A 2 Week Grand Villa Extravaganza! 2.5 Years Late... FINAL DAY!!
- Thread starter Duffy Lover
- Start date
princess_momma
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Feb 13, 2009
Can't wait to see the next mini photo shoot!! I definitely want to squeeze one in soon!! I am very much over all these snowy, freezing days we have been having! Makes me want to go back to Florida that much more.
Duffy Lover
What?!?!? No!
- Joined
- Sep 21, 2011
I think they came from a company called Matilda Jane. They were kind of big, so they'll fit this summer too! Matching the kids is too much fun... Just wait until you see their outfits for day 12....
I'm over snow too, but I guess we deserved it after our balmy January. The next photo shoot is at the GF!
accountingbabe08
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jan 3, 2008
GREAT reviews enjoyed them very much
Duffy Lover
What?!?!? No!
- Joined
- Sep 21, 2011
A 2 Week Grand Villa Extravaganza! Day 11: All Day at DAK, Part II
Day 11: Monday June 10 – Resort: OKW – Park: DAK
Howdy people! It is another gorgeous spring day here in northwest Colorado. I’d like to share a photo a friend took of our “town” (we live about 20 minutes away) this past fall:
Disney recently raised ticket prices again, and many people are once again up in arms about how much a day at WDW costs. Don’t get me wrong, it is very pricey, but I always like to remind people that other vacations, such as ski vacations, cost just as much, if not more. For example a one day lift ticket at the mountain pictured above, Steamboat, costs $139. There are significant discounts when you buy multi-day tickets (much like Disney), but wow. I’m not trying to ruffle feathers, but I do want to point out that luxury costs will continue to rise, despite our personal budgets. It also cracks me up that someone who lives near Disney probably dreams of visiting my town, much in the way I plan and dream of visiting their “town.” Interesting.
Onto the trip report! We had just wrapped up a late lunch at Flame Tree BBQ, and it was approaching time for our much anticipated FP+ for Kali River Rapids. Clara and the rest of the kids were all tall enough, and although I knew the ride was pretty lame (I mean tame, yeah tame), the kids were psyched. As we approached, we discovered the ride was closed because an impending storm. It was inevitable - we had hardly any disruptions to our plans due to rain in days, so it was our turn. We decided to head to Dinosaur, as the wait time was low. All the kids but Clara wanted to ride, so on we went:
In the meantime, Brie and Clara enjoyed a sundae and a selfie:
We met up with them and waited out the last of the rain. Ryan, Josh and Clara tried out some of the Wilderness Explorer activities, but Eme decided to have a bit of a pout:
The rain let up, and according to the MDE App, both EE and Kali were open again. It was within our FP+ window for EE so we decided to head there first. I once again planned to use baby swap here, as Clara wasn’t 44 in tall. My parents and Drea, had FP+ for EE, and we presented Clara and Ryan (who was on his mom’s hip) so we could get enough baby swaps for everyone who wanted to ride, which was all but Clara who was too small, and Josh who was not into it. This is where my notes are off, but I know the PP pics supported that we did get two sets of baby swaps despite Ryan’s height. First up is Papa, Buszia, and Drea:
Followed by Papa (who I think did single rider while the rest of us did baby swap, and Buszia waited with Clara and Josh:
Then the rest of us using the baby swaps:
Again, another planning win on my part, as we now had FP+ (or rescheduled ones) for everyone who didn’t have FP+ for EE. Luck was on our side as we strolled over to Kali (that had an insane wait) to use our FP+. It was a pretty neat queue, and even with FP+ it was backed up due to the closures.
We were probably three boats away from loading, when they closed the ride again. We tried to wait it out at the CS tables near the ride entrance:
But alas the rain showed no signs of slowing, so we decided to head for home. Kali will be there on our next trip!
When we got back to OKW, it was pouring. No problem, as we had Papa’s delicious spaghetti for dinner:
We lounged around:
and then the kids treated us to a circus performance:
Sorry about the quality of the last handful of photos, but they really tell the tale! It is amazing to have the kind of space the grand villa provides, and all the amenities of staying on Disney property. It was more than relaxing to just chill out together and let the kids just play, no agenda, no FP+, no ADRs. Everyone went to bed rather early, as the next day we had our second rope drop at MK, and there was no way I was missing the welcome show. Foreshadowing? Hmmmm…. See you real soon!
