Report of the World May 25 June 2 2007
This is my trip report from Saturday May 25 to checkout on Saturday June 2 2007.
Ive been to WDW about a dozen times, and consider myself an experienced veteran.
I wont bore you with who is who; but more of what I observed and how we as a family experienced things.
Resorts:
Port Orleans Riverside:
Wooded, shaded, got the perfect room. Well, perfect for us, anyway: Alligator Bayou, 2nd floor, Non-smoking, corner=2 windows. Short walk to oleman island and the lobby.
Our room was in great condition: clean, all in working order: fridge included. Lots of room for everything. Our son slept in the trundle bed. He thoroughly enjoyed the slide and pool at oleman island. We did see the new updated food court and it is indeed in great shape. We did try some of the baked goods but did not eat here for any meals. We enjoyed browsing the gift shop (ie; down time).
Port Orleans French Quarter:
Themed as in New Orleans complete with iron gates. Unfortunately, our door had taken quite a beating; lots of scuff marks; the door opposite had a Mickey sticker ½ way torn off. Found a used band-aid on the bathroom floor. I noticed many doors with the same appearance. Its hard to see unless you get right up close but its there. All the buildings resemble one another; I think thats why we loved AB because the buildings were placed differently and the trees and vegetation add so much to the character of the resort. I did enjoy the lobby of POFQ but the gift shop and food court were much smaller than POR;
Is it me or are all the chairs mismatched? My wife and I spent one evening here and enjoyed listening to the performer at scat cats lounge.
Grand Floridian:
Ah, the grand poohbah: in excellent condition. Went into the guest quarters because my SIL was staying there (as the moons lined up-her husband had a conference there). The hallways reminded me of the American adventure with the white wooden railings; kind of stuffy if you ask me. As I said, its all in great condition. Saw the main pool but it is not themed in anyway and no slide for the kids.
Animal Kingdom Lodge:
My wife and I had reservations for Boma at 5pm and took the bus over from DD. Our bus stopped by Typhoon lagoon on the way; I dont know why? But we got there on time to find another line to check-in. We were given a pager and 5 minutes later were seated.
Many different selections and varieties to choose from. Id hear many good things about the zebra domes but discovered they had alcohol in them (I was glad they had that marked) but my wife did sample one and told me they were up to par, as was the chocolate mousse. As others have reported I found the lodge to be dark but that was because of the colors. We did go outside to check out the pool and enjoyed seeing the animals upclose from the trails. The mail hallway is very well themed and the detail is great. I am not sure if Id want to stay here a whole week but it was nice to visit. The lodge is a bit remote from the rest of the world.
Downtown Disney:
Once upon a toy: Potato head is there, 3 potted plants replaced Buzz lightyear; or whatever was there. Create a potato head would not print. Build a potato head was in a shambles, as was the ball dispenser. Ie; many parts in different places.
World of Disney:
My hat is off to the genius who marketed the idea of
take the biggest room and make it themed to princesses, complete with make-up salon. Seeing the moms waiting with their moms was priceless: no dads waiting; mom ready with credit card: Total genius! I went to World of Disney several times and each time it was packed; I felt like a sardine. Lots of merchandise themed for 2007. I could tell things were picked over & out of place.
We went to eat at Earl of Sandwich in 2004 and the sandwiches were $5 each then. In 2007, the prices had gone up $1. My take: they will charge $1 and people will stay pay.
McDonaldss: for some reason; I have a feeling of deep sentiment here. Id been several years as a single parent and going here was one of the few places I could afford. I remember distinctively the room where the soda dispenser made the fizzing sound; alas; it no longer makes the sound. The prices here were about $2 more per value meal than back at home in Texas.
Theyve taken out the walkway that goes from marketplace to Westside. Either you walk through pleasure island, or take the sidewalk on the fringe. I did see the new fish nchips and Raglan road restaurants. I also saw the new Harley Davidson shop with 2 motorcycles for children (or adults) to get their picture on.
We enjoyed the leisurely boat trip from POR and POFQ to downtown Disney. It took about 15 minutes each way. This route passed by the old Disney Institute buildings which now house college students who are working for Disney. The students live in the top level and the bottom level is used for storage.
Animal Kingdom:
The newest of the parks and you can tell. Went to Expedition Everest first thing and it seemed like everyone else had the same idea. Took me 15 minutes to get fastpasses. And yes, I was right there at opening! The ride was themed well, I am glad I had my motion sickness patch. The coaster is smooth but it does go very fast! And backwards!
They changed the Kilmanjaro safari spiel; our driver in particular was very informative of the animals and it wasnt until the very end that little red came into frame. It seems now it is a safari, and then by the way lets get away from some poachers. Its not a smooth transition. Got fastpasses for Kali river and they were not very fast but we did get soaked! They are working on the new restaurant and have the framework up. Our son went on dinosaur for the first time; he enjoyed it but the ride does throw you around a bit.
