Amy and F1gment take on Thanksgiving 2011

[boilerbabe]

Welcome home Amy and F1gment!!! Great report so far, can't wait to read the rest!!! Keep the pics. coming!

[Cub]

As far as I am aware, it is. There's a "World of Coca Cola" located near the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta (hopefully, it's still open...).

Yep, it's still there! I was at the aquarium a few months ago and remember seeing it.

[Len90]

Great to see your report rolling Amy. I always love sitting near the window on the plane so I can look out and take pictures. You just never know what you might fly over.

F1gment generally claims the window seat and is a good sport about me leaning over her to look. I never know if the camera is ok to use while the "electronic" devices need to be turned off though. It seems like it would be ok...next time I shall have to ask...

It really all depends on the flight crew. I have had some say that taking pictures during take-off and landing is allowed but others have said no. However, when electronic devices are allowed you can take as many pictures as you'd like. You never know what cool things you will fly over. Also you need to have some excited plane trip pictures as it is an integral part of the vacation!

[dstrawn9889]

As far as I am aware, it is. There's a "World of Coca Cola" located near the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta (hopefully, it's still open...).

World of Coca-Cola (museum) is right across the quad from the Ga Aquarium... the area is named Pemberton Place(anyone?) so the WoCC is not going anywhere... they own the land that it and the aquarium sit on...

[mindflipper]

As far as I am aware, it is. There's a "World of Coca Cola" located near the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta (hopefully, it's still open...).

World of Coca-Cola (museum) is right across the quad from the Ga Aquarium... the area is named Pemberton Place(anyone?) so the WoCC is not going anywhere... they own the land that it and the aquarium sit on...

I thought I had recall that Coke owned that area, but I couldn't remember clearly if that was the case. What else is there? I thought there was something else to open up there on that quad besides those two when I was there a few years ago.

[dstrawn9889]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pemberton_Place

yeah, the other space is planned to be the National Center for Civil and Human Rights.

[Amy]

Day 1 - continued...
Forgot to mention the pigeons we saw on the tarmac while we were waiting to push away from the gate in Atlanta ~ they were the size of our ducks here in Michigan! I didn't get a picture of them unfortunately

We ended up with a 50 minute delay out of Atlanta too, but we still got in almost right on time. I am amazed at how much time the pilots can make up in the air!

We arrived at the All Star Music at 2:15 only to find the room was not as we had requested. This was frustrating as I had confirmed the requests no less than two times in the weeks prior to our trip, only to be reassured that they would have no problem with the room. We waited and waited and finally they determined they could accommodate our requests at the All Star Sports. I went and got our tickets straightened out while we were waiting for the room situation to be settled. We both had annual passes for this trip and the package had come with 10 day park hoppers. I was trying to determine what the best course of action would be, roll those tickets into new annual passes (which wasn't my preferred option as I'm not sure we will be going again in 2012) or purchase the no-expiration option, which cost almost as much as new annual passes but without the deadline. Finally figured out that as long as we didn't use the tickets at the parks, they would stay on the cards indefinitely. Yay! I put post-its on both of our room keys (since those are used for the room key, and dining plan) to remind us not to use them at the turnstyles into the parks. Each day we had a mini quiz in the morning ~ we use our blue key for the room and meals, but our AP for the parks. F1gment probably thought it quite annoying but I didn't want to mess with those 10 day tickets!!

Anyhow, so once we knew we were to transfer to All Star Sports I asked if they would take care of getting Mom's ECV over there. They assured us they would call a taxi, and get us all situated. We waited, and waited, and waited some more. It is so frustrating being at WDW and not being in the parks I double-checked that we were waiting in the right spot and that the taxi had indeed been called. They assured us we were, it had, and were quite adamant that we not walk to Sports from Music. Now anyone that has stayed at those resorts know that they are all connected. After almost an hour of staring at the big Coke cup of the Sports resort that I could see from the front drive of the Music resort,


I told Mom that was it, we were walking there! I asked the luggage desk CM what I should do with the taxi voucher we had been given and he told me nothing was necessary. He also thought it was a good idea that we walk. 4 minutes later we were at the All Star Sports front desk

Mickey waited more patiently than I did!


Rebels on a roll


We were a bit worried about our luggage since we had changed resorts, but it arrived at our room just as I called to check on it. The fridge we needed for medicine wasn't in the room so we called and received that a few minutes later as well. Things were looking up and we were finally on our way out to EPCOT a little after 4:30.


Does everyone get the Mickey towels the first day??

[Amy]

Day 1 - completed
We got to EPCOT just as the sun was beginning to set


It was dinner time once we arrived at EPCOT so we headed for our favorite Sunshine Seasons food court in the Land. We split the roasted chicken with mashed potatoes, awesome chocolate mousse cake and a drink. Then we waited about 30 minutes in line for Soarin...with some very loud, very obnoxious, jumping, screaming, children with oblivious parents. They settled down for about 1 minute after one of them hopped on the Mom's foot. Then they resumed...for the rest of the time in line



We tried for a ride on Spaceship Earth but people were coming off in droves. We were told that maintenance was cycling people off the attraction in order to do some work at the top. So, sadly, at only 7:30 - since we had been up since 4 am, we were off on the bus back to the resort.
Never can get over the beauty that is Spaceship Earth!



