Steve Russo - October 2005 - Boardwalk Villas

Time of Year: Fall
Travel Method: Plane
Resort: BWVR
Accommodations: Standard rooms
Ages Represented in Group: Adult
WDW Experience Represented in Group: Veteran, DVC Member
Comments: Though Steve and Barb no longer need a "reason" for their trips to Walt Disney World, they do get to take in the Food & Wine Festival during this one.


Steve Russo -- October 2005 - Walt Disney World (BWVR)

The Cast

Me - Steve - Your humble narrator, veteran of 17 trips and a DVC member since 1999.
Barb - My bride of 32 years (unfortunately, that’s not her age). Also a Disney fan but slightly less fanatical than her handsome, dashing spouse.
Planning
The reason for this trip is… wait a minute. Reason? We don’t need no stinking reason. We tell ourselves, with a slight wink, it’s to enjoy the Food and Wine Festival but that’s really only part of it. Truth be told, we simply need a vacation and where better to go than WDW? Originally, I had suggested a December trip. Our one and only Holiday trip to WDW was December 2003, the year the Osborne Lights went dark. While we’d love to get back at that time of year, it wasn’t to be – at least not this year. Our daughter, Michelle, informed us she’d be delivering our first Grandchild (Grandson if you can trust the Ultrasound) in late-November. Barb was unwilling to plan anything so close to that date so… OK, let’s go to Plan B – early October it is.

Since joining DVC in 1999, we’ve been pretty good about getting in 2-3 trips per year. Unfortunately, it’s becoming more difficult since Barb switched to full-time employment at the local High School. We’re once again relegated to school vacations with the inherent crowds, higher prices and higher DVC points. She did agree to a ‘couple of days’ of personal leave, sandwiched around the Columbus Day holiday. October also works well for us since our APs expire on October 30. This will give us 3 trips on them. It’s just coincidence, I guess, but both times we’ve had APs we’ve managed to get 3 trips on them.

We settled on leaving Friday afternoon, October 7, and returning late Tuesday, October 11. Barb can work a half day Friday (actually it’s almost a full day considering she goes in at 6:00 AM) and, because of the holiday weekend, she’ll only need to use a personal day for Tuesday.

I booked flights, roundtrip from Albany to Orlando, on Southwest at $289 each. This is quite a bit more than we usually pay but they were the least expensive available for direct flights. I periodically checked back on Southwest’s web site (whenever I received one of their emails) and re-booked the fares twice to take advantage of lower costs. The end result was right around $199 each which means we now have around $180 in credits to use for another trip planned for February 2006 (Barb agreed that February provided enough elapsed time so we could allow Michelle and Will to raise their son on their own – at least for a week).

Our DVC home resort (and our absolute favorite) is the Boardwalk Villas. We love everything about it – especially the short walk to Epcot. Unfortunately, I’ve had trouble booking a studio at the Boardwalk Villas for this stay, probably due to the fact that the F&W Festival is underway and I didn’t call until May. The first 2 nights were available but there was nothing for Sunday – and nothing at the Beach Club Villas either. Until September we were spending 2 nights at the BW, followed by 1 night at Saratoga Springs, and heading back to the BW for the last night. Eventually (through a cancellation?) the last night freed up at Saratoga Springs and I was able to switch to 2-nights at each location so it’s only one move. I’m still ‘wait-listed’ for the last 2 nights at the BW.

I checked with DVC on September 23 and our wait-list came through. The only problem is that our first 2 nights are in a Standard View and the last 2 are in a Preferred View. This would mean we’d still have to check out and in and probably be without a room for Sunday afternoon. I’ll see if I can work something out with the front desk at check-in.

We managed to hit all our favorite attractions (including Universal Studios and IOA) during our trip with the kids last January. This trip, we plan on being a bit more relaxed. We’ll visit the parks but probably without the same ‘let’s ride everything’ mentality. The only Advanced Reservation made was for Monday night at the California Grill. We’ve never eaten there so it should be fun. I booked a 7:10 reservation in the hopes of sipping coffee (if it’s Nescafe, I’ll probably be sipping something stronger than coffee) during the 9:00 Wishes show.

In August, I purchased the Disney Dining Experience (DDE) card. It was something I should have done for our last trip in January but I procrastinated. It would have saved us a bundle. When I received the card and documentation, I was surprised to learn that it can be used at the Belle Vue Room at the BW – my favorite WDW bar/lounge. I still haven’t decided whether or not that’s a good thing.

Lastly, the ground transportation. I had booked a rental car, mostly as a backup. I don’t expect we’ll be going off-site and WDW transportation has always worked well for us so I really didn’t think the rental car would be worth the extra money. I finally decided on using a new (for us) Town Car service – Quicksilver. It’s recommended on Deb’s Allears site and, by mentioning Allears, I was able to secure a discount. Round trip from the airport to BWVR will cost $90. I should mention that we’ve used Tiffany 4 or 5 times now with great success. However, I have read some recent negative comments – supposedly due to Tiffany now sub-contracting their drivers – so we’ll try something new and keep our fingers crossed.

I did consider Magical Express (ME) but, eventually, decided against it. We’re arriving later in the day (6:05 if we’re on time) and our plan is to check in and spend some time having dinner at the F&W kiosks before watching Illuminations. I felt a little uncertain about ME – and whether we could count on it getting us to the resort leaving enough time for a trip or two around World Showcase.

Enough with the pre-trip stuff. On with the show.

Friday, October 7, 2005 – Day One – Turbulence, Kielbasa and Sweaty Ears
On schedule, Barb left for work just after 6:00 AM. I busied myself with some last minute packing, loaded the car and did a few household chores. I also checked the weather on line and re-confirmed that the week ahead looks warm (88-91 degrees) with a chance of thunderstorms each day, although the probability seems to decrease each day.

Barb got home around 12:00. Our son, Stephen, would be between classes and graciously offered to drive us to the airport – and pick us up on the return trip. Stephen showed about 12:15, wolfed down lunch, and got us to the airport by around 1:00.

I had printed our ‘A’ boarding passes last night (a very nice feature when flying Southwest) so we just needed to check our luggage. There was no line at the automated kiosk so this process took all of 3 minutes. Getting through security was also pretty quick so, as expected, we had some time to kill. We hit the Coffee Beanery for lunch. We had done this on a trip several years ago and I remember commenting on the quality of their sandwiches. Unfortunately, things must have changed. The last time, I had a freshly prepared turkey sandwich on whole grain bread. This time it was pre-made in a plastic wrapper and had the consistency of, and tasted like, cardboard. Barb’s tuna salad was equally bad. The bread was actually crumbling and she wound up picking at it with a fork.

After that less than satisfying lunch, we headed to the gate to read and wait. True to form, there were people sitting on the floor in front of the A, B, C, and Pre-Board signs. The time passed quickly and we began boarding right around 2:50 – the flight was scheduled to depart at 3:10. I understand there are only a couple of airports in the country that offer this (and surprisingly, Albany is one of them) but Southwest utilizes a dual gate. As you enter the jetway, there’s a fork and you can board from the front or the rear. It seems that 75% of people use the front so we headed to the rear. My trailblazing bride breezed up the aisle, dodging the occasional carry-on being loaded into the overhead, and snagged us the 2-seat row by the emergency exit. Ah, leg room.

