allie5
<font color=blue>WARNING! DHL men should be cautio
- Joined
- Apr 12, 2002
- Messages
- 1,572
Sun 22nd June- We awake to yet another rainy start. My plan for today had been Epcot, but none of us fancy it in the pouring rain. Mum isnt feeling too well either, so that settles it, Epcot is off for today. DH, DD and I head off to the Publix to pick up more supplies and some cold & flu tablets for mum. Back at the villa DS has fallen asleep and mum starts to feel a little better after taking some tablets. DS is still out cold and Im reluctant to wake him as he hasnt been sleeping well since we arrived. Also, he cant take to the American food and has an upset tummy.
Mum says she will nap for an hour with DS and we take DD to TGI Fridays for lunch. Its the closest restaurant to the villa and quick to get to. We order Jack Daniels sesame chicken strips as an appetiser (not realising our entrees also came with a salad!!). DD has mac and cheese and also has a good go at the chicken strips! I have fajitas and DH has a burger. Its all very tasty (much nicer than our TGIs at home!!) and the cheque is a very reasonable $56.
Back at the ranch DS has just woken up after a record 4 hour nap! Mum isnt feeling great, but wants to get out for awhile for some air. We decide to take a drive to the Premium Outlets to shop for some bargains. Nothing like retail therapy to cheer up a poorly soul, I figure! I buy some more kids clothes and also do some damage to the credit card in the Disney Outlet. DH is seriously wishing we had gone to Epcot today! Mum starts to feel bad again after an hour so back to the car. Mum announces she doesnt think she will be up to the illuminations cruise tonight......I am upset because I KNOW how much she will enjoy it. Its still only 3pm, so I ask mum not to make a desicion for another hour or two at least.
After some deliberation we ask mum if she is up to visiting Michaels (the arts & crafts store), as she LOVES this place. DH and I tell her we want to to treat her to anything she wants in the store as a thank you for all the baby sitting she does for us. This brightens her up considerably and off we set for I-drive and Michaels! I keep my fingers crossed the store will still be open as it is sunday and I dont know what time they close.....luckily they open til 7pm!
Mums latest thing is scrapbooking and Michaels has a huge selection of supplies......even I am tempted and we leave with loads of stuff! Even better there was a promo running and I get $30 off all our shopping. Bargain! We pull into a BK as DD is hungry again! Mum says she definately isnt going to come on the cruise tonight, as the humidity is making her cold feel worse. She feels OK in the a/c but not outside. She also offers to have DS as he still isnt over his tummy upset and is grumpy and needs more sleep.
We drive back to the villa via DHs new shortcut (take exit 65 off of I-4, signed Gaylord Palms, Osceola Parkway) and this road takes you all the way up as far as AKL, bypassing the 192 almost completely. He is very proud of this discovery!! Drop off mum and DS and then make our way over to the Beach Club. Security let us in, again with no parking restrictions. We have just over an hour before the cruise so we head off to explore the resort. DH is totally impressed with this place. We both like the light and airy feel to it, and love the Stormalong Bay pool area. The view over to the Boardwalk is lovely and there are lot of people riding the rental bicycles around. We instantly feel at home at this resort and like it the most out of any Disney property we have ever visited. DD plays on the beach for a little while, then we head over to Beaches and Cream. As I expected, the wait for a table was just a bit too long so we had to go for takeaway. I ordered a burger and fries each for myself and DH, a strawberry shake and a diet coke (DD had eaten earlier)....the total $24. I have to say we were disappointed....I had heard so much about the burgers here, that I was expecting something a bit special. In fact we found them just OK. Mine was let down by the fact there was no onion in it (I HAVE to have onion in my burger!!) and the burger itself was a little cold and bland. DH pronounced his to be OK, but not $24 worth of OK! Maybe the food is better eaten inside (cant believe how TINY this place is!!), but I would only rate the takeout window 5/10. This doesnt dampen our enthusiasm for the resort though, and we head off to the gift shop for souvenirs!! DD picks out a Toy Story action set and I get some supplies for the boat trip.
