Ali's Mom's Disney Adventure ReportDates: 8/3-8/8, 1999 (five day trip) Adventurers:
Copyright 1999-2006 |
August 6: Day 3 (Or, You
May Now Kiss the Bride) Mickey calls right at 6 am in room 6105, and I never heard the call in my parent's room, but Dad said Mickey did call. Remember, when I last left you, I had checked my EMAIL, before I drifted off to sleep to be rudely awaken by the TV alarm Well, I had left the phone line logged into the computer, so the only phone that was ringing was the one in the bathroom and I really wanted Ali to get that wake-up call... So I literally picked up her sleeping body and carried her into the bathroom to get the call, and the ringing stops(!)... I was so disappointed, and Ali just crawled right back into bed... I went and plugged in the phone, just in time for it to start ringing again, so, Yeah!... She got her Mickey call. POINT OF INTEREST HERE: If you don't wake up the first time Mickey calls you, he will keep calling you until you talk to him This morning, we were bound and determined to get out of the room no later than 7:10 (we almost made it LOL!)... We had Chef Mickey's at 7:30 and I did not want to be late. POINT OF INTEREST HERE: Chef Mickey's now has a plate that you are forced to stand in front of, and have your picture taken, you do not have a choice, since the picture person gives the hostess the card that says you are now ready to be seated. No picture, and no card to the hostess. When the lady came to give us our picture, I simply stated "No, thanks, I am not interested", and handed the picture promptly back to her. Maybe if enough people do this, they may make this optional. We purchased many pictures taken this week, all optional being taken at my choice. Since this one was forced on me, I was bound and determined NOT to buy this one, even if it had been the best picture we had ever taken! Characters: Mickey Minnie Chip Dale
Pluto Goofy We had a very enjoyable meal here. Dale and Chip were very very playful. Dale kept untying Chips apron, and Chip took Jennifer's hair scrunchie off and stuck it over his nose, and walked around Chef Mickey's with it. Jen asked me "Mom, am I ever going to get it back"? She did, and we left and were on our way to EPCOT. A note here: My Mom was very disappointed in the food quality today. She barely ate anything, except hot oatmeal. I was not particularly hungry, so I only had a few bites here and there, but the others in our family enjoyed that meal very well. We changed monorails at the TTC, and we were on our way to EPCOT. There is a lot of construction going on at the entrance to EPCOT, and I think it takes away from the beauty that is normally there, but hey, in a few months, it will be great again. First on the agenda here was "Honey, I Shrunk the Audience" show. Now, Ali had wanted to take Grandma on this show, since Ali knows Grandma HATES mice. Now, me, being the ever so nice daughter that I am, decided that I did not want my mom to have a heart attack, so I pre-warned her. BUT... I did not warn either Jennifer or Rachel. Now, if anyone remembers when Ali last did this with me, as soon as the mice got duplicated, she was in my lap faster than you could breathe! Ali is now settled into this show, sitting on her legs! I just smiled and nudged my mom. When the mice were duplicated, Ali is now watching both her sisters and Grandma(!!)... Grandma gave her a giggly response (since she knew what Ali was expecting), but the funny part was the 22-year-old... her feet went up, and NEVER did really return. It was indeed a special "memory moment". After we came out of the HISTA show, the older girls had a special delightful treat for Mom and Dad and Doug and I. They were taking Ali for the day, and the older adults could enjoy the countries of EPCOT they way she knew we would want to. We agreed to meet at the American Pavilion at 3:40 for the 4pm show of Lord of the Dance. The kids actually went back, took a nap, and just enjoyed the pool. Meanwhile... I took everyone to Ice Station Cool. Tried all of the drinks. I had Mom taste Beverly first; She told me she did not know when, but that she would get me back. Mom and Dad and Doug and I walked through all the countries. We went through every gift shop and just touched and enjoyed. I made a CD in one of the shops with the following songs: THE TIKI, TIKI, TIKI ROOM The CD was $21.95, and can hold up to 10 songs. You get to name the CD yourself, and I named mine Disney's Treasure's. We then spent some time in the Garden areas of the UK-Tigger's Maze, Piglet's Friendship Garden and Rabbit's Vegetable Garden--and saw the topiaries of Pooh, Tigger, Eeyore and Rabbit - I love seeing them all, and I wonder how many people just rush by them and never see them? We stopped in France to try some delicious desserts for lunch. I had a slice of Black Forest cake, Mom had a souffle, Dad had a Bavarian cream, and Doug had a piece of cheesecake, and we all split a Chocolate Mouse cup. The Living Statues were not out, and I was sad to see that, as I really had wanted to