South Florida Sun Sentinel from Fort Lauderdale, Florida • Page 114

4J Sun-Sentinel, Sunday, November 13, 1994 BARBIE SPos2 A $235 BED ft BREAKFAST RT 2 HOWARD SJS O00 JOHNSON. 3 1-4 pront I OCEANSK Subject to Avllblllty MARATHON RESORT POOL CBLt MB "EST! Ml I 1.4 HoJoInn PEOPLE OPEN 493-8426 iiuiTinturr nrrBiraiXll V. 7 DAYS FT. LAUDERDALE! FROM 95 corjomy saj-on liiidA) amm 1 W- 1 1 IB" ll'lll III HIM il lilll II I I Till Mil mm Ittihitkn IMIHIII 1 I k. 1 LOJl HIEE SEA Aruba RESO.ir VACATION Just book a cabin in Category A and enjoy 3 to 7 free nights pre- or post-cruise at Aruba's newest and largest beachside casino resort: La Cabana! Offer is capacity-controlled and may not be available on all sailings.

Antigua itinerary starts April '95 Two onboard pools, casino, cinema Pre-and post-cruise packages available Color TV fridge in all cabins Uncrowded ship exotic ports i 7-night cruise every Sunday PhotoDALE KOPPEL At Epcot Center, "Barbie" and her friend "Skipper" sign auto graphs alter their daily penormance. rn IF YOU'RE GOING FROM PAGE 1J Annual festival draws about 2,000 Barbie collectors first day, Ouellette had sold more than 30 of the 60 dolls he had brought with him. Doors opened at 8 a.m. Friday for Mattel's Limited Edition Sale of Barbie dolls and accessories. People started lining up at 9 Thursday night.

Barbie collector Carolyn Donaldson of Northridge, Calif, promised herself she would sleep through the night. She broke her promise. The fact that her hotel room faced the front of the convention center didn't help. Sleepless in Disney World, Donaldson found herself peering out the window and watching the line get longer and longer. By 5:30 in the morning, she was on that line.

There were 179 people ahead of her. Knowing the power of the words Limited Edition, Mattel masterfully orchestrated the sale. Only Festival attendees could attend, and only with an admission ticket. There would be two opportunities to purchase, one from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.

and again from noon to 1 p.m., and there would be a limit on the number of purchases. By 1 every item had been sold. The 1,500 Dr. Barbies ($35 each), the 975 Nostalgic Gift Sets ($295 each), the 480 Red Velvet Delight Haute Couture Barbies ($95 each), the 200 Decoupage Picture Frames and even the 300 signed photographs of Barbie creator Ruth Handler with her husband, Elliott, circa 1962 In total, 10,850 items. In just under an hour, Donaldson spent $1,200.

A drop in the bucket compared to those who bought the maximum five of everything to the tune of just over $10,500. Long lines also formed for the three-hour doll signing by Barbie's dress designers, including the world-renowned Bob Mackie. During the past four years, Mackie has designed fashions for seven Barbies, which usually sell for about $150 when they first come out. (Within three years, according to experts, they've generally tripled in price.) This is Mattel catering to the affluent adult collectors, giving them a Barbie look that's slightly to the left of wholesome. "I'm a little wicked when I do Barbie," Mackie confided to a collector who waited in line for more than an hour to get up close and personal.

It was worth the wait. Some collectors say the value of a doll will double if the designer has autographed it or its box. Other collectors, like Judy Bes-ter, think autographs taint the pristine condition of the Barbie never removed from the box. Bester, who has her own Barbie Room in her Cleveland, Ohio home, admitted that she puts on white gloves before touching the boxes. But that didn't stop her from waiting in line with her Official Barbie Autograph Album.

1W D) CRUI SE 'LINE THE CRl'ISE TO THE "SOUTH SEA5T OF THE CARIBBEAN COV See your travel agent, or for a free brochure only, call 1-800-223-J 877 ext 144 The next National Barbie Convention will be held at the Albuquerque Hyatt Regency in Albuquerque, N.M., July 5-9, 1995. For information, call 1-505-823-2649. DALE KOPPEL I III 1'iW mmmmi That might have been a consolation to people who missed the workshops, a standard part of Barbie festivals that, for some reason, was omitted from this one. After all, said Barbie and Ken collector Mark Middendorf of Orlando, "We can always benefit from 'Re-rooting Barbie Hair' or 'Barbie Make-Up Once Middendorf re-rooted Ken's hair without the assistance of a prior workshop. It took him eight hours.

On Sunday afternoon, the only thing left on my agenda was Ep-cot's Magical World of Barbie a 30-minute live show about Barbie, Ken and their friends as they take a trip around the world. It doesn't speak well for travel. Imagine having your pants pulled down by a gorilla in Africa. That's what happens to Ken. After the show, people hustled over to the Showcase Plaza to line up for the Barbie and friend "meet and greet." It's a photo and autograph opportunity for children (and grown men who say their name is Ken).

An avid shopper, I hung back to scrutinize the Barbie dolls and accessories on the pushcart that's placed strategically at the front of the Barbie stage. The vendor, Bill, told me some of his dolls like the original and second edition Disney Fun Barbie ($19.95) are collectibles. "They're no longer even making them," he whispered. I was tempted. Barbiemania was obviously getting to me.

