Trip Reports
02-21-2007, 08:46 PM
Sheri Niklewski - April 2005- Pop Century
Time of Year: Spring
Travel Method: Plane, Rental car
Resort: PCR
Accommodations: Standard
Ages Represented in Group: Adult
WDW Experience Represented in Group: Veteran
Comments: She didn't get to hear the oldies she wanted but Sheri and her husband had a great visit anyway.
Sheri Niklewski -- April 2005 -- Walt Disney World (PCR)
The Basic Details –
It’s just the two of us. I’m Sheri (43), the trip report writer and Disney fanatic. The husband is Rich (45), computer contractor and has slowly evolved into a very enthusiastic Disney World traveler. We’re both Disney veterans, having been to Disney World well over 35 times. Last trip was a big family one over Christmas and New Year’s. This one is a very short one. Basically a day and a half. We live outside Atlanta, Georgia, about seven and a half hours from Disney World. Easy but boring drive for us.
Rich and I are very much into oldies type of music. Not the real oldies, but songs from the 60s and 70s. Thanks to our local radio station, we’ve enjoyed concerts from some of the oldie groups here in the Atlanta area. All for free. We started all this about four years ago down at Disney World with the Flower Power series of concerts. So each year when the concerts at Disney World are being announced I watch with interest, especially for my favorite groups and for over Memorial Day weekend.
Thanks to Steve’s site, I was able to get the lineup for this year fairly early. Two of our favorites, Paul Revere and the Raiders and The Grass Roots (Rob Grill rules!), were going to be there on consecutive weekends. At the time to make the decision on what to do, I was the only one employed. Back to back weekends were not going to happen. We can do Disney World cheap but I didn’t think I could talk Rich into Mouse Suicide Runs consecutively. So I decided we’d do The Grass Roots which was going to be the last weekend in April. We couldn’t do Paul Revere anyway since that’s when the annual wildflower festival is in Gatlinburg, Tennessee and we have a standing commitment to Rich’s parents to meet them there. Everything was settled and decided on. I was happy.
Until those darn nature people moved the wildflower festival! To the last weekend in April. Major disappointment for me. I had to choose between The Grass Roots and my in-laws. Honestly, I really had to think about it. Thanks again to Steve’s site, I was able to access The Grass Roots website and their upcoming schedule. I was extremely happy with what I saw. Our local oldies station hadn’t announced their summer concert series (did I mention they are free?). But through this website, I saw The Grass Roots would be part of it. Whew! So I “generously” said we’d go to Gatlinburg and I’d give up Disney World just to see the in-laws. And we’d see The Grass Roots locally in August. I looked like a little princess.
But I still needed a Disney fix. Bad. Memorial Day, Fourth of July, and Labor Day would all happen. But I couldn’t wait five months to go back to Disney World. Rich was a little concerned with the cost but I can make offsite magic happen. I looked at the Flower Power series for the Flower and Garden Festival again. Things were switched around and I wasn’t thrilled with what we’d get for Memorial Day (then they switched again and I’m OK with it). Then Disney announced the Annual Passholder previews for Soarin’ would be held the weekend of April 16th which was the opening of the Flower and Garden Festival. I knew what entertainment would be there. Davy Jones. I had heard so many great things about his concerts. I decided Rich and I would do a Mouse Suicide Run for the concert. Totally crazy but I tend to do crazy things to get a Disney World fix.
My plan was very simple. I’d work until 4:00 or so on Friday, April 15th. Then I do my 75 minute commute home (the opposite way from Disney World), pick up Rich, make sure the cats were OK, and then be on the road south by 6:30 or so. Stop outside Valdosta, Georgia for the night. Get up at my normal 5:45 and be going through the Epcot turnstile by noon at the very latest. Cheap offsite hotel in Kissimmee. See the Festival and the concert, ride Soarin’ as many times as we can, watch Illuminations, maybe go to Pleasure Island and Downtown Disney Saturday night. I can try and sweet talk Rich into staying for the first Off Kilter show Sunday afternoon, and then home Sunday night. A total Mouse Suicide Run. I’d pay for it at work the next week but that would be fine.
And then things changed. For the better. After three and a half long years, Rich was finally employed! I had known my company really needed help in the IT department but Rich was kindly rejected after submitting his resume. Not that he wasn’t qualified, but because of me. Since I’m in the accounting department, there can be an issue of impropriety with the financial information. I have nothing to do with payroll but accounting is a very ethical career (Enron be darned). We really do have to be extremely careful with everything. I mentioned this to our Controller who was lamenting that she needed help implementing a new process. Rich would be perfect for the job – training all the people in our plants across the country. A solution was offered. Rich would be an independent contractor. His time right now is with the IT department until the accounting project goes into full gear. But we commute together every day and he’s getting a paycheck which is greatly appreciated.
So our plans changed. No offsite for us, thank you very much. I got us into Pop Century at the AP rate of $79/night. Rich was expecting the old $49/night rate but that ain’t going to happen this year. It’s just one night but by being at a Disney World resort, we can relax and take it easy. There’s so much at Pop Century that I wouldn’t mind giving up Saturday night or, heaven forbid, Sunday at Off Kilter, just to walk around the resort and look at everything. Our last stay here was during Hurricane Francis and that wasn’t the best experience. We will also leave Friday evening directly from work. Well, we’ll probably have a decent dinner and then head out after the rush hour traffic. Much more pleasant way to begin the weekend.
And even better. For Friday night outside of Valdosta, our Days Inn hotel will be free. I belong to their frequent stay program and with one weekend trip to Chattanooga for my birthday and getting triple points, I had enough for one free night stay. So I’m “cashing” that in.
Now, if I could just get the gas prices to come down. Pipe dream, I know (wait a minute, that could be a pun!).
Day One – Friday, April 15, 2005 – American Tax Day
Rich and I packed last night and I had monitored the weather situation throughout the week. The temperatures during the day would be great but the nights were going to be chilly. So we made sure we had sweaters and/or sweatshirts and/or jackets for the trip. We weren’t taking too much for the short time so it would be one small suitcase plus a very lightweight carry bag for us. For this trip, we had a new addition. A digital camera. Our own this time instead of a lender. Thanks to Rich’s parents for his birthday gift. I am the photographer though so this is for both of us. I can’t program a VCR or run a DVD player but I’ll attempt to figure out the camera. Yeah I know, read the instructions and I have but my mind is like a sieve and unless I have the manual right there in front of me, I can’t function. I need the recipe card for any meal I’ve made for the past 25 years even if I make it once a month.
We loaded up the car this morning and drove into work like normal. Well, almost like normal. Halfway there, the sun starts to come out and I reach into my bag for my sunglasses. Bag, what bag? Everything I own is in there. Annual Passes, driver’s license, debit card, money, everything. I had left it back at the house. So we had to turn around and go back. Understand this is Atlanta traffic we’re talking about. On a Friday during morning rush. Even though we take back roads (you can hear the sounds of Deliverance when driving, I swear), we still lost over an hour for my stupidity. I would remain stupid for the entire weekend.
We finally got to work a little after 9:00. I found out that my supervisor was taking today and Monday off which was totally sweet. All of us accountants had one major project to do but it didn’t look like that was going to get reviewed and out the door today. At lunch, Rich went out and topped off Jasmine’s (my car) tank for a very nice $1.989/gallon. First time in weeks the price has been less than $2/gallon. Hate to see what it’s going to be like in Florida with their extra taxes.
We had a potential major problem with the trip. Our five cats have a great sitter service for when we are gone. I didn’t think we’d need Donna for this short trip but Rich was concerned. The little ones (Nemo and Meeko) tend to get a bit upset if they can even remotely see the bottom of the food bowl. Rich is a great Dad so he arranged for the sitter to come out for this weekend and for Memorial Day as well. The service always contacts us before our trip to make sure everything is OK. They hadn’t so far. Rich called them and they had no record of his request! But they made everything right since they had Memorial Day scheduled and both things were made at the same time. So glad Rich called. Coming home to five hungry cats was not a prospect I wanted to entertain. They would have survived since we left their trough, I mean, food bowl, amply filled but the look cats can give you when things don’t go their way is horrible for a feline parent.
Rich wasn’t exactly hard pressed with his work for the day and neither was I so after much discussion and internal debate, we both left at 3:00 for Disney World. I figure I’ll cover for my co-workers another day (and I have covered in the past as well).
As usual, Rich drove us through Atlanta. Well, the first hour was stop and kinda of creep along and then stop again. Rich had naively thought we could avoid major problems by leaving at 3:00. HA! This is Atlanta, this is Friday. Rush hour here never ends. It starts at 6:00 AM and might be over with by 8:00 PM. We had an hour of mess and then were south enough to break free. At that point, I did my usual and snoozed until Rich got to the rest area just outside Macon and I475. We stopped there for some necessary functions. I offered to drive but Rich said he was still OK and if he felt tired, he’d pull over and we’d switch.
I didn’t have to worry and Rich continued driving. We had one stop to make. Remember I said I’d continue to be an idiot for this trip? During the day, I realized that I hadn’t packed something. Like regular shirts. I was prepared with a sweatshirt and a sweater but I had nothing for during the day. Wal-Mart, here we come. We stopped in Valdosta at exit 16 off I75 for the purchases. I got three shirts, all of which I can wear to work. The most expensive one was $7.82 so not bad. Rich made ample use of the stop to pick up some sports collectibles. He’s not the stupid one.
I was checking us into the Days Inn at Exit 5 before 7:30. Very easy to do since all I had to do was put down the make and model of Jasmine (Chrysler Sebring) and sign my name. Totally free room. Excellent way to start the weekend. We did notice that the hotel seemed to be more spruced up than previous visits. Cleaner and there was a new signage in the lobby separating the breakfast area. If this keeps up, they might raise the prices and we won’t be able to afford it!