At around 8.10, we head to the boat dock to meet up with the other two familes we are sharing the cruise with. We are the first to arrive and check in with our Captain (whose name I forgot to write down!). A few minutes later, both other families arrive. They are Ron, his wife and daughter, Kelsey who is seven, Roxanne, her DH and son Robbie who is also seven. Ron is from Massachusetts and Roxanne is from New Jersey. They are all a jovial bunch and we get on really well. The kids are brought forward and fitted with life jackets (DD thinks this is really cool and is hoping the boat will sink so she can try it out ). Robbie has a Pal Mickey which she is eyeing up enviously. I hope young Robbie keeps a tight hold on him, as DD has been showing signs of kleptomania recently (remember the incident with the inflatable Shamu?). We take our places on the boat, which the captain tells us is only on its second trip...its brand new and was delivered last week. I cringe as DD is already standing up on the cream leather seats to get a closer look at Robbies Pal Mickey. I hastily pull her back, hoping they have something that cleans footprints off of leather.
Off we go......first we head past the Swan and Dolphin where our Captain points out the lights in the shells that are actually fountains. He is very knowledgable and can answer any question about anything Disney (DH is fascintated that the shipwreck on the edge of the Beach Club is actually the water slide for the pool!)...of course I cant think of ANYTHING to ask at all while Im aboard! We head up towards MGM, which we didnt think was accessable by water. Its getting dark now and the Tower of Terror is glowing a sinister purple! The Swan and Dolphin look grand at night... with the thousands of lights twinkling, it could be Christmas!
We head back past the Beach Club and Boardwalk....it is full dark now and everything is lit up beautifully. I think how much mum would have enjoyed it and promise myself this is something we will do again. The boat passes underneath the international gateway bridge and lots of well wishers wave and shout "have a great trip" to us. We moor up alongside Breathless and another pontoon boat, whose captain is a riot telling a barrage of corny jokes! I am glad we got the "knowledgeable" one rather than the jokey one!!! Pretty soon the show starts and we get an amazing view from where we are moored. This is one of the highlights of the trip and HIGHLY reccomended if you get the chance! A definate 10/10!!! DH videos the whole of illuminations and its over too soon! DD and the other two children are totally enthralled and dont say a word throughout the show! After the show we make our way back to the dock at the Beach Club. We say our goodbyes to the other families and the Captain gives Mickey stickers to all the children. He even gave me some for DS who he heard me mention wasnt with us. I thought that was really sweet and am glad we gave him a big tip!!!
We get back to the villa at 10pm and discover we can see the Magic Kingdom fireworks from the road leading up to the house! This is great and we sit in the car and watch them for 10 mins!!!
Tomorrow: Epcot
Mum says she will nap for an hour with DS and we take DD to TGI Fridays for lunch. Its the closest restaurant to the villa and quick to get to. We order Jack Daniels sesame chicken strips as an appetiser (not realising our entrees also came with a salad!!). DD has mac and cheese and also has a good go at the chicken strips! I have fajitas and DH has a burger. Its all very tasty (much nicer than our TGIs at home!!) and the cheque is a very reasonable $56.
Back at the ranch DS has just woken up after a record 4 hour nap! Mum isnt feeling great, but wants to get out for awhile for some air. We decide to take a drive to the Premium Outlets to shop for some bargains. Nothing like retail therapy to cheer up a poorly soul, I figure! I buy some more kids clothes and also do some damage to the credit card in the Disney Outlet. DH is seriously wishing we had gone to Epcot today! Mum starts to feel bad again after an hour so back to the car. Mum announces she doesnt think she will be up to the illuminations cruise tonight......I am upset because I KNOW how much she will enjoy it. Its still only 3pm, so I ask mum not to make a desicion for another hour or two at least.
After some deliberation we ask mum if she is up to visiting Michaels (the arts & crafts store), as she LOVES this place. DH and I tell her we want to to treat her to anything she wants in the store as a thank you for all the baby sitting she does for us. This brightens her up considerably and off we set for I-drive and Michaels! I keep my fingers crossed the store will still be open as it is sunday and I dont know what time they close.....luckily they open til 7pm!
Mums latest thing is scrapbooking and Michaels has a huge selection of supplies......even I am tempted and we leave with loads of stuff! Even better there was a promo running and I get $30 off all our shopping. Bargain! We pull into a BK as DD is hungry again! Mum says she definately isnt going to come on the cruise tonight, as the humidity is making her cold feel worse. She feels OK in the a/c but not outside. She also offers to have DS as he still isnt over his tummy upset and is grumpy and needs more sleep.