Holiday Spice. At the One-of-a-Kind Barbie Auction on Friday night, the least expensive doll went for $1,800, the most expensive for both to Maurice Norman, a Barbie dealer from Springfield, Mo. For those who weren't too exhausted from the events, and had money to spare, there were evening activities honoring Barbie. At the One-of-a-Kind Barbie Auction on Friday night, the least expensive doll went for $1,800, the most expensive for both to Maurice Norman, a Barbie dealer from Springfield, Mo. At $195 a ticket, the Celebration Banquet on Saturday night didn't come cheap either.

"Well worth it," insisted collector Kathy Smith of Orlando. "You get the exclusive 35th Anniversary Festival Barbie doll at the end of the banquet." Then Cruise Again, Free! 1 Dale Koppel is a free-lance writer who lives in Boca Raton. Living large at Wilderness Lodge outstanding Filipino staff. But hurry. An offer this fabulous can't last forever.

Call your travel agent or (800) 556-8850 now. Merry cruising! Lake Apopka Orlando FLORIDA'S TURNPIKE. vy t. ty (Nj I World I FREE FAR EAST AIR FROM FLORIDA 1 19 DAYS FROM $3,250 I SPECIAL CHRISTMAS NEW YEAR'S CELEBRATION I DEPARTS DECEMBER 16, 1994 Pearl's award-winning Spice Islands CruiseTour has become even more spectacular. Because we not only slashed our holiday fares, we've added a FREE Costa Caribbean cruise! So if you've ever yearned to see the golden temples and fantasy landscapes of the Far East, you better start packing! This exotic 19-day voyage sails back in time to megalithic villages with leaping warriors.

Unspoiled islands where bulls race across grassy plains. Destinations as exotic as their place names sound: Bawamataluo, Nias, Cupak, homelands of the Batak and Minangkabau. You'll enjoy two full days in mystical, Bali. The sun-drenched seascapes of Phuket. The ancient Buddhas of Borobudur.

Even included hotel stays in Singapore. All this plus cruising at its finest aboard the elegant Pearl with her superb cuisine and Bangkok THAIIAMD PHIXET 5 0 South China Sea JSLX)KSH Sumatra." JZ JAlURtA, Indtam Ocean y4t vl KAijAiAN. KKAKAiOA B.UI Bermuda shorts with a black T-shirt and vest. No mouse ears. I was stopped three times as I tried to get to the front door: Once for directions to the hot springs and twice for directions to the fire rock geyser.

Next time I go to Disney World, I'll pack bold-colored clothes. I definitely want to stay at the Wilderness Lodge again with its classic and surprisingly tasteful Grand Hotel of the Old West-style. None of the usual Disney glitz here. I'll take my husband, too. As long as he promises to order room service and use the stairs.

Rates: Range from $149 for a standard view during "value" season to $580 for the presidential suite any time of the year. Many of the standard view rooms have below-standard views; make sure you find out what your, view is of before you book. Or consider upgrading to a woods view depending on season) or courtyardlake view Information: For reservations at all Disney hotels, call 1-407-934-7639. -DALE KOPPEL It never dawned on me, as I headed for the Barbie Festival, that people would stare at me. But I was Alone at Disney World.

No one goes to Disney World alone. This is what happens if you do. Looking back, it wasn't all bad. I took the stairs. I shared my first elevator at Disney's Wilderness Lodge with a family of four.

The parents were of the "hit first, think later" school of discipline. So when the two kids started fighting over who would push the elevator buttons, it took me only four floors to decide that I'd be taking the stairs in the future. That was good. I got in some extra exercise and got to enjoy the creative nooks and vistas from the open interior staircase overlooking the lobby that resembled a Lincoln Logs fantasy. I ate in my room.

I found that I actually enjoyed eating in my room. For breakfast it meant that I avoided being joined by Goofy (for a photo and an autograph opportunity) at the "Character Breakfast Stampede." It meant that I was not brought food by waitresses with arrows through their heads. For dinner it meant I could try something different, like the sau-teed smoked elk sausage appetizer. If I didn't like it I could flush it down the toilet rather than have one of the perpetually smiling waitresses sound like my Jewish Staff graphicANDY DORSET!" mother when I didn't eat everything on my plate. Much to my surprise, I liked the smoked elk sausage and ate the whole thing.

I got mistaken for staff. The staff at the Wilderness Lodge resemble overgrown Eagle Scouts. One morning I came down to the lobby wearing khaki a CRUISES There is no substitute for experience Tel: (305) 772-8600 (800) 556-8850 Fax: (305) 491-5099 Hours: Weekdays 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Sundays 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.

EST Per person, double occupancy for minimum cabin ategoi) Including free round Irip air to SinRapre him Miami. Fort buder(Uc, Ortado, Tampa or Jackson only. Passengers may be required 10 depart one day earlier. Complimentary 7-day cruise-only aboard the tela Romanlica or Costa Classica deparunR Nov. or Dec.

1994 and I Sonic restrictions may apply fan charc.es and airport taxes not included May not be combined with other promotional offer. Ship's Kmislrv Bahamas. 3 (ffl ELKIN TRAVEL UNBELIEVABLE PRICES UNBELIEVABLE SERVICE FOR MORE RESERVATIONS, RESERVE SPACE IN TRAVEL. CALL (305) 356-4105. Sun-Sentinel NEARLY 1.1 MILLION BROWARDSOUTH PALM BEACH ADULTS DID LAST YEAR.

Reach them in their hometown paper. Advertise in the travel section. Call (305) 356-4105. Sun-Sentinel.