The "And Now For Something Completely Different" Trip (COMPLETE) About This Page:

[Tara O'Hara]

Wow! What a nice day! I LOVE the Hollywood Brown Derby!! I'm glad that you decided to give it another go. I wish my husband was as in love with Disney as yours is!! He would NEVER ask to stay an extra day!! I'm glad that this report will be extended!

[poohsgirl]

<font color="purple">I'm really enjoying your trip report! From your description and Nicole's(luv2plan), I guess my next tour will have to be the Hidden Treasures of the World Showcase! I'm definitely going to La Nouba in August! Can't wait to more! </font>

[Disneyphile's Wife]

Friday, April 16, 2004: Day Seven—Flower and Garden Festival

Since we hadn’t intended on staying in Florida today, DH had arranged for us to spend tonight at Port Orleans Riverside. After getting up and packing, we headed over to check in. It is a lovely resort, quite charming. They actually checked us in even though it was very early and gave us our keys. We decided to have breakfast at Boatwright’s Dining Hall where DH had the stuffed French Toast, which he enjoyed; I had the Breakfast Calabash, with which I was unimpressed, and DS had the Mickey pancake, which he enjoyed. Then we went to check out our room, number 3635 (this is important). We went over, but the key didn’t work. We shrugged this off, thinking that, since it was so early, the key wasn’t yet active.

After waiting over 45 minutes for the bus, we finally drove to Epcot. On the way, of course, we passed the bus. We then headed over to Epcot to enjoy the Flower and Garden Festival. The first thing we did was reserve seats in the Annual Passholders VIP Seating area for the 7:00 show of the Flower Power concert. Then, we walked around World Showcase. DS worked on his mask and I took pictures. At 4, we had dinner priority seatings at Le Cellier, which made me very happy. I had my mushroom filet, DH had surf and turf, and DS had a hamburger. I also had the cheese soup (delectable) and DH had the duck, which he had had on Tuesday and which was very good both days. All three of our dinners were very good and we enjoyed them. We then continued through the World Showcase until it was time for the concert. The VIP seating area is the front section of the American Gardens Theatre, and we were in the fifth row. The performer that night was Davy Jones, who was funny and performed some of his standards; we enjoyed it. Then we finished World Showcase.

DH and DS took the monorail to Magic Kingdom, where they saw Wishes again and rode Splash Mountain twice more before they drove back to the hotel. I was the one having the adventure.

As I was tired and had done everything at Magic Kingdom I had wanted to, I took the bus back to the resort to take it easy. First, I’d forgotten the stop I was supposed to take, so I got off at the wrong one. Fortunately, both the stops were pretty close to our room, so it wasn’t much of a walk. Then, I got to room 3635, but my key still wouldn’t work. I was going through my things looking for the phone number for the front desk when a gentleman opened the door asking if I had been trying to get into his room. I told him yes, but that I obviously had the wrong room number. I called the front desk and got the RIGHT number (3535). Later, when we checked where the cast member who had checked us in wrote it down, we found she had written it down incorrectly. I got to the room and my key worked the first time! I called DH (we had been using our cell phones to keep in touch throughout the trip), but his battery, which had been losing charge all week, was obviously dead. In desperation (not wanting to put DH through waking the poor, nice gentleman in 3635 up after midnight), I contacted the front desk to see if they had any way of putting some kind of temporary stop on his room key, which he might use to charge something with, so they could give him the right room number. They can stop it, but he’d then have to go to the front desk for a new key, since it wouldn’t be temporary but permanent. Fortunately, he called me from a pay phone to make sure I’d gotten into the room and I was able to give him the right number.

He and DS woke me when they came in, and we all settled in until the next morning.

The weather today was . . . hot.
The best thing today was . . . riding the front of the Epcot monorail.
The worst thing today was . . . Magic Kingdom park closing at 11 instead of 12.
Today we tried . . . VIP seating at the Flower Power concert and the result was enjoyable.
The most magical moment today was . . . it was an extra day.

[DrDolphin]

Your report has me really looking forward to La Nouba in October and I want to schedule the Secrets of World Showcase Tour!!!

[Disneyphile's Wife]

April 17-18, 2004: The Trip Home

Because DH thought there was a dragon slide at the pool (there isn’t, maybe Port Orleans French Quarter?), we had told DS he could swim for a little in the morning. We had breakfast and then headed down to the pool. DS wasn’t at all disappointed that the slide wasn’t a dragon, but he was a little disappointed that it wasn’t on yet. He got over it fast and was soon having a blast playing in the water with a couple of other boys his age.

