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01-07-2007, 07:35 PM
Gaylene Gray -- April 2000 -- Old Key West Resort

Dates of Trip: Thursday, April 6 - April 15, 2000
Travel Method: Delta Airlines and Rental Car
Resort : Old Key West
Accommodation: One Bedroom
Who We Are:
Gaylene (40) - Certified Disney Nut
Bob (Turning 42 on this trip) - Not a "Disney Nut" but Enjoys WDW
Experience: Veterans - DVC Members
Background

I came back from our trip in October/November and realized that I didn't have another trip planned! Imagine the horror! So I got on the phone and booked us 8 nights at OKW. Once that was done, the real planning began. I started checking out rental car rates on the Internet. I found a decent rate for a mid-size car through Dollar, so I booked it.

Then about 5 weeks before we were to leave I found a good deal on a Dodge Durango through the Dollar web-site. So I booked the Durango and canceled the mid-size car. Now I was concerned about doing this through the Internet, but I figured that the worst that could happen is that I had to rent from somebody at the airport without a reservation. (Am I living on the edge or what?)

I booked our airline reservations through Delta Airlines using my frequent flier miles. I made all of dining reservations and kept fine-tuning our itinerary until departure time. So here is our story...

Thursday, April 6, 2000

Mom arrived at 7:00pm to pick us up. We loaded everything up and stopped at Wendy's for dinner ($12.12 for the three of us). We arrived at the airport at 8:30pm and checked-in with little wait. Previously, I was a Silver Medallion Member with Delta. One of the Medallion perks is being able to check-in at the 1st Class area and board early. This year I have not qualified, so we had to check-in at the regular area.

While we were waiting to board, I looked at the tickets and mine still had the "Medallion Member" on it. Cool!! Bob and I discussed whether we should try to board early, and we decided that the worst that could happen is that they make us wait for our row to be called. So when they called early boarding, we stepped up, they looked at my ticket, and away we went. Cool. We left on time (9:50pm). The movie wasn't anything we were interested in, so we read and tried to sleep.

Friday, April 7, 2000

We landed in Atlanta at 5:23am and the bad news was that we parked at gate T6, and our flight to MCO left from gate E11. Then to add to our misery, the trains were not working that early. For those who have never been to Atlanta, it is one BIG airport!!! We walked, and walked, and walked. The good news is that now we were totally awake. Luckily, by the time we reached Terminal C, the trains started running, so we got to ride from Terminal C to Terminal E.

We finally made it to our gate (insert heavy breathing) and hung out until time to board. My boarding pass lets us on early again. We leave on time at 6:35am, and had a beautiful sunrise. We landed at 7:45am and head to baggage claim. While we were waiting I decided to go get the car, while Bob picked up the bags.

As I mentioned earlier, this was my first time renting with Dollar, and my first time making my rental arrangements over the Internet, so I was apprehensive. Well, it was sort of a snap. There was no waiting at the counter, and the guy helping me had half a personality. Anyway, he couldn't find my reservation but luckily I had brought my reservation number with me. "Oh, here it is." Jeez. Anyway, I rented a Dodge Durango but was tempted by the PT Cruiser. I didn't ask how much it was to rent, because I really wanted to drive the Durango, but we saw several Cruisers at WDW.

I got the "insurance spiel" but I declined nicely, and soon I was on my way. I went back upstairs, met Bob, and we headed back downstairs to the rental cars. We checked-in at Dollar's outside counter to get our keys then headed over to our Silver Durango with 3,500 miles on it. The Durango was very nice. It has 3 rows of seats, so we folded the back seat down, and had plenty of luggage room. We left MCO at 8:30am and headed to WDW via 417. Hwy. 417 is the best way to get to WDW from the airport, (IMHO) there is never traffic, and it is 65mph. I noticed how much construction had been going on since I was there in November. Hwy. 417 has two $1.00 tolls, then we paid a $.25 toll to get off on Osceola Parkway.

We arrived at OKW at 9:00am and got a Welcome Home from the guard. We parked in the lot by check-in, and headed to the front desk. We checked-in with no wait, and our room wasn't ready, although I didn't expect it to be. We bought our E-Tickets ($21.20) for Tuesday night, and got all our paperwork. We went back to the car and brought it under the canopy to unload our luggage.

Now, in previous trips I have had problems with bell services not wanting to take our bags. I understand that they have limited space, but I will not leave my bags in the car. First of all, it isn't safe, and second, it gets too hot in the car. Anyway, after explaining all this to the guy (wish I had gotten his name) he finally took our luggage. Jeez, I need to write a letter. Does everyone get this hassle? We grabbed the backpack and video camera and headed to Olivia's for breakfast.

We didn't have to wait for a table, and we were seated in the back area. It was a beautiful morning, sunny with a slight breeze. The doors to the patio were open, so we got the benefit of sitting outside without being outside. Bob had the omelet, I had the 2-egg breakfast, and we both had O.J. ($22.85 before tip).

After breakfast we changed clothes and got on a bus to MK at 10:30am. Our first stop was Guest Services for...drum-roll...Annual Passes!!! We had to wait in line, but we weren't in a hurry...we were just happy to be at WDW. We bought 2 annual passes with the MKC discount for a total of $655.08. Poor Bob, he had sticker shock, but I explained my grand plan of next year's trip being before the passes expire so we will get at least 16 days admission from these passes. He was dubious, but I told him to "trust me".



Bob had no problems with the finger reader although it took me a couple of tries for it to accept me. Finally we are in! We strolled down Main Street enjoying the music, sights, and smells. I wish I could get a video camera that records the smells. Anyway, we head towards Liberty Square to see the Hall of Presidents. Unfortunately, a show had just started, so we kept on walking straight into the Haunted Mansion. We enjoyed our trip with the 999 happy haunts, then made a trip around the Rivers of America on the Riverboat. I haven't been on the Riverboat for a long time, and it was a very enjoyable ride.

