lissiesmum
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jan 30, 2007
- Messages
- 2,641
We had a great trip down, and our flight actually landed 45 mins early! I was so excited to have the extra time, and crossed my fingers for good luck at the DME area. This year, they had some new checkin process where you didn't have to wait in those long winding lines. I was sent directly to the Poly/CR/WL/GF podium, he took my tix, and I waited maybe five minutes before we boarded the bus and were off....then, we were the first stop they dropped off! 
I think we arrived about an hour and a half before I had planned...now to see if our room would be ready!
We arrived at the GCH around 11:00am, and our room was already ready for us! I had knots in my stomach while the CM was punching in those buttons to find out my room assignment and she came out with third floor Tuvalu!
There was a convention going on at the Poly this past week and they were all put in Tahiti apparantly so she thought we would be better suited to Tuvalu (and I'm so glad she did!).
The walk from the GCH to Tuvalu was maybe 3 or 4 minutes...so convenient! I loved walking around the marina and seeing all of the boats coming and going, and we talked to many people who were out on their patios in front of Fiji. I must say, if I were to request GV, it would be Fiji. So close to GCH and beautiful views on either side. Depending on our mood, we would either walk alongside the marina, or the other side of Fiji facing the beach and the GF. Both were beautiful walks and so peaceful and quiet (on a side note, I would have to say the worst GV on property would be in Tuvalu. When we entered the bldg, I felt bad for the people who had GV because the view is of dying vegetation, overgrown trees, and the Fiji bldg. Definitely not a view I would be happy with.
)
I like the remoteness of Tuvalu. You don't hear the pool noise, screaming, music from the pool activities, etc. There is no one walking in front of the building as there is only one small strip of land and then it is the beautiful lagoon. It is a really small longhouse, I think there were only 16 rooms on our floor. I loved looking down either side of the hall on the first floor while waiting for the elevator because all you can see is the lagoon from either end. When I pulled back the curtains the first time I almost passed out! The pictures I have seen do not do a TPV justice! In Tuvalu, because you see nothing but water, you feel like you are on a balcony of a ship, instead of in a hotel. THere is nothing obstructing your view, and the view is outstanding! The castle was literally straight across from our room, which was #3407. We were three rooms away from the end, towards the GF. There is a little island in front which definitely would obstruct your view from the lower floors, but in our room, we had a full castle view because there is a little U shaped cut in the trees and our room was right in front of it so the castle was in full view. The further you go to the right of Tuvalu, towards the marina, I would think you see less of the bottom of the castle because the trees are taller on the island as you go towards the right of the building. I could also see Space Mountain, a few glowy lights from Tomorrowland, some of the bus stop, Main Street Station, the tip of BTMR, and of course, the beautiful GF. The monorail was a stone's throw from our room and I loved to watch it go into the GF monorail station. I could always hear it before I saw it and I knew when it was coming. My DD loved to watch the different colored monorails go by 
We also got to see a few wedding parties go through the wedding pavilion. I felt so bad one night because it was absolutely pouring, and there was the bride, out in the rain!
The sounds of the MK were amazing. I loved watching the TTC ferries come and go, and the smaller boat launches as well. We heard both horns, and could barely hear it from inside the room...it was barely audible at all. The sliding doors keep the sound out really well! On the nights when the Spirit of Aloha, was performing, it was fun to go out on the balcony and listen to the show. We could even see some of the fire dancing stuff from the stairwell outside the longhouse as we walked down! Once we closed the sliders for bed, I couldn't hear the music from the luau. The only thing you can hear really loud through the sliders is the music from the EWP...it's so loud, it could wake the dead!
I've got to do some errands, but will try to continue some more later this evening...
I think we arrived about an hour and a half before I had planned...now to see if our room would be ready!We arrived at the GCH around 11:00am, and our room was already ready for us! I had knots in my stomach while the CM was punching in those buttons to find out my room assignment and she came out with third floor Tuvalu!
There was a convention going on at the Poly this past week and they were all put in Tahiti apparantly so she thought we would be better suited to Tuvalu (and I'm so glad she did!).The walk from the GCH to Tuvalu was maybe 3 or 4 minutes...so convenient! I loved walking around the marina and seeing all of the boats coming and going, and we talked to many people who were out on their patios in front of Fiji. I must say, if I were to request GV, it would be Fiji. So close to GCH and beautiful views on either side. Depending on our mood, we would either walk alongside the marina, or the other side of Fiji facing the beach and the GF. Both were beautiful walks and so peaceful and quiet (on a side note, I would have to say the worst GV on property would be in Tuvalu. When we entered the bldg, I felt bad for the people who had GV because the view is of dying vegetation, overgrown trees, and the Fiji bldg. Definitely not a view I would be happy with.
