Trip Report Our BWV Holiday TR -

Hi everybody, hope you enjoy! Its been over 5 months since our visit (feels like eternity) but I figured better late than never. I always have the best intentions to write a TR upon returning but never find the time. Well, I just imported pictures to the computer so I thought it this was a good opportunity since Ive done all my Saturday chores and the wife wont be home for a few hours. First, A brief story of how our trip came to fruition.

It was a sultry night, (bonus points if you get that reference) on a late June evening of 2014. 4 months had passed since our last visit to WDW and we had decided to take a year off from visiting for various reasons. My wife had seen me lurking on the Disney website several times and warned me if I booked a trip she would be very upset. Shes Italian and trust me, you dont want those problems, lol! One reason was that some work on our home needed to be done and as much as she loves Disney she wanted to use our vacation money for some upgrades. She urged me to hold off for one year and while I hated the idea, I obliged.

So, she had just returned home from running errands and I was preparing diner. I waited a few minutes for her to get settled in and as she sat down at the bar in our kitchen I told her I had a surprise. She got a big smile on her face and said, "you got dessert for after diner!!??" I laughed and told her to open the laptop. As she did she was met with the Disney confirmation screen showing a 6 night stay at Boardwalk Villas for December. She looked up at me and said, "is this real"? (she knows I can use photoshop ). I said yes, its real. Her jaw slowly dropped and her head slightly tilted... and I prepared for the battle that was sure to ensue. She quickly turned back to the computer screen and was scanning over the information. My hands got clammy and I could feel the sweat beginning to surface. To my complete amazement, her facial expression slowly turned into a grin, then morphed into a huge smile as she looked back up at me. She hopped out of her chair and began dancing around and singing. I had a whole defense prepared in the event she rejected it, but no worries... she was happy, and as the saying goes, "happy wife, happy life". So let the fun begin!

Just a small cast of my wife and I for this trip. We dont have children (yet)

The trip was 7 months out from the day I surprised her so we had plenty of time to research all the great Christmas offerings we could experience. We always leave Atlanta around 3 AM because its not like we can sleep the night before and it usually puts us in Orlando by 11 am at the latest. We were all packed up, had extra clothes for the crazy December weather in Florida, double and triple checked the house, a large cup of coffee for me, the driver, or, the "Transporter" as I like to call myself (Jason Stathem accent of course), and it was time to hit the rode! This was a much needed trip as our truly beloved cat, Jazzy (the cat in my avatar) had passed away just a month before the trip. He was a great friend and it hit us both very, very hard. A year prior, we had rescued a little cat from a parking lot, (whom we named Ruxin) that was virtually Jazz's identical twin and we had smothered him with so much love after Jazz passed that I think he needed a break from us constantly showering him with affection, lol.

So we hit the road and drove off into the night on our way to Orlando! We never take any pics on the way down because its mostly dark and my wife sleeps the whole way until the sun rises. I always bring a few stand up comedy CD's and a few paranormal podcasts to keep me company for the drive. Smooth sailing to Orlando with a quick stop at Publix for supplies and before you know it we were driving under the arch.

Never gets old! Day 1 continued in next post...

 

[wdisney9000]

The "so Cool" parents would have driven me crazy as well.

They would have put an enlightened Buddhist Monk's patience level to the test. Bless them for wanting their child to have a good experience but it was just waaaaaaay over the top.

 

[sheriffwoody]

I've been patiently waiting for the encounter with the neighbors! I can't imagine...I wouldn't have been able to keep from giggling a little. Good for them! I guess sometimes vacation brings out the beast (horse?) in people.

 

[worldfanatic]

So Denis Farina was banging a horse next door to you.....

Only at Disney World.

 

[catmom46]

I saw the picture first and was like OMG!!! But then read that it wasn't. So let down...

 

[catmom46]

Oh, and thank you for at least writing part of day 5. I was starting to go through withdrawal...

 

[catmom46]

Day 6??? Starting to get the shakes now...

 

[MinnieM123]

We really just went through Epcot to get to the Monorail so we could get to MK. Why go that route, you ask? Well, for one we enjoy the walk from the International Gateway to the front of the park, but also because we can hit Starbucks on the way. The buses to MK in the morning tend to be a bit crowded as well, so this way allows to start the day without jockeying for position on a crowded bus.

First of all, I'm really enjoying your trip report! I just noticed it a short while ago.

