Tales from A December to Remember--Day 9--Friday, December 9, 2011

Rise and shine for another Disney Day! And oh what a busy Disney Day I had planned! I was planning on leaving my room in time to be at Disney Hollywood Studios for an 9:00 a.m. opening, and wasn’t going to be back at my resort until after 10:00 that night, so I had a long but fun Disney day ahead. 
 

I started my walk to Disney Hollywood Studios at about 8:40. I called Krista to see what her and Todd were up to, and discovered that they were walking to the Studios as well. They were about a quarter mile ahead of me on the pathway, so they slowed their pace, and I quickened mine to catch up with them.

Once through the gates of Disney Hollywood Studios, we met up with John. We planned to walk over to Toy Story Midway Mania to grab fast passes with everyone else in the world. The line to get to the fast pass machine was ridiculously long--all the way to the Little Mermaid show. Krista, Todd, and I were debating just jumping in the standby line. John insisted on getting fast passes, so he took all of our park tickets to get fast passes while Krista, Todd, and I went to get in the standby line for Toy Story Midway Mania.

When we got to the standby line, it was already winding all the way around at 9:15. We discussed it, and decided that none of us really cared enough about the attraction to wait in a long line to ride it. While it’s a cute ride and we enjoy it, it’s really just a big riding video game. So instead, we stood off to the side, and waited for John to make his way through the fast pass line. John waited in line for 15 minutes to get those fast passes!

When is Disney going to put in a fast pass machine for the Toy Story Midway Mania fast pass machines?

We lost sight of John as he approached the fast pass machine, but Todd spotted him gabbing with a bunch of folks who had attended the All Ears Toy Story meet that morning. We went over to gab with them, and I found even more of my Disney friends, including Debbie (EpcotKilterFan) and her mom.

We then headed over to take a ride on Star Tours. We all really enjoyed the sequence we got on the ride. Todd and John rode it a second time, and said they got the exact same sequence the second time. We then headed over to take a ride on the Tower of Terror.

It was then time to go to Rosie’s on Sunset for another All Ears meet! It is always so much fun mixing and mingling with Disney fanatics! So many of my friends were there, including Janice and Mark, who were kind enough to give  me their Toy Story fast passes. My friend Skippy also arrived during the meet! There were just so many people to talk to!

After the meet, Skippy and I shared a chicken nugget meal for a snack. We had a late lunch planned at Mama Melrose’s for a Fantasmic package, and we needed something to hold us over.

After or snack, we took a ride on the Tower of Terror, and then headed over to the single riders line at the Rock ‘N Roller Coaster. We then started making our way to Star Tours.

As we walked up Sunset Boulevard, we noticed a man sitting in a director’s chair holding an Academy Award. As most of you know, I am a two-time Academy Award winner, so it’s always nice to meet a fellow Academy Award winner. I went over to introduce myself. It was Holden Hollywood, who won his Academy Award for best hoofer. He was really nice, and even seemed a bit awed to learn that I was a two-time Academy Award winner. Maybe someday he will have two Academy Awards, just like me.

We continued to walk to Star Tours, and got in line. We then went to see the Muppets, and moved along to the Backlot Tour, which I hadn’t gone on in a while. There was a very grumpy looking couple waiting to get on the wheelchair car. They looked like they would rather be anywhere but at Disney World.

We had a bit of time before our lunch reservation, so we browsed around in the Christmas shop, where I purchased an ornament for my friend Tia. While we were in the shop, I ran into Sherrie and Samantha, a really nice mother and daughter who were in town to attend some of the All Ears events.

Skippy and I then went to Mama Melrose’s for our lunch. We had a bit of a wait for our table, as the restaurant was very crowded with people on the Fantasmic dining package. While we were waiting, I decided to torment my friend Katie by letting her know that I was waiting for a table at one of her favorite restaurants while she was at home in Massachusetts doing the mundane things in her everyday life. That will teach her to stay at home when everyone else is at Disney World.

Skippy and I both started our meal with a Caesar salad. The salad has a nice creamy dressing and had some deliciously crunchy croutons on it.

For our entrees, we both ordered the charred strip-steak in wine sauce, which was served with five-cheese macaroni and cheese. The steak was excellent--it was very tender and had a lot of flavor. The macaroni and cheese was outstanding. I’m not a big macaroni and cheese fan, but this was some of the best macaroni and cheese I have ever tasted. It was very cheesy and flavorful.

For dessert, I ordered the vanilla gelato, and Skippy got the panna cotta. The gelato was excellent--some of the best gelato I have ever tasted. Skippy enjoyed the panna cotta, but thought it would be more like tiramisu based on the description in the menu.

While we were eating, a nice couple at the next table gave us their fast passes for Toy Story. I now had three sets of Toy Story fast passes to use. Since we didn’t really need to go on Toy Story Midway Mania three times, I wound up giving one of the sets to Sherrie and Samantha, who were also eating at Mama Melrose’s. After dinner, Skippy and I went on Toy Story Midway Mania twice.

We then made our way to the Fantasmic theatre. It was a bit confusing because the location where dinner package folks were supposed to enter wasn’t the same place that it was listed on the map. We had to go to a gate down behind Tower of Terror, and wind around the long way to get into the theatre. We then had to make another loop around to get to the side door near the Fantasmic dinner package seating. They really make people with the package go way out of their way to get to the seating area. And we probably didn’t even need the package that night--there were still several sections available about a half hour before show time, though they did fill up before show time.

