"Where did y'all get those shirts?" Fried, Tie-Dyed, and Places Mickey Hides.

[dvczerfs]

great update nate!! dd and myself are skipping animal this year to take the mk tour. dw and friends are going over. for some reason we just cant seem to get into ak. we spend alot of time and epcot,mk and mgm.looks like you guys had a great time!! have you seen dons pretrip yet?

 

[trennr]

great update nate!! dd and myself are skipping animal this year to take the mk tour. dw and friends are going over. for some reason we just cant seem to get into ak. we spend alot of time and epcot,mk and mgm.looks like you guys had a great time!! have you seen dons pretrip yet?

MGM (grrrrr from Boy it's called Hollywood Studios)

HS is our park that we just don't get... Sure it's got 3 really cool rides...but the rest has been so very not Disney for us...we visit it on Day 7 of this report.

 

[trennr]

We woke up around 10am...we head over to El Centro just in time for lunch at the Pepper Market...I got the Grilled Salmon...oh my gosh that was good.

Mel go the Chicken and rice...I really don't remember what the boys got?

We stop by Panchito to pick up our packages...I also get the Coranado Springs hats which you see in my intro...and I get Mel her Coronado Sunvisor.

Then we head over to DTD for a visit to the World of Disney Store. Boy wants to go to the Once Upon a Toy Store so we walk over that way...while Mel and tiny go into WoD. I stop at the Refreshment Counter across form Team Mickey to get another one of those Pineapple Bars.

Shopping Done we head back to get in our swim suits and head to the Dig Site...it was busy...but not so busy that you couldn't find your own palce to play in. Tiny and I rode the Jaguar slide a time or 2...he wanted more...but Ihad had enough...so he goes a few more times...makes a friend from London...He was 12 but about the same size as Tiny who is 9... they had allot of fun sliding down the slide. Boy and I just messed around the Pool...Mel she got in for a short time then got out to lay in the sun.

When Tiny got done sliding we (Boy, Tiny, and myself) went to see what else we could find...I found the hot tub...pretty amazing how good that felt on this already warm and sunny day. I spend my 15-20 Minutes boiling then we head back to the pool...we play around the base of the pyramid...Tiny pretends to sacrifice his brother offering his heart and brain to each of the Dragon head at the base...this of course turn his brother into a zombie controlled by Tiny...his mission...bring me Daddy.

I say we spent about 3 hours at the dig site...we head back to the room around 430ish...Mel goes to the room to shower and change...me and the Boy's hang out in the quite pool...after about a half hour I make them draw straws to see who has to go get cleaned up first...Tiny lost...after anothe 15 minutes I send boy in...and I get out to dry off...Then I go in...by the time we are all ready it's pushing 630.

So where are we going...the Animal Kingdom Lodge...

Sorry on Dinner reservations...we just want to check the place out. We go down to try their Counter Service Resturant Mara...nothing spectacular...Pepper Market has this place beat by a landslide. Then we go back up to the lobby to go out to the Animal Viewing area...Neat place...it was too dark by now to get good pictures...but it was nice.

We are headed back in and I say I'd like to see in one of there rooms...Mel is like...I would too. Now Mel is a talker...and she is very good at getting her way...so she goes to the counter and ask the first Gentleman if we could see a room...he says he cannot leave his post but would call for his manager.

The Manager shows up...his name was Jack...and Jack says he would gladly show us a room...he just had to go finish something. He comes out after about 5 minutes and takes us up to the next level an left of the Lobby. we walk down the hall that seems to go on forever...and he tlaks the whole way asking the kids all sorts of Disney trivia...and telling all sorts of information about Disney. We arrive at our room. this was a King Bed room with handicapped accessable shower...Lots of hidden Mickey in the Decor...and the patio Shears if you look close have Lion King Characters in the Pattern...this was a parking lot view room. So having seen this we thought our tour was over...

But wait ...theres more...Jack tells us that he has 2 other rooms which he will show us. and we are like Jack you are the coolest guy in the world.

We continue our tour by going up another level and across to the Savanah Side...Room 2 is more like it...this room is pretty much just like ours at the CSR...but the decor is nicer...might be a little larger...and of course you can walk out on the balcony and see live animals.

