2008 ... Disney Trek Day By Day Diary

Friday April 11th, 2008

Disney Trek gets off to a fantastic start with a late planned party. Originally Dave & Brenda were going camping that night. Michelle didn’t know for sure if she could make it. Hartmanns we thought no way would come all the way from Sheboygan unless they were going to stay at their daughter Amanda’s place. As the trip drew closer we decided to recreate 2005 ... The Disney Zone and go out to eat at Ho Hos and then a movie. Afterwards have some drinks for a while at The DTC. We didn’t want to kick off the trip sitting at the bar downstairs all by ourselves like some lonely drunks. As it turned out Shelly first received a text from Amanda. She basically asked if and when the kick off party was. Amanda wanted to experience a Klipfel Family  Disney Shindig. Soon we found out that David and Laurie Hartmann were coming down also. Then Brenda,Dave, & Megan cancelled their camping plans due to bad weather. Michelle showed up and  Katie Van Alstine made a surprise appearance. Katie was very offended (not really) that she was not invited  to the party. There was no party to invite her to. It all just kind of happened impromptu. So the party that didn’t seem like it was going to happen ended up happening and it made the start of the trip a lot better than going out to eat and a movie. All guests were gone before midnight and we were  in bed shortly after midnight. One missing face at the party was one of the original group, Kirstie who is away at college. She did call during the party to say hey.

Saturday April 12th, 2008

Up at 4:45AM for a 5:15 pickup from the go to girl Michelle Voss. Michelle is a little late because she also has a daughter like our daughter. Ask her about it, she might tell you the story. No problem, we have plenty of time. We arrive at the airport around  5:45AM and proceed to check in our luggage. I was going to try  checking in the day before online but when I did Midwest Airlines was telling me we were in row 13. My documentation from the May 2007 booking on the internet said we were in row 3. At the party the night before Amanda told us the reason we got our seats bumped was that Midwest had turned the first three rows into 2 across wider seats. So we got stiffed on the deal. When we checked in at the airport that was in fact the case so we were in row 13. After checking in and getting our boarding passes we realized about 2 minutes later we didn’t have our boarding passes. I must have given them to the lady or something at the counter when we showed our ID. So we had to go back and get new ones. Duh. Now we are off to the gate. Our flight is right on time even though the night before Amanda’s Midwest site was telling her we were going to be an hour late. We still don’t know how that happened but the flight was on time. We landed about 20 minutes later than the posted touchdown time. Downstairs to Magical Express and a quick sign in and a short 20 minute wait for our bus to All Star Music. While we were waiting for Magical Express David Hartmann called me and seemed to think we were still in Milwaukee. Arrived at Music and I checked in while Shelly and Nick went and got some food. This was Nicks part of the mission. To keep Shelly away from the checkin counter so she wouldn’t overhear anything about the surprise Kirstie visit. I joined them shortly and ate. We next went to our room 6165 in the Country Fair section. Dropped off our carry ons and headed out for Disney Hollywood Studios. Upon arriving at Studios we immediately went to ticket services to convert our Annual Pass Vouchers for the actual Annual Passes. Purchased at the Disney Cast Member Rate (Thank You Very Much Amanda Hartmann). After entering Studios Shelly goes and gets Fast Passes for Rockin Roller Coaster while Nick and I get some spots for Block Party Bash parade at 3:00PM. Shelly comes back with 8:40 Fast Passes and we watch part of Block Party. I’m trying to film it as it’s a brand new parade at Studios but a spanish guy keeps talking and yelling at his kid next to me in spanish. After 5 minutes I decide to stop filming and wait for another opportunity as the unwanted foreign narrator was not what I was looking for. Half way through the parade we exit and go on The Great Movie Ride. After Movie Ride we got the first dose of Disney ice cream and sat down briefly. Next it was off to Star Tours Jedi Training Show outside Star Tours. After the show Nick & I rode Star Tours while Shelly waited outside. After that  we caught the 5:00PM show of Beauty & The Beast Show. Four For A Dollar opened and they were great as usual. After their four songs they brought a girl from the audience up who had a birthday and sang to her just like they did for me in 2005. Beauty & The Beast was good but the Belle wasn’t that good and neither was Gaston. After Beauty & The Beast we went to High School Musical 2 in front of Graumanns Chineese Theatre. When  that show ended we saw Voyage Of The Little Mermaid. After that we decided to go to The Commissary to eat. Huge lines so we went to Honey I Shrunk The Kids area and that restaurant was closed. Next it was Pizza Planet which was also packed. We finally settled on Backlot Prop near Star Tours. After finishing our food it was off to the 7:40 Rockin Roller Coaster fast pass. When coaster ended we checked on the seating for 8:30 Fantasmic Show. It was standing room only so we went on Muppets instead. After The Muppets Nick & I went on Star Tours one more time. We then headed back to get in line for Fantasmic 10:00PM show. Fantasmic was great but not without fault. Snake has no cast members in it so it doesn’t move and the sparklers on the boat weren’t spinning. Other than that it was great. When Fantasmic is over Nick says his stomach aches so we head back to the hotel. But not before we go completely on the wrong side of the bus boarding area and have to walk all the way back to the other side where our bus will be eventually after two other busses come and go. Back at the room now I’m on my third Rye and diet coke while Nick is passed out  and Shelly is taking a shower because in her own words she is grubby, oily, and stinky. Got some munchies at the gift shop and my new hat as my old one is quite beat up looking.  Its 12:46AM now and I will be off to never land within the hour. Tomorrow its looking like sleep in and get to Animal Kingdom by 1:00PM. Then finish at Magic Kingdom because it’s open till 3:00AM. Its going to be a late barn burner tomorrow night.

