MagicLover & Family go to WDW About This Page:

[MagicLover]

MagicLover & Family visit the World

Cast:

MagicLover - Sue, 36, Systems Engineer, and WDW trip planner

Bill - 37, US Navy EMC, and changer of all plans

Nicholas - 4 1/2, lover of rides fast and furious, but afraid of the dark

Alyson (Aly) - 2, knows no fear!

Dates: October 5 - 14. 2001

_______________________
Getting There and Day 1

Our adventure began on the morning of October 5th when I called to confirm our airline reservations. Little did I know that there would be no confirming going on today, only cancellations for us. US Air had cancelled one of our connecting flights down, and the other alternatives provided were horrible. So we opted to jump into my cool new Honda Odyssey (with tv and vcr of course) and drive to Florida.

We were originally scheduled to fly out on the 6th, but since we were now driving we decided to leave on the 5th. We left Chesapeake, VA around 7 pm and drove non-stop to Manning, SC. We stayed at a fairly
new Ramada Inn - it was clean and fairly comfortable and they offered
the free continental breakfast. Works for me!

The next morning we were up and out by 7 am. AFter a couple of brief stops and one fairly large lead foot, we pulled into Downtown Disney around 1:30 pm. Our check in time at our time share was 4 pm and we
wanted to reward the kids for good behaviour on the trip down!

Just one visit to DTD and the kids thought they were in heaven! We browsed through some stores, and bought them each a Disney hat oftheir choosing. My 2 year old burned off some energy in the play area near the Choo Choo Train.

Next it was a brief stop at Shades of Green for our park tickets. I normally would have purchased these at our local military ticket office, but with the 9/11 tragedy and my husband being active duty US Navy, I was pretty unsure of our trip until we pulled out of the driveway. My husband got a quick tour of SOG, and said it was nice and they were very helpful with tickets and information.

Next stop, check-in at the Sunterra Polynesian Isle resort. We checked in slightly before 4 pm, with little wait. The resort was OK, but just OK. We have definitely stayed in nicer places, but it would do. The unit was 2 bedroom - 1 king room, and one with 2 twins - perfect for
our family! One good thing was that the pool was really close to our unit - my son and I took advantage of this on several occasions!

After getting settled, we headed out for dinner at Cracker Barrel, and then to the Super Walmart to stock up on snacks and breakfast foods for the week. WalMart on a Saturday evening in Orlando is just like
everywhere else - packed! I had to wait in line for an eternity.

Then it was back to our resort and to bed for us. I had done ALL of the driving on the way down (my hubby falls asleep easily) and was exhausted!

Tomorrow - Sea World.....

[MagicLover]

MagicLover & Family visit the World
Cast:

MagicLover - Sue, 36, Systems Engineer, and WDW trip planner

Bill - 37, US Navy EMC, and changer of all plans

Nicholas - 4 1/2, lover of rides fast and furious, but afraid of the dark

Alyson (Aly) - 2, knows no fear!

Dates: October 5 - 14. 2001

_______________________
Sunday, October 7th - Sea World

"Squeezing through Tubes"

We were a little slow out of the gate this morning as my hubby loves to sleep, and it often takes a lot a coffee and sometimes a very large crowbar to get him moving. We had breakfast in our unit and arrived at Sea World around 10 am.

We decided to hit Sea World first to avoid the crowds at WDW during Columbus Day weekend. It was moderately crowded the day we went. We were glad to take advantage of our Busch Gardens Platinum Passes which entitled us free entry to Sea World as well!

As we entered the gate, there was baby Shamu posing for pictures with the kids. Nicholas was very excited to meet him. Alyson sat in the back of the stroller with a very emphatic "NO" when asked if she would like to meet Shamu. In fact when my husband pulled the stroller a little closer to Shamu
Alyson emitted a very shrill shriek! It looks like it might take a little bit for Alyson to warm up to any characters.
Nicholas had his picture taken with Shamu and it turned out awesome. Yup, thats right, I dumped a ton of money on pictures of the kids and us at the different parks!

