Photo Trip Report - Labor Day 2007 - Just Hubby & Me!

[GinnyFavers]

I usally write a blow by blow report, but since I haven't finished my big family vacation trip report from July of this year, I figured I'd just put up some photos and talk about highlights from our September 2007 trip!

We went August 24 - September 3. This was only three weeks after getting back from our summer vacation with our son & Joe's mom.

We went so soon again because 1. this was a trip originally planned for early December, but I switched jobs and can't get off in early December any more, 2. when we called our DVC owner to rebook our rented points for us these dates were available for "anywhere but Saratoga Springs" which is always our DVC rental criteria, and 3. the trip with Joe's mom and Miles had been stressful enough on Joe that it was easy to keep him happy with being told where to go and what to do all the time on the first trip with the promise of a trip where he could do whatever the heck he wanted coming up soon.

We rented DVC points at the Villas at Wilderness Lodge from Sunday - Monday, and decided to stay at Shades of Green on Friday & Saturday nights. DVC points are much much higher on weekends, and we wanted to avoid paying for two weekends' worth of them.

So, enough of the setup, on to the photos and trip!

 

[GinnyFavers]

I've always wanted to stop and take a photo of the fountains down at the base of the rental car garage at the Orlando airport.

The water in them smells just like Disney water attractions! Must use the same chemicals. All the green foliage, and that smell, and the Orlando air, I know I'm in the House of the Mouse again. Feels like home.

We've always had a rental car, since way back, and I always want to come this way. You walk right by everyone standing around waiting for Magical Express, go up the escalator past these fountains, and you are right at Alamo and National's no-counter-stop-required just-pick-up-your-car-and-go area. Sweet.

We went and checked in at Shades of Green. The room was very nice, especially for the money! We never ate at any of the SOG restaurants, we never swam in their pool, and we didn't use their transportation, so I guess I'm not the person to do a real review for you. All I can say is, the room was great, and we liked walking over to the Polynesian to get to the MK. It was very far, yes, but a nice walk.

We used our promiximity to the Poly to go get drinks from the Ohana bar and then see the Pirate & Princess Party fireworks our first night (it was raining REALLY hard that night, and they were delayed for over an hour -- we spent that time cuddling underneath a cabana on a totally deserted Poly beach, until they finally went up), and eat lunch at Kona the next day (walked up with no ADR for lunch around 1:30 & seated in 5 minutes - DELICIOUS!).

Here are some pics from Shades of Green. You'll see one of Joe in the lobby. There was wireless internet for $6.95 I think for 24 hours, there. It was slow. There was also high speed (ethernet) access in the room for a bit more per 24 hours. We just chose to go out to the lobby and surf there.

View from our balcony:

The room:

Mickey in the lobby:

More lobby:

 

[GinnyFavers]

Sunday we checked into the Villas at Wilderness Lodge for the rest of our vacation.

We checked in around 11:30 a.m., and by some miracle, had a room just an hour later! And it was a great room, with an extra window on the side wall, because it was right on the corner. Close to the Villas rotunda, view of Bay Lake through the trees. It was so totally great. I said to Joe before he came in, "Are you ready to see the nicest room you've ever stayed in at Disney World?" But he contends he likes the water view at the Yacht Club or the lagoon view at the Polynesian better. Me, I'll take this for a view:

 

[GinnyFavers]

We could hear the boats out on Bay Lake, the sound was wonderful.

We spent time in both pools, we went to Publix one day and bought stuff to bring back and bbq on the beach, I took a tour of Wilderness Lodge with "Stan the Man" one morning while Joe slept in, we pin traded with cm's all over the lodge, played Ms. Pac Man and Galaga and pinpall in the arcade, and I ate breakfast one morning by myself (Joe was still sleeping that day, too) at Whispering Canyon Cafe. So I think we got good fun out of our resort.

Here's a pic of Stan. He was a little strange (he made us all cram together on one spot on the floor for it turned out no reason for the first ten minutes, telling us it was a "magic spot", not sure what the point of that was, it was uncomfortable), but the tour had some good information. He explained the story behind the main beams in the lobby, and the pattern on the lobby floor. It's from a creation myth about energy coming down from the heavens in the form of lightning bolts, creating the world of man and the world of animals. Stan was strange but sweet and very earnest and affectionate. He took the time to show me where the hidden Mickey is in the column over the main lobby fireplace. Didn't get a photo of that, sorry! Have to go find it yourself. It's not easy!

One of my favorite memories from the whole trip was when I was waiting for laundry to finish up in the laundry room, and sat on some nice chairs on the outdoor covered porch that wraps around the parking-lot side of the Villas building. The ambient music was wonderful, the air was balmy, I had just been swimming and was in my bathing suit and coverup, barefoot. I hung out and read a book for an hour, watching people as they came and went (not many people, it was pretty darn peaceful in the middle of the day - everyone is at the parks), listening to the music, letting the bit of a breeze that was around dry me off slowly in the Florida heat. It was so ahhh.

