crazyj4488
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Mar 24, 2005
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WDW Trip Report April 24-30, 2005
Day 5 Thursday, April 28, 2005
Link Backs to Previous Reports:
Day 1 http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=811849
Day 2 http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=812682
Day 3 http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=814464
Day 4 http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=815780
Part 1 - Busted Dinosaurs Wheres Muh Camera? Catching Zs on Spaceship Earth Part2 - All our Wishes came True!
Cast:
Me Jeff - 29 yr old male 9th time to WDW
My GF Sally 27 yr old Female 1st time to WDW
I was getting so used to the alarm clock going off at 6:45 AM that my eyes opened 10 minutes before the buzzer sounded. I wasnt too happy about this so I smacked the snooze button around once the alarm did sound. I only did this once as my attempt at falling back to sleep for some extra Zs wasnt going too well.
Sally didnt seem to put up much of a fuss on this morning. I think she was growing used to our schedule and realized how important getting to those parks early was when the crowds were just waiting to pounce on us the entire week. I was proud of her for being such a good sport. Following my well laid out plans had definitely paid off so far. We saw the crowds all around us but they never really got in our way. I dont think you could navigate your way around the world in a much more efficient manner than I had managed to on this vacation. With that said, however, everyone has their own idea of how their vacation at Disney should be. This was my vision.
Breakfast was uneventful. I did, however, eye the weather report and wasnt too happy with the ever increasing heat towards the end of our trip. I had already gotten a little more sun than I was used to over the past several days. The sunscreen was a saving grace but the rays always seem to sneak through just enough to gently cook a super white boy such as myself.
This day was going to be an exciting one for Sally. Our itinerary, which had to be changed a bit due to the rain on Tuesday, put us at the Animal Kingdom in the morning and the MK during the evening in order to take a second crack at seeing Spectromagic and Wishes. This was, after all, our last chance to see the night time shows because of the grad nights closing the MK early on Friday and Saturday. I just couldnt allow Sally to leave Disney World without seeing both of these shows. I knew she would be excited to see the Animal Kingdom for the first time and she would be even more excited seeing those fireworks go up over the Cinderellas Castle at night. I, myself, was looking forward to experience her first-timer reactions to everything around her.
We arrived over 30 minutes before the AK was scheduled to open. It was muggy out that morning and this was an unwelcome change from the chilly mornings we had experienced earlier in the week. However, I could tell Sally was really digging the AK as we passed through the cast member parking area and walked up to the front gates of the park. The AK does look and feel quite different from the rest of the parks and I always enjoy my escape to it while vacationing at Walt Disney World. The loads of greenery that absorbed us as we approached the turnstiles relaxed us and created, within us, a positive outlook in regards to the start of our day. We were well prepared for another adventure touring the massive parks even though we know it would take a lot out of us. Sally and I simply hugged each other while waiting for the cast members to let us through the turnstiles.
After Sallys typical and troubling dance through the ticketing system we were allowed to walk through The Oasis area of the park. The Oasis sets the stage for your day at The Animal Kingdom. There are creeks and waterfalls creeping through thick tropical foliage and many animal viewing areas to check out. I was kind of upset that the anteater wasnt milling around in his area as he has always been my favorite creature who calls The Oasis, home.
Shortly after being corralled near the bridge that leads into the Discovery Cove / Tree of Life area, the bright red double-decker bus full of characters pulled up. Goofy brought out his checklist of things you should have with you for a successful days adventure in the park. I, whole-heartedly, agreed with his suggestion for sunscreen as the sun in Florida was, and always is, intense. After the checklist, Mickey appeared standing up on the Tree of Life, welcomed us to the park and then the rope dropped.
I had told Sally to head over to Dinoland, U.S.A. while I braved the stampede over to Harambe, Africa so I could grab some Fastpasses to the Kilimanjaro Safari attraction. I thought it was ridiculous riding the wave of people trying to stuff themselves into the queue. I felt content with the fact that I was going to leave the area while they stood there in the line which reached a 20 minute wait within the first 5 minutes of the park opening. This was an odd sight for me since I had never been in the Animal Kingdom while there was any kind of crowd.
I quickly grabbed my Fastpasses and high-tailed it out of that mess. They could have it and stew in it for all I cared. My vacation time and large investment in this trip wasnt going to be miserably decimated by such an unpleasant experience.
The path I used to walk back over to Dinoland, U.S.A. was completely empty. There wasnt a soul around as I walked under towering displays of foliage. This made me feel wonderfully peaceful and I slowed my stride in order to simply take it all in.
I, eventually, came to a bridge which brought me back over to the Discovery Cove part of the park. While traversing the bridge, I looked down the small river which meandered through the park and saw a huge structure looming over the horizon. I knew, right away, that this was to be the new super headliner attraction, which was under construction, called Expedition Everest. I had seen pictures of it; however, the sheer size of it in person was quite impressive. The fabricated mountain towered, at least, 20 stories into the sky.
After taking some pictures of Everest, I entered Discovery Cove and quickly made my way over to Dinoland, U.S.A. Sally was waiting for me at the Dinosaur attraction and the entire area was, pretty much, empty and quiet. This was all part of my plan and Sally had a big smile on her face as she told me all about getting to grab some pictures with Pooh and her favorite Disney character, Eeyore on the way over to her spot. The only weird thing was Pooh making a kissing noise at her. We both thought that was kind of creepy and had a laugh over it.
