The Magic Express bus arrived after multiple stops at Port Orleans Riverside. Neither of us had ever been here before. After all the research on it we had done on the internet we had been looking forward to actually seeing it in person. Like the good Trip planner I am, I had requested a certain room location. I knew how vast this resort was and wanted to make sure our rooms were close to the lobby.
I lined up in the check in line while DH and the kids sat with the family from B.C we met on the plane and watched TV. I listened through the whole speech the desk staff had about what was available at the resort and what my package contained even though I secretly thought that I probably knew more than she did.

After all she didn't even know it was raining out or that Florida was expecting a tropical storm. I was waiting for the moment when they pull out the map and show you were your room was.
The moment came and she actually circled building 25. But how is that possible? I booked last October and clearly requested building 14 or 16. Could she please look again and see if she was mistaken. I overheard that the family from B.C. had been given a room in building 16. They booked in March. How is that possible I asked the woman again? She told me she could move me to a room in building 18 but that the rest of my party was already checked in. Glad to hear that Nanny and Poppa had arrived but still not what I wanted to hear. She called her manager over after some prompting from me. He found me a room in building 14 but only one. It would mean separating from Nanny and Poppa. And that distance is too far to send a child by themselves (IMO for my children anyway) to Nanny and Poppa's building. So I kept the hand that I was dealt. Again for the fourth time today I told myself it is my Disney arrival day and that magic was still possible (although I was beginning to doubt it was going to be sprinkled my way) and moved on. Room 2521 it was to be.
I grumbled to myslef the whole first walk to the hotel room. Past buildings, 14, 16 and 18. I didn't see the beauty in the grounds. I didn't look for any hidden mickeys. I was too busy grumbling about how far away we were.
It turned out our room was a corner room so we had that extra set of windows and we were on the first level. We were close enough to one of the pools that we could see the kids if they went back into the room to get Nanny or Poppa without having to leave the pool area. We were very close to the west bus stop. The pro which was that it was great to make sure we actually made it on a bus and not left there at the bus stop because the bus was too full. It also meant that we got off first on the way home. See I tried to find happiness with our current room location! The con was that it meant we had to do the entire loop of the resort which took us 10-15 minutes before we were even on our way to a park. The biggest con was that we were quite far from the lobby, the food court, the boat stop and the main pool.
The kids were thrilled as they are with any hotel room we get. They run around saying things like "look here is the phone" and "look here is the bathroom". You'd think they've never seen the inside of a hotel room they way they carry on. After the initial room check they turned on the TV and watched Stacy like it was the first time they had ever seen her before too.
We heard a knock at the adjoining door and opened it to find Poppa. The kids were too excited about Stacy to say more than a "Hi Poppa". Poppa filled us in on his trip so far. Their plane was a bit early landing and they had already had lunch at the food court. Nanny had a horrific fish and chips (should be noted there is some English blood in her and therefore has high expectations) but Poppa's burger was fine. He had bought two refillable mugs and we all noted that they were the same as last year except for the year. I wished I had bought last years with me.
Once the kids had seen Stacy through to the end we decided to go look around the resort. Nanny stayed back at the room to catch up on her sleep (the woman never misses an opportunity to nap) but Poppa was game to come with us. It had stopped raining and if I remember there were clouds but a few moments of sun as well. It wasn't the heat and humidity we remembered due to the earlier rain. We found the old man pool. No one felt like swimming and DS9 Eeoyre made it very clear to all of us that he was NOT going to go down the slide. I made note of the mental challenge. The boy was no match for the supermama that I am. I figured I'd have him on that slide by day three at the latest. We also checked out the food court again and then the boat dock. While at the boat dock a boat for Downtown Disney arrived.
The plan was for all of us to go to Downtown Disney (DTD) for dinner that night. I had told the kids they could have ice cream for dinner from Gharandelli. We were just going to look around now and then go back and get Nanny before going to DTD for dinner. But the room seemed so far to walk back to
and the boat was here now
and it was supposed to rain again later that off we went to DTD without her. I felt slightly bad about leaving her behind while we headed to DTD. But I got over it. I only had my key to the world with me so I felt unprepared and kind of naked without my park bag, camera or any of the strollers but I got over that too. I just grabbed hold of the kids hands when I felt the need to hold something.
It's a good thing Poppa had his camera with him otherwise there would be no pictures for this part of the report. Here is a picture of us getting on the boat. Yes, we could take the time to pose for a family photo but not the time to go back to the room to get Nanny. The guilt is still hanging over my head.
Cindy was super excited although it doesn't appear so in this picture and in her excitement she couldn't decide where to sit on the almost empty boat. She was jumping from one seat to the next. The captain told her sternly that she had to stay seated and from there on in she was in a bad mood on the boat. Nanny could have gotten her out of it but we had left her behind so I figure this the Disney Gods getting back at us.
Here is Cindy mid-grump.
The Captain mentioned that the storm was still heading our way (I thought we had already had it) and that we might have to take the bus home if the weather was bad.
Downtown Disney awaiting the Diamond clan!
Upon landing at DTD it became apparent that no one wanted ice cream for dinner.
So we went to the Earl of Sandwich. I love that place. I got a tuna melt and it was heavenly.

Cindy started to perk up with her pizza melt, which was good, because by this time I was dealing with Eeoyre and his food issues.
Here is Cindy eating her cupcake.
I convinced him to do the grilled cheese again. He had it last year and he ate half of it. I gave the staff specific instructions again like you must use a clean knife to cut his sandwich and please please make sure nothing else ends up wrapped up in it too (we once had a piece of parsley by accident end up in a sandwich of his. We are still recovering

). His sandwich came and it was "safe" and he ate half of it again. Lover of traditions he that he is. He even tried a bite of my tuna melt. The oddity of Eeoyre is that he only likes tuna, egg and salmon sandwiches. They can't have any onion or anything in them and they must be made with full fat mayonnaise but he will eat them happily. Eeoyre wasn't sure of the cheese in mine but since the staff said it was the same cheese as in his grilled cheese he actually tried a bite of mine. I think our whole table dropped their jaws when he said he would.
Naturally he could pick out an onion taste (the boy should be a perfume maker his nose and tastebuds are so finely tuned) but and this it a big
BUT for him. He said, "it wasn't too bad". Yet another shock for our table. That to DH and I is Disney Magic in action. Eeoyre tried something and declared it "not too bad". We were off to a good start.
I had bribed him with a chocolate from gharandelli's for desert. So that helped. Eeoyre and I were done first so we headed off to chocolate store. There was so much to choose from and a lineup a mile long at the cash. A staff person came and offered us a free peanut butter and chocolate sample. It was a good size sample, I was impressed. So I told Eeoyre that we were done and it was time to leave. He wasn't impressed. Again in my defense I felt it was a big sample and I even gave him mine. Okay I gave him half of mine when he was so sulky about it. This is chocolate we are talking about here people and I have been know to lie to get it! DH had put me on a tight budget and when free chocolate was offered I figured the Disney budget gods had answered me.
Would Eeoyre ever forgive me?
Will Nanny forgive us for leaving her behind?
How did our Disney Budget do with a family visit to the
Lego store?
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