After our river trip we stopped for ice cream. Bob's first Mickey Bar of the trip, and I had an Itsakadoozee ($4.50). We sat in the shade and watched the world go by. We then wandered into Fantasyland...and it was packed. Even Small World had a line! We went to the Lion King Show, which was very good, but with little to no sleep the night before Bob fell asleep...zzzzz. I actually found myself dozing off too. By now it was 1:15pm, and we were loosing steam. We bought a bottle of water ($2.50) and headed out of the MK.

We caught the monorail to the Ticket and Transportation Center (TTC), then switched to the EPCOT monorail. We enjoyed the ride in the "highway in the sky". We didn't go into EPCOT, just walked over to the OKW bus stop. I am really bothered by how far from the entrance the OKW bus stop is located. I would rather drive and ride the parking lot tram to the entrance, than walk from that bus stop. It is ridiculous.

We sat on the bench and waited for the 2:00pm bus. We got back to the Hospitality House at 2:20pm. I went to the front desk, and our room was ready. Yeah. We are in the Turtle Pond area, room 3528. Except for one trip, I have always been assigned the Turtle Pond area. Next trip I'll request to be anywhere but the Turtle Pond area. It's not that I have anything against Turtle Pond, it's just that I would like to experience another area.

We picked up our bags from Bell Services and headed to our room. The room was in excellent condition. New carpets, new couches, and the bed was very comfy. The only bummer was the view (or lack of a view). Trees surrounded us. I was very disappointed, as sitting on the porch and enjoying the view is one of my favorite activities. Oh well.

We unpacked then headed to Publix for groceries. Publix is very reasonably priced. We bought pop, water, hamburger, chips, salsa, cookies, butter, O.J., muffins, and other assorted stuff and only spent $59.65. I'm sure it would have been at least $100 at Goodings.

Back at OKW we put the groceries away and made taco salads for dinner. We ate outside and enjoyed the afternoon. Just as we were finishing dinner we hear a golfer yell "four". Ah Ha. Now we know why these trees are here, to protect us from golf balls. After dinner I read my book and Bob napped, then I couldn't hold my eyes open anymore, and we both napped on the porch. Then I got up and crashed on the couch, Bob got up and crashed on the bed. I got up off the couch at 7:00pm and crashed on the bed. We both got up about midnight, shut off all the lights and went to bed for good. Somebody could have moved our condo unit to California and we never would have known it. We were tired!

Saturday, April 8, 2000

After a good night's sleep, we are up at 6:40am. We had muffins and juice in the room, and are off to EPCOT at 8:30am. We drove and parked in the Create Section. Bob had problems with the finger readers, but I was accepted on my first try. Hmmm. We headed straight to Test Track (TT), but it was down, so we got a Fast Pass (FP) for 10:30am - 11:30am.

Since it was only a little past 9:00am, we headed to Honey I Shrunk The Audience (HISTA). The show was great as usual, and I love watching the first-timers and the kids reach for things. All the effects were working great. After HISTA we went on the new Imagination Ride. Don't bother. If you are looking for a nap, or a place out of the pouring rain, fine. But otherwise, don't waste your time.

Headed over to the Living Seas and now you can skip the movie! Yeah! We went directly to the "hydrolaters" and Sea Base Alpha. There were 2 divers in the tank, so we watched them... we also saw a huge turtle. Then we were fortunate to catch a dolphin demo. The dolphin demo was great...try to see a demo if you possibly can. They dolphin's names were Bob and Toby, and they did a few "natural behaviors", and played around with the trainers. We got it all on videotape, and I have been watching and re-watching the tape. They have the cutest faces!! I asked Bob if I could have a dolphin, and he said yes...as long as it is stuffed. Maybe next trip we'll have to go to Sea World.

Next stop was to see the Manatees, but they weren't in their habitat. There was a lot of lettuce, but the Manatees weren't to be seen.

It was now 11:00am and we could use our FP for TT, so we walked on over, and waited about 10 minutes. The ride was fun, until we broke down...outside. Instead of 0-to-60, we went 60-to-0. Big Bummer. Even worse was when the sun came out, and reflected off the building! We sat for 10 minutes, and then the ride started up again. TT needs help in the dependability area.

It is now 11:45am and our "hunger bells" go off. We decide on The Land cause of all the choices offered. When we get inside it isn't crowded, and I have an insane thought...could we get a table at the Garden Grill and eat with Mickey? Ah what the heck, I decided to ask. YES!!! A walk-up would be about a 5-minute wait, so we decide to eat with Mickey.

At lunch you are served the same food as dinner (all you can eat), except salad isn't included at lunch. The food here is good (chicken, catfish, beef, vegies, smashed potatoes and gravy)...but the dessert is to die for!!! It is an apple cobbler served warm with vanilla ice cream on top. Yummy!! We both had ice tea, and our total was $35.94 before tip. Our waiter was Victor, and he was excellent...attentive but not "in your face". Our characters were Mickey, Chip and Dale. They came to our table for pictures, and Chip "buffed" Bob's balding head. Bob said he could hear Chip "huff" on his head, then he rubbed it with his arm. It was adorable...of course Chip "belly laughed".

We waddled our way out of The Land, and walked onto Spaceship Earth (SE). I video taped some of my favorite parts, and they turned out without using external light. After SE it was 1:45pm and we decide to head back to OKW. Everything was basically a walk-on today.

Back at OKW Bob decided to nap, and I went to the Turtle Pond pool for some sun. I cannot describe the feelings that I have when I'm at OKW. It is a calm; everything is right with my world feeling. I enjoyed the water, and watching the kids play. I got back to the room about 4:00pm. Bob is still asleep, so I shower, then wake him up. We get ready and leave at 5:30pm.