We drive back to the villa via DHs new shortcut (take exit 65 off of I-4, signed Gaylord Palms, Osceola Parkway) and this road takes you all the way up as far as AKL, bypassing the 192 almost completely. He is very proud of this discovery!! Drop off mum and DS and then make our way over to the Beach Club. Security let us in, again with no parking restrictions. We have just over an hour before the cruise so we head off to explore the resort. DH is totally impressed with this place. We both like the light and airy feel to it, and love the Stormalong Bay pool area. The view over to the Boardwalk is lovely and there are lot of people riding the rental bicycles around. We instantly feel at home at this resort and like it the most out of any Disney property we have ever visited. DD plays on the beach for a little while, then we head over to Beaches and Cream. As I expected, the wait for a table was just a bit too long so we had to go for takeaway. I ordered a burger and fries each for myself and DH, a strawberry shake and a diet coke (DD had eaten earlier)....the total $24. I have to say we were disappointed....I had heard so much about the burgers here, that I was expecting something a bit special. In fact we found them just OK. Mine was let down by the fact there was no onion in it (I HAVE to have onion in my burger!!) and the burger itself was a little cold and bland. DH pronounced his to be OK, but not $24 worth of OK! Maybe the food is better eaten inside (cant believe how TINY this place is!!), but I would only rate the takeout window 5/10. This doesnt dampen our enthusiasm for the resort though, and we head off to the gift shop for souvenirs!! DD picks out a Toy Story action set and I get some supplies for the boat trip.
At around 8.10, we head to the boat dock to meet up with the other two familes we are sharing the cruise with. We are the first to arrive and check in with our Captain (whose name I forgot to write down!). A few minutes later, both other families arrive. They are Ron, his wife and daughter, Kelsey who is seven, Roxanne, her DH and son Robbie who is also seven. Ron is from Massachusetts and Roxanne is from New Jersey. They are all a jovial bunch and we get on really well. The kids are brought forward and fitted with life jackets (DD thinks this is really cool and is hoping the boat will sink so she can try it out ). Robbie has a Pal Mickey which she is eyeing up enviously. I hope young Robbie keeps a tight hold on him, as DD has been showing signs of kleptomania recently (remember the incident with the inflatable Shamu?). We take our places on the boat, which the captain tells us is only on its second trip...its brand new and was delivered last week. I cringe as DD is already standing up on the cream leather seats to get a closer look at Robbies Pal Mickey. I hastily pull her back, hoping they have something that cleans footprints off of leather.
Off we go......first we head past the Swan and Dolphin where our Captain points out the lights in the shells that are actually fountains. He is very knowledgable and can answer any question about anything Disney (DH is fascintated that the shipwreck on the edge of the Beach Club is actually the water slide for the pool!)...of course I cant think of ANYTHING to ask at all while Im aboard! We head up towards MGM, which we didnt think was accessable by water. Its getting dark now and the Tower of Terror is glowing a sinister purple! The Swan and Dolphin look grand at night... with the thousands of lights twinkling, it could be Christmas!
We head back past the Beach Club and Boardwalk....it is full dark now and everything is lit up beautifully. I think how much mum would have enjoyed it and promise myself this is something we will do again. The boat passes underneath the international gateway bridge and lots of well wishers wave and shout "have a great trip" to us. We moor up alongside Breathless and another pontoon boat, whose captain is a riot telling a barrage of corny jokes! I am glad we got the "knowledgeable" one rather than the jokey one!!! Pretty soon the show starts and we get an amazing view from where we are moored. This is one of the highlights of the trip and HIGHLY reccomended if you get the chance! A definate 10/10!!! DH videos the whole of illuminations and its over too soon! DD and the other two children are totally enthralled and dont say a word throughout the show! After the show we make our way back to the dock at the Beach Club. We say our goodbyes to the other families and the Captain gives Mickey stickers to all the children. He even gave me some for DS who he heard me mention wasnt with us. I thought that was really sweet and am glad we gave him a big tip!!!
We get back to the villa at 10pm and discover we can see the Magic Kingdom fireworks from the road leading up to the house! This is great and we sit in the car and watch them for 10 mins!!!
Tomorrow: Epcot
