wdw1972
04-28-2008, 02:19 AM
DAY 3 – Sunday 4/27/08
Who: Sue (49), DVC member
Plan: AK, LeCellier, Resort, Epcot
Actual: I slept well, and was up shortly before 7. It’s going to be tough getting up at 3:30 on Tuesday, and then back to my normal 4:45am on work days! I cleaned up, got dressed, and had the yogurt parfait with cappuccino and biscotti this morning. My LeCellier reservation isn’t until 12:40, but since I just booked these dates in early March that was all I could get! I may try to get in earlier, but at least I know I’ll get to eat there this trip.
I was at the bus stop shortly before 8:30 and today it took longer for buses to arrive. Again it was pretty crowded, which usually means no buses have been seen for a while. The Animal Kingdom bus was the 3rd to arrive, and it was almost standing room only at that point. We filled it up, and at the final stop several people got off, which made room for the people waiting. It seems that of the DVC resorts the Saratoga bus service gets slammed the most, and I have to admit my longest waits for buses have been at this resort.
We got to Animal Kingdom just after 9, and there was no wait to get into the park. I headed back to Harambe first in order to get a fastpass for the safari. It always amazes me how many meander slowly and aimlessly first thing in the morning, rather than hustling to their first attraction. Walking slowly is fine – whether by choice or necessity, but please don’t block the entire walkway and make it challenging for the people who walk more briskly! My fastpass had a return time of 10:00, which was perfect!
I walked back to Dinoland and found the standby time posted for Primeval Whirl was 10 minutes, but the line looked much shorter than that. I joined the line, and was on the ride within 5 minutes. I rode with another lady riding solo, while her husband waited with their 2-year old. This is always a good first ride, as it shakes you awake, lol! It takes longer to exit the ride than it does to actually ride, and since people were waiting I could not ask to stay on. It was about 9:30 so I walked over and rode Dinosaur, with no wait at all. Three very noisy teens were directly in front of me in the boarding line, and I asked to not be seated in their row. Instead the cast member put me in a row with a couple of women, and during the first part of the ride you could hardly hear anything over the loud teens (and this is a LOUD attraction)! Finally they settled down – then I could hear one of the women in my row screaming her lungs out in fear at the dinosaurs, lol! She was genuinely terrified – it was so funny! Those dinosaurs are pretty fake-looking <g>. Oh well, she had fun & her companion and I both got a good chuckle.
After this I wandered slowly back through Asia and to Harambe. I noticed Expedition Everest was not working, yet at Primeval Whirl I talked to a dad/daughter party who had ridden it already. Something must have gone wrong after they rode. I spotted a big monkey up on the overhead habitat, then he went out of view and I noticed a mother duck and 8 tiny ducklings on the edge of the water. The little ones were so cute!
Back in Harambe I had about 5 minutes to kill so I browsed in the nearby shop, then returned at 10 for my safari. This time I was seated first in the row, instead of last. You really see a lot from either side, but I enjoyed having the left side for a change. I had some great photo opportunities, but since the camera was in Ft Myers I missed them all! Most of the animals were out, and the female lion was sitting on the top of the highest rock – I’d never seen one up there before. In the white rhino area we came to a stop for about 10 minutes or so, and the rhino walked right by the side of our truck (on my side). It was amazing being so close! Later when I was off the safari I heard a dad explaining to his son that he had no idea why the safari was closed, so I guess that went down for a while also today.
It was 10:45 or so and I was done with this park, so I exited and went to the Epcot bus stop. Soon the bus came, and at Epcot they let us off in some bus holding area in the middle of the parking lot rather than at a resort bus stop. I guess they pull buses from here as needed when lines form at a particular resort’s stop.
Entering Epcot was a breeze – no delay whatsoever. It helped that instead of carrying my backpack I only used the “neck wallet” I bought on the cruise. I carried my cell phone, park pass, resort ID and DDE card – nothing else. Spaceship Earth was mobbed. The standby time was 30 minutes, but both sides were really filled in. I can’t see waiting that long when I’m here as often as I am, so I did not stop. Soarin’ was still issuing fastpasses so I headed to the Land and picked one up – return time 2:57. It was after 11, so I wandered out to World Showcase and arrived at LeCellier just before they opened at 11:30.
My reservation was for 12:40, but once again I took the chance that they’d accommodate me earlier. If they’d said no, I would have come back at 12:40, but as expected they said “no problem” and seated me at 11:30. They opened the restaurant with all the servers singing their national anthem – O Canada. My server did a terrific job, and I enjoyed meeting & chatting with the couple seated at the next table.
