Time of Year: Spring
Travel Method: Personal Car
Resort: FWC
Accommodations: Camping
Ages Represented in Group: Elementary, Adult
WDW Experience Represented in Group: Frequent
Comments: Lisa and her family (husband, daughter - 8 and twin sons, 6) stayed at Fort Wilderness Campground during their lengthy trip to WDW. This is a fun report because it focuses attention on FWC (trip reports to the campground are rare, for some reason) and a lot of attention on the "minor" parks.

Camping Trip Report

April 17, 1997 (Day 0) -May 1, 1997 (Day 13)

Hi, RADP'ers! We got back last week from our WDW trip. If you're interested in hearing one family's experience vacationing at Fort Wilderness, camping, visiting the (mostly minor) parks and resort-hopping, read on. If you like trip reports brief and to the point, take notice of your delete button. If you like 'em fairly detailed and lengthy, get comfy and dig in. I hope you enjoy this one.

For anyone who's only interested in specific places, here's a run-down of the places we visited each day and which days are covered in each part of this trip report:

Introduction & Background
Day 0: Began Drive Down
Day 1: Check-in at Fort Wilderness, Beach Club, Illuminations 25
Day 2: Blizzard Beach, Campfire Program
Day 3: Typhoon Lagoon
Day 4: Wilderness Lodge, Dixie Landings, Port Orleans
Day 5: River Country, Polynesian
Day 6: Disney Village Marketplace, Contemporary (RADP Meet)
Day 7: MGM Studios, Epcot
Day 8: Typhoon Lagoon
Day 9: Family Visit
Day 10: Magic Kingdom
Day 11: Epcot
Day 12: Check-out, Contemporary, Swan/Dolphin, Boardwalk, Beach Club, Yacht Club, Drive Homeward
Day 13: Arrived Home
Introduction and Background:

Our trip played out very differently than we originally planned. "We" are: Deane (37 y.o. hubby, Dad and "the computer person" in the family - 4th trip to WDW) and Lisa (me - 34 y.o. Mom, RN and "the Disney lover" in the family - 5th trip). It was the second visit for our kids: Stephanie (8 y.o.), David and Matthew (both 6 y.o. - yup, they're "identical").

We had planned on over two exciting weeks, camping in our pop-up trailer at Fort Wilderness Campground (FWC) and serious touring in all the Disney parks.

Things change.

We finally sold our house (took a year and 3 different buyer-contracts) and after planning a move for ~3 years to New Hampshire, our chilled bones got cold feet. The closing was scheduled for early April. Fairly suddenly, we did a little research on the 'net, read a bit, and decided: We quit our jobs, picked up and moved to the western mountains of North Carolina, sight-unseen. Definitely the flakiest thing we've done since becoming <gasp> parents. Without jobs, on a fairly tight budget, the kids between schools, all our stuff in boxes, and my steadfast refusal to give up this trip to Disney World, we signed the lease on our apartment. We caught our breath, amazed at the beauty of the mountains here. Three days later, we set off for just eight nights. Yes, one must have priorities, and one must keep promises to their kidlings! ;)

We like simple, well-prepared food and normally eat low-fat, with dessert only a couple times a week. We knew that on this trip, for budget reasons, we'd be mostly cooking in and eating at counter service places. We used 5 Day World Hopper Passes and planned to save most pass days for another trip between Thanksgiving and Christmas (assuming we've found good jobs by then) and focus on the minor parks, resort visits, the campground and resting up. That was the plan.

Day 0: Thursday. 4/17 (evening, very windy in the 40's, brrr)

Camper ready, we left Asheville at 10pm, drove through the night, lots of fog. After staying up late for a couple weeks, packing for the move, this wasn't as easy as we'd expected. Experience on the graveyard shift at the hospital definitely helped. Two thoughts: This is one big country! And an amazing number of people drive (and drive well!) near Atlanta at 80 mph at 2am!

Day 1: Friday. 4/18 in the 70's, bright

Stopped in Lake City, FL, for breakfast. We enjoyed the Disney radio station after Ocala…until the loop begins to repeat. They need to make it longer: We had nearly 3 hours to go. <argh> Coming down, we drove the alternate route (27). It was a slower substitute in a low traffic period. Then….purple signs, yayyy! Liked the new Anniversary entry archways on the property. Arrived ~2pm, after getting light groceries. We were psyched and exhausted. Waited ~15 min. in car for registration, check-in took 20 min., problem with resort ID printer. Site 235, near a comfort station and basketball hoop, lush greenery and 5 min. walk to the marina, Settlement Depot (SD), beach and playground: wonderful. Got out of the car, a pair of ducks waddled over to greet us, "Quack, quack," which we understood to mean, "Welcome to WDW! Got any food?? Go ahead, set up camp! We'll baby-sit your kids." Thanks! Done with that, we had a late lunch.

(This is the afternoon our house in CT closed on the sale. We were glad that was done and glad to be here, instead!)

4pm, we set out on our bikes to explore. Went by the marina area, ponies, playgrounds and some walk/bike paths. 1st impressions: FWC is beautiful. Shady, smooth, paved, winding paths, very pretty, the sun just glittered through the leafy canopy above. It's nothing like the Florida you see on the drive to get there. There are bikes and people throughout, playing and relaxing. The energy is there without spoiling the peaceful feeling. We made our way out to the front office. Needed to fix charge privileges on the resort ID's. Little did we know, this would not be the last time we'd deal with a resort ID problem. We biked back to our site for a simple supper.

There were creatures everywhere we looked. By the end of the bike ride, we'd seen wandering squirrels, bunnies, little brown "prehysteria dinosaur" lizards, egrets, several different black birds, a golden bird (like a jay), peacocks/hens (white and multi-colored), a couple seagulls, and the farm animals in pens. (Many of these were sighted daily. Later on, we added a pelican, toads, armadillos and other captive animals to the list.) The various bird calls, whistles, chirps, squeaks and squawks were all around us, lending a tropical feel. (We really enjoyed this…, except for one. You see, this one apparently suffered from insomnia, poor thing, "squeak, chirp, whirro-weeee……" Once on a bike ride, Steph heard it and said, "Mom, that's the bird that wakes me up!" and Deane said, "There! There! Hear it? There's that d--- thing that's up at 2am!" Once asleep, I sleep through everything and hadn't heard it.)

