MajorWoody
The View From My Office
- Joined
- Jan 28, 2002
- Messages
- 294
Major Woodys 2 Week TR 5/17 thru 5/31/04
Who : Bill (45), veteran of numerous WDW trips; Jeanne ( forty something), only her 4th WDW trip, but learning quick.
Where : PO-FQ for 10 nights, followed by 3 nights at the Beach Club
How : Driving from NYS
Day 12 Friday , May 28, 2004:
On Friday morning we got up, got ready for the day ahead, packed once again for the room change, and waited for the bellman to arrive. He came at 10:30am, right on time, unlike at PO-FQ. The guy took our bags, which between our suitcases and packages, was really getting to be a large scale project. Once he was done, and gave us our receipt for storage, we took a walk over to Epcot via the International gateway, which is a tremendous feature of staying at the Beach Club for us. Epcot is our favorite park, and the fact we can walk back and forth to it really makes a big difference in our vacation.
Once we got inside Epcot, it was nice to walk through the WS which wasnt officially open, although there were quite a few people milling around. We went down to FW, and headed over to Mission Space to procure some fastpasses. We got our FPs, good for 11:30am to 12:30pm, and for some reason, the machine spit out 6 FPs, even though I had only used one of our tickets so far. Maybe that was in some way a Disney Magical Moment to make up for the problems we encountered yesterday. We then walked over to Guest Relations, past the empty bank of TV monitors where they used to do the Priority Seatings from. I really enjoyed those when they were operational, and wondered why they got ride of it. I cant imagine they saved much money, as they still need the operators, and it looks pretty cheesy standing there all these years unused. We went inside, and procured our wristbands for the Arlo Guthrie show tonight at the America Gardens Theater. If you werent aware, if you have an AP, you are allowed to get a wristband for one show per day at the America Gardens Theater during the Flower Power series. This wristband allows you entry into the covered seating area on the left side, which is a nice little perk. We got ours for the 5:00pm show, figuring it would get us out of the sunlight. We then took a stroll across Future World over to the Living Seas Pavilion. Once we made our way downstairs via hydrolator, we stopped off at the gift shop. Jeanne had wanted to buy a stuffed Nemo for her daughter, but they only had some cheesy boxed one, not the real Disney plush. I think it was Playskool, or one of those brands, not Disney. She bought it anyway, and also got a real Disney plush Dory. We briefly checked out the marine exhibits, then left and walked over to Fountainview Bakery, where we got a chocolate croissant, which was good, but not nearly as good as the ones at the Main St Bakery in the MK. We then went back to Mission Space, and rode it twice using our FPs. After the 2nd trip to Mars, we found a father and son outside, and gave them our last set of FPs. I really love MS, and think its a great addition to Epcot. The launch sequence is amazing, and it really makes you feel like youre taking off. We also both love to play around and flip switches and push buttons during the flight, if you do that they make all sorts of beeping and buzzing noises. One of these trips well try out the exhibits and games at the exit to the ride, but it always seems to be too crowded, even on off times. I recently found out how to play the Mission Space game online, and have done it a few times, but its no comparison to actually being in Epcot.
We then took a walk over to Test Track, but there was a 75 minute standby line, and the FP window wasnt until 3:30pm, by which time we planned on being firmly ensconced in World Showcase. So, we decided not to try TT, but we did go in through the gift shop area, and went to the GM display area near the rides exit. Every time I go to TT, I use the kiosk they have in the GM display to send info to one of my co-workers, Andy, who really enjoys getting the phone calls from GM salesmen, and the related brochures. This has been going on for several years, and
he retaliates against me by doing the same when he goes away. I just punch in his info ( work address and number), and type in that he wants to buy a GM product within the next few months. I usually check on the most expensive GM products, which seems to generate more calls for him. He also has a nice display of Cadillac and Hummer brochures all over his desk thanks to me!!
