Beth E. (NJ)
<font color=red>Disney obsessed<br><font color=blu
- Joined
- Sep 27, 1999
- Messages
- 8,219
Trip Report â Day 2 Wednesday, December 6th 2000
We came, we saw, we ate some more! - A better late than never trip report.
The vital statistics:
Cast:
Beth E. â the mom, Disney fanatic, trip planner
Eric (also know as DH)â the dad, just following momâÂÂs well planned out footsteps
Sophie â DD 5 1/2, first trip to WDW, very outgoing child, loves the princesses, has no idea that anything that happens this trip is âÂÂout of the ordinaryâÂÂ
Accommodations: All Star Sports Hotel
Dates of trip: Tuesday December 5th to Friday December 15th
Weather: DidnâÂÂt write it down at time, but it was probably in the 60s. We wore long pants, tee shirts with sweatshirts and light jackets and took some layers off when we were warm. Did not require hats or gloves.
Day 2 December 6, 2000
Wake up call at 6:30am. I tried to get Sophie to answer the phone, but she was out like a light and would not move. I picked it up and was greeted by Mickey. I vowed to get her to answer it tomorrow!
We decided to eat a light breakfast in the room so we broke into the cache of food we had picked up at Winn Dixie the day before. Then we were off to MGM to try to make it into the park in time for EE. (Why are kids always so slow in the morning!?) My first stop was guest services so I could upgrade my pass from a park hopper to an annual pass. This was easy to do and the CM I dealt with was more than nice! While I was at the window I decided to ask the CM about booking the Fantasmic Dinner Package. Mama Melrose was still booked but he told me that there were spaces for a party of three at both Hollywood and Vine and Brown Derby. (My friends, who we were originally trying to get together with, had decided to skip Fantasmic.) We decided on Hollywood and Vine since the CM told me that Brown Derby was a little fancier and more expensive. Since this would be SophieâÂÂs first day in the park and a long day I didnâÂÂt want to overwhelm her with a full day, fancy dinner and then Fantasmic â plus I didnâÂÂt want to surprise EricâÂÂs wallet anymore than I had to on our first full day of touring!
Mission accomplished, we were now off to hit the park! (ItâÂÂs about time!) Our first âÂÂrideâ was Muppetvision. (Walked right into the preshow! Then into the show â no wait!) Sophie liked the show, but was surprisingly turned off by the little character that was created. Next we went to Star Tours. I was worried about how Sophie would handle this one, but she really wanted to ride it and she was tall enough so in we went. She seemed a little nervous as we were going in, but then I realized that it was just her joking around. (Again- walked right in, almost all the way to the simulator.) We seated Sophie between us so we could both watch her during the ride, but there was no need to worry, she loved it! I was more bothered by the motion than she was. Side note: That was one of the perks of having this be my DDs first trip â any time I felt bothered by anything I could just turn my head to check her reaction to it. This few seconds away from the action made my feel all better.
After that we went to the Indiana Jones show. Sophie liked the show, but she was a little bored. After it ended she told us that she wanted more rides. We had to explain to her that while some of the parks had a lot of rides and we would go to them on other days, MGM had more shows. Thankfully, she was satisfied with that explanation. Next on our agenda was Doug Live. Even though she wanted rides, Sophie sat through this one happily. She is a big Doug fan. I think her only regret was that she wasnâÂÂt picked to be on the stage.
When we left the Doug show our stomachs were beginning to growl. While is was still early we decided to give in to our stomachs and we went to the Sci-Fi Drive in for an early lunch. (This also worked well since we had early PS at Hollywood and Vine for dinner.) The restaurant had just opened for the day so we were able to get a car in just a couple of minutes wait. Sophie loved the theming of this restaurant. She and Eric sat in the front seat of a car and I sat behind them. She had the kidâÂÂs hamburger, DH and I had cheeseburgers and chocolate shakes (which we shared with her.) The food was decent â but not great. My hamburger was overcooked â I wanted medium rare, but this was passed that. Sophie and DH enjoyed theirs just fine.
Just after lunch Sophie spotted the Tower of Terror. âÂÂI want to do that!â she said. Eric and I did âÂÂthatâ in 1997, and as much as I love my child â I wonâÂÂt do it again! DH was not feeling much more inspired. We pointed out the upper floor window to Sophie figuring that if she saw it she would change her mind, but NO! We finally told her that it was not a good thing to do right after lunch. Instead we caught the Beauty and the Beast show. Four for a Dollar was the opening act and they were great! I taped most of their performance, and some of the Beauty and the Beast show. I discovered that my video camera battery was running down and the other battery was not fully charged. I decided to save the battery to tape Fantasmic at night.