I decided to go get some water before the show. As I was exiting the seating area, a cast member handed me a ticket to get back into the seating area. The line at the concession stand was really long, so I decided to head out to Sunset Boulevard to get water. Another cast member handed me a different color ticket so that I could get back into the theatre by the same Tower of Terror walk way.  I walked down to the coffee stand near the Tower of Terror, and got water, and then made my way back, handing in my tickets to gain access to the areas again.

I was in my seat a few minutes before Fantasmic began. We were sitting about five rows from the front of the theatre. I don’t think that I have ever sat that close to the action before. Thankfully, it wasn’t very windy, so we didn’t get wet when they were running the fountains.

I really love Fantasmic. I think it’s the best night time show at Walt Disney World (though I think I like World of Color at Disneyland better). There is just so much action in Fantasmic, and I love all of the songs and scenes in the show. My favorite part is when they have the big boat of characters come out at the end.

After Fantasmic, Skippy and I walked to the bus stop for the Wilderness Lodge. We were heading there to meet some of our Virtual Magic Kingdom friends for dinner at Whispering Canyon. When we arrived at the Lodge, I spotted my friends Lynda (PrincessLynda), and Josh (Pengin), and their adorable son Avery. Lynda’s mom Evelyn was also with them. 

This was my first time meeting Avery, who is 16 months old. He is an adorable little boy with the biggest blue eyes. He seemed fascinated by the Christmas tree in the Wilderness Lodge lobby. I had a lot of fun walking around the lobby with him, and playing with him.

Soon, the rest of our VMK friends showed up. Jill (Aeryn), Brian (ElectricLime), Lori (LoriR aka Mickey’s Magic) and her daughter Meghan were all there! It was so great to see all of them again! We were seated at a large round table off the main dining room, which was probably a good thing because many of us at the table just do not know how to behave. We sure had a lot of laughs at dinner, and it was great to catch up with my VMK friends. At one point, I stood up and did the old VMK style dance. I then walked over to Lori and gave her some boogies, just like I used to give her all the time in the game. She was the first person I ever gave boogies to on VMK. Unfortunately, she wasn’t wearing a boogie catcher hat at dinner, so she probably wound up getting them in her hair.

Brian, Jill, and Skippy

Megahan and Lori

Lynda, Avery, Evelyn, and Josh

I ordered the cheddar cheese soup, a garden salad, and a vanilla shake. The vanilla shake was delicious. It was cold and thick, the way a good milk shake should be. The cheddar cheese soup was disgusting. I only had a couple of bites, and asked the waitress to take it away. It was a bit too bitter to be enjoyable. The salad was excellent and served with a delicious apple vinaigrette.

After dinner, Lori, Meghan, and I said goodbye to the rest of the group, and made our way to the bus stop. Lori and Meghan were heading back to the Dolphin, and I was heading to the Boardwalk, and we decided that our best option to get to the resort was to take the bus to Epcot, which was opened until 12:30 for Extra Magic Hours, and then walk back to our resorts so that we could burn off some of the calories we had just consumed.

We didn’t have to wait too long for a bus, and we soon would find out that we were on a very special bus driven by a very special bus driver. I didn’t catch her real name on her name tag, but in the minutes, hours, and days that have passed since then, I have called her many different names. For the sake of this trip report, I’m going to dub her Bitchy Bossy Bessie, Disney Bus Czar. As I said, I didn’t catch her name on the name tag, but I’m sure if I did, that is exactly what it would have read:  Bitchy Bossy Bessie, Disney Bus Czar. Going forward, I’m just going to refer to her as the Czar for short.

So, as good and knowledgeable patrons of Walt Disney World (and Meghan even being a former college program cast member), Lori, Meghan, and I know, follow, and understand the rules (both written and unwritten) of the Walt Disney World transportation system. Or at least we thought we did until we met the Czar. You see, good ole Bessie the Bus Czar had the real Golden Book--the book that all Disney resort guests must follow when they are riding on the Disney buses.

And let me tell you, my friends, you better follow the Czar’s rules, or you will be forced to face the consequences. You might have to clean up a protein spill outside of Mission: Space. Or perhaps you would be strapped in a boat at it’s a small world and be forced to ride it for three days straight. I’ve even heard tales of the Czar making people go to Stitch’s Great Escape! (and you thought that the lines at that were attraction were just because people didn’t realize it sucked--now you know the truth, people who break the Czar’s rules are forced to go on that attraction).

So, when the bus pulled up, Lori, Meghan, and I did what any rule following patron would do. We stood to the side and waited until all of the passengers had exited the bus before starting to board. When the last person stepped off the bus, Lori stepped through the front door of the bus. But we soon learned that this was a clear violation of the Czar’s rules, and Lori got reprimanded for not following the rules. You see, according to the Czar’s Big Golden Book of Bus Rules, not only do you have to wait for all of the passengers to exit the bus before boarding, you also must wait for the driver to close the backdoor before entering the bus. So, Lori got on the Czar’s bad side right away, and was forced to step off the bus, and instructed not to reenter the bus until the backdoor was closed.

So, Lori stepped off the bus, which had Meghan and I a bit confused. I thought maybe the bus had been rerouted and wouldn’t be returning to Epcot, but the look of fear on Lori’s face told another story. Meghan and I could tell that Lori had the fear of God instilled within her in those few  seconds that she stood on the bus. I hadn’t seen a look like that since my grammar school days at St. Francis of Assisi School when St. Maria Joseph caught someone talking in line.

