WDW & DCL Trip Report - Part 2
12/13/08 Saturday
Frigging freezing out this morning! Too bad I don't have any gloves - it's that cold. Grabbed a banana in the food court, and took a cab ($15) to Epcot to get there for the 7:30 Segway meet time. The tour guide (James) was awesome! Funny, engaging, and really took his time with the people who didn't get it right away. Not me, I was off and running like a pro! Once you get used to it, it's really easy to control. I want one now! Imagine the cool commute I'd have on that baby...well, the Epcot ones had speed restrictors, no speeding past 6 miles an hour, but I'd totally soup mine up. The tour was 2 hours, but a lot of that time was training inside innoventions. We did get to go around the entire world showcase before it opened, and I got to do all sorts of wheelies around columns, 360's, and generally acted like an 8 year old. I would HIGHLY recommend this tour to anyone who loves Epcot, geekery, Disney trivia, or general gadgetry.
I got a fastpass for Test Track, and headed over to the Yacht and Beach Club for the Mega Mouse Meet. There were pretzels and sodas for the registered festers, and the tables were a mob! I got a t-shirt, checked out the non-mobbed tables, and got a bunch of swag - the bandaids were the most useful swag, the disney pin was the coolest to use as a trader. If that was the big deal of Mousefest, I might skip it next year - the meets that are organized around an event or activity were my favorite. It's not that the podcasters and authors aren't awesome, but remember, my inner kid was whining that it wasn't a ride - I wasn't doing anything. Back to Epcot, and I walked around the entire World Showcase, ending back up at Mouse Gears for some serious shopping. SERIOUS. Like, I spent $400 in one pop. And the best part is that I got it all shipped home, so I didn't have to carry anything anywhere. Bought: crocs, shirts for Dan, Bella & Bump, kitchen stuff, ornaments (50% off almost everything, plus the 40% off the merchandise credit gave me = awesome deals).
Back to Epcot and France for Moussefest - this was a fun meet. I talked with Mark and Mark about my experiences as a newbie solo at Mousefest. After that, it was a walk to the Fish & Chip meet with Will (eating a swag cookie there). Cool bunch, colorful stories - man, I could have blown them away with mine, but remember, we're at Disney...
Perused the shops in England, and fell in love with the tea shoppe (duh!). I bought an Alice in Wonderland teapot and matching saucers with teacups (shipped home), a pint glass from the Rose & Crown, and a Manchester United T for Dan. Saw the Canada film (ok, I liked the old one better), and headed over to Test Track. It's a fun ride, but they could cut out the first 4/5th of the ride and still be fun. I know how anti-lock brakes work, thank you. Reservation was for Coral Reef - the restaurant inside the aquarium in the Living Seas. Great seafood - the waiter was awesome, and the view was gorgeous. Today I've been up since 6, and walked close to 12 miles, and yet I'm not completely bashed. Bed around 11pm.
12/14/08 Sunday,
It's not hot, but not cold - much better than the freezosity that was yesterday. I slept in till 8 (oh noes!), packed everything up, and Luggage Services picked up my bags to transfer them to Port Orleans - French Quarter. I took the bus to MK and tried to transfer to POFQ, but it took forever - I guess they don't schedule busses for people going back to the resorts that early in the morning. I was rushed, so I didn't check out the new resort much. Check-in took about `0 minutes (I had to check-in, so my new room key/charge card/park ticket would work. Back to MK for the Mousefest scavenger hunt - I met back up with the peeps from the Safari, and tried to attempt the hunt. It was so difficult, and really not fun, after an hour I was glad that I had to go to my ADP at Tony's Town Square early. The people next to me were southern, and they actually said stuff like, "This Eyetalian stuff is pretty spicy". So cute. Only one week to go! I have to admit, Those Darn Cats group is kind of annoying - the kind of soccer moms that talk too loudly about how great their kids are, or how much money their husbands make, for the benefit of strangers around them.
Sent out a bunch more postcards - my goal is to send out almost all the cards I have, old and new, so I can say I've actually used them. It's like Twitter to my LJ - a good place to write something quick and post it immediately. ~sigh~ Such a geek.
Ok, back to my MK adventures. Tony's was good - the Lady and the Tramp theming was really cute, the food was good and plentiful, and the waitress was really nice. No matter their age, when they find out I'm traveling solo, they inevitably start calling me "dear" and "sweetie", it's not annoying like it usually is for me. Eating alone isn't the terrible, horrible thing I thought it would be, as long as I have postcards to write, my notebook to fill up, and stuff to plan, I don't mind eating in restaurants alone. After lunch, I went on the train to Frontierland for Big Thunder (goat trick doesn't really work on this version), and Country Bear Jamboree. The new show is disjointed, confusing, and not entertaining at all - the one redeeming feature is the little baby bear blowing in the jug now. Back onto the train for a round-the-park trip (the river on the outside of the tracks is covered in green gook), and I checked in with City Hall to see if I could get into Ohana (I had a ressie, but the time didn't work, so I missed it). Also at City Hall, I found out that they have a "Pin Book", a huge book filled with pins that I could look through and trade out of. YAY!! Pin trading has been SO much fun this trip - I've traded all of the hundred I bought from eBay, and have now re-traded a lot of the ones I first traded when I got here.
I'm pretty burned out on Mousefest stuff - I planned multiple meets per day, and most of them either weren't to my taste, not very friendly, or not really conducive to new/solo people. I like the ride meets and others that are centered around an activity, not sitting around and talking. This is from a relative newbie to WDW, so I like doing stuff more than talking about it.
Back to POFQ to check out the room and drop some stuff off. Room 4216 - again, perfect spot, 2nd floor right next to the main building, and a direct shortcut to the busses. SCORE! The room is nice - the double sinks would be perfect when traveling with someone else, the decor is subtle and tasteful, and the landscaping was beautiful. Before I headed out to the Studios, I noshed on some jerky from home and some egg nog fudge from MK (1 snack credit) - for all the walking I'm doing, I'm just not that hungry. Maybe cause I'm eating so much more meat than usual, but eating once a day is plenty - the table service meal and counter service meal is tough to fit in each day.
Took the boat from POFQ to the Studios -it's really pretty, but not very pracical, it seems to take a while. If I hadn't caught the boat just as it was leaving, it could have been even longer. Great Movie Ride - oh, so cheesy and awesome! Busby Berkeley's musicals are so nostalgic and iconic - makes me wish I lived in that era. Didn't make any of my DHS ressies, so I didn't get to try the Sci-Fi Diner. I went to Fantasmic instead at 6:30 - I don't mind waiting for shows now, since I've got stuff to do in the interim. Great show, except for the Pocahantas part (I don't like Pocahantas). Who remembers that movie now? It's not really a classic like the other movies, and the Pirates moveis would work much better there.
I've not shopped much - the little things that I've been getting are filling up my bag fast. I'll have to save up my shopping and do it all at once, so I can ship it home.
ADR's seem to be pointless - if you have one, you sit and wait forever to get a table. If you don't, you sit and wait forever to get a table. With only one person, it's not like the party size is unweildy, either. A lot of the time, the restaurant looks half empty, too.
There are lots of kids with their grandparents - and they all seem to be flocking to the Bibidi Bobidi Boutique. It's a really cute idea, but all the girls end up looking like a cross between a Bratz doll and a little pageant queen. Seems like they're breeding little Jon Benet Ramseys in training - yikes.
Boat back to PO Riverside - and ate a late dinner at Boatwrights. It's cute, but nothing I'd go out of my way to go to. The food is good, and they've got crayons at the table, which I used in my journal of course! I've tipped more on this trip than any other, usually around 30%. The DDP makes it seem like I'm eating for free - I guess that works well for the wait staff!
Back home by midnight - I take my sleeping pills while I'm out and about, and they kick in by the time I get home. Works well, as long as there aren't any delays!
12/15/08 Monday AK
Headed to AK early as hell, got there for the rope drop again. I really like the jungle safari little show they do. I headed into Tusker House, not realizing that it was Donald's Breakfastasaurus. What a stroke of luck! I walk in with no ressie, and breakfast was really good. The characters were out in force, and the conga line they do with the kids was cute. With a full belly (and a few extra bananas for later), I head out to try Dinosaur. The ride was cool, the vehicles are the same as the Indy ride in Disneyland - I'd do it again. Two thumbs up!
Also got in to see the Nemo musical just as they were closing the doors (perfect timing, yet again). It was really amazing, maybe even better than Aladdin in California Adventure. I like Finding Nemo better than Aladdin, so I might be a bit biased. I took a ton of pictures, using the manual settings to try them out and see what worked. Tim from Magic in Pixels would be so proud!
Back to the room to organize all my piles of stuff, pins, pennies and such, called Kaiser to try and refill my prescription (Dan called to give me the prescription info - he's such a sweetie), and was told no - Ambien is a controlled substance, so I can't refill it until the day it runs out. That's New Year's Day. Sure, that'll be easy!
Took the boat to DTD for Mega Shopping Spree, and sailed by the new Treehouse Villas - 60 of them, in varying degrees of completion. There will even be some that are wheelchair accessible. Treehouses...that are wheelchair accessible. They look like they'll be fully awesome! While shopping, there was a little boy about 10 months old, who just kept repeating, "Mine, Mine, Mine..." just like the seagulls on Nemo. So cute!
The original plan was to go to the Grand Floridian for High Tea with some Mouseforlessers at 3, but the Contemporary monorail was down, so I missed the time. Ok, plan B - eating at Cooks at the Poly. Oh, man - so good! Pulled pork sandwich, with asian coleslaw (too many onions in it), and an apple cobbler for dessert. So good!
Back to the hotel to grab the camera before going to Epcot for the Illuminations cruise. We pass a car accident, and the Disney security was on the scene, complete with cast member that had a pin trading lanyard on, just in case the victim wanted to trade! This was an eventful ride home - we also saw deer on the road, then a gator. Don't worry, they weren't near each other - the deer weren't about to be eaten! Hung out till 6:50, then back to Epcot for rides before the cruise. Hoofed it over to Mexico for the ride there (cute, but who outside of Disney freaks remembers the Three Caballeros?), then Norway (back, back over the falls!) - is it just me, or does the fisherman painted on the loading area have a HUGE head? It's like a baby's head was blown up and put it on the head of an adult. Creeepy...
Walked all the way over to the International Gateway, & took the boat to the Yacht/Beach Club marina. Got there a bit early, so I hung around to meet the peeps for the cruise - they've got an outdoor movie playing on the beach! Gorgeous weather - not too hot, it was overcast all day, so no blinding sun, and now it's just cool enough to need a sweater on the water.
~aside~
How do women wear heels all day in the parks? No one is that big of a masochist, and bloody, torn up feet isn't really sexy!
~end aside~
Illuminations cruise: I remembered my camera, but forgot the memory card, so no pics tonight. I did take video, but we weren't really in a great spot to see it. I would have thought that it would have been a better view, but the boatmates were nice, there were snacks onboard, and the boat itself was pretty cool! Michelle, her twin boys, and little girl & the other couple, their son & mom (Disney fanatics) were all really nice. The boy was really sweet - he had glow sticks he had brought from home, and outfitted the other kids with them. All in all, not too bad for $35. The bad part was it took an hour to get home - bus from Yacht & Beach Club to DTD, then DTD to POFQ. Ended up getting off the bus at DTD, turning around, and realizing that the same bus was now bound for POFQ - kinda funny!
