Tag Archives: vacation

Decisions! Decisions!

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Red-GreenHas anyone seen this??? It’s circulating around Facebook right now.

Upon first sight about a month ago, I pushed the green button. Free dining is very sought after when vacation planning. I admit, we wait until we hear about it before we nail down some specifics in our plans.

This year, in September, my wife, son and I will be taking our annual trip to Walt Disney World. Just recently, free dining was announced for the time period we would be there. Of course, if free dining is selected, then the room rate increases to full cost. Room discounts are offered for those that turn down the precious dining value.

Unlimited fastpasses are awesome in a busy season, but when we are going, it would be overkill. Therefore, we are back to the coveted free dining option. But wait!!

Screeeeeeeech!!

Um, room discount versus free dining… I encourage anyone looking into the Free Dining option to get figures on both ideas. Find out what it will cost for the room with and without free dining. Think, realistically, how you eat while on vacation, and look at menus to get cost figures based on your findings. Compare the costs with the room savings if free dining was being considered.

In our case, my son and my wife eat kid-sized portions. On the dining plan, both would get adult-sized portions, eat very little, and then put their unfinished plates in front of me. I would consume my plates of the meal, and then overeat by finishing theirs off. I don’t have to continue eating, sure,…but I do have a serious  problem with wasting food. By the next meal, I’m still full, and the cycle begins again. I gain more weight on the free dining plan thanks to those that have no choice but to order more food than they can physically consume.

Ok, so the green button is still enticing, but now we are starting to compare costs, and ya know,… The discounted room rate, without free dining, is the better value. We run and rerun the numbers, because we always get free dining.

Not this year!! The green button is getting passed over. As for the red button? Well, if we were going in June, then yeah, the red button would get pushed down repeatedly! This year, we’re not pushing either button. We’re designing and planning a trip that caters to our expectations, including accommodations of our every preference and whim.

How do you vote on the picture, based on your vacation to the World? Have you ever compared numbers and made a decision on Free Dining? I’m eager to learn how others deal with this offer from WDW. Leave a comment below and let me know how you and your family decide. We’re 119 days out and WDW or Bust!

Trip Report – December 6, 2012

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Having a couple of late mornings, immersed with trials in getting ready on time and forgotten items, this morning proved to be one of the most efficient mornings we had yet. We were up on time, got ready in an orderly manner, and were waiting at the turn styles by 8:15 AM. Prior to getting in line, however, we have to go through the bag search line. My wife raced me to the security cast member (and beat me my millimeters). I told the cast member that this was a good sign, meaning that she was being competitive, at such an early hour, so that it should carry over to the Toy Story game.

The park was scheduled to open at 9 AM, so we were pretty close to the front of the line. As the cast members distributed themselves at the turn styles to turn them on, one approached the line next to mine and advised them that their line would have to amalgamate with ours since that machine wasn’t operational. Great!

Where I was about 6th in line became about 27th quickly. As the turn styles were activated, magically, the one next to ours turned on, and now people were fighting to get back into their original place in that line. I was just happy to have become 6th in line again. We entered the park, and I collected the park tickets to get the fast passes for Toy Story Mania.

With fast passes in hand, we decided to chance the standby line. It was a quick jaunt through the empty queue and we were on the ride in less than 5 minutes. After an exhilarating ride through the manic ring toss, breaking of plates, dart throwing, and water balloon games, I rose to the competition and won in the car. I average about 140,000 to 170,000 points during the ride, but I’m amazed by those guests that get 500,000+ points at a time. I guess I just don’t have the time to devote to perfecting my game to that level. Knowing we would be back again, we walked away.

The women wanted to do some shopping, so my wife sent me on my way to ride Rockin’ Rollercoaster. I use the single rider line because it is known to be faster than the stand-by line. But in this case, I could have gone through either of them and arrived at the show just as quickly. It was a walk on ride, and soon I was in a super stretch limo that sped me through alleys, twists, and loops to get me to the red carpet and the ability to use my backstage passes to see Aerosmith live.

As I exited the ride, through the store, I encountered my wife that was just entering the area. She asked if I would want to ride again, and I refused. The purpose of our last visit to this park (this trip) was to explore. Riding again and again would defeat that purpose, so we started looking around at everything we could see, popping in and out of stores, and examining details along the street.

We found ourselves encompassed by storm troopers and that all too familiar hollow breathing of Darth Vader. Luckily there were some Jedi trainees around. They used the force, their light sabers, and the helpful guidance of their masters to defeat the dark side, and make it easier to enter the Star Tours ride.  After C3PO mistakenly launched our ship into space and another deadly encounter with Darth Vader, and the crew at the Death Star, we landed safely, disembarked from our cruiser and made it unscathed to our previous route within Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

We decided to see if Anna was still as competitive as she was at the baggage check, and re-entered Toy Story Mania with our fast passes. After another five grueling rounds, Anna proved just how competitive she was. Although I won (again), shoe wouldn’t let me live it down if I didn’t add that I won only by 400 points. My score was 164,400, and hers was 164,000. Still, a win is a win, but it was definitely fun. It remains to be the highlight ride of our trip to this park, despite the sore arm afterward.

We were going to walk on over to the Great Movie Ride, that was until we walked by the “One Man’s Dream” theater. I haven’t ever seen this, but that wasn’t the draw here. I have seen documentaries on the theme parks and the man behind the magic. I have taken tours that explain the magic; and I have been on other tours that show different aspects of key parts of the parks. This show was worth the wait. Inside were pictures of the past, personal memories of Walt, future models of Disney World, all followed by a very interesting movie that dove into the life and dreams of one man. This will continue to be another consideration when we return.

We left the show with 15 minutes to spare before checking into our dining reservation at Sci-fi Dine In. The seating, in this theater/restaurant is in a unique setting. The tables are in placed inside models of old cars, all facing the same direction. Next to the car is a post with two speakers on it. What’s being heard from the speakers is the sound of the giant movie screen the cars are facing. Yep! It’s a huge drive in theater. Your car hop will appear at the side of your car, take your order, and deliver your meal so that you never have to miss the show.

The movies that are playing are short cartoons and movie clips from old black and white movies. By old, I mean movies from the 50’s and 60’s. Corny horror flicks and advertisements, as well as intermission jingles and dancing popcorn. Collectively, the entire experience is one that will never be forgotten, and if possible, will warrant a return visit. The food was excellent, the car hop and movie clips were entertaining, and the whole theme of the restaurant was a pure joy to have experienced.

After lunch, we made it to The Great Movie Ride, and saw movie greats from Indiana Jones, Casablanca, Tarzan, and the Wizard of Oz, as well as others that aren’t crossing my mind right now. The driver of the vehicle we sat in was entertaining as well, and that made for an exciting trip into the history of the movies.

Shopping was next on the agenda, but in my case, I just wanted to explore, so as the ladies entered the store, I remained outside to look around and take one or two more pictures of the area. If you’d like to see the pics I have taken, I encourage you to head over here to take a look. I promise, it’s not a lot (comparatively). While standing out on the sidewalk, I witnessed some of the magic that happens in the parks: A man behind me called out to a guy in front of me. Ok, not so magical, except how many times do you happen to bump into someone you know, that’s not in your immediate party? The men greeted each other, and then one of them stooped down and presented one of the children with a toy. I don’t know why this intrigued me so much, but in a chance meeting, one man was prepared for anything, and the look on that child’s face when he was presented the toy was memorable. That child experienced some magic in that moment, and I’m sure he won’t forget it. After the women were satisfied with their shopping experience, we exited the park for our break. Before we split off to enjoy some relaxation, however, we drove over to the Wilderness Lodge to see the Christmas decorations and explore some more. Then we went off to our resorts, and the day had been called, due to exhaustion.

As evening fell, I decided I wanted to go back to DHS, and try to experience more of the ambience. I wanted to take in Fantasmic. This particular show I had not seen since my first visit six years prior. I wanted to get a fresh perspective on it, and to do so, I would be going alone. Anna wanted to stay in and relax before we went into our last full day in the parks. Having not traveled alone to any destination, Anna gave me some easy directions to follow, and off I went. I arrived with little time to make it to the show, and ended up sitting near the back of the auditorium. Luckily I am tall and didn’t have too much difficulty seeing, but I felt bad for the kids in that area. I really like this show, but the crowds are nearly unbearable.

