Live trip report Jan 23-31

[beachwarmer]

Hi everyone.... I have loved everyones live reports from WDW and wanted to share some magic with my imaginary podcast friends .
With my move from Canada to North Carolina the boards have been a link to familiar friends. I can't tell you what hearing familiar voices on the podcast and reading messages from familiar poster has been a lifeline. I hope you enjoy.

[beachwarmer]

We have been in NC for 3 weeks. We left Raleigh last night at 10 pm after my afternoon at the DMV. We arrived at WDW at 8:30 am this morning. We checked into the Poly and they had our rooom ready.
Cast me , DH, Dd7 and DD 7 months ....which explains the night drive.
I Posting using eticket will update more later.

[NC Belle]

Looking foward to your reports!

[beachwarmer]

Here is our plan

Jan 23 Poly
Jan 24 - 28 BLT
Jan 28-31 BCV

We are also doing 3 Y.E.S. Programs. These are youth education programs usually available only for groups but are having open enrollment for Jan.

[alebisi]

Subscribing! have a safe trip! and post pictures when you can! Enjoy your trip!!

[Disney Khi]

Looking forward to following along! I have a 7 month old, too, and I would love to take her to wdw. Have fun!

[beachwarmer]

A longer update when I gety laptop set up......a snake fell from a tree during our YES program at AK.

The Poly gave our room away before we checked out.

[Tonya2426]

I was on the monorail with a Y.E.S. group one time and it was really interesting. The group leader used a tennis ball on a string to show them inertia.

You just never know what you will learn at the World.

[beachwarmer]

I posted this in a separate threat but will add it here too>

I was in AK this morning on a Y.E.S. Wild by Nature educational program. It is open enrollment week so you do not need to be part of a large group. There were 7 Grade 2 and 3 children and their parents in our group. We were learnig about how animals survive and what we can do to protect them.

We were along the trail in Asia looking at the tigers when a snake fell from a tree right onto the path next to us. It was about 1 foot long and had red markings. Now I am from Canada and snakes don't fall from trees there....and I am not looking for THAT authentic of an experience at AK. We pointed this snake out to a cast member who was sweeping the path.....she proceeded to pound the snake with the broom. The irony of this was that our instructor had been telling us about how some animals that people are scared of like bats, gorillas (and apparently snakes) need protection from people. The YES instructor asked another cast member to call a keeper....when I asked later it apparently was a native Florida snake and was just visiting like we were. The conservation message was a little mixed for the kids. The snake was "relocated".....and very still.

My question now is .....How often do snakes fall from trees in Florida?

[beachwarmer]

We arrived at 8:30 am and checked into the Poly. Our room was ready so we unload thecar . We were in Novu right next to the Great Cerimonial House. The location was great as it was close to everything. The view was of the quite pool. The room was in pretty rough shape. I will post pictures tomorrow. It was also the darkest hotel room I have ever been in. It was good enough for one night.

We headed out to the MK and arrived at the entrance gates about 10:15. I was surprised by the number of people there. It was busy with lines at security and guest servies. We needed to pick up our tickets that were ordered through the YES education program.....well you need to get those at Group services at the TTC. Off on the monorail we go. We finally find the correct location. We get our two YES 10 day park hoppers and I buy my AP there as well. At this point the baby is restless so we walk back to the Poly to feed her.

We ended up getting the the MK fior lunch at 11:30. We just beat the rush at Columbia Harbour House. We ordered the kids nugget meal and the adult fish and chicken combo to share. The two meals both had nuggets but they were very different. The children's meal ones were thin and pressed meat. The adult ones were real chicken. I tasted the children's ones and they were bad. Overall a quick meal....at $16.95 (This will become interesting later)

The park was busy and the weather was sunny and warm. We had gotten fast passes for Winnie the Pooh before lunch so we headed over to ride that. We also rode Haunted Mansion and TTA. The lines were just too long for us so we headed back to the Poly to swim.

We spent an hour at the pool, which was busy but not packed. The weather forcast said this would be our best bet for a warm swim day as later in the week temps are to be in the high 60's.

We headed out to the Premium outlets around 3pm to pick up some things that we had forgotten to pack. The outlet was packed but DD7 and I ran in while DH and the baby waited in the car. We checked out the Character Premier and got the hats we had forgotten and some stuffed animals. Since we were already out we decided to try to grab dinner off property. I remembered Kevin speaking of Tijuan Flats in Hunters Creek so we headed there. WE got take out and it was great. The food was fresh and tasty. The serving has huge and the cost for two adult meals and one childrens was $22. Thanks for the great recommendation Kevin.

We headed back to the hotel around 5:30 and spent 25 minutes driving around the parking lot looking for any place to park. It was like the mall at Christmas....you were competing with other drivers...stalking people headed to their cars.....simply crazy. Finally we lucked out and got a spot.

The MK was open unitl 10 Saturday night so we headed in to use some fastpasses we had gotten before we left in the afternoon. It was still busy but the Brazillian tour groups were not as plentiful. We did Peter Pan with Fastpass and stand by Buzz, Snow White, and TTA.

We headed back to the room around 9:30 since we had driven all night.

Sunday we check into BLT and do our first YES program at AK.....

