I Shrunk the Audience, I bought a Mickey ice cream bar on a stick. I talked with the Cast Member, who told me he sold ice cream only on Sundays. Hes retired the rest of the week. He said the first summer in Florida was brutal, but now hes adjusted to the heat and humidity. I think the HISTA show pales in comparison to the new 3-D effects in Mickeys PhilharMagic. I went back to TT and got in the FP return line. It was about 10 minutes and we had not moved an inch so I bailed out. Instead of waiting some more I went to Ice Station Cool and savored the flavors!
Besides the Mickey ice cream and the soda pop, Id had lots of water, and a cup of coffee, a bottle of apple juice, and a banana that day. So I made my way to the EIF&WF United States booth, where I got the Lobster and Corn Chowder and the Crab Cakes. It was delicious, a real treat. I went into the American Adventure show and was falling asleep after about 5 minutes when the show was called off due to technical difficulties. I did see the Ayn Rand quotation prominently displayed.
The Imaginum Living Statues show was not as good as Id hoped. I thought she would actually surprise people. On the way out of the park I went on Spaceship Earth. It got held up for technical difficulties for maybe a minute or two. This was at the part where the kid goes, Extra, extra! Read all about it. Then I got to the bus stop and waited about five minutes. We got packed in like sardines and I rode standing up.
Back at ASMo I engaged my neighboring bar patrons in conversation. One guy was from the UK and another was from Georgia. The World Series was on TV and music from bands such as Steely Dan and Jimmy Buffett were providing a festive audio atmosphere. I noticed a tall, clear plastic beer flute and asked about it. The guy from Georgia (who had won my respect earlier by saying he respected me for not smoking, even though he didnt know Id stopped, and by stepping away from the bar to have his smokes) said it was a half yard and it cost $8.75 and held 28 ounces. Refills would be around $5.50, depending on the flavor of beer one chose. This information was confirmed by my helpful bartender person. Had I bothered to avail myself of the information on the menu signs overhead, I could have learned the same things. But now I went to work, being a numbers-type of individual. For some reason I couldnt divide 112 by 16, but a calculator was soon made available, at which time the answer of 7 was determined. I was astounded and amazed! One initial flute-full of 28 oz. and three refills would be 112 oz. and would cost $25.25 = $8.75 + 3 x $5.50. To get that much beer in 16 oz. cups, you would have to buy 7 of them (7 = 112 / 16, for those of you who are still with me here), and this would be almost $30 at $4.25 a pop. Plus, and heres the kicker, I can bring it back anytime to any All Stars Resort and get the then-current refill price! This was a great deal, I thought. I hadnt even bought a regular souvenir mug yet, but now I had my lifetime souvenir beer mug. Later I went into the gift shop and saw that a six-pack of Bud Light was $8.40. If you go next door to AS Music, the price is $9.60. Next - Day 3.
Day 3: Animal Kingdom and Studios
I was at the bus stop at 7:30 am but had to wait five minutes for the bus. It was packed, but I had a seat and a nice conversation with an older lady who was at WDW with adult children, grandchildren, some brothers and sisters with their families - a big group. We were not the first ones there, but we got to see Mickey and Minnie open the park and lead the way to the safari. The lions were out, as was the baby elephant, now age 5 months. In the Pangani Forest Trail exhibit of Nahtazu there was a gorilla that was, shall we say, more than just a little overweight. Seeing this very fat specimen that looked so eerily human, I began to wonder about the signs saying to not feed the animals as it could alter their behavior. I believe that to be an established fact, that feeding animals is likely to alter their behavior. Since the AK feeds the lions and gorillas, it may not be a zoo, but it sure aint natural wild life, neither!
I went to Its Tough to Be a Bug! As is the case with HISTA, this was not so good, once youve seen the newer 3-D effects. Some of the facts down there in the waiting area are pretty interesting, though. For instance, I did not know some ants enslave other ants to do their work for them.
I then went to the Festival of the Lion King. This is a spectacular show. Hakuna matata! Those tumbling monkeys are something else.
The new Dinosaur ride: nothing new here, very disappointing. After chowing down on a half slab of St. Louis ribs, beans, and corn with a giant lemonade and tickets for ice cream and bottled water later, I went to the 1 pm showing of Flights of Wonder. Id go back to see this again. Beautiful, thrilling, and funny, not to mention wondrous (how do they train those birds?).
I was at the bus stop at 1:45 pm and Disney-MGM Studios at 2:15 pm. While I checked the attractions board, the wait time for Tower of Terror was changed from 60 to 90 minutes. Then I went down there and saw FastPasses were all gone. I saw the Indiana Jones show for the first time. The Back Lot Tour was less impressive by a lot, and Sounds Dangerous still less. Because there was nothing left to do, I went to Fantasmic about 2 hours early. I sat there and sat there and sat there some more. The show was fantastic, very beautiful and enjoyable. Next - Day 4.
Day 4: Typhoon Lagoon and Epcot
That morning I bought a souvenir mug. Alphonsa at the register assured me in no uncertain terms that the mug would be refillable if I return to WDW with it. In the gift shop I bought some gifts for my sister and her daughter. Maybe theyll want to come see Disney World with me sometime.
I was at the bus stop at 9:30 am, waited five minutes, and was at the TL park opening before 10 am, thanks to WDW transportation. This park was great fun! I recommend Keelhaul Falls very highly. The family tube slide may be great, too, but I dont know. Also try the body slides and the surf pool. The Shark Reef did not interest me as I am a SCUBA diver and have seen the real thing. I was at the bus stop at 11:55 am and back to my room by 12:30 pm. It was only then I noticed my swimming trunks bathing suit was ripped open from my waist all down the right side. I had worn this orange suit for about 10 years, I guess. Well, nothing lasts forever. However, it was a little embarrassing to wonder whether anyone had seen me that day in my ventilated water shorts!
But I quickly regained my composure and a regular pair of shorts in time to wait about five minutes at the ASMu bus stop to go to Epcot again. I was in Mighty Ducks, so that bus stop was closer than the one for ASMo.
