The Shmoopy DINKs 3rd Annual Xmas Trip - new 2/3: The Origin Story

[girlbomb]

Day Five: A hidden gem at Epcot, and a very merry Christmas party

Tuesday, December 11 – day five of our vacation – and we just couldn’t get out of bed at 6 to make it to Epcot for the 8am EMH rope drop. Instead, we got up at 7 and got out of the room by 8; two monorails later, we were at Epcot by 8:20. As we were heading towards bag check, I saw a sight that made my heart sink – one of those tour groups full of teenagers I’d read so much about here on the DIS. I thought they were just a summer phenomenon; I had no idea we’d run into them in December.

“Oh no!” I said to Bill, putting on some speed. “I’ve read about these groups – they’re supposed to be horrible! They chant and cheer as much as the Pop Warner cheerleaders, they’re rumored to be notorious line jumpers, and if you see one of them at the Fast Pass machine, you’d better pick another line, because they’ll be there all day getting passes for the whole group.”

“Set phasers to ‘avoid,’” agreed Bill, as we hoofed it over to Soarin’ for FPs and a standby ride.

Even though the park had just opened 25 minutes before, the line for Soarin’ was already 20 minutes, and the FP return time was 9:30. But the new interactive games on the standby line were kind of cool, and helped the time pass. And I was finally getting to go on one of my favorite rides! I love everything abut Soarin’ – the sights, the smells, the feeling of flying, and the end scene over Disneyland, a place Bill and I would love to visit someday.

Invigorated by our first ride, we hopped back on the standby line for a second. Again, we wound up in the middle section, top row. Best seats in the house! I think my favorite part is the surfers at sunset, where you really feel like you’re skimming over the water. I also enjoy watching the snowboarder wipe out in the ski scene.

After our second ride, we stopped at Sunshine Seasons for some muffins – pumpkin for me, corn for Bill. They were scrumptious. Then we got new FPs, with return times of 11:20, and went to use our 9:30 FPs. The woman in front of us was asking the CM at the gate if she could use her FPs after the return window had closed, since she had lunch reservations at that time – the CM assured her that she would be able to use her FPs “any time after the return window starts, through the end of the day.”

I was surprised to hear this. I know that CMs will usually honor FPs after the return window has passed, but I thought that Soarin’ was an exception to this, and that they were strict about making you use them during the two-hour window. I still wouldn’t take a chance on using “expired” FPs for Soarin’, but I did distinctly hear from the CM that it was okay to do so, so I thought I’d pass that information along.

This ride, we were seated on the side and in the bottom row. Still, Soarin’ is a great experience, no matter where you ride it. Just ignore the feet above you, and keep your eyes on the screen. Smell that pine, feel the wind in your face, and enjoy!

After our third Soarin’, we decided to head over to Mission: Space. I was thinking about trying the orange side again, despite the motion sickness I felt the first and only time I tried it, but Bill talked me out of it. We were walking towards the ride, when a guy stopped us and asked if we wanted FPs for it – he and his family had decided against it. We thanked him profusely, and Bill strode right on to the orange line while I waited outside and called my friend Steve for his birthday. Only four days too late, too! Darn short-term memory. Oh well, at least I called, and he was impressed that I was taking time out of my Disney day to tell him how much I love and appreciate him.

I was still waiting for Bill after we hung up, so I got to do something I dearly love – sit and people watch. There was a dad with two young sons nearby, and one of the sons was crying in his stroller, “I wan’ go with Mommy!” Dad was explaining, “Mommy’s not here right now, you can’t go with her,” but this made the little boy cry and complain louder. So finally Dad said, “Okay, we’ll go look for Mommy.” He started pushing the stroller around in a wide circle, saying, “Do you see her yet? Do you see Mommy?” And the little boy was so busy looking, he didn’t realize that they were still in the same six feet of space they’d started in! Priceless.

Bill had a good time on Mission: Space, orange-style, but said he probably wouldn’t use the other three FPs we’d just been graced with, as even with the FP, the line and pre-show were too long to do without me (awwww…). So we found a family of three who were headed over to the FP machines, and re-gifted the ones we’d just received. Gotta pass along that good FP karma!

We did another single rider Test Track – love those single rider lines – and were in and out in under 15 minutes. Then it was back to Soarin’ to use our 11:30 FPs and get new ones with a 2:30 return time. Another beautiful trip over California, and then we decided we were thirsty, so we went to Club Cool and downed some more exotic soda.

We’ve never really spent much time at Innoventions, so we decided to poke around a little bit now. And I’m so glad we did, because the first thing we came across was a small room devoted to the history of Epcot. Apparently, it’s a new addition to Innoventions, and has only been there since the 25th anniversary re-dedication. It was great! It had the original models for all the World Showcase pavilions, with plaques about their designs and features; outside the room was a timeline showing when all the attractions had opened and/or been replaced (though I noticed it wasn’t 100 percent complete – no mention of Captain Eo, for one). The room also had the text of a speech that science fiction writer Ray Bradbury gave to the Imagineers about Epcot – so inspiring. But the best thing was this video, which someone uploaded to YouTube:

Epcot video

Watch out, because it has the most addictive theme song ever. “We’re getting ready for you…” We loved this room, and took our time absorbing all that was in it.

The only other thing in this section of Innoventions was the character meeting spot, and we’d met our fill of characters at our many breakfasts. But I did take the time to note how long the line was – if I was an impatient child, I’d never make it through a line like that!

Nothing else really caught our eye in Innoventions West, so we decided to head towards World Showcase. We started at the Mexico pavilion, where we took the boat ride – I barely remember it from my trip with my mom and brother in 1995, but I think I liked it better then. I’d rather get a little bit of history with my ride than see unrelated cartoon clips thrown in everywhere. But the pavilion itself is interesting, and we enjoyed browsing the wares. I would have bought this really cool decorated ceramic skull to go on our bookshelves, but we’re moving apartments soon, and more knickknacks to pack are not what we need right now. I was only allowed to buy gifts for other people, and edible, potable, or wearable souvenirs for us.

After seeing our fill of the Mexico pavilion, we went to Norway, and started looking at the seafaring museum. We would have spent more time there, but it was almost time for our 1pm reservations at Biergarten, and we didn’t want to be late for those.

So we took off for Germany, and checked in at the restaurant. Bill speaks a few words of German, so he used them on the pretty fraulein at the podium. “Flirt,” I said, and pretended to pout. Then our buzzer buzzed, and we were seated at a table close to the stage.

Our first experience at Biergarten, back in 2005, was great. I was skeptical of being seated “family style,” with other people, as I can be shy and socially awkward, but we wound up having a ball. There were two teenage girls from Florida sitting with us, and they wanted to know all about New York City. “Are there more black people or white people in New York?” they asked, seemingly worried that they’d be outnumbered by Scary Negroes if they ever decided to visit. And I got to give them my “love, peace, and harmony” spiel about how New York is a wonderful melting pot full of people of all nationalities and skin colors. “You get on the subway,” I told them, “and there’s a person from China sitting next to a person from Mexico next to a person from Bangladesh next to a person from Texas…” The girls looked queasy. Then they told us about their lives in Florida, filled with things like school, and hunting squirrels. So it was a great cultural exchange.

Last year, our tablemates opted not to chat with us; this year, it was the same. We were all too busy watching the band play, anyway, which was great fun. At one point, the band invited everyone to come onto the dance floor and join them in a polka – I was halfway there when I realized that a) I don’t know how to polka, and b) they meant kids, not adults. So I spared Bill the embarrassment of watching me dance badly with a bunch of seven-year-olds. For now, anyway…

The food at Biergarten is really yummy, especially if you eat meat. Bill loves this restaurant, and raves about the meat offerings. I like the salads, especially the cucumber and caroway seed salad, and the dill salmon. Plus they had the same pretzel bread they serve at Le Cellier, so that was an extra bonus. A few plates of food later, and we were really to stumble back out into the sunlight. Oof, were we full!

And I was exhausted. We were now on Day Five of running around like maniacs, and it was catching up to me. We also had tickets to Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party for that night, and I wanted to be able to stay awake and enjoy it. So we headed towards the front of the park, stopped at Soarin’ to use our FPs, and then hit the monorail station for our trip back to the Contemporary...

