Our resort only 1 night, no wait, 1 night 1 park, no wait, 2 night 1 park, no wait 2 park 2 night...

Our resort only 1 night, no wait, 1 night 1 park, no wait, 2 night 1 park, no wait 2 park 2 night...oh good grief trip report!

Hi all!

So we can get this out of the way...on the count of three...one, two, three....I told you so! That is what all of you are currently screaming at computer screens!

Here's the history....the DH and I are visiting my parents on Hilton Head and to get away (we lived there for 2 1/2 years so yes, getting off the island is necessary) we decided to head to WDW for one night/2 days and we are staying at Beach Club and since we had so little time at the resort back in September, we decided to do a resort only trip. I was very excited, love the YC/BC pool and made dining ADR's for Cape May to see some characters and get that fix. and we got a great rate - Lagoon View - with a AAA discount. So it was settled...one night, two days at a resort. Ahhh....bring on the lazy river.

Well....my amazing DH surprised me 4 days ago and told me that we are going into a park! I was shocked! He told me I could pick the one and of course, I "NEED" to see the new Fantasy Land so I picked Magic Kingdom. So it was settled...again. One night, two days at resort and one park. Yeah!!!! Get to see Fantasy Land!

Well....my amazing DH suggested, we are going to be so tired so why don't we stay at like Art of Animation or some where if we can get a great rate. So I hopped on the computer, took a look see and got a great rate at Art of Animation in a Little Mermaid room. So it was settled...again. Two nights, three days, at resort and one park. Whew! I'm really just shocked with how this has changed and yes...very excited!

Well...after a bit of a ruckus, a ker-fluffal if you will, which included getting locked out of our room, with every bit of ID and proof we were who we are locked in the room, b/c they deactivated our keys and spending almost an hour with the concierge getting everything sorted out...we got comped tickets to a park ... for an evening. Like the old school half day tickets or the convention tickets you can buy. So....you guessed is....We went into a park...to Epcot...tonight! So there you have it....2 parks, 2 resorts, 2 nights, 3 days, totally random and spontaneous "resort only" trip.

 

[disneygirl76]

Wow!!! Great experience with getting those tickets! Bonus! And a nice budget saver. I think I also would have freaked if I saw Bert in the parks with Mary. I mean, there are just certain character experiences that turn us all into giddy silly people...in the good way, of course.

I'm curious how you felt about the small balcony at BC. It honestly was the sole reason I rejected the resort for our previous trip. We really appreciate a full balcony or patio so we opted for YC, but we preferred everything else BC. I'm also glad to see the pics of the AoA room and will have to show them to my girls. We had this great discussion about rooms and resorts today and the Little Mermaid rooms actually beat out the Royal Rooms for them... but I think it's those larger than life details like the Ariel shower curtain. The only thing that got a similar wow reaction from them were the bunk bed rooms at WL.

OK- well, now I want a Mickey apple, but sadly all I have are a bunch of plain old apples.

I keep threatening to make them...but its a bad idea. BAD! I have to lose weight...if I figure out 1) how to make them and 2) find a place to order them from, well, it will all be over! I keep arguing with myself that its an apple - its good for you! HA!

Did you follow my previous trip report - from September? We stayed in a Royal Room so there are a lot of pics. And we stayed at WL and happened to have bunk beds too. Those were super fun! That might be a good option - you get Deluxe for you and bunk beds for them and then you don't have to move resorts.

So - i'm still torn about this whole resort only stay thing. I had a great time! I mean, don't get me wrong. Going into Epcot AND MK! Seriously! Can't beat that. BUT....I really want a slow easy lazy trip. And by the end, we were exhausted and of course, had my bum blistered toe. What does this have to do with balcony's? Since we ended up missing so much resort time b/c we went into Epcot and then out early to get to MK, I didn't even use the balcony. I looked at it - but didn't use it. Now, the DH and I did use the balcony at YC when we stayed there. But we were there for longer and we had a Club Level room (we got picked as Family of the Day so we got bumped up). So yes, I would have loved a larger balcony, but since I didn't spend enough time at the resort to use it, I was fine with it.

 

[HouCuseChickie]

I keep threatening to make them...but its a bad idea. BAD! I have to lose weight...if I figure out 1) how to make them and 2) find a place to order them from, well, it will all be over! I keep arguing with myself that its an apple - its good for you! HA!

Did you follow my previous trip report - from September? We stayed in a Royal Room so there are a lot of pics. And we stayed at WL and happened to have bunk beds too. Those were super fun! That might be a good option - you get Deluxe for you and bunk beds for them and then you don't have to move resorts.

