DAY 3 THE DAY AFTER THE DAY AFTER THE NIGHT BEFORE
I wake at 5.00 am before the rest of the family and pad quietly across the vast acreage of the "master" bedroom into the foyer of the "master" bathroom, down the long corridor past the his & hers walk in closets, as I enter the main entrance to the bathroom I break into a trot - for fear of not making the rest of the long journey to the toilet in time. Then it's back to the "master" balcony for a quiet coffee before the masses awake. (Did I mention that we had a "Master suite?")
I really love this bit of the holiday - the start is so full of hope and promises. I open the patio doors and the rush of warm air feels great. Its 5.20am and already a pleasant 79 degrees. I sit and sip for a while - luxuriating in my luxurious surroundings. OH COME ON! - Get on with it will you?
OK - The man on the weather channel says it's going to be 100 degrees today with thundery showers this afternoon. I have to believe him - after all - he's got a Dopplar hasn't he? "What's a Doppler" I hear you ask. "Shut up I say - "This is my story - you're not allowed to interrupt - OK?"
I bang doors, rustle crisp packets, and jingle keys and other such subtle hints to try to get the troops up. When all this fails I shout "CROCODILE" which has the desired effect! Were up and off for breakfast and the start of our "sponsored eat" at the Ponderosa.
On the way we get a bit lost in a rain shower. Actually - when I say shower - it was more like someone had pulled the plug out of the cloud above us and the rain was so heavy that I could not see the bonnet of the "Happy bus" even with the windscreen wipers on "Berserk" mode.
Within 5 minutes the rain has stopped and the sun is back out. In 15 minutes the road is bone dry. Funny place this!
We eat for England and beat the opposition 4 - 0. As the holiday progressed I remembered why we had booked a 7 seater for four of us! We began to expand into the vehicle with our excess lard.
Breakfast comes to $26 including tip.
We locate the much sought after (on my part) Sherbeth Road short-cut and we are on World Drive before you can say......well.........erm........... Something that would take longer to say than the time it took us to get to World Drive!
We park the "Happy bus" at the Magic Kingdom car park - Pluto 20. Then we catch one of those really noisy bus/train thingy's with a Mexican driver who rambles on about something in Mexicanese. Not only is he totally oblivious to the fact that I can't speak or understand his native tongue but even if I could - the noise from the Space Shuttle that is pulling us along is drowning out the PA system. What happened to the guy who designed this thing? Did he really think that it was necessary to attach such a large engine to these little carriages? Once again - as the holiday wore on - and my weight began to double - I started to see the reasoning behind this.
Pedro drops us at the gate and mumbles something that sounded like Por Favor Mantenga see how I drive my Fiat Cinquecento!
I nod to him as if I know what he said and he scowls back.
We go to a window to exchange our vouchers for the "Real McCoy" 10 day World Tickets. The lady at the desk seems well impressed with this deal that I had negotiated. I begin to get smug again and as I begin to polish my nails again - DW bats me round the head and reminds me that "So did about 10,000 other Brits".
Through the gates and past the Mickey and Minnie topiary hedges.
We board the mono-rail and the excitement begins to build. Tantalising glimpses of the park and the castle. Bits of familiar music. It's difficult to describe the feeling to someone who has not been here before but those of you who have - will probably agree - it's a great feeling - almost nauseous - but in a pleasant sort of way. We get bags searched and have our fingerprints taken by the Disney Police to enable us to use our tickets - two fingers later - and were in.
Under the station - round the corner of the Town Square and into Mainstreet.
Home at last......!
I feel that I want to cry for some reason - maybe it's the sight of Cindy's Castle or the atmosphere or perhaps - like many - I never really believed that we would return after the "once in a lifetime" trip in 2002.
But were back and boy am I going to make sure this was worth the wait.
I usher the family into the first shop on mainstreet - much to DD's dismay as she thinks were going shopping already but to her delight and surprise - no - it's to stop and buy a "Pal Mickey".
$60 lighter we are heading up Mainstreet and left through Liberty Square to Frontierland to start the day on Big Thunder Mountain Railway. Pal Mickey is jabbering away and vibrates every time we pass a ride. It's a bit like DS when he passes a computer shop! "Was this really a wise move" I ask myself? But there is no reply! I hate it when that happens.
