Anticipation is Half the Fun

Anyone who has planned a trip to any Disney park (or anywhere for that matter) knows the excitement of anticipation is often as much fun as the actual trip. First the decision is made - that is usually the hardest part actually - then the planning begins. Finally there is the "getting ready" portion that includes the actually packing.

For us right now, we are in the final two weeks before we cruise aboard the Disney Wonder. My wife and I will be taking a five night cruise out of Miami along with my daughter and her husband, and his mom. This will be our second Disney cruise, but our first one in eight years! At that time we took a seven night Western Caribbean cruise aboard the Disney Magic.

We started talking about this trip before our last visit to Disney World, and my daughter would send me dates and prices as they came out. Since my wife and I are now both retired, our plans depended strictly on when my daughter and her husband could get the time off together for us to go. One night she called me and everything fell into place and while we were on the phone the cruise was booked. The planning (and the anticipation) had begun!

This trip I swear I will start packing before the night we have to leave. Although I do have it down to a science, this is the time of year when we can expect the unexpected when it comes to weather. More than 20 years ago we spent the beginning of January in the Bahamas. Much to our surprise, we were on a snow alert there! Since nobody actually expected it, the resort shop quickly sold out of every sweatshirt and piece of warm clothing it had. The snow only reached as far south as Miami, but it was darn cold that week in Eleuthera! So warm weather and cold weather items are a must pack!

And if the anticipation of the cruise were not enough, when we return, we will head back up to Disney World for a week there before we come home. And while we have already been through New Fantasyland, there is still new stuff for us to see - such as the new version of Test Track! Always something to see and do of course, even if there is nothing new!

So while there won't be much activity on this blog for a while, there will be trip reports, and lots of photos to share when we return, so keep an eye out!

   

You're Going Where? - My First Time (Part 2)

Okay, this question is for my Disney friends, but I would imagine many others might have the same issue - different location.

What do you tell people when they say to you "You are going back to Disneyland (or Disney World) ... AGAIN?" If you are a frequent guest, as I and my family are, I am sure you have heard that question more than once.

To fully understand, let's go back to the beginning. I made my first trips to Disneyland (DL) in 1968 and 1969. That 1969 trip was filled with wonderful things - watching Neil Armstrong's first step on the moon (in Las Vegas), seeing The Mets hit rock bottom and then start their climb to a World's Championship, and my first trip through the Haunted Mansion in DL - still my favorite Disney attraction.

But then it would be December 25, 1971 until I would next step into the Magic Kingdom - but this time it would be more than 2  thousand miles to the east. That was our first visit to (a still unfinished) Walt Disney World (WDW). It had opened in the previous October, and Tomorrowland was not yet opened, but I was back at a Disney theme park. I got to go on many DL favorites including the Haunted Mansion - no Pirates of the Caribbean yet. The designers of this park thought that people wouldn't want to see a pirates attraction so close to where the pirates actually operated back in the day. (What were they thinking?)

If you would have asked me on that day how I liked it, I would have told you that it was "okay" but I liked DL better. (Today I will tell you that I like both of them and they really shouldn't be compared as they serve different demographics.)

But now that there was an East Coast Disney theme park, we would be visiting often. In the beginning it was every year, but for a while - after I got married and first had my children - it was a bit less often. My kids didn't get there until my daughter was 4 and my son was 2 - though my wife and I visited during that time by ourselves.

Then we started to go every year. In the past we may have traveled quite a bit to Toronto for our summer vacations, but now summers were filled with other things and we had our big vacation trips during the school vacations in December or February. WDW was not only our favorite place to go, it (usually) was warmer than it was in NYC then, so we started going there every year.

When my kids were in high school, their marching band performed every Presidents' Week vacation in WDW, and aside from their performance time, the rest of the week was for playing in the parks. As parents we had to see them march, right?

Then came the big incentive. When my son was in his freshman year in college, he applied for and was accepted into the Walt Disney World College Program (WDWCP) and would be spending his first semester of his sophomore year working at WDW! Where was he assigned? His role was an attraction host at the (wait for it ... ) Haunted Mansion! (Way to catch Dad's attention!) So naturally mom and dad had to come see him, right?

