Okay, I finally got off my tush and started my Trip Report. Thank you all for waiting. I hope you enjoy the TR as much as you enjoyed the Live Report.

Cast of Characters:

Me: Kevin

DW: I will call her Tink on this TR.

DS5: He will always be my Skooch.

DSil: We now call her Skipper, she is Tink's sister. Just finished college and this is the first time she is doing Disney the Phibbles' way! Should be fun.

Day 1 – Thur., Aug 21

The plan was to leave our house at about 8:00p. I got home from work at about 12:30, packed the car, and then headed off to bed. The plan was for me to nap before we left so I would be very alert for the drive. This is the first time I was going to be in-charge of the driving. As a kid, we drove to WDW many times but all I had to do was wrestle with my brothers in the back of the car. Oh the memories…

Anyhow, back to my trip. Well, napping didn’t go so well for me. In fact it was a bit of a bust. Instead of getting the 6 hours I had hoped for, I maybe got 4. It is TOO hard to take a midday nap when you have Disney on the mind.

So we loaded up the car and hit the road right on time.





Most of the drive down was uneventful. I made it all the way to N.Carolina before I felt tired. DW had stayed awake with me all this time, which we soon realized was a big mistake. How is she going to take a turn at the wheel if she hasn’t slept in 12 hours too?

So I ordered her to sleep through S.Carolina so she could take over in Georgia. I stopped for a few minutes at South of the Border to stretch and “relieve myself”. That gave me the energy I needed to take on another state. I also got charge when I saw a dozen other cars from North-East states had stopped here. It looked like they were calling it quits though. No, not me. We are driving straight-thru, NO MATTER WHAT!

Jumped back in the Zuki and hit the road fast. Traffic was very light the entire trip. It was awesome. Then we hit Georgia and the damn Huricane Fay! The winds were super high, rain was coming down very heavy, this was a tough drive. And I was exhausted. I looked at DW and realized there was no way in hell she was going to take over driving in this monsoon.

So I buckled down and finished the drive all the way to Disney. The weather was harsh for all of Georgia and North Florida. When we were just a couple hours away from WDW, the rain had finally let up. We stopped at a Bob Evans to fill my belly.

Day 2 – Fri., Aug 22

A couple hours later we saw this.



Then I saw this around the car:





Then this outside the car:



Finally…we are home.



We got room 2732 in the Alligator Bayou. Good location I thought.

















Up next…Where should we eat dinner before I fall asleep standing?

 

 

So the drive took about 18 hours from start to finish, including stops for gas and food. After settling into our new home, we decided to go to DTD for dinner. I had heard about a little place called Earl of Sandwich, and thought it would be fun to try.

We hopped in the car and cruised over to DTD. I stopped and got gas at some Chevron station on the way, after pumping a tank full of gas I realized the price at this station was RIDICULOUSLY high. We drove through like 9 states and gas was about the same price as it was at home. This one little gas station nestled outside WDW had decided to rip-off the vacationing boobs just desperate to fill the tank. It really pissed me off. But I bit my tongue and moved on.

The rain was on/off since we checked-in. The showers would appear in waves. This was going to happen all night. Very frustrating, but we decided to not let it get the best of us. We found a parking spot at DTD and made our way to the Earl.

Tink had the Caribbean Jerk Chicken – Yum!



Skoochy had the kid’s Grilled Cheese – Yum, Yum!



I had the Hawaiian BBQ – Yum, Yum, Yum!



Skipper had the Chicken Caesar Wrap – she liked it. I didn’t get to try any. L



Overall I thought this place rocked! Good food, great bread! I would definitely do it again. I was hoping to hit them up again on our last day, so we could enjoy in the car on the way home. But you will see later that this would not happen. L

After dinner, we thought we would just walk a bit before heading back to the hotel to pass out. If the weather had been nicer we would have stayed to do more. But between being exhausted from the drive and wet, hot from the weather, we did not last too long.

A quick pick with Buzz:



Some silly hats:





DS wondering, what the heck is a Lego?:



Can I take him home Daddy?:



Up next: Attacked by a stingray…how to survive?

