Mike Jones
<font color=993300>....nothing clever to say... ju
- Joined
- Jun 23, 2003
- Messages
- 1,372
The Cast:
Mike, 39, chief organiser, driver and brew maker
Heather, 40, wife and mum
Bethany, 11 (going on 20!), coaster addict, hates getting wet.
Adam, 9, (going on 8!), hates coasters (except BTMRR), LOVES getting wet!
DAY 7 CHRISTMAS EVE, WED 24TH DECEMBER 2003
Todays plan : Magic Kingdom, PS at Spoodles, possibly Epcot
Woke by alarm, as usual, at 6:00am. Took my phone with me today, so as to avoid repeating yesterdays offence of pre-waking the Heather one. Made proper coffee and took outside to relax for 20 minutes or so. It feels mild and I anticipate another warm day (confirmed at breakfast by the local weather forecast). Roused Heather with a cup of tea, as per, at 630am. Bethany, who usually needs to be woken wandered out of her room soon after, and Adam, who always gets up early, had to be shaken awake at 700am! Sorted breakfast (villa and apartment breakfasts for the kids are always pancakes and syrup when we are in Florida, although they never have them at home) for them. I start trying to discuss the days plan with them but the feedback is less than rewarding instead of concentrating on the things they LIKE at MK, they wind each other, and hence me, up with a litany of things they absolutely WONT do there! When I stop the discussion and say that we might as well spend the day at the villa instead, then, and how Id welcome a rest from driving, they back down and promise that they will be little angels if Ill take them to MK!
(I actually have some sympathy with the kids here (but dont tell them!) as there are a lot of things I dont like at MK too! It is my least favourite of all the parks around Orlando, although I like the theming in Adventureland and Frontierland and several of the attractions/rides are top notch. However, I think it is a victim of its own success and gets so incredibly crowded, particularly around the castle, Toontown and Tomorrowland that I find it hard to believe anyone in that throng actually has a good time. We were originally sure that we would stay away this trip, but finally felt that at Christmas there should be something worth seeing, and of course we all love Big Thunder Mountain Railroad!)
All out by 810, parked at Pluto 17 at 830. Tram to the Transportation Centre and Monorail to the doors of Magic Kingdom by 845am (is it just me, or do the Monorail trains smell odd?) the weather IS gorgeous, with broken cloud and warm sunshine. The park is already open, so we walk up Main Street, taking some video footage of the tree and general Christmas decs along the way. I anticipate a rope-drop at the hub, but no, it appears the park is fully open! We all have the same agenda for the first ride, and move left and round to Frontierland for the BTMRR. There are already plenty of people around with the same idea, but we walk steadily through the queuing area and are on the loading platform within 10 minutes. Usual, great, fun ride! We want to ride again but the wait time has gone up to 25 minutes so we FastPass it (for return time of 10:00-11:00) and move on to Adventureland. Weve never done the Jungle Cruise in previous trips, and from what Ive read, it seems worth the effort! We arrive to find no lines and are seated on the boat within a few minutes. Our lady guide is fresh and fun and starts the jokes even before were out of the dock! They are terrible, arent they? Even the kids were groaning! Definitely worth a look glad we did this one at last!
Having seen POTC on the plane coming over, I have a desire to see the attraction again we did it last year, 2 trips ago, but I didnt really know the story and it left me a bit puzzled. So we walk on without a wait and the journey begins. The darkness is somewhat oppressive and I can understand why some people dont care for this one, especially with young kids. But wait: the boat in front has found a solution: they take flash photographs every few yards! Thanks guys, thats really added something to the experience!
I certainly get more from this ride than last time, but come off thinking I probably wont need to do it again. Its technically very good, and some of the mannequins look like they could walk over and get in the boat! Heather and the kids are under-whelmed and we move on! FastPass time approaches, so we return to the BTMRR, pausing on the bridge to watch the splash zone at the bottom of Splash Mountain. Its getting busy everywhere now and feels more like April than December in the warmth.
We enter the FP line at 1000 sharp and are soon riding again. I video most of this journey and am pleased with the results on playback! All happy, we set off to Fantasyland hoping to see Mickeys Philharmagic. Theres only a modest line, which is moving, and the wait time at 20 minutes looks acceptable, so we enter. After 15 minutes or so, we are seated, with our opera glasses (have you ever noticed how all 3D specs are cheap and plain to deter souvenir hunters?) and the show commences. Its brilliant! The effects, including the obligatory showers, are first class and everyone applauds at the end! One complaint: I would have loved another 10 minutes or so! Its close to 1100 now and we want to grab an early lunch, partly to beat the crowds and partly because of our PS at Spoodles this evening. We had no complaints with the grub at Columbia Harbour House last time, so we retreat a few yards towards Liberty Square and go into the virtually empty restaurant. I had the Combo (chicken & fish strips), Heather had the fish alone, Adam plumped for the chicken and Beth had a First Mate Special (half a sandwich and a bowl of soup). Kids had choc milk and we just had our carry-in water. $32.10. The food was fine nothing special, but we werent expecting more than that.
