Woke up, got dressed and headed to Pop Century Food Court at
had the scramble egg platter and Orange Juice. I paid for this
meal. Since
the dinning plan includes a counter meal, I am still not sure how I want to
work this, use it for breakfast, skip lunch, and have dinner? Or skip
breakfast, use it for lunch and dinner, or purchase breakfast, and use it
for lunch and dinner. today I decided to the last option. Even
though the
food is premade, this line moves so slow to get food. The registers work
decently fast.
I am online for the bus heading to
semi
crowded. I think it is most crowded preopening, then it lightens up as
the
more lazy crowd eats breakfast, then gets crowded again. But this is just
my opinion. I bus pulled away from the Pop Century by
I had a, atypical bus driver. She had everyone singing songs, showing
everyone her 'light show' on the bus and did her best to help spread the
magic.
The bag check was a little more thorough then yesterdays, which caught me
off
guard, but wasn't too terribly long. Went to gate and soon was walking
under main street train station to enter
I don't know why yet, but a large area in front of the train station was
boarded off. I know they are doing some work to re-arrange things under
the
train station, but I don't think this was part of it.
I got a map, but really didn't need it, since I think everyone knows the
layout even if you just spent one day there.
1- Mickey's Philharmagic, walk on, was cute, but not necessarily a need
to
repeat. Finished by
2- Its a Small World, another walk on, everyone knows IASW, what's there to
say? :) done by
3- Peter Pan, waited 5 minutes. out by
really cooking here ;)
4- Winnie The Pooh, 5 minute wait, on by 11 out by
For those that know me, they hear me talk my about favorite ride at MK,
those who chat with
me in chat rooms, know me by my chat handle, know there was only one special
ride that I truly miss.
I rode it for my first visit back just before Epcot opened, on my first real
extended WDW visit in 89 and 92 with camcorder in hand. By my next visit,
it was 'closed temporarily' for rehab in 96. A rehab that never happened.
I've heard many stories of what happened, but will never really know the
official story. Maybe there is no real official story,. but a group of
events, mostly unplanned that turned the planned rehab into a ride shut
down.
This is my Ode to 20,000 Leagues under the Sea. I enjoyed the live action
Disney movie growing up. I know the title of the book, most people
misinterpret (you cant travel 20,000 leagues deep under the oceans, the
oceans are not that deep, the title means you travel under the ocean a
length
of 20,000 leagues in distance, not depth, understand? :) )
I know the 20k subs aren't real subs, ever hear of a diesel engine not
needing air to run? :) these 'boats' never left the surface, and only had
diesel engines. Real subs, when they go below the surface, switch over to
electric engines for propulsion.
Now I hope some of you are saying.... hey wait a second.. I remember
boarding this ride and the top surface of the sub was all wet.... your
telling me they didn't submerge?
Yep, I have home video on my website showing the subs in motion on the
surface. When the subs left the mountain to dock, it passed under a
waterfall. They don't call them Imaginers for nothing ;)
Back to my trip report and why I brought this up. Now some people will
think what I did was rude or obnoxious. They may be right, but I did this
anyway, but in a nice way. :)
Across from Winnie the Pooh ride, where the 20k Lagoon stood since park
opening, is now the Winnie the Pooh playground.
Looking slightly confused, and thinking I am semi lost, I approached the
CM's in the playground area and inquired about the long gone sub ride. It
went something like this:
"hi, I think I am lost, but I remember this ride was here, that ride is
there, but where we are standing was a submarine ride, I thought, but I cant
find it anywhere, am I crazy?"
One of the three CM's I was talking to, explained to me nicely that I am not
crazy, that were we are standing, was indeed the former location of the sub
ride which closed back in the mid 90's and was recently razed totally to
make this play area. I thanked them and went on my way.
Now for those who think I did something bad, I got the idea from watching a
old episode of Inside Out. They hired a actor to walk around the parks
and
ask CM's questions in a foreign tongue, but actually wasn't a real language,
did I do any worst then fellow Disney employees did to each other ? :)
Back to my real trip report
Went on
10 minute wait, but was a walk on. this is also the first time I video
taped the stretch room.
By a quarter to 12, I was already sitting, eating lunch at Pinocchio Village
Haus having chicken strips, fries, soda and for dessert, vanilla shake.
One comment about the dinning plan. all meals comes with dessert, which
normally I wouldn't get :)
While I was sitting,eating, something strange was happening. A couple of
CM's were putting a table cloth over the wooden table, placed a flower
center piece and sprinkled some confetti on it. For the 50'th anniversary
celebration of Disneyland, and I am guessing they did this in all eating
establishments, the 50th guest gets treated specially, namely, the table is
set up, they are given special treatment and such. Kind of nice, no one
mentioned this before. Only seen this happen once.
