Trip Report Cycling through Celebration, a cream cheese covered remote and the Closed Wallet Rebellion of 2016.

So last week we spent seven nights in a one-bedroom at Saratoga Springs Resort in the Congress Park section. We like Congress Park and have stayed in that section before. The walk over to Disney Springs is fun and since the new section just opened with several new shops and restaurants, we walked over several times during the week.
I think the first evening there is when I declared the wallet closed and decided to try to save a dollar or two this trip. What started it was sticker shock at some of the prices I was seeing.
But let's start at the beginning and I'll go into more detail later.
We got an early start and arrived to WDW via the 535 entrance to Hotel Plaza Blvd.:

 

[epcotisbest]

Sorry it has taken me so long to read your TR. I wanted to able to take my time and enjoy it! It is awesome so far!

Thanks. Appreciate the positive input.

 

[93boomer]

Thanks. Appreciate the positive input.

I got up to page 6 this morning!!
I will try to finish it before you make your next trip!

 

[epcotisbest]

I got up to page 6 this morning!!
I will try to finish it before you make your next trip!

Thanks for reading along.

 

[epcotisbest]

So just caught up after work - laughed out loud at you putting cream cheese on the remote
Loved all your photos, really clear and loved seeing PORS (although it made me a little home sick)
I certainly couldn't be that close to a park without going in but then I wait all year for my Disney fix - I am already dreaming of ice cream
Maybe need to look at hiring a bike to take a ride along some of the paths you did and thanks for the added trip details of bears and fireflies looks like you had a good time
Thanks for sharing

If you have a few hours to spare away from the parks, I highly recommend renting a bike and taking a ride. Probably the easiest is over at Fort Wilderness, where you can ride along the pathways and around all the camping loops.

 

[Longers]

If you have a few hours to spare away from the parks, I highly recommend renting a bike and taking a ride. Probably the easiest is over at Fort Wilderness, where you can ride along the pathways and around all the camping loops.

Have always thought about looking around fort wilderness and we have hired bikes previously although only for an hour at Riverside - maybe this is an option - we'll just have to see if we can fit it in - time will tell
Thanks again for a different look at Florida - really enjoyed it

 

[littleroo]

Love your TR!! Truely a different perspective and great photography!! We are staying at Saratoga Springs for the first time at the end of September. All the pictures and experiences were so informative and enjoyable!! Now I am even more excited!! Thanks so much and I look forward to your next adventure

 

[93boomer]

I finally finished!! It was awesome! Loved the pictures. Aww Port Orleans looked great! I miss it!! Glad you both had such a nice vacation!
Thank you Mrs. isbest for the CA pix. I love Ventura! It is so pretty there.
Loved the Smokies shots. We love driving over that way.

 

[epcotisbest]

Love your TR!! Truely a different perspective and great photography!! We are staying at Saratoga Springs for the first time at the end of September. All the pictures and experiences were so informative and enjoyable!! Now I am even more excited!! Thanks so much and I look forward to your next adventure

Hey @littleroo it has been a littlewhile. Thanks for reading. We really like SSR. Hope you do too.

 

[LisaBelle]

I finally got all caught up on your repot! I LOVED it!
We must be kindred spirits because I love Magic Cookie Bars !!! I read the words Magic Cookie Bar and started drooling and was looking for the picture. Sadly you resisted buying one so no picture . Probably for the best. On my last trip in February I thought about making a trip to WL just for a Magic Cookie Bar, but did not have enough time.
We've only stayed at 3 resorts (AKL, WL, & Poly) so I love looking at photos of other resorts.
I always wondered what Celebration looks like, so it was fantastic to see those photos.
I also enjoyed the photos of your trip to Gatlinburg. I'd never heard of those fireflies. Something to look into.
Thanks so much for sharing!

 

[epcotisbest]

I finally got all caught up on your repot! I LOVED it!
We must be kindred spirits because I love Magic Cookie Bars !!! I read the words Magic Cookie Bar and started drooling and was looking for the picture. Sadly you resisted buying one so no picture . Probably for the best. On my last trip in February I thought about making a trip to WL just for a Magic Cookie Bar, but did not have enough time.
We've only stayed at 3 resorts (AKL, WL, & Poly) so I love looking at photos of other resorts.
I always wondered what Celebration looks like, so it was fantastic to see those photos.
I also enjoyed the photos of your trip to Gatlinburg. I'd never heard of those fireflies. Something to look into.
Thanks so much for sharing!

Thank you for the kind words and for coming along for the ride. Now I am craving a magic cookie bar, but since WDW is a long ways away, guess I will resist the temptation.
The fireflies were incredible to see. Thousands of them that would flash like crazy, then all stop at the same time, a minute or two with no flashing at all, then they would just go crazy again, then stop and repeat. It is a popular event and the park service sells tickets for the trolley ride over to Elkmont from the visitor center and the number of spaces available is limited. The tickets sell out almost immediately and we tried for several years to go, then got lucky this year. The whole idea with the tickets is to limit the number of people who show up, and it works pretty well if you are lucky enough to score tickets. It's only a couple of dollars, the main thing is limiting access so the viewing areas does not get overwhelmed by tourists.
Again, thanks for reading.

 

[epcotisbest]

So tomorrow is registration for the Disney Princess half-marathon in February. My wife and her girls group are planning to go again in 2017 and we have just started to look for a place to stay. Being it is a large group (wait, they might be offended by that) group of several, we will probably get a multi-bedroom condo or house offsite. She is trying to decide if she wants to take the bikes for use during the race weekend when they are not running, but can't decide. They do like to hit the outlets and go to different restaurants and hang by the pool some too, so I have suggested to not worry about taking the bikes, just have fun with other stuff. We shall see what they decide.

