rcyannacci
<font color="purple">A Feminist Princess...tiaras
- Joined
- Jul 1, 2000
- Messages
- 2,605
Confession time. It is now many, many months, and my friends, husband, and I went on a fabulous road-trip to WDW in March for our Spring Break, and to date, no trip report. But, to be honest, I have had no time until now to write the darn thing. Why? Ive been too busy writing pages and pages of reports, papers, lesson plans
I am a graduate student, as are my compatriots. (traveling along with my ever patient husband- the only honest worker among the bunch)
And, this is our story grand sweeping music cue GO! (Did I mention we are theatre students- remembering this could be beneficial to explaining some of our peculiarities)
The Cast:
Zach: The Swinging Single (or so we keep telling him, and he will be once he finds a date) Lover of Musical Theatre and all thing Scottish, which of course explains the fascination with Brigadoon and dancing men. According to his students, a tough grader with a cold, cold heart of stone but, we all love him for it. Not a big fan of Disney, but he agrees to come based on our description of the beautiful men at the Norway pavilion at Epcot. Group appointed bartender for the trip.
Susanne: The Fair-skinned Canadian, and the only Disney virgin of the group. A studious gal who teaches a mean lecture on performance art. The designated navigator and historian for the trip- it is only by her keen observations that we have a trip report to write. Somewhat dubious of the whole Disney World experience, but she enjoyed the movies and music growing up so we are sure we can convert her. Especially dubious of the Canadian pavilion, and we all somewhat agree.
Chase: Pop Culture Boy, Television Fanatic, and the most Disney-cultured among our spirited band. Group appointed Cruise Director for the trip. Lover of Cirque du Soleil and Rock Musicals, director of Hair and Jesus Christ Superstar, which weve heard about many, many times- and love him for it. Big fan of the boat ride at the Land, and we are all still trying to figure this one out.
Ron: The saint in theatre technician clothing, the husband who patiently laughs at all our academically pointless jokes. The camping equipment and packing expert, who manages to fit 5 people with gear into a 4 person car for a 20 hour drive. Group appointed campground chef. Has been slightly coaxed into a love for Disney by his slightly fanatical wife, but still genuinely enjoys many WDW attractions, but none more than the Adventurers Club at Pleasure Island.
Christin: The wife, and group appointed travel agent who had the audacity to suggest that a trip to WDW would be possible during the Spring Break of our first year in a rigorously academic graduate program, and would even be affordable by driving 20 hours in one car and camping in tents. Amuses others by fastidiously preparing budget worksheets for everyone so they could accurately estimate their cost of the trip. A big believer of soaking in the Disney atmosphere, rather than running from attraction to attraction.
So instead of beginning work on papers and reports, as our other colleagues were accomplishing during their break, or working in Rons case, we took off for Orlando, Florida. OK- by way of Atlanta. Chase assured us that Atlanta was only 5 hours from WDW, and that we should drive straight for 18 hours, stay at his mothers house, and then take off again the next day. Already, you are beginning to questions Chases geography skills or realizing that what he really wanted to do was say hello to his mother.
Cut to the next day when we roll into Fort Wilderness Campground (my favorite place within my favorite place on earth), arriving 2 hours late by my schedule. Perfect camping spot on Loop 15, off to the grocery store with the cooler, a quick dinner of stir-fry, and then off to the beach at the campground to sit in lounge chairs and watch the fireworks over the Magic Kingdom. Zach (official bartender) had brought along a wee flask of something Scottish, and we all relaxed mightily. First night in tents and all slept soundly. (We could just barely hear the outdoor movie in the background as we fell asleep very nice.)
At this stage, rather than take you on a step by step trip through our excursions, it would benefit the report to switch to a highlights approach (I am not a big fan of linear narratives anyway. The episodic approach is highly underrated, I believe. Besides, it has been many months, and the exact details are fuzzy.) Think of it as my taking a bit of dramatic license, and structuring this story to maximize its potential. So, enough with the exposition.