12/16/08 Tuesday: Backstage Magic, Luau
Really foggy today. Today is THE DAY. The Backstage Magic Tour, covering Magic Kingdom, Epcot, The Studios, and all the backstage awesomeness! 63,000 cast members, wow. Started with me forgetting my ID, so one of the girls (Janet) ran me back to get it (and never needed it). She started with Disney as a college summer job, and stayed...for 6 years. She told me about some fun times she had on a disney cruise with the cast members there - she was in the limbo land of not-guest, but not-cast member - she got to hang with both and party!
American Adventure in Epcot - scene changer in the back, has 10 scenes all packed into a small metal box. They pop up when needed, and are much more compact than storing them another way.
Art Alley - each department made their own mural on a wall in a breezeway - gorgeous! Special Effects had theirs motion activated with Figments voice - so cool! This was the building that they relax in before going onstage - Company D (their own personal shop)
We were on a DCL bus for the duration of the tour - they're very comfortable and nice. Cast Zooming: There are 5 million pieces of wardrobe in WDW, with the department for Epcot we saw handling only 300,000 pieces. They're on huge long racks from the ceiling by size - the row we walked in had the greeter shirts from the turnstiles and chef shirts. XXS to 4x from what I saw - that's a pretty big range.
Every piece of wardrobe is either given to the CM by Wardrobe, or approved - if you don't have shoes that are approved, they have a shoe-mobile that travels around the parks. No money? No problem - they'll take out payments from your check.
The wig & makeup rooms are right across from each other, makeup application is taught, then monitored for uniformity and taste. The hair is styled, then put in a wig box for the character to take with them, while they do their makeup. The characters we saw weren't the actual princesses - they're "friends of", we saw a Friend of Belle on her way to get her costume. Hair and makeup done, it looks weird when they're still in their street clothes and Uggs!
Test Track does go backstage through a parking lot, but the cars seen aren't CM cars - they're props, provided by GM. CMs are allowed to walk through Studios in any costume, since it's supposed to be a backstage lot, but no other park allows this. The bus fleet is comprised of 300 busses, and they have the largest water fleet in the
US (really?). The property is over 47 square miles, and spans two counties - Bay Lake and Lake Buena Vista. They created Reedy Creek as a governing body, so that there was only one authority to report to - Sheriff's Department handles emergency calls.
There was supposed to have been a Mickey Mouse park built in the 1930's in Burbank, but the residents vetoed it. Had that been built, we may not have Disney parks as we know them today.
Costuming - they use CAD machines, everything is saved electronically so it can be cut exactly the same each time. The building is huge, and they keep all costumes - they have storage up in the rafters of old parades, characters and special events. They never know when they'll use it again!
Tower of Terror has copper embedded in the ground that acts as the guide for the cars. The cars are HUGE, and are actually pushed down, not just dropping by gravity. There's also a hidden pickle in the ride - an engineer was carrying a jar of pickled sausages around while the ride was under construction. He was called away for something, and put the jar down on a desk. When he came back, it was glued down - he had accidentally put it on a prop that was scheduled for nail-down! So now, there's a jar of pickled sausage on a desk in the back - Monica said to look on the monitors that show the abandoned area.
Disneyland can fit into the parking lot of Magic Kingdom, and still have enough room to park 500 cars!
We stopped at the Wilderness Lodge for lunch at noon - the Whispering Canyon Cafe. Oh man, this was a lot of fun! We were seated at three huge tables, and the food was served family style - which works somewhat, but can be REALLY wasteful when people don't eat all they're served. Our servers were really funny and had tons of cheesy jokes for us (Tea-pee!) - they'd bring huge iced teas for some, and when I asked for a little more, they brought me a tiny cup of iced tea. It was loud, boisterous, and a lot of fun. The meal included cornbread, coleslaw (good!), ribs, chicken, sausage (good!), corn, beans (yuck), potatoes, and for dessert, a strawberry and peach cobbler that I wished I had enough room for! The ice cream on top was the perfect finishing touch. After checking out the gift store and smashing some pennies (which was so much fun to search out, probably more so than the actual having of the pennies), we set out again, this time to the laundry & construction shops.
The laundry (1 of 3 facilities onsite) was immense, they wash 30,000 pieces per day, the bulk of which being sheets and towels from the hotels. They're all sorted by hand, and after being washed to about 70% dry, hung by hand on electronic hangers that have the bar code of the piece encoded on it for sorting and organizing. The hangers It was really impressive how much was automated - they work mostly in the morning, then the automators take over for most of the washing and drying in massive machines. It was damp and hot in there in December, I can't imagine the hell it is when it's July.
Went through the Ride construction shop, where vehicles and other props get built/repaired - saw the huge rolling ball from Indy, Space Mountain car, hippo from Jungle cruise, and two of the wooden carousel horses that were being refurbed. It's really amazing how much they do in-house - these things are almost all done there, and the range of fabrication they can do is really impressive. So much of the outside of the rides is just fiberglass, too - the vehicles, themed areas, moldings, pretty much everything that isn't built directly into the frame of the house or vehicle is fiberglass.
Finally, the Holy Grail of Disney Freaks - the Utilidors. Monica asked all sorts of trivia questions, and I got most of them right. She asked me if I was studying to get a job with the Disney Institute (they lead the tours), uhh...sure! It's smaller than I thought it would be down there, but still impressive. My favorite bits was the Pin Replenishment Station for CMs to get trading pins, and the long line of CM gear - the Look Book, do's and don'ts, and more dating back to the opening of the parks. The utilidors proved to be too expensive to recreate in the newer parks, which is why only MK has them.
We got to watch the parade from a front seat, and got commentary from Dena the whole time through our cool earpieces. After that, we were bussed back to Epcot, and we all went our own way. Oh, we saw baby alligators in a pond by MK, and got a free pin from the tour. Overall, I'd say it was worth it to do once, especially if you're
traveling solo, but it's not really a repeat tour.
Got back to the hotel, and relaxed - got a cheese-steak, fries & beignets since I had to use up my CS credits, but I wasn't really hungry. Thank goodness for the fridge, I just stuck everything in there to nosh on later. The beignets, those I ate while they were still hot. Oh, such powdered sugar goodness! Something that tastes so good can only be bad for you, but they are so tasty! Along with my sweet tooth, I also indulged in another forbidden luxury - daytime TV. Bring it on, Judge Judy and People's Court! So trashy, but so good....
Headed back out to MK for some rides before the luau, and also before MVMCP started. I managed to get in all the rides I wanted to, since this was probably the last time I'd hit MK before the cruise. I managed to do Monsters Laugh Floor (different than Monsters ride in DL - I loved it!), Peoplemover, and Space Mountain - I was in line for Space at 7, and I was scared they wouldn't let me on without a wristband! My light up Mickey necklace crapped out, so I exchanged it for a good one & headed over to the Poly on the boat. Some little girl was pitching a fit and screaming bloody murder on the boat, and her mom just kept saying, "You better stop...." uh, or what? Way to set up boundaries lady!
The luau is set up way in the back, and for some reason, there was a long line waiting to get in, then another long line inside to be seated. You'd think they'd have a better way of seating everyone, since there are set times for the shows. The food was just enh - rice, bland chicken, the ribs, bread and vegetables were good. Maybe it's just because I'm not that hungry, and there's so much food here (family style, I was served the same amount as 2 people). The wine is free, and terrible - seriously, I'm a 2 buck chuck fan, so my wine palate isn't exactly elevated and I couldn't finish it. The first half of the show is so boring, I was considering leaving after eating, but after dinner was over, it seemed to pick up some. The premise is hokey - a family reunion party for a woman coming home from the mainland (oh, and the mainland is evil and sucks away all your familial ties and memory). They did a kid thing, then a birthday thing, then an anniversary thing, then ANOTHER kids thing - I was sitting there watching a lot of guests dance and sing with Santa. Gee, I paid how much for this privilege? After dessert (a mousse that was made a much larger deal than it actually was), it did pick up, with some beautiful dances and fire. All in all, a 2 hour show that would have been better served as a 25 minute show. I won't be doing this one again, and probably wouldn't recommend it to most.
I was sad, since it was too warm most of the day for me to wear my Santa hat. I wore it on the way home, though - got back around 11:30.
Wednesday 12/17/08 - Day 9 - Epcot, Le Cellier, Studios, La Nouba
My last full day on the parks, and not really even a full day, since I'm going to see La Nouba tonight. Slept in after staying up till 1am for no good reason - watching TV in bed is sloth-tastic! I had to choose between Sci-Fi Diner and Le Cellier today for my table service - did I want to stay at Epcot and see American Adventure (only ride left undone at Epcot, plus now I know how it works!), or try and get a few more rides in at the Studios, including my favorite, Rock n Roller Coaster? I decided to take whatever bus got to the station first....the suspense! Done - on to Epcot and Le Cellier.
Got a fastpass for Soarin', the did The Land boat tour. Got front seat, with a 9 month old girl behind me, who I thought would hate it and scream the whole time. Nope, she loved it, looking at everything with huge eyes. I know I'm getting older because I watch the History Channel and Biographies, I read non-fiction without being assigned the book in class and...I really like educational tours and rides. It's ok, I can live with my impending oldfogieism with class. ;)
Got to Le Cellier at 11am, the recommended 15 minutes early to check in, and they're not open yet. Ok, so I check in, and they want me to wait right there until 11:30, which is the first seating they do (my ADR was for 11:15. I said no problem, I'd be back at 11:25. Ashley was quite rude when she informed me no, you can't leave this spot, or you'll lose the ressie. So my reservation was made for a time that
you're not open, there's no way I'll be seated before 11:30, and yet you want me to sit here for half an hour with nothing to do....ok, so I was a rule-breaker. I left & went shopping, then came back with plenty of time to spare. I thought it was rather tacky to set up ADRs for a time before it opened, and then expect people to wait in a
tiny space with nothing to do. But, once that was over, I had nothing but good experiences with Le Cellier. The waitress comes up and introduces herself, "Hi, I'm Amanda, and I'll be your Canadian today." I was sitting in the Manitoba section, where it was -36 degrees today. Winnipeg was where the original Pooh bear was from, and that's where his name came from. Interesting! The breadsticks (pretzel, multigrain & sourdough) were all to die for, as was the Strip Steak I ordered. I asked for a half cup of the cheddar cheese soup, but couldn't possibly eat a whole cup after all the breadsticks, and she brings me a whole cup. I'm ashamed to say I lacked any and all willpower and ate the whole thing - it was one of the best things I've ever tasted, and definitely the highlight of this culinary trip! (Recipe is on Allears - I'm going to try it out ASAP!) The steak was fantastic (sea salt on it?) and alone was $32,
easily paying for the Dining Plan for the whole day. I got the maple creme brulee for dessert, which I think has now ruined me for any other creme brulee ever again. I'll be sure to keep trying to find its equivalent though!
Walked over to US to see American Adventure, and was pleasantly surprised to find the Voices of Liberty in the waiting area, singing carols. I had heard of them, but didn't expect to catch them - it's really breathtaking how beautiful acapella voices can be. AA was much more fully awesome now that I know how it works - I remember thinking, "I've seen you up close, Franklin!". Took the boat over to Canada and walked to Soarin' - line was 55 minutes, I waited 15 in the fastpass line. I don't really love this ride, but feel compelled to overcome my vertigo and fear of heights every time to ride it. The Soarin' line plays an overture from Steel Magnolias - interesting!
