My Wonderful Trip To WDW

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My first wonderful day at WDW

I won’t bore you with the events leading up to my flight since I’m sure that it is approximately the same as everyone else. But on the flight from Hartford on Monday, Oct. 2, I watched two episodes of Supernatural on my portable DVD player. The first was “Monster In a Lake” about a murdered child exacting revenge on those who did him in many years before. The second was “Phantom Traveler” about unexplained air crashes!!! It ends with our two heroes performing an exorcism on the demon-possessed airplane to avoid it from crashing. Talk about timing.

Anyway, we touch downed at 9:58 AM and took the train to the terminal. Went down to Level 1, where the DME was located. There were many, many cast members assisting the arrivees to their buses. Mine was #29. Fernando was my driver and the trip took 30 minutes going to the Caribbean Beach Resort, Boardwalk, Beach Club, and, finally, the Yacht Club.

The weather is beautiful if a bit warm, no, hot! We arrived under white, fluffy clouds and an azure sky. Kind of reminds me of Las Vegas until I look at the horizon---no mountains.

Observation on the ride in: Seems like the real estate boom is over. I see many half-finished buildings and wonder if they will ever be completed.

At 11:00, we entered WDW and it feels funny riding on the bus without seat belts, after the drive to Bradley and the flight. First stop is the CBR which looks laid back. We lost most of the passengers here. I wished those who left to have a nice time. Eleven passengers are left. At 11:10 we arrived at the BW. Was that couple on a honeymoon? She was wearing a veil on her head. (NOTE: I noticed this a number of times during my stay and figured that maybe it was a fashion statement, not a statement of one’s marital status.)

We arrived at the Beach Club at 11:14 and the Yacht Club at 11:18. I am having a low blood sugar attack and have no candy or orange juice to relieve it. I signed in and originally asked for a room close to the lobby since I use a cane. They had three rooms: one on the second floor that was ready, one on the fourth and another one on the second that weren’t. I asked which had the best view of Illuminations. I was told that probably the room on the fourth. I opted for that room. Now I had to find something to do for the next few hours.

First, I went to the gift shop and bought some OJ and chocolate covered peanuts and sat in the lobby trying to end the low blood sugar. I still have those chocolate covered peanuts. I finally got myself going and walked from the YC to EPCOT. (That was a mistake. I would learn by the time I wanted to return to the YC to take the boat.)

My first stop at World Showcase was at the Rose and Crown. I was seated by David from London (about 6’3” or 6’4”) and served by Jill from Glasgow. I had a wonderful meal of fish and chips. Now with a full stomach, I figured I would walk it off around WS.

I arrived at the American Adventure at 2:45 and went in for the 3:00 show. A group of singers in the lobby preceded the show. They were wonderful and when they sang “When Johnny Comes Marching Home” they were great. As someone who had a brother, Johnny, who never came marching home, the words and music have always held a special place in my heart, if not my psyche.

The show was, as expected, fine.

I then walked to the International Gateway but could not take another step, so I gratefully took the Friendship. A boat never looked so good in my life.

((As an aside, I have a bum (arthritic) knee. I was supposed to have a partial knee replacement on March 27 of this year. Never happened because my heart arrested. It took eight minutes to get me going again. Now my orthopedic surgeon will not operate on me. “You flatlined on me once, Charlie. You are not going to do it again.” Funny thing is I don’t have a bad heart. I have a very good and strong heart, according to my cardiologist. Subsequent to the event of March, I passed a stress test (chemical) with flying colors. In fact, this was one of the motivating factors for me taking this trip. I wanted to see if my knee would hold up. As I found out, it didn’t.))

Anyway, I finally made it back to the YC and discovered I was in room 4061. I wouldn’t find out how good that room was until I saw Illuminations from the balcony. I could not have had a better seat to view the fireworks unless I was actually in EPCOT.

At 7:30, I was still itching to go so I walked (mistake!!) to the Boardwalk. This took about 25 minutes and I was hoping to make it to ESPN to catch MNF. However, there was a line to get in and I didn’t feel like waiting. So I went to the Boardwalk Bakery and bought some goodies. Then I caught the boat back to the YC and ate dinner in the Galley. The food (braised beef sandwich and Boston cream pie) was surprisingly good. My server was Melissa (cute and talkative).

By this time, I had missed Illuminations but I wouldn’t in the following days.

My exhausting (but still wonderful) day 2 at WDW

On this day, Oct. 3, I got up at 6:20 AM which is my normal waking hour at home. By 7:00, I was down at the Galley for coffee and a Mickey Waffle. That was it because I’m not a fan of a big meal and, in fact, at home I would have had just the coffee. But how could I turn down Mickey?

I caught the 8:00 bus to the Animal Kingdom and, at one of the stops, a family of three or four boarded. The father was riding an electric cart, an ECV, and the mother was pushing a largish 3-wheeled stroller. Little did I know that I would be seeing many of these vehicles in the next few days and that I would be riding one of them. (No, not the stroller!)

I got to the AK at about 8:25 and called my wife. When the park opened at 9:00, I made my way to Africa and after a minimal wait (less than five minutes) boarded the Kilimanjaro Safaris. The ride was wonderful. This was followed by a trek on the Pangani Forest Exploration Trail. During this walk, I went into the research center but left quickly when I heard a voice behind me say “Look at that spider” or words to that effect.

Next, I headed to Asia and rode the Kali River Rapids. Again, I had just a minimal wait. At this time, I am guessing that when the park opened, everyone raced to Expedition Everest. As for the Rapids, I noted that the ride was good but not awesome. It was shorter than I expected but again this is not a water park. I followed this with a hike on the Maharajah Jungle Trek. It was an interesting walk with nice views of fruit bats (in their own little section), tigers, exotic birds, etc. I did not see any Komodo dragons, however.

