Trip Reports
04-06-2006, 08:59 AM
Time of Year: Winter
Travel Method: Plane
Resort: GRBR, WL, DL
Accommodations: Standard Room
Ages Represented in Group: Adult, Senior
WDW Experience Represented in Group: Veteran
Comments: Eureka and her husband stayed at three different resorts during this trip. Eureka's report also gives the reader a taste of some of the fun banter that goes on in the Usenet newsgroup rec.arts.disney.parks. As the Czarina of the Trimobious Disney Cabinet (TDC), she's well qualified to fill you in...if you don't know what I mean, read the report. You might not know what I mean after you read it, either, but you'll have fun! (and you can always email Eureka if you have questions).
Intro and Some Fun Trivia
Dear, Beloved Public,
Well, as some of you know, your Czar and Czarina have just returned from a triumphant and scandalously Fabulous trip to WDW. We were celebrating our 15th anniversary and we threw caution to the winds. We had a marvelous time.
Your Czarina will attempt to make this trip report legible to those not familiar with the Trimobius Disney Cabinet ® and all its ancient customs. This first part of the report will serve as an introduction and a place to put some general little things I don't know what else to do with.
Part 2 will deal with HOTELS-the three we stayed in and some others we visited.
Part 3 is RESTAURANTS of the World; hopefully, I can write a few reviews which will end up in Deb's Disney Digest (if I'm very good).
Part 4 is about ATTRACTIONS-rides and otherwise.
Part 5 is CROWDS, TRAVEL and other difficulties, with some hints on how to cope with the 25th anniversary.
An Introduction Of Sorts:
In every family, it seems, there is one true, dyed-in-the-wool, wand-up-the-*** Disney nut and one or more who...well, who remains to be convinced, let's say. In our case, it may surprise you to know that the nut is the Czar. I enjoy WDW a lot, but I enjoy the folks here on r.a.d.p. even more. I take the parks with a grain of salt.
Nevertheless, I love to see the great, big, silly smile that covers my Czar's face whenever he is in Disney World. And on this occasion we were not only celebrating our 15th anniversary, but introducing my mother, the Grand Czarina, a distinguished white-haired English lady of 70, to the place. Despite her appearance she is very adventurous and I knew she would like it. She was to stay for 4 days only, and then travel on.
We planned a trip of 11 days total-Feb. 2 to 13. We decided to resort-hop, staying at Dixie Landings, the Grand Floridian, and the Wilderness Lodge.
Some Random Observations:
**(WARNING: TDC material coming) Your Czarina has discovered the true location of Trimobia. It is in that space at Epcot between China and Germany currently occupied by a few pathetic safari-type shops and a fast-food wagon. (These are only false fronts). You will note that Trimobia is protected by a river with a bridge (and it's a DRAWBRIDGE) on one side, and the Republic of Germany on the other. Germany, without getting into politics, is well-known for its ability to mobilize quickly in case of attack, and we have an excellent relationship with several influential C.M.s in Der Teddy Bear. You need only drink eight rum punches in quick succession, say the password, and crash through the underbrush for a few moments, and you will find yourself in Trimobia. (TDC material finished).**
The voice of the Orlando Airport monorail is the same one as the DW monorail; this is a lovely low-key thrill to start you off. I know others have said this before; can anyone identify him by name?
Florida's bird population, well-represented at the World and elsewhere, is almost an attraction in itself for us city dwellers. Ducks! Baby ducks!! Egrets, herons, hawks!!
Landscaping: the one word that sets Disney World apart from all other wannabe attractions of its kind, worldwide.
Another thrill for visiting non-Southerners-biscuits! Some day, your Czarina will write an article entitled "The Biscuits of Disney World".
Worst Mazes to be Caught In for Half an Hour or More: Maelstrom and Jungle Cruise.
Best Enduring Classic: Impressions de France.
Least Improved Pleasure Island Club: Adventurer's Club.
Best Cancellation: The World Showcase omnibuses. Yeah, they were cute, but they got you nowhere, and you wasted time waiting for them.
Best Off-the-Wall Attraction: The Junkanoo Bus.
Best New Restaurant: Flying Fish, in a landslide.
Best Locale for Fast Food and Junk Shopping: Adventureland! Egg rolls, citrus swirl, Caribbean jewelery, pirate key-rings... what else do you want?
Hotels
Dixie Landings
We stayed here from Feb. 2-6, with my mother in a separate room.
Reservations and Check-In: We reserved our rooms 7 months in advance, asking that the reservations be linked and the rooms adjacent. We also requested Alligator Bayou. Three days before arrival, we called the hotel directly and explained that we needed rooms close to the main building since my mother is over 70 and should not have to walk long distances. We specifically requested Building 14. These requests were noted on our reservation.
On arrival, we stood in line to check in for about 20 minutes-about average for an afternoon arrival in this large resort with over 2,000 rooms. The C.M. at the desk was very friendly, and very disturbed to find that we had been put in a completely different building as my mother, and that both buildings were very far away from the main building (though we were in Alligator Bayou). After disappearing backstage three times, she finally announced that the best she could do was Building 34...a long way from the main house, especially without a car. Also, our rooms were still not adjacent, but they were on the same floor, at least. We were not too pleased, but kept our cool. She gave us a coupon for a free dinner for 3 at Boatwright's. Total check-in time: one hour.
We ended up in rooms 3456 and 3449. These are two corner rooms (each has two windows) overlooking woods and very close to the West Depot bus stop. They are also quite near one of the quiet pools; so we didn't do so badly. But it was a long hike to breakfast every morning.
Rooms and Service: Our room had a king bed and we liked it very much. The decoration was warm and "homey" and it was certainly roomy for the two of us. We were not disturbed by noise (we were on the second floor) nor did the fabled turbo-toilets bother us; in fact, the ones at the Grand Floridian are more "turbo" than the one we encountered here.
I would say that the service (both housekeeping and front desk) at Dixie Landings is rather stressed to the max right now, as the resort is so full. When we went to early-entry and came back around 11:30 to discover our room still unmade, we called housekeeping. We were told "We haven't forgotten you, we just haven't gotten to you yet." I wouldn't call this rude, but it isn't exactly accomodating either. On the day we left, our express checkout bill was not on our door. When we called, they apologized and sent it over; but really, we shouldn't have had to ask for it. (This was at 9 a.m.) Also, our send-ahead luggage did not arrive at the Grand Floridian, our next destination, until the GF called-twice-and asked for it to be sent.
Grounds and Pools: The landscaping at Dixie Landings is very beautiful. The pine woods, winding paths, "gas" street lamps and above all the river with its bridges make it a lovely place to walk. One day, we decided to get up for early-entry and I walked to the main building before sunrise. There was a little crescent moon and mist rising off the swimming pools. Not a soul around, only the ducks quacking. Disney magic of the simplest and most potent kind.
