A Grand Vacation: The 2012 Grand Floridian FAQ!

[k&a&c'smom]

KonaKaiTom - What a horrible experience, I'm so sorry to hear you had to go through it and still have effects. What perseverance, you are an inspiration!! I can imagine how daunting the road ahead looked when you began, as I get down thinking about my little problem. Wow.

WDWKOOK - Hello, my friend! Thanks for the kind words, I am getting better every day. I feel in tip-top shape after hearing Tom's story, isn't he incredible?!

Luckily, I didn't notice my back until I got home - looking back, I should have recognized a couple signs that it was getting ready to go out, but didn't. My bed wasn't comfy and I didn't sleep well, which is probably due to the onset of my problem, but we had a good trip.

How was your trip to WL? I'm still kicking myself for not getting in touch better so we could meet up. Next time for sure!

ireneryan - thanks!

mariamouse - thank you, I am much better. Little twinge, so I try to limit my time at my desk, but far and away better than last week.

Blessed_with_triplets - Loved your review, I'm so glad you had such a wonderful time at the Grand. We encountered monorail shut downs as well, but it didn't affect us as much, we didn't spend a lot of time at the parks and we had a rental car. Very annoying when you have to run to 3 different modes of transport!

As mariamouse posted, I hope you will feel welcome here, you do not have to be planning a new trip to join us. You can read, make comments - even answer questions, you're a veteran now!

I know it is harder to keep up when you aren't planning a WDW trip, so we understand if you aren't here every day. I do so hope you'll post, any time you want to pop in.

 

[DetTigsGal]

I work in forgotten Western CT -- Middlebury, but live in West Hartford. How about you?

Tom

We are in New Milford, you know something bad has happened if we make the news!!

k&a&c'smom- you see, unlike most states, CT has one network affiliate for the whole state. Usually the weathermen stand on the left of the screen- blocking us - and tells what is going to happen in the important part of the state. We say it's not news until it's east of Waterbury

Hope both of you are continuing to feel better

 

[tinkerbellmagic]

I never saw prints?!? I would have loved one! Would you mind posting a picture?

Here's a photo of the print I bought at the GF gift shop (the Coke can is for size reference). The picture itself is only about the size of a postcard. The sand pail print was larger (see link under my photo).

And if you would like to drool over some sand pail photos, check out this post. I love her print collection!
http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=44342860&postcount=81

 

[DetTigsGal]

mariamouse sure was a gorgeous weekend here, had a football game and band competition. All good Am a transplanted Michigander- although it has been 17 years- I miss it very much. Sometimes CT is just too Northeast for me

 

[k&a&c'smom]

DetTigsGal - Though we usually get a shout out from the KC stations, I can definitely relate. We are in the western part of our state, in a rural area. When the Weather Channel first began, the "weather on the 8s" scroll would cut our state in half, showing the bottom half with the Southeast and the top half with the Midwest - never showing our area at all!!

I bought a large print map (shhh, my eyes are just fine) a couple years ago, and found that Missouri is on two pages. The split down the middle shows us neither on the left half nor the right half, so annoying. Wouldn't normally need a map for my own town/county/slice of the state, but lately we've had road closures and my kids call with requests for an alternate route home - they are stuck in no man's land without a detour sign.

tinkerbellmagic - beautiful print! It reminds me, I meant to purchase one for our new bathroom, but forgot again. I even had it on a list of things to look for while in the World. DD has an AKL print for her bedroom, bought it for her b'day years ago.

Thanks for the link, those sand pail prints are adorable. I wonder if they are still available anywhere, especially the second one?

 

[dragonfly57005]

We are in New Milford, you know something bad has happened if we make the news!!

k&a&c'smom- you see, unlike most states, CT has one network affiliate for the whole state. Usually the weathermen stand on the left of the screen- blocking us - and tells what is going to happen in the important part of the state. We say it's not news until it's east of Waterbury

Hope both of you are continuing to feel better

Ah...now I understand!

 

[dragonfly57005]

Those sand pails are lovely!

 

[cchron]

Is Mizners still open as a lounge in the evenings? My DH and I love to have a drink there and listen to the music before dinner at Citricos.

 

[pas130]

We missed you

I hope that at least your vacation wasn't spent in pain. Follow Dr's orders and take it easy and rest.

Oh k&a&c'smom we DID miss you, and please take gentle care and I also hope you are able to rest and get better soon

 

[tinkerbellmagic]

*snipped by me*

tinkerbellmagic - beautiful print! It reminds me, I meant to purchase one for our new bathroom, but forgot again. I even had it on a list of things to look for while in the World. DD has an AKL print for her bedroom, bought it for her b'day years ago.

Thanks for the link, those sand pail prints are adorable. I wonder if they are still available anywhere, especially the second one?

Thank you! And your DD's AKL print sounds great! There was one sand pail print at the GF gift shop last month. It was lovely.

