The Last Hurrah

The Last Hurrah...Major Update, Page 6, post 86...guess who called??

The Last Hurrah…July 13-21

…or the final trip before I get married.


Yes folks this is the tale of my final trip to Walt Disney World as a single guy! Next May I’ll be tying the knot with my beloved fiancée and it just recently hit me that this past week will be the last time I go to WDW the same way. From now on things will be different, a good different, but nonetheless different. And to be honest, realizing this impending change, I’ve become increasingly emotional and reflective. So I’m putting together this trip report to share with you the fun times we had on our last hurrah!

First an introduction and some important background information:

The Players:

Dear Aunt (DA) – a 60 year old kid at heart, she has bad legs and has to use a scooter to get around, uses a handicapped parking permit. She’s the matriarch of these trips, taking her nieces and nephews along on her vacations to share with us the magic of Disney.

Dear Sister (DS) – a 23 year old with some pretty serious issues. She played a major and incredibly negative role in this trip, which I will probably leave out of this report due to its personal and negative connotations. Basically she has attitude problems that lead to emotional outbursts. Don’t be surprised if you hear little or nothing about her in this report.

Dear Cousin (DC) – My 25 year old partner in crime! He’s been my best friend for life, born three weeks before I was we’ve grown up together. We’ve been going to WDW with DA for several years and spent many a wonderful time!

Dear Fiancée (DF) – My 24 year old soul mate…the love of my life. We were engaged on April 1st, 2007 and have set a date of May 17, 2008 for our wedding. She’s been to WDW before, but only on day trips. Never stayed at a WDW resort and hasn’t been since 1997.

Me – 25 year old former WDW CM, worked on Main Street during my CP in early 2001, then took a full time position as a Fast Pass team member and eventually went part time while finishing college as a Jungle Cruise Skipper. I’ve been to WDW more than 20 times on vacation and still get emotional every time I have to leave that magical place!

The Setting:

Check-in: July 13, 2007
Check-out: July 21, 2007

DA, DS & DF stayed at the Hawaii Concierge building at the Polynesian Resort. It’s been our Disney home for the past 4 years.
DC and I stayed at the Wilderness Lodge in a Standard View Room for the first time. DC was a last minute addition to the trip and due to maintain livable sleeping arrangements, we added a room at the WL for the two of us, this makes it easier for 5 single adults to sleep comfortably in their own beds.

The Prologue:
On Thursday July, 12, I woke up with a twinge of excitement that could mean only one thing! I looked at the date on my cell phone…then checked my date book….could it be??? YES! It was almost time to leave for our much anticipated annual trip to Walt Disney World. My bag was packed and I had a list of errands to run for the day before we could leave.

I stopped for lunch with my Mom at Pizza Hut then headed to my work to pick up my paycheck and say goodbye to my good friends there. Headed to the bank, home to pay my bills online and picked up my AAA TripTik. Picked up DC at this house, headed to target to pick up some wrinkle releaser for our clothes and dropped by the pharmacy to pick up some medicine for DF. Finally at 5pm DC and I met the rest of the crew at DA’s house and hit the road for our trip to WDW.

This was the culmination of almost 5 months of planning, done mostly by me. I was nervous for a few reasons. I know how my sister acts and I was praying that she’d keep her attitude/outbursts in check. I was nervous about staying at two separate resorts. I was dreading the 13.5 hour drive. I was nervous about how DF would enjoy WDW…hoping she’d love it as much as I do. I was nervous because I knew that this would be the last time I’d go to WDW like this…an all expenses paid, super deluxe vacation with the people I love the most.

In retrospect, the trip had some incredible highlights and sharing my favorite place in the world with my favorite person in the world was incredible. Unfortunately, this trip was also marred by a couple of major things: The valet service, the room and service at the Poly and those outbursts of my sister. I’ll talk about the first two problems as we go along, but I’m going to try and stress the positive times. I hope you enjoy my report and I look forward to sharing with you all!

I'll be updating with new posts throughout the day and the rest of this week...hope to have some pics available by the end of the week.

Cheers,
Josh

 

[jayhawk2307]

I know some people don'y like long trip reports but I LOVE them makes me feel like I'm there. Keep it coming.

 

[patsfan24]

same here... It is certainly a great way to pass the time until my trip. Keep it comin'

 

[Jungle Skipper]

A Wild Day at the Animal Kingdom!

So now it is Tuesday morning, July 17th and it feels like a real scorcher today! DC and I love the AK…DS and DA do not…they find it boring, or at least DS does, as she so vehemently proclaims so that no one has any doubt. DA, DS and DF had reservations for breakfast at Chef Mickey's at 8:30am...DC and I preferred to sleep in and avoid the heavy meal before heading to the park. DC and I opted for some yogurt and fruit. We picked the girls up after their breakfast and headed to the Animal Kingdom.

Upon arrival at the park I went to Guest Services to pick up the first of my GSR passes from the Soarin’ debacle. We plan to use those on Expedition Everest today.

