What will you normally celebrate!?

Or rather, what will you celebrate when you’re in vacation so far away from home………….well, for Dear & I, what’s better reason to celebrate than being still in good shape after yesterday after travelling almost 26 hours from Singapore, than to call for a big celebration today!!

Besides, todate marks an even more special day for Dear & I cos it’s Dear’s Birthday today!! 36th to be exact!! And of course, where’s a better place  to spend his Birthday than The Place Where Dreams Come True - Walt Disney World!!

Since childhood, it’s been Dear’s dream to visit Walt Disney World, & this’s more of his dream than coming to the United States of America itself, cos he’s never really liked long flghts too much - but like I always tell him, he’s got to come to America if he wana come to Walt Disney World!!! 

And it was a good thing that I came across on the Internet while researching & planning for our Trip to Orlando, that I found out that begining January 2009 - you get to be in the Walt Disney World absolutely FREE on your Birthday!! YES you didn’t misread the text - it’s FREE ADMISSION on Everybody’s Birthday!! Whoa Whoa just how so COOL is that!!!!

And so we decided to arrive 2 days earlier than expected, before Dear starts attending his Solidworks World 2009 Conference on Sunday.

And here’s an ENJOY FLORIDA Walt Disney World Birthday Celebration Guide which we have from Quality Inn International where we’re staying :

And the following is the Map of the Walt Disney World Resort. Besides Disney’s Wide World Sports of Complex & Downtown Disney Area, Walt Disney World has 4 Theme Parks namely the Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios & Epcot, & 2 Water Parks - Blizzard Beach Water Park & Typhoon Lagoon Water Park.

And on Dear’s wish since it’s his Birthday today - we decided to visit the Most Magical Place on Earth - the Magic Kingom, cos it’s the Original First Park built at Walt Disney World Resort in Oct 1, 1971!! Now that’s the year I was born too heheh!!

Time to Enjoy the Magic - Map of Walt Disney World Resort :

Dear & I had a very good sleep on our very first night at the Quality Inn International as the bed is extremely comfortable. And we woke up very early to be on time for the Hotel Tour Desk which opens at 7am - to check on the Hotel Shuttle Service to Walt Disney World.

Walt Disney World Shuttle Schedule from Quality Inn International :

Looking at the Schedule, we’ll be taking the first Shuttle at 7.55am by Town & Country Transportation to Magic Kingdom. It costs us each US$16 (net price) per Round Trip which is a total of almost $50 Singapore dollars - WOW!! that’s really very expensive but we’re told that it costs even much more if we take Taxi, plus the local public Bus transportation will take far too long like 2 hours!!

Haha, so Dear & I better stick with this Hotel Shuttle Service cos some money just can’t be saved especially during Vacations!! However, all the Hotel Shuttle Buses do not go directly to the individual Theme Park, but only bring us to the Transportation & Ticket Centre at Walt Disney World, & from there we’ll need to take a Monorail to our designated Disney Park. 

Here’s a pic of the Walt Disney World Monorail taken during our Shuttle Bus ride towards the Resort :

Located at Lake Buenu Vista about 14 miles (23 km) Southwest of Orlando City via Interstate 4, Walt Disney World Resort is actually only 10 mins away from Quality Inn International, but our ride in the Shuttle Bus takes about an hour to arrive as it goes around picking up passengers from neighbouring Hotels. But Dear & I enjoy the ride very much as it’s a good chance for us to sight see Orlando in the Sunshine State.

We’re now entering the Walt Disney World Carpark :

Below show us arriving at the massive Carpark at the Walt Disney Tansportation & Ticket Centre :

And upon getting off the Shuttle Bus, the Bus driver hands Dear & I the following RETURN TRIP SHUTTLE TICKET for our return transportation back to Quality Inn International :

Walt Disney World RETURN Trip Shuttle Ticket by Town & Country Transportation :

And like young kids running towards the Playground - Dear & I hurry towards the Walt Disney World Transportation & Ticket Centre to queue infront of the WILL CALL Counter - heheh not too bad, cos there’re not as many people as we’re expected - guess today’s a Weekday - Friday!!