 

[epcotisbest]

Tag for @21stamps

 

[21stamps]

Tag for @21stamps

Thank you! I just "watched" this thread. I'm always on here at work, still at work now, so I try to follow what I can to come back to when I have time to concentrate and not just write quick responses. Thanks!

 

[21stamps]

I had to see what the new springs area looked like and I have to say, it is beautiful. I have dove in some of the freshwater springs in Northern Florida including Ginnie Springs, Troy Springs, Itchtucknee Springs and more, and they do look like this. This area is very well done. I hope it stays this pristine looking and well maintained.

View attachment 144167

I already liked you.. But even more now after reading that you dive!! I am not really a freshwater diver, but all of those places you listed have been on my list for quite some time, I bet they were beautiful!

 

[Gabe1]

144871[/ATTACH] View attachment 144872

Pretty.

Boy I wonder how long it is going to take to surround these areas with rock and net fences. That is a long river going to those resorts and DVC.

 

[Gabe1]

Hurray for me! I finished your Memorial Day TR finally, just before Labor Day.

We never spend much time at our resort other than sleeping. I do not have the willpower yet to stay away from the parks to enjoy the resort. I may have missed it- what spurred the closed wallet? Now the cream cheese covered remote-still laughing about that.

 

[epcotisbest]

Hurray for me! I finished your Memorial Day TR finally, just before Labor Day.

We never spend much time at our resort other than sleeping. I do not have the willpower yet to stay away from the parks to enjoy the resort. I may have missed it- what spurred the closed wallet? Now the cream cheese covered remote-still laughing about that.

Thank you for sticking with it and finishing up the trip report. We have been going for many years and for the past few years we have come to enjoy the resorts more than the parks. We can go to the beach or the mountains for a relaxing, take it easy trip, so why not to WDW for the same type getaway? Once we started spending less time in the parks and more time relaxing, we wound up having a better time. We used to have to come home from a WDW trip and go back to work to get some rest. Now we come back rested, relaxed and de--stressed.
The genesis of the Closed Wallet Rebellion of 2016 is mentioned in posts number 1, 13, 14, 15 and 20 but basically it was just reaction to sticker shock at some of the prices I was seeing at Disney Springs.

 

[Gabe1]

Thank you for sticking with it and finishing up the trip report. We have been going for many years and for the past few years we have come to enjoy the resorts more than the parks. We can go to the beach or the mountains for a relaxing, take it easy trip, so why not to WDW for the same type getaway? Once we started spending less time in the parks and more time relaxing, we wound up having a better time. We used to have to come home from a WDW trip and go back to work to get some rest. Now we come back rested, relaxed and de--stressed.
The genesis of the Closed Wallet Rebellion of 2016 is mentioned in posts number 1, 13, 14, 15 and 20 but basically it was just reaction to sticker shock at some of the prices I was seeing at Disney Springs.

And I went back (since it took me so long to finish reading) and yep, it is right there, Disney Springs cost factor. I have been saying the same thing about Springs on other threads about the high end stores and restaurants. I do question the sustainability of these venues that have opened in great volume in Springs. Sure some can open those wallets a few times to experience Springs but gadz beyond the initial curiosity I do wonder about the majority of Springs viability given so much of it being high end. I tend to think before I splurge. For our family some of the signatures opening check at the end would pay my utilities for my home for a month, a single family meal. Yikes!

I loved the food you found at Celebration and vow to go look at the farmers market at some point, now on the bucket list. I really loved the resort photos. When I got to your post of photos of Riverside and the French Quarter it was warm and fuzzy, our favorite resort is POR second is the FQ. Enjoyed them all.

So when ya going back, you write a great report!

 

[epcotisbest]

And I went back (since it took me so long to finish reading) and yep, it is right there, Disney Springs cost factor. I have been saying the same thing about Springs on other threads about the high end stores and restaurants. I do question the sustainability of these venues that have opened in great volume in Springs. Sure some can open those wallets a few times to experience Springs but gadz beyond the initial curiosity I do wonder about the majority of Springs viability given so much of it being high end. I tend to think before I splurge. For our family some of the signatures opening check at the end would pay my utilities for my home for a month, a single family meal. Yikes!

I loved the food you found at Celebration and vow to go look at the farmers market at some point, now on the bucket list. I really loved the resort photos. When I got to your post of photos of Riverside and the French Quarter it was warm and fuzzy, our favorite resort is POR second is the FQ. Enjoyed them all.

So when ya going back, you write a great report!

Yes, I have started to push back at the prices, and frankly, some of the places at Disney Springs are so pricey, we will walk through a time or two, but can't imagine doing a lot of shopping there. I wish them success though.
We go to Celebration just about every trip.
POR and FQ are beautiful resorts. Love the ambience, pools, grounds and boat ride to DS from there.
Thanks again for the kind words regarding the trip report.
Here is my first one from about three years ago, doing a similar kind of thing, mostly relaxing while staying at BLT. Hope you get a chance to look at this one too.
Probably going back sometime this fall, but staying offsite this time and maybe heading over to SeaWorld and Discovery Cove.

http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/...-fastpasses-lots-of-fun-and-pool-time.873744/

 

[PacNWTigger]

I wholeheartedly enjoyed your park free vacation! Thank you so much for sharing all of the wonderful pictures and ideas for me to share w/ my DH for our next trip.