We left a couple of minutes late and were treated to a symphony of several screaming children for a good part of the flight. The flight was also a bit turbulent, not terrible but noticeable, due to weather up and down the east coast.

As the pilot informed us we were about 100 miles out of Orlando, he also indicated we may need to circle. The airport had been closed earlier by a thunderstorm and, I imagine, traffic was a bit backed up. Unfortunately, we were circling within a cloud cover that just enhanced the turbulence and, apparently, at least one screaming child. It was a fun-filled 20 minutes.

We landed approximately 15-minutes late and, as we exited the plane, it was amusing to see the screaming child fast asleep on his Dad’s shoulder. I thought I saw several passengers attempt to pinch him awake on the way out. As I exited, I glanced into the cockpit and saw the pilot and co-pilot smiling and giving each other a congratulatory handshake. How scary was this landing? I’m glad I didn’t know.

We headed to baggage claim and met Carlos, our Quicksilver driver. Our bags were off quickly and Carlos had parked directly across from the doors so we were loaded quickly and on our way. I did see several ME buses parked at the curb.

I asked Carlos about the effect ME has had on companies like his. He estimated that most had lost 50-75% of their business – some more. Quicksilver had 11 drivers – they now have 3. He indicated that that was ‘good news’ because several other companies had gone belly-up. He also said the taxi drivers had staged a mini-strike two days earlier. Something I had not thought of was the effect on baggage handlers. Carlos indicated that many of his passengers had been upset with a shortage of Sky Caps at the airport and, in some cases, baggage handlers at the resorts. “Too many people are handling bags instead of dealing with customers.”

We made good time to the Boardwalk, opting not to make the grocery stop I had scheduled. With just the 2 of us, we figured we could buy what little we needed at the Screen Door General Store. We rolled our bags in and I checked in with Olga who was Earning Her Ears. Things went smoothly until I asked if we could somehow arrange to keep the same room for all 4 nights. She indicated that should not be a problem but would need to confirm with a manager. She left and returned a few minutes later indicating the manager was busy but she would check with him later. I asked if there were any problem, that they contact me and let me know. She assured me they would. Can you see it coming?

We took our own bags to room 3133 – up one floor from the lobby and a long, long walk. We were 3 rooms away from being the most distant from the lobby. Our view was the parking lot (behind some trees) to the left, a pond/lagoon in front and the waterway to MGM off to the right. We could see the Tower of Terror quite well.

We unpacked quickly and Barb noticed a problem with the bathroom door. On the inside, the handle had been jammed into the down position and would not operate the latch. If the door were closed, it could only be opened from the outside. I found it interesting that the previous guests either never closed the bathroom door or broke the handle on the way out. We made a quick call to maintenance and Barb changed into shorts before we headed out to Epcot.

A quick word on the weather… It seems that, at least in the Northeast, we’ve had a very warm summer. In the Albany area, we surpassed last year’s number of 90-degree days before the end of June. It also seems that summer has crept into autumn. September was absolutely balmy and we were still in the 70-80 degree range in October. In Albany, that was about to change as rain was predicted with a high for tomorrow of mid-50s - a bit more seasonable. The temperature in Orlando at 7:00 PM was 82 and the humidity was 94%. I had never visited in the summer before but I was about to experience it.

The Boardwalk (Inn and Villas) was at capacity – and would be for the next 3 weeks according to a Front Desk CM. I’m not sure what the reason was for the crowds (probably the holiday weekend and F&W?) but they were here. As we began our walk to Epcot, I commented that I had never seen the Boardwalk so crowded. You needed to weave your way through the crowds to get through. We also encountered a line at the International Gateway (IG) – both at Security and at the turnstiles.

OK, here comes a rant. Our last trip was in January, shortly after the Magic Your Way (MYW) tickets debuted. At that time, I noticed no problems getting though the turnstiles. This trip? A completely different story. It seemed that 75% of the guests needed to insert their fingers multiple times, required CM assistance, or otherwise just had a problem with entry. Barb and I had no problems with our APs so I don’t think it’s the equipment but… It appeared to often take 20-30 seconds for a guest’s entry. If you’re behind 10 people that could be a 5-minute wait. I noticed this at every park. In my opinion, WDW needs to address this.

Finally through the turnstiles we began our walk as we normally do, clockwise around World Showcase (WS). Our plan was ‘dinner’ at the kiosks followed by Illuminations. We had talked about possibly getting fish & chips at Harry Ramsden’s but there was a line of about 30 people there so we decided the appropriate way to start would be with a cold beverage at the Rose & Crown (R&C). The place was mobbed (as was most of WS) and it took me 5-10 minutes to get near the bar where I ordered us two Stella Artois (after waiting while the guy next to me ordered and received ‘Four Jack and Diet Cokes’). We took the beer in plastic cups so we could carry them with us. By the way, I guess you know you’re at WDW when you shell out $14.91 for 2 draft beers and it doesn’t ruin your evening.

We sipped as we walked and made the Poland booth our first stop for Kielbasa and Pierogies, which we took to a bench by the Off Kilter stage. Both were very good but the Kielbasa serving (3 small slices) could have been a bit larger.

We wandered a bit more and hit the Cocina de Tortilla (Spain) booth and each had a chicken and peach salsa wrap – very tasty. Further on we stopped at the Singapore booth where I had a Spring Roll which I offered to share, but Barb declined.

We continued walking, discussing various spots where we could stop and view Illuminations. For me, it was a bit too early to set up camp although the park was very crowded and a lot of prime areas were already 2-deep. I know this is an upcoming Holiday weekend but I was surprised at the crowds and also the number of school-age children around. It’s not something I’m used to on our typical January trips.

A bit further and I stopped for a Sam Adams Black Lager. I sipped while we listened to the last strains of the Edgar Winter Group from the American Pavilion. This is our 3rd trip during the F&W Festival and I can never seem to time it to be here while there’s a group I like playing. The price I pay for such a discerning musical taste.

We walked back toward China and took a seat on a bench away from the lagoon. Illuminations began and we actually had a very good view. It was possibly the closest we’ve been to the globe. I had read recently that there was an accident with an airborne launcher on the propane barge and it was taken out of service until the problem was diagnosed and corrected. Sure enough, there were no flames during the show – but I’m not sure I really missed them. I always enjoy Illuminations and this was no exception.

I should mention that it was still very hot and humid. It was that very uncomfortable humidity that caused everything to feel damp and clammy. A short stroll of 100 yards would have you perspiring.

When the fireworks ended, we strolled slowly around – just chatting and listening to the music – and exited through the IG. We made a stop at the Boardwalk Bakery and picked up 2 banana nut muffins for tomorrow’s breakfast. From there, we hit the Screen Door for bagels, coffee creamer, butter and beer (sounds like my normal diet).

During our last 2 visits, I’ve seen a DVC Member jacket that I was committed to buying this trip. Unfortunately, it had been replaced with a similar jacket with a hood – one I did not like. Further proof that when you see something you like, buy it. Chances are it won’t be there on your next visit.

