Boardwalk to the Beach Club.. with a cruise inbetween! April 2015

[disneybarbie]

Introduction


Welcome to my latest trip report! This vacation was 'practically perfect', as Mary Poppins would say. This was our first time visiting WDW in the spring – I was looking forward to experiencing the Flower and Garden Festival at Epcot, as well as (slightly) less humid weather than we normally have had in the summer/fall months.


Who


Me – Emma (30) – lifelong Disney fan, this was my 17th trip to WDW since my first in 1993! I love everything about the Disney parks, movies, history and the cruise line.





DH (30) – not as much of a die-hard fan as me but definitely enjoys being at WDW and onboard the cruise ships.





Itinerary


April 11th - 18th at the Boardwalk Villas





April 18th - 25th Eastern Caribbean cruise on the Disney Fantasy





April 25th - 26th at the Beach Club Villas before flying home!

 

[disneybarbie]

Day 1




Saturday 11th April 2015




As usual I had had this trip booked for over a year, so couldn't wait for April 11th to finally arrive!

My alarm was set early as I don't like to be in a rush when we're leaving to go to the airport – we left with plenty of time before our flight, and luckily the roads were very quiet. Once at the check in desk, I got to surprise DH as I'd upgraded us to Premium Economy seat with Virgin Atlantic – so we got to check in at a separate desk, and use a 'fast pass' through the airport security!


Once into the departures lounge, we got some breakfast and browsed in the shops.




View from our table at breakfast!

Unfortunately our flight was an hour delayed, due to a technical fault, so we found a bar … it was 5 o'clock somewhere right

Eventually it was time to board, once again we had a separate entrance to the gate for being Premium customers (I really like the perks that come with these seats!), and made our way to the upstairs section of the plane.

Once onboard, we were offered glasses of sparkling wine – my seat was so close to the front of the plane I could see the pilots in the cockpit!

The flight time was just under nine hours, it was a pretty smooth flight with hardly any turbulence (good for me!) - I watched Into the Woods, The Imitation Game and Big Hero Six.




Premium Economy has enhanced food options, served on real china plates and with metal cutlery!




Lunch

Cute salt and pepper pots (which had 'pinched from Virgin Atlantic' printed on them... who would do that?!)

Afternoon Tea

I gave our air hostess a box of chocolates (a great travel tip I learnt a few years ago) – and she was so pleased that she offered us a bottle of wine to take off the plane with us to our hotel!




Somewhere over the USA..

We landed about 90 mins late at MCO (5pm) – I'm always so excited to be there!




Magic Bands ready...

We were quickly off the plane and among the first through immigration, a short wait for the luggage (they have priority stickers on them for Premium Economy) and we made our way quickly across the airport to the Magical Express desks.


I had heard that the Magic Bands work if you've booked DME – and sure enough, I scanned my band and the Mickey head went green!




DME wasn't busy at all at that time of day...

 

[ursalita]

Joining in to hear about this amazing trip. I've never been on a long flight or a that big of a plane. And the meals are a lot different than the bags of pretzels we got on our SW flight. Great tip about the chocolates that I will have to remember if I ever take an international flight.

 

[Sailormoon2]

seems like you were off to a great start. Jealous that you 'pond hoppers' get shipped magic bands but Canadians don't.

 

[snoopygirl79]

I'm excited to hear all about your trip as we're leaving in 72 days for our 1st trip with my girls to WDW!! We're soooooooo excited!!

 

[Sweet Pea UK]

Great start - can't wait to hear more! Loved seeing what the plane journey was like - we are flying Upper Class this year for the first time and I am so excited!! Only trouble is I feel I am having to give more thought to my travelling outfit

 

[jedijill]

I'm here! Your trip is off to a lovely start!

Jill in CO

 

[beckyx3]

Your trip sounds like it's going to be incredible! I'm in!

 

[cindianne320]

I was just wondering how you were doing! I am excited to read about your latest Disney adventure!

 

[jsbgeo]

Following! And I love your Mickey bracelet too!

 

[APears]

Sounds like an awesome trip! Excited to read along!

 

[Leshaface]

Love your shorts! Those would be perfect for 4th of July. Where did you buy them?

The one and only time I enjoy seeing my alarm go off at this hour.

Once at the check in desk, I got to surprise DH as I'd upgraded us to Premium Economy seat with Virgin Atlantic – so we got to check in at a separate desk, and use a 'fast pass' through the airport security!

Awesome surprise! I"m sure it's worth it too with your flight being so long.

nfortunately our flight was an hour delayed, due to a technical fault, so we found a bar … it was 5 o'clock somewhere right

Good thinking!

Very cool!

Super cute picture!

I watched Into the Woods, The Imitation Game and Big Hero Six.

I finally watched Big Hero Six and thought it was so cute and so sad too. How were the other two movies? I was going to pick up the Imitation Game but decided on Unbroken this past weekend instead.

Oh my gosh how adorable!

I gave our air hostess a box of chocolates (a great travel tip I learnt a few years ago) – and she was so pleased that she offered us a bottle of wine to take off the plane with us to our hotel!

That is a very nice 'to-go' treat!

Love that bracelet!

 

[disneybarbie]

Joining in to hear about this amazing trip. I've never been on a long flight or a that big of a plane. And the meals are a lot different than the bags of pretzels we got on our SW flight. Great tip about the chocolates that I will have to remember if I ever take an international flight.