Dear queuing at the WILL CALL Counter - now here’s where Dear gets to redeem his Disney Theme Park FREE Admission Pass cos remember………..it’s his Birthday today!!

Look who’s with me here below!?!? An American Black Boy - heheh I can’t help telling Dear how handsome this Black Boy is who’s queuing infront of us with his buddies. Then I start chatting with him as I notice he too keeps looking our way - & I ask if it’s also his Birthday today as Dear’s & he points to his nearby adult lady friend & tells me that it’s her Birthday instead.

And of course I can’t resist not asking him to take a photo with me haha - just look at his SMILEY face he’s so beautiful!!!

Soon, it’s our turn at the WILL CALL Counter where Dear produces his Driving License to show identification & proof that it’s truely his Birthday today to have his FREE Disney Park Admission Pass for.

For residents living in America, you can register online to speed things up cos you just need to bring the email confirmation (that you receive online) on your birthday itself at the Walt Disney World Theme Park for your FREE entry.

And it so happens that the Sales Ticketing guy at the WILL CALL Counter has got a Son-in-law named James too as he’s telling us heheh!! Anyway, here’re some DISNEY Guides that we receive fom him :

There’re different Disney Park Passes that you can get - with Options of just 1-Park Admission, or Park Hopper which entitles you to hop between & around different Theme Parks & Water Parks for 1 Day up to 7 Days :

And as Dear will be attending his Conference starting tomorrow for 4 days leaving me all alone in Orlando, & we have other plans for the subsequent 3 to 4 days that we’re extending after his Conference, we decide that we can only afford to have 1-Day Passes to the Disney World.

Well, here we’ve got the HAPPY BIRTHDAY! - Celebrate Today!! Mickey FREE Admission Pass, & a specially written free HAPPY BIRTHDAY JAMES Tag for Dear - from the WILL CALL Counter :

Reverse side of HAPPY BIRTHDAY! - Celebrate Today! MICKEY FREE Admission Pass :

And I’m GOOFY for the Day  - my  Celebrate Everyday! Walt Disney World - GOOFY Admission Pass, & its Reverse side. And of course mine’s not for FREE but at a PRICEY cost of US$75, not inclusive of TAX yet!! And that’s equivalent to S$122 Singapore dollars!!

And now, these are our Disney Times & Information, & Guidemap, to Magic Kingdom :

Heheh today’s indeed a SPECIAL Day as there’s an extended hour at Magic Kingdom closing at 10pm instead!!

Dear & I next come to the Walt Disney World Monorail Station next to the Disney Transportation & Ticket Centre, as we need to take a Monorail to the Magic Kingdom :

The Monorail arrives promptly & about 15 mins later, we’ve our first glimpse of the Happiest Place on Earth - the Magic Kingdom - under the sunny bright Blue sky!!

Hey doesn’t the Disney World Railway Station look so familiar ha?!?! Of course it does cos Dear & I can still remember very well the scenes of the Hong Kong Disneyland where we were last May!!

Dear standing infront of the Walt Disney World Railway with the Train just coming into Station - infront of the authentic MICKEY head-shaped flower arrangement - btw, Dear’s wearing his Walt Disney HAPPY BIRTHDAY JAMES Tag on his favourite MICKEY Mouse Sweater we bought from Hong Kong International Airport last May :

And like history repeating itself just less than a year later, Dear & I are now looking at the Magic Kingdom Guidemap. Hahah never in the world would we imagine that we’ll be standing right here at the Walt Disney World so soon!!

And it all feels like a DREAM come true for both Dear & I!! In fact, Dear’s in smiley & dreamy spirits since this morning, & more so now, & he still can’t believe he’s really right here at the Walt Disney World!!

