My 32 (28 Awake!) Hour Trip Report - Part 1

My 32 (28 Awake!) Hour Trip Report (Parts 1 and 2)

Hey everyone! Those of you who know me know that I'm not a particularly spur-of-the-moment person... Which is why I am still shell-shocked to find myself in the Ft. Lauderdale airport right now, typing up this trip report for a trip that I didn't even think I was taking a week ago!!!

Nutshell: One of my best friends is an international relief worker is back in North America (from Ghana, Africa) for a few weeks. We decided to meet up in Florida this weekend at another friend's place (who lives in Ft. Lauderdale)... and we had the brilliant idea to break in my brand new AP and go to WDW for a night (while they're not as chronic as I am, they're pretty big WDW nuts too!)

So let me go chronologically:

Sunday morning: We leave Lauderdale at 7:00 in the morning (a big feat for the relief worker as she is NOT a morning person), and we headed straight to Epcot. Rode Mission Space and Soarin' (WOW! I had no idea it would be that terriffic!!!!), and bought margaritas in Mexico in order to walk around World Showcase.

Technical stuff for all of you other nuts out there: Got a fast pass for Soarin' at 10:45, with a return time of 1:20, which I thought was pretty good. The standby line at that point was 70 mins. We didn't FP M:S but the wait was 30 minutes (40 min. posted). All in all, Epcot was pretty crowded, but it wasn't nuts.

Left Epcot at 3:00, headed over to Riverside to check in. I had never stayed there before, but it was beautiful! Well appointed and comfortable rooms and the grounds were amazing! I'm just sad I didn't get to explore the hotel more...

We changed, and headed over to MGM for a 4:25 AR at the 50's PT Café. As always, YUMMY and a whole lot of fun! My friends couldn't believe how great the food was!

We then headed over to Star Tours (5 minute posted wait, 15 minute actual wait), and saw Indy. It was raining at that point, and so they only did the Cairo crowd scene stunt (on a big mat under the awning) and the exploding truck scene, which was too bad. I'm looking forward to going back and seeing the full thing - I forgot how much fun it was.

Afterwards, we tried to get a FP for the RnRC (about 6:45) but there were none left!! And while the standby wait time board was broken, the CM told us that the wait time was around 50 minutes. Instead, we got a FP for the ToT and got in the standby line. To my amazement, the standby wait was less than a half hour...

After that, there was only an hour left until Fantasmic, and since the park was insanely busy (stupid EMH nights!), we went in. Oddly enough, the theater was pretty empty and really only started to get full about half an hour before showtime. While it had been pouring all day, the sky totally cleared up for the show itself, which was awesome!!!

A side note: Evening EMH hours at MGM are absolutely ridiculous. STAY AWAY! There was a 45 minute wait to get a bracelet at the RnRC area and there were more people at that point than I had ever seen at the park. If you must stay get a bracelet, go to the early Fantasmic show, and get your bracelet there. There was no wait for one there.

Coming up soon - Sunday night at Pleasure Island, and Monday at the Magic Kingdom!!! (Did I mention that we didn't sleep? Yeah... My feet are still killing me!!!)

 

[Gucci65]

So that's why we haven't seen you post lately.

Sounds like you had a good time. I went to MK on 7/21 because it was NOT EMH day - already heard too many stories about the horrific crowds.

 

[CAPTAIN HOOK]

Enjoyable reading but sounds like a tiring schedule - waiting for part 2

 

[lawyergirl77]

Hook - it WAS a tiring schedule!!! It reminded me of why I always take breaks in the middle of the day to go back to the resort for some pool/nap time!!!

Back to part II of the madness:

After Fantasmic, we went back to the hotel and changed to go to Pleasure Island that night (at around 11:00). I had never been to the Adventurers Club, but my relief worker friend raved about the place and insisted that we get there. Gotta say, I'm NOT a fan of the new way that they do admission to PI... I much preferred having to show my ticket (and ID) at the front gate and then being able to forget about it. This was made into even more of a pain because the relief worker friend had been in Ghana for the past year, so her NJ license didn't have a picture on it!! It was most amusing to see someone pushing thirty not be allowed to have a watered-down American beer, but I understand why TWDC is so inflexible. I just wish the CM at the front door of the Adventurer's Club would have been less of a self-important maggot and been nice about the whole thing! Everyone else just kind of shrugged and apologized but said there was nothing they could do about it. He just pulled himself up to all five foot nothing of his height and said that he would have to call his manager.

