Jan. 20-23, 2001 (Disney Institute) - Jennifer's Dad and Chad Report About This Page:

[Jennifer Marx]

The Dad and Chad Trip - January 20-23, 2001

Cast of Adventurers:
- Jennifer Watson (Author), 32, Disney veteran and author of PassPorter Walt Disney World
- Tom Anderson (Dad), 58, armchair traveler, first trip to Walt Disney World
- Kim Larner (Sister), 29, 4 mo. pregnant with second child, sixth trip to Disney
- Chad Larner (Brother-In-Law), 28/29, fifth trip to Disney

Transportation: Northwest Airlines (Dad and I), Southwest Airlines (Kim and Chad), plus Tiffany Towncar

Resort: Fairway Villa at the Disney Institute

Parks: Disney's Animal Kingdom, Epcot, Disney-MGM Studios, Magic Kingdom, Pleasure Island, DisneyQuest

Restaurants: House of Blues, Restaurantosaurus, Rose & Crown, Hollywood & Vine, Sci-Fi Drive-In Theater, Whispering Canyon Cafe, and Cinderella's Royal Table

Special Circumstances: Dad's first Disney trip, Chad's Surprise Birthday trip, Kim toured while 4-mo. pregnant, and Dad used an ECV.

You can see this report on the Web and with photos at:
http://www.passporter.com/wdw/trip0101.htm

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Co-Author, PassPorter Walt Disney World
http://www.passporter.com/wdw/

[This message has been edited by Jennifer Watson (edited 01-26-2001).]

[This message has been edited by Jennifer Watson (edited 01-26-2001).]

[Jennifer Marx]

Introduction
The Dad Factor

"So, when are you going to take ME to Disney World?" grumbled my father during one of my weekend visits. "You know I want to take you there, Dad", I responded patiently. "Maybe this year," I'd said, though I'd been saying that for a few years now. My father had been expressing interest in visiting Walt Disney World since the day I told him about my idea for my book, "PassPorter Walt Disney World." Back before PassPorter was published, my Dad would voraciously read copies of Sehlinger's "Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World" and "Birnbaum's Walt Disney World" that he'd checked out from the library. Once PassPorter debuted, he voluntarily read each edition cover to cover and offered valuable feedback. It seemed my Dad was a true fan of Walt Disney World, even though he'd never set foot in the place. In fact, my Dad had barely been out of the state of Michigan and had never flown in an airplane. What loving (if admittedly busy) daughter wouldn't want to take her Dad to Disney World?

I knew it was time to either "plan or get off the pot." One blustery November day I casually announced to my father that I'd like to take him to Disney. Of course, I hadn't made any plans yet, but I was confident I would be able to arrange a January trip in short order. January is a good month for short order trips. My Dad was thunderstruck by my announcement. After the idea rattled around his head for a few minutes (and probably knocked a few screws loose, in retrospect), he seemed quite happy. We were going to Walt Disney World! Would it live up to his expectations?

The Chad Factor
Fast forward to New Year's Eve: my sister Kim and her husband Chad visited us in Ann Arbor to ring in the new year. After dinner, Dave (my partner and co-author) and Kim graciously did the dishes while Chad and I lolled lazily on the sofa. We began talking about my upcoming trip to Walt Disney World with Dad. Chad expressed concern that I'd be going alone (Dave had elected to stay behind and hold down the fort). I love my Dad very much, but he can be a handful -- patience is not his virtue. Both Chad and Kim wished they could go along with us (they also love Disney), but they are expecting their second child in May and are saving for a down payment on a house.

A couple of days later, my sister Kim e-mailed me about the trip. It seems Chad really, REALLY wanted to go and she'd told him it was impossible. But maybe it was possible after all. As it turned out, I'd planned my Disney trip over the same weekend as Chad's birthday. Kim came up with a great idea: she and Chad could come along with Dad and me as a surprise birthday trip for Chad. Chad is sharp--it would be hard to keep the secret. So as a smokescreen, Kim convinced Chad they were going to frigid Traverse City, Michigan for a weekend getaway. In the meantime, I booked inexpensive airfares and found lodging. The two of us exchanged e-mail almost daily, planning the surprise. We cooked up an entire fake trip to Traverse City to confuse Chad, complete with plans for snowmobile trips and visits to a casino. We even let him overhear our phone conversations, which went something like this:

Jennifer (excitedly): "How about the Fairway Villas at the Disney Institute? I found a incredible deal, thanks to my friend Linda!"
Kim (seriously): "Oh yeah, we're going to Traverse City."
Jennifer (cheerfully): "The Fairway Villas have two bedrooms and a pull-down Murphy bed."
Kim (morosely): "No, I don't think we'll have time to visit Grandpa when we're in Traverse City."
Jennifer (happily): "And the Fairway Villas are huge... over 1500 sq. ft. That should be more than enough room for the four of us."
Kim (regretfully): "I already told Chad we weren't going to THAT casino."
Jennifer (trying desperately not to laugh and failing): "So, do you think the Fairway Villas will work?"
Kim (quietly): "Yeah, it's going to be really cold up there this time of year."

The only time we could talk normally about the trip was while Kim was at work, which presented its own challenges. Our plan was to keep the secret until the day we left, at which time I'd give him a "birthday gift" of a PassPorter, its pockets stuffed with our trip plans. In the meantime, we had several weeks of secrecy to maintain. Can we keep up the ruse, or will we accidentally spill the beans?

Next: Day One - The Arrival, or "What Time Do We Leave Again?"

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Co-Author, PassPorter Walt Disney World
http://www.passporter.com/wdw/

[LauraBelle V. Hime]

I hung on every word and the pictures are great! I'm eagerly anticipating the next chapter!

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Take care-
Laura
"When you wish..........


laura

[Jennifer Marx]

Day One: The Arrival, or "What Time Do We Leave Again?"