Here's some photos of the grounds. Not your typical photos, we already have those, these are things I've never shot before, like the geyser when it's not going off, the beach area by the bbq grills and the playground, the walkway to the boat dock:

 

[GinnyFavers]

We took the Hidden Mickeys Field Guide with us over to the Magic Kingdom one day. We found the clues almost impossible, and got frustrated. We always had to look in the back for the solutions.

But we were proud of ourselves when we saw one Hidden Mickey that wasn't in the book!

That's in the Plaza Restaurant. I guess it would be pretty rude to the people dining there if everyone was coming in trying to get between your table and the wall to look at this poster. But that's where it is, directly across from the restaurant entrance, on the far wall.

We took two more pics of HM's that were in the book, before we gave up. We never could find the one that's supposedly in the trees at Peter Pan, and we never could find any Hidden Tinkerbell in the rockwork at Big Thunder Mountain, and I think after a couple more tries and no luck, we decided hunting for Hidden Mickeys isn't for us. We just want someone to take us around and point them out. I guess we're too lazy to hunt!

 

[GinnyFavers]

Going back and forth on the boat from Wilderness Lodge to the Magic Kingdom is heaven if you are just knocking around and don't have anywhere you have to be. If you have a deadline or it's any time before or after fireworks or Spectromagic at the MK, or any time around the Electric Water Pageant on the lake, it's hell.

It's such a mix of heaven and hell, I don't know how I feel about it. Part of me feels like Wilderness Lodge is my favorite resort of all time, and part of me feels like a sucker for staying there because the boat transportation at the above mentioned times is just too messed up to function. I think I'll stay again, on the condition that we never ever take the boat at night. I will insist on being in the MK by 7 pm, if we're getting there by boat, and then to get home I swear I'm going to walk to the Contemporary and take a taxi. I can't take it anymore.

OK OK I know, I'll save you having to jot off your affronted rebuttal -- "everyone else loves it and has never had any problems, Disney is perfect and it's all my fault, it has to be that way, Disney is doing the best they can, my expectations are unrealistic, if I don't like it I should go vacation somewhere else," so let's move on shall we, and enjoy some photos of the times when the boat to and from WL and the MK was heaven:

 

[GinnyFavers]

We spent a whole day doing the Backstage Magic Tour.

This was the one time Joe got out of bed before 11:00 am this whole trip.

Our tour guide was James. I suspect he has recently been cast as Barbossa for parties at the MK! He was up for the role at the time, and he did a bit of the character for us... SO perfect. I started a thread a while back asking if anyone had photos of Barbossa from MNSSHP, but nobody ever posted one. If they gave that role to anybody else but James, they're nuts.

James was the stand-up comedian of the tour guide world. He was sarcastic, talkative, and very entertaining. Cameras aren't allowed it turns out in any of the backstage areas, so before we went through the wall at the front of Epcot that morning, James jokingly said now was our first and last chance to take any photos until lunch. I said I had to take one! So James posed for me, as if he were giving us a tour. It's the only photo I took all day.

Great day, by the way. I just asked Joe if he thinks, with our AP (or maybe it was a Disney Visa) discounts, the day was worth the $318.40 we paid. He said no. I say yes. He says it didn't show him enough detail. He wanted to not just walk through the buildings, he wanted to talk to people who worked there and see what they were working on, especially in Central Shops. He also didn't like half the tour being flowers and dresses and makeup. I think Joe would pay $3,184.00 for someone to let him go work as a volunteer at Central Shops for a day, is the thing.

We went to American Adventure's backstage, Epcot's cast central, Disney's florist, costuming at the Studios, lunch at Mama Melrose, Christmas warehouse, Show & Event warehouse, Central Shops, Utilidors under the Magic Kingdom, up into the MK for parade & Main St. & then a ride back to Epcot & that was it.

All of it was excellent except for the last hour. James was tired, we were tired, it was insanely hot outside that day, and there just wasn't that much of interest on Main St. They used to take you down to the computer room under the MK, that was much more interesting. Now they can't supposedly due to security concerns after 9-11. Yes, terrorists are going to infiltrate the Backstage Magic tour so they can sabotage Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean, and It's a Small World.

 

[GinnyFavers]

We did the Pirate & Princess Party.

I was glad I decided not to go our first night, that was the night it rained a lot a lot and the fireworks were delayed so late.

We went Tuesday night, on a cheap AP discount night. Joe had a hard time getting into it, for some reason. A couple of cast members in a row snapped at us, one about the character greeting line for the stepsisters and evil stepmother being closed, ok, we weren't even headed there, and then another one wouldn't let us approach the Cinderella's Royal Table check in podium to just look at the menu to see if Joe would like to eat there some day. When people bark at Joe like that, it's really hard for him to have a happy time. They were really aggressive, both of those girls. Both early 20's. We, like the rest of our Generation X, are bemused by the often cranky demeanor of this next generation... I know you've heard the theory that it's the thong underwear they all wear...