Heres a tip: at the gift shop at the end of the ride they have a large red carnasaurus for $32. Hes not really a plush; hes got a zip up section to put pjs in; but its a heck of a deal for a young boy; and its the only place I saw this particular dinosaur. I look specifically for very exclusive merchandise when I do go to WDW and this is one of those few gems. They only had 2 and our son got one so that left one. We did do the Nemo show but I will advise getting there early as we got in line 30 minutes before and did not get a seat so we had to go to the last show 45 minutes before it started. The show was very entertaining and the costumes are great; but I almost fell asleep because I was so tired (a common malady that would occur throughout the trip). The park is in great shape I think because it is the newest; and one of its greatest assets is there is lots of walkway space. We did get there at park opening but left around 6pm. It was fairly crowded and the crowds started leaving around 4-5pm. I did bring my pedometer and it showed 13 miles today.
Pizza delivery:
I was able to get 4 options (pizza hut, dominos etc.) of pizza delivery to our resort; however, the driver can only meet you at the lobby.
Epcot:
At park opening; the characters come out & give kids hugs; and then everyone counts down and the pack goes off to Soarin. I was one of the first ones into the fastpass line; we were marching right behind the cast members and they got out of the way very quickly!
My favorite ride is Test Track and so I went back to meet my family and they were already in line. I will state here: I hate line cutting so they waited patiently for me until I came up. The ride shut down momentarily before we went out on the high speed loop but other than that its up and running great. The gift shop now has hummer gear and the test track merchandise has nascar theming in it?! Test track is one of my favorite attractions and I have a good size collection of apparel but did not see anything worth adding on.
Club cool was a great way to cool off and they had plenty of varieties to sample; yes, even Beverly! We did do Soarin but unfortunately got row 3. My wife has done it like 6 times at DCA and has always gotten row 3. She made such a big stink out of it that after the ride I got more FPs and made the time to come back and said something to the CM as she was ready to put us in line 3 again (I got the picture of my beaming, shining wife with the row 1 designation-and yes, I scored big major brownie points for that one). I noticed as others have mentioned that Epcot handles crowds well, and it does. It didnt seem crowded but there were lines. At lunch we went to the electric umbrella, and as reported they had the soft drink dispensers up and running. Free refills for all! We did tour world showcase and I am still impressed by the detailing of the architecture for each pavilion. The flower showcase was going and we got several pictures of the unique presentations. I made sure to get to the character greetings in France, Morroco, and Germany. I noticed while taking pictures that several people would try to go up and get their picture taking without any clue as to the lines of folks waiting patiently. They would just walk up and start snapping pictures. Is it just me? I have really tried to set the example during vacation with considerate behavior but is it too much too ask of others?
It does take awhile to tour World Showcase; one of the gems is the French bakery. We have always enjoyed sampling the fine baked goods at this little hidden shop. They are working on the main building at the China pavilion but if you look at it correctly it shows the building the way it should be. I noticed the Norwegian boat thats still there; but no one can go in it; we were able to in 2001. After the Norway attraction, they did not have the film running. We ate at the counter service at the Mexico pavilion. It seemed as though one of the cast members working there were not interested in tourists as I was ignored after I thanked a cast member for taking my tray. We went on the Mexican attraction after the recent refurbishment and just followed along with finding Donald. It doesnt show the cultures or experiences of Mexico as a country as opposed to the last version. At the end of our day while watching Illuminations I had one of those moments:
Our son was standing next to me; and then asked for his mom to stand next to him; they had their arms around each other watching the fireworks and I was going to ask my wife for the camera but did not want to spoil their moment. We took some time for the crowds to thin out afterwards and so browsed through the huge mousegear store. In the parking lot I noticed numerous wheelchairs just parked everywhere. Again, my pedometer showed 13 miles of walking for the day.
Transportation:
As we had my friends car to use during out stay, I cant give 100% thorough review but will say that what experience we had is that Disneys transportation system rocks. Yes, there is a wait for the buses but man, the system works. I would be very interested in hearing how the dispatching service works in the near future. We enjoyed the quiet, leisurely boat ride from POR to DD; and the packed bus from the MK to POR was efficient, timely and quick.
Outlet shopping:
The Disney store at the premier outlet near DD was the first one we went to; tried to pacify my wife with the one visit but she had to go to the other one at the end of I-drive.
They are refurbishing one of the malls so only one is open. The selection is varied; but stores seemed to have similar selections of merchandise; last years 2006 apparel and WDW marathon etc. The discounts are there if you dont care about last years fashions.
