My First Trip Report or Just how many jackets can we buy? ***Last day added, pg 4**

[winniedapooh]

Add another fan...and the pressure is on, lol! Keep 'em comming.

 

[wvgoofyfan]

So, who will volunteer to keep the official fan count list?

 

[triton20]

Great report. You have me remembering my last trip in Oct. 2004. We are huge L.S.U. fans. Every other year we play the gators in Gainsville and we make that trip then on to WDW for a week for the F&W. On our first full day my wife decided to sleep in and meet me later. We stay at the BCV, so I walked over to Epcot and just took in the sights and people watched. Off Kilter was about to start so I got a beer and sat down to enjoy. Great show! Then I eased over to England and got a beer and watched the beatles. Then over a country and another beer and show. Then back to Canada and repeated the process. When my wife joined me I was really having a great time and handed her a pocket full of those reciepts for $4.50. Great day! We will be back this Oct.8 thru 13. at BCV. Sounds like a SUDS and MUSIC meet to me!

Peanut

 

[WDW LOVR]

Great report. You have me remembering my last trip in Oct. 2004. We are huge L.S.U. fans. Every other year we play the gators in Gainsville and we make that trip then on to WDW for a week for the F&W. On our first full day my wife decided to sleep in and meet me later. We stay at the BCV, so I walked over to Epcot and just took in the sights and people watched. Off Kilter was about to start so I got a beer and sat down to enjoy. Great show! Then I eased over to England and got a beer and watched the beatles. Then over a country and another beer and show. Then back to Canada and repeated the process. When my wife joined me I was really having a great time and handed her a pocket full of those reciepts for $4.50. Great day! We will be back this Oct.8 thru 13. at BCV. Sounds like a SUDS and MUSIC meet to me!

Peanut

We'll keep it in mind. If our first Dis-meet is any indication it would be a good time (I'm writing day 3 right now and it has our meeting with other Dis members included).

Thanks for all the kind compliments although I'm not sure I can live with all the pressure.

 

[Minniespal]

Enjoyed reading your report ~ Thanx for sharing.

 

[Grammyof2]

Sounds like a great trip. Thanks for sharing.

 

[WDW LOVR]

Part 3 of our Anniversary trip to the World. Our second full day at WDW.

Lets recap: Discover some money we don’t have plans for, schedule a last minute trip to WDW, nice flight, POFQ, Earl of Sandwich – good except coleslaw stinks, Adventurers Club for 7 too many martini’s, dancin with America’s youth at the Rock and Roll Beach Club and purchase a shirt for the wife to cover up with. First full day: Sleep late, Empty bus ride to Epcot, inhale food, inhale more food, band watch, restroom adventure confirms cell phone coverage stinks in Biergarten and purchase a shirt for the wife to cover up with.

Our day begins a bit earlier than the previous day. A lot earlier. Possibly due to the fact we were in bed quite early last night instead of making fools of ourselves on the dance floors at PI. And not having anywhere close to the number of drinks they forced us to drink at PI either. I actually got to watch Mike and Mike on ESPN2 do their morning show from MGM as it was the beginning of ESPN-The weekend. Our goal for the day is to go to AK and ride EE for the first time. We’d like to wait in the standby line so we can check out how the area is themed. That is one of the bad things about FP in our opinion. You don’t get to enjoy all the wonderful little touches the Imagineers put into a ride or show. After some time at AK its off to Epcot for our first ever Dis-meet and then we’ll see where the day takes us.

As we’re getting ready, Laurie mentions that I shouldn’t get too excited for EE as it might not be running. It is still in it’s soft opening stage. I don’t believe her. I know it’s still in soft openings, but they wouldn’t do that to me would they? Not after getting all the propaganda in the mail to come and visit for EE’s AP/DVC special weekend in January. She’s just messing with my mind. Or maybe she’s just trying to calm me down a bit as I do become something of a spaz while at the World. Right on cue, Mike Golic on Mike and Mike says when their show is over he’s heading over to AK to ride that “new ride”. I can’t believe it. He doesn’t deserve to ride the thing if he doesn’t even know it’s name. But that really doesn’t matter that much to me. It just confirms the ride will be running today. Disney would never have one of their guys say something like that on the air if the thing wasn’t up and running. I throw that right back in Laurie’s face. HA! Right again. Just like men finishing their restroom visits faster than women.

