145 Middle Schoolers: Wicked Awesome or Epic Fail???DeParting-Such Sweet Sorrow p. 76

[natebenma]

No down time? OMG - I love down time, especially in the summer. A pool, a book, and a couple adult beverages and I am already to go again.

More cute pictures of Movies. I really would like to stay there some day.

Dinner looks yummy and yeah for Mickey bars!

We are a family of early risers (said the person posting at 5 in the morning)- we always hit rope drop (and usually the EMH rope drop) at whatever park we are visiting.

If we take an afternoon break, it is usually fairly short and consequently, we don't make it very late into parks at night. Perhaps that touring strategy will change now that the boys are in their teen/tween years.

I was burning the candle on both ends during this trip and I could definitely appreciate the benefit of an hour or two of downtime.

Okay so did you eat dessert first or did you scarf down dinner fast enough to avoid Mickey Bar Gespacho?

Personally I say eat the food with the shortest shelf life first.

Good philosophy!

Wanna hear something? When you are eating Mickey bars inside in the air conditioning (BTW- why do indoor spaces in warm climates have to be so COLD?!?) they don't melt into soup in miliseconds. So by the time I finished my meal, the chill was off the bar and it was perfect!

No drippage!

We stayed at ASMo for our first three trips with the kids (our family is too big for them now!). We enjoyed it each time. We did always pay for a preferred location (twice in Fantasia and once in Dalmatians), which was so handy with little ones. One of my all-time favorite memories was of my now 8-year-old when he was not quite two and he first saw the Toy Story courtyard. Those little eyes couldn't get any bigger, and he spent the entire time with his neck craned back so that he could see them.

We always used the dining plan, so I don't know if your vouchers were different, but they used to have a stamp at the cash register that they would use on your receipt if you wanted to get ice cream for dinner. You just took the receipt back when you were done and got it then. DH and I loved the little bakery counter where they had hard-scoop ice cream. Not very many people carry just plain old chocolate chip anymore, but they did, and you could get it in a waffle cone as your dessert. They FILLED those waffle cones, let me tell you! I'm glad you enjoyed it there - a lot of people don't seem to appreciate it.

I was blown away by the Toy Story section when I finally got there. How incredibly cool! I can totally understand how a 2 year old boy would love love love it!

Yes, they still have the stamp at the register allowing you to come back for your dessert. A friend who had gone on a past class trip reminded me of that and I'm really glad you brought it up since I forgot to mention that!

I didn't see the waffle cones, but I didn't really look that closely at the ice cream station (never made it past the freezer), but I did take a picture of the ice cream cookie sandwich that someone ordered. I think you could choose your cookies and your flavor of ice cream.

It was huge!

FINALLY caught up. I am having internet issues and everything is so dang slow.

Ick for Cosmic Rays...not the worst food ever...been there a few times myself...but when you are in the mood for DHH, it's a big difference.

I do like the Value food coursts though. They usually offer quite a bit more...which I never understand why deluxes don't. I mean they may have a Table service there, but you can't actually eat there without an ADR for the most part anyways.

The photobomb pic is cool. You should frame it and give it to that kid.

Sorry to hear about your internet issues. I hate it when you know what you want to do but the computer is conspiring against you!

I was skeptical at first about eating at the food court because when we stay at the BC, I find myself getting counter service around the world or at Sunshine Seasons, but there really was a lot to choose from, it was great for the teens and it was so EASY!

subbing in! Love your photos. I'm definitely going to try for the Splash Mountain shot...but it'll be my little guys first ride so I may have a clingon preventing me from capturing it!

The view from Splash right before the drop is so amazing! Enjoy your son's first ride, let him cling all he wants, and then if you get a chance to ride again during the trip, take the picture then.

You are welcome to borrow one of mine. (Better ones in my Muggles report- it is sunnier)

Great pictures of ASMo!! And I love the food court there.....it is one thing I miss staying at BC. Marketplace just doesn't have a great selection. Thankfully, this allows us to eat around the world at EP which is always a part of our plans!!

Everyone seemed to enjoy their meals at the food court. Everything I had was decent. So many things to choose from. But like you said, one of the things I love about stays at the BC is how quick and easy it is to get an interesting meal from EPCOT.