After that we headed to the Festival of the Lion King! What an amazing show! It was so good and we had awesome seats, sitting right up front in the Lion section! Absolutely the best show in any WDW theme park! Hoping some of the pictures turn out.

After this, we headed back to Africa where DC, DF and I checked in at the Mumbassa (sp?) Market Place for our Wildlife Discovery Excursion…a tour of the Savannahs made available to those staying at the concierge level of a Disney resort. If you get the chance, you should defiantly do this! This is my 3rd trip on the excursion and it always tops my list of favorite moments! This year was no exception!

We arrived and checked in with our driver, I think he said his name was J.C. (I could be wrong on this) and he informed us that we were the only people scheduled for today’s trip! So we had the bus, the driver and the tour guide all to ourselves! Wow! It was like a private VIP tour of the animal areas of the AK! Absolutely the best experience I’ve had yet at that park! Amy, our tour guide, is an animal curator in the West Savannah area of the Safari and she answered all of our questions, told us all kinds of awesome stories and they took their time stopping and finding awesome little spots along the route to take photos. It was spectacular! I can’t reiterate how awesome this tour is and I hope any of you concierge people will look it up and give it a go! A deal at twice the price!

After our 1+ hour tour, we met DS and DA at Everest and took off on an awesome ride! I rode it once last year and this year it just seemed so much better. We used the GSR pass and had an awesome time! Afterwards DS and DF decided we needed to buy the picture as we all looked terrified! I must admit, it is a funny picture.

When we finished here we walked to Dinoland made it just in time to squeeze into the Nemo musical. This was...well...an experience to say the least. We filed into the theatre with my aunt in her scooter. We were told to follow a CM to the handicapped seating area. There was one other scooter in front of us. The CM told us to wait while she seated the other scooter, she'd be right back. Well...she never returned. Other CMs were herding more guests into the area and they almost trampled us as we stood waiting for help. We asked other CMs who pushed past us with other wheelchairs for help but were completely ignored! I was really upset...so we pulled over to the bleacher seats in the back of the theatre while I tried to find someone to help. I was ignored and suddenly it as time for the show to start....So I returned to the bleacher seats, where We had been all but shoved out of the way by other guests.

The show began, and CMs were still herding people into the theatre, right in front of us, so we only saw half of the first 5 min of the show! Then, during the last 5 min of the show people stared getting up and leaving in droves, walking right past us, some talking, some laughing, some yelling at each other. It ruined the end of the show...some people have zero courtesy for other people...it's quite sad. Is it me or is this trend getting worse around WDW?

Well, after Nemo the diabetics in our group needed to eat, so we headed to Restaurantosaurus for a snack. After eating, my now annoyed at having to be there DS is ready to go. DS and DA have reservations at the House of Blues at the West Side before Front and Center Seats at La Nouba.

****The following is a recap of their experience according to my aunt****

They headed from Restaurantosaurus to the buses expecting to catch a bus from AK to Downtown Disney. Unfortunately there wasn't one, or at least they couldn't find it (I know in the past there has always been one, but I told them ahead of time I didn't know for certain). So they took a bus to the Poly and planned to catch the DTD bus from their. Unfortunately they had a really bad experience getting the scooter on the bus. The driver apparently couldnt get the hydrolics to lower the bus to the right level and it took a long time and my DS had to push from behind to get the scooter on board.

Once at the Poly, they decided they didn't want to mess with the ordeal a second time so the left the scooter with Bell Services and caught a cab to the West Side. DA really enjoyed the dinner...good food, excellent atmosphere, great service.

And the show...DA couldn't stop talking about it the rest of the week. She's seen int 3 times now and claims it gets better every time. Said her front and center seats were spectacular and well worth the price! She honestly couldn't say enought about the show. I've personally seen the show 3 times and have to agree. If you get the chance, go! Its worth it! Hope I get to take DF there in May. After La Nouba they took a cab back to the Poly.

**********and now back to the rest of us**************

After they left we sat at the restaurant for a while, trying to comprehend how DS could be so much different from the rest of us and why she couldn't just relax and have fun. But we didn't dwell long...becuase it wa time to hit Dinosaur!

I was really surprised at the wait here....we walked in to the preshow then right on to a CTX Rover. I've never seen the wait that short! Afterwards we headed back to Dinorama and DC and I played our traditional Whack-a-dino grudge match....I won, again....for like the 3rd time in a row! I won a tiny red dino, which we named Jambo Dino...he became our companion for the rest of the trip!

We then headed down to the Tree of Life for Its Tought to Be A Bug...DF really got a kick out of the show. It seems like they've toned down the attack a bit..less smoke, not as loud....I dunno. Still a great show!

Finally we headed back to the Kilamanjaro Safari and used some FastPasses that Amy gave us on our Wildlife Discovery Excursion! Had a good trip and saw lots of animals...the weather had cooled off and they were out in full force! After the safari we walked through the Pangini Trail....It was slow as it was almost closing time... Most of the animals were out of sight.