Our destination for dinner is 1900 Park Faire at the Grand Floridian (GF). We arrive at the GF at 6:00pm, and have no problems at the guard station. First time that has ever happened. We valet parked and saw a bride and groom checking-in. Her dress was gorgeous. Anyway, we checked-in at the restaurant and are given a pager that not only lights up, but talks! Too weird. We waited in the lobby and listened to the piano player. Bob and I talked about staying here, but he says it's not his style...too snooty. I tell him I'm going to stay here someday. My ultimate goal is to stay at every WDW Resort. So far I've stayed at Port Orleans, Contemporary, Boardwalk Villas, Boardwalk Inn, and OKW. I've got a few to go, but that gives me more reasons to go back. Like I need more reasons.

Dinner was a character affair with Belle, The Beast, Goofy, and Hercules. The Beast was in the lobby (way too crowded for him to get around the tables), but the other characters came to our table for pictures. Let me tell you ladies this...Herc is a Hunk! Wow! I definitely had my picture taken with him! I told Goofy that I liked his new movie...and he started dancing 70s style. What a goof...that Goofy.

The food on the buffet was excellent. I tried the cold strawberry soup, which was yummy. We both had the prime rib, and sampled a lot of the other offerings. We both had a drink...Bob had the "Key West" which was like a Daiquiri, and I had a Scarlet Daiquiri. Yummy. Total $60.27 before tip. We took our time eating, and enjoyed watching 2 little boys from the UK interact with the characters. Both of them were in awe of Belle.

After dinner we took the monorail to the MK. We arrived about 7:45pm and made our way down a VERY crowded MS to Frontierland. Our goal was to watch the 8:30pm MSEP, then the 9:30pm fireworks. We found a great place next to the Liberty Tree Tavern. We were on the porch, so we could take pictures and video unobstructed, and we were out of the rain sprinkles that decided to descend upon us a couple of times.

I haven't seen the MSEP for several years, but I loved it. I can't make a choice between MSEP and Spectromagic...both parades have their good points. I was so glad that we got to see MSEP this trip. The music, the floats (especially Cinderella's with the dancers under the canopy), the characters with lights on their outfits. It is a spectacular parade.

After the parade we walked back to MS and found a spot about halfway down MS to watch, video, and take pictures of the fireworks. It sprinkled a little during the fireworks, but nothing to get you wet, just little drops. The fireworks were beautiful, but because of the wind Tinkerbell didn't get to fly. :o(

After the fireworks were over, we headed back to the GF via monorail. We got our car from valet parking and were back at OKW at 10:30pm. Got ready for bed, watched the news and weather, then lights out about 11:30pm.

Sunday, April 9, 2000

Well today started out on an unusual note...I slept in and Bob got up early. Usually I am the one prying him out of bed. We had breakfast in the room, then headed to Animal Kingdom (AK) at 9:30am.

It was a beautiful day today...cool but sunny. We wore shorts and sweatshirts. We parked in Dino 42, then caught the tram to the entrance. I noticed construction by the bus area...must be getting ready for the new hotels. We made our way through the Oasis and to the safari. The safari had a 45- minute wait so we got a FP with a return time of 10:45am - 11:45am. We walked the Panagi Trail and saw lots of the gorillas and the hippos were very active. I have never seen the hippos that active.

We still had plenty of time until our FP, so we decide to ride the train to Conservation Station (CS). When we got off the train we had to stop and watch this lady give a spiel about the earth and recycling. Her name was "Terri Ferma". Get It? After her spiel we walked down to CS and not much was going on. I really don't understand CS, but maybe its because we have always visited on a weekend. We stopped in the petting area and bonded with some goats. After washing our hands, we headed back to the train station.

As we were leaving CS we saw Jiminie Cricket, but he had a long line of people waiting to see him. Jiminie is not a character that you see very often.

We headed to the FP entrance of the Safari, and people have lined up at the FP entrance. I don't know if they were close to their time, but lining up really defeats the purpose of FP. We walked right into the Safari, and passed a long line of people. Some of the people said not nice comments, but hey...they could have gotten a FP too. We were in our Jeep within 5 minutes. We had a great driver, and we saw Tommies, tons of crocodiles, giraffes, both lions, and...we saved Little Red!

By now it was noon, and I stopped in Harambe to call home. Everything is going good, and Mom and Max are bonding. Then I called my sister to check-in and let her know how things are going. We decide that we need lunch, so we head to Pizzafari. I had a great cheese pizza, and Bob had the deli sandwich. With drinks our total was $17.57.

After lunch our timing was perfect to see the Wonders of Flight Show. We have never seen this show, but it had gotten good reviews, so we decided to see it. The show was very good, and the birds were spectacular. The one bird that sang "How Much is that Doggie in the Window" and "Camp Town Ladies" was adorable. The only downer was the kid 3 rows in front of us that stood on the seats. He made it very difficult to see the show.

After the show we walked the Jungle Trek to see the bats and tigers. The bats fascinate me, they are cool but creepy at the same time. We spent a lot of time watching the tigers. They were sunning themselves, but one was pacing back and forth in front of the windows. Made me feel bad for him...I don't think he was adjusting very well. The tigers are adorable...I want to pet and hug them. There was a girl sketching a couple of the tigers. She was really good. I spent several minutes watching her draw. Very fascinating since I don't have any talent in that area.

It was warming up nicely this afternoon, so we walked to Kai River Rapids (KRR), but decided not to ride. We stood on the bridge and got people wet with the elephants instead. Now that is fun!! Bob decided that he needed a Mickey Ice Cream Bar, so we headed back toward the Oasis, found ice cream ($4.50) and sat down to enjoy our ice cream and watch the people go by.

