Basking in the Glow of the (not so) Creepy Clown -2/11-Pictures, Final Thoughts, PTR!

[disneydusted]

Brook, I forgot you had won the photo session! I can't wait to see the pictures! I think that is something that I would like to do the next time we go... who knows when that will be but I will keep it in the back of my head.
The DVC is such a great thing to have, I TRIED to get DH to go for it when we did the presentation but he just wasn't ready. I will look at the resale info and see what that is saying, seems like good pricing!
So you are going THIS MONTH!!!!! YAY!!!! It will be here before you know it!

 

[brookelizabeth]

for the portrait package - so cool that you won that! Henry looks really excited in the picture, like he's actually a little celeb.

I heard about Deevy See, but I wasn't sure whether she really existed. Did she try to take Henry claiming he has her "same red hair"

That really looks like a lot of fun. I make have to check out one of those welcome home Weds.

Great boardwalk pics!

She exists, she exists! That would have been hilarious if she tried to steal Henry--I do vaguely remember her saying something to him...I was so caught up in the awe of her presence I don't remember!

Brook!! What a great update!! How fun to win the portrait package!!! OY just seeing your BW pictures makes me wish I was back there!!!! I will get back there someday!!!! It was such a glorious location!!!

Awww love the pictures of Henry on the BW!! He is such a cutie pie!!

Isn't that location amazing?! I LOVE it there, I see the pics and my heart aches for it--much like it does for the Wilderness Lodge....ahhhh I'm so glad you enjoyed the location of it all, there is nothing like WALKING to Epcot, is there?

Congrats to DH for getting the white hat he wanted and YOU for the portrait package! Yippe! Which resort do you think you'll do it at?

You are so lucky to be going back there... THIS MONTH! {I'm green with envy}

We actually already did the portrait package-we did it the very next morning over at the Beach Club. Those pictures will be coming up sooooon. Hopefully by this weekend, I need to get this baby wrapped up!

I can't believe our trip is so close. Last night I made a to-do list that had 35 items. Ugh!

Very cool presentation... and even cooler that you won!!!!!

I can't believe you are going this month...

It is a really nice things for the DVC Members! I'm glad we took the time to do it--especially since I won! If we do it again this trip maybe Joe will win.

 

[brookelizabeth]

WHW looks like a nice diversion. I think I will give it a try during my next trip. It is also a nice chance to see Atlantic Dance Hall from inside, I have seen pics and it looks like a nice place. And who knows, I might win something!!

I remember you posting on FB about the package you won and I am really looking forward to seeing the pictures you got!

It is a nice little break-and something different! Plus, since you'll be right there at your second home it's taking place just a few feet away! The Dance Hall is nice inside-I was hurrying along and distracted with balancing toddler and drinks and finding a table, so I didn't take any pictures-but I'll remedy that if we do it again this trip.

YAY! for the portait package. I am stil ldebating this. Now that we are doing such a short WDW portion of the trip, I keep saying no to myself...then think..well maybe we could fit it in. LOL!
I think you should extend your trip another 30 days so we can meet up. LOL!

I would LOVE to extend our trip 30 days! Oh my word!!!! Love it!

The portraits did take a bit more time than I expected. There was the session, 20 minutes, and then the processing of it all, which actually took almost an hour. If you do the 20 minute package plan for at least 1.5 hours or even more. We really enjoyed it-and I needed H's 3 year pictures done anyway, so it worked well for us.

I am so excited to see those pictures What a score
I am the same way...we NEVER win anything!!! I always tell my kids when we are somewhere that has raffle tickets, etc., that our family never wins anything, so dont get your hopes up They know this too, and go in with the right attitude
Thats why I couldnt believe it when we won Family of the Day on our trip last May. I kept saying...we never win anything!!! Maybe our luck has changed....I hope so!
The presentation sounds like so much fun. Just love that Deevee woman since you posted the link in your pp. She is so funny. Nice that you got a pic with her

I hope your luck has changed too! And that Family of the Day prize is MIGHTY nice. Access all week to that lounge, plus a bazillion balloons!

