Shooter 364 & family go to WDW... despite Bin Laden About This Page:

[HiddenMickey]

Are you going to be there the weekend of Dec 7th? I'd love to meet up with you guys. I will just be me and my 6 year old daughter (Dec 6-9). Are you planning on attending any of the Passporter functions?

Your report is really very good. I hate it that your daughter was sick, but you all handled it very well. Thank you for letting us know how the hospital and the earlier doctor was....could just help someone else in the future.

Looking forward to the last of your report. -HiddenMickey

[MOT]

Wonderful Trip Report, I've enjoyed reading every detail. It is unfortunate that your daughter came down with a virus but was relieved that it wasn't anything more serious. It was also a joy to read how well you adapted to the situation. I've put some thought into this myself...kids getting sick on our Nov. trip. My son suffer from severe allergies and my daughter suffers from severe outbreaks of fever blisters. to be honest a 45 min. wait to see a Dr. doesn't sound too bad. I had to wait with my daughter for 6 hours to be seen at a Pittsburgh hospital a few years ago....so this was definately on my mind. I've got all the emergency phone numbers ready to go. By the way, have you ever thought of serious writing? You are an excellent writer........and you keep us wanting more. My thoughts will be with you for a magical trip in Dec.

[shooter364]

Day 9, The last day?

Cast:

Bill, 38, Police firearms instructor, husband to Susan, father to Olivia, driver and carrier of heavy things.

Susan, 40-something, Diplomatic Historian, Wife to Bill, mum to Olivia, purchaser of heavy things for Bill to carry.

Olivia, not quite 3, sweetness and light personified

Dates Sept. 13-23


We arise at 7:30, to a gorgeous morning. And to a child that is positively full of beans! Olivia appears to have fully recovered. Susan and I are happy and relieved, but no one seems happier than Olivia is.

After breakfast, during the drive to Epcot, We had a discussion about the fact that we were glad we would be getting one more day in the parks so that Olivia could finish the trip on a positive note. We wanted to see and do a few more things, and get some goodies for tomorrow's (sat. 9/22) long drive home.

As we were passing Downtown Disney, I said: "y'know… maybe we ought to stay one more day. What d'you think?" Susan smiled and said she thought it might be a good idea… we were decided! That was easy! We're staying an extra day! Woo Hoo!

We got to Epcot, and parked in "Journey #9"… the lot was nearly empty. We boarded the Monorail for the Magic Kingdom, where I once again heard the magic phrase: "Please stand clear of the doors… Por favor mantengan se allejados de las puertas" as usual, I couldn't help smiling when I heard that.

The Magic Kingdom seemed to be more crowded than it had been during the pre-illness phase of our trip. What that means is that the place wasn't deserted like it had been before. The park was by no means crowded. Naturally, I stopped to check out the pins at the pin station right at the bottom of Main Street before we did anything else. We ambled into Frontierland and Olivia said that she wanted "to ride the boat!" So we took a ride on the Jungle Cruise… Olivia really enjoyed it and so did we. I think that the key to having a really good time on the Jungle Cruise is having a CM that appears to be enjoying his/her job.

Next up was "Small World." Some of you, no doubt, have noticed the number of times we went on this ride. All I can say is that Olivia enjoys it (we do too) and after the first couple of times, that bloody song doesn't even drive me nuts anymore.
Next was a double dose of the "Tomorrowland Transportation Authority." This year was my first time ever going on this particular attraction, and it now ranks among my favorites. Not only does it give a good view of Tomorrowland, it also gives an opportunity for some great photos (got a few great shots of the Castle). We rode through it twice so Olivia could have a wee break… we didn't want to wear her out after her illness, but to tell the truth, she was rarin' to go! After TTA, we did Buzz Lightyear again. We didn't score so well on Buzz, since this time, we let Olivia steer the car for part of the time. I'll tell you something… I never expected to have nearly as much fun on Buzz as I wound up having… it really is fun! I think Susan likes it even more than I do J Olivia really liked it too, even though she is so small, there are lots of neat sounds, lights, and things to look at.

After Buzz, we finally got to do what I have been waiting for since we arrived in Florida!
We went to the "Carousel of Progress" Woo Hoo! Does anyone love the COP more tham me? I don't think so! I am saddened to think that some day, probably soon, the Carousel of Progress will be deemed too old, too expensive, not fast or thrilling enough, and disappear, only to be replaced by another bloody roller-coaster! It would be a great shame, and a complete disservice to Walt Disney's legacy and vision. I am tempted, at this point, to break into song, but I will refrain.

