Trip Report THE ONE WITH THE FRIENDS IN FEBRUARY; Feb 16-23, 2019 *COMPLETE*

Hi all. Just returned from our February break trip and I can’t wait to share it with you!
First things first.....

THE WHO:
We have some friends we go away with every other February break.
In 2017 we did a Royal Caribbean cruise:

In 2015 we stayed in a grand villa at AKL:

And in 2013 we did the Disney Dream:

Sorry, no matching shirts. We were still feeling each other out

So who do we have?
( @Rista1313 pay attention!)

Me
Husband-Ant
Son-AJ, 15
Son-Dre, 13
We have another son, X, who was at school and did not come with us but makes a guest appearance, or two

Our friends
J tall bald and male
L short blond and fun
3 out of their 4 kids
Son-T, 17
Son-R, 13
Daughter-H, 12
Their oldest is away at college.

THE WHERE
We stayed in the Saratoga Springs Treehouse villas. Love them!!! More later!

I think that is all you need to know for now.

2019!

 

[MinnieM123]

I love your photos of the Contemporary all lit up at night, with the reflection on the 7 Seas Lagoon. Gorgeous!

 

[Darstarr]

Day 3/Feb 18 cont

We drove past the copper creek cabins. On the island opposite is a single light post—I know, you want to know my secret for such great photography! It’s a light post! Trust me!!!

Walt had hoped to put an apartment there. They keep it lit for him, similar to the light tjat burns in his apartment in Disneyland.

This area of the Contemporary is known as the garden rooms I believe. There was a similar building on the other side, where BLT is now, from what Emily was telling us. The rumor is, these are going to be torn down and dvc put in its place.

This is a cool view.

This is also a cool view:

It was far less crowded than it was in December. More funner! And that is the best word to describe the night even though I know it is not an actual word.

 

[Darstarr]

I love your photos of the Contemporary all lit up at night, with the reflection on the 7 Seas Lagoon. Gorgeous!

Thanks!!!

 

[MinnieM123]

Oh Jiminy Crickets, I hope they're not going to tear down the Garden Room Wings. I thought they balanced out the A Frame nicely. Sheesh. What next?

 

[Darstarr]

Day 3/Feb 18 cont


Having fun! L trying to talk T into doing the college program. He works on the ferries here during the summer and is close to getting his Captains license. T did seem interested and was asking Emily lots of questions. Then again, Emily was cute and young and so darn nice!!!

I am seriously spoiled with this view!

 

[Darstarr]

FW 2.0 wrap up

It was the same as December. Well, no, it was better. But, the cruise was the exact same MINUS a bottle of champagne (plus the tour we now had time for). I now have this information to take back to dvc. I will let you know how they justify a $650 bottle of champagne.

As for the firework cruise. It was so awesome. I highly recomend it. We did not get to see the electric water pagent this time because fireworks were at 8:00 and the pagent started later.
I believe doing the FW cruise this way is a good value. There are boats that seat 8 and boats that seat 10. Some people spend $60 plus dollars on the dessert parties inside the MK. Plus admission. No added admission here. And you can BYOB!!

These are the prices. 10% off if you are dvc.

 

[Darstarr]

Oh Jiminy Crickets, I hope they're not going to tear down the Garden Room Wings. I thought they balanced out the A Frame nicely. Sheesh. What next?

Just a CM rumor. Dont believe it until someone in the know posts it on these boards. BTW, that someone is NOT me
Love the use of Jiminy Cricket!!!

 

[NessNewt]

Day 3/Feb 18 cont

Our driver Emily asked if I remembered all the fun things dec driver had told us/shown us.
What???
No, there was no time to be shown anything.
For the record, not getting the entire “3 hour tour” (jk-not 3 hours!) in Dec was dvc’s fault, not our driver’s. Dvc had put 11 of us in a 10 person boat, the marina expected some children (under 9). Again, I speak Disney, when I booked and they asked how many adults I said 11. Children? Zero. So our “tour time” was spent getting the ok to go out in the first place from the supervisor!

Here are a few of the neat things we saw/learned:
View attachment 354300

View attachment 354301Nothing to learn here just beautiful!!!

Emily came from the college program and had been there 6 months? Maybe it was 9. Officially she worked for recreation and told us they are the most coveted jobs. Least desirable? Janitorial followed closely by attractions. When the recreation hopefuls finish their training class, and pass, they are taken here
View attachment 354298
To put their shoes on the shoe tree. Bad photo I know but she had a spotlight and I have an Iphone.

Wait, was the shoe tree between Wilderness Lodge and Fort Wilderness? A ferry driver told us on December that retired ferry drivers pit their shoes in the shoe tree.

Interesting......

 

[Bullseye1967]

Hi all. Just returned from our February break trip and I can’t wait to share it with you!
First things first.....

THE WHO:
We have some friends we go away with every other February break.
In 2017 we did a Royal Caribbean cruise:
View attachment 352671

In 2015 we stayed in a grand villa at AKL:
View attachment 352672

And in 2013 we did the Disney Dream:
View attachment 352673
Sorry, no matching shirts. We were still feeling each other out

So who do we have?
( @Rista1313 pay attention!)

Me
Husband-Ant
Son-AJ, 15
Son-Dre, 13
We have another son, X, who was at school and did not come with us but makes a guest appearance, or two❤

Our friends
J tall bald and male
L short blond and fun
3 out of their 4 kids
Son-T, 17
Son-R, 13
Daughter-H, 12
Their oldest is away at college.