Day 11: Monday June 10 – Resort: OKW – Park: DAK
Howdy people! It is another gorgeous spring day here in northwest Colorado. I’d like to share a photo a friend took of our “town” (we live about 20 minutes away) this past fall:
Disney recently raised ticket prices again, and many people are once again up in arms about how much a day at WDW costs. Don’t get me wrong, it is very pricey, but I always like to remind people that other vacations, such as ski vacations, cost just as much, if not more. For example a one day lift ticket at the mountain pictured above, Steamboat, costs $139. There are significant discounts when you buy multi-day tickets (much like Disney), but wow. I’m not trying to ruffle feathers, but I do want to point out that luxury costs will continue to rise, despite our personal budgets. It also cracks me up that someone who lives near Disney probably dreams of visiting my town, much in the way I plan and dream of visiting their “town.” Interesting.
Onto the trip report! We had just wrapped up a late lunch at Flame Tree BBQ, and it was approaching time for our much anticipated FP+ for Kali River Rapids. Clara and the rest of the kids were all tall enough, and although I knew the ride was pretty lame (I mean tame, yeah tame), the kids were psyched. As we approached, we discovered the ride was closed because an impending storm. It was inevitable - we had hardly any disruptions to our plans due to rain in days, so it was our turn. We decided to head to Dinosaur, as the wait time was low. All the kids but Clara wanted to ride, so on we went:
In the meantime, Brie and Clara enjoyed a sundae and a selfie:
We met up with them and waited out the last of the rain. Ryan, Josh and Clara tried out some of the Wilderness Explorer activities, but Eme decided to have a bit of a pout:
The rain let up, and according to the MDE App, both EE and Kali were open again. It was within our FP+ window for EE so we decided to head there first. I once again planned to use baby swap here, as Clara wasn’t 44 in tall. My parents and Drea, had FP+ for EE, and we presented Clara and Ryan (who was on his mom’s hip) so we could get enough baby swaps for everyone who wanted to ride, which was all but Clara who was too small, and Josh who was not into it. This is where my notes are off, but I know the PP pics supported that we did get two sets of baby swaps despite Ryan’s height. First up is Papa, Buszia, and Drea:
Followed by Papa (who I think did single rider while the rest of us did baby swap, and Buszia waited with Clara and Josh:
Then the rest of us using the baby swaps:
Again, another planning win on my part, as we now had FP+ (or rescheduled ones) for everyone who didn’t have FP+ for EE. Luck was on our side as we strolled over to Kali (that had an insane wait) to use our FP+. It was a pretty neat queue, and even with FP+ it was backed up due to the closures.
We were probably three boats away from loading, when they closed the ride again. We tried to wait it out at the CS tables near the ride entrance:
But alas the rain showed no signs of slowing, so we decided to head for home. Kali will be there on our next trip!
When we got back to OKW, it was pouring. No problem, as we had Papa’s delicious spaghetti for dinner:
We lounged around:
and then the kids treated us to a circus performance:
Sorry about the quality of the last handful of photos, but they really tell the tale! It is amazing to have the kind of space the grand villa provides, and all the amenities of staying on Disney property. It was more than relaxing to just chill out together and let the kids just play, no agenda, no FP+, no ADRs. Everyone went to bed rather early, as the next day we had our second rope drop at MK, and there was no way I was missing the welcome show. Foreshadowing? Hmmmm…. See you real soon!
Lisa29
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- May 17, 2010
Right on! I'm glad the report has helped you in your planning. It looks like from your ticker that you have quite an adventure coming up, two resorts AND a cruise - wow! We actually were there in early June, and the crowds weren't bad. I'll also say that FP+ worked great for us, but again, we did have 10 park days so that helped.
I love planning just as much as the trip, because the trip goes so fast, but planning goes on for months. Speaking of planning, check out my new ticker! My mom and sisters and I are doing an adults only trip in September, and we were able to score a lakeview deluxe studio at the new Poly DVC!!! Squee! It took some work, I was waitlisted for a whole day and had to call twice, poor mebut we got it! I have a bunch of school work to do, but I should be back later with an update. Have a great weekend!
