Trip Reports
02-21-2007, 07:59 PM
Sue Holland - November 2005 - Beach Club Villas
Time of Year: Fall
Travel Method: Personal car
Resort: BCV
Accommodations: Standard rooms
Ages Represented in Group: Adult
WDW Experience Represented in Group: Infrequent, Veteran, DVC Member
Comments: Sue's annual trip to the Food & Wine Festival; this time around she finally attends the Party for the Senses and also gets to spend more time with her beau at the parks.
Sue Holland -- November 2005 - Walt Disney World (BCV)
Note: As Sue spent time at Pleasure Island and in other adult venues on this trip, this report has some information that may not be appropriate for young readers.
Who/When/Where:
Who:
Sue (me – turning 47), DVC member
SB (Sexy Boyfriend – 48)
Dates: November 3 - 9, 2005
Travel Method: Personal car
Resort: Disney’s Beach Club Villas Resort
Experience: Frequent Guest (Sue), 3rd Visit (SB)
INTRODUCTION:
Finally my Food & Wine trip is here! This is the trip I most look forward to each year, and this year in particular it’s extra special because my time at WDW has been so limited and also because I’m looking forward to showing SB more of it. He’s only seen a few things at Epcot, and of course Comedy Warehouse. He loved what he saw last year, so this year we’ll spend more time in the parks and do a few special things. Mostly we’ll just enjoy being here together – he knows how important WDW is to me.
The big special thing was booking the Party For The Senses for Saturday night. Several DVC friends SB met last year are also attending, so it should be a lot of fun. It’ll be my first time attending, and I’m sure he’ll love all the different food to try. I’d printed out the list of items from an earlier date and when he saw it he thought it looked really great! After all my trips, I’m excited to be doing something new, too – and especially sharing the new memory with him.
Other priorities are to see the new Soarin’ attraction at Epcot, perhaps Spectromagic at the Magic Kingdom one night, several Comedy Warehouse shows, and to spend time in all 4 theme parks. We’re sure to have plenty of relaxing time built in, as neither of us likes crowds or lines – I don’t see us wanting to spend an entire day in a park! We weren’t going to make any advance dining plans, but since the free dining plan has made restaurants so popular I did book a couple of lunches. LeCellier is booked for my birthday, since it’s my favorite restaurant and we didn’t get there during last year’s trip (the wait was too long). I also booked Sci-Fi Dine Inn for Sunday, thinking he’d get a kick out of the place (plus he’s a big movie fan – even those god-awful sci-fi flicks <g>). He’s a bigger eater than me, so I’m bringing some homemade gazpacho and sandwich stuff so we don’t have to eat dinners out every night. For me 1 restaurant meal a day is more than enough food, so this way he can be fed without me having to be overfed!
The current plans (subject to change) so far...
Thu 11/3: Drive to WDW, Check in BCV
Fri 11/4: Epcot, Le Cellier
Sat 11/5: MK, Resort, Party For The Senses
Sun 11/6: MGM, Sci-Fi lunch, Spectromagic?, Comedy Warehouse?
Mon 11/7: AK, Comedy Warehouse
Tue 11/8: Any park, Comedy Warehouse
Wed 11/9: Epcot, Drive home
DAY 1 THURSDAY NOVEMBER 3, 2005:
Who: Sue (me – 46 for one last day), DVC Member
SB (Sexy Boyfriend – 48)
Plan: Drive to WDW, Check in BCV
Actual: Today I ended up working a full day, getting into work at 5:45 in the morning! My division was doing a breakfast sale to raise funds for hurricane Katrina victims and as the division director I wanted to be there with my staff – it was lots of fun, and we sold out of everything! With the early start, I was ready to leave about 2:30 pm, which worked out very well. I arrived on Disney property before 5:30 and quickly checked in at Beach Club Villas. I like that they give you a parking pass with your name on it, and give it to you at the security shack rather than at the front desk. I inquired about getting our Party for the Senses tickets at the front desk, and they suggested perhaps the concierge desk could help. I stopped there next, waited in line, and after the cast member tried several things he learned from his co-worker that they don’t print those tickets there. I was told to just show up at the event at Epcot and I’d be let in. Hmm, this is NOT the previous practice, and is NOT what my friend Pete was told when he called Disney last week to find out where to pick them up. We can look into that further tomorrow – right now I was just interested in getting to the studio.
After taking the wrong hallway I eventually found our studio – 3rd floor, non-smoking. We have a nice view of Spaceship Earth, assuming you don’t look down and just notice the service road! This is the dreaded service road view, lol! Oh well – it’s not like we’ll be sitting out there looking at the view (at least not now). The studio itself looks great – everything is clean, fresh, and appears to work. The carpet in the hallways seems to be badly in need of being replaced – it’s dirty-looking but I think it’s beyond being able to be cleaned. I went out to the car to bring in the rest of our stuff, and became thankful for my service road view rather than the extremely noisy “quiet” pool view!
After unpacking I talked to Dottie on the phone, talked to a couple people from back home, and updated this report. SB had business out of state and had left a week ago – he was flying in tonight and his plane was slightly early landing. I’d booked him on the Magical Express and by the time I finished unpacking he was already on the bus, on the way to the resort. When he got close he called me and I went down to meet him at the lobby. He was able to travel light, as I packed most of his stuff from our home – he just had to bring a few essentials as he’ll be returning out of state at the end of this trip.
We spent the rest of the evening relaxing in the studio. We ate some of the gazpacho I’d made last night, and we had some other food to go along with that. It’s a pain dragging food and drinks up to the studio, but it sure is nice to have them here so we don’t have to go out unless we want to!
Tomorrow will probably be an Epcot day, since we’ve got lunch booked at LeCellier. I’d rather go to Magic Kingdom, but it’s Extra Magic Hours in the morning and I don’t want to be there at 8 am! Getting there any later than that makes it not worth going at all. Hopefully we’ll run into some of our friends tomorrow, too!
DAY 2 FRIDAY NOVEMBER 4, 2005:
Who: Sue (me – 47 today), DVC Member
SB (Sexy Boyfriend – 48)
Plan: Epcot, LeCellier
Actual: With all the “relaxing” it was just after midnight before I settled down for some sleep (I remember him saying Happy Birthday before I fell asleep). He stayed up watching some movie that ended at 2 a.m. I’d set the alarm for 7 but got up at 6:30 instead. It’s really a shame we have this service road view, but what can you do?? Last night when we were laying in bed I had the main drapes open (the sheers were closed), and he said “this is going to sound weird, but I think I just saw a car go by”, lol! That’s when I told him we had service road view <g>. We could barely see the fireworks from our balcony, but we sure could hear them! No matter, as we’ll see them from Epcot after the party Saturday if we want to see them at all.
I showered, got online, and had some cappuccino & biscotti for breakfast. SB got up around 7:45 and went through his mail that I’d brought from home – then took his shower. We’ll grab him some breakfast in the park, since he’s more of an eggs/sausage person (as opposed to biscotti/cappuccino. We left the studio by 8:30, stopping first at the concierge desk in the lobby to see if they’d make a copy of his driver’s license (we needed it for his FL voter’s registration card application), then wandered into Epcot through the International Gateway.
There was no line at guest services, so we were able to get our FL Resident Seasonal Passes very quickly. I also got a birthday button. All day cast members and at times other guests would say happy birthday to me, which was fun. I thanked each one, and SB commented he’d never seen anyone eat up the attention as much as me <g>. Oh well, we’re entitled to feel special one day a year! I mainly got the button out of curiosity (I’d never gotten one before) but I’ll admit – I liked it enough to probably wear it during more of the trip.
At 8:45 they let us through the turnstiles and we sat on a bench under a tree until the rope dropped at the top of the hill at 9. Our first stop was Test Track, where we walked right on. We were seated with another couple, and SB loved the ride (especially the outdoor part). We went to the Land next and picked up fastpasses for Soarin’ for 10:15. SB was hungry so we stopped at the new Sunshine Seasons Food Court, which looks really nice since the rehab. Unfortunately they only had breakfast at the bakery, and it was only pastries. He needed eggs and sausage, so we walked over to the Electric Umbrella and got him the cheese omelet with sausage, potatoes & biscuit. It was actually quite good – and filled us both up.
We returned to the Land and had a very short wait for the Living With the Land boat ride. We got to see a blossom on a cotton bush, which was as pretty as a rose. In all my trips I’ve never seen that. After the ride we went right in to Soarin, and were seated in the 2nd row. We both loved it – SB said it was the coolest thing he’d ever seen. He grew up in California, so he was able to tell me where we were throughout the movie – when he wasn’t leaning over looking down to try to see how high we were <g>. We’ll definitely ride this again! We decided to finish up the Land by seeing the Circle of Life movie, which was pretty crowded.
Our next stop was Imagination – we did the ride first, which was pretty underwhelming. We’d seen Honey I Shrunk the Audience before but decided to see it again – it’s always fun. This time he wasn’t scared by the mice! We tried Living Seas, but when we got close to it we saw it was closed (or at least it appeared closed and we gave up). We had less than an hour available, so we went to Spaceship Earth instead.
After Spaceship Earth we headed to Canada and checked in at LeCellier 20 minutes early for our 1pm lunch seating. It was very busy in there, and they told us they were running right on time so it’d be 20 minutes before we were seated. We said no problem, got a beeper, and went outside. We walked up to the Canada Food & Wine kiosk and got a beer for SB and Riesling for me, then returned to sit on the bench right outside the LeCellier entrance. While we were sitting there Pete & Judy came out of the restaurant, so we stood around talking to them for quite a while. Around 1:15-1:20 we went back inside to sit in the air conditioning. We kept seeing people being seated ahead of us, and each time I’d check at the desk I’d get somewhat brushed off (saying they didn’t have the list – someone elsewhere did). SB asked one family being seated (at 1:26) what their time was – they replied 1:20. Finally sometime after 1:30 when I was checking yet again the person asked for my name, and was able to tell me they’d called us at 1:07 but we hadn’t responded. I showed her the beeper that still had not gone off, and asked that they seat us immediately. It was 1:45 before it actually happened, and when they brought the stack of cards (for seating) that included us I went back up to the desk and put ours on the top of the pile (SB got a kick out of that).
