You can spit on Space Mountain from here! An April '13 TR UPDATED 10/19 p. 28

[IheartDDuck]

Have a great trip Sarah!!!

 

[wdwgirl03]

Have a great trip Sarah!!!

Thanks Danielle!

 

[wdwgirl03]

OK guys, since Dad and I leave TOMORROW, I'm going to wrap up this trip report today!

Saturday, April 6, 2013 cont'd (part 6)

After the great dinner and entertainment at Hoop De Doo, we decided to go over to Downtown Disney for a little bit. Thankfully we were able to find a place to park. I hear these days parking is even worse with all the construction for Disney Springs. I'll be getting a firsthand look at all that tomorrow.

We didn't do all that much at DTD. We made a quick stop in World of Disney because Emma wanted to see if any of her friends were working (or maybe she knew one of her roomies was working and wanted to say hi to her?). It is amazing how many people she has come to know while she's been down there. Dad and I got to meet a couple of her friends.

We also wanted to check out Splitsville so we walked over to the West Side to see what it was like.









The place looked pretty nice. I would love to go bowling there some day. They had the NCAA basketball tournament games on all the TVs (my dad's alma mater, well atleast his law school alma mater, Michigan, was playing in the Final Four!).

The only purchase I made of the evening was a new water bottle. Gotta have a Disney water bottle for school!

And then came the moment we were dreading. Saying good-bye to Emma again. Well actually, Dad was still going to be there for a few more days so it was only me saying good-bye. When we went to visit Emma during her first CP it was really hard for me, and honestly, up until the point when we got to her apartment complex, I was thinking maybe I'd make it without shedding a few tears. Yeah, that didn't last long. I couldn't help it. Even though I knew she was having the time of her life down there (and still is considering she's not coming home yet!) it's still strange leaving her there.

After dropping her off at her apartment, Dad and I drove back to BLT. I had to finish packing up my stuff to go home and Dad had to get his stuff together for moving day on Sunday (my mom and Claire were coming down and they were staying at the Boardwalk).




Sunday, April 7, 2013

All too soon, my departure day came. Our last day of being able to look out the window and see this.



Since we weren't going to go to any of the parks that morning we slept in a little bit. Once I was up and dressed, I decided to go have a little photo shoot around the resort grounds because we really hadn't walked around outside at all the whole time we were there! Crazy, right?! I couldn't leave BLT and not get some more pictures. So off I went.
























I loved all the artwork at BLT! When I got home I really thought about trying to make a picture like this but have yet to do it. How awesome would that be though?!


And why don't they sell these in the gift shop?! I bet they'd make a fortune.


It was such a perfect morning. I really did not want to have to go home. Ugh!

After a while, Dad met me and we went to get something to eat.



We both got some sort of breakfast sandwich. It was really good but way too big for me-I couldn't finish the whole thing.

Then we went back to our room one last time. I took a couple last-minute pictures of our view.

Good-bye, Splash Mountain.


Good-bye, Polynesian.


Dad helped me get my bags and walked me down to the bus stop for the Magical Express (or as some people refer to it, the Unmagical Express). Since it was earlier than my scheduled pick-up time we asked if I could possibly get on an earlier bus. They said that was no problem. I shed a few more tears when Dad said "I'll miss my Disney buddy." I mean really, did I have to go home?! So I got on the ME crying (which believe me, happens a lot...). It's just such a depressing moment, getting on that bus back to the airport. Is it just me or does EVERYONE always look sad and depressed? Sigh.

Other than my flight being delayed about an hour, the journey back home was uneventful. It was quickly back to reality since I had to go to school the next day and we had terrible weather at home that whole week (rainy and cold...no joke, I don't think the sun was out the whole week).

But, I had more great Disney memories from that trip: our spectacular view at Bay Lake Tower, my first time visiting New Fantasyland, the Flower and Garden Festival, great weather, and of course, seeing Emma again.

