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- Jun 8, 2004
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Was just there last week for a conference (VS Live) at the Swan, so I thought I'd share a mini-trip report...
We arrived Sunday on Southwest, and my company had me in a Hertz rental car...that was a mistake. Shuttle bus pulled away as we walked out of the terminal, the next one didn't show up until 35 minutes later, and it was full from stopping at terminal B first. (And while it was filling at B, another bus sat and waited on that spot rather than coming down to A to pick up the 60+ people waiting there...) Once I got to the Hertz lot, I got to wait in another line...but the downers of the trip end there.
We checked into the Beach Club, got a King room on the corner of the 4th floor. It was a smoking room, and we're not smokers, but the view made up for it. It was a HAUL to the elevators, though. We were at the very end of the hall closest to the Yacht club. (Room 4727, I think.)
After check in, we walked over to Epcot for our 6:30 ADR at Marrakesh and had a great meal. After dinner, we waited in line for Soarin', as the Mrs hadn't ridden it yet. Sign said 90 minute wait, I think the whole wait and ride took us 75, so not too bad. We then caught most of Illuminations walking back to the Beach Club. Capped the night off with a root beer float from Beaches and Cream.
Monday I was at the conference all day, but we had dinner at Spoodles that night with my cousin who drove over from Tampa that morning. (Her and DW laid by the pool all day.) Great meal, we all had the fettuccini and split a pitcher of sangria.
Tuesday, more conference for me, but it rained all day so DW had to head to DD for a while. She mainly just got wet, so she came back and wandered around the BC and the BW for a while. On the upside, I headed out of the conference at about 4:45 and we went to the MK for the evening. Since it had been raining all day, it was EMPTY. We got there at 5:30, and by the time Wishes started we had ridden Splash, BTMRR, HM, PP, PhilharMagic, Snow White, Small World, Buzz, and CoP. We walked on SM and BTMRR, it was amazing. Space Moutain had a 50 minute wait, so we skipped that in favor of CoP so we could catch Wishes.
Wed, more VS Live for me, and the Mrs headed back to Ohio around noon. So I headed to DD after my sessions were over and killed some time before heading back to the ESPN Club to catch the Oilers-Sharks game and have a rather boring burger.
Thurs I headed back north, but didn't need to be at the airport until 1-ish. So, I had some sort of yogurt/fruit thing from the Beach Club shop, then wandered around the Boardwalk in the morning. About 11 or so, I drove back to DD to grab a couple things for the boys and found myself a nice watch on sale at the World of Disney. Capped off the trip with the Full Montague from the Earl of Sandwich, and that pretty much ended the trip.
That was my first "business" trip to WDW, and have to say it was pretty nice. The conference was pretty good (as nerd-fests go ), and the Swan fed us a good lunch each day. But just being at Disney in the evenings made everything that much more relaxed. Have to see if I can make this an annual occurance with the employer...
We arrived Sunday on Southwest, and my company had me in a Hertz rental car...that was a mistake. Shuttle bus pulled away as we walked out of the terminal, the next one didn't show up until 35 minutes later, and it was full from stopping at terminal B first. (And while it was filling at B, another bus sat and waited on that spot rather than coming down to A to pick up the 60+ people waiting there...) Once I got to the Hertz lot, I got to wait in another line...but the downers of the trip end there.
We checked into the Beach Club, got a King room on the corner of the 4th floor. It was a smoking room, and we're not smokers, but the view made up for it. It was a HAUL to the elevators, though. We were at the very end of the hall closest to the Yacht club. (Room 4727, I think.)
After check in, we walked over to Epcot for our 6:30 ADR at Marrakesh and had a great meal. After dinner, we waited in line for Soarin', as the Mrs hadn't ridden it yet. Sign said 90 minute wait, I think the whole wait and ride took us 75, so not too bad. We then caught most of Illuminations walking back to the Beach Club. Capped the night off with a root beer float from Beaches and Cream.
Monday I was at the conference all day, but we had dinner at Spoodles that night with my cousin who drove over from Tampa that morning. (Her and DW laid by the pool all day.) Great meal, we all had the fettuccini and split a pitcher of sangria.
Tuesday, more conference for me, but it rained all day so DW had to head to DD for a while. She mainly just got wet, so she came back and wandered around the BC and the BW for a while. On the upside, I headed out of the conference at about 4:45 and we went to the MK for the evening. Since it had been raining all day, it was EMPTY. We got there at 5:30, and by the time Wishes started we had ridden Splash, BTMRR, HM, PP, PhilharMagic, Snow White, Small World, Buzz, and CoP. We walked on SM and BTMRR, it was amazing. Space Moutain had a 50 minute wait, so we skipped that in favor of CoP so we could catch Wishes.
Wed, more VS Live for me, and the Mrs headed back to Ohio around noon. So I headed to DD after my sessions were over and killed some time before heading back to the ESPN Club to catch the Oilers-Sharks game and have a rather boring burger.
Thurs I headed back north, but didn't need to be at the airport until 1-ish. So, I had some sort of yogurt/fruit thing from the Beach Club shop, then wandered around the Boardwalk in the morning. About 11 or so, I drove back to DD to grab a couple things for the boys and found myself a nice watch on sale at the World of Disney. Capped off the trip with the Full Montague from the Earl of Sandwich, and that pretty much ended the trip.
That was my first "business" trip to WDW, and have to say it was pretty nice. The conference was pretty good (as nerd-fests go
), and the Swan fed us a good lunch each day. But just being at Disney in the evenings made everything that much more relaxed. Have to see if I can make this an annual occurance with the employer... 
So glad to hear your trip went well. What did your wife think of Stormalong Bay and did you get a chance to check it out yourself? What was it like compared to BWV? (Not that I'm having any changes of mind you understand!! 
). Just curious!