(Coming next: First car on the monorail! A very merry nap. And a VERY merry Christmas party!)

 

[AmericanCaesar]

Well, I knew it was a Kwanzaa... whatever that thing is. No, actually, it was my pic and my error.

 

[LouDisney]

I leave in the morning for the World, but I can't wait to read more of your trip when I get back next week. Happy New Year

 

[girlbomb]

LouDisney, I hope you'll have a wonderful time, and I look forward to hearing about your trip! A very happy New Year to you!

And AmericanCaesar, aka Bill, it may have been your picture, but the mistake was both of ours. Just another thing we can say we learned on the DIS boards!

 

[girlbomb]

More of Day Five: A Very Weepy Christmas Party


We were headed back from Epcot to the Contemporary for a little nap, one that didn't take place at a major attraction, for a change.

“Let’s ask to be in the front car of the monorail,” suggested Bill, and I agreed. We’d never done this, and it looked like fun. So we asked the monorail attendant, and when the next one pulled into the station, we were allowed to sit in the front car with the pilot. You get a great view from the front window, and it’s cool to hear the chatter over the radio.

We got back to our room, pulled off our sweaty clothes, and lay down for a nap at around 3:30. It was difficult to get up again, after an hour and a half of blissful rest, but the schedule called for more fun, so we heeded the almighty schedule, and got dressed for the party.

It was 5:30 when we arrived at the MK, and party guests were already arriving in droves. Our first stop was at the Confectionary for some more Goofy Powder; then we went over the Space Mountain, where they were done issuing FPs for the day. But the standby was only ten minutes, and we breezed right on, then did it again. As we left Space Mountain, we noticed that there was nobody on line for the Astro Orbiter, so we got right on that. I love the view of the park from up there, especially when they sky’s getting dark; the way you’re seated all snuggled up against your partner makes it a really romantic ride.

Then it was a walk-on to the Teacups. Bill spins those things like crazy, and my view of the park becomes a blur, until I focus on the teapot in the middle of the ride, and then I can see clearly for a second. I’m always giddy with laughter afterwards, and a little wobbly in the legs. A perfect time to go on It’s a Small World!

I love this ride for its amazing art direction. The shapes, colors, costumes, backdrops – everything about this ride delights the eye (if not the ear). But the best thing about this particular trip on IASW was the boatload of twentysomethings in black t-shirts with full-sleeve tattoos and chain wallets who boarded just behind us. So bad-to-the-bone, and they’re riding around on It’s a Small World – you gotta love it.

Then it was time for our 6:50 ADRs at Crystal Palace. It might seem crazy to pay extra for a hard ticket event, and then spend the first hour of that event eating dinner, but we heard that the 7-8 hour is generally the most crowded during MVMCP, and we wanted a nice, sit-down dinner that night, so this was the perfect plan for us. I was really impressed with the offerings at the dinner buffet – I wish I’d taken more notes on the individual dishes they had, but all I can remember is that they had some surprisingly sophisticated gourmet cheese at the dessert bar, and good, stinky cheese is one of our top vices. So we were stuffed (again) and happy when we rolled out of the CP around 7:45.

Then, just as we were leaving the restaurant and heading towards Frontierland, I heard it. My song! “Listen!” I said to Bill, and started skipping around and singing along –

It’s the hap-happiest season of all
With those holiday meetings
And great happy greetings
When friends come to call!
It’s the hap-happiest season of all!

The castle was twinkling, my happy song was playing, and I had tears of gratitude and happiness in my eyes. Again.

But enough of my happy singing and skipping – we had rides to ride. We walked right onto our own boat on Pirates, then walked on to Splash Mountain (I used my poncho, since there was no sun to help me dry off), then two Big Thunders in a row (the ride really is better at night – not just for the view, but because the track has warmed up, and the cars go faster). Then it was over to the Haunted Mansion for another walk-on. Still loving the upgrades to this ride; they’re just fabulous.

Bill and I could not believe that there were so many people in the park – we heard later that this event was sold out – and yet there were no lines for the rides. Then the first parade ended, and the lines immediately stacked up. So we took a break from rides, and stopped at Columbia Harbor House for some cocoa and cookies. The CMs warned us as they handed us the cups, “The cocoa is hot!”, and they weren’t kidding. And it was a warm night, too. But I’ll still gladly take a cup of hot cocoa, and dunk my cookie before devouring it.

Next, I wanted to stop by the dance party at Ariel’s Grotto. I love watching the kids dance, and last year I was even compelled to move my feet a little bit myself. I was standing there on the sidelines, just watching and enjoying the scene, when the DJ started playing Michael Jackson’s “Wanna Be Startin’ Something,” and I could not stop my booty from shaking. I didn’t know that Bill was taping me as I succumbed to the music – just in time for the DJ to change to a slow song. The video is so embarrassing – I dance like a total goofball! – but the look on my face at the end says it all. I was soooooo happy.

Anyway, that was last year, when the temps were in the lower 40s and the wind was high. Tonight, we were enjoying temps close to 70 degrees. The grotto was packed, as the Ladies Tremaine hosted the dance party, with their fantastic style and verve:

Wow, the Ladies Tremaine are fun to watch – they’re totally in character all the time, even while dancing, and their facial expressions are hilarious. We saw them briefly on our second day behind the castle, and it looked like everyone interacting with them was having a ball; here at the dance party, they were amazing. Lady Tremaine stood there clapping sternly, looking down her nose, and shooing people away; the stepsisters were getting groovy with the kids on the floor. I was getting ready to jump into “I Will Survive” (while making sure that Bill wasn’t secretly filming more blackmail footage of me dancing), when I saw something that stopped me in my tracks.

There was a little girl, about eight years old, in a wheelchair, waving her arms and singing along to the music, with the happiest look on her face. Now, I know a few people in wheelchairs, and I’m not dumb enough to think that people with physical limitations spend their whole lives unhappy – I know they have ups and downs like people without those limitations. But the joy on this particular girl’s face was so palpable, so enormous and shiny and beautiful to see, that I immediately started crying again, and had to be led away, sobbing, by Bill.

“She wuh-wuh-was so happy,” I bawled.

“I know,” he said, soothing.

I tried to get it together, digging in my fanny pack for tissues to wipe my eyes and blow my nose. Passersby must have thought something was terribly wrong, the way Bill was holding my shoulders and comforting me – little did they know that I’d just seen something so uplifting that I was moved to tears. I was also sad, at the same time, that there are so many kids who don’t get to experience that kind of happiness, that there’s so much sadness and suffering in the world. I wanted to bottle whatever that little girl was feeling, that feeling that was all over her face, and share it with everyone – kids and grown-ups alike – anyone who needed it, as we all do.

Well, I recovered from my attack of emotion in time for us to stake out places to stand on the bridge to Tomorrowland for Holiday Wishes. Good thing I was all cried out, too, because otherwise I might have started weeping again during the fireworks. I never really got the appeal of fireworks before Disney, and I won’t go out of my way to see them anywhere else – they usually strike me as a big, noisy, smelly bore that scares animals. But the artistry in how they’re employed at Disney is breathtaking. The “choreography” of how they’re timed to the music and narration, and the way the projections on the castle add to the show, all add up to make it something really special. And the Happiest Ducks on Earth weren’t even phased by the noise!

We had time for two walk-on rides on Space Mountain before we started to look for a parade spot. Or so we thought – we definitely started looking too late, and wound up on the stairs in front of the Liberty Tree Tavern, behind a few rows of other people standing. Wasn’t the second parade supposed to be less crowded than the first? Because it wasn’t, at all! It would have been great to sit for the parade, but no luck – if we wanted to see it, we were going to have to stand, and I was going to have to be on tiptoe (at 5’2”, I’m used to it).

By now, our feet were killing us, and Bill and I had our one and only tense back-and-forth of the entire nine day vacation about whether or not it was worthwhile to stand and watch the parade, or if we should just forget it and go back to the room. I was pro-parade; he was a little bit less so. But my argument – “We paid a lot for these tickets, and I’ve been waiting for this all year” – won out, and we stayed (and stood) through all the great floats and dancers – Clarabelle and her kitchen, Goofy and his candy-maker, the gingerbread people, the toy soldiers (but no green army men! Unless I missed them somehow…) – until we saw Santa’s float. Then we fast-walked through Liberty Square, around the Crystal Palace, and through the stores on the Emporium side of Main Street, stopping briefly to look at the special MVMCP merchandise.

