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Trip Reports
01-07-2007, 07:14 PM
John Thompson -- March 2000 -- Boardwalk Villas Resort & Offsite

March 3 - 11, 2000

If you would like to see a version of this trip report with pictures, visit the Thompson Family Web (http://www.thompsonfamilyweb.com).

Introduction and planning

If you have read any of my reports from various excursions that we've made, you know that I can be a bit long-winded. This introductory bit doesn't get into the actual trip, and may be a bit dry unless you're in to this, so feel free to skip to Day One if you like.

This was our 3rd trip as a family to Walt Disney World (WDW). Andie & I had gone in March 1992, when we were engaged. That was my 1st trip and Andes 2nd (she had gone when she was a freshman in college). Our first trip as a family was over Thanksgiving 1997 in celebration of my 40th birthday. Nat and I returned in October 1998. My parents live a short drive from Disneyland (DL) and have been there many times (as have I); in fact they used to be Annual Passholders. They had never, however, been to WDW.

It was, in fact, my mom's desire to see WDW that was the impetus of this trip. Nat and I had just returned from our October 1998 trip and I was telling my mom about it and she mentioned (not for the 1st time) how much she wanted to go to WDW. Since we are now Disney's Vacation Club (DVC) members, we could reserve a 2-bedroom villa at Disney's Boardwalk Villas (BWV) that would be big enough for all of us. I suggested that we go sfover Thanksgiving of 1999. We liked Thanksgiving week because all the Christmas decorations are up, the weather isn't too hot, the parks are crowded but not as bad as other holidays, Nat would only miss a few days of school, and we would only miss a few days of work.

The original plan was for us to fly in on Friday night before Thanksgiving week, spend the first night at an Orlando Best Western, then spend 7 nights at BWV paying for 6 nights with points and one with cash. I purchased 5 day Park Hopper passes for all of us (except Charlotte who is under 3 and, therefore, can get into the parks for free) using my Magic Kingdom Club discount. We would go to the parks for 5 of our full days and take 2 days off (including Thanksgiving Day.)

A few months after making all the major plans (including airplane tickets and hotel reservations) I received a mailing from American Express offering 3 nights at the Marriott Grande Vista (one of Marriott Vacation Club's timeshare properties), plus 2 tickets for Universal Studios, for $249. All we would need to do was sit through a 90-minute sales presentation. This seemed like a really good deal, so after verifying that we could use the passes for Universal's Islands of Adventure (IOA) instead of Universal Studios, we decided to go for it. I reserved it for Thursday, Friday and Saturday night. We would get an extra day in Orlando (which we would use for IOA) without spending too more money. It would cost $450 ($75 per ticket) to change the plane tickets, plus we would pay $249 for the Marriott deal, but we would not be paying $79 for the Best Western room and would also be saving $380 for the one cash night at BWV. Additionally we would save some on the cost of the Airplane tickets, which we could take in coupons for future travel (as good as cash to us.)

As soon as I got my reservation confirmation from Marriott Vacation Club International (MVCI) I discovered that they had screwed up the reservation. I tried to get them to fix it, but they were nearly impossible to get in touch with. By the time I finally got through to them I was so frustrated that I cancelled it all together. Luckily I had not cancelled any of our original reservations, so we could easily go back to plan A.

The reservations were all made, the Priority Seating (PS) reservations for dining at WDW were all made, and all was ready to go. Then I got a call from my mom that my dad's doctor had informed him that he needed surgery. Needless to say, he would not be fully recovered in time for our trip, so we cancelled the whole trip and started from scratch.

Even though I had had trouble with MVCI, we decided to try to use the special deal again for our new itinerary. I called DVC first to make a 5-day reservation for a 2-bedroom villa. I had a little trouble finding dates with availability at BWV (there were more available at Old Key West, but we wanted to stay at BWV), but we finally settled on March 6th through 11th. I called MVCI and arranged for 3 nights, March 3rd through 6th. We were even able to upgrade to a 2 bedroom villa for an extra $50. We would still do 5 days at Disney parks and 1 day at IOA, but we would now have only 1 day off.

Changing the plane tickets turned out to be a bit more difficult. I had no problem finding a flight for my parents from Orange County, CA, but all flights from the New York area to Orlando were prohibitively expensive. I was able to find good flights to Tampa, however. It turned out that we would arrive in at Tampa almost the exact time that my parents would arrive in Orlando, so they would get to the room before us.

A really cool thing about this trip was that we would have no bills when it was over. The MGV room was paid for, the BWV room was on points, and the park passes were paid for long ago. The only major expense would be the rental car, which my parents agreed to pay for as we were taking care of the rooms. As for spending money, I had been selling a bunch of stuff on eBay and had amassed $1200, which would cover most of our day-to-day expenses. Andie and I agreed that we would attempt to charge as little as possible.

One more note about this trip. My mom had hurt her knee about a year ago and hasn't been able to walk long distances since. For that reason we decided that we would use a wheelchair for her on this trip.

Well, the day for departure was quickly approaching. Even Andie was getting excited. Every time Charlotte would see a commercial for WDW she'd say, "We go there?" My mom made the final arrangements for their transportation, and we were ready to go.

Day 0 - Friday March 3rd, 2000 - Flight & arrival

Andie was able to work from home today, making it much easier to get to Newark Airport. Since I wasn't starting my new job until the Monday after we get back, I did the last minute preparations while Andie worked. At 12:30 Andie picked Nat up from school (she had to leave a few hours early), and we were on the road by 1:00 PM. After being on the road for about an hour we realized that we had forgotten Charlotte's stroller (even though we left it right by the back door.) As you will read later it turned out not to matter.

The drive to Newark Airport was uneventful, and I was pleasantly surprised to find long-term parking, albeit it the farthest lot from the terminal. Our Continental flight left at 4:30 PM and we were in Tampa by a little after 7:00. Tampa airport is a good choice for flying to WDW, especially if you plan on renting a car, because the rates are often quite a bit cheaper and it's actually not much more of a drive from WDW as Orlando.

I went to the Budget rent-a-car desk and was asked if I minded switching from a minivan to a Ford Explorer. I said I didn't care as long as it seated 6. The Ford was a huge black monster truck of a vehicle that I soon nicknamed the Behemoth. Thank God it had a side step and handles to help pull yourself in, otherwise we would all have had trouble getting in (and I don't think my parents would have been able to.)

We were pretty hungry after the piddling little snack on the plane, so we stopped at a Burger King just outside of Tampa. Then we hit the road for Orlando.

I had gone on a business trip to Tampa several years ago. One of my co-workers had recently returned from a trip to Orlando, where he had gone to The Magic Kingdom, Disney/MGM Studios and Universal Studios - but he skipped Epcot. I told him that he missed out by skipping Epcot, so we agreed to stay an extra day in Florida, and he & I would make a side-trip to Epcot. I recalled from this trip that the drive to WDW was surprisingly short, so I was somewhat dismayed and surprised when I saw a sign that read "Orlando - 73 miles". Well, a little over 50 miles later we could see fireworks in the distance and I said "those can't be from The Magic Kingdom - we're too far away". Then the next sign read "Magic Kingdom - 1 mile". So, while it may have been 73 miles to Orlando, WDW was considerably closer. This must have been why I recalled that the trip from Tampa to WDW was surprisingly short.

Well, our destination wasn't WDW but, rather, The Marriott Grande Vista (MGV.) We exited on International drive and the resort was about another 1/2 mile. As we were driving there we noticed a huge tower with cables extending from it to the ground in a Christmas Tree shape that were lit up like an American Flag. We weren't sure what it was, but later discovered that the tower was some sort of observation tower at Sea World, which is right next to the resort. We still haven't figured out what the lights were for. I assume they're part of a nighttime show.

We arrived at the resort at about 9:30. As you first enter the property you see a glass building that resembles a small office building. This is the Marriott Vacation Club International sales office. We drove past this building and down a pretty drive lined with Magnolia trees. Your first view of the resort itself is its signature lighthouse situated next to a small lake. Andie said, "Wow, this is beautiful! I thought this would be just a plain old Marriott!"

When we checked in I asked when the Concierge opened in the morning. I had spoken with someone about getting my free Universal passes and they suggested just buying the tickets from the Concierge and charging it to the room. That way we could pay for it at checkout and use gift coupons that we would get after attending the MVCI preview. The lady at the front desk said that the Concierge would be there at 8:00 in the morning, and since Universal didn't open until 9:00 we could get the tickets in the morning.

The 2 bedroom villa was actually a 1 bedroom with an attached studio (a pretty common configuration that DVC also uses except, I understand, at Old Key West Resort.) The rooms were nicely appointed with a full kitchen, a small stacking washer & dryer and a 2-person Jacuzzi tub in the master bedroom's adjoining bath. There was a king-size bed in the master bedroom, a pullout sofa in the living room, and a queen-size bed as well as another sofa and a separate bath in the studio. The rooms were surprisingly large, with a neo-angle-screened porch overlooking a small pond off the living room and studio. The rooms were decorated tastefully in subdued greens and golds. We were very pleased with the accommodations.

When we arrived, my parents weren't there although their baggage was. I took pictures of the rooms for a travel website I work on before we messed up the rooms. We started settling in and getting the kids ready for bed when my folks showed up. The first thing my mom told me was that she forgot the handicap placard I recommended that she bring. As you will see it ended up not really mattering. Even though they had made a grocery stop on the way to the hotel (they used Atlantis Limo using a discount code I found on The Unofficial Disney Information Station (DisneyInfo.com), they decided to walk to the resorts small store, called "The Marketplace". Greetings were exchanged and they visited with the kids for a bit before we put them on our bed so we could sit in the living room and chat. We talked and had a few of the beers that I requested my folks get on their grocery stop. At about 10:30 we transferred the kids to the sleeper sofa in the living room and we called it a night.

Day 1 - Saturday March 4, 2000 - Universal's Islands of Adventure

I woke at 6:30, before anyone else (as is my wont while on a Disney vacation.) By the time I was finished with my shower and was dressed, Andie and the kids were rising. I left the room to walk around the property a bit and take pictures of the pool for my website. The pool area is at MGV is great. There is a main pool as well as a lap pool that is reserved for laps only in the morning. There is also a kiddie pool with a fountain and 2 Jacuzzi's. The pool area is decorated with columns and is nicely landscaped. There is also a purely decorative fountain, as well as a fountain in the small lake adjoining the property, which can be seen by the pool. The grounds of the hotel in general are quite lovely, with plenty of magnolia trees and grass. It was a lovely morning and promised to be a beautiful day - sunny with highs in the upper 70's to low 80's.

I left the pool area and walked to the front desk where I picked up our tickets for our first park - Universal's Islands of Adventure (IOA.) The tickets for 4 adults and 1 child totaled $232.

I then went to The Marketplace and got bagels, muffins, orange juice and coffee for breakfast. When I went back to the room everyone was up and ready except my dad, who was taking a bath. The rest of us ate breakfast, and we were out the door by about 8:40. The drive to Universal took about 15 minutes, with mortals in mere autos scattering to and fro to make way for the big black Behemoth. It's fun driving a vehicle that others look upon with fear. We noticed that the hotel was very close to Sea World, which for some reason I thought was in Tampa, and Andie & I discussed the possibility of taking the kids there while we were in Orlando. As we approached Universal I noticed that "The Hulk" was running, so either they were testing the ride before opening or they had opened early.

We arrived at Universal around 9:00 and parked in the "King Kong" section. One complaint I have about Universal is that it is a long walk from the parking structures to the parks - including having to walk through "CityWalk" (Universal's shopping & dining complex) - and it is difficult if someone in your party has impaired mobility. Fortunately the wheelchair rental is just as you exit the parking structure. Since we had forgotten to bring Charlotte's stroller we decided to rent 2 wheelchairs. This way we figured we could do a "round robin" with my folks and the kids, with Andie & I doing the bulk of the pushing.

Since we had already purchased tickets we made our way through "CityWalk" and went directly to the park entrance. As you pass the lighthouse at the park's entrance and through the main gates, the first section of the park you come to is the "Port of Entry" (POE.) POE is themed as a somewhat stylized Mediterranean port. It contains no attractions and is mostly shops. The architecture in POE is quite lovely and it makes for a nice gateway to the rest of the park.

