MouseClubMom
<font color=FF66FF>Loves to dip Churros in Dole Wh
- Joined
- Sep 18, 2002
- Messages
- 1,259
Just back from a quick trip with the kids (Disney nuts like me!), hubby (who never has been a Disney lover) and a friend from Cali who is a CM out there but has never been to the Florida parks. I worked at WDW for 7 years at EPCOT and the Studios so I always seem to look at things a little differently.
We left a day early on 6/1 and stayed at the Holiday Inn at Summer Bay in Clermont (free with points). The hotel was very nice and brand new. The only downside was that when we woke up there were sugar ants EVERYWHERE! We had stopped at Dunkin Donuts in LBV on the way in (big mistake - stale donuts) and they were covered in ants the next morrning.
On 6/2 we wandered over to Animal Kingdom Lodge and totally fell in love with the place. (I booked our ressies there for December today!!). The girls (and even DH) loved the animals and the pool area. Eagerly awaiting that trip! We stayed at the Comfort Inn LBV (free with points) this nite and it was just as nice and clean as it as always been.
Our friend flew in on 6/3 and we headed to MK to be there at opening. Crowds were manageable - especially with FastPass. We only had to wait in one miserable line - Pooh - because we were ready to leave and my youngest DD begged to ride it. The standby line was over 45 minutes long! Yikes! The best part of the day was seeing the princesses. We were able to see Cinderella, Aurora and Belle and get pix. We all loved Philharmagic!! We moved to the Fairfield Inn at Marriott Village for 3 nites (Free with Points - see a pattern here? LOL). GREAT hotel and very nice free breakfast.
On 6/4 we headed to Animal Kingdom and grabbed fastpasses to Dinosaur then hit the safari. Lots of animals out in the early AM. On the way back towards Dinosaur DD got her first bee sting. A Security CM rushed over to us when he heard her scream and escorted us to First Aid. The nurse there was so sweet to us. Luckily there was no reaction other than the swollen finger where she was stung. I took the kids to wait in line for Lion King while DH and our friend headed to use the FPs at Dinosaur. We got in line with the intention of the rest of the group meeting up with us. Didnt happen. We made it into the show but they did not. They were waiting for us at the exit after the show. One of the CMs saw us and started talking to DD. She told her about the bee sting and started tearing up again. We told the CM we were going to get back in line for LK so that the other 2 could see it. She took us to the front of the line and that cheered DD right up!! We had front row seats for LK - the BEST way to see it. I even got to see a former co-worker who is in the LK show (he spotted us and waved a few times).
Next was lunch at Rainforest Cafe. YUM! We always forget how big the portions are here and order way too much food. Headed back to the park and were in line for Kali when the sky opened up and lightning crashed. We got drenched! We waited an hour or so and there was no end in sight so we headed back to the hotel to change. I was praying for the rain to PLEASE stop because I had arranged to share an Illuminations Cruise with 2 other DIS families - I kept it all a secret from the family until we got on the boat!!! We headed to the Yacht Club and boarded the cruise with the 2 other SUPER FUN families and had a great cruise! Our driver Lindsey was great with the kids.
6/5 - off to EPCOT. The weather was nice and cool and perfect for walking around World Showcase and FutureWorld. We hit all of FW and WS. DD loved making the mask and collecting the charms. She also liked making the seed map at The Land. Mission Space was INTENSE. I dont know any other word for it. Doubt I will do it again - once is enough for me!
6/6 - half day at the Studios. Only time for TOT, RNRC (my first upside down roller coaster - LOVED IT!), Mermaid and Movie Ride. Another fun moment - I knew the tour guide on the GMR! We worked together about 15 years ago at the Living Seas.
The good times sure outweighed the few bad times we had. There were a few CMs that stood out as being SUPER DUPER and we have our list to write about to Guest Letters. All of these hard working CMs deserve a little recognition for doing a great job! DH actually rode a few of the "big rides" this trip - Big Thunder, Splash, Dinosaur and Test Track. He has always avoided them in the past. I rode RNRC and MS for the 1st time this trip. Both DD's rode TT for the 1st time and LOVED it and begged to go again (but the line never went down before we left).
I noticed several of the CMs were not quite "up to par" and all of the parks seemed a bit dirty. Spaceship Earth seemed very rundown and was in desperate need of a paint job - even in the outside queue. Seas needs some sprucing up big time too as did just about everything in Fantasyland at MK. When I worked in the parks there was a strong emphasis on cleanliness. This has definitely slacked off recently. There was trash EVERYWHERE. I found myself picking it up (old habits die hard) whenever I could. The weather was hot and humid. Nothing new - typical Florida summer so it didnt really bother us. We were just happy to be at Disney World!!