I caught part of the JAMMitors act on the way to getting a FP for TT. Maybe this will be the day I finally get to go on this attraction. At around 2:15 pm on Tuesday, M:S was a walk-on. It wasnt as good as the first time, but then again, what is? On the way to World Showcase a couple asked me to take their picture in front of the big fountain. Ill tell you, sometimes Im just too impulsive for my own good. Instead of asking one of them to hold my glasses, or even carefully placing them on the ground, I put them in my pants pocket. That would have been okay had I not then decided I needed to crouch down to get a good picture of them with the water fountain in the background! I snap the photo and they say thanks and I retrieve my glasses but one of the lens is missing! Irrationally, I start searching the ground. I cant see very well without my glasses, so this is a somewhat futile (Mr. Magoo-type) exercise, until I fumble around in my pocket and find the lens. Okay. Then Im trying to pop it back into the frame when the frame comes apart. I cant see well enough to fix the problem. I gather my wits, such as they are, and casually walk to the information booth but some young kid is holding down the fort. I think: Guest Relations and the problem is soon solved! Although it was a brief and very common encounter for the Cast Member named Tom, I thanked him and I hope he understood how helpful he was in my time of need. I could have gone to the room and used my backup pair from my luggage, and figured out something from there, but he took me to the desk where a pair of tweezers and a tiny screwdriver were handy. Working as a team, I held the frame tight around the lens while he screwed it back together. Now I could see again! Vacation time spent: less than a half an hour.
I saw the Canada movie and had the Paella with a small glass of Sangria at the Spain booth. I listened to the British Invasion and went back to use the FastPass to ride Test Track. No breakdowns, yippee! I went on the El Rio del Tiempo boat ride and then had the Smoked Trout with Dill Waffle and a Carlsberg beer from the Scandinavian booth, before seeing the Taiko Drummers in Japan. I was at the 7 pm American Gardens Theatre performance of Sister Sledge. This act, as you may recall, is famous for the song We Are Family, among others. What I dont remember knowing is that the four singers are sisters. In that case, shouldnt the group be named Sisters Sledge? And you are fam-i-ly? Well, yeah, being sisters pretty much means youre in the same family, duh. The music was good and they got a lot of the children in the audience up on stage and dancing to the beat.
All the people smart enough to avoid the post-Illuminations crowds were out at the bus stop at 8:30 pm. There were a lot of us! I had to wait 12 minutes. One of the boys in the family next to me in line said well not be packed on the bus like sardines in a can, but like ants in a can. Next - Day 5.
Day 5: Studios and Magic Kingdom
My feet felt better that morning. Walking back to the room with a mug full of coffee, I saw a woman spraying the walkway. She said it was water with bleach to dissolve the stains from spilled hot cocoa and sodas. I had seen one of the buildings being sprayed the day before. She told me they clean the walls and doors and walkways of one entire building every day. So with 30 buildings, each exterior spot gets cleaned once a month. At 8:30 am I walked on to the bus for MGM with no waiting. At park opening ToT was almost a walk-on. It was not as good and scary as I remembered. Then I went to the Great Movie Ride, Star Tours, and One Mans Dream, all with no waiting. I was undecided about getting the chili at Sci-Fi or going to the ABC Commissary. I chose the latter, and had a plate of Feijoada (fejz-wahda) with a slice of lemon meringue pie for dessert. The pie was excellent. I paid for it with a $50 bill and, as part of the exchange, got my first $20 bill in color. The ambiance of the restaurant is previews of ABC TV programs. Although I got some time to sit and make notes of what had happened so far that day, I wished Id gone to Sci-Fi.
At noon I walked onto the bus to Animal Kingdom Lodge with no waiting. I walked around and looked at the pool and also at some animals of the non-human kind placidly making their ways through life. I had to wait about 10 minutes for a bus to the MK. The parents of a family sitting near me on the bus said they had a savanna view, but couldnt see much of anything but trees from their room.
At 1:30 pm I rode the WDW Railroad to Frontierland and got a FastPass for Splash Mountain. I walked over to the Carousel of Progress and it broke down during the show. The seating area did not revolve as it was supposed to so we saw most of the first segment twice and missed most of the second. Finally we were escorted out. I went from there to Timekeeper. Nice theme and very entertaining, except for Robin Williams, who used to be funny. Back at Splash the FP Return line was not moving, so I bailed out. I gave my ticket to some teenager. The ride operators were apparently testing something they had fixed because I could see empty cars being run. It was back up and running in only a matter of minutes, but I didnt regret giving away my FastPass. I stood on the crest of the bridge and watched the Share A Dream Come True parade. It was hot in the sunshine. I cooled off in the Tiki room and then noticed that the Swiss Family Treehouse was open. The CM said the refurbishment was completed a week early. Seeing SFT was a pleasant 10 minutes well spent. Before leaving the park I got a Dole Whip and sat in the shade for a little while.
Out at the bus stop, the BoardWalk bus was a walk-on. I got off at the Swan and walked through the building and over to the Dolphin. There was something called the Gartner Symposium going on. At one point while I was inspecting the premises for a possible future visit, there were four people in my field of view and three of them were using cell phones. I walked over to the BoardWalk. At the basketball midway-type game I saw a few CMs idly taking some shots. As none were going in, I teased them by calling out, Hey! If you guys cant sink em, how can we? I went to ESPN and had a steak sandwich and fries. After walking all the way around the lake, I took a cab from the Swan to ASMu and called it a day. Next - Day 6.
Day 6: MK and Golf and Epcot and MK
That morning the MK bus from ASMu left full at 7:30 am and I waited for 12 minutes for the next one. We missed the opening, but walked right in at 8:05 am with no waiting. As before, I went to Mickeys PhilharMagic first. I just missed the show and had to wait 12-14 minutes for the next one. Then I waited about that long at the Liberty Square rope. Splash was a walk-on and Im done. I just happened to see Cinderellas Surprise Celebration in front of the castle and enjoyed it. I went looking for a cup of coffee and a bagel or something, but the only place open before 11 am was the Bakery and it had a line.
