Wish Trippers...Unite!! Volume One

[Bill_Lin]

Here is a great thread on how to track down specific characters.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1856142

I cannot believe that I forgot about Mission Space at Epcot. Sorry everyone. Perhaps I blocked the memory out. Now I don't mean to scare anyone but.....

First of all, understand that I was recovering from a heart condition and my ticker may not have been 100% although I had no trouble with walking the parks at stroller speed. When we got to Mission Space, Kyle really wanted to do the intense version, but did not want to do it alone. My macho streak is pretty thin, but I did not want to be outdone by a 13-year old... WHAT WAS I THINKING?!

Linda and Lysi did the mild version. There is also an option of just staying in "Mission Control" and pushing buttons, so there is something for everyone.

The only difference between the intense and mild versions is that the intense version uses centrifugal force to simulate the G forces of lift off. They were so intense the I had difficulty staying conscious and keeping oxygenated. It took all the respiratory therapy training I had received to breathe my way through it. After that, it was smooth sailing and a LOT of fun. If I had it to do over, I would do the mild version.

Lysi was 44" and could not reach the buttons, but Lin and a nice man on the other side of her helped with that. It is a very realistic ride.

Bill

 

[GoofyDoo]

OK, I'm totally obsessing here, thinking of ways we might switch things around. Am I crazy to want to end our trip in a Disney park? How nuts would we be to spend our final day, a Sunday, in Animal Kingdom? There are EMH in the morning on that day. What I'm thinking about is the Candy Land party that evening. My kids LOVE Candy Land!! Then we would do SW/US on Saturday instead of Sunday. But if we went to AK, I'm thinking we would finish up earlier. My kids would be more interested in the Candy Land party than in Mayor Clayton's birthday party, I would think....

I told you, I'm obsessing. This is getting ridiculous!

 

[Bill_Lin]

Thanks Amy. You are soooooooooo nice.

I was out chasing the neighbor's dog as they are on vacation. He looks something like a long-shaggy rat. He is still at large.

It is very enjoyable for me to share on this board. I enjoy the research. Sharing helps keep the memory of our trip alive. I remember how hard it was for me to get information to prepare/ over-prepare for our trip. The Wish Trip folks and GKTW are so swamped that it is hard for them to help with the kind of information we share with each other here.

Everyone really should check out the GKTW website and take the virtual tour there. You can find the daily schedule for village character greets, horse or carriage rides, parties and such. When you take the virtual tour do both parts. One part has inside views of a villa. You can also see the courtyards, dock and pool and the inside of the theater, gingerbread house, ice cream palace and chapel.

Bill

 

[HeatherN]

ok Bill, I'm back, Did you miss me??? It's been a busy weekend so far! Boy did I miss a lot. Seriously you should write a book.

Ok my question of the day is about strollers.We are taking Hannah's stroller/wheelchair as it is built to fit her and she is comfortable with it.My five year old son has long outgrown strollers but i know he will need one there as he gets tired in places like this.I am trying to figure out if we should bring our own small fold up, umbrella type stroller or should we do the rentals there.Those things seem so big and bulky.Does anyone know how they are to push? I am also wondering if maybe we should just get a double rental, Anyone with good pros and cons of renting vs. bringing your own???

 

[Bill_Lin]

I am having hostile thoughts towards our new mouse. It has a button on the left side (along the edge) that sends you to the previous page. Try not hitting a thing like that with your thumb.

I don't see a problem with AK on Sunday even with EMH. There are a lot of local folks who go to church or sleep in Sundays. I don't think you will find the crowds to be a problem with the GAC. SW/ US versus AK seems like a toss up on Saturday. Either one will be busy, however the heat might discourage locals. In AK pretend that you are really in Africa or India in the Summer and dress and prepare accordingly. The best attire is shorts, a light-colored, short-sleeved thin cotton shirt (to cool by evaporating sweat), crocs and a brimmed hat. Neck cooler may not look fashionable, but who cares about fashion on an African Safari. The neck coolers really help keep your head cooler (in more ways than one). Plan on Kali River Rapids mid-day to cool off. It will definitely do that. Find the misting areas where they blow cool moisture onto you. Cool off in the shady areas of the animal exhibit trails.

We really were sorry that we were not there for Candy Land. That sounded really neat.

Bill

 

[Bill_Lin]

Heather,

I thought you had been abducted by aliens or something. Welcome back.