Then, in her senior year, my daughter applied for the program, and planned on doing the WDWCP in the semester after she graduated. The big difference between her and her brother's plan was that she was going to stay in Florida when the program was over and continue working at WDW. She has been there over 12 years now, moving from Disney's Animal Kingdom to Caribbean Beach Resort and now in IT. Of course, mom and dad have to come visit their daughter, right? And if WDW happens to be in the neighborhood, it only makes sense to stay at a Disney resort, again right? And once a year isn't enough, we have to visit her at least twice. (That's my story and I am sticking to it!)

So now, when people ask me why I go so often, I can tell them it is all about visiting my daughter ... and now my daughter and son-in-law as they have gotten married (at WDW of course).

I don't have to tell them about how going to any Disney destination is just about escaping into another world for a while. A world which still calls to me as it did when I was a kid. I can let that part of me that is still a child do things at a Disney park which I would never do other places. (You know those silly hats ... would you wear Mickey ears outside of Disney ... well, maybe you would. LOL!)

(this was reprinted from Thoughts From The Dark Side from the days before Reporting From Disney World was born.)

   

Winter Break at Disney World - Day 6

December 31, 2011 - The last day of the year and our last full day here in WDW. Last year on this day my wife and I were at Disney's Hollywood Studios, but this year our daughter will be with us, and the only park she can get into today is Disney's Animal Kingdom (DAK), which is why we saved the full day here for today. Also, since this is the only park which is not opened for a midnight celebration of the New Year, it will be the least crowded of the four parks.

She meets us at our room and we head out to take the bus to DAK. It is another very comfortable day, with sun and no rain ... in other words, perfect. As we travel to DAK we see huge lines of cars waiting to get into the EPCOT parking lot, and our driver informs us that the Magic Kingdom has already been closed to cars and non-resort guests. It is only about 10:00 AM ... it can only get worse!

We arrive at DAK and, following our usual routine, head over to Harambe to get our fastpasses for the safari. With fastpasses in hand, however, we decide that since the standby line is only showing a 10 minute wait - having just been reduced from 20 minutes as we approached the queue - we get on the standby line and walk almost directly to the load area. Once again we are in the back row of our truck which bounces along quick a bit, but I still manage to get some good pictures of the animals we pass during our 2 week (cut short) safari. (Photos from the safari and the rest of the day at DAK can be seen here.)

Unlike the other parks, most of our time at DAK is spent watching shows. One of our favorites is still The Festival of the Lion King, so we head towards Camp Minnie Mickey where it is presented. However, along the way my wife wants to make a stop at one of the gift shops, so while she and my daughter head inside, I park my scooter outside and do one of my favorite things - actually look at the details of the construction of the park. Many people just rush by so quickly, and never see the details that went into the look of DAK. (The link above has some photos of that detail as well.)

My wife's shopping having been completed, we continue along until we get the the theater in Camp Minnie Mickey. Our timing is perfect and we go directly in to the theater where the show begins in about 10 minutes. The Festival of the Lion King has been playing since DAK has been opened, and almost always plays to a full house, and although this is still the least crowded park today, the theater is almost at capacity. And the show does not disappoint. How can you not enjoy a show hosted by Timon and featuring tumble monkeys? (Photos of The Festival of the Lion King can be seen here.)

Our well planned and well timed trip around DAK continues with Flights of Wonder, a bird show in which the natural beauty and behaviors of the birds are featured. Of course, sometimes the birds have a mind of their own and things don't go exactly as planned, but today it almost goes according to script. Again our timing is perfect, as we get there just moments before the show is about to begin.

Once done, and after we get a quick bite for lunch, we walk over to Expedition Everest, where my daughter checks the single riders line to see if there is time to ride. Have I mentioned how not crowded the park is today? In fact, there are only 2 people on the single riders line when she gets there, so she decides to ride. The stand-by line is less than a half hour at this point. My wife and I wait this one out today, and before we know it, she has returned!