Islands of Adventure is laid out as six themed "islands" that surround a central lake. Moving clockwise from "Port of Entry" is "Marvel Super Hero Island", then "Toon Lagoon", followed by "Jurassic Park", "The Lost Continent" and finally "Seuss Landing".

We turned left, so the first area we encountered was "Marvel Super Hero Island" (MSHI.) MSHI is themed after the Marvel comic book characters. The area includes "The Hulk", a hulking (pun intended) green roller coaster, "Doctor Doom's Fearfall", a sky shot ride, and "The Amazing Adventures of Spiderman", a one-of-kind (putting it lightly) high-tech thrill ride. As soon as we arrived, Natalie announced that she was hungry, and my dad also complained of being hungry (he had an excuse since he missed breakfast.) No one was interested in riding "Spider Man" (SM) except for me, and it seemed like a good time to ride, so I did. I'm not a big comic book fan, but I used to watch Spider Man cartoons as a kid and I remember the basic plot dealt with a newspaperman who suited up as an arachnid to fight crime. I also remember his boss believed - unlike the population in general - that Spider Man was a bad guy.

The wait was about 20 minutes. The queue area is made to look like a newspaper office - or, at least, a comic book version of a newspaper office. As you make your way through the queue you see "live" news reports on TVs scattered throughout about some bad guy who's name escapes me - it was "Octo" something - who was using some sort of zero gravity ray to hold the city hostage. He was aided by some cackling guy who throws exploding pumpkins, another guy who was made of water, and a babe with a killer hair-do (literally.) The story makes no sense whatsoever - but who cares?

Finally you get to an area where you are going to board this super new vehicle called "The Scoop". You are shown an amusing pre-boarding instruction video, given a pair of "night vision" (3D) glasses, and you're off.

I'm not going to go into a lot of detail regarding the ride itself so as not to spoil it for those who haven't ridden and would like to be surprised. I will, however, write a bit about the ride in general terms.

SM utilizes some very advanced and impressive technology. It is much like "Countdown to Extinction" in Disney's Animal Kingdom and "Indiana Jones" at Disneyland in that it is, at its core, a dark ride that utilizes ride vehicles that are, essentially, mini motion simulators. It is there that the similarities end. While you do travel from one room to another in your vehicle - like any other dark ride - the main part of the show is actually in the form of 3D projected images. These images are incorporated into the physical surroundings in a nearly seamless manner. The ride designers developed an amazing system whereby the projected 3D images can be viewed from a moving vehicle without having the images distort and become just double images.

I must admit that through the first 3/4 of the ride left me a little underwhelmed. After all the praise I'd heard of this ride I guess I was expecting too much. I mean, yes, it was cool. Real cool. But I just wasn't blown away like I thought I would be. It was, basically, a big 3D movie viewed from a moving vehicle.

Then came the finale.

All I can say is "WOW!" The last sequence of the ride is an absolutely seamless blending of all elements that creates an amazingly realistic and thrilling experience. After that, I was blown away.

SM is considered by many theme park enthusiasts to the best theme park attraction currently in existence. Do I agree? Well, if hard pressed I think I'd still have to give the nod to "The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror" and maybe "The Adventures of Indiana Jones and the Forbidden Eye". Regardless, SM is an amazing ride and clearly ranks in the top 5.

That said, for any ride developers looking into more attractions using this technology, I do have a couple of suggestions. First, I would try to do something to insure that other guests in the same vehicle do not encroach into the field of vision of the 3D images. When this happens it breaks the reality (on that same note, I would recommend riding in the front row of the vehicle if you can.) Second, I would try to do away with the old Polaroid style glasses. There is too much spillover of the image from one side to another, causing ghosting. The only 3D system I've ever seen does away with ghosting entirely is the one used at some IMAX theaters that uses radio-controlled LCD lenses. Of course these glasses are very expensive and heavy, so it would probably only be practical after some technological advancements.

After leaving SM I noticed that "Doctor Doom's Fearfall" (DDF) was advertising a single rider line. I asked the CM ("Cast Member" or theme park employee - I don't know if Universal uses this term, but for simplicity I will refer to all employees as "CM") and he told me it was about a 5 minute wait. I got inside and it looked like a longer wait (a later experience would teach me that the CM probably just didn't tell me the right place to go) and I wanted to meet up with the rest of my family, so I left. DDF was not real high on my list of priorities, so I bailed on it.

I found Nat, Charlie and Andie sitting in a bench that looked like a car. Spider Man was on the hood of the car posing for pictures. Andie told me that they were sitting there when she heard a "thump." She looked at Charlie, who was looking up behind Andie with a look of abject horror. Andie turned around and was startled to see this guy in bright blue and red tights! I asked if the kids wanted a picture with Spider Man, but they were both too scared be interested. My folks were on a nearby bench, so we all gathered together and went to "Toon Lagoon" (TL.)

TL is themed after characters from comic strips and cartoons. It's quite bright and charming. Funny little touches abound, such as a stack of "dialog balloons" that say things like "I yam what I yam" topped with a sign that reads "used". All of the attractions here are water themed. There's "Dudley Do-Right's Ripsaw Falls", a fun-looking flume ride, "Me Ship the Olive Oyl", a kid's water play area, and "Bluto's Bilge Rat Barges", a water raft ride. I suggested "Bluto's Bilge Rat Barges" (BBRB). My mom asked if we would get wet, I said I wasn't sure and that I didn't remember reading anything about the ride being particularly wet. Besides, the people coming off the ride didn't look too wet. Andie stayed behind with Charlie, who's too small to ride, and my mom wanted to stay behind too but I convinced her to ride. I would end up paying for it for the rest of the trip. We got absolutely soaked. My mom, of course, blamed me, but I just kept saying, "I really didn't realize we'd get so wet!" Even she had to admit, though, that it was a fun ride.

Andie suggested we go to an area that's more kid friendly, so we back-tracked to "Seuss Landing" (SL.) This section is, of course, inspired by the characters found in the books of Dr. Seuss. It is, hands down, the best section of the park in overall themeing. Granted, the park designers had a wealth of material to draw on, but still, they did a very commendable job of incorporating the Seuss characters into the environment. My mom & dad headed to the "Green Eggs and Ham" cafe while Andie, the kids & I rode "The Cat in the Hat" (CiTH.) CitH is a dark ride that uses some pretty advanced ride technology to tell the story of what is, perhaps, the good doctor's most famous story. The line was about 20 minutes. At first I thought the queue area was supposed to look like clouds, but then I realized they are actually bushes. In the world of Dr. Seuss, clouds and bushes look pretty much the same. We all enjoyed the ride a lot - I rode with Charlotte who looked positively entranced. The one change I'd make different would be to have the spinning of the cars controlled by the riders, ala "Buzz Lightyear" in Tomorrowland.

After CitH we walked back to the "Green Eggs and Ham" cafe. My folks had already eaten, so they went for a walk. The line at the cafe was a bit long so I suggested Andie take the kids on the "Caro-Seuss-el" - a carousel that uses Dr. Seuss characters instead of horses. It's a really cute ride and I wish I could have watched them - and taken pictures - but we were all hungry so I waited in the lunch line. Andie and the kids actually got back while I was still in line. Andie and I had cheeseburgers and the kids had chicken strips. The food was surprisingly good (though also quite pricey) - I even had a bite of the kid's chicken and it was very yummy. SL also boasts a kid's play area called "If I Ran the Zoo" and a really cute ride called "One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish", sort of a cross between "Dumbo" and a water ride, but we had to leave so Andie and I could make our 1:30 appointment for the MVCI presentation.

When we got to the wheelchair rental we inquired about retrieving them when we returned later that day, and the CM told us he'd leave them there with their tags attached. At the same time he was explaining to another man that there were no wheelchairs left to rent, who was obviously upset about it. We said we didn't really need both chairs when we returned, so we offered one of them to other guest, who seemed quite appreciative.

We drove back to MGV, dropped the kids and my folks off, and headed to the MVCI office for the presentation. By this time we were about 20 minutes late. When we got in there they had trouble finding our reservation, and it became clear why when they informed us that our appointment was for the 5th, not the 4th. I argued that I had the confirmation sheet - although I didn't have it with me - and it clearly said the 4th. As soon as I verbalized it, however, I realized I could be wrong. I let them try for a few minutes to arrange something for that day - we were there, after all - but she couldn't. Andie and I agreed that it really didn't matter that much, and I told the representative that I could have been mistaken on the dates. We left agreeing to come back the next day. Andie said, "I'm glad we didn't make a big stink about it!"

I took Andie back to the room for a nap, but I wanted to go back to IOA to get more pictures for my website. It was now about 2:00 and I told Andie I'd be back by about 4:00 or so. I went back to the park, this time parking in the "Spider Man" lot. I basically did a grand tour of the park working clockwise from the POE. On the way I made some mental observations about the park in general and each "island" in particular. On the whole, IOA is a beautiful park that is expertly realized. Each themed island immerses the guest into it's unique world in a way that comes closer to the achievements of Disney designers than any park (outside of a Disney park) that I've ever seen. This is especially true of "Seuss Landing" and "The Lost Continent".

I have two major criticisms of the park as a whole. First, having the park surround a central body of water makes it more difficult to navigate because you can't skip from one section to another. Epcot's World Showcase has a similar problem, but IOA is not quite as bad because the park is smaller (or at least it seems that way.) My other major complaint is that the transition from one area to another is abrupt, with most sections simply using a gate or sign to announce your entry. Disney is much better at handling the transation from one themed area to another (at least most of the time - is "The Mad Tea Party" in "Fantasyland" or "Tomorrowland"?) A classic example of the way Disney handles this is a "backroad" path that runs by "Splash Mountain" and leads from "Frontierland" to "Adventureland". The Disney designers made a building that, on the "Frontierland", has a southwestern adobe look that blends seamlessly into the Moroccan look of the same section in Adventureland. This type of seamless transition is absent in IOA.

After re-entering the park I turned left and went through the park clockwise. After POE was, as I mentioned, MSHI. MSHI is probably the least impressive of the "islands" as far as themeing goes. It is basically decorated with overblown 2 dimensional representations from Marvel comics. It's bright and colorful, but not real imaginative.

I was hoping to ride "The Hulk" and, especially "Dueling Dragons", but I knew I didn't have much time. Since I was in MSHI I decided to check out the wait for "Hulk", but at 30 minutes I thought the wait was too long. Luckily I asked the CM at the ride's entrance about a single rider line, and he told me that the wait was five minutes, so I went for it. The single rider line was kind of weird. I was told to go through a door to outside of the ride building, then up a set of stairs to the main loading dock. There I only waited for a few minutes before boarding.

Now, I wanted to ride Hulk, but I it wasn't a "must ride" for me. It is, after all, just a coaster. Yes, a particularly big coaster with a cool launch system, but just a coaster nonetheless. Boy, was I wrong. The Hulk is an absolutely awesome coaster. I don't know if it's just because it's so new, but the ride on the Hulk is smooth as silk. It is an exhilarating, thrilling ride. I highly recommend it.

TL, the next section, is more impressive. It reminded me a bit of Disneyland's "Toontown", only fashioned after a variety of comic and cartoon characters as opposed to Disney characters. The details throughout this section, many of them quite humorous, are impressive. Particularly nifty is the "Mt. Rushmore" edifice - featuring the likeness of "Dudely Do-Right" characters - that looms above "Ripsaw Falls".

Next you come to Jurassic Park (JP.) JP is themed to look like the island park developed for the film, with the same combination of lush vegetation and architecture that looks like a cross between an African village and a tropical paradise. The main ride building of JPs signature attraction - the "Jurassic Park River Adventure" - dominates the horizon. There is also a kid's play area and "discovery zone", an elevated ride called "Pteranodon Flyers", and an up-close encounter with a triceratops.

After JP comes "The Lost Continent" (LC.) LC is themed as a mythical port. It is home to "Dueling Dragons"; IOAs duel synchronized suspended coaster, two shows ("Poseidon's Fury" and "The Eighth Voyage of Sinbad"), as well as some of IOAs most imaginative architecture. After LC comes SL, which I already discussed. After taking a full tour of the park and taking the pictures I needed for the site, I left IOA and returned to the hotel.

