Where did this heat and all these people come from? The new PTR/TR link 5/7

[jenniferreich]

Hi! I'm just beginning your trip report; it's so much fun to read! Your photos are great too! I, too, love the style of the Wilderness Lodge! Thanks! Jennifer

 

[Cory's Gal]

Hi Katie!! I am all caught up! First off, congrats on the new job!! You must be so excited to start this week!! I hope it goes well for you!! Your travels around WS with your group was lovely! How nice to spend some time with just your dad! It seems like the two of you enjoyed your time together, especially your dinner!! The entertainment looks like a lot of fun! How wonderful to have them take back some souvenirs for you too!! Your dad made a very handsome Romeo!!!

Looks like a nice trip to the Dells. I have been several times and has yet to do the Ducks!! It's been at the top of my list for a looooooong time, and now with your beautiful pics it's a MUST for us!!

Thanks for the nice picture tour of CSR too! There were so many wonderful shots you got, especially that gator! YIKES!! Cape May looked like fun, I have had good luck at all of our breakfast buffets so far, the food has always been good and fresh!!! Looking forward to more!!!

 

[praisehisname]

we headed over toward Madison to a suburb to visit a place Greg wanted to stop – the mustard museum

Oh, Tom would be all over that! He looooves mustard!

So cool! And they even had the Disney characters out for you!

After lunch, our afternoon activity of choice was a ride on the famous Wisconsin Ducks.

What an amazing tour; you got a lot of great pictures!

Thanks for the walking tour of CSR; very beautiful how clear the reflections are in the water!

Our next destination was…

Hmmm, straight from breakfast to a tequila bar... You're my kind of gal!

 

[kschafer]

I am SO sorry to be so neglectful about my report!!!!!

I started my new job this week and the person who had this position last year left an unorganized mess!! I have spent this week trying to sort out everything and made sense of it all. Basically, I am in charge of a computer lab where about 100 students come throughout the day (instead of study hall) and they work on online courses to earn credits for classes they have previously failed. The kids aren't too bad, I was worried about this, especially after what I heard about the previous person there having a "fun" environment for students. In my opinion, this is not where kids should want to end up, there will be no more pizza parties, chair races down the hallway or free Fridays!! They are adjusting to my stricter rules fairly well. They are testing me but I think we'll get there soon enough!

The other problem I'm having is that I still haven't been trained on the program so only about half of my students had something to work on this week (classes they had started last year but not finished). I'm supposed to get a small training Monday morning then time without kids in the afternoon so hopefully I will get the others in the system and hit the ground running on Tuesday.

I PROMISE the Cinco de Mayo meet update this weekend!!!!

So you finally made it to C's and Wigd's private entrance. Way to go! I love the CM Cafe breakfast. It is so yum! It's one of my favs, not only for the food, but for the private entrance as well!

Despite your photographer's lack of skill, you still got some great pics. Your CSR pics are excellent.

So in your next update I want you to tell me about each drink you and Shelby had and I want an extensive review since I couldn't be there to partake!

It was kind of a pain to get there but so nice to just walk into Epcot when we were done. I get why people love it there, it would be especially nice during F&W I think!

I will do my best, it's been so long, I took pictures of everyones drinks and I'm glad I took pictures of the menu!

CSR is so beautiful!!! I loved seeing your pictures of it, taking me right back to our stay there.

I KNOW I have seen Mickey in other people's Cape May breakfast pictures...did they recently remove him??? This completely bums me out since we have an ADR there. I don't think Henry will realize he's missing, but I will. Though the food sounds and looks awesome! I'm glad to hear you would recommend it too, thank you for the review!

I did love CSR! Cape May was yummy and from Boardwalk, it's a great choice According to AllEars, it's just the 3 characters. It also says Chip and Dale were removed, there is no reference to Mickey

Your pictures of CSR are beautiful and I am looking forward to (not) spending some time there, if I do go in October (or not)..

We loved the BC area and your photos of your morning brought back heaps of great memories for me. Thanks for sharing. Mickey was also NOT at the CM breakfast when we went the week after. We also had 3 characters and I got to meet Minnie, which was great; but the breakfast was good and there weren't as many people there as there were at TH.

