The Dad and Chad Disney Adventure Report

Dates: January 20-23, 2001

Adventurers:

• Jennifer Watson: 32, Disney veteran and co-author of PassPorter Walt Disney World, on her umpteenth trip to Disney (from Ann Arbor, MI)
• Tom Anderson (Dad), 58, armchair traveler, first trip to Walt Disney World (from Lansing, MI)
• Kim Larner (Sister), 29, 4-mo. pregnant with second child, sixth trip to Disney (from Lansing, MI)
• Chad Larner (Brother-In-Law), 28/29, fifth trip to Disney (from Lansing, MI)

Transportation: Northwest Airlines (Jennifer and Dad), Southwest Airlines (Kim and Chad), and Tiffany Town Car

Resort: Fairway Villa at Disney Institute

Parks: Disney's Animal Kingdom, Epcot, Disney-MGM Studios, Magic Kingdom, Pleasure Island, and DisneyQuest

Restaurants/Eateries: House of Blues, Restaurantosaurus, Rose & Crown, Hollywood & Vine, Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater, Whispering Canyon Cafe, and Cinderella's Royal Table.

I have a confession to make: I'm the sort who needs eight hours of solid sleep to function well. So after going to bed somewhere between 2:00 and 2:30 am the night before, I was incredibly underwhelmed about getting up at 7:30 am. And that was about the time my Dad started rustling papers downstairs. No, I'm not extra sensitive to noise when I sleep. This was the type of rustle you do when you're trying to get someone's attention without actually speaking a word. At 7:40 am or so, I began to hear plastic bags being rustled. I didn't even know we had plastic bags. Eventually I heard "Are you awake, Jenny?" So much for getting enough sleep.

Actually, I have to give my Dad a lot of credit. After I grumpily yelled, "Yes, I'm awake, but I'm trying to get some more sleep," he volunteered to go to the park alone and meet me there later. What a brilliant idea! I threw his resort ID over the half-wall in my room (no, I didn't aim it at his head) and made sure he knew how to get there and where to meet. Then I crawled back into bed for a few precious minutes. Much sooner than I would have liked, I found the will to subject myself to the Arctic Shower. At least the villa's air temperature was reasonable, unlike the previous morning.

Downstairs, I sat at the dining room table with Kim and Chad while they nibbled on some pastries. After a bit of small talk, Kim said to Chad, "so how does it feel to be 29?" Oops, I'd forgotten to wish my brother-in-law a happy birthday! I thanked my sister for the big hint and gave Chad a proper birthday greeting. Then we made plans for our rendezvous later and I headed off to the bus stop.

After just a few minutes wait, the Disney-MGM Studios bus pulled up and I hopped on. Once in the park, I looked around for my Dad but didn't see him just inside the gates, as arranged. So I made a quick visit to Mickey's of Hollywood for a pair of grey fleece Mickey gloves ($12.00) for Dad -- he'd complained of cold hands the day before. I found Dad soon after sitting on a bench in front of Sid Cuhuenga's One-of-a-Kind. He'd had his coffee and seemed very pleased with the park. I suggested then that we rent an ECV as we had the day before, but he resisted -- he didn't think he'd need it today. I didn't feel like arguing, so off we went.

Breakfast was at Hollywood & Vine, which serves an excellent breakfast buffet ($15.95/person). We enjoyed chocolate french toast (mmm!), eggs, bacon, and all the other typical breakfast foods. Chip and Dale were very playful this morning, chasing one another around the restaurant, setting up camp at a nearby (empty) table and demanding service ("Sorry, we don't serve your kind here -- try next door."), and being all-around goofs. I even managed a picture of Goofy and my Dad, who was in mid-chew.

Doesn't Dad look pretty in neon pink Mickey ears?

Kim and Chad met us at Hollywood & Vine right on time, and we all headed out together for The Great Movie Ride. The construction fencing was up in front of Mann's Chinese Theater, but there was nothing to see. Rumors are that Disney is building a giant Sorcerer Mickey Hat there, but I haven't seen an official announcement yet. The Great Movie Ride was a big hit with my Dad, as I suspected. I'd say that was one of his top five. Kim and Chad were less impressed by it, however.

After we made our "grand exit" from The Great Movie Ride, we went straight over to Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular. And as luck would have it, we just squeaked in and got seats on the far left side of the audience. Everyone loved Indiana Jones, and they were genuinely surprised by the "plant" who takes all the punches near the end. The only thing we could have improved upon was the seats -- I would have preferred to be front and center.