Then we come to Expedition Everest. I did not have to wait long to be admitted. The ride is INTENSE!! I found the most stressful part was going backwards after our path was blocked by broken rails. Forward I can take. Backward was terrifying (at least for me, the other riders seemed to enjoy(?) the ride). Once I disembarked, I made a commitment to myself---Once is enough!!! But Everest wouldn’t be finished with me as I would find out in subsequent days.

I missed Flights of Wonder in Asia due to the timing of the show. I thought I would get back to it but, alas, that was not possible.

For lunch, I figured I would try out the Flame Tree Barbecue, a counter service restaurant on Discovery Island. I had the barbecued pork sandwich. It was delicious but I was not thrilled with the restaurant itself. I am not a fan of eating outside (at home, I have to grin and bear it) and with all the birds about, I’m surprised that no unhealthy accidents occur. I wonder what my son would think: he is a public health inspector who routinely inspects restaurants?

By this time, it is just Noon hour but with all the walking, I am dog-tired. But I do decide to take in DinoLand U.S.A. I thought to myself that I will do this quickly and then go to the buses. Obviously, DinoLand is primarily a children’s park. However, since one of my rationales for this trip to WDW is to scout for my grandson (soon to be grandsons) I opted to go to the Boneyard. A young person would love this area with the “fossils”, the sliding tubes, and the soft surface. A great place. The other attraction that I entered was Dinosaur. After Everest, I must admit I had a nervous apprehension about this ride. What I read about it indicated that it was intense and somewhat terrifying. But what the heck, I survived Everest, didn’t I? My curiosity got the best of me and I entered the dark.

Dinosaur was a very pleasant surprise. Yes, it was intense but only about half as intense as Everest. (However, I think that it would be too terrifying to young children.) The effects were impressive. After the ride, I decided to purchase a photo of my ride. I’m to pick it up at the gift shop at the YC.

I exited the park and went to section C3 where I would catch the bus back to YC. I was so tired I literally collapsed on a bench. After some 10 or 15 minutes, the bus came and by the time we arrived back at the resort, it was 2:30. My plans included going upstairs and taking a nice hot shower. However, when I arrived at 4061, I discovered that it wasn’t done yet. I asked the maid working on another room, as nicely as I could, if my room would be ready soon. She responded that it wasn't her room but that she would inform the woman who was doing my room that I was waiting for it to be cleaned. I went downstairs and hung around the lobby and, finally, at 3:15, the room was ready.

Despite my exhaustion, I decided to go to the Magic Kingdom. I caught the bus and when I got there, I discovered that the park was only moderately crowded. I knew that I wouldn’t see many attractions because I was going to visit the MK again. I went to see Pirates of the Caribbean and discovered that my memories of this attraction were correct. It is a great experience. Not so with The Enchanted Tiki Room Under New Management, however. I was greatly disappointed with this attraction. When I saw it years ago, I thought that it was wonderful. It was corny but I like corn. Now, I just found the birds loud and not so funny.

I tried to get into the Liberty Tree Tavern but was turned away. I had no reservations. I vowed to myself that I wouldn’t make that mistake again. Subsequently, I ate at the Columbia Harbour House. I had the Captain’s Plate. I personally think it was the plate that the Captain sent back to the kitchen. I definitely would not go there again.

I left the MK prior to the parade but not before I checked out a few stores where I would stock up on presents that I would bring home.

I arrived back at the YC and got a bite to eat at the Galley. Soon, I was in my room, talking to my wife, and watching Illuminations. What a view! The fireworks were almost directly over the lighthouse. How did I get so lucky?

On Day 3 of my wonderful visit to WDW. I get my wheels

On my third day at WDW, Wednesday, Oct. 4, I woke up refreshed and had breakfast (again) at the Galley. I guess I can’t get enough of the Mickey waffle covered with powdered sugar. With a little butter and maple syrup, it is de-e-e-licious.

I caught the 8:00 boat to the MGM Studios, or as I was to discover during the day, the ABC-Disney-MGM Studios. When the boat arrived, I found myself the only passenger on board. We did pick up another passenger at the Swan-Dolphin stop and the two of us were then transported to the MGM Studios, arriving by 8:25.

At 8:30, I was in line for the opening of the park. I found it painful to stand even with my cane and even when I was leaning against a trash container. I don’t know how the thought of renting an electric cart, an ECV, came to me but it slowly grew until I was determined to do so by the time the park opened at 9:00. Therefore, when I was allowed to, I went over to the “gas station” diagonally right of the gates and rented a cart. The price was $40 with $5 given back when the cart was returned. Another aspect of the rental agreement is that you could transfer renting an ECV to another park just by showing the receipt and paying another returnable $5. I didn’t do that today but I would on future days.

Now with some wheels under me, I made my way to The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror on Sunset Boulevard. I was told that I could not go into the regular entrance with the ECV but the cast member pointed me to the gift shop and told me to go right on through to the basement. I did so and was able to park the ECV and make my way to the elevators. I found the cast members to be a great help in assisting me. However, I felt that I really did not need much assistance in transferring to the rides and the cast members could spend their time assisting those who are much more limited in mobility than I am. So, in the future I thought, I would leave my cart outside the attraction and walk in with my cane.

When the time came, I entered the elevator and found myself right front row aisle. What a ride!! It was much more intense than I remember. I understand that the lifts and stops are now randomized and I feel that it makes for a more enjoyable, yet still stressful, experience. I recommend it.

