Chunky, We're Home! A Star Wars Galaxy's Edge Double Preview! THE END 4/12 TR COMPLETE!

[chunkymonkey]

I only give those out very discriminately, ya know .

Oh yes I know, he gave it his best!

Good to know! I always get the empanadas there, so should look at the menu more carefully next time.

'Yum I like the empanadas too!

We sucked, but at least we didn't die.

Did you see the new "Chewie" mode you can do in Smuggler's Run? That could be something to try next time!

Doesn't he know that that's the international symbol for boozy drinks. No need to speak or read a different language!!

I think it says "Happy Hour"

So CUTE!!

Thank you!

Okay, that is the best kind of winning!

It really is!!

 

[Steppesister]

Did you see the new "Chewie" mode you can do in Smuggler's Run? That could be something to try next time!

YES!! And THAT's a mode I can do really, really well at!!



Unintentionally.

I think it says "Happy Hour"

See?! And that without knowing one letter!

 

[Jenny Sanders]

The first stop on our bus was Coronado Springs where we were spending one night - at the Gran Destino tower.

I cannot wait to stay here in 13 days!!!! It's so beautiful!
Oh, and we are not driving back to St Pete Saturday. We decided to stay in Disney. I got us a room at POFQ. Yay!
New schedule:

March 4-6 St Pete
March 6-7 All-Star Movies
March 7-8 POFQ
March 8-11 Destino Tower

 

[NJlauren]

Late but i am here!

We stayed a night at the Grand Destino at Coronado Springs and the last 2 nights at Saratoga Springs with our DVC points. Our preview was on Sunday evening.

OH i am excited to hear how you liked Saratoga Springs!

I texted my Epic ladies and they pretty much all said no, so I guess I was wearing this outfit out! Sometimes I can have a weird pattern mixing thing going on and I'm not sure it always works! LOL

I think it looks great! But i totally feel this, i would probably worry nothing went with the skort and only wear a solid black top cause i am crazy!

I got a Sangria to drink

So nice to get a drink at lunch at MK i feel like every time i get a drink in MK i need to point that out

French Onion Soup:

Wow this looks good too!

Ok Steve doesn't look as excited as me but maybe it's because I tried to give him a mohawk hair-do

haha! I was going to say he doesnt look to happy here!

CHUNKY WE'RE HOME!!!!!!

there we go steve!

at Harmony Barber Shop!

We may be addicted to the barber shop now, the girls love it it and we have gone twice, on both of the last 2 trips!

We got our picture with another favorite droid, BB-8! I really wish they had an R2 meet-n-greet!
I love that droid so much! He's the unsung hero of the rebellion/resistance.

Me too i wish we could meet R2-D2!

 

[Tracy161]

imagine getting a text before you're even on the plane, LOL. It just makes you not want to do any work!

That's so awesome! Except it would definitely make it impossible to focus on work!

Thanks! I dressed Steve.

It's seriously one of my favorite memories! It could only happen at Disney!!

It's one of mine, too I'll never forget it. And yes, only at Disney!

Right? Or, why do we even need to leave at all?

Yes! Even better... just never leave

 

[bcwife76]

Haha I was just here...then gone....now we're back......LOVE it!

Coronado Spring seems very opulent to me (lol I just used that in another TR I'm reading, too ) Very flashy.Vegas without the smoke ;-)

 

[chunkymonkey]

See?! And that without knowing one letter!

Screw math , libations are truly the universal language!!

I cannot wait to stay here in 13 days!!!! It's so beautiful!

It is gorgeous!!

Oh, and we are not driving back to St Pete Saturday. We decided to stay in Disney. I got us a room at POFQ. Yay!
New schedule:

March 4-6 St Pete
March 6-7 All-Star Movies
March 7-8 POFQ
March 8-11 Destino Tower

Sounds like an amazing trip!

OH i am excited to hear how you liked Saratoga Springs!

I've stayed there before on my solo trip and I liked it although it's very large and confusing! But now that I kinda know how large and sprawling it is I have a better grasp of it now. The best part is that it's so close to Disney Springs! Love how you can just walk there!

