Sue Holland
10-11-2008, 12:00 PM
Who/When/Where:
Who: Sue (49), DVC member
Dates: August 29 – September 2, 2008
Travel Method: Personal car
Resort: Disney’s Old Key West Resort
Experience: Extremely experienced
INTRODUCTION:
I’m finally staying at Old Key West again, after way too long since my last visit. My last stay was January 2007! There are so many great choices with DVC, it’s easy to overlook my original resort. I’ll be driving up after work (leaving early), despite not having a dental appointment today! I enjoyed my July trip (when I did not go to any parks) so much that although I’d planned on doing the parks this trip I may opt for mostly resort time again. It’s still horribly hot & humid in Florida, so daytime in the parks just doesn’t appeal to me any more. I’ll be back in a few weeks with SB, and we’ll spend some time in the parks then.
I did book some dining reservations. I’ve got Spoodles for an early dinner on Friday night, figuring I would spend that evening in Epcot. However, now with Comedy Warehouse closing in less than a month I’ll skip Epcot in favor of comedy. I tried moving it to another night, but was unable to get anything before 9:20 pm! I could probably get in as a walk in right when they open, but I’ll just drive over from OKW and then go back to the resort before heading to Downtown Disney. I booked lunch at 50’s Prime Time Café on Saturday, but canceled that one last week in favor of time by the pool. Sunday’s lunch is LeCellier, which of course I would ‘t ever consider skipping! Originally my trip included Tuesday night, but baseball caused that to change. SB’s team did not make it into the playoffs, so he will be flying home Tuesday. Rather than staying up here I’ll go to work (saving the vacation day for the end of the next trip in a couple weeks) and pick SB up from the airport when his flight lands.
This will be a short trip, but that’s better than nothing. I recently bought an extra wireless router and will attempt to get that set up so I do not have to keep the laptop tied to a cable in the wall! Plus, when SB & I are here together we can both be online at the same time. The router is my biggest concern of the trip, as I have no patience for computer things I don’t understand!
The weather looks pretty good, or at least as good as you can expect in Florida during the summer! Hurricane Gustav will spare us, and that’s the most important thing. I won’t have time for Animal Kingdom, but since I’ll be back soon it can wait for the next trip. I haven’t seen Toy Story Midway Mania (or whatever it’s called) yet, and I’m torn between trying to see it and waiting to ride it with SB. I think if I feel like getting up for early extra magic hours I’ll head over on Saturday (provided the attraction is open early), and if not we’ll do it in a few weeks or in October.
The plans so far are:
Friday, 8/29: Work, Spoodles, Comedy Warehouse
Saturday 8/30: Hollywood Studios, Pool, Epcot
Sunday 8/31: Resort, Comedy Warehouse
Monday 9/1: Magic Kingdom, LeCellier, early Comedy Warehouse
Tuesday 9/2: Drive to work (pre-dawn)
DAY 1 – Friday 8/29/08
Who: Sue (49), DVC member
Plan: Work, Spoodles, Comedy Warehouse
Actual: The short work day passed quickly, and I was on the road as planned at 1pm. I had a last minute call from one of my department heads, and I put her off – saying I’d call her from the road. Turns out she was calling to tell me she has another job – so while I’m happy for her, I hate losing her at this point. Our place is closing in just under 2 years, so finding a replacement could be very hard.
The drive was uneventful, and I was pulling into Old Key West sometime before 4pm. There was no wait at check-in, and I was soon on my way to building 31. I made a brief walk around the main pool area before driving over to my studio. With all my trips to OKW, this is only the 2nd time I’ve been in this area. Eleven years ago I was next door in building 30 when I got the call that my mom had died unexpectedly. Hopefully this trip won’t have any news like that! I’m on the 2nd floor, which happens to be the top floor (as requested).
The studio looks great – everything is as it should be, with minor room for improvement. The old-fashioned tv has to go! It looks so out of place – like they pulled it in from a dumpster somewhere. The carpet is a little damp right by the porch, but it’s not too bad. It’s good to be back here, but I’d prefer one bed and a sofa rather than 2 beds. I moved my stuff inside and got settled, then attempted the wireless router.
As expected, it didn’t exactly “work like a charm”. The router turned on, but I couldn’t get the internet to come up even though I was connected to an “excellent” wireless signal. I thought maybe I needed to get online with the cable to sign in first, so I tried that after dinner and that wouldn’t work either. I could never get internet explorer to come up, and the cable is not clicking into the port on this laptop, so I’m thinking that might be the problem. So, I’m on dialup for now but I’ll try again tomorrow.
At 4:30 I drove over to the Boardwalk so I wouldn’t be late for my 5:05 reservation at Spoodles. I ended up being 15-20 minutes early, and it was so damn HOT outside, I spent most of the time in the shops and other air-conditioned space. I took a look in the Boardwalk Bakery and saw they have a tomato & mozzarella sandwich on the menu, which might be a nice future meal idea. Shortly before 5 I went into Spoodles and checked in. I was given a beeper thing and it went off when I was about 10 steps away, lol!
This time I had a table for 2 with a view of the open kitchen. My waiter was very attentive and did a great job. At one point they seated the huge table (12 people) and once again my server had it. However, this time my server still checked on me – last time I never saw my server until I was waiting for the check.
The food was very good. One of the specials was lobster ravioli, which was probably very good if you like lobster (I can’t stand it). I was hungry, so I decided to order the greek salad as an appetizer and the buffalo mozzarella tomato panzanella as my meal. They’re both from the appetizer menu, though. I swear I remember the greek salad coming on a plate the size of a bread dish, and the salad was very small. Well, now it’s very large – too large for an appetizer to be followed by an entrée. The manager was walking by and she agreed – she said she has that for her dinner some nights. It was delicious, and they left out the items I didn’t want. I didn’t try to finish it, as I had the panzanella coming. My server waited until I looked like I was finished with the salad before he put the panzanella order in, which was a nice touch.
The panzanella consists of 3 tomato chunks, 3 pieces of excellent buffalo mozzarella with pesto, and 3 thin pieces of crispy bread underneath. There’s oil on it too, and it’s a nice light meal (unless it’s following a jumbo greek salad). I also had a glass of pinot grigio, most likely the same one I had last time but I don’t remember the name. They serve a focaccia bread with oil & olive stuff before the meal, but I didn’t really care for that.
I was way too full for dessert, and even left a little of the panzanella. The total check was around $22, and it was a great meal. I stopped in the candy store on the way out, and picked up a chocolate cup with little m&m’s to snack on later. I just can’t resist anything chocolate!
I drove back to OKW and made the futile attempts to get online with the high-speed internet. Dial-up isn’t the end of the world, but I shouldn’t have to settle for that any more. Actually, it’s unacceptable that the Disney resorts don’t all have wireless high speed internet in every guest room! This is 2008 – not 1988! Oh well – I updated the report thus far, watched some news on tv, and left around 7:20 to ride the bus to Downtown Disney. Lately parking there has been a nightmare, so I figured I’d see if the bus from OKW was less of a nightmare <g>.
It was a very short walk to the Turtle Pond bus stop, and the bus arrived within a few minutes. I was alone on the bus until the Hospitality House stop, where lots of people boarded. It’s strange that out of 5 stops, all but 1 passenger would be coming from only 1 of them. I got off at the Marketplace and walked through the very crowded area, stopping only at Ghiradelli for a chocolate sample. Once I got to Pleasure Island I found Leesa & a friend sitting outside the Comedy Warehouse.
Pleasure Island now doesn’t open until 8pm, including all of the clubs and the ticket booths at the main entrance. If you need a ticket and want to see the first Comedy Warehouse show, buy your ticket at the Guest Services location between Pleasure Island and the West Side (across from Wetzel’s Pretzels. I also learned that starting this Monday (9/1) they are eliminating the back door access for everyone. No more friends of cast members getting in that way, no more people with medical issues coming in that way – everyone will have to enter through the door upstairs (according to the manager outside the back door). If you have a medical issue you will be able to sit at the table outside Comedy Warehouse, but the rest of your party will have to stand in the line – then they’ll merge you together when the line starts going in. Somebody who cannot climb up stairs will have to sit in the top row, way in the back – and exit out that same door. I was shocked they were saying people in wheelchairs would not be brought in the back door, either. Someone who cannot transfer out of a wheelchair cannot get onto a bar stool in the back row, and the wheelchair cannot go down the stairs. It all seems rather harsh for the people who truly need the access that way, but I guess it’s easier for Disney to deny them than risk offending the people who don’t have a need for the back door but feel entitled to it anyway.
Carol Stein was on the keys tonight. The 8:00 cast was Missy, Robby, Brian, Christine & Morgan. Missy did an excruciatingly long phone interview to get the show started – I thought it would never end! Eventually the music cued her to wrap it up, just like on the awards shows on tv. Next Brian & Robby started a scene about setting off fireworks, and then 1 at a time the others would yell “freeze” and then replace that actor & start a new scene based on the physical positions the 2 were in. It was really funny – this always moves fast, and it can be hilarious.
They did Forgotten Songs, where the audience makes up song titles. Brian sang “Dragons are amazing” as a fill-in-the-blank song using a 5-yr old girl from the audience he pulled to sit next to him on stage. It was cute, and the girl was perfectly comfortable up there. Christine, Morgan & Missy were funny as 3 fat, old, ugly ex-playboy bunnies who now instead of being hot stripper pole chicks wear “Pink fuzzy bunny slippers”. Robby stole this scene, coming out as Mickey Mouse singing about Minnie leaving him after 50 years for Winnie the Pooh in “Mouse skins are not warm”. They finished up with a Fill in the Blank scene with Robby & Morgan on a ski slope. Overall it was a good show, and a large audience than I’ve seen lately for a first show.
The 9:05 cast was Matt, Missy, Christine, Morgan & Robby. They did Blind Line, where movie phrases are written on pieces of paper & scattered on the stage. Missy & Christine created a scene as student & teacher, and would stop the dialogue to pick up a piece of paper for their next line. Matt came in as the school principal from time to time, and it was a funny scene. Next they created a song started by one of them, then each person would rotate in to continue, even if it was mid-word. It was about an audience member from England celebrating her 40th birthday. They also did Press Conference, about a soap box derby in Yamhill, Oregon. It was another good show, but I was tired so I didn’t stay for the 3rd.
SB called as I was walking up the stairs, so I talked to him as I left Pleasure Island. It was pretty busy there, but no nearly as busy on the West Side. The Pleasure Island bus stop is under construction now, so they’re using the West Side stops instead. I walked over there and the OKW bus came in a fairly short period of time (5 minutes or so). Best of all, it wasn’t crowded and the driver was outstanding! If you ever get Angel the bus driver, he’s been driving for Disney for a year and seems to really love the company and the guests he drives around. He’s the type of cast member you used to see all the time decades ago.
At OKW I got off at the first stop and walked to my studio, figuring I’d beat the bus. Sure enough, as I opened my door I heard the bus going past me on the street, headed for the bus stop. I didn’t bother finishing the report until the next morning, but I did download the photos. I’d hoped to do a daily photo report as well, but on dial up I can’t do it from here! Hopefully I’ll have time to try to get some help with the internet mess on Saturday.
I set the alarm for 5:45 and turned in before midnight. It is GREAT being back here – not OKW specifically, but WDW/DVC in general.
DAY 2 – Saturday 8/30/08
Who: Sue (49), DVC member
Plan: Hollywood Studios, Pool, Epcot
Actual: The alarm woke me at 5:45 and I had no idea where I was. I knew it was Saturday, and on weekend I don’t set the alarm, so that didn’t make sense. Plus, it was on the wrong side of the room if I was home, so it took a minute or so to realize I was here at OKW. It only took another second after that for me to realize that 5:45 is too early to be getting up on a vacation!
I got up anyway – made the bed, took a shower, and had some cappuccino and an English muffin for breakfast. Being in a studio is so much more convenient than being in an ordinary hotel room! I finished up yesterday’s report & got that posted, then went out to the car by 7:15. It made more sense for me to drive this morning, so I drove back to Boardwalk and parked my car there. It was a somewhat sticky (humid) walk to Hollywood Studios, but it was a nice walk. It would be miserable later in the day, so I figured I’d walk it early. I passed several joggers going the other direction, but otherwise had the path to myself.
It was just about 7:30 when I reached the Studios, and I stood in a short queue at the turnstiles. At 7:45 they let us through, and held us at a rope before Sunset Boulevard. At 8:00 the music came on, then we were walked over to Toy Story Midway Mania. The cast member was telling people that all fastpasses would be gone by 10:30, but I think with early entry they were gone earlier than that today.