 

 

Day 3 – Sat., Aug 23 -- A Very UnDisney Holiday

So today was going to be the first time, in my life, that I went to a non-Disney park while on a Disney vacation. It is just unheard of in my family. I think I am still being shamed for doing it.

But we bought these season passes to Sesame Place and one of the perks of the pass is free admission to all of the Busch theme parks. So how could I say no to the idea of going to SeaWorld.

We got up early and cruised the POR food court for breakfast. We made the investment in Mugs and sat down for a quick, hearty breakfast. Food was good, not a single complaint. Hit the road and followed GPS direct to SeaWorld.

Got to the parking booth, flashed my Super Grover passport and got to park for free. Not only did we get to park for free, we got into the preferred parking lot! Woohoo. Thank you SuperGrover!

We got to the gates just in time for opening. We made very good time this morning. Sun was shining, wasn’t too hot. Looked like it was going to be a great day.

So we enter the park and I notice everyone is going right. Now we have never been to this park, so I had no idea where anything was. But what I did know was that if they go right, I must go left! So we did and that’s when we discovered it. The tank of killer stingrays. Okay, maybe they weren’t killers, but they were FIERCE!

For a couple bucks (with my SuperGrover discount), we got a tray of fish to feed the rays. It was the coolest experience in the world. You put this little finish between your fingers so it is standing up tall. Then you put your hand on the bottom of the tank. The rays swim over and attack your hand to get the fish. Their mouths are on their bellies, so it is an interesting situation. It felt like getting attacked by giant spongy suction cups.













A short walk from the ray tank, we discovered you could feed dolphins. So we jumped on that opportunity too (thanks SuperGrover discount). This was another first for us all, and lots of fun. It is just amazing to be so close to these animals. Sure beats the stinky petting zoo at AK.









We spent the rest of the morning checking out the other animals in the park. We didn’t take any photos though, I think by this time we were getting hot and bothered. Damn you AUGUST SUN!

The family jumped on “Journey to Atlantis” for a quick boat ride. They said it was fun. I wouldn’t know, I was sitting on a bench watching their bags! Stoopid SW won’t let you bring bags on the ride and I was not going to pay for a locker to go on a glorified log flume. This is another reason Disney is 1,000,000,000,000 times better than all theme parks. Anyhow!

Then we all grabbed a ride on the Sea Carousel, while we waited for them to start seating the Shamu show.







Once off the ride, it was time for Shamu. We ran up the hill to the theater and walked right in. All the splash zones were filled already (which was okay with me!) so we were scouting around to see where else we could sit. Then I notice a little sign that says “Reserved Seating for Platinum Members”. Hmmm…could SuperGrover save me here too?

 

 

Day 3 – Sat., Aug 23 -- A Very UnDisney Holiday Part II

When we last left off, we were standing in the middle of Shamu’s stadium looking for a seat. I noticed the little black sign, and several empty rows in the middle of the stadium.

“That is weird” I think “Why wouldn’t people want to sit right here in the middle?” Then I see the signs and realize these great locations are reserved for Premium Passport members only. Could Grover fly us into these seats? I asked the nice lady protecting the seats and she said “YES”.

Sweet! Score! We had great seats for the show. Right in the middle of the arena, directly above the lower tier splash zone. Perfect. It is a shame the show sucks. What was once a great show about these beasts that could swallow you whole has become a sappy tale about a young trainer who now understands you can achieve anything if you just believe in it. GAG! We took very few pictures. Here is one so we can just move on from this horrid memory.



After Shamu, we went for lunch. I don’t recall where or what. But it was park food. Nothing special. Fully recharged, we went back to the section of the park where the kids attractions are. My DS had a lot of fun here:

He convinced me to let him get wet:





Then I rednecked a roller coaster photo.



A quick ride on some other ride



Then we went of to see the pirate sea lion show. What? Pirate Sea Lions? How ridiculous.







Okay, the show was funny. The animals kept ignoring their commands, so the trainer had to do half the tricks themselves to keep the show on schedule. It was good fun though. I would have gone back to see it again.

Then we wasted my money and fed the sharks. Don’t bother!



Okay, I am leaving a lot of details out here. You know why? Because it isn’t DISNEY! That’s right, I am a Disney snob. Get over it!