We first enjoyed the flamingos, turtle point, and the ray pool. We then visited briefly with the dolphins. It was feeding
time in the dolphin area so it was PACKED, making it tought for my kids to see. Alyson (barely 2) loved the fishies. Afterwards we were walking towards Atlantis and Kraken and had our own Sea World moment where we were able to watch the trainers working with the dolphins in the dolphin show area. We sat there for quite a few minutes alone (sitting in some side handicapped seats since the stadium was roped off). It was really cool to watch the training session!

Next it was on to the Penguin Encounter. The kids thought the penguins were cool! We were then off to visit the Manatees. I always love seeing these big guys - they are what I would call gracefully clumsy creatures.

Our next stop, the Shamu Show! This is always the highlight of a trip to Sea World for us, and Shamu didn't disappoint us.
The pavillion was pretty crowded when we arrived but we were able to locate decent seats for the show. We particularly like the pre-show, where they ask questions then put the camera on audience members for the
answers. As always, Shamu emptied out the front section with his gargantuon splashes.

After the Shamu Show, we headed over to Shamu's Happy Harbor. First stop was the Moon bounce thingie (I don't know the real name). Both kids went in, and it was a hoot watching Alyson in this thing. She really
had no control over where she went - she just bounced around from spot to spot - and boy was she ever enjoying herself. I had to enter the thing to collect her on one occasion because she wouldn't come out!

My son was begging to go through the climbing structure, so off we went. Oh my gosh, what was I thinking when I agreed
to take my son up through the maze of tubes and nets??? These types of activities are normally reserved for my husband, but I was the lucky candidate on this day! I thought I was going to die getting my big butt through those tubes and nets with my very agile 4 1/2 year old - he is running through and I'm yelling 'Wait for Mommy', 'I'm coming', 'Hold on a minute'. We finally make it across, and then go down one flight of stairs. At the bottom of the stairs is another net structure - I'm thinking we walk across the net structure to the other side, then just take the stairs down. WRONG! We walk across the nets (no problem), but when we get to the other side, we have to go back through the TUBES to get out. No way, not the tubes, not again. Certainly I am going to get stuck, have a heart attack, or possibly die of heat prostration. Anyway, being the good, yet out of shape Mom that I am, I followed my son back through the tubes, directing him the shortest route
to the other side. Actually, I had no choice, that was the only way out! Once we made it out, I think I must have drank a gallon of water.

After my close encounter with the tubes, we decided to go to lunch at the deli in the Busch Welcome Center. The food was mediocre but at least it was cool, and I was still trying to recover from my trip through the
tubes. It took me almost an hour to recover!

Following lunch, we paid a brief visit to the Budweiser Clydesdales and then Bill and Nick were off to ride Atlantis. Nick is about 43 inches tall, just big enough to ride some of the adult attractions which makes it nice for Bill and I - we get some company, and Nick sometimes gets to ride twice in a row. While they were riding Alyson and I did a little shopping. I purchased some postcards and a stuffed seal for Aly, and a couple of plastic sea creatures for Nick. One bonus, with my purchase I got a American Flag t-shirt. Cool - I love free stuff!

Alyson and I headed back to meet Bill and Nick and it started to pour so we ducked into the restroom alcove outside of Atlantis. What a place to have to wait! Oh well, it was dry. We met up with Bill & Nick
a few minutes later and decided to call it a day.

We headed back to our resort and Alyson napped while Nick and I took a swim. Dinner was at Olive Garden, and then early to bed.

Tommorrow - Animal Kingdom and Epcot.....

[MagicLover]

MagicLover & Family visit the World

Cast:

MagicLover - Sue, 36, Systems Engineer, and WDW trip planner

Bill - 37, US Navy EMC, and changer of all plans

Nicholas - 4 1/2, lover of rides fast and furious, but afraid of the dark

Alyson - 2, know no fear!

Dates: October 5 - 14. 2001

_______________________
Monday, October 8th
Animal Kingdom and Epcot

"Alyson warms up to the characters & Illuminations"

We got an early start today (well for us at least) and after breakfast in our unit we arrived at AK around 8:30. After a brief check of the bags we were in the door.

Immediately Terk and Baloo were milling around signing autographs books and taking photos. We purchase an autograph book for Nick. I held out on buying one for Alyson. Nick was stoked to see the characters but
Aly still sat in the stroller with the emphatic "NO" when asked if she wanted to see them.

