Team Renfroe's 2nd Trip Report - 1,500 pictures, dining reviews, and DISmeets! [Archive] - Page 2 - The DIS Discussion Forums

alan_renfroe

06-08-2009, 06:25 PM

I LOVE that you have such explicit plans of attack for the morning! :laughing: SUCH good DIS'ers. And sounds like the plans worked perfectly. Doesn't it *almost* make you feel sorry for the poor suckers who don't plan?

Can't wait to hear about lunch at Sci Fi. I'm thinking that is on my list for next time. :thumbsup2

Hahaha....yeah, I'm not a "Disney Nazi" or anything like that...but I do like to get a jump on things. Our plan is to get to the parks early, ride as much as we can, then leave after lunch.

What a great morning! I love it when you can bang out rides like that very quickly. :thumbsup2

Oh, me too! There's just SO much to do at Disney World, I feel like I need to get a good jump on it in the mornings.

I too am a fan of DETAILED plans. Otherwise, you miss SO much of the parks by not making use of your time. You can tell you guys are Dis Vets! :thumbsup2 I say, if I gotta spend alot of money on my Disney trips, than I WILL see it all and do it all!!:woohoo:

I agree. ALL of us get tired in the afternoons, so we do everything we can in the mornings and spend the afternoons just chillin'.

Wow you managed to get some rides in, great planning :thumbsup2

I'm hoping my DD will ride RnR with me again this year, last year she hated it :rotfl:

I hope your DD will ride with you this year! I LOVE RnRC!!

Okay, what time were your fast passes and did DW and DD get to ride TSM? How long was their wait in the standby? I'm trying to plan but we ALL love RNRC so we can't "send" someone with the keys. We love DHS too! Our favorite rides are their also. We always take two days for DHS. Sounds like fun. Can't wait to read more. :goodvibes

The FastPasses were for around 10am I think. Maybe it was 9:30am that morning. More on DW & DD riding TSM in a moment. ;)

great morning plan!! we love the extra hour in the parks as well:cool1:

I like the early extra morning hours because we fully intend to LEAVE that park after lunch.

Great plan and it looks like nice weather as well.

Oh yeah.....nice weather ALL day that day.

I have to ask if Elizabeth and Julianna had a comment about the ctowd rushing to TSM? I have to say rope drop and heading to that ride was my most un Disney like feeling we had all week. I kept thinking what was the rush? The park is open for the next twelve hours. :confused:

We did get to ride it twice. That ride was AWESOME!:thumbsup2

Yeah, that crowd can get out of control heading to TSM. They got a little distracted along the way....more on that in the next post.

Enjoying the TR!! Cannot wait to read more on your day at DHS!! It is hard to believe when looking at the pics that we were there 2 weeks ago. Wish I was still there....

Me too.

We had the same basic morning plan of attack at DHS as you guys. Even the rope drop crowd pic could have come from my camera.

Hahaha...that's cool, Myst! I have now been to DHS 4 times and after 10:30am you just cannot get on Rock n' Roller Coaster, Tower of Terror, or Toy Story Mania without a HUGE line. I'm not a morning person AT ALL....but I prefer mornings over long, hot lines.

Michelle_and_Aaron

06-08-2009, 06:32 PM

I can't wait to read more of your trip report.... however that is going to have to wait because we leave in less than 12 hours for Pensacola and we will be in Disney in 5 days!!!!!

alan_renfroe

06-08-2009, 06:39 PM

The addition of TSM has added a challenge to us Dissers !!My first morning at DHS I got the FP and rode later didn't bother with the standby line the second time I got FP and the got in line . By the time I got off standby it was time for the FP ! Soooo lesson learnt someone has to be in line on standby while you get the FPs which is impossible when you are solo!!:rotfl2:

Absolutely. I will elaborate more on that on our last day of the trip report.

We have always avoided parks that are having EMH so have never tried. I think it might be worth it sometime to try early EMH. We did the similar thing called Magic Morning in CA and it was amazing how much we got in the first hour. Do you find that park to be pretty full all day as a result of the EMH?

I can definitely see why you would avoid the parks with the EMH. If I intended to stay in the park all day long, I would probably avoid them to. But, I swear, we get soooo many rides in by 11am, it is worth it! When you can just get on and off Tower of Terror over and over again for the first hour...that's just so cool! You feel like you're getting away with something!

That being said, once lunchtime arrives, the crowds become really heavy....so we usually call it a day soon after lunch, (as you will see throughout this report.)

Clear and beautiful pictures! And a good TR too!!!

Awww..thanks!

You are starting to sell me on this "get up early" thing on vacation...WOW. You still have the whole day to hit the shows, wander the streets and all! :thumbsup2

I'm almost convinced...I really treasure my sleep! Though, an afternoon nap NEVER EVER happens in my world, so that is another plus for the "get up early" plan. Hmmmmm.....:laughing:

Hey, I am no morning person...believe me....but it sure does beat standing in long lines. Every afternoon that I am taking a nap or sitting by the pool, I always think to myself, "I could be at the park right now...but I've already riden everything!"

Alan, I am sooo glad that someone else enjoys DHS as much as I do! It seems to be everyone's least favorite park and least must do! It is on the top of my list! I think this year I will drag myself out of bed and do some morning EMH's! DHS still looked MOBBED in your pics though!!

Glad you had fun, looking forward to your review on Sci-Fi!

DHS is my FAV! I could just ride those three rides over and over again. It is such a small park, that I really love the EMH mornings there. You can do all the fun stuff then leave! This year, we scheduled DHS for our FIRST day and our LAST day.

The food looks so yummy at WCC-we'll have to try this one!

It looks like y'all had a blast at HS EMH! Can't wait to hear those Sci Fi reviews.

BTW-love your Buffett shirt. :love:I am listening to RadioMargaritaville right now-I rotate between that & DisRadio. :thumbsup2

Now THAT'S what I'm talking about! I'm a huge Buffett fan. I'm a musician and Buffett is my idol.

We've never tried the early extra magic hours. We always do the evening ones. Looks like we may just have to give the a.m. ones a try.

If you have park hoppers, I would go to the am EMH, then hop after lunch.

It's always so nice to read what each family enjoys! We do early morning, but rarely evening (too crowded for us) ~ especially in the summer, we enjoy morning, Sometimes in early December we'll try morning and evening, but we're definitely morning folks. :)

This TR has been so much fun, Alan. It really is the next best thing to being there and has been like a mini-vacation. Brings back so many wonderful memories of when my adult children were the ages of your munchkins! :goodvibes

Thanks again! :thumbsup2

Thanks very much! I love doing this! Fortunately, I've got enough pictures to keep me busy for awhile!

Thanks again for the continuing story.
Also, Happy Anniversary to you and your wife. I had to laugh when I read about your celebration. I thought I was the only one stretching it ;) 'cause dh and I will be celebrating the 19th anniversary of our 1st date on our trip in Sept. :woohoo: Why not?

Keep the awesome TR coming!

Thanks very much! We celebrated our actual wedding anniversary last week. (Can you say sushi?) Congrats on your upcoming "anniversary" also! I think the celebration of a relationship is pretty cool.

We've been gone on our (non-Disney) family vacation so I just found you and caught up! We had a great time in the mountains (I'm a fly-fishing widow now ;)) but I still miss our May Disney trips. So keep the report and photos coming - I'm living vicariously thru you til our Oct. trip! :laughing:

I'm anxious to hear how the rest of your DHS day went. Great plan for EMH - but I, too, have always avoided those parks out of concern for crowds later in the day. Maybe you'll change my mind...

I'll do my best to keep everyone entertained!! :laughing:

We got out of DHS before it got TOO crowded, but more on that later.

Great trip report so far. I look forward to the rest.

Thanks! Next chapter is on the way.

lvstitch

06-08-2009, 07:35 PM

I am really enjoying your report, thanks for sharing:thumbsup2

msgrimm23

06-08-2009, 07:51 PM

love your report thanks for sharing

lindseynleah

06-08-2009, 07:53 PM

looking forward to your Sci Fi review...this is one of our choices for xmas trip, but am kind of worried how my 3 1/2 year old will be!! can't wait to read all about it!!!!

Mysteria

06-08-2009, 08:14 PM

Hahaha...that's cool, Myst! I have now been to DHS 4 times and after 10:30am you just cannot get on Rock n' Roller Coaster, Tower of Terror, or Toy Story Mania without a HUGE line. I'm not a morning person AT ALL....but I prefer mornings over long, hot lines.

Amen to that! Den can attest to my serious dislike of mornings. :rotfl: At Disney though I have no problems with them. Of course we didn't have to be there for EMH since we weren't on site. We did the avoid the emh but hit the big attractions first plan.

karajeboo

06-09-2009, 09:47 AM

I love ToT and RnRC!!!! We have never made RD at DHS but every time we are there in the morning, the wait shows about 30 minutes and it's usually a walk on. So don't be fooled by the wait times posted - especially anytime before about 1pm.

Looking forward to your take on Sci Fi - we were there in March.......

brookelizabeth

06-09-2009, 10:37 AM

Hey, I am no morning person...believe me....but it sure does beat standing in long lines. Every afternoon that I am taking a nap or sitting by the pool, I always think to myself, "I could be at the park right now...but I've already riden everything!"

That half sentence alone I think is going to make getting up early worth it. We always have to squeeze pool time in at night (or on a non-parks day), and Joe is always wishing we had more of it-and had time to explore the resort more/take advantage of what they offer.

And the bonus of having already ridden everything! :thumbsup2

I hope this method holds out true during Premier Week!!!! :scared:

alan_renfroe

06-09-2009, 03:27 PM

mickeystoontown

06-09-2009, 04:25 PM

brookelizabeth

06-09-2009, 04:39 PM

3lilpiggies

06-09-2009, 04:52 PM

I am jumping out of my seat reading your tr. I am so excited :yay: and cannot wait to get there. We are even staying at CSR. Great job!!:rotfl:

englishrose47

06-09-2009, 04:57 PM

Hey Alan I am gonna use that line ""Sorry about the delay I hit the back button !!:rotfl2:Come on Ellen you are not gonna let him off with that areyou!:lmao:

CRdisMom

06-09-2009, 05:13 PM

im just waiting for ellen to post the MMM photos. I can't wait to put names with all of the faces.

podsnel

06-10-2009, 08:19 AM

Hi everyone! :wave2: Just stopping by to apologize for the delay on the next chapter. I had written the entire next chapter, got called away from my computer, accidentally came back and hit the "back" button, and erased all of it. I have an event to attend tonight out of town, but I will get back to you all very very soon to continue.

Alan

UGH!!!!! I HATE when that happens!!:badpc:

I don't think I have ever done the morning EMH- well, maybe when the kids were little- but now I'm out of bed like a shot in the morning (at WDW ONLY, of course!) and everyone else is sound asleep....:cloud9:. Very nice though to get all those rides in and then relax, huh? But we're also spoiled as a family- when we all go, we have the GAP pass with Sean, so we can always bypass the lines. That pass helps so much, I don't think we could go to WDW without it (with Sean).

And FWIW, the posted wait time for TSM was 40 minutes when Loni and I went on, and we waited about 20. :thumbsup2

podsnel

06-10-2009, 08:23 AM

im just waiting for ellen to post the MMM photos. I can't wait to put names with all of the faces.

Alan will have them, too- they'll be on our photopass share cd! Coming soon!! If you want to see them, pm me your email address and I'll send you a link! :thumbsup2

vicb

06-10-2009, 10:44 AM

Hi Alan, enjoying your trip report very much. Have a ? for you... was your room in the casitas a standard view? Thanks. :goodvibes

alan_renfroe

06-10-2009, 05:13 PM

I can't wait to read more of your trip report.... however that is going to have to wait because we leave in less than 12 hours for Pensacola and we will be in Disney in 5 days!!!!!

Hi Michelle! Hope you all have a WONDERFUL and safe trip.

I am really enjoying your report, thanks for sharing:thumbsup2

Thanks very much! I promise to get back on it today.

love your report thanks for sharing

Cool! Thanks!

looking forward to your Sci Fi review...this is one of our choices for xmas trip, but am kind of worried how my 3 1/2 year old will be!! can't wait to read all about it!!!!

I would think the 3 1/2 should be okay. It's not really scary or anything....just corny.

Amen to that! Den can attest to my serious dislike of mornings. :rotfl: At Disney though I have no problems with them. Of course we didn't have to be there for EMH since we weren't on site. We did the avoid the emh but hit the big attractions first plan.

Great plan. Of our 7 days, we only did AM EMH twice....but both times were successful. On the other days, we still got started early and still had success for the most part.

I love ToT and RnRC!!!! We have never made RD at DHS but every time we are there in the morning, the wait shows about 30 minutes and it's usually a walk on. So don't be fooled by the wait times posted - especially anytime before about 1pm.

Looking forward to your take on Sci Fi - we were there in March.......

ME TOO! Love those rides. Anyway, Sci Fi will be coming up soon.

That half sentence alone I think is going to make getting up early worth it. We always have to squeeze pool time in at night (or on a non-parks day), and Joe is always wishing we had more of it-and had time to explore the resort more/take advantage of what they offer.

And the bonus of having already ridden everything! :thumbsup2

I hope this method holds out true during Premier Week!!!! :scared:

I'm telling ya - early mornings, knock out the park by lunch, then enjoy a relaxing afternoon away from the crowds. It works for us FOR SURE! I am not a big fan of mornings, but I can't stand to be hot all day.

I'll just be waitin' around.popcorn:: don't worry about me.

:laughing: (darn computer)

Doh!

I have done that more than once! :headache:

Don't you HATE it when that happens? :headache:

alan_renfroe

06-10-2009, 05:37 PM

I am jumping out of my seat reading your tr. I am so excited :yay: and cannot wait to get there. We are even staying at CSR. Great job!!:rotfl:

I'll bet you are excited! CSR is wonderful. Hope you all have a great trip.

Hey Alan I am gonna use that line ""Sorry about the delay I hit the back button !!:rotfl2:Come on Ellen you are not gonna let him off with that areyou!:lmao:

:laughing: Leave it to my DEAR FRIENDS to give me a hard time. Thanks a lot, Rosie!

im just waiting for ellen to post the MMM photos. I can't wait to put names with all of the faces.

Ellen & I are both in the same PhotoPass share, so we should be getting our picture disc soon.

UGH!!!!! I HATE when that happens!!:badpc:

I don't think I have ever done the morning EMH- well, maybe when the kids were little- but now I'm out of bed like a shot in the morning (at WDW ONLY, of course!) and everyone else is sound asleep....:cloud9:. Very nice though to get all those rides in and then relax, huh? But we're also spoiled as a family- when we all go, we have the GAP pass with Sean, so we can always bypass the lines. That pass helps so much, I don't think we could go to WDW without it (with Sean).

And FWIW, the posted wait time for TSM was 40 minutes when Loni and I went on, and we waited about 20. :thumbsup2

Oh, I love getting to the parks early. It almost feels like you are cheating! You get to ride everything, and when everyone starts getting to the parks, you are pretty much ready to leave.

I think it's great that you guys can do the GAP pass with Sean. That certainly helps families with special needs children, and I would take full advantage of it if I were you.

Alan will have them, too- they'll be on our photopass share cd! Coming soon!! If you want to see them, pm me your email address and I'll send you a link! :thumbsup2

Yep! I think we should have them by early next week.

Hi Alan, enjoying your trip report very much. Have a ? for you... was your room in the casitas a standard view? Thanks. :goodvibes

Yes, our room was a standard view. We both commented that we would not pay extra for a water view simply because you don't have time to enjoy it. I mean, I never did see anyone sitting outside of their rooms enjoying a view or anything. Everyone is either at the parks or at the pool. If we are at the beach, we are all about having the view...but for WDW and CSR, I don't think the extra price for a view is really worth it.

Lifelong_Dreamer

06-10-2009, 05:48 PM

Hey Alan! Just wanted to let you know that I just posted about the MMM in my trip report. I think I posted near 100 pictures, my own candids that I took during the meet and all the photopass pictures. Make sure to stop by and check it out! :goodvibes

http://disboards.com/showthread.php?p=32070433#post32070433

alan_renfroe

06-10-2009, 05:53 PM

So we are at Disney's Hollywood Studio for rope drop and the Extra Magic Hour. The guys went in one direction and the girls went in another. The girls' plan was to get FastPasses for all four of us for Toy Story Mania and then get in the standby line.

Uh....they got a little distracted along the way! Juliana saw her very favorite character....EEYORE!

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-020.jpg

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-021.jpg

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-022.jpg

Then they saw Donald:

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-023.jpg

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-024.jpg

While visiting with Donald, Juliana saw Minnie but just missed her:

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-025.jpg

After meeting the characters, Elizabeth and Juliana headed over to Toy Story Mania. They took a more leisurely pace and stopped to smell the roses along the way:

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-026.jpg

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-027.jpg

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-028.jpg

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-029.jpg

They successfully got our FastPasses then got in the standby line to ride Toy Story Mania. These are pictures Juliana made:

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-031.jpg

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-032.jpg

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-034.jpg

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-035.jpg

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-036.jpg

They LOVED Toy Story Mania!