I know this trip report took forever to finish, but thanks to everyone who followed along. I appreciate all the views and comments. It's always fun sharing our adventures with my Disney friends. We'll see how I feel when we get home from this trip but like I said, I most likely won't do a full-blown TR. Maybe just some photo updates? You all know how much I've been dying to see those Christmas decorations again!

Since I'll be gone until next Wednesday, I hope everyone has a great new year!!!

 

[DisneyKid4Life]

Umm, yeah, the parking at DTD is horrible. It may not be too bad in the daytime, but definitely take a bus at night.

Aww that's so sweet that you got teary saying goodbye to your sister.

No it is not just you and everyone is depressed leaving.

I really feel your pain coming home. I've been 2 weeks and I think I've seen the sun once.

I hope you at least do some photo updates. That would be great. Can't get enough of those Christmas decorations.

Have a great trip Sarah!!!

 

[WDWaddictt]

Great trip report! Thanks for sharing!

No you are not the only one that gets depressed leaving there!

Have a great trip!!

 

[shalom]

Finally got caught up. You've been doing better on posting than I have at reading.

Yay! on the gifts and Disney merchandise. I really like the 2013 design with magician Mickey, so your laptop sleeve is my favorite.

Now we're planning on going in May 2015, and I'm still waffling about staying onsite, since if we do that we'd have to switch after a week, but your pics of BLT are really tempting me! We've enjoyed our offsite stays but of course we always stay in a condo where ever we are so it feels vacation-y to us. Most of the kids would rather stay offsite in a bigger place than stay onsite in a 2 BR DVC, so either I ignore their votes and hope the onsite magic makes up for it, or I count everyone's vote equal and stay offsite. *sigh*

They all love visiting the onsite resorts, at least.

Thanks for your great report. I have a hard time getting my own reports out, so really appreciate your hard work.

 

[marDgreen88]

Great TR! I loved all those BLT pics at the end. Perfect resort. Hope you're having an awesome trip right now!!!! (And I also hope you decide to do a TR.)

 

[jwwi]

I just love all those great pictures you took of the resort on your last day. Wow, what great pictures of Splash Mountain and the Poly. That view from your room was absolutely amazing!

I hope you are having an awesome time at SSR. And that you are enjoying the beautiful decorations all over the world. WDW that is Did you have a favorite decoration, experience or food you want to share with us?

You are only missing frigid cold weather here, so soak up the warmth.

I feel for you shedding tears when you leave Disney and your sister. I miss my daughter, and granddaughter terribly when I leave FL. It gets harder each and every trip. Ugh!

 

[emmysmommy]

Awwww Sarah I hope you are having an awesome time right now! There's nothing like medicating your Disney blues with another trip! (I saw some photos of the crowds at MK today - wowzers!)

That view from BLT - seriously awesome. We were fortunate enough that our Lake View was a partial MK view this last trip. Your zoomed photos of Spalsh and Poly were so cool! That's some zoom!

Love your photo tour. If you find a way to recreate those entry photo collages at BLT please accept my order now for one. I photograph those every time too. They don't change but I just love them so much. Also, every floor that we've been on I've got a collection of the elevator lobby art. I need to stay on the 2nd (don't want a std view though), 6th, 11th, and 12 floors. (I'm sure I've not stayed that many times but you get the idea!)

I hope you enjoy your time with family and getting to see Emma while you are there. I look forward to a few photos!

 

[OhMari]

It is hard going home, I think the worst is leaving the actual grounds! you just want to stay and live there forever.

I remember that week you came back home, because we left that Friday and we dressed so warm with blue jeans and sweatshirts. When we got to Florida we went to DtD and everyone was walking around in sundresses, shorts, t-shirts. It was hot and humid. Me and my dh both got jet lag really bad and we had to go to our resort to our room and crank on the air conditioner. We couldn't handle the heat.

Great pictures of the grounds, I love that picture of you sitting in the Mickey ears. I remember being so excited when I found it for the first time.