Coming out of the Tower of Terror, I considered riding the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith. It was at this point that the stress created by Expedition Everest came into complete fruition. I am not a big fan of roller coasters although I have ridden them but what I had heard about Rock ‘n’ Roller did frighten me. Therefore, I thought that I would not enjoy the ride, so why take it?

Leaving Sunset Boulevard, I made my way to Hollywood Boulevard and The Great Movie Ride. This is one of my favorites and just about my speed. I don’t remember previous rides (admittedly many years ago) having live actors performing. If they did, then it didn’t make much of an impression on me. Anyway, I was enjoying the banter from our “driver”, Mac, when our car was hi-jacked by a live bad guy with a pistol and Mac was sent packing. The bad guy was very enjoyable but when we got to an Egyptian set with a hooded figure there was a large “ruby” set in a stone block. The hooded figure intoned that there was a curse on the stone. Nevertheless, our bad guy jumped from the car and made his way to the stone. When he touched it, he was engulfed in a large smoky cloud. When the smoke cleared, our bad guy had become a skeleton and the hooded figure threw off his cloak and, to our surprise, became Mac!!!

Then, I decided not to experience Star Tours for the same reasons that I gave for Rock ‘n’ Roller. If I would not enjoy a ride, why take it? I’m at WDW to enjoy myself and not just to check off the maximum number of rides I live through. I had previously decided not to go to the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular because I have already seen it twice and the second time was boring. Besides, it’s about time Indiana started collecting Social Security. Now to be perfectly honest: I totally forgot about Sounds Dangerous—Starring Drew Carey. I like Drew Carey but for some reason I completely overlooked it. Whether this was a function of my memory or where the attraction is situated, I don’t know.

Anyway, I made my way to Mickey Avenue and took The Disney-MGM Studios Backlot Tour. It was a pleasant demonstration and ride and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Unfortunately, Journey into Narnia: Creating the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe was closed today. I then went into Walt Disney: One Man’s Dream. It was a walk-through that was interesting but much of the information given is fairly well-known.

I ate lunch in the Commissary at 11:30 and had the ABC Cheeseburger and fries. While eating and writing this report, I was watching the overhead television which was showing many promos for ABC shows. I know that Disney owns ABC (or is it the other way around?) as well as ESPN. The presence of the ABC logo is ever-present at the Studios. I have heard that, perhaps in time, this park will be known as the ABC-Disney-MGM Studios. Or, possibly, they will drop the MGM name.

After lunch, I rode over to Muppet*Vision 3-D and it was fantastic. I started laughing when we were in the lobby getting the back story before we entered the theater. I continued laughing throughout the show. It was corny but I love corn.

I followed Miss Piggy and Kermit with a visit to Beauty and the Beast---Live on Stage. I thought the music and dancing were very good, if somewhat abbreviated. I am assuming that the voices (including Angela Lansbury’s) are from the movie. It was still entertaining. I watched the play while sitting in my ECV. It is a Godsend!

After Beauty, I rode over to Voyage of the Little Mermaid and watched the live and animated show. It was OK, not great but worth seeing. Unfortunately, I would not be able to see Fantasmic!, a laser and light show, because the first showing was at 8 PM and I would be enjoying the Boardwalk.

I decided to leave after I watched the parade at 3:00. Before the parade began, I wanted to get something to eat. I love French fries and considered Fairfax Fries but since they are McDonald’s fries, I passed. Don’t get wrong, I love Mickey D’s fries but I can get them anytime. (As an aside, IMO, the best fries in the country are the ones prepared by Thrashers on the boardwalk in Ocean City, MD. They are worth just making the trip to OC. And don’t even think about ketchup? They don’t carry it. Just malt vinegar and salt. I’m salivating just thinking about them.)

So with fries out of the picture, I decided to purchase a turkey leg from the Toluca Legs Turkey Co. I ate maybe a third of it. I guess I’m spoiled or I have not been introduced to smoked turkey properly. I love my turkey legs well-done and the redness kind of turned me off. I’m not saying that these legs were not cooked properly but, rather, they did not appeal to my senses.

At 3:00 the parade started and from what I could see from my vantage point on my ECV it had not changed appreciably from what I was familiar with from my last visit. At the conclusion of the parade, I made my way through the throngs of departing adults and children. I turned in the ECV at the “gas station” and received my $5 deposit back. Subsequently, I made my way to the boat and less than a half-hour later was at the YC.

After a short rest, I went back to the loading dock and boarded the boat to the Boardwalk. I had supper at the Big River Grew and Brewing Company. I then did some shopping at the General Store and then purchased some goodies at the Boardwalk Bakery. It was a short wait for the boat back to the YC.

I spent another night of watching the fireworks from the comfort of my room.


On Day 4 of my wonderful WDW vacation, I visit EPCOT

I woke up on Thursday, Oct. 5, with a little upset stomach. Sometimes that happens with one of the medications I am taking, so I shrug it off and get ready and go down to breakfast. I had two eggs over medium, bacon, breakfast potatoes and coffee. I have no idea how they made the potatoes. It seemed that the potatoes were mixed with bread crumbs or fine granola or something. Initially, I thought they were good but as I continued to consume them, I grew to dislike them. I never finished them. Give me regular breakfast potatoes.

I then make my way to the boat dock to catch a ride to EPCOT. I’ve decided to spend today, my fourth at WDW, at the second park opened at WDW.

I arrived at the International Gateway, the entrance to the World Showcase at EPCOT, and waited with a few others for the 9:00 opening. When we were allowed through the gates, I immediately made a beeline to the store where I could rent my ECV. There was no internal debate like I had yesterday. I thoroughly enjoyed the use of an electric cart and I knew that I needed it today. I may be wrong but I think that EPCOT (World Showcase and Future World) is the largest of the four WDW parks and, thus, requires the greatest amount of walking. I heartily recommend the use of the ECVs to anyone who has a mobility problem, whether it is permanent or temporary.