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-037.jpg

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-038.jpg

Since they had taken their time, they were only able to ride one ride while Wil and I had already ridden four rides! It was about 9:30am and it was getting close to time for all of us to meet back up.

Coming up next, we all meet up and ride Toy Story Mania together, Star Tours, Muppets 3D, and lunch at Sci Fi.

NWOhioAngela

06-10-2009, 06:21 PM

I'm not positive, but I think stopping for character photos during TSM Madness is grounds for divorce in a couple states!

Lifelong_Dreamer

06-10-2009, 06:23 PM

I'm not positive, but I think stopping for character photos during TSM Madness is grounds for divorce in a couple states!

:lmao::rotfl::rotfl2:

What return time did the fastpasses end up being?

2xcited2sleep

06-10-2009, 06:26 PM

I'm with Juliana... love Eeyore and TSM rocks! Can't wait to hear about your afternoon -- what a line up: TSM, Star Tours, Muppets and Sci Fi! :yay::yay::yay:

pmama

06-10-2009, 08:27 PM

Oh, I'm so glad Juliana got some time to meet up with some characters. I love that my girls still enjoy meeting the characters but no that thrill won't always be there.

englishrose47

06-10-2009, 11:11 PM

My guess is the FP were for after 9:30am as they don't start till 9:15!(FP's that is ) I did just that and was in line so long it was FP time when I got off !:rotfl2:I too loved TSM !! Buzz is now 2nd rate to TSM!!!:lmao:
In Sept at least someone can get in line hile I get Fps !!!!

brookelizabeth

06-11-2009, 12:24 AM

I'm not positive, but I think stopping for character photos during TSM Madness is grounds for divorce in a couple states!

:lmao::rotfl::rotfl2:

What return time did the fastpasses end up being?

:lmao: I was thinking the same thing!!! I almost said aloud at my computer screen "WHAT?! THEY STOPPED?!" I would have gone bezerk. :rotfl2:

I am so curious to know what time they got. 9:00 PM? ;)

The pics of Julianna with Eeoyre ARE very cute though. :cutie:

alan_renfroe

06-11-2009, 10:31 AM

I'm not positive, but I think stopping for character photos during TSM Madness is grounds for divorce in a couple states!

:laughing: THANK YOU!!! At least someone agrees with me! Well, to each their own. Wil & I had fun in our way, and the girls had fun in their own way. That's why spliting up can be a good thing sometimes.

:lmao::rotfl::rotfl2:

What return time did the fastpasses end up being?

We were very lucky. Because it was Extra Magic Hours, they were able to get our FastPasses for around 9:45, I think.

I'm with Juliana... love Eeyore and TSM rocks! Can't wait to hear about your afternoon -- what a line up: TSM, Star Tours, Muppets and Sci Fi! :yay::yay::yay:

Yeah, I can't blame her. For months, she had been talking about wanting to meet Eeyore, because he is so cute. So when she got the chance, she took it!

Oh, I'm so glad Juliana got some time to meet up with some characters. I love that my girls still enjoy meeting the characters but no that thrill won't always be there.

Wil could care less about the characters, but Juliana likes meeting them and getting her picture made with them....especially Eeyore and Stitch!

My guess is the FP were for after 9:30am as they don't start till 9:15!(FP's that is ) I did just that and was in line so long it was FP time when I got off !:rotfl2:I too loved TSM !! Buzz is now 2nd rate to TSM!!!:lmao:
In Sept at least someone can get in line hile I get Fps !!!!

Oh, I totally agree. Buzz is a great ride, but Toy Story Mania is waayyyy better! It is really a very clever ride, and one of those rides that almost anyone of any age would enjoy.

:lmao: I was thinking the same thing!!! I almost said aloud at my computer screen "WHAT?! THEY STOPPED?!" I would have gone bezerk. :rotfl2:

I am so curious to know what time they got. 9:00 PM? ;)

The pics of Julianna with Eeoyre ARE very cute though. :cutie:

:rotfl: Yeah, when they texted me and told me they were stopping to meet characters, I freaked a little. What? Get those FastPasses first!! Oh well, it worked out just fine...and Juliana was very happy to meet her favorite character.

alan_renfroe

06-11-2009, 10:50 AM

After riding Rock N' Roller Coaster twice, Tower of Terror, and Star Tours, it was time for Wil and I to meet back up with the girls. They had gotten FastPasses for all of us, and I think our return time was around 9:45am. As Wil and I made our way over to TSM, we took a few pictures along the way:

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-052.jpg

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-053.jpg

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-055.jpg

We met up with the girls and got in the FastPass line for Toy Story Mania:

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-056.jpg

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-057.jpg

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-059.jpg

I absolutely LOVE this ride!! It is one of those special rides that anyone of any age can enjoy. Very clever idea.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-060.jpg

As soon as we got off the ride, we immediately went and got more FastPasses for later in the afternoon.

After Toy Story Mania, Elizabeth wanted to check out the Narnia: Prince Caspian attraction, much to the dismay of Wil. He protested and protested, but ultimately we decided that we would all experience the attraction. Uh...hmm....it was basically a movie trailer. No offense to anyone who likes this attraction, but Wil and I were bored to tears. :sad2:

Elizabeth had tried to get Juliana to ride Star Tours earlier in the morning, but she insisted that she ride with me. We were afraid she would back out, but she was brave and decided to ride.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-062.jpg

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She ended up enjoying the ride and wondered what all the fuss was about.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-067.jpg

Next, we went to another favorite attraction of ours - the Muppets 3D:

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-069.jpg

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-070.jpg

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-071.jpg

After that, it was around 11:45am. We had lunch reservations at Sci Fi at 12:15pm. We were all getting hungry, so we decided to go ahead and see if we could be seated a little early.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-073.jpg

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-074.jpg

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-075.jpg

We were in luck! We were seated within 10 minutes!

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-076.jpg

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-077.jpg

Coming up next, lunch at the Sci-Fi Dine-In Theatre.

mickeystoontown

06-11-2009, 10:59 AM

Way to go Griswolds...I mean...Team Renfroe! You guys were able to do so much before your lunch at Sci-Fi. I know that Sci-Fi gets a bum rap on the disboards but we like it. Looking forward to hearing you opinion.

Must C Mickey

06-11-2009, 11:12 AM

So I think that you have convinced me of the Morning EMH's. My DH & I usually plan our days by the Evening EMH's b/c we are such night people. But it is unreal all that your family had accomplished before noon. When we were there in March, the parks were still crowded in the evening EMH's and we were not as lucky. We will def have to give the Morning EMH's a try in our 2010 trip. :goodvibes

Lifelong_Dreamer

06-11-2009, 11:30 AM

The Narnia attraction, I always just get my picture with Prince Caspian and then skip on out of the rest of the "attraction". ;)

Dallas_Lady

06-11-2009, 12:08 PM

I just love reading your trip reports, Alan. We also have a family of four, one girl and one boy, though our kids are still little. I love seeing how your family interacts together, I hope ours is the same way as the years go by :D

M & E love WDW

06-11-2009, 12:58 PM

Oops, sorry. Don't think I'll ever get over that just like it's still WEDway people mover.

Keep up the good work Alan. I am so enjoying your vacation. Thanks for taking us all along.

WillowBelle

06-11-2009, 02:04 PM

Just read your whole trip report in one sitting! Atlanta traffic is terrible. I live an hour south of Nashville and drive straight through the city (I'm also an ATL native). We are in CST here - I would have to leave at 9:00 in the morning to avoid afternoon rush hour traffic! Crazy that you have to give yourself a whole extra day, basically, to get through the city.

Taking my daughters to WDW in 2 weeks from today. We can't wait to give TSM a try. We will also have AM EMH's and will make a bee-line for that ride. I have taught my daughters that when there is a ride that is popular that there is no smelling the roses or posing with characters until AFTER the ride is finished or the FP's have been obtained :laughing:.

brookelizabeth

06-11-2009, 02:53 PM

I'm with ya on Narnia. DH and I were both unimpressed.

Way back in 06 we ate at Sci Fi too, I was barely a DISer then, so I didn't know the burgers and shakes were the thing to get. So, we weren't overlly impressed with the food, but LOVED the atmosphere and have wanted to go back! I look forward to your review. :thumbsup2

DisneyJo

06-11-2009, 03:33 PM

Sounds like a fun morning but they stopped to meet characters on their way to TSM :faint: As others have said definitely grounds for divorce ;) :rotfl:

nettii

06-11-2009, 04:44 PM

Great Trip report so far cant wait to read see more! LOVE all the pics!:love: We will not be doing MGM on our up coming trip and my boys are freaking out after seeing your pics.

englishrose47

06-11-2009, 06:49 PM

Great Update Alan!!! Glad you didn/t pree the "Back" button:lmao:
I saw Prince Narnia for the first and last time this trip it ranks right along with "Sounds Dangerous " BORING!!!!!!!!!! I also am a Sci Fi Fan !!! I don't think we'll make it in September though unless I do a bit of tweaking !!

MaryAz

06-11-2009, 07:12 PM

Fun update, we did not do TSM this time. Girls did like the Muppets show though. We had some good foos at Sci-Fi!!

2xcited2sleep

06-11-2009, 07:28 PM

Another food porn cliffhanger! :lmao::rotfl:

Looks like a fun morning at DHS! You hit all my favorites. Aren't the Muppets great?

Can't wait to hear your review of Sci Fi! :thumbsup2

pmama

06-11-2009, 09:22 PM

I'll be interested to see how Sci Fi went for you. Our very first trip we were so excited for Sci Fi and ended up with the s l o w e s t waitress ever! We wasted more than 2 hours and most of it was just waiting for her to actually come by our table. Because of that experience we did not return last time. I'm hoping it was an isolated experience.:goodvibes
P.S. Glad Julianna liked Star Tours, I hate it.:sad2:

disneyfan61

06-11-2009, 09:31 PM

Enjoying your report Alan. My DH LOVES the Muppets. Go figure. He bought a t-shirt on this last trip of the 2 old guys in the balcony. It says "Being old is better than being dead". I think that was one of the few things he got this trip.
Anxious to hear about your meal at Sci Fi. We ate there a few years ago for lunch. We thought it was pretty good.

alan_renfroe

06-12-2009, 10:04 AM

We arrived at the Sci-Fi Dine-In Theatre & Restaurant about 20 minutes before our reservation time. Fortunately, they were able to seat us almost immediately. We had all been looking forward to this experience! After a very successful morning of touring Disney's Hollywood Studios we were now thirsty and hungry.

The kids thought the movies were hilarious and we all had a great time! This place is awesome! It is as much of an attraction as it is a restaurant.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-078.jpg

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-080.jpg

We had read many negative reviews about the food at Sci-Fi, but honestly we were very pleasantly surprised! We all enjoyed our meal very much! I mean it wasn't gourmet cuisine or anything....but a nice, solid lunch and a really fun way to spend some time together.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-079.jpg

The kids ordered milkshakes as their drinks while Elizabeth and I both got Cherry Cokes.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-081.jpg

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Elizabeth ordered the Spinach Artichoke Dip as her appetizer. It was really good.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-084.jpg

Wil and I both ordered the onion rings. They were outstanding! I couldn't believe how HUGE the portions were. If we were not on the dining plan, I could have just eaten onion rings for lunch and been full.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-085.jpg

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-086.jpg

For my entree, I ordered the St. Louis Ribs with Cucumber-Melon Salad and Coleslaw. I almost didn't order this because I had eaten ribs the night before at Whispering Canyon, but I am so glad that I did. They were really good. Were they the absolute greatest ribs ever? no. They were on par with Chili's or something like that. But it was just exactly what I wanted, and I was certainly not disappointed. The Cucumber-Melon Salad and the Coleslaw were also very good.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-087.jpg

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-088.jpg

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-089.jpg

Elizabeth ordered the smokey turkey sandwich. (Sorry for the blurry picture - it was so dark in the dining room it was difficult to get good pictures.)

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-090.jpg

Wil got the Angus Chuck Burger. It was awesome! However, after eating that big plate of onion rings, he wasn't really hungry enough to eat all of his burger.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-092.jpg

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-093.jpg

Juliana got the children's pizza:

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-091.jpg

(continued in next post)

alan_renfroe

06-12-2009, 10:53 AM

For dessert, Juliana had the ice cream sundae:

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-095.jpg

Wil had the hot fudge sundae:

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-096.jpg

Elizabeth ordered the Peanut Butter/Chocolate Cake. It was very good.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-094.jpg

BUT...I saved the best for last. My dessert was fantastic! I ordered the Cheesecake with Caramel Sauce and Caramel Corn. The mixture of cheesecake and caramel corn was just terrific. Elizabeth enjoyed her dessert, but liked mine much better. She kept asking for more bites! Between the two of us, we finished this bad boy off with no problem.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-097.jpg

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-098.jpg

I do not remember our server's name, but she was very sweet. We thought she did a really good job. She took these pictures of us:

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-099.jpg

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http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-102.jpg

Overall, we all really enjoyed our lunch at Sci-Fi. In fact, I would have to say that it is now on our "must-do" list. I think the trick is to not order anything overly fancy. If I go back, I would probably order the exact same things. I think we had low expectations and turned out to be pleasantly surprised. This was a really, really good lunch!

Coming up next - an afternoon at the pool at CSR, and later, back to DHS for the American Idol Experience, Toy Story Mania, and dinner at the Flying Fish.

Lady Lallie

06-12-2009, 11:08 AM

DisneyJo

06-12-2009, 12:05 PM

I love SciFi too and how cute you got a 4 seater car, so sweet :goodvibes

shannon47142

06-12-2009, 01:19 PM

glad you enjoyed lunch!! We ate there last summer and also had a great experience--like you said, not gormet fare, but good food, great surrroundings:cool1:

serene56

06-12-2009, 01:38 PM

Do the cars only seat 4 people? are there bigger ones that seat 6?
cant imagine 6 of us in that car you were in.

TigerKat

06-12-2009, 02:36 PM

Can't wait to hear about American Idol & FF!!! Juliana looked very tired, poor baby.:hug:

mickeystoontown

06-12-2009, 03:06 PM

I'm glad to hear somebody else likes the Sci-Fi. We have eaten several times and have always enjoyed it. Like you say, the food is not super spectacular but the atmosphere of the restaurant makes this a great place to eat.

Poor Juliana, she looks really tired.

Looking forward to seeing more pictures of the CSR.

pmama

06-12-2009, 03:29 PM

Glad you enjoyed Sci Fi! We'll have to try it again next visit and hope for a better server.

soulmates

06-12-2009, 03:41 PM

Question: on the DDP it's a CS. Did you use the DDP? IF so, you got ALL that for 1 CS? Wow!:thumbsup2

We have lunch ressies for SciFi and we can't wait!! :3dglasses

soulmates

06-12-2009, 03:49 PM

Question: on the DDP it's a CS. Did you use the DDP? IF so, you got ALL that for 1 CS? Wow!:thumbsup2

We have lunch ressies for SciFi and we can't wait!! :3dglasses

Never mind. Just looked and it's NOT on the DDP. I didn't know that, ouch. Guess that one will be OOP!:sad1:

englishrose47

06-12-2009, 03:52 PM

Question: on the DDP it's a CS. Did you use the DDP? IF so, you got ALL that for 1 CS? Wow!:thumbsup2

We have lunch ressies for SciFi and we can't wait!! :3dglasses

Sci Fi is a TS not a cs !!

Alan I agree with you !!The first time I ordered the shrimp pasta and it was not too good but the others ordered steak and it was good !! I also ordered the apple dessert and it was also not good but the others had sundaes sooo I learnt to stick to simple !! This time I ordered a hamburger and it wasw delish !!! However both times the cookies and cream milkshake was to die for !! The atmosphere is soo great !!! I love the place I am trying to fir it in for Sept somehow !!

alan_renfroe

06-12-2009, 03:59 PM

Sci Fi looks yummy! I think you've got it down though, don't order anything too fancy there and you will be fine. I think I could make a meal out of some onions rings and a yummy shake! I ate there in 2005 and we sat at one of the picnic tables, not the car, it was a neat place. It was so quiet with everyone watching the screen. It was a nice break.

Yeah, if we had not been on the dining plan, I would have just ordered the onion rings and a shake. (However, those ribs and ESPECIALLY that cheesecake were really good!) Sci-Fi does make a nice mid-day break.

I love SciFi too and how cute you got a 4 seater car, so sweet :goodvibes

We were loving the four-seater!

glad you enjoyed lunch!! We ate there last summer and also had a great experience--like you said, not gormet fare, but good food, great surrroundings:cool1:

Yep. I would definitely go there again. It is one of those unique places that you will only find at Disney. Therefore, it becomes part of the Disney experience.

Do the cars only seat 4 people? are there bigger ones that seat 6?
cant imagine 6 of us in that car you were in.

