Gaston
06-06-2006, 11:22 AM
Hi all,
We flew into Orlando on Wed. and found the Magical Express counter without any problems. We were on the bus, and on our way to OKW within minutes of our checking in.
This was our first time in a one bedroom, and first time at OKW. Stunned is the only word I can use for how nice the unit and OKW is.
We had dinner at Olivia's, and noticed a group of 8 guys entering the dining room, that we knew we'd be seeing around the parks for gay days. Our waitress had us try several bread samples that Olivia's is trying out to replace the regular bread. To her delight we picked the bread that Olivia's has been serving all along. She told us the table of men also picked the original bread. I love being in a majority..LOL.
We got groceries at, and found our luggage waiting for us when we got back. We stayed home for the evening,after a quick shopping spree in DTD, unpacking,getting to know our new home, and having drinks on the patio over looking the golf course. I called my Boston friends who were arriving later to stay at Riverside, and they were having a DDP dinner at Planet Hollywood. My other half got online to see which guys had arrived at their hotels at DTD, and SSR.
Thursday, we met up at AK with our Boston friends for a full day there. Everest was awesome, and being an AP at Disneyland, Everest struck me as the Matterhorn on steroids, with a bit of Big Thunder, thrown in. My other half said Everest reminded him of scenes from Disney's "In Search Of The Castaways". We had BFD's ( big fruity drinks ) while we watched the parade, which included many a red shirted guest. (red shirts are what all the gays wear at gay days) I wasn't wearing a red shirt, but I think my BFD gave me away.A very nice CM chatted with us about the things they find inside the various birds at AK in Conservation Station. She showed us the coins, and dental stuff the birds swallow. We got on the last safari at 7:30 and saw almost every animal there, with few exceptions. There are some new ones we haven't seen before, with huge horns in the savannah. The Lion was standing on all fours when we passed by,something I have never seen before. Our buddies had a ADR at Boma, so we went back to OKW for a take out at Goods To Go. We told our buddies to call when they got back to Riverside, get their bathing suits, and booze and to come over to see the DVC unit we had. They were as impressed as we were when they saw it. One has been to WDW 35 times over the last 8 years, so I told him he might save himself some cash if he joined the DVC.
Friday we went to EPCOT for the flower and garden event. Our buddies went to MGM, as they weren't into flowers, so that dispels one stereotype...LOL. EPCOT was crowded and HOT. The butterfly garden was like an oven.The heat really did a number on us by the time we left, but we had a great time anyway. MIckey,Pluto,Chip,and Dale accosted us at while we were having lunch at the rotating restaurant in the Land. We were wearing oour California Adventure Food and Wine Festival ballcaps, so they all started to pretend that they were surfing. I have to say that going through the Mexican pavillion ride, I was amazed that I wasn't insulted by it before. It needs updating filmwise, and isn't the nicest way to present the Mexican people. In Germany there was a kiosk next to the miniature railroad selling similar trains used , and lists of outdoor plants that are used to make your own layouts at home. I'm tempted to do that. Arlo Gunthrie was onstage, and we stopped for a Toddy Cooler and cigarette break. A weary dad from FL was dying for some conversation with his own age group, so we chatted with him for a bit. It was interesting how we live an hour from Disneyland, and his family lives an hour from WDW, and that we all have the same habits around the parks. While we were buying some event stuff, a bad storm blew in, and they started to shut down all the kiosks. We decided to call it a day then. Back in our home, I whipped up some Eggs Benedict for dinner. I have always wanted to make that while on vacation, and once I figured out the microwave, I made a Hollandaise sauce in it that the Chef's de France would have given a blue ribbon to. I know it's heresy, but I did it anyway. And I served the eggs with tater tots and ketchup. That night we could here music, dance music. We called our buddies over at Riverside, and they said it was the big dance party for Gay Days over at Typhoon Lagoon. Gloria Gaynor was there singing her oldies, and promoting her new cd. She is remembered for most for " I Will Survive", but being the old disco queen I used to be, I remember her for the early 70's stuff, like "Never Can Say Goodbye",etc, long before Donna Summer dethroned her.