Our room was right next to the pool but no one was using it. The night time temperatures were way too low (in the 50s tonight). We quickly unloaded since we didn’t have that much. Rich wanted to relax but I was starving. Our dinner choice was the ever popular Cracker Barrel which was just a short walk through the parking lot and across a little paved road. The hostess here just plain didn’t want to be anywhere on the planet tonight. She was so totally unfriendly. But we were seated. Rich and I had a good time throughout the visit watching the hostess to see if she ever displayed any emotion other than “robotic”. She did smile once and we just about choked on our food. Like Rich pointed out, the hostess is the first person you see – it’s up to them to portray a positive first impression. Thank goodness we knew Cracker Barrel had good food or we would have been totally turned off.
The server more than made up for the hostess. Rich ordered the hamburger steak with macaroni and cheese and French, err Freedom fries. I got the excellent chicken salad sandwich and a cup of New England clam chowder. I really liked that I didn’t have to settle for fries with a sandwich. I even splurged and got a Sprite after having been removed from soft drinks for quite a long time. Rich enjoyed unsweetened iced tea. And here’s a tip for people driving or traveling through the south. If you do order ice tea, make sure you know the difference between unsweetened and sweetened tea. If you don’t say you want unsweetened (which is what most of the United States and the world drinks), you’ll get sweetened. To which you’ll add your normal sugar and you will gag. Fair warning.
Our bill here was a whopping $17.61 – really helps not having a bar at Cracker Barrel. Since you pay the cashier on the way out, Rich left $3 in cash on the table and we perused the gift shop. I like the Cracker Barrel shops and was looking to stock up on our candy supply. They have some of our favorite from childhood that just aren’t readily available any more. Big Sweetarts, Razzles (first it’s a candy, then it’s a gum!), and Charms. Not the blowpops, the actual candy. And this is the only place that has chocolate Necco wafers for Rich’s father. With our full stomachs and candy fix abated, we went back across the street for relaxation for the rest of the night.
We had set up our VCR to tape our two Friday night shows but since we left work early, we could watch them now. Third Watch only has three episodes left (in my opinion, this was a stupid move to cancel this show) so we enjoyed that. And then the fourth edition of Law and Order – this one Trial by Jury. I like it better than Criminal Investigation (but when Chris Noth was on, that was a must). Yes, we are TV addicted and proud of it. I could barely stay awake and was snoozing almost after Law and Order. Rich stayed up a bit later for Nick at Nite and the sitcom reruns.
I thought I’d put this in because of how I had mentally prepared the day and how things worked out. Nothing, except the room at the Days Inn, worked out to what I had thought about even the day before. We left work early, I forgot clothes, we ate at a Cracker Barrel in Valdosta instead of Miller’s Ale House in Alpharetta. We went with the flow and had a good first day of vacation. What would tomorrow bring?
Day Two – Saturday, April 16, 2005 – Soarin’ and Daydream Believin’
The alarm had been set for 7:00. That’s Rich normal Saturday morning time to get up for racquetball. I wanted something earlier but it was a nice compromise. We both showered (separately) and were packed and ready to go in 45 minutes. Rich actually takes longer in the bathroom than I do. We did have one amusing incident. Rich goes into the shower first (at home, it’s me). This Days Inn has one flaw. They use paper thin cloth shower curtains. Rich hates that. So he dealt with the thing flying into him during his whole time trying to get clean. Once he finished, I had a thought. Rich joked that since I was smaller than him, I wouldn’t have any problems. And I didn’t. Because I remembered I never travel without two large binder clips in the suitcase. So I took those and attached them to the bottom of the curtain. Problem solved, easy shower. Then I told Rich what I did. He called me a name that won’t make it into the report. But another tip – travel with binder clips. I also use them to close off those pesky window curtains that don’t quite meet in the middle to keep out all the morning light.
We walked down to the lobby for checkout. Actually, it was just to return the room keys. No charge and I again confused the front desk person because we didn’t have a balance. Rich toasted an English muffin while I stocked myself up with mini cinnamon rolls and blueberry muffins. I think some of the older folks in the breakfast area weren’t too thrilled with us getting breakfast to go but my stomach just isn’t awake enough at 8:00 AM to enjoy food.
After Rich was done with his muffin, we went over to the adjacent Shell station to top off Jasmine with Georgia gas. It wasn’t pretty since the price was $2.129 but it still was cheaper than five miles down the road and into Florida. I pumped while Rich went inside for his true breakfast – a couple of cold Diet Cokes. He also picked up a huge bottle of water for me. Then we headed south and Mickey.
We decided to forego our usual stop at the Disney World Information Center at Ocala. Since this area has become so built up, it’s kind of a pain to get in and out of the center. Instead, we stopped at the rest area that is just down the road. I again offered to drive but Rich said he was still fine. I told him that I wasn’t complaining and he warned me that paybacks would be coming tomorrow.
We turned off the Turnpike onto Route 27 and lamented that maybe in the future, this wouldn’t be a wise choice. It’s getting so built up (sense a pattern?) and there are more and more traffic lights. But for now, it was fine. Rich had to be reminded of the back way onto Disney property since that was the easiest to get to Pop Century.
Rich isn’t all that comfortable with checking in with the security gate guard. Today just might have put him over the top. I’m always prepared with the confirmation slip and the driver always has a driver’s license out and ready. We’ve been asked for one or the other and only on one occasion (the first trip after 9/11/01) were we asked for both. I make all the reservations and everything is in my name. Always. We have the drill down. Or so we thought. This gate guard asked for not only the confirmation slip but a driver’s license. Rich easily complied with both requests. But the guard, who spoke limited English, had a problem. The reservation was in my name, the driver’s license in Rich’s name. He questioned how that could be. I think both of our chins hit the floor of the car at the same time. I mean, come on! Look at our last name. There’s like a handful of Niklewskis on the planet and who the heck would want to steal that identity and attempt to check into Walt Disney World?! After his initial shock, Rich kindly explained to the guard that the last names were the same. Only then were we allowed in. Maybe someone should explain to this guy the concept of marriage and sharing a name.
The parking lot for checking in was fairly crowded but it usually is so I wasn’t worried. It was after 11:00 and before 11:30 so it was a good window. Or so I thought. This is our first visit since Disney broke out the lobby area into two queues – one for check in/check out and one for guest relations for ticketing and dining. I thought it would be better. I’m used to having the check in lines being the size of an inchworm. Both of these lines were along the size of an Anaconda. One that has been radioactive and grew 50 times larger than normal. We didn’t stay.
We drove off for our Epcot adventure of the day. I intended for us to do Soarin’ and a walk around World Showcase and then come back and check in later before Davy Jones. Never, ever, ever, really think you are going to follow your “plan”. We parked and I timidly asked Rich for a favor. We were going to be walking through the Epcot resort area. The one thing that gives me a huge “I’m here” feeling is having a sit down at the Boardwalk pizza take out window area with a beverage and just watching people and the Friendship boats. The sights, the smells, the sounds make a trip for me. I wanted that today. Rich was fine with the suggestion.
Before we left the car, we debated about taking our heavier jackets/sweaters/sweatshirts with us. Neither one of us had any idea of where we’d be later. Rich wisely suggested we take the items with us “just in case”. I had my digital camera and my still camera so I carried that bag while Rich handled the denim one with the outerwear and our other few items in it. He did suggest that we bring a light backpack for him in the future. He prefers both shoulders being bogged down rather than just one. We were in shorts and T shirts (mine from Wal Mart) and the day was sunny but just a tad cool and the nights would be colder.
The pizza window wasn’t open yet since it was before noon. We had maybe five or ten minutes to kill. We grabbed a table by the water and in the sun. Yes, I am here!!!! Rich pulled out his cell phone and made a very important call. Yeah, we’re at Disney World but NASCAR was calling. We’re in a fantasy league with just us, our son and daughter-in-law. Nothing on the line except pride. We each had to select three provisional drivers for the race tomorrow. Rich and Chris handled the phone conversation with Chandra and me relaying our choices to our respective spouses. It’s very nice for our little family to have such a common bond.
With our sports taken care of (or was it?), the pizza window was open so Rich went over there for a beer and a wine. We relaxed and soaked in everything for a while. We really weren’t in any hurry at all and that made the day just so much more special. It’s only 24 hours of Disney World but we made the best of every minute.
After our drinks, we headed into Epcot. Well, we didn’t make it the first time. My Annual Pass wouldn’t work. This was the first time we went through the turn styles since everyone is now required to use the biometers. I didn’t even get that far. My pass was rejected and I had to go to Guest Relations. Rich was NOT a happy camper. He didn’t even attempt his. I had done a complete bone head move. On our last trip, I had left my pass in the car so I got a replacement at the gate. I was using the old pass. I had the newer one with me and I thought that was the one I was using. No, it wasn’t. So I had the Cast Member take the old one so this wouldn’t happen again. I normally am a reasonably intelligent person, honestly.
We finally made it through the gates and headed for Soarin’. The displays for the Flower and Garden Festival were up on our walk to The Land but we bypassed them for the time being. Even if we didn’t see them now, we’d be back for Memorial Day weekend and we’d see things then. Once at The Land, we had to show our Annual Passes and the back of them to prove they were still valid. Then we entered the refurbished Land.
And I really liked the changes. The colors are so much more earthy. More browns and dark greens. The signage isn’t as futuristic as it used to be. That suits the atmosphere better. The food court area is more muted which should make it quieter and not as rambunctious as before. The seating areas are sectioned off now which should lend to more private seatings. Nothing was being served here so I have no idea of how everything is going to function once it goes live. On the way to Soarin’, the Cast Members were shouting that it was a 75-90 minute wait. I just about gagged.
When we got to the entrance for the queue however, the lights indicated a 35 minute stand by time. There will be a single ride line and lots of FastPass machines. Neither of those options was in operation. Our only choice was stand by. Rich said we didn’t have anything better to do and this was one of the reasons we were here so even the 90 minute wait was OK with him. I wasn’t in the mood for such nonsense so we “discussed” this choice while we joined the line. A couple a few years older than us were in front of us in the line and they overheard our understanding about the 90 minute option. The woman went back to the entrance of the queue and asked about FastPass (not available) and the wait. The lighted sign at the entrance was truer so all four of us decided to wait.
