tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45018911037563055222024-02-22T06:18:40.765-08:00Anatomy of A DisneyholicEverything about Walt Disney World, Disney Cruise Line, the magic of Disney in general, and how great life would be if I could live in the Castle.Deehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01124604431223972203noreply@blogger.comBlogger50125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4501891103756305522.post-37923825560597845832009-11-10T10:22:00.000-08:002009-11-10T10:28:49.237-08:00Day 4: The All-Important Downtime!Keith and I wanted very much to get back to the Kidani Village pool when it was open, while Jane and Tyler (decidedly NOT water people) wanted to sleep in. So in the morning, Keith and I headed out to Kidani’s pool.<br /><br /><table border="0" width="500"><tbody><tr><td valign="top" width="50%"><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/PIC_3128.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/th_PIC_3128.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></td><td valign="top" width="50%"><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/PIC_3129.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/th_PIC_3129.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table border="0" width="500"><tbody><tr><td valign="top" width="50%"><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/PIC_3133.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/th_PIC_3133.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></td><td valign="top" width="50%"><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/PIC_3147.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/th_PIC_3147.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></td></tr></tbody></table><br />We headed to EPCOT for lunch, then rode Spaceship Earth. We played Power City, a cool game in the Siemens Pavilion as you exit Spaceship Earth. You have to supply electrical power to a growing city by pushing around energy sources with clubs that look like hockey sticks. The city and the energy pills are all projected on the floor and the hockey sticks have electronic tips. Very cool game.<br /><br />Since it was hot (shockingly enough, in Florida) we escaped into Mouse Gears, EPCOT’s biggest merchandise store. I shopped for gifts (one of my favorite Disney World activities) and we headed to Mission:Space. Always a fun ride to do! (We do Green Team only -- I am not a fan of throwing up).<br /><br />We took the boat from EPCOT to Hollywood Studios to meet Jane and Tyler for dinner at Hollywood and Vine, a buffet dinner. Afterward, we headed to the Tower of Terror, which Tyler rode (he’s the only one of us who likes it), and we did the Great Movie Ride. This is a great ride, going through some of the best classics in movie history, and getting kidnapped on the way...I see a blog entry coming!<br /><br />Tyler also rode Rockin’ Roller Coaster, which he likes (0 to 60 in 2.8 seconds), though he confesses to dislike the music (Aerosmith).<br /><br />We went back to the hotel afterward. A mellow, fun day!Deehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01124604431223972203noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4501891103756305522.post-25578036868217272292009-10-29T22:19:00.000-07:002009-10-29T22:19:42.121-07:00Day 3 ContinuedKeith and I planned to go back to the Animal Kingdom after I finished unpacking, but he decided to hit the pool after lunch.<br /><br /><table border="0" width="500"><tbody><tr><td valign="top" width="50%"><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/PIC_2999.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/th_PIC_2999.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></td><td valign="top" width="50%"><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/PIC_3003.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/th_PIC_3003.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table border="0" width="500"><tbody><tr><td valign="top" width="50%"><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/PIC_3023.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/th_PIC_3023.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></td><td valign="top" width="50%"><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/PIC_3024.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/th_PIC_3024.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></td></tr></tbody></table><br />We got back to the room, showered and changed to go to dinner at Sanaa, in Kidani Village.<br /><br /><table border="0" width="500"><tbody><tr><td valign="top" width="50%"><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/PIC_3077.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/th_PIC_3077.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></td><td valign="top" width="50%"><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/PIC_3076.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/th_PIC_3076.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table border="0" width="500"><tbody><tr><td valign="top" width="50%"><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/PIC_3075.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/th_PIC_3075.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Kidani Village is a new Disney Vacation Club (DVC) property in Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge. While the Lodge itself has DVC villas in addition to regular hotel rooms, Kidani is all villas.<br />We had time before dinner to take more pictures of the animals on the savannah.<br /><table border="0" width="500"><tbody><tr><td valign="top" width="50%"><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/PIC_3087.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/th_PIC_3087.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></td><td valign="top" width="50%"><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/PIC_3089.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/th_PIC_3089.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table border="0" width="500"><tbody><tr><td valign="top" width="50%"><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/PIC_3097.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/th_PIC_3097.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Sanaa turned out to be a really great restaurant, with excellent décor as well <br /><table border="0" width="500"><tbody><tr><td valign="top" width="50%"><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/PIC_3101.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/th_PIC_3101.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Keith’s dish was undercooked (twice!) but they were really good about fixing it and it tasted great, he said. He discovered a new type of tea…<br /><table border="0" width="500"><tbody><tr><td valign="top" width="50%"><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/PIC_3106.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/th_PIC_3106.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></td></tr></tbody></table><br />…and we all agreed that dessert was amazing!<br /><table border="0" width="500"><tbody><tr><td valign="top" width="50%"><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/PIC_3111.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/th_PIC_3111.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></td></tr></tbody></table><br />After dinner we walked around Kidani Village and found out that while we didn’t care much for the building design, the pool area was STUNNING!<br /><table border="0" width="500"><tbody><tr><td valign="top" width="50%"><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/PIC_3112.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/th_PIC_3112.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></td><td valign="top" width="50%"><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/PIC_3114.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/th_PIC_3114.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table border="0" width="500"><tbody><tr><td valign="top" width="50%"><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/PIC_3119.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/th_PIC_3119.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></td><td valign="top" width="50%"><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/PIC_3122.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/th_PIC_3122.