dandaman's Very Long TR: 8/19-8/30

I’ll try to type as much as I remember, but I might have to edit a lot and add stuff in, once I remember it.

8/19- We left our house (in Belle River, Ontario) at exactly midnight. Dad looked at his watch and claimed it was 12:01, and blamed my mom for making us “late”. :rolleyes:

We took I-75 the whole way down, without stopping anywhere. (Hotel-wise. I still need to take a “break”, don’t I? :lookaroun)

We arrived at our hotel, Buena Vista Suites, at around 8:30 p.m. (“Wow, that’s a fancy hotel, all lit up n’ everything…” :lol: ) Dad got off work a day early, and drove all the way through, 20 hrs. straight, so we ended up staying 2 nights at BVS. We got the MouseSavers rate of $89/night, and it would’ve been worth around at least $200/night, because that 2-room suite was luxury… Well, luxurious to me. I usually get the floor of the hotel, wherever we go. :lol: I got my own TV and microwave, coffeemaker, bed… Ah, that was the life.

I remember eating at some new “pizza buffet” place that just opened, next to Hawaiian Adventure Golf or something like that, on SR 535. Very good value; around 7 or 8 dollars for all-you-can-eat pizza, salad and desserts! :sohappy: It was surprisingly loud, but the food was definitely the star of the restaurant (as it should be).

1 day down, 11 more to go. :brick:

8/20- Went shopping at Festival Bay Mall first thing in the morning. Has anyone ever heard of this FX thing they have in the middle of the mall? You stand on a little platform that can vibrate, according to what’s on the screen in front of you (there’s track tubing to hold up all the elements surrounding the platform), and there’s TONS of effects. Chocolate smells, bubbles, really strong wind, multicoloured spotlights, heat… wow. You can pay for an advertisement, complete with effects that you can buy, to play during your commercial. So far, some truck company and Fun Spot have actually advertised… the rest is filler, but very entertaining filler at that. I stood on that platform, eating a pretzel dog, for about 20 minutes while my mom and sister went shopping. :lol:

Bass Pro Shop was having a hunting and fishing expo, and that place was PACKED. I counted at least 150 people at the gun counter (scary thought, considering this is downtown Orlando…)

Finally, I bought a little surf-dude kind of necklace at Ron Jon. That, and my Yankees hat, makes me look like a totally different person (more on the hat later).

Next, we headed over to Belz Factory Outlet World. It’s more or less a tradition to go there during our Disney trips. That Character Premiere place is the only real reason we go there… for all of the bargains on perfectly good WDW merchandise, at less than half the cost on most of the things they have there! Festival Bay is definitely better, IMO. In July 2003, we went there when it was a brand-new mall. Now, it’s expanded at a really surprising rate.

I’m pretty sure we ate at Golden Corral that night (see: best buffet on earth). That’s the one restaurant I wanted to do outside the World. Because we had the free Dining Plan, I wasn’t sure if we were going to have a chance to eat there… but, seeing as how our admission/hotel stay/plan didn’t start until the following day, I got my cake, pizza, steak, ice cream, and brownies… and ate it, too! (Well, really, I could only eat about half. Eyes are bigger than the stomach. :lol: )

Keep in mind, I’m not even in Disney World yet. Oy vey. :rolleyes:

I’ll try to write some more tomorrow. This alone took me about 2 hours, so I might as well post my unnecessarily detailed first 2 days of the trip.

Stay tuned!

Edit: The filter actually banned the work "t r u c k i n g"! :lol:
 

dandaman

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
My teachers are really nice... by saying that, I mean they're not mean in any sense. One of my teacher's last names, and a guy who sits in front of me's last name, is Smith.

True story: My homeroom teacher called out names and checked off attendance without looking up. "Daniel Smith?" "Here." "Darrel Smith?" (FYI, he's the only other person named Darrel besides the one lurking about here...) "Here."

Here's the clincher... "Are you two brothers?"

