SusanEllen
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- May 24, 2004
- Messages
- 1,717
Even though I know that by posting my 2.5 day mini trip report I risk comparison with the legendary Kevin Stringer and the talented newcomer Matt Churchill, Ive committed myself to the project and now its time to see if I can meet the challenge.
My first concern was a name for the report. Taking my cue from Kevins A Very British Trip Report and Matts A Very Stringer-less Trip Report, I thought to name mine A Very Stringer-less and Very Churchill-less Trip Report or A Very Friend-less Trip Report, both of which sounded too pitiful to use. Matt assured me that naming it A Very British-less Trip Report wouldnt be too offensive (in a nationalistic kind of way), so thats what it will be. I will begin on the afternoon described in Day 18 of both Kevins and Matts reports.
Debbie and Matt driving away from us in the parking lot at Saratoga Springs left us all more than a little sad. Even the problem with the unreliable car battery wasnt enough to distract us from the fact that we were no longer all together. But the car battery problem did make us move on as it had to be taken care of. Once the helpful Disney security team arrived with their battery starter and had the car going we, too, drove away. We were off to EPCOT and the DIS meet where we met so many lovely people. I had the odd feeling that I already knew most of them thanks to their postings on the Trip Report and Community boards. Cant add much to Kevins account of our too brief afternoon in EPCOT other than I do recall we stopped for one last ride on the way to the front gate. Kevin wanted to ride Spaceship Earth and though we all knew that time was slipping away and it would soon be time for them to check in at the airport--and that more time might evaporate if the car battery needed a boost--none of us hesitated to follow him up that ramp. We savored the ride, then walked out slowly. I wanted to go along to the parking lot to make sure the car would start or to help if it didnt, but Kevin insisted that I spare myself the extra walking and head the other direction to the bus stop. (You might recall his mentioning the spill I took on Main Street a few days before. I was still dealing with a bit of a gimpy leg.) So, the moment came that I had been dreading far more than my own departure time for homethe Stringers departure time for home! There were kisses and hugs that will have to last until next time. We then went, quite literally, our separate ways. Lots of backward glancing and waves and then a final wave from India and they were gone.
I didnt have to wait long for a Wilderness Lodge bus. I walked through the doors of what I think of as my Florida place at 6 and was checked in and in my room by 6:15. A complimentary upgrade was a welcome surprise and I found myself in a room with a woodland view, the room closest to, but not overlooking, the lobby. Another delightful surprise--because of recent refurbishing, at least the wing I was in, my room had new furniture, carpets, comforters and curtains and a new, large flat screen television. Even the hall carpeting was new. I knew the old Wilderness Lodge décor well as this was where we always stayed on our annual trips. (I should mention that my late husband Scott visited both Disneyland and Walt Disney World every year and when I showed up in his life that became my custom, too. My first trip to WDW was just after WL opened. Scott had stayed all over the World in his 20+ trips before I came along and was eager to try the Wilderness Lodge. So, we did, loved the feel of the place, and then never wanted to stay anywhere else. Anyway, that might explain why I was familiar with all the old room detail right down to the Indians and their ponies on the bathroom wallpaper. They, by the way, are now gone, replaced by a more subtle, neutral colored, textured wall treatment with leaf impressions. Gone, too, is the cabinetry with stenciled bears and trees. The flat screen TV wouldnt fit in those old armoires. The new headboards have carved (looking) woodland scenes in bold relief and the four posts on the corners of the headboard are topped with full body sculptures that look like carvings of forest animals--a squirrel, a rabbit, a beaver, and a woodpecker. The new carpet looks like the forest floor with pine needles in shades of green and tan woven in a deep texture that emphasizes the pine needle pattern. The original upright chest of drawers has been replaced with a piece of furniture that has fewer drawers and a small refrigerator thats hidden behind a cabinet door. Refrigerators at the WL were only in the suites before, the lack of them in regular rooms seemed to pop up as a negative in guest evaluations, though it never bothered us much. Still I put a bottle of water in my little refrigerator right away. The drapes are faux suede. The area thats had the least change is the vanity and dressing area, although it, too, has had shelves added under the double sink. Even the hall carpet has a new look that includes hidden (but not too hidden) Mickeys worked into the Indian like design that is repeated down the hallway. If this is just way more detail about interior decoration than you ever wanted to read I think we can put it down to this--in the absence of a picture thats said to be worth a thousand words, Im giving you the thousand words. Now that I was in my beautiful new room and bell services had delivered my luggage, sent over that morning from the Boardwalk, I had to decide what to dosomething I hadnt had to do much this trip until now. Lining up food for the next couple of days sounded like a good place to start. It wasnt a problem to get a seating at Whispering Canyon Café, almost immediately if I wanted it, and booked it so that I had a few minutes to relax before dinner. While I had the dining CM on the line, I booked Coral Reef for lunch the next day (Saturday), Artist Point for dinner, and Kona Café for brunch-time breakfast on Sunday.
Im sure the Stringers and Churchills will be proud that their influence stayed with me and that while on my own I ordered a drink before dinner. It was a Northwest Sunset--rum, pineapple and cranberry--the Whispering Canyon version of a tequila sunrise, I suppose. Although I wasnt so sure I was very hungry when I called for the table, somewhere along the way I recovered my appetite and I ended up enjoying a plate of pork chops with maple glaze, roasted potatoes with fennel and mushrooms, and a big chunk of cornbread. While eating that considerable amount of food I was entertained by the shenanigans of the wait staff and sometimes unsuspecting, but sometimes complicit diners. As usual, the place was a continuous and very noisy party. I shopped for awhile in the Mercantile and bought a few things, even knowing that my suitcases were just about at their limit, thinking I can always mail some of this stuff homesomething Ive often done before and really should have done this time. Back to my room and a restful sleep, but as I prepared for bed it seemed as though everyone else should be coming in soon.