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></td></tr></tbody></table><br />They also have a brand-new, state-of-the-art workout room in which we tried to cancel out dessert…Deehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01124604431223972203noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4501891103756305522.post-63266388453704475642009-10-26T15:45:00.000-07:002009-10-26T15:46:30.637-07:00Pictorial Interlude: Keith’s View From Our Room<table border="0" width="500"><tbody><tr><td valign="top" width="50%"><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/PIC_2946.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/th_PIC_2946.jpg" border="0" alt="" ></a></td><td valign="top" width="50%"><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/PIC_2957.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/th_PIC_2957.jpg" border="0" alt="" ></a></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table border="0" width="500"><tbody><tr><td valign="top" width="50%"><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/PIC_2955.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/th_PIC_2955.jpg" border="0" alt="" ></a></td><td valign="top" width="50%"><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/PIC_2968.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/th_PIC_2968.jpg" border="0" alt="" ></a></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table border="0" width="500"><tbody><tr><td valign="top" width="50%"><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/PIC_2977.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/th_PIC_2977.jpg" border="0" alt="" ></a></td><td valign="top" width="50%"><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/PIC_2981.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/th_PIC_2981.jpg" border="0" alt="" ></a></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table border="0" width="500"><tbody><tr><td valign="top" width="50%"><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/PIC_2991.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/th_PIC_2991.jpg" border="0" alt="" ></a></td><td valign="top" width="50%"><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/PIC_2982.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/th_PIC_2982.jpg" border="0" alt="" ></a></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table border="0" width="500"><tbody><tr><td valign="top" width="50%"><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/PIC_2992.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/th_PIC_2992.jpg" border="0" alt="" ></a></td></tr></tbody></table>Deehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01124604431223972203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4501891103756305522.post-28012615465874351352009-10-26T15:13:00.000-07:002009-10-26T15:38:59.448-07:00Day 3: Fun and DiplomacyMy intent for today was to take advantage of the morning Extra Magic Hours for the Animal Kingdom. That’s when I discovered that Jane and Tyler operate in a different time zone than us, when it comes to mornings. Compromise became the name of the game for this trip :) </p> <p>We got to the Animal Kingdom somewhat after 9AM, and headed to the Kilimanjaro Safari ride. Though my camera is perfectly capable of taking videos, I keep trying to take still pictures on a VERY bumpy ride with a camera that was NOT made to take action photos. It’[s not so much that I like pain and suffering as much as it is that I like the photographic challenge. </p> <p>The Safari ride, especially if done in the morning when the weather is cooler, is really impressive in the wealth of wildlife you can see. Despite the limitations of my camera, I did get some not bad and good pics during the ride, and had fun trying.</p> <p><table border="0" width="500"><tbody><tr><td valign="top" width="50%"><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/PIC_2875.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/th_PIC_2875.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></td><td valign="top" width="50%"><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/PIC_2877.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/th_PIC_2877.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></td></tr></tbody></table></p> <p><table border="0" width="500"><tbody><tr><td valign="top" width="50%"><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/PIC_2866.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/th_PIC_2866.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></td><td valign="top" width="50%"><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/PIC_2882.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/th_PIC_2882.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></td></tr></tbody></table></p><br />We had breakfast at the Pizzafari, and got into a heated discussion regarding education (Jane has been a teacher for decades). Yes, the boys had strong, intelligent opinions as well. I’m really proud of them! Eventually we decided that since we can’t solve the Bellevue School District’s problems in one day, we may as well head over to…</p><br /><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/PIC_2898.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/th_PIC_2898.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><p>I don’t do roller coasters, but Keith and Tyler sure do, and they love Everest. They rode it twice in a row, after which I put my foot down and demanded we go see Flights of Wonder. I absolutely adore this show, and HIGHLY recommend it to anyone visiting the Animal Kingdom.</p><br /><p><table border="0" width="500"><tbody><tr><td valign="top" width="50%"><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/PIC_2929.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/th_PIC_2929.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></td><td valign="top" width="50%"><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/PIC_2933.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/th_PIC_2933.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></td></tr></tbody></table></p><br />We left Flights of Wonder and headed over to Kali Rapids. The day was VERY hot so I saw no reason to wear protective clothing (rain ponchos). I made sure and kept my feet up and tucked under the seat, because I despise walking in wet socks and snickers…We had a BLAST (we got drenched). </p> <p>The Animal Kingdom is Disney’s hottest park, and Jane was getting overheated (she didn’t ride Kali). We headed back to the hotel and I unpacked. Keith took this opportunity to appropriate my camera and head out on the porch, where he took some really great pictures.</p>Deehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01124604431223972203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4501891103756305522.post-91277600186313212362009-09-06T22:51:00.000-07:002009-09-07T00:03:09.755-07:00Day 2: The Magic BeginsFor our first full day at the World, we had breakfast reservations at the Crystal Palace, home to Pooh and friends and great buffet meals. The Magic Kingdom opened early that day for resort guests, and I wanted to get there early, but we were all tired from traveling the day before. Jane had to take care of the room issue, and get her <a href="http://disneyholic-dee.blogspot.com/2009/07/gac-its-not-chocking-sound.html" target="_blank">GAC card</a> so Keith and I went ahead. We browsed in the yet-uncrowded Emporium on Main Street USA (a great everything-you-want parks merchandise store), and made our way up towards Adventureland.<br /><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/PIC_3290.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/th_PIC_3290.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />We wanted to ride Pirates of the Caribbean, but realized we had only a short time before our Crystal Palace reservation and turned back. We checked in at the Crystal Palace and got our pager. Than we waited.<br /><br />Tyler and Jane got to Crystal Palace 15 minutes later and we waited.<br /><br />30 minutes later we were still waiting.<br /><br />At some point, I was fuming (this normally doesn't happen to me at The World), so I sent Keith up to the check-in window to find out what was up. Apparently, they never entered our pager number into the waiting cue! There were many apologies, and two 4-people, any-ride-you-want Fast Passes (which Keith pointed out saved us at least the hour we spent waiting). Eventually we sat down to a wonderful breakfast.<br /><br />We discovered that Jane likes some tea with her ice:<br /><br /><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/PIC_2758.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/th_PIC_2758.