12 Days in Florida -- Disney World and Marco Island

[KatMark]

nice posts...

Thank you.

I finally had the chance to read through your whole report. I'm still trying to catch up after being gone for the week! LOL It sounds like you & Mark got to ride so many rides while still relaxing in WDW. Your pics of Marco Island are great! It must of been nice to relax after spending a few days in the parks.

I will answer all your questions and more when I write my TR.... which I am going to start 'write' now!!!!!!!

Thanks, Tim. And I'm so happy you've started your trip report. As I told you over there, Juliana is more beautiful this year than she was. And, in my eyes, she will always be our CSR Girl!!!!

Kathy, I've been following your posts forever on the CSR thread and just now read your trip report! The CSR thread convinced me to stay for part of our girls' only trip with my two DDs. Part of our days actually overlapped with your stay there too. It was awesome minus our experiences with the Pepper Market, but we would go back in a heartbeat! I loved reading your trip report and even though the photos are the same whenever you look at them, they had "we were there....at that very same time!" energy. Does that make sense? I was reliving my WDW experience going through your thread. My older DD came down with H1N1 the day we got back and was very sick, so I really didn't have that Disney "let down", I didn't have a chance to even think about it. We're just now talking about all our good times and remembering our special time and all the excitement that goes with it. I'm thinking in a few days is when the post-Disney blues will set in.

I loved following your trip and the hats!! I showed DD all the photos of the hats and she got such a kick out of it, she has SCORES of hat photos from this trip!! There were times when I actually flipped out in stores because I would turn around and she would be gone. She would be off taking a photo of herself with as many hats as she could! They are hysterical! After a while, I would look for the hats and there she would be! She is really sad she did not spy the moose hats outside of Canada!
You and Mark ARE a wonderful couple and I enjoyed sharing in your special trip. You did look very relaxed after Marco Island!
I was actually kind of sad when your report came to a close...like watching a great movie you don't want to end! I hope to one day be brave enough to tackle a trip report and or dining review.

I'm such a "Mousejunkie", I was there 3 times this year and would keep going back and back and back and would love to make CSR a part of that, I'm trying to restrain on Disney for a while since we really would like to save up for a trip to Hawaii or Alaska someday...(somehow affiliated with Disney, of course!)
Thanks for sharing!

Minniebeth, thank you for your very warm and funny post. You touched my heart. I wish I had known you were at the CSR...we could have hooked up.
I hope your daughter is all better now...that must have been scary.

You could do a mini-review of the two places you stayed and post a few pictures of DD in her hats (hint hint--we want a report).

I know what you mean about being a "Mousejunkie"...I wish we could do more than once a year. Mark will be 57 in January and is seriously considering early retirement at age 62; so if that happens only five more years until we move to Florida and we'll be much closeer to the World.

Watch for deals at Disney...maybe you could do a few nights like we did and still do Alaska or Hawaii.

 

[aaaateamsgrandma]

Kathy, I so enjoyed all of your wonderful pictures. You do a fantastic job. I would love to have a vacation like that. Do Disney and then go relax some where. Disney is such a fun trip but not necessarily a relaxing one.

That had to be fun to do a Dis Meet. There are several of us who really want to do that.

You and Mark seem like such a fun couple. And I love Cookie. I know exactly what you go thru when you leave and can't take her with you. Our Princess pouts for days when we get home.

Have a great day and hopefully I will get to chat during the day.

Ginny

 

[KatMark]

Kathy, I so enjoyed all of your wonderful pictures. You do a fantastic job. I would love to have a vacation like that. Do Disney and then go relax some where. Disney is such a fun trip but not necessarily a relaxing one.

That had to be fun to do a Dis Meet. There are several of us who really want to do that.

You and Mark seem like such a fun couple. And I love Cookie. I know exactly what you go thru when you leave and can't take her with you. Our Princess pouts for days when we get home.

Have a great day and hopefully I will get to chat during the day.

Ginny

Thanks, Ginny. I'm just catching up on all my "subscribed" threads this evening after concentrating on catching up on Lisa's trip report.

We will do the same type next year (God willing)...Disney then back to Marco Island.

Mark and I have a blast all the time...but especially at Disney. I saw "your" hat pictures on your thread--they are great...love the expressions.

 

[aaaateamsgrandma]

Thanks, Ginny. I'm just catching up on all my "subscribed" threads this evening after concentrating on catching up on Lisa's trip report.

