WebmasterPenny
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- Joined
- Dec 16, 1999
I have to say, I love Trip Reports, but I just STINK at doing them myself...I start, but just never finish 
So, this time, I figured I'd just do a shorter summary of my highlights all in one go and then if anyone has any questions...fire away!
<b>Thursday</b>
Well, by the time we landed, did a grocery (and booze) stop, checked in at the Dolphin hotel it was about 5.45pm so we literally just dumped our stuff, had the quickest of showers and headed back out the door to head to Epcot for a drink in the Rose & Crown by 6.30
Well...those flights are dehydrating don't you know so we were <i>very</i> thirsty, hehehe. Alas, to get into the park we had to re-new our AP's and this time we decided to re-new them to Premiums. So the bad news is a pint and a Woodpecker cost us $856!!! The good news is that we get into all the parks, water parks and PI for free for a year 
Now, as I'm sure you've guessed by some other posts, a few of us Moddies took this as an opportunity to coincide our trips and have a bit of a Moddie meet So, in the spirit of building Anglo/American Moddie relations I spent a nice couple of hours relaxing in the R&C with Chris C, Beth C, and WM Alex, then got to have a quick peek at the inside of a Yacht Club room (because the only way I get to see the posh resorts is seeing inside <i>other</i> peoples rooms, LOL) and then headed back to the Dolphin for an early night and was tucked up in bed at 10pm...well, so I thought! 11pm there's a phone call waking me up, inviting me to a drink at Kimono's (in the Swan Hotel). Well...it IS only 11pm, and I AM on vacation right? So YES, I get up again, get ready in rapid time (left Simon snoring in bed) and I went for a couple of drinks again where I got to see Shirley, Janice, Katholyn (Nativetxn), Marsha (Mackey Mouse), Jay (JayPD) & DW Stacy, WM Michelle, Ron (WDW Trekker) Alex (again) & Chris C (again) - did we ever decide on what a collection of Mods were? Perhaps we settled on a Murder of Mods. Anyhow, I only had another 2 drinks but had a nice chat and was there till 1am - 6am UK time, which wasn't bad as I'd woken at 5am that morning. Thus endeth Thursday....
<b>Friday</b>
Boy, that jetlag's a killer sometimes - despite staying up late to try and beat it (honest, that was the only reason I went to the bar!!!) I was still awake at 5am ready and raring to go, just 4 hours sleep! Unfortunately, Simon is still snoring like last night so I spend my time pottering around the room, and take some piccies of TOT at dawn which I can see from my balcony - I spend a bit of time hoping I'll see an Alligator or something in the lake at that quite time but no such luck! The only fluffies I get to see this trip is a Wild Turkey and a couple of very BIG fish in the shallows of the lake. Anyhow, once Simon drags himself from bed, we head off and get to MK for 9am opening. We walk on Buzz, then straight onto Space Mountain, but as we head back to Main Street people are coming into the park in DROVES. Now, I've only ever done parks at quiet times, I don't do crowds - and I don't intend to start now....BTMR and stuff, well that will be there another day...and so will I
So, after about only an hour at the MK, we head out the park against the flood of people and head over to the Polynesian for a late breakfast. Now, on the Restaurant Board all you hear about is Tonga Toast, Tonga Toast...so, my mission was to try the infamous Tonga Toast at the Kona Cafe where we've never eaten before. Ummmm....I think perhaps it's a little over-rated! I have a sweet tooth by nature so the fact that it's very sweet is not something that would put me off, but it just didn't do it for me at all. Next time I'll have what Simon had, the Kahuna Breakfast - egg, bacon, sausages, pancakes - much more up my street! So, feeding frenzy done we think we'll go to Downtown Disney, so we walk to the TTC to catch a bus. NO. Think again. The TTC is deserted - just <b>3</b> buses stop there now - MGM, AK and the Wilderness Lodge bus. Everything else is gone, so don't count on using TTC as a Hub anymore folks. The only way to DD is from a Resort - Nor can you get to DD via a park, or from DD TO a park, so forget any plans you might have made to do MGM and then go do a little shopping at the World of Disney unless you go to any resort and change or have a car. Of course, bus information at TTC don't seem to know that. "We want to go to DD" They tell us to go to a Resort OR any park. So we hop on the monorail and go to Epcot - but still no bus! Thanks for the wrong info on your own setup Disney
So, as we're there, Epcot seems to way to go! We get in the park, and it's pretty busy but not too bad, we skip SE though because I refuse to stand in a 30 minute line when the thing is always empty late afternoon so we carry on and after checking the pin station and seeing an AP exclusive pin, I am reminded of the AP holders Lounge...and suddenly I am on a mission to try it!