Our server was Lindsay and she was a delight. I did ask for the manager to come over, and explained what had happened so she would know how we were treated and what I thought should have been done differently. She apologized, and remembered our name because her staff had told her they’d been unable to find us (duh – perhaps setting off the beeper would have done the trick). She gave us a fastpass to be used wherever we chose, to make up for the time we’d lost. We thought that was a nice gesture!
Lunch was excellent, and I was relieved that after talking about LeCellier for so long and then having the awful experience getting seated, the food more than made up for it! SB got the beef barley soup and said it was the best he’s ever tasted. He also got the steakburger and more beer. I had the cheese soup, along with a glass of pinot grigio. With the Disney Dining Experience discount it was only about $30 before tip, which he thought was a very good value.
We were both stuffed – too much bread I think! He was more stuffed than me, and took a lot of teasing about how far apart his contractions were when he said his stomach was huge. It would have been nice to do a wine seminar or just wander the Food & Wine festival, but neither of us really had room at that point for food or wine. We walked back to the Beach Club Villas and returned to the studio. We watched General Hospital and laid around for a while. I updated the report, instant messaged with my friend Nancy for a while, and listened to several stories SB was telling me (he can be very funny, and has lived some very interesting experiences).
We thought about seeing a movie, or perhaps seeing the Chubby Checker concert, or maybe Comedy Warehouse – but weren’t really 100% committed to any particular thing. We ended up settling on a movie, so around 6:15 we left the studio and drove over to Downtown Disney. Parking was a bit of a challenge, but we managed. We had decided to see Dreamer (about the horse), which turned out to be an excellent movie! SB was surprised to see someone he used to play with in a small speaking role – after the movie he filled me in on Richie (Dick) Allen from the old days.
We discussed Comedy Warehouse briefly, but there was no way we’d make the next show, and waiting another hour for the one after that was just too long. Instead we returned to the studio at BCV and had some soup & wine for a late dinner (gazpacho for me, chunky chicken & dumplings for him).
Overall it was a terrific day. I loved the birthday attention in the park, and will wear the button again (I have no shame, lol). Being here with SB made it the best birthday yet – and I’m so happy we have the rest of the trip to look forward to still!
DAY 3 SATURDAY NOVEMBER 5, 2005:
Who: Sue (me – 47), DVC Member
SB (Sexy Boyfriend – 48)
Plan: MK, Resort, Party For The Senses
Actual: The alarm was set for 7 again, but I woke up earlier and wasn’t able to get back to sleep. I ended up getting up around 6, and hung out online for a while. Breakfast was cappuccino & biscotti again, and we were ready to leave the studio shortly after 8. We stopped at the front desk and shop to get a postage stamp, then mailed something from the lobby before heading to the bus stop. The MK bus arrived as we got there, but it was so crowded we had to stand. We got to the MK about 8:45 and sat on a bench outside the turnstile area until it was time to go in. Being Saturday, it was very crowded! However, the crowds once we were inside were quite nice until about 10:30 or so.
First stop was Space Mountain, where we just walked right on to the ride. They opened the other side just as we passed through the turnstile, so it was probably the shortest wait I’ve experienced there. SB loved the ride! Once we got outside we got fastpasses to return later. Next we rode Buzz Lightyear, where he beat me by a wide margin. Actually his score wasn’t all that impressive, but since I really suck at this he looked good by comparison! On the way out a cast member called me back in, after seeing the birthday button. He took out a gold pen and prepared a magical moments certificate for me, which was really nice!
We thought about doing the Pooh attraction, but the line was posted as a 20-minute wait and looked to be at least that long – so we passed it by. There was no wait at Snow White, so we hopped on that. Mickey’s Philharmagic was starting in 10 minutes so we did that next – that’s always enjoyable. Next was Small World – which looks terrific since they freshened it up. SB liked it – I was glad he didn’t hate it like my friend Tom <g>. Our last ride in this area was the Haunted Mansion, before returning to Tomorrowland to use our Space Mountain fastpasses. By this point we were eager to leave, as it was pretty mobbed. We stopped at Casey’s and shared a hot dog and fries, then left the park.
We took the monorails over to Epcot, and on our way through Future World ran into a player SB used to coach years ago. We stopped to make a lunch reservation for Tuesday, when we’re meeting my friend Nancy, then headed out to World Showcase for some eating & drinking. In Chile we each got a glass of the Casillero del Diablo Sauvignon Blanc, which we both liked. In Australia he enjoyed the shrimp on the Barbie. We also shared the Aussie beef tenderloin skewer, but both felt it should have been cooked longer. In Italy we shared the baked ziti carbonara, which was excellent! I also got the Caldirola moscato spumonte and he got a small Moretti beer. The spumonte was very sweet, but very good. We decided to save the rest of the kiosks for another day, but did get him a turkey leg and beer in America. Most of the turkey leg is in the fridge, but he can finish that some other time.
We left Epcot and returned to the resort, then I went out to the quiet pool for an hour while he napped and watched tv. I returned a little after 3, and we hung out in the studio until it was time to shower and head to Epcot for Party For The Senses. We met the others (Dottie & Joe, Rich & Deb, Chris, Gary & Becky, and Tina) at the bridge near Epcot and walked in together. Well, technically most of us walked in – we met Joe down by the dock since he decided to ride the boat over from Yacht Club <g>. It was busy getting into Epcot, which is normal for evenings during Food & Wine!
We headed over to the party location (old Millenium Village between United Kingdom & Canada) and got our wrist bands. The party was due to start at 6:30 but they actually let people in before that. SB & I went to sit on a bench for part of the wait – we found a bench facing the water and enjoyed the view. Except for the many other people passing through it was a nice romantic spot. About 6:15 or so we decided to join the others in line and saw there was no line – they’d let everyone inside!
Upon entering the building they had a large waiting/sitting area set up with sofas and other seating. Different colored drapes were hung, with everything having a black background. It looked really nice, and with the music and lighting it felt like we were entering a nightclub. On the way in they gave us each a plastic plate and our wineglass (we keep the glass). We wandered around inside until we found the others, who had found a table that seated all 10 of us!
There were a lot more tables than I expected, which was nice. Everything was spread out nicely so it usually wasn’t too difficult maneuvering around to get items. Performers from Cirque du Soleil were wandering or riding throughout the room, and their main performances were done on the big stage in the center of the room (right by our table). It was a really nice touch! The room was broken down into different sections by color, and the “menu” was coded the same way so it was fairly easy to find what you were looking for.
I’m not going to list all the food & wines, as that could take hours to type, lol. We didn’t try everything, but we ate a lot! The portions were similar to what you’d get at the Food & Wine Festival kiosks, but they can really add up. The wine portions for the most part were also small, but later into the party some places started pouring pretty heavily.
Here are some of the items I remember one or both of us trying.
Roasted pork loin on a cheddar cracker with chunky olive relish (Rose & Crown) – very good
Metro Bis Crab Cocktail – made with Grey Goose vodka – SB ate it
Fall Mushroom Tortellini w/hard cider glaze (Sci Fi)
Ginger-Citrus FL Shrimp Ceviche w/Avocado, Tomato & Crispy Malanga
Crab Cakes w/Black Beans, Jicama Salsa, & Smoked Pepper Aioli – SB liked it
Tenderloin w/Proscuitto, watercress roll, & goat cheese (Cinderella’s Castle) – very good
Toffee Banana Cake (MGM Studios) – yummy!
Tenderloin w/fontina cheese potatoes & mushroom sausage in flaky crust – didn’t care for it
Roasted lamb w/eggplant puree in phyllo baskets – ok but we were too full at that point
Lemon pepper crusted day boat scallops w/garlic and thyme-infused olive oil – not great
Balsamic chicken w/asiago pasta (Mama Melrose) – very good
Funny how my favorites were all from Disney chefs, but I guess I shouldn’t be surprised! It was great having the chance to try some things I might not otherwise encounter or dare to order. The wines were endless – I’ve never seen so many choices! I finally tried the ice wine they serve in Canada – it tasted good but I’m not sure I’d order it in a restaurant or buy it in the store. Sam Adams beers had several to choose from, and Remy Martin had a couple of choices as well. We ate, drank, talked, ate, drank, laughed, and ate & drank some more. I saw a few other dvc friends (Darla, Donna & Pat) and went over to their table to talk to them. SB came over to meet them – I won’t kid myself into thinking they were just glad to see me – they wanted to meet him, lol!
Joe got SB sharing some baseball stories – he’s got so many funny memories, and I love hearing them. Joe was having a great time, SB was being very candid, and whenever Joe’s jaw would drop in surprise at what he was hearing I’d push up on his chin to close his mouth (I was seated between the 2 of them), lol! The talk was so entertaining we missed the chance to go out to see Illuminations. I heard the fireworks, but we were having too much fun inside to get up and leave. We finally left when it became obvious they wanted us to leave, and walked back out of the park together. I don’t recall if the others continued with a party in the BW hot tub, but we were finished for the night.
We got back to the studio and unfortunately – I suddenly was sick. No doubt I drank more than I realized, and it caught up with me. Looking back, I realize now the wine glass is HUGE and I was drinking for about 3 hours. In any event, I spent some time on the bathroom floor – emptying the contents of my stomach. I haven’t been sick from drinking since I was in college, so this was all new for SB. He took good care of me, although he swears I was cursing at him whenever he’d try to pick me up to carry me out of the bathroom. I just remember everything hurt if I moved even slightly, and wasn’t about to get sick in our bed. Eventually I finished and got into bed, and fell asleep for the night. So, last year he took care of me when I had the leg injury and this year he dealt with my Party fiasco – hopefully next year’s Food & Wine trip will be less trouble (although he’s never complained)!
