Trip Reports
02-21-2007, 09:14 PM
Dennis Driggers - November 2005 - Offsite
Time of Year: Holiday
Travel Method: Plane
Resort: Offsite
Accommodations: Standard rooms
Ages Represented in Group: Adult
WDW Experience Represented in Group: Infrequent
Dennis Driggers -- November 2005 - Walt Disney World (Offsite)
The Cast:
Dennis - Age 46. Prior visits: Magic Kingdom in ‘72 & ‘73; Epcot in 1987; all parks in 2003.
Kathy- Age 53- My wife. Visited Epcot in 1987; all parks in 2003.
Pre-trip planning.
As a kid, I visited the Magic Kingdom during its first year of operation, and again a year or two later. Of course I fell in love with the place. In 1987, my wife Kathy and I took our kids (all now grown) to Epcot for a one-day visit. But we really became Disney "converts" after we took our two little nieces to Disney World a couple of years ago. We all definitely felt the Disney magic, and Kathy and I knew we wanted to go back soon, just the two of us this time, for a more relaxed trip.
The opportunity for another visit presented itself when my dad, who lives near Disney World in Titusville, Florida, announced in late September that he would be getting married on November 12. We decided to combine a trip for the wedding with a three day trip to Disney World. We planned to fly to Florida on the evening of Thursday, November 10; spend Friday and Saturday involved with the wedding activities. Then, while dad and his new bride were away on their honeymoon, we would stay at his condo and use his car for visiting the World on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday (Nov. 13-15). On the 16th, we would shop at Downtown Disney before heading to the airport.
With little opportunity to save for the trip, money was going to be tight. Even so, we decided buy 7 day tickets, with the park-hopper and no expiration options. Even with the additional cost of the no expiration option, the cost per-day was still a much better deal than a three-day park hopper ticket. Plus, it guarantees another trip to Disney World!! We decided to buy our tickets from Maple Leaf Tickets in Kissimmee, which would save about $42 over the gate price (or about $20 dollars over the advance purchase price).
The first actual purchase for the trip was airline tickets. On Monday, October, 10, I found a great fare from Corpus Christi to Orlando. With taxes and fees added, the total cost for the two of us would be $456. But I couldn't reach Kathy to get her input on which flight times to pick. I decided to talk to Kathy that evening and purchase the tickets the next day. That was a costly mistake!
The following day ticket prices had soared! The same tickets were now $630! I was heartsick. Then my dad came to the rescue and offered to pay our airfare for the trip. What a guy! On Thursday, I purchased the tickets (with my dad's money) for $630. But on Friday, the tickets were back at the $456 price! I was steamed. I called the airline and asked for the reduced fare, but the best I could get was the difference back as a credit toward a future flight. I gave the credit to my dad, but I'm sure he would rather have had some of his money back.
In the meantime we planned on what park to visit on what day. In our previous trips we had been anxious to see all of the major attractions. On this trip we wanted to slow down and focus on some of the little gems we had missed previously. Avoiding crowds was also a priority.
After some Internet research (on MousePlanet and other sites) we decided as follows:
• Avoid Epcot on Sunday (11/13) because it will be crowded for the last day of the International Food and Wine Festival.
• Visit the Magic Kingdom on Monday night (11/14) to see Spectromagic on the only night it is offered during our visit. Neither of us had seen it before.
• Despite the anticipated crowds, visit the MGM / Disney Studios on Tuesday night (11/15) to see the Osborne Festival of Lights.
So we decided to go to the Magic Kingdom on Sunday. On Monday we would visit Epcot, and park-hop that night to the Magic Kingdom to see Spectromagic. Tuesday we would spend at MGM / Disney Studios, and see the Osborne Lights and, if possible, Fantasmic. Animal Kingdom would have to wait for the next trip.
Next, we needed to make advance reservations for any table service restaurants we planned to visit. We really enjoyed the character lunch buffet at the Crystal Palace on our last trip a couple of years ago, so we decided to try it again. I setup a reservation for 1:05 PM on Sunday. Next, I setup a reservation for Monday at 2:00 PM at Le Cellier in Epcot. We decided to "wing it" for the remaining meals. With airline tickets purchased and reservations made, Kathy and I were getting excited!
Prelude to Disney World
On the evening of November 10, we enjoyed an uneventful flight to Orlando, where my dad picked us up at the airport. The following day, we went out to breakfast with dad and his bride-to-be. Then we borrowed dad's van and headed to Lake Wales, Florida to visit my mom.
On the way to Lake Wales, we stopped by the Maple Leaf Ticket location in Kissimmee to purchase our Disney tickets. The location is fairly close to the Disney property, and pretty easy to find. We found the staff person efficient and helpful. For example, he advised us to keep our receipt separate from our tickets in case we lose them, and explained how to use the receipt to get the tickets replaced, if necessary. The prices were exactly as advertised on the Maple Leaf website. In short, we found Maple Leaf a pleasure to deal with, and will certainly buy from them again.
Suffice to say, we made it through the wedding on Saturday Nov. 12, and bid a "Happy honeymoon!" to dad and his new wife. Question: "Hey Dennis, you just stood up as the best man at your dad's wedding, what are you going to now?" Answer: "I'm going to Disney World!!"
Day One (Sunday, Nov. 13)
Sunday we planned to visit the Magic Kingdom. Our goal was to focus on things we haven't done before, have lunch at the Crystal Palace; and watch "Wishes."
We got a late start from Titusville, and I tried out a route to Orlando that avoided the toll roads (I hate toll roads!). The result was that we didn't reach the Magic Kingdom until about 10:15 AM (the park opened at 9:00 AM). I decided that for the remaining days of our visit I would grit my teeth and take the faster toll roads to Orlando.
Here's a tip we learned the hard way: the parking attendants at Disney World don't take credit or debit cards- only cash, traveler's checks or Disney Dollars. Kathy was literally scrambling for change in the bottom of her purse to come up with the full $9.00! After finally making it into the parking lot, we decided we would visit guest services first thing, and buy enough Disney Dollars to pay our parking fees for the next two days. We thought this would be more fun and less trouble than tracking down an ATM (I also hate paying ATM fees!).
For those of you who don't know about Disney Dollars (we didn't, before this trip), it is essentially Disney's private currency that can be used just like U.S. currency in the Disney parks, hotels, restaurants, and retail stores. Disney Dollars are available in $1, $5, $10 denominations, and they are little works of art. In fact, the current Disney Dollars are new designs commemorating the 50th Anniversary event. Another tip: we were told that guests may only purchase $50 in Disney Dollars, per park, per day, when using a credit or debit card for the purchase. Also, when you spend Disney Dollars, you will get U.S. currency as change. We thought the Disney Dollars were so impressive, we decided we would buy some more later, to keep as souvenirs!
We wandered down Main Street USA, gazing at window displays. The park looked great, and was not crowded. Many Christmas decorations were already in place, although it was not yet Thanksgiving.
