Wickey’s friend and family (minus 2) WDW January 2 – 7 (no make that 8)

[wickey's friend]

Wickey’s friend and family (minus 2) WDW January 2 – 7 (no make that 8)


Who:
Wickey’s friend (me) – experienced WDW traveler, my 17th trip (my dream is to live near and work for WDW)
DH – also experienced WDW traveler, his 14th trip
DS2 – has grown up going to WDW, his first at 17 months, this is his 13th trip

The back story: My family started going to WDW in 1998 when my older son was 12 and I was pregnant with my younger son. We’ve gone at least once almost every year since, with an occasional two times for the family, and several solo trips for me. We normally go in December, but this year, airfare was outrageous for the dates we wanted to travel. So, it hit me one day to look at early January, since AP rates starting January 2 were out. Southwest won our business at about $260 each, which was about $340 cheaper than going mid- to late-December. We booked Pop Century, one because it’s younger DS’s favorite resort, and two, well because it was so much less that AKL or WL that we love. Our older son and new daughter-in-law were not able to join us this time, so it’s just the three of us this trip. They will be taking care of our dogs, which if you read last year’s report, have issues with strangers coming to take care of them!

We originally made reservations leaving January 2 and coming back January 7. Once we’d book airfare and Pop, I mentioned to my husband that the 7th was part of marathon weekend. He’s a runner, but he had never run a ½ marathon, so he decided to go for it and run the Disney half on Saturday before we left. Then on January 1, we got a “wild hair” and decided to add a day to our trip, partly because it was supposed to be very cold and windy on Tuesday – we were afraid we’d lose a day in the parks. My DH got on the phone to Southwest and changed our flight home to Sunday for just a little more than our original fare. I called Disney, and since it was marathon weekend, there wasn’t anything left at Pop, but we were able to add a night at Port Orleans-Riverside with the AP rate. I was excited to stay there, as we’ve never done so, plus I was glad we were staying one more day!

 

[wickey's friend]

Day One; January 2 – And, we’re off!

I was awake at 3:25 am. Yep, I have sleep issues, plus it was the “I’m too excited to sleep!” syndrome. We flew out of Austin, and we had to go through Bastrop where they had the devastating fires last summer. It was very sad to see so many houses lost and trees just gone. There were new structures . . . a sign of the resilience of those in the area, but it was very sobering.

Austin is a great airport. It’s small and very easy to get into and out of. We checked our bags (no fee!) and were quickly through security. DS needed breakfast, we he got a Cinnabon. We found our gate, and later, we ate again (which seems to be a reoccurring theme the rest of the week). We boarded our plane, and arrived 15 minutes early to Orlando! We were quickly on ME and off to Pop!

I had checked in online, and we quickly went through that and adding DH and DS’s park tickets to their room keys. (I renew my AP later at MK.) We dropped out carry on bags in our room – 6212, which is a GREAT location – and went back to Everything Pop! for dinner. DH had salmon, green beans, rice and cornbread; DS had chicken nuggets and fries (another reoccurring theme!), and I had the broccoli/beef. DH and I had a much-appreciated adult beverage. We used Tables in Wonderland (TIW) card all week – the third trip on this card! I later calculated that we saved almost $150 this week using the card. I’m very glad Everything Pop takes it for meals and drinks.

After we ate, we were off to MK. I quickly renewed my AP, and we walked in to Main Street. I was home! We checked Space Mountain, but the wait was 90 minutes with no more FP being distributed. We got a FP for Buzz, and then walked to Big Thunder and waiting in what was said to be a 30 minute wait. I think it was a little less than that. It was the first time any of us had ridden at night, and I saw things I’ve never seen before – it was cool! DS and I then walked onto Splash Mountain. My husband held my “purse,” which was priceless. (For those who know The Hangover, “It’s a purse, ‘kay?”)

DS and I did not get too wet, and seeing all of MK at night from the big drop was very cool! We walked onto Haunted Mansion and then rode Buzz. I steered for DS, but DH still beat us.

We walked to the bridge between Tomorrowland and the hub, and we watched the Magical Memories and You presentation. I was never impressed by the description, but boy was I wrong. That was awesome! There is one point where the castle seems to blast off as if it were a rocket . . . just awesome! This is a “Must Do!” Wishes was next, and we were right under Tink’s path. How anybody takes that step off the castle to fly like that is beyond me, lol!