Heading over to The Land, we get through the door and ask a CM where the lounge is. We are told to go to the Garden Grill podium and we'll be instructed from there. Feeling like I might be expected to do some sort of Mason handshake under my right leg whilst hopping on my left, I ask at the podium where I'm pointed to a lift and told to press floors 2 & 3 at once and it will take me upstairs. I do this, but I'm inclined to think both CM's were winding me up with the cloak and dagger stuff and the 2 buttons at once! There is no need for mystery as you are greeted on arrival, have to show your passes AND sign in. There is no way anyone without an AP can get in! Anyhow, the lounge is VERY nice. Nice, very quiet, air conditioned and there is big armchairs, sofa's, coffee, soda, water and there was a little play room (for kids not for me!) I felt a little self conscious when I walked in because it was so quiet, but really it IS just the same as anywhere else at Disney and we relaxed for 30 minutes in very nice surroundings! There are big glass windows that look out onto the Living with the Land ride in the same way as the Garden Grill does. AP holders....USE IT...it well worth it, besides they might take it away!
Right, so after that we potter thru FW, and WS, just doing atmosphere, not really doing things, and out International Gateway and walk back to the Dolphin, where I give it my best shot to have an afternoon nap - Simon sits on the balcony and reads as in the afternoon it's a lovely sun trap, I manage a half hour nap. In no time though, we have to get ready as tonight we are having dinner at the House of Blues (a first for us) and then on to Cirque du Soleil (yet another first!). House of Blues was nice - you can't make PS here, just turn up, and we turn up about 6.30 expecting to wait and are seated straight away! I had the Chicken pasta (yum-ish, pretty nice, but not outstanding or anything) and Simon has the Fried Chicken salad which disappeared in record time so I guess that tasted ok, LOL. All in all, pretty nice food at a decent enough price, but nothing outstanding, IMO. I'd go back if I was passing, but not go out of my way for it if you know what I mean...except maybe for the Gospel Lunch as that still sounds good. Then we had a little wander around the shops before heading to CdS. Now obviously there is a lot of hype to this show so I wasn't sure what to expect, but it IS a great show. Some bits are are better than others though and for me the highlights were these two guys who roll around the stage inside giant metal rings (hard to explain!) the little chinese girls (who looked about 6 years old) who do some amazing tricks with those spinning top things on string (that you see at the China Pavillion) and then the finale where I was almost hypnotised by the trampoline tricks where they were running up the wall. I thought it was a great show, but Simon was just 'It was ok'. I guess in some ways it can seem a little surreal so it's not really his thing...all that fancy pants stuff, LOL.
We get back to the Dolphin at about 11, and despite the fact that there is a message on the phone inviting me to Jellyrolls I'm a good girl and collapse unconscious into bed for a half decent early night - big mistake
<b>Saturday</b>
Ok, After Friday night, I'm dog tired after only 4 hours sleep the day before, I can sleep in today right? WRONG. 5am and 'ping' I'm ready and raring to go Oh well, I lay with my eyes closed willing myself to go back to sleep but in the end give up and get up and spend the next 2 hours waiting for Simon to join the waking world! Then, it's on to the failed mission from yesterday and we head to Downtown Disney.
Now there is a lot of work going on at Market place at the moment. There are roadworks all around the entrance where the bus pulls in, you turn the corner to the Christmas Shop and the Floor Fountain has hoarding around it...so big infact that for the uniniated it looks as if the whole path is shut and we see some people wandering around looking bemused! Naturally we do our required tour of the Christmas shop but I'm hungry so we decide to get breakfast at Wolfgang Puck Express (guess what, another first ) and Simon & I both have the Breakfast Pizza - YUM! Though it's a bit disconcerting initially when you find their 'original' sauce on the pizza is something akin to Ceasar Salad Dressing - but really, Garlic for breakfast doesn't taste to bad On then to do World of Disney, and some of the other stores and then we have a dilemma. This afternoon its another Moddie meet, and whilst Simon knows a few of them, he's not a DIS'er and he is convinced that we'll be talking DIS the whole time (same arguement he uses for not coming to UK DIS meets ) so, we agree to part company and the last I see of him is when I pack him into a yellow cab off to the Premium Factory Outlets...I have to wonder if this may be the last time I see him ever again as the taxi driver seems to be a little vague about this huge place that sticks out like a sore thumb only about 2 miles away and Simon is doing his 'I seem to have lost my sense of direction but I'm sure once we get going it'll all come back to me' - great! (And it's just as well it did come back as afterwards I heard the taxi DID need directions). I head back to the Dolphin to drop off our purchases, and make my way to 'The Gathering' at about 2pm where I then drank a great deal of 'Water' and Coke and didn't stop till midnight! I've since been told I seemed to have a good time though
I get back to my room, find out how much Simon has bashed the Credit Card in the Nike store - and, far from sitting there pining for me he's been testing the pool facilities at the Dolphin, had dinner at China and a pint at the R&C! I then collapse into my bed...dog tired and ready for tomorrow as it's a loooong and late day planned!