Dad and Chad professed an interest in Star Tours, so we picked up FASTPASSes for them then dawdled around a bit in shops waiting for the FASTPASS Return window. I took a "pass" on Star Tours. During last May's Star Tours Marathon, I took enough flights to last a millennium. I made sure my Dad was clear on what to expect in Star Tours as I was worried it might be a little rough for him, but in the end I let him make his own decision. He did ride it and seemed to enjoy it a lot. I heard some story later about how he had some problems with his seatbelt, but it must have worked out in the end.

Chad zips through the Endor forest on his speeder.

Pregnant Kim and I met Chad and Dad in the Tatooine Traders gift shop (Star Tours' exit point). Next on the list was Muppet*Vision 3D. Dad opted out of the Muppets ("Don't like 'em."), but the rest of us watched it. Kim and I enjoyed it, Chad was less than thrilled. I always like the Muppets. Kim insists that I was a Miss Piggy groupie when I was a kid, but I honestly can't remember that. It's the kind of thing I'd prefer to forget.

Our much-anticipated lunch was at Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater -- this meal was specifically requested by my Dad. After a short 5-minute wait, we were seated in the front two seats of a parked car in the center of the "drive-in." Perfect! Kim and Chad had snacked on hot dogs earlier, so they just got desserts. Dad and I had chocolate shakes ($3.25/each) and cheeseburgers ($10.95/each), which were both were huge and yummy. Dad loved his burger -- he was still talking about it a day later. The sci-fi movie trailers were fun as always, and my Dad delighted in saying, several times, "You won't believe it, but I actually went to see that movie." I believe it.

Kim and Chad are ready to take off!

By the time lunch ended, I knew I'd need to excuse myself for a while. My lack of sleep was making me quiet and withdrawn -- no fun on a vacation. So I suggested I go back to the villa alone and nap, then meet up with everyone later at the villa or at the Wilderness Lodge for dinner. To my amazement, no one objected. We decided that when Kim, Chad, and Dad were done in the Studios, Dad would return to the villa while Kim and Chad would go to the Magic Kingdom, then meet Dad and me at 8:00 pm in the Wilderness Lodge Lobby. So they all headed for the Studios Backlot Tour and I escaped back to my cozy bed in the villa. I really appreciate the ability to take a mid-day break at my resort -- it can make a big difference in how much you enjoy your evening.

As it turned out, Dad arrived back at the villa not too long after I did. It seems the queue for the Studios Backlot Tour was too long so they'd done the Backstage Pass instead -- everyone hated it (I could have told them that before they went). Dad may have enjoyed it a bit, but as a it is a walking tour he found it too strenuous. Even with my Dad's early arrival at the villa, I managed to get in a good two-hour nap. Ahhh!

Around 6:00 pm, Dad and I took the golf cart to the West Side, parked it, and hopped on a bus for the Wilderness Lodge. I really enjoyed showing the Wilderness Lodge to my father. Not only is my favorite resort, but this is just the sort of thing my Dad enjoys. He was suitably impressed by the Lodge, of course, and said he'd like to stay there someday. After our lodge tour, Dad hunkered down in a rocking chair by the fire to wait for Kim and Chad to arrive.

Nothin' like some rockin' to ease the weary bones.

While Dad enjoyed the rocking chairs, I slipped off to the Mercantile to get a present for Chad. I also picked up two copies of the new Official Album CD ($19.98). I really recommend this album -- great new tracks include Fortuosity (Main Street, U.S.A.), Splash Mountain, Bright Little Star (Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe), and the Epcot Entrance Medey. And my all time favorite -- Impressions de France -- is there, too!

Dinner was at Whispering Canyon Cafe, which I'd chosen specifically for Chad's birthday dinner. The restaurant was mobbed that evening -- there were people everywhere! We had priority seating, so our wait was "only" about 15 minutes. As soon as we sat down, we let the server know it was Chad's birthday, much to Chad's chagrin. We all ordered the all-you-care-to-eat skillets ($21.99), which were as delicious as usual. 

Kim and Chad contemplate dinner.

Our server (Dert E. Britches) kept us entertained with jokes and teasing. I then gave Chad his birthday gift, a WDW 2001 Scrapbook Starter Kit -- it seemed to go over well. After we'd finished our meal, our server dragged Chad up to the front of the restaurant to "make a spectacle" of him for his birthday. He gave Chad a hobby horse and said he had to run around the restaurant, all the while singing "Happy Birthday" to himself! Now, you must understand that Chad doesn't like this sort of thing. And we were all amazed when he did it! And he did a darn good job of it, too! Though I think he was really wanted to knock down our server when he circled back to the front of the restaurant. 