After supper, we took the boat to the Magic Kingdom (a ride in itself, for us) to catch the bus to the Beach Club (1st time). Wow. This place is something to see at dusk. The 'rocks,' the lighting, the music, the 'lake.' Very romantic. Fun for the kids to wander a bit. Beaches and Cream was jammed, so for take-out, we ordered a "small" dish of strawberry ice cream and 2 ($5.25 each) Fudge Mud Slide Sundaes for the 5 of us to share. Our eyeballs popped! (We weren't the only ones. Several people commented as they passed our table.) Each sundae had 3 huge scoops of ice cream, on a big brownie, piled high with fudge sauce, whipped cream and 3 Oreo cookies. We sat out near the 'pool' and couldn't finish it all: it was too much and we were too cold. Strolled to the International Gateway at Epcot and played hide-and-seek until the exit gate opened at 9pm (~10 min.).

We watched Illuminations 25 from between England and France, with the kids at a rope to some reserved patio area. Deane and I both liked the visuals better than in the last Illuminations, especially the images in water sprays and the sparkly rooftops on the pavilions. We prefer the old music. I liked how much better the view seemed from different areas around the lagoon.

We walked toward the front gate, along with and mostly behind, a population much larger than many small nations. We stopped to play on the twinkling sidewalk squares near Spaceship Earth. The line at the monorail trailed well past the ticket counters, so we foolishly thought it would be better to try and find a 'reasonable' bus line to anywhere near the Transportation and Ticket Center. Wrong! After walking (did I say walking? trudging!) clear out to the charter bus area, with mobs and gobs of people, we ended up back at the monorail. Guess what?! The line had mostly subsided. (Bus lines still stretched to eternity.) Got on the next train. At the Transportation and Ticket Center, waited for 2nd Boone bus, 10 min.

The heater kicked on in the camper; it was a cool night. By 11pm, after sleep the previous night that could better be measured in minutes than hours, we all lapsed into our respective comas.

Day 2: Saturday. 4/19 breezy, cloudy, high 70's

Slept in, had breakfast, kids rode bikes nearby and practiced hoops while we got organized (and gradually got ourselves going). We went to a gift shop/store off-site for the kids' watershoes I couldn't find in the camper. We left to drive to Blizzard Beach at 12pm, got there ~12:30pm. Set up near the Ski Patrol Training Camp. The kids played a while, especially on the "iceberg challenge" and the pulley bar for swinging out over the water. Then we rode down Teamboat Springs, the "up on the walls raft." (10 min. wait). Floated around Cross Country Creek, then had a picnic lunch. We loved the Toboggan Racers (Matt was initially a bit tentative, going head first, then he loved it). Did the Snow Stormers, and a couple runs down Runoff Rapids (waits <5 min.). Finished with a short bob in the wave pool, a little snack and showers. Compared to our visit to BB last year, this was less crowded, much less hot, the music wasn't as loud, and we had much more fun. Left at ~6:15pm.

Stopped in at SD for hot dogs/groceries, etc., and a take-out pizza at Trail's End (very cheesy, not too greasy). We thought it was a good buy - 8 slices for $12. We saved the leftovers (they reheated well in the toaster oven the next day or two).

7:30pm, we got to the Campfire Program. It was pretty crowded. There's an open gravel arena with 2 fire pits flanking a small stage platform and outdoor "movie screen", and bleachers in back, by a snack bar. We roasted hot dogs and made gooey s'mores while a guitar player led campfire songs. Chip and Dale arrived and visited through the crowds. After the Hokey Pokey and a few song-games, all the little kids were invited up on the stage and they sang a chorus of "It's a Small World." It was charming, touching, very Disney, and the cameras flashed wildly! We left before the movie. On the way back to our site, we noticed how minimal the mosquitoes were. Our de-stickied kids got into bed @ 9pm. We could hear the fireworks and Electric Water Pageant from our camper, not loud enough to keep up the kids.

We chatted, then I headed for Goodings for real groceries. Mongo mistake! (Publix closed at 10pm - should've waited till the next day) Their outrageous prices were 25-70% higher than I've seen anywhere. Should've known when I heard at least 7 different languages just in the produce aisle. They must figure the prices get lost in the currency exchange. $1.79 for one quart of milk! That's $7.16 per gallon! The gallons and half gallons were sold out. I was so tired, I just paid it. Next time, if Goodings is my only option, I'd rather eat at a food court on site. On the way out of the Crossroads, I was cut off by 2 cabbies trained in New York City. Couldn't wait to get back to FWC! The blatant piracy in Lake Buena Vista took me from 10:30 - 11:45pm, including a 25 min. wait at the check-out and the long, lost way home. Ahhh, bed at 12:30pm, dropping to ~50 degrees, heat kicked on again.

Day 3: Sunday. 4/20 breezy, high 70's

Slept in until 9:30am, had breakfast, kids rode bikes while we relaxed and planned the next few days. I called the front desk to ask if we could add 3 nights to our stay, and was Magic KingdomC applicable? (We were paying full rate on our site.) The nights were available (at full rate) and we wouldn't have to move our site! Yayyy!

Got in our car, for Typhoon Lagoon, ~11:25am, walked in ~12:10pm. The kids each had a small amount of Disney Dollars to spend. Stephie wanted a hair wrap. She had it done for $25, (it still looks new 3 weeks later). We met up with our men in the wave pool. Those giant waves are a blast! We encouraged Dave and Matt to go at least waist-deep so they wouldn't get scraped on the cement if a wave carried them off their feet.

We had a picnic lunch and chatted with a very nice 3-generation family from England. We went down Gankplank Falls (family raft) and Keelhaul Falls (tubes) with 10 min. waits. We got free-loan vests for the boys and floated around Castaway Creek. Warmed up in the sun, watching sharks, fish and rays in Shark Reef. Headed for Storm Slides (5 min.). Men wanted to repeat and ladies went back to the wave pool. 5:30pm, showers and Arctic Dots (yes, we like sweets, especially ice cream).