We then headed for the front of the park. DF bought a Tshirt and tiny snowglobe. We then headed over to the AKL to see about having dinner at Boma. I called Disney Dining but had no luck on reservations so we thought we'd try a walk up. I checked in a was told 30 min wait..which was fine. So I took the page and sat down. No sooner had my backside found the bench did the buzzer go off. We were seated immediately and feasted on the delicious food of Boma. The highlight of it all was dessert. Those Zebra Domes are to die for...but they had Banana Bread Pudding with Vanilla Sauce..It was the greatest dessert I've ever had! If anyone has the recipie, PLEASE SHARE!

After dinner we shopped in the gift shop, I bought a matted drawing of the Animal Kingdom that I plan on framing this coming week. Its beautiful!

Now it was time to head to the Boardwalk. We parked at the valet and headed down for a stoll along the lake. We sauntered through the gift shops then made our way to Jellyrolls.

I've never been to Jellyrolls before, was under 21 when I lived at WDW. It was so much fun! Much more my speed that PI and loved the entertainment. Some great music, everything from Elton John to Journey to The Eagles and the Beatles. DF had a mixed drink that was almost like a ______ on the beach. I ordered a liquid cocaine...I forgot there are different recipies for this drink. I'm used to the fruity and sweet drink you get here in KY. I got a very strong, pepperminty, tart drink. Not to my taste, but I drank it nonetheless.

After a few hours of fun we headed back to retrieve the van. This turned into a 20 min ordeal. We were the first people in line to hand over our ticket, yet somehow the guy got three other cars (that approached the valet after us) first. Then called a cab for a incredibly obnoxious drunk who kept hanging on my shoulders. Then when he left to get our van he was gone for 7 minutes (I timed him)...I thouhgt we'd lost the van. Finally he came back and told us we had to pay 10 for parking. I told him no, we had a handicapped sticker and were told that it was complimentary...he said no he didn't believe me. I took him to the van and showed him the sticker and he demanded I pay him 10 before we could leave. It was absolutely ridiculous, rude and confrontational. I paid him and told him that Disney would be hearing from me as soon as I calmed down. (The next morning I called guest services and they gave me an email to send an email to and said thats all they could do).

So once we got back to the Poly we once again dawned our swimsuits and headed to the quiet pool for a relaxing dip! There's just something nice and relaxing about a nighttime swim. The only way to go.

When we returned to the room after the swim, the room was down right cold. The thermostat read 64 degrees. I turned it up to 80 degree s and tried to call the front desk but no answer, so I decided I'd wait and call in the morning. I was tired and not up for dealing with this now.

DC and I finally headed back to the WL after a full and fun day. Fell asleep watching Arli$$ again.

Next up....

Back to MGM, Liberty Tree Tavern, Fantasmic, MGM EMH and a hotel room with the incredibly shrinking temperature.

See you soon with more!

Cheers,
Josh

 

[Cara1210]

Still think your posts are great! Love all the detail!

 

[jayhawk2307]

Honestly this is my favorite trip report of all time! I love the detail, makes me feel like I'm there and it's very well written. Keep it coming:sohappy:

 

[OhioDisneyLover]

Still loving this trip report! I've been sharing some of the details with DH. Getting a bit nervous about the Poly now. I've been wanting to stay there SO bad but now I'm a bit nervous to try........

Can't wait for your next post..........

 

[DznyGrlSD]

:sohappy::sohappy: more more more

 

[Jungle Skipper]

MGM Part Duex….

So DC and I wake up on Wednesday morning and head to the Polynesian. We stop for a bite to eat in Captain Cooks while waiting for DF to finish getting ready. DA wanted to stay and relax by the pool today and DS just wanted to sleep all day...So the three of us met up in Captain Cooks and headed for MGM to finish up what we hadn’t seen.

Our first stop was Sid’s One of a Kind Shop, where DC purchased the Sopranos Ash Tray he had been drooling over and had it shipped to the room. We then headed for the Voyage of the Little Mermaid. A sign said we were waiting not for the next show but the one after that…after about 10 min in line we someone got lucky enough to squeeze into the next performance. I’ve always enjoyed this show, the film is one of my all time favorites! Sure it is showing some age, but still a fun stop on your MGM tour.

Afterwards we took in the Animation show…cute, but dated. Makes me long for the days when this was a working studio. On the way out we stopped in the Animation Gallery Store and I found a little corner with tons of awesome Art of Disney stuff that I fell in love with. There were models of Mr. Toads Car, the Nautilus and the Skyway, as well as a Pirate Mickey Statue and a Bronze, unpainted version of the same statue. I really liked these pieces and thought they’d make a great addition to my Mickey Mouse Collection. Thought I’d think about it and pick them up later. Next we made our way back to the Backlot Tour…it was fun and kept us dry while it was raining.

After this tour we headed up to catch Indiana Jones Stunt Show. We arrived about 20 min early and they were already full! I couldn’t believe it. DF was bummed because it was one of the shows we really wanted to see. Since it was a no go, we ended up in Sounds Dangerous with Drew Carey. It’s a fun diversion…in need of an update and bigger seats...I barely squeezed my fat but into those tiny seats…ugh! DF was unimpressed and said she got a good nap.

