Trip Report for WDW February 1999
General Info
Number of people: 2, Me and my wife; both are 28 years old.
Travel
Arrived: Wednesday, February 24, 1999 at 8:40 AM at Orlando International
Depart: Sunday, February 28, 1999 at 5:06 PM to Philadelphia International with a connecting flight out of Washington Ronald Reagan Airport
Comments on Travel: It was great to have the whole day on arrival and depature. We really like to hit the ground running. It is nice to leave early, because we get to a park early in the day. It's just too much to arrive at WDW and have to wait another day to hit the parks! The flight down was great. We were on a very large Boeing 757. The nice size and stability of the plane made for quite a comfortable commute. I do have to say that the connecting flight on the way home was adventurous. The 737 from Orlando to Washington Ronald Reagan Airport experience some bit of turbulance. We made it back to Philadelphia in a Dash 8 twin prop airplane. It was iffy at first glance, but once in the air it was a good flight. From now on, we only take direct flights for any of our travels.
Passes Used: 5-day Park Hopper
Comments on Passes: The park only passes ended up being a big money saver for us. We knew water parks were not going to be on our list of items to do. The other nice feature was that we had the passes loaded onto room key at checkin. It was alot sturdier than the standard carboard tickets and worked the same way.
Weather
Wednesday High in the low 70s; variable cloudiness with plenty of sun; light winds in the evenings; Lows in the upper 40s
Thursday High in the midupper 70s; mostly sunny; no wind; Low in the low 50s/upper 40s
Friday High in the upper 70s; clear sky and lots of sun; Low in the low 50s
Saturday High in the low 80s/upper 70s; mostly sunny and windy; Low in the low 50s
Sunday High in the upper 70s; variable cloudiness with increasing winds that lead into a 1520 minute rainshower; Low in the low 50s
Comments on weather: We were truly blessed with this weather! It was perfect in the day for shorts. The cooler weather at night made for good sleeping weather. The sky was picture perfect except for about an hour on Sunday. After that, it returned to that beautiful scene given to us from above.
Carribean Beach Resort
Room type: Standard View/King Size Bed
Transportation: Buses only
Area in Resort: Jamiaca, Building 46, Room 4660
Comments on Resort: We used the $99/night special deal that was running for this type of year to add to the value of the vacation. There were concerns on the newsgroups that a postcard was needed a check in. This was proved to be completely false.
Typically, we usually stay at the Deluxe, Home Away From Home, or International Drive Resorts. Given that, we were a little nervous that we might be a bit spoiled. Well, it was just fine. I remember reading someone's comment that this resort has high value. I have to agree with that statement.
Standard view was really nice. We overlooked a nice little garden that really gave an island feel to our stay. The only difference with the preferred view is you overlook the lake area.
The overall look of the resort was quite pleasant. The buildings are painted in different pastel colors. I was really impressed with the beautiful landscaping and the Parrot Cay area.
Here are the pros/cons that were experienced with this resort.
Pros:
Nice theming to the area. The plain size of the resort gave that feeling of truly being in an island.
Nice sized sleeping area.
Plenty of bus stops. No one is crowded into one single area.
Lots of buses to the nonDowntown Disney Area. Very little wait time to get onto the park buses.
Double sinks! This cuts down time in the morning when you want to get out into the fun!
More than adequate food court for basic meals. We had some fairly good pasteries there for breakfast.
Cons:
Completely dependent on buses versus the deluxe accomidations that usually have access to the monorail, boats, or walking paths. It made me a bit edgey waiting for a bus at Epcot instead of just walking to the Boardwalk Resort.
Downtown Disney buses were a bit rough to deal with.
VERY small bathroom compared to the more pricey resorts. You may laugh, but when you see it; you will agree.
There is some walking involved in getting to the Old Port Royale (restaurants and shops) and Guest Services areas. In the deluxes, you just go to the lobby and/or the Boardwalk.
OK, here are some transportation times we experienced. These are all approximate. The times listed to the park include waiting for the bus. As you can see, they were rather pleasant wait times.
Typical wait for bus: 515 minutes. Since Jamiaca was the first bus stop 9/10 times, we had no problem with seating or waiting.
Travel to/from the Magic Kingdom: 3040 minutes
Travel to/from Epcot Center: 2535 minutes
Travel to/from DisneyMGM Studios: 2030 minutes
Travel to/from Animal Kingdom: 2535 minutes
Travel to/from Downtown Disney: 4060 minutes
Overall Park Touring (Fireworks/Evening Show Seen is in parenthesis)
Wednesday Animal Kingdom 10:20AM - 5:00PM; Downtown Disney in the late evening
Thursday Epcot Center 9:00AM - 9:00PM (Illuminations) with a break for dinner at the Boardwalk
Friday The Magic Kingdom 9:00AM - 7:00PM (Fantasy in the Sky)
Saturday Disney - MGM Studios (Fantasmic!)