Magic Kingdom:
The mac daddy! Yeah, thats right. This is the park that has me running around like a madman. At days end, the pedometer read 16.2 miles. I did a bit of backtracking but knew that being at the park early for the crystal palace at 8am and leaving at 10pm might have had something to do with it. We began our day by taking the bus from POR to the entrance of the MK and waiting. We were first in line to get into the park; but saw a small group that went in which I believe was a tour group. We walked down mainstreet right to crystal palace and went right into the door to be shushed out; the cast members pointed out a side window that was not open where we were supposed to check in. They called our name shortly and we were seated; got to dine with Piglet, Pooh, Eeyore, and Tigger. I made a promise to our son on the last trip to dine here the selection was very good and we were well fed. We got done just in time for park opening and went straight to Fantasyland. We were able to do everything in Fantasyland with minimal wait; thats right: do Dumbo first! I cant tell you how important it is to be at the opening of MK. Because after that the crowds just keep coming in. And they did. Its a small world was not operating temporarily but we did go on it later in the day after making another loop.
On our way to Frontierland to get fastpasses we went on haunted mansion and my son was still very scared and covered his eyes most of the way. Exiting the building I heard shouts of glee and there was a cast member handing out dream fastpasses! We really lucked out as the MK is the park that contains the most fastpasses. I cant tell you how many times I looked at the tired worn out faces of the folks waiting in the standby lines.
So I had some extra and gave our 4 to some folks at BTMR. Folks, even if you hate how the system works, take the time to use the system if you want to save some time. As I foresaw, the line for POC was at least 30 min. wait and they had no FPs. I was sure that we could go in the evening and the line would be much less; but my wife said my son wanted to go on it now; and that we had to do it then. Id also purchased a new Nintendo ds lite and the new pirates game for our son so he could download at POC as reported by Sue at Miceage finally found the X but it took 3 castmembers and about 15-20 min to go through the whole process. We tried to run down main street to do a character greeting but they cut off just as we arrived. So we took a leisurely train ride up to Toontown and went to Space mountain. Yes, indeed, the fastpass system was down and all they had was standby but they took our dream fastpass and we went in: to a 30 minute wait. Then as soon as we got off our son stated he wanted to do it again; with no fastpass! My wife and I have both concluded he is totally brainless at times. We went on Buzz twice and also went to Monsters Inc. laugh floor (it was just OK) and Stitchs escape (my wife said it was disappointing). We did go wait to see Mickey and several of the characters in toontown (the line for the princess was 45 minutes vs. 15 minutes for the other characters). We made another pass on over to Frontierland for Splash and BTMR. At park close we viewed the fireworks near Adventureland and held back a bit for the crowds to thin out; and so went to the Emporium and that was bedlam with lots of folks shopping and long lines at the checkout stands. So avoid those if you can. We did have a minimal wait for the bus back to POR; I soldiered up and stood on my sore feet so the all the tired folks could sit but the bus was packed anyway.
Chef Mickeys:
Not a long wait to check in. Right away go to a photo-op. While eating they offer you the picture all printed up but its like $30. Just ask the photographer to take your picture with your own camera. We were paged about 5 min. after check-in (I had made my ADRs about 180 days out-we had 4) great selection for all kinds of breakfast foods.
Those buffets do nothing for those of us on WW and we really have to watch what we eat and in what quantities. The characters came around: Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Pluto and Donald. Breakfast seems to be the best value for a character meal so if you go I suggest that option. We got to the Contemporary by taking the bus to MK and then walking over. They had torn down the north wing and its scraped pretty clean so theyre getting the site ready to build. I used the business center here to check my account and they did not charge me. It never hurts to ask.
Disney MGM Studios:
This was all about star wars weekends. But I knew going in wed have a triple whammy:
*Early entry
*Gay days theme park of the day
*Very first day of Star Wars Weekends
Hoo boy; looking at the lines when we got there about 25 min before early entry: man that line for Kenny Baker; those are some dedicated fans! They did not have the stormtroopers up and walking around for early entry. We went in at 8am and right over to RNR and TT and the patch could only do so much so I sat out one more ride on RNR.
They are both running well and I have always loved the detail and theming of TT. Ive done the one at DCA and the one in Florida blows it away. We did go over to the Animation attraction and it reminds me back in the days when in 2001 we saw the actual folks working (and took it for granted) but after the attraction they had an area where the characters from both the Incredibles and Meet the Robinsons (bowler hat guy) were out.
We then went down Mickey Ave. to see the first signs of Star Wars: stormtroopers! Saw some folks carting along boxes and realized they had come for the merchandise because I saw the line out of Jabbas hut was really long and no fastpass! Saw the line for Darth Vader are you kidding me? They had the dark lord sith as well as Jango Fett and we got in line for him. We saw the building for midway mania and it is in progress. Near the express counter service they had a gift shop with star wars weekends merchandise and we made some purchases but I saw some poor folks lugging around stuff all day long.
