Pre-Trip Bounceback to the Beach Club for Food & Wine (September 2017)

Who: DH (@Mrhappyplace ) and me- Amber!
When: Thursday, September 7th- Sunday, September 10th, 2017
Where: Beach Club

Sorry for the inundation of of Trip Report threads and Pre-Trip threads, but it's easier for us to add our plans as we make them in their own threads!

So this trip came about by utilizing the bounceback offer from my stay last weekend (February 24-26). We will be staying at the Beach Club, which is very exciting to us because of several reasons:
1. proximity (yay walking distance) to two parks, but especially Epcot because of F&W
2. the pool!! We definitely plan on using it!
3. it is another new resort to us! (together DH and I have gotten to stay at WL, Boardwalk, BLT, CBR...and we are attempting to stay at as many as we can!)

We don't plan on making many, if any, ADRs, though we might try one of the steakhouses in the area (Shula's, Yachtsman, or Big River Grille), or maybe possibly Il Mulino. If anyone has preferences between these places, let us hear it!

This will be a more laid-back trip, we think. Not as many plans as our upcoming May trip. Go to the park, most probably Epcot in the am, go back and swim & relax, head back into a park in the evening. We will be missing Avatarland on our May trip (though hopefully there will be some kind of soft openings), so our evenings will most likely be there.

Will update as it gets closer, but just wanted to get this set up for now.

 

[amjt660]

Hi Happy Place

Lead, Follow or Get out of the way

You lead, I follow!!!!

Max

 

[amjt660]

Who: DH (@Mrhappyplace ) and me- Amber!
When: Thursday, September 7th- Sunday, September 10th, 2017
Where: Beach Club

Sorry for the inundation of of Trip Report threads and Pre-Trip threads, but it's easier for us to add our plans as we make them in their own threads!

So this trip came about by utilizing the bounceback offer from my stay last weekend (February 24-26). We will be staying at the Beach Club, which is very exciting to us because of several reasons:
1. proximity (yay walking distance) to two parks, but especially Epcot because of F&W
2. the pool!! We definitely plan on using it!
3. it is another new resort to us! (together DH and I have gotten to stay at WL, Boardwalk, BLT, CBR...and we are attempting to stay at as many as we can!)

We don't plan on making many, if any, ADRs, though we might try one of the steakhouses in the area (Shula's, Yachtsman, or Big River Grille), or maybe possibly Il Mulino. If anyone has preferences between these places, let us hear it!

This will be a more laid-back trip, we think. Not as many plans as our upcoming May trip. Go to the park, most probably Epcot in the am, go back and swim & relax, head back into a park in the evening. We will be missing Avatarland on our May trip (though hopefully there will be some kind of soft openings), so our evenings will most likely be there.

Will update as it gets closer, but just wanted to get this set up for now.

We have stayed at the Yacht club twice now so I know you will enjoy the resort, pool and especially the location.
The walk to Epcot is short and the walk to DHS is only about 15 min
The international gateway is usually not a busy entry gate and it is great to watch Illuminations on the bridge to France and who can scoot out back to your room quite quickly

You and hubby will have a great trip ( Pandora will be a bonus!!!)

Max

 

[myhappyplace]

We have stayed at the Yacht club twice now so I know you will enjoy the resort, pool and especially the location.
The walk to Epcot is short and the walk to DHS is only about 15 min
The international gateway is usually not a busy entry gate and it is great to watch Illuminations on the bridge to France and who can scoot out back to your room quite quickly

You and hubby will have a great trip ( Pandora will be a bonus!!!)

Max

We have visited the Yacht and Beach Clubs a couple of times, so we are very excited to be staying there! The International Gateway and proximity to Epcot and DHS are some thing we enjoyed on our Boardwalk trip in 2015, so it was a priority to stay in that area again since it will be Food and Wine time!

Thanks for following along!

 

[myhappyplace]

Bumping this up, since I've completed our most recent trip report, so now it is time to start looking toward this trip!!

We are still thinking no ADRs. I'm sure I will be making some solo morning trips to DHS and MK. We plan on trying to get evening FP for the Avatar rides on 2 of the evenings. Mostly it will be relaxing at the pool, and eating at Food & Wine.

 

[amjt660]

Relaxing by the pool and F&W with a few rides thrown in?

Sign me up for that type of vacation!

Max

 

[Tiggerish]

We don't plan on making many, if any, ADRs, though we might try one of the steakhouses in the area (Shula's, Yachtsman, or Big River Grille), or maybe possibly Il Mulino. If anyone has preferences between these places, let us hear it!

Big thumbs up for both Il Mulino and Yachtsman. I think you'd probably be able to get away with last minute ADR or walkup at Il Mulino, but would recommend ADR for Yachtsman, even if you only try for it a few days prior. I've witnessed them turning away walkups the last several times we've eaten there (we love YS, it's one of our favorites!)

Tip: if you don't make an ADR and can't get into YS, try Crew's Cup Lounge, right next door. They share a kitchen, and the food is very good, although I don't think there's much crossover with the YS menu anymore (used to be you could order from the YS menu). One of my most memorable meals was at Crew's Cup--a lobster roll accompanied by a glass of Chardonnay. Just perfect!

Sadly, we will not cross paths this year. Girls cruise is at the end of September instead of the beginning.

 

[Mrhappyplace]

Relaxing by the pool and F&W with a few rides thrown in?

Sign me up for that type of vacation!

Max

I'm really not one for sitting by the pool(or being in the pool) for long periods of time but I'm really planning and looking forward to lounging on this trip. I mean we are still planning on spending two evenings at AK to check out Pandora and our other evening at MK to watch HEA for the first time but during the day there will be lots of lounging with quick runs to grab a bite at F&W and having some World Showcase experiences.