During our visit, we also did the "Country Bears Jamboree" this was another first for me (sue me, I'm a creature of habit!). While we were waiting for this attraction, I noticed a young woman wearing a T-shirt bearing the logo for "The Dis," which is one of many Disney forums I participate in. I spoke with her and her companion for a bit, and she told me that they had just come from a breakfast meet with some other forum participants. I thought that was kind of neat. The Jamboree was fun, but truthfully, I was just glad to sit down with the cool air blowing, and close my eyes for a few moments.

By this time, I was getting hungry, and a hungry Bill can be a cranky Bill, so we went to lunch. We decided to eat at the "Robin Hood" burger place. I'm not really sure that is the proper name for it, but it is the sit-down counter service, right next to Small World. Anyway, the food was good enough, but it still isn't as much fun as Cosmic Ray's. Ah well, to each his own, eh?

After lunch, we did some more shopping (are you getting the feeling that we did more shopping than anything else?) at Sir Mickey's and at Tinkerbell's, where Susan bought a lacy, frilly, dress for you-know-who.

We were planning to go back to Epcot, so we strolled down Mainstreet, pin hunting all the way. By the time we got finished and to the Monorail, she-who-must-be-obeyed had gone to sleep in her stroller.

We arrived at Epcot, with no particular plans besides having dinner that evening at Marrakesh, so we did what we like to do best at Epcot (no, not have a Margarita… that was later): We took a stroll… a promenade, if you will, around the World Showcase. We stopped in this store, looked at the things in that store. We bought Tapestry of Nations T-shirts, which were being sold at the ridiculous price of $9.99!

We circled WS twice before our 7:15 seating at Marrakesh. The restaurant was nice. It wasn't terribly crowded. So we were seated near the place that the musicians and the belly dancer performed. The musicians were great, as was the service. My food was perfect! I had the Lemon Chicken, which was perfectly done. It was mildly spiced and was delicious with the lemon preserve that it was basted with. Susan had the vegetable Couscous. She had so much, I wound up eating some of it too! It was wonderful. Olivia had a great time watching the musicians and the belly dancer. After dinner (which was quite reasonably priced) we walked through the Moroccan market, where I bought a fez. Go ahead and laugh, but I look pretty good in it!

Apparently, a thunderstorm had passed through the area while we were having dinner, because there was LOTS of water on the ground when we came out of Marrakesh. We walked back in the direction of the International Gate, since it was time to go back to our hotel. We passed Chefs De France, and promised ourselves that we would eat there on our next trip.

As we walked around towards the main exit of the park, we noted how eerily quiet the place was. Oh, there were plenty of people about, but they were all being fairly quiet too, as they staked out places to watch Illuminations. They needn't have bothered… there wasn't a bad spot in the house that night.

There was a nice breeze blowing that held the smell of the storm that had just gone by. There was lightning flashing in the distance, and the thunder rumbled far away, letting us all know that it was someone else's turn to get wet. Right about then, I was experiencing one of many Disney Magic moments for this trip. We were finishing a very full, but wonderful day, we had eaten a great meal with fine entertainment, we were together in our very favorite place, and all was right in our world.

We left Epcot at 8:20, went home and got cleaned up. Olivia went off to bed, while Susan and I briefly sorted through all of the stuff we had bought that day. We added today's pile of new treasure to the huge pile that had already accumulated… we really had a lot of stuff!

We sat down to read, and naturally, Susan fell asleep right away. I read for a while before going to bed.

Tomorrow: Bonus Day!

[PS - I LUV WDW]

Bill - Thanks so much for the reports. I am really enjoying them and they are getting me more in the mood for our upcoming trip. I was so glad to hear that your daughter was okay. Although we don't have children, I know how concerned my mother still gets if I don't feel well and I'm 38 [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] so I can only imagine how you must have felt.