I was on the ride in no time, walking very quickly through the queue area and snapping a few photos as I walked. This was my first time on the ride, and I’ll definitely be back – it’s terrific! There wasn’t anything I didn’t like about it, since I’m not foolish enough to stand in line 90 minutes like many people! The long waits are the only negative, and hopefully that will die down in a year or so. Until then, this will be my first stop when I visit Hollywood Studios.
When I got back outside it was just 8:15am. The standby wait was now 70 minutes already! The line to get fastpasses was huge – snaking through a queue area, and easily as long as a normal line to RIDE Space Mountain! There’s no way fastpasses lasted until 10:30 today! I decided to go ride Star Tours, and barely saw another person as I walked over there. I walked right through the queue and reached the boarding area 10 seconds before the doors opened – this is great! The family in the row in front of me were talking about going over to do Muppets next, then maybe Toy Story after that. LOL – I tapped the guy on the shoulder and told him how long the wait was 20 minutes ago, and told him fastpasses might be gone if he waits to go over there. Besides, when you walk up to a fastpass machine at 9am you don’t expect your ride time to be 8pm!
Star Tours was – well, it’s the same old Star Tours. It’s not nearly as exciting as it was in 1989, and despite rumors over the years that they were changing the film, nothing has happened yet. It’s air conditioned – that would be the biggest plus I guess.
I was headed to Epcot next, so I exited the park and rode the boat over to the Yacht Club and walked into Epcot from there. That’s faster than riding to the Boardwalk, and I think the walk wouldn’t have been any shorter. I breezed through International Gateway with no wait at all, and headed to Future World and the Land.
It was 9:15 and Soarin’ had a 20 minute standby line so I did it that way. I ended up in the front row, which was great. I couldn’t smell the pine trees or the oranges, but on my way out I heard other people commented that they had smelled both. Hmmm, either it’s sprayed from each vehicle or my nose isn’t working! Living with the Land had a posted 5-minute wait, so I did that – but the wait was really only 1 minute. This isn’t very exciting, but it’s a nice ride. Since SB wasn’t here I didn’t stop to see Circle of Life. I like it ok, but he likes it more, so I know we’ll do it when he’s here. I did pick up a Soarin’ fastpass before leaving. The return time was pretty soon (an hour away maybe), but I’ll save it for when I return later today.
Next was Test Track, which had a standby wait of 30 minutes. Soarin’ was up to 25 minutes by now. Something is wrong with the world if Test Track has a longer wait than Soarin! The single rider line had a posted 10-minute wait, but once again it was not that long – maybe 2 minutes. In the pre-show, about halfway through the doors opened so we got to exit without watching the rest. As I was sitting in the car at the seatbelt check area I saw SB had called while I was on Soarin’. Test Track was fun, and then I walked over to the Epcot Exhibit near Club Cool to give SB a call back. It can be hard to find a place to have a cell phone conversation at WDW. Anywhere near Test Track is out of the question due to the cars zooming noisily by, and then so many bushes and flowerbeds have music blaring from them, lol! It was also broilingly (ok, that’s not a real word) HOT & HUMID, so something quiet AND air conditioned was my destination!
After I talked with him, I wandered through the Epcot exhibit, and then it was time to start wandering back to the Boardwalk. I just missed the boat, so I walked since it was faster than waiting for the next boat. It had been getting very cloudy, and as I got near the Boardwalk it started raining lightly. It was a sun shower, so I sat under an awning outside the arcade at ESPN and waited 5 minutes for it to be 11am.
At the Boardwalk Bakery, the menu says starting at 11 then have sandwiches. I wanted to try the tomato/mozzarella sandwich, which is why I parked here today. I figured I’d get the sandwich and take it to the pool at OKW for lunch. At 11 I went inside, and the cast member tells me they haven’t made those yet! I told her I’d made a special trip here for that, and even waited outside until it was 11am & asked her to find out what time they would be available. She disappeared, and then came back to say they were making one for me. That was good, but they really need to have them in the case for everyone since the menu says they have them starting at 11. I also picked up a yogurt parfait for a future breakfast, then headed out to the car and drove back to OKW.
SB called just as I got there – he finally got his flight information for Tuesday. He returns home then, the same day I get back home. The timing worked really well too, as I won’t have to miss any morning meetings. Back in the studio I realized it was completely cloudy outside and it had rained here as the streets were all wet. I tried the sandwich and while other people might like it, I thought it was disgusting! The mozzarella was 3 very thin slices – not even 1/8 of an inch thick. The tomatoes seemed to be sun dried tomatoes, and I don’t like those. I tried stacking the cheese up in one section and eating that – but I threw most of it away. The little cup of cucumber salad though was very tasty. I won’t be returning for another one, though.
I hung out online for a while, then decided to try the internet cable but I could not get it to lock into the port. I’m thinking the problem is this laptop – it’s not the one I usually bring. So, I packed the router stuff back up & put it away. It’s not worth messing with, so I’ll just suffer through dial up the rest of this trip.
I was going to go to the pool, and got changed into my swimsuit before realizing that was a stupid idea with it being so cloudy. I couldn’t see any blue sky in either direction, and since I’d just be laying on a chaise lounge reading I decided I might as well do that on my porch. So, I finished updating today’s report, got changed back into regular clothes, the grabbed a book & some water and sat outside reading for awhile.
While I was outside it rained a few times, and then it poured for quite a while. Thunder was booming, and the rain was enough to drive me back inside. Even worse, it’s supposed to be like this tonight, tomorrow, and Monday! Oh well, it beats having a hurricane hit me. They’re saying now Gustav could be a category 5 hurricane, and since I’m not in it’s path I have nothing to complain about!
I was getting a touch of cabin fever being stuck in the studio, so a little after 3:30 I decided to brave the weather and see how it went. I changed from sneaker to Tevas because I was certain the sneakers would get soaked. I also have an umbrella, because I don’t wrap myself in plastic ponchos in such hot/humid weather. They’ve got severe thunderstorm warning up here, but hopefully I’ll encounter a few dry spells in between.
While I was bored, I played around with my DVC dues/plans to see what my stays are really costing me. I’ve broken even on my investment overall, so I’m just staying for the cost of my dues. On the negative side, my stays always include weekend nights, so I have a high % of the expensive nights. That makes my average night’s stay cost $85.55. Maybe I could stay at an All Star some nights for less than that, but why would I want to?? When I factor in the points that I rented, and just apply the net dues – I’m staying this year for $36.11 per night. At those prices, it’s easy to see how I’m here so often!
I walked over to the bus stop and waited about 5 minutes for the bus to Epcot. It had stopped raining for the most part, but it was very wet everywhere. For a while it was a sea of plastic ponchos wherever I looked, lol. There was no wait at the useless bag check, and the turnstile lines were not too long either. However, whoever was at the front of my line was either a complete idiot or had a pass that would not work. The other lines were moving, but not this one. Finally I got inside the park, walked past the tombstones and saw almost no line at all at Spaceship Earth so I got in line there.
I always enjoy Spaceship Earth, and today was no exception. The exit area was very crowded, so I didn’t stop to see what any of the stuff was about. Next I walked over to the Land and used my fastpass for Soarin’. Surprisingly, they were still issuing fastpasses for 7:45, and this was at 4-5pm on a holiday weekend! This time I had the last row, but since I had the front row earlier I didn’t care.
I wandered out to World Showcase, starting in Mexico. It was fairly busy, but not horribly crowded. I didn’t bother to check on the Mexico boat ride or the Maelstrom in Norway. In Germany I decided to get my glass of wine, and in the courtyard I was surprised to see a co-worker from our central office in Tallahassee. I wasn’t too sure I was happy about that, as I like NOT seeing anybody work-related when I’m here, lol! I stopped to talk to her & her husband, and found out they joined DVC about a year after I did, and they’re at Saratoga Springs this trip. Her hubby loves walking over for breakfast at Wolfgang Puck Express, lol! Oh well, at least if I have to risk seeing a co-worker here, it’s someone with the sense to be a dvc member <g>.
SB called before his game, then I went into the counter service place to get a cup of ice and then the wine store to get a glass of wine. I like my wine cold, so I add ice to it even though that could be considered extremely tacky by “real” wine people. I had grabbed some napkins so I wiped off part of a bench in Germany and sat there enjoying my wine while watching the people walking by. It started raining again, and when it got heavier I opened the umbrella and continued on my way. I decided instead of getting a pretzel for dinner I’d do Wolfgang Puck Express at the Marketplace.
Since I didn’t have a car with me, I exited Epcot through the International Gateway and walked to the bus stop at Beach Club. The Downtown Disney bus arrived as I did, but it was full. Only a couple of people got off, and a lot got on. The people already standing on the bus did not move back – they stayed standing near their party and those of us boarding had to fight our way down the aisle between a bunch of standing people. I thought that was rather rude of them, but it wasn’t worth getting upset over. We stopped at the Boardwalk, and then went to the Marketplace. It had stopped raining again, but I was only here for one thing.
I walked over to Puck’s and thought there was a long line but the big group in front of me never moved when the people ahead were taken care of. Then I noticed they seemed to be looking at menus and talking to each other, so I went around them and went to a waiting cashier. One guy gave me a dirty look, but I wasn’t the one stupidly not paying attention to the line <g>. There were 2 cashiers looking for people to place orders, and this group of about 8 people were nowhere near the registers even though they entered the building before me.
My dinner tonight didn’t go too well. I ordered the 14 Hands riesling that I love, the tortilla soup that I love, and decided to try the crème brulee for the first time. I paid for it, and when the guy went to pour my wine he came back & apologized for not remembering the shipment didn’t come in today. I chose the sauvignon blanc as an alternative, and he insisted I take a cookie or something for the inconvenience – so I ended up with a chocolate chip cookie for later.
I sat outside, and tried the wine. I’ll never order it again, and it was a terrible disappointment compared to the Riesling. Fairly soon my soup arrived, and the guy said my crème brulee would be there shortly. The soup is always wonderful, and although it’s a very shallow bowl the soup is so thick it’s very filling. After I finished I was still waiting for the crème brulee. I waited and waited and waited some more. Finally the table next to me complained because they were almost finished with 2 of their 4 entrees and the other 2 hadn’t come yet. When those were brought out I stopped the guy and explained about the crème brulee. He was very apologetic and brought it out soon. I’ve never had a problem like that here before, so I don’t believe I’ll experience this in the future. The crème brulee was very good, but I think the soup & correct wine is really enough for me. Besides, good crème brulee is not hard to find.
While I was at Puck’s it started raining again, and then rained really hard. I kept moving my table over as far as I could, because the wind was blowing. My table got pretty wet, but I stayed mostly dry – all the while waiting for that crème brulee! Just as I finished a couple of desperate women asked if I was leaving (wanting my table), so I got up and finished my water next to the trash can so they could sit down. I walked back to the bus stop and waited for the OKW bus to arrive. After stopping at the West Side we finally got back to OKW and once again I got off at the first stop and walked back to the studio (the rain had stopped again). I was back in the studio shortly after 8, and got SB’s game broadcast going on the internet.
I finished up the report, downloaded the photos, and just relaxed online the rest of the night. Today was a nice day, except for the weather being bad and that sandwich from the Boardwalk Bakery being awful – and the wine at Puck’s – on 2nd thought maybe it wasn’t a nice day <g>. Even with the lousy sandwich & other stuff, I’m still glad to be here. I’ll probably change my plans for tomorrow. Assuming it’s cloudy & rainy like they say it will be, spending the morning at the pool will not happen. Instead maybe I’ll head to Animal Kingdom, or do Magic Kingdom a day early.
DAY 3 – Sunday 8/31/08
Who: Sue (49), DVC member
Plan: Resort, Comedy Warehouse
Actual: I slept until just before 7, which is a whole lot more civilized than 5:45 (or 4:40 at home on work days). After showering I made some cappuccino and ate the yogurt parfait from the Boardwalk Bakery. It was very good, and although at first I thought it was tacky the portion size is smaller than it used to be, it really was plenty. I was out the door by 8:30, and only had a short wait for the bus to Magic Kingdom.
The bus was empty when it arrived at Turtle Pond, and the biggest crowd of course was the Hospitality House. Why do so many people board from there?? If I was staying near there I’d make the short walk to Peninsular and be guaranteed a seat since it’s the first stop. I can’t figure out if there’s a legitimate reason for people to be there, or if they’re all just kind of dumb (not thinking). It’s just like at the turnstiles – people go line up in the longest line and don’t bother to go to the empty one right next to them.
We arrived at the Magic Kingdom right about 9. I missed the opening show, but that’s fine with me. You see it once, you’ve seen it enough. A monorail had just dumped out a lot of people, but getting through the bag check was very quick and I had nobody in front of me at the turnstile at all. I was pleased to see the Halloween party décor has gone up already. Are they really doing the party in early September???? They had some cute scarecrows in the hub near the train station, and the lamp posts along Main Street were all decorated in fall colors and pumpkins. Most of the stores had some outside décor as well – it all really looked nice.