Thanks for joining in! I got the chocolates tip from my DS who used to be cabin crew - she said that they always love it when a passenger gives them some candy! We've nearly always been given free beverages when we've done it, one time we even got our meals served first before anyone else in our cabin I think cabin crew do an amazing job (I'm not a good flyer and get nervous in turbulence!) so it's nice to be able to give them a little gift.

seems like you were off to a great start. Jealous that you 'pond hoppers' get shipped magic bands but Canadians don't.

Hi! That was actually my magic band from 2014.. we don't get them shipped either but have to collect them at check in

I'm excited to hear all about your trip as we're leaving in 72 days for our 1st trip with my girls to WDW!! We're soooooooo excited!!

I bet you are excited! I don't have a WDW countdown at the moment which is an odd feeling for me! Thanks for joining in x

Great start - can't wait to hear more! Loved seeing what the plane journey was like - we are flying Upper Class this year for the first time and I am so excited!! Only trouble is I feel I am having to give more thought to my travelling outfit

Hi Sara! Wow Upper Class will be even more amazing - hope the weeks fly by until your trip.

I'm here! Your trip is off to a lovely start!

Jill in CO

Thanks for joining in!

Your trip sounds like it's going to be incredible! I'm in!

Welcome!

I was just wondering how you were doing! I am excited to read about your latest Disney adventure!

Hi! Thank you for joining in - next update on the way x

Following! And I love your Mickey bracelet too!

Thank you! I bought it about 10 years ago (they used to sell these in loads of colour combinations), it's sort of become a good luck charm so I always wear it when flying

Sounds like an awesome trip! Excited to read along!

Welcome!

Love your shorts! Those would be perfect for 4th of July. Where did you buy them?

I bought them a couple of years ago from a UK shop (New Look) .. I actually wore them on the 4th of July when we were in Boston!



The one and only time I enjoy seeing my alarm go off at this hour.

Me too

Awesome surprise! I"m sure it's worth it too with your flight being so long.

We agreed it's going to be hard going back to regular Economy on a flight after Premium!



Good thinking!




Very cool!



Super cute picture!



I finally watched Big Hero Six and thought it was so cute and so sad too. How were the other two movies? I was going to pick up the Imitation Game but decided on Unbroken this past weekend instead.

I was surprised how sad BHS when we saw it at the cinema! Great story though - looking forward to getting it on dvd as apparently there are loads of Disney easter eggs in it. Into The Woods was very well filmed and great cast, but I didn't know the musical beforehand... Imitation Game was excellent - very tragic story but the acting is so good.


Oh my gosh how adorable!



That is a very nice 'to-go' treat!



Love that bracelet!

It's pretty old now but I wear it every time we go to WDW now!

Next update on the way!

Emma x

 

[disneybarbie]

We had to sit on a bus for about 20 minutes while it filled up, but then it was time to go to Disney World!


The bus next to us was a reminder of where we would be headed in a week's time...





Blurry photo through the gate...





We stopped at Caribbean Beach first, and then to our home resort... the Boardwalk.






A really friendly CM called Laura checked us in, and we made our way up to our Studio villa (number 3097) – it had a standard view which looked out over the front of the resort, but there were a lot of trees to keep it private.


Rather than unpack, we decided to make our way straight out to Epcot as we were getting hungry and tired!


New Magic Bands and a towel Mickey in our room..






We decided to try a few of the Flower and Garden Festival food stands for our dinner – we love the Food and Wine Festival and had heard that F&G is a scaled down version!


First we stopped in France at got a duck confit to share – it was very tasty and the meat fell apart.






We continued our stroll around World Showcase, it always feels surreal being there that first night after travelling so many miles across the ocean!


The Lion King topiary – one of many on display for the F&G Festival.








We also tried the seafood ceviche from the Botanas Botanico kitchen which we both really enjoyed – then stopping at the Smokehouse at the American Adventure pavilion – where we shared the pulled pork slider and beef brisket.. both were tasty but the latter was probably our favourite!





The setting around the barbecue was really nice





By this time it was almost 9pm, so DH got a beer from Japan and I got a glass of key lime sparkling wine (delicious!) from the Florida Fresh kitchen, and we found a nice spot to watch Illuminations.






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While the show was on, it had started to rain – and by the time it finished it was pouring! We made our way quickly back to the Boardwalk – and up to our room to dry off.



We turned the TV on to find out it was almost bedtime story time...





I unpacked the suitcases, and by the time I finished it was past 11pm – so as usual on the first day of our WDW trips, I had been awake for almost 24 hours... definitely slept well that night!



Coming up tomorrow... Animal Kingdom.

 

[APears]

Mmmm key lime sparkling wine! Sounds so light and refreshing, I hope they have it next year!
That's pretty great that they do a storytime on the TV, I've never heard of that!

 

[ursalita]

Sounds like how we spent our first night. I wish we'd seen the Smokehouse lit up like that, so pretty. Sounds like a great night.

 

[ProudMommyof2]

Sounds like a great start to the trip- can't wait to hear more.

 

[cindianne320]

What a nice start! Did you get magic bands at home and at the resort?

 

[rani8600]

Hey! loving your report so far. I was supposed to go to F&G this year but couldn't because of work oh well... Cant wait to hear all about it and your cruise. Disney Cruises are the best!

That key lime wine sounds amazing btw Im a big fan of sparkling wine.

PS im so stealing your trick with the chocolate for the flight attendants. Its such a great idea.

 

[Leshaface]

Sorry i've been overlooking people's updates lately

Blurry photo through the gate...

I love this shot! Very artistic.

This is perfection!

We turned the TV on to find out it was almost bedtime story time...

How cute is this?! I can imagine having a ritual every night getting 'home' from the parks and saying, "Bedtime story and then bedtime!"