An APRIL Adventure in Autism: 2008 (8/8) Time to Say Good-Bye....

[IluvXU]

So fun... I love the picture display of the DVC families... someday, a girl can dream right! I really think OKW looks so pretty!

Thanks, I have never seen any of the stuff in this update.... and what a fun DVC treat that rec room is!

 

[Heluvsme]

You had the whole room to yourselves? What a treat! It really looks like you all had a fabulous time!

I'm with you, I need to plan, and my husband is the opposite, he likes fly-by-the-seat-of-his-pants, although, he is very good about indulging me at Disney because we get to do so much doing it my way. But, this does sound relaxing and enjoyable!

Great update!

~Dawn

 

[KathyRN137]

Actually, you might be convincing us die hard park commandos to do an easy day!

Thanks! I will always plan our trips, but now I will plan to relax!!

We really do need it!


Kathy

 

[KathyRN137]

So fun... I love the picture display of the DVC families... someday, a girl can dream right! I really think OKW looks so pretty!

Thanks, I have never seen any of the stuff in this update.... and what a fun DVC treat that rec room is!

I keep forgetting to send them a picture of our family enjoying OKW!

(But I'm not sure they have any room for more!)

Kathy

 

[KathyRN137]

I'm with you, I need to plan, and my husband is the opposite, he likes fly-by-the-seat-of-his-pants, although, he is very good about indulging me at Disney because we get to do so much doing it my way. But, this does sound relaxing and enjoyable!

I know what you mean!

Ed loves to reap the rewards of my planning... in fact, I've even heard him bragging to his friends about it...

It's just that he needs his "down time" at Disney! If he gets that, then he's more likely to go along with the "scheduled time."

It's just that there is so much that I want to do!!

If Disney ever builds a fifth theme park, that's it. I'm sunk. One week would never be enough!!


Kathy

 

[wvdislover]

We, too, have a problem finding that happy medium during our vacations. I'm of the mindset that there's "so much to do...so little time," while DH wants to sleep in and get to the parks when we get around to it (usually around 11 or so ) I can't get the family to go with my idea (actually my TA's idea) of getting to the park for rope drop, then taking a break in the afternoon, then coming back in the evening. Maybe we'll try again this year. I have learned how to back off some, though. My "moment" came when I made my family stand outside at POP, waiting for a bus to take us to DHS for an ADR in the middle of a tropical storm (what was I thinking?!?) I gave in and we went inside to the food court for lunch instead, and watched as the storm got worse and the trees started bending over. Yes, I apologized to my family for my obsessiveness.

I MUST try to relax on vacation. I MUST try to relax on vacation. I MUST try to relax on vacation...

 

[KathyRN137]

I can't get the family to go with my idea (actually my TA's idea) of getting to the park for rope drop, then taking a break in the afternoon, then coming back in the evening.

We used to do just that when the kids were younger and would actually take a nap after lunch. But now, not only are they too old to take the nap, we tend to go in November when park hours are significantly shorter.

It's easier to come back to the parks after a break when they're open until 10 or 11pm... not so easy when they close at 8 or 9pm.

And the problem with doing a rope drop morning and leaving the park after dinner is that you miss the nighttime entertainment!

So then, if you want to stay late one night, how do you follow that with an early am the next day?? Something's got to give...


Kathy

 

[maroo]

I am so impressed with your go with the flow attitude!!

I really have to "put mine on" in advance or I get bent out of shape! See...I have to PLAN to be flexible! If I PLAN to be flexible....then I am ok!

I have never even HEARD of Olivia's? Is that a DVC thing?

Do you recommend it? Over the other places I know of...(I guess you know what I have heard of?!?)

 

[preschoolmom]

It's easier to come back to the parks after a break when they're open until 10 or 11pm... not so easy when they close at 8 or 9pm.

That was what we found on our trip in February (our one trip, with three little ones)... If we had gone back for a nap, there was no way we were getting back to the park before it closed (it was also during P&PP, so MK was closed at 6:00 three of our six nights)...

I'm waiting on October hours before I go nuts with our itinerary this time...

 

[KathyRN137]

I have never even HEARD of Olivia's? Is that a DVC thing?

Do you recommend it? Over the other places I know of...(I guess you know what I have heard of?!?)