Next was SophieâÂÂs favorite ride of the day â The Great Movie Ride (cowboy side.) I was surprised by how much she enjoyed it âÂÂeven the scary parts did not bother her. Then onto the Little Mermaid show âÂÂanother one that Sophie loved â although she did still complain that she wanted more rides and less show. Then we went to the Backlot tour. We walked right up to the gate where they had us wait a minute until we were able to go to the section where they show you the water/boat special effects. This changed slightly from my previous visits. Last time I saw this show they had audience members piloting the boat and just plain getting wet. This time they used dummies instead. When we got to the riding portion of the Backlot tour we positioned Sophie between us. We thought this would be a good place for her to be in case the ride was too intense for her, but we were worrying in vane â Sophie wasnâÂÂt at all bothered by the show and loved when some of the water splashed her.
The Mulan parade was next on the agenda. We found a place were we could squeeze in to see the show. Still trying to save the video cameraâÂÂs battery I shot intermittent video of the parade. When the parade ended we walked to Hollywood and Vine where we were to have dinner. We knew we were early so we killed some time watching the very entertaining Public Works guys (I donâÂÂt know if they have another name!) There were two guys in a publicâÂÂs works truck who set up in the street and interacted with the public. They were hysterical to watch â they claimed to be waiting for Belle to pass by since she was reading stories for Christmas somewhere in the park. At set intervals there would be music announcing that she was coming and they would stop what they were doing to see her. Sophie, who was getting a little antsy by this time, starting to interact with the men and they were wonderful with her. She was wearing light up sneakers and they went on for a couple of minutes about her sneakers.
Soon after they stopped their break and went back to work, we went to have dinner. Since it wasnâÂÂt originally in my plans for a meal (oh the horror!) I knew nothing about Hollywood and Vine. Since I can be a compulsive food planner this worried me. What had people on the DIS said about Hollywood and Vine? Ahhh! I discovered that it was a buffet. Good enough I decided â especially since it would get me seating for Fantasmic. The food was pretty good. Some of the things offered included: Yukon Mashed Potatoes, Curry Rice, Spicy Lo Mien (which was spicy), Penne in Meat sauce, Flank Steak, Salmon and Pork Loin. There was also a kidâÂÂs buffet and a dessert buffet with ice cream and toppings. Yeah ice cream two nights in a row! Sophie had a brief melt down at the restaurant and I thought we might have to miss Fantasmic. Thankfully she pulled herself together and ate some food, which seemed to revive her. So anyone who saw a whining child in Hollywood and Vine on Wednesday, December 6th at around 4:30 â that was us!
After dinner Sophie asked if we could do the Great Movie Ride again and since this is supposed to be her vacation â what could I say? One more time, again on the cowboy side and then we are off to Fantasmic. I guess we were running late because they were letting everyone in when we got there. We got seats way off on one side, but knowing Disney I knew that if they have seats there, there is a view there. When we sat down I took a moment to look at the theater we were now in â and all I can say is âÂÂwow!â I was blown away by the sheer size of the amphitheater. It is huge! So big in fact that while the preshow was going on I still had a very hard time finding the teeny tiny CM way down front running the show. Soon enough the show began. I pulled out the video camera and was happily taping away. DH was taking pictures with the digital camera. Midway through the show I hear Sophie announce that she had to go to the bathroom. Normally I would take her right away, but now it is dark and crowded and I donâÂÂt think that I can get us out of the amphitheater to find a bathroom. I ask Sophie to try to hold it â I know that she wants to wait since she loves the show. She watches most of the show doing the âÂÂpee pee dance.â Finally, during the finale of the show she tells me that she âÂÂreallyâ had to go now and so I glance over and was happy to see that the people sitting on the other side of us were starting to leave. I told Eric that we were off to find a bathroom and that I had one of our 2way radios with me. We made our way to the top and a CM was herding the early escapers out of the show. I pointed to my DD and told him what I needed. He pointed me in the right direction, but warned me that I would have to tell the next CMs where I was headed so they would let me through. A couple more announcements of âÂÂbathroom emergencyâ and we made it, just in time.