We headed back to the car and were back at OKW at 4:00pm. We relaxed, had a snack and got ready for Cirque de Soleil. We left OKW at 5:15pm and parked at DTD with no problems. We hung around outside and answered a survey for Disney Research. They wanted to know where we were staying, when and how we bought our Cirque tickets, and some demographic information. I love answering surveys for Disney. We went into the theater about 5:30pm. We had really good seats. We were in Section 203, Row CC, and Seats 15 & 16. We settled in, then Bob went to get us something to drink and popcorn for me ($7.50).

How to describe Cirque. WOW...Indescribable...Fast Paced...Definitely worth the money. The show is very fast paced with a live band. There are clowns, singers, dancers, acrobats, guys in round tubes, high-fly acts, acrobatic girls with Chinese spools, guys on bikes doing tricks, trampoline act...basically non-stop action. I sat through most of the show with my mouth open. The talent of the performers blew Bob and me both away. Would we do it again...YES, without a moment's hesitation, even though the tickets cost $120.

After the show we were hungry, so we went in search of food. We've already eaten at House of Blues, and Bongos didn't do much for us, so we decided upon Wolfgang Puck's Express. What a hassle to get the food. Depending upon what you want you have to order at different areas. I ordered Bob's pizza, then when it was ready I got my Mac and Cheese, then our drinks. Total including a brownie for dessert was $18.34. Would we go back? Maybe.

We had talked about going to Pleasure Island, but by this time it was 8:00pm, so we decided to come back another night, and walked to the Marketplace. I had to buy a new fanny pack. During Cirque I looked down and mine had a major blow-out!! We started at World of Disney and I found a fanny pack with Mickey's body parts on the front, then I found sun shades for our cars!! I loved them!!

We walked back to the Westside and stopped at the Virgin store. I couldn't believe how expensive the CDs were. A Jimmy Buffett CD I bought at Target for $8.99 was $16.99!! I stood around and watched people while Bob went upstairs to the book department. He found a book on WWII, so he was happy.

We headed back to OKW at 10:15pm and our room keys wouldn't work. Now this is not a good thing. We gather up all of our stuff, got back in the car, and drove to the HH. We went up to the front desk and had a conversation about what lights were coming on when we inserted our cards. The consensus at the front desk was that our cards had been deactivated somehow. I was very suspicious of this conclusion... how could both of our cards be deactivated at the same time...but I took their word for it. We got our cards reissued, and they asked us to call when we got back into our room. If we did not call within 10 minutes, they would send somebody to help us. We got back in the car and drove to our room. We gathered all our stuff and trekked to our room. Neither card worked! (Insert growls of frustration). I decided to wait with our stuff while Bob drove back to the HH.

When Bob gots back to the HH, they were surprised to see him. They dispatched CM Lori and a CM-Trainee Lori to help us. Bob and "the Lori's" got back to the room, and they couldn't get the door open with their special key!! This is not looking good, but we all maintained our sense of humor. "The Lori's" radioed for a maintenance person. The maintenance lady arrived about 10 minutes later, and opened the door with her special key. We had been going over several scenarios as to why the door wouldn't open...everything from the dead bolt being on, to a dead battery in the lock. Once the door was open, they determine that the batteries are dead. Once the batteries are replaced, they tried to reprogram the lock, but the unit that "the Lori's" had wouldn't work, so the maintenance lady had to go get another unit. Finally at 11:30pm, our door is reprogrammed!!! Yeah. I knew there was a reason that we didn't go to Pleasure Island tonight. Could you imagine going through all this at 2:30am? Not me.

I threw a load of wash in, and we went to bed!

Monday, April 10, 2000

Everybody up at 8:30am, and we had a nutritious breakfast of chocolate donuts and orange juice...hey...we're on vacation. We tidy up the room and leave for Fort Wilderness (FW) at 9:40am. We drove past Port Orleans and Dixie Landings and arrived at FW in about 10 minutes. We parked in the main lot and caught a bus that dropped us off at the Meadow Trading Post and Bike Barn. We debated about renting a golf cart (easier to videotape) or bikes, but we decided to stick with our original plan of bikes.

If you plan on having the bikes longer that 2 hours, it is cheaper to rent for the whole day, so we rented 2 bikes for the day ($27.99). They gave us a map of FW and we headed off. We rode around the different loops and checked out the cabins (very cute) and the dog loops. I was going through severe dog withdrawal, so I wanted to see as many dogs as possible. We rode for about 11/2 hours and let me tell you...my butt is not as young as it used to be. I felt every inch of that bike seat!

We stopped for lunch at the Trails End Buffet. The fried chicken is to die for, the Mac and Cheese is Stouffer's, and the pizza and pudding were great. The buffet was a great value ($21.73 before tip). Thanks to Jeff Spencer for the recommendation. After lunch we rode around some more, then returned the bikes. We had a perfect day for bike riding; it was sunny with a nice breeze. Next time I think it would be fun to rent a golf cart. We walked across the street and caught a bus to the main parking lot, then headed to the car.

We decided that we weren't tired, so we skipped our afternoon break. We stopped at OKW so I could change my socks and put in a load of wash. We hopped back into the car and drove to MGM. We arrived at 3:00pm and headed directly to the Rock & Roller Coaster (RRC). We got a FP for RRC, then headed to the Tower of Terror (ToT), and walked right into the lobby. The new drop sequences were spectacular, and I screamed a lot! After ToT we went on RRC without any wait. We were in the second car, and had a great ride. Unfortunately our picture didn't turn out very well. I tried to keep my eyes open, but couldn't keep them open the whole time. Bob loved it, and said it was definitely a ride worth repeating.