My mother and I swam in the pool at Ol'Man Island, and despite the fact that it was being used by the guests from Port Orleans as well as Dixie Landings (due to pool rehab over there), it didn't seem unduly crowded. It's fun and well-laid out, and heated. It has a very nice pool bar with a large overhead shelter. There seem to be plenty of tables and deck chairs. You use the towels from your room, which are replaced every day.
We also spent an afternoon at one of the quiet pools, bringing a picnic lunch from the food court and spreading out on several deck chairs. It was perfect weather, about 75 and sunny, and a great way to unwind after a morning in the Kingdom.
The Grand Floridian
Here we spent our Actual Anniversary, from Feb. 6-10.
Reservations and Check-In: We reserved well ahead; however, about three weeks before arrival we decided to throw caution to the winds and try to upgrade to one of the lodge tower rooms, which we had heard were wonderful. I blitz-called CRO two or three times a day with no success. Finally, while we were staying at Dixie Landings, I went over to have afternoon tea in the lobby and approached the front desk with my request, shamelessly mentioning that it was our 15th anniversary. They said they would see what they could do.
We checked in early, about 10 a.m. as they suggested. They said the room wasn't ready, nor would they tell us what room it was. We came back at 3:00 after a day at MGM, and found we had been given room 5441 in Sago Cay. I don't know if this qualifies as a lodge tower or a turret room, but we loved it. Sago Cay is next to the Marina, and our room had a tiny balcony under a little peaked roof that looked directly out on the Castle Cake. To the right was the marina and beyond it Space Mountain; to the left, the monorail and the little inlet where they keep the Electrical Water Pageant. We thought this was a pretty nice anniversary present. Needless to say, it was a superb place to watch the fireworks. We could also hear, with the window open, the train tooting and the Haunted Mansion dog howling faintly in the distance...
Room and Service: Neither of us is nuts about the decor at the Grand Floridian, we aren't really the Laura Ashley type. And as Barb (gardenia) puts it, the place is really set up for weddings. However, for what it is, it is certainly super-duper, and the lobby is a triumph. We loved to sit on one of the comfy sofas in the lobby at twilight, looking up at the glass-dome skylights, having a drink and listening to the piano player-talk about romantic...
As you would expect in a hotel costing this much, the service is excellent. Your wish is their command. We were also kindly treated to a split of champagne and a rose with a note wishing us a "Grand" honeymoon....guess they didn't have a form letter for 15th anniversaries.
Grounds and Pools: I really enjoyed this pool. The GF has only one, and although they welcome children of course, it has an "adult" feel. Also, it is open 24 hours. It is a great place to sit in the late afternoon...pool waiters circulate and take your drink orders, it's all very Havana in the '50s. Love the hot tub, too.
The grounds are very "done", have a manicured-with-tweezers look which was a refreshing difference from Dixie Landings, but YMMV of course. The beach is gorgeous, but what a shame that you can't swim there. When will Disney get around to cleaning up the waters of Bay Lake and Seven Seas Lagoon?
Wilderness Lodge
We spent our final 3 days here, Feb. 10-13.
Reservations and Check-In: We had reserved a standard room here months ago, but decided in January to try for one of the Junior suites...again, blitz-calling CRO got no results. Then one day it occurred to me to ask about the 4 "honeymoon" rooms-I had read about them in WALT DISNEY WORLD FOR LOVERS. To my absolute astonishment, one was available; they are about $30 per night more than the regular rooms-therefore, a lot less than the junior suite.
We arrived at the Lodge around noon (after a fond farewell to our castle-view palace at the Floridian) and were once again told that we must wait till 3:00. The front-desk people were very nice, luggage was no problem.
Room and Service: Our room, 7095, was one of only 4 honeymoon "suites" tucked away on the 7th floor overlooking the lobby. They are very, very private...the only rooms on this side of the floor. They're not especially large, but they're very cosy and they have one gigantic advantage-an absolutely beautiful Jacuzzi with a marble surround and a "waterfall" faucet. We also did have a balcony, but the view wasn't much...mostly a whole lot of peaked roof and part of the bus shelter. However, my favorite view at the Wilderness Lodge is the lobby, anyhow. We were right at the top of one of the totem poles...so to speak.
Service at the Wilderness Lodge is excellent! Because this hotel is small, you really get fast individual attention. We think the bell service, front desk and housekeeping is easily the equal of the Grand Floridian, and maybe even better. Certainly faster.
Grounds and Pools: The Wilderness Lodge is our favorite WDW hotel. The Czar has always liked it the best, and now I do too. The theme, always wonderful, has mellowed very well...the wood has weathered to a more natural look, they've chilled a little on the woodsmoke smell, and even the music seems slightly muted. (By the way, one day I got up early and sat in the lobby having coffee, couldn't figure out what was missing-till exactly at 8:00 that good ol' music track came on.) Ah, the grand fireplace! The bubbling spring with its little bridge! The native American carpets, the gunfire and hollering from Whispering Canyon! The nut bread and wild berries at Artist Point!
I must admit, I did not swim in the Wilderness Lodge pool, and the Czar's swimsuit remained untouched by water the entire vacation.
Restaurants
We ate our way around the World. You can do a lot in 11 days. We are New Yorkers and eat out quite often here, too. In NYC, our favorite "ethnic" food is Indian. We sure wish Disney would have a crack at it. However... (P.S. I didn't keep track of prices... after all, it was our anniversary trip! If you want to know, check Deb's Disney Digest)
BONFAMILLE's at Port Orleans-OK, but not impressive. I had pasta with crawfish, very rich sauce, quite spicy. Czar had seafood special-crawfish, monkfish and shrimp in garlic sauce. Better, not as heavy. My mother had HUGE prime ribs. The all-you-can-eat family style salad bowl is nice. The atmosphere here would be nicer if they did a more subtle job with mood lighting.
BOATWRIGHT's at Dixie Landings-We had good breakfast here, and enjoyed the theming too. Great coffee, fruit salad, and biscuits. Fast service too, especially when you're up for early entry. However, we have to give it low marks at dinner. Our server was dizzy and orders got confused. My mother's she-crab soup contained raw vegetables, including onion. (My steak was OK).
ROOM SERVICE PIZZA at Dixie Landings-excellent.They also have salad and desserts.
COLONEL's COTTON MILL at Dixie Landings (food court) -- Great for breakfast. Fast, and almost everything you could want available, from fresh fruit to croissants to bacon and eggs. Hamburger lunch rather run-of-the-mill (no pun intended). Good grilled-chicken sandwich.