It has been so helpful and seeing your pictures makes me more excited to see it. We do have quite a trip planned! We are so excited and in full planning mode! The park hours for October should be out soon and we have a little over a month until ADR day.
I just saw your new ticker and wondered what it was for! So exciting!
Lisa29
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- May 17, 2010
Another great day at AK. Do I have this right: You can have 2 FPs for say Everest, take your 2 kids with you and say we want to do rider swap/baby swap and get 2 more? Not sure if I could make this work for us as I don't like big rides myself (and neither do the girls) but it is interesting to know.
What a shame you couldn't get on Kali because of the rain.
How nice to have a home cooked dinner and to be able to have so much room to relax in.
What a shame you couldn't get on Kali because of the rain.
How nice to have a home cooked dinner and to be able to have so much room to relax in.
Duffy Lover
What?!?!? No!
- Joined
- Sep 21, 2011
Falling asleep pretty much anywhere is Papa's specialty! It was a great family trip, almost no tense moments or arguments. Two glorious weeks in paradise!
I love ADR day! Do you have a lot of dining at table services planned? I'm glad you're enjoying my family's not so stellar photos, they might not be photographer grade, but they do tell the tale.
As for the new ticker, my mom and sisters and I are going for four nights in September and we're staying at the POLY! I was able to score us a Lakeview deluxe studios, thanks to DVC points! No other way we could stay there. We'll only go to Epcot (Food and Wine!!) and MNSSHP, then one day at Universal strictly for the two Harry Potter mini-lands. Super excited!
Another great day at AK. Do I have this right: You can have 2 FPs for say Everest, take your 2 kids with you and say we want to do rider swap/baby swap and get 2 more? Not sure if I could make this work for us as I don't like big rides myself (and neither do the girls) but it is interesting to know.
What a shame you couldn't get on Kali because of the rain.
How nice to have a home cooked dinner and to be able to have so much room to relax in.
I love being able to enjoy the comforts of home with all the amenities of Disney. Once again DVC is amazing!
As for baby swap, our FP+ holders (of which there were three) split up. One group brought up Clara, and got the baby swap passes which are like old school FP-. You get three of these and they are not tied to that particular date. Then the remaining FP+ holder presented Ryan, and we got three more baby swap passes. You can do this without FP+, but the first group will have to wait in the stand-by line, then the baby swap passes will get the others into the FP line.
Does that help?
It is strange that I am writing in the middle of the work day! I have a job interview today and had to take a full personal day to accommodate the "group task" and the interview itself. I am done with the group task, and it went really well, so now I need to ace the individual part. Wish me luck - it is a great opportunity. I will be able to post an update this weekend, so be on the look out. See you real soon!
Angeejoe
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Aug 29, 2012
Duffy Lover
What?!?!? No!
- Joined
- Sep 21, 2011
A 2 Week Grand Villa Extravaganza! Day 5: Red, White and MK all over…
Day 12: Wednesday June 11– Resorts: OKW – Park: MK
Good news people! I was offered the job I interviewed for on Thursday! I currently teach HS math, am a Dean of Students for the HS/MS and the coordinator of assessment for the entire school district (which is incredibly stressful in education right now). The job I will most likely accept is “Innovation Coach” for my local BOCES (board of cooperative education services) that serves 7 school districts and 570 teachers. I will be coordinating high quality, “blended” learning experiences for teachers, that directly relates to their professional growth plans. It is really exciting and an opportunity to use my MS in educational leadership without becoming a building administrator. My current district also countered that offer with their own that is very interesting, but I think my heart is leading me towards the coaching position. Enough about my career…
Today we head to the Magic Kingdom for our second rope drop of the trip, and I was determined not to miss the Welcome show. The night before we had a chill, early night at our grand villa at OKW and the plan was to be up early so we could easily watch the Welcome Show. I was shooting for villa departure at 7:45, and weren't too off with leaving at exactly 7:52am. We strolled to the bus stop at the hospitality house, and waited for a bus. And waited. And waited. We were finally picked up at 8:23am! Grr… Regardless we made it to MK, and Caz and I took the four kids, without bags, and rushed front and center, just outside the turnstiles (FYI - I have a crazy number of pics today).
Yep, we were those parents.