With the cart, I made my way to Future World, which opened at 9:00 (WS opens at 11:00). I decided to make my way around FW beginning at Imagination! Presented by Kodak and going in a clockwise direction until I covered what I wanted to see. My first stop was at Honey, I Shrunk the Audience. The opening program before we moved into the theater was nothing more than an overly long commercial for Kodak. I found it terrible. However, the main show, HISTA, was very, very good. I enjoyed it immensely. Too bad Kodak feels that it has to be an in-your-face type of sponsor of Imagination!

I decided to skip Journey Into Imagination With Figment and move on to The Land Presented by Nestle. My first stop is at The Circle of Life. I’ve never been a big fan of The Lion King but this show was great and the message it tries to give even greater. Prior to the show, in the lobby, I discovered many facts about saving the environment that I had not known. I also found out that a four foot green plant removes 87% of indoor air pollutants. I made a vow to myself to find a four foot plant and bring it home, if my wife allows it.

I then went to Living with the Land, a boat ride through displays of different types of agriculture. I found it interesting and enjoyed it a great deal. I decided to skip Soarin’ due to my vertigo and I just didn’t want to chance it. My imagination serves me well in envisioning what soaring over the California landscape would be like.

There was a great deal of construction going on at The Living Seas when I arrived there. It was about 11:20 when I decided to try to get into the Coral Reef Restaurant. I had to go to the entrance at the very end of the construction and entered on my ECV. I asked for a table and had to wait until the restaurant opened at 11:30. When my name was called, I was led to a wonderful table on the second level which had a great view of the aquarium.

Joe was my server and I ordered the Barbecued Salmon Sandwich with the salmon on multi-grain bread with BBQ sauce and pepper jack cheese. It was fantastic! Then I had butterscotch brulee with fresh berries. Basically, it was crème brulee with a hint, just a hint, of butterscotch but it was good. I lingered over lunch talking to my wife on my cell phone and observing the two windows of the aquarium that I could view comfortably. It was a pleasant experience. However, there was a group or a family with several very noisy children which didn’t bother the woman who seemed to be in charge. She was having a martini at a separate table and I thought at the time, that if I had those children I would also be drinking a martini or many of them, in fact, instead of the seltzer that I had in front of me. But their noise didn’t detract from the wonderful time I had.

After leaving the Coral Reef, I, for some reason, skipped The Living Seas exhibit. Perhaps I thought I had seen enough marine life in the restaurant or I just forgot about it. Later, I realized that I had missed a great attraction but thought that I would make up for it in the future. Alas, I did not.

From The Living Seas, I noticed a long line at Spaceship Earth and decided to make my way to the Test Track. Approaching the track, I heard the whoosh of the cars overhead and it gave me pause. To be safe, I turned to the Unofficial Guide for Grown-ups and a glance at their description of the ride made up my mind for me. For those of you who are reading this account who feel that I am somewhat leery of speed, you are correct. I do not like to lose control, in any sense of the word, and I feel that in going too fast, one tends to lose control. I know that the ride is safe and no injuries can occur (but see Mission: Space) but I have a very fertile imagination and that tends to take over at times.

I had already decided to skip Mission: SPACE for obvious reasons: claustrophobia being the main one. I also decided to bypass Ellen’s Energy Adventure because I could not see myself sitting still for a 45 minute show. Consequently, I went back to Spaceship Earth and totally enjoyed the ride through the history of communication. It has been updated since my last visit which added to it being a pleasing experience.

Having covered what I wanted to see in FW and somewhat upset with the commercialism of many of the exhibits, I traveled to the World Showcase. There, I moved again in a clockwise direction starting with the Mexico pavilion. I have always enjoyed the WS for many reasons including love of travel and a lifelong interest in geography. I then moved to Norway and browsed in its stores. I did the same thing in China, Germany, and Italy.

As I was riding about, I would stop and sample the dishes of the International Food and Wine Festival. However, as I passed the Japanese pavilion, I decided to try the counter-service restaurant, Yakitori House. I tried the Tonosama Combination which included teriyaki chicken, sukiyaki beef, a mixed vegetable tempura and steamed rice. It wasn’t bad but it didn’t really fill me up which was fortunate since I had a great deal of eating ahead of me.

After visiting the Japanese pavilion, I double-backed to the USA marketplace. There I tried the Maine Lobster Roll. Excellent. Moving on, I tried the Taste of Spain: Spanish Olives, Marcone Almonds and Chorizo. Great finger food! This was followed by a visit to Poland and the Kielbasa and Potato Pierogies. Nice.

While I was sampling the different foods, I also visited several pavilions. I did go to the stores of Italy and saw an item that I promised myself that I would purchase for my wife. I had already visited The American Adventure and it was just my encroaching tiredness that prevented me from experiencing it again.

When I crossed the bridge in front of France, I was too tired to go on to the UK or Canada. However, as I had seen O Canada! before and had eaten at the Rose & Crown Pub & Dining Room on Monday I thought that I could put those off for another day.

I caught the Friendship back to the YC and arrived at about 5:00. I went upstairs and rested awhile. Feeling a little refreshed, I caught the boat to the Boardwalk. There, I strolled up and down the boardwalk and went into the Boardwalk Resort. Not being that hungry, I purchased a sandwich at the Boardwalk Bakery and brought it back to the room. It was a turkey sandwich with mango sauce. I don’t know why they would want to spoil a good turkey sandwich with mango sauce. Yes, the sauce was separate but I did try it on one-half to the sandwich. I wish I hadn’t.