We head out to the bus stop and there are quite a few more people this morning. I guess that’s typical if you get out of bed before lunch. Or so I’ve heard. We still won’t be there for rope drop, but not too long after so we’re hopeful we can get on EE in good order. That’s the only real object for us at AK. Not that we don’t enjoy the place, but we’re going back with the kids in June and will spend a couple days there then, so we’re not too worried about spending a lot of time there this trip. We get to AK, get through the entrance and head straight to EE. As we approach we get that uneasy feeling. No trains popping out of the mountain. Well, maybe it’s just getting warmed up. We walk across the bridge just past Tarzan Rocks and we’re beginning to really not like what’s shaping up. CM’s guarding the entrance and no one in line. We ask the CM’s for the scoop. NOT RUNNING TODAY. Ok, maybe, just maybe late this evening, but more likely tomorrow, but that’s still not assured. I go into my best pitty party act. “We came all the way from Ohio just to ride this ride. It was our sole purpose for flying here this weekend. No other reason.” Sorry. Sorry? Sorry don’t cut it mister. I know what’s going on. You’re just waiting for all the ESPN-The Weekend stars to show up and those NFL/MBL/NBA stars don’t want to ride the thing with us commoners. The puzzled look on the CM’s face tells me I might be mistaken. What’s this world coming to? I press the issue. “Mike Golic said on Mike and Mike this morning on ESPN2 that he was going to come over here and ride EE. You know ESPN2, one of YOUR many Networks? The one that’s having their own Weekend here today and tomorrow? Who’s Mike Golic he asks? Ok, this is either a really good act or he really doesn’t have a clue what I’m talking about. I go through the whole deal again about only the big stars riding today and he says the big stars are going to be quite disappointed as what they are doing to the ride today is not going to allow it to run until at least late in the day at the earliest. DRATS, foiled again. Laurie’s right two days in a row. That’s got to be some kind of record doesn’t it?

Ok, now we’re totally depressed. To console ourselves we decide to get something to eat and then decide what to do until our scheduled Dis-meet at Rose and Crown at 3:00. We walk past Flame Tree BBQ and decide we normally eat there with the kids so lets go over and eat at Tusker House. We mope our way along, watching the monkeys on the island jungle gym looking thing, trying to smile at the kids getting cozy with King Louie and Baloo (but to no avail, we’re too sad from no EE) and dodge people who think we’re invisible. Ok, don’t even go there. That’s a whole nother thread that will make the Dr. increase my blood pressure medication. That just adds to our sadness. We get to Tusker House about 10 minutes before they start serving lunch. That’s ok, lets go out back and find a table and then they’ll be ready to serve us our comfort food. I go back in to get our food. Laurie gets the chicken dinner and I get a chicken salad, knowing full well that I’ll be finishing the chicken dinner. I come back to our table and Laurie is giggling. She’s out of the slump. Hopefully she can bring me out of mine. I ask what’s so funny and she points me to a table a few feet away and said the lady on the far side of the table just got…um…how should I say this….white washed by a dove. That did it. Cracked me up. It’s happened to both of us before at the beach, so we’re laughing with her, not at her. Yeah right…who we trying to kid, we’re laughing at her. Not loud mind you, we don’t want to rub salt in the wound, but definitely at her. That just brought us back to the Disney state of mind. So much so that we notice how well themed the dining area is out behind the Tusker House. Never really paid attention before, but that is one of the other things that keeps us coming back to Disney. The attention to detail is amazing. Why would you go to that much trouble for a simple dining area in back of a restaurant? There was even a tape recording coming from inside one of the buildings to give you the impression it was a real hotel. Too cool. That’s what we love about the place. Anyway, we finish lunch, and yes I finish Laurie’s chicken and we walk out through the Dawa Bar without stopping for a drink. Ok, I’ll give you a little time to recover. …………………………………………............................................................... ...…………………………………………………………………………………There you breathing again? I know that’s hard to believe, but we decide to just head to Epcot by way of the Boardwalk. We want to stop in the ESPN Club and check out the gift shop. It’s almost like a tradition. Every time we go to Disney without the kids we’ll pick up something from the ESPN Club for them.