Sunday April 13th, 2008

Up around 11AM. Off to Animal Kingdom around 12:30PM.  Once there Shelly and Nick go to Yak & Yeti to get food while I go for fast pass to Expedition Everest. They are sold out at 1:00PM. As we arrived it was misting and now its raining pretty good. We find that  there are no under cover seats at Yak & Yeti so we walk to Flametree Broiler to sit and eat. We are pretty wet. After I go get fast pass for Dinosaur while Shelly and Nick get in line for Finding Nemo The Musical. Nemo is full so Nick and I go on Primevil Whirl and then Shelly and Nick go on Triceratops Spin. Next we get in line for the next Nemo show so we are in the front row. I film the show in its entirety. After the Nemo show it’s time for our fast pass on Dinosaur. When we finish Dinosaur we have ice cream outside Dino at a sit down place called Dino Bites. Next we go to Killamanjaro Safari and ride that. When we finish Killamanjaro we make our way to check Expedition Everest again. The wait is now only 30 minutes so we wait and ride it. After Everest we leave Animal Kingdom and head over to Magic Kingdom. When we arrive at Magic Kingdom we eat at The Noodle Station at Terrace Plaza. Shelly says her dish smells like urine. We’re off to a good start here. When Nick and I finish eating and Shelly dumps her urine in the garbage we go to Space Mountain for fast passes. After getting our passes we next go to Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor. I text a joke Nick has and it gets used in the show. Nick gets mentioned after they use the joke in the show. What is the joke? Why can’t you take a pokemon in the bathroom with you. He might pikcachoo.  After we leave The Laugh Floor its time to set up at Hall Of Presidents for Spectromagic. While we are waiting we run into a family we met on the bus yesterday and they end up watching Spectro with us. They were going to leave cause the little boy was whining about being cold. Shelly borrows him a coat so they stay. Next they follow us over to Mainstreet for Wishes. After Wishes we split up with them and go on Jungle Cruise. We have a very funny captain for a change that told some great jokes. When we get off Jungle Cruise we next go on Pirates Of The Caribbean. After Pirates all three of us go on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. After that its time for our 11:30 fast pass for Space Mountain. Shelly doesn’t ride so Nick & I go on by our self’s. When we get off all of us go on Buzz Lightyear. After Buzz we go to Cosmic Rays to eat and listen to a little Sonny Ecliipse. When we finish eating its off to all the Fantasyland rides. Snow White,  Winnie The Pooh, Peter Pan, Mickeys Philharmagic, Its A Small World, and then off to Haunted Mansion. Its nearly 200AM now and Nick wants to do Splash Mountain. We all get pretty soaked. Nick says lets do Big Thunder Mountain again to get a blow dry. All three of us go on the first time but then Shelly says she is going to leave. Nick and I stay and ride six more times between 2:00AM and 3:00AM. We now exit the park and come back to our room where Shelly is now puking from acid stomach. Nick watch’s TV till about 4:20AM while Shelly nods off. I am as usual having some drinks and writing this diary of the days events to look at in the future. It is now 4:30AM and I anticipate being in bed within a half hour. No for sure plans on tomorrow. Ahh..... one more rye and diet coke!