I noticed that the Dinosaur ride was down due to technical difficulties so we headed over to Primeval Whirl. I hardly knew this ride existed since it was a carnival looking operation which never interested me. Ill have to admit; it was kind of exciting checking it out for the first time and was wondering why I had never tried it out before.
Some lady ran up to us while we were headed down the empty queue are and asked us if she could ride with us. She said that her kids couldnt ride, she really wanted to get on the ride, and didnt want to go on it alone. We happily told her to join us and off we went in the odd looking circular roller coaster carts. Primeval Whirl started off fun but when it started whirling around in a circle while making its way down the track, I started feeling nauseous. Ive never been good at dealing with rides that spun in a circle and this was no exception. I enjoyed Mission Space, despite its spinning, due to not having a point of reference while riding it.
I slowly made my way off the ride and was glad it was over. Sally loved the thing and wanted to go again. I told her how sick it made me feel and said she was welcome to go on it, once again, without me. She declined like a puppy which would be lost without her owner. This was kind of cute and we continued on, together.
We headed into the gift shop where she was happy picking out some Mickey Mouse hair bands. This is where I spotted the CD section of the gift shop. I was, immediately, interested in the Illuminations Reflections of Earth album. The show at EPCOT featured music that truly moved me. I vowed to grab myself a copy of the show before I headed home.
On our way out of the gift shop, I noticed something quite peculiar going on outside. It was a soft preview of Lucky the Dinosaur. Lucky was the first free-roaming audio animatronic character to join the Disney cast. This large dinosaur robot of sorts was pulling a cart behind him and there were a handful of cast members following him down the pathway which cut through Dinoland. Lucky was set to entertain guests at the Animal Kingdom for most of the summer. It was quite the opportunity to see this character roaming the park and I quickly told Sally to come on out of the gift shop for a peek.
After Lucky had made his way past us, it was time to head off to the Tree of Life in order to see, Its Tough to be a Bug. I figured we could, effectively, kill some time and then check back to see if Dinosaur had started operating. On our way through Discovery cove, I told Sally to keep her eyes peeled for the many different animals which were carved into the Tree of Life. She was instantly captivated by the artistic efforts put into the tree. Her eyes were wide open like a little kid and I was happy to help her have such an experience.
We enjoyed listening to all the Broadway musicals which were being sung by bugs as we stood inside the cave and waited for the theater doors to open. Beauty and the Bees and Antie were playing. I had a good laugh at this and some obnoxious kids who were fighting with their parents over where they were waiting. I was well-trained at ignoring the outbursts of children while on this trip. These kids were being, especially, annoying and I was just waiting for one of the parents to grab them violently in order to shut them up. I could only sit there and think of the day when those kids were grown up with children of their own so they could experience that same kind of torture bringing their kids to Disney World one day. Payback is a *****, I thought while eyeing the ungrateful little worms. If they only realized what it took to get a family to Disney World in the first place.
The 3D show was solid, as usual. Sally enjoyed it but we were both anxious to keep moving. I wanted to see if Dinosaur was fixed yet so we headed in that direction to find out that it was, in fact, back up and running. We headed into the standby line after grabbing a set of Fastpasses for it. I wanted to secure a second ride just in case we felt the need. Therefore, I was holding onto 2 sets of Fastpasses. The Kilimanjaro Safari was next on our list.
Dinosaur was excellent. Sally had never experienced the unique ride system used in this attraction and I considered it one of the best vehicles Disney has ever come up with. The way the car lurched backwards upon encountering a scary scene was amazing. It was almost as if the vehicle had the same physical reaction as its guests did while traveling through the dark forests filled with Dinosaurs.
By that time, we were ready to get ourselves out of Dino World and into something different so we took the new bridge leading out of the Discovery Cove area and into Asia. On our way over to the Pangani Exploration Trails, we got our closest look at the Expedition Everest construction site. We were both excited over this new offering. I thought Animal Kingdom was badly in need of a new headliner attraction and this one was their answer to that need.
Walking through the Pangani trails was a pleasant experience. We saw silver backed gorillas, large fruit bats, tigers, gibbon monkeys swinging through the trees, and other exotic creatures. We were, though, getting a bit annoyed with the crowds which were causing small bottlenecks around every corner. Again, this was a first for me at the Animal Kingdom and I had no interest in squeezing my way through the park. I was ready to visit our last attraction at the park, enjoy lunch with my girlfriend in shaded area, and exit for the day.
We arrived at Harambe, Africa for our ride on the Kilimanjaro Safaris. The standby wait was well over 50 minutes and it was before Noon. Of course, we bypassed this hot and sticky mass of people and moved right to the front of the line with the Fastpasses I had secured first thing in the morning.
The safari was really nice. Most of the animals were seen milling around the trails our vehicles traveled along. This was surprising given how hot it was out. Hippos, alligators, elephants, antelope, and warthogs were out in force doing their thing. Sally seemed really excited getting to see the animals in such a natural setting. Neither of us, however, enjoyed the Chinese woman who screamed horribly loud each and every time an animal appeared along the trail. By now, I really wanted to get out of this park. The people all around me were just working my nerves. I even deleted every safari picture I had which had even a shred of this annoying woman in it. The whole experience only validated my opinion of most Asian tourists being, ultimately, rude and oblivious to others around them. I recall being in Las Vegas once and having to throw an elbow at one of these people in lieu of them trampling over me while they obnoxiously yelled and took pictures of the Pirate show seen at the Treasure Island resort. It was better seeing one of them doubled over looking bewildered than me getting trampled on and injured. This was done as a last resort and I swear this guy was still trying to take his stupid pictures while hunched over in pain. Youve got to look out for yourself in this world. Letting people, literally, walk all over you will get you nowhere in life. Stay one step ahead of ignorance; words I live by.