The Boardwalk was still very crowded. The ESPN Club still had a significant line out the door. We headed back to the room and found a maintenance CM finishing installation of a new door latch for the bathroom. He demonstrated it to me to convince me it was new (I guess). I took a beer out to the balcony and listened to ESPN on the TV. The Red Sox had lost and were eliminated (no tears here). Unfortunately, the Yankees also wound up losing. After having trailed 0-5 and been ahead 6-5, they lost 11-7. Off to bed.

Things I Think I Think – I think I enjoy having the extra legroom of the exit row. I think I can handle 90-degree heat fairly well but not when it’s coupled with 90+% humidity – I’m pretty sure my ears were sweating and that’s not happened before. I think it’s going to be very crowded for this trip – not summer/Xmas crowded, but crowded. I think I could end every day of my life by viewing Illuminations.

Saturday, October 8, 2005 – Day Two – Soarin’, Hot-cha-cha-cha and Single Malts
I guess I’ll mention this only once. I’m an early riser. So early that if I told you what time I normally get up, most of you would groan and call me crazy. Particularly when I’m on vacation.

So I’m up early and put on a pot of coffee. I step out on the balcony and realize that it’s still very warm and very humid. I find the local news on TV and learn that the humidity is at 100%. What? I think I’ve only seen that during a summer thunderstorm.

Barb and I have a cup of coffee and then head outside for a crisp walk around Crescent Lake. This has me sweating through my T-Shirt in that familiar Hidden Mickey pattern – one that I saw on several dozen other guests during the week. Unfortunately, none were female.

Back at the room we have a second cup of coffee, shower and dress. We were planning to head to Epcot again this morning but we were too early so we stopped at the Boardwalk Bakery for another coffee and took a table on the Boardwalk to sip and people-watch.

We walked to the IG at about 8:40, went through Security and queued up at the turnstiles. They opened the turnstiles at 8:45. There were 6 people in front of me and it still took 3-4 minutes before I got through. It looks like everyone doing the finger scan is doing it for the first time. Damned MYW tickets!

We were held at a rope, just before the bridge to France, until 9:00. Once through we strolled through WS with a moderate crowd and made our way to FutureWorld (FW) and The Land pavilion. The sun was shining brightly and it seemed the temperature was already mid-80s. Couple that with the high humidity and it was very warm and sticky.

Our goal was to take our first ride on Soarin’. We entered the Land pavilion with a steady stream of guests and made our way down to the first level. The Standby wait was already posted at 30 minutes. This is one of the downsides to entering through the IG. The folks entering at the front of the park get there a lot sooner. We picked up 2 FastPasses (FP) for 10:03 – 11:03 and then got into the standby queue where I endured a young lad named Justin who, I think, had a desire to ride in my back pocket. “Justin, stop that.” “Justin, leave that man alone.” “Justin, back up.”

The time passed quickly and we were on the ride in about 25 minutes. We both enjoyed Soarin’. We were seated in the top row, right side of the right-most vehicle. I know a lot of folks gave it a ‘best ride ever’ kind of rating. I can’t go that far but it’s definitely a must-ride for each trip.

When we left, the Soarin’ standby wait had climbed to 45 minutes. We headed to Test Track (TT) but the Standby was 50-minutes and a FP return of 1:35. We didn’t expect to be in the park that long so we wandered down and rode Spaceship Earth (SE), which was almost a walk-on. As we were entering SE, we glanced toward the front of the park and saw what appeared to be a large topiary of the number ‘10’. We couldn’t figure out what that was for and, because we were viewing it from behind, thought we misread it or didn’t see the entire thing. As we exited the ride (into that large vacant area that needs to be turned into something), I asked a CM. She seemed confused by the question and offered the ‘100 years of Magic’. Huh? Later in the week, we walked out to it and it was the 10th year of the F&W Festival.

After SE, we made a quick rest room stop and headed back to Soarin’ for our second ride of the day. With the FPs, we were on the ride in 10 minutes – you walk past a LOT of people in the Standby line. This ride we were in the 3rd row of the center vehicle. Another great ride. As some have said, if you look up you can see the rows of dangling feet but I didn’t feel they were a distraction at all.

We wandered back toward TT, just to see if some miracle had occurred and the Standby wait had become tolerable. The lights were out on the Standby sign so no wait was posted but the line had stretched out the door so we figured it was at least 60 minutes.

It was getting near lunch time (around 11:30) so we walked back to WS to give LeCellier a try. The restaurant had just opened and there were two couples seated in the waiting area. There was a guy in front of me that was trying, unsuccessfully, to make a dinner reservation for tonight, tomorrow or Monday. Nothing available.

I noticed a sign at the desk that said something like ‘Le Cellier’s trivia question of the day’. The question was ‘What is the Canadian one-dollar coin called?’ and ‘For bonus points… why is it called that?’ I stepped up and said “The Loonie”. The girl smiled and said “Why?” to which I admitted I had no idea. I did receive a pin identifying me as a Canadian trivia whiz or something but I did not score a table. Nothing available at all and they weren’t accepting walk-ins. Oh, it’s called a Loonie because it has a drawing of a loon on it. D’oh!

We walked up to the podium outside the Rose and Crown and scored a reservation for 12:10. While waiting we walked down to the Chefs de France and were told we could just line up at 12:00 and be seated. We considered it but Barb thought she’d prefer the R&C so back we went. We went inside the pub and got two beers – another Stella Artois for Barb and a Boddington’s Public Ale for me. The Boddington’s was interesting – it drew from the tap looking like a vanilla shake but, once it settled, it had a nice brown color and a sustaining head. We found a table and sipped until 12:00 when Barb went outside to check in and was given a pager. We had finished our beers at 12:15 when the pager went off and we were shown inside to a table by a window looking out at the deck and WS lagoon.

Our server was Lynda who was very nice and free with her recommendations. Barb had a cup of tea (I don’t remember which type she chose) and I switched to a Harps. Barb ordered Fish & Chips while I took Lynda’s recommendation and ordered the Cottage Pie. The food was not exceptional but it was good and very filling. We passed on Lynda’s dessert suggestions and settled the bill. This was my first use of the DDE card so we did get 20% off the entire sum.

We left the R&C and began walking back toward the IG when we noticed the WorldShowcase Players had just begun their ‘King Arthur and the Holy Grail’ skit. I’m a sucker for this type of corny humor so we found a shady spot in front of a shop to stand and watch. Once the show gets going, they venture out into the audience to recruit some folks to be in the show. One of the guys started walking through the crowd with a crown in his hand. He was looking for a suitable King Arthur so, naturally, he settled on yours truly. I’m certain it was the regal air that I carry – I really am destined to be a king.

I passed my camera bag to Barb who was smirking viciously and took my place on the wagon – er, throne, as the show continued. I had a couple of small lines – greeting my loyal subjects, etc. The young lady in the show did give me these instructions: When everyone says “Long live the King” my job is to say “Hot-cha-cha-cha”. She demonstrated this accompanied by a hip movement that would have been appropriate in any exotic dancing emporium.

