Could the Dream Turn the Grump into a Believer? Charleston Update 10/13

[Happydog]

Our accomodations are somewhat up in the air right now. Happydog is renting us points from a friend, problem is at this late date DVC has NOTHING for all 5 nights. We are confirmed at WLV for Sat-Mon, Tuesday we are at SSR, and we are currently homeless for Friday We've wait listed the 1st & last nights at WLV, hopefully they will come through and we'll be in one place for the whole trip

That is so funny but true! I guess we are homeless right now!!! We better chat about booking a room as a backup!!! I am following along! just all over the place with work too, especially since we are leaving next Sat for Oregon/New Mexico! I went shopping today, trying to beat the heat at the mall!! Everytime I get on the DIS I keep telling myself I gotta get my next update! I think I will do that now!!! I guess we better review our plans, I would like to try and rendezvous with Tracy and Christine at the F & W!!!

Any of the events strike you as interesting?

 

[SoonerGirl]

That is so funny but true! I guess we are homeless right now!!! We better chat about booking a room as a backup!!! I am following along! just all over the place with work too, especially since we are leaving next Sat for Oregon/New Mexico! I went shopping today, trying to beat the heat at the mall!! Everytime I get on the DIS I keep telling myself I gotta get my next update! I think I will do that now!!! I guess we better review our plans, I would like to try and rendezvous with Tracy and Christine at the F & W!!!

Any of the events strike you as interesting?

I feel pretty confident that something will come through on the room, but we probably should come up with a back up plan! We need to chat with Tracy & Christine and get their plans. I sent you a FB message today with crowd levels and best park/worst park predictions so we can come up with a good plan of attack

What time do you get in on Friday? That dessert party w/ VIP seating for Illuminations might be fun. I haven't really looked too closely at all the offerings yet, I just know for sure that I want a Dragonberry Colada and a Cosmo Slushie! What about you? Any events you want to try and get in?

 

[Happydog]

I feel pretty confident that something will come through on the room, but we probably should come up with a back up plan! We need to chat with Tracy & Christine and get their plans. I sent you a FB message today with crowd levels and best park/worst park predictions so we can come up with a good plan of attack

What time do you get in on Friday? That dessert party w/ VIP seating for Illuminations might be fun. I haven't really looked too closely at all the offerings yet, I just know for sure that I want a Dragonberry Colada and a Cosmo Slushie! What about you? Any events you want to try and get in?

Got your FB! I wrote you back with a tentative time I hope to be able to fly out around 2 -3 and arrive at the resorts by 6-7 at the latest. I like that idea! Just would want to know if the desserts are the same as those they offer at MK.... I wasn't completely sold, but I might be! I hadn't looked too closely, but was thinking about looking into the events to see if there was anything I would like to do, if only because I wouldn't have the opportunity if I were with DH and the boys, so I thought I would check it out in greater depth, I will look at the list, I think they advertised them, I can't remember when tickets go on sale, but I might just be content enough to hang out in the parks, too... but those cosmo slushies are GOOD...

 

[SoonerGirl]

Got your FB! I wrote you back with a tentative time I hope to be able to fly out around 2 -3 and arrive at the resorts by 6-7 at the latest. I like that idea! Just would want to know if the desserts are the same as those they offer at MK.... I wasn't completely sold, but I might be! I hadn't looked too closely, but was thinking about looking into the events to see if there was anything I would like to do, if only because I wouldn't have the opportunity if I were with DH and the boys, so I thought I would check it out in greater depth, I will look at the list, I think they advertised them, I can't remember when tickets go on sale, but I might just be content enough to hang out in the parks, too... but those cosmo slushies are GOOD...

Well, it's a F&W dessert party, I think they are desserts specific to the event, not like the MK buffet. It's only offered on Thursday & Friday nights though, might not work, depending on your flight

 

[SoonerGirl]

Just because I promised Don that I would not try and 'drag' him into a theme park on this vacation, didn't mean that I couldn't at least enjoy one Walt Disney World attraction - Downtown Disney!

I made the family very happy on this morning because we just slept until we woke up, no alarms, and no place we urgently needed to be. Even sleeping in we were still up and ready to go by about 9:30. No one was very hungry so we opted to skip breakfast and instead planned on an early lunch. I did, however, finish off the rest of my zebra domes before we left.

It felt really weird to be walking out to the parking lot and driving to DTD that morning instead of heading to a bus stop, but it was sooooo nice to not have to wait for a bus! Driving to the Marketplace that morning, I was so happy just to be on Disney property, I was taking in the sites and feeling very at home. The boys were in the backseat lamenting over the fact that we couldn't go ride anything.