Great pictures of the resort! I think you may take more than me, I haven't taken menu pictures...yet.

My work on the BC/YC FAQ board has trained me to take pictures of everything!!! You never know what someone might want to see.

TV input jacks
closeup of the toiletries
coffee pods outside of their container for the Cuisinart machines at the Deluxes.
Menus, menus, menus

I'll have to go through my pictures to see what the most obscure picture I have is. Maybe the close-up of the iron. Or the change machine in the laundry room.

Enjoyed the pictures of Movies---never stayed there, but it looks cute. I really like that the food stations are named after theaters-neat touch Disney!

Movies was so incredibly well themed! We stayed at Music in 2008 and it wasn't nearly as interesting.

Ok, now I know the most obscure photo I took. Just outside of the ladies room was a poster for the movie Splash. The one for the mens room was 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.

Love the photos of the resort. Thanks for the tour!

Not sure I'm ready for an update with cockroach in the title. Blech

I wish it had been a bit sunnier when I was out taking pictures. The props really would have popped!

I'll try to give you a warning when I get to the cockroach part.


.

 

[luvpoohandcompany]

I am so sorry to hear about all of your unexpected expenses. It is strange (I was going to say funny, but it is NOT funny) how everything seems to go wrong at once.

Hoping things settle down for you.

Thanks for the kind words and sorry for the mini rant They nsay things happen in threes so hopefully I'm done now

Love how the food stations are themed! Looks like a pretty decent dinner too Cant wait til I'm eating a Mickey Bar!

 

[AnjieNet]

Love the 101 Dalmations section photos of AS-Movies. May have to request it this trip. But I'm wanting Love Bug so I can deck DD and yell "slug bug" every time we come back or leave the resort. The value food courts are great, especially with kids who always want something different no matter how hard you try. What a great variety! We usually eat at the food court at least once during our stay but we spend most of our time in the parks as well so it doesn't happen often.

That cookie ice cream sandwich looks very yummy and big enough for DD and I to split. Mmmm.

 

[eandesmom]

I typically don't do downtime, not because I don't want or need it but because invariably i am taking care of something for someone, or keeping an eye on certain someones that cannot be left alone. I dream of uninterrupted pool lounge time but it is just that. A dream.

Hence girls trips!

And cruises.

I am hoping this summer will be a little different with the kids being older but...there are waves involved so probably not.

Dee can't be still for an hour and a half huh? Great pictures, it is a very cute resort. However, variety aside, how did the dinner actually taste?

 

[mickeystoontown]

I love all of the pictures of the resort. It looks so cute! We've never stayed in a value resort but we have visited Pop for lunch. I like big food courts because they have a good selection to chose from.

You know that I'm with you on the lazing around and doing nothing....I ain't good at it! But, we do what we gotta do to keep everybody happy.

 

[Feckless]

Whoa, that ice cream sandwich was ALL KINDS of awesome! (drool)

Love your pictures, and I can't believe how great that food court was. It really shows that there are definite advantages to the value resorts. That's not the kind of menu I think of when I think of a food court!

Looking forward to your next installment!

 

[natebenma]

Thanks for the kind words and sorry for the mini rant They nsay things happen in threes so hopefully I'm done now

Love how the food stations are themed! Looks like a pretty decent dinner too Cant wait til I'm eating a Mickey Bar!

No problem- rant away if it helps!

I certainly hope you are all done with malfunctioning appliances and cracking windows.

Love the 101 Dalmations section photos of AS-Movies. May have to request it this trip. But I'm wanting Love Bug so I can deck DD and yell "slug bug" every time we come back or leave the resort. The value food courts are great, especially with kids who always want something different no matter how hard you try. What a great variety! We usually eat at the food court at least once during our stay but we spend most of our time in the parks as well so it doesn't happen often.

That cookie ice cream sandwich looks very yummy and big enough for DD and I to split. Mmmm.

The Dalmations section was way cute, but Toy Story blew me away! Over the Top doesn't begin to describe it.

I wouldn't stay at Love Bug just for the chance to yell "slug bug". A couple of years ago we played the punch buggie game with monorails- Red one! Punch. Silver one! Punch. Two for Tronorail.