BTMR is just a 5 minute wait.
This is DW's first time and she shrieks all the way round. I try to video film this ride but it's not easy - very bumpy and DD is concerned that I am going to drop the camera - nag, nag, nag, all the way round!
Another 5 minute wait for Splash Mountain (Superb - our family favourite) and then I frog-march them all over to Jungle Cruise - this closes for a re-furb tomorrow so it's a must-do today. Another virtual walk-on. Great start to the day.
We pause in the intense heat for a quick Sprite and Coke. It's about 95
Degrees now and it's going to take a few days to acclimatise to the heat.
Then it's The Haunted Mansion - I still can't find that flippin' ring in the floor! Where is it? I bet someone's nicked it haven't they?
Mickey's Filmharmagic is next - this is brilliant - another top-notch 3D special from Disney.
Over to Pirates of the Caribbean and then I decide to quit while were ahead. It has been a great start to the holiday - small crowds - short queues - but the hot weather and jet-lag will kick in soon and I don't want to over-do it on day 1.
We collect the obligatory Cookie & Cream ice creams from the Ice Cream Parlour on the corner of Mainstreet and erm.... some other street - and wander back down Mainstreet via The Bakery where they are giving away some free samples of their sweet/sticky/rice cake things - yum.
We catch the mono-rail and "Monster truck" to Pluto 20 where we parked the "Happy bus" and get the same "chit-chat" from "Pedro". I nod and smile at my fellow theme-parkers and try to look as if I understand what he's saying. They look back at me with bewildered expressions - I think they've rumbled that I'm one of those twit's from the UK who are here for the second time and think they know it all! I am trying to look casual but I think it may be the luminous lime-green shorts, Union-Jack T-shirt and white socks under sandals that are giving me away. Damn that Matalan's - I'm sure it said "Exclusive Design" on the labels!
We set off for Wal-Mart - the one in Haines City up the US27 (yes - I know there's one about two minutes in the other direction but nobody told me that until we got back home!). It is much further than I thought. We see a lot of damage around here from Hurricane Charlie and in fact when we finally get to Wal-Mart we find that they still have no mains power and are running on generators. Still - we are lucky that we missed the hurricane (little did we know!)
The main reason for this visit to Wal-Mart is for DS who has set his heart on a laptop he saw on their website back home for $499. Unfortunately - not only did it turn out that this was a "Web-only" offer but that they dont have any left anyway. Teenage sulks and tantrums ensue. It doesn't stop us spending $80 on sundries though. Well - you have to don't you?
A watch for DW and me, Twinkies, Zingers, Oreo's, White chocolate chip cookies, Vanilla Coke, Almond M&M's and other "healthy eating" essentials!
We head back to Bahama Bay and - right on cue - the "Doppler" rain appears.
I dismiss my plan for an Epcot evening as too much too soon and we settle for a drive around the Highlands Reserve site - our previous holiday venue. It still looks as good as it did two years ago and there has been a lot more development completed. We stop at the new Publix supermarket which has been built next to the complex and purchase a phone card and a couple of postcards for those poor unfortunates who are back at home in the UK.
Back at Bahama Bay we take a walk around the site to find the pool and internet computers - returning to our apartment for coffee and cakes on the "Master" balcony before bed.
I surf the various weather channels and Bay News 9 before calling it a day.
"IT'S A DAY" I call out - but no-one hears or care's.
Weather man says it's going to be hot tomorrow with rain in the afternoon. Wasn't that the same as he said yesterday? Maybe his "Doppler" has got stuck!
The family are all sound asleep and my work for the day is done. What a great start. Tomorrow it's Animal Kingdom and maybe MGM later if were not too tired.
I'm asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow - funny that - I'm not in the habit of hitting things with my head on purpose - and also - how do I know I'm asleep? Surely only someone else could possibly know that I am asleep - I couldn't know that I'm asleep if I was asleep because if I'm asleep so how do I actually know that I'm asleep? I'll let you know when I figure that one out!
We have so many tricky things to worry about don't we?
Night all.........
I dream of converting our whole house into a "Master Bedroom" when I get home.
