grumpygirl06
Earning My Ears
- Joined
- Apr 8, 2006
- Messages
- 37
Allow me to introduce myself and my family:
Me - Mom, 38, over-analyzer and trip planner. Spent hours upon hours on the net planning and scrutinizing every detail out there about DW, drove DH nuts because I was always on the boards!
DH - 46, not a planner at all, kind of a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants guy, contractor by trade, REALLY needed this vacation!
DS1 - 12, good kid, going through the normal growing pains at his age, didn't care about this trip until the day before we left.
DS2 - 10, another good kid, very curious, helped me plan a bit, always interested in the details
2nd visit as a family - last one in 2000 when the kids were 6 and 4, and 3rd trip for me - went in '76 with my grandmother but don't remember much....
Let me start by saying that this was kind of a last minute trip. Decided in March that I needed to get away and thought it would be a great vacation and different from our usual vacation at the beach. Had a nightmare trip last summer - went away with our best friends for 2 weeks at the beach, ended up leaving early and are not as good as friends as we used to be, so I figured "what the hey, we deserve it!"
Started out as going to a moderate and then decided I was spending alot of money anyway so why not go to a deluxe. Since we love the beach, chose the Beach Club (and VERY glad I did). Researched all I could about the resort (and thanks to all for your informaton posted out there) and decided on the dining plan. Made all of our ADR's and was pleased with most (more about that later...)
Chose the week that the kids got out of school for the summer - was planning on blowing off the last day to go to DW, but because we only had a couple of snow days this year, they changed the calendar and the kids ended up getting out of school 2 days earlier than expected.
Left on Friday morning, June 9. Hired a limo to take us to the airport (again, already spending alot, so what's the big deal, right?). I must say that this is the only way to travel to the airport! Our flight left on Southwest at 7:00am, so the car was there to pick us up at 5:00am. I had everything ready to go a couple of days early and believe it or not, I really did sleep well the night before. Had no trouble getting up at 4:00am. DH and DS's were up and ready to go too. Got to the airport in plenty of time and had pre-printed our boarding passes so we were in the "A" line and the first ones, too (being the over planner that I am, I wouldn't have it any other way!
Boarded the plane, got 2nd row seats and settled in for the short 2 hour flight to the most magical place on earth! Kids kept themselves occupied with their DVD players...the best gift from Santa they ever received! Landed at MCO at 9:10am. Starting to feel a little groggy at this point but managed to snap out of it as soon as I hit the car rental counter. Decided this trip to rent a car so we didn't have to use Disney transportation - read good and bad on the web and since i was already spending alot of money, why not? (Turns out we returned it early because it wasn't needed and now wish that I would have saved the money...but lessons learned...) Anyway, sorry to digress...
Got the car and drove off into the land of happiness - forgot about the toll money and got into the exact change lane, but some nice soul kindly let me over so I could pay with a dollar bill (now, I am from Baltimore and let me tell you, I would have had to wait 10 minutes at home for someone to let me ease into their lane...people are very defensive drivers here!) Finally made it to WDW and the DS1 managed to take a picture of the sign welcoming us. Had no problemswith directions or construction and was welcomed home at the Beach Club! I knew about this from my months on the boards but it was a nice suprise for the family to hear it. DH actually said "She just said Welcome Home - cool!"
It is only about 10:30 at this point so we check in with no line at all and are told that our room is not ready but they have good news. We were upgraded to a waterview room, overlooking the quiet pool, lake and the Boardwalk! Yea me! I received all of our requests. NS, full balcony, room with a day bed (for DS12 - didn't want to sleep with his brother). We were given our keys to the world and directed to the fitness center to use the locker rooms to change if we wished to enjoy the pool until the room was ready. So, that's what we did. Nice fitness center and nice locker rooms too! Went to the pool and the kids LOVED it! Thought the sand bottom was neat and loved the slide. DH was getting sleepy now, so he sat at a table by the snack bar and enjoyed a beer or two and managed to close his eyes for few minutes while I read through our paperwork. Ordered lunch from the snack bar - on dining plan - and managed to order correctly from all of my research. DS's got chicken fingers and fries (fries came out of snack plan since not included with chicken), sodas, and cookies for desert. I got a salad with chicken salad - very good but had grapes and nuts in it - I am a "normal" kind of gal so I was a little disappointed with the added ingredients - a bottled water, and a cookie for the kids to have later. DH finished up ou leftovers.
Our room was ready around 2:00 or so, and we found it with no problem. I was so excited when I saw the view. (Let me say here, that after debating whether or not to fax a letter prior to our arrival, I decided it wouldn't hurt and sent a fax to the resort the day before we got there. I don't know if that helped or not, but we were upgraded so I like to think that maybe it helped?!?) Unpacked, rested a bit, then cleaned up since we were in the pool.