DisMeet next!

ps. Hope your brother is having a great time at the World!

Have you made a decision about October?

My brother's family had a great time on their trip! It was fun to get pictures and know where they were spending their time

I know why you were out that early taking pictures - you were thinking of us! What lovely pictures - but that alligator (I would have freaked out!!)

We had an early Cape May breakfast back in Dec 2008 (8 a.m.) and I thought we saw Mickey but only have pics of Minnie & Donald. I remember Minnie, Donald and Goofy but for the life of me Mickey escapes me (maybe he did escape Cape May too!)

Honestly, that may have been exactly why I went walking! We didn't have to leave yet, I was ready for the day and thought I would go get more pics for the TR!

I missed Mickey but made sure I saw him later...twice actually

Beautiful pictures from your morning walk! I'm so glad you went on that little stroll, even if you don't remember why I looked for the alligator everytime we walked past the lake but never saw him.

I've thought about trying Cape May for breakfast, but the logistics of getting there early in the morning have always made me rethink doing it. I just need to stay at the BC next time and remove the need to travel Plus I could use Christine & Anita's private Epcot entrance, which is reason enough to stay there!

I had heard the best place to see the gator was by the laguna bar so I always looked too but this was the only day I saw him/her

I hope to stay at BC someday! My next possible trip will be Nov 2011 and I don't know if we will try on that trip or not. A big reason to want to stay there is SAB and I don't know how much use we would get out of it in Nov. It may have to wait until I manage F&W trip then I can just walk right in for a snack

Glad to hear that your brother and his family are having a good time at Disney! How cool that they were able to meet Pooh when it was an old friend!

Beautiful pictures around CSR that morning! Yikes about the alligator though!!! Makes me think twice about staying there again!

Breakfast sounds delicious! Your plate of food looks very appetizing this morning! Cute pics with the characters but I agree that three characters doesn't seem like a lot.

My brother said it was their first character encounter and of course their 2 year old was the only one who didn't understand Pooh was someone special and he still gave tons of loving to him!

Any character would have made it seem a bit nicer, Daisy maybe, you don't see her often

 

[MeMom]

I saw lights similar to these on a House Hunters or some HGTV show the other day, and I said out loud (to myself), "Those are Coronado lights!"

I'm a Disney dork, as you well know.

I can see why so many people love this resort area! Absolutely lovely and the location is awesome

True. When Wigd sees these pictures, she must feel like she is at home.

 

[kschafer]

Hey Katie! I am finally caught up! And just in time for our DisMeet!

I can't believe you were at Cape May for breakfast that morning before the Meet...so were we!!! Although we were there at 8am. Now you have we wondering if Mickey was there for us...I will have to double check my photos.

I didn't realize we were both there that morning! So glad to see you for a little while at the meet though!

Good afternoon, Katie. It is getting harder and harder to keep up with all of my subscribed threads and upate my PTR (less than four weeks now for us). Your pictures of the Coronado that morning are absolutely wonderful. I'm so glad you got to see "Ally" the alligator...I can't wait to see her again. And,
Charleston Princess, "Ally" is always in the water...in the last four visits we've never seen the gator out of the Lake (there has also been a siting of one at the Caribbean, the POR-Riverside, and the Contemporary--and those are just the ones I've read about lately).

I agree with you. As much as we LOVE the Cape May breakfast, they ought to bring Chip & Dale back and have five characters (now that they've added Donald) or at least bring Daisy in to be with Donald.

Can't wait to hear about the DIS meet.

Only 20 days now Are you ready to go home?

Just tell CP (our own little piglet) that all gators at Disney are well behaved!

chip and dale or daisy would be just the right addition if for some reason they feel like Mickey shouldn't be there!

YAY for your brother and family having a good time at Disney!!!!

Your breakfast at Cape May looks like it was a blast!!!! I have to agree on the smaller number of characters! I wish Chip and Dale would be there! Loved your morning stroll pictures even if you can't remember why you went on the stroll LOL!!!!

3 characters just seemed like too few Despite that and the not so stellar service, the food was yummy enough to return for!

I can't believe you left me hanging just as you were getting to the tequila!

So nice to see pictures of my favorite place in the World. Glad you enjoyed the breakfast. I actually haven't eaten there yet. Maybe next trip. 3 characters does sound a bit sparse.