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzz...................
I wake at 5.00 am before the rest of the family and pad quietly across the vast acreage of the "master" bedroom into the foyer of the "master" bathroom, down the long corridor past the his & hers walk in closets, as I enter the main entrance to the bathroom I break into a trot - for fear of not making the rest of the long journey to the toilet in time. Then it's back to the "master" balcony for a quiet coffee before the masses awake. (Did I mention that we had a "Master suite?")
I really love this bit of the holiday - the start is so full of hope and promises. I open the patio doors and the rush of warm air feels great. Its 5.20am and already a pleasant 79 degrees. I sit and sip for a while - luxuriating in my luxurious surroundings. OH COME ON! - Get on with it will you?
OK - The man on the weather channel says it's going to be 100 degrees today with thundery showers this afternoon. I have to believe him - after all - he's got a Dopplar hasn't he? "What's a Doppler" I hear you ask. "Shut up I say - "This is my story - you're not allowed to interrupt - OK?"
I bang doors, rustle crisp packets, and jingle keys and other such subtle hints to try to get the troops up. When all this fails I shout "CROCODILE" which has the desired effect! Were up and off for breakfast and the start of our "sponsored eat" at the Ponderosa.
On the way we get a bit lost in a rain shower. Actually - when I say shower - it was more like someone had pulled the plug out of the cloud above us and the rain was so heavy that I could not see the bonnet of the "Happy bus" even with the windscreen wipers on "Berserk" mode.
Within 5 minutes the rain has stopped and the sun is back out. In 15 minutes the road is bone dry. Funny place this!
We eat for England and beat the opposition 4 - 0. As the holiday progressed I remembered why we had booked a 7 seater for four of us! We began to expand into the vehicle with our excess lard.
Breakfast comes to $26 including tip.
We locate the much sought after (on my part) Sherbeth Road short-cut and we are on World Drive before you can say......well.........erm........... Something that would take longer to say than the time it took us to get to World Drive!
We park the "Happy bus" at the Magic Kingdom car park - Pluto 20. Then we catch one of those really noisy bus/train thingy's with a Mexican driver who rambles on about something in Mexicanese. Not only is he totally oblivious to the fact that I can't speak or understand his native tongue but even if I could - the noise from the Space Shuttle that is pulling us along is drowning out the PA system. What happened to the guy who designed this thing? Did he really think that it was necessary to attach such a large engine to these little carriages? Once again - as the holiday wore on - and my weight began to double - I started to see the reasoning behind this.
Pedro drops us at the gate and mumbles something that sounded like Por Favor Mantenga see how I drive my Fiat Cinquecento!
I nod to him as if I know what he said and he scowls back.
We go to a window to exchange our vouchers for the "Real McCoy" 10 day World Tickets. The lady at the desk seems well impressed with this deal that I had negotiated. I begin to get smug again and as I begin to polish my nails again - DW bats me round the head and reminds me that "So did about 10,000 other Brits".
Through the gates and past the Mickey and Minnie topiary hedges.
We board the mono-rail and the excitement begins to build. Tantalising glimpses of the park and the castle. Bits of familiar music. It's difficult to describe the feeling to someone who has not been here before but those of you who have - will probably agree - it's a great feeling - almost nauseous - but in a pleasant sort of way. We get bags searched and have our fingerprints taken by the Disney Police to enable us to use our tickets - two fingers later - and were in.
Under the station - round the corner of the Town Square and into Mainstreet.
Home at last......!
I feel that I want to cry for some reason - maybe it's the sight of Cindy's Castle or the atmosphere or perhaps - like many - I never really believed that we would return after the "once in a lifetime" trip in 2002.
But were back and boy am I going to make sure this was worth the wait.
I usher the family into the first shop on mainstreet - much to DD's dismay as she thinks were going shopping already but to her delight and surprise - no - it's to stop and buy a "Pal Mickey".
$60 lighter we are heading up Mainstreet and left through Liberty Square to Frontierland to start the day on Big Thunder Mountain Railway. Pal Mickey is jabbering away and vibrates every time we pass a ride. It's a bit like DS when he passes a computer shop! "Was this really a wise move" I ask myself? But there is no reply! I hate it when that happens.
