DisneyDINK
02-15-2013, 02:02 PM
Day Zero – The Prep
Booking: We booked with Debbie at MJ. So, that was easy.
Airfare: If you live in Seattle and you travel often you are an Alaska mileage plan member. (This is a good thing.)
Dining: I used the online system to make a few reservations.
Snacks: I put in an order with Garden Grocer about 3 weeks prior to departure.
Planning: I made my usual color coded spreadsheet which gave me an idea of what I originally intended to do every day.
Day 1 – Feb 9th – Early Arrival and AK
Like we did on our last trip, my wife and I took the 10:00pm departure from Seattle which arrives at MCO at 6:15am the next morning. DW and I got upgraded to First Class, which made the red-eye more bearable, oddly except for the free drinks. I had already had a couple of drinks at the airport bar and then I couldn’t say no to free scotch on the plane. I don’t sleep well on planes, so, we got maybe an hour and a half of sleep. 5+ hours later we were at MCO, me with a slight headache.
So… we deplaned and got on ME like 10 minutes after landing. There was one other party on the bus, so our ME made only one stop and then we were delivered to the front of the YC 6:55am. We were checked in and in the room by 7:05am! This is the 3rd time they had the room available super-early for us. We love that! We took a 40 minute nap and then at 8:00am we were off to the Animal Kingdom!
We got to AK at about 8:35 and we went straight to the Guest Relations window. Why? So I could buy my first Annual Pass and Tables in Wonderland Card. The APs and TIW cards were all issued on that generic paper pass stock. When we got to the gate at AK they had the new tap/RF/whatever little Mickey Ball system which we couldn’t use because we have paper tickets, so a CM standing behind the (erstwhile) turnstile zipped the card through the portable device and we were ready to wait for the rope drop.
The rope dropped and we headed straight for the semi-functioning Yeti ride. I got 2 FPs and then we were off to the Safari. Back to EE to use the FPs (I used them both) and then we went to Primeval Whirl. Why Primeval Whirl? Well, DW has always had a fear of both heights and rollercoasters. She picked this one to be her first “Rollercoaster” at WDW. So, we got a FP for later and then got in the queue. I used my little digital point-and-shoot to chronicle the experience. I didn’t film much of the ride, rather I kept the camera trained on her face as she clung to the safety bar with one arm (which she pushed down to an uncomfortably low level for me) and clutched my neck with the other, which did hurt a bit, but at least it made me momentarily forget about the headache which still lingered. Her screams rivaled those of the Hallmark Banshee and her reactions to the rough turns and the drops frightened and bewildered the other couple in the car, but she got through it. I am so proud of her! Furthermore, during her videotaped “exit interview” (I interviewed her at the exit) she said she wanted to do it again! 4 words: better living through chemistry!
So we did Dinosaur, another whirl on the Whirl (more clutching, screaming and the occasional S-Bomb) and then it was off to lunch at the Flame Tree. This was my first meal since about 8:00pm (PST) the previous day, so I was REALLY hungry. The BBQ combo is probably better than a lot of park food you’ll have. Thanks posters for recommending it over the years. It also marked my first successful use of the TIW card. (I really like the TIW card, but more on that later.)
After lunch we walked the Jungle Trek and then did the only new thing to us attraction wise, Flights of Wonder. We saw the show and I’m glad we did. Neat bird stuff! You’ve seen it right? During the show I got a call and text from Garden Grocer; the order had arrived.
Now it was about 2:00, so we took the bus back to the YC to do… NOTHING! I figured we’d be dead from the trip and I was right. We got to the hotel, went to the Bell Desk, asked them to bring up the GG order, went to our room, saw our 2 checked bags sitting there (love that!), they brought up the GG order (tip/thanks!) and we unpacked a bit, got some ice, enjoyed some hair-of-the-Pluto and then settled down for a nap.
Time to mention the view/room: We paid up for a “Water” view. In this case it was a 3rd floor room overlooking Stormalong Bay; we were probably above the Yachtsman somewhere, looking down on the sand where the kids were building sandcastles. The weather was just about perfect! The view in the mornings was great, the noise from the kids during the day was kinda cool and the stadium lighting really never bothered me since we had the blackout shades closed at night.
At the airport the night before, we noticed on Facebook that an old friend was checking in at the BW. It turned out he was attending an auto related conference and then was staying 2 nights at the Buena Vista Palace. He was there with his fiancé, a woman we had never met, so I asked them to come by the YC about 7:30pm and we’d go find some dinner. They met us in the lobby and we walked off to Kimono’s at the Swan (TIW cards accepted!) and had what is in my opinion some really good sushi (if you’re into that). I guess WDW is a good place for one of those Small World moments where a good friend you haven’t seen for years who lives in LA just happens to be some place during your vacation. We had a great dinner and then went to Beaches and Cream for Desert. (another first - ice cream good)
Great first Day! But now it was time for some serious sleep!
