Adventures with my DH DH **Actual Trip Report pg 3!**

[Minnie&Nana]

The real TR!!! Yippee!!

I didn't realize you took the auto-train - what fun! back in the early '90's we took the train to Orlando from Boston 5 times.

Sounds like your DH did like the room!!

Okay...ready for more!!

 

[kaffinito]

The real TR!!! Yippee!!

I didn't realize you took the auto-train - what fun! back in the early '90's we took the train to Orlando from Boston 5 times.

Sounds like your DH did like the room!!

Okay...ready for more!!

I the auto train!

And here comes more TR!

So the next day we were up at the crack of dawn and ready to get a little nosh from the Lounge. Did I mention that until the last trip with DH I didn't even know they had rope drop?

So we had breakfast, and headed out to AK for our Wildlife Discovery Tour. I had high hopes for the tour, and was hoping DH would have a lot of photo ops that he wouldn't ordinarily get. Well, that didn't quite happen. But I did learn a ton of new facts about animals from the tour guide, and learned a lot more about ostriches. So DH was disgruntled, and was acting like a male.

We went back to the resort and he took another nap while I wandered around the Boardwalk. I really enjoyed that location - it was just perfect for me.

I woke him up in time for us to get ready for our next meal - at Cape May Cafe. We went to dinner and he was very surprised by the food at Cape May. He ate until he was stuffed, and was very pleased with the meal.

He had mostly chicken and ribs, and I had some of the CRAB LEGS that have now been added to the menu. How much so you want to bet those crab legs are gone when FD starts up again?

So you can see that most of our time was spent either walking, eating or sleeping. He spends most of every vacation napping anyway, so I'm used to flying solo on these trips for the most part. And BTW, I just got a really cute Tink "Flying Solo" sweatshirt off of eBay. It was on an auction, so I was able to get it cheap. I had to get an XL though - so it looks like a tent on me. Oh well, cheap is cheap!

So on to Wednesday.

 

[kaffinito]

BTW Christine, I expect some kind of a TR from you too - with pics please!

 

[Minnie&Nana]

BTW Christine, I expect some kind of a TR from you too - with pics please!

Oh, you do jest!!!

Did I mention that until the last trip with DH I didn't even know they had rope drop?

Thank goodness you found out - missing rope drop and the parks with that first morning shine would be very sad...why it changes the entire experience!!

We went back to the resort and he took another nap while I wandered around the Boardwalk. I really enjoyed that location - it was just perfect for me.

We booked BC std but trusting we will get a marvelous room and location. Water view at BC is not worth the almost $100 jump per ngt..and we have the extra adult additional fee (although I'd upgrade in a heartbeat! ). The EPCOT area is great during the Holidays b/c it's so nice to be able to stroll between two parks. The resorts are beautifully decorated - did you visit other resorts to see the decorations?

I woke him up in time for us to get ready for our next meal - at Cape May Cafe. We went to dinner and he was very surprised by the food at Cape May. He ate until he was stuffed, and was very pleased with the meal.

He had mostly chicken and ribs, and I had some of the CRAB LEGS that have now been added to the menu. How much so you want to bet those crab legs are gone when FD starts up again?

I'd like to try Cape May for dinner, but have a severe (make that dangerous) seafood allergy so me thinks a buffet with so much seafood would not be a good choice. Glad you both enjoyed it so much - sounds like a highlight for your DH.

Pretty sure we will do the Character Breakfast our last morning - nice way to end the trip.

So you can see that most of our time was spent either walking, eating or sleeping. He spends most of every vacation napping anyway, so I'm used to flying solo on these trips for the most part. And BTW, I just got a really cute Tink "Flying Solo" sweatshirt off of eBay. It was on an auction, so I was able to get it cheap. I had to get an XL though - so it looks like a tent on me. Oh well, cheap is cheap!

Your DH sure likes his naps!! Guess you did a sort of un-solo, solo? Hmm...and he wanted to go back why? I'll be anxiously awaiting the final news of did he or didn't he enjoy this trip? I sure hope surprises are to come and you both had a wonderful time!

Sounds like a cute sweatshirt! Maybe it will shrink - of course, nothing ever shrinks when we want it to, only when we do not have an inch to spare.

