Pre-Trip Plans, WDW April 19-25, 2009, UD-4/18-So Kiss Me and Smile For Me...1DTG!!!!

[ChefMickey123]

Sounds fun......for YOU of course! I'll sit it out! Enjoy!

Best you go souvenir shopping instead.

 

[ChefMickey123]

Your aqua tour sounds like so much fun....

I am sure it will be the highlight of Epcot.

 

[ChefMickey123]

Day 5, Welcome to the Movies, April 23, 2009


O.K., the fantasy is over. It is back to commando mode for the final Park—
Disney’s Holly-Wood-Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer-Cecil B.-DeMille-Animation-Is-Speilberg-or-Lucas-better-Pixar-We’ve had-this-place-open-for-at-least-17-years-and-still-don’t-have-our-licensing-issues-straight-or-our-minds-made-up-on-what-to-call-this-place-STUDIOS.

This concludes today’s snarky remark. Thank You.

This is a rope-drop, don’t leave the park until it is done day. It is also a solo day. I know HS gets a bad reputation, and is least- favored by some people. If I still have a favorite from 16 years ago, this has to be it.
Last time I was here with Mom and sisters, it was a lot less populated with attractions too.


Now, there are the Tower of Terror, Rock N’ Roller Coaster, Toy Story Midway Mania, Fantasmic, a giant Sorcerer’s hat, and many more new experiences.

On the last trip was the Great Movie Ride, a Stunt show, the Back lot tour, an animation tour, the Little Mermaid Show, Star Tours and the Muppets. There was also a TV show-based production where audience members became part of a Cheers episode. We ate at the 50’s Prime Time Café and had the most boring waiter in the joint. The food was good, but we were jealous of the other tables with fun servers.

So, there are many more attractions now, and what took us less than half a day to experience before, is likely to take longer now.


So the plan is to hit the big rides first, including acquisition of the coveted TSM Fast Pass.

I am having Lunch at the Brown Derby this day. I am a bit apprehensive. Late reviews have been less than kind. I can have alcohol in this park, so that should smooth over any rough spots with lunch. I plan on trying an offering other than the Cobb Salad and Fess Parker Chardonnay (I sell the FP wines in my own restaurant—try the Viognier if you get a chance sometime-it is yummy). The Deluxe DP will give me some ordering flexibility. I am still kicking around the Grapefruit Cake, as I have a problem with desserts—I want them all to be chocolate.


With Fantasmic being on a limited schedule, I might sneak in to see it after my Sunday arrival day dinner at Yachtsman’s Steakhouse if time permits. Otherwise, I will have to miss this show because most of my dinner ADR’s are in the 8:00 time frame the nights Fantasmic is playing. What a way to start with a bang-Yachtsman’s Steakhouse, followed by Fantasmic, followed by an EMH ride marathon at MK ‘till 1:00am.

O.K.-back to the day at hand…
After doing the Studios until about 6:00pm, or until I’ve had enough, I am going back to POR to freshen up and change for dinner at Citricos at GF. I’m looking forward to this one. It should be a great dinner with some nice wines to try. They will likely have to roll me to the monorail after dinner. It is the last signature meal of the trip.

Tune in next time when the APH’s invade.

 

[ChefMickey123]

Last night, while I was very tired , I thought it might be a good idea to embarass myself in front of some total strangers while at Disney's Hollywood Studios.

So, I ordered an audition ticket from the American Idol Experience website.

If you want to know what and AIE experience audition ticket looks like, see below:

If you want your own audition ticket, because you are a freak like me , go to:

http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/parks/hollywood-studios/attractions/american-idol/experience

Tickets are free, but you order them through the website like a concert ticket, so there is no "stuffing the ballot box" by ordering all of the time slots. You first interview, according to the web site, lasts only about 2 minutes including performance, introduction, and critique. No time for being Goofy, I guess.



In other news, I spoke with my mother today, and she would like to do the Behind the Seeds tour at Epcot, so I am calling in the morning to arrange it. I have a coupon for 15% from Birnbaum's Guide-Yeah.

 

[TxRabbit]

I know that there are special food booths during Food and Wine Festival.

Maybe that's what I was thinking of...

Last night, while I was very tired , I thought it might be a good idea to embarass myself in front of some total strangers while at Disney's Hollywood Studios.