With the backdoor now shut, Lori, Meghan, and I made our way onto the bus, and went to take seats at the back of the bus on the upper level. As the Czar started to drive towards Fort Wilderness to drop off more passengers, Lori filled Meghan and I in on what happened with the Czar. I was a bit surprised by the Czar’s reaction. I mean, Lori just stepped on the bus after all the passengers had exited--something she has done hundreds of times at Disney World, something Meghan and I have done hundreds of times at Disney World, something that my dear readers have done hundreds of times at Walt Disney World. It hardly seemed like a punishable offense.

When we arrived at Fort Wilderness, all of the other passengers exited the bus, so Lori, Meghan, and I were the only passengers left on the bus. We stayed in our seats, and quietly and patiently waited for the Czar to shut the doors and start driving again. But that didn’t happen right away. The Czar began shouting something from the front of the bus, but we couldn’t hear what she was saying. So, I bravely got up and walked to the front of the bus to see what the Czar wanted.

I politely said, “I’m sorry. We couldn’t hear what you said.”

The Czar looked at me with her piercing, menacing eyes, and snapped, “You do not enter the bus through the back door. All passengers must enter the bus through the front door.”

I instinctively took a step back from the Czar, afraid that she might make me wash the floor of the bus with a toothbrush for an infraction that we did not commit. I said, “We didn’t enter through the backdoor. We boarded the bus in the front door at the Wilderness Lodge.”

The Czar gave me another piercing gaze and sent me away, back to the rear of the bus where Lori and Meghan were sitting quietly and patiently for my return, and the Czar’s next move. As the bus began to move, I quietly whispered to Lori and Meghan that the Czar thought we had entered the bus through the backdoor, in clear violation of the Czar’s big Golden Book of Bus Rules.

I can admit now that at that point, I was a bit afraid for our safety as we rode alone in a bus under the control of the Czar. Would she really take us to Epcot, like the bus on the sign said? Or were the alleged offenses we committed going to lead us to some form of punishment at an hidden location somewhere in the utilidors under the Magic Kingdom? Visions of caning or being chained to the floor and ceiling in the Haunted Mansion stretching room came into my mind.

But soon, we saw the Epcot parking lot entrance, and we were sure that we would soon be able to exit the bus and get away from the Czar. Fearful of breaking any more of the Czar’s rules, Lori, Meghan, and I waited patiently in our seats until the bus came to a full and complete stop at the bus stop. We then stood up, made an orderly and single file line at the backdoor, and waited patiently for the Czar to open the door. We didn’t want to break anymore rules, and clearly, the big rule is that you enter through the front door, and exit through the rear door.

But we were wrong. The Czar snapped, “You must exit the bus through the front door so people don’t try to enter the bus through the backdoor.”

It only took a brief second for Lori, Meghan, and I to look at each other, and make a quick walk (not run) for the front door. Freedom never felt so good! We were no longer under the oppression of Bitchy Bossy Bessie, the Disney Bus Czar. I don’t think you have seen three women run so fast since the last Running of the Brides at Filene’s basement!

Lori, Megan, and I made our way into Epcot, now bonded over the shared experience with the Bus Czar, and fully enjoying our freedom once again! As we walked through Epcot, we ran into Krista and Todd, who were sitting on a bench after watching Illuminations.

Of course, we had to tell Krista and Todd all about the Czar. Lori mentioned that the Czar clearly had backdoor issues. You can take that statement however you wish, but be assured that it is probably very true on many levels and only scratches the surface of the issues the Czar has.

Krista and Todd joined us for the walk back to our Epcot resorts as we continued to tell the tale of how we survived the harrowing experience with Bitchy Bossy Bessie Bus Driver, the Disney Bus Czar.

I said goodbye to my friends at the Boardwalk and made my way back to my room. I was hoping that Lori, Meghan, and I wouldn’t have any nightmares from our trau

Tales from A December to Remember--Day 8--Thursday, December 8, 2011

I was woken up early by the noises outside as the ship was docked back at Port Canaveral. I looked out the porthole knowing that my cruise was over. In less than two hours, I would be off the ship and on my way to Disney World. Although I was sad that my cruise was over far too soon, I was excited to be going to see my Disney family at Disney World. 
 

After getting ready, and packing up my remaining stuff, I made my say up to deck 13 to spend a few minutes in my favorite spot. It was a brisk morning, and a bit windy, so I only stayed there for a few minutes. I was going to miss my favorite blue chair.

I then headed down to Cabanas to met Masayo, Mark, and Janice for breakfast. Masayo was already there. I grabbed some food, and joined Masayo. Felice was working at Cabanas, and it was great to see him again. I called him Handsome Server in front of another server, and the other server teased him about it. Dragan was also there, so I said goodbye to him as well.

Mark and Janice eventually joined us for breakfast. It sure was nice to get to know Janice and Mark on the cruise. We were all planning on attending an All Ears meet the next day, so although we would be parting ways on the cruise, we would be seeing each other again. I’m sure our paths will cross for many Decembers to come.

After breakfast, Masayo ran to her room to get her bags, and I wandered around the ship for a few minutes. We met in the lobby, and soon exited the ship. Masayo had to go through a different line than me at customs, and we wound up losing each other. I made my way to check in for a bus to Disney, and was sent to a van to the Boardwalk. Masayo texted me a short while later to let me know that she was on a bus to the Beach Club.

The van left port at around 8:00, and I was soon enroute to Disney World. There were only seven of us in the van. Our driver dropped people off at Saratoga Springs, and then took me to the Boardwalk. I checked in, and was shocked to find out that my room was once again ready! Shockingly, my room was ready at 9:30 a.m.! I sure had good room karma on this trip! Having rooms ready at 11:30 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. at a DVC resort doesn’t usually happen, and to have it happen twice in the same trip was just amazing!