After taking the safari and enduring the embarrassingly loud woman who truly took away from our experience, we found ourselves at a unique gift shop in the Harambe section of the park. They were selling some good looking leather bracelets which could be personalized with your name. Sally and I decided to treat ourselves and got some made. I had a small pewter Mickey rivet placed on mine while Sally had a Tinkerbell rivet and her named placed onto hers.
On our way out of the park, we needed to eat lunch. It had been a long morning and the heat had taken a lot out of us. I heard many good things about the counter service restaurant called, The Flame Tree Barbeque and decided that we should check it out.
We werent disappointed with our meal. Sally had a pulled pork sandwich with spicy barbeque sauce and I had the same thing with beef instead. Our sides consisted of some delicious baked beans and corn on the cob. I would highly recommend this restaurant as one of Disneys best counter service meals.
At this point, we could have returned to the hotel for a nap, but we both felt like being troopers since we didnt have many days left on our trip. So we ended up taking the tram to our car and headed off towards EPCOT. We had not had the chance to enjoy much of the World Showcase since we arrived at EPCOT on our arrival day. On that day, we only got a quarter of the way through the countries before it was time for dinner and a viewing of Illuminations.
My plan for EPCOT was quite clever. We drove over to the Yacht Club resort, passed the rental car over to the valet after fibbing to the security guard, and took one of the water launches to the International Gateway entrance of EPCOT. This put us right in the middle of The World Showcase.
We were just where we needed to be but I had a minor problem. I had left my brand new digital camera in the car. The sun was very intense that day and I kept thinking that the camera would be damaged if it sat in the car long enough. I tried my hardest not to think about it and we made our way over to Japan to look through the shops there. Sally and I got into a bit of an argument over my issue. I thought she was discounting my worries over the camera while I had done everything within my power to make her trip a pleasant one. I needed some support at this time and didnt feel like I was getting it. We talked through it, made amends, and entered the shops of Japan where they had some really unique merchandise. Sally bought a super lucky cat figurine while I stood there stewing over the thought of my camera melting in the Florida sun. I just couldnt take it anymore and told Sally that I couldnt have a good time with my worries looming over my head. I told her that I would go retrieve my camera from the Yacht Club while she enjoyed herself in the shops.
I ended up walking all the way from Japan to the Yacht Club resort using the International Gateway. This was, at least, three quarters of a mile each way. My timing hadnt provided me with a tram or water launch back to the resort and I had no patience to wait for one of these services. I was soaking wet with sweat by the time I arrived back at the resort to get my belongings from the valet. It was ridiculous but I did my best to stay focused and calm. Making my way back to EPCOT on foot, once again, was no picnic but I needed to get back to Sally as soon as I could. My plan was to head straight for The American Adventure theater show so we cold both sit for 20 minutes and rest our feet. At this point, I was on the verge of overheating and just had to get off my feet.
Out timing was impeccable as we arrived at the American pavilion. Guests were being allowed into the theater for the 1:00 PM showing just as we entered the building and we thoroughly enjoyed, what I consider to be, Disneys best display of audio animatronics.
By the time we left the theater, my body temperature was back to normal and our feet were in less pain so we made our way back over to Future World after seeing the model train setup in Germany in order to take, what I knew would be, our last ride on Spaceship Earth. We ended up riding through the giant golf ball twice, without exiting. This was such a great attraction and our feet needed the rest. It was kind of amusing watching Sally happily sleep through the entire second journey. I couldnt say that I had ever pulled that one of.
Upon exiting our journey through the history of human communication, we both agreed that our bodies had experienced enough for the day and I had to come up with a plan to get back to our hotel without walking all the way back to the International Gateway. EPCOT is a huge park and can be physically demanding beyond most expectations. Therefore, my plan was to walk right up to the monorail loading platform near the front of the park and Spaceship Earth in order to ride over to the Magic Kingdom. From there, we could jump onto a resort bus heading back to the Yacht Club Gallery. This was miles out of the way, but I had wanted us to experience the monorail ride from EPCOT to The Magic Kingdom anyways. I also knew this long journey would provide us with more time off our feet.
We eventually arrived back at the Yacht Club, retrieved our car, and safely made it to our room. It was a welcome sight and I immediately headed to the shower. Sally was already dosing off in her bed while I jumped into mine with a frosty can of Fosters beer. The amount of fatigue we were, both, experiencing at that moment was proof that a mid-afternoon rest at Disney the parks is key to any successful touring plan. People that commando their way through the parks, over the course of an entire day, are just asking for a miserable experience in the end.
Part 2 All our Wishes Came True!
The alarm went off at 7:00 PM. This was going to be the last chance to see the Spectromagic parade and the Wishes fireworks show at the Magic Kingdom. Rain had cancelled the shows that I had originally scheduled for us to see earlier in the week and the park was slated to close at 7:00 PM on the last evening we had at Disney World. It was now or next vacation; therefore, it was important to me that everything go right for us.