We will do the same type next year (God willing)...Disney then back to Marco Island.

Mark and I have a blast all the time...but especially at Disney. I saw "your" hat pictures on your thread--they are great...love the expressions.

I put more hat pics up tonight.

Don and I have been married almost 42 years and we love to travel and be together. But as I'm sure you can tell we love being with our children and grandchildren. If I could have a commune somewhere and all my family could be with me I would be at my happiest.

 

[KatMark]

I put more hat pics up tonight.

Don and I have been married almost 42 years and we love to travel and be together. But as I'm sure you can tell we love being with our children and grandchildren. If I could have a commune somewhere and all my family could be with me I would be at my happiest.

Yes, I saw the additional hat pictures. We enjoyed our trips with the kids and we now enjoy the trips without the kids. Once they get settled and married (if that ever happens ), we look forward to going to Disney with them and their families (our oldest has already told us that I am in charge of planning all Disney vacations). My youngest, who is 21 and in college, has not been since 2000; he wants to go in May of 2011 when he graduates college before he starts teaching special ed. He wants to be able to "drink" around the world. We have already told him we will take him as his graduation gift.

 

[aaaateamsgrandma]

Yes, I saw the additional hat pictures. We enjoyed our trips with the kids and we now enjoy the trips without the kids. Once they get settled and married (if that ever happens ), we look forward to going to Disney with them and their families (our oldest has already told us that I am in charge of planning all Disney vacations). My youngest, who is 21 and in college, has not been since 2000; he wants to go in May of 2011 when he graduates college before he starts teaching special ed. He wants to be able to "drink" around the world. We have already told him we will take him as his graduation gift.

We were bad parents and took our kids to Vegas when they turned 21. I'm sending you a pm. I'm not sure what to think.

 

[KatMark]

We were bad parents and took our kids to Vegas when they turned 21. I'm sending you a pm. I'm not sure what to think.

My 21 year old has traveled more places than me (not counting Wisconsin, Minnesota and Indiana which are close to us), I've been to Missouri, Hawaii, Vegas and Florida. Markie (I say Markie to distinguish him from his father) has been to Oklahoma, North Dakota, Florida, Wisconsin, Minneosta, Indiana, Texas, California, Michigan, the Bahamas (twice), on a Caribbean cruise and to Canada. He wanted to go to Vegas when he turned 21 in May but the timing wouldn't work with his staying in Dubuque for the summer and working and getting ready for the wrestling season (which may now not even happen with his injury); he also doesn't need to go to Vegas -- he has two casinos in Dubuque he can go to which he does every couple of weekends...he takes $25 with him and if he loses it, he leaves; if he is winning and gets up to $150 he stops. Good boy!

 

[aaaateamsgrandma]

My 21 year old has traveled more places than me (not counting Wisconsin, Minnesota and Indiana which are close to us), I've been to Missouri, Hawaii, Vegas and Florida. Markie (I say Markie to distinguish him from his father) has been to Oklahoma, North Dakota, Florida, Wisconsin, Minneosta, Indiana, Texas, California, Michigan, the Bahamas (twice), on a Caribbean cruise and to Canada. He wanted to go to Vegas when he turned 21 in May but the timing wouldn't work with his staying in Dubuque for the summer and working and getting ready for the wrestling season (which may now not even happen with his injury); he also doesn't need to go to Vegas -- he has two casinos in Dubuque he can go to which he does every couple of weekends...he takes $25 with him and if he loses it, he leaves; if he is winning and gets up to $150 he stops. Good boy!

We have all travelled a lot. That is my favorite thing to do. We only have one decent casino in our area and you only have to be 18 to go. It's about an hour away. We used to go down to Tunica, MS quite a bit but it's a 5 1/2 hour drive and rooms aren't as cheap as they are in Vegas. We have direct flights thru Allegiant Air for pretty decent prices. (that is how we go to Orlando too). I have taught my kids to start with x amount of money when its gone its gone. If you win anything more than you started with put it in your pocket and keep playing with your start money. Speaking of wins. I won the 50/50 drawing at the football game again tonight. I won 2 weeks ago $292 and this week was only $124. That's ok. It's still a win.

Have a good weekend. Tomorrow is house cleaning day for me. Don is going to go watch Andrew at his soccer tournement.

Ginny

 

[that's nice]

Thanks, Tim. And I'm so happy you've started your trip report. As I told you over there, Juliana is more beautiful this year than she was. And, in my eyes, she will always be our CSR Girl!!!!