We stopped at Cinderella Castle to see the new Cinderellabration show. It was pretty good, but not as good as the previous show. The kids in audience seemed to really like it though. Tip: There is no need to try to get up front to see the show. Due the height of the stage the best view is actually further back.
Next we started over toward Frontierland and Tom Sawyer's Island. We stopped at the restrooms located in a pass-through between Frontierland and Adventureland (on the park map, this is the restroom location closest to the Shooting Gallery). Tip: This pass-through is a great place to marvel at the effort the Imagineers put into the transitions from one theme area to another. Instead of building a simple generic pass-through making an abrupt transition between the areas, the Imagineers carefully blended architectural elements together. The styling of lamps, doorways, pavement and roof beams gradually fades from Wild West to Moorish Africa. Kathy noticed the interior of the bathroom was themed as well. Very impressive!
Just outside the pass-through on the Adventureland side was the Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse. Kathy had never seen it, and I hadn't seen it since the 1970's. The attraction was a "walk on," so we decided to go for it. This attraction desperately needs updating. From what I overheard, the children visiting the treehouse had no knowledge of the Swiss Family book or the Disney movie, so it didn't make much sense to them. I think it's time to transform this attraction into Tarzan's Treehouse, as they have in Disneyland. The best thing about it are the great views of the park from high in the tree.
The Jungle Cruise looked like another "walk on," so we boarded a boat bound for the heart of darkness. We got a funny and enthusiastic guide, and the ride was fun, as usual. Tip: While you are in line for this ride, be sure to read the signs on the walls and the labels on the boxes; they're hilarious!
Next we headed back over to Frontierland and Tom Sawyer's Island. Neither of us had visited the island before. We had a great time, and spent about an hour exploring the area. We could have easily spent much longer. This is a wonderful place to take the kids to burn off energy, while you take a break in the shade or relax in a rocking chair at Aunt Polly's.
After returning to the mainland, we were tempted by Splash Mountain, a classic that both of us love. The sign indicated a 30 minute wait, which would have made us late for our lunch reservation, but we decided to try it anyway. Our wait was actually only about 15 minutes. Both Kathy and I felt the ride had been improved since our last visit in 2003. The music and sound effects were clearer and more audible, and all of the animatronics were working correctly.
We walked quickly back through Adventureland to the Crystal Palace, where Kathy encountered her pet peeve, incredibly rude and clueless people! During our last visit to the Crystal Palace we noticed a rude woman ahead of us in the priority seating line who absolutely refused to wait for a table. The CM tried to explain how priority seating worked, but this guest would not listen. She became so loud and aggressive that the CM finally just moved the guest and her family to the front of the line and seated them immediately. This, of course, irritated the rest of the guests who were patiently waiting; including Kathy!
This time, as we gave the CM the name for our reservation, another CM was dealing with a group of, I think, 12 people who wanted to change their reservation from dinner time to lunch, so they could sit with another group who had made reservations for lunch. They apparently didn't understand why they would have to wait longer for a table, and they were making a big fuss about it! The kids in the group were getting upset because they wanted to sit with their friends who had the reservations for lunch. The CM handled it very well though. She found seats so the kids could have lunch with their friends, but the adults without lunch reservations would either have to wait for a table or have lunch elsewhere.
Anyway, we were seated within about 10 minutes and had a great time watching Pooh and his friends lead all the kids in a parade around the restaurant. The food was very good as well. Tip: Everyone knows that food prices are higher inside the parks than for similar food purchased off-site. But we have found that the difference in price is much smaller at the better table service restaurants than at the counter service or snack places, and the quality of the food is generally excellent. These restaurants offer a much better value. In addition, the lunch menu is usually priced lower than dinner. So Kathy and I maximized the value of our food dollars by having a late lunch at a nice sit down restaurant and making do with a light snack for dinner.
After lunch we headed over to Fantasyland. I had read about the rehab of Small World, so we checked it out. The new facade looks great! Inside, the dolls and sets are noticeably brighter, cleaner and more sparkly. They did a great job restoring this classic ride.
Next we rode the much maligned Pooh ride. After reading how poorly this ride compares to the Disneyland version, I must admit I didn't have high expectations. But both Kathy and I thought the Pooh ride was well done and quite fun! It may not be as good as the Disneyland ride, which I understand is based on a totally new and different technology. But judged on its own merit, I think the Disney World version is quite good, and compares favorably to Mr. Toad, which it replaced.
While Kathy shopped in Tinkerbell's Treasures, I watched Merlin offer a young guest the chance to pull the sword from the stone and be crowned king for the day. It was a cute show.
We walked back through the castle to the hub to watch the 3:00 Share a Dream parade. I especially wanted to see the parade because in all my previous visits I had never stopped to watch it. The parade was entertaining, but shorter than I expected. If you only want to take the time to watch one parade, I recommend that you don't watch this one. Wait for Spectromagic in the evening.
After the parade we headed back into Fantasyland and went straight to Mickey's Philharmagic. Tip: During and just after the parade is a great time to go hit an E-ticket attraction. The lines are usually much shorter. Kathy and I both loved this show, and I expect it will remain popular for a long time.
After the comic concert we wandered over to Mickey's Toontown Fair. Neither of us had seen this area of the park before. We loved the crazy architecture, that makes you feel as if you have really entered the "toon" world. Touring the houses of Mickey and Minnie was fun, and we loved the gags built into the architecture (check out the cake in Minnie's oven!).
We followed the path from the train station in Toontown over to Tomorrowland. While Kathy browsed the gift shop, I couldn't pass up a ride on Space Mountain. It was only about a 10 minute wait, and a great ride as always.
Next we both rode the Tomorrowland Transit Authority (AKA Peoplemover). It makes a very pleasant break from walking, and gives a nice preview of some Tomorrowland attractions.
We walked back down the path to the Toontown station and took the train around to Frontierland. I had read so much about the Dole Whip I was determined to have one. But as we walked into Adventureland we noticed that Pirates was a walk on. So we sailed the Spanish Main before buying our Whips. Kathy and I agree that the Dole Whip is indeed delicious!
We slowly ambled around to the hub while eating our Dole Whips, and admiring the beauty of the park. People were gathering in the hub and lining up along the perimeter fences, waiting for Wishes to begin. Kathy and I picked an open spot along the fence right where the walkway from Adventureland joins the hub. From where we stood we had a clear view of the Castle.
I was standing with my rear against the fence, and Kathy was standing just in front of me. When Kathy took a step or two forward, a lady next to us, who was sitting on the curb, complained that Kathy was blocking her view of the Castle, and asked her to move! Kathy was non-plussed. I couldn't help but laugh, and said that we knew from prior experience that the whole hub was going to fill with standing people, and no one sitting on a curb would be able to see! Anyway, we both thought Wishes was a fabulous show.
As everyone began moving down Main Street and out of the park, Kathy and I thought we would shop for awhile and wait for the crowds to clear. This was not as pleasant as we thought because many others apparently had the same idea, and the shops on Main Street were very crowded. By the time we left the shops, we saw the "kiss goodnight" that I had read about.