Susanne and her Canada:
Entering the World Showcase, we always head to the right. Canada begins the journey, Mexico ends it. Thus it is and will always be. Plus, we had a Canadian in our midst and she just HAD to see it for herself. Her first observation: never in her life had she ever worn a black and red checked flannel shirt and suspenders. Her second: thank goodness there were handrails in the circle vision movie so she could keep herself upright as she laughed continuously. Back outside, she chatted it up with some of the CMs, fellow Newfees (Newfoundlanders) who could share a grin with her over the movie. We all took a brief moment to admire the scale of the architecture and rock formations, then meandered off to the Rose and Crown for lunch. Good food, good company, authentic fish and chips- we are off to a good start.
Zach and his Norway boys:
Off to Norway and the beautiful people. This is what had sold Zach on the trip, so needless to say we spent more time in the Norway pavilion than I ever had before. We bought beer, we bought pastries (from a very cute boy with a very cute hat), we looked at trolls, we pondered the Sprit of Norway espoused in the movie at the end of the boat ride (what is this reoccurring Spirit theme in Epcot, we began to ask- the spirit of this and the spirit of that very nonspecific). We even toured the Viking boat while Zach tried to chat it up with the pastry boy. (We were not the first to come this way, nor will we be the last ) BTW- if they ever change this ride or the one in Mexico, I will be so disappointed. They are such a time capsule of the 80s- may they live forever.
Christin and Rons Hoop de Doo Date:
We left the others to a dinner at Morocco, and Ron and I went to the Hoop de Doo, always one of our favorite destinations. Even though we were trying to save money on this trip, this was a must. Besides, what else are student loans for? First order of business- a pitcher of Sangria for me and beer for the hubby. Second- getting sloshed, picking up a washboard, and strumming along to the melodies (at least we thought we were). I became particularly annoying when I started to note how closely the show fit the historical context of a traveling frontier performance. As a student of American theatre history, I was fascinated with how the character types in the show reflected the history of American drama. I wont bore you now with the specifics (Ron wasnt so lucky), but trust me, they did their research (like Disney wouldnt!). Ron gave me sangria, and back to the washboard I went. We waltzed our way back to the campsite, and recreated the performance for our mates and the rest of Loop 15.
The Give me a break moment:
We are at MGM, and Zach and Suzanne are zooming from one attraction to another. Chase and I (the veterans) try to calmly explain that part of the Disney magic is taking your time and soaking up the atmosphere. For example, take time to note all the characters and CMs performing. As we walk by the Chinese theatre, Mulan is outside taking autographs. Just then, it begins to sprinkle a light rain. Mulan says, Oh no! I have to go my hair and runs off with her entourage. Oh no, my hair! Mulan, you are a warrior! You shouldnt be worrying about your hair you have Huns to fight!. The boys had a giggle, the feminists were miffed, and off we went to the stunt show. Further gender segregation when the boys opt for the Tower of Terror and the girls opt for chocolate brownies and iced coffees at the Staring Rolls Bakery. The Muppets and all of their comedic healing power, however, brought the group back together again.
Queering Fantasyland:
For those of us who are nostalgic about our Fantasyland dark-rides (me and Chase, and Ron to an extent), the attempt by Zach and Suzanne to engage in a theoretical analysis of the stories was less than appreciated. I knew things were getting out of hand during the Snow White ride when I heard from behind be Oh typical, heterosexual closure just as we turned the bend at the end and saw Snow White in the arms of Prince Charming. Perhaps after that, Its a Small Ride wasnt the best idea, but off we went more intellectual giggling at innocent child-like animatronics. Will this critical madness never end? The Peter Pan ride was followed by a lecture on the politics of J. M. Barrie, until we all threw our hands in the air and went off in search of soft-serve ice-cream and chocolate-covered Mickey bars. The big hit of the day: Splash Mountain loved by all. Will that silly rabbit never learn? No never, and we will always love him for it.