There are some bigger ones that seat 6, if I remember correctly.

Can't wait to hear about American Idol & FF!!! Juliana looked very tired, poor baby.:hug:

Juliana was really tired. Also, she started getting a little bit of a tummy ache. (Plus, she's a bit of a drama queen...so you have to take that into account!) By the afternoon, she was just fine.

I'm glad to hear somebody else likes the Sci-Fi. We have eaten several times and have always enjoyed it. Like you say, the food is not super spectacular but the atmosphere of the restaurant makes this a great place to eat.

Poor Juliana, she looks really tired.

Looking forward to seeing more pictures of the CSR.

I think Juliana had gotten a little hot and tired. Plus, she was complaining of a stomach ache. It miraculously got better after we got back to the resort, however. :confused3

Glad you enjoyed Sci Fi! We'll have to try it again next visit and hope for a better server.

No doubt - the server can MAKE or BREAK this place. Fortunately, we had a cool server who was attentative and fun.

Question: on the DDP it's a CS. Did you use the DDP? IF so, you got ALL that for 1 CS? Wow!:thumbsup2

We have lunch ressies for SciFi and we can't wait!! :3dglasses

It's actually a TS, if I'm not mistaken. If you are on the Deluxe Dining Plan, you get appetizer, entree, and dessert. On the regular dining plan, you only get the entree and dessert - no appetizer.

WillowBelle

06-12-2009, 04:25 PM

Never mind. Just looked and it's NOT on the DDP. I didn't know that, ouch. Guess that one will be OOP!:sad1:

Sci-Fi is on the DDP and it takes 1 credit. The only difference is that they are on the DELUXE DDP and got to get the appetizer as well.

No OOP for you soulmates, it's included :thumbsup2.

2xcited2sleep

06-12-2009, 04:44 PM

Thanks for the review! I'm just working on ADR plans for Sept and I think I'm going to have to find a way to work Sci Fi into the plans! :woohoo:

Keep 'em coming Team Renfroe! popcorn::

inkedupmomma

06-12-2009, 04:55 PM

Hmm.. now I am 2nd guessing myself for not going here..but I think we will save it for next trip! I did love it it in there when we went in 2005, but did not LOVE the food, so I suppose we can wait one more year! Although that cheesecake looks fantabulous!! Your poor DD did not look like she wanted to be in any pics twds the end there:rotfl:

nettii

06-12-2009, 07:11 PM

Love the pics of Sci Fi we Love Sci Fi, the food is good, atmosphere is great! Thnks for sharing you have a beautiful family! looking forward to the rest!

wlwilliams9

06-12-2009, 07:49 PM

I'm in!! You've gotten off to a great start! We loved Sci-Fi for lunch too. I think it gets a bad rep here on the DIS!

Keep it coming, I can't wait to read more!!

bwmmfan

06-12-2009, 08:35 PM

I don't know how you eat all that food.!!!! We had the DDP and still thought it was a lot of food. Even with all the walking we still gained a few pounds:rolleyes1. We thought Sci Fi was cute oddly quiet, but not one of our favs. Still don't have a favorite reseraunt at DHS. I'll keep reading your resteraunt reviews to try a new place to eat

karajeboo

06-12-2009, 08:57 PM

You are soooo right about Sci Fi - not the greatest food, but combined with the atmosphere it is a perfect lunch spot. Don't know if I'd want to waste a TS credit for dinner, but lovedit for an out of pocked lunch.....

Now I'm REALLY looking forward to your FF review - that is our all time favorite in all of WDW!!!!

englishrose47

06-13-2009, 10:06 AM

Morning Alan!!!

podsnel

06-13-2009, 10:32 AM

Ok, we really need to give Sci Fi another shot. When we went it wasn't so much the food that turned us off- it was ok, nothing great, but we were in there for the atmosphere- but we didn't get a car. We got a table.:sad2: Mediocre food at a table where everyone else is sitting in a car you'd like to be sitting in makes mediocre just no good at all. I think Cammie or Kara said they didn't see any tables on their last visit- did they take them out?

By the way, I wanted to tell you- love your shirt, Alan!!:thumbsup2

englishrose47

06-13-2009, 11:24 AM

Hi Ellen!!!

brookelizabeth

06-13-2009, 12:51 PM

Glad to hear you had a great meal at Sci Fi! DH and I ate here back in '06 and thought the atmosphere was really fun, I would love to go back and get a burger/shake/fries since everyone says their burgers are awesome. Maybe I can squeeze in a free dining trip...;)

portocall

06-14-2009, 12:13 AM

Woo Hoo... another Team Renfroe report!!!! Loved the Sci-Fi review since we plan on trying that one out! Can't wait to read more... hope you and your family had fun!

alan_renfroe

06-14-2009, 01:54 AM

Sci-Fi is on the DDP and it takes 1 credit. The only difference is that they are on the DELUXE DDP and got to get the appetizer as well.

No OOP for you soulmates, it's included :thumbsup2.

Yep, that's it. But I must say, if I were on the regular dining plan, I would probably not use a TS credit here. I would just get a shake and some onion rings, and save the TS for a dinner.

Thanks for the review! I'm just working on ADR plans for Sept and I think I'm going to have to find a way to work Sci Fi into the plans! :woohoo:

Keep 'em coming Team Renfroe! popcorn::

Last year we ate at the 50s Prime Time Cafe on our DHS day. We really enjoyed it, but I've got to say I think we all liked Sci-Fi even better. If you are going to be at DHS around lunchtime, I would recommend Sci-Fi.

Hmm.. now I am 2nd guessing myself for not going here..but I think we will save it for next trip! I did love it it in there when we went in 2005, but did not LOVE the food, so I suppose we can wait one more year! Although that cheesecake looks fantabulous!! Your poor DD did not look like she wanted to be in any pics twds the end there:rotfl:

Hi IUM! :wave2: That cheesecake was really, really good. I'm not kidding - it was one of my favorite desserts. In the future, we will try to make it to Sci-Fi for lunch on our DHS day. It was a blast!

Love the pics of Sci Fi we Love Sci Fi, the food is good, atmosphere is great! Thnks for sharing you have a beautiful family! looking forward to the rest!

Thanks nettii!

I'm in!! You've gotten off to a great start! We loved Sci-Fi for lunch too. I think it gets a bad rep here on the DIS!

Keep it coming, I can't wait to read more!!

Welcome aboard! I think you're right....we almost didn't make reservations for Sci-Fi, but Rosie convinced me! I'm so glad she did! We thought it was a really cool place. Our expectations were low....so we were pleasantly surprised.

I don't know how you eat all that food.!!!! We had the DDP and still thought it was a lot of food. Even with all the walking we still gained a few pounds:rolleyes1. We thought Sci Fi was cute oddly quiet, but not one of our favs. Still don't have a favorite reseraunt at DHS. I'll keep reading your resteraunt reviews to try a new place to eat

The deluxe dining plan is WAY more food than you can possibly eat....but it is nice to sample many different menu choices. I must admit though....I ate ALL of my appetizer, entree, and dessert at Sci-Fi! (Whew! Was I FULL!)

You are soooo right about Sci Fi - not the greatest food, but combined with the atmosphere it is a perfect lunch spot. Don't know if I'd want to waste a TS credit for dinner, but lovedit for an out of pocked lunch.....

Now I'm REALLY looking forward to your FF review - that is our all time favorite in all of WDW!!!!

Spoiler alert!!! We loved FF also! They really spoiled us!

Morning Alan!!!

Hi Rosie! :wave2: Hope you enjoyed our Sci-Fi pictures. We have YOU to thank for scheduling that restaurant.

Ok, we really need to give Sci Fi another shot. When we went it wasn't so much the food that turned us off- it was ok, nothing great, but we were in there for the atmosphere- but we didn't get a car. We got a table.:sad2: Mediocre food at a table where everyone else is sitting in a car you'd like to be sitting in makes mediocre just no good at all. I think Cammie or Kara said they didn't see any tables on their last visit- did they take them out?

By the way, I wanted to tell you- love your shirt, Alan!!:thumbsup2

Oh, that would suck to NOT be seated in a car! I didn't see any tables that weren't cars....but I really didn't notice. It is very dark in the dining area. I think it was all cars...but I'm not sure. Also, our server was cool and that makes a huge difference.

I figured you'd like that shirt, Ellen! I am possibly the world's biggest Buffett fan!!! For our wedding aniversary last year, we went to a Buffett concert in Atlanta!

Glad to hear you had a great meal at Sci Fi! DH and I ate here back in '06 and thought the atmosphere was really fun, I would love to go back and get a burger/shake/fries since everyone says their burgers are awesome. Maybe I can squeeze in a free dining trip...;)

Sci-Fi on free dining would be a good bet! :thumbsup2 Just stick with the basics, and don't expect any gourmet cuisine.....just great atmosphere and FUN!

Woo Hoo... another Team Renfroe report!!!! Loved the Sci-Fi review since we plan on trying that one out! Can't wait to read more... hope you and your family had fun!

Thanks portocall! We had a great time! Next chapter coming up.

alan_renfroe

06-14-2009, 02:05 AM

After a wonderfully refreshing lunch at Sci-Fi, and a very successful morning of touring Disney's Hollywood Studios, we were ready to get back to the Coronado Springs Resort for a little "chill time" in the afternoon. As we were leaving DHS, we took a few pictures along the way:

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-104.jpg

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http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-108.jpg

It was now about 2pm, and we waited for a bus to take us back to Coronado Springs:

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Once we got back to Coronado Springs, we decided to spend the afternoon at the Dig Site Pool!

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http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-118.jpg

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-119.jpg

Elizabeth and I decided to have ourselves a cocktail at Siesta's poolside bar:

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-120.jpg

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-121.jpg

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We had a very relaxing afternoon just hanging out by the pool and enjoying our time together.

Coming up next, getting ready to go to dinner at Flying Fish, and our first-ever visit to the Boardwalk Resort.

portocall

06-14-2009, 02:50 AM

MeMom

06-14-2009, 07:08 AM

Thanks for the walk around Hollywood Studios. Great pictures!

Juliana is looking a little worn out in the Sci-Fi pics and at the bus stop. She looked very ready for some cool, relaxing pool time.

stepdisney

06-14-2009, 07:20 AM

Okay, Okay....I must admit that I was one of the Sci-Fi bashers. We ordered too fancy because we were having dinner. I would love to go for lunch some time because that burger and those onion rings along with the milk shakes :thumbsup2. We may go OOP for an afternoon of milkshakes and appys. That would work. Your trip report has my whole family very excited about our up-coming trip. We love how you tell a story. Can't wait to hear your take on the American Idol. (I'm actually thinking of auditioning :goodvibes).

karajeboo

06-14-2009, 07:59 AM

Ohhh, ur sitting on the hot seats on that bus!!! Ally always wants to sit there but Iguess the engine is back there or something - it's always so HOT!

Oh, and Ellen, yes there are still tables in Sci Fi.......

inkedupmomma

06-14-2009, 08:07 AM

Alan, what are the names of said drinks..price and are they worth the price??

2xcited2sleep

06-14-2009, 08:30 AM

I love afternoon pool breaks! Aren't they the greatest? :cloud9: And I echo inkedupmamma's question on what are the drinks you ordered? They both look yummy! Can't wait to hear about Flying Fish!

bucci818

06-14-2009, 08:43 AM

Finally caught up! You have me thinking that AM EMH are a good thing. Now, to convince my DH! I'm glad you got to get so much done in the morning, and then relax by the pool. I've never considered SciFi before, but I may have to take a second look at that. We want to go to FF, so I can't wait to see how your family liked it. So, I'll patiently wait for more....popcorn::

Lorettainny

06-14-2009, 10:15 AM

Great report. I love all the pictures and your family is great!!!!

We also enjoyed the Sci Fi. We did not have very high expectations walking in because of all the reviews on the DIS. I also agree that it gets a bad rap. I would go back again. The atmosphere is pretty special in there.

Can't wait for the next installment.

Lady Lallie

06-14-2009, 10:18 AM

The kids look like are slowly refreshing with that pool break!

jezaduck24

06-14-2009, 10:25 AM

Your report is really killing me - we are staying at Coronado in September and it just looks fabulous in your pictures!
Hey, btw - how are the bartenders at the pool bar? Are they generous with their pouring? ;) After full mornings in the parks schlepping 2 toddlers and a double stroller, I am looking forward to frosty adult bevs!

WillowBelle

06-14-2009, 11:04 AM

micandminforever

06-14-2009, 03:07 PM

The HS pictures were great. I enjoy eating at the SciFi, because it brings back childhood memories. I believe I have actually watch all the movies instead of just clips.

I thought of you and your family this weekend. My dh started his bike ride today at Cedartown Ga. and headed toward Ala. he only made it to Piedmont, but he was headed your way. He has a cousin that starts at Jacksonville sometimes and they meet at Piedmont and bike ride on the trail.

Looking forward to your reviews of FF.

Camster0307

06-14-2009, 05:32 PM

All caught up Alan! Great morning at DHS! Well done, my friend. I wish I could drag my girls out of bed for early EMH - you do accomplish alot!

Love Aerosmith. Love Rollercoasters. Helllllllooooo? Rode twice? I have yet to ride ONCE!

We love SciFi also. I go in with low expections. The experience is worth dining there but I did enjoy our burgers also. Very fun!

Elizabeth and I decided to have ourselves a cocktail at Siesta's poolside bar:

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-121.jpg

And dude - the drinks look really YUMMY! What are they?

TigerKat

06-14-2009, 05:47 PM

Can't wait to hear about FF and your impressions of my favorite place in all of WDW, the Boardwalk!!!!!

KatMark

06-14-2009, 07:43 PM

Ooooh...those drinks at Siesta's look so good. One of the things I am going to miss most about not being at Disney this year--drinks at Siesta's.

alan_renfroe

06-14-2009, 10:14 PM

Okay... your excitement is seriously contagious:woohoo: I will admit that Hollywood Studios is my least favorite of all the parks, but your pictures have actually gotten me excited to go for our November visit!

Also, please tell Juliana the picture she captured of the Disney sign was top knotch! I think she might be responsible for my own gonna be 9 year old to get his very own digital camera for his birthday (he has been asking)... :3dglasses

So while waiting until November, I am gonna live through your May trip as long as you don't mind taking me with you for the ridepopcorn::

I think your 9-year-old would love having a digital camera! Juliana has really enjoyed hers. I think she's got potential as a photographer!

You just feel free to live vicariously through this report....in fact, go ahead and consider yourself an honorary Renfroe!! :laughing:

Thanks for the walk around Hollywood Studios. Great pictures!

Juliana is looking a little worn out in the Sci-Fi pics and at the bus stop. She looked very ready for some cool, relaxing pool time.

She was definitely tired - but nothing that a nice afternoon at the pool couldn't fix!

Okay, Okay....I must admit that I was one of the Sci-Fi bashers. We ordered too fancy because we were having dinner. I would love to go for lunch some time because that burger and those onion rings along with the milk shakes :thumbsup2. We may go OOP for an afternoon of milkshakes and appys. That would work. Your trip report has my whole family very excited about our up-coming trip. We love how you tell a story. Can't wait to hear your take on the American Idol. (I'm actually thinking of auditioning :goodvibes).

Hey, I totally understand on the Sci-Fi thing. We just happened to have a great server and didn't get overly complicated with our order....and I definitely think that makes a difference. There are so many great options for dinner in Disney World that I don't think we would ever do Sci-FI. However, if you are at DHS around lunchtime, I actually liked it better than 50s Prime Time Cafe.

Thanks for your great compliments! I am glad you are enjoying the report! and you should DEFINITELY audition for American Idol!

Ohhh, ur sitting on the hot seats on that bus!!! Ally always wants to sit there but Iguess the engine is back there or something - it's always so HOT!

Oh, and Ellen, yes there are still tables in Sci Fi.......

Hahaha...that's hilarious! They weren't hot for us...but I can see how they could get that way. There is definitely some rumble going on back there!

Alan, what are the names of said drinks..price and are they worth the price??

Oh, I forgot to identify the drinks! The one on the left is called a Raspberry Crush = $8.75. The one on the right is called the Fiesta Margarita = $9.20. They are a little pricey, but given the incredible atmosphere, you can't beat having a big tropical drink while watching the kids have fun in the pool.

I love afternoon pool breaks! Aren't they the greatest? :cloud9: And I echo inkedupmamma's question on what are the drinks you ordered? They both look yummy! Can't wait to hear about Flying Fish!

Yay for afternoon pool breaks! We swear by them! Info on the drinks are posted above. They were both yummy!

Finally caught up! You have me thinking that AM EMH are a good thing. Now, to convince my DH! I'm glad you got to get so much done in the morning, and then relax by the pool. I've never considered SciFi before, but I may have to take a second look at that. We want to go to FF, so I can't wait to see how your family liked it. So, I'll patiently wait for more....popcorn::

If you want to convince DH, just tell him that everyone can ride all of the rides they want to experience by LUNCHTIME! Then, you have the entire afternoon to nap, rest, swim, etc. Three words: NAPS ARE GOOD! (You can quote me on that.)