But we were still on the wrong side of the parade to exit. Fortunately, CMs at the Main Street hub were letting small groups of people through between floats, so we only had to wait four or five minutes in the crowd before we could make it to the exits, feet throbbing and backs aching, but still happy. I would have even suggested that we take the monorail back to the hotel rather than walk, that’s how shot our tootsies were, but I could see the long, long line at the station, and I knew we wouldn’t save any time or effort.

Still, it was worth it, even if we skipped most of the shows in favor of the rides with no lines. I hope we’ll do MVMCP again next year. Maybe next year, I’ll even dance!

But for tonight, it was off to sleep, with visions of footrubs dancing through our heads.

 

[Hedy]

Aren't those dance parties the funniest thing? There was this tweenaged brother taping his little sister at mine, and suddenly Anastasia comes up and starts dancing with him.

 

[ARS123]

Diggin' the TR Can't wait for the next installment.

 

[girlbomb]

Hedy, I totally regret not jumping in there. But I'm definitely giving it another shot next year!

And thanks, ARS123. Hope you will enjoy it!

Day Six: My Unforgivable Mistake at the Magic Kingdom

Well, our feet might have been sore from five wonderful days in the World, but we weren’t letting that stop us from popping out of bed at 7am, turning on Stacy to hear her hyper her way through the Must Sees, and checking the weather – yet another sunny, eighty-degree day ahead. Woohoo! Our 2006 trip was all long sleeves and fleece sweaters – I even wore long underwear to MVMCP in 2006, and was still cold. Now I was digging through my suitcase, cursing myself for not buying an extra pair of shorts.

But I sure wasn’t complaining as we walked from the Contemporary to the MK for our 8:05 ressies at Crystal Palace. (Yeah, yeah, I know, we just ate there the night before! And we already did a character breakfast there! And you know what? There’s another breakfast at CP on our schedule for Saturday! What can I say – when we decide we like something, we really like it.

And what’s not to like? The variety is great, and the dishes are delicious. Not to mention the company of Pooh and friends. Besides, what’s breakfast at Disney without a spontaneous parade of kids marching around the restaurant?)

By Day Six of our vacation, you might think we’d be bored of getting up early, stuffing our faces with fattening foods, and positioning ourselves at the rope for a Very Fast Walk to the nearest E-ticket ride, but we weren’t. We were just getting warmed up! We hustled over to Space Mountain and rode it three times in a row, then got FPs for later. I think our count, at this point, was 16 rides on Space Mountain, which means that if you laid all the track we covered from end to end, we actually made it to the moon and back.

Then it was time – actually, it was long past time – for Philharmagic, an attraction I dearly love. The first time we saw this in 2005, I had one of my patented Misty-Eyed Moments™ during the Ariel scene. It made me think of a girl I’d met while volunteering at the homeless shelter, a sixteen-year-old methamphetamine addict we’ll call Mandy, and how one night she started singing that song, “Part of Your World.”

I want to be where the people are,
I wanna see, wanna see them dancing…

Mandy was a roughneck junkie with pink braids in her hair and a homemade tattoo on her knuckles that said something not so nice about what the world should go do to itself, but she knew all the words to the Little Mermaid’s song. And her voice was so sweet and clear, like a little girl’s, because that’s what she was, underneath the grime. All she wanted was to be part of the world.

Well, that scene still puts a catch in my throat. And I love watching the kids around me grasping for the 3D effects that come popping out at them. I also love the smell of that apple pie! Last year, we found a candle at Pier One that smelled almost exactly like it (“Apple Oak”), but they seem to have stopped selling it -- sad! I loved having our house smell like the Philharmagic pie.

Over to Frontierland for another soggy ride on Splash Mountain, (with a stop to get FPs) then we decided to hop on the railroad and take it on a round trip. We wound up riding it around the park, past the Frontierland station, and over to Toontown. My feet were still so dogged that I could have stayed on the train for another two or three trips around the park, but we hadn’t walked through Toontown yet, so we stopped to take it in.

As mentioned earlier, I love Minnie’s house. Here’s a picture of me on her sofa, looking around and thinking about lifting some of her decorating ideas:

If our house can’t smell like pie, can it at least have that cute rounded shape with the bowed angles everywhere? At least her fridge resembles ours – full of cheese.

We walked through Mickey’s house and garage, but didn’t stop to see the characters. Nor did we take the time to ride the Barnstormer this year (we figured we’d save the 35 seconds we’d spend on the ride for something else). Still, the whole area of Toontown is a pleasure to visit and look around; there’s something so soothing about the architecture and the palette.

Back to Space Mountain, because heaven forbid an hour goes by that we’re not riding it, and we had to replenish our FPs. Then we noticed a ten-minute wait posted for Buzz Lightyear, so we jumped on that. Bill always kicks my butt at this game; then again, we don’t ride it often enough for either of us to be really good at it. On our way out, I was sucked into a trap and imprisoned by the evil lord whatsisface:

Fortunately, despite all the puffed French toast I’d crammed in my maw that morning, I was able to slip between the bars and escape.

We were also thinking about cramming in some lunch by now, so we stopped at the bakery again (and again, the line was very short, even at peak lunchtime) and got the same sandwiches we got on our first day. Ah, our first day – it seemed like so long ago! And now we only had three and a half more days before our departure day. Well, better not to think about that – better to finish our sandwiches and head to Adventureland for a refreshing Dole Whip float.

Then it was time to use our Splash FPs, because we’d almost dried off from the morning’s ride. On our way back to Liberty Square, I made the mistake of stopping in front of a DVC hut to flip through the book of pictures they had sitting there in the walkway specifically to lure in suckers like me. Well, there is no “idly flipping through the DVC book” at Disney – the salesperson came right over and gave us a looooong talk about how we could book a presentation, and all the benefits of DVC. Hey, man, I just wanted to look at the pretty pictures! We may be annual visitors right now, but there’s no way we’re plunking down a chunk of cash like that for a timeshare, not when we’re still uncertain about what else our future will hold. At least, not until they announce the DVC at the Contemporary.

(More soon, and thanks for reading!)

 

[Davidsmommy]

Great report! Just read Girlbomb today (almost in one sitting) - loved it!

 

[girlbomb]

Great report! Just read Girlbomb today (almost in one sitting) - loved it!

Davidsmommy, that is a huge compliment -- thank you!

And now, back to My Unforgivable Mistake:

We'd just escaped the hard sell at the DVC booth, and were rounding the corner into Liberty Square. Bill the history buff loves the Hall of Presidents, and I can always use a chance to bone up on some American History myself, as I seem to have been cutting class for all of the eleventh grade, and am shamefully ignorant on the subject. Plus, the animatronics here are superb. I love watching the presidents fidget – no matter where your eye falls, you’re seeing remarkably lifelike movement from them.

Alas, my eyes were heavy, and I didn’t even make it through the film clip before I was nodding off in my seat. Bill had to wake me when the show ended. “I missed it?” I complained.

“You sure did, Snorey.”

Well, maybe we’d catch it again before our trip was over. And maybe this time, I wouldn’t fall asleep and drool on myself.

We’d never ridden the Liberty Belle, and it was getting ready to load passengers, so we stepped aboard for a pleasant trip around the lazy river. Still, my eyes were heavy, and the hot sun was getting to me. Despite the short unscheduled nap I’d just taken, I needed to go back to the room for another one. I apologized to Bill for being such an elderly dud – that’s what he gets, for marrying a woman six years his senior – then we left the park and walked back to our very inviting room.

Ah, the benefits of staying at the Contemporary: Naps when you need them, with little to no waiting! After an hour and a half of happy napping, we were ready to get back to the park. We re-entered at around 5:45 – a little bit too late to use our FPs for Space Mountain from earlier, so we got new ones, and waited on the short stand-by line.

You may recall that we saw one of those much-maligned tour groups of South American teenagers earlier in the trip – we’d seen clusters of them around the parks since then, but hadn’t noticed any really obnoxious behavior. Right now, in fact, there was a group of girls in front of us, wearing matching yellow shirts and speaking Portuguese to each other, and they were perfectly pleasant and benign. UNTIL this jerky, fortysomething dad says to them, “Hey, you’re from Brazil? Well, do something!”