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>.<br /><br />Teenagers aren't crazy about pictures with characters:<br /><br /><table border="0" width="500"><tbody><tr><td valign="top" width="33%"><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/PIC_2766.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/th_PIC_2766.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></td><td valign="top" width="33%"><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/PIC_2772.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/th_PIC_2772.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></td><td valign="top" width="33%"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />But I am (no big surprise there):<br /><br /><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/PIC_2768.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/th_PIC_2768.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Keith also got a birthday celebration at breakfast:<br /><br /><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/PIC_2773.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/th_PIC_2773.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />We did ride pirates of the Caribbean after breakfast. As we exited into the inevitable store (it's actually a very cool store, with lots of pirate "stuff") we encountered this guy:<br /><br /><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/PIC_2779.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/th_PIC_2779.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />He was great. I stood there for 5-10 minutes and watched him getting poked, people kept trying to guess if he was live or audio-animatronic, they posed in front of him, he never moved or blinked. I'd hate to have that job but boy was it fun to watch!<br /><br />And then of course we had to ride <a href="http://disneyholic-dee.blogspot.com/2009/04/favorite-attractions-splash-mountain.html" target="_blank">Splash Mountain</a>.<br /><br /><table border="0" width="500"><tbody><tr><td valign="top" width="33%"><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/PIC_2782.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/th_PIC_2782.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></td><td valign="top" width="33%"><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/PIC_2790.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/th_PIC_2790.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></td><td valign="top" width="33%"><br /><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/PIC_2786.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/th_PIC_2786.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></td></tr></tbody></table><br />And the boys rode Big Thunder Mountain. I am NOT a rollercoaster person, and neither is Jane, so we just waited for them to come off. Then we did several other must-do rides, including Toy Story. And to our great disappointment (though I knew of it in advance), the People Mover (Tomorrowland Transit Authority) was down for refurbishment. It was supposed to be back up on 8/24, but it stayed down for our entire stay. :(<br /><br />Remember the tissues I ordered from GardenGrocer? I casually tossed a couple of packs into my fanny pack on our way out the door that morning. About halfway through breakfast I started sneezing. And I kept on sneezing through the rest of the Magic Kingdom. By about 3pm I was exhausted and miserable, and Jane still had room issues to resolve (!), so we decided to go back to the hotel. I always have zinc lozenges with me, so I sucked one, took a decongestant, and went to bed while Keith read. I slept for 2.5 hours, took another zinc, and felt like a brand new person. We headed for EPCOT, and aside from a couple of sniffles at the beginning of dinner I was fine. By the next day, there was no sign of a problem. Weird, but I wasn't complaining!<br /><br />We ate in Tuttu Italia, in the Italian Pavilion at EPCOT. Personally, I miss the old restaurant that was there (Alfredo). Keith loved the new one, better than Alfredo. At least we all agreed that the desserts were great!<br /><br /><table border="0" width="500"><tbody><tr><td valign="top" width="33%"><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/PIC_2815.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/th_PIC_2815.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></td><td valign="top" width="33%"><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/PIC_2816.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/th_PIC_2816.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></td><td valign="top" width="33%"><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/PIC_2817.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/th_PIC_2817.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />And Keith had yet another Birthday Celebration :)<br /><br /><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/PIC_2814-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/th_PIC_2814-1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />We watched IllumiNations to end a GREAT day!Deehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01124604431223972203noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4501891103756305522.post-72429495167431108062009-08-21T21:28:00.000-07:002009-08-21T21:48:55.277-07:00Some Day 1 Photos<table border="0" width="500"><tbody><tr><td width="33%" valign="top"><br /></td><td width="33%" valign="top"><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/PIC_2710.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/th_PIC_2710.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></td><td width="33%" valign="top"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">The Matching Monorail Shirts Arrive at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge!<br /></div><br /><br /><br /><table border="0" width="500"><tbody><tr><td width="33%" valign="top"><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/PIC_2715.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/th_PIC_2715.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></td><td width="33%" valign="top"><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/PIC_2714-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/th_PIC_2714-1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></td><td width="33%" valign="top"><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/PIC_2711.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/th_PIC_2711.jpg" border="0" alt="" ></a></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table border="0" width="500"><tbody><tr><td width="33%" valign="top"><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/PIC_2722.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/th_PIC_2722.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></td><td width="33%" valign="top"><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/PIC_2725-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/th_PIC_2725-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" ></a></td><td width="33%" valign="top"><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/PIC_2723.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/th_PIC_2723.jpg" border="0" alt="" ></a></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">A Room with A View...And A Fun Mousekeeping Touch<br /></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><table border="0" width="500"><tbody><tr><td width="33%" valign="top"><br /></td><td width="33%" valign="top"><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/PIC_2729.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2009/th_PIC_2729.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /></td><td width="33%" valign="top"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">The Purple Appendage of Happiness and the Purple Appendage of Contentment :)</div>Deehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01124604431223972203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4501891103756305522.post-28038956283558356032009-08-19T15:13:00.000-07:002009-08-19T15:23:23.738-07:00Day 1 Part 2: Travel and Mushroom SoupKeith's dad (who's house-sitting for us and watching the dogs and cat) drove us to the airport. Jane and Tyler were not there yet, and after calling them we decided to meet at the gate, since they were running behind.<br /><br />Boarding time came and they were still not there. Keith was upset, and I was worried. Just before the doors to the plane closed, they made it. They had trouble with their luggage check-in and it took a while for them to get through...but they made it, to our relief.