"Um... considering he's black, I wouldn't bet on it..." :rolleyes: :lol:

I'll try to have an update up in then next few hours. Honestly, not a whole lot happened that day (it was an almost-mirror image of the previous day anyway...), so it'll be the shortest TR update here! :eek: Finally, something easy on the eyes!
 

dandaman

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
8/26- Park #6: Epcot

That’s right! For the second day in a row, we visited Epcot… and for the third day in a row, I ran to get Soarin’ Fastpasses. :D There really wasn’t a whole lot today that didn’t happen already… so, I’ll make this the shortest TR update in what is now a saga of Disney experience, and skip right ahead to the part where we come back from the hotel, to eat at San Angel Inn. :lol:

(FYI, I got Bonnie as my Liberty Inn server, again! :sohappy: )

The wait for San Angel Inn was the only real “bad” part of the dining experience throughout the whole trip. First off, we waited about an hour, just kind of mulling about the market. Then I went to inquire why it was that we checked in an hour prior to our reservation time, and yet were already 20 minutes overdue for out seating. The receptionist kept claiming that the electronic beeper (some may know what I’m saying) was de-activated, because I left the premises (which I didn’t). She then handed me an entirely different beeper, and it took yet another 15 minutes before we were finally seated.

Besides that little set-back, the San Angel really wasn’t that bad, food-wise. Mexican food doesn’t usually agree with me (going up Tower of Terror: “Wasn’t me… :lookaroun), but the food was very mild. I had some tacos, a Mexican-grilled steak, and a really good dessert (I think it was some caramel crème pudding?…), and I, again, rushed out of the restaurant just in time to see Illuminations. Really good viewing spot just between Mexico and the WS entrance.

That’s all for today. With high school starting, I’m lucky I got this up to post anyways. See ya soon!



 

dandaman

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
P.S. I'm really, really sorry, guys, but I have a lot of homework, and I just don't see how I'll be able to type an update tonight.

Audience: :(

I know, I know... Just blame the school, like everyone else. :rolleyes:
 

KYfriedPanda

New Member
outstanding report so far, dan... for a high school student, you have a great writing ability... at least as far as keeping us entertained through very long reports :)
 

dandaman

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
8/27- I’m really sorry in advance for taking 2 extra days to sit back down and write this… It’s my first week of high school, so please be considerate of my momentary handicap. ;)

Park #7- Disney-MGM Studios

Once again… not much that was really special today. Don’t get me wrong… as many can attest, WDW has its own special specialness ( :lookaroun ). The only thing was, like Epcot… we’d already done everything we’d wanted to there.

First off: Same type of lines for the Sunset Boulevard line-up (see: non-existent). Got Fastpasses, but at this point, I’m not sure why; I didn’t use any of them. I think we went over to LMAX next. Actually, I’m pretty sure we did some stuff in between… but, come on! Give me a break, would ya?! :lol:

This was the first time my sister had seen LMAX, and she actually liked it, despite the fact that she’d inherited Mom’s sensitivity to loud noises. Needless to say, she still had her ears plugged.

After LMAX, we headed over to the one thing we hadn’t done at the Studios in recent years: The Magic of Disney Animation. Now, I tried to go into this attraction open-minded, and forgetting about the lost animators (and lost magic of the attraction) over the past year. While it was still quite good (Mushu was pretty hilarious :lol: ), I still couldn’t help thinking about the company’s loss of some of the most creative minds in the world. As I was watching the presentation, I just had to wonder: What would this be like if they were still here? Thanks to good ol’ budget cuts, I never will. :(

We left the park next, and headed back to the room to change into proper attire for California Grill.

You remember that “Canadian redneck” comment I used a few updates back? Well, let’s just say it came into play here. We were awed by the mere fact that we got our own exclusive elevator to the top! OMG! :rolleyes:

Once we were up there, it just got better. Our meal was very well presented (and we got a window seat on the “Epcot view” side of the restaurant, which I guess would be facing south). What was surprising was the fact that the meal didn’t live up to the standard I expected for such a high-priced and fancy eatery. It was still pretty good, but unfortunately, I could have gotten better steak 11 floors down at the Concourse. The view and atmosphere can’t be beat, though, and this is definitely a high-ranking restaurant on my personal list.

We stuck around for Wishes at 10:00, and that is a truly awesome view, my friends. It feels like you’re right at the level that the fireworks are bursting, and the audio is piped in on the observation deck outside. After the (even more so now) spectacular show, me and Megan headed back to the table… to discover chocolate mousse and ice cream waiting for us. :slurp: I would definitely recommend this restaurant to anyone on the DDP. I don’t really have cultured tastes, so don’t let my food critiquing throw you off.

Stay tuned, and I promise that my final update will be completed tomorrow! :sohappy:

 

FanofDinsey1981

Active Member
I agree about the view from atop the contemporary. I saw the fireworks there (the show before Wishes), and it was unreal. It was nice not having to fight the crowd before, during, or after the fireworks, and it was a great view of the park too.

thanks for the great update, can't wait to read more!
 

dandaman

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
It's only one last update before the end, so I PROMISE I'll have the last one up before the end of tomorrow.