We made sure to line up for the parade early and I did see Kenny Baker signing autographs (the man is a legend) and saw all kinds of security guys around him. The parade was very cool-lots of star wars characters but over too quickly and back in line for something else. Around 3 we got some light rain and so we went over to see beauty and the beast (my wifes favorite). The costumes are terrific and the actors are very good.
But coming out the rain was not steady and did not let up. I had made an ADR for Hollywood and Vine and was hesitant to drop $100 bucks for a dinner and then wait another 2 hours and then watch the show in the rain. But we did eat dinner and then at 730 Id had enough. We saw lots of Mickey ponchos and of course I left 2 of ours at the hotel. We did get our photo with Jedi Mickey but with the rain the other star wars characters had called it a day (and I cant say I blamed them). It was our last full day at the world and I was just beat from commandong. David drove us back to the resort; Id showered up and literally hit the hay until next morning. Id put everything into it and of course was now paying the price.
Behaviors & Observations:
*Want to guess what the shoe choice to tour WDW? NO, YOURE WRONG!
IT IS NOT THE CROC! It was a distant 2nd! Drumroll please it is the common flip flop. Yup, guaranteed to offer that all day support for those 16 mile days! This (I cant even call it a shoe) is all about fashion. Its about matching and showing off feet.
· During my touring I observed many different shapes and forms of HMs and HMIT. Read around, youll figure it out. It amused me at times; at other times I just had to shake my head in disbelief. It appears at WDW that its all about showing off and being shown.
· I also observed an overwhelming number of PHWBs complete with stylish sunglasses. The age ranges from pre-teens to complete HM status was broad. I dont know if its peer pressure or a societal phenomena. Again, at times hoards of them and just total disbelief on my behalf.
*I rarely saw folks wearing any kind of Disney clothing, let alone WDW apparel. I did see some folks with: Smith family Disney vacation 2007.
*As one can figure we were just wrapping up our touring at the beginning of gay days. I saw lots of redshirts and forms of physical affection but all was good. My wife who was tagging along behind me caught some guys checking me out she thought it was pretty funny.
*Being a WW lifetime member I am ever mindful of eating habits and physical fitness. What my wife and I observed at WDW is a broad stroke of our society and what is certainly an epidemic right beneath our eyes: our children are headed for trouble. Where we saw the moms and dads we saw the kids with the same and there is absolutely nothing we can do but set the example in humility. If you for some reason think I am some kind of fitness snob well, more power to you. Both my wife and I have paid our dues (and then some) and we are keenly aware of staying on target. Our son is in great shape but we dont push him into team sports (hes a free spirit).
*Did we see everything at each theme park? The answer to that is a resoundingNO! Can it be done? I am not sure. Ive come close in past years, but that was just touring with my best friend
in the 90s and WDW is getting busy pretty much all the time now. Its extremely hard to find a pace and predict crowds with so many variables; character greetings, gift shops; potty breaks; meal times, etc.
*I have been an avid reader of the internet community and am familiar with the top web sites with information on WDW. Ive been a member of the DIS since 2001 and so have some kind of knowledge of what it takes to write a report (and isnt it always subjective?)
There were a number of cast members who really love their work; and others who were just doing their job. Being as I was on commando mode (yeah, I have to admit it) it all kind of became a blur so forgive me if I cant point out something specific. WDW is a destination but it is the castmembers who make it magic. When we entered the MK at precisely 8am they were still doing the final touches for the day. I am sure at park close they were waiting in the wings with full crews for the night shift to get the park back in shape.
*Condition of the world: well take anything with a grain of salt: especially ones opinion.
Like I said, Ive been reading some of the top internet sites on Disney world and have turned a bit more observant (or cynical-you choose); I noticed more trash, less clean restrooms, faded painting etc. WDW is a big place and I cant imagine the amount of labor it takes to take care of it. Im a bit overstimulated with Disney right now and need a break. I really dont know when well be back
*At this point I am exhausted and need a vacation from my vacation. Commando touring wore me down even with some down days in between (getting sick on the plane coming back didnt help). The thought and idea of lounging by a pool or on the beach is VERY appealing (and is probably restful). Sometimes I wonder if my character is out of whack?
So many folks have different ideas of vacation and in all likelihood it should be about resting but as it turns out I only get 2 weeks a year and one of those is to see our world, whether it be WDW, DL, the beach, the mountains, etc. The other week I use at xmas to catch up on housework (you know that honey to do list). I have over a year to plan our adventure to Washington DC and man I have to be nuts but what do you do? If you read this far, well I hope I have contributed at least some kind of detail that will assist in your future planning of WDW
This is my trip report from Saturday May 25 to checkout on Saturday June 2 2007.
