faline
09-18-2009, 07:56 PM
Cast of Characters: Gene & Me
Date: Friday, August 28, 2009
Plan for the Day:
No specific park plans for the day
Breakfast at the Old Faithful Club
Lunch at Earl of Sandwich
Dinner at Fulton’s Crab House at 6:00 p.m.
How the Day Really Went: Gene wakes up with a sore throat this morning. Uh oh!
It’s 9 o’clock before we select our breakfast items from the Old Faithful Club offerings. Gene has cereal, fruit and coffee. It’s a bagel, cream cheese and coffee for me. He had already brought orange juice back to the room for us while we were getting ourselves up and organized.
http://www2.snapfish.com/slideshow/AlbumID=1349518022/PictureID=40124917022/a=156157980_156157980/otsc=SHR/otsi=SPIClink/COBRAND_NAME=snapfish/
Before we leave, I stop at the concierge desk and cancel our dinner reservations at Fulton’s. I don’t want to go to Downtown Disney today and I don’t want to dress for dinner. We ask to check to see what else might be available? Anything at Kona? Nope but not surprising. Whispering Canyon? She starts to say she wouldn’t think so but 5:30 p.m. pops up. Okay. We’ll take it!
I also ask that they get our boarding passes for us this evening when our 24 hour window with Southwest opens up.
We head to the boat dock and a boat is there. A quick jog (I LOVE that I can jog following surgery last year) puts us on board. There are only a few others on board.
The Magic Kingdom is now all decked out for the Halloween decorations. It’s a little disconcerting as I’m still trying to hold onto summer!
http://www2.snapfish.com/slideshow/AlbumID=1349518022/PictureID=40124922022/a=156157980_156157980/otsc=SHR/otsi=SPIClink/COBRAND_NAME=snapfish/
Unlike the other days, security and park entry are a breeze. I think the crowds are beginning to diminish a bit.
On Main Street, we wait for the horse drawn carriage. What a treat! The Dapper Dans are on board so we are serenaded during our trip to the Castle! The songs include “If You’re Happy and You Know It Clap Your Hands”. Apparently, I’m the only one on board who claps as it leads one of the Dapper Dans to comment – “only one lady in the front” (That would be me!)
http://www2.snapfish.com/slideshow/AlbumID=1349518022/PictureID=40124932022/a=156157980_156157980/otsc=SHR/otsi=SPIClink/COBRAND_NAME=snapfish/
http://www2.snapfish.com/slideshow/AlbumID=1349518022/PictureID=40124936022/a=156157980_156157980/otsc=SHR/otsi=SPIClink/COBRAND_NAME=snapfish/
We head to Peter Pan which only has a 15 minute stand by. Unfortunately, the man in the boat behind us must have snapped at least a hundred flash pictures during the ride. Every four or five seconds, there was another flash! This continues without pause throughout the entire ride! On the way out I tell him I hope he got some good shots. He smiles. I guess he missed the sarcasm in my comment!
As we walk by, the Haunted Mansion has only a 10 minute standby but, in reality, we walk directly into the stretching room which isn’t full. Crowds are definitely down today!
There’s no need for a fast pass for the Jungle Cruise. We have a good cast member but not as terrific as the one we had the other day.
http://www2.snapfish.com/slideshow/AlbumID=1349518022/PictureID=40124944022/a=156157980_156157980/otsc=SHR/otsi=SPIClink/COBRAND_NAME=snapfish/
We take another walk through the Swiss Family Tree house. After that, we ride the carpets of Aladdin. The cast member wants to know why the anniversary couple isn’t sitting together on this ride! Back to the Tiki room which is followed by a walk on to the Pirates of the Caribbean. We pick up fast passes for Big Thunder and then walk over to Casey’s where we have hot dogs and fries for lunch. When we entered the park, there was a big sign out in front of City Hall stating “All table service establishments are full” It went on to suggest that folks try one of the quick service locations.
After lunch, we pick up fast passes for Splash and turn in our fast passes for Big Thunder. One more circuit around the park on the train. Gene is clearly fading but is trying to be a trouper. As it’s not yet time for our Splash fast passes when we return, we get on the 20 minute Big Thunder standby line which actually takes about 10 minutes
Time for Splash. We’re placed in Row 1. Uh oh! We’re wet just sitting down in the boat and end up soaked before we get to the top of the first hill! Just for good measure, we’re soaked once again at the end of the ride!
We head out of the Magic Kingdom and take the boat back to Wilderness Lodge. We change into our suits and head out to the pool. Gene is still being a trouper but is not really feeling well. We cool down at the pool, have a drink from the pool bar and then return to our room to shower and change.
