MOJoe
06-01-2011, 03:03 PM
Well, i just got back from a great trip. 7 nights at the WL, my first stay there. As always i try to find a theme that puts my WDW vacation into some perspective. And on this trip the phrase we all kept repeating, both sincerely and otherwise, was .....Perfect Timing.
The Cast:
Me,
Minnie, my DW,
Han Solo, my DS now 17, and
Young Indy, my DS now 12
We started driving Saturday the 21st at 3:30 pm. I had been to work that day, so Minnie started the 14 hour trek. I tried to get some sleep, but couldn't really relax. Just too excited to be going to WDW. After 5 hours, i take over the driving. "How far are we going to get today?" was the question of the day. I hadn't made any reservations along the way, and was just going to go till i felt like i had to quit. But i didn't feel like quiting. So while everyone slept, i drive all the way to the Florida Turnpike. Solo takes the wheel from there and at 7:30 am we arrive at the Wilderness Lodge.
"Wow" we say in unison, as we turn the corner and first see the Lodge. Now i know that i'm really rolling the dice arriving at such an early hour. I was prepared to wait and rest in the lobby. But the CM at the front desk tells me, "We have your room ready." "Wonderful! Thank You! Hope it's nice." She smiles, knowingly. We go up to #6045. Instead of the Woods view, we open up the curtain and look straight down at the waterfall. Courtyard view! Upgrade! "This could not have worked out any better." i tell Minnie. We wait to unpack. Still excited, we all lay down for a happy nap.
4 hours later, Indy wakes me. "I want to go to Star Wars Weekends." "There's no way i'm ready for this." i tell him. "Let's take a swim first. That may revive me." We both go down to the pool. I must have still been half asleep, because after 10 minutes i realize my swimsuit is on backwards. :blush: "Nobody will notice." Indy says, as he gives my trunks a good look.
Feeling better, we all get ready and go to the bus stop. The Studios bus is pulling up just as we get there. "Perfect timing!" We get to DHS and head straight for Star Tours. The line is circled out around the gift shop, so we walk in Muppetvision. The preshow is ending just as we enter, so we move right in and have a seat. Haven't seen the Muppets since the refurb. But i could tell there was a real improvement.
Back over to Star Tours for our first voyage. The line was much shorter. The wait time was 60. But it ended up being 30. In fact we moved so fast that i didn't get to see much of the queue. We boarded and saw the Scan Droid, went to Hoth, got a message from the Admiral, then dived down to Naboo. A fabulous first ride!
Hungry, we step next door, and eat at the Backlot Express. Solo had run earlier to get Rockin Roller Coaster Fastpasses, so after eating, we head over. Minnie and Indy ride ST2 again. As Solo and i exit the ride his phone rings. "7 minute wait at Toy Story! Hurry!" Indy urges. We run over. If there is a short wait, i have time to ride TSM and still make it to the Hyperspace Hoopla. But as we enter the queue i sense something wrong.
"This is a long line." i say. Indy confesses, "I think i misunderstood a worker talking. The ride is 7 minutes, not the line." I don't want to miss the Hoopla, but i stay in the queue and ride Toy Story. I have the high score in our car. And bragging rights. But i run to the hat as soon as i can. Just as i see the new stage, i hear "Dance off with the Star Wars Stars!" I make it just in time. What a show! Big Stage. Big Sound. Just like a rock concert, only with Wookies.
After the heartpounding dance off, we go back to the resort to relax. Not for long, though. We have to go to EMH at Magic Kingdom. We start off in Tomorrow Land, and see everything but Stitch. Indy even decides he is ready to try Space Mountain for the first time! He's shaken abit. But says "i'll go again." The lines are not long, but there are plenty of people in the park after midnight. We fastpass Peter Pan, and visit the Haunted Mansion. We liked the new queue, but the new ghosts at the end weren't as impressive as i had hoped. Earlier we had steped into Mickey's Philharmagic just as the doors shut, so we kept walking. And when we returned the doors again were starting to shut. The CM sees us, "You guys came back at exactly the same moment!" Solo adds, "Perfect timing, Dad!"
We stay and wait this time and enjoy the show. One of my favorites for sure. Then we ride Peter Pan and exit Magic Kingdom at 2:30 am. We take the boat, get back to the room and fall in our beds. I'm exhausted. I feel like i've put in 2 full days. But as i peek one more time at the Waterfall before i close the drapes, i think. "This has been just like clockwork. Everything has been perfect so far."
