Our Getaway from VT's -28 degree Weather About This Page:

[Irenaroo]

Great TR, Brenda! Your SIL sounds like a fun target. Dumb question...who is Devine? Been to AK three times, and don't know who Devine is.

[Diz]

LOL!
Brenda, it sounds like everyone picks on Laura! She must be a good sport, though! She's smiling with the ketchup bottle over her head!

Sounds like you had a ball at AK! Glad you saw Devine, even if it was for a short time!

Can't wait to hear what SIL thinks of MGM and Fantasmic!

[TINKN]

Originally posted by Brenda:
This was a great end to our day so taking a leisurely stroll through the Oasis we came upon a CM standing by a cart that has souvenirs for sale and in his arms was this large Iguana, now this looked real to me and he asked if I wanted to pet it and as I reached out my hand the head turned real quick towards me, I jumped back but than saw that it was really a stuffed one being maneuvered by the CM, well DSIL did not hear me say that and he asked her to pat it too, he kept walking toward her and she kept backing up well the CM threw it at her and my SIL stumbled back and fell on her butt, I don't know who was more surprised her or the CM! He did apoligize profusely and SIL got up with a very red face [img]graemlins/blush.gif[/img] but still thought it was a real one and had actually jumped at her, until I told her differently!!

<font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS, Arial">ROTFLMAO! I saw the same thing (maybe even the same CM in 2000). I thought it was real until I noticed how he was using his hand. It was very convincing!

Another great installment! Can't wait for more.

[tikibird]

Great installment - enjoyed hearing about your day at AK and glad you finally got to catch Devine. Next, please! [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[HiddenMickey]

Brenda---We need more! [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img] -HiddenMickey

[PS - I LUV WDW]

Great report so far!

And I agree with HiddenMickey

Brenda---We need more! -HiddenMickey

<font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS, Arial">[img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[Brenda]

Day 4 Glamour & Glitz of MGM
Tues. Jan 21st

Sorry has taken me awhile to get back to report I broke my hand 3 weeks ago [img]graemlins/pout.gif[/img]

Up and ready to go, weather channel predicts upper 70's today, so dress in shorts, t-shirts with a sweatshirt over it and pack pants & jackets for cooler evening time. Head for our free Breakfast buffet (can't get enough of those carrot muffins [img]graemlins/love.gif[/img] )

A short 10 min drive to Studios, and a very quick security check. We are now off to enjoy.

DH insist we head over to his favorite area, Echo Lake, he loves Drew Carey's Sounds Dangerous and WOW's the group waiting for doors to open by knowing all the answer's to the Trivia questions (of course they don't know this is only his 6th time here in the last year). The sound effects are so real and I know to pull headphones away from my ears when the glass jar of bees is broken this is too realistic for my taste in bugs [img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img]
Now on to Indiana Jones, great show, tried to talk DSIL to volunteer but she was having none of that.
Off to one of my favorites Muppet-Vision 3-D, I just love the pre-show the multi-screen videos are a treat.
We have PS's for 50's PT @ 11:00 so we stroll on over there, We are the first to arrive for lunch time, they take our name and we are asked to wait anywhere we would like. We go to the left and find a nice little corner set up like someone's livingroom in the 50's. Now having been born in the early 50's this brings back such memories especially the round black & white TV with Father Knows Best playing. Our name is called and we are seated in a cute little 50's kitchen with the calendar on the wall being 1953, WOW the year I was born [img]images/icons/cool.gif[/img] Our waiter was good, but the waitress at the table across from us was a hoot, she had a young boy (age 11?) being punished for elbows on the table, she had him stand up and recite "I'm a little Teapot" (which he didn't know!) so she than stood him in the corner and said "5 minutes don't move", he was a good sport and went along with it all.
Our meal was delicious and very large serving,we had a voucher from connections so, DH & I shared a meal, B-B-Q chicken, Fries & Onion rings as an appetizer (these were awesome thin sliced and batter dipped [img]graemlins/yuma.gif[/img] ) We couldn't even eat all of one meal together! We than shared a Banana Split. (Of course we ate all this!!)

Now having been to MGM many times DH & I were on the look out for the streetmosphere actors, they are fantastic, we have never laughed so hard at the "City Works" guys while they do their plunger darts show! But sadly we could not time it right to catch their show we did come upon the very end of one show on Sunset Boulevard and managed to get their pictures but that was it, big disappointment.