FLYING FISH (Boardwalk) -- As far as we are concerned, this is The One. This is the California Grill without the attitude. We loved it. Easily the equal of any top-quality New York place (except the very heavy hitters, maybe). It's comfortable, breezy, unpretentious, great service and exciting, delicious food. The columns are decorated with large fish-scales, and flying fish are woven into the napkins and vests of the wait-staff. We all had the same thing-"chef's thunder"-a special menu, appetizer and main course chosen by the chef. Washington oysters baked on rock salt with aoli, then grilled scallops with rock shrimp risotto. Stunning. For dessert, the Czar had a trio of sorbets (raspberry, orange and apple), my mother had an espresso creme caramel and I had strawberries and cream. We HIGHLY recommend this place to anyone who likes seafood. It hasn't caught on yet, and reservations aren't hard to come by.
HOLLYWOOD & VINE CAFETERIA (MGM) -- Great place for breakfast. Line moves slowly, so judge accordingly. Best-in-show for biscuits (your Czarina is a biscuit maven). Also very good grits.
AKERSHUS (Norway) -- This smorgasbord has become very popular, and long waits are the norm even with a priority seating. However, the service is still excellent and the food still interesting and top-quality, particularly in the fish department. I enjoyed the "sherry herring" most of all. New (at least to me) are the walk-around Mr. and Mrs. Troll, whom we saw scaring the living daylights out of unsuspecting elderly diners. Remember: no shrimp at the lunch buffet, though the smoked salmon is abundant.
GRAND FLORIDIAN CAFE-Best breakfast in the World, we think. I had superb vegetable frittata, Czar had poached eggs, fine coffee, unlimited juice. We also had a lunch here: tomato and goat cheese salad for me with tortilla corn soup, really excellent. A great all-around place, and special enough for a nice dinner too.
FLAGLER'S (Grand Floridian) -- We think this place has vastly improved since our last visit several years ago. However, it was quite noisy with many conventioneers the night we were there. I had sea bass with cannellini beans which was very fresh and inventive. The entertainment, strolling minstrel-type, is mercifully low-key.
TONY'S TOWN SQUARE-This is a sentimental favorite and where we celebrated our anniversary. The Czar had arranged for a basket of flowers to be sent to our table, which, after some confusion, they did. What can we say? That's amore. The "dog-food spaghetti" is inexcusable, you can't even drink in the place, and yet...next to us was a table with a Japanese family. Their little girl was fussily trying to sleep in her stroller, started crying. The waiter quietly moved them to a table next to a banquette, brought tablecloths, made a "bed" for the little girl, and put her to sleep as her exhausted parents gratefully settled down to their dinner in peace. That's Tony's Town Square. They gave us a chocolate cake.
CALIFORNIA GRILL (Contemporary) We had a reservation around 7:00 and were seated immediately, which is unusual here. No doubt about it, this is a world-class place, slick as a whistle. In our opinion, it is about to be slightly eclipsed by the Flying Fish, but definitely not in the ambience department. It boasts a superb view and can't be beat at fireworks time (you are very, very close to the action). The sushi bar looks like a lot of fun; if you don't come at fireworks time, ask for a table with a good view of the kitchen rather than the window-that's where it's all happening. I had an artichoke salad and a rock shrimp risotto and the Czar had some sort of fancy egg roll and a mushroom and goat cheese pizza, both excellent. We ordered a souffle, but before it came a surprise arrived- a small helping of very rich chocolate cake with "anniversary" decoration. The citrus souffle' with lemon thyme custard sauce was the highlight, though-wowie zowee!
OHANA (Polynesian) -- Consistent, pretty good, and fun. Hint: refuse all pork products. If you eat the sausage and ribs here, you will feel yucky later. The turkey tenderloin is well-marinated and delicious. The pineapple is fab.
ARTIST POINT (Wilderness Lodge) -- We had a marvelous dinner here with Barb (gardenia). She "knew somebody" so that helped. She and the Czar chose from the vegetarian menu and I wish I had, too. (Though my venison osso buco was great). The vegetable plate, full of smoked mushrooms, lentils, all kinds of root veggies, even roasted onions, was absolutely brilliant. Their house salad, which includes raspberries and a lovely vinaigrette, is outstanding.
BIERGARTEN (Germany) -- Lunch buffet is pretty good, but you better like sauerkraut and sausage. Well, they do offer chicken too, and the beer is good. The Czar is very fond of the red cabbage here. An oompah trio, headed by a VERY blond Ubermensch (editor's translation: "superman") type, played, yodeled and sang. I know I'm going to catch hell for saying this, but I kept expecting him to break into "Tomorrow Belongs To Me." (Please! Just Kidding! I know the war is over!) Note from the Czar: No Sauerbrauten at lunch. And the group-style table seating can be a bit awkward when there is no show - you feel like you have to make lunch conversation with strangers. But the red cabbage is very tasty.
SPECIAL NOTE TO GARDENIA: I realize I didn't write about breakfast at the Cape May Cafe', but I was so fascinated to meet you, I forgot what I ate.
Attractions Etc.
Here are some random notes on WDW attractions as we encountered them on our trip Feb. 2-13. (Notes on crowds and lines are in Part 5)
We took a Sassagoula River boat ride from Dixie Landings down to Pleasure Island, which lets you off at the Capn' Jack's boat dock, now home to the Rainforest Cafe'. This place is cool from the outside, heavy volcano smoke, and always looks jammed. We wandered into the shop and encountered the animatronic Tracy Tree with her fabulous eyelashes, also a python overhead. Worth a look.
We got on Toad's Wild Ride and were very surprised to see the words written on the two shields outside the attraction. They are, of course, Toadi Acceleratio and Semper Absurda. And we saw the nude Rapunzel in the bar scene, woo woo!
They now have several walk-around characters on each Liberty Square riverboat ride; we saw Pocahontas, Ratcliffe (what's up with THAT guy??), Capt. Hook and Tigger. This is a really nice ride on a sunny day; also, I discovered, you can get good pictures by going directly to the lower front deck and sitting down.
There are two rocking chairs on the back porch of Yankee Traders, the kitchenware store next to the Haunted Mansion pushcart. This is a swell place to hang around and wait till the line for HM gets bearable. On Sunday, Feb. 9th, the day everybody is talking about when it was so crowded, this is exactly what we did. We sat, we watched, we rocked. About 3:00, just before the parade, the line shrank to under 10 minutes and we strolled on.
I love Spaceship Earth, especially with the new fiber-optic stuff they've added to the end. It seems like a wonderful metaphor for the World Wide Web.
We took an Illuminations Cruise out of the Boardwalk marina -- our driver was a fellow named Tux who is also a lifeguard at the B'walk. The cruise, on one of the pontoon boats, started at 8:30 and was just for us. Blankets were provided in case we got cold. We were taken all around Crescent Lake before the show started; then, we parked under the bridge between England and France for the big show. This is an interesting but not perfect viewing place (you can't see France or Japan). We like Illuminations 25 very much, especially the use of projections on smoke and water. I'm not sure about the Circle of Life part, though-that song is just over-used. For an anniversary extra, Tux took us on an extra cruise all over the place after the fireworks and gave us a wax manatee (yup!) from Wacky Wax on the Boardwalk. We saw the Presidential Suite at the Yacht Club (from the outside), and the dreaded floating styrofoam rock in the water between the Beach Club and the Boardwalk. After the cruise, we were taken home from the Boardwalk to Dixie Landings in a courtesy van. Pretty good!