Awwww thanks Kathy! I hope to make it back to CSR someday! Hopefully sooner than later... we really enjoyed ourselves there! Now if I can only win powerball!!!

 

[KatMark]

Awwww thanks Kathy! I hope to make it back to CSR someday! Hopefully sooner than later... we really enjoyed ourselves there! Now if I can only win powerball!!!

You will make it back. It was Juliana's favorite -- and she is the CSR Girl! Hey, don't forget your "friends" if you win the powerball.

 

[4Pluto]

I finally got a few quiet moments to finish reading the TR. You all had such a good time, it's infectious.

I really liked the pictures of the manatee. We have a standing joke in our family that all nature pictures show either dots in the distance (the dot could be an eagle, or a moose, or whale) or the rear ends of animals as they disappear out of sight. Without labels no one would ever know why we had pictures of woods or sky or water in our photo albums.

 

[KatMark]

I finally got a few quiet moments to finish reading the TR. You all had such a good time, it's infectious.

I really liked the pictures of the manatee. We have a standing joke in our family that all nature pictures show either dots in the distance (the dot could be an eagle, or a moose, or whale) or the rear ends of animals as they disappear out of sight. Without labels no one would ever know why we had pictures of woods or sky or water in our photo albums.

Thanks.

Mark had been upset the first morning when I saw dolphins and he didn't...so he never let me forget that he saw the manatee and how close he was for him to take pics. I hope you'll do a trip report when you go in a few months.

 

[longing2Batdisney]

Hi Kathy!
I finally took the time to finish your TR! sorry it took so long...
loved your report and so much fun...I love the hat pictures, the dumbo ride, oh heck all of it!!! I really enjoyed your Marco Island pics...we are suppose to have a Manatee in the lake here but we have yet to find it he may have gone back to FL

Thank you for sharing your magical adventure...AKL is my deluxe dream resort and if I'm not mistaken POFQ quite pool is at POR but I'll have to check on that one!research done: POFQ has one pool and the hot tub (that is what I thought--I didn't remember seeing a second pool); POR has its main pool and FIVE quiet pools according to the thread on POFQ all POR/POFQ guest can use all the pools and activities... (p.s. I did this for myself as well...Danny really wants to stay at POFQ again & I want to try CBR or CSR)

Connie

 

[KatMark]

Hi Kathy!
I finally took the time to finish your TR! sorry it took so long...
loved your report and so much fun...I love the hat pictures, the dumbo ride, oh heck all of it!!! I really enjoyed your Marco Island pics...we are suppose to have a Manatee in the lake here but we have yet to find it he may have gone back to FL

Thank you for sharing your magical adventure...AKL is my deluxe dream resort and if I'm not mistaken POFQ quite pool is at POR but I'll have to check on that one!research done: POFQ has one pool and the hot tub (that is what I thought--I didn't remember seeing a second pool); POR has its main pool and FIVE quiet pools according to the thread on POFQ all POR/POFQ guest can use all the pools and activities... (p.s. I did this for myself as well...Danny really wants to stay at POFQ again & I want to try CBR or CSR)

Connie

Thanks for coming over, Connie. And I'm so glad you enjoyed the report. It is the first one I've ever done (I've done dining reviews the last two years and reviews of our stay at the CSR, but never a "full" trip report).

Thanks for the POFQ pool info. I didnt' think they had a quiet pool...at least from what we saw and that hot tub was really small. If we were to stay there, I wouldn't want to be walking to PO to use their pools and hubby has to have his quiet pool!

I'm still torn on the AKL/CSR/Marco decision, but we have plenty of time to decide.

 

[praisehisname]

I just found your report today, and I get all the way through and it's over...boo! Oh well, it sounds like you had a great vacation!

Denise

 

[KatMark]

I just found your report today, and I get all the way through and it's over...boo! Oh well, it sounds like you had a great vacation!

Denise

Thanks for coming over Denise. Yes, we had a great vacation. A few people (won't mention names) have been bugging me to add more pictures (I took over 500 pictures in four days), so I may add more in the next day or two with a brief description.

Thanks again.

 

[cyndixo]

Awesome report ......thanks for the pictures

 

[KatMark]

Awesome report ......thanks for the pictures

Thank you...I'm glad you enjoyed.

 

[KatMark]

We got our Photopass pictures today and thought I'd post a few of them at the end of my report:

 

[KatMark]

And a few more: