Day 1 - 2/11

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" height=82 style=" border-bottom: 1px solid #999980;" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="792890903.jpg"> <div> <FONT SIZE="6" COLOR="#333399" FACE="Monotype Corsiva" ><I><B>SuiteDisney</B></I></FONT><FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#000066" FACE="Walt Disney Script v4.1" ><B> </B></FONT><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000066" FACE="Times New Roman" ><B>  </B></FONT><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><B>  </B></FONT><B>|</B><B>    </B>Day 1 - 2/11   |   <A HREF="day_2___212.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Day 2 2/12">Day 2 - 2/12</A>   |   <A HREF="day_3___213.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Day 3 2/13">Day 3 - 2/13</A>   |   <A HREF="day_4___214.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Day 4 2/14">Day 4 - 2/14</A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" height=398 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000" background="e8590903.jpg"> <div> <I><B>Day 1 - 2/11</B></I></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="http://www.suitedisney.com/wdwphotos/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.suitedisney.com/wdwphotos/"><B>WDW Photos</B></A></div> <bR> <div>  <script type="text/javascript"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"> </script>  </div> <bR> <div> Well, we're here at Old Key West already and it's not even 7:00 am, yet. We made great time. Let's go check in. Cross your fingers that our room is ready. No such luck this time. It's nice and warm, let's change into shorts and then we'll figure out what we're going to do. </div> <bR> <div> It's too early to go to a park, so how about breakfast? We really enjoyed eating at Fresh for lunch on our last trip, let's see how we like breakfast there. We're going to park at the Boardwalk and walk over to the Dolphin. Gene refuses to valet because we still have our luggage in the car. He's weird that way. I told him it would be a lot safer in the valet lot than in the regular lot with anybody walking by, but he won't listen.</div> <bR> <div> So, let's have breakfast. There's certainly something for everyone here. The boys head right for the different juices and I check out the pastries as I walk by and check out the offerings. I have blueberry pancakes, home fries, bacon, a chocolate croissant and a cheese Danish. Rachel opts for a made to order ham and cheese omelet. The boys are more adventurous and will try just about anything. The food is very good and, of course, fresh. </div> <div> <IMG SRC="7780d0e30.jpg" border=0 width="720" height="483" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Now we're heading over to Epcot. Gene and I are taking the boat, but the kids want to walk so we give them their tickets and set up a time and place to meet. Off we go. After a quick walk from the International Gateway, we make our first stop at Imagination, the closest open pavilion. I haven's seen Honey, I Shrunk the Audience in quite a while, let's do that first. </div> <div> <IMG SRC="7820d0fc0.jpg" border=0 width="720" height="508" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> This movie is always much more intense than I expect, but I really like it. Did you feel the rat tails on your legs?</div> <bR> <div> As long as we're here we might as well ride Journey Into Your Imagination. It's not crowded at all, we can walk right on. Remember this guy?</div> <div> <IMG SRC="782121d00.jpg" border=0 width="545" height="720" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> We still have some time before we have to meet up with the kids, so let's head over to the Land pavilion so I can take some pictures. The pavilion is practically empty so it's a great time to get some pictures of the Garden Grill and Sunshine Season Food Fair. There's quite a selection at the Food Fair, we need to keep this in mind as an option for lunch in the future. There's also a little shop with a couple of very friendly cast members. I warn them that I'm going to put their picture on the internet and here it is...</div> <div> <IMG SRC="7822d0e00.jpg" border=0 width="720" height="480" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Our vacation is off to a good start. It's time to meet up with the kids so we have to go to <B>Ice Station Cool</B>. No, I am not trying the Beverly! I've had it before, thank you very much! The kids were just over at the Living Seas and tell us about the new Finding Nemo exhibit. Now we'd like to see it, but the kids don't want to go back so we're going to split up again. We'll meet back up a little later.</div> <bR> <div> Off we go to the <B>Living Seas</B> to find Nemo. There is a little exhibit outside with the characters set up.</div> <div> <IMG SRC="7823d0e00.jpg" border=0 width="720" height="480" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> We go inside, but there's a long line and we're not sure why. After a few minutes we decide to leave. We'll come back later. But as long as we're here, let's go over to the <B>Coral Reef</B>. It's not open yet, but maybe they'll let me take some pictures. No problem.</div> <div> <IMG SRC="7824d0e00.jpg" border=0 width="720" height="480" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> It sure is a pretty restaurant and you can't beat the view!