WDW PTR 6/30-7/7 - Updated 7/17

[WadeJ]

(TIP for those of you that can't see the entire photos due to lower resolutions - Use the buttons in the upper right corner!)

Sample:


This trip report will be done in segments mostly due to a severe lack of time  .

The purpose of our trip was primarily for my wife to be a worker at the Life 2007 Conference (http://www.life2007.org) at the Orlando Convention Center (we are heavily involved in aiding Africa....edit: I should have added through our Church)  And of course, when Wade hears Orlando, bells and whistles go off lol.

So I had a choice.  I could either take the week off work to watch the kids while my wife was away (tempting), or go to Florida with her and watch the kids at WDW while my wife was away.  Of course we all went  .  This is a perfect example of how awesome Annual Passes are.  I can't even begin to count the number of trips that were the result of business or conferences in the Orlando area or family gatherings of some sort.  Needless to say, photos are far and few because I couldn't keep track of two kids, push the stroller, etc. AND take photos!

Anyway, to save money, we drove and traffic SUCKED  .  We left @ 9AM  on Friday and had the intentions of hitting exit 3 in GA just before the FL border around 9-9:30PM to take a doze at a hotel.  We got there @ 1:30AM and needless to say, I wasn't rested for the remainder of our drive on Saturday.  Anyway, Saturday went much better and had us pulling in Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa around 10:30AM.  Even better; our room was ready early!

This was a unique opportunity to stay at a DVC resort (Disney Vacation Club) without being a member.  We've been thinking about DVC for a few years now and were excited to have the chance to try before we buy via a special limited offer through our AP's.  First we were going to stay at Old Key West which would have been my preference but it sold out by the time we went to finalize the booking over the phone so we had to settle with Disney's newest DVC property, Saratoga Springs.  And why you ask?  Simple..... we paid 10 bucks more a night than we would have at Port Orleans Riverside which is our favorite moderately priced hotel on property.

So onto my impressions of the resort....    It was BIG and...um, nice.  But somehow, it lacked that Disney charm of even the moderate resorts.  There were simply HUGE buildings on flat land and was located literally on the lake ajacent to Downtown Disney.  Even more odd was the view of High Rise towers from our balcony.  Overall, the room rocked.  We loved having more space and the mini-kitchen and the balcony was a nice touch but it felt just like a Marriot time share resort to me.  Maybe it will get better as the landscape grows in?  Who knows.  It was literally being completed the week we were there so maybe they aren't done yet.

Here are a few photos at the resort:

Yes, I managed to get them to actually stand still for a picture together!!!


Part of our room.  Since we had a studio, I had to open the sofa bed each night but it was nice having more room during the day rather than another bed there.


View of a high-rise along the main strip off property.


A view of another MASSIVE building in our resort taken from our balcony.


You never realize how AWESOME it is to have this setup until you stay here!


Unlike Port Orleans, the toilet is not pratically touching the bathtub which makes it MUCH easier to give kids a bath.


Final pic of this update - amazing how well they can get along after a day at the parks!


More to come tomorrow

[darkridedan]

Wow Wade, 1am in Georgia? That must have been fun. We used to hit Tampa by 1 am.

Did you see anything like this?

Chris took this picture on Sunday. It's legal! 

I can't wait for the rest of the trip report.

[Dubya91]

Great TR thus far!!!

Just like Dan, I too cannot wait for the rest of the TR

Driving to Florida is ok, Once you get past Charlotte/PKD it just drops off to nothing but shrub and trees till Jacksonville, Florida, ITS BAD!!!

[Bubba Z]

What, They are adding a second arm and Wand ?

Way to tease with the hotel pictures, Can't wait for the good stuff ...stroller man!

[coastermom]

OK I am hooked now I can't wait to go we are off to the "new" All Star Music suites . I am so excited to go now .

[ChuckR]

There taking down the Wand at Epcot.

Nice TR so far Wade!

[WadeJ]

This trip was going to be much different due to various reasons.  The first one being that I'm alone with two crazy kids  .  You don't realize how difficult something like getting off a bus with a stroller, backpack and two sound asleep kids until you try lol.  Fortunately, I managed to convince the 5 year old to wake up each time and walk himself off.

Sadly, some rides would have to be skipped.  So no Mountains (none of them ) and no Tower, RnR, Soar'n, Mission Space, etc.  Yes it sucks but trust me, I've had plenty of rides so it was all cool.  Plus, I can swing by alone in October when I'm there on business.

The other difference were the late starts.  We are night people to begin with but when you factor in the temps, the crazy crowds and the fact that the parks were open INSANELY late, we were going to bed after midnight or later every night.  This was nice to since then my wife could come over and join us when she was done each day.

I'll start with Epcot since we park hopped so frequently that I have no clue what we did each day lol.

With the kids and just me (and no chance of doing the thrill rides), we did TONS of stuff I haven't even looked at in years.  Yes, even Inoventions!  For instance, did you know they had a display of 3 Kuko robots you could remote control to make them play various drums?  It was actually really neat. 

