E
erikthewise
Guest
Cast
Self (Richard): likes seafood, gets up too early, walks too fast. Thinks that entering a park after the scheduled opening is like walking in on a movie after its started. Can accurately estimate the duration of any sequence of activities.
DW (Julia): Family photographer. Hates seafood, likes to sleep in, walks too slow. Has no sense of time. Thinks its immoral if not illegal to arrive at a park before opening time.
DS9 (Jonathan): Tall enough to ride anything but doesnt like thrill rides. Loves computer games and arcades. Haven't told him about Disney Quest.
DS6 (Patrick): Fearless; will ride anything. Just barely tall enough to ride Space Mountain. Has the patience of a forest fire. Doesnt like anything that isnt a ride or a meal. Haven't told him about Tower of Terror.
We are staying 5 nights at Beach Club Villas in our first trip as members of Disney Vacation Club, followed by 3 nights at Animal Kingdom Lodge.
Also see restaurant report
http://disboards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=303938
Mon Dec 9: Escape from Orlando
Monday morning brought light rains, with heavier rains forecast for later in the day. Our original plan of going to MGM seemed as good as any. Just about everything there is indoors or covered. We wore our 89-cent ponchos, except for DW who carried an umbrella, but DS6 wasnt tall enough to keep his poncho fron dragging on the ground! We had to go to guest services and borrow scissors to cut his off. We all had problems keeping the hoods over our heads, but it was only a minor distraction.
I ran over to Star Tours to grab fast passes and met the others under the Big Hat. We started off with the Great Movie Ride, then walked over to Star Tours. The fast passes turned out to be irrelevant as it was a walk-on. I managed to talk DS9 into trying it, and he liked it! All of us except DW went a second time. We then went to the first show of Who Wants To Be a Millionaire, which was nowhere near full. I was thinking this one was for DW but it turned out we all enjoyed it. Even DS6 knew a few answers and was also excited when he guessed one right. DS9 got a kick out of choosing the silly answers. He also was concerned that if he did too well he might have to go down to the hot seat. The innocence of youth . The boys got to be on TV! They were selected for one of several camera close-ups during the show.
I was trying to figure out what it took to get on the top ten list. At certain times they show which which audience members have the highest scores at that point, determined by how quickly they give correct answers. The person at the top of the list after a contestant lost became the new hot seat contestant. By the end of that show it was clear that you could get all the answers right quickly and never get on the top ten list. DW said she noticed some people clicking very rapidly. Apparently they were pushing the button for the correct answer many times per second so it would register as soon as the system would accept an answer. (To be continued .)
After a nice lunch at the 50s Prime Time Café, we left WDW and drove up to visit relatives who live in Deland (near Dayton Beach) as we had planned. Its just as well as the rains did become heavy and we probably would only have stayed in our room had we not left. The drive on I-4 was not fun in this weather but everything went smoothly and we had a nice visit.
Tue Dec 10: Surrey Bike Olympics
After three busy days, DW needed a break, so I took the boys to Epcot Future World this morning. We arrived at the International gate about 8:45 (Im a real commando when DW is not around!) To my surprise we were admitted immediately, but told to go to the next rope, which was at the entrance to the World Showcase walkway. We sat around for a couple minutes on benches as did about twenty others. At 8:55 we got bold and walked up toward the rope. The CM at the rope turned out to be another angel. She asked ME what time it was, and told us to go on in! The other people on the benches quickly caught on and entered shortly after.
DS6 really wanted to ride Test Track, so we hustled over there as quickly as we could. DS9 was not so sure, but I assured him it was not a coaster and there were no sudden drops. I think he did OK until we got to the outdoor part where it goes fast. Then he shouted I dont LIKE this!, but he survived. DS6 of course loved it.
Then we went to Ellens Energy Adventure. DS6 asked me how long it lasts. I told him 45 minutes; DS9 began to argue that it wasnt that long. I assured them both that it WAS that long. A family sitting near us during the preshow asked a CM how long it lasted. (I muttered 45 minutes! under my breath.) They had to bail out because they had a PS for Princess Storybook Breakfast they would miss.
The final stop that morning was the Wonders of Life pavilion. Body Wars was our first stop therein. Since the boys had been on Star Tours already they knew the drill for this one. Next we watched Cranium Command, which examines a day in the life of a 12 year old boy literally through the eyes of a brain operator trainee. This is one of my personal favorites and the most underrated attraction in Epcot if not in all of WDW, though younger children may not get much out of it. Afterward we played around in some of the displays in the pavilion. There is a lot of opportunity for exploratory play at Future World if youre not killing yourself trying to do all the attractions in one day.