Ive been to WDW about a dozen times, and consider myself an experienced veteran.
I wont bore you with who is who; but more of what I observed and how we as a family experienced things.
Resorts:
Port Orleans Riverside:
Wooded, shaded, got the perfect room. Well, perfect for us, anyway: Alligator Bayou, 2nd floor, Non-smoking, corner=2 windows. Short walk to oleman island and the lobby.
Our room was in great condition: clean, all in working order: fridge included. Lots of room for everything. Our son slept in the trundle bed. He thoroughly enjoyed the slide and pool at oleman island. We did see the new updated food court and it is indeed in great shape. We did try some of the baked goods but did not eat here for any meals. We enjoyed browsing the gift shop (ie; down time).
Port Orleans French Quarter:
Themed as in New Orleans complete with iron gates. Unfortunately, our door had taken quite a beating; lots of scuff marks; the door opposite had a Mickey sticker ½ way torn off. Found a used band-aid on the bathroom floor. I noticed many doors with the same appearance. Its hard to see unless you get right up close but its there. All the buildings resemble one another; I think thats why we loved AB because the buildings were placed differently and the trees and vegetation add so much to the character of the resort. I did enjoy the lobby of POFQ but the gift shop and food court were much smaller than POR;
Is it me or are all the chairs mismatched? My wife and I spent one evening here and enjoyed listening to the performer at scat cats lounge.
Grand Floridian:
Ah, the grand poohbah: in excellent condition. Went into the guest quarters because my SIL was staying there (as the moons lined up-her husband had a conference there). The hallways reminded me of the American adventure with the white wooden railings; kind of stuffy if you ask me. As I said, its all in great condition. Saw the main pool but it is not themed in anyway and no slide for the kids.
Animal Kingdom Lodge:
My wife and I had reservations for Boma at 5pm and took the bus over from DD. Our bus stopped by Typhoon lagoon on the way; I dont know why? But we got there on time to find another line to check-in. We were given a pager and 5 minutes later were seated.
Many different selections and varieties to choose from. Id hear many good things about the zebra domes but discovered they had alcohol in them (I was glad they had that marked) but my wife did sample one and told me they were up to par, as was the chocolate mousse. As others have reported I found the lodge to be dark but that was because of the colors. We did go outside to check out the pool and enjoyed seeing the animals upclose from the trails. The mail hallway is very well themed and the detail is great. I am not sure if Id want to stay here a whole week but it was nice to visit. The lodge is a bit remote from the rest of the world.
Downtown Disney:
Once upon a toy: Potato head is there, 3 potted plants replaced Buzz lightyear; or whatever was there. Create a potato head would not print. Build a potato head was in a shambles, as was the ball dispenser. Ie; many parts in different places.
World of Disney:
My hat is off to the genius who marketed the idea of
take the biggest room and make it themed to princesses, complete with make-up salon. Seeing the moms waiting with their moms was priceless: no dads waiting; mom ready with credit card: Total genius! I went to World of Disney several times and each time it was packed; I felt like a sardine. Lots of merchandise themed for 2007. I could tell things were picked over & out of place.We went to eat at Earl of Sandwich in 2004 and the sandwiches were $5 each then. In 2007, the prices had gone up $1. My take: they will charge $1 and people will stay pay.
McDonaldss: for some reason; I have a feeling of deep sentiment here. Id been several years as a single parent and going here was one of the few places I could afford. I remember distinctively the room where the soda dispenser made the fizzing sound; alas; it no longer makes the sound. The prices here were about $2 more per value meal than back at home in Texas.
Theyve taken out the walkway that goes from marketplace to Westside. Either you walk through pleasure island, or take the sidewalk on the fringe. I did see the new fish nchips and Raglan road restaurants. I also saw the new Harley Davidson shop with 2 motorcycles for children (or adults) to get their picture on.
We enjoyed the leisurely boat trip from POR and POFQ to downtown Disney. It took about 15 minutes each way. This route passed by the old Disney Institute buildings which now house college students who are working for Disney. The students live in the top level and the bottom level is used for storage.
Animal Kingdom:
The newest of the parks and you can tell. Went to Expedition Everest first thing and it seemed like everyone else had the same idea. Took me 15 minutes to get fastpasses. And yes, I was right there at opening! The ride was themed well, I am glad I had my motion sickness patch. The coaster is smooth but it does go very fast! And backwards!
They changed the Kilmanjaro safari spiel; our driver in particular was very informative of the animals and it wasnt until the very end that little red came into frame. It seems now it is a safari, and then by the way lets get away from some poachers. Its not a smooth transition. Got fastpasses for Kali river and they were not very fast but we did get soaked! They are working on the new restaurant and have the framework up. Our son went on dinosaur for the first time; he enjoyed it but the ride does throw you around a bit.