Olivia's Cafe is the table service restaurant at Old Key West. It's open to all and I've read that it is even a favorite of many locals. The food is good... American with a "Southern" and a "Caribbean" twist. They serve B-L-D. If you are planning to eat there either before or after a visit to DTD, you can take a lovely water taxi ride to get there. (OKW shares it with SSR.)

We wound up eating there again on our last night because Ed didn't feel like dealing with the DTD crowds! As you can see, you don't always require an ADR, so its a good "spur of the moment" TS choice.

Here's a link to the current dinner menu:
http://allears.net/menu/menu_okw.htm


Kathy

 

[KathyRN137]

I'm waiting on October hours before I go nuts with our itinerary this time...

And even so, Disney likes to make changes to the park hours at the last minute, so it pays to be flexible.

Kathy

 

[MRYPPNS]

It's just that he needs his "down time" at Disney! If he gets that, then he's more likely to go along with the "scheduled time."

It's just that there is so much that I want to do!!

If Disney ever builds a fifth theme park, that's it. I'm sunk. One week would never be enough!!


Kathy

10 day Disney vacations Kathy....I tell you it's worth it for the down time!

 

[wvdislover]

I do have to say, I could never be one of those people who has every minute of every day planned out. That would max out my stress level Basically, I plan out ADR's for each day, and plan on which park(s) I think we should visit each day (saves time of trying to get family to agree on where we should visit each day), but we are flexible, even with that. My family is more flexible than I am about our ADR's (most of the time they could care less if we make it to an ADR or not--can't do "on the fly" ADR's during free dining!). I think we need to come up with some sort of contract or agreement before we leave, so our next trip will run more smoothly.

 

[KathyRN137]

10 day Disney vacations Kathy....I tell you it's worth it for the down time!

Oh, how I wish!

So hard, though, with school schedules now that the kids are older! Our second trip in 2005 was 10 days and it was heavenly!!

Now I try to balance going during less crowded times (read: school breaks) with having them miss as little school as possible, and the compromise seems to be Jersey Week.

At least, for now!


Kathy

 

[KathyRN137]

I do have to say, I could never be one of those people who has every minute of every day planned out. That would max out my stress level

I'm getting much better about that.

But, even at my worst OTP state, I was never as bad as my one DSis was on her first trip.... she even had their restroom breaks written into her plan!!


Kathy

 

[mousescrapper]

The pictures on the wall "family album" is so cute...how special!

Looks like you had a great family night in the Community Hall, that is such a nice perk at the DVC's and I like the activity schedule. reminds me of the Poly...the kids enjoyed the crafts and activities they offered there too.

It really does pay to "schedule" time at your resort and enjoy the magical small stuff!

 

[KathyRN137]

Looks like you had a great family night in the Community Hall, that is such a nice perk at the DVC's and I like the activity schedule. reminds me of the Poly...the kids enjoyed the crafts and activities they offered there too.

It really does pay to "schedule" time at your resort and enjoy the magical small stuff!

Well... I'm willing to do that for one night, as a "break." But, the allure of the parks is too strong to allow me to do this every night!!

Compromise is so difficult!


Kathy

 

[mrsksomeday]

I am finally caught up!! I am loving this TR. As usual you are wonderful with words, I love how you show us the scenery and sights, it is really wonderful to read.

Great pictures, I love all of them. I couldn't do the no ADR thing, I thinik it would drive me insane . Now I am off to catch up on your PTR.

 

[KathyRN137]

Chapter 16: Pool Days, Pool Days! Dear Old Golden Pool Days!


Wednesday, 4/23/08
Old Key West Resort



THE DAY had arrived... the much-coveted Sleep-in Day that I had promised to Ed. Unlike the previous year, I did not make the mistake of saving this little nugget for the end of the week. Oh no. Here it was, Wednesday... a prime park touring day... and my family was still in bed, without any alarm clock set, at 7:30 in the morning. Well, let me clarify that. We were still in bed, but not all of us were actually sleeping.



Sigh(!) I really wish there was away to set my son’s internal clock the way I would a mechanical one. Even though the drapes were drawn and all was peaceful and quiet, at 7:30 his eyes popped open and, unfortunately, so did his mouth. I woke to the sound of him laughing and scripting to himself. Whatever he was thinking about must’ve been a hoot because he was lying there under the covers, just roaring with laughter!


“Billy!” I whispered to him from the other bed, “Quiet mouth!”

“Quiet mouth!” he repeated, gleefully. And then, “Mom, it’s morning! Time to get up!”


