MKFan-PR
Certified MK Freak! Work is what I do for Vacation
- Joined
- Jun 27, 2002
- Messages
- 495
Sorry for the delay, but I've had computer issues with the TR Forum! I haven't been able to post the next installment!
Are they kicking me out for failing to update TRs on time
?
The Cast:
Me MKFan-PR, 37. Absolutely, 100%, government-certified WDW freak. Enthusiast doesnt quite cut it. Fell in love with the place since the first time my parents took me when I was 5.
DW, 41. Married to me for 11 years. Guess where weve gone on vacation for most of them? Doesnt like thrill rides but loves strolling, window shopping and dining on Epcot.
DD, 6. Well call her Cookie (my pet nickname for her). This trip is supposed to be celebrating her good grades and performance in 1st grade at school (at least thats what I tell people! ). Shes been dreaming about it since I mentioned the possibility way back in October.
Our previous installments:
Day 1: Were here!...Our bags will follow shortly
Day 2: MGM and the baked MKFan Family
Day 3: MK, Ducks, and the grilled MKFan Family
Day 4: AK and the sautéed MKFan Family
A Brief Picture Interlude
Day 5: Soarin at Epcot with the roasted MKFan family
Day 6: Seat-of-the-pants for the boiled MKFan Family
Day 7: The fried MKFan family around the world
Day 8-8/5: MK, EMH and the COOL MKFan Family
Well, it's finally here. Our last full day. We've done a lot. Of course, there's also a lot we haven't done. But that's alright. More incentive to come back (as if we needed any
). But it's too early to reminisce. We still have a day to enjoy.
Our DME departure information has arrived. Our bus leaves at 3:30 PM for our 6:40 PM flight. I make arrangements to have a late check-out for 1:30 tomorrow. This will allow us to sleep in if we want to to something late at night, and still have time to finish packing.
Since I haven't used the alarm clock yet, I refuse to do it on the final day! No way I'm going to listen to it! I refuse to get even a wake-up call!
After Daddy's Room Service brings in breakfast (still waiting for a a tip!
), we decide to take the boat to POR. We'll stroll through our 'sister' resort, maybe even rent a surrey bike, then head to DTD for the customary shopping.
Although the sun is hot, it isn't Shake-n-Bake hot as other days. Maybe it's the cool boat ride. We arrive at POR, and we rent the surrey bike. Man! What a workout! The bike route is one way, and there are a couple steep hills, and haulin' DW, DD and myself is quite hard! But the fun comes on the downhills, where I let the bike go a little before applying brakes. DW starts to get anxious 'Honey, be careful!... brakes, brakes, brakes!... slow, slow!' Cookie comments that 'It's just like in the car, daddy!' I say that I didn't rent a car precisely to avoid this!
DW fails to grasp the humor in the situation until we get off the bike
Anyway, we had a great time. In 30 minutes we manage two laps, which is about the average. The CM at the rental desk told us that if you go really fast, you can do 3. Well, I don't think Lance Armstrong could have done more than 2-and-a-half!
After some refreshments at the POR Food Court, we catch the boat to DTD. Along the way, our captain points out the sights and some interesting facts: the golf courses (POFQ is right 'behind' one of them), a new area being built, the abandoned Treehouse villas (rumored to be converted into dorms for the college program), the Empress Lilly Riverboat (leased or sold to become Fulton's Crab House after Lillian Disney died... (Hmmmm
), and the Rainforest Cafe (his comment: 'where they specialize in two-hour waits' ).
After disembarking our vessel, we head towards World of Disney, where we do our shopping.
I collect keychains, and when I see the variety my head explodes into a million pieces, with chunks of grey matter flying everywhere!
So much to choose, I could take them all! But my wallet is the voice of
reason... and a pick up a few. We also bring home chocolates and cookies (no, not more DDs, actual cookies!
), which are always a hit. I remember the AP discount that's available here, and believe me, it was a nice shock abosorber on the wallet. Without it, she would've been out cold from the blow! Thanks to the purchase amount I get a very nice print of the all the characters and their autographs.
