We checked into the BWV on Sat. 10/23 at 11:30 a.m. We requested non-smoking, near elevators. When told that our room wasn't ready I asked if there were any rooms that were ready. The CM looked at the computer and said that we were already assigned a specific room. (When did they change the first come first-served policy?) Anyway, we went off for the day. Had a quick bite at the Dolphin Fountain thanks to the advice on these boards. We were very pleased with it and got the 20% discount on the food. The we headed out to MGM for the day. Crowds were not bad and we got to do lots of things before our 4 p.m. Fantasmic dinner at Hollywood & Vine. We aren't really buffet dinner people but wanted the godchild to have his choice, so we lived with it. Went to the 6:00 Indiana Jones show. I never saw it so empty. The side sections had nobody sitting in them. We sat in the first row. Great seats! After the show we headed on over to the Fantasmic back entrance and got seats in the third row. By showtime, the entire arena was filled except for the first three rows to the right of us (the extreme right end section) that were roped off with "reserved" signs. No one ever sat there. Does anyone know who they are reserved for? (I'm thinking maybe for the people on the super duper elite package with the personal guides like we saw last time. They came into IJ at the last minute and were ushered into a reserved section in the front.) The show was great as always, but at the end the Riverboat with all the characters on it was pushed around the moat by a black barge type of thing. I never saw that before. After the show we headed back to the boardwalk and went to our room five doors from the elevator...room 4077, 1BR SV.
The room was in pretty good shape, just a little wear and tear around the outside of the shower. The only bad thing about this room was that it only had the one small balcony off the living room, but with our godson with us, we really didn't have much leisure time, like we normally do, to sit outside and relax. We got our luggage, unpacked, and went to bed since we had arisen that morning at 4 a.m.
Sunday was a non-park day because we only bought a 4-day pass for DGS and were going to MNSSHP that evening. He had a ton of homework anyway and DH and I had to backtrack to MGM in search of his lost sunglasses. He lost them on RNRC the day before and didn't want to alarm me so he said nothing until right before lunch. I, of course, did become instantly alarmed because he is legally blind and he is not supposed to go in the sun without them. I went to the front desk at the hotel and while waiting for a CM to take care of me, Alfredo, the manager, approached and seeing my concern spent the next 30 minutes trying to track down the sunglasses, calling various lost and founds all to no avail. He even went to the gift shop to find some clip-on sunglasses that DH could use. His calm, professional demeanor was very soothing. I can't say enough about how nice he was. What a kind, gentle, helpful person.
What I came away with from all the calls was that if the sunglasses got sent to Central Lost and Found, our chances of getting them back this trip were remote, so we hightailed it over to MGM's Lost and Found, and there they were. The CM said they were just turned in by a security guard. Pixie dust at work!
By the time we got back to the hotel, it was time to go to the MK.
This was our first MNSSHP. We loved it! We had dinner at Crystal Palace, again an okay buffet. We got our photo taken early and again thanks to these boards I knew we were entitled to 2 pictures, one for each address. The girl as you came in gave me quite a hard time about that, insisting that we only got one picture and had to pay for the other one. When we got up to where they took the picture, I asked, "Aren't we supposed to get 2 pictures if it's 2 different addresses?" and she let our DGS fill out his own address card. We both already got the pictures. Very nice.
Lines were relatively short for everything. We really enjoyed the storytelling and singing on the Riverboat. The parade and fireworks were excellent. It was a great evening and we are in the process of choosing a date to do it again next year.
Monday we had breakfast at Cape May Cafe. Very good. Went over to MGM for a bit then came back and went to the pool for awhile. The guys headed over to Epcot to do Test Track and Mission Space. Met up for dinner but changed our mind about going to the Garden Grill when we saw it wasn't revolving. Grabbed a few appetizers from the Food & Wine stands, went to the France bakery and got croissants and dessert, then watched Illuminations.
Tuesday, our last full day, we went to the Rainforest Cafe for breakfast, then spent much of the day at AK. More lounging by the pool then dinner at Teppanyaki. Our chef was great. One last look at Illuminations then back to BWV to pack.
Wednesday we hit MGM one last time. They went on RNRC 6 times and TOT twice before leaving. The FL Tours van was right on time and we had to say goodbye to our beloved BWV all too soon.
Can't wait to go back in six months. How spoiled the DVC has made us! We used to be satisfied with going once every two years. My, how times have changed.
Sorry I rambled on and on. Going home just brings out the rambler in me. If you have any questions, I'd be happy to answer them.
The room was in pretty good shape, just a little wear and tear around the outside of the shower. The only bad thing about this room was that it only had the one small balcony off the living room, but with our godson with us, we really didn't have much leisure time, like we normally do, to sit outside and relax. We got our luggage, unpacked, and went to bed since we had arisen that morning at 4 a.m.
Sunday was a non-park day because we only bought a 4-day pass for DGS and were going to MNSSHP that evening. He had a ton of homework anyway and DH and I had to backtrack to MGM in search of his lost sunglasses. He lost them on RNRC the day before and didn't want to alarm me so he said nothing until right before lunch. I, of course, did become instantly alarmed because he is legally blind and he is not supposed to go in the sun without them. I went to the front desk at the hotel and while waiting for a CM to take care of me, Alfredo, the manager, approached and seeing my concern spent the next 30 minutes trying to track down the sunglasses, calling various lost and founds all to no avail. He even went to the gift shop to find some clip-on sunglasses that DH could use. His calm, professional demeanor was very soothing. I can't say enough about how nice he was. What a kind, gentle, helpful person.
What I came away with from all the calls was that if the sunglasses got sent to Central Lost and Found, our chances of getting them back this trip were remote, so we hightailed it over to MGM's Lost and Found, and there they were. The CM said they were just turned in by a security guard. Pixie dust at work!
By the time we got back to the hotel, it was time to go to the MK.
This was our first MNSSHP. We loved it! We had dinner at Crystal Palace, again an okay buffet. We got our photo taken early and again thanks to these boards I knew we were entitled to 2 pictures, one for each address. The girl as you came in gave me quite a hard time about that, insisting that we only got one picture and had to pay for the other one. When we got up to where they took the picture, I asked, "Aren't we supposed to get 2 pictures if it's 2 different addresses?" and she let our DGS fill out his own address card. We both already got the pictures. Very nice.
Lines were relatively short for everything. We really enjoyed the storytelling and singing on the Riverboat. The parade and fireworks were excellent. It was a great evening and we are in the process of choosing a date to do it again next year.
Monday we had breakfast at Cape May Cafe. Very good. Went over to MGM for a bit then came back and went to the pool for awhile. The guys headed over to Epcot to do Test Track and Mission Space. Met up for dinner but changed our mind about going to the Garden Grill when we saw it wasn't revolving. Grabbed a few appetizers from the Food & Wine stands, went to the France bakery and got croissants and dessert, then watched Illuminations.
Tuesday, our last full day, we went to the Rainforest Cafe for breakfast, then spent much of the day at AK. More lounging by the pool then dinner at Teppanyaki. Our chef was great. One last look at Illuminations then back to BWV to pack.
Wednesday we hit MGM one last time. They went on RNRC 6 times and TOT twice before leaving. The FL Tours van was right on time and we had to say goodbye to our beloved BWV all too soon.
Can't wait to go back in six months. How spoiled the DVC has made us! We used to be satisfied with going once every two years. My, how times have changed.
Sorry I rambled on and on. Going home just brings out the rambler in me. If you have any questions, I'd be happy to answer them.