So this is where my plan backfires just a wee bit. Drea and my Mom were waiting to the side and as soon as the welcome show wrapped up, were able to make it to the tunnels under the railroad. Unfortunately we were not. It was a huge crush of people. Once again, my best efforts to get us to MK to maximize the first few hours may have gone awry. In the end it took us about 10 minutes to get into the parks. No problem. Next up - PP pics!
You may have noticed by now that the children were dressed in coordinating red, white and blue outfits, courtesy of Buszia. We were determined to get some quality shots of the kids in their darling outfits. We waited on Main St. for a PP photographer, while Caz went to get Starbucks. We were hoping to get some amazing shots of them in their finery, and there are some great shots of the boys, but overall I was disappointed…
FYI: Papa was golfing this morning, hence his absence, and Brie was sleeping in...
Our first FP+ wasn’t until 11:30 am, so we planned to wander over to Adventureland and check out the Jungle Cruise and other attractions . We waited a few minutes for Caz to catch up to us with the delicious iced coffee and the children ran around jubilantly:
Once Caz arrived with our life-sustaining caffeine, we walked right on JC. The kids look a little worn out here, despite their early night:
After our tour of the “backside of water,” we headed to the Flying Carpets of Aladdin (or whatever they’re called) once again with no wait…
And then we were off to PotC, where poor little Clara was still scarred from seeing the “yucky pirates” when she was just two years old… Long story short, but essentially Clara woke up from a nap at Papa and Buszia’s house and wandered downstairs to see the first PotC movie just at the spot where the pirates of the Black Pearl turn into skeletons. Bad dreams ensue…
Awww… My baby is hiding her head. In fear. Parenting win!
We wandered around the area and enjoyed the neat props:
Drea snapped some great pics of Ryan and Eme…
We took a look at the MDE AP, and saw that the wait at HM was still a walk-on, so we headed over to tour the graveyard…
At this point, Brie joined us and we headed over towards another Disney first for many of us… Tom Sawyer’s Island!
To be continued…. Probably next week - I still have to prep my calculus for next week afterall!
DisneyMagicMomma
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Jan 18, 2013
Hoping on, a little late. 
Loving your TR! My little will be 6 at travel and I enjoy seeing how the kids handle such a long trip and what strategies to use. We are booked for 17 days in late October into early November. Bring on the updates. Hehe
Loving your TR! My little will be 6 at travel and I enjoy seeing how the kids handle such a long trip and what strategies to use. We are booked for 17 days in late October into early November. Bring on the updates. Hehe
Duffy Lover
What?!?!? No!
- Joined
- Sep 21, 2011
Hoping on, a little late.
Smarter to join in later! You didn't have to wait for all my updates...
I think ensuring that you have at least one segment of each day set aside for relaxing is going to be key for a 17 day trip. How exciting! 17 days! No problems with FP+ there!!
Duffy Lover
What?!?!? No!
- Joined
- Sep 21, 2011
Thanks, those outfits were just perfect for a day at MK! I'm super excited about my new job. It is an amazing opportunity right here in Northwest Colorado!
Duffy Lover
What?!?!? No!
- Joined
- Sep 21, 2011
A 2 Week Grand Villa Extravaganza! Day 12: Red, White and MK all over, Part 2…
Day 12: Wednesday June 11– Resorts: OKW – Park: MK
Howdy Friends! I hope April has been treating you well. Things are good here, we were in Michigan for spring break, where I was hoping to do a few reports, but time got away from me. While we were in Michigan, Eme and Josh made their First Holy Communion at my parent’s church. Both Eme and Josh were Baptized at that church, so it was only fitting. It was quite the event,as it took place Easter Sunday:
Isn’t she just beautiful? My Mom and sister had her dress made from Drea’s wedding gown. Since she is divorced, it isn’t a treasured heirloom, so there you go. There’s enough fabric left over to make Clara a dress, too. That’s her wedding veil, too.
