I FINALLY FINISHED MY REPORT! 1 thread, whole report! PICTURES ADDED!!!

[tiggerbell]

PRE-TRIP REPORT LINK (so you can meet these people and see how this whole trip came about):

PRE-TRIP REPORT!!!


The trip was September 2th - 11th, 2005. I will INSERT THE PICTURES as soon as I remember HOW!



DAY 1: Friday, September 2, 2005 – LEAVING CHICAGO, KEEP THAT GAS TANK FULL!!!

CAST: Jaime (me): 37, Disney freak
Rhonda (sister): 55, Disney freak
Ruth: works with Rhonda
Sandy: used to work with Rhonda & Ruth

Left my apartment at 4:00 this morning to walk the 6 houses to Rhonda’s house. At 4:30, we left to go pick up Ruth in Chicago, then Monee (about an hour south of Chicago) to get Sandy.

Water tower - or first castle of the trip???

The trip was nice, gas was not an issue, thank heavens! As you can see by the date, Hurricane Katrina hit a few days before we left. Rumors of $6.00 gas and sold out gas stations in the south had us questioning whether to go or not. We spent the night in Perry, GA. Sandy and I had both made up goodie bags for everyone – mine was a homemade bookmark, a Toy Story pen from Wal-Mart, a Disney plush, a Ghiradelli’s coupon, and the Mouse for Less pocket brochures from their website. Sandy’s was a Disney Princess stencil, a small bottle of water, and a TON of snacks – Skittles, M&Ms, pretzels, Fritos, Cheetos, granola bars, etc. And Rhonda had a couple of travel games with Disney prizes.

Breakfast was Dunkin Donuts – bagel & cream cheese and an orange juice for me, coffee and a donut for Rhonda – my treat = $5.55

(Forgoing today’s coffee – yikes! – so as not to make 11 rest stops.)

Lunch was a Wendy’s in Oak Grove, KY (yeah, I have no idea where that is either) – Monterey Ranch chicken sandwich and a small coke – (still avoiding liquids) = $4.84.

$1.25 for a Coke at a rest stop in the afternoon (needed to take pills for headache – gee, wonder why???).

Dinner was at The Green Derby attached to the Holiday Inn in Perry, GA, where we spent the night. I had ribs and sweet potatoes – potatoes cold, ribs really spicy – can’t wait to eat in Disney! $16.17 with tip. We get a free breakfast in the morning.

Because of the gas crisis, we decided we’d never let the car get too empty. As soon as we hit ½ a tank, we start looking for a gas station “cluster”. Mt. Vernon, IL, a BP with no wait – regular gas for $3.29.

Oak Grove, KY, a Pilot gas station with no wait – regular gas for $3.29. Dalton, GA, a BP with 1 car wait – regular gas gone, Silver for $3.09.

HIGHLIGHTS= Finding gas at a price we didn’t choke on. Finally being on our way.

LOWLIGHTS= $3.29 is still a lot for gas. Of course, the alternative was “don’t go” and we all know THAT wasn’t going to happen!

TOMORROW= Finish the drive, Pop Century, Magic Kingdom!

 

[tiggerbell]

DAY 2: Saturday, September 3, 2005 – WE’RE HERE! DON’T GET MY PONCHO WET!

Left hotel in GA after a quick, free (we’re practicing!) breakfast. We make great time, get to Pop Century ahead of schedule – 2:00pm!

No line for check in, Rocio checks us in very quickly. Now, we had been debating room placement for weeks, I “wanted” a 4th floor, 50’s building (even though my heart belongs to the 80s) with a lake view, but we decided it really didn’t matter where we were – were we really going to be at the room when fireworks were going off??? So we just let it go, it’s more important to get connecting rooms than anything else is. Rocio announces we have connecting 4th floor, 50s building rooms! We couldn’t believe it – we didn’t have a lake view, but we did have an EPCOT view! And I didn’t even have to ask!!! Karma, baby! Check out done, tickets received, and we walk past all the display cases of the different decades on the wall.

We retrieve the car and go park by the 50s section.

Rooms are nice – tiny, but nice – with 2 exceptions. The drawer front in room 2422 was falling off, it took 2 days and 3 phone calls to get it fixed, and the sink in 2423 was slow almost to the point of stopped up, which took 2 days and 2 calls to get fixed.

Everyone else starts unpacking clothes and toiletries – I start decorating the windows

and my door.

I brought finished scrapbook pages from a bunch of previous trips for our windows and 2 blank scrapbook pages for the door that read, “Sebastian is red, and Bell’s dress is yellow, pick up my pen and give me a hello!” Then I attached a pen with ribbon. I used regular tape on the inside of the windows, and clear tear-by-hand tape on the door and kept expecting to get a phone call about using tape on their surfaces, but it was fine. I ended up with 2 full pages of hellos (including 1 from the front desk!)

By 2:45pm, we’re on the bus to the MK! Almost there, I say, “Uh oh.” Rhonda says, “What?” Umm, what time is the 3:00 parade (LOL)? Oh, crap. Walking into the MK just as the parade is running.

You would think I’d never gone to Disney before! Well, too late now. Enter the park, get a spot in the 2nd row in the hub around the flagpole – where are all the people???

Cool! After the parade, I say wait a couple minutes – people are STREAMING out of the park! That’s right, people – get out of my park! Lol!

We decide to head to Adventureland first – we have the rest of today and 1 other full day planned at the Magic Kingdom, and we want to ride the Jungle Cruise in the daylight and at night (geeks). So we head there first – 10 minute wait posted – don’t think it took that long. Great skipper, cannot remember his name – my experience is guy skippers are always better than the girl skippers, which is weird because growing up, that’s what I wanted my job to be – Skipper Jaime. Next, Pirates with NO wait. Then Tiki Room with NO wait. Haunted Mansion – with, you guessed it, NO wait. Now it’s about 5pm and it’s starting to rain. We want ponchos, but we NEED food. Over to Columbia Harbour House to fill up and hopefully wait out the rain.