After the bathroom break we got lucky again â walked outside and there was DH waiting for us. My final goal for the night was to see the Osborne Lights. (Talk about overloading a day â or what) I had learned on the boards that they remain open after Fantasmic and that it would be a good idea to see them while the crowd for the buses thins out. Here came my only glitch â I asked the first CM I saw outside of Fantasmic where the light show was and she told me that it was closed tonight for a special event. I was bummed. Being a DIS fanatic and planner, I had set my plans in stone and now they were being thrown off on the very first day of park touring. But then I noticed bunches of people not heading towards the exits of the park. I convinced my DH that we should keep walking in the general direction of Osborne lights and find another CM to ask. Luckily the second CM didnâÂÂt mention a closure at all. Now the votes were cast 1 â 1 and I needed a tiebreaker. I found a man in MGM security outfit and I figured he would be a good person to ask where the lights were. He also pointed me in the right direction so off we went to see the snow and lights.
At this point I realized that I did see people who were there for some sort of special event. (I later discovered that this was part of the Santa watch special that ABC aired). They were carrying signs for 98 degrees. There was one section of New York Street blocked off and camera crews were set up to film something on a flight of steps/building stoop. When I saw the special I realized that this was where 98 degrees sang one of their songs. I guess the filming went on later that night, since I didnâÂÂt see the group there and we were able to tour Osborne lights without incident. We got the special glasses and began to walk through the streets. The light show was breathtaking and truly spectacular. Sophie loved the âÂÂsnow,â although we all had to remind ourselves not to try to catch it on our tongues! Every year there is a family not far from us that sets up a big Christmas display. They collect donations, which they give to the burn unit of a local hospital. IâÂÂve always thought that they had an amazing display, but now IâÂÂve seen the most amazing of all.
Finally, we were worn out, so we heading out of the park. We went back to the ASSH, where we fell asleep.
Coming attractions: Day 3 â The Magic Kingdom, Breakfast at the Castle and âÂÂCould you please stop sitting on my foot!âÂÂ
Click here to go directly to Day 3 of our tale.
Click here to read the first chapter of the saga.
Beth E. (NJ)
Co-Moderator: THE RECIPE AND SCRAPBOOK BOARD
THE DISNEY REWARDS FORUM
THEME PARK ATTRACTIONS AND STRATEGIES
[This message was edited by Beth E. (NJ) on 04-12-01 at 11:14 AM.]
We came, we saw, we ate some more! - A better late than never trip report.
The vital statistics:
Cast:
Beth E. â the mom, Disney fanatic, trip planner
Eric (also know as DH)â the dad, just following momâÂÂs well planned out footsteps
Sophie â DD 5 1/2, first trip to WDW, very outgoing child, loves the princesses, has no idea that anything that happens this trip is âÂÂout of the ordinaryâÂÂ
Accommodations: All Star Sports Hotel
Dates of trip: Tuesday December 5th to Friday December 15th
Weather: DidnâÂÂt write it down at time, but it was probably in the 60s. We wore long pants, tee shirts with sweatshirts and light jackets and took some layers off when we were warm. Did not require hats or gloves.
Day 2 December 6, 2000
Wake up call at 6:30am. I tried to get Sophie to answer the phone, but she was out like a light and would not move. I picked it up and was greeted by Mickey. I vowed to get her to answer it tomorrow!
We decided to eat a light breakfast in the room so we broke into the cache of food we had picked up at Winn Dixie the day before. Then we were off to MGM to try to make it into the park in time for EE. (Why are kids always so slow in the morning!?) My first stop was guest services so I could upgrade my pass from a park hopper to an annual pass. This was easy to do and the CM I dealt with was more than nice! While I was at the window I decided to ask the CM about booking the Fantasmic Dinner Package. Mama Melrose was still booked but he told me that there were spaces for a party of three at both Hollywood and Vine and Brown Derby. (My friends, who we were originally trying to get together with, had decided to skip Fantasmic.) We decided on Hollywood and Vine since the CM told me that Brown Derby was a little fancier and more expensive. Since this would be SophieâÂÂs first day in the park and a long day I didnâÂÂt want to overwhelm her with a full day, fancy dinner and then Fantasmic â plus I didnâÂÂt want to surprise EricâÂÂs wallet anymore than I had to on our first full day of touring!