When I arrived back at the hotel at about 4:00 everyone was asleep except for Andie. We relaxed for a while, and eventually everyone woke up. We were out of the room at about 5:30 and on our way back to the park.

This time we parked in the "Cat in the Hat" section. We returned to the wheelchair rental where our chair was waiting. By now many other chairs had been returned and we were able to convince the CM to let us have a second chair even though we didn't have a receipt for it. My folks just wanted to wander around POE, but Andie and I wanted to go to LC, so we took the kids in one of the chairs and headed back. We agreed to meet for dinner at "Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville" at 7:15.

I wanted to ride "Dueling Dragons" (DD) so Andie took the kids to do a little shopping while I rode. He wait was about 20 minutes, much of which was spent winding my way through DDs massive queue area. The queue area was quite impressive - I especially liked the room with the frozen knights on horseback.

DD is a suspended coaster, with the riders hanging from the track with their feet dangling. It is actually 2 coasters - "Fire" and "Ice" - which are perfectly synchronized to pass within inches of each other as the cars go through opposing suspended loops. I rode the "Ice" side. This is a very hairy coaster with many sharp twists and turns. The part where you hit the loop at the same time as the other coaster goes by in a blink - but it's really cool. One thing that is especially disconcerting is the way the coaster comes what seems like impossibly close to trees, the tracks, and the ground. Another really great coaster.

I met up with Andie and the kids after the ride. I'm glad the line for the line was short, because Andie said shopping in LC was a bust - mostly dragons and crystals, something Andie (and me, for that matter) has no interest in. We made our way to JC so Nat could experience the "Triceratops Encounter" - the one thing at IOA that she'd expressed a real interest in. There was no wait at all and soon she was bonding with "Cera". This is a really neat attraction, and the dino is amazingly convincing. Nat was very impressed, and she's not even a big dinosaur nut. If you have a kid that loves dinos, this is a must.

It was getting late so we had to bid farewell to Cera. On the way out of the park we stopped to do a bit of shopping. We have a policy with the kids while on vacation - they get to buy one thing per day. We stopped at a store in POE - I don't recall the name. Nat picked out a cute T-shirt with Dr. Seuss characters and "Universal's Islands of Adventure" written on it. Well, OK, she picked it out after Andie steered her away from the really ugly Betty Boop T-shirt. Charlie got a spongy ball with Dr. Seuss characters on it. I bought an IOA T-shirt. It's dark blue with the IOA logo on it. As a rule of thumb I buy "basic" Ts while on vacation, unless it's a T for someplace big like a city or something, in which case I like to buy something specific. As an example, in Ocean City MD I bought a T from a bar called Seacrets. WDW falls into the "big place" category and most of my WDW Ts (all except one, actually) are for a specific hotel or restaurant or something. But enough on that.

By the time we made it out of the park to "Margaritaville", which is the first restaurant in "CityWalk" you encounter when leaving IOA, we were late for our Priority Seating (PS) reservation. Margaritaville was pretty crowded and we had to wait about 45 minutes before being seated. Even though it was late and it was the end of a long day, the kids were great. They simply played around the fountain outside the restaurant and had a grand time. This is not the first or the last time I'll say this - Andie and I are blessed with 2 kids who are absolute joys to travel with. They just go with the flow and rarely fuss. It's nice to know that we can plan a trip without worrying about how the kids will behave.

We were finally seated about 8:30 in an upstairs table. I had red beans and rice with spicy sausage, Andie had chicken pasta, my dad had ribs and my mom had clam chowder, while the kids had mac & cheese. All the adults had margaritas (of course); my mom's being strawberry. The food was good, but not outstanding. My red beans and rice was not spicy enough for my taste. The margaritas, on the other hand, were quite delightful. We enjoyed Margaritaville, although Andie and I agreed that it felt too much like a chain restaurant - which of course it is. The total tab for the meal was about $111.00 before tip.

On our way back to the car Andie and the kids got separated from my folks and me. I took my folks to the car and unlocked it so they could sit, then went in search of Andie and the kids. We found each other within a few minutes; mostly because we're both smart enough to know not to stray too far from the escalators. In fact Andie had done exactly what I suspected - she went down the escalator when she should have gone up. Well, we were all gathered, so we headed back to the hotel after a long, tiring day. Andie and I did what would become a tradition for this trip - we went out on the porch and chatted about the day before heading off to bed. We were in bed by 11:00.

Day 2 - Sunday March 5, 2000 - Walt Disney World Magic Kingdom & Epcot

Some idiot made PS reservations for breakfast for 7:30 in the morning. What kind of a moron would subject a vacationing family to such purgatory? Oh yeah, it was me.

After many grumblings about being disowned and many evil eyes, we were out the door by about 7:00. It was another beautiful morning, cool first thing with the promise of being sunny, clear and warm through the day. I won't mention the weather again - except for one small instance later - it was consistently perfect throughout the trip. We loaded ourselves into the Behemoth and hit the road. About 15 minutes later we were pulling into the Grand Floridian (GF) parking lot. The guard at the gate didn't give us any hastle, I assume they're used to folks coming in for early breakfast. We decided to valet park, and we all walked into the lobby.

Andie and I had been to the GF on our first trip to WDW. Back in those pre-All Star Resorts days, anyone staying at any on site hotel could use the pool of any other hotel. On the day that Andie and I went to the Magic Kingdom, we took off in the middle of the day and used the pool at GF. In hindsight we should have gone to the Polynesian (Poly.) So, anyway, Andie and I had already seen the lobby of the GF, but not for several years. The lobby, with it's high beamed ceiling and Victorian details, has a very high "wow" factor. There are stained glass skylights in the ceiling, and my dad & I speculated as to whether sunlight or artificial light was used to light them. We both concluded that they were artificially lit, which appeared to be confirmed by the fact that they seemed to be enclosed from the exterior.

We entered 1900 Park Faire, which is right in the lobby, for our breakfast. 1900 Park Faire is brightly decorated with a decidedly Victorian flair, albeit very colorful and whimsical. The back section of the restaurant is dominated by a large, brightly decorated calliope. As I suspected, the restaurant wasn't full when we first got there, although it was full by the time we left. The breakfast is served buffet style, with an assortment of standard breakfast fare that includes eggs, pancakes, Mickey waffles, cereal, breakfast meats, muffins, Danish and potatoes. There was also a special children's buffet built closer to the ground, and it had different eggs, a different kind of potato, and French toast sticks. I actually preferred some of the items on the children's buffet (especially the French toast sticks.) I don't recall the total cost of the meal. One thing we started doing was to alternate, between Andie & I And my parents, who paid for each meal, also alternating between "expensive" (dinner) meals and "cheap" (lunch or breakfast) meals. This made it a lot easier than worrying too much about who paid for what.

The characters at the breakfast were Snow White and Dopey, as well as Alice and, of course, her fellow brit and our hostess, Mary Poppins. The Mad Hatter was there as well, although he stayed out in the lobby and didn't come to the table. All in all we really enjoyed the meal. I have heard that the calliope is too loud, but it didn't bother us. We loved the surroundings, the characters were fun, and the food was good. A thumbs-up from us.

We left the Behemoth in the capable hands of the GF parking staff and boarded the monorail to the Magic Kingdom (MK.) Since the monorail drops you off on the side of the entrance where our brick is; we took my parents over to show it to them. It's between the first two trees to the left of the entrance, very close to the tree on the right as you face the entrance. It's a prime spot, a fact I've written off as a result of our purchasing it when they were first offered. Funny thing is, later my mom commented that she thought we were kidding when we said it was our brick. I guess she thought we just happened to find a brick that read "The Thompson Family - New York". Well, OK, I guess that's possible.

The first thing on our agenda was to get wheelchairs. Our experience at IOA taught us that 2 wheelchairs was the way to go. After we got the wheelchairs something happened that would become a common occurrence - everyone looked at me as to say "Well? Where to?" Now, don't get me wrong, I didn't mind at all. And, truth be told, I pretty much wanted to be group leader. On the other hand, I didn't want to keep people from doing what they wanted to do (especially my parents.) I was hoping that, after getting the "lay of the land", they would request doing things on their own. As you will see later, that is, indeed, what happened.

Anyway, I suggested "The Adventures of Winnie-the-Pooh" (WtP) since it is a new ride and I knew that it would be crowded later in the morning. Just as we approached the castle from Main Street we could hear the opening music. We entered Fantasyland and got in line for WtP. Even first thing in the morning, the line was about 10 minutes.

I know that this attraction has attracted a lot of animosity because it replaced the perennial favorite "Mr. Toad's Wild Ride". I've never really been a huge fan of Toad, and I think that WtP is a major improvement. Now, I'm not a big Pooh fan either - or I should say I'm not a big fan of what it has become. I think the 1st two Pooh shorts, as well as the classic stories, are absolutely charming. The new cartoons, however, are way too saccharine for my taste. The Pooh attraction, however, we all found absolutely terrific. I've read many positive comments about the "bouncing with Tigger" and "floating on the river" sequences, but Andie & I agreed that our favorite sequence was the "hefalumps and woozles" scene. The colors are simply amazing.

After WtP we walked over to Ariel's Grotto so the kids could get their pictures with the Little Mermaid. I wanted to have my picture taken with her as well, but when I suggested it I got a look from Andie that suggested I'd better not. It was either a look that said "watch it, buster" or "you're a silly nitwit", I'm not sure which. I suspect the latter.

My folks took a little break sitting in a covered eating area near Ariel's Grotto while Andie and I took the kids for a spin on the carousel. This is a must for us. Wherever we go, if there is a carousel, we ride it. It always amazes me that there never seems to be a long wait for a carousel. I can't imagine passing one by without taking the kids for a spin. They're such a simple pleasure.

Serendipity would have it that a showing of "Legend of the Lion King" (LotLK) was starting right after our ride on the carousel was over. We gathered up my folks and watched the show. This is the second time we've seen LotLK, except for my parents of course, and we all enjoyed it.

After LotLK I suggested we leave Fantasyland, which was getting pretty crowded, and head to Tomorrowland. I knew my parents really wanted to see "Carousel of Progress" (CoP), which they hadn't seen in years, and I also thought we should check out "Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin" (BL), another new ride.

We decided to try our luck with BL first. This was our first experience with using a different part of the queue because of the wheelchairs. Yes, you do skip part of the line - but not much. It looked to me that it was done not so much to make the wait for people in wheelchairs shorter as much as to remove the necessity of making the whole queue area wheelchair accessible. Regardless, I for one wasn't in a huge hurry because I wanted to watch that cool Buzz Lightyear Animatronic in the queue area. The ride itself is very cute - although I agree with those who complain that if you pay attention to your shooting (during the ride you shoot a ray gun at targets), you miss much of the ride. Regardless, it's a bright, cheery, fun ride. In the end, Andie and my dad both got about 42,000 points. Nat got 11,000, beating out my mom, who got 7,000. I got - ahem - a little over 205,000. Yep. I'm the man. Well, OK, it was shear luck.

Next we headed to CoP. It was a lot of fun to see an attraction that we haven't seen in many years. CoP was originally in the World's Fair, then later moved to Disneyland. It was replaced - in the mid 70's if I recall - with "America Sings" and recently with "Innoventions". The ride has changed quite a bit, with new voices and a different finale. Still, it's a nostalgic trip.

After CoP we decided to leave MK. We returned the wheelchairs - there was actually a huge line of people showing up to get strollers, and I had to convince the CM to just let us drop them off. Since we had taken the monorail to the park, I suggested we take the boat back to GF. The boat driver was really funny - I don't recall his name or anything he said, I just remember he was funny.

We retrieved the Behemoth from the kind folks at GF and drove back to our hotel. We stopped at The Marketplace for lunch items (pizza and such) for everyone except me.