At about 10:35 am I had a very short wait for a launch to go across the lagoon to the Polynesian. I got a banana and some orange juice at Captain Cooks before heading out to the Funai Classic PGA Golf Tournament. I must have gotten lost because I went out the front doors and turned right as I was told to do, but soon found myself in a parking lot with lots of dead-ends everywhere I looked. Im usually not one to go back and try a different route so, upon seeing a road and knowing I had to cross a road, whether it be this one or some other, I ducked through some bushes and saw the golf course across the road. Just then a guy crossed the road from the other side, and as he was passing by me standing on the grass, asked if I needed a ticket to the tournament. I could see he had at least a dozen of what looked like official passes. I said, well maybe, and he says hell give me a weekly pass good for the whole week for $20. I told him no thanks, I only want a pass for today and I could get one at the tournament for the same $20. So he goes down to $15, I trade him the colored $20 bill from the ABC Commissary for one weekly pass, telling him at the same time he better not be cheating me. At first he says he doesnt have $5 for my change, then as I demand the $20 back, he finds a $5 bill and gives it to me. So I go down to where some employees are stopping traffic on the road to let pedestrians cross, and go directly out to hole #2 and there is Tiger Woods, unleashing another long one. Is this great or what? The crowd up at the green is too big for me to watch the putts and get a close look at the young superman, too. So I dont see Tiger make a long birdie putt on #2, but I was right at the rope as he strode past not 10 feet from me to the 3rd tee. This is a dream come true. I saw him make a few more shots and then I walked ahead and eventually around the whole front nine and back to the Poly at about 1:30 pm. The first guy I see walking past me is an older man and I ask him if he is a golf fan. He says he is and I offer to give him my pass. He said he already had a weekly pass for himself, but his wife could use it. I give it to him and he asks if he can give me something for it. I say $10 or $15 would be okay. He hands me $15 for the $50 ticket I got from the scalper for $15. Ive just seen Tiger Woods play golf and it was free.
I rode in the monorail back to the MK and went to the Caribbean Beach Resort bus stop. I waited five minutes, arrived at the CBR, and had a look around. By 3 pm I was back at a bus stop where I noticed a poster for Pleasure Island. The poster advertised the various clubs and it misspelled the AC as the Adventures Club.
I took a bus to Epcot and asked at Guest Relations about the closing time of the MK that night. Some printed material I had showed 7:30 pm and some showed 8:30 pm. I looked for Tom to see if I could thank him again for helping me fix my glasses, but he wasnt there. The CM saw the time discrepancy and called someone on the phone who said 8:30 pm was the correct closing time and was the time for the Wishes display that night. M:S was another walk-on and I was at the big water fountain for the short 4 pm musical show. I went to Ice Station Cool again and had some of the Beverly (yes!) before walking to the Russia & Eastern Europe booth and getting the Beef Stroganoff and a 12 oz Pilsner Erquell. It was very pleasant to sit in the shade at the waterside and have a small meal. I went to the U.S. booth and bought another little container of Lobster and Corn Chowder and a cup of the Sam Adams dark beer. This time they made the soup with potato in place of the lobster, so I wished I had gone elsewhere. I got another beer at the theatre and sat down to wait for the 5:45 performance by the Spinners. The crowd was much larger than had been there two days before and nearly all the seats were taken. When I got up to get another beer I turned around and someone had taken my seat. Oh well, hakuna matata, I found another one.
It was right after the show that I saw DISboards in lime green on the back of someones t-shirt. I called out and it was Webmaster Bob. We had a nice chat and he gave me a key ring. I think it was to keep me calm, because by that time after all the beer I may have seemed like a raving lunatic. We agreed the weather was perfect and he said thats pretty much how it is down there in Florida from October to April. I said I was going over to see the Wishes fireworks and that I thought I might watch them from the Plaza Pavilion. He suggested in front of the Crystal Palace might be better. I said Id be taking the bus from Epcot to the MK, but I found out there is no bus, only the monorail to the TTC. Anyway, we said goodbye to each other, and by 7:15 pm I was at the Ferryboat dock. I had to wait about eight minutes. On the crossing the western sky was glowing red and the castle was a light purple. When I entered the park, I had forgotten about the SpectroMagic parade. Town Square was packed, but I lucked out on my way to the restroom (all that beer, you know!) and then I just stood in front of City Hall and had a perfect view of all the lights and the characters. Following the parade down Main Street I eased through the crowds and found a seat in front of the restaurant as Bob had suggested. Before the fireworks began I talked with a young CM who said he never gets tired of seeing this new show. I said the audio could be better because I was hearing the pre-show announcements from a couple of different places and they overlapped and were hard to understand. He agreed and said it was because we were in between lands. If or when I go again, I might try a little ways to the right or left of where I was to get a clearer audio. The fireworks were amazing. Simply outstanding.
I had to wait about five minutes for a bus to the Swan, where I waited 11 minutes for a bus to Downtown Disney. That bus was slow because it had to wind its way in and out of the small parking lots to pick up and let off passengers at the Epcot resorts. I went more or less directly to the Adventurers Club, where StaceyA found me. She said she saw the alien green Mickey from Home Depot on my cap I had set on the bar. I was also wearing my new lime green Typhoon Lagoon t-shirt. She was extremely inebriated by this time, and even though she said they had only just arrived at WDW, I could barely understand what she was babbling about. Im kidding, Im kidding! We had a brief chat and she seemed like a real nice person to me. I left to go hear Jump Time at the Jazz Co. But the club had changed acts and the Mike Macarthur Group was playing that night. I was sorely disappointed I didnt get to see Jump Time again. At midnight the fireworks went off and there were many more than before. It was pretty good. Next - Day 7.