[beachwarmer]

Today we check into BLT and do our first YES program at AK.

It was an early start as the room was located next to a smoking area and there were some loud and early rising smokers. The baby did not sleep through the 5 am smoking call so I was up and at it early.

We needed to be at AK at 8:30. I wanted to check into BLT before that since would be on the Deluxe Dining plan...and I wanted to use credits for lunch. I drove over to BLT about 6:30 to check in while the rest of the family still slept. I was the only person in the lobby of the Contemporay. I had done on-line check in so the package was waiting for me. It took about 5 minutes to check in and get my keys. The room was actually ready, which was wonderful. My husband wouild move the stuff over while DD7 and I were at AK.

I drove back to Poly and went to Captain Cooks to get breakfast. The push button order system was not working. Finally someone took my order the old fashion way. I got everyting to go (Tonga toast and a breakfast platter) and was back to the room at 7 am to get the family up and ready to go.

We packed up and loaded the car with the luggage and were on our way to the AK by 8. My husband dropped us off and was going to unload at BLT and make another trip to Poly to check the room and get some things we left in the room.

I will do review of the YES program in another post. The snake story is already here. During the program we were to have our cell phones on mute. My iphone vibrated three times in a row so I knew something was up, and I thought it might be the baby. I took an opportunity during a break at 10:45 to call him back. Well he had gone back to the Poly to get the stuffed animals DD had left in the bed and do a final check of the room. When he got to the room his key would not work. There were people in our room. He went to the front desk and they told him the room had been cleaned and reassigned. We had not checked out!!! It was still well before the 11 am check out time. They started scrambling and found a castmember from the back. He immediately offered to replace the stuffed animal and went upstair to the store and gave my husband a new one. He just guess at the one that had been left. He was not impressed but let it go.

He arrived at 11:15 at AK to meet us after the program. It was then at we discovered that it was another stuffed animal that had been left in the room. We decided to have lunch and then got back to the Poly to see what could be done. I was not very happy because I like to double check the room to make sure everything has been taken.

We cancelled our Tusker House reseration and walked in to Yak and Yeti not problem. The DxDP is a lot of food. We had the lettuce cups and the Din Sum for two as apps. I had the ribs, DH the shrimp tempua and DD had the egg roll. We ordered it all at the same time and it all came out together. We had not even taken a bit of They took them back but lesson learned early. Control your meal by ordering in stages. The food was okay. I do have some photos I will add tomorrow. The bill was $104 for two adults and one child...the food was not worth that.

This is seeming like negative report but we really are having a good time and not bothered but most of the stuff. The room thing I really was not happy about. The amount of money you pay for a room at the Poly you expect to have it until you check out. The result of our return vist in the next post..

[beachwarmer]

After lunch we drove directly to the Poly and upon entering met the Guest Services manager who had helped my husband. I informed him that a different stuffed animal was missing and he took down the information of where we were staying and how to contact us. I also let him know I thought it was unaccpetable to have had the room cleaned and new people in it when we had not checked out. He explained what had happend with housekeeping. He was very nice but seemed surprised that we were upset. That final check around a room to make sure the safe is empty and the children have not dropped anything is just piece of mind. Oh well....I got his card in case we were missing anything else.

We headed over to BLT. We have a studio with lake view but we can see the castle from the room. It is an accessable room, so the layout is different. I again will post photos tomorrow. We decided to have a swim before going to MK. The pool is very nice and requres key entry. They were conduction games with the children in the pool. DD decided that she just wanted to go down the slide. There was a cool breaze off the water so we stayed only about an hour. There was not rain but he dark clouds were building in. We left the pool about 3:30.

While we were changing back in the room, we had a knock on the door. The Guest Services Manager from the Poly was there with a manager from the Contemorary. They had found DD's stuffed Pooh and put him in a basket with about five other stuffed animals and an autographed photo of Pooh and friends. It was a very nice gesture and showed that they did take it seriously.

We headed to MK. The crowds were really manageable today and it is EMH tonight. We did a few rides chosen using the wait time app and then the rain started so we headed back to get ready for dinner at Chef Mickey's.

Dinner at Chef Mickey's was as expected. The characters all visited and DD 7 months thankfully is not scared of them. It was really nice to just walk out of the restaurant and accoss the walkway back to the room. Football was watched and the children rested until the fireworks started at 8. We turned the T.V. to the channel with the Wishes music and sat on the balcony asnd watched. It was really a treat...not people in front of us and not crazy trip to get out of the parks after it was over.

DD and I went back to Mk for EMH, It was really quite. We did Haunted Mansion with no wait at all. We also did Pooh with 5 minute wait and watched Philharmagic. We stopped at the Bakery to get some snacks. I decided to try to bring an ice cream sandwich back to the room. It almost worked.

Tomorrow is LTT for an early Breakfast, a MK YES program and dinner at CRT.

P.S. Just found out the my colour codes spread sheet of our daily plans was left in the Poly room....good thing I have a backup copy.

[beachwarmer]

Sorry about the delay in posting but the baby has been ill. Here are some photos of BLT lakeview room. Someone PM'd me to take photos of the accessable room so here they are too.

[beachwarmer]