7pm back at our campsite, we discovered a note saying our entire stay on this trip would be at the discounted Magic KingdomC rate. Super! Had supper, then headed to the marina for the fireworks at 9:30 and the Elec. Water Pageant at 9:45pm. Delightful. Kids were in bed at 10:30pm, lights out 11pm.

Day 4: Monday. 4/21 (calm in the low 80's)

We slept 'til 8:30am - awakened rested for the first time in weeks. Had waffles, got ready for our day and chatted with pleasant neighbor RV campers from Michigan and their friendly parents. The more senior couple used their own scooters and seemed to have no problem getting around the campground or WDW. I tried to make dining priority seating dates (p.s.) using the house phone, got a busy signal for 10 min. Stopped by Guest Relations at Pioneer Hall and waited 15 min.

~11:30am rode our bikes over to Wilderness Lodge. Gorgeous lobby! We got the Hidden Mickey clue list and couldn't find a single one! We must be hidden MickeyS-impaired. The kids were disappointed so we asked passing (nice) CM's for help. Saw the one in the chimney's pink rock, and the one in the wood beam near Room 4035. We walked out by the pool and watched the geyser: neat. The resort really shows off its stunning architecture from the back! It was getting hot. We snacked at some shady benches near the boat rentals and I spotted the hidden Mickey on the cut ends of the 4th floor beams. Fun! Yes, we did a little celebrate-like-pixies dance. ~2pm, we headed back on our bikes, had lunch and took naps.

By 5pm, the kids were playing at the beach-side playground. We took the boat to the Magic Kingdom, then the bus to Dixie Landings. Very nice theming. We had supper in the food court there (thought it was very good), and fed the fish and ducks off the back deck. The kids played in the terrific playground on Ol' Man Island while Deane and I sat up in the tree fort, sharing a smooth Strawberry Daiquiri, relaxing and watching the orange and pink sunset. We noticed that the pool had one dimly lit area of the patio, after dark, romantic and peaceful. So far, this is the on-site resort where I'd most like to stay on a family trip, if we didn't want to camp. (Between our last trip and this one, we have visited the Grand Floridian., Polynesian Beach Resort., Contemporary Resort., Wilderness Lodge, Beach Club., Dixie Landings. and Wilderness Homes.) What a wonderful place Dixie Landings is, especially for the (comparatively) moderate price.

Then we walked a bit - very pretty lighting and landscaping, wide walkways for strolling, aromatic flowers. We waited for the boat to the Marketplace. The line was long, we waited 10 min., then… a Disney moment:

The CM's counted people and said our wait would be a minimum of 24 more minutes (and, there must have been 30 more people behind us). A CM offered to take 20 people on a pontoon to Port Orleans (to decrease the line). We went. It was a comfortable, pleasant ride past lamp-lit paths and flower beds, under a clear moonlit, starry sky. Too short.

Port Orleans has wonderful theming, too. The pool has such an energized, spunky, playful atmosphere. The manicured, rectangular arrangement of the buildings and lawns was interesting and very well themed, we thought, with jazz music. We went to the food court to share beignets and a brownie sundae. It seemed noisy, though it was pretty empty. Stephanie commented on the nightmare-material 8-foot Mardi Gras masks hanging from the ceiling. Interesting, anyway. On the way out, we lingered to listen to a funny musician in the lounge next door. The kids danced. There was loads of audience participation. We took the bus to the Magic Kingdom and waited in a long (mass exodus) line for the boat to FWC. While waiting, we saw the Electric Water Pageant. from the marina. Loved it. The kids were in bed by 11:30pm. Lights out at 12:30am. Fell asleep to the pitter-patter of light rain on the camper's roof.

Day 5: Tuesday. 4/22 (very breezy, to the 80's)

Up at 9am, had breakfast, made phone calls. I went to SD with Dave and Matt, on our bikes, for milk and their souvenirs. They liked the idea of the half-price T-shirts out on the SD porch. Satisfied with Goofy and Mickey choices (and a belated birthday present for Daddy, whose birthday had been the day the movers loaded our stuff in CT), we went back to the site and got ready for River Country. We rode our bikes over ~12pm, found shady lounge chairs at the back of the park, and went right to slide down Whoop 'N Holler (<5 min.). Yes, this is a lake, and yes, the water is chillier! We went over to the pool and the short, quick "stomach flip" slides there. This water was considerably warmer. Deane and the kids enjoyed practicing dives off the "diving rocks" for a while.

One thing I love seeing when I go to WDW is all the Dads playing with their kids. The kids just soak it up, especially in the water parks and at FWC. Deane plays with our kids a good deal, but we both grew up with very little of this. With most Dads working long hours, it's a real treat for so many kids.

River Country seems to attract more families with younger and school-aged children, relatively few teens. Goofy, Chip and Dale were walking around and playing some organized games with the kids, for much of the time we were there. There's a "4th of July Picnic" theme there through this summer.

Steph and I did the fun, gentle White Water Rapids (15 min. line) then played by the gliding T-bar (another stomach flip - doesn't take much), got cold again (in the lake), and joined the men for lunch. We had a BBQ chicken sandwich from Pop's Place (Is that what that was? More like a slightly thick and lumpy BBQ Sauce Sandwich. "Where's the meat?!?!"), chicken nuggets and stuff we'd brought. Disney extra: Requested fruit or salad instead of coleslaw or chips w/ sandwich, was told it would have to be purchased extra, separately. I said no, thanks. They substituted a large fruit cup anyway, with a smile and a shrug. Later, we got Mickey ice cream bars ("Those look great, Mommy!") we'd promised the kids, with their full, daily allowance of sugar and fat! Yum.

I was tired, got showered and changed, and dozed for 20 min. on a shady beach lounge chair. Deane took the kids to play in the sand by the water. We all headed back to the campsite ~6pm. The kids changed and took a nap at ~7:10pm. Deane and I got ready to go out.

~8:10pm, we all drove to the Polynesian for O'Hana's p.s. at 8:30pm. Got there at 8:20, seated at 8:30pm window-front. I liked the salad, tender smoked turkey and flavorful ribs. Deane liked the beef. Kids loved the seasoned flat bread, but ate little else (should've ordered kids' meals from next door for them). The rest of the food, plentiful, was only fair and a bit disappointing, though the pineapple (w/caramel sauce for dipping) was ripe and sweet by itself. Soft drinks were included in the price and we didn't realize this didn't include the chocolate milks we ordered for the kids. With a Mai Tai each, tax and tip, this meal was about $100. We wouldn't do it again. Saw the fireworks from our table and caught part of the Electric Water Pageant (fast becoming a family favorite).