Right before we went in, DS called and said she was on her way over cause she wanted to see Beauty and the Beast…I told her we’d meet her there after we finished at Sounds Dangerous. And we did…of course, DS, never able to be happy about anything, complained about it taking so long. Whatever. So we entered the amphitheatre and were seated in the middle behind the control booth. Good seats and a WONDERFUL show! 2nd best show on property, behind the Festival of the Lion King!

After the show DS announced that she was ready to go. So we all left the park and headed for the Poly to meet up with DA for dinner. We had reservations in the MK at Liberty Tree Tavern. As we drove back to the resort we noticed some pretty major storm clouds heading our way. As we were making our way back to the room to sit down and recharge for a bit we passed DA who said she wanted to head to the MK first to do some shopping. As we were walking past the volcano pool the lifeguards started blowing whistles and told everyone to get out of the pool due to inclement weather.

We made it to the room and looked out toward the magic kingdom to see some horrible looking clouds on the horizon. Turned on the news and it said Universal was getting pounded and there were severe storm warnings till 730 and should clear up completely by 11pm. So we kicked back and watched some jeopardy and recharged then headed for the MK…the storms never really hit, they just passed on by.

At the park we met up with DA and were seated almost immediately. This is another of our favorite dining spots at WDW and in my opinion, the only one worth visiting at the MK. The turkey was phenomenal and the potatoes could be their own food group! We had a great time mingling with characters and taking pictures. Chip was particularly friendly and excited to be there! He got super excited upon seeing my DA’s St. Louis Cardinals shirt…they were instantly friends the rest of the meal! Totally awesome!

After dinner we shopped around Ye Olde Christmas Shoppe and also took advantage of one of the cheapest souvenirs on Disney property: Liberty Tree Tavern Mugs. You can purchase them at the restaurant for $5 each…they are nice, heavy duty glass mugs with the restaurants name and Colonial Era Characters marching on the glass. They’re the same ones you use at dinner! Awesome deal…check it out next time you go…one of the best kept secrets around!

Then we had one of the funniest encounters on the trip during a potty break at the Colombia Harbor House…DC and I entered the bathroom and while standing at the urinals heard a gentleman in one of the stalls…well…umm….struggling to relieve himself. He was audibly moaning and struggling. Being 25 year old guys we found that more than mildly amusing…sorry, toilet humor is still funny. I felt bad for the guy, but his grunts and moans were just too funny!

After this encounter we tried to get out of the park before the parade….this was a nightmare…people were so rude and pushed and shoved past our part and another wheelchair party in front of us as desperately tried to squeeze through the only pathway we could find. It was awful and totally sent my blood pressure through the roof! We finally made it out, returned to the Poly and packed the scooter into the van and headed back to MGM. Upon arrival we got our EMH wristbands and headed for the 1030pm Show of Fantasmic. Upon seeing the line, I was disheartened and didn’t think we’d make it in as we were line up down the street. But we did make it, barely. This queue is horrible, no cast in sight and completely disorderly, people were just stampeding through the area knocking people over, pushing and shoving. I’ve never quite felt like cattle before that night. And the poor girl who tried to seat us at the show was running three time in 5 min by rude and mean guests. DC and I stepped up and blocked off the path so she could seat a couple of wheelchairs without getting run over. We both took a couple of hits, but no harm.

The show was SPECTACULAR! I love love love this show! Mickey is my all time favorite and he is just super awesome here. This is easily the best nighttime show on property for me. Not to be missed!

After the show we waited to the theatre to clear out, opting not to fight the crowd. We then headed to Rockin’ Roller Coaster and were astounded by the 100 min wait, so we headed for the single riders line. Waited about 35-40 min before we got on. However while waiting, 4 people behind us in the Single Riders Line decided it would be good for them to hop over the barrier into the regular line as it had cleared out between groups. By this point I had had my fill of rude people doing stupid stuff like that to others. So I ratted them out. I got the closest CMs attention and pointed it out and he took care of it tell the cutters they had to leave the ride. One of them turned and cussed at me calling me a fat stupid SOB and said he’d kick my ***….I told to him to step off and go away.

The CM laughed and apologized to the rest of us in the single riders line. Said something about how rude people could be and didn’t understand why people would do such a thing, said something like “I mean come on! You’re at Disney World, don’t act like that!” He then said he was going to have security escort them out for threatening me. I felt proud of myself…I hate people that cheat like that.

After RnRC we headed to Star Tours and walked straight on. We were the only people in line. When the flight doors opened there was another family on board and they stayed for another ride. We had a really fun CM with us making jokes and chatting with us. There were literally 8 people in the ride. After one trip DS and DF decided they wanted to try ToT again so they headed that way. DC and I stayed on board and rode Star Tours two more times without getting off. Then we hung out in the Tatooine Traders. I bought a Starfighter Mickey Bobblehead for my collection of Mickey Mouse Figures. Then we met the 3 ladies at the exit of ToT. By this point we were tuckered out and decided to head back to the Poly.