The nerve of this guy, treating them like they were paid performers, there for his amusement! “Do something!” The girls looked at each other uncertainly, and then they broke into a really loud cheer, bouncing up and down, as the guy who incited them looked directly at their fannies and grinned. Ugh! Thanks, pervy leering guy, for unleashing the cheer impulse in the group of girls right in front of us in line! They did not shut up throughout the entire ride.

We escaped Space Mountain before we went completely deaf and crazy, and took a nice ride on the TTA to relax and shake it off, keeping our forward-facing tentacles in the car. Then we browsed around Tomorrowland waiting for our FPs to kick in. Another ride on Space Mountain – this one blissfully cheer-free.

Now, according to our schedule, which I’d gone over many times, while double-checking the park hours and entertainment schedules online (thanks, Steve Soares, you’re the greatest!), we were looking at an 8pm showing of Wishes, which we planned to see from the roof deck at the California Grill, where we had 8:50 reservations. As it was now 7:15, I thought we should head back to the room, gussy up a little bit, and check in so we could stake a good spot for the 8pm fireworks. So we left the park, and were just hitting the walkway to the hotel, when something made me reach for the Times Guide in my back pocket. Which clearly stated that Wishes was at 9 tonight.

Ugh! Miss Super-Perfect Obsessive-Compulsive Planner had messed up, and taken us out of the park an hour early! I was so pissed at myself, even as Bill assured me that it was all right – we could just walk back through the bag check and front gates – no big deal – as a matter of fact, it would give us time to do another few rides before we had to leave (again!) to get ready to go to the Cali Grill and see Wishes (at the time when it was actually scheduled to happen!). But I couldn’t let it go. I’d wasted our time – it cost us almost a half hour, round trip, and a whole bunch of unnecessary walking, before we were back in the MK and on line at the Haunted Mansion.

Then, as we were getting into our Doom Buggy, the ride shut down briefly. ARGH. I’d wanted to squeeze in another Big Thunder or something, but time was getting short, and I’d screwed up, thereby depriving us of all the fun we could have been having…grumble, grumble. Suffice it to say, I was taking the short delay pretty hard. And I was not sticking to my first-day resolution to have fun and be grateful and happy for every single second of this trip. So I recognized that my stupid anxieties and perfectionism were holding me hostage, and I took a few deep breaths. Unless I really wanted us to run through the park worried about the time, we would not be able to do another ride before dinner, and that would have to be fine with me.

Once I got that through my head, I relaxed a whole lot, and enjoyed the ride. We took our time walking back through the park and towards the hotel, Bill assuring me the whole way that I had not in fact ruined the evening, the day, or the trip. I took the time to be grateful yet again that I have such a calm, patient, loving partner who knows how to deal with a stressed-out maniac like me.

We stopped back at the room, and I fixed my hair and threw on a nicer shirt than the one I’d been sweating in all day. Bill put on a button-down – nothing nearly as natty as what he wears here at home, but a definite upgrade from our vacation wear. I know the “signature” restaurants are supposed to have a nicer dress code, and while we weren’t ready for a fashion spread in Vogue, we still looked good (if I do say so myself). Another benefit of staying at the Contemporary – it was easy to change for our nice dinner. This is why we didn’t get ADRs for Jiko on our AK day – we would have had to either carry our good clothes around with us all day (not likely!), or looked like slobs.

We checked in at the desk on the third floor, and they escorted us up to the restaurant in the special elevator. And though we were early for our reservations, we didn’t even have a chance to order a drink in the lounge before we were seated at a table by the window, overlooking the Grand Floridian (Bill could just about see the MK from his seat, but not too well).

Our server was Walter, and he was great. So efficient, and full of great suggestions. We told him we’d be starting with the cheese plate (of course), and he got that for us right away. Then, with ten minutes left until Wishes, he said, “Let me take your order now, and I’ll have your first course waiting for you when you come back from the fireworks.” Perfect! I ordered salad for the first course, and Bill ordered the squash soup (which he raved about); then he ordered a steak and I opted for one of the sushi rolls (can’t remember what it was called, but it featured fried squid on top, and was amazingly good). Then we hit the observation deck, and got spots along the railing for the show.

Unfortunately, just as it was starting, a whole family squeezed in right next to us, and they did not stop talking for a single second, especially Grandma, who felt the need to narrate the whole thing. “Ooh, look, what’s he saying? Wishes, he’s saying about wishes. Ooh, look at the pretty fireworks!” Even Jiminy Cricket was like, “Lady, shut up, I’m trying to talk, here.” So we quickly abandoned our good spot and moved away from them.

The view from the deck is incredible – even if you can’t see the projections on the castle, you can still get the full impact of Wishes from up there, and it’s really stirring to see it with the whole landscape of the MK and the resorts around it. Even with a family of chatterboxes doing their best to drown it out.

Walter the server was as good as his word – just as we re-entered and took our seats, he placed our appetizers before us. Exquisite timing! And yummy food. And a great view. And general happiness. I was so glad I’d let go of my upset over my earlier mistake, and that we’d decided not to rush to squeeze in another ride. Bill looked very happy and satisfied as well.

A pear tart for dessert (the fruit was a little tough – this was the only dish that wasn’t stellar), a big tip for Walter, and a stop at the shop on the fourth floor to browse baby clothes for our expectant friends. Then it was back to the room, and asleep by eleven. Day six was done, and so were we!

(Coming soon: Segway madness!)

 

[PinkPrincessZ]

Your TR is wonderful - thanks for sharing!

I look forward to more...

 

[katie26]

I totally relate to the grumpiness and anxiety over (small) mistakes, but it's great that you talked yourself into moving on and having a great time anyway! Your partner sounds like a great guy, too. Hi fives all around!

And yum... Cali Grill! I would kill to have a big plate of their pork loin and goat cheese polenta right now... (not to mention that killer view of Wishes!)

 

[girlbomb]

Your TR is wonderful - thanks for sharing!

I look forward to more...

Thanks for dropping in PinkPrincessZ! So glad to have you aboard.

I totally relate to the grumpiness and anxiety over (small) mistakes, but it's great that you talked yourself into moving on and having a great time anyway! Your partner sounds like a great guy, too.

And yeah, katie26, he's okay. I GUESS.

Day Seven: Segway Mania!

I had no trouble getting out of bed at 6:45 on Thursday, December 13 – I’d been extra excited about this day of our trip for months. We’d booked the 8:30am Segway tour of the World Showcase, and I could not wait to get there! I’d even dreamed about it the night before, nagging Bill in my dream to make sure he took his photo ID with him, as the reservation agent had told me to do when I booked the tour back in July. I even nag in my dreams! That’s how nutty I am.

So we definitely both had our photo IDs with us as we stopped at the Grab N’ Go for muffins and fruit, then hopped on the monorails to Epcot. We were allowed in through the gate marked “Character Breakfast,” and made our way to Guest Relations, where we checked in for the tour. There was nobody in the park, and it was tempting to look around and soak up the solitude, but at exactly 8:20, our instructor, Wade, showed up on his Segway, and led us over to Segway Central at Innoventions.

Wade was a fabulous instructor. He was patient, easygoing, and funny, and he exuded an air of confidence and calm that was very reassuring. I’m not known for having great balance (which is why I never learned to ride a bike), but Wade helped me get very comfortable on the Segway, despite all the beginner’s mistakes I made, like sticking my butt out, and grabbing the handles until my knuckles were white. By the time we rode out of Innoventions and towards World Showcase, I felt totally at ease, and totally excited.

Being on that Segway was fuh-huh-huh-hun! It moves so easily and smoothly, once you get used to it; it feels like an extension of your body. I highly recommend the experience, and can’t wait for my next opportunity to try it again. Bill was loving it, too. And it was great to ride around World Showcase before it opened to the public, and to see the CMs setting up for the day. In every country, there was the opportunity to do something extra, like go up and down a small hill in China, or slalom through the columns in Italy. Wade and another guide named Mike rode with us, and a guide named Irvine stopped us in each of the countries to give us a little piece of history about the country and its pavilion. A lot of Irvine’s historical tour was given in the form of trivia questions, and Bill got almost all of them before anyone else – “George Washington! The turkey! The Statue of Liberty!”