[peterfan]

Bill, I just started reading your TR tonight and it's great.
You had me laughing hard on day one about the strip places on I-95.
WE BARE ALL at the RISQUE CAFE!!!!
My first trip driving to Fla. it was me and my best friend and we were 21. We took a few pictures of the signs for our boyfriends. I'm sure we looked kinda odd hanging out the window going 70 and snapping pictures of almost naked girls on billboards! [img]images/icons/blush.gif[/img]

Also, Thank you for the information on the medical facilities in the area. We have a 5 mo and I'd hate to waste time on an idiot if something was wrong. I hope Olivia is fully recovered and has only happy memories of the trip. [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[All Ears]

Bill,
Your TR is GREAT! I cannot wait to read about your Bonus Day. It is also wonderful to hear how you just took everything in stride -- with Olivia being sick & all. I think that is the key to having a good vacation. When life throws you a cruve ball, you just have to deal with it and move on -- which is exactly what you did.
I also loved the little titles you gave yourselves -- "cleaner of vomit stained stroller, etc." Too funny! [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[stinkypete'smom]

Thanks for the great trip report, Bill. We leave in three weeks with our little ones and I'm already dreading the puke. I have yet to go to Disney with my son without vomit. The first trip, when he was barely two, he lost it all over our still steaming $100 meal at Coral Reef. Next trip, he did something I'm still horrified to admit. He threw up on Mickey Mouse. All over his shoes....it was absolutely awful, but if you could see the video. LOL. The poor Mouse couldn't move fast enough with those big ol' feet and he just ended up doing this really funny little dance in the vomit while CM's ran from all directions. I'm surprised we weren't banned forever. Our daughter also got sick that trip and we discovered that the Centra Care nearby will send Doctors to your room. It is a ridiculous price, but if you are limited in time or have a child that is terrified of ER's as ours is, it is the perfect alternative. Sorry you had such a bad experience, but it sounds like your daughter still had a great trip. Thanks again for such a detailed report. I can't wait until we're there.
Lea

[shooter364]

Day 10, Bonus Day!

Cast:

Bill, 38, Police firearms instructor, husband to Susan, father to Olivia, driver and carrier of heavy things.

Susan, 40-something, Diplomatic Historian, Wife to Bill, mum to Olivia, purchaser of heavy things for Bill to carry.

Olivia, not quite 3, fully restored to sweetness and light personified

Dates Sept. 13-23

After a 7:30 wake-up, we went down for breakfast, where Olivia had a whole banana and a cup of juice. The return of her appetite tells us that she has, indeed, recovered.

We parked at Epcot and Monorailed (new word, I think!) over to the TTC, with the intention of taking the ferry over to the MK. When we got to the TTC, it was apparent that it just wasn't going to happen that way today! There were so many people waiting for the ferry that I thought I must have fallen asleep and re-awakened in June! We looked at the Monorail line and saw the same thing! We wondered what was going on, but quickly remembered that is was Saturday! Add to that, the fact that since the attacks, all of the local news outlets were reporting empty parks and no lines for the attractions. I assume that lots of local residents wanted to take advantage of that. We ditched the idea of the ferry and the direct monorail, so we took the Resort monorail, which was a bit of a longer ride, but we got there faster anyway because of the long wait we would have had going either of the other ways.

It was gratifying to see so many people in the park that day. I realize that it may be strange to hear someone say that a crowd is welcome... but under the circumstances, I am sure that most of you will agree. That people were out spending their money was a good sign. There were more people here today than on any other day of our trip.

After getting up Main Street, Susan and Olivia went to Ariel's Grotto to take pictures, while I retired to one of the nearby outdoor tables to scribble in my journal. While I was waiting, I used one of the nearby restrooms, and as I came out, a man struck up a conversation with me about how empty the parks had been, and about the events of September 11th. We had a very cordial five minute chat before he went back to his family and I went back to my table. Things like this occurred throughout the trip, and I will talk about it more in my "wrap up" piece.

After my girls returned from Ariel's Grotto, we went back to the carousel, because Olivia wanted to ride the "horsies with the flowers!" There aren't many of the horses with the flower garland decorations, so I had to move fast to get one for her. Now, usually, when I ride the carousel, I just stand next to Olivia in order to make sure she doesn't fall, or so that she isn't afraid, this time was different, though. Olivia demanded that I get on the horse next to her. I really didn't want to do it, because I have knee problems as well as problems with my back (am I decrepit, or what?). However, what little madame wants is usually what little madame gets. So, I rode one of the carousel horses, feeling a little silly, but, what the heck… It's not like I was the only dad on the carousel.

