WDW Trip Report

So I was at the Walt Disney World Resort this past weekend and like all trips to my favorite place on earth I had an absolute blast. This trip was a little different then the other two times I been to Orlando in that there was no new rides to be the highlight of the trip and no media days to cover, it was just four days of playing in the ultimate playground with a good friend.

This was the first time I have ever used Disney's Magical Express service and was generally impressed with it. Within an hour of landing I was sitting in my hotel room at Port Orleans Riverside. This was also the first time I was staying at the resort and it was enjoyable, although I would have preferred to stay in the Magnolia Bend (Southern Mansion Style) instead of the Aligator Bayou (Southern Swamp Style) I ended up in. The resort has a sweet pool (even though rain kept me out of it) and an arcade with some excellent video games. The first night I got in I hopped on the boat ride to Downtown Disney for a night at (you could have guessed it) Pleasure Island.

If you read my earlier blog post, then you know of my displeasure at the decision to close the 6 PI clubs. In my evening (hooray for 2 dollar draft beers) I caught a show in the Comedy Warehouse, which was a lot of fun for an improv comedy club. When one of the comedian asked for a scene and a guest yelled out "protest against pleasure island closing" some really good laughs followed.

The real highlight of the night was the 3 or so hours I spent at the exceptional Adventurers Club. I encourage all readers out their to join the 5700+ that have signed the pettition. The Adventurers Club is a tough place to describe, so I am going to let these three youtube videos do the describing for me (the third one was taken last thursday night when I was there during the hoopla.....HOOPLA).





Looks fun doesn't it. I am still thinking that the AC will live on in some form past September 27th.

Well Adventurers Club closes down at 1, but me and my friend weren't quite done yet as Motion didn't shut down for another hour. And I must have been either pretty drunk or just in a really good mood, because I actually ended up on the dance floor.

Friday morning was well a tad hung over, but it was off to Magic Kingdom (my favorite of the WDW parks). Spent the morning/afternon there, before a trip back to the hotel to refresh and head back for Extra Magic Hours. Here are some thoughts from my day:

- Haunted Mansion is soooo much better with the enhancements
- Captain Jacks Animatronic in the barrell is my favorite of the three
- You gotta be crazy to wait 75 minutes for Pan
- Small World is the longest ride ever
- Country Bear Jamboree is a very fun attraction
- Carousel Of Progess is a very boring attraction (even though I love the song)
- Its a blast to tour the parks with another big time WDW fan
- My favorite Jungle Cruise joke: "No one make the sound of a white marble, cause there are Hungry Hungry Hippos"
- Wishes is my favorite WDW nighttime show
- Stitch isn't nearly as bad as some people complain about it being
- Laugh Floor is a lot of fun
- Extra Magic Hours until 2 am are both awesome and exhuasting
- The geyser on Splash Mountain can really soak you
- Some people really like to scream in the tunnels on Big Thunder
- Polynesian is a beautiful hotel

Saturday it was time for the EPCOT/DHS tag team. I hit Toy Story Mania twice early (122,000 and 149,000 not too shabby) I like this attraction more and more everytime I ride it. The single rider line at Rock & Roller Coaster works great, and allowed me to ride three times. Tower is still exceptional and Star Tours is still outdated. The new Narnia exhibit was not long or impressive at all.

EPCOT i did the high capacity attractions in the late afternoon (figment, grand fiesta tour, nemo, Spaceship Earth, HISTA). Honey I Shrunk The Audience was actually a lot of fun for an attractions thought of as 'stale' by many fanboys, the crowd reaction is priceless. I did American Adventure for the first time this year complete with all the warm & fuzzy feelings. A pastry from France and Illuminations Reflection of Earth made for a great end of the night.

I hit Animal Kingdom for the final morning of the trip. AK is home to my 2 favorite live shows at any theme park Festival of the Lion King (Timon has a talking head now!!) and Finding Nemo The Musical. Also home to some great thrills in Dinosaur & Everest. Before the Magical Express ride home it was back to MK for one more spin on Pirates, Mansion, Country Bears & Jungle Cruise.

One day removed from the trip with PDD (Post Disney Depression) in full swing, what I really will remember from this one isn't any particular rides or shows, but instead all the good times, laughs and stories between me and my friend who I visited with, which probably doesn't make for the best blog post, but made for one hell of a trip.