World Showcase was very busy during the Carnevale celebrations when they did a Mardi Gras parade every afternoon. The parade was modest, but fun. Beads were flung in all directions; also, fireworks for the Chinese New Year one day. Lots of surprises, in addition to the usual street folk-One World Taiko drummers in Japan (love them) etc. I saw a fun gypsy band in Italy, and acrobats in Morocco.
The Jazz Club on Pleasure Island had really good people both times we went. First, we saw Paul Howard, a progressive fusion sax-lead quartet, energetic and fine. Then we came back during Mardi Gras and encountered a traditional brass-band jazz combo. We thought both groups were excellent.
On Discovery Island, we saw both the reptile show and Feathered Friends. We liked the reptile show much better; it's funnier, more interactive. The Island itself is a real change of pace. Don't miss the small monkeys, especially the tamarins.
I defy anyone to watch Spectro-Magic and come away in a bad mood.
The Hunchback of Notre Dame show is interesting to someone like me, with a theatre background. It's sort of Disney encounters off-Broadway. "Hey! We can use puppets to tell the story! We can use cloaks for scenery!" I really like it, though I think they tried to tell too much of the story. It's very well-staged and sung, too. Let's hope it serves as a precursor of Julie Taymor's Lion King.
The Making of Evita is ghastly, just a lot of promo footage for the movie with interviews with Madonna trying to be noble and Alan Parker trying to make the best of a bad situation. Also, the "tour guide" for this attraction, done up to look like Madonna, was positively embarrassing.
There's this great kid piano player at Casey's Corner. Or is he a kid? Who is he?
It's fun to sit in the front row at the Carousel of Progress; you can sort of see how the animatrons work.
How about that Sunny Eclipse at Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe'? This amazing animatron seems to have an almost limitless repertoire of cheesy lounge songs. Note from the Czar: you can get grapes instead of fries if you ask. And the veggie burgers are pretty good.
A couple more notes from the Czar:
Ellen's Energy Adventure is a fun reworking of the old Universe of Energy. The Imagineers turned a fairly stodgy bunch of old dinosaurs into a very clever spoof, even poking a bit of fun at the old exhibit. Don't miss the animatron of Ellen. The filmed segments could be a bit more concise: the entire ride is about a half an hour. Never any problem getting in, even when the park is busy.
The MGM Backstage Walking Tour has a few interesting surprises. The new HBO series "From the Earth to the Moon" has rented the soundstages and the prop shop. There were real live union carpenters building the sets: it was fun watching them figure out how to get them built. Definitely not CMs: facial hair, grubby jeans, the whole bit.
There is now a cute garden with model trains right next to Germany.
If you are an animatronics fan, don't miss the Alec Tronics show at Innoventions. You can see the entire inner workings of a third generation figure.
Travel, Crowds and Meeting a Mermaid
We traveled on Delta from LaGuardia and left and arrived on-time or early both ways. The Delta terminal in NY has been redone recently and is quite workable.
We used the WDW transportation system, with (rarely) taxis, exclusively. It works well if you know how to use it.
One good tip is to use the monorail resorts as hubs. For example, to get from MGM to the Magic Kingdom, the signs direct you to take a bus to the TTC and then change to another bus or the boat. Instead of this, we took a bus to the Polynesian and picked up the monorail there. Or if you want to go from Dixie Landings to the Wilderness Lodge, use the Magic Kingdom as a hub. Go to the MK by bus and, without entering the park if you wish, take the boat to the WL.
We found the Wilderness Lodge bus system working well, though Pleasure Island still seems like a very long trip.
We had no trouble with buses too full to take passengers at Dixie Landings. We were at the West Depot stop, but even at the other stops, the bus never filled up completely.
As far as crowds go; yes, we were bothered by the extra 25th anniversary crush. We always go in the slow season so we can avoid long lines, but this year it seems we spent an inordinate amount of time "working around" things and trying to beat the system. Most days, we managed it, but it wasn't always fun. This was enough of a problem that we're seriously considering cancelling a trip later in the year. I love Maelstrom, but I'll be damned if I'll spend 40 minutes waiting to get on the thing.
Now, the Great Brazilian question. We encountered a great many South Americans, some in groups and many families. In general, things were fine. Quite honestly, once I did think I was going to have a problem with some. I was sitting on the curb waiting for SpectroMagic, and it was really crowded. These people were shoving pretty hard, and then their teenage children joined them and shoved some more, and I started to shove back (being a New Yorker). Then the parade started, and they magically turned into the most enchanting, beautiful creatures you ever saw, swaying to the music, blowing kisses and waving. They were lovely.
And the Birds: Unfortunately, it is true that two of the nicest and most popular outdoor eating spots at WDW, Aunt Polly's Landing and the Cantina de San Angel, have been virtually ruined by rapacious seagulls. And the Czar was dissappointed that he couldn't safely eat a smoked turkey leg in the rockers in Frontierland - normally his favorite food. This is not the gulls' fault, of course; it's the people who insist on feeding them. Why can't Disney start a campaign to urge people not to do so? They could put it in the resort literature. They could put up signs. They could print it on the paper napkins, for crying out loud! DISNEY, are you listening???
That said, I was once sitting on the beach at the Grand Floridian, minding my own business, when I was suddenly surrounded by gulls. As I had no food with me, I was puzzled. I looked out and saw a photo-shoot of some chefs from Flagler's going on a few feet away. Some CM was sitting on the beach, deliberately luring gulls with potato chips and then scaring them so they'd fly picturesquely behind the seated chefs!!
I saved the best for last: we got to meet the Actual Feral Mermaid, the Savage One, the Beauteous Queen of All Fountains and Waters. We found her at the Cape May Cafe' where she bestowed upon us many lovely and meaningful gifts including rare pins of the Toontown variety and a copy of Eyes and Ears with Belle and the Beast on the cover. For all of you who haven't met her, she is absolutely gorgeous. After breakfast she was kind enough to take us to see Celebration (she and I drooled over the beauteous houses, and the Czar thought we were Stepford Wives). We also searched for the Animal Kingdom, and found a giant mud-pit with the tip of a tree showing. We did go all around the partly-finished Coronado Springs, which is really a biggie. Thanks, Barb. Later on, she met us at Artist Point for dinner and read us her wonderful shuttle-launch piece, now on the newsgroup. Whatta lady.