Time to use our FREE dining plan for the first Counter Service Meal! (Rhonda got a bottle of water on the way to the Haunted Mansion, 1 Snack credit, and it WAS pretty hot and muggy).

I had Captain's Special - Fried Chicken Strips and Fish - Served with choice of French Fries or Carrots (I ordered carrots and they accidentally gave me fries AND carrots! That made them FREE, FREE fries!) $6.99, Fresh Baked Apple Pie - $3.79, and large Coke $2.29.

Rhonda had Anchors Aweigh Sandwich - white tuna with lettuce and tomato on toasted multigrain bread $6.59, Fresh Baked Apple Pie - $3.79, and large Diet Coke $2.29.

Sandy had Anchors Aweigh Sandwich - white tuna with lettuce and tomato on toasted multigrain bread $6.59, Fresh Baked Apple Pie - $3.79, and large Diet Coke $2.29.

Ruth had Fried Chicken Strips - Served with choice of either French Fries or Carrots (she went fries) $6.59, Fresh Baked Apple Pie - $3.79, and large Coke $2.29.

Total for 4 meals including tax = $54.40, NOT! FREE, FREE, FREE!!!

I saved my carrots for a late night snack. We finish eating (sat UPSTAIRS, btw, soooo quiet compared to downstairs!) and it’s still pouring! We run across the street to get ponchos in the Christmas store (the jelly store was out of them!) and then, without putting them on, (didn’t want to get the ponchos wet yet!) run to the Hall of Presidents. Still raining when we get out – I’ll save you the suspense (ha!), it rained the rest of the night – right up until Wishes started! Karma, baby!

Put on our ponchos and headed into Fantasyland. 2 minute wait for It’s a Small World – the colors and the lack of dust blew us away! And I made a point of looking down at the clear water (geek). Saved Peter Pan and Winnie the Pooh for another day because they had 20 or 30 minute lines, rode Snow White and as we were headed to Mickey’s Philharmagic, we noticed there was no line for Dumbo. Ruth said, we can’t do that, we don’t have any kids! Rhonda and I were like Yes, we can! And we did. We were waiting for the elephants to land and noticed that some of the elephants were peeing… water was leaking out of a hole in their back leg. Weird. Now, in terms of size, I was the largest in our group, Rhonda & Ruth are about the same, and Sandy is the smallest, so poor Sandy ended up riding with me a lot! I don’t think the poor woman ever got to feel a lap bar! I ask Sandy what color Dumbo we should get – purple. They land, we pick a purple one – and step in –into about 3 inches of water, that is! I can say with great certainty – our Dumbo was NOT peeing! When I sit down, the right side of my poncho comes up, now my entire right hip is soaked. The ride starts, and water is sloshing around our ankles with every move up or down. And we’re still getting rained on!!! We were in hysterics! Rhonda was 2 elephants in front of us and couldn’t take our picture because of the rain. We then discovered that if Sandy took Dumbo all the way up, we were flying ABOVE the rain! (OK, yes! I know the rain was just letting up, but really, it was SO funny!)

On to Mickey’s Philharmagic, excellent as always – sorry to whomever sat in my wet seat after me!

Then into Tomorrowland to do the TTA, CoP, Buzz, and Stitch – which, I have to say, was better than in January. I don’t know if they made some improvements to it or it was the lack of screaming teenagers or just that Sandy is a HOOT in rides, it was so much fun this time around!

It’s almost time for Wishes, so I tell Rhonda I want to go on the bridge in front of the castle by Casey’s to watch the parade. She agrees with my choice and we wait there for about 40 minutes – the crowd was light, I don’t know why we felt we had to get there so early! H, well, time flew by for whatever reason. Right before the fireworks started, it stopped raining. Tink did not fly, but that was ok.

After the fireworks, we hung out here we were for about 10 minutes to let the crowd disappear, then headed towards the castle to sit on the concrete bench behind Walt & Mickey

We sat there for quite a while, and we got to see the Goodnight Kiss – a first for all of us!

We strolled to the Pop Century bus line (which I think is in a different CITY) and there was a line. All the rows were full = 3rd bus. (I figured that out in my head while we were standing there and I was right – I spend too much time at Disneyworld!)

Stopped in the food court to get refillable mugs (whoo hoo, frozen coke!) and then to the room. It was 1AM by the time I fell asleep, unheard of for me in the parks! And this late night trend would continue! With 6AM wake up calls by Mickey & Stitch!


HIGHLIGHTS= Being here, of course! No crowds at parade. Dumbo ride in rain. And best of all, getting dessert at a Counter Service restaurant! In all my trips, we’ve NEVER done that!

LOWLIGHTS= 5 hours of rain.

TOMORROW= Kona Cafe, EPCOT!

 

[tiggerbell]

DAY 3: Sunday, September 4, 2005 – PLEASE, PLEASE, MAY I HAVE SOME CHEESE?


At 6AM the phone rings, I hit the speaker button. Weird music I couldn’t quite make out, Stitch saying something I couldn’t quite make out, Mickey apologizing for Stitch’s behavior, and Stitch yelling “Get Moving!” I love Stitch.

We have a 7:30 ADR for Kona Cafe at the Polynesian. If Rhonda doesn’t get a Tonga Toast, well... I don’t know what would happen because I’m not stupid enough to find out! (Check out the pineapple juice level in both pictures - it's the same! Please take my advice - and NEVER get in between my sister and her Tonga Toast!)

They all had tongas, I had Pineapple & Macadamia Nut Pancakes, yum!

After breakfast, we walked the path over to the wedding chapel

and then over to the Grand Floridian, which has really nice bathrooms!