Shark week started for me today - but it's not really a week, more like 3 days, and it's super-light compared to what it was before I was on Depo (no period for years - that was nice). I wonder if it'll attract the fish when snorkeling at Castaway Cay? ;) Bought some stuff I had been eyeing in the World Traveler shop at the International Gateway, then too the boat to Hollywood Studios. Out of $1000, I have $29 left on the merchandise card.
Got fastpass for ToT & rode it, 15 minutes instead of 55. Got fastpass for RnRC, but I just went in the single rider line and ended up in the same queue - wait was about 5 minutes, so I went on 3 times! This is my favorite ride in the Studios, and maybe in all of Disney (both WDW and DL).
Back to the hotel to pick up La Nouba tix, packed a bit, then headed out for my ADR at House of Blues. Asked when I was seated if they participate in the Dining Plan, no? Well, I've gotta use these credits! I figured I could eat at the Disney Quest food court, but
nope - they close at 7 (it's 7:05). Ok...so after a bit of frustration at trying to figure out what restaurants in DTD were on the DP, I ended up taking the boat over to the other side of DTD, at Earl of Sandwich with a Full Montague. I took the boat back just to be sure I got back in time for the show, and ate the sandwich seated in my aisle seat, about 7 rows from the front of the stage. OMG - that sandwich was to die for! I'm so glad I braved the daunting looking line (it moves fast) and got one. I forgot a spoon, so I had to eat the strawberry shortcake with my fingers, but it was good enough that I didn't care. Oh, and I bought a 2009 Cirque calendar/organizer to replace my uber-favorite 2008 one. Squee!
The show - well, it's Cirque, so it's beyond description. The best I can do is that it evokes the same kind of wonder and childlike awe that Disney does for its fanatics, but for everyone! The music is what really gets me - they had both a vocalist (gorgeous black woman) and also an opera singer (guy in drag or mannish woman?). A quick rundown of the acts:
Circle guys (round things they balance on/in/around)
Tightrope walkers
Astronaut clowns
4 chinese yo-yo girls - really cute, they only stay here a year or 2
before getting switched out
broken frame clown
dirt bike rider, bigger bike rider
chair clown
trapeze girl and funny walking boy - little mascot
(all the chinese girls were lined up by height on a floating bench in
the background)
Red silk guy & 6 or 8 girls - flying
Ballet couple/dancers
cowboy & indian clowns
balancing chair clown (different than other clowns)
baby/momma clowns
maid kissing frog
trapeze artists
bouncing/trampoline troupe with Hercules guy & devil
Maid & her prince
Fin.
Thursday, December 18 - Day 10 - Leaving WDW
Woke up at 7am for no reason whatsoever (I went to bed at 1). Got breakfast & brought it back to the room - my goal was to eat as much of my credits as possible before getting on the bus for the cruise, and that means startin' the eatin' early! Watched TV, checked dates for a return trip & 7 day cruise (always sails on a Saturday), booked the Poly for Sept 1-5 with the DDP. Dan called me, and of course, those are the ONLY dates he can't go (dragon-con)! So, I change them to Sept. 28-Oct 3, with the cruise leaving that day - right before my birthday! While waiting for the DCL bus, I tried a muffalata sandwich - too salty, too much olive paste, but the bread is good. Of course, I got beignets to go along with it, and proceeded to cover myself in powdered sugar. Soooo good. Also while waiting, I put the magnet tape on all the pictures I wanted to put on the door - there's so many of them, there's no way they'll all fit. Bus was on time, and we were off!
Trivia: it would take 86.33 years to stay in each hotel room at WDW. That doesn't include new rooms or non-Disney hotels!
It's snowing today in Vegas. Wow, is that a sign of the apocalypse? ;)
December 18th, Part 2 - DCL
Took an hour to get to the port, and another 20 minutes to get through a very short line of security, then right on board and into the stateroom! 1034 - outside cabin with 2 portholes, just a few cabins short of the extreme front left of the ship. Loved the room, & the separate bathroom/shower (wish I could use both the sinks!) & my room host Brian was there to introduce himself to me. I put up all the magnets (had to add extra magnet tape), and had almost a whole door extra - I should have randomly put the extra ones on other peoples doors for a little Disney magic. Oh, and I got a Castaway Club bag filled with all sorts of goodies for being a return cruiser - it was pretty cool. They had a reminder about a pedicure I had cancelled online a few weeks ago, and that took some ironing out - the only part of the trip that was sub-par was the spa, the employees were rude and very brusque.
Went up to the buffet, even though I wasn't too hungry - tried the strawberry soup which was excellent - everything else was just stomach filler. Peel & eat shrimp sucked - I hate that. Joined the ship tour briefly, but since I had already crawled all over the ship myself, and they weren't offering any info other than the basic (port, starboard, aft, forward, etc), I bailed. Checked out the shopping talk cause they said they were giving away free stuff, but it was way out of my price range (jewelry they were talking about started at about $500), and they didn't give anything away. I wish I had skipped it. Safety drill was in the Walt Disney Theater, so we all got to sit down, that was good. I had some trouble with my lifejacket till someone pointed out it was upside down - oops!
Sailaway party started at 4:30, and was really cute - Dan called me just as the horn was going off, "When you Wish Upon a Star", it was kinda like he was with me! We didn't get underway till about 5:30, don't know if that's normal or not. One of my favorite moments on a ship is going up to the bow and feeling the wind on my face, and this time, I thought ahead and tucked all my hair up under my Santa hat. Must have looked rather strange, a glowing santa hat on the bow of a ship!
Late seating, so Golden Mickey's was first. I also hit the shops as soon as they opened at 6, and got the first of 3 free pins with purchase they were offering. Who wouldn't take advantage of this? There was a lot of stuff on sale, the same 40% shirts and 50% off christmas stuff was onboard, plus everything from 2008 was 50% off as
well. Rock! Really good show, got me all misty - gorgeous singers (I have a crush on the Lady & the Tramp waiter aka Buzz - he looks like a young Vincent Dinofrio). I liked Ursula, but didn't like Cruella - when did she turn into a young whore?
Tried my hand at bingo between the show and dinner - god, that was a waste of money. $30 for 4 games, and they lasted about 5 minutes each. Real gambling is at least more entertaining!
Late seating in Parrot Cay (went to Tritons first on accident), no table-mates tonight, so I had my journal to write in, and postcards to fill out. They play Pink Floyd in here! Crab bisque was too strong, the mixed grill (lamb, beef, bacon wrapped sausage, shrimp) was good, asparagus was cooked perfectly. Vegetable souffle was just okay. Bread pudding was more firm than traditional puddings, but still good. Overall, not a great meal.
Went for a walk around the deck, watched the first half of Beverly Hills Chihuahua (boring), then bed at 11:30
Friday, 12/19 - Day 11 - Nassau
Up at 6am to the banging of the closet door - apparently, you have to really slam it to keep it shut. I got up in the middle of the night and wedged my flip-flop into the crack to keep it from moving, and my cabin host showed me the trick the next day. I love the feel of the rocking, it was a bit rough the first night, but apart from trying to
walk the corridors without hitting the walls, it was awesome! I watched the sunrise from my window, then went up on deck for a hot tea (the black currant tea is awesome), watched us dock in Nassau, and waited for the buffet to open. Noshed on a few tidbits to keep me going (chocolate mickey waffles for the win), and then got ready to disembark.
I was literally the first one off the ship, since they cut off people coming down the stairs, and my cabin is already down there! Walked all the way up and down Bay Street, then hit the Straw Market almost before they were set up. I HATED how pushy they are, and how they try and sell you everything that isn't nailed down. I'd almost rather pay more and be left alone! I did buy a few things from one vendor - wallet, 2 bracelets, an ornament and a wooden box, all for $20. Went into the Tortuga Rum shop, but honestly, I don't see the appeal of these cakes. I tried one, and bought a banana one just to get something, but really - $6 for a tiny cake? Not really my thing either.
Went back to the room for a bit, had a salad at Goofy's Galley, & tried the melon soup at the buffet - OMG, it was amazing! I really do have to get the recipes for the chilled fruit soups on this cruise, they've been awesome. I have a 12:45 City and Garden tour, which meets in the Wavebands bar. It would have been much faster and easier if I had met them out at the front of the ferry building, but we all had to stick together, so I plod along. The group is split into 2 small air conditioned busses, and the driver Paul is really knowledgeable and funny. He's completely self-educated, and other than the rant on homosexuality (and incorrect info about homosexuality in different species), was very informative. The gardens were pretty, but the zoo part was a bit sad looking, with the animals all in small cages and enclosures, not really looking very well. The flamingos, they were a different story.
I had no idea that this place was known for their trained flock of flamingos that march to, wait for it...the theme from Monty Python! Yes, these flamingos march along to the Liberty Bell March, and are really friendly and curious. They're allowed to roam the gardens freely, and at one point, were stalking me, to the point that I had to hide behind some random guy so they'd leave me alone! I also saw someone who I swear I know, but what are the odds of seeing a fellow freak, in another country, thousands of miles from home? Got my free beverage with my DCL excursion ticket, so I got Junkanoo Champagne soda. Brought it home with me, but no one has been brave enough to try it yet.
On the way back, we went through the city, and Paul gave us all sorts of interesting info about the city, the islands, and their origins. There's a lot of poverty here - the buildings are rundown, and there's a lot of people sitting around, not doing anything. It's gotta be hard to find work on an island that's that small, and relies so heavily on the tourist trade. Though it is really beautiful, I don't think I'd want to live on such a small island.
Back on board, I grabbed some pizza and watched the virtual tour of the ship on TV, and relaxed. Before the show, I went shopping again - there's still tons of stuff on sale, and even some hidden clearance items. Gotta check the price tags of everything, but finding a DCL figurine marked down from $50 to $13.99 was a deal and a half. Clayton & the Happy Cruise Dance (aka the Carlton Dance from the Fresh Prince) never fail to crack me up, and I was doing the silly dance along with everyone else. Goofier grins, people! Toy Story was cute, but really just a reprisal of the whole movie, not a new story-line. Sid annoyed me for some reason - don't know if it was
the actress or the character itself.
At dinner in Triton's, there was a Pirates in the Caribbean bandana to wear, and I got to meet my table-mates, Brandon, Dina & Elizabeth. Brandon & Dina are married, and Elizabeth is Brandon's sister. They're from Texas, and Elizabeth lives in Florida - if I were her, I'd be at WDW and cruising all the time! Dinner was a lamb souffle, Normandy salad, beef with sweet mashed potato sticks, & and extra entree of scallops with whipped mashed potatoes. Everything was really good, but the best was for last - a pistachio/almond mousse thingie and Crepes Suzette, which I promptly fell in love with and wanted to abscond with the entire stock of. The best part of the meal was the conversation - they're all so cool and funny, it was really nice.
The Pirates IN the Caribbean deck party was really fun, with the characters dancing around, Hook & Smee trying to take over, and Mickey coming in to save the day by flying in from the top of the stack. The fireworks - wow. The Disney company is the only ship allowed to fire off fireworks, and they're launched from the back of the ship - you can hear the launch, and watch the canisters fly up and explode. That was my favorite part, being that close to the pyrotechnics!
Watched half of Bolt in 3D, which annoyed me more than enhanced the movie-watching experience, then went to bed around midnight. Long day!
Saturday, December 20 - Day 12 - Castaway Cay
My last full day of vacation, it's been an amazing trip, but I'm ready to go home now. I miss Dan, I miss my house and friends, and doing this much stuff without someone to nudge and comment to is tough sometimes. I think shorter solo trips are perfect - it lets me get my fix, and won't make me miss everything so much.