We hop aboard the: Blizzard Beach/Winterland minature golf/Swan/Dolphin/Yacht/Beach Club/Boardwalk bus. Yeah, I think the direct flight from Detroit to Orlando was quicker than this bus getting to the Boardwalk. For what you have to pay for a room at one of those resorts you’d think you could get a dedicated bus, or at least a bus that doesn’t have to make a restroom stop at the Swan for all the passengers continuing on to the Boardwalk. We decide to hop off the bus at the Swan and walk to the Boardwalk. It has to be quicker and being the finely tuned athletes we are, it shouldn’t be a problem. We were correct. Off the bus, directly through the lobby, hang a left and we’re walking across the bridge to the Boardwalk in no time. That’s a tip to remember as we’re staying at the BWV for part of our June trip and all of our Oct, adults only, F+W trip. Now those will be some trip reports to remember. It’ll be a vettechick vs. wdw lovr - F+W trip report showdown. Actually not, we’d love to show up in her trip report as yeagerbomb drinkin, cheese eatin, beer guzzling, wine tasting, kindred spirits.

We stroll down the Boardwalk enjoying the sights and sounds. While we’ve enjoyed all of the resorts we’ve stayed at on site, the Boardwalk is our favorite. Not sure what it is, but it just seems like, Home. We run in the Greendoor to see if they have a DVC pullover or fleece jacket. Denied. I guess there’s only going to be one person on this trip going home with new clothes and we all know who that is. On to the ESPN Club to pick out a shirt or two for the kids. We find one for our youngest, although at almost 14 he’s more of a young man than a child anymore. Sniffle, sniffle….they grow up so fast. Should we ship it back to the room Laurie asks? I suggest we just take it with us and put it in a locker so she’ll have something to wear when she gets cold tonight. Not if, when. Off to Epcot we go. Through the entrance, purchase a locker from a CM telling the lady in front of me about his religious awakening and we’re making a bee line for the Rose and Crown for another of those DDE discounted rounds. Man I love that DDE card.

We’re still a few hours early for our Dis-meet and Off Kilter isn’t playing today so we decide to make a quick lap around the world, not necessarily drinking around the world (as all certified LOTW know that’s a drink in every country) but grabbing a drink in whatever country we happen to be passing when the previous one is empty. We stop in France for another round of champagne in our plastic crystal (we’re trying for a set you know). Grab a Kirin light (finely tuned athletes watching their figures drink light beer) in Japan and a Peroni for me and a Bellini for the little woman in Italy. As we’re approaching Germany an uneasiness comes over us. Dare we return to the scene of yesterdays pain and abandonment? What the heck, I’m empty and a glass of German wine sounds good. Just don’t make me go back in the Biergarten. I might break down, and a big man who can consume mass quantities of food and drink losing it in the restaurant might be bad for business. I guess I’ll have to get some therapy before our ADR for the Biergarten on June 18. We make it through Germany without incident and on our way we go. It’s getting towards our Dis-meet time so I suggest to Laurie we hit Mexico for a Margarita and then head to the Rose and Crown. I see an apprehensive look on Laurie’s face. Laurie is one of the most fun, friendly people you’d ever meet, but she’s not comfortable around people she doesn’t know. Meeting a group of people she’s never met, even though they’re Dis’ers, makes her nervous. She actually says she’s hopeful that our group turns out to be a bunch of zero’s so we can drink one beer and then make an excuse to take off. Me, I’m just the opposite. We can meet and 30 seconds later you’re my best friend and I’ll buy you all the DDE discounted beers you can drink.