The queue is very nice but very, very long! I guess they are expecting long lines. We passed our time talking with the other couple. They were married less than a year ago and live in Florida but we knew more about Disney World than they did. We chatted about our families and things in general. I passed on some of my knowledge about Soarin’ and the woman was amazed that I knew so much without having ridden the thing. At the end of the queue, everyone is split off into the separate ride areas. The four of us were together and in row one, which I didn’t think I’d particularly like. The woman was disappointed because she thought we’d be in the back row. She was excited when I told her we were up front and I was nervous. I do NOT like heights, especially when there’s not a lot around me. Ferris wheels scare the daylights out of me. For me, this attraction was scarier than Mission:Space. At least with that one, I know I’m on the floor at not dangling on a thin cord. I know, it’s all mind games but my mind is very pliable.
The “vehicles” for Soarin’ are similar to those at Twilight Zone only there’s no damn floor under your feet! Three rows of seats. We were in the first row. I almost asked to be switched to the back but decided to be brave and just do it. Nike could have used me for one of their commercials. You only have a lap belt and there are hand holds on either side of your seat. I pitied the woman to the right of me. She didn’t stand a chance of using the hold in between us. Rich, on my left, already knew he wasn’t going to use one of his. I grabbed those puppies with a firm grip.
Now understand that Soarin’ is NOT a thrill ride. The “vehicles” are taken up for the sensation of flying. You just sit there and watch the big screen of California sights and scenes. The whole experience is great and you do think you are flying. I just couldn’t relax enough because I hadn’t done this before. There was one scene where we were going up this mountain and watching skiers going downhill. One skier was doing some moves and fell. Great laugh but then we went over the crest of the mountain and there was a huge big drop on the other side. I think I used some very un-Disney-like words to express my opinion on that scene. The woman we talked to in line thought it was pretty funny. I had just started to relax at that point so I went back to holding on for dear life.
The whole attraction is four minutes long and at the end, I wished for a couple extra minutes. It is well done and I’ll do it again since I now know what to expect. I am a total wimp with heights. I can totally handle Rock N Roller Coaster because I have never known the height I go and it’s over with quickly. It took me years to conquer Twilight Zone (and the entrance is still the best mind game in town). I freak out over Space Mountain since I’ve seen the inside with the lights on. I ride it but never am calm enough until I know we’re at least within thudding range of the floor. BTW – I developed this fear of heights only after my son was born and became the daredevil little boys usually are. Thanks Chris!
The walk out of Soarin’ is probably the equivalent of The Last Mile. We walked and walked and walked and walked. Rich shared his impression of Soarin’. It was good but not something that he would ride over and over and over again. I wanted to do another ride but only because I wanted to experience the attraction now that I knew what it was all about. This will be a one time repeater for a future visit but only with a FastPass. Then after that, we’ll do this one with guests only.
It’s not that Soarin’ is bad. It’s just that it could be so much more. Longer, for one thing. And the movie is wonderful and the sensation is great but it’s going to get old for repeat guests. If Disney would learn and replace the film every once in a while (like less than six or eight years), then it would be great. Or maybe to do something like they do with Twilight Zone – have different films with a random sequence. You’d never know which one you’d be getting.
After Soarin’, we headed over for the other E ticket attractions at Future World – Mission:Space and Test Track. We did make a stop in the Flower and Garden Festival Center to see what was available. Nothing really attracted us although we’ll be back here during Memorial Day weekend. Rich was disappointed that there were no backyard seeds like there was a few years ago. We’re still struggling with our backyard offerings. I’ve given up hope and enjoy the “rustic” feel. Rich wants a nice cozy place.
Now, I love Mission:Space but it’s been a “must see” for us ever since it opened. Although I wanted a Gary Sinise fix, it wasn’t mandatory since I get to see him in “CSI:NY” every week. The Jammitors were performing out front so the entrance was mobbed and we turned right and went over to Test Track to check on that. Rich thought the singles rider line at 15 minutes was OK but I really didn’t want to do that. Stand by time was 70 minutes and return time for FastPass was 6:30 PM. It was around 1:30 or so. We weren’t sure what we’d be doing or where to would be at 6:30 so Test Track will wait for another visit.
I thought about leaving and checking into Pop Century and suggested going to their food court for lunch. But we headed out for a walk around World Showcase. We went clockwise and had our first glitch of the visit. The Norway beer cart was closed! At this point, Rich fesses up that he was hungry and wanted a hot dog. We were close to China and he did offer up Lotus Blossum Café but my mood wasn’t the best so I stubbornly refused that. My goal was the Liberty Inn in America for Rich’s hot dog. At this point, we were both barking at each other so the results weren’t pretty. The crowds in America were tremendous so we continued on. We noticed that World Showcase, which usually is a nice walk for us, was more crowded than even during holiday weekends. That just increased the moodiness between us.
At France, we had a major breakdown and decided to get a couple of wines and just chill for a while. Then we had to decide about food. Rich suggested the hot dog vendor back along the Boardwalk and that sounded nice. We exited Epcot and on the way I made the comment that if Rich really wanted a hot dog, we could utilize the ESPN Club and maybe watch the NASCAR Busch race while we ate. Rich chuckled because the ESPN Club usually has a line for seating. But when we got there, we were led right in. This was a great choice for us. We spent the next hour and a half with just each other, a zillion TVs all turned onto sports and our eyes intently on the NASCAR Busch race. It may sound silly but that’s what we like to do. Rich had chicken tender sandwich with hot sauce and I asked him to get the fruit instead of the fries. Then we added the chili cheese fries and shared everything (well, Rich had the sandwich on his own – I’m a wimp with heights and even more with hot sauce). Our server was very good and we did tell her that we were interested in watching the race so she knew to check on us every once in a while but not to get bothered and get us out quickly. The Club wasn’t busy so we felt comfortable about taking a table for that long. We did order drinks and left a nice tip for the server. A very good experience for us.
After our late lunch, there was a thought to go back and check into Pop Century. But the decision was jointly made to go back into Epcot and enjoy the Flower and Garden Festival offerings. It was getting closer to the first show of Davy Jones at 5:45. Things were definitely not going according to our original “plans” but it didn’t matter. We went with the flow.
Once inside Epcot again, I checked my watch and saw it was getting close to 5:00 and I thought that maybe the film in France would be going off on the hour. I was right so I dragged Rich in there. He wasn’t too receptive since he thought we wouldn’t be in a good position for seeing Davy Jones. I assured him we had plenty of time so in we went. This almost was a mistake after the great lunch since we were both tired from food and the day. The musical score here is great and Rich surprised me by saying he didn’t even pay too much attention to it. Him, the musical lover. Oh well, it was something different for us to do. Rich hadn’t seen this for about 10 years.
After the film, we hightailed it over to the American pavilion for Davy Jones. At past concerts, the theatre usually was opened about a half hour before show time so we figured we could stroll right in. Not for Mr. Jones. They hadn’t even opened the stand by line yet. They had just released the people with the dinner package. We both used the time for a bathroom break and then we joined the stand by line. If Disney World continues to attract the musical talent they do and these concerts continue to be as popular as this one (and the others we have attended), then they need to have a much, much, much longer queue line. People were manageable but once those fabric divider lines end, it just gets so confusing. They should just give up and extend everything way back into Germany.
We were barely seated before the concert started. That wasn’t good at all. And we were in the middle of the line. I don’t know if it was because this was the first concert of the evening or what but the lines need to be released much earlier than fifteen minutes before the show.
Davy Jones was very good and did a lot of the Monkees material. He also did “Girl” from “The Brady Bunch” and had several things to say that was what he was most popular for. “Marcia, Marcia, Marcia”. Classic American TV although I’m not sure we should be that proud of that little piece of history. “Daydream Believer” was the closer and Mr. Jones had to remind the audience there would be no encores. Disney World is very strict about a 30 minute set. That’s it. I think the Pope could be on stage and Disney would be timing him. After the show, we thought about staying put for another session but then the announcement came on that the entire theatre would need to be vacated since there were too many people waiting for the next show. That’s the first time in all our concert visits to Disney World that we’ve been asked to leave in between shows. Once that happened, Rich and I looked at each other and decided to call it an end to our adventure. We were tired, it was getting cold (we both had outerwear on by this time), and we still hadn’t check into the resort.
We did check out the kiosk outside the theatre. It was stocked with the Flower Power concert series performer’s CDs. It was tempting but we passed. I did hear the funniest comment from a family leaving the theatre. Of course, one of the Monkees’ signature songs is “I’m a Believer” which was featured in the movie “Shrek”. “Shrek” is NOT a Disney a movie (although it’s one of my favorite animated films but don’t tell Eisner that). This teenager girl was getting chastised (in a kind way) by her parents that the song was out way before the movie “Shrek” was even thought about. The girl thought Davy Jones was borrowing from the movie. Heck, I was barely born when that song first came out.
We made our way back to the International Gateway and the exit of Epcot for this trip. We did have a good chuckle with a dad who was attempting to get out with his yard of beer from the United Kingdom. You cannot exit any Disney theme park with an alcoholic beverage. On our way through the Boardwalk, we did see an entertainer out and the carnival things set up even though it was a chilly evening. We made it back to Jasmine and her warmth. It was a short drive back to Pop Century and we had to go through the gate guard security thing again. I hoped the guy from earlier was gone and he was. We still had to show both the confirmation and Rich’s driver’s license but the first name wasn’t questioned.