We next do Great Movie Ride, off to Back Lot Tour, DSIL can't understnd why I insist she get into Catastrophe Canyon ride first and sits way to the left (she thinks I'm being nice so she has a better view is she in for a surprise!!) Now on to find a good spot for the Stars & Motor Cars parade, we find a spot on the curb on Hollywood Boulevard, send the guys off to get us an ice-cream and have about a 1/2 hour wait. Not too busy yet. DIL's love the parade and I am using my new video camera and filming it, when BUMMER, I realize that I never took out the tape from yesterday's AK and I have recorded over about 45 min of AK [img]images/icons/mad.gif[/img] . Well, I just tell DH we will have to go back to AK and redo the video!! (I recorded over DEVINE!!!)

OK now I am insisting on ToT, DBIL is not really convinced yet but DSIL is, so off we go, Wow no line we walk right in, I did explain to DBIL that there is a chicken walk if he wishes to use it,Well he did! Gee I have never been on ToT when the elevator isn't full, DH and I are up front and SIL went to sit with another girl who was all by herself and her first time too!! When ride was over DSIL looked quite pale but smiling!! We met up with DBIL in the shop, we went to view the photos taken, DSIL was hanging on for dear life to the poor girl she sat with who also looked quite pale, we had to buy this!!
Off for a bite to eat, Toluca Turkey Legs!!! Yum Yum!! After eating we decide to catch the last Beauty & Beast show. Although it did get up to 71 degrees, it is now cooling down again so off to the parking lot to get pants & Jackets to change into. Back in to line up for Fantasmic show we are an hour early but plenty of people lining up!!
It didn' take long for bleachers to really fill up, it was completely full about 15 min before start time, our thrid time but as enjoyable as our first one. DIL's could not stop Ooohing & Ahhhing through it all.
A great day has ended and back to Suite, and my nightly hot tub soak!!

Tomorrow: DIL's last day on their park hoppers, we will do Epot in A.M. and MK in afternoon!!

[ 03-11-2003, 11:31 AM: Message edited by: Brenda ]

[DVC_Don]

Thanks, I just found your TR and like it.

I make a mental note to buy her a PassPorter for their next trip!

<font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS, Arial">Christmas present.

[CRCrazy]

So sorry to hear about your hand - Hope you are healing well. Thanks for writing - I've been wondering how the rest of your trip went.

[tikibird]

Brenda,

Glad to see you writing again, but so sorry about your hand! [img]images/icons/frown.gif[/img] Hope it feels better soon!

Enjoyed hearing about your day at MGM, and looking forward to your next post! [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[chezp]

Sorry to hear about your broken hand. [img]images/icons/frown.gif[/img] I'm really enjoying your trip report and I'm looking forward to the next part.

Cheryl

[Brenda]

Wed. Jan 22nd Day 5

Got up bright and early because we will have to fit in a lot today, DIL’s last day on their 3-day Hopper passes!

Quick bite to eat and off for Epcot, DH is doing lots better at the driving from Suite to WDW now!!

Because DBIL tends to get motion sickness, we will avoid the rides that cause this. First stop is Spaceship Earth (just DBIL’s speed) Next we head for Innovention’s East, to send our free Video mail we promised to grandson. Way cool [img]images/icons/cool.gif[/img]

On to one of my favorites, Universe of Energy, I think Ellen Degenneres is such a funny comedian and the Dinosaur’s are so real looking!!

OK, so DBIL gets motion sick but I convince him Test Track is just like driving his own race car (what guy can resist that!) Again not much of a line and we walk quickly up to the loading dock (the only disappointment is not having time to observe all the neat stuff in the queue) We tell DIL’s to get in the front of the car and we will be passengers in the back, BIL has hands on the wheel and informs us we better hold on because he is going to give us a ride of our lifetime (If he only knew!!!) By the end of the ride his hands are gripping the steering wheel so tight his knuckles are white, Ha! Ha! [img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img]

we go to Season Food Fair for a quick snack and a look around, DIL’s love the whimsical hot air balloons!! We finish and head for the Living with The Land line (what Line!!) Go up to loading area wait for boat to unload then we climb on. DH and I are again amazed at the size and amount they can grow here. This is very interesting to us because we have such a short season for planting and growing in VT.