After Mickey successfully took control of his dreams, I walked briskly out of the stadium and had one destination on my mind. I wanted, more than anything else, to go experience the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights. Now, if you want to see a crowd of people, not all of them happy to see more come in after the Fantasmic show, then this was the place to be. I was buffeted and bucked in every direction, trying to find a perfect spot to see everything. When the music would change to something more upbeat, the lights on the buildings would fade and plink to the beats. It was pure awe to see the lights move to the music,, and the crowds around us would come to a complete stop. Everyone was watching the show.

Engaged 12/6/2012 at the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights

Engaged 12/6/2012 at the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights. (Congratulations!!)

As I watched the last bit of dancing lights, for me anyways, I looked over to the large green lit tree, and saw something you only find on youtube. A man was bent on one knee before a young lady, and was presenting her with a small white box. The crowd around them erupted into applause and cheering. She said yes. I cut my way through the crowd, introduced myself as a guest writer for wdworbust.net, congratulated them on their recent engagement, and then asked if I could get a picture of them. It is, with their permission, that I present that picture of Jordan and Kathleen. This was a special and magical proposal, in a magical place. I wish them well, and hope their future together continues to be a magical experience.

My day was complete, and it was getting late. We had another exciting day planned tomorrow, our last day of our vacation before heading back home. I exited the park, and then found the car. I started it up and left the park. Fate, as it is called, would lead me down some unknown roads, and soon, I was heading out of Disney World, and the next sign said I was on my way to Orlando. Um, ok, I’m lost. I would have pulled over to the shoulder and queued up the GPS, but for some strange reason, the highways, in Florida, don’t have shoulders. Instead, I grabbed the phone and called my barely awake wife. I read off the signs as they came up and in no time, she had me back on familiar roads, and back into the parking lot. I guess that was my inexperience with the signage (or the lack thereof) in the six times I have been there. This was Anna’s 21st time there, and she knew the area as well as if she had lived there. Thank you, honey!!

Tomorrow is our last day, and we will be spending it at The Magic Kingdom. We are looking forward to spending more time in New Fantasy Land, as well as other parts of the park. Until then, we are still WDW or Bust. Take care!

Trip Report – December 5, 2012

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Another morning that felt better after waking up, when we wanted, before heading out to the park. This typically goes against everything we strive to do within our allotted time, but some days seem to go better with it. Delores and Darlene went on ahead of us, taking the bus from their resort to Epcot. When they arrived, they went on Spaceship Earth, and then headed on over to the Land Pavilion.

When we finally arrived, we met up with them there, where they were exercising their favorite sport: People Watching. I don’t get the same thrill they do out of it, but at least they were having a great time, and that is what matters.  We sat down with them and began hashing out what attractions we would encounter throughout the day. Once the plan was struck, they each handed me their tickets to get fast passes to Test Track.

Test Track was mobbed!! It was no wonder since it had just opened to the public recently after having been closed for a complete makeover since April 2012. There was a large, lighted sign indicating that there wouldn’t be any fast pass distribution, and when I approached the line that stood outside of the ride, I determined that there wouldn’t be any chance of riding it today.

My wife and I had the opportunity to ride it before it officially opened, and we saw the vast extent of the queue inside the doors. To see that many people standing outside, waiting for an opportunity to experience the new, and improved, Test Track was unbelievable. I would estimate the wait time to have been around 150 minutes (That’s 2 ½ hours). Having already experienced it, we had no problem walking away from it.

We walked on over to the World Showcase, as we exited the Test Track stampede. It was nearing lunch time, and we were more than ready for it. Tutto Italia was awaiting just a short distance away. Italian food, friendly Italian wait staff, and an exceptional aura of fine dining was all we needed to make it a fulfilling experience. Well, that and the portions to leave us either stuffed or satisfied, depending on how well we controlled our intake (something I need to work harder at in the future).

We exited the restaurant, and worked our way over to the American Pavilion. One of the favorites, on my wife’s list, is watching the American Adventure. A few years ago, my wife and I took the Backstage Tour. It explained the inner working of WDW, and this was one of the stops along the way. We were able to see the mechanics of how this show worked, how the stage moved, and how it moved fluently to make the show entertaining several times per day. Unfortunately, I had never seen the show (until the next year), and really didn’t grasp the entire concept of it as they explained each part of the show. If you ever want to see how the magic is made, I highly recommend this tour.

After the show, my wife and I walked to a kiosk and signed on as secret agents with Agent P. I would tell you our agent identification, but that would be dangerous, as we made some pretty recognizable impacts in the case of saving Agent P from the diabolical Dr. Heinz Doofenshmirtz. He had platypus-napped our beloved Agent P, and it was our mission to discover his intent, rescue Agent P, and foil the diabolical plans for world domination. We had to move swiftly and accurately in an undisclosed area of the World Showcase, follow up on clues left by the evil doctor, locate Agent P and provide a method of escape, and then join forces to wash away any chance he might have to act on his criminal plan. We saved the world, and accomplished our missions successfully. The evil doctor got away, but we will battle him again another day. We were honorably discharged from our secret agent duties and disposed of our communicator, in yet another undisclosed location, and walked away proud and exhausted of our successes. This is something kids of all ages will have fun doing, and it involves all of World Showcase if you devote the time to it.

Something we never seem to have time to do is explore. This trip, we swore we would take the time to do this. Sure, we miss out on some of the rides, but I find enjoyment in seeing things that most people walk by without noticing. I want to see everything, and that is probably the number one reason, for me, that I return to WDW each year. There’s so much stuff missed to those that hurry through the parks to ride rides, get to dining reservations, or chase after larger attractions. We explored the World Showcase until we felt satisfied enough to go see other things we had planned. There are so many side paths that I want to walk down, just to see where they go, and what they hold. I take many pictures of things that hold no significant value to others, but I find interesting.

We hit a few of the small shops and other Disney stores along the way around the World, until we found ourselves in front a stage where a show was about to start. We watched “Off Kilter” perform for about the first 20 minutes of their musically entertaining show, involving two electric guitars, one electric drum, and a set of bagpipes. It was a really exciting show that had the crowd clapping and singing along, but my feet couldn’t tolerate standing in one spot any longer, so we walked on.

Every time my wife is at Epcot, she is drawn to one store, in particular: Mouse Gear. She has to go in there and the extent of time is typically 30-60 minutes. I ended up walking outside, because shopping isn’t a favorite pastime of mine. I went out a side entrance of the store, and found myself on a path I hadn’t encountered before. I could see Test Track in the distance, and decided to make my way to see the line, hoping it had calmed down a bit. Along the way, I found a small “U” shaped path that branched off of the empty one I was already on. I turned to follow it. There really wasn’t anything special about it, except for a power box with a LOT of coiled up cables around it, littering the place. The plant life was extraordinary to me, but I like gardening and find that plants that grow in Florida to be unique and picture-worthy. I followed the path back to the main empty one, and proceeded on over to Test Track.

The crowd! Oh, how it had grown. It has now been confirmed, again, that the chance of riding this new, old ride was not going to happen. I took a couple of pictures of the mob scene, then turned back to find my wife in the store. As I approached the store, and that hidden path I had just been down, I found another hidden path. I didn’t walk down it, nor did I have any want to go down there. It was a small path, about 18” in width, partly covered by foliage that branched out over it. In the back of the path was a worn, blank dirt spot where some of the soil had been “kicked” onto the sidewalk itself. There was a sign at the beginning of the path, and it dawned on me… People that use the services of a guide dog use this path. The sign showed a picture of a guide dog. This must be the potty trail for dogs, within the park! I guess the dogs have to have a public toilet as well, eh? Yeah, I think I’ll just leave this path be. I know its intent, and I had no business disturbing its contents.

I caught up to my wife, and having not made a single purchase, we went out the same door I had used to explore the Test Track line. I showed her the guide dog path, and she, having been to WDW 21 times, had never seen that either. That goes to show that you can vacation at WDW time after time, and still see things that you have never seen before. This place it full of so many things and some of those things change, so it’s never ending. We continued down the path, and she, too, observed the mob at Test Track, and then we went into Club Cool. For those of you that haven’t ever been to Club Cool, and you finally get the opportunity; I urge you to sample the Beverly, and then comment about it below. I want to know your opinion on this drink. For those of you who have already been there, and tried this Coca-Cola product, Shhhh.

We left Club Cool, and visited Art of Disney. I really like seeing the art hanging in this gallery. It’s just awesome and breathtaking to see how artists render their view of Disney through their work. I took some more pictures of these masterpieces, and then left the store. We walked to and rode Spaceship Earth, and then walked out of the park for the day. We filled the day doing exactly what we wanted, when we wanted, and how we wanted. It was a relaxing day at Epcot.

Because we went into the Magic Kingdom on our break day, to observe the parade and fireworks, that meant we had one less day on our park tickets. We went to the concierge desk to upgrade our ticket for another day. The guy behind the desk said that would be no problem, and proceeded to hitting the keys on his keyboard. As he ceased the keystrokes, he looked up and read what the notice on the monitor had said, “One or more of these tickets was/were ineligible for upgrade. What?!? Well, it seems that the system upgrade that the Disney resorts implemented the day before rendered all current tickets ineligible for upgrade, and now we were facing that issue. Jeff worked some magic and sold us a one day pass for the same price as it would have been to just upgrade the ticket. So, instead of paying full price for a one day ticket, we got a 70% markdown per ticket. Awesome! Let the vacation continue! It turns out that the system thought we had stayed past the 14-day limit, but we were actually on day 7; go figure.

We returned to our room, took off our overly used shoes, and began the relaxing phase of our adventurous day. Tomorrow: Hollywood Studios, and yet another adventure. As we unwound, with television and constant uploading of pictures and videos, we remain, to this day, WDW or Bust. Thank you for reading and following this blog. If you have any comments of question, by all means leave a comment or email me at dave@wdworbust.net. Thank you and have a magical day!

December 4, 2012 – Trip Report

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This morning, we took advantage of the extra magic hour. Got up extra early (it was still dark out), got ready and headed out to the Transportation and Ticket Center. We decided to take the monorail over to the park, but upon our arrival to the gate, we were advised that the monorails would be down for another 30 minutes. The cast members directed us to the ferry. When we got to the gateway to the docks, the cast member approached us and said that there wouldn’t be another ferry for at least 40 minutes, and we should go to the monorail for immediate passage. Well, the complaints came in to that guy! He went to the lady at the monorail, and they went ahead and activated one monorail to take us to the Magic Kingdom. We boarded the Avengers ® monorail, and the pilot communicated that this vehicle would be going out of service after at the Magic Kingdom, so get off there.

We made it through bag check and the turn styles with about 10 minutes to spare. We watched the opening show, and were soon immersed with the aura of Main Street. We decided to hit Old Fantasy Land first, and riding the Peter Pan ride. This is an old favorite where we see the story of Peter Pan, and fly over Never Never Land in our very own, state-of-the-art pirate ship. We left the ride, reminded of the magic of Disney, and headed over to the New Fantasy Land. Parts of it were still under construction, namely the Seven Dwarfs Mine ride. The imagineers at Disney spared no expense in the amount of detail they put into this new addition to WDW! Almost immediately, we felt immersed into the story of Beauty and the Beast.

We passed Gaston’s Tavern, and the Beast’s castle in the distance. We walked the edge of the ride that is still under construction, taking in every site, as we passed the Be Our Guest Restaurant. We tried, like crazy, to get reservations at this restaurant for dinner, but failed miserably. We decided this would be our lunch place, however, so all wasn’t lost. We passed the Voyage of the Little Mermaid ride, asking the cast members if we could get in. They said to check back later; it seemed like the Test Track puzzle all over again. We walked on until we hit a barricade. It was a dead end, and we had to turn back. Construction was taking part all over, and that particular path was still being built.

We turned around, and headed back to the opening. We would have to go around to see the other side. We exited New Fantasy Land, and headed over to where the Teacup ride is. The other entrance to New Fantasy Land awaited us. We entered the circus!! There were tents, and animal sprinklers, circus trains and character meet n greets. We rode Dumbo first! It’s amazing what they did with that ride. They turned it from a single ride, with a basic queue into a spectacular circus event. There are two Dumbo rides now, and the queue area sets the stage for the ride itself.

We followed the Dumbo ride with Goofy’s Barnstormer. It’s a fun little ride in another state-of-the-art vehicle, an airplane; flying on a course designed by Goofy, the greatest and most spectacular pilot ever.

After flying through barns and nearly every tree in the land (we survived), we headed over to the souvenir tent. Now, we go into a lot of stores while visiting the parks, but this particular store is huge, and open. It’s built to hold a lot of people with very little stress. It has a LOT of merchandise, from the Ears hats to pastries, as well as clothing and toys. This is all under a circus-like tent, holding the guest in the theme of that area. After a snack and some exploration time, we made our way out of New Fantasy Land and rode the Teacup ride. I staggered a little at first, but soon regained my composure and walked off, having fulfilled another favorite at Walt Disney World. Please note, the teacups are a difficult ride to enjoy as a tall person. It is “short” on leg room, so ride with caution. I am 6’4”, so it takes some finesse to get in and out of the ride vehicle, a teacup. Also note that if you are that tall, and you are riding with another person, that person is comfortable with the possibility of touching.

It was time to go to some old time favorites again. The Haunted Mansion was our next destination, and the line in the queue was non-existent. In no time, we were in the room that stretched. We came to the part of the hitchhiking ghosts, and we saw some effects we hadn’t ever seen before. Our ghost grabbed our heads and swapped them to each other’s body. Whoa! Freaky!! Awesome. We had fun discussing the differences we saw in that part of the ride, then proceeded to the Hall of Presidents.

We watched the all-so familiar show, reflecting on the history and heritage of our nation. How much we have come through in such a short amount of time, and those that have led us through the years. After watching the show, hunger set in, and we decided it was time to head to the restaurant that had been on our minds all week: Be Our Guest Restaurant.

The queue line for this overly talked about restaurant is every bit as magnificent as we had heard and read. There were gargoyle lamp posts, lions at the doors, and all sorts of beastly pillars and decorations. The Beast’s castle can be seen, in the distance, over the doorway into the Grand Hall.

As you enter the heavy wooden doors, you are immersed in the story. Every detail of this restaurant is exquisite and precise.  There are more gargoyle pillars inside, suits of armor, crests of everything that’s royal. The staging area for ordering is all lighted menus on podiums that approach the order windows. As we enter the dining room, the ceilings are high, and the chandelier is something to behold. There are actually three in there, but the main one, in the center is enormous.

Our meal comes out in dome-windowed, heated carts. Drinks, silverware, and napkins are in separate carts and locations. The meals are presented to us in a regal manner, using proper language and utmost respect. The hall, in which we ate our meal, was immaculate. But we wanted to see the other rooms too. As we finished our meal, we exited the room and entered another.

This room had an enormous music box in the center of the room. Atop the music box was the Beast and Belle, dancing gracefully to the music it played. The centerpiece makes the room what it is, and it’s obvious that (between bites) all eyes are on the dancing couple.

We exited this room, and entered the forbidden wing of the castle. The wing that housed the rose that serves as a reminder of the curse that was cast upon everyone within the castle. I wasn’t witness to this, but I hear that the rose loses a petal once in a while, as it counts down to the time that the curse remains permanent. The pictures on the wall are shredded with the anger that possesses the Beast. It’s a dark room with many details that, once again, place the guest into the storyline. Details in this restaurant are very memorable, and will want you to return again and again to experience the atmosphere.

As we left the castle, we slowly walked up the bridge in order to take in the awesome views on either side of it. My cameras were shutter happy, and you can see the few pictures I was able to take here. When we finally made it over the bridge, we made a brief stop inside Gaston’s Tavern.

Gaston’s Tavern was amazing inside. There were antlers everywhere! Because we all know how he decorates, right? We didn’t get anything in there, but rather perused over the menu. We’ll be coming back another day, and this will be a stop in that agenda, so stay tuned.

As we went back into the park, heading for the exit gate, we stopped inside several stores to find things we would like to purchase before going home. We still haven’t bought much, but there is still time. We exited the park, and took a little break to rest up a bit for the last late night of our vacation. We pack so much into each day that a break is important to avoid burnout. It’s a welcomed part of the day.

With dinner reservations at the Polynesian Resort, we drove to the resort and valet parked the car. We jumped on the monorail, and rode on over to the Magic Kingdom for a more relax-paced visit. We went into Tomorrow Land and enjoyed a peaceful ride on TTA. We heard the page for Tom Morrow, but we couldn’t find him anywhere.

The Carousel of Progress was our last ride for the night. I love this ride, and the age of it is intriguing. How it has lasted all these years and remains a must see is unbelievable, but hey, It’s a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow!!

Back on the monorail and off to the Grand Floridian to take in the Christmas decorations. The Gingerbread Creations at each of the resorts we have visited are insane. Large enough to set up an office in, and all made with gingerbread pieces. Watch the signs next to them as well, and they turn into a little game to find the hidden mickeys. After 20-30 minutes of looking around, we get back on the monorail and arrive at the Polynesian. We check in for our dining reservations at the Kona Café, and sit down for our meal, including my wife’s Lapu Lapu. Back to the resort, and another day is in the history books.

For another awesome look at the Be Our Guest restaurant, I recommend watching this video as the Imagineers show you what they put into it. Be Our Guest

Tomorrow is another adventure, and that means that we are WDW or Bust!

December 3, 2012 – Trip report

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In the middle of each of our vacations, we plan in a “break day” in which we take time to ourselves and refrain from going into the parks. We sleep in a bit, and then do some shopping. We traveled to Downtown Disney for our shopping day, and got there when they opened. This proved to be a positive experience due to the fact that we were able to park very close to the market. Making repeat visits to the car, to deposit bags of stuff, wasn’t an impossible feat.

Our first stop, at Downtown Disney was Basin. Basin sells scrubs, soaps, bath salts, and bath bombs. Next in the line of stores was Arribas Bros, which sells hand-cut crystals. Then it was Team Mickey, Tren-D, Once Upon A Toy, and Mickey’s Pantry. We paused at Wolfgang Puck Express for lunch. Back on the road, we hit Disney’s Days of Christmas and Design-a-Tee. A quick jaunt to the car to drop off some bags, and then into World of Disney for a prolonged stay. That store is huge!! After what seemed like days, we walked away from that store and went into the Lego store. That place is amazing (ly expensive). We had some decisions to make, and ultimately walked out without having bought anything. Once we left, we stopped at D-Street and the Candy Cauldron.

I finished the trip to Downtown Disney by stopping at the new bowling alley, Splitsville. I was looking for someone to talk to about the progress they were making on the alley, and to get more details on the rumor that they may open this week sometime. I found a space in the construction barrier that allowed me to communicate with one of the construction laborers through via a reflection on the glass. It seems the rumor is incorrect, according to this guy. He stated that there was still plenty to do, and the inspections weren’t even scheduled yet. That was bad news, as I was hoping to be in the opening crowd. Oh well, I’ll just have to wait until next year.

We left Downtown Disney with our wallets a bit lighter and the back of the car a bit heavier. Our intentions, as stated earlier, is to refrain from entering a park on the break day, however this particular trip didn’t allow us enough time to get everything we wanted to get done. Therefore, we made an exception: Tonight, we would go into the Magic Kingdom to see the castle lighting ceremony, the Main Street Electrical Parade, and the Wishes fireworks. We knew the crowds were going to be borderline unbearable, so we left Downtown Disney with some time to unwind and regroup.

When the time came to go to the Magic Kingdom, we left the resort and picked up Darlene and Delores. We were wrong,… The crowds weren’t borderline to anything. Stress levels rose quickly. I posted on facebook that it seemed like WDW used tape to draw small figure eights, and if you weren’t inside the little loops, then you were out of bounds. And they weren’t afraid to let you know. This side of the line, that side of the line, you’re in the wrong spot, move here, move here, no, wait….aaaaaagh!!

The fireworks ended and to turn around was daunting. The crowd was enormous and was NOT moving.  We made our way down a side path until we found the place that Disney was allowing guests to walk, in order to get out of the park quicker. I swear that the trip through the back lot saved us about 30 minutes of battle time. We took the ferry back to the Ticket Center, walked to the car, and experienced lighter than expected traffic on the roads. We accomplished everything we planned that day, and made it back to the resort safely. Until our next adventure, we continue to be WDW or Bust!!

December 2, 2012 – Trip Report

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Exhausted from the lack of rest over the weekend, today was a very trying day. Epcot is a favorite park, but with the cheerleading competitors in town, there are a lot of crowds yelling chants and cheers all over the place. There are a lot of kids disrespecting the surroundings and the guests. We’ve now vowed to never pick this week to vacation again.

So, Epcot is the destination for our second day of exploration adventure. We decided to sleep in a bit in an attempt to have more energy to tour the World Showcase a bit more. However, we were interested in learning more about Test Track and riding Soarin’ again as well. Upon entering the park, I walked over to the Land Pavilion and obtained the fast passes for Soarin’. When I met back up with the women, we went to Spaceship Earth. Although Epcot was the best park to attend today, there were still crowds. The queue line extended past the rails, and really thwarted any good mood we had entered with. Despite the long line, it moved rapidly and we were on the ride in less than three minutes.

Spaceship Earth has been a long time favorite, and the end of the ride is really appealing. There’s always a laugh awaiting the result of the series of questions asked, and the answers provided by the guests. Just remember to smile at the camera at the beginning of the ride.

After we exited the ride, we walked into the Innoventions building to find something to do while escaping the throngs of cheerleaders that consume every inch of the paths. There wasn’t really a whole lot to do in this building, but we made attempts to slam some doors, twist some cables, and beat up an old boom box. The stuff in there could have been more fun if the mood was a bit lighter. Sum of All Thrills was all backed up, and I walked away from it. We left the building after discussing what we wanted to do next.

We headed over to Mission Space. A few years back, I rode the more intense side and loved it. Last year, I rode the orange side again, but it ruined my entire afternoon with feelings of nausea and dizziness.  This year, Green Side it is. I can handle the less intense stuff alright, and that will be what I stick with. By the way, despite the intensity, we made it to Mars, with a little hiccup in the landing. But we made it, none-the-less, and the training was a crashing success.

When we left Mission Space, I walked over to Test Track to see if I could get anymore information on the ride. Of course, they said that the opening was strictly on December 6th, and I should return on that day if I would like to ride it. I advised them that the last day we would be in Epcot would be on the 5th, and if I really wanted to ride it, I would have to wait until next year. They didn’t budge, but one of the cast members said to keep checking, in case the superiors decided to open up a soft opening anyways.

Encouraged by the invitation to check back, I walked away disappointed that I still couldn’t see the ride. Oh well, the show must go on. We went through the second Innoventions building, walked past the fire truck, past the training arena for Segways, and then I stopped at the video games. I played the Brave game until I couldn’t figure out what else to make the girl shoot at or cut down. I met back up with my wife and the family at the exit, where we sat and enjoyed the peace and quiet for a bit longer, before going to lunch.

We headed back to the Land Pavilion to ride “Living with the Land” followed by Soarin’. While on the boat ride, we encountered some guests that were challenging to deal with. Some splashed water all over other guests, a kid was telling her mom to shut up, and some played with the sand in the greenhouse, in plain site of signs that said “Please Do Not Touch The Sand.” Yep, challenging, but easily overcome with a flight over California. The flight didn’t solve all of our problems, but it was a definite step in the right direction.

We had a dining reservation at Le Cellier. This, sadly, will probably be the last time we dine there for a while, as they will become a signature dining experience for all meals as of January 1, 2013. The significance of this is that it will then take two dining credits to eat there. But, while we were there today, we consumed pretzel bread, salad, and Cheddar Cheese Soup. We followed the appetizers with pork chops, Gnocchi, and Filet Mignon over Risotto.  For dessert, we polished off Crème Brule and chocolate mousse. Stuffed and needing some exercise, we left the building. It was time to return to the resort for a much needed break.

On the way out, the women decided to walk through a few stores, while heading for the exit. Since I like to take a couple of pictures here and there, I remained outside in the hustle and bustle to get some scenic shots of the park. As we got closer to the exit, it dawned on me to go see what was happening around Test Track. My wife, mother-in-law and aunt-in-law entered Mouse Gear, and I approached the Test Track area. The attendant standing outside the attraction was different than the two that had been there earlier in the morning. Determined to get more information, I approached him, gained his attention and asked if there would be a soft opening today, or anytime soon.

If you read the breaking news post from earlier, you’d know how this went. If not, here’s the link to it. You’ll find the news interesting, especially if you plan to visit the park tomorrow.

After being announced as a party of two, and shown the way in, my wife and I took in every sight we could. The cast members in the area pointed us to the standby line, as this is what we wanted to do. The cast member handed us a little white card, then showed us the correct line to enter.  There’s a difference in experience between the standby line and the fast pass line, in that as you wait in the standby line, you get to design your own vehicle to test.  In the fast pass line, you choose a pre-designed car. There’s so much to see through the entire queue. The theme is 100% different than the queue of old. Instead of the factory setting, it now looks state-of-the art, with hands on things to do. Touch screens are there to play with aerodynamics and other traits necessary in making an efficient vehicle for the roads.

Once inside the “Pre-show” area, hold your card up to the scanner, and then begin building your car or truck. You can choose the aerodynamics, size, wheels, engine, color, decals, width, spoilers, fins, etc. There are a lot of options, and when you have built your vehicle the countdown begins to get you out on the Test Track. The resulting queue is familiar, in that you hold your card up to the scanner where it shows you a picture of the car you designed, and then enter the vehicle (now painted blue and black). Buckle your seat belts, and then go have them tested before you embark on the ride. The track is identical to the old one, but the lighting and theme is completely different.

It was cool to imagine the old ride, and compare it to the one you see. The result of the refurb is a definite improvement. It was good to get back out in the open air, doing intense speeds around the track. The hopeful news that it could quite possibly be open tomorrow morning is encouraging as well, since we will be back in Epcot on the fifth. I’d like to see it in full operation, open to all of the guests. The post ride showroom is set up differently as well, with several hands on, interactive games and picture opportunities. You can race your car with other guests or become a show room model with the new cars or with the car you had just designed and tested. Overall, Disney did a great job on the refurbishment.

We exited the ride, and I caught a couple more shots of the entryway and the Test Track Car model off to the side. My wife let it all sink in, and she was excited to have been able to ride and experience it before it actually opened. We look forward to riding it again before we leave for home, at the end of the week.

We left the park after this, and although it was later than we wanted to leave, the ride on Test Track was a definite plus on the overall mood of the day.

After the one hour break, we drove to the Boardwalk Villas and had the car valet parked so we could explore the Boardwalk  and the resorts around it. We wanted to catch the Illuminations fireworks tonight, but that was scratched out as the night became longer. We visited the Boardwalk Inn, where they had a gingerbread house so large that there were cast members working inside of it. We followed that visit with a trip to the Beach Club Resort, and they had a gingerbread carousel, large as life. It’s amazing how much went into building each of the pieces they had on display. There’s  a video on youtube that shows just how much really goes into the construction of these awe-inspired displays.

After the Beach Club, we went to the Yacht Club, and there I sat. The women checked out the gift shop, and after some time, I decided to see if they were going to make it out of the store. They were just checking out, so we headed back to the boardwalk. Before we left for the night, they went into another store. Now, the thing with the stores is that we window shop until our designated “break day,” where we head down to Downtown Disney to make our purchases. Although we can get most of what we want there, the few things that are resort or park dedicated, we purchase on the fly, knowing we won’t be able to get them at any other park or attraction. So, we window shop. I was briefly mesmerized by a juggling/balancing act on the Boardwalk, so I stayed outside of the store and watched the show. When they were done shopping, they came and got me. We went back to get the car and return to the resort.

The definite highlight was the ride and news on Test Track, and the downer is the increased crowds due to the cheerleading competitions this week. Oh well, it’s something new to cope with, and it can be done. Until our next adventure, we’re WDW or Bust!

December 1, 2012 – Trip Report

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A word was used today to define one of my favorite shows in all of Walt Disney World. That word can pretty much be used to describe the park, in which this show is performed. The Animal Kingdom is a park that is often placed into a schedule as a “one day” or “half day” agenda. I believe this to be because of the amount of “thrill rides” in the park itself. I may even consider myself in that group that really didn’t take the park for all of its worth. …until this year, that is. This park will get more of a look in our planning for future trips to Walt Disney World. The word that was used to describe my favorite show was “Underrated.”

The Animal Kingdom isn’t full of the flare and pizazz of the Magic Kingdom, it doesn’t have the innovative look of Epcot, or the showiness of Hollywood Studios. Nope, none of all that shimmer and shine, but what it does have is a unique aspect of conservation and respect for the land we live on. Everywhere you walk, in the Animal Kingdom, you’ll see artifacts, native customs, and traces of cultures from the past and present.  Asian and African contributions offer a lot of learning opportunities while exploring their areas. Everything, in there, screams, “Find me! Search me out! I want to be seen! Find me!”

On past vacations, we conducted our agendas the same way we did at the other parks: Be there at rope drop, be first in line, speed walk to the biggest attractions, get fast passes, ride the standby, race to another ride to spend time until we could go back to get more fast passes for the thrill ride, hit a couple of shows, spend the fast passes, then wonder what to do with the rest of our day. I think those days are gone when we plan our future visits to this intriguing land.

This vacation, we took a whole new approach. When the turn styles opened up, we walked at our own pace to the next rope, taking in the sights and sounds around us. Unfortunately, it was the loud footfalls of those around us trying to make every effort to get to the rope first, and in a position to do what we used to do. This vacation, we found ourselves on the left side of the rope, ignoring the opportunity to collect any fast passes to the big thrill rides. When the rope was taken down, we meandered slowly toward the Kilimanjaro Safari.

Before we made it into the herding point of the mazes toward the trucks, we got behind this older gentleman. He was walking alone and with a limp. He had to be in his upper 80’s or lower 90’s. As he approached the mouth of the lineup, his wife appeared, said something to him, and then went down a side path. He then proceeded to walk through the queue, glancing back over his shoulder for his wife. He took his time walking through the maze, and seemed so “at ease” with the pace he could muster. As we neared the truck dock, he excused himself to the sideline to wait for his wife. I don’t know what significance this held in this post, but to me it was his pace that caught my attention. He wasn’t in a hurry, and he waited for his wife. He got to ride the same ride we did, even if he had to wait until the next truck.

I don’t know what it is with this attraction, but I find myself taking tons of pictures of the same animals I see every year. This year, I recorded it on a mini video recorder, and kept my eyes on the savannahs while riding through on the bumpy truck drive. I found it pleasant to listen about the animals, how they migrate, stay cool, and survive in the wilderness. The whole poacher storyline has been removed from the narration, and that is a good thing, in my opinion. More information was conveyed on our planet, and the animals with which we coexist. This was a great start to our day at the Animal Kingdom.

We followed the safari with a walk into the Pangani Forest Exploration Trail. This trail had birds, fish, hippos, gorillas, and other wildlife. A guide is available to the guests to help identify the birds that you may see. I experienced a tranquil walk through the trail. The birds were really awesome to photograph, and the sounds in the area provided a sense of relaxation. There is a ton of information on where the animals live, how they continue to exist on their own, and advice on how we can help their species to remain a constant entity as we move into the future.  The more we know how to help and the more willing we are to help, the better our world will be.

As we exited the exploration trail, we decided to hot-foot it over to the Festival of the Lion King. This lively, acrobatic musical show is something to behold. There are four sections within the building, and each is assigned to represent an animal of the jungle: Lion, Elephant, Giraffe, and Warthog. Each section interacts with the show to complete the circle of life. There’s a flaming baton twirler, acrobatic monkeys, colorful displays, a storyline, and remarkable singing. It is thirty minutes of thrilling entertainment. This show is definitely worth looking into, although I cannot claim this one as my favorite show in all of Walt Disney World.