This time, the check in line was very manageable. Of course, it was around 7:30 PM. We were helped within five minutes or so. Our Cast Member was great until she said the words “I’m sorry but because the resort is full tonight, I regret to tell you we have no more non smoking rooms available”. Oh boy. I hadn’t requested anything special for just this one night. I didn’t care which building or which floor or if we got a king bed or two doubles. But non smoking is the one thing we can’t live without and that was listed as a request. I know nothing is guaranteed but we’ve never had a problem getting a non smoking room at Disney World. Never even have come close to having an issue with this. We’ve never smoked and never will. It’s not like we totally avoid places with smokers since we endure this for our weekly trivia nights at a sports bar. But to live in something like that just isn’t what we want to do. Rich doesn’t have any diagnosed problems but he just can’t breathe in a smoky atmosphere for very long. And then heaven help me if he has to sleep in it (if he can at all). The snoring would be on a Richter scale, I’m sure. Rich said the simple words “that’s unacceptable”. He said it quietly and he was calm but he was ready to head out to Offsite Land.
The Cast Member immediately asked if we had a problem due to a medical condition. Rich was honest and said that there was no documented medical reason but he can’t breathe very well in a smoky environment. The Cast Member said that was something she needed to hear and she’d see what she could do. She left to go back stage or wherever and Rich was a little ticked. I asked him to calm down (he wasn’t visibly upset but I knew he wasn’t happy) and that I was sure we’d be taken care of. A few minutes later, we were given a non smoking room in the preferred 60s building on the third floor. At no extra $10 charge.
Now, I don’t know why this room wasn’t on the screen five minutes ago when we initially checked in. Yes, it was a preferred room which meant it was closer to the main pool and the food court but I didn’t care if it was a half mile hike – I wanted and needed a non smoking room. I’m glad Disney made the situation right but I don’t think anyone should be penalized for checking in later and not getting the one thing they requested. Especially something as sensitive as smoking versus non smoking. Truthfully, I’d rather have restaurants be smoking optional and all hotel rooms non smoking instead of the other way around. I can handle an hour of smoke, I can’t handle twelve hours of a more confined space.
Off the soap box now, we headed out to park Jasmine and then unload. Yeah, this is a preferred room. But man, it was a hike from the parking lot! We had to first wind our way into the Hippy Dippy Pool area and then across the entire way to behind The Jungle Book icons and then up to the third floor. Yesh! Be careful of asking for a preferred room. It might be great if you don’t need the parking lot but it was a bit of a chore for us.
We had taken the lighter things up for our first go round of unpacking Jasmine. We used the stairs for the way up since there was a big family with a fully loaded luggage cart waiting for the elevator. I wouldn’t have minded sharing but the Mom looked severely ticked off at something and I did not want to deal with that so I headed up the stairs. Rich wasn’t that thrilled with the choice but we were in the room much quicker. We’re on the pool side with a nice view of the kiddie pool. We unloaded and then headed back down for our second part of unloading.
As we headed back to the elevators/stair area, I looked at our view. We were right behind The Jungle Book icons of Mowgli and Baloo. I looked down (which was hard to do from the third floor – the height wasn’t that great). But I just started to laugh. Disney does do such attention to detail. We had Mowgli Butt and Baloo Butt. I made a comment about it and I think a family passing by wasn’t too thrilled. Because the little girl went away skipping and saying “Baloo Butt, Baloo Butt”. Oops.
We made our second and final load to the room and I looked at the clock. It was 8:30 and I had wanted to make a run to the gift shop for a look around. We didn’t have much time at this resort and our last time here was during Hurricane Francis so I wanted to spend some time doing more exploring since we were in a lock down last September. Rich and I were both extremely tired but we forced ourselves to get moving. It wasn’t a productive trip as I didn’t see anything I really wanted to have at a decent price. Even though we are both working again, we’re still extremely frugal so the past impulse purchases are not going to happen again. I did pick up a Mickey ice cream bar since I was a little hungry.
The rest of the night was spent in the room watching TV. It had been a short trip for the Disney parks and we only made it to Epcot but it was a very nice time and would hold me over until Memorial Day weekend. The weather was funky in that it was nice and sunny and warm during the day. Shorts and T-shirts were fine. But once the sun went down, it was colder with the temps near 40 degrees. Layering was definitely needed and I’m so glad Rich insisted on taking our outerwear for the entire day. We didn’t follow our “plan” except we did Soarin’ and we did see Davy Jones. That was our main purpose for being here so I guess the trip was successful. Well, it was successful because we were now relaxed and had a great time together even with a couple of little spats.
Day Three – April 17, 2005 – Pop Century exploring and leaving
Last night, Rich and I had a serious discussion about leaving today. He really wanted to be back in Georgia and check on the cats before we had our weekly trivia contest at 7:30. I wanted to tour around Pop Century and get some good photos on the digital camera. Both of us wanted to sleep in. Rich was afraid we’d sleep well past 9:00 (we had had a very hectic week) so he insisted on setting the alarm clock. He did that and I called for Mickey to wake us up. My prediction became correct as we were both awake and ready to get started on the day by shortly after 8:00. It wasn’t noise levels, although the family in the next room had a couple of kids we could hear. They weren’t loud but the walls aren’t exactly rock solid. Rich turned off the alarm clock and showered while I packed the very few things we needed to pack. The wake up call came (later than I had asked for) and it wasn’t Mickey. It was Stitch. Very cute!
By 9:00, we were ready to go around Pop Century for a photo tour. Rich was ready to head home but he indulged me. We walked all around the grounds and I snapped pictures of the icons from our childhood and our lives together. That’s one of the reasons I love Pop Century. It just brings back so many memories. Of course, I had to immortalize Mowgli Butt and Baloo Butt. The big diner style jukebox. I remembered (as did Rich) how many trucking diners we stopped at with our respective families and begged for quarters for three plays. My sister and I had each had one selection and then we had to agree on the third one. A good shot of the foosball players that had a friend’s daughter asking “what are those?” Aargh! A child doesn’t know foosball?! Horrors. The 8-track tape stair cases. I cannot tell you how many kids looked at that shot and had no idea what it was. I can’t be too judgmental because when the decades of the early 20th Century finally get finished (soon, please, soon), I’m sure I’ll be the same way.
Rich and I took the walk around the lake and read all the signs. Each decade is represented with a few important events during that time. I snapped a photo of the one for 1962 – my birth year. I knew all about John Glenn becoming the first to orbit Earth in February. My mother relates the story of how she was still in the hospital after having me. But I didn’t know that was also the year Wal-mart was first opened. Rich didn’t care about the 1960 happenings. I had to get the sign for 1982, Chris’ birth year. That was the year The Wall opened as a tribute to those who gave their lives in the Vietnam War. I thought it poignant for Chris. We visited The Wall every time we went to The Mall in Washington, DC which was quite often since we lived there for three years. Chris was in elementary school. We never spoke as we walked along The Wall. We were silent giving our thanks for those who served. I hadn’t realized it was dedicated the year my son was born. Maybe there’s some kind of connection.
After our trip down memory lane, I wanted to walk as far across the bridge over to where the earlier decades will be (soon, please, soon). It was here that Rich had his Magical Disney Moment. And it had nothing to do with a Mouse, a Duck, a Dog, or anything Eisner can market. It was a bird.
An osprey. Flying over the lake and looking for an early lunch or late breakfast. I swear Rich goes to Disney World just to find ospreys. This guy was beautiful. Very majestic. The digital camera was out and doing a heck of a lot of magic. The shots I got of this wonderful bird literally soarin’ were amazing. We stood and watched for a long, long time. People came and went and I’m sure wondered what the heck we were mesmerized about. Rich forgot about the cats for a while. I think I finally had to remind him that we needed to vacate the room since it was getting close to 11:00 which was check out time. While the osprey was a fantastic experience, watching Rich watching it was more than enough to realize that I’m so lucky in life. A wonderful husband, a terrific son who made a wise choice with his wife and her daughter.
We got back to the room and did the final run down to Jasmine. Yeah, it would be nice to get back to the cats but staying at Pop Century and reliving such innocent times makes it so hard to go back to the real world. All too soon, we were engulfed in it. We had to make a gas stop so we did that at a BP on Route 27. At $2.249/gallon. Yipe! Then we visited the new Wal-Mart right next door. We didn’t see anything and were on the road by 11:30 or so. The drive home was uneventful and I did do a tour of three hours while Rich took a much deserved snooze. The cats were happy to see us but not too thrilled when we left within an hour to go to trivia. And then with both of us working, we had to leave them early the next morning. We got paybacks big time.
Overall Thoughts and Final Impressions
This won’t be long since the trip was so short. But it didn’t disappoint. Our lives were sort of thrown into high gear with Rich finally getting a job. It wasn’t stressful or difficult, just different. We’re still trying to get into a routine and we’re adjusting to a lot of things. This short trip was much needed. A break away from reality and concerns. Where else can you totally forget about everything even if it’s just for 24 hours?
While the “plan of action” was thrown out the window even before we left Alpharetta, we did do the two main reasons for the trip. Davy Jones and Soarin’. While each experience was a good one, neither one wowed us. Was I disappointed? A little but then I realized something. There was so much more that did wow us. For me, sitting at the Boardwalk pizza window seating area and having that “I’m there” feeling was more amazing and breath taking than Soarin’. Rich seeing that osprey more than made the trip for him. He still makes me show the digital photos I took of it. Even his dad, the eternal nature lover, thought the pictures were wonderful. But really, it was the time we spent together, just the two of us, without the cats, the phones, the PC. We did connect with our little family and that was great.
We could have had this little adventure anywhere. Having it at Disney World makes it twice as special.
Our next trip will be over Memorial Day weekend, something we seem to do each year since we’ve moved here. We’ll be at All Star Movies. Then Fourth of July at Port Orleans French Quarter. That one I’m really looking forward to since we’ve never stayed there before. We’ll be back for Labor Day but I haven’t made any reservations yet for that one. I’m going to try and squeeze in another quick trip during the Food and Wine Festival. Then it’s a Disney cruise in December with the in-laws.
The oldies radio station that really started all this is now off the air. We came back from this trip and discovered the bad news. Most of our favorites have just simply moved across the hall to a light music station. They are still doing the summer concert series, though. If I missed The Grass Roots after all this, I’d be really mad!