“I am the King of World Showcase Trivia,” he gloated quietly to me, gliding by on his Segway.

Those two hours passed like minutes, and it was way too soon when we started heading back towards Segway Central. By now, the park was open for business, and skimming around all the people in Future World would have been a little nerveracking, except for Wade’s wonderful instruction. We got back to Innoventions, disembarked from our now-beloved Segways sadly, thanked our guides profusely, and got special Segway pins as mementos of our tour.

Grade: TOO MUCH FUN. Highly recommended! We’ll definitely be taking the Fort Wilderness Segway tour next year – off-roading, whoo!

Now it was 10:30, and we knew we had to head straight to The Land for some Soarin’ FPs – ours had a return time of 12:40. We took a single-rider spin on Test Track, and then decided to start our scheduled Snack Around the World Tour.

I could have done a little bit more research on the counter service options in each country – that probably would have helped. Because we got to Mexico, and I realized that there was nothing for a non-meat-eater like myself, except churros and guacamole. I’d been hoping to snack on lunch foods, not desserts, so I opted for the gucamole; Bill had a kids’ plate, with a chicken quesadilla, some chips, and cheese. Those chips were extra salty (I swiped a few for my guacamole). We rated our Mexican snack a solid “eh.”

Then it was onto Norway, and the snack stand with the sod roof. At this point, I suddenly forgot that I didn’t want desserts, and got myself a schoolbread. It was coconutty and creamy, but a little bit stale, not that the staleness stopped me from inhaling it in enormous bites. Bill had the lefse, which was like bread rolled up with cinnamon and sugar. Rating: “Okay.”

We stopped to see Reflections of China before our next snack. These movies are terrific; it’s only frustrating that you can’t see everything at once! We kept swiveling around to get the whole picture. Add China to our list of places we’d like to visit…

The shop was full of neat stuff, but most of it is stuff we could buy back home in Chinatown, so we managed to escape without buying anything. We stopped at the counter service restaurant and got some shrimp fried rice to split. Bill ate the pork egg roll, which he deemed satisfactory; the fried rice was decent, too, but nothing special. Rating: Another “okay.”

We stopped in Norway to ride Maelstrom, a goofy little attraction; then we actually stayed to watch the film afterwards, which I’ve never done. It didn’t really whet my appetite to visit Norway, though it looks like a beautiful country. Maybe they should upgrade to CircleVision?

And here of course is the obligatory picture of Bill in the Viking hat.

He looked around the shop for a clock to put around his neck so that he’d look even more like Flavor Flav; sadly, there was none to be found.

No counter service in Norway, so no snack for us, but we got a little chocolate with marzipan in Germany, so we didn’t faint with hunger. Then we took the long hike back to Soarin’ to use our FPs and get new ones – at 12:40, the return time was already 5:30! I think this ride might even be worth the 60-75 minute waits we saw posted all week, but I’m happier to skip the wait, when possible.

After Soarin’, we resumed our Snack Around the World tour in England. I was headed for the fish and chips (which Bill can’t stand), when we saw that the World Showcase Players were due to make an appearance. I had the pleasure of playing the crone in the King Arthur sketch last year; this year, I was hoping it might be Bill’s turn to be drafted.

We got some seats on the curb, and the Players emerged right on schedule. We were to be treated to a version of Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol,” and they were looking for a Scrooge in the audience. It looked like one of the players was going to pass right by us, despite my silent pleading, pick him! pick him!, but then she stopped and plopped Scrooge’s bedcap right on Bill’s head. Hooray!

And what a Scrooge he was. The faces he made, his hammy gestures – I was crying with laughter behind the camera, snapping away at the action for posterity. I love the way the Players are able to integrate audience members into their sketches and make it fun, without making fun of anyone – it’s the same skill that the Streetmosphere performers have. You might look ridiculous in one of the sketches, but you’ll never look stupid, you know what I mean?

I was just dying with pride and happiness when Bill’s virtuoso performance was over, and he had a big grin on, too. Dare I say that this was our best morning of the trip so far? I dare! Because it was! And there’s still more to come…

(More soon...thanks for reading!)

 

[Starwater]

You look great in that picture on Minnie's sofa! Cute pose.

You know the way you feel about Space Mountain? That ability to ride it a gazillion times and still want more? For me that's Splash Mountain! I can go on it over and over. Its funny - its my favorite ride at the MK and so I keep thinking that it just must be everyone's favorite, and yet here you guys are with your 16-and-counting trips on Space!

Whereas Space gives me a major migraine each time I ride it - it always bangs my neck around too much and leaves me feeling like a decrepit elderly person ... and I'm only 26. Its too bad, I'm a huge roller coaster fan and I hear all the hype but just never enjoy it much.

(Maybe I should try it with a neck brace on one day... )

To each their own, I guess!

Still enjoying the great trip report. Too bad you guys only go once a year though - I'd prefer your TR's to be more of a bi-monthly thing...

 

[girlbomb]

Starwater, I can totally see why you're hooked on Splash...it's got so many different scenes; it feels like you're riding through a full-length movie! After Space Mountain, I think Splash is our favorite ride in the MK. We definitely try to do it at least 6 or 7 times per trip. And every time, there's something new to appreciate!

I will also discuss with my accountant your suggestion that we go to Disney World every other month so that we can have fodder for fresh trip reports. I'm sure he'll agree that it's a legitimate business expense. Thanks for the suggestion!

Now back to Day Seven, continued: Spoiled, lazy, and well-fed!

So we’ve just seen Bill’s brilliant stage (street?) debut as Scrooge, and we’re ready to continue our Snack Around the World Tour. We hit France in time to see the last few minutes of Server Amusant, then we grabbed a Napoleon in the patisserie. Delicious – probably the best snack we’d had so far – but I was still craving “real food.”

We stopped in Morocco, but nothing at the counter service there grabbed us, so we went to Japan, and I got some Kaki-Age from the counter service place there. It was all right, nothing special, but maybe I’m jaded from eating fabulous Japanese food here at home. At the counter, one of the women complimented me on my pink hat, and reminded me that, according to Japanese custom, I would have had to give it to her. Good thing I’m not Japanese! I love that hat.

Bill went to go browse the sake while I went to the bathroom. I’m only mentioning this bathroom trip because the bathrooms in Japan were so unusually small and yucky. No autoflush or autofaucet here, and only three stalls. Go in another country, if you can, and skip this one.

By the time I’d emerged and caught up with Bill, he was toting a bottle of sake and a bottle of plum wine. The salesgirl said they couldn’t be delivered to the room, so it looked like he’d be stuck carrying them around all day. “Oh well,” I told him. “That’s what you get for being a lush.”

And speaking of lushes, we were just staking our places in front of Miyuki the candy lady’s stand for her next demonstration, when a group of really loud drunks came through, using adult language at high volume. It was two o’clock in the afternoon, and they were already loaded and obnoxious. They looked like average, solid citizens, too – in their thirties or forties, dressed conservatively – but with red faces and big, loud mouths. Thank goodness they didn’t linger too long, or the kids waiting for the candy lady would have gotten even more of an earful.

Once again, I never would have heard of the candy lady if it weren’t for – say it with me, people! – the DIS boards. But now I was telling Bill all about her, like an expert: “She doesn’t like it when people are pushy about getting candy for their kids; she chooses who to make the candy for; and no, I don’t think your chances of being picked are particularly good.”

It was really interesting to watch her work, especially as she has this little sing-song speech she goes through the whole time – “Candy, delicious, make all kind animal, zebra, dolphin, unicorn, panda, only one candy for family, brother and sister share alike, candy, delicious, candy…” Meanwhile, she’s manipulating this hot corn syrup in her hands, twisting and shaping it until it totally resembles a zebra/dolphin/unicorn/panda. We just watched the Samantha Brown Disney Holiday special on the Travel Channel, and Miyuki was featured – she said there are currently only 15 people in the world who have studied the art of making candy animals, and she’s the only woman who does it. We watched her make a parrot and a dog, then we started wandering towards Italy.

Gelato, please! And once we had our gelato in hand, along came the street performer. “Stuff for us to watch,” I sang happily to Bill. “La la la.” We enjoyed our gelato while watching the juggling, miming, and all-around goofing of Sergio, then we took a Photopass photo by the fountain.