My first stop was Space Mountain, where I picked up a fastpass with a 10:10 return time. From there I walked to Fantasyland and rode the Pooh ride with no wait at all. As I walked further, some little girls wearing different princess dresses (and a big sister way too old to be dressed in a princess dress in my opinion) were getting off the carousel The littlest one was being carried by dad, and was dressed as Tinkerbell. Luckily I didn’t see any adults dressed as princesses like Donna from dvc did recently – otherwise I would have definitely taken a picture <g>.
Peter Pan’s Flight had almost no line at all, so I did that next. Another princess family was just boarding, and the old man who works there had to yell at one of the princesses and her brother because they were trying to yank the safety bar down. The rest of the family was further back, not noticing anything. Fantasyland is definitely princess territory these days, lol – and Disney is making a fortune on those dresses, tiaras, and boutique.
After Peter Pan I decided I’d better go back to Main Street to take any photos I wanted since I didn’t know when the rain would start. It was completely overcast, and although it was nice to not have the hot sun beating on me, the humidity was so high it was still disgustingly sweaty. I wandered up & down Main Street enjoying the decorations, and hearing part of the trolley dancers’ show. It made me feel like I was back home in Ft Myers. We have trolleys of singers and dancers bursting into song all the time, just as I’m sure you all do too <g>.
Oh – on my way out to Main Street, I saw that they’ve started putting up those winter lights on the castle. Someone on one of the boards had posted that it was a one-time thing, but I couldn’t see Disney spending all of that money for just one season! I’m glad to see this time I was right!
I headed over to Adventureland to ride Pirates of the Caribbean but when I got there I learned they were having “technical difficulties”. That wasn’t the end of the world, as I mainly only wanted it for the air conditioning, lol! Instead I walked over to the Haunted Mansion. It was starting to rain lightly, so I wasn’t going to bother with Big Thunder. The Haunted Mansion queue was not busy, but the preshow room ended up filling. A number of little kids screamed in terror when the lights went out. Nothing like being traumatized for life at the Magic Kingdom, lol!
I wandered back through Fantasyland, which was getting fairly busy by now. As I approached Tomorrowland I saw no line at Buzz Lightyear so I decided to give it a try. It had a 5-minute wait posted, and that was pretty accurate. Partway through the ride it stopped, and since I had a target near me I kept hitting the button. I pretty much suck at this ride, but I was up over 200,000 and then the shooting & score just shut off. My score disappeared!! They have guardrails that rise up, so that if you had to be evacuated you wouldn’t be able to fall off the platform. Eventually it started up again, and before the car started moving I kept shooting at that target. I ended up with around 247,000 points, which is probably the highest I ever got. It would have been nice to have seen 447,000 though.
From here I went over to Space Mountain and used my fastpass. That was really unnecessary though, as hardly anybody was in line. The cast member commented that I just wasted my fastpass, but since I wouldn’t be here later I didn’t care. I was seated in the 3rd seat behind a little boy, with his mom in the front. As we cleared the top of the hill he started screaming for her – scared to death. She tried to reach back to him, but it didn’t really calm him. I wonder if she tried him out on any similar rides before trying this one, because he really did NOT like it, lol!
I took a spin on the Tomorrowland Transit Authority and then headed out of the park. At the bus stop I didn’t have to wait too long for an OKW bus, and then another pulled in directly behind it. I got on the first one, and was the only guest. At the Peninsular stop I heard a guest grumble to the driver that he’d been waiting 40 minutes for a bus. That stinks, but does anything thing THIS bus driver had anything to do with that, or can keep it from happening again?? If you’re going to complain about something, complain to someone in a position to DO something. At the next stop (South Point) 3 women got on with their luggage! They dragged their big suitcases up the stairs, then of course were blocking everything as they sat in the front. Did bell services refuse to come get them or something??? I got off at the next stop, and saw the 2nd OKW bus right behind us also at the bus stop. Why would you not divert that 2nd one somewhere else to get back on schedule?
I went up to the studio and updated the report and chatted with SB. About noon I walked up to the Hospitality House to have lunch at Olivia’s Café. It was a pleasant walk, and I was seated without any wait even without a reservation. It was less than half full, although it did get busier later. I was seated out on the porch, which is indoors and air conditioned. A couple of people were sitting outside, but that would have been my last resort today!
I ordered the pinot grigio and the tomato & mozzarella salad – is anyone surprised? The soup today was cream of broccoli, which is on my list of “I’d rather die than eat that” foods. The member special was some pork thing, but I really did not pay attention because I knew before I left the studio that I was getting the tomato/mozzarella salad. This was SO much better than what’s at the Boardwalk Bakery, lol! There’s a small pile of field greens at one end of the plate, then 3 tomato slices and 3 thick mozzarella slices. I’ve eaten this here for years, and although it’s changed a little over the years it’s still a very good choice for me. I asked about bread, but at lunch they only SELL the pineapple bread they make here - $2.39 for a loaf. I didn’t want a loaf, so I didn’t order any. The salad was really enough, anyway. I passed on dessert, since I had the chocolate chip cookie from last night in the studio.
I walked back to the studio and settled down to listen to SB’s game on the internet. After today he only has one more this season. It was still cloudy & overcast outside, so no pool for me. I’ll stick with the air conditioned comfort of my studio! When his game ended (they won again) I decided to head to a park. Since Animal Kingdom was supposed to be open until 7 and I had not been there yet, that was my choice.
There was a bit of a wait for the bus, but SB called while I was there so it worked out fine. It’s very hard to hear a cell phone conversation when I’m on a noisy bus. Right behind the AK bus was one for Downtown Disney, then another for AK. All day I’ve seen 2 buses for the same park right behind each other here at OKW.
At AK it was a breeze getting in, because everyone else was leaving, lol! I decided on Kilamanjaro Safari, so I headed back to Harambe. I’d seen on the tip board that the wait was only 10 minutes, and that was accurate. The guide did a good job (David), and both lions were out. The male was even walking around. Overall it was a good safari, and I had the whole row to myself since it wasn’t crowded. When I got back to Harambe I walked back to the front of the park and exited. Along the way, I was very pleased to see a Disney security guy sternly telling a young adult that smoking was NOT permitted where she was. He kept talking to her and escorted her over to the nearest smoking area. I would have thanked him, but wasn’t going to chase after him or do anything to make her feel more uncomfortable, because she was apologizing. He wasn’t out of line with her, but he certainly was going to make sure the rule was enforced, lol!
At the OKW bus stop there was a bit of a wait, but I was the first to arrive so I assume I just missed the last one. It couldn’t have been a full 20 minutes, though. Back at OKW I went up to the studio to shower & change, and left around 7 to drive over to Downtown Disney. Since the West Side bus stop is so far away, I figure it’ll be more convenient to take the car even if I have to park far away! Before I left I ate some of the fruit I’d brought with me. Publix sells great bowls of chopped fruit, and I brought 2 with me – one had cantaloupe & honeydew and the other was seedless watermelon. I figured this would be my dinner and I might do a Wetzel’s pretzel later – yum!
As I came around the corner towards Downtown Disney I could see the parking lots were really crowded. I turned in at the Planet Hollywood entrance and saw some spaces way out by the main road, so I went directly there. Every row I passed had cars circling looking for an empty space. I wasn’t going to waste my time with that nonsense, so I parked and walked. I stopped at the Guest Services booth to inquire about my refund for the portion of my Pleasure Island annual pass that goes after September 27th (the closing date). The cast member said if I wanted to still use the pass, come back any time after the 27th. The refund will be the same no matter when I come back. I realize I’ve more than gotten my money’s worth out of the pass already, but since Disney is prorating the price and giving a refund, I’m not going to let them keep one penny since they pissed me off over closing Comedy Warehouse.
I wandered around a bit, and heard Dave (regular at Comedy Warehouse) call to me. His annual pass already expired, so he’s having to buy full price tickets from now on. I’d told him Friday night I could get him in tonight (my pass is for me and a guest). It was only about 7:15 or so, and I didn’t want to sit there that long, so I left him at a table outside Comedy Warehouse and then walked to the West Side.
Wetzel’s Pretzels wasn’t crowded, but to make up for it they only had 1 person working and every person in front of me (3 people) was ordering food for an army. The worker had to get the food, ring it up, get the slushes, get the sodas, etc. The family behind me was not happy, and soon the line was out the door. When it was my turn I got my plain (no salt) pretzel, got my 20% dvc discount, and went outside. I sat out back by the lake, across from Saratoga Springs. Eventually I tired of sitting, so I wandered around some more, then went back to Comedy Warehouse. I didn’t see Dave where I left him, but soon heard someone calling my name. Another regular had gotten him in, and the 4 of them were in line already.
We thought the “no back door” thing started tomorrow, but it started tonight. For people who don’t have medical issues (including me), I understand the change. However, it doesn’t work for everyone. One of the people in this group has an issue that makes standing in line not possible, but stairs are ok. I got in line to get my wrist band, but didn’t cut ahead to join them since I knew they’d save me a seat. The big tall gentleman in front of me was a Disney cast member, and when he heard us talking (we were next to each other in different lanes of the queue) he undid the chain and gently pushed me over there.
Carol Stein was on the keys tonight, and there was a big crowd for all of the shows I attended. Even at the first show, they had to seat some people behind others in the same row. While that’s great for Disney, it means that if you see a show and then want to see the next one, you risk not getting in at all – and if you do, it will be way in the back or behind somebody.
The 8:00 cast was Robby, Philip, Krista, David & Missy. They did Styles, where the scene has to be performed in various styles of music, theater, books & tv channels. Philip did the calling while David & Krista created a scene about her not understanding the iphone he had given her. It was a funny scene, and the musical parts are perfect for Krista with her gorgeous voice. Her husband & kids were down front at the show, and while the audience is completely impressed with her singing & the funny lyrics she’s creating, her kids are more interested in their straws, lol! After all – that’s just mom up there, but these straws are really cool <g>. Afterwards, Philip created a poem from an audience suggestion – about trying to kill a prairie dog but then taking it home and divorcing his wife because the prairie dog at least didn’t argue with him.
Schmeopardy was next, hosted by the fast-talking Krista. Robby was Kenny Grimes, a jazz zinger (singer and comic) from New Orleans. Missy was Carrie Filanges, who failed massage school and can only be a back scratcher. Philip was Paul Eddington, the toilet cleaner at the Grand Floridian (dressed like a butler). It was very funny – a great first show. I stopped to talk with Carol on the way out, not sure if I’d be getting back into the next show.
When I went back upstairs the line was very full. Dave was sitting at a table by the door, as instructed. The others were in the line. Maureen had left before the last part of the show started, to get a place in line. There was an older couple (not sure how many years I can use the word “older” to refer to other people, lol) who were not in good shape. She walked with difficulty even with her cane. The door guy brought a chair into the queue area and put it next to the door so she could sit down. They got to be the first ones inside, but since she couldn’t walk down the stairs, they were stuck in the back row.
We got our favorite row again, and Leesa called to say she was in the line. She’d tried the back door but was told nobody can go there. By the time she got to the seat, she was pretty much wiped out. Thankfully they let us stay put for the following show, as they know her situation.
The 9:10 cast was Krista, Missy, Philip, David & Joy. Philip took a play from the basket and then the rest of the cast created a scene while he called out the stage directions using that play. Joy started the scene, about a dirty silver spoon. David was her husband, who tied up their daughter Krista in the naughty corner. It was very funny – especially Krista as the kid yelling out “that’s not appropriate for me to see/hear” as her parents were continuing the scene.
Next was Forgotten Songs, which I always enjoy. Joy and David were an old couple driving 20 mph down I-4 in “Car Wreck”. Krista was great as Catherine, a waitress at IHOP, singing “Drunk people love IHOP”. Philip & Missy were also great as a Star Trek couple singing “Honeymoon under the stars”. They also did Cliché, where Missy was tortured until she figured out “His hands look like a bunch of bananas”. Overall it was another great show – good audience, too.
Leesa & I stayed inside this time, and Carol came over to chat. I cleaned up the row (moving empty bottles & cups to the end) since we might be in the way. Before we knew it, it was time for the next show.
The 10:25 cast was Joy, Mary, David, Robby & Missy. They opened with a poem about WDW called “Disney took all my money”. They like taking pot shots at the Disney prices, lol. They created a scene that was had to include 3 specific lines suggested by the audience, and each had to be turned into a song. Robby & Mary were on Margarita Island – she was a wealthy tourist and he was a local cabana boy who kept telling her she was beautiful. The songs were “What would I do if I lost my right index finger?”, “Everyone gets ugly eventually” and “There’s gonna be a hurricane coming here”.