After my assignment at TT was done, we walked to World Showcase, via the Mexico side. We stopped off at the Cantina San Angel, the outside lunch pavilion. Jeanne had the combo plate, I had the wet burrito ( which I really love ), and a coke. The tab came to $18, but for being able to eat a lunch outside overlooking the Epcot lagoon, it was priceless. There is really nowhere Id rather be that at Epcot. Once we finished our lunchtime repast, we walked inside the Mexico pavilion. Jeanne did some shopping, looking for things for her kids, and I wandered around inside. I walked into a small room off the main room, on the side where the ride entrance is, and found a kiosk that allows you to make a video postcard. I had never noticed this in here before. It included a Day of the Dead postcard, which would put your face on a dancing skeleton. It looked like fun, so I went through the commands, and when the time comes, it tells you to face the camera and move your head for 10 seconds. I completed the video, and when it played back, it was hilarious. I sent a copy to myself and my friend Sean at work. Unfortunately, neither one ever came through. In fact Sean was just down at Epcot in mid July, and he tried the same kiosk, and the one he sent to me didnt work, but at least I received that one. He said the one he sent himself at home worked once, but would not replay a second time. I then went back into the main room, and rejoined Jeanne who had purchase a few things. We then left the building, and walked slowly through World Showcase, stopping to examine the floral displays and topiaries, and pause for the occasional picture. We made our way to Japan, where I intended to buy one of the pearls from an oyster. My youngest daughter had told me she wanted a pearl ring from Japan, so this was a fun way to do it. I went to the counter, selected a ring setting, and paid for my oyster ( $25 & 13, total $48). I then picked my oyster and watched the clerk open it up. It was a bit over 7mm, and very nicely colored, but not big enough for the ceremonial drum roll they do when the pearl is over 7.5mm. The girl then put the pearl into the ring, taking about 10 minutes, and putting it in a little gift box. It came out very nicely. I had asked Janine before the trip what her ring size was, so they made sure we got the right size ring, and it ended up being a perfect fit.
Once we were finished with our shopping , we walked back out the IG exit, and to the Beach Club. We got our new room assignment, 2636, and while at the front desk we once again changed tonights dinner seating from Alfredos ( we had checked the menu while walking through Italy, and didnt really care for what they had) to Morocco. We then went up to our new room, along with Arneil, the bellman. He was a real treasure, a very pleasant man who seemed as excited to be at the Beach Club as we were. He provided exemplary service, and we noted his name on the customer survey we filled out after our return. This room was much nicer than our original room. It was a full size room, with two queen beds and a daybed, along with desk and dresser. There was also a full size balcony, with a nice garden courtyard view. This is what we had in mind when we booked the Beach Club. After getting settled in, and enjoying the balcony view, from which you could also see across to Boardwalk if you looked to the right, we changed into bathing suits and made our way down to Stormalong Bay. We went down, and were asked to show our ID by a CM, and then given a wristband for Stormalong. We spent about 40 minutes in the various waters of Stormalong, from the lazy river, to the waterfalls, to the whirlpool, and a few runs down the slide. The chairs were all taken, and it was rather crowded, but not uncomfortably so. We just found a spot on the ground for our towels and shirts, since no chairs were available. After having our fill of the water, we dried off, and went to Beaches & Cream, where we got two coke floats from the takeout side, which came to $8.50 ( a dollar more than at the MK). They definitely hit the spot, and were a perfect refreshment which we enjoyed on the back porch behind Beaches & Cream. We then made our way back up to our new and improved room, and changed into park attire. We then walked outside, and headed back to Epcot. Once we arrived at the gates, they told us the computer system was down, and the turnstiles werent working, but they looked at our APs, and let us in. We first stopped at the UK, where Jeanne bought a cat shaped tea cup, which set her back $14. We then hit the walk-up bar outside the currently closed Rose & Crown, and I ordered a pint o Bass, while Jeanne had a glass of Merlot, which came to $15 for the two, rather steep in my opinion for generic Merlot and a pint. We then took a leisurely walk to the USA for the Arlo show. We arrived with time to spare, showed our wristbands, and were seated in the third row on the left side, facing the stage. It was a nice place to be, especially out of the hot sun. Arlo came on with his band, and they were great. His band consists of his daughter Sarah, her husband, Arlos son ( I think, but not sure), and someone else. For those expecting a rehash of Alices Restaurant, or the Motorcycle song, this was not what was in store. He did several of his songs, some traditional stuff, and quite a few of his famous dads songs. The first show contained the following songs : Chilling Of The Evening