Saturday was the official Gay Days date for MK. The park was filled with red shirts. We got right into lunch without ADR's at Liberty, and had a great waitress. the other half was getting our camera ready to ask her to take our picture, and she thought he was taking one of her tummy. " You don't want a pic of my gut, not with the 2 scars I got from the Ceasarians, my bikini days are over." By the time we finished lunch, the entire place was full of red shirts, with a line of red shirts waiting to get in. We were scheduled to meet up with the bears at Country Bear Jamboree at 1:00. Bears in gay lingo are men a bit on the husky side with beards, usually. I am one, as is my partner, and our friends from Boston. We all met up to see a crowd of about 150 bears lining up to get in. As with last year, there were more than the regular number of CM's at the attraction. We hear it is because partly for crowd control, and the fact that this is the most fun guest watching for this attraction. When the girls in the singalong sing "the guys that turn me on ,turn me down" is not to be missed. Everyone sings,claps and hoots and hollers, and laughs in all the right places to what must have been the show's original intention. I watched the 6 CM's laughing with and at us all. I'm sure they got a kick out of it.
We did just about every attraction in MK, gave knowing smiles to all of our red shirted pals. Except for that poor family man that had a red shirt on that I smiled at before I saw the wife and kids behind him...ooops!
I chatted with a lesbian couple on the bus back to OKW, as their 2 daughters were trying on their new princess tiaras,and magic wands. I have 2 friends that adopted 5 children back in the Boston area, and they have never been to WDW. I need to write them a nasty letter, and describe to them how much fun their family is missing.
We stayed in that night, our last night. Music could be heard again on the wind, but this time from the gay days dance party at MGM.
In the morning we were all packed,had the place reasonably cleaned up, and headed over to get our boarding passes for our flight home. The crowd at the check in was curled around the lobby and out the door. This was at 11:00 AM !
We always schedule our departure for early evening to sqeeze in as much resort time as possible. We had lunch at Olivia's. Our waitress asked where we were from, and we answered, California. When we told her the town, she had no clue, so I said, next to Malibu. "what kind of car do you drive?" I am currently restoring a 57 Chevy I have had for 15 years,and said so, but she is too young to know of them, so it was a lost cause...LOL. We packed our flight clothes in our carry-ons, and wore our bathing suits by the main pool and lounged for a few hours. The guys we saw at dinner the first night had the same idea,and were nearby. Families on either side of us were discussing the same topic, "points", and how many more they want. My other half brought it up too, how many we need to stay in a one bedroom every time we stay. We showered and changed into our flight gear for the trip home. Magical Express was right on time, and we stopped at SSR to pick up guests. It has many more units now than last year being built, and we saw a stand alone building that looked like it may be a new lobby.
We had a great time, and look forward to Oct at VWL this year. Hope I haven't bored ya all.
Gaston ( Frank)
We flew into Orlando on Wed. and found the Magical Express counter without any problems. We were on the bus, and on our way to OKW within minutes of our checking in.
This was our first time in a one bedroom, and first time at OKW. Stunned is the only word I can use for how nice the unit and OKW is.
We had dinner at Olivia's, and noticed a group of 8 guys entering the dining room, that we knew we'd be seeing around the parks for gay days. Our waitress had us try several bread samples that Olivia's is trying out to replace the regular bread. To her delight we picked the bread that Olivia's has been serving all along. She told us the table of men also picked the original bread. I love being in a majority..LOL.
We got groceries at, and found our luggage waiting for us when we got back. We stayed home for the evening,after a quick shopping spree in DTD, unpacking,getting to know our new home, and having drinks on the patio over looking the golf course. I called my Boston friends who were arriving later to stay at Riverside, and they were having a DDP dinner at Planet Hollywood. My other half got online to see which guys had arrived at their hotels at DTD, and SSR.
Thursday, we met up at AK with our Boston friends for a full day there. Everest was awesome, and being an AP at Disneyland, Everest struck me as the Matterhorn on steroids, with a bit of Big Thunder, thrown in. My other half said Everest reminded him of scenes from Disney's "In Search Of The Castaways". We had BFD's ( big fruity drinks ) while we watched the parade, which included many a red shirted guest. (red shirts are what all the gays wear at gay days) I wasn't wearing a red shirt, but I think my BFD gave me away.A very nice CM chatted with us about the things they find inside the various birds at AK in Conservation Station. She showed us the coins, and dental stuff the birds swallow. We got on the last safari at 7:30 and saw almost every animal there, with few exceptions. There are some new ones we haven't seen before, with huge horns in the savannah. The Lion was standing on all fours when we passed by,something I have never seen before. Our buddies had a ADR at Boma, so we went back to OKW for a take out at Goods To Go. We told our buddies to call when they got back to Riverside, get their bathing suits, and booze and to come over to see the DVC unit we had. They were as impressed as we were when they saw it. One has been to WDW 35 times over the last 8 years, so I told him he might save himself some cash if he joined the DVC.