BTMR is just a 5 minute wait.
This is DW's first time and she shrieks all the way round. I try to video film this ride but it's not easy - very bumpy and DD is concerned that I am going to drop the camera - nag, nag, nag, all the way round!
Another 5 minute wait for Splash Mountain (Superb - our family favourite) and then I frog-march them all over to Jungle Cruise - this closes for a re-furb tomorrow so it's a must-do today. Another virtual walk-on. Great start to the day.
We pause in the intense heat for a quick Sprite and Coke. It's about 95
Degrees now and it's going to take a few days to acclimatise to the heat.
Then it's The Haunted Mansion - I still can't find that flippin' ring in the floor! Where is it? I bet someone's nicked it haven't they?
Mickey's Filmharmagic is next - this is brilliant - another top-notch 3D special from Disney.
Over to Pirates of the Caribbean and then I decide to quit while were ahead. It has been a great start to the holiday - small crowds - short queues - but the hot weather and jet-lag will kick in soon and I don't want to over-do it on day 1.
We collect the obligatory Cookie & Cream ice creams from the Ice Cream Parlour on the corner of Mainstreet and erm.... some other street - and wander back down Mainstreet via The Bakery where they are giving away some free samples of their sweet/sticky/rice cake things - yum.
We catch the mono-rail and "Monster truck" to Pluto 20 where we parked the "Happy bus" and get the same "chit-chat" from "Pedro". I nod and smile at my fellow theme-parkers and try to look as if I understand what he's saying. They look back at me with bewildered expressions - I think they've rumbled that I'm one of those twit's from the UK who are here for the second time and think they know it all! I am trying to look casual but I think it may be the luminous lime-green shorts, Union-Jack T-shirt and white socks under sandals that are giving me away. Damn that Matalan's - I'm sure it said "Exclusive Design" on the labels!
We set off for Wal-Mart - the one in Haines City up the US27 (yes - I know there's one about two minutes in the other direction but nobody told me that until we got back home!). It is much further than I thought. We see a lot of damage around here from Hurricane Charlie and in fact when we finally get to Wal-Mart we find that they still have no mains power and are running on generators. Still - we are lucky that we missed the hurricane (little did we know!)
The main reason for this visit to Wal-Mart is for DS who has set his heart on a laptop he saw on their website back home for $499. Unfortunately - not only did it turn out that this was a "Web-only" offer but that they dont have any left anyway. Teenage sulks and tantrums ensue. It doesn't stop us spending $80 on sundries though. Well - you have to don't you?
A watch for DW and me, Twinkies, Zingers, Oreo's, White chocolate chip cookies, Vanilla Coke, Almond M&M's and other "healthy eating" essentials!
We head back to Bahama Bay and - right on cue - the "Doppler" rain appears.
I dismiss my plan for an Epcot evening as too much too soon and we settle for a drive around the Highlands Reserve site - our previous holiday venue. It still looks as good as it did two years ago and there has been a lot more development completed. We stop at the new Publix supermarket which has been built next to the complex and purchase a phone card and a couple of postcards for those poor unfortunates who are back at home in the UK.
Back at Bahama Bay we take a walk around the site to find the pool and internet computers - returning to our apartment for coffee and cakes on the "Master" balcony before bed.
I surf the various weather channels and Bay News 9 before calling it a day.
"IT'S A DAY" I call out - but no-one hears or care's.
Weather man says it's going to be hot tomorrow with rain in the afternoon. Wasn't that the same as he said yesterday? Maybe his "Doppler" has got stuck!
The family are all sound asleep and my work for the day is done. What a great start. Tomorrow it's Animal Kingdom and maybe MGM later if were not too tired.
I'm asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow - funny that - I'm not in the habit of hitting things with my head on purpose - and also - how do I know I'm asleep? Surely only someone else could possibly know that I am asleep - I couldn't know that I'm asleep if I was asleep because if I'm asleep so how do I actually know that I'm asleep? I'll let you know when I figure that one out!
We have so many tricky things to worry about don't we?
Night all.........
I dream of converting our whole house into a "Master Bedroom" when I get home.
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzz...................