Its just after 12 now, and heading to Pirates. I know, I am a fast eater.
I wanted to try and slow down, but didn't :(
Walked by hall of presidents and decided to do this instead. The cm was
going around to people and asked them where they are from, and would tell
them a presidential linked fact to their hometown or state. A pretty
smart
cm to keep all those facts in his head. With the election of George W
Bush,
they have a different voice doing the preshow.
After HOP, decide to wait for the next Country Bear Jamboree show. As I
just missed a show that just started, I sat down and waited about 10 minutes
for the next show. I used this time to answer several emails about how
the
weather was (great all week, btw) crowds (hardly any) and such.
After CBJ, finally made it to Pirates and finished it by
deciding to either resort hop a little or go on Tiki birds. I walked by
Jungle Cruise and that was a 20 minute wait, so I decided to window shop on
my way out of the park to resort hop a little.
My first resort hop is the Contemporary. In the past, I have walked from
the Contemporary to the
go
from MK to the Contemp, so I rode the monorail.
One thing I haven't said until now is that I took with me lots of quarters
and pennies to make pressed coins.
I just counted 50 pressed pennies, and 5 pressed quarters. For those who
want to do the math, that is only 1/2 the amount of quarters I took with me
on this trip. Please keep the answer to yourself, I am trying not to
think
how much I spent on pressed coins. It costs 50 cents for the penny ones,
and $1 for the quarters :)
On the monorail, they have a different voice doing the usual monorail spiel,
but the same voice that says stand clear of the closing doors in english and
spanish. Now everyone, say it in spanish :)
Arrived at the poly and its almost
more pressed coins, found a Bruce the shark one, need that :) and locate
"Ohanna which I have dinner reservations for 7. Took some photos,
found
more pressed coins to make and finally made some purchases, some theme park
music cd's with Disney reward dollars.
Now I understand you can travel from any theme park to any theme park, from
any hotel to any theme park, but you cant travel from any non monorail
resort directly to another resort, but have to go via a theme park first. I
understand some transfer at Downtown Disney also. For me, to travel from
the Polynesian to Pop Century, I have to return to
the bus from there to the Pop Century.
I left my hotel room about
little earlier, but fell asleep.
About
Poly. The first stop after MK is Contemp, then TTC, and finally
Poly. I got to Poly at
to check in.
They called me about
waitress was introducing me the 'Ohanna, Mike from another Disney
group I chat on, surprised me and said hi. He introduced me as Hi,
I'm Mike from the Disney group. Made me think he was connected to
the Disney company :) Finally made the connection and said hi.
I sat down at a isle table meant for 3 people. This was going to be
a problem, but will mention about it a little later.
While taking me to my seat, they took a small loaf of banana/pineapple
(?) bread, and showed me what the dessert will look like.
Once seated, the server introduced himself as his cousin so and
so :) And he brought me my soda and starter items. Small vegetable/
shrimp (?) dumplings, chicken wings, stir fried vegetables, salad,
and some dipping sauces. Now the amount they brought for just me was
the same amount they bring to a table of 5 or 6. I am sure
those people can get more, me, I put hardly a dent into what they
gave me. They should realize for one person, that was just too much
food. Oh, yea, also a potato dish simply called Ohanna potatoes ;)
it looked like it was baked stir fried with onions. Again, I left
1/2 over.
The rest of the food is served 'family' style. They have Tiger
shrimp, beef, turkey and pork, bbq's on a skew. They bring the skews
around to the tables and pull off what you want. All these dishes are
hot, including the shrimp.
Everything was good, but I wanted to mention about the shrimp. I
never eat cold shrimp, which still has the shell on it. I only eat
shrimp found on dishes like shrimp cocktail or shrimp in lobster
sauce. I bit into the shrimp to find out, they still had the shell
on these shrimp :)
Now about the problem I had with the isle table. If you didn't know,
they have activities for children, and older children :). One thing
they have are, kids with brooms push a coconut around the room. The
second activity for kids and older kids was hula dancing. You see,
one side of me, are kids trying to hula, on the other side are
parents with cameras snapping photos. I even had one person who had
their camera set for red eye reduction which has the flash go on for
a couple of seconds before it really flashes. Kind of made me feel what
celebrities have to put up with when out in public, constantly being
disturbed by flashing lights.
This was annoying, but I feel its more of a 'Ohanna issue, for having
people eat where these things are taking place. I know that parents
want photos, and I said nothing, but it was really bothering me, but
said nothing.
About 8:30, I was just too full. I decided to skip MK and Wishes
tonight and just head back to Pop Century and rest in room rest of
night. Of course, after having the new dessert of bread pudding and
ice cream. I finished the ice cream, but left some of the bread
pudding. Again, what they gave just me, the give the same amount
for 2 or 3 people ;)