Booking: We booked with Debbie at MJ. So, that was easy.
Airfare: If you live in Seattle and you travel often you are an Alaska mileage plan member. (This is a good thing.)
Dining: I used the online system to make a few reservations.
Snacks: I put in an order with Garden Grocer about 3 weeks prior to departure.
Planning: I made my usual color coded spreadsheet which gave me an idea of what I originally intended to do every day.
Day 1 – Feb 9th – Early Arrival and AK
Like we did on our last trip, my wife and I took the 10:00pm departure from Seattle which arrives at MCO at 6:15am the next morning. DW and I got upgraded to First Class, which made the red-eye more bearable, oddly except for the free drinks. I had already had a couple of drinks at the airport bar and then I couldn’t say no to free scotch on the plane. I don’t sleep well on planes, so, we got maybe an hour and a half of sleep. 5+ hours later we were at MCO, me with a slight headache.
So… we deplaned and got on ME like 10 minutes after landing. There was one other party on the bus, so our ME made only one stop and then we were delivered to the front of the YC 6:55am. We were checked in and in the room by 7:05am! This is the 3rd time they had the room available super-early for us. We love that! We took a 40 minute nap and then at 8:00am we were off to the Animal Kingdom!
We got to AK at about 8:35 and we went straight to the Guest Relations window. Why? So I could buy my first Annual Pass and Tables in Wonderland Card. The APs and TIW cards were all issued on that generic paper pass stock. When we got to the gate at AK they had the new tap/RF/whatever little Mickey Ball system which we couldn’t use because we have paper tickets, so a CM standing behind the (erstwhile) turnstile zipped the card through the portable device and we were ready to wait for the rope drop.
The rope dropped and we headed straight for the semi-functioning Yeti ride. I got 2 FPs and then we were off to the Safari. Back to EE to use the FPs (I used them both) and then we went to Primeval Whirl. Why Primeval Whirl? Well, DW has always had a fear of both heights and rollercoasters. She picked this one to be her first “Rollercoaster” at WDW. So, we got a FP for later and then got in the queue. I used my little digital point-and-shoot to chronicle the experience. I didn’t film much of the ride, rather I kept the camera trained on her face as she clung to the safety bar with one arm (which she pushed down to an uncomfortably low level for me) and clutched my neck with the other, which did hurt a bit, but at least it made me momentarily forget about the headache which still lingered. Her screams rivaled those of the Hallmark Banshee and her reactions to the rough turns and the drops frightened and bewildered the other couple in the car, but she got through it. I am so proud of her! Furthermore, during her videotaped “exit interview” (I interviewed her at the exit) she said she wanted to do it again! 4 words: better living through chemistry!
So we did Dinosaur, another whirl on the Whirl (more clutching, screaming and the occasional S-Bomb) and then it was off to lunch at the Flame Tree. This was my first meal since about 8:00pm (PST) the previous day, so I was REALLY hungry. The BBQ combo is probably better than a lot of park food you’ll have. Thanks posters for recommending it over the years. It also marked my first successful use of the TIW card. (I really like the TIW card, but more on that later.)
After lunch we walked the Jungle Trek and then did the only new thing to us attraction wise, Flights of Wonder. We saw the show and I’m glad we did. Neat bird stuff! You’ve seen it right? During the show I got a call and text from Garden Grocer; the order had arrived.
Now it was about 2:00, so we took the bus back to the YC to do… NOTHING! I figured we’d be dead from the trip and I was right. We got to the hotel, went to the Bell Desk, asked them to bring up the GG order, went to our room, saw our 2 checked bags sitting there (love that!), they brought up the GG order (tip/thanks!) and we unpacked a bit, got some ice, enjoyed some hair-of-the-Pluto and then settled down for a nap.
Time to mention the view/room: We paid up for a “Water” view. In this case it was a 3rd floor room overlooking Stormalong Bay; we were probably above the Yachtsman somewhere, looking down on the sand where the kids were building sandcastles. The weather was just about perfect! The view in the mornings was great, the noise from the kids during the day was kinda cool and the stadium lighting really never bothered me since we had the blackout shades closed at night.
At the airport the night before, we noticed on Facebook that an old friend was checking in at the BW. It turned out he was attending an auto related conference and then was staying 2 nights at the Buena Vista Palace. He was there with his fiancé, a woman we had never met, so I asked them to come by the YC about 7:30pm and we’d go find some dinner. They met us in the lobby and we walked off to Kimono’s at the Swan (TIW cards accepted!) and had what is in my opinion some really good sushi (if you’re into that). I guess WDW is a good place for one of those Small World moments where a good friend you haven’t seen for years who lives in LA just happens to be some place during your vacation. We had a great dinner and then went to Beaches and Cream for Desert. (another first - ice cream good)
Great first Day! But now it was time for some serious sleep!