<b>Sunday</b>
Sunday starts badly. First off, after going to bed at midnight, I wake up at a world record 3.10 'ping'. This is seriously NOT funny as I'm so exhausted my head hurts (No, not a hangover thankyou, about the only time I get a headache is if I've had too little sleep) I spend several hours trying to sleep and failing, I leave Simon to sleep until he wakes up naturally as I'm really feeling a bit below my physical peak here! He wakes up at 11 at which point I pack him off to get himself breakfast and then rendezvous with some others at 1pm for a Drink Around the World session at WS. I stay in bed feeling very poop and very sorry for myself. However, come 1 when I realize that everyone is out there having fun but me, I drag myself from bed, fill up on Aspirin and head out to try and catch up with the group - I find them at Morocco - Simon, Katholyn, Chris & Beth C, Marsha, Tommy (Marsha's DH) and Joe (Joe aka Zarr). I think people are still discussing the fact that when I caught up I was drinking REAL water for the first couple of hours, hehehe. However, upon discovering something called 'Bacardi Silver' at some of the countries I decided to be brave and try and it and find it tastes just like Sprite! A very refreshing drink it is too and after drinking one of these I actually start to feel a bit perkier - hey, life is good again, hehehe. DATW completed (well, if 3 drinks count, but I did it to the best of my abilities in the circumstances) it's time to head out the park and after killing an hour or so, it time to head to our PS at Spoodles at the BW (guess what, another first, hehehe) Where once again we all met up again so it was Me and Simon, Chris & Beth C, Marsha & Tommy and Katholyn where I had another Chicken Pasta dish which was rather tasty (though too much, I couldn't finish it!) but I was chuffed when I found a Hidden Mickey in it!!! Right there in the middle of all this Penne pasta there was one of those Mickey Head pasta's, very cute Simon had some Chicken breast thing on rice I think, which he gobbled up so must have passed the test too. I liked Spoodles and it gets a thumbs up from me, though personally I thought the menu was a little on the limited side.
Dinner out of the way with, it was now on to the part of the agenda that I knew would make the day so loooooong. We head off (Minus Simon who is tired after DATW and heads back to the room - such a girlie!), and by 9.30 we hit Pleasure Island, which somehow is yet another first for me! We head to 8 trax to meet up with some more people, spend a bit of time watching people re-live the 70's on the dance floor before heading to the Adventurers Club which I was keen to try...well, maybe it was just their famed drink the KUNGALOOSH! Very tasty it is too - if only I could remember what was in it! Rum, Blackberry Brandy, Strawberry and Orange Juice and 'frozen' I think...who cares, it tasted good, hehehe The Adventurers Club is very good and very different. A sort of bar/mock old fashioned club (not night club, but just a pretend membership type place where travellers and adventurers hang out), where you sit in small rooms for light comedy entertainment, and then there is a bigger room you move back and forth to for mini stage shows...much like a dinner show, but you can come and go as you please. It's good fun, but some of the later shows ARE more adult orientated so beware if you bring your little ones (there were several young kids there, some of them were virtually asleep poor things) Also beware that if you sit in a prominent place, you may well find yourself as part of the act (just ask Shirley, hehehe)
1.30 comes and considering my day, I'm still ready and raring to go, so we head out of PI and me, Chris, Jay & Stacy head back to Tubbi's (24 hour eatery) at the Dolphin where they drink a beer and I drink water....with Coke. We all have a good and quiet chatter for an hour or so which turns into a really nice way to wind down for the day. I head up the room at 3am where Simon is in blissful sleep...
<b>Monday</b>
Ok, after the disasterous start of yesterday, things really didn't end up too bad - especially as I went round the clock and was up another 24 hours straight! But, the benefits of this is I get to sleep more than three hours right? However, today is the only day we have a reason to be up early and the alarm goes off at 7.30. Today is Cinderella's Royal Breakfast and after all the hype about this thing I would have dragged myself to the MK by fingertips to see what all the fuss was about! I take some comfort from the fact that the alarm woke me and I didn't wake up by myself beforehand...just not much comfort! Still, after a shower, I'm feeling a little less grumpy and we head to the MK for our 9.30 PS at Cindy's with Chris & Beth C and Shirley and Janice. Now, I have to say this IS a nice breakfast. I thought the food tasted nice (all you can eat platter style, you can also have a healthy version) but the Potato Casserole is especially yummy! You also get scrambled eggs, bacon, French Toast, and Sausages...aside, you get a sort of Fruit salad thing - of course you can have seconds of whatever you want. The Characters were Cindy, Prince Charming, Snow White and Belle. It's in a wonderful room upstairs in the castle, and if you're by the window you can get to look out over Fantasyland too. I would definately recommend it as a Character Breakfast, nice food, nice surroundings, and it's pretty quiet as it can't hold many people. However, I wouldn't bust a gut to get a PS like some people do...it's good, but not so good that I would lose sleep over it.