Clara’s still having trouble posing for pictures…
Alright, enough about real life - let’s get back to the report! When we last met, we had just wrapped up the Haunted Mansion, and were heading towards a first for many of us: Tom Sawyer Island. Buszia, Caz and I took the kids on the launch, while Drea and Brie stayed behind. In all my trips, I had never been to the island and I (along with the kids) was super excited. The boat was boarding as we arrived, and we climbed aboard:
Once on the island, the kids had a blast:
Clara thought the caves and tunnels were stinky:
We headed to the fort:
Josh enjoyed the rifles:
The littles and I found a quiet place to relax in the shade- it was a HOT day! Sunny too…
I think we spent about an hour on the island, and the kids loved every minute of it! This “attraction” is a must do for me from now on (at least when the kids are with me). Back on dry land, it was time for lunch. Pecos Bills was close by so we ordered and then found a table in the crowded restaurant:
Unfortunately, it started raining while we were eating lunch. Gotta love the Florida weather! It was brilliantly sunny less than an hour earlier. Our first FP+ of the day was for Splash Mountain, and sure enough it closed - there was a bit of lightning and thunder, too. We got an email from MDE telling us that we could ride it any time after the ride re-opened or choose from a selection of other FP+ experiences. We decided to wait and try to ride Splash later in the day. To pass the time, we headed to the Country Bear Jamboree:
Adorable brother love:
Papa finally joined us after his golf outing, and it was time for our second FP+ at the Haunted Mansion. Josh, Eme and Ryan wanted to ride together, so we thought, why not? Well, apparently this is frowned upon, and they stopped the ride and they had Caz join them. There were FOUR of them in their doom buggy, and I was left all alone. Oh well. The ride stopped for a few minutes, and I was right by the bride in the attic:
We have quite a few pictures over the years at this spot, in particular one with my Grandpa back in 2004, so a group pic is always a must do...
That wraps up part 2, but I think I’ll be back soon with the final installation of day 12. See you real soon!
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Duffy Lover
What?!?!? No!
- Joined
- Sep 21, 2011
A 2 Week Grand Villa Extravaganza! Day 12: Forgotten at Ohana’- The day our family was left behind…
Day 12: Wednesday June 11– Resorts: OKW – Park: MK
I told you I’d be back with an update soon, and at the rate I’m going, a week later is pretty soon! Last week I was home with a sick Clara, and this week once again poor little Clara has a high fever - I’m thinking it’s an ear infection. Anyways... I think day 12 was tied for my most favorite day of our trip (with about 4 other days) so I’m excited to write about the last part of our day. I really feel that it exemplifies a Disney vacation: unexpected weather, delays, chaos and mistakes, but overall- great memories. After the last update, I am psyched to wrap up day 12. So let’s delve into why the rest of day 12 is so unusual. Or not, depending on how you view your Disney vacation.
After our FP+ at HM, it was time for another at Space and the Tomorrowland Speedway. Once again, we maximized the use of baby swap to get a get additional quick rides on SM. Brie, Drea, Buszia and the kids went on the speedway. Josh was super excited to ride on his own, as he is quite tall for his age:
Iin the meantime, Papa, Caz and I tackled the Mountain:
I know that the Speedway seems like a waste of space to some people, but boy, do my kids love it! Brie actually bypassed SM because she wanted to ride with Eme because she smiles and giggles for the whole drive:
Talk about joy!
Uh, oh… Look at those clouds:
Right as the ride ended, the skies opened up and it started pouring. It went from sunny to crazy storm in the matter of minutes. Gotta love that Florida weather. Caz and I waited out the storm browsing in the store at the end of the ride(where I used the cell phone charging locker to charge up my phone- it was super cool and very easy to use), while Papa braved the weather to go retrieve the stroller that was holding all the rain gear. Everyone was drenched, but luckily we stashed extra clothes in the park bag for the kids. So we got the kids changed, then Drea, Buszia and Brie headed back to OKW to change into dry clothes. The FP+ line for SM was super long (probably because of other delayed FP+ for outside attractions closed due to the weather), so we took the kids to the Carousel of Progress. The kids were big fans! After the show, the line for Space was much shorter so Papa and Caz took Eme and Josh on SM:
I stayed with the littles and got them popcorn:
With the weather, we still weren’t able to ride Splash, and none of the alternate FP+ seemed attractive, so we took the kids to the Monsters Laugh Floor attraction. We almost walked into the show, but were stopped right at the front of the queue. No problem, the kids enjoyed the props while we waited!