We made it to the room around 1am and walking into the room was like walking into an icebox. The thermostat now read a frigid 61 degrees. I immediately called the front desk who connected me to maintenance where we were put on permanent hold. I tried again and was told by the front desk that they’d put my request in the system and “someone will likely see to it tomorrow.”

Seriously…how much are we paying to stay in this unstable environment? This is ridiculous and no offer to help us move to another room.

So DC and I left for the WL and the girls bundled up as best they could and tried to sleep. And so came the end of our Wednesday at MGM. Only 2 full days left at WDW! Where has the time gone!

Next up…
Finally! Time at Epcot! Nine Dragons, Coral Reef, Illuminations, Epcot EMH, Late night Pizza run and the coldest room ever!

See you soon with the next installment!

Oh BTW....Toilet finally cleaned today....but still broken. I fianlly gave up asking to fix it..it was a futile request!

Cheers,
Josh

 

[Jungle Skipper]

:sohappy::sohappy: more more more

Why thank you very much....I just posted another installment an hope to have one more before the end of the day. I'm going to be sad when I finish, I've enjoyed writing these!

Still loving this trip report! I've been sharing some of the details with DH. Getting a bit nervous about the Poly now. I've been wanting to stay there SO bad but now I'm a bit nervous to try........

Can't wait for your next post..........

Well I don't want to scare you about the Poly..I've stayed for several years and this is the first time its been a problem....thanks for the compliment.

Honestly this is my favorite trip report of all time! I love the detail, makes me feel like I'm there and it's very well written. Keep it coming:sohappy:

You're making me blush! Thanks for the compliment! I hope you folks are enjoying!

Still think your posts are great! Love all the detail!

Thanks again! You folks are really doing an number for my confidence! Thanks! Hope you enjoy! Keep the comments coming!

Cheers,
Josh

 

[lilclerk]

However while waiting, 4 people behind us in the Single Riders Line decided it would be good for them to hop over the barrier into the regular line as it had cleared out between groups. By this point I had had my fill of rude people doing stupid stuff like that to others. So I ratted them out. I got the closest CMs attention and pointed it out and he took care of it tell the cutters they had to leave the ride. One of them turned and cussed at me calling me a fat stupid SOB and said he’d kick my ***….I told to him to step off and go away.

The CM laughed and apologized to the rest of us in the single riders line. Said something about how rude people could be and didn’t understand why people would do such a thing, said something like “I mean come on! You’re at Disney World, don’t act like that!” He then said he was going to have security escort them out for threatening me. I felt proud of myself…I hate people that cheat like that.

You are officially my favorite person of the day =) That is awesome, I hate line cutters.

 

[mary219]

you know,i have to tell you that you sound like one of the sweetest kids(well,i know your 24,but thats a kid to me)around.your family must be very proud of you.you really sound like a gem.great report.

 

[Jungle Skipper]

you know,i have to tell you that you sound like one of the sweetest kids(well,i know your 24,but thats a kid to me)around.your family must be very proud of you.you really sound like a gem.great report.

Well I thank you very much for your kind words! I'm seriously blushing! I hope my family agrees, although I know for a fact DS does not at this point. Since returning home she continues with her attitude and has projected it onto me. According to her I'm a horrible person who "ruined her vacation"...not quite sure I how I pulled that one off, but nonetheless, thank you! Hope you continue to read and enjoy!

You are officially my favorite person of the day =) That is awesome, I hate line cutters.

Why thanks! I was just plain tired of being walked on all day...so I spoke up. I didn't care if he punched me or not. Heck I'd have taken the punch and pressed charges! He had no right to cut!

Hope to bring you more of our saga soon!

Cheers,
Josh

 

[Turcicus]

As others have already said, great report so far. My only question - how the heck do you remember all the details?? :lol:

 

[Cara1210]

You are officially my favorite person of the day =) That is awesome, I hate line cutters.

I second that!:sohappy:

 

[Ravenclaw87]

I must agree--- I love your trip report, too!

SO jealous of your safari tour. Sounded AMAZING!!!

 

[spectrodanny]

Hey Josh I keep waiting for you to to sy "to teach maitnance a lesson DC and I decided to lock them in "the freezer" (your room) overnight.:ROFLOL:

 

[Jungle Skipper]

Hey Josh I keep waiting for you to to sy "to teach maitnance a lesson DC and I decided to lock them in "the freezer" (your room) overnight.:ROFLOL:

:ROFLOL: Now I wish I'd thought of that...lol.

I've had kind of a crazy day today, hope to have some more out this evening. If not then defiantely tomorrow.

Hope you're all enjoying!

cheers,
Josh

 

[Jungle Skipper]

Dateline Epcot: July 19, 2007

Yes ladies and gentlemen, finally, on Thursday the 19th, our 7th day at Walt Disney World, we get to spend the day at Epcot! As I’ve said before, I love Epcot. It will always hold a special place in my heart! Typically we spend several days here during a trip to WDW, but this year we’ve spent too much time politicking to keep DS in check that we haven’t made it here very long.