And, we almost didnt make it :
After a particularly rigorous day at AK and then a Mexican dinner at the campsite, it was difficult to get the whole group ready to go to Fantasmic. Then, we just missed the bus at Loop 15, and then we just missed the next bus to MGM. When we finally get to the park, we make a sprint to the theatre and approach just in time. The group in front of us in line break rank to rush some of the few remaining back seats, much to the frustration of the CMs trying to organize the masses. We wait patiently and commiserate with the CM. After a few minutes, she smiles and tells us that they have located some empty seats towards the front. We ended up only 5 rows back and enjoyed one of the best shows on the property. Lesson learned: good will come to those who are patient, follow the rules, and suck up mercilessly to the CMs.
Some memorable quotations:
Christin: What a wonderful world it would be if we could all just travel by monorail
Ron: Another pitcher of beer, please?
Susanne: Its just a bit much (of Pleasure Island, Canada, and a few OK, many other things.)
Chase: But we have to go on the boat ride (of the Land). I always go! (starts to sing theme song )
Zach: Now, that is a lot of meat (speaking of the dinner at OHanas, not the Norway pavilion.)
Christin: OK- this time Im not going to cry at the American pavilion. 30 minutes later That last film sequence gets me every time.
Chase: They should totally have a Mary Poppins ride at the England pavilion.
Ron: Maybe we could stop for a beer at Rose and Crown
Chase: But we have to go on the boat ride (in the Mexico pavilion). I always go! (starts to sing theme song )
The Dinosaur Ride: Were not going to make it were not going to make it .hey, we made it. (the tag line for the trip back to Austin 20 exhausting hours)
So, obviously a whole lot more happened and we had a great trip. We returned to the real world (or at least Ron did, and the rest of us sat in front of our computers to contemplate our next paper). The lesson I learned you cant convert people to Disney if they arent willing or if they believe that the company is a postmodern capitalist monstrosity poised to take over the world. I prefer to live in blissful ignorance or better, to use my critical skills to redeem Disney in the eyes of intellectuals or if not, to frustrate the hell out of them by using their own arguments against them (cant you tell, Im already formulating my next paper).
And, that is that. Trip over. Another trip to take the next moment the planets align and I have both money and free time. Until then, I will check the boards, live vicariously, and dream of better days. Disney days and Fort Wilderness nights. Do me the favor of soaking it up for me until the next trip rolls round.
And, this is our story grand sweeping music cue GO! (Did I mention we are theatre students- remembering this could be beneficial to explaining some of our peculiarities)
The Cast:
Zach: The Swinging Single (or so we keep telling him, and he will be once he finds a date) Lover of Musical Theatre and all thing Scottish, which of course explains the fascination with Brigadoon and dancing men. According to his students, a tough grader with a cold, cold heart of stone but, we all love him for it. Not a big fan of Disney, but he agrees to come based on our description of the beautiful men at the Norway pavilion at Epcot. Group appointed bartender for the trip.
Susanne: The Fair-skinned Canadian, and the only Disney virgin of the group. A studious gal who teaches a mean lecture on performance art. The designated navigator and historian for the trip- it is only by her keen observations that we have a trip report to write. Somewhat dubious of the whole Disney World experience, but she enjoyed the movies and music growing up so we are sure we can convert her. Especially dubious of the Canadian pavilion, and we all somewhat agree.
Chase: Pop Culture Boy, Television Fanatic, and the most Disney-cultured among our spirited band. Group appointed Cruise Director for the trip. Lover of Cirque du Soleil and Rock Musicals, director of Hair and Jesus Christ Superstar, which weve heard about many, many times- and love him for it. Big fan of the boat ride at the Land, and we are all still trying to figure this one out.
Ron: The saint in theatre technician clothing, the husband who patiently laughs at all our academically pointless jokes. The camping equipment and packing expert, who manages to fit 5 people with gear into a 4 person car for a 20 hour drive. Group appointed campground chef. Has been slightly coaxed into a love for Disney by his slightly fanatical wife, but still genuinely enjoys many WDW attractions, but none more than the Adventurers Club at Pleasure Island.
Christin: The wife, and group appointed travel agent who had the audacity to suggest that a trip to WDW would be possible during the Spring Break of our first year in a rigorously academic graduate program, and would even be affordable by driving 20 hours in one car and camping in tents. Amuses others by fastidiously preparing budget worksheets for everyone so they could accurately estimate their cost of the trip. A big believer of soaking in the Disney atmosphere, rather than running from attraction to attraction.