My Front Pages
Oklahoma Hills
The Sinking Of The Reuben James ( this was excellent)
Dead Or Alive
Gypsy Davey
St. James Infirmary
Green, Green Rocky Road
After the show ended, we loved it so much we decided to blow off dinner ( which only made sense considering how many times we had changed our PS for tonight), and decided to catch the next two Arlo shows. We wandered a bit, had a kaki-gori from Japan, and then settled in for the 7:00pm show, and got to sit in the AP section once again, when they dropped the rope right at the start of the show, as it wasnt full. We got almost the exact same spot this time. The second set consisted of :
San Francisco Bay Blues
Moon Song
Dr. King (Sarah and Johnny)
Back By Popular Demand
Coming Into Los Angeles
City Of New Orleans ( great version, preceded by a story about how he came to sing the song, in which he told about Steve Goodman, the author, approaching him in a bar in 1971, and asking him to listen to the song. Arlo agreed to do so for a beer, and the rest is history.)
We then stuck around the theater for the final show, ending up in the center of the seating area, front row in the outside area. It was a great spot, and when the show came on, I was able to get some fantastic pictures. Prior to the 8:15pm show, Arlo came out for autographs and pictures, and I got in line, but a couple of people spent so much time gabbing with him, only a few got to meet him. One girl spent a good three minutes with him, when there were about 100 on line, and a 15 minute time limit for him to meet us all. The final set consisted of the following songs, and an Epcot America Gardens first, at least for me, an encore:
Third Set:
You And Me
Patriot's Dream
Me and Bobby McGee
My Old Friend
Pickin' ( bluegrass instrumental)
This Land Is Your Land (Annie, Jacklyn and Olivia join in)
Encore: (A first for an Arlo show at Epcot)
More of This Land Is Your Land....
This was one of the best shows I have ever caught at Epcot, and really made me appreciate his music. The show finally ended at 8:50pm due to the unscripted encore, and we decided to skip Illuminations, and head to MGM for the late showing of Fantasmic. We knew wed be cutting it close , but we wanted to give it a try. We made it to the BC dock and were able to see a good part of Reflections of Earth while waiting for our boat. The boat finally arrived at BC, and the female skipper was pretty snotty when we said we were going to MGM. She tried to tell us it was closing, and there was no late showing of Fantasmic, but we had double checked with guest relations, and they had told us there was a 10:30pm showing tonight. She even called in on the radio as if to prove us wrong, and found out there was a late showing. Rather than apologize, she seemed pissed that she would have to take people back to MGM ( which was where she was heading anyway). We arrived at MGM at 9:50pm, and had plenty of time to get to Fantasmic. In fact, they hadnt even let people into the amphitheater when we got in line, but once they opened the ropes, the line moved smoothly. We ended up just to the left of center, in the rear of the bleachers, a very good spot. The place ended up about half full, I wonder if some people had changed their minds about coming due to the mis- informed skipper. We had a wonderful time at the show, and when it was over , took our time walking out. The crowds were not too bad, and we made the first boat back once we reached the dock. We decided to go to the Boardwalk, and find some late night grub, since we had skipped dinner. We first tried ESPN, but the dining room was closed ( it was only 11:10pm, I thought they served food till 1am or so). They told us they did have some appetizer items available at the bar, but we passed on that. We decided to try the BW take out pizza window, and eat on the Boardwalk overlooking the lake. We ordered a large pepperoni pizza, Jeanne ordered a glass of Sangria, and I had a coke. The total came to $20.42. The pizza was ok, nothing special, but as at lunch, the view and atmosphere were priceless. We took our time, sitting at a table just enjoying being there. We then took a slow stroll back to the Beach Club, and sat on our balcony talking and relaxing until bedtime at 1:00am.....