After RRC we stopped for some ice cream and water ($7.25) then went to the 5:00pm Hunchback show. We got there a little early, so we sat on a bench and watched the world go by. We went into the theater and got great seats on the right-hand side, along the aisle. Matt the Juggler performed before the show, and was good as usual. The show was excellent, and the performers gave 110% of themselves.

Next was the Muppets. We walked right into the pre-show and waited about 3 minutes to be let into the theater. I love this show, so corny, but fun and makes you smile. After Muppets we were hungry, but I hadn't made Priority Seating for tonight. We stopped by Mama Melrose's, but they were full! So we wandered over and ate at the ABC Commissary. I had the kids grilled cheese and Bob had the quesadilla. Total with drinks ($13.72). We ate outside and enjoyed our quick meal. It was close to 7:00pm, so we headed towards the Fantasmic Theater. We stopped at the Candy Cauldron so I could pick up a snack, then we stopped outside the theater so Bob could get some ice cream ($2.65), then headed into the theater. We were seated in the Pocahontas Section, row S, on the left side. The show didn't start until 8:30pm, so Bob was not amused about the wait, however he understood when I pointed out where we would have been sitting if we waited until 7:30pm to be seated. His hip started to bother him (the hard metal benches) so he stood at the top of the aisle, and I updated my trip notes. He came and sat down once the bellhops started their show.

We both enjoyed Fantasmic, but it is not my "gotta see" show the MK fireworks, or MSEP. The special effects (the water catching fire) are good, but the show is lacking something. Not quite sure what it is, but definitely something. We made good time getting out of the theater, and got onto a waiting tram for our ride through the parking lot. We had a great CM on the tram...he was hilarious. I wanted to ride back to the entrance just so I could listen to him. We found our car and were back at OKW by 9:30pm.

I did laundry, and we snacked on cookies and Coke while we watched "Once and Again" on ABC. Once the show was over, I decided it was time to give Bob his birthday present. I told him that I "didn't know how to tell him about his present", so I handed him the envelope with all the paperwork in it. How do I describe his reaction...disbelief, shock, surprise, excitement? Also, my Mom had sent a birthday card with $50 in it (for souvenirs). Now all I had to do was pray that it wouldn't rain on Thursday. We were in bed by 11:30pm, with Bob dreaming race car dreams.

Tuesday, April 11, 2000

Both of us were up at 8:00am, got ready and went to Olivia's for breakfast. Bob and I had both had the fruit plate with a biscuit and muffin on the side, and juice. The fruit plate was excellent. Total before tip was $22.90.

We drove to the Beach Club and had no problems at the guard gate. We parked in the self-parking lot, and walked through the lobby. We decided to take the boat to EPCOT. The boat was waiting at the dock, so we hurried to catch it. The boat stopped at the Boardwalk then went to the International Gateway. We arrived at the turnstiles at 10:50am and Bob had problems with the finger scanner again. This is interesting since I had problems the first time, but haven't had problems since, and he had no problems the first time, but has had problems every other time. Hmmm.

We walk through a deserted UK and sat on a bench waiting for the Millennium Village to open. Now I had high hopes for this attraction, but it was only so-so. We walked through the 4-Seasons of Sweden, checked out the mini-golf in Scotland and the soccer in Brazil. We went on the Jerusalem ride and the message was interesting. I told Bob it reminded me of propaganda. We walked through the rest of the Village checking out the shopping and food. Overall, I would give this attraction a "C"..."Your Mileage May Vary".

Next stop...Canada. On this trip I was determined to try a beaver tail, so that was our next stop. I had the cinnamon and sugar beaver tail ($3.00). It is exactly what we have at local fairs, only here we call them elephant ears. The beaver tail was good, but I was disappointed that I'd had them several times before...I just didn't know it.

We continued walking towards Norway. We went on Maelstrom with no wait, and skipped the movie. We kept on walking, taking in the sites until we reached the American Adventure and stopped for lunch. I finally got a hot dog...all the indigestion that I can handle. Bob also had a hot dog. Total with drinks ($15.25). We decided to eat outside and my recommendation is...pay attention to the birds. They are aggressive! Bob took his eyes off his fries for a second and this bird snatched a "beakfull". Reminded me of the movie "The Birds".

After lunch we stopped in Japan for a Kaki-Gori ($2.25). It was yummy, and I liked the fact that the ice didn't harden into a glob. Bob had a Goofy ice cream bar. It was chocolate ice cream with caramel in the middle and chocolate on the outside ($2.25).

We made it to the UK in time to watch the World Showcase Players perform King Arthur and the Holy Grail... excellent as always. Then to Canada to watch Off Kilter. They are very talented guys.

We backtracked to the International Gateway, cruised through the Beach Club and returned to OKW at 4:00pm. We rested, showered, and were at the bus stop at 6:10pm. We had just missed a MK bus, so we waited and enjoyed OKW. A MK bus came at 6:25 and off we went.

Once at MK we stopped at City Hall and got our tickets exchanged for wrist bands for E-Ticket night!!! We walked across Town Square and checked-in at Tony's. I requested a table outside, and the CM says she will note our request. I told her that I was willing to wait for a table if need be.

We got a table outside and enjoyed the atmosphere of MS. It was amusing to watch the people try to jump over plants and walk through the bushes to get on the porch, only to find out that the entrance was farther to the right. Bob had the scaloppini and I had the special, which was shrimp with angel hair pasta. We had calamari for an appetizer and iced tea. Total before tip was $55.44. We were stuffed, and rolled our way down MS.

First stop was the new Pooh ride. The wait was 30 minutes, but we decided to wait. We got to watch the fireworks while waiting in line. Pooh is very cute, but I still haven't found the picture of Toad giving the deed away. After Pooh, the rides were still crowded so we rode the Tomorrowland Transit Authority (TTA). I love the TTA, it is a very relaxing ride through tomorrow..."paging Mr. Morrow...Mr. Tom Morrow". You gotta laugh.