Jack was very entertaining and spouting off details about Disney that Boy was just soaking up like a sponge...Boy loves this sort of knowledge. I just wish I could remember most of it...I do remember he said Disney spends around $6 million on fireworks everyday, and that they were the largest producer of fireworks in the world.

We arrive at our final room...thhis one is a DVC room a 2 beadroom suite with a Savanah View. WOW!!!! This suite was sweet! Jack takes us back toward the lobby but I stop at the elevator we had came to this room on as I thought I had saw something really special... and I had...

Once we get back to the Lobby...and I'm like I forgot to take picture of those rooms.

Jack had been a supper host and if i ever save up enough $$ I'll stay at the AKL... we are done with the AKL and it is now almost 10pm that was one long tour. Thank you Jack!!!

We get back to the CSR and Mel and I take our laundry across the way and get it started. and head back to the room.

It's 1230AM when I get the last of hte Laundry dryed.

Aside from the Laundry this was a great day...with a bonus Tour of tour at the AKL. I think we will all remember that tour for many years to come. Thanks again Jack!

Next Episode: Epcot: Part Deux

 

[KatMark]

LOVE how you find these Hidden Mickey's. I wish you had gotten pictures of the room--we're planning on doing a split stay at AKL/CSR next year. What a nice guy Jack was. We asked to do that at the WL and we were flatly told they could not do it.

 

[GoHerd1028]

I did not know they would show you rooms like that. I wish you had remembered the camera! LOL

 

[trennr]

LOVE how you find these Hidden Mickey's. I wish you had gotten pictures of the room--we're planning on doing a split stay at AKL/CSR next year. What a nice guy Jack was. We asked to do that at the WL and we were flatly told they could not do it.

I did not know they would show you rooms like that. I wish you had remembered the camera! LOL

Jack did mention that these were the only 3 empty rooms...so he was obligated to show them to interested parties...that may have been the reason we got the tour...but Jack himself made the tour entertaining.

Jack said he had worked at every resort except the CSR and the Poly...also had some funny stories about celeb's...Regis Philbin in particular...but I won't repeat those.

 

[GoHerd1028]

Jack did mention that these were the only 3 empty rooms...so he was obligated to show them to interested parties...that may have been the reason we got the tour...but Jack himself made the tour entertaining.

Jack said he had worked at every resort except the CSR and the Poly...also had some funny stories about celeb's...Regis Philbin in particular...but I won't repeat those.

oh now you have my curiosity up...what are the funny celeb stories???

 

[KatMark]

oh now you have my curiosity up...what are the funny celeb stories???

Yes, I'm interested too....

How coll that Jack has worked at all but two of the resorts.

 

[trennr]

oh now you have my curiosity up...what are the funny celeb stories???

Sorry wouldn't want to get Jack in trouble.

He did say that Celine Dieon had just checked out of the AKL Presidential suite the previous night...and she was a very nice Lady...and they had some NFL person in there that night...thought he couldn't remember who they were.

Yes, I'm interested too....

How coll that Jack has worked at all but two of the resorts.

He says that he rotated thru various resort..and had once been a Monorail Driver...and a package delivery guy.

 

[whogirl'smom]

Wow, you're really quick on the updates this week! I really wanted to do emh at night at AK this trip, but poor AK is being lessened to only a morning (before MVMCP). I just wish that Disney would take the Osbourne lights and put them around the tree of life or something! Then we could trade the DHS day. Six days is just not enough, but I'm already taking whogirl out of school 3 1/2 days for this trip.

I love that you got to look at a room at AKL! I remember when we would go to Gatlinburg when I was little, and my dad and uncle would always go in and look at the room before we would decide where to stay.

We've never been to Fender's so that will be a good place to plan one day of fall break. It is feeling fall-ish...

(by the way, thanks for the tip about the wasps; we haven't seen that yet)

 

[dvczerfs]

great update nate! celebs and got to boil like egg for 20 mins. we do the "hotel hoppin" evey so often. i got to see tiger woods one year run from the limo into bwv! that was exciting! regus and whats her name in the easter parade one year also! we baked on the curb in the mk waiting for that one year from 10am till 4pm!!

 

[trennr]

Wow, you're really quick on the updates this week! I really wanted to do emh at night at AK this trip, but poor AK is being lessened to only a morning (before MVMCP). I just wish that Disney would take the Osbourne lights and put them around the tree of life or something! Then we could trade the DHS day. Six days is just not enough, but I'm already taking whogirl out of school 3 1/2 days for this trip.