I do some of the packing. Will need to finish the rest in the morning. It’s time for dinner so we head downstairs to Whispering Canyon. We check in and are given a beeper which, we’re told, can reach to Territory Lounge. We haven’t stepped foot in the lounge this entire trip so decide to remedy that! We get about 10 steps through the lobby when the beeper flashes! Instead of going to Territory Lounge, we do a u-turn and return to the podium where, it turns out, it is not a test or a false alarm, they are ready to lead us to a table!
Our table is in the second seating area and is located right against the fire place. How cozy!
http://www2.snapfish.com/slideshow/AlbumID=1349518022/PictureID=40124952022/a=156157980_156157980/otsc=SHR/otsi=SPIClink/COBRAND_NAME=snapfish/
http://www2.snapfish.com/slideshow/AlbumID=1349518022/PictureID=40124952022/a=156157980_156157980/otsc=SHR/otsi=SPIClink/COBRAND_NAME=snapfish/
Our server is Lazy Suzan but there is certainly nothing lazy about Suzan! She’s wonderful! We order chips and salsa. Gene orders meat loaf and I order a steak. We joke that we should have specified that we wanted the appetizer to be served prior to the meal! Fortunately it is! Gene is a big fan of meat loaf but doesn’t eat much this night. He’s definitely not feeling well.
We had planned to return to the Magic Kingdom to watch Wishes from Main Street. I tell Gene it is likely to rain and I can see Wishes better from my balcony than I can from under an umbrella. I think he is relieved that we can stay home!
Still, once dinner is finished, we wander through the lobby, visit the gift shop one last time, and check out Territory Lounge. Since “MY” couch is unoccupied, I settle in and order a drink. In fact, we end up ordering two drinks. Gene continues to fade so we settle our account in the lounge and head back to our room.
http://www2.snapfish.com/slideshow/AlbumID=1349518022/PictureID=40124972022/a=156157980_156157980/otsc=SHR/otsi=SPIClink/COBRAND_NAME=snapfish/
The folks in concierge have gotten our boarding passes for us. We have A52 & A53. Staying club level certainly removes some of the small stresses of travel!
Back in our room, Gene heads immediately to bed. At 9, I go out to the balcony to watch Wishes. I wish Gene were watching with me but I know how it feels to not be tip top while you’re away.
Our last full day has come to an end.
Miles: 3.4
New Today: Nothing new today but that’s okay!
Date: Friday, August 28, 2009
Plan for the Day:
No specific park plans for the day
Breakfast at the Old Faithful Club
Lunch at Earl of Sandwich
Dinner at Fulton’s Crab House at 6:00 p.m.
How the Day Really Went: Gene wakes up with a sore throat this morning. Uh oh!
It’s 9 o’clock before we select our breakfast items from the Old Faithful Club offerings. Gene has cereal, fruit and coffee. It’s a bagel, cream cheese and coffee for me. He had already brought orange juice back to the room for us while we were getting ourselves up and organized.
http://www2.snapfish.com/slideshow/AlbumID=1349518022/PictureID=40124917022/a=156157980_156157980/otsc=SHR/otsi=SPIClink/COBRAND_NAME=snapfish/
Before we leave, I stop at the concierge desk and cancel our dinner reservations at Fulton’s. I don’t want to go to Downtown Disney today and I don’t want to dress for dinner. We ask to check to see what else might be available? Anything at Kona? Nope but not surprising. Whispering Canyon? She starts to say she wouldn’t think so but 5:30 p.m. pops up. Okay. We’ll take it!
I also ask that they get our boarding passes for us this evening when our 24 hour window with Southwest opens up.
We head to the boat dock and a boat is there. A quick jog (I LOVE that I can jog following surgery last year) puts us on board. There are only a few others on board.
The Magic Kingdom is now all decked out for the Halloween decorations. It’s a little disconcerting as I’m still trying to hold onto summer!
http://www2.snapfish.com/slideshow/AlbumID=1349518022/PictureID=40124922022/a=156157980_156157980/otsc=SHR/otsi=SPIClink/COBRAND_NAME=snapfish/
Unlike the other days, security and park entry are a breeze. I think the crowds are beginning to diminish a bit.
