20 June, 2006

Welcome Home To The Wilderness Lodge

I've got a Disney vacation jones that is vibrating in overdrive right now. I want to stay in my hotel. I want to hear the particular noise that a heavy metal door makes when it slides closed, followed by that brief click of the electronic lock resetting itself. I want to hear the clang of the metal safety hinge as it claps against the back of the door, pointing to the posted fire-exit map. I want to look at that map and see the little lines boxing me in. I want to count the number of numbered boxes between my assigned temporary home and the ice machine. I want to see Jiminy Cricket reassure me that even though I'm not a wooden boy, it's still a good idea to leave the building during a fire.

I want to hear the hum of the industrial air conditioner, followed by the blast of cold air that smells like its been kept cold inside a clean steel drum. I want to make a dent in the perfectly-taut bedspread with my heavy suitcase, and to challenge the anonymously perfect sterility of the room with bits of my everyday home. Those sweats I wear around the house, the t-shirt I slept in yesterday in my own bed. I want to clutter the nightstand with the juicy chunks of paperback books that I've been hoarding for such a getaway. I want to pile them up in a tempting stack like syrupy hotcakes, or cluster them like ripe grapes.

I want to turn on the TV, flip to the in-room channel and watch the top 10 resort attractions. Chipper music-hall girls sliding down waterslides and dancing with Mickey Mouse in the Not A Zoo. I want to stand on the balcony and look over the freeform pool and hear the boat whistle as it pulls into the dock. In my mind I can imagine that I'll be on that boat several times as I set out to explore the rest of the World.

10 Comments:

At 1:59 PM, June 20, 2006, Blogger ceeelcee said...

So what's your take on the redesign of the "Pirates of the Caribbean" ride to include numerous movie tie-ins?

I wanna hear from a real Disney-junkie instead of NPR.

 
At 2:23 PM, June 20, 2006, Blogger Kat Coble said...

Honestly? I'm reserving judgment until I actually ride the ride. Mostly. Part of me is a wee bit ticked at the idea that they're turning a classic ride into a commercial for DVDs, but this being Disney I think if they do it well I may forgive them. Besides, I liked the first PoC movie so much that it's not a big deal.

Pirates had a makeover in the mid-90s that was designed to tame it down and remove the overt sexuality. The theme was changed from Horny!pirates to Hungry!pirates and was actually kind of dumb. So if they put back some of the bawdy I won't be so blue.

But still, this is Disney where every E-ticket ride ends in a gift shop. So the commercialism is not a huge surprise.

 
At 4:40 PM, June 20, 2006, Blogger ceeelcee said...

They still say "Here kitty, kitty!"

 
At 9:49 PM, June 20, 2006, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Wow, now I want it too. Can I go with you?

 
At 10:58 PM, June 20, 2006, Blogger Titusina Andronica said...

Me too. Kat, take Sauna and me, pleeeease!

 
At 12:38 AM, June 21, 2006, Blogger Kat Coble said...

Let's all go. We can pay for it with the profits from by Google Ads.

*riotous laughter ensues*

 
At 8:28 AM, June 21, 2006, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Let see if I can do a public service here.

I just got back. It's crowded--really crowded. FastPasses are gone by 1 or 2. And the line rides are 2 hours. It's hot--really hot. If it's not hot it's pouring rain. It is almost funny because no one takes a rain coat even when they are showing up at the park on the same day as Alberto. They all spend ten bucks on plastic sheeting with Mickey printed on the back.

The kids are whiney. You can't go in a restaurant, restroom or elevator without coming across some overtired, over stimulated obnoxious child.

It's expensive--see above mentioned cost of plastic sheeting--and the food is marginal. A meal for a family of four is about fifty dollars. Unless of course your hubby throws his hands up and says he not standing in line for another meal tonight. Then you go to the resort's fancy restaurant and pay $150 and your happy because even though the price was three times as much the food was ten times better.

Trust me. You don't want to go right now. Archive it until October...Me? I'm not going back until I have grandkids and then I think I'll opt for the cruise.

 
At 8:54 AM, June 21, 2006, Blogger Jamie said...

YES! YES! YES!

Can you pack me in your suitcase? I want to go home too!

 
At 10:35 AM, June 21, 2006, Blogger Kat Coble said...

SBK--I have a confession to make. I've been to Disney about 20 times. Only twice have been during the summer, and I don't think I have any interest in going back during the months of June, July or August. I'm firmly in the "October or May" camp of WDW-goers. Preferably October.

Summer at WDW is all you say and more. I remember our last summer visit as a time when I stood in line for an hour and a half to ride Peter Pan's flight. Not fun.

As for the expense of things...I know it's high. Especially for the commissary-style food served at most of the park restaurants. But I look at it as part of the overall Disney experience. In fact, I'd gladly pay $6 for a WDW hamburger right about now, if I could be eating it at Pecos Bill's Cafe in late October. ;-p

jag, I have to admit that I always tear up when we check in at the WL and they say "Welcome Home."

 
At 11:12 AM, June 21, 2006, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Kat this might be a good defense of your other post. If we had staggered vacation we could to the kids to Disney in the off season...

 

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