I love that you got to look at a room at AKL! I remember when we would go to Gatlinburg when I was little, and my dad and uncle would always go in and look at the room before we would decide where to stay.

We've never been to Fender's so that will be a good place to plan one day of fall break. It is feeling fall-ish...

(by the way, thanks for the tip about the wasps; we haven't seen that yet)

Just trying to get this thing mostly done before Football season...and Maze Season...which both start this weekend. Figured I'd forget to update it.

Here's Channel 11's report on Fender's this year...also click the Photo Tab for a nice aerial photo too.

Maze Video

great update nate! celebs and got to boil like egg for 20 mins. we do the "hotel hoppin" evey so often. i got to see tiger woods one year run from the limo into bwv! that was exciting! regus and whats her name in the easter parade one year also! we baked on the curb in the mk waiting for that one year from 10am till 4pm!!

I've probably walked right by some celebs and not known it. I think Hollywood is over-hyped.

 

[dvczerfs]

Just trying to get this thing mostly done before Football season...and Maze Season...which both start this weekend. Figured I'd forget to update it.

Here's Channel 11's report on Fender's this year...also click the Photo Tab for a nice aerial photo too.

Maze Video


I've probably walked right by some celebs and not known it. I think Hollywood is over-hyped.

they are the people with the v.i.p fast pass's in the parks!!

 

[FreezinRafiki]

they are the people with the v.i.p fast pass's in the parks!!

We were in line for Toy Story Mania in December, just about to get on the ride. A cast member comes in the back way with Kelly Ripa and her husband and kids and puts them in my ride car. I had to wait, like, 30 seconds more to get on the ride. I should have demanded a refund.

 

[dvczerfs]

We were in line for Toy Story Mania in December, just about to get on the ride. A cast member comes in the back way with Kelly Ripa and her husband and kids and puts them in my ride car. I had to wait, like, 30 seconds more to get on the ride. I should have demanded a refund.

that would be ok, you only had to wait 30 sec. and (oops forgot im not on dads, tell you later.)

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

Jack sounds like a cool CM. He might have given you the suite if you had introduced yourself as Corn Fuzz with the Siemens pass, though!

 

[Katy Belle]

Love your report! You are a really fun family!

Looking forward to the rest.

Katy

 

[trennr]

they are the people with the v.i.p fast pass's in the parks!!

I really don't know what you are talking about...

We were in line for Toy Story Mania in December, just about to get on the ride. A cast member comes in the back way with Kelly Ripa and her husband and kids and puts them in my ride car. I had to wait, like, 30 seconds more to get on the ride. I should have demanded a refund.

Of all the gall...

that would be ok, you only had to wait 30 sec. and (oops forgot im not on dads, tell you later.)

Jack sounds like a cool CM. He might have given you the suite if you had introduced yourself as Corn Fuzz with the Siemens pass, though!

Well...I like to keep low key when I can.

Love your report! You are a really fun family!

Looking forward to the rest.

Katy

 

[trennr]

I make it a point to get up early this morning...as it is our 2nd Day at Epcot and we will get there early enough to ride Soarin' and we will get a Fast Pass for Soarin'.

We Get up get ready...skip El Centro and head straight to Epcot. It's about 9:30 and the entrance lines aren't that bad...we have to wait for Mel to get her Backpack checked...but I collect Tickets and speed on ahead to get our FP's for Soarin...The Wait time is up to 20 Minutes...not bad...and my FP return time is for 1:30... not bad either. I get our last FP and I see Mel and the boys coming down the Escallator...and we hop in Line...

Soarin' is such a cool ride...love the way you ar just swept up and placed right in front of the huge screen...hard to pick my favorite part...but I really like it when the Fighter Planes zoom right in front of you in formation...and i like the part when you can smell the Pine forrest...and the Orange Grove...oh heck I love it all.

ride over I take a moment to look up at the impressive Mechanics involved in the lifts...I'd like to see how all that works up close and behind the scences.

We get out and we are Hungry...we head to the 4 Seasons again...they are just changing over to Lunch...Don't remember what everyone had...but I got the Salmon again...I like Salmon.

Since we are so close we head over to see "Fidget"...this time we ride it about 3 times in a row. Me and Boy are like...OK...whatever.