We walked onto the People Mover and then made our way out of MK. We rode back to Pop on a Disney Cruise bus. (I think since it was the end of the holidays, they were using all kinds of buses for transportation this week,) We went back to Everything Pop for beverages and snacks (DS had “Worm and Dirt”), and we discussed what to do the next day since it was supposed to be so cold. We went back to our room, and our bags were there! We crashed in bed, as it had been along day. DH and DS said it was noisy that night, but I never heard anything. ZZzzzzz!

 

[wickey's friend]

I was awake around 4:30, but finally, Mickey and Stitch called about 6:30. We’d had a door lock issue the day before (you had to really shut it hard for it to actually lock, and then DH was afraid we wouldn’t be able to actually get out of the room!), so DH called and asked them to take a look. We’re not sure anybody every did anything, but we were careful to make sure it was closed securely when we left.

We had breakfast at Pop – eggs and bacon for me, pancakes for DS and a meal of omelet, potatoes and biscuit for DH. I had my mug from my trip in May, and DH forgot to add a coffee to our tab. I asked him about it as he was paying, and the CM just put a cup on the tray and said to have a good day. Thank you!

We took a quick bus to Epcot (buses all week were very quick, with one exception at MK). The lines to get into Epcot seemed very long – we’d missed EMH on purpose, as it was VERY cold and windy. But still . . . it seemed to take forever to get through the turnstiles.

We got a FP a little after 9 for Soarin’ with a return time for 12:35. We then all rodeTest Track in the single rider line – it was a walk on. We didn’t even have to watch the video. DH and I ended up in the same car, but DS was ahead of us. We always have a meeting point on those rides that DS rides as a single rider. He’s 12, but he says we treat him as if he were 4. Sorry, kiddo, but better safe than sorry.

We next rode the non-spinning Mission: Space. I love the spinning side, but they don’t really care for it, and I wanted to ride with them. It was a walk on. We next went to Spaceship Earth, which was about a15 minute wait. It was pretty windy as usual, and it was a little cold, but it was not as bad as we thought it might be.

After SSE, we rode the clam-mobiles at Nemo and Friends (again, a walk-on). Next we rode Figment (I LOVE Figgie, and I always will). We then used our FP and rode Soarin’.

We did not have an ADR for lunch, so we walked to Morocco and ate at The Tangerine Café – DH had the lamb plate, I had something that had three small hamburger-like patties and fries, and DS had chicken nuggets and fries. We had a communication problem with the CMs at the register . . . and it took a while to get that straightened out.

After lunch, we walked back through the countries – France, where I sampled some of the yummy perfume, UK and then Canada. I tried the new Unibroue beer (dark, good and 9%) which has taken the place of the Moosehead Light, DH had a regular Moosehead, and DS had a Coke. We love the little cart in Canada! We took our beverages and sat on a bench for a while and watched the birds in the water and on land. It was about 45 degrees out, but it was actually pleasant. It was nice in the sun, but cold in the shade.

After a nice rest, we went into the “port” store and walked to Mexico. We rode the ride in Mexico and went into La Cava. I had the jalapeno margarita - - OMG! That is my new most favorite drink EVER! DH had a Dos Equis, and little DS was still working on his Coke. We had the chips and salsa, which was different from what we’re used to in Texas, but it was very good. Did I mention how GREAT the margarita was?

We went to Norway and got a FP for Maelstrom. We kept walking countries, and then we back-tracked to Norway to ride Maelstrom. We conquered the trolls and then walked through the countries again to the IG. We went to ESPN for dinner (it’s my DS the sports nut’s most favorite place ever!). We shared the Macho Nachos for Two and a basket of fries, and DH and I shared a pitcher of Michelob Ultra (the pitchers there are a great bargain!). Used TIW here as well.

After dinner, we went back through the IG and took our time walking back through Epcot – caught the last of Off Kilter with all the original guys -- and to the buses. We did not wait long until our bus for Pop came, and we were soon back at Pop. We again stopped at Everything Pop for snacks and beverages before crashing for the night.

 

[wickey's friend]

We were up around 6:15 with Mickey and Stitch. We missed EMH again (only because DH and DS thought it might be too cold – not me . . . but I digress). We had breakfast at Everything Pop – I had eggs and bacon, DS had Pop waffles and DH had a breakfast croissant with potatoes.

