Antics of the Orange Banded Monkeys: Heartbreaking News June 2017

[JanetMom]

WL and Beaches and Cream! Two very good things to check of your list. And yes, eating take out counts as visiting Beaches and Cream.

 

[natebenma]

Dang! I just looked back at the Stormalong Bay Pool Tube team updates from this year and last year and some of the pictures are missing. I'll give it a little bit to see if they spontaneously reappear. If not, I will try adding them back in.



ETA: PHEW!!! The pictures reappeared without me having to do anything.

 

[Wood Nymph]

Thinking that the Beach Club Villas pond alligator was making an appearance in the shower with Ninja Mom I stood ready to capture this appearance for the cover of Monthly Activities Schedule for September. Unfortunately it was only Matthew McConaughey who managed to slip out of the shower seconds before my camera powered up. Sadly, I was left with only this shot.

My sincerest apologies for what I am about to do. To you. Because once this picture has been seen it cannot be UNSEEN!

That is a very scary picture. It might have been better if the alligator was there instead.

We haven't eaten at Beaches and Cream in ages. They used to serve breakfast there. But we often stop by for some ice cream at the take out counter.

 

[pas130]

ROTFL! Ah, catching up here is just what I needed this morning

 

[natebenma]

You guys are hilarious!

The only time I've had beaches and cream was when we did the kitchen sink. Since we are staying at the yacht club in January I hope to go there again to try some other things.

I have never been to the GF or WL either but will be at the GF in January because we have breakfast there.

Thanks! We certainly had our moments.

Every time I see an ice cream sundae from B&C I drool. Someone just posted a picture of the Mudslide sundae on her trip report. Yes, please!!!

I enjoyed our time checking out the WL. That will be coming up next. Someday...

:

Nightmares!! That's what I'm having tonight I tell ya!! I'm going to be chased by psychomom wearing nout but a shower curtain
I should add that your last post had me laughing so hard I snorted!!!! Lol

So very sorry about that!

WL and Beaches and Cream! Two very good things to check of your list. And yes, eating take out counts as visiting Beaches and Cream.

I really loved looking around the WL, especially since our recent stays at DL Grand Californian and our visit to the Old Faithful Inn in Yellowstone.

That is a very scary picture. It might have been better if the alligator was there instead.

We haven't eaten at Beaches and Cream in ages. They used to serve breakfast there. But we often stop by for some ice cream at the take out counter.

Actually, the breakfast was my only previous experience with Beaches & Cream. The quick service option was a very short-lived experiment. We had breakfast there the day we left on our July 2009 trip. I really think this was a great idea for the resort and I continue to be confused about why it didn't work out.

ROTFL! Ah, catching up here is just what I needed this morning

So glad we could bring a smile to your face!

:

 

[natebenma]

"Cortana!" Exploring the Wilderness Lodge


You may have suppressed the memories from the last update (for your sake, I hope that is the case), so here is a recap of where we were going:


The afternoon awaited. I didn’t have park tickets for this two day trip, and we had our FAQ DISmeet scheduled for 5:30 that night, so we just had a short window of time to kill.

My friends knew that I had never stepped foot in the Grand Floridian resort or the Wilderness Lodge. They suggested that we go and explore one or both. To be honest, I have no interest in going to the GF. I have always wanted to check out the WL, especially since our stay the previous year at the similar Grand Californian and our visit to the Old Faithful Inn at Yellowstone, but my boys are not interested in going to a resort just to look around. So my friends and I decided to take a trip there.


Nannette, Rebecca and I summoned an Uber ride (this one was Rebecca, I think) to the Wilderness Lodge. Joanie stayed back at the room to rest.

Not much commentary here. The goal was just to look around.

First the lobby

As I mentioned, in 2014 when we visited Disneyland we stayed at the Grand Californian. You can definitely see the similarities in the buildings:

I also wanted to see how the resort compared to the iconic Old Faithful Inn at Yellowstone which I had visited earlier that month.