So ended Day One. We accomplished our goal of doing lots of things we'd not done before, plus we did a lot of shopping between attractions that I left out of the description.
Lows: The occasional rude, clueless person; and the parade was a little disappointing.
Highs: Lack of crowds, minimal wait time; Wishes; Mickey's Philharmagic; the meal at Crystal Palace (I know I've left out the E ticket rides, but remember our goal was to enjoy the little gems!).
Day Two (Monday Nov. 14)
Kathy had started feeling a little sick with some flue-like symptoms yesterday afternoon. Today, she was much worse. Nevertheless she was determined to have some fun, and today was her favorite park, Epcot!
Kathy loves all of the unique shops in the World Showcase. In our two previous visits to Epcot, we spent most of our time in Future World, and really gave short shrift to the World Showcase. So one of our goals was to thoroughly explore the areas in the World Showcase we hadn't already seen. In addition, I definitely wanted to ride Mission: Space and Soarin', which were new attractions since our last visit. Finally we planned to park hop over to the Magic Kingdom to see Spectromagic.
Again we got a late start and didn't arrive at the park until about 10:30 AM. We parked in the Magic Kingdom lot (this time using our Disney Dollars to pay for parking!) because we intended to end up there at the end of the day.
We took the monorail over to Epcot, and could see right away that the park appeared nearly empty! Once again, we stopped at guest services and bought some Disney Dollars. I think its really neat that the CM's have badges and sashes indicating what country they are from.
Next we headed straight for Mission: Space. I thought I would have to pick up a Fast Pass and come back later, but the sign indicated only a 10 minute wait! Kathy waited through the line and pre-show, but exited before boarding the simulator. She wasn't feeling up to space flight today! Tip: Those who want to see the pre-show but don't want to ride can exit just before boarding the simulator, and can participate in a mission control simulation, if they wish, at the exit of the ride.
Mission: Space is one of the most elaborately themed attractions at Disney, and it is a phenomenal ride. The simulation of powerful forward thrust, and brief weightlessness, is uncanny. I did not experience any motion sickness, but it is important to follow the directions they repeat several times before boarding the ride: "Keep looking straight ahead and do not close your eyes, even if you start to feel disoriented." I suspect that most of those who do get sick, don't follow the directions. I hope that the bad press this ride has received for making people sick doesn't discourage many people from riding, because it is truly amazing.
I met Kathy in the gift shop, where she had noticed that the men exiting the ride were all strutting around as if they had actually just qualified as steely-eyed rocket jockeys! A little indignant, I said, "Hey! I could have the right stuff!" For some reason, Kathy laughed.
After I graduated from space flight training (and bought the tee shirt) we headed over to Soarin'. It had a 50 minute wait so we picked up fast passes for later (it turned out that we would not use these passes). Since we were already there, we lined up for Living with the Land. The ride was a lot more interesting than I remembered.
Next, we headed for the World Showcase. We skipped Canada because we had reservations for Le Cellier later. We explored the U.K. pavilion. Then Kathy watched street performers do a hilarious re-enactment of King Arthur and the Holy Grail, while I waited in line to get us a snack of fish and chips. The fish and chips just outside the U.K pavilion is to die for. But for some reason the service this time was very slow. I think it would have been faster for me to catch, clean and fry the fish myself! A thankfully rare example of "bad show" at Disney World.
On the other hand , the CM at the Twinings Tea Shoppe was fascinating to talk with, very knowledgeable about the teas, and even gave us some Twinings tea recipes that they had been distributing during the Food and Wine Festival. Good show!
As we passed the France Pavilion it started raining lightly. In the meantime, Kathy was beginning to feel worse. We both enjoyed the maze like marketplace in the Morrocco pavilion, and Jasmine and Aladdin were there. I thought about buying a fez, so I could walk around doing my Sidney Greenstreet impression (the menacing fat guy with the fez in the classic movie, The Maltese Falcon) but I chickened out.
We made it as far as the Japan pavilion before we started heading back for our 2:00 lunch at Le Cellier. The Japan pavilion is beautiful, but don't you think Disney should put some kind of attraction in that pagoda out front, instead of having just a closed building?
It had stopped raining, but by the time we walked back to Le Cellier, Kathy was feeling pretty bad. She said if she got any worse, she would not be able to make it to MGM the next day. I suggested we should head home as soon as we finish lunch, but she wanted to stick it out for the rest of the day.
Both the service and food at Le Cellier were top notch. While we waited briefly for a table, two other couples approached the hostess and asked for immediate seating. The hostess politely informed each couple that they had no seating available, but she would be happy to find them immediate seating at another restaurant. That is good service! Tip: At least in the World Showcase, the restaurant hosts/ hostesses are able to see on their computer what seats are available in all of the restaurants, not just their own. So if no seats are available at your restaurant of choice, ask them to find you seats elsewhere. I don't know if this is possible at the other parks.
Our server at Le Cellier was Chelsea. She was so bright and cheerful she even made Kathy feel better. Walt himself couldn't have found a better CM than Chelsea. The steaks were excellent, and the lunch menu was reasonably priced. We will definitely return to Le Cellier.
After taking some Tylenol and refueling with some great food, Kathy felt well enough to continue. But we decided to change our plans because we realized she might not return tomorrow. Kathy really wanted to see the Osborne Lights at MGM, so we decided to head there instead of the Magic Kingdom. We boarded the ferry at the International Gateway and enjoyed a pleasant ride to the MGM park. On the way, we noticed the attractive Boardwalk area, and decided we would have to explore the area on a future trip.
Upon arriving at MGM, we first stopped by the Sunset Boulevard Shops, where I bought a great Mickey Mouse watch for myself. Next Kathy wanted to head over to Tatooine Traders to buy some Christmas presents for our kids, who are big Star Wars fans. Then we enjoyed Muppet Vision 3D.
By that time, the Osborne Lights were in full swing. We rounded the corner on to the Streets of America backlot and found a sparkling fairy land! A spinning carousal, flying angels, and a huge globe, were all crafted out of lights. The combination of lights, Christmas music and falling "snow" irresistibly induced the Christmas spirit, despite the nearly 80 degree temperature. We found the Osborne lights delightful. Tip: There are many hidden Mickeys among the lights; at least 20!
It was then about 6:30 PM, and, since Kathy was sick, I thought we probably ought to call it a night. But Kathy knew that I had really wanted to see Spectromagic, so she insisted we try and make it over to the Magic Kingdom by the 7:00 PM start time! I thought it was impossible, but away we went!
We managed to catch a bus for the TTC just before it left. On the way, I kept looking at my watch and complaining that we'd never make it, this is a waste of time, etc. (I guess I'm really an Eeyore kind of guy). About the time we reached the TTC, I was saying that we might make it, if we didn't have to wait for the monorail. At the TTC we walked quickly up the ramp to monorail landing. There was no one in line, and the monorail was waiting for us to board!