Time for another favourite now Heather Adam and I want to do the Haunted Mansion. Bethany maintains that she cant stand this one, so she waits outside in the sun. We join a 10-minute line and are soon inside. We spot several things each that we havent noticed before (theres that much going on!) and exit in a good mood to rejoin Beth. Heather wants to have another look at the Swiss Family Treehouse now and although the kids are dragging their feet and moaning (possibly because its a self-propelled attraction and their little legs have to do some work, perhaps?) I insist they accompany her so that I can send some emails and post on the boards from an Internet terminal Ive seen near the restrooms and phones between Liberty Square and Adventureland. I also phone my mate, Scott, back in the UK. He doesnt seem to appreciate the weather report from MK!
We stop to watch a band troupe performing jazz style Christmas tunes for a bit, then walk to the WDW Railroad station at Adventureland to ride back to Main Street. (During our first trip in 2001 we once sat on here for about an hour to get the kids out of the rain! I can still recall the recorded narration virtually word for word! Thank goodness we havent had time for IASW!) we exit the park at 100pm ish, against the flow of incoming guests. Its even busier everywhere now and we are glad to leave. We catch the boat back to the TTC for a change and admire the resort hotels on Bay Lake. After collecting the car we stop at the Car Care Centre for gas and are back at the villa by 140pm.
Bethany and Heather are tired so they stay indoors for a sleep while Adam and I shower and go outside. Adam is straight in the pool, but I lounge with a beer and a cigar for an hour or so. I finally give in to his increasingly desperate attention seeking at 245 (cigars go out when wet, you know!) and join him in the pool for a spell of noisy pratting about! We get re-showered at 330 and are all off to Epcot by 350pm. It looks busy and we park at Discover 23 before taking the tram to the gate. We do our favourite Epcot activity we stroll in a leisurely fashion around the world showcase, people-watching and stopping to take in the entertainment. We browse the shops at Canada and UK but nothing grabs us (good!) and we pass through the International Gateway (quick restroom stop here and a desperate look in the store, but we still have to keep those pesky dollars in our pockets!). Its a short and pleasant wander from here to Disneys Boardwalk, where we present ourselves 5 minutes early for our 5pm PS at Spoodles. We are seated for 500, and Jimmy, our server brings drinks in short order. This restaurant is beautifully put together, with a country house theme, I think, having acres of natural timber both dark and light woods, and a pristine, open kitchen.
We decide to have starters (not our usual pattern in the US as we frequently fail to finish the main courses!). We all share Pesto Flatbread (like gourmet pizza!), I have calamari, and Heather chooses a veggie tomato dish. Both are delicious and the flatbread scores highly. For the entrees, Heather has Fillet with mushrooms and garlic pancetta mash. I take Jimmys recommendation and have scallops, again with a lovely mash base. The kids have hot dog (Adam) and pizza (Beth) from the childrens menu, and we all enjoy. The portion sizes here are just right and the meal is declared a winner. Cost: $115 with tip. Its almost dark now, although warm, and the Boardwalk lights have been turned on. I get myself a coffee from the bakery and sit in front of the Villas entrance with a cigar. The kids mooch around the Surrey bikes for a while (no!) and Heather sneaks off to have a look at the Wyland Gallery nearby. A boat pulls in in front of us and we take the short journey back to Epcot. We cross the bridge over to France and Heather and I have pastries from the bakery, which we eat inside the store area behind. As we leave France, le Mime Roland (balloon artist) is in full flow and we stop to see the end of his show. Very funny! We progress slowly to the US pavilion, where I watch some of the Candlelight Processional while the kids eat gingerbread bought at the cart just inside the Liberty Inn. Theres no chance of the children (and possibly us!) lasting much longer, so we carry on through the World to the exit and trams. We are back at the villa by 840pm. The children are in bed by 900 and I am delighted to find Frank Capras Its a Wonderful Life (with Jimmy Stewart) on TV. This is great! Best feel-good, Christmas film ever! I first saw it on Christmas Eve 1992, and watched it through while cuddling Bethany who was 10 weeks old at the time! (Can you fetch me another beer, Heather, I dont want to wake Bethany up!!) Ive tried to see it every time its been on since at Christmas, and was given the video of it some years ago. Anyhow, I dont quite catch it all, as I fall asleep on the sofa, again. Fall into bed at 1100. Another excellent day.
Once again, thanks for reading.