The crowds were starting to thin out, so we rode Space Mountain twice with no wait. They had both sides open, so we rode the left side, then the right side. I have to admit that I like the right side best.

We were basically finished with Tomorrowland, so we stopped at the Ice Cream Shop on MS for the biggest ice cream cones I've ever seen. One scoop was equal to two scoops! Total was $5.30. We sat in front of the castle and watched it change colors. It was a beautiful night, and wonderful to be in the almost empty park.

While we were finishing up our ice cream Mickey, Minnie, Chip, Dale, and Pluto came out for pictures and autographs. I had my picture taken with Chip and Dale, and Pluto.

After our photo-op we headed towards Adventureland and Pirates (PotC). We had no wait, and enjoyed our pillage and plunder. Next stop...Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (BTMRR). They only had one side open, but there was no wait. We got off and raced back around for another ride on "the wildest ride in the wilderness". We both think it is a better ride at night.

Now, time to get wet...and we did! We walked onto Splash Mountain (SM) with no wait, and we got wet at the beginning from the water cannon, we got wet from the drop, then we got stuck by the waterfall. We ran around for another ride, and got really wet this time. Bob took our picture...we had huge water drops on our faces, and my butt was soaked...but I loved every minute of it.

We were done with rides, so we went back to the castle and watched it change colors and we got to see the "goodnight kiss". I got all choked-up. It was a romantic and heartwarming moment. We finally headed towards the bus at midnight, and a bus was waiting for us. We hopped on, and waited for some other people. We made it back to OKW at 12:30am. Time for bed!!!

Wednesday, April 12, 2000

We slept in a little this morning. We got up at 8:00am and we drove to the Beach Club. We had a PS at Cape May for 9:30am. This breakfast buffet is out of this world!!! The buffet was rectangle shaped, and one side was fruit, one was cereals, one was hot food, and one was pastries!!! Then add the fact that this is a character meal, and I could have stayed there forever. I pigged out on bacon and fruit, then tried a couple of pastries. I found out from our waitress that they make the pastries right there!!! Bob liked the egg/potato/cheese omelet-thing, the fruit, and the fresh donuts. Total before tip $31.70. I can't wait to try this buffet for dinner! The characters were Chip, Dale, Goofy, and Minnie was in the lobby. They were all dressed in their old-fashioned swimwear. I took a picture of Chip's butt... their tails sticking out of their shorts was adorable!

After breakfast we went to DTD for some shopping. It was really hot and humid today. We hit all the shops including the Christmas, WoD, and Lego stores. I bought pretty much something for everyone (including myself), then we went back to OKW at 2:00pm. We slept until 3:30pm and then got cleaned up for our evening at Epcot.

We drove to the BW and valet parked. We walked through the BW lobby, then headed outside to the boat dock. We took the boat to Epcot...we weren't in any big hurry, and it was an enjoyable ride since it was still very humid. Once inside Epcot, we stopped at the UK for another performance of "King Arthur" by the World Showcase Players. We then checked out Millennium Village again, and watched a dance performance by a talented group. When we left Millennium Village the wind was really picking up and we could smell the rain. We decided to head to Le Cellier and see if we could get in early for our PS. We checked in at 5:30pm and were seated in about 10 minutes.

Le Cellier is a very dark restaurant and the tables are very close together, however the food was to die for. I had the filet migon with fresh vegies, smashed potatoes, and crème broulee for dessert. Bob had the top sirloin with scalloped potatoes, a side of mushrooms, and the chocolate mousse cake for dessert ($68.37 before tip). We had an excellent waitress from British Columbia, so we had an opportunity to talk about the Pacific Northwest. While we were eating it had rained! Our timing was very good; unfortunately, it was still sprinkling when we went outside. We put on our red raincoats and we stood out like a sore thumb in all the yellow poncho people.

We headed back to the UK so I could buy a couple of things for my sister at the Tea Caddy. We also staked out a spot to watch Tapestry of Nations (ToN). Ok, I'll probably get flamed for this...but I just don't get everyone's fascination with this parade. Yes, the puppets are cool. Yes, the CMs are talented. But for us it was just OK. Maybe it was the place we were watching it from...maybe it grows on you. If it's still at Epcot on my next trip I'll give it another try.

After ToN we walked towards France looking for a place to watch Illuminations 2000 (I2000). The rain had stopped by now; so more people were staying for I2000. We found a space between France and Morocco and settled in for the show. The show was good, but there seemed to be a lot of "blank space". Next time I also need to remember to check the wind direction. It was blowing towards us, so guess what...yep, we got the smoke. Oh well, live and learn.

After I2000 we sat on a bench and watched the world go by. After about 20 minutes we headed through the International Gateway and back to the BW. We stopped at the ESPN Club so I could buy a couple of shirts for my nephew, then picked up our car at valet parking.

We got back to OKW at 10:00pm and Bob filled out his paperwork for tomorrow. We have to be at the track at 7:30am so I got everything organized. I am not a morning person...I am better off staying up late then trying to get up early. We finish everything up and are in bed at 10:45pm.

Thursday, April 13, 2000

Happy Birthday Bob!!! Today is the big day!!! Richard Petty Driving Experience!! We got up at 6:15am, got ready, eat and are out the door at 7:00am. The track was very easy to get to. I went through the MK Toll Plaza and stayed to the left. We arrived at 7:10am, and they were not open yet. We drove down to the Car Care Center and hung out until it was time to go back to the track.

We returned to the track right at 7:30am and we were directed through the tunnel into the infield. We parked and went into the training center for Bob to check in. There were 7 guys driving today. We watched a video of what will be happening, and then the guys got into their fire suits. It was now time for the non-drivers to go to the observation area. The drivers all climbed into a van and they were driven around the track. The drivers learned about the different signals and cones, and what to do in an emergency.