Hysterics again because they were working on the walking path right outside of the GF Spa, so we had to detour around on the grass – er, I mean MUD! Remember all the rain yesterday? Then we took the monorail to the Contemporary to look around and then back to the Polynesian to get the car (you didn’t think I’d just leave it there, did you??? For shame!)

Then we drove over to EPCOT. First stop, Soarin’. 40 minute line, so we got Fast Passes. We rode Living with the Land (does anyone else get a thrill when asked to be a line timer?) and saw The Circle of Life Movie, then it was time for the Fast Pass. Holy Toledo!!! What a ride! We’re doing that again later!

Now, Rhonda and I had discussed the plan of attack earlier, it was late when we got to EPCOT today and we’d be back Friday for a FULL day, so the most reasonable decision was to head out to the World Showcase now, and leave Future World for Friday morning. So we headed for Canada. (We have a 6pm ADR in Italy.) Have I mentioned the last time Sandy was in WDW, it was the early 70s? So it’s ALL new to her. And Rhonda and I like to show off our parks. So we were doing stuff we usually only do every few trips. So into the Canada movie we go!

This day is a bit of a blur... I know I had a Mickey Bar at some point, I know we went into the tea shop in England, I know we went into the movie in France (nothing against the movie in France, I fell asleep before it even began. I did wake up, strangely enough, during the wedding scene and showed Sandy the hidden Mickey in the window above the couple, but then fell back to sleep again. I know we stopped for pastries in France – creme brulee (my favorite), chocolate eclair, and Napoleon were split be me & Rhonda).

I know I walked them all through Morocco (my favorite pavilion!), we showed them the koi ponds in Japan,

we missed the 3:45 show in America because I was in the bathroom (guess I remember more than I thought!), caught most of Romeo & Edna in Italy, walked through the tiny village in Germany,

stopped at the Outpost for Ruth to get a lemonade.

While sitting at the Outpost, something funny happened – Timone & Rafiki were out doing a character greet. There’s a line for pictures and people are walking by. A group walks by and a man announces, “Hey, Look! There’s Simba and that dumb monkey!” And they continue walking. (Remember this incident for later, Friday, actually).

We keep heading counter-clockwise, but time is getting short for our 6pm ADR in Italy, so we just head to the Maelstrom and ride that. Then we headed back to Italy.

We check in, everyone rotates to the bathroom, and I happily sit and watch the Italian men who were seating people. Aaaaahhh.. so happy. So pretty. Even if the food here was awful, I’d still show up for the waiters... Franchesco and Diego, I miss you already!

We’re seated in a little room in the back that I didn’t even know was there! And we had a beautiful waitress, cannot remember her name, but she was just lovely. We told her we were on the dining plan, and she explained our choices (basically anything on the menu – 1 appetizer, 1 entree, 1 dessert, and 1 non-alcoholic beverage each. Duh. We knew that.)

I went with Misto di Insalate dell 'Orto - a salad of wild greens with sweet grape tomatoes and our Italian raspberry vinaigrette dressing - $5.95, Le Originali Fettuccine all'Alfredo - Our world famous creation invented in our parent restaurant in Rome in the early 1900s. Homemade egg noodles tossed in a special butter and parmigiano cheese $18.50

Rhonda went with Misto di Insalate dell 'Orto - a salad of wild greens with sweet grape tomatoes and our Italian raspberry vinaigrette dressing - $5.95, Filetto di Bue al Gorgonzola - grilled beef tenderloin wrapped in bacon and topped with imported Gorgonzola cheese with a sherry wine sauce and served with rosemary roasted potatoes and fresh vegetables, served medium rare. $28.95

Sandy had Alfredo's Famous Caesar Salad - Romaine lettuce tossed in home made Caesar dressing and topped with smoked bacon and our own paper thin herbed crouton $6.95, Ossobuco di Maiale in Gremolata - slow roasted pork shank in a sauce of demiglace, porcini mushroom, barbera wine, tomato and gremolata served with rosemary roasted potatoes and fresh vegetables $27.95

And Ruth had Mozzarella alla Caprese - Vine ripe red and yellow tomatoes with fresh bufala mozzarella imported from the Naples region with virgin olive oil, and fresh basil $10.50, lasanga (I can’t find a price on that one right now)

I think the beverages were 2 coke and 2 iced teas. I have to see if Rhonda still has the bill.

Now, the strangest moment I have EVER had in Disney: When the entrees were brought out, the first 2 out were Sandy’s pork and Ruth’s lasagna. Rhonda and I had nothing in front of us – NOTHING – on our side of the table and the busboy comes over with the cheese. (Aaaah, the busboy, pretty enough to be a waiter, if you ask me.) He looks straight at me, and only at me for the entire exchange, and says, “Cheese?” THERE’S NO FOOD IN FRONT OF ME!!!

I am lost in his dreamy eyes for a few seconds and finally respond with a sensuous, provocative, “Huh?” To which the hunk of his village, I’m sure, replies, “Come. I will take you away and make spectacular love to you over and over again.” Except it sounds like, “Cheese?”

THERE’S NO FOOD IN FRONT OF ME!!!

Trying desperately to FOCUS and stop thinking about rolling around on a bed covered with parmesan with this man, I come to and say, “Oh! Cheese? On her lasagna? {pointing to Ruth} Ruth, do you want cheese on your lasagna?” Yes, she does. And he puts cheese on her lasagna (and in my head is still rolling around in it...)

He leaves and we’re all a little dumbstruck. Did that just happen? We decide “cheese” might be the only English word he’s learned so far, but none of us would kick him out of bed, so that’s ok. I crown myself General Cheese – if you want cheese the rest of the trip, you have to ask me first! Then something else weird happens...