Had Fantasmic dinner reservations at 6:00 at Mama Melrose's. Walked to the boat dock around 5:00 or so (stopped to get a cocktail to take with us on the ride). Got to MGM with no problems, but did manage to get lost there and ended up being a few minutes late for our ressies. We waited for about 10 minutes and were seated. We were given the special menu for the Fantasmic package and were told what was covered under the dining plan. Our server was nice but lacked personality.... DS's were VERY cranky and DS2 had trouble staying awake at the table. We had the Field Green Salad to share - didn't like it and it was grainy with sand...and DS2 requested a caesar salad which we weren't charged for. Got the 4 cheese flatbread that DS1 ate most of since he doesn't do salad. That was very good. For main courses, DH ordered the Spicy Italian Sausage with rigatoni, DS1 ordered the steak - grilled plain with no sauce and buttered spaghetti, DS2 ordered the chicken parmigiana, and I ordered the eggplant stacked with mozzarella and tomatoes with a 1/2 carafe of sangria. Complaints: DH's pasta was hard. He spoke with our waiter who insisted he would replace it although the second one came out the same. DS1's spaghetti was the same way. We decided that the pasta is pre-cooked and underdone, then heated up prior to serving but was still not cooked enough. Sangria while tasty actually tasted like there was no alcohol in it, but rather grape juice? No big deal, lessons learned.... I enjoyed my eggplant and DS2 liked the chicken. I ordered tiramisu and the boys had chocolate gelati which the waiter put in to go cups for them to take with them to Fantasmic.
Made our way to the special entrance for Fantasmic. Now, let me say here that there is no reason to get there an hour early, or even 30 minutes early. Maybe it wasn't a busy night but the place did not fill up until 10 minutes before the show started. They really cram people in that place. The cast members kept yelling to move down as far as you can to the end of the row so they could squeeze more people in. It was hot and I decided that I was paying my money like everyone else and I needed a little bit of room. I was not going to be squished like a sardine. We spread out just enough to be comfortable but not overly close to each other. All the seats seem to be fine to me - but I am not picky about seating as long as I get to see the same show as everyone else. So with that being said, the show was FANTASTIC! I actually started to get filled up when the princesses came out on the boats - call me sentimental but I guess it had finally hit me that I was there! The boys (all 3 of them) really enjoyed it too and were no longer cranky. I decided that they just needed some Disney magic to get them in the right frame of mind.
Made it back to the resort about 25 minutes later - was able to catch the first boat after the show. Got into our pj's,scheduled a wake up call for 7:00am, and off we went to sleep with thoughts about tomorrow - our first day in the parks - at Epcot!
Up next: Our first ride on Soarin', Test Track, and another magical day (thank TG Mike!)
Me - Mom, 38, over-analyzer and trip planner. Spent hours upon hours on the net planning and scrutinizing every detail out there about DW, drove DH nuts because I was always on the boards!
DH - 46, not a planner at all, kind of a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants guy, contractor by trade, REALLY needed this vacation!
DS1 - 12, good kid, going through the normal growing pains at his age, didn't care about this trip until the day before we left.
DS2 - 10, another good kid, very curious, helped me plan a bit, always interested in the details
2nd visit as a family - last one in 2000 when the kids were 6 and 4, and 3rd trip for me - went in '76 with my grandmother but don't remember much....
Let me start by saying that this was kind of a last minute trip. Decided in March that I needed to get away and thought it would be a great vacation and different from our usual vacation at the beach. Had a nightmare trip last summer - went away with our best friends for 2 weeks at the beach, ended up leaving early and are not as good as friends as we used to be, so I figured "what the hey, we deserve it!"
Started out as going to a moderate and then decided I was spending alot of money anyway so why not go to a deluxe. Since we love the beach, chose the Beach Club (and VERY glad I did). Researched all I could about the resort (and thanks to all for your informaton posted out there) and decided on the dining plan. Made all of our ADR's and was pleased with most (more about that later...)
Chose the week that the kids got out of school for the summer - was planning on blowing off the last day to go to DW, but because we only had a couple of snow days this year, they changed the calendar and the kids ended up getting out of school 2 days earlier than expected.
Left on Friday morning, June 9. Hired a limo to take us to the airport (again, already spending alot, so what's the big deal, right?). I must say that this is the only way to travel to the airport! Our flight left on Southwest at 7:00am, so the car was there to pick us up at 5:00am. I had everything ready to go a couple of days early and believe it or not, I really did sleep well the night before. Had no trouble getting up at 4:00am. DH and DS's were up and ready to go too. Got to the airport in plenty of time and had pre-printed our boarding passes so we were in the "A" line and the first ones, too (being the over planner that I am, I wouldn't have it any other way!
Boarded the plane, got 2nd row seats and settled in for the short 2 hour flight to the most magical place on earth! Kids kept themselves occupied with their DVD players...the best gift from Santa they ever received! Landed at MCO at 9:10am. Starting to feel a little groggy at this point but managed to snap out of it as soon as I hit the car rental counter. Decided this trip to rent a car so we didn't have to use Disney transportation - read good and bad on the web and since i was already spending alot of money, why not? (Turns out we returned it early because it wasn't needed and now wish that I would have saved the money...but lessons learned...) Anyway, sorry to digress...