Stay tuned for the next part.....
Who : Bill (45), veteran of numerous WDW trips; Jeanne ( forty something), only her 4th WDW trip, but learning quick.
Where : PO-FQ for 10 nights, followed by 3 nights at the Beach Club
How : Driving from NYS
Day 12 Friday , May 28, 2004:
On Friday morning we got up, got ready for the day ahead, packed once again for the room change, and waited for the bellman to arrive. He came at 10:30am, right on time, unlike at PO-FQ. The guy took our bags, which between our suitcases and packages, was really getting to be a large scale project. Once he was done, and gave us our receipt for storage, we took a walk over to Epcot via the International gateway, which is a tremendous feature of staying at the Beach Club for us. Epcot is our favorite park, and the fact we can walk back and forth to it really makes a big difference in our vacation.
Once we got inside Epcot, it was nice to walk through the WS which wasnt officially open, although there were quite a few people milling around. We went down to FW, and headed over to Mission Space to procure some fastpasses. We got our FPs, good for 11:30am to 12:30pm, and for some reason, the machine spit out 6 FPs, even though I had only used one of our tickets so far. Maybe that was in some way a Disney Magical Moment to make up for the problems we encountered yesterday. We then walked over to Guest Relations, past the empty bank of TV monitors where they used to do the Priority Seatings from. I really enjoyed those when they were operational, and wondered why they got ride of it. I cant imagine they saved much money, as they still need the operators, and it looks pretty cheesy standing there all these years unused. We went inside, and procured our wristbands for the Arlo Guthrie show tonight at the America Gardens Theater. If you werent aware, if you have an AP, you are allowed to get a wristband for one show per day at the America Gardens Theater during the Flower Power series. This wristband allows you entry into the covered seating area on the left side, which is a nice little perk. We got ours for the 5:00pm show, figuring it would get us out of the sunlight. We then took a stroll across Future World over to the Living Seas Pavilion. Once we made our way downstairs via hydrolator, we stopped off at the gift shop. Jeanne had wanted to buy a stuffed Nemo for her daughter, but they only had some cheesy boxed one, not the real Disney plush. I think it was Playskool, or one of those brands, not Disney. She bought it anyway, and also got a real Disney plush Dory. We briefly checked out the marine exhibits, then left and walked over to Fountainview Bakery, where we got a chocolate croissant, which was good, but not nearly as good as the ones at the Main St Bakery in the MK. We then went back to Mission Space, and rode it twice using our FPs. After the 2nd trip to Mars, we found a father and son outside, and gave them our last set of FPs. I really love MS, and think its a great addition to Epcot. The launch sequence is amazing, and it really makes you feel like youre taking off. We also both love to play around and flip switches and push buttons during the flight, if you do that they make all sorts of beeping and buzzing noises. One of these trips well try out the exhibits and games at the exit to the ride, but it always seems to be too crowded, even on off times. I recently found out how to play the Mission Space game online, and have done it a few times, but its no comparison to actually being in Epcot.
We then took a walk over to Test Track, but there was a 75 minute standby line, and the FP window wasnt until 3:30pm, by which time we planned on being firmly ensconced in World Showcase. So, we decided not to try TT, but we did go in through the gift shop area, and went to the GM display area near the rides exit. Every time I go to TT, I use the kiosk they have in the GM display to send info to one of my co-workers, Andy, who really enjoys getting the phone calls from GM salesmen, and the related brochures. This has been going on for several years, and
he retaliates against me by doing the same when he goes away. I just punch in his info ( work address and number), and type in that he wants to buy a GM product within the next few months. I usually check on the most expensive GM products, which seems to generate more calls for him. He also has a nice display of Cadillac and Hummer brochures all over his desk thanks to me!!
