What a great picture!!!! It looks sooo good!! I have a question about your camera settings, how did you get the entire background to be blurry??? Is it a special setting or the lens?? Thanks!!
My husband borrowed a camera from work and was taking pictures with it so I don't know what they were. I begged him to take that drink picture and the first couple of ones were blurry so he was having a hissy fit. I'm surprised he got it after all the fuss.
Thanks DancinDaisyDuck for the mention of our recent upgrade at YC on the prior thread last week.
Living room with a faux fireplace:
This room looks like it belongs in Downton Abbey! Thanks for sharing the pictures!
Ninjamom, hope your trip was great.
So true about forecasts in Florida!
Since you asked
..... I'll give you the report on my trip which does contain a drop or two about the BC!
This was a family trip so the line up was us, my Dad and My brother, his wife and niece 3.5 and Nephew 6, who fundamentally refuse to comprehend why it's important to get to the parks at rope drop. SIL was 'disappointed' in the heavy crowds and long lines
she experienced because she would finally get to the parks at 11 am. I discovered that you can tell some people what they need to know but it will only finally dawn on them as they are standing in line for an hour for a ride that you did 3 times in a row at rope drop.
PS the crowd levels this week were only a 5!
We arrived Sunday and sat around all afternoon waiting for SIL and brother and the kids to get back from their shopping trip. Then they decided that they wanted to go swimming so no parks for us and in we went to the POFQ pool.
Monday I managed to get everybody to DHS with dire warnings of long lines and missed attractions if we didn't get there at rope drop. We got FP for TSM 15 minutes before the park opened and the return time was already at 10:40 am. Note that we pulled these FP at 15 Mins BEFORE PARK OPENING!!! WE did all the kiddy stuff like the playhouse thing and the mermaid thing and the Sorcerer Mickey meet and then we had lunch at Hollywood and Vine and met Handy Manny, Jake and Sofia, all of whom I have no idea who they are but niece and nephew were thrilled.
WHOOP, WHOOP, WARNING!!! BEACH CLUB CONTENT, BEACH CLUB CONTENT.
After lunch pin trading fiend son, DH and I took the boat back to the Beach Club while every one else was on their own finding their way back to POFQ. I got in line at Hurricane Hannah's for a Sunkin treasure and we walked in via the Yacht Club so son could pin trade his way across the resort. We found Teena and gave her a big hug, chatted a little while and then let the other guests have at her. Son and I were making dog eyes at DH in an attempt to convince him to add on a night or two at the BC as resort days for one of the upcoming trips. So far no dice but we shall see!
We went back to POFQ for a rest and then hit Epcot at night for EMH and did Soaring, where one of my sons caught the golf ball and blew my 6 y.o. nephew's mind. Nephew was going back and forth between believing and not believing but what sealed the deal was when we asked the CM at the exit if we had to return the golf ball in case the golfer still needed it. With out missing a beat the CM said "No you caught it, you get to keep it" and nephew's jaw hit the floor once more. The whole way home he kept talking about how he could not believe DS caught the ball!
Tuesday the storm of the century was forecast with heavy down pours and wind gusts containing Dorothy and Toto. SIL and Brother dithered about what to do, but really, the plan turned out to be that they would dump the kids on us while they went OUTSIDE to run. So we couldn't go to the parks until they got back. All day they still kept
NOT telling us when and where they wanted to go on the FAMILY trip. That night we went to Chef Mickey's where I got back at them by making them wear Chef's hats while we were at the restaurant. All of us looked really cute and I'm really glad I thought of the idea!
we went to MK after that and split up. I watched the Fireworks and danced my cheeks off at the Tomorrowland dance party. Apparently my dancing was so special my family was instantly able to spot me in the crowd and good sense finally prevailed as they dragged me home.
Wednesday.
FISHING TRIP!!!!! We booked a fishing trip through Disney recreation and let me tell you
this was the highlight of the trip! We left via the Contemporary hotel to fish in Bay lake for large mouth bass. The trip was 2 hours with a guide and all of the equipment that was needed, including sodas and water. The guide showed us what to do and baited/removed from the fish our hooks and was an all around wonderful, fun guy. My Dad fishes all the time now that he is retired and he LOVED this trip. In 2 hours we caught 15 fish! Dad said that was a banner day and that even up in Canada, where he goes fishing, there is never that much action.