Sally had a bit of trouble getting out of bed. We both slept like rocks but knew it would be a special evening. The nighttime entertainment at The Magic Kingdom is top notch.
Not long after we threw our clothes on and got cleaned up, we jumped into our rental and headed over to the Contemporary Resort to grab a good parking spot. Again, I didnt want to deal with gigantic hordes of people trying to exit the park after all the shows. I would have to say that closing time at The Magic Kingdom is the worst nasty crowd experience you can have at Disney World. I was going to do everything I could to stay far away from that situation.
Telling the security guard at The Contemporary Resort booth a lie about eating there that night so he would let me enter for parking didnt bother me since I was going to pay a valet to take my car anyways. I wasnt trying to break the rules or get something for free. I was completely willing to be a bit creative and cough up some dough in order to stay one step ahead of the crowds.
I tipped the valet and we headed to the monorail station for our ride over to The Magic Kingdom. Immediately upon exiting the unloading platform, I could see the train heading towards the Main Street station. Getting through the bag check and turnstiles in time to catch the train was going to be a bit of a challenge but Sally did an excellent job. For the first time on our trip, the turnstiles let her through without her having to tap her heels together twelve times and do a little dance. This was a good sign that our evening would go smoothly.
We quickly made our way up to the train loading platform and made it into our seats just as the cast member was closing the gate. Our ride over to Frontierland was an exciting one. Sally and I were excited to be in such a romantic place together. We held hands the entire way down the track.
After exiting the train, I checked the standby time for Splash Mountain and decided the 25 minute wait might have prevented us from getting a decent spot for Spectromagic so we passed it up. We used the walkway along the river in Frontierland which allowed us to stay off the more crowded main walkway. Surprisingly enough, the crowds werent bad at all on this side of the park so we easily found a viewing spot for the parade right by the Frontierland shooting gallery.
Our 30 minute wait for the parade was a pleasant one. We grabbed a drink and got to know the people next to us fairly well. Sally turned into the baby tamer and had some strange kid on her lap in no time. She loves kids, kids love her, and she loves giving the kids back to their owners after 10 minutes. A rented child that can be returned when the fussing begins is healthier for ones sanity than the, sometimes brutal, experience of raising your own no matter how rewarding and life affirming the whole deal may be. Sally and I laugh about this quite often. Neither of us are prepared to deal with children full-time and that was fine by us.
The parade headed towards us from Liberty Square. We really enjoyed the thousands of lights seen on the floats, all the music, and characters. Both of us took a ton of pictures and had fun doing so. It was an exciting experience for sure.
There was no time for any rides since we didnt finish viewing the parade until just after 9:35 PM. The fireworks show above the castle would start at 10:00 PM and we had a long walk to my preferred viewing location. Sally wasnt too enthusiastic about our long walk but she kept up as well as she could. Traveling all the way through Fantasy Land from Frontierland and then into Tomorrowland was a hike. After zigging and zagging through some stroller parades and unruly children which wander aimless away from their parents, we made our way to the bridge which connected Tomorrowland to the central hub of the park. This location was offset, just enough, to keep us clear of the throng of people that consistently gather in front of the castle and all the way down Main Street in order to view the fireworks show, Wishes.
Our wait for the show was a pleasant one. The weather was perfect and we gazed into the creek below the bridge where some ducks floated by. There was a large rose garden seen in the distance while the castle, which slowly changed colors, loomed over us like a warm and comforting beacon. Everything looked beautiful and it only got better when Jiminy Cricket started narrating the perfectly orchestrated fireworks which filled the sky. It was one of the most beautiful sites I had ever seen. Everything from the music and the story they managed to integrate into the entire experience was mesmerizing. Sally and I held each other tight and smiled the entire time. This was definitely the best and most magical moment we had shared together at Disney World.
After the show was finished, Sally and I continued to hold each other and kissed for a long time while the music from the show continued to play as the park closed and people made their way towards the exit. We felt completely content with each other during that moment. It was an extremely romantic moment and we even joked about having just made out in front of the castle as we walked towards Main Street. We were giggling like children and having a good time just being ourselves and absorbing all the beautiful sights surrounding us. The music continued to play throughout the park; It was like being in a movie.
The strong scent of deliciously baked goods hit us at the foot of Main Street and we just had to get in line for some old fashioned ice cream cones. Sally got a buttered pecan cone while I had cookie crunch flavored ice cream on my cone.
We made our way into a sunken seating area situated within a garden which had a perfect view of Cinderellas Castle. I couldnt think of a more innocent moment than sharing an ice cream cone with someone very close to me in front of the castle at night. We both talked about how incredible the entire experience was and how we would, most likely, never forget it.
After enjoying our ice cream moment, we made our way down Main Street, exited the park, and passed by the huge lines for the monorails, ferry boats, and buses while we simply walked, on foot, next door to the Contemporary Resort where our car would be brought to us by the valet.
The quiet walk to the valet was a pleasant one. The moon gently lit the path we walked on and the trees around us twinkled with lights. I dont think our evening could have gone any better than it did.
With that thought in our mind and a peaceful feeling in our hearts, we headed back to our room at Port Orleans Riverside and settled down for a well deserved nights sleep. The next day at the world would be our last full one.