After months of planning and anticipation, my alarm clock buzzed at 6:45 am on Saturday, January 20, 2001. It's Disney time! I called my Dad to make sure he was up and ready to go. No worries there--he'd been too excited to sleep much and was ready for his "pick-up" from Kim and Chad. In order to keep the secret from both Dad and Chad, we'd told Dad that Kim and Chad were just going to pick him up and bring him to my place, then go on to Traverse City. While I waited for them to arrive, I checked the weather down in Orlando ("A high of 55 degrees!?!") and caught up on e-mail. Eventually, I could no longer contain my excitement and actually went to the front door and waited for them to arrive. For all I know my tongue was lolling out of my mouth, too. At 9:20 am their van pulled in the drive. While they made their way to the door, I worked on wiping the excited grin off my face -- I didn't want to give anything away too soon.

Once we were all in the living room, it was time to give Chad his present. I slipped around the corner to compose myself, then came back with the present (in a Tarzan gift bag). I watched Chad take out the PassPorter. "Wow, cool, thanks" he said, trying to muster some enthusiasm for something I usually give to him much more casually than this. Chad admired the cover (this was an advance copy of the PassPorter 2001 edition with Spaceship Earth on the front), then noticed the handwriting on the side: "Chad's Birthday Trip--Jan. 20-23, 2001" His face cracked into the biggest smile I've ever seen on him! He promptly kissed his wife, gave me a big hug, and then... I still can't believe this... he kissed my Dad on his cheek!

We had successfully kept the secret from both Chad and Dad. Admittedly, Chad noticed a few little things ("Why did Kim pack my sneakers if we're going to be waist-high in snow?), but not enough for real suspicion. Dad had also noticed that I'd accidentally written down two different departure times in his PassPorter (Dad and I were taking a different flight at a different time than Kim and Chad) but he didn't suspect anything either. All in all, we'd done a great job at keeping a big secret!

Dave chauffeured us all to the airport (Detroit Metro). On the way, my Dad asked "What time does our flight leave again?" I explained to my Dad that I'd had to fib about our departure time to keep the secret and that we were actually leaving two hours later than Kim and Chad. After dropping that little bomb, Dave dropped us off at our respective terminals. My Dad was fascinated with the whole check-in process -- remember, this was all new to him. We got our boarding passes at the E-Ticket terminal ("So what is this computer thing?"), checked our luggage ("How do the heck do they know which luggage is yours?"), and went through security ("What do I do? What about my change? I don't know about this."). To his credit, my Dad did a great job at dealing with an entirely new and slightly scary situation, and I'm very proud of him. After security, we hauled ourselves from Concourse E to Concourse A (if you knew how spread out the Detroit Metro Terminal is, you'd be impressed). My Dad uses a cane and walks v e r y slowly, so you can imagine what an adventure this was for us. We successfully conquered the moving walkways ("I hate these things!") and the second security checkpoint ("They want to look in my bag?!?"). The whole way, my Dad kept asking me, "What time do we leave again?" He likes to be punctual and seemed worried we wouldn't have enough time. After reaching Concourse A and seeing Kim and Chad off to their flight, we made the long trek back to Concourse E ("What time do we leave again?"). We waited at our gate ("What time do we leave again?") and watched the Presidential Inauguration on the overhead TV. Finally, we heard the boarding announcement.



One of my main concerns about this trip was the flight. My Dad is a big guy ("Pooh-sized," as one could say) and I wasn't sure how well he'd fit in those teeny, tiny plane seats. He'd requested a window seat, as it was his first flight, and we'd managed to get one. We ended up in the very last row of the plane, with my Dad squeezed into the window seat ("Can we get a seatbelt extender please?") and me right next to him in the middle seat. It was like trying to fit two adults in Dumbo -- it's possible, but you'll feel like shelled peanuts. All in all, it was actually a little better than I'd feared. We hoped against all hope that no one would sit next to me in the aisle seat, but the last person on the plane was a large gentleman -- so I spent the entire flight feeling like a Jennifer manwich.

The flight went smoothly, with just a touch of anxiety on my Dad's part when we took off. The crew served a hot sandwich (bonus!), which we happily nibbled on. My Dad asked a lot of questions and thanked me several times. He reminded me of a little boy who'd just been given an "it'll-poke-your-eye-out" air rifle. We encountered a fair amount of turbulence ("Is this normal?") and had a rather bumpy landing. We were the last ones to get off the plane.

At baggage claim, we met our Tiffany Town Car driver (Daniel), who was holding a sign that said "Anderson" (my Dad's last name). I figured Dad wold feel like a VIP if he saw his name on the sign, and I was correct! Kim and Chad, who had arrived about an hour before us, had already collected my luggage. So off we went in the Town Car ("Wow, is that a Lincoln?") while Daniel chatted happily about the weather and his adventures with English (he's Brazilian). He even told us that he'd once seen a "reindeer" in the road on Disney property. More likely Bambi, we think.

We arrived at the Disney Institute a little later than we'd expected, but check-in went smoothly. I'd requested (by fax) a Fairway Villa near a bus stop, preferably somewhere between #331-343. We were booked into Fairway Villa #339, just yards away from bus stop #2--perfect! I was also able to get a three-day (two-night) length-of-stay pass for my Dad and two-day (one-night) length-of-stay passes for Kim and Chad (who only wanted to visit the parks for two days). I had everyone sign their Resort I.D.s immediately so we wouldn't get the cards mixed up. My last piece of business was to drop off a PassPorter for a reader who happened to be staying at the Disney Institute -- he had just happened to e-mail me the day before and requested an express shipment. What synchronicity!

Once we were finished at the front desk, we went outside for our luggage. A cast member loaded our luggage into a golf cart and we zipped off to our villa. For those of you who haven't stayed in, or even seen, the Fairway Villas, they are immense.



Each freestanding building houses 2 or 3 units, and each unit is 1520 sq. ft. The villas look like they are perched on stilts, as car and cart parking is underneath the buildings. They are multi-leveled and multi-roofed, with many interesting angles and peaked skylights.