see them! It was now off to the American Pavilion, where we got to enjoy "The Old Guard Fife & Drum Corps". They were great. Later, when Rachel returned, one of the girls let her try her fife. Rachel is an accomplished flutist, and she was having quite a hard time with the fife. The one girl mentioned that playing it has ruined her flute playing. Mom also enjoyed The Voices of Liberty - which were really excellent and a hidden treasure to hear. We stopped and got our Lord of the Dance badges, and we were really to hit Japan, where my dad really wanted one of the Bonsai trees, but we could not figure out how to get it home, so we did not get it. From Japan we went to Norway. PHOTO OP: In the middle of the Norway store, is this HUGE Troll, just begging with open arms to have your picture taken with him. The cast members in the store will even take a picture for you with your camera, so you can get a group shot done if you'd like. The Maelstrom in Norway's line was too long, so that was scratched off our list. From Japan we went to Mexico, for a quick look around. Since my parents have not gotten to travel - I think it was well worth not doing any of the Future World stuff, or any of the Land shows, just so they could get to enjoy the architecture and ambiance of each nation. I do wish we had had more time though, so they could have enjoyed even more. Now it was time to hit the Lord of the Dance. The non-package line was VERY long, but the package line (which we had) had only a few people in it, so we had excellent seats on the second row, right at the end of the stage. My parents loved the "fiddlers", especially the one who swung her hair so much that it went between the bow and the strings. I did notice that for all the hard fiddling, their bows weren't shredding at all. The dancers were very energetic, and I felt the lead dancer was the worst of them all in the sense that all the others did much better and faster dancing then he did. After the show, we headed over to Canada for dinner (Oh, have I mentioned that THE PIXIES would soon be showing up?)... I was very disappointed in Le Cellier, not for the food, but for the service. The food was very good, excellent in fact. We all had steak of some variety, and either the cheese soup or the Caesar salad. HOWEVER... I had to go find my own tea on several occasions. The only time I really saw our waiter was when we got the bill. We were afraid to order dessert, as we figured 1) It would take forever to get our server to be able to order and 2) As slow as he was, it would be midnight before we got it. Did I mention that the PIXIEs were waiting???? But we did, and asked for it to all be in take out boxes. POINT OF INTEREST: If you have the dinner package, order the most expensive things you can - it's a one price fits all. You get more bang for your $$ if you order a $24.95 dinner, then a $17.95 dinner. Now, if you remember from yesterday, Mom had said that she was now "Onto me and Jane, and when she saw Jane and a camera, she just knew not to trust me". So... What should appear before our very eyes? Jane, -- without a camera! She "just" happen to be meeting a friend for dinner here, and since I had promised her a little fan (she can not find one like I had), she had arranged to come early so I could give her an extra that we had. Mom was so excited to see her and no camera. Mom just knew she was safe (famous last words!). Mom even helped Jane out very much, she asked her if she would mind taking her prime rib home to her husband, so that she would not have it go to waste. Jane said, no problem, I'll be right outside, just come find me, and I'll take it home. Dessert arrived in to-go packages, and we were off to go back to the resort (or so they thought!!) We went to "find" Jane, who had to show us the baby ducks... no camera in her hand so mom was lulled into false sense of security. We walked over to "meet" Jane's friends (Oh, did I mention that Jane brought her husband along, and "he" had a camera trained on my parents When Jane got my parents in the correct spot, a minister appeared (actor), and my parents renewed their wedding vows, complete with "rings", bubbles, pixie dust, and love. I left Jane feeling very sad, knowing that this was the last thing that I had "planned" though her. Oh... Did I mention she had a surprise for me? Guess I'll let "her" tell you, so I won't spoil her surprise We talked Jane into taking home all the desserts, and the prime rib, we hugged, and we were again all on our way... Dad and Doug were off to Downtown Disney, to buy some Christmas gifts for the ladies in their lives, Mom was sent straight to the resort and to bed, to elevate her legs (which were now very swollen and very blue and red), and Ali and I hit the pool until the fireworks, Rachel and Jen also joined us in the pool for a while, we had a very relaxing night, a quick call to have Mickey call in the morning, and we all fell asleep Waiting for my dad and Doug to return from Downtown Disney.
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