Day 5 Thursday, April 28, 2005
Link Backs to Previous Reports:
Day 1 http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=811849
Day 2 http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=812682
Day 3 http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=814464
Day 4 http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=815780
Part 1 - Busted Dinosaurs Wheres Muh Camera? Catching Zs on Spaceship Earth Part2 - All our Wishes came True!
Cast:
Me Jeff - 29 yr old male 9th time to WDW
My GF Sally 27 yr old Female 1st time to WDW
I was getting so used to the alarm clock going off at 6:45 AM that my eyes opened 10 minutes before the buzzer sounded. I wasnt too happy about this so I smacked the snooze button around once the alarm did sound. I only did this once as my attempt at falling back to sleep for some extra Zs wasnt going too well.
Sally didnt seem to put up much of a fuss on this morning. I think she was growing used to our schedule and realized how important getting to those parks early was when the crowds were just waiting to pounce on us the entire week. I was proud of her for being such a good sport. Following my well laid out plans had definitely paid off so far. We saw the crowds all around us but they never really got in our way. I dont think you could navigate your way around the world in a much more efficient manner than I had managed to on this vacation. With that said, however, everyone has their own idea of how their vacation at Disney should be. This was my vision.
Breakfast was uneventful. I did, however, eye the weather report and wasnt too happy with the ever increasing heat towards the end of our trip. I had already gotten a little more sun than I was used to over the past several days. The sunscreen was a saving grace but the rays always seem to sneak through just enough to gently cook a super white boy such as myself.
This day was going to be an exciting one for Sally. Our itinerary, which had to be changed a bit due to the rain on Tuesday, put us at the Animal Kingdom in the morning and the MK during the evening in order to take a second crack at seeing Spectromagic and Wishes. This was, after all, our last chance to see the night time shows because of the grad nights closing the MK early on Friday and Saturday. I just couldnt allow Sally to leave Disney World without seeing both of these shows. I knew she would be excited to see the Animal Kingdom for the first time and she would be even more excited seeing those fireworks go up over the Cinderellas Castle at night. I, myself, was looking forward to experience her first-timer reactions to everything around her.
We arrived over 30 minutes before the AK was scheduled to open. It was muggy out that morning and this was an unwelcome change from the chilly mornings we had experienced earlier in the week. However, I could tell Sally was really digging the AK as we passed through the cast member parking area and walked up to the front gates of the park. The AK does look and feel quite different from the rest of the parks and I always enjoy my escape to it while vacationing at Walt Disney World. The loads of greenery that absorbed us as we approached the turnstiles relaxed us and created, within us, a positive outlook in regards to the start of our day. We were well prepared for another adventure touring the massive parks even though we know it would take a lot out of us. Sally and I simply hugged each other while waiting for the cast members to let us through the turnstiles.
After Sallys typical and troubling dance through the ticketing system we were allowed to walk through The Oasis area of the park. The Oasis sets the stage for your day at The Animal Kingdom. There are creeks and waterfalls creeping through thick tropical foliage and many animal viewing areas to check out. I was kind of upset that the anteater wasnt milling around in his area as he has always been my favorite creature who calls The Oasis, home.
Shortly after being corralled near the bridge that leads into the Discovery Cove / Tree of Life area, the bright red double-decker bus full of characters pulled up. Goofy brought out his checklist of things you should have with you for a successful days adventure in the park. I, whole-heartedly, agreed with his suggestion for sunscreen as the sun in Florida was, and always is, intense. After the checklist, Mickey appeared standing up on the Tree of Life, welcomed us to the park and then the rope dropped.
I had told Sally to head over to Dinoland, U.S.A. while I braved the stampede over to Harambe, Africa so I could grab some Fastpasses to the Kilimanjaro Safari attraction. I thought it was ridiculous riding the wave of people trying to stuff themselves into the queue. I felt content with the fact that I was going to leave the area while they stood there in the line which reached a 20 minute wait within the first 5 minutes of the park opening. This was an odd sight for me since I had never been in the Animal Kingdom while there was any kind of crowd.
I quickly grabbed my Fastpasses and high-tailed it out of that mess. They could have it and stew in it for all I cared. My vacation time and large investment in this trip wasnt going to be miserably decimated by such an unpleasant experience.
The path I used to walk back over to Dinoland, U.S.A. was completely empty. There wasnt a soul around as I walked under towering displays of foliage. This made me feel wonderfully peaceful and I slowed my stride in order to simply take it all in.
I, eventually, came to a bridge which brought me back over to the Discovery Cove part of the park. While traversing the bridge, I looked down the small river which meandered through the park and saw a huge structure looming over the horizon. I knew, right away, that this was to be the new super headliner attraction, which was under construction, called Expedition Everest. I had seen pictures of it; however, the sheer size of it in person was quite impressive. The fabricated mountain towered, at least, 20 stories into the sky.
After taking some pictures of Everest, I entered Discovery Cove and quickly made my way over to Dinoland, U.S.A. Sally was waiting for me at the Dinosaur attraction and the entire area was, pretty much, empty and quiet. This was all part of my plan and Sally had a big smile on her face as she told me all about getting to grab some pictures with Pooh and her favorite Disney character, Eeyore on the way over to her spot. The only weird thing was Pooh making a kissing noise at her. We both thought that was kind of creepy and had a laugh over it.