Worst.Idea.Ever!

The cookie belonged to someone else. She offered to share, but I hadn't eaten yet, so I didn't try any. Definitely big enough for 2. Maybe even 3 or 4!

I typically don't do downtime, not because I don't want or need it but because invariably i am taking care of something for someone, or keeping an eye on certain someones that cannot be left alone. I dream of uninterrupted pool lounge time but it is just that. A dream.

Hence girls trips!

And cruises.

I am hoping this summer will be a little different with the kids being older but...there are waves involved so probably not.

Dee can't be still for an hour and a half huh? Great pictures, it is a very cute resort. However, variety aside, how did the dinner actually taste?

Better than Cosmic Rays!

The turkey dinner was very good, but just a little on the salty side.

The next night I had the toasted Italian sandwich with pasta salad, also very good.

One of my fellow chaperones had the salmon one night and the chicken pot pie with puff pastry another night. He said he enjoyed both of those. Some of the other chaperones ordered the design your own salad- one comment I heard was too many vegetables.

I still prefer the experience at the Beach Club more- we take out from Sunshine Seasons, France, the Tangierine Cafe/Morocco or the sushi place in Japan, and bring the food back to eat on our balcony.


Yes, very hard for me to sit still for 20 mintues. An hour and a half? Not gonna happen!

I love all of the pictures of the resort. It looks so cute! We've never stayed in a value resort but we have visited Pop for lunch. I like big food courts because they have a good selection to chose from.

You know that I'm with you on the lazing around and doing nothing....I ain't good at it! But, we do what we gotta do to keep everybody happy.

The theming was good. The food court was good. The buses were fine. The rooms were cute. But too small. Two double beds are not enough for our family.

I can definitely see that about you. Sitting still is not our strong suit! Thankfully, that's what cameras are for! Right?

Whoa, that ice cream sandwich was ALL KINDS of awesome! (drool)

Love your pictures, and I can't believe how great that food court was. It really shows that there are definite advantages to the value resorts. That's not the kind of menu I think of when I think of a food court!

Looking forward to your next installment!

The ice cream sandwich looked incredible. Disney knows how to do ice cream sandwiches. Well, at least how to plus-size them!

I never strayed from the Mickey Bar, so I can't tell you how good it was.

 

[eandesmom]

One of my fellow chaperones had the salmon one night and the chicken pot pie with puff pastry another night. He said he enjoyed both of those. Some of the other chaperones ordered the design your own salad- one comment I heard was too many vegetables.

so let me get that straight, it's design your own and there were too many vegetables? That the person picked when they designed their own?

I still prefer the experience at the Beach Club more- we take out from Sunshine Seasons, France, the Tangierine Cafe/Morocco or the sushi place in Japan, and bring the food back to eat on our balcony.

I don't have the patience for that, I want to eat it right after it is made or ordered, it always seems so much less fresh once I get it home (or to a hotel room) I know everyone loves Sunshine seasons but we have never been able to get into it. Tangerine and France...now that's a different story!

Yes, very hard for me to sit still for 20 minutes. An hour and a half? Not gonna happen!

you really should try, it's amazingly good for the soul.

 

[ProudMommyof2]

Yahoo!
So glad I found your TR! You are a brave lady, >100 8th graders and no control of the plan. Yikes!
When I heard they were enforcing FP return times a few months ago I instantly thought or your triple mountain whammy and wondered how you would adjust. Not be able to decide where and when would send me over the edge- not to mention 20 bladders

Can't wait for more!
Pam

 

[JanetMom]

Some of the other chaperones ordered the design your own salad- one comment I heard was too many vegetables.

Once again....

You had some hilarious travel companions.

 

[natebenma]

so let me get that straight, it's design your own and there were too many vegetables? That the person picked when they designed their own?

That's what someone said!

I don't have the patience for that, I want to eat it right after it is made or ordered, it always seems so much less fresh once I get it home (or to a hotel room) I know everyone loves Sunshine seasons but we have never been able to get into it. Tangerine and France...now that's a different story!

This!

And this!

The roasted beet and goat cheese salad with candied pecans from Sunshine Seasons is my 2nd favorite thing to eat in the World.