Ruth asks for a glass of water from the waitress. Rhonda sees the waitress tell a busgirl to bring the water. The busgirl comes out of the kitchen with a tray of 4 water glasses (we only needed 1), looks around, then takes the tray back into the kitchen. She comes out a minute later, still carrying the tray of 4 water glasses, looks around, and goes back into the kitchen again. By this point, Rhonda is laughing. She comes out without the tray, and as she goes past, Ruth asks for the water again. She goes back into the kitchen (probably very relieved to finally know WHERE the water goes), comes back out with the tray of 4 water glasses, and proceeds PAST Ruth to bring ME the water! We decide Ruth is invisible and I will have to make sure she gets food and beverage the whole trip!

Desserts were 2 caramel-vanilla custard things,

a cannoli,

and a chocolate mousse.

The numbers above equal $104.75, but I think with dessert, beverages, lasagna, tax, and tip, we were at least $175. Must check.

We rolled out of there and decided to find a spot for Illuminations (since we couldn’t walk another step anyway!). We got a bench on the edge of Italy that juts out into the water – it was the best spot I have ever watched Illuminations from!

We sit for a while after the fireworks to let the crowds thin out a little then head through Mouse Gears on our way to the car. We drive back to Pop, get our mugs out of the car, and pick up a night time beverage (frozen raspberry for me this time, they are out of frozen coke.) Another late night.

HIGHLIGHTS= Soarin’!, “Cheese” incident. Being able to WALK around EPCOT (I had foot surgery last year, so I haven’t WALKED EPCOT since May, 2004! Although I’ll pay for this later in the week.)

LOWLIGHTS= Nothing! What a great day!

TOMORROW= Labor Day, ANIMAL KINGDOM & The Boardwalk!

 

[tiggerbell]

DAY 4: Monday, September 5, 2005 – And I Thought My Butt Got Wet on DUMBO!!!

First we all breakfasted at Pop’s food court.

All I have is my receipt, so I know I had the adult breakfast platter and oj.

After several trips to Animal Kingdom under my belt, I have decided I really like it. Actually, it’s probably my favorite park after EPCOT. It’s got such a relaxed feel to it – that opinion might change after Expedition Everest opens next year!

Again, with Sandy there, it was a new experience. She had never been there, so showing her MY parks was so much fun! Her reactions to rides and shows were priceless!

We got to AK pretty early, but not at opening, and headed for the safari. We picked up Fast Passes and I suggested walking the gorilla trail BEFORE the ride, just to change things up and keep us in the general area.

This is another day I don’t remember too well:

Rode safari.
Walked the other trail – the one with the tigers.
Festival of the Lion King.

Apparently the REAL action was off to the right, but this shot is of STRAIGHT AHEAD!

Sat on bench on the way there for a while eating a frozen banana.

Lunch at the Tusker House: I know I had the salmon (always do) and am pretty sure I ordered cheesecake, but we all ended up with carrot cake. Luckily, it was really good. We sat out on the little patio in back and could here the sounds of village life – sweeping? Can’t remember exactly now.

Saw Flights of Wonder for the first time. Wow!

Kali River Rapids and then to a bathroom to dry off!

Yes, that's me. Yes, I'm drenched.

Walked past construction on Everest

Dinosaur – my favorite! And we took Sandy on Primeval Whirl – poor Rhonda, her sunglasses got caught between the bar and her chest and cracked!

I know from my receipt that I bought the 3-pack of animal print antenna toppers here. And an adorable fanny pack camera bag! I love it!

Before we know it, the day’s almost over!

We drove over to the Boardwalk for the evening. Rented a surrey bike (I’ve done this twice – am I ever gonna learn???)

(Me, Sandy in back, Rhonda driving - although I helped - A LOT - with the fake steering wheel on my side of the bike!)
and then took the boat over to the Beach Club for dinner at Beaches ‘n Cream. The receipt I have was for me & Ruth – I had a cherry coke, a single cheeseburger, and a hot fudge/ caramel sundae.

Ruth had a coke, a veggie burger with fruit, and a frozen sunshine.

I think Rhonda had a cheeseburger and diet coke, I know she had a hot fudge sundae.

Things started to get a little silly taking the boat back to the Boardwalk for our car! This is Sandy:

HIGHLIGHTS= Trying to pedal up a hill on the surrey bike laughing so hard you need your inhaler, getting back on Dinosaur
LOWLIGHTS= Rhonda’s sunglasses breaking
TOMORROW= They go to Universal (traitors!), I have the Backstage Magic Tour!

 

[tiggerbell]

DAY 5: Tuesday, September 6, 2005 – I Will Not Associate with Traitors!

When I asked Rhonda if I could go on this trip with the 3 of them, I was told I could, but I was NOT allowed to change their dining plans. I agreed (although I did change it by changing the days they hit certain parks). What I DIDN’T agree with was going to Universal Studios today. Makes me sick just thinking about it.... lol! So, they took the car and did whatever.. I cannot report on that. I got in line for the EPCOT bus – I decided that since I was eating for free all week, I would give Disney the money anyway by doing the Grand-Daddy of all tours – Behind the Magic!!! ($199)

So, I’m first in line at the bus stop, a couple of families are behind me. I don’t know who started the conversation, but I found out the family directly behind me is going to the Contemporary for breakfast at Chef Mickey’s. I ask why they are in this line (EPCOT). The mom tells me a cast member inside told them to take the bus to EPCOT, the monorail to the Magic Kingdom, and then another monorail to the Contemporary. Meanwhile, their reservations were in 45 minutes. Yeah, I know! I told her to get in the Magic Kingdom bus line, it would save them about 15 minutes, that they’d never make their reservation otherwise. Mom tells Dad what I say and they switch lines (immediately the MK bus arrives! Yea, me!!!) The next family in line moves up, and the Mom asks me how they should get to the Hoop-Dee-Doo that night. Ummm, I don’t work here... where will you be beforehand? And I give them directions from EPCOT and from Pop Century.