Can you believe my DH insist we bring DIL’s into Ice Station Cool [img]images/icons/confused.gif[/img] ( a phone call from DD last night tells us it is -30 at home) I guess DH misses that. DIL’s try all of the cola’s and I must say most had them making quite the faces!!(or spitting back into cups)

We now head over to the Living Seas, to view my favorite’s the Dolphins!! I’m not disappointed there are two of them making a big spectacle of themselves playing with a foam ball, got great video of this, they are so entertaining, I watched them for 15 min.!!

Our last stop at Epcot is, Honey, I Shrunk The Audience, and I was wishing that the weather was warmer so DSIL had shorts on to get the full effect of the rats when they got loose!!! Even with jeans on she felt enough to make her scream and pull her feet up onto her chair!!
We leave Epcot, but DIL’s will have to plan another trip down to WDW because they have missed the World Showcase and IllumiNations, but we have to get to MK for our PS’s at Liberty Tree Tavern.

Oh so delicious, again DH and I shared a meal using Connections voucher (they do serve a lot of food and on separate plates!!) To start with we had the Maryland Crab cake(devine) and than ordered the special of the day (wasn’t on the menu) Beef Stroganoff with side of garden vegetable and warm soft rolls! For dessert we got the Chocolate Fudge cake (Oh so good) came with fresh strawberries on the side. DIL’s got the Tavern Fried Cheese (they are sharing a meal too) for appetizer than ordered the N.E Pot Roast with vegetables and shared a large piece of Apple Pie, we all had their freshly brewed coffee, which smelled and tasted very much like our own Green Mtn. Coffee!! [img]graemlins/yuma.gif[/img]

With stomach’s full and needing to find a good spot for the Share a Dream Parade, we spy a great place just across the street from LTT, we set ourselves down and DSIL and I decide to check out the shopping nearby while DH & BIL save our places. Get a few souvenirs and come back to wait about 15 min. and we hear the music starting. I love this spot because when others gather in front of us and can stand on the wall to get good shots with Video and Digital cameras!!

After Parade we hop onto WDW Railroad and give DIL’s a tour all around park, we do a complete circle and get off in Frontierland head for Splash Mtn queue, again no lines!! we are quickly up to the top and boarding the boats, my favorite part is going through the cave and seeing all the animatronics, my DH favorite is ,of course, the big drop into the Briar patch!! DIL’s loved this so much they wanted to go back but alas we have so much more to see before Spectro parade!!

We do get to see PoC, Jungle Cruise,than over to Alien Encounter & Buzz Lightyear (DH always beats me at this [img]images/icons/mad.gif[/img] ). Next we hustle over to Fantasyland and get to see It’s a Small World, than Haunted Mansion, I couldn’t believe that the video I took in here came out, I have Nightshot on my new Camcorder and this films in pitch black with no lights on camera at all, the video comes out in Black & White and a little grainy but it looks so spooky I even got a great shot of our hitchhiker!! (Oh Boy DH says I need more practice I was swinging the camera around way to fast, makes him dizzy!!) Our last ride for the day we take the TTA, which gives DBIL the chance to see the inside of Space Mtn. (and hear the screams!!)
It is now time to get to our favorite spot for the Spectro Parade, back to the wall across from LTT, no one is sitting there yet so we gladly settle in, DH and I are always in awe at the sight of this parade!! After parade we walk towards castle and just over the bridge we find a great spot to stand and view Tinker Bell and her flight before the Fireworks, an incredible show as usual (I got a great shot of Tinker Bell with the zoom on my camera!!)

Wow, what a long day, but I think we did manage to fit in a lot because the lines were really Non-existence at this time of the year , a little cool for us but great for those who have never been and only have a 3-day hopper pass!!

We get back to the Lake Buena Vista area and stop at the Macaroni Grill for a bite to eat, they also have a great buffet! The night is really cooling down now and I am exhausted so skip the hot tub just a quick shower and off to bed (BTW did I mention that Summerfield Suites gives you the softest feather pillows when you ask!! [img]graemlins/love.gif[/img] )

Tomorrow: DH and I do AK again (to get my video’s back that I messed up) Hope to see Devine again!!

[ 03-13-2003, 12:28 PM: Message edited by: Brenda ]

[tikibird]

Hey, no spitting back into cups allowed at Ice Station Cool! [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

Enjoyed hearing about your day, and hope that you get to capture Devine on tape again!

Next, please! [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[luvnwdwgal]

Sounds like the 4 of you are having a blast! Hope you were able to capture Devine again. Looking forward to the next installment! [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[rebecca c.]

Love your trip report!