Off On Another Library Advenure!

Next week, my school library bud's and I will be off for the ALA Midwinter Conference in San Diego. We're looking forward to getting away from the cold winter weather and enjoying some warmth and sunshine. I'll be posting reports and photos here and on our MSLA en Mass blog.

Day 6: All Good Things Must Come to an End

This was our last day of vacation and we truly hated to leave. The weather has been so perfect and other than the night of the transportation nightmare from the Magic Kingdom and my clumsy fall, this has been one of our nicest trips to Walt Disney World. We loved staying at Saratoga Springs and our room location was perfect. The Food and Wine Festival was even more fun than we expected and we really enjoyed Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party – especially the Holiday Wishes fireworks.

We had a 7:30 p.m. flight, so at least we were able to spend our last day in a park. We chose Epcot so that we could see Captain Eo (the 3-D film featuring Michael Jackson that we saw on our very first trip in 1992), sample some more of the Festival offerings, and get Rick’s favorite - Harry Ramsden’s fish and chips - for lunch. We ended up sharing a table at lunch with some chaperones and the director of a high school band from Cincinnati. We had a nice visit with them, talking music, before we made a last circuit of the World Showcase to use up what was left on our Festival gift card. We had beers from Canada and Germany and a Crème Brule from France, took a few more photos and reluctantly left to catch the Magical Express back to MCO.

Since we seem to have established a pattern of visiting Walt Disney World at least once a year, we’re considering buying into the Disney Vacation Club, Disney’s version of a time-share. I’m looking into getting a resale at either the Beach Club or the Boardwalk since we like being within walking distance of Epcot and the Studios, but we’d be happy to stay at Saratoga Springs again anytime too. It’s a really lovely resort. Maybe by our next trip, we’ll be DVC owners. Wait and see!

All the photos from this trip are here on Flickr.

Day 5: To Universal for the Wizarding World of Harry Potter

Since we had heard so much about it and we had a rental car which made getting there a snap – and since we are big fans of the books and movies – we decided to actually leave Walt Disney World property today to see the Harry Potter attraction at Universal Islands of Adventure. We got there just as the park opened and we could already tell that since this was the Veteran’s Day holiday the park was going to be crowded.

Once we passed under the arch onto the main street of Hogsmeade, we were transported right into the world of Harry Potter. The first thing we encountered was the Hogwarts Express, with steam still coming out of its smokestack, having just delivered Hogwarts’ students for another school year. Walking down the cobbled street, I couldn’t stop taking photos of the shop fronts, the snow-covered rooftops and all the leaning chimneys. We passed Ollivander’s wand shop, Zonko’s Tricks and Jokes, the Hog’s Head Tavern and several other establishments. Then, as we rounded the corner, there was Hogwarts Castle towering over us. I can’t imagine they could have done a better job of recreating all of this.

The ride inside the castle, Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, lifts and swoops and tilts you in every direction as you soar behind Harry and Hermione on their broomsticks, over the Quidditch field, past the Whomping Willow, fire-breathing dragons, and Death Eaters, and escape an encounter with He-Who-Shall-Not-Be Named himself. It all went by so fast and was so intense that I don’t have a very clear recollection of too many details, but it was amazing! I did enjoy the walk through the portrait gallery and Dumbledore’s study and other parts of the castle before we got on the ride. The theming everywhere is simply exquisite.

We didn’t ride the other rides in this attraction – it was just too crowded and the waits were already 60 minutes or more by 10:30 a.m., but we did spend time just drinking it all in – along with a Butter Beer, of course! It was fun seeing all the people who were enjoying this attraction dressed as Hogwarts students, witches and wizards. Once we’d seen enough, we bought some Bertie Bott’s Every-Flavour Beans in Honey Dukes and hightailed it out of there.