Tomorrow the plan was to spend the morning at MGM, and have lunch at Sci-Fi. I really wanted him to experience that place, but we ended up having to put it off until January. It took until noon before I could keep anything in my stomach, and longer to get my strength back.
We had a nice time at the MK today, and SB said he really liked it there. In fact, he’s liking WDW more and more – which I’m very happy about. I enjoyed the Party, but doubt I’d do it again – I think the memory of being sick this time would ruin it for me. I’d be afraid of losing track and over indulging again!
DAY 4 SUNDAY NOVEMBER 6, 2005:
Who: Sue (me – 47), DVC Member
SB (Sexy Boyfriend – 48)
Plan: MGM, Sci Fi lunch, Spectromagic?, Comedy Warehouse?
Actual: I slept well, and woke up feeling well. I didn’t get up until the alarm went off at 7, and soon discovered I felt well when I was laying in bed but soon started feeling sick again when I was up moving around. I showered and ended up back in bed to rest. Eventually I was able to dry my hair, then return to bed to rest some more. I tried drinking some water and a couple sips of cappuccino – but neither stayed down very long. When I was well enough, I got dressed – but still didn’t have the strength to leave the room. I finally admitted defeat, and gave up on the idea of eating at Sci Fi today (there was no way I’d have been able to eat). SB was happy to just relax in the room, so it worked out fine. I took a nap, and when I woke up around noon I felt better. I thought yogurt might be a good idea, so SB went down to the Marketplace in the resort to find some. To my surprise, they didn’t sell any containers of yogurt, but he brought back their version of a yogurt parfait and some chowder & roast beef sandwich for his lunch. The chowder looked kind of funny, but he said it was delicious! I wasn’t impressed with the yogurt parfait, but you can have them made to order during breakfast. This one had blueberries, raspberries & strawberries in it. I picked out the blueberries and the hairy raspberries, but ate the rest. Most importantly I kept it down!
After eating I think I napped again, then woke up and decided ice cream would hit the spot. I went down to the Marketplace and brought us each back a gelato – chocolate for him, pistachio for me. Getting out and walking was good medicine, and the gelato was excellent. I had to eat some of his on the way back because I was afraid it would melt <g>. We hung out in the studio until around 4, then ventured out to catch the boat to MGM Studios. We just missed it, so we walked over to the dock at the Swan/Dolphin to save time.
At MGM we found many attractions either already done for the day (Motor stunt show) or ending soon (Backlot Tour, Indiana Jones). We had 15 minutes to get to the final Backlot Tour of the day so we headed there first. I’m not impressed with the current water effects show, but SB seemed to like it. He also enjoyed seeing all of the props, loved Catastrophe Canyon, and overall found the attraction very interesting.
We went to the Great Movie Ride next, where we had to wait about 10 minutes or so. He LOVES movies, and I was sure he’d enjoy this attraction. We were fortunate to be seated in the 2nd row, behind the driver/guide. They must not be doing the western scene action any more, as only 2 cars were being used (1 set of 2 cars) and they stopped in the gangster scene. In any event, SB absolutely loved this ride. We tried Star Tours next, but with a 20-minute wait we decided to skip it since it’s basically a 3-minute attraction. Instead we walked in to the Sounds Dangerous show, which he also enjoyed. At this point the only other attraction still operating that we hadn’t done was MuppetVision (besides the 2 thrill rides I wouldn’t ride anyway. I was feeling tired and didn’t want to overdo it, so we decided to leave the park.
We must have just missed the boat, so we sat on the bench to wait for the next boat’s arrival. We got off at the Yacht Club and had dinner at Yacht Club Galley. We were able to be seated immediately, and had excellent food & service. I got the mixed greens salad, which was very good. I also had several bites of SB’s bacon cheeseburger & fries – which were also great. We had no room for dessert, and were back in the studio before 8:30. We spent the rest of the evening relaxing together – hopefully I’ll be asleep early, while he’s watching the rest of a football game on tv.
Well, the day was not like I planned it, but if I ignore the sick part it was a very nice day. Of course, any day we’re together is a great day, and being able to spend our time here makes it even more special. Tomorrow I should be back to 100% and we’ll finally make it to Comedy Warehouse!
DAY 5 MONDAY NOVEMBER 7, 2005:
Who: Sue (me – 47), DVC Member
SB (Sexy Boyfriend – 48)
Plan: AK, Comedy Warehouse
Actual: We both slept well again last night. There’s been virtually no noise from outside the studio heard in here the whole trip, which is nice. Wish I could say the same for my OKW stays! I got up around 6:30 and went online while SB slept longer. I should have gone jogging, as I’ve neglected training this entire trip. Oh well, there’s always tomorrow <g>. I showered, dressed and had some cappuccino & biscotti for breakfast, all while SB snoozed away. I figured he’d either be up on his own or I’d wake him up about 8 or so – he doesn’t take long to get ready.
SB got up at 8 and went to use the bathroom. While he was in there I made the bed. I was just finishing, when he came back from the bathroom and pulled back the covers and got back into bed! I was ready to kill him, lol! These early mornings (8 is early for him) are a bit tough for him, but today is our last day we need to be out early. Tomorrow we can start out whenever he wants, since we will have hit each park early once already (except MGM, but we did the highlights last night). We were out the door by 8:30, to get the bus to Animal Kingdom.
The bus arrived shortly after we got there, and was not even half full after we loaded. It didn’t stop at BW, but went directly to the park. We got through security and were inside the park about 5 minutes before the opening ceremony. Once that was done we headed to Dinoland and walked onto Primeval Whirl. I love this ride, but SB didn’t want to ride it again. The spinning took him by surprise, and it was pretty rough & jerky. What a way to start the day, lol! From there we went over to Dinosaur and rode that.
We left Dinoland and walked over to Harambe to pick up fastpasses for the safari (10:15). We had about 40 minutes to kill, so we went into Tusker House for his breakfast – scrambled eggs, sausage, hash browns & biscuit. I ate a few bites – it wasn’t bad. As far as I know, it’s the only counter service place in the park that serves breakfast (besides pastries). At 10:15 we got in the safari line, and enjoyed a great ride. He really enjoyed this attraction, too. Our last stop was the Festival of the Lion King show, so we headed to Camp Minnie Mickey. We had 50 minutes to wait, so we sat on a bench for about half an hour, then got in line to enter the theater. This is such a great show – I don’t see it every trip, but thoroughly enjoyed it. SB was quite impressed at the quality of the show, and also enjoyed it. We left the park at this point, and caught a bus to Epcot.
We headed first to Soarin’, where we used the fastpass we’d gotten in LeCellier the other day. The posted standby time was 60 minutes, and fastpasses were available for 6:45 tonight (it was just before 1pm now). While in line we had a major DORK encounter – this guy in the next row was asking if there were peanuts and drinks served on this flight – we tried not to gag out loud <g>. He kept on chattering, being the type of person who knows something about everything and feels the need to be telling people what to do. SB called him an out-of-work comedian. Once again, the ride was awesome – we both really enjoy this and would love it if it lasted an hour or more (with additional scenery).
After Soarin’ we went out to World Showcase for some food & wine. We stopped at the fish & chips place in United Kingdom for SB’s lunch, and I headed into France to get us drinks and something to eat for me. On the way I ran into Greg & Nicola from the United Kingdom (mad4wdw) and stopped to chat with them. Once I got to France I was unable to get SB’s beer and my wine because they only sell 1 drink per person. Grrrr. I got his beer and went back to the UK, where he was still standing in line. I went to get a table, but he thought I meant I was going back to France. I waited for him, then the phone rang – he was in France wondering where I was (I was in UK next to the fish & chips place). I walked over and joined him, getting a glass of Sparr Riesling, the quiche lorraine and chocolate crème brulee. I forgot quiche lorraine has ham in it, and I hate ham. I picked out most of the ham and ate the rest – it wasn’t bad. The crème brulee was very good, but a larger portion than I expected or needed. I ate every bite, though!
We moved to a table that had a great breeze, right by the water. At some point I went to Morrocco and brought back lemon chicken for him and pistachio baklava for me. We got beer for him and kir royal for me from the booth next to our table in France. It was so pleasant being there together, just hanging out and enjoying each other’s company in such a nice place. The chicken was excellent, and the baklava I brought back to the room for a snack later. After about an hour we decided to return to the studio, and ran into Rich, Deb, Gary & Becky as we left Epcot.
We caught the last half of General Hospital and spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing in the studio. Around 7 we drove over to Downtown Disney, stopping for gas at the Hess station across from Pleasure Island. After parking in the usual lot we had no wait at the ticket booth to buy my 2-person annual pass. This pass is a little cheaper than buying 2 separate annual passes, and SB isn’t likely to be here without me. Once the pass was bought we walked over to the Marketplace so I could buy a new baseball Mickey antenna topper in Team Mickey. My last one had gotten faded, and hurricane Wilma blew it away when my car was parked outside at work during the storm. The Marketplace was relatively uncrowded but it seemed busy to SB – he’s not good with crowds and hates shopping, so I didn’t even suggest we do any of the wandering around I usually do.
We returned to Pleasure Island and got our wristbands at the Adventurer’s Club, then stopped at Missing Link to get a chili dog for dinner. I’d over estimated the amount of time we needed to get everything done, so we stood around waiting for about 20 minutes or so. Once we were inside the Comedy Warehouse I was shocked to find they’re selling draft beer for $2! It seemed like they were selling a lot of it, too – at that price it’s no wonder. Carol Stein was on the keys tonight, and the 8:15 cast was Philip, Mary, Brian, Christine & Matt. The show went by really quickly! After the opening phone interview they did Fill in the Blank with 2 audience volunteers. Brian and Matt were 2 actors working as pirates in a shopping mall. Philip came in as a fan of Brian’s former tv show “Dawg” and Mary was a food court girl who looked like Cat Stevens.