I noticed that the Dinosaur ride was down due to technical difficulties so we headed over to Primeval Whirl. I hardly knew this ride existed since it was a carnival looking operation which never interested me. Ill have to admit; it was kind of exciting checking it out for the first time and was wondering why I had never tried it out before.
Some lady ran up to us while we were headed down the empty queue are and asked us if she could ride with us. She said that her kids couldnt ride, she really wanted to get on the ride, and didnt want to go on it alone. We happily told her to join us and off we went in the odd looking circular roller coaster carts. Primeval Whirl started off fun but when it started whirling around in a circle while making its way down the track, I started feeling nauseous. Ive never been good at dealing with rides that spun in a circle and this was no exception. I enjoyed Mission Space, despite its spinning, due to not having a point of reference while riding it.
I slowly made my way off the ride and was glad it was over. Sally loved the thing and wanted to go again. I told her how sick it made me feel and said she was welcome to go on it, once again, without me. She declined like a puppy which would be lost without her owner. This was kind of cute and we continued on, together.
We headed into the gift shop where she was happy picking out some Mickey Mouse hair bands. This is where I spotted the CD section of the gift shop. I was, immediately, interested in the Illuminations Reflections of Earth album. The show at EPCOT featured music that truly moved me. I vowed to grab myself a copy of the show before I headed home.
On our way out of the gift shop, I noticed something quite peculiar going on outside. It was a soft preview of Lucky the Dinosaur. Lucky was the first free-roaming audio animatronic character to join the Disney cast. This large dinosaur robot of sorts was pulling a cart behind him and there were a handful of cast members following him down the pathway which cut through Dinoland. Lucky was set to entertain guests at the Animal Kingdom for most of the summer. It was quite the opportunity to see this character roaming the park and I quickly told Sally to come on out of the gift shop for a peek.
After Lucky had made his way past us, it was time to head off to the Tree of Life in order to see, Its Tough to be a Bug. I figured we could, effectively, kill some time and then check back to see if Dinosaur had started operating. On our way through Discovery cove, I told Sally to keep her eyes peeled for the many different animals which were carved into the Tree of Life. She was instantly captivated by the artistic efforts put into the tree. Her eyes were wide open like a little kid and I was happy to help her have such an experience.
We enjoyed listening to all the Broadway musicals which were being sung by bugs as we stood inside the cave and waited for the theater doors to open. Beauty and the Bees and Antie were playing. I had a good laugh at this and some obnoxious kids who were fighting with their parents over where they were waiting. I was well-trained at ignoring the outbursts of children while on this trip. These kids were being, especially, annoying and I was just waiting for one of the parents to grab them violently in order to shut them up. I could only sit there and think of the day when those kids were grown up with children of their own so they could experience that same kind of torture bringing their kids to Disney World one day. Payback is a *****, I thought while eyeing the ungrateful little worms. If they only realized what it took to get a family to Disney World in the first place.
The 3D show was solid, as usual. Sally enjoyed it but we were both anxious to keep moving. I wanted to see if Dinosaur was fixed yet so we headed in that direction to find out that it was, in fact, back up and running. We headed into the standby line after grabbing a set of Fastpasses for it. I wanted to secure a second ride just in case we felt the need. Therefore, I was holding onto 2 sets of Fastpasses. The Kilimanjaro Safari was next on our list.
Dinosaur was excellent. Sally had never experienced the unique ride system used in this attraction and I considered it one of the best vehicles Disney has ever come up with. The way the car lurched backwards upon encountering a scary scene was amazing. It was almost as if the vehicle had the same physical reaction as its guests did while traveling through the dark forests filled with Dinosaurs.
By that time, we were ready to get ourselves out of Dino World and into something different so we took the new bridge leading out of the Discovery Cove area and into Asia. On our way over to the Pangani Exploration Trails, we got our closest look at the Expedition Everest construction site. We were both excited over this new offering. I thought Animal Kingdom was badly in need of a new headliner attraction and this one was their answer to that need.
Walking through the Pangani trails was a pleasant experience. We saw silver backed gorillas, large fruit bats, tigers, gibbon monkeys swinging through the trees, and other exotic creatures. We were, though, getting a bit annoyed with the crowds which were causing small bottlenecks around every corner. Again, this was a first for me at the Animal Kingdom and I had no interest in squeezing my way through the park. I was ready to visit our last attraction at the park, enjoy lunch with my girlfriend in shaded area, and exit for the day.
We arrived at Harambe, Africa for our ride on the Kilimanjaro Safaris. The standby wait was well over 50 minutes and it was before Noon. Of course, we bypassed this hot and sticky mass of people and moved right to the front of the line with the Fastpasses I had secured first thing in the morning.
The safari was really nice. Most of the animals were seen milling around the trails our vehicles traveled along. This was surprising given how hot it was out. Hippos, alligators, elephants, antelope, and warthogs were out in force doing their thing. Sally seemed really excited getting to see the animals in such a natural setting. Neither of us, however, enjoyed the Chinese woman who screamed horribly loud each and every time an animal appeared along the trail. By now, I really wanted to get out of this park. The people all around me were just working my nerves. I even deleted every safari picture I had which had even a shred of this annoying woman in it. The whole experience only validated my opinion of most Asian tourists being, ultimately, rude and oblivious to others around them. I recall being in Las Vegas once and having to throw an elbow at one of these people in lieu of them trampling over me while they obnoxiously yelled and took pictures of the Pirate show seen at the Treasure Island resort. It was better seeing one of them doubled over looking bewildered than me getting trampled on and injured. This was done as a last resort and I swear this guy was still trying to take his stupid pictures while hunched over in pain. Youve got to look out for yourself in this world. Letting people, literally, walk all over you will get you nowhere in life. Stay one step ahead of ignorance; words I live by.