We didn’t feel like going on any of the other rides at Universal after that, so we left and went back to familiar territory and had lunch at the Kona Café in the Polynesian resort. We did some poking around in the gift shop there and picked up a Peter Pan Christmas ornament for me and some Mickey Mouse coffee for Rick. On our way out to the car, I tripped over the curb and fell ass over teakettle, but fortunately ended up just scraping my elbow a little. After that we decided to go back to our studio and take it easy for the rest of the afternoon because we had exciting plans for later that evening - we were going to meet my college roommate Lee for dinner at Raglan Road, the Irish Pub in Downtown Disney.

Lee was waiting when we arrived at the restaurant and we had a great visit while enjoying the musicians and dancers and the great food. Rick and Lee both had the Slow Ribs and I had a chicken pie. I forget what the ale I had was called, but it was good. Rick’s drink of choice tonight was the Arrogant Bastard Ale – an appropriate choice. ;-) It was wonderful seeing Lee again – it’s been a couple of years – and while we keep in touch through email and Facebook, there’s nothing like getting together in person. Just like old times!

After we said goodbye to Lee, we did something we'd never done before - we drove over to the Polynesian, grabbed a couple of lounge chairs on the beach and watched the Holiday Wishes fireworks. They have the music piped in and somehow even coordinate it with the fireworks. Such a different perspective from the other night when we watched from the Hub - and much less crowded! It was also great not to have to wait for hours for transportation away from the park. We'll definitely do this again.

All the photos from this trip are here on Flickr.

Day 4 – Animal Kingdom

We walked again this morning, but this time we stopped at Downtown Disney to take a flight on the Characters in Flight tethered balloon. Once again we had perfect weather, so the view was great and we were able to see how huge Disney World really is. It was a short, but enjoyable flight and a different way to start the day. After that we browsed in the Harley Davidson store, looked at the giant Lego sculptures, and took some photos of Raglan Road, where we’ll be having dinner tomorrow night.

Next we drove to the Animal Kingdom, which was about the least-crowded we have ever seen it. It was so pleasant strolling the paths and we noticed how the vegetation has really filled in, making the park shady and comfortable. We did the Maharaja Jungle Trek - the tigers were very alert today – and went on the safari ride and Expedition Everest. We saw the Lion King and Nemo shows – both really great, but we agreed we both like the Lion King best. We were able to walk onto everything.

All the photos from this trip are here on Flickr.

At this point we should have quit while we were ahead, but decided to go to the Magic Kingdom for a couple of hours. We parked in one of the Magic Kingdom lots and took the tram to the Ticket and Transportation Center (TTC), where we boarded the monorail for the Magic Kingdom. We got there just before the Main Street Electrical Parade started, but since we had seen this parade in Disneyland we decided to go on some rides instead. We had a really hard time getting through the crowd at the hub and over the bridge to Tomorrowland. It was absolutely packed! We rode the People Mover and then went to Fantasyland to see PhilharMagic. After that we rode the Haunted Mansion and finished up with Big Thunder Mountain. We should have left at that point, but decided to stay for the Wishes fireworks show that had started as we were heading for the exit.

After the fireworks, we knew there would be long lines for transportation back to the TTC, so we had hot dogs at Casey’s Corner while the park started to empty out. When we finally left the park, we were shocked to see hundreds of people still queued up for the monorail and steamboat, so we went back into the park and found a place to sit on Main Street while we waited some more. After half an hour or so, we tried again – but again all the lines were still awfully long. The line for the steamboat looked to be the lesser of two evils, so we went over there and waited, and waited some more. After a while of that line not moving an inch, we decided to try the express monorail. We got to the top of the ramp to find that it was experiencing “technical difficulties” and they weren’t letting anyone else on. We had no choice but to join the very long line for the resort monorail. We waited about 45 minutes to finally get on that monorail, but it didn’t take long to discover that this train had its own problems. We limped into the Contemporary where they had to shut down the train to reboot the onboard computer. Once underway again, we could tell by the flapping sounds coming from underneath the train that something was still amiss. We were stopped again just outside the TTC for a mechanical check and once inside the station, we still had to sit there for several minutes before they opened the doors and let us off. I think everyone breathed a sigh of relief when those doors finally opened.