After breakfast, Shirley & Jan head off to Epcot, but as MK is quieter today than Friday (surprising as it's Memorial Day) us remaining 4 decide to hit a couple of rides (well, Chris and Beth do, we don't wait to be invited and just stalk them, hehehe) so hit Haunted Mansion (about a 5-10 minute wait) and then make our way over to Pirates which is virtually a walk-on. We then part company as Chris and Beth have to go shopping for pressies to take home for the Ankle-biters and we take a look at the sky and see dark clouds rolling in and decide to head back to the Dolphin inbetween heading to MGM to meet up with some folk for dinner later. Good choice! Just as we are getting on the bus the first drops start to fall and by the time we are heading down the road the heavens open. Happily, by the time we get to the Dolphin it's already passed We try (and I fail) to have a little afternoon nap, but as always Simon doesn't seem to have any problems! I end up doing a bit of packing ready for leaving the next day. And then about 3 we head out and make the walk to MGM - we have a little look in the shops, but don't do anything of significance as we have to be at Mama Melrose for 4 for dinner and we are doing the Fantasmic Dinner Package. We arrive a bit early, but no-one else arrives and I start to get twitchy that I'm at the wrong place! At the PS time I go inside to let them know we are here, but just not all here, and I find Kath sitting (reletively) quietly in the corner of the waiting area! Oh well. Soon after, Joe (Zarr) and Beth and Chris all arrive and we head into the restaurant (not a first for once as I ate here last trip too) but I wasn't actually too hungry after filling up on that Cindy's breakfast and they very obligingly agree to make me a Chicken Ceasar Salad that's not on the menu. Perfect! And apart from me knocking a FULL glass of coke over the table (and Chris - good reflexes matey!) a very nice meal - even nicer as we had our Fantasmic pass!
But early dinner means still time to kill before the show so we head over to WWTBAM on the off chance we can get in, but can't. We then head (I think, but I may have the order muddled) for Star Tours, where me, Simon, Beth and Kath all get to walk straight on and we got to sit in the back row...whoa! It's bumpy back there, so if you want a bit more fun, try get the back row, a much more exciting ride! Then we head to RnR, but there are no FP's left and the wait is 65 minutes. No way! I guess I'll have to miss that this trip. Oddly though, ToT next door is a walk on. So they all go on that whilst I chicken out and wait outside. Still a big wait on RnR, so we play 'Simon Says' and Simon gets to pick where we go next...Muppet 3D, which we timed just right (for anyone who's seen the pre-show a zillion times already) and walked straight into the main show. Ok...time to wander our way to the special dinner package entrance at about 40 minutes before show time. However, when we arrive, we find Ron (Trekker) already there in the stand NEXT to the Dinner package one and he has saved seats for us - well, most of us - the space didn't work out quiet right so Kath and Joe go and sit in the package area and the rest of us plop ourselves down in the next row and wait patiently for one of my favourite shows Of course it was another great show, but there were a couple of small things that went wrong - first one of two fireworks didn't go off (and it was obvious - it's the sparklers in Mickey's arms and only one arm 'went off' and then in the Canoes of the Pochahontas bit, one of the boats fire torches didn't light so they paddled around in the dark! Still, strange to see ONE thing go wrong in a Disney show, let alone two.
After Fantasmic, we head out the park to the Resort boats and everyone gets off at the Dolphin where we have to say our sad goodbyes to Chris and Beth as they leave EARLY the next morning and then head to our room for a relatively early night and hopefully some decent sleep!
<b>Tuesday</b>
Finally...on the day I'm going home I manage to get myself a good 8 hours sleep, woohoo! We get up and dressed, finish packing our stuff and after putting our bags into storage, we head down to Tubbi's to meet Shirley, Jan and Kath and we have a little chat about the fun we've been having At about 11.30 me, Simon and Kath head over for a very brief visit to Animal Kingdom as it's the only park we haven't been to and I LOVE that park. Shirley and Jan stay at the hotel as they've got an earlier pick-up time so that they can fit in some shopping. We only have a couple of hours before we have to head back, so we just potter our way over to TTBAB and pick up a Fast Pass and then head over to find the AP passholder lounge which is recently opened. Now, this is completely different to the EPCOT one. It's not air conditioned, just big fans, plus it only has water, no coffee or soda, BUT, there are a couple of extra perks to this lounge that make it worthwhile! First, it's next to Pizzafari, and we saw some people grab their lunch and bring it to a table to eat - a lot quieter than the main restaurant. Second, there are a few games which *gasp* are FREE, so the kiddies can still be amused whilst the adults rest. There was a board game, a pinball game, a Star Wars video game and one of the 'whack' on the head reflex fairground type things. And lastly, and this is the BEST perk of the lounge, you can make PS's for Festival of the Lion King and the Parade. Both have special Passholder viewing areas - so you book your place, flash your pass and you can turn up at the last minute and still have a spot without jostling with everyone else. I thought that was a better perk than coffee that's for sure!
Ok, after having a drink and a chatter in the lounge we headed back to TTBAB for our FP (much better sitting there in the cool(-ish) lounge than in a line, and we walk straight into a show. Now, after finding that it's a GOOD thing to sit in the back row for Star Tours, we end up sitting in the 3rd row of TTBAB - BAD. Much too close - we were all going boss-eyed trying to see the 3D effects! So, I am never going to sit closer than maybe row 8 or 9 in future.