After the late night at MGM, we took the opportunity to sleep in a bit…I mean, we are on vacation, a little rest is a good thing right? DA decided to go do some shopping that morning and relax around the pool (she was worn out from the busy trip and the late nights). DS just proclaimed loudly that wasn’t going to Epcot…she hates it there and didn’t understand why we wanted to go ::sigh:: how do we come from the same gene pool? Seriously :shrug:

So DF, DC and I went on by ourselves and have a wonderful time. When I woke up I called WDW-DINE and got us early lunch reservations for Nine Dragon. We picked DF up at the Poly and headed Epcot. Upon arrival, our first stop was Guest Relations to pick up the second of our GSR passes from the Soarin’ evacuation earlier in the week. (We had dinner plans w/DA and DS that evening and planned to go Soarin’ with them after dinner).

We then strolled back to China for a delightful lunch! DC and I have always loved this restaurant and it’s a regular stop for us. DF said it was one of the best dining stops she had made all week. She had Hot and Sour Soup and General Tsou Chicken (sp?). DC enjoyed the Hot and Sour Soup, Springrolls and the Sweet and Sour Pork (which he proclaimed should be its own food group). I enjoyed my personal favorite, the Honey Sesame Chicken…I’m drooling just thinking of it! :lookaroun

After lunch we wondered through the Chinese Pavilion, visited the gift shops and talked with some of the CMs (I always enjoy chatting w/ CMs at Epcot, learn a little about a culture and meet some really cool people. DC bought his nephew a miniature sword set…had to have it shipped home because you can’t take weapons with you on property. While he was doing this, a very nice CM showed DF and I the items they were selling from the Beijing Olympics. She was an awesome CM and told us all about the artwork and characters that were designed as spokespeople for the Olympics. Very cool.

As we were leaving the store we saw Mulan, so DF and I had out pictures taken with her. She made a big deal about DF engagement ring…asking us if the Matchmaker had done a good job and oohhing & awwwwing over the ring. It was cute. The Disney Photopass guy took some pictures of the scene and a posed shot of us with Mulan. It was pretty awesome, one of the better character meets I’ve had in a while. After this we took in the exhibit on the terracotta soldiers and eventually saw the 360degree film. It was beautiful!

From China we moved on around the lagoon and over to Germany. Here we looked at champagne glasses for the wedding. Then we sauntered through the other shops at Germany. DC bought a teddy bear for his niece, its super cute and soft. Next up on our whirlwind tour of the world is Italy! Beautiful shops here, in fact I’ve forgotten how pretty it is at this pavilion. Had our picture taken at the Neptune Fountain and were tempted by some delectable Italian Chocolates.

We moved from Italy over to America, where we took in a performance of the Fife and Drums Corp then headed to the American Adventure. I have always loved this show and think its one of the better experiences of the World Showcase and I think the new additions to the film montage were well done and quite touching. We all enjoyed, but its sad to see such small crowds here. While waiting for the show to begin, we expected to see the Voices of Liberty…unfortunately they weren’t here and we suffered through some awful group wearing black and red western outfits playing country western songs. ::shudder:: Yuck! :hurl:

From here we looked through the shop and moved on to Japan. Here we showed DF around and then spent a good hour checking out all the neat stuff at Mitsukoshi department store. DF bought some rice candy and a Hello Kitty cup for a good friend. DC bought a pot your own bonsai tree kit for his other niece…although he and I both almost bought ourselves the same kit, it seems pretty cool.

As we were leaving Mitsukoshi it began to thunder pretty loudly. As we walked to Morocco, the skies parted and it poured rain. The lightening and thunder were both pretty intense. We were able to duck into one of the shops along with 100 of our closest friends...ha ha! We waited it out. Didn’t last long, pretty similar to most other central Florida storms, but the lightening and thunder were worse. Shortly after the storm let up we could hear sirens coming from backstage…maybe an ambulance or fire truck?

It continued to sprinkle for a bit but we continued on our was into Morocco. At this point, DA called to tell us they were at Epcot now and going to the Coral Reef to wait for us. They were 55 min early, so we told them where we were and that we’d head that way closer to 6pm for our reservation. Again, I had forgotten how cool the Morocco pavilion was as well. Took a picture in front of the tiled fountain as well as a picture of DC and I each wearing a Fez. :ROFLOL: We’re total goofballs.

We strolled through France for a bit after this and then realized it was time to head to the Coral Reef. So we dashed toward Future World and made it about ten till six. I checked us in and we had just enough time to visit the restrooms and wash our hands. We were seated nearly immediately.