Fireplace at Wilderness Lodge

Some fun in the gift shop. I don’t normally try on hats, because you never know if an infected rooster has worn it before you.

Then it was time to explore the outside. The sky was dark and we could hear the rumble of thunder, but it wasn’t raining. Yet.

The pool was closed due to the weather:

The playground, too:

There is a geyser feature at the Wilderness Lodge, modeled after Old Faithful in Yellowstone. I am not sure how often it spouts, but I believe it is on a schedule even more reliable than the original. But it didn’t blow while we were there.

Fortunately, I can show you the real thing:

It did eventually start pouring so we went back inside. We rode the elevators to check out the hallways and to look down at the lobby.


At 4:00, we started making our preparations to return to the Beach Club. Rebecca had sent a free ride invite to Nannette, so she arranged for our ride- more about that in the next update. Rebecca also sent an invite to me.

Confession time! I don’t know how my phone works. I basically use my phone for calls, texts, facebook, photos and occasionally for the internet, like checking in on the DIS. I only have a few apps set up on my phone and Mark was the one who added them for me.

So when Rebecca sent me the link for a free ride on Uber and I needed to add the Uber app, I didn’t know what to do.

So I put my phone in front of my face and started to call out “Cortana! Cortana, Where are you?”

(Photo re-creation)

For some reason, my friends looked at me like I was crazy.

When they asked me what I was doing, I explained that unlike the rest of the world, I have a Windows phone instead of an iphone and Cortana is our Siri. I was trying to summon her so she could explain to me how to add an app to my phone. It didn’t work.

But it provided endless amusement for my friends for the rest of the trip. I never failed to bring a smile to their faces when I pulled out my phone and called out “Cortana!”

Next up: An Uber-Scary Ride- The Wildest Ride from the Wilderness (Lodge)

 

[pas130]

Not liking the sound of a scary ride I really like WL it's so cozy. It never really appealed to me until I stayed there, not unlike BC the CMs can make a resort, and they were so good to us there. Your real geyser pic is much better than the WL one. It used to go off hourly. Totem selfie So cool.

 

[Wood Nymph]

How did you like the WL? Would you ever be tempted to leave the beloved BC for this resort?

As you know, we love the WL, The boat to MK is the best part, along with the theme and location. This is where we like to stay when we go to WDW in the winter months. In fact, we are going to try club level for the first time this January at the WL. We will probably find out that we really like club level.

 

[xDisneyAngelx]

Hey, I am so sorry about your loss. May he R.I.P. P.S: Love the morning pictures with no one in them it looks amazing. I am looking forward to the rest of your trip. Have a magical day!

 

[rteetz]

I have never been to the Wilderness Lodge but have wanted to just to check it out.

It looks like you guys had a great time checking it out though.

Your phone story is pretty funny.

 

[annie170]

WL is on my bucket list. That lobby is just gorgeous! Thanks for sharing such lovely photos on this gloomy day.

Since you showed the comparison, I think I like the fireplace at the Old Faithful Inn better than the one at Wilderness Lodge. Perhaps it's the lighting, but the colors on the WL fireplace feel more southwestern than rustic.

I have an iPhone and only know the basics, too. I'm constantly teased about it.

 

[HockeyMomR]

Great pictures, that was a fun excursion.

Forget just amusing me during the trip, the "Cortana" event still amuses me to this day. Even right now!!!

Dee - Making things better by laughter. Thank you.

 

[natebenma]

Not liking the sound of a scary ride I really like WL it's so cozy. It never really appealed to me until I stayed there, not unlike BC the CMs can make a resort, and they were so good to us there. Your real geyser pic is much better than the WL one. It used to go off hourly. Totem selfie So cool.

*Spoiler Alert* on the scary ride- we do survive!

I hear really wonderful things about the WL, especially the CMs. I'm glad to hear you have had good experiences there.

I hope the real Old Faithful is better than the imitation geyser!