We leave the show, and decide to grab ourselves a quick bite to eat at the Flame Tree BBQ (YUM) before heading back out the park back to the Dolphin for our Tiffany Towncar and a sad farewell to Kath
Thus endeth my whirl-wind 5 day WDW trip!!! And my first ever completed Trip Report! <i>*faint*</i>
So, this time, I figured I'd just do a shorter summary of my highlights all in one go and then if anyone has any questions...fire away!<b>Thursday</b>
Well, by the time we landed, did a grocery (and booze) stop, checked in at the Dolphin hotel it was about 5.45pm so we literally just dumped our stuff, had the quickest of showers and headed back out the door to head to Epcot for a drink in the Rose & Crown by 6.30
Well...those flights are dehydrating don't you know so we were <i>very</i> thirsty, hehehe. Alas, to get into the park we had to re-new our AP's and this time we decided to re-new them to Premiums. So the bad news is a pint and a Woodpecker cost us $856!!! The good news is that we get into all the parks, water parks and PI for free for a year Now, as I'm sure you've guessed by some other posts, a few of us Moddies took this as an opportunity to coincide our trips and have a bit of a Moddie meet So, in the spirit of building Anglo/American Moddie relations I spent a nice couple of hours relaxing in the R&C with Chris C, Beth C, and WM Alex, then got to have a quick peek at the inside of a Yacht Club room (because the only way I get to see the posh resorts is seeing inside <i>other</i> peoples rooms, LOL) and then headed back to the Dolphin for an early night and was tucked up in bed at 10pm...well, so I thought! 11pm there's a phone call waking me up, inviting me to a drink at Kimono's (in the Swan Hotel). Well...it IS only 11pm, and I AM on vacation right? So YES, I get up again, get ready in rapid time (left Simon snoring in bed) and I went for a couple of drinks again where I got to see Shirley, Janice, Katholyn (Nativetxn), Marsha (Mackey Mouse), Jay (JayPD) & DW Stacy, WM Michelle, Ron (WDW Trekker) Alex (again) & Chris C (again) - did we ever decide on what a collection of Mods were? Perhaps we settled on a Murder of Mods. Anyhow, I only had another 2 drinks but had a nice chat and was there till 1am - 6am UK time, which wasn't bad as I'd woken at 5am that morning. Thus endeth Thursday....<b>Friday</b>
Boy, that jetlag's a killer sometimes - despite staying up late to try and beat it (honest, that was the only reason I went to the bar!!!) I was still awake at 5am ready and raring to go, just 4 hours sleep! Unfortunately, Simon is still snoring like last night so I spend my time pottering around the room, and take some piccies of TOT at dawn which I can see from my balcony - I spend a bit of time hoping I'll see an Alligator or something in the lake at that quite time but no such luck! The only fluffies I get to see this trip is a Wild Turkey and a couple of very BIG fish in the shallows of the lake. Anyhow, once Simon drags himself from bed, we head off and get to MK for 9am opening. We walk on Buzz, then straight onto Space Mountain, but as we head back to Main Street people are coming into the park in DROVES. Now, I've only ever done parks at quiet times, I don't do crowds - and I don't intend to start now....BTMR and stuff, well that will be there another day...and so will I
So, after about only an hour at the MK, we head out the park against the flood of people and head over to the Polynesian for a late breakfast. Now, on the Restaurant Board all you hear about is Tonga Toast, Tonga Toast...so, my mission was to try the infamous Tonga Toast at the Kona Cafe where we've never eaten before. Ummmm....I think perhaps it's a little over-rated! I have a sweet tooth by nature so the fact that it's very sweet is not something that would put me off, but it just didn't do it for me at all. Next time I'll have what Simon had, the Kahuna Breakfast - egg, bacon, sausages, pancakes - much more up my street! So, feeding frenzy done we think we'll go to Downtown Disney, so we walk to the TTC to catch a bus. NO. Think again. The TTC is deserted - just <b>3</b> buses stop there now - MGM, AK and the Wilderness Lodge bus. Everything else is gone, so don't count on using TTC as a Hub anymore folks. The only way to DD is from a Resort - Nor can you get to DD via a park, or from DD TO a park, so forget any plans you might have made to do MGM and then go do a little shopping at the World of Disney unless you go to any resort and change or have a car. Of course, bus information at TTC don't seem to know that. "We want to go to DD" They tell us to go to a Resort OR any park. So we hop on the monorail and go to Epcot - but still no bus! Thanks for the wrong info on your own setup Disney
So, as we're there, Epcot seems to way to go! We get in the park, and it's pretty busy but not too bad, we skip SE though because I refuse to stand in a 30 minute line when the thing is always empty late afternoon so we carry on and after checking the pin station and seeing an AP exclusive pin, I am reminded of the AP holders Lounge...and suddenly I am on a mission to try it! Heading over to The Land, we get through the door and ask a CM where the lounge is. We are told to go to the Garden Grill podium and we'll be instructed from there. Feeling like I might be expected to do some sort of Mason handshake under my right leg whilst hopping on my left, I ask at the podium where I'm pointed to a lift and told to press floors 2 & 3 at once and it will take me upstairs. I do this, but I'm inclined to think both CM's were winding me up with the cloak and dagger stuff and the 2 buttons at once! There is no need for mystery as you are greeted on arrival, have to show your passes AND sign in. There is no way anyone without an AP can get in! Anyhow, the lounge is VERY nice. Nice, very quiet, air conditioned and there is big armchairs, sofa's, coffee, soda, water and there was a little play room (for kids not for me!) I felt a little self conscious when I walked in because it was so quiet, but really it IS just the same as anywhere else at Disney and we relaxed for 30 minutes in very nice surroundings! There are big glass windows that look out onto the Living with the Land ride in the same way as the Garden Grill does. AP holders....USE IT...it well worth it, besides they might take it away!