All-in-all it took nearly 2 ½ hours for us to get to our car after the park closed. This is the first time we've driven to and parked at the Magic Kingdom and you can be sure we never will again. Lesson learned!

Day 3 – Hollywood Studios

We slept in this morning and then took another walk through Downtown Disney before driving over to the Beach Club to park and have lunch at the Big River Grille on the Boardwalk. This is such a great place for a quiet, relaxed lunch. It was another perfect weather day, so we took an outside table and watched the Friendship boats cross the lagoon and the activity along the Boardwalk. I had the chicken and cashew salad and a glass of Beringer merlot and Rick had a burger with a glass of Steamboat ale. After that we took a Friendship over to the Studios.

The crowds were quite light. We walked right onto the Tower of Terror, watched the energetic – and loud – Block Party Bash, rode The Great Movie Ride, walked through the refurbished One Man’s Dream exhibit and saw the Beauty and the Beast stage show and MuppetVision 3-D. A first for us this time was the American Idol Experience. The three contestants were all quite good and it was a fun re-creation of the TV show.

Our main reason for going to this park today was to see the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights which began last night and will run through the holidays. The display was pretty much the same as it was last year, but it’s always fun and a good way to welcome in the season. After we saw the lights dance we called it an early night and spent the rest of the evening relaxing in our studio.

All of the photos from this trip are here on Flickr.

Day 2: Food & Wine and Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party

This is a great time to be here with the Food & Wine Festival still going on and some of the Christmas season events beginning tonight. Christmas decorations are starting to appear here and there too.

We began our day with a walk from our resort to Downtown Disney and back. It was a beautiful morning – a little cool, but sunny with a cloudless sky. There is a path you can take that loops through the Saratoga Springs property, mostly along the lagoon, and skirts the edge of the Lake Buena Vista golf course. Once through Downtown Disney you can pick up the path again to return to the resort. This gave us a chance to get the lay of the land and to appreciate the beautiful setting we are in. At the beginning of our walk we saw a hawk perched in a tree at the resort that didn't mind sitting still to have his picture taken.

We drove over to the Beach Club and parked there so we could enter Epcot through the International Gateway. We had some time to browse and take photos in France, Morocco and Germany before our lunch reservation at the new restaurant in Italy - Via Napoli. Our waiter-in-training was the shy yet disarming Allesandro. Rick and I shared a salad and a large Neapolitan Pizza Quartro Fromaggi (four-cheese). It was fantastic! I had their Merlot San Giuseppe and Rick had the La Rossa Italian Lager. We loved this meal and the charming and attentive service. We'll definitely be back. We spent the rest of the afternoon grazing at some of the Food & Wine kiosks. I know I remember having a Prosecco in Italy and a Margarita in Mexico and who knows what else! So much for watching my diet on this trip!

When we got back to our villa, Rick took a nap and I tried out the hot tub at the quiet pool near our building. Then we went over to the Magic Kingdom for Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party. The castle was all lit up with beautiful icicles and the park wasn’t at all crowed since this was the very first party of the season. We enjoyed the complimentary hot chocolate and cookies, went on a few rides, saw the perfectly choreographed and beautiful Holiday Wishes fireworks show, the Celebrate the Season castle stage show, and of course Mickey's Once Upon a Christmastime Parade. We left an almost empty park at midnight, very glad we decided to go to the party this trip.

It was a really great Disney Day!

All of the photos from this trip are here on Flickr.

Back at The World: Day 1

After a very early start from the Manchester, NH airport, we landed in Orlando before 10 a.m., boarded Disney's Magical Express bus and were all checked in at the Saratoga Springs Resort by 10:45. Our room wasn't ready yet, so we walked over to the Buena Vista Palace to pick up our rental car. While waiting to complete that transaction, I got a text from the resort with our room number, so we went back to see what we got. All our requests were met: Congress Park, top floor, Downtown Disney view. We're in a studio villa - renting points from a Disney Vacation Club member. Thanks Darlene! Our building is actually the one closest to Downtown Disney. It's secluded and quiet and the view of the lagoon and Downtown Disney is beautiful. A perfect location for us!