If you’ve read my previous trip report (what do you mean you haven’t?), you know all about my feet. To sum up: I lost 60#, I gained 88#, I went to Disney too many times, I stretched the tendons in my left foot, I tore the tendons in my left foot, I had surgery on my left foot, I stretched the tendons in my right foot, my feet HURT. I wear Crocs all the time. I can’t wear any other shoes. I lost 15# before this trip, yea me, but not enough.

This is NOT me, but look at the TINY Crocs!!!!!!

I think the Backstage Magic Tour will be ok because you are on the bus part of the time -–how much walking could there be? Yeah, turns out there’s not so much walking as there is STANDING, which is so much worse for my feet. So, my view of the tour is probably tainted because I was in so much pain. I do know I didn’t care for Mama Melrose’s. Won’t eat there again.

But I did think this sign was kinda cool:

Went to Downtown Disney this evening.

Stitch stole this van and left it at the crash site in DD - it just cracked me up!

Ate dinner at Earl of Sandwich (Mother of Mercy – was that fantastic!!!!!) I had the Beef n' Bleu - roast beef, bleu cheese, lettuce and tomato, and they all had Cannonballs - meatballs in a rich tomato sauce with provolone and mozzarella cheese. We were also told we got either a cookie or a brownie and a fountain drink. Now, while Earl of Sandwich is one of my favorite counter service places, if you are on the dining plan, you might want a more expensive counter service – the drink, sandwich, and dessert was a whopping $9.21 each!

This sign amused us to no end -

We also had coupons from Ghiradelli’s – buy one sundae, get one free. Rhonda and I both got the Strike it Rich Sundae -A scoop of premium butter pecan ice cream, butterscotch sauce and golden almond nuggets under a layer of premium vanilla ice cream, our home-made hot fudge sauce, whipped cream, chopped almonds and a cherry. $6.75

And I looked - no pictures from here - I think we ate too fast to take pictures!

HIGHLIGHTS= Ghiradelli’s
LOWLIGHTS= Mama Melrose’s, my poor feet!
TOMORROW= MGM Studios!

 

[tiggerbell]

DAY 6: Wednesday, September 7, 2005 – Ouch! & Moo!

I just looked at my receipts for this day – at 8:27am I was in the gift shop buying Aleve and at 8:29am I was in the food court buying orange juice and a banana to take said Aleve. I think my feet hurt!

We get to MGM (we drove, I believe – we drive to all the parks except Magic Kingdom). We head straight for Tower of Terror. There’s no line so we get straight to the room with the movie (the library? Sorry, this was my first time) We walk through the boiler room and at the cast member where you tell how many people you have, Rhonda says 2 (pointing to herself and Sandy) and 2 for the chicken exit, that would be me & Ruth. I have 2 rules in life – don’t enclose me and don’t drop me. ToT does both. So Ruth and I get on a REAL elevator along with a cast member and another guy. The elevator doors close and the cast member start to do the chicken dance. Funny. The elevator doors open and she tells us to wait on the stone bench on the left side of the hall. So the 3 of us sit down. About a minute later the guy with us asks me if we’re supposed to sit here, I say were you waiting for someone to come out. He says no, so I tell him he can just go down the hall. A minute later he’s back, he just FOLLOWED us to the chicken elevator, he actually wanted to RIDE ToT! Oops. I send him back around the ride (sorry, dude, but who told you to follow me?) and a minute later here come Rhonda and Sandy.

Next stop, Rock ‘n Roller Coaster. This is a picture I took because I thought there should be a picture at my funeral of WHERE I died:

I have never ridden this. I have always had an excuse – January, 2005, my right knee was acting up (being at your all time high weight’ll do that to ya!); before that there were always little things wrong that prevented me from riding. This time, I’m doing it. And I wasn’t even that nervous, of course, there was no line, we were on it so fast, who had time to GET nervous??? And of course, they put Sandy and me in the front row (THAT was a waste of a good view!) Now, remember my “don’t drop me" rule? Well, RnRC doesn’t have a drop at the beginning, they SHOOT you out (high-speed launch that goes from 0 to 60 mph in 2.8 seconds). So I figure I’m gonna be okay. HERE’S WHAT NO ONE EVER TELLS YOU: Being launched out feels the same as being dropped!!!!! I lost my stomach so bad! If it had lasted another second before going into the first loop, I would have burst into tears! Seriously. We have the ride photo to prove it. Abject terror! As soon as I felt the inversion start, I relaxed... a bit. I kept telling myself to open my eyes, and I would, but they’d shut again. There were probably only 15 seconds left of the ride when I started enjoying it. Would I do it again? Yes, now that I know hat to expect, I don’t think it’ll be so scary. But I did it! Yea me!!!

We did all the usual MGM things – Great Movie Ride, Ariel, One Man’s Dream, Sounds Dangerous, Muppets - here's a picture of the key under the mat when you enter The Muppets! -

Backstage Tour (give me a break!), and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire – Play It! I’ll tell you who – ME! Fast finger question – I just hit buttons – and came up #7 on the board! Wow! I pay very close attention to all the questions that #1 gets and I know I have them all right. His last question (32,000 points) was about a Greek or Roman goddess and who their equivalent was. I can’t remember who the original goddess was, but the answer was Hera. I got it right, the guy in the hot seat did not.

Now, I’ve never even made the board before, so I’m already so happy. They start to show the top 10, starting with number 10 through 2 – then they pause for the drama and I realize I’m not on that list – and I KNOW I got all the questions right. So as they put #1 on the board and show the camera on me, I already have my hands over my face! Fat girl’s nightmare coming up!!!!! But I did it, a little shaky, but I did it. Turns out what’s running through your head when you’re in the hot seat is not “Oh, all these people are looking at me!” like you think you would think. What you’re really thinking is, “Please let me get the first 5 questions, so these people don’t go home talking about the dummy who missed an easy question!”