Heres a tip: at the gift shop at the end of the ride they have a large red carnasaurus for $32. Hes not really a plush; hes got a zip up section to put pjs in; but its a heck of a deal for a young boy; and its the only place I saw this particular dinosaur. I look specifically for very exclusive merchandise when I do go to WDW and this is one of those few gems. They only had 2 and our son got one so that left one. We did do the Nemo show but I will advise getting there early as we got in line 30 minutes before and did not get a seat so we had to go to the last show 45 minutes before it started. The show was very entertaining and the costumes are great; but I almost fell asleep because I was so tired (a common malady that would occur throughout the trip). The park is in great shape I think because it is the newest; and one of its greatest assets is there is lots of walkway space. We did get there at park opening but left around 6pm. It was fairly crowded and the crowds started leaving around 4-5pm. I did bring my pedometer and it showed 13 miles today.
Pizza delivery:
I was able to get 4 options (pizza hut, dominos etc.) of pizza delivery to our resort; however, the driver can only meet you at the lobby.
Epcot:
At park opening; the characters come out & give kids hugs; and then everyone counts down and the pack goes off to Soarin. I was one of the first ones into the fastpass line; we were marching right behind the cast members and they got out of the way very quickly!
My favorite ride is Test Track and so I went back to meet my family and they were already in line. I will state here: I hate line cutting so they waited patiently for me until I came up. The ride shut down momentarily before we went out on the high speed loop but other than that its up and running great. The gift shop now has hummer gear and the test track merchandise has nascar theming in it?! Test track is one of my favorite attractions and I have a good size collection of apparel but did not see anything worth adding on.
Club cool was a great way to cool off and they had plenty of varieties to sample; yes, even Beverly! We did do Soarin but unfortunately got row 3. My wife has done it like 6 times at DCA and has always gotten row 3. She made such a big stink out of it that after the ride I got more FPs and made the time to come back and said something to the CM as she was ready to put us in line 3 again (I got the picture of my beaming, shining wife with the row 1 designation-and yes, I scored big major brownie points for that one). I noticed as others have mentioned that Epcot handles crowds well, and it does. It didnt seem crowded but there were lines. At lunch we went to the electric umbrella, and as reported they had the soft drink dispensers up and running. Free refills for all! We did tour world showcase and I am still impressed by the detailing of the architecture for each pavilion. The flower showcase was going and we got several pictures of the unique presentations. I made sure to get to the character greetings in France, Morroco, and Germany. I noticed while taking pictures that several people would try to go up and get their picture taking without any clue as to the lines of folks waiting patiently. They would just walk up and start snapping pictures. Is it just me? I have really tried to set the example during vacation with considerate behavior but is it too much too ask of others?
It does take awhile to tour World Showcase; one of the gems is the French bakery. We have always enjoyed sampling the fine baked goods at this little hidden shop. They are working on the main building at the China pavilion but if you look at it correctly it shows the building the way it should be. I noticed the Norwegian boat thats still there; but no one can go in it; we were able to in 2001. After the Norway attraction, they did not have the film running. We ate at the counter service at the Mexico pavilion. It seemed as though one of the cast members working there were not interested in tourists as I was ignored after I thanked a cast member for taking my tray. We went on the Mexican attraction after the recent refurbishment and just followed along with finding Donald. It doesnt show the cultures or experiences of Mexico as a country as opposed to the last version. At the end of our day while watching Illuminations I had one of those moments:
Our son was standing next to me; and then asked for his mom to stand next to him; they had their arms around each other watching the fireworks and I was going to ask my wife for the camera but did not want to spoil their moment. We took some time for the crowds to thin out afterwards and so browsed through the huge mousegear store. In the parking lot I noticed numerous wheelchairs just parked everywhere. Again, my pedometer showed 13 miles of walking for the day.
Transportation:
As we had my friends car to use during out stay, I cant give 100% thorough review but will say that what experience we had is that Disneys transportation system rocks. Yes, there is a wait for the buses but man, the system works. I would be very interested in hearing how the dispatching service works in the near future. We enjoyed the quiet, leisurely boat ride from POR to DD; and the packed bus from the MK to POR was efficient, timely and quick.
Outlet shopping:
The Disney store at the premier outlet near DD was the first one we went to; tried to pacify my wife with the one visit but she had to go to the other one at the end of I-drive.
They are refurbishing one of the malls so only one is open. The selection is varied; but stores seemed to have similar selections of merchandise; last years 2006 apparel and WDW marathon etc. The discounts are there if you dont care about last years fashions.