We arrived in no time and parked right outside World of Disney.

We had to stop for photos at this fountain

Isn't it pretty? I'd love to have something like it in my backyard!

Jared's goal for the day was to design his own tee, so that is where we headed first

Unfortunately it was closed for refurbishment. Jared was bummed!

I love these flower beds with the walking brooms - so cute!

Since designing a tee was out, and because we were right next to it, we headed to Days of Christmas first

I always take a long time in this store, but today I was pretty quick. I knew I wanted a few smaller ornaments for the little Disney tree that I put up in my bedroom, and I knew exactly which section the one's I wanted were in. I narrowed my selection down to three, and then went to check out. There was one family in front of me in line, and one very nice, but older, very slow CM checking us out. He took FOREVER, the kids kept coming over and asking if I was almost done, Don had gone outside to wait on bench, and I was trying to be patient.....

Eventually we made it out of the store. Here are the 3 ornaments I added to my collection

Next we hit up Pin Traders. I had decided that I wanted to get a pin from each Disney resort where we have stayed, so I first looked for those.

I wish they made one's that were POFQ & POR specific. We stayed at FQ and to me this pin just doesn't reflect the feeling of that resort well.

I also had to have this 40th anniversary pin, it was so cute!

And because I'm impatient and couldn't wait until we got on the ship to buy a cruise pin, I picked out this one

I thought it was appropriate because Mickey and Minnie are so excited to be heading off to their cruise - just like me!

The boys also decided to go ahead and pick out a cruise pin now. Justin got this one

And here is the one Jared picked out

He also got this Test Track pin

We spent a long time picking out our pins, while Don sat outside and people watched. I was surprised, but he never once complained or tried to hurry us along.

Continued in the next post

 

[SoonerGirl]

Next we went into Team Mickey

Now this was a store that Don actually enjoyed. As frugal as he is about some things, sports equipment is not one of them. He was all over the bats and gloves, and he loved the fact that they would embroider the glove for you. He was looking at one when we walked up. Here is the conversation that followed:

Me: Hey, did you find something?
Don: Yeah, this is a really nice glove and it's reasonably priced.
Me: How much?
Don: $120
Me: Ouch! Who is this for?
Don: Justin
Justin: I don't need a glove
Don: But it's a good glove
Justin: I have a glove, I like my glove, it's broken in just the way I want it
Don: This is a good deal for this glove....
Justin: *sigh*

Oh my gosh! The kid doesn't even WANT a new glove and Don is still trying to spend money on one. We didn't get the glove....

Next he asks to see a catcher's mitt for Jared. I'm okay with that because I remembered that just a few weeks prior he was restringing Jared's glove, so I knew he needed a new one. I mentioned this, and Don says, 'oh, I already got him a new one'. Ummmm, then why are we looking at this one? Apparently it was a better glove.......

Thankfully we left without dropping a small fortune on sporting equipment that we did not need.

A couple of random pictures

The boys were starting to get hungry now, so off we headed to Earl of Sandwich. Can you say yum?? We thought that since it was early the line wouldn't be too bad, but we were wrong. There was some kind of school group that had arrived just before we did and the line was looooong. It actually went pretty fast though! It was very loud inside with all the teenagers, so we opted for a table outside. We settled in and enjoyed our lunch.

Jared had the kids pizza sandwich and some chips

I had the Full Montague

Don, the Original

Justin ordered the Club with no tomato and a side salad

Earl's makes the best sandwiches, if you haven't eaten there yet, give it a try!

Our bellies full, it was now time to tackle World of Disney! I had been wanting the Cinderella Coach charm for my bracelet. I asked for it for Christmas, but apparently Santa couldn't find it......

I hoped that WoD would be just the place to look. I walked into the jewelry and accessory department and put my blinders on as I walked past the Douney & Bourke counter, I could NOT spend my money on a D&B, at least not yet

When I reached the jewelry counter I was overjoyed to find my charm! I bought one more too, because for some reason I can't just buy one

That purchase made, it was time to browse. I had to laugh because at about that time Don came and got me. He told me he had something that I just had to see. I asked what, he said I just had to follow him. He lead me to the Bippity Boppity Boutique. When I told him that I already knew about it, he said he should have know. He knew for certain when he saw that, that I would be bringing our niece back here one day for the full BBB experience!