Well, we’d eaten our way around the World Showcase – now it was back to Future World. We walked through Inoventions East, but the only thing that looked interesting was the robot races, and there was a long line for that. So we went to Ellen’s Energy Adventure. I’m a huge Ellen fan, and our feet were super-sore by now, so the idea of a 45-minute seated ride was very welcome. We watched the set-up movie, where Ellen falls asleep in front of Jeopardy and starts dreaming that she’s on it, but the minute we sat down in the ride vehicles, I fell asleep again (much like my pal Ellen!). This was the third unplanned nap I’ve taken this trip – even with our afternoon breaks, I was obviously running myself too hard. I just couldn’t help it; I was so excited to be at Disney, and I never wanted to stop and rest.

I woke up in time to see Ellen kick Jamie Lee Curtis’s butt at Jeopardy; then we stopped at Gateway Gifts so I could buy the same Epcot t-shirt we’d bought for Bill’s brother earlier in the week (hey, I’d been thinking about it for days, and the desire to have one of my own was unshakable). We also picked up the DVDs for Epcot, MGM, and Animal Kingdom, having purchased the MK DVD last year. The salesgirl said we could put our sake in the same bag and the whole thing would be delivered to out hotel, which was great. Now Bill could have his hands free, in case we needed to do any more snacking.

Over to Test Track for yet another single rider ride. We rode this ride five times during our trip, but never in the same car. Then again, we never waited more than five minutes to get on. Then another stop at Club Cool (screaming makes you thirsty), and another stop to appreciate the Epcot display and video in Innoventions West. This caused us to sing the “we’re getting ready for you” song for the rest of the night.

We took a ride through Living with the Land, and used our 5:30 FPs for another Soarin’ (by now, there were none left for the day). Then we did the unthinkable – we diverged from our schedule.

Originally, we’d planned to jump to MGM for the night and eat at the 50s Prime Time Café, which we’ve never tried. But we really wanted to take another trip to the Adventurers’ Club, and this looked like our best shot. So we’d taken a few minutes that morning to cancel the ADRs for 50s Prime Time, promising ourselves that we’ll do it next year, and to make 6:30pm ressies at Fulton’s Crab House instead. So now we were headed towards the front gate to start moving towards Downtown Disney.

On our way out, we stopped so Bill could take this awesome picture of Spaceship Earth:

And so we could drop in at Guest Services, as we had not made any ADRs for the next night, thinking as we sat at home and looked over our schedule, “We’ll be flexible that night.” Flexibility is good, but not as good as a sit-down dinner when you’ve been running around all day. Of course, most of the Epcot restaurants were booked for a Friday night between 8 and 9, but they told us we could get in at Chefs de France or Nine Dragons. We opted for at 8:40 ADR at Chefs de France for the next night.

Then it was off to get a cab to DTD. I forgot to note how much the cab cost, which is a shame, because I feel like Andy Warhol every time I mention the cab fare (he always recorded his cab fare in his diaries). At the time, I noted the fares because a) I wanted to see how much extra it cost us to be spoiled and lazy, and b) I figured if we were going to be spoiled and lazy, we might as well come home with useful info for other DISers about what fares are like from place to place. I think it was only about $12 from Epcot to DTD, but I could be off.

We went straight to Fulton’s, and they seated us right away. Our meal here was all right – I was a little disappointed that they didn’t offer a steamed lobster, but the oysters they had were good, and they came with an…interesting…jalapeno sorbet. I failed to note what Bill got as an entrée (I just had a salad and shrimp cocktail as mine), but my notes do indicate that we finished with a yummy chocolate crème brulee. I thought the place was expensive, and didn’t have that Disney “magic” to it, but the service was good and the food was decent. I kind of wish we’d done either Earl of Sandwich or Wolfgang Puck Express instead.

After dinner, we went over to the Adventurer’s Club, but they were closed until 9 for a private party – argh! So we took the opportunity to walk around DTD and look at the shops. I knew there was a “build your own lightsaber” station somewhere around there, and we finally located it at Once Upon a Toy, but it was swarming with people, and Bill decided that, as fun as it would be to make his own light saber, he probably wouldn’t be using it all that often, since our apartment isn’t really prone to attacks from the Dark Side.

Then we browsed World of Disney, which was mobbed! While we were there, we struck up a conversation with a young CM who was in the college program. His name was Tony, and he was originally from Hong Kong, but he was going to college in New Jersey. When he heard we were from New York, he told us how much he loved the city, and especially Trump Tower, because he was a huge Apprentice fan. I admitted to watching the show regularly, and we discussed which seasons we though were best (Season One, obviously, and the season that Randall won over Rebecca – Season Four, I think), and then we let him get back to work. Tony was so sweet and eager to chat; it was a delight to meet him and to get inside his head a little bit.

The Adventurer’s Club still wasn’t open, so we wandered around some more; once again, I was impressed at how the young women were dressed (skimpily, with heels and makeup) – the kids really put on the dog for a night on Pleasure Island! We saw one young man in a suit and tie, looking for all the world like he’d watched the entire season of The Pick-Up Artist on VH1 and learned the lesson that if you’re going to be the fat, funny guy, you might as well be the fat, funny guy in a suit.

(Okay, I think I’m done with the reality TV references. Sorry about that.)

A crowd was building outside the club, so we took our place in the line, and at exactly nine, the doors opened. We went right downstairs and positioned ourselves close to the library doors, but first there was a show in the Treasure room. We’d seen this show the other night, but tonight there were different actors in some of the roles, so it was almost as good as seeing it for the first time. The scripts for the shows are funny, but it’s really the performers who make the place so much fun. Hats (and mouse ears) off to them!

Then it was into the library for the Balderdash Cup. Again, it was a show we’d seen, but with the actors in different roles, it was a whole new experience. Then, back in the main room, the colonel started picking on Bill (“This man here, he’s judging me! Look at him, with his folded arms, and his…judging face!), and I was weeping with laughter, the kind that makes your sides hurt. I was so glad we decided to come back for a second helping of the AC.

We saw a few more of the shows in the library – Samantha Sterling’s Cabaret, which was hilarious, and a show starring Sugar Snap (snap!), during which she chose a few men from the audience to get on stage with her. Including, of course, my Bill (second to left):

He was getting picked right and left to be in the shows today! And I’m sitting there like chopped liver, holding the camera. No, really, I was delighted to see Bill up there in the spotlight, and he had a great time as one of the backup dancers for Sugar Snap (snap!).

Despite the fact that we’d been up since 6:45 that morning, we didn’t leave until the club closed at 1am, and we had a ball the entire time. From now on, no trip to Disney will be complete without at least one, if not two, trips to the Adventurers’ Club. “Up or down; north, south, east, or west,” an adventurer’s life really is best!

A quick cab back to the Contemporary, and it was time to crash. Actually, it was well past time to crash! We wouldn’t be up at 7 to open the Studios at 9 tomorrow, that was for sure. After the day we’d had, we’d need plenty of time for pleasant dreams, so we could get up and do it all over again!

 

[girlbomb]

Day Eight: From cranky to swanky

After our action-packed seventh day and night of adventuring, we chose not to set the alarm, and slept peacefully until 8:30, when we sprang out of bed. Holy canoli! We’re still in Disney World! What are we doing in bed, when all that fun stuff’s right there outside our window?

(In case you forgot what the fun looked like.)

We had to get up and go, go, go, especially because this was our next-to-last full day of vacation. As studiously as we tried to ignore it, the end was drawing near, and we were both aware of it. So aware, in fact, that I was a little cranky as we headed to the Studios, and every slight delay caused me to huff with exasperation.

Pull it together, I warned myself, as we entered the park. Don’t focus on the end of the trip while you’re still on it; relax and enjoy the day, and let Bill enjoy it, too. So rather than running straight to the Tower of Terror like commandos desperate to make every second count, I suggested that we stop at Starring Rolls and get some breakfast. That way, we’d fuel up for the day ahead, and not burn out so quickly.

Stopping for a bite (an everything bagel with smoked salmon and cream cheese for me; a chocolate chip muffin for Bill) was definitely the right move. I was learning that every time my impulse was to run around and go harder, I should probably stop and go slower – it allowed me to calm down and enjoy my surroundings more.