We ate lunch in our room for the only time during our trip, and watched the Monsters, Inc DVD (again); the boys watched it three times this week! Then we went down to the Boardwalk and rented a surrey bike, something wed talk about doing on Saturday. Because the children werent allowed to pedal, DS9 had to sit on the seat between DW and I, which wasnt so bad. But DS6 had to ride in a basket-type seat up front for small children. He objected to this but eventually gave in. I was thinking of a couple leisurely laps of Lake Cresent, but for some reason DW decided this was serious exercise and pedaled vigorously. We ended up going around Crescent Lake three times in half an hour. Going up the hills was hard work! Unfortunately DW didnt pace herself very well (in spite of my gentle warnings) and had little strength left for the third lap. The final hill she decided to get out and walk since she didnt think she could help with the pedaling. That was a sore test for me, pedaling the bike, myself and two boys up the last hill, but I managed to do it without blowing a knee cap. Overall it was a lot of fun and worth the $18 charge for 1/2 hour.
We had a 4:30 PS at Garden Grill that evening for a Candlelight Processional Package. This was the best meal we had this trip and the only character meal. The character interaction (Mickey, Pluto, Chip & Dale) was great, probably since only CP package guests were being seated at that time. Standard dinner hours are 5-8.
If was about 5:45 when we left Garden Grill. Youd think that hour before the performance would be plenty of time to get to the theatre, on the lake across from the American pavilion. And since we went past the tree at almost exactly 5:55 when the Tree Lighting Ceremony was to take place, it seemed reasonable when DW wanted to stop and watch. She was really put out when I said wed better keep moving, but I turned out to be right. We caught a boat from Showcase Plaza over to Morocco and made a quick pit stop. When we came out, the 6:10 Tapestry of Dreams parade had just started, and we were cut off from the theatre by the parade. I knew the parade started then but for some reason thought it went the other way, starting at Germany. But of course we were not the only ones with this problem, and several CMs guided us to the CP entrance, letting us cross during a gap in the parade. We were seated at 6:23; there were still plenty of seats on the reserved side (for those who had CP dinner packages), but the other side of the theatre where there was open seating was full. At 6:30 they took down the ropes and let all comers into the reserved side as well, so we were really only seven minutes early. Moral: give yourself LOTS of time to get to the Candlelight Processional if youre doing the dinner package. If youre not, get there even earlier!
DS6 did NOT want to see the Candlelight Processional; it wasnt a ride or a meal and it wasnt his idea, so he fussed and argued for some time, but we held our ground. The music was very enjoyable, and James Avery did a fine job as narrator. The only disappointment was an ill-advised arrangement of What Child Is This? that destroyed the unbroken melodic line which makes it so beautiful.
Afterward DS6 insisted on going back to our room, so I took him back, and DS9 and DW stayed to watch the 7:45 parade.
Self (Richard): likes seafood, gets up too early, walks too fast. Thinks that entering a park after the scheduled opening is like walking in on a movie after its started. Can accurately estimate the duration of any sequence of activities.
DW (Julia): Family photographer. Hates seafood, likes to sleep in, walks too slow. Has no sense of time. Thinks its immoral if not illegal to arrive at a park before opening time.
DS9 (Jonathan): Tall enough to ride anything but doesnt like thrill rides. Loves computer games and arcades. Haven't told him about Disney Quest.
DS6 (Patrick): Fearless; will ride anything. Just barely tall enough to ride Space Mountain. Has the patience of a forest fire. Doesnt like anything that isnt a ride or a meal. Haven't told him about Tower of Terror.
We are staying 5 nights at Beach Club Villas in our first trip as members of Disney Vacation Club, followed by 3 nights at Animal Kingdom Lodge.
Also see restaurant report
http://disboards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=303938
Mon Dec 9: Escape from Orlando
Monday morning brought light rains, with heavier rains forecast for later in the day. Our original plan of going to MGM seemed as good as any. Just about everything there is indoors or covered. We wore our 89-cent ponchos, except for DW who carried an umbrella, but DS6 wasnt tall enough to keep his poncho fron dragging on the ground! We had to go to guest services and borrow scissors to cut his off. We all had problems keeping the hoods over our heads, but it was only a minor distraction.
I ran over to Star Tours to grab fast passes and met the others under the Big Hat. We started off with the Great Movie Ride, then walked over to Star Tours. The fast passes turned out to be irrelevant as it was a walk-on. I managed to talk DS9 into trying it, and he liked it! All of us except DW went a second time. We then went to the first show of Who Wants To Be a Millionaire, which was nowhere near full. I was thinking this one was for DW but it turned out we all enjoyed it. Even DS6 knew a few answers and was also excited when he guessed one right. DS9 got a kick out of choosing the silly answers. He also was concerned that if he did too well he might have to go down to the hot seat. The innocence of youth . The boys got to be on TV! They were selected for one of several camera close-ups during the show.
I was trying to figure out what it took to get on the top ten list. At certain times they show which which audience members have the highest scores at that point, determined by how quickly they give correct answers. The person at the top of the list after a contestant lost became the new hot seat contestant. By the end of that show it was clear that you could get all the answers right quickly and never get on the top ten list. DW said she noticed some people clicking very rapidly. Apparently they were pushing the button for the correct answer many times per second so it would register as soon as the system would accept an answer. (To be continued .)