There’s a new appetizer that the chef added last month – cold watermelon soup. It comes with a rock shrimp, but I ordered a cup of it without the shrimp, and then ordered a cup of the cheese soup for my entrée. I also had the Chateau Ste Michelle Riesling which is priced at $7.00/glass here. The breadsticks were all hot & fresh, although the pretzel one was a bit crispy on the bottom. When it’s just me dining there are more than enough breadsticks! The watermelon soup was very watery – I expected a thicker consistency and when the server asked, I said it would be better if it was thicker. The flavor was good, but it was like water! I had a watermelon gazpacho on the cruise recently, and that was better. This appetizer would be a good pick if you were looking for something that wouldn’t fill you up!
The cheese soup was excellent, as always. I passed on dessert, even though I like their crème brulee. I settled the check, then headed back outside. I must have missed SB’s pre-game call, as I had a voicemail. Cell phones don’t usually get a signal in that restaurant, as it’s basically underground. I decided to walk about the countries, so headed off in the direction of France.
It was sunny and warm, but except when I was in the direct sun it was pretty comfortable. Next trip it’ll be humid again – actually for the next several trips. So, this trip is the last chance of decent weather at WDW. In Germany I stopped at Sommerfest for a slice of apple strudel “to go” and a cup of ice. They no longer do the to go containers – for “hygiene” reasons. The cast member explained they don’t know how long we’re going to carry it around, so don’t provide the carryout containers. That didn’t thrill me, but it wasn’t her decision so I can’t shoot the messenger, lol. They put an extra plate on top of it, and when I went into the wine store I used their stapler to create my own carryout container <g>. I also got a glass of the kabinett I enjoyed yesterday.
I had to walk to Mexico to find a shady bench, then sat down and watched people walk by for about 20-30 minutes. That’s always interesting here – you have all ages, nationalities, etc. There are cute kids, ordinary kids, and demon child kids. There are people who seem to take care to stay in shape and dress decently, and then there are the “oh my” other folks. It’s never dull!
When the wine was almost gone I started walking again, and realized I probably looked odd drinking wine at 1pm, but this is a vacation after all! I left the park and had a long wait (20-30 minutes) at the Saratoga Springs bus stop. Evidently there had been a wreck in the Congress Park area and that caused the delay. Today the other passengers were fine, normal people – no shouting ethnic slurs or being disruptive. At Congress Park the wreck had been cleared, and just a couple of Disney vans were left. I went up to the studio, put the strudel in the fridge for later, and signed on to join SB’s game in progress. I updated the report while listening to his game and just relaxed in the cool air conditioning. I was telling him last night – this room is almost frigid! He likes it colder than I do, so he’d be in heaven here. I’ve read reports of people complaining about the rooms not getting cold enough here, but that’s not my experience!
to be continued...
Who: Sue (49), DVC member
Plan: AK, LeCellier, Resort, Epcot
Actual: I slept well, and was up shortly before 7. It’s going to be tough getting up at 3:30 on Tuesday, and then back to my normal 4:45am on work days! I cleaned up, got dressed, and had the yogurt parfait with cappuccino and biscotti this morning. My LeCellier reservation isn’t until 12:40, but since I just booked these dates in early March that was all I could get! I may try to get in earlier, but at least I know I’ll get to eat there this trip.
I was at the bus stop shortly before 8:30 and today it took longer for buses to arrive. Again it was pretty crowded, which usually means no buses have been seen for a while. The Animal Kingdom bus was the 3rd to arrive, and it was almost standing room only at that point. We filled it up, and at the final stop several people got off, which made room for the people waiting. It seems that of the DVC resorts the Saratoga bus service gets slammed the most, and I have to admit my longest waits for buses have been at this resort.
We got to Animal Kingdom just after 9, and there was no wait to get into the park. I headed back to Harambe first in order to get a fastpass for the safari. It always amazes me how many meander slowly and aimlessly first thing in the morning, rather than hustling to their first attraction. Walking slowly is fine – whether by choice or necessity, but please don’t block the entire walkway and make it challenging for the people who walk more briskly! My fastpass had a return time of 10:00, which was perfect!
I walked back to Dinoland and found the standby time posted for Primeval Whirl was 10 minutes, but the line looked much shorter than that. I joined the line, and was on the ride within 5 minutes. I rode with another lady riding solo, while her husband waited with their 2-year old. This is always a good first ride, as it shakes you awake, lol! It takes longer to exit the ride than it does to actually ride, and since people were waiting I could not ask to stay on. It was about 9:30 so I walked over and rode Dinosaur, with no wait at all. Three very noisy teens were directly in front of me in the boarding line, and I asked to not be seated in their row. Instead the cast member put me in a row with a couple of women, and during the first part of the ride you could hardly hear anything over the loud teens (and this is a LOUD attraction)! Finally they settled down – then I could hear one of the women in my row screaming her lungs out in fear at the dinosaurs, lol! She was genuinely terrified – it was so funny! Those dinosaurs are pretty fake-looking <g>. Oh well, she had fun & her companion and I both got a good chuckle.
