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Earning My Ears
- Joined
- May 9, 2003
- Messages
- 6
DAY TWO: MAGIC KINGDOM/BOARDWALK/'OHANA
The next morning I made sure Mike answered the wake-up call because I knew a Disney character would be cheerfully telling us to get up and come have fun with him.. Mickey was the character of choice during our stay. Just another Disney touch to make even the simplest thing feel special.
Today we were headed to the Magic Kingdom. I had always considered this to be my favorite park and was very excited about Mike seeing all the official/traditional-looking Disney things (like the Castle). I love the monorail ride, getting a mini tour of the nicer hotels and Disney property. And then we arrived. I first led us to Guest Services so I could get Mike his "Today is My Birthday" button. Then it was off to Big Thunder Mountain, my once-favorite ride. There was barely a line, but we got stuck near the front of the train and it felt really slow. I was so frustrated so we decided to try it again and aim for the last row. We were closer to the back, but it still wasn't as thrilling as it had been in the past. But that's okay; we took some silly "action" shots.
Once again, memory fails me as to the order of what we did. I remember being accosted by the ugliest Country Bear and having a fun picture taken with him grabbing me and mussing my hair. We definitely went on the Tea Cups (more action shots) and Pirates of the Caribbean (Mikey the Pirate), the Haunted Mansion, and...oh, I think we headed to Tomorrow Land next so I could see how Mike liked Extra-Terror-estrial/Alien Encounter. This is one of those great attractions that messes with your mind with cool special effects. Each person has a seat specially equipped so that you can feel the escaped alien breathing down your neck and his tongue tickling your hair. The seats bump you when the alien "runs" by, and it's pitch dark so you can only focus on what you feel and hear. Mike probably won't admit it, but I'm pretty sure I actually heard him scream/yell at one point. Hee hee! It really is intense, and even though I've been on it several times. I always get scared and scream.
Next was Buzz Lightyear. It was basically a giant video game, with you in your car shooting your laser at bad guy targets. You could rack up points and even spin the car around to get things on both sides. I sucked of course, but Mike did pretty well. Then we headed to an arcade where an ATM was conveniently located, as well as lots of silly hats to take pictures in. I did my best Buzz Lightyear impression (hands on hips, one eyebrow raised, winning smile) in my astronaut hat of choice.
Hmm...I know we rode the Wedway People Mover (that's the old school name for it) and had a nice tour around Tomorrow Land. Maybe Space Mountain came next. This was another ride I was terrified of and hadn't ridden in years, but I would do anything for my Mikey. I had my eyes closed the entire time, dreading the giant drop I knew was coming. It never came. And it turned out to be fun. We rode it again, this time with Mike in the front of the car. At some point he made an odd grunting/groaning/"uhnh" noise that still cracks me up now. Ah, my Mikey is the cutest. Of course that incident goes up there with the Alien Encounter alleged scream of "Things That Never Happened."
Oh, I know what I forgot. We went on Splash Mountain, perhaps right after Thunder Mountain. This was another dreaded ride, not only for its steep drop, but because you WILL get soaked. Ugh. Nothing worse than wandering around in wet jeans chafing your thighs all day. But anything in the name of Mikey. We were able to walk right onto the ride--no lines at all. When we were preparing to board our already pre-drenched log flume, a cast member noticed my terrified expression and teased me good naturedly. Then, noticing Mike's button, he heartily wished him a happy birthday (this happened throughout the trip). The water smelled putrid. Our butts were already wet just from sitting down in the seat and we hadn't even started the ride yet. I don't think we got too soaked when we hit the mountain, but that smell--ugh! After we passed up buying the official photo (Mike looking amused, Susie screaming and clutching Mike's arm), we immediately pulled out our handy dandy body wipes (Dove for me, Old Spice for him) to rid ourselves of the smelly water. Then we both slathered on some of the scented lotion I had packed. (I was prepared for anything.)
We ate lunch at a hamburger place that had a lovely view of the castle from the patio. It was so beautiful and it was nice to sit and relax and just enjoy our surroundings. Then we wandered around in some stores (the Christmas store, of course) and took more silly photos.
Hmm...we rode Aladdin's Magic Carpet ride at some point. This was fun because the people in the front of the carpet could control how high and low you went (us) and the people in the back could control...uh, yeah I don't remember, but it doesn't matter because we got to be in control of the cool part. Whee! I had us going up and down and all around. While we were waiting in line and then riding the ride, I saw Genie was doing a photo op nearby and I really, REALLY wanted a picture with him. He's my favorite. But alas, as soon as we disembarked our carpet, he was gone. Poof! But guess what? Just as we were exiting the park, who do you think was waiting there as if expecting me? Genie! I got my photo! Yay! See? Every teeny, tiny detail seemed to work out for the best on the trip.