Once that was over, we did have a blast in the Adventurers Club (HOOPLA!) and I am definitely going to make that place a part of every WDW vacation from now on. The rest of PI, however... meh. There are only so many desperate and creepy come-ons a girl can take before she gets violent....

We got back to POR at about 2:30, and promptly passed out.

Day 2

After being rudely awoken by Stitch at 6:30 in the morning, we crawled out of bed and dragged our sorry carcasses to the Crystal Palace for our 8:10 reservation. While I had done character breakfasts before, I had never done them before the park opens. A word of advice: DO THEM!!!! Yes, it can be painful to wake up early and head over there for some people (especially when you're nursing a hangover :lookaroun), but we got a jump-start on our day that we would never have gotten otherwise and we got some amazing pictures of the MK (as well as a great parking spot!). All in all, I was so impressed with the whole thing that I plan on making similar ressies for my next trip.

And a word about how wonderful the staff is at the CP - our ressies had gotten messed up and had been for the previous morning, but the CMs got us a table anyway!!! I'd like to think that it was because of my Eeyore ears! Our waitress also gave us coffees to go, which was most appreciated! Someone also got engaged that day - it was so cute to hear her shriek "yes!!" and then get a biiig hug from Pooh!

After breakfast, we saw Philharmagic, got a FP for Space Mountain (only a 40 minute turnaround time, which was nice), waited for Buzz (25 minutes at 10:30), rode SM, got another FP (only an hour turnaround), rode the Haunted Mansion, Got a FP for BTMRR (which wound up being closed when we got back to it two hours later ), rode SM again, ate at Pecos Bill's, rode Pirates (posted wait of 45 minutes turned out to be a little over 20) and then saw the parade. Phew!!

We then left the MK (for the first time ever, I didn't feel sad at all because I get to go back in 27 days!), went to DD to do some shopping (hooray for the AP discount), and finally got on the road back to Ft. Lauderdale at 5:00 PM.

Reading this over, I can't believe how much we got done while we were there!! And while I'm thrilled that we did so much, I can't imagine that being the only way that I would see WDW. By the end of it, I was so fed up of everything that I was starting to hate every Mickey I saw (I know!)... Made me wonder just how people keep up that pace for a whole week, let alone another day! Perhaps I'm just a giant wuss, but I really need my afternoon nap, or else it becomes, well, no fun! And that is the last thing that I want to have at WDW (or while I'm on any vacation for that matter).

I'll post the link to my pictures as soon as I have them uploaded. I have some great effects shots of Fantasmic, as well as some great shots of the Castle and a panoramic shot of POR's "Parterre Place"!

Thanks for reading!!

 

[jackiepetrillo]

What bracelet

Hi Lawyer Girl,
Thanks for your report.
I swear I learn something everytime I read the trip reports and that is how I got so smart.
So what is up with the bracelet line. What am I missing? We are going on the 26th of November ? 116 more times to go to sleep :snore: andddddddd wake up :sohappy:

I know it is like a shame to nap buttttttttttt it is truly the best way to see the world. Up and at em early (and I am normally NOT an early morning lets go girl, butttt at Disney I am and then we break and go again refreshed from the pool/break/nap from 4ish till 11ish and we are ready to leave at 7:15ish next mornin
Disney Dreamin

 

[wannabeBelle]

Sounds Awesome!!!! What did you think of POR?? It is one of my personal favorites!!! And let me get this straight..you went to EPCOT and didnt stop to see Of fKilter, then went to MGM and didnt manage to catch Mulch, Sweat & Shears?? Unless of course it was raining as neither act plays in a downpour. MSS Is completely open air so even a drizzle can bring them down. Off Kilter has a covered stage so it has to be really bad for them to call off the show. I Am so glad to hear you had a great time!!!! Belle

 

[lawyergirl77]

LOL! How did I guess you would say that, Belle???