We ended up racing into town square just as the lights dimmed and the parade began! Suddenly the square was full of beautifully lighted floats, and all the great Disney characters. Spectromagic is truly spectacular. We were yelling and waiving and jumping up and down like a couple of kids! It was a lot of fun, and a great ending to the day.
Lows: (For Kathy) being sick (but she was a real trooper!); slow service at the fish & chips.
Highs: Lack of crowds. Spectromagic; the Osborne Lights; Mission: Space and Chelsea.
Postscript: On the monorail ride back to the parking lot we had an interesting conversation with a young lady who turned out to be a CM. Apparently she worked as a costumed character, although she was not permitted to say that directly where child guests could hear her! She was in the college intern program, and although we gathered that she worked long hours for low pay, it was also clear that she loved her job, and she was very positive, especially about the impact she has on kids.
Day 3 (Tuesday Nov. 15)
With Kathy feeling so badly yesterday, I honestly didn't expect that we would make it back to Disney World for Day 3. In fact, I didn't even bother to get up early, and I left Kathy to sleep as late as she wished. But when she woke up about 9:00, she was feeling much better. A little Tylenol and she was good to go! We decided to head back to Epcot to complete our tour of the World Showcase and ride Soarin', then head over to MGM to see the Osborne Lights again.
We parked in the MGM parking lot and took a bus over to Epcot. Mission: Space was so great, I had to try it again. Kathy shopped while I once again made the harrowing journey to Mars. Again, the ride was a walk-on. I wanted to check out the activities in the post-show area, but I didn't want Kathy to have to wait too long. So I found her and we headed over to Soarin'.
Soarin' was about a 30 minute wait. We considered getting a fast pass, but decided we'd probably use 30 minutes walking to and from the attraction from wherever we were. So we got in line. Both of us enjoyed Soarin' very much. My only complaint is that it should be a little longer ride.
Yesterday, we'd made it as far as the Japan pavilion before turning back to eat at Le Cellier, and heading over to MGM. So we boarded a Friendship launch for a ride across the lake to the dock at Italy, right next to Japan.
I'd read somewhere that the food was good at a place called Tempura Kiku. Tempura Kiku is a small bar located in the same building as the Teppanyaki restaurant and the Matsu-No-Ma Lounge. Tip: If you don't want to sit at the bar, you can do as we did and sit in the beautiful Matsu-No-Ma lounge overlooking the World Showcase lagoon, and order from the Tempura Kiku menu. The service here was excellent, and the food delightful! By the way, the Japanese CM who served us finally answered one of the questions I have long pondered: Is it proper for one to eat sushi with one's fingers, or should one use chopsticks? The answer: Either one is OK but most Japanese use their fingers!
We next explored the Italy pavilion. We watched a funny mime /juggler perform, and checked out the marvelous details of the Doge's palace facade. The facade is actually a mirror image of the real thing in Venice. At the Germany pavilion I was hoping to see the figures come out of the clock tower. But although the clock chimed, the figures did not emerge. We completed our world tour at the China pavilion, then walked back to the International Gateway and caught a boat over to MGM.
It was dark when we reached MGM. As we headed over towards the Streets of America area, a women was coming towards us riding one of those 3 wheeled scooters. She had turned on the headlight and it was so bright that no one coming toward her could see where they were going! Several people, including me, were complaining about the blinding light. As she passed us, I heard the women on the scooter laughing and saying rather gleefully, "I guess they don't like my light!"
We rode Star Tours, and then once again enjoyed the Osborne Lights. We bought some ice cream and wandered for awhile among all the twinkling lights.
Next we wanted to ride the Great Movie Ride, but it had already closed for the night. We headed toward the Fantasmic amphitheater, stopping to buy a pretzel on the way. The show had already started, and we both assumed the theater would be full, so we didn't go in.
There was no line for the Tower of Terror, one of my favorite rides. Kathy didn't want to ride, so she waited for me. When I entered the hotel, there was only one other person inside. It was great to be able to wander around at leisure looking at all the great theming! When I emerged, having survived another encounter with the Twilight Zone, Kathy told me she was able to see part of Fantasmic while standing in the amphitheater exit near the Tower. It turned out the amphitheater was only about 2/3 full!
We headed quickly toward the park exit, just beating the thundering herd exiting from the Fantasmic amphitheater.
Lows: No real lows today.
Highs: Making it back to Disney for a third day! Lack of crowds. Soarin' and the Osborne Lights.
Day 4 (November 16)
Well, today we head back to the real world, but not before we do some shopping at Downtown Disney! We needed to be at the airport about 4:00 PM. So our plan was to pack up and drive to Downtown Disney, have some lunch and shop around. Then we'd head to the airport, leave the van in the parking lot for dad to pick up when he returned from his cruise, and fly home.
We arrived at Downtown Disney about 10:00 AM. We were looking at a store directory on the sidewalk, trying to find a particular store, when we encountered a bit of Disney magic. A CM who was heading to the parking lot stopped and asked if she could help us find what we were looking for. We told her we were looking for the Disney Art Store, and she cheerfully directed us. A little thing maybe, but honestly how many places do you get service like that anymore?
We needed to get to the Disney Art Store to make another bit of Disney magic for our nieces. The girls are big Disney princess fans, and loved it when, during our 2003 Disney trip, Cinderella personally invited them to have breakfast with her in the castle (Kathy had hand-written invitations and left them on the girls' pillows where they would find them when we returned to our hotel room). The following year, when Kathy and I visited Downtown Disney, we found that we could mail postcards and letters from the Disney Art Store, and they would be postmarked with a Disney World postmark! So we sent the girls each a personal letter from Cinderella.
Now we intended to mail each of the girls a small gift and another letter from the princess. But when we got to the Disney Art Store we found they really weren't set up to mail packages- only letters and cards. Even so, the CM went the extra mile and figured out how to register the correct postage so each box would have the Disney post mark. Then she gave us directions to a nearby post office so that we could mail the packages ourselves.
After returning from the post office, we had lunch at Earl of Sandwich (great sandwiches, reasonably priced), and returned to the Disney Art store to buy a souvenir. I was thinking of buying one of those character pencil sketches that you select from a book of examples, and an artist draws while you wait. But Kathy found something much better, and just as inexpensive!
In a bin near the cash register were hundreds of pencil sketches of Disney characters, but these weren't the kind cranked out quickly for tourists. These were sketches by "real" Disney artists, used by the company to develop new products or decorative elements. We purchased two great sketches of Mickey, one used for a snow globe design and one for a candle holder, and a great drawing of Tigger throwing a snowball, used to design a picture frame. These drawings were left over from a big art show the previous weekend. So for the price of a "tourist" sketch we were able to by art that was actually used by the Disney company. Very cool!
After a bit more shopping it was time to say goodbye to Mickey and all his friends and head to the airport. All in all it was a great time. November (prior to Thanksgiving week) proved to be a great time to visit. Crowds were light, and lines were short- in some cases nonexistent. The weather was glorious, warm and mostly sunny except for one brief spit of rain. I hope this report will help you in planning your trip. Maybe we'll see you there when we use up the remaining four days on our tickets!
