Extreme Commando "Shock and Awe" Campaign (Report completed)

[thptrek]

BEGIN Transmission*******

REPORT No.: WDW/THPTREK 032007 – WPASADI/TPAS2

TO: Disboard HQ
FROM: Commando THPTREK (Wapasadi TPAS#2 member)
MISSION: WDW March 10 – 16 excursion
MISSION OBJECTIVES: Ride all the “E” rides in all the parks without any lines while at the same time enjoy the parks in a relaxing non-commando style manner. Have a great time without knocking ourselves out.

SECONDARY OBJECTIVES: Terminate any enemy combatants seen wearing healies, pool-hopping, or using non-approved refillable beverage containers.

This debriefing will be structured into report sections detailing:

1.Commando team members
2.Objective successes
3.Base Camp details
4. Rations Overview (detailed description of daily MREs will be incorporated into daily digest briefs
5. Daily Digest briefs

Photos will be forthcoming after imaging section has cleared photos for publication.

Debriefing Section 1 : Commando team members

Commander, THPTREK – planner and leader of the mission. Member of WPASADI TPAS#2 team, Extreme Commandos. Veteran of many WDW campaigns since 1974. Known for keen sense of direction, doesn’t need park maps and has ability to guide forces to objectives while avoiding enemy crowds.

Lieutenant, Wife – not too excited on going to WDW for Spring Break. Team assignment is to relax and have fun.

Private, DD – age 10, very excited as is now tall enough for all the rides. Favorite princess is Aurora. Team assignment is to collect princess and other character’s autographs.

Private, DS – age 13, would spend all day on the thrill rides but is also gracious enough to go on the non-thrill stuff with the rest of us. Appreciates there is more to WDW then roller coasters. Team assignment is to slip behind enemy lines and gather FastPasses.

Team support members, MIL and FIL - Mostly there to spend some time with grandkids but also like WDW and the rides too!

Commander and Privates DD & DS

Debriefing Section 2: OBJECTIVE SUCCESSES

Mission Successful!!!! The team had one of the best WDW trips and vacations ever. The weather was fantastic (sunny with mornings in the low 60s and daytime highs around 80) and this added to our enjoyment.

Analysis of Commando team’s Daily Digests will show team completed numerous rides/shows/attractions during the day, had downtime at the resort, had table service dinners, enjoyed nighttime attractions and still did not feel blown out by end of day.

You could tell that it was Spring Break and that there were a lot of people in WDW. However, by using our touring plan, going against the grain, using Fastpasses, etc. we never felt the brunt of the crowds. Many afternoons the big rides had 60+ minute waits but we never waited more than 20 mins for anything by using Fastpasses. I think it is one of those mysteries why folks will spend over an hour in a line when they could grab a Fastpass and go enjoy something else.

Special commendations are in order to all the DisBoard members for their planning help and Tour Guide Mike. Tour Guide Mike information was worth the subscription fee for his site. His park plans were accurate and by going to the right park on the right day was probably the one most important factor in the success of our mission.

Most days we were generally in a park from 9am – 2pm. Then returned to hotel and relaxed around pool or such. We had dinners around 7pm and then normally headed over to Magic Kingdom to catch Spectromagic and Wishes. Being at CR made this really easy and a great way to end our days. We could catch the 10pm Spectromagic parade and be back snug in our beds by 11pm.

During mission, Private DD was awarded Year of Million Dreams Tinkerbell “share” pin by a cast member while exiting Soarin. Private DS was awarded a free Mickey bar ice cream at Animal Kingdom.

Spies reported that many WDW vacationers reported being overwhelmed by the crowds, not being able to get into the restaurants they wanted, and high levels of dis-satisfaction. Commando intelligence officer’s analysis explains most likely cause of these problems are poor planning and faulty intelligence by such vacationers.

I do want to add something about the service we received. We found CMs to be wonderful and overall very cheerful and happy. We had great service almost all the time. We had CMs go out of their way to help us out and we had a lot of fun with them. You can tell that WDW is understaffed and the CMs are working hard but our interaction with them was terrific!!

