ADP Live From Universal & Disney World

[ADP]

Thursday, August 6th

Hi Everyone,

We got back late last night so I'm writing yesterday's experiences this morning. We stayed at EPCOT for EMH until 11:30AM.

Before we left yesterday to head to EPCOT we walked around AKL to see some of the animals and African art. AKL has the most extensive African art collection in North America. The centerpiece of the art collection is this head dress or mask. It's the largest in the world.
http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb190/cdpa4d/Picture181-1.jpg

http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb190/cdpa4d/Picture180-1.jpg

AKL also does a lot with story. Here's one example.
http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb190/cdpa4d/Picture183-2-1.jpg

One of the centerpieces of activitiy at AKL is this firepit located out back. African storytelling can be found here each night with an African guide.
http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb190/cdpa4d/Picture185-2-1.jpg

We left for EPCOT around 1:30PM. When we arrived we made a stop in the Art of Disney. I noticed a new experience guests can take advantage of in the store. You can have an artist sketch your favorite character and add a photopass picture next to it, have it framed, and matted. The frame and mat is $80 and the sketch is $35.
Here is the artist sketching Tow Mater.
http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb190/cdpa4d/Picture187-1.jpg


Here's a look at the finished product from a different order.
http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb190/cdpa4d/Picture202-1.jpg

Later in the day we decided to try and get into Chef's De France to see Remy and have dinner. When we walked up to the check-in desk at Chef's De France around 3:00PM they said they were booked for the day. No more ADRs were available. I decided to call Disney Dining. I was able to get the reservation we wanted for 5:10PM for a party of 3.
Here are some pictures from Chef's De France.
http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb190/cdpa4d/Picture200-1.jpg

I had 2 appetizers. One was the french onion soup and a bleu cheese salad.
http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb190/cdpa4d/Picture196-1.jpg

Kim had a baked macaroni and cheese dish
http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb190/cdpa4d/Picture197-1.jpg

At 5:20PM Remy came around to greet guests dining at the restaurant. He is fully animatronic. He interacts with guests and is very cool.
http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb190/cdpa4d/Picture199-1.jpg

Our meal was very good. I really enjoyed the french onion soup. Our total bill with the 20% discount and 18% gratuity came to $52. Not bad for dinner. We left Chef's De France very satisfied.

After dinner we walked around World Showcase and headed for Test Track. We had fastpasses to use. We also brought a change of clothes with us for the evening dessert party and Illuminations viewing. The dessert party was very good. It was nice to see so many friends we haven't seen in a year or so. The desserts were very good. Unfortunately, because it rainied a bit earlier in the evening the dessert party was moved inside on the second floor in Norway. We ate dessert for about 45 minutes and walked to the Italy pavillion later to view illuminations.
Sorry, this picture came out a bit blurry.
http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb190/cdpa4d/Picture206-1.jpg

We stayed at EPCOT until 11:30PM. We did get to catch up with friends and take another spin on Test Track.

This morning we are checking out of AKL and moving over to Bay Lake Tower for 2 nights. We can't wait to check out the resort. This evening we are meeting a group of friends to have a Dole Whip at the Magic Kingdom.

More to come!

Up Next:
Checking into Bay Lake Tower
Magic Kingdom
Dole Whip Meet

[jcb]

That's not a blurry picture, its an artsy photograph.

[ADP]

Friday, August 7th

Hi Everyone,

We've checked into Bay Lake Tower. This place is pretty nice. There are certain aspects of it I don't like, but to each their own.

They did a really nice job with the pool area; although I believe the actual pool is too small for a resort of this size. The other pool amenities are very nice.

We walked around the resort earlier and took some photos.

Here is a shot of our room. We are in a studio, and unfortunately ended up on the 1st floor with a view of Bay Lake.
http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb190/cdpa4d/Picture209-1.jpg

I love the Mickey art over the bed.
http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb190/cdpa4d/Picture221-1.jpg

We made a stop in Community Hall. It's a small Community Hall, but it has some nice things to do for kids and adults.
http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb190/cdpa4d/Picture210-1.jpg

We made a stop at the founders fountain outside the back of the resort near the pool. Founding members are listed on the fountain base.
http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb190/cdpa4d/Picture211-1.jpg

http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb190/cdpa4d/Picture213-1.jpg

The pool area is very nice; especially the water slide.
http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb190/cdpa4d/Picture214-2.jpg

The Cove Pool Bar
http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb190/cdpa4d/Picture216-1-1.jpg

Water play area for kids
http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb190/cdpa4d/Picture217-1.jpg

Finally, here is a shot from the 5th floor walkway leading to the Contemporary resort.
http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb190/cdpa4d/Picture220-1.jpg

We are headed out the door for the Magic Kingdom. We are going to grab a bite to eat, have our Dole Whip meet with several friends. Later on tonight we are attending the Wishes dessert party over at the Tomorrowland Terrace Noodle Station. I'll pictures of our evening later.

More to come! :)

[exwdwcm]

another great update. wow on the slide, really nice artistic touches too. the whole modern style just isn't my thing, but BLT is really nice!

[dpuck1998]

Tell us what you didn't like about it! Also, compare the slide area to Kidani for me, I'm deciding where to stay at Xmas.

[ADP]

Tell us what you didn't like about it! Also, compare the slide area to Kidani for me, I'm deciding where to stay at Xmas.
I'm not a big fan of the furnishings in the room. I'm more of a maple, oak, or walnut furniture kind of person. The furniture in these rooms seems to be a venere.

There's also the issue of the sink bathroom being in the kitchen area. I believe this only holds true for studios and not 1, 2, or grand villas.

I think the slide area at Kidani is a little better. It has more plant and tree life around it. Here at BLT it's a glass block slide. So, it comes down to what you like; plant life or glass block. The BLT slide turns you all the way down where the Kidani slide has different turns as you go. In my opinion the slide at Kidani wins.

We haven't found much else we don't like about BLT.

I thought you were AKV for sure over X-Mas?