Counting the days until our December trip now. The CM on the phone at CRO asked when our last trip to Disney was and I told her that we got home 12 hours ago. LOL
MCMom
We left a day early on 6/1 and stayed at the Holiday Inn at Summer Bay in Clermont (free with points). The hotel was very nice and brand new. The only downside was that when we woke up there were sugar ants EVERYWHERE! We had stopped at Dunkin Donuts in LBV on the way in (big mistake - stale donuts) and they were covered in ants the next morrning.
On 6/2 we wandered over to Animal Kingdom Lodge and totally fell in love with the place. (I booked our ressies there for December today!!). The girls (and even DH) loved the animals and the pool area. Eagerly awaiting that trip! We stayed at the Comfort Inn LBV (free with points) this nite and it was just as nice and clean as it as always been.
Our friend flew in on 6/3 and we headed to MK to be there at opening. Crowds were manageable - especially with FastPass. We only had to wait in one miserable line - Pooh - because we were ready to leave and my youngest DD begged to ride it. The standby line was over 45 minutes long! Yikes! The best part of the day was seeing the princesses. We were able to see Cinderella, Aurora and Belle and get pix. We all loved Philharmagic!! We moved to the Fairfield Inn at Marriott Village for 3 nites (Free with Points - see a pattern here? LOL). GREAT hotel and very nice free breakfast.
On 6/4 we headed to Animal Kingdom and grabbed fastpasses to Dinosaur then hit the safari. Lots of animals out in the early AM. On the way back towards Dinosaur DD got her first bee sting. A Security CM rushed over to us when he heard her scream and escorted us to First Aid. The nurse there was so sweet to us. Luckily there was no reaction other than the swollen finger where she was stung. I took the kids to wait in line for Lion King while DH and our friend headed to use the FPs at Dinosaur. We got in line with the intention of the rest of the group meeting up with us. Didnt happen. We made it into the show but they did not. They were waiting for us at the exit after the show. One of the CMs saw us and started talking to DD. She told her about the bee sting and started tearing up again. We told the CM we were going to get back in line for LK so that the other 2 could see it. She took us to the front of the line and that cheered DD right up!! We had front row seats for LK - the BEST way to see it. I even got to see a former co-worker who is in the LK show (he spotted us and waved a few times).
Next was lunch at Rainforest Cafe. YUM! We always forget how big the portions are here and order way too much food. Headed back to the park and were in line for Kali when the sky opened up and lightning crashed. We got drenched! We waited an hour or so and there was no end in sight so we headed back to the hotel to change. I was praying for the rain to PLEASE stop because I had arranged to share an Illuminations Cruise with 2 other DIS families - I kept it all a secret from the family until we got on the boat!!! We headed to the Yacht Club and boarded the cruise with the 2 other SUPER FUN families and had a great cruise! Our driver Lindsey was great with the kids.
6/5 - off to EPCOT. The weather was nice and cool and perfect for walking around World Showcase and FutureWorld. We hit all of FW and WS. DD loved making the mask and collecting the charms. She also liked making the seed map at The Land. Mission Space was INTENSE. I dont know any other word for it. Doubt I will do it again - once is enough for me!
6/6 - half day at the Studios. Only time for TOT, RNRC (my first upside down roller coaster - LOVED IT!), Mermaid and Movie Ride. Another fun moment - I knew the tour guide on the GMR! We worked together about 15 years ago at the Living Seas.
The good times sure outweighed the few bad times we had. There were a few CMs that stood out as being SUPER DUPER and we have our list to write about to Guest Letters. All of these hard working CMs deserve a little recognition for doing a great job! DH actually rode a few of the "big rides" this trip - Big Thunder, Splash, Dinosaur and Test Track. He has always avoided them in the past. I rode RNRC and MS for the 1st time this trip. Both DD's rode TT for the 1st time and LOVED it and begged to go again (but the line never went down before we left).
I noticed several of the CMs were not quite "up to par" and all of the parks seemed a bit dirty. Spaceship Earth seemed very rundown and was in desperate need of a paint job - even in the outside queue. Seas needs some sprucing up big time too as did just about everything in Fantasyland at MK. When I worked in the parks there was a strong emphasis on cleanliness. This has definitely slacked off recently. There was trash EVERYWHERE. I found myself picking it up (old habits die hard) whenever I could. The weather was hot and humid. Nothing new - typical Florida summer so it didnt really bother us. We were just happy to be at Disney World!!
Counting the days until our December trip now. The CM on the phone at CRO asked when our last trip to Disney was and I told her that we got home 12 hours ago. LOL
MCMom