)I like the remoteness of Tuvalu. You don't hear the pool noise, screaming, music from the pool activities, etc. There is no one walking in front of the building as there is only one small strip of land and then it is the beautiful lagoon. It is a really small longhouse, I think there were only 16 rooms on our floor. I loved looking down either side of the hall on the first floor while waiting for the elevator because all you can see is the lagoon from either end.
When I pulled back the curtains the first time I almost passed out! The pictures I have seen do not do a TPV justice! In Tuvalu, because you see nothing but water, you feel like you are on a balcony of a ship, instead of in a hotel. THere is nothing obstructing your view, and the view is outstanding! The castle was literally straight across from our room, which was #3407. We were three rooms away from the end, towards the GF. There is a little island in front which definitely would obstruct your view from the lower floors, but in our room, we had a full castle view because there is a little U shaped cut in the trees and our room was right in front of it so the castle was in full view. The further you go to the right of Tuvalu, towards the marina, I would think you see less of the bottom of the castle because the trees are taller on the island as you go towards the right of the building. I could also see Space Mountain, a few glowy lights from Tomorrowland, some of the bus stop, Main Street Station, the tip of BTMR, and of course, the beautiful GF. The monorail was a stone's throw from our room and I loved to watch it go into the GF monorail station. I could always hear it before I saw it and I knew when it was coming. My DD loved to watch the different colored monorails go by We also got to see a few wedding parties go through the wedding pavilion. I felt so bad one night because it was absolutely pouring, and there was the bride, out in the rain!The sounds of the MK were amazing. I loved watching the TTC ferries come and go, and the smaller boat launches as well. We heard both horns, and could barely hear it from inside the room...it was barely audible at all. The sliding doors keep the sound out really well! On the nights when the Spirit of Aloha, was performing, it was fun to go out on the balcony and listen to the show. We could even see some of the fire dancing stuff from the stairwell outside the longhouse as we walked down! Once we closed the sliders for bed, I couldn't hear the music from the luau. The only thing you can hear really loud through the sliders is the music from the EWP...it's so loud, it could wake the dead!
I've got to do some errands, but will try to continue some more later this evening...
I also had requested turndown service and was told I did not have to call every night, and we didn't have turndown show up once 
Other than that, I had great experiences with Mousekeeping. One of the days it poured, one of the mousekeepers even helped us out outside...it was a downpour, and we needed to get to the Kona Cafe, so we cut through Fiji, but you can't get through Tonga house because it's locked so a Mousekeeper noticed us struggling through the rain and gave us a few towels to drape over us then unlocked Tonga so we wouldn't have so far to run in the rain. She was a lifesaver! (and of course I bought ponchos the next day so we wouldnt' have this problem again!). 
! For dinner, I ordered the coconut almond chicken. It was one of my favorite meals of the trip! It was crunchy on the outside, but really juicy and moist on the inside. The accompanying salad was also to die for. It had tossed greens with sliced strawberries, pineapples, almonds, and a honey lime vinaigrette. I found the recipe and look forward to trying to recreate it at home 
We ordered the noodle bowl, which is still my favorite thing there, and I tried the adult grilled cheese one night, which was soooo good. Ooey gooey on the inside, and crunchy grainy bread on the outside! Yum yum! The dole whip was always a treat, and we also love their chocolate croissants. Always hits the spot.
We were given a table right by the window looking out over the water and the castle, and we were seated around 6:45. The food this year was fresh and delicious...I ate so much my DD was looking at me funny, and since we've been home, she's told people about how much I ate there! I ate that whole bowl of salad and at least a dozen of the skewered shrimp. THe pork was to die for and I loved the chicken wings. And the bread pudding...ahhh. I could have eaten three helpings if I hadn't stuffed myself on the shrimp! My DD got up this year and danced, sang, and had fun with the other children. And we even got to watch Wishes from our table which was a neat experience. I missed watching it from the quiet of our room, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. 
and I will only be a pain if I need to be. Anyone remember what the title of this CM is? It might have been in the thread we filled up awhile back. Thanks!