Feel free to email me with comments or questions.
Sheri Kiklewski
Time of Year: Spring
Travel Method: Plane, Rental car
Resort: PCR
Accommodations: Standard
Ages Represented in Group: Adult
WDW Experience Represented in Group: Veteran
Comments: She didn't get to hear the oldies she wanted but Sheri and her husband had a great visit anyway.
Sheri Niklewski -- April 2005 -- Walt Disney World (PCR)
The Basic Details –
It’s just the two of us. I’m Sheri (43), the trip report writer and Disney fanatic. The husband is Rich (45), computer contractor and has slowly evolved into a very enthusiastic Disney World traveler. We’re both Disney veterans, having been to Disney World well over 35 times. Last trip was a big family one over Christmas and New Year’s. This one is a very short one. Basically a day and a half. We live outside Atlanta, Georgia, about seven and a half hours from Disney World. Easy but boring drive for us.
Rich and I are very much into oldies type of music. Not the real oldies, but songs from the 60s and 70s. Thanks to our local radio station, we’ve enjoyed concerts from some of the oldie groups here in the Atlanta area. All for free. We started all this about four years ago down at Disney World with the Flower Power series of concerts. So each year when the concerts at Disney World are being announced I watch with interest, especially for my favorite groups and for over Memorial Day weekend.
Thanks to Steve’s site, I was able to get the lineup for this year fairly early. Two of our favorites, Paul Revere and the Raiders and The Grass Roots (Rob Grill rules!), were going to be there on consecutive weekends. At the time to make the decision on what to do, I was the only one employed. Back to back weekends were not going to happen. We can do Disney World cheap but I didn’t think I could talk Rich into Mouse Suicide Runs consecutively. So I decided we’d do The Grass Roots which was going to be the last weekend in April. We couldn’t do Paul Revere anyway since that’s when the annual wildflower festival is in Gatlinburg, Tennessee and we have a standing commitment to Rich’s parents to meet them there. Everything was settled and decided on. I was happy.
Until those darn nature people moved the wildflower festival! To the last weekend in April. Major disappointment for me. I had to choose between The Grass Roots and my in-laws. Honestly, I really had to think about it. Thanks again to Steve’s site, I was able to access The Grass Roots website and their upcoming schedule. I was extremely happy with what I saw. Our local oldies station hadn’t announced their summer concert series (did I mention they are free?). But through this website, I saw The Grass Roots would be part of it. Whew! So I “generously” said we’d go to Gatlinburg and I’d give up Disney World just to see the in-laws. And we’d see The Grass Roots locally in August. I looked like a little princess.
But I still needed a Disney fix. Bad. Memorial Day, Fourth of July, and Labor Day would all happen. But I couldn’t wait five months to go back to Disney World. Rich was a little concerned with the cost but I can make offsite magic happen. I looked at the Flower Power series for the Flower and Garden Festival again. Things were switched around and I wasn’t thrilled with what we’d get for Memorial Day (then they switched again and I’m OK with it). Then Disney announced the Annual Passholder previews for Soarin’ would be held the weekend of April 16th which was the opening of the Flower and Garden Festival. I knew what entertainment would be there. Davy Jones. I had heard so many great things about his concerts. I decided Rich and I would do a Mouse Suicide Run for the concert. Totally crazy but I tend to do crazy things to get a Disney World fix.
My plan was very simple. I’d work until 4:00 or so on Friday, April 15th. Then I do my 75 minute commute home (the opposite way from Disney World), pick up Rich, make sure the cats were OK, and then be on the road south by 6:30 or so. Stop outside Valdosta, Georgia for the night. Get up at my normal 5:45 and be going through the Epcot turnstile by noon at the very latest. Cheap offsite hotel in Kissimmee. See the Festival and the concert, ride Soarin’ as many times as we can, watch Illuminations, maybe go to Pleasure Island and Downtown Disney Saturday night. I can try and sweet talk Rich into staying for the first Off Kilter show Sunday afternoon, and then home Sunday night. A total Mouse Suicide Run. I’d pay for it at work the next week but that would be fine.
And then things changed. For the better. After three and a half long years, Rich was finally employed! I had known my company really needed help in the IT department but Rich was kindly rejected after submitting his resume. Not that he wasn’t qualified, but because of me. Since I’m in the accounting department, there can be an issue of impropriety with the financial information. I have nothing to do with payroll but accounting is a very ethical career (Enron be darned). We really do have to be extremely careful with everything. I mentioned this to our Controller who was lamenting that she needed help implementing a new process. Rich would be perfect for the job – training all the people in our plants across the country. A solution was offered. Rich would be an independent contractor. His time right now is with the IT department until the accounting project goes into full gear. But we commute together every day and he’s getting a paycheck which is greatly appreciated.
So our plans changed. No offsite for us, thank you very much. I got us into Pop Century at the AP rate of $79/night. Rich was expecting the old $49/night rate but that ain’t going to happen this year. It’s just one night but by being at a Disney World resort, we can relax and take it easy. There’s so much at Pop Century that I wouldn’t mind giving up Saturday night or, heaven forbid, Sunday at Off Kilter, just to walk around the resort and look at everything. Our last stay here was during Hurricane Francis and that wasn’t the best experience. We will also leave Friday evening directly from work. Well, we’ll probably have a decent dinner and then head out after the rush hour traffic. Much more pleasant way to begin the weekend.
And even better. For Friday night outside of Valdosta, our Days Inn hotel will be free. I belong to their frequent stay program and with one weekend trip to Chattanooga for my birthday and getting triple points, I had enough for one free night stay. So I’m “cashing” that in.
Now, if I could just get the gas prices to come down. Pipe dream, I know (wait a minute, that could be a pun!).
Day One – Friday, April 15, 2005 – American Tax Day
Rich and I packed last night and I had monitored the weather situation throughout the week. The temperatures during the day would be great but the nights were going to be chilly. So we made sure we had sweaters and/or sweatshirts and/or jackets for the trip. We weren’t taking too much for the short time so it would be one small suitcase plus a very lightweight carry bag for us. For this trip, we had a new addition. A digital camera. Our own this time instead of a lender. Thanks to Rich’s parents for his birthday gift. I am the photographer though so this is for both of us. I can’t program a VCR or run a DVD player but I’ll attempt to figure out the camera. Yeah I know, read the instructions and I have but my mind is like a sieve and unless I have the manual right there in front of me, I can’t function. I need the recipe card for any meal I’ve made for the past 25 years even if I make it once a month.
We loaded up the car this morning and drove into work like normal. Well, almost like normal. Halfway there, the sun starts to come out and I reach into my bag for my sunglasses. Bag, what bag? Everything I own is in there. Annual Passes, driver’s license, debit card, money, everything. I had left it back at the house. So we had to turn around and go back. Understand this is Atlanta traffic we’re talking about. On a Friday during morning rush. Even though we take back roads (you can hear the sounds of Deliverance when driving, I swear), we still lost over an hour for my stupidity. I would remain stupid for the entire weekend.
We finally got to work a little after 9:00. I found out that my supervisor was taking today and Monday off which was totally sweet. All of us accountants had one major project to do but it didn’t look like that was going to get reviewed and out the door today. At lunch, Rich went out and topped off Jasmine’s (my car) tank for a very nice $1.989/gallon. First time in weeks the price has been less than $2/gallon. Hate to see what it’s going to be like in Florida with their extra taxes.
We had a potential major problem with the trip. Our five cats have a great sitter service for when we are gone. I didn’t think we’d need Donna for this short trip but Rich was concerned. The little ones (Nemo and Meeko) tend to get a bit upset if they can even remotely see the bottom of the food bowl. Rich is a great Dad so he arranged for the sitter to come out for this weekend and for Memorial Day as well. The service always contacts us before our trip to make sure everything is OK. They hadn’t so far. Rich called them and they had no record of his request! But they made everything right since they had Memorial Day scheduled and both things were made at the same time. So glad Rich called. Coming home to five hungry cats was not a prospect I wanted to entertain. They would have survived since we left their trough, I mean, food bowl, amply filled but the look cats can give you when things don’t go their way is horrible for a feline parent.
Rich wasn’t exactly hard pressed with his work for the day and neither was I so after much discussion and internal debate, we both left at 3:00 for Disney World. I figure I’ll cover for my co-workers another day (and I have covered in the past as well).
As usual, Rich drove us through Atlanta. Well, the first hour was stop and kinda of creep along and then stop again. Rich had naively thought we could avoid major problems by leaving at 3:00. HA! This is Atlanta, this is Friday. Rush hour here never ends. It starts at 6:00 AM and might be over with by 8:00 PM. We had an hour of mess and then were south enough to break free. At that point, I did my usual and snoozed until Rich got to the rest area just outside Macon and I475. We stopped there for some necessary functions. I offered to drive but Rich said he was still OK and if he felt tired, he’d pull over and we’d switch.
I didn’t have to worry and Rich continued driving. We had one stop to make. Remember I said I’d continue to be an idiot for this trip? During the day, I realized that I hadn’t packed something. Like regular shirts. I was prepared with a sweatshirt and a sweater but I had nothing for during the day. Wal-Mart, here we come. We stopped in Valdosta at exit 16 off I75 for the purchases. I got three shirts, all of which I can wear to work. The most expensive one was $7.82 so not bad. Rich made ample use of the stop to pick up some sports collectibles. He’s not the stupid one.
I was checking us into the Days Inn at Exit 5 before 7:30. Very easy to do since all I had to do was put down the make and model of Jasmine (Chrysler Sebring) and sign my name. Totally free room. Excellent way to start the weekend. We did notice that the hotel seemed to be more spruced up than previous visits. Cleaner and there was a new signage in the lobby separating the breakfast area. If this keeps up, they might raise the prices and we won’t be able to afford it!