Oh, I know what I forgot. We did Peter Pan's Flight and the Jungle Cruise, two classics I didn't think we should pass up. And we also stopped to try the infamous "DoleWhips," a sundae/shake/pineapple thing we'd heard so much about. We were both very disappointed. We found out later that we hadn't ordered the same thing that had been recommended. Oh well. But we have some funny photos of him trying to eat it. The coolest part is that the turquoise spoon exactly matches the color of his eyes. My beautiful Mikey!
After we were done with all the rides we wanted to see, we headed to the Kodak Center to check out our entry photos in front of the castle, and also to play in the silly photo sets they have in the back where you can put yourself in a movie scene (my favorite's the 101 Dalmatians scene). We didn't like the castle pictures, but we stopped to peruse the digital photo choices. The Monster's Inc. photo looked pretty funny so we decided to get one of those. It was a lot of fun. We had to take the picture several times because we could never quite get the right angle when I was cut and pasted from the green screen into the computer image, or my face was wrong, etc. Finally, Mike the Smart One suggested I jump up and flip my hair so when I was added to the picture, it would look as though I was being hung upside down by Sully. Mike only had to take two pictures before he was satisfied. He had his hands to his face with a look of horror (at me or the monster, I'm not sure). But the photographer was really great. I wish I had remembered his name when I wrote Disney a thank-you letter so I could give credit to all the great cast members who went out of their way to make the trip special. I know it was an unusual name. All I can think of is Ombudsman.
After we'd had our fill of silly pictures, we decided to head over to the Boardwalk so Mike could check out the brewery and sample their wares. I had never been there but I knew it was near Epcot so we headed for the monorail. There weren't many people around so I thought "Here's my chance!" I asked one of the attendants if we could ride in the front car with the driver (another tip I learned from the discussion boards). She said of course! Yay! Something new for both of us, and just another example of tiny things going right. We got a really great view of Epcot and the "golf ball" as we pulled in. We headed to Guest Services to get directions and the staff was extremely friendly. They even noticed Mike's birthday button and handed him the Epcot version; it had "Happy Birthday" in several different languages.
To get to the Boardwalk, we had to enter the park and head for the World Showcase. Mike was trying to avert his eyes so it would all be a surprise tomorrow when we officially went to Epcot for the day. When we got to the Boardwalk, I was stunned. It was so beautiful! It looked very turn-of-the-century; all the hotels and buildings were gorgeous and lit up; very Victorian. It was nearly deserted but every once in a while, a family would whiz past on a bicycle built for six or more. They were a riot to watch, trying to steer these giant, unwieldy contraptions, and honking their little horn to warn unsuspecting pedestrians in their path. We wandered around and looked at all the shops and restaurants and settled down at the Big River Brewing Company and Ale House. We were going to be having dinner soon, but we were really hungry, so we had a seat on the patio and Mike enjoyed a beer sampler and we split an appetizer. I think this was probably my favorite part of the trip. It was so beautiful and relaxing. The sun was setting and the scenery was just breathtaking. We sat and people-watched for quite a while. And of course I noticed a bakery on our way in so I requested that we make a quick stop with the idea that maybe we could "get something for breakfast tomorrow." Yeah right. The minute I saw that napoleon, I knew it would be mine. We took it out to the patio so I could sample it, Mike claiming he was too full to even try a bite. Within 10 seconds, we had both demolished it. It was sooooooo good. I'm drooling just thinking about it.
Now that we were good and full, of course it was time for our dinner reservation. We headed over to the Polynesian Resort where 'Ohana, the restaurant of choice for tonight, was located. We had eaten breakfast at the resort's café that morning (I had to try the famous Tonga Toast I had heard so much about; it's French toast stuffed with bananas and rolled in cinnamon and sugar and then fried. It was a little too much for me, but at least Mikey got to have some decent coffee). 'Ohana is a Hawaiian-style, all-you-can-eat place and we both knew there was no way we would be able to do it justice, but we had reservations and had heard so many good things about it so we forged ahead. As we waited for our table, we relaxed in the lounge while a Hawaiian guitarist played and we ordered drinks. I had some frozen fruit concoction, Maui Sunrise or something, and Mike had a beer. When our name was called, we were greeted by another "cousin" ('Ohana means family in Hawaiian) who gave us a brief overview of the restaurant. He showed us the grilling/roasting pit where all the meat was cooked, then we passed the dessert bar and had each delectable item described for us, then we were led to a lovely window seat. Mike decided to order one of the novelty drinks called The Backscratcher because he wanted the little wooden backscratcher that came in it. I was wearing the tiny umbrella that had been in my drink. When Mike's drink arrived, it tasted like pure alcohol with no discernible fruit flavor whatsoever. Ick! But he wanted that backscratcher.
