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INTERCOT > Interactive > INTERCOT Insider Archive > March 2004

Intercot.com INTERCOT Insider
 March 2004 - Edition Two

Brought to you by INTERCOT's network of sites:
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This newsletter and other past issues can also be read online at; http://www.intercot.com/interactive/insider/archive

<< Introduction >>
Can you believe we are already finished with March? It seems like yesterday that the cold weather was still lurking around every corner. Now that Spring is officially on the calendar, we all get on with nicer weather, sunshine, and trips to Florida!

Hold on to your hats and glasses, let's get started . . .

<< Military Specials with Melanears>>

Are you or your spouse active duty or retired military? Do you hold a civilian job with the Department of Defense? If so, you are in luck if you are a Disney fan and are planning a trip to Walt Disney World. With the newly renovated Shades of Green (SoG) now open in the Magic Kingdom resort area, a refresher on all the Walt Disney World ticket benefits available to military/DOD personnel seems to be in order.

The Shades of Green ticket office is located in the lobby of the hotel. No matter where you are staying (you don't have to be a Shades of Green guest to take advantage of the discount tickets), a trip to the hotel is worth the savings you will reap. That's money you will be able to spend elsewhere in the World! Just remember though...a military ID card or a DoD ID card must be presented for ALL purchases. There are no exceptions!

Now onto the hard part...which ticket option to choose, as there are so many!! If you have limited time, it's nice to know that one day/one park tickets are available, as well as single day tickets for the water parks, DisneyQuest, Pleasure Island and both miniature golf courses.

But, the biggest savings are on the multi-day tickets. 4 and 5 day Park Hoppers, good for park hopping at the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, MGM Studios and Animal Kingdom, offer an average savings of $30 per adult. 5, 6, and 7 day Park Hopper Plus passes, with plus options of one day admissions to a water park, Pleasure Island or the Wide World of Sports complex offer an average savings of $35 per adult.

The Stars and Stripes Length of Stay pass is available for Shades of Green hotel guests and guests staying at any Walt Disney World resort. The Stars and Stripes pass allows unlimited park hopping to all four theme parks, plus unlimited admission to DisneyQuest, the water parks, Pleasure Island and the Wide World of Sports complex for the length of your stay. Adult and child passes are available for 2 - 13 days and offer savings between $14 - $91 over gate prices. A little known fact is that Annual Passes are available at a discount through SoG as well.

If you want to purchase your passes before you arrive at Walt Disney World, and live near a military installation, visit the MWR (Morale, Welfare and Recreation) or ITT (Information, Tickets and Tours) office on base. The experienced travel agents on hand will help you determine which ticket option is right for you and your family.

Even though a military lifestyle often involves well known disadvantages, such as long separations from loved ones, it's nice to know there are some great benefits available as well, especially for us Disney fans!

<< Dining Review
Dinner at 'Ohana with Piglet822 >>


A recent visit from a friend brought me to 'Ohana's for dinner for the very first time. I've always wanted to try dinner, having already been there for breakfast a year or so back. Finally I was going to have the opportunity.

Where to start? I arrived early and had a seat in the small lounge off the bar area where I relaxed and just soaked up the atmosphere. Drinks can be ordered if desired but I was content to just sit back and people watch, a hobby of mine, and this is a great place to do it.

My friend arrives and we check in at the podium and wait until one of our "cousins" calls us in for dinner. 'Ohana means *family* and everyone here is your cousin. Cousin Theresa seated us and went over the menu. The menu lists all the items you receive; this is a buffet which is brought to you. For the little ones, you can order something specific to their liking. While we were there the family at the next table ordered grilled cheese and hot dogs for their kids.

A lazy susan is already on the table and shortly after being seated, a cousin brought us a tray loaded with yummy things to eat. A salad with a honey lime dressing, chicken wings with some sort of a honey sauce on it, string beans, fried rice, some dipping sauces, and I can't recall what else. Everything was absolutely delicious.

Special dietary requests can be accommodated with no problem. My friend has some food allergies and after mentioning it our server, the chef was at our table before we even knew what was happening. He spent several minutes patiently answering questions and making suggestions and some dishes were prepared without the added sauces.

We were given some time with our appetizers and then the main courses were brought in. Succulent grilled shrimp, turkey, pork, and steak are brought to you on skewers. Just tell the server what you want and it's placed before you. I cannot say enough about how delicious the food was. We both ate until we were stuffed, our plates piled high with our shrimp shells. For dessert, fresh pineapple and caramel dipping sauce, which is included with the meal. Out of this world. I had read about this here on INTERCOT and couldn't wait to try it out for myself. I was not disappointed. There is also a dessert menu available and for a bit of an added cost, not much, you can have your choice of desserts. Everything looked wonderful.

One thing I thoroughly enjoyed and got quite a kick out of was the view of the castle we had from our table. Every 10 minutes or so the castle would change color and I chuckled when I overheard another server telling her table that she just could not decide what color to keep it so she keeps changing it. Absolutely stunning! After we ate our fill, we wandered out onto the beach where we were able to catch Wishes. A fantastic way to end an evening.

I highly recommend 'Ohana's, while I realize it's not for everyone it's a big plus if you're on a low carb diet due to the meats that are served. You can ask for your salad with no dressing, and have the chicken wings prepared without the honey sauce as well. All can and will be done upon your request and it will be done for you with a smile.