Day 7: New Memories
I was moving at my pace that morning. I walked from my room in Mighty Ducks to Blizzard Beach in about 30 minutes. It was quite pleasant, and it only got nicer once I was past AS Sports and McDonalds. It was cool in the morning shade and I saw lots of native flora and fauna. Another 15 minutes or so and I was walking into Coronado Springs, one of the places where my failed relationship demons reside. I asked Suzy in the food court if I bought a refillable mug and wanted to reuse it next year or the year after, would that be okay? She most definitely said yes, weve been honoring them for six years now and there are no plans to change. I walked clockwise around the lake, taking a little time to see the Spanish moss and other flora in the swamp area, as well as to see the pool and hot tub. I walked past Ranchos 7B, took a good long look and walked on. At the CSR #1 bus stop I waited 20 minutes for a bus to Downtown Disney. The young couple sitting next to me complained a little about how long theyve waited for buses this trip. They said they were just spoiled from riding the monorail on their previous Disney vacation. They had stayed at the Grand Floridian. The bus took a half an hour to get to the Village Marketplace. I bought some new swimming trunks at the Summer Sands store. They were black and thats not my favorite color, but the very nice CM said I could exchange them at a water park. Around 12:15 pm I ate at Capn Jacks. I had the Conch Chowder, the Shrimp Cocktail, and a fruit smoothie. The chowder was possibly the best Id ever tasted and so was the shrimp, except they filled the goblet with mostly cole slaw and just topped it off with six or seven medium-sized shrimp. I thought for $10 Id get more of the tasty crustaceans. I told this to my server, who said the slaw was good. I agreed with her, but said that shrimp is better. She laughed a little oddly. I had quite a long wait for the Sassagoula boat ride at 1:30 pm. But Im glad I did. Instead of sitting in a bus to Port Orleans Riverside, I was treated to some cool breezes on the water and the number one CM in all of WDW, in my opinion. If you get a chance to ride with a skipper named Donald from Indianapolis, dont miss it! This man knows so much about everything Disney, and especially the flora and fauna we saw from the boat, everyone was thanking him with lavish compliments as we disembarked at the old Dixie Landings. I walked around the grounds and remembered when I stayed there. I went to my old room, number 1825, and from the pathways it looked like the resort hadnt aged a day. I went to the South Bus Stop and waited 13 minutes for a bus to Blizzard Beach. I entered with my UPH, traded the black bathing suit for a nice royal blue one and walked back to ASMo from BB.
I decided to get drunk and I did. I drank four of the 28 oz. refills in between dips in the pool. Fantasia pool rules! I had another beer and a swim at the Duck Pond pool. Then I got all cleaned up, neat and pretty (on with the show!), and on the way to the bus stop, I asked the CM named Scott at the front desk if I could have a late checkout tomorrow. He made a call and said, yes, no problem, you can check out at 1 pm on Saturday.
By 8 pm Friday night I had gone on M:S for the fourth time, another walk-on. I went over to the area around Norway and had some more beer from the Scandinavian booth. The Illuminations show was spectacular. By around 9:35 pm I was at the bus stop and the ASMo bus was a surprising walk-on with no waiting. Next - Day 8.
Day 8: Goodbye
This morning the music playing from the speakers in the little bushes along the walkway to the food court was going, Na na na na. Na na na na. Hey hey hey. Good bye. At exactly 9:20 am I stepped out my door and started walking to Blizzard Beach. I arrived 30 minutes later, once again enjoying the pleasant shade along the sidewalk. I walked right in and waited a few minutes in the small crowd for the rest of the park to open at 10 am. I climbed the stairs and slid down the slides in my new blue trunks until it was time to go. I waited at the All Stars bus stop for just less than five minutes. I packed my bags and had a cheeseburger without the cheese with fries and ketchup and about four mugs full of Coke. The Mears bus was right on time. If you are going from WDW to the airport, you may want to sit on the left side (looking forward) of the motor coach because the sun was pretty hot as I sweltered in my right side seat.
When the plane arrived in Cleveland I saw the mom Id met on the plane ride down to Orlando. She said they were all tired and theyd had a wonderful time.
The End
Day 1: Jump Time
I called for a cab to the airport. The dispatcher had my name and address on the computer from a prior trip and said my cab would arrive in 30 minutes. It did and I was very happy to be off to such a good start. I splurged by paying the $12.20 fare with a $20 bill and saying, Keep it. I could tell this older man with a pleasant conversational style appreciated my gesture, just as I appreciated him and his companys service.
While waiting at the airport, a family sat down near me. It was a dad, a mom, and two boys. Later on the plane, the mom was seated next to me and I learned her boys were named Mitchell, age 5, and Taylor, age 8. In the waiting area I noticed the little sandwiches and fruit and candy and toys they had. They were always busy talking or playing. The older one had a GameBoy with extension cords so some of the other kids around there sat on the floor and joined in the fun. There was also another family of four: a dad, a mom, Christopher, age 7, and Nick (probably short for Nicole). The parents were wearing Make A Wish shirts. The baby girl in the stroller appeared to have Downs Syndrome. The boy did play with the other kids, which made me glad, but he seemed a lot less animated. My heart went out to that special family. The contrast between the two families made me wonder once again who gets to be happy in this life and why.
At the Orlando airport I went to the Mears counter and asked for one roundtrip to All Star Movies. I went outside and got the beeper disk. The signal came and I smiled when the guy said to me, Oh, youre the movie star! ASMo was the last drop-off on the van drivers list and I got a chance to ask him about his retirement job. He said he doesnt need a bus driver license to drive the van around all day, a few days a week. After the half hour wait at the airport and the hour-long ride, Im in line at the check-in counter. Woohoo! Yolanda is very nice and Im done in 20 minutes. I ask her about whether I may walk to Blizzard Beach from here. At first she says of course, no problem. But then shes not sure if theres a sidewalk. This convinced me of her sincerity. A few minutes later she remembered some of the resort staff would exercise in the mornings by running all the way to Coronado Springs and back.
DownTown Disney. The weather was perfect as it was all week. 5:30 pm and its sunny and warm. Its a five minute wait for the bus. There are two stops. For the West Side I got off at the second one, Pleasure Island. I got a beeper disk from the House of Blues and checked out DisneyQuest for about a half an hour. Then I had the Creole Seafood Jambalaya with shrimp, chicken, Andouille sausage and roasted green onions. There was enough food there to feed two or three people. Be careful with the habanero pepper in your bowl. My server alerted me to its existence, which was very nice of her, considering its fearsome capsaicin rating as the hottest chili in the world. Unless you know what youre doing, pick up the pretty orange thing with a spoon (do not use your fingers!) and carefully set it aside.
Over at the West End Stage the hard rockers named Stormbringer were pounding away. The Adventurers Club held an Open House and their 1937 Membership Drive that night! The Comedy Warehouse was also a lot of fun - very talented Cast Members. Another highlight of the evening was the Pleasure Island Jazz Company. The act was named Dennis Gruenling and Jump Time. The six-member band featured harmonica, bass guitar, saxophone, guitar, drums, and singer.