The end is near! :lol:
 

Connor002

Active Member
dandaman said:
It's only one last update before the end, so I PROMISE I'll have the last one up before the end of tomorrow.

The end is near! :lol:

What!
I thought the end was on the milieum. Whats todays date? WHAT?!

THE END IS NEAR! THE END IS NEAR! REPENT! REPENT, FOR THE END IS NEAR! AHHhhhhhh!

*runs out of room screaming*
 

dandaman

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
8/28- Park #8- Magic Kingdom

This morning was probably the most… interesting… of the trip.

For some reason, I got FP’s for Splash Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain, 2 each. I really, really didn’t need them at all, considering the fact that SM’s wait never exceeded 5 minutes before noon (same with BTMRR). I met up with Dad after getting pointless Fastpasses, and he said that the rest of the family would be heading over to see Cinderellabration. Despite the fact that I wanted to see it, I still couldn’t resist having another Splash Mountain Marathon.

What I mean by “interesting morning” is this: Before the trip, my friend’s grandma went to NYC. She brought me back an authentic Yankees hat for watching her pets for her. Now, I’ve never watched a Yankees game in my life, save for the playoffs. However, I knew that it was a really nice hat, so I wore it down to WDW, and got a whole lot of mixed reactions. On one occasion, I got praise (not to mention a complimentary dessert). On another, I was boo’ed. Now I know how tough it must be to be a Yankees fan. :lol:

Flash forward to present day. The wait for SM was… well, completely non-existent. I walked right into the front row. Here’s where things get… depressing. There’s nothing depressing about the ride itself, obviously… but why do you think I mentioned the hat?

It was a definite lapse in judgement, and I was kicking myself after it happened, because I always secure anything that might come loose, but… Hurtling over Chickapin Hill, the camera took the picture. Immediately after that… a gust of wind blew away my coveted Yankees hat. I looked back after I realized it blew off, and I could see it sliding down the chute, still in the water. I was in shock for about 5 minutes after the ride… I’d now found something more depressing than dropping your Mickey Ice Cream Bar, or losing your Mickey balloon.

The irony in this is just freaky… my dad lost his best hat the exact same way, 10 years ago TO THE WEEK. He looked at the on-ride photo TV after, and he still had his hat on in the picture. I looked at my on-ride photo… I still had my hat on in the picture. :eek: Even more ironic: When he lost it, it was the first time he’d worn it anywhere, too. Also, he got it from his mom… hence, my grandma. Looks like my friend’s grandma substituted for mine, to make it even more weird…

So, I set out on a mission to try and find my hat. By the end of my 6-ride marathon (the wait was still the exact same, so this took an hour), I still couldn’t find the hat… but, I was one step short of knowing one of the ride ops on a first-name basis. Every time I’d get back into the log, she’d say, “Again?!” :lol:

After my unsuccessful attempt to retrieve my hat (I didn’t hold out much hope in the first place, but I wouldn’t rather be searching for something any other way), I headed straight to City Hall to report a lost item. They were very helpful, but I still have one question, something which you might be able to answer: The attendant there said to call WDW once I got home, but they’d still have my story on file. Naturally, I lost the number. Now, I don’t know what I’m supposed to do. Would they just send me the hat in the mail if they found it? Or do I have to call them to reconfirm on the loss?

After I reported to City Hall, I met up with the family at Space Ranger Spin. Needless to say, they were not impressed that I’d lost the hat. They always tell me that I’ll lose something one of these days if I don’t secure it on all the rides I go on… well, they were having a field day with “I told you so”’s. Gee, thanks… make me feel worse about it than I already do.

We ate at Cosmic Ray’s again, and it was surprisingly uncrowded (new word) in comparison to what it was a few days before. I still got my now-standard chicken fingers and fries, but that chocolate cake tastes like the best chocolate brownie you’ve ever had, loaded with 5x the frosting. :slurp:

I think we just did some things we’d already done; more precisely, every single thing we’d already done. I still can’t get over how incredibly short those lines were. Space Mountain, Small World, TTA, PhilharMagic… Nothing on the entire trip, save for Soarin’, had over a 30-minute wait.

We left the park around 2:45, just before the 3:00 parade (and what time does that start again? :lookaroun). The skies were looking a little foreboding, so we got back to the hotel… just in time, too. The clouds opened up, only for about 10 minutes… but you know how those Florida brief-but-big storms are.