After the bellperson dropped off our bags, we surveyed our surroundings. The Fairway Villas ARE huge! Our villa had four levels: first the entry level (just the door and landing), the living level (living room, full kitchen, and half-bath), the regular bedroom level (two full beds and a full bath w/tub), and the master bedroom level (one queen bed and one full bath w/shower). We decided that my Dad would sleep on the pull-down Murphy bed in the living room so he didn't have to navigate the stairs. Kim and Chad took the regular bedroom with the two beds, and I took the master bedroom. This worked out perfectly -- we all had privacy and our own space, but we were still within shouting distance. And with the master bedroom open to the living room below, it was really easy to lob stuff at anyone on the sofa.

We unpacked our things (my Dad's bologna sandwiches were safely stored in the refrigerator) and rested a bit. I took the opportunity to snap some pictures of the villa before we messed it up. Then I called the Recreation Center to inquire about renting a golf cart. Alas, they had closed already -- just a half an hour earlier at 6:00, in fact. I then spent five minutes berating myself for not checking the Recreation Center's hours BEFORE I arrived. I really should have known better. The plan had been to rent a cart and take it to Downtown Disney that evening, where we would be eating dinner.

Without our golf cart, we went outside to wait for a Downtown Disney bus, which came about 15 minutes later. We disembarked at the West Side stop and walked to House of Blues. What a busy night! A long line of teeny-boppers snaked around the House of Blues -- apparently some hot Ska band was playing that night -- and the line for beepers was down the steps and almost to the main walkway. And did I mention it was cold? It was probably 45 F that evening. So we shuffled and huddled our way through the line, got a beeper, and made a beeline for the Virgin Megastore to warm up. 30 minutes later we returned and waited. The buzzer went off and we waited some more in the noisy, over-crowded entryway. And some more. By the time we get to our table, we're all beat. The traveling, cold, crowds, and noise had caught up with us. Dinner was scarfed down quickly, as we were all starving and eager to get back to the villa. The food was served relatively quickly (especially considering how busy it was) and tasted quite good. My Dad loved his steak, but thought the restaurant was too noisy.

After dinner, Dad and I shuffled back to the bus stop while Kim and Chad whisked themselves off to Candy Cauldron for a sweet something. They actually made it back to the bus stop before the Disney Institute bus arrived. Back at the villa, we all went directly to bed. As my room overlooked the living room, any sounds my Dad or I made were audible to the other. I had come prepared for this, however, by bringing my sound machine. After a quick call to Dave to let him know we'd arrived and all was well, I drifted off to sleep with the sounds of a bubbling brook in my ear and a smile on my face.


Next: Day Two, Animal Kingdom and Epcot, or "I Don't Need No Steenkin' ECV"

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Co-Author, PassPorter Walt Disney World
http://www.passporter.com/wdw/

[Fortissimo]

Wow, how exciting! Your dad was probably in heaven! And as for your BIL, a surprise trip to WDW, what more could a person ask for on his birthday? I can just imagine what went through Chad's mind when he opened his present from you - something like: "Mean SIL, she gives me a PassPorter, knowing we can't go to WDW right now."

I can hardly wait to read the next chapter!

[Aerobics]

Jennifer,

This trip report is a hoot! It certainly brought a smile to my face after this most hectic of weeks.

I'd have to agree--isn't it fun to watch people who act like a certain boy who's destined to "shoot-his-eye-out"? (That's my FAVORITE holiday movie!)

Keep em' comin'!

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Somebody call IX-I-I!!!

Wilderness Lodge/All Star Music--September 2000

[Jennifer Marx]

Day Two: Animal Kingdom and Epcot, or "I Don't Need No Steenkin' ECV"

"Rise and shine!" giggled Mickey in my ear at 6:30 am. Does anyone else have a problem with his morning perkiness? Nonetheless, the wake up call did its job and I rolled out of bed. Boy, what a mistake that was! Once out from under the covers, I realized it was very cold in the villa -- maybe 50 or 55 F. I shivered my way down to the first floor to check the thermostat. It looks like someone (read: me) set the thermostat too low yesterday in an attempt to cool off the villa and forgot to reset it before bed. I hastily turned the dial up to 75 and skulked back upstairs, hoping no one would figure it out.

Back in my room, a small battle with the shower ensued. First, you must understand I'm not a shower person -- give me a nice, hot bath any day. I consider showers a necessary evil in life and generally despise them. And with the frigid air in the villa, I was dreading any state that required bare skin. Hoping to warm up the bathroom a bit, I turned the shower faucet all the way over to "Hot," closed the bathroom door to keep in the steam, and huddled under the covers for a few minutes. Once I figured the bathroom would be nice and toasty, I opened the door to discover nothing had changed. A quick test of the water revealed it was cold! My shower was cold! I fiddled with the faucet controls in desperation, eventually discovering that the "Warm" setting gave me lukewarm water. I had a VERY quick shower, in constant fear that even the warm water would disappear. I finished the ordeal, cleaner and colder than before, and resolved to call housekeeping when I had a chance.

By the time I came downstairs again, everyone was up and ready to go. Kim and Chad volunteered to go with me to rent a golf cart (recreation rentals opened at 7:30 am), so we set off into the chilly morning air. It took about 15 minutes to walk from the Fairway Villas over to Recreation Rentals on Willow Lake. When we arrived we discovered construction fencing around the building and no signs indicating where we should go. We stepped into Reflections Cafe, which had apparently just opened that morning after a rehab. The relatively new cast member made a call and informed us that Recreation Rentals was at the Front Desk now. We grumbled something about how we'd passed the Front Desk on our way over here and set off again. Once we found Recreation Rentals, the rental procedure was relatively painless (I gave him my room card, he gave me a key). We found our cart (#33), piled in, and zipped back to the villa. Ah, nothing like a cold blast of air in your face to get you going in the morning!