Isn't the whole Deevy See thing funny? I think it's so clever. Anytime a new one comes out Joe and I huddle around the computer to watch her new antics!

Brook, I forgot you had won the photo session! I can't wait to see the pictures! I think that is something that I would like to do the next time we go... who knows when that will be but I will keep it in the back of my head.
The DVC is such a great thing to have, I TRIED to get DH to go for it when we did the presentation but he just wasn't ready. I will look at the resale info and see what that is saying, seems like good pricing!
So you are going THIS MONTH!!!!! YAY!!!! It will be here before you know it!

The portrait session was really great - we got a ton of photos to choose from. I would recommend it to anyone!!

Resale on DVC is super cheap right now on some properties, and will probably go lower on all the properties since they just changed some rules about when you own re-sale points versus outright buying from Disney. Plus, if you are flexible on where you stay, home resort does NOT matter. Our plan next time for an add-on is to buy the cheapest out there, which is generally Vero Beach.

 

[heidijanesmith]

I am just catching up on your TR, love your pics!

You have an adorable family, can't wait for more

 

[KatMark]

Sorry I'm slow Brook (work and our blizzard have kept me very busy).

What a great prize to win -- the last one and the free portrait package to boot! How excited you must have been.

I love the pics of Henry on the Boardwalk, especially the one "walking the train tracks."

 

[brookelizabeth]

Let's cruise right along, shall we?

After Welcome Home Wednesday ended I believe we went back up to our room for just a bit. We debated on what to do that evening, Joe was really wanting to just stick around the resort and Henry was asking to go to the pool. He had been asking pretty much all day-the boy became a fish this trip!

Around this same time LL texted me and said her and Marc were headed to DTD for the evening, so I messaged her back telling her of our plans - we were going to grab an Epcot dinner (love that BW location!) and get in some pool time. We discussed our plans for the next day, our goal was MK in the late morning, to say good-bye, but LL and Marc were starting to hit that Disney wall and needed a no parks day. We discussed a few things back and forth before we realized it just wasn't going to happen. Sigh. No DIS Meet for Brook and LL this time around! But, it was all for the best truly, we both needed to listen to our dear husbands and take care of our own needs. I'm sure our paths will cross again in the future!

After our text conversation was complete we headed out of the Boardwalk and over to Epcot, we had one destination in mind.

It had just opened and was accepting walk-ups, so that's just what we did! Joe in particular was very excited to try this, he is a pizza fiend!

As we rolled into the beautiful restaurant and were brought to our table we noticed Henry was sound asleep. The CM gave us a table where we could park that sleeping stroller right next to the table and just let him snooze.

We perused the menu, made our selection and I took a few photos.

I didn't notice it at the time, but man, that's quite a few CMs just standing around, isn't it??

The crazy people that chose to sit outside in 382 degree weather!

Those same doors closed.

There were a few different styles of chairs all mixed into the room, you can see two here - the dark wood/fabric, and the light wood on the far left.

I really like the design of the interior, but Joe wasn't such a fan. He just thought it was kinda "blah", but that might be due to his vision issues/being color-blind.

The glasses are a funky shape.

And fairly soon our pizza arrived!

Piccante - Italian Spicy Sausage, brocolli-rabe, tomato, mozzarella. Joe likes very non-adventurous pizza, even the broccoli-rabe was too much for him.

When we saw the pizza we were very pleased, it looks a lot like Grimaldi's in Brooklyn, which is AWESOME.

Well, we agreed....it wasn't Grimaldi's, but it was still very good! We know we have become pizza snobs living in NYC, so we don't really provide a standard opinion. I wouldn't hesitate to eat here again-neither would Joe. We give it a two thumbs up!

The price-tag was a bit on the hefty side, $27 for the large pizza.

Continued in next post

 

[brookelizabeth]

Continued from previous post

Henry was still sound asleep so we decided that we would just meander around the World Showcase a bit and see what we see.

The chandelier in the lobby of Via Napoli.

The pizza ovens.

It's a beautiful building! I think it adds a lot of the pavilion.

Every time Joe and I see these we recall our Segway Tour at Epcot during our honeymoon, they have you zigzag through these pillars.