We made it to Epcot just around noontime, so after riding Spaceship Earth and stopping by the Food & Wine Festival Center in the former Wonders of Life pavilion to pick up a gift card, we had our first samples of Festival food at the Canada and Ireland kiosks. We've never been here for the Festival before and it's really fun. You use your gift card to pay for food at the various kiosks – much more efficient than using your Key to the World or credit card since you don’t have to sign the receipts. Rick had the Canadian cheddar cheese soup and I got maple-glazed salmon with a lentil salad. Delish! I had a St. David's Bench merlot and Rick had Moosehead ale. At the Ireland kiosk, I got the Bunratty Meade Honey Wine and lobster and scallop fisherman's pie. After that we strolled the rest of the way around the World Showcase checking out the offerings at the other kiosks. We stopped at the Germany pavilion and got a soft pretzel that we enjoyed with their Altenmunster Oktoberfest ale. Being the next-to-the-last Sunday of the festival, the park was pretty busy.

Since we'd been up since 2:30 this morning, we were starting to fade, so we went back to our room for a nap before returning to Epcot for our late dinner reservation at the new Mexican restaurant, La Hacienda de San Angel. I had timed this to coincide with the IllumiNations fireworks. The location was nice - we were really close to the globe and could see the images more clearly than ever, but I thought that watching the show at an angle through the windows diminished the impact of the fireworks. I'd much rather watch IllumiNations from outside where you can get the full effect. We shared the queso fundido appetizer (melted cheese with poblano peppers, chorizo and flour tortillas), which was very good. For our entre, we shared the flank steak with spring onions, tamal, and cactus leaves. This came with black beans and Spanish rice. Rick really liked it – I thought it was just okay. We also each had a Tecate, one of the house beers - just awful! I think we were just too tired - and I was still a little too full from the afternoon's samplings - to really appreciate this restaurant fully, but I doubt we’d go there again – certainly not for IllumiNations anyway.

All the photos from this trip are here on Flickr.

Next Up - Another Trip to The World

We're planning to visit Walt Disney World in November. How many times have we been there, you ask? More than a dozen - but we don't get tired of our favorite place to escape reality. We'll be staying at the Saratoga Springs Resort and are looking forward to trying out a couple of new restaurants at Epcot - La Hacienda de San Angel and Via Napoli - and our first ride on the Characters in Flight tethered balloon at Downtown Disney.

Our timing for this trip is great - the Food and Wine Festival will be in full swing at Epcot and the Osborn Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights opens at Disney's Hollywood Studios while we're there. It will also be great to see Disney's Electrical Parade at the Magic Kingdom. We saw this parade at Disneyland, but now it's back in Florida where it originated. It'll be fun to see Captain Eo at the Imagination pavilion in Epcot again. We saw it on our very first trip in 1992 and I only remember it vaguely.

We had to cancel a Disney trip last spring when my dad passed away, so we're feeling overdue for some Disney magic.

Elk, Ghosts, and Goodbye to the Rockies

See all the photos from this trip on Flickr.

This was it - our last day in Estes Park. We started at the Estes Park Visitors Center to get advice on where to rent bikes for a ride around Lake Estes. From there, we walked to the marina to pick up our bikes.

Along the way we encountered a large herd of elk who came down from some high rocks next to the lake trail, crossed the trail, and went out into the lake. The huge bull elk with his enormous rack of antlers came last at a majestic pace, looking left and right to make sure that no one was nearby to bother his herd before he crossed the path .

After our bike ride we went to the historic Stanley Hotel, built in the early 1900s by F.O. Stanley , the inventor of the Stanley Steamer automobile, to house his friends when they visited Estes Park. The hotel is reported to be haunted by the happy ghosts of former guests, some of them children. It was also Stephen King's inspiration for the hotel in his horror novel The Shining, although, contrary to popular belief, the movie was not filmed here. (The exterior of the Timberline Lodge at Mt. Hood was actually used for the film.) Our tour guide gave us an interesting and enthusiastic overview of the history of the hotel and the Stanley family and we enjoyed a nice lunch out on the patio in the warm sunshine.