If you've never used a golf cart at Disney, you should know that these are small, virtually noiseless, and electrically-powered. They don't go very fast (maybe 10-15 mph at most) and will slow down when going up hills. The electric carts rented to guests at the Disney Institute lack windshields (hence the cold air in our faces), but they are covered. They fit four adults fairly comfortably (we all fit fine). At the Disney Institute, you can use the electric carts to get around the resort and to get to Downtown Disney. Cart parking (with electrical hookups for recharging) are available next to Downtown Disney Marketplace and West Side. The carts are fun to drive and very convenient when you're somewhere as spread out as Disney Institute.

Back at our villa, we parked the cart under the building and plugged it into the wall to recharge. Each villa had a designated spot for parking a cart and a car. Then it was off to the bus stop to wait for a lift to Disney's Animal Kingdom.



On the bus, my Dad was full of questions. "What's that?" "Old Key West." "What's that?" "That's still Old Key West." "What's that over there?" "The former Disney Vacation Club resort." I oh-so-patiently pointed out the resorts and parks we passed. Everyone seemed very interested in the McDonald's along the way (no surprise there). We made it to Disney's Animal Kingdom by 8:30 -- too late for the opening ceremony but with enough time to get to our breakfast at Restaurantosaurus at 9:00.

Just inside the Animal Kingdom gates, my sister and I made a "beeline" for the ECV (Electric Conveyance Vehicle) rental podium. Before we ever left Michigan, we talked to Dad about using an ECV (or "ATV" as he kept calling them). He felt he could walk on his own without tiring (so long as we walked at his pace). We also think he was laboring under a false impression that ECVs were for the elderly or ill. We had explained that ECVs were very common at Walt Disney World and that he wouldn't feel strange about using one. In the end, he was still resistant. But we're just as stubborn as our Dad. We rented the ECV ($30/day + $10 deposit) and then worked on convincing him to use it. Once we'd actually rented it, he seemed more amenable to the idea. Perhaps he'd just been worried about the cost. He hadn't used one before, however, so it took a while to figure it out. Unfortunately, the ECVs you rent at Disney are one speed only -- either stop or go. But otherwise they do the job.

Once Dad was settled in his ECV, we entered the Oasis and headed into the heart of the park. Crowds were very light. This was the first time Kim, Chad, and Dad had visited Disney's Animal Kingdom, so we took our time and let everyone soak it in. Breakfast was beckoning, though, so we headed directly to Restaurantosaurus in DinoLand. In the mornings, Restaurantosaurus offers a character breakfast with Donald Duck, called Donald's Prehistoric Breakfast (appropriately enough). We had priority seatings, but the wait was still long. A rather grumpy photographer took our picture in front of a Donald's backdrop, and then we waited some more. I decided to "duck out" and take a brisk walk over to Kilimanjaro Safaris to get FASTPASSes for everyone. Leaving my waist pack with my sister, I gathered everyone's passes into my PassHolder (a pouch with a neck strap), made my way to the Safaris, got the FASTPASSes, put them in the back pocket of the PassHolder, and walked back to Restaurantosaurus -- all in about 15 minutes, just in time to be seated. Breakfast was plentiful and filling -- lots of eggs, bacon, hash, fruit, and pastries. We noticed about halfway through our meal that there were three "filling stations," each with some different items. Goofy and Donald paid us a friendly visit, and I got some pictures of Goofy with my Dad. The service was great and the atmosphere was fun, though the restaurant was noisy and a bit on the chilly side. The meal was $15.95/person + tax.



After breakfast, we journeyed back to Africa to go on the Kilimanjaro Safaris with our FASTPASSes. With my Dad in the ECV, we were diverted to the wheelchair-access queue. We waited in a separate area just beyond the regular boarding point for a vehicle to arrive. We then waited for more guests to arrive and fill up the vehicle. But the wait was worth it for my family -- they LOVED the Safaris! My Dad kept asking me if the animals were real, as he just couldn't believe his eyes. Even when an ostrich came right up to the vehicle and poked its head in (yes, really!), my Dad still wasn't sure if it was real or Disney. Neither Kim nor Dad minded the bumps, which I noticed weren't as intense as usual -- perhaps due to the fact that we were in the wheelchair-accessible vehicle.

After the Safaris, Kim and Chad turned left and walked through the Pangani Forest Exploration Trail. Dad and I went directly to Asia, where I left Dad with a cup of joe and walked over to "It's Tough to be a Bug!" for more FASTPASSes (do you see a trend here?) We met up again with Kim and Chad, pottered around a bit in shops (Dad got a new hat), then went in to see the Bug show. Again, we were diverted to a separate holding area, which led into the front row of seats for the show. I encouraged Dad to transfer from his ECV to a seat -- I wanted him to feel the full effect of the show. Did they like it? They loved it! The only complaint was that it was too short (8 minutes). I agree.

We decided to head back to the villa after the show, so we dropped off the ECV (I got my deposit back and a receipt for our next park) and lumbered back to the buses. On the way, Donald caught sight of my Dad with his cane and imitated Dad's gait, complete with an imaginary cane. Donald did a good Dad. When we returned to the villa, we gobbled some snacks to tide us over 'til dinner and then took a quick jaunt over to the Treehouses in the golf cart. I've stayed in the Treehouses many times and my family was curious what they were like. Essentially, they are three-bedroom, two-bath villas in octagon-shaped, free-standing buildings. They have lots of stairs and decks, and are quite rustic. We like them, especially for group trips. I had decided not to use them on this trip due to all the stairs, though.

Our next stop was Epcot, where we picked up another ECV for Dad. Spaceship Earth had a short wait, so we headed back to the wheelchair-access point in the Global Neighborhood. Dad left his ECV to board and found the moving platform hard to navigate while maintaining his balance. Everyone enjoyed the ride, though Kim doesn't like riding backward at the end.