I was assigned room 5029, a Boardwalk view room above the Big River Grill. The Boardwalk games were right below my room. It was a great location with a wonderful view. The room was well kept up, and very clean. I actually stayed in the room back in December 2007! 

I went to meet my friend Krista on the path to Disney Hollywood Studios. Krista and her husband Todd were kind enough to pick up some water for me when they stopped at the grocery store. Krista came up to my room for a bit until her husband was on the way to the resort.

I was meeting my friends Herman and Liz at the Boardwalk Bakery. Herman and Liz were my tablemates on my first cruise back in December of 2007. We had tried to meet up several times since our cruise, but it always seemed that we just missed each other during our Disney trips. So, when we were able to work out a time to meet on this trip, I was very happy.

Herman and Liz called me at the same time Todd arrived, so I introduced Herman and Liz to Krista and Todd. Like many of my Disney friends, Herman, Liz, Todd, and Krista are all from Texas.

Liz, Herman, and I then went down to the Boardwalk Bakery to get something to drink. It was a bit chilly to sit out on the Boardwalk, so we made our way up to the Belle Vue Lounge to catch up. It sure was great to see Herman and Liz again. They are such nice people, and they made my first cruise extra memorable. I was celebrating on my birthday on that cruise, and they actually went to Guest Services to get a Magical Moments certificate in honor or my birthday. They had tried to find a card on one of the Islands, but didn’t succeed. It was really sweet of them to make the effort for me.

After catching up with Herman and Liz, I made my way to Epcot. I wound up meeting Krista, Todd, and John for lunch at the Electric Umbrella. I ordered the meatball sub again, and it was just as yummy as the meatball sub I had before my cruise.

John and I then said goodbye to Krista and Todd, and headed to the monorail. We were heading to the Contemporary to go to the All Ears It’s A Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow meet. I was really looking forward to this meet because I knew a lot of my Disney friends would be attending, and I couldn’t wait to see them all! There are far too many to mention in this report by name (and I’d be afraid I’d leave someone out). I saw many friends I knew I would see, and also some I didn’t expect to see who I hadn’t seen in years. It is always great to see my Disney Family!

The meet featured a talk by Disney Historian Jim Korkis, who gave us some great information about the history of the Carousel of Progress, and had lots of interesting stories to tell. After Jim’s lecture, the group would head over to the Magic Kingdom to view the show at the Carousel of Progress. One thing Jim couldn't answer was who the extra little girl in one of the scenes was.

My friend Diane (Goofy4Tink) and her daughter Kate were supposed to be at the Carousel of Progress meet, but their flight from Boston was delayed so they didn’t make it in time to hear Jim’s lecture. I picked up their wristbands and other goodies handed out at the meet for them. They were staying at the Contemporary, so I wound up waiting for them, as I knew they were on Magical Express and should be arriving any minute.

When Diane and Kate finally arrived, three hours later than expected, I clapped as they got off the bus. Although I only live about 45 minutes from them, I usually only see Diane and Kate at Walt Disney World, so of course, I was happy to see them.

After Diane checked in at the Contemporary (her room wasn’t ready--too bad my room karma didn’t rub off), we walked over to the Magic Kingdom to meet the rest of the folks at the Carousel of Progress. It was fun to mix and mingle with everyone!

At one point, I was telling Diane and Kate about how Jim didn't know who the extra little girl was, and we decided that we should adopt her as the official mascot of all of the Disney online communities. We also decided to name her, and after tossing around several names, we decided to name her Willa in honor of Deb Wills. We even told Deb about our plan to adobpt the audio animatronic girl and name her Willa.

Our group got in the queue for the Carousel of Progress, and were soon entering the theatre! Almost every single seat in the theatre was filled with an entirely All Ears audience! I had never been in a theatre that full! I sat in the back row of the theatre with John, Diane, Kate, Krista, and Todd, which was a bit weird because we usually sit in the front row. It was a lot of fun being in a full house with Disney fanatics. We all sang along to the song every time, and everyone just loved it!

After the Carousel of Progress meet, Diane, Kate, and I headed over to Cosmic Ray’s to get some dinner. I got a pulled pork sandwich, which was smothered in a delicious mild barbecue sauce.

After dinner, we walked over to Frontierland and grabbed a fast pass for thunder mountain. The crowds were very heavy at the Magic Kingdom, as it was one of the few nights that they would be showing Wishes. There were long lines everywhere!

We headed over to check out my favorite attraction to visit with Diane, the wonderfully politically incorrect Country Bear Jamboree. I hadn’t visited this attraction in years until about five years ago when I went to it on a trip with Diane, and I developed a new appreciation for it. It is now my favorite way to torment Diane on a Disney trip (and beyond by singing songs from it several times a year). I usually have to drag Diane to see the Country Bears, but this year, she came willingly, though Kate was reluctant. I was actually concerned for Diane’s mental well being when she readily agreed to go--I thought the stress of the travel day had done her in!

But we had a lot of fun at the show. Of course, Diane and I sang along with the bears. We sang especially loud during our favorite song, “Mama Don’t Whoop Little Buford.” There were two women in front of us who seemed to be enjoying the show as much as us because they were singing along as well.

After the Country Bears, we headed over to Pirates of the Caribbean. The line was out the door, so we wound up deciding to skip it. When the line to the Pirates of the Caribbean reaches the entrance to the building, you know it’s crowded!