I was at the West End Stage for the midnight countdown. I was asked to take pictures for a group of four girls and again for a mixed group of about six other young revelers. Each time I remembered to take off my glasses and ask someone to hold them before taking the picture. If I look in a cameras viewfinder with my glasses on, the pictures come out with peoples heads cut off. The fireworks were puny, maybe two or three bursts and that was it.
After another set of Jump Time tunes at the Jazz Co., I walked to the bus stop and the bus arrived when I did. Next - Day 2.
Day 2: Magic Kingdom and Epcot
Mickey Mouse called to wake me up and said therere big doins today. At 7:30 am I walked out and on to the bus with no waiting. I had to stand and got to talk to a couple of guys about baseball and golf. The Extra Magic Hour was great. Were not the first ones there, but the anticipation was high as maybe a thousand of us waited outside the turnstiles for the few minutes before 8 am arrived. I was asked to take pictures of the family just behind me in line. They were all wearing the same Mickey t-shirts. I tried to give my glasses to one of the little ones, but the mom held them for me instead.
Mickeys PhilharMagic was great! I saw it first thing with no waiting.
Since I wasnt interested in Space Mountain, I then hobbled over to the Tomorrowland Transit Authority. My feet were killing me. I had developed some blisters in both my little toes from the night before. Here it was, my first full day of a WDW vacation and my feet hurt. What a rookie mistake! This is the number one rule of successful theme park touring: wear comfortable shoes and take care of hot spots before they become a real problem. I was wearing the same kind of shoes Id worn during my six-year-old habit of walking two-mile cardiovascular workouts 3-5 times a week, but maybe all the Kungalooshes last night had led me away from remembering to wiggle my toes while walking. Now the blisters had formed and unless I wanted to just give my toes a rest for the one or two days theyd need to be back in the pink, I would have to take each step carefully and play through the pain.
I went to the 9 am rope drop at the entrance to Liberty Square and walked (very gingerly) on to Splash Mountain with no waiting. Continuing the boat ride theme, I rode PotC and then waited a few minutes to go on Jungle Cruise when it opened at 10 am. I used a FastPass I had gotten earlier for Winnie the Pooh and, man, did I feel out of place on that ride! I went on the Haunted Mansion. The Carousel of Progress wasnt open when I went on the TTA, but I didnt feel like hiking back there. I hadnt picked up a Times Guide when I entered the park so I went back down Main Street U.S.A. to get one. The crowds were building and the people were streaming in so I walked out to the monorail and went to Epcot.
A lady in the seats behind me on the monorail was telling her group what EPCOT means. She said it stands for Environmental, uh... People, uh... well Im not sure of the rest, but I think its something about the environment. The first thing I did was get a FastPass for Test Track. At noon I waited maybe 20 minutes in the Single Rider line for Mission: SPACE. Very good ride! Try moving your arms or legs during liftoff. Continuing the training theme, I then went to see Cranium Command. While walking with some difficulty over to see Honey I Shrunk the Audience, I bought a Mickey ice cream bar on a stick. I talked with the Cast Member, who told me he sold ice cream only on Sundays. Hes retired the rest of the week. He said the first summer in Florida was brutal, but now hes adjusted to the heat and humidity. I think the HISTA show pales in comparison to the new 3-D effects in Mickeys PhilharMagic. I went back to TT and got in the FP return line. It was about 10 minutes and we had not moved an inch so I bailed out. Instead of waiting some more I went to Ice Station Cool and savored the flavors!
Besides the Mickey ice cream and the soda pop, Id had lots of water, and a cup of coffee, a bottle of apple juice, and a banana that day. So I made my way to the EIF&WF United States booth, where I got the Lobster and Corn Chowder and the Crab Cakes. It was delicious, a real treat. I went into the American Adventure show and was falling asleep after about 5 minutes when the show was called off due to technical difficulties. I did see the Ayn Rand quotation prominently displayed.
The Imaginum Living Statues show was not as good as Id hoped. I thought she would actually surprise people. On the way out of the park I went on Spaceship Earth. It got held up for technical difficulties for maybe a minute or two. This was at the part where the kid goes, Extra, extra! Read all about it. Then I got to the bus stop and waited about five minutes. We got packed in like sardines and I rode standing up.
Back at ASMo I engaged my neighboring bar patrons in conversation. One guy was from the UK and another was from Georgia. The World Series was on TV and music from bands such as Steely Dan and Jimmy Buffett were providing a festive audio atmosphere. I noticed a tall, clear plastic beer flute and asked about it. The guy from Georgia (who had won my respect earlier by saying he respected me for not smoking, even though he didnt know Id stopped, and by stepping away from the bar to have his smokes) said it was a half yard and it cost $8.75 and held 28 ounces. Refills would be around $5.50, depending on the flavor of beer one chose. This information was confirmed by my helpful bartender person. Had I bothered to avail myself of the information on the menu signs overhead, I could have learned the same things. But now I went to work, being a numbers-type of individual. For some reason I couldnt divide 112 by 16, but a calculator was soon made available, at which time the answer of 7 was determined. I was astounded and amazed! One initial flute-full of 28 oz. and three refills would be 112 oz. and would cost $25.25 = $8.75 + 3 x $5.50. To get that much beer in 16 oz. cups, you would have to buy 7 of them (7 = 112 / 16, for those of you who are still with me here), and this would be almost $30 at $4.25 a pop. Plus, and heres the kicker, I can bring it back anytime to any All Stars Resort and get the then-current refill price! This was a great deal, I thought. I hadnt even bought a regular souvenir mug yet, but now I had my lifetime souvenir beer mug. Later I went into the gift shop and saw that a six-pack of Bud Light was $8.40. If you go next door to AS Music, the price is $9.60. Next - Day 3.
Day 3: Animal Kingdom and Studios
I was at the bus stop at 7:30 am but had to wait five minutes for the bus. It was packed, but I had a seat and a nice conversation with an older lady who was at WDW with adult children, grandchildren, some brothers and sisters with their families - a big group. We were not the first ones there, but we got to see Mickey and Minnie open the park and lead the way to the safari. The lions were out, as was the baby elephant, now age 5 months. In the Pangani Forest Trail exhibit of Nahtazu there was a gorilla that was, shall we say, more than just a little overweight. Seeing this very fat specimen that looked so eerily human, I began to wonder about the signs saying to not feed the animals as it could alter their behavior. I believe that to be an established fact, that feeding animals is likely to alter their behavior. Since the AK feeds the lions and gorillas, it may not be a zoo, but it sure aint natural wild life, neither!