After Spaceship Earth, I walked ahead to get a FASTPASS for Test Track (Chad wanted to ride it; the rest of us passed it up due to Kim's pregnancy and Dad's disability). I met up with them outside Universe of Energy (Ellen's Energy Adventure) and just squeaked into the next show. Dad was intrigued by the moving "theatre seats." I took advantage of the dim light to close my eyes and rest a bit. Getting up at 6:30 am just doesn't agree with me.

Once Ellen's nightmare ended, Chad went off to ride Test Track and the rest of us wandered into the World Showcase. Dad had really been looking forward to just browsing through the "worlds" and he wasn't disappointed. And Kim and I got a good laugh when we showed Dad the Coke coolers at the Refreshment Outpost -- if you're not familiar with them, they squirt water when someone lifts their lids. A most refreshing experience for Kim and I, if not for Dad.

At Germany, we met up with Chad, then Dad and I left to see The American Adventure Show. We had a long wait until the next show, during which time we entirely missed the Tapestry of Nations parade going on outside. This was intentional, though, as Dad appeared to have reached his saturation point and I knew he found it hard to navigate his ECV in crowds. The American Adventure Show was as moving as always, and my Dad found the Audio-Animatronics remarkable. After the show, we met Kim and Chad in the Japan pavilion (they were engrossed by the Taiko drummers) and walked to United Kingdom for dinner.



I had made 7:30 pm priority seating arrangements for Rose & Crown, hoping for a seat on the patio to view IllumiNations. Of course, I hadn't counted on it being so cold. But a quick check of the patio revealed that heat lamps were in place and plastic "walls" were keeping the chill air out. We ended up at the best patio table -- the one on the wall all the way down along the patio. We shared the fruit and cheese plate ($5.50, one of my favorite dishes!), then fish and chips for everyone ($13.75). Dad ordered a half-pint of Guinness against our advisement (it was the only alcohol he got on the trip). Dinner was served quickly, and we found ourselves finished at 8:30. So we lingered a bit and ordered two desserts -- Lemon Posset and Chocolate Guinness Cake ($3.95) -- to wait out our time until IllumiNations.

IllumiNations was as spectacular as ever. I noticed it was harder than usual to see the fireworks in the sky due to an overhang in front of us. When I'd seen IllumiNations from this exact table in September (with British readers Mikki and Andrew Young), I didn't notice this obstruction. The overhang may not have been there, or I may just be remembering wrong. Even with the obstruction, we thoroughly enjoyed the show. My Dad was astounded that they did put on such a show every night! Yep, "every freakin' night," as Adventurers Club Aviator Hathaway Browne would say. And my sister thought IllumiNations was the most magical point of the day.

After the show, we slowly made our way to the exit, keeping our eyes peeled for Linda, our friend who'd helped us find the great deal on the Fairway Villas. Linda was waiting for us by our bus stop, but then, that's her job (more or less). She's a Disney Transportation cast member. In fact, we call her the Goddess of Transportation, and for good reason. We met her on a group trip five years ago -- she picked up our rowdy group from Pleasure Island at 2 am, bypassed the regular bus stop, and dropped us off right at our door in the Treehouse Villas. We've been fans of hers ever since! We thanked Linda profusely, caught up on old times, and then it was time to board our bus back to the Disney Institute.

Once we were back at the villa, we "encouraged" Dad to get some rest while we escaped to Pleasure Island. Dad admitted that the ECV had been helpful -- he wasn't sure how he'd have been able to do all that walking without it. Nonetheless, he was still very tired and ready for bed. Besides, Kim, Chad, and I needed some kids-only time. We took the golf cart to Downtown Disney -- what a fast trip -- and walked to Pleasure Island. Once inside, we went directly to the Adventurers Club. We had time to see two shows in the Library, one of which included a presentation of Spam haiku. Very funny, as always! Emil Bleehall was in particularly good form this evening, no doubt owing to his glee at having won the Balderdash Cup. Again.

By 1:00 am, we were dragging. We made it back to the cart in 5 minutes and were home by a quarter after. We just loved that cart! We all went to bed directly, anticipating a full day tomorrow at Disney-MGM Studios.

From Our PassPorter:
The weather today was clear and sunny, but very cold.
The best thing today was showing my Dad all the stuff he'd only read about in books!
The worst thing today was the weather -- it was just too cold for Florida. Everyone was freezing.
Today we tried using an ECV (for Dad) and the result was mostly good -- Dad didn't complain of being tired, but he found the ECV hard to navigate.
The most magical moment today was watching The American Adventure Show, just Dad and me. I don't know why, but I get a little misty everytime I think of it. I have a feeling that from this point on, that attraction will always remind me of my Dad.

Notes For Next Time:
- Make sure my travel companions bring warmer clothes and jackets when traveling in January.
- My Dad would like to spend more time in Epcot if he is able to visit again.
- If we skip lunch again, make sure everyone has a substantial snack to keep up their energy. My Dad seem to wilt a bit in the afternoon.


Next: Day Three, Disney-MGM Studios, or "Happy Birthday Dear Chad"

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Co-Author, PassPorter Walt Disney World
http://www.passporter.com/wdw/

[This message has been edited by Jennifer Watson (edited 01-27-2001).]

[DVC_Don]

Thank you for this installment. Gotta love those ECV's. I had to rent one on our 12/99 trip due to surgery on a foot. The trips after that I sure was tempted to rent another. They sure are hard in a croud though, you spend all your time looking down so as not to run someone over. You miss a lot then.

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Don
OS 4/90, BC 1/95, WL 1/97, Cont 1/98&1/99, Poly 12/99, DxL 2/00, CBR 12/00. Upcoming VWL 11/01 & 1/02

[All Ears]

Jennifer,
I am absolutely LOVING your report! Sounds like you guys had a great time! I have so-wanted to try to plan a surprise trip to WDW for my DH, but I just don't think I could keep it a secret!
Your Dad is a real trip! I love the little comments you have added for him in parentheses.
I am eager for the next installment....
All Ears

[Wondcat]

Great report, I am praying for cool weather in December. When we were there in September, I was just drenched most of the time.