Eureka
Home page: http://www.interport.net/~eureka
For Trimobius Disney Cabinet (TDC) info: http://www.seekfuture.co.uk/tdc
Travel Method: Plane
Resort: GRBR, WL, DL
Accommodations: Standard Room
Ages Represented in Group: Adult, Senior
WDW Experience Represented in Group: Veteran
Comments: Eureka and her husband stayed at three different resorts during this trip. Eureka's report also gives the reader a taste of some of the fun banter that goes on in the Usenet newsgroup rec.arts.disney.parks. As the Czarina of the Trimobious Disney Cabinet (TDC), she's well qualified to fill you in...if you don't know what I mean, read the report. You might not know what I mean after you read it, either, but you'll have fun! (and you can always email Eureka if you have questions).
Intro and Some Fun Trivia
Dear, Beloved Public,
Well, as some of you know, your Czar and Czarina have just returned from a triumphant and scandalously Fabulous trip to WDW. We were celebrating our 15th anniversary and we threw caution to the winds. We had a marvelous time.
Your Czarina will attempt to make this trip report legible to those not familiar with the Trimobius Disney Cabinet ® and all its ancient customs. This first part of the report will serve as an introduction and a place to put some general little things I don't know what else to do with.
Part 2 will deal with HOTELS-the three we stayed in and some others we visited.
Part 3 is RESTAURANTS of the World; hopefully, I can write a few reviews which will end up in Deb's Disney Digest (if I'm very good).
Part 4 is about ATTRACTIONS-rides and otherwise.
Part 5 is CROWDS, TRAVEL and other difficulties, with some hints on how to cope with the 25th anniversary.
An Introduction Of Sorts:
In every family, it seems, there is one true, dyed-in-the-wool, wand-up-the-*** Disney nut and one or more who...well, who remains to be convinced, let's say. In our case, it may surprise you to know that the nut is the Czar. I enjoy WDW a lot, but I enjoy the folks here on r.a.d.p. even more. I take the parks with a grain of salt.
Nevertheless, I love to see the great, big, silly smile that covers my Czar's face whenever he is in Disney World. And on this occasion we were not only celebrating our 15th anniversary, but introducing my mother, the Grand Czarina, a distinguished white-haired English lady of 70, to the place. Despite her appearance she is very adventurous and I knew she would like it. She was to stay for 4 days only, and then travel on.
We planned a trip of 11 days total-Feb. 2 to 13. We decided to resort-hop, staying at Dixie Landings, the Grand Floridian, and the Wilderness Lodge.
Some Random Observations:
**(WARNING: TDC material coming) Your Czarina has discovered the true location of Trimobia. It is in that space at Epcot between China and Germany currently occupied by a few pathetic safari-type shops and a fast-food wagon. (These are only false fronts). You will note that Trimobia is protected by a river with a bridge (and it's a DRAWBRIDGE) on one side, and the Republic of Germany on the other. Germany, without getting into politics, is well-known for its ability to mobilize quickly in case of attack, and we have an excellent relationship with several influential C.M.s in Der Teddy Bear. You need only drink eight rum punches in quick succession, say the password, and crash through the underbrush for a few moments, and you will find yourself in Trimobia. (TDC material finished).**
The voice of the Orlando Airport monorail is the same one as the DW monorail; this is a lovely low-key thrill to start you off. I know others have said this before; can anyone identify him by name?
Florida's bird population, well-represented at the World and elsewhere, is almost an attraction in itself for us city dwellers. Ducks! Baby ducks!! Egrets, herons, hawks!!
Landscaping: the one word that sets Disney World apart from all other wannabe attractions of its kind, worldwide.
Another thrill for visiting non-Southerners-biscuits! Some day, your Czarina will write an article entitled "The Biscuits of Disney World".
Worst Mazes to be Caught In for Half an Hour or More: Maelstrom and Jungle Cruise.
Best Enduring Classic: Impressions de France.
Least Improved Pleasure Island Club: Adventurer's Club.
Best Cancellation: The World Showcase omnibuses. Yeah, they were cute, but they got you nowhere, and you wasted time waiting for them.
Best Off-the-Wall Attraction: The Junkanoo Bus.
Best New Restaurant: Flying Fish, in a landslide.
Best Locale for Fast Food and Junk Shopping: Adventureland! Egg rolls, citrus swirl, Caribbean jewelery, pirate key-rings... what else do you want?
Hotels
Dixie Landings
We stayed here from Feb. 2-6, with my mother in a separate room.
Reservations and Check-In: We reserved our rooms 7 months in advance, asking that the reservations be linked and the rooms adjacent. We also requested Alligator Bayou. Three days before arrival, we called the hotel directly and explained that we needed rooms close to the main building since my mother is over 70 and should not have to walk long distances. We specifically requested Building 14. These requests were noted on our reservation.
On arrival, we stood in line to check in for about 20 minutes-about average for an afternoon arrival in this large resort with over 2,000 rooms. The C.M. at the desk was very friendly, and very disturbed to find that we had been put in a completely different building as my mother, and that both buildings were very far away from the main building (though we were in Alligator Bayou). After disappearing backstage three times, she finally announced that the best she could do was Building 34...a long way from the main house, especially without a car. Also, our rooms were still not adjacent, but they were on the same floor, at least. We were not too pleased, but kept our cool. She gave us a coupon for a free dinner for 3 at Boatwright's. Total check-in time: one hour.
We ended up in rooms 3456 and 3449. These are two corner rooms (each has two windows) overlooking woods and very close to the West Depot bus stop. They are also quite near one of the quiet pools; so we didn't do so badly. But it was a long hike to breakfast every morning.
Rooms and Service: Our room had a king bed and we liked it very much. The decoration was warm and "homey" and it was certainly roomy for the two of us. We were not disturbed by noise (we were on the second floor) nor did the fabled turbo-toilets bother us; in fact, the ones at the Grand Floridian are more "turbo" than the one we encountered here.
I would say that the service (both housekeeping and front desk) at Dixie Landings is rather stressed to the max right now, as the resort is so full. When we went to early-entry and came back around 11:30 to discover our room still unmade, we called housekeeping. We were told "We haven't forgotten you, we just haven't gotten to you yet." I wouldn't call this rude, but it isn't exactly accomodating either. On the day we left, our express checkout bill was not on our door. When we called, they apologized and sent it over; but really, we shouldn't have had to ask for it. (This was at 9 a.m.) Also, our send-ahead luggage did not arrive at the Grand Floridian, our next destination, until the GF called-twice-and asked for it to be sent.
Grounds and Pools: The landscaping at Dixie Landings is very beautiful. The pine woods, winding paths, "gas" street lamps and above all the river with its bridges make it a lovely place to walk. One day, we decided to get up for early-entry and I walked to the main building before sunrise. There was a little crescent moon and mist rising off the swimming pools. Not a soul around, only the ducks quacking. Disney magic of the simplest and most potent kind.