Monday April 14th, 2008

Up at 2:00PM. Out the door around 2:45 and on the way to Epcot. Wanted to get fast pass for Soarin but I guess we’re a little late. Went to Wonders of life which is being used for a gardening exhibit with speakers on planting and things. The Making Of Me is not running but instead The Making Of The Epcot International Flower Show is in the theatre. We eat there and also pick up three 10 ft. strings of Mickey Tiki Lights for the new screen porch at home we built last year. We leave Wonders Of Life pavilion and go on Ellen’s Energy Adventure. After that Nick and I go on Mission Space while Shelly waits. After Space we go in Mouse Gear for a while and look around. I get a Mickey charm for my gold necklace that I forgot at home. We leave Mouse Gear and check the butterfly exhibit just around the corner. We next go to World Showcase and Canada Circlevision Theatre. The movie now stars Martin Short and was actually quite good. After the movie we leave Canada and head over to The American Adventure Theatre for Flower Power Concert Series. Tonight’s band is The Happenings with their sixties hit See You In September. It was very good. After a few songs we go find Nick who has gone to Japan to shop. He doesn’t  find what he’s looking for and goes into his deep depression mode where he doesn’t answer questions and generally looks like a horrible thing had happened to him. Just leave him alone and he eventually snaps out of it. Next we go to America and eat. When we finish eating its off to Mexico at 8:15PM to get seating for Illuminations Reflections Of Earth. When Illuminations is over we leave for the bus and are back at the hotel around 10:30PM. Nick is doing some homework now while Shelly is watching tv. I am writing the memoirs of the day while, you guessed it, having some more rye and diet cokes and eating Doritos Cool Ranch. Its good to be on vacation! I anticipate being up at least 2-3 more hours. Tomorrow we are planning on leaving really early for Epcot tomorrow morning (like 10:00AM) to insure we get a fast pass for Soarin. After that back to Japan for Nicks quest of whatever it is thats got him all wound up. We’ll probably hop once or twice to who knows after that.

Tuesday April 15th, 2008

Up at 9:00 AM and off to Epcot at 10:30AM. Go to Epcot and immediateley get a fast pass for Soarin. Next we ate lunch at The Land. Then we were off to Imagination. It really isn’t as good as the one in the early nineties. After Imagination we went to France and watched the movie Impressions du France. After the movie we continued around World Showcase to Japan for Nick to get his little plush critters he wanted. We also went to Italy and then to Germany where Shelly bought a bottle of wine like Brenda and her were drinking for 2006 ... A Disney Christmas Adventure. It cost $18.00 a bottle. I looked online a few minutes later and found it for $9.99. Shelly plans on sharing Thursday when Brenda arrives.  After Germany we went to The American Adventure to hear Voices Of Liberty followed by the movie. When the movie was over we went to China and watched the little gymnasts outside and then went inside to see Reflections Of China the movie in circlevision. When the movie ended we got shrimp fried rice and egg rolls at the China walkup restaurant. After eating we went to Norway and got fast pass for Malestrom. Next we went to Mexico and did the Gran Fiesta boat ride starring The Three Caballeros. That took all of 20 minutes and it was allready time for our fast pass on Malestrom. After the Malestrom ride we watched the movie about Norway.  Next we headed over to Soarin for our fast pass. After Soarin we had some desert at The Land. We walked up to the bakery section and Shelly said I’ll have the cheesecake. I said I’ll have the strawberrry shortcake. Nick steps up and says I’ll have the Chocolate Mouse (Mousse) We all had a good laugh at his innocent missprounouciation of a word he never heard or used. The rest of the day whenever we were ordering ice cream or something sweet we would say how about some of that chocolate mouse. Next we were going to go on Spaceship Earth but the wait was 20 minutes. We instead we went to Studios and shopped awhile before going into Fantasmic an hour early to get good seats for the show. Lucky we did as the Hollywood Hills Amphitheatre was half full already. When Fantasmic was over we took the bus back to the hotel where we picked up some soda and snacks for the room and then had something to eat at the food court. Now we’re back in the room at 10:30PM. Nick is doing some homework and Shelly is drinking an alchoholic beverage. She’s not sick at the moment. I am documenting as usual while drinking yet more vacation rye and diet coke. Tomorrow Animal Kingdom is open till 10:00PM so we will probably stay there a little longer than usual and then hop to a yet to be decided fireworks show. Its a miracle. I’m in bed before midnight and before Shelly and Nick.