After my assignment at TT was done, we walked to World Showcase, via the Mexico side. We stopped off at the Cantina San Angel, the outside lunch pavilion. Jeanne had the combo plate, I had the wet burrito ( which I really love ), and a coke. The tab came to $18, but for being able to eat a lunch outside overlooking the Epcot lagoon, it was priceless. There is really nowhere Id rather be that at Epcot. Once we finished our lunchtime repast, we walked inside the Mexico pavilion. Jeanne did some shopping, looking for things for her kids, and I wandered around inside. I walked into a small room off the main room, on the side where the ride entrance is, and found a kiosk that allows you to make a video postcard. I had never noticed this in here before. It included a Day of the Dead postcard, which would put your face on a dancing skeleton. It looked like fun, so I went through the commands, and when the time comes, it tells you to face the camera and move your head for 10 seconds. I completed the video, and when it played back, it was hilarious. I sent a copy to myself and my friend Sean at work. Unfortunately, neither one ever came through. In fact Sean was just down at Epcot in mid July, and he tried the same kiosk, and the one he sent to me didnt work, but at least I received that one. He said the one he sent himself at home worked once, but would not replay a second time. I then went back into the main room, and rejoined Jeanne who had purchase a few things. We then left the building, and walked slowly through World Showcase, stopping to examine the floral displays and topiaries, and pause for the occasional picture. We made our way to Japan, where I intended to buy one of the pearls from an oyster. My youngest daughter had told me she wanted a pearl ring from Japan, so this was a fun way to do it. I went to the counter, selected a ring setting, and paid for my oyster ( $25 & 13, total $48). I then picked my oyster and watched the clerk open it up. It was a bit over 7mm, and very nicely colored, but not big enough for the ceremonial drum roll they do when the pearl is over 7.5mm. The girl then put the pearl into the ring, taking about 10 minutes, and putting it in a little gift box. It came out very nicely. I had asked Janine before the trip what her ring size was, so they made sure we got the right size ring, and it ended up being a perfect fit.
Once we were finished with our shopping , we walked back out the IG exit, and to the Beach Club. We got our new room assignment, 2636, and while at the front desk we once again changed tonights dinner seating from Alfredos ( we had checked the menu while walking through Italy, and didnt really care for what they had) to Morocco. We then went up to our new room, along with Arneil, the bellman. He was a real treasure, a very pleasant man who seemed as excited to be at the Beach Club as we were. He provided exemplary service, and we noted his name on the customer survey we filled out after our return. This room was much nicer than our original room. It was a full size room, with two queen beds and a daybed, along with desk and dresser. There was also a full size balcony, with a nice garden courtyard view. This is what we had in mind when we booked the Beach Club. After getting settled in, and enjoying the balcony view, from which you could also see across to Boardwalk if you looked to the right, we changed into bathing suits and made our way down to Stormalong Bay. We went down, and were asked to show our ID by a CM, and then given a wristband for Stormalong. We spent about 40 minutes in the various waters of Stormalong, from the lazy river, to the waterfalls, to the whirlpool, and a few runs down the slide. The chairs were all taken, and it was rather crowded, but not uncomfortably so. We just found a spot on the ground for our towels and shirts, since no chairs were available. After having our fill of the water, we dried off, and went to Beaches & Cream, where we got two coke floats from the takeout side, which came to $8.50 ( a dollar more than at the MK). They definitely hit the spot, and were a perfect refreshment which we enjoyed on the back porch behind Beaches & Cream. We then made our way back up to our new and improved room, and changed into park attire. We then walked outside, and headed back to Epcot. Once we arrived at the gates, they told us the computer system was down, and the turnstiles werent working, but they looked at our APs, and let us in. We first stopped at the UK, where Jeanne bought a cat shaped tea cup, which set her back $14. We then hit the walk-up bar outside the currently closed Rose & Crown, and I ordered a pint o Bass, while Jeanne had a glass of Merlot, which came to $15 for the two, rather steep in my opinion for generic Merlot and a pint. We then took a leisurely walk to the USA for the Arlo show. We arrived with time to spare, showed our wristbands, and were seated in the third row on the left side, facing the stage. It was a nice place to be, especially out of the hot sun. Arlo came on with his band, and they were great. His band consists of his daughter Sarah, her husband, Arlos son ( I think, but not sure), and someone else. For those expecting a rehash of Alices Restaurant, or the Motorcycle song, this was not what was in store. He did several of his songs, some traditional stuff, and quite a few of his famous dads songs. The first show contained the following songs : Chilling Of The Evening