[ADP]

Hi Everyone,

We are back from our evening at the Magic Kingdom. We met our friends at Aloha Isle for a Dole Whip. We hung out for a good 2 hours catching up with our lives. It was great seeing everyone again. :wave:

When we arrived at the Magic Kingdom we were a little hungry so we stopped at Pecos Bills. We noticed the new chairs inside the restaurant without the backs. The only good I saw from the new chairs were they take up less space and the tops of the chairs have cushions so at least your bottom is comfortable. By the way, the fixings bar at Pecos Bills is still as good as ever.

We left Pecos Bills and met up with our friends at Aloha Isle. Kim, Anna and I were so happy to see everyone again. Kathy, Alicia, Jen, Kim, Shelly, and Liz thanks for coming out and seeing us.
http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb190/cdpa4d/Picture222-1.jpg
Liz (Iwishfordisney) was missing from the picture. I took the photo after she had left. Sorry Liz.

We left Aloha Isle at 8:15 and headed for the Tomorrland Terrace where our Wishes dessert party would take place. This is a great spot to watch the fireworks; however, I think charging people for a premium spot maybe wrong. I know you get dessert, but it just seems Disney is manufacturing experiences based on location.

When we arrived the line was already about 30 people deep. We were given a wristband and section letter while we waited in line by a cast member. We were section A. They started letting people into the dessert area at 9:00PM. When we walked in our table was waiting for us with our name on a tag. We had 1 hour to enjoy our desserts. Once Wishes started at 10:00PM they pulled the desserts, but left the drinks out for guests to enjoy.

I thought the desserts were fantastic. There was a huge assortmant of desserts. Coffee, lemonade, iced tea, and milk were served with dessert. The party was totally worth it in my opinion. Good food and we didn't have to fight for a viewing spot of Wishes. We really didn't want to watch the Spectromagic parade because we were too busy eating dessert during the parade. Hearing the music was nice though.

Here are a couple photos from the dessert party.
The dessert table
http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb190/cdpa4d/Picture223-1.jpg

The drink station
http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb190/cdpa4d/Picture226-1.jpg

Here is what the Spectromagic parade looked like from our vantage point.
http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb190/cdpa4d/Picture224-1.jpg

http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb190/cdpa4d/Picture225-1.jpg

The view of Wishes was specutacular as you would imagine from the Tomorrowland Terrace.
http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb190/cdpa4d/Picture229-1.jpg

We stayed at the Magic Kingdom until 12:30. It was very nice knowing we had a short walk or monorail ride back to our resort at Bay Lake Tower. We decided to take the resort monorail, get off at the Contemporary and walk across the sky bridge. A very nice way to get back. It took us about 15 to 20 minutes to get to our room.

Another great day in the books. Tomorrow we don't have much planned. We're hoping to enjoy our resort most of the day and possibly head to Hollywood Studios. We also plan on going up to the Top of the World Lounge tomorrow night. I'll have pictures from the 15th floor and the lounge tomorrow night.

More to come!

Next Up:
Our day at Bay Lake Tower
Hollywood Studios
Top of the World Lounge

[IWISHFORDISNEY]

It was so fun meeting up with everyone. I had a fantastic time and got to get on quite a few rides despite the crowds. Totally worth the drive up for us. You and your family are so nice :goodvibes as is everone else. Enjoy the rest of your vacation!!! Now Gene is reading your trip report to see how you like Univeral. LOL. He needs his own DIS account.

[kpadalik]

Didn't Kathy say on the podcast that the desserts were left out during the fireworks? I thought I remembered her saying that. If that's true, it's interesting that they now pull the desserts before the fireworks.

[safetymom]

That's a shame they pull the food now. We didn't have a table with our name on it. Sounds like they have changed things.

[ADP]

It was so fun meeting up with everyone. I had a fantastic time and got to get on quite a few rides despite the crowds. Totally worth the drive up for us. You and your family are so nice :goodvibes as is everone else. Enjoy the rest of your vacation!!! Now Gene is reading your trip report to see how you like Univeral. LOL. He needs his own DIS account.
Thanks to you and Gene for coming up. We enjoyed meeting you guys. You have a wonderful family as well.

Didn't Kathy say on the podcast that the desserts were left out during the fireworks? I thought I remembered her saying that. If that's true, it's interesting that they now pull the desserts before the fireworks.

That's a shame they pull the food now. We didn't have a table with our name on it. Sounds like they have changed things.
Sorry...I might have confused everyone. They pulled most of the desserts, but left very few out in case guests wanted to have some more. However, what was left was very, very sparse.

[jennz]

Great trip report! So sad that you only have one day left :(

[dpuck1998]

I'm not a big fan of the furnishings in the room. I'm more of a maple, oak, or walnut furniture kind of person. The furniture in these rooms seems to be a venere.

There's also the issue of the sink bathroom being in the kitchen area. I believe this only holds true for studios and not 1, 2, or grand villas.

I think the slide area at Kidani is a little better. It has more plant and tree life around it. Here at BLT it's a glass block slide. So, it comes down to what you like; plant life or glass block. The BLT slide turns you all the way down where the Kidani slide has different turns as you go. In my opinion the slide at Kidani wins.

We haven't found much else we don't like about BLT.

I thought you were AKV for sure over X-Mas?

We are at AKV right now, we are waitlisted for BLT so I'm still deciding which way I want to go.

[ADP]

We are at AKV right now, we are waitlisted for BLT so I'm still deciding which way I want to go.
You won't go wrong either way. I think it really depends on what you want to do. You and the fam would probably love being close to the Magic Kingdom area around Christmas. I think if you want a more laid back trip around X-Mas then AKV maybe the better way to go.