Tomorrow: Christmas Day at Epcot!
Mike.
Mike, 39, chief organiser, driver and brew maker
Heather, 40, wife and mum
Bethany, 11 (going on 20!), coaster addict, hates getting wet.
Adam, 9, (going on 8!), hates coasters (except BTMRR), LOVES getting wet!
DAY 7 CHRISTMAS EVE, WED 24TH DECEMBER 2003
Todays plan : Magic Kingdom, PS at Spoodles, possibly Epcot
Woke by alarm, as usual, at 6:00am. Took my phone with me today, so as to avoid repeating yesterdays offence of pre-waking the Heather one. Made proper coffee and took outside to relax for 20 minutes or so. It feels mild and I anticipate another warm day (confirmed at breakfast by the local weather forecast). Roused Heather with a cup of tea, as per, at 630am. Bethany, who usually needs to be woken wandered out of her room soon after, and Adam, who always gets up early, had to be shaken awake at 700am! Sorted breakfast (villa and apartment breakfasts for the kids are always pancakes and syrup when we are in Florida, although they never have them at home) for them. I start trying to discuss the days plan with them but the feedback is less than rewarding instead of concentrating on the things they LIKE at MK, they wind each other, and hence me, up with a litany of things they absolutely WONT do there! When I stop the discussion and say that we might as well spend the day at the villa instead, then, and how Id welcome a rest from driving, they back down and promise that they will be little angels if Ill take them to MK!
(I actually have some sympathy with the kids here (but dont tell them!) as there are a lot of things I dont like at MK too! It is my least favourite of all the parks around Orlando, although I like the theming in Adventureland and Frontierland and several of the attractions/rides are top notch. However, I think it is a victim of its own success and gets so incredibly crowded, particularly around the castle, Toontown and Tomorrowland that I find it hard to believe anyone in that throng actually has a good time. We were originally sure that we would stay away this trip, but finally felt that at Christmas there should be something worth seeing, and of course we all love Big Thunder Mountain Railroad!)
All out by 810, parked at Pluto 17 at 830. Tram to the Transportation Centre and Monorail to the doors of Magic Kingdom by 845am (is it just me, or do the Monorail trains smell odd?) the weather IS gorgeous, with broken cloud and warm sunshine. The park is already open, so we walk up Main Street, taking some video footage of the tree and general Christmas decs along the way. I anticipate a rope-drop at the hub, but no, it appears the park is fully open! We all have the same agenda for the first ride, and move left and round to Frontierland for the BTMRR. There are already plenty of people around with the same idea, but we walk steadily through the queuing area and are on the loading platform within 10 minutes. Usual, great, fun ride! We want to ride again but the wait time has gone up to 25 minutes so we FastPass it (for return time of 10:00-11:00) and move on to Adventureland. Weve never done the Jungle Cruise in previous trips, and from what Ive read, it seems worth the effort! We arrive to find no lines and are seated on the boat within a few minutes. Our lady guide is fresh and fun and starts the jokes even before were out of the dock! They are terrible, arent they? Even the kids were groaning! Definitely worth a look glad we did this one at last!
Having seen POTC on the plane coming over, I have a desire to see the attraction again we did it last year, 2 trips ago, but I didnt really know the story and it left me a bit puzzled. So we walk on without a wait and the journey begins. The darkness is somewhat oppressive and I can understand why some people dont care for this one, especially with young kids. But wait: the boat in front has found a solution: they take flash photographs every few yards! Thanks guys, thats really added something to the experience!
I certainly get more from this ride than last time, but come off thinking I probably wont need to do it again. Its technically very good, and some of the mannequins look like they could walk over and get in the boat! Heather and the kids are under-whelmed and we move on! FastPass time approaches, so we return to the BTMRR, pausing on the bridge to watch the splash zone at the bottom of Splash Mountain. Its getting busy everywhere now and feels more like April than December in the warmth.
We enter the FP line at 1000 sharp and are soon riding again. I video most of this journey and am pleased with the results on playback! All happy, we set off to Fantasyland hoping to see Mickeys Philharmagic. Theres only a modest line, which is moving, and the wait time at 20 minutes looks acceptable, so we enter. After 15 minutes or so, we are seated, with our opera glasses (have you ever noticed how all 3D specs are cheap and plain to deter souvenir hunters?) and the show commences. Its brilliant! The effects, including the obligatory showers, are first class and everyone applauds at the end! One complaint: I would have loved another 10 minutes or so! Its close to 1100 now and we want to grab an early lunch, partly to beat the crowds and partly because of our PS at Spoodles this evening. We had no complaints with the grub at Columbia Harbour House last time, so we retreat a few yards towards Liberty Square and go into the virtually empty restaurant. I had the Combo (chicken & fish strips), Heather had the fish alone, Adam plumped for the chicken and Beth had a First Mate Special (half a sandwich and a bowl of soup). Kids had choc milk and we just had our carry-in water. $32.10. The food was fine nothing special, but we werent expecting more than that.