Mission accomplished, we were now off to hit the park! (ItâÂÂs about time!) Our first âÂÂrideâ was Muppetvision. (Walked right into the preshow! Then into the show â no wait!) Sophie liked the show, but was surprisingly turned off by the little character that was created. Next we went to Star Tours. I was worried about how Sophie would handle this one, but she really wanted to ride it and she was tall enough so in we went. She seemed a little nervous as we were going in, but then I realized that it was just her joking around. (Again- walked right in, almost all the way to the simulator.) We seated Sophie between us so we could both watch her during the ride, but there was no need to worry, she loved it! I was more bothered by the motion than she was. Side note: That was one of the perks of having this be my DDs first trip â any time I felt bothered by anything I could just turn my head to check her reaction to it. This few seconds away from the action made my feel all better.
After that we went to the Indiana Jones show. Sophie liked the show, but she was a little bored. After it ended she told us that she wanted more rides. We had to explain to her that while some of the parks had a lot of rides and we would go to them on other days, MGM had more shows. Thankfully, she was satisfied with that explanation. Next on our agenda was Doug Live. Even though she wanted rides, Sophie sat through this one happily. She is a big Doug fan. I think her only regret was that she wasnâÂÂt picked to be on the stage.
When we left the Doug show our stomachs were beginning to growl. While is was still early we decided to give in to our stomachs and we went to the Sci-Fi Drive in for an early lunch. (This also worked well since we had early PS at Hollywood and Vine for dinner.) The restaurant had just opened for the day so we were able to get a car in just a couple of minutes wait. Sophie loved the theming of this restaurant. She and Eric sat in the front seat of a car and I sat behind them. She had the kidâÂÂs hamburger, DH and I had cheeseburgers and chocolate shakes (which we shared with her.) The food was decent â but not great. My hamburger was overcooked â I wanted medium rare, but this was passed that. Sophie and DH enjoyed theirs just fine.
Just after lunch Sophie spotted the Tower of Terror. âÂÂI want to do that!â she said. Eric and I did âÂÂthatâ in 1997, and as much as I love my child â I wonâÂÂt do it again! DH was not feeling much more inspired. We pointed out the upper floor window to Sophie figuring that if she saw it she would change her mind, but NO! We finally told her that it was not a good thing to do right after lunch. Instead we caught the Beauty and the Beast show. Four for a Dollar was the opening act and they were great! I taped most of their performance, and some of the Beauty and the Beast show. I discovered that my video camera battery was running down and the other battery was not fully charged. I decided to save the battery to tape Fantasmic at night.
Next was SophieâÂÂs favorite ride of the day â The Great Movie Ride (cowboy side.) I was surprised by how much she enjoyed it âÂÂeven the scary parts did not bother her. Then onto the Little Mermaid show âÂÂanother one that Sophie loved â although she did still complain that she wanted more rides and less show. Then we went to the Backlot tour. We walked right up to the gate where they had us wait a minute until we were able to go to the section where they show you the water/boat special effects. This changed slightly from my previous visits. Last time I saw this show they had audience members piloting the boat and just plain getting wet. This time they used dummies instead. When we got to the riding portion of the Backlot tour we positioned Sophie between us. We thought this would be a good place for her to be in case the ride was too intense for her, but we were worrying in vane â Sophie wasnâÂÂt at all bothered by the show and loved when some of the water splashed her.
The Mulan parade was next on the agenda. We found a place were we could squeeze in to see the show. Still trying to save the video cameraâÂÂs battery I shot intermittent video of the parade. When the parade ended we walked to Hollywood and Vine where we were to have dinner. We knew we were early so we killed some time watching the very entertaining Public Works guys (I donâÂÂt know if they have another name!) There were two guys in a publicâÂÂs works truck who set up in the street and interacted with the public. They were hysterical to watch â they claimed to be waiting for Belle to pass by since she was reading stories for Christmas somewhere in the park. At set intervals there would be music announcing that she was coming and they would stop what they were doing to see her. Sophie, who was getting a little antsy by this time, starting to interact with the men and they were wonderful with her. She was wearing light up sneakers and they went on for a couple of minutes about her sneakers.