We step into the Rose and Crown and scan the pub for Bill from PA. Bill and his wife Mary have their picture (in the Pub of course) posted in their Disboard signature so it shouldn’t be too hard to find them. We have always enjoyed Bill’s posts on the Dis and when we figured out we would be at WDW the same time they were I immediately sent Bill an email to try and arrange a meet. I told Bill I’d buy the first round and that was all it took. Just kidding. Actually Bill replied that he had already set up a meet with 3 other Dis’ers for this time on Friday and we were welcome to join them. I spot the group along the window left of the main door and stroll over to introduce ourselves. Our Dis-group consisted of Bill from PA, Cindie-rella, suevee, Hawk and spouses all around. Well, drinking a quick one and getting out of Dodge wasn’t going to happen. That’s right, everyone was great. We had a blast. I don’t want to copy Bill’s trip report, but the Dis broke the ice and shortly it was enjoyable conversation for all, at least in my semi-drinking lap around the world mind it was. There was some good natured ribbing as we had oil company employees (us), lawyers and teachers to make jokes about. Too bad there wasn’t an engineer in the group or we could have had a field day. 2 or more hours go by, which seem like minutes and we decide to venture back out into the world. Bill mentions that he and Mary have Jellyrolls plans this evening which is exactly what Laurie and I had been thinking was in our future. Maybe we’ll see you there I say and out the door we go.

The next couple hours are spent wandering around the world, listening to the British Invasion and Mo’roccan and enjoying the day…..and more drinks. Yep, it’s gonna be one of those days at Epcot. Around 8:00 we’re in the Japan vicinity so of course sushi comes to mind. Matasnoma Lounge is a great place to finish an evening at Epcot. With the sun setting and the day winding down, it’s just a very relaxing way to complete the day. And Sushi Good. If sushi didn’t cost so much I’d eat it two or three times a week. We have our raw fish…you know, the kind that they give you the warning about not eating raw or undercooked food with? Drink sake…it kills the bacteria from the raw fish…at least that’s what they say. Swish it around in your mouth. That gets all the little nooks and crannies. And Laurie thinks my breath is bad after the Listerine in the mornings? I think it's just a ploy to make the 758 steps down from the place all that much more of a challenge. Kind of like a natural selection thing. If you have too much sake (and all the other worldly libations) the Darwin affect takes over as you miss step 3 and tumble the rest of the way down, breaking your neck and multiple other bones as you go.

HA! But we’ve tricked them. Long ago we were on a mission to find a place to watch illuminations and as we were finishing the last bit of Survivor chow the idea hit us. Why not just watch from the balcony of the restaurant? Of course, the ½ dozen other people gathering there and the paragraph in one of the Disney guide books saying it’s a great place to watch helped also. A full Illuminations show with 10 minutes of pre-fireworks hip checking people out of our space on the balcony sober you up just enough to make it down the stairs. And trust me. Take the front stairs. That landing part way down is a lot better way to go as you only have to fall half way before coming to a stop.

With Illuminations done we successfully navigate the stairs and make a left turn towards the Boardwalk. A short walk later and we’re heading into one of the most fun places at Disney World. Jellyrolls. We’ve never not had a good time there. Big crowd, small crowd, Michigan people, it doesn’t matter. The place is a blast. We find a second row table pretty close to center stage and settle in for an evening of singing at the top of our lungs. That’s what makes Jellyrolls so much fun. No American Idol’s here and no one cares how bad your voice is. You’re a star, at least for one evening. As has become tradition for us, I request “Hang on Sloopy”. I make sure to attach quite a bit more than the standard $1 or $5 as at least one of the regular pianomen is from Michigan (although he’s from a town called Bad Axe. How cool of a name is that? And Michigan isn’t all bad. Anything north of Flint is a great place to visit, especially the UP, eh?). Ok, I’m sure most of you are sitting around reading this and thinking to yourselves, is he still drunk writing this? Drunk yes, still from Disney, no. Hey, give the guy a break. It’s been a bad couple days at work. Anyway, the story was related to me as such (I’m not that old ya know). A number of years ago The Ohio State Buckeye’s marching band (TBDBITL, you Buckeyes out there will know what I’m talking about) started playing Hang on Sloopy during football games. Well, some ingenious fans decided to insert during the pauses in the chorus: O-H-I-O, of course spelling out the letters with their arms and yelling at the top of their lungs. Soon it became such a tradition that the State of Ohio legislature passed a resolution making Hang on Sloopy the official state rock and roll song. Back to the present. So any self respecting Buckeye has a duty to request Hang on Sloopy when they are at Jellyrolls. Every time we’ve been there and requested the song there have been at least a few other people from Ohio who knew just what to do. But not this time. Luckily the Pianomen have learned the story so when we were the only ones screaming O-H-I-O at the top of our lungs the song was stopped so an explanation could be made to the crowd what the lunatics were doing. Well, they restarted the song and most of the crowd joined in. It brought a tear to my eye. No losers from up north in this crowd .