And haha it’s my turn to be a PRINCESS Minnie now - trying on a MINNIE Pinky Hat from the first Disney Souvenir Kiosk we see - still remember Mom used to bring back home a black plastic MICKEY head-shaped Hat just like this from Disneyland California for Me :

Here’s a pic of Mom & Dad with my 4th Sister at Disneyland California back in the 1980s - when Mom & Dad attended Sis’s graduation convocation in the University of Houston, Taxes, & after which they toured USA, & brought me my Black Mickey Hat :

Back to my Walt Disney World story - Dear & I see Disney Chip & Dale right in the centre of Main Street, USA - a recreation of early 20th century small town America, inspired by Walt Disney’s memories of his Hometown - Heheh still remember my cutie Chippy Souvenir Magnet which I bought from Hong Kong Disneyland last May :

And then we see Pluto too!! Unfortunately there’re queues to these Disney Characters Meeting Sessions so Dear & I decide to just take photos of them without ourselves :

Now isn’t this Horse-drawn Trolley halting at the Main Street so beautiful against the bright BLUE sky?!!? Dear’s seated at its back row right now :

Close-up view of happy & excited Dear on Horse-drawn Trolley :

And as discussed last night in our Hotel, & cos we already knew the layout of Main Street, USA from our last Hong Kong Disneyland tour in May 2008, Dear & I head straight to the Disney World Main Street Confectionery - located next to the Town Square :

Our travelling plan is to either get a Cake last night upon our arrival in Orlando, to pre-celebrate Dear’s Birthday in our Hotel. Or if not, to get it today. And since we were held up by our Room ordeal till too late last night, & guess we were also too tired after the long flights from home, it’s netherless best to hunt for the Cake right now in Disney World.

We’re now inside the quaint Main Street Confectionery which consists of all kinds of assorted Chocolates & Candies, Cookies & Fudges :

And of course I literally run straight to the Bakery counter hoping to find beautiful Disney-themed Cakes!!

And guess what I see!!! Mickey head-shaped Cakes!!! Heheh that’s really so Disney oriented!! And haha I’m extremely excited & jumping for joy as I’ve never seen anything like these!!

But hey, they aren’t really Cakes when we look closer!! And upon checking with the very friendly Counter staff whom we believe is a local immigrant from Portugal, we were told that they’re made of Sugar, Cereals & Marshmallows!! Heheh sound really yummy yummy!!

We see more Crisped Rice Treats among Candy & Caramel Apples :

Then Dear & I make our way to the next-door Main Street Bakery hoping to find more conventional Cakes but we immediately step out again cos it’s packed with long queues & crowds having Breakfasts.

And Dear & I decide to order one of the Crisped Rice Treats as his Birthday Cake which we’ll collect upon leaving Disney World :

Once outside the Main Street Confectionery, Dear & I are very lucky to meet a well-known Disney Character Mary Poppins, who’s walking along the Main Street, USA where nobody seems to take much notice of her. And that’s just great for us cos we can have pcitures with her with no hassle heheh!!

And well, Marry Poppins keeps singing beside Dear till I’m ready to take their pic :

Now’s my turn with the magical English Nanny of the 60s :

And here’s a pic of Dear & Myself taken by a fellow passer-by, who’s just started a queue for the Mary Poppins Meet & Photography Session with his family behind us :

Dear & I soon bid Marry Poppins Goodbye & start walking towards the end of Main Street, USA where we’ve been eagerly waiting to see the biggest & most magical ICON of Walt Disney World!!

Well, are you planning for a SPECIAL someone’s BIG date?!!! Come on down to Walt Disney World now like Dear’s celebrating his Birthday here with me at the Most Magical Place on Earth!!

Go on see my following Slideshow of all photos taken of this Post - MAGIC MAGIC everywhere I bet you won’t regret any bits of it as Dear & I soon find out so much later today!!