Our next stop was the enchanted Tikki room, which I thought was really cool. I wasn't all that excited about the birds, but once again, any place that is a little dark and cool is always a good place to pass a little time.

We next went on the Aladdin ride. Tell me if I am wrong friends, Aladdin is really pretty much identical to Dumbo, isn't it? It does all of the same stuff, right? The spitting Camel being the exception, right?

After Dumbo, we attempted to go on Pirates of The Caribbean. I have never seen the line so long before… so we give it a pass.

Once again, off to lunch at the Plaza Pavilion. The sky has been clouding up for a little while, and it bean to rain lightly as we left the Pavilion and headed over for our last time around on the Tomorrowland Transit Authority. We parked the stroller in a nice dry place and went for our ride. While we were riding, the clouds opened the rain came pouring down. We figured staying on the ride might be a good idea since it was raining, but alas, it was not to be. The attendant, Shane, announced that the ride was experiencing some "technical difficulties" and was shutting down. Reluctantly, we made our way down the walkway, only to see that there was a huge amount of people taking refuge under the overhang of the ride. We thought that it would be prudent for us to do the same. Shane, however, had other ideas. He and one of his mates decided that they needed to shout (repeatedly) for everyone to clear the area… which everyone completely ignored. So much for Shane. The rain didn't appear to be slackening, so, off I went to Mickey's Star Traders to buy ponchos for the whole crew (and one extra to wrap our cameras etc…). Wouldn't you know that by the time we were going to put them on, the rain ended!?!

We went back to Pirates of The Caribbean and voila! No line! So we went on that, then spent some time buying more knick-knacks in the shop. A new refrigerator magnet, mini snow globe, picture frame, pin, and a telescope for Olivia (this cost $1.95 and she is STILL playing with it nearly a month later!).

Next was the Christmas shop near frontierland. Olivia had gone to sleep, so I waited while we got even MORE stuff (remember, we are spending this money for our country! Now, stand at attention, salute smartly and open that wallet!).

We are now ready to make our last visit to Epcot. It is 3:00 and we are ready to go. Oh wait! It is parade time! Someone please… shoot me now. At the risk of being thought a heretic, I have to say this: I usually can't stand parades. I hated them when I was a kid, and I still hate them (unless we are talking about Tapestry of Nations, but that is a different story). We were trapped! No way out for love or money. Since this was a new parade, I guess the only thing to do was just endure. While watching, I took lots of pictures so Olivia could see all of the characters later. One of the things I noticed was that a lot of the parents practically had to shove their children out to meet the characters when the opportunity presented itself. Some of the kids looked very unhappy about that, although the parents were just going to town with the cameras and camcorders. After the parade passed by, we followed behind it so we could head for the gate.

As we headed for the gate, there was a fair amount of jostling by people trying to get to this place or that. I was annoyed by the number of people that tried to shove around Olivia's stroller, while we were, clearly, trying to go in the same direction. While I understand that people had places to go and things to see, there is no need to push and shove. I am not ashamed to tell you that there are a few people that took some hard shots to the ankles because of their rudeness. I believe that rude behavior should never be rewarded with tolerance, and that's all I have to say about that.

After pausing for a last visit to the shops along Main Street, we headed for the monorail to Epcot.

Well, what can I say? This is another beautiful afternoon at our favorite place in the world (although Doctor's Cave Beach, in Montego Bay Jamaica runs really close). We walked over to "The Land" because we wanted a snack. Olivia got fruit and Susan and I were going to split a Rice Krispie treat. Olivia liked some of the fruit. We hated the Rice Krispie treat! That thing was awful. We usually love them, but not this one. It was positively the worst food item I have ever experienced at WDW. After a quick diaper change, Olivia conked out for her obligatory stroller nap, which gave us the opportunity to do our favorite thing: Stroll around the World Showcase!

The drummers were out again at Japan, so we went in to the Mitsukoshi Department store for a while. Susan bought Olivia a really nice Japanese picture dictionary, some incense, and a book about home design, while I looked for some sort of toy or figure from that Anime film "My neighbor Tottoro" (if you have small children, they'll love that film) I didn't have any luck, but I always like to look around in that store anyway.

After looking in several shops of the other countries, we were about to pass the Mexican cantina. We gave each other the "now?" look, but decided to wait until we went 'round again.

When we went through the English garden section of the UK, there was a British woman trying to corral her two exuberant young sons… with very little luck. The poor soul. The boys were obviously having a better time than their mum.