We did The Seas with Nemo and even stuck around to watch a fish feeding.  DO THIS!  It was some of best 30 minutes I've ever spent here.  Plus Turtle Talk and the new Nemo ride rocked as always. 

Then over to the Land we did Living with the Land which I always find interesting and then did the Circle Of Life Movie with Simba, Timon and Pumba.  Yes, its educational but it really is nicely done.  Plus, it's cold and comfortable in there! 

Next up was Imagination with Figment.  We must have ridden this ride 10 times or more over the week (yes, I know it sucks).  We also did HISTA.  Yes, it's old and out dated but still fun!

The only attraction we hit on the other side was Universe of Energy due to the height requirements of MS and TT.  While passing by my favorite Fountain Of Nations, which I could just sit and watch dance to music all day, I noticed a hose had blown.  I actually got yelled at for taking pictures of it by security   Oh well, I guess it could have been dangerous. 

Finally, back to World Showcase where we went on the new boat ride in Mexico starring Donald Duck.  The Three Callaberos was actually really cute and fun and a HUGE improvement over the previous theme.  The kids loved it a bunch.  We also did Maelstrom at Norway and watched the Reflections of China circle-vision (which is new btw) and Canada's circle-vision which is slated to be replaced any time now.

Of course, we rode Spaceship Earth a few times which allowed me to study it in its current form before the much needed hack job by siemens (we missed the Wand coming down by 1 day!!).

FYI - I'll save The American Adventure for my 4th of July review since they actually updated it!

And finally, onto some pictures - although only a few:

The Jaminators!  These guys rocked!


This hose was whipping around like crazy shooting high pressure water everywhere.  I think people thought it was part of the show lol


Fun at Inoventions?  Who would have guessed?  Well, its air conditioned to


Wade being artsy


Fish Feeding frenzy!  They had 5 divers in there to which scared the crap out of Kyle when he suddenly appeared in front of him.  They also had a host explaining what was going on.


And I'll end Epcot with a rainbow.  Probably the best I've ever seen in person.  The camera could capture just how perfect this was.

[WadeJ]

Wow Wade, 1am in Georgia? That must have been fun. We used to hit Tampa by 1 am.

Did you see anything like this?

Chris took this picture on Sunday. It's legal! 

I can't wait for the rest of the trip report.

We missed that AWESOME EVENT by one freaking day   Somewhere on these boards I posted a link probably over 6 months ago to a article over at re-imagineering where it was blatantly hinted that the wand was coming down this summer.  Maybe now people will listen to them lol

Epcot is truly returned to its glory although a LOT needed to be done.  Removing the Leave  a Legacy panels at the very base of Spaceship earth was nice to see as well

thanks for the comments so far everybody

[Bubba Z]

Thanks Chuck, I would have never known.

[coastermom]

thanks for the TR Wade now I have to go to see mexico with the kids . Keep the TRS coming .

I can only imagine how hard it was to get on and off the buses alone with two kids. it is so hard to do it with two people . What makes you think the kids are crazy Wade??? Aren't they all crazy . my little guy is going to go crazy when he gets to WDW and sees buzz or woody . Never mind that later today we are off to SFNE and Thomas now that is CRAZY !! !!

[darkridedan]

Those are definitley not the milkman's kids.

[WadeJ]

Finally another update -This time the Magic Kingdom

We probably spent the bulk of our time here because there is the most rides that we can all go on together.  And when you are by yourself, you can't just leave your kid in the stroller while you ride or you end up like this person - http://www.parentdish.com/2007/06/27/toddler-left-alone-while-parents-play-at-disney-world - in jail.

I'll touch on the highlights of our time here.  For starters, we had a OUTSTANDING skipper on Jungle Cruise.  This guy had the entire boat in stitches laughing and the skipper totally makes or breaks the ride.  Another pleasant surprise was Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor (MILF) which I think is getting a really bad rap.  This attraction was outstanding and had great repeat value.  Just be warned that you could be "picked on" during the show .

Otherwise, we did all the typical rides - Small World, Peter Pan, Tea Cups, Mickey's Philharmagic (best 4D show in FL IMO), Tiki Room, Country Bears, Tree House, Tomorrow Land Transit Authority, Buzz Lightyear, Speedway, Winnie The Pooh, Dumbo, Goofys Barnstormer and of course, the train and carousel.

I had to skip the mountains for obvious reasons and Haunted Mansion is closed through October for a MUCH needed enhancement/upgrade/refurb.  Otherwise, we did almost every single attraction in the park which is quite amazing on our own  .

Tip - the Pizza at Pinocchio?s Village Haus is probably some of the best theme park pizza I've ever had and it was a nice size for under 6 bucks.  Pizzafari at DAK is probably a close tie.