We headed back to Frontierland and browsed in a shop until it was time to use our fast passes for Big Thunder Mountain. After our ride, we took the train to Main Street and left the park. I said goodbye to Diane and Kate, and headed for the bus back to the Boardwalk.

Diane and Kate seem to be enjoying the train!

I stopped in my room for a bit, and then headed to Jellyrolls. Johnny and Matt were already onstage, and the bar was actually pretty busy when I arrived  a few minutes after 8:00. I grabbed a table on the lower level, and soon my friend Lori (BriarRosie) arrived. Scotty and Ray took the stage at 9:00 and were as wonderful as ever.

Scotty!

Ray!

One of the highlights of the evening was a dancing waiter. He jumped onstage, and really did some fantastic Michael Jackson-esq dancing during one song.

I got ready to leave the bar around midnight. Scotty came out to say goodbye, as I wouldn’t have time to make it back to Jellyrolls on this trip.

I walked back to my room and went to sleep, as I had another busy day planned on Friday.  

Tales from A December to Remember--Day 7--Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Per my usual routine, I was up early again, and went up to Cabanas for a mini chocolate chip muffin before going for my morning walk on deck 4. We would be enjoying a day at sea today, and I was ready to enjoy the day to the fullest.

After my walk, I went to the Royal Garden to meet Masayo, Mark, and Janice for breakfast. I told them all about the amazing pineapple French toast stack the day before, so they decided they wanted to go for breakfast there as well. Our server recommended that we try the waffle sandwich. I had been debating about trying it, but I loved the pineapple French toast stack I really wanted it again. Everyone else was also a bit torn, so I suggested that we order the waffle sandwich for the table, and then order what we want for breakfast, which everyone thought was a good idea. Janice, Masayo, and I all ordered the pineapple French toast stack, and Mark ordered some kind of eggs.

Janice was very sweet, and concerned about my reaction to strawberries so she started to order hers without strawberries. I told her that it wasn’t necessary for hold the strawberries, as I only have the reaction to strawberries when I eat them. But it was very thoughtful of her to offer to skip them.

Shortly after ordering, our food was brought to our table. I cut the waffle sandwich into quarters, and everyone took a piece. I thought the waffle sandwich was very disappointing. It was basically just a waffle filled with whipped cream. It wasn’t even a good waffle. It seemed like it was just a toaster waffle. Everyone agreed that this wasn’t anything special. Once again, the French toast stack was amazing. Masayo and Janice seemed to enjoy the french toast as well.

After breakfast, Masayo and I went out to deck 4 to play some shuffleboard. Masayo had never played before, so I explained how to play to her. We took a practice round, and then started our battle. Masayo was having some beginners luck and won the first couple of rounds, but I came back and tied it 2 rounds to 2. So we started the fifth and deciding round. I won the round to become shuffleboard champion. Goofy would be so proud.

After the game, I headed up to my room to pack, as I would have to put my bags out that evening. I also had to get changed for our brunch at Palo. I had a bit of time before my brunch, so I decided to look for the puppies at the Mid-Ship Detective Agency. I had time to go to all of the mid-ship and forward locations before lunch. There were lots of people working on the mysteries, so I had to wait a bit at some locations. I really enjoyed playing this game on the cruise. It is a nice way to explore the ship and spend a half hour.

I met Masayo at Palo a few minutes before our reservation time, and we were seated right away. Once again Felice was our server. During our meal, Felice asked Masayo is she enjoyed something, and she said it was very good. Felice asked, “Not excellent?” Felice wants to make sure we think everything is excellent. We decided that when things are better than excellent, they are Felice.

Our brunch at Palo was excellent. They had a buffet set up in the private dining room that included lots of cold meats, seafood, vegetables, and cheeses. They also had delicious hot sticky buns. Felice also brought us mimosas, which were a lot stronger than the ones we had at the DVC event on our first day on the ship.

Masayo and I shared a spicy sausage pizza. The pizza was excellent, thought it was a bit too spicy for Masayo. I like spicy food, and some bites (not all) were a bit on the spicy side for me. But it was piping hot, with a thin tasty crust. I would definitely order it again. We dug into it so fast, I forgot to take a picture though.

For my entrée, I ordered the chicken parmesian, which was served with a creamy risotto. The chicken was fantastic--it was crisp and covered in a delicious tomato sauce. The risotto was one of my favorite items on the cruise. It was creamy, cheesy, and bursting with flavor.

Masayo ordered the veal saltimbocca, which I tasted. It was good, but a bit on the tough side (which is exactly how I remember it being when I had it on my cruise a few years ago).

They also had a dessert buffet set up with about a dozen different mini desserts to choose from. I tried a few different desserts. My favorites were the lemon meringue tart and the cream puff. The chocolate mousse I tried was good, but a bit too rich and thick for my taste.

After brunch, I continued to search for the puppies in the Mid-Ship Detective Agency adventure, visiting the locations in the aft of the ship. I successful found the puppies and caught the criminal!

I went up to deck 13 to spend some time in my favorite spot, and there were actually two people sitting in my blue chair! Can you believe it? Other people were using my private verandah! One of them was actually a DISer I met on the cruise--Roadweaver.  I sat down and chatted with her for a while. She is a super nice person, and it was nice to get to know her a bit.