Got the car and drove off into the land of happiness - forgot about the toll money and got into the exact change lane, but some nice soul kindly let me over so I could pay with a dollar bill (now, I am from Baltimore and let me tell you, I would have had to wait 10 minutes at home for someone to let me ease into their lane...people are very defensive drivers here!) Finally made it to WDW and the DS1 managed to take a picture of the sign welcoming us. Had no problemswith directions or construction and was welcomed home at the Beach Club! I knew about this from my months on the boards but it was a nice suprise for the family to hear it. DH actually said "She just said Welcome Home - cool!"
It is only about 10:30 at this point so we check in with no line at all and are told that our room is not ready but they have good news. We were upgraded to a waterview room, overlooking the quiet pool, lake and the Boardwalk! Yea me! I received all of our requests. NS, full balcony, room with a day bed (for DS12 - didn't want to sleep with his brother). We were given our keys to the world and directed to the fitness center to use the locker rooms to change if we wished to enjoy the pool until the room was ready. So, that's what we did. Nice fitness center and nice locker rooms too! Went to the pool and the kids LOVED it! Thought the sand bottom was neat and loved the slide. DH was getting sleepy now, so he sat at a table by the snack bar and enjoyed a beer or two and managed to close his eyes for few minutes while I read through our paperwork. Ordered lunch from the snack bar - on dining plan - and managed to order correctly from all of my research. DS's got chicken fingers and fries (fries came out of snack plan since not included with chicken), sodas, and cookies for desert. I got a salad with chicken salad - very good but had grapes and nuts in it - I am a "normal" kind of gal so I was a little disappointed with the added ingredients - a bottled water, and a cookie for the kids to have later. DH finished up ou leftovers.
Our room was ready around 2:00 or so, and we found it with no problem. I was so excited when I saw the view. (Let me say here, that after debating whether or not to fax a letter prior to our arrival, I decided it wouldn't hurt and sent a fax to the resort the day before we got there. I don't know if that helped or not, but we were upgraded so I like to think that maybe it helped?!?) Unpacked, rested a bit, then cleaned up since we were in the pool.
Had Fantasmic dinner reservations at 6:00 at Mama Melrose's. Walked to the boat dock around 5:00 or so (stopped to get a cocktail to take with us on the ride). Got to MGM with no problems, but did manage to get lost there and ended up being a few minutes late for our ressies. We waited for about 10 minutes and were seated. We were given the special menu for the Fantasmic package and were told what was covered under the dining plan. Our server was nice but lacked personality.... DS's were VERY cranky and DS2 had trouble staying awake at the table. We had the Field Green Salad to share - didn't like it and it was grainy with sand...and DS2 requested a caesar salad which we weren't charged for. Got the 4 cheese flatbread that DS1 ate most of since he doesn't do salad. That was very good. For main courses, DH ordered the Spicy Italian Sausage with rigatoni, DS1 ordered the steak - grilled plain with no sauce and buttered spaghetti, DS2 ordered the chicken parmigiana, and I ordered the eggplant stacked with mozzarella and tomatoes with a 1/2 carafe of sangria. Complaints: DH's pasta was hard. He spoke with our waiter who insisted he would replace it although the second one came out the same. DS1's spaghetti was the same way. We decided that the pasta is pre-cooked and underdone, then heated up prior to serving but was still not cooked enough. Sangria while tasty actually tasted like there was no alcohol in it, but rather grape juice? No big deal, lessons learned.... I enjoyed my eggplant and DS2 liked the chicken. I ordered tiramisu and the boys had chocolate gelati which the waiter put in to go cups for them to take with them to Fantasmic.
Made our way to the special entrance for Fantasmic. Now, let me say here that there is no reason to get there an hour early, or even 30 minutes early. Maybe it wasn't a busy night but the place did not fill up until 10 minutes before the show started. They really cram people in that place. The cast members kept yelling to move down as far as you can to the end of the row so they could squeeze more people in. It was hot and I decided that I was paying my money like everyone else and I needed a little bit of room. I was not going to be squished like a sardine. We spread out just enough to be comfortable but not overly close to each other. All the seats seem to be fine to me - but I am not picky about seating as long as I get to see the same show as everyone else. So with that being said, the show was FANTASTIC! I actually started to get filled up when the princesses came out on the boats - call me sentimental but I guess it had finally hit me that I was there! The boys (all 3 of them) really enjoyed it too and were no longer cranky. I decided that they just needed some Disney magic to get them in the right frame of mind.
Made it back to the resort about 25 minutes later - was able to catch the first boat after the show. Got into our pj's,scheduled a wake up call for 7:00am, and off we went to sleep with thoughts about tomorrow - our first day in the parks - at Epcot!
Up next: Our first ride on Soarin', Test Track, and another magical day (thank TG Mike!)
I've learned alot from how your family spent your day (my youngest just turned 13 and he said after reading this that he would have enjoyed the day how you spent it - so thank you for helping with my mostly-sweet-sometimes-cranky-now-teenager-but-still-my-baby). 