We grab a late lunch at Rainforest Cafe (for lunch, the waits are much less! ), then browse the shop, where we get some great bargains on some cool t-shirts that are on clearance. So proud of DW, she always manages to find some of those, no matter where we go. I think she just sniffs them out!
Since it has started to rain quite a bit, the boat service has been suspended. We grab a bus to head back to POFQ, where we'll drop our bags, rest, then head to MK to try EMH. We figure we'll give it a shot, and if it's too crowded, we'll leave. Since we leave so late tomorrow, we don't mind the late night.
At POFQ, we let Cookie nap, then do a little of it ourselves. After that pick-me-up (or, more accurately, after picking orselves up from the bed), we board the MK bus. The early evening is cool, and although there's quite a few people at MK, it's very manageable. We get our wristband-thingies just as they are starting to hand them out. We then proceed towards Main Street, where we notice something in the Kitchen shop.
Hmmm. there's some Smucker's jam. I wonder if... OH MY GOD! THERE IT
IS!
We feel like we've found some ancient treasure! What is it, you ask? Apple Butter! The Yankee Trader shop, right beside the HM entrance, used to be the shop that sold Kitchen stuff, Specialty foods and Smucker's products, including... Apple Butter! If I remember correctly, they used to serve it at LTT with the bread. We fell in love with it, as well as a friend and his DW. So on every trip, we brought home a jar for us, and one for them. In fact, she always insisted that we don't need to bring her anything, just some Apple Butter. However, on our last trip, we saw that the Yankee Trader shop was converted into just another generic shop (don't get me started on that!
), and we couldn't find the stuff anywhere. So we resigned ourselves to the fact that we had lost one of the items that made WDW so charming to us. But now... HERE IT IS! All is well in the World again! 
After talking to the CM and telling hem how excited we were about finding it, and telling him that story, he even gift-wrapped it for us! Cool!
After renting a locker to store our prized jar of confectionery, we proceed towards Tomorrowland. SM is not doable, but the Indy Speedway is. Since Cookie is dying to try it, we get on line. About 20 min. later, we race and have a great time. Cookie steered, but I did the gas. I started thinking ahead a few years when I might be doing this for real, but with her doing everything... and then the Driver's License, the test, and of course, those dreaded 7 words...
Daddy, can I use the car tonight?
Still way ahead of myself... I have to worry about school books for next week first!
After that, we do the TTA, and a repeat of Buzz. We're enjoying ourselves as the night moves on. Stitch is still too busy, and I'm not wasting line time in a place with such poor reviews. Maybe on an early December trip...
We move on to Fantasyland, and we ride Pooh, Dumbo and the Carousel. We
grab a bite at Pinocchio Village Haus, which is just about to close. After that, another visit to PhilharMagic. And as we head out...
Wishes is starting!
We get a spot right beside Dumbo. It's a whole different perspective from back here! The fireworks come are shot from different areas... they come from the castle, and others from behind Ariel's grotto. We are below them and the light simply surrounds us. It's incredible! Cookie is having the time of her life, singing and keeping up with the fireworks on each side!
We love it. Another great, magical memory to store!...
After the great show, we head down to Frontierland. After a brief drink stop, we head to BTMRR. Cookie wants to stay in the stroller, so she and DW stay munching on some fries while I ride BTMRR again, in the dark. As I exit, Spectro is just starting (great timing... just like I planned! ). Cookie watches the parade and loves it. The 'official' hours are now complete, so we are now 'officially' on EMH! We stroll slowly through Adventureland, stopping for rides at PotC (Cookie loves it even more), and the JC. After a stop for Ice Cream, we get some very nice shots of the illuminated castle.
And so we bid goodbye to the MK. Cookie says 'Goodbye, castle. Goodbye
all. Thank you!'. And then she adds 'Thank you, Daddy, for bringing us
here!'
Ah, $#*^!, she got me again!
The exit is not crowded at all. We board our bus, back to room 3240 for our last night.
We really had fun. Tomorrow, back to our actual home. But for today...