***Report transmission interuppted***
***Attempting to reestablish report transmission,
*******stand by for updates*****

 

[Cruz Family]

Great start Trek! I especially enjoyed your Commando De-briefing
I have to commend you on a few things,
1. Thank you for taking on those healie-wearing pain in the donkey butts
2. Amen brother to the mid-day break , nothing better then letting those hot and tired feet air out of a bit
3. Fastpasses who are all those people not using it????
4. Planning, planning, and more planning, isn't it amazing after just standing around waiting for your table how many parties are turned away or will have to wait hours to get in! I feel bad for them but soooo good for us!!!
Looking forward to the rest!

 

[AMaloy314]

I can't wait to hear the rest, trek!

 

[Tigger&Belle]

You are too funny, trek! It almost makes me miss WPASADI.

 

[NMAmy]

Very funny stuff! Love the debriefing. I can't wait to read more!

ETA: Oh, yeah, I leave for WDW tomorrow so please hurry with more installments so I can learn from your experience!

 

[ncseric]

What is/are healies?

 

[tlinus]

Great start trek!!! Get yourself all dosed up on Cold Medicine and continue this report!!!

Hope you feel better today!!

 

[tlinus]

What is/are healies?

http://www.heelys.com/

They are the sneaker with the wheel in the sole - not allowed in Disney, Sea World or Universal.

 

[thptrek]

Thanks, too sick to continue today but will post next section soon.

 

[ncseric]

OK... I'd second my hate of those things. I got hit by an idiot kid wearing those. I'm surprised Disney hasn't started watching for those... seems like it would give the security folks something else to do.

 

[thptrek]

***Signal reestablished***
**Report briefing continuing***

Debriefing Section 3: Base camp details

We are big fans of the Magic Kingdom, and intelligence reports have given the Contemporary Resort (CR) favorable reviews. Team members agree that staying at the CR was tremendous. If your primary objectives are going to be Magic Kingdom and Epcot then the CR is the best base camp location. Monorail access can’t be beat and the walk from CR to Magic Kingdom front entrance was only 10-15 minutes along a beautiful pathway. When our reservations were secured I requested a room on a high floor. We got it. We were in room 4733 (11th floor) facing the castle. Nothing like seeing the castle from your balcony! The magic kingdom view costs extra but worth every penny, IMHO. Besides a great view of the Magic Kingdom you could see Mount Everest in the distance along with the Grand Floridian and the Polynesian Hotel. Sunsets were beautiful to see from the room’s balcony. In the mornings we ate our breakfast sitting out on the balcony looking out at Cinderella’s castle and the Seven Seas Lagoon. Recon photos will be posted in upcoming posts.

The new remodeled CR rooms are very nice. Modern and sleek with flat panel TVs. Computer in the room provided Online Concierge access and also full internet access. No fee for the computer or internet access.

For the four of us in our room we had adequate storage space. We requested extra hangers and this helped a bunch. Space in the bathroom was challenging though. There is almost no counter space in the bathroom because the dual sinks are so big. They need to add some shelving or something. Also the towel bar is made only for the 4 towels they give you so if you request extras there is no place to put them.

Quarters consisted of two queen size beds with comfortable bedding. Private DD slept on day bed which is about the size of a regular sized bed. It sort of flipped over and had a regular mattress on it. I would say that most kids up to about 12 would have no problem sleeping on the day bed.

The pool area is nice but not a main attraction at the CR. It has a small slide for the kids and a small water play area for the young ones. There is a marina from which you can rent boats or catch the resort launches to Wilderness Lodge/Fort Wilderness. There is also a beach area with chairs and a beach volleyball court. The theming is lacking around the pool, but it is fun sitting around the pool looking up at the CR A-frame structure.

Construction was seen on the main level (level 4) with the old gift shop boarded up. The sundrie shop is still open and Bay View Gifts is open. There are some kiosks for small items and trading pins in the open lobby area in front of Bay View Gifts. The selection of gifts at Bay View was very good. Our quartermaster had forgotten to pack some of the team’s supplies (including underwear) and the team was able to find substitute provisions thereby avoiding having to go Commando all week.

During the week we saw the end of the Contemporary North Garden wing. Though rumors persist about building a Disney Vacation club there, we were unable to confirm this or add to any information already reported.

One negative experience was at check-in. Arrived at CR about 2:30pm and room was not ready. The team was given a number to call at 3pm to receive its room assignment. We went off to lunch and room was not ready to almost 4pm. The extra delay in getting the room was not major but it was annoying as the team was anxious to head down to the acquatic facilities.

**End Section 3**
***Prepare for Section 4 Dining Update***

 

[thptrek]

I will have the dining section up later this morning.