Our room was right next to the pool but no one was using it. The night time temperatures were way too low (in the 50s tonight). We quickly unloaded since we didn’t have that much. Rich wanted to relax but I was starving. Our dinner choice was the ever popular Cracker Barrel which was just a short walk through the parking lot and across a little paved road. The hostess here just plain didn’t want to be anywhere on the planet tonight. She was so totally unfriendly. But we were seated. Rich and I had a good time throughout the visit watching the hostess to see if she ever displayed any emotion other than “robotic”. She did smile once and we just about choked on our food. Like Rich pointed out, the hostess is the first person you see – it’s up to them to portray a positive first impression. Thank goodness we knew Cracker Barrel had good food or we would have been totally turned off.
The server more than made up for the hostess. Rich ordered the hamburger steak with macaroni and cheese and French, err Freedom fries. I got the excellent chicken salad sandwich and a cup of New England clam chowder. I really liked that I didn’t have to settle for fries with a sandwich. I even splurged and got a Sprite after having been removed from soft drinks for quite a long time. Rich enjoyed unsweetened iced tea. And here’s a tip for people driving or traveling through the south. If you do order ice tea, make sure you know the difference between unsweetened and sweetened tea. If you don’t say you want unsweetened (which is what most of the United States and the world drinks), you’ll get sweetened. To which you’ll add your normal sugar and you will gag. Fair warning.
Our bill here was a whopping $17.61 – really helps not having a bar at Cracker Barrel. Since you pay the cashier on the way out, Rich left $3 in cash on the table and we perused the gift shop. I like the Cracker Barrel shops and was looking to stock up on our candy supply. They have some of our favorite from childhood that just aren’t readily available any more. Big Sweetarts, Razzles (first it’s a candy, then it’s a gum!), and Charms. Not the blowpops, the actual candy. And this is the only place that has chocolate Necco wafers for Rich’s father. With our full stomachs and candy fix abated, we went back across the street for relaxation for the rest of the night.
We had set up our VCR to tape our two Friday night shows but since we left work early, we could watch them now. Third Watch only has three episodes left (in my opinion, this was a stupid move to cancel this show) so we enjoyed that. And then the fourth edition of Law and Order – this one Trial by Jury. I like it better than Criminal Investigation (but when Chris Noth was on, that was a must). Yes, we are TV addicted and proud of it. I could barely stay awake and was snoozing almost after Law and Order. Rich stayed up a bit later for Nick at Nite and the sitcom reruns.
I thought I’d put this in because of how I had mentally prepared the day and how things worked out. Nothing, except the room at the Days Inn, worked out to what I had thought about even the day before. We left work early, I forgot clothes, we ate at a Cracker Barrel in Valdosta instead of Miller’s Ale House in Alpharetta. We went with the flow and had a good first day of vacation. What would tomorrow bring?
Day Two – Saturday, April 16, 2005 – Soarin’ and Daydream Believin’
The alarm had been set for 7:00. That’s Rich normal Saturday morning time to get up for racquetball. I wanted something earlier but it was a nice compromise. We both showered (separately) and were packed and ready to go in 45 minutes. Rich actually takes longer in the bathroom than I do. We did have one amusing incident. Rich goes into the shower first (at home, it’s me). This Days Inn has one flaw. They use paper thin cloth shower curtains. Rich hates that. So he dealt with the thing flying into him during his whole time trying to get clean. Once he finished, I had a thought. Rich joked that since I was smaller than him, I wouldn’t have any problems. And I didn’t. Because I remembered I never travel without two large binder clips in the suitcase. So I took those and attached them to the bottom of the curtain. Problem solved, easy shower. Then I told Rich what I did. He called me a name that won’t make it into the report. But another tip – travel with binder clips. I also use them to close off those pesky window curtains that don’t quite meet in the middle to keep out all the morning light.
We walked down to the lobby for checkout. Actually, it was just to return the room keys. No charge and I again confused the front desk person because we didn’t have a balance. Rich toasted an English muffin while I stocked myself up with mini cinnamon rolls and blueberry muffins. I think some of the older folks in the breakfast area weren’t too thrilled with us getting breakfast to go but my stomach just isn’t awake enough at 8:00 AM to enjoy food.
After Rich was done with his muffin, we went over to the adjacent Shell station to top off Jasmine with Georgia gas. It wasn’t pretty since the price was $2.129 but it still was cheaper than five miles down the road and into Florida. I pumped while Rich went inside for his true breakfast – a couple of cold Diet Cokes. He also picked up a huge bottle of water for me. Then we headed south and Mickey.
We decided to forego our usual stop at the Disney World Information Center at Ocala. Since this area has become so built up, it’s kind of a pain to get in and out of the center. Instead, we stopped at the rest area that is just down the road. I again offered to drive but Rich said he was still fine. I told him that I wasn’t complaining and he warned me that paybacks would be coming tomorrow.
We turned off the Turnpike onto Route 27 and lamented that maybe in the future, this wouldn’t be a wise choice. It’s getting so built up (sense a pattern?) and there are more and more traffic lights. But for now, it was fine. Rich had to be reminded of the back way onto Disney property since that was the easiest to get to Pop Century.
Rich isn’t all that comfortable with checking in with the security gate guard. Today just might have put him over the top. I’m always prepared with the confirmation slip and the driver always has a driver’s license out and ready. We’ve been asked for one or the other and only on one occasion (the first trip after 9/11/01) were we asked for both. I make all the reservations and everything is in my name. Always. We have the drill down. Or so we thought. This gate guard asked for not only the confirmation slip but a driver’s license. Rich easily complied with both requests. But the guard, who spoke limited English, had a problem. The reservation was in my name, the driver’s license in Rich’s name. He questioned how that could be. I think both of our chins hit the floor of the car at the same time. I mean, come on! Look at our last name. There’s like a handful of Niklewskis on the planet and who the heck would want to steal that identity and attempt to check into Walt Disney World?! After his initial shock, Rich kindly explained to the guard that the last names were the same. Only then were we allowed in. Maybe someone should explain to this guy the concept of marriage and sharing a name.
The parking lot for checking in was fairly crowded but it usually is so I wasn’t worried. It was after 11:00 and before 11:30 so it was a good window. Or so I thought. This is our first visit since Disney broke out the lobby area into two queues – one for check in/check out and one for guest relations for ticketing and dining. I thought it would be better. I’m used to having the check in lines being the size of an inchworm. Both of these lines were along the size of an Anaconda. One that has been radioactive and grew 50 times larger than normal. We didn’t stay.
We drove off for our Epcot adventure of the day. I intended for us to do Soarin’ and a walk around World Showcase and then come back and check in later before Davy Jones. Never, ever, ever, really think you are going to follow your “plan”. We parked and I timidly asked Rich for a favor. We were going to be walking through the Epcot resort area. The one thing that gives me a huge “I’m here” feeling is having a sit down at the Boardwalk pizza take out window area with a beverage and just watching people and the Friendship boats. The sights, the smells, the sounds make a trip for me. I wanted that today. Rich was fine with the suggestion.
Before we left the car, we debated about taking our heavier jackets/sweaters/sweatshirts with us. Neither one of us had any idea of where we’d be later. Rich wisely suggested we take the items with us “just in case”. I had my digital camera and my still camera so I carried that bag while Rich handled the denim one with the outerwear and our other few items in it. He did suggest that we bring a light backpack for him in the future. He prefers both shoulders being bogged down rather than just one. We were in shorts and T shirts (mine from Wal Mart) and the day was sunny but just a tad cool and the nights would be colder.
The pizza window wasn’t open yet since it was before noon. We had maybe five or ten minutes to kill. We grabbed a table by the water and in the sun. Yes, I am here!!!! Rich pulled out his cell phone and made a very important call. Yeah, we’re at Disney World but NASCAR was calling. We’re in a fantasy league with just us, our son and daughter-in-law. Nothing on the line except pride. We each had to select three provisional drivers for the race tomorrow. Rich and Chris handled the phone conversation with Chandra and me relaying our choices to our respective spouses. It’s very nice for our little family to have such a common bond.
With our sports taken care of (or was it?), the pizza window was open so Rich went over there for a beer and a wine. We relaxed and soaked in everything for a while. We really weren’t in any hurry at all and that made the day just so much more special. It’s only 24 hours of Disney World but we made the best of every minute.
After our drinks, we headed into Epcot. Well, we didn’t make it the first time. My Annual Pass wouldn’t work. This was the first time we went through the turn styles since everyone is now required to use the biometers. I didn’t even get that far. My pass was rejected and I had to go to Guest Relations. Rich was NOT a happy camper. He didn’t even attempt his. I had done a complete bone head move. On our last trip, I had left my pass in the car so I got a replacement at the gate. I was using the old pass. I had the newer one with me and I thought that was the one I was using. No, it wasn’t. So I had the Cast Member take the old one so this wouldn’t happen again. I normally am a reasonably intelligent person, honestly.
We finally made it through the gates and headed for Soarin’. The displays for the Flower and Garden Festival were up on our walk to The Land but we bypassed them for the time being. Even if we didn’t see them now, we’d be back for Memorial Day weekend and we’d see things then. Once at The Land, we had to show our Annual Passes and the back of them to prove they were still valid. Then we entered the refurbished Land.
And I really liked the changes. The colors are so much more earthy. More browns and dark greens. The signage isn’t as futuristic as it used to be. That suits the atmosphere better. The food court area is more muted which should make it quieter and not as rambunctious as before. The seating areas are sectioned off now which should lend to more private seatings. Nothing was being served here so I have no idea of how everything is going to function once it goes live. On the way to Soarin’, the Cast Members were shouting that it was a 75-90 minute wait. I just about gagged.
When we got to the entrance for the queue however, the lights indicated a 35 minute stand by time. There will be a single ride line and lots of FastPass machines. Neither of those options was in operation. Our only choice was stand by. Rich said we didn’t have anything better to do and this was one of the reasons we were here so even the 90 minute wait was OK with him. I wasn’t in the mood for such nonsense so we “discussed” this choice while we joined the line. A couple a few years older than us were in front of us in the line and they overheard our understanding about the 90 minute option. The woman went back to the entrance of the queue and asked about FastPass (not available) and the wait. The lighted sign at the entrance was truer so all four of us decided to wait.