My mother and I swam in the pool at Ol'Man Island, and despite the fact that it was being used by the guests from Port Orleans as well as Dixie Landings (due to pool rehab over there), it didn't seem unduly crowded. It's fun and well-laid out, and heated. It has a very nice pool bar with a large overhead shelter. There seem to be plenty of tables and deck chairs. You use the towels from your room, which are replaced every day.
We also spent an afternoon at one of the quiet pools, bringing a picnic lunch from the food court and spreading out on several deck chairs. It was perfect weather, about 75 and sunny, and a great way to unwind after a morning in the Kingdom.
The Grand Floridian
Here we spent our Actual Anniversary, from Feb. 6-10.
Reservations and Check-In: We reserved well ahead; however, about three weeks before arrival we decided to throw caution to the winds and try to upgrade to one of the lodge tower rooms, which we had heard were wonderful. I blitz-called CRO two or three times a day with no success. Finally, while we were staying at Dixie Landings, I went over to have afternoon tea in the lobby and approached the front desk with my request, shamelessly mentioning that it was our 15th anniversary. They said they would see what they could do.
We checked in early, about 10 a.m. as they suggested. They said the room wasn't ready, nor would they tell us what room it was. We came back at 3:00 after a day at MGM, and found we had been given room 5441 in Sago Cay. I don't know if this qualifies as a lodge tower or a turret room, but we loved it. Sago Cay is next to the Marina, and our room had a tiny balcony under a little peaked roof that looked directly out on the Castle Cake. To the right was the marina and beyond it Space Mountain; to the left, the monorail and the little inlet where they keep the Electrical Water Pageant. We thought this was a pretty nice anniversary present. Needless to say, it was a superb place to watch the fireworks. We could also hear, with the window open, the train tooting and the Haunted Mansion dog howling faintly in the distance...
Room and Service: Neither of us is nuts about the decor at the Grand Floridian, we aren't really the Laura Ashley type. And as Barb (gardenia) puts it, the place is really set up for weddings. However, for what it is, it is certainly super-duper, and the lobby is a triumph. We loved to sit on one of the comfy sofas in the lobby at twilight, looking up at the glass-dome skylights, having a drink and listening to the piano player-talk about romantic...
As you would expect in a hotel costing this much, the service is excellent. Your wish is their command. We were also kindly treated to a split of champagne and a rose with a note wishing us a "Grand" honeymoon....guess they didn't have a form letter for 15th anniversaries.
Grounds and Pools: I really enjoyed this pool. The GF has only one, and although they welcome children of course, it has an "adult" feel. Also, it is open 24 hours. It is a great place to sit in the late afternoon...pool waiters circulate and take your drink orders, it's all very Havana in the '50s. Love the hot tub, too.
The grounds are very "done", have a manicured-with-tweezers look which was a refreshing difference from Dixie Landings, but YMMV of course. The beach is gorgeous, but what a shame that you can't swim there. When will Disney get around to cleaning up the waters of Bay Lake and Seven Seas Lagoon?
Wilderness Lodge
We spent our final 3 days here, Feb. 10-13.
Reservations and Check-In: We had reserved a standard room here months ago, but decided in January to try for one of the Junior suites...again, blitz-calling CRO got no results. Then one day it occurred to me to ask about the 4 "honeymoon" rooms-I had read about them in WALT DISNEY WORLD FOR LOVERS. To my absolute astonishment, one was available; they are about $30 per night more than the regular rooms-therefore, a lot less than the junior suite.
We arrived at the Lodge around noon (after a fond farewell to our castle-view palace at the Floridian) and were once again told that we must wait till 3:00. The front-desk people were very nice, luggage was no problem.
Room and Service: Our room, 7095, was one of only 4 honeymoon "suites" tucked away on the 7th floor overlooking the lobby. They are very, very private...the only rooms on this side of the floor. They're not especially large, but they're very cosy and they have one gigantic advantage-an absolutely beautiful Jacuzzi with a marble surround and a "waterfall" faucet. We also did have a balcony, but the view wasn't much...mostly a whole lot of peaked roof and part of the bus shelter. However, my favorite view at the Wilderness Lodge is the lobby, anyhow. We were right at the top of one of the totem poles...so to speak.
Service at the Wilderness Lodge is excellent! Because this hotel is small, you really get fast individual attention. We think the bell service, front desk and housekeeping is easily the equal of the Grand Floridian, and maybe even better. Certainly faster.
Grounds and Pools: The Wilderness Lodge is our favorite WDW hotel. The Czar has always liked it the best, and now I do too. The theme, always wonderful, has mellowed very well...the wood has weathered to a more natural look, they've chilled a little on the woodsmoke smell, and even the music seems slightly muted. (By the way, one day I got up early and sat in the lobby having coffee, couldn't figure out what was missing-till exactly at 8:00 that good ol' music track came on.) Ah, the grand fireplace! The bubbling spring with its little bridge! The native American carpets, the gunfire and hollering from Whispering Canyon! The nut bread and wild berries at Artist Point!
I must admit, I did not swim in the Wilderness Lodge pool, and the Czar's swimsuit remained untouched by water the entire vacation.
Restaurants
We ate our way around the World. You can do a lot in 11 days. We are New Yorkers and eat out quite often here, too. In NYC, our favorite "ethnic" food is Indian. We sure wish Disney would have a crack at it. However... (P.S. I didn't keep track of prices... after all, it was our anniversary trip! If you want to know, check Deb's Disney Digest)
BONFAMILLE's at Port Orleans-OK, but not impressive. I had pasta with crawfish, very rich sauce, quite spicy. Czar had seafood special-crawfish, monkfish and shrimp in garlic sauce. Better, not as heavy. My mother had HUGE prime ribs. The all-you-can-eat family style salad bowl is nice. The atmosphere here would be nicer if they did a more subtle job with mood lighting.
BOATWRIGHT's at Dixie Landings-We had good breakfast here, and enjoyed the theming too. Great coffee, fruit salad, and biscuits. Fast service too, especially when you're up for early entry. However, we have to give it low marks at dinner. Our server was dizzy and orders got confused. My mother's she-crab soup contained raw vegetables, including onion. (My steak was OK).
ROOM SERVICE PIZZA at Dixie Landings-excellent.They also have salad and desserts.
COLONEL's COTTON MILL at Dixie Landings (food court) -- Great for breakfast. Fast, and almost everything you could want available, from fresh fruit to croissants to bacon and eggs. Hamburger lunch rather run-of-the-mill (no pun intended). Good grilled-chicken sandwich.