Also enjoyed catching up on your trip to the Dells. Glad you guys had such a nice time. Your boys are adorable!

Tequilla this weekend I promise!

Breakfast was good but their clambake looks yummy too...I can't believe in all your stays that you've never eaten there!

Your mini trip looked like some much fun! Loved the restaurant where the train came to the table. What fun!

Enjoyed your breakfast pictures from Cape May. We are thinking of having breakfast there next summer as we need to eat at a resort that day since no park tickets. We have eaten at the other breakfasts and DH wanted to do a different one.

We ate at that restaurant last year too but they added the train since then, the boys loved it! (and they have an insane buffalo burger topped with bacon, pepperoni, canadian bacon and pulled pork!)

It would be a good choice for a day where you want to try something new, maybe a late breakfast and a visit to DTD since it's fairly close!

Hi! I'm just beginning your trip report; it's so much fun to read! Your photos are great too! I, too, love the style of the Wilderness Lodge! Thanks! Jennifer

Sorry about the delay but I hope you'll be patient and stick around!

WL is awesome, also on my wish list for someday!

Hi Katie!! I am all caught up! First off, congrats on the new job!! You must be so excited to start this week!! I hope it goes well for you!! Your travels around WS with your group was lovely! How nice to spend some time with just your dad! It seems like the two of you enjoyed your time together, especially your dinner!! The entertainment looks like a lot of fun! How wonderful to have them take back some souvenirs for you too!! Your dad made a very handsome Romeo!!!

Looks like a nice trip to the Dells. I have been several times and has yet to do the Ducks!! It's been at the top of my list for a looooooong time, and now with your beautiful pics it's a MUST for us!!

Thanks for the nice picture tour of CSR too! There were so many wonderful shots you got, especially that gator! YIKES!! Cape May looked like fun, I have had good luck at all of our breakfast buffets so far, the food has always been good and fresh!!! Looking forward to more!!!

Hey Beth! The day with Mom and Dad was a surprising but fun addition to the trip. Seeing Dad as Romeo was awesome

A duck trip was not on the top of my list but ended up being one of the highlights!

Oh, Tom would be all over that! He looooves mustard!

So cool! And they even had the Disney characters out for you!

What an amazing tour; you got a lot of great pictures!

Thanks for the walking tour of CSR; very beautiful how clear the reflections are in the water!

Hmmm, straight from breakfast to a tequila bar... You're my kind of gal!

It was an interesting side trip. Not exactly a direct route to our destination but an interesting

The TS3 gang was a good touch Mr Pricklepants cracks me up I thinks it's his name!

The water was so still that morning. I loved the reflections too

Well, a late breakfast...tequilla was really at lunch time

 

[Poolrat]

I saw lights similar to these on a House Hunters or some HGTV show the other day, and I said out loud (to myself), "Those are Coronado lights!"

I'm a Disney dork, as you well know.

We had carpet in our fitness center that was the exact pattern found at the Poly. It was replaced last year but everytime I walked through I thought of the Poly.

Disney Dorks UNITE !!! I had a real Disney Moment when walking to meet jillyb for lunch.

 

[kschafer]

I saw lights similar to these on a House Hunters or some HGTV show the other day, and I said out loud (to myself), "Those are Coronado lights!"

I'm a Disney dork, as you well know.

True. When Wigd sees these pictures, she must feel like she is at home.

Disney dorks unite!!!!

I don't know if Wigd is around here, I haven't heard from her in awhile

 

[kschafer]

We had carpet in our fitness center that was the exact pattern found at the Poly. It was replaced last year but everytime I walked through I thought of the Poly.

Disney Dorks UNITE !!! I had a real Disney Moment when walking to meet jillyb for lunch.

OMG...I can't believe we wrote the same thing at the same time!!

do tell the story!!

 

[KatMark]

:
Only 20 days now Are you ready to go home?

Just tell CP (our own little piglet) that all gators at Disney are well behaved!

chip and dale or daisy would be just the right addition if for some reason they feel like Mickey shouldn't be there!

I am so ready to go "home."

CP...all gator at Disney are VERY well behaved.