I know what you mean about meaning to do things or buy things and then for whatever reason you forget or don't have time. That's how I feel about the Tonga Toast. It was supposed to be a must do this trip and once again, I didn't get to try it, so next trip!

ps. wishing everyone speedy recoveries

 

[Tink rules]

Is Mizners still open as a lounge in the evenings? My DH and I love to have a drink there and listen to the music before dinner at Citricos.

No.. from what i hear they are using the area temporarily as a place to get food to go. I've seen pics and the entire place had been cleared of all furniture.

 

[Kandiwilde]

We've just booked the Grand for 13 nights in August 2013!!!! I'm so excited. I did my ICP at Gaspys and fell in love with the hotel. I never thought that I would get to stay here

 

[runskimom]

No.. from what i hear they are using the area temporarily as a place to get food to go. I've seen pics and the entire place had been cleared of all furniture.

Can you tell me where you saw the pictures? I have a trip coming up soon and am trying to keep track of what is going on with the refurbs. I'd love it if anybody on this board could update us all about what they are seeing!

I have a trip in November and still have gotten no letter from Disney. Weird. If I didn't scour the internet daily, I could have just shown up and been shocked at the closures.

Have a great day!

 

[Jungle Cruiser]

We are currently driving to WDW, and after 1,000 miles will be checking into the BC in an hour! We are staying at the BC, due in part to all the construction at the GF. However, I am a picture taker and poster so I promise to post pictures this week!

 

[KonaKaiTom]

We are currently driving to WDW, and after 1,000 miles will be checking into the BC in an hour! We are staying at the BC, due in part to all the construction at the GF. However, I am a picture taker and poster so I promise to post pictures this week!

Enjoy your stay, Jungle Cruiser! I hope you have perfect weather and the most magical vacation ever! I can't wait to see you pictures! Not much longer for us either! I'm starting to get the clothes, etc. ready to go -- It is getting colder up here in Connecticut as Fall is rapidly moving in, so the shorts and short sleeve jerseys are moving from laundry into the suitcase!

Tom

 

[Butterflygirl35]

Have a great trip Jungle Cruiser!!

Tom.. I am a FL resident and on S FL it is so hot I can't imagine cool weather even... Have a great trip!

 

[KonaKaiTom]

Have a great trip Jungle Cruiser!!

Tom.. I am a FL resident and on S FL it is so hot I can't imagine cool weather even... Have a great trip!

It was 47 degrees when my dog and I went for our walk at 5:45am today, Butterflygirl! I will actually be a DW on the 1 year anniversary of a freak October snowstorm which left many parts of Connecticut without power for a week or more. I live on a tiny cul-de-sac with only 8 homes, as a result we were last to recover power. I ran my generator for 11 straight days and ended up with most of my neighbors staying overnight to keep warm as it was in the high 30s low 40s every night.

I can't wait to be in mid 80s this year in Orlando!

Tom

 

[ireneryan]

It was 47 degrees when my dog and I went for our walk at 5:45am today, Butterflygirl! I will actually be a DW on the 1 year anniversary of a freak October snowstorm which left many parts of Connecticut without power for a week or more. I live on a tiny cul-de-sac with only 8 homes, as a result we were last to recover power. I ran my generator for 11 straight days and ended up with most of my neighbors staying overnight to keep warm as it was in the high 30s low 40s every night.

I can't wait to be in mid 80s this year in Orlando!

Tom

Sounds like a good time to be in FL! We had that freak snowstorm here in PA as well. It just can't happen two years in a row, right? Right? We could only run our generator twice a day for 3-4 hours each time but we had a parade of people in & out of here to use our showers when we had the generator running. Without electricity, we have no water either! It was just awful.

 

[KonaKaiTom]

Sounds like a good time to be in FL! We had that freak snowstorm here in PA as well. It just can't happen two years in a row, right? Right? We could only run our generator twice a day for 3-4 hours each time but we had a parade of people in & out of here to use our showers when we had the generator running. Without electricity, we have no water either! It was just awful.

Due to many experiences of being the last to have power restored, I had my home hardwired and a large generator installed with sufficient capacity to operate everything in my home as if on commerical power. With a 275 gallon fuel tank, I run 18 days nonstop without needing more fuel!

TOm

 

[Butterflygirl35]

It was 47 degrees when my dog and I went for our walk at 5:45am today, Butterflygirl! I will actually be a DW on the 1 year anniversary of a freak October snowstorm which left many parts of Connecticut without power for a week or more. I live on a tiny cul-de-sac with only 8 homes, as a result we were last to recover power. I ran my generator for 11 straight days and ended up with most of my neighbors staying overnight to keep warm as it was in the high 30s low 40s every night.

I can't wait to be in mid 80s this year in Orlando!

Tom

Lol.. 47 degrees is freezing for Floridians...

We start crying at 60!!