The queue is very nice but very, very long! I guess they are expecting long lines. We passed our time talking with the other couple. They were married less than a year ago and live in Florida but we knew more about Disney World than they did. We chatted about our families and things in general. I passed on some of my knowledge about Soarin’ and the woman was amazed that I knew so much without having ridden the thing. At the end of the queue, everyone is split off into the separate ride areas. The four of us were together and in row one, which I didn’t think I’d particularly like. The woman was disappointed because she thought we’d be in the back row. She was excited when I told her we were up front and I was nervous. I do NOT like heights, especially when there’s not a lot around me. Ferris wheels scare the daylights out of me. For me, this attraction was scarier than Mission:Space. At least with that one, I know I’m on the floor at not dangling on a thin cord. I know, it’s all mind games but my mind is very pliable.
The “vehicles” for Soarin’ are similar to those at Twilight Zone only there’s no damn floor under your feet! Three rows of seats. We were in the first row. I almost asked to be switched to the back but decided to be brave and just do it. Nike could have used me for one of their commercials. You only have a lap belt and there are hand holds on either side of your seat. I pitied the woman to the right of me. She didn’t stand a chance of using the hold in between us. Rich, on my left, already knew he wasn’t going to use one of his. I grabbed those puppies with a firm grip.
Now understand that Soarin’ is NOT a thrill ride. The “vehicles” are taken up for the sensation of flying. You just sit there and watch the big screen of California sights and scenes. The whole experience is great and you do think you are flying. I just couldn’t relax enough because I hadn’t done this before. There was one scene where we were going up this mountain and watching skiers going downhill. One skier was doing some moves and fell. Great laugh but then we went over the crest of the mountain and there was a huge big drop on the other side. I think I used some very un-Disney-like words to express my opinion on that scene. The woman we talked to in line thought it was pretty funny. I had just started to relax at that point so I went back to holding on for dear life.
The whole attraction is four minutes long and at the end, I wished for a couple extra minutes. It is well done and I’ll do it again since I now know what to expect. I am a total wimp with heights. I can totally handle Rock N Roller Coaster because I have never known the height I go and it’s over with quickly. It took me years to conquer Twilight Zone (and the entrance is still the best mind game in town). I freak out over Space Mountain since I’ve seen the inside with the lights on. I ride it but never am calm enough until I know we’re at least within thudding range of the floor. BTW – I developed this fear of heights only after my son was born and became the daredevil little boys usually are. Thanks Chris!
The walk out of Soarin’ is probably the equivalent of The Last Mile. We walked and walked and walked and walked. Rich shared his impression of Soarin’. It was good but not something that he would ride over and over and over again. I wanted to do another ride but only because I wanted to experience the attraction now that I knew what it was all about. This will be a one time repeater for a future visit but only with a FastPass. Then after that, we’ll do this one with guests only.
It’s not that Soarin’ is bad. It’s just that it could be so much more. Longer, for one thing. And the movie is wonderful and the sensation is great but it’s going to get old for repeat guests. If Disney would learn and replace the film every once in a while (like less than six or eight years), then it would be great. Or maybe to do something like they do with Twilight Zone – have different films with a random sequence. You’d never know which one you’d be getting.
After Soarin’, we headed over for the other E ticket attractions at Future World – Mission:Space and Test Track. We did make a stop in the Flower and Garden Festival Center to see what was available. Nothing really attracted us although we’ll be back here during Memorial Day weekend. Rich was disappointed that there were no backyard seeds like there was a few years ago. We’re still struggling with our backyard offerings. I’ve given up hope and enjoy the “rustic” feel. Rich wants a nice cozy place.
Now, I love Mission:Space but it’s been a “must see” for us ever since it opened. Although I wanted a Gary Sinise fix, it wasn’t mandatory since I get to see him in “CSI:NY” every week. The Jammitors were performing out front so the entrance was mobbed and we turned right and went over to Test Track to check on that. Rich thought the singles rider line at 15 minutes was OK but I really didn’t want to do that. Stand by time was 70 minutes and return time for FastPass was 6:30 PM. It was around 1:30 or so. We weren’t sure what we’d be doing or where to would be at 6:30 so Test Track will wait for another visit.
I thought about leaving and checking into Pop Century and suggested going to their food court for lunch. But we headed out for a walk around World Showcase. We went clockwise and had our first glitch of the visit. The Norway beer cart was closed! At this point, Rich fesses up that he was hungry and wanted a hot dog. We were close to China and he did offer up Lotus Blossum Café but my mood wasn’t the best so I stubbornly refused that. My goal was the Liberty Inn in America for Rich’s hot dog. At this point, we were both barking at each other so the results weren’t pretty. The crowds in America were tremendous so we continued on. We noticed that World Showcase, which usually is a nice walk for us, was more crowded than even during holiday weekends. That just increased the moodiness between us.
At France, we had a major breakdown and decided to get a couple of wines and just chill for a while. Then we had to decide about food. Rich suggested the hot dog vendor back along the Boardwalk and that sounded nice. We exited Epcot and on the way I made the comment that if Rich really wanted a hot dog, we could utilize the ESPN Club and maybe watch the NASCAR Busch race while we ate. Rich chuckled because the ESPN Club usually has a line for seating. But when we got there, we were led right in. This was a great choice for us. We spent the next hour and a half with just each other, a zillion TVs all turned onto sports and our eyes intently on the NASCAR Busch race. It may sound silly but that’s what we like to do. Rich had chicken tender sandwich with hot sauce and I asked him to get the fruit instead of the fries. Then we added the chili cheese fries and shared everything (well, Rich had the sandwich on his own – I’m a wimp with heights and even more with hot sauce). Our server was very good and we did tell her that we were interested in watching the race so she knew to check on us every once in a while but not to get bothered and get us out quickly. The Club wasn’t busy so we felt comfortable about taking a table for that long. We did order drinks and left a nice tip for the server. A very good experience for us.
After our late lunch, there was a thought to go back and check into Pop Century. But the decision was jointly made to go back into Epcot and enjoy the Flower and Garden Festival offerings. It was getting closer to the first show of Davy Jones at 5:45. Things were definitely not going according to our original “plans” but it didn’t matter. We went with the flow.
Once inside Epcot again, I checked my watch and saw it was getting close to 5:00 and I thought that maybe the film in France would be going off on the hour. I was right so I dragged Rich in there. He wasn’t too receptive since he thought we wouldn’t be in a good position for seeing Davy Jones. I assured him we had plenty of time so in we went. This almost was a mistake after the great lunch since we were both tired from food and the day. The musical score here is great and Rich surprised me by saying he didn’t even pay too much attention to it. Him, the musical lover. Oh well, it was something different for us to do. Rich hadn’t seen this for about 10 years.
After the film, we hightailed it over to the American pavilion for Davy Jones. At past concerts, the theatre usually was opened about a half hour before show time so we figured we could stroll right in. Not for Mr. Jones. They hadn’t even opened the stand by line yet. They had just released the people with the dinner package. We both used the time for a bathroom break and then we joined the stand by line. If Disney World continues to attract the musical talent they do and these concerts continue to be as popular as this one (and the others we have attended), then they need to have a much, much, much longer queue line. People were manageable but once those fabric divider lines end, it just gets so confusing. They should just give up and extend everything way back into Germany.
We were barely seated before the concert started. That wasn’t good at all. And we were in the middle of the line. I don’t know if it was because this was the first concert of the evening or what but the lines need to be released much earlier than fifteen minutes before the show.
Davy Jones was very good and did a lot of the Monkees material. He also did “Girl” from “The Brady Bunch” and had several things to say that was what he was most popular for. “Marcia, Marcia, Marcia”. Classic American TV although I’m not sure we should be that proud of that little piece of history. “Daydream Believer” was the closer and Mr. Jones had to remind the audience there would be no encores. Disney World is very strict about a 30 minute set. That’s it. I think the Pope could be on stage and Disney would be timing him. After the show, we thought about staying put for another session but then the announcement came on that the entire theatre would need to be vacated since there were too many people waiting for the next show. That’s the first time in all our concert visits to Disney World that we’ve been asked to leave in between shows. Once that happened, Rich and I looked at each other and decided to call it an end to our adventure. We were tired, it was getting cold (we both had outerwear on by this time), and we still hadn’t check into the resort.
We did check out the kiosk outside the theatre. It was stocked with the Flower Power concert series performer’s CDs. It was tempting but we passed. I did hear the funniest comment from a family leaving the theatre. Of course, one of the Monkees’ signature songs is “I’m a Believer” which was featured in the movie “Shrek”. “Shrek” is NOT a Disney a movie (although it’s one of my favorite animated films but don’t tell Eisner that). This teenager girl was getting chastised (in a kind way) by her parents that the song was out way before the movie “Shrek” was even thought about. The girl thought Davy Jones was borrowing from the movie. Heck, I was barely born when that song first came out.
We made our way back to the International Gateway and the exit of Epcot for this trip. We did have a good chuckle with a dad who was attempting to get out with his yard of beer from the United Kingdom. You cannot exit any Disney theme park with an alcoholic beverage. On our way through the Boardwalk, we did see an entertainer out and the carnival things set up even though it was a chilly evening. We made it back to Jasmine and her warmth. It was a short drive back to Pop Century and we had to go through the gate guard security thing again. I hoped the guy from earlier was gone and he was. We still had to show both the confirmation and Rich’s driver’s license but the first name wasn’t questioned.