So, I ordered an audition ticket from the American Idol Experience website.

If you want to know what and AIE experience audition ticket looks like, see below:

If you want your own audition ticket, because you are a freak like me , go to:

http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/parks/hollywood-studios/attractions/american-idol/experience

Tickets are free, but you order them through the website like a concert ticket, so there is no "stuffing the ballot box" by ordering all of the time slots. You first interview, according to the web site, lasts only about 2 minutes including performance, introduction, and critique. No time for being Goofy, I guess.



In other news, I spoke with my mother today, and she would like to do the Behind the Seeds tour at Epcot, so I am calling in the morning to arrange it. I have a coupon for 15% from Birnbaum's Guide-Yeah.

How fun! I read someone's TR about their audition, etc. I wish you well.

You have such fun things planned. The scuba is going to be wonderful I think. What a fun/laid back kind of day you have planned. Very cool.

I was thinking about doing the Behind the Seeds tour. You'll definitely have to post how it is.

 

[ChefMickey123]

Maybe that's what I was thinking of...



How fun! I read someone's TR about their audition, etc. I wish you well.

You have such fun things planned. The scuba is going to be wonderful I think. What a fun/laid back kind of day you have planned. Very cool.

I was thinking about doing the Behind the Seeds tour. You'll definitely have to post how it is.

I hope to make it into a show-that would be fun.

I can't wait to go into the Living Seas tank at Epcot. I have purposely scheduled some easy time for me-it is a vacation, after all.

I'll let you know how the tour goes.


Thanks for posting in my report. I wish I could get more folks to do it.

 

[TxRabbit]

I hope to make it into a show-that would be fun.

I can't wait to go into the Living Seas tank at Epcot. I have purposely scheduled some easy time for me-it is a vacation, after all.

I'll let you know how the tour goes.


Thanks for posting in my report. I wish I could get more folks to do it.

According to the TR I read, she made it into the show. And then, because she won the show, she was invited back to another show with all the other winners throughout the day. Be prepared for that, I guess! It sounds like a good time. I would love to do it myself, but we aren't going to DHS for our upcoming trip.

We like to remember that we are on vacation when at WDW and not running a theme park marathon, so we can comfortably go to 4 areas during a one week trip. With my DS, Disney Quest and DTD counts as an area, so then we can do 3 parks. Last trip we skipped AK, this trip we skip DHS. It's all good. We'll be back.

That's part of the easy time for us. It's like a daily event though. I think we only have one day planned commando style. And that's Epcot, which I find to be easy to relax at when you tour the countries. Epcot is DSs fav, actually, which is why I was especially interested in your take on the tour. More fun. Pretty inexpensive and we get a discount for having the Disney Chase card.

The more you post, the more people will respond. There's probably many reading but not posting. Lots of lurkers on the boards, reading, getting ideas.

Turns out I'm heading up kinda sorta close to your neck of the woods in August. My sis-in-law is getting married at the Perry Park CC in Larkspur. I went there for the Renaissance Festival. Beautiful area.

Gotta a recommendation for a nice date night dinner in the Colo Springs area? I might be able to get a date with my DH with all the available sitters around! My other sis-in-law lives in the Springs, and that's where we'll be staying when we go...

 

[ChefMickey123]

Your aqua tour sounds like so much fun....

Hi Maggie D, thanks for stopping by again. I think this will be a big highlight of my trip. I am glad that Mom won't be around that day to watch. She is a little nervous about me doing this.

I'm more nervous about auditioning for American Idol Experience.

 

[mommytothreeboys]

Good Morning from rainy, dreary upstate New York. I so need spring to come!

So....your DHS day looks good! Definitely don't miss TOT! When DH and I went in 1992 for our honeymoon, MGM (as it was called) was fairly new. We did the backlot tour, Great Movie Ride, Honey I Shrunk the Kids Playground, and we saw Indiana Jones. (Which, by the way, I have to say has not really changed much in 15 years!) Fantasmic is a good show so if you can sneak it in I would recommend it!

Wow...an American Idol audition! You really are brave...first the snorkeling and now this!

You are eating at some great places! With 3 boys I can't really get away with fancy restaurants too often. I'll have to live through you...post a report when you get home!

