Trip Log:

Started off the day heading for an early breakfast at Pop Century around 6:30am. We were in the cab and on our way a little before 7am on our way to Oak Trail. Arrived at the course and checked in. Headed right out and got off a good half hour early due to there being no real line of guests. Played our nine holes and we headed back to the hotel for a quick shower and were off to the parks by 11:00am. Went to the Magic Kingdom first. Wandered down Main Street and into Adventureland on our way to Frontierland to grab a quick lunch. After lunch we walked out by Splash Mountain and jumped on the Steam Train. Road over to Toontown and walked to Tomorrowland. Grabbed Fastpasses for Buzz and then took a ride on the People Mover and the Carousel of Progress before our Fastpass time came up. We then road Buzz. After saving the galaxy we wandered through Tomorrowland and into Fantasyland. Checked out the new Pooh play area and continued on into Fantasyland. Watched Philharmagic and then went into Liberty Square. Grabbed some Carmel Corn from Sleepy Hollow before heading down Main Street and out of the park. Took the Ferry across the lake and road the monorail to EPCOT. Walked through Future World, stopping at Innoventions West to get our picture taken with our Disney Visa card. Went to the Living Seas next to see how it was doing. Caught the 4pm feeding and then made a loop of the Land to check out the lines. They were too long so continued onto Journey Into Imagination. After the ride we took some time to watch the leap frogging fountains and then headed back to the entrance to pick up our free picture before leaving the park. Headed back to the Resort to regroup, grab dinner at Everything Pop, and get ready for the evening. Took the bus to the Studios and wandered through the shops and Sunset Blvd on our way to line up for Fantasmic. Watched the show then headed for the bus and back to the resort to call it an early evening.

Thoughts & Observations:

• We decided to give Disney's Oak Trail course a try to start our day. We did this for a couple of reasons. One being we could not get another tee time we liked because the Palm/Magnolia courses were blocked off for a MAAC tournament and the other three Disney courses were jammed as a result of this. The second being we had not played this course in years so decided to give it a try. For those of you not familiar with the courses. Oak Trail is a 9 hole walking course. I guess it can be described as an executive course. It plays just user 3,000 yards from the back tees so its definitely not a par 3 course. Our stats from when we woke up till we were back at Pop Century after the round were: 6.18 mi, 3:36 hours, 10,728 steps

• Road Buzz Lightyear and was reminded how much I enjoy the Disneyland version better. The flexibility of being able to move the gun and the easier to press gun trigger makes it a much more enjoyable ride. Plus the free email picture at the end is great! In WDW you don't get that, only the opportunity to buy the on ride photo and it does not even have your score on it.
  
  
• Walked through the new Pooh play area in Fantasyland. It really seems to be a hit with the younger set. I am still disappointed that they removed the subs and put this in its place. Seems they could have put this just about anywhere.
  
  
• We took advantage of one of the Disney Visa perks. If you take your card to Innoventions West during a certain time(I think its 1:30-4:00) you get a free 5x7 picture with some characters. The entrance is just this little roped off area just past the fire truck. You check in with a CM who issues you a certificate and checks your credit card. You then walk through a curtain and enter a larger room. We were greeted by Mickey, Donald, and Pluto. A photographer and another CM are inside. You take your picture and its added to your photopass card (or your issued a new card) then you are told it will be ready at the camera shop by Spaceship Earth in an hour. Later in the day we stopped by and they let you pick one of the several pictures they took and print it out for you. A great perk. Note: The characters change.. on a later day we used another Visa card from someone else in the group and Minnie and Goofy were around.
  
  
• We walked into the Living Seas and found something we had not seen there in years.. a huge crowd. There were guests everywhere. As you will see in the pictorial update the line for Turtle Talk was several shows long and all the rooms around Sea Base Alpha (or whatever they are calling it now) had guests in them.
  
  
• We also experienced a feeding at the Living Seas in the main tank. I do not think I have ever seen one. It was really interesting to watch the presentation and if your in the area its probably worth checking out at least once.
  
  
• This was our first trip into the Living Seas since the Hydrolaters were removed and it was weird to just walk in. You really did not get drawn into the story, but instead just feel like its another attraction. We are really looking forward to the return of the Seacabs and are curious how the entrance will be re-worked.
  
  
• We road Journey Into Imagination and were again reminded how much we miss the original show and we still wonder how this attraction can keep on going. There was no one around. we saw a handful of guests only and this was mid afternoon. I guess the Honey I Shrunk the Audience still pulls in guests but the ride portion just does not seem to.
  
  
• We got a great seat for Fantasmic, almost right at show center. It was nice that Disney let everyone in the theater really early. We arrive an hour before show time and were able to walk right in and sit down. Not sure what time they opened it. I still do not like sitting for a Disney show and having vendors walk around selling things like your at a ball game, but I was happy to sit down and not have to stand in line. Also it was interesting to see the set in the full daylight (the sun was still bright as we were seated around 7:30).
  
  
• I am still really disappointed in the WDW version of Fantasmic when compared to the original Disneyland one. I think the show relies too much on the midst screens and becomes a movie almost. Also its hard to get the same impact as the Columbia and Mark Twain rounding the corner and cruising by in this small stage area with their small boat. It is nice to have the unobstructed views, but part of the charm of the Disneyland version is looking around the obstacles...
  
  
• Last note for the day.. as we sat there waiting for Fantasmic something weird happened. It became quite windy and cool, almost like we were in Southern California. The humidly was gone for the most part and I was wishing I had a jacket or even pants on.. very strange for Orlando in late April.

Pedometer Information for the day:

Enough with the text.. onto the pictures

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