Next they did Up Your Alley about rap stars. Matt hosted as Pastor John Merriweather. Christine was Rita Wilson – not Tom Hanks’ wife, but a Sweet Adeline who got her group to sing Adeline songs in the style of rap. Mary was a detective for rap groups – named Lil Dick (she stressed it wasn’t Little Dick <g>). Philip was a geeky guy named Toby, who is a seasonal worker at JC Penney wrapping Christmas presents. They all did a good job, and it was pretty funny. They closed with a blues song about a woman who didn’t get paid by a customer for some anodized aluminum work.
After the show we visited with Mary for a while, then returned to the resort. Tomorrow we’ll stay for more shows, but tonight we planned an early night. Overall it was another wonderful day! We saw & did quite a bit, and it’s been a while since I’ve spent so many hours of a day inside the parks. Tomorrow we may just hang out at the resort until we meet Nancy for lunch, but we’ll see.
DAY 6 TUESDAY NOVEMBER 8, 2005:
Who: Sue (me – 47), DVC Member
SB (Sexy Boyfriend – 48)
Plan: Any park, Comedy Warehouse
Actual: Today was a lazy day. I was up sometime after 7, and SB was awake not too long after that. We talked about what to do and ended up hanging out in the studio watching movies all morning. We got our stuff packed up – sorting out which of his things he’d take with him and which I’d take home. I stopped by the concierge to get his boarding pass for tomorrow printed (he’s got work to do out of state).
Around 12:30 we left the studio and stopped first at Old Key West to drop off a bottle of vanilla (from Cozumel) for my friends Tom & Leanne who are arriving there this Friday. From there we drove to Wilderness Lodge and waited for Nancy in the lobby. She arrived a few minutes after we got there, and we were all seated promptly. Whispering Canyon Café was quite active and loud today, which is the way it’s supposed to be! All of the cast members were really getting into the fun. I ordered the nachos, which I ended up not really liking very much. They cooled quickly and were somewhat greasy at that point, so I left most of them. SB helped a little, but not enough to finish them. He & Nancy both ordered the bottomless skillet meal (ribs, chicken, corn, beans, slaw, corn bread, sausage, mashed potatoes) and lemonade. After SB said yes to his third refill on the lemonade, our server brought him a 1.5 quart jar full, with 2 big straws pieced together and slammed it on the table in front of him, lol! Nancy & I had a good laugh over that <g>. We had a great lunch, and had plenty to eat. Nancy got a dessert to take home (caramel apple pie – looked yummy), but SB & I didn’t bother.
We headed out of the resort and stopped to see Nancy’s new Mustang – really cool car! We said our goodbyes and headed back to Beach Club Villas. SB felt too full to do anything when we were at the restaurant, but once we got back to the resort he felt better. Oh well – it would have been nice to pop over to the MK but it’s not worth going from here for such a short time. Instead, I decided to walk over to Epcot while SB hung out online in the studio. I absolutely LOVE it here this time of year – the weather was perfect, and it was a gorgeous day for strolling around World Showcase!
I stopped in Germany and got a glass of spatlese for me and a piece of apple strudel for SB. Juggling the 2 I had to walk a bit slower, then sat in Morocco or France until I finished my wine. Before I left France I bought another chocolate crème brulee for me, and brought it back to the studio. SB ate his apple strudel right away, then we spent time relaxing together. I ended up eating the crème brulee for dinner <g> and we hung out in the studio until we left for Downtown Disney around 7:30.
We got our wrist bands at Adventurer’s Club, then met Leesa and sat inside for a little while. Eventually we went back outside to wait, then went inside Comedy Warehouse for the first show. Jim Roberts was on the keys tonight. The 8:15 cast was Joy, Mary, Philip, Jake & Krista. They opened with a cute poem called “My donut is soggy” – leaving us all never wanting to eat a donut again! Next Jake led the others in a 1-act play where Krista & Philip were in Mr. Rogers’ neighborhood. They were left alone when everyone else went to Sesame Street, so they followed over there and met Joy as Big Bird. They got there by following the yellow brick road, and Philip was the cowardly lion and Krista was Toto. Mary came into the scene as a smoking Mr. Rogers, just out of or going into rehab for his addictions. It was a funny scene!
Schmeopardy was next, hosted by Philip as Bob HeadLooksLikeANipple. Joy was a toothpick maker named Loretta. She was from the south and made toothpicks of varying thicknesses depending on the width of the gap between customers’ teeth. Mary was Christina Cranium, a phrenologist. Jake was Happy Johanson, a trolley bus driver from Dayton Ohio. Overall it was a very good show – great start to the evening. SB & I ran over to Missing Link for a burger between shows, then met up with Patty & Cary outside Comedy Warehouse. They joined us for the next show – it was great seeing both of them even though it was brief!
The 9:15 cast was Mary, Philip, Matt, Jake & Joy. This show was Conducted Story, and it was excellent! It was led by Joy and titled “Rough Time in the Bayou”. Jake died first, doing a dramatic death by pez dispenser. Mary died by toothbrush in a 3-way dubbing death. Philip spoke for her, she spoke for Jake, and Jake spoke for Philip. It was really funny, as it always is when one actor is speaking for or controlling another! Time was running out, so Matt died an Agatha Christie death (lights go out, gunshot is heard, lights come up & we see Matt dead on the floor). Philip then wrapped up the story. It was a wonderful show – I’m glad I got to see one of my favorite structures.
We visited with Mary after the show for a while, and she & Patty gave me the perfect birthday gift (thanks again ladies). Eventually we said goodbye to everyone and headed back to Beach Club Villas for the last time this trip. We relaxed in the room awhile, since we’d taken care of the packing earlier in the day.
We didn’t do a heck of a lot today, but enjoyed ourselves very much. Lunch with Nancy was fun, and I was glad she & SB finally got to meet. Comedy Warehouse was a great way to end the trip, sharing it with friends who also love the place. Even my solo time at Epcot was very pleasant. I just wish we didn’t have to leave – but then, everyone wishes that!
DAY 7 WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 9, 2005:
Who: Sue (me – 47), DVC Member
SB (Sexy Boyfriend – 48)
Plan: Epcot, Drive home
Actual: Today was the dreaded departure day, and making it worse was knowing SB had to return to some work commitments before he could join me at home – he’ll be gone a month. I was glad he was able to take this week to get down here, though. We were up early and spent a fairly leisurely morning in the studio. I had some cappuccino & biscotti, and made him some hot chocolate. Just before 9 we walked to the front of the resort to wait for his Magical Express bus. We said our goodbyes and I returned to the room to pack up the few remaining items and store them in the car before walking into Epcot one last time.
It was another gorgeous day, and crowds weren’t too bad. I decided against Soarin’ since that was SB’s favorite and it just didn’t feel right riding it without him today. Instead I went to Test Track and did the single rider line over there. I got out around 10:15 and decided to do Spaceship Earth before the 11am wine seminar (champagne) at the Festival Welcome Center. The line took 5-10 minutes before I was on the ride, and then about half way through the ride came to a complete stop for about 20 minutes or so. It stopped again briefly later, and when I got off the ride and ran over to the wine seminar it had already started (and was full). Damn – I didn’t bother with any all week, figuring I’d do one today, but it evidently wasn’t meant to be.
Since it was after 11 I headed out to World Showcase, starting in Mexico. At the Mexico booth I got the chicken/sausage/cheese quesadilla and decided to get a glass of wine here rather than walking to another stand. The quesadilla was excellent, but the sauvignon blanc was just ok. I sat on a bench in the shade, and talked to SB on the phone. Two hours earlier he was Mr. Tough Guy, telling me not to be sad because these next weeks would pass quickly – now he’s on the phone complaining of being lonely & missing me <g>. Men – they’re not as tough as they’d like you to think they are!
I continued walking over to Ireland and asked if I could get the flourless chocolate cake without the Irish whiskey sauce, and they said yes. The cake was very good, but it really needs to be sold closer to the Rosa Regale <g>, or with a little raspberry sauce. I don’t like alcohol in my desserts, so the whiskey would have kept me from ordering the cake if I couldn’t get it plain. When I finished the cake I decided to hit the road, so I walked back towards the International Gateway (stopping in Canada for a piece of maple walnut fudge to eat in the car) and back to Beach Club Villas. Traffic was light going home, but there were LOTS of cops pulling people over in the WDW vicinity out on I-4. Be careful, especially if you’re driving between WDW and Tampa!
SUMMARY:
This was a wonderful trip, and we both had a great time. We never did get to Spectromagic, Illuminations, Sci-Fi, Motor stunt show, and other sections of the parks. However, we don’t regret missing anything because we loved what we did do and know we’ll be back. We’re going to repeat BCV next November for Food & Wine again.
Soarin’ was definitely the favorite attraction for both of us, but the best part of the trip was simply spending time together even just sitting on a bench or at a table sharing some food and wine/beer. We only made it to Comedy Warehouse twice, but the shows were great both nights, and we enjoyed spending time with friends there. The Party For The Senses was incredible, and something I’m glad we did even though I don’t want to repeat it. Anyone who hasn’t done it yet really should give it a try.
One thing SB noticed was the large number of very overweight people at WDW, particularly those in scooters. He’s a big guy himself, and this was a real wake-up call for him. While his size doesn’t bother me at all, I want him healthy for a very long time – and appreciate his desire to get more fit.
Our next trip won’t be until January, when we spend a few nights at OKW before I do the half-marathon and then leave on a 4-night Wonder cruise. I’ll have a solo trip staying offsite for 4 nights over the Thanksgiving holiday. I never booked anything until about a week ago, so nothing was available in the DVC or other WDW resorts. I figure as long as we have to spend the holiday apart this year, I might as well take myself to WDW and get to see some of the holiday decorations.