Soon after they stopped their break and went back to work, we went to have dinner. Since it wasnâÂÂt originally in my plans for a meal (oh the horror!) I knew nothing about Hollywood and Vine. Since I can be a compulsive food planner this worried me. What had people on the DIS said about Hollywood and Vine? Ahhh! I discovered that it was a buffet. Good enough I decided â especially since it would get me seating for Fantasmic. The food was pretty good. Some of the things offered included: Yukon Mashed Potatoes, Curry Rice, Spicy Lo Mien (which was spicy), Penne in Meat sauce, Flank Steak, Salmon and Pork Loin. There was also a kidâÂÂs buffet and a dessert buffet with ice cream and toppings. Yeah ice cream two nights in a row! Sophie had a brief melt down at the restaurant and I thought we might have to miss Fantasmic. Thankfully she pulled herself together and ate some food, which seemed to revive her. So anyone who saw a whining child in Hollywood and Vine on Wednesday, December 6th at around 4:30 â that was us!
After dinner Sophie asked if we could do the Great Movie Ride again and since this is supposed to be her vacation â what could I say? One more time, again on the cowboy side and then we are off to Fantasmic. I guess we were running late because they were letting everyone in when we got there. We got seats way off on one side, but knowing Disney I knew that if they have seats there, there is a view there. When we sat down I took a moment to look at the theater we were now in â and all I can say is âÂÂwow!â I was blown away by the sheer size of the amphitheater. It is huge! So big in fact that while the preshow was going on I still had a very hard time finding the teeny tiny CM way down front running the show. Soon enough the show began. I pulled out the video camera and was happily taping away. DH was taking pictures with the digital camera. Midway through the show I hear Sophie announce that she had to go to the bathroom. Normally I would take her right away, but now it is dark and crowded and I donâÂÂt think that I can get us out of the amphitheater to find a bathroom. I ask Sophie to try to hold it â I know that she wants to wait since she loves the show. She watches most of the show doing the âÂÂpee pee dance.â Finally, during the finale of the show she tells me that she âÂÂreallyâ had to go now and so I glance over and was happy to see that the people sitting on the other side of us were starting to leave. I told Eric that we were off to find a bathroom and that I had one of our 2way radios with me. We made our way to the top and a CM was herding the early escapers out of the show. I pointed to my DD and told him what I needed. He pointed me in the right direction, but warned me that I would have to tell the next CMs where I was headed so they would let me through. A couple more announcements of âÂÂbathroom emergencyâ and we made it, just in time.
After the bathroom break we got lucky again â walked outside and there was DH waiting for us. My final goal for the night was to see the Osborne Lights. (Talk about overloading a day â or what) I had learned on the boards that they remain open after Fantasmic and that it would be a good idea to see them while the crowd for the buses thins out. Here came my only glitch â I asked the first CM I saw outside of Fantasmic where the light show was and she told me that it was closed tonight for a special event. I was bummed. Being a DIS fanatic and planner, I had set my plans in stone and now they were being thrown off on the very first day of park touring. But then I noticed bunches of people not heading towards the exits of the park. I convinced my DH that we should keep walking in the general direction of Osborne lights and find another CM to ask. Luckily the second CM didnâÂÂt mention a closure at all. Now the votes were cast 1 â 1 and I needed a tiebreaker. I found a man in MGM security outfit and I figured he would be a good person to ask where the lights were. He also pointed me in the right direction so off we went to see the snow and lights.
At this point I realized that I did see people who were there for some sort of special event. (I later discovered that this was part of the Santa watch special that ABC aired). They were carrying signs for 98 degrees. There was one section of New York Street blocked off and camera crews were set up to film something on a flight of steps/building stoop. When I saw the special I realized that this was where 98 degrees sang one of their songs. I guess the filming went on later that night, since I didnâÂÂt see the group there and we were able to tour Osborne lights without incident. We got the special glasses and began to walk through the streets. The light show was breathtaking and truly spectacular. Sophie loved the âÂÂsnow,â although we all had to remind ourselves not to try to catch it on our tongues! Every year there is a family not far from us that sets up a big Christmas display. They collect donations, which they give to the burn unit of a local hospital. IâÂÂve always thought that they had an amazing display, but now IâÂÂve seen the most amazing of all.
Finally, we were worn out, so we heading out of the park. We went back to the ASSH, where we fell asleep.
Coming attractions: Day 3 â The Magic Kingdom, Breakfast at the Castle and âÂÂCould you please stop sitting on my foot!âÂÂ
Click here to go directly to Day 3 of our tale.
Click here to read the first chapter of the saga.
Co-Moderator: THE RECIPE AND SCRAPBOOK BOARD
THE DISNEY REWARDS FORUM
THEME PARK ATTRACTIONS AND STRATEGIES
[This message was edited by Beth E. (NJ) on 04-12-01 at 11:14 AM.]