Joy & Missy started a scene where Missy just found out her dad was really a vampire and she’d been given up for adoption. Each actor played a different character, and only 2 were in the scene at any time. An actor would shout “freeze” and replace one of the 2, then the scene would continue with those 2 characters. It was funny, and moved well. They also did the World’s Worst, from several occupation suggestions from the audience.
I was sorry to see the show come to an end, and I knew the line outside would be so long it wasn’t worth seeing the next one even though I would have loved to catch another of Mary’s shows. Before leaving I spent some time catching up with her, then walked Leesa out to where her ride would be picking her up. Normally we’d go out separate ways, but that walk up the ramp and then down the stairs took a toll on her and I didn’t want her to be found on ground somewhere! Of course, if Prince Charming would come along maybe she wouldn’t mind <g>.
I walked back to my car over by the movie theater, and drove back to OKW. Although it was midnight, there were a lot of people walking around, and of course lots of very young kids. After all, didn’t our parents keep us up until midnight or after on vacation?? Well, maybe not mine.
Today was a very nice day, except for the overcast weather. I got to do a lot, but never felt rushed or stressed out trying to fit it all in. Hopefully tomorrow will be the same!
DAY 4 – Monday 9/1/08
Who: Sue (49), DVC member
Plan: Magic Kingdom, LeCellier, early Comedy Warehouse
Actual: This morning I figured I would sleep in, so I didn’t set the alarm. I woke up just after 7, lol! Usually on weekends I’m up before 7:30, so this is what “sleeping in” is for me. I got up and into the shower, and then for breakfast I had cappuccino, the other English muffin, and some of the fruit. I took my time and finished yesterday’s report, and watched some of the Hurricane Gustav coverage on tv.
Around 9 I drove over to Beach Club Villas and parked there. I love entering via the International Gateway, as it’s never busy most of the time. I headed to the Land first, and got there around 9:45. I planned on having to get a fastpass for later, but to my surprise there was only a 15-minute posted wait. I decided to go for it, and walked right into the preshow area without stopping! I got row 1, too. It was terrific, and when I got back to the entrance the fastpass area was almost empty! I actually took a photo, because at 10am there was only 1 guy in there getting a fastpass! I got one as well, but ended up not using it since the posted standby time was still 15 minutes. I got in line again, and this time had to wait a few minutes for boarding to begin. I’ve never seen Soarin’ so uncrowded this time of day, but I love it! I hope it’s like this in October.
After my 2nd ride I called SB because I figured he’d called while I was inside Soarin’. I didn’t get him, so I walked over to The Seas and did the Nemo ride with no wait at all. This ride isn’t terribly exciting, but it’s air conditioned & therefore worth doing if there’s no wait. After the ride, I saw the dolphins swimming around in their tank so I stopped to watch a while. They’re so much bigger than I expected. I like the Disney doesn’t train them to “perform” for us – I really find that sort of animal treatment really distasteful. The dolphins were fun to watch without the trained theatrics.
I went back outside and tried SB again, and this time got him. We talked as I wandered around, and he suggested I just have fun and not listen to his game today, but it’s his last game of the season and I wouldn’t miss it. Besides, the air conditioning will be needed and appreciated! Although there were a lot of clouds out today, there was also a good amount of sun and it was BROILING out there!
I wandered through Mouse Gear, and saw some cute fake ice cubes I’ll get next trip (didn’t want to carry them, and I’m leaving in the morning). I always put ice in my wine because I like it COLD. With these, I’ll get the benefit of an ice cube without any melting to water down the wine – plus they’re shaped like hidden Mickeys!
By now it was 11am, so I walked out to World Showcase, starting in Mexico. I was surprised to see that pavilion not open yet, even though it was past 11. People were standing around outside, waiting to get in, but I just continue on my way. In Norway I stopped to ride the Maelstrom, then continued on my way. I managed to arrive in Canada just before 11:30. LeCellier opens then, so I checked in for my 12:15 reservation and asked to be seated as soon as they could take me. It was miserably hot outside, so I found a seat on a bench inside and cooled off.
It was a good 25 minutes before they were able to seat me, but that was 20 minutes before my reservation and I was out of the heat! Daniel was my server – he’s the cute little guy (sorta like Doogie Howser) who leads the singing of the Canadian national anthem. He did an excellent job for me. I had the Riesling and a bowl of the cheese soup. Everything was delicious, as usual. Daniel said they haven’t changed the soup at all since the day they opened – which by the way, was when he was 1 year old, lol!
They have a new appetizer-entrée-dessert choice on the lunch menu for $29.99. However, when you look at the prices for the items available, it’s easy to lose money on the deal! If you ordered the most expensive appetizer, most expensive entrée, etc – at most you’d save maybe $3.00. I guess Disney “can” think we’re stupid because so many guests reinforce that belief on a daily basis <g>. Anyway, I’ll stick with my usual or order ala carte!
After lunch I walked to France (without getting wet other than sweat <g>) and bought one of their delicious chocolate chip cookies for later! Sadly, this is better than any of the dessert choices at LeCellier. The “moose” is cute, but really doesn’t taste all that great (and it’s a lot smaller for the same or higher price), and I can’t see paying $7.95 for crème brulee when I can get excellent crème brulee for $3.95 at Puck’s or the bakery in France.
Cookie in hand, I left Epcot for the last time this trip, and walked back to Beach Club Villas to get into my HOT car for the drive back to OKW. I realized as I was walking through BCV that this is the dvc resort where I’m most happy to stay. It’s got the right mix of perfect location, beautiful rooms, great Stormalong Bay, and plenty of food options nearby. I’m so glad I bought points here (twice), so I’m able to get in at 11 months during the most important months of the year.
Back at OKW, my trash & towel service had already been done, so I was all set for the rest of the day. I heard from Mary, and since she’ll be in the first show tonight I’ll head back to Comedy Warehouse for that show. I’ve got to be on the road so early, so I don’t want to be out late.
I turned on the weather channel and updated this report, then worked on a report SB needs to submit on the team for last month. I find his report interesting, and I can do it a lot faster than he can <g>. After that was done I just relaxed in the studio while I listened to his game, and also watched General Hospital. Once again, they played an old episode since today was a holiday. After SB’s game ended (they won) I sat on the porch for awhile until he called. A little bit later we finished up his report and then I headed out.
I decided that rather than sweating by walking to the Hospitality House I’d catch the next bus that came by and ride instead. Well, I had the longest wait of the trip! It was probably only 15 minutes, but that’s a long time for NO bus for any park to come by. I forget which one finally arrived, but after a stop at Millers Road I got off at the Hospitality House stop.
Since I’m leaving before dawn tomorrow I stopped by the front desk to have them settle my room charges to the credit card so there won’t be anything delivered to my door knob after I’ve left tomorrow. From there I went to the marina and saw the ferry to Downtown Disney just pulling in. We had a 4 minute wait, as the boat was due to depart at 6pm. The boats are ugly & uncomfortable but the ride is so much nicer than riding a bus. It doesn’t pay to drive a car, because parking is an absolute nightmare.
After a stop at Saratoga Springs the boat continued to the dock at the Marketplace, right by Rainforest Café. I went to Wolfgang Puck Express again, and was disappointed to learn they still had not received the 14 Hands Riesling. I hope it doesn’t disappear from the menu, as I really like it a lot and can’t get it at home. Well, I could if I ordered a case but I don’t want 12 bottles of wine. I tried the chardonnay instead (just ok) and had the tortilla soup for dinner. Tonight I got a table indoors, in the air conditioning!
When I was almost finished a party of 5 adults at the table next to me received their food. It was hysterical – 3 of the 5 whipped out cameras and began photographing the meals before taking a bite. I asked the person closest to me if she was taking the photos for her own pleasure or for posting on the internet, and she said DIS boards, lol! I said – “oh, food porn” and she knew what I was talking about. For those of you who don’t know what food porn is, it’s simply photographs of the different food at WDW. Sometimes it even includes a Mickey waffle cut up into many little pieces and then doused with syrup so it looks absolutely awful, but most people take the photo before messing with the food, lol!
After dinner I stopped in Ghiradelli for a sample and then went into World of Disney to look for those ice cube things that I’d seen in Epcot earlier today. They must be new, because they’re everywhere! I got 10% off here for having an annual pass, and while I was finishing at the register a lady came over and introduced herself (Peggy from Buffalo) and her travel companion Amy. They read over on RADP, and had recognized me from photos. We chatted a bit, and it was very nice meeting them – hopefully we’ll see their report soon. They’re on free dining and had just come from lobster at Captain Jack’s but I didn’t think to ask them if they did food porn, lol! They might have gone running out of the store <g>.
By now it was time to start checking on Comedy Warehouse, just in case the line formed early. I got there just before 7:30 and the place was deserted. I grabbed a table outside, and sat there with several other people. At 7:45 the line people set up shop, but nobody entered the line until between 5 & 10 minutes before 8. I did the counting I used to do in the old days – counting the number of people ahead of me so I am sure to get in the row I like. It worked like a charm, too. When the door opened at 8, my seat was front & center in my row.
The couple in line in front of me were young, and he is a Disney cast member. I don’t know if she was or not. She was a blonde, wearing a black & white halter dress. He had jeans, dumb black hat, black vest and a white shirt with the sleeves rolled up pretty high. I’m pretty sure he was straight, but the clothes confused me. Anyway, she was jabbering on a mile a minute, constantly yak, yak, yak about dumb stuff. I got a kick out of watching his reaction – he’s checking his phone, looking up at the sky, looking over her shoulder, all the while with a fake smile barely showing as he tried to pretend to be interested. He was probably thinking he’d better get “lucky” tonight after putting up with this incessant chatter <g>. I believe her main topic of conversation was turkey legs.
The 8:00 cast was Mary, Lisa, Missy, Krista, Robby and Carol Stein on the keys. They did the freeze thing where Lisa & Missy started a scene about typing, then the other actors would say “freeze” and replace one of them, starting a new scene with those physical positions. They did a good job, but the audience (all 30-40 of them) were so quiet! Next they took turns telling a story about a running event at Woodstock, GA. Each actor was a different character there, and each took turns continuing this small-town story. It was hysterical – Lisa was a baton-twirling runner, Missy was too fat to run but got naked and twirled flaming batons with her breasts, Krista put vodka in the Gatorade & spent her time smoking cigarettes, and Mary kept referring to the famous Woodstock & acting ditzy. I really liked this, and they all were excellent!
Mary led what I think was a gospel song about drinking. She made it about drinking & eating, rather than drinking alcohol like the person who suggested it meant. Then Mary let the others in creating a play. She’d interrupt to get audience suggestions for the play to continue. Krista was a narcoleptic jump rope instructor teaching Robby the massage therapist who wants to be a boxer. He cured Krista of her narcolepsy by calling Stanley Steemer (Lisa & Missy) to suck the fog out of her head through her ear. It was an interesting play, lol – be sure to look for it on Broadway next year!
After the show I visited with Mary a bit, then headed back to the Marketplace. I couldn’t resist stopping in Goofy’s Candy Co and I ended up buying a marshmallow thingy from the old days. For the new folks – that’s 4 marshmallows threaded on a Mickey drinking straw, then dipped in milk chocolate and rolled in little m&m pieces. It’s totally healthy and good for you. It’ll go home with me – or at least it’ll make it to work!
The boat ride back to OKW was really nice, especially after everyone but 1 family got off at Saratoga Springs <g>. I don’t hate people, but I do enjoy peace & quiet. While I was waiting to board the boat, I could see the Illuminations fireworks over at Epcot. When you’re cruising down a peaceful canal in the dark, the last thing I want is some crying kid or yelling parent to spoil the mood.
Back at OKW I walked to the studio, and never saw a bus pass me the whole time, lol! Several went by while I was still on the boat, so I guess they’re just clumped together tonight. Once I was in the studio I packed up my stuff since I forgot to do it earlier, and finished the cookie from France. I talked to SB for a while – hard to believe he’ll be home tomorrow. He hasn’t been home since early April, and although I go up & spend time with him during the season, it’s not the same as just being home.
I finished up the report, downloaded the photos, and hope to get to sleep by midnight. The alarm is set for 3:30 am, and I will be on the road by 4:30 am. I’ve really enjoyed this trip, despite the crummy weather, oppressive heat/humidity and the few food/beverage disappointments. It’s my last solo trip until next April, too. Once I get home and get the photos uploaded, I’ll probably do an album for each day – with captions so the photos make sense.
The next trip is in just 16 days. SB & I are spending 3 nights at All Star Sports with the free dining. The only Disney resorts he’s stayed in are all DVC, so it’ll be interesting to see how this trip increases his appreciation of DVC! Until next time – thanks for reading.
Who: Sue (49), DVC member
Dates: August 29 – September 2, 2008
Travel Method: Personal car
Resort: Disney’s Old Key West Resort
Experience: Extremely experienced
INTRODUCTION:
I’m finally staying at Old Key West again, after way too long since my last visit. My last stay was January 2007! There are so many great choices with DVC, it’s easy to overlook my original resort. I’ll be driving up after work (leaving early), despite not having a dental appointment today! I enjoyed my July trip (when I did not go to any parks) so much that although I’d planned on doing the parks this trip I may opt for mostly resort time again. It’s still horribly hot & humid in Florida, so daytime in the parks just doesn’t appeal to me any more. I’ll be back in a few weeks with SB, and we’ll spend some time in the parks then.
I did book some dining reservations. I’ve got Spoodles for an early dinner on Friday night, figuring I would spend that evening in Epcot. However, now with Comedy Warehouse closing in less than a month I’ll skip Epcot in favor of comedy. I tried moving it to another night, but was unable to get anything before 9:20 pm! I could probably get in as a walk in right when they open, but I’ll just drive over from OKW and then go back to the resort before heading to Downtown Disney. I booked lunch at 50’s Prime Time Café on Saturday, but canceled that one last week in favor of time by the pool. Sunday’s lunch is LeCellier, which of course I would ‘t ever consider skipping! Originally my trip included Tuesday night, but baseball caused that to change. SB’s team did not make it into the playoffs, so he will be flying home Tuesday. Rather than staying up here I’ll go to work (saving the vacation day for the end of the next trip in a couple weeks) and pick SB up from the airport when his flight lands.
This will be a short trip, but that’s better than nothing. I recently bought an extra wireless router and will attempt to get that set up so I do not have to keep the laptop tied to a cable in the wall! Plus, when SB & I are here together we can both be online at the same time. The router is my biggest concern of the trip, as I have no patience for computer things I don’t understand!
The weather looks pretty good, or at least as good as you can expect in Florida during the summer! Hurricane Gustav will spare us, and that’s the most important thing. I won’t have time for Animal Kingdom, but since I’ll be back soon it can wait for the next trip. I haven’t seen Toy Story Midway Mania (or whatever it’s called) yet, and I’m torn between trying to see it and waiting to ride it with SB. I think if I feel like getting up for early extra magic hours I’ll head over on Saturday (provided the attraction is open early), and if not we’ll do it in a few weeks or in October.
The plans so far are:
Friday, 8/29: Work, Spoodles, Comedy Warehouse
Saturday 8/30: Hollywood Studios, Pool, Epcot
Sunday 8/31: Resort, Comedy Warehouse
Monday 9/1: Magic Kingdom, LeCellier, early Comedy Warehouse
Tuesday 9/2: Drive to work (pre-dawn)
DAY 1 – Friday 8/29/08
Who: Sue (49), DVC member
Plan: Work, Spoodles, Comedy Warehouse
Actual: The short work day passed quickly, and I was on the road as planned at 1pm. I had a last minute call from one of my department heads, and I put her off – saying I’d call her from the road. Turns out she was calling to tell me she has another job – so while I’m happy for her, I hate losing her at this point. Our place is closing in just under 2 years, so finding a replacement could be very hard.
The drive was uneventful, and I was pulling into Old Key West sometime before 4pm. There was no wait at check-in, and I was soon on my way to building 31. I made a brief walk around the main pool area before driving over to my studio. With all my trips to OKW, this is only the 2nd time I’ve been in this area. Eleven years ago I was next door in building 30 when I got the call that my mom had died unexpectedly. Hopefully this trip won’t have any news like that! I’m on the 2nd floor, which happens to be the top floor (as requested).
The studio looks great – everything is as it should be, with minor room for improvement. The old-fashioned tv has to go! It looks so out of place – like they pulled it in from a dumpster somewhere. The carpet is a little damp right by the porch, but it’s not too bad. It’s good to be back here, but I’d prefer one bed and a sofa rather than 2 beds. I moved my stuff inside and got settled, then attempted the wireless router.
As expected, it didn’t exactly “work like a charm”. The router turned on, but I couldn’t get the internet to come up even though I was connected to an “excellent” wireless signal. I thought maybe I needed to get online with the cable to sign in first, so I tried that after dinner and that wouldn’t work either. I could never get internet explorer to come up, and the cable is not clicking into the port on this laptop, so I’m thinking that might be the problem. So, I’m on dialup for now but I’ll try again tomorrow.
At 4:30 I drove over to the Boardwalk so I wouldn’t be late for my 5:05 reservation at Spoodles. I ended up being 15-20 minutes early, and it was so damn HOT outside, I spent most of the time in the shops and other air-conditioned space. I took a look in the Boardwalk Bakery and saw they have a tomato & mozzarella sandwich on the menu, which might be a nice future meal idea. Shortly before 5 I went into Spoodles and checked in. I was given a beeper thing and it went off when I was about 10 steps away, lol!
This time I had a table for 2 with a view of the open kitchen. My waiter was very attentive and did a great job. At one point they seated the huge table (12 people) and once again my server had it. However, this time my server still checked on me – last time I never saw my server until I was waiting for the check.
The food was very good. One of the specials was lobster ravioli, which was probably very good if you like lobster (I can’t stand it). I was hungry, so I decided to order the greek salad as an appetizer and the buffalo mozzarella tomato panzanella as my meal. They’re both from the appetizer menu, though. I swear I remember the greek salad coming on a plate the size of a bread dish, and the salad was very small. Well, now it’s very large – too large for an appetizer to be followed by an entrée. The manager was walking by and she agreed – she said she has that for her dinner some nights. It was delicious, and they left out the items I didn’t want. I didn’t try to finish it, as I had the panzanella coming. My server waited until I looked like I was finished with the salad before he put the panzanella order in, which was a nice touch.
The panzanella consists of 3 tomato chunks, 3 pieces of excellent buffalo mozzarella with pesto, and 3 thin pieces of crispy bread underneath. There’s oil on it too, and it’s a nice light meal (unless it’s following a jumbo greek salad). I also had a glass of pinot grigio, most likely the same one I had last time but I don’t remember the name. They serve a focaccia bread with oil & olive stuff before the meal, but I didn’t really care for that.
I was way too full for dessert, and even left a little of the panzanella. The total check was around $22, and it was a great meal. I stopped in the candy store on the way out, and picked up a chocolate cup with little m&m’s to snack on later. I just can’t resist anything chocolate!
I drove back to OKW and made the futile attempts to get online with the high-speed internet. Dial-up isn’t the end of the world, but I shouldn’t have to settle for that any more. Actually, it’s unacceptable that the Disney resorts don’t all have wireless high speed internet in every guest room! This is 2008 – not 1988! Oh well – I updated the report thus far, watched some news on tv, and left around 7:20 to ride the bus to Downtown Disney. Lately parking there has been a nightmare, so I figured I’d see if the bus from OKW was less of a nightmare <g>.
It was a very short walk to the Turtle Pond bus stop, and the bus arrived within a few minutes. I was alone on the bus until the Hospitality House stop, where lots of people boarded. It’s strange that out of 5 stops, all but 1 passenger would be coming from only 1 of them. I got off at the Marketplace and walked through the very crowded area, stopping only at Ghiradelli for a chocolate sample. Once I got to Pleasure Island I found Leesa & a friend sitting outside the Comedy Warehouse.
Pleasure Island now doesn’t open until 8pm, including all of the clubs and the ticket booths at the main entrance. If you need a ticket and want to see the first Comedy Warehouse show, buy your ticket at the Guest Services location between Pleasure Island and the West Side (across from Wetzel’s Pretzels. I also learned that starting this Monday (9/1) they are eliminating the back door access for everyone. No more friends of cast members getting in that way, no more people with medical issues coming in that way – everyone will have to enter through the door upstairs (according to the manager outside the back door). If you have a medical issue you will be able to sit at the table outside Comedy Warehouse, but the rest of your party will have to stand in the line – then they’ll merge you together when the line starts going in. Somebody who cannot climb up stairs will have to sit in the top row, way in the back – and exit out that same door. I was shocked they were saying people in wheelchairs would not be brought in the back door, either. Someone who cannot transfer out of a wheelchair cannot get onto a bar stool in the back row, and the wheelchair cannot go down the stairs. It all seems rather harsh for the people who truly need the access that way, but I guess it’s easier for Disney to deny them than risk offending the people who don’t have a need for the back door but feel entitled to it anyway.
Carol Stein was on the keys tonight. The 8:00 cast was Missy, Robby, Brian, Christine & Morgan. Missy did an excruciatingly long phone interview to get the show started – I thought it would never end! Eventually the music cued her to wrap it up, just like on the awards shows on tv. Next Brian & Robby started a scene about setting off fireworks, and then 1 at a time the others would yell “freeze” and then replace that actor & start a new scene based on the physical positions the 2 were in. It was really funny – this always moves fast, and it can be hilarious.
They did Forgotten Songs, where the audience makes up song titles. Brian sang “Dragons are amazing” as a fill-in-the-blank song using a 5-yr old girl from the audience he pulled to sit next to him on stage. It was cute, and the girl was perfectly comfortable up there. Christine, Morgan & Missy were funny as 3 fat, old, ugly ex-playboy bunnies who now instead of being hot stripper pole chicks wear “Pink fuzzy bunny slippers”. Robby stole this scene, coming out as Mickey Mouse singing about Minnie leaving him after 50 years for Winnie the Pooh in “Mouse skins are not warm”. They finished up with a Fill in the Blank scene with Robby & Morgan on a ski slope. Overall it was a good show, and a large audience than I’ve seen lately for a first show.
The 9:05 cast was Matt, Missy, Christine, Morgan & Robby. They did Blind Line, where movie phrases are written on pieces of paper & scattered on the stage. Missy & Christine created a scene as student & teacher, and would stop the dialogue to pick up a piece of paper for their next line. Matt came in as the school principal from time to time, and it was a funny scene. Next they created a song started by one of them, then each person would rotate in to continue, even if it was mid-word. It was about an audience member from England celebrating her 40th birthday. They also did Press Conference, about a soap box derby in Yamhill, Oregon. It was another good show, but I was tired so I didn’t stay for the 3rd.
SB called as I was walking up the stairs, so I talked to him as I left Pleasure Island. It was pretty busy there, but no nearly as busy on the West Side. The Pleasure Island bus stop is under construction now, so they’re using the West Side stops instead. I walked over there and the OKW bus came in a fairly short period of time (5 minutes or so). Best of all, it wasn’t crowded and the driver was outstanding! If you ever get Angel the bus driver, he’s been driving for Disney for a year and seems to really love the company and the guests he drives around. He’s the type of cast member you used to see all the time decades ago.
At OKW I got off at the first stop and walked to my studio, figuring I’d beat the bus. Sure enough, as I opened my door I heard the bus going past me on the street, headed for the bus stop. I didn’t bother finishing the report until the next morning, but I did download the photos. I’d hoped to do a daily photo report as well, but on dial up I can’t do it from here! Hopefully I’ll have time to try to get some help with the internet mess on Saturday.
I set the alarm for 5:45 and turned in before midnight. It is GREAT being back here – not OKW specifically, but WDW/DVC in general.
DAY 2 – Saturday 8/30/08
Who: Sue (49), DVC member
Plan: Hollywood Studios, Pool, Epcot
Actual: The alarm woke me at 5:45 and I had no idea where I was. I knew it was Saturday, and on weekend I don’t set the alarm, so that didn’t make sense. Plus, it was on the wrong side of the room if I was home, so it took a minute or so to realize I was here at OKW. It only took another second after that for me to realize that 5:45 is too early to be getting up on a vacation!
I got up anyway – made the bed, took a shower, and had some cappuccino and an English muffin for breakfast. Being in a studio is so much more convenient than being in an ordinary hotel room! I finished up yesterday’s report & got that posted, then went out to the car by 7:15. It made more sense for me to drive this morning, so I drove back to Boardwalk and parked my car there. It was a somewhat sticky (humid) walk to Hollywood Studios, but it was a nice walk. It would be miserable later in the day, so I figured I’d walk it early. I passed several joggers going the other direction, but otherwise had the path to myself.
It was just about 7:30 when I reached the Studios, and I stood in a short queue at the turnstiles. At 7:45 they let us through, and held us at a rope before Sunset Boulevard. At 8:00 the music came on, then we were walked over to Toy Story Midway Mania. The cast member was telling people that all fastpasses would be gone by 10:30, but I think with early entry they were gone earlier than that today.
I was on the ride in no time, walking very quickly through the queue area and snapping a few photos as I walked. This was my first time on the ride, and I’ll definitely be back – it’s terrific! There wasn’t anything I didn’t like about it, since I’m not foolish enough to stand in line 90 minutes like many people! The long waits are the only negative, and hopefully that will die down in a year or so. Until then, this will be my first stop when I visit Hollywood Studios.
When I got back outside it was just 8:15am. The standby wait was now 70 minutes already! The line to get fastpasses was huge – snaking through a queue area, and easily as long as a normal line to RIDE Space Mountain! There’s no way fastpasses lasted until 10:30 today! I decided to go ride Star Tours, and barely saw another person as I walked over there. I walked right through the queue and reached the boarding area 10 seconds before the doors opened – this is great! The family in the row in front of me were talking about going over to do Muppets next, then maybe Toy Story after that. LOL – I tapped the guy on the shoulder and told him how long the wait was 20 minutes ago, and told him fastpasses might be gone if he waits to go over there. Besides, when you walk up to a fastpass machine at 9am you don’t expect your ride time to be 8pm!
Star Tours was – well, it’s the same old Star Tours. It’s not nearly as exciting as it was in 1989, and despite rumors over the years that they were changing the film, nothing has happened yet. It’s air conditioned – that would be the biggest plus I guess.
I was headed to Epcot next, so I exited the park and rode the boat over to the Yacht Club and walked into Epcot from there. That’s faster than riding to the Boardwalk, and I think the walk wouldn’t have been any shorter. I breezed through International Gateway with no wait at all, and headed to Future World and the Land.
It was 9:15 and Soarin’ had a 20 minute standby line so I did it that way. I ended up in the front row, which was great. I couldn’t smell the pine trees or the oranges, but on my way out I heard other people commented that they had smelled both. Hmmm, either it’s sprayed from each vehicle or my nose isn’t working! Living with the Land had a posted 5-minute wait, so I did that – but the wait was really only 1 minute. This isn’t very exciting, but it’s a nice ride. Since SB wasn’t here I didn’t stop to see Circle of Life. I like it ok, but he likes it more, so I know we’ll do it when he’s here. I did pick up a Soarin’ fastpass before leaving. The return time was pretty soon (an hour away maybe), but I’ll save it for when I return later today.
Next was Test Track, which had a standby wait of 30 minutes. Soarin’ was up to 25 minutes by now. Something is wrong with the world if Test Track has a longer wait than Soarin! The single rider line had a posted 10-minute wait, but once again it was not that long – maybe 2 minutes. In the pre-show, about halfway through the doors opened so we got to exit without watching the rest. As I was sitting in the car at the seatbelt check area I saw SB had called while I was on Soarin’. Test Track was fun, and then I walked over to the Epcot Exhibit near Club Cool to give SB a call back. It can be hard to find a place to have a cell phone conversation at WDW. Anywhere near Test Track is out of the question due to the cars zooming noisily by, and then so many bushes and flowerbeds have music blaring from them, lol! It was also broilingly (ok, that’s not a real word) HOT & HUMID, so something quiet AND air conditioned was my destination!
After I talked with him, I wandered through the Epcot exhibit, and then it was time to start wandering back to the Boardwalk. I just missed the boat, so I walked since it was faster than waiting for the next boat. It had been getting very cloudy, and as I got near the Boardwalk it started raining lightly. It was a sun shower, so I sat under an awning outside the arcade at ESPN and waited 5 minutes for it to be 11am.
At the Boardwalk Bakery, the menu says starting at 11 then have sandwiches. I wanted to try the tomato/mozzarella sandwich, which is why I parked here today. I figured I’d get the sandwich and take it to the pool at OKW for lunch. At 11 I went inside, and the cast member tells me they haven’t made those yet! I told her I’d made a special trip here for that, and even waited outside until it was 11am & asked her to find out what time they would be available. She disappeared, and then came back to say they were making one for me. That was good, but they really need to have them in the case for everyone since the menu says they have them starting at 11. I also picked up a yogurt parfait for a future breakfast, then headed out to the car and drove back to OKW.
SB called just as I got there – he finally got his flight information for Tuesday. He returns home then, the same day I get back home. The timing worked really well too, as I won’t have to miss any morning meetings. Back in the studio I realized it was completely cloudy outside and it had rained here as the streets were all wet. I tried the sandwich and while other people might like it, I thought it was disgusting! The mozzarella was 3 very thin slices – not even 1/8 of an inch thick. The tomatoes seemed to be sun dried tomatoes, and I don’t like those. I tried stacking the cheese up in one section and eating that – but I threw most of it away. The little cup of cucumber salad though was very tasty. I won’t be returning for another one, though.
I hung out online for a while, then decided to try the internet cable but I could not get it to lock into the port. I’m thinking the problem is this laptop – it’s not the one I usually bring. So, I packed the router stuff back up & put it away. It’s not worth messing with, so I’ll just suffer through dial up the rest of this trip.
I was going to go to the pool, and got changed into my swimsuit before realizing that was a stupid idea with it being so cloudy. I couldn’t see any blue sky in either direction, and since I’d just be laying on a chaise lounge reading I decided I might as well do that on my porch. So, I finished updating today’s report, got changed back into regular clothes, the grabbed a book & some water and sat outside reading for awhile.
While I was outside it rained a few times, and then it poured for quite a while. Thunder was booming, and the rain was enough to drive me back inside. Even worse, it’s supposed to be like this tonight, tomorrow, and Monday! Oh well, it beats having a hurricane hit me. They’re saying now Gustav could be a category 5 hurricane, and since I’m not in it’s path I have nothing to complain about!
I was getting a touch of cabin fever being stuck in the studio, so a little after 3:30 I decided to brave the weather and see how it went. I changed from sneaker to Tevas because I was certain the sneakers would get soaked. I also have an umbrella, because I don’t wrap myself in plastic ponchos in such hot/humid weather. They’ve got severe thunderstorm warning up here, but hopefully I’ll encounter a few dry spells in between.
While I was bored, I played around with my DVC dues/plans to see what my stays are really costing me. I’ve broken even on my investment overall, so I’m just staying for the cost of my dues. On the negative side, my stays always include weekend nights, so I have a high % of the expensive nights. That makes my average night’s stay cost $85.55. Maybe I could stay at an All Star some nights for less than that, but why would I want to?? When I factor in the points that I rented, and just apply the net dues – I’m staying this year for $36.11 per night. At those prices, it’s easy to see how I’m here so often!
I walked over to the bus stop and waited about 5 minutes for the bus to Epcot. It had stopped raining for the most part, but it was very wet everywhere. For a while it was a sea of plastic ponchos wherever I looked, lol. There was no wait at the useless bag check, and the turnstile lines were not too long either. However, whoever was at the front of my line was either a complete idiot or had a pass that would not work. The other lines were moving, but not this one. Finally I got inside the park, walked past the tombstones and saw almost no line at all at Spaceship Earth so I got in line there.
I always enjoy Spaceship Earth, and today was no exception. The exit area was very crowded, so I didn’t stop to see what any of the stuff was about. Next I walked over to the Land and used my fastpass for Soarin’. Surprisingly, they were still issuing fastpasses for 7:45, and this was at 4-5pm on a holiday weekend! This time I had the last row, but since I had the front row earlier I didn’t care.
I wandered out to World Showcase, starting in Mexico. It was fairly busy, but not horribly crowded. I didn’t bother to check on the Mexico boat ride or the Maelstrom in Norway. In Germany I decided to get my glass of wine, and in the courtyard I was surprised to see a co-worker from our central office in Tallahassee. I wasn’t too sure I was happy about that, as I like NOT seeing anybody work-related when I’m here, lol! I stopped to talk to her & her husband, and found out they joined DVC about a year after I did, and they’re at Saratoga Springs this trip. Her hubby loves walking over for breakfast at Wolfgang Puck Express, lol! Oh well, at least if I have to risk seeing a co-worker here, it’s someone with the sense to be a dvc member <g>.
SB called before his game, then I went into the counter service place to get a cup of ice and then the wine store to get a glass of wine. I like my wine cold, so I add ice to it even though that could be considered extremely tacky by “real” wine people. I had grabbed some napkins so I wiped off part of a bench in Germany and sat there enjoying my wine while watching the people walking by. It started raining again, and when it got heavier I opened the umbrella and continued on my way. I decided instead of getting a pretzel for dinner I’d do Wolfgang Puck Express at the Marketplace.
Since I didn’t have a car with me, I exited Epcot through the International Gateway and walked to the bus stop at Beach Club. The Downtown Disney bus arrived as I did, but it was full. Only a couple of people got off, and a lot got on. The people already standing on the bus did not move back – they stayed standing near their party and those of us boarding had to fight our way down the aisle between a bunch of standing people. I thought that was rather rude of them, but it wasn’t worth getting upset over. We stopped at the Boardwalk, and then went to the Marketplace. It had stopped raining again, but I was only here for one thing.
I walked over to Puck’s and thought there was a long line but the big group in front of me never moved when the people ahead were taken care of. Then I noticed they seemed to be looking at menus and talking to each other, so I went around them and went to a waiting cashier. One guy gave me a dirty look, but I wasn’t the one stupidly not paying attention to the line <g>. There were 2 cashiers looking for people to place orders, and this group of about 8 people were nowhere near the registers even though they entered the building before me.
My dinner tonight didn’t go too well. I ordered the 14 Hands riesling that I love, the tortilla soup that I love, and decided to try the crème brulee for the first time. I paid for it, and when the guy went to pour my wine he came back & apologized for not remembering the shipment didn’t come in today. I chose the sauvignon blanc as an alternative, and he insisted I take a cookie or something for the inconvenience – so I ended up with a chocolate chip cookie for later.
I sat outside, and tried the wine. I’ll never order it again, and it was a terrible disappointment compared to the Riesling. Fairly soon my soup arrived, and the guy said my crème brulee would be there shortly. The soup is always wonderful, and although it’s a very shallow bowl the soup is so thick it’s very filling. After I finished I was still waiting for the crème brulee. I waited and waited and waited some more. Finally the table next to me complained because they were almost finished with 2 of their 4 entrees and the other 2 hadn’t come yet. When those were brought out I stopped the guy and explained about the crème brulee. He was very apologetic and brought it out soon. I’ve never had a problem like that here before, so I don’t believe I’ll experience this in the future. The crème brulee was very good, but I think the soup & correct wine is really enough for me. Besides, good crème brulee is not hard to find.
While I was at Puck’s it started raining again, and then rained really hard. I kept moving my table over as far as I could, because the wind was blowing. My table got pretty wet, but I stayed mostly dry – all the while waiting for that crème brulee! Just as I finished a couple of desperate women asked if I was leaving (wanting my table), so I got up and finished my water next to the trash can so they could sit down. I walked back to the bus stop and waited for the OKW bus to arrive. After stopping at the West Side we finally got back to OKW and once again I got off at the first stop and walked back to the studio (the rain had stopped again). I was back in the studio shortly after 8, and got SB’s game broadcast going on the internet.
I finished up the report, downloaded the photos, and just relaxed online the rest of the night. Today was a nice day, except for the weather being bad and that sandwich from the Boardwalk Bakery being awful – and the wine at Puck’s – on 2nd thought maybe it wasn’t a nice day <g>. Even with the lousy sandwich & other stuff, I’m still glad to be here. I’ll probably change my plans for tomorrow. Assuming it’s cloudy & rainy like they say it will be, spending the morning at the pool will not happen. Instead maybe I’ll head to Animal Kingdom, or do Magic Kingdom a day early.
DAY 3 – Sunday 8/31/08
Who: Sue (49), DVC member
Plan: Resort, Comedy Warehouse
Actual: I slept until just before 7, which is a whole lot more civilized than 5:45 (or 4:40 at home on work days). After showering I made some cappuccino and ate the yogurt parfait from the Boardwalk Bakery. It was very good, and although at first I thought it was tacky the portion size is smaller than it used to be, it really was plenty. I was out the door by 8:30, and only had a short wait for the bus to Magic Kingdom.
The bus was empty when it arrived at Turtle Pond, and the biggest crowd of course was the Hospitality House. Why do so many people board from there?? If I was staying near there I’d make the short walk to Peninsular and be guaranteed a seat since it’s the first stop. I can’t figure out if there’s a legitimate reason for people to be there, or if they’re all just kind of dumb (not thinking). It’s just like at the turnstiles – people go line up in the longest line and don’t bother to go to the empty one right next to them.
We arrived at the Magic Kingdom right about 9. I missed the opening show, but that’s fine with me. You see it once, you’ve seen it enough. A monorail had just dumped out a lot of people, but getting through the bag check was very quick and I had nobody in front of me at the turnstile at all. I was pleased to see the Halloween party décor has gone up already. Are they really doing the party in early September???? They had some cute scarecrows in the hub near the train station, and the lamp posts along Main Street were all decorated in fall colors and pumpkins. Most of the stores had some outside décor as well – it all really looked nice.