Okay....ready for Wednesday, please.

 

[kaffinito]

We booked BC std but trusting we will get a marvelous room and location. The resorts are beautifully decorated - did you visit other resorts to see the decorations?

Pretty sure we will do the Character Breakfast our last morning - nice way to end the trip.

Your DH sure likes his naps!! Guess you did a sort of un-solo, solo? Hmm...and he wanted to go back why? I'll be anxiously awaiting the final news of did he or didn't he enjoy this trip? I sure hope surprises are to come and you both had a wonderful time!

We did get to see some of the decorations at BC and YC, but never made it anywhere else. I didn't mind - I was very happy with the decorations at BWI and in the parks.

BC standard view sounds like it would be just fine - and the character breakfast sounds like a lot of fun. A lot of the folks on the Chat recommend it as being the best one - have you eaten there before?

When do you leave? I hope you all have a wonderful trip! And I do expect pics, at least...

 

[kaffinito]

So Wednesday we got up early, had a quick grab and go breakfast out of leftovers from the fridge and headed out for our 8:30 am horseback riding ressie.

We drove to FW and somehow managed to find out where we were supposed to check in. We filled out the forms while I reviled in the wonderful (to me) aroma of horse doo doo's. I don't know why, but I love the aroma of horse droppings - I guess it reminds me of summers as a kid.

I was first to mount since I had the most riding experience in the group. Out of the 12 of us my not being on horseback in 12 years counted as the most experience. My horses name was Tom, and he wanted to go now. My horse was tied in front of the button that starts the loudspeaker announcement for riding, and he kept pushing it with his nose!

We had to wait while the others boarded, and once we were all mounted up we left. My horse was behind the lead horse, a wonderfully sturdy Gypsy (???) ( a small draft horse) and the trail was nicely marked.

The ride was slow and uneventful - we did see some deer. I really enjoyed it - and want to take the kids back some day to ride as well. DH enjoyed the ride as well, and didn't harp once the whole ride.

We got back to the resort, had some breakfast at the lounge, and DH took another nap while I found a quiet place to read. We had a good lunch out on the Boardwalk at the Bakery, (which I love - the food there is very good) and headed to the Spa for our massages. I had a good massage, and DH paid extra for a deep tissue massage. Then he took another nap! And I went to the quiet pool. I just couldn't deal with all of the people at the main pool, and that giant clown head

It was warm enough for us northern folks to be poolside, and I chatted with some folks from PA and NJ. The couple from PA were newbies, and were totally hooked on Disney. They got a call from WDW and were upgraded from AsMu to BWI. What a call! The NJ couple had also been upgraded and were WDW vets. Both couples wanted to stay at BWI again.

DH joined us at the hot tub, and after a while we went to get ready for dinner at LTT. Since it was NYE eve, I wanted to make sure we got there an hour early for dinner. Turned out to be a good call. I have never seen crowds like that at MK. Not ever. You could barely walk! I also goofed and got us there before the 7:00 spectro parade. What a mistake that was!

We made it to LTT just before dinner, and it was pretty good. It costs more than the buffet at CMC though, so what you get isn't worth the cost. It would be if it was still a character dinner though.

After dinner we went to HM and then on to POTC. DH had never ridden them, and he thought they were both well done. Then I escorted him to the park exit, and went off by myself again.

Wednesday night later - there's a lot to tell about MK on the night before NYE!

 

[kaffinito]

So Wednesday night after I took DH to the exit I went straight to the smoking section by Tony's and sat for a while. There was a nice couple there who were chaperoning one of the marching bands that were playing in MK before the parades. They said that the kids in the band only had to check in with them 3 times a day while they were there, and that the kids were on their own in the parks! I just had to think about the thread about wild kids in the parks and the resorts who weren't chaperoned properly.

The gate between Tony's and the Hat Emporium was open and the CM there said that they had a few gates open to take guests out of the park. I saw a few gates marked like that in EPCOT as well. After reading the horror stories about guests getting squished trying to leave after the fireworks I was glad to see the alternate exit.

