nerdy_grrl_t
Earning My Ears
- Joined
- Mar 6, 2005
- Messages
- 50
Well we're just back from WDW and I can certainly say this was a trip where you had to expect the unexpected! (Here's the abbreviated version...)
DH and I were at WDW for the first time last year and we decided to go back this year and bring DD 4, as well as some reinforcements (grandma and aunty). We began with a 3 night DCL cruise which departed Feb. 9th and went off without a hitch. DD was impressed with the pool (of course) and the beach at Castaway Cay. She also loved the shows... (on the plane ride home today we even caught her singing "the Golden Mickey's are tonight! The Golden Mickey's are tonight" - ha!) The weather was excellent, especially on Castaway Cay day and the staff were as attentive as ever. We also had wonderful dining companions from Miami whose daughter wanted to know all about the snow up here in Montreal. We told her she could come visit any winter if she wanted to build a snowman.
After we stepped off the boat the real adventure began. We got back to our rented SUV at the port only to discover it had a completely flat tire. This put DH in a foul mood... when I called Alamo's roadside assistance they told us they could not locate Port Canaveral and would not come and get us unless we gave them a street address (!) We asked around and no one knew the exact address of the terminal so we called the Alamo at MCO where we'd rented the vehicle and they said they would send out a new vehicle to switch with ours. After about 1.5hrs we tried to call them back and there was no answer. After 2 hrs we gave up and changed the tire ourselves (putting DH in an even fouler mood but probably what we just should have done in the first place anyway!) and made our way back toward Orlando. While we were on our way back the guy from Alamo finally called and said he was at the port, looking for us... about 2.5 hrs after we initially called... sheesh!! I knew there was an Alamo location at the Car Care Centre at WDW so to avoid an unnecessary trip back to MCO I called over there and the manager was very pleasant and agreed that we could bring in the vehicle to swap for another. So after unloading the gang at the Beach Club we quickly went and swapped out the car and we were all set.
We had rented points (thank to the DIS boards!) to stay at the Beach Club Villas for three nights and we were very impressed with the resort. It's even more beautiful than the descriptions I'd read and we thought it was miles above the Port Orleans Riverside where we stayed last year (and for roughly the same price!) although I know it's probably unfair to compare a moderate resort to the BCV!
After a long nap to recover from our early morning on the ship (as all you non-US citizens know we had to be at customs at 6 am before disembarking - eek!) we grabbed something to eat and headed over to the Magic Kingdom. By this time it was getting dark and the temperature was getting colder...MUCH colder! It went down to about 34F and honestly we felt like we were freezing. Before we left Montreal the forecast had called for temps in the 70s for Orlando so we hadn't packed hats or gloves. The stores on mainstreet in the MK were even sold out of gloves, if you can imagine that! Although we had sweaters and jackets on we still had to buy a fleece blanket to wrap around DD to keep her warm (but it had princesses on it of course so she didn't mind so much!)
(It's not cold at Disney! Well... okay... maybe a little...)
As the evening turned into extra magic hours the crowds thinned out, although the parks this year were more crowded than last when we visited during the same period. DD loved the rides in Fantasyland, especially Peter Pan and was awed by the Wishes fireworks. Finally around 10:30pm we headed back to the hotel for some much needed rest (and warmth!)
The next two days were also cool, so unfortunately we didn't get to go swimming at Storm Along Bay... although I knew this was a possibility due to the unpredictability of the weather at this time of year I have to admit I was disappointed. (Although that just means we'll have to come back to BCV again!)
On Monday we headed over to MGM and had a great day touring and visiting all the shows. DD wasn't impressed with Playhouse Disney as she's just over the age it's aimed at but she loved Voyage of the Little Mermaid. We had lunch at the 50s Prime-Time Cafe which was a great experience. Our server, Topher, was wonderful. He berated us just enough to make us laugh and also bantered happily back and forth with DD who was impressed that the adults got to get teased for once instead of her!
(50s Prime-Time Cafe - Make your own sunday for dessert.. MMMmmm)
On Tuesday we headed back to the Magic Kingdom for breakfast at Cinderella's Royal Table in honour of my birthday and Valentine's Day. I was a little surprised at how chaotic the whole thing was - at the entrance there was just a mob of people waiting for photos with Cinderella, some of whom were staying for the breakfast and some of whom weren't. Once we got upstairs there was another wait - we were one of the last tables to be seated despite arriving before our reserved time. Once the princesses came out we were also among the last tables to be visited and so it seemed a little rushed. We did get some nice photos but overall I felt it was WAY over priced and disorganized for what you end up with. Also just coming off the cruise and having already having had her picture taken with all the princesses DD didn't seem very impressed by the whole thing. One funny thing though - at CRT all the girls are given plastic wands and all the boys get swords. DD decided she didn't want a wand, that she would prefer a sword so she scooted over to where they were stored and exchanged one for the other. No one seemed to mind, but when Belle spoke to her she said she was very glad DD had a sword and to hold onto it in case Gaston came along. DD took this very seriously and carried the sword around all day - "just in case" - it was *too* funny!
(DD - Belle's great defender...)
Finally our day ended with DD going back to the hotel with grandma and aunty and DH and I had dinner at the California Grill. The restaurant was certainly hopping as I'm sure Valentine's Day is busy for them. We had a wonderful meal and got to see the fireworks above the MK castle. We also got to applaud a couple at a nearby table where a lovely young man proposed to his girlfriend!
This morning we headed off to the airport with a quick stop at Downtown Disney to visit Once Upon a Toy and then we headed back to the Great White North... Although after those chilly days at WDW it doesn't seem quite so far North!