Wanted to share that I was staying at the SWAN, 2 weeks ago, and I would also cut through Epcot and get the monorail over to MK sometimes, especially in the morning. If it was afternoon, I'd catch a MK bus at my hotel, as that worked out better. I love the Epcot resorts, and it's so easy to take the boat to either Epcot or Hollywood Studios. Bus service to AK, MK and the water parks was good, too. I think the convenient location of these resorts (Yacht, Beach, Boardwalk, Swan, Dolphin) really helps to maximize your time at WDW. Glad that you and your wife had a wonderful vacation!

 

[wdisney9000]

First of all, I'm really enjoying your trip report! I just noticed it a short while ago.

Wanted to share that I was staying at the SWAN, 2 weeks ago, and I would also cut through Epcot and get the monorail over to MK sometimes, especially in the morning. If it was afternoon, I'd catch a MK bus at my hotel, as that worked out better. I love the Epcot resorts, and it's so easy to take the boat to either Epcot or Hollywood Studios. Bus service to AK, MK and the water parks was good, too. I think the convenient location of these resorts (Yacht, Beach, Boardwalk, Swan, Dolphin) really helps to maximize your time at WDW. Glad that you and your wife had a wonderful vacation!

How do you like the Swan and Dolphin? We have wanted to try it but usually give in an book BC or YC. The restaurants at S&D have always intrigued us as well.

Do you have a TR for your stay?

 

[wdisney9000]

Day 5 (evening)

Took a little bit longer than I expected to get back to this Trip Report. Work, life, family and laziness all contributed to the delay, lol. Lets get day 5 evening started though!!!

So after a great morning and afternoon which included finally seeing our neighbors, we were pumped to get to HS and see the Osbourne Lights. We poured some brews and jumped on the path for a nice to walk to HS.
I know I mentioned it before but I will say it again- A great part of staying at the Boardwalk resorts is the proximity to the parks. The walk to Epcot is a breeze, and the walk to HS may seem long if you have never done it, but it actually goes by quite fast. If you happen to walk out of the resort and there is a Friendship Boat already docked, ten hop on, but usually thats not the case. The time you will spend waiting for a boat to come, then dock and let everyone on, then make a few more stops, can take longer than just walking. But dont get me wrong, its not even about getting to the park quickly.

As you can tell, my wife and I eat, snack and drink a lot on our trips (as most folks do) and the walk is not only great to burn a few extra calories, but its also an excellent way to enjoy a little quality time with your spouse and/or family. The days can get so busy and its nice to slow down for 15 minutes and just be together as a family without waiting in a line, dodging people or sitting at a QS spot surrounded by people. If its just my wife and I, we will discuss fun stuff like what it would be like to retire in Orlando and be able to visit the parks often or what Disney job we would want the most. If we are there with family and we take the walk to HS, we always engage the kids and they take turns telling us their favorite part of the day so far or what snack they want the most when we get to the park. We also throw in little Disney trivia games as well. The kids LOVE to play and its a great way to nurture their budding love for Disney. So if your ever considering the Boardwalk resorts and your unsure about the walking aspect or you think it may be a pain in the butt, trust me, its not. There are plenty of ways to make it a great part of your day, and if you enjoy adult beverages like us, crack the top, pour it up and enjoy the awesome scenery while you start a good buzz for the park!

Theres your HS pathway 101 for the day, now onto the park itself.

We had some time to spare before the Osbourne Lights and since Star Tours is right by SoA it seemed like a good place to head. On our way I decided to take a jab at my Mom and catch up on some "verklempt" photos for the family.

My wife got in on the fun at Star Tours

I got scolded by a CM for trying to sneak a beer into One Mans Dream

Not really, we were just playing around. She was a really cool CM.

We mad a pit stop at Writers Stop for a carrot cake cookie before the show! We took several videos of the show and just a few pictures. Not knowing if this would be the last time we would see it, we really wanted to soak it all in. Heres a blurry photo my wife took of me though.

We found the "hidden cat" soon after. We always love looking for it. For anyone who doesnt know about the cat, heres a quick story. When Jennings Osbourne's lights were shipped to Disney, a purple cat from his Halloween decorations was accidentally shipped with the lights. Now, each year they hide it in a different location. Im not 100% sure if that is the true story but its what we were told. Either way, thats what we believe and we are sticking to it! We have even seen it moved twice in one trip. Always a good time hunting around the displays looking for it. There is also the leg lamp from the movie "Christmas Story" placed in the displays somewhere if you want an extra challenge.