Off Kilter wasn't playing at Epcot when we went by (it was some other band posted) and we were in a DOWNPOUR at MGM, so I didn't get to see MSS! I had been looking forward to it, given how much you raved about them, but it's just going to have to be for next time!!

And as for POR, I loved it! What a beautiful resort! Although I didn't get to see much of it, I would definitely go back... If only just because I didn't get to have the stuffed french toast at Boatwrights!!!

 

[wannabeBelle]

All the more reason to plan for another trip!!! WOOHOO!!!!!!! Off Kilter almost never plays on Friday or Saturday of any given week so plan to see them on a Sunday-Thursday. Sometimes they are off on Tuesdays as well depending on the week you catch them. MSS is actually at a seven day a week schedule with Subs rotating in for the originals when it is the regular guys day off!!!
Banana Stuffed French Toast!!!!!! YUM!!!!!!!!!!! Belle

 

[Kingdom Konsultant]

Great report!
Do we get to see a picture of you in your Eeyore ears?

Pam

 

[lawyergirl77]

Great report!
Do we get to see a picture of you in your Eeyore ears?

Pam

LOL!

*sigh* Here you go, as requested, Pam! http://photoalbums.wdwmagic.com/showphoto.php?photo=15456

Just to show you how fanatical I am about the ears - when I went on my trip in May 2004 with the other law geeks and the ER nurse, I made them all get ears/crowns too! Told them they weren't allowed in the MK without them!

http://photoalbums.wdwmagic.com/showphoto.php?photo=14531&cat=3165

I also uploaded some cool pictures I took of the Castle and of Fantasmic, as well as a panorama that I created of Parterre Place at POR! Hope you guys like them!

 

[lawyergirl77]

All the more reason to plan for another trip!!! WOOHOO!!!!!!! Off Kilter almost never plays on Friday or Saturday of any given week so plan to see them on a Sunday-Thursday. Sometimes they are off on Tuesdays as well depending on the week you catch them. MSS is actually at a seven day a week schedule with Subs rotating in for the originals when it is the regular guys day off!!!
Banana Stuffed French Toast!!!!!! YUM!!!!!!!!!!! Belle

I was there on a Sunday... Methinks they got a week off or are off touring somewhere else!


and Jackiepetrillo: the bracelets I'm talking about are the ones that are given out to Resort guests on EMH nights to ensure that only they get the benefit of the extra hours. You go up to a CM, they swipe your resort key in this really cool device and then they give you a bracelet.

 

[Kingdom Konsultant]

Love that pic! You all looked like you were having a blast. (even if you only had 4 hours of sleep) :lol:

Pam

 

[jackiepetrillo]

Your pictures

I loved the pictures, especially the one of the castle in the palms, that is a classic.
I love the headgear, :king: you go girl, getting them all disneyfied.
Thanks too for the info on the bracelets.
115 days and counting ho ho ho
:snore:

 

[wannabeBelle]

I love the pics of you in the headgear!!!! Awesome job of getting everyone all in the spirit. Belle

 

[lawyergirl77]

I love the pics of you in the headgear!!!! Awesome job of getting everyone all in the spirit. Belle

Heh - yeah, I was pretty proud of myself for that one too... Especially seeing as the girl in the Tigger ears is normally über-conservative and would NEVER dream of callling attention to herself in that way in the real world. I saw that she really wanted the ears when she saw them in the store, though, and so I told her that she would get odd looks if she WASN'T wearing the ears. And that's all the excuse she needed to walk up to the register and buy them!!!

Unfortunately, I couldn't get the other two to buy ears, but they were already in enough of a WDW spirit for it to be an issue. Trust me - they went SKIPPING DOWN MAIN STREET when we got there!! I was skipping along with them, but it was one of the first times anyone had ever done it with me! *sigh* I just love getting there for an early breakfast before the park opens...

Pam: A "blast" doesn't even begin to describe it! You should see the really kooky pictures... They involve the glowing icecubes from Dad's cocktails at the 50's Prime Time Café, and they may constitue evidence in some States!

And thanks for the compliment, Jackie! I love that picture too - it's my new background!