My Front Pages
Oklahoma Hills
The Sinking Of The Reuben James ( this was excellent)
Dead Or Alive
Gypsy Davey
St. James Infirmary
Green, Green Rocky Road
After the show ended, we loved it so much we decided to blow off dinner ( which only made sense considering how many times we had changed our PS for tonight), and decided to catch the next two Arlo shows. We wandered a bit, had a kaki-gori from Japan, and then settled in for the 7:00pm show, and got to sit in the AP section once again, when they dropped the rope right at the start of the show, as it wasnt full. We got almost the exact same spot this time. The second set consisted of :
San Francisco Bay Blues
Moon Song
Dr. King (Sarah and Johnny)
Back By Popular Demand
Coming Into Los Angeles
City Of New Orleans ( great version, preceded by a story about how he came to sing the song, in which he told about Steve Goodman, the author, approaching him in a bar in 1971, and asking him to listen to the song. Arlo agreed to do so for a beer, and the rest is history.)
We then stuck around the theater for the final show, ending up in the center of the seating area, front row in the outside area. It was a great spot, and when the show came on, I was able to get some fantastic pictures. Prior to the 8:15pm show, Arlo came out for autographs and pictures, and I got in line, but a couple of people spent so much time gabbing with him, only a few got to meet him. One girl spent a good three minutes with him, when there were about 100 on line, and a 15 minute time limit for him to meet us all. The final set consisted of the following songs, and an Epcot America Gardens first, at least for me, an encore:
Third Set:
You And Me
Patriot's Dream
Me and Bobby McGee
My Old Friend
Pickin' ( bluegrass instrumental)
This Land Is Your Land (Annie, Jacklyn and Olivia join in)
Encore: (A first for an Arlo show at Epcot)
More of This Land Is Your Land....
This was one of the best shows I have ever caught at Epcot, and really made me appreciate his music. The show finally ended at 8:50pm due to the unscripted encore, and we decided to skip Illuminations, and head to MGM for the late showing of Fantasmic. We knew wed be cutting it close , but we wanted to give it a try. We made it to the BC dock and were able to see a good part of Reflections of Earth while waiting for our boat. The boat finally arrived at BC, and the female skipper was pretty snotty when we said we were going to MGM. She tried to tell us it was closing, and there was no late showing of Fantasmic, but we had double checked with guest relations, and they had told us there was a 10:30pm showing tonight. She even called in on the radio as if to prove us wrong, and found out there was a late showing. Rather than apologize, she seemed pissed that she would have to take people back to MGM ( which was where she was heading anyway). We arrived at MGM at 9:50pm, and had plenty of time to get to Fantasmic. In fact, they hadnt even let people into the amphitheater when we got in line, but once they opened the ropes, the line moved smoothly. We ended up just to the left of center, in the rear of the bleachers, a very good spot. The place ended up about half full, I wonder if some people had changed their minds about coming due to the mis- informed skipper. We had a wonderful time at the show, and when it was over , took our time walking out. The crowds were not too bad, and we made the first boat back once we reached the dock. We decided to go to the Boardwalk, and find some late night grub, since we had skipped dinner. We first tried ESPN, but the dining room was closed ( it was only 11:10pm, I thought they served food till 1am or so). They told us they did have some appetizer items available at the bar, but we passed on that. We decided to try the BW take out pizza window, and eat on the Boardwalk overlooking the lake. We ordered a large pepperoni pizza, Jeanne ordered a glass of Sangria, and I had a coke. The total came to $20.42. The pizza was ok, nothing special, but as at lunch, the view and atmosphere were priceless. We took our time, sitting at a table just enjoying being there. We then took a slow stroll back to the Beach Club, and sat on our balcony talking and relaxing until bedtime at 1:00am.....
Stay tuned for the next part.....