I think it looks great! But i totally feel this, i would probably worry nothing went with the skort and only wear a solid black top cause i am crazy!

I know, I thought I could only wear it with black but I guess I was feeling adventurous that day!

So nice to get a drink at lunch at MK i feel like every time i get a drink in MK i need to point that out

It is a nice break in MK!!

Wow this looks good too!

The French onion soup there is pretty good!

haha! I was going to say he doesnt look to happy here!

Yeah that's his "another picture?" face

there we go steve!

You can't help but smile when you see the Falcon!!

We may be addicted to the barber shop now, the girls love it it and we have gone twice, on both of the last 2 trips!

It is really cute! I wish they would expand it a little! 3 seats make it hard to get a slot!

That's so awesome! Except it would definitely make it impossible to focus on work!

Oh it was a struggle!

It's one of mine, too I'll never forget it. And yes, only at Disney!

Yes! Even better... just never leave

I live in Fantasyland!!

Haha I was just here...then gone....now we're back......LOVE it!

Deja Vu! Almost!

Coronado Spring seems very opulent to me (lol I just used that in another TR I'm reading, too ) Very flashy.Vegas without the smoke ;-)

Yes!! That's exactly what we thought!

 

[StarWarsMomofGirls!]

All caught up!

During lunch I downloaded some photopass pictures from the preview, and I particularly liked this one:

Such a great photo of you both!

He did this back in May and it was really cute so I booked him for another haircut because he totally needed one anyways, and if he's going to be at Disney, then why not? We declined the pixie dusting because I dont' think sweat and confetti are a good mix on the scalp.

I almost convinced Andy to do this when we were just there. But he backed out on me.

I'm doing my best to disguise my coaster chin which is just a nice way of saying double chin.

I like the term Coaster Chin! I am going to start using that.

I don't know if I have seen Steve smile that big before!

We got our picture with another favorite droid, BB-8! I really wish they had an R2 meet-n-greet!

YES!!! R2 and C3PO!!!! That would be awesome.

I have never scene the messages below before. Is that because you guys scored so high?

). She sent me this picture. Disney was having a Mickey Mouse campaign in Singapore and my character-crazy sister had to seek out the one and only Meet n Greet in Singapore.

I would expect nothing less!

 

[franandaj]

It was a pretty rushed week in between trips, but thankfully it was August and it was relatively slow at work and my boss was on vacation so I didn't feel too much pressure, LOL.

I keep forgetting this is August, before I saw you AFTER Singapore.

imagine getting a text before you're even on the plane, LOL. It just makes you not want to do any work!

I can't even imagine that. Our work is "different" and we have a certain amount we need to do before we can go so there's always pressure and we never make it out in time. This next VGC stay should be interesting the way we have scheduled ourselves.

Steve and I shared a chicken salad sandwich and fries with sauteed broccoli rabe for an early dinner.

That looks really tasty, something like Fran and I would share as well.

Since we have the Owner's locker now it's very easy to just pack clothes in carry-ons so no need to check baggage (unless it's a much longer trip!)

So I'm guessing you guys keep a lot of the toiletries and such in there so that you only have to pack clothes in your suitcases? We pack a lot of kitchen comforts, and laundry supplies because we always like our trips to the East Coast to be longer ones....

Although when we walked into our room we were greeted with the wrong name LOL.

That's totally classic! OMG! I guess that's a new thing with the new resorts to have your names displayed. They didn't do that for us at BCV in October, but did one our Riviera stay this last time.

Our room was just a standard view room. It was just lovely though. Everything was swanky and new.

I see though that one person has to suffer without a nightstand.....just like most studios.

I believe this is one of the old check-in areas? It's near the quick service.

Huh, they moved the check in area? Also that used to be a hidden Mickey, but it's missing one of it's ears. I remember photographing that when we stayed there a few years back.

This was inside Toledo:

Wow. Looks totally dead.

Meanwhile, my sister, Chunkysis, was in Singapore that August. I was going to join her in a few days (literally 2 days after we get back from this trip).

That's a lot of traveling!