I then headed to the Walt Disney Theatre to go see the matinee performance of “Believe.” Masayo and I sat just a few rows from the stage on the side, and I’m glad we did. This show was fantastic! This show tells the story of a dad who doesn’t believe in magic, and with the help of his daughter, the Genie from Aladdin, and many Disney friends, he comes around. The show features one show-stopping number after another, and includes visits from Mary Poppins and Bert, Baloo, and everyone’s favorite Disney princesses. Some of my favorite scenes were Bert and his chimney sweep friends performing “Step In Time,” and Rafiki and friends singing “Circle of Life.” This was definitely the best show on the ship, and a must see.

After “Believe,” Masayo and I went to meet Janice and Mark to play in the final Bingo game of the cruise. I wound up getting the $40 package, which included about 30 cards on an electronic console, and three paper cards. Unfortunately, none of us won.

We had a bit of time before dinner, so we decided to do a quick tour of each other’s rooms. Masayo was in an inside cabin with a split bathroom on deck 8. We were all looking forward to seeing her virtual porthole. I was a bit disappointed to hear that the characters only show up on the screen a couple of times an hour. I thought they would run through at least every few minutes. We did luck out and see Jiminy Cricket as we were getting ready to leave her room. Masayo’s room was very nice, and seemed to be in a quiet location. The bed was against the back wall in the room, the couch and closet were on the left, and the bathroom was on the right. There wasn’t very much floor space in the room.

We then made our way to Janice and Mark’s room on deck nine. They had a room with a verandah on the starboard side of the ship. There room seemed even tighter than the inside stateroom. There was very little floor space--only a couple of feet between the bed and the wall. One nice touch in their room that I wish my room had was a chest of drawers. We spent a few minutes on the verandah looking out at the open sea.

We then went down to my room. Masayo, Janice, and Mark were all shocked by how big my room was. There was a lot more room to move around when compared to their rooms.

We then made our way down to the Royal Palace for dinner. The menu at this location was the least appealing to me on the ship, as it is heavy on things I don’t eat like seafood and escargot. None of the appetizers appealed to me, so I wound up ordering two entrees. I started off with the Grilled Farm-Raised Organic Chicken Breast Salad, which was basically a chicken ceasar salad. My server Sutas brought this out with everyone else’s first course. The salad was excellent. The dressing was very tasty, and the chicken was moist and warm.

I also ordered the Royal Palace Aged Angus Grilled Beef Tenderloin, which was served with Marquis Potatoes in a cognac reduction sauce. This is normally served with lobster medallions, but since I don’t eat lobster, I asked them to hold that. The beef was excellent--very tender and flavorful. The potatoes were very disappointing. It was a very dry, thick potato pancake with very little flavor.

For dessert, I ordered the Grand Marnier Souffle and the Tahitian Vanilla Crème Brulee. Crème Brulee is one of my favorite desserts, but this one was very disappointing. In fact, it was the worst crème brulee I have ever eaten. I only took a couple of bites of it. It just didn’t taste right to me.

The Grand Marnier souffle, on the other hand, was out of this world--even better than the chocolate soufflé I had at Palo. It was light, and had a nice mild orange flavor too it. It was served with a tasty vanilla sauce to pour in. It was so good that I ordered a second one, and Janice wound up ordering on as well.

Our servers on the cruise were very good, but I didn't love them. I did remember to take pictures of them the last night, though.

Our head server Dagmar

Our head server Sutas and our assistant server Lydor

After dessert, I ran back to my room to put my luggage out, and headed to the Walt Disney Theatre to watch “Believe” again. I decided to sit up in the balcony to get a different view of the stage. I wound up sitting in the front row of the balcony. A really nice family from Wisconsin sat next to me, and I enjoyed talking to the daughter. It was fun watching the kids react to everything on the stage.

I then headed to one of the upper decks of the atrium to watch the “See You Real Soon” character goodbye. They show started with a crew member introducing each of the characters one by one, and then a 20 minute photo opportunity. It was kind of interesting to watch the organized chaos as everyone rushed to get a final picture with some of the characters. They only let each family take one picture when they got to the character, and it was funny to watch the character pose for 3-5 pictures a minute.

When the photo session ended, the characters gathered at the bottom of the staircase to say goodbye to the guests. It was a cute little presentation, but not as good as I remember the one on the Wonder being. It also was kind of annoying to have to wait 20 minutes for the conclusion of the goodbye while the characters posed for pictures. I wish that they had done the whole show at the beginning and then let people take pictures.

Masayo and I then headed over to Evolution, where we caught the tail end of the 80’s Music Challenge, which was hosted by Max. It was basically the same as 80’s music Name that Tune with some of the songs changed.

We were able to move to a table up from to see the cast goodbye, featuring the hysterical “If I Were Not Upon the Sea.” This is definitely a must see on the cruise, as the skit is just hysterical. I would describe it, but really, the skip speaks for itself, so I’m going to say just watch the video below.

I then said good night to Masayo. I took a quick trip up to my favorite spot. I only stayed out there a few minutes, though. As the ship was getting closer to Florida, it was colder and windier, so it wasn’t really comfortable to sit out there.

I then headed to bed, a bit sad knowing that I would be leaving the ship in about 8 hours, but also excited for the five nights of fun at Disney World with my Disney family that was waiting for me on dry land.

We Interrupt This Trip Report with A Word from Our Sponsor: Owner’s Locker

OK, so Owner’s Locker isn’t really a sponsor of my trip report, but I liked the way the title sounded, so I’m using it. And since I have your attention, I’m going to tell you a bit about one of my favorite things that I get to see on every trip I take to Disney World—my purple Owner’s Locker.