[ADP]

Saturday, August 8th

Hi Everyone,

We are back from the pool. We were pretty wiped out this morning so we decided to sleep in. When we finally got up we walked over to the Contemporary for a bite to eat at the Contempo Grab and Go. We then headed out to the pool and spent some time in Community Hall.
Anna showed me a thing or two on the foozball table.
http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb190/cdpa4d/Picture230-1.jpg

One thing about the room we have at BLT. The shower has tremendous water pressure. It's too much pressure really. If you ever saw the Seinfeld episode where the Super replaces the shower heads in Jerry and Kramer's apartment building with low flow shower heads you know what I mean. Jerry and Kramer go out and buy a black market shower head used in the circus to wash elephants. The shower head in our room is very similar to their circus shower head. :lmao:

Here is a photo of the bathroom in our studio.
http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb190/cdpa4d/Picture232-1.jpg

One other small quirk about our villa is the bathroom sink is located outside the bathroom around the corner near the kitchen area. You need to leave the bathroom in order to wash your hands or brush your teeth. all of that is done near the kitchenette.
Here's a photo of the kitchen/sink area.
http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb190/cdpa4d/Picture231-1.jpg

Tonight we plan on heading up to the Top of the World Lounge. We're hopeful to see Wishes from the observation deck and enjoy some of the food offerings.

More to come!

[simonkodousek]

BLT looks great! Can't wait for another installment of your TR! :)

[Becx N Gav]

Yey - it's great you got to try BLT and the dessert party (which I hope they continue doing)

Can't wait to see the view from the top, I would love to stay at BLT :cloud9:

It's cool to see what you guys are up to day by day - the next best thing to being there :banana:

[shellyminnie]

Saturday, August 8th


Anna showed me a thing or two on the foozball table.
http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb190/cdpa4d/Picture230-1.jpg



Way to go Anna!! :cheer2::cheer2::cheer2:

[ADP]

One thing I didn't mention earlier. The beds here at BLT are awesome. They are much, much more comfortable than the beds over at AKV. I'm not sure why, but it is very noticable. They feel like a higher quality grade of matress.

[Cyrano]

Great that you managed to catch up with so many DIS friends :goodvibes

[ADP]

Hi Everyone,

We are back from our evening. We decided to walk up to Chef Mickey's and try and dine there. Although we waited longer than we wanted we were glad we did it. Chef Mickey's was good as usual. We got to see several characters and enjoyed the festive atmosphere the restaurant offers. The food was above average; although we were pretty hungry so everything probably would have tasted good.
http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb190/cdpa4d/Picture235-1.jpg

After we dined at Chef Mickey's we headed straight for the 1st floor of Bay Lake tower where we needed to check-in to be escorted up to the Top of the World Lounge. It's located on the 16th floor of Bay Lake Tower. They serve light appetizers and have a full bar.

Let me just preface what I'm about to say by telling you this place is pretty exclusive and has an upscale feel to it. There are 2 observation decks; one on the Magic Kingdom side which is pretty large and the other on the Bay Lake side which is not so large. You get a great view of Bay Lake and the pool from the smaller deck.
http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb190/cdpa4d/Picture239-1.jpg

We arrived at the lounge around 9:45, 15 minutes before the start of Wishes. The lounge was suprisingly not crowded at all. I was shocked to see only 30 or so people viewing the fireworks from the observation deck. We felt pretty fortunate to be up there with so few people. I'm not sure why more people were not up there, but maybe not enough people know about it since the resort is only 1 week old.

Here are some photos of the lounge. It is very elegant, exclusive, and has an upscale feel to it.
The center chandelier is very unique and different
http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb190/cdpa4d/Picture237-1.jpg

The bar area. The background of the bar has a beautiful monorail mural that you can't see in this picture, but during the day it is lit up by the daylight.
http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb190/cdpa4d/Picture236-1.jpg

There is a private space for a large party to sit and relax with great pieces of Tomorrowland art on the wall
http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb190/cdpa4d/Picture240-1.jpg

More seating areas
http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb190/cdpa4d/Picture238-1.jpg

As I said we had the opportunity to view wishes from the observation deck. The view is incredible as you would imagine. Music for the fireworks is pumped in from the Magic Kingdom. Here are photos and video from our perspective of Wishes tonight. It was very special and very incredible!
http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb190/cdpa4d/Picture234-1.jpg

Here are a couple videos of tonight's Wishes show from the observation deck.
I don't have the best camera for capturing video, but you'll get the idea of the view when you see these videos.
http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb190/cdpa4d/th_Picture244.jpg (http://s205.photobucket.com/albums/bb190/cdpa4d/?action=view&current=Picture244.flv)

http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb190/cdpa4d/th_Picture245.jpg (http://s205.photobucket.com/albums/bb190/cdpa4d/?action=view&current=Picture245.flv)

Tomorrow is our last day in Orlando. We've had such a great and memorable time. We are amazed how everytime we come here we seem to experience so many different and new things. This time there were so many special moments for us. I'll reflect on some of them in my final post, but for now we still have tomorrow. We plan on possibly hitting 1900 Park Fare for breakfast and then going over to the Magic Kingdom for a few last minute attractions.

Here is one last photo tonight of the chandelier as you walk off the elevator on the 16th floor of Bay Lake Tower. Another great piece that makes this resort special.
http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb190/cdpa4d/Picture242-1.jpg

More to come! :)

[cruisinpenguin]

Great review!! I've enjoyed reading and viewing your photos. Thanks for sharing! Laurie

[IWISHFORDISNEY]

Great shots. Another great report Aaron. Have a safe trip home today.

[ADP]

Hi Everyone,

We are in Adventureland at the Magic Kingdom. We discovered a new promotion today. If you spend $50 or more in any Disney World gift shop you will get 10 percent off when you use your Disney Visa. This promotion started August 5th.

[NancyIL]

Hi Everyone,

We are in Adventureland at the Magic Kingdom. We discovered a new promotion today. If you spend $50 or more in any Disney World gift shop you will get 10 percent off when you use your Disney Visa. This promotion started August 5th.

Thanks, Aaron - I hope they'll still have that promotion in October.

Enjoy your last day at WDW!