'Thank you!'
Coming up Next... Goodbye and final thoughts.
Stay Tuned!
Are they kicking me out for failing to update TRs on time
? The Cast:
Me MKFan-PR, 37. Absolutely, 100%, government-certified WDW freak. Enthusiast doesnt quite cut it. Fell in love with the place since the first time my parents took me when I was 5.
DW, 41. Married to me for 11 years. Guess where weve gone on vacation for most of them? Doesnt like thrill rides but loves strolling, window shopping and dining on Epcot.
DD, 6. Well call her Cookie (my pet nickname for her). This trip is supposed to be celebrating her good grades and performance in 1st grade at school (at least thats what I tell people! ). Shes been dreaming about it since I mentioned the possibility way back in October.
Our previous installments:
Day 1: Were here!...Our bags will follow shortly
Day 2: MGM and the baked MKFan Family
Day 3: MK, Ducks, and the grilled MKFan Family
Day 4: AK and the sautéed MKFan Family
A Brief Picture Interlude
Day 5: Soarin at Epcot with the roasted MKFan family
Day 6: Seat-of-the-pants for the boiled MKFan Family
Day 7: The fried MKFan family around the world
Day 8-8/5: MK, EMH and the COOL MKFan Family
Well, it's finally here. Our last full day. We've done a lot. Of course, there's also a lot we haven't done. But that's alright. More incentive to come back (as if we needed any
). But it's too early to reminisce. We still have a day to enjoy.Our DME departure information has arrived. Our bus leaves at 3:30 PM for our 6:40 PM flight. I make arrangements to have a late check-out for 1:30 tomorrow. This will allow us to sleep in if we want to to something late at night, and still have time to finish packing.
Since I haven't used the alarm clock yet, I refuse to do it on the final day! No way I'm going to listen to it! I refuse to get even a wake-up call!
After Daddy's Room Service brings in breakfast (still waiting for a a tip!
), we decide to take the boat to POR. We'll stroll through our 'sister' resort, maybe even rent a surrey bike, then head to DTD for the customary shopping. Although the sun is hot, it isn't Shake-n-Bake hot as other days. Maybe it's the cool boat ride. We arrive at POR, and we rent the surrey bike. Man! What a workout! The bike route is one way, and there are a couple steep hills, and haulin' DW, DD and myself is quite hard! But the fun comes on the downhills, where I let the bike go a little before applying brakes. DW starts to get anxious 'Honey, be careful!... brakes, brakes, brakes!... slow, slow!' Cookie comments that 'It's just like in the car, daddy!' I say that I didn't rent a car precisely to avoid this!
DW fails to grasp the humor in the situation until we get off the bike
Anyway, we had a great time. In 30 minutes we manage two laps, which is about the average. The CM at the rental desk told us that if you go really fast, you can do 3. Well, I don't think Lance Armstrong could have done more than 2-and-a-half!
After some refreshments at the POR Food Court, we catch the boat to DTD. Along the way, our captain points out the sights and some interesting facts: the golf courses (POFQ is right 'behind' one of them), a new area being built, the abandoned Treehouse villas (rumored to be converted into dorms for the college program), the Empress Lilly Riverboat (leased or sold to become Fulton's Crab House after Lillian Disney died... (Hmmmm
), and the Rainforest Cafe (his comment: 'where they specialize in two-hour waits' ). After disembarking our vessel, we head towards World of Disney, where we do our shopping.
I collect keychains, and when I see the variety my head explodes into a million pieces, with chunks of grey matter flying everywhere!
So much to choose, I could take them all! But my wallet is the voice of
reason... and a pick up a few. We also bring home chocolates and cookies (no, not more DDs, actual cookies!
), which are always a hit. I remember the AP discount that's available here, and believe me, it was a nice shock abosorber on the wallet. Without it, she would've been out cold from the blow! Thanks to the purchase amount I get a very nice print of the all the characters and their autographs.We grab a late lunch at Rainforest Cafe (for lunch, the waits are much less!