Yeah, ok, before you jot off your affronted rebuttal, I'm just kidding, they had every right to talk to us that way, they were great cast members, we really appreciate them.

The parade was the best Disney theme park parade I've ever seen. I liked it more than the Main Street Electrical Parade, and that's saying a lot. The fireworks were awesome. Lines for rides were pretty minimal. We saw a lot of crying, overtired kids by the end of the night, though.

Yes, we wore costumes:

This girl was dressed as Mulan & we had to take a photo of her and the characters, too cute!:

Good view of things from the TTA:

 

[GinnyFavers]

We took a day to go to Downtown Disney. I'm not a big fan of DD, Joe could spend half the trip there.

We did Christmas shopping for Joe's mom at World of Disney. Check out this wonderful model of Cinderalla's castle they had in their main rotunda!

We walked over to the West Side, saw some swans on the way, by the water.

Joe brought his head thing again to wear to pose on the cycles in the Harley store. He doesn't ride... yet. Lord help me!

The rest of the afternoon there was a total bust. They had quit running Harry Potter's new movie except for a couple times a day and we had already missed both showings, which the whole point of coming here today. Why we didn't think to check showtimes in advance, I don't know, we just assumed a month after it came out it would still be up plenty of times every day.

Then, the store where Joe saw this Hermione action figure he wanted didn't have it in stock any more, and there were so many signs everywhere telling you not to touch anything or take any photos, and the guys working were so unhelpful, it put Joe in a worse mood.

Then, I was really looking forward to eating at Wolfgang Puck's after all the positive things I'd heard, and I wanted sushi so we sat at their sushi bar. Maybe the rest of the place is great, but their sushi bar is not. Overpriced is an understatement, it was worn and dirty, and the sushi was below average in quality, preparation, and presentation. The service was indifferent. We were waited on by someone who I think is really a bartender, and we weren't cool enough to be there, I guess, since we weren't drinking. That's the feeling I got from him. Not going back.

 

[GinnyFavers]

We drove all over the place daydreaming about living here, on this trip. When we got home, Joe was finally ready to put in work it took to get his resume started. And I spent 10 hours writing it, vetting it, and now we've officially applied for positions for him at Kennedy Space Center, and we're actively looking. Who knows? We may be looking for 15 years and just end up retiring down there or he could get called for an interview tomorrow. But at least the ball is rolling!

Other things we did this trip is go to Blizzard Beach for the first time together. That was a lot of fun. We went twice, once where we had to leave after just an hour and a half due to an insanely intense thunderstorm, and once where we had to leave after five hours due to a teeny thunderstorm. Be aware, you can't go to Disney waterparks in the summer and expect to be there after 2 or 3 pm. If it works out otherwise, great for you, but I'd go expecting the place to close after lunch every day.

Didn't take photos of either of the above things we did, but I do have for my final entry here pics we took at Epcot. I left Joe in bed one morning and went on my own over to Epcot on the bus from WL. It was a slow day there, that day. Hot, but nice. I saw the Jammitors for the first time, and went on Soarin' and Living with the Land by myself. I think I rode Living with the Land twice. Not sure what it is about that attraction, but I can do it over and over again.

Then Joe met me, and we went shopping in Mitsukoshi in Japan. Bought another lamp for our bedroom, dinnerware that was on clearance, and Joe bought me an iron tetsubo tea pot, matching cups, and bunch of tea for Christmas. It's in the closet now, waiting to be wrapped, I can't have it until Christmas day.

We took some photos of views of the lagoon we'd not taken before, and details of buildings. We'd never noticed the outdoor eating area at Norway has a roof covered in grass!

We ate lunch at Nine Dragons, no ADR, we just walked up. I'd hear terrible things about it for years, never tried it before. It had a great view, the service was efficient, and the hot & sour soup was I'm not kidding you the second best I've ever tasted, and I've had hot & sour soup in probably oh gosh over two dozen restaurants over the years, including some very dressy expensive ones. I'm going to eat there again, I can't wait to see what they do after their major renovations next year.

 

[GinnyFavers]

Well, that's it! Mellow was the watch word for this trip.

We challenged ourselves to spend no more than $100 a day on food and souvenirs for both of us. That was VERY hard to stick to, but we did it. We ate a few times off site.

Publix's deli section is awesome, by the way! Just wonderful. I bought some of the best potato salad I've ever had from there. The only potato salad that's been better was my co-worker Sherry in Baton Rouge, LA's, and people used to beg her for the recipe. If you have a rental car, by all means to go the nearest Publix and stock up on stuff to eat in your room. It's way better than most of Disney's food.

See, doesn't that sound like a local talking? C'mon NASA, or Disney Imagineering, or Central Shops, somebody... you want Joe working for you, trust me.

Thanks for reading everyone!