After their drive-around, the drivers gathered around one of the cars to get more information about the car, including the steering wheel, fire extinguisher, and how to get in and out of the car. Each driver had their picture taken in front of the car, and then it was time for them to get their helmets. Once helmets were assigned, it was time to drive!!! Bob was first out!!! He got into the car, and the pit crew helped him with the neck brace, put the steering wheel on, and made sure he was buckled in properly. I video taped his laps, and took pictures also. The 10 laps went very quickly. When Bob got back to the pits he had a huge smile on his face. He loved it, and wants to do the ride again. I told him to save his pennies. For those interested his top speed was 122.6 mph.

All the drivers received a certificate of completion, and a discount coupon for a future ride. Unfortunately it is only 5%, and I can get 10% with DVC or AP. Anyway, we bought the pictures and a hat and T-shirt and were back at OKW by 10:00am.

I knew that my mom and sister would be dying to know how Bob's birthday surprise had gone, so we phoned both of them. They both were glad that Bob had a great time with the ride. After our phone calls we changed and drove to the main pool. It was a beautiful day, but hot.

We hung out beside the pool, swam, and had sandwiches and drinks from Goods To Go ($17.87). By 2:30pm we had had enough sun, so we went back to the room and cleaned up for Bob's birthday dinner!

We drove over to MGM and watched some street-mosphere characters on Hollywood Blvd. Then it was time for our dinner at 50's Prime Time. We both had the fried chicken. For dessert Bob had Dad's Sundae which is a brownie with ice cream, whipped cream, M&Ms, and caramel corn! I had the strawberry cheesecake. Total before tip $40.66. Our waitress was Aunt Debbie, and she was very good. In one of the other rooms there was a lot of singing and laughter. We had a good time, and came out so full that I thought I would pop.

We left MGM and drove over to Pleasure Island (PI). We bought one-time admissions ($40.00) and made the first show at the Comedy Warehouse (CW). Sue's (WDW1972) Laydon was in the first show. There was a man with an assistance dog in the audience. When the waitress brought out their drinks, she brought a big bowl of water for the dog. I thought that was so sweet, and the dog was very appreciative.

After the first show we went around and got in line for the second show. The wind had picked up and I thought that we would get wet, but the rain held off. I have to say right now that I am not an outgoing person. I am quiet and shy until I get to know people, and I would never volunteer for a skit. So...the actors got to a part in the show where they wanted suggestions of something that really bugs people...and before I knew what had happened my hand shot up in the air. I got chosen and they used my idea for the skit. The thing that really bugs me...people that pick their noses in their cars. The skit was excellent and the audience was laughing hysterically. Bob was very confused and wanted to know what had come over me. I told him that I didn't know...I was just sitting there and the next thing I knew my hand was in the air. We left that show laughing.

Now it was time for the Adventurer's Club. We got into the lobby in time for the club song and salute, and the Madame Z show. We both had a Kunglaloosh, and I knocked my drink over. It was very embarrassing (especially since this was my first alcoholic drink of the evening), but the waitress was understanding and helped me clean up my mess and brought me another drink. We headed into the library for the Balderdash Cup, and then we decided to walk around PI a little. We walked down to the Wildhorse Saloon and watched the dancers. Unfortunately it was very smoky inside, and when we left we stunk! We walked around through the shops, then decided to head back at 11:30pm. (Drinks at PI $24.00).

When we got back to our room we had a phone message from my sister. I called her back, and she decided to take a new job! We crashed about 12:30am. Overall I'd say that Bob had a pretty good birthday.

Friday, April 15, 2000

The last full day!!! I cannot believe that the time went so fast.

After our late night we slept in until 9:00am. It was raining so we were lazy this morning. We headed out for mini-golf and decided upon Fantasia Gardens. We played this course several years ago, so we thought it would be fun to play it again. We arrived at 11:00am, and I got a 15% discount with my DVC membership card. So the total for two to golf was $16.67. It started to rain while we were playing, but we had brought our raincoats, and beside...we're from Washington State...we're used to the rain. Bob had a 48 and I had a 49! Par was 53, so we both did well.

When we were done with golf it was lunchtime, so we drove over to the Poly for lunch at the Kona Café. The guard gave us the 3rd degree about what we were going to do, then gave us a 3-hour parking pass. I still don't understand the guards at some of these resorts.

We went into the Poly and looked around, then went upstairs to the Kona Café for lunch. The food was good, but the service was so-so. Our waitress really didn't want to be at work that day. I had a huge bacon cheeseburger and Bob had the club sandwich in a tortilla. Total before tip $23.28.

After lunch we rode the monorail to the MK and shopped up and down Main Street. We had ice cream ($5.30) at the ice cream shop and found a bench on Main Street to watch the people go by. We say the Mayor interacting with the small children. Isn't that just like a politician? By now our 3-hour parking pass was about to expire, so we headed back to the Poly via the monorail. We got our car (yes, it was still there) and went back to OKW.

It was still raining, so we spent time in the room doing last minute laundry and organizing the souvenirs. I pre-packed a couple of bags so we wouldn't be so rushed tomorrow. We hung out until 6:00pm and drove to Epcot.

Once at Epcot we wandered around, and we went into Mouseworks looking for a new sweatshirt. I found a really cool one with Spaceship Earth on it. We walked towards Italy and arrived early for our dinner PS. We checked in at 6:45pm (our PS was not until 7:30). We were seated in about 5 minutes. Unfortunately we were seated in "no-waiter land". It took forever for us to get waited on, and then it took us forever to get our bill. The waiter's assistant was great, but our waiter was having a really bad night. Anyway, Bob had the tri-color pasta and I had the lasagna. We both had ice tea and the chocolate mousse for dessert. Total before tip $56.82.

