BLT, SSR, BWV, MNSSHP, F&W trip

[dizfan]

DW and I 9/29-10/6.

The day before the trip, DW comes down with a bad cold. She's been miserable and may have bronchitis, but she's been a real trooper. She's finally getting the rest she's needed.

Travel day...
Our flight from MKE to MCO was great. We waited less than 5 minutes for Magical Express. Only downside was the bus needs new shocks.

After dropping off at Polynesian, GF, and WL we arrive at CR. We are greeted as we exit the bus and escorted from the bus into the lobby by a CM. She asks our name along the way and introduced us the the check-in person. Check-in process was the best we've had in 3 years (including stays at AKV, BLT (2), and BCV).

Our room was even ready when we arrived, which is always nice. We had room 7214 (SV). While the view doesn't compare to our previous LV or MK rooms, it was decent. The only downside was the shell to the loading dock was there. Some times you get good rooms, sometimes you don't.
The room had the remodeled layout. It was nice to have a sink in the bathroom and my fears of not being able to see into the shelves on the side were put to rest. Nice job on the layout change by the Disney crew.
On our previous BLT studio stay, there was a coffee table (or something in front of the couch). This time, it was missing. We didn't really miss it and it made the room seem larger.

We get a bite to eat at the Contempo Cafe. DW had a flatbread and I had a turkey sandwich. The flatbread in the past has been good, but this time it was subpar. Turkey sandwich was very good.

We head over to MK and pickup our AP (voucher) and walk around the park briefly.

Then, we head over to CR to pickup merchandise for the Room for 1 More event. This was our first event and we had no idea what to expect. Pickup went smooth and we talked to two great CMs, one we remembered from a few years ago at the F&G butterfly area. We felt like guppies in the ocean with our small bag of goodies, compared to couples who had dozens of boxes.

We come back to our room and are very surprised our luggage is already in our room. During our previous two stays at BLT, the bell hops have refused to deliver luggage unless we are in the room. During those trips, the bell hops attitudes gave us a bad impression.

After relaxing in the room for a few minutes, we decide to head to TOTWL. Don escorts us to the elevator and he's all smiles. We arrive up top and the balcony is empty. We think this is a bad sign for TOTWL. As we open the door for the lounge, imagine our surprise when we see every table is full. Looks like everyone has food and/or drinks. The bar area is lined up with people waiting to order. At one point, there were 10 people waiting in line to order. We get drinks and head to the balcony area. Now, there are lots of families out there. Fireworks viewing was great as usual. My only guess as to TOTWL being so busy is that maybe MK was early entry that day and everyone was tired. After fireworks, we head inside for a glass of wine. We were able to get a table, but all of them filled up quickly. DVC members certainly supported the lounge on this night.

DW is tired so she goes back to the room to relax. I headed down to the pool area to see the firepit. The pool was nearly empty. The pool was busier during our December trip when temps were in the 60's. The firepit had no one there. The area has a concrete wall to sit on and a nice view of the lake. I could see sitting out here and watching the Electric Water Pageant for years to come. (Not as nice as Jambo's fire pit with the rocking chairs, but still a nice addition).

 

[dizfan]

Day 2 arrives and we checked out MK for a bit.

(Edit: I forgot, we also met artists Jody Daily and Kevin Kidney at the Contemporary where they were signing autographs. I really like their metal posters of the Contemporary, Haunted Mansion, and Tropical Serenade so we had them signed. Later we learned that one of them had a major dental issue at the time. Despite all the pain that required an emergency trip to the dentist, they were extremely friendly)

Then, we moved from BLT to SSR. For the second day in a row, the CR lobby staff surprised me by the improvement over our previous two stays. In fact, it reminded me of the quality I remembered at the Poly in the 80's but had seen disappear over the years.

In the past we have let Disney move our bags, but this time we want to get to SSR early with our bags, so we take a taxi. While it was a good plan, unfortunately when we arrive for our first stay at SSR the computer system is down. The staff was top notch again and took our name and phone number.

DW was very tired and tried to lay down on a couch there, but couldn't get rest. We went to the food area (sorry, name slips my mind). It was crazy busy to the point of memories of past All Stars food courts except with far fewer tables. We decide to head to DTD and no sooner do we arrive, we receive a call that the computers are back up.

We did some brief shopping and head back to SSR. When we go to checkin, I mention we only received one room key. They go to the reservation and it's listed as DW making the reservation but not being on it. They try adding her several times, but the system doesn't let them. A manager tries, again it fails. Finally, the manager cancels that reservation and books us a new one with DW and I. It turns out this is good because our room was not available.
Instead of the Springs area, we are now in Grandstand. Instead of first floor, we are not in 3rd floor and have a great view of a water fountain.