After this I wandered slowly back through Asia and to Harambe. I noticed Expedition Everest was not working, yet at Primeval Whirl I talked to a dad/daughter party who had ridden it already. Something must have gone wrong after they rode. I spotted a big monkey up on the overhead habitat, then he went out of view and I noticed a mother duck and 8 tiny ducklings on the edge of the water. The little ones were so cute!
Back in Harambe I had about 5 minutes to kill so I browsed in the nearby shop, then returned at 10 for my safari. This time I was seated first in the row, instead of last. You really see a lot from either side, but I enjoyed having the left side for a change. I had some great photo opportunities, but since the camera was in Ft Myers I missed them all! Most of the animals were out, and the female lion was sitting on the top of the highest rock – I’d never seen one up there before. In the white rhino area we came to a stop for about 10 minutes or so, and the rhino walked right by the side of our truck (on my side). It was amazing being so close! Later when I was off the safari I heard a dad explaining to his son that he had no idea why the safari was closed, so I guess that went down for a while also today.
It was 10:45 or so and I was done with this park, so I exited and went to the Epcot bus stop. Soon the bus came, and at Epcot they let us off in some bus holding area in the middle of the parking lot rather than at a resort bus stop. I guess they pull buses from here as needed when lines form at a particular resort’s stop.
Entering Epcot was a breeze – no delay whatsoever. It helped that instead of carrying my backpack I only used the “neck wallet” I bought on the cruise. I carried my cell phone, park pass, resort ID and DDE card – nothing else. Spaceship Earth was mobbed. The standby time was 30 minutes, but both sides were really filled in. I can’t see waiting that long when I’m here as often as I am, so I did not stop. Soarin’ was still issuing fastpasses so I headed to the Land and picked one up – return time 2:57. It was after 11, so I wandered out to World Showcase and arrived at LeCellier just before they opened at 11:30.
My reservation was for 12:40, but once again I took the chance that they’d accommodate me earlier. If they’d said no, I would have come back at 12:40, but as expected they said “no problem” and seated me at 11:30. They opened the restaurant with all the servers singing their national anthem – O Canada. My server did a terrific job, and I enjoyed meeting & chatting with the couple seated at the next table.
There’s a new appetizer that the chef added last month – cold watermelon soup. It comes with a rock shrimp, but I ordered a cup of it without the shrimp, and then ordered a cup of the cheese soup for my entrée. I also had the Chateau Ste Michelle Riesling which is priced at $7.00/glass here. The breadsticks were all hot & fresh, although the pretzel one was a bit crispy on the bottom. When it’s just me dining there are more than enough breadsticks! The watermelon soup was very watery – I expected a thicker consistency and when the server asked, I said it would be better if it was thicker. The flavor was good, but it was like water! I had a watermelon gazpacho on the cruise recently, and that was better. This appetizer would be a good pick if you were looking for something that wouldn’t fill you up!
The cheese soup was excellent, as always. I passed on dessert, even though I like their crème brulee. I settled the check, then headed back outside. I must have missed SB’s pre-game call, as I had a voicemail. Cell phones don’t usually get a signal in that restaurant, as it’s basically underground. I decided to walk about the countries, so headed off in the direction of France.
It was sunny and warm, but except when I was in the direct sun it was pretty comfortable. Next trip it’ll be humid again – actually for the next several trips. So, this trip is the last chance of decent weather at WDW. In Germany I stopped at Sommerfest for a slice of apple strudel “to go” and a cup of ice. They no longer do the to go containers – for “hygiene” reasons. The cast member explained they don’t know how long we’re going to carry it around, so don’t provide the carryout containers. That didn’t thrill me, but it wasn’t her decision so I can’t shoot the messenger, lol. They put an extra plate on top of it, and when I went into the wine store I used their stapler to create my own carryout container <g>. I also got a glass of the kabinett I enjoyed yesterday.
I had to walk to Mexico to find a shady bench, then sat down and watched people walk by for about 20-30 minutes. That’s always interesting here – you have all ages, nationalities, etc. There are cute kids, ordinary kids, and demon child kids. There are people who seem to take care to stay in shape and dress decently, and then there are the “oh my” other folks. It’s never dull!
When the wine was almost gone I started walking again, and realized I probably looked odd drinking wine at 1pm, but this is a vacation after all! I left the park and had a long wait (20-30 minutes) at the Saratoga Springs bus stop. Evidently there had been a wreck in the Congress Park area and that caused the delay. Today the other passengers were fine, normal people – no shouting ethnic slurs or being disruptive. At Congress Park the wreck had been cleared, and just a couple of Disney vans were left. I went up to the studio, put the strudel in the fridge for later, and signed on to join SB’s game in progress. I updated the report while listening to his game and just relaxed in the cool air conditioning. I was telling him last night – this room is almost frigid! He likes it colder than I do, so he’d be in heaven here. I’ve read reports of people complaining about the rooms not getting cold enough here, but that’s not my experience!
to be continued...