Trip Report 3 Day trip and no Parks.....just chillaxing-COMPLETED

I’m sharing because I know you all will get this….with the loss of a job due to pandemic we had to give up our annual passes.
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Our last trip to Disney was June 2021. Needless to say, I’M HAVING MISSING DISNEY JITTERS!!
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I keep mentioning to the Hubs we should just drive the 2 hours over and do the “free”** stuff (Downtown, Monorail resort hop, etc). I can totally be good with that.
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I just need to be close to the bubble!! Well……he finally said yes AND he actually brought up booking an on-site room.
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We first booked a 1 night stay at a Moderate but looked again and found a 2-night Fl Resident rate that was just about the same price at an All-Star. We will be spending 3 days and 2 nights. YAY! YAY! YAY! So Thursday to Saturday this week I get to lounge around a Disney pool and cure my jitters!!
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Thank you for letting me share :)


** I put free in quotes because I know we would have to pay for gas, food, adult beverages yada yada
 
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rshell68

rshell68

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
We are officially in the
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timetable!!!

Just have to make it through the longest day ever at work tomorrow and we'll be on I-75 headed to good old I-4 (unless we take back roads) by 3pm. I'm very sure not much will get done tomorrow I'll be too busy thinking about what is ahead!!!!!
 
lindawdw

lindawdw

Well-Known Member
I think a resort only WDW trip sounds so relaxing! We spent a lot more time at the pool this past May trip and really enjoyed it!!! Just to be back in the Disney bubble will be magical. 🥰
 
rshell68

rshell68

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Darstarr said:
You will need to have 40% more fun according to Chappy.

I was there last weekend and was trying to talk my oldest into a family resort only vacation this year. He was a go but I am meeting with resistance from the other two.

Enjoy! And I will be taking mental notes😉
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Hopefully we'll be able to "fire on all cylinders" (like the parks according to our friend Chappy)

And you tell those other 2 that:

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Sbk1234

Sbk1234

Well-Known Member
Looking forward to many, many photos. I love the idea of a resort only WDW trip. People forget that there's much more than just theme parks to enjoy. That's why I always want more time there; so I can enjoy the quieter parts of WDW, too.
 
rshell68

rshell68

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Ladies and gentlemen: the story you are about to read is true. Only the names have been changed to protect the innocent (or because I just plain forgot them)

Thursday, May 12th

So, after my hubs and I struggled through the day at work (yes, be both work at the same place and so far, have lived to tell about it) we were out the door by 3:00. When I checked us in online earlier in the week, I put we would be arriving at 3 even knowing it would be after. Hey, I wanted our room ready. Why don’t they just assume you are going to be there by 3. I digress….Got the room ready text at 3:02. WOOHOO

After a stop for gas and a couple of slowdowns between Sarasota and Tampa we were here by 4:15

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and with happy tears falling were through these bad boys by 5:06
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Unloaded the car and contemplated our next move. We had decided beforehand we didn’t want to do too much planning. We were going to let this be as organic as we could. We are both a little control freakish so it would be a challenge.

We, okay I, had a game plan for a few things:
  • Hanging aka drinking by the pool
  • Monorail bar hopping
  • Disney Springs - Jock Lindsay’s Hanger Bar
  • Epcot loop monorail to see all the walls
So I will give us a 2.5 out of 4
 
erstwo

erstwo

Well-Known Member
Following along! My in-laws (from Chicagoland) used to own a snow bird condo off of Bee Ridge and I used to love planning a little trip to 'the Disney bubble' on the way to/ from visiting them in the winter!
 
rshell68

rshell68

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
erstwo said:
Following along! My in-laws (from Chicagoland) used to own a snow bird condo off of Bee Ridge and I used to love planning a little trip to 'the Disney bubble' on the way to/ from visiting them in the winter!
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Where by Chicago?? If you don't mind sharing....
 
K

kalel8145

Well-Known Member
rshell68 said:
Ladies and gentlemen: the story you are about to read is true. Only the names have been changed to protect the innocent (or because I just plain forgot them)

Thursday, May 12th

So, after my hubs and I struggled through the day at work (yes, be both work at the same place and so far, have lived to tell about it) we were out the door by 3:00. When I checked us in online earlier in the week, I put we would be arriving at 3 even knowing it would be after. Hey, I wanted our room ready. Why don’t they just assume you are going to be there by 3. I digress….Got the room ready text at 3:02. WOOHOO

After a stop for gas and a couple of slowdowns between Sarasota and Tampa we were here by 4:15

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and with happy tears falling were through these bad boys by 5:06
View attachment 639043

Unloaded the car and contemplated our next move. We had decided beforehand we didn’t want to do too much planning. We were going to let this be as organic as we could. We are both a little control freakish so it would be a challenge.

We, okay I, had a game plan for a few things:
  • Hanging aka drinking by the pool
  • Monorail bar hopping
  • Disney Springs - Jock Lindsay’s Hanger Bar
  • Epcot loop monorail to see all the walls
So I will give us a 2.5 out of 4
Click to expand...
Sounds like this will be a fun little get away.
 
rshell68

rshell68

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Thursday, May 12 – con’t

The original soft plan was swim for a little bit then maybe head down to the Springs. That was ditched for the Monorail Bar Hop. We hopped on the bus to
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then headed to Resort Monorail. First stop, Contemporary. We really are not too up to speed on the Contemporary. We’ve eaten at Chef Mickey’s, parasailed in the Marina and maybe had a drink at the Wave but we really didn’t know bar wise what we were getting in to. As we wandered and pondered, I mentioned the 2 bars at WL we knew we really liked so Hubs said let’s jump on the boat. Well, we sat and sat. No boat ever showed up even though the sign said there was boat transportation. After about 20 minutes we decided to forget the Lodge and headed back inside. This is where our .5 out of the 4.5 comes in……coming back in we passed the check in for
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Hubs went to the ladies working and said we didn’t have reservations but wondered if there was room at the bar. The one young lady working (didn’t get her name) said let me check….10 minutes later we are here
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Okay people we have been going to Disney for 20 years now and never in my wildest dreams did I think I would be eating at the California Grill. I'm sure I looked like a complete idiot walking off the elevator. I was in shock and awe and in tears. Needless to say, our bar hopping was not going to happen. I was not moving from my seat until after fireworks.

We had 2 hours to kill. Clinta (our bartender) was awesome! He paced everything perfectly! We started with a couple of drinks (Sonoma Maple Bourbon Old Fashioned and Blackberry Sour)
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and the short rib wonton appetizer. We also shared the Anniversary dinner: Florida Peach and Raspberry Salad, Oak-Fired Filet of Beef and the Valrhona Chocolate Torte. Sorry no pics of food. We had the salad served and then Clinta asked if we wanted our entrée before or after fireworks. We went for after. Little before 9 we went out to observation deck to start the countdown

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We sat back down and food arrived not 5 minutes later. We soaked it all in before we headed back down to earth.

Needless to say, we didn’t make any more Monorail stops other than MK to get bus back to resort. I really am still overwhelmed by it all.
 

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