Our meal was enormous. First we were brought a giant appetizer/dipping sauce tray with wings and salad and wontons or something; just all sorts of stuff. We had barely made a dent in that when our cousin came by with the fist giant skewer of meat. Each one had hunks of roasted turkey or pork or steak or shrimp on it and he would just slide a few of each onto our plates. Oh man, it was so good but we could barely eat any of it. We tried valiantly to at least finish one piece of meat each (I liked the steak and I think Mike favored the turkey) but it was a struggle. Then they bring dessert. Fresh pineapple slices with caramel dipping sauce. We each had a slice or two, but I focused on the caramel. It was a shame for it to go to waste.
When we hopped (or waddled, is more like it) onto the monorail, intending to get back to the central transportation station and catch a bus to our hotel, the announcer stated that the station was closed for the evening and we would have to depart at the next and final stop for the evening: the Grand Floridian Hotel. Well, on the bright side, we would finally get a chance to explore it. It was very ornate and almost over the top in its plushness, but the Christmas decorations were gorgeous. There was a gigantic gingerbread house that several small children probably could have fit in, as well as a floor-to-ceiling tree. Beautiful! When I had originally been researching our trip, I considered trying to get reservations at the very exclusive, super-deluxe, ultra-swanky, gourmet restaurant in the GF called Victoria & Albert's, but it would have been at least $200 for the meal. Maybe next time.
After wandering around the lobby, we headed outside to the bus stop, our only option other than a taxi. We would have to catch the bus to Pleasure Island, then transfer from there to our hotel bus. While we waited in the cold, snuggling together for warmth, we listened to the rich people staying there talk about rich people stuff. Another couple who had gotten stuck at the GF like us chatted with them about cars (one of the gentlemen worked for Ford) and Mr. Ford Man mentioned that they were re-issuing the '69 Mustang. After a loooong wait, the bus finally came and we eventually made it back to the hotel. We considered walking around the shops at Downtown Disney first, but we were exhausted and we had already taken a brief tour the previous night.
The next morning I made sure Mike answered the wake-up call because I knew a Disney character would be cheerfully telling us to get up and come have fun with him.. Mickey was the character of choice during our stay. Just another Disney touch to make even the simplest thing feel special.
Today we were headed to the Magic Kingdom. I had always considered this to be my favorite park and was very excited about Mike seeing all the official/traditional-looking Disney things (like the Castle). I love the monorail ride, getting a mini tour of the nicer hotels and Disney property. And then we arrived. I first led us to Guest Services so I could get Mike his "Today is My Birthday" button. Then it was off to Big Thunder Mountain, my once-favorite ride. There was barely a line, but we got stuck near the front of the train and it felt really slow. I was so frustrated so we decided to try it again and aim for the last row. We were closer to the back, but it still wasn't as thrilling as it had been in the past. But that's okay; we took some silly "action" shots.
Once again, memory fails me as to the order of what we did. I remember being accosted by the ugliest Country Bear and having a fun picture taken with him grabbing me and mussing my hair. We definitely went on the Tea Cups (more action shots) and Pirates of the Caribbean (Mikey the Pirate), the Haunted Mansion, and...oh, I think we headed to Tomorrow Land next so I could see how Mike liked Extra-Terror-estrial/Alien Encounter. This is one of those great attractions that messes with your mind with cool special effects. Each person has a seat specially equipped so that you can feel the escaped alien breathing down your neck and his tongue tickling your hair. The seats bump you when the alien "runs" by, and it's pitch dark so you can only focus on what you feel and hear. Mike probably won't admit it, but I'm pretty sure I actually heard him scream/yell at one point. Hee hee! It really is intense, and even though I've been on it several times. I always get scared and scream.
Next was Buzz Lightyear. It was basically a giant video game, with you in your car shooting your laser at bad guy targets. You could rack up points and even spin the car around to get things on both sides. I sucked of course, but Mike did pretty well. Then we headed to an arcade where an ATM was conveniently located, as well as lots of silly hats to take pictures in. I did my best Buzz Lightyear impression (hands on hips, one eyebrow raised, winning smile) in my astronaut hat of choice.