First stop today was the Safari. We waited maybe 10 minutes at the most and were on. We saw more animals on this trip than we have on past trips-probably because we hit the attraction fairly early. From the safari,
we moved on to the Character Greeeting Trails.

Once Alyson saw some of the more common Disney characters she was coolwith the whole thing. We met Goofy, Mickey, Minnie, and Daisy. Aly even had to go back to Minnie a second time for a hug! YAY! I was getting a little nervous that my plans for several character meals might be out the window with my 2 year old shrieking & saying NO whenever a character got near her. Once she got familiar with it, she was just as anxious to meet them as her brother.

We then went to the Lion King show. I have to say this has always been one of my favorite attractions. The day we saw it they only had 3 singers as opposed to the usual 4 - one for each section. Does anyone know if this is a permanent change or if we just caught it on a day when they were down one performer? Regardless, the show was really cool. After Lion King, we went to the Pocohontas show. Nick and I actually missed about half of it, as he decided he needed to use the bathroom right as it was starting. I didn't really feel like I had missed much on this one, and probably would not try to see it again.

At around 11 am we were kind of warm and a little hungry, so we stopped at Pizzafari. I was very pleasantly surprised with this place. Perhaps it was our timing - but it was not crowded, we didn't have to wait long
to get our food, it was cool, and the pizza was decent. Not gourmet, but decent - and the kids wolfed it down, which counts in my book.

After lunch Bill and Nick went to do ITTBAB. Alyson and I shared a Mickey Bar - she was a mess! We also did a little shopping. Nick did not like ITTBAB - probably the darkness got to him some... Next we hit the Tarzan rocks show. It was standing room only - and we just made it in, standing in the back with the kids on our shoulders. I did master that skill on this trip - I can now hold either one of the
kids on my shoulders. The show was great - a big improvement over the old Jungle Book show they used to have.

Next Bill and Nick took a brief stop in the Boneyard (Alyson had crashed in the stroller). After a little shopping, we headed out around 2:30 pm.

Both kids were sleeping in the car and we didn't want to move them in fear of waking them up, so we headed to Downtown Disney. We each took about 30 minutes going into the shops and browsing while the other stayed in the van with the kids. This actually worked out OK - the kids got their naps, and we got a little shopping in.

After that we headed to Epcot. Epcot has always been one of our favorite parks - we just love the atmosphere. I could stroll forever. First stop on this trip was Spaceship Earth - I sat with Alyson and boy what a trooper -she is barely 2 years old and had no problem with any of the dark rides. SE had been revised some since our last visit. Tonight we had reservations
at the Biergarten - one of my hubbys requests. We eat here on every trip. This was by far our best experience. I think in the past we had always eaten lunch and tonight we had dinner. The buffet was very good - yummy deserts! I tried the Oktoberfest beer - and liked it! The band was GREAT! They had this guy play Edelweiss on cow bells - you should have seen it. Very cool. My son and I shared a waltz while the band played - that was fun.

After dinner we strolled the World Showcase. We saw the movie in China
and also some of the Chinese acrobats. We really enjoyed what we saw of their show (they stopped part way through because of light rain).

Next I got to ride an 'adult' ride on my own - TEST TRACK!!! I loved it! I went through the single riders line and did not have to wait. I had never ridden this before and really liked it. Later in the week Bill & Nick also gave it a shot - but the line was long and fast pass was not running on TT
this night.

Next we headed for Journey into your Imagination with Ellen & Bill Nye.I was nervous about taking Alyson into this one - as on a trip several years ago Nicholas screamed bloody murder and we had to get off - it was horrible. Anyway she did GREAT! I held her ears on some of the louder parts (sonic boom, some of the dinasaur segment). She was totally cool with it - seemed to enjoy herself. Go figure... Nicholas LOVED the dinasaurs and requested to go back on several occasions.

After that is was almost time for Illuminations. We walked right up and had a great view from the front of the lagoon. Bill and I held the kids on our shoulders (loving my new skill) and we all really
enjoyed this show. I really loved sharing this with my daughter (who I was holding) - she was giggling, and pointing at the earth on the water. It was truly one of the special moments of our vacation. After
Illuminations we shopped a little then headed home. Illuminations was one of the highlights of our vacation - I even purchased the CD (which I am loving!).