I did a lot of looking around, but didn't really buy a ton. Here is what I ended up with:

A 40th anniversary ornament for my big tree

A 40th anniversary magnetic notepad for the refrigerator. I use these for my grocery lists, it makes that chore a lot more fun!

I fell in love with this mug, so I bought it for Don since I don't drink coffee

And finally, a cookbook. Disney can thank MeMom for this purchase, if I hadn't seen it on her TR, I probably wouldn't have purchased it.

Jared also made a purchase. He got a POTC On Stranger Tides book. When he was checking out the CM asked him if he had been on POTC yet this trip and seen the new edition of Blackbeard. When he said no and dejectedly added that there would be no park visit this trip, she felt sorry for him. This is until she learned that he was sailing on the Dream the next day, then she was jealous!

We left WoD in search of dessert. And what better place to find dessert than

With all the yummy treats in there my boys opted for the sour powder. Honestly I think they just like filling the tubes.....

They also got some icy's from Goofy's Glaciers, and I got an almond nut patty with dark chocolate and caramel. Then we headed over to the Margarita Stand to take a load off.

Lovely what that powder does to your tongue

I wasn't quite feeling a margarita yet that day, so I opted for a pina colada

I hadn't had one in a long time and it was soooo sweet, I should have gone with a margarita!

We were about ready to head back to the resort now, but I had one last stop to make, Basin. I wanted to get something for my mom for keeping our dog while we were away. I forced myself not to buy anything for myself and just got this gift pack for my mom

She called me after she used the first bath bomb and was so excited when little Mickey heads floated up in her bath as it dissolved

All in all we had a great morning at DTD, but we were ready for some pool time!

 

[TanzUnited99]

Yay on going to DTD before boarding the cruise though I can imagine it must have been weird to not be able to go into a park. Not long to go before your October trip though

Love the DTD pics – what a bummer that Design a tee was closed What great ornaments and pins. I agree there should be separate pins for POFQ and POR.

I laughed out loud at the conversation that took place between Don and Justin at Team Mickey!

Mmm can’t wait to try EoS

I love the 40th Anniversary purchases as well as the cook book. Have you made anything from it?

 

[pjstevens]

Another wonderful update!

Love all the pins. I've not gotten into collecting pins but that made me think about it. Love the cruise pin you picked out

 

[ariel1025]

Oh goodness, where do I even begin?

First - I desperately feel the need to go shopping now

Second - have you had time to use the cookbook yet? Do you like it?

Third - men never cease to amaze me in what they think is and isn't worth money

 

[pjstevens]

wow, you got a second post in before I finished the first So excited that the cruise is coming up!!!

 

[jenbear123]

I love all the pins you got. What a great idea in getting the ones for each resort you've stayed at. I started doing that with magnets but now the resorts have stopped making them. Guess I'll have to start doing pins instead. Great shopping overall

 

[petals]

I went to Downtown Disney last year to explore hadn't been there before and i wanted to go to Basin but got so distracted by all the disney goodness I forgot to go find basin.. There's always next time though..

 

[klacey1]

Great update! I admire your restraint in being so close to the parks but not going to any of them-- don't think I could do it!
I love your new ornaments!! Definitely my favorite DTD store!

 

[mousetravel]

Love the DTD pics!!

 

[Lovemy3babes]

Michelle, do you wear the pins on a lanyard? Or just collect them? I always want to buy some but am not really sure how to display them.

How hilarious how Don is into spending money on sporting goods! My husband is the same way about paintball. Doesn't even check prices!

I have that exact same black and white Mickey & Walt mug. I think it's pretty special and it's my favorite!

 

[jedijill]

Fantastic report and you haven't even gotten on the ship yet!!!!

Jill in CO

 

[PirateKate]

I love those ornaments and those pins and that coffee mug and the charms and pretty much everything else you bought. If you're going to have a park free Disney day, that looks like a pretty good one.

I had just come to peace with saving trying Zebra Domes for another trip, but now I'm second guessing that decision- yours look really good!

 

[Pinkocto]

Have been lurking and finally made a profile. Love your TR! Hope your 'resister' doesn't resist so much after this trip!

 

[jenjolt]

What a great trip to DTD!! Those ornaments are the cutest thing! I really need to pick me up a few ornaments in Oct!!!! Don't let me forget LOL!!!

EOS looks so good...what yummy yummy sandwiches makes me hungry now!!!

YAY for a good day at DTD!!!

 

[hardingk]

Another great update!! Can't wait till you get on the ship! Maybe you'll have your TR done by the time we sail?? I think we have 7 weeks left!!