Disney (or Kodak) moment after we left: We walked around the back of the resort, past the pools and along the torch-lit paths. Stephanie and Matthew were holding my hands, strolling. Deane and David were ahead, hand in hand, chatting, one looking a miniature version of the other, asking a dozen questions about fireworks, outer space and "the big cheese" full moon. <smile> It's etched in my memory. Got back for bed by 11:30pm, wiped out.

Day 6: Wednesday. 4/23 (rainy, 80's)

Awakened at 7am to dark skies and intermittent light sprinkles. Deane moved our towels from the clothesline to under the awning. We dozed off. Our bed's "end bunk window" faced the shrubs and scrub pines at the back of the site, the sunrise was peeking through ~7:45am, and birds were chirping brightly. Very pleasant and peaceful. Then a hard rain for ~5 min. woke the kids, and the skies lightened a little. It was feeling like a real vacation, now, relaxing and fun. The kidlings had made a few friends/playmates in our loop, near their ages, to ride bikes and "play basketball" with.

~11am, again it was raining pretty hard, skies darker. We closed most of the windows, except under the awning. Thunder. We played a few family rounds of "Uno," had snacks. 12:30pm naps for Deane and kids. I couldn't sleep with the thunder. Everyone was up and headed to the Disney Village Marketplace by 2:30pm. Took 15 min. to find parking, wandered through the Xmas shop and around to Rainforest Café.

5 min. wait to put in our names, then we discovered the seating wouldn't be for 3 hours and 20 min.! I asked if there was anyplace to go in (meaning at the Rainforest Café) and sit for a light meal or snack: They suggested Goofy's Grill! We didn't leave our name. We went in to look at the decor (marvelous!) and Deane spotted a group leaving the bar. We sat right down at the animal barstools and ordered. Service at the bar was excellent (we commended our server, Angel, to the manager later).

The kids had kid's meals: Matt's pizza was tasty, Steph's burger was large and she liked it, Dave's chicken dinosaur-nuggets and (yummy) waffle fries were plentiful. Deane and I shared: a chicken salad (large, good, but mostly lettuce) and a chicken caribbe appetizer (5 tenders - tasty, crispy, oily), itself enough for a meal. What an incredible interior for a restaurant! Fun for pictures, extremely loud! Matt and Dave loved the bats in the cave (they're big Batman fans). Steph thought the gorillas were neat, "Mom, he just looked at me! Didja see?"

We strolled near the water, then decided to splurge on a group caricature of the kids, something we'd always wanted. The artist, Nancy, did a wonderful job. 45 min. and $99 later we had a plastic-framed, color drawing of Steph in her swimsuit running on the beach, at the edge of the soccer field where Dave is playing, behind the curb where Matt is skateboarding. It's very cute and a great likeness of each of them, even playing up the fine details differentiating the boys (identical twins).

We shared a box of popcorn, felt chilly and noticed there were very few birds. Signs about aggressive birds were all over. We drove to the Contemporary and got frozen yogurt to share at the Food 'N Fun Center.

9pm went up to the lounge deck near the Calif. Grill, where the RADP meet had begun earlier over dinner. Met Barb/Gardenia, Sam, Scott, Andrea, Jack, Doug, Lisa & Mom, Meli & John, and many others (sorry, I can't recall all the names). It was nippy and the rain and clouds had cleared out. We got the birds-eye tour of the area. We talked a little, reminded the kids that no climbing was allowed on the deck railings, and saw the fireworks (great view). Deane took the kids back to FWC for the night (thanks, Hon.!). I joined the group that continued to the marina for the Electric Water Pageant and back up to the Outer Rim to chat. Wonderful, friendly, fun, open mix of people. I really enjoyed the "meet." Barb generously offered a drive back to our campsite, sparing me the bus-hopping at 12:30am (thanks, Barb!). In bed at 1am.

Day 7: Thursday. 4/25 (sunny, upper 70's)

It's a theme park day! Goals included seeing attractions that are either top favorites or they're new or we missed them on our 1996 trip with the kids.

Up at 7am, breakfast. We drove to MGM, arrived @ 9am, got a locker. Had a 10 min. wait for Tower of Terror. Deane bypassed the drop with the real elevator to stay with David and Matthew, who were somewhat spooked. Matt surprised me, since last year, he loved this ride and rode twice. Dave skipped the ride part last year. They waited in the photo viewing area. Steph and I loved all the excellent details and effects. We met up and Deane took Steph back through the exit elevator to do the ride part.

Suddenly David changed his mind and went racing over to catch up with them. Afterward, he looked a bit shaken, but he was buzzing for quite a while about what fun it was and how "Disney rides are all pretend and just for fun and we won't really get hurt…." We probably should have gotten him a pin that says, "I survived the TZToT." <smile>

We waited 10 min. for the Beauty and the Beast stage show, sat in the back bleachers, and enjoyed "4 for a Dollar" singing 50's tunes a cappella (<sp.?). BatB had such beautiful music, and great costumes. We couldn't tell which of the (real face showing) characters were doing their own singing. If Gaston was, his voice was wonderful.

Next, the boys and I slowly headed to Star Tours, while Deane and Steph went to get our knapsack with our lunch and drinks (it was getting hot). While we waited at the entrance with the sign saying "10 min. wait," suddenly hordes of people swarmed over. So we jumped in line, hoping they'd catch up soon. A nice CM brought them in to the loading area just as we were about to go in, so we got to ride together. This ride is big fun, one of our favorites (especially Matt's, "All riiiight!").

We waited 15 min. in line for the Hunchback of Notre Dame show, which was just enough time to switch off bringing the kids to the rest rooms at Mama Melrose's. While we waited ~15-20 min. more, in the back bleachers, first row, we had sandwiches and fruit we'd brought (don't know if this is really allowed - others were eating as well and we didn't leave trash). What a show! Fantastic! We were referring to it all day afterward. Absolutely loved the live singing, especially Quasi and Clopin, both outstanding, and the chorus was well balanced. We all thought the puppetry was fun and interesting.