After the show, we headed out of the park as it was time for our 5pm ADR at Ohana’. Andrea, Buszia and Brie met us in the waiting area on the second floor of the much walled up Poly. We got there nice and early and checked in, beeper in hand. By this point it was pouring outside, and all of us were crossing our fingers that the rain would let up so that after dinner we could head back to MK to ride Splash and then use the fourth FP+ I picked up before we left the park (Winnie the Pooh). As we waited, Caz and I got our much anticipated Lapu-Lapu’s:
5pm came and passed, and other families and groups were being seated, but not us. My my was getting impatient, so she had us check with the front desk that we were to be seated soon. They assured us that we were due to be seated shortly. This happened multiple times, and everyone was getting antsy… The kids were doing great, playing a game with little umbrellas:
We inquired again and again, with the CMs assuring us we’d be seated soon. At 6pm (an hour after our ADR), the waiting area was empty, save for us. At this point the CMs fessed up that the we were somehow overlooked. WHAT?!? Apparently the restaurant was now at 100% capacity and we couldn’t be seated until about 6:45. My mom went ballistic and asked to speak to a manager after the hosts copped a “what do you want us to do attitude”. Everyone else was in good spirits, though.. I have an awesome video of Brie dancing around the completely empty waiting area that I will try to figure out how to post. To pass the time, the hostess and Drea took the kids to participate in the coconut races and gave them lai’s:
The kids continued to play in the waiting area, Clara enjoyed her new lai’s and entertained us with her hula dancing:
Ry-guy snuggled his Brie-Brie:
While everyone else rolled with this unfortunate oversight by Disney, Buszia was not happy. In the end, we spoke with both the restaurant manager and an assistant hotel manager. To make up for our lost time, and the fact that going to MK after dinner wouldn’t be feasible after our late dinner, they gave us three transportation delay passes that were like old school FP- which we could use at any attraction we wanted. These became known as our “golden” fastpasses, and how to use them was a topic of discussion for the remainder of our trip. This gesture really made up for waiting almost two hours for dinner. Finally seated, they expedited our meal and drinks:
We found out when the meal ended that they were comping it! Score. This is a perfect example of Disney’s customer service. We all left satisfied, and feeling that we should’ve ordered more alcoholic beverages! Back at the GV, it was time to pack to move to our final resort of the trip: VGF!!! We had a lock-off 2 BR lakeview unit booked, which with the pull down beds sleeps 10. We got the kids to bed early, but Eme woke up disgruntled at around 11pm. She didn’t have a fever, but was shaking uncontrollably. I think the in and out of the A/C, the rain, the florida heat/humidity and then the stagnant air (even with the fan) in the bedroom just put her “cooling” system out of whack. I was so worried she was getting sick! It was day 12 of a vacation in a germy area, after all, with no sick kids up until this point. I was really hoping she’d be fine, especially since the kids had a great adventure planned for them the next morning…
Eek! Will she be fine in the morning? Time will tell... See you real soon!
Day 12: Wednesday June 11– Resorts: OKW – Park: MK
I told you I’d be back with an update soon, and at the rate I’m going, a week later is pretty soon! Last week I was home with a sick Clara, and this week once again poor little Clara has a high fever - I’m thinking it’s an ear infection. Anyways... I think day 12 was tied for my most favorite day of our trip (with about 4 other days) so I’m excited to write about the last part of our day. I really feel that it exemplifies a Disney vacation: unexpected weather, delays, chaos and mistakes, but overall- great memories. After the last update, I am psyched to wrap up day 12. So let’s delve into why the rest of day 12 is so unusual. Or not, depending on how you view your Disney vacation.
After our FP+ at HM, it was time for another at Space and the Tomorrowland Speedway. Once again, we maximized the use of baby swap to get a get additional quick rides on SM. Brie, Drea, Buszia and the kids went on the speedway. Josh was super excited to ride on his own, as he is quite tall for his age:
Iin the meantime, Papa, Caz and I tackled the Mountain:
I know that the Speedway seems like a waste of space to some people, but boy, do my kids love it! Brie actually bypassed SM because she wanted to ride with Eme because she smiles and giggles for the whole drive:
Talk about joy!