And you're lucky enough to have Disney in your backyard! #grassisalwaysgreenerontheotherside

Yes, I am! We went yesterday, and a couple days before and we're going next week, as well as staying next weekend. #IknowhowluckyIam

Did you see the new "Chewie" mode you can do in Smuggler's Run? That could be something to try next time!

Next time we do a tour with six people, we have to try this and see if it's real!

 

[Tracy161]

I live in Fantasyland!!

I live there, too!

 

[pkondz]

my boss was on vacation so I didn't feel too much pressure, LOL.

When the cat's away, the mice will play...

I had gotten a text that afternoon that our room was ready at Coronado Springs - imagine getting a text before you're even on the plane, LOL.

Whoa! Concentration, out the window!

Taken at one of the Newark airport restaurants Friday afternoon. Our flight was at 5pm.

Someone's in full on vacation mode, folks!

Since we have the Owner's locker now it's very easy to just pack clothes in carry-ons so no need to check baggage (unless it's a much longer trip!)

That sounds really nice.

Notice the hidden Mickeys?

Although when we walked into our room we were greeted with the wrong name LOL. Hope the Mollo family doesnt' see this charge on their room bill (although that would have been nice, hahaha)

"But I'm telling you! We cancelled our trip weeks ago!... I don't know how the room looked slept in!!!"

(Also notice the hidden Mickey in the wallpaper to the left of Steve)

This is the second room (renovated or new) that I've seen where there's been a shower and no tub. It looks nice, but... I want a tub.

I could really live here!

Oh, really? So shocked. You could live anywhere as long as it was at Disney, girl!

This was inside Toledo:

Holy Toledo! Look at that ceiling!!

Disney was having a Mickey Mouse campaign in Singapore and my character-crazy sister had to seek out the one and only Meet n Greet in Singapore.

Of course she did!

We both agreed it felt like a deluxe Vegas hotel much more than a moderate!

Sure looks pretty. I like it!

I watched my favorite Disney blue screen

Umm... what?

Thankfully that isn't the case anymore.

No kidding. That system was so stupid.

Well we have gotten a few same day 50's Prime Time so it can't be that hard right? Maybe only if you're pkondz

"Oh, no! He's back! Tell him we're full!"

 

[disneyAndi14]

What a wonderful first weekend and a second one right after!

I loved Destino and enjoyed our stay there. I love all your pictures!

 

[KathyM2]

We went back to Smugglers Run for our 3 and last time on the ride.

How cool that you got to ride three times...hope to do one of those previews one day!

I got one of my old time favorite snacks, the Cheshire Cat Tail from Cheshire Cafe!

That is one of my fave snacks too! Looking forward to getting one in March!

Gran Destino looks lovely...not at all like a lot of the other WDW hotels.

I am trying to catch up on all the TR's etc...have you figured out your plans for March 8-10? I will summarize what we've got on my PTR as well and see if there is any chance of coordinating a hello at least!

 

[DLo]

I stayed one night at GDT when I went to MVMCP ( before a Universal trip ) . It is beautiful and o agree with you more of a deluxe feel than moderate. I wish I could have stayed longer as I didn’t get to fully experience the bars and restaurants or anything else really

 

[dwonderz]

Just got all caught up with your updates - Gran Destino looks gorgeous!! I love that you did two trips back to back over two weekends - I've always thought doing a weekend trip down would be too stressful (LGA or JFK is my usual airport) - but you make ti sound totally doable!

 

[Mom2m&k]

That hotel is beautiful... who knew? Enjoying your report!

 

[chunkymonkey]

Trip #2 Day 2 A full day at Epcot

That morning we got up and got ready - we had to check out from our beautiful resort because we were moving to Saratoga Springs for 2 nights. We wanted to grab some breakfast first at the new quick service to see what they had to offer. I think it is called El Mercado. We ended up with 2 items:

These were the breakfast chilaquiles. It was absolutely delicous! tortilla chips, green tomatillo salsa, eggs, bacon cheese, pico....yum there was nothing about this that I did not like! The portion was very large so I'm glad we shared. We also got a kids order of the Mickey waffles because I knew that I had to get them at least once!

After breakfast we went back to our room, packed up, and had bell services come by to pick up our stuff to transfer to SS.
We headed to the bus stop for our park of the day: Epcot!