Magic Kingdom:
The mac daddy! Yeah, thats right. This is the park that has me running around like a madman. At days end, the pedometer read 16.2 miles. I did a bit of backtracking but knew that being at the park early for the crystal palace at 8am and leaving at 10pm might have had something to do with it. We began our day by taking the bus from POR to the entrance of the MK and waiting. We were first in line to get into the park; but saw a small group that went in which I believe was a tour group. We walked down mainstreet right to crystal palace and went right into the door to be shushed out; the cast members pointed out a side window that was not open where we were supposed to check in. They called our name shortly and we were seated; got to dine with Piglet, Pooh, Eeyore, and Tigger. I made a promise to our son on the last trip to dine here the selection was very good and we were well fed. We got done just in time for park opening and went straight to Fantasyland. We were able to do everything in Fantasyland with minimal wait; thats right: do Dumbo first! I cant tell you how important it is to be at the opening of MK. Because after that the crowds just keep coming in. And they did. Its a small world was not operating temporarily but we did go on it later in the day after making another loop.
On our way to Frontierland to get fastpasses we went on haunted mansion and my son was still very scared and covered his eyes most of the way. Exiting the building I heard shouts of glee and there was a cast member handing out dream fastpasses! We really lucked out as the MK is the park that contains the most fastpasses. I cant tell you how many times I looked at the tired worn out faces of the folks waiting in the standby lines.
So I had some extra and gave our 4 to some folks at BTMR. Folks, even if you hate how the system works, take the time to use the system if you want to save some time. As I foresaw, the line for POC was at least 30 min. wait and they had no FPs. I was sure that we could go in the evening and the line would be much less; but my wife said my son wanted to go on it now; and that we had to do it then. Id also purchased a new Nintendo ds lite and the new pirates game for our son so he could download at POC as reported by Sue at Miceage finally found the X but it took 3 castmembers and about 15-20 min to go through the whole process. We tried to run down main street to do a character greeting but they cut off just as we arrived. So we took a leisurely train ride up to Toontown and went to Space mountain. Yes, indeed, the fastpass system was down and all they had was standby but they took our dream fastpass and we went in: to a 30 minute wait. Then as soon as we got off our son stated he wanted to do it again; with no fastpass! My wife and I have both concluded he is totally brainless at times. We went on Buzz twice and also went to Monsters Inc. laugh floor (it was just OK) and Stitchs escape (my wife said it was disappointing). We did go wait to see Mickey and several of the characters in toontown (the line for the princess was 45 minutes vs. 15 minutes for the other characters). We made another pass on over to Frontierland for Splash and BTMR. At park close we viewed the fireworks near Adventureland and held back a bit for the crowds to thin out; and so went to the Emporium and that was bedlam with lots of folks shopping and long lines at the checkout stands. So avoid those if you can. We did have a minimal wait for the bus back to POR; I soldiered up and stood on my sore feet so the all the tired folks could sit but the bus was packed anyway.
Chef Mickeys:
Not a long wait to check in. Right away go to a photo-op. While eating they offer you the picture all printed up but its like $30. Just ask the photographer to take your picture with your own camera. We were paged about 5 min. after check-in (I had made my ADRs about 180 days out-we had 4) great selection for all kinds of breakfast foods.
Those buffets do nothing for those of us on WW and we really have to watch what we eat and in what quantities. The characters came around: Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Pluto and Donald. Breakfast seems to be the best value for a character meal so if you go I suggest that option. We got to the Contemporary by taking the bus to MK and then walking over. They had torn down the north wing and its scraped pretty clean so theyre getting the site ready to build. I used the business center here to check my account and they did not charge me. It never hurts to ask.
Disney MGM Studios:
This was all about star wars weekends. But I knew going in wed have a triple whammy:
*Early entry
*Gay days theme park of the day
*Very first day of Star Wars Weekends
Hoo boy; looking at the lines when we got there about 25 min before early entry: man that line for Kenny Baker; those are some dedicated fans! They did not have the stormtroopers up and walking around for early entry. We went in at 8am and right over to RNR and TT and the patch could only do so much so I sat out one more ride on RNR.
They are both running well and I have always loved the detail and theming of TT. Ive done the one at DCA and the one in Florida blows it away. We did go over to the Animation attraction and it reminds me back in the days when in 2001 we saw the actual folks working (and took it for granted) but after the attraction they had an area where the characters from both the Incredibles and Meet the Robinsons (bowler hat guy) were out.
We then went down Mickey Ave. to see the first signs of Star Wars: stormtroopers! Saw some folks carting along boxes and realized they had come for the merchandise because I saw the line out of Jabbas hut was really long and no fastpass! Saw the line for Darth Vader are you kidding me? They had the dark lord sith as well as Jango Fett and we got in line for him. We saw the building for midway mania and it is in progress. Near the express counter service they had a gift shop with star wars weekends merchandise and we made some purchases but I saw some poor folks lugging around stuff all day long.