I return from a quick trip to the modernized facilities (yes, I know where to find Laurie this time) and as I sit down Laurie tells me that Bill and Mary from our Dis-meet are sitting a few rows behind us at the rail. I wave my arm at them and motion “if you want to join us we have room”. Fantastic, they hop out of their seats and join us at our table. The evening goes too fast, as do the multiple light beer varieties being drunk at the table. Around midnight Bill and Mary tell us they have to leave as their kids and grandkids are joining them tomorrow. Of course before they left Bill had the waitress bring Laurie and I another beer. And somehow Bill must have been ordering them from their room at the Swan because they just kept magically appearing on our table. We echo Bill's trip report in hoping to again be at WDW when they are some time in the future so we can share a cold one with them.

We had vowed to ourselves we wouldn’t stay until they closed as we have done so many times in the past. It’s just so hard to leave when you’re having such a good time. But somehow we convince ourselves to leave around 1:30 or so. Down the Boardwalk we stumble praying there is a cab waiting out front to haul us back to POFQ. YES, two cabs standing by. I know they’re expensive, but after a night at Jellyrolls or PI a cab is the only way to go. Home James! To the FQ! A few minutes later we’re strolling the narrow streets of New Orleans, or so it seems after an adults day at Disney, searching for 1208 Rue de slumber. Success, we find the room with not too much trouble. Safely back in the room, we do what all old married couples do…go to sleep. Just kidding, we celebrate our anniversary a day late like 2 people who are enjoying a trip to WDW for their 21st anniversary. Hey, we’re not that old ya know.

And oh yeah, the ESPN shirt for the boy worked quite nicely in keeping the bride warm.

Tomorrow: Our last day at the World or I AM getting me a nice jacket today!

 

[DeterminedOne]

I'm having such a good time reading your reports. Please don't make me wait too long for installment 4. I need to know if you got to ride Everest!

 

[tammyandtommy]

This trip report was awesome, I am hoping TOm and I can loosen up on our anniversary trip without the kids. Sounds like you guys have figured that out! Keep the report coming!

 

[MazdaUK]

Loving your reports! I think it is the Florida heat that makes the drinks "evaporate" - central heating has the same effect in the UK

 

[pooksma]

Great stuff! You did not disappoint! I was worried the pressure might get to you.

 

[Bill From PA]

Hey, Scott, another great chapter. I've got some catching up to do in the writing department, but in the next 20 days we book our BWV and airfare for the '07 trip, so it's the end of one and the beginning of another.

Bill

 

[bigsis1970]

Great Report -- Love reading about everyone's fun trips while counting down my own!! Michelle

 

[Hawk]

Ok WDW LOVR – Great Reports. It was great seeing you, Laurie and the Dis gang at R&C. We had a great time. I hope you had a great anniversary trip. Started the planning for Feb/Mar 2007. I will have to visit Jellyrolls as it appears to be a favorite of yours and Bill From PA. I hope we get to see all you folks again. Keep the posts rolling!

Tim/Hawk

 

[tmtg]

wow your trip sounds like a blast! It's making me think of writing one after mine. Just out of curiosity how much are u spending on drinks a day, and do you have any suggestions of good places that don't overcharge for drinks?