Oh...and I have found a trick to getting readers...if you have a link in your signature. If you post on other reports or just post on the boards sometimes you attract readers. I found that works. But I'm along for the ride, so keep writing!

 

[MAGGIED]

I re-read your trip report and started to laugh when I saw that you were going to watch Stacey on TV... OMG she is certainly one happy lady... don't think I have seen many people that happy..... actually I don't mind her that much... I find myself putting her on TV when we are there when I need some wind down time....

 

[ChefMickey123]

If you are contemplating a trip to WDW and have not ordered the free maps yet-you probably should. They are very nice. Properly dealt with, they would make a nice addition to a child's bedroom or nursery. For all of you who like to "Surprise" people with trips-these maps would be a great way to reveal the trip to them. They come in a nice wallet and are printed with your family name.

If you are going to Disney and have not ordered the maps-do, it will do wonders for helping your Disney Cravings stay at bay.

Here are some scanned map things below:

Doesn't that feel better now?


Here is also my ADR spreadsheet. The names and ressies #'s have been concealed to protect the innocent.

I also ordered about a half-dozen trading pins online today so I will have a little something to start with when I get to the World.

Can you tell, I just hit the 40 day mark and I am really excited.

 

[my2disneyboys]

Great Pre Trippie! I love MCO=Mickeys Corporate Office (I have never heard that!) We were at POR last visit and I LOVED it. I especially loved sitting at the pool bar!! I hope you and your family have a fabulous time

 

[seasideteacher]

Hey! I came over from your post on my PTR and I love yours! You have a great sense of humor, I can't wait to read you trip report! And PLEASE do a food report, you will be back just a week or two before I leave and I will be drooling over any pic I can get!
Also, so do soaring at epcot, I did it in Disneyland and just loved it. very relaxing I thought.
I also got my maps from Disney... they are so fun!

Looks like you have some fun days planned! Isn't traveling with grandparents the best? Grandpas tend to have the quirkiest sense of humor lol!

I'm subscribing!

 

[ChefMickey123]

Hey! I came over from your post on my PTR and I love yours! You have a great sense of humor, I can't wait to read you trip report! And PLEASE do a food report, you will be back just a week or two before I leave and I will be drooling over any pic I can get!
Also, so do soaring at epcot, I did it in Disneyland and just loved it. very relaxing I thought.
I also got my maps from Disney... they are so fun!

Looks like you have some fun days planned! Isn't traveling with grandparents the best? Grandpas tend to have the quirkiest sense of humor lol!

I'm subscribing!

Hey, thanks for subbing. It has taken my grandparents to move to Florida after retirement to mellow them out and make them fun. They have taken care of me so well when I visit Florida (and as a child), that I am truly looking forward to treating them to a night on the town at Downtown Disney.

My great-aunt, whom I am going to Epcot with on Friday, swears Soarin' is one of the better Disney rides. She is the true afficionado of all things Mickey related. It looks like I will have 3 visits to Epcot so far, so I will get a chance to ride it.

I saw your countdown clock on your pre-trippie--It won't be long for both of us now.

 

[ChefMickey123]

Great Pre Trippie! I love MCO=Mickeys Corporate Office (I have never heard that!) We were at POR last visit and I LOVED it. I especially loved sitting at the pool bar!! I hope you and your family have a fabulous time

I looked up MCO on WIKI---this is what MCO really means:

The airport code MCO stands for the airport's former name, McCoy Air Force Base, a Strategic Air Command (SAC) installation named for Colonel Michael Norman Wright McCoy, USAF, commander of the 321st Bombardment Wing at the then-Pinecastle Air Force Base. Col McCoy died in the crash of a B-47 Stratojet during the annual Strategic Air Command (SAC) Bombing and Navigation Competition that was held at the base in 1957. Pinecastle AFB was later renamed McCoy AFB in his honor the following year.

No disrespect to Col. McCoy's memory intended, he served his country well.

Besides-"Mickey's Corporate Office", I've also heard "Mickey COuntry".


I don't know what drew me to POR-I didn't know it existed in either its past or present moniker (Dixie Landings), but many people seem to enjoy it.

Have fun on your trip.