When the show let out, our stomachs gave a mighty ROAR, and we knew it was time to seek out some grub. Our trips of the past would have led us to the Flaming Barbecue or Pizzafari. This trip, however, we went to Yak & Yeti counter service restaurant. I ordered a Beef Lo Mein, and my wife ordered the Sweet and Sour Chicken. I’m not really a big fan of Asian food, but hey! I’ll try anything once (or twice). It wasn’t bad food, but I don’t know if I really liked it. Noodles with chunks of meat seemed well intended, but I think it was the sauce that made it something I wouldn’t seek out for future visits, but who knows, I may eat there again someday. My wife especially liked her dish, and said that she hadn’t any complaints. However, she did encounter a one square inch block of onion which was not consumed, but rather questioned, tried, and spit back out. Ha! The dessert was banana pudding, and although it was delicious, it consisted of vanilla pudding, a small chunk of a banana, and a vanilla wafer. Not the banana pudding I know, from home, but it was still good.

With our bellies full, we headed to the Maharajah Jungle Trek. In this trail, we encountered more birdlife, some bats, and a few tigers. I took lots of pictures through this trail, and emerged on the other side with a dead set of batteries in the ole camera. The birds were exotic, the bats were huge, and the tigers were magnificent animals (well, all except the one that gave an exposing view of nature at its finest). It was a morning of slow, laid back walking, observing, and learning of our planet, a few of the animals roaming it, and how we can help maintain it all to make our future endure.

We browsed a few of the stores that led to the exit, and eventually made our way back to the car for an afternoon break. We take these breaks to unwind and relax, but I’m usually found in front of the computer, uploading pictures and straightening notes for future blog entries.

At 5:30 PM, we returned to the Animal Kingdom to stroll around for an hour before watching a show that I hail as having been my favorite since I first saw it. We went to DinoLand to catch my wife’s favorite ride in the park: Primeval Whirl. A kooky little ride that somehow shoots you back in time to rescue dinosaurs, I think. No, this isn’t the ride Dinosaur, but rather a really jerky rollercoaster ride that spins, dips, and turns all over the place. It’s hard to determine which way you’ll spin, but you are advised, from the beginning of the ride, to NOT pick up any hitchhiking dinos along the way. Good advice! J

After exiting this strange, yet interesting ride, we make our way to the show. The crowd is light, and the seats are plentiful. We pick one that allows us to catch the whole stage and the aisles the characters swim up and down on, er…in.

The show consists of a couple of clownfish, a fast blue fish, baby fish, sharks, a stingray, turtles, and a whole ocean of other fish. Yep, it’s a musical based off of the Disney movie, “Finding Nemo.” This show is called “Finding Nemo: The Musical.” (Clever, eh?) I’m not sure if there was one item, in particular, that drew me to this show, as I watch the entire thing with the same interest as if I were viewing it for the first time, every time.

I spent the first three and a half years of my son’s life as a single dad. No sign of his biological mother anywhere, so I raised him alone. I think I did a good job of it, although I could have used help from time to time; but I swore I’d never let anything ever happen to him, and I became the over-protective single parent that probably boxed him in more than I should have. I guess I saw some reflection of my parenting mirrored in that of this fish story. When Nemo belts out, “That’s My Dad!” with so much pride, it hits me emotionally that Nemo finally realized that his dad would go to any length to be there for him. The whole show is awesome for me, and this show is the only show that is a ‘must see’ each and every time we visit Walt Disney World. I agree, this show is underrated, and I attribute that to the fact that “everyone has seen the movie.” But this show really brings it to life. It’s entertaining, vibrant, and worth watching. (again and again, in my plans)

(Speaking of musts) After this show, my evening would have been complete. But there was one more plan on the horizon. A dinner reservation to a restaurant that I claim to be my most favorite in all of Walt Disney World: Two all-time favorites in one night! Two ‘must do’s’ on every planned trip, and I get to do them both in one night this year. How can that have happened? We were going to Boma! It’s an all-you-can-eat buffet of African cuisine, under one roof, in the beautiful Animal Kingdom Lodge. Let’s see… There’s food, food, and more food. There’s couscous, hummus, bobotie, fire-grilled meats, salads, desserts….ooooohhh! The desserts!! Two areas of them; and I will conclude this post with two words: Zebra Domes.

November 30, 2012 – Trip Report

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Our second day in, and everything went smooth this morning, unlike yesterday. We awoke on time, at 7 AM. Getting ready went well, and there was time to grab a quick bite to eat. I finished yesterday’s blog entry at 2 AM, so at 7 AM, I was still a bit tired, but manageable. I unplugged the cameras, made sure I had extra batteries for one of them, and then headed out for our next adventure. Our destination was Disney’s Hollywood Studios today.

We traveled to Pop Century to pick up our other pair and made our way to the entrance of DHS. Once parked, we vaguely noted the location of our parked vehicle and walked eagerly to the entrance. We arrived at the park at 8:15 AM and ended up about 30th in the line we chose to stand in. After a few minutes of waiting however, my wife went to investigate a shorter line, and we got in a little bit faster.

Since there wasn’t a pre-show any longer, I was able to collect the park tickets and go get some fast passes to Toy Story Mania. Shortly after obtaining the fast passes, the rest of my party arrived. We decided to chance the standby line, hoping for the possibility to ride it twice today. It turned out to be a good decision, as the wait was only about 10 minutes.

I guess I’m too competitive when it comes to this ride, or so I’m told. I like to egg-on the person riding with me (which is most often my wife), of which she replies, “Ok.” But when the ride is over, she’s just as excited to see if she beat me, so she can play it off all she wants, I know better.

After exiting the ride, my wife asked for my bag so that I could go ride the Rockin’ Rollercoaster. I went to the single rider line, since no one will ride this with me. It was a walk-on ride, so I went twice. The second time, I asked for the front car, just to enjoy the view a bit better. After the second ride was over, we visited several stores on our way back toward Toy Story Mania. Darlene bought a new case for her iPhone, and although she had her heart set on the picture of the castle, decked out in lights, she settled on the one that was a less seasonal. She wanted a multi-seasonal picture, and I agree that she made a good choice.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/26280717@N07/8232629327/

We eventually made it back to the Toy Story ride, and using our fast passes, we were competing for top scores once again. Satisfied that I had now beaten my wife twice on the ride, we went back to browsing through stores; at least until the hunger pains kicked in. Counter Service at Pizza Planet was where we ended up. A personal pizza, salad, bag of chips, drink, and a new dessert (Gingerbread cupcake) made the me realize just how few hours of sleep I had really gotten. By the way, the cupcake was awesome! I guess they debuted this week!

When we had finished our lunch, we decided to walk through a few more of the stores, walking toward the exit for a mid-day break. While Anna and her mom and aunt were shopping, I stepped outside to look around. Here was this little conductor, carrying a tripod and walking up the street. I instantly recognized him as a Streetmosphere. He and the rest of his cast member crew conduct skits on the streets, interacting with guests. I pulled out my video camera and started recording. He yelled over at me, “Hey Paparazzi! Have you seen Mimi and (I don’t recall the name of the other girl)?” I replied that I had not seen them and he said he must find them for the next big scene. Anna and I had been waiting for a skit to happen, and here it was, but she was in the store, and I was following this conductor down the street, filming him along the way. I pulled out my phone and sent a text to have her come meet me in front of Tower of Terror. Walking down a crowded street, recording a cast member, and texting is very dangerous…not to mention difficult. :)

The conductor found his actresses, coached them on their lines, and started rolling as my wife and her fellow shoppers came near, in front of Mouse About Town, on Sunset Blvd. Somewhere in the confusion of the bickering women, the stubborn conductor, and the guests walking around the scene, the focus of the scene went from the two cast members to the guests. The conductor asked Delores and Darlene to coach the actresses on how to bicker better. I did get the whole thing on a recording and I will be editing it and have it posted to youtube, probably by December 1st. (I will have to wait until I am back home to get the videos uploaded. There just isn’t enough time in the day.) I will post the link when that happens. It was quite entertaining.