First 5 question were a breeze (helps when the cell phone company they are asking about is YOUR cell phone company – thanks, Verizon!). Also one of my questions was about which land was not a Disney MK land (I figure if you get THAT wrong, they kick you out of the parks). For my 32,000 point question they ask me a Bachelor question – the one reality show I don’t watch! I decide to phone a complete stranger – his name is Keith and he knows the answer! Whoo-hoo! Thanks Keith!

And it turns out his wife is in the show and got to hear him help me. What got me (128,000 points) was about some French guy. (Rhonda knew that one but didn’t know the cell phone company!)

I got a lanyard, a shirt, a hat, and a set of 10 pins.

Ruth and Rhonda checking out the San Francisco mural.

Lunch is at the Prime Time. Our appetizers were onion rings trout dip, fried herb cheese, and shrimp cocktail.

I had the chicken pot pie and was force fed my peas by the waitress.

Ruth ordered a turkey sandwich and had a Ziploc bag in her purse to put half her sandwich in, so she didn’t get in trouble. The waitress heard the baggie behind her and thought it was Rhonda, so SHE got yelled at! For dessert I had a hot fudge sundae and Ruth had apple cobbler.

Dinner was 2 table service credits at the Brown Derby. Lobster bisque for Rhonda (and Ruth, I think),

Cobb salad for Ruth,

Crab cake for me.

Main course was filet mignon for everyone,

and dessert was creme brulee for me (Best I have ever had! French Vanilla with fresh blueberries and a gingerbread cookie),

cheesecake for Rhonda,

and Happiest Celebration on Earth (chocolate ring with chocolate mousse inside.)

We went and got seats for Fantasmic – it had been raining on and off all day, so we weren’t sure they would do it, but they did!

HIGHLIGHTS= The Hot Seat!
LOWLIGHTS= I wish it would stop raining!
TOMORROW= Magic Kingdom!

 

[tiggerbell]

DAY 7: Thursday, September 8, 2005 – Stick a Fork in Me – I’m Done!

I REALLY don’t remember this day - know we went to the Main Street Bakery for Breakfast (I had an apple turnover and an oj – probably to wash down a handful of Aleve). I remember going to Tom Sawyer’s Island and playing in the fort – yup, 4 grown women shooting rifles at people on Big Thunder Mountain.

I told them about when we were there in May, 2004, and 2 cast members were keeping an eye on an alligator in the water. Makes crossing the barrel bridge a real adventure!

When we got on BTM, it wasn’t raining, until the train came out of the first climb – then it was. Never rode that in the rain before. I know we made it on Peter Pan today – because I have the picture of us getting on with no line.
See?

And I know we had lunch at Pecos Bill’s because of the receipt. And none of us liked the peanut butter mousse brownies – the only dessert choice there.

Fast forward to dinner, O’Hana’s. We took the monorail over and checked in. Got a beepy thing and sat down. A woman came over to see if we wanted drinks – dinner was free – why not? I had heard about the Lapu Lapu from the Disboards. When in Rome... (or when at the Polynesian getting a free dinner...)
(Lapu Lapu - Tropical fruit juices and Myers dark rum served in a fresh pineapple topped with Bacardi)

I think the rest of them got Island Sunset -

A light blend of spiced rum, Malibu coconut rum, melon and peach combined with guava passion fruit juice – but after the Lapu Lapu, what do I know?

Dinner at O’Hana’s was wonderful, as always.

Then we were to head back to the Magic Kingdom for the rest of the evening, but feet hurt so bad, I said goodnight at the park and went back to the room. I hear they rode the Jungle Cruise in the dark (geeks). I laid on the bed with gallon size Ziploc bags of ice on my feet and ankles while watching “Whose Line” on ABC Family.

And I just realized, after adding the pictures, that this was the day we all wore our matching shirts! So here we are with Mickey - he liked the shirts!

HIGHLIGHTS= O’Hana’s, Lapu Lapu
LOWLIGHTS= I wish it would stop raining!, my feet
TOMORROW= EPCOT

 

[tiggerbell]

DAY 8: Friday, September 9, 2005 – All Good Things Must Come to an End

Today’s plan was to spend a long day in Epcot with a very late dinner at LeCellier in Canada. We get up, I can’t walk! And my stomach’s not feeling too good either. Stupid free dining! So, I tell them to head off to Epcot – I will meet up with them for dinner in Canada. My feet are hurting so bad, I don’t want to hold them up all day. I’ll be fine, I’m gonna sleep for a while then hit the pool.

It was a lovely day. I headed over to EPCOT about noon, I think. I hadn’t eaten anything yet, just wasn’t hungry. My receipts show a bag of chips at 2:27 and a soda at 4:47. I rode Soarin’ again. Sign said 20 minute wait, but it was only 5. I went into Ellen’s Energy Adventure (one of my favorites) and was lucky enough to hit it at the right time that I could get a bench for the pre-show. I went on Journey into Imagination. I sat on a lot of benches and walked very slowly! I went left into the World Showcase and other than sitting at the African Outpost, I don’t remember anything until I was in front of the American Adventure. I was going to go in to see the show, but some inner voice stopped me. I looked at the crowd coming out, and there were my roommates! I went over and we slowly made our way towards Canada. We still had HOURS before dinner. We caught a British Invasion show (another first). Went past Canada to watch the Fountain of Nations for a while. Ended up on the left side (facing Spaceship Earth), there’s a fountain built into the ground for kids to play in. We sat for about an hour watching a little boy (couldn’t have been 2 even) play in the fountain. He was adorable!