A few panoramic shots...I have to say, I loved this feature on my new point and shoot digital camera. It stitched together pretty well and only had difficulty when I ran across super bright sunlight.



A few of the buses for those who love the buses...later in the trip I tried to include bus numbers...



Now Sports is one, if not the only, test resort for the RFID cups at the beverage station in the food court. That was interesting. The voice on the machine was quite loud and garbled. You had to get the cup in the right spot on the lever for it to read the chip. Lots of people didn't seem to get the hang of using the machines. The little display showed how long the cup was good until (supposedly!) and also how many minutes/seconds until your next refill was available. The RFID chip only worked with the soda-pop dispenser, all the other beverage machines seemed to be compatible with any mug. I can understand the reason why Disney is heading toward this kind of system, but it did lead to some frustrations. My mug expired a full day before we left, and more than once, they had a different kind of beverage in the dispenser (diet in the regular coke - yuck!) and when I poured that out, I had to wait 3 minutes for a "refill" A minor annoyance, but still...Thankfully, the water and ice dispensers worked with any container and we almost always filled up our water bottles to start the day.

Once we got back to the room ~ we had a bonus fridge! They had delivered a second one while we were at the parks! Mom and I had a good laugh as we had requested a doorstop before we left in order to help us easily get the ECV in and out. Not that the fridge wouldn't have worked as a doorstop, but it simply took up space we didn't have in our little room. We called to let them know of the duplication and the CM came and got it ~ by dragging it out by the power cord I never even saw that sort of little fridge abuse in college!!

Anyhow, we were both tucked into bed before 11. I couldn't believe we had only been to one attraction on our first, what should have been a good half day, in the parks

Lucky money count: 1 penny in the South Bend airport parking lot, 1 nickel in the parking lot between All Star Music and Sports, 1 smushed EPCOT penny on the floor of the Land before the ramp heading up to going out.

[mindflipper]

Lucky money count: 1 penny in the South Bend airport parking lot, 1 nickel in the parking lot between All Star Music and Sports, 1 smushed EPCOT penny on the floor of the Land before the ramp heading up to going out.

Paying for your trip...one coin at a time...you should have it paid off just in a few decades...

[NaCler]

Nice trip so far... I wonder when it will start to go downhill? Oh yeah, my contribution should be coming up... Haha...

[mindflipper]

Nice trip so far... I wonder when it will start to go downhill? Oh yeah, my contribution should be coming up... Haha...

Now that sounds sinister....

[Len90]

Wow a long first day. It always seems like things will never go exactly to plan on the first day. What you think will be a half day at the parks turns into an attraction or two and dinner. It happens to us all the time!

[Amy]

Lucky money count: 1 penny in the South Bend airport parking lot, 1 nickel in the parking lot between All Star Music and Sports, 1 smushed EPCOT penny on the floor of the Land before the ramp heading up to going out.

Paying for your trip...one coin at a time...you should have it paid off just in a few decades...

You'll have to keep reading to see how I fared. Not quite that well, but I was pretty darn happy as I love finding lucky money...even after I started thinking that it isn't so lucky for those who have dropped it

Nice trip so far... I wonder when it will start to go downhill? Oh yeah, my contribution should be coming up... Haha...

Now that sounds sinister....

Downhill on day...yup, that might be it

Wow a long first day. It always seems like things will never go exactly to plan on the first day. What you think will be a half day at the parks turns into an attraction or two and dinner. It happens to us all the time!

No, it wasn't nearly long enough!! These past two trips have really disappointed me in how much time was eaten up in the check-in process. I realize it is a big resort, but I think they should stop telling guests that there will be no problems if they can't actually deliver. It should be easy enough to know if there will be one bed in the room, or two. And the two bed configuration option wasn't even available at the Music, which is where we were first booked. Now I know.....

[Sleepy90]

I realize it is a big resort, but I think they should stop telling guests that there will be no problems if they can't actually deliver. It should be easy enough to know if there will be one bed in the room, or two. And the two bed configuration option wasn't even available at the Music, which is where we were first booked. Now I know.....

That is not true Amy we have stayed at All Star Music 3 times now and have always had a two bed room. Last time we stayed it was a disabled access room at the back facing sports so they have got them, I know we go in down time as far as Disney is concerned but you think they would accommodate a disabled guest better than the way they treated Figment.

[Amy]

I realize it is a big resort, but I think they should stop telling guests that there will be no problems if they can't actually deliver. It should be easy enough to know if there will be one bed in the room, or two. And the two bed configuration option wasn't even available at the Music, which is where we were first booked. Now I know.....

That is not true Amy we have stayed at All Star Music 3 times now and have always had a two bed room. Last time we stayed it was a disabled access room at the back facing sports so they have got them, I know we go in down time as far as Disney is concerned but you think they would accommodate a disabled guest better than the way they treated Figment.

Hmmm, the front desk manager at the time definitely said they did not have the two bed option at the Music at all. Makes you wonder sometimes And F1gment can get around, but for safety, she really doesn't need to be stepping over a tub wall, plus those tubs are so darn slippery It would be different if she was used to using a tub/shower combination at home, but she has a shower only. Our neighbor is a paraplegic and I don't know that they could function in a value room. I don't think there would be enough space for him to safely maneuver around...
It all worked out ok in the end, it's just the initial frustration that is annoying. Plus the rooms at Sports were just a tiny bit smaller which made it a bit more challenging to stuff the ECV in for charging