We took a quick bus to AK, and walked quickly to Everest. However, it was down, so we got a FP and walked onto Dinosaur. After that, DS and I rode Primevil Whirl. Normally, DH rides it with him, but DH hurt his back in early December, and we thought it would be better if he sat this one out. I do NOT like riding this, but for DS, I’ll do it. It was not as bad as I remembered, but I still would rather not ride it.

After that, DH said his wait times app said EE was open again, so we walked on once, and then again. On the second ride, it stopped for a while at the top where the tracks are “broken.” Even the ride music stopped, so I figured we were in trouble. The ride started again, but it paused for a long time when you see the shadow of the Yeti ripping up the tracks. I was a little apprehensive going down the big drop, but all was well until the very end where we stopped right before the end of the ride for a while. There were CMs giving out FP for our “troubles” as we got off though. They said they were good through January 15 for any ride in AK.

We then rode the Safari, which said it was a 20 minute wait, but it was more like a 10 minute wait. It was a pretty good safari, and afterward, we shopped a little then went to Yak and Yeti for our lunch. DS had the Tempura Shrimp (which is one of my favorites), and DH and I shared the Miso Salmon (also very good!). DH had a Bud Light, and I had a Safari Amber (yum!). They are a Landry’s restaurant, so they don’t take TIW, but they do take 10% off of food for the AP.

After lunch, DS rode Kali River by himself as a walk on. He loves this ride! Next, we used the FP for Everest – once again, we LOVE this ride! We then saw ITTBAB and shopped a little. I got one of the AP holder’s calendars for my office – the CM said they still had “pallets” of them left. We then caught the bus to Pop, where DS swam at the Hippie Dippie pool (almost the only one there), and DH and I hung out by the pool, relaxing.

After the swim, we headed to Epcot, walking the countries to the IG and again went to ESPN for dinner. We hoped Mark Ferrara would be there (we’ve seen him several years, and he is hilarious!), but when I asked, they said Mark wouldn’t be there until Sunday. The guys who were there were great, but we did miss Mark.

DS had a burger, and DH and I split the nachos and another pitcher of Ultra. After dinner, we walked around the Boardwalk for a bit, and then back through Epcot, again catching a bit of Off Kilter. I told DH that those guys, especially Jaime, seem to genuinely be having a great time every time I see them.

We walked through a few more countries, and then caught the bus back to Pop. We had snacks and beverages at Everything Pop again before heading to our room.

 

[wickey's friend]

We were up early with Mickey and Stitch at 5:30, because we had an ADR at Boma. We took a taxi to AKL (which is one of our favorites resorts – we’ve stayed here many times), which was about $15 including the tip. We stuffed ourselves at Boma, and we then walked around the resort. We went outside in the back, but part of the viewing area was closed.

We shopped at Zawadi, which is my favorite place to shop! I bought a T-shirt I have been eyeing for two previous trips because it was on sale. With that and my AP discount, I bought it for about $12. I also bought a giraffe carved out of stone (I sort of collect them, as I think they are just the most beautiful animals!).

As we were walking out of Zawadi to the bus area, there was an EMS unit bringing out a gentle man on a stretcher. He looked pale, but they weren’t working on him or anything. I hope he was okay.

We caught a quick bus to MGM (I’ll always call it that), and walked in even though it was a little before nine. I learned later that they were opening at 8:30 without any rope drop performance that week. We walked onto Toy Story Mania. The wait time said five minutes, but we knew better. It was about 25 minutes, but the time went by quickly. DH won here as well, but we all had fun.

Next, we got a FP for RnRC and got in the regular line for Tower of Terror. DS has only ridden this one time, and he said he never wanted to go on it again. He just KNEW he’d turn to jello and slide out during the drops. But,he decided this time he’d go on it (he’s 12 going on 25, and I think he didn’t want to be thought of as a scared little kid). It was about a 25 minute wait, but it went by quickly. After the ride, DS said it was one of his favorites!

We then used our FP for RnRC and were close to the front of the car. After our ride to the concert, we got a FP for ToT. We walked over and rode Star Tours. The wait time said 30 minutes, but it did not take that long. We had Yoda and JarJar (we like him, so it was okay), and we did the pod racing. That was so cool!!!