Hmm...I know we rode the Wedway People Mover (that's the old school name for it) and had a nice tour around Tomorrow Land. Maybe Space Mountain came next. This was another ride I was terrified of and hadn't ridden in years, but I would do anything for my Mikey. I had my eyes closed the entire time, dreading the giant drop I knew was coming. It never came. And it turned out to be fun. We rode it again, this time with Mike in the front of the car. At some point he made an odd grunting/groaning/"uhnh" noise that still cracks me up now. Ah, my Mikey is the cutest. Of course that incident goes up there with the Alien Encounter alleged scream of "Things That Never Happened."
Oh, I know what I forgot. We went on Splash Mountain, perhaps right after Thunder Mountain. This was another dreaded ride, not only for its steep drop, but because you WILL get soaked. Ugh. Nothing worse than wandering around in wet jeans chafing your thighs all day. But anything in the name of Mikey. We were able to walk right onto the ride--no lines at all. When we were preparing to board our already pre-drenched log flume, a cast member noticed my terrified expression and teased me good naturedly. Then, noticing Mike's button, he heartily wished him a happy birthday (this happened throughout the trip). The water smelled putrid. Our butts were already wet just from sitting down in the seat and we hadn't even started the ride yet. I don't think we got too soaked when we hit the mountain, but that smell--ugh! After we passed up buying the official photo (Mike looking amused, Susie screaming and clutching Mike's arm), we immediately pulled out our handy dandy body wipes (Dove for me, Old Spice for him) to rid ourselves of the smelly water. Then we both slathered on some of the scented lotion I had packed. (I was prepared for anything.)
We ate lunch at a hamburger place that had a lovely view of the castle from the patio. It was so beautiful and it was nice to sit and relax and just enjoy our surroundings. Then we wandered around in some stores (the Christmas store, of course) and took more silly photos.
Hmm...we rode Aladdin's Magic Carpet ride at some point. This was fun because the people in the front of the carpet could control how high and low you went (us) and the people in the back could control...uh, yeah I don't remember, but it doesn't matter because we got to be in control of the cool part. Whee! I had us going up and down and all around. While we were waiting in line and then riding the ride, I saw Genie was doing a photo op nearby and I really, REALLY wanted a picture with him. He's my favorite. But alas, as soon as we disembarked our carpet, he was gone. Poof! But guess what? Just as we were exiting the park, who do you think was waiting there as if expecting me? Genie! I got my photo! Yay! See? Every teeny, tiny detail seemed to work out for the best on the trip.
Oh, I know what I forgot. We did Peter Pan's Flight and the Jungle Cruise, two classics I didn't think we should pass up. And we also stopped to try the infamous "DoleWhips," a sundae/shake/pineapple thing we'd heard so much about. We were both very disappointed. We found out later that we hadn't ordered the same thing that had been recommended. Oh well. But we have some funny photos of him trying to eat it. The coolest part is that the turquoise spoon exactly matches the color of his eyes. My beautiful Mikey!
After we were done with all the rides we wanted to see, we headed to the Kodak Center to check out our entry photos in front of the castle, and also to play in the silly photo sets they have in the back where you can put yourself in a movie scene (my favorite's the 101 Dalmatians scene). We didn't like the castle pictures, but we stopped to peruse the digital photo choices. The Monster's Inc. photo looked pretty funny so we decided to get one of those. It was a lot of fun. We had to take the picture several times because we could never quite get the right angle when I was cut and pasted from the green screen into the computer image, or my face was wrong, etc. Finally, Mike the Smart One suggested I jump up and flip my hair so when I was added to the picture, it would look as though I was being hung upside down by Sully. Mike only had to take two pictures before he was satisfied. He had his hands to his face with a look of horror (at me or the monster, I'm not sure). But the photographer was really great. I wish I had remembered his name when I wrote Disney a thank-you letter so I could give credit to all the great cast members who went out of their way to make the trip special. I know it was an unusual name. All I can think of is Ombudsman.
After we'd had our fill of silly pictures, we decided to head over to the Boardwalk so Mike could check out the brewery and sample their wares. I had never been there but I knew it was near Epcot so we headed for the monorail. There weren't many people around so I thought "Here's my chance!" I asked one of the attendants if we could ride in the front car with the driver (another tip I learned from the discussion boards). She said of course! Yay! Something new for both of us, and just another example of tiny things going right. We got a really great view of Epcot and the "golf ball" as we pulled in. We headed to Guest Services to get directions and the staff was extremely friendly. They even noticed Mike's birthday button and handed him the Epcot version; it had "Happy Birthday" in several different languages.