Up at 7:40, we're already docked at Castaway Cay. Since I take a shower at night (my hair takes forever to dry), I was ready to go in 15 minutes and went up to Triton's for breakfast. Oh, this was so much better than the buffet! I got Eggs Benedict, and it was perfect. It didn't stop me from getting a few favorites from the buffet, though - the theme of this whole vacation has been food!
Off the ship at 8:30 for my 9am Stingray Swim, which was waaaaaaay out there - it really did take me half an hour to walk (briskly) there. There weren't that many people out, so I got an instructor and feeding ramp to myself. These really are magnificent creatures, graceful and gliding. We were not - the Stingray Shuffle doesn't really allow for graceful gliding. I got to feed as many stingrays as I wanted, and they were all hungry, since it was the first feeding of the day. The little ones were greedier than the big ones, and sucked much harder, but they're both really cool. I got to pet all of them, and felt the belly of one of the pregnant ones - you can
feel the babies moving around in there!
After the feed, you get to snorkel with the stingrays, and after getting used to the rather brisk water (you get used to it pretty fast), I was in there for at least an hour, with my waterproof camera & just looking around. Snorkeling is my refound love - it's so calm & peaceful, just floating around and checking everything out. The stingrays really do hide under the sand, if I hadn't been actively looking for them, it would have been really easy to step on one. When they finally registered me trying to stomp near them so I wouldn't stomp ON them, they did take off pretty fast - so beautiful to watch. They tend to stay in the shallower water, either because the water is warmer, or it's where the feedings are.
I finally came out after I started getting pruney, and walked over to the bike rentals. The bikes are big and really comfy, and the island is almost perfectly flat, so it's easy to spend quite a while biking around. I biked down near Serenity Bay, and out to a lookout tower that was on the undeveloped side of the island. Wow - it was really gorgeous out there, and I had it all to myself! That would be a perfect spot for a romantic moment, or even a proposal - what a story that would make! The dead end area wasn't all that interesting, I'd rather have done the loop again. Back to the bike rental place, and I've managed to misplace my shorts - probably back at the Stingray Hut, but I'm not hiking all the way back there for a pair of shorts I don't particularly like anyway. It's CC - it's ok that I walk around in my bathing suit and towel! Got my snorkel stuff & hit the water, after hitting my foot on a hidden outcropping of rock....holy ouch, Batman! Well, maybe the blood will attract fish (it wasn't that bad, just really painful). Wow, just wow. The underwater reefs were teeming with all sorts of fish, and the farther out you went, the more you'd see. I followed close to the barrier for a while, since they were so plentiful out there, and was also looking for the Sunken Mickey. Once I got over to the lifeguard, I asked him to point me towards him, and he told me Mickey was out for repairs. Uh, he's an underwater statue, isn't he supposed to be banged up? I did find a Sunken Minnie, but only after I had used the last of my film. D'oh!
Off to Serenity Bay for relaxation (screaming kids isn't all that peaceful to me) and lunch. The food was ok, not great, but it was better than the burgers on the ship. Walked along the beach and collected some shells (I know, I'm terrible). I managed to snag a hammock, and took a nap for a while. The awesome thing about hammocks is that once you start them rocking, they keep going! This was one of the most relaxing parts of the whole trip, just lying there and enjoying the beautiful surroundings.
That can only last for so long though - there's more stuff to do! I've got a cabana massage at 2, and they're right next to Serenity Bay (I passed them on my bike ride earlier). My masseuse was nice and did a good job, BUT after I had specified "No Pitch" on the phone, on the paperwork, and also mentioned it to her, she still tried to sell me some stuff after the massage, even going so far as to say she'd send it to my room for me. Uh, no means no! Ugh, way to kill my high, lady.
It was around 3:30 when I left Serenity Bay, and I didn't want to be too late getting back on the ship - I was worried about getting a sunburn. Actually, I didn't get anything ll day - I was really happy about that. (Note: this whole trip, I didn't get any sunburns - it's awesome that it's warm and nice out, but not too much sun.) I shopped a bit on the island, and had everything sent back to the room, then made my way slowly back to the ship. It really was gorgeous out, not too hot, bit overcast so it was bright but not too bright. This place is so gorgeous, I'm really glad that they have their own Disney paradise, so much better than Nassau. No outside world to interfere with the Disney magic...
Back on board, I took a dip in the pool so I can say I did it (nothing like going in the ocean to dull your enthusiasm for pools, but at least it wasn't salty!), then packed (mostly), took a shower and got ready for the Castaway Club mixer. They had Mickey Mouse Rice Crispy Treats out for us...I was bad and immediately took 4 of them back to the room to take home. Other than that, the food was ok, and the little presentation was a bit boring, but I did get to sit with a nice older couple who have been on 8 cruises this year alone! Actually, that was nothing - there was a couple there with their grown daughter who have been on....wait for it....32 Disney Cruises!! I can't imagine how much money they've spent on cruising, but I'd think that after that many cruises on the same ships, it'd get boring. The daughter just got a job at the Wide World of Sports, so she's gotta love the discount she'll get now.
Disney Dreams - it was amazing, inspiring, and definitely a tearjerker. I can totally see why it's been the #1 cruise entertainment for the last 8 years running! I bought my one and only drink so I could get the cup - a Stingray. It was pretty good, and strong! Of course, this is also when I decide to double-check my airline check-in procedure, and find out that they don't have any record of my enrolling. WHAT?!?!?!
I had booked my flights months before, and specifically chose ones that were participating in the onboard check-in, since I'd be traveling alone and didn't want to have to wrestle with bags by myself. I had double and triple checked everything before I had left home, and I KNOW that I was all set with my flight information. The only thing I hadn't double-checked was that I had gotten checked in at Port Orleans for the flights, but I had no idea that the checkin was dealt with then, so I didn't know to ask about it. EVERYONE, when you check in to your resort, or onto the ship, make sure that your onboard checkin is squared away! They told me that there was no way I could now register for it, and I was really upset, especially since I had been so careful to make sure I had done everything I needed to beforehand. They said they'd look into getting me specially checked in, and would let me know.
So, with that hanging over my head, I went to the final dinner in Animator's Palate - I love this restaurant, it's the quintessential Disney Dining Experience. My table-mates were there, and we enjoyed ordering more than one of things so we could try different things out. I got the butternut squash soup & a salmon wrap, then tenderloin and the salmon, which was all excellent. Dessert was disappointing, the shortcake was dry, peanut butter pie was all peanut butter, and the peach-ginger pie was all ginger. The show was brilliant, and our wait staff was awesome.
Back in the room, my airline check-in was fixed - they had magically gotten me checked in without knowing any of my flights - I guess I DID check in, didn't I? Annoyed that they had insisted it was my fault, but glad it was taken care of, I packed up all 4 of my bags (2 checked, 2 carryon) and got ready for the next day. Brian my host traded me my Jessica & Roger Rabbit magnet (they were dressed as Alice & the White Rabbit) for a huge Happy Birthday magnet, and I put out my luggage. Bed around midnight.
Sunday, December 21 - Port & flights
I'm so tired right now - up at 6am this morning in Port Canaveral, then Orlando, Phoenix, and finally SF. I can't wait to take a shower and crawl into Dan's beautiful snuggly bed.
Up at 7am, and hearing constant announcements about debarking, I met my table-mates for one last meal together. Our waiters Chetchez & Marc were there to say goodbye to us, and we were off the ship by 9. I paid $40 for my 2 pieces of luggage ($15 for the first, $25 for the second), and I was on the next bus to the airport. I got there WAY too early - I thought it would be at least 11am before I got there, but we were there by 10, which meant I had 7 hours to kill in an airport (tip: next time, book an earlier flight home, there's not much to do there, and you can't go back to the parks for the day!),
I had tons of time to explore the place, but I had 2 bags with me, so it wasn't really fun till I got a little cart to wheel them around. Checked out the 2 (or was it 3?) Disney stores, the Crocs store, $10 Bijoux Terner store (last time I had seen one, it was $15 and in Vegas), and spent a while at the Sharper Image store getting a leg massage. Man, if those things had been less than the $$$$ they were, I would have bought one! It really feels like hands kneading your legs - sweet.
After getting some food, I hung out, wrote postcards, called people, and people-watched all over the place. I found one of only about 3 outlets outside of the security check, and played a lot on my laptop. I'm so tired right now - up at 6am this morning in Port Canaveral, then Orlando, Phoenix, and finally SF. I can't wait to take a shower and crawl into Dan's beautiful snuggly bed. Flight was a bit delayed, but otherwise uneventful - they were asking for volunteers to gate-check their carryons, so I got to check my third bag for free, instead of the $100 they wanted! The TSA also randomly chose me to search while getting on the plane, but the search was so perfunctory that they really wouldn't have found anything if I was hiding it. The middle seat was occupied by a tiny little over-the- hill party girl that talked on her phone till they made her turn it off - she was apologizing for getting drunk and calling some other girls names. She then told them she had some pills from a friend that she'd take for the flight, took them, and was passed out for the entire flight. She was so small that she was able to curl up on the seat - must be nice!
US Airways is Ghetto Air - the seats are janky, there's no video or audio that works, and there's no beverage or food service. I won't fly them again unless it's a super short flight, or I have no other choice. Flight from Phoenix to home was no problem, and I was home by midnight. Passed out super-fast - this was a super long day!
PS: I only gained 2 pounds through this whole trip, which I attribute to all the walking I did. The ship was smaller than I thought It would be, which was a good thing - it wasn't too intimidating to have to run to the other end of the ship for something. I did it all the time!
Pictures Taken: 6,433 + 27 underwater + 195 Photopass
Calories eaten: countless
Miles walked: approx 83 (not much walking onboard the ship )
Money spent: $1700 for land/cruise package (Port Orleans & inside stateroom, upgraded to porthole), $900 for land add-on (4 nights at Pop Century, all dining included), $600 for flights, $600 for $1000 merchandise card
Total: $3,800
Memories: PRICELESS!!
Epcot: Review of Each Land
Mexico: Too much like home (heavy Mexican influence here), the ride was boring, and I don't think it's really relevant to younger kids. I love the Three Caballeros, so I'm happy with the addition - older characters = retro!
Norway: The shops are cool - I live the Stave church. Since the door is closed, most people don't realize you can go in, and it's almost always empty, a nice little respite from crowds. Maelstrom is like watching your favorite cartoon from the 80's - horribly outdated and cheesy, but still a feel-good activity.
China: cute movie, not really a repeater - shops are pretty similar to our 99 Ranch Market stores and Chinatown around here in terms of kitsch and snacks.
Germany: I breezed through pretty quickly - all I remember are large steins.
Italy: Shops are reminiscent of being in Italy, all the same crap I bought when I was there!
USA: America, we rule all! Yay for us! Though shops are way too patriotic and boring for me, American Adventure still makes me feel good to be a capitalistic pig. (In my head I'm saying America, FUCK YEAH! from Team America)
Japan: gorgeous landscaping, cool (but expensive compared to home) shops, I like to chill here.
Morocco: super cool because the King of Morocco is all up in its business and employees - it's really beautiful, and the shops have gorgeous little things (insert Absolutely Fabulous voice of Patsy here)
France: Shops reminded me of all the crap that I bought (or wanted to) when I was there. Wasn't really impressed with it.
UK: Love it, love it, love it. I'm biased, sure, but I really miss the UK, and this reminded me a lot of the feel (if not the reality) of London.
Canada: Love Le Cellier, but I like the old school Circlevision movie better, and the shop is really boring. Plus, the top of the steps doesn't have much up there, seems like a waste of space.