Dennis Driggers
Time of Year: Holiday
Travel Method: Plane
Resort: Offsite
Accommodations: Standard rooms
Ages Represented in Group: Adult
WDW Experience Represented in Group: Infrequent
Dennis Driggers -- November 2005 - Walt Disney World (Offsite)
The Cast:
Dennis - Age 46. Prior visits: Magic Kingdom in ‘72 & ‘73; Epcot in 1987; all parks in 2003.
Kathy- Age 53- My wife. Visited Epcot in 1987; all parks in 2003.
Pre-trip planning.
As a kid, I visited the Magic Kingdom during its first year of operation, and again a year or two later. Of course I fell in love with the place. In 1987, my wife Kathy and I took our kids (all now grown) to Epcot for a one-day visit. But we really became Disney "converts" after we took our two little nieces to Disney World a couple of years ago. We all definitely felt the Disney magic, and Kathy and I knew we wanted to go back soon, just the two of us this time, for a more relaxed trip.
The opportunity for another visit presented itself when my dad, who lives near Disney World in Titusville, Florida, announced in late September that he would be getting married on November 12. We decided to combine a trip for the wedding with a three day trip to Disney World. We planned to fly to Florida on the evening of Thursday, November 10; spend Friday and Saturday involved with the wedding activities. Then, while dad and his new bride were away on their honeymoon, we would stay at his condo and use his car for visiting the World on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday (Nov. 13-15). On the 16th, we would shop at Downtown Disney before heading to the airport.
With little opportunity to save for the trip, money was going to be tight. Even so, we decided buy 7 day tickets, with the park-hopper and no expiration options. Even with the additional cost of the no expiration option, the cost per-day was still a much better deal than a three-day park hopper ticket. Plus, it guarantees another trip to Disney World!! We decided to buy our tickets from Maple Leaf Tickets in Kissimmee, which would save about $42 over the gate price (or about $20 dollars over the advance purchase price).
The first actual purchase for the trip was airline tickets. On Monday, October, 10, I found a great fare from Corpus Christi to Orlando. With taxes and fees added, the total cost for the two of us would be $456. But I couldn't reach Kathy to get her input on which flight times to pick. I decided to talk to Kathy that evening and purchase the tickets the next day. That was a costly mistake!
The following day ticket prices had soared! The same tickets were now $630! I was heartsick. Then my dad came to the rescue and offered to pay our airfare for the trip. What a guy! On Thursday, I purchased the tickets (with my dad's money) for $630. But on Friday, the tickets were back at the $456 price! I was steamed. I called the airline and asked for the reduced fare, but the best I could get was the difference back as a credit toward a future flight. I gave the credit to my dad, but I'm sure he would rather have had some of his money back.
In the meantime we planned on what park to visit on what day. In our previous trips we had been anxious to see all of the major attractions. On this trip we wanted to slow down and focus on some of the little gems we had missed previously. Avoiding crowds was also a priority.
After some Internet research (on MousePlanet and other sites) we decided as follows:
• Avoid Epcot on Sunday (11/13) because it will be crowded for the last day of the International Food and Wine Festival.
• Visit the Magic Kingdom on Monday night (11/14) to see Spectromagic on the only night it is offered during our visit. Neither of us had seen it before.
• Despite the anticipated crowds, visit the MGM / Disney Studios on Tuesday night (11/15) to see the Osborne Festival of Lights.
So we decided to go to the Magic Kingdom on Sunday. On Monday we would visit Epcot, and park-hop that night to the Magic Kingdom to see Spectromagic. Tuesday we would spend at MGM / Disney Studios, and see the Osborne Lights and, if possible, Fantasmic. Animal Kingdom would have to wait for the next trip.
Next, we needed to make advance reservations for any table service restaurants we planned to visit. We really enjoyed the character lunch buffet at the Crystal Palace on our last trip a couple of years ago, so we decided to try it again. I setup a reservation for 1:05 PM on Sunday. Next, I setup a reservation for Monday at 2:00 PM at Le Cellier in Epcot. We decided to "wing it" for the remaining meals. With airline tickets purchased and reservations made, Kathy and I were getting excited!
Prelude to Disney World
On the evening of November 10, we enjoyed an uneventful flight to Orlando, where my dad picked us up at the airport. The following day, we went out to breakfast with dad and his bride-to-be. Then we borrowed dad's van and headed to Lake Wales, Florida to visit my mom.
On the way to Lake Wales, we stopped by the Maple Leaf Ticket location in Kissimmee to purchase our Disney tickets. The location is fairly close to the Disney property, and pretty easy to find. We found the staff person efficient and helpful. For example, he advised us to keep our receipt separate from our tickets in case we lose them, and explained how to use the receipt to get the tickets replaced, if necessary. The prices were exactly as advertised on the Maple Leaf website. In short, we found Maple Leaf a pleasure to deal with, and will certainly buy from them again.
Suffice to say, we made it through the wedding on Saturday Nov. 12, and bid a "Happy honeymoon!" to dad and his new wife. Question: "Hey Dennis, you just stood up as the best man at your dad's wedding, what are you going to now?" Answer: "I'm going to Disney World!!"
Day One (Sunday, Nov. 13)
Sunday we planned to visit the Magic Kingdom. Our goal was to focus on things we haven't done before, have lunch at the Crystal Palace; and watch "Wishes."
We got a late start from Titusville, and I tried out a route to Orlando that avoided the toll roads (I hate toll roads!). The result was that we didn't reach the Magic Kingdom until about 10:15 AM (the park opened at 9:00 AM). I decided that for the remaining days of our visit I would grit my teeth and take the faster toll roads to Orlando.
Here's a tip we learned the hard way: the parking attendants at Disney World don't take credit or debit cards- only cash, traveler's checks or Disney Dollars. Kathy was literally scrambling for change in the bottom of her purse to come up with the full $9.00! After finally making it into the parking lot, we decided we would visit guest services first thing, and buy enough Disney Dollars to pay our parking fees for the next two days. We thought this would be more fun and less trouble than tracking down an ATM (I also hate paying ATM fees!).
For those of you who don't know about Disney Dollars (we didn't, before this trip), it is essentially Disney's private currency that can be used just like U.S. currency in the Disney parks, hotels, restaurants, and retail stores. Disney Dollars are available in $1, $5, $10 denominations, and they are little works of art. In fact, the current Disney Dollars are new designs commemorating the 50th Anniversary event. Another tip: we were told that guests may only purchase $50 in Disney Dollars, per park, per day, when using a credit or debit card for the purchase. Also, when you spend Disney Dollars, you will get U.S. currency as change. We thought the Disney Dollars were so impressive, we decided we would buy some more later, to keep as souvenirs!
We wandered down Main Street USA, gazing at window displays. The park looked great, and was not crowded. Many Christmas decorations were already in place, although it was not yet Thanksgiving.
We stopped at Cinderella Castle to see the new Cinderellabration show. It was pretty good, but not as good as the previous show. The kids in audience seemed to really like it though. Tip: There is no need to try to get up front to see the show. Due the height of the stage the best view is actually further back.