Again, I saw Illuminations from my deck while I was talking with my wife. How many ways can I say “What a beautiful view!”?


On Day 5 of my wonderful visit to WDW, I have my best day

Today, Friday, Oct. 6, was to be my last full day at WDW and, little did I know at the time, it was to be my most pleasant day at the World. After a good night’s sleep, I awoke refreshed and feeling much better than I had yesterday. In fact, I believe that my feeling unwell yesterday morning colored my note-taking and perhaps led me to having an off-day at EPCOT. Therefore, I made a commitment to myself to go back to EPCOT tomorrow, my last day, and enjoy the IF&WF further.

I made my way down to breakfast at the Galley. I ordered what was called Smoked Salmon and Toasted Bagel. The plate consisted of the salmon in the center, tower fashion, surrounded by four thick slices of orange tomato with a quarter of an egg on each one. The salmon was accompanied by three small containers of purple onions, capers, and cream cheese. I enjoyed the onions. The only discordant note was the toasted bagel. It came plain and cold but since I don’t use cream cheese on bagels, I slathered orange marmalade on one half and grape jelly on the other. The breakfast was one of the best I have ever had.

The Magic Kingdom was to get my full attention today and I caught the 8:00 bus with barely a three minute wait. After the “official greeting” by Mickey and his friends, including a family that got to share the honor, the gates opened and I made my way to rent an ECV. That done, I made my way to Liberty Square and, standing in front of the Liberty Tree Tavern, I made an ADR for Noon at the Tavern. Remembering that I was turned down a few days ago because I had no reservation, I was determined not to let that happen again.

The first attraction I was to visit was to be The Haunted Mansion. However, when I got to the entrance, there were three cast members announcing that due to some problems the attraction would not open as scheduled but would do so as quickly as possible. Feeling somewhat disappointed, I made my way to Frontierland and gathered up my courage to ride Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. I’m exaggerating a bit but the ride did seem faster than it had when I was younger. I noticed that I was hanging on tighter than in the past. I have no idea how some passengers can raise their arms during the ride. The ride was fun and I have to mention that I, literally, had no wait. I just walked up the ramp, went through the maze, and got on the car. This was to continue with few exceptions throughout the morning. In the afternoon, it grew more crowded.

After the Railroad, I found my way to Splash Mountain (next door to the RR). There the wait was slightly longer but not by much. I enjoyed the ride and the splash, getting soaked (of course) in the process. Following Splash Mountain, I traveled to Adventureland.

In Adventureland, I first rode the Jungle Cruise after a minimal wait. What can I say about this graybeard of an attraction: There are the same bad jokes with a somewhat interesting running commentary. Then I decided to go to the Pirates of the Caribbean for the second time. There was a slightly longer wait, maybe about 15 minutes. Seeing the Pirates again was worth it!

Subsequently, I rode to Frontierland again and visited the Country Bear Jubilee. It hasn’t changed since my last visit and is just as funny. Remember, folks, I like corn.

After the Bears, I made my way to Fantasyland and I noticed that it was looked easy to get into “it’s a small world.” I walked in and after a few minutes boarded the boat. I have always found this attraction charming since I first saw it at the 1964 NY World’s Fair at Flushing Meadows. After the boat ride, I made my way back to Liberty Square in order to catch the 11:30 show at The Hall of Presidents. The show runs between 20 to 25 minutes which would give me enough time to make it to my Noon reservation at the Liberty Tree Tavern around the corner. As usual, I found the show fascinating. I had never seen an Audio-Animatronic George W. Bush. The last time we were there, Bill Clinton delivered the speech.

When the show let out, I motored to the Liberty Tree Tavern and reported in. Even with a reservation, I had a 15 or 20 minute wait. When my name was called, I was led to my table and informed that Bill was to be my server. I ordered the Decoration Salad and the Pilgrims’ Feast, a turkey dinner. The salad was delicious, one of the better ones I have had. The turkey dinner was, well, a turkey dinner. Nothing special. For dessert, I ordered the Liberty Shortcake and coffee. The shortcake was delicious with a large biscuit halved and filled with vanilla ice cream, blueberries and large strawberries. It was topped with whipped cream. My only complaint was that it was a bit too large. I couldn’t finish the dessert. It would have been perfect for two.

After lunch, I returned to the Haunted Mansion and enjoyed the ride through the pseudo-disturbing attraction. As “frightening” as it is, it never loses its allure. Someday, I would like to ride through the Mansion on Halloween.

I returned to Fantasyland and went into Mickey’s PhilharMagic. This was a 3-D movie in which Donald Duck attempts to become a conductor much to Mickey’s chagrin. The show was very enjoyable and is one of the better attractions. After the show, I walked out and made my way diagonally across the square to Snow White’s Scary Adventures. This consisted of a ride through a so-called frightening dark forest. It was enjoyable but the only scary aspect of the show was the number of strollers in the square where Cinderella’s Golden Carrousel and Dumbo the Flying Elephant are found. There were strollers EVERYWHERE!

The wait for Peter Pan’s Flight was 50 minutes and I did not want to wait that long. It was the same for The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. I didn’t feel bad about missing these two attractions. I made my way to Tomorrowland and experienced Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin. To my surprise, I found it thoroughly enjoyable. For those who are interested, I scored a 6800 on my first try. I think that qualified me as a space cadet. I don’t know if that score is good for someone who never plays video games. Maybe I have a hidden talent.