Big thumbs up for both Il Mulino and Yachtsman. I think you'd probably be able to get away with last minute ADR or walkup at Il Mulino, but would recommend ADR for Yachtsman, even if you only try for it a few days prior. I've witnessed them turning away walkups the last several times we've eaten there (we love YS, it's one of our favorites!)

Tip: if you don't make an ADR and can't get into YS, try Crew's Cup Lounge, right next door. They share a kitchen, and the food is very good, although I don't think there's much crossover with the YS menu anymore (used to be you could order from the YS menu). One of my most memorable meals was at Crew's Cup--a lobster roll accompanied by a glass of Chardonnay. Just perfect!

Sadly, we will not cross paths this year. Girls cruise is at the end of September instead of the beginning.

Well we decided against both those table services and instead went with Beaches and Cream for lunch on arrival day and a early dinner at Skippers Canteen on our MK evening. We ate lunch at Crew's Cup Lounge on our arrival day last December, I wasn't all that impressed though DW liked her meal more then I did. I'd give it another chance sometime but not this trip. Il Mulino could still happen if we want a actual meal rather then snacks at F&W but I suspect that will have to wait for another trip as well.

I think this will be a really nice though short trip. Really looking forward to Beach Club, Skippers Canteen, Pandora, F&W and seeing HEA. We've also made some exciting plans for our December trip but I suppose DW is waiting for this trip to be over to start a pretrip thread for that trip.

 

[myhappyplace]

Just added the Happily Ever After dessert party for Friday, September 8th!!

 

[myhappyplace]

On the forums I am myhappyplace. IRL I am Amber. To myself, today, I am Bonehead.

I have gone months thinking that our 60 days for this trip was July 11th. Then at 10am this morning, I get the always-too-late-but-this-time-a-lifesaver email from Disney telling me to book our FPs. (Seriously, why can't Disney send this email--ya know--the evening before, or right at 7am? Why wait until 3 hours after?)

What? Still thinking that somehow DISNEY(never me!) had things wrong, I head to MDE and sure enough I can book FPs. Though much too late to secure anything for Flights of Passage. Sigh. I did at least get the River Journey for 2 of our days, and we moved some plans around and will now ropedrop FoP, so all should be fine. DH reminded me that the name of the game for this trip is relaxing, pool time, and f&w, so all will be fine.

So our plans stand as following:

Arrival Day (Thursday, September 7th) hang out at pool/ resort (Beach Club), 2:00 lunch at Beaches & Cream. Animal Kingdom/ Pandora in the evening, with a 7:15 FP for Na'vi River Journey, and 8:30 FP for Kali.

Friday, September 8th: I will be heading to HS for ropedrop of RnRC and ToT, and DH may join if he can meet Star Lord and Baby Groot still. Then we will head back to the pool, and later go into Epcot for F& W, and shows (Canada, American Adventure & Voices of Liberty, France, China). Then off to MK for a 4:50 dinner at Skippers Canteen. I booked a couple of FPs after this (Peter Pan, Buzz), but my priority is a Merida M&G if she's still out. Then we have the HEA Dessert Party, with Garden View.

Saturday, September 9th: Ropedrop Flights of Passage, then FP for River Journey and Finding Nemo show. Back to resort around 1:00, and spend remainder of day at Epcot/ pool, maybe Star Wars fireworks.

Sunday, September 11th is departure day I did grab an 11:00am FP for FoP, but if we get to ropedrop it the day prior, I will release this.

 

[myhappyplace]

Received our shirts for the trip!

The suitcase is out, and clothes piles have begun!

Magic bands are on their way.

28 sleeps!!

 

[myhappyplace]

24!

 

[myhappyplace]

11 days to go, and who gets Strep?! Me of course!! Thankfully I decided to get checked out today, and am now on a 10 day regiment of penicillin.

 

[fractal]

11 days to go, and who gets Strep?! Me of course!! Thankfully I decided to get checked out today, and am now on a 10 day regiment of penicillin.

At least you got it looked at now!

 

[myhappyplace]

At least you got it looked at now!

I know! I debated about going because I would feel silly if it was nothing...it was literally the fact that this trip is coming up that made me go.

 

[myhappyplace]

Updates:

1. Strep gone, yay!
2. All packed, including cheap ponchos, though I want to stop tomorrow and get a couple more because.....
3. Irma I'm really hoping this makes a turn out to sea. It wouldn't be so bad if this was a longer trip- I don't mind a day of rain on a long trip, but this is just the 3 days. Will keep watching the forecast...


3 days to go!!

 

[gdisneyfans]

Stay safe - hoping Irma turns out to sea too!! Hope you have a wonderful time despite the weather!

 

[myhappyplace]

Thank you!! We're still making the trek...leaving to make the 6.5 hour drive in about 7 hours from now. Car is packed. I have 2 cases of water, plenty of food, and lots of ponchos. We're leaving Sunday day morning, so I think we will miss most of the weather. If we do indeed miss the wather, I plan on leaving much of the water to someone who will be riding out the storm. My only concern at this point is traffic and gas shortages for the trip back to the Atlanta area Sunday morning.

 

[myhappyplace]

Been on the road for 2 hours. Definitely a steady stream of traffic headed north. Rather empty headed south...

 

[IAmMoana]

Though much too late to secure anything for Flights of Passage.

If it makes you feel any better, we were unable to book any FoP FPs for the first half of our stay regardless of starting at 7AM sharp. So you may not have had a chance anyway..