Those are the exact words I use when I’m waking him up for school. “It’s morning, Billy, time to get up!” I tried to explain that, yes, it was morning, but no, it was not time to get up yet... that we were all sleeping and he needed to be quiet. Tricia moaned a little and turned over to face the other way. “Billy, go to sleep!” she mumbled, stealing the covers away from him as she did so.



He rolled out of the bed and came over to give me a hug. “We’re at Walt Disney World!” he declared. “It’s morning, time to get up!” Leave it to Billy to not want to miss a single minute of Disney! I suppose, in that way, he does take after me! With a sigh, I scooted over toward the middle of the bed and pulled him in with Ed and me. Hopefully, if he was still a little bit sleepy, I could snuggle with him a bit and he would drop off to sleep again.


Yeah, right!


After a half-hour of unsuccessfully shushing him, I realized that I might as well just get up, so I sat up on the edge of the bed and put on my flip-flops. Billy hit the ground running and went right for the remote control so he could turn on the Stacy channel! I turned the volume down as low as I could, put some water through the coffee pot for tea, and got some cereal for the both of us.



In a little while, Tricia sat up and began rubbing her eyes. “Can we go swimming?” she asked. “You said we could go swimming today!” (That part was put to me less like a question and more like a challenge!) I agreed that yes, after she had something to eat, I would take the two of them over to the pool. “Hooray!” she cried, and jumped out of bed to go change into her bathing suit.



Sometime during our preparations to go to the pool, Ed woke and mumbled that he wanted to get just a few more minutes of sleep. So, as soon they were ready, the kids grabbed their kick boards and we tippy-toed out the door and walked the 57-or-so steps to the quiet pool. The kids had a date with the water and I had a date with....



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The laundry room!!

Yessiree, those Disney Resort Imagineers sure knew what they were doing when they placed the laundry rooms near the pools! It may not have been as luxurious as having the washer and dryer in the larger villa, as I had grown accustomed to, but it was very convenient to toss some clothes in the washers and wait for them to finish while keeping an eye on the kids as they swam. It was only 8:45 and they had the entire pool to themselves!

What a gorgeous day!


Soon Ed came along and sat down on one of the many empty lounge chairs that were positioned in the sun, but I kept my spot under the umbrella. I am very fair-skinned and gave up on the pursuit of a golden tan long, long ago. All I do is burn!



Tricia came out and persuaded her dad to swim… not so difficult to do, because the pool was heated and the water temperature was quite comfortable. He wanted to swim a few laps before more guests came to use the pool, so he began crossing back and forth through the water while the children played.

Billy can swim reasonably well, but Tricia was trying to get him to float on his back!! (He didn’t like it too much!)



Once Ed was finished his serious swimming and began splashing around with the kids, I was able to relax a bit more and flip through a few magazines that I had brought with me. As time went on, more people began showing up to swim (and to do their laundry!) I was glad that I had been able to do my clothes so early because there were a few people waiting for the two washers as I removed our wet clothes and put them in the dryers.



Two washers does sound like a very small number, but only the guests in studio villas need them so I guess that’s why there aren’t more. The nice thing was that the laundry was free. (I did have to use my room key card to get in and out of the laundry room, though.)





By 10:30 our clothes were dry and I had the kids come out of the water to warm up a little. I had noticed that, despite the fact that the pool was heated, they had begun to shiver. They wrapped towels around themselves and I suppose the swimming made them hungry, because they both asked for a snack. The Turtle Shack wasn't open yet....

.... But I had snacks in our little kitchenette, anyway, so I ran our clean laundry back to the room and returned with a bag of chips and some bottles of iced tea. I know, I know. Potato chips at 10:30 in the morning may not have been the greatest choice but, hey! It was vacation!



After a rest the kids wanted more swimming and this time, well coated with SPF 45 sunscreen, I joined them. The water was truly delightful! Add to that the tropical ambiance of palm trees gently swaying overhead and you have the makings of the perfect morning!



All good things must come to an end, however, and we eventually had to extricate the kids from the pool so we could go back to the villa and get ready for the next part of our relaxing resort day. I’ll give you a hint: It had to do with water and it had to do with mice!!


Kathy

 

[KathyRN137]

I am finally caught up!!

Not quite! I just posted again!!

I'm so glad to see you're back, Tracy!! I missed you!


Kathy