[TSWJan78]

OK.. Silly question.. why did you have to be escorted up to the lounge?? Can't anyone staying there go up?

[safetymom]

If you aren't DVC or a person using points then you can't use the lounge.

[disneyholic family]

If you aren't DVC or a person using points then you can't use the lounge.

that's quite a perk!

so you mean that if i'm staying at BLT as a hotel guest (rather than DVC), i won't be entitled to use that lounge?

[safetymom]

That is correct.

[katscradle]

Hey Aaron, I just got back from my weekend.
I enjoyed the video and pictures of BLT.
I can't wait to stay there on my December trip!:thumbsup2

[disneyholic family]

That is correct.

i see Disney knows how to take care of its DVC owners!!
thanks for pointing that out Kathy.
by the way, do you know if it's possible to already rent points from someone to stay in BLT?
I guess i should mosey on over to the DVC point rental board and start doing some research..

Aaron, those night pictures from BLT are amazing!!

[TSWJan78]

If I rent points I can use the Lounge though right?

[Cyrano]

Another fabulous report Aaron especially the views and detail of the BLT tower lounge :goodvibes

[exwdwcm]

wow, great pics of the lounge, really makes me want to rent points now! :goodvibes

[ADP]

Hi Everyone,

I just wanted to let you know we are back home safe and sound. I haven't posted the final day of our trip yet, but will soon. Right now I'm getting caught up with work, sleep and life back home.

More to come! :)

[tickledtink33]

If you aren't DVC or a person using points then you can't use the lounge.

that's quite a perk!

so you mean that if i'm staying at BLT as a hotel guest (rather than DVC), i won't be entitled to use that lounge?

If I rent points I can use the Lounge though right?

Here is what DVC's website says about the BLT Top of the World lounge.

Due to anticipated high demand for this location, access is available only to Disney Vacation Club Members who are staying at Bay Lake Tower using their Membership (Vacation Points or cash), guests staying in the room with that Member, and guests who are staying in a room reserved by a DVC Member with Vacation Points. Access is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis.

[Madi100]

Great trip report, Aaron!!

[ADP]

Sunday, August 9th

Hi Everyone,

Sorry this is a bit late, but it was our last day so we wanted to get as much in as possible before our Magical Express bus pulled away from the Contemporary Resort.

Our bus was scheduled to depart at 4:30PM from the Contemporary so we still had the day in front of us. We decided to end our trip at 1900 Park Fare for breakfast. This is a character breakfast with Alice in Wonderland characters, Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, and Mary Poppins located on the 1st floor lobby of the Grand Floridian resort.
http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb190/cdpa4d/Picture246-1.jpg

The Grand Floridian lobby
http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb190/cdpa4d/Picture248-1.jpg

The loudest Mad Hatter I've ever heard!
http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb190/cdpa4d/Picture247-1.jpg

The food on the buffet was very good. There was a station for made to order omlettes. My only complaint was there are apparent cutbacks in the food offerings. There was nothing to put on top of our scrambled eggs like cheese, and veggies.

The restaurant is very noisey; especially with the Mad Hatter running around yelling. The ceilings are very high so it seem to echo pretty heavily.

Our total bill with the 20% discount and 18% gratuity was $54 for 2 adults and 1 child. A little expensive for breakfast. Our service was ok, but this was the one time I regretted telling our server we had a Tables in Wonderland card. I really felt our service was affected when the server knew she would get the 18% gratuity.

We paid our bill and decided to head over to the Magic Kingdom. We arrived around 11:00AM and the crowds were starting to file in. The Magic Kingdom was crowded. Sundays seem to be a busier day in the week. On our way to Adventureland we saw the piano player (I forget his name) getting his piano ready to play near the entrance to Casey's Corner.
http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb190/cdpa4d/Picture249-1.jpg

During our time at the Magic Kingdom we experienced Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Buzz Lightyear, the Laugh Floor, and our final ride of our trip was Splash Mountain. I was glad we got to experience it because we didn't get the chance the entire trip. It was a great way to end our vacation.

As we were exiting the park we discovered we had a little more time so we stopped for some soft serve ice cream. We tried the orange dole whip. It is very good, but the bottom line is it's orange soft serve ice cream. Maybe eating it at the Magic Kingdom makes it taste better. I'm not sure, but it tasted very good on a hot day.
Here's the menu at Aloha Isle. The orange soft serve is not listed specifically. You need to ask for it as orange soft serve.
http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb190/cdpa4d/Picture250-2.jpg

We headed back to the Contemporary and caught our Magical Express bus out front at 4:30. Surprisingly we ran into another Kim when the Magical Express bus picked up guests at the Polynesian. She was on the same bus as us, so we were able to catch up on our trip as we rode to the airport.

As usual we had a great time. I can handle 2 weeks of Orlando theme parks anytime. The only problem now is getting back to real life. The last 2 days have been hard. I was getting so used to the parks I think I saw Captain Jack Sparrow in our break room at work. :lmao:

I'll have some final thoughts about our trip in my final entry. Let me leave you with a few pictures we took during our trip I haven't posted yet.

Anna with a Morrocan fez hat
http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb190/cdpa4d/Picture254-1.jpg

Doing the Chicken Dance at the Kidani Village pool
http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb190/cdpa4d/Picture253-1.jpg

And finally, I say it's ok to exercise while on vacation! Core exercises.
http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb190/cdpa4d/Picture252-1.jpg

More to come! :)

[dpuck1998]

You need to keep those legs straight and point your toes more!!

Also, do you usually tell them you have the TIW card? I try to wait until the bill arrives, is that okay to do it that way?

[katscradle]

We always wait till after to let them know we have a TIW card.
I say it's o.k. :thumbsup2:rotfl2:

[shellyminnie]

[B]


Doing the Chicken Dance at the Kidani Village pool
http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb190/cdpa4d/Picture253-1.jpg

And finally, I say it's ok to exercise while on vacation! Core exercises.
http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb190/cdpa4d/Picture252-1.jpg

More to come! :)

I'm so gonna keep my mouth shut!! :rotfl2:

[Tonya2426]

You need to keep those legs straight and point your toes more!!