Until next time, thanks for reading!
Sue Holland
Time of Year: Fall
Travel Method: Personal car
Resort: BCV
Accommodations: Standard rooms
Ages Represented in Group: Adult
WDW Experience Represented in Group: Infrequent, Veteran, DVC Member
Comments: Sue's annual trip to the Food & Wine Festival; this time around she finally attends the Party for the Senses and also gets to spend more time with her beau at the parks.
Sue Holland -- November 2005 - Walt Disney World (BCV)
Note: As Sue spent time at Pleasure Island and in other adult venues on this trip, this report has some information that may not be appropriate for young readers.
Who/When/Where:
Who:
Sue (me – turning 47), DVC member
SB (Sexy Boyfriend – 48)
Dates: November 3 - 9, 2005
Travel Method: Personal car
Resort: Disney’s Beach Club Villas Resort
Experience: Frequent Guest (Sue), 3rd Visit (SB)
INTRODUCTION:
Finally my Food & Wine trip is here! This is the trip I most look forward to each year, and this year in particular it’s extra special because my time at WDW has been so limited and also because I’m looking forward to showing SB more of it. He’s only seen a few things at Epcot, and of course Comedy Warehouse. He loved what he saw last year, so this year we’ll spend more time in the parks and do a few special things. Mostly we’ll just enjoy being here together – he knows how important WDW is to me.
The big special thing was booking the Party For The Senses for Saturday night. Several DVC friends SB met last year are also attending, so it should be a lot of fun. It’ll be my first time attending, and I’m sure he’ll love all the different food to try. I’d printed out the list of items from an earlier date and when he saw it he thought it looked really great! After all my trips, I’m excited to be doing something new, too – and especially sharing the new memory with him.
Other priorities are to see the new Soarin’ attraction at Epcot, perhaps Spectromagic at the Magic Kingdom one night, several Comedy Warehouse shows, and to spend time in all 4 theme parks. We’re sure to have plenty of relaxing time built in, as neither of us likes crowds or lines – I don’t see us wanting to spend an entire day in a park! We weren’t going to make any advance dining plans, but since the free dining plan has made restaurants so popular I did book a couple of lunches. LeCellier is booked for my birthday, since it’s my favorite restaurant and we didn’t get there during last year’s trip (the wait was too long). I also booked Sci-Fi Dine Inn for Sunday, thinking he’d get a kick out of the place (plus he’s a big movie fan – even those god-awful sci-fi flicks <g>). He’s a bigger eater than me, so I’m bringing some homemade gazpacho and sandwich stuff so we don’t have to eat dinners out every night. For me 1 restaurant meal a day is more than enough food, so this way he can be fed without me having to be overfed!
The current plans (subject to change) so far...
Thu 11/3: Drive to WDW, Check in BCV
Fri 11/4: Epcot, Le Cellier
Sat 11/5: MK, Resort, Party For The Senses
Sun 11/6: MGM, Sci-Fi lunch, Spectromagic?, Comedy Warehouse?
Mon 11/7: AK, Comedy Warehouse
Tue 11/8: Any park, Comedy Warehouse
Wed 11/9: Epcot, Drive home
DAY 1 THURSDAY NOVEMBER 3, 2005:
Who: Sue (me – 46 for one last day), DVC Member
SB (Sexy Boyfriend – 48)
Plan: Drive to WDW, Check in BCV
Actual: Today I ended up working a full day, getting into work at 5:45 in the morning! My division was doing a breakfast sale to raise funds for hurricane Katrina victims and as the division director I wanted to be there with my staff – it was lots of fun, and we sold out of everything! With the early start, I was ready to leave about 2:30 pm, which worked out very well. I arrived on Disney property before 5:30 and quickly checked in at Beach Club Villas. I like that they give you a parking pass with your name on it, and give it to you at the security shack rather than at the front desk. I inquired about getting our Party for the Senses tickets at the front desk, and they suggested perhaps the concierge desk could help. I stopped there next, waited in line, and after the cast member tried several things he learned from his co-worker that they don’t print those tickets there. I was told to just show up at the event at Epcot and I’d be let in. Hmm, this is NOT the previous practice, and is NOT what my friend Pete was told when he called Disney last week to find out where to pick them up. We can look into that further tomorrow – right now I was just interested in getting to the studio.
After taking the wrong hallway I eventually found our studio – 3rd floor, non-smoking. We have a nice view of Spaceship Earth, assuming you don’t look down and just notice the service road! This is the dreaded service road view, lol! Oh well – it’s not like we’ll be sitting out there looking at the view (at least not now). The studio itself looks great – everything is clean, fresh, and appears to work. The carpet in the hallways seems to be badly in need of being replaced – it’s dirty-looking but I think it’s beyond being able to be cleaned. I went out to the car to bring in the rest of our stuff, and became thankful for my service road view rather than the extremely noisy “quiet” pool view!
After unpacking I talked to Dottie on the phone, talked to a couple people from back home, and updated this report. SB had business out of state and had left a week ago – he was flying in tonight and his plane was slightly early landing. I’d booked him on the Magical Express and by the time I finished unpacking he was already on the bus, on the way to the resort. When he got close he called me and I went down to meet him at the lobby. He was able to travel light, as I packed most of his stuff from our home – he just had to bring a few essentials as he’ll be returning out of state at the end of this trip.
We spent the rest of the evening relaxing in the studio. We ate some of the gazpacho I’d made last night, and we had some other food to go along with that. It’s a pain dragging food and drinks up to the studio, but it sure is nice to have them here so we don’t have to go out unless we want to!
Tomorrow will probably be an Epcot day, since we’ve got lunch booked at LeCellier. I’d rather go to Magic Kingdom, but it’s Extra Magic Hours in the morning and I don’t want to be there at 8 am! Getting there any later than that makes it not worth going at all. Hopefully we’ll run into some of our friends tomorrow, too!
DAY 2 FRIDAY NOVEMBER 4, 2005:
Who: Sue (me – 47 today), DVC Member
SB (Sexy Boyfriend – 48)
Plan: Epcot, LeCellier
Actual: With all the “relaxing” it was just after midnight before I settled down for some sleep (I remember him saying Happy Birthday before I fell asleep). He stayed up watching some movie that ended at 2 a.m. I’d set the alarm for 7 but got up at 6:30 instead. It’s really a shame we have this service road view, but what can you do?? Last night when we were laying in bed I had the main drapes open (the sheers were closed), and he said “this is going to sound weird, but I think I just saw a car go by”, lol! That’s when I told him we had service road view <g>. We could barely see the fireworks from our balcony, but we sure could hear them! No matter, as we’ll see them from Epcot after the party Saturday if we want to see them at all.
I showered, got online, and had some cappuccino & biscotti for breakfast. SB got up around 7:45 and went through his mail that I’d brought from home – then took his shower. We’ll grab him some breakfast in the park, since he’s more of an eggs/sausage person (as opposed to biscotti/cappuccino. We left the studio by 8:30, stopping first at the concierge desk in the lobby to see if they’d make a copy of his driver’s license (we needed it for his FL voter’s registration card application), then wandered into Epcot through the International Gateway.
There was no line at guest services, so we were able to get our FL Resident Seasonal Passes very quickly. I also got a birthday button. All day cast members and at times other guests would say happy birthday to me, which was fun. I thanked each one, and SB commented he’d never seen anyone eat up the attention as much as me <g>. Oh well, we’re entitled to feel special one day a year! I mainly got the button out of curiosity (I’d never gotten one before) but I’ll admit – I liked it enough to probably wear it during more of the trip.
At 8:45 they let us through the turnstiles and we sat on a bench under a tree until the rope dropped at the top of the hill at 9. Our first stop was Test Track, where we walked right on. We were seated with another couple, and SB loved the ride (especially the outdoor part). We went to the Land next and picked up fastpasses for Soarin’ for 10:15. SB was hungry so we stopped at the new Sunshine Seasons Food Court, which looks really nice since the rehab. Unfortunately they only had breakfast at the bakery, and it was only pastries. He needed eggs and sausage, so we walked over to the Electric Umbrella and got him the cheese omelet with sausage, potatoes & biscuit. It was actually quite good – and filled us both up.
We returned to the Land and had a very short wait for the Living With the Land boat ride. We got to see a blossom on a cotton bush, which was as pretty as a rose. In all my trips I’ve never seen that. After the ride we went right in to Soarin, and were seated in the 2nd row. We both loved it – SB said it was the coolest thing he’d ever seen. He grew up in California, so he was able to tell me where we were throughout the movie – when he wasn’t leaning over looking down to try to see how high we were <g>. We’ll definitely ride this again! We decided to finish up the Land by seeing the Circle of Life movie, which was pretty crowded.
Our next stop was Imagination – we did the ride first, which was pretty underwhelming. We’d seen Honey I Shrunk the Audience before but decided to see it again – it’s always fun. This time he wasn’t scared by the mice! We tried Living Seas, but when we got close to it we saw it was closed (or at least it appeared closed and we gave up). We had less than an hour available, so we went to Spaceship Earth instead.
After Spaceship Earth we headed to Canada and checked in at LeCellier 20 minutes early for our 1pm lunch seating. It was very busy in there, and they told us they were running right on time so it’d be 20 minutes before we were seated. We said no problem, got a beeper, and went outside. We walked up to the Canada Food & Wine kiosk and got a beer for SB and Riesling for me, then returned to sit on the bench right outside the LeCellier entrance. While we were sitting there Pete & Judy came out of the restaurant, so we stood around talking to them for quite a while. Around 1:15-1:20 we went back inside to sit in the air conditioning. We kept seeing people being seated ahead of us, and each time I’d check at the desk I’d get somewhat brushed off (saying they didn’t have the list – someone elsewhere did). SB asked one family being seated (at 1:26) what their time was – they replied 1:20. Finally sometime after 1:30 when I was checking yet again the person asked for my name, and was able to tell me they’d called us at 1:07 but we hadn’t responded. I showed her the beeper that still had not gone off, and asked that they seat us immediately. It was 1:45 before it actually happened, and when they brought the stack of cards (for seating) that included us I went back up to the desk and put ours on the top of the pile (SB got a kick out of that).