After dinner we debated what we should do for the evening. I had wanted to see the fireworks at the MK, but it was 8:15pm already, and I didn't think we could make it by 9:30pm. So my vote was to just watch Illuminations and call it a night. Bob could tell how much I really wanted to see the MK fireworks, so he decided that we could make it. Here is the picture...

We power-walked from Italy, but were slowed down in several places for ToN. We made it to guest services and they assured us that the monorail was scheduled to run until 11:30pm, but that we would have to walk to our car from the monorail station. That wasn't a problem since we had parked close to the entrance.

So we power-walked to the monorail (boy is that ramp steep), and rode the monorail to the TTC. At the TTC we changed to the MK monorail, and we made it inside the MK with 30 minutes to spare! Needless to say, I was happily surprised that we made it. We checked out the candy store, then staked out our spot for the fireworks.

Now it was time to say good-bye to the MK for this trip. This is the part that I hate. Turning to look at the castle as you walk under the train station, then turning to look at the train station and Mickey flowers as you walk towards the monorail. (Insert big sigh).

The direct monorail to the TTC was backed up, so we rode the resort monorail (it stops at the TTC) then boarded the Epcot monorail. There were a few people besides us on the monorail, so that made me feel better. When we got off the monorail at Epcot, a parking lot tram was just pulling up, so we got to ride the tram to our car!!!

Whew! What a way to end our park time for this trip...but all the power walking was worth it. We were back at OKW at 10:30pm, finished up the laundry, and crashed for the last time! :o(

Saturday, April 15, 2000

Going home day. We were up at 8:00am, finished packing and called for bell services at 10:15am. We weren't sure what we wanted to do today, but the bellman had a great idea...go see a movie at DTD.

So, after doing a final sweep of the room, we drove over to DTD to see what was playing. We decided to see the 1:30pm show of "Return To Me". We figured that we would get out around 3:30pm and that would give us time to get our luggage and head to the airport.

After buying our tickets ($11.00) we went back to OKW for lunch. Bob had not had his Key Lime Pie this trip, and he was determined to have it today. We went into Olivia's and I had the cold plate that was tuna and chicken salads with crackers and fruit. Excellent. Bob had the prime rib sandwich. For dessert Bob had the Key Lime Pie and I had the apple pie (on the suggestion of our waiter). The apple pie was terrific...maybe even better than the Key Lime! Total before tip $33.08.

We left OKW and arrived at DTD at 1:00pm. Since our movie didn't start until 1:30pm we had some time to wander around. Wow, is that theater complex huge! Anyway, because the first movie started late, our movie didn't start until 2:00pm. Uh-oh, we could be in trouble. We enjoyed the movie and the theater. Those seats are so comfortable!

We got out of the movie at 4:00pm and we went into warp speed. We hadn't gotten gas yet, and we went looking for the Chevron station we had seen by the Publix. Finally we found it, then hurried back to OKW to pick up our luggage. Let me tell you how busy OKW is on a Saturday in April...it was a zoo!!! I stayed with the car while Bob went in search of our bags. He finally got them, we loaded them up in the car and away we went.

We took Hwy. 417 to the airport and returning the rental car was very easy. We were inside the terminal by 5:00pm and the line to check-in was long. We went outside to the skycap and checked in without any wait. We made our way to the gate, and settled in to wait.

We got to board early again, and everything was looking good until this family of 6 boards at the last minute. There are 2 adults and 4 children ranging in age from an infant to about 11 years old. They did not have seats together, so the flight attendant asked people to switch seats, then the really bad stuff started happening. The two older boys (11 and 8) sat across the aisle from Bob, and the Mom and toddler (2) sat behind us. The toddler started to kick my seat, and I turned around and very nicely, with a big smile I said "Hey little Bud, let's not kick my seat...Okay?" The toddler smiled at me and I figured everything would be O.K. Not. He continued to kick and push on my seat, but every time he did, his mom yelled at him, so he would cry. To make matters worse, the mom didn't bring him anything to play with. I really felt sorry for the kid, and I wanted to punish the mom.

Meanwhile, across from Bob, the other two boys were fighting and they spilled pop all over them and the seats. I felt sorry for whoever had those seats on the next flight. Needless to say, it was a very long flight from Orlando to Salt Lake City.

We arrived in Salt Lake on time, and we got off that plane as fast as possible. We were on the same plane, so we decided to have some TCBY Yogurt while we're waiting ($4.82). We left on time for Seattle and arrived early at 11:15pm. My Mom and sister were supposed to pick us up, but they were not at the gate, so we proceeded to baggage claim. They weren't there either, but I wasn't worried, I figured that they were running late.

Our bags arrived, and now I was getting worried. I went to the Delta desk and had my mom paged. Still nothing. It is now 11:50pm, and I am really getting worried. I start to imagine the worst. I tell Bob that if they haven't arrived by midnight that I was calling Colleen's husband.

Luckily they came rushing off the escalator at 11:55pm. Colleen had been running late and the state police were patrolling the freeway!!! Mom brought Max with them to the airport, so she was waiting for us in the van. She was really happy to see us, then realized that she was mad at us, and wouldn't even look at me. She is a very funny dog. Anyway, we get everything loaded up in Mom's van, and head home. Arrive home about 1:30am.

Final Thoughts

Even though we have been to WDW many times, we always find new things to do, and of course revisit our favorites. We had a great time, and I need to start planning our next trip to use those Annual Passes.

Expense Summary:

Breakfast, $77.45
Car/Toll, $414.39
Lunch, $164.72
Valet/Bell Services, $25.00
Dinner, $325.74
Admissions, $836.28
Groceries/Snacks, $163.97
Souvenirs, $764.09
Tips, $80.80
Recreation, $55.66
Gaylene Gray