</div> <div> <IMG SRC="7825d0e00.jpg" border=0 width="720" height="480" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> We'll try to get back to the Living Seas later this vacation and see if we can find Nemo inside.</div> <bR> <div> But right now I'd really love to go on Spaceship Earth. </div> <div> <IMG SRC="782724080.jpg" border=0 width="548" height="520" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> It's a classic and I like to ride it every vacation. There's a little bit of a line, but if you don't mind a short wait, I'm sure it will move quickly.  See, that wasn't long at all. My favorite part of the ride is when we get to the very top and can see the earth in the distance. It's so beautiful!</div> <bR> <div> It's time to head over to World Showcase. We're meeting the kids in China, but we have time to stop in <B>Norway</B> and ride on <B>Maelstrom</B>. We decide to stay for the movie afterwards and I'm even able to get a few pictures of it. Every once in a while I find a nice surprise when I look through my pictures that I didn't notice at the time, like the smiling gentleman in this picture of the theatre. </div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="7828d0e00.jpg" border=0 width="720" height="480" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="782a5fea0.jpg" border=0 width="351" height="234" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">     <IMG SRC="782c5fea0.jpg" border=0 width="351" height="234" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> Off to <B>China</B> now. I'm taking this opportunity to get pictures of<B> </B><B>Nine Dragons Restaurant</B> and the <B>Lotus Blossom Cafe</B>. The kids are already here and shopping, let's join them. Gene is looking to buy tea to have at work and I find a really nice mug for him that has a lid and a strainer for loose tea. He didn't see me buy it, so I'll just sneak it into his bag and surprise him later. </div> <bR> <div> Gene called about our room and it's ready! Yippee! Of course, we're all the way on the other side of the lake from where we want to go and there's no shortcut. Isn't that the way it always turns out? As long as we have to walk all the way to International Gateway, we might as well stop in the UK so that Gene can buy some tea there, too. There's a show going on outside, but we're in a hurry to check into our room, so we're going to skip the show this time.</div> <bR> <div> I'm getting sleepy and I don't feel like walking to the Boardwalk, so Gene and I are taking the boat. The kids are walking, though. We'll meet up at the Boardwalk and then drive back to Old Key West. </div> <bR> <div> Here we are in <B>studio villa</B> 6420. It feels like we've done so much already and it's only 2:00. We're going to take showers, freshen up and then take a little nap.... a little three hour nap. That sure helps. It's been a long time since we left home yesterday afternoon.</div> <bR> <div> It's already 6:00 and the parks close early this time of year. We're going to go off-property for a little while. We don't usually do this, but we're going to make a stop at the Premier Character Outlet. I was there a few years ago with friends, but I couldn't remember how to get there. Gene got directions and it's pretty easy, so we're going over to see if we can get more souvenirs for our money. Gene always gets a golf shirt when we come down on vacation and they have several selections to choose from that are a lot less expensive than on property. The kids each pick out a shirt, too. I'm sure we'll be back again on future trips.</div> <bR> <div> We've eaten at so many of the Disney restaurants over the years that we decided to try a couple just outside the park this time. A good friend recommended <B>Joe's Crab Shack</B> and that's where we're going for dinner. This is our kind of restaurant; fun times as the waiters dance around the restaurant...</div> <div> <IMG SRC="782dd0e00.jpg" border=0 width="720" height="480" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div>  plenty to look at while we wait...</div> <div> <IMG SRC="782ed0e00.jpg" border=0 width="720" height="480" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div>  and the seafood is excellent. I'm so glad we came here and I'm sure we'll be back in the future. The restaurant is very close to Downtown Disney, just down the street from the Cross Roads.</div> <bR> <div> Justin is already begging to go to the Virgin MegaStore and our vacation will be a lot more pleasant if we go now and get it over with. While the kids head over there, I'm going to go into the <B>Cirque du Soleil store</B> and take some pictures. The cast members here are super friendly and a lot of fun. I have to take a picture of them to put on the internet and here it is...</div> <div> <IMG SRC="782fd0e00.jpg" border=0 width="720" height="480" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Now let's go get the kids. Time to make your purchases and head back to the room.</div> <bR> <div> It's 10:00 and it sure feels like we had a pretty full day. I've taken over 100 pictures today and I need to upload them to the laptop and then I'm going right to sleep. Hope you had fun today, see you tomorrow.</div> </td> </tr></table></body>