After dropping my folks and the kids off at the room, Andie and I went to our MVCI presentation - correctly this time. We arrived about 11:45 and were soon greeted by a sales rep named Scott. He talked a bit about MVCI. When he asked if we were familiar with timeshares - or, to use the term preferred in the industry, "Vacation Ownership" - we told him that we already own at DVC. He went on to contrast MVCI with DVC, while not putting DVC down. This was smart on his part, and I'm sure they're told not to put down DVC to DVC owners because it would only lead to an adversarial situation in most cases. A few minutes into our talk we informed him that, although we'd be happy to listen to what he had to say and were actually interested in hearing about MVCI, there was no way we were going to make a purchase. He knew we were serious because we explained that we had just bought a new house and were in no position to make that kind of investment. Scott continued to be polite and answered our questions, but it was clear he had lost interest.

We returned to the room to find that the kids had not done any napping. Since they were up we took them to the pool instead while my folks stayed in the room and relaxed. We went back to the room, showered and dressed, and left for Epcot at about 5:15. This would have given us just about enough time to make our 6:10 PS reservation at the "Rose & Crown", except I made a wrong turn and went the wrong way down I4. I realized my mistake pretty quickly, though, and we only lost about 20 minutes as a result.

We parked pretty close to the entrance in the "Journey" section. Actually it was too close for the tram a bit more of a walk than we would have liked. This was really the only time that the handicap placard would have come in handy. We went to the wheelchair rental and got 2 chairs using the receipts from MK.

We took a cursory look at the "Leave a Legacy" sculpture as you enter Epcot. I have to say that most of the new things Disney has added to WDW since our last visit are great, while some aren't perfect but still have a positive overall impact. This "Leave a Legacy" thing is, in my opinion, one of the biggest duds I've seen Disney do. It is just ugly and useless. I really hope they replace after the Millennium Celebration. Also, if you figure they're about a third through the celebration, it must not be a hit with anyone because not nearly 1/3 of it is covered with photos. At the rate they're going it won't be 1/2 covered at the end of the celebration. Everyone in our party agreed that "Leave a Legacy" is a mess.

By the time we made it to the "Rose & Crown" (R&C) we were a few minutes late. Originally I made the reservations in hopes that we might be able to watch "IllumiNations - Reflections of Earth" from the R&C outside seating, but they didn't have any seatings available at the right time. Andie and I have been to R&C twice before and liked it, although we thought the food was only so-so and the main attraction of the restaurant was being able to view "IllumiNations". Still, we decided to keep the PS reservations, mainly because my dad really liked the idea of having supper at an English pub (he had a hankering for kidney pie.) There was a bit of a wait for our table, but we managed to suffer through with beer in hand (stout, in my case.)

It turned out that we had a perfect viewing spot for "Tapestry of Nations" (ToN) while we were waiting. At 6:50, about 1/3 through the parade, we were told that our table was waiting. We toyed with asking to take the next one, therefore being able to watch more of ToN, until the CM pointed out that the table was right on the water. It was a great table too - and it would have been perfect for viewing "IllumiNations" had we been there a bit later. My dad was upset to discover they didn't have kidney pies, so he drowned his sorrows in a plate of assorted mini meat pies (chicken, beef & shepherd pie.) I decided on the same dish out of sympathy. Andie had prime rib, my mom had a fruit plate and the kids had mac & cheese. Now, as I mentioned, Andie and I didn't care much for the food at R&C in our last times there, but this time the food was excellent. The beer didn't hurt, either.

After dinner we decided to go to the France pavilion for dessert. When we got there the line was too long so we decided to skip it. The streets in the World Showcase (WS) were seemed really crowded and I remember thinking how surprised I was at the size of the crowds. As the week progressed we discovered that the crowds weren't that bad - it was just the WS, especially at night. First, Epcot is the center of the Millennium Celebration and is more crowded than usual. Second, having a parade twice nightly in the WS necessitates keeping the street clear for the parade and forcing the crowds to the side of the street, making it seem more crowded. ToN is a beautiful parade, but it plays hell on the crowds in the WS.

It was now about 8:30, and since we knew we'd have other opportunities to catch "IllumiNations", we decided to leave. I had everyone wait at the edge of the parking lot while I retrieved the Behemoth. It's a good thing we left early, because I had to drive the wrong way in the parking lot to get to them and I never would have made it if there were others driving at the same time. Anyway, I picked them up and we were home by 9:00. Andie and I had our usual chat on the porch, and we were all in bed by 10:15.

Day 3 - Monday March 6, 2000 - Disney MGM Studios and Boardwalk Villas

This was the day that we would switch hotels, checking out of the MGV and into "Disney's Boardwalk Villas" (BWV.) We slept in (which, for me, meant getting up at 7:00), packed, had breakfast in the room, and were out by about 9:30. When I checked out, the only thing on the bill was $232 for the IOA tickets. I paid $100 with the gift certificates I got as part of the Marriott deal, $40 in cash, and put the remaining $92 on my parents credit card.

We drove over to BWV, having our big bags checked in by the bellhop. We left the little bags, including non-perishable groceries, in the car and had the valet park it. We would not drive in the Behemoth again until the end of our trip.

The lobby of The Boardwalk is really cool - whimsical yet elegant. It is dominated with a huge chandelier adorned with gold leaf figures that are a cross between sea horses and carousel horses. On one side of the lobby is the entrance to "The Boardwalk Inn" and on the other side is the entrance to "The Boardwalk Villas". The "Villas" are the DVC side and contain 1 and 2 and 3 bedroom "villas", while the "Inn" side is a regular hotel. They both share the lobby and pool areas. A terminology note here - if I write "BW" I'm referring to "The Boardwalk" as a whole. "BWV" refers to the Villas only. The hotel gets it's name from an old fashioned restaurant, shop and nightclub lined Boardwalk on Crescent Lake, which adjoins the hotel. This I will refer to simply as the "boardwalk".

While my parents relaxed and Andie watched the kids as they explored the lobby, I did a pre-check in and reiterated our request for a Boardwalk view. The CM said they would do their best, gave me a package with info and maps and other stuff, and said our room would be available at 4:00. They were able to get us 2 wheelchairs right away, however. One had an "Epcot" logo and the other had a "Magic Kingdom" logo. The CM at the hotel told us that if anyone at either of those parks questioned why we were leaving with the wheelchairs, we should just explain that they didn't have any "Boardwalk" wheelchairs left at the hotel.

I realized that I had left my camera in the car, so I asked the valet if I could get something from my car. A nice CM gave me a ride in what she called "pargo" (for carrying people & cargo), all the time warning me of what a lousy "pargo" driver she is. Well, she wasn't that bad and I was able to retrieve my camera relatively unscathed.

I returned, camera in hand, and we headed off to catch the boat to "Disney MGM Studios" (MGM.) A word here about boat transportation. If the weather is nice, as it was our whole trip, you simply can't beat the boat transportation as the most pleasant way to get around at WDW. I'd even give it higher marks than the monorail. I really hope Disney comes up with a good alternative to the buses - and I think they'll have to eventually - but I really doubt anything they do will provide as pleasurable an experience as the boats. They're just a terrific way to get around.

While on the subject of the boats, I'll mention something one of the boat skippers told me. It seems they were trying out a new route for the Boardwalk/Yacht Club/Beach Club/Dolphin/Swan boats. I assume there used to be 2 routes, one that went to Epcot and the hotels and a second that went to MGM and the hotels. Now there is only one route, which goes MGM-Dolphin/Swan-YC/BC-BW-Epcot. The interesting thing is that the return is the opposite - it doesn't go in a circle, so on the return it's Epcot-BW-YC/BC-Dolphin/Swan-MGM. This means that, on the one hand, the trip from BW to MGM is long both ways, but then the trip from Epcot to BW is short both ways. It also means you could ride the boat directly from Epcot to MGM and vice verse. It's an interesting way to do it, and we had no complaints (except for the longer trip to-and-from MGM.)

We had 11:45 PS reservations at the "50's Prime Time Cafe" (50sPT). We didn't have a lot of time to kill so as soon as we got inside the park I picked up a map to see where it is. I find MGM to have the most confusing layout of the WDW parks, and I also think we've spent less time there than any other park. Anyway, I carefully studied the map, got my bearings, and very efficiently lead the group directly to - "The Sci-Fi Dine-In". I don't know why, but I always get those two places mixed up. OK, I carefully studied the map again and determined that 50sPT was very close to where we started. Oh well.

We still got there a little ahead of schedule, and we checked in. The CM at the podium told us that it would be a few minutes wait. Nat and I really wanted to ride "Twilight Zone Tower of Terror" (TZToT), so I took the opportunity to get Fastpass (FP) tickets. I dashed over to TZToT and got FPs for all of us, even though Nat and I were the only ones sure to ride. I figured, if nothing else, Nat and I might be able to ride again. Our FP time was 2:15 - 3:15.

I made it back to 50sPT, and within a few minutes we were seated. I don't recall our "sister's" name (I really should get in the habit of writing down names for my reports), so we'll call her "sis". Sis got pretty well into the 50sPT spirit, although I think a lot of it was just allowing herself to be herself (bossy and abrasive). We had a blast.

For an appetizer we had Fried Cheese at Sis's recommendation. It was awesome. Andie & I split an order of fried chicken (an easy thing for us to do since I like white meat and she likes dark meat), my dad had his own order or fried chicken, my mom had chicken & biscuits and the kids shared an order of kid's pasta and chicken strips. Everything was absolutely delicious. I seem to recall that Andie and I liked 50sPT from the one time we'd been there before, but it didn't bowl us over food wise (and it was about 8 years ago.) Well, all I can say is that the fried chicken was absolutely fantastic. I'd recommend it in a second. Everyone else seemed equally happy, except the kids didn't care for the pasta (although they were happy with the chicken strips.) A very pleasant experience overall.

After lunch we had to pick a first attraction for the day, so I suggested "The Great Movie Ride" (GMR) as it is an MGM signature attraction. Since we had wheelchairs we were seated in the last car and, therefore, got the gangster scene. We all enjoyed the ride and, as I suspected, my folks got a big kick out of it.

After GMR we went to "MuppetVision 3D" and walked right in just as the pre-show presentation was starting. We all enjoyed it, even Charlie (although she was hiding her face through a lot of it.) We then went to the next showing of "Hunchback of Notre Dame" (HoND), in my opinion the best live show at WDW.

HoND was longer than I had remembered, so we had to go right to TZToT to make our FP time. We stopped at a covered seating area near TZToT where I attempted to convince someone to ride with me and Nat. Much hemming and hawing ensued, but no one took the bait. While we were discussing it Andie did buy a very cute matching set of Minnie Mouse hats and sunglasses for Nat and Charlie.

When push came to shove it was just me and Nat and that big ol' tower. Nat got a little scared by the pre-show in the library, and the tension grew as we made our way through the boiler room. When we sat in the elevator I noticed that the lap-belt seat was empty so I tried to move to it, but the CM told me I had to sit in a lap-bar seat. Bummer. This was only my second trip through the Twilight Zone, and I have to say it is an amazing ride. The drop sequence aside, I think it has some of the best special effects at WDW.

The new drop sequence is awesome. I love the effect of the lightning just before you drop. After the drops, while we were still in the dark, I could fool Nat real tense next to me. As the lights came up I could see an evil looking grin on her face. "Did you like that?" "hehehehehehe..." "Do you want to ride again?" "heheheheyeahyeahyeahyeah!"

Well, we just made the FP cutoff time for a second ride (actually we were about 2 minutes late, but the CM let us through.) While we were waiting in the boiler room there was a kid behind us - a boy of about 11 - who was riding for the first time. He was pretty impressed that Nat had already been on and was doing it again.

On the second ride I was actually able to ride in the seatbelt seat. This is really cool and I recommend it if you get a chance. We enjoyed the second ride as much as the first, and I have no doubt that Nat would have been willing to ride again. But the rest of our party was waiting for us, and besides, we only had one FP left (it would have expired anyway.) Nat also wanted to ride "Rock 'N Roller Coaster" (RNRC), so we went to check it out. Unfortunately the FP was sold out for the day - I doubt we would have wanted to stay that late anyway. What's worse, I thought the height limit was 46", but it's 48". Nat is about 46 1/2. She might have been able to squeak by, but I didn't want to chance it. Well, it wasn't to be that day at any rate. We went back to re-join our party who had been relaxing and people watching.

By this time it was about 3:45, which meant we would be able to check in to our room. Everyone was hot and tired, so we decided to leave. It was nice to not have to return the wheelchairs; we just rolled them on to the boat to BW.