Some of you may be wondering, what the heck is an Owner’s Locker? Well, let me tell you.

An Owner’s Locker is a plastic storage tub where guests can store some of their vacation gear at a warehouse near Walt Disney World. When you are heading to Disney World, you place an order for your locker to be delivered to your resort. Then, you use the contents, and at the end of the trip, you ship it back to the warehouse, where it remains safe and secure until your next visit to Disney World.

When I first heard about Owner’s Locker, I didn’t think it was for me. I just wasn’t sure if I really needed to leave a storage tub of stuff down there. But after hearing about how much friends loved their Owner’s Lockers, I figured I’d give it a try.

I first met my Owner’s Locker in August 2007. I wasn’t exactly sure what I wanted to store in it at first, but then I decided that I would pack essentials in it in hopes that it would allow me to lighten my suitcase in my trips. I packed it with four days worth of clothes, a pair of sneakers, a pair of sandals, spare glasses and sunglasses, toiletries, ponchos, umbrellas, and other necessities.

My Owner's Locker

John and Brian's Back Ache

Almost every trip, I add another essential item to the box. Some of my more recently added items include: a cell phone charger, an iPod charger, an extension cord, and a hair straightener. These are the type of items that are easy to forget when you are packing, so it’s nice to know that they will be waiting in my Owner’s Locker when I return to Disney World.

My Owner’s Locker contents have evolved a bit over the years, and now, in addition to the essentials, I also store some things that enhance my trips to Disney World--just a few small comforts that will make my room feel a bit more like home when I’m at Disney World. I have a framed picture of my nieces and nephews to put on my nightstand. I have some Christmas decorations to make my room festive during my annual December trips to Disney World. Since I usually stay at a Disney Vacation Resort with a DVD player in the room, on my next trip, I’m going to bring a couple of the DVD copy of movies that came with some Blue Ray discs I purchased recently.

There is no limit to what you can pack in your Owner’s Locker. I’ve heard of people packing everything from air mattresses and duvet covers to waffle irons and griddles in their Owner’s Locker. For frequent visitors to Disney World, it is great to have some of the comforts of home that you wouldn’t be able to bring down every trip. 

One thing that is really cool about Owner’s Locker is the ability to keep an online inventory of the contents of your locker on your Owner’s Locker dashboard. It’s great to have an inventory list available so you know exactly what’s in there to help you remember what you need to pack, and what you can leave at home. The inventory is very easy to create and edit.

I have been working in records management for about 20 years now, so I know a thing or two about storage. When I first got my Owner’s Locker, I grilled John, one of the founders of Owner’s Locker about their systems and procedures. I wanted to be confident that my stuff would be safe, secure, and easily located within their warehouse. Without boring everyone with all the details, I’ll just say that I am very impressed with the Owner’s Locker system and procedures. The used a barcode system to track and update the location of the locker so that they can easily tell where the locker is--whether it’s checked out to an owner, out for delivery in the big purple van, or safely tucked away in the warehouse. Their system and procedures are better than many of the storage companies I have worked with in recent years.

The communication from the company is outstanding. About two weeks before a scheduled visit, they send out an e-mail reminding you about your upcoming visit. Since plans can often change, I love getting this reminder so that I can double check that I have sent my Owner’s Locker to the right resort. They also text and/or e-mail you to let you know when your locker is delivered, or picked up and returned to the warehouse.  

The founders of Owner’s Locker, John and Brian, are two of the nicest guys on the planet. Their commitment to providing top notch service is one of the greatest attributes of the company. You’ll be hard pressed to find another company that is so willing to go the extra mile for their customers. They will work with the owners to come up with a solution when an owner has a special request. They are responsive to owners’ concerns and open to suggestions. They are friendly, personable, and accessible. I really can’t say enough good things about John and Brian. 

John even hosts wine evenings at Epcot on Tuesday nights, giving him the opportunity to meet the owners. This also gives the owners the opportunity to meet one of the men behind this fantastic company, and also gives the owners the opportunity to mix and mingle. I met two of my dear Disney friends, Cheryl and Keith, at an Owners Locker Wine Evening a few years back, and have seen them on almost every trip to Disney since that time. I wouldn’t have met Cheryl and Keith if it wasn’t for my great big purple box.

They have a partnership with Disney Vacation Club and attend the Welcome Home Wednesday event at the Atlantic Dance Hall. DVC members even get a discount on the one time membership fee!

If you go to Disney World more than once a year, and you don’t own an Owner’s Locker, you don’t know what you are missing. You’ll be amazed by how much easier it is to pack, and how much less you have to pack (which is a huge plus with all of the extra fees for baggage when you fly).

You can read more about Owner’s Locker, and sign up for your own Owner’s Locker at www.ownerslocker.com

Tales from A December to Remember--Day 6, Tuesday, December 6, 2011

As usual, I was up bright and early this morning. The ship would be docking at Castaway Cay this morning. I went up to Cabanas and grabbed a mini-chocolate chip muffin for a snack before taking my morning walk. I decided to walk on the upper decks instead of deck 4, and I’m glad I did because I found a new favorite spot on the ship.

On Deck 13 forward, there is a huge half circle lounge chair that can seat 8 people. This deck is very quiet. Hardly anyone goes up there. Most of the times I went up there, I was the only person there with an occasional passerby or two. I started calling it my own private verandah by the end of the cruise. It was the perfect spot to relax, and have some quiet reading time.