(DD with grandma and (great) aunty...)
DH and I were at WDW for the first time last year and we decided to go back this year and bring DD 4, as well as some reinforcements (grandma and aunty). We began with a 3 night DCL cruise which departed Feb. 9th and went off without a hitch. DD was impressed with the pool (of course) and the beach at Castaway Cay. She also loved the shows... (on the plane ride home today we even caught her singing "the Golden Mickey's are tonight! The Golden Mickey's are tonight" - ha!) The weather was excellent, especially on Castaway Cay day and the staff were as attentive as ever. We also had wonderful dining companions from Miami whose daughter wanted to know all about the snow up here in Montreal. We told her she could come visit any winter if she wanted to build a snowman.
After we stepped off the boat the real adventure began. We got back to our rented SUV at the port only to discover it had a completely flat tire. This put DH in a foul mood... when I called Alamo's roadside assistance they told us they could not locate Port Canaveral and would not come and get us unless we gave them a street address (!) We asked around and no one knew the exact address of the terminal so we called the Alamo at MCO where we'd rented the vehicle and they said they would send out a new vehicle to switch with ours. After about 1.5hrs we tried to call them back and there was no answer. After 2 hrs we gave up and changed the tire ourselves (putting DH in an even fouler mood but probably what we just should have done in the first place anyway!) and made our way back toward Orlando. While we were on our way back the guy from Alamo finally called and said he was at the port, looking for us... about 2.5 hrs after we initially called... sheesh!! I knew there was an Alamo location at the Car Care Centre at WDW so to avoid an unnecessary trip back to MCO I called over there and the manager was very pleasant and agreed that we could bring in the vehicle to swap for another. So after unloading the gang at the Beach Club we quickly went and swapped out the car and we were all set.
We had rented points (thank to the DIS boards!) to stay at the Beach Club Villas for three nights and we were very impressed with the resort. It's even more beautiful than the descriptions I'd read and we thought it was miles above the Port Orleans Riverside where we stayed last year (and for roughly the same price!) although I know it's probably unfair to compare a moderate resort to the BCV!
After a long nap to recover from our early morning on the ship (as all you non-US citizens know we had to be at customs at 6 am before disembarking - eek!) we grabbed something to eat and headed over to the Magic Kingdom. By this time it was getting dark and the temperature was getting colder...MUCH colder! It went down to about 34F and honestly we felt like we were freezing. Before we left Montreal the forecast had called for temps in the 70s for Orlando so we hadn't packed hats or gloves. The stores on mainstreet in the MK were even sold out of gloves, if you can imagine that! Although we had sweaters and jackets on we still had to buy a fleece blanket to wrap around DD to keep her warm (but it had princesses on it of course so she didn't mind so much!)
(It's not cold at Disney! Well... okay... maybe a little...)
As the evening turned into extra magic hours the crowds thinned out, although the parks this year were more crowded than last when we visited during the same period. DD loved the rides in Fantasyland, especially Peter Pan and was awed by the Wishes fireworks. Finally around 10:30pm we headed back to the hotel for some much needed rest (and warmth!)
The next two days were also cool, so unfortunately we didn't get to go swimming at Storm Along Bay... although I knew this was a possibility due to the unpredictability of the weather at this time of year I have to admit I was disappointed. (Although that just means we'll have to come back to BCV again!)
On Monday we headed over to MGM and had a great day touring and visiting all the shows. DD wasn't impressed with Playhouse Disney as she's just over the age it's aimed at but she loved Voyage of the Little Mermaid. We had lunch at the 50s Prime-Time Cafe which was a great experience. Our server, Topher, was wonderful. He berated us just enough to make us laugh and also bantered happily back and forth with DD who was impressed that the adults got to get teased for once instead of her!
(50s Prime-Time Cafe - Make your own sunday for dessert.. MMMmmm)
On Tuesday we headed back to the Magic Kingdom for breakfast at Cinderella's Royal Table in honour of my birthday and Valentine's Day. I was a little surprised at how chaotic the whole thing was - at the entrance there was just a mob of people waiting for photos with Cinderella, some of whom were staying for the breakfast and some of whom weren't. Once we got upstairs there was another wait - we were one of the last tables to be seated despite arriving before our reserved time. Once the princesses came out we were also among the last tables to be visited and so it seemed a little rushed. We did get some nice photos but overall I felt it was WAY over priced and disorganized for what you end up with. Also just coming off the cruise and having already having had her picture taken with all the princesses DD didn't seem very impressed by the whole thing. One funny thing though - at CRT all the girls are given plastic wands and all the boys get swords. DD decided she didn't want a wand, that she would prefer a sword so she scooted over to where they were stored and exchanged one for the other. No one seemed to mind, but when Belle spoke to her she said she was very glad DD had a sword and to hold onto it in case Gaston came along. DD took this very seriously and carried the sword around all day - "just in case" - it was *too* funny!
(DD - Belle's great defender...)
Finally our day ended with DD going back to the hotel with grandma and aunty and DH and I had dinner at the California Grill. The restaurant was certainly hopping as I'm sure Valentine's Day is busy for them. We had a wonderful meal and got to see the fireworks above the MK castle. We also got to applaud a couple at a nearby table where a lovely young man proposed to his girlfriend!
This morning we headed off to the airport with a quick stop at Downtown Disney to visit Once Upon a Toy and then we headed back to the Great White North... Although after those chilly days at WDW it doesn't seem quite so far North!
(DD with grandma and (great) aunty...)