DW is exhausted and takes a brief nap.

We weren't sure about dressing up for the Room for 1 More event or not, but DW again being the trooper decides we should. We dressed up as the bride and groom from HM. We waited about 15 minutes for the bus to MK. (Reasonable to us, but that seemed like an eternity to others). Bus was full with several people dressed up for MNSSHP (sold out) that night. We rode the monorail to CR for the Room for 1 More event. We missed several of the events during the day, but after talking with others, the only big thing we missed was the photo opportunity and more time to talk with the artists.
Several people complimented us on the costumes and wishes they had dressed up. We enter the ballroom and it's very well themed for the event. They had an organists playing (looked exactly like Jim Shore's artwork). Some very good entertainment and the food was very good. Afterward they give us a ticket to MNSSHP. Unfortunately, the event ran longer than they expected so we watched the fireworks on the walk to MK. We walked through the MK for a brief amount of time, but at this point, I'm starting to not feel very good. We decide to leave and have great timing for the bus back.

We ask the bus driver if they will be running early for MK's 40th anniversary. Unfortunately, they don't start running until 7am, so we decide if we want to attend MK's 40th, we'll take a taxi to CR.

This being our first stay at SSR, we were a bit lost after departing the bus in the dark. We went to one wrong building, got twisted around, but eventually found our way.

Tough to travel when you're under the weather.

 

[supersuperwendy]

Sounds like a nice time so far. I hope she is feeling better now!

 

[supersuperwendy]

I just read your second post. I'd love to see a pic of your costumes. We got lost at SSR too in January! We stepped off the bus in Congress Park knowing our room was ready, but had NO clue which way to go! lol

 

[disneynutz]

Luggage from DME should be delivered to you room without you being present. All other luggage deliveries require that you be in your room. This is a contractual agreement between Disney and the Bell Services Union who want their members to receive tips. The DME delivery tip is paid for by Disney.

If they required that you be in your room for a DME luggage delivery, they are double dipping and they should be reported to Member Satisfaction.

Bill

 

[disneynutz]

Also just read your second post. Verify your point status when you get home. Reservations canceled by the Front Desk have a nasty history of messing up your points. They borrowed points and put our reservation points in holding the last time the the Front Desk fixed things.

Bill

 

[dizfan]

Sounds like a nice time so far. I hope she is feeling better now!

I just read your second post. I'd love to see a pic of your costumes. We got lost at SSR too in January! We stepped off the bus in Congress Park knowing our room was ready, but had NO clue which way to go! lol

Thank you.

DW is feeling much better, only main issue is her voice is gone.

We relaxed at the resort this afternoon and learned the basics of our resort to the lobby/restaurants. It make much more sense now.

I'll see if I can get a photo from DW's phone for the costumes.

 

[dizfan]

Luggage from DME should be delivered to you room without you being present. All other luggage deliveries require that you be in your room. This is a contractual agreement between Disney and the Bell Services Union who want their members to receive tips. The DME delivery tip is paid for by Disney.

If they required that you be in your room for a DME luggage delivery, they are double dipping and they should be reported to Member Satisfaction.

Bill

Thanks Bill.

I agree the luggage should be delivered to the room.

Also just read your second post. Verify your point status when you get home. Reservations canceled by the Front Desk have a nasty history of messing up your points. They borrowed points and put our reservation points in holding the last time the the Front Desk fixed things.

Bill

Thanks for the tip on checking reservation points. I will make sure to check when we get back home.

 

[rlovew]

Hope you both feel better soon and have a great trip.

 

[dizfan]

We woke up early and decided to go to MK for the 40th. We rode the taxi around 5:50am to the Contemporary. They were not letting anyone into the Contemporary parking lot so we hopped out of the taxi and walked to MK.
We were fortunate enough to get wristbands for some of the merchandise.

During the wait, we realized one of the artists was in line to get some of the merchandise.

They allowed everyone with wristbands and early reservations into the park at 7:45am. We spent the next hour walking around Main Street and waiting for the bakery to open. Finally, the bakery opened and we enjoyed ham and cheese croissants and split a cinnamon roll. Then, we went to a bench and waited for the 40th celebration at 10am.

The celebration was nice, but we had a hard time hearing because many guests kept talking around us. Not sure why they decided to stand around the castle during the speeches and try to carry on a conversation, but everyone enjoys different things.