), then browse the shop, where we get some great bargains on some cool t-shirts that are on clearance. So proud of DW, she always manages to find some of those, no matter where we go. I think she just sniffs them out!Since it has started to rain quite a bit, the boat service has been suspended. We grab a bus to head back to POFQ, where we'll drop our bags, rest, then head to MK to try EMH. We figure we'll give it a shot, and if it's too crowded, we'll leave. Since we leave so late tomorrow, we don't mind the late night.
At POFQ, we let Cookie nap, then do a little of it ourselves. After that pick-me-up (or, more accurately, after picking orselves up from the bed), we board the MK bus. The early evening is cool, and although there's quite a few people at MK, it's very manageable. We get our wristband-thingies just as they are starting to hand them out. We then proceed towards Main Street, where we notice something in the Kitchen shop.
Hmmm. there's some Smucker's jam. I wonder if... OH MY GOD! THERE IT
IS!
We feel like we've found some ancient treasure! What is it, you ask? Apple Butter! The Yankee Trader shop, right beside the HM entrance, used to be the shop that sold Kitchen stuff, Specialty foods and Smucker's products, including... Apple Butter! If I remember correctly, they used to serve it at LTT with the bread. We fell in love with it, as well as a friend and his DW. So on every trip, we brought home a jar for us, and one for them. In fact, she always insisted that we don't need to bring her anything, just some Apple Butter. However, on our last trip, we saw that the Yankee Trader shop was converted into just another generic shop (don't get me started on that!
), and we couldn't find the stuff anywhere. So we resigned ourselves to the fact that we had lost one of the items that made WDW so charming to us. But now... HERE IT IS! All is well in the World again! After talking to the CM and telling hem how excited we were about finding it, and telling him that story, he even gift-wrapped it for us! Cool!
After renting a locker to store our prized jar of confectionery, we proceed towards Tomorrowland. SM is not doable, but the Indy Speedway is. Since Cookie is dying to try it, we get on line. About 20 min. later, we race and have a great time. Cookie steered, but I did the gas. I started thinking ahead a few years when I might be doing this for real, but with her doing everything... and then the Driver's License, the test, and of course, those dreaded 7 words...
Daddy, can I use the car tonight?
Still way ahead of myself... I have to worry about school books for next week first!
After that, we do the TTA, and a repeat of Buzz. We're enjoying ourselves as the night moves on. Stitch is still too busy, and I'm not wasting line time in a place with such poor reviews. Maybe on an early December trip...
We move on to Fantasyland, and we ride Pooh, Dumbo and the Carousel. We
grab a bite at Pinocchio Village Haus, which is just about to close. After that, another visit to PhilharMagic. And as we head out...
Wishes is starting!
We get a spot right beside Dumbo. It's a whole different perspective from back here! The fireworks come are shot from different areas... they come from the castle, and others from behind Ariel's grotto. We are below them and the light simply surrounds us. It's incredible! Cookie is having the time of her life, singing and keeping up with the fireworks on each side!
We love it. Another great, magical memory to store!...
After the great show, we head down to Frontierland. After a brief drink stop, we head to BTMRR. Cookie wants to stay in the stroller, so she and DW stay munching on some fries while I ride BTMRR again, in the dark. As I exit, Spectro is just starting (great timing... just like I planned!
). Cookie watches the parade and loves it. The 'official' hours are now complete, so we are now 'officially' on EMH! We stroll slowly through Adventureland, stopping for rides at PotC (Cookie loves it even more), and the JC. After a stop for Ice Cream, we get some very nice shots of the illuminated castle. And so we bid goodbye to the MK. Cookie says 'Goodbye, castle. Goodbye
all. Thank you!'. And then she adds 'Thank you, Daddy, for bringing us
here!'
Ah, $#*^!, she got me again!
The exit is not crowded at all. We board our bus, back to room 3240 for our last night.
We really had fun. Tomorrow, back to our actual home. But for today...
'Thank you!'
Coming up Next... Goodbye and final thoughts.
Stay Tuned!
). 
.