After retuning from our trip into space, we walked over to One Man’s Dream. It seemed as if there were new things in there since last May, and DH said there were new exhibits from last December. Next we rode ToT with our FP and tried to get a FP for RnRc, but the return time was 7 – 8 pm, and we didn’t think we’d be there that late. We went to the Villains in Vogue Store (which is almost all gone). We saw the streetmosphere of the movie being made and Juan Two Three as the dance instructor (who is a guest) who vies for the leading lady’s hand. It was hilarious! The guest played it up a lot, which made it all the better.

We checked into 50s Prime Time a little early, and before we could enjoy the Tune In Lounge, our Aunt Lorraine called us back to our table. Cousin George was our server, and he did a great job. DS had chicken nuggets and fries (you’re surprised?), DH had the Cousin Barry's Olive Oil Poached Salmon, and I had the grilled chicken Caesar salad. It was all very good! DH had a Blue Moon, and I had a Sam Adams. DS is on a “health kick” and had water most of the trip.

After lunch with our cousins, we got into the single rider line at RnRC. It took us about 35 minutes, where the regular stand by line was about 70 minutes. DH was on one car, and DS and I were in the same car, toward the back this time. I LOVE riding toward the back, as you can see the corkscrew turns coming!

We decided it was time to head back to Pop, and we sprinted to the bus stop as DS saw a bus pull up. I’m faster than I was last year, due to losing some weight, but I don’t run pretty. Once we got back to Pop, DS swam again in the Hippie Dippy Pool (a few more in the pool today), while DH and I enjoyed adult beverages from the pool bar.

We had thought we’d try to see the Osborne lights this trip, but once we got back to Pop, and since we all needed to get up early for the race, we decided to have dinner at Pop and have an early evening.

DH had vegetable lasagna (any Seinfeld fans get the joke?), DS had chicken nuggets and fries, and I had the chicken Parmesan with salad. It was all very good! After dinner, DS played in the arcade for a while, and then we went to bed early, as our wake up call was for 3 am!

 

[wickey's friend]

We were up with Mickey and Stitch at 3 am! (Of course, since I have sleep issues, which was a typical day for me, lol!). DS got up around 3:20, and we were out the door and on a bus to Epcot for the race around 3:30.

Once we got to Epcot, we had to walk through the parking lots to where the race actually started. DH left us to go to his “corral,” and DS and I picked up some coffee and a Coke to hold us over until we could have breakfast. We went to the viewing area for the start, and DH texted us once he actually got to his corral. He had to wait about 30 minutes before his start. Once his corral started, DS and I waited a few minutes to see if we could actually make him out in the dark. We never saw anyone who resembled him, so we were off to catch the monorail to MK to try to see him run there. We just missed one monorail, and while we were on the next one, I was watching where DH was via the “Find My Phone” app feature for DH’s iPhone. I started to be concerned that we weren’t going to make it to MK in time to see him. Sure enough, as soon as we got to the TTC, switched monorails to the MK and raced to Main Street, I think we missed DH by about a minute.

Once I knew DH was past us, we caught the monorails back to Epcot. We found a great viewing place and waited, all the while watching where DH was on the course. I have such admiration for anyone who tries the ½ marathon (and the full marathon), and it was a pleasure to see their faces as they finished the race.

Oen girl was soooo close, but had to stop because of what appeared to be cramping. One nice person stopped and helped her walk toward the finish line. It appeared that someone else that she knew came back and also helped her finish. Now that is sportsmanship!

DH soon came into view, and we cheering him on. He said he never heard us, even though we were at the fence right next to the course. He was in his “zone!” He did not do as well as he wanted, but he’d hurt his back in early December and had not been able to train. Added to that fact was that we’d been walking the parks for 4 ½ days, I think he did great! I’m so proud of him for entering and finishing! There were more than 26,000 who ran the ½, and DH came in around the mid-8,000 range.

Once he’d finished, we called each other and finally found each other in the crowds. We walked to where the buses were ready to take us back to Pop. Poor DH was really tired, and his legs were just toast. We had to wait for a bus, but not for long. As we were leaving, he said we were taking the route he’d had to walk to get to his corral earlier. We saw an old tram from the “Backstage Tour” at MGM, and I swear we saw the “Lights of Winter” wrapped up in plastic that I’ve heard where stored back stage.