<br /><br />The flights themselves (from Seattle to Atlanta and Atlanta to Orlando) were uneventful. When we got to our resort (Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge), we found out 3 things:<br /><ul><br /><li>The online check-in system is full of bugs</li><br /><li>All the hotels at Disney World are sold out (which is unbelievable for late August)</li><br /><li>We didn't get the connecting rooms we had hoped for (and requested)</ li ><br /></ul><br /><br />We did eventually get to our rooms (though Jane was moved to another room, at her request, the following day). By the time we made it to the room we had barely enough time to get our Owner’s Lockers and quickly change for dinner.<br /><br />We had dinner at Boma, a buffet restaurant at the resort. Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge is an African-themed resort and the buffet reflected it. Bear in mind that calling Boma a buffet restaurant is like calling the Hope diamond a pretty rock. It is, in my mind, one of the best restaurants on the planet. And they have, in addition to all the other amazing dishes, the Best. Mushroom Soup. Anywhere. (I happen to love a good mushroom soup.)<br /><br />Because this is Keith’s birthday trip (his birthday is in September, so he gets his Disney birthday trip in August a lot), he asked for and received a Birthday Button from the front desk. He loves wearing it. We always make sure at Disney that restaurant cast members know it’s not his actual birthday, and they never seem to care. They give him a birthday celebration anyhow. So far this trip he’s had 3, and counting. Who wouldn’t want to wear the button, under these circumstances???<br /><br />So he wore the button at Boma, and at the end of the meal was presented with a special treats platter with the words “BOMA Re A Ipela” written in chocolate powder on it. To my shame, I forget which African language it’s in, but it means “Boma celebrates you,” according to our server.<br /><br />We finished the meal on a high note and headed back to our room. Keith and Tyler discussed the possible advantages and cataclysmic climate consequences of complete ocean desalinization all the way to the elevators. Because they can be real nerds, in addition to typical boys, sometimes.<br /><br />Once in the room, I got our <a href="http://www.gardengrocer.com/" target="_blank">GardenGrocer</a> order delivered from Bell Services, including the multipack of pocket tissue packets (cue foreboding music here). Then we went to sleep. Despite Keith’s best efforts to bounce of the walls, he was that excited!Deehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01124604431223972203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4501891103756305522.post-31154047019007330882009-08-18T04:23:00.000-07:002009-08-19T04:12:12.669-07:00Day 1, Part 1: The Big RevealI woke up at 2AM to finish some last minute packing (and because I was too excited to sleep much, as usual). At 3AM, I went into Keith's room with his monorail T-shirt. I woke him up. (I told him the day before we were going to Portland by train, because I wanted to make sure he packed himself some stuff to keep himself entertained for several hours.) The conversation went something like that:<br />"Keith, wake up. And wear this shirt. It's appropriate for where we're going."<br />(Yawn) "OK." Takes shirt, glances at it, puts it on.<br />(Me, disappointed) "Uh, OK, finish getting dressed."<br />(Yawn) "OK." Then he catches a glimpse of the clock. "Hey, it's only 3AM!"<br />"Yup, flight leaves at 6."<br />(Blank stare) "What flight?"<br />"Look again at your shirt."<br />(Looks down)"Yeah, we're going on the train, right?"<br />"Are you sure?"<br />(The light dawns) "WE'RE GOING TO DISNEY???"<br />I wish I had my camera for that, really.Deehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01124604431223972203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4501891103756305522.post-60205012687813067172009-08-13T20:15:00.000-07:002009-08-13T20:57:26.783-07:00Pre-Trip ReportDid I mention we're going to Disney World? A pre-trip report ("pre-trippie") is a common occurrence among Disneyholics, who like to share the joy of the upcoming fix with anyone who'd listen (and some who won't, like the receptionist at my physical therapist's office). If you go on any Disney discussion board, you'll find many such reports.<br /><br />Naturally, a Trip Report follows a pre-trippie. We'll see how good I am at updating while in The World itself. I have a poor track record, but then again I never had a serious blog before.<br /><br />The motley crew for this upcoming trip consists of myself, my almost-13 year old son who's currently seriously in the dog house, his friend Tyler, and Tyler's grandma / guardian Jane. Jane shares my birthday and my obsession with Disney World. <br /><br />In 2007 I got Jane to buy into the Disney Vacation Club (of which we are members). She got bonus points for joining when she did (right place at the right time, some people are lucky!) She is generously using these points for our accommodations as well, so I have extra points to use this year, or rent so I can pay for my next Disney fix.<br /><br />This is me, December 2008 (I'm the one with the glasses):<br /><br /><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20December%2008/PIC_1963.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20December%2008/th_PIC_1963.jpg" border="0" alt="" ></a><br /><br /><br />Here's Keith, same trip:<br /><br /><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20December%2008/PIC_2097.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20December%2008/th_PIC_2097.jpg" border="0" alt="" ></a><br /><br />Tyler, August 2007:<br /><br /><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2007/PIC_0375.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2007/th_PIC_0375.jpg" border="0" alt="" ></a><br /><br />And Jane, August 2007:<br /><br /><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2007/PIC_0373.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/Disney%20August%2007/th_PIC_0373.jpg" border="0" alt="" ></a><br /><br />My son hasn't actually been told we're going. I was trying to keep it a surprise. I think he might be on to it, though, because the other day I left a piece of paper lying around that I shouldn't have. However, if he saw it, he's playing along. We'll see what happens when I wake him up to go to the airport...Deehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01124604431223972203noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4501891103756305522.post-3911440270302873902009-08-11T09:54:00.000-07:002009-08-11T09:57:47.744-07:00Single-Digit DanceThe Single-Digit Dance is a unique ritual performed by Disneyholics when they are less than 10 days away from a Disney Fix. The intricacies of the dance are hard to explain and vary among different tribe members. Having absolutely no talent, my Single-Digit Dance is awkward and nerdy but I really don't care -- I'M GOING TO DISNEY WORLD!!!!!!!!!Deehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01124604431223972203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4501891103756305522.post-77908763168761350442009-08-06T07:38:00.000-07:002009-08-06T08:21:19.032-07:00The Cultural Revolution :)I had always been amazed that an innovative company like Disney stayed rather behind the times when it came to its use of new technology (mainly the web) in its customer service endeavors. This seems to be changing, finally. And, being a nerd in addition to a Disneyholic, I find this change exciting.<br /><br />For starters, Disney is revamping its web sites (though I still find the Disney World site annoying and awkward to use). I really like the new look of the <a href="http://disneycruise.disney.go.com/" target="_blank">Disney Cruise Line site</a>, for example. That site has always been one of their better sites.<br /><br />What I find truly exciting are the new conveniences that are now available to guests, before they ever leave home, through online enhancements. Disney has recently added <a href="http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/restaurants/" target="_blank">online dining reservations</a>. This means I can check the availability of a restaurant, starting at the 90-day reservation window, multiple times daily. For my upcoming trip, I was already able to take advantage of this service. Told initially that a restaurant I wanted was not available at all in the time-period I was interested in, I managed to get a reservation online several days later, without having to repeatedly call back and annoy the reservation agents :). <br /><br />Another new service I get to try shortly is the online check-in. Disney has made it so resort guests can fill out check-in information online, and their room key and welcome folder will be waiting for them in a special area at their hotel when they arrive. I'm looking forward to trying it out. Stay tuned!