Great report. I love all the pictures and your family is great!!!!

We also enjoyed the Sci Fi. We did not have very high expectations walking in because of all the reviews on the DIS. I also agree that it gets a bad rap. I would go back again. The atmosphere is pretty special in there.

Can't wait for the next installment.

Thanks very much! I would definitely go back to Sci-Fi for lunch. The movies were a riot!

The kids look like are slowly refreshing with that pool break!

ah, yes....we are ALL getting refreshed! LOVE afternoon breaks!

Your report is really killing me - we are staying at Coronado in September and it just looks fabulous in your pictures!
Hey, btw - how are the bartenders at the pool bar? Are they generous with their pouring? ;) After full mornings in the parks schlepping 2 toddlers and a double stroller, I am looking forward to frosty adult bevs!

I hope you all will love Coronado Springs as much as we do! I've got lots more resort pictures in future postings, so stay tuned.

The bartenders at Siesta's are THE BEST ANYWHERE!! Francisco is the main guy, and another guy named Adrian is a hoot! They spar with the patrons and really make you feel like you are chillin' in paradise. The thing I love the most about Siesta's is that they make you feel like you are at some high-end resort in the Caribbean. I swear, one day I am going to plan an entire day just sitting at Siesta's!!! Oh, and they have good food also. They serve hamburgers, nachos, etc. If we were anywhere OTHER than Disney World, we would just hang out at the Dig Site pool area and Siesta's all the time!

alan_renfroe

06-14-2009, 10:28 PM

What a great day, so far! I can't get my DDs to want to leave the parks to go back to the pool. I told them this trip that I was going to have to do laundry at least once and they could swim, they said they'd rather go to the arcade!

Our kids love leaving the parks after lunch. They enjoy the break....and when it gets hot in the middle of the day, we would rather be chillin' in the pool!

The HS pictures were great. I enjoy eating at the SciFi, because it brings back childhood memories. I believe I have actually watch all the movies instead of just clips.

I thought of you and your family this weekend. My dh started his bike ride today at Cedartown Ga. and headed toward Ala. he only made it to Piedmont, but he was headed your way. He has a cousin that starts at Jacksonville sometimes and they meet at Piedmont and bike ride on the trail.

Looking forward to your reviews of FF.

Thanks, micandminforever! Our kids, especially Wil, got a big kick out of the cheesiness of the movies at Sci-Fi!

Oh wow! Your DH is really, REALLY close to us. We go walking on that trail all the time. Here between Jacksonville, Alabama and the Georgia state line, the trail is called the Ladiga Trail....and it is really beautiful. Sometimes, Wil and I ride our bikes on the trail as well. I have only been as far as Piedmont. I would love to get in better shape and eventually be able to ride to Cedartown and back.

All caught up Alan! Great morning at DHS! Well done, my friend. I wish I could drag my girls out of bed for early EMH - you do accomplish alot!

Love Aerosmith. Love Rollercoasters. Helllllllooooo? Rode twice? I have yet to ride ONCE!

We love SciFi also. I go in with low expections. The experience is worth dining there but I did enjoy our burgers also. Very fun!

And dude - the drinks look really YUMMY! What are they?

:rotfl: I LOVE that line! Love Aerosmith. Love rollercoasters. Hellloooo? :rotfl: Classic Stacey. Wil and I really DO love that ride. I've got a feeling that Lauren might start getting braver and MAKE you ride!!! Just close your eyes and SCREAM!!

Those drinks were very refreshing. Elizabeth had the Raspberry Crush and I had the Fiesta Margarita. YUM!!! (Can you believe it is day 2, and we are just now getting a cocktail? What's up with that?)

By the way, Juliana got Lauren's 'thank you' card and it thrilled her to death! Tell Lauren she has definitely got a little sis in Alabama!

Can't wait to hear about FF and your impressions of my favorite place in all of WDW, the Boardwalk!!!!!

Here's a spoiler alert.................LOVE the Boardwalk!

Ooooh...those drinks at Siesta's look so good. One of the things I am going to miss most about not being at Disney this year--drinks at Siesta's.

I knew if ANYONE would appreciate those pictures from Siesta's, it would be you!!! Don't you just LOVE that place?

alan_renfroe

06-14-2009, 11:11 PM

After a very relaxing afternoon at the Dig Site pool at Coronado Springs Resort, it was time to get ready for dinner and our afternoon back at Disney's Hollywood Studios.

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We decided to drive to Disney's Hollywood Studios instead of taking the bus, because we had dinner reservations at the Flying Fish at the Boardwalk. We thought about just driving to the Boardwalk and walking over to DHS, but it was still really, really hot, so we wanted to park as close as possible.

Now.....this is when we had a scary moment.

The tram was loading in our section of the parking lot to take guests to the front gate of the park. I said, "Hurry, everyone! Let's get to the tram before it leaves!" I got to the tram and jumped on. Juliana and Elizabeth followed. As the two of them got on, the driver of the tram yelled into the microphone, "NOBODY else is to get on! We are leaving now! Absolutely no one is to get on!" Wil didn't know what to do. He is a good kid, and didn't want to not follow orders. We were telling him, "C'mon Wil! Get on RIGHT NOW!" But he wouldn't because the driver said not to. The tram was not even full, but the driver was hell bent on leaving at that particular moment.

As the tram left, we could see fear in Wil's eyes as he was left behind. Elizabeth yelled, "YOU LEFT MY SON!" Then, some *****y woman yelled back at her, "No, lady....YOU left your son!" I yelled to Wil, "just stay right there and I'll be back for you!"

When the tram stopped, I got off and headed back down the path. The driver stopped me and said, "You can't go back that way!" I said, "you left my son, dude. I've got to go get him." He then showed me how to get back to where he was. I took off walking as fast as I could. After a few hundred yards, my cell phone rang. It was Elizabeth telling me that Wil had called her. He had just taken the next tram and would meet us at the entrance.

Wil is a very mature 12-year-old...but that was a really scary moment. He is a calm kid, and knew exactly what to do. From that point on, I always made sure that Elizabeth, Wil, and Juliana were boarded on ANY transportation system before I got on.

So now that we are all back together and back at the entrance of Disney's Hollywood Studios, we were ready to put the whole event behind us and get back to having fun.

Uh....yet another snag....

Elizabeth realized that she had left her Key to the World back in the hotel room. She had accidentally grabbed her PhotoPass card instead of her admission card. So, we had to go to guest services. Fortunately, they were extremely friendly and helpful. They issued her a new card that would allow her admission. He even drew a little Mickey Mouse figure on the new card. Now I was confused at this point..... I thought he was telling us that the card with the Mickey Mouse on it was a temporary card, and that we were to throw it away and use the other card for the remainder of the trip. (As I would later find out, that is NOT what he said!)

SO.....FINALLY.....we are back at DHS!

The park was suppose to close at 7pm. Our original plan was to use our FastPasses for Toy Story Mania, and then catch the American Idol finale show of the day. We thought that since the park was closing at 7pm, the last show would probably be at 6pm. Wrong! The final American Idol show of the day was going to be at 7pm. Our dinner reservations at the Flying Fish were at 7:45pm, so we knew we would not have time to see the 7pm show.

We decided to go see the 6pm American Idol show instead, and then ride Toy Story Mania. This plan worked out just perfectly!!

The American Idol Experience was wonderful!!! We are big fans of the show. Being a musician myself, when the show first came on the air I thought it was just glorified karoke. However, during the show's 4th season, I started watching it. Bo Bice is from Helena, Alabama, which is where my best friend lives. I wanted to see what all the hype was about. I got hooked! Since then, our entire family has enjoyed watching the show. We were really excited about catching the American Idol Experience at DHS.

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The set is amazing! You actually feel like you are getting the experience!

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The three contestants for this show were all females, two of which were probably too old to have competed on the actual television show.

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The judges were close replicas of Randy, Simon, and Paula. The Simonesque character was Australian....and he was the "Bad Cop" in the good cop/bad cop scenario.

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The first contest had a pleasant voice. She had a likeability, but something was telling me that she would not be the best of the three.

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The second contestant was not very good at all. I couldn't help but think, "I am better than her! Maybe I should have tried out for this! It would certainly have been fun!"

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The third contestant was CLEARLY better than the other two. Not surprisingly, she won the competition. I wish we could have seen the final show of the day! I would have loved to have seen how our winner stacked up against the other winners of the day.

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After the American Idol Experience, we went back to Toy Story Mania and used our FastPasses. This was Elizabeth and Juliana's third time to ride today, and second time for Wil and I.

Coming up next, our last Toy Story Mania experience for the day, exploring the Boardwalk Resort, and dinner at the Flying Fish.

portocall

06-15-2009, 12:03 AM

I think your 9-year-old would love having a digital camera! Juliana has really enjoyed hers. I think she's got potential as a photographer!

You just feel free to live vicariously through this report....in fact, go ahead and consider yourself an honorary Renfroe!! :laughing:

WooHoo! Thanks Alan:thumbsup2 Poor Wil.. I am so glad he knew what to do. I am thinking that this afternoon rest stuff makes some sense... the difference in Juliana is amazing.:thumbsup2

pmama

06-15-2009, 12:06 AM

Wow, the pool looks pretty busy for mid-day!

I'm very impressed with Will. He does seem like a very mature 12 yo. It's also great that he had his own cell. Do both your children carry their own cell? Thanks for the report on the American Idol show I hadn't read any others yet. Looking forward to your Boardwalk review. We've never been there either.

englishrose47

06-15-2009, 12:08 AM

Alan loved the update !! American Idolis on the TO DO" list for September !!!

brookelizabeth

06-15-2009, 01:03 AM

Oh my goodness! That is so scary about Wil! I can't believe that driver!!!!!!! And that woman commenting back to your wife! :scared1: :sad2: :mad: The nerve! I would have stood up and shouted down the driver for leaving a child behind! Arg!

Gets me all hot and fired up! :rotfl:

SO SO SO glad to read he was cool, collected and SMART about it all. What a great kid you have!!!!

I'm looking forward to what the "Mickey pass" actually was...:wizard:

Luis Rodriguez

06-15-2009, 06:08 AM

That must have been really scary, Wil being left behind!! Kudos for him being such cool headed and doing the right thing (using his cell phone, getting on the next tram, etc.).

Me, I would have jumped right off the tram, using a particular woman for cushioning my fall!! :mad:

Regards,

luis

2xcited2sleep

06-15-2009, 06:27 AM

:scared1: the tram story is totally scary! What the heck was wrong with the tram driver and that woman?! :headache: Your wife showed great restraint. And good for Will being so mature, calm and collected!

Uh oh... I have a feeling we'll hear more about the special Mickey card. I think I know where this is going. :rolleyes:

Camster0307

06-15-2009, 07:48 AM

By the way, Juliana got Lauren's 'thank you' card and it thrilled her to death! Tell Lauren she has definitely got a little sis in Alabama!

Will do! As long as you let Juliana know she's got a big sis up in Massachusetts!:thumbsup2

inkedupmomma

06-15-2009, 08:43 AM

OMG, I wanna beat up that tram driver AND the rude lady! how scary! my daughter woulda had a mini stroke! glad it all worked out!

bucci818

06-15-2009, 08:51 AM

:scared1: Poor Wil! He is one smart kid and apparently cool under pressure!:thumbsup2 That woman was beyond rude.:mad: I keep wondering how she would feel in that situation. No mother should act that way. I would have joined Elizabeth in yelling at the driver to stop! Can't wait to read about the rest of your day......popcorn::

WillowBelle

06-15-2009, 10:10 AM

Unbelievable how that tram driver handled the situation. As for the woman, I would have had something snippy to say right back. I'm not normally a confrontational person - but say something rude to me about my kids or how I handle them and you may have your rear-end handed to you.

karajeboo

06-15-2009, 11:03 AM

Lady Lallie

06-15-2009, 11:20 AM

The whole tram incident is crazy! Isn't that why they have 2 CM's, one in the front, one in the back to prevent that from happening? Ridiculous! And that lady who said you left your son is just crazy, people. PFFFT!

I regret not going to AI attraction, I am going to put it on the list of things to do next time!

Paula R Johns

06-15-2009, 11:56 AM

Loving your trip report. :love: This is the first time I have ever replied on the board. We are leaving for Disney on July 17th. We will be eating at Sci Fi and Whispering Canyon also, first time for both.

shannon47142

06-15-2009, 12:12 PM

crazy tram ride!! Thank goodness Will has a good head on his shoulders!!
The American Idol attraction looks so cool:cool1:

lindseynleah

06-15-2009, 12:22 PM

all caught up Alan!! Can't wait to hear about your time at the Boardwalk....this resort is a must visit each trip for my family.:) That tram story is really scary..I am glad your son met up with all okay and everything worked out for you!!! Looking forward to your next installment!!! :):)

mickeystoontown

06-15-2009, 02:24 PM

Your tram story is exactly why I now let Disney do the driving. When our kids were little, we always made sure that one adult had one kid. But, on one trip, somehow, me and the two kids got on and my husband did not. Thank goodness it was my husband and not one of the kids.

Yeah Wil for his level headed thinking and thank goodness he had a cell phone.

MagicShell

06-15-2009, 02:37 PM

I found your report a few days ago and I am all caught up now. You have a lovely family. I have enjoyed hearing about your trip so far. Coronado Springs looks really pretty, I can see why you all like it so much. DHS is my husband and daughter's favorite park. It sound like you all had a great day there. We are AI fans and I can't wait to see that show sometime. I can't believe how rude some people are. That lady on the tram should mind her own business. I am glad everything worked out.

TigerKat

06-15-2009, 05:09 PM

So sorry that happened to y'all. Wil seems to be a very mature boy and he proved it by doing the right thing. I cannot believe that woman had the nerve to say that you left your son. What an idiotic remark.:headache:

I'm so excited to hear good things about the AI Experience. We're going to have limited park time in October but I'm making sure we head to DHS just to experience it!

Somehow I knew you'd love the Boardwalk.;)

stepdisney

06-16-2009, 07:33 AM

Okay.....I'm seriously angry with the tram driver!!!!! I SOO would have jumped up and made SURE he KNEW that my son would TOO get on the TRAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and @#$%%&*@#$%% to the "lady??!!" who shouted back to Mrs. Griswold. ;)

Oh, and I keep thinking of auditioning for Idol but am afraid that my video would end up on some "worst of the Disney Idols" video! :goodvibes

dvc4life

06-16-2009, 09:15 AM

Why do some people have to be so snotty about things. Don't they realize that they are just making themselves look bad? That lady deserves all the tongue lashing she can get for the comment she made. If I had been aboard the tram I would have tried to help Wil get on! I just can't believe that they would leave a child behind. But, he was a smart young man and I'm sure you are very proud of how he handled the situation. Glad it didn't ruin your evening.

Can't wait to hear about Flying Fish. We would like to try it some day.

alan_renfroe

06-16-2009, 11:07 AM

WooHoo! Thanks Alan:thumbsup2 Poor Wil.. I am so glad he knew what to do. I am thinking that this afternoon rest stuff makes some sense... the difference in Juliana is amazing.:thumbsup2

I think we would hit the proverbial wall if we didn't get our afternoon break! There was only one day when we didn't get an afternoon break...and we regretted it.

Wow, the pool looks pretty busy for mid-day!

I'm very impressed with Will. He does seem like a very mature 12 yo. It's also great that he had his own cell. Do both your children carry their own cell? Thanks for the report on the American Idol show I hadn't read any others yet. Looking forward to your Boardwalk review. We've never been there either.

The pool at Coronado Springs is so nice....it can get crowded during mid-day if the weather is nice.

I was proud of Wil, too. He was so cool about the way he handled the whole situation. Us? Not so much.

No, both of our children do not have cell phones yet...only Wil. He only got his in March of this year. In our little town, we do not have a middle school, so Elementary goes from K-6th grade, and high school is 7-12. SO, Wil will be in high school starting in the fall. We felt like it was time for him to have a cell...and especially before our Disney trip. Good call!

Alan loved the update !! American Idolis on the TO DO" list for September !!!

You'll love it, Rosie. It is just like watching the real show.

Oh my goodness! That is so scary about Wil! I can't believe that driver!!!!!!! And that woman commenting back to your wife! :scared1: :sad2: :mad: The nerve! I would have stood up and shouted down the driver for leaving a child behind! Arg!

Gets me all hot and fired up! :rotfl:

SO SO SO glad to read he was cool, collected and SMART about it all. What a great kid you have!!!!

I'm looking forward to what the "Mickey pass" actually was...:wizard:

Trying my best to be diplomatic, I'm assuming from the driver's perspective he had probably already cleared for takeoff and here we come jumping on at the last second. However, why would you intentionally leave people who are obviously rushing to board? Believe me, Elizabeth DID stand up and shout, "You left my son!" That's when the comment came, "no lady, YOU left your son." Wow. Hostility at the Happiest Place on Earth! It all seems a little petty now....but at that moment, it felt like the World was against us.