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Guess this is Richard & me getting ready for our trip!
Pat

Upcoming visits: November 29-December 5, 2001

[Jennifer Marx]

Day Three: Disney-MGM Studios, or "Happy Birthday Dear Chad"

I have a confession to make: I'm the sort who needs eight hours of solid sleep to function well. So after going to bed somewhere between 2:00 and 2:30 am the night before, I was incredibly underwhelmed about getting up at 7:30 am. And that was about the time my Dad started rustling papers downstairs. No, I'm not extra sensitive to noise when I sleep. This was the type of rustle you do when you're trying to get someone's attention without actually speaking a word. At 7:40 am or so, I began to hear plastic bags being rustled. I didn't even know we had plastic bags. Eventually I heard "Are you awake, Jenny?" So much for getting enough sleep.

Actually, I have to give my Dad a lot of credit. After I grumpily yelled, "Yes, I'm awake, but I'm trying to get some more sleep," he volunteered to go to the park alone and meet me there later. What a brilliant idea! I threw his resort ID over the half-wall in my room (no, I didn't aim it at his head) and made sure he knew how to get there and where to meet. Then I crawled back into bed for a few precious minutes. Much sooner than I would have liked, I found the will to subject myself to the Arctic Shower. At least the villa's air temperature was reasonable, unlike the previous morning.

Downstairs, I sat at the dining room table with Kim and Chad while they nibbled on some pastries. After a bit of small talk, Kim said to Chad, "so how does it feel to be 29?" Oops, I'd forgotten to wish my brother-in-law a happy birthday! I thanked my sister for the big hint and gave Chad a proper birthday greeting. Then we made plans for our rendezvous later and I headed off to the bus stop.

After just a few minutes wait, the Disney-MGM Studios bus pulled up and I hopped on. Once in the park, I looked around for my Dad but didn't see him just inside the gates, as arranged. So I made a quick visit to Mickey's of Hollywood for a pair of grey fleece Mickey gloves ($12.00) for Dad -- he'd complained of cold hands the day before. I found Dad soon after sitting on a bench in front of Sid Cuhuenga's One-of-a-Kind. He'd had his coffee and seemed very pleased with the park. I suggested then that we rent an ECV as we had the day before, but he resisted -- he didn't think he'd need it today. I didn't feel like arguing, so off we went.

Breakfast was at Hollywood & Vine, which serves an excellent breakfast buffet ($15.95/person). We enjoyed chocolate french toast (mmm!), eggs, bacon, and all the other typical breakfast foods. Chip and Dale were very playful this morning, chasing one another around the restaurant, setting up camp at a nearby (empty) table and demanding service ("Sorry, we don't serve your kind here -- try next door."), and being all-around goofs. I even managed a picture of Goofy and my Dad, who was in mid-chew.



Kim and Chad met us at Hollywood & Vine right on time, and we all headed out together for The Great Movie Ride. The construction fencing was up in front of Mann's Chinese Theater, but there was nothing to see. Rumors are that Disney is building a giant Sorceror Mickey's Hat there, but I haven't seen an official announcement yet. The Great Movie Ride was a big hit with my Dad, as I suspected. I'd say that was one of his top five. Kim and Chad were less impressed by it, however.

After we made our "grand exit" from The Great Movie Ride, we went straight over to Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular. And as luck would have it, we just squeaked in and got seats on the far left side of the audience. Everyone loved Indiana Jones, and they were genuinely surprised by the "plant" who takes all the punches near the end. The only thing we could have improved upon was the seats -- I would have preferred to be front and center.

Dad and Chad professed an interest in Star Tours, so we picked up FASTPASSes for them then dawdled around a bit in shops waiting for the FASTPASS Return window. I took a "pass" on Star Tours. During last May's Star Tours Marathon, I took enough flights to last a millennium. I made sure my Dad was clear on what to expect in Star Tours as I was worried it might be a little rough for him, but in the end I let him make his own decision. He did ride it and seemed to enjoy it a lot. I heard some story later about how he had some problems with his seatbelt, but it must have worked out in the end.



Pregnant Kim and I met Chad and Dad in the Tatooine Traders gift shop (Star Tours' exit point). Next on the list was Muppet*Vision 3D. Dad opted out of the Muppets ("Don't like 'em."), but the rest of us watched it. Kim and I enjoyed it, Chad was less than thrilled. I always like the Muppets. Kim insists that I was a Miss Piggy groupie when I was a kid, but I honestly can't remember that. It's the kind of thing I'd prefer to forget.

Our much-anticipated lunch was at Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater -- this meal was specifically requested by my Dad. After a short 5-minute wait, we were seated in the front two seats of a parked car in the center of the "drive-in." Perfect! Kim and Chad had snacked on hot dogs earlier, so they just got desserts. Dad and I had chocolate shakes ($3.25/each) and cheeseburgers ($10.95/each), which were both were huge and yummy. Dad loved his burger -- he was still talking about it a day later. The sci-fi movie trailers were fun as always, and my Dad delighted in saying, several times, "You won't believe it, but I actually went to see that movie." I believe it.



By the time lunch ended, I knew I'd need to excuse myself for a while. My lack of sleep was making me quiet and withdrawn -- no fun on a vacation. So I suggested I go back to the villa alone and nap, then meet up with everyone later at the villa or at the Wilderness Lodge for dinner. To my amazement, no one objected. We decided that when Kim, Chad, and Dad were done in the Studios, Dad would return to the villa while Kim and Chad would go to the Magic Kingdom, then meet Dad and me at 8:00 pm in the Wilderness Lodge Lobby. So they all headed for the Studios Backlot Tour and I escaped back to my cozy bed in the villa. I really appreciate the ability to take a mid-day break at my resort -- it can make a big difference in how much you enjoy your evening.