Also, do you usually tell them you have the TIW card? I try to wait until the bill arrives, is that okay to do it that way?

I always wait to tell - as far as I am concerned they are on a need to know basis. :rolleyes1

[ADP]

You need to keep those legs straight and point your toes more!!

Also, do you usually tell them you have the TIW card? I try to wait until the bill arrives, is that okay to do it that way?
Actually, for that particular exercise they say to keep your heels extended. It makes it tougher to balance your body giving you a better core workout.

Typically not, but in this, for whatever reason, when our server asked if we were on the dining plan I said "no, but we have the TIW card". I usually don't offer that information, but for some reason I did this time. It was my one "V-8" moment I had on the trip.

[jennz]

Ok I have to say it - you are some kind of funky-looking chicken out there!! :rotfl: You're a great dad to get out there and dance with Anna (who btw is a fabulous looking chicken ;) )

[dpuck1998]

Actually, for that particular exercise they say to keep your heels extended. It makes it tougher to balance your body giving you a better core workout.

Typically not, but in this, for whatever reason, when our server asked if we were on the dining plan I said "no, but we have the TIW card". I usually don't offer that information, but for some reason I did this time. It was my one "V-8" moment I had on the trip.

I C, looked like you were doing flutter kicks....

You only had ONE moment?

[katscradle]

Don stop picking on Aaron or you might get a swat from one of your wives.:rotfl2::rotfl2:

[ADP]

Ok I have to say it - you are some kind of funky-looking chicken out there!! :rotfl: You're a great dad to get out there and dance with Anna (who btw is a fabulous looking chicken ;) )
Good thing I only posted a picture and not a video. :rolleyes:

You only had ONE moment?
Well, I had a few more, but that was the one where I actually hit myself in the head during the meal. :upsidedow

[dpuck1998]

Don stop picking on Aaron or you might get a swat from one of your wives.:rotfl2::rotfl2:

:love:

[crazydisneyman]

Aaron, your chicken dance technique looked better than your core exercise technique. :lmao:

[jennz]

There's a video?!popcorn::

[Becx N Gav]

As usual we had a great time. I can handle 2 weeks of Orlando theme parks anytime. The only problem now is getting back to real life. The last 2 days have been hard. I was getting so used to the parks I think I saw Captain Jack Sparrow in our break room at work. :lmao:


I think I miss the music in the background everywhere (hearing a radio is differnt) it just takes you to another place :goodvibes

Loved the report Aaron, and thanks for letting us know about BLT - very informative.

It was interesting to hear about your experience at 1900 Park Fare - we're trying it for the first time this year. Do you think we would notice the lack of some items if it's our first time?
DH and myself have done other buffet breakfasts but our friends have eaten at an IHOP and that's about it as far as American breakfast go :rotfl: I just don't want them to be disappointed if it's really gone downhill but I'm hoping they have fairly low expectations :confused3

[ADP]

I think I miss the music in the background everywhere (hearing a radio is differnt) it just takes you to another place :goodvibes

Loved the report Aaron, and thanks for letting us know about BLT - very informative.

It was interesting to hear about your experience at 1900 Park Fare - we're trying it for the first time this year. Do you think we would notice the lack of some items if it's our first time?
DH and myself have done other buffet breakfasts but our friends have eaten at an IHOP and that's about it as far as American breakfast go :rotfl: I just don't want them to be disappointed if it's really gone downhill but I'm hoping they have fairly low expectations :confused3
Thanks!
As for 1900, if you haven't dined there before you may not miss much. I was just disappointed because I noticed less. Not having shredded cheese and chopped veggies to sprinkle on my scrambled eggs was disappointing. For a breakfast buffet I consider those common items that were not available.

[NancyIL]

Thanks so much for posting your live trip report, Aaron! It was great to read about your vacation as it unfolded, and I'll bet the two weeks just flew by.

[ADP]

Final Thoughts

Hi Everyone,

I wanted to just recap a few things along our 2 week adventure in Orlando. Reflecting back on things is always important; especially if you plan on reading this trip report in the future. It could provide information for future visits on what worked and what didn't work.

This was the first time We've ever been in Orlando for 2 weeks straight. I loved being there so long. We were able to relax and still enjoy the parks at the same time. The only problem is coming back home. Getting back into the swing of things has been tough, but we think we are finally there.

Theme Parks -
All of the 6 theme parks we visited were in great shape. We didn't see any signs of wear or problems with up-keep. I only recall getting stuck on Dudley Do-Right's Ripsaw Falls once at the top of a hill; otherwise rides were running very well.

The crowds in the parks were down slightly for early August in my opinion. It was noticeable, but not very much. Wait times ranged from 5 minutes up to 120 minutes on Test Track in the afternoon. Lines moved rather quickly and efficiently. We used fastpasses and seemed to get on everything we wanted after about a 5 minute or less wait. Fastpasses for some attractions were gone in the early afternoon; specifically Toy Story Midway Mania, which is not a surprise.

Front of the line access at Universal is the best theme park invention ever. We didn't wait more than 5 minutes for one Universal attraction. It's a great perk. The crowds at Universal were what I would expect for late July. Because we had front of the line access the crowds at Universal were insignificant to us.

Just a quick plug about Disney and Universal merchandise. TrenD was a big hit with us. We loved the merchandise in that store. It's a good example of Disney doing something right. As for the other merchandise we did see changes in it; however, nothing I'd call an improvment.

It's obvious Universal has swung heavily to the "Thing" line of clothing. We saw it in about every shop we visited, even in Jurrasic Park. I sort of feel Universal has adopted some of Disney's standards when it comes to quality and innovative merchandise. There really wasn't much we wanted to buy. Most of what we saw we had to talk ourselves into buying.

Also, I can't say enough about the Spiderman attraction. What a great ride. Even after 10 years of existence. I'm amazed at what they were able to do with the technology in the ride. If you''ve never experienced it before you will be amazed the first time you ride it.