What a great day....

Tomorrow....The Magic Kingdom.....

[CU Tigger]

LOL! It is great to learn a new useful skill, isn't it! [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] Your trip sounds magical so far. I can't wait to hear more, especially the kids' reactions to the MK!

[MagicLover]

MagicLover and Family do WDW!

Cast:

MagicLover - Sue, 36, Systems Engineer, and WDW trip planner

Bill - 37, US Navy EMC, and changer of all plans

Nicholas - 4 1/2, lover of rides fast and furious, but afraid of the dark

Alyson (Aly) - 2, knows no fear!

Dates: October 5 - 14. 2001

_______________________
October 9, 2001

Magic Kingdom

"Riding, Riding, Riding..."

We got off to a slow start this morning and left the unit at around 9 am. After parking, hiking to the TTC then taking the monorail and going through security it was 10 o'clock. I wasn't feeling too good about the start of our day so far!

First stop, DUMBO! I just love this ride. It is one of my favorites in the MK. We all rode - and the kids loved it. Next stop, the Carousel. This was one of Alyson's favorite rides - we probably rode it at least a half dozen times during our 2 trips to the MK.

After that we were able to visit Pooh, Snow White, and Small World before our 11:30 PS at Crystal Palace. Pooh was our first experience with Fast Pass and we were immediately hooked! What a great system, and a wonderful time-saver.

We were the first lunch seating at Crystal Palace at 11:30, and I was glad I had booked this for an early time. We were seated very promptly and had first pick at a very fresh buffet. The kids just loved the characters. Alyson was particularly hooked on Piglet. The food was good, but nothing overly memorable sticks out in my mind.

After lunch we headed for Adventureland and rode Aladdins Magic Carpets and did the Tiki Room. Nicholas really got a kick out of this show! We then headed to Frontierland, and picked up a FP for Spash Mountain. Nick and Bill then rode Big Thunder Mountain. We did the 'baby swap' on Big Thunder which was cool too - Bill and Nick waited through the regular line, and I was given a fast pass so that when they came out - I could ride the ride through the fast pass line. Neither Bill or Nick cared for Big Thunder too much. After I had my ride on Big Thunder we all headed for Splash Mountain. I had forgotten that Aly was not big enough to ride (having a blonde moment I guess) and they didn't say anything to us until we were actually seated in a boat. I thought that was very odd, they really weren't paying too much attention I guess. Anyway, Alyson and I waited and Bill & Nick rode. Nick loved it, and when they finished, Nick got to ride a second time with me. Sometimes it is not such bad thing to have a little sister.

When then headed through Fantasyland on our way to Toontown. At this point, Alyson had crashed in her stroller, so Bill & Nick decided to see the Lion King show. I did a little shopping and treated myself to a Dole Whip. It was definitely one of my favorite treats at WDW!!! Alyson woke up so we rode the carousel again - which was OK since my little girl was loving the "horsies". We met back up with Bill & Nick and on our way to Toontown we decided to stop and do the Teacups. I generally don't like stuff that goes round and round really fast, but gave it a try anyway. It was actually very fun - and it was cool to have both of my kids on an adult (well sort of) ride and have both of them like it.

At Toontown, we visited the character in the tent. On this day we say Cinderella, Minnie Mouse, and one of the mice from Cinderella (can't remember the name). Then Alyson and I played in the kids play area while Bill & Nick rode Goofys Barnstormer. I had to ride too, so when they finished, Nick and I took a ride while Bill waited with Alyson.

On the way out of Toontown, we decided to ride the Teacups again since we had all enjoyed it the first time. This time, Bill was spinning it a little fast and both Aly and I complained! We then headed to Tomorrowland and tried our luck at Buzz Lightyear. We did pretty miserable - I scored like 11,800... Oh well, I had fun. Alyson and I rode the Tomorrowland Transit Authority while Bill & Nick rode the Astro Orbiter. I have always loved the TTA - it is so relaxing and gives a great view of Tomorrowland and the park.

Since it was almost closing, Bill & Nick decided to try to hit Space Mountain, so Alyson and I took off for, yes you guessed it, the Carousel. Aly got one last ride in - actually I think she got to ride the last 2 rides of the day. Nick and Bill did not make Space Mountain as Nick was not quite tall enough. He arrived in time for the last ride of the day on the carousel. Not space mountain, but pleasing just the same when you are 4 years old.