Wil is a smart kid. He'll be a teenager in January....and I think he makes great decisions....most of the time.

That must have been really scary, Wil being left behind!! Kudos for him being such cool headed and doing the right thing (using his cell phone, getting on the next tram, etc.).

Me, I would have jumped right off the tram, using a particular woman for cushioning my fall!! :mad:

Regards,

luis

:laughing: Believe me, that thought crossed our minds! I was just trying to calm Elizabeth down. I kept telling her, "we're only going a few hundred yards away. I'll just walk back to him." When I started to get worried was when the tram stopped and they wouldn't let me walk back in the same direction we came. Then, after all of that, we had to deal with Elizabeth not having her pass to get back into the park. By the time we got seated at the American Idol Experience, we were ALL ready to calm down a bit.

:scared1: the tram story is totally scary! What the heck was wrong with the tram driver and that woman?! :headache: Your wife showed great restraint. And good for Will being so mature, calm and collected!

Uh oh... I have a feeling we'll hear more about the special Mickey card. I think I know where this is going. :rolleyes:

It was definitely scary at the time. I did feel guilty because I thought about what that woman said. Did WE leave our child? From that point on, I made sure that I was the last person to board any means of transportation. All of that being said, there is no way those drivers should have left our child standing there.

That special card that the guest relations cast member gave us was identical to Elizabeth's Keys to the World card, only with a little Mickey head in the top left corner. The cast member drew it on there so that we wouldn't get it confused with her other Keys to the World card back in the room. More on that story on Day 3.

Will do! As long as you let Juliana know she's got a big sis up in Massachusetts!:thumbsup2

:thumbsup2

OMG, I wanna beat up that tram driver AND the rude lady! how scary! my daughter woulda had a mini stroke! glad it all worked out!

Thank you! The rude lady should've kept her comments to herself....and the driver was totally insensitive about pulling off without our son. When the tram finally arrived at the front gate, and they denied letting me walk back the way we had come, I did yell something at the tram driver. I was not happy. :headache:

:scared1: Poor Wil! He is one smart kid and apparently cool under pressure!:thumbsup2 That woman was beyond rude.:mad: I keep wondering how she would feel in that situation. No mother should act that way. I would have joined Elizabeth in yelling at the driver to stop! Can't wait to read about the rest of your day......popcorn::

It was really unfortunate because we had been having such a perfect day up until that point. I kept thinking, "We're at Disney World! We shouldn't be this stressed out!"

Unbelievable how that tram driver handled the situation. As for the woman, I would have had something snippy to say right back. I'm not normally a confrontational person - but say something rude to me about my kids or how I handle them and you may have your rear-end handed to you.

Normally, Elizabeth probably would have said something back to that lady, but at this point she was too busy trying to get the tram driver's attention. She was in "Mom mode."

alan_renfroe

06-16-2009, 11:32 AM

Seriously? That woman told Eliz "YOU left your kid???" Nope, see at that point I would have gone all SC redneck on her. There was no need for that comment. Period. First of all, she did NOT leave her child. Second of all, well, refer to SC redneck again...... I'm so mad just thinking about that!!!! Why must people TRY to be obnoxious?

:laughing: :rotfl: You crack me up, Kara!!! Remember, we are from Alabama, so we can get all red if we need to! I did yell an explicative to the driver as we got off the tram. I kept thinking, "oh great. they are going to throw us out of Disney World!"

I knew everything would be fine with Wil. I knew he would do the right thing, and the worst that could happen would mean me walking all the way back to get him. It was just a stressful moment.

As for the obnoxious woman, I can't understand why some folks cannot just mind their own business.

The whole tram incident is crazy! Isn't that why they have 2 CM's, one in the front, one in the back to prevent that from happening? Ridiculous! And that lady who said you left your son is just crazy, people. PFFFT!

I regret not going to AI attraction, I am going to put it on the list of things to do next time!

YES!!! Exactly!! The driver waits on the guy on the back of the tram to say "all clear!" Somebody jumped the gun too early and they knew it.

Loving your trip report. :love: This is the first time I have ever replied on the board. We are leaving for Disney on July 17th. We will be eating at Sci Fi and Whispering Canyon also, first time for both.

Hi Paula! Welcome to the report! We are normally pretty nice people....sorry you've had to join us in the middle of a rant! We will now return to our nice, wonderful family vacation!

I hope you all enjoy Sci Fi and Whispering Canyon! July 17th will be here before you know it!

crazy tram ride!! Thank goodness Will has a good head on his shoulders!!
The American Idol attraction looks so cool:cool1:

Whew....just glad when that little incident was over. I've got to tell you though...that tenseness stayed with me for the rest of the day.

all caught up Alan!! Can't wait to hear about your time at the Boardwalk....this resort is a must visit each trip for my family.:) That tram story is really scary..I am glad your son met up with all okay and everything worked out for you!!! Looking forward to your next installment!!! :):)

I think I fell in love with Boardwalk immediately. If there is ever an upgrade in our future, my choice would be Boardwalk.

Your tram story is exactly why I now let Disney do the driving. When our kids were little, we always made sure that one adult had one kid. But, on one trip, somehow, me and the two kids got on and my husband did not. Thank goodness it was my husband and not one of the kids.

Yeah Wil for his level headed thinking and thank goodness he had a cell phone.

That's a good call about Disney doing the driving. The bus system has its advantages and disadvantages. Certainly one of the advantages is not having to be at the mercy of trams.

That cell phone we got for Wil certainly came in handy on this trip!

I found your report a few days ago and I am all caught up now. You have a lovely family. I have enjoyed hearing about your trip so far. Coronado Springs looks really pretty, I can see why you all like it so much. DHS is my husband and daughter's favorite park. It sound like you all had a great day there. We are AI fans and I can't wait to see that show sometime. I can't believe how rude some people are. That lady on the tram should mind her own business. I am glad everything worked out.

Awwww....thanks very much! Welcome to the trip report!

We LOVE Coronado Springs! I think there is a sentimental attachment for us now because it is associated with having so much fun!

If you are AI fans, you'll really like the show! As we were watching the show, I remember thinking that this was a great addition to DHS.

So sorry that happened to y'all. Wil seems to be a very mature boy and he proved it by doing the right thing. I cannot believe that woman had the nerve to say that you left your son. What an idiotic remark.:headache:

I'm so excited to hear good things about the AI Experience. We're going to have limited park time in October but I'm making sure we head to DHS just to experience it!

Somehow I knew you'd love the Boardwalk.;)

We are so lucky that it was Wil and not Juliana that was left behind. If it had been Juliana, she would have flipped out! Wil is very independent and level-headed. He seemed to just take it in stride.

The AI Experience is really great. There are clips during the show of past idols giving the contestants advice, and they even make up little footage "packages" that are played on the big screen about each contestant. The contestants really are made to feel like stars!

Okay.....I'm seriously angry with the tram driver!!!!! I SOO would have jumped up and made SURE he KNEW that my son would TOO get on the TRAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and @#$%%&*@#$%% to the "lady??!!" who shouted back to Mrs. Griswold. ;)

Oh, and I keep thinking of auditioning for Idol but am afraid that my video would end up on some "worst of the Disney Idols" video! :goodvibes

Bless his heart, poor Wil was just following orders. We were telling him to get on and yet the tram driver (or the guy on the back of the tram) was on the microphone saying, "DO NOT board! Do NOT board! This tram is now in motion!" If I were Wil, I would have been intimidated also. He did the right thing.

:laughing: :rotfl2: You made me laugh out loud with the "Worst Disney Idols" comment!! The great thing about this experience is that it really is open to everyone, and you actually have a pretty good chance of being picked to be one of the performers. If you 9 shows a day and there are 3 performers per show, that's 27 daily contestants. I don't know how many people sign up, but the odds are pretty good I would think. After watching the show I was even thinking that I could compete with these folks.

Why do some people have to be so snotty about things. Don't they realize that they are just making themselves look bad? That lady deserves all the tongue lashing she can get for the comment she made. If I had been aboard the tram I would have tried to help Wil get on! I just can't believe that they would leave a child behind. But, he was a smart young man and I'm sure you are very proud of how he handled the situation. Glad it didn't ruin your evening.

Can't wait to hear about Flying Fish. We would like to try it some day.

That's what I'm saying! Now why would someone just randomly make that comment? It's too bad that even at Disney World, some people just can't help but to show their true colors.

The rest of our afternoon is coming up...

alan_renfroe

06-16-2009, 11:46 AM

After our American Idol Experience experience, we headed over to Toy Story Mania to use our FastPasses we had obtained earlier in the day.

Meanwhile, Juliana made a new friend.

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This was Elizabeth and Juliana's third time to ride and the second time for Wil and I!!

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As we left the ride, we noticed this promotional poster for "Up." Last year, the promotional poster was for "Wall-E." On a side note, we went to see "Up" this past weekend and loved it. I think it's a new Disney classic.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-162.jpg

By now, it was 7pm. The park's closing time was 7pm, so it was virtually empty as we walked out. I took a few pictures along the way.

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Back on the tram to take us back to our car. Notice that THIS time, the whole gang is on board first!

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Finally, we arrived at the Boardwalk. I had been excited about visiting this resort for a long time. I love the theme!

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It was love at first site for me!

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We made our way down the stairs to the boardwalk and checked in with the Flying Fish around 7:35pm. We were given a beeper and told that we could roam around the boardwalk as we waited.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-171.jpg

Coming up next: exploring the Boardwalk and dinner at Flying Fish.

castmemberb4

06-16-2009, 12:20 PM

akayek31

06-16-2009, 12:44 PM

OMG Bo is the reason I started watching AI! He is awesome. I only got to ride TSM once while we were there. We did make it to the AI finale that day. It looks like they have different judges and hosts than when we went.

LovingDisny

06-16-2009, 01:24 PM

What a great trip report! I am planning our trip for June 2010 and I just loved looking at your pictures and reading about your disney adventure.

LovingDisny

06-16-2009, 02:44 PM

Just finished up your report. I have to say that because Coronado Springs is the business center, I never really considered it for my stay. After reading your trip report and seeing your pictures however, it is now in the running. I love that they have Queen size beds. thanks again for the great report

CRdisMom

06-16-2009, 02:51 PM

Like everyone said, kudos to Wil for being so on the ball. love the photos. It does make it a little easier not to be there. Keep up the great work and next time try out for idol.

alan_renfroe

06-16-2009, 03:04 PM

Don't know if I've posted on your TR before, but I've read all of it.
Had to comment I felt the same way about American Idol when it began, and I stared watching it because of Bo Bice too ! Now I never miss it.

Loving your trip report, I always like reports with a lot of pictures.
Lynn

Hi Lynn! Thanks for posting, and for your great comments!

OMG Bo is the reason I started watching AI! He is awesome. I only got to ride TSM once while we were there. We did make it to the AI finale that day. It looks like they have different judges and hosts than when we went.

Bo rocks it old skool. He is such a genuinely nice guy...you can't help but like him. Had he not been on the same season as Carrie Underwood, I think he could have won.

What a great trip report! I am planning our trip for June 2010 and I just loved looking at your pictures and reading about your disney adventure.

Thanks! Good luck with your planning! Thanks to the DIS, we feel like we've become pros!

Just finished up your report. I have to say that because Coronado Springs is the business center, I never really considered it for my stay. After reading your trip report and seeing your pictures however, it is now in the running. I love that they have Queen size beds. thanks again for the great report

For me, the fact that CSR is a convention resort doesn't bother me at all. In fact, during the day it is very nice. You feel sorry for the poor saps in the suits heading to their next session. Meanwhile, we are in flip flops and board shorts! Oh well! Stinks being you! :laughing: (Nah...but the resort is very quiet during the day. At times, you feel like you have the whole place to yourself!)

Like everyone said, kudos to Wil for being so on the ball. love the photos. It does make it a little easier not to be there. Keep up the great work and next time try out for idol.

Thanks! More photos on the way.

lovedonaldduck

06-16-2009, 03:15 PM

Love your pictures of the Boardwalk. I can't wait until we have time on a trip to check it out!

alan_renfroe

06-16-2009, 03:18 PM

This was our very first time to visit the Boardwalk. I SOOO want to stay here sometime! I love the whole boardwalk retro vibe. I've always been fascinated with classic pictures from Coney Island....so much so that we decided to open our own hot dog restaurant!

Anyway, we had a great time just enjoying the atmosphere on the boardwalk.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-172.jpg

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This was one of those magical Disney World moments when you realize where you are in life. I don't think it gets much better than this! For anyone who might question whether Disney World is worth the money or not....it is DEFINITELY worth the money. These are the kinds of memories that last forever. It is really awe-inspiring to be "in the moment."

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The Renfroe's at The Boardwalk:

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-189.jpg

It was now nearly 8pm. We were all getting really hungry. We had a big lunch, but that was like 8 hours ago. We decided to go next door and check out the candy store:

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-171B.jpg

Finally, about 8:10, our beeper went off and we were seated 25 minutes after our reservation time. :headache: I thought that was the whole point of making reservations!?! Anyway, that was the longest wait we had before being seated at any restaurant all week. As we were about to find out, it would all be WORTH IT!

Coming up next - our dinner at the Flying Fish and the end of Day 2.

Must C Mickey

06-16-2009, 03:25 PM

OMG I love love love the Boardwalk resort. Being there in March during the NCAA Tourney, my hubby insisted we take an afternoon break from DHS and go over to watch the UNC game at ESPN Club. It got a lil noisy in there once the game started and thought that it'd be a great opportunity for me to tour the resort solo. Their water slide is amazing, love the atmosphere, so many restaurants to choose from and the lobby..... gorgeous. Plus, it's such a nice boat ride from DHS with beautiful views and an up close Dolphin and Swan Resort encounter. Boardwalk is def one of my fav Disney resorts and cant wait for your review on Flying Fish.

jjk

06-16-2009, 03:40 PM

Hi Alan, cant belive i missed this,Just spent an enjoyable evening catching up.
Lovin all your food piccies, we arre trying the dining plan for the first time this august :thumbsup2

KatMark

06-16-2009, 03:56 PM

I'm really looking forward to this Flying Fish review. MickeyNicki did one that was absolutely outstanding. I want to see how they compare! And I would say Wil is a chip off the old block! Very mature young man--you should be proud.

pmama

06-16-2009, 04:04 PM

I've never visited Boardwalk area either. I hope to stop by during our December trip to see the decorations at Boardwalk, Swan/Dolphin, Beach Club and Yacht Club. There are so many great resorts in that area!:thumbsup2

nettii

06-16-2009, 04:07 PM

OHHH I cant wait for your review of FLYING FISH:lovestruc It is not one of our planned resuraunts but things can change:thumbsup2 I am making my adrs FRIDAY so please hurry back!LOL:laughing:

DisneyBarlans

06-16-2009, 04:46 PM

That's so scary about the tram-that happened to us last trip and thankfully it was DH that got left behind instead of one of the boys. :sad2:

I know what you mean about being "in the moment" at Disney. That's what keeps us going back year after year.:thumbsup2

reelmom

06-16-2009, 04:47 PM

We visited the Boardwalk for the first time this past April. We feel in love with it also. Thanks for the great pictures of it and I'm really looking forward to hearing( and seeing) the dining review.

Jeanine3kids

06-16-2009, 07:40 PM

Great Broadwalk Pics its a real nice hotel we have stayed there however I do Like the Beach Club better.

TigerKat

06-16-2009, 07:55 PM

We've stayed at BWI twice, the last time we had a room right above ESPN's arcade overlooking the Boardwalk. It was unbelievable sitting out there at sunset and sunrise.:goodvibes Hoping y'all loved FF as much as we do!:thumbsup2

bwmmfan

06-16-2009, 09:01 PM

The tram story is awful..sorry..your son did the right thing. I would have been freakin'out. It makes no sense they wouldn't let him on. It is obvious you were together. We experienced a couple of un"disney" cm's. Hope you didn't have a lot of them.

Did the hot dawg biz take off yet? Good luck to ya:thumbsup2

portocall

06-16-2009, 11:18 PM

I am with you on loving the Boardwalk! I would stay there in a heartbeat. Glad that things got better after the tram and look forward to dinner!

lindseynleah

06-17-2009, 10:52 AM

love the pictures......your family is beautiful.....you certainly captured the feel of the Boardwalk in your photos...looking forward to more!!!

MagicShell

06-17-2009, 10:57 AM

mblc14

06-17-2009, 11:28 AM

Long time reader...first time posting. My DD and I loved your first trip report, pre-trippy and the 2nd TR is off to a great start. I love those pics of your kids a the Boardwalk...that was my first tought as well with the Disney magic at work. Absolutely priceless, keep it coming.