If you are thinking of going fishing definitely book this trip at WDW. It was action packed and no stress what so ever! I highly recommend it!
P.S. The fact that I caught the biggest fish (20 inches) in no way influences my report.
PPS. Ask for Dan from Ohio!
My niece had gone to Bibbidi bobbiddi so we went to Akershus that night for a Princess dinner. They Princesses spent so much time with her so that was really cool to see. IMHO Akershus is THE BEST Princess dinner and the food is fit for a king!
Thursday. By this point we had ditched doing the parks with SIL and Bro and hit AK at rope drop with my Dad. Dad is really into animals so we did the Safari, ran over to Everest where I learned that my 76 y.o. dad is still loving the coasters. Then we did bugs life, flights of wonder and found SIL and brother eating lunch at Yak/Yeti counter service. They got to the parks late but managed to get a FP for the safari. They rode Everest using the FP that we had gotten for ourselves but we gave to them since they were so late. SIL was complaining that she had to wait close to 40 minutes to get on the safari using FP. It was at this point my Dad joined the Greek chorus, singing the praises of rope drop and no lines.... to no avail! Some people will never get it.
Thursday night we had dinner at Garden grill. I was getting a little bored waiting for characters after we ate. I noticed that we were over the Buffalo scene in the Living with the Land ride so every time a boat would float by I started Mooing loudly hoping that the kids in the boat would think that Disney buffalo "Moo". If I must say so myself, I am quite the talented moo-er so the sound effect was probably very convincing. My family pretended not to know me but the people around us in the upper row of the restaurant realized what I was doing and showed their appreciation for my excellent mooing skills.
Wisely (and to prevent a homicide on my part) we split up after dinner and I convinced my dad and husband and pin trader fiend son to watch the fireworks with me. Dad, who has an aversion to the mass exodus after the fireworks was at first unwilling to stay for them so I tried to convince him that my moo-ing would part the crowds like the red sea and we would get a seat on the bus by the sheer fact that no one would want to sit next to the lady that was moo-ing. Dad wasn't buying this line of bull so I told him I had a better plan. At this point in the trip my Dad is catching on that I do know a thing or two about touring Disney so he followed me no questions asked. My husband however still needed it spelled out so I told him we would watch the FW in Japan up on the balcony, exit at the international gate, show Dad the Boardwalk area and take him on a tour of the Beach Club.... which is exactly what we did. Dad figured out that Beaches and Cream is an ice cream place and he has a sweet fang for the frozen concoctions so he treated us to a dining plan snack credit in the take out line. It was GREAT sitting at an outside table, soaking up the ambiance by Storm Along bay and eating ice cream with temperatures in the windy 50's. No really.... it was GREAT!!! We showed Dad the resort and bypassed the buses by taking a cab back to the resort. Thundering, exiting herds avoided!
Friday. At this point it was Dad, DH, the boys and me off to the parks and the rest of the bodies were back at the resort littering the beds. We did rope drop at MK and headed for the mountains. The boys wanted to do Space Mountain and unwisely the adults followed. At one point my back cracked so hard that it actually felt better, so I felt compelled to show my health insurance card upon exiting the ride and I asked where I could send the co-pay. Walking away from Space Mountain all the adults swore NEVER to ride that thing again, but with all of the brain damage suffered later on Rock and Roll roller coaster that was a promise that was quickly forgotten. We did the Jungle Cruise. My dad is in love with all of those corny jokes and tried to top the guide with his quips. Thankfully we were in the back of the boat so the guide never heard him. I have been caught in many of a corny joke and pun filled throw down with my Dad and needless to say it's not pretty. Some of the quips are really scrapping the bottom of the proverbial barrel, just like the ones on the Jungle Cruise ride! Then we did Big Thunder, Pirates, Big Thunder and Big Thunder AGAIN before heading over to the Haunted Mansion and Columbia Harbor House for lunch.
