2400 pictures! Beach Club, Universal, and Bay Lake Tower Grand Villa-COMPLETE!

[dr&momto2boys]

Wow, that sounds fabulous. How long is the cruise? Have the kids been on a cruise before?

It's just a 3 night cruise. DH thought we'd be bored spending 12 days at WDW without going on this cruise. I'd never be bored at Disney! The only reason it crossed his mind was because we took a 7 day cruise last September and booked a "dummy" cruise onboard to get a discount of our next Disney cruise. (A "dummy" cruise means we chose a random date as late as possible in the future knowing we could move it to something we decided we wanted later.)

Now I'm going to have to do at least a partial trip report to share our AKV concierge experience. It makes up a little for missing the Magic & Merriment event.

 

[dd50]

I didn't know what a dummy cruise was. Thanks for explaining it. A 3 day cruise sounds nice. I do hope you get nice weather. It has been beautiful here the last few days. I do think that summer is finally gone.

 

[Lisa29]

I'm still here and would definitely read a trip report including a cruise! And for a surprise 6th birthday trip too!

We just got back from our trip (so so sad to be back home ) and we got to stay in a grand villa for our last 5 nights - wow are they amazing!!!

So envious of you and do hope to read about it. That is, if you have time with three little ones and another on the way. (So pleased by the way to see your date of 15 weeks, 6 days.) Do you mind me asking, have you had any scans yet? We get one around 12 weeks and a second at around 20 (where they can tell you the gender if you want to know) and that's it providing everything goes ok. Just wondered how it worked in the US.

 

[dr&momto2boys]

I'm still here and would definitely read a trip report including a cruise! And for a surprise 6th birthday trip too!

We just got back from our trip (so so sad to be back home ) and we got to stay in a grand villa for our last 5 nights - wow are they amazing!!!

So envious of you and do hope to read about it. That is, if you have time with three little ones and another on the way. (So pleased by the way to see your date of 15 weeks, 6 days.) Do you mind me asking, have you had any scans yet? We get one around 12 weeks and a second at around 20 (where they can tell you the gender if you want to know) and that's it providing everything goes ok. Just wondered how it worked in the US.

Where did you stay? I'd love to see more GV pics. We've stayed in the GV at BWV and BLT (of course.) Hope to do others some day too. Those are the places we own and can book at 11 months. I don't know if there's a chance of getting into others without them being our home.

I had a scan a little less than a week ago and found out that this baby is a girl! Would have been fine either way, but it's kind of nice to even things up around here. Maybe this should be our last baby now that everyone has a ride partner.

 

[LaurenLC]

Where did you stay? I'd love to see more GV pics. We've stayed in the GV at BWV and BLT (of course.) Hope to do others some day too. Those are the places we own and can book at 11 months. I don't know if there's a chance of getting into others without them being our home.

I had a scan a little less than a week ago and found out that this baby is a girl! Would have been fine either way, but it's kind of nice to even things up around here. Maybe this should be our last baby now that everyone has a ride partner.

Awww, congratulations on a little girl! Do you all have a name picked out yet?

 

[dr&momto2boys]

Awww, congratulations on a little girl! Do you all have a name picked out yet?

Thank you! Sweet little girl you've got there! We haven't agreed upon a name yet. We're notorious for changing it at the last minute anyway. DH likes Zoe, but I'm not sold on it. (If we had boy/girl twins I said I'd go for Zach and Zoe--slim chance--I figured I was safe.) I kinda like Lily, but DH says "no." The middle name will be Elaine. That's my middle name and she will be the 4th generation to carry that on. Any recommendations?

 

[Lisa29]

Where did you stay? I'd love to see more GV pics. We've stayed in the GV at BWV and BLT (of course.) Hope to do others some day too. Those are the places we own and can book at 11 months. I don't know if there's a chance of getting into others without them being our home.

I had a scan a little less than a week ago and found out that this baby is a girl! Would have been fine either way, but it's kind of nice to even things up around here. Maybe this should be our last baby now that everyone has a ride partner.