On to dinner. I was going to have the scallops, but at the last minute went with the beef kabob.

Surf and turf for a main course. I think Rhonda and Sandy had the surf and turf too.

I think Ruth had the filet mignon.

Rhonda had the shrimp salad,

and Sandy had the tomato stack.

For dessert, Ruth ordered the Happiest Celebration on Earth Chocolate Whiskey Cake - chocolate cake brushed with whiskey, layered with chocolate mousse, finished with orange marmalade and topped with a "Happiest Celebration" white chocolate wafer,

and the other 3 of us ordered the maple creme brulee – I LOVE THIS DESSERT!!!

So, when the waiter came back and said that the kitchen only had 2 left, I graciously said, “DIBS!” Seriously. I’m not even a little ashamed. It’s MY park!

Sandy ended up getting the cobbler.

Rhonda was not giving up her creme brulee either. I believe the bill would have been over $250 if we had to pay for it!

And, as planned, we had missed Illuminations, so the park was pretty empty as we strolled out for the last time. So sad!

Blurry but cool shot:

HIGHLIGHTS= Maple Creme Brulee, sleeping in
LOWLIGHTS= My feet, knowing it’s our last day
TOMORROW= We head home


DAY 9: Saturday, September 10, 2005 – I’m Just Glad to Be Off My Feet & What Do I Do with All These Extra Dining Credits???

Oh, goody, I wake to a case of Disney’s Revenge from all the rich foods we had been eating. And I get to be in the car all day! Ugh. We pack up and head over to Port Orleans French Quarter for breakfast. I couldn’t have been feeling too bad because my receipt shows orange juice (bet you didn’t see that coming!), a banana, and a sausage croissant. We’re leaving after this meal AND my receipt shows 3 counter service meals left! I ended up getting bagels and fruit and water to finish the credits before we left, so now I have a ton of food for the car.

The ride home was uneventful.

FINAL THOUGHTS: First, I’ll apologize for this report being so vague. Sometimes life gets away from you and by the time I sat down to do the report, so much detail was lost. I really need to keep better track of our days while I’m there!

This was my first adult only trip and I had a blast! Even though this was my 13th trip, bad luck was not a problem (well, other than my feet!)

I am going back April 29 – May 6, 2006. This will be me, Rhonda, Lauren (5) who you might remember from the January, 2005, trip report (you STILL haven’t read that one?!?), another sister, Judi, and her husband, Ron. I WILL TAKE NOTES!!!

Thank you for making it through all of this... I’m sure there will be some corrections, as soon as Rhonda reads it!

 

[roberrl187]

I don't think that your report was to vague. It sounds like you had a great trip. Thanks for sharing.

 

[gtrist4life]

Thanks for the report!

 

[we3disneygo]

thanks for the report, I enjoyed reading it !!!

 

[blueroses]

What a fun report! I love that you took the Backstage Magic tour when your friends when to Universal. Can you tell us anything more about the tour?

 

[tiggerbell]

Wow! This was fun. It started with checking in outside of EPCOT. Jeff was our guide; there were 21 people in the group. We were given name tag pins to write our names on. The nametags were rectangle with a shot from “Mickey in the Looking Glass”. Kind of a play on “Backstage” Magic.

We went in the front gate of EPCOT, no tickets are needed for this tour, but we did go through a bag check. We watched the opening ceremony at EPCOT and were asked what our favorite Disney movie was and where we were from. There were a couple people from England, and the rest of us were scattered around the United States. (Most popular movies were Finding Nemo and Pirates of the Caribbean, but there was also 1 Old Yeller!) Chance for a bathroom break and then...

Then we went backstage, off to the left of the camera shop (while you’re facing the camera shop) by Spaceship Earth. Wow. Chainlink fencing and no grass under the trees! Still clean, but definitely NOT what you see in the parks.

We walked past the loading areas for the Living Seas, food & merchandise and animals. There our bus was waiting. It was a full size Mears motorcoach. There was a cooler of small Desani water bottles for us to take as needed. We lucked out that it wasn’t a really hot day, but I still drank 2 bottles. The bus drove us around the road that leads around the back of EPCOT in a horseshoe. We went past The Land and around the World Showcase.

We stopped behind America and walked around the front of American Adventure. The World Showcase was not open yet, so there were service trucks all over. They were still powerwashing the ground. Which, by the way, they do every day. We learned some Disney terms – most of which WE are familiar with – “cast member” instead of “employee”, “guest” instead of “visitor”, but I learned 2 new ones – “Good Show” and “Bad Show”. “Bad Show” is when you see a cast member having a personal conversation, a cast member leaning against a wall, a garbage bag sticking out the side of the garbage can, peeling paint. “Good Show” is what WE call “Disney Magic”.

We talked about “forced perspective” – I think that’s a requisite on EVERY Disney tour. And then we went around the side of the building and they talked about how it’s only the visible areas that get the full treatment (real windows, nice paint jobs). We went inside American Adventure and they showed us how it all worked, we got to see the animitronics of Mark Twain and Ben Franklin from just a couple of feet away. And we learned the set up of this ride – the scenes are rolled into order and appear on stage in order – but are under the audience while they wait their turn to come out.

We headed over to the Cast Member costume area and saw the thousands of costumes for the EPCOT cast members. Even saw a line of 4 or 5 Snow Whites in the wigging room putting on make up.

Back on the bus and over to MGM Studios. We visited the costume department, talked to 2 or 3 cast members who work with the computers in making the patterns. If you’ve been on the Backlot Tour at MGM, you’ve ridden the tram through the tunnel where you can look into all the windows where they are cutting and sewing costumes.

Then lunch at Mama Melrose’s. Lots of choices – everything was done family-style. There were 2 or 3 appetizers, flatbreads or pizzas, I believe. 3 main dishes – I remember a spicy red sauce, sorry can’t remember what else. It’s that Californian Italian food, and I am afraid I am just not a fan. But I got to try a new restaurant!