Friday night we hit the Biergarten for dinner and danced like fools to the 'Oom pah band. We then went over to Hollywood Studios for more coasters. SIL and Bro held us hostage trying to decide what they wanted to do just long enough for the first Fantasmic to let out and clog up the Tower of Terror and RnR coaster lines. Then they decided that they didn't want to do the coasters after all and they would do Muppets. (Thanks!) Keep in mind I'm holding my tongue the whole time.
Dad, Pin fiend and I went to RnR coaster and jumped in the single rider line where we waited about 20 mins for them to clear a bad car from the track. After that Dad had enough and ventured home on the buses by himself and Pin fiend went to Star tours while I went to my favorite, the Tower of Terror. Pin and I met up at the great movie ride and booked it back to RnR coaster for one more aneurysm before the park closed.
Saturday. I had wanted to do the countries in the international showcase so I said I was going to do this at 11 when the park opened in that area. SIL started talking about how she wanted to come so I told her that we had to leave at 10 am and that we would meet her there. Needless to say I didn't even bother knocking the next morning to see if she was awake (nope). I was kind of surprised when the only one that wanted to go was my DAD! Go Dad!!!! He and I were the last ones standing! We got there at 11, did the movie at Canada and peeped in England to see if
Mary Poppins was awake. When she was no where to be seen we figured she was recovering after another late night, roof top rendezvous with Burt. Next we did the movie in France and had lunch at the new bakery, which was fabulous! I had the ham and cheese croissant and dad had the Croque Monsieur and we both had the chocolate mousse. I also remembered to bring my refillable mug so I could stash my Grand Marnier slushy in it and sip at my leisure. I got this one with my cell phone and I think the setting was on either food or landscape. (just kidding about the food setting but wouldn't that be useful to have on a cell phone?)
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Saturday night we had dinner at that insane asylum known as Rain Forest Crappe at Downtown Disney. OMG the noise levels alone were louder that sitting on top of a jet engine. I have this philosophy where everyone goes "Disney deaf" from the noise levels in the parks and hotels. The RFC blew what hearing I had left completely away. After dinner I did a little shopping where I was amazed to find a line of family members who FINALLY felt compelled to FOLLOW me just at the very time I needed them to get lost. I tried lingering in the girly sections but every time I turned around they were still there, rolling their eyes at me and asking if I was almost finished. I tried to ditch them at guest services but the line there was 1 person long for the first time in WDW history and my question was answered too quickly for them to get bored and leave. Finally in disgust I turned on them and said something to the effect that I had to buy feminine protection products and would they like to help? My Dad ran screaming from the store and the rest of them soon got the idea to back away slowly and
leave me alone.
Sunday. We had packed the night before so we had plenty of time to lay in the bed and moan and groan about all the things that hurt and how full we were from the dining plan and how we were never, ever, EVER! going to ride Space Mountain again. The Magical DEpress was coming to drag us away (well... drag ME away) at lunch time so we had one more shot at the food court at POFQ Mmm, mmm! That muffeletta is some good eatin!
SIL and Bro were actually up early on this day so at least we didn't have to leave them behind as we danced through the TSA line. Southwest only lost 2 of our bags and we did get them back so that was... um
something?
As for me I've been in a Disney Coma all week, riding Laundry Mountain and sniffing empty refillable mugs for the last fumes of that slushy. I know I'll be back again soon...... so as soon as I'm upright I'll start training for the next trip, this time with out too much family but with a lot of Darth Vader and Yoda. It's amazing how you have to beat your children out of bed to go shopping at DTD but they are the first in line to trash talk with Darth Vader.
When last I left her, my SIL was talking about coming back at Spring break one year. My Dad said "If you liked the (non) crowds on this trip you're going to LOVE the crowds then". I just slinked away saving my breath for American Idol. I think I'm going to perform "Chain of Fools".
~NM
Anyway, what is your challenge? I will do my best given the constraints of family and time. 
to this thread! I'll add you and your family to the Be Our Guest list on Page 1.
I have been a lurker on the Dis for years, but I decided it is time for my first post! We visit WDW every year. Usually we stay at POFQ or BWV. This year we are staying at BCV and we are so excited! We will be there May 26-June 1. I have loved reading this thread. Thank you for all the info and great advice. Can't wait for May!
Fellow Chicagoans, better you than me shoveling this week. 
Was it a pretty snowfall? Ninjamom, hope your trip was great. 