Our next show will be Finding Nemo - The Musical, but there is still a bit more time until the next show, so we once again head into Dinoland where my wife plays some more carnival games, and then she and my daughter ride Primeval Whirl while I take some more photos. It's a nice, relaxing break, and once everyone is finished with what they want to do in this area, we get on line for the show. As has been the case all day, we get right in and only have a short wait until the show starts. (Photos from Finding Nemo - The Musical can be seen here.)

As always, we enjoy it thoroughly, and when we exit, it is just about time for dinner. We have reservations at Yak and Yeti this evening, and once done we decide it is time to leave the park and head back to our room where my son-in-law will be meeting us.

Originally we had planned on heading to the lounge in the resort to celebrate the new year, but once we were all in the room (and my son-in-law was wrapping Chanukkah presents from him and my daughter for their nephews back home) we decided to stay in the room and see in the new year.

Tomorrow morning my wife and I pack and start our trip back home. Unlike the cold visit we had last year, this year was always comfortable (at least during the day) and there was no aftermath of a blizzard to deal with when we got home. And unlike our last trip, in August, there was no earthquake or hurricane at home which kept us here for an extra 4 days.

Your comments on the reports and/or the photos and video are encouraged. Please take a moment and comment below to let me know if you have enjoyed reading these posts and seeing the pictures.

Winter Break at Disney World - Day 5

December 30, 2011 - Today my daughter is working, but not at home or in her office at Team Disney, but is working the day in Animal Kingdom. When she first came down here on the College Program, she worked for 6 months in Animal Kingdom - at Conservation Station in Rafiki's Planet Watch (a name it took while she was working there). We haven't yet been to Animal Kingdom, so my wife and I decide to go there today. My daughter will text us when she knows where she will be assigned, and if possible we will try to see her.

It's another nice day, and we arrive at Animal Kingdom and, as always, head back towards Kilimanjaro Safaris and get a fastpass. There is about an hour until our window opens, so we decide to take the train back to Rafiki's Planet Watch and spend some time in Conservation Station, and Affection Section. While we head towards the train I get a text from my daughter that she is expecting to be assigned to Restaurantosaurus. We get on the train and head back, past the animals' nighttime enclosures to the train station for Rafiki's Planet Watch. In Conservation Station a surgical procedure is being performed on one of the animals. I watch for a while and then move on. We listen to the sounds of the rainforest, and then into Affection Section, the petting zoo. While there I listen to an orthodontist talk about the underbite on the llama, and how she could fix it. (In jest of course.)

Then we head back to the train station to return to Harambe and go on the safari. On the way back I get a second text from my daughter that she was actually being assigned to Flame Tree. We get on our safari truck and drive through.

When we exit the safari, my wife wants to head towards Chester & Hester's Dinoland where she can play a carnival game or two. On the way we pass Flame Tree and immediately spot my daughter standing at the head of the queue, available to help any guest with information or a look at the menu. We talk briefly and make up where and when to meet when she finishes work for the day. We arrive at Dinoland where my wife wins a dragon, and then head out of the park for our mid-afternoon reservation for tea at the Grand Floridian.

(Pictures from our day at Animal Kingdom can be seen here.)

After tea we head to Downtown Disney where we will meet our daughter. She is there when we arrive, and we proceed to the reason we have come here. Although my wife and I have ridden on Characters in Flight in the past, our daughter has not, and that is what we are here to do this evening. The light is fading as we ascend, making it difficult to take some of the pictures I want as it is not light enough anymore to take decent pictures of the theme parks which are visible from the air, and they have not yet put their lights on. However, the lights do come on in Downtown Disney. I do get a good shot of the Team Disney building, in which my daughter works.

(See the pictures from our trip on Characters in Flight by clicking here.)

We pick up my daughter's husband as this evening we will be doing something that we have never done before. The Gaylord Palms hotel, inspired by a Chinese ice sculpture festival has one of its own each year. The convention center is refrigerated to a chilly 10°F (-12°C) and The Gaylord Palms brings over a team of 40 artisans from Harbin, China. The talented artisans spend more than a month in Kissimmee/Orlando creating this one-of-a-kind attraction. Harbin is best known for its annual International Ice and Snow Festival, where more than 2,000 sculptors annually carve a 100-acre walk-through ice park, using ice from the nearby Songhua River.