So instead of beginning work on papers and reports, as our other colleagues were accomplishing during their break, or working in Rons case, we took off for Orlando, Florida. OK- by way of Atlanta. Chase assured us that Atlanta was only 5 hours from WDW, and that we should drive straight for 18 hours, stay at his mothers house, and then take off again the next day. Already, you are beginning to questions Chases geography skills or realizing that what he really wanted to do was say hello to his mother.
Cut to the next day when we roll into Fort Wilderness Campground (my favorite place within my favorite place on earth), arriving 2 hours late by my schedule. Perfect camping spot on Loop 15, off to the grocery store with the cooler, a quick dinner of stir-fry, and then off to the beach at the campground to sit in lounge chairs and watch the fireworks over the Magic Kingdom. Zach (official bartender) had brought along a wee flask of something Scottish, and we all relaxed mightily. First night in tents and all slept soundly. (We could just barely hear the outdoor movie in the background as we fell asleep very nice.)
At this stage, rather than take you on a step by step trip through our excursions, it would benefit the report to switch to a highlights approach (I am not a big fan of linear narratives anyway. The episodic approach is highly underrated, I believe. Besides, it has been many months, and the exact details are fuzzy.) Think of it as my taking a bit of dramatic license, and structuring this story to maximize its potential. So, enough with the exposition.
Susanne and her Canada:
Entering the World Showcase, we always head to the right. Canada begins the journey, Mexico ends it. Thus it is and will always be. Plus, we had a Canadian in our midst and she just HAD to see it for herself. Her first observation: never in her life had she ever worn a black and red checked flannel shirt and suspenders. Her second: thank goodness there were handrails in the circle vision movie so she could keep herself upright as she laughed continuously. Back outside, she chatted it up with some of the CMs, fellow Newfees (Newfoundlanders) who could share a grin with her over the movie. We all took a brief moment to admire the scale of the architecture and rock formations, then meandered off to the Rose and Crown for lunch. Good food, good company, authentic fish and chips- we are off to a good start.
Zach and his Norway boys:
Off to Norway and the beautiful people. This is what had sold Zach on the trip, so needless to say we spent more time in the Norway pavilion than I ever had before. We bought beer, we bought pastries (from a very cute boy with a very cute hat), we looked at trolls, we pondered the Sprit of Norway espoused in the movie at the end of the boat ride (what is this reoccurring Spirit theme in Epcot, we began to ask- the spirit of this and the spirit of that very nonspecific). We even toured the Viking boat while Zach tried to chat it up with the pastry boy. (We were not the first to come this way, nor will we be the last ) BTW- if they ever change this ride or the one in Mexico, I will be so disappointed. They are such a time capsule of the 80s- may they live forever.
Christin and Rons Hoop de Doo Date:
We left the others to a dinner at Morocco, and Ron and I went to the Hoop de Doo, always one of our favorite destinations. Even though we were trying to save money on this trip, this was a must. Besides, what else are student loans for? First order of business- a pitcher of Sangria for me and beer for the hubby. Second- getting sloshed, picking up a washboard, and strumming along to the melodies (at least we thought we were). I became particularly annoying when I started to note how closely the show fit the historical context of a traveling frontier performance. As a student of American theatre history, I was fascinated with how the character types in the show reflected the history of American drama. I wont bore you now with the specifics (Ron wasnt so lucky), but trust me, they did their research (like Disney wouldnt!). Ron gave me sangria, and back to the washboard I went. We waltzed our way back to the campsite, and recreated the performance for our mates and the rest of Loop 15.