Within a couple of minutes, the crowd was exhorted to shout, “Long live the King”. I gave it my best “Hot-cha-cha-cha” with a terrific Chubby Checker impression. My hip movements would have made The King himself (of course I mean Elvis) envious. I saw 3 women sitting front-row on a curb keel over backwards in full swoon. I’m fairly certain that women as far away as the Magic Kingdom experienced a momentary tingle that just made them stop and go “Huh?” I glanced at Barb and she was laughing her butt off while gleefully snapping away with the camera.

Having completed my thespian duties, and now being the proud owner of a ‘World Showcase Players’ pin, we headed back to the BW for some R&R. We changed into swimsuits and walked downstairs to the quiet pool. There were 6-8 people there so it was nice to swim, visit the Jacuzzi and just lay in the sun for a while.

Suitably refreshed, we planned on visiting MGM and thought we’d take a shot and see if there were any Fantasmic dinner packages available. We stopped at the Lobby Concierge desk (think Guest Services) and were helped by a CM with a fairly serious speech impediment. I’m really not trying to be Politically Incorrect and I’m certainly sympathetic to everyone’s rights - but I wonder why this individual was placed in a position that demands so much verbal communication? Anyway, our only choices were 3:30 at the Brown Derby or 3:40 at Mama Melrose’s, both too early for dinner, so we decided to pass.

We began walking to MGM by heading out and through the Luna Park Pool area where we, for some reason, we decided instead to go to the Magic Kingdom (MK). We walked back through the hotel and out to the bus stop. We waited only a couple of minutes for a bus and made our way to the MK.

We first had to endure a wait at the turnstiles (damned MYW tickets) and then entered a very, very crowded Main Street. We checked at Tony’s to find they were booked up for the entire evening. We walked past the Plaza Restaurant and stopped in the new Noodle Station. The menu there looked fine for dinner later so we continued on up to TomorrowLand (TL). TL was mobbed. Buzz had a 60-minute Standby and all FPs were gone for the day. We didn’t bother to check Space Mountain – just assumed it was similar, if not worse than, Buzz.

We walked further into FantasyLand (FL) and the crowds got even thicker. We stopped at Mickey’s Philharmagic and picked up FPs for 6:25. We then walked a bit further to ride the new It’s a Small World (IASW) after a 20-minute wait. I don’t think I’ve ever waited more than 5-minutes for this ride in my life. Nevertheless, the results of the rehab are obvious and quite nice. While in line, I noticed that Peter Pan had a 60-minute wait with FP available for 10:15.

After IASW we walked down for an attempt at the Haunted Mansion but were greeted with a 50-minute Standby. We decided to pass and found a bench and a bottle of water in Liberty Square for a while. At 6:25, we headed back to Philharmagic and, using our FPs, walked directly into the waiting area right outside the theater. The theater was full to capacity and, I’m happy to report, everyone in the theater moved all the way to the end of the row. Philharmagic has become one of my favorite shows and we really enjoyed it yet again.

We decide that we weren’t going to get much done in the MK with the crowds and the best bet would be to head back to the BW for dinner. Making our way out of the MK was no easy chore. Tons of people had set up shop for Spectromagic and there was a steady stream of folks still entering the park and trying to make their way up Main Street. It was almost gridlock.

We finally got to the bus stops and then waited while they loaded two ECVs onto the bus. The people in the ECVs made the ride up the lift, then got out and walked to seats. I saw the women attempt to give the driver some cash, presumably as a tip, but he refused.

Back at the BW, the line at ESPN was out the door and there was nothing available at Spoodles or Flying Fish. We headed to Big River and joined a line. The guy at the podium told the woman in front of us that it would be a 30-40 minute wait but there was probably nothing else available on property – “It *is* Saturday night”. We accepted a pager and the same promise of 30-40 minutes (we had said we’d accept inside or outside seating) and went into the bar. We found one open stool for Barb and she had a Diet Coke while I sampled an Oktoberfest brew (very good). In 5-minutes (yes, only 5) the pager went off. We were seated at a table outside on the BW.

Leslie was our waitress and she was very good. We ordered a couple of their 10-ounce burgers and I asked if they accepted the DDE. She asked if we wanted to waste it on burgers but she had mistakenly thought I meant the Dining Plan. They do not accept the DDE but it was nice of her to offer advice on the better use of the Dining Plan. The burgers were very good and I did have a second Oktoberfest.

I overheard a conversation at the next table while a young lady was offering her tablemates insights into touring WDW. Among her comments were “You can do the MK in half a day” and my favorite “Universal is totally separate. I don’t know why but Disney makes you buy a separate ticket for it”.

We paid the check and I glanced at my watch and saw 8:51. Could we make it into Epcot in 9 minutes for Illuminations? Sure! We hoofed it over there, had a short wait at the IG’s turnstiles (damned MYW tickets) and took up a spot against the back railing on the bridge to France. The front railing was 5-6 deep. We, once again, enjoyed Illuminations and I took several photos that actually came out pretty well.

We strolled out with the crowd and back to the BW where we figured the Belle Vue Room (BVR) would be a fitting place to close the day. The bartender was Tim and I asked if Alan was still there. Tim said he was and would be working Tuesday – unfortunately, after we leave. Barb had an Amaretto and I chose a Macallans single malt. I did notice that the bartender (Tim, at least) no longer waited tables. The guests all visited the bar to get their drinks. I don’t know if that’s a change or Tim is just a bit lazy. Another odd thing, to use the DDE card here Tim had to call down for a manager to come and run the card. Seems just a bit odd.

We grabbed a table and enjoyed our drinks. When we finished it was back to the room where I learned the Yankees had been rained out. We watched a little news then turned in for the night.

Things I Think I Think – I think I like Soarin’. I think it’s still very hot here – my ears are still sweating. I think it’s also very crowded and we may re-think any future plans for early October trips. I think if I knew it was going to be this crowded, I’d have made more Advance Reservations. I think some people that give advice, shouldn’t. I think Big River’s burgers are very good. I think I could end every day of my life with Illuminations and the Belle Vue Room (notice the addition since yesterday?).

Sunday, October 9, 2005 – Day Three – Moving, Pot Stickers and Ice Cream
I’m up early (I know, I know) and put on the coffee. We have a light breakfast of coffee and bagels. The local news tells us the humidity is only 96% right now. Should I bring a sweater?

I head down to the front desk to check out of one reservation and check in with another. Remember Olga when I checked in? Remember how she had promised a phone call if there would be a problem keeping the same room? The CM lets me complete the check-in process but “the computer” has us moving to a new room and she can’t change it. She will tell Operations about it when they come in at 8:00 AM. I head back to the room and tell Barb that we’re probably moving. This would normally not be much of a problem but I’m a die-hard Jets fan and I really want to see today’s game with Tampa Bay. I know it’s on a local Fox station and I can watch it in the room (if I have a room). The game’s on at 1:00 and, if we move, I may not have a room until 4:00. My alternative is to queue up at the ESPN club at 11:30 to make sure I get a table near a screen. Then we’ll need to have a four and a half hour lunch during the game.