Frigging freezing out this morning! Too bad I don't have any gloves - it's that cold. Grabbed a banana in the food court, and took a cab ($15) to Epcot to get there for the 7:30 Segway meet time. The tour guide (James) was awesome! Funny, engaging, and really took his time with the people who didn't get it right away. Not me, I was off and running like a pro! Once you get used to it, it's really easy to control. I want one now! Imagine the cool commute I'd have on that baby...well, the Epcot ones had speed restrictors, no speeding past 6 miles an hour, but I'd totally soup mine up. The tour was 2 hours, but a lot of that time was training inside innoventions. We did get to go around the entire world showcase before it opened, and I got to do all sorts of wheelies around columns, 360's, and generally acted like an 8 year old. I would HIGHLY recommend this tour to anyone who loves Epcot, geekery, Disney trivia, or general gadgetry.
I got a fastpass for Test Track, and headed over to the Yacht and Beach Club for the Mega Mouse Meet. There were pretzels and sodas for the registered festers, and the tables were a mob! I got a t-shirt, checked out the non-mobbed tables, and got a bunch of swag - the bandaids were the most useful swag, the disney pin was the coolest to use as a trader. If that was the big deal of Mousefest, I might skip it next year - the meets that are organized around an event or activity were my favorite. It's not that the podcasters and authors aren't awesome, but remember, my inner kid was whining that it wasn't a ride - I wasn't doing anything. Back to Epcot, and I walked around the entire World Showcase, ending back up at Mouse Gears for some serious shopping. SERIOUS. Like, I spent $400 in one pop. And the best part is that I got it all shipped home, so I didn't have to carry anything anywhere. Bought: crocs, shirts for Dan, Bella & Bump, kitchen stuff, ornaments (50% off almost everything, plus the 40% off the merchandise credit gave me = awesome deals).
Back to Epcot and France for Moussefest - this was a fun meet. I talked with Mark and Mark about my experiences as a newbie solo at Mousefest. After that, it was a walk to the Fish & Chip meet with Will (eating a swag cookie there). Cool bunch, colorful stories - man, I could have blown them away with mine, but remember, we're at Disney...
Perused the shops in England, and fell in love with the tea shoppe (duh!). I bought an Alice in Wonderland teapot and matching saucers with teacups (shipped home), a pint glass from the Rose & Crown, and a Manchester United T for Dan. Saw the Canada film (ok, I liked the old one better), and headed over to Test Track. It's a fun ride, but they could cut out the first 4/5th of the ride and still be fun. I know how anti-lock brakes work, thank you. Reservation was for Coral Reef - the restaurant inside the aquarium in the Living Seas. Great seafood - the waiter was awesome, and the view was gorgeous. Today I've been up since 6, and walked close to 12 miles, and yet I'm not completely bashed. Bed around 11pm.
12/14/08 Sunday,
It's not hot, but not cold - much better than the freezosity that was yesterday. I slept in till 8 (oh noes!), packed everything up, and Luggage Services picked up my bags to transfer them to Port Orleans - French Quarter. I took the bus to MK and tried to transfer to POFQ, but it took forever - I guess they don't schedule busses for people going back to the resorts that early in the morning. I was rushed, so I didn't check out the new resort much. Check-in took about `0 minutes (I had to check-in, so my new room key/charge card/park ticket would work. Back to MK for the Mousefest scavenger hunt - I met back up with the peeps from the Safari, and tried to attempt the hunt. It was so difficult, and really not fun, after an hour I was glad that I had to go to my ADP at Tony's Town Square early. The people next to me were southern, and they actually said stuff like, "This Eyetalian stuff is pretty spicy". So cute. Only one week to go! I have to admit, Those Darn Cats group is kind of annoying - the kind of soccer moms that talk too loudly about how great their kids are, or how much money their husbands make, for the benefit of strangers around them.
Sent out a bunch more postcards - my goal is to send out almost all the cards I have, old and new, so I can say I've actually used them. It's like Twitter to my LJ - a good place to write something quick and post it immediately. ~sigh~ Such a geek.
Ok, back to my MK adventures. Tony's was good - the Lady and the Tramp theming was really cute, the food was good and plentiful, and the waitress was really nice. No matter their age, when they find out I'm traveling solo, they inevitably start calling me "dear" and "sweetie", it's not annoying like it usually is for me. Eating alone isn't the terrible, horrible thing I thought it would be, as long as I have postcards to write, my notebook to fill up, and stuff to plan, I don't mind eating in restaurants alone. After lunch, I went on the train to Frontierland for Big Thunder (goat trick doesn't really work on this version), and Country Bear Jamboree. The new show is disjointed, confusing, and not entertaining at all - the one redeeming feature is the little baby bear blowing in the jug now. Back onto the train for a round-the-park trip (the river on the outside of the tracks is covered in green gook), and I checked in with City Hall to see if I could get into Ohana (I had a ressie, but the time didn't work, so I missed it). Also at City Hall, I found out that they have a "Pin Book", a huge book filled with pins that I could look through and trade out of. YAY!! Pin trading has been SO much fun this trip - I've traded all of the hundred I bought from eBay, and have now re-traded a lot of the ones I first traded when I got here.
I'm pretty burned out on Mousefest stuff - I planned multiple meets per day, and most of them either weren't to my taste, not very friendly, or not really conducive to new/solo people. I like the ride meets and others that are centered around an activity, not sitting around and talking. This is from a relative newbie to WDW, so I like doing stuff more than talking about it.
Back to POFQ to check out the room and drop some stuff off. Room 4216 - again, perfect spot, 2nd floor right next to the main building, and a direct shortcut to the busses. SCORE! The room is nice - the double sinks would be perfect when traveling with someone else, the decor is subtle and tasteful, and the landscaping was beautiful. Before I headed out to the Studios, I noshed on some jerky from home and some egg nog fudge from MK (1 snack credit) - for all the walking I'm doing, I'm just not that hungry. Maybe cause I'm eating so much more meat than usual, but eating once a day is plenty - the table service meal and counter service meal is tough to fit in each day.
Took the boat from POFQ to the Studios -it's really pretty, but not very pracical, it seems to take a while. If I hadn't caught the boat just as it was leaving, it could have been even longer. Great Movie Ride - oh, so cheesy and awesome! Busby Berkeley's musicals are so nostalgic and iconic - makes me wish I lived in that era. Didn't make any of my DHS ressies, so I didn't get to try the Sci-Fi Diner. I went to Fantasmic instead at 6:30 - I don't mind waiting for shows now, since I've got stuff to do in the interim. Great show, except for the Pocahantas part (I don't like Pocahantas). Who remembers that movie now? It's not really a classic like the other movies, and the Pirates moveis would work much better there.
I've not shopped much - the little things that I've been getting are filling up my bag fast. I'll have to save up my shopping and do it all at once, so I can ship it home.
ADR's seem to be pointless - if you have one, you sit and wait forever to get a table. If you don't, you sit and wait forever to get a table. With only one person, it's not like the party size is unweildy, either. A lot of the time, the restaurant looks half empty, too.
There are lots of kids with their grandparents - and they all seem to be flocking to the Bibidi Bobidi Boutique. It's a really cute idea, but all the girls end up looking like a cross between a Bratz doll and a little pageant queen. Seems like they're breeding little Jon Benet Ramseys in training - yikes.
Boat back to PO Riverside - and ate a late dinner at Boatwrights. It's cute, but nothing I'd go out of my way to go to. The food is good, and they've got crayons at the table, which I used in my journal of course! I've tipped more on this trip than any other, usually around 30%. The DDP makes it seem like I'm eating for free - I guess that works well for the wait staff!
Back home by midnight - I take my sleeping pills while I'm out and about, and they kick in by the time I get home. Works well, as long as there aren't any delays!
12/15/08 Monday AK
Headed to AK early as hell, got there for the rope drop again. I really like the jungle safari little show they do. I headed into Tusker House, not realizing that it was Donald's Breakfastasaurus. What a stroke of luck! I walk in with no ressie, and breakfast was really good. The characters were out in force, and the conga line they do with the kids was cute. With a full belly (and a few extra bananas for later), I head out to try Dinosaur. The ride was cool, the vehicles are the same as the Indy ride in Disneyland - I'd do it again. Two thumbs up!
Also got in to see the Nemo musical just as they were closing the doors (perfect timing, yet again). It was really amazing, maybe even better than Aladdin in California Adventure. I like Finding Nemo better than Aladdin, so I might be a bit biased. I took a ton of pictures, using the manual settings to try them out and see what worked. Tim from Magic in Pixels would be so proud!
Back to the room to organize all my piles of stuff, pins, pennies and such, called Kaiser to try and refill my prescription (Dan called to give me the prescription info - he's such a sweetie), and was told no - Ambien is a controlled substance, so I can't refill it until the day it runs out. That's New Year's Day. Sure, that'll be easy!
Took the boat to DTD for Mega Shopping Spree, and sailed by the new Treehouse Villas - 60 of them, in varying degrees of completion. There will even be some that are wheelchair accessible. Treehouses...that are wheelchair accessible. They look like they'll be fully awesome! While shopping, there was a little boy about 10 months old, who just kept repeating, "Mine, Mine, Mine..." just like the seagulls on Nemo. So cute!
The original plan was to go to the Grand Floridian for High Tea with some Mouseforlessers at 3, but the Contemporary monorail was down, so I missed the time. Ok, plan B - eating at Cooks at the Poly. Oh, man - so good! Pulled pork sandwich, with asian coleslaw (too many onions in it), and an apple cobbler for dessert. So good!
Back to the hotel to grab the camera before going to Epcot for the Illuminations cruise. We pass a car accident, and the Disney security was on the scene, complete with cast member that had a pin trading lanyard on, just in case the victim wanted to trade! This was an eventful ride home - we also saw deer on the road, then a gator. Don't worry, they weren't near each other - the deer weren't about to be eaten! Hung out till 6:50, then back to Epcot for rides before the cruise. Hoofed it over to Mexico for the ride there (cute, but who outside of Disney freaks remembers the Three Caballeros?), then Norway (back, back over the falls!) - is it just me, or does the fisherman painted on the loading area have a HUGE head? It's like a baby's head was blown up and put it on the head of an adult. Creeepy...
Walked all the way over to the International Gateway, & took the boat to the Yacht/Beach Club marina. Got there a bit early, so I hung around to meet the peeps for the cruise - they've got an outdoor movie playing on the beach! Gorgeous weather - not too hot, it was overcast all day, so no blinding sun, and now it's just cool enough to need a sweater on the water.
~aside~
How do women wear heels all day in the parks? No one is that big of a masochist, and bloody, torn up feet isn't really sexy!
~end aside~
Illuminations cruise: I remembered my camera, but forgot the memory card, so no pics tonight. I did take video, but we weren't really in a great spot to see it. I would have thought that it would have been a better view, but the boatmates were nice, there were snacks onboard, and the boat itself was pretty cool! Michelle, her twin boys, and little girl & the other couple, their son & mom (Disney fanatics) were all really nice. The boy was really sweet - he had glow sticks he had brought from home, and outfitted the other kids with them. All in all, not too bad for $35. The bad part was it took an hour to get home - bus from Yacht & Beach Club to DTD, then DTD to POFQ. Ended up getting off the bus at DTD, turning around, and realizing that the same bus was now bound for POFQ - kinda funny!