Everyone else relaxed in the BW lobby while I checked in. I was soon disappointed to learn that we did not get a Boardwalk view. Our rooms - 5036 and 5038 - had views of "Luna Park", the main pool at BW. The CM explained that no Boardwalk view 2 bedroom villas had opened up at all that day. I asked her if there was anything they could do - we really wanted a Boardwalk view - but the best she could do was suggest that we call the next day as there was a room that may be coming available. I didn't think we'd want to switch rooms, so I passed.

I was also informed that the slide at the pool was undergoing rehab and wouldn't be open during our stay. The CM told me that we could use Stormalong Bay, the mini waterpark of a pool complex at The Yacht Club and Beach Club (YC/BC.) That's all well and good, but as DVC members we can use any WDW pool anyway, so it wasn't a big deal for us. I'm sure that non-DVC members staying at BW appreciated it, however.

I arranged for our bags to be brought to the room and gathered up the rest of my party. The room was one building over from the elevator - not real close but not too bad. We were all thrilled when we saw the room. The 2 bedroom villas at BWV are actually an adjoining 1 bedroom villa and a studio - the same as MGV. This was particularly nice for my parents because they had what was, in essence, their own hotel room. One thing, though, we had the hardest time convincing them that they could use the living room. The layout made it feel like "our space" (the 1 bedroom) and "their space" (the studio). We had the same problem at MGV.

The room was immaculate. Tastefully decorated in pale seafoam green and picket fence white trim, the living area included a kitchen that opened to a living area with a small table, a sofa with end tables, and a TV. The master bedroom had a king size bed and a huge bath that included a Jacuzzi tub that opened to the bedroom as well as a separate shower. I only wish our bath at home was this nice.

Any concerns I had over not getting a boardwalk view were dispelled once we saw the view. Our room was overlooking the"Luna Park"pool, with its roller coaster themed slide ("The Kiester Coaster") and carousel themed poolside bar ("Leaping Horse Libations".) In the distance we could see TZToT looming on the horizon. A boardwalk view would have been nice, but what we had was also quite nice.

After we got settled in Andie decided to go out for a walk and pick up a few things at "The Screen Door General Store", while my parents decided to go out and walk around the boardwalk. The idea was that the kids were supposed to nap while Andie was gone, but when she returned the kids hadn't napped at all. The same thing had happened the day before and we were concerned that the kids would get crabby if we did a night out. We told Nat we were going to stay in and that if she wanted to go out at night she had to nap in the afternoon. We knew that if Nat napped, Charlie would. We made the kids some supper, and of course, I immediately went back on what we had just said by suggesting that Nat and I walk to Epcot to see if we can get a ride on "Test Track" (TT.) I also agreed to pick up something for Andie and I to have for supper on the way back. I thought I'd see what I could find at "The Millennium Village" (MV.)

Nat and I walked to Epcot. As we approached TT I had the feeling something was wrong. Sure enough, the ride was broken down and the CM at the entrance said they expected it to be back up in about an hour. Oh well. I suggested we try "Journey Into Your Imagination" (JIYI) instead, another attraction that was added since our last visit. I had read negative things about this attraction and was not expecting much. Well, I don't know if it was because my expectations were low, but I quite liked it and Nat really loved it. She adored Figment in the intro spots. As a whole I thought the ride was enjoyable and harkened back to the days when a new attraction didn't need to be a "headliner". I was especially taken by the butterfly that appears out of nowhere.

After JIYI we started making our way back. Again, ToN was making the streets of WS all but impassible. We stopped in MV so I could look at the food offerings, but I soon realized that it would have been a bigger production than I wanted to deal with, so we left.

As we were leaving WS it was clear that Nat was bushed, so we took the boat back. I took her to our room and dropped her off, suggesting to Andie that I pick up a pizza for our supper. She agreed so I went out in search of pizza. I knew that there was a pizza window somewhere on the Boardwalk, but I wasn't sure where. I thought it was at "Spoodles", I asked the guy at "Big River Grill", and he said that they sold pizza from a window at ESPN. I asked the guy at ESPN (All the way on the other end of the boardwalk, BTW), and he said no, it's at Spoodles. I went back to Spoodles and there it was. How I missed it I don't know, but it would not be the last time I got bad directions from employees of Boardwalk establishments.

Well, I got the pizza and took it back to the room. It was OK, though too doughy for my taste. Still, we were real hungry and we enjoyed it. My parents had returned while I was gone, and they told us that they had gone to dinner at "The Flying Fish". They said they liked it, but they weren't real enthusiastic. I was surprised because I'd heard shuch good things about this restaurant. After our pizza, Andie and I continued our tradition for this vacation by sitting out on the patio. The patios were bigger at MGV, but the view at BWV was more interesting. We were in bed by about 11:00.

Day 4 - Tuesday March 7, 2000 - Non-park day, parasailing and "Hoop-de-doo"

Since this was a non-park day we all slept in until after 8:00. I went down to the "Boardwalk Bakery" and got bagels with cream cheese, croissants and sticky buns. I had a sticky bun. It was sticky. It was yummy. It was not low cal.

My mom and dad decided they wanted to spend the day at Downtown Disney. I gave them directions for the bus, told them to be back at the room by 3:30, and they were on their way.

It was promising to be another gorgeous day, so Andie and I took the kids to "Stormalong Bay" (SB.) First we thought we'd like to take a ride around Crescent Lake with one of the peddle surreys they rent at BW. It was a lot of fun.

After the ride, we headed to SB. As a reminder, SB is the pool complex at YC/BC. It has a main pool, a kiddie pool in what looks like a boat wreck, another huge shallow pool with a sandy bottom, a great water slide that originates at the same ship wreck as the kiddie pool, a lazy river and I'm sure other features I'm forgetting to mention. It is, in essence, a mini water park. It's also the most carefully guarded pool at WDW to make sure guests from other resorts don't use it, as I'm sure you can guess many try. Guests of BW were invited to use it while the slide was under repair, and as DVC members we can use any pool anyway, so it was no issue for us. They were checking resort keys at the entrance, though. (Funny thing, they never asked to see ours - I guess we looked like we belonged.)

Nat and I both love water slides - we could hardly tear Nat away from the slide at "Disney's Vero Beach Resort" (DVBR) - so we rode it several times. It's a fun slide, but I have to say the slide at DVBR was better, and I have a feeling that the"Luna Park"slide is better as well. Still, we enjoyed it and the rest of SB was great.

At about noon I picked up a couple of kids meals from the poolside bar for Andie and the kids to eat, and I left for my 1:30 parasailing appointment at "The Contemporary Resort" (Cont.) I took a bus to MK where I would catch a monorail to Cont. I suppose I could have walked to Epcot then taken the monorail to the "Ticket and Transportation Center" (TTC), and then caught another monorail to MK, but I was hoping for a TTC free vacation. Anyway, I was glad because I was talking to the bus driver and mentioned that we were going to "The Hoop-de-doo Musical Revue" (HDD) that evening, and she told me to take the bus to MK then take the boat to "Fort Wilderness". I was planning on driving, but she said that the boat drops you off right next to "Pioneer Hall", the venue for HDD.

I thanked the bus driver for the tip and walked over to board the monorail to Cont. I made good time and arrived at "Sammy Duvall's" - where parasailing is arranged - well ahead of time. I went ahead and did the paperwork while I was waiting. One thing, I realized that I hadn't brought enough cash with me to pay for the parasailing. Also, Andie didn't have a room key. We decided that I should take the room key and pay for the parasailing with that, figuring that Andie could get an extra key from the front desk when she returned to the room later. Well, this turned out to be a good thing, because the Sammy Duvall CM looked at my room key when I gave it to him to pay and said, "Oh, you didn't say you were DVC. You get 25% off." Cool! My bill went from $65 before tax to $48 and change. Not bad.

I waited for the guys who would take me out to finish their lunch break and looked around the Cont pool area. It's a nice pool and the beach is very nice, but the grounds seemed a bit barren. After about 15 minutes my ride showed up and we were off.

They gave me some directions as we sped out to the center of the lake. Once we were in position they strapped me into a harness and unraveled the parachute. I was expecting one of those wing-shaped parachutes that look like a big mattress, but this was a regular parachute. Finally they hooked my up, gunned the boat, and I was off!

I had never been parasailing before, and it was quite an exhilarating experience. Basically it's like riding on a swing - a swing that's about 400 feet in the air. It was a beautiful day, although a bit gusty. Unfortunately I was facing away from MK, but I had a great view of Epcot, The Contemporary Hotel and The Wilderness Lodge. It was a really neat experience.

After about 10 minutes they started reeling me in. Actually the whole experience of coming back to the boat was the most fun part, I thought. Just as I was coming onto the deck a gust of wind blew up and I was blown off the deck. One of the guys grabbed the harness and pulled me back. I assumed that sort of thing happened all the time, but one of the guys later said "We almost lost you in the water there!" I asked how often that happens, and he said about twice a year. He also said that sometimes, if it gets real windy, they purposefully let the rider drop into the water because it's easier to get them that way. Luckily that didn't happen to me.

After we docked I thanked them and left to go back to the hotel. On the monorail ride back to MK I was able to get into the cab. As I boarded the driver asked if was boarding at The Cont. and I said, "Yes". I soon found out that the reason he asked is that they have a new policy with the hotel monorails that you can't board at one hotel, then leave one car and switch to the cab. In other words, you can only get into the cab from your originating hotel stop. It seems they've been having trouble with folks rushing for the cab.

Anyway, I shared the front of the monorail with two ladies from Wisconsin. They told me it was their last day. I asked if they were staying at The Cont and they said no, that they went there to rent water mice. I mentioned that I had been parasailing and asked if they saw me. They said yes, and that they took a picture of me! I knew it had to be me because I was the only one up there in the last hour and a half or so, since the Sammy Duvall guys had just returned from lunch. They asked me my name and where I was from, and when I told them they said they could now label the picture "John from New York taking a parasail ride".

I got off the monorail at MK and headed back to BW. I hadn't really had any lunch and was hungry, but I also knew that we would be eating an early supper, so I didn't want to eat too much. So I did the reasonable thing. I went to Boardwalk Sweets for ice cream. I had a scoop of rocky road (I haven't had that in years), and walked along the boardwalk enjoying it.

I got home about 3:30. My parents were back from Downtown Disney as well. They said they had a terrific time and especially enjoyed the "Lego Store". They bought coffee mugs from the "Lego Store" for me and Andie with our names on them, as well as cute little Winnie-the-Pooh necklaces for the kids. Nat's had "Natalie" written on it and Charlotte's had a "C" - they didn't have "Charlotte". Andie told me that she waited in line at guest services for 15 minutes in order to get a key to the room. It seems the guest in front of her was asking all kinds of questions and getting very detailed directions. But then she saw my parents in the lobby as they returned and went back to the room with them.

We all got ready to go and headed out for "The Hoop-de-doo Musical Revue" (every time I mentioned the name of this show to someone in my party I would follow it up with "I know, it's a stupid name, but I hear it's a lot of fun!") We took the bus driver's suggestion and took the bus to MK and the boat to "Fort Wilderness" (FW.) FW is a really neat looking place - very wooded and peaceful looking. We found "Pioneer Hall" (PH) with no problem, but once we got there it wasn't at all clear what we were supposed to do. There are no signs to speak of. Finally I realized that we were supposed to go to the ticket office first, so I did that. Andie took the kids to a souvenir stand and got a toy cowgirl Minnie with a horse for Nat and a little tom-tom drum for Charlie.

After getting the tickets there was still some confusion as to where we should go - exacerbated by the fact that we had wheelchairs with us. Once person told us to go one way, another told us to go another way. Eventually we were lead in, but apparently we weren't lead to where we were supposed to have our picture taken or something. It's kind of a shame because we very likely would have bought the picture - but no big deal. Once inside PH we were told that our table was upstairs. We told the hostess that was OK - my parents could easily get out of the chairs and go upstairs - but she moved us to a downstairs table anyway.