 

[thptrek]

***Report debriefing update****

Debriefing Section 4: Dining and rations quick review

An Army travels on its stomach and this team took those words to heart! We had ADRs for almost all our dinners and most lunches. Commander had secured them 6 months out to insure access to primary time slots. During past missions, the team found it best to have ADRs available for use and could cancel if decided to forgo as compared to not having ADRs and getting stuck with MREs for dinner.

Forget about trying to walk up and get seated at Disney dining locations, especially table service places. It is best to make ADRs and then cancel them or you may find yourself with limited dining options. The team generally arrived about 10 minutes before the ADR time and the longest time we had to wait was 10 minutes after our ADR time. The team was not on any dining plan.

Team found it best to schedule lunches around 130pm. A mid-morning snack was normally procured to provide sustenance between breakfast and the late lunch. By 130pm the team had experienced most of the attractions that it desired and was ready to sit down and relax with a nice lunch experience. Afternoons after lunch were very relaxed with only taking in a couple of attractions as the team made its way out of the parks and back to CR base camp.

Here is a quick debriefing of our rations with more complete descriptions in the following Daily Digest section.

Chef Mickey, Contemporary resort, dinner – Character interaction better than the food but not bad buffet. Desserts are particularly good. A very fun time with Mickey and a very festive atmosphere. A great place to start a vacation.

Chefs du France, EPCOT, lunch – Beautiful room and very good lunch. Pickey eaters may not find menu choices to their liking though. We had front window table overlooking the World Showcase and it was wonderful just sitting down with a glass of wine watching the tired people go by.

California Grill, Contemporary Resort, dinner – Very good meal with a menu that is sure to please all. From sushi to steaks, every team member was satisfied. The décor must be seen. Great bar and lounge area to have a drink before dinner. Was not as loud as some past intelligence reports complained about. One of the best restaurants on Disney property.

Columbia Harbor House, Magic Kingdom, lunch – Good fish and chips. Upstairs seating area was relaxing with nice views of FantasyLand. A really good spot to unwind after battling the FantasyLand stroller hoards.

Tony’s, Magic Kingdom, dinner – Much better than intelligence reports have reported. Eggplant Rotini was especially good. Calamari appetizer is also recommended. This place seems to get poor reviews but we have always found it to be good. The Lady and the Tramp setting is nice and if you get a table on the porch you can sit and watch the Main Street crowds go by.

Brown Derby, MGM Studios, lunch – Great feel to the restaurant. Very relaxing. The famous Cobb salad was good but the Tuna Cobb Salad was better. Also had a very good wine list.

Cinderella Royal Table, Magic Kingdom, lunch – Were treated like royalty! Majordomo pie was very good as was the Grilled Salmon. Service here was very very good. DD & DS were surprised with Cindy Slipper desserts and they loved them. Pics will follow.

Kona Café, Polynesian Resort, dinner – Nice setting overlooking the gardens but food was only fair. Service was pleasant but the café was so understaffed that the timing of the meal really suffered. Probably would not return.

Tusker House, Animal Kingdom, lunch – Rotisserie chicken was very good. Came with mashed potatoes and grean beans that were both good side dishes. Imagine getting a green vegetable!

Narcoosee, Grand Floridian, dinner – One of the best dining spots Disney has. Great location at the Grand Floridian overlooking the water. Service was spot on. Seafood entrees were great. After dinner the team watched Wishes and the Electric Light Water Parade from the restaurant’s dock.

**Day by Day debriefing notes will follow**
*Graphics section reports picture uploads nearly accomplished**
**End transmission**

 

[thptrek]

**Daily briefing reports being received**

Daily debriefing report - March 10th (Day One)

After months of planning, reading post after post, and developing ops plans, D-Day is finally here. We head out to Bush Airport in Houston for our flight to Orlando. Commander had previously printed out all boarding passes at home knowing that the airport would be busy with Spring Breakers heading out of Houston. Sure enough, the crowds at the terminal were huge. Being elite travelers the team passed the civilians in line and headed to the elite baggage drop area. After leaving the team’s gear with the Continental Airlines logistics officer the team waited for TSA clearance to proceed.

After stripping down to our skivvies and passing through the electromagnetic scanners, the team made its way to the flight departure gate. At the gate the Commander hears that the plane is oversold and if anyone would like to give up their seat, Continental will reward you with $400, place you on the standby list for flights later in the day and give you a shiny medal. Now while the team would have really appreciated the medal, given that it is Spring Break and your chances of getting a seat on a later flight to Orlando was less than zero, the team passed up the offer.