Of course we needed a totem selfie. I am not great at group selfies because I have tiny T-Rex arms.

How did you like the WL? Would you ever be tempted to leave the beloved BC for this resort?

As you know, we love the WL, The boat to MK is the best part, along with the theme and location. This is where we like to stay when we go to WDW in the winter months. In fact, we are going to try club level for the first time this January at the WL. We will probably find out that we really like club level.

The WL was gorgeous, but no, not tempted to stay there. For us it is ALL about location and walking to the parks. That is why we love the BC/YC, Grand Californian at DL and Hard Rock at US. Being a 5-7 minute walk, and in control of when we arrive is hugely important to us. If we stayed at a resort in the MK area, Mark would pick the Contemporary, which doesn't interest me in the least based on theming. Maybe BLT- the rooms there look great and again, very close to MK. For theming though, I know I would love the Poly.

I would love to see the WL decorated for Christmas. I hear it is spectacular.

If everything I have read is true, you WILL love CL at WL.

Hey, I am so sorry about your loss. May he R.I.P. P.S: Love the morning pictures with no one in them it looks amazing. I am looking forward to the rest of your trip. Have a magical day!

Thank you so much for the kind words.

Yes, the resorts are so beautiful and peaceful in the early morning before everyone is awake.

Glad to have you along. Have a magical day, yourself!

I have never been to the Wilderness Lodge but have wanted to just to check it out.

It looks like you guys had a great time checking it out though.

Your phone story is pretty funny.

It was a nice place to visit for an hour or so. I hear that Artist Point is a fantastic restaurant, so I may return with Mark to eat there and so he can look around.

Rebecca and Nannette had no idea what I was doing when all of a sudden, out of the blue, I was holding the phone in front of my face calling for Cortana. They were doubled over in laughter watching me.

WL is on my bucket list. That lobby is just gorgeous! Thanks for sharing such lovely photos on this gloomy day.

Since you showed the comparison, I think I like the fireplace at the Old Faithful Inn better than the one at Wilderness Lodge. Perhaps it's the lighting, but the colors on the WL fireplace feel more southwestern than rustic.

I have an iPhone and only know the basics, too. I'm constantly teased about it.

Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed the pictures.

You're right. The WL fireplace does have colors reminding me of Arizona or New Mexico. They are both really pretty, though.

I know there is so much I can do with my phone, but as long as I can take calls, send texts and snap pictures, I am good!

Great pictures, that was a fun excursion.

Forget just amusing me during the trip, the "Cortana" event still amuses me to this day. Even right now!!!

Dee - Making things better by laughter. Thank you.

Thanks for taking me to the WL and showing me around.

I'm glad I could pay you back with smiles!

When Cortana pops up on my phone, I never fail to think of you and Nannette!

 

[pas130]

*Spoiler Alert* on the scary ride- we do survive!

I hear really wonderful things about the WL, especially the CMs. I'm glad to hear you have had good experiences there.

I hope the real Old Faithful is better than the imitation geyser!

Of course we needed a totem selfie. I am not great at group selfies because I have tiny T-Rex arms.

The group selfies I am usually in are snapchats at work. I don't know what it is, I am too old LOL I let the "kids" do all the cool stuff. But kids at work, they are adults, but if they are young enough to be my children they are kids (when did THAT happen LOL). And I am glad you survived the scary ride You do not have T-rex arms

 

[JanetMom]

Ah, LOVE this update. WL is one of my Disney favourites. We do love staying within walking distance of Epcot, but we will return to WL someday. It definitely feels comfortable to us, and we love WL CL.

Here's some trivia for you... The WL fireplace is designed to be a scale replica of the strata of the Grand Canyon. The imagineers copied the Grand Canyon in great detail colouring the rocks and adding appropriate fossils along the way. I learned that from Ranger Stan who was the Teena of the WL for many years.

 

[Wood Nymph]

I would love to see the WL decorated for Christmas. I hear it is spectacular.