Next we started over toward Frontierland and Tom Sawyer's Island. We stopped at the restrooms located in a pass-through between Frontierland and Adventureland (on the park map, this is the restroom location closest to the Shooting Gallery). Tip: This pass-through is a great place to marvel at the effort the Imagineers put into the transitions from one theme area to another. Instead of building a simple generic pass-through making an abrupt transition between the areas, the Imagineers carefully blended architectural elements together. The styling of lamps, doorways, pavement and roof beams gradually fades from Wild West to Moorish Africa. Kathy noticed the interior of the bathroom was themed as well. Very impressive!
Just outside the pass-through on the Adventureland side was the Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse. Kathy had never seen it, and I hadn't seen it since the 1970's. The attraction was a "walk on," so we decided to go for it. This attraction desperately needs updating. From what I overheard, the children visiting the treehouse had no knowledge of the Swiss Family book or the Disney movie, so it didn't make much sense to them. I think it's time to transform this attraction into Tarzan's Treehouse, as they have in Disneyland. The best thing about it are the great views of the park from high in the tree.
The Jungle Cruise looked like another "walk on," so we boarded a boat bound for the heart of darkness. We got a funny and enthusiastic guide, and the ride was fun, as usual. Tip: While you are in line for this ride, be sure to read the signs on the walls and the labels on the boxes; they're hilarious!
Next we headed back over to Frontierland and Tom Sawyer's Island. Neither of us had visited the island before. We had a great time, and spent about an hour exploring the area. We could have easily spent much longer. This is a wonderful place to take the kids to burn off energy, while you take a break in the shade or relax in a rocking chair at Aunt Polly's.
After returning to the mainland, we were tempted by Splash Mountain, a classic that both of us love. The sign indicated a 30 minute wait, which would have made us late for our lunch reservation, but we decided to try it anyway. Our wait was actually only about 15 minutes. Both Kathy and I felt the ride had been improved since our last visit in 2003. The music and sound effects were clearer and more audible, and all of the animatronics were working correctly.
We walked quickly back through Adventureland to the Crystal Palace, where Kathy encountered her pet peeve, incredibly rude and clueless people! During our last visit to the Crystal Palace we noticed a rude woman ahead of us in the priority seating line who absolutely refused to wait for a table. The CM tried to explain how priority seating worked, but this guest would not listen. She became so loud and aggressive that the CM finally just moved the guest and her family to the front of the line and seated them immediately. This, of course, irritated the rest of the guests who were patiently waiting; including Kathy!
This time, as we gave the CM the name for our reservation, another CM was dealing with a group of, I think, 12 people who wanted to change their reservation from dinner time to lunch, so they could sit with another group who had made reservations for lunch. They apparently didn't understand why they would have to wait longer for a table, and they were making a big fuss about it! The kids in the group were getting upset because they wanted to sit with their friends who had the reservations for lunch. The CM handled it very well though. She found seats so the kids could have lunch with their friends, but the adults without lunch reservations would either have to wait for a table or have lunch elsewhere.
Anyway, we were seated within about 10 minutes and had a great time watching Pooh and his friends lead all the kids in a parade around the restaurant. The food was very good as well. Tip: Everyone knows that food prices are higher inside the parks than for similar food purchased off-site. But we have found that the difference in price is much smaller at the better table service restaurants than at the counter service or snack places, and the quality of the food is generally excellent. These restaurants offer a much better value. In addition, the lunch menu is usually priced lower than dinner. So Kathy and I maximized the value of our food dollars by having a late lunch at a nice sit down restaurant and making do with a light snack for dinner.
After lunch we headed over to Fantasyland. I had read about the rehab of Small World, so we checked it out. The new facade looks great! Inside, the dolls and sets are noticeably brighter, cleaner and more sparkly. They did a great job restoring this classic ride.
Next we rode the much maligned Pooh ride. After reading how poorly this ride compares to the Disneyland version, I must admit I didn't have high expectations. But both Kathy and I thought the Pooh ride was well done and quite fun! It may not be as good as the Disneyland ride, which I understand is based on a totally new and different technology. But judged on its own merit, I think the Disney World version is quite good, and compares favorably to Mr. Toad, which it replaced.
While Kathy shopped in Tinkerbell's Treasures, I watched Merlin offer a young guest the chance to pull the sword from the stone and be crowned king for the day. It was a cute show.
We walked back through the castle to the hub to watch the 3:00 Share a Dream parade. I especially wanted to see the parade because in all my previous visits I had never stopped to watch it. The parade was entertaining, but shorter than I expected. If you only want to take the time to watch one parade, I recommend that you don't watch this one. Wait for Spectromagic in the evening.
After the parade we headed back into Fantasyland and went straight to Mickey's Philharmagic. Tip: During and just after the parade is a great time to go hit an E-ticket attraction. The lines are usually much shorter. Kathy and I both loved this show, and I expect it will remain popular for a long time.
After the comic concert we wandered over to Mickey's Toontown Fair. Neither of us had seen this area of the park before. We loved the crazy architecture, that makes you feel as if you have really entered the "toon" world. Touring the houses of Mickey and Minnie was fun, and we loved the gags built into the architecture (check out the cake in Minnie's oven!).
We followed the path from the train station in Toontown over to Tomorrowland. While Kathy browsed the gift shop, I couldn't pass up a ride on Space Mountain. It was only about a 10 minute wait, and a great ride as always.
Next we both rode the Tomorrowland Transit Authority (AKA Peoplemover). It makes a very pleasant break from walking, and gives a nice preview of some Tomorrowland attractions.
We walked back down the path to the Toontown station and took the train around to Frontierland. I had read so much about the Dole Whip I was determined to have one. But as we walked into Adventureland we noticed that Pirates was a walk on. So we sailed the Spanish Main before buying our Whips. Kathy and I agree that the Dole Whip is indeed delicious!
We slowly ambled around to the hub while eating our Dole Whips, and admiring the beauty of the park. People were gathering in the hub and lining up along the perimeter fences, waiting for Wishes to begin. Kathy and I picked an open spot along the fence right where the walkway from Adventureland joins the hub. From where we stood we had a clear view of the Castle.
I was standing with my rear against the fence, and Kathy was standing just in front of me. When Kathy took a step or two forward, a lady next to us, who was sitting on the curb, complained that Kathy was blocking her view of the Castle, and asked her to move! Kathy was non-plussed. I couldn't help but laugh, and said that we knew from prior experience that the whole hub was going to fill with standing people, and no one sitting on a curb would be able to see! Anyway, we both thought Wishes was a fabulous show.
As everyone began moving down Main Street and out of the park, Kathy and I thought we would shop for awhile and wait for the crowds to clear. This was not as pleasant as we thought because many others apparently had the same idea, and the shops on Main Street were very crowded. By the time we left the shops, we saw the "kiss goodnight" that I had read about.