For those of you who haven't been to HDD, here are some more positive votes. We absolutely loved it. The show is corny and fun, the food - consisting of fried chicken, ribs, corn on the cob, salad, bread and strawberry shortcake for dessert - was plentiful and very good. And at about $45 per adult I have to say that it's one of the better deals at WDW. Make your reservations plenty in advance and go. You'll be glad.

After we returned from HDD I decided to go to store for breakfast supplies. On the way back I stopped at "Dundy's Sundries" - the BW gift shop - and bought a DVC T-shirt. It's white with the DVC logo on the front. When I returned to the room the kids said they were hungry (they food at HDD wasn't really the kind they like - they nibbled but didn't really eat) so I made them toasted english muffins. We got them tucked in to bed and checked in with my parents, then Andie and I went out about 8:30.

I was hoping to go to "Pleasure Island", but we were both a bit too tired for that, so we decided to stay on the boardwalk. We wanted to get a drink and enjoy it on the boardwalk, but I wasn't sure where to go. Andie sat on a bench while I went in search of alcohol to go. First I went to "Big River Grill". The waiter told me to try "Atlantic Dance Hall". I went there and they said that, not only do they not have a bar with drinks to go, but also I would have to pay to get in. The guy at the dance hall said that they served drinks to go at "ESPN Club" - all the way at the other end of the boardwalk. Deja Vu. I went to ESPN and was finally in luck. I got 2 frozen margaritas to go. We sat on a bench on the boardwalk and enjoyed our drinks in the warm night air. The boardwalk is really a pleasant place on a warm night.

We got back around 11:00 and found Nat awake. It seems that she had been reading her "WDW for Kids by Kids" book and got scared when she read that drop on TZToT was 13 stories. So, in other words, the ride didn't scare her until she read a description of it in her book 2 nights later! We comforted her, got her back to sleep, and we were in bed about 11:30. All in all, I think we all had as much if not more fun on the "non park" day than any other day. It would have been nice to have more time for activities outside of the parks.

Day 5 - Wednesday March 8, 2000 - RnRC, Epcot, Magic Kingdom & Dinner on the Boardwalk

I realized after I wasn't able to ride Rock 'N Roller Coaster (RnRC) on Monday, that Wednesday (today) was MGM Early Entry (EE) day, so I decided then to get up extra early and go to MGM just to ride the new coaster. I got up at 6:30, grabbed a sticky bun that was leftover from the day before for breakfast, caught the MGM boat after about a 10-minute wait, and arrived at MGM by 7:30. As I hoped, the park was already open although the "official" EE opening time was 8:00. I headed straight down Sunset Strip to RnRC.

The wait for the ride was minimal. RnRC is the first WDW coaster with inversions. The entire track is indoors and in the dark. It also boasts what I have been told is the fastest launch system of any roller coaster - sending you from 0 to 60 in something like 2.8 seconds.

The story has to do with the rock band Aerosmith, and the idea is that you've been put on a "really fast" limo to get you to the concert in time. The ride cars are themed to look like really long limos and are very cool looking. The radio of the limo is supposed to be on and tuned to the Aerosmith concert, so you hear them play a song as you speed along the track. During the ride you zip by cartoonish mock-ups of Hollywood sites as you are taken through 3 inversions (one loop and one corkscrew for sure, I'm not sure what the third is since it's dark and you can't see it.)

My overall impression of the ride was positive, but I've certainly been on more thrilling coasters. Both "The Hulk" and "Dueling Dragons" were better purely as coasters, although RnRC does a great job in the area of "show". The two main complaints I have about the ride are that it's too short, and also that I don't think the launch is used to it's greatest capacity. In fact it feels like the car slows down immediately after the launch. I will say, though, that it's an amazingly well run ride, and by using 4 cars they are able to make the line run incredibly fast.

After riding the first time, the line was still short, so I rode again. I understand that the ride uses 4 different songs - one for each car - and, if that's true, I must have ridden in the same car twice, because I heard the same song twice.

I left MGM right after the second ride and was back at the room by 8:45. In my absence Andie had made eggs & toast for everyone for breakfast. We left about 9:00, but without my dad. He wasn't feeling well, he was just a bit over tired, so he stayed in the room and the rest of us headed off to Epcot. We decided to walk to Epcot - about a 10-minute walk if your pace is brisk, but with the kids and my mom in a wheelchair it took us quite a bit longer. Still, we got there about the same time as the next boat from BW. If you walk to Epcot from BW, you enter at the International Gateway (IG.) This lets you in to WS, which doesn't open until 11:00. So we strolled to Future World (FW) at a leisurely pace , enjoying the empty streets.

When we got to FW we headed straight to Test Track for Fastpass. Our FP time was 10:35 - 11:35, so we had plenty of time to do other things. We headed over to "The Imagination Institute" and saw the next showing of "Honey, I Shrunk the Audience". We enjoyed the show (my mom got a real kick out of the mice) and we headed over to JIYI. This time I carefully watched the butterfly to see how the effect is achieved.

If you want to read how the effect is done, simply click on your mouse and drag it over the section below.

*** SPOILER ALERT ***

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The b>utterfly effect works on the assumption that you don't watch the cage continuously. In fact the car is positioned so that you see the cage with no butterfly, your attention is drawn elsewhere, then when you look back a butterfly has magically appeared. In fact, there is only half a butterfly and the cage is divided down the middle by a mirror. From the first side you don't see the butterfly and the mirror makes it look as though you are seeing the entire cage. When you see it from the other side you now see the butterfly - which is really half a butterfly reflected in a mirror.

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*** END SPOILER ALERT ***

On our way out we bought Figment dolls for Nat and Charlie in the JIYI gift shop. After JIYI it was our FP time for TT. We went over to TT and Nat, my mom and I rode while Andie took Charlie to the Mexico pavilion. Mexico is Andie's favorite WS pavilion; she especially likes to shop there for silver jewelry.

Even with FP the line was about 15 minutes. The queue area for TT is pretty cool, with many displays of auto safety features. At one point there was a loud crash which I assume came from some test demo, but I didn't see what it was. It was real loud, though.

As we approached the boarding area I noticed a big difference in the way the CMs monitor the ride. At most rides there is a CM at a podium who pushes a green button once all the guests are seated properly in the ride vehicle. With TT the green button in located on the ride vehicle itself. This makes sense as every vehicle has independent controls.

Just when we were next in line to board, the ride broke down. We waited another 10 minutes or so before the ride started up again. It would have been a real drag if it had broken down permanently.

Eventually we were seated in our car and we were off to put it through its paces. TT is a terrific ride and quite thrilling, but I do agree that it doesn't quite live up to the anticipation that built as a result of all the delays in it's opening. Still, I would definitely rate it as a "must ride" for thrill ride enthusiasts. One nice thing is that it's a thrill ride that most folks, even those who would normally never do a roller coaster (my mom, as an example), will be able to enjoy. In fact my mom loved the ride, and she bought a copy of the picture on our way out. Nat noticed the hidden Mickey in the picture formed by the cable to the side of the picture.

When Nat, my mom and I arrived at the Mexico pavilion it was just 12:00. Andie bought a couple of pairs of silver earrings and a silver necklace with an onyx stone. Since we were all there and we were all hungry we decided to have lunch at "San Angel Restaurant" (SA.)

There was no wait at SA. Andie and I had eaten there in the past and, while we liked the margaritas, we weren't crazy about the food. This time we ordered margaritas (of course - strawberry for my mom), and Andie, my mom and I split 2 "Platos Mexicanos" while the kids shared chicken strips and a chicken quesadilla. The food was actually quite a bit better this time, not great Mexican food but certainly passable. The kids didn't care for the quesadilla (they usually get plain ones when we eat Mexican food, I think they didn't like the chicken in it), but they enjoyed the chicken strips.

After lunch we listened to some musicians playing traditional Mexican music in the plaza for a few minutes, then we decided to ride "El Rio Del Tiempo" (ERDT.) We hadn't been on ERDT since Andie and I came to WDW years ago. I remembered being thoroughly underwhelmed with the ride, but this time I quite enjoyed it. The kids seemed to particularly enjoy it, especially the final sequence in the plaza with the fireworks.

After ERDT it was about 1:15 and we decided to leave Epcot and go back to the hotel. We made our way through the "International Gateway" and, since the boat was right there, we took it back to BW. Once in the room we discovered that my dad was gone, so we assumed he was feeling better and decided to go out for a walk.

Everyone but me went in to take naps, while I went back to WS to take pictures for my web site. Before I left for WS Andie and I agreed that she would take the kids to the pool after their nap and we would meet there later. As I made my way around WS taking pictures, something happened that was quite fortuitous. I arrived at "The American Adventure" (AA) at just a few minutes before 3:00, and "Off Kilter" (OK) was playing at 3:00. OK is a terrific band that plays and unusual blend of Irish Celtic Folk music and Rock. How many rock bands do you see who wear kilts and have a bagpipe player as their front man? Andie and I caught a few minutes of their act in '93, but I hadn't seen them since. Well, I was there and they were scheduled to start in a few minutes, so I took a break for long enough to watch their show. They were terrific, but it seems to me that the front man has put on a few pounds in the last 7 years. Oh well, so have I.

I made my way all the way around WS. When I got to the England pavilion I did something I had promised myself I would do. As you probably realize, I love to collect T-shirts from places we travel to. One of my favorite Ts was my "Rose & Crown" T-shirt. It's sort of a teal green with the R&C logo embroidered on the left breast as well as the sleeve, and "Epcot" on the sleeve as well. Unfortunately, I spilled something on it a few years back and ruined it. I was really hoping that the same shirt was still available so I could replace it. Not only was the same shirt available, it was on sale for 50% off ($14) and, as the CM informed me, it was being retired after they ran out of stock.

As I was leaving the store I saw a small street comedy troupe announcing the start of a show. I was tempted to stay and watch, but I wanted to get back. I ran into my parents who were coming in through IG just as I was leaving. I told them that a comedy show was just starting in the England pavilion and suggested they go check it out.

I could see that the Epcot boat had just left, so I walked back to BW. I got back about 4:15. It was a nice warm afternoon. I looked around the pool area and didn't see Andie and the kids, but as I was about to head up to the room I heard Andie call for me. She was with the kids at "Leaping Libations", the"Luna Park" poolside bar, getting some kind of frozen drink. I called out that I would go up to the room and change.

While I was in the room I grabbed a beer, and when I returned to the pool Andie said, "Why didn't you get me one?" I told her I though she already had a drink, but it turned out that it was a "Pink Pony Lemonade" for the kids. Instead of going back for another beer I suggested a frozen drink from "Leaping Libations" instead. Andie agreed and I picked up a "Roller Coaster Meltdown", which is a Pina Colada made with coconut flavored rum and a floater of dark rum. As Martha Stewart would say, "It's a good thing".

One thing we forgot when we packed for this trip was Charlotte's "floatie". It didn't really matter at "Stormalong Bay", but the water was deeper in this pool. I remembered that Disney usually offers life vests for kids, so I asked the lifeguard and he directed me to the "Community House". The "Community House" is down a path that runs between BW and the waterway that the boats take on their way to MGM. It's a real pretty walk, and one you wouldn't normally think to take. I recommend it. I got the life-vest for Charlie and we enjoyed the rest of the afternoon at the pool.

After swimming we headed back to the room, showered and changed, and were out by 6:00. We decided to take one of the wheelchairs, and both kids could ride at the same time. We took the bus to MK and immediately headed to Fantasyland to ride "It's a Small World". Charlie was, of course, enchanted. I couldn't get the stupid song out of my head for the duration of the evening.

We then headed to "Mickey's Toontown Fair". First we went to Minnie's house. Then I asked Nat if she'd like to ride "Goofy's Barnstormer". She wanted to, and the line was only about 10 minutes, so we did that while Andie took Charlie to Mickey's house. Mr. Mouse wasn't home, but Andie said Charlie enjoyed it regardless.

By this time we realized that it was way passed the kids regular dinner time, so we went to "Cosmic Ray's". Unfortunately the only section open just sold hot dogs, not a problem for Charlie but Nat won't touch them. We convinced her to try the "corn dog nuggets", which she didn't care for but she still managed to choke down a few. What a trooper.

We started to head out, and we were near the Tomorrowland/Main Street border when the fireworks started. It was a great vantagepoint - it wasn't crowded and we even got to see Tinkerbell make her flight.