To get to the Boardwalk, we had to enter the park and head for the World Showcase. Mike was trying to avert his eyes so it would all be a surprise tomorrow when we officially went to Epcot for the day. When we got to the Boardwalk, I was stunned. It was so beautiful! It looked very turn-of-the-century; all the hotels and buildings were gorgeous and lit up; very Victorian. It was nearly deserted but every once in a while, a family would whiz past on a bicycle built for six or more. They were a riot to watch, trying to steer these giant, unwieldy contraptions, and honking their little horn to warn unsuspecting pedestrians in their path. We wandered around and looked at all the shops and restaurants and settled down at the Big River Brewing Company and Ale House. We were going to be having dinner soon, but we were really hungry, so we had a seat on the patio and Mike enjoyed a beer sampler and we split an appetizer. I think this was probably my favorite part of the trip. It was so beautiful and relaxing. The sun was setting and the scenery was just breathtaking. We sat and people-watched for quite a while. And of course I noticed a bakery on our way in so I requested that we make a quick stop with the idea that maybe we could "get something for breakfast tomorrow." Yeah right. The minute I saw that napoleon, I knew it would be mine. We took it out to the patio so I could sample it, Mike claiming he was too full to even try a bite. Within 10 seconds, we had both demolished it. It was sooooooo good. I'm drooling just thinking about it.
Now that we were good and full, of course it was time for our dinner reservation. We headed over to the Polynesian Resort where 'Ohana, the restaurant of choice for tonight, was located. We had eaten breakfast at the resort's café that morning (I had to try the famous Tonga Toast I had heard so much about; it's French toast stuffed with bananas and rolled in cinnamon and sugar and then fried. It was a little too much for me, but at least Mikey got to have some decent coffee). 'Ohana is a Hawaiian-style, all-you-can-eat place and we both knew there was no way we would be able to do it justice, but we had reservations and had heard so many good things about it so we forged ahead. As we waited for our table, we relaxed in the lounge while a Hawaiian guitarist played and we ordered drinks. I had some frozen fruit concoction, Maui Sunrise or something, and Mike had a beer. When our name was called, we were greeted by another "cousin" ('Ohana means family in Hawaiian) who gave us a brief overview of the restaurant. He showed us the grilling/roasting pit where all the meat was cooked, then we passed the dessert bar and had each delectable item described for us, then we were led to a lovely window seat. Mike decided to order one of the novelty drinks called The Backscratcher because he wanted the little wooden backscratcher that came in it. I was wearing the tiny umbrella that had been in my drink. When Mike's drink arrived, it tasted like pure alcohol with no discernible fruit flavor whatsoever. Ick! But he wanted that backscratcher.
Our meal was enormous. First we were brought a giant appetizer/dipping sauce tray with wings and salad and wontons or something; just all sorts of stuff. We had barely made a dent in that when our cousin came by with the fist giant skewer of meat. Each one had hunks of roasted turkey or pork or steak or shrimp on it and he would just slide a few of each onto our plates. Oh man, it was so good but we could barely eat any of it. We tried valiantly to at least finish one piece of meat each (I liked the steak and I think Mike favored the turkey) but it was a struggle. Then they bring dessert. Fresh pineapple slices with caramel dipping sauce. We each had a slice or two, but I focused on the caramel. It was a shame for it to go to waste.
When we hopped (or waddled, is more like it) onto the monorail, intending to get back to the central transportation station and catch a bus to our hotel, the announcer stated that the station was closed for the evening and we would have to depart at the next and final stop for the evening: the Grand Floridian Hotel. Well, on the bright side, we would finally get a chance to explore it. It was very ornate and almost over the top in its plushness, but the Christmas decorations were gorgeous. There was a gigantic gingerbread house that several small children probably could have fit in, as well as a floor-to-ceiling tree. Beautiful! When I had originally been researching our trip, I considered trying to get reservations at the very exclusive, super-deluxe, ultra-swanky, gourmet restaurant in the GF called Victoria & Albert's, but it would have been at least $200 for the meal. Maybe next time.
After wandering around the lobby, we headed outside to the bus stop, our only option other than a taxi. We would have to catch the bus to Pleasure Island, then transfer from there to our hotel bus. While we waited in the cold, snuggling together for warmth, we listened to the rich people staying there talk about rich people stuff. Another couple who had gotten stuck at the GF like us chatted with them about cars (one of the gentlemen worked for Ford) and Mr. Ford Man mentioned that they were re-issuing the '69 Mustang. After a loooong wait, the bus finally came and we eventually made it back to the hotel. We considered walking around the shops at Downtown Disney first, but we were exhausted and we had already taken a brief tour the previous night.