Wednesday April 16th, 2008

Up at 9:00AM.  Nick has a fever and doesn’t feel good. Plop some advil in him and see what happens. Off to Animal Kingdom about 10:15AM. As soon as we get there Shelly and Nick go for food at Flametree Broiler while I go get fast pass for Expedition Everest.  After we finish eating at Flametree we go to It’s Tough To Be A Bug. After that we go to Finding Nemo The Musical. The Hawaiian guy with the great voice was playing Crush. Fantastic Marlin and the worst Dory I’ve ever heard. Her voice was like Betty Boop and old cartoon character. Nemo was very good but not one we had ever seen before. She looked Asian or something and it was just not what we are used to. She had a great voice though and played the part well. When Nemo was over we went for ice cream and a drink before going to Wonders Of Flight. After the show it was time for our first fast pass on Everest. Nick and I ride and then Nick uses Shelly’s pass to ride again alone. After Everest we attempted to go on Killamanjaro Safari but the wait was too long so we went to Rafikis Planet Watch . After taking the train there we roam around looking at a bunch of bugs and stuff for about a half hour. We head back on the train to Harambe. Off the train and over to The Lion King Show at Camp Minnie Mickey. It was fantastic. As we are listening to the beginning of the show I notice a voice in the show that sounds very familiar. After thinking about it and listening some more I realize that it’s Michelle or Karen from the Tarzan Rocks Show at Animal Kingdom that was replaced by Finding Nemo The Musical.  (See 2006 A Disney Adventure Movie) She has a starring role in the show and sings many solos. For those of you who don’t know Michelle and Karen, they were the two girls that fronted the Tarzan Show along with the guy that was a combination of Elvis and a used car salesman. When Lion King show is over we make our way back to Expedition Everest for our second fast pass. Surprise, the ride is broke down. Tonight is extra magic hours for Animal Kingdom till midnight. I’m sure alot of people weren’t very happy about that seeing that there are maybe 5 rides to chose from with Everest being the best. We chose not to wait for the potential opening and went to Epcot instead. We get there at 8:35PM so there are no seats at Mexico. We have to stand next to the building and watch Illuminations. When it’s over we finish eating at Mexico and then head for the bus. The bus takes an hour to get there. Plus the bus we end up taking is a charter bus. Disney apparently doesn’t have enough busses to service its customers. At least tonight anyway. Back at the hotel around 11:00PM. Nick is eating Doritos and drinking soda but is planning to do some more homework tonight. Shelly is talking to Kirstie on the phone. I am documenting while drinking rye and diet coke. Brenda and Dave and their cousins will be pulling in tomorrow which will be fun. I plan to be up a few more hours I hope.