Our server was Lindsay and she was a delight. I did ask for the manager to come over, and explained what had happened so she would know how we were treated and what I thought should have been done differently. She apologized, and remembered our name because her staff had told her they’d been unable to find us (duh – perhaps setting off the beeper would have done the trick). She gave us a fastpass to be used wherever we chose, to make up for the time we’d lost. We thought that was a nice gesture!
Lunch was excellent, and I was relieved that after talking about LeCellier for so long and then having the awful experience getting seated, the food more than made up for it! SB got the beef barley soup and said it was the best he’s ever tasted. He also got the steakburger and more beer. I had the cheese soup, along with a glass of pinot grigio. With the Disney Dining Experience discount it was only about $30 before tip, which he thought was a very good value.
We were both stuffed – too much bread I think! He was more stuffed than me, and took a lot of teasing about how far apart his contractions were when he said his stomach was huge. It would have been nice to do a wine seminar or just wander the Food & Wine festival, but neither of us really had room at that point for food or wine. We walked back to the Beach Club Villas and returned to the studio. We watched General Hospital and laid around for a while. I updated the report, instant messaged with my friend Nancy for a while, and listened to several stories SB was telling me (he can be very funny, and has lived some very interesting experiences).
We thought about seeing a movie, or perhaps seeing the Chubby Checker concert, or maybe Comedy Warehouse – but weren’t really 100% committed to any particular thing. We ended up settling on a movie, so around 6:15 we left the studio and drove over to Downtown Disney. Parking was a bit of a challenge, but we managed. We had decided to see Dreamer (about the horse), which turned out to be an excellent movie! SB was surprised to see someone he used to play with in a small speaking role – after the movie he filled me in on Richie (Dick) Allen from the old days.
We discussed Comedy Warehouse briefly, but there was no way we’d make the next show, and waiting another hour for the one after that was just too long. Instead we returned to the studio at BCV and had some soup & wine for a late dinner (gazpacho for me, chunky chicken & dumplings for him).
Overall it was a terrific day. I loved the birthday attention in the park, and will wear the button again (I have no shame, lol). Being here with SB made it the best birthday yet – and I’m so happy we have the rest of the trip to look forward to still!
DAY 3 SATURDAY NOVEMBER 5, 2005:
Who: Sue (me – 47), DVC Member
SB (Sexy Boyfriend – 48)
Plan: MK, Resort, Party For The Senses
Actual: The alarm was set for 7 again, but I woke up earlier and wasn’t able to get back to sleep. I ended up getting up around 6, and hung out online for a while. Breakfast was cappuccino & biscotti again, and we were ready to leave the studio shortly after 8. We stopped at the front desk and shop to get a postage stamp, then mailed something from the lobby before heading to the bus stop. The MK bus arrived as we got there, but it was so crowded we had to stand. We got to the MK about 8:45 and sat on a bench outside the turnstile area until it was time to go in. Being Saturday, it was very crowded! However, the crowds once we were inside were quite nice until about 10:30 or so.
First stop was Space Mountain, where we just walked right on to the ride. They opened the other side just as we passed through the turnstile, so it was probably the shortest wait I’ve experienced there. SB loved the ride! Once we got outside we got fastpasses to return later. Next we rode Buzz Lightyear, where he beat me by a wide margin. Actually his score wasn’t all that impressive, but since I really suck at this he looked good by comparison! On the way out a cast member called me back in, after seeing the birthday button. He took out a gold pen and prepared a magical moments certificate for me, which was really nice!
We thought about doing the Pooh attraction, but the line was posted as a 20-minute wait and looked to be at least that long – so we passed it by. There was no wait at Snow White, so we hopped on that. Mickey’s Philharmagic was starting in 10 minutes so we did that next – that’s always enjoyable. Next was Small World – which looks terrific since they freshened it up. SB liked it – I was glad he didn’t hate it like my friend Tom <g>. Our last ride in this area was the Haunted Mansion, before returning to Tomorrowland to use our Space Mountain fastpasses. By this point we were eager to leave, as it was pretty mobbed. We stopped at Casey’s and shared a hot dog and fries, then left the park.
We took the monorails over to Epcot, and on our way through Future World ran into a player SB used to coach years ago. We stopped to make a lunch reservation for Tuesday, when we’re meeting my friend Nancy, then headed out to World Showcase for some eating & drinking. In Chile we each got a glass of the Casillero del Diablo Sauvignon Blanc, which we both liked. In Australia he enjoyed the shrimp on the Barbie. We also shared the Aussie beef tenderloin skewer, but both felt it should have been cooked longer. In Italy we shared the baked ziti carbonara, which was excellent! I also got the Caldirola moscato spumonte and he got a small Moretti beer. The spumonte was very sweet, but very good. We decided to save the rest of the kiosks for another day, but did get him a turkey leg and beer in America. Most of the turkey leg is in the fridge, but he can finish that some other time.
We left Epcot and returned to the resort, then I went out to the quiet pool for an hour while he napped and watched tv. I returned a little after 3, and we hung out in the studio until it was time to shower and head to Epcot for Party For The Senses. We met the others (Dottie & Joe, Rich & Deb, Chris, Gary & Becky, and Tina) at the bridge near Epcot and walked in together. Well, technically most of us walked in – we met Joe down by the dock since he decided to ride the boat over from Yacht Club <g>. It was busy getting into Epcot, which is normal for evenings during Food & Wine!
We headed over to the party location (old Millenium Village between United Kingdom & Canada) and got our wrist bands. The party was due to start at 6:30 but they actually let people in before that. SB & I went to sit on a bench for part of the wait – we found a bench facing the water and enjoyed the view. Except for the many other people passing through it was a nice romantic spot. About 6:15 or so we decided to join the others in line and saw there was no line – they’d let everyone inside!
Upon entering the building they had a large waiting/sitting area set up with sofas and other seating. Different colored drapes were hung, with everything having a black background. It looked really nice, and with the music and lighting it felt like we were entering a nightclub. On the way in they gave us each a plastic plate and our wineglass (we keep the glass). We wandered around inside until we found the others, who had found a table that seated all 10 of us!
There were a lot more tables than I expected, which was nice. Everything was spread out nicely so it usually wasn’t too difficult maneuvering around to get items. Performers from Cirque du Soleil were wandering or riding throughout the room, and their main performances were done on the big stage in the center of the room (right by our table). It was a really nice touch! The room was broken down into different sections by color, and the “menu” was coded the same way so it was fairly easy to find what you were looking for.
I’m not going to list all the food & wines, as that could take hours to type, lol. We didn’t try everything, but we ate a lot! The portions were similar to what you’d get at the Food & Wine Festival kiosks, but they can really add up. The wine portions for the most part were also small, but later into the party some places started pouring pretty heavily.
Here are some of the items I remember one or both of us trying.
Roasted pork loin on a cheddar cracker with chunky olive relish (Rose & Crown) – very good
Metro Bis Crab Cocktail – made with Grey Goose vodka – SB ate it
Fall Mushroom Tortellini w/hard cider glaze (Sci Fi)
Ginger-Citrus FL Shrimp Ceviche w/Avocado, Tomato & Crispy Malanga
Crab Cakes w/Black Beans, Jicama Salsa, & Smoked Pepper Aioli – SB liked it
Tenderloin w/Proscuitto, watercress roll, & goat cheese (Cinderella’s Castle) – very good
Toffee Banana Cake (MGM Studios) – yummy!
Tenderloin w/fontina cheese potatoes & mushroom sausage in flaky crust – didn’t care for it
Roasted lamb w/eggplant puree in phyllo baskets – ok but we were too full at that point
Lemon pepper crusted day boat scallops w/garlic and thyme-infused olive oil – not great
Balsamic chicken w/asiago pasta (Mama Melrose) – very good
Funny how my favorites were all from Disney chefs, but I guess I shouldn’t be surprised! It was great having the chance to try some things I might not otherwise encounter or dare to order. The wines were endless – I’ve never seen so many choices! I finally tried the ice wine they serve in Canada – it tasted good but I’m not sure I’d order it in a restaurant or buy it in the store. Sam Adams beers had several to choose from, and Remy Martin had a couple of choices as well. We ate, drank, talked, ate, drank, laughed, and ate & drank some more. I saw a few other dvc friends (Darla, Donna & Pat) and went over to their table to talk to them. SB came over to meet them – I won’t kid myself into thinking they were just glad to see me – they wanted to meet him, lol!
Joe got SB sharing some baseball stories – he’s got so many funny memories, and I love hearing them. Joe was having a great time, SB was being very candid, and whenever Joe’s jaw would drop in surprise at what he was hearing I’d push up on his chin to close his mouth (I was seated between the 2 of them), lol! The talk was so entertaining we missed the chance to go out to see Illuminations. I heard the fireworks, but we were having too much fun inside to get up and leave. We finally left when it became obvious they wanted us to leave, and walked back out of the park together. I don’t recall if the others continued with a party in the BW hot tub, but we were finished for the night.
We got back to the studio and unfortunately – I suddenly was sick. No doubt I drank more than I realized, and it caught up with me. Looking back, I realize now the wine glass is HUGE and I was drinking for about 3 hours. In any event, I spent some time on the bathroom floor – emptying the contents of my stomach. I haven’t been sick from drinking since I was in college, so this was all new for SB. He took good care of me, although he swears I was cursing at him whenever he’d try to pick me up to carry me out of the bathroom. I just remember everything hurt if I moved even slightly, and wasn’t about to get sick in our bed. Eventually I finished and got into bed, and fell asleep for the night. So, last year he took care of me when I had the leg injury and this year he dealt with my Party fiasco – hopefully next year’s Food & Wine trip will be less trouble (although he’s never complained)!