The architecture is truly amazing!

Check out those door handles.

Inside the perfume shop I sniffed and tried a lovely sample while Joe wandered around through the t-shirts and other items. After a few minutes I heard him laughing and he called me over.

See this shirt?

Here is the tag:

Assembled in Mexico of USA fabrics. Truly authentic, right?

Moving onward, Joe mentioned that when he rode the ME in days prior the driver of the bus mentioned the film in France being his favorite thing in Epcot. This, much to my surprise, caught Joe's interest and he wanted to see it. He had no idea there was a film back there. I had never really brought up the WS films because I figured he wouldn't be interested....well, I was wrong! I learned something new about my hubby!

So on we went to France!

There was a bit of a wait for the film, so what else do you do in France?

Hit the bakery, of course!!!

As we went through and stared at all the goodies in the glass I decided I didn't want anything. (Seriously. Right now I would take ANY of the above items I posted. ANY. )

Joe selected

Chocolate eclair, which I voted as "Boring!" because you can buy those less than a block away from our house.

And just as he paid, I noticed a little baggie of coconut macaroons at the end of the case. No, the giant cream puff, nor the strawberry delight caught my eye, but a plastic baggie of macaroons. (which, you can also buy less than a block from our house...)

I'm so weird.

But, at the time, it's just what I wanted. A hint of sweet, but not overpowering.

Three or four of these little guys came in the baggie. And the verdict--YUM! from both of us! We were quite happy with our picks.

Soon we were let into the theater for the France film and we found an aisle seat without an issue to park the still-sleeping-stroller next to.

As the film started, I couldn't resist...I had to snap some photos-without flash, of course.

Henry woke up at some point during the film. Later Joe and I talked about what might have gone through his head when he opened his eyes and this GIANT screen was before him.

We really enjoyed the film, much more than I was expecting! My interest in seeing the others has increased, as has Joe's. We plan to hit at least one other one this coming trip and we might even see France again.

I also now have a desire to visit France...obviously the complete intention of the film. It's truly beautiful!!!!

Back outside...

We slowly left the World Showcase, gawking at it's beauty in the dark with all the countries lights.

We made our way through the International Gateway and back to the Boardwalk where we quickly changed into our suits and headed down to visit our old pal George, the Clown.

And this time...



He was glowtastic.

Dum, dum, dum, dum, duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuum!

 

[Lovemy3babes]

Great update Brook!! You mentioned resale points. Could you point me to a good site to check those out? It's probably not a realistic option but I'd love to look around for my wishlist.

Those CMs just standing around made me laugh too. It looks like the one girl is possibly holding hands with the male. Perhaps they are a couple? lol!

What is the story with those funky shaped glasses? How different!!

 

[KatMark]

I finally get to comment on your last update, and you are busy typing away your new update.

The food at Via Napoli looks very good (and Nicki loved it so much they went three times). It is definitely on our list for September.

I can't believe you had never seen any of the movies. I have to say that France and Canada are my favorites. I just wish they had seats in all of them.

Mark had the Chocolate Eclair as well and he loved it.

Can't wait for the next update (and at least now I am caught up).

 

[lovealldisney]

So are you saying if you go with buying Vero Beach points you could still use them at DVC resorts?

 

[brookelizabeth]

I am just catching up on your TR, love your pics!

You have an adorable family, can't wait for more

Thank you!!!!

Sorry I'm slow Brook (work and our blizzard have kept me very busy).

What a great prize to win -- the last one and the free portrait package to boot! How excited you must have been.

I love the pics of Henry on the Boardwalk, especially the one "walking the train tracks."

No worries! I just posted that update yesterday, so you aren't behind at all---much unlike myself.

I am really curious to see if Henry will do the same thing at the Boardwalk, I hope he does-it's so cute!

Great update Brook!! You mentioned resale points. Could you point me to a good site to check those out? It's probably not a realistic option but I'd love to look around for my wishlist.

Those CMs just standing around made me laugh too. It looks like the one girl is possibly holding hands with the male. Perhaps they are a couple? lol!

What is the story with those funky shaped glasses? How different!!

