Churros Countdown - WDW and Disney Cruise 2008

[KeithS]

Yay!!!! Welcome Back Beth!!!!

Now - let the stories begin

I bet this is going to be a very popular thread over the next week!

[alice in wonderland]

welcome gome beth -/

can't wait to hear all the stories

[mushu mama]

Yay.... let the post mortem begin.

details Beth, all the sordid details.
Cant wait to hear how it all went. Are you going to do a blow by blow description like Sandie or are you going to condense it?

either way... bring it on... want to hear what you bought, what you rode, what you ate... everything.

Lisa.

Oh... and welcome back -/

Lisa.

[churros]

OK I've unpacked, done several loads of washing (well all the new t-shirts, beach towels and tea towels need to washed separately) sorted out the presents for family and friends (that was a suitcase alone - thank goodness I bought a new one in WDW), the kids have placed their fluffies on their beds and are now sleeping on the floor and I have copied the photos to CD (I'll upload these to flickr over the next few days) - I can now start the long-winded and drawn out trip report!

Day 1 - We arrived in LA in the morning and caught a hotel shuttle bus to the airport Holiday Inn. It was clean and comfortable but well and truely passed its hey-day. Lunch was the first business of the day and there was a McDonalds at the hotel door so after taking Angus's photo in front of the poster of the McDonalds Angus burger - Glenda and Angus ate, Jacob and I decided to wait. We then caught a taxi about 10 mins down the road to Target. Glenda's plan was to buy a hairdryer, kettle and toaster - she likes the comforts of home. She only managed the hairdryer and I managed some peanut butter cups! All their halloween stuff was in the shops - humungous bags of candy and decorations - we loved looking at it. Then Jacob and I had lunch at Del Taco and my first churro! We very proudly then caught the local bus back to the hotel and had a swim in the pool.

We had been undecided what to do in the evening, Glenda had been considering an LA tour but we chose wisely and got a town car to to the Disney Soda Fountain in Hollywood. It was a struggle to keep the kids awake in the car. The soda fountain is right next to Disney's El Capitan theatre (where Tinkerbell was playing, people were walking out with great popcorn buckets) across the road from Grauman's Theatre. It took us nearly an hour to be seated so we took our photo with the MIckey statue out the front, took a photo of the Disneyland star in the pavement and wandered around the shop ( I only bought a magnet). Just as we are about to be seated I realised that I had lost my watch. My photo with the Mckey statue shows that I had it on when I arrived there and it has never fallen off before but it was gone. So for dinner Angus had a hotdog and and icecream sundae, Jacob had Mickey waffles and Glenda had a BLT and a sundae. I just had a super sundae with a bucket of melted marshmallow dribbling down the sides of the glass - beautiful!

We still had a little time before our car picked us up again so we wander around Grauman's, Kodak theatre, watched the street entertainment and looked at the footpaths. We all passed out in the car going back to the hotel and that was the end of our first day in the US!

[sandie]

Glenda's plan was to buy a hairdryer, kettle and toaster

Why a hair dryer? I have never stayed anywhere in teh US that didn't have a hair dryer.

Sandie

[KeithS]

Sorry you lost your watch - and on day one - what a bummer! What's the odds of that? Actually, both of my holidays that I've been on to the US, my watch battery died on day one - it is a sign that I had to buy a new Disney watch!

[churros]

Sorry you lost your watch - and on day one - what a bummer! What's the odds of that? Actually, both of my holidays that I've been on to the US, my watch battery died on day one - it is a sign that I had to buy a new Disney watch!

Don't give away the story yet!

[churros]

Why a hair dryer? I have never stayed anywhere in teh US that didn't have a hair dryer.

Sandie

She thinks the hotel ones aren't strong enough.

[KeithS]

Sorry you lost your watch - and on day one - what a bummer! What's the odds of that? Actually, both of my holidays that I've been on to the US, my watch battery died on day one - it is a sign that I had to buy a new Disney watch!

Don't give away the story yet!

Ahhhh...the plot thickens

[churros]

Day 2

After breakfast at Burger King and Starbucks at LAX we flew to Orlando. I thought the tram/monorail that whisks you away from the arrival gates to the main terminal was a great thrill. We walked straight on to the Magical Express coach and the tears started. Glenda started first! I think the welcome video doesn't help and then you see the gates

We arrived at All Star Music at around 6pm. The family suite is great 2 rooms, 2 bathrooms and a kitchenette - well a microwave and paper plates etc (why can't these people use kettles?) I know I'm jumping the gun but in hind-sight this was the best of all our accommodation and this includes the Polynesian. We couldn't beat the Poly for views or location... but more on this later. Mousekeeping was great with multiple towel sculptures on our arrival and a new one every day.

I wanted to exchange our Annual Pass certificate and buy our Tables in Wonderland card straight away so we hopped on a bus to Downtown Disney to see Guest Relations. We returned to the resort and had dinner at Intermission (food court). The boys had a swim while I unpacked and watched WDW TV.

[churros]

Day 3

The day started quite hot and muggy, particularly while we waited for our bus to Epcot. We arrived at the park around 9.20 and hit Soarin' first up with only a 10min wait (this was the longest wait all day). This is when I finally knew I was in American and in Disney. I did the intense version of Mission Space while the others did the less intense version - whooppee! Then we rode Nemo, Spaceship earth with a re-ride as our computers rebooted half way through the ride, Test Track, Universe of Energy (had a nanna nap) then had lunch at the Land.

We walked straight on to Living with the Land as the Florida sky did nearly every day, but on this occassion in poured until late afternoon. So we purchased ponchos and headed off to Journey to Imagination. I have to admit to getting off this attraction and scratching my head.

We started to work our way around World Showcase in the rain and rode Grande Fiesta and Maelstrom. We had dinner at the American pavilion and this was the beginning of my downfall - barbequed pulled pork sandwich. We left the park at 7.45 without finishing world showcase or seeing Illuminations. The boys had a swim and I went to bed feeling very sorry for myself. So an inauspicious start to WDW and Epcot!

[churros]

I've started uploading my photos to flickr, there is only a handful there at the moment but if your interested keeping checking back over the next week as I add more.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/disneydown ... 156619605/

[KeithS]

Your photos are awesome! I want to go back!!!

I love the soda fountain - I can see the table we sat at when we were there

The Angus burger photo is hilarious! And your accommodation pictures are cool - love the artwork on the walls.

More Beth, more! hehe.

[ajp]

Some great photos Beth.

[Mel]

Ooooohhh, your photos are having a bad effect on me! I want to go now, now, NOW!

Welcome back by the way

I'm so glad to hear that you really enjoyed the ASMu Family Suites, they're the latest option for our trip - although it changes weekly How did you find the transport from ASMu? We didn't find it bad in 2000, but it was only two adults and I'm wondering how the kidlets will hold up if we have to stand on the bus after a long day in the parks.

Can't wait to hear more about your stay