So - i'm still torn about this whole resort only stay thing. I had a great time! I mean, don't get me wrong. Going into Epcot AND MK! Seriously! Can't beat that. BUT....I really want a slow easy lazy trip. And by the end, we were exhausted and of course, had my bum blistered toe. What does this have to do with balcony's? Since we ended up missing so much resort time b/c we went into Epcot and then out early to get to MK, I didn't even use the balcony. I looked at it - but didn't use it. Now, the DH and I did use the balcony at YC when we stayed there. But we were there for longer and we had a Club Level room (we got picked as Family of the Day so we got bumped up). So yes, I would have loved a larger balcony, but since I didn't spend enough time at the resort to use it, I was fine with it.

I'd have to do them a few times to refine my techniques, but I figure if I can make a million and one other things out of sugar, choclate, cake & rice krispies...surely I can create a Mickey apple after a few experiments. Hmmm...that gives me a business idea.

I did see your Sept rpt...in fact, I was trying to show them your trip pics yesterday. Just picture us up in the bleachers at a gymnastics gym in between each of their classes trying to look at Royal Room pics amidst the ooooo's and aaaaaaah's of everyone gushing over the older girls throwing tumbling passes. The bunk bed rooms definitely feel like a decent compromise...fun, but deluxe. We could even try AKL for those and also get to try out a new resort- but I still have that feeling like i want to be near MK. We shall see.

Yeah- it definitely sounded much more active that the initial trip that was envisioned. Still, even with blisters it sounded fun! And honestly, even when we use our patio/balcony- I don't know if we've ever used it enough to fully justify the cost. Oh well.

 

[disneygirl76]

I'd have to do them a few times to refine my techniques, but I figure if I can make a million and one other things out of sugar, choclate, cake & rice krispies...surely I can create a Mickey apple after a few experiments. Hmmm...that gives me a business idea.

I did see your Sept rpt...in fact, I was trying to show them your trip pics yesterday. Just picture us up in the bleachers at a gymnastics gym in between each of their classes trying to look at Royal Room pics amidst the ooooo's and aaaaaaah's of everyone gushing over the older girls throwing tumbling passes. The bunk bed rooms definitely feel like a decent compromise...fun, but deluxe. We could even try AKL for those and also get to try out a new resort- but I still have that feeling like i want to be near MK. We shall see.

Yeah- it definitely sounded much more active that the initial trip that was envisioned. Still, even with blisters it sounded fun! And honestly, even when we use our patio/balcony- I don't know if we've ever used it enough to fully justify the cost. Oh well.

I totally agree - being closer to MK is so nice! There's just something about being so close to the MK!!

That is hilarious you all on the bleachers- ooohhhhing and ahhhing for a totally different reason!

 

[Computer Magic]

Ouch for toe blisters. This is the first trip I didn't get a toe blisters in the last 5 visits. I changed my shoe to an open toe hiking shoe: http://i.tfcdn.com/img2/PYiW1EgAY9K...c_UziyGi-lBB_WLzeAsjUyNLs3hLS8t4A0MA/fyVMtP8A

 

[disneygirl76]

Ouch for toe blisters. This is the first trip I didn't get a toe blisters in the last 5 visits. I changed my shoe to an open toe hiking shoe: http://i.tfcdn.com/img2/PYiW1EgAY9K...c_UziyGi-lBB_WLzeAsjUyNLs3hLS8t4A0MA/fyVMtP8A

Hee hee I was so prepared too! Had band-aids, mole skin, pre taped and prepared feet BEFORE walking around. We have realized that for some reason, in shoes, my big toe and next toe go in a weird position and at the base of the toe, a blister appears. And it is so painful! I planned before our next trip to get my feet looked at and have great walking shoes fitted for my feet. But, since I didn't know we were going into a park, I didn't have time to prepare. So pain! I mean really....a trip with to WDW with no blisters! That is a magical dream!

 

[smk]

Love it! Just read the whole report so far! Honestly, the room picture of the Little Mermaid room could be any value, minus the curtain in the bathroom. I really need to expand my vision and book POFQ or PORS. I could totally pull off a surprise, he will ever know just by looking at the bank account what resort I booked. When the time comes to leave he can be let in on the surprise, right?

 

[disneygirl76]

Love it! Just read the whole report so far! Honestly, the room picture of the Little Mermaid room could be any value, minus the curtain in the bathroom. I really need to expand my vision and book POFQ or PORS. I could totally pull off a surprise, he will ever know just by looking at the bank account what resort I booked. When the time comes to leave he can be let in on the surprise, right?

Right! Do you really want to sway your decision? Go to my previous trip report. There are LOADS of pics of the Royal Rooms and PORS! I think you will be really happy with your decision to try a moderate resort. Your statement:

Honestly, the room picture of the Little Mermaid room could be any value, minus the curtain in the bathroom.

That is spot on! That is exactly how I felt. Like I was walking into a Pop room only with an crazy big Ariel staring at me in the bathroom!

 

[disneygirl76]

We have one more day left at WDW!