We joined the sea of humanity leaving the park. On the way out we could smell popcorn and the temptation was too great, so we stopped to get some. This worked out well as the crowd thinned out in the process. It wasn't really that crowded anyway.

We made our way to the bus stop, and it was obvious that a bus had just left because the queue was empty. We waited for a while, and then finally they announced that a bus in another queue was going to go to BW. I went in through the back, which is what you have to do with wheelchairs, and Andie went to the front door. I got on but I saw that the driver shut the door before Andie and the kids could get on. Luckily the driver heard her, and let her on. Andie said the 20 minute ride was particularly unpleasant because she had very little room and had to stand, holding Charlie in one arm and holding on for dear life with the other.

My parents were back at the room waiting for us when we arrived. We asked if they minded watching the kids while Andie and I went out for a "grown-up" dinner. They agreed and I tried to call "Central Reservation" (CR) to make reservations for either "The Flying Fish" (FF) or "Spoodles". FF was booked and "Spoodles" was, according to the CM at CR, "seating at the door" (whatever that means.) We decided to wing it and hope for the best.

We went to FF first, and were told that there would be about a 30-minute wait. The host gave us a pager and suggested we wait at "The Bell Vue Room", a very nice lounge in the Inn side of BW. We ordered two beers and relaxed. Our pager went off in what seemed like much less than 30 minutes.

FF is a pretty small restaurant with this sort of funky, carnival inspired decor. After we were seated I asked where I could find a men's room. I was told to go through the door behind the hostess desk. Going through the door you go from the funky, hip and contemporary decor of FF straight into the turn-of-the-century Victorian decor of "Boardwalk Sweets". It's a real Twilight Zone experience - very Disney.

Anyway, Andie ordered Salmon and I had the house specialty, potato wrapped red snapper. The meal was good, but to be honest we were both disappointed. I had heard such good things about FF that I was really looking forward to it, but we both thought the food was pretty bland. On top of this, we thought it was overpriced. I would not recommend this restaurant.

After dinner we decided to sit on the porch of the BW main building, instead of the one off our room. This turned out to be a great place to sit and chat and would become our regular end-of-the-day spot for the rest of the trip. We were back in the room and asleep about 11:15.

Day 6 - Thursday March 9, 2000 - Animal Kingdom, Epcot

After our day off it wasn't too difficult for us all to get up early for our day at "Disney's Animal Kingdom" (AK.) Probably more than any park (other than MK), it's important to get to AK early in the morning. Animals tend to be more active in the morning than they are in the middle of a hot afternoon.

After a cereal breakfast we were on the road by 7:45. We took the bus to AK and arrived about 8:30. Immediately upon entering the park we saw a CM holding a box containing what looked like a tarantula. I don't know what it was, but Nat later told me that she said it wasn't a tarantula. Unfortunately, Nat couldn't remember what it was.

We strolled at a fairly leisurely pace through the park on our way to the first thing on our agenda, "Kilimanjaro Safaris" (KS.) AK is a park that one should not try to rush through, as a large part of the parks charms are all the little things you see as you stroll along. This includes the architecture, the plants, the people and, of course, animals that are in small habitats strewn throughout the park.

By the time we got to KS there was already a bit of a line, so we got FP for KS and decided to kill the time waiting for our FP time by touring the "Pagani Forest Adventure Trail" (PFAT.) Nat and I were the only ones in our party who'd been to AK, having come while on our trip in October 1998. We did not, however, do the PFAT. I can now say that it is definitely worth the time. In fact, if I now had to choose between KS and PFAT, I would choose PFAT. There are lots of animals to see - granted, not as many as KS, but you take it at your own pace and have more time to seek the animals out. And, in true Disney fashion, the architecture and landscaping of the trail itself is quite stunning.

We saw quite a few animals on PFAT. One of the best sightings was the Okapi, a relative of the giraffe that looks like a cross between a zebra and a camel. We also got a very good look at a group of "bachelor" gorillas. This was quite thrilling, as gorillas are quite shy creatures, and seeing a large group out in the open was a real treat. We also saw some very exotic birds. They have cards you can use to identify the birds, and it would be very easy to spend an hour in the aviary looking for the different species.

After PFAT it was our FP time for KS, so we headed over there. We had to wait a little longer than usual because there is a special loading area for guests in wheelchairs, but it still didn't take too long. The ride was good fun, and it seemed to me that they were playing down the lame poacher story. We saw lots of animals, some coming very close to our vehicle, including a giraffe, a rhino, ostrich and an antelope like animal I don't recall the name of. Perhaps most thrilling, we saw some lions and cheetahs. Both were pretty well right out in the open - although the cheetahs were in the shade - but, unfortunately, they were too far away for a good picture.

Once we were done with the safari we decided to head over to see "It's Tough to be a Bug" (ITTBAB.) The theater for this 3D movie is inside the "Tree of Life", AKs incredible park icon. The line for ITTBAB winds through the "roots" of the tree and provides you with the best view of the tree anywhere. When Nat and I had been to AK in 1998 we went with a group of people from an Internet Usenet group to see ITTBAB, and there wasn't much of a line to speak of, so we really weren't able to just take our time and gawk. This time all of us did all the gawking we desired. TOL really is something that has to be seen in person to be appreciated. I would rate it as the single most impressive structure Disney has ever built.

Inside the theater we were lead down to the front row. I asked the CM if the 3D would work from that close and she assured me that it would. Well, she was wrong. The movie was still great fun and most of it looked fine, but whenever there was a real pronounced 3D effect it would just become a double image. Still, we all enjoyed the show (even though Nat didn't feel the cockroaches leaving at the end.)

We had lunch PS reservations at the Rainforest Cafe (RFC), so we started in that direction. Again, we took our time strolling throughout the park. On the way out I decided to make a quick detour to get FP for "Countdown to Extinction" (CtX.) Everyone else sat in the shade and waited. The FP time was 1:15 - 2:15, so I wasn't absolutely sure we'd make it. Still, I hoped we could make it because Nat wasn't able to ride CtX on our last trip on account oof the height limit. Actually, the height limit is 40", and Nat was over 40" on our last trip, but back then the limit was higher (I think 46".) It seems that the ride has been toned down a bit so more kids would be able to ride it. This caused quite a stink on the Internet, with many complaining the ride was "neutered". We'll see.

I returned to discover that Nat, in my absence, had become fast friends with an AK CM. Poor kid, it takes her at least 2 or 3 minutes to make new friends. We continued on to RFC, and were seated not long after we got there. I was immediately disappointed to learn that they had changed their menu, and they no longer had chicken wings. RFC had about the best chicken wings I've ever had. Oh well, I drowned my sorrows in a "Margarilla" (orange flavored margarita - truly nectar of the gods.) Instead I ordered chicken fried chicken, as did my dad. Andie had a pasta dish, and the kids had children's pasta. My mom ordered beef brisket. Andie and I also ordered a Caesar salad (the Caesar at RFC is real good), but the waiter never brought it. Actually, the service was not too good overall. I don't know if it was a bad (or inexperienced) server, just a bad day, or if they were short-handed. Usually we've found the service at RFC to be quite prompt.

After we were finished eating it was getting near the end of our FP time at CtX, so I suggested that Nat and I dash out to ride CtX and return to meet up back at RFC.

We made it to CtX with time to spare. I didn't really notice much of a difference in the ride, but then it was just my second time on it. I will say that I enjoyed it much more this time. Knowing that CtX uses the same basic ride technology as "Indiana Jones and the Forbidden Eye" at Disneyland, I was inclined, on my first experience, to compare the two attractions. CtX does not fair well in the comparison. This time, however, I wasn't expecting as much and, as a result, I enjoyed it much more.

Nat enjoyed the ride, though it did scare her. We looked at our picture as we left, and it was really cute, with Nat clinging on to me. I decided against buying a copy, however. We did spend a few minutes in the gift shop, and Nat was fascinated by the fact that we "brought a dinosaur back with us" and it was loose in the lab.

We headed back to RFC and hooked up with the rest of our group. Nat wanted to shop in the RFC gift shop, but I pointed out that we go to RFC by our house occasionally and she can shop there, so she passed.

It was about the time in the day that, normally, we would have headed back to the hotel. We decided to stay, however, because we all wanted to see the new "Asia" section - which even Nat and I hadn't seen. Once we get there I immediately got FP for "Kali River Rapids" (KRR), even though we weren't sure if anyone would go on it.

After get FP for KRR we headed over to "Maharajah Jungle Trek" (MJT) in hopes of seeing some tigers. I must say that FP works particularly well in AK. While waiting for FP times at KS you can walk through PFAT, while waiting at CtX you can take the kids to "The Boneyard" (which we didn't do), and while waiting for KRR you can go through MJK. It works out really well.

MJT was absolutely fantastic. Even better than PFAT. To begin with, the architecture and landscaping is even more stunning than PFAT, and the animals even more exotic. We saw lots of exotic birds and animals, including some really impressive fruit bats and "flying foxes". And we really lucked out with the tigers! They were out and even moving around. At one point one walked across a wall right in front of us! At another part of a trail there was a tiger resting regally on a rock. These are absolutely stunning animals.

When we were finished with MJT it was our FP time for KRR. Try as I may, after our experience with "Bluto's Bilge Rat Barges", I couldn't convince anyone to give KRR a whirl. Except, of course, Natalie. Having learned from our previous experience, we took our shoes off and stored them in the compartment in the middle of the raft. If you are riding this, or the barges at IOA, I highly recommend doing this. The ride itself was similar to BBRB, except it seemed a bit shorter and it didn't have as much in the way of stuff to look at (BBRB has several scenes with audio-animatronics.) That said, I think KRR was a more thrilling ride and had better overall themeing. We also didn't get nearly as wet, but that could have been the luck of the draw.

After Nat and I were done and had put our shoes back on, we all decided it was time to call it a day. This turned out to be our longest single stint in a park for the whole trip and we were all pretty exhausted. We did stop to do a little shopping for the kids on the way out. Nat got a "Safari Minnie" coin purse and a pencil. Charlie got a "Safari Minnie" doll. We hadn't made it to "Camp Minnie Mickey" at all, so we missed all of the live shows as well as the character greetings. Luckily, Goofy, Pluto and Chip were waiting at the exit and the kids got to say hello and get autographs. Dale was there initially, but he walked off with some hot babe just as we showed up.

We got back to the room around 5:00, and my mom, my dad, Andie and I sat around and chatted while the kids went into the back bedroom to sleep. They didn't fall asleep for a while, however. We decided that my parents, Nat and I would go to Epcot that evening to catch "Tapestry of Nations" (ToN) and "IllumiNations Reflections of Earth" (RoE.) When I woke Nat up, however - she had finally fallen asleep about a half-hour earlier - she seemed pretty tired. She claimed she wanted to go, but at the last minute begged out. It was just me and my parents.

We caught the boat and got to Epcot about 7:30. I asked a CM about a wheelchair viewing area, and she didn't know what I was talking about. The only really nasty person I ran into on the trip was a lady who got pretty bent out of shape when I asked if she could scoot over so my dad could sit down. She said that there were others in their party, then started ranting about how they'd been waiting a half hour and yada yada yada. Sheesh, I was only asking.

It didn't really matter as we found a nice spot on a bench with a wall that I could sit on nearby, across from the Morocco pavilion. I realized I was hungry, so I picked up a little tomato and cucumber salad. It was pretty good.

After we had been there for a while ToN started. If I have one regret from this trip, it's that the kids didn't get a chance to see this parade. It was absolutely charming. The puppets were fantastic - I especially loved the puppet that was holding a puppet - and the music very uplifting. I love African inspired rhythms. I would have to say that ToN is the best parade I've seen Disney put on - even better than "The Main Street Electrical Parade", which I had seen countless times at Disneyland.

Once the parade was over we moved closer to the water to view RoE. The previous version of "IllumiNations" I had seen was "Illuminations 25". I'd say both shows compared favorably, but I think I preferred the older show a little. My main complaint against RoE was that the show relied too much on the projection globe in the center of the lake. It's a neat effect, but it's also too small and far away to carry the bulk of the show. Still, it was a thrilling show and we all enjoyed it.