After taking the safari and enduring the embarrassingly loud woman who truly took away from our experience, we found ourselves at a unique gift shop in the Harambe section of the park. They were selling some good looking leather bracelets which could be personalized with your name. Sally and I decided to treat ourselves and got some made. I had a small pewter Mickey rivet placed on mine while Sally had a Tinkerbell rivet and her named placed onto hers.
On our way out of the park, we needed to eat lunch. It had been a long morning and the heat had taken a lot out of us. I heard many good things about the counter service restaurant called, The Flame Tree Barbeque and decided that we should check it out.
We werent disappointed with our meal. Sally had a pulled pork sandwich with spicy barbeque sauce and I had the same thing with beef instead. Our sides consisted of some delicious baked beans and corn on the cob. I would highly recommend this restaurant as one of Disneys best counter service meals.
At this point, we could have returned to the hotel for a nap, but we both felt like being troopers since we didnt have many days left on our trip. So we ended up taking the tram to our car and headed off towards EPCOT. We had not had the chance to enjoy much of the World Showcase since we arrived at EPCOT on our arrival day. On that day, we only got a quarter of the way through the countries before it was time for dinner and a viewing of Illuminations.
My plan for EPCOT was quite clever. We drove over to the Yacht Club resort, passed the rental car over to the valet after fibbing to the security guard, and took one of the water launches to the International Gateway entrance of EPCOT. This put us right in the middle of The World Showcase.
We were just where we needed to be but I had a minor problem. I had left my brand new digital camera in the car. The sun was very intense that day and I kept thinking that the camera would be damaged if it sat in the car long enough. I tried my hardest not to think about it and we made our way over to Japan to look through the shops there. Sally and I got into a bit of an argument over my issue. I thought she was discounting my worries over the camera while I had done everything within my power to make her trip a pleasant one. I needed some support at this time and didnt feel like I was getting it. We talked through it, made amends, and entered the shops of Japan where they had some really unique merchandise. Sally bought a super lucky cat figurine while I stood there stewing over the thought of my camera melting in the Florida sun. I just couldnt take it anymore and told Sally that I couldnt have a good time with my worries looming over my head. I told her that I would go retrieve my camera from the Yacht Club while she enjoyed herself in the shops.
I ended up walking all the way from Japan to the Yacht Club resort using the International Gateway. This was, at least, three quarters of a mile each way. My timing hadnt provided me with a tram or water launch back to the resort and I had no patience to wait for one of these services. I was soaking wet with sweat by the time I arrived back at the resort to get my belongings from the valet. It was ridiculous but I did my best to stay focused and calm. Making my way back to EPCOT on foot, once again, was no picnic but I needed to get back to Sally as soon as I could. My plan was to head straight for The American Adventure theater show so we cold both sit for 20 minutes and rest our feet. At this point, I was on the verge of overheating and just had to get off my feet.
Out timing was impeccable as we arrived at the American pavilion. Guests were being allowed into the theater for the 1:00 PM showing just as we entered the building and we thoroughly enjoyed, what I consider to be, Disneys best display of audio animatronics.
By the time we left the theater, my body temperature was back to normal and our feet were in less pain so we made our way back over to Future World after seeing the model train setup in Germany in order to take, what I knew would be, our last ride on Spaceship Earth. We ended up riding through the giant golf ball twice, without exiting. This was such a great attraction and our feet needed the rest. It was kind of amusing watching Sally happily sleep through the entire second journey. I couldnt say that I had ever pulled that one of.
Upon exiting our journey through the history of human communication, we both agreed that our bodies had experienced enough for the day and I had to come up with a plan to get back to our hotel without walking all the way back to the International Gateway. EPCOT is a huge park and can be physically demanding beyond most expectations. Therefore, my plan was to walk right up to the monorail loading platform near the front of the park and Spaceship Earth in order to ride over to the Magic Kingdom. From there, we could jump onto a resort bus heading back to the Yacht Club Gallery. This was miles out of the way, but I had wanted us to experience the monorail ride from EPCOT to The Magic Kingdom anyways. I also knew this long journey would provide us with more time off our feet.
We eventually arrived back at the Yacht Club, retrieved our car, and safely made it to our room. It was a welcome sight and I immediately headed to the shower. Sally was already dosing off in her bed while I jumped into mine with a frosty can of Fosters beer. The amount of fatigue we were, both, experiencing at that moment was proof that a mid-afternoon rest at Disney the parks is key to any successful touring plan. People that commando their way through the parks, over the course of an entire day, are just asking for a miserable experience in the end.
Part 2 All our Wishes Came True!
The alarm went off at 7:00 PM. This was going to be the last chance to see the Spectromagic parade and the Wishes fireworks show at the Magic Kingdom. Rain had cancelled the shows that I had originally scheduled for us to see earlier in the week and the park was slated to close at 7:00 PM on the last evening we had at Disney World. It was now or next vacation; therefore, it was important to me that everything go right for us.