Food -
Well, it's time to talk about some disappointments. Unfortunately, for the prices Disney is charging for food it's not living up to standard. I'm still amazed at the price of counter service meals. For a cheeserburger, fries, and a soft drink it costs around $11. Considering how they serve it to you (in a paper, rectangle dish) it shouldn't cost that much. We really liked Chef's De France and Boma. Every other restaurant was somewhat disappointing. We really noticed the removal of many dishes in the buffet restaurants. Nothing specific, but there were less choices; especially at Chef Mickey's. Even toppings were taken away like at 1900 Park Fare where there were not toppings for our scrambled eggs. Service in most of the restaurants was pretty good. The service at 1900 Park Fare was a bit disappointing. I'm afraid we are losing one of the reasons many of us visit Disney World....The Food! Disney is squeezing profits out of food service so much it's really becoming noticeable in the quality of food they serve and choices.

We found Universal's food to be superior to Disney's. We really liked Sal's Deli at Portifino Bay. It was a great lunch stop for Anna and I. The pizza was very good and you could tell the other offerings looked delicious. The food at the Wantian Luau was very good as well. I just wish there were a few more choices on the buffet. The entertainment at the luau was ok, but I don't think there's a need to do it again. We also found Mythos in Islands of Adventure to be good as well. We've dined there twice and both times the experience was solid. Also, the Croissant Moon Bakery at IOA is the best theme park bakery I've ever seen. The selections and pastries are awesome. Plus the prices are very, very reasonable. It just needs a little more seating inside; otherwise it's perfect. Universal's food is 2 steps above Disney's food right now. It's pretty obvious.

I also need to mention Universal's generosity in it's AP discounts. Everywhere you visit on Universal property it seems like they accept AP discounts. It really makes you feel like spending your money on food and merchandise when there is some sort of discount for your AP. It really makes you feel like a valued, loyal customer.

Resorts -
AKV -
AKV is at,or near the top of our favorite Disney resorts. Obviously the draw is the animals on the savanna. Unfortunately, we didn't have the best room in the world on the club level. We had room 6209 which is all the way down the hall furthest from the club lounge. A few nights we did not receive our turn-down service; although Mousekeeping did a good job everytime they addressed our room. The offerings in the club lounge were very good. We enjoyed BBQ ribs, mini quiches, special african selections and more. The morning offerings were basic, but the afternoon offerings were more than what we expected.

The staff at the club lounge were pleasant and good. We had one club lounge specialist not really help us with our kids club reservation. She actually handed us the phone after she dialed WDW dining and told us it would be easier for us to make the reservation since we had to leave a credit card number. Another one went above and beyond by helping us box up our tiki and other souveneirs or shipment back home.

The resorts amenities are good; although I'm not a huge fan of the Mara. I've lost some faith with most of the counter service locations across Disney property. Both AKV pools do not disappoint in my opinion. They are very relaxing and the pool water and temperature were perfect. The staff in the kids club was great. Anna really enjoyed her time there and wants to go back.

Bay Lake Tower -
Well, it was kind of crazy, but we had a 1st floor room. I could of requested a higher floor, but I didn't. I took what they gave me. I figured "someone has got to be on the first floor", right? Our room seemed a little smaller than most studios on property. I'm not sure why, but it just did. The next time we stay at BLT we'll probably go to a 1 bedroom. The best part of the room was the art. The worst part of the room was the size and the bathroom sink being in the kitchenette area.

We also loved the pool area here as well, but we found the actual pool to be a little too small for the size of the resort. We found the pool bar to be a big hit. They serve food and popular drinks. They even serve a BLT sandwich which I found funny since many refer to the resort as BLT. Anna enjoyed the slide quite a bit. I could tell because she felt the need to continue climbing the steps to ride it. Community Hall seemed small; however, very well run by the staff inside.

For us, the best part of the resort is the Top of the World Lounge. It's really nice and a great place to hang out at night; especially as couples. Kids are welcome; however, the atmosphere is very adult in my opinion. The lounge serves light appetizers and drinks. It is very well decorated and themed. The observation decks are great for viewing the fireworks and Electrical Water Pageant. You can even see the other theme parks from the the Magic Kingdom deck. If you stay at BLT you must, MUST go up there. It's worth it just to check out the views.

Royal Pacific Resort -
We love all 3 of Universal's on-site resorts. The Royal Pacific is somewhere in the middle for us. I consider RPR a deluxe resort compared to Disney's resorts. The resort has 2 full service restaurants, a Luau, a counter service location near the lobby, 3 gift shops, and a very nice pool area. For what we paid to stay at this resort it makes Disney's deluxe resorts look shameful. We got a great AP discount at RPR, but the biggest benefit of all was the front of the line access. Having FOTL access makes the price of staying at RPR look like a sale at a Goodwill store. Universal really does a great job of making you feel important. Great resort rates and AP discounts make you feel very special. It's hard not to be a fan of what Universal is doing.

We really didn't eat much at the resort except for continental breakfast and at the Wanitian Luau. I thought the food was good, but nothing over the top. The selections of food seemed limited as well, but not as bad as what Disney has done. I really wish we could have dined at Emeril's Tchoup Tchoup restaurant, but I'll make it a point the next time we stay at Universal. One thing I know for sure....Universal's food and prices are better than Disney's right now...It's very obvious.

The pool at RPR was a highlight for us. It's very tropical, relaxing and enjoyable. Wait staff came around asking us if we needed anything to eat or drink. They even brought around complimentary dessert shots, italian ice and more on occassion. A very nice touch. Although the pool has no slide, Anna really enjoyed the ship water feature. You can also pool hop to all 3 Universal resorts. We could have enjoyed the Hard Rock pool, but we decided to keep it close to our room at RPR. We like Universal and plan on visiting again next year to see and experience their new attractions; especially the new Harry Potter themed land. It's going to be a great addition to IOA.