After the 40th presentation, we went to the merchandise line. This was a bit unorganized, but after an hour of waiting we were able to get in and happy to find out they still had the "We were there" pin available. Then we went around looking at some of the artwork (artist Greg McCullough and Noah were there). After seeing Noah and how he reacts with guests and his family, he's become one of my favorite artists.

After leaving here, we decided it was time to go back to the resort and relax.
Along the way, we met some people from the HM event. Two of them spent the night walking around the Contemporary area and lined up very early. We joked with them and it sounded like they were going to try to stay awake for the fireworks. (Hat tip to them, much more energy that we have).

When we made it back to the resort, we went to the Turf Club for a late lunch. I enjoyed the pasta and shrimp and DW enjoyed a burger. I can see why so many people rave about this restaurant.

We relaxed at the room for awhile. While DW naped, I ventured around the resort. SSR is growing on me. Not sure why, but it took a day for my brain to remember that this is a golf resort area. After that it was easy for me to understand the resort layout. The pools areas are very nice.
During the daylight, I realized that we are just across the golf course from the THV portion.

DW is feeling much better tonight. She really needed the rest.

We'll see how we feel tomorrow, but the current plan is to enjoy the pools and DTD.

 

[CarolMN]

Enjoying your report - and happy to hear your DW is feeling much better.

Thanks!

 

[supersuperwendy]

Enjoy your relaxation day! The pools at SSR are perfect for that. We love relaxing at Congress Park's pool and watching the Characters in Flight balloon go up and down. We wave at people up there and hope they wave back

 

[dizfan]

Finally getting back to the trip report.

What was supposed to be our relaxing day turned out not to be so relaxing. We decided to head to AK for lunch at Flametree BBQ and a few rides.

Flametree BBQ wasn't as good as we experienced in the past. Don't get me wrong, it was decent, just not as good as we have experienced many times before.

Then, we strolled went to a few attractions and were heading to the Safari and a beverage in Africa. Along the way, DW asked to see a CM lanyard for a pin trade. We struck up a conversation and after a few minutes, the CM asked us if we had seen the parade. After a few more minutes of conversation, the CM asked us to be in the parade. We were thrilled.

The CMs were great. We joked with a few of them before the parade started.
The parade was a lot of fun. The most enjoyable part is making eye contact with someone and getting them to wave. It's funny how someone can clearly be bored watching the parade, but a little interaction from someone in the parade and they smile ear to ear.

The cast members who are in the parades regularly must have some good smile muscles and waving muscles. By the time it was done, DW and I were both tired from smiling and waving.

We stayed until park closing and then headed back to SSR. After a short break in the room we decided to head to DTD via the boat. The boat was packed and several people ended up having to wait for the next one. That night we went to another favorite of ours...Wolfgang Puck Express. Again, the meal was good, but not quite as good as we've enjoyed in the past. After shopping for a bit, we rode the bus back. Very fast and nice to have a short walk.

 

[dizfan]

The next day, we departed SSR and headed to BWV.

What we liked about SSR...
A very relaxing atmosphere where we could forget about the parks.
The view and peaceful relaxation on the balcony. We only saw one other person outside during our three day stay.
The CMs were very friendly. One even followed up to make sure our room was ok after the problems at checkin.
The pools looked great (wished we used them) and having restaurants/pool bar at many of them is a plus.
The convenient access to DTD was great (bus, boat, or walk)
The view of DTD from Congress Park area was wonderful.
The Turf Club is now one of our favorite restaurants.
If we had a car, SSR would be among our top choices.
We enjoyed the room and it's layout. It reminded us a lot of BCV's studio.

What we didn't like about SSR...
We were close to the smoking area for our building. Not sure why, but this trip there were a lot more people smoking both in the parks than we have encountered in several decades. After walking past a few other buildings, I noticed our buildings' smoking area was closer to the entrance than others, so it may have been better there.
The doors to the room had a half inch gap on the bottom. We heard a lot of people checking out with their luggage on wheels.
The walks through the were not as nice as we thought they would be. Maybe it was because of our building location, but we didn't expect to be walking along the parking lot/roads as much as we did.
We felt the food court area could be larger given the size of the resort.

 

[dizfan]

I'd love to see a pic of your costumes.

Here's a few pictures from the Room for 1 More event...

DW and I

The ghost playing the organ at the event

DW and I with two great children who attended the event. Their story still brings a tear to my eye. The younger brother needs a kidney transplant. The older brother (dressed as the hat box ghost) raised over $70,000 for his brother's transplant. The older brother is a true hero if you ask me. The younger brother was pretty sad and hopes it doesn't come through because he doesn't want another person to die just for him to get a kidney.