Sunday Magic Kingdom in the AM; Epcot in the afternoon; Go home
Comments on Touring: Well, we did things different here. We usually go to the MK first thing. I think we will probably go back to doing that. There is nothing in WDW that has that 'magic' feel than the MK. Overall, the plan worked really well in avoiding crowds. We waited only on a handful of rides with only 1 ride being over 15 minutes (Splash Mountain).
Place of Interests
Place of Interest: Magic Kingdom
Avg Waiting times experienced: Friday 0 to 10 minutes in the morning; 2040 minutes in the early afternoon; 0 to 10 minutes in the eventing; Sunday 0 minutes in the morning; (looked crowded when we left, but can not give definite times)
Comments on MK: This is just it for me! I have so much more fun at these attractions than anywhere else.
If you get there at opening, take your time. Avoid the marathon to Space Mountain. Once you go to 12 attractions, it's almost a walkon.
Favorites: Pirates of the Caribbean, Space Mountain, and the Haunted Mansion.
Don't miss: Fantasy in the Sky! This is my favorite night show ('It all started with a mouse.' I really like that part). We viewed the show on the bridge to Tomorrowland. Tink flew right over top of us!; Make sure you stay after the night show. About 1/2 hour after the show is over, there is a little light show that happens at the castle. Take a break in front of the castle somewhere. Just watch people go by and enjoy this beautiful park; Look for Walt's name on the windows in Main Street, USA; Watch the Folding of the Flag ceremony at 05:00 PM. This is yet another tribute to this great country; Spend some time soaking it all in! There are not too many places in the world that are like this. Take pictures with your all of your senses! Then, keep them close to you when it gets rough.
Place of Interest: Epcot Center
Avg Waiting times experienced: Thursday 0 minutes (except Maelstrom and Test Track), Sunday 5 minutes
Comments on Epcot: My next most favorite place in WDW is at the center. You can spend hours learning so much here as well as just enjoying the scenery.
Favorites: The American Adventure and Test Track
New to Epcot: Test Track! This was a sneak preview when we were there.
Being Developed: Some new type of pavillion is being built near the UK area. Rumor has it to be a Millenium Pavillion.
Tips/Secrets: If you can split your group into singles on Test Track, do it! It cut the wait time from 50 minutes to 15 minutes! We rode it twice in less than an hour!
Don't miss: Illuminations. Stay afterwards, let the crowds swamp the exit. The lights still go on after the main show. Enjoy it!; Taking the Monorail from the Magic Kingdom to Epcot; The beauty, the culture, the shows, and the discovery! It's not just about rides.
Place of Interest: Disney - MGM Studios
Avg Waiting times experienced: Saturday 0 to 15 minutes in the AM; 1015 minutes in the afternoon; 0 minutes in the evening (everyone is at Fantasmic!)
Comments on DisneyMGM Studios: Unfortunately, Catastrophe Canyon and the Sound Studio were being rehab'd. I'm not a big 'Doug' fan, so we did not go to that show. We did most of the park by midafternoon, then went and rerode the favorites. I look forward to the Rock N Rollercoaster and the reopening of the closed attractions.
One thing we noticed was that the crowds disappeared into Fantasmic! almost immediately when seating began. If you have seen the show but missed the park, you can hit all of the major attractions very quickly.
Favorites: ToT, The Great Move Ride, and MuppetVision 3D
Being Developed: Rock N Rollercoaster
Don't Miss: Fantasmic! This time it was very easy to get a great seat. We went in about 1/2 hour before hand. Our seats were one section from the center and about 10 rows up from the front. I think they added some special FX since our last trip in November, but can not be 100% sure about it. Either way, it was a great show; The props in the preshow area of MuppetVision 3D.
Tips/Secrets: On the ToT, go to the furthest queue after the preshow area. It's a direct shot to the elevators.
After Fantasmic!, they open the path around the ToT to the center of the park. For some reason, everyone avoids it and crowds together. Take the open route and save the hassle.
Place of Interest: Animal Kingdom
Avg Waiting times experienced: Wednesday: 0 to 5 minutes in the AM; 1025 minute waits midday (Safari was the only big wait); 0 minute waits in the late afternoon
Comments on Animal Kingdom: The opening of Asia has really made an impact on how crowds behave. There are now enough big attractions spread around to reduce the volume. I noticed that there are little improvements being made all of the time. I take particular notice to the new landscaping. They are really making this a beautiful park. The animals are treated so well. No zoo/aquarium in the world is like this. I was able to see animals I could never see. It was amazing to see a Komodo Dragon! Hopefully, the efforts to save these fascinating animals work flawlessly.
Favorites: CTX, Safari, and Kali River Rapids
New: Asia (Jungle Trek, Kali River Rapids, various shops, animals, etc. all organized in an ancient Asian theme.)
It was also noticed that there were slightly more FX to CTX this time. Again, I can not be 100% specific about this.
Don't Miss: Stilt birds spotted around Safari Village right after lunch time. The beautiful plant life! It's just incredible!