Chad rings the room on a hobby horse

After Chad entertained the restaurant, Kim and I speculated about the possibility piece of birthday cake for Chad. We watched a couple of other tables get cake (and no "spectacle") and wondered if we would as well. When no cake materialized, I theorized that the cake may have been a regular (paid) dessert that the server just put candles in. Finally, Chad asked if he couldn't get a piece of cake after his daring-do ride around the restaurant, but the server seemed to think he was joking and didn't answer. Hmm. Wanting to get going, we paid our bill and left. Out in the lobby, we witnessed another family get a piece of cake and a tepid "Happy Birthday" serenade. I mustered the courage to walk up to the podium and inquire about it. To my surprise, the cast members seemed a little defensive about my question. They informed me that if I'd wanted the birthday person to get cake, I would have had to tell *them*, not just our server. Hmm. The cake wasn't really a big deal, but all in all it was disappointing, especially for me -- I felt this cast a shade over the whole evening. In retrospect, I should have asked at the podium or even called ahead before I arrived. But many guests won't know to do this, and could experience the same disappointment. So keep this in mind if you hope to celebrate a birthday at a Disney restaurant -- always ask in advance about their birthday policy and be prepared for anything.

Back on the bus to Downtown Disney, a couple sitting across from me noticed my PassPorter jacket and asked if I was affiliated with PassPorter. I replied "Yes" modestly, then my sister piped up with "She's one of the authors!" As it turns out, the couple (George and Melinda from Arizona) read the RADP newsgroup and had a copy of PassPorter, which they enjoyed a lot ("It came in really handy!"). We chatted for the rest of the bus trip, until they got off at Marketplace. I love running into readers at Disney -- if anyone out there reading this ever comes across me or Dave, please say "Hi!" We'd love to meet you.

We got off the bus at West Side. Kim and Chad went directly to DisneyQuest while I took Dad back to the villa in the golf cart. 15 minutes later I was back, looking for Kim and Chad in the maze of DisneyQuest. I took the opportunity to do the new attraction Pirates of the Caribbean. I got in lots of good cannonball shots at the ships but in the end "sank" to the bottom of the ocean (great fun!) . I also did the Treasure of the Incas maze, which was back up and operational. These are little radio-controlled trucks which you direct via a video game-like console -- the trucks have mini video cameras mounted on them so you can see where you're going in the maze. I really enjoyed it and would have liked to spend more time at it, though next time I'll do it with a partner -- it works better when someone else can watch the truck (it moves in a maze under a glass floor) and yell tips to you.

I eventually found Kim in The Cheesecake Factory, enjoying a smoothie. She was trying to send a card to someone from one of the Internet terminals, but the interface seemed difficult to navigate. When I asked what she thought of DisneyQuest (this was her first visit), she said she wasn't really into video games. Since virtually everything in DisneyQuest is a video game of one sort or another, albeit far more sophisticated than a garden-variety game of Pon, Kim isn't itching for a return visit. It seemed Chad got a lot more out of it. When closing time came, we found Chad in the Midway on the Moon engrossed in a traditional video game.

After DisneyQuest closed, we took the golf cart back to the villa. I really can't say enough about how convenient we found this. Yes, we probably could have rented a car for the same price as a golf cart, but it just isn't the same. First of all, I wouldn't have wanted to deal with renting a car at the airport (or at a nearby hotel). Second of all, parking the car in the Downtown Disney lot and driving on "real roads" is a lot different then parking the cart alongside Buena Vista Lagoon and taking the cart paths. I don't like to drive at Disney, but I really enjoy "carting." What can I say? I'm just a big kid.

Sleep came late for me again that night. Dave and I needed to discuss PassPorter matters on the phone for a while, which meant I didn't get to sleep until about 2:00 am. Ugh. If I confiscate his crinkly plastic bags, maybe Dad'll actually let me sleep in tomorrow morning.


From Our PassPorter:
The weather today was overcast and still cold (maybe a few degrees warmer than yesterday).
The best thing today was how convenient we found the golf cart, and getting a couple hours to myself in the afternoon.
The worst thing today was the cake-or-no-cake episode at Whispering Canyon Cafe.
Today we tried having Dad go to the park on his own and the result was wonderful -- he had no problems with the buses nor meeting at the appointed time.
The most magical moment today was watching Chad race around the Whispering Canyon Cafe on a hobby horse, singing to himself! I'll never forget the look on this face!

Notes For Next Time:

• Make sure I get enough to sleep early enough when I'm vacationing with early risers
• Ask about birthdays at restaurants ahead of time to avoid any unpleasant surprises
  

Next: Day Four