My first stop was Space Mountain, where I picked up a fastpass with a 10:10 return time. From there I walked to Fantasyland and rode the Pooh ride with no wait at all. As I walked further, some little girls wearing different princess dresses (and a big sister way too old to be dressed in a princess dress in my opinion) were getting off the carousel The littlest one was being carried by dad, and was dressed as Tinkerbell. Luckily I didn’t see any adults dressed as princesses like Donna from dvc did recently – otherwise I would have definitely taken a picture <g>.
Peter Pan’s Flight had almost no line at all, so I did that next. Another princess family was just boarding, and the old man who works there had to yell at one of the princesses and her brother because they were trying to yank the safety bar down. The rest of the family was further back, not noticing anything. Fantasyland is definitely princess territory these days, lol – and Disney is making a fortune on those dresses, tiaras, and boutique.
After Peter Pan I decided I’d better go back to Main Street to take any photos I wanted since I didn’t know when the rain would start. It was completely overcast, and although it was nice to not have the hot sun beating on me, the humidity was so high it was still disgustingly sweaty. I wandered up & down Main Street enjoying the decorations, and hearing part of the trolley dancers’ show. It made me feel like I was back home in Ft Myers. We have trolleys of singers and dancers bursting into song all the time, just as I’m sure you all do too <g>.
Oh – on my way out to Main Street, I saw that they’ve started putting up those winter lights on the castle. Someone on one of the boards had posted that it was a one-time thing, but I couldn’t see Disney spending all of that money for just one season! I’m glad to see this time I was right!
I headed over to Adventureland to ride Pirates of the Caribbean but when I got there I learned they were having “technical difficulties”. That wasn’t the end of the world, as I mainly only wanted it for the air conditioning, lol! Instead I walked over to the Haunted Mansion. It was starting to rain lightly, so I wasn’t going to bother with Big Thunder. The Haunted Mansion queue was not busy, but the preshow room ended up filling. A number of little kids screamed in terror when the lights went out. Nothing like being traumatized for life at the Magic Kingdom, lol!
I wandered back through Fantasyland, which was getting fairly busy by now. As I approached Tomorrowland I saw no line at Buzz Lightyear so I decided to give it a try. It had a 5-minute wait posted, and that was pretty accurate. Partway through the ride it stopped, and since I had a target near me I kept hitting the button. I pretty much suck at this ride, but I was up over 200,000 and then the shooting & score just shut off. My score disappeared!! They have guardrails that rise up, so that if you had to be evacuated you wouldn’t be able to fall off the platform. Eventually it started up again, and before the car started moving I kept shooting at that target. I ended up with around 247,000 points, which is probably the highest I ever got. It would have been nice to have seen 447,000 though.
From here I went over to Space Mountain and used my fastpass. That was really unnecessary though, as hardly anybody was in line. The cast member commented that I just wasted my fastpass, but since I wouldn’t be here later I didn’t care. I was seated in the 3rd seat behind a little boy, with his mom in the front. As we cleared the top of the hill he started screaming for her – scared to death. She tried to reach back to him, but it didn’t really calm him. I wonder if she tried him out on any similar rides before trying this one, because he really did NOT like it, lol!
I took a spin on the Tomorrowland Transit Authority and then headed out of the park. At the bus stop I didn’t have to wait too long for an OKW bus, and then another pulled in directly behind it. I got on the first one, and was the only guest. At the Peninsular stop I heard a guest grumble to the driver that he’d been waiting 40 minutes for a bus. That stinks, but does anything thing THIS bus driver had anything to do with that, or can keep it from happening again?? If you’re going to complain about something, complain to someone in a position to DO something. At the next stop (South Point) 3 women got on with their luggage! They dragged their big suitcases up the stairs, then of course were blocking everything as they sat in the front. Did bell services refuse to come get them or something??? I got off at the next stop, and saw the 2nd OKW bus right behind us also at the bus stop. Why would you not divert that 2nd one somewhere else to get back on schedule?
I went up to the studio and updated the report and chatted with SB. About noon I walked up to the Hospitality House to have lunch at Olivia’s Café. It was a pleasant walk, and I was seated without any wait even without a reservation. It was less than half full, although it did get busier later. I was seated out on the porch, which is indoors and air conditioned. A couple of people were sitting outside, but that would have been my last resort today!
I ordered the pinot grigio and the tomato & mozzarella salad – is anyone surprised? The soup today was cream of broccoli, which is on my list of “I’d rather die than eat that” foods. The member special was some pork thing, but I really did not pay attention because I knew before I left the studio that I was getting the tomato/mozzarella salad. This was SO much better than what’s at the Boardwalk Bakery, lol! There’s a small pile of field greens at one end of the plate, then 3 tomato slices and 3 thick mozzarella slices. I’ve eaten this here for years, and although it’s changed a little over the years it’s still a very good choice for me. I asked about bread, but at lunch they only SELL the pineapple bread they make here - $2.39 for a loaf. I didn’t want a loaf, so I didn’t order any. The salad was really enough, anyway. I passed on dessert, since I had the chocolate chip cookie from last night in the studio.
I walked back to the studio and settled down to listen to SB’s game on the internet. After today he only has one more this season. It was still cloudy & overcast outside, so no pool for me. I’ll stick with the air conditioned comfort of my studio! When his game ended (they won again) I decided to head to a park. Since Animal Kingdom was supposed to be open until 7 and I had not been there yet, that was my choice.
There was a bit of a wait for the bus, but SB called while I was there so it worked out fine. It’s very hard to hear a cell phone conversation when I’m on a noisy bus. Right behind the AK bus was one for Downtown Disney, then another for AK. All day I’ve seen 2 buses for the same park right behind each other here at OKW.
At AK it was a breeze getting in, because everyone else was leaving, lol! I decided on Kilamanjaro Safari, so I headed back to Harambe. I’d seen on the tip board that the wait was only 10 minutes, and that was accurate. The guide did a good job (David), and both lions were out. The male was even walking around. Overall it was a good safari, and I had the whole row to myself since it wasn’t crowded. When I got back to Harambe I walked back to the front of the park and exited. Along the way, I was very pleased to see a Disney security guy sternly telling a young adult that smoking was NOT permitted where she was. He kept talking to her and escorted her over to the nearest smoking area. I would have thanked him, but wasn’t going to chase after him or do anything to make her feel more uncomfortable, because she was apologizing. He wasn’t out of line with her, but he certainly was going to make sure the rule was enforced, lol!
At the OKW bus stop there was a bit of a wait, but I was the first to arrive so I assume I just missed the last one. It couldn’t have been a full 20 minutes, though. Back at OKW I went up to the studio to shower & change, and left around 7 to drive over to Downtown Disney. Since the West Side bus stop is so far away, I figure it’ll be more convenient to take the car even if I have to park far away! Before I left I ate some of the fruit I’d brought with me. Publix sells great bowls of chopped fruit, and I brought 2 with me – one had cantaloupe & honeydew and the other was seedless watermelon. I figured this would be my dinner and I might do a Wetzel’s pretzel later – yum!
As I came around the corner towards Downtown Disney I could see the parking lots were really crowded. I turned in at the Planet Hollywood entrance and saw some spaces way out by the main road, so I went directly there. Every row I passed had cars circling looking for an empty space. I wasn’t going to waste my time with that nonsense, so I parked and walked. I stopped at the Guest Services booth to inquire about my refund for the portion of my Pleasure Island annual pass that goes after September 27th (the closing date). The cast member said if I wanted to still use the pass, come back any time after the 27th. The refund will be the same no matter when I come back. I realize I’ve more than gotten my money’s worth out of the pass already, but since Disney is prorating the price and giving a refund, I’m not going to let them keep one penny since they pissed me off over closing Comedy Warehouse.
I wandered around a bit, and heard Dave (regular at Comedy Warehouse) call to me. His annual pass already expired, so he’s having to buy full price tickets from now on. I’d told him Friday night I could get him in tonight (my pass is for me and a guest). It was only about 7:15 or so, and I didn’t want to sit there that long, so I left him at a table outside Comedy Warehouse and then walked to the West Side.
Wetzel’s Pretzels wasn’t crowded, but to make up for it they only had 1 person working and every person in front of me (3 people) was ordering food for an army. The worker had to get the food, ring it up, get the slushes, get the sodas, etc. The family behind me was not happy, and soon the line was out the door. When it was my turn I got my plain (no salt) pretzel, got my 20% dvc discount, and went outside. I sat out back by the lake, across from Saratoga Springs. Eventually I tired of sitting, so I wandered around some more, then went back to Comedy Warehouse. I didn’t see Dave where I left him, but soon heard someone calling my name. Another regular had gotten him in, and the 4 of them were in line already.
We thought the “no back door” thing started tomorrow, but it started tonight. For people who don’t have medical issues (including me), I understand the change. However, it doesn’t work for everyone. One of the people in this group has an issue that makes standing in line not possible, but stairs are ok. I got in line to get my wrist band, but didn’t cut ahead to join them since I knew they’d save me a seat. The big tall gentleman in front of me was a Disney cast member, and when he heard us talking (we were next to each other in different lanes of the queue) he undid the chain and gently pushed me over there.
Carol Stein was on the keys tonight, and there was a big crowd for all of the shows I attended. Even at the first show, they had to seat some people behind others in the same row. While that’s great for Disney, it means that if you see a show and then want to see the next one, you risk not getting in at all – and if you do, it will be way in the back or behind somebody.
The 8:00 cast was Robby, Philip, Krista, David & Missy. They did Styles, where the scene has to be performed in various styles of music, theater, books & tv channels. Philip did the calling while David & Krista created a scene about her not understanding the iphone he had given her. It was a funny scene, and the musical parts are perfect for Krista with her gorgeous voice. Her husband & kids were down front at the show, and while the audience is completely impressed with her singing & the funny lyrics she’s creating, her kids are more interested in their straws, lol! After all – that’s just mom up there, but these straws are really cool <g>. Afterwards, Philip created a poem from an audience suggestion – about trying to kill a prairie dog but then taking it home and divorcing his wife because the prairie dog at least didn’t argue with him.
Schmeopardy was next, hosted by the fast-talking Krista. Robby was Kenny Grimes, a jazz zinger (singer and comic) from New Orleans. Missy was Carrie Filanges, who failed massage school and can only be a back scratcher. Philip was Paul Eddington, the toilet cleaner at the Grand Floridian (dressed like a butler). It was very funny – a great first show. I stopped to talk with Carol on the way out, not sure if I’d be getting back into the next show.
When I went back upstairs the line was very full. Dave was sitting at a table by the door, as instructed. The others were in the line. Maureen had left before the last part of the show started, to get a place in line. There was an older couple (not sure how many years I can use the word “older” to refer to other people, lol) who were not in good shape. She walked with difficulty even with her cane. The door guy brought a chair into the queue area and put it next to the door so she could sit down. They got to be the first ones inside, but since she couldn’t walk down the stairs, they were stuck in the back row.
We got our favorite row again, and Leesa called to say she was in the line. She’d tried the back door but was told nobody can go there. By the time she got to the seat, she was pretty much wiped out. Thankfully they let us stay put for the following show, as they know her situation.
The 9:10 cast was Krista, Missy, Philip, David & Joy. Philip took a play from the basket and then the rest of the cast created a scene while he called out the stage directions using that play. Joy started the scene, about a dirty silver spoon. David was her husband, who tied up their daughter Krista in the naughty corner. It was very funny – especially Krista as the kid yelling out “that’s not appropriate for me to see/hear” as her parents were continuing the scene.
Next was Forgotten Songs, which I always enjoy. Joy and David were an old couple driving 20 mph down I-4 in “Car Wreck”. Krista was great as Catherine, a waitress at IHOP, singing “Drunk people love IHOP”. Philip & Missy were also great as a Star Trek couple singing “Honeymoon under the stars”. They also did Cliché, where Missy was tortured until she figured out “His hands look like a bunch of bananas”. Overall it was another great show – good audience, too.
Leesa & I stayed inside this time, and Carol came over to chat. I cleaned up the row (moving empty bottles & cups to the end) since we might be in the way. Before we knew it, it was time for the next show.
The 10:25 cast was Joy, Mary, David, Robby & Missy. They opened with a poem about WDW called “Disney took all my money”. They like taking pot shots at the Disney prices, lol. They created a scene that was had to include 3 specific lines suggested by the audience, and each had to be turned into a song. Robby & Mary were on Margarita Island – she was a wealthy tourist and he was a local cabana boy who kept telling her she was beautiful. The songs were “What would I do if I lost my right index finger?”, “Everyone gets ugly eventually” and “There’s gonna be a hurricane coming here”.