It used to be Chip & Dale (they were there the last time we went) along with Minnnie and Goofy. Then they added Donald, and got ride of C&D. Not sure why?

 

[jillyb]

OMG...I can't believe we wrote the same thing at the same time!!

do tell the story!!

It's a funny story!! But I'll let Poolrat tell it.

 

[Poolrat]

OKay I will admit the ultimate in Disney fever ( and dorkiness)

jillyb and I met on these boards and realized we both work on opposite side of the same downtown ( or uptown ) area. It is a quick free trolley ride to the center and we meet for lunch when we can.

This past Wednesday ( and every Wednesday) I do not go into to work until 1pm. I am approaching my facility and see the trolley go by. I realize that the next one won't be for at least 10 more minutes. I park my car at my facility and walk out to the street.

I decide to cut through a courtyard of sorts at a nearby group of buildings. This area has a large number of tables and chairs and benches and there are some fast food places, bojangles chicked, quiznos,chick-Fil-a etc. It is a large place where employees in the surrounding buildings can eat lunch.

I have just bought a new MP3 and downloaded all sorts of Disney music so I believe" Hakuna Matata" is playing as I walk.

As I approached the courtyard I see the aluminum like palm tree that was put there as art.

I actually stop and think to myself " Where is my camera, I need a picture of this." I had a Disney moment where I thought I was at AK. I do look around and then laugh to myself. Then I get self conscious and make sure no one is staring.

Another time there was a BBQ place set up on the sidewalk and as we passed we swore we were at Ak again and passing Falme Tree BBQ.

Hello I am Poolrat Pat and I am a disney dork !!! ( my friends actually called me that while we were planning the NYE trip. )

I was able to ride the bus to work when those gas prices went nuts a couple of years ago. My rationale... If I can do it at Disney I can do it in Charlotte.
I am ill.

 

[kschafer]

I am so ready to go "home."

CP...all gator at Disney are VERY well behaved.

It used to be Chip & Dale (they were there the last time we went) along with Minnnie and Goofy. Then they added Donald, and got ride of C&D. Not sure why?

I have missed most of your PTR but I'll look forward to keeping up with the TR

Too bad C&D are gone, they would have been a nice addition

It's a funny story!! But I'll let Poolrat tell it.

OKay I will admit the ultimate in Disney fever ( and dorkiness)

jillyb and I met on these boards and realized we both work on opposite side of the same downtown ( or uptown ) area. It is a quick free trolley ride to the center and we meet for lunch when we can.

This past Wednesday ( and every Wednesday) I do not go into to work until 1pm. I am approaching my facility and see the trolley go by. I realize that the next one won't be for at least 10 more minutes. I park my car at my facility and walk out to the street.

I decide to cut through a courtyard of sorts at a nearby group of buildings. This area has a large number of tables and chairs and benches and there are some fast food places, bojangles chicked, quiznos,chick-Fil-a etc. It is a large place where employees in the surrounding buildings can eat lunch.

I have just bought a new MP3 and downloaded all sorts of Disney music so I believe" Hakuna Matata" is playing as I walk.

As I approached the courtyard I see the aluminum like palm tree that was put there as art.

I actually stop and think to myself " Where is my camera, I need a picture of this." I had a Disney moment where I thought I was at AK. I do look around and then laugh to myself. Then I get self conscious and make sure no one is staring.

Another time there was a BBQ place set up on the sidewalk and as we passed we swore we were at Ak again and passing Falme Tree BBQ.

Hello I am Poolrat Pat and I am a disney dork !!! ( my friends actually called me that while we were planning the NYE trip. )

I was able to ride the bus to work when those gas prices went nuts a couple of years ago. My rationale... If I can do it at Disney I can do it in Charlotte.
I am ill.

that's awesome I think we all have moments like that when we lose ourselves in the moment and imagine we are in our happy place!

I got together with a friend today who I haven't seen in a few years and discovered she is planning a trip to Disney in November. I tried to tone down my geekiness but it was pretty fun to talk to her about plans. (although I had to resist laughing at her when she said they would be going to animal kingdom and Disney world Oh yes, and when she asked me how much fastpass privlidges cost)

 

[kschafer]

I worked on this update last night and had just a few additions to make this morning and figured I would finish it over coffee. Imagine my horror when I realized my internet was down! I had plans that would keep me away from home all day and I worried that I wouldn't get an update this weekend as promised but it looks like I'll make it under the wire WHEW!!