On Main Street, we wait for the horse drawn carriage. What a treat! The Dapper Dans are on board so we are serenaded during our trip to the Castle! The songs include “If You’re Happy and You Know It Clap Your Hands”. Apparently, I’m the only one on board who claps as it leads one of the Dapper Dans to comment – “only one lady in the front” (That would be me!)
http://www2.snapfish.com/slideshow/AlbumID=1349518022/PictureID=40124932022/a=156157980_156157980/otsc=SHR/otsi=SPIClink/COBRAND_NAME=snapfish/
http://www2.snapfish.com/slideshow/AlbumID=1349518022/PictureID=40124936022/a=156157980_156157980/otsc=SHR/otsi=SPIClink/COBRAND_NAME=snapfish/
We head to Peter Pan which only has a 15 minute stand by. Unfortunately, the man in the boat behind us must have snapped at least a hundred flash pictures during the ride. Every four or five seconds, there was another flash! This continues without pause throughout the entire ride! On the way out I tell him I hope he got some good shots. He smiles. I guess he missed the sarcasm in my comment!
As we walk by, the Haunted Mansion has only a 10 minute standby but, in reality, we walk directly into the stretching room which isn’t full. Crowds are definitely down today!
There’s no need for a fast pass for the Jungle Cruise. We have a good cast member but not as terrific as the one we had the other day.
http://www2.snapfish.com/slideshow/AlbumID=1349518022/PictureID=40124944022/a=156157980_156157980/otsc=SHR/otsi=SPIClink/COBRAND_NAME=snapfish/
We take another walk through the Swiss Family Tree house. After that, we ride the carpets of Aladdin. The cast member wants to know why the anniversary couple isn’t sitting together on this ride! Back to the Tiki room which is followed by a walk on to the Pirates of the Caribbean. We pick up fast passes for Big Thunder and then walk over to Casey’s where we have hot dogs and fries for lunch. When we entered the park, there was a big sign out in front of City Hall stating “All table service establishments are full” It went on to suggest that folks try one of the quick service locations.
After lunch, we pick up fast passes for Splash and turn in our fast passes for Big Thunder. One more circuit around the park on the train. Gene is clearly fading but is trying to be a trouper. As it’s not yet time for our Splash fast passes when we return, we get on the 20 minute Big Thunder standby line which actually takes about 10 minutes
Time for Splash. We’re placed in Row 1. Uh oh! We’re wet just sitting down in the boat and end up soaked before we get to the top of the first hill! Just for good measure, we’re soaked once again at the end of the ride!
We head out of the Magic Kingdom and take the boat back to Wilderness Lodge. We change into our suits and head out to the pool. Gene is still being a trouper but is not really feeling well. We cool down at the pool, have a drink from the pool bar and then return to our room to shower and change.
I do some of the packing. Will need to finish the rest in the morning. It’s time for dinner so we head downstairs to Whispering Canyon. We check in and are given a beeper which, we’re told, can reach to Territory Lounge. We haven’t stepped foot in the lounge this entire trip so decide to remedy that! We get about 10 steps through the lobby when the beeper flashes! Instead of going to Territory Lounge, we do a u-turn and return to the podium where, it turns out, it is not a test or a false alarm, they are ready to lead us to a table!
Our table is in the second seating area and is located right against the fire place. How cozy!
http://www2.snapfish.com/slideshow/AlbumID=1349518022/PictureID=40124952022/a=156157980_156157980/otsc=SHR/otsi=SPIClink/COBRAND_NAME=snapfish/
http://www2.snapfish.com/slideshow/AlbumID=1349518022/PictureID=40124952022/a=156157980_156157980/otsc=SHR/otsi=SPIClink/COBRAND_NAME=snapfish/
Our server is Lazy Suzan but there is certainly nothing lazy about Suzan! She’s wonderful! We order chips and salsa. Gene orders meat loaf and I order a steak. We joke that we should have specified that we wanted the appetizer to be served prior to the meal! Fortunately it is! Gene is a big fan of meat loaf but doesn’t eat much this night. He’s definitely not feeling well.
We had planned to return to the Magic Kingdom to watch Wishes from Main Street. I tell Gene it is likely to rain and I can see Wishes better from my balcony than I can from under an umbrella. I think he is relieved that we can stay home!
Still, once dinner is finished, we wander through the lobby, visit the gift shop one last time, and check out Territory Lounge. Since “MY” couch is unoccupied, I settle in and order a drink. In fact, we end up ordering two drinks. Gene continues to fade so we settle our account in the lounge and head back to our room.
http://www2.snapfish.com/slideshow/AlbumID=1349518022/PictureID=40124972022/a=156157980_156157980/otsc=SHR/otsi=SPIClink/COBRAND_NAME=snapfish/
The folks in concierge have gotten our boarding passes for us. We have A52 & A53. Staying club level certainly removes some of the small stresses of travel!
Back in our room, Gene heads immediately to bed. At 9, I go out to the balcony to watch Wishes. I wish Gene were watching with me but I know how it feels to not be tip top while you’re away.
Our last full day has come to an end.
Miles: 3.4
New Today: Nothing new today but that’s okay!