We spent a lot of time with the lights and walking around Streets of America. It was a blast. Sorry for the lack of photos. We mostly took silly videos that we sent to our family so I wont bore you with those.

I cant remember what else we did after the show because we had put our phones away and I was about 5 beers deep for the night so my memories a little foggy. Knowing our style, we probly rode Star Tours again. I do know that we rode TGMR at some point as it was the only other photo I have of the night.

That wraps it up for day 5. Ill be starting day 6 tomorrow. Have a great day everybody and sing along....

Hooray for Hollywood,
Where you're terrific if you're even good.
Where anyone at all from Shirley Temple to Aimee Semple
Is equally understood
Go out and try your luck, you might be Donald Duck
Hooray for Hollywood..

 

[catmom46]

Yay! Got my fix today and looking forward to tomorrow! You guys seem like so much fun to hang with. Maybe one of these days our trips will overlap and I'll be able to experience the hilarity in person.

 

[lostpro9het]

...There is also the leg lamp from the movie "Christmas Story" placed in the displays somewhere if you want an extra challenge....

Challenge accepted:

 

[Mom@disney]

Quiet time from the parks is nice. We do this often on our trips and it makes a big difference in our moods. It is vacation, so why not sit back and relax for a bit...

 

[MinnieM123]

How do you like the Swan and Dolphin? We have wanted to try it but usually give in an book BC or YC. The restaurants at S&D have always intrigued us as well.

Do you have a TR for your stay?

My favorite of the two is the Swan, because it's a smaller hotel, and I just enjoy the quieter vibe. (The Dolphin is also a good hotel, and offers better views, (generally speaking). The Dolphin is larger and caters more to conventions, so it tends to be a bit more high energy over there.) This time at the Swan, I had a great view from the 9th floor in the renovated rooms section; I could see the evening fireworks from Epcot to my left and the fireworks from DHS to my right, out the large guestroom windows.

I love the location of both the hotels, but the price point is my deciding reason for staying there. Their rates are so much more reasonable than the WDW deluxes, or even some of the WDW moderates. (Plus, I have AAA and receive even further discounts on my room, and at some of the restaurants in both hotels.) I do think that the Yacht, Beach, and Boardwalk are really nice hotels, but the price is currently out of my range.

Both Swan and Dolphin share 5 pools of varying sizes. The main one is the rock grotto pool, with waterfalls and a water slide.

You and your wife might enjoy two of the restaurants over in the Dolphin. Todd English's Bluezoo, and also Shula's Steak House are both highly rated. In the Swan, is another award-winning restaurant, Kimonos, that is open for dinner. They are noted for their sushi, but also serve various Japanese dishes. (And, for a light-hearted cafeteria experience, there's Picabu in the Dolphin's ground level. It's tray service with a number of options; nothing fancy, just a cheerful atmosphere and quick, self-service menu with fairly reasonable prices.)

Lastly, no I never do a trip report. I just like reading other people's TRs.

 

[wdisney9000]

-

My favorite of the two is the Swan, because it's a smaller hotel, and I just enjoy the quieter vibe. (The Dolphin is also a good hotel, and offers better views, (generally speaking). The Dolphin is larger and caters more to conventions, so it tends to be a bit more high energy over there.) This time at the Swan, I had a great view from the 9th floor in the renovated rooms section; I could see the evening fireworks from Epcot to my left and the fireworks from DHS to my right, out the large guestroom windows.

I love the location of both the hotels, but the price point is my deciding reason for staying there. Their rates are so much more reasonable than the WDW deluxes, or even some of the WDW moderates. (Plus, I have AAA and receive even further discounts on my room, and at some of the restaurants in both hotels.) I do think that the Yacht, Beach, and Boardwalk are really nice hotels, but the price is currently out of my range.

Both Swan and Dolphin share 5 pools of varying sizes. The main one is the rock grotto pool, with waterfalls and a water slide.

You and your wife might enjoy two of the restaurants over in the Dolphin. Todd English's Bluezoo, and also Shula's Steak House are both highly rated. In the Swan, is another award-winning restaurant, Kimonos, that is open for dinner. They are noted for their sushi, but also serve various Japanese dishes. (And, for a light-hearted cafeteria experience, there's Picabu in the Dolphin's ground level. It's tray service with a number of options; nothing fancy, just a cheerful atmosphere and quick, self-service menu with fairly reasonable prices.)

