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.:

 

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Over to the villas, where there is a crazy amount of work being done. I took a lot of pictures and may post some of the construction photos if there is any interest. Thinking I might make a separate post for the Wilderness Lodge Villas area construction photos. Honestly, If i was staying there during all the work, I think I would be a bit upset. Not sure why they did not just close the place down, knock it out then reopen. Seems like the tranquility of the place just is not there right now. I hope the people that are staying there while all the work is going on are getting a substantial discount. Rant over.
Here is a pic of my favorite hidden Mickey.

 

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Hopped the boat for the pleasant, scenic ride over to the Contemporary:

 

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Here are a couple of photos we seem to almost always take. You would think we would skip these, but no.

 

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View from the pedestrian bridge from Contemporary to BLT:

 

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Got lucky with the timing on this one:

 

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From the fourth floor observation area at the Contemporary:

 

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"OK, let's take the monorail over to the Poly for my Dole Whip," she said.
"It is probably gonna be crowded," he argued.
"Let's chance it," she said.

 

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Came across a wedding along the walkway from the Poly to GF, so we walked through the waiting area for the Luau. I discreetly snapped a quick photo, but they never even knew we were there. Would not want to interrupt someone's happiest day.

 

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The luau area does have a tropical feel:

 

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Popped in and took a photo in the lobby of the Grand Floridian Villas. Will stay here one of these days. It is on the ever-growing bucket list.

 

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This lovely, cascading fountain is at the GF villas:

 

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Took a nice, long, stroll around the GF:

 

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Have you noticed I sometimes take photos of fountains?

 

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Beautiful lobby:

 

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Got on the monorail headed over toward the MK. Had the walkway went there, we would have just walked, but no, we can't take the time or spend the money to build a footbridge or drawbridge to complete the walkway. It is just too great a chasm, never to be connected. An abyss, a great gorge of insurmountable width and depth. A gap too far, an engineering feat just too great. (no ROI) Besides, who would be willing to walk when they can monorail or boat over? Besides, we are already working on the hovering chairs. Gotta park the EWP barges somewhere you know. Silly tourists.