As for resales, I've only ever looked over at The Timeshare Store, who is a sponsor here on the DIS - and it's who we had our listing through when we almost had to sell. They were great to work with. Hilton Head has some listings under $50 a point! Same with Vero. Boardwalk, mid $60s. Wow, I so wish we could buy too!

I noticed that about those two CMs! They seem pretty flirty in the picture, but I don't remember noticing anything in person, so perhaps it was just at that particular moment in time that I happened to snap the camera...

I finally get to comment on your last update, and you are busy typing away your new update.

The food at Via Napoli looks very good (and Nicki loved it so much they went three times). It is definitely on our list for September.

I can't believe you had never seen any of the movies. I have to say that France and Canada are my favorites. I just wish they had seats in all of them.

Mark had the Chocolate Eclair as well and he loved it.

Can't wait for the next update (and at least now I am caught up).

I have been busy this afternoon! I really want to start my PTR and get this wrapped up. Having a PTR helps me organize my trip thoughts and keeps me accountable to getting stuff done-I need that right now!

Next time we eat at Via Napoli I am going to try their desserts! I've read so many good things about a few and they look delicious. I could see us ending up here again this coming trip because it was good and Joe loves him some Italian. I'll have to check out Nicki's report to see what they ordered too!

I've heard many good things about the Canada film-does it have seats? I think that is the one we will make a "must do". Then China...and I hear Norway is a joke. But I still want to see it, even just for laughs!

 

[that's nice]

You know Mrs. Pizza Snob... CT pizza is BETTER than NY pizza. Write it down, quote me, throw it back it my face in 20 years... IT IS A FACT!

That pizza does look very good... I could do without the broccoli rabe though- it is too bitter for me.

Once again, I love all your pictures.

I didn't realize there was a film in France either.

I NEED to get in the bakery in France. So many goodies in there that need to be eaten.


I hope you took pictures of the glowing clown!

 

[brookelizabeth]

So are you saying if you go with buying Vero Beach points you could still use them at DVC resorts?

Yep, - Vero Beach is considered a DVC Resort (same with Hilton Head and Hawaii, they are just in locations outside the World).

I just checked out the new resale rule,

"Under the new policy, Members who purchase from anyone other than Disney Vacation Development, Inc., on or after March 21, 2011, will not be eligible to use those Vacation Points to make reservations within the Concierge Collection, the Disney Collection or the Adventurer Collection. Those Vacation Points will instead be valid only for reservations at Disney Vacation Club resorts, as well as for RCI® exchanges, Club Cordial and Club Intrawest."

The Concierge Collection is a variety of hotels that Disney has selected, across the country and world, that you can use your points at. Example: there are 2 in NYC. They are a VERY expensive way to use your points, so it's not a very desirable way. Most people would rent their points and then use the cash for a vacation to these locations if they desired to visit.

The Disney Collection is the regular hotels (not all of them) at Disney World, such as the Grand Floridian. Also included are the two non-DVC resorts at Disneyland (but you can use them for the Grand Californian), and resorts at Disneyland Paris, Hong Kong and Tokyo. (I'm not certain if there are DVC resorts there at all, probably not). Also in the Disney Collection is the cruise line. So you could NOT use your points for a cruise if you purchase resale. However, much like the Concierge Collection, using your points for a cruise is very expensive, and not highly desirable generally.

And the Adventurer Collection is Adventures by Disney. EXTREMELY expensive points-wise! Better to rent the points and pay cash like DCL and the others.

You CAN use your points at any DVC resort-Hawaii, Grand Californian, any DVC at Disney World, Vero Beach and Hilton Head.

RCI Exchange is another timeshare company you can exchange through for other getaways. I don't know much about this.

And I think Club Cordial and Club Intrawest are similar to RCI, but I'm not certain-I've never even heard of them.

So yes, if you purchase Vero/Hilton Head, you can stay at any DVC property at the World on your points! You would not have that 11 month advantage, but if you are flexible on where you want to stay, it's almost a non-issue to get a room. You might have to do the waitlist during peak times, but I've never heard of someone NOT getting a room anywhere. I know I have read of members over on the DVC board that own at Vero and have never visited it! LOL

I hope that helps!