Because we stayed at GKTW we got complimentary stroller rental at each park. They gave us double ones which helped a lot with carrying "our stuff." We had a bit of a glitch at US as their single strollers are very small but are neater for kids. It took a lot to convince Lysi she was too big for the single one.

I think you will want to use the park strollers for your 5-year old. Little legs get tired quickly. They also provide a nice place to lounge in the shade and take an ice-cream-bar break. Hang something on the handle to identify it as yours. Yours may be the only one in the stroller parking area for a ride when you arrive, but there could be a dozen when you leave the ride. They all look alike. To keep someone from taking yours by accident, hang a spray bottle, scarf or something from the handle. To keep someone from "borrowing" yours on purpose, hang a plastic bag with a disposable diaper smeared with mustard in it. That might gross the kids out, but get them in on the fun of it and they might think it is funny. It sure does work.

We did not find the strollers to be bulky or hard to push. They were more of an asset by far than a liability. On a few occasions we had trouble finding the stroller parking and had to ask. We never took a stroller through a line.

Bill

 

[Bill_Lin]

Lysi "needs" me to go on a bike ride with her now. I will be gone Monday to Friday volunteering at a camp for kids who have been abused or neglected so I will be away from her then.

She needs some Daddy time now. I will be back this afternoon PDT.

Bill

 

[mistymouse5001]

Wow who left the stall open? Bill has gone forum postal in here!

 

[alizesmom]

Bill, I'm still here but you are doing sooooooo well that I think you can make this a full time job. I'll post if I feel I can add helpful stuff. Karen

 

[Bill_Lin]

Please keep posting whether you have anything big to say or not. Otherwise, I will have to come up with a mandatory quiz.

Here is a sample:

What are the top ten things you really want to do on your trip?

Postal Bill

 

[Bill_Lin]

Here is the basic floor plan of our Villa (our side of the duplex). You can see the pictures on the gktw.org site virtual tour.

The living room has a door facing the driveway. It has a television that you probably won't have time to use except to check the weather (or just call the House of Hearts and ask them). It has a nice couch and a soft chair. The dining room has a door outside as well. It has a dining table and chairs, dishwasher, fridge, microwave, oven/stove and serving counter with stools. The first bed room has a king-sized bed. The kids room has 2 twin beds. There was a roll away in the closet and a crib. The large bath which accesses through the kids room only has a huge whirlpool tub (great for sore muscles and feet after a day of theme park visits). The utility closet has a washer and dryer and soap. The small bath has a shower only.

Here is a link to my wife's article on GKTW which has information on the villa:
http://www.associatedcontent.com/ar..._world_and_henri_landwirth.html?page=2&cat=48

Here is the layout diagram:

 

[Queenie122]

I have a little poll to take:
Of the three parks, which should we choose to spend a full day in (as opposed to a half-day)?
- Epcot
- Animal Kingdom
- Hollywood Studios

We just got back from our Wish trip - oh, a month ago?

Epcot can't be done in one day, imho. If you are dead set on going to Epcot, I would spend the full day on this. I knew my daughter was too young for Epcot (she's almost 4) and with only a few exceptions, I was right, and it was a VERY rough day for all of us. A LOT of walking, not a good way to start our trip.

However, on our trip, (aside from MK) we had the most fun at Hollywood Studios. Beginning to end, everyone had a magical day there, it was awesome.

I've been so busy, as a lot of us are, and have only gotten day one (arrival) done on our Trip Report at this point. I hope to get one done a week. My next post will be the start of our Epcot day.

EDIT: Sorry about being so late with the response. I can't keep up with this thread anymore! If anyone has a question and wants an answer from someone who just got back feel free to PM me or get me in my trip thread. Congrats to everyone!!

 

[Bill_Lin]

Queenie,

I hope you will be able to check out this thread some. It would sure be great to have a current perspective on things. We did only half a day at Hollywood Studios, but I can see that there would have been a LOT for our Princess there, such as Playhouse Disney, Muppet 3-D, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, and Indiana Jones. I am sure the DS 13 would have loved Lights, Motors and the Animation information.

We went to Epcot mainly because he really wanted to do Test Track, and I really wanted to do Soarin'. World Showcase was mostly wasted on the kids, we might have done well to skip it.

Bill

 

[Bill_Lin]

Queenie,

I really enjoy your TR. Your pictures are some of the very best I have seen. They are very clear and beautiful.

Thank you for sharing.