(If anyone is wondering, the first is the Macadamia Pineapple Pancakes at Kona)

But the takeoout from France did backfire on us one day. They wouldn't let us buy the creme brulee with our sandwiches because it would melt by the time we returned to the BC.

you really should try, it's amazingly good for the soul.

Remember- no adult beverages to enjoy during downtime for this trip!

Yahoo!
So glad I found your TR! You are a brave lady, >100 8th graders and no control of the plan. Yikes!
When I heard they were enforcing FP return times a few months ago I instantly thought or your triple mountain whammy and wondered how you would adjust. Not be able to decide where and when would send me over the edge- not to mention 20 bladders

Can't wait for more!
Pam

I'm glad you found me, too!



This was definitely a different trip for me. I wish I could say that I was able to roll with all of the punches, but sadly, no.

Too funny about the Triple Mountain Whammy. Mark is seriously distraught about the FP changes. We had a couple of excellent runs!

This trip was not a great indicator of how we will deal with those changes, since for the most part I was not involved in the FP process.

Once again....

You had some hilarious travel companions.

I hope none of them are reading along!

 

[Laffites Landing]

Whew Dee! Finally caught up with your trip report! Those are some great pictures. I think I need to purchase a waterproof camera for just those types of pictures on Splash the next time I go (maybe in 2 or 3 years )

Those pictures of All Star Movies Food Court almost make me want to stay there... Of course, after spending the last week and a half at the Yacht Club, our family doesn't even want to visit anywhere else... Maybe if I do a solo trip sometime.

Keep the gorgeous pictures coming.

 

[natebenma]

Whew Dee! Finally caught up with your trip report! Those are some great pictures. I think I need to purchase a waterproof camera for just those types of pictures on Splash the next time I go (maybe in 2 or 3 years )

Those pictures of All Star Movies Food Court almost make me want to stay there... Of course, after spending the last week and a half at the Yacht Club, our family doesn't even want to visit anywhere else... Maybe if I do a solo trip sometime.

Keep the gorgeous pictures coming.

Thanks so much for coming over to the report so soon after you arrived back home. And thanks for the compliments on the photos. I appreciate that!

I'm so glad your family enjoyed the Yacht Club! Can't say I blame 'em!

I love my little waterproof camera! I'm happy with the regular pictures it takes and it certainly came in handy a few times at the World. It sounds like a waterproof camera would have been helpful during parts of your trip as well!

 

[ddluvsdisney]

Well I am all caught up. DH and I went to Atlantic City for a mini mom and dad vacation.
Love the Splash pics!
I do have some of the same ones
Wow the resort really is cute! It would be appealing to little kids! Awesome theming. Although my DS11(the hockey freak) would absolutely LOVE the Mighty Ducks section. My nephews are gonna love staying there!
That looked like an awesome food court for a value. I can't believe they had salmon- we love salmon!
Down time- we NEED it or there will be major melt downs later! We are definately NOT commandos by any means
and down time at SAB is the BEST!!!!

 

[hill6]

Hi Dee

I am Debbie, you may have seen me posting on the Beach Club thread. We just booked 4 nights at AS Movies July 18-22. I was wondering if you noticed if the internet was Wifi in the rooms or if it is still the cable?

Love that you got to chaparone the trip with your son and have some backstage magic in Haunted Mansion. We have done the Backstage Magic tour and I recommend it to any Disney fanatic.

I sent my family the link to your pictures of ASM so they can see them. I also mentioned about the food pictures too. (Stayed at Pop last year and was impressed by their food court).

The whole idea to go to Disney was tossed out there at 9 am yesterday morning. I am so excited.

 

[natebenma]

Hi Dee

I am Debbie, you may have seen me posting on the Beach Club thread. We just booked 4 nights at AS Movies July 18-22. I was wondering if you noticed if the internet was Wifi in the rooms or if it is still the cable?

Love that you got to chaparone the trip with your son and have some backstage magic in Haunted Mansion. We have done the Backstage Magic tour and I recommend it to any Disney fanatic.

I sent my family the link to your pictures of ASM so they can see them. I also mentioned about the food pictures too. (Stayed at Pop last year and was impressed by their food court).