15isto2

06-17-2009, 01:40 PM

love the report so far

inkedupmomma

06-17-2009, 02:12 PM

Alan, thanks for the great pics! and I was JUST chatting with my girlfriend about that exact Disney moment you mentioned. I warned her, I may at any given time burst into tears. It's just magical as a parent to afford your child this opportunity, and see all the happiness and jy in their eyes. I feel so fortunate to be able to do this with them! Also, if you ever want to come crash at our pad, we will take you to the real NJ boardwalk, and Coney Island! Great pics of there though! I may have to check it out this trip just for kicks!

Oh, and I love that your children have your wife's beautiful cheek bones. You really notice it in the pics of their 3 faces together!

disneyfan61

06-17-2009, 11:04 PM

Hi Alan. We did AI this May. At first I really did not care if we did it or not & I watch the show all the time. Well we saw the 4:00 show & then we went to the finale show. We loved it!! The guy that won in our 4:00 show won the finale so that was great!! We had different judges also. Cannot wait to hear about the Flying Fish. My DH & I are staying at Beach Club for our 25th anniv. trip next year. Can't wait!! I love the Boardwalk also.

englishrose47

06-18-2009, 09:57 AM

Doreen Tell me more about A.I The girls want to see it in September andall I did in May was watch the Big outside screen and peak inside !!!

jmamom

06-18-2009, 11:04 AM

The Boardwalk looks like a blast. We hope to get there in September, and maybe have dinner at the ESPN club (got to balance out the princess stuff with something for the boys). Love your report, looking forward to more!:goodvibes

brookelizabeth

06-18-2009, 01:51 PM

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Those green army men guys are so neat. When you get that close could you tell how they can even see out?

30 minute stand-by time for TSM, I think that is the lowest I have ever seen it.

GREAT shots of the kids and family--I love those "in the moment" times at Disney where everything is wonderful and relaxing...:cloud9:

msgrimm23

06-18-2009, 05:06 PM

american idol experianse was awesome when we saw it my dsis was one of the 3 on my bday. i got to see the auditions she went through. check out my trip report i put some pics up too.

bucci818

06-19-2009, 04:15 PM

I love your pictures of the Boardwalk, and I can't wait to here how you liked FF!:goodvibes

2xcited2sleep

06-19-2009, 07:47 PM

Alan- you are KILLING me with all these food porn cliff hangers! ;) :lmao: At least I know Flying Fish was worth it. But now I want to hear all about it.

Beautiful pictures from the Boardwalk. Isn't it just magical? I fell in love with it too - although from the "other side" of the lake - the Beach Club. I forget who but someone else asked if your kids got along as well as it seemed in the pics. They really do seem like the best of friends and it is so sweet!

I know exactly what you mean about being in the Disney moment. I hope you had many of those on your trip!

One last thought/question- how the heck does the green army man breathe through that mask?? :confused3

Looking forward to more! popcorn::

DisneyJo

06-20-2009, 11:39 AM

SunnieRN

06-20-2009, 12:57 PM

Hi Alan and Renfroes!! As usual I am late to the party but enjoyed every minute of catching up!!

I was so impressed when we spent a couple of night at CSR in April! Lovely, convienient and nice!! I loved the walk to the pool and your pictures brought back a lot of great memories!

Wish I could have been there for the big meet! Can't wait to read all about it! Looking forward to more!

disneymomof1

06-20-2009, 08:13 PM

Subbing, looks like a fun report, now I must go back and read from the beginning. :thumbsup2

Bethmsu

06-20-2009, 08:53 PM

enjoying your report, can't wait for more!:thumbsup2

Mirb1214

06-20-2009, 11:14 PM

I can't wait to read your review of Flying Fish. I've wanted to tour the BoardWalk Resort too, so that may be a good excuse to do so.

englishrose47

06-20-2009, 11:33 PM

Okay Mr Cliff Hanging Thong Wearing Brazillian !!!:lmao:Where's Flying Fish reviews !!!!!:rotfl2: Hey Ellen did I do good !!!!:rotfl:

OhioDisneyLover

06-21-2009, 07:00 AM

Loved your first TR! Subbing here. I am up to page 9 so far so I have quite a bit of catching up to do.

We're headed to CSR in Sept (with inkedupmomma) and after seeing your pictures I think I want to request Casitas as well!

TigerKat

06-21-2009, 11:08 AM

Okay Mr Cliff Hanging Thong Wearing Brazillian !!!:lmao:Where's Flying Fish reviews !!!!!:rotfl2: Hey Ellen did I do good !!!!:rotfl:

TOO funny!:rotfl2:

podsnel

06-21-2009, 11:14 AM

Okay Mr Cliff Hanging Thong Wearing Brazillian !!!:lmao:Where's Flying Fish reviews !!!!!:rotfl2: Hey Ellen did I do good !!!!:rotfl:

::yes:::thumbsup2:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

KatMark

06-21-2009, 12:18 PM

Okay Mr Cliff Hanging Thong Wearing Brazillian !!!:lmao:Where's Flying Fish reviews !!!!!:rotfl2: Hey Ellen did I do good !!!!:rotfl:

:lmao::lmao::lmao:

You tell him!

bwmmfan

06-21-2009, 12:32 PM

Hope you have a great day Alan!

inkedupmomma

06-21-2009, 01:07 PM

Happy father's day Alan!

nettii

06-21-2009, 02:28 PM

Happy Fathers Day Alan! popcorn:: Waiting patiently for Flying Fish!

pixidustmom

06-21-2009, 02:53 PM

Just joining in on your TR. Great job so fare. Love all the pictures.

Welshcakes

06-21-2009, 05:15 PM

Hi to all the family - I think i'm enjoying your holiday as much as you so far. I just love to read TR's and am loving yours, can't wait for your next installment and all your great piccys .:banana:

TigerKat

06-21-2009, 05:20 PM

Hope you're having a great Father's day!:goodvibes

GBShorts

06-21-2009, 05:21 PM

Thank you so much for providing me with entertainment on a long drive home. I loved your last report and I can't believe I have missed this one until now!! Thanks so much for sharing it with us. Can't wait to read more!

englishrose47

06-21-2009, 07:58 PM

Happy Fathers Day Alan!!!

englishrose47

06-21-2009, 08:01 PM

Just thought I'd spill the BEANS about a 2012 Dis Trip !! For those who know Jordan he is the instigator !!! Check out his PTR/TR "Peeps ......!! Already there is a lot of interest Me and Lessa for 2 !!!Lessa plans on the Bros going tooo!!!!

ckdsnynt

06-23-2009, 01:49 AM

englishrose47

06-23-2009, 02:09 AM

Hey Rosie!
When in 2012?

Mid to late June from what I read!! Are ya IN!!!!???????

ckdsnynt

06-23-2009, 02:15 AM

Mid to late June from what I read!! Are ya IN!!!!???????

Sure!

portocall

06-23-2009, 02:45 AM

A day late and a dollar short... but Happy Father's Day, hope it was a great one!

alan_renfroe

06-23-2009, 10:41 AM

So sorry for my absense everyone. I've been having problems with my computer at home. I have attempted to post replies, but I end up losing the information before it can be posted. Anyway, I'm back now and I'll get that next chapter posted today.

OMG I love love love the Boardwalk resort. Being there in March during the NCAA Tourney, my hubby insisted we take an afternoon break from DHS and go over to watch the UNC game at ESPN Club. It got a lil noisy in there once the game started and thought that it'd be a great opportunity for me to tour the resort solo. Their water slide is amazing, love the atmosphere, so many restaurants to choose from and the lobby..... gorgeous. Plus, it's such a nice boat ride from DHS with beautiful views and an up close Dolphin and Swan Resort encounter. Boardwalk is def one of my fav Disney resorts and cant wait for your review on Flying Fish.

I would love to stay at the Boardwalk sometime. I've always sort of had this fascination with vintage Coney Island....so much so that I decided to open my own hot dog restaurant!

Hi Alan, cant belive i missed this,Just spent an enjoyable evening catching up.
Lovin all your food piccies, we arre trying the dining plan for the first time this august :thumbsup2

Thanks! We do love the dining plan.

I'm really looking forward to this Flying Fish review. MickeyNicki did one that was absolutely outstanding. I want to see how they compare! And I would say Wil is a chip off the old block! Very mature young man--you should be proud.

I love all of MickeyNicki's reviews! I will do my best with my Flying Fish review, but I don't know if it will compare with the master's! (You rule, MickeyNicki!)

I've never visited Boardwalk area either. I hope to stop by during our December trip to see the decorations at Boardwalk, Swan/Dolphin, Beach Club and Yacht Club. There are so many great resorts in that area!:thumbsup2

I am usually off from work during the entire week of Thanksgiving...and one of these years I would love to spend that week at Disney. I might have to save up my Boardwalk stay for that time of the year! I would love to see it all decorated for the holidays!

OHHH I cant wait for your review of FLYING FISH:lovestruc It is not one of our planned resuraunts but things can change:thumbsup2 I am making my adrs FRIDAY so please hurry back!LOL:laughing:

Uh oh....it isn't one of your planned restaurants? Prepare to be pursuaded!

That's so scary about the tram-that happened to us last trip and thankfully it was DH that got left behind instead of one of the boys. :sad2:

I know what you mean about being "in the moment" at Disney. That's what keeps us going back year after year.:thumbsup2

Well at least it was your DH, but it is not fun to get seperated from your party at Disney World....especially when it could easily be avoided.

That "in the moment" this is what Disney World is all about. I know it is expensive to be at WDW, but it is honestly well worth it. Those memories you create with your family will honestly last a lifetime.

We visited the Boardwalk for the first time this past April. We feel in love with it also. Thanks for the great pictures of it and I'm really looking forward to hearing( and seeing) the dining review.

Thanks! Dining review is on the way.

Great Broadwalk Pics its a real nice hotel we have stayed there however I do Like the Beach Club better.

The Beach Club is one of the few resorts we have not been to yet. If we go back, I would like to go to Beaches N Cream for lunch one day. And that water park area looks way cool.

We've stayed at BWI twice, the last time we had a room right above ESPN's arcade overlooking the Boardwalk. It was unbelievable sitting out there at sunset and sunrise.:goodvibes Hoping y'all loved FF as much as we do!:thumbsup2

Wow...I'll bet that view was amazing. We enjoyed just hanging out on the boardwalk.

The tram story is awful..sorry..your son did the right thing. I would have been freakin'out. It makes no sense they wouldn't let him on. It is obvious you were together. We experienced a couple of un"disney" cm's. Hope you didn't have a lot of them.

Did the hot dawg biz take off yet? Good luck to ya:thumbsup2

Yeah, it was our first time at Disney that we were really upset with CMs. They were definitely "unDisney-like" with the whole tram thing.

The Hot Dawg business is coming along nicely! We hope to open in three weeks. We're doing a photo shoot of some of our menu items tonight.....I'll have to post the pictures on this thread! (you know me and those food pictures!)

I am with you on loving the Boardwalk! I would stay there in a heartbeat. Glad that things got better after the tram and look forward to dinner!

Yeah, we were able to put the whole tram thing behind us and really started to calm down in the atmosphere surrounding the Boardwalk. Dinner was amazing!

love the pictures......your family is beautiful.....you certainly captured the feel of the Boardwalk in your photos...looking forward to more!!!

Awww...thank you very much! I'm certainly a lucky guy!

alan_renfroe

06-23-2009, 11:20 AM

I would also love to stay at the Boardwalk. It seems so fun. Your kids really look sweet. Do they get along as well as they seem to in their pictures? I know what you mean about Disney being worth the money. I don't regret any money I have spent there because it brought so much happiness to our family, and made memories that we will have forever.

My kids really are good....except for one thing: they can't get along with EACH OTHER! I guess they are pretty typical siblings. When they were smaller, they really played well together...but not these days.

I totally agree with you about the money. Yes, a vacation like this is expensive....but for me, it is a priority that we enjoy this time in our lives and build lasting memories.

Long time reader...first time posting. My DD and I loved your first trip report, pre-trippy and the 2nd TR is off to a great start. I love those pics of your kids a the Boardwalk...that was my first tought as well with the Disney magic at work. Absolutely priceless, keep it coming.

Hey first time poster! Welcome! and thanks for the great comments about the reports!

It is those moments when you least expect it that become the most cherished. Standing at the Boardwalk and watching our kids as they stared at the lake in amazement - that's a Disney magic moment. As you said, it really is priceless.

Feel free to stop in and post anytime! Glad you did!

love the report so far

Thanks very much! More is on the way soon.

Alan, thanks for the great pics! and I was JUST chatting with my girlfriend about that exact Disney moment you mentioned. I warned her, I may at any given time burst into tears. It's just magical as a parent to afford your child this opportunity, and see all the happiness and jy in their eyes. I feel so fortunate to be able to do this with them! Also, if you ever want to come crash at our pad, we will take you to the real NJ boardwalk, and Coney Island! Great pics of there though! I may have to check it out this trip just for kicks!

Oh, and I love that your children have your wife's beautiful cheek bones. You really notice it in the pics of their 3 faces together!

I know EXACTLY what you mean. I'm a big tough guy...and I'm not overly emotional...but those moments at Disney can bring on a little tear. It just reminds you of what is really truly important in life.

Oh, you are SO on about coming up to Coney Island! I have always wanted to go there and have a hot dog at Nathan's.

That's sweet of you to say that about the wife and kids. Thank God they take after HER! :rotfl:

Hi Alan. We did AI this May. At first I really did not care if we did it or not & I watch the show all the time. Well we saw the 4:00 show & then we went to the finale show. We loved it!! The guy that won in our 4:00 show won the finale so that was great!! We had different judges also. Cannot wait to hear about the Flying Fish. My DH & I are staying at Beach Club for our 25th anniv. trip next year. Can't wait!! I love the Boardwalk also.

Isn't that a cool show? I think if anyone has ever watched American Idol at all, they should enjoy the AI experience. What a great opportunity for people to get a chance to sing at Disney World on stage!

The Boardwalk looks like a blast. We hope to get there in September, and maybe have dinner at the ESPN club (got to balance out the princess stuff with something for the boys). Love your report, looking forward to more!:goodvibes

I hear ya on balancing out all the princess stuff. There is just so much our DS12 could take! Nothing like a little manlyness at ESPN!

Those green army men guys are so neat. When you get that close could you tell how they can even see out?

30 minute stand-by time for TSM, I think that is the lowest I have ever seen it.

GREAT shots of the kids and family--I love those "in the moment" times at Disney where everything is wonderful and relaxing...:cloud9:

Their faces are covered with a green mesh-like material. It allows them to breathe and see, but you can't really see them. Those imagineers are truly geniouses!

They got really lucky on that stand-by time at TSM. If it had not been EMH, it would have been at least an hour.

Thanks for the great comments! I love those little moments at WDW also! That's what keeps people coming back year after year.

american idol experianse was awesome when we saw it my dsis was one of the 3 on my bday. i got to see the auditions she went through. check out my trip report i put some pics up too.

Did she enjoy the entire process, auditioning and everything? Did it consume her entire day?

I love your pictures of the Boardwalk, and I can't wait to here how you liked FF!:goodvibes

Spoiler alert! LOVED Flying Fish! Review is on the way.

Alan- you are KILLING me with all these food porn cliff hangers! ;) :lmao: At least I know Flying Fish was worth it. But now I want to hear all about it.

Beautiful pictures from the Boardwalk. Isn't it just magical? I fell in love with it too - although from the "other side" of the lake - the Beach Club. I forget who but someone else asked if your kids got along as well as it seemed in the pics. They really do seem like the best of friends and it is so sweet!

I know exactly what you mean about being in the Disney moment. I hope you had many of those on your trip!

One last thought/question- how the heck does the green army man breathe through that mask?? :confused3

Looking forward to more! popcorn::

:laughing: You know I do those food cliffhanger JUST FOR YOU, Christine!! :laughing: As Tom Petty once sang, "The Waiting is the hardest part!"

See above comment about the army men breathing. It looks like those green bags that keep produce fresh!

englishrose47

06-23-2009, 11:47 AM

Okay Alan still keeping us hanging !!

MA pigletfan

06-23-2009, 02:07 PM

your family is TOO CUTE!!!! i am loving your report and can't wait for more. :goodvibes

mickeystoontown

06-23-2009, 02:52 PM

Now that your computer is up and running correctly again, we're still waitin' on the Flying Fish review.

alan_renfroe

06-23-2009, 03:15 PM

Wow I can not believe the tram driver did that, he must have seen your DS standing there :mad:

I can't wait to see AI I toured it and the backstage area too in December before it opened and it looked fantastic!

I love the photos of your children looking into the water at the Boardwalk, I want to stay there one day too :goodvibes

Oh, he definitely saw our DS standing there. I think the tram driver didn't like the fact that Elizabeth, Juliana, and I jumped on apparently after he had stated that no one else was to get on. The problem is that we didn't hear him saying that until AFTER we had already gotten on....it was like he was yelling at us directly. Wil was intimidated and didn't want to get in trouble....so he refused to get on with the tram driver literally screaming, "NO MORE PEOPLE! THAT'S IT" It was just a weird situation.