Muppet Vision 3D (10 min. until the preshow - long, moving line) had a good mix of dippy humor and familiar characters. So glad we saw this show before Honey, I Shrunk… on this trip. David had freaked at the effects in Honey last year, then refused to wear the glasses on the rest of the trip, missing out on MV3D. Anyway, we all thought MV3D was a must-see on any trip, and David just loved it.

We left just before the 2pm parade, returned to FWC, changed into shorts, had a snack and left our car at the site. We took a bus to the Transportation and Ticket Center, then the monorail to Epcot (from it, we spotted a humungo zigzag line at HIStA). We arrived at about 4pm. Got a stroller and locker for sweatshirts. Spaceship Earth had a long line, so we headed to the Universe of Energy and walked in to the beginning of the preshow. Huge, huge improvement over the old show. Thoroughly enjoyed Ellen's and Bill Nye's continued presence.

Body Wars had a posted wait of 30 min., it was really 20. This ride left Deane feeling a bit queasy, unlike Star Tours. He didn't think this was due to the subject matter, just the ride motion. He felt worse when looking at other riders than at the film. The kids preferred Star Tours also, Stephanie noting, "What about the splinter? They didn't ever get it out, did they?" (Don't think so. Did they?)

Next door at Cranium Command, we were in the preshow within 5 min. So much to look at in that show. Loved the humor of the hypothalamus and the AA reminded us of the robot in a movie (and its sequel) - it looks like a periscope with binoculars - what was its name?

The CM outside Test Track said the ride wouldn't be ready until at least early July. Went to Journey Into Imagination, walked on. Kids enjoyed it. Reminded us (music and colors) of IaSW, and Figment is so appealing.

Went to the Land's food court for supper, everyone ate well. Living With the Land boat ride was a walk-on. We'd forgotten how pleasant and interesting this was. Especially enjoyed the early sections through the ecosystems. Went to lockers for sweatshirts.

Spaceship Earth had a 5 min. wait. We all just love this ride, with the scenes through history, could've done it several times! The kids ooh'd and ahh'd through the ending with the glittering waves of colored lights above.

We walked clear back to the American Adventure, squeezing all 3 kids onto the stroller with Steph sitting on/holding onto the front bar and her feet on the extended footrest. It seemed like a good idea at the time. 20 min. 'til the next show. We went into the restaurant to get a slice of apple pie a la mode (yummy) and a dish of ice cream for all to share. We sat outside eating and listening to the pops concert nearby. We noticed far more smoking here and at Epcot in general than at MGM or the water parks. Wondered if this was because it was evening or because drinking is more common with all the WS restaurants and the 2 often go together. Walked into American Adventure and sat 3rd row, center. Fabulous seats. Matt and Dave were unconscious within 5 min. Mark Twain's nonchalant expressions and gestures really gave his AA a lot of personality. I enjoyed the show. It would be a bit too Disneyized version of history for me, if it were displayed anyplace else.

We heard the 5 minute announcement for Illuminations as we were leaving with groggy children. We decided to try and hurry toward Future World, to get ahead of the crowd - strike one. Again, we piled 3 tired children onto the stroller. This time, Steph sat cross-legged on the extended footrest, out in front. This, too, seemed like a good idea at the time - strike two. Passing Germany in near darkness, we were really moving quickly - strike three: Stephanie said something like, "Mom, I think we're going to have to stop…" I said to Deane (who was pushing the stroller), "Stop a min.---" Too late! Steph had lost her grip and fell forward onto the pavement. Her feet ended up under the front of the weighed-down stroller and her knees were really scraped up. We got ice and wet paper towels from a vendor at a cart. We were all pretty upset, Steph was crying and Deane and I felt horrible. Bad judgment. Deane carried her most of the way to Future World.

Next time we have the kids piled on a stroller, we'll move much, much slower, and no one sits on the footrest (clothing slips and slides on the metal). We ended up near the big fountain at the finale and only waited through one train at the monorail. It wasn't worth all the rushing. Still feeling guilty, we got everyone to bed at 10:30pm.

Day 8: Friday. 4/26 (partly cloudy, mid 80's)

We slept in 'til 9am, relaxed, had a late breakfast. (Is there a pattern, here?) The kids played. I ran 3 loads of laundry and made phone calls. We decided to reserve a campsite for a week beginning Thanksgiving weekend. We chatted with a camper from Massachusetts. Then our family was joined by her son for a bike ride from our loop (200) up to the Meadows Trading Post for more sunscreen and the Reception Outpost (front desk). We got back at 1:30pm, had lunch, relaxed, finished the laundry. We left at 4:30pm for Typhoon Lagoon.

Once there, we got vests on the way to the wave pool. I felt too chilly, so I went alone to the Storm Slides for a quick slide, then I floated one exit around Castaway Creek's "bath water." Ahhh… now that's the temperature I like water to be, with overcast skies, late on a breezy day. Back at the wave pool, Matt asked to float a while, so we all went one-and-a-half times around the park. Matt wanted to slide and the others missed the wave pool, so we split. Matt and I floated on to the exit for Keelhaul Falls and went down twice (fun!), no waits. Then we floated another exit or two to the Storm Slides. There we saw Deane with Dave and Steph. They had gotten back to the wave pool, only to find that the giant waves had just been stopped for the half hour of bobbing waves. So they'd been twice down. Deane took Steph down Humunga Cowabunga and I took the boys, at their insistence, down the center Storm Slide (with the short dark tunnel, their favorite).

We all met up and went back to the chairs for a cookie snack. Steph said HC was fast and scary at first, but over very quickly. Deane said it was too short and he was glad they'd only had a 5 min. wait. It was 6pm, Deane took the kids briefly back to the wave pool and I started to the showers. After we'd all showered, the park was closing.

Back at FWC, we had a light supper, and walked to SD for ice cream (sound familiar?). We checked to see if Trail's End allowed "just dessert." They don't. We got Mickey Bars and Hunchback Bars at SD (the caramel is gooey - a real mess in the dark, and <mmm> definitely worth it!) and sat at the marina tables to eat them. (We ate more junk/sweets on this trip than in the last month or two, total.) We'd just missed the fireworks (early, due to grad night) and everyone was so tired that we left at 9:30pm and skipped the Electric Water Pageant. The kids were out cold by 10pm, we were by 11:30pm.