Right, so after that we potter thru FW, and WS, just doing atmosphere, not really doing things, and out International Gateway and walk back to the Dolphin, where I give it my best shot to have an afternoon nap - Simon sits on the balcony and reads as in the afternoon it's a lovely sun trap, I manage a half hour nap. In no time though, we have to get ready as tonight we are having dinner at the House of Blues (a first for us) and then on to Cirque du Soleil (yet another first!). House of Blues was nice - you can't make PS here, just turn up, and we turn up about 6.30 expecting to wait and are seated straight away! I had the Chicken pasta (yum-ish, pretty nice, but not outstanding or anything) and Simon has the Fried Chicken salad which disappeared in record time so I guess that tasted ok, LOL. All in all, pretty nice food at a decent enough price, but nothing outstanding, IMO. I'd go back if I was passing, but not go out of my way for it if you know what I mean...except maybe for the Gospel Lunch as that still sounds good. Then we had a little wander around the shops before heading to CdS. Now obviously there is a lot of hype to this show so I wasn't sure what to expect, but it IS a great show. Some bits are are better than others though and for me the highlights were these two guys who roll around the stage inside giant metal rings (hard to explain!) the little chinese girls (who looked about 6 years old) who do some amazing tricks with those spinning top things on string (that you see at the China Pavillion) and then the finale where I was almost hypnotised by the trampoline tricks where they were running up the wall. I thought it was a great show, but Simon was just 'It was ok'. I guess in some ways it can seem a little surreal so it's not really his thing...all that fancy pants stuff, LOL.
We get back to the Dolphin at about 11, and despite the fact that there is a message on the phone inviting me to Jellyrolls I'm a good girl and collapse unconscious into bed for a half decent early night - big mistake
<b>Saturday</b>
Ok, After Friday night, I'm dog tired after only 4 hours sleep the day before, I can sleep in today right? WRONG. 5am and 'ping' I'm ready and raring to go
Oh well, I lay with my eyes closed willing myself to go back to sleep but in the end give up and get up and spend the next 2 hours waiting for Simon to join the waking world! Then, it's on to the failed mission from yesterday and we head to Downtown Disney.Now there is a lot of work going on at Market place at the moment. There are roadworks all around the entrance where the bus pulls in, you turn the corner to the Christmas Shop and the Floor Fountain has hoarding around it...so big infact that for the uniniated it looks as if the whole path is shut and we see some people wandering around looking bemused! Naturally we do our required tour of the Christmas shop but I'm hungry so we decide to get breakfast at Wolfgang Puck Express (guess what, another first
) and Simon & I both have the Breakfast Pizza - YUM! Though it's a bit disconcerting initially when you find their 'original' sauce on the pizza is something akin to Ceasar Salad Dressing - but really, Garlic for breakfast doesn't taste to bad On then to do World of Disney, and some of the other stores and then we have a dilemma. This afternoon its another Moddie meet, and whilst Simon knows a few of them, he's not a DIS'er and he is convinced that we'll be talking DIS the whole time (same arguement he uses for not coming to UK DIS meets ) so, we agree to part company and the last I see of him is when I pack him into a yellow cab off to the Premium Factory Outlets...I have to wonder if this may be the last time I see him ever again as the taxi driver seems to be a little vague about this huge place that sticks out like a sore thumb only about 2 miles away and Simon is doing his 'I seem to have lost my sense of direction but I'm sure once we get going it'll all come back to me' - great! (And it's just as well it did come back as afterwards I heard the taxi DID need directions). I head back to the Dolphin to drop off our purchases, and make my way to 'The Gathering' at about 2pm where I then drank a great deal of 'Water' and Coke and didn't stop till midnight! I've since been told I seemed to have a good time though I get back to my room, find out how much Simon has bashed the Credit Card in the Nike store - and, far from sitting there pining for me he's been testing the pool facilities at the Dolphin, had dinner at China and a pint at the R&C! I then collapse into my bed...dog tired and ready for tomorrow as it's a loooong and late day planned!