As it turned out, Dad arrived back at the villa not too long after I did. It seems the queue for the Studios Backlot Tour was too long so they'd done the Backstage Pass instead -- everyone hated it (I could have told them that before they went). Dad may have enjoyed it a bit, but as a it is a walking tour he found it too strenuous. Even with my Dad's early arrival at the villa, I managed to get in a good two-hour nap. Ahhh!

Around 6:00 pm, Dad and I took the golf cart to the West Side, parked it, and hopped on a bus for the Wilderness Lodge. I really enjoyed showing the Wilderness Lodge to my father. Not only is my favorite resort, but this is just the sort of thing my Dad enjoys. He was suitably impressed by the Lodge, of course, and said he'd like to stay there someday. After our lodge tour, Dad hunkered down in a rocking chair by the fire to wait for Kim and Chad to arrive.



While Dad relaxed, I slipped off to the Mercantile to get a present for Chad. I also picked up two copies of the new Official Album CD ($19.98). I really recommend this album -- great new tracks include Fortuosity (Main Street, U.S.A.), Splash Mountain, Bright Little Star (Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe), and the Epcot Entrance Medey. And my all time favorite -- Impressions de France -- is there, too!

Dinner was at Whispering Canyon Cafe, which I'd chosen specifically for Chad's birthday dinner. The restaurant was mobbed that evening -- there were people everywhere! We had priority seating, so our wait was "only" about 15 minutes. As soon as we sat down, we let the server know it was Chad's birthday, much to Chad's chagrin. We all ordered the all-you-care-to-eat skillets ($21.99), which were as delicious as usual.



Our server (Dert E. Britches) kept us entertained with jokes and teasing. I then gave Chad his birthday gift, a WDW 2001 Scrapbook Starter Kit -- it seemed to go over well. After we'd finished our meal, our server dragged Chad up to the front of the restaurant to "make a spectacle" of him for his birthday. He gave Chad a hobby horse and said he had to run around the restaurant, all the while singing "Happy Birthday" to himself! Now, you must understand that Chad doesn't like this sort of thing. And we were all amazed when he did it! And he did a darn good job of it, too! Though I think he was really wanted to knock down our server when he circled back to the front of the restaurant.



After Chad entertained the restaurant, Kim and I speculated about the possibility piece of birthday cake for Chad. We watched a couple of other tables get cake (and no "spectacle") and wondered if we would as well. When no cake materialized, I theorized that the cake may have been a regular (paid) dessert that the server just put candles in. Finally, Chad asked if he couldn't get a piece of cake after his daring-do ride around the restaurant, but the server seemed to think he was joking and didn't answer. Hmm. Wanting to get going, we paid our bill and left. Out in the lobby, we witnessed another family get a piece of cake and a tepid "Happy Birthday" seranade. I mustered the courage to walk up to the podium and inquire about it. To my surprise, the cast members seemed a little defensive about my question. They informed me that if I'd wanted the birthday person to get cake, I would have had to tell *them*, not just our server. Hmm. The cake wasn't really a big deal, but all in all it was disappointing, especially for me -- I felt this cast a shade over the whole evening. In retrospect, I should have asked at the podium or even called ahead before I arrived. But many guests won't know to do this, and could experience the same disappointment. So keep this in mind if you hope to celebrate a birthday at a Disney restaurant -- always ask in advance about their birthday policy and be prepared for anything.

Back on the bus to Downtown Disney, a couple sitting across from me noticed my PassPorter jacket and asked if I was affiliated with PassPorter. I replied "Yes" modestly, then my sister piped up with "She's one of the authors!" As it turns out, the couple (George and Melinda from Arizona) read the RADP newsgroup and had a copy of PassPorter, which they enjoyed a lot ("It came in really handy!"). We chatted for the rest of the bus trip, until they got off at Marketplace. I love running into readers at Disney -- if anyone out there reading this ever comes across me or Dave, please say "Hi!" We'd love to meet you.

We got off the bus at West Side. Kim and Chad went directly to DisneyQuest while I took Dad back to the villa in the golf cart. 15 minutes later I was back, looking for Kim and Chad in the maze of DisneyQuest. I took the opportunity to do the new attraction Pirates of the Caribbean. I got in lots of good cannonball shots at the ships but in the end "sank" to the bottom of the ocean (great fun!) . I also did the Treasure of the Incas maze, which was back up and operational. These are little radio-controlled trucks which you direct via a video game-like console -- the trucks have mini video cameras mounted on them so you can see where you're going in the maze. I really enjoyed it and would have liked to spend more time at it, though next time I'll do it with a partner -- it works better when someone else can watch the truck (it moves in a maze under a glass floor) and yell tips to you.

I eventually found Kim in The Cheesecake Factory, enjoying a smoothie. She was trying to send a card to someone from one of the Internet terminals, but the interface seemed difficult to navigate. When I asked what she thought of DisneyQuest (this was her first visit), she said she wasn't really into video games. Since virtually everything in DisneyQuest is a video game of one sort or another, albeit far more sophisticated than a garden-variety game of Pon, Kim isn't itching for a return visit. It seemed Chad got a lot more out of it. When closing time came, we found Chad in the Midway on the Moon engrossed in a traditional video game.

After DisneyQuest closed, we took the golf cart back to the villa. I really can't say enough about how convenient we found this. Yes, we probably could have rented a car for the same price as a golf cart, but it just isn't the same. First of all, I wouldn't have wanted to deal with renting a car at the airport (or at a nearby hotel). Second of all, parking the car in the Downtown Disney lot and driving on "real roads" is a lot different then parking the cart alongside Buena Vista Lagoon and taking the cart paths. I don't like to drive at Disney, but I really enjoy "carting." What can I say? I'm just a big kid.