Thursday April 17th, 2008

Shelly is up early and down doing some laundry. Nick and I are up around 10:30AM. Its 12:00 Noon now and we’re just waiting for Shelly to come back. Nick and I leave for Animal Kingdom while Shelly goes with Brenda to Downtown Disney and parts unknown. When Nick and I get to Animal Kingdom we immediateley go on Expedition Everest with the fast passes we didn’t use yesterday when the ride broke down. Nick and I ride the first time and NIck rides alone the second time. After Everest we got fast passes for Dinosaur and then ate at Restaurantasaurus. After eating we went to Dinosaur and it was shut down so we went on Primevil Whirl. After that we went back to Dinosaur and it was still shut down. Next we went to Finding Nemo The Musical and it was truely the worst cast I have ever seen do the show. It still is a great show even when the cast is sub par. After Nemo we went  back to Dinosaur and it was up and running. When we exited Dinosaur it was off to Primevil Whirl for ten rides in a row. Four of the rides we didn’t even have to get off the ride. When the eleventh ride on Primevil Whirl was over we went to Expedition Everest and found there was only a 20 minute wait. We went on twice before going over to Kilamanjaro Safari at 6:50PM for the last tour of the night. When Safari was over we left for Magic Kingdom. Upon arriving at Magic Kingdom we went to Columbia Harbor House for fish and chips and tuna sandwiches. When we’re done eating its out the door for Spectromagic in front of Hall Of Presidents. Shelly and Brenda arrive shortly and shop across the street while Nick and I watch the parade. During the parade there is a idiot Brittish family with a boy and girl that are standing next to Nick & I on the ledge next to a small garden with a tree in the middle. I notice something out of the corner of my eye out of the ordinary. The little girl has shinnied her way up the tree five feet above us. The parents see it and just ignore her. I start to make comments to Nick “Oh look , those people have a little monkey with them thats climbing a tree” the little girl comes down shortly. Next , her and her dopey brother climb over the wrought iron rail surrounding the tree/garden and tromp over the bushes etc and stand in the middle of the greenery watching the parade. Again the mother looks over and does nothing. I’m ready to wring their little necks. The mother is at least 300 pounds and is sitting her fat ass on top of the gabage can that is right next to all of us. She has a disgusting tramp stamp on her lower back/ass that screams white trash combined with her lack of parenting skills. After Spectro we go to Mainstreet for Wishes. Dave and Megan arrive along with Shelly and Brenda and her cousin Wendy with her two kids Sara and Emily and boyfriend Joey. When Wishes ends Nick and I go to Big Thunder Mountain to find the wait is 30 minutes and there is only 35 minutes till park closing. Splash Mountain is 40 minutes. We decide to go to Pirates Of The Caribbean. On the way to Pirates Nick looks down and finds a fast pass for Splash. He goes over and finds out the ride is shut down. 5 minutes later the ride opens and Nick goes on. While I’m waiting three different groups come up to wanna be cast member Larry for info. One wants to know where he can get my light up pins. I explain he can’t have them. They are vintage. The next one wants to know where the nearest bathroom is. I want to tell them they just walked by the bathroom you idiots coming off Splash but I don’t. I just do the Disney point to where they just came from. The last one wanted to know where to register a complaint. I suggest going online to the Disney web site as  there was probably something there for communicating a problem. I asked if she had went to customer care at the front of the park and she said she had and wasn’t satisfied with the answer they gave her. I didn’t even ask what the problem was because I didn’t want to know. When Nick gets off Splash we go for the last ride on Pirates Of The Caribbean at 10:55PM. We exit Pirates and make our way through the Mainstreet shops because the second Spectromagic parade is in progress. Back at the hotel in about 30 minutes and hanging out with Dave and Brenda on the terrace having drinks and solving the problems of the world. Megan, Sara, and Nick are in Glowackis room partying. Its 12:35PM now and everyone is still up. But not for long. Shelly and Nick are in bed shortly with Shelly out and Nicks eyes rolling. I anticipate at least an hour more bringing me to around 2:00AM. Tomorrow will be a fun day because we are going to Epcots Norway for a special lunch in the afternoon followed by Extra Magic Hours till midnight. I believe it will be another very magical day and more, with a special lunch and a very special surprise!