My first concern was a name for the report. Taking my cue from Kevins A Very British Trip Report and Matts A Very Stringer-less Trip Report, I thought to name mine A Very Stringer-less and Very Churchill-less Trip Report or A Very Friend-less Trip Report, both of which sounded too pitiful to use. Matt assured me that naming it A Very British-less Trip Report wouldnt be too offensive (in a nationalistic kind of way), so thats what it will be. I will begin on the afternoon described in Day 18 of both Kevins and Matts reports.
Debbie and Matt driving away from us in the parking lot at Saratoga Springs left us all more than a little sad. Even the problem with the unreliable car battery wasnt enough to distract us from the fact that we were no longer all together. But the car battery problem did make us move on as it had to be taken care of. Once the helpful Disney security team arrived with their battery starter and had the car going we, too, drove away. We were off to EPCOT and the DIS meet where we met so many lovely people. I had the odd feeling that I already knew most of them thanks to their postings on the Trip Report and Community boards. Cant add much to Kevins account of our too brief afternoon in EPCOT other than I do recall we stopped for one last ride on the way to the front gate. Kevin wanted to ride Spaceship Earth and though we all knew that time was slipping away and it would soon be time for them to check in at the airport--and that more time might evaporate if the car battery needed a boost--none of us hesitated to follow him up that ramp. We savored the ride, then walked out slowly. I wanted to go along to the parking lot to make sure the car would start or to help if it didnt, but Kevin insisted that I spare myself the extra walking and head the other direction to the bus stop. (You might recall his mentioning the spill I took on Main Street a few days before. I was still dealing with a bit of a gimpy leg.) So, the moment came that I had been dreading far more than my own departure time for homethe Stringers departure time for home! There were kisses and hugs that will have to last until next time. We then went, quite literally, our separate ways. Lots of backward glancing and waves and then a final wave from India and they were gone.
I didnt have to wait long for a Wilderness Lodge bus. I walked through the doors of what I think of as my Florida place at 6 and was checked in and in my room by 6:15. A complimentary upgrade was a welcome surprise and I found myself in a room with a woodland view, the room closest to, but not overlooking, the lobby. Another delightful surprise--because of recent refurbishing, at least the wing I was in, my room had new furniture, carpets, comforters and curtains and a new, large flat screen television. Even the hall carpeting was new. I knew the old Wilderness Lodge décor well as this was where we always stayed on our annual trips. (I should mention that my late husband Scott visited both Disneyland and Walt Disney World every year and when I showed up in his life that became my custom, too. My first trip to WDW was just after WL opened. Scott had stayed all over the World in his 20+ trips before I came along and was eager to try the Wilderness Lodge. So, we did, loved the feel of the place, and then never wanted to stay anywhere else. Anyway, that might explain why I was familiar with all the old room detail right down to the Indians and their ponies on the bathroom wallpaper. They, by the way, are now gone, replaced by a more subtle, neutral colored, textured wall treatment with leaf impressions. Gone, too, is the cabinetry with stenciled bears and trees. The flat screen TV wouldnt fit in those old armoires. The new headboards have carved (looking) woodland scenes in bold relief and the four posts on the corners of the headboard are topped with full body sculptures that look like carvings of forest animals--a squirrel, a rabbit, a beaver, and a woodpecker. The new carpet looks like the forest floor with pine needles in shades of green and tan woven in a deep texture that emphasizes the pine needle pattern. The original upright chest of drawers has been replaced with a piece of furniture that has fewer drawers and a small refrigerator thats hidden behind a cabinet door. Refrigerators at the WL were only in the suites before, the lack of them in regular rooms seemed to pop up as a negative in guest evaluations, though it never bothered us much. Still I put a bottle of water in my little refrigerator right away. The drapes are faux suede. The area thats had the least change is the vanity and dressing area, although it, too, has had shelves added under the double sink. Even the hall carpet has a new look that includes hidden (but not too hidden) Mickeys worked into the Indian like design that is repeated down the hallway. If this is just way more detail about interior decoration than you ever wanted to read I think we can put it down to this--in the absence of a picture thats said to be worth a thousand words, Im giving you the thousand words. Now that I was in my beautiful new room and bell services had delivered my luggage, sent over that morning from the Boardwalk, I had to decide what to dosomething I hadnt had to do much this trip until now. Lining up food for the next couple of days sounded like a good place to start. It wasnt a problem to get a seating at Whispering Canyon Café, almost immediately if I wanted it, and booked it so that I had a few minutes to relax before dinner. While I had the dining CM on the line, I booked Coral Reef for lunch the next day (Saturday), Artist Point for dinner, and Kona Café for brunch-time breakfast on Sunday.
Im sure the Stringers and Churchills will be proud that their influence stayed with me and that while on my own I ordered a drink before dinner. It was a Northwest Sunset--rum, pineapple and cranberry--the Whispering Canyon version of a tequila sunrise, I suppose. Although I wasnt so sure I was very hungry when I called for the table, somewhere along the way I recovered my appetite and I ended up enjoying a plate of pork chops with maple glaze, roasted potatoes with fennel and mushrooms, and a big chunk of cornbread. While eating that considerable amount of food I was entertained by the shenanigans of the wait staff and sometimes unsuspecting, but sometimes complicit diners. As usual, the place was a continuous and very noisy party. I shopped for awhile in the Mercantile and bought a few things, even knowing that my suitcases were just about at their limit, thinking I can always mail some of this stuff homesomething Ive often done before and really should have done this time. Back to my room and a restful sleep, but as I prepared for bed it seemed as though everyone else should be coming in soon.
, going to save them (as if I could) until Jackie gets back tonight.. 