We were enjoying our second time through the WS, taking in the sights, sounds and smells, saying goodbye in our own way.

We got our Margaritas, and sat down to discuss our day, which had become our custom. We talked about how fully Miss Olivia had bounced back, and about our relief. We talked about Epcot and how we enjoy it on so many different levels.

One of the things that we like most about Epcot, is that we have both been to several of the countries that are represented. This gives us the chance to talk to the cm's with a little knowledge of their homes. It also gives me the chance to practice my language skills. I speak German fairly well, and can make myself understood in basic Japanese and Spanish. The cm's always seem to enjoy it when you try a bit of their language. We love to travel, but Olivia is still a bit young for foreign travel, so at Epcot, we sort of get the feeling of it, without actually doing it. Am I making sense?

More things we love about Epcot:

· The tranquility. It always seems so peaceful, which is something we both really enjoy.

· The architecture and the attention to detail in the creation of the pavilions of the represented countries. Epcot is very pleasing to the eye.

· The musicians, displaying everything from celtic rock, to traditional bagpipes, traditional Moroccan music, to the Japanese drummers etc…
· The ability to sample, even at a very basic level, the cultures of other countries.

· The food! (Mmmmm!)

OK, you get the idea.

Next, we headed to Mouse Gear where we spent the last of our Disney Dollars, and had a fine time doing it.

As we left, we paused in the parking lot for a last look back at Spaceship Earth. We were a little sad, but knowing that our next trip was only 71 days away made it a bit easier to take.

Back at the hotel, Susan got Olivia ready for bed, while I took my provisioning list to Gooding's to make ready for tomorrow's drive home.

Once Olivia was off to bed, Susan packed while I started getting the van ready. I made sure the CD player and CD's were set up. Stocked the cooler, took the cases as they were filled, and dismantled the video-in-a-bag system. After doing most of the loading, I set up the video-in-a-bag system exactly as I had before, only this time, it wouldn't work when I tested it. Hmmmm! This could be a problem. I took it apart and tried it again with the same results. I thought that since the hour was getting late, I should just skip it and approach it again in the morning after I had the chance to sleep.
We didn't stay up late that night, as we wanted to get on the road by 7.

All was ready. Tomorrow, we were heading home.

Tomorrow, The Long Drive Home

[shooter364]

Day 11, The Long Ride Home

Cast:

Bill, 38, Police firearms instructor, husband, father, and arthritic long distance driver.

Susan, 40-something, Diplomatic Historian, wife, mum, and "in-flight" entertainment for Olivia.

Olivia, not quite 3, fully restored to sweetness and light personified

Date: September 23, 2001


As we were still on vacation, we didn't want to get up any earlier than we had to. Susan and I got up at 6, and I packed the last bits of stuff into the van. I then took another whack at assembling the portable VCR. For some reason, the bloody thing wouldn't work! It was very frustrating, but I didn't have time to analyze… miles to make, you know! I went back to the room, and retrieved the still-sleeping Olivia. I put her in her car seat, and by 7:00, we were on the road. First thing we did was to drive over to Crossroads, so Susan could grab some breakfast munchies for us. Once our munchies were secured, we headed straight for I-4, and home.

As we zipped down I-4 (east) we passed the Embassy Suites, we all waved good-bye. We waved again as we passed Sand Lake Hospital then I got down to some serious driving. As it was Sunday morning, the traffic was very light and there were few Troopers in evidence, so I took the opportunity to um, well… shave some time off of our trip (there, that was delicately said).

We got to I-95 in no time at all, and before you know it, we were passing into Georgia. Upon entering Georgia, we stooped for gas in a town called Woodbine. I don't wish to be rude, but Woodbine, Georgia is "just north of nowhere." Anyway, we had a longish stop because my knee and back were giving me grief. I walked around and stretched a bit and spent a fair amount of time telling Olivia not to touch anything! After about 20 minutes, we were on our way again. Once again noticing a lack of Georgia State Troopers, and once again, taking care to shave some time off of our drive.

Olivia was a gem, as usual, but kept asking us if we were on our way to Epcot! We told her that we would be going back, but not for a little while yet. She readily grasps the concept of "Not Yet" so she was patient (and is still being patient, as of this writing). Even without her Disney videos, she was quiet and patient and enjoyed listening to the 4 or 5 Disney CD's that we brought along with us. Susan talked to her and played with her a lot, and I sang to her. It was all going just fine.