Thanks for the compliments on the pictures!

Hi Alan and Renfroes!! As usual I am late to the party but enjoyed every minute of catching up!!

I was so impressed when we spent a couple of night at CSR in April! Lovely, convienient and nice!! I loved the walk to the pool and your pictures brought back a lot of great memories!

Wish I could have been there for the big meet! Can't wait to read all about it! Looking forward to more!

Hi SunnieRN! Better late than never! Glad you made it over to our trip report. You certainly did miss a mammoth meet! We missed getting to meet you.

Isn't CSR a beautiful resort? Walking to the dig site pool is a delight.

Subbing, looks like a fun report, now I must go back and read from the beginning. :thumbsup2

Welcome aboard, disneymomof1! A new chapter is coming up.

enjoying your report, can't wait for more!:thumbsup2

More is on the way, I promise. Life just keeps pulling me away from my DIS time!

I can't wait to read your review of Flying Fish. I've wanted to tour the BoardWalk Resort too, so that may be a good excuse to do so.

You've got to try the Flying Fish! It was excellent. Dinner review, (and more importantly PICTURES,) are on the way.

Okay Mr Cliff Hanging Thong Wearing Brazillian !!!:lmao:Where's Flying Fish reviews !!!!!:rotfl2: Hey Ellen did I do good !!!!:rotfl:

:rotfl2: :lmao: Yep, you've got me figured out!

Loved your first TR! Subbing here. I am up to page 9 so far so I have quite a bit of catching up to do.

We're headed to CSR in Sept (with inkedupmomma) and after seeing your pictures I think I want to request Casitas as well!

Hey OhioDisneyLover! Glad to have you aboard!

We absolutely love CSR. We were in the Ranchos area last year, but I think we liked being in the Casitas even better this year. I sort of hope to stay in the Cabanas next time, just so we can have all three experiences!

TOO funny!:rotfl2:

::yes:::thumbsup2:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

:lmao::lmao::lmao:

You tell him!

You all are SOOOO bad! (There needs to be a little thong-wearing smiley face icon to add here!)

alan_renfroe

06-23-2009, 03:22 PM

Hope you have a great day Alan!

Thanks very much! Being a father is the best thing in life!

Happy father's day Alan!

Thanks IUM! I had a nice day, complete with one of my favorite meals: homemade meatloaf. YUM!

Happy Fathers Day Alan! popcorn:: Waiting patiently for Flying Fish!

Thanks! It was a nice Father's Day! Flying Fish review is coming up.

Just joining in on your TR. Great job so fare. Love all the pictures.

Thanks, pixidustmom! Welcome aboard!

Hi to all the family - I think i'm enjoying your holiday as much as you so far. I just love to read TR's and am loving yours, can't wait for your next installment and all your great piccys .:banana:

Thanks a lot! Next installment coming up.

Hope you're having a great Father's day!:goodvibes

A great one, Kathy...thanks!

Thank you so much for providing me with entertainment on a long drive home. I loved your last report and I can't believe I have missed this one until now!! Thanks so much for sharing it with us. Can't wait to read more!

Welcome aboard GBShorts! Glad you are enjoying the report.

Happy Fathers Day Alan!!!

Thanks Rosie!

Just thought I'd spill the BEANS about a 2012 Dis Trip !! For those who know Jordan he is the instigator !!! Check out his PTR/TR "Peeps ......!! Already there is a lot of interest Me and Lessa for 2 !!!Lessa plans on the Bros going tooo!!!!

Oooh....that sounds like a lot of fun!

alan_renfroe

06-23-2009, 03:25 PM

A day late and a dollar short... but Happy Father's Day, hope it was a great one!

Thanks, portocall! It was a great one. I got some much-needed rest.

Okay Alan still keeping us hanging !!

Not much longer, Rosie.....just answering all of these posts first!

your family is TOO CUTE!!!! i am loving your report and can't wait for more. :goodvibes

Awww...thanks very much!

Now that your computer is up and running correctly again, we're still waitin' on the Flying Fish review.

Now that I have responded to all of the posts, I am ready to post the review.

KatMark

06-23-2009, 03:26 PM

Hooray!!!!!

alan_renfroe

06-23-2009, 03:43 PM

Our dinner reservation for the Flying Fish was at 7:45pm. FINALLY, at 8:10pm, we were seated.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-190.jpg

Our server's name was Mo, and he was outstanding. Outside of the Yachtsman Steakhouse, he was probably the best server we've ever had. He brought our menus to the table, and they had personalized it to include our Anniversary.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-191.jpg

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-192.jpg

We were seated in the back of the restaurant in a little room that was decorated like a big top.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-195.jpg

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-194.jpg

Then....a great surprise!! Our server, Mo, brought both Elizabeth and I a COMPLIMENTARY flute of champagne! What a nice touch!

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-196.jpg

I had been reading reviews and looking at the Flying Fish menu for months. I knew I wanted the Jonah Lump Crab Cakes. Both Wil and I ordered the crab cakes for our appetizer. They were AMAZING!

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-198.jpg

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-201.jpg

Elizabeth ordered the cheese platter for her entree. It was very good.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-199.jpg

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-200.jpg

Juliana got the fresh fruit appetizer. Unlike some of the other restaurants, they didn't skimp. It was very good.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-202.jpg

For my entree, I had the Potato-wrapped Snapper with leaks. The brown sauce was absolutely incredible. This was one of the best entrees I've had at Disney World. I would order this again in a heartbeat. In fact, all future trips will have to include Flying Fish.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-203.jpg

Elizabeth's entree was the surf and surf. It was very good, but I think I liked what I ordered better.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-204.jpg

Wil's had the Oak-Crusted Hand-Harvested Maine Scallops for his entree. That boy loves his scallops! He ate all of the actual scallops, but didn't care for "the green stuff."

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-205.jpg

Juliana was very pleased with her grilled cheese sandwich:

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-206.jpg

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-207.jpg

(Continued with desserts in the next post)

TigerKat

06-23-2009, 03:51 PM

Alan - What was the surf & surf, it looks like maybe a soft shell crab?

mickeystoontown

06-23-2009, 03:56 PM

Alan - What was the surf & surf, it looks like maybe a soft shell crab?

I was just wondering the same thing.

SunnieRN

06-23-2009, 04:01 PM

Oh my goodness!! Yum, everything looks good!! Even your daughters grilled cheese sandwhich!! What a nice surprise to have the personalized menus and champange!! I am still amazed at how varied your sons taste runs! That's fantastic! Looking forward to dessert!

alan_renfroe

06-23-2009, 04:41 PM

For dessert, we also got a personalized menu. They really went out of the way to make us feel special.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-209.jpg

Elizabeth ordered one of those glow-tini things. She loved it!

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-208.jpg

For dessert, I had the Key Lime Delice Fanasie. Amazing, amazing, amazing!! SOOO good! I was already stuffed....but I managed to eat this bad boy also!

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-210.jpg

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-211.jpg

Wil had the Butterscotch-laced Creme Brulee:

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-214.jpg

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-215.jpg

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Elizabeth got the Florida Strawberry Napoleon. It was awesome!

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-212.jpg

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-213.jpg

Juliana got the children's fondue:

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-217.jpg

Overall, we absolutely LOVED our meal at the Flying Fish. I would catagorize this restaurant as a "must do" from now on. The potato-wrapped Red Snapper dish was unlike anything I've ever had....and it is a taste I will not forget. (I mean that in a GOOD way!)

After dinner, we were all really tired and drove back to Coronado Springs to call it a day. Wil and I had ridden Rock N' Roller Coaster twice, Tower of Terror, Toy Story Mania twice, Star Tours twice, the Muppets 3-D, and the American Idol experience. We had a wonderful lunch at Sci-Fi followed by a relaxing afternoon at the CSR dig site pool. Dinner was the icing on the cake.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-218.jpg

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-219.jpg

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-220.jpg

Next post: Since we have just received our PhotoPass c.d., I'll post some PhotoPasses from Day 2, and then it will be on to Day 3!

alan_renfroe

06-23-2009, 04:44 PM

Alan - What was the surf & surf, it looks like maybe a soft shell crab?

I was just wondering the same thing.

Here is the description as it appears on allearsnet.com:

Our Chef's Thunder: "Surf and Surf" with Far Eastern Influences -- Panko-Sesame See-crusted EPCOT Land Pavillion Tilapia, Florida Rock Shrimp, and Tempura Soft-shell crab, Tiny Carrot, Snow Pea, Green Bean and Honshemeji Mushroom, and Lotus Root Stir-fry, Lemongrass, White Soy, Ginger and Wasabi Butter Emulsion - $37.00

It was very good!

Oh my goodness!! Yum, everything looks good!! Even your daughters grilled cheese sandwhich!! What a nice surprise to have the personalized menus and champange!! I am still amazed at how varied your sons taste runs! That's fantastic! Looking forward to dessert!

Everything WAS good! It is really hard to eat all of your appetizer, entree, and dessert....but this food was so good I devoured every bit of it!

Flossbolna

06-23-2009, 04:56 PM

DisneyJo

06-23-2009, 04:58 PM

The food looks fantastic, I love that they do a grilled cheese sandwich too :rotfl: And OMG those desserts look delicious!!!

KatMark

06-23-2009, 05:00 PM

All I can say is WOW! Between your review and Nicki's, Flying Fish is definitely on our list for our next visit.

Alan, I just love your kids...they are just terrific and so photogentic!

SunnieRN

06-23-2009, 05:05 PM

My gosh, the desserts look fantastic as well. Wish we could fit it in for Sept., but one of our family is a steak freak so we'll be at yachtsmans.
Looking forward to more.:thumbsup2

mickeystoontown

06-23-2009, 05:36 PM

Well, crap. Now I've gotta look back at my already made ADRs and see if I can work in Flying Fish.

TigerKat

06-23-2009, 06:10 PM

We've been die hard FF fans for quite a while now, have never had anything but excellent food there. So glad y'all enjoyed it as much as we do.:thumbsup2

I've had the steak there as well, best steak I've ever had at WDW!

MaryAz

06-23-2009, 07:14 PM

Great pics and review of the Flying Fish-looks yummy!

Mysteria

06-23-2009, 07:22 PM

Boy do I have some catching up to do! Off to start where I left off.

eta: All caught up again. Bad tram man and witch woman! :mad: Bad Alan for leaving everyone hanging with the food porn all the time. :rotfl:

pmama

06-23-2009, 08:10 PM

What beautiful presentation of all the food at Flying Fish. DH and I love a good key lime! That one does look delish.

bucci818

06-23-2009, 08:53 PM

FF looks AMAZING!!:woohoo: I love the personal menus (I got that done at Coral Reef back in Dec for my parents). I love when Disney gives you that little extra Magic. I'm so glad you enjoyed your day, and can't wait to read more!:goodvibes

WillowBelle

06-23-2009, 10:20 PM

This is the 2nd review of the Flying Fish that I've read, and seen pictures for. The food looks fantastic!!!! In 2006 DH, DDs and I went and rode the surrey bikes at BW and ate a scoop from B&C. We were hungry and checking out the menus from surrounding restaurants. We wandered up to FF....DDs took one sniff of the air smelling like fish wafting through the doors and were running in the opposite direction (they are not big seafood fans). I think on our 2010 trip, we are going regardless if their noses say 'no' or not :rotfl:.

englishrose47

06-23-2009, 10:24 PM

Oh Alan it was worth the wait !!! That Snapper looks wonderful so did the crab cakes !!Now as for the desserts !! drooling is all I have to say!!

lovedonaldduck

06-24-2009, 10:34 AM

inkedupmomma

06-24-2009, 12:08 PM

Alan, Flyig Fish never seemed appealing to me until NOW! LOL I will have to look at the menu again! Also, nice box o' wine in the room pic:lmao:

bucci818

06-24-2009, 12:12 PM

MagicShell

06-24-2009, 12:28 PM

It sounds like you all had a terrific day. And your food pictures are making me even hungrier. I still have 30 minutes until lunch! I am ready to see those photo pass pictures you mentioned.

brookelizabeth

06-24-2009, 02:05 PM

Ooooh...FF looks SO good! I'm not huge on fish, but do like it from time to time. DH on the other hand is NOT a fan at all. I am happy to read they have a great steak and I think I'll convince him for a future trip. :goodvibes

Alan-not sure if you have read any of my current PTR, but we just scheduled an impromptu trip in September and we are staying at CSR thanks much to your rave reviews and BEAUTIFUL pictures! I'm very excited about it. We have DVC, but are blowing a lot of points in December during the Premier season, so we are gonna just do a cash trip. Gotta take advantage of the AP! ;) We have requested the Cabanas section-but will be happy no matter where we end up I think!

Shazzie B

06-24-2009, 04:39 PM

Really enjoying this year's trip report (late joining I know!). We stayed at CSR last year (that's how I found last years trip report). We think it's great too.

Pictures are fantastic; hope Julianna doesn't mind I've used her picture of the entrance as my background-only 57 days to go for us-better start packing.

Wil is so grown up; I know what you mean my DS would have coped OK but DD would have flipped for certain.

twenty3curls

06-25-2009, 12:05 AM

Just found your TR today and am all caught up (it was a slow day at work!) Your family's game plan is very similar to ours, so it's nice to read about how you schedule your days. :goodvibes

Can't wait to read more! :thumbsup2

karajeboo

06-25-2009, 09:04 AM

I'm so glad you loved FF as much as we do!!! It is our alltime fave at WDW - the service, the food!!!! I got the potato wrapped snapper, too. 2DIE4!!!! And ever since then, I've been a HUGE leek fan! Jeff teases me whenever leeks are on sale - "whatcha gonna try to make now?"

Mysteria

06-25-2009, 12:19 PM

Also, nice box o' wine in the room pic:lmao:

Good spotting! I had to go on a where's waldo type hunt to find it! :rotfl:

ckdsnynt

06-25-2009, 12:23 PM

inkedupmomma

06-25-2009, 03:17 PM

Good spotting! I had to go on a where's waldo type hunt to find it! :rotfl:

:lmao:

alan_renfroe

06-25-2009, 03:46 PM

Thanks for the great Flying Fish review. I became a FF fan on my recent trip as well! What a fantastic restaurant!! I actually had the steak and it was incredibly good - the best steak I ever had at WDW (and I have had the CG and Le Cellier filets!) :thumbsup2 I had the same desert you had, but the strawberry desert looks wonderful, too!!

I have heard several DISers say that the steak at the Flying Fish is amazing...many say it may the best on property. If this had been the only meal of our trip, I probably would have ordered the steak...but I knew I'd be eating lots of steak throughout the week. That potato-wrapped red snapper is something I'll never forget!

The food looks fantastic, I love that they do a grilled cheese sandwich too :rotfl: And OMG those desserts look delicious!!!

DD was very happy with her grilled cheese!

All I can say is WOW! Between your review and Nicki's, Flying Fish is definitely on our list for our next visit.

Alan, I just love your kids...they are just terrific and so photogentic!

Thanks, Kathy. I think they are pretty special myself.

My gosh, the desserts look fantastic as well. Wish we could fit it in for Sept., but one of our family is a steak freak so we'll be at yachtsmans.
Looking forward to more.:thumbsup2

Yachtsman is really, really good as well. You can't go wrong either way.

Well, crap. Now I've gotta look back at my already made ADRs and see if I can work in Flying Fish.

:laughing: Leave it to me to make you question your ADR choices!

We've been die hard FF fans for quite a while now, have never had anything but excellent food there. So glad y'all enjoyed it as much as we do.:thumbsup2

I've had the steak there as well, best steak I've ever had at WDW!

Flying Fish has now been added to our "must do" list! I have heard that it is the best steak.

Great pics and review of the Flying Fish-looks yummy!

Thanks, Mary! Hope all is well with you and your family! MMM pictures coming up soon.

Boy do I have some catching up to do! Off to start where I left off.

eta: All caught up again. Bad tram man and witch woman! :mad: Bad Alan for leaving everyone hanging with the food porn all the time. :rotfl:

:laughing: :rotfl2: You just KNOW I've gotta build in that anticipation!

What beautiful presentation of all the food at Flying Fish. DH and I love a good key lime! That one does look delish.

Oh, you all would LOVE that Key Lime dish.....SOOOOO good!

FF looks AMAZING!!:woohoo: I love the personal menus (I got that done at Coral Reef back in Dec for my parents). I love when Disney gives you that little extra Magic. I'm so glad you enjoyed your day, and can't wait to read more!:goodvibes

I know what you mean. That complimentary champagne was a very nice touch. We think the flutes were probably around $10 each. That was a nice treat!

This is the 2nd review of the Flying Fish that I've read, and seen pictures for. The food looks fantastic!!!! In 2006 DH, DDs and I went and rode the surrey bikes at BW and ate a scoop from B&C. We were hungry and checking out the menus from surrounding restaurants. We wandered up to FF....DDs took one sniff of the air smelling like fish wafting through the doors and were running in the opposite direction (they are not big seafood fans). I think on our 2010 trip, we are going regardless if their noses say 'no' or not :rotfl:.