After breakfast, it was time to ride the ToT – twice, because there was no line. I was glad we hadn’t killed ourselves to get there at rope drop when the line was still nil at 10:30 am! Then we got in another single-rider ride on the Rock N Roller Coaster. On our way back down Sunset Boulevard, we were lucky enough to run into a Streetmosphere skit, starring director Otto von BonBon:

I could watch these guys all day. They seem to be having such a good time. I love it when stage performers are having so much fun with each other and with the audience that they can barely keep a straight face. It’s like the old Carol Burnett show, where Harvey Korman and Tim Conway would start cracking up. And when the parkgoers who have been drafted into the skits are enjoying their roles, it’s even better.

As they generally are over at the Jedi Training Academy, where we headed after the Streetmosphere skit was done. We’d only caught the last half of the show last time, and we wanted to see it from the beginning. Again, Bill was distraught that he wasn’t chosen to be a Jedi in training, especially when one of the lucky trainees got freaked out, started crying, and had to be removed and returned to mom. “That could have been my spot,” he complained.

To perk him back up, we stopped in and watched the Muppet movie again – “He’s trying to drown us! What kind of an act is that!” “An act of mercy!” We took a while browsing the gift shop afterwards – it was tempting to buy myself an Animal t-shirt, or a Miss Piggy, or the Muppet show DVD set, but I’d already bought myself two t-shirts and a bunch of DVDs this trip, so I passed.

Then it was back to the ToT to get FPs, as the crowd was really starting to pick up. We had lunch ADRs at the Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater; we figured we’d have lunch while waiting for the FPs to ripen. I know from experience that the food here is only so-so, but we love the atmosphere and the old movie clips, particularly the cartoon called “The Cat that Hated People.” One of our kitties at home is a little anti-social – he prefers his feline brethren to humans – so this one makes us think lovingly of our Leo.

(It’s also interesting to note the feminist implications of all the late-fifties/early-sixties films that featured enormous women, mutant women, or alien women, all of whom had giant bustlines and outsized sexual appetites. But I’ll spare you the feminist film theory, and just give you a pic of the place.)

Well, the onion rings are good, and Bill’s milkshake was so thick and creamy he had to eat most of it with a spoon. But my shrimp penne was oily and bland – bleh. His turkey club was all right, and the fries are decent, but next time, we’ll make this a dessert spot only (if we can even fit it into our schedule for next time, which is rapidly filling up).

A stop at the candy store for chocolate covered marshmallows, and then it was time to use our ToT FPs. And again, there was no standby line. How could this be? Isn’t this one of the headlining attractions of this park? I didn’t get it. It bugged me to spend time and effort to get an FP, then tender it over to the CM when there was no standby line at all.

“You’d rather there was a line?” asked Bill, incredulous.

“Well…no,” I conceded. “I just want all our hustling and extra walking to actually benefit us.” I mean, what good is FastPass, if you’re not breezing past a standby line full of envious onlookers?

A good couple of up-and-down drops shook it out of me, as we happily jumped on the non-existent standby line three more times in a row. Another RnR single-rider, then another two ToT’s (“Where is everybody?” I kept asking. They were right there on the street outside; why weren’t any of them on line for this ride?). Then, since we knew we were saying goodbye to the Studios soon, we decided to see the last thing on our Studios must-do list – One Man’s Dream.

Now, I read the Neil Gabler biography, and we both feel very well-versed in Walt’s life and Disney history, so there isn’t really any new information for us here, but this is still an important part of our Disney trips. As a creative artist, charting Walt Disney’s ups and downs is inspiring and heartening to me (“An artist should have a good failure early in his career,” he said), and we both like to take the time to appreciate the man who created this whole, big, beautiful, optimistic, futuristic, multisensory paradise of the imagination that we love so much, and to thank him for his vision and perseverance. This is like his shrine, and we’ll always stop here for a moment of reflection and gratitude.

Unfortunately, I was still exhausted, and overly susceptible to the allure of a dark room and a comfortable seat, so the film portion of “One Man’s Dream” almost turned into “One Woman’s Nap!” But I showed Uncle Walt the respect I was unable to pay to Indiana Jones, Ellen DeGeneres, and all the US presidents, and forced myself to stay awake. Glad I did, too – I love this movie, and the exhibit as a whole.

We were on our way for one last trip on the ToT, when we lucked into another Streetmosphere skit – the board meeting sketch. This time, there was no hiding it – the performers were cracking each other up! One audience member kept shouting things out during the skit; she was being kind of obnoxious, but the cast just integrated her into the humor. These are some truly gifted performers, and I admire them tremendously.

“Last Tower of Terror,” said Bill, as we waited in the boiler room. “Let’s make it a good one.” Well, the computer must have heard him, because this one was great. Extra-big drops, with extra-suspenseful waits at the window overlooking the park. How can it be that I was so scared to go on this ride, and now it’s one of my favorites? I quickly tallied our rides for this trip – we rode the Tower of Terror 21 times in the two days we spent at the Studios. That’s a lot of terror!



(More soon, but not much more -- we're almost done! )

 

[earthfaries]

Hi I just came across your TR and I have started reading it. I'm haven't gotten too far into it yet, but I can't wait, sounds like such a great trip Thanks for sharing

 

[PinkPrincessZ]

Hi girlbomb!

I'm reading the Gabler bio right now - good stuff!

I know what it's like to start mourning the vacation before it's actually over. Why does it go so fast??

Can't wait for more...

 

[AmericanCaesar]

I'm already thinking the 2008 trip is halfway over!!!

 

[girlbomb]

Hi I just came across your TR and I have started reading it. I'm haven't gotten too far into it yet, but I can't wait, sounds like such a great trip Thanks for sharing

earthfaries, thanks for reading! I see from your sig you've been to Dollywood -- that sounds awesome!

Hi girlbomb!

I'm reading the Gabler bio right now - good stuff!

I know what it's like to start mourning the vacation before it's actually over. Why does it go so fast??

Can't wait for more...

PinkPrincessZ, doesn't the book give you so much more perspective on Walt and his parks? And of Roy, too? I really appreciated this book a lot.

I'm already thinking the 2008 trip is halfway over!!!

I know! And the 2009 one, too!



And now back to the Shminky Doop report, or something: Guests making MAGIC!

It was 5:15 on our eighth day, Friday, December 14th, when we left the Studios, and took a pleasant (and quiet – no songs this time) boat ride to Epcot, entering the park through the once-mysterious International Gateway. We knew there wouldn’t be any FPs left for Soarin’ by now, especially as it was EMH at Epcot tonight, but we decided to check and hope for the best. Well, it was the worst – no FPs, and a 75 minute wait. But this was our last night at Epcot, and this might be our last chance to get in another ride! Unless we could last until 11:30 that night, when the lines would start to die down, but I didn’t think I could make it that long.

But…75 minutes – ouch! But…it’s my favorite ride! We were standing in front of the closed FP machines, debating whether or not to break our Never Wait in a Long Standby Line credo, when a man approached, holding two valid FPs.

“Do you want these?” he asked. “We have to leave.”



Uh…WHAT? Are you really handing us valid FPs for Soarin’, good for right this very minute, just when we want them the most? Are you serious? You don’t want these? You know these are made of solid gold and rubies and they grant magical wishes, right? And you’re still giving them to us? NO WAY! DUDE! THANK YOU SO MUCH! I nearly jumped on the guy and started slobbering with gratitude, but he’d already walked away with a “no problem” wave, and we were left holding the golden tickets.

That’s Disney MAGIC, people.



It was an extra-special ride on Soarin’ that evening, knowing it would be our last for a whole year, and knowing how lucky we were to have received those FPs from a fellow guest. We left the ride in great moods, discussing how we might be able to swing a trip to the mothership in Anaheim one day. That last scene just makes Disneyland look too good to miss!

After leaving The Land, we dropped by Club Cool, and swung past Segway Central in Innoventions. Nobody was waiting, so we got to relive our amazing Segway experience for a minute – and I do mean “a minute.” They get you on and off those things so fast, we were hankering for more. Well, as we kept telling ourselves, there would always be next year.