When the show was over the large number of people that were exiting through IG surprised me. After thinking about it, I realized that most folks who were planning on using that exit would be congregating around England and France, and I'm sure most of the people in other parts of the park were exiting through the main gate. We were able to get on the next boat, so it was no big deal either way. After getting home Andie and I did our usual thing of going to the main porch to sit and chat, and we weren't in bed until about midnight.

Day 7 - Friday March 10, 2000 - Cinderella's Royal Table and Magic Kingdom

Well, the day had arrived. Our last full day at WDW, and our last day at any of the parks. We had PS ressies for "Cinderella's Royal Table" in the morning and for "Tony's" for dinner, so the entire day would be spent at MK.

We all got up at 7:00 and were out the door by about 8:15. We took the bus to MK and arrived pretty much at opening. We walked straight to the castle to check in for our 9:30 breakfast at "Cinderella's Royal Table" (CRT.) There was a problem with our reservation, however. It seems that someone had gone in to the system and deleted our reservation. I suspect it happened when I called the night before to cancel another PS we had but decided to skip. That's what I get for being a Good Samaritan! Regardless, we were assured that yes, we would get in and yes, the characters would still be there. Still, yes, there would be a long wait (because there was 6 of us they had only so many tables we would all fit at.)

The kids were able to keep themselves busy visiting with the Fairy Godmother, who was in the lobby, and with exploring the lobby, but after a while we were all getting pretty antsy. After what was about a 30-minute wait we were finally seated. We had a terrific table near the windows.

The breakfast consisted of the usual fare for CRT, with an offering of either the "classic" or "healthy choice" menus. We all selected the "healthy choice"... yeah, right. But seriously, the menu consisted of eggs, breakfast meat, rolls, fruit, those really good potatoes they serve there and, of course, that awesome stuffed French toast (which Andie actually didn't like - I pretended not to know who she was.) If you want to know what was offered on the "healthy choice", ask someone else. I have no idea.

The characters included Sleeping Beauty, Jasmine, Prince Charming and, of course, our hostess Cinderella. As usual the kids really enjoyed meeting all the princesses. I really enjoyed meeting Jasmine. I wanted to get my picture taken with her, but Andie interceded. I suggested that she could get her picture with the Prince, but she said he wasn't her type. Personally, I think he looked more like the type who would enjoy the company of another prince. That didn't stop my mom from posing with him, however.

Actually, I think that the whole experience may have gone to Charlotte's head. A few nights after we returned, Andie and Charlie were talking. Charlie proclaimed "Mommy a girl, Daddy a boy". "What about Charlotte?" Andie asked. No answer. "Is Charlotte a girl too?" Finally she answered "No, Charlotte a princess!"

Nat's favorite ride at MK is "Splash Mountain" (SM), and we promised she could ride it, so we went to get FP tickets. We were in luck, the FP machine was broken and they were just handing out tickets. This was lucky because, normally, you feed your pass into the machine and get one FP ticket per pass. You can't get FP passes from any other ride until the FP time on your current ticket has expired. Since we got FP tickets without using our passes, we were free to get FP tickets elsewhere. Our FP time was for 11:50 - 12:50.

Since, as I mentioned, we were able to get other FP tickets, we went over to the "Jungle Cruise" (JC) and got FP tickets for it as well. The FP time for JC was 12:10 - 1:10. It was a real hot day, and when I returned from getting FP tickets I found the kids playing in a fountain.

We were right by the "Tiki Room" (TR) and there was no wait, so we went in. We got in to the pre-show just as "William and Morris" started their routine. As we were entering the room I remember thinking how there is a section of the theater that has a much better view of the show, but I couldn't remember which section. Well, we lucked out and ended up in that better section, where you have a clear view of Iago when he makes his re-appearance.

After the show, our FP time for SM had arrived. I tried to convince my folks to join us, but they reneged. My mom was gun shy of any water ride after the "Bluto incident". We left then on a bench in a shady spot near TR and we went to SM. We took Charlie with us, deciding to do a "baby swap". This also meant that Nat was able to ride twice. Andie and Nat rode first, then Andie left to go back to my parents while Nat and I rode. Of course, after her second ride she wanted to do it again. Theoretically we could have as we only used 3 of the FP tickets and we had 2 left, but I didn't want to leave everyone else waiting any longer. Besides, out FP time for JC had arrived.

Nat and I returned to discover that my dad was missing. He had left about 30 minutes earlier to use the men's room and hadn't returned. I went out to look for him, and when I returned 5 minutes later he was back. I could easily understand how he could have gotten lost; the Frontierland/Adventureland section of MK is quite confusing. Add to this the fact that he's real familiar with Disneyland, and the fact that MK is just different enough in it's layout to really screw you up. He said he actually came back to the right place but didn't recognize it (something I can easily believe - I almost didn't recognize it myself.)

Since that little adventure was over and we were all together, it was time for another adventure. Off we went to JC. JC was fun, I hadn't been on it in years (actually I don't think I've ever been on the MK version - I didn't recognize the "Asia" part where you go indoors.) Our "skipper" was pretty good, with just the right amount of sarcasm in her voice, but she wasn't a stand out.

After JC we all decided to split up. Andie took the kids and one of the wheelchairs back to BW for an afternoon nap. My parents decided they wanted to stay all day at MK, and we arranged to meet later that evening at Tony's. I must say I was very surprised and impressed with their adventurous spirit. I stayed at MK to take pictures for my website, and I would meet up with Andie and the kids later at BW for a swim.

I walked Andie and the kids to the main entrance, then they left and I started taking pictures. I decided to start with Main Street and work my way through the park from there.

While I was in Liberty Square I saw new recruits signing up to join the revolutionary forces. It was very cute. While I was in Adventureland I treated myself to a Citrus Swirl. Other than that I just walked around the park clicking away. By the time I got back to Main Street to head out there were hundreds of people lining the street waiting for the afternoon parade. It's a good thing I had already gotten the pictures I needed of Main Street.

I left MK about 2:45 and was back at BW around 3:15. Andie and the kids were napping when I arrived, but everyone was up soon and we headed out to the"Luna Park"pool. I can't say for sure, but I would assume that "Roller Coaster Meltdowns" were consumed.

After swimming for a while we headed back to the room, got dressed, and were on our way back to MK by about 6:00. When we arrived at MK my parents were seated at a small table right out in front of Tony's. They told us that they had a terrific time wandering around the park, and that they saw "Hall of Presidents" which they really enjoyed. I went in to check in to Tony's. I reiterated our request for an outdoor table, and they said they'd do their best. I looked at the patio and noticed that all the tables were for 4 or 2, and since we were a party of 6 I was a bit concerned.

I kept a weary eye on what was happening with the tables on the porch. A table for 4 opened up and nobody was seated there right away. Good so far. A table for 2 right next to it opened up a few minutes later. Great. The 2 tables were pushed together and set up. Looking good. I knew that if our name was called we would have success. Well, our name was called and we were promptly seated outside. Perfect! It was a bit early (about 7:10) so we would have plenty of time to enjoy our meal before "The Main Street Electrical Parade" (MSEP) started at 8:30.

The biggest complaint I have against Tony's is that, since it's in MK, you can't order wine with dinner. An Italian dinner without wine seems almost sacrilegious. Regardless, the best meal we had on our trip in 1997 was at Tony's, so we figured the food would be good.

We were not disappointed. We all shared calamari and fried cheese appetizers - both quite good. Andie had pasta with chicken, my dad had spaghetti with meatballs, my mom and I both had pork chops, and the kids had plain pasta with butter. We all enjoyed our dinner; my dad in particular sang the praises of the spaghetti.

Not long after we finished, MSEP started. I brought back many fond memories for me to watch the parade. Tony's is a very comfortable spot to watch, but it doesn't have the best vantagepoint, as you can't see stuff near the ground. Regardless, sitting at the table on a nice warm Florida night, and not having to deal with the crowds, makes it a very pleasurable experience. One thing I noticed was that Pete was not perched atop his dragon. The saddle was there, but no Pete. I don't know if they stopped using him altogether or if he was just missing that night.

After the parade we left Tony's and my mom and dad decided to return to the room. They left both wheelchairs for Andie and I so they wouldn't have to deal with the hassle of taking them back to the room.

We strolled around the park for the last time this trip. It was a beautiful night. We had a terrific viewpoint for the fireworks - even better than we had the last time we watched them. Again we saw Tinkerbell, this time even more clearly. We strolled around a little bit more, then started heading out of the park about 9:30, when the initial rush started to taper off a bit. As the bus was driving away I made a point of keeping my eye on the castle for as long as I could. We don't have any plans to return to WDW, and I doubt we'll return for at least a couple of years.

The kids were real tired and crabby when we got back to the room. We put them to bed, than Andie and I did our routine again - a trip down to the main porch to chat. We were in bed about midnight.

Day 8 - Friday March 11, 2000 - Homeward bound

We woke up late - about 8:00 - and had a breakfast of cereal, eggs and toast. In keeping with our desire to use as much of the food we had in the room, Charlie had some chocolate pudding. After breakfast we all packed. We were out of the room about 10:00. I have to say that the room at BWV was one of the nicest rooms we've ever stayed in. My only complaint was that our "trash and towel" day was scheduled for Thursday, when it really should have been Wednesday. The next time we stay at a DVC property we'll pay more attention to when the trash and towel day is.

My parent's plane was scheduled for 1:00, so they arranged with Atlantis to be picked up about 11:00. We didn't have to leave until later, so we walked them to the lobby and they decided to just wait for the car there. We said our good-byes, and Andie, the kids and I walked over to Stormalong Bay.

It was immediately apparent that it was a bit cool for swimming. After about 1/2 hour we decided to call it a day and head back to BW to shower and change. Just as we were leaving the pool it started raining. Once we were ready to head back to BW it really started pouring. We figured "Well, we're in our bathing suits and already wet - let's just head back". So, we walked back to BW in the pouring rain. We really couldn't complain, though, as this was the only time in the entire trip that the weather was anything but perfect.

We made it back to the BW and went into the health club to shower. I was a bit concerned when I saw the notice on the door that read "No one under 14 allowed in Health Club", but nobody said anything. Poor Andie had to take both kids with her. After we were all showered, dried and dressed, we decided what to do with our remaining few hours. If we'd known what the weather was going to be like we would have headed straight over to Downtown Disney, but it was too late for that. We decided to have lunch at "Spoodles" instead.

We really enjoyed lunch at "Spoodles". I was really surprised because I've heard such glowing things about "Flying Fish" and mixed things about "Spoodles", but Andie and I both preferred "Spoodles". Actually, we ordered a sandwich that turned out to be a basic hero, which was OK but not great. What we really enjoyed was the "Mediterranean Combo", a collection of side dishes like hummous and eggplant salad, served with pita bread. It was fantastic. Easily the best single meal of the trip. The kids had mac and cheese.

By the time we were finished with lunch the weather had cleared. We went out to the porch, where Andie and I sat and chatted while the kids played. We met a nice couple who was at WDW celebrating their anniversary with their kids and grandkids. Finally, about 1:30, we admitted that it was time to leave. We gathered up our things, got the Behemoth out of storage, and started the long trip home.

All in all, an absolutely wonderful trip. Sure, there was a lot of stuff we didn't get a chance to see and do, but isn't that always the case? My parents got a chance to see WDW, and they really enjoyed themselves. It was also a lot of fun spending the time with the kids. Charlotte was especially fun to watch. She looked like she was going through complete sensory overload, just looking at everything with such wide-eyed wonder.

Addendum

Charlotte has been real funny after the trip. Every time we see a commercial for WDW she declares "We go back there". A few weeks later we went on a weekend trip to visit Andie's aunt and stayed in a hotel. She wanted to know if we would see Mickey Mouse, and if the pool would have sand.

One thing I never mentioned is that I started a new job the week after we returned. One of the requirements of the job is that I attend at least 2 technical training sessions and/or conferences each year. I've been a Sybase database programmer for over 10 years but have never been able to attend a User Group technical faire, so I said I wanted to go to the next one. It's in early August at; you guessed it, WDW. So I'll be going back a lot sooner than I thought, but it just won't be the same with Andie and the kids. Still, I think I'll manage.

John Thompson