When the first lifeguard arrived, DS was the first over to ask when the slide would be open. She told him it would be when three of them were there, about fifteen minutes from them. It was a little longer, but one of the three finally went up to open the slide. As soon as he headed up, so did DS; he was first in line. Neither he nor I thought anything of this, other than DS REALLY likes water slides. The lifeguard then made an announcement: that the slide was open and that Josh would be the first one down it. He was pretty excited and even more so when he was given a hat and certificate to commemorate the occasion.

DH dawdled checking us out and loading the car to give DS plenty of time in the pool, but it was finally time to go. We reached our hotel in North Carolina about midnight or so. We continued driving the next day, finally reaching home at 11:30 at night. Work and school both began the next day.

Lessons Learned

1. DVDs can help the driver stay awake, but musicals are much better than action movies; the driver needs something he can listen to and action movies are mostly visual.
2. Driving down is a perfectly acceptable means of saving money, but it’s worth it to stay on site, if only for the transportation. (Being able to go different places without spending more money might have stopped a couple of arguments.)
3. The extra day was nice, but next time I’m keeping the day at home before we go back. I’m still beat.

I know it’s not Disney but . . .

That’s all, folks!

[Tara O'Hara]

I have thoroughly enjoyed this trip report and I am very sad that it is over! Thank you for sharing your journey with us!!

[goingsoon]

Welcome home. I'm glad you guys had a good time. Hopefully we will have as much fun over Memorial day.

[poohsgirl]

<font color="purple">Thanks for sharing your trip with us. It was very entertaining! </font>

[LilMarcieMouse]

<font color="blue">You 3 had a wonderful time. I would love to see the Pic of you guys in front of POTC.
Next time try the S'Mores at 50's Ok? </font>

[TheGoof]

Sorry Marcie, we don't like Smores' Don't care for Marshmellow's.

We did have a great time though (other than Tuesday Morning! and a few minor irritants.)

[luvnwdwgal]

Thanks for sharing your trip with us!!

[Disneyphile's Wife]

First of all, thank you to everybody who's been posting the comments. This is my first trip report and it means a lot that others have enjoyed it.

[ QUOTE ]
Tell us how the crowds were over Spring Break.

[/ QUOTE ]
I don't think we were there for the worst of Spring Break. From what I could tell, we were there for the tail end of it. There were long waits for the most popular rides; although I didn't mention it, we made heavy use of Fast Pass and we did try to be smart about when we rode. That's a major reason DH and DS kept hitting Magic Kingdom so late; at that hour, the line for Splash Mountain is easier. There was only one day in which I truly felt I was in the midst of a crowd; otherwise, it may have been crowded but not unbearable. It was certainly worth going when we did.

[ QUOTE ]
I wish my husband was as in love with Disney as yours is!! He would NEVER ask to stay an extra day!!

[/ QUOTE ]
DH is actually the Disney nut in our family, which is why my screen name is Disneyphile's WIFE; he had to convince me to stay instead of the other way around. And, yes, I'm a soft touch.

[ QUOTE ]
I'm definitely going to La Nouba in August!

[/ QUOTE ]
I can't recommend La Nouba highly enough. Believe me, my description in no way did it justice. I can't imagine anyone not enjoying it immensely.

[ QUOTE ]
I want to schedule the Secrets of World Showcase Tour!!!

[/ QUOTE ]
I highly recommend it to anyone who likes understanding the whys and hows. I found it fascinating, as I suspect DH would have. DS, unfortunately, isn't old enough, but I think he might be eventually. Probably when he's going without us though.

[ QUOTE ]
I would love to see the Pic of you guys in front of POTC.

[/ QUOTE ]
If DH or I can figure out how, we will.

[ QUOTE ]
Next time try the S'Mores at 50's Ok?


[/ QUOTE ]
As DH says, neither of us is big on S'Mores. But it IS one of our favorite places to eat.

Thanks again to everybody for their comments. This is perhaps the friendliest message board on the 'net.

[Mel & Richard]

Thanks for sharing your report with us. It's funny that you got the job of TR writer when your DH is a bigger fan than you.

Mel

[TheGoof]

That's because the thing that DW likes best is planning and things like this. She is the one that found the passporter back in 2000, and she truly enjoys the minutia of recording things on the pass pockets.

Far be it from me to take from her the aspects of the trip that she really enjoys.

(Whatever it takes to get her to go... )

[Nala]

Great trip report. Glad you had a great time. I love the part about The Goof getting you tipsy and talking you into another day! I was also glad to read that he took the tour and got to show off his drawing abilities.

Thanks for sharing your trip with us.