The whole idea to go to Disney was tossed out there at 9 am yesterday morning. I am so excited.

Hi Debbie!

I do recognize you from the BC thread and maybe past trip reports?

I didn't actually notice anything about the WiFi in the rooms. I have my phone with internet access, so I didn't really pay attention. Sorry. I bet the FAQ thread either has the info or someone there could answer.

Did you send the link to the pictures from this report? I have a few more, and others have lots, that are posted on the ASMovies photo thread.


All Star Movies Photo thread


You certainly won't starve at the food courts, and if you do it is your own fault. There was plenty to choose from!

Did the Backstage Magic go to HM? What else? It sounds like a really great tour. Especially if you don't have to sit through Stitch!

PS- Saw that you tried to msg me, but my inbox was full. I have cleared space.

.

 

[natebenma]

Well I am all caught up. DH and I went to Atlantic City for a mini mom and dad vacation.
Love the Splash pics!
I do have some of the same ones
Wow the resort really is cute! It would be appealing to little kids! Awesome theming. Although my DS11(the hockey freak) would absolutely LOVE the Mighty Ducks section. My nephews are gonna love staying there!
That looked like an awesome food court for a value. I can't believe they had salmon- we love salmon!
Down time- we NEED it or there will be major melt downs later! We are definately NOT commandos by any means
and down time at SAB is the BEST!!!!

How did you like Atlantic City? I have never been.

I was surprised by the resort. The theming was much better than Music. I thought the Mighty Duck pool was extremely clever.

Love taking that picture at the top of Splash!

The guy who ordered the Salmon said it was good. You could add the salmon (or chicken) to the design your own salad.

I can certainly understand the reasoning behind "downtime". I'm still not sure I'm a fan, though.

 

[hill6]

Dee I just pointed them towards your review. I will send the link to the other photos as well.

I will at the FAQ section about the internet.

You don't do a thing with HM in Backstage Magic. I wish it did. Most of the time in MK is spent in the utilidors and then you set to watch the parade. It does Epcot, DHS (backstage at TOT - best part), lunch at Whispering Canyon (skillets) and then MK. DH and I have done it twice (8 years apart) and alot of differences. You get to see costuming and other stuff too.

I live 90 miles North of Atlantic City. It is alright but we prefer Vegas. Most times the casinos have $10+ tables. Vegas you can almost always find a $5 table. DH and I are going there tomorrow. We have tickets to the Styx, Reo Speedwagon and Ted Nugent concert at Borgata. We are staying there too.

 

[natebenma]

Dee I just pointed them towards your review. I will send the link to the other photos as well.

I will at the FAQ section about the internet.

You don't do a thing with HM in Backstage Magic. I wish it did. Most of the time in MK is spent in the utilidors and then you set to watch the parade. It does Epcot, DHS (backstage at TOT - best part), lunch at Whispering Canyon (skillets) and then MK. DH and I have done it twice (8 years apart) and alot of differences. You get to see costuming and other stuff too.

I live 90 miles North of Atlantic City. It is alright but we prefer Vegas. Most times the casinos have $10+ tables. Vegas you can almost always find a $5 table. DH and I are going there tomorrow. We have tickets to the Styx, Reo Speedwagon and Ted Nugent concert at Borgata. We are staying there too.

Backstage Magic does sound cool. Have you done Keys to the Kingdom or whatever that tour is? If so, how do the two compare?

Have fun at the concert! Brings me back to my high school days- Mark and I saw REO Speedwagon in concert and Styx a couple of times. (And a double bill of Loverboy and Twisted Sister, but I prefer to lock that one away in the vault...)

 

[hill6]

Dee we have only done Backstage Magic so I can't answer how they compare. You would have to go to the descriptions for each. I can say Backstage is the longest tour and you don't require park admission like some of the other do.

We have gone to alot of concerts in recent years. We live about 10 miles from a popular arena in Jersey. We have seen Styx, Reo, Foreigner, Journey, Boston, Heart, Lynard Skynard, George Thorogood, Meatloaf, and Kid Rock there within the last five years. I know there have been others but those stick out. A number of them we have been multiple times. We have also seen Bon Jovi, Paul McCartney, and Billy Joel in the last few years as well at other arenas.