Friday April 18th,2008

Shelly is up at 9:00AM to get snacks and soda for tonight. Nick and I get up at 10:00AM. We are all out of the room around 11:00AM. We’re off to Epcot and our first stop is fast pass for Soarin. After we get our fast passes we stop and listen to some drummers playing on garbage cans and shovels and then have ice cream and go single riders on Test Track. After Test Track we go over to Nemo & Friends at The Living Seas. When we get out of Nemo its off to Norways Akershus Royal  Banquet Hall for a late lunch. Dave,Brenda,Megan,Shelly,Nick and I all dine with The Disney Princesses. The food is very good. Next Shelly,Nick, and I go on Ellens Energy Adventure. After Ellen we meet Dave,Brenda, and Megan at Spaceship Earth. When we finally get out of Spaceship Earth we go for our fast pass on Soarin. After Soarin Shelly and Nick go back to Spaceship Earth while I go to The American Adventure Theatre to hear Peter and Gordon and have a beer. Getting rid of Shelly and Nick also allows me to stay in close contact with Kirstie who has just landed at Orlando International Airport for Shellys surprise for the trip that had been in the planning for at least two months. When the Peter and Gordon show is over its 7:30PM. I head over to Germany to get a Becks dark beer and make my way to Mexico where we’re all going to meet at 7:45PM for Illuminations. Dave,Brenda,Megan, Shelly, and Nick are there already saving our seating area. We hold the area while I covertly stay in touch with Kirstie on her progress of getting to Epcot. At approximately 8:30 PM I get the call from her that she is just outside of Mexico waiting. I want her to talk to Shelly while I make my way out to her and follow her in with the camera rolling to catch all the action. Somehow our communications get mixed up and she hangs up on me. I call her back and give a line of BS that Shelly can hear about Kirsties signal getting weak, did you go under a bridge or something. Anyway, after some short conversation I hand the phone off to Shelly and tell her I have to go to the bathroom. I make my way out to where Kirstie is and follow her in filming while she keeps talking to Shelly. Shelly sharply says “I don’t want to talk you now, I’m talking with my friends” and hands the phone off to Nick. The magic is not quite what I had planned. In fact, it doesn’t even seen to be there. By then Kirstie is right behind her and taps her on the shoulder and the surprise has happened. Shelly says “What are you doing here” At first Shelly doesn’t seem to thrilled but appears to warm to the idea as the whole story and plan unfolds. We all watch Illuminations and then head over to Soarin and to get our Extra Magic Hours bracelets. When we get off Soarin and hour later we go to Electric Umbrella for food . Next we go on Spaceship Earth. Its near midnight and park closing so we squeeze in one last ride on Test Track single riders. We catch our bus fairly quick back to All Star Music and are sitting out on the terrace having drinks and planning  tomorrow. Its 12:27AM and I anticipate being up till at least 2:00AM.

Saturday April 19th, 2008

Up at 10:00AM. Ready to leave whenever Nick is ready. He says he has homework left to do. Shelly leaves with Kirstie,Brenda,Dave, and Megan for Disney Hollywood Studios while I stay at the room while Nick does homework. We finally leave around 11:45AM. We go to the food court and eat before leaving for Studios. When we arrive at Studios we go get a fast for Rockin Roller Coaster. Next we go on the Animation Tour where we bump into Dave,Megan, and Sara. When we leave Animation its over to One Mans Dream. After One Mans Dream we split with Dave,Megan, and Sara and went  over for a ride on Backiot Tour. When we finished the Backlot Tour we went for good seats at Lights Action Motor Stunt Show. We have center seats this time and it makes the show a little better than the last time we saw it. When Lights Motor Action is over we race over for the 5:15PM show  of Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular. We just miss it by about 5 minutes. So we go to Gerties for ice cream. After we finish our ice cream we have another serving of the same thing. Next we go on Star Tours. After that we go over to Rockin Roller Coaster for our fast pass. When we get off Coaster we go to Fantasmic at 7:00PM to save seats for the 8:30PM Fantasmic Show. We were originally going to see the 10:00PM show  but Nick and I were running out of things to do and decided to see the 8:30 show instead and then head back to the hotel. I call Shelly to tell her what Nick and I are doing and she says Kirstie and her want to do the 8:30PM show too. Nick and I save the seats till they show up around 8:10PM. Dave,Brenda, & Megan show up too but there are not enough seats so they end up skipping this show and come back for the 10:00PM show. Kirstie,Nick, and I go eat at Rosies after show one and then go back for show two. When the second Fantasmic is over we all head back to the hotel and are hanging out on the terrace having drinks and snacks. In  bed at 1:30AM.

Sunday April 20th, 2008

Up at 10:00AM and out or the room around 11:30AM. The plan is to go to Epcot and eat at China. See The Voices Of Liberty and The American Adventure and maybe a fast pass for Soarin. Then hop to Animal Kingdom for Finding Nemo The Musical. Leave AK and hop to MK for the rest of the night. MK is open till 2:00AM.