So ended Day One. We accomplished our goal of doing lots of things we'd not done before, plus we did a lot of shopping between attractions that I left out of the description.
Lows: The occasional rude, clueless person; and the parade was a little disappointing.
Highs: Lack of crowds, minimal wait time; Wishes; Mickey's Philharmagic; the meal at Crystal Palace (I know I've left out the E ticket rides, but remember our goal was to enjoy the little gems!).
Day Two (Monday Nov. 14)
Kathy had started feeling a little sick with some flue-like symptoms yesterday afternoon. Today, she was much worse. Nevertheless she was determined to have some fun, and today was her favorite park, Epcot!
Kathy loves all of the unique shops in the World Showcase. In our two previous visits to Epcot, we spent most of our time in Future World, and really gave short shrift to the World Showcase. So one of our goals was to thoroughly explore the areas in the World Showcase we hadn't already seen. In addition, I definitely wanted to ride Mission: Space and Soarin', which were new attractions since our last visit. Finally we planned to park hop over to the Magic Kingdom to see Spectromagic.
Again we got a late start and didn't arrive at the park until about 10:30 AM. We parked in the Magic Kingdom lot (this time using our Disney Dollars to pay for parking!) because we intended to end up there at the end of the day.
We took the monorail over to Epcot, and could see right away that the park appeared nearly empty! Once again, we stopped at guest services and bought some Disney Dollars. I think its really neat that the CM's have badges and sashes indicating what country they are from.
Next we headed straight for Mission: Space. I thought I would have to pick up a Fast Pass and come back later, but the sign indicated only a 10 minute wait! Kathy waited through the line and pre-show, but exited before boarding the simulator. She wasn't feeling up to space flight today! Tip: Those who want to see the pre-show but don't want to ride can exit just before boarding the simulator, and can participate in a mission control simulation, if they wish, at the exit of the ride.
Mission: Space is one of the most elaborately themed attractions at Disney, and it is a phenomenal ride. The simulation of powerful forward thrust, and brief weightlessness, is uncanny. I did not experience any motion sickness, but it is important to follow the directions they repeat several times before boarding the ride: "Keep looking straight ahead and do not close your eyes, even if you start to feel disoriented." I suspect that most of those who do get sick, don't follow the directions. I hope that the bad press this ride has received for making people sick doesn't discourage many people from riding, because it is truly amazing.
I met Kathy in the gift shop, where she had noticed that the men exiting the ride were all strutting around as if they had actually just qualified as steely-eyed rocket jockeys! A little indignant, I said, "Hey! I could have the right stuff!" For some reason, Kathy laughed.
After I graduated from space flight training (and bought the tee shirt) we headed over to Soarin'. It had a 50 minute wait so we picked up fast passes for later (it turned out that we would not use these passes). Since we were already there, we lined up for Living with the Land. The ride was a lot more interesting than I remembered.
Next, we headed for the World Showcase. We skipped Canada because we had reservations for Le Cellier later. We explored the U.K. pavilion. Then Kathy watched street performers do a hilarious re-enactment of King Arthur and the Holy Grail, while I waited in line to get us a snack of fish and chips. The fish and chips just outside the U.K pavilion is to die for. But for some reason the service this time was very slow. I think it would have been faster for me to catch, clean and fry the fish myself! A thankfully rare example of "bad show" at Disney World.
On the other hand , the CM at the Twinings Tea Shoppe was fascinating to talk with, very knowledgeable about the teas, and even gave us some Twinings tea recipes that they had been distributing during the Food and Wine Festival. Good show!
As we passed the France Pavilion it started raining lightly. In the meantime, Kathy was beginning to feel worse. We both enjoyed the maze like marketplace in the Morrocco pavilion, and Jasmine and Aladdin were there. I thought about buying a fez, so I could walk around doing my Sidney Greenstreet impression (the menacing fat guy with the fez in the classic movie, The Maltese Falcon) but I chickened out.
We made it as far as the Japan pavilion before we started heading back for our 2:00 lunch at Le Cellier. The Japan pavilion is beautiful, but don't you think Disney should put some kind of attraction in that pagoda out front, instead of having just a closed building?
It had stopped raining, but by the time we walked back to Le Cellier, Kathy was feeling pretty bad. She said if she got any worse, she would not be able to make it to MGM the next day. I suggested we should head home as soon as we finish lunch, but she wanted to stick it out for the rest of the day.
Both the service and food at Le Cellier were top notch. While we waited briefly for a table, two other couples approached the hostess and asked for immediate seating. The hostess politely informed each couple that they had no seating available, but she would be happy to find them immediate seating at another restaurant. That is good service! Tip: At least in the World Showcase, the restaurant hosts/ hostesses are able to see on their computer what seats are available in all of the restaurants, not just their own. So if no seats are available at your restaurant of choice, ask them to find you seats elsewhere. I don't know if this is possible at the other parks.
Our server at Le Cellier was Chelsea. She was so bright and cheerful she even made Kathy feel better. Walt himself couldn't have found a better CM than Chelsea. The steaks were excellent, and the lunch menu was reasonably priced. We will definitely return to Le Cellier.
After taking some Tylenol and refueling with some great food, Kathy felt well enough to continue. But we decided to change our plans because we realized she might not return tomorrow. Kathy really wanted to see the Osborne Lights at MGM, so we decided to head there instead of the Magic Kingdom. We boarded the ferry at the International Gateway and enjoyed a pleasant ride to the MGM park. On the way, we noticed the attractive Boardwalk area, and decided we would have to explore the area on a future trip.
Upon arriving at MGM, we first stopped by the Sunset Boulevard Shops, where I bought a great Mickey Mouse watch for myself. Next Kathy wanted to head over to Tatooine Traders to buy some Christmas presents for our kids, who are big Star Wars fans. Then we enjoyed Muppet Vision 3D.
By that time, the Osborne Lights were in full swing. We rounded the corner on to the Streets of America backlot and found a sparkling fairy land! A spinning carousal, flying angels, and a huge globe, were all crafted out of lights. The combination of lights, Christmas music and falling "snow" irresistibly induced the Christmas spirit, despite the nearly 80 degree temperature. We found the Osborne lights delightful. Tip: There are many hidden Mickeys among the lights; at least 20!
It was then about 6:30 PM, and, since Kathy was sick, I thought we probably ought to call it a night. But Kathy knew that I had really wanted to see Spectromagic, so she insisted we try and make it over to the Magic Kingdom by the 7:00 PM start time! I thought it was impossible, but away we went!
We managed to catch a bus for the TTC just before it left. On the way, I kept looking at my watch and complaining that we'd never make it, this is a waste of time, etc. (I guess I'm really an Eeyore kind of guy). About the time we reached the TTC, I was saying that we might make it, if we didn't have to wait for the monorail. At the TTC we walked quickly up the ramp to monorail landing. There was no one in line, and the monorail was waiting for us to board!
We ended up racing into town square just as the lights dimmed and the parade began! Suddenly the square was full of beautifully lighted floats, and all the great Disney characters. Spectromagic is truly spectacular. We were yelling and waiving and jumping up and down like a couple of kids! It was a lot of fun, and a great ending to the day.