This had been our last day for using the minor parks portion of the 5DWH passes. At this point in the trip, we were still amazed at the number and variety of birds and critters throughout the campground. We teased the kids that the lizards were escapees from the Universe of Energy in Epcot. And they loved saying goodnight every night to all the bunnies near the comfort stations, as many as 2-6 at a time on the lawn. We'd also noticed the different sounds in the evening, outside the camper. On trips elsewhere, we'd heard the (usually) quiet wanderings of raccoons and bears (until they find a trash bin) and the human-sounding steps of squirrels. On this trip we were surprised at the occasional clumsy, noisy rummaging of the armadillos through the shrubs. Deane calls them by the oxymoron, "Stealth Armadillos: They come under cover of darkness!" You will suspect there are many by the noises, but no! They are lone agents, baffling all with a deluge of sound! Cracked us up! (Sorry, had to be there…)

Day 9: Saturday. 4/27 (strong thunderstorms, 80's)

Woke up at 8:30am, the kids played. We got over to Trail's End Buffet at 10:30am. Our server seemed overworked and tired. We didn't see her at all unless we sought her out. Disposables were used due to kitchen renovations, but the availability of utensils at the table would have been nice. Fair service, good food, excellent variety, real value, great Mickey Waffles.

At 11:30am, we left for Dunnellon (near Ocala) to see Deane's mother and got lost trying to get up to Florida Turnpike, went southeast by mistake. We were just getting back past Lake Buena Vista after noon, skipped I-4 because it looked like a parking lot, then got lost again. We ended up taking E-W Expressway to get to the FL Turnpike, the long way. Believe it or not, we had a map! It was all pretty bizarre, since we almost never get lost and we travel by car, using maps, all the time. Finally, we got there ~2:30pm.

We had a nice visit with Deane's Mom. After swims and supper, we left at 7pm. We were back at FWC at 9:10pm, lights out at 9:45pm.

Day 10: Sunday. 4/28 (cloudy in the 80's)

More thunderstorms were in the forecast. We got up at 6:30am, hoping for the best in terms of weather and low crowds. I went to Guest Relations to purchase additional passes, to provide the number of hopper days on our future trip that we'd want. I asked the CM to confirm that adding this purchase would leave plenty of space for charging on my resort ID. She did, then rang up the passes. I went to the marina at 8am to meet the rest of my family for the boat to the Magic Kingdom. At 8:15, we got on the boat, arrived at 8:30am and went in fairly quickly.

I waited in a long line to rent a stroller. Then, with a long line of people waiting behind me, my resort ID was denied. Oh brother. After a few minutes trying to figure it out, the CM gave me a complimentary rental, very nice. I figured something may have gone wrong with the card itself, since I'd been told the account would be fine. We made our way to the ropes at the 2nd left turn on the hub and waited 5 min. The ropes dropped and we joined the procession toward the "mountains."

We walked onto Splash Mountain twice, used the left queue, bypassing a 5-10 min. wait each time. Don't know why people don't even look. This is one of our most favorite rides in all of WDW! The 1st time, we got soaked in the 1st and 2nd rows. The 2nd time, we were barely sprinkled in the 3rd and last rows. I saw a 3-circle hidden Mickey (I think) in the rocks on the right after the 1st drop and the 1st bend. Also, in the ending paddle-wheeler boat scene, we thought we saw a head profile hidden Mickey, which then appeared different as we approached, looking more like a full head and body profile of Mickey, lying on his back, head to the right and feet to the left. This was in the clouds to the right of the boat. No comment, by the way, on what we heard in the lyrics of the chicken's song!

We liked the 2nd Splash photo, with all of our faces showing. We went to pay for it using each of our resort IDs: both denied! We asked the CM to please call FWC for us and see why it was denied. We hadn't brought any other money or credit card to the park with us. After the first 10 min., I asked Deane to take the kids on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, and meet me at the stroller. 45 min. and several phone conversations with various parties later, I was assured by a very pleasant FWC CM, Jeff, that the problem had been corrected and we would have no further problem. Very frustrated over wasting my time in the morning hours and glad to have it resolved, I bought the photo, to be delivered to FWC. (The resort ID worked to do the purchase.) 15 min. later, after 2 rides on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, my family met me at the stroller.

(Fortunately, they'd gotten tired of waiting and went for a 2nd ride.) We all went on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad together once (15-20 min.). We had a snack as we slowly walked to the Haunted Mansion, ~11am (15 min. wait). Love that ride, too. Details, details! We got into a 25 min. line for Peter Pan's Flight. We went across to It's A Small World, 15 min. wait. All the kids love it. It brings back memories to me, of being 9 years old in 1972 and being amazed at the colors and music, even in the loading area. I like the India room's Taj Majal with its "reflecting pool" and the Africa room.

Other lines in Fantasyland looked long and slow, even the walkways seemed mobbed. We headed to Toon Town. It was pretty hot, so we let the kids get soaked on Donald's Boat then toured Mickey's and Minnie's houses. Watching the other people's reactions to the sight gags was as fun as the gags were amusing. We skipped the very long lines for the characters and convinced the kids that the line for Barnstormer was way too long for a short coaster (it stretched to the street). We discovered a change in the policy on rental strollers, since last year, on the Magic Kingdom Railroad. We were allowed to take our things off the stroller, along with the name tag, leave the stroller at the station, and receive another stroller from a CM at the exit station when we disembarked and showed the name tag. Great idea.

We rode from Toon Town to Frontierland on the RR. Walked to Sunshine Tree Terrace in Adventureland for soft frozen yogurt and a root beer float to share (Mmmm.) Deane's resort ID worked. We had these while sitting on the stone wall at the back of the wheelchair entrance to Country Bear Jamboree. It was covered, so cooler. by the way, this is a decent place to see over the crowd during a hot parade, if you don't mind not being up front. Everyone was hungry for "real food," so though we'd had dessert first (it's vacation!), I got into a 10 min. line for turkey legs. Resort ID denied!!! Not again!