After a nice lunch at the 50s Prime Time Café, we left WDW and drove up to visit relatives who live in Deland (near Dayton Beach) as we had planned. Its just as well as the rains did become heavy and we probably would only have stayed in our room had we not left. The drive on I-4 was not fun in this weather but everything went smoothly and we had a nice visit.
Tue Dec 10: Surrey Bike Olympics
After three busy days, DW needed a break, so I took the boys to Epcot Future World this morning. We arrived at the International gate about 8:45 (Im a real commando when DW is not around!) To my surprise we were admitted immediately, but told to go to the next rope, which was at the entrance to the World Showcase walkway. We sat around for a couple minutes on benches as did about twenty others. At 8:55 we got bold and walked up toward the rope. The CM at the rope turned out to be another angel. She asked ME what time it was, and told us to go on in! The other people on the benches quickly caught on and entered shortly after.
DS6 really wanted to ride Test Track, so we hustled over there as quickly as we could. DS9 was not so sure, but I assured him it was not a coaster and there were no sudden drops. I think he did OK until we got to the outdoor part where it goes fast. Then he shouted I dont LIKE this!, but he survived. DS6 of course loved it.
Then we went to Ellens Energy Adventure. DS6 asked me how long it lasts. I told him 45 minutes; DS9 began to argue that it wasnt that long. I assured them both that it WAS that long. A family sitting near us during the preshow asked a CM how long it lasted. (I muttered 45 minutes! under my breath.) They had to bail out because they had a PS for Princess Storybook Breakfast they would miss.
The final stop that morning was the Wonders of Life pavilion. Body Wars was our first stop therein. Since the boys had been on Star Tours already they knew the drill for this one. Next we watched Cranium Command, which examines a day in the life of a 12 year old boy literally through the eyes of a brain operator trainee. This is one of my personal favorites and the most underrated attraction in Epcot if not in all of WDW, though younger children may not get much out of it. Afterward we played around in some of the displays in the pavilion. There is a lot of opportunity for exploratory play at Future World if youre not killing yourself trying to do all the attractions in one day.
We ate lunch in our room for the only time during our trip, and watched the Monsters, Inc DVD (again); the boys watched it three times this week! Then we went down to the Boardwalk and rented a surrey bike, something wed talk about doing on Saturday. Because the children werent allowed to pedal, DS9 had to sit on the seat between DW and I, which wasnt so bad. But DS6 had to ride in a basket-type seat up front for small children. He objected to this but eventually gave in. I was thinking of a couple leisurely laps of Lake Cresent, but for some reason DW decided this was serious exercise and pedaled vigorously. We ended up going around Crescent Lake three times in half an hour. Going up the hills was hard work! Unfortunately DW didnt pace herself very well (in spite of my gentle warnings) and had little strength left for the third lap. The final hill she decided to get out and walk since she didnt think she could help with the pedaling. That was a sore test for me, pedaling the bike, myself and two boys up the last hill, but I managed to do it without blowing a knee cap. Overall it was a lot of fun and worth the $18 charge for 1/2 hour.
We had a 4:30 PS at Garden Grill that evening for a Candlelight Processional Package. This was the best meal we had this trip and the only character meal. The character interaction (Mickey, Pluto, Chip & Dale) was great, probably since only CP package guests were being seated at that time. Standard dinner hours are 5-8.
If was about 5:45 when we left Garden Grill. Youd think that hour before the performance would be plenty of time to get to the theatre, on the lake across from the American pavilion. And since we went past the tree at almost exactly 5:55 when the Tree Lighting Ceremony was to take place, it seemed reasonable when DW wanted to stop and watch. She was really put out when I said wed better keep moving, but I turned out to be right. We caught a boat from Showcase Plaza over to Morocco and made a quick pit stop. When we came out, the 6:10 Tapestry of Dreams parade had just started, and we were cut off from the theatre by the parade. I knew the parade started then but for some reason thought it went the other way, starting at Germany. But of course we were not the only ones with this problem, and several CMs guided us to the CP entrance, letting us cross during a gap in the parade. We were seated at 6:23; there were still plenty of seats on the reserved side (for those who had CP dinner packages), but the other side of the theatre where there was open seating was full. At 6:30 they took down the ropes and let all comers into the reserved side as well, so we were really only seven minutes early. Moral: give yourself LOTS of time to get to the Candlelight Processional if youre doing the dinner package. If youre not, get there even earlier!
DS6 did NOT want to see the Candlelight Processional; it wasnt a ride or a meal and it wasnt his idea, so he fussed and argued for some time, but we held our ground. The music was very enjoyable, and James Avery did a fine job as narrator. The only disappointment was an ill-advised arrangement of What Child Is This? that destroyed the unbroken melodic line which makes it so beautiful.
Afterward DS6 insisted on going back to our room, so I took him back, and DS9 and DW stayed to watch the 7:45 parade.
