Dr. Jones and the Spitting Camel - Link to Alaska Cruise TR 9/18

[eandesmom]

Originally Posted by norybell

Great update!

Sorry to hear check in was such a pain. I was singing the praises of online check-in last October, when both of my rooms (I was doing a split stay) were ready in the morning. But my last stay, this past May, I also did online check-in (again for a split stay, for 3 resorts), and that time none of our rooms were ready until the afternoon. I don't know if I just got lucky the first time, or if maybe now that more people are using online check-in, it's less effective?Either way, it shouldn't have taken them so long to check you in!

I don't know but I didn't do online check in at the YC so I can definitely compare the 2 experiences! And will. When we get there.

Originally Posted by norybell

That skillet looks amazing. I WANT IT RIGHT NOW, PLEASE! I always want to order French Toast or something, but whenever I do, I regret not getting eggs.

It's such a toss up for me, the whole french toast versus eggs thing. I wasn't loving the egg options but should have thought to leave the icing off.

Originally Posted by norybell

It always takes me a few hours to warm up to photo-taking, too.

or days if you are sleep deprived...

Originally Posted by KathyRN137

Wow, I can really feel how zoned out everyone was after the red-eye travel!

Hope everyone was able to stay awake for Mickey! Looking forward to more...

Kathy

Well our plan was to just stay up until bedtime to really make the switch.

[MAGICFOR2]

What? Your rooms weren't ready - didn't someone phone ahead and let them know CYNTHIA was arriving? I hope you got what you requested! Sorry everyone was so tired - I'm sure they'll pick up speed.
We ate dinner at WCC and it was up there with our best meals in the World! I know the menu looks ordinary, but it was really prepared well! I had pot roast (YUM!) and Jim had meat loaf. Funny, huh? But he really liked it! I also had a very nice glass of cab sitting outside on the porch in one of those huge rocking chairs - really made us want to stay at VWL some day. I hadn't planned to like it that much - thought it was too much like home, so I would like something more exotic.

The online check in is perplexing. I did it last year for SSR and when we got to the lobby, there was a sign for online check in. There were about 4 other families in the regular line, and a lady at the desk near the online sign. I walked up there, and she informed me that no one was there to work the online check in so I would have to wait in line. Then when I got to the front of the line, she called me over to the ONLINE CHECK-IN spot and helped me! It was like that "step aside." "Step Aside" bank commercial of a few years ago! The process was pretty quick, although she still wanted to see my CC, so not sure what the point is - I guess the folder was all made up? Hope you get perked up by the magic at MK!

[eandesmom]

Originally Posted by MAGICFOR2

What? Your rooms weren't ready - didn't someone phone ahead and let them know CYNTHIA was arriving? I hope you got what you requested! Sorry everyone was so tired - I'm sure they'll pick up speed.

LOL! Actually they did but apparently my TA isn't as powerful as she thinks she is. It wasn't a huge surprise that they weren't ready.

Originally Posted by MAGICFOR2

We ate dinner at WCC and it was up there with our best meals in the World! I know the menu looks ordinary, but it was really prepared well! I had pot roast (YUM!) and Jim had meat loaf. Funny, huh? But he really liked it! I also had a very nice glass of cab sitting outside on the porch in one of those huge rocking chairs - really made us want to stay at VWL some day. I hadn't planned to like it that much - thought it was too much like home, so I would like something more exotic.

It's funny, I was surprised at how much Jeff and Taylor (in particular) liked WL when we were there last year for that reason, too much like home. Kind of pathetic that we never did sit in the rocking chairs there. I know my family would like the dinner menu a lot.

Originally Posted by MAGICFOR2

The online check in is perplexing. I did it last year for SSR and when we got to the lobby, there was a sign for online check in. There were about 4 other families in the regular line, and a lady at the desk near the online sign. I walked up there, and she informed me that no one was there to work the online check in so I would have to wait in line. Then when I got to the front of the line, she called me over to the ONLINE CHECK-IN spot and helped me! It was like that "step aside." "Step Aside" bank commercial of a few years ago! The process was pretty quick, although she still wanted to see my CC, so not sure what the point is - I guess the folder was all made up? Hope you get perked up by the magic at MK!