Other Observations -
It had been a while since we visited the West Side of Downtown Disney. I'm pretty disappointed at what I saw. The whole district just doesn't seem Disney to me at all. The Marketplace is much more festive and more Disney. The West Side and even Pleasure Island needs a huge overhaul. I hope they address it soon.

City Walk at Universal is ok, but even City Walk could use some work. I do like the mix of restaurants and shops much better than the West Side and Pleasure Island. We thought Margaritaville was a big hit. We love the food and the atmosphere.

I wish Disney would fix or attempt to fix Expedition Everest. The Yeti and the experience just doesn't seem right with a strobe light on him.

I wish someone could explain to me how Sunshine Seasons is so much better than any other counter service location on Disney property. The choices are great, the food quality is very good, and the setup is nice. I can only think the reason it's so good is some of the food comes from the Living with the Land attraction so it's much fresher and of better quality.

We enjoyed our time in Celebration. We liked Celebration Town Tavern and would eat there again when and if the opportunity presents itself again. The town is very quaint and provides a nice retreat if you ever want to get off of Disney property. Just taking a nice stroll through the town to window shop would be nice.

Lastly, I can't express enough how wonderful it was to see so many of our friends during this trip. I never thought during a trip to Orlando we'd be able to say we have a lot of friends to meet during our trip. Having a social element to our vacations has really made them much, much more enjoyable. To those of you who we got to see on this trip thank you so much for taking the time to see us. It was a pleasure and I hope we can get together again during a future visit to Orlando.

Two weeks came and two weeks went. Trips will always come and go, but the memories last a lifetime. Arriving in Orlando is always exciting, but leaving can be tough. Just knowing another trip is around the corner does help; especially when its in December. I can't wait to see so many of you at DAP. It should be a blast! :)

Next Trips:
Dec 8th - 14th Vistana Resort & Pop Centure
Dec 27th - Jan 4th - AKV Club Level

[safetymom]

Aaron, I want to say thank you for the wonderful trip report you posted. It is going to help lots of people with their trip planning. It was great seeing the 3 of you again. Just think before you know it your next vacation will be here. :)

[*NikkiBell*]

Aaron, could you list here what restaurants you visited? I didn't see an overall list of the WDW ones and was curious which, in particular, you thought were disappointing.

[ADP]

Aaron, I want to say thank you for the wonderful trip report you posted. It is going to help lots of people with their trip planning. It was great seeing the 3 of you again. Just think before you know it your next vacation will be here. :)
Thanks Kathy! It was great seeing you as well. Thanks for meeting us at CTT and coming out to the Dole Whip meet. See you in December.

Aaron, could you list here what restaurants you visited? I didn't see an overall list of the WDW ones and was curious which, in particular, you thought were disappointing.
No problem Nikki. I'll list them in the order we enjoyed them.
Sit Down Restaurants:
Les Chef's De France
Narcoossees
Boma
1900 Park Fare
Chef Mickey's

We also ate off property at Celebration Town Tavern. I must say it was the best meal of our trip. It was a nice retreat and worth the trip off property.

Counter Service Locations:
Sunshine Seasons - EPCOT (always a big hit with us) I didn't mention this visit in the trip report
Earl of Sandwich - DTD
Columbia Harbour House - MK
Backlot Express - DHS
Pecos Bill - MK
Contempo Grab N' Go
Electric Umbrella - EPCOT
The Mara - AKLV
Captain Cooks - Poly

We also enjoyed the Magic Kingdom dessert party and the Illuminations Dessert party. The MK dessert party was 10 times better than the illuminations dessert party.

[shellyminnie]

We also ate off property at Celebration Town Tavern. I must say it was the best meal of our trip. It was a nice retreat and worth the trip off property.



Mmmmmm . . .. lobster chowder!!

[safetymom]

You are making me hungry for their fantastic lobster chowder. :)

[IWISHFORDISNEY]

Great report. I love the final thoughts. I am gonna have to go over to Celebration for dinner one night. Cant wait to see everone again in December.

[shellyminnie]

Great report. I love the final thoughts. I am gonna have to go over to Celebration for dinner one night. Cant wait to see everone again in December.

If you want to try the lobster chowder, you have to go on a Friday night, it's the only night they serve it. Enjoy!!

[G66]

Aaron,

Thanks for such an in depth trip report. I can appreciate the effort it takes do do them. I recently returned from an 8 day 7 night stay at the BC. I was armed with camera, memory cards, netbook, iPod Touch and a bag full of chargers. I had every intention of Tweeting, e-mailing, and posting trip updates and pictures. I just couldn't find the time or the extra energy to do it. After reading an e-mail that brought me back to the real world (nothing bad, just reality) , I decided to stay off the e-mail all together and live in the WDW bubble. Thanks for taking the time to do your reports.

After living a week on the QSDP, I would have to agree with your assessment of the QS food situation. All QS is not equal! Some QS locations and meals were excellent, others disappointing. I found the inconsistency a bit frustrating. A few things that have long been recommended fell short. I'm not sure if it is a change in quality or I just got a bad serving. However, this falls in line with your experience.

You also need to know your snack offerings. I would advise anyone on a DP to download the available snack list on the dining board. The disparity in value among snacks is huge. The list and associated pictures in the thread are invaluable. It was a bit frustrating at times having to accept a poor desert offering to get the meal you wanted. Like everything at WDW, if you educate yourself going in, you can make good QS decisions.

From a pure snack value perspective the Main Street Bakery can't be beat.

[ADP]

Mmmmmm . . .. lobster chowder!!

You are making me hungry for their fantastic lobster chowder. :)
That lobster chowder was so good. I couldn't believe how chunky it was. It was loaded with chunks of lobster and potatos. Excellent!

Great report. I love the final thoughts. I am gonna have to go over to Celebration for dinner one night. Cant wait to see everone again in December.
Thanks Liz. We really enjoyed meeting you. Hope we can do it again sometime.