Tomorrow we'll have breakfast and drive back to Denver to fly home. This has been a great trip. We're glad to add Rocky Mountain National Park to the growing list of national parks that we have visited.

See all our photos from this trip on Flickr.

Another Hiking Day

See all our photos on Flickr.

We came here to see the national park, so today we were off to do some more hiking. It was much warmer than the last time we hiked, so we left our winter clothes behind today.

Today we chose to start with the Cub Lake Trail. It began in a valley, then skirted a marshy meadow along the edge of the forest. The trail was relatively flat at first, but eventually began to climb up through the forest, getting steep enough near the end to require several switchbacks. We were glad to have our hiking poles. Once we reached Cub Lake we sat on a rock and had a snack while enjoying the serene setting.

Leaving Cub Lake, we headed even higher through the forest toward The Pool at the base of a waterfall on the Fern Lake Trail. This 6+ mile hike took us over 4 hours altogether because we stopped so often to take photos. I concentrated on close-ups of the many wildflowers, berries and other plants along the trail. The views were also magnificent. The highlight of the hike was one spot on the trail where we encountered a bunch of colorful butterflies. One even landed on Rick's vest!

We had thought we might try a second hike after this, but we were pretty well worn out after this hike so instead, we took a short break and then went back into town for dinner. This was at another rooftop restaurant, Chilito's, where we enjoyed authentic Mexican food and margaritas.

During dinner, we commented on what an ideal vacation destination this is. You have a nice little resort town with nice accommodations and plenty of shops and restaurants right outside of a beautiful wilderness area where you can hike and enjoy the serenity and solitude of the national park. The best of both worlds!

See all our photos on Flickr.

Long's Peak Scottish Irish Festival

See all our photos on Flickr.

Saturday morning dawned bright and cloudless and a little on the cool side. We walked the length of Estes Park's main street to get into a long line at Starbucks for breakfast. Along the way, people were already staking out their spots for the parade marking the opening of the annual Scottish Irish Festival at the Estes Park Fairgrounds. There was a feeling of excitement in the air as brawny men in kilts roamed the sidewalks along with Scottie dogs on leashes.


We found a sunny spot near one of the parade announcers where we watched bagpipe band after bagpipe band and clan after clan - in alphabetical order - pass by. An hour had passed and we'd only reached the M's, so we decided to start walking back to the Silver Moon to get ready to go out to the Fairgrounds for the Festival. The parade finally ended shortly afterwards, there not being that many clans beginning with the letters N-Z.

Once at the Fairgrounds, we were a little overwhelmed by the crowds and the noise, but once we got acclimated, we enjoyed watching the parade of the Dogs of the British Isles, a performance by the Marine Band, some athletic events, and a bagpipe band competition. There were tents for musical performances, dancing, and lots and lots of merchandise. Each clan had a display and there were many food booths and beer at every turn.


After a few hours, we felt that we'd been sufficiently immersed in Scottish/Irish culture and headed back to town to look for a quiet place to have a late lunch. Looking up, we spotted Vega's rooftop tapas bar where we enjoyed a couple of beers and some sandwiches while overlooking downtown Estes Park. It was a different kind of day, but really fun!

See all our photos on Flickr.

Hiking the Lake Trails

See all our photos on Flickr.

This was our day to hit the trails. Following our ranger’s advice, we boarded the hiker’s shuttle to Bear Lake near the Moraine Park Visitors Center. We were very glad our friend Ann had told us to be sure to bring warm jackets, hats and gloves, because the temperature on this brilliantly sunny day started out in the 30s, the wind was brisk, and there were even a few snowflakes in the air.

Bear Lake is a tiny, pristine mountain lake with a mostly flat half-mile trail encircling it. We took our time making the circuit, taking lots of photos. Sufficiently primed, we continued along a trail connecting three successively higher lakes – Nymph, Dream and Emerald. Bear Lake is at a little over 9,000 feet in elevation. By the time we finished our hike a few hours later, we had topped 11,000 feet. The hike back down, needless to say, was much less challenging than the ascent. We may not be the fastest hikers in the world – we stop too often to take photos and admire the view – but we were pleased with how well we managed the climb – our first using our brand new hiking poles.