I went to Its Tough to Be a Bug! As is the case with HISTA, this was not so good, once youve seen the newer 3-D effects. Some of the facts down there in the waiting area are pretty interesting, though. For instance, I did not know some ants enslave other ants to do their work for them.
I then went to the Festival of the Lion King. This is a spectacular show. Hakuna matata! Those tumbling monkeys are something else.
The new Dinosaur ride: nothing new here, very disappointing. After chowing down on a half slab of St. Louis ribs, beans, and corn with a giant lemonade and tickets for ice cream and bottled water later, I went to the 1 pm showing of Flights of Wonder. Id go back to see this again. Beautiful, thrilling, and funny, not to mention wondrous (how do they train those birds?).
I was at the bus stop at 1:45 pm and Disney-MGM Studios at 2:15 pm. While I checked the attractions board, the wait time for Tower of Terror was changed from 60 to 90 minutes. Then I went down there and saw FastPasses were all gone. I saw the Indiana Jones show for the first time. The Back Lot Tour was less impressive by a lot, and Sounds Dangerous still less. Because there was nothing left to do, I went to Fantasmic about 2 hours early. I sat there and sat there and sat there some more. The show was fantastic, very beautiful and enjoyable. Next - Day 4.
Day 4: Typhoon Lagoon and Epcot
That morning I bought a souvenir mug. Alphonsa at the register assured me in no uncertain terms that the mug would be refillable if I return to WDW with it. In the gift shop I bought some gifts for my sister and her daughter. Maybe theyll want to come see Disney World with me sometime.
I was at the bus stop at 9:30 am, waited five minutes, and was at the TL park opening before 10 am, thanks to WDW transportation. This park was great fun! I recommend Keelhaul Falls very highly. The family tube slide may be great, too, but I dont know. Also try the body slides and the surf pool. The Shark Reef did not interest me as I am a SCUBA diver and have seen the real thing. I was at the bus stop at 11:55 am and back to my room by 12:30 pm. It was only then I noticed my swimming trunks bathing suit was ripped open from my waist all down the right side. I had worn this orange suit for about 10 years, I guess. Well, nothing lasts forever. However, it was a little embarrassing to wonder whether anyone had seen me that day in my ventilated water shorts!
But I quickly regained my composure and a regular pair of shorts in time to wait about five minutes at the ASMu bus stop to go to Epcot again. I was in Mighty Ducks, so that bus stop was closer than the one for ASMo.
I caught part of the JAMMitors act on the way to getting a FP for TT. Maybe this will be the day I finally get to go on this attraction. At around 2:15 pm on Tuesday, M:S was a walk-on. It wasnt as good as the first time, but then again, what is? On the way to World Showcase a couple asked me to take their picture in front of the big fountain. Ill tell you, sometimes Im just too impulsive for my own good. Instead of asking one of them to hold my glasses, or even carefully placing them on the ground, I put them in my pants pocket. That would have been okay had I not then decided I needed to crouch down to get a good picture of them with the water fountain in the background! I snap the photo and they say thanks and I retrieve my glasses but one of the lens is missing! Irrationally, I start searching the ground. I cant see very well without my glasses, so this is a somewhat futile (Mr. Magoo-type) exercise, until I fumble around in my pocket and find the lens. Okay. Then Im trying to pop it back into the frame when the frame comes apart. I cant see well enough to fix the problem. I gather my wits, such as they are, and casually walk to the information booth but some young kid is holding down the fort. I think: Guest Relations and the problem is soon solved! Although it was a brief and very common encounter for the Cast Member named Tom, I thanked him and I hope he understood how helpful he was in my time of need. I could have gone to the room and used my backup pair from my luggage, and figured out something from there, but he took me to the desk where a pair of tweezers and a tiny screwdriver were handy. Working as a team, I held the frame tight around the lens while he screwed it back together. Now I could see again! Vacation time spent: less than a half an hour.
I saw the Canada movie and had the Paella with a small glass of Sangria at the Spain booth. I listened to the British Invasion and went back to use the FastPass to ride Test Track. No breakdowns, yippee! I went on the El Rio del Tiempo boat ride and then had the Smoked Trout with Dill Waffle and a Carlsberg beer from the Scandinavian booth, before seeing the Taiko Drummers in Japan. I was at the 7 pm American Gardens Theatre performance of Sister Sledge. This act, as you may recall, is famous for the song We Are Family, among others. What I dont remember knowing is that the four singers are sisters. In that case, shouldnt the group be named Sisters Sledge? And you are fam-i-ly? Well, yeah, being sisters pretty much means youre in the same family, duh. The music was good and they got a lot of the children in the audience up on stage and dancing to the beat.
All the people smart enough to avoid the post-Illuminations crowds were out at the bus stop at 8:30 pm. There were a lot of us! I had to wait 12 minutes. One of the boys in the family next to me in line said well not be packed on the bus like sardines in a can, but like ants in a can. Next - Day 5.
Day 5: Studios and Magic Kingdom
My feet felt better that morning. Walking back to the room with a mug full of coffee, I saw a woman spraying the walkway. She said it was water with bleach to dissolve the stains from spilled hot cocoa and sodas. I had seen one of the buildings being sprayed the day before. She told me they clean the walls and doors and walkways of one entire building every day. So with 30 buildings, each exterior spot gets cleaned once a month. At 8:30 am I walked on to the bus for MGM with no waiting. At park opening ToT was almost a walk-on. It was not as good and scary as I remembered. Then I went to the Great Movie Ride, Star Tours, and One Mans Dream, all with no waiting. I was undecided about getting the chili at Sci-Fi or going to the ABC Commissary. I chose the latter, and had a plate of Feijoada (fejz-wahda) with a slice of lemon meringue pie for dessert. The pie was excellent. I paid for it with a $50 bill and, as part of the exchange, got my first $20 bill in color. The ambiance of the restaurant is previews of ABC TV programs. Although I got some time to sit and make notes of what had happened so far that day, I wished Id gone to Sci-Fi.