THE WHERE
We stayed in the Saratoga Springs Treehouse villas. Love them!!! More later!

I think that is all you need to know for now.

2019!
View attachment 352676

Love love LOVE the shirts!!! Great TR!

 

[Darstarr]

Wait, was the shoe tree between Wilderness Lodge and Fort Wilderness? A ferry driver told us on December that retired ferry drivers pit their shoes in the shoe tree.

Interesting......

Yes it was and ha ha ha. There is one born every minute as we have just proven!!! Or maybe its an all purpose shoe tree? At least it doesnt signify “drugs for sale” like in the real world.

 

[Darstarr]

Love love LOVE the shirts!!! Great TR!

Thank you so much!!!
And I love Bullseye (the real one, I am not being creepy!)

 

[Bullseye1967]

Day 3/Feb 18 cont

Our driver Emily asked if I remembered all the fun things dec driver had told us/shown us.
What???
No, there was no time to be shown anything.
For the record, not getting the entire “3 hour tour” (jk-not 3 hours!) in Dec was dvc’s fault, not our driver’s. Dvc had put 11 of us in a 10 person boat, the marina expected some children (under 9). Again, I speak Disney, when I booked and they asked how many adults I said 11. Children? Zero. So our “tour time” was spent getting the ok to go out in the first place from the supervisor!

Here are a few of the neat things we saw/learned:
View attachment 354300

View attachment 354301Nothing to learn here just beautiful!!!

Emily came from the college program and had been there 6 months? Maybe it was 9. Officially she worked for recreation and told us they are the most coveted jobs. Least desirable? Janitorial followed closely by attractions. When the recreation hopefuls finish their training class, and pass, they are taken here
View attachment 354298
To put their shoes on the shoe tree. Bad photo I know but she had a spotlight and I have an Iphone.

I have heard rumors of the shoe tree. Thank you for proof it exists

 

[Swissmiss]

I’m so glad to hear this second fireworks cruise was so different from your first!

 

[Darstarr]

I’m so glad to hear this second fireworks cruise was so different from your first!

Thank you. It was really nice and I do highly recommend it. There was another boat parked next to us on seven seas and it had birthday banners and balloons etc. What an awesome way to celebrate something special!!!

 

[Darstarr]

Day 3/Feb 18 the very last of it!

We walked back to MK and got in line for the bus back to SSR. L started jabbing J in the ribs and gesturing to a guy in front of us. Turns out, this guy and J worked together when J first joined NYPD. This guys dad was J’s C O. Can I say it?.......
It is a small world....after all!!!
When we got back everyone took a dip in the pool/hot tub except me. I was pooped!!! I panned up bacon for the next morning and went to bed.

 

[Darstarr]

Day 4/Feb 19

I slept in today! I awoke at 6:10 to the smell of bacon. J, bless his heart, was up and started breakfast. I jumped in the shower. The rest of the fam got up, showered and dressed. While they did that I took my egg sandwich and cup of tea out on the deck to enjoy.

We got on an early bus, the bus driver stopped in front of our tree house and waited for us. She was awesome!

We transferred at the springs (less daunting than it sounds) and were on our way to the Magic Kingdom!

This was the day we decided to wear our matching shirts I had my friend make us.

We entered main street about 8:05 which made me so happy! We shopped and took pictures and soaked it in without being rushed.

L went in here and came out disappointed it was just a starbucks. Seems she was hoping for a cinnamon roll. I Cinnamon rolls!!!

I love that the gym is OVER the bakery.

My backpack had broken so I was able to get the one I am wearing in this picture. It is a tad large and I usually dont like things with dates because, well, they date things, but I needed it and it is so cute!

It wasnt too crowded. We decided to go left. I havent gone left since I was a kid in Disneyland. My mom use to drag us to the Golden Horseshoe to get a lunch reservation. No ADR back then. I had been able to get us 7dwarfs so we did not have to run there first.

 

[Darstarr]

Day 4/ Feb 19 cont

These didnt fit in the previous post.

 

[Tuvalu]

Seems she was hoping for a cinnamon roll. I ❤ Cinnamon rolls!!!
View attachment 354695

You can find the former MS Bakery cinnamon buns in Gaston’s Tavern.

 

[Dave B]

O

Day 3/Feb 18 cont

It was time for our EE FP but first
View attachment 354083
These are good! And you may notice J is wearing his button! Yay!!!

View attachment 354082

AJ is trying so hard not to let me take his picture.
View attachment 354085

View attachment 354086

But R, behind him, is happy to be photographed!
View attachment 354087

View attachment 354100

View attachment 354101

We were hungry so we went to Satuli canteen. AJ saw the menu and freaked out. I told him to go find something else, somewhere else. At 15 he really should not be freaking over lunch. Use your big boy words!!!

I had potato hash, chicken and creamy herbed vinaigrette. No picture but wow!! Are we sure this is Disney quick service? So delicious!
Dre had:
View attachment 354089

Ant had:
View attachment 354088

I think T ordered this for dessert. I did not try it but it is pretty. In a fake plasticky kinda way.
View attachment 354090

One of the best QS on property in my opinion, great value and awesome food

 

[sheriffwoody]

Following along now! The treehouse villas look so fun. If we ever become DVC members, I think we'd do a big family trip and stay there