We stopped around midday in Florence, South Carolina. We had plenty of gas in the tank at that point, but I had to get out of the van. I was feeling a wee bit sleepy, and my knee and back were killing me again. We decided that since broken down ol' dad (me) could use a break, we went to the "Cracker Barrel" for a sit down lunch.

The young lady that waited on us is not likely to win any awards for being very bright… I am guessing that she must be new. I don't want to go on too much about this, so suffice it to say that her tip reflected out displeasure in the service we received.

Anyway… back on the road. I suppose it was kind of stupid for me to eat a heavy lunch, since a heavy meal always makes me sleepy, but I did. Of course I got sleepy, as usual, so, we stopped again just after we entered North Carolina. That was just what I needed! That last stop gave me enough energy to finish the drive. We blew through Lumberton, NC like nobody's business (obeying the law, of course!). As I passed the exit for Selma, NC, I thought about my younger days in the Marine Corps. Camp Lejeune, the home of the 2nd Marine Division, is a little over an hour away. I didn't dwell on my Marine Corps days for long, be cause they, like my youth are far behind me.

Susan was getting tired at this point, and so was Olivia, but we had to keep going… we were at Richmond as the sun was going down (I was determined to make Richmond by nightfall). The traffic was rather heavy, but there isn't much I could do about that, so on we drove. Olivia was starting to get really vocal about being hungry, so we stopped in Fredricksburg, Va. (which is just 30 miles short of home) to get her a bite to eat. We took a brief stroll around Target, then finished our drive.

For our British friends, "Target" is a one-stop department/discount store. They sell practically everything. Think Wal-Mart, only a bit more upscale.

We got home at 8:30 PM. The thing that struck me as we walked through the front door of our house was THE SIZE! After a week and a half in a hotel, as nice as it was, it was so nice to be back in our home. We had done some major cleaning before we left so all was nice, neat, and orderly… until we brought in all of our stuff and promptly sat it all in the living room floor.

Olivia got a bath and was sent off to bed, and mercifully, she stayed there. Susan and I just sort of moved about like Zombies for a bit. I did a little note-taking about our ride home, but I was beat... we went to bed.

A lovely, if challenging, vacation had come to a happy, successful, and safe conclusion.


Next: Final thoughts

[stretch2864]

I really enjoyed your trip report! I'm glad to hear that your daughter was feeling better before you had to come home. It was nice to read about someone else who likes Epcot as much as I do. We've been trying to figure out how to spend as much time at Epcot as possible during our upcoming WDW vacation.

[Wondcat]

I enjoyed your report soo much! It evoked memories of my time spent in Ireland 2 years ago. Susan must be a gem and Olivia sounds like an angel. I am so glad that her illness wasn't serious. It is so awful to have a sick child. Can't wait for the end!

[shooter364]

Bill and Family go to WDW – Final Thoughts

Cast:

Bill, 38, Police firearms instructor, husband to Susan, father to Olivia, trip diarist.

Susan, 40-something, Diplomatic Historian, Wife to Bill, mum to Olivia, planner of Disney trips to come.

Olivia, not quite 3, and still asking if it is time to go to Epcot yet.

Dates Sept. 13-23 (and looking forward to December)


As usual, a trip to Walt Disney World is incomplete without encountering the unexpected. For better or worse, for good or ill, there is always something that wasn’t planned that makes for outstanding memories of your vacation. Those of you that have been reading this looong (and hopefully, not-too-tedious) report already know what happened to us on this trip, with Olivia’s illness. It was a real bummer for a few days, but it all turned out for the best. We still had a good time, we still saw and did what we wanted, and we still encountered no end of Disney Magic. The thing to remember here is that you just have to make the best of your situation, and always try to see the bright side.

Having said all of that, I ask for your patience while I plow through the last of my random notes and share with you a few observations I made during our trip. These thoughts are presented in the order in which I scribbled them throughout our trip… I have thrown some opinions in there and have made note of them.

Here goes:

Opinion: Travelling to and from WDW is part of the vacation, too. So don’t forget to have fun while you drive to the airport (whether it be National, Logan, O’Hare or Gatwick). Don’t forget to see and experience new things as you drive from the far corners of the United States or Canada… these are big countries, folks, look around. There is beauty everywhere we look; we just have to be willing to see it. Make the trip fun, it is a vacation, remember?