From there, I rode to Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress and had about a ten minute wait. When we got in and sat down, the audience was warned that there would be no standing during the show. During the first episode (the early 1900s), two individuals got up and left. Shortly thereafter, a booming voice announced (again) that there was to be no standing during the presentation. When the first part ended, the remaining audience expected to be moved to the next episode. It never happened. We remained still. Then, accompanied by groans from the audience, the first part was shown again. Whether this glitch was caused by the people standing up and leaving, I don’t know. I was afraid others in the audience would get up and leave in disgust which might mean that I would be stuck in the carousel until the end of the day. But that never happened and the remainder of the show proceeded normally.

When I finally exited the Carousel of Progress, I decided to skip Stitch’s Great Escape and Space Mountain. I had ridden SM a number of times during my previous visit and didn’t want to experience it again. (Call it the Expedition Everest Stress Syndrome, if you want to.)

I decided to return to Liberty Square and see if I could catch a ride on the Liberty Belle, the Liberty Square Riverboat. I made it to the top floor and found a bench to sit on. It was a pleasant ride but hot!

After the steamboat ride, I motored to Main Street and pulled up in front of a store which, I believe, is called The Emporium. There, I shopped, shopped, and shopped. I bought, for example, a Pooh bear and Mickey’s ears for my grandson, many pins, a statuette of Tinkerbell, salt and pepper shakers, a coffee mug for the car, and many other items. Of course, I could not find anything substantial for my wife so I put that pleasant task off to when I returned to EPCOT.

Finished with shopping, I crossed Main Street and found a little establishment that would sew a name on the cap with ears that I purchased. After this, I “had” to go through the Confectionary where I succumbed to temptation and purchased some fudge and something called Divinity. (The only thing I cannot resist is temptation.)

Earlier in the day, I had decided to forego the bus back to the YC and, instead, ride the monorail to EPCOT and then, after a brief visit to the World Showcase, take the boat to my resort. Consequently, I turned my ECV in and received my $5.00 and my receipt. With the receipt I would be able to pick up an ECV at EPCOT. I rode the monorail to a transfer station and then picked up another monorail to my destination. I was a little disappointed in that I didn’t ride through the Contemporary Hotel. Being unfamiliar with the monorail, perhaps I should have known that it wouldn’t get close to the hotel.

When I arrived at EPCOT, I found myself on a platform and spent some time getting down to ground-level. When I finally entered the park, I rented an ECV but only after I ascertained that I could return it at the International Gateway. I had wheels again.

I tooled around on my electric cart and sampled some of the food of the IF&WF, including Mexico’s, Chile’s, and China’s. The walkways were packed! I had heard that the locals liked to attend the festival during the weekend and now I believed it. Then, I remembered that I had to purchase a gift for my wife and went back to the Italian stores where I purchased some Bulgari perfume. I had gotten her some small things but this was the “big” gift.

Because of the crowds and my increasing exhaustion, I turned in the ECV and caught the boat back to the Yacht Club. Without going up to my room, I walked over to the Beach Club with the intention of having dinner at Cape May. No way. I was told that it would be about an hour’s wait. Not wanting to wait that long I dejectedly returned to the YC and the Galley. I didn’t even try to get into the Yachtsman’s Club since I had no reservations.

At the Galley, I ordered the Mixed Greens salad and the Char Grilled Cheeseburger (well done) with fries, lettuce and tomato, onion, and provolone cheese. Both items were very good. Now I was ready to go upstairs and pack for my departure tomorrow. I had missed the fireworks but I called my wife and my night was perfect.

Tomorrow would be my last day at WDW and I was determined to make it a pleasant experience. It would be except for the Disney Magical Express.


The final day of my wonderful vacation at WDW

Saturday, Oct. 7, finally arrived, unfortunately. This was my last day at the Magical Kingdom or WDW and I was determined to squeeze every pleasurable moment out of it that I could. I had done most of my packing last night but still had some odds and ends to put away. In addition, I had purchased a rather large item at the gift store which was packed securely in a box (13" L x 15" W x 10 1/2" D) so I decided to check it in as my second checked item along with my large suitcase. I was worried a bit about the amount of banging around it would encounter on the way to the cargo hold and then to baggage claim in Hartford. But I decided that if I had sent it by mail it would receive the same amount of knocking about and I would have to wait a lot longer for it.

First, I went to breakfast at the Galley and had my last Mickey waffle for a while. I then went upstairs and got my bags and returned to the lobby. By this time it was about 9:00 and I checked out. Then, I brought the items that I wanted to check through to Connecticut to the front of the YC and to the early check-in. With that done and with my boarding pass, I checked my carry-on bags with the bell captain. Now I was ready to go to EPCOT. My pick up time by Disney Magical Express was at 5 PM so I had plenty of time to explore the World Showcase further.

I caught the boat to EPCOT and arrived at the International Gateway. The time was not quite 10:00, so after renting an electric cart I traveled to Future World in order to waste time until World Showcase opened up. I just tooled about FW, not really wanting to see anything, until 11:00.

When I entered the WS, I made my way to Mexico and El Rio del Tiempo. Basically, it was about what I remembered from my previous visit. Then it was on to Norway and the Viking ride, Maelstrom. After the ride, the passengers were led into a small theater to watch a film presentation. However, most of the passengers just continued going through the theater to the exit but I, and a few others, decided that we wanted to see the film. As with Maelstrom, the film was excellent. I continued on in this vein, touring some pavilions and skipping others.

But I made a determined effort to try to sample many of the foods of the IF&WF. My first stop was at Wild and Wonderful Florida Shrimp for some of the Sautéed Shrimp with Ginger and Lime. I also stopped at China for the Pork Pot Stickers. They were delicious. Thailand had Hot and Sour Chicken Noodle Salad and Australia, Shrimp on the Barbie. Both were very good. I bought the Pretzel Roll with sauerkraut and sausage at Oktoberfest. It was good but not very special.