Once we descended from the lakes, we took another short climb – about 2 ½ miles round-trip – to Alberta Falls where we encountered a group of 8th graders on a field trip. We didn't linger there too long. Altogether, we hiked over six miles today!

After today’s strenuous efforts, a good steak was in order – and Orlando’s, which received rave accolades on the communal restaurant review board in our hotel’s lobby, fit the bill perfectly. This upscale restaurant is hidden behind a rather rowdy downtown bar – a pleasant surprise of a place that we would never have found on our own. We had excellent food and extremely efficient service here and felt duly rewarded.

See all our photos on Flickr.

Getting the Lay of the Land

See all our photos on Flickr.

Our first stop whenever we visit a national park is the Visitors Center. We find that the rangers always offer invaluable help in determining the best plan to accomplish our goals. Since this was our first day in the park, we thought we might get the lay of the land by driving the 50 mile-long Trail Ridge Road, which connects the east and west entrances of the park. Our ranger suggested some short hikes we might try along the way while our bodies get acclimated to the high altitude. She also told us about the Old Fall River Road, a picturesque one-way section of roadway, full of steep switchbacks, that ascends above the tree line to the Alpine Visitors Center. She also suggested some moderate hikes we might try another day.

We started out on Trail Ridge Road and then picked up Old Fall River Road, stopping at pull-outs along the way. We enjoyed a short hike down to a pretty waterfall and took in increasingly more breathtaking views as we climbed higher and higher. There was a high-wind warning in effect today and as we climbed higher, the winds grew stronger and the temperature dropped, but it was clear and sunny and didn’t deter us from enjoying the spectacular views at every turn. The aspen trees were beginning to turn a brilliant yellow on many of the slopes, and above the tree line, the tiny tundra plants splashed the slopes with a variety of colors.

On our descent from the Alpine Visitors Center, we reached the Continental Divide – an undramatic spot along the roadway identifiable only by the sign posted there. We continued several miles further after that to see the Hovwrath Historic Site along the headwaters of the Colorado River, where an early dude ranch operated in the early 1900s. By then we had traversed about two-thirds of Trail Ridge Road. We figured if we continued to the end we would be making the return drive in the dark, so we decided to turn back toward Estes Park. On our way back, we walked the 0.8 mile trail up to Rock Cut, the highest point we would reach on this trip at over 12,000 feet. With winds gusting to over 60 miles per hour and the very thin air at this elevation, this seemingly short and simple hike took real effort, but we were more than rewarded by the magnificent views from the top.

Returning to Estes Park, we did a little window shopping on the main street while we looked for a place to have dinner. We chose the Wapati Grille, semi-hidden down a funky little alley. They served up good burgers and beer and we walked back to the Silver Moon afterwards full, tired and pleased with having chosen such a pleasant vacation destination.

See all our photos on Flickr.

Arrival Day

Because we had to reschedule our flights, we ended up flying the “scenic route” to Denver via Orlando, with a 2-hour layover. Estes Park is about an hour and a half’s drive from Denver, so we had a long day of travel.

As soon as we got on the highway in Denver, we could see the Rockies in the distance. First we passed acres of open farmland and then we started to climb through the foothills. As we neared our destination, the hills turned to mountains of tumbled boulders dotted with fir trees. Majestic ranges made a stunning backdrop for the town of Estes Park.

We checked in at the Silver Moon around suppertime and took the desk clerk’s recommendation to try Smokin’ Dick’s Barbecue. It was a good choice. We stuffed ourselves with chicken, ribs and beef brisket, accompanied by a variety of sauces and sides. On our way back to the hotel, a herd of elk had traffic stopped while they crossed the street and climbed a hill on the other side. The big bull, with a full rack of antlers, followed the herd at a regal pace, seemingly unfazed by the cars that had stopped in both directions.