We made our way out of the park and did a drive-through dinner from Burger King that night. It was a long day with no break from the parks, but it really worked out well. We saw a ton of the MK considering we had 2 small kids in tow! Lucky for us, Alyson cooperated a napped in her stroller.

Tomorrow - our 'break' day....where we do some serious eating and shopping!

[MagicLover]

MagicLover & Family visit the World
Cast:

MagicLover - Sue, 36, Systems Engineer, and WDW trip planner

Bill - 37, US Navy EMC, and changer of all plans

Nicholas - 4 1/2, lover of rides fast and furious, but afraid of the dark

Alyson (Aly) - 2, knows no fear!

Dates: October 5 - 14. 2001

_______________________

Wednesday, October 9th - Our Break Day

"Pigging Out & Melting the Plastic"

Today was our break day. We figured with two little ones, (and two slightly aging ones) a day away from the parks would give all of us some down time.

This morning we had a PS for 9:30 at Boma at the Animal Kingdom Lodge. We were out the door by around 9 am, and made it to AKL by 9:30. This was by far and away my favorite meal of the trip!!! This was a first experience of dining at one of the resorts and it did not disappoint. I sampled quite a few items from the buffet. Particular favorites were the made to order omelet, the waffles, and the pressed pot coffee! I am getting hungry just thinking about it. The service was great and the atmosphere as well.

After breakfast we headed out to see the Savannah area. It was really cool. Today we saw Zebras, Wildabeasts, and some birds. After a brief stop in their gift shop we headed for Downtown Disney for some shopping.

Our first stop at DTD was the Lego play area. The kids played for a little while and we then headed for the World of Disney store. This was the moment of the trip that my charge card almost melted (well almost but not really). We made most of our purchases in this store - sweatshirts, t-shirts, mugs, gifts for friends, a couple of toys for the kids, etc....

After browsing a few more stores, we headed out at around 1:30 for an afternoon of R&R at our resort.

We didn't do much this afternoon - napping & pool time for Nick, but it was a nice break for all of us.

At 5:30 we had reservations for Chef Mickeys. Oh my, I don't think I will ever book 2 buffets in one day again. I could have just eaten a sandwich for dinner after the awesome breakfast, but we wanted to check out the Chef Mickey experience and everyone else was hungry.

Dinner at Chef Mickeys was good - the best thing on the buffet was the mashed potatoes! The character interaction was so-so. The place was really busy, so that characters would come, say hello, sign an autograph and then be off. There was no lingering or spontaneous moments with the kids. My kids did love the visit however. They take a picture of your group when you check in and you can purchase the picture during dinner if you choose. The price on the package wasn't outrageous ($26) so we bought it - another great souvenir.

After dinner we checked out the Contemporary a little bit - we walked back to the dock area and took a few pictures, and then headed back to our resort.

It was a nice day, but probably not quite restful enough. Next time, I think I will only plan one big meal on our break day. Having 2 meals planned made us a little busier than I would have liked.

Tomorrow..... MGM & Epcot

[bfth]

You had to talk about Boma breakfast, didn't you? Now I'm salivating and hungry! [img]images/icons/frown.gif[/img] And lunch is just a yogurt and a LONG ways a way! Oh to be in Boma...

[MagicLover]

MagicLover & Family visit the World
Cast:

MagicLover - Sue, 36, Systems Engineer, and WDW trip planner

Bill - 37, US Navy EMC, and changer of all plans

Nicholas - 4 1/2, lover of rides fast and furious, but afraid of the dark

Alyson (Aly) - 2, knows no fear!

Dates: October 5 - 14. 2001

_______________________
Getting There and Day 1
Thursday, October 11th - MGM & Epcot
"Meltdown and Tapestry of Dreams"

We had breakfast in the condo and then we were off for MGM Studios. We arrived at the park around 10 am. The late starts were getting on my nerves, but some days I just couldn't get my husband moving! I guess I have learned to live with it.