Tips/Secrets: The Safari still empties out around 3:00 PM. You can get on this over and over again afterwards. The rest of the park becomes empty as well.
Place of Interest: Downtown Disney
Well, no wait times here. Lots of shops, restaurants, clubs, and DisneyQuest.
Comments: This is an enjoyable place for nighttime entertainment.
Favorites: Lego Imagination Center (I must get one of those MindStorms kits! Can not wait to load up LegOS to finally utilize RCX!). Check out all of the neat Lego creations around the center. If you or your children want, have fun in the play area building something from your imagination.
Place of Interest: Boardwalk
Again, no wait times here. Similar to DD except with a delightful Atlantic Boardwalk Theme. Having stayed at a Villa the past trip, this brought back some great memories.
Comments: Yet another enjoyable place for nighttime entertainment. I even would place this as a more sophisticated area than DD.
Favorites: There are various entertainers on the boards. Spend some time watching their acts.
Restaurants
Star Rating * Don't bother. ** Ehhh, it's a meal and it did not make me sick. *** Good eating. **** Now we are talking! ***** Can I live here?
Restaurant: Cinnamon Bay
Where: Old Port Roayle at the Caribbean Beach Resort
Type of Service: Counter
Type of Food: Bakery
Characters: No
Meal Experienced: Breakfast
Ranking: 2.5 out of 5
We had the basic breakfast treats here every morning. Good enough to get the day started right.
Restaurant: Pizzafari
Where: Animal Kingdom
Type of Service: Counter
Type of Food: Pizza and subs/hoagies
Characters: No
Meal Experienced: Lunch
Ranking: 1.5 out of 5
I have to say they put way too much garlic salt in those pizzas. I liked the nice crunchy crust, though. The last time it ranked higher, but that was because they did not overdo the seasonings. Maybe, they'll get it straightened out for the next trip <grin>.
Restaurant: Portobello Yacht Club
Where: Downtown Disney (Pleasure Island)
Type of Service: Table
Type of Food: Italian/Seafood
Characters: No
Meal Experienced: Dinner
Ranking: 4 out of 5
Service was good, but the seating area we were at was a bit noisy. This might have been because of the corporate party near us. This is always one of the best meals we eat in WDW.
Restaurant: Electric Umbrella
Where: Epcot Center
Type of Service: Counter
Type of Food: Burgers and such
Characters: No
Meal Experienced: Lunch
Ranking: 2.5 out of 5
It's an alright place to be if you like Innoventions. You can go have fun with the techie stuff and then have a simple lunch. Remember, if you want to eat a bit more healthier you can get an apple instead of fries.
Restaurant: Flying Fish Cafe
Where: Boardwalk
Type of Service: Table
Type of Food: Seafood
Characters: No
Meal Experienced: Dinner
Ranking: 4.5 out of 5
This was a new experience for us. We both enjoy spending time at the Boardwalk area. This was perfect for an early evening break from Epcot. Have the chocolate lava cake while you are at it!
Restaurant: The Plaza Pavillion
Where: The Magic Kingdom
Type of Service: Counter
Type of Food: Pizza and subs/hoagies
Characters: No
Meal Experienced: Lunch
Ranking: 2.5 out of 5
This is one of those quiet areas of the MK to have lunch. You can sit out on a balcony that overlooks the Castle and Tomorrowland.
Restaurant: Tony's Town Square
Where: The Magic Kingdom
Type of Service: Table
Type of Food: Italian
Meal Experienced: Dinner
Characters: No
Ranking: 3 out of 5
We gave this a good rating up from the last time. The service was really nice as well.
Restaurant: Backlot Express
Where: DisneyMGM Studios
Type of Service: Counter
Type of Food: Burgers and such
Characters: No
Meal Experienced: Lunch
Ranking: 2.5 out of 5
Good, quiet place away from the crowds.
Restaurant: Mama Melrose's
Where: DisneyMGM Studios
Type of Service: Table
Type of Food: Italian/Seafood
Characters: No
Meal Experienced: Dinner
Ranking: 3.5 out of 5
Good food, but a tiny bit expensive. The eating area is divided into sections, so you may be able to get a secluded area. This happened to us because of the time we went. Most everyone was clammering to get to Fantasmic!, while we were eating dinner.
Final Comments
This time of year is great to be at WDW! We never went during the winter time before, but may start going more.
Even though we were just there in November 1998 for 8 days, 5 days just did not seem enough. We wanted just a couple of more days. Fun is just always available there if you just allow it to be.
This leads me to a question that I always ask myself. Money and responbilities aside, how long is enough for WDW? For me, I'll take the days as they are given and be very thankful for them.
Every WDW vacation goes by so quick, but here is a little ditty that helps me out:
"There's a great, big, beautiful tomorrow
shinning at the end of every day!
There's a great, big, beautiful tomorrow
for our next WDW trip is closer than today!"
Andrew Della Vecchia
AndrewDV@adelphia.net
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