We sat at one of the half circle booths toward the middle of the restaurant on the 2nd level. Great view, although the seat is a bit tight for overweight people like myself and DA. We fit, just not with a lot of room – and squeezing in was a little embarrassing. We ordered our meals: DC and I had the blackened catfish (outstanding!), DA had the curry cauliflower soup for an appetizer and Grilled Mahi Mahi for dinner (loved the fish, but not the couscous side). DS griped about eating at a seafood place…sigh…but we told her she could get steak or pork. She gripe about paying 30 for a steak…I honestly think by this point she is incapable of enjoying anything. She decides on the steak. DF ordered the Sterling Salmon with ratatouille and some Creamy Lobster soup for an appetizer (as did DC).

We waited a bit, got their appetizers (I stuck with the free bread!) and ate. Then our waiter brought out 2 steak knives to the table one for DS and one for DF. I didn’t think much of it. Then came the main courses…the food was awesome, maybe some of the finer cuisine we’ve had all week. But he brought DF and steak. I thought that was particularly odd since he didn’t ask her how she wanted it cooked when she ordered. Something got screwed up somewhere. She sent it back and the waiter had the audacity to ask, “are you sure that’s not what you ordered?” I mean seriously? The others ate and I waited for DF to finally get her correct order. She raved over the food…mine was delicious, I just wish I could’ve eaten it hot out of the kitchen!

After dinner we headed to the Land and rode Soarin’ using our GSR pass. It was fantastic! I just can’t get enough of the ride! I’d love to see a new film put in there that was themed a little better for a Florida attraction! It was a fun ride. We then walked straight on to the Living with the Land ride, another of my favorite Epcot attraction. Would have been much better if DS could stop huffing and puffing with boredom and frustration :brick:

From here we rode Journey Into Your Imagination with Figment. I dig Figment, but I just don’t care for the ride. I miss Dreamfinder…sorry. Its ok, just no substitute for the original! From here we headed straight for the World Showcase to find a spot for Illumniations. DS griped and complained about being there, it was quite embarrassing, :zipit: I’ll leave out the details, but it was painful to say the least. We got our EMH bracelets from the station near the now defunct Odyssey area and then watched Illuminations from an obstructed view location nearby. It was a wonderful show! I love the music, the fireworks and the lasers! Couldn’t really see the globe, but it was still a great nighttime show!

Afterwards, we were treated to another explosive show...one of my DS’s outbursts. It was quite embarrassing. In the end DA went with DF, DC and I to Mexico. DS went back to the hotel. We rode the spruced up version of the ride and explored the shopping. We then went to Norway expecting to shop and see Malestrom, but no luck, it had a sign saying “Malestrom will close at 8pm” even though it was listed on the list as open during EMH. Disappointed, but took DA back to the American Adventure…one of her favorite shows. After this we made our way back around the showcase, stopped by France for pastries, but they closed as we were walking up.

We ventured toward Future World where DF and I rode the lite version of Mission Space. The wait was odd. No one was in line but we still waited 20 min. It was bizarre. We rode the lite version because DF recently lost hearing in her left ear and this throws off he balance on spinning rides. This version even made her lightheaded, she like it but not a lot. DC is claustrophobic and can’t ride MS so he went shopping at Mouse Gear with DA.
We scampered over to Test Track right after getting off MS but they were shutting the doors as we walked up. Just missed out! But that’s okay, we were tired so we head for the parking lot. DC and I lifted DA’s scooter into the van and headed for the Poly.

I’ll be back in a bit to finish our Thursday adventure…still more to come!

Next up….Late night pizza run, The A/C plummets as my blood pressure goes through the roof!

Then…Shopping at Downtown Disney and the Quest for Pirate Mickey!

Hope you’re enjoying.

Cheers,
Josh

 

[Cara1210]

Keep it coming!:sohappy: I love reading your posts. I'm leaving for WDW in 16 days, and reading your posts is helping to make the days pass a little faster.

 

[Jungle Skipper]

After Epcot…or how to infuriate a guest in less than 20 min!

So after a fun EMH evening at Epcot we began walking toward to exits. Just as we loaded the scooter into the van, DA’s cell phone went off. It was DS…apparently angry because she’d been calling for more than an hour, but we didn’t hear the phone ringing. She had returned to the room following Illuminations and upon arrival found the room at the Polynesian to be unbearably cold. The thermostat read a paltry 57 degrees! She had to open the balcony door in order to be in the room. I asked her to call maintenance and have them come up to the room ASAP. She called and 5 min later called us back saying she couldn’t get anyone to answer! By this point I am officially fed up with the phone tag we’ve played trying to get these problems fixed…poor service no matter how you look at it.

I told her I’d stop by the front desk on my way into the hotel and make sure something happened. This was at 12:30am. I entered the hotel and waited at the front desk for 5 min before a CM finally came out of the back and asked if he could help. I explained that we’ve been trying to call and no one had answered…then I told him what was happening in our room and that I was really upset and needed maintenance in our room immediately to fix this problem. I informed him I was very unhappy with what had been going on. He seemed not to care one bit and said he’d call and see what he could do. I replied with…”I’m tired of people saying that…I’m paying about 500 a night to stay here in a miserable room and I expect this problem to be fixed. Now!” (granted, I’m way to nice to be mean or inappropriate. I was simply stern and frustrated…no yelling!)