We stayed at the WL in Dec 2013 and the lodge was beautifully decorated for Christmas. But since we are used to seeing beautiful Christmas decorations in the Midwest, it didn't seem extraordinary to us. The lobby was always crowded with people who wanted to get their annual Christmas pictures taken. They even had two Photopass photographers stationed there.

I decided that if we ever return at Christmas that I would prefer to stay at the BC. The chocolate carousel is gorgeous and there is a lot of Christmas activity in Epcot that I would like to spend more time seeing.

 

[nannette]

Lol! Cortana Where Are You!! Lol still laughing!!

~N

 

[chunkymonkey]

I'm all caught up...you guys. are. hilarious.
I love the synchronized swim team costumes, especially those head pieces.
Breakfast looks tasty! Although your pancakes did look a little too sweet.
Cortana, Cortana! - Too funny, I can just picture it.

 

[luvpoohandcompany]

Loving the tour of the lodge and the selfies. Lol at you and cortana

 

[natebenma]

The group selfies I am usually in are snapchats at work. I don't know what it is, I am too old LOL I let the "kids" do all the cool stuff. But kids at work, they are adults, but if they are young enough to be my children they are kids (when did THAT happen LOL). And I am glad you survived the scary ride You do not have T-rex arms

Most of the selfies I take are with my farm animals- the pigs, Roger the donkey and Sukey the horse.

I need more selfies with Mark and definitely with my kids. Actually, I have a 30 year old selfie with Mark, before selfies were a thing. Taken with a real camera, at Hampton Beach, 1981.





Scary ride coming up!

Thanks for the kind words about my arms. I definitely feel like they are too short when I need to reach for something!

Ah, LOVE this update. WL is one of my Disney favourites. We do love staying within walking distance of Epcot, but we will return to WL someday. It definitely feels comfortable to us, and we love WL CL.

Here's some trivia for you... The WL fireplace is designed to be a scale replica of the strata of the Grand Canyon. The imagineers copied the Grand Canyon in great detail colouring the rocks and adding appropriate fossils along the way. I learned that from Ranger Stan who was the Teena of the WL for many years.

Thanks so much for that info!!! I love it! That makes a lot of sense when I look at the fireplace now.

At work, in our program on archeology (Dirt Detectives) we talk a lot about stratigrification. Cool word, huh???

We stayed at the WL in Dec 2013 and the lodge was beautifully decorated for Christmas. But since we are used to seeing beautiful Christmas decorations in the Midwest, it didn't seem extraordinary to us. The lobby was always crowded with people who wanted to get their annual Christmas pictures taken. They even had two Photopass photographers stationed there.

I decided that if we ever return at Christmas that I would prefer to stay at the BC. The chocolate carousel is gorgeous and there is a lot of Christmas activity in Epcot that I would like to spend more time seeing.

Me, too! I would like to stay at the Beach Club for the holidays but visit the WL to see the decorations.

Lol! Cortana Where Are You!! Lol still laughing!!

~N

Cortana and I are no longer on speaking terms since she has caused me such embarrassment!

I'm all caught up...you guys. are. hilarious.
I love the synchronized swim team costumes, especially those head pieces.
Breakfast looks tasty! Although your pancakes did look a little too sweet.
Cortana, Cortana! - Too funny, I can just picture it.

We had such a great time fooling around together, especially following along with the antics of our ring leader/master ~NinjaMom.

My bad for getting the pancakes when I should have ordered something savory.

Just make sure when you are picturing me trying to conjure Cortana that you see the vision of me bringing my hand closer and further away from my face. I have trouble communicating via the Bluetooth in my car, too. It won't respond to my voice commands unless I speak in a deep voice, or have one of my boys tell it what to do.

Loving the tour of the lodge and the selfies. Lol at you and cortana

Have you been over to the WL? Have you eaten at Artist Pointe? I can't remember.

IDK- I may just be too old to operate technology safely!