Aaron,

Thanks for such an in depth trip report. I can appreciate the effort it takes do do them. I recently returned from an 8 day 7 night stay at the BC. I was armed with camera, memory cards, netbook, iPod Touch and a bag full of chargers. I had every intention of Tweeting, e-mailing, and posting trip updates and pictures. I just couldn't find the time or the extra energy to do it. After reading an e-mail that brought me back to the real world (nothing bad, just reality) , I decided to stay off the e-mail all together and live in the WDW bubble. Thanks for taking the time to do your reports.

After living a week on the QSDP, I would have to agree with your assessment of the QS food situation. All QS is not equal! Some QS locations and meals were excellent, others disappointing. I found the inconsistency a bit frustrating. A few things that have long been recommended fell short. I'm not sure if it is a change in quality or I just got a bad serving. However, this falls in line with your experience.

You also need to know your snack offerings. I would advise anyone on a DP to download the available snack list on the dining board. The disparity in value among snacks is huge. The list and associated pictures in the thread are invaluable. It was a bit frustrating at times having to accept a poor desert offering to get the meal you wanted. Like everything at WDW, if you educate yourself going in, you can make good QS decisions.

From a pure snack value perspective the Main Street Bakery can't be beat.
Thanks! It does take some time to put together the reports, but I really enjoy doing it. Once you get into the routine of doing it you find certain tips and shortcuts that make it much easier and less time consuming. As someone who loves to read trip reports I know how fun and entertaining they can be; especially when they involve one of our favorite vacation destinations. Plus, I use them to reflect back on. It helps me decide what to do next time.

Hopefully, the QS locations will improve across property. Maybe next years dining plan price increase will address it a little, but I'm sort of doubting it.

[katscradle]

Thank you Aaron for a great trip report, and for listing the resaurants like that.:thumbsup2

[FairyGodmotherJen]

Thanks for the report, Aaron - it's great to see up-to-date info. on the parks (even though our trip isn't until June)!

[work2play]

Aaron- What an awesome trip report! I know you had a first floor studio room at BLT. Did you happen to take any pictures from your room or patio on what you could actually see? We are working on a thread with BLT room locations and views and would appreciate you sharing any info with us here:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2257082

Thanks again for a wonderful trip report!

JoAnne

[safetymom]

When we did the BLT review we were in 7728. http://photopost.wdwinfo.com/showgallery.php/cat/986/page/7

Here are some pictures from that room.

[work2play]

When we did the BLT review we were in 7728. http://photopost.wdwinfo.com/showgallery.php/cat/986/page/7

Here are some pictures from that room.

Nice views as well! Do you know if your room was considered a "MK view studio"?

[safetymom]

Yes it was a MK view.

[Cyrano]

Thanks for putting together a reflections on the trip Aaron. Very helpful for future trip planning :)

[alebisi]

hi Aaron I always read and love your live trip reports! I haven't being posting in a long time because I've been having some busy months... anyways I've read you are Italian!!! I am too.. I actually live in Italy... which part of Italy are you or is your family from?

[Sooze]

Aaron,
I just got caught up and finished reading your report. Thanks SO MUCH for sharing your honest opinions with us!

I just :lovestrucLoved the Wedding Pavilion story. I can just imagine what a special moment that was for you both. It's like the pixie dust lined everything up for you guys that night.

Question: Can ANY DVC member get to the lounge on top of BLT? Or do you have to be staying there to access the lounge? Matt and I are heading to WDW at the end of November to celebrate our 12th anniversary. What a perfect way to celebrate... watching Wishes from the top of BLT. But we are staying at SSR.. can we still do that?

Thanks again! See you real soon!
Susie

[Kristina]

Hi! I really enjoyed your report, what a wonderful trip you had :thumbsup2! I have to say I'm another fan of the wedding pavilion story, it's so cool when magic like that happens :goodvibes!

[work2play]

Question: Can ANY DVC member get to the lounge on top of BLT? Or do you have to be staying there to access the lounge? Matt and I are heading to WDW at the end of November to celebrate our 12th anniversary. What a perfect way to celebrate... watching Wishes from the top of BLT. But we are staying at SSR.. can we still do that?

Susie


I am at BLT right now. The only way to gain access to the Top of the World lounge is to be a DVC member staying on points at BLT. There are not many people up there (20-30 last night), so maybe that will change by Novemeber! They are very strict about it, they check the cards of every person (It is on your room key), and there is a separate elevator that they use to let you go up.

[ADP]

Aaron,
I just got caught up and finished reading your report. Thanks SO MUCH for sharing your honest opinions with us!

I just :lovestrucLoved the Wedding Pavilion story. I can just imagine what a special moment that was for you both. It's like the pixie dust lined everything up for you guys that night.

Question: Can ANY DVC member get to the lounge on top of BLT? Or do you have to be staying there to access the lounge? Matt and I are heading to WDW at the end of November to celebrate our 12th anniversary. What a perfect way to celebrate... watching Wishes from the top of BLT. But we are staying at SSR.. can we still do that?

Thanks again! See you real soon!
Susie

I am at BLT right now. The only way to gain access to the Top of the World lounge is to be a DVC member staying on points at BLT. There are not many people up there (20-30 last night), so maybe that will change by Novemeber! They are very strict about it, they check the cards of every person (It is on your room key), and there is a separate elevator that they use to let you go up.
This is absolutely correct. And yes, they are very strict about it...At least for now.

Hi! I really enjoyed your report, what a wonderful trip you had :thumbsup2! I have to say I'm another fan of the wedding pavilion story, it's so cool when magic like that happens :goodvibes!
Thank you...It's one of those things I'll never forget. :lovestruc

hi Aaron I always read and love your live trip reports! I haven't being posting in a long time because I've been having some busy months... anyways I've read you are Italian!!! I am too.. I actually live in Italy... which part of Italy are you or is your family from?
I'll have to look into it further, but we are from the central part of the country. My parents are 2nd generation. Like any Italian family, for us it's all about the foooooood. :)