<br /><br />The third enhancement I like is the "mobile room-ready notification." Guests who arrive at resort hotels before their room is ready are always able to store their luggage with Bell Services and head to the parks, but traditionally had to call the front desk or check back in person multiple times to find out when their room is ready. They can now opt to leave a cell phone number, and get a text message or an automated call when their room is ready, saving quite a bit of hassle. <br /><br />I'm pretty sure Disney is finally fully embracing the 21st Century!Deehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01124604431223972203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4501891103756305522.post-90393671480262755992009-07-30T12:14:00.000-07:002009-07-30T12:17:22.114-07:00GAC -- It's not a chocking sound!Here's a subject that's near and dear to my heart, because it effects the friend I'm traveling to Disney World with: the Guest Assistance Card (GAC).<br /><br />The Disney GAC aims to assist people with invisible disabilities. This can run the gamut from being on medication that makes you too sensitive to sunlight to having children who are incapable of handling long waits in a crowded line (due to certain developmental / psychological disorders; I'm not talking about cranky toddlers). My friend has had a serious infection in her leg that left her blood circulation fairly impaired in that leg. She is not allowed to stand up for lengthy periods of time, but has no mobility issues that require her to use a wheelchair or "scooter." She walks just fine.<br /><br />Disney makes the GAC easy to obtain -- a great benefit for people who need it, though I suppose it's possible it is also easier to abuse the system that way. Nevertheless, it's nice not to make a person who really needs it jump through hoops to get it. This is a vacation, after all. It's bad enough you have a medical problem on vacation, it shouldn't be complicated by making you fill up reams of paperwork or answer too many personal questions.<br /><br />To get the GAC, a person has to go to any Guest Services location in any of the parks and describe their issue (or child's issue) in general terms. The actual bearer of the GAC has to be there, even if it's a young child. So I couldn't ask for a GAC for my friend if she were still sleeping at the hotel and I was trying to be nice to her.<br /><br />Once you describe the problem, a GAC will be issued with appropriate instructions on it (there are several categories for GAC instructions, depending on the person's need). You do not have to present a doctor's note or a prescription label. The Guest Services Cast Member will issue the GAC according to your description of the problem (they may ask you some questions to clarify the issue). Remember that if you get the GAC for someone else, they have to be there with you.<br /><br />Guest Assistance Cards are good for the entire length of stay for all parks. You only have to request them once at the beginning of your stay. They are good for the entire party traveling together, so families and friends aren't split on rides.<br /><br />The GAC may allow the person a quiet waiting area, a wait area in the shade, or the ability to move ahead in the line <em>if a Fastpass is not available.</em> The GAC is NOT a "go to the head of the line" pass, and the carrier (and their party) would still likely have some wait, though a probably shorter one. Disney Cast Members may direct guests to obtain a Fastpass if one is available.<br /><br />Children on Make-A-Wish trips have a special version of the GAC, obtained through Make-A-Wish, and they <em>will</em> go to the head of the line due to their special situation.<br /><br />The GAC tends to irk people who are overly judgemental. It's easy to see why a wheelchair-bound person requires special accommodations, but people using the GAC tend to get dirty looks from some people, because their problem is not obvious. Maybe there's a lesson in humanity and compassion in this. Ask yourselves honestly what your reaction would be if someone who looks healthy got what seems like "special treatment" from cast members while you have to stand in line. Next time, give these people the benefit of the doubt, or count your blessings. Waiting in line is a small price to pay for being in good health.Deehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01124604431223972203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4501891103756305522.post-73283618587481189942009-07-18T12:58:00.001-07:002009-07-18T13:04:05.215-07:00Saturday Picture: The Disney Magic in St. Thomas<img style="visibility:hidden;width:0px;height:0px;" border=0 width=0 height=0 src="http://counters.gigya.com/wildfire/IMP/CXNID=2000002.0NXC/bHQ9MTI*Nzk*NzA2MzM5MSZwdD*xMjQ3OTQ3MTI1NzQ1JnA9Mzg2MzYxJmQ9Jm49YmxvZ2dlciZnPTEmbz*3YTE5ZDM1MmNmYmE*ZjI3YTE*MjM2ZGY3ZmEzYzBkNCZvZj*w.gif" /><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/dee47/dcl/IMG_0217.jpg"><br /><br />Photo Credit: Me!Deehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01124604431223972203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4501891103756305522.post-50091844110919562362009-07-08T22:21:00.000-07:002009-07-08T23:42:13.468-07:00Silent Cell Phone and Other Musings (LONG!)Disneyholics have strange triggers. One thing that's always guaranteed to take us back, mentally if not physically, to the Happiest Place on Earth is the monorail "doors opening" announcement:<br /><br />"Please stand clear of the doors. Por favor mantengase alejado de las puertas."<br /><br />It's a classic. Anyone who's ridden the monorails in Disney World knows the announcement, and it's a favorite among Disneyholics.<br /><br />So I found the recording online and made it the ring tone for my cell phone a while ago. Did I mention I love the Disney monorails? I even have the <a href="http://shop.cafepress.com/design/21666936" target="_blank">T-shirt</a>.<br /><br />I've kept my cell phone on silent since Sunday. It started out because I read the news as soon as I woke up, and couldn't stand the thought of having the phone ring with that particular ring tone right then.<br /><br />Then I started finding out more information about Austin Wuennenberg, the 21-year-old driver of Monorail Purple, who died in the crash. I found out he was an only child whose dad died of cancer when Austin was 2. I found out his mom used to leave the TV on so that when Austin came home after a late shift at Disney he'd turn it off, and she'd wake up in the morning and know he's home safe. Except she woke up on Sunday morning and the TV was still on.<br /><br />I found out he had a loving girlfriend who's struggling to understand what happened and why. And that he LOVED his Disney job and was the quintessential perfect Disney Cast Member. Helpful, cheerful, conscientious. There is <a href="http://www.wftv.com/video/19988760/index.html" target="_blank">a video shot by a guest who rode with him up front in the monorail</a> several days before the crash. Practically every person who watched it has cried. This guy was what Disney is all about. And he was smart, to boot. Friends describe him as brainy. His aunt said people always had high expectations of him and he'd meet or exceed them.<br /><br />I am still keeping my cell phone on silent, in memory of this remarkable young man. His funeral was today, I thought I should keep it silent at least this long.<br /><br />**********<br /><br />Here's something that really got me today: The NTSB report of the crash events states that Austin tried to reverse the train when he saw Monorail Pink barreling down at him.<br /><br />Somehow, all this time I had the irrational hope he never knew what hit him. But the thought that he saw it coming is really upsetting. Some online discussions commented on the fact that he might have been able to jump out if he hadn't tried to reverse, but, knowing he had passengers right in back of him (there was a family in the first car of the monorail) he tried to get them to safety. If that theory is correct, he should be hailed as a hero even more than he already is.