When the show had ended, we went into one of the nearest stores, and finished up some window shopping, and then exited the park at 1:30 PM.  We walked out to our car and drove to Pop Century to drop off Darlene and Delores. While we were still at Pop, we went to the concierge desk and picked up our Hoop Dee Doo Musical Revue tickets, for dinner this evening. When we had the tickets in hand, Darlene and Delores walked to their room, as we walked to our car. Coronado Springs was the destination for the R&R we all needed. Although some people sleep, some rest, and some relax with a good book, I sat at the computer and uploaded 500+ pictures, converted and edited some video files, downloaded pictures and videos to the computer, and straightened out notes for the next blog entry. That’s relaxing to me, although now that I look back on it, I probably should have considered some sleep afterall.

The breaktime ended with our return to DHS. But first, we had to return to Pop Century to pick up Darlene and Delores. When we arrived, there were two fire trucks parked in the space we usually used to make the pickup. We parked in front of one of the fire trucks, and as the two women entered the car, they commented that the firemen were attempting to “pick them up.” We thought they were joking until they seriously quoted what one of them had asked them, “Do you know where we could find two fine redheads?” Hmmm

There was a meet-up at DHS, in the Backlot Express restaurant, for pretty much anyone that knew about it. Interested in meeting the host of the WDW Radio, I made sure we had plans to be there just prior to the start of, but with a reservation for dinner at 8:30 PM, I couldn’t stay too long. Upon entering the Backlot Express, a couple asked if I would like to join them at their table. Rob and Melinda were very hospitable and a gracious welcome to an event where I didn’t know a single person. We conversed of our love for Disney, explaining things we have accomplished on our current trip, as well as other experiences we have had. We discussed planning for trips, and the spontaneous things we do while visiting the world.

Rob and Melinda are attorneys/partners for Croskery Law Offices, in Cincinnati, Ohio. They knew Lou Mongello well, and didn’t hesitate to introduce me to him. Lou and I talked a while, and then he allowed me to follow our conversation with a picture with him (For those of you that know about the show,…He really is that short. He made me look enormous!!). I encourage you to go check out his podcast at WDW Radio. The plethora of information he, and his team, delivers on an almost daily basis is beneficial to every Disney enthusiast. It was an awesome experience to meet Lou, in person, and even better to have met and talked to other people as passionate for the aura of Disney. Thanks to Rob and Melinda for your hospitality and conversation!

When I was ready to leave the meetup, I took an unexpected 10 more minutes to go see the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights for the first time. I basically went in and took a couple of pictures, then walked out. We will be returning to DHS another day, and will be going in when the amount of guests is a LOT less. I returned to the Backlot Express to meet up with Anna when someone approached me and said that Len Testa had arrived at the WDW Radio-hosted event. I went back in and met Len. We talked about his show, WDW Today (another podcast well worth a visit). We also talked about the wdworbust.net blog. He said he’d stop in and see what we are up to. We topped the evening off with a photo of me and him, and then parted ways. We had a reservation for dinner and didn’t want to be late.

We left the park, and drove to a parking lot at Fort Wilderness, grabbed a bus to Pioneer Hall, and checked in for the Hoop Dee Due Musical Revue. If there is ever a dinner and show ensemble to go to, this is it. All you can eat chicken, ribs, potatoes, corn, beans, and corn bread, followed by strawberry shortcake!! The show is awesome, and Six Bits rocks it out! At the end of the night, the cast members hand out old fashioned washboards to the children (and some adults). They take their remaining spoon from dinner and rub the ribs of the washboard to the beat of the song being played. It’s a lot of fun and the guests can easily be absorbed into the old west setting.

At the conclusion of the show, and dinner, so our evening unwound, as we caught a bus back to the parking lot, searched for and found the car, drove to Pop Century to drop off Darlene and Delores (bummed because their firemen didn’t wait for them. LOL), and finally back to the Coronado Springs Resort. It didn’t take long for the meal to relax me enough to fall deeply into a slumbering state, which resulted in me not being able to complete this entry for the day.

Another adventure in the history books, as several more memories were made and recorded. As I conclude this entry, remember, we are always WDW or bust.

November 29, 2012 – Trip Report

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Today started with high expectations. Everyone was eager to get started with a favorite park that definitely takes more than one day to explore: Epcot! The preparations to getting everyone in the car and on our way hit a speed bump when I couldn’t locate my room key. We searched high and low, in and out, in nooks and crannies, and places that we were sure to not find the missing item. Everywhere we looked, it wasn’t there. Thoroughly disgusted with myself, Anna reassured me that we could go to the office and get it replaced. Since this card had charging capabilities added to it, I kicked myself repeatedly by stating how irresponsible it was for me to have lost the room key.

On our way to the office, Anna asked me to hand her driver’s license to her. I looked where she told me it was, and uh, yeah, it wasn’t there. I let her know about the lack of her license, and we searched the car and our bags for the new missing item, and now we were up to two, total. This day was not turning out to be a good day. We went to the front office and got the old key card canceled, and a replacement made. Then we drove back to the room to search for the missing driver’s license.

After searching the room, Anna had an afterthought about having thrown her purse down when we entered the room the night before. She moved a stool, near the door, and voila! There it sat, on the floor, waiting to be found. I wouldn’t have even dreamed to have looked there. I asked her to see if my key card was there too. It wasn’t.

So, now our day begins. We each have our cards again, and 45 minutes later than we wanted to leave, we made our way out of the lot and on our way to Pop Century to pick up the other couple we arrived with: Anna’s mom (Darlene) and Anna’s aunt (Delores).

After picking them up and recounting the morning’s events, we entered Epcot’s entryway with mellowing attitudes and high hopes that the day had to get better. Upon parking the car, we saw the tremendously long lines at the security bag check area and some hope diminished. After finally making it through the bag check we found a line and stood in it. We were there for 15 minutes when we began to move, two to three steps every three to four minutes. Wondering why the line was taking so long was a mystery we soon solved when we came around the will call booths. The turn-style we should have been heading for was closed. Our line and the line to our left were being merged to form one enormous, unorganized line of chaos.  More hope diminishes.

Once through the gate, 45 minutes later than we wanted to be there, we breathed a breath of relief. We discussed what we wanted to do first, and decided to get a fast pass to Soarin’. Seeing that the stand by line was a 50 minute wait, we decided not to ride it, but rather wait until the times on the fast passes. We decided to ride “Living with the Land.” We turned to go through the turn-styles, but we were stopped by a couple of cast members that advised us that the ride was down due to technical difficulties. Scratch that.

Instead, we head out of the building and head over to a nice little clam ride to see “Turtle Talk with Crush. It’s a nice little ride with a very entertaining show at the end, where Crush takes questions from audience members. The interaction is awesome, the kids are entertained, and we all learned the different meanings of, “Duuuude!”

We left Crush and went to another building to visit a small purple dinosaur. We watched as a spark of inspiration results in imagination. Needing to use some of the time left after  exiting the ride with Figment, we headed over to MouseGear to do some window shopping. I found some new antenna toppers that will be purchased later in the trip. My wife found some hats and shirts she liked, and Darlene and Delores looked at hats and iPhone cases.

Time’s a tickin’. We looked at the clock. We had 20 minutes until the fast pass’s allotted time expired. We headed back to the ride. Through the fastpass line, we waited a total of about 10 minutes, while the standby line was stated at 60 minutes. Once we made it to the spot in the line where we are assigned a space, we requested “B1.” To us, this is the best seat in the house. Front row and center; there aren’t any dangling feet in your view, and the view is all encompassing. The director asked us to wait at the entrance to the requested row, and there we waited for another 10 minutes. (A wait well worth the time)

After being positioned in the place we wanted to be, one of the cast members appeared in front of us. He lip-synced the entire pre-show speech given by Patrick Warburton. It was fun and funny to watch him instead of the screen. Once inside, we buckled in and prepared to hang-glide over California. Ahhh, the fresh smell of pine and oranges… Perks of the ride! You have to ride it to know.

After the ride, my wife, mother-in-law, and aunt-in-law took the stairs, while I comforted myself on the escalator. Once I made it to the top, I located the rest of the family that beat me there, and Delores leaned over and said something that made my wife hug her. (Now, no one else will know what she said, but I want to throw a “shout out” to her. With full emotion and celebration, I want to express my happiness in that she climbed the flight of steps with no ill-feelings of wheezing or shortness of breath. We’re all happy for you, and happy that you are seeing positive changes in your life. We love you, AD!!)