We stayed at Kidani (2 bed villa) for 5 nights, Vero beach for 2 nights, a marriott for 1 night, royal pacific at universal for 1 night and then BLT for the last 5. We were actually staying on DVC points but were upgraded as we were messed about the whole day (my mum and dad checked in at 11am) and at 7.30pm after going out for dinner our allocated room still wasn't ready. We were on floor 15 but I can't remember the number. We were non magic kingdom side, 2 villas away from the elevators.

I actually remembered from reading your TR that we could go out our upstairs door on the 16th floor to get to the observation deck without going downstairs. We were seriously spoilt and it will be difficult to stay anywhere else!!

Congratulations on finding out you are having a girl! It will be nice with the boys being close in age and then the girls too. Jacob, Max, Ella and Zoe does have a nice ring to it....

 

[dr&momto2boys]

Just back from our 1st Christmastime trip! Can you believe I didn't take even one picture?!!! I did video instead. We'll see how it turns out. I'll do a TR but it will be faster that last time. Inserting the pictures was the time consuming part. I'll see if I'm smart enough to include some video clips. Hopefully I'll start it this afternoon.

Here are the highlights (then I'll start a new TR and post the link here.)

The best 12 Days of Christmas ever!
1 Animal Kingdom Lodge--club level, Jingle Jungle Parade
2 Sunrise Safari, Surprise Wonder cruise for 6yr old's B-Day
3 Wonder
4 Wonder- Castaway Cay
5 ICE!? Sheraton Vistana Resort, 1900 Park Fare
6 Harry Potter at Universal, Macy's Parade
7 Magic Kingdom, Liberty Tree Tavern, Hoop Dee Doo Revue
8 Epcot Future World, Chef Mickey's
9 Downtown Disney, T-Rex, Mickey's Christmas Party
10 Boardwalk Villas, DHS
11 Epcot World Showcase, Candlelight Processional w/ Whoopi
12 Breakfast w/ the Grinch, more Universal
13 Home--snow storm?

Let me know if you plan to join in. It will motivate me to get it DONE! (And to figure out how to insert video links!) Thanks!

 

[LaurenLC]

Hope you had a great trip! I would love to read your trip report! How are you feeling these days? You're half way done!

 

[dr&momto2boys]

Hope you had a great trip! I would love to read your trip report! How are you feeling these days? You're half way done!

I'm feeling good except I 've either got food poisoning or some virus affecting my stomach. Glad to be to 20 weeks--it can't go fast enough for me!

How are you feeling 6 months into a new baby? I never feel "normal" until about a year after.

Since I'm not feeling well, it will take me longer than I thought to get the next TR going. I still have to investigate the video stuff. Oh yeah, and get ready for Christmas!

 

[mermaid764]

I loved this trip report and am looking so forward to your next one

Sorry to hear you haven't been feeling well, hopefully that passes soon.

How exciting that you'll be having another girl

 

[Lisa29]

Sorry for posting so late but yes will definitely read if you decide to do a TR from this most recent trip.

Maybe have a break for Christmas first though; Santa can only come out after the Mum's have done all the hard work!

Merry Christmas, hope you have lots of fun with your kids.

 

[LaurenLC]

I'm feeling good except I 've either got food poisoning or some virus affecting my stomach. Glad to be to 20 weeks--it can't go fast enough for me!

How are you feeling 6 months into a new baby? I never feel "normal" until about a year after.

Since I'm not feeling well, it will take me longer than I thought to get the next TR going. I still have to investigate the video stuff. Oh yeah, and get ready for Christmas!

I wouldn't say I feel 'normal' (who knows what my new normal will be anyway!), but I do feel like things are getting easier.... Hope you and your family have a wonderful holiday!

 

[podsnel]

I would love to read your next TR! It looks like it was a magical vacation!

Hope you are feeling ok-

 

[dd50]

I'll have to check if you started a new one yet. I would think not as I am sure you have your hands full.

 

[dr&momto2boys]

Thanks for the replies, everyone! We went through a terrible stomach virus on Christmas and just getting back to "normal." I edited our December trip video down to about 5 hours! It will probably be a few weeks before I feel I can start a TR for that trip. I will try to do it though. It was a fun trip!