<br /><br />************************<br /><br />There were no mechanical failures involved in the accident, per the NTSB, and as speculated (see my previous post) the accident happened during an attempted track switch. Given that no mechanical failures were found, but the switch never happened, I'm guessing someone (or several someones) will have to live the rest of their lives knowing that whatever it is they did or didn't do that night resulted in someone's death. There must have been, however, quite a cascade of problems to pass through all the safeties and redundancies in a system with such an amazing safety record. I mean, the monorail can be shut down manually from the platform, according to several past pilots (Disney monorail drivers are called pilots). And there's always someone on the platform, to the best of my recollection. What HAPPENED?? <br /><br />********************************<br /><br />This might be the most jarring aspect of the accident to me -- that it happened at all, in a system that carried over a billion people in 38 years of operation without a single fatality, until Sunday. It doesn't change my trust in the safety of the monorail system one bit, but it is astounding that something like this could happen. And seeing the picture of Monorail Pink's rear cab embedded in the driver's cab of Monorail Purple looked, to me, obscene, for lack of a better term. I mean, imagine seeing a favorite book or toy mutilated. It's obscene. It shouldn't happen. I think, in part, that's why I can't wait to ride the monorail again in August. I need my life to be right again, though it feels selfish right now to say it. The lives of Austin's family and friends, especially his mom, will never "be right" again, though I hope they attain peace and comfort, in time. For me to complain about the affect the accident had on me seems...wrong. Really wrong.<br /><br />*************************<br /><br />I'm thinking tonight, also, about the driver of Monorail Pink, who had to be checked at the hospital after the accident, mostly (according to some reports) because he was so distraught. I saw an interview with a former pilot and read online comments from former Disney monorail pilots who describe a very close community which takes safety ultra-seriously. I can't imagine what it feels like to be the direct cause of a fellow pilot's death.(Though he may not be at fault? I'm not clear on whether he could have known he wasn't switched in time to prevent the crash).Deehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01124604431223972203noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4501891103756305522.post-61837800562694394572009-07-06T14:57:00.000-07:002009-07-06T15:17:35.385-07:00Monorail -- Yes, AgainI'd like to reiterate some statistics, because I've been hearing far too many "I'm not riding the Disney monorails again" comments around me.<br /><br />In 38 years of operation (since 1971), the Disney World Monorail System carried an estimated <strong>billion+</strong> people. In all that time there was 1 fatality -- this past Sunday night. You have a better chance of dying in a car crash driving in your home town than dying in a Disney monorail crash. Disney has had 3 monorail crashes in its history. One was during a commercial filming event when a tractor drove too close in front of the monorail. One at the Magic Kingdom station where the driver and 2 guests were hurt (in 1974), and the tragic crash on Sunday, when Austin Wuennenberg, the driver of Monorail Purple, was killed. I challenge you to find a SAFER transportation mode in the world today.<br /><br />Disney reopened the monorail system today with additional safety sensors on the track switches, one of the few places where there were none and a manual override of the anti-collision system was required before. <br />NOTE: Unconfirmed speculation ahead: The current theory (there is no confirmation from Disney), based on Disney's actions and information from ummm...monorail "sources"...is that Monorail Pink was being switched off track but somehow that switch either didn't happen or the track it was switched into was the one Monorail Purple sat on. Because during track switches the collision system had to be overridden, Pink (going in reverse) never realized Purple was stationary behind him. Why nobody figured out this track was occupied before it was too late is still a matter of investigation, but the anti-collision system is now in place on switch-track areas as well. This system <strong>automatically stops the monorail</strong> if it gets within a certain distance of another monorail. End Speculation.<br /><br />I'm 5 weeks away from my Disney trip and I can't WAIT to ride the monorails again, with my son and our friends. Currently there are no rides up front, though. I don't know if these will resume in the future...I hope so. I would love to ride with the drivers again.<br /><br />Oh and if you Twitt -- #Austin!!!!Deehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01124604431223972203noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4501891103756305522.post-28186502992354883852009-07-05T23:27:00.001-07:002009-07-05T23:37:56.925-07:00Hats and mouseears off in memory of Austin WuennenbergAustin was the 21 year-old driver of Monorail Purple. He died in the monorail crash this morning. He is the only Disney World monorail fatality in 38 years of operation, in which the monorails carried over 1 billion people to date. That's an astounding safety record, though unfortunately it probably won't comfort his loved ones. Please keep Austin and his family and friends in your thoughts and prayers.<br /> <br />Austin's picture and a short tribute are in the following link.<br /><a href="http://wdwdreaming.com/blog/75-emmett/255-hats-and-mouseears-off-in-memory-of-cast-member-austin-wuennenberg.html" target="_blank">Hats and mouseears off in memory of CM Austin Wuennenberg</a><br /><br />Shared via <a href="http://addthis.com">AddThis</a>Deehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01124604431223972203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4501891103756305522.post-38883877601333573572009-07-05T09:02:00.000-07:002009-07-05T23:36:21.406-07:00An Incredibly Sad Day at Disney WorldRiding the Disney Monorail is one of our favorite things to do at Disney, and we've ridden up front with the driver many times (you just have to ask).<br /><br />This morning at 2am one of the Disney monorails crashed into another that was standing at the station, killing the 21 year-old driver of the stationary monorail. Thankfully, very few passengers were on the monorail at this time, and while they were shaken, none were injured. There are no other details currently available, and of course speculations are running rampant. <br /><br />Let me start by saying that my heart goes out to the driver's family. Losing someone in an accident, no matter what age, is always a cruel, incredibly painful incident (I know, because we just went through that in May). The young age of the driver also makes my heart ache for the parents who lost a child who must have just been starting to build a life of his own. As a mom with a son of my own, thinking about the driver's mom literally hurts. I am so sorry!<br /><br />Secondly, I still believe the Disney monorail system is safe. I don't know and won't speculate about what caused the accident. Whenever we were on the monorail, it always stopped far outside the station when another monorail was standing <i>at</i> the station. Whatever happened last night, in my opinion, was a a freak accident and I have every confidence Disney will get to the bottom of it and fix anything that needs fixing, if anything does. What gets me is the people who IMMEDIATELY start blaming "Big Bad Corporation Mentality" whenever anything bad happens at Disney, without having all the facts, and without stopping to think that even with every safety mechanism in place, you can't protect 100% against mechanical and / or human flukes. (NOTE that I'm not ascribing blame here. But in a monorail crash, the cause is going to be either mechanical or human, and possibly both. Weather wasn't an issue, as far as I glimpsed from the news.)