<b>Sunday</b>
Sunday starts badly. First off, after going to bed at midnight, I wake up at a world record 3.10 'ping'. This is seriously NOT funny as I'm so exhausted my head hurts (No, not a hangover thankyou, about the only time I get a headache is if I've had too little sleep) I spend several hours trying to sleep and failing, I leave Simon to sleep until he wakes up naturally as I'm really feeling a bit below my physical peak here! He wakes up at 11 at which point I pack him off to get himself breakfast and then rendezvous with some others at 1pm for a Drink Around the World session at WS. I stay in bed feeling very poop and very sorry for myself. However, come 1 when I realize that everyone is out there having fun but me, I drag myself from bed, fill up on Aspirin and head out to try and catch up with the group - I find them at Morocco - Simon, Katholyn, Chris & Beth C, Marsha, Tommy (Marsha's DH) and Joe (Joe aka Zarr). I think people are still discussing the fact that when I caught up I was drinking REAL water for the first couple of hours, hehehe. However, upon discovering something called 'Bacardi Silver' at some of the countries I decided to be brave and try and it and find it tastes just like Sprite! A very refreshing drink it is too and after drinking one of these I actually start to feel a bit perkier - hey, life is good again, hehehe. DATW completed (well, if 3 drinks count, but I did it to the best of my abilities in the circumstances) it's time to head out the park and after killing an hour or so, it time to head to our PS at Spoodles at the BW (guess what, another first, hehehe) Where once again we all met up again so it was Me and Simon, Chris & Beth C, Marsha & Tommy and Katholyn where I had another Chicken Pasta dish which was rather tasty (though too much, I couldn't finish it!) but I was chuffed when I found a Hidden Mickey in it!!! Right there in the middle of all this Penne pasta there was one of those Mickey Head pasta's, very cute
Simon had some Chicken breast thing on rice I think, which he gobbled up so must have passed the test too. I liked Spoodles and it gets a thumbs up from me, though personally I thought the menu was a little on the limited side.Dinner out of the way with, it was now on to the part of the agenda that I knew would make the day so loooooong. We head off (Minus Simon who is tired after DATW and heads back to the room - such a girlie!), and by 9.30 we hit Pleasure Island, which somehow is yet another first for me! We head to 8 trax to meet up with some more people, spend a bit of time watching people re-live the 70's on the dance floor before heading to the Adventurers Club which I was keen to try...well, maybe it was just their famed drink the KUNGALOOSH! Very tasty it is too - if only I could remember what was in it! Rum, Blackberry Brandy, Strawberry and Orange Juice and 'frozen' I think...who cares, it tasted good, hehehe
The Adventurers Club is very good and very different. A sort of bar/mock old fashioned club (not night club, but just a pretend membership type place where travellers and adventurers hang out), where you sit in small rooms for light comedy entertainment, and then there is a bigger room you move back and forth to for mini stage shows...much like a dinner show, but you can come and go as you please. It's good fun, but some of the later shows ARE more adult orientated so beware if you bring your little ones (there were several young kids there, some of them were virtually asleep poor things) Also beware that if you sit in a prominent place, you may well find yourself as part of the act (just ask Shirley, hehehe)1.30 comes and considering my day, I'm still ready and raring to go, so we head out of PI and me, Chris, Jay & Stacy head back to Tubbi's (24 hour eatery) at the Dolphin where they drink a beer and I drink water....with Coke. We all have a good and quiet chatter for an hour or so which turns into a really nice way to wind down for the day. I head up the room at 3am where Simon is in blissful sleep...
<b>Monday</b>
Ok, after the disasterous start of yesterday, things really didn't end up too bad - especially as I went round the clock and was up another 24 hours straight! But, the benefits of this is I get to sleep more than three hours right? However, today is the only day we have a reason to be up early and the alarm goes off at 7.30. Today is Cinderella's Royal Breakfast and after all the hype about this thing I would have dragged myself to the MK by fingertips to see what all the fuss was about! I take some comfort from the fact that the alarm woke me and I didn't wake up by myself beforehand...just not much comfort! Still, after a shower, I'm feeling a little less grumpy and we head to the MK for our 9.30 PS at Cindy's with Chris & Beth C and Shirley and Janice. Now, I have to say this IS a nice breakfast. I thought the food tasted nice (all you can eat platter style, you can also have a healthy version) but the Potato Casserole is especially yummy! You also get scrambled eggs, bacon, French Toast, and Sausages...aside, you get a sort of Fruit salad thing - of course you can have seconds of whatever you want. The Characters were Cindy, Prince Charming, Snow White and Belle. It's in a wonderful room upstairs in the castle, and if you're by the window you can get to look out over Fantasyland too. I would definately recommend it as a Character Breakfast, nice food, nice surroundings, and it's pretty quiet as it can't hold many people. However, I wouldn't bust a gut to get a PS like some people do...it's good, but not so good that I would lose sleep over it.