I quitely make up my own word to the "Just one Spark" song.

With just a click
of my revolver
it becomes
a problem solver

Set my sights
right on Figments head
Pull the trigger
and now he's dead.

I know that's mean...and violent...but 3 times...cut me some slack.

On the way out...My wife decides to get the kids picture in one of those Laser Crystal thingys...in fact we get one for my folks to. They turned out great.

Now we head over to Spaceship Earth...and Base 21. Base 21 was busy today...but we hang out for a little and Tiny and Boy play with the Magic Mirror...and large touch screen wall...

We ride spaceship Earth again. then we head over to the Disney Card Character spot...Mel liked Tiny and my pictures so much she wanted us all to go. It wasn't open yet but we were 3rd in line... Again it's secret of who's in there...a lady behind us says it's usually Mickey and 1 or 2 others...so we wait...

Here we come in...

Tiny is excited...Boy not so much...The following are 2 Picture which I shall black mail my kids with for the rest of their lives...especially Boy...you'll love the look on his face.
Tiny is greeted first...

Then Minnie drags Boy over and plants one on him...

That is worth every penny of this trip.

Thes rest of us...

Mel and Goofy...

From there we head back to ride Soarin again...After Soarin...we go by Mouse Gears again...I don't I go to the Ice Cream cart and get another Pineapple Bar.

Then we head to Test Track and use our Re-Try Pass we got the other Day from when the Ride broke down on us...and there in frontlof us in the FP line is a group of Brazillons. Bascially in the breifing room Preshow its us and and them...about 30 most girls and 2 boys...some guys have all the luck.

I notice that this time the Barrier Test Wall is stuck open...guess that's better than having it stuck shut and driving thru it...Test Track seemed to have allot of Technical problems this trip.

We have officially DONE Future Wolrd...time to tackle the World Showcase...the line at the Mexico Boat ride was way too long for us to wait on...I do however stop and grap a Meal at the Counter service place outside for me and Tiny...Mel and Boy want to wait for China...they like Eggrolls.

We do Ride the Maelstrom...if you look at the big mural on the Loading area wall...one of the Vikings is wearing Mickey Ears.

We wait and wait...finally we get a boat...this is just an OK ride...but my least favorite part is when you get off you are held captive until the preceeding groups get done with their movie....the doors open and we bypass the movie...sorry Norway...we don't care.

Then we head to China...Mel and Boy eat...

Then we skip Germany...Italy...

We do go see the American Adventure...it's a nice show too...I like the choice of Mark Twain and Ben Franklin as your Host. From there we head to Japan...boy want to see if he can pick another 2 for 1 Oyster. Sorry boy...just one this time...

We pretty much ignore Marocco...France...England...Canada too...(Sorry Daddy-O).

One last trip to Mousegears and we are done with Epcot by 7pm. We head back to the CSR and El Centro...I go to the lobby to get a total on our QSDP...And I notis that all our Meal credits are lumped together...so I ask how do we know how many are Child credits and how many are adults...the CM said on the QSDP there is no difference...I'm like...wish I had known that sooner...Tiny...you don't have to eat kiddie meals....

Lets go back to the episode "how'd he know that???" I ask how'd they know to ask about a kids meal...On our Key there's a line of Text the had QSA03C01xxx Quick Service...3 Adults...1 Child...and Most servers know to look for that and give you a kids meal...that's ok we will just order separate from now on...and the way the pepper Market works...well it doesn't matter. So we head down to the Pepper Market...and eat again. Head to the room and actually get to Bed before Midnight.

Up next Day 7 and Hollywood Studios...

 

[KatMark]

I quitely make up my own word to the "Just one Spark" song.

With just a click
of my revolver
it becomes
a problem solver

Set my sights
right on Figments head
Pull the trigger
and now he's dead.

I know that's mean...and violent...but 3 times...cut me some slack.

THAT IS JUST DOWNRIGHT MEAN. I LOVE FIGMENT.
Tiny is excited...Boy not so much...The following are 2 Picture which I shall black mail my kids with for the rest of their lives...especially Boy...you'll love the look on his face.
Tiny is greeted first...

Then Minnie drags Boy over and plants one on him...

That is worth every penny of this trip.

I love the picutre of Boby...that is absolutely a "hold over his head for the rest of his life picture"!