It's not so much that we were sleepy as in want to go to bed now sleepy (which is VERY much what we were in 04) but we were a bit out of it.

I really couldn't see what the point was either. At WL there was no benefit at all to the online check in. That said, had it been a busier time of day it might have been faster than the regular line, who knows. It's funny though, after I did it (online) I spent the next 10 days wishing I hadn't!

[mickeysmyboy]

OMG with the waiting at checkin! What was that about?! I can't imagine that that is how it's supposed to go after you had done online checkin! YIKES!

Your breakfast at WCC sounds yummy! I can't imagine how zombie like you really felt at that point! I'm sure the food, sugar and more caffeine made you feel much better! I must admit, I have the same opinion of breakfast at WCC that you did. Meh! Take it or leave it! Breakfast is hard to be a WOW meal but I feel like you can get the same food, basically, that you get a WCC at Roaring Forks for less $ or not using a TS credit!

We enjoyed dinner there a lot more and the antics and activity seemed to a lot more and a lot more fun!

[eandesmom]

Originally Posted by mickeysmyboy

OMG with the waiting at checkin! What was that about?! I can't imagine that that is how it's supposed to go after you had done online checkin! YIKES!

Your breakfast at WCC sounds yummy! I can't imagine how zombie like you really felt at that point! I'm sure the food, sugar and more caffeine made you feel much better! I must admit, I have the same opinion of breakfast at WCC that you did. Meh! Take it or leave it! Breakfast is hard to be a WOW meal but I feel like you can get the same food, basically, that you get a WCC at Roaring Forks for less $ or not using a TS credit!

We enjoyed dinner there a lot more and the antics and activity seemed to a lot more and a lot more fun!

We probably could have just done Roaring Forks but at that point you want someone to wait on you and are willing to pay for it just so you don't have to stand in line!

Probably my favorite part of the meal, which I just now recalled, was when our CM offered to bring Taylor of his OJ. He said I'm ok, she said, just small one. He said, ok.

She brought out the TINIEST little jelly jar glass I've ever seen, it was hysterical!

The online check in thing was very . I think the CM was new although we did joke that HE hadn't had enough coffee yet either.

[mickeysmyboy]

Originally Posted by eandesmom

We probably could have just done Roaring Forks but at that point you want someone to wait on you and are willing to pay for it just so you don't have to stand in line!

Probably my favorite part of the meal, which I just now recalled, was when our CM offered to bring Taylor of his OJ. He said I'm ok, she said, just small one. He said, ok.

She brought out the TINIEST little jelly jar glass I've ever seen, it was hysterical!

The online check in thing was very . I think the CM was new although we did joke that HE hadn't had enough coffee yet either.

OMG! You didn't take a picture of the tiny glass of oj?! We had dinner at the WCC on the first night of our trip in Jan 09. DH was super thirsty because of his motion sickness medication. The waitress brought him this GIANT mason jar glass of soda with straws stuck into straws to make one really long one! It was too funny! I have to look for the picture!

[rentayenta]

Love food porn!

Hate that your room wasn't ready!

[eandesmom]

Originally Posted by mickeysmyboy

OMG! You didn't take a picture of the tiny glass of oj?! We had dinner at the WCC on the first night of our trip in Jan 09. DH was super thirsty because of his motion sickness medication. The waitress brought him this GIANT mason jar glass of soda with straws stuck into straws to make one really long one! It was too funny! I have to look for the picture!

I know, what a loser! It was SO tiny! It was a riot. I can't recall if anyone got all the straws or not, that might have happened as well, it's ringing a dim dim bell.

Originally Posted by rentayenta

Love food porn!

Hate that your room wasn't ready!

Jeff joked by the end of the trip that I took as many pictures of food as I did of people.

It would have been nice to have the room ready but other than having to deal with all our stuff, we really didn't need it (yet).

[2xcited2sleep]

I LOVE that your first pictures were of food! Classic DIS! With such a reputation as a "loud" restaurant, I agree that WCC is rather unobtrusive from the lobby. I do adore that lobby, especially at Christmas time. I spent a rainy afternoon in December curled up in a big leather chair on one of the "balconies" overlooking the lobby and loved it!

Bummer your room wasn't ready. You'd think that with online check-in they could have accomplished that even with the early hour (b/c don't you put in your arrival time when you're checking in?). I'm wondering how your travel agent "knew" you were getting an upgrade?? I hope it was true!

