We just got back from Disney World this past week; were there 11/19 - 11/22. We all (DH, DD, 15, DS, 13 and little DD, six who is over 48" tall so rode everything we did including roller coasters, Tower of Terror, etc.) loved it and are ready to go back. It was our children's first time to go and DH's and my second time in 20 years of marriage, the first having been 18 years ago. I'll try to be brief:
11/19 Had res. for Princess Breakfast at Askerhuus in Norway so were at the gates as they opened, hit the sphere with no wait, on to Test Track with maybe a 5 min. wait (sign said 20 mins.) and onto breakfast. The food was good, the atmosphere very nice and the princesses graciously posed for photos and signed DD's autograph book (DH had his pix made with Jasmine who was breathtakingly gorgeous). Did the Viking ship with no wait and strolled around the countries which we practically had to ourselves. The weather was warm and sunny. In the afternoon we got a FP for Soarin' (loved it) and hit The Land while we waited to go on Soarin'. Also did Mission to Mars (made me slightly nauseated but everybody else loved it). We loved the Ellen D and Bill Nye energy ride and Honey I Shrunk the Audience (little DD didn't like the 'rats' running under her feet). Left toward dark and went to MK but it was so crowded, we only watched Cinderellabration from a distance, rode the train around and left to go swimming at our hotel, Comfort Suites Maingate East which was clean, close by, had an outdoor heated pool and hot tub and a continental breakfast and our maid, Violetta, left Bitty Baby propped on the pillows and covered with her blanket every day.
11/20 MK--crowded and the weather was mild; went to Adventureland and did Pirates with little wait and Jungle Cruise (both were less time than posted). Got a FP for Thunder Mountain and waited to ride Splash until we could go on Thunder (again, not a long wait). Loved Haunted Mansion, same on the wait time, and the children were very impressed with the Hall of Presidents (no booing or catcalls at President Bush which made me relieved and thankful); went to Fantasyland during the p.m. parade where the 87 cent rain ponchos came in handy. Rode the Barnstormer in the rain and stood in the longest line to ride Pooh's Honeypots and then on to It's a Small World (both of these to my 13 year old son's chagrin--he was not impressed). Loved Mickey's Philarmagic 3-D show as well. We had a 2:45 FP for Space Mountain so went on the Carousel of Progress where DH caught up on his nap. Did a little shopping at Tinkerbell's Treasures and then back to Adventureland to ride Aladdin's carpets at the little DD's insistence and then out to dinner off-site and back to the hotel.
11/21 Went to MGM--the crowds were so thick you couldn't stir them with a stick. Got a FP at 10:30 a.m. for Tower for a return time of 2:15. Stood in line at Rockin's Rollercoaster for 1 1/2 hours when the time posted said 60 minutes. The lady in front of us said they were periodically apologizing for hte delay due to tech. diff's. I couldn't hear over the din of the crowd and the wailting of Steven Tyler but when we finally got on, it was a great roller coaster. Tried to get a FP for the car crash show but while we waited for our FP time the sign rolled over from 12:30 to 3:30 return time so we gave up and got in on the tail end of the Indy show. The CM up top said it was standing room only but when we go in we were down about 1/3 of the way to the far left of the staging area so that was fine and it was a good show. We liked the Drew Carey thing okay, went to Tower (wow!) and left for Epcot. Tried to get res. for Le Celier but coudn't until 8 p.m. and the children were starving so got res. for Le Chefs de France at 5 p.m. It was delicious and our server, Marine, was delightful as was the maitre'd (sp.). Went to the American history show in the American pavillion and watched Illuminations from the Japanese pavillion (was very cold and we wore jackets and gloves).
11/22 The weather guru's with their pinpoint Doppler radar called for torrential downpours throughout the day so we didn't want to waste our precious parkhopper so went to Downtown Disney and watched the new Harry Potter (I liked the first director's take on things better personally but the older two liked it and that Daniel Radcliff just keeps getting better looking, doesn't he?!) Of course, the weather was breezy and sunny until that afternoon when it came a gully washer so we were glad after all we hadn't gone in. Went back to the hotel to recoup
11/23 Went to Animal Kingdom and did the African Safari (waited about 15 minutes in line), It's Tough to be a Bug (loved it!), Dinosaur (loved it and waited about 15 minutes here as well despite a pretty heavy crowd) and walked through the Asian trails to see the animals. Loved the fruit bats and tigers. Left to head home 8 hours away in upstate SC.