<br /><br />Will I be riding the Disney monorail in August? You bet, if it's back up and running (the entire monorail system is shut down today, for obvious reasons). Will we try to ride up front, with the driver? Yes (if Disney still allows it), because it's a great experience. Will this incident be at the back of my mind when I do? Absolutely, and I'll be saying a prayer for the driver who died. But unless some colossal negligence on the company's part shows up in this accident investigation (and I don't believe for a moment that it will), I will keep doing what I've always done, because I think the monorail's safety record to date speaks for itself. I don't think people stopped riding the DC Metro after last month's tragic crash, and in that case it turned out that Metro was TOLD to phase out the cars in question.<br /><br />Come to think of it, light rail systems aren't having a good year so far.<br /><br />For today, we should just pause and say a prayer for the driver of Monorail Purple and his family...and leave the blame game out of the conversation until we have facts on our side.Deehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01124604431223972203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4501891103756305522.post-17200842859784819772009-07-04T08:15:00.000-07:002009-07-04T08:20:07.050-07:00Very Cool Video -- Just in Time for the 4th of JulyFrom Disney World News comes this great video...<br /><br /><object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/B8Tfrij8jbE&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/B8Tfrij8jbE&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object>Deehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01124604431223972203noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4501891103756305522.post-83157101786922159212009-06-29T20:19:00.000-07:002009-06-30T00:54:21.814-07:00Dessert Party!!!I love Disney food. I am not blind to the fact that in some parts of Disney World (and only in some parts), the food quality has gone down (from outstanding to average, I can live with that). For the most part, though, I adore the food at Disney World and on the Disney ships. One symptom of my Disneyholism is excessive drooling when planning my vacations. I can't figure out why...<br /><br />At any rate, the Magic Kingdom is offering, for a VERY limited time, a chance to combine 2 of my favorite things in the World (Disney World, that is): dessert and the <i>Wishes</i> fireworks show. The buffet runs through August 28 (we'll be there until August 29!). When I heard that, I reacted calmly, as a good Disneyholic does. I screamed, hyperventilated, and rushed to the phone, knocking over pets and small children. Yup, I got my reservation! Woo-hoo!!!<br /><br />There is <a href="http://www.disunplugged.com/2009/06/24/disney-debuts-magic-kingdom-wishes-dessert-party/" target="_blank">a great writeup (and even better pictures!!!)</a> about the buffet at the DisUnplugged blog. Head over yonder but be forewarned -- you may end up shorting your keyboard while drooling over the dessert pictures...Deehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01124604431223972203noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4501891103756305522.post-67959395597444833752009-06-25T22:20:00.000-07:002009-06-25T23:17:39.821-07:00Goodbye, Captain Eo. May Your Spirit Color Our UniversePeople seem to take pleasure in watching hugely successful individuals disintegrate in public (Susan Boyle, anyone?). I'm not sure where we get this meanness from, but I really wish, just this once, that we could treat a person with the basic respect every human being deserves. Michael Jackson is dead -- maybe we don't have to bring up the "wacko Jacko" stuff right now? Just this once? Hmm?<br /><br />Michael Jackson died today -- I still have a hard time believing the words as I write them. And maybe I'm naive, but in all his trials and tribulations I never once believed he committed the offenses he was accused of (of which he was acquitted, by the way). Did he become an eccentric recluse with bizarre habits? Probably. But this isn't the essence of the man, not for me.<br /><br />I remember <a href="http://disneyholic-dee.blogspot.com/2009/05/gone-but-not-forgotten-captain-eo.html" Target="_blank">Captain Eo</a>. I remember a song and dance sequence that brought color and freedom to a black and white world ruled by an unhappy supreme leader who needed to be freed from her own bindings. I remember a captain who told his crew -- a bunch of misfits and presumed losers -- that if they just believed in themselves, they can achieve anything. For a while, Michael Jackson really did have it all. And that's how I choose to remember him.<br /><br />I remember the man who wrote and performed <i>Heal the World</i>, to raise money for the starving people in Africa. Who participated in <i>We are the World</i> (USA for Africa). I remember an angel's voice singing <i>Ben</i>, a song that makes me cry to this day, every time I hear it.<br /><br />I remember the thrill (really, no pun intended) of listening to the <i>Thriller</i> album as a teenager, and how so many of the tracks just hit the right spot inside of me. And I loved the Jackson 5. I loved the innocence they represented in so many ways, before "wacko Jacko" and wardrobe malfunctions. (Yes, I know Janet wasn't part of the Jackson 5, but she's part of the circus surrounding the family, a circus that shouldn't be there in the first place.)<br /><br />So for me, what I choose to remember is Captain Eo. And <i>Thriller</i>, and this incredibly vast talent that we just lost today. He left a void that can't be filled, as far as I'm concerned. It's like watching the best part of my childhood die, and I miss him. I know some people would ridicule this sentiment, and the "wacko Jacko" jokes will be on the uprise for a while. As for me, I came home today after my Tae Kwon Do class and sat in my car and listened to Michael on the iPod. And I cried.<br /><br />Good Night, Captain Eo.Deehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01124604431223972203noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4501891103756305522.post-7644269235786341862009-06-25T22:14:00.000-07:002009-06-25T23:16:55.160-07:00Captain EO Frees the World...Not the best quality, but the song and dance and color come through suffeciently well to give you a taste of Captain EO.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/l2Zt-57Cg0U&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en&feature=player_embedded&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/l2Zt-57Cg0U&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Deehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01124604431223972203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4501891103756305522.post-46760847979414810132009-06-16T13:36:00.000-07:002009-06-16T14:05:32.457-07:00Resort Trivia -- Water BridgeJohn D. Van Meter, one of the mad scientists who created the <a href="http://disneyholic-dee.blogspot.com/search/label/Owner%27s%20Locker" target="_blank">Purple Appendage</a> gives us some resort trivia!<br /><br />The Contemporary, by the way, was Disney World's first on-site hotel (well, that and the Polynesian -- they opened at the same time). It is situated next to the Magic Kingdom, and the monorail goes right through it!<br /><br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/zgTBF3C1dkE&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x402061&color2=0x9461ca"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/zgTBF3C1dkE&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x402061&color2=0x9461ca" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Deehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01124604431223972203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4501891103756305522.post-49467134491450269352009-06-12T09:25:00.000-07:002009-06-12T10:21:44.942-07:00The "Not Set in Stone" Itinerary, Part IIBack after too long...Spent time trying to get over a writer's block of the worst kind at work...Here's the rest of the itinerary:<br /><br />8/20 EPCOT is open late again. The only definite part of the agenda is lunch at San Angel Inn at the Mexico Pavilion in EPCOT, 1PM. Otherwise the day is wide open and will presumably include EPCOT (shocking, I know!) and swimming or relaxing by the pool. I really enjoy the evening Extra Magic Hours at EPCOT, mostly because it's my favorite park and it's fun to enjoy it with less crowds and more time :)<br /><br />8/21 1PM lunch at the 50s Prime Time Diner at Disney Hollywood Studios. I LOVE the 50s Prime Time Diner. Where else would you get sent to a corner for putting your elbows on the table??? It's a great place and actually has TV sets playing 50s sitcom clips all the time. It's hilarious! Obviously this is a Disney Hollywood Studios day. I'm looking forward at minimum to Lights, Motors, Action!, Star Tours, and The Great Movie Ride. <br /><br />8/22 Kona Cafe at Disney's Polynesian Resort (BANANA STUFFED FRENCH TOAST!!!) at 8:30AM. If I can't get the others up I'm going alone. I have to have that French toast and the Kona coffee, which is to die for! Since we'll be at the Poly, which is right across the water from the Magic Kingdom, I'm guessing this will be a Magic Kingdom morning. The Spectromagic Parade -- an amazing light show -- is on that night at 9PM so I plan on getting back there for the parade and Wishes, a superb fireworks show at 10PM.