He went to the back then cam out front about 5 min later and said someone would be up ASAP. I thanked him and returned to our room. At about 1am there is a knock at our door. Maintenance. Praise the heavens! Two gentlemen entered the room and remarked how cold it was. One of the gentlemen introduced himself as the night foreman and said they’d take a look around. After about 10 min of starring at the thermostat they decide it’s the thermostat that is busted. His initial reply was: “well its cold, but I think the thermostat is busted and I doubt its really 57 degrees…Its gotta be the thermostat, I can have a new one in here tomorrow” I then pulled out a thermometer that we keep with us for my aunts medicines that have to stay a certain temperature. I said “your right….its not 57, according to this thermometer its 56 now…” :shrug:

He looks at my thermometer and then says something to the other gentleman that I couldn’t decipher. I then tell him I’m really upset because we’ve had nothing but problems with this AC…he asks what I’m talking about and I tell him about last Friday night and finally getting help Saturday night. He says he had no idea anyone had been in here…So I show him what the guy did on Saturday and that he told me a valve had been turned off.

The guys get up in the ceiling panels again and immediately see the problem. That valve was broken. He gets down off the ladder and tells me the following (paraphrasing here):

‘Well it looks like this valve is broken. If what you’re telling me about Saturday is true, then it looks like someone found the broken valve, but instead of fixing it they just turned it off. This probably happened before you arrived. Then when you called that it was too hot the person saw the valve was off and assumed that was all of the problem. This should’ve been fixed before you got here. The bad news is I can’t get a valve in here tonight. I’m going to turn the valve off again, but it may get warm again faster than it cooled off. I can have it fixed tomorrow.’

Cue my blood pressure. I stand in silence for a moment, thinking of what to say. :zipit: He continues:

‘If you want to pack your bags up I can call the front desk and move you to another room for tonight…but I think we’re full in this building.’

I respond immediately saying its far to late and too much stuff to collect and move for the night, especially if we have to leave our building and go somewhere else. I understand you can’t get a valve this late but I explained how exasperating this whole situation is considering we’ve called asking for assistance almost every day this week. I told him just to turn it down so no one caught pneumonia over night and I’d have to talk to the front desk in the morning.

DC and DF were hungry and decided it would be a good night for a late night pizza. So they ordered Dominos while I dealt with the maintenance guys. It arrived shortly after they left our room. As we ate I just got more an more angry….I was really made that this whole problem that was ruining the vacation for DA and making it really frustrating for me as well….that whole problem shouldn’t have happened. It was someone being lazy and taking a quick and easy way out instead of fixing the problem in the first place. It should’ve been fixed before we got here…then when we finally got help on Saturday night they guy didn’t recognize the problem and just assumed he fixed the problem. Didn’t question why the valve was off in the first place…just turned it back on. Then when I complained about it being too cold and tried to get someone to come look at our problem I was constantly put into some bizarro holding pattern. Its flat out ridiculous. I was angry at this point, and I feel I have every right to be. We’re on vacation paying for a super deluxe room and instead of talking about all the good times we had, we’re chatting about what’s the temperature going to be like when we get back to the room. How long is it going to take to get someone on the phone to help us? How rude is the CM going to be and how many people are going to try to push us off until later so they don’t have to do their jobs?

We finished our pizza and he was right…it got warmer a lot fast than it got cold. By the time we left the thermostat was back up at 73 degrees and no air was circulating. The girls went to bed and tried to sleep, but according to DF it was 76 degrees in the room at 4am when she went to the bathroom and zero air movement in the room. Absolutely unacceptable!

DC and I went to bed and rose early the next morning! It was our last full day at WDW…we had to leave the next morning after breakfast! Sadness kicked in. I called DA and she sounded miserable. Said the room was flat out hot again and she was going to go to the concierge desks and complain! By the time we got to the Poly She had spoken with a gentleman at the desk and according to DA he seemed less concerned about the problem and more concerned about getting her out of his hair. He never apologized and apparently asked her what she wanted him to do about it. DA is very mild mannered and never gets upset, but she said she told him that she was ticked to high heaven over the room and didn’t think it was right that she should be charged so much for a miserable room. So he passed the buck and said all he could do was refund one nights stay...and if we wanted more help we could call or e-mail guest communications….

Big mistake on his behalf…if the guy had acted like he cared and apologized and been genuine with his response, we’d probably let it go. But his rushed, nonchalant handling of our situation really upset DA and myself. I’d defiantly be following up on this fiasco.



So we were finally able to get on with our day…and I’ll be back in a few with that report.

Coming up next….Downtown Disney, to many souvenirs, DTD McDonalds, the quest for pirate Mickey, Ghirardelli Ice Cream, Around the World in 3.5 hours, O’hana Dinner, Wishes, MK EMH, the never ending line at Expo Hall and that sick feeling in the pit of your stomach meaning its time to leave.

Keep those comments flowing! Hope you enjoy!

Cheers,
Josh