Well, the kids said they preferred to do attractions rather than see the parade. So we walked straight through Swiss Family Robinson's Treehouse at 2:45pm. Then we walked onto Jungle Cruise - the kids really liked that ride even asking to repeat it! We assured them that we would on our December trip. The jokes get annoying on the 2nd time in a row (we'd be too tempted to heckle).

Next was a 15-20 min. wait for Pirates of the Caribbean. The right queue was the only one open. ¾ of the way through, we saw that there were people running to the loading area from the second side. They must have opened the left queue when the parade ended and the crowd returned. After Pirates of the Caribbean, we were all getting pretty hot, tired, and hungry so we headed for the gate.

Deane returned the stroller and took the kids to the Welcome Center. I went to Guest Relations on Main St. (to try again to fix the resort ID problem) and waited 15 min. in a slow line. Nice CM Florence called FWC and got a manager on the phone with me. I found him to be rather condescending. He said the problem could easily be fixed and he didn't understand why I was still having a problem. He offered no apology for my wasted time and frustration, waiting in lines, talking on the phone and being unable to get a real lunch for our family. He said his staff was well-trained and it sounded like I was having a "miscommunication problem" with his CM's regarding how I wanted to use the ID. I didn't get that. He said he couldn't respond to the previous assurances I'd received because he had no knowledge of the conversations as he hadn't been a part of them. I thought this was a poor response. I was getting very upset at that point, let him know I could not continue to talk to him and handed the phone to Florence.

Seeing my reaction, she hung up and offered to provide a supper at Cosmic Ray's or Casey's Corner. I told her thanks and I'd talk to my husband. I found Deane and the kids hanging out under the RR Station. I felt pretty steamed at having wasted another ½ hour and I wanted to go back to FWC for the rest of the evening, but he thought we should get supper and see how we felt. We went back in to see Florence and she walked us to Cosmic Ray's.

We sat down at 5pm to chicken sandwiches, a cheeseburger, chicken fingers (all pretty good) and a hot dog and fries (both were too salty and heavy) and drinks, thanks to Florence. Nice condiment bar. We all ate a lot, we were so hungry. What also helped was the long rest we took in the air conditioning, just relaxing and talking (yes, it's noisy in there) while the kids watched Cosmic Ray and goofed around with other kids. Deane went to Toon Town and brought back a stroller.

Feeling better, we left Cosmic Ray's at 6:10pm to check the line at Space Mountain. Posted 30 min., we waited 25 and everyone loved this ride, of course. I could see even more track than I recall from just last year, and enjoyed it nonetheless. I think the crowds this day were much less than I'd expected, overall. It was not anearly entry day and the forecast and ominous clouds must have kept some people away.

We walked into Carousel of Progress. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this! Can't explain it. We walked onto Take Flight. Our kids loved the parts where the visuals fool you into feeling motion. (We hadn't seen either of these in about 12 years.) Next, we walked onto Tomorrowland Transit Authority, always a favorite. Cute ride. Noticed the very long line extending way, way out of Space Mountain (it was scheduled to close the next 3 days for rehab).

5 min. wait for Mad Tea Party. I let my boys spin our cup like mad (surprised me not to feel ill) while Steph and Deane dizzied themselves nearby. 5 min. wait for Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, left side. We saw the naked lady thanks to my son, "Mommy, lookit her!"

8:15pm, we headed for the castle hub and through the sidewalk crowd, down Main St., for the 8:45 SpectroMagic Parade, with great difficulty. We found a stretch on the block closest to the RR Station, where all the people were sitting on the sidewalk, 2-3 deep. So we plopped the kids to sit down, too. I got cookies by traveling inside the stores to the bakery, which our kids shared with a nice family sitting next to them.

Our first time ever seeing it, we thought the parade was dazzling. In some parts, the music just wasn't catchy for me, but the beautiful floats made up for it. I loved the twirling spheres with clown-like figures on top. We thought the evil demon, with huge red wings, from Fantasia, was incredible! After the parade, we moved to the Town Square hub to await the fireworks. I ran to the Welcome Center to get badges (kids lost theirs during the day). I think the fireworks are prettier in front of the castle-cake, than from the resorts, and I hope we can see them in front of the regular Cinderella Castle someday. Boat to FWC, lights out by 10:45pm.

Day 11: Monday. 4/29 (low 80's, pouring rain)

We slept past 9am. Had a big breakfast in the camper. The kids played Uno and we chatted and said our good-byes to the next-door campers from Michigan, exchanged addresses. Everyone was still very tired. We were beginning to feel a little down, with the pouring rain, knowing we were leaving the next day.

I drove to the front desk to review our bill, so check-out would be easier. While there, I asked to speak to the manager (it was the same man). I let him know that I had not felt "heard" the previous day and that, from ~9:30am until ~5pm, the day had been poorly affected several times by all the resort ID problems. I guess I'd been hoping he'd respond with some kind of "we'll review it and try to avoid this happening again" or an acknowledgment of the inconvenience it had caused, beyond my control. After some discussion, I still felt that he was implying the problems had been my fault-my problem. I may have misread him. Though he never did offer an apology for the way the cards/account had gotten messed up, he gave me 1-day-1-park complimentary tickets for my family, "since you seemed to have had a bad time." Strange PR skills. But the gesture did the trick! Okay!

I went back to the site. Deane had put the kids down for a nap. We decided to go to Epcot after their naps, since it seems the best park for a rainy day, and it was EARLY ENTRY day at the Magic Kingdom. I made sandwiches. Tickets in my waistpouch, wearing our ponchos, we headed for the boat (David loves the boat) at 3:30pm, changed to monorails and got to Epcot ~4:20pm.

We walked onto Spaceship Earth Next Living Seas (5 min. wait): Neat movie and pretty aquariums, saw the manatees. Still drizzling, misty. We went to check the line for Honey , I Shrunk the Audience: It was short. Waited indoors <10 min. 'til the preshow. What a kick! We warned Steph about the mice, so she could pick up her legs when they came out if she wanted. The boys were sitting cross-legged anyway. We let the kids know that they might want to close their eyes or take off their glasses when the cat and the snake were on-screen. The boys took off their glasses at those moments and none of the kids got freaked out over the scary parts. Great!