This year the sculptures are from the TV special, Shrek The Halls. Everything in the display is created from blocks of ice, and has been on display since November! Aside from the character images, there are even 2 ice slides on which you can slide. Although I have come with my winter coat, they issue everyone a parker to deal with the cold inside of the display room. With all those people (and their body heat) going through, the carvings are amazingly intact, though close examination will reveal what 2 months of being on display has caused.

(Pictures of ICE! at the Gaylord Palms can be seen here.)

Dinner caps off the day and then we prepare for New Years Eve day ... our final full day here.

August 21, 2011 - We Head to Disney World

After all the planning, Iris and Jason's wedding was just days away. Today we head to the airport and head to Walt Disney World in Florida. Not the first time by any means, but this time will be special. We don't plan on being in the parks very much ... but oh how plans can change.

We are flying out in the evening, and storms on the east coast have been playing with air schedules most of the afternoon. Though our 6:30 PM flight is still listed as "on time" when we arrive at the airport, Newark Liberty as a whole is experiencing an average of 84 minute delays. While it hasn't started raining in the NYC vicinity yet, our plane, which was coming from Spain, was diverted to Boston. However, we are told that it is now at Newark, and when our flight does get slightly delayed, it is only a delay of 30 minutes. By 7:00 PM we are on the aircraft and ready to push. In all, we wind up getting to Orlando International only about 45 minutes late, and Iris and Jason are waiting for us.

They drive us to Disney's Boardwalk Resort (BWR) where we are staying for the next 6 nights, and the wedding will take place on Wednesday. Sandy and I are amazed at our room when we get there. One of Iris's friends has made sure that we were assigned to the largest room at the level we had selected - which is important as there will be many people in and out of there on the wedding day, and Iris will be having her hair and make-up test there the day before, as well as staying the night before the wedding. There will be 5 people getting dressed there the morning of the big day! At night, we watch Illuminations from our rather small balcony - well, something had to make up for the size of the room.

The next day, Monday, Jason and I head off to pick up our tuxedos while Iris, Sandy and Iris's friend Lee Ann stay in the room waiting for the hair stylist/make-up artist. Once both of those tasks are completed, we all scatter to take care of a number of matters. Iris heads off to have her nails done with my daughter-in-law (and others) so Bobby, the twins, Sandy and I walk over to EPCOT for the afternoon.

First thing Sandy and I do is activate our Annual Passes. Sandy needs to get a few things at France, so after that stop, we head over to Future World and take the boys through Journey Through Your Imagination. They thoroughly enjoy the ride (again - they had been on it earlier in the week and last year) and spend some time running around in the interactive area.

It is a terribly hot day - and will be so all week - so before we go to The Seas With Nemo and Friends, the boys stop for a juice break. We  then do the Nemo ride and spend some time in Seabase, including a visit with Crush. The boys love watching the fish and enjoy their  time there. When it it finished we decide to head over to World Showcase so that we are closer to the International Gateway so that when it is time to return to the hotel to meet up with everyone, we won't be stuck on the other side of the park.
We walk around, and take the boys onto the ride in Mexico, but of course, this being Florida, the afternoon downpour is starting to make its presence known, so we decide to head back to the room and wait for everyone, at which time we will go have a bite to eat for dinner. At this point we hear thunder and see lightning, and our plan to take a boat back to the hotel is stymied by the fact that the lightning has caused them to stop running, so we walk the short walk back, hoping to make it before the rain comes. We do.

Once everyone is back, we decide that we would try to have dinner at the ESPN Club, but as we get there we can see that the lines are just too long, so we try Big River just down the Boardwalk, but they too had long lines. As it turned out we went off property and all had dinner at Red Lobster.

Back to the room when done, as tomorrow would be a big day with lots of things to do.

More pictures of today can be seen here.