Sleep came late for me again that night. Dave and I needed to discuss PassPorter matters on the phone for a while, which meant I didn't get to sleep until about 2:00 am. Ugh. If I confiscate his crinkly plastic bags, maybe Dad'll actually let me sleep in tomorrow morning.


From Our PassPorter:
The weather today was overcast and still cold (maybe a few degrees warmer than yesterday).
The best thing today was how convenient we found the golf cart, and getting a couple hours to myself in the afternoon.
The worst thing today was the cake-or-no-cake episode at Whispering Canyon Cafe.
Today we tried having Dad go to the park on his own and the result was wonderful -- he had no problems with the buses nor meeting at the appointed time.
The most magical moment today was watching Chad race around the Whispering Canyon Cafe on a hobby horse, singing to himself! I'll never forget the look on this face!

Notes For Next Time:
- Make sure I get enough to sleep early enough when I'm vacationing with early risers
- Ask about birthdays at restaurants ahead of time to avoid any unpleasant surprises

Next: Day Four-Magic Kingdom, or "Boy, Next Time I'll Get An ECV Everyday"

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Co-Author, PassPorter Walt Disney World
http://www.passporter.com/wdw/

[Note: This message has been edited by Jennifer Watson]

[Jennifer Marx]

Day Four: Magic Kingdom, or "Boy, Next Time I'll Get An ECV Every Day"

It's inevitable. The last day of a Walt Disney World vacation arrives and you hope against all hope that you could stay just one more day. And I didn't break with this fine old tradition upon waking up. Even though I knew it was impossible to stay longer, I still considered all my options. In the end, I couldn't avoid going home -- my Dad needed me to fly back with him, and I needed to get back to PassPorter. Oh well.

Today started out just as slowly as yesterday, thanks to another late night (DisneyQuest). I encouraged my Dad to go to the Magic Kingdom, where I would meet him later. He agreed and I busied myself with getting packed and dressed. Once I was set, I called Bell Services and asked them to pick up the luggage and hold it until later today. They arrived less than five minutes later to whisk off our bags. Another fine example of the excellent service at the Disney Institute (that is, if we gloss over the little problem in finding the relocated cart rental desk).

With the luggage taken care of, I did one last pass through the villa then placed a quick call to Disney Dining to make a priority seating for Cinderella's Royal Table. Kim and Chad elected to spend the morning and afternoon at Downtown Disney, and headed off in the cart. I made my way to the bus stop -- the Magic Kingdom bus was a bit slow to arrive, but it got me there in good time. I met up with my Dad just inside the park and we set off into the world of Walt.



Dad had decided ahead of time that he wouldn't want to do too much at the Magic Kingdom. His short list included Alien Encounter and Haunted Mansion. But by the time I'd met up with him this morning, his list had lengthened to include the Walt Disney World Railroad and Pirates of the Caribbean, plus a desire to see each of the lands. Yikes! Could we do that in a few hours? I really wanted Dad's last day to be special, so I challenged myself to come up with a route that would allow us to see everything on this list and still have time for lunch. We walked up to the Tip Board just past Main Street, U.S.A. so I could see how the waits were looking. Not too bad today. Based on wait times and park layout, I came up with the following plan:

1. Walk to Tomorowland and see Alien Encounter
2. Walk from Tomorrowland to Mickey's Toontown Fair to board the train.
3. Take train to Frontierland.
4. Walk from Frontierland to Adventureland and ride Pirates of the Caribbean.
5. Walk through Adventureland, past the new Agrabah Bazaar, back to Frontierland.
6. Walk from Frontierland to Liberty Square to see Haunted Mansion.
7. Walk from Liberty Square to Fantasyland to eat lunch at Cinderella's Royal Table.

And it worked like a breeze! We actually did everything in much less time than we expected, especially when you consider Dad decided to go ECV-less again today. Dad enjoyed everything, especially the Walt Disney World Railroad.



Dad was surprised by the very small drop in Pirates ("Hey, why didn't you warn me?") I didn't remind Dad that we had included that fact in the PassPorter. Now I did warn him about the moving walkway in the boarding area of the Haunted Mansion, but by that time I think he was pretty tired and didn't hear me. And unfortunately, he did lose his balance a bit. But a cast member was right there to support him and help him into the Doombuggy.

To backtrack just a bit, I did get the chance to see Agrabah Bazaar -- the new themed shopping area for the upcoming Magic Carpets of Aladdin ride. I was a bit underwhelmed by the bazaar. From the press releases and buzz, I was expecting something really well-themed, perhaps like Tatooine Traders at Disney-MGM Studios. Instead, it just looks like any themed shopping area in the Magic Kingdom. It had plenty of Aladdin merchandise for sale, but nothing out of the ordinary otherwise. I took plenty of pictures, though, so I could study them when I got home.

After our whirlwind tour of the Magic Kingdom, we found we had time to spare before lunch. We did a little shopping in Tinker Bell's Treasures (my Dad bought a Baby Eeyore for his granddaughter Megan and a snow globe for the folks at his doctor's office). Dad then chose to sit for a bit near Cinderella's fountain while I wandered in and out of shops. I noticed a construction crane behind the castle, but it didn't seem to be doing much -- I heard later that it had been removed as quickly as it had appeared. It was probably used for general maintenance.

Lunch at Cinderella's Royal Table was relaxed and delicious, and satisfying as the "last meal" of our vacation. We both ordered Cokes and tossed salads ($3.75), followed by a Beef Tart ($14.25) for me and the Prime Rib ($15.95) for Dad. The food was well-prepared and well-presented. Dad was suitably impressed and paid it one of his highest compliments, "This is so good, we should have all eaten here together."

By the time my Dad was getting antsy, worried that we wouldn't get back to the Disney Institute in time. So after lunch we went directly back to the resort. On the way he complained about being exhausted and remarked, "Boy, next time I'll get an ECV every day." Da-ad! Well, next time I'll