The Cast:
Me,
Minnie, my DW,
Han Solo, my DS now 17, and
Young Indy, my DS now 12
We started driving Saturday the 21st at 3:30 pm. I had been to work that day, so Minnie started the 14 hour trek. I tried to get some sleep, but couldn't really relax. Just too excited to be going to WDW. After 5 hours, i take over the driving. "How far are we going to get today?" was the question of the day. I hadn't made any reservations along the way, and was just going to go till i felt like i had to quit. But i didn't feel like quiting. So while everyone slept, i drive all the way to the Florida Turnpike. Solo takes the wheel from there and at 7:30 am we arrive at the Wilderness Lodge.
"Wow" we say in unison, as we turn the corner and first see the Lodge. Now i know that i'm really rolling the dice arriving at such an early hour. I was prepared to wait and rest in the lobby. But the CM at the front desk tells me, "We have your room ready." "Wonderful! Thank You! Hope it's nice." She smiles, knowingly. We go up to #6045. Instead of the Woods view, we open up the curtain and look straight down at the waterfall. Courtyard view! Upgrade! "This could not have worked out any better." i tell Minnie. We wait to unpack. Still excited, we all lay down for a happy nap.
4 hours later, Indy wakes me. "I want to go to Star Wars Weekends." "There's no way i'm ready for this." i tell him. "Let's take a swim first. That may revive me." We both go down to the pool. I must have still been half asleep, because after 10 minutes i realize my swimsuit is on backwards. :blush: "Nobody will notice." Indy says, as he gives my trunks a good look.
Feeling better, we all get ready and go to the bus stop. The Studios bus is pulling up just as we get there. "Perfect timing!" We get to DHS and head straight for Star Tours. The line is circled out around the gift shop, so we walk in Muppetvision. The preshow is ending just as we enter, so we move right in and have a seat. Haven't seen the Muppets since the refurb. But i could tell there was a real improvement.
Back over to Star Tours for our first voyage. The line was much shorter. The wait time was 60. But it ended up being 30. In fact we moved so fast that i didn't get to see much of the queue. We boarded and saw the Scan Droid, went to Hoth, got a message from the Admiral, then dived down to Naboo. A fabulous first ride!
Hungry, we step next door, and eat at the Backlot Express. Solo had run earlier to get Rockin Roller Coaster Fastpasses, so after eating, we head over. Minnie and Indy ride ST2 again. As Solo and i exit the ride his phone rings. "7 minute wait at Toy Story! Hurry!" Indy urges. We run over. If there is a short wait, i have time to ride TSM and still make it to the Hyperspace Hoopla. But as we enter the queue i sense something wrong.
"This is a long line." i say. Indy confesses, "I think i misunderstood a worker talking. The ride is 7 minutes, not the line." I don't want to miss the Hoopla, but i stay in the queue and ride Toy Story. I have the high score in our car. And bragging rights. But i run to the hat as soon as i can. Just as i see the new stage, i hear "Dance off with the Star Wars Stars!" I make it just in time. What a show! Big Stage. Big Sound. Just like a rock concert, only with Wookies.
After the heartpounding dance off, we go back to the resort to relax. Not for long, though. We have to go to EMH at Magic Kingdom. We start off in Tomorrow Land, and see everything but Stitch. Indy even decides he is ready to try Space Mountain for the first time! He's shaken abit. But says "i'll go again." The lines are not long, but there are plenty of people in the park after midnight. We fastpass Peter Pan, and visit the Haunted Mansion. We liked the new queue, but the new ghosts at the end weren't as impressive as i had hoped. Earlier we had steped into Mickey's Philharmagic just as the doors shut, so we kept walking. And when we returned the doors again were starting to shut. The CM sees us, "You guys came back at exactly the same moment!" Solo adds, "Perfect timing, Dad!"
We stay and wait this time and enjoy the show. One of my favorites for sure. Then we ride Peter Pan and exit Magic Kingdom at 2:30 am. We take the boat, get back to the room and fall in our beds. I'm exhausted. I feel like i've put in 2 full days. But as i peek one more time at the Waterfall before i close the drapes, i think. "This has been just like clockwork. Everything has been perfect so far."