Day 5 continued

I hadn’t intentionally left you hanging right before we got to one of the highlights of the trip but when I left you, we were headed into

While planning this trip, I had the wonderful opportunity to make many new friends on the Dis planning trips for the same week. At some point, a couple of us realized we would be in Epcot on Cinco de Mayo and decided the cave would be the perfect place to meet up. One person invited another and pretty soon we had 30 or some people who said they might try to make it. In the end, not that many showed up but there wouldn’t have been that much room anyway so it all worked out.

Shelby and I were the first there and others drifted in. I’ll start with introductions and I’ll do my best to include usernames but forgive me if I get some wrong

Kayce on the right (kcandbella), Michelle (soonergirl) in the middle and her mom on the left

Shelby on the left and Stacy (kangaand2roos) on the right

The Bug family (bugsdaddy and bugsmomma along with bug and her grandparents)

Kelly (100acrewoodfan) and her husband Jim

Sharon (princessinoz) on the right and Trish (cdotla) with her son Declan

Tracy (manntra) was there too, I promise I have pictures of her coming up. So was flat Beth of course (thanks for this cute pic Michelle!)

And knowing how fond Christine is of the libations here, Tracy took this picture to send to C so she knew we were thinking of her!

For those tequila fans out there like me, I took a picture of the various drinks. I did have my wits about me too because I took a picture of the drink menu to help me remember the various options that people ordered (I kept the photo size large so you could hopefully read)

And I’m going to dig deep into my memory and hope I identify the pictures correctly

I believe Shelby’s first choice was the passion fruit

And Stacy I THINK had the cucumber

Kayce chose the magic blue

I started with the blood orange

Bug’s family shared what looks to be a blended strawberry

While Sharon went with the lime

I’m fairly certain Michelle’s mom chose the avocado

And this one must have been Michelle’s and I’m thinking it must have been the cactus pear

This looked so good I was thinking it would be my second choice but then the table next to us ordered drinks that looked so cute, I just had to get it instead. It was the classica, your basic unblended lime but look how cute!! No, I don’t normally describe drinks this way but I just love how it was served, the glass was small but that carafe sitting in a bucket of ice was filled with more.

Jim was the only one who broke the margarita trend and he sampled a tequila flight

So if you compare our drinks with the menu, we did a pretty good job of covering the entire thing! I had gone into this day thinking I would start with the margarita sampler which had 4 or 5 small tastes then getting a large one of my favorite but it wasn’t on the menu. I think Tracy asked about it and was told that it had been removed because of the larger crowds expected for the holiday. I suppose it would be more time consuming to prepare than just larger single drinks.

I am happy to report that these drinks were FANTASTIC!!! Pricy yes but really delicious!

 

[kschafer]

In case you are curious about munchies, there are a few options from simple chips with salsa or guacamole or a bit more substantial. Stacy ordered the shrimp ceviche

And Kayce had the tostadas (I’m thinking chicken but they could have been crab)

We didn’t think of a group picture while everyone was still there but managed to get one with a lot of us (thanks for this great pic Michelle!)

We had a great meet! Lots of fun was had like we weren’t a group of strangers. I was so glad to have had the chance to meet everyone!

The first to arrive was the last to leave. Tracy and I walked out together and stopped to try on some hats

Then before separating, got a couple PP taken

Shelby and I headed out of Epcot stopping again to take in the awesomeness that is F&G

 

[KatMark]

Great update, Katie. I love the pics of all the different drinks. And nice to see they have a few choices of appetizers as well. Love all the DIS member pictures and the group shot.

 

[cdotla]

Great update Katie!

I wish I could have stayed longer and had more of those delicious drinks!

 

[brookelizabeth]

That was a big 'ol DIS meet! How FUN!!! Great idea on Cinco de Mayo too.

 

[Lady Lallie]

I'm suddenly very thirsty. I wonder why...??

I think those are the Crab Tostados. I really want to try them, they look delicious!

 

[jillyb]

Those drinks look awesome!!! Where's my drink list??!!