Our first stop was the Little Mermaid show. I just love the special effects in this one. They did make Alyson a little nervous - but Ariel is absolutely one of her favorites, so she stuck in there. Immediately after Little Mermaid, we got in line for the Playhouse Disney show. I have to say it was nice to sit on the floor- kind of relaxing... The kids really loved this one and were dancing around during the show. I liked it too - and demonstrating my ability to cha cha cha as well. It was now about 11:30, and since we hadn't been in the park for too long, we decided to skip our PS for lunch at the 50s Prime Time. None of us were too hungry yet.

My husband and I had decided that we were each going to ride Tower of Terror and Rock n Rollercoaster on this trip. We would have to do a little kid swapping to accomplish this. First we picked up fast passes for Rock n Rollercoaster. Next, I went to the ToT while Bill waited with the kids. On our last trip I was pregnant and missed out on this. It was a lot of fun - but would have been funner with someone to ride with. After my ride I took the kids to the Beauty and Beast show while Bill went to ride Tot & RnR. The show was good as always - and both kids seemed to enjoy it. After the show we went to meet Bill over by RnR. I could tell that he really liked the ride. Now it was my turn to ride RnR - and it was really cool! I just loved the 'take off'. Our swapping off plan worked perfectly! We did 3 major attractions in the period of about an hour.

It was now after 1 pm and we were getting hungry, so we headed towards the Toy Story Pizza Planet. Nicholas is a huge Toy Story fan so this was a must. On the way over though, we all picked up Fast Passes for Star Tours. The pizza was good, the place was fairly clean, and both kids ate well, so it scored high with me.

Next stop after lunch was for Bill and Nick to experience Star Tours. I was a little worried about my 4 year old going on this ride - but he really loved it, and would ride again with me later in the week. After that we headed to the Muppets Show. I think the kids liked it for the most part - but at a couple points I guess the 3-D was a little too real, and we would take the glasses off for a second. Alyson was the most upset that we actually had to return the glasses after use. She thought they were hers to keep. She proceeded to have a royal 2-year old fit. These types of fits sometimes amuse me as if you stop and think about why they are upset it is really hilarious.

After the muppet show, we saw that Buzz Lightyear was greeting guests over at Als Toy Barn, so we waited for an autograph and picture. This was a big moment for Nick - he just loves Buzz. He was Buzz last year for Halloween and will be Buzz again this year. I did purchase the picture that they did of the 2 kids and Buzz - it turned out good.

Next stop was the Honey I Shrunk the Kids Playground - or maybe we should call this the meltdown playground. The place was very crowded and I was afraid of losing the kids - which seemed like it could happen easily. Bill was in his 'just let them play mode' which meant he would just stand and not really check to see where they were going. Well I was trying to tail them (remember Alyson is only 2) and keep with them, or at least head them off where they would come out. We didn't last too long here - they went in a tunnel, Alyson got scared, I was on the other side waiting. You get the picture - meltdown time. Luckily there was another adult close by that helped them out of the tunnel and I then had come back around to where they had started. They were both crying, and I was mad at Bill for not helping supervise. Well I guess my anger was evident as we were leaving this place....cause Bill decided it was time to leave, NOW. He pretty much took off bound for the car, with no discussion. I was pretty pissed with him at this point. Ok, breathe, calm down. This was probably the low point of our vacation. I guess we have to have the lows to appreciate the highs...

We got back to the car and headed back to our resort, still kind of pissed off. Well I think we just needed a break. We went back and Alyson napped while Nick and I had a great swim in the pool. He said to me at one point "This is a wonderful day for swimming. Right Mommy?" Kids can be so sweet!

After our break and re-grouping, we decided to head again to Epcot. Somehow we just love the feel of this place in the evening. Not to mention that it stays open later than the other parks during October.

On this night we rode Maelstrom, strolled through some shops, and saw the performers in China. Our dinner consisted of 'snacks' in the world showcase. I did try a Rice Cream in Norway, and the kids shared one of those Pretzel things from Norway - it was all YUMMY! While I picked up snacks in Norway, the kids played on the big wooden ship - and of course enjoyed it.

We walked around the World Showcase some and it was time for the 8:10 show of Tapestry of Dreams so we took a seat (front row I might add) on the pavement around the United States for the parade. Tapestry of Dreams was awesome. We were all mesmerized by it. How do those performers 'control' the characters they play in the parade? That has got to take some skill.