Sally had a bit of trouble getting out of bed. We both slept like rocks but knew it would be a special evening. The nighttime entertainment at The Magic Kingdom is top notch.
Not long after we threw our clothes on and got cleaned up, we jumped into our rental and headed over to the Contemporary Resort to grab a good parking spot. Again, I didnt want to deal with gigantic hordes of people trying to exit the park after all the shows. I would have to say that closing time at The Magic Kingdom is the worst nasty crowd experience you can have at Disney World. I was going to do everything I could to stay far away from that situation.
Telling the security guard at The Contemporary Resort booth a lie about eating there that night so he would let me enter for parking didnt bother me since I was going to pay a valet to take my car anyways. I wasnt trying to break the rules or get something for free. I was completely willing to be a bit creative and cough up some dough in order to stay one step ahead of the crowds.
I tipped the valet and we headed to the monorail station for our ride over to The Magic Kingdom. Immediately upon exiting the unloading platform, I could see the train heading towards the Main Street station. Getting through the bag check and turnstiles in time to catch the train was going to be a bit of a challenge but Sally did an excellent job. For the first time on our trip, the turnstiles let her through without her having to tap her heels together twelve times and do a little dance. This was a good sign that our evening would go smoothly.
We quickly made our way up to the train loading platform and made it into our seats just as the cast member was closing the gate. Our ride over to Frontierland was an exciting one. Sally and I were excited to be in such a romantic place together. We held hands the entire way down the track.
After exiting the train, I checked the standby time for Splash Mountain and decided the 25 minute wait might have prevented us from getting a decent spot for Spectromagic so we passed it up. We used the walkway along the river in Frontierland which allowed us to stay off the more crowded main walkway. Surprisingly enough, the crowds werent bad at all on this side of the park so we easily found a viewing spot for the parade right by the Frontierland shooting gallery.
Our 30 minute wait for the parade was a pleasant one. We grabbed a drink and got to know the people next to us fairly well. Sally turned into the baby tamer and had some strange kid on her lap in no time. She loves kids, kids love her, and she loves giving the kids back to their owners after 10 minutes. A rented child that can be returned when the fussing begins is healthier for ones sanity than the, sometimes brutal, experience of raising your own no matter how rewarding and life affirming the whole deal may be. Sally and I laugh about this quite often. Neither of us are prepared to deal with children full-time and that was fine by us.
The parade headed towards us from Liberty Square. We really enjoyed the thousands of lights seen on the floats, all the music, and characters. Both of us took a ton of pictures and had fun doing so. It was an exciting experience for sure.
There was no time for any rides since we didnt finish viewing the parade until just after 9:35 PM. The fireworks show above the castle would start at 10:00 PM and we had a long walk to my preferred viewing location. Sally wasnt too enthusiastic about our long walk but she kept up as well as she could. Traveling all the way through Fantasy Land from Frontierland and then into Tomorrowland was a hike. After zigging and zagging through some stroller parades and unruly children which wander aimless away from their parents, we made our way to the bridge which connected Tomorrowland to the central hub of the park. This location was offset, just enough, to keep us clear of the throng of people that consistently gather in front of the castle and all the way down Main Street in order to view the fireworks show, Wishes.
Our wait for the show was a pleasant one. The weather was perfect and we gazed into the creek below the bridge where some ducks floated by. There was a large rose garden seen in the distance while the castle, which slowly changed colors, loomed over us like a warm and comforting beacon. Everything looked beautiful and it only got better when Jiminy Cricket started narrating the perfectly orchestrated fireworks which filled the sky. It was one of the most beautiful sites I had ever seen. Everything from the music and the story they managed to integrate into the entire experience was mesmerizing. Sally and I held each other tight and smiled the entire time. This was definitely the best and most magical moment we had shared together at Disney World.
After the show was finished, Sally and I continued to hold each other and kissed for a long time while the music from the show continued to play as the park closed and people made their way towards the exit. We felt completely content with each other during that moment. It was an extremely romantic moment and we even joked about having just made out in front of the castle as we walked towards Main Street. We were giggling like children and having a good time just being ourselves and absorbing all the beautiful sights surrounding us. The music continued to play throughout the park; It was like being in a movie.
The strong scent of deliciously baked goods hit us at the foot of Main Street and we just had to get in line for some old fashioned ice cream cones. Sally got a buttered pecan cone while I had cookie crunch flavored ice cream on my cone.
We made our way into a sunken seating area situated within a garden which had a perfect view of Cinderellas Castle. I couldnt think of a more innocent moment than sharing an ice cream cone with someone very close to me in front of the castle at night. We both talked about how incredible the entire experience was and how we would, most likely, never forget it.
After enjoying our ice cream moment, we made our way down Main Street, exited the park, and passed by the huge lines for the monorails, ferry boats, and buses while we simply walked, on foot, next door to the Contemporary Resort where our car would be brought to us by the valet.
The quiet walk to the valet was a pleasant one. The moon gently lit the path we walked on and the trees around us twinkled with lights. I dont think our evening could have gone any better than it did.
With that thought in our mind and a peaceful feeling in our hearts, we headed back to our room at Port Orleans Riverside and settled down for a well deserved nights sleep. The next day at the world would be our last full one.