This time, the check in line was very manageable. Of course, it was around 7:30 PM. We were helped within five minutes or so. Our Cast Member was great until she said the words “I’m sorry but because the resort is full tonight, I regret to tell you we have no more non smoking rooms available”. Oh boy. I hadn’t requested anything special for just this one night. I didn’t care which building or which floor or if we got a king bed or two doubles. But non smoking is the one thing we can’t live without and that was listed as a request. I know nothing is guaranteed but we’ve never had a problem getting a non smoking room at Disney World. Never even have come close to having an issue with this. We’ve never smoked and never will. It’s not like we totally avoid places with smokers since we endure this for our weekly trivia nights at a sports bar. But to live in something like that just isn’t what we want to do. Rich doesn’t have any diagnosed problems but he just can’t breathe in a smoky atmosphere for very long. And then heaven help me if he has to sleep in it (if he can at all). The snoring would be on a Richter scale, I’m sure. Rich said the simple words “that’s unacceptable”. He said it quietly and he was calm but he was ready to head out to Offsite Land.
The Cast Member immediately asked if we had a problem due to a medical condition. Rich was honest and said that there was no documented medical reason but he can’t breathe very well in a smoky environment. The Cast Member said that was something she needed to hear and she’d see what she could do. She left to go back stage or wherever and Rich was a little ticked. I asked him to calm down (he wasn’t visibly upset but I knew he wasn’t happy) and that I was sure we’d be taken care of. A few minutes later, we were given a non smoking room in the preferred 60s building on the third floor. At no extra $10 charge.
Now, I don’t know why this room wasn’t on the screen five minutes ago when we initially checked in. Yes, it was a preferred room which meant it was closer to the main pool and the food court but I didn’t care if it was a half mile hike – I wanted and needed a non smoking room. I’m glad Disney made the situation right but I don’t think anyone should be penalized for checking in later and not getting the one thing they requested. Especially something as sensitive as smoking versus non smoking. Truthfully, I’d rather have restaurants be smoking optional and all hotel rooms non smoking instead of the other way around. I can handle an hour of smoke, I can’t handle twelve hours of a more confined space.
Off the soap box now, we headed out to park Jasmine and then unload. Yeah, this is a preferred room. But man, it was a hike from the parking lot! We had to first wind our way into the Hippy Dippy Pool area and then across the entire way to behind The Jungle Book icons and then up to the third floor. Yesh! Be careful of asking for a preferred room. It might be great if you don’t need the parking lot but it was a bit of a chore for us.
We had taken the lighter things up for our first go round of unpacking Jasmine. We used the stairs for the way up since there was a big family with a fully loaded luggage cart waiting for the elevator. I wouldn’t have minded sharing but the Mom looked severely ticked off at something and I did not want to deal with that so I headed up the stairs. Rich wasn’t that thrilled with the choice but we were in the room much quicker. We’re on the pool side with a nice view of the kiddie pool. We unloaded and then headed back down for our second part of unloading.
As we headed back to the elevators/stair area, I looked at our view. We were right behind The Jungle Book icons of Mowgli and Baloo. I looked down (which was hard to do from the third floor – the height wasn’t that great). But I just started to laugh. Disney does do such attention to detail. We had Mowgli Butt and Baloo Butt. I made a comment about it and I think a family passing by wasn’t too thrilled. Because the little girl went away skipping and saying “Baloo Butt, Baloo Butt”. Oops.
We made our second and final load to the room and I looked at the clock. It was 8:30 and I had wanted to make a run to the gift shop for a look around. We didn’t have much time at this resort and our last time here was during Hurricane Francis so I wanted to spend some time doing more exploring since we were in a lock down last September. Rich and I were both extremely tired but we forced ourselves to get moving. It wasn’t a productive trip as I didn’t see anything I really wanted to have at a decent price. Even though we are both working again, we’re still extremely frugal so the past impulse purchases are not going to happen again. I did pick up a Mickey ice cream bar since I was a little hungry.
The rest of the night was spent in the room watching TV. It had been a short trip for the Disney parks and we only made it to Epcot but it was a very nice time and would hold me over until Memorial Day weekend. The weather was funky in that it was nice and sunny and warm during the day. Shorts and T-shirts were fine. But once the sun went down, it was colder with the temps near 40 degrees. Layering was definitely needed and I’m so glad Rich insisted on taking our outerwear for the entire day. We didn’t follow our “plan” except we did Soarin’ and we did see Davy Jones. That was our main purpose for being here so I guess the trip was successful. Well, it was successful because we were now relaxed and had a great time together even with a couple of little spats.
Day Three – April 17, 2005 – Pop Century exploring and leaving
Last night, Rich and I had a serious discussion about leaving today. He really wanted to be back in Georgia and check on the cats before we had our weekly trivia contest at 7:30. I wanted to tour around Pop Century and get some good photos on the digital camera. Both of us wanted to sleep in. Rich was afraid we’d sleep well past 9:00 (we had had a very hectic week) so he insisted on setting the alarm clock. He did that and I called for Mickey to wake us up. My prediction became correct as we were both awake and ready to get started on the day by shortly after 8:00. It wasn’t noise levels, although the family in the next room had a couple of kids we could hear. They weren’t loud but the walls aren’t exactly rock solid. Rich turned off the alarm clock and showered while I packed the very few things we needed to pack. The wake up call came (later than I had asked for) and it wasn’t Mickey. It was Stitch. Very cute!
By 9:00, we were ready to go around Pop Century for a photo tour. Rich was ready to head home but he indulged me. We walked all around the grounds and I snapped pictures of the icons from our childhood and our lives together. That’s one of the reasons I love Pop Century. It just brings back so many memories. Of course, I had to immortalize Mowgli Butt and Baloo Butt. The big diner style jukebox. I remembered (as did Rich) how many trucking diners we stopped at with our respective families and begged for quarters for three plays. My sister and I had each had one selection and then we had to agree on the third one. A good shot of the foosball players that had a friend’s daughter asking “what are those?” Aargh! A child doesn’t know foosball?! Horrors. The 8-track tape stair cases. I cannot tell you how many kids looked at that shot and had no idea what it was. I can’t be too judgmental because when the decades of the early 20th Century finally get finished (soon, please, soon), I’m sure I’ll be the same way.
Rich and I took the walk around the lake and read all the signs. Each decade is represented with a few important events during that time. I snapped a photo of the one for 1962 – my birth year. I knew all about John Glenn becoming the first to orbit Earth in February. My mother relates the story of how she was still in the hospital after having me. But I didn’t know that was also the year Wal-mart was first opened. Rich didn’t care about the 1960 happenings. I had to get the sign for 1982, Chris’ birth year. That was the year The Wall opened as a tribute to those who gave their lives in the Vietnam War. I thought it poignant for Chris. We visited The Wall every time we went to The Mall in Washington, DC which was quite often since we lived there for three years. Chris was in elementary school. We never spoke as we walked along The Wall. We were silent giving our thanks for those who served. I hadn’t realized it was dedicated the year my son was born. Maybe there’s some kind of connection.
After our trip down memory lane, I wanted to walk as far across the bridge over to where the earlier decades will be (soon, please, soon). It was here that Rich had his Magical Disney Moment. And it had nothing to do with a Mouse, a Duck, a Dog, or anything Eisner can market. It was a bird.
An osprey. Flying over the lake and looking for an early lunch or late breakfast. I swear Rich goes to Disney World just to find ospreys. This guy was beautiful. Very majestic. The digital camera was out and doing a heck of a lot of magic. The shots I got of this wonderful bird literally soarin’ were amazing. We stood and watched for a long, long time. People came and went and I’m sure wondered what the heck we were mesmerized about. Rich forgot about the cats for a while. I think I finally had to remind him that we needed to vacate the room since it was getting close to 11:00 which was check out time. While the osprey was a fantastic experience, watching Rich watching it was more than enough to realize that I’m so lucky in life. A wonderful husband, a terrific son who made a wise choice with his wife and her daughter.
We got back to the room and did the final run down to Jasmine. Yeah, it would be nice to get back to the cats but staying at Pop Century and reliving such innocent times makes it so hard to go back to the real world. All too soon, we were engulfed in it. We had to make a gas stop so we did that at a BP on Route 27. At $2.249/gallon. Yipe! Then we visited the new Wal-Mart right next door. We didn’t see anything and were on the road by 11:30 or so. The drive home was uneventful and I did do a tour of three hours while Rich took a much deserved snooze. The cats were happy to see us but not too thrilled when we left within an hour to go to trivia. And then with both of us working, we had to leave them early the next morning. We got paybacks big time.
Overall Thoughts and Final Impressions
This won’t be long since the trip was so short. But it didn’t disappoint. Our lives were sort of thrown into high gear with Rich finally getting a job. It wasn’t stressful or difficult, just different. We’re still trying to get into a routine and we’re adjusting to a lot of things. This short trip was much needed. A break away from reality and concerns. Where else can you totally forget about everything even if it’s just for 24 hours?
While the “plan of action” was thrown out the window even before we left Alpharetta, we did do the two main reasons for the trip. Davy Jones and Soarin’. While each experience was a good one, neither one wowed us. Was I disappointed? A little but then I realized something. There was so much more that did wow us. For me, sitting at the Boardwalk pizza window seating area and having that “I’m there” feeling was more amazing and breath taking than Soarin’. Rich seeing that osprey more than made the trip for him. He still makes me show the digital photos I took of it. Even his dad, the eternal nature lover, thought the pictures were wonderful. But really, it was the time we spent together, just the two of us, without the cats, the phones, the PC. We did connect with our little family and that was great.
We could have had this little adventure anywhere. Having it at Disney World makes it twice as special.
Our next trip will be over Memorial Day weekend, something we seem to do each year since we’ve moved here. We’ll be at All Star Movies. Then Fourth of July at Port Orleans French Quarter. That one I’m really looking forward to since we’ve never stayed there before. We’ll be back for Labor Day but I haven’t made any reservations yet for that one. I’m going to try and squeeze in another quick trip during the Food and Wine Festival. Then it’s a Disney cruise in December with the in-laws.
The oldies radio station that really started all this is now off the air. We came back from this trip and discovered the bad news. Most of our favorites have just simply moved across the hall to a light music station. They are still doing the summer concert series, though. If I missed The Grass Roots after all this, I’d be really mad!
Feel free to email me with comments or questions.
Sheri Kiklewski