I then headed down to the Royal Palace to get some breakfast. I ordered the pineapple French toast stack. This was two round slices of French toast stacked with two slices of pineapple. Normally, this dish is served with a strawberry coulis, but I asked them to hold that because strawberries give me hives. It was served with fruit salad. I also ordered it with some sausage. When it was served, my server came over and poured some syrup on it. This dish was fantastic. The French toast was coated with cinnamon, and all of the flavors blended together really well. I absolutely loved it.

I’m not a beach person, so I wasn’t in a huge rush to get off the ship at Castaway Cay. They were showing “The Muppets” that morning, so I decided to go see it. I thought I’d be the only one in the theatre, but there were actually about 30 or 40 people there. The movie was really cute, and it was great to see the Muppets on the big screen again.

After the movie, I ran up to my room to gather the gear I would need out on Castaway Cay, and made my way off the ship. I stopped to have my picture taken in front of the ship. The photographers aren’t allowed to take pictures with guests’ cameras, so he found another guest to take a picture with my camera. I just don’t like paying the prices Disney charges for pictures on the ship, so I rarely buy them. I think people would be a lot more willing to buy the pictures if they were half the price, and Disney would sell a lot more pictures and make a lot more money.

I then made my way over to Cookies to grab some lunch. I thought that the food at Cookies was disappointing. I got a burger, ribs, and sides. The only thing that I thought was really good was the cheese flatbread.

I then rented a bike to take a ride. My first stop was the observation tower. I walked to the top of the tower to take some pictures. I got a great picture of me holding the Disney Dream in the palm of my hand. You didn’t know I was that strong, did you?

I continued my bike ride with a stop at the adult beach. I decided to see if they had anything different for food there, and wound up getting a bit of salad and some ice cream for a snack. As I was heading back to my bike, I ran in to Michael from DVC. He gave me a cool DVC luggage tag.

I continued my bike ride up to the next lookout point that had a stunning view of the ocean. I then started to make my way back towards the bike rental area, but I decided I wasn’t quite ready to go back yet, so I took an extra loop around the area where the tower is. By the time I got back to the bike rental area, I had ridden about six miles.

After returning the bike, I did some shopping. I bought myself a cool mustard yellow Castaway Cay t-shirt with Mickey sitting in a lounge chair looking at a ship. I also bought a cute postcard with all of the characters on it for my scrapbook.

I then made my way back to the ship. I dropped off my shopping bag, picked up my Nook, grabbed a soda, and headed straight for my favorite spot for some reading and relaxing. For about an hour, I was the only person there, and then a man came and sat in a lounge chair on the deck. People walked by from time to time, but for the most time I was in complete solitude.

I wound up staying on deck until the ship started to leave Castaway Cay. I watched the sunset from deck 13.  I had my flip cam with me, so I taped the folks on Castaway Cay waving goodbye, and also managed to get a recording of all of the ships horns.

I then made my way to the Royal Palace for pirate night dinner. Masayo, Janice, and Mark were already seated when I arrived a few minutes late. I started my meal with the Pirates Golden Pot Stickers. The pot stickers were very good.

I also ordered the Jerk Chicken Salad, which was tossed in a citrus dressing and served with plantain chips. This salad was fantastic. The chicken had a nice flavor to it, and the dressing was very tasty. The plantain chips were nice and crisp.

For my entrée, I order the Dutchmen’s Dijon-Crusted Sirloin of Beef, which was served with oven roasted sweet potatoes and a black spot tomato. The sirloin was very tender and tasty. The sweet potatoes were slightly seasoned and crisp. I don’t like the texture of tomatoes, so I shared it with Masayo.

None of the desserts appealed for me, so I decided to skip dessert and get something later at the buffet after the pirate fireworks.

I was a bit disappointed that they didn’t do the pirate parade around the restaurant like they did when I cruised on the Wonder a few years ago. One of the best parts about pirate night on the Wonder was watching the guests parade through the restaurant dressed in their pirate gear. Dinner just didn’t seem as special without the parade.

After dinner, Masayo and I went to 687 for 80’s Music: Name That Tune. Cruise entertainment cast member Max was the host of the show. He played a few seconds of the intro to the songs. Masayo and I were a good team. She knew most of the pop songs, and I knew most of the rock and heavy metal songs. We did better than most teams, but we didn’t win. That went to a couple who got 23 points out of 25!

I then went to do some shopping. All of the Inaugural Cruise merchandise was 40% off, so I got myself a nice t-shirt, and a scrapbook. I also picked up some stickers and a scrapbook kit.

Masayo and I then went to meet Goofy and Tinkerbelle. I got pictures of Goofy in four different costumes on the cruise! And it was fun to meet Tinkerbelle. The only thing that threw me off was hearing Tink talk in an American accent. Since Peter Pan is set in London, I assumed Tink would be British.

I then made my way up to deck 12 to watch the fireworks. I looked for Masayo, Janice, and Mark, but didn’t find any of them. The pirate fireworks were fun. I liked the way they had little bits of the show on the big screen between shooting off the fireworks.

After the fireworks, I watched the Captain Jack Sparrow pirate sketch. It was fun, but I wound up watching most of it on the big screen as I wasn’t really in a great spot to see it. I spotted Masayo at one point, and waved, but she didn’t see me. I wound up losing sight of her in the crowd.

I then headed into the buffet to get something to eat. They were serving tacos, ham, baked potatoes, crepes, and other desserts. I tried a taco, but didn’t really enjoy it so I only took a few bites. I also got a crape, which I filled with chocolate sauce, caramel, and marshmallow.

After my snack, I headed up to my room and read for a while before going to bed.