Still on Eastern Time, we fell into bed early, anticipating ascending into the mountains the next day.

On our way to the Rockies!

Today we'll fly to Denver, pick up a rental car and drive to Estes Park, CO, a resort town just outside the east entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park. We'll be staying in the Silver Moon Inn, right on the Fall River, which runs through the center of town. It's on the River Walk, a picturesque path that circles Estes Park. Here's a photo from the Silver Moon's website.

This trip almost didn't happen. My elderly mother had a small health problem just two days before we had planned to leave - and wouldn't you know it, it was over the Labor Day weekend. After spending a night in the ER, a day in the hospital, and finally being checked out by her own health care providers, it was determined that it would be best to place her in respite care in a nursing home while we're away. We had to delay leaving on our trip for one day. Fortunately, we were able to change our flight and hotel reservations and tack an extra day on the other end, so now our vacation is going off almost as planned!

We hope to do a lot of sightseeing, take some hikes, ride bikes, and sample the menus in some local restaurants. There is also a Scottish Festival going on in Estes Park while we're there that we'll probably check out.

We're off!

Last Day: World Showcase and Le Cellier

We arrived at the World Showcase about an hour before our lunch reservation, so we browsed in the Canada and UK pavilions. We listened Santa Claus tell about the various ways Christmas is celebrated in Canada and arrived at the UK just as the World Showcase Players were beginning their performance of A Christmas Carol. Guess who they pulled from the audience to be Mr. Scrooge? They had no idea what they were getting into when they chose Don Adams! He out-hammed the players with his "Bah Humbugs" and other rude noises. It was hilarious! Bravo, Don!

We had a fabulous meal at Le Cellier - what a great finale to our trip. Rick and I started with the cheddar cheese soup and we both had the mushroom filet mignon with mushroom risotto. Heavenly! Thanks to the Adamses for treating us!

We needed to walk off all that food, so we made a slow circuit around the World Showcase, starting in Mexico, where we saw the 3 Kings tell their Christmas story and finally arriving in France just in time to watch Serveur Amusant. I was picked to sit on one of the chairs until it was needed for the acrobat - not nearly as exciting a role as Don's.















Sadly, it was time to get back to the Boardwalk and gather our luggage for our final ride on the Magical Express to the airport. The skies opened up while we were waiting for the bus to arrive - perfect timing!

Kona Cafe and World Showcase

Great breakfast today at Kona, especially the home fries. We went back to the resort afterwards and walked over to the World Showcase, strolling slowing from France to Mexico before we pooped out. Saw the movie in France, browsed the bazaar in Morocco, listened to the drummers in Japan, had some Liebfraumilch and a soft pretzel in Germany and watched the model train, saw the terracotta soldiers in China, rode Maelstrom in Norway, got a frozen Margarita in Mexico and listened to the mariachi band.

We had a disappointing dinner at Boma in the Animal Kingdom Lodge. Note to self: the food isn't that great, the Merlot sucks, and there are way too many families with small, screming kids eating there. Cross this one off the list.

When we got back to the Boardwalk, Rick and I decided to take a last walk around Crescent Lake. He bought a t-shirt at the Beach Club and we picked up some candy for our parents in the Boardwalk candy store. Then I decided to go back to Epcot for IllumiNations and got a great spot just before it started right on the rail behind one of the gift shops.

We fly home tomorrow evening. We'll have lunch at my favorite Epcot restaurant, Le Cellier, before we have to head for the airport. This has been a really great trip - our first traveling to Walt Disney World with friends. We've made a lot of wonderful memories!

All our photos are on Flickr and videos on YouTube.

Future World, SpectroMagic and Wishes

We made up for a day of no rides yesterday by spending most of today in Epcot's Future World. We started by getting a FastPass for Soarin' and then jumped into the standby line, which took exactly the 35 minutes posted. Anne and Don loved the ride and wished it lasted longer. We were glad we had FastPasses so we could ride it again later. We had a late start this morning, so after Soarin', it was already time to head over to the World Showcase for our noon lunch reservation at Tokyo Dining. We rode a Friendship over and got there in time to see the wait-staff's opening ceremony. We were seated in the front-center window. We shared a bottle of sake and all enjoyed our lunch overlooking the lagoon.