All in all, pretty good weather, the CM's were all nice and gracious and the crowds were polite and considerate. We are looking forward to going back.
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11/19 Had res. for Princess Breakfast at Askerhuus in Norway so were at the gates as they opened, hit the sphere with no wait, on to Test Track with maybe a 5 min. wait (sign said 20 mins.) and onto breakfast. The food was good, the atmosphere very nice and the princesses graciously posed for photos and signed DD's autograph book (DH had his pix made with Jasmine who was breathtakingly gorgeous). Did the Viking ship with no wait and strolled around the countries which we practically had to ourselves. The weather was warm and sunny. In the afternoon we got a FP for Soarin' (loved it) and hit The Land while we waited to go on Soarin'. Also did Mission to Mars (made me slightly nauseated but everybody else loved it). We loved the Ellen D and Bill Nye energy ride and Honey I Shrunk the Audience (little DD didn't like the 'rats' running under her feet). Left toward dark and went to MK but it was so crowded, we only watched Cinderellabration from a distance, rode the train around and left to go swimming at our hotel, Comfort Suites Maingate East which was clean, close by, had an outdoor heated pool and hot tub and a continental breakfast and our maid, Violetta, left Bitty Baby propped on the pillows and covered with her blanket every day.
11/20 MK--crowded and the weather was mild; went to Adventureland and did Pirates with little wait and Jungle Cruise (both were less time than posted). Got a FP for Thunder Mountain and waited to ride Splash until we could go on Thunder (again, not a long wait). Loved Haunted Mansion, same on the wait time, and the children were very impressed with the Hall of Presidents (no booing or catcalls at President Bush which made me relieved and thankful); went to Fantasyland during the p.m. parade where the 87 cent rain ponchos came in handy. Rode the Barnstormer in the rain and stood in the longest line to ride Pooh's Honeypots and then on to It's a Small World (both of these to my 13 year old son's chagrin--he was not impressed). Loved Mickey's Philarmagic 3-D show as well. We had a 2:45 FP for Space Mountain so went on the Carousel of Progress where DH caught up on his nap. Did a little shopping at Tinkerbell's Treasures and then back to Adventureland to ride Aladdin's carpets at the little DD's insistence and then out to dinner off-site and back to the hotel.
11/21 Went to MGM--the crowds were so thick you couldn't stir them with a stick. Got a FP at 10:30 a.m. for Tower for a return time of 2:15. Stood in line at Rockin's Rollercoaster for 1 1/2 hours when the time posted said 60 minutes. The lady in front of us said they were periodically apologizing for hte delay due to tech. diff's. I couldn't hear over the din of the crowd and the wailting of Steven Tyler but when we finally got on, it was a great roller coaster. Tried to get a FP for the car crash show but while we waited for our FP time the sign rolled over from 12:30 to 3:30 return time so we gave up and got in on the tail end of the Indy show. The CM up top said it was standing room only but when we go in we were down about 1/3 of the way to the far left of the staging area so that was fine and it was a good show. We liked the Drew Carey thing okay, went to Tower (wow!) and left for Epcot. Tried to get res. for Le Celier but coudn't until 8 p.m. and the children were starving so got res. for Le Chefs de France at 5 p.m. It was delicious and our server, Marine, was delightful as was the maitre'd (sp.). Went to the American history show in the American pavillion and watched Illuminations from the Japanese pavillion (was very cold and we wore jackets and gloves).
11/22 The weather guru's with their pinpoint Doppler radar called for torrential downpours throughout the day so we didn't want to waste our precious parkhopper so went to Downtown Disney and watched the new Harry Potter (I liked the first director's take on things better personally but the older two liked it and that Daniel Radcliff just keeps getting better looking, doesn't he?!) Of course, the weather was breezy and sunny until that afternoon when it came a gully washer so we were glad after all we hadn't gone in. Went back to the hotel to recoup
11/23 Went to Animal Kingdom and did the African Safari (waited about 15 minutes in line), It's Tough to be a Bug (loved it!), Dinosaur (loved it and waited about 15 minutes here as well despite a pretty heavy crowd) and walked through the Asian trails to see the animals. Loved the fruit bats and tigers. Left to head home 8 hours away in upstate SC.
All in all, pretty good weather, the CM's were all nice and gracious and the crowds were polite and considerate. We are looking forward to going back.
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