12/16/08 Tuesday: Backstage Magic, Luau
Really foggy today. Today is THE DAY. The Backstage Magic Tour, covering Magic Kingdom, Epcot, The Studios, and all the backstage awesomeness! 63,000 cast members, wow. Started with me forgetting my ID, so one of the girls (Janet) ran me back to get it (and never needed it). She started with Disney as a college summer job, and stayed...for 6 years. She told me about some fun times she had on a disney cruise with the cast members there - she was in the limbo land of not-guest, but not-cast member - she got to hang with both and party!
American Adventure in Epcot - scene changer in the back, has 10 scenes all packed into a small metal box. They pop up when needed, and are much more compact than storing them another way.
Art Alley - each department made their own mural on a wall in a breezeway - gorgeous! Special Effects had theirs motion activated with Figments voice - so cool! This was the building that they relax in before going onstage - Company D (their own personal shop)
We were on a DCL bus for the duration of the tour - they're very comfortable and nice. Cast Zooming: There are 5 million pieces of wardrobe in WDW, with the department for Epcot we saw handling only 300,000 pieces. They're on huge long racks from the ceiling by size - the row we walked in had the greeter shirts from the turnstiles and chef shirts. XXS to 4x from what I saw - that's a pretty big range.
Every piece of wardrobe is either given to the CM by Wardrobe, or approved - if you don't have shoes that are approved, they have a shoe-mobile that travels around the parks. No money? No problem - they'll take out payments from your check.
The wig & makeup rooms are right across from each other, makeup application is taught, then monitored for uniformity and taste. The hair is styled, then put in a wig box for the character to take with them, while they do their makeup. The characters we saw weren't the actual princesses - they're "friends of", we saw a Friend of Belle on her way to get her costume. Hair and makeup done, it looks weird when they're still in their street clothes and Uggs!
Test Track does go backstage through a parking lot, but the cars seen aren't CM cars - they're props, provided by GM. CMs are allowed to walk through Studios in any costume, since it's supposed to be a backstage lot, but no other park allows this. The bus fleet is comprised of 300 busses, and they have the largest water fleet in the
US (really?). The property is over 47 square miles, and spans two counties - Bay Lake and Lake Buena Vista. They created Reedy Creek as a governing body, so that there was only one authority to report to - Sheriff's Department handles emergency calls.
There was supposed to have been a Mickey Mouse park built in the 1930's in Burbank, but the residents vetoed it. Had that been built, we may not have Disney parks as we know them today.
Costuming - they use CAD machines, everything is saved electronically so it can be cut exactly the same each time. The building is huge, and they keep all costumes - they have storage up in the rafters of old parades, characters and special events. They never know when they'll use it again!
Tower of Terror has copper embedded in the ground that acts as the guide for the cars. The cars are HUGE, and are actually pushed down, not just dropping by gravity. There's also a hidden pickle in the ride - an engineer was carrying a jar of pickled sausages around while the ride was under construction. He was called away for something, and put the jar down on a desk. When he came back, it was glued down - he had accidentally put it on a prop that was scheduled for nail-down! So now, there's a jar of pickled sausage on a desk in the back - Monica said to look on the monitors that show the abandoned area.
Disneyland can fit into the parking lot of Magic Kingdom, and still have enough room to park 500 cars!
We stopped at the Wilderness Lodge for lunch at noon - the Whispering Canyon Cafe. Oh man, this was a lot of fun! We were seated at three huge tables, and the food was served family style - which works somewhat, but can be REALLY wasteful when people don't eat all they're served. Our servers were really funny and had tons of cheesy jokes for us (Tea-pee!) - they'd bring huge iced teas for some, and when I asked for a little more, they brought me a tiny cup of iced tea. It was loud, boisterous, and a lot of fun. The meal included cornbread, coleslaw (good!), ribs, chicken, sausage (good!), corn, beans (yuck), potatoes, and for dessert, a strawberry and peach cobbler that I wished I had enough room for! The ice cream on top was the perfect finishing touch. After checking out the gift store and smashing some pennies (which was so much fun to search out, probably more so than the actual having of the pennies), we set out again, this time to the laundry & construction shops.
The laundry (1 of 3 facilities onsite) was immense, they wash 30,000 pieces per day, the bulk of which being sheets and towels from the hotels. They're all sorted by hand, and after being washed to about 70% dry, hung by hand on electronic hangers that have the bar code of the piece encoded on it for sorting and organizing. The hangers It was really impressive how much was automated - they work mostly in the morning, then the automators take over for most of the washing and drying in massive machines. It was damp and hot in there in December, I can't imagine the hell it is when it's July.
Went through the Ride construction shop, where vehicles and other props get built/repaired - saw the huge rolling ball from Indy, Space Mountain car, hippo from Jungle cruise, and two of the wooden carousel horses that were being refurbed. It's really amazing how much they do in-house - these things are almost all done there, and the range of fabrication they can do is really impressive. So much of the outside of the rides is just fiberglass, too - the vehicles, themed areas, moldings, pretty much everything that isn't built directly into the frame of the house or vehicle is fiberglass.
Finally, the Holy Grail of Disney Freaks - the Utilidors. Monica asked all sorts of trivia questions, and I got most of them right. She asked me if I was studying to get a job with the Disney Institute (they lead the tours), uhh...sure! It's smaller than I thought it would be down there, but still impressive. My favorite bits was the Pin Replenishment Station for CMs to get trading pins, and the long line of CM gear - the Look Book, do's and don'ts, and more dating back to the opening of the parks. The utilidors proved to be too expensive to recreate in the newer parks, which is why only MK has them.
We got to watch the parade from a front seat, and got commentary from Dena the whole time through our cool earpieces. After that, we were bussed back to Epcot, and we all went our own way. Oh, we saw baby alligators in a pond by MK, and got a free pin from the tour. Overall, I'd say it was worth it to do once, especially if you're
traveling solo, but it's not really a repeat tour.
Got back to the hotel, and relaxed - got a cheese-steak, fries & beignets since I had to use up my CS credits, but I wasn't really hungry. Thank goodness for the fridge, I just stuck everything in there to nosh on later. The beignets, those I ate while they were still hot. Oh, such powdered sugar goodness! Something that tastes so good can only be bad for you, but they are so tasty! Along with my sweet tooth, I also indulged in another forbidden luxury - daytime TV. Bring it on, Judge Judy and People's Court! So trashy, but so good....
Headed back out to MK for some rides before the luau, and also before MVMCP started. I managed to get in all the rides I wanted to, since this was probably the last time I'd hit MK before the cruise. I managed to do Monsters Laugh Floor (different than Monsters ride in DL - I loved it!), Peoplemover, and Space Mountain - I was in line for Space at 7, and I was scared they wouldn't let me on without a wristband! My light up Mickey necklace crapped out, so I exchanged it for a good one & headed over to the Poly on the boat. Some little girl was pitching a fit and screaming bloody murder on the boat, and her mom just kept saying, "You better stop...." uh, or what? Way to set up boundaries lady!
The luau is set up way in the back, and for some reason, there was a long line waiting to get in, then another long line inside to be seated. You'd think they'd have a better way of seating everyone, since there are set times for the shows. The food was just enh - rice, bland chicken, the ribs, bread and vegetables were good. Maybe it's just because I'm not that hungry, and there's so much food here (family style, I was served the same amount as 2 people). The wine is free, and terrible - seriously, I'm a 2 buck chuck fan, so my wine palate isn't exactly elevated and I couldn't finish it. The first half of the show is so boring, I was considering leaving after eating, but after dinner was over, it seemed to pick up some. The premise is hokey - a family reunion party for a woman coming home from the mainland (oh, and the mainland is evil and sucks away all your familial ties and memory). They did a kid thing, then a birthday thing, then an anniversary thing, then ANOTHER kids thing - I was sitting there watching a lot of guests dance and sing with Santa. Gee, I paid how much for this privilege? After dessert (a mousse that was made a much larger deal than it actually was), it did pick up, with some beautiful dances and fire. All in all, a 2 hour show that would have been better served as a 25 minute show. I won't be doing this one again, and probably wouldn't recommend it to most.
I was sad, since it was too warm most of the day for me to wear my Santa hat. I wore it on the way home, though - got back around 11:30.
Wednesday 12/17/08 - Day 9 - Epcot, Le Cellier, Studios, La Nouba
My last full day on the parks, and not really even a full day, since I'm going to see La Nouba tonight. Slept in after staying up till 1am for no good reason - watching TV in bed is sloth-tastic! I had to choose between Sci-Fi Diner and Le Cellier today for my table service - did I want to stay at Epcot and see American Adventure (only ride left undone at Epcot, plus now I know how it works!), or try and get a few more rides in at the Studios, including my favorite, Rock n Roller Coaster? I decided to take whatever bus got to the station first....the suspense! Done - on to Epcot and Le Cellier.
Got a fastpass for Soarin', the did The Land boat tour. Got front seat, with a 9 month old girl behind me, who I thought would hate it and scream the whole time. Nope, she loved it, looking at everything with huge eyes. I know I'm getting older because I watch the History Channel and Biographies, I read non-fiction without being assigned the book in class and...I really like educational tours and rides. It's ok, I can live with my impending oldfogieism with class. ;)
Got to Le Cellier at 11am, the recommended 15 minutes early to check in, and they're not open yet. Ok, so I check in, and they want me to wait right there until 11:30, which is the first seating they do (my ADR was for 11:15. I said no problem, I'd be back at 11:25. Ashley was quite rude when she informed me no, you can't leave this spot, or you'll lose the ressie. So my reservation was made for a time that
you're not open, there's no way I'll be seated before 11:30, and yet you want me to sit here for half an hour with nothing to do....ok, so I was a rule-breaker. I left & went shopping, then came back with plenty of time to spare. I thought it was rather tacky to set up ADRs for a time before it opened, and then expect people to wait in a
tiny space with nothing to do. But, once that was over, I had nothing but good experiences with Le Cellier. The waitress comes up and introduces herself, "Hi, I'm Amanda, and I'll be your Canadian today." I was sitting in the Manitoba section, where it was -36 degrees today. Winnipeg was where the original Pooh bear was from, and that's where his name came from. Interesting! The breadsticks (pretzel, multigrain & sourdough) were all to die for, as was the Strip Steak I ordered. I asked for a half cup of the cheddar cheese soup, but couldn't possibly eat a whole cup after all the breadsticks, and she brings me a whole cup. I'm ashamed to say I lacked any and all willpower and ate the whole thing - it was one of the best things I've ever tasted, and definitely the highlight of this culinary trip! (Recipe is on Allears - I'm going to try it out ASAP!) The steak was fantastic (sea salt on it?) and alone was $32,
easily paying for the Dining Plan for the whole day. I got the maple creme brulee for dessert, which I think has now ruined me for any other creme brulee ever again. I'll be sure to keep trying to find its equivalent though!
Walked over to US to see American Adventure, and was pleasantly surprised to find the Voices of Liberty in the waiting area, singing carols. I had heard of them, but didn't expect to catch them - it's really breathtaking how beautiful acapella voices can be. AA was much more fully awesome now that I know how it works - I remember thinking, "I've seen you up close, Franklin!". Took the boat over to Canada and walked to Soarin' - line was 55 minutes, I waited 15 in the fastpass line. I don't really love this ride, but feel compelled to overcome my vertigo and fear of heights every time to ride it. The Soarin' line plays an overture from Steel Magnolias - interesting!
Shark week started for me today - but it's not really a week, more like 3 days, and it's super-light compared to what it was before I was on Depo (no period for years - that was nice). I wonder if it'll attract the fish when snorkeling at Castaway Cay? ;) Bought some stuff I had been eyeing in the World Traveler shop at the International Gateway, then too the boat to Hollywood Studios. Out of $1000, I have $29 left on the merchandise card.