I wandered around a bit and then went into Mickey's Philharmagic to see the show. It was full but there were still people trying to sit in the middle of the theater. The lady in my row said rather testily that I could go past them if I wanted to but that they were sitting right there. So I sat down next to them and smiled. I was in my happy place and so nothing was bugging me. Some of my happiest times have been when I'm off in the parks on my own.

After Philharmagic I wandered a little bit more, the lines were massive for IASM and everything else around so I decided to find a good spot to watch the parade. It was still 45 minutes before parade time and already there were bunches of people waiting for it. I ended up across from LTT behind a bunch of people, and then I spotted a very narrow area across the street next to a garbage can and behind a lamppost. Only two people were standing in a space big enough for four, and I figured that if I asked nicely I could get behind the lamppost and see the parade as it came up the street. There was even a railing to perch on, and the space was only wide enough for one person to stand behind the tape barrier.

So I went over, asked nicely, and the lady who was nearest the garbage can said I could stand there. The couple was not in the mood for conversation with me though - so I gave up after a few tries. I played with the iPhone and posted on the DIS using eTicket and had a lovely view of Specto.

After Spectro I wandered over to the smoking section in front of the Ice Cream Parlor to find a spot to watch the fireworks. They didn't start until 11:50 so I talked with a few folks there. There was a lovely older female couple who were holding hands and just being cute. The oldest of the couple was very friendly and chatty, and was a very pleasant cheerful person all around. Meeting people like that makes my day.

The fireworks were definitely worth braving the crowds for. The end part of it when they have the countdown in fireworks in a big circle was sooo cool! Then they had the fireworks going off all around and you could look up and see them in a big circle in the sky. How wonderfully magical that was!

All in all it was a magical night. I did a lot of shopping after the park closed to avoid the rush to the buses, and when I finally left I was only in line for a few minutes before I was able to board a bus for home. And I got a seat too. No pregnant women or small children boarded after me so I kept my seat.

New Years Eve report tomorrow.

 

[kaffinito]

Our last day was NYE day, and DH really wanted to leave that day instead of staying for some NYE festivities. Since I had wanted to go specifically to celebrate NYE in a grand style for once - I was disappointed, but I had had a wonderful NYE experience the night before so I figured we might as well go. NYE with a miserable DH wasn't something I was looking forward to either.

Once DH knew we were leaving that day he settled down quite a bit and was actually pleasant to be with. He gets so wound up on trips, and goes bananas worrying about the cats which makes him a real to be around.

So we went to WS and walked around that day, and had a nice lunch at Rose and Crown as a walk up at lunch time. We had a 2 minute wait before we were seated. Lunch was very good, they have changed the menu again, and the lamb shank is gone. I wasn't upset about that since they've replaced it with a delicious chicken and mushroom pie.

I took DH on the Three Caballeros ride in the Mexico Pavilion, which he tolerated quite well. My youngest DS and I always do that ride during evening EMH at EPCOT. We walk the whole way around WS until we get to Mexico, and then we ride the ride until they close it down. It's always empty that time of night, so we'll ride 3 or 4 times without getting off until they stop running it. It's a game for us, to see how long it takes us to get to Mexico and then how many rides we can get in.

I knew the ride would annoy DH and at that point was looking for a little bit of payback I think.

We went back to BWI after lunch and took long naps so we could start the drive home. I packed my stuff up after we woke up (he had been packed to go for two days already) and we got some appetizers in the lounge before we left. Bell services came right away, and were outside when I showed up with the car. The service at BWI is really outstanding!

And that was it, we headed home. DH fell asleep in the car as usual, and when midnight came were were just entering Tennessee. So that was my spectacular NYE's experience.

We got back to Michigan Saturday evening.

Long and short of it was that although DH was a miserable son of a gun the whole trip, he's already talking about going back. Honestly, since this is the second time I've taken him, I really don't want to ever take him again. He's a lot worse to deal with on vacation than my two autistic kids!

He goes on and on about the food, the resort, and the fun he had this trip though - he hasn't stopped talking about Disney since we got back.

Oh well - now I'm planning the Herman's Hermits Tribute Trip for my two boys and DN, and starting to work on the annual August trip for DS17's birthday. That one will have enough family going to qualify as a grand gathering but I'm not sure if I'm up to the task.

When I get to it I want to post more pics of our trip, but for now, this is...

THE END