 

[ericamcl]

Here's a few pictures from the Room for 1 More event...



DW and I with two great children who attended the event. Their story still brings a tear to my eye. The younger brother needs a kidney transplant. The older brother (dressed as the hat box ghost) raised over $70,000 for his brother's transplant. The older brother is a true hero if you ask me. The younger brother was pretty sad and hopes it doesn't come through because he doesn't want another person to die just for him to get a kidney.

I'm tearing up just reading about the wonderful job the older brother did for his younger brother - you are right, he is a hero!

Glad you and your wife had a good time at the event, and I hope she's feeling better!

 

[dizfan]

We decided to tour the Aulani rooms at the SSR Preview center. The rooms looked very well done. In a few years, we hope to visit Aulani.

Then, we headed to BWV for checking in. Check-in went very smoothly and we headed to our room 5052. We were surprised to find out we received a room very close to the main elevators. The room was in good shape and we enjoyed the layout. (Later we learned the internet was not working in the room and there was an outlet that did not work).

We were going to do laundry, but the machines were busy so we headed to Big River for lunch. The meal was ok, but they could use a cook who can cook a burger to order.

We did laundry and enjoyed the pool for awhile.

I forget where we headed for the evening.

 

[dizfan]

We were awaken by lots of noise in the hallway. It sounded like someone had the latch preventing their door from closing and then spent the next half hour repeatedly opening the door and letting the latch prevent the door from closing.

After awhile, I gave up on trying to sleep and decided to try to connect the Internet. Our hub could not get an internet signal, so I tried connecting my laptop directly. Again, no signal. After awhile of trying I gave up. In the process I noticed the power for my laptop was having problems.

Fortunately, our phones are 4G so we have access to fast internet access without the in room internet.

We decided to head to MK for the morning and Epcot for the evening.

Upon entering MK, we decided to head to Town Hall. We talked with a nice CM for a bit. She saw our 40th buttons and asked how we liked the day. After a few minutes, she surprised us with free ice cream treats and immediate access for any FP ride.

It was much more relaxing then the 40th anniversary the day before. The highlight was our first walk through the HM cemetery and enjoying our first ride. Kudos to the imagineers for the changes. After awhile, we decided to leave MK. On our way our, we continued a tradition of surprising someone entering the park with free FPs for a ride. I think we had FPs for Buzz Lightyear that day, so we surprised a young couple who were visiting from another country.

Then we headed to Epcot for Soaring FPs. We visited a few stores and headed to F&W. We first tried Brazil, where DW had Mahi and I tried the traditional dish. DW raved about the Mahi. I thought the other dish was just ok. Then we tried Hawaii's pork sliders and DW had the mai tai. Severely people raved about the sliders, but we thought they were just ok. DW enjoyed the mai tai very much. Next was Ireland where DW had the chocolate dessert. (We had this last year and again, it was excellent).
DW tried the slush and chocolate creme brulee at France. She liked the slush but not the creme brulee. Last year, she also didn't care for the chocolate creme brulee. Then, we tried Italy. DW had the ravioli and I had the other dish. We both thought they were good. By this time, we were tired so we headed back to the BWV for a break.

After a rest, we headed to MK for the evening (EMH that night). We arrived in time to watch the fireworks from the train station. Then, we toured the park. We used our instant FP for Peter Pan. The CM kept asking if we were sure. In the end, it turned out to be the right decision as the wait times for the other attractions was much shorter. We rode HM a couple times that night and again loved the changes. For the last ride of the night, DW got the courage to try BTMRR for the first time.She's not a roller coaster person. However, she enjoyed it very much.

Then we headed back to the room.

 

[wdrl]

Enjoying reading your trip report. That was great that you and your DW got picked for the Animal Kingdom parade! I never realized that they picked guests to participate in the parade.

 

[MinnieFan4ever]

Finally getting back to the trip report.

What was supposed to be our relaxing day turned out not to be so relaxing. We decided to head to AK for lunch at Flametree BBQ and a few rides.

The CMs were great. We joked with a few of them before the parade started.
The parade was a lot of fun. The most enjoyable part is making eye contact with someone and getting them to wave. It's funny how someone can clearly be bored watching the parade, but a little interaction from someone in the parade and they smile ear to ear.

The cast members who are in the parades regularly must have some good smile muscles and waving muscles. By the time it was done, DW and I were both tired from smiling and waving.


I know what you mean. DH and I were in that parade a few years ago, and our face muscles were so sore. It was a lot of fun though.