We ate at Ohana’s that night, which was a welcome change because we didn’t have to go that far to get to a restaurant tonight. Our server reminded me of a cross between Hawaiian and New Yorker… “Hey, how you doin’, cousin?” :lol:

The meal was extremely well-prepared. I was so excited to get pineapple bread again, after having it at the Spirit of Aloha show the last trip. I, alone, had 2 ½ loaves! Oh, yeah… and the pineapple and caramel sauce? I tried pineapple bread with caramel sauce, and that is my favourite dessert in all of WDW… if they served that together, they’d strike gold! ;)

Before we left, me and Megan went out to the beach to watch Wishes across the lagoon. Wow. Some of those were really loud, even from all the way across the lake. That was the last fireworks show (and last day) of the vacation, so between that and the loss of my headgear, I was kinda depressed.

 

dandaman

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
8/29- Home

I woke up with a sense of sadness, as I always do on the day we go home. It only took us about an hour to repack everything, probably because we’d had enough practice “speed-packing” to get to the new room. :lol:

We’d maxed out on everything except for snacks on the DDP. We still had 8 credits left, so we headed to Captain Cook’s and got 4 candy bars and 4 drinks for the road. After everything was packed and in the car, we drove to the Grand Floridian for our 1900 Park Fare Character Breakfast. We kinda got lost trying to find the main lot, so we ended up parking across the street in the alternate lot.

That character buffet was very well done. They spaced out the time between characters quite evenly, and when they didn’t, the characters went along with it. (Ex: Alice and Mad Hatter met at the same table. They had a 5-minute, really funny conversation, staying true to character, talking about things like planning for her next unbirthday. :lol: ) I remember having just meats for breakfast (bacon, sausage, ham). The Mad Hatter came along, and said, “Oh, wow! Someone sure loves pork!”… Then, he whispered in my ear, “Just don’t let Piglet know that.” :lol: The Mad Hatter is now my favourite face character.

After a hearty and last free meal, we walked back to the car. Along the way, we noticed some smoke up ahead in the lot. There were a few Reedy Creek Fire Department trucks turning into the lot ahead. We were all thinking, “Oh, no. Please, don’t let it be our car on fire!” Turns out, there was a car on fire… somewhat close to where we parked, too. Fortunately, it didn’t affect our car in any way… the neighbouring cars sure had a lot of ashes on them.

We had originally planned to stay at Clubhouse Inn in Knoxville, off of I-75, after a day of driving. However, because of Katrina, Dad wanted to try to avoid traffic and weather as best as possible. So, we took the I-95/I-26/I-77 route back home, through Virginia and the Carolinas. We stopped off at Hillsville, Virginia, at the Hampton Inn. It was a very well-kept hotel, and was very cheap, considering how nice it looked.



8/30- The next day, we looked at CNN and found out that there were tornadoes around Atlanta, Knoxville, etc… right where we would’ve been driving, there were reports of cars bring blown off the road. :eek: We had to thank Dad for choosing a different route, instead.

Not much else happened on the drive home; we had a few rain bands, some high gusts of wind, but that was about it.



I’d like to thank the entire cast and crew of the Walt Disney World resort for making this entire trip possible (especially Walt!), and of course, you, the readers of this incredibly long trip report. You made it! And, if you just skipped ahead to this update… what’s wrong with you?! Go back and suffer… er… enjoy it like everyone else! ;)

Thanks for the Memories,

dandaman :wave:

 

SheenaXena

New Member
I live not far from Knoxville and I remember the wind. It was...:eek: . I had class that night and I thought I was going to be blown across the parking lot.
I really enjoyed reading your trip report. We leave in 17 days for our Disney trip. I got some ideas and reading it has kept me from going insane from the wait. I'm glad you had such a great trip. Sorry you lost your hat. Thanks!
Just to let you know, we use "churchy" all the time in the south.:)
 

MouseearsDeb

New Member
Hey, Thanks for the great report! We're leaving next weekend and have planned to visit Universal as well this time out. I was worried that there might not be enough time, but sounds like the lines are very non-existant. We tend to hit the 'must do's' first and then go back and fill in with everything else. Looks like this time we might actually get to do more of the shows before they disappear for good. :cry:
 

dandaman

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
If you actually are Deb Wills, thank you immensly for all of the WDW info you've given us over the past few years! :sohappy:
 

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