 

[WDW LOVR]

wow your trip sounds like a blast! It's making me think of writing one after mine. Just out of curiosity how much are u spending on drinks a day, and do you have any suggestions of good places that don't overcharge for drinks?

It was a blast as you've probably read. To answer your questions, A) a ton and B) At Disney World? You've got to be kidding!

Ok, seriously, when we go to the World with our 2 kids we budget $400 for a day at Epcot (where we drink). That $400 includes food which is usually one sitdown meal that runs around $100 and one counter service meal that runs $50 or so and probably $50 more for water, powerade and snacks. So that leaves $200 for drinks and we always have money left over so I would guess $100-$150 on booze.

Our night at Jellyrolls was $65 (including tip). Not sure about PI. There sure were a lot of room charge reciepts for $11.50 (guess that's the cost of a bombay saphire martini and a cosmo). Surprisingly, the drinks at Jellyrolls and DTD are about as close to reasonable as you'll get at WDW, but that's still a stretch.

I'm working on the last day of our trips Report. Probably have it up by the weekend. Then only 2 months til our 9 night trip with the kids (and DS17's GF, ). Boy won't those be some interesting Trip reports?

Hawk, We too would like to see you/Bill again. I'm already pondering how we can get back there for next years anniversary!

 

[tmtg]

Ok well I was thinking that it was expensive, but I just wanted to make sure that there weren't any good places to get some drinks, since I'd be pretty upset if I overpayed. My inital alchol budget was about $150-200 for 2 trips to Pleasure Island and one trip to Jellyrolls/Atlantic dance hall, but now I'm thinking that I'm gonna have to double that amount since it seems like it's $10/drink.

Can you charge drinks to your hotel card everywhere (and can it include the tip too?) Does it cost you more if you do?

I won't ask anymore questions since I want you to finish your last day asap!

 

[Ron from Michigan]

I am enjoying your reports. We did the same thing as you on our last trip, spent the day listening to the bands at Epcot. I think we watched Off Kilter three times that day. We also saw the Voices of Liberty several times also.

 

[WDW LOVR]

Ok well I was thinking that it was expensive, but I just wanted to make sure that there weren't any good places to get some drinks, since I'd be pretty upset if I overpayed. My inital alchol budget was about $150-200 for 2 trips to Pleasure Island and one trip to Jellyrolls/Atlantic dance hall, but now I'm thinking that I'm gonna have to double that amount since it seems like it's $10/drink.

Can you charge drinks to your hotel card everywhere (and can it include the tip too?) Does it cost you more if you do?

I won't ask anymore questions since I want you to finish your last day asap!

U.S. or Canadian funds? Sorry, couldn't resist. And being 1/4 Canadian I feel I can make fun of us (see trip report 3rd day). First, yes you can charge drinks to your room key most places (PI at Adventurers Club, Rock and Roll Beach Club for sure). Jellyrolls = NO, cash or credit card only. Atlantic dance I think is no. I think the most expensive drinks are around $7.00-8.00 at Epcot. I would think $300 for 2 trips to PI and one trip to Jellyrolls would be close. I would skip Atlantic dance. It's a nice place, but in the 3 times we've gone we've seen a total of probably 50 people. It's just never been terribly busy. Of course we might have just hit the wrong nights. That would be a shame because it's a pretty neat club, just never any people.

 

[WDW LOVR]

I am enjoying your reports. We did the same thing as you on our last trip, spent the day listening to the bands at Epcot. I think we watched Off Kilter three times that day. We also saw the Voices of Liberty several times also.

It's a nice way to spend a day isn't it? I'm impressed. You're from Michigan and no comments about day 3's trip report and the Michigan comments. You must be a MSU fan. MSU = Ok. Just like Bill from PA who is a Penn State fan. We told him in our Dis-meet that we root for the Big 10, except for UM. We hope they lose every game. Sorry to offend any "M" fans, but hey, if you see us at Rose and Crown, just don't tell us you're UM fans before we buy you a drink!