Lunch Time!! Starving and tired, we went to Coral Reef to fulfill our first dining reservation. It seemed I was the odd ball, because all three women ordered the exact same meal, save the appetizer. Typically, on the dining plan, an appetizer is not included, but since this meal was part of the Candlelight Processional package, it was an added bonus. The women started with soup and crab cakes, while I started with a salad. DELICIOUS!! I would have been happy with salad all evening, but hey! I made the sacrifice for the entrée. The women all ordered chicken, and I ordered a New York Strip Steak (medium rare). I got to sample the chicken dish and then ate my meal. Everything was perfectly cooked, and the taste was exquisite. Dinner was followed by dessert. My wife and her mom and aunt had Baileys and Jack Daniel’s Mousse, while I enjoyed an orange cheesecake. The alcohol in their desserts was strong, to say the least, but it was equally as delicious, and a great way to end a meal. The orange cheesecake was also very good, and enjoyed to the last piece.

At the end of the meal, the server presented us with our candlelight processional tickets for preferred seating, we took care of the check and tip, and then made our way out of the restaurant, praising the meal, and expressing fulfillment.

We went into the World Showcase after dinner, starting with Canada. There were a couple of street shows, in different countries, that were entertaining and interactive with guests of the park. I took some video of the shows, and then continued on the way around the world. In England, they told the story of Scrooge, and in France, a guy balanced himself atop four chairs, stacked on a table. While we were in England, however, I looked up the phone numbers to those red phone boxes, and then started calling them as guests entered them to have their pictures taken. It was fun to watch them try to figure out who was calling them. I spoke with complete strangers and it was encouraging to hear their excitement while interacting with a display.

Once we made it to the American pavilion, we found our place in line for the Candlelight Processional, grabbed a drink, and then waited until they began seating us. I ended up drinking a Bud light (I know, I know), and Anna ordered a Sultan’s Colada. She hated hers, and after a tree dropped a leaf in it, it was pitched into the nearest receptacle. I finished mine off as we entered the seating area.

Now, I won’t go into great detail about this show, but I will say that if you haven’t ever experienced this show, then you are truly missing out. While the choir sang and the symphony played, Neil Patrick Harris read the story of Christmas to the audience. It was one of the best shows I have ever experienced, and one that will not be forgotten.

After the show, we were tired, sore and hungry. We visited a couple of the shops as we continued through the World Showcase, then sat down and decided to exit the park for the night. Typically, we would have taken a break half way through the day, but with the bad start to the day and the busy schedule we had given ourselves, we skipped it. Lesson learned. We stopped in Norway, where I picked up a school bread pastry, and then made a B-Line for the front of the park.

Just short of exiting, I approached a cast member outside of Test Track to see if there would be any “soft openings” of the ride before its official reopening. They declined to comment, and just said that the official opening will be on December 6th. Since December 5th will be our last day in Epcot, I’m sorry to say that we will not be able to provide any new news on the progress of the ride. I’m sure there will be some soft openings, but the cast member I spoke with was very secretive, and unwilling to communicate any of that information.

We exited Epcot and drove to Pop Century to drop off Delores and Darlene. We stayed there with them for enough time to walk over to Art of Animation to get some LATE dinner. That hotel is something to behold as far as artwork design goes. We never made it any farther than the food court, but the pool and playground equipment was pretty neat. From a hotel/resort standpoint, it’s much like Pop Century.

After the meal, it was getting late. I still had a lot to do, and knew it was going to be an even later night for me, with uploading pictures and videos, recharging electronic equipment, and writing this trip report. I hope you have enjoyed day one of our adventure this year. As always, we are WDW or bust!

Planning (Part 2)

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Planning (Part 2)

Vacation Planning

Ok! You have your dates set, and you’re ready to get into planning the “Vacation of the Year.” Keeping your options and your mind open, we will now start looking into where we will be staying while at Walt Disney World. Considering your budget, you need to start weighing options of either a Disney Resort or staying off-property.

Our family has stayed on and off property, and there are pros and cons to each. There are cons to staying on-property? Absolutely! Remember, in the last post, I stated that each step to planning brings in hundreds of other questions on the same subject? Well, here is where it all starts. There are a lot of options and each decision will impact your vacation in one way or another.

On-Property

Deluxe resorts are high-end hotels with all the fixins’. You can get an awesome view of a savannah complete with roaming wildlife, or a beautiful, picturesque view of a lake. But you can also get views of parking lots and roofs. I’ve seen pictures of the latter, and it astounds me that it was planned out that way. You want your vacation to be something you’ll look back on and enjoy the memories.

There are three levels of resorts available to everyone that wants to stay on-property at Walt Disney World. There are the deluxe resorts, the moderate resorts, and the value resorts. Each has different levels of amenities available, as well as personal comforts. There are other available options, but these are the most basic.

Value resorts are exactly that, what you see is what you get. You can ask for specific options, but they aren’t always granted. Value resorts are great for families and couples, alike. They offer a basic hotel-style room in a themed building, a themed pool, and a food court. There are buses to take you to and from the park, and they have a store for forgotten items, as well as a gift shop. Basically, all of the resorts, no matter what their level, have these things, but the value resort is limited to these.

My family especially likes Pop Century, in the value resort level. We have stayed at the All-Star Resorts, but this one sticks out to us the most. The food court is an awesome experience, and despite our staying elsewhere, we try to make it over to this food court each year. We don’t always make it, but it is an option when we are visiting.

The moderate resorts offer more to their guests, and are in the mid-range of budgeting expense. The rooms are a bit larger, there are more activities to get involved in, and the grounds are larger. I have read that kayaking is an added activity at moderate resorts, but I haven’t experienced it yet. It sounds like a bonus I would be interested in, for sure. Also, there are playgrounds and boat rentals available.

Of the moderate resorts, we have only stayed at one: Port Orleans, French Quarter. The experience was excellent, and we were in a corner room next to the river. Downtown Disney was just a boat ride away, and the grounds were scenic. The paths to the pool and the food court were named with street signs. The artwork and décor in the food court was memorable, but the food court itself wasn’t. I mean, I remember being there, but the food was something I wanted to forget. We visited the other resort, related to Port Orleans, Riverside, and their food court was very good. We’d wished we had known that beforehand, but so goes the whole learning experience, and now we can say we stayed at this resort and chalk it off the list.

The deluxe resorts have beautifully manicured grounds, with exquisite landscaping. They have a day spa, and multiple pools. They also have restaurants to fit the definition of fine dining, and an optional concierge level. This level of resort has all of the amenities known to staying in a five-star hotel, and even more. The deluxe resorts have two categories: The rooms within the resort itself, and the villas.

My wife and I have stayed at the Board Walk Villas and the extra perks to being in a deluxe resort was comparable to the comforts of flying first class. All along the boardwalk there were eateries, fun opportunities to rent surrey bikes, boats, or take in the view across the lakes. Epcot and Hollywood Studios were within walking distance, and the nighttime views were extraordinary.

There are two other options to staying on-property at Walt Disney World: DVC (Disney Vacation Club), which is a time share buy-in and the campground, at Fort Wilderness. There’s camping available for people staying in tents as well as sites for fifth-wheel and motorhomes.

For more information on DVC opportunities: Vacation

For more information on Camping opportunities: Camping

For more information on the resorts: Resorts

When deciding where to stay at Walt Disney World, always remain budget conscious. For those of you that don’t have to worry about a budget, and I think those are few and far between, then I encourage you to research the different amenities available at each resort in order to make it memorable for you and your family.

What resorts have you stayed at? What amenities do you think are essential to a quality stay at a resort? Any comments? Please feel free to leave one or more. I enjoy reading them, and look forward to answering any questions you might have.

Continuing the planning stages of our vacation, we remain WDW or Bust. If you’d like to contact me directly, you can send an email to dave@wdworbust.net. You can also find us on facebook and twitter. I look forward to reading your comments.

Thank you and have a magical day!