 

[mommytothreeboys]

Good morning again....still dreary here. Sunny Florida is sounding better every day!

I ordered those maps for our 2007 trip and they really are beautiful! Not sure what I'm going to do with them, but I'm sure I'll figure it out! They're too big to take to the parks so they are really more of a keepsake.

I am going to order some pins online for my boys. My oldest tried a bit of trading in 2007 and enjoyed it. He was trying to collect all of the Mickey Heads in the colors of different countries' flags.

Wow---Nathan Detroit! Good for you! This was a 7,8,9th grade production and the kids really did a great job. Maybe I'll post a pic or two of DS14 on my PTR.

And...I see the tip I gave you about getting more readers worked!!

 

[TxRabbit]

I LOVE the maps! I ordered them in 2006. I still have them. I would like to frame them and hang them up somewhere. But I was bummed that the maps were printed two to one page. I'm planning on ordering them again and now I will be able to hang each park! Simple things like that make me excited!

Soooo...do you not have any suggestions for the Springs, or did my post get overlooked? Just wondering...

 

[ChefMickey123]

According to the TR I read, she made it into the show. And then, because she won the show, she was invited back to another show with all the other winners throughout the day. Be prepared for that, I guess! It sounds like a good time. I would love to do it myself, but we aren't going to DHS for our upcoming trip.

We like to remember that we are on vacation when at WDW and not running a theme park marathon, so we can comfortably go to 4 areas during a one week trip. With my DS, Disney Quest and DTD counts as an area, so then we can do 3 parks. Last trip we skipped AK, this trip we skip DHS. It's all good. We'll be back.

That's part of the easy time for us. It's like a daily event though. I think we only have one day planned commando style. And that's Epcot, which I find to be easy to relax at when you tour the countries. Epcot is DSs fav, actually, which is why I was especially interested in your take on the tour. More fun. Pretty inexpensive and we get a discount for having the Disney Chase card.

The more you post, the more people will respond. There's probably many reading but not posting. Lots of lurkers on the boards, reading, getting ideas.

Turns out I'm heading up kinda sorta close to your neck of the woods in August. My sis-in-law is getting married at the Perry Park CC in Larkspur. I went there for the Renaissance Festival. Beautiful area.

Gotta a recommendation for a nice date night dinner in the Colo Springs area? I might be able to get a date with my DH with all the available sitters around! My other sis-in-law lives in the Springs, and that's where we'll be staying when we go...

The ultimate date night restaurant in CO Springs is the Penrose Room at the Broadmoor. It is continental, newly remodeled and chic. It will cost between $72-158 per person. The low end of that is 3 courses, the top end of that is the full-works tasting menu with wines. I will PM you their phone # if you would like. I am sorry it took so long to get this to you. Colorado Springs is not known for its fine dining. Plenty of chain places and Asian places though. Large military community.

 

[ChefMickey123]

Day 6 Tour plans, the Saga Continues…

The last full day in the World before leaving.


This day will be spent with my Infamouse Disney Freak Relatives-Aunt Barb and Uncle Eddie. The live in Port Orange Florida, near Daytona-less than 80 minutes from WDW.

They are super-seasoned Disney vets. Aunt Barb just did a 3 day stint in the World last weekend with my 2nd cousin and her mom.

Aunt B and Uncle E have some sort of Magical-Force inspired passes that let them into the parks to hop 365 days a year. I am sure they were not cheap. However, if you consider how many days of the year they go it probably evens out to a good deal.


We will be doing Epcot, and whatever else they want to-I have a park hopper, so I can go with them if they want to jump around. We will be feasting for lunch at Le Cellier, and for Dinner at the Spirit of Aloha. I eagerly await the Disney Wisdom Aunt B and Uncle E wish to impart on their young Grasshopper grand nephew.

Aunt B. Really likes Soarin’, Uncle E had quadruple by-pass a few years back, so I don’t know what his riding status is.

This will probably be my souvenir shopping day as well, because it is time to leave in the morning. I have a lot of my staff who deserve a trinket or more from Mickey.

More dreadful than leaving the World, will be leaving my family after a presumably marvelous, but too short, time together.

A grown man will cry and hide his face on the Magical Depress back to MCO.

 

[mommytothreeboys]

Magical DEpress.....LOL!!!