At 6:50, Barb notices our message light is on. I check it and it’s the front desk CM asking me to call Operations. Any idea why they didn’t ring the phone instead of just leaving a voicemail? She certainly knew we were up. I call Operations and they’re very nice but there’s not much they can do. The hotel is at capacity, the ‘standard view’ I’m in is booked, etc. OK. I ask if they could please note that I’d like to get a room that’s serviced as early as possible. They agree.

We re-pack our suitcases and bring them to Bell Services for storage. They agree to refrigerate what needs to be refrigereated and we head to the Boardwalk bakery for a coffee. While sitting on the BW, we decide to head to MGM. There’s a boat just docking so we choose that over walking. We almost always make the walk to MGM but it’s so humid, the air-conditioned boat seems like a better idea.

We queue up with a crowd at the turnstiles. I notice that the 2 turnstiles on my left have the entry arrows illuminated but there’s no one in line. I step out and we move up to the front of the line at one of these turnstiles. I look back and can see lots of people looking at us - pointing and chattering nervously. They want to follow but they’re unsure. Do we leave a line that we know will get us in for the promise of a shorter wait? If it doesn’t work, will we have to go to the end of the line? Finally, one group sends a single member up to ask a CM. Having been assured that it is, indeed, a valid line he motions for the rest of his group. Others now breathe a sigh of relief and move to these 2 new ‘renegade’ lines. Peace and serenity are restored.

They opened the turnstiles at 8:45 and, because we were first in line, we entered without a wait (damned MYW tickets). Barb headed to a rest room (typically her first ride of any Disney day) and I went to the Guest Relations office just inside the turnstiles, looking for a Famtasmic dinner package. Nothing doing.

We met up and browsed the shops on the right side until rope drop. A co-worker of Barb had asked if we could pick her up a Mickey charm in 14k gold. She wanted to spend $20-30. I told Barb there were only 2 chances of meeting that request and Slim left town. That was reinforced as we found several silver metal charms in that price range but gold began at around $75 and went up quickly.

At rope drop, we headed to Tower of Terror (ToT). Most of the crowd heads in this direction and, by my unscientific reckoning, about 60% head to Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster. We walked quickly through the queue and a 1 or 2 minute wait for the library doors to open. After the film, it was a quick walk through the boiler room and on to an elevator. ToT is still a great ride and, I think, we experienced 4 drops in this sequence.

We stopped quickly at the Tip Board and saw that Star Tours had a 20-minute wait so we decided to ride it before the crowds became worse. We walked up there, once again commenting that they need to bring back Superstar Television (how long has that building been idle?) and walked through an almost empty queue. We were stopped at the top ramp, by the conveyor belts, when the 10-15 people in front of us started passing the word back for a party of 2. Hey, we’re a party of 2. We walked past these folks and into a queue where we were in the last 2 seats on the left in the back row. The outermost seats in the back row are, supposedly, where you experience the most motion. I know Barb likes that so I graciously gave her the outermost seat. After yet another aborted attempt at visiting the Moon of Endor, she did say she was thrown around pretty good.

Muppets 3D was next and we caught (almost) the entire pre-show. I (again) could not find the ‘Net full of Jello’. I seem to find it every other visit – are they moving it on me? I must have seen this film 15 times but I still find it fun. What is it about the Muppets that’s so darn entertaining?

We left the Muppets into a light sprinkle that only lasted 5-10 minutes. It was around 11:00 so I decided we should leave so I could get in line at the ESPN Club. We rode the boat back and got off at the Swan. I didn’t really need to stop at the Dolphin and Yacht Club before getting to the BoardWalk.

Barb went to the BWVR to check on our room. We figured there was no way it would be ready this early but we may as well check. I continued on to the ESPN Club and got in line, behind 5-6 groups on the side to wait for a table. There were already 25-30 people in line on the right side for bar seating. In 5 minutes, I can see Barb walking toward me and she lets me know our room is ready. It seems that the BWVR staff came through – a room at 11:20!

We stopped at Bell Services and gave them our room number so they could deliver our luggage. We headed up to room 4050, a much shorter walk from the elevators. We had a view of the Luna Park pool from the balcony – a view that looked very familiar. I later checked a couple of past TRs and learned we were in room 2050 (directly below this one) last November and in 4054 (2 doors away) in 2002. Barb called Bell Services and our luggage showed up in 5 minutes. Unpacking (again) followed and Barb graciously offered to make a run to Tubbi’s in the Dolphin for lunch.

I settled in for some pre-game viewing and Barb returned with a turkey sub for me and a chicken Caesar salad for her. She scored the 20% DVC discount at Tubbi’s. We ‘dined’ while I watched the game (67 year old Vinny Testaverde led the Jets to a 14-12 win). Barb went for a walk and spent time at the pool during the game – she’s not a die-hard fan, thank goodness – and returned to the room right around 4:00 to catch the final minutes.

We freshened up and decided to hit Epcot for some rides and another visit to the F&W Festival. We walked to the IG and made our way through the turnstiles (damned MYW tickets) and on to FW. Test Track had a standby wait of 50-minutes and FP for 8:45 so we passed. We took a ride on Universe of Energy. The attraction was only about half full – that’s probably saying something since the rest of the park was so crowded. I still enjoy this show, and Ellen, but admit that it’s getting a bit tired. It’s definitely not an every trip thing any longer.

After U of E, we walked back to WS and headed toward Mexico. The sun was blazing down and it was very, very warm. We stopped in the Cantina San Angel and I got us 2 Margaritas while Barb found a shady table in the cantina. The place was crowded, as was most of WS. We sat and enjoyed our drinks while we both commented that, as hot as it is, we should be drinking water. We took our drinks to a quiet bench in the gardens outside China and used that time to call home and check in with Stephanie and Stephen. All’s well at home which is a good thing.

We decided to start noshing so we picked up 2 Pot Stickers at the China booth. We took those back to the same bench mainly because it was quiet, uncrowded and shaded. I went back and picked up an order of Chicken Sha Cha with Peanut Sauce for us to share. All were very good.

We thought about getting some sushi and decided that a table in the Matsu No Ma lounge in Japan would be a good spot. We went to Japan, up the stairs (I hate these stairs – the treads and risers are too short) and had to stop at the podium for seating. Just last year, this was open seating. Anyway, we were seated quickly and were perusing the menus for drinks and sushi when it became apparent there was little or no air conditioning in the place. We decided we’d rather be sweating outdoors so I returned the menus and apologized to the hostess before we left.

It was about 6:30 and we were still just a little hungry so we thought about a glass of wine and a small Crème Brulee in France. We walked down there and joined a line of about 12 people at the wine booth. I glanced over at the booth that offered Crème Brulee and saw about 30 people in line. Neither of us felt like waiting that long so we came up with Plan B. We figured most of the football games were near over so let’s head to the ESPN club, get a beer and share a couple of appetizers.

We walked out of Epcot and to the ESPN club where the line for tables was (again and still) out the door. We took our chances at the bar but every table was occupied and every bar stool had a rear end firmly attached. I got us 2 beers at the bar (no easy task) and we milled around trying to identify anyone that looked like they were leaving soon. No dice. After about 20 minutes, we got tired of hanging around and left for the BW.