After lunch we went back to Future World for more rides, using our FastPass to ride Soarin' again, then going on Mission Space, Test Track, and Spaceship Earth, with an energy break for lattes and cappuccinos at mid-afternoon. It was getting cooler and the skies were becoming threatening, so we went back to the resort to change of clothes before going to the Magic Kingdom for the SpectroMagic parade and Wishes fireworks.

Fortunately, it never did rain and we were able to get great viewing spots for both attractions. We watched SpectroMagic from it's start on Main Street and then followed the masses to a prime spot in front of the Partners statue at the Hub for Wishes. We had a perfect view of the Castle and its changing colors and could clearly see Tinkerbell fly from the parapet at the beginning of the show. These shows are must-sees and the Adamses enjoyed them both.

Tomorrow we'll check out the decorations at the monorail resorts after breakfast at the Kona Cafe in the Polynesian resort.

Resort hopping, mini-golf, and the Osborne Spectacle of Dancing Lights

We started our day with breakfast at celebrity chef Cat Cora's restaurant on the Boardwalk, Kouzzina. I had the amazing Stacked Kouzzina breakfast - two poached eggs, Kalamata olive toast, artichoke spread, sweet potato hash and chicken sausage. Very unusual, but delicious. Spoodles, the restaurant this one replaced, was a favorite of ours, so we were glad that we enjoyed Kouzzina so much.

After breakfast we made a circuit of the lagoon to see the Christmas decorations at the Yacht and Beach Club resorts, then walked over to see how the Swan and Dolphin were decked out for the holidays.

Next we did something new - we played miniature golf at Fantasia Gardens. Don was the winner, with Anne second, Rick third and me last, but still 2 under par. It was very hot and humid, but the course was very cute, with a Fantasia theme. We had a great time and would definitely do this again.

We wanted to be sure that Anne and Don had a chance to hear the Voices of Liberty at the American Adventure in Epcot, so we went over there next. We enjoyed some sparkling wines in Italy before the fife and drum corps signalled it was time for the show which featured holiday music.

We left Epcot and took a Friendship over to the Studios. We had the most fun dinner ever at the 50's Prime Time Cafe. Our server, Laura, was a hoot, the food was good home cookin' - fried chicken and tuna noodle caserole - and we enjoyed reminiscing about all the old TV shows running on the set at our table.

Then it was time to see the Osborne Spectacle of Dancing Lights. You can't help but smile when you see this display, it's so over the top, but just so whimsical and so much fun - a great ending to another day filled with smiles and laughter.

Photos are updated on Flickr and there are some more videos on YouTube. I'm having fun with our new Flip camera!

Studios Day and Candlelight Processional

Whew! What a day! We did most of the the Disney Hollywood Studios. Anne and Don loved the Great Movie Ride, the Haunted Mansion, Rockin' Roller Coaster, and Toy Story Midway Mania. We also saw the Muppets movie, and all enjoyed the excellent exhibit and film, Walt Disney, One Man's Dream, but I think the unanymous favorite was the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. We made three circuits of the park before we ran out of steam.

We took a brief beer break at the Big River Brewing Co. on the Boardwalk and then headed over to Epcot for our dinner at the Rose and Crown. We had a great meal there (and more beer). After that, it was time for the Candlelight Processional. Abigail Breslin narrated the Christmas story. The orchestra, herald trumpeters and chorus were outstanding. What a great way to get into the Christmas spirit!

Part of our Processional dinner package included a special reserved front-and-center section for the Illuminations fireworks. At Christmastime they add an extra holiday ending to Let There Be Peace on Earth, with a really neat laser effect simulating a dove in flight. It was a good chance to see what my little Flip video camera could do. Not bad, except for the explosions of the fireworks overloading the mic.

I added a few more photos to Flickr.