Sure, we had fun. The walk-thru attractions were very nice and I love to see all the animals. But I don’t think I will add this to our trip every visit. It is a nice treat when we have extra time, or if we ever have Super Grover with us again.

Next: Time for some Disney!

 

 

Thank you for the distraction...but the masses need to wait no longer. Here is an update!

Day 4 – Sun., Aug. 24th – There is no way my 5yr old is going to beet ME in a video game

So we wake the next morning, ready to go. And thank goodness the weather was going to be wonderful today. Last nights rain was just horrible and really bummed us all out!!!

The plan for this morning was quite simple. Eat breakfast at the food court and hop on a boat to DTD for some video games fun at DisneyQuest (the true “Greatest Place on Earth”)!

I had made myself on promise, as a bit of a VG enthusiast, there was no way in HELL my son was going to beat me on a game at DQ. Nope, just was not going to happen. No Way! No How!

A couple pics while on the boat:







(My happy place…sniff…sniff…)

We got off the boat and I throw a small hissy fit. Why can’t the boat drop us off on the West Side? Don’t they know I don’t have the time to waste! Stoopid boats! After crying like a little girl (sorry girls), we make the long trek across DTD to DQ. A short magical elevator ride and we enter my new home. Oh, if I could live inside this building I would.

What should we do first? I know…I know. The Mighty Duck Bumper Hockey Game.



Then it happened. I lost my Mojo! I was defeated by this little punk I call SON (reluctantly now). He not only beat me on this game, but he beat the ELEVEN other people playing the game with us. How is this possible? How can a 60lb shortie maneuver that punk to get the highest score? If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, I would call for shenanigans.

With my ego badly bruised, we spent the rest of the day playing games we didn’t compete against each other in. I couldn’t take another defeat.



The best game of the day was the Pirates attraction. We did it FOUR times.

It is just great. Just don’t let women (sorry women) drive the boat. They just don’t get it!

You need a man behind that wheel. It is just too important to get your boat lined up just right to score…score…score. Plus I was tall enough to reach over the steering wheel and operate a cannon at the same time I drove. Go me! (Lets see my “son” do that!)

We had a decent lunch inside DQ. It was a little better when Cheescake Factory ran the operations, but we had no complaints. We all enjoyed our first “FREE” meal of the trip.

Up next…which way is dinner?

 

 

Day 4, Part II – Sun., Aug. 24th – It’s someone’s birthday….

After our day at DQ, it was time to meet the family for dinner. So we hopped on a bus to Fort Wilderness, then grabbed a boat to the Magic Kingdom. Perfect! Didn’t take too long and I got to see my favorite resort for a few moments.

As we enter the Magic Kingdom, I see our first opportunity for a character photo. Who is it? You tell me. I am surprised how many people don’t know who this THUMB-SUCKER is.



We had about an hour and a half to burn before dinner, so I rushed us over to Tomorrowland. I wanted to do Laugh Floor, since it was “new”. Skoochy wanted to ride Space Mountain. I pleaded with him to just get on the line for MLF, but no he demanded Space Mountain. What 5yr old wants to ride a scary coaster over a funny show with the cast of Monsters Inc?

We went over to SM and found the line to be too long. So I got us Fast Passes instead. Then we went to MLF.







I thought the show was just great. He was a little less impressed. What-EVA!

Now it was time to find the family and go for a little dinner at Crystal Palace.

Found the twins:



Look at my happy family:





We love this place. Food is good…and the characters are fun.









Oh, and it was my Mom’s birthday. So I ratted her out to the CMs.







She got a special cupcake and card signed by the characters in the restaurant. It was perfect.

After dinner we walked through adventureland and grabbed a couple rides. Aladin’s Carpets was very good. A quick trip with Jack Sparrow. All good…all good. So happy to be back in the kingdom. Well, it got late very quick. So we ran to find a place to sit and watch the fireworks.





After the show, we hoped the park would empty as it was an Magical Hours nite. Nope! We ran to Haunted Mansion and got on quick. I shared a car with my son. He swore to me he wasn’t scared, but he spent the entire ride shivering with fear. It was great! But the more I joked about the silly ghouls on the ride, the bigger his smile got. He was scared happy!