We got back to Pop, and DH showered while I packed up. I’d called earlier in the day to ask for a late check out, but it turns out we really didn’t need it. We checked our bags at Bell Services and asked them to transfer them to Port Orleans Riverside.

We bussed to Epcot, and DH was such a trooper. He was tired, and his legs hurt, but he hung with us. He sat most of the day while DS and I did things, but he was with us!

I walked over to Soarin’ to get FP, while DH took DS over to Test Track to ride in the single rider line, which in total took about 20 – 25 minutes. While waiting for DS, I made an ADR for Biergarten, as we love this restaurant, and we didn’t want to try any other counter service today.

Next, we went into Innoventions and let DS play on the video games for a while. Both sides of Innoventions seem empty, but I understand that there are new things coming to both. After he conquered all the games, we walked through Mexico to Germany and checked in early for Biergarten. We were seated quickly with two separate parties – both sort of local. One couple was from a suburb of Orlando, and one was from Tampa. (I really, really want to move to Florida and be one of those people!).

We enjoy Biergarten a lot. My DH observed that there is not much turn over for the guys who are in the band/entertainment. It’s true – they have been pretty much the same folks every time we’ve been there. I couldn’t convince DS to polka with me, even though he’s learned how in his Drama class this year!

After lunch, we made our way back to Soarin’ for our last ride. We stopped in China for a while, as DS wanted to look around and see the Terracotta Soldiers and walk through the shops. Most of today, DH would sit and rest, while DS and I looked around. While we were China, DH started chatting with a couple who were in MK the second day it was open, and have been at WDW ever since. They gave DH a business card with both there summer address in New York and their winter address in Florida. They were very nice – such a lovely couple. I want to be like them!!!!

We then went into Innoventions, as DS really hadn’t gotten much this trip, plus I wanted to get older DS and my lovely DIL something – which ended up being a Christmas ornament.

We took the bus to Port Orlean-Riverside. On the bus was a couple who had also run the ½, with the husband slated to run the marathon the next day. He said he was one of the original 155 who had run the “Goofy” before.

I’d done the online check in, but that line was closed for the day. I was quickly helped in the regular line, but the guy’s instructions on how to find our room were not very good. We picked up our bags from Bell Services, and we took the “scenic” route to our room, which was not a good thing if you had already run 13.1 miles earlier in the day. Once we finally found our room in the Magnolia area, DS changed and we let him swim in a quiet pool for about 45 minutes. Our room had two double beds, and it was very nice! I liked it a lot, and I see more trips here in the future.

It was getting cooler, so we got DS out of the pool and headed over to the River Roost for a snack supper and drinks. We had to practically beg to be served. DS had the buffalo chicken nuggets, and DH and I split the nachos. I had a couple of white sangrias, and DH had beer. DS was able to watch part of the Houston Texans football playoff game, which made him very happy! Once we were finished, we had to practically BEG to get our check. Needless to say, our server did not get a very good tip.

We finally crashed about 9;30, but we’d been up since 3, so it was about time!

 

[wickey's friend]

I woke up around 5 am, and Mickey and Stitch called us around 5:30. We checked our bags, and we got DH and DS’s boarding passes. For some reason, they weren’t able to print mine. The CM said it was a normal, random thing that happened all the time, but it didn’t make me feel very good.

We had breakfast at the PO-R food court. It was all good, except DH said his potatoes were not fully cooked, so he left most of those on his plate. DS had Mickey waffles, and I had one of the kid’s meals plus grits. Unfortunately, the grits were more watery than I liked, so I didn’t eat much of them. It was an okay breakfast.

After breakfast, we shopped a little in the resort store, which was very nice. It had a wide selection of things.

Our ME bus was on time, and we left our PO-R home around 9:05 for our 12:05 flight. I’d asked when we checked in if we needed to leave early due to marathon traffic, but was told no. We were at MCO very quickly.

Once we got to the airport, I was able to print my boarding pass at one of the kiosks with no problem. Weird, but I was glad there was no hassle.

We hung out and had lunch before our flight, which was one time and a smooth one back to Austin. DS started feeling a little queasy on the way home, so he and I switched seats so he could ride in the front. We figured he was a little car sick, and once he was in the front, it was okay. We got home around 4.

We had a great time, and we are all ready to go back. I usually go for my birthday, but we may wait and all go when DS gets out of school!