Uh, oh… Look at those clouds:
Right as the ride ended, the skies opened up and it started pouring. It went from sunny to crazy storm in the matter of minutes. Gotta love that Florida weather. Caz and I waited out the storm browsing in the store at the end of the ride(where I used the cell phone charging locker to charge up my phone- it was super cool and very easy to use), while Papa braved the weather to go retrieve the stroller that was holding all the rain gear. Everyone was drenched, but luckily we stashed extra clothes in the park bag for the kids. So we got the kids changed, then Drea, Buszia and Brie headed back to OKW to change into dry clothes. The FP+ line for SM was super long (probably because of other delayed FP+ for outside attractions closed due to the weather), so we took the kids to the Carousel of Progress. The kids were big fans! After the show, the line for Space was much shorter so Papa and Caz took Eme and Josh on SM:
I stayed with the littles and got them popcorn:
With the weather, we still weren’t able to ride Splash, and none of the alternate FP+ seemed attractive, so we took the kids to the Monsters Laugh Floor attraction. We almost walked into the show, but were stopped right at the front of the queue. No problem, the kids enjoyed the props while we waited!
After the show, we headed out of the park as it was time for our 5pm ADR at Ohana’. Andrea, Buszia and Brie met us in the waiting area on the second floor of the much walled up Poly. We got there nice and early and checked in, beeper in hand. By this point it was pouring outside, and all of us were crossing our fingers that the rain would let up so that after dinner we could head back to MK to ride Splash and then use the fourth FP+ I picked up before we left the park (Winnie the Pooh). As we waited, Caz and I got our much anticipated Lapu-Lapu’s:
5pm came and passed, and other families and groups were being seated, but not us. My my was getting impatient, so she had us check with the front desk that we were to be seated soon. They assured us that we were due to be seated shortly. This happened multiple times, and everyone was getting antsy… The kids were doing great, playing a game with little umbrellas:
We inquired again and again, with the CMs assuring us we’d be seated soon. At 6pm (an hour after our ADR), the waiting area was empty, save for us. At this point the CMs fessed up that the we were somehow overlooked. WHAT?!? Apparently the restaurant was now at 100% capacity and we couldn’t be seated until about 6:45. My mom went ballistic and asked to speak to a manager after the hosts copped a “what do you want us to do attitude”. Everyone else was in good spirits, though.. I have an awesome video of Brie dancing around the completely empty waiting area that I will try to figure out how to post. To pass the time, the hostess and Drea took the kids to participate in the coconut races and gave them lai’s:
The kids continued to play in the waiting area, Clara enjoyed her new lai’s and entertained us with her hula dancing:
Ry-guy snuggled his Brie-Brie:
While everyone else rolled with this unfortunate oversight by Disney, Buszia was not happy. In the end, we spoke with both the restaurant manager and an assistant hotel manager. To make up for our lost time, and the fact that going to MK after dinner wouldn’t be feasible after our late dinner, they gave us three transportation delay passes that were like old school FP- which we could use at any attraction we wanted. These became known as our “golden” fastpasses, and how to use them was a topic of discussion for the remainder of our trip. This gesture really made up for waiting almost two hours for dinner. Finally seated, they expedited our meal and drinks:
We found out when the meal ended that they were comping it! Score. This is a perfect example of Disney’s customer service. We all left satisfied, and feeling that we should’ve ordered more alcoholic beverages! Back at the GV, it was time to pack to move to our final resort of the trip: VGF!!! We had a lock-off 2 BR lakeview unit booked, which with the pull down beds sleeps 10. We got the kids to bed early, but Eme woke up disgruntled at around 11pm. She didn’t have a fever, but was shaking uncontrollably. I think the in and out of the A/C, the rain, the florida heat/humidity and then the stagnant air (even with the fan) in the bedroom just put her “cooling” system out of whack. I was so worried she was getting sick! It was day 12 of a vacation in a germy area, after all, with no sick kids up until this point. I was really hoping she’d be fine, especially since the kids had a great adventure planned for them the next morning…
Eek! Will she be fine in the morning? Time will tell... See you real soon!
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Dreams Unlimited Travel is committed to providing you with the very best vacation planning experience possible. Our Vacation Planners are experts and will share their honest advice to help you have a magical vacation.
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Dreams Unlimited Travel is committed to providing you with the very best vacation planning experience possible. Our Vacation Planners are experts and will share their honest advice to help you have a magical vacation.
Let us help you with your next Disney Vacation!