On your next visit to Walt Disney World, I suggest making one of your PS's at 'Ohana's. You can view the current menu below; http://www.intercot.com/infocentral/dining/menus/ohanadinner.asp

<<Disney for Space Nuts with dpamac>>


Disney has had a long flirtation with space travel.  From the Rocket Rods to Astro Orbiter to Space Mountain to Horizons (moment of silence) and even World of Motion to, now Mission: Space.  The dream of traveling beyond our Earthly bounds and exploring the ether was one that was shared by Walt himself.  After all, Werner Von Braun worked with two US organizations in his career.  One was NASA.  The other Disney.  What better application of the "If You Can Dream It, You Dan Do It" philosophy than putting a man into space, sending a man to the Moon . . . Exploring Mars?

For the average space nut, Florida is heaven anyway.  From the Cape to Mission: Space, there's enough to keep a space geek drooling for weeks.  But if you miss a launch, or aren't able to make it over to the  Cape to see the real thing, you can still have the experience . . . in Disney.  Sort of.  All it takes is a little imagination.

First stop is EPCOT.  Pretend that you are simply at a theme park.  It's okay, just suspend your disbelief.  Get in line for Mission: Space and let the queue area get you excited.  Pretend you really ARE an astronaut about to go on an important mission.  But, for you, you're not on Earth when you get off the ride.  No, Future World has now become a space port!  (Yeah, yeah, it's a stretch.  I know.  But bear with me . . . I'm having fun.)  Go on over to Innoventions and, in your John Varley fueled mind, you can imagine that you've landed smack dab in the middle of a Galactic World's Fair.  Check out the new wares, technology and have a good time.  Perhaps you'll even have the opportunity to see a new-fangled people mover that uses a complex system of gyros.  (Yeah, it's a Segway.  You can book your own Segway ride.  If you're into that sort of thing. 

Now hop onto the monorail to the TTC and then over to the Magic Kingdom.  Hey, isn't that sucker futuristic?  It fits right into our little fantasy.  Let's just hope no one makes fun of us for pretending to be a visitor from another planet.  What's that?  Too late?  My wife is making fun of me?  That's okay.  I'm used to it.  Well, once you get to MK wander around Tomorrowland and pretend, again, you've arrived at another Space Port.  It's pretty easy.  With it's pseudo Steam Punk view of the future, Future World fits right into any fan boy's sci-fi reality.  What should you do while you're there?  Everything!  Ride Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin for a nice leisurely spin, while taking out some Alien hostiles.  Ride the TTA for a Logan's Run-esque ride around the city.  (There are no turkey legs in Sanctuary.)  You can watch a scary experiment at Extra-Terrorestri . . . nevermind.  And, of course, you can ride Space Mountain.  Speaking of Logan's Run, dig that groovy soundt
 rack.  Grab a burger at Cosmic Ray's and then, for a capper, head over to MGM.

That's right.  Star Tours.  Talk about a Fan Boy's dream.  George Lucas at Disney.  Well, George Lucas before he became boring.  Any Star Wars fan has always wanted to take a ride through the trench of the Death Star.  And if you've done it a thousand times, it's still cool.  To cap off the day, have dinner at Sci-Fi Dine In Theater.  You can have the Amazing Colossal Flat Iron Steak.

Yes.  I am a geek.  But I'm okay with that.

It's okay.  You want Real Science.  No problem.  On April 6, NASA scientists will be at Mission: Space to discuss the latest Mars Rover findings and to unveil a plaque of quotes that will be located in the Mission: Space courtyard.  For more information visit this thread http://www.intercot.com/boards/ultimatebb.php?/topic/8/4870.html .

Okay, so our trip to space wasn't exactly rooted in reality.  But that's okay.  Because in Walt Disney World, you're allowed to be a six-year-old indulging in your own fantasies.  Besides, the point is, if you're a space nut, like me, there's plenty to occupy you in WDW.  And I've only barely scratched the surface.

<< Conclusion >>


Thanks to all of our contributors and readers. We'll see you in a few weeks with another edition of the Insider. Meanwhile, happy INTERCOTing.

<< INTERCOT Would Like To Thank>>

The INTERCOT Insider and INTERCOT.com are supported by the following sponsors who in turn, help us bring the Magic to you!

Magical Journeys
Magical Journeys is your Disney Vacation specialist. Start planning your Vacation Discount Dreams today!
Website: http://www.yourmagicaljourneys.com/

Radisson Resort Parkway
Right in the heart of action! Only 1.5 miles from Walt Disney World is an oasis of ponds, beautiful landscaping, serene waterfalls and relaxing options hiding in every corner.
Website: http://orlando.guestselectresorts.com?pid=INTERCOTN

All Star Vacation Homes
When you need a home away from home, look no further. From comfort to luxury, All Star Vacation Homes has it all in four series of homes to fit any taste and any budget just moments from the magic of Walt Disney World!
Website: http://www.allstarvacationhomes.com?ovchn=OTHER&ovcpn=Listing+Sites&ovcrn=intercot&ovtac=AD

Happy Limo
Providing ground transportation to the entire state of Florida.
Website: http://www.quicksilver-tours.com

The Official Ticket Center
Walt Disney World’s, Universal Studios and Sea World’s #1 guest service provider for the last 3 years. The Official Ticket Center has been servicing vacationers for more than 7 years now and sells tickets only, at a discount price.
Website:
http://www.officialticketcenter.com/default.aspx?affid=TC21LBC

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