After breakfast, Shirley & Jan head off to Epcot, but as MK is quieter today than Friday (surprising as it's Memorial Day) us remaining 4 decide to hit a couple of rides (well, Chris and Beth do, we don't wait to be invited and just stalk them, hehehe) so hit Haunted Mansion (about a 5-10 minute wait) and then make our way over to Pirates which is virtually a walk-on. We then part company as Chris and Beth have to go shopping for pressies to take home for the Ankle-biters and we take a look at the sky and see dark clouds rolling in and decide to head back to the Dolphin inbetween heading to MGM to meet up with some folk for dinner later. Good choice! Just as we are getting on the bus the first drops start to fall and by the time we are heading down the road the heavens open. Happily, by the time we get to the Dolphin it's already passed
We try (and I fail) to have a little afternoon nap, but as always Simon doesn't seem to have any problems! I end up doing a bit of packing ready for leaving the next day. And then about 3 we head out and make the walk to MGM - we have a little look in the shops, but don't do anything of significance as we have to be at Mama Melrose for 4 for dinner and we are doing the Fantasmic Dinner Package. We arrive a bit early, but no-one else arrives and I start to get twitchy that I'm at the wrong place! At the PS time I go inside to let them know we are here, but just not all here, and I find Kath sitting (reletively) quietly in the corner of the waiting area! Oh well. Soon after, Joe (Zarr) and Beth and Chris all arrive and we head into the restaurant (not a first for once as I ate here last trip too) but I wasn't actually too hungry after filling up on that Cindy's breakfast and they very obligingly agree to make me a Chicken Ceasar Salad that's not on the menu. Perfect! And apart from me knocking a FULL glass of coke over the table (and Chris - good reflexes matey!) a very nice meal - even nicer as we had our Fantasmic pass!But early dinner means still time to kill before the show so we head over to WWTBAM on the off chance we can get in, but can't. We then head (I think, but I may have the order muddled) for Star Tours, where me, Simon, Beth and Kath all get to walk straight on and we got to sit in the back row...whoa! It's bumpy back there, so if you want a bit more fun, try get the back row, a much more exciting ride! Then we head to RnR, but there are no FP's left and the wait is 65 minutes. No way! I guess I'll have to miss that this trip. Oddly though, ToT next door is a walk on. So they all go on that whilst I chicken out and wait outside. Still a big wait on RnR, so we play 'Simon Says' and Simon gets to pick where we go next...Muppet 3D, which we timed just right (for anyone who's seen the pre-show a zillion times already) and walked straight into the main show. Ok...time to wander our way to the special dinner package entrance at about 40 minutes before show time. However, when we arrive, we find Ron (Trekker) already there in the stand NEXT to the Dinner package one and he has saved seats for us - well, most of us - the space didn't work out quiet right so Kath and Joe go and sit in the package area and the rest of us plop ourselves down in the next row and wait patiently for one of my favourite shows
Of course it was another great show, but there were a couple of small things that went wrong - first one of two fireworks didn't go off (and it was obvious - it's the sparklers in Mickey's arms and only one arm 'went off' and then in the Canoes of the Pochahontas bit, one of the boats fire torches didn't light so they paddled around in the dark! Still, strange to see ONE thing go wrong in a Disney show, let alone two.After Fantasmic, we head out the park to the Resort boats and everyone gets off at the Dolphin where we have to say our sad goodbyes to Chris and Beth as they leave EARLY the next morning and then head to our room for a relatively early night and hopefully some decent sleep!
<b>Tuesday</b>
Finally...on the day I'm going home I manage to get myself a good 8 hours sleep, woohoo! We get up and dressed, finish packing our stuff and after putting our bags into storage, we head down to Tubbi's to meet Shirley, Jan and Kath and we have a little chat about the fun we've been having
At about 11.30 me, Simon and Kath head over for a very brief visit to Animal Kingdom as it's the only park we haven't been to and I LOVE that park. Shirley and Jan stay at the hotel as they've got an earlier pick-up time so that they can fit in some shopping. We only have a couple of hours before we have to head back, so we just potter our way over to TTBAB and pick up a Fast Pass and then head over to find the AP passholder lounge which is recently opened. Now, this is completely different to the EPCOT one. It's not air conditioned, just big fans, plus it only has water, no coffee or soda, BUT, there are a couple of extra perks to this lounge that make it worthwhile! First, it's next to Pizzafari, and we saw some people grab their lunch and bring it to a table to eat - a lot quieter than the main restaurant. Second, there are a few games which *gasp* are FREE, so the kiddies can still be amused whilst the adults rest. There was a board game, a pinball game, a Star Wars video game and one of the 'whack' on the head reflex fairground type things. And lastly, and this is the BEST perk of the lounge, you can make PS's for Festival of the Lion King and the Parade. Both have special Passholder viewing areas - so you book your place, flash your pass and you can turn up at the last minute and still have a spot without jostling with everyone else. I thought that was a better perk than coffee that's for sure! Ok, after having a drink and a chatter in the lounge we headed back to TTBAB for our FP (much better sitting there in the cool(-ish) lounge than in a line, and we walk straight into a show. Now, after finding that it's a GOOD thing to sit in the back row for Star Tours, we end up sitting in the 3rd row of TTBAB - BAD. Much too close - we were all going boss-eyed trying to see the 3D effects! So, I am never going to sit closer than maybe row 8 or 9 in future.
We leave the show, and decide to grab ourselves a quick bite to eat at the Flame Tree BBQ (YUM) before heading back out the park back to the Dolphin for our Tiffany Towncar and a sad farewell to Kath
Thus endeth my whirl-wind 5 day WDW trip!!! And my first ever completed Trip Report! <i>*faint*</i>
I am amazed that there is no transportation from the Parks to DD. When did that finish? I can't really understand why they have cut back on that, because after all at DD you are spending extra money. I am glad the AP lounges are so good. I will certainly use them in the Summer. Loved reading all this. Carolyn
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