Before I knew it, the time was 2:30 and I had decided that I would return to the YC by 3:00. Therefore, I made my way to the store where I turned in the ECV and then proceeded through the International Gateway to the Friendship. When the boat arrived, I boarded and we motored to the Boardwalk and then to the BC/YC dock. By the time, I had arrived at the Yacht Club; it was exactly 3:00.

I was somewhat tired so I decided to sit in the lobby soaking up the atmosphere. I took off my baseball cap and placed on my knee to allow the top of my head to breathe. After about 10 minutes, I got up and went to the Bell Captain’s desk where I retrieved my carry-on bags and went to the men’s room to change my clothes. Halfway through the changing, I realized that I didn’t have my cap. Therefore, when I was ready, I returned to the lobby and to where I was sitting. No cap. I extended my search, including under the easy chair, but was similarly unsuccessful. Oh, great! I thought, I lose a fine cap that says UConn Husky on it. That was bad enough but I had already lost an UConn basketball cap on Spaceship Earth. I went to the concierge’s desk and asked if anyone had found a cap. After describing it, my question was answered by a sympathetic shaking of the head and “sorry”. I then went to the registration desk and received a similar answer. Likewise, with the Bell Captain. However, I was referred to the official greeter of the Yacht Club, an elderly gentleman in a nautical outfit with a white cap. I had seen him before but had never spoken to him which was unusual because he seemed to speak to everyone.

I posed my question and he was genuinely interested in that I find my cap and be satisfied. To make a long story short he gave me a lost and found card to fill out. I did so but, to be honest, I thought I had seen my cap for the last time. It didn’t really bother me since I have upwards of 10 more at home but still I would miss it. Jumping ahead six days, I’m sitting in my TV room and I hear our dog, Cookie, barking his UPS deliveryman bark. My wife answers the door and I’m expecting to get a package from Amazon or similar. But no, it was a small box from the Yacht Club and in it was my cap! If that is not a compliment to the Yacht Club and its “official greeter,” then I don’t know what it is.

I hung around the lobby until about 4:30 and then went outside to wait for my DME ride to the airport. I discovered that I had a complaint with the “Magical Express” but it wasn’t with the "plane to resort" segment on the first day. That was nice, maybe not as fast as 45 minutes but fast enough. However, the “resort to plane” was a different story. I was under the impression that I would have a packet of info including our departure time hanging from our door on the day before our departure. Never happened. Instead I had to contact DME at about 10:30 PM and wait through several "Our associates are busy with our other clients and we will get to you as soon as possible. Thank you." (I am paraphrasing).

Eventually, I found out that the departure time was 5 PM (for a 7:45 liftoff). Quick shift to 4:30 the next afternoon. I'm waiting and a Disney Cruise bus shows up. No problem, I think. However, the "captain" in charge of directing traffic and calling taxis comes up to me and says "This is your bus." I say it is not DME. He counters with, "They're all the same---Cruise bus and DME." So I go and check. Yeah, the driver says, but I'm just dropping off and not picking up.

OK, so I go back to the bench. A DME bus pulls in about 4:50 and I go to it. The driver tells me that he is just dropping off and not picking up. OK, so I go back to the bench. I meet others who are going on DME and then back to CT but on Southwest and not on Delta like moi.

The bus finally arrives at 5:05 and we take off. Three stops later (Beach Club, Boardwalk, and Caribbean Beach Resort) and about an hour later (it is after 6:00) we are speeding to MCO with a full bus. The bus had to be reconfigured because a passenger in a wheelchair never showed up. The first stop, according to the driver, was to be for most of the airlines represented on the bus excepting Delta (mine) and Northwest. The driver also gives us this choice tidbit: the bus will be stopping at the arrivals section and not the departures. The reason: the ramps in front of departures can withstand weights of 10 tons. Unfortunately, the DME bus weighs 17 tons.

At the first stop, our driver got out and spent about 20 minutes getting the baggage out of the bottom of the bus (there had to be between 30 to 40 pieces) and answering passengers' questions. Meanwhile, I am steaming. Then we get started and headed to my (and one other passenger's) stop. Now, I am not that familiar with MCO but it seemed like he left the terminal area, swung around, and reentered the terminal area. It also seemed like he reentered it at exactly the same point we had been previously. Seriously, I don't think this is so but, in some cases, appearances do constitute reality.

Anyway, we finally arrive. It had to be after 6:30 closer to 6:45. I had to use the facilities as soon as I got off. Then I had to find the correct gate section. I used the elevator to get from level 1 to level 3. Rushing, I arrived at the security checkpoint and did all the mandatory things (removing shoes, etc.). Feeling the press of a deadline, I raced to the trams. (Of course, the right hand side was out of order for those going TO gates (60-129). It was still being used by those coming FROM those gates.

I finally got on the correct tram and made it to the gates. I was looking for gate 76 and, of course, it was the last gate at the end of the hall. To move from the sublime to the ridiculous, it was the wrong gate number or they changed the gate since my bags were checked through at the YC. The Delta personnel didn't seem to know that the gate was changed. It wasn't a serious preoblem since the new gate was 77 but still it was the principle of the thing. I had to get something to eat and grabbed a Nathan's Philly cheesesteak sandwich, fries, and a coke. I hate to eat fast but that's what I did.

The rest of my trip was uneventful which was pleasant.

Again, I have no complaint with the arrival portion of DME. It was nice not to have to worry about my baggage until it arrived in my room. And the bus ride to the Yacht Club was great.