Not that we take it for granted that we’ll always be able to take our now annual Samantha Dunleavy Memorial Christmas trip. Having both experienced tragedies in our families, including the tragedy of losing Samantha, we know all too well that the future is uncertain – that health, or finances, or any of the unpredictable twists of fate that await us might prevent something as “frivolous” as a Disney vacation. But every year, we have to tell ourselves that we’ll be lucky enough to be able to come back next year; otherwise some unlucky CMs would have to dig our fingernails out of the pavement and scrape us, kicking and screaming, off the ground!

We had a good amount of time before our dinner ADRs, so we took a ride on Journey Into the Imagination. And…eesh. This is the best tribute to imagination they could devise? These amazing Imagineers, whose books about the creative processes behind the development and maintenance of the parks are so wonderfully detailed and inspiring? Wow. I love Figment, but I think his ride is kind of a stinker. And not just the stinky part, either. I mean, don’t promise us five senses, and then quit after three.

But the interactive exhibits after the ride are fun, and we poked around over there putting our faces onto monkey heads and flowers, until I looked at the Times Guide and saw that we could catch the acrobats in China, if we motored. So motor we did, right past Honey, I Shrunk the Audience, which we saw on our first year and will never see again, mostly because of the pre-show. If I wanted to watch a 15-minute Kodak commercial while standing in a crowded room, I’d…well, I don’t know what I’d do. Schedule some extra sessions with my therapist, probably.

The acrobats in China, on the other hand, are spectacular. Bill took some shots of them, but they’re blurry, as these performers are constantly in motion, while balancing things (including each other) on various parts of their bodies that were not meant to support balancing things! At one point, a young woman had a full wineglass balanced on the bridge of her nose; on top of the glass, she had balanced a tray full of glasses, then another tray of glasses on top of that, then another tray of glasses…

“There has to be an easier way to carry those drinks,” said Bill.

It’s so miraculous, what the human body and mind are capable of when they’re trained and pushed and exercised. Watching the acrobats is like watching the Olympics, for me; I’m reminded that, theoretically, my own body is capable of similar feats. It’s like, if one person can do it on behalf of humankind, then we’ve all done it. So I’d like to thank you, Chinese girls, for balancing each other on your hipbones while contorted in what should be impossible positions and twirling pieces of velvet on your toes – you’ve afforded me the pleasure while sparing me the trouble.

One of the only other things we hadn’t seen in World Showcase so far this trip was the America Adventure. So we made our way to the American pavilion, where they were letting guests in through the back door of the theater – I’m not sure why; maybe it had something to do with the Candlelight Processional in progress? We took our seats in the two-thirds-empty theater, and a CM announced that, as a part of the Year of a Million Dreams, he’d like us all to acknowledge and give a big hand to the So-and-So family of Costa Rica. And I’m sure it was nice to be acknowledged, but I’d like to encourage the So-and-So family of Costa Rica to keep dreaming, as this can’t have been the fulfillment of all their heart’s desires. At least, I hope it wasn’t.

Anyway, you’d probably expect a cynical, liberal, elitist New Yorker to roll her eyes at this presentation, but you’d be wrong. I love our country, imperfect as she may be, and am very, very grateful to live here. I think the recounting of American history here is really well done, acknowledging our flaws as well as our successes. And the film clip at the end always chokes me up. Sure, the music is bombastic and over-the-top, but when they show things like the anti-AIDS protesters, and the firefighters at the wreckage from the World Trace Center, I am gone.

Now, I don’t automatically tear up and get patriotic every time someone says “9/11” – by now, too many people have tried to use the tragedy of that day for their own political ends. But, as with any eyewitnesses to devastation, nobody who was in downtown New York that day will ever forget the horrible sight of those towers burning and collapsing right there, just blocks away; we won’t forget what it was like to walk through those streets full of people dazed, covered in dust, sobbing. We haven’t forgotten the terrible smell that blanketed the city for days afterwards, as we wandered around, staring at the smoke still pouring into the sky, wondering what horror was to come next. Nor can we forget how New York was transformed into an openly loving and caring place, full of people who wanted to share their grief and help each other. So that two-second clip of images of 9/11 really undid me, especially as I was feeling so emotionally unguarded during our wonderful trip. I left the theater clearing my throat and wiping my eyes, grateful once again for our many blessings in life, and especially for the lives of those we love.

Bill and I walked hand in hand towards France, enjoying the sights and sounds along the way, and checked in about ten minutes early for our ADR at Chefs de France. There were a lot of people waiting on the benches at the entrance, and we noticed that many of them looked displeased. We sat down, and overheard a couple next to us fuming – “How long have we been here now? A half hour? This is ridiculous.” The sentiment seemed to be shared by many others, some of whom repeatedly approached the girl with the reservations list to complain.

We were content to sit and people-watch, and to cool our heels for as long as it took to get seated (provided it didn’t take too long). I was feeling a little self-conscious about my appearance: I was wearing my new yellow Epcot t-shirt and a baggy pair of brown yoga pants, with my hair in a sloppy ponytail. The outfit was good for running around riding the ToT, but definitely sub-par when compared with a lot of other people’s Friday night dinner outfits. And then we saw the woman whose denim mini-skirt completely failed to preserve her modesty. Once again, ! I can’t say the sight made me feel better, as it was pretty gross, but I didn’t feel quite so badly about being casually dressed. At least all my parts were covered!

Though the restaurant was obviously running behind in seating people, they were consistently calling names, including the name of a family of five who had just left in a huff seconds before. We were seated about ten minutes after our ADR, which wasn’t bad at all. The dining room reminded me of some of the French bistros in New York – noisy, with the tiled floor, but cheerful and active. Our server was prompt and helpful while taking our order; then, after she brought the food, she was nowhere to be found. It was her loss – we definitely would have ordered another beer for Bill and a glass of wine for me, had she made herself available, but I guess they were slammed that night.

And speaking of slammed, when the fireworks from Illuminations went off, the windows of that restaurant were shaking! We couldn’t see very well, but it was cool to experience what we could of the show from where we sat at our table. I especially like the way the white lights on all the World Showcase pavilions flick on at once, and dance to the music. We’ll definitely have to give the show a better viewing next year.

Chefs de France, along with Marrakesh, rates as one of the most mediocre table service meals we had on our trip. Bill’s charcuterie plate was good; then again, it’s tough to mess up sliced meats. But my nicoise salad was not very good – certain elements were underdone, and the dressing was cloying – and Bill’s beef was fatty and tough. We skipped dessert, and had a hard time flagging down our server to get the check. It wasn’t the worst dining experience ever, but it really wasn’t great at all.

Still, we were fed, and we were at Epcot, the park we had finally learned to appreciate this year after two years of racing through it in the rain. We stopped to get our EMH bracelets on the bridge between France and England, smiling in recollection as we passed the site of Bill’s triumphant performance the day before. The crowds were thick, but it was still pleasant to walk through Canada towards Future World, and to pass Le Cellier again, thinking about the wonderful meal we’d had there exactly one week ago on our first night at Walt Disney World.

As predicted, the line for Soarin’ was still 75 minutes – good thing we were magically granted two FPs earlier that day so we could take that last ride. We walked over to Test Track for one last single-rider ride, but since there was no FP line during the EMH, lots of people were taking advantage of single rider, and it looked like a long wait. So we decided to call it a night, and to amble past the fountain dancing to the music, with the brilliantly lighted archway and magnificent tree to our backs, over the twinkling pavement, towards the monorail and back to the hotel.

Transferring from the Epcot monorail to the resort monorail, we heard two attendants quizzing each other on various monorail facts. Did you know that only four monorails can be on the resort track at one time? That’s because each monorail has to keep one monorail’s length worth of room between itself and the others ahead of it and behind it. Bill and I already had our honorary monorail pilots licenses from our ride in the front car earlier in the week, but now we felt ready for our real ones.

It was eleven pm when we got back to the Contemporary, and I checked my email on the groovy computer that came with the room. Friends had written to say hi and send their hopes that we were having a wonderful time, and my editor had sent the new cover for my upcoming book (see my signature) – bright yellow, cool! So though it was sad to know that our vacation was almost at an end, we ended the night very happy. And very tired. Only one more day in the parks before it was time to go home – then another long year of yearning would begin!

(Coming soon: Don't make me turn this car around on the Tomorrowland Speedway! And: Doing nothing and having a great time. Thanks for reading!)