Joy & Missy started a scene where Missy just found out her dad was really a vampire and she’d been given up for adoption. Each actor played a different character, and only 2 were in the scene at any time. An actor would shout “freeze” and replace one of the 2, then the scene would continue with those 2 characters. It was funny, and moved well. They also did the World’s Worst, from several occupation suggestions from the audience.
I was sorry to see the show come to an end, and I knew the line outside would be so long it wasn’t worth seeing the next one even though I would have loved to catch another of Mary’s shows. Before leaving I spent some time catching up with her, then walked Leesa out to where her ride would be picking her up. Normally we’d go out separate ways, but that walk up the ramp and then down the stairs took a toll on her and I didn’t want her to be found on ground somewhere! Of course, if Prince Charming would come along maybe she wouldn’t mind <g>.
I walked back to my car over by the movie theater, and drove back to OKW. Although it was midnight, there were a lot of people walking around, and of course lots of very young kids. After all, didn’t our parents keep us up until midnight or after on vacation?? Well, maybe not mine.
Today was a very nice day, except for the overcast weather. I got to do a lot, but never felt rushed or stressed out trying to fit it all in. Hopefully tomorrow will be the same!
DAY 4 – Monday 9/1/08
Who: Sue (49), DVC member
Plan: Magic Kingdom, LeCellier, early Comedy Warehouse
Actual: This morning I figured I would sleep in, so I didn’t set the alarm. I woke up just after 7, lol! Usually on weekends I’m up before 7:30, so this is what “sleeping in” is for me. I got up and into the shower, and then for breakfast I had cappuccino, the other English muffin, and some of the fruit. I took my time and finished yesterday’s report, and watched some of the Hurricane Gustav coverage on tv.
Around 9 I drove over to Beach Club Villas and parked there. I love entering via the International Gateway, as it’s never busy most of the time. I headed to the Land first, and got there around 9:45. I planned on having to get a fastpass for later, but to my surprise there was only a 15-minute posted wait. I decided to go for it, and walked right into the preshow area without stopping! I got row 1, too. It was terrific, and when I got back to the entrance the fastpass area was almost empty! I actually took a photo, because at 10am there was only 1 guy in there getting a fastpass! I got one as well, but ended up not using it since the posted standby time was still 15 minutes. I got in line again, and this time had to wait a few minutes for boarding to begin. I’ve never seen Soarin’ so uncrowded this time of day, but I love it! I hope it’s like this in October.
After my 2nd ride I called SB because I figured he’d called while I was inside Soarin’. I didn’t get him, so I walked over to The Seas and did the Nemo ride with no wait at all. This ride isn’t terribly exciting, but it’s air conditioned & therefore worth doing if there’s no wait. After the ride, I saw the dolphins swimming around in their tank so I stopped to watch a while. They’re so much bigger than I expected. I like the Disney doesn’t train them to “perform” for us – I really find that sort of animal treatment really distasteful. The dolphins were fun to watch without the trained theatrics.
I went back outside and tried SB again, and this time got him. We talked as I wandered around, and he suggested I just have fun and not listen to his game today, but it’s his last game of the season and I wouldn’t miss it. Besides, the air conditioning will be needed and appreciated! Although there were a lot of clouds out today, there was also a good amount of sun and it was BROILING out there!
I wandered through Mouse Gear, and saw some cute fake ice cubes I’ll get next trip (didn’t want to carry them, and I’m leaving in the morning). I always put ice in my wine because I like it COLD. With these, I’ll get the benefit of an ice cube without any melting to water down the wine – plus they’re shaped like hidden Mickeys!
By now it was 11am, so I walked out to World Showcase, starting in Mexico. I was surprised to see that pavilion not open yet, even though it was past 11. People were standing around outside, waiting to get in, but I just continue on my way. In Norway I stopped to ride the Maelstrom, then continued on my way. I managed to arrive in Canada just before 11:30. LeCellier opens then, so I checked in for my 12:15 reservation and asked to be seated as soon as they could take me. It was miserably hot outside, so I found a seat on a bench inside and cooled off.
It was a good 25 minutes before they were able to seat me, but that was 20 minutes before my reservation and I was out of the heat! Daniel was my server – he’s the cute little guy (sorta like Doogie Howser) who leads the singing of the Canadian national anthem. He did an excellent job for me. I had the Riesling and a bowl of the cheese soup. Everything was delicious, as usual. Daniel said they haven’t changed the soup at all since the day they opened – which by the way, was when he was 1 year old, lol!
They have a new appetizer-entrée-dessert choice on the lunch menu for $29.99. However, when you look at the prices for the items available, it’s easy to lose money on the deal! If you ordered the most expensive appetizer, most expensive entrée, etc – at most you’d save maybe $3.00. I guess Disney “can” think we’re stupid because so many guests reinforce that belief on a daily basis <g>. Anyway, I’ll stick with my usual or order ala carte!
After lunch I walked to France (without getting wet other than sweat <g>) and bought one of their delicious chocolate chip cookies for later! Sadly, this is better than any of the dessert choices at LeCellier. The “moose” is cute, but really doesn’t taste all that great (and it’s a lot smaller for the same or higher price), and I can’t see paying $7.95 for crème brulee when I can get excellent crème brulee for $3.95 at Puck’s or the bakery in France.
Cookie in hand, I left Epcot for the last time this trip, and walked back to Beach Club Villas to get into my HOT car for the drive back to OKW. I realized as I was walking through BCV that this is the dvc resort where I’m most happy to stay. It’s got the right mix of perfect location, beautiful rooms, great Stormalong Bay, and plenty of food options nearby. I’m so glad I bought points here (twice), so I’m able to get in at 11 months during the most important months of the year.
Back at OKW, my trash & towel service had already been done, so I was all set for the rest of the day. I heard from Mary, and since she’ll be in the first show tonight I’ll head back to Comedy Warehouse for that show. I’ve got to be on the road so early, so I don’t want to be out late.
I turned on the weather channel and updated this report, then worked on a report SB needs to submit on the team for last month. I find his report interesting, and I can do it a lot faster than he can <g>. After that was done I just relaxed in the studio while I listened to his game, and also watched General Hospital. Once again, they played an old episode since today was a holiday. After SB’s game ended (they won) I sat on the porch for awhile until he called. A little bit later we finished up his report and then I headed out.
I decided that rather than sweating by walking to the Hospitality House I’d catch the next bus that came by and ride instead. Well, I had the longest wait of the trip! It was probably only 15 minutes, but that’s a long time for NO bus for any park to come by. I forget which one finally arrived, but after a stop at Millers Road I got off at the Hospitality House stop.
Since I’m leaving before dawn tomorrow I stopped by the front desk to have them settle my room charges to the credit card so there won’t be anything delivered to my door knob after I’ve left tomorrow. From there I went to the marina and saw the ferry to Downtown Disney just pulling in. We had a 4 minute wait, as the boat was due to depart at 6pm. The boats are ugly & uncomfortable but the ride is so much nicer than riding a bus. It doesn’t pay to drive a car, because parking is an absolute nightmare.
After a stop at Saratoga Springs the boat continued to the dock at the Marketplace, right by Rainforest Café. I went to Wolfgang Puck Express again, and was disappointed to learn they still had not received the 14 Hands Riesling. I hope it doesn’t disappear from the menu, as I really like it a lot and can’t get it at home. Well, I could if I ordered a case but I don’t want 12 bottles of wine. I tried the chardonnay instead (just ok) and had the tortilla soup for dinner. Tonight I got a table indoors, in the air conditioning!
When I was almost finished a party of 5 adults at the table next to me received their food. It was hysterical – 3 of the 5 whipped out cameras and began photographing the meals before taking a bite. I asked the person closest to me if she was taking the photos for her own pleasure or for posting on the internet, and she said DIS boards, lol! I said – “oh, food porn” and she knew what I was talking about. For those of you who don’t know what food porn is, it’s simply photographs of the different food at WDW. Sometimes it even includes a Mickey waffle cut up into many little pieces and then doused with syrup so it looks absolutely awful, but most people take the photo before messing with the food, lol!
After dinner I stopped in Ghiradelli for a sample and then went into World of Disney to look for those ice cube things that I’d seen in Epcot earlier today. They must be new, because they’re everywhere! I got 10% off here for having an annual pass, and while I was finishing at the register a lady came over and introduced herself (Peggy from Buffalo) and her travel companion Amy. They read over on RADP, and had recognized me from photos. We chatted a bit, and it was very nice meeting them – hopefully we’ll see their report soon. They’re on free dining and had just come from lobster at Captain Jack’s but I didn’t think to ask them if they did food porn, lol! They might have gone running out of the store <g>.
By now it was time to start checking on Comedy Warehouse, just in case the line formed early. I got there just before 7:30 and the place was deserted. I grabbed a table outside, and sat there with several other people. At 7:45 the line people set up shop, but nobody entered the line until between 5 & 10 minutes before 8. I did the counting I used to do in the old days – counting the number of people ahead of me so I am sure to get in the row I like. It worked like a charm, too. When the door opened at 8, my seat was front & center in my row.
The couple in line in front of me were young, and he is a Disney cast member. I don’t know if she was or not. She was a blonde, wearing a black & white halter dress. He had jeans, dumb black hat, black vest and a white shirt with the sleeves rolled up pretty high. I’m pretty sure he was straight, but the clothes confused me. Anyway, she was jabbering on a mile a minute, constantly yak, yak, yak about dumb stuff. I got a kick out of watching his reaction – he’s checking his phone, looking up at the sky, looking over her shoulder, all the while with a fake smile barely showing as he tried to pretend to be interested. He was probably thinking he’d better get “lucky” tonight after putting up with this incessant chatter <g>. I believe her main topic of conversation was turkey legs.
The 8:00 cast was Mary, Lisa, Missy, Krista, Robby and Carol Stein on the keys. They did the freeze thing where Lisa & Missy started a scene about typing, then the other actors would say “freeze” and replace one of them, starting a new scene with those physical positions. They did a good job, but the audience (all 30-40 of them) were so quiet! Next they took turns telling a story about a running event at Woodstock, GA. Each actor was a different character there, and each took turns continuing this small-town story. It was hysterical – Lisa was a baton-twirling runner, Missy was too fat to run but got naked and twirled flaming batons with her breasts, Krista put vodka in the Gatorade & spent her time smoking cigarettes, and Mary kept referring to the famous Woodstock & acting ditzy. I really liked this, and they all were excellent!
Mary led what I think was a gospel song about drinking. She made it about drinking & eating, rather than drinking alcohol like the person who suggested it meant. Then Mary let the others in creating a play. She’d interrupt to get audience suggestions for the play to continue. Krista was a narcoleptic jump rope instructor teaching Robby the massage therapist who wants to be a boxer. He cured Krista of her narcolepsy by calling Stanley Steemer (Lisa & Missy) to suck the fog out of her head through her ear. It was an interesting play, lol – be sure to look for it on Broadway next year!
After the show I visited with Mary a bit, then headed back to the Marketplace. I couldn’t resist stopping in Goofy’s Candy Co and I ended up buying a marshmallow thingy from the old days. For the new folks – that’s 4 marshmallows threaded on a Mickey drinking straw, then dipped in milk chocolate and rolled in little m&m pieces. It’s totally healthy and good for you. It’ll go home with me – or at least it’ll make it to work!
The boat ride back to OKW was really nice, especially after everyone but 1 family got off at Saratoga Springs <g>. I don’t hate people, but I do enjoy peace & quiet. While I was waiting to board the boat, I could see the Illuminations fireworks over at Epcot. When you’re cruising down a peaceful canal in the dark, the last thing I want is some crying kid or yelling parent to spoil the mood.
Back at OKW I walked to the studio, and never saw a bus pass me the whole time, lol! Several went by while I was still on the boat, so I guess they’re just clumped together tonight. Once I was in the studio I packed up my stuff since I forgot to do it earlier, and finished the cookie from France. I talked to SB for a while – hard to believe he’ll be home tomorrow. He hasn’t been home since early April, and although I go up & spend time with him during the season, it’s not the same as just being home.
I finished up the report, downloaded the photos, and hope to get to sleep by midnight. The alarm is set for 3:30 am, and I will be on the road by 4:30 am. I’ve really enjoyed this trip, despite the crummy weather, oppressive heat/humidity and the few food/beverage disappointments. It’s my last solo trip until next April, too. Once I get home and get the photos uploaded, I’ll probably do an album for each day – with captions so the photos make sense.
The next trip is in just 16 days. SB & I are spending 3 nights at All Star Sports with the free dining. The only Disney resorts he’s stayed in are all DVC, so it’ll be interesting to see how this trip increases his appreciation of DVC! Until next time – thanks for reading.