Time for another favourite now Heather Adam and I want to do the Haunted Mansion. Bethany maintains that she cant stand this one, so she waits outside in the sun. We join a 10-minute line and are soon inside. We spot several things each that we havent noticed before (theres that much going on!) and exit in a good mood to rejoin Beth. Heather wants to have another look at the Swiss Family Treehouse now and although the kids are dragging their feet and moaning (possibly because its a self-propelled attraction and their little legs have to do some work, perhaps?) I insist they accompany her so that I can send some emails and post on the boards from an Internet terminal Ive seen near the restrooms and phones between Liberty Square and Adventureland. I also phone my mate, Scott, back in the UK. He doesnt seem to appreciate the weather report from MK!
We stop to watch a band troupe performing jazz style Christmas tunes for a bit, then walk to the WDW Railroad station at Adventureland to ride back to Main Street. (During our first trip in 2001 we once sat on here for about an hour to get the kids out of the rain! I can still recall the recorded narration virtually word for word! Thank goodness we havent had time for IASW!) we exit the park at 100pm ish, against the flow of incoming guests. Its even busier everywhere now and we are glad to leave. We catch the boat back to the TTC for a change and admire the resort hotels on Bay Lake. After collecting the car we stop at the Car Care Centre for gas and are back at the villa by 140pm.
Bethany and Heather are tired so they stay indoors for a sleep while Adam and I shower and go outside. Adam is straight in the pool, but I lounge with a beer and a cigar for an hour or so. I finally give in to his increasingly desperate attention seeking at 245 (cigars go out when wet, you know!) and join him in the pool for a spell of noisy pratting about! We get re-showered at 330 and are all off to Epcot by 350pm. It looks busy and we park at Discover 23 before taking the tram to the gate. We do our favourite Epcot activity we stroll in a leisurely fashion around the world showcase, people-watching and stopping to take in the entertainment. We browse the shops at Canada and UK but nothing grabs us (good!) and we pass through the International Gateway (quick restroom stop here and a desperate look in the store, but we still have to keep those pesky dollars in our pockets!). Its a short and pleasant wander from here to Disneys Boardwalk, where we present ourselves 5 minutes early for our 5pm PS at Spoodles. We are seated for 500, and Jimmy, our server brings drinks in short order. This restaurant is beautifully put together, with a country house theme, I think, having acres of natural timber both dark and light woods, and a pristine, open kitchen.
We decide to have starters (not our usual pattern in the US as we frequently fail to finish the main courses!). We all share Pesto Flatbread (like gourmet pizza!), I have calamari, and Heather chooses a veggie tomato dish. Both are delicious and the flatbread scores highly. For the entrees, Heather has Fillet with mushrooms and garlic pancetta mash. I take Jimmys recommendation and have scallops, again with a lovely mash base. The kids have hot dog (Adam) and pizza (Beth) from the childrens menu, and we all enjoy. The portion sizes here are just right and the meal is declared a winner. Cost: $115 with tip. Its almost dark now, although warm, and the Boardwalk lights have been turned on. I get myself a coffee from the bakery and sit in front of the Villas entrance with a cigar. The kids mooch around the Surrey bikes for a while (no!) and Heather sneaks off to have a look at the Wyland Gallery nearby. A boat pulls in in front of us and we take the short journey back to Epcot. We cross the bridge over to France and Heather and I have pastries from the bakery, which we eat inside the store area behind. As we leave France, le Mime Roland (balloon artist) is in full flow and we stop to see the end of his show. Very funny! We progress slowly to the US pavilion, where I watch some of the Candlelight Processional while the kids eat gingerbread bought at the cart just inside the Liberty Inn. Theres no chance of the children (and possibly us!) lasting much longer, so we carry on through the World to the exit and trams. We are back at the villa by 840pm. The children are in bed by 900 and I am delighted to find Frank Capras Its a Wonderful Life (with Jimmy Stewart) on TV. This is great! Best feel-good, Christmas film ever! I first saw it on Christmas Eve 1992, and watched it through while cuddling Bethany who was 10 weeks old at the time! (Can you fetch me another beer, Heather, I dont want to wake Bethany up!!) Ive tried to see it every time its been on since at Christmas, and was given the video of it some years ago. Anyhow, I dont quite catch it all, as I fall asleep on the sofa, again. Fall into bed at 1100. Another excellent day.
Once again, thanks for reading.
Tomorrow: Christmas Day at Epcot!
Mike.
another good report Mike, thanks.