Dessert was a plate of 3 or 4 mini desserts that we had to split (there were 5 of us on my end of the table). Now, I’m one of those people that will stand back and ask the group what they want to do, but if no one can make a decision, I will TELL them what they are doing (not meanly, but stop wasting time! Lol). So, after asking how we should figure out the desserts, I picked up a knife and cut the lava chocolate cupcake into 5 pieces. There was another solo woman on the trip who had been asking a lot of questions and – well, basically rambling all day. I’ll say it – she was driving us all a little nuts. And, yes, she was sitting next to me at lunch. She then takes the knife and cuts the cheesecake into 4 pieces. Ugh. Did you NOT watch me cut the cake? Then, one of the deserts is a scoop of ice cream – how do you expect 5 people to split a scoop of ice cream???

We leave the restaurant via the back door. I shan’t return. The bus is in the alley.

Next stop – florist. Kinda cool – literally, they had us standing in the refrigeration room! Showed us everything from a hanging basket for a theme park to a huge gift basket you can order for a guest.

Next stop – holiday warehouse. Again, pretty cool. It was fun to look at all the decorations and figure out where they were headed. The Animal Kingdom tree was being worked on – it’s 4 or 5 HUGE pieces that they truck over and put together. We spoke with a very nice woman, wish I could remember her name, who told us about their “season”. While we were there (this was the first week of September), we did see the Osbourne Lights starting to go up at MGM.

A short walk down the street takes us to where they work on the props. Safety goggles on, please. Nice look. They were working on various projects – a Buzz Lightyear costume, a Space Mountain vehicle was dismantled, and – my favorite – an Expedition Everest vehicle was being painted – it was exciting to see it so early!

Back on the bus. We head over to the Magic Kingdom. We came in through the normal road, l like the busses do. But instead of turning LEFT like the busses, we went straight towards Space Mountain. Then we took the next left (if you look to your right coming IN on a bus, I think you can see the road, but maybe not). We got dropped off behind the right side of Main Street – now I found this interesting and it seemed much more noticeable in the Magic Kingdom than any other park, when you were backstage, you could easily get to several areas of the park from where you were. For example, Main Street to Tomorrowland FEELS a certain distance, right? But where we were let out – and I KNEW we were behind Main Street, we got to Tomorrowland through a door. My perspective was totally thrown. Another example, MGM. We drove around the backlot, not very far, and got off the bus. We did the costumers area. We came “onstage” next to Millionaire. I couldn’t believe where we were.

Once we were at the MK, we popped out “onstage” for a potty break, then backstage again to go down a flight of stairs. Everytime I do a Disney tour, I get a little hesitant when it’s time to go backstage. My very first time was Hidden Treasures of the World Showcase – they took us behind Canada to show us the back of the Canadian Rockies. Awesome! But I hesitated stepping through that door. Turns out, what was back of that mountain made me love Disney even further.

Back to THIS tour, we went down a flight of stairs to the utilidors. Wasn’t what I thought it would look like. Part of me doesn’t want to give it away for people who don’t want to know... but it was worth stepping though the door.

When we came out of the utilidors, I didn’t want to climb those stairs – ever – it was pouring rain – I mean POURING!!!!! The tour guide had umbrellas for everyone to use – ON THE BUS! We decided as a group to make a run for Main Street and came out wet but ok, in Town Square on the right (as you face the castle) by the camera shop. We waited for the tour guide to go to the bus and get the umbrellas and we were waiting for the parade to start. He led us around Town Square so we were standing in front of the fire station and as the parade came by, the rain tapered off.

The Share a Dream parade. I am one of those people who try to avoid parades. Not because I don’t like them, I do. But because they make me cry. There’s so much emotion in a parade. Now, make it a DISNEY PARADE. Bawling!!!!! So, I avoid them. Ended up seeing this parade Sunday when we arrived and now again today! How long has this parade been running and I’d never seen it – then BAMM!!! Twice in one week! Managed not to cry either time, yea me!!!

Then it was back on the bus and dropped off at EPCOT. While we were on the bus each time, Jeff told stories, answered questions, showed pieces of a movie about WDW. It was an interesting and informative tour. But my feet were killing me!

 

[Minniespal]

Enjoyed reading your trip report ~ Thanx for posting.

 

[kellyla]

I enjoyed your report but I still want to know what happened with Timon and Rafiki(I read the Friday report and no mention????,LOL)

 

[tiggerbell]

That's funny! My sister pointed out that I forgot to get back to that, too!

Well, Friday, while going S-L-O-W-L-Y around the World Showcase because of my feet, I stopped at the same table at the Outpost again to rest. Timone and Rafiki were out again doing a character meet. A group of people walk by and a woman announces, "Oh, look. There's an orangutan or something."

Is it just me, or do 1/2 the people that go to Disney seem to have NEVER seen a Disney movie? lol

I'm not saying I know EVERY character - but I know the difference between an orangutan and a baboon!

 

[Ron from Michigan]

Thanks for the great trip report. I really enjoyed reading it. I enjoyed reading about the tour you took, it sounds like a great tour. We did the Keys to Kingdom tour a few years ago and really enjoyed it.

 

[stacy347]

Thanks for sharing ~ I loved your reports!!

 

[Minniespal]

Enjoyed reading your reports ~ Thanx for sharing.

 

[tiggerbell]

Thank you for all the nice comments! I swear, I'll get the rest of the pictures out there soon - it's just taking forever trying to get them to the right size!

Before I know it, it'll be time to leave for the next trip (April 29-May7)! I wish the codes would come out already, so I know if I'm staying at Pop Century again or get to try French Quarter for the first time (I've done all 3 other moderates, I want to add this one to the list!)