Hey, all. Time for yet another trip report, just like the other ones! I'm a creature of habit, and tend to do stuff the same every time, with just enough variety to keep it interesting. My trip happened to coincide with the grand opening of the new Fantasyland and the new Test Track. I didn't really plan that to happen, but I took full advantage of it. The dates were 12/6 - 12/9, and the participants were me, just me, lonely ol' me - just the way I like it!
Thursday, 12/6 -
9:30am flight out of Dallas on American. Got a nice seat by the window with no one in the middle seat - heaven! When I arrived in Orlando baggage claim my bag was just coming around on the carousel - very rare. A quick check in with Dollar (got a Mistubishi Galant - not my favorite rental car but still OK), and off to check in at the Caribbean Beach. My room was ready in the Martinique section. One strange item from this trip - I could never quite figger out where my room was! I parked in the same spot every day, but no matter how carefully I observed my surrounding, I would end up on the wrong end of my building. No biggie, as I then just followed the signs. It was pretty strange to be this locationally challenged, though!
My building was right next to Old Port Royale, so I walked over there and had a tasty Cuban sandwich -
...followed by heading as fast as I could to Epcot. I stopped off to say hi to ME -
...then did my traditional first ride on Spaceship Earth. I wanted to go see Test Track, but them rascally Disney folks had the whole east side of Futureworld shut down for the grand opening festivities. Very very uncool! I actually had a pretty tight schedule. I wanted to catch a showing of the Voices of Liberty, then a showing of the Candlelight Processional, a quick glass of wine from the France kiosk, then dinner at Le Cellier, martinis at the Rose & Crown, and IllumiNations. This all came off pretty nicely. VofL were just as great as ever. I hadn't heard the Christmas arrangements in a few years, and they really rocked 'em. I was planning on just standing at the back of the CP show, but they had lots of seats available -
Blair Underwood was the narrator, and he did a terrific job - very nice voice, and he was obviously into the presentation. From there it was off to France and a nice glass of the pouilly fuisse (that's wine to all you non-connosewers!), and down to Le Cellier for the first time in about 5 or 6 years. I've read stories about how this place has slipped in the past few years. I did not find this to be the case at all - great service and a terrific meal! I had the cheese soup followed by the mushroom stuffed steak. They don't have the breadsticks like they used to - well, they still have the pretzel breadstick, but the sourdough and the multi-grain are now just rolls. But they were all still very tasty - it was all I could do not to fill up on bread and soup. Really excellent meal!
From there it was over to the Rose & Crown, where my favorite bartender Gavan was out on vacation. But Leon and Nick took great care of me, and mixed a tasty martini. Of course I got up and sang with the lovely Pam Brody (I've been doing this for the past 15 years or so, and this was one of the better ones - great crowd!). A showing of IllumiNations with the holiday tag (Walter Cronkite could read the phone book and I'd be riveted!), a walk around the lagoon, and back to my cozy room at the CBR. A very nice first day!
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Christmas Time Is Here! A WDW Trip Report 12-12
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