One little trick I'd like to point out for others is the fireworks.  For the 4th of July, they switch to Fantasy in the Sky just like they do for New Years Eve.  And just like New Years Eve, they run the show the day before and the day of to split up the crowds.  Here is the trick... Go to the MK on the 3rd of July to see the 4th of July show which was amazing  (the fireworks were launched around the entire perimeter of the park!).  You avoid the crowds and see the same exact show.  Even better is that they stay open until 1AM afterwards as well and the park was fairly empty.  They do this the same way on New Years Eve.  And then what you do is visit Epcot on July 4th or New Years Eve itself because not only do they do the regular Reflections of Earth show but they add another 10 minutes of fireworks.  THIS WAS BY FAR THE BEST FIREWORKS EVER!  You MUST get to WDW to see this show.  The energy you felt in Epcot was simply amazing.  People just started screaming, cheering and clapping louder and louder because they just kept throwing more in the sky.  Towards the end you would swear you actually felt the oxygen level dropping but it was probably just from all the screaming.  I don't know how they don't blow the entire place up but this was easily the most amazing night time show I've ever witnessed.  The Magic Kingdom was just "alright" in comparison.


Onto the few pictures I took at the Magic Kingdom:

Thankfully they LOVE TTA which gives me a much needed rest!


Definately my kids - we aren't even started yet and they are trying to spin it


I need one of these at the house 


Great Adventure - TAKE NOTE!  This is one of the best kept carousels around 


And this is what I'm stuck with on the return trip to the room lol

[Bubba Z]

^ That's how I felt (Looked , but much older and heavier! ) driving Home from our Trip to Lake Compounce and Rye in the same day. Mind you I was driving which wasn't good.

 Nice TR,  Thanks for the tips and tricks! 

[WadeJ]

lol  Thats probably how I looked after pulling an all-nighter driving back from Orlando.  It probably isn't a good idea.

Final installment soon will have MGM and AK

[UrsaMajor]

Hey Wade, I figure there'd be no better person to ask this question...so here goes.

For my annual Disney trip this year (which I thought wasn't going to happen!), I've decided to schedule reservations at a new restaurant. I usually eat at Narcoossee's, Spoodles, Teppanyaki Dining Room, 50's Prime Time Cafe', California Grill and Maya Grill...and just eat all my other meals spontaneously at places like Cosmic Ray's, Grand Floridian Cafe, etc.

Anyways, I was just wondering if you've had any experience at either Le Cellier, Hollywood Brown Derby, or Flying Fish Cafe? Figured someone who takes trips to the World so frequently might have encountered one of these restaurants. Which one would you go with?

Dining is a really important part of any WDW vacation as far as I'm concerned, so I want to know as much as I can.

[WadeJ]

Honestly, Le Cellier is probably one of my favorites on property....for steak and deserts.  Don't bother with some of their other offerings.  The atmosphere alone makes it worth it to.  Great theming.

Brown Derby is outstanding as well but when at MGM, I usually prefer either Mama Melrose or, get this, the Toy Story Pizza Planet LOL.  I've never been a huge fan of 50's PTC other than the exceptional service lol

[coastermom]

Hey Wade I have a question for you . We are off to WDW and are having breakfast at Chef Mickey's one day . We are in the all star music (because of the suites) and have a 7:15 reservation is there any way to get a bus to the contemperary from there? Is it easier for us to drive since we will have our car anyway and then either go back to the all star music to get the bus or drive right to a park. The only thought I have a problem with that is that we will most likely hop from one park to another and then have to go back to the first park for our van. Any ideas??

Your kids are like mine with all the kiddie rides my son can go on the first thing he wants to do is go right to a coaster .
Looks like they had a great time.

[WadeJ]

/\  3 options for you...

1.  Take bus to Magic Kingdom and then take the walking path to Contemporary (my choice).  This is maybe a 10 minute walk.

2.  Take bus to Magic Kingdom or TTC or any other park for that matter and then ride the bus back to the Contemp.

3.  You can Drive!  And when we are there, we do everything in our power NOT to drive lol.  If you end up staying through the fireworks or til park closing, you will never want to drive to a park again lol

I'd take the walking trail.  Just make sure the park opens early enough that the busses are running there that early.  Usually they start 1 hour before opening so if the park opens at 8AM you should be good to go.

[coastermom]

I will have to see when the buses start . Thanks for all the tips though We really ,really don't want to take the van to the parks at all . We did that once NEVER AGAIN  is all I have to say to that .

[UrsaMajor]

Alright, so I've decided to schedule a last night reservation at Flying Fish Cafe...and also schedule a back-up reservation at Le Cellier the same night we will eat at Spoodles in case we don't feel like leaving the park (I know it's not exactly a hike out the International Gateway to the Boardwalk but whatever).

I'd like to get 'wandless' pictures of SSE, but I'm concentrating on making video this time around.

[WadeJ]

Be sure to let us know how FFC is.  Its one of the few I've never actually tried!

Now back to finishing my TR lol

[UrsaMajor]

It's certainly going to be interesting, as Spoodles is probably my #3 sit-down restaurant on-property, and we always pass by FFC on the way to Spoodles. It looks like a lot of fun from the outside...but it's going to be weird actually going inside instead of just passing by.

I love the Boardwalk Inn. Such a charming hotel, and really a fun place to spend an hour after dinner before heading back to one of the parks.