Got fastpass for ToT & rode it, 15 minutes instead of 55. Got fastpass for RnRC, but I just went in the single rider line and ended up in the same queue - wait was about 5 minutes, so I went on 3 times! This is my favorite ride in the Studios, and maybe in all of Disney (both WDW and DL).
Back to the hotel to pick up La Nouba tix, packed a bit, then headed out for my ADR at House of Blues. Asked when I was seated if they participate in the Dining Plan, no? Well, I've gotta use these credits! I figured I could eat at the Disney Quest food court, but
nope - they close at 7 (it's 7:05). Ok...so after a bit of frustration at trying to figure out what restaurants in DTD were on the DP, I ended up taking the boat over to the other side of DTD, at Earl of Sandwich with a Full Montague. I took the boat back just to be sure I got back in time for the show, and ate the sandwich seated in my aisle seat, about 7 rows from the front of the stage. OMG - that sandwich was to die for! I'm so glad I braved the daunting looking line (it moves fast) and got one. I forgot a spoon, so I had to eat the strawberry shortcake with my fingers, but it was good enough that I didn't care. Oh, and I bought a 2009 Cirque calendar/organizer to replace my uber-favorite 2008 one. Squee!
The show - well, it's Cirque, so it's beyond description. The best I can do is that it evokes the same kind of wonder and childlike awe that Disney does for its fanatics, but for everyone! The music is what really gets me - they had both a vocalist (gorgeous black woman) and also an opera singer (guy in drag or mannish woman?). A quick rundown of the acts:
Circle guys (round things they balance on/in/around)
Tightrope walkers
Astronaut clowns
4 chinese yo-yo girls - really cute, they only stay here a year or 2
before getting switched out
broken frame clown
dirt bike rider, bigger bike rider
chair clown
trapeze girl and funny walking boy - little mascot
(all the chinese girls were lined up by height on a floating bench in
the background)
Red silk guy & 6 or 8 girls - flying
Ballet couple/dancers
cowboy & indian clowns
balancing chair clown (different than other clowns)
baby/momma clowns
maid kissing frog
trapeze artists
bouncing/trampoline troupe with Hercules guy & devil
Maid & her prince
Fin.
Thursday, December 18 - Day 10 - Leaving WDW
Woke up at 7am for no reason whatsoever (I went to bed at 1). Got breakfast & brought it back to the room - my goal was to eat as much of my credits as possible before getting on the bus for the cruise, and that means startin' the eatin' early! Watched TV, checked dates for a return trip & 7 day cruise (always sails on a Saturday), booked the Poly for Sept 1-5 with the DDP. Dan called me, and of course, those are the ONLY dates he can't go (dragon-con)! So, I change them to Sept. 28-Oct 3, with the cruise leaving that day - right before my birthday! While waiting for the DCL bus, I tried a muffalata sandwich - too salty, too much olive paste, but the bread is good. Of course, I got beignets to go along with it, and proceeded to cover myself in powdered sugar. Soooo good. Also while waiting, I put the magnet tape on all the pictures I wanted to put on the door - there's so many of them, there's no way they'll all fit. Bus was on time, and we were off!
Trivia: it would take 86.33 years to stay in each hotel room at WDW. That doesn't include new rooms or non-Disney hotels!
It's snowing today in Vegas. Wow, is that a sign of the apocalypse? ;)
December 18th, Part 2 - DCL
Took an hour to get to the port, and another 20 minutes to get through a very short line of security, then right on board and into the stateroom! 1034 - outside cabin with 2 portholes, just a few cabins short of the extreme front left of the ship. Loved the room, & the separate bathroom/shower (wish I could use both the sinks!) & my room host Brian was there to introduce himself to me. I put up all the magnets (had to add extra magnet tape), and had almost a whole door extra - I should have randomly put the extra ones on other peoples doors for a little Disney magic. Oh, and I got a Castaway Club bag filled with all sorts of goodies for being a return cruiser - it was pretty cool. They had a reminder about a pedicure I had cancelled online a few weeks ago, and that took some ironing out - the only part of the trip that was sub-par was the spa, the employees were rude and very brusque.
Went up to the buffet, even though I wasn't too hungry - tried the strawberry soup which was excellent - everything else was just stomach filler. Peel & eat shrimp sucked - I hate that. Joined the ship tour briefly, but since I had already crawled all over the ship myself, and they weren't offering any info other than the basic (port, starboard, aft, forward, etc), I bailed. Checked out the shopping talk cause they said they were giving away free stuff, but it was way out of my price range (jewelry they were talking about started at about $500), and they didn't give anything away. I wish I had skipped it. Safety drill was in the Walt Disney Theater, so we all got to sit down, that was good. I had some trouble with my lifejacket till someone pointed out it was upside down - oops!
Sailaway party started at 4:30, and was really cute - Dan called me just as the horn was going off, "When you Wish Upon a Star", it was kinda like he was with me! We didn't get underway till about 5:30, don't know if that's normal or not. One of my favorite moments on a ship is going up to the bow and feeling the wind on my face, and this time, I thought ahead and tucked all my hair up under my Santa hat. Must have looked rather strange, a glowing santa hat on the bow of a ship!
Late seating, so Golden Mickey's was first. I also hit the shops as soon as they opened at 6, and got the first of 3 free pins with purchase they were offering. Who wouldn't take advantage of this? There was a lot of stuff on sale, the same 40% shirts and 50% off christmas stuff was onboard, plus everything from 2008 was 50% off as
well. Rock! Really good show, got me all misty - gorgeous singers (I have a crush on the Lady & the Tramp waiter aka Buzz - he looks like a young Vincent Dinofrio). I liked Ursula, but didn't like Cruella - when did she turn into a young whore?
Tried my hand at bingo between the show and dinner - god, that was a waste of money. $30 for 4 games, and they lasted about 5 minutes each. Real gambling is at least more entertaining!
Late seating in Parrot Cay (went to Tritons first on accident), no table-mates tonight, so I had my journal to write in, and postcards to fill out. They play Pink Floyd in here! Crab bisque was too strong, the mixed grill (lamb, beef, bacon wrapped sausage, shrimp) was good, asparagus was cooked perfectly. Vegetable souffle was just okay. Bread pudding was more firm than traditional puddings, but still good. Overall, not a great meal.
Went for a walk around the deck, watched the first half of Beverly Hills Chihuahua (boring), then bed at 11:30
Friday, 12/19 - Day 11 - Nassau
Up at 6am to the banging of the closet door - apparently, you have to really slam it to keep it shut. I got up in the middle of the night and wedged my flip-flop into the crack to keep it from moving, and my cabin host showed me the trick the next day. I love the feel of the rocking, it was a bit rough the first night, but apart from trying to
walk the corridors without hitting the walls, it was awesome! I watched the sunrise from my window, then went up on deck for a hot tea (the black currant tea is awesome), watched us dock in Nassau, and waited for the buffet to open. Noshed on a few tidbits to keep me going (chocolate mickey waffles for the win), and then got ready to disembark.
I was literally the first one off the ship, since they cut off people coming down the stairs, and my cabin is already down there! Walked all the way up and down Bay Street, then hit the Straw Market almost before they were set up. I HATED how pushy they are, and how they try and sell you everything that isn't nailed down. I'd almost rather pay more and be left alone! I did buy a few things from one vendor - wallet, 2 bracelets, an ornament and a wooden box, all for $20. Went into the Tortuga Rum shop, but honestly, I don't see the appeal of these cakes. I tried one, and bought a banana one just to get something, but really - $6 for a tiny cake? Not really my thing either.
Went back to the room for a bit, had a salad at Goofy's Galley, & tried the melon soup at the buffet - OMG, it was amazing! I really do have to get the recipes for the chilled fruit soups on this cruise, they've been awesome. I have a 12:45 City and Garden tour, which meets in the Wavebands bar. It would have been much faster and easier if I had met them out at the front of the ferry building, but we all had to stick together, so I plod along. The group is split into 2 small air conditioned busses, and the driver Paul is really knowledgeable and funny. He's completely self-educated, and other than the rant on homosexuality (and incorrect info about homosexuality in different species), was very informative. The gardens were pretty, but the zoo part was a bit sad looking, with the animals all in small cages and enclosures, not really looking very well. The flamingos, they were a different story.
I had no idea that this place was known for their trained flock of flamingos that march to, wait for it...the theme from Monty Python! Yes, these flamingos march along to the Liberty Bell March, and are really friendly and curious. They're allowed to roam the gardens freely, and at one point, were stalking me, to the point that I had to hide behind some random guy so they'd leave me alone! I also saw someone who I swear I know, but what are the odds of seeing a fellow freak, in another country, thousands of miles from home? Got my free beverage with my DCL excursion ticket, so I got Junkanoo Champagne soda. Brought it home with me, but no one has been brave enough to try it yet.
On the way back, we went through the city, and Paul gave us all sorts of interesting info about the city, the islands, and their origins. There's a lot of poverty here - the buildings are rundown, and there's a lot of people sitting around, not doing anything. It's gotta be hard to find work on an island that's that small, and relies so heavily on the tourist trade. Though it is really beautiful, I don't think I'd want to live on such a small island.
Back on board, I grabbed some pizza and watched the virtual tour of the ship on TV, and relaxed. Before the show, I went shopping again - there's still tons of stuff on sale, and even some hidden clearance items. Gotta check the price tags of everything, but finding a DCL figurine marked down from $50 to $13.99 was a deal and a half. Clayton & the Happy Cruise Dance (aka the Carlton Dance from the Fresh Prince) never fail to crack me up, and I was doing the silly dance along with everyone else. Goofier grins, people! Toy Story was cute, but really just a reprisal of the whole movie, not a new story-line. Sid annoyed me for some reason - don't know if it was
the actress or the character itself.
At dinner in Triton's, there was a Pirates in the Caribbean bandana to wear, and I got to meet my table-mates, Brandon, Dina & Elizabeth. Brandon & Dina are married, and Elizabeth is Brandon's sister. They're from Texas, and Elizabeth lives in Florida - if I were her, I'd be at WDW and cruising all the time! Dinner was a lamb souffle, Normandy salad, beef with sweet mashed potato sticks, & and extra entree of scallops with whipped mashed potatoes. Everything was really good, but the best was for last - a pistachio/almond mousse thingie and Crepes Suzette, which I promptly fell in love with and wanted to abscond with the entire stock of. The best part of the meal was the conversation - they're all so cool and funny, it was really nice.
The Pirates IN the Caribbean deck party was really fun, with the characters dancing around, Hook & Smee trying to take over, and Mickey coming in to save the day by flying in from the top of the stack. The fireworks - wow. The Disney company is the only ship allowed to fire off fireworks, and they're launched from the back of the ship - you can hear the launch, and watch the canisters fly up and explode. That was my favorite part, being that close to the pyrotechnics!
Watched half of Bolt in 3D, which annoyed me more than enhanced the movie-watching experience, then went to bed around midnight. Long day!
Saturday, December 20 - Day 12 - Castaway Cay
My last full day of vacation, it's been an amazing trip, but I'm ready to go home now. I miss Dan, I miss my house and friends, and doing this much stuff without someone to nudge and comment to is tough sometimes. I think shorter solo trips are perfect - it lets me get my fix, and won't make me miss everything so much.