After the parade, it was getting late for the kids, so we decided to head out...

Tomorrow....

Magic Kingdom and Epcot....

[MagicLover]

MagicLover & Family visit the World
Cast:
MagicLover - Sue, 36, Systems Engineer, and WDW trip planner

Bill - 37, US Navy EMC, and changer of all plans

Nicholas - 4 1/2, lover of rides fast and furious, but afraid of the dark

Alyson (Aly) - 2, knows no fear!

Dates: October 5 - 14. 2001

_______________________

Friday, October 12th - Magic Kingdom & Epcot

Today we had breakfast reservations for Cinderellas Royal Table at 8:45 am. I was a little nervous with our track record that we might not make it on time. When we pulled into the park - we were right up front - didn't even have to ride the tram. We took the resort monorail to the park, and after a quick stop at security for a check of the bags we were on our way.

When we arrived at the castle we were sent into the waiting room - pretty cool. After a bit, the Fairy Godmother came out and we got a picture and autograph with her. We waited about 20 minutes and were then seated.

One of the things I really loved about this meal was that they brought everything to you - no getting up to go through a buffet line. That was nice with little ones. The character interaction and atmosphere were wonderful. Snow White and Aladdin were particularly good. And yes, the french toast is YUMMY!

After breakfast we headed into Fantasyland and went on Peter Pans flight. I've got to say, this ride was really cool - I loved the ride over the town. Nicholas really liked it and wanted to ride again, so the boys rode Peter Pan a second time while Alyson and I rode Its a Small World. Aly loves this ride. After that we met up, and of course Nick wanted to ride Small World, so we rode yet again.

We then headed into Adventureland and rode Pirates of the Caribbean. The kids were a little scared, but not traumatized on this one. Nick wanted to see the Tiki Bird show again, so we picked up a fast pass for the Jungle Cruise and went and saw the show. Both kids enjoyed the show the 2nd time through. Next stop was the Jungle Cruise, and this was truly a highlight. Nicholas was so sucked in to what was going on - in his mind he was really in the jungle on a boat - very cool to watch his face and his reactions.

We then headed over to the Country Bear Jamboree. Alyson really got a kick out of the bears on the walls that talked, and I gotta say I love 'em too. We then headed into the Hall of Presidents. I wanted to see the bust of George W. We didn't stay for the show as we thought the kids would probably be bored.

By this time it was about 1:30 pm so we decided to head out and take a little break. We stopped at Chik Fil A for some nourishment. Both kids napped today.

After our break, we decided to head for Epcot. We went there just about every day of our trip. We just love the place - something about the atmosphere there. The main reason we went this night was because Nicholas was clamoring to see the dinasaurs (Journey into Your Imagination) again. So of course our first stop was that ride. He enjoyed it this time too!

After that we spent some time in Innoventions - Bill & Nick watched a movie while Alyson and I walked around. On our way out of Innoventions we ran into a very nice cast member named Eduardo who was part of the college program. Bill had gone to the bathroom, and he was so nice just playing around with Nicholas for at least 5 - 10 minutes. He was a really cool CM.

We then went and experienced the Living Seas. Both kids enjoyed the aquarium, and one of the dive programs was going on while we were there so there were divers in the tank - which the kids thought was neat. After an hour or so at the Living Seas we headed towards the World Showcase.

Our dinner tonight was a snack in Canada - a beavertail no less. Lunch was late and we weren't really hungry, so the beavertail hit the spot! We then walked through Canada and saw the 360 Movie.

At this point it was getting late, and the kids were a little cranky so we decided to call it a night. We did have our picture taken in front of the big ball on the way out (what do they call that thing?). I ended up purchasing it the next day.

We got back to the timeshare at around 9 pm. We spent some time cleaning up and packing. Tomorrow is check out day. So sad, our vacation is coming to an end.

Tomorrow.... MGM, Epcot & Sea World...

[tikibird]

Magic,

Great report so far! I was glad to hear that I was not the only one that had a "meltdown" with my spouse during a WDW trip! [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

Two thumbs up to Nick for his great taste in wanting to see the Tiki Room a couple of times! [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[MagicLover]

MagicLover & Family visit the World
Cast:

MagicLover - Sue, 36, Systems Engineer, and WDW trip planner

Bill - 37, US Navy EMC, and changer of all plans

Nicholas - 4 1/2, lover of rides fast and furious, but afraid of the dark

Alyson (Aly) - 2, knows no fear!