At noon I walked onto the bus to Animal Kingdom Lodge with no waiting. I walked around and looked at the pool and also at some animals of the non-human kind placidly making their ways through life. I had to wait about 10 minutes for a bus to the MK. The parents of a family sitting near me on the bus said they had a savanna view, but couldnt see much of anything but trees from their room.
At 1:30 pm I rode the WDW Railroad to Frontierland and got a FastPass for Splash Mountain. I walked over to the Carousel of Progress and it broke down during the show. The seating area did not revolve as it was supposed to so we saw most of the first segment twice and missed most of the second. Finally we were escorted out. I went from there to Timekeeper. Nice theme and very entertaining, except for Robin Williams, who used to be funny. Back at Splash the FP Return line was not moving, so I bailed out. I gave my ticket to some teenager. The ride operators were apparently testing something they had fixed because I could see empty cars being run. It was back up and running in only a matter of minutes, but I didnt regret giving away my FastPass. I stood on the crest of the bridge and watched the Share A Dream Come True parade. It was hot in the sunshine. I cooled off in the Tiki room and then noticed that the Swiss Family Treehouse was open. The CM said the refurbishment was completed a week early. Seeing SFT was a pleasant 10 minutes well spent. Before leaving the park I got a Dole Whip and sat in the shade for a little while.
Out at the bus stop, the BoardWalk bus was a walk-on. I got off at the Swan and walked through the building and over to the Dolphin. There was something called the Gartner Symposium going on. At one point while I was inspecting the premises for a possible future visit, there were four people in my field of view and three of them were using cell phones. I walked over to the BoardWalk. At the basketball midway-type game I saw a few CMs idly taking some shots. As none were going in, I teased them by calling out, Hey! If you guys cant sink em, how can we? I went to ESPN and had a steak sandwich and fries. After walking all the way around the lake, I took a cab from the Swan to ASMu and called it a day. Next - Day 6.
Day 6: MK and Golf and Epcot and MK
That morning the MK bus from ASMu left full at 7:30 am and I waited for 12 minutes for the next one. We missed the opening, but walked right in at 8:05 am with no waiting. As before, I went to Mickeys PhilharMagic first. I just missed the show and had to wait 12-14 minutes for the next one. Then I waited about that long at the Liberty Square rope. Splash was a walk-on and Im done. I just happened to see Cinderellas Surprise Celebration in front of the castle and enjoyed it. I went looking for a cup of coffee and a bagel or something, but the only place open before 11 am was the Bakery and it had a line.
At about 10:35 am I had a very short wait for a launch to go across the lagoon to the Polynesian. I got a banana and some orange juice at Captain Cooks before heading out to the Funai Classic PGA Golf Tournament. I must have gotten lost because I went out the front doors and turned right as I was told to do, but soon found myself in a parking lot with lots of dead-ends everywhere I looked. Im usually not one to go back and try a different route so, upon seeing a road and knowing I had to cross a road, whether it be this one or some other, I ducked through some bushes and saw the golf course across the road. Just then a guy crossed the road from the other side, and as he was passing by me standing on the grass, asked if I needed a ticket to the tournament. I could see he had at least a dozen of what looked like official passes. I said, well maybe, and he says hell give me a weekly pass good for the whole week for $20. I told him no thanks, I only want a pass for today and I could get one at the tournament for the same $20. So he goes down to $15, I trade him the colored $20 bill from the ABC Commissary for one weekly pass, telling him at the same time he better not be cheating me. At first he says he doesnt have $5 for my change, then as I demand the $20 back, he finds a $5 bill and gives it to me. So I go down to where some employees are stopping traffic on the road to let pedestrians cross, and go directly out to hole #2 and there is Tiger Woods, unleashing another long one. Is this great or what? The crowd up at the green is too big for me to watch the putts and get a close look at the young superman, too. So I dont see Tiger make a long birdie putt on #2, but I was right at the rope as he strode past not 10 feet from me to the 3rd tee. This is a dream come true. I saw him make a few more shots and then I walked ahead and eventually around the whole front nine and back to the Poly at about 1:30 pm. The first guy I see walking past me is an older man and I ask him if he is a golf fan. He says he is and I offer to give him my pass. He said he already had a weekly pass for himself, but his wife could use it. I give it to him and he asks if he can give me something for it. I say $10 or $15 would be okay. He hands me $15 for the $50 ticket I got from the scalper for $15. Ive just seen Tiger Woods play golf and it was free.
I rode in the monorail back to the MK and went to the Caribbean Beach Resort bus stop. I waited five minutes, arrived at the CBR, and had a look around. By 3 pm I was back at a bus stop where I noticed a poster for Pleasure Island. The poster advertised the various clubs and it misspelled the AC as the Adventures Club.
I took a bus to Epcot and asked at Guest Relations about the closing time of the MK that night. Some printed material I had showed 7:30 pm and some showed 8:30 pm. I looked for Tom to see if I could thank him again for helping me fix my glasses, but he wasnt there. The CM saw the time discrepancy and called someone on the phone who said 8:30 pm was the correct closing time and was the time for the Wishes display that night. M:S was another walk-on and I was at the big water fountain for the short 4 pm musical show. I went to Ice Station Cool again and had some of the Beverly (yes!) before walking to the Russia & Eastern Europe booth and getting the Beef Stroganoff and a 12 oz Pilsner Erquell. It was very pleasant to sit in the shade at the waterside and have a small meal. I went to the U.S. booth and bought another little container of Lobster and Corn Chowder and a cup of the Sam Adams dark beer. This time they made the soup with potato in place of the lobster, so I wished I had gone elsewhere. I got another beer at the theatre and sat down to wait for the 5:45 performance by the Spinners. The crowd was much larger than had been there two days before and nearly all the seats were taken. When I got up to get another beer I turned around and someone had taken my seat. Oh well, hakuna matata, I found another one.