Now what to do? Wait a minute – ice cream! We walked to Seashore Sweets and got into a line of about 10 people. While in line, there was a little guy (maybe 4) running around the shop touching everything. He put his fingers inside every one of the candy dispensers he could reach while his mom chased after him. Five minutes later, his mom was back in the store searching frantically for him. The Sweets shop connects with Spoodles’ dining room and I had a guess he may be in there wreaking havoc.
The line in this place is very slow and it probably took us 15 minutes so snag a couple of waffle cones. We took them to the BW and found a table to sit while we ate. You needed to be fast because the ice cream was melting quickly. We hung out on the BW for a while and caught part of the magician’s show. We thought about heading back to Epcot for Illuminations but opted instead to just take it easy.

We, eventually, headed back to the room to watch some baseball and call it a night.

Things I Think I Think - I think I used to wonder why folks made so many Advanced Reservations – now I know. I think I’m enjoying the food at the F&W Festival, even though it’s sometimes a lengthy process to get served. I think the MatsuNoMa lounge needs to crank up the AC. I think the waffle cones at Seashore Sweets are very good.

Monday, October 10, 2005 – Day Four – Monkeys, Cheetahs and the California Grill
Up early (surprise, surprise) and put on the coffee. We decide to hit Animal Kingdom today. Tonight is the California Grill so our plan is to skip lunch in favor of a late breakfast at the Tusker House.

We’re at the bus stop by 8:15 and at the AK by 8:30. We decide to do a little window-shopping at the Rainforest Café (RFC) before getting into line. I find pens, with animals on them, for sale at 2 for $10. A friend and co-worker of mine shares a theory with me that anything with a monkey in it is funny. Try it yourself. A priest and a rabbi walk into a bar… Not very funny, right? A priest, a rabbi and a monkey walk into a bar… Admit it. You’re smiling. Anyway, I decide to buy him a pen with a monkey eating a banana. I can hardly control my laughter as I pay for it (I can’t imagine what that sales girl told her family that night. “There was this guy with a monkey pen…”).

Barb hits the rest room and I wait for her outside. One of the other downsides to the oppressive humidity is that every time I leave an air-conditioned building and head outside, my glasses fog up. It takes them a good 5-10 minutes before they adjust and I can see again. I don’t use eyeglasses all the time but they really help with distances so I like to wear them at WDW. Unfortunately, this is really becoming a pain. It’s also affecting my camera lens.

We get in line at the turnstiles and, at 8:45, enter slowly (damned MYW tickets). We spend a bit of time in the Oasis viewing a Chilean tarantula, held in a plastic case by a CM. We walk through the left side and catch a glimpse of the anteater as he/she is walking away. I scramble for my camera but, before I can get the fog wiped off the lens, the best I got was a shot of the anteater’s butt retreating around the corner. I hustled back down the hill and was rewarded with a full-length shot and the anteater walked directly in front of me. The CM commented that that is a rare picture because he/she is usually sleeping. I think the closest I’ve come before is when it’s rustling around in the vegetation toward the rear.

We wandered up and joined the crowd in front of the Tree of Life for rope drop. There were 2 couples, seniors, behind me and for 5-minutes all they did was gripe about waiting. One guy wanted to go under the rope and enter via the lane reserved for the Breakfastosaurus seating. They eventually said “Let’s go around” and walked over to the left to get around much of the crowd and make their way to the front of the line.

After the opening ceremony, we went in and veered right for It’s Tough To Be a Bug (ITTBAB). While walking through the uncrowded queue, we stopped occasionally to view some of the carvings in the tree. I got Barb to pose by the gorilla’s face for a picture. I was fumbling with the flash and Barb was pushing me to “Hurry up”. I finally got the shot and realized that about 6-8 people had stopped so as not to walk through our photograph. I pride myself on never holding people up so I can get a picture and was very apologetic to them.

We had about a five-minute wait in the theater ‘lobby’ which we used to, once again, enjoy the movie posters there. I noticed that, periodically, it appeared that there was a shadow of something (a bug?) that would appear on the wall by the doors – sort of reaching out at something or someone. I surmised it was a bug, in one of the ceiling crevices or holes, reaching for the people below. What a great effect and one I had never seen before. I was telling this to Barb when she informed me that two children were taking turns standing in front of the spotlight – that was the shadows I was seeing. D’oh!

We enjoyed ITTBAB but, apparently, not as much as the guy behind us. He was 30-something and he was laughing uproariously at every scene in the show. It’s nice to see someone really enjoy himself like that.

Next, we headed for a ride on Dinosaur which was a walk-on. After Dinosaur we decide to take the exit into the carnival for a spin on Primeval Whirl. There’s about a 5-minute wait and we ride with 2 other people (father and son). Each time I ride this, it seems like I spin more and faster than the previous one. I think we spun for a full minute this time.

We left this area and took the new (?) path up past Tarzan Rocks into Asia. We stopped so I could get a few photos of Expedition Everest. It appears that the exterior is almost complete and is very impressive. It looks like there’s forced perspective at work because it really looks authentic. There appears to be an old building (or temple?) to the left with a track that runs at an upward angle into the mountain. The only other visible evidence of a ride is the track that exits the mountain near the bottom. It’s at a very steep angle downward and appears to be a significantly banked turn. Should be fun.

We make our way through Asia and into Harambe. I grab 10:50 FPS for Kilamanjaro Safaris (KS) and we head to the Tusker House for breakfast. We each get the scrambled eggs breakfast with sausage. Barb goes for the coffee and I get an orange juice. We eat, relax and enjoy the AC.

As we leave, the group of dancers is outside (I never remember their name but it’s the group of African drummers and dancers that are very, very energetic). They have enlisted several guests to dance with them and they’re in the middle of a particularly vigorous number. Given the heat and humidity, I’m surprised several of the dancers haven’t keeled over.

We spend a few minutes shopping in the Marketplace, waiting for our FP time. I find some very nice carved animal figures – mostly elephants and giraffes. Barb likes them as well but we can’t figure out where we could display them so we pass.

On to the Safari where we walk past a huge standby line and board in about 10 minutes. I’ve heard so many different stories on when the animals are active – hot, cool, early, late, etc. I really don’t know what to expect. We see a lot of okapi, those large-horned cattle, zebras, etc. There are two cheetahs sitting up watching us. I’ve never before seem them not sleeping. The male and female lion are sitting on Pride Rock (not laying down) facing each other. But we only see one elephant (not counting Little Red). Our driver/guide was very good but actually had a brief argument with a guest in the back of the truck when he explained that zebras were black with white strips. The guest shouted “No they’re not”. The guide re-emphasized that zebras had black skin with white stripes. The guest shouted “No, they don’t”. The guide let it slide. He also made 3 announcements, early on; admonishing people that they needed to remain seated and keep their children in their seats. By the third announcement, he was calling people out – “especially you in the hat and red shirt”.

It was now about 11:30 and we decided to head out. We were going to Downtown Disney (DD) for some souvenir shopping and didn’t think a ride on Kali River Rapids would be a good idea. We hit the bus stops at 11:40 and decided to board the first bus we saw and then transfer to DD. We boarded a bus for the Contemporary – big mistake. I realize the Contemporary is not actually on the way to DD but I figured that there was no way to predict the arrival of a DD bus so any resort would do.