 

[mistymouse5001]

1. Eat at as many places as possible, I'm tall enough and I'm sure the weight won't show until I get back.
2.Hunt down every character Dilly has mentioned and make them take weird pics with my kid.
3.Mr. Toads wild ride.
4.Take Dilly on a coaster.
5.Watch fireworks with Dilly on Main Street
6.Buy Dilly a Mickey Bar
7.Make Dilly sit by the window on the plane, photo op!
8.Swim ,swim, swim and every water ride twice.
9.Make Dilly ride the Stitch ride I hear it's disgusting
10.Video tape every moment so I can use it as leverage for next family vaca

 

[GoofyDoo]

1. Soak up all we can of GKTW...
2. See CJ meet Sponge Bob and his friends...
3. Meet Mickey, Minnie, and as many of their friends as possible...
4. Do the Spiderman ride at Universal & meet Spidey...
5. Meet Shrek & Donkey at Universal...
6. Visit Seuss Landing at IOA (I'm a librarian & we're all Dr. Seuss freaks, and besides, we need to purchase some Thing 1 & Thing 2 merchandise since, after all, we have twins!!)...
7. Ride the Tower of Terror!!...
8. Do Soarin'...
9. See the Pirates of the Carribbean...
10. Splash Mountain!!!

I'm already at #10???

 

[Bill_Lin]

1. Eat at as many places as possible, I'm tall enough and I'm sure the weight won't show until I get back.
2.Hunt down every character Dilly has mentioned and make them take weird pics with my kid.
3.Mr. Toads wild ride.
4.Take Dilly on a coaster.
5.Watch fireworks with Dilly on Main Street
6.Buy Dilly a Mickey Bar
7.Make Dilly sit by the window on the plane, photo op!
8.Swim ,swim, swim and every water ride twice.
9.Make Dilly ride the Stitch ride I hear it's disgusting
10.Video tape every moment so I can use it as leverage for next family vaca

WOW! Misty, that is a great top 10.
Don't worry about number 1. Calories consumed in Orlando stay in Orlando.

I love your second choice.. Hurray for Character Pics.

Mr. Toad is my least favorite attraction, although I loved The Wind in the Willows, perhaps I am a purest... or just deranged. Do you have to be "ranged" before you can be de-ranged. I don't remember anyone ranging me, hmmmm....

Riding coasters with a kid is what it's all about.

Fireworks.... Yeah MAN! Disney Style Pyrotechnics.

Mickey Bars are supposed to cure anything, except, apparently, a bloody knee from falling while running to the Triceratops Spin.

I am sure you have seen my pic of the sleeping Princess by the window of our plane.

I am a Water Spirit, and loved being soaked at WDW and GKTW. The pool felt Soooooooooo Good.

Stitch was not only disgusting, it scared Lysi pretty bad. When we came out of the ride she looked up at the castle trying to figure out if he was still there. He was not the loveable, mischevious character of the movie and series, but a hyperactive psycho. This is funny for an adult, but for kids who see it as a bit real... well...

I suggest you keep the video, not only for leverage, now but for blackmail in years to come.

THANK YOU FOR ANSWERING THE POLL, Misty.

Bill

 

[Bill_Lin]

1. Soak up all we can of GKTW...
oh, yeah, you know it...
2. See CJ meet Sponge Bob and his friends...
CJ??????
3. Meet Mickey, Minnie, and as many of their friends as possible...
You can't meet too many characters....
4. Do the Spiderman ride at Universal & meet Spidey...
This was a delight
5. Meet Shrek & Donkey at Universal...
The ABSOLUTE BEST
6. Visit Seuss Landing at IOA (I'm a librarian & we're all Dr. Seuss freaks, and besides, we need to purchase some Thing 1 & Thing 2 merchandise since, after all, we have twins!!)...
I WISH we had spent more time there
7. Ride the Tower of Terror!!...
Aptly named... that is all I will say
8. Do Soarin'...
I loved it
9. See the Pirates of the Carribbean...
One of my life-long favorites from DL
10. Splash Mountain!!!
I just lub dat Brer Rabbit. He bees such a rascally scalawag

I'm already at #10???

Thanks for your Poll answer AMY.... You are GREAT

 

[GoofyDoo]

Bill, CJ is our Wish Child. Now I'm REALLY scared about the TOT!!! But we want to ride it, then buy those t-shirts proving we rode it. LOL!!

 

[Bill_Lin]

Oh, Duh... sorry, I should have read what you wrote more carefully about C.J.

The tee shirts must say, "I survived Tower of Terror.. Barely... or did I?"