Up at 7:40, we're already docked at Castaway Cay. Since I take a shower at night (my hair takes forever to dry), I was ready to go in 15 minutes and went up to Triton's for breakfast. Oh, this was so much better than the buffet! I got Eggs Benedict, and it was perfect. It didn't stop me from getting a few favorites from the buffet, though - the theme of this whole vacation has been food!
Off the ship at 8:30 for my 9am Stingray Swim, which was waaaaaaay out there - it really did take me half an hour to walk (briskly) there. There weren't that many people out, so I got an instructor and feeding ramp to myself. These really are magnificent creatures, graceful and gliding. We were not - the Stingray Shuffle doesn't really allow for graceful gliding. I got to feed as many stingrays as I wanted, and they were all hungry, since it was the first feeding of the day. The little ones were greedier than the big ones, and sucked much harder, but they're both really cool. I got to pet all of them, and felt the belly of one of the pregnant ones - you can
feel the babies moving around in there!
After the feed, you get to snorkel with the stingrays, and after getting used to the rather brisk water (you get used to it pretty fast), I was in there for at least an hour, with my waterproof camera & just looking around. Snorkeling is my refound love - it's so calm & peaceful, just floating around and checking everything out. The stingrays really do hide under the sand, if I hadn't been actively looking for them, it would have been really easy to step on one. When they finally registered me trying to stomp near them so I wouldn't stomp ON them, they did take off pretty fast - so beautiful to watch. They tend to stay in the shallower water, either because the water is warmer, or it's where the feedings are.
I finally came out after I started getting pruney, and walked over to the bike rentals. The bikes are big and really comfy, and the island is almost perfectly flat, so it's easy to spend quite a while biking around. I biked down near Serenity Bay, and out to a lookout tower that was on the undeveloped side of the island. Wow - it was really gorgeous out there, and I had it all to myself! That would be a perfect spot for a romantic moment, or even a proposal - what a story that would make! The dead end area wasn't all that interesting, I'd rather have done the loop again. Back to the bike rental place, and I've managed to misplace my shorts - probably back at the Stingray Hut, but I'm not hiking all the way back there for a pair of shorts I don't particularly like anyway. It's CC - it's ok that I walk around in my bathing suit and towel! Got my snorkel stuff & hit the water, after hitting my foot on a hidden outcropping of rock....holy ouch, Batman! Well, maybe the blood will attract fish (it wasn't that bad, just really painful). Wow, just wow. The underwater reefs were teeming with all sorts of fish, and the farther out you went, the more you'd see. I followed close to the barrier for a while, since they were so plentiful out there, and was also looking for the Sunken Mickey. Once I got over to the lifeguard, I asked him to point me towards him, and he told me Mickey was out for repairs. Uh, he's an underwater statue, isn't he supposed to be banged up? I did find a Sunken Minnie, but only after I had used the last of my film. D'oh!
Off to Serenity Bay for relaxation (screaming kids isn't all that peaceful to me) and lunch. The food was ok, not great, but it was better than the burgers on the ship. Walked along the beach and collected some shells (I know, I'm terrible). I managed to snag a hammock, and took a nap for a while. The awesome thing about hammocks is that once you start them rocking, they keep going! This was one of the most relaxing parts of the whole trip, just lying there and enjoying the beautiful surroundings.
That can only last for so long though - there's more stuff to do! I've got a cabana massage at 2, and they're right next to Serenity Bay (I passed them on my bike ride earlier). My masseuse was nice and did a good job, BUT after I had specified "No Pitch" on the phone, on the paperwork, and also mentioned it to her, she still tried to sell me some stuff after the massage, even going so far as to say she'd send it to my room for me. Uh, no means no! Ugh, way to kill my high, lady.
It was around 3:30 when I left Serenity Bay, and I didn't want to be too late getting back on the ship - I was worried about getting a sunburn. Actually, I didn't get anything ll day - I was really happy about that. (Note: this whole trip, I didn't get any sunburns - it's awesome that it's warm and nice out, but not too much sun.) I shopped a bit on the island, and had everything sent back to the room, then made my way slowly back to the ship. It really was gorgeous out, not too hot, bit overcast so it was bright but not too bright. This place is so gorgeous, I'm really glad that they have their own Disney paradise, so much better than Nassau. No outside world to interfere with the Disney magic...
Back on board, I took a dip in the pool so I can say I did it (nothing like going in the ocean to dull your enthusiasm for pools, but at least it wasn't salty!), then packed (mostly), took a shower and got ready for the Castaway Club mixer. They had Mickey Mouse Rice Crispy Treats out for us...I was bad and immediately took 4 of them back to the room to take home. Other than that, the food was ok, and the little presentation was a bit boring, but I did get to sit with a nice older couple who have been on 8 cruises this year alone! Actually, that was nothing - there was a couple there with their grown daughter who have been on....wait for it....32 Disney Cruises!! I can't imagine how much money they've spent on cruising, but I'd think that after that many cruises on the same ships, it'd get boring. The daughter just got a job at the Wide World of Sports, so she's gotta love the discount she'll get now.
Disney Dreams - it was amazing, inspiring, and definitely a tearjerker. I can totally see why it's been the #1 cruise entertainment for the last 8 years running! I bought my one and only drink so I could get the cup - a Stingray. It was pretty good, and strong! Of course, this is also when I decide to double-check my airline check-in procedure, and find out that they don't have any record of my enrolling. WHAT?!?!?!
I had booked my flights months before, and specifically chose ones that were participating in the onboard check-in, since I'd be traveling alone and didn't want to have to wrestle with bags by myself. I had double and triple checked everything before I had left home, and I KNOW that I was all set with my flight information. The only thing I hadn't double-checked was that I had gotten checked in at Port Orleans for the flights, but I had no idea that the checkin was dealt with then, so I didn't know to ask about it. EVERYONE, when you check in to your resort, or onto the ship, make sure that your onboard checkin is squared away! They told me that there was no way I could now register for it, and I was really upset, especially since I had been so careful to make sure I had done everything I needed to beforehand. They said they'd look into getting me specially checked in, and would let me know.
So, with that hanging over my head, I went to the final dinner in Animator's Palate - I love this restaurant, it's the quintessential Disney Dining Experience. My table-mates were there, and we enjoyed ordering more than one of things so we could try different things out. I got the butternut squash soup & a salmon wrap, then tenderloin and the salmon, which was all excellent. Dessert was disappointing, the shortcake was dry, peanut butter pie was all peanut butter, and the peach-ginger pie was all ginger. The show was brilliant, and our wait staff was awesome.
Back in the room, my airline check-in was fixed - they had magically gotten me checked in without knowing any of my flights - I guess I DID check in, didn't I? Annoyed that they had insisted it was my fault, but glad it was taken care of, I packed up all 4 of my bags (2 checked, 2 carryon) and got ready for the next day. Brian my host traded me my Jessica & Roger Rabbit magnet (they were dressed as Alice & the White Rabbit) for a huge Happy Birthday magnet, and I put out my luggage. Bed around midnight.
Sunday, December 21 - Port & flights
I'm so tired right now - up at 6am this morning in Port Canaveral, then Orlando, Phoenix, and finally SF. I can't wait to take a shower and crawl into Dan's beautiful snuggly bed.
Up at 7am, and hearing constant announcements about debarking, I met my table-mates for one last meal together. Our waiters Chetchez & Marc were there to say goodbye to us, and we were off the ship by 9. I paid $40 for my 2 pieces of luggage ($15 for the first, $25 for the second), and I was on the next bus to the airport. I got there WAY too early - I thought it would be at least 11am before I got there, but we were there by 10, which meant I had 7 hours to kill in an airport (tip: next time, book an earlier flight home, there's not much to do there, and you can't go back to the parks for the day!),
I had tons of time to explore the place, but I had 2 bags with me, so it wasn't really fun till I got a little cart to wheel them around. Checked out the 2 (or was it 3?) Disney stores, the Crocs store, $10 Bijoux Terner store (last time I had seen one, it was $15 and in Vegas), and spent a while at the Sharper Image store getting a leg massage. Man, if those things had been less than the $$$$ they were, I would have bought one! It really feels like hands kneading your legs - sweet.
After getting some food, I hung out, wrote postcards, called people, and people-watched all over the place. I found one of only about 3 outlets outside of the security check, and played a lot on my laptop. I'm so tired right now - up at 6am this morning in Port Canaveral, then Orlando, Phoenix, and finally SF. I can't wait to take a shower and crawl into Dan's beautiful snuggly bed. Flight was a bit delayed, but otherwise uneventful - they were asking for volunteers to gate-check their carryons, so I got to check my third bag for free, instead of the $100 they wanted! The TSA also randomly chose me to search while getting on the plane, but the search was so perfunctory that they really wouldn't have found anything if I was hiding it. The middle seat was occupied by a tiny little over-the- hill party girl that talked on her phone till they made her turn it off - she was apologizing for getting drunk and calling some other girls names. She then told them she had some pills from a friend that she'd take for the flight, took them, and was passed out for the entire flight. She was so small that she was able to curl up on the seat - must be nice!
US Airways is Ghetto Air - the seats are janky, there's no video or audio that works, and there's no beverage or food service. I won't fly them again unless it's a super short flight, or I have no other choice. Flight from Phoenix to home was no problem, and I was home by midnight. Passed out super-fast - this was a super long day!
PS: I only gained 2 pounds through this whole trip, which I attribute to all the walking I did. The ship was smaller than I thought It would be, which was a good thing - it wasn't too intimidating to have to run to the other end of the ship for something. I did it all the time!
Pictures Taken: 6,433 + 27 underwater + 195 Photopass
Calories eaten: countless
Miles walked: approx 83 (not much walking onboard the ship )
Money spent: $1700 for land/cruise package (Port Orleans & inside stateroom, upgraded to porthole), $900 for land add-on (4 nights at Pop Century, all dining included), $600 for flights, $600 for $1000 merchandise card
Total: $3,800
Memories: PRICELESS!!
Epcot: Review of Each Land
Mexico: Too much like home (heavy Mexican influence here), the ride was boring, and I don't think it's really relevant to younger kids. I love the Three Caballeros, so I'm happy with the addition - older characters = retro!
Norway: The shops are cool - I live the Stave church. Since the door is closed, most people don't realize you can go in, and it's almost always empty, a nice little respite from crowds. Maelstrom is like watching your favorite cartoon from the 80's - horribly outdated and cheesy, but still a feel-good activity.
China: cute movie, not really a repeater - shops are pretty similar to our 99 Ranch Market stores and Chinatown around here in terms of kitsch and snacks.
Germany: I breezed through pretty quickly - all I remember are large steins.
Italy: Shops are reminiscent of being in Italy, all the same crap I bought when I was there!
USA: America, we rule all! Yay for us! Though shops are way too patriotic and boring for me, American Adventure still makes me feel good to be a capitalistic pig. (In my head I'm saying America, FUCK YEAH! from Team America)
Japan: gorgeous landscaping, cool (but expensive compared to home) shops, I like to chill here.
Morocco: super cool because the King of Morocco is all up in its business and employees - it's really beautiful, and the shops have gorgeous little things (insert Absolutely Fabulous voice of Patsy here)
France: Shops reminded me of all the crap that I bought (or wanted to) when I was there. Wasn't really impressed with it.
UK: Love it, love it, love it. I'm biased, sure, but I really miss the UK, and this reminded me a lot of the feel (if not the reality) of London.
Canada: Love Le Cellier, but I like the old school Circlevision movie better, and the shop is really boring. Plus, the top of the steps doesn't have much up there, seems like a waste of space.