Next, we planned to go over to Wonders of Life and Horizons, but changed our minds mid-walk, and decided to get to World Showcase for supper (closer to Illuminations). Le Cellier in Canada was the place. Good choice. I had the chicken and meatball stew (child's portion) and it was much better than we'd expected, with yummy mashed red potatoes with skins. Cold grilled salmon appetizer on shredded vegetables with a tangy dressing was delish. The chicken Caesar salad had spicy chicken, pretty good. Matt was able to get a kid's meal of roasted turkey without gravy, though it wasn't on the menu (he didn't want the choices offered), and it was tender. Steph and Dave had yucky mac 'n cheese that was similar to the pasty, overcooked, salty mess they'd had last year at King Stephan's. Fortunately, our portions were generous enough to share and their meals had included dishes of freshly cut fruit (3 kinds of melons, pineapple, grapes) and a big chocolate chip cookie. The bill was only ~$31. Not bad at all! And we all liked the castle-like interior of the restaurant.

Crowds were light, probably due to the weather. At 8:20pm, we found a great, clear-view spot along the railing just before getting to Mexico. I stayed with the stroller and Deane took the kids to check the line for Maelstrom's Viking ships and trolls. By 8:30, the railing was filled in, 2 deep in that area and I was psyched to finally watch Illuminations from the "front," for the first time. That's when I realized the breeze off the lagoon felt nice on my face. Yes, that's right, directly toward my face! The same way the smoke would likely be directly toward us in a half hour! Too late. How would Deane find me, if I tried to relocate as it was getting dark? What if they came out of the ride at the very last minute and the lights were down? Should've gone anyway and taken my chances.

They got back at 8:50pm and the crowd was at least 5 deep. We stayed and got smoke our way that was thick enough to block out most of the light/fireworks effects, as well as ash dust falling into our eyes. Actually, the view with this show seems to be best from the sides of the lagoon, just past Mexico or Canada (especially the water fountain images). We'll absolutely check wind direction on our next trip. Many of the fireworks go off at water level, like sprays, sending billowing smoke at near ground level. Oh well. We were glad we'd gotten a nice view on our first night.

The long line at the monorail was only a 10 min. wait. At the Transportation and Ticket Center, we walked right onto a Crockett Bus and sat through the longer ride, rather than wait, standing, for a Boone bus (one had just left). The driver was nice enough to drop about a dozen of us off at loops 100/200 (not a bus stop), before SD's stop. The kids were in bed at 10:30pm, lights out at 11:30pm.

Day 12: Tuesday. 4/30 (partly cloudy, low 80's)

We slept 'til 9am, had breakfast, slowly got ready and packed in camp while the kids played with lacrosse stuff with other campers nearby. We checked out (late) at 12pm and left the car and camper in the FWC front parking lot. We took the internal bus to the boat to the Contemporary.

We looked at boat rentals. Deane had been considering taking out a small sailboat on his own, but he decided not, favoring a canopy boat for our whole family. We planned to, if we got back in time, after other plans. Went to the Food 'N Fun Center for lunch: <$25 and much too much food (large portions, decent tasting). Captain Hook and the Queen of Hearts wandered through, scowling and playing a bit. The Disney touches make a simple "fast food" meal fun. Our kids played a couple arcade games.

Took the monorail to the Magic Kingdom, then the bus to the Swan Resort. We looked in the lobby. Pretty swan fountains. Sorry, not impressed. It felt sterile, smelled fishy and the ladies' room had peeling wallpaper. We walked across the pretty connection to the Codfish, er, Dolphin. I really liked the giant shell fountain outside, as well as the lobby. There was a pianist at the grand piano and the decor was airy and fun. It didn't feel as "Disney" as other resorts we'd seen but, very nice.

We took the friendship to the Boardwalk. Great atmosphere, pretty pool area and very pleasant lobby. I stopped in to the bakery to get goodies for the middle of the night (driving home). The emphasis here seems to be more breakfast baked goods than sugary sweets. I liked it. We walked to the Beach Club's Beaches and Cream for (what else?) a giant Fudge Mud Slide Sundae and a Frozen Sunshine Shake to share. Loved 'em both! We walked past the pool and the hot tubs, trying to find our way out to the bus stop.

We ended up passing through the Yacht Club lobby toward the bus. This! This was it!! Ooooh! I'm in love! Twice! With my honey and with this place! And I want to be with him, in that place, someday, without children! All the shiny brass; the wood polished to a high sheen; the dark sitting room off to the side, so cozy; the balcony - so nautical, I can imagine fantastic voyages behind each door, the sparkling waves seen through port holes; the gigantic, old-style globe for plotting with the currents and the winds… Yes, yes, this is the place. Funny thing is, I don't even care much for salt water. But, somehow, the theming there just touched off my sense of adventure, exploration, romance and pure fun. And to think we almost missed it, trying to get to the bus. The Yacht Club's proximity to Epcot, the beautifully lit lake and pool area (at night): These are terrific perks, but the brochures don't do the resort justice. Now I know everyone has their own favorites, but I knew in an instant that this was for me. Maybe someday we'll actually stay there. Maybe for our 20th anniversary (our 10th is coming in June). Mmmm. Nice thought.

Back to reality. 7pm, we got on the bus to the Magic Kingdom, took the boat to FWC (too late for a boat rental - maybe on a warm day in December), and the bus out to the parking lot. Made stops to put air in the air shocks, pick up light supper foods, brush our teeth and get gas. Headed out of the area before 9:30pm. I was glad it was dark. Leaving just doesn't seem so sad to me when it's so late in the day. It had been fun exploring the resorts for the day. Near Gainesville, Deane nearly skimmed the whiskers of a (live) stealth armadillo, relaxing with a midnight snack on the dotted white line of I-75 northbound. Amazingly cunning and crafty creatures, they are!

Day 13: Wednesday. 5/1 (low 70's, sunny)

Got home at ~11am, exhausted from the drive. It was nice to see the mountains. The pretty scenery and good weather made it so much easier to arrive home. Now we need to finish unpacking and get to the task of making our new apartment into our new home.

I hope you enjoyed my report. Please feel free to email any comments or questions.

Lisa B. Potter