Tomorrow the plan was to spend the morning at MGM, and have lunch at Sci-Fi. I really wanted him to experience that place, but we ended up having to put it off until January. It took until noon before I could keep anything in my stomach, and longer to get my strength back.
We had a nice time at the MK today, and SB said he really liked it there. In fact, he’s liking WDW more and more – which I’m very happy about. I enjoyed the Party, but doubt I’d do it again – I think the memory of being sick this time would ruin it for me. I’d be afraid of losing track and over indulging again!
DAY 4 SUNDAY NOVEMBER 6, 2005:
Who: Sue (me – 47), DVC Member
SB (Sexy Boyfriend – 48)
Plan: MGM, Sci Fi lunch, Spectromagic?, Comedy Warehouse?
Actual: I slept well, and woke up feeling well. I didn’t get up until the alarm went off at 7, and soon discovered I felt well when I was laying in bed but soon started feeling sick again when I was up moving around. I showered and ended up back in bed to rest. Eventually I was able to dry my hair, then return to bed to rest some more. I tried drinking some water and a couple sips of cappuccino – but neither stayed down very long. When I was well enough, I got dressed – but still didn’t have the strength to leave the room. I finally admitted defeat, and gave up on the idea of eating at Sci Fi today (there was no way I’d have been able to eat). SB was happy to just relax in the room, so it worked out fine. I took a nap, and when I woke up around noon I felt better. I thought yogurt might be a good idea, so SB went down to the Marketplace in the resort to find some. To my surprise, they didn’t sell any containers of yogurt, but he brought back their version of a yogurt parfait and some chowder & roast beef sandwich for his lunch. The chowder looked kind of funny, but he said it was delicious! I wasn’t impressed with the yogurt parfait, but you can have them made to order during breakfast. This one had blueberries, raspberries & strawberries in it. I picked out the blueberries and the hairy raspberries, but ate the rest. Most importantly I kept it down!
After eating I think I napped again, then woke up and decided ice cream would hit the spot. I went down to the Marketplace and brought us each back a gelato – chocolate for him, pistachio for me. Getting out and walking was good medicine, and the gelato was excellent. I had to eat some of his on the way back because I was afraid it would melt <g>. We hung out in the studio until around 4, then ventured out to catch the boat to MGM Studios. We just missed it, so we walked over to the dock at the Swan/Dolphin to save time.
At MGM we found many attractions either already done for the day (Motor stunt show) or ending soon (Backlot Tour, Indiana Jones). We had 15 minutes to get to the final Backlot Tour of the day so we headed there first. I’m not impressed with the current water effects show, but SB seemed to like it. He also enjoyed seeing all of the props, loved Catastrophe Canyon, and overall found the attraction very interesting.
We went to the Great Movie Ride next, where we had to wait about 10 minutes or so. He LOVES movies, and I was sure he’d enjoy this attraction. We were fortunate to be seated in the 2nd row, behind the driver/guide. They must not be doing the western scene action any more, as only 2 cars were being used (1 set of 2 cars) and they stopped in the gangster scene. In any event, SB absolutely loved this ride. We tried Star Tours next, but with a 20-minute wait we decided to skip it since it’s basically a 3-minute attraction. Instead we walked in to the Sounds Dangerous show, which he also enjoyed. At this point the only other attraction still operating that we hadn’t done was MuppetVision (besides the 2 thrill rides I wouldn’t ride anyway. I was feeling tired and didn’t want to overdo it, so we decided to leave the park.
We must have just missed the boat, so we sat on the bench to wait for the next boat’s arrival. We got off at the Yacht Club and had dinner at Yacht Club Galley. We were able to be seated immediately, and had excellent food & service. I got the mixed greens salad, which was very good. I also had several bites of SB’s bacon cheeseburger & fries – which were also great. We had no room for dessert, and were back in the studio before 8:30. We spent the rest of the evening relaxing together – hopefully I’ll be asleep early, while he’s watching the rest of a football game on tv.
Well, the day was not like I planned it, but if I ignore the sick part it was a very nice day. Of course, any day we’re together is a great day, and being able to spend our time here makes it even more special. Tomorrow I should be back to 100% and we’ll finally make it to Comedy Warehouse!
DAY 5 MONDAY NOVEMBER 7, 2005:
Who: Sue (me – 47), DVC Member
SB (Sexy Boyfriend – 48)
Plan: AK, Comedy Warehouse
Actual: We both slept well again last night. There’s been virtually no noise from outside the studio heard in here the whole trip, which is nice. Wish I could say the same for my OKW stays! I got up around 6:30 and went online while SB slept longer. I should have gone jogging, as I’ve neglected training this entire trip. Oh well, there’s always tomorrow <g>. I showered, dressed and had some cappuccino & biscotti for breakfast, all while SB snoozed away. I figured he’d either be up on his own or I’d wake him up about 8 or so – he doesn’t take long to get ready.
SB got up at 8 and went to use the bathroom. While he was in there I made the bed. I was just finishing, when he came back from the bathroom and pulled back the covers and got back into bed! I was ready to kill him, lol! These early mornings (8 is early for him) are a bit tough for him, but today is our last day we need to be out early. Tomorrow we can start out whenever he wants, since we will have hit each park early once already (except MGM, but we did the highlights last night). We were out the door by 8:30, to get the bus to Animal Kingdom.
The bus arrived shortly after we got there, and was not even half full after we loaded. It didn’t stop at BW, but went directly to the park. We got through security and were inside the park about 5 minutes before the opening ceremony. Once that was done we headed to Dinoland and walked onto Primeval Whirl. I love this ride, but SB didn’t want to ride it again. The spinning took him by surprise, and it was pretty rough & jerky. What a way to start the day, lol! From there we went over to Dinosaur and rode that.
We left Dinoland and walked over to Harambe to pick up fastpasses for the safari (10:15). We had about 40 minutes to kill, so we went into Tusker House for his breakfast – scrambled eggs, sausage, hash browns & biscuit. I ate a few bites – it wasn’t bad. As far as I know, it’s the only counter service place in the park that serves breakfast (besides pastries). At 10:15 we got in the safari line, and enjoyed a great ride. He really enjoyed this attraction, too. Our last stop was the Festival of the Lion King show, so we headed to Camp Minnie Mickey. We had 50 minutes to wait, so we sat on a bench for about half an hour, then got in line to enter the theater. This is such a great show – I don’t see it every trip, but thoroughly enjoyed it. SB was quite impressed at the quality of the show, and also enjoyed it. We left the park at this point, and caught a bus to Epcot.
We headed first to Soarin’, where we used the fastpass we’d gotten in LeCellier the other day. The posted standby time was 60 minutes, and fastpasses were available for 6:45 tonight (it was just before 1pm now). While in line we had a major DORK encounter – this guy in the next row was asking if there were peanuts and drinks served on this flight – we tried not to gag out loud <g>. He kept on chattering, being the type of person who knows something about everything and feels the need to be telling people what to do. SB called him an out-of-work comedian. Once again, the ride was awesome – we both really enjoy this and would love it if it lasted an hour or more (with additional scenery).
After Soarin’ we went out to World Showcase for some food & wine. We stopped at the fish & chips place in United Kingdom for SB’s lunch, and I headed into France to get us drinks and something to eat for me. On the way I ran into Greg & Nicola from the United Kingdom (mad4wdw) and stopped to chat with them. Once I got to France I was unable to get SB’s beer and my wine because they only sell 1 drink per person. Grrrr. I got his beer and went back to the UK, where he was still standing in line. I went to get a table, but he thought I meant I was going back to France. I waited for him, then the phone rang – he was in France wondering where I was (I was in UK next to the fish & chips place). I walked over and joined him, getting a glass of Sparr Riesling, the quiche lorraine and chocolate crème brulee. I forgot quiche lorraine has ham in it, and I hate ham. I picked out most of the ham and ate the rest – it wasn’t bad. The crème brulee was very good, but a larger portion than I expected or needed. I ate every bite, though!
We moved to a table that had a great breeze, right by the water. At some point I went to Morrocco and brought back lemon chicken for him and pistachio baklava for me. We got beer for him and kir royal for me from the booth next to our table in France. It was so pleasant being there together, just hanging out and enjoying each other’s company in such a nice place. The chicken was excellent, and the baklava I brought back to the room for a snack later. After about an hour we decided to return to the studio, and ran into Rich, Deb, Gary & Becky as we left Epcot.
We caught the last half of General Hospital and spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing in the studio. Around 7 we drove over to Downtown Disney, stopping for gas at the Hess station across from Pleasure Island. After parking in the usual lot we had no wait at the ticket booth to buy my 2-person annual pass. This pass is a little cheaper than buying 2 separate annual passes, and SB isn’t likely to be here without me. Once the pass was bought we walked over to the Marketplace so I could buy a new baseball Mickey antenna topper in Team Mickey. My last one had gotten faded, and hurricane Wilma blew it away when my car was parked outside at work during the storm. The Marketplace was relatively uncrowded but it seemed busy to SB – he’s not good with crowds and hates shopping, so I didn’t even suggest we do any of the wandering around I usually do.
We returned to Pleasure Island and got our wristbands at the Adventurer’s Club, then stopped at Missing Link to get a chili dog for dinner. I’d over estimated the amount of time we needed to get everything done, so we stood around waiting for about 20 minutes or so. Once we were inside the Comedy Warehouse I was shocked to find they’re selling draft beer for $2! It seemed like they were selling a lot of it, too – at that price it’s no wonder. Carol Stein was on the keys tonight, and the 8:15 cast was Philip, Mary, Brian, Christine & Matt. The show went by really quickly! After the opening phone interview they did Fill in the Blank with 2 audience volunteers. Brian and Matt were 2 actors working as pirates in a shopping mall. Philip came in as a fan of Brian’s former tv show “Dawg” and Mary was a food court girl who looked like Cat Stevens.