 

[wickey's friend]

A few more random pictures -- sorry if there are duplicates!

 

[snapppyd]

Subscribing so I can read next week!!!

 

[PrincessKsMom]

Great job Wickey. So glad you had a good time! Can't wait until I can go to Mickey's House again.

 

[wickey's friend]

We were up at 6 with Mickey and Stitch and finally made a park opening. The family who got to open MK was from Japan, and they seemed to have a great time. We walked up Main Street, and I checked to see if Crystal Palace had any openings for breakfast. We had an ADR for Saturday morning, but we were worried we wouldn’t make it in time after the race. Success! We practically walked into CP, and we had a great breakfast with Pooh and the gang.

After waddling out of CP . . . um, finishing breakfast, we went to Space, and it was a walk on! Except, when DS and I got almost to board the ride, it stopped and they led us out of the building. Luckily, they did give us one of the FP that was good anywhere in MK until January 15, so we planned to be back later.

We rode Buzz (DH won AGAIN), and then the Indy Cars. DS was in a car by himself in front of us, so of course, he won the race. Next DH and DS rode Astro Orbiter. I do not like that ride, so I waited on the ground, thank you very much. I did a little shopping in Mickey Start Traders and the other shop (can’t think of the name right now) while I waited. Then DS and I rode Space with our FP.

After Space, we walked through Fantasyland, looking at the new construction. It was beginning to get crowded, so we went on to get a FP for BTMRR for DS. We continued on to Adventureland and walked through the Treehouse. We had an ADR at the Plaza Restaurant for lunch. DH had tuna salad on a croissant with fries, and he had a cup of the very yummy tomato bisque. I had a Plaza Club sandwich, and DS had a burger and fries. We used the TIW card here as well.

After lunch, we got another FP for Space and then let DS ride BTMRR. We tried to get onto Pirates, but while the wait time said five minutes, it was a line that was more like 35. So, we went to the Tiki Room to see the new management. It’s okay, but it seems a little less energetic that the previous version.  Somewhere in there we saw the Country Bear Jamboree, which was great! I’ve never seen a non-Christmas version, but I’ve heard the soundtrack. Even DS and DH enjoyed it.

We then went to Carousel of Progress and DS and I had one more ride on Space (his favorite!). MK was getting to be soooo crowded at that point, we decided we were done. We went to the bus stop, and we had the longest wait of the week here – about 35 minutes. There were a couple of groups ahead of us who said they had been there longer.

We finally made it back to Pop, where we grabbed DH’s paperwork for the race and caught a bus to the ESPN WWoS Complex. We’ve never been there before, and since DS is such a sports fanatic, we all enjoyed seeing all the new things.


After DH checked in and made sure his chip was working, we did a little shopping at the Expo. Then, we caught a bus to the Swan/Dolphin and walked over to . . . you guessed it, ESPN for dinner! DH and I split the Triple Play Turkey sandwich and fries. It was great! It has brie and cranberry mayo on it – YUM! Kind of wished I hadn’t shared at that point, lol. DS just wanted fries, and the WF family rule is at Disney, you get to eat whatever you want. We again shared a pitcher of Ultra. DH had a Blue Moon in there somewhere too.

After dinner, DS played in the Arcade for a while, and then we were off back to the IG to walk a few countries. We tried all week to catch the British Revolution (that’s the right name, right?), but the gazebo in the UK was always dark. I looked when we got home, and they were still on Steve Soars’ schedule, but we never saw them. I was disappointed, because DS LOVED the British Invasion and I wanted him to see the new group. I saw them in May, and I liked them. Not sure where they were though. We walked around and stood by the fence between Norway and China for Illuminations. We didn’t have long to wait, and we chatted with a group from the Dominican Republic and a family from Ottawa, Canada. The Illuminations is my favorite fireworks! They did not have the holiday ending – which was okay, but with all the Christmas decorations up, I thought they might keep it for awhile.

After Illuminations, we caught another quick bus back to Pop. We continued our new tradition of swinging by Everything Pop for beverages and a snack before going to our room.

 

[PrincessInOz]

Sounds like a great trip Wickey. Glad that your DH was happy to run the marathon.

THanks for sharing!

 

[SCHBR'smom]

I'll be back to read later! Horse class, then dentist, then READ WICKEY'S TRIP REPORT! See how I saved the best for last.