With a flight time of just under two hours the team landed in Orlando, was met by FL Tours, collected its luggage and was off to the Contemporary Resort (CR). The FL Tours driver was excellent. The van was clean, the driver was friendly and drove well. Commendations are in order for FL Tours.

Why is it that driving through the Magic Kingdom archway always makes me verklempt? Anyways, we arrived at the CR at about 215pm and proceeded to the desk. Check in was smooth and easy. We had requested to be placed on a high floor and were told that although our room was not yet ready we were going to be on the 11th floor, Magic Kingdom View.

Commander led the team to the Fun & Food center for lunch. The menu is poor and the food is generally not too good. Private DD had the kids macaroni and cheese and it looked like it was under the heat lamps for days. It had a thick hard shell over the top. Fries were greasy and limp. It is understood that the CR is going to revamp this place and it needs it.

While having lunch the team reports one strange incident. A family was in the dining area eating their lunch. Mom, Dad and two kids about 6 – 8 years old. The kids are running around and Dad is trying to get them to come back to their table to eat. Dad yells out that if they come back to the table and give him a high-five he will give them a real $100 bill. He yells this out again. A Cast Member who was sweeping the area casually strolls alongside the Dad and without breaking stride high-fives the Dad!! We just laughed out loud. The team however could not confirm that the Dad paid the CM. Private DS then asks Commander how much he would get paid if he gives Commander a high-five. “Hah Hah get back in ranks private.” Throughout the mission the team’s inside joke was about $100 high-fives.

Lieutenant wife begins calling the check in number to ascertain the status of our room assignment. We did not get our room until 4:30pm. This was not the best deal as it hindered the team’s exploration of the resort’s aquatic facilities.

The team reported to room 4733. The view from the room was magnificent. Lying in bed you could see the Castle and Space Mountain. See previous debriefing section 3 for more details on the base camp.

The team met support members FIL & MIL in the lobby at 645pm to prepare for the team assault on Chef Mickey. The Privates had their picture taken and the team hit the buffet. Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, Donald and Goofy all came by to wish the team well. As the characters came by we took photos with our own camera and with the Photopass photographer. (Over the course of the next six days we would take over 75 pics with the Photopass photographers). Here is the Commander and Private DD with Donald.

The buffet was well stocked and was fresh. Besides the character interaction which is always great at Chef Mickeys, the desserts are the highlights. We had miniature carrot cakes, chocolate dipped Oreos with Mickey ears on them, and make your own soft serve ice cream sundaes.

The team left Chef Mickeys and retired to the room in order to watch Wishes from the balcony. As a side note, MIL & FIL were staying in the Atrium club on the 12th floor and had a room facing Bay Lake. In the past the Wishes soundtrack was broadcasted on the CR TV channel but it is no longer being done. However, even without music the show was great and the view from the room was great.

Since it had been a long travel day the team was tired and decided to make it an early night. Also, Daylight Savings Time was starting so we were going to lose another hour of sleep during the night. Coming from the Central time zone to the Eastern time zone we lost one hour so combined with daylight savings time change it would feel like two hours to us. The team settled into bed, watched some Disney shows and drifted off to sleep with the castle glowing in the distance.

**End March 10th debriefing transmission**

 

[ncseric]

Message received, acknowledged. Continue with report forthwith.

 

[nicolemarie]

I'm enjoying your report!!

And my dining reviews are almost exactly the same as yours...especially loved Narcoossee's. Also, I kept watching Cobb Salads go by at Brown Derby and really wished I had tried one. Good to know that they were as good as they looked!!

Very clever report! Looking forward to the rest!

NM

 

[thptrek]

Thanks for the encouragement. I am going to add in some pictures later today before proceeding with next day.

 

[luvtheBuzz]

Just have to say I love your objectives for your trip. Your secondary objectives just cracked me up! Looking forward to hearing about the rest of your mission!

 

[tlinus]

Brilliant and entertaining trip report, trek!!
But that is to be expected!!!

Looking forward to more photos and narrative!!

 

[AMaloy314]

trek, love the report!

I couldn't help but laugh when I read about the stripping down to skivvies at the TSA check point. They have no idea how lucky they were, do they???