Friday we went to EPCOT for the flower and garden event. Our buddies went to MGM, as they weren't into flowers, so that dispels one stereotype...LOL. EPCOT was crowded and HOT. The butterfly garden was like an oven.The heat really did a number on us by the time we left, but we had a great time anyway. MIckey,Pluto,Chip,and Dale accosted us at while we were having lunch at the rotating restaurant in the Land. We were wearing oour California Adventure Food and Wine Festival ballcaps, so they all started to pretend that they were surfing. I have to say that going through the Mexican pavillion ride, I was amazed that I wasn't insulted by it before. It needs updating filmwise, and isn't the nicest way to present the Mexican people. In Germany there was a kiosk next to the miniature railroad selling similar trains used , and lists of outdoor plants that are used to make your own layouts at home. I'm tempted to do that. Arlo Gunthrie was onstage, and we stopped for a Toddy Cooler and cigarette break. A weary dad from FL was dying for some conversation with his own age group, so we chatted with him for a bit. It was interesting how we live an hour from Disneyland, and his family lives an hour from WDW, and that we all have the same habits around the parks. While we were buying some event stuff, a bad storm blew in, and they started to shut down all the kiosks. We decided to call it a day then. Back in our home, I whipped up some Eggs Benedict for dinner. I have always wanted to make that while on vacation, and once I figured out the microwave, I made a Hollandaise sauce in it that the Chef's de France would have given a blue ribbon to. I know it's heresy, but I did it anyway. And I served the eggs with tater tots and ketchup. That night we could here music, dance music. We called our buddies over at Riverside, and they said it was the big dance party for Gay Days over at Typhoon Lagoon. Gloria Gaynor was there singing her oldies, and promoting her new cd. She is remembered for most for " I Will Survive", but being the old disco queen I used to be, I remember her for the early 70's stuff, like "Never Can Say Goodbye",etc, long before Donna Summer dethroned her.
Saturday was the official Gay Days date for MK. The park was filled with red shirts. We got right into lunch without ADR's at Liberty, and had a great waitress. the other half was getting our camera ready to ask her to take our picture, and she thought he was taking one of her tummy. " You don't want a pic of my gut, not with the 2 scars I got from the Ceasarians, my bikini days are over." By the time we finished lunch, the entire place was full of red shirts, with a line of red shirts waiting to get in. We were scheduled to meet up with the bears at Country Bear Jamboree at 1:00. Bears in gay lingo are men a bit on the husky side with beards, usually. I am one, as is my partner, and our friends from Boston. We all met up to see a crowd of about 150 bears lining up to get in. As with last year, there were more than the regular number of CM's at the attraction. We hear it is because partly for crowd control, and the fact that this is the most fun guest watching for this attraction. When the girls in the singalong sing "the guys that turn me on ,turn me down" is not to be missed. Everyone sings,claps and hoots and hollers, and laughs in all the right places to what must have been the show's original intention. I watched the 6 CM's laughing with and at us all. I'm sure they got a kick out of it.
We did just about every attraction in MK, gave knowing smiles to all of our red shirted pals. Except for that poor family man that had a red shirt on that I smiled at before I saw the wife and kids behind him...ooops!
I chatted with a lesbian couple on the bus back to OKW, as their 2 daughters were trying on their new princess tiaras,and magic wands. I have 2 friends that adopted 5 children back in the Boston area, and they have never been to WDW. I need to write them a nasty letter, and describe to them how much fun their family is missing.
We stayed in that night, our last night. Music could be heard again on the wind, but this time from the gay days dance party at MGM.
In the morning we were all packed,had the place reasonably cleaned up, and headed over to get our boarding passes for our flight home. The crowd at the check in was curled around the lobby and out the door. This was at 11:00 AM !
We always schedule our departure for early evening to sqeeze in as much resort time as possible. We had lunch at Olivia's. Our waitress asked where we were from, and we answered, California. When we told her the town, she had no clue, so I said, next to Malibu. "what kind of car do you drive?" I am currently restoring a 57 Chevy I have had for 15 years,and said so, but she is too young to know of them, so it was a lost cause...LOL. We packed our flight clothes in our carry-ons, and wore our bathing suits by the main pool and lounged for a few hours. The guys we saw at dinner the first night had the same idea,and were nearby. Families on either side of us were discussing the same topic, "points", and how many more they want. My other half brought it up too, how many we need to stay in a one bedroom every time we stay. We showered and changed into our flight gear for the trip home. Magical Express was right on time, and we stopped at SSR to pick up guests. It has many more units now than last year being built, and we saw a stand alone building that looked like it may be a new lobby.
We had a great time, and look forward to Oct at VWL this year. Hope I haven't bored ya all.
Gaston ( Frank)