It was right after the show that I saw DISboards in lime green on the back of someones t-shirt. I called out and it was Webmaster Bob. We had a nice chat and he gave me a key ring. I think it was to keep me calm, because by that time after all the beer I may have seemed like a raving lunatic. We agreed the weather was perfect and he said thats pretty much how it is down there in Florida from October to April. I said I was going over to see the Wishes fireworks and that I thought I might watch them from the Plaza Pavilion. He suggested in front of the Crystal Palace might be better. I said Id be taking the bus from Epcot to the MK, but I found out there is no bus, only the monorail to the TTC. Anyway, we said goodbye to each other, and by 7:15 pm I was at the Ferryboat dock. I had to wait about eight minutes. On the crossing the western sky was glowing red and the castle was a light purple. When I entered the park, I had forgotten about the SpectroMagic parade. Town Square was packed, but I lucked out on my way to the restroom (all that beer, you know!) and then I just stood in front of City Hall and had a perfect view of all the lights and the characters. Following the parade down Main Street I eased through the crowds and found a seat in front of the restaurant as Bob had suggested. Before the fireworks began I talked with a young CM who said he never gets tired of seeing this new show. I said the audio could be better because I was hearing the pre-show announcements from a couple of different places and they overlapped and were hard to understand. He agreed and said it was because we were in between lands. If or when I go again, I might try a little ways to the right or left of where I was to get a clearer audio. The fireworks were amazing. Simply outstanding.
I had to wait about five minutes for a bus to the Swan, where I waited 11 minutes for a bus to Downtown Disney. That bus was slow because it had to wind its way in and out of the small parking lots to pick up and let off passengers at the Epcot resorts. I went more or less directly to the Adventurers Club, where StaceyA found me. She said she saw the alien green Mickey from Home Depot on my cap I had set on the bar. I was also wearing my new lime green Typhoon Lagoon t-shirt. She was extremely inebriated by this time, and even though she said they had only just arrived at WDW, I could barely understand what she was babbling about. Im kidding, Im kidding! We had a brief chat and she seemed like a real nice person to me. I left to go hear Jump Time at the Jazz Co. But the club had changed acts and the Mike Macarthur Group was playing that night. I was sorely disappointed I didnt get to see Jump Time again. At midnight the fireworks went off and there were many more than before. It was pretty good. Next - Day 7.
Day 7: New Memories
I was moving at my pace that morning. I walked from my room in Mighty Ducks to Blizzard Beach in about 30 minutes. It was quite pleasant, and it only got nicer once I was past AS Sports and McDonalds. It was cool in the morning shade and I saw lots of native flora and fauna. Another 15 minutes or so and I was walking into Coronado Springs, one of the places where my failed relationship demons reside. I asked Suzy in the food court if I bought a refillable mug and wanted to reuse it next year or the year after, would that be okay? She most definitely said yes, weve been honoring them for six years now and there are no plans to change. I walked clockwise around the lake, taking a little time to see the Spanish moss and other flora in the swamp area, as well as to see the pool and hot tub. I walked past Ranchos 7B, took a good long look and walked on. At the CSR #1 bus stop I waited 20 minutes for a bus to Downtown Disney. The young couple sitting next to me complained a little about how long theyve waited for buses this trip. They said they were just spoiled from riding the monorail on their previous Disney vacation. They had stayed at the Grand Floridian. The bus took a half an hour to get to the Village Marketplace. I bought some new swimming trunks at the Summer Sands store. They were black and thats not my favorite color, but the very nice CM said I could exchange them at a water park. Around 12:15 pm I ate at Capn Jacks. I had the Conch Chowder, the Shrimp Cocktail, and a fruit smoothie. The chowder was possibly the best Id ever tasted and so was the shrimp, except they filled the goblet with mostly cole slaw and just topped it off with six or seven medium-sized shrimp. I thought for $10 Id get more of the tasty crustaceans. I told this to my server, who said the slaw was good. I agreed with her, but said that shrimp is better. She laughed a little oddly. I had quite a long wait for the Sassagoula boat ride at 1:30 pm. But Im glad I did. Instead of sitting in a bus to Port Orleans Riverside, I was treated to some cool breezes on the water and the number one CM in all of WDW, in my opinion. If you get a chance to ride with a skipper named Donald from Indianapolis, dont miss it! This man knows so much about everything Disney, and especially the flora and fauna we saw from the boat, everyone was thanking him with lavish compliments as we disembarked at the old Dixie Landings. I walked around the grounds and remembered when I stayed there. I went to my old room, number 1825, and from the pathways it looked like the resort hadnt aged a day. I went to the South Bus Stop and waited 13 minutes for a bus to Blizzard Beach. I entered with my UPH, traded the black bathing suit for a nice royal blue one and walked back to ASMo from BB.
I decided to get drunk and I did. I drank four of the 28 oz. refills in between dips in the pool. Fantasia pool rules! I had another beer and a swim at the Duck Pond pool. Then I got all cleaned up, neat and pretty (on with the show!), and on the way to the bus stop, I asked the CM named Scott at the front desk if I could have a late checkout tomorrow. He made a call and said, yes, no problem, you can check out at 1 pm on Saturday.
By 8 pm Friday night I had gone on M:S for the fourth time, another walk-on. I went over to the area around Norway and had some more beer from the Scandinavian booth. The Illuminations show was spectacular. By around 9:35 pm I was at the bus stop and the ASMo bus was a surprising walk-on with no waiting. Next - Day 8.
Day 8: Goodbye
This morning the music playing from the speakers in the little bushes along the walkway to the food court was going, Na na na na. Na na na na. Hey hey hey. Good bye. At exactly 9:20 am I stepped out my door and started walking to Blizzard Beach. I arrived 30 minutes later, once again enjoying the pleasant shade along the sidewalk. I walked right in and waited a few minutes in the small crowd for the rest of the park to open at 10 am. I climbed the stairs and slid down the slides in my new blue trunks until it was time to go. I waited at the All Stars bus stop for just less than five minutes. I packed my bags and had a cheeseburger without the cheese with fries and ketchup and about four mugs full of Coke. The Mears bus was right on time. If you are going from WDW to the airport, you may want to sit on the left side (looking forward) of the motor coach because the sun was pretty hot as I sweltered in my right side seat.
When the plane arrived in Cleveland I saw the mom Id met on the plane ride down to Orlando. She said they were all tired and theyd had a wonderful time.
The End
Thanks for sharing your trip report. I'm glad you had a wonderful time! 