The Give me a break moment:
We are at MGM, and Zach and Suzanne are zooming from one attraction to another. Chase and I (the veterans) try to calmly explain that part of the Disney magic is taking your time and soaking up the atmosphere. For example, take time to note all the characters and CMs performing. As we walk by the Chinese theatre, Mulan is outside taking autographs. Just then, it begins to sprinkle a light rain. Mulan says, Oh no! I have to go my hair and runs off with her entourage. Oh no, my hair! Mulan, you are a warrior! You shouldnt be worrying about your hair you have Huns to fight!. The boys had a giggle, the feminists were miffed, and off we went to the stunt show. Further gender segregation when the boys opt for the Tower of Terror and the girls opt for chocolate brownies and iced coffees at the Staring Rolls Bakery. The Muppets and all of their comedic healing power, however, brought the group back together again.
Queering Fantasyland:
For those of us who are nostalgic about our Fantasyland dark-rides (me and Chase, and Ron to an extent), the attempt by Zach and Suzanne to engage in a theoretical analysis of the stories was less than appreciated. I knew things were getting out of hand during the Snow White ride when I heard from behind be Oh typical, heterosexual closure just as we turned the bend at the end and saw Snow White in the arms of Prince Charming. Perhaps after that, Its a Small Ride wasnt the best idea, but off we went more intellectual giggling at innocent child-like animatronics. Will this critical madness never end? The Peter Pan ride was followed by a lecture on the politics of J. M. Barrie, until we all threw our hands in the air and went off in search of soft-serve ice-cream and chocolate-covered Mickey bars. The big hit of the day: Splash Mountain loved by all. Will that silly rabbit never learn? No never, and we will always love him for it.
And, we almost didnt make it :
After a particularly rigorous day at AK and then a Mexican dinner at the campsite, it was difficult to get the whole group ready to go to Fantasmic. Then, we just missed the bus at Loop 15, and then we just missed the next bus to MGM. When we finally get to the park, we make a sprint to the theatre and approach just in time. The group in front of us in line break rank to rush some of the few remaining back seats, much to the frustration of the CMs trying to organize the masses. We wait patiently and commiserate with the CM. After a few minutes, she smiles and tells us that they have located some empty seats towards the front. We ended up only 5 rows back and enjoyed one of the best shows on the property. Lesson learned: good will come to those who are patient, follow the rules, and suck up mercilessly to the CMs.
Some memorable quotations:
Christin: What a wonderful world it would be if we could all just travel by monorail
Ron: Another pitcher of beer, please?
Susanne: Its just a bit much (of Pleasure Island, Canada, and a few OK, many other things.)
Chase: But we have to go on the boat ride (of the Land). I always go! (starts to sing theme song )
Zach: Now, that is a lot of meat (speaking of the dinner at OHanas, not the Norway pavilion.)
Christin: OK- this time Im not going to cry at the American pavilion. 30 minutes later That last film sequence gets me every time.
Chase: They should totally have a Mary Poppins ride at the England pavilion.
Ron: Maybe we could stop for a beer at Rose and Crown
Chase: But we have to go on the boat ride (in the Mexico pavilion). I always go! (starts to sing theme song )
The Dinosaur Ride: Were not going to make it were not going to make it .hey, we made it. (the tag line for the trip back to Austin 20 exhausting hours)
So, obviously a whole lot more happened and we had a great trip. We returned to the real world (or at least Ron did, and the rest of us sat in front of our computers to contemplate our next paper). The lesson I learned you cant convert people to Disney if they arent willing or if they believe that the company is a postmodern capitalist monstrosity poised to take over the world. I prefer to live in blissful ignorance or better, to use my critical skills to redeem Disney in the eyes of intellectuals or if not, to frustrate the hell out of them by using their own arguments against them (cant you tell, Im already formulating my next paper).
And, that is that. Trip over. Another trip to take the next moment the planets align and I have both money and free time. Until then, I will check the boards, live vicariously, and dream of better days. Disney days and Fort Wilderness nights. Do me the favor of soaking it up for me until the next trip rolls round.
It was closed last year when we were there, so we're looking forward to that this time. I'll have to get my Dad a Troll too! He likes those. Did you get a snack at the Kringla Bakery? They're pretty yummy.
I liked your idea of starting at Canada, I always start at Mexico. I wonder which way most people start, right or left?? Your approach to the whole trip was wonderfully "Disney", as is ours! Relax and enjoy!!