FLYING FISH (Boardwalk) -- As far as we are concerned, this is The One. This is the California Grill without the attitude. We loved it. Easily the equal of any top-quality New York place (except the very heavy hitters, maybe). It's comfortable, breezy, unpretentious, great service and exciting, delicious food. The columns are decorated with large fish-scales, and flying fish are woven into the napkins and vests of the wait-staff. We all had the same thing-"chef's thunder"-a special menu, appetizer and main course chosen by the chef. Washington oysters baked on rock salt with aoli, then grilled scallops with rock shrimp risotto. Stunning. For dessert, the Czar had a trio of sorbets (raspberry, orange and apple), my mother had an espresso creme caramel and I had strawberries and cream. We HIGHLY recommend this place to anyone who likes seafood. It hasn't caught on yet, and reservations aren't hard to come by.
HOLLYWOOD & VINE CAFETERIA (MGM) -- Great place for breakfast. Line moves slowly, so judge accordingly. Best-in-show for biscuits (your Czarina is a biscuit maven). Also very good grits.
AKERSHUS (Norway) -- This smorgasbord has become very popular, and long waits are the norm even with a priority seating. However, the service is still excellent and the food still interesting and top-quality, particularly in the fish department. I enjoyed the "sherry herring" most of all. New (at least to me) are the walk-around Mr. and Mrs. Troll, whom we saw scaring the living daylights out of unsuspecting elderly diners. Remember: no shrimp at the lunch buffet, though the smoked salmon is abundant.
GRAND FLORIDIAN CAFE-Best breakfast in the World, we think. I had superb vegetable frittata, Czar had poached eggs, fine coffee, unlimited juice. We also had a lunch here: tomato and goat cheese salad for me with tortilla corn soup, really excellent. A great all-around place, and special enough for a nice dinner too.
FLAGLER'S (Grand Floridian) -- We think this place has vastly improved since our last visit several years ago. However, it was quite noisy with many conventioneers the night we were there. I had sea bass with cannellini beans which was very fresh and inventive. The entertainment, strolling minstrel-type, is mercifully low-key.
TONY'S TOWN SQUARE-This is a sentimental favorite and where we celebrated our anniversary. The Czar had arranged for a basket of flowers to be sent to our table, which, after some confusion, they did. What can we say? That's amore. The "dog-food spaghetti" is inexcusable, you can't even drink in the place, and yet...next to us was a table with a Japanese family. Their little girl was fussily trying to sleep in her stroller, started crying. The waiter quietly moved them to a table next to a banquette, brought tablecloths, made a "bed" for the little girl, and put her to sleep as her exhausted parents gratefully settled down to their dinner in peace. That's Tony's Town Square. They gave us a chocolate cake.
CALIFORNIA GRILL (Contemporary) We had a reservation around 7:00 and were seated immediately, which is unusual here. No doubt about it, this is a world-class place, slick as a whistle. In our opinion, it is about to be slightly eclipsed by the Flying Fish, but definitely not in the ambience department. It boasts a superb view and can't be beat at fireworks time (you are very, very close to the action). The sushi bar looks like a lot of fun; if you don't come at fireworks time, ask for a table with a good view of the kitchen rather than the window-that's where it's all happening. I had an artichoke salad and a rock shrimp risotto and the Czar had some sort of fancy egg roll and a mushroom and goat cheese pizza, both excellent. We ordered a souffle, but before it came a surprise arrived- a small helping of very rich chocolate cake with "anniversary" decoration. The citrus souffle' with lemon thyme custard sauce was the highlight, though-wowie zowee!
OHANA (Polynesian) -- Consistent, pretty good, and fun. Hint: refuse all pork products. If you eat the sausage and ribs here, you will feel yucky later. The turkey tenderloin is well-marinated and delicious. The pineapple is fab.
ARTIST POINT (Wilderness Lodge) -- We had a marvelous dinner here with Barb (gardenia). She "knew somebody" so that helped. She and the Czar chose from the vegetarian menu and I wish I had, too. (Though my venison osso buco was great). The vegetable plate, full of smoked mushrooms, lentils, all kinds of root veggies, even roasted onions, was absolutely brilliant. Their house salad, which includes raspberries and a lovely vinaigrette, is outstanding.
BIERGARTEN (Germany) -- Lunch buffet is pretty good, but you better like sauerkraut and sausage. Well, they do offer chicken too, and the beer is good. The Czar is very fond of the red cabbage here. An oompah trio, headed by a VERY blond Ubermensch (editor's translation: "superman") type, played, yodeled and sang. I know I'm going to catch hell for saying this, but I kept expecting him to break into "Tomorrow Belongs To Me." (Please! Just Kidding! I know the war is over!) Note from the Czar: No Sauerbrauten at lunch. And the group-style table seating can be a bit awkward when there is no show - you feel like you have to make lunch conversation with strangers. But the red cabbage is very tasty.
SPECIAL NOTE TO GARDENIA: I realize I didn't write about breakfast at the Cape May Cafe', but I was so fascinated to meet you, I forgot what I ate.
Attractions Etc.
Here are some random notes on WDW attractions as we encountered them on our trip Feb. 2-13. (Notes on crowds and lines are in Part 5)
We took a Sassagoula River boat ride from Dixie Landings down to Pleasure Island, which lets you off at the Capn' Jack's boat dock, now home to the Rainforest Cafe'. This place is cool from the outside, heavy volcano smoke, and always looks jammed. We wandered into the shop and encountered the animatronic Tracy Tree with her fabulous eyelashes, also a python overhead. Worth a look.
We got on Toad's Wild Ride and were very surprised to see the words written on the two shields outside the attraction. They are, of course, Toadi Acceleratio and Semper Absurda. And we saw the nude Rapunzel in the bar scene, woo woo!
They now have several walk-around characters on each Liberty Square riverboat ride; we saw Pocahontas, Ratcliffe (what's up with THAT guy??), Capt. Hook and Tigger. This is a really nice ride on a sunny day; also, I discovered, you can get good pictures by going directly to the lower front deck and sitting down.
There are two rocking chairs on the back porch of Yankee Traders, the kitchenware store next to the Haunted Mansion pushcart. This is a swell place to hang around and wait till the line for HM gets bearable. On Sunday, Feb. 9th, the day everybody is talking about when it was so crowded, this is exactly what we did. We sat, we watched, we rocked. About 3:00, just before the parade, the line shrank to under 10 minutes and we strolled on.
I love Spaceship Earth, especially with the new fiber-optic stuff they've added to the end. It seems like a wonderful metaphor for the World Wide Web.
We took an Illuminations Cruise out of the Boardwalk marina -- our driver was a fellow named Tux who is also a lifeguard at the B'walk. The cruise, on one of the pontoon boats, started at 8:30 and was just for us. Blankets were provided in case we got cold. We were taken all around Crescent Lake before the show started; then, we parked under the bridge between England and France for the big show. This is an interesting but not perfect viewing place (you can't see France or Japan). We like Illuminations 25 very much, especially the use of projections on smoke and water. I'm not sure about the Circle of Life part, though-that song is just over-used. For an anniversary extra, Tux took us on an extra cruise all over the place after the fireworks and gave us a wax manatee (yup!) from Wacky Wax on the Boardwalk. We saw the Presidential Suite at the Yacht Club (from the outside), and the dreaded floating styrofoam rock in the water between the Beach Club and the Boardwalk. After the cruise, we were taken home from the Boardwalk to Dixie Landings in a courtesy van. Pretty good!