<br /><br />8/23 Chefs de France 1 PM at EPCOT's France Pavilion. T-Rex at Downtown Disney at 6:15 PM. So we'll be spending the day at EPCOT, evening at Downtown Disney (SHOPPING! and probably DisneyQuest) and possibly at the resort pool, again :)<br /><br />8/24 Water Park(s) or just a do-what-we want down time day. Gotta have those!<br /><br />8/25 Evening at Disney Hollywood Studio to watch Fantasmic at 8:30. We'll have dinner there at Hollywood & Vine 6 PM. It's a yummy, fun buffet meal.<br /><br />8/26 Another Do-what-we-want day. Or water park(s).<br /><br />8/27 Magic Kingdom opens early to resort guests. Maybe we'll make it at 8AM. At any rate, we have Afternoon Tea (one of my favorite Disney dining experiences) at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort and Spa at 3:20 PM. So this will be a Magic Kingdom day, at least in part (the Grand Floridian, which looks like copy of the Hotel Del Coronado, is right next to the Magic Kingdom).<br /><br />8/28 Cirque du Soleil's La Nouba at 6 PM. One of Cirque's permanently-stationed shows, you can only catch it at Downtown Disney. It's a GREAT show! Not much else planned. Possibly spending part of the day packing my <a href="http://disneyholic-dee.blogspot.com/search/label/Owner%27s%20Locker" target="_blank">Purple Lockers.</a> Sigh. This is our last fool day at Disney World.<br /><br />8/29 Pool in the morning after checkout. Bell Services will store our luggage until we leave, probably around 2 PM, taking the Mickey Bus back to the airport. I'm already planning the next Disney Vacation as I write this.Deehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01124604431223972203noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4501891103756305522.post-83284362697082634472009-06-03T12:01:00.000-07:002009-06-04T01:21:06.966-07:00The "Not Set in Stone" Itinerary, Part I<p>This past week was rough, with an unexpected and shocking death in the family. I'm trying to get back to normal here by looking at the itinerary and getting as excited as is possible under the circumstances. Here are the final plans, subject to change based on our mood and weather... and the fact that we know we'll be back again, so we can slow down if we want to! :)<br /><br />Leave WA 8/17 bright and early 6AM flight (Keith and I LOVE 6 AM flights. It always feels more adventurous to wake up at 3AM and get ready to go!). Arrive Orlando 4:25PM, enough time to get to our resort at leisure and, knowing Keith, go swimming, LOL! We plan on using Disney's Magical Express, because it's a free ride with the coolest video. We're staying at the Animal Kingdom Lodge Villas, with a view of the savanna. Yay!<br /><br />8/18 is Extra Magic Hours in the morning for the Magic Kingdom. I plan to drag Keith out of bed nice and early, get there early, watch the opening act at 9AM after at least 1 round on Splash Mountain and 1 round on Small World. Meet Jane and Tyler for breakfast at 9:15 in the Crystal Palace. I LOVE their breakfast buffet.<br /><br />EPCOT is open late that night (evening Extra Magic Hours), I figured we'd go back to the resort sometime mid-day after the Magic Kingdom, swim (Keith's favorite Disney World activity) and go back to EPCOT late afternoon. We have a 7PM dinner at Tuto Italia, the new Italian restaurant. I've heard really good things about it, I can't wait to try it!<br /><br />8/19 Animal Kingdom is open early and so, shockingly enough, we plan to be there early. The best times to go on Kilimanjaro Safari are in the cooler hours of the early morning or late late afternoon (if the park is open late) -- more animals are out and about instead of seeking shelter from the heat. Breakfast at the Rain Forest Cafe (alas, Donald's Safari Breakfast was fully booked! Henceforth, I believe I should be the only Disney Vacation Club member allowed to use the 90 + 10 days rule for dining requests.)<br /><br />Some things I look forward to at the Animal Kingdom: </p><ul><li>Flights of Wonder -- a wonderful, amazing live show about birds, involving a confused tour guide and some really smart birds. </li><li> Kali River Rapids -- the wettest non-water-parks ride in all of Disney World (bring a change of underwear!) that is just pure fun. Especially in the scorching August heat of Central Florida. </li><li> Kilimanjaro Safari -- a great adventure with (potentially) lots of great animal sightings.</li><li>3-D Sound Adventure at the Conservation Station. </li><li> The Affection Connection (petting area) at Conservation Station. </li><li> Interacting with the ultra-knowledgeable Cast Members in the park. </li><li> Maharaja Trail and Panjani Forest -- walking paths with lots of animal exhibits, including the gorgeous tigers and the Bat Room. </li></ul><p>At some point I'm sure we'll end up at the resort pool that day, if Keith has anything to say about it!</p>Deehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01124604431223972203noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4501891103756305522.post-44731090101907847892009-05-27T11:10:00.000-07:002009-05-27T11:51:53.208-07:00Public Service Announcement. No, Really!<div align="center"><a href="http://www.gktw.org/aboutUs.asp?a=1" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:85%;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 85px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340568220530007074" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizADEeyeqfr4Jjn0jErkcblYvyQP0vD9pWrI3rHBLNiQIw4Aqrrb6QCySEV_uo6uqgrda1MdqlUmZ-x47HKaIhnW5iAxpzThHl-HQTew7tAB2oEP-ecdTvlbywEKsrgbAun0uc8CCa3D8n/s320/GKTW.jpg" /></span></a><span style="font-size:85%;">(click on the picture to go to the web site. Opens in a new window.)</span> </div><div align="left"><br /></div><div align="left"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4hCk8_TJfMXUed_mt0mw99eI3GaCmKWGlyqir-hWylzF6rLqajfkR1DGXpKGlwMXut-XsGIfnkrwI3BLKxYjspTd2Pr9CgcDNVi2iWscrEM1viDLz1PJ7vHSbthz8C6T-yrYRniPkELeI/s1600-h/gktwVillageLogo.bmp"></a>Give Kids the World (GKTW) is a very cute-looking village resort in central Florida catering to children with life-threatening illnesses and their families. It partners with organizations such as Make-A-Wish to provide children and their families with free room, board and parks admission to all the Orlando area parks (including such unmentionables as Universal Studios, says the evil Disneyholic). Families come for a weeks' free stay, and hopefully catch a much-needed break from sickness and worries. </div><div align="left"></div><div align="left">There are several ways in which you can help: </div><ol><li><div align="left">Obviously -- <a href="https://app.etapestry.com/hosted/GiveKidstheWorld/OnlineGiving.html" target="_blank">donations</a>. Running the village is not cheap, especially since it caters to families with special medical needs. According to their web site, in 2007 93 cents of each dollar spent by GKTW went directly to help the families staying in the village. That's pretty darn impressive for any charity!</div></li><li><div align="left"><a href="http://www.gktw.org/volunteer.asp?a=2" target="_blank">Volunteer!!</a> The village has 1,200+ volunteer shifts a week, about 3 hours each. If you are going on vacation to Central Florida, consider putting some time in at GKTW. You can do it as a group if you're all 12 and over. Information and application forms are on the web site. Background checks are required for those over 18.</div></li><li><div align="left">Make GKTW your fundraising charity of choice. If you're looking for a good cause for a fundraising event, please consider GKTW. </div></li></ol><p align="left">Thanks to <a href="http://www.disunplugged.com/2009/05/26/become-a-voluntourist-for-give-kids-the-world-village/" target="_blank">DISUnplugged</a> for reminding me of this great place!</p>Deehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01124604431223972203noreply@blogger.com1