Lastly, no I never do a trip report. I just like reading other people's TRs.

You make it sound very tempting. I think we will try it soon and the Swan sounds like a winner for us. YC is our favorite of all the Boardwalk resorts because it is the most peaceful (and quiet) of the three. We have read up on Shulas as well and definitely want to try it. Thanks for all your input. Its very helpful.

I was hesitant to do Trip Reports for the longest time but have found that its a great way to pass the time between trips and relive a few of the moments while typing and thinking about it. Its even more fun enjoying it with great people like yourself and everybody else in this thread. Im REALLY having fun with this one. Everybody who has commented and followed along is GREAT! Your review of the Swan and Dolphin was a great read, Id love to a read trip report of yours one day. Ive been looking forward to @BuddyThomas 's as well.

 

[MinnieM123]

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You make it sound very tempting. I think we will try it soon and the Swan sounds like a winner for us. YC is our favorite of all the Boardwalk resorts because it is the most peaceful (and quiet) of the three. We have read up on Shulas as well and definitely want to try it. Thanks for all your input. Its very helpful.

I was hesitant to do Trip Reports for the longest time but have found that its a great way to pass the time between trips and relive a few of the moments while typing and thinking about it. Its even more fun enjoying it with great people like yourself and everybody else in this thread. Im REALLY having fun with this one. Everybody who has commented and followed along is GREAT! Your review of the Swan and Dolphin was a great read, Id love to a read trip report of yours one day. Ive been looking forward to @BuddyThomas 's as well.

Thank you. I'm also looking forward to reading more about your trip.

As mentioned, if you do stay at the Swan, try to remember to request a higher level floor, and either the Epcot fireworks view or DHS view, in one of the newly renovated rooms. (Some people also enjoy the guestroom views overlooking the pool area. I'm not sure if those rooms have been newly renovated yet. Their regular rooms are fine, though.)

Their web site (depending upon your travel dates) offers multiple options in a number of categories, so browse carefully, or call the hotel directly (not their 800 reservation line) and ask for specifics. (Note: If reserving online, requesting an upper level floor would have to be written in your comments section.) There is also the daily $23 charge per room, for the service package, and if you have a car, I believe they charge a daily rate for parking. I take a taxi from the airport, so I don't know what the parking rate is for a car.

Still, even with those add-ons, it's hundreds of dollars less per day, (providing it's not high season, or selling out if there's some large meeting groups there at the time) than the Disney deluxes in the Epcot area. The Swan and Dolphin aren't as Disney "immersive" as the WDW deluxes, but they're good hotels, in a great location, and reasonably priced for that market.

 

[lostpro9het]

... Todd English's Bluezoo, and also Shula's Steak House are both highly rated. In the Swan, is another award-winning restaurant, Kimonos, that is open for dinner...

Just from our own experience, Il Mulino was a great dining choice for the DW and I, twice! Complementary appetizer and after dinner drinks are provided. We went there on our 15th anniversary and the waiter kept refilling our limoncello since it was our anniversary until we finally said no more! We're going back there this year for our 17th.
Goooood stuff right here

 

[wdisney9000]

Yay! Got my fix today and looking forward to tomorrow! You guys seem like so much fun to hang with. Maybe one of these days our trips will overlap and I'll be able to experience the hilarity in person.

That sounds like fun. First round is on me!

 

[catmom46]

That sounds like fun. First round is on me!

Oh, and I will hold you to that promise! I'm also a beer drinker so that first round will definitely need to be somewhere in the World Showcase.

 

[catmom46]

-

I was hesitant to do Trip Reports for the longest time but have found that its a great way to pass the time between trips and relive a few of the moments while typing and thinking about it. Its even more fun enjoying it with great people like yourself and everybody else in this thread. Im REALLY having fun with this one. Everybody who has commented and followed along is GREAT! Your review of the Swan and Dolphin was a great read, Id love to a read trip report of yours one day. Ive been looking forward to @BuddyThomas 's as well.

I am also looking forward to Buddy's trip report! I'm sure it will be fabulous as well.

 

[NCO91590]

Hahaha! Your TR is killing me for real. Did they make eye contact with you on the balcony? I mean, surely they know that you could hear them! Awwwwkkkkkwwwwaaaard.

So, earlier you asked about how your trips will change when you have kids. It's fun to see the looks on your kids faces, the wonder and the joy WDW brings. But I can tell you, that our next trip is grownups only and DH and I are getting DRUNK.