We made sure to line up for the parade early and I did see Kenny Baker signing autographs (the man is a legend) and saw all kinds of security guys around him. The parade was very cool-lots of star wars characters but over too quickly and back in line for something else. Around 3 we got some light rain and so we went over to see beauty and the beast (my wifes favorite). The costumes are terrific and the actors are very good.
But coming out the rain was not steady and did not let up. I had made an ADR for Hollywood and Vine and was hesitant to drop $100 bucks for a dinner and then wait another 2 hours and then watch the show in the rain. But we did eat dinner and then at 730 Id had enough. We saw lots of Mickey ponchos and of course I left 2 of ours at the hotel. We did get our photo with Jedi Mickey but with the rain the other star wars characters had called it a day (and I cant say I blamed them). It was our last full day at the world and I was just beat from commandong. David drove us back to the resort; Id showered up and literally hit the hay until next morning. Id put everything into it and of course was now paying the price.
Behaviors & Observations:
*Want to guess what the shoe choice to tour WDW? NO, YOURE WRONG!
IT IS NOT THE CROC! It was a distant 2nd! Drumroll please it is the common flip flop. Yup, guaranteed to offer that all day support for those 16 mile days! This (I cant even call it a shoe) is all about fashion. Its about matching and showing off feet.
· During my touring I observed many different shapes and forms of HMs and HMIT. Read around, youll figure it out. It amused me at times; at other times I just had to shake my head in disbelief. It appears at WDW that its all about showing off and being shown.
· I also observed an overwhelming number of PHWBs complete with stylish sunglasses. The age ranges from pre-teens to complete HM status was broad. I dont know if its peer pressure or a societal phenomena. Again, at times hoards of them and just total disbelief on my behalf.
*I rarely saw folks wearing any kind of Disney clothing, let alone WDW apparel. I did see some folks with: Smith family Disney vacation 2007.
*As one can figure we were just wrapping up our touring at the beginning of gay days. I saw lots of redshirts and forms of physical affection but all was good. My wife who was tagging along behind me caught some guys checking me out she thought it was pretty funny.
*Being a WW lifetime member I am ever mindful of eating habits and physical fitness. What my wife and I observed at WDW is a broad stroke of our society and what is certainly an epidemic right beneath our eyes: our children are headed for trouble. Where we saw the moms and dads we saw the kids with the same and there is absolutely nothing we can do but set the example in humility. If you for some reason think I am some kind of fitness snob well, more power to you. Both my wife and I have paid our dues (and then some) and we are keenly aware of staying on target. Our son is in great shape but we dont push him into team sports (hes a free spirit).
*Did we see everything at each theme park? The answer to that is a resoundingNO! Can it be done? I am not sure. Ive come close in past years, but that was just touring with my best friend
in the 90s and WDW is getting busy pretty much all the time now. Its extremely hard to find a pace and predict crowds with so many variables; character greetings, gift shops; potty breaks; meal times, etc.
*I have been an avid reader of the internet community and am familiar with the top web sites with information on WDW. Ive been a member of the DIS since 2001 and so have some kind of knowledge of what it takes to write a report (and isnt it always subjective?)
There were a number of cast members who really love their work; and others who were just doing their job. Being as I was on commando mode (yeah, I have to admit it) it all kind of became a blur so forgive me if I cant point out something specific. WDW is a destination but it is the castmembers who make it magic. When we entered the MK at precisely 8am they were still doing the final touches for the day. I am sure at park close they were waiting in the wings with full crews for the night shift to get the park back in shape.
*Condition of the world: well take anything with a grain of salt: especially ones opinion.
Like I said, Ive been reading some of the top internet sites on Disney world and have turned a bit more observant (or cynical-you choose); I noticed more trash, less clean restrooms, faded painting etc. WDW is a big place and I cant imagine the amount of labor it takes to take care of it. Im a bit overstimulated with Disney right now and need a break. I really dont know when well be back
*At this point I am exhausted and need a vacation from my vacation. Commando touring wore me down even with some down days in between (getting sick on the plane coming back didnt help). The thought and idea of lounging by a pool or on the beach is VERY appealing (and is probably restful). Sometimes I wonder if my character is out of whack?
So many folks have different ideas of vacation and in all likelihood it should be about resting but as it turns out I only get 2 weeks a year and one of those is to see our world, whether it be WDW, DL, the beach, the mountains, etc. The other week I use at xmas to catch up on housework (you know that honey to do list). I have over a year to plan our adventure to Washington DC and man I have to be nuts but what do you do? If you read this far, well I hope I have contributed at least some kind of detail that will assist in your future planning of WDW