Dates: October 5 - 14. 2001

_______________________
Saturday, October 13th

MGM, Epcot, and Sea World (I'm tired just typing this!)

We had to pack the van this morning, and do the basic cleanup of the condo. Despite the extra chores, we were on our way by about 9:30 am. First we headed to MGM to take in the Hunchback Show, and hopefully meet Woody and Jessie from Toy Story. First thing we picked up fast passes for Star Tours. Then we headed to the Hunchback Show. The show was great and we had good seats up front, and particularly enjoyed the pre-show entertainment - Matt the Juggler. Next we headed over to Als Toy Barn, and the kids met Buzz & Woody together. The pictures turned out great! We were hoping to see Jessie as she is one of Alysons favorites, but no such luck. After that, Nicholas and I rode Star Tours. I had not yet ridden this, and sometimes I have problems with motion simulator type rides - but this one was no problem and I did enjoy it. After the show we headed out for Epcot.

We drove to Epcot quickly and were able to get pretty good parking. First stop was the camera shop, where I purchased the pictures they had taken in front of 'the ball' the night before. Our plans for this trip were lunch, The Land, then explore some of the World Showcase and head out by around 5 pm. We went to the Land, and had lunch at the Sunshine Season Food Court. It was OK, but not particularly memorable. We were going to ride the Land boat ride, but the line was long, so we picked up Fast Passes and headed for the World Showcase. We strolled through Canada and England. We saw the guard guys (not sure what they are called) in England. We decided to take the kids to meet Aladdin in Morocco. This was GREAT character interaction! We then enjoyed browsing the shops in Morocco. We also listened to the band playing in Morocco.

The character caravan was going to be in the W.S. at around 3 pm, so we headed to check that out. That was really a lot of fun - the kids met lots of characters, and Nick got a lot of autographs, but it did go very quickly.


After the character caravan, we made our way back around the World Showcase and headed for Test Track. I talked Bill into taking Nick and we did the Baby Swap. Nick loved the ride and the coolest part was that he got to ride twice back to back thanks to the baby swap. Test Track was my favorite new ride of this trip I think. After our ride on Test Track, we shopped in Mouse Gear - Nick got an Emperor Zurg character and Alyson a Ariel doll. I purchased a little Test Track car for my desk at work and Bill picked up a Disney baseball.

The last thing Bill wanted to do was to ride Kraken at Sea World. We left Epcot at around 5 pm, so we had less than 2 hours before Sea World closed. We pulled into the parking lot at Sea World, and Bill immediately headed out for Kraken. I got the kids loaded in the stroller, and off we went. While we waited for Bill to finish the ride, we experienced the Penguin Encounter again, then went to wait for Bill at Kraken.

After a few minutes, Bill emerged after victoriously conquering Kraken. I think he was glad that he had gotten to ride it. AFter Bill's ride, I decided it was time for me to have a turn riding Atlantis, so Nick and I headed to Atlantis. The ride was pretty cool - part water ride, part coaster.

What happened next is probably my best memory of the trip. Nick and I had finished riding Atlantis and were looking for Bill and Alyson. Then I spot Bill over by the fountains in front of Atlantis. I could only assume where Alyson was.

We walked over, and sure enough Alyson was soaked from head to toe running and squealing through the fountains. Nick promptly joined in the fun. I took a load of pictures in those 10-15 minutes. The kids were just having a blast. It was such a pleasure to watch them! It was getting close to park closing and was also getting dark so Bill headed off to purchase a towel to dry off the little ones. Before long Bill had returned with the towel, and Alyson was starting to look cold so we headed for the restrooms to change the kids clothes. We changed their clothes then started walking towards the front of the park, and lingered where we could knowing our vacation was coming to a close.

At around 7:30 we had finally made our way back to the van and were on our way. We drove pretty much straight through to Hardeeville, SC where we spent the night at a Holiday Inn Express. It wasn't anything special, but was clean and convenient.

Tomorrow - our drive home....

[bfth]

The end already?