World Showcase was very busy during the Carnevale celebrations when they did a Mardi Gras parade every afternoon. The parade was modest, but fun. Beads were flung in all directions; also, fireworks for the Chinese New Year one day. Lots of surprises, in addition to the usual street folk-One World Taiko drummers in Japan (love them) etc. I saw a fun gypsy band in Italy, and acrobats in Morocco.
The Jazz Club on Pleasure Island had really good people both times we went. First, we saw Paul Howard, a progressive fusion sax-lead quartet, energetic and fine. Then we came back during Mardi Gras and encountered a traditional brass-band jazz combo. We thought both groups were excellent.
On Discovery Island, we saw both the reptile show and Feathered Friends. We liked the reptile show much better; it's funnier, more interactive. The Island itself is a real change of pace. Don't miss the small monkeys, especially the tamarins.
I defy anyone to watch Spectro-Magic and come away in a bad mood.
The Hunchback of Notre Dame show is interesting to someone like me, with a theatre background. It's sort of Disney encounters off-Broadway. "Hey! We can use puppets to tell the story! We can use cloaks for scenery!" I really like it, though I think they tried to tell too much of the story. It's very well-staged and sung, too. Let's hope it serves as a precursor of Julie Taymor's Lion King.
The Making of Evita is ghastly, just a lot of promo footage for the movie with interviews with Madonna trying to be noble and Alan Parker trying to make the best of a bad situation. Also, the "tour guide" for this attraction, done up to look like Madonna, was positively embarrassing.
There's this great kid piano player at Casey's Corner. Or is he a kid? Who is he?
It's fun to sit in the front row at the Carousel of Progress; you can sort of see how the animatrons work.
How about that Sunny Eclipse at Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe'? This amazing animatron seems to have an almost limitless repertoire of cheesy lounge songs. Note from the Czar: you can get grapes instead of fries if you ask. And the veggie burgers are pretty good.
A couple more notes from the Czar:
Ellen's Energy Adventure is a fun reworking of the old Universe of Energy. The Imagineers turned a fairly stodgy bunch of old dinosaurs into a very clever spoof, even poking a bit of fun at the old exhibit. Don't miss the animatron of Ellen. The filmed segments could be a bit more concise: the entire ride is about a half an hour. Never any problem getting in, even when the park is busy.
The MGM Backstage Walking Tour has a few interesting surprises. The new HBO series "From the Earth to the Moon" has rented the soundstages and the prop shop. There were real live union carpenters building the sets: it was fun watching them figure out how to get them built. Definitely not CMs: facial hair, grubby jeans, the whole bit.
There is now a cute garden with model trains right next to Germany.
If you are an animatronics fan, don't miss the Alec Tronics show at Innoventions. You can see the entire inner workings of a third generation figure.
Travel, Crowds and Meeting a Mermaid
We traveled on Delta from LaGuardia and left and arrived on-time or early both ways. The Delta terminal in NY has been redone recently and is quite workable.
We used the WDW transportation system, with (rarely) taxis, exclusively. It works well if you know how to use it.
One good tip is to use the monorail resorts as hubs. For example, to get from MGM to the Magic Kingdom, the signs direct you to take a bus to the TTC and then change to another bus or the boat. Instead of this, we took a bus to the Polynesian and picked up the monorail there. Or if you want to go from Dixie Landings to the Wilderness Lodge, use the Magic Kingdom as a hub. Go to the MK by bus and, without entering the park if you wish, take the boat to the WL.
We found the Wilderness Lodge bus system working well, though Pleasure Island still seems like a very long trip.
We had no trouble with buses too full to take passengers at Dixie Landings. We were at the West Depot stop, but even at the other stops, the bus never filled up completely.
As far as crowds go; yes, we were bothered by the extra 25th anniversary crush. We always go in the slow season so we can avoid long lines, but this year it seems we spent an inordinate amount of time "working around" things and trying to beat the system. Most days, we managed it, but it wasn't always fun. This was enough of a problem that we're seriously considering cancelling a trip later in the year. I love Maelstrom, but I'll be damned if I'll spend 40 minutes waiting to get on the thing.
Now, the Great Brazilian question. We encountered a great many South Americans, some in groups and many families. In general, things were fine. Quite honestly, once I did think I was going to have a problem with some. I was sitting on the curb waiting for SpectroMagic, and it was really crowded. These people were shoving pretty hard, and then their teenage children joined them and shoved some more, and I started to shove back (being a New Yorker). Then the parade started, and they magically turned into the most enchanting, beautiful creatures you ever saw, swaying to the music, blowing kisses and waving. They were lovely.
And the Birds: Unfortunately, it is true that two of the nicest and most popular outdoor eating spots at WDW, Aunt Polly's Landing and the Cantina de San Angel, have been virtually ruined by rapacious seagulls. And the Czar was dissappointed that he couldn't safely eat a smoked turkey leg in the rockers in Frontierland - normally his favorite food. This is not the gulls' fault, of course; it's the people who insist on feeding them. Why can't Disney start a campaign to urge people not to do so? They could put it in the resort literature. They could put up signs. They could print it on the paper napkins, for crying out loud! DISNEY, are you listening???
That said, I was once sitting on the beach at the Grand Floridian, minding my own business, when I was suddenly surrounded by gulls. As I had no food with me, I was puzzled. I looked out and saw a photo-shoot of some chefs from Flagler's going on a few feet away. Some CM was sitting on the beach, deliberately luring gulls with potato chips and then scaring them so they'd fly picturesquely behind the seated chefs!!
I saved the best for last: we got to meet the Actual Feral Mermaid, the Savage One, the Beauteous Queen of All Fountains and Waters. We found her at the Cape May Cafe' where she bestowed upon us many lovely and meaningful gifts including rare pins of the Toontown variety and a copy of Eyes and Ears with Belle and the Beast on the cover. For all of you who haven't met her, she is absolutely gorgeous. After breakfast she was kind enough to take us to see Celebration (she and I drooled over the beauteous houses, and the Czar thought we were Stepford Wives). We also searched for the Animal Kingdom, and found a giant mud-pit with the tip of a tree showing. We did go all around the partly-finished Coronado Springs, which is really a biggie. Thanks, Barb. Later on, she met us at Artist Point for dinner and read us her wonderful shuttle-launch piece, now on the newsgroup. Whatta lady.
Eureka
Home page: http://www.interport.net/~eureka
For Trimobius Disney Cabinet (TDC) info: http://www.seekfuture.co.uk/tdc