The actual plan is we leave for Epcot, eat at China and see The Voices Of Liberty followed by The American Adventure. Next we leave Epcot and head over to Animal Kingdom. Nick and I eat ice cream while Shelly and Kirstie go shopping. When we are done with our ice cream we go to Finding Nemo The Musical and hold spots in line for the 4:45PM show. We are the first in the line. When Nemo is over Shelly,Nick, and Kirstie go to Magic Kingdom while I go back to Epcot to catch the 7:00PM show of Mickey Thomas and Starship. Before the show I eat at America and then set up to record the whole Starship show in its entirety. They are awesome. The only negative thing I could say is they don’t do one of my favorite songs “We Built This City”. When the Starship show is over at 7:30PM I make my way over to Magic Kingdom. I walk through the gates about 8:10PM. I go to Hall Of Presidents and get the best seat I’ve ever had for Spectromagic. Sitting on top of a garbage can with no one in front of me and a clear view of the parade route a block or more away and right up to where I’m sitting. A big fat woman starts pushing towards my position with her two dopey kids. I hear her keep saying as she gets closer “Can you see honey, are you sure you can see” I don’t even look in her direction because I’m pretty sure I know where this is going. I’m supposed to feel sorry for the kids and give up my spot. No way. If you want your kids to see the parade don’t show up 20 minutes before it’s going to start and try to push someone out of the way. There is also a woman that asks me if you can see the Wishes fireworks from pretty much anywhere in the park. I tell her no. You should really be in front of the castle somewhere around Casey’s if you can to get the full panoramic view. Good advice, yes. No. Some old coot next to us interrupts and says she should go behind the castle and watch. I disagree and say you won’t get a good view of Tink coming down from the top of the castle. He says no, you can see her. I say yeah maybe, till she goes behind the castle. After the parade I make my way to Mainstreet to meet up with the group for Wishes. When Wishes ends we all go to Pinnochios for wrist bands for the people that don’t have them yet. Shelly,Nick, and Kirstie. We now go to Mickey’s Philharmagic. After that we go to Cosmic Rays to eat. When we finish eating we all go on Buzz Lightyear. Next we get ice cream and go towards Fantasyland and hit Winnie The Pooh, Snow White, before going on Haunted Mansion. After Mansion Shelly and I do Country Bears Jamboree while Kirstie and Nick go on Splash Mountain and Big Thunder till 2:00 PM closing. I leave MK around 1:00PM. Back at the room, shower up so I don’t have to do it tomorrow morning. Have some drinks and snacks while writing this account. The last night is almost over and tommorow is the last partial day. We will leave for the airport on Magical Express at 3:55PM. Its 2:30PM now and I expect to be up another hour.

Monday April 21st, 2008

Up at  10:00AM and out of the room by 11:00AM. Shelly,KIrstie, & Nick hang out by the pool until our bus for the airport arrives while I travel to Epcot Center for 3 hours. As soon as I arrive I eat at The Electric Umbrella in Future World. After eating I go on Ellen’s Energy Adventure, Test Track, Mission Space, and Spaceship Earth. I grab a last Disney ice cream and head for the bus stop. I arrive back at the hotel for our pickup to the airport around 3:15PM. Our pickup is at 3:55PM. There is a large group from a high school that is going to be on our bus so we have to wait a little bit for another one to show up. Shelly is getting tense as usual. The next bus arrives shortly and we are on our way. We arrive at the airport and checkin our luggage. Shelly is handed the boarding passes. Shelly hands each of us our boarding passes as we go through security. The line takes about 15 minutes. When we clear security Shelly gets on the shuttle with us following behind. The shuttle travels to our terminal or what we thought was our terminal. In fact we didn’t pay attention to the signs over the two shuttles and ended up taking the wrong one. So now we get back on the shuttle and travel back to security. We could have just jumped on the right shuttle at that point and gotten to our terminal quickly but I insisted we start back at the beginning not remembering that security covers both terminal shuttles. So we go through security again and this time pick the right shuttle and its off to gate 5. I have a sandwich and some chips at the gate while we wait for the plane with Brenda,Dave, & Megan. The flight home is ahead of schedule and we arrive in Milwaukee around 8:40PM. Jenny is at the airport really fast for our pickup and we’re home by 9:15PM. Everything is in order at home except for the night of the pre-trip party was also Shadows birthday. We brought out his catnip and let him party all night. We forgot to put the catnip in a secure place so he found a way into the DTC and ripped the bag open. There was catnip all over the back bar. He must have had quite a party. By 12:00AM Tuesday April 22nd all signs of 2008 ...  Disney Trek! were gone and replaced with the new promo signs and artwork for 2009 ... Disney Magic In The Stars! As of today the countdown is 331 days.

Hope to see you for next years trip.