[BMAN]

If everything goes as planned my wife and I are leaving Sunday evening for Walt Disney World. We are getting excited! I was wondering should I expect any changes since the last time we visited in 1999? Concerning the hotel itself this will be the first time we have stayed on site. We are staying at the Grand Floridian. We want to make the most of our trip, so any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!

BMAN

[ilvminnie]

Great choice bman. You'll love GF! Make sure you take time to just relax with your beverage of choice in the lobby when they're playing music. Soooo relaxing! And you can see the water light parade from the pool at night, so that's a nice way to relax, too. Plus, getting on the monorail at GF can often make it easier to sit up front with the driver. Just ask a CM at the monorail. It's a cool experience with or without kids.

Let's see....'99. Was Rock n Roller Coaster running? If you haven't done that it's a must. They've also tweaked ToT, so check that out, too. Hunchback isn't playing anymore, but there's a nice exhibit about WED that will still be there even after 100 years of magic is over. I think it's called One Man's Dream or something like that. It's really interesting.

I think Kali River Rapids in AK is new since then. Good ride, but make sure to do Fast Pass on that one...the line moves really slow.

I don't think Illuminations was going then. Great light show/fireworks/music in EPCOT. It's a must see. And did you do Test Track in '99? That one was up & down so much I'm not sure when it really started.

I think Winnie the Pooh, Alladin's Magic Carpets & maybe Buzz Lightyear have all been since then, but the times tend to blurr. CoP may or may not be open when you're there...they only open it when it's busy anymore.

Foodwise...I know the Princess breakfast at Norway is new. I'm not real sure about anything else...we've kind of gotten in a rut with restaurants & are just now trying to get out of it!

I'm sure a lot of folks can think of other stuff. It's funny how the years just blurr the older I get!

How long are you going to be there for? No kids? Anyone else going beside you & the missus? Fill us in on all the details so we can live vicariously through your planning!

[brumcg]

BMAN,

Grand Floridian? Sounds great! :)

According to http://www.wdisneyw.co.uk/time.html, here are at least some of the changes from 1999:

1999

>MK - The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh

AK - ASIA - Kali River Rapids
Maharajah Jungle Trek
Jungle Book show replaced by Tarzan Rocks show

EPCOT - Test Track (replaced World of Motion)
Journey to Your Imagination (Renovation)
Millennium Village
Leave a Legacy


DISNEY'S MGM STUDIOS - Disney's Doug Live
Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith

Events - Millennium Celebration (October) - "IllumiNations 2000: Reflections of Earth", Tapestry of Nations
"Main Street Electrical Parade" (MK)


Cirque du Soleil

Winter Summerland Mini-Golf

Celebration Hotel

Resorts - All Star Movies Resort

FASTPASS


2000

Resorts - Villas at Wilderness Lodge



2001

Resorts - Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge

Magic Kingdom - Magic Carpets of Aladdin
Disney-MGM Studios - "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire-Play It!"
"Playhouse Disney-Live on Stage!"
Animal Kingdom - Chester & Hester’s Dino-Rama!
Triceratop Spin

100 Years of Magic Celebration
"Mickey's Jammin' Jungle" Parade
"Share a Dream Come True" Parade
"Tapestry of Dreams"
"Disney Stars and Motor Cars" Parade

"Cinderella's Surprise Celebration"



2002

Animal Kingdom - Primeval Whirl

Downtown Disney
Once Upon a Toy
Disney’s Pin Traders

Resorts - Disney's Beach Club Villas

Hope that helps!

Bruce

[ilvminnie]

Bruce, how DO you keep all that straight? Are you looking at something? Or is your memory a lot better than my old one! That was a great list! I'd forgotten half of that stuff!

[BMAN]

Thanks for all the input so far. It will just be me and my wife going, we have no children. How is security at the parks, should we expect lines or delays to get in? Any info about the Grand Floridian will be helpful, this was my wife's choice. We are excited!


BMAN

[brumcg]

ilvminnie, no, my lack of memory is almost legendary... :nervous: I did remember that there was a site with a timeline though, and copy/pasted from there.

BMAN, when we were there in June, security was a minor deal at best. Basically, they check bags (including purses). At most parks, if you don't have any bags, you can cruise on through. If you do have a bag, they will take a 2-15 second look through it and wave you through.

Bruce

[wdwspider]

I'll add this...

you should not need to waste a Fast Pass on Kali River during this time of year... it should be walk on. It always is for us in November, so I definetly think it will be in February.

[mickaholic4077]

You don't have to worry about the so-called "security" at WDW. It is really a joke. You could carry anything in your pockets and could get right in.

[BMAN]

I was hoping that there would be at least a security check to get into the parks. Anyway, who here has stayed at the Grand Floridian? Anything I might learn here about the hotel that one would not see in a travel brochure? Any particular part of the hotel better to stay in for convienence? What about upgrades at the Grand Floridian? I know that is on an availability basis, but in early Feburary is it feesiable to ask for one?

BMAN

[brumcg]

BMAN, concerning security, what I've always heard is that the security you *don't* see is 50x more impressive than the security you *do* see.

Bruce

[lopo]

BMAN, when I visited WDW a couple of weeks ago, one of the people I was with commented on all the security people, I was really surprised because I just hadn't noticed many (I had seen two people wearing WDW jackets that read "Security" on the backs.) However, he is familiar with security procedures and he told me there were "lots" of security people blending in with the crowds. Besides the two I just mentioned, I only saw other security people checking our bags just outside the park entrance gates.

[Amneris]

lopo - thanks for posting! I was there back in the Dec after 9/11. I'd felt fine until my dad mentioned how EVERYONE was saying the only safe place to go was Disney World!!!! (Which makes me think that therefore that's THE place the bad guys are going to go!) It's nice to know that Disney is living up to its obsessiveness when it comes to security after all.

[mattomouseman]

Originally posted by mickaholic4077
You don't have to worry about the so-called "security" at WDW. It is really a joke. You could carry anything in your pockets and could get right in.

As far as security at the parks it is more intense since 9/11. It's what you don't see that is impressive. Also as far as them checking your bags, more then once I have seen security at the park entry check points stop people and ask them to empty their pockets. or do a more intense search of the bags. As with any job your gonna have your good workers and your slackers.

[ilvminnie]

Originally posted by brumcg
ilvminnie, no, my lack of memory is almost legendary... :nervous:

That's funny!:laugh :laugh My best friend gave my husband a great birthday present one year. It's a little block of wood that you can hang or just set somewhere but it says "My memory is not as good as my forgettory!" At least you could remember where to get the information from. I have to keep everything for me, my DH & my DD in my Palm Pilot otherwise no one would remember anything!