Ah, the fish hater in the family. Thank goodness we are all seafood lovers in my family!

Oh Alan it was worth the wait !!! That Snapper looks wonderful so did the crab cakes !!Now as for the desserts !! drooling is all I have to say!!

Everything was sooooo good, Rosie. The snapper was one of the most memorable dishes I've ever had. It was so unique in taste...it is hard to describe.

alan_renfroe

06-25-2009, 04:01 PM

I am making a mental note to reread your trip report right before my next trip. I am so impressed by your attitude and sentiment, always remembering that the trip is about making memories and enjoying your family at that very moment. It's easy to get swept up in the planning and excitement being there and forget to stop and smell the roses and truly appreciate the experience, it seems like you have that mastered. You will be my inspiration for remembering on my next trip that my daughter will only be 3 once, not all grandparents are around or able to share WDW trips with their families, and that my husband and I are in a position to be able to make these memories for our family. :cloud9: Thanks for reminding me what it is all about. :wizard::lovestruc

Hope that doesn't sound too corny, it is heartfelt.

Thanks very much!! There is pretty of stress in life - and I think vacations are the time to leave those stresses behind. It is easy to get caught up in plans and schedules, but sometimes it is nice to just relax a little. (That being said, it is very hard to do at WDW!)

It doesn't sound corny at all! Believe me, when we look back at pictures of our kids when they were little, it is very sentimental. My philosophy is to just appreciate this time in our lives. There are plenty of times to mourn and be sad....so I say be happy while you have the chance!

Alan, Flyig Fish never seemed appealing to me until NOW! LOL I will have to look at the menu again! Also, nice box o' wine in the room pic:lmao:

:rotfl2::lmao: SOOOO busted, IUM!!! I'll admit it.....Elizabeth LOVES boxed wine! She and some of her girlfriends have a running joke about it - they all love it! They've got t-shirts that read, "I <heart> boxed wine!" I just wished they would sell New Castle on draft in boxes!

Well said!:thumbsup2 No, it's not corny at all. I think if more people remembered that, there would be less "melt downs" by children and parents alike. Enjoy your trip!

Yeah, that's a good call. We are not without our faults, though. We have our meltdowns from time to time also.

It sounds like you all had a terrific day. And your food pictures are making me even hungrier. I still have 30 minutes until lunch! I am ready to see those photo pass pictures you mentioned.

It really was a wonderful day, barring the tram incident. Flying Fish and our time at the Boardwalk Resort were terrific.

Ooooh...FF looks SO good! I'm not huge on fish, but do like it from time to time. DH on the other hand is NOT a fan at all. I am happy to read they have a great steak and I think I'll convince him for a future trip. :goodvibes

Alan-not sure if you have read any of my current PTR, but we just scheduled an impromptu trip in September and we are staying at CSR thanks much to your rave reviews and BEAUTIFUL pictures! I'm very excited about it. We have DVC, but are blowing a lot of points in December during the Premier season, so we are gonna just do a cash trip. Gotta take advantage of the AP! ;) We have requested the Cabanas section-but will be happy no matter where we end up I think!

Everyone seems to be really high on the steak at Flying Fish. I may have to try that myself sometime.

I KNEW IT!!!!!!!!!!!! I knew you all would not be able to wait until December!!! :rotfl2: I hope you all will enjoy CSR as much as we did. I think it is so peaceful and pristine.

Really enjoying this year's trip report (late joining I know!). We stayed at CSR last year (that's how I found last years trip report). We think it's great too.

Pictures are fantastic; hope Julianna doesn't mind I've used her picture of the entrance as my background-only 57 days to go for us-better start packing.

Wil is so grown up; I know what you mean my DS would have coped OK but DD would have flipped for certain.

Hahaha.....Juliana does not mind sharing her pictures, just so long as she gets the props!!! :laughing:

Hasn't Wil grown a TON in one year? Wow.....he was a totally different son this year.

Just found your TR today and am all caught up (it was a slow day at work!) Your family's game plan is very similar to ours, so it's nice to read about how you schedule your days. :goodvibes

Can't wait to read more! :thumbsup2

Welcome twenty3curls! Glad you joined us!

I'm so glad you loved FF as much as we do!!! It is our alltime fave at WDW - the service, the food!!!! I got the potato wrapped snapper, too. 2DIE4!!!! And ever since then, I've been a HUGE leek fan! Jeff teases me whenever leeks are on sale - "whatcha gonna try to make now?"

I feel the same way, Kara. I was a little leary of ordering the potato-wrapped snapper, because I didn't think I liked leeks. Now I know differently!! The leeks and that heavy brown sauce were absolutely amazing.

Good spotting! I had to go on a where's waldo type hunt to find it! :rotfl:

Nice spotting, Myst! Yes, we are busted for loving some redneck boxed wine!

Can I get you to send my DS this message? :lmao: I have been begging for him to go with us (and bring his two girls and our precious DIL of course) for four years and the kids are just "too young". he doesn't understand that all grandparents don't live forever or have their health! or offer to pay their way!:laughing: Oh weel, it is what it is.

No way to put a price on memories. Enjoy your kids while they are kids. They grow up.

Alan: great report. i have passed right by FF and even had ADRs when i stayed at BWI but thought it was too hoity-toity for my taste. (no offense!)Wish I has kept them now!:lmao: Maybe in December!:thumbsup2

Hey CK! No offense taken at all....I kinda feel that way about Narcoossee's sometimes. The Grand Floridian strikes me as hoity-toity a little. I mean it is beautiful, just not the place for me.

You are absolutely right about the price of great memories - they are truly priceless.

alan_renfroe

06-25-2009, 04:08 PM

Since I got our PhotoPass picture c.d. this week, I thought I would make a post showing our photos from Day 2. For future days, I will include PhotoPass pictures as part of the trip report.

Here are the photos from Day 2:

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-303.jpg

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http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-339.jpg

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/02-342.jpg

karajeboo

06-25-2009, 04:26 PM

Wil looks so thrilled in that last photo! :rotfl2:

TigerKat

06-25-2009, 05:14 PM

:lmao: Kara - you beat me to it!!!:rotfl2:

shannon47142

06-25-2009, 07:08 PM

awesome photos:cool1:

englishrose47

06-25-2009, 10:54 PM

Awesome pix Alan !! Tomorrow I am going to have prints of my cd made !! Hopefully next weekI can get them loaded onto my photobucket!!!

inkedupmomma

06-25-2009, 11:26 PM

great photo pass pics :)

brookelizabeth

06-26-2009, 01:39 AM

Great Photopass pictures! The ones with Eeyore came out very cute-I suppose it was worth a stop on the way to TSM...;)

I KNEW IT!!!!!!!!!!!! I knew you all would not be able to wait until December!!! :rotfl2: I hope you all will enjoy CSR as much as we did. I think it is so peaceful and pristine.

He he he! The deals coming out, paired with an AP and airline miles, we just couldn't say no! :goodvibes

OhioDisneyLover

06-26-2009, 05:59 AM

We considered Flying Fish for our anniversary and changed our minds. I am so sorry that we did after reading your TR! It sounds fabulous!

Loved all of your pictures too! Can't wait to read more.

KatMark

06-26-2009, 09:39 AM

Love the photos--great shops of a great family!

DisneyBarlans

06-26-2009, 09:54 AM

Cute pictures! Love those borders! Can't wait to hear about the next restaurant....planning where to eat for our trip in November.:woohoo:

momma2kiddos

06-26-2009, 10:49 AM

Very cute photos of the fam, Alan! Maybe I'll get photopass next year.

NOw I'm a seafood lover but never one to really want to indulge in a seafood restaurant but FF looks VERY yummy! We might have to check it out!

Glad you had another good time at CSR. That was our first (and only, so far) resort stay and we can't imagine staying elsewhere. DD said if we had to downgrade and she had to stay at Pop, she'd rather wait till 2011 to go! LOL We were in Cabanas this year and hoping for Casitas on our next trip!

Can't wait for more pics!

MagicShell

06-26-2009, 11:43 AM

Great photopass pictures!

Mysteria

06-26-2009, 12:16 PM

Yes, Wil looks like he'd much rather be riding ToT than taking that last pic. :rotfl: Great pics though!

Jeanine3kids

06-26-2009, 01:49 PM

Great pictures Alan just one thing whats up with that Boston Hat???????????

crocko

06-26-2009, 02:48 PM

Flying Fish desserts................you have me drooling over here.

Man...that place looks good!

micandminforever

06-26-2009, 06:19 PM

Great photopass pictures, you looked like you were having a great time.

stepdisney

06-27-2009, 09:09 AM

Okay, I'm up early. Where's my breakfast review Alan? :goodvibes As usual, great photos and wonderful reviews. Where is flying fish? Why haven't I looked at THIS menu? The potato wrapped fish thing looks REALLY GOOD!

(More please! :thumbsup2)

trampsgirl

06-28-2009, 03:50 AM

I've been a long time lurker, but your trip reports made me come out of hiding. I absolutely love them!

MeMom

06-28-2009, 06:58 AM

I have never had it, but I think I will be thinking of butterscotch-laced creme brulee for the rest of the day! It looks and sounds sooo good!

Great Photopass pictures! I love that you did some mother-daughter and father-son ones. The whole family ones are excellent, too. I love seeing families have fun together anywhere, but there is a special happiness that just exudes from Disney family pictures!

alan_renfroe

06-28-2009, 08:33 PM

Wil looks so thrilled in that last photo! :rotfl2:

Doesn't he though? Can you tell that he has developed the attitude that is befitting a 12-yr-old boy?

:lmao: Kara - you beat me to it!!!:rotfl2:

You just know I had to bribe him to make that stupid pose!!! :confused3

awesome photos:cool1:

Thanks, Shannon!

Awesome pix Alan !! Tomorrow I am going to have prints of my cd made !! Hopefully next weekI can get them loaded onto my photobucket!!!

Awesome, Rosie! It is exciting to get your photopass pictures back - brings back memories.

great photo pass pics :)

Thanks, IUM. They are cheesy, but that is what is so great about them!

Great Photopass pictures! The ones with Eeyore came out very cute-I suppose it was worth a stop on the way to TSM...;)

He he he! The deals coming out, paired with an AP and airline miles, we just couldn't say no! :goodvibes

I hear ya! You don't have to justify anything to me! :rotfl2: :rotfl: Besides, Henry's not getting any younger, right?

We considered Flying Fish for our anniversary and changed our minds. I am so sorry that we did after reading your TR! It sounds fabulous!

Loved all of your pictures too! Can't wait to read more.

I think the Flying Fish would be a great anniversary option. The only negative thing I had to say was that it took them about 25 minutes to seat us even with having an ADR.

Love the photos--great shops of a great family!

Awww, thanks Kathy!

Cute pictures! Love those borders! Can't wait to hear about the next restaurant....planning where to eat for our trip in November.:woohoo:

I thought the borders were neat too! These pictures will be something we will cherish in the years to come.

Next restaurant on the list will be Le Cellier, followed by 'Ohana. Stay tuned!

Very cute photos of the fam, Alan! Maybe I'll get photopass next year.

NOw I'm a seafood lover but never one to really want to indulge in a seafood restaurant but FF looks VERY yummy! We might have to check it out!

Glad you had another good time at CSR. That was our first (and only, so far) resort stay and we can't imagine staying elsewhere. DD said if we had to downgrade and she had to stay at Pop, she'd rather wait till 2011 to go! LOL We were in Cabanas this year and hoping for Casitas on our next trip!

Can't wait for more pics!

Since we drive down, CSR is the very first resort we come to - therefore it would be VERY difficult for us to pass by our "Home" to go anywhere else! By the way, how did you like staying in the Cabanas? That is the only section we havent' been in.

Great photopass pictures!

Thanks very much, MagicShell!

alan_renfroe

06-28-2009, 08:46 PM

Yes, Wil looks like he'd much rather be riding ToT than taking that last pic. :rotfl: Great pics though!

YES!!! Exactly!! Basically, I think he was probably thinking, "Can we stop doing this now? Can we get back to Rock n' Roller Coaster?"

Great pictures Alan just one thing whats up with that Boston Hat???????????

Hahaha....I get a lot of comments about the Boston cap. Here's the thing: it was $5!!! I just bought a cap that looked decent on my head. I have never been a cap guy....caps just don't look good on me....so when I finally found a cheap cap that didn't look dorky on me, I bought it! The truth is that I couldn't tell you a single player on the BoSox team right now. I do love the city of Boston though.

Flying Fish desserts................you have me drooling over here.

Man...that place looks good!

Those desserts were really, really, really good. After going back and looking at those pictures, I think Flying Fish was one of my most enjoyable meals.

Great photopass pictures, you looked like you were having a great time.

Thanks very much! We WERE!

Okay, I'm up early. Where's my breakfast review Alan? :goodvibes As usual, great photos and wonderful reviews. Where is flying fish? Why haven't I looked at THIS menu? The potato wrapped fish thing looks REALLY GOOD!

(More please! :thumbsup2)

Thanks, stepdisney! The Flying Fish is at the Boardwalk Resort, almost right in the middle of the Boardwalk. That potato-wrapped Red Snapper was off the chain, yo!

I've been a long time lurker, but your trip reports made me come out of hiding. I absolutely love them!

YAY!!! I love it when onlurkers come out to play! Welcome, trampsgirl! Feel free to post anytime. I always do my best to respond to everyone.

I have never had it, but I think I will be thinking of butterscotch-laced creme brulee for the rest of the day! It looks and sounds sooo good!

Great Photopass pictures! I love that you did some mother-daughter and father-son ones. The whole family ones are excellent, too. I love seeing families have fun together anywhere, but there is a special happiness that just exudes from Disney family pictures!

That creme brulee was really good. The butterscotch flavoring went perfectly with the texture of the creme brulee.

Yeah, we do have a few Mom/Daughter and Father/Son photopass pics. We tried to get our pictures made whenever we could.

Day 3 is on the way.

alan_renfroe

06-28-2009, 09:13 PM

Sunday morning, May 17th, was a day that we had all been looking forward to for a LONG time! We, along with several of our DIS-friends, decided that we should all schedule a meet. We started a thread here on the DISboards, and the next thing I knew we had about 50 people who wanted to participate! We came up with the name, "The MAMMOTH MAY MEET!" Anyway, Day 3 was the day of our Mammoth May Meet at Epcot. We were all to meet in the France Pavilion at 3pm, and we were excited!

We weren't in a huge hurry to get to Epcot. Unlike the day before, we weren't nearly as concerned about being at rope drop on this day, because we knew we weren't going to have a mid-day break.

Wil was cracking us up doing his Pal Mickey imitation!

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/03-001.jpg

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For the MMM, I had designed t-shirts and we all had them for the meet! They were lime green, of course!

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/03-003.jpg

The back of the shirts featured the user names of all the DISers involved....except one....I accidentally gave the screenprinters the wrong graphic and left off MYSTERIA! (Sorry, Myst.) I was so disappointed, but she was very cool about it.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/03-004.jpg

And so we were off to Bus Stop #2 to take us to Epcot for the day.

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The park opened at 9am, and we got there around 9:15 or so.

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http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/03-011.jpg

NOW....here's where Elizabeth's KEY to the WORLD issue came back up. When we were at Disney's Hollywood Studios the previous day, Elizabeth had forgotten her KEY to the WORLD. So, we went to Guest Services and she was issued a new one, with the symbol of Mickey in the left corner. It was my understanding that this card was a temporary card in order to get her back in for that day....and that we were to throw THAT card away and use her regular card going forward. SO...when we left the room on Day 3, I grabbed her ORIGINAL card and threw the new card away.

Uh....wrong...

The NEW card was issued to REPLACE the original card, and the original card was now bogus. SO....here we are at Epcot and once again Elizabeth can't get in! She has to go to Guest Services again and explain what happened. THIS TIME, we were all on the same page. They issued her a NEW Key to the World card and cancelled all previous cards. Most importantly, they did it with a smile and without a hassle. (Disney really knows about customer service.)

SO....that was our first delay.

THEN....just as we were entering the park, Juliana saw another one of her favorite characters: Stitch!

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Finally, we got inside the park and tried our best to execute our touring plan. I took everyone's keys and went to The Land to pick up FastPasses for Soarin', while Elizabeth and the kids went to Test Track to ride in the Standby line.

Score!

I was able to get FastPasses for Soarin' for 10:21am!

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/03-016B.jpg

It was already getting really hot, and I really started sweating on the long walk from The Land over to Test Track. I made it over and waited on Elizabeth and the kids to exit.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/03-017.jpg

I didn't have to wait long before I saw them coming out the exit. They LOVE this ride! The standby line was showing 20 minutes, so we all decided to ride together.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm41/alan_renfroe/03-018.jpg

Coming up next, riding Test Track, Mission Space, and Soarin'. Later, we'll have lunch at Le Cellier, experience the Kim Possible Mission, and the Mammoth May Meet!