We waited for a driver change, then 5 minutes of just waiting before leaving. Then we had to make a stop at Typhoon Lagoon (might have been Blizzard Beach) and got to the Contemporary at 12:10. It took about 20 minutes for the DD bus to show and we had to make another waterpark stop and didn’t get to DD until after 1:00. This is one of the few times that I wished I had rented a car and driven.

We shopped through the Christmas shop, looking for a Baby’s First Christmas ornament. I finally asked a CM and she said they were sold out (I’ve since tried shopping for one on-line with no success). We did find a suitable ornament that could be personalized but it wouldn’t be ready before we left tomorrow. I’ll need to look on-line for that as well.

We zipped through World of Disney and secured some souvenirs for the ‘kids’ including a plush Mickey for our soon-to-be-born grandson. It will go with the plush Pooh that Michelle already has on display in the nursery. We also picked up a CD and some shirts for Barb and me as well as a Mickey stick-it note pack with a magnet for the refrigerator. We checked out, using the AP for a 10% discount, and learned that because our purchase was over $75 we could buy a lithograph for $5. It was a rendering of the MK, with a dominant Castle, with many of the characters milling about. The bottom portion contained autographs from all the characters pictured. Now I’ll need to get a frame for it. I haven’t measured it yet but it appears to be an odd size.

We walked out of WoD and were hit immediately with the humidity. My glasses fogged, of course. We decided to head to Fulton’s Crab House for a cold beverage. On a nicer, less sticky day, it would have been nice to sit outdoors but we opted for the bar instead. Barb had a Bud Lite and I had a Sam Adams. It was refreshing and relaxing to just sit there for a while, admiring the view and having our drinks.

When we finished, it was time for the walk back to the bus stops. Just as we neared the stops I saw a BW bus pulling away. Barb thought that was a good time to head back into the Marketplace to find a rest room so I went on and grabbed a bench at the bus stop. It was 20 minutes before we saw the next bus (another argument for the rental car) and we made our way back – after a stop at Typhoon Lagoon.

We hung out in the room, showered and dressed for the California Grill (CG). I know there’s been a lot of discussion about the new ‘business casual’ dress code at the CG. The only thing I was told when I made the reservation was ‘business casual’ and no jeans, cut-offs, tee shirts or torn clothing. In deference to the heat, I decided on shorts (a nice pair of khakis), a golf shirt and New Balance athletic shoes. The same things I typically wear to the parks. Barb went a bit nicer with a pair of slacks, a nice top and a pair of those strappy-type shoes (you can probably tell that women’s fashion is not my strong suit). In either case, we were both acceptable and fit in with the rest of the clientele.

We left the BW around 6:00 and caught a bus to the MK. We thought about the walking path to the Contemporary but by the time you walk from the bus stop back toward the MK to begin coming back for the path, you’re almost at the monorail station. I’m not sure if that last sentence makes any sense so let’s just say we rode the monorail to the Contemporary.

We went down to the second floor and checked in at about 6:40 – the reservation was for 7:10. I asked politely if there was a window table available and indicated we’d be willing to wait a short while for one. The hostess called upstairs and asked and was informed there was one opening in 5 minutes. Would we like it? Sure. Hannah was called to escort us upstairs. I had noticed that she just completed escorting the previous couple so I asked if that was pretty much her job – just riding the elevator all night. She said it was.

Someone met us upstairs (host? Maitre ’D?) and said he would bring us to our table. I assumed the table was being prepared and asked if we had time for a drink at the bar. He said “Sure” and disappeared. We went to the bar and ordered a Tangeruay and Tonic (Barb) and a Belvedere martini (me). As we received our drinks, the host showed up and kind of hovered. I asked if we had time for this drink and he said “Take your time” but he continued to stand there. Finally, I asked if our table was now ready and should we take our drinks there and he said “That would be fine”. Sheesh! Why didn’t he just bring us to the table?

We were seated at an absolutely perfect table. From our seats we could see the Poly to the left, Grand Floridian at left center and Cinderella’s Castle in right center. Across the lake, looking toward the GF, we had the beginnings of a glorious sunset. It was perfect.

We sipped our drinks and chatted and our server, Charmaine, introduced herself. She’s from Clayton, New York (which I had never heard of), somewhere near Watertown. She was very pleasant and did a great job of explaining the restaurant, menus, and offering some fine suggestions. I imposed on her to take a photo of Barb and me and then took one of her which seemed to make her a bit embarrassed.

She delivered our menu, wine menu, reserve wine menu and dessert menu. A lot of reading material. I told her we would like to take our time in order to be here for Wishes at 9:00 and she said that was no problem. She said she’d leave us to our reading and stop back with some suggestions. When she stopped back, she ran through the appetizer menu and we settled on the BLT Flat Bread with Neuski's Bacon, Heirloom Tomatoes, and Lemon mayo. She told us that would take about 10 minutes and asked if we’d like another cocktail while that was being prepared and we said sure. My philosophy on martinis is that they’re like breasts – one’s not enough but three are too many.

When the appetizer appeared, we were glad we had agreed to share. It could have been dinner for one. It was very good and we did not finish it all. Charmaine returned and inquired about a first course and wine. I ordered the Heirloom Tomato Extravaganza - with tomato vinaigrette, domestic Camembert and basil oil while Barb had the Hearts of Romaine Salad with Green Goddess Dressing, aged parmesan, and sourdough croutons.

I had perused both wine lists. The Reserve list started at about $175 and went up quickly so I stuck with the other which was heavy in California wines (to be expected). There were only 2 wines on the list of reds that I had before so I asked Charmaine for a recommendation. She asked several questions about our tastes, our probable choice for entrée, etc. and left. She returned with an unopened Bezinger Cabernet Sauvignon, opened it and poured two half glasses for us to taste. I thought it excellent and expected her to simply leave the bottle. Instead she ran off saying she would bring a new one. All their wines are offered by the glass so, I assume, that first bottle went back behind the bar. One interesting note, her recommended wine was less expensive than the two bottles I told her I was considering.

The first course arrived. Barb’s was a variation on the Caesar Salad and presented nicely. Barb said it was very good. The Tomato Extravaganza was a stack of thick tomato slices, alternating toasted bread, garnished with the Camembert and covered with the oil and vinaigrette. It was outstanding in presentation and taste.

For entrees, we debated and wound up ordering the Oak-fired Beef Filet with Three Cheese Potato Gratin, asparagus, and Tamarind Barbecue Sauce for Barb. I had the Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Creamy Goat Cheese Polenta, Cremini Mushrooms, Zinfandel Glaze and Sage. I thought mine was excellent until Barb let me sample her filet – maybe the best I’ve tasted.

I never had to touch the wine bottle during the entire meal. Charmaine did an excellent job of providing top-notch service without being intrusive. I did notice that there were a couple of wine ‘drips’ on the tablecloth near the bottle. One was, and I’m not making this up, a perfect Hidden Mickey. Barb agreed and when I called it to Charmaine’s attention, she smiled but didn’t seem to have a clue. For some unknown reason, I neglected to take a photo.