Well, we got off the ride to discover one of the twins out cold with Grandma on a rocker.



We took that as a sign, that it was time to go. My family headed straight to the exit, while my smaller group ran to Space Mountain to us our FPs. Skoochy LOVED this ride. It is officially his favorite ride in the world. I will never ride again! I just don’t need a restraint in my crotch while traveling 60 MPH. Nope, not fun for me at all.

After SM we headed to the busses to find a mob of people. I still can’t get over how busy the park was this night. Long lines for the lines after park closing and now a 90minute wait for a bus. This became all the evidence I needed to not use Disney transportation again this trip. The rest of the trip we drove and took advantage of my AAA parking pass. Whew…what a treat.

Up next…will this beast let us into our room?

 

 

Day 5, Mon., Aug. 25th – Stay Tuned for Pics of Phibbles in a Teeny, Tiny Speedo

Quick…someone help. They are attacking my son.



So our first day at Disney was great. A wonderful, relaxed morning of video games, a joyous birthday dinner with Pooh, and my son fell in love with his first Disney ride.

This day we get up early and bust a move to Typhoon Lagoon. Now I don’t have any photos from this morning, since I way to nervous nilly to carry a real camera to TL. I did bring a waterproof disposable camera with me, but we haven’t developed those pics yet. And we only took one Photopass picture at TL, but I am saving them for the end of the report.

It is a shame too…cause I look good in a thong!

;)

So after our super-fun day at TL, we went back to the hotel, cleaned up, and headed to DHS for dinner. Tonight we would be visiting our Disney relatives at Prime-Time Café. Mmmm….yum.

Before we left for WDW, Skoochy had been begging us to buy him a lightsaber. I convinced him to wait till we got to DTD, so he could build his own. Back on Day 1, it was the first thing he wanted to do after we checked out. But after arriving to the store and seeing them, I talked him out of it. What a rip off. They looked so cheap and were much more expensive than I thought. So, as we walked through the gift shops at DHS, he saw something he just couldn’t say no too. Neither could I. In fact, we bought three of them so he could battle DW and DSil.



It’s a light-up Light Saber on a Key Chain. A much better investment and he carried it with him everywhere for the rest of the trip.

After a little shopping I ran over to TOT to get FPs for after dinner. Check, no problem.

Then I saw Skoochy’s all-time favorite Dis character, Aladin. We quickly got on line and he chickened out just as it was our turn. What? But it’s Aladin. How can you be scared?

Look at him plead to Skoochy to come over.



They were very good so I talked DW into taking a pic with them instead.



Where next? Oh yeah, dinner.



Mmm…I love this place. A little boob tube.



A little choo choo help from Aunt Jennifer (I miss her)





I had the pot roast, to die for. Most of the adults in the party ordered milkshakes instead of sodas, as they were included in the DP. Not me. I is smart. I ordered a Diet Coke with a little cherry flavoring added, YUM!

Well come dinner time, I ate my whole plate of food. Not my big Bro. Nope, that’s him getting help from Aunt Jenn. Oh, and my Aunt T needed a little help too. She was even worse than Big Bro, being an older person. The yummy milkshakes filled their bellys making it too hard to get the delish entrees in. I think even my Bro’s wife needed a little help from Aunt Jenn.

This is one of the best table-service locations in all of Disney. Never a let down. Well, except for the 45 MINUTE WAIT TO SIT. But I choose to not look at the ugly side.

After dinner it was time for a quick-ride of TT, while it was raining. Stoopid rain!

Then we called it quits! Off to bed.



Tomorrow…MK take two!

 

Followed you here.popcorn

__________________
CLICK BELOW FOR PUNYS NOT SO PUNY ADVENTURE

Index On First Page To Help You Navigate

http://wdwenchanted.com/completed-trip-reports/7-punys-not-so-puny-adventure-world-post45.html#post45

 

 

Info

Join Date: Oct 2008

Location: New York City

Posts: 7,208

Awards Showcase

         
Total Awards: 9

I followed her and she brought me here so here I am.

rotf

re-subscribing again

__________________
Scott,

 

 

Didn't want you to be on the 2nd Page!

:D

__________________