* In keeping with the harmonious atmosphere that is Walt Disney World, I saw an incredibly high number of multi-racial/ethnic families, to which we added our number.

* How can some people still be so pale at the end of the summer? (Naturally, the Brits are excused from this)

* More men should wear kilts. Wearing a kilt is a heck of a lot cooler than wearing trousers in the summer… especially in Florida.

* The Mickey Bar ain’t what it used to be. I wish they were still produced by Dove.

Question: Don’t you get hot if you leave your poncho on after it stops raining?

The Internet community of “Disney people” is as nice a group of people as you are ever likely to encounter. Deb (and others) from Rita Aero’s site is a perfect example of this, as is Nate from the Passporter site (whom was fortunate enough to meet face to face at The Disney Store). Honorable mention goes to the unnamed lady I encountered from “The Dis.”

* Water parks are what God gives us as a glimpse into what heaven must be like.

* Baby-care centers are wonderful… even if you are just there to let the little ones have some decompression time… parents get the benefit as well.

* I think AK has more shops in a concentrated area than any of the other major parks.

* The Virgin Megastore is great! They stock just about every kind of music you could hope to find. I always have to restrain myself from spending waaay too much money there.

* Would it be indelicate of me to wonder aloud as to why so many women go braless while at wdw? Hmm could it be that I have been in button-down Washington, DC too long.

* When small children sleep, they do so with abandon. We only had one day at AK, but Olivia slept through 90% of it.

* “Mantengan se allejados de las puertas” (I just wanted to type that again.)

* The Gaston character from Beauty and The Beast has really “Big Hair”

* I thought I would have seen more people keeping trip diaries… maybe people have better memories than I do, eh?

* I love talking to the Cast Members. What a great bunch of people!

* Always feel free to dance at WDW. There is always music playing, so if you feel like dancing, go ahead. Where else can you dance in the street and not get arrested?

* The perfume shop at France (Epcot) smells wonderful.

* Restaurant Marrakesh (Epcot) is grossly overlooked… the food is magnificent.

Suggestion: Take a really hard look at the parks when you are there. Can you imagine for a moment the hard work and talent that went into designing such wonderful places? There may be other parks that are more technologically advanced than WDW/Orlando… but they all came after, and as the result of Walt’s vision.

* If you ever have the time, stop in and take a look at the Team Disney building, across from Downtown Disney. You will only get to go into the lobby if you go inside, but it really looks like a great place to work.

* At Sand Lake Hospital, there is a Doctor named Corbett, he is wonderful with children. I will always be grateful to him.

* Don’t forget to tell your loved ones how much fun you are having. Not only because you are at WDW, but also because you are together and you love them.

* Listening to the WDW “Millennium CD” while typing trip reports is a great motivation… puts you right there.

* Watching the “dancing fountain” at Epcot is fun.

* “Spaceship Earth” awes me as much now as the first time I rode it!

* If I had to use one word to sum up what I think Walt Disney World has over other theme parks, that word would be texture. (Magic was just too easy).

* Disney Snow Globes are great, but can be pricey… if they cost more than you are budgeted for, get a few of the mini globes that are sold in many of the shops.


Let me close by saying that our trip was wonderful. Despite Bin Laden and associates, despite Tropical Storm Danielle, and despite Olivia’s illness, we had a grand adventure.

Writing this report (my first) has been a joy to me, and has served to keep my memories fresh. I have laughed out loud many times while typing all of this. I hope I have made a few of you smile as well.

Thanks Walt Whitman.

Next: Wait… that’s it. It's over... all done. The end (until December, anyway)

I bid you Peace

Bill

[ 11-01-2001: Message edited by: shooter364 ]

[PS - I LUV WDW]

Bill - Thanks for the wonderful trip report! I kept looking every few days for the next installment. And I agree with many of your final thoughts/opinions. I especially liked how your roles kept changing each day based on the events of the day. Looking forward already to your December report.
Pam

[September]

Bill,

Great trip report, I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. You have a wonderful family and stories like yours give those of us without children something to aspire to.

A note about the braless state of women in WDW: (1) it's hotter than hell, and (2) would you recognize one of those braless women on vacation if you ran into them in a buttoned-up place like D.C.? It goes back to my theory about what people are willing to do under the guise of anonimity.