However, I feel that they should pick up the DME "clients" earlier than they do. I like to get to airports 3 or 4 hours before takeoff so that if anything untoward happens, I have enough time to take care of it. I believe that other passengers have similar feelings. And, BTW, if anyone is interested in who the bus driver was, just send me a private msg. It may not be his fault but, he's the one who was in charge.

Well, next time, I will use DME because of the ease of arriving and being transported to my resort. However, I will seriously think about using a taxi to get to the airport. It's worth the expense (I feel) to have peace of mind guaranteed. The ability to check my baggage at the hotel was a definite advantage but this is not a function of DME but of the participating airlines.

I had a great vacation at WDW and was very pleased with the Yacht Club, the transportation system, the restaurants (with one exception), the cast members (how I hate that term!!), and the ability to rent ECVs. I definitely will do it again, as soon as possible.
That’s it. My vacation was over but I was determined to return to the Land of Magic sooner than later.

Summing Up

Now that my wonderful vacation at WDW is over, I would like to sum up my experiences. When I was planning the trip I had three resorts in mind: the Boardwalk, the Animal Kingdom Lodge, and the Yacht Club. I am very happy that I chose the YC and would do so again at the drop of my UConn cap. I found the personnel friendly, the restaurant pleasing, the gift shop well-stocked, and the resort’s milieu very high-class.

I would like to try the AKL sometime in the future when the whole thing about location and convenience is not paramount in my mind. I am beginning to look into the Disney Vacation Club and have made many web sites that discuss the DVC part of my favorites list. I have dozens of questions concerning the operation of this variation of a time-share that I hope to answer before too long.

Would I use the Disney Magical Express on a future trip? Yes, definitely, but only for going to WDW. I found their service excellent. However, I would use a taxi or other form of transportation for my departure to MCO. Naturally I would take advantage of the check-in service accorded to those riding on Delta or other applicable airlines.

Speaking of transportation, I would definitely rent an ECV if I haven’t had my knee repaired and I continue to have a mobility problem. I would also strongly recommend that anyone who has a problem getting about, especially those, such as myself, who are not accustomed to using electric carts, not to hesitate but go ahead and rent one.

As for the timing of my next trip, it will be during the International Food and Wine Festival. There is no question in my mind that I want to repeat the great time that I experienced. I have already penciled in Monday, Oct. 1, 2007 for my next trip. I would also like to travel sometime in the spring but I will not visit WDW in the summer again. It was very pleasant visiting the parks with low to moderate crowd levels.

My favorite table service restaurant was the Coral Reef. All the others that I visited were very good. These included the Galley at the YC, the Rose and Crown at UK in the World Showcase, the Big River Grill on the Boardwalk, and, of course, the Liberty Tree Tavern. The best counter service restaurant, IMO, was the ABC Commissary in the Studios and my least favorite was the Magic Kingdom’s Columbia Harbor House.

What is my favorite park? I don’t have one. I liked them all, with one exception: Future World in EPCOT. I found FW too commercial and having too many rides that didn’t interest me for various reasons (Soarin’, Test Track, Ellen’s Energy Adventures, and Mission: Space). However, I did enjoy Spaceship Earth which is the centerpiece of FW.

Before discussing my favorite rides, I would like to mention Expedition Everest—Legend of the Forbidden Mountain. I found that ride, which I took on Tuesday, Oct. 3, too stressful for me and I believe that it altered some of my plans in subsequent days. It definitely made me quit any intention of riding Rock ‘n’ Roller and Space Mountain, though I had ridden SM during previous visits to WDW. Without minimalizing the actual medical condition of delayed stress syndrome, I believe that Expedition Everest, to some degree, gave that to me. I talked to many people who rode EE and enjoyed it and I say more power to them but I will never forget the feelings that I had when the cars sped backwards from the torn up rails.

What were my favorite rides and attractions and the ones that I would gladly ride again in future visits? First, I think, was the Tower of Terror in the Studios. This ride is much more intense than I remember it but it is so enjoyable (and it is not a roller coaster). Next would be Kilimanjaro Safaris in the AK. Seeing the animals in their “natural” habitats was very enjoyable and one that I would recommend to everyone despite their ages. My third favorite would have to be Muppet Vision 3-D in the Studios. I haven’t laughed like that in a long time.

My other favorite rides were: Dinosaur, Pirates of the Caribbean, Spaceship Earth, and The Haunted Mansion.

In summary, my trip was extraordinary and I just wish that my loved ones had accompanied me. That was not possible this year but there is always hope for the future.

 

[OhMari]

In summary, my trip was extraordinary and I just wish that my loved ones had accompanied me. That was not possible this year but there is always hope for the future.

I was just going to ask you why you were alone, but you answered my question. You sound like you had a great time, and I am glad you chose to use a ECV, sometimes people are to proud and rather be in pain.

Thanks for sharing your TR with us.

 

[blue_river]

I am glad you chose to use a DVC, sometimes people are to proud and rather be in pain.

Thanks for sharing your TR with us.

I think you meant to say "ECV". That's true and I also think it's because people worry about getting flamed because they may look healthy.

Thanks for sharing your trip with us chuckcordon.

 

[OhMari]

I had 2 spelling errors, alone for along and ECV for DVC. I think I will use the edit.

I am also going to move your TR to the completed board.

Thanks for sharing.

 

[averill94]

I really enjoyed your TR. I am so glad you got the ECV and used it well! When I first started reading all I could think was" Oh gosh why didnt he..." Your poor knee.
You made that salmon breakfast sound great- I might have to seek that out "next" time.

I went with my kids, 3 and 9 and my mom the same week you did and it was a fabulous trip!

Cheers to planning another one!