Lows: (For Kathy) being sick (but she was a real trooper!); slow service at the fish & chips.
Highs: Lack of crowds. Spectromagic; the Osborne Lights; Mission: Space and Chelsea.
Postscript: On the monorail ride back to the parking lot we had an interesting conversation with a young lady who turned out to be a CM. Apparently she worked as a costumed character, although she was not permitted to say that directly where child guests could hear her! She was in the college intern program, and although we gathered that she worked long hours for low pay, it was also clear that she loved her job, and she was very positive, especially about the impact she has on kids.
Day 3 (Tuesday Nov. 15)
With Kathy feeling so badly yesterday, I honestly didn't expect that we would make it back to Disney World for Day 3. In fact, I didn't even bother to get up early, and I left Kathy to sleep as late as she wished. But when she woke up about 9:00, she was feeling much better. A little Tylenol and she was good to go! We decided to head back to Epcot to complete our tour of the World Showcase and ride Soarin', then head over to MGM to see the Osborne Lights again.
We parked in the MGM parking lot and took a bus over to Epcot. Mission: Space was so great, I had to try it again. Kathy shopped while I once again made the harrowing journey to Mars. Again, the ride was a walk-on. I wanted to check out the activities in the post-show area, but I didn't want Kathy to have to wait too long. So I found her and we headed over to Soarin'.
Soarin' was about a 30 minute wait. We considered getting a fast pass, but decided we'd probably use 30 minutes walking to and from the attraction from wherever we were. So we got in line. Both of us enjoyed Soarin' very much. My only complaint is that it should be a little longer ride.
Yesterday, we'd made it as far as the Japan pavilion before turning back to eat at Le Cellier, and heading over to MGM. So we boarded a Friendship launch for a ride across the lake to the dock at Italy, right next to Japan.
I'd read somewhere that the food was good at a place called Tempura Kiku. Tempura Kiku is a small bar located in the same building as the Teppanyaki restaurant and the Matsu-No-Ma Lounge. Tip: If you don't want to sit at the bar, you can do as we did and sit in the beautiful Matsu-No-Ma lounge overlooking the World Showcase lagoon, and order from the Tempura Kiku menu. The service here was excellent, and the food delightful! By the way, the Japanese CM who served us finally answered one of the questions I have long pondered: Is it proper for one to eat sushi with one's fingers, or should one use chopsticks? The answer: Either one is OK but most Japanese use their fingers!
We next explored the Italy pavilion. We watched a funny mime /juggler perform, and checked out the marvelous details of the Doge's palace facade. The facade is actually a mirror image of the real thing in Venice. At the Germany pavilion I was hoping to see the figures come out of the clock tower. But although the clock chimed, the figures did not emerge. We completed our world tour at the China pavilion, then walked back to the International Gateway and caught a boat over to MGM.
It was dark when we reached MGM. As we headed over towards the Streets of America area, a women was coming towards us riding one of those 3 wheeled scooters. She had turned on the headlight and it was so bright that no one coming toward her could see where they were going! Several people, including me, were complaining about the blinding light. As she passed us, I heard the women on the scooter laughing and saying rather gleefully, "I guess they don't like my light!"
We rode Star Tours, and then once again enjoyed the Osborne Lights. We bought some ice cream and wandered for awhile among all the twinkling lights.
Next we wanted to ride the Great Movie Ride, but it had already closed for the night. We headed toward the Fantasmic amphitheater, stopping to buy a pretzel on the way. The show had already started, and we both assumed the theater would be full, so we didn't go in.
There was no line for the Tower of Terror, one of my favorite rides. Kathy didn't want to ride, so she waited for me. When I entered the hotel, there was only one other person inside. It was great to be able to wander around at leisure looking at all the great theming! When I emerged, having survived another encounter with the Twilight Zone, Kathy told me she was able to see part of Fantasmic while standing in the amphitheater exit near the Tower. It turned out the amphitheater was only about 2/3 full!
We headed quickly toward the park exit, just beating the thundering herd exiting from the Fantasmic amphitheater.
Lows: No real lows today.
Highs: Making it back to Disney for a third day! Lack of crowds. Soarin' and the Osborne Lights.
Day 4 (November 16)
Well, today we head back to the real world, but not before we do some shopping at Downtown Disney! We needed to be at the airport about 4:00 PM. So our plan was to pack up and drive to Downtown Disney, have some lunch and shop around. Then we'd head to the airport, leave the van in the parking lot for dad to pick up when he returned from his cruise, and fly home.
We arrived at Downtown Disney about 10:00 AM. We were looking at a store directory on the sidewalk, trying to find a particular store, when we encountered a bit of Disney magic. A CM who was heading to the parking lot stopped and asked if she could help us find what we were looking for. We told her we were looking for the Disney Art Store, and she cheerfully directed us. A little thing maybe, but honestly how many places do you get service like that anymore?
We needed to get to the Disney Art Store to make another bit of Disney magic for our nieces. The girls are big Disney princess fans, and loved it when, during our 2003 Disney trip, Cinderella personally invited them to have breakfast with her in the castle (Kathy had hand-written invitations and left them on the girls' pillows where they would find them when we returned to our hotel room). The following year, when Kathy and I visited Downtown Disney, we found that we could mail postcards and letters from the Disney Art Store, and they would be postmarked with a Disney World postmark! So we sent the girls each a personal letter from Cinderella.
Now we intended to mail each of the girls a small gift and another letter from the princess. But when we got to the Disney Art Store we found they really weren't set up to mail packages- only letters and cards. Even so, the CM went the extra mile and figured out how to register the correct postage so each box would have the Disney post mark. Then she gave us directions to a nearby post office so that we could mail the packages ourselves.
After returning from the post office, we had lunch at Earl of Sandwich (great sandwiches, reasonably priced), and returned to the Disney Art store to buy a souvenir. I was thinking of buying one of those character pencil sketches that you select from a book of examples, and an artist draws while you wait. But Kathy found something much better, and just as inexpensive!
In a bin near the cash register were hundreds of pencil sketches of Disney characters, but these weren't the kind cranked out quickly for tourists. These were sketches by "real" Disney artists, used by the company to develop new products or decorative elements. We purchased two great sketches of Mickey, one used for a snow globe design and one for a candle holder, and a great drawing of Tigger throwing a snowball, used to design a picture frame. These drawings were left over from a big art show the previous weekend. So for the price of a "tourist" sketch we were able to by art that was actually used by the Disney company. Very cool!
After a bit more shopping it was time to say goodbye to Mickey and all his friends and head to the airport. All in all it was a great time. November (prior to Thanksgiving week) proved to be a great time to visit. Crowds were light, and lines were short- in some cases nonexistent. The weather was glorious, warm and mostly sunny except for one brief spit of rain. I hope this report will help you in planning your trip. Maybe we'll see you there when we use up the remaining four days on our tickets!
Dennis Driggers