Valentine's Day, Thursday, February 14th

We started the day with breakfast. We got dressed for the pool and grabbed our mugs and headed of to Animation Hall. Although it wasn't raining, and it wasn't "cold" it was cool and overcast. The next day is when the temps really dropped in Florida.

We hopped in lines for breakfast. The lines were fine. Not too bad. We both got the big breakfast - pancakes (said they were not mini Mickey waffles) eggs, meat and biscuit. It cracks me up how expensive breakfast is. We usually skip it when we are at the World. I mean, for what you can get at Cracker Barrell or Ikea, the prices at WDW for bfast I feel are high for what you get. After breakfast, it started to spit rain a bit and we decided to check out the resort areas. We killed the idea of going to the pool which was kind of a bummer.

First up, Cars Land

I though I love the Finding Nemo buildings locations the best, the Cars land is the best them. There are 3 buildings with a pool in the middle. I love the theme of this the best, they really knocked it out of the park.

This is the Tow Mater tow yard Building

This is the Wheel Well Building

Pool area with Cabana Cones - very cute!

And Luigis Building

Next up, Finding Nemo and the Big Blue Pool.

 

[disneygirl76]

Here is the Big Blue Pool. This is the view coming out of Animation Hall. I snapped a few pics as we were heading over to Cars Land but decided to post the pics in order of area, not when taken.

So these guys are cute - they are on both ends of both Finding Nemo buildings

This is inside the pool area...

Playgound

This is the Mr. Ray building

Crush Building

 

[disneygirl76]

The next section is Lion King - I loved this theme too.

This is what you see as you enter from Animation Hall. There are 2 buildings in this section.

You see Scar as you leave from Lion King as you enter into Little Mermaid.

 

[disneygirl76]

Okay - last section of AOA! Where we stayed in the Little Mermaid rooms. The rooms here, as you previously saw, could be rooms at any value resort. I was not in love with this section bc of its distance away from everything and the outside facing rooms. I know it is silly, but I really prefer inside facing hotel rooms. As for distance, it was not "that" bad but it was a bit of hike if you just wanted to get a coffee or fill up your mug.

There are 3 buildings. Ariel is farthest away and King Triton is on the left and Ursala is on the right (looking as if you were coming from Lion King).

King Triton Building

Ursala Building

Erik is in front of a shell and on opposite side of shell is Sebastian and then the Pool then the Ariel Building

And Ariel Building

 

[disneygirl76]

So we packed up our stuff and headed out to Downtown Disney. We parked in the middle and walked through the old Downtown Disney. We stopped to pay homage to The Adventure's Club. Why they closed that place is still a mystery!

By the way, its ridiculous that I have not eaten here yet! Good Grief! And I call myself an Irish Pub girl and Disney girl! Sheesh!

We shopped at World of Disney and popped in and out of a lot stores.

Thought about riding the carousal but decided not to.

We FINALLY found our Valentine's Souvenir the Christmas Shoppe! An ornament!! Finally!!!

With our souvenirs in hand, we grabbed a soda and a bucket of popcorn and headed for the car. PS - for all those who are popcorn bucket collectors, YES, you can buy one at DTD, but NO, it is not specific to DTD but to WDW. Either way, I got it!

Also, someone posted that they saw photopass photographers at DTD but we never saw anyone.


And that's it! We headed back to Hilton Head! It was sad to say goodbye but we will be back really soon! With all this IVF stuff going on, I don't know when, but we will be back soon.

Thank you for reading my trip report! I hope you liked it!!!

 

[Minnie Sue]

Loved the AoA pics! I can't wait to see Cars Land.

 

[disneygirl76]

Loved the AoA pics! I can't wait to see Cars Land.

It was SO well done! I kind of wanted to spend the day in a Cozy Cone Cabana!

 

[Blueskyze]

Enjoyed your entire report - thanks for sharing! And best of luck with the IVF - sending lots of positive thoughts your way!

 

[dopeylover]

Great report hon! Best of luck with you IVF! I'll be praying for you both.

 

[RandomPrincess]

Thanks for sharing! I enjoyed the report.

 

[disneygirl76]

Enjoyed your entire report - thanks for sharing! And best of luck with the IVF - sending lots of positive thoughts your way!

Thank you so much! Its been a journey! Starting the next round in a week or so...we have been doing this for 3 years. We are ready for our dream come true. Thank you again! It is so sweet of you!!

 

[disneygirl76]

Great report hon! Best of luck with you IVF! I'll be praying for you both.

Thank you so much!!! We been doing this for 3 years and we are starting it up again in a couple of weeks. I pray that the next time we are WDW its to take pics for our announcements!! Thank you again! Hugs!

 

[disneygirl76]

Thanks for sharing! I enjoyed the report.

Thank you! Love the profile pic!!!!