Next they did Up Your Alley about rap stars. Matt hosted as Pastor John Merriweather. Christine was Rita Wilson – not Tom Hanks’ wife, but a Sweet Adeline who got her group to sing Adeline songs in the style of rap. Mary was a detective for rap groups – named Lil Dick (she stressed it wasn’t Little Dick <g>). Philip was a geeky guy named Toby, who is a seasonal worker at JC Penney wrapping Christmas presents. They all did a good job, and it was pretty funny. They closed with a blues song about a woman who didn’t get paid by a customer for some anodized aluminum work.
After the show we visited with Mary for a while, then returned to the resort. Tomorrow we’ll stay for more shows, but tonight we planned an early night. Overall it was another wonderful day! We saw & did quite a bit, and it’s been a while since I’ve spent so many hours of a day inside the parks. Tomorrow we may just hang out at the resort until we meet Nancy for lunch, but we’ll see.
DAY 6 TUESDAY NOVEMBER 8, 2005:
Who: Sue (me – 47), DVC Member
SB (Sexy Boyfriend – 48)
Plan: Any park, Comedy Warehouse
Actual: Today was a lazy day. I was up sometime after 7, and SB was awake not too long after that. We talked about what to do and ended up hanging out in the studio watching movies all morning. We got our stuff packed up – sorting out which of his things he’d take with him and which I’d take home. I stopped by the concierge to get his boarding pass for tomorrow printed (he’s got work to do out of state).
Around 12:30 we left the studio and stopped first at Old Key West to drop off a bottle of vanilla (from Cozumel) for my friends Tom & Leanne who are arriving there this Friday. From there we drove to Wilderness Lodge and waited for Nancy in the lobby. She arrived a few minutes after we got there, and we were all seated promptly. Whispering Canyon Café was quite active and loud today, which is the way it’s supposed to be! All of the cast members were really getting into the fun. I ordered the nachos, which I ended up not really liking very much. They cooled quickly and were somewhat greasy at that point, so I left most of them. SB helped a little, but not enough to finish them. He & Nancy both ordered the bottomless skillet meal (ribs, chicken, corn, beans, slaw, corn bread, sausage, mashed potatoes) and lemonade. After SB said yes to his third refill on the lemonade, our server brought him a 1.5 quart jar full, with 2 big straws pieced together and slammed it on the table in front of him, lol! Nancy & I had a good laugh over that <g>. We had a great lunch, and had plenty to eat. Nancy got a dessert to take home (caramel apple pie – looked yummy), but SB & I didn’t bother.
We headed out of the resort and stopped to see Nancy’s new Mustang – really cool car! We said our goodbyes and headed back to Beach Club Villas. SB felt too full to do anything when we were at the restaurant, but once we got back to the resort he felt better. Oh well – it would have been nice to pop over to the MK but it’s not worth going from here for such a short time. Instead, I decided to walk over to Epcot while SB hung out online in the studio. I absolutely LOVE it here this time of year – the weather was perfect, and it was a gorgeous day for strolling around World Showcase!
I stopped in Germany and got a glass of spatlese for me and a piece of apple strudel for SB. Juggling the 2 I had to walk a bit slower, then sat in Morocco or France until I finished my wine. Before I left France I bought another chocolate crème brulee for me, and brought it back to the studio. SB ate his apple strudel right away, then we spent time relaxing together. I ended up eating the crème brulee for dinner <g> and we hung out in the studio until we left for Downtown Disney around 7:30.
We got our wrist bands at Adventurer’s Club, then met Leesa and sat inside for a little while. Eventually we went back outside to wait, then went inside Comedy Warehouse for the first show. Jim Roberts was on the keys tonight. The 8:15 cast was Joy, Mary, Philip, Jake & Krista. They opened with a cute poem called “My donut is soggy” – leaving us all never wanting to eat a donut again! Next Jake led the others in a 1-act play where Krista & Philip were in Mr. Rogers’ neighborhood. They were left alone when everyone else went to Sesame Street, so they followed over there and met Joy as Big Bird. They got there by following the yellow brick road, and Philip was the cowardly lion and Krista was Toto. Mary came into the scene as a smoking Mr. Rogers, just out of or going into rehab for his addictions. It was a funny scene!
Schmeopardy was next, hosted by Philip as Bob HeadLooksLikeANipple. Joy was a toothpick maker named Loretta. She was from the south and made toothpicks of varying thicknesses depending on the width of the gap between customers’ teeth. Mary was Christina Cranium, a phrenologist. Jake was Happy Johanson, a trolley bus driver from Dayton Ohio. Overall it was a very good show – great start to the evening. SB & I ran over to Missing Link for a burger between shows, then met up with Patty & Cary outside Comedy Warehouse. They joined us for the next show – it was great seeing both of them even though it was brief!
The 9:15 cast was Mary, Philip, Matt, Jake & Joy. This show was Conducted Story, and it was excellent! It was led by Joy and titled “Rough Time in the Bayou”. Jake died first, doing a dramatic death by pez dispenser. Mary died by toothbrush in a 3-way dubbing death. Philip spoke for her, she spoke for Jake, and Jake spoke for Philip. It was really funny, as it always is when one actor is speaking for or controlling another! Time was running out, so Matt died an Agatha Christie death (lights go out, gunshot is heard, lights come up & we see Matt dead on the floor). Philip then wrapped up the story. It was a wonderful show – I’m glad I got to see one of my favorite structures.
We visited with Mary after the show for a while, and she & Patty gave me the perfect birthday gift (thanks again ladies). Eventually we said goodbye to everyone and headed back to Beach Club Villas for the last time this trip. We relaxed in the room awhile, since we’d taken care of the packing earlier in the day.
We didn’t do a heck of a lot today, but enjoyed ourselves very much. Lunch with Nancy was fun, and I was glad she & SB finally got to meet. Comedy Warehouse was a great way to end the trip, sharing it with friends who also love the place. Even my solo time at Epcot was very pleasant. I just wish we didn’t have to leave – but then, everyone wishes that!
DAY 7 WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 9, 2005:
Who: Sue (me – 47), DVC Member
SB (Sexy Boyfriend – 48)
Plan: Epcot, Drive home
Actual: Today was the dreaded departure day, and making it worse was knowing SB had to return to some work commitments before he could join me at home – he’ll be gone a month. I was glad he was able to take this week to get down here, though. We were up early and spent a fairly leisurely morning in the studio. I had some cappuccino & biscotti, and made him some hot chocolate. Just before 9 we walked to the front of the resort to wait for his Magical Express bus. We said our goodbyes and I returned to the room to pack up the few remaining items and store them in the car before walking into Epcot one last time.
It was another gorgeous day, and crowds weren’t too bad. I decided against Soarin’ since that was SB’s favorite and it just didn’t feel right riding it without him today. Instead I went to Test Track and did the single rider line over there. I got out around 10:15 and decided to do Spaceship Earth before the 11am wine seminar (champagne) at the Festival Welcome Center. The line took 5-10 minutes before I was on the ride, and then about half way through the ride came to a complete stop for about 20 minutes or so. It stopped again briefly later, and when I got off the ride and ran over to the wine seminar it had already started (and was full). Damn – I didn’t bother with any all week, figuring I’d do one today, but it evidently wasn’t meant to be.
Since it was after 11 I headed out to World Showcase, starting in Mexico. At the Mexico booth I got the chicken/sausage/cheese quesadilla and decided to get a glass of wine here rather than walking to another stand. The quesadilla was excellent, but the sauvignon blanc was just ok. I sat on a bench in the shade, and talked to SB on the phone. Two hours earlier he was Mr. Tough Guy, telling me not to be sad because these next weeks would pass quickly – now he’s on the phone complaining of being lonely & missing me <g>. Men – they’re not as tough as they’d like you to think they are!
I continued walking over to Ireland and asked if I could get the flourless chocolate cake without the Irish whiskey sauce, and they said yes. The cake was very good, but it really needs to be sold closer to the Rosa Regale <g>, or with a little raspberry sauce. I don’t like alcohol in my desserts, so the whiskey would have kept me from ordering the cake if I couldn’t get it plain. When I finished the cake I decided to hit the road, so I walked back towards the International Gateway (stopping in Canada for a piece of maple walnut fudge to eat in the car) and back to Beach Club Villas. Traffic was light going home, but there were LOTS of cops pulling people over in the WDW vicinity out on I-4. Be careful, especially if you’re driving between WDW and Tampa!
SUMMARY:
This was a wonderful trip, and we both had a great time. We never did get to Spectromagic, Illuminations, Sci-Fi, Motor stunt show, and other sections of the parks. However, we don’t regret missing anything because we loved what we did do and know we’ll be back. We’re going to repeat BCV next November for Food & Wine again.
Soarin’ was definitely the favorite attraction for both of us, but the best part of the trip was simply spending time together even just sitting on a bench or at a table sharing some food and wine/beer. We only made it to Comedy Warehouse twice, but the shows were great both nights, and we enjoyed spending time with friends there. The Party For The Senses was incredible, and something I’m glad we did even though I don’t want to repeat it. Anyone who hasn’t done it yet really should give it a try.
One thing SB noticed was the large number of very overweight people at WDW, particularly those in scooters. He’s a big guy himself, and this was a real wake-up call for him. While his size doesn’t bother me at all, I want him healthy for a very long time – and appreciate his desire to get more fit.
Our next trip won’t be until January, when we spend a few nights at OKW before I do the half-marathon and then leave on a 4-night Wonder cruise. I’ll have a solo trip staying offsite for 4 nights over the Thanksgiving holiday. I never booked anything until about a week ago, so nothing was available in the DVC or other WDW resorts. I figure as long as we have to spend the holiday apart this year, I might as well take myself to WDW and get to see some of the holiday decorations.
Until next time, thanks for reading!
Sue Holland