The conference was fun, I made some interesting connections and learned a few things that are only going to help.
One of the advantages of staying in Disney resorts are the restaurants. Disney has you and they would prefer you went for dinner in their restaurants, and Thursday night we obliged with a wonderful dinner in the Animal Kingdom Lodge. First this hotel is spectacular, zebra, giraffe and wildebeest roam outside the hotel rooms. The theme and attention to detail is exactly what you’d expect from Disney, exceptional.
The food in Jiko at the Lodge was exceptional, great wine list and some interesting beers. The group filled up the show kitchen and the food was prepared as we watched, very impressive. I was wondering is the slower beasts found around the resort end up in the kitchen, I was assured this is not the case.
On Saturday I had a whole day to get my Disney geek on, Friday night turned into an unintentionally long night, but come Saturday after a decent nights sleep everything felt a lot better.
The idea was floated of EPCOT and going for a drink in each world, being within staggering distance of the hotel made this an easy option. Of those staying an extra day a few had over done it Friday night at the reception (including one of my managers, it’s going to cost them a good performance appraisal at the end of the year) and this idea did not appeal, so off to the Magic Kingdom we went.
We drove to the Contemporary resort, parked there and walked the 10 minutes to the park. Staying inside Disney and having the transportation service was really nice, but being able to park at any resort was even better.
The Magic Kingdom may be about the most micromanaged place outside North Korea, and I think that’s a complement to Disney and the way in which Disney does things, they really are the master in controlling the environment. The place is as ever immaculate and even though it’s only been 8 months since I’ve been there I still get that silly grin as I go through the turnstiles.
First surprise was how empty the park was for a warm Saturday in early September. Staff at the hotel had complained that trade was down significantly over a typical September. It should be quiet as kids are back in school, but attendance in the Magic Kingdom looked really light, so much that there was no queue for Space Mountain at lunch time. We walked straight in and onto a car, no waiting.
The park was rather spooky with the sparse crowds and I was wondering what we’d missed. It really was that quiet.
Talking of spooky, the “Not so scary Halloween with Mickey” was being pushed. The Halloween decorations were out in force and while this is a holiday I don’t understand, I really don’t get it. The roots go back to the British tradition of all hallows eve (early 16th century) and the even older Celtic festival of Samuin. I struggle with going from that to a giant fibreglass pumpkin with Mickey on it.
However it is Mickey and therefore I was at Disney, and that’s cool.