Looking forward to more!!

[brookelizabeth]

That kids skillet is HUGE! Wow! I'll have to keep that in mind when Henry starts eating like he has a hollow leg. What a great deal for a young boy.

Sounds like a very nice morning-minus the really long check-in. That is odd. I did online this past trip and it literally took 5 minutes at the desk. Maybe you had a new CM.

Great idea on heading to MK first thing! I think it sounds like the perfect way to start a trip too...hopefully it was!

[DisMomAmy]

That is definitely a lot of food! Sorry the kids weren't too into the antics, but it sounds like WCC hit the spot.

[eandesmom]

Originally Posted by 2xcited2sleep

I LOVE that your first pictures were of food! Classic DIS! With such a reputation as a "loud" restaurant, I agree that WCC is rather unobtrusive from the lobby. I do adore that lobby, especially at Christmas time. I spent a rainy afternoon in December curled up in a big leather chair on one of the "balconies" overlooking the lobby and loved it!

Bummer your room wasn't ready. You'd think that with online check-in they could have accomplished that even with the early hour (b/c don't you put in your arrival time when you're checking in?). I'm wondering how your travel agent "knew" you were getting an upgrade?? I hope it was true!

Looking forward to more!!

FOOD! It's all about the food isn't it? Jeff told his dad on the phone the other night that I took more pictures of food than people!

Oh I love that lobby! More to come on the "knowing" of the alleged upgrade....

I can't recall if you put your arrival time in or not but my TA did (allegedly) call about 3 days prior to "ask" for early check in and that's when she (allegedly) got us the upgrade. I would love to see WL at Christmas.

It WOULD feel like being home but...that's pretty darn Christmasy to me!

Originally Posted by brookelizabeth

That kids skillet is HUGE! Wow! I'll have to keep that in mind when Henry starts eating like he has a hollow leg. What a great deal for a young boy.

Sounds like a very nice morning-minus the really long check-in. That is odd. I did online this past trip and it literally took 5 minutes at the desk. Maybe you had a new CM.

Great idea on heading to MK first thing! I think it sounds like the perfect way to start a trip too...hopefully it was!

Welcome home Brook! OMG that skillet was something else, it could feed you and Henry!

I did have a new CM but still, it was ridiculously long. In retrospect it seemed even longer but that's another story.

I was pretty psyched everyone was up for heading straight to MK and not being lame. I had promised myself to be flexible on this but still...was REALLY relieved I didn't have to!

Originally Posted by DisMomAmy

That is definitely a lot of food! Sorry the kids weren't too into the antics, but it sounds like WCC hit the spot.

It would be safe to say they were bemused by it all. So while not terribly active participants, they were not annoyed and given the 4 hours tops anyone got (and in most cases less), I thought they did great. It definitely hit the spot.

[Millie12591]

Great post chica-poo! I've always wondered what a red-eye would be like and I've also wondered what eating at WCC would be like. I've heard good and bad, but I will have to taste for myself to truly know. It's hard to get B.B.Q anywhere else when you've lived in two places where the best B.B.Q is served.
I think I'll have to stick with things that aren't related, like maybe breakfast or just something else on the menu.

[eandesmom]

Originally Posted by Millie12591

Great post chica-poo! I've always wondered what a red-eye would be like and I've also wondered what eating at WCC would be like. I've heard good and bad, but I will have to taste for myself to truly know. It's hard to get B.B.Q anywhere else when you've lived in two places where the best B.B.Q is served.
I think I'll have to stick with things that aren't related, like maybe breakfast or just something else on the menu.

That's so true. It's funny, I haven't done WCC for dinner for that reason, I didn't want to be disappointed. My expectations for BBQ weren't as high for HDDR. One of these days I will do FTB which will probably satisfy my BBQ requirements.

I do think the red eye will be much nicer solo but I can honestly say it's a plan I plan to stick with for future trips. it's just a much better use of time.

[winkers]

All caught up!

You are brave for taking the red eye but I must be crazy to because I'm considering it next time we go.

Why is it that teenagers can sleep anywhere and through anything? And why do kids feel it's necessary to keep you awake if they can't sleep? Ethan does that to me all the time.