We were stuffed but Charmaines’s dessert suggestion, Chocolate Lava Cake with PB&J Ice Cream, convinced us to order it to share. We also ordered 2 coffees which unfortunately, even at the CG, were ‘freshly-brewed Nescafe’. While scarfing down dessert, we saw, for the first time ever, the Electrical Water Pageant floats as they set up in the lake below.

The check arrived and, after the DDE 20% discount, and including tax it came to $161. Considering we each had a cocktail, wine, appetizer, etc., I thought it a good value. The service was outstanding.

I had paid the check and received change when Wishes began. The music played clearly in the restaurant but they did not dim the lights (as I thought they would). I left Charmaine a generous and well-deserved tip and we hustled outside onto a crowded deck. I did manage to get a great photo of the heart-shaped firework. The deck we were on was long and narrow and unlike the one I remembered from an unsanctioned visit one afternoon in 2003. There seemed to be another deck across from us but, when I tried a door to get there, I saw another dining room that did have the lights dimmed. I thought it would be disruptive to wander through there so we didn’t. I saw so little of the layout of the restaurant, that I was unaware of this other dining room.

Once Wishes had concluded we returned to the restaurant to say thanks and goodbye to Charmaine but we couldn’t find her. We took a crowded elevator downstairs and out the door. There were 3 waiting taxi/vans so we grabbed one for a $15 ride back to the BW. I thought that would be a wiser choice than heading to the MK and fighting the post-Wishes crowds for a bus. Our conversation with the female driver centered on ME. She shared the same opinions as our Town Car driver. She told us her husband was also a driver and, previous to ME, made 3-4 airport runs per day. He’s now making 2 per week.

Back at the BW, we visited Lobby Concierge and had them print out our boarding passes for tomorrow’s flight. We decided to finish out the evening with a nightcap (OK, it was two) at the Belle Vue Room before turning in.

Things I Think I Think - I still think monkeys are funny. I think I enjoy the AK a bit more with each visit. I think I normally have very good luck with the WDW transportation system – but not getting to DD today. I think the California Grill is an excellent restaurant and one that I hope to visit again. I think I could end every day with Wishes and the Belle Vue Room (is that becoming redundant? Nope. I made it Wishes this time). I think 4 nights / 5 days is too short a trip – we leave tomorrow.

Tuesday, October 11, 2005 – Day Five – Soarin’ Again, Home Again
We slept in until 7:00 and took our time getting showered, dressed and packed. We walked out to the BW and decided on breakfast at Spoodles. I had the eggs/bacon/sausage breakfast while Barb had pancakes. Coffee for me, tea for Barb. We used the DDE card for 20% off – for maybe the last time this trip?

Anticipating the heat and humidity, as well as the fact we’d be returning to much colder weather tonight, we stored a change of clothes, sweatshirt, and jacket in two of the outside pockets on our suitcases. We rolled our bags down to Bell Services for storage and then headed over to Epcot.

We walked to the IG and made our way through Security and the turnstiles (damned MYW tickets). Barb wanted another ride on Soarin’ so we walked down to the Land, found a 50-minute standby and picked up FPs for 1:15. To kill some time we decided to hit Honey, I Shrunk the Audience and walked directly into the pre-show. We got to watch the entire thing and all I can say is “Please bring back True Colors”. We enjoyed HISTA – we always do – and then decided on a ride on Journey Into (Your?) Imagination. I think this was my 3rd ride on this and, quite possibly, my last.

We spent a few minutes in ImageWorks and then headed to Innoventions. We sent a picture postcard home (which I still haven’t received a week later). We saw a show starting for the Ultimate Home Theater and decided to go in. It hasn’t changed much since we last saw it in 2003. I remember, at that time, being in awe of the system shown at the end but, this time, not so much. I may have become jaded since we upgraded to wide-screen HDTV but I didn’t think the video was as good as I have at home. Is their equipment aging? It seems so. I will give them a slight edge on their audio system however.

We felt like a coffee so we went to the Fountainview and found they were serving only Nescafe. Didn’t they used to offer a premium brew of some kind? We passed on the coffee and walked out, past SE, to the front of the park. This is where we verified that the ‘10’ topiary is for the 10th anniversary of the F&W festival.

They had a very nice floral and signage display so I snapped a few photos. I was trying to get Barb to pose for one with the F&W displays and SE in the background. A very nice CM, one of the WDW photographers, kindly offered to use my camera for a pose with both of us. It’s a very nice photo.

It was time for our Soarin’ FPs so we walked to the Land and rode with about a 10-minute wait. This time we were in the left-most vehicle, bottom row. Moving left to right does change your perspective in several of the scenes. I also noticed more of an urge to lift my feet (although I didn’t) when seated in the bottom row.

Time to head out of Epcot so we strolled as leisurely as possible to the IG, doing our best not to work up a sweat. We decided on the ESPN Club for a late lunch and literally had our choice of tables. There were maybe 6 other people in the place – a far cry from Sunday. We settled in and I had a roast beef sandwich with an iced tea. Barb went for a turkey club wrap and Diet Coke. She ate half the sandwich and asked to have the rest boxed, thinking she’d eat it on the flight. She wound up tossing it at the airport.

Back to the BW where we sat and read for a bit in the lobby. I shot the last few photos to finish the roll in the camera. At 4:00, I went outside and retrieved our bags. I grabbed a pair of pants out of the outside pocket and used a Men’s room stall to change out of my shorts. We also retrieved a jacket and sweatshirt to use once we landed in Albany.

Carlos showed up 10-minutes early, at 4:20, and we had a smooth ride to the airport. It’s interesting that all the Town Car drivers I’ve had use I4 and the Beeline to and from the airport rather than the Greenway. I would expect more traffic but I’ve never had a problem – and we’ve been on it during traditional rush-hour periods (8-8:30AM and 4-5:30 PM). We checked our bags at the SkyCap counter and were inside and through Security in 10 minutes. We stopped at Seattle’s Best for coffees – really just to kill some time, and then made our way to the gate.

Our flight left a few minutes late but was uneventful (as I prefer my flights to be) and we touched down right on time at 9:05 PM. As we made our way to Baggage Claim we found Stephen there waiting for us. Our luggage came off quickly and we were home before 10:00.

Summary - It was a very nice, albeit fairly short, trip. We went into it thinking that we weren’t going to spend a lot of time with attractions and we didn’t. We only visited the MK for a couple of hours and two attractions. That may be a record – and one I plan on correcting during our next visit.

The weather was hot and humid and generally uncomfortable – I was glad I brought enough extra shirts. If it had been a longer trip, we probably would have spent more time at the pool.

The California Grill was very nice and someplace we’d definitely go to again. Now we’re just looking forward to our next trip in February.

Post Script – I’m writing this on October 18, 2005 and am pleased to announce that, today at 1:39 AM, our daughter Michelle delivered William Michael into the world - our first grandchild. He came in at 7 lbs. 1 oz. and is destined to be another Disney fanatic. His Mom and I have already discussed his first trip in December 2006 or January 2007.

Thanks for reading.

If you have a comment or question, feel free to email me. Please put ‘Trip Report’ in the subject line or risk being washed away with the spam.

Steve Russo