 

[KatMark]

I have been busy this afternoon! I really want to start my PTR and get this wrapped up. Having a PTR helps me organize my trip thoughts and keeps me accountable to getting stuff done-I need that right now!

Next time we eat at Via Napoli I am going to try their desserts! I've read so many good things about a few and they look delicious. I could see us ending up here again this coming trip because it was good and Joe loves him some Italian. I'll have to check out Nicki's report to see what they ordered too!

I've heard many good things about the Canada film-does it have seats? I think that is the one we will make a "must do". Then China...and I hear Norway is a joke. But I still want to see it, even just for laughs!

No, Canada does not have seats (nor does China). France and Norway are the only ones with seats. I enjoy the Norway one (although it could use an update), and it is only about seven minutes long.

 

[brookelizabeth]

You know Mrs. Pizza Snob... CT pizza is BETTER than NY pizza. Write it down, quote me, throw it back it my face in 20 years... IT IS A FACT!

That pizza does look very good... I could do without the broccoli rabe though- it is too bitter for me.

Once again, I love all your pictures.

I didn't realize there was a film in France either.

I NEED to get in the bakery in France. So many goodies in there that need to be eaten.


I hope you took pictures of the glowing clown!

I've never heard that about CT pizza! Joe and I want to visit all over the east coast, so when we head to CT I'll be calling on you to recommend some good eats!

Joe picked the broccoli-rabe off, he wasn't a fan at all. I'd like to try something a tad more exotic there next time, but I'll probably have to go with the solo pizza!

Aren't those France goodies delicious looking? I don't remember ever going through that bakery before. It's tiny in there, and BUSY, but the line moves fast. I hope to hit it up again in just a few weeks! This time I'm going for something more interesting.

And YES, there will be pictures of the glowing clown!!!!!

 

[brookelizabeth]

No, Canada does not have seats (nor does China). France and Norway are the only ones with seats. I enjoy the Norway one (although it could use an update), and it is only about seven minutes long.

I have all three on my "list" for this trip, I think I will keep Canada as the #1 choice and we will go from there. If we need a rest for our feet we will surely hit up Norway!

 

[KatMark]

You know Mrs. Pizza Snob... CT pizza is BETTER than NY pizza. Write it down, quote me, throw it back it my face in 20 years... IT IS A FACT!

That pizza does look very good... I could do without the broccoli rabe though- it is too bitter for me.

Once again, I love all your pictures.

I didn't realize there was a film in France either.

I NEED to get in the bakery in France. So many goodies in there that need to be eaten.


I hope you took pictures of the glowing clown!

I've never had NY pizza, but Chicago is pretty well known for theirs as well, so back off Tim boy!

Have you been living under a rock that you didn't know there was a film in France? Did you know about the others? They really are worth going to at least once.

 

[jenjolt]

Awww what a great update Brook!!

I just loved being able to walk over to EPCOT from BW and enjoy my time!! I would really like to stay there again in the future, but it might be awhile before I get back!! I'm seeing POR back in my future again, although being on the other side of the turnstiles on an EPCOT morning sure has me thinking LOL!!!!!!!

Don't you just love the movie in France! I love the music! I have it downloaded and actually put one of our Youth Group End of the Year videos to it!!! Just a great production!!!!

Hmmm...Disney food...not good for the diet...must resist LOL

 

[manntra]

Wow...I haven't seen any of the movies in WS since....must be the 80's!!
OMG I really wonder what Henry was thinking when he woke up?!!

Glad you enjoyed Via....I am anxious to go back there again in May....anxious for the pizza (I had the cantaloupe and proscuitto....very adventurous ) Anxious to see the waiters also

Bring on glowtastic George!!!

Tracy

 

[Curiouser&curiouser!]

Excellent update! The pizza a via Napoli looks great!


In other news, I think you just helped me figure out something! I am a D23 member and one of the things in D23 magazine is a 'Where in the world?' with a photo of somewhere in Disney. I am pretty sure that the photo from the winter 2010 magazine is of this chandelier! I can't wait to check when I get home later!

The chandelier in the lobby of Via Napoli.