Our first FP took us through the meandering waters of...Living with the Land,

Then we did our next FP for Soarin'

We stopped by our new favorite popcorn stand for a refill. Still using our trusted Marvel Day at Sea bucket we picked up 2.5 years ago!

The stand in front of the Imagination Pavilion has the flavored popcorn. We like the buffalo blue cheese

We had a very special DIS meet that day - with @MeghanEmily and her DH Nate! I was in line to meet Wreck it Ralph when I saw them and I asked if they would like to be in the pictures with me, and so Meghan did.

We took them up to the DVC Member Lounge ounge which is right in the pavilion. It was their first time there. It was a great spot to cool off, get a few beverages and chat! They had just completed a tour that morning in Epcot so I think it was nice for all of us to recouperate on that hot afternoon.

After a good chunk of time chatting, we parted ways as we probably had ADRs or FP we needed to get to.
Great seeing you guys Meghan! I'm sure our paths will cross again soon!

We had a couple more character meets:

And then I went shopping for some new boots:

Our future looked bright, although I seem to have embraced the monochromatic look:

And I had a date with a manatee:

I may have recorded Episode 2 of Manatees and Me. I have to find the video!

As we departed Epcot I had to take a picture with the Fountain of Nations...soon to be gone and made into a...beer garden? I mean it sounds cool and all but soon EPCOT will be nothing like what I remember from my childhood and I'm not sure if I will like it or not! (I probably will but the nostalgic side of me will probably really miss all the old stuff)

We headed out for our next adventure: our dinner at Ohana!
We took the monorail over to the Ticket and Transportation Center and walked to the Poly from there. Super convenient!

In the lobby of the Poly they were doing some photopass pictures and they made us do a prom pose. It always happens at the Poly, hahaha.

Mmm Ohana goodness:

And the world famous bread pudding!

I really do like Ohana but it's actually getting super expensive. I don't eat enough of the grilled meats or shrimp to justify the cost. Steve though can probably can cover both of us in the amount of shrimp he eats, but at close to 60 bucks per person, and I mostly eat dumplings and noodles, I think it's a better deal to just order the food a la carte at Tambu lounge. The next time we stay at the Poly we may just order the feast to be delivered to our room.

Bellies more than sufficiently full, we tumbled out of the Poly and hailed an Uber to take us to our new home, Saratoga Springs. I had booked us a preferred room, but at that point their regular "preferred rooms" were under renovation so they weren't in the usual location that I had hoped, which are the buildings closest to Disney Springs. Instead they were in the section which is closer to the main building.
This resort is so big so there's usually a decent walk even if you're considered "preferred"

We managed to find our room which I believe was on the 3rd floor. It's just a standard studio room. It's much older and more traditional in decor although the new refurbished rooms look really nice. I can't wait to stay in one of those one day.

We called for our bags and owners locker and they were delivered in a short while.

This was our view outside the room which was lovely but we didn't spend any time here.

\

We were back on a bus pretty soon - back to Epcot! I knew I had to watch Illuminations one last time!

We had another same day FP for Soarin'. I'm a little over the new movie now. I actually really wish they would bring back Soarin' over California like they do at Disneyland. But I dont' think they ever will, at least not at WDW.

We decided to walk around the World Showcase and I got one of these beauties:

We met up with @StarWarsMomofGirls! and her family - they were staying at the Yacht Club. It was so cute to hear the girls talk about going to Galaxy's Edge for the first time. I love how into Star Wars they are!! We watched Illuminations and then walked with them back to the Yacht Club.

We took a bus to Disney Springs and walked back to Saratoga from there. I got to do a little shopping and picked up this shirt for Chunkysis:

Coming up...brunch at Wine Bar George and our 2nd Galaxy's Edge Preview!​

 

[chunkymonkey]

Such a great photo of you both!

Thank you! We were super excited just to be there!

I almost convinced Andy to do this when we were just there. But he backed out on me.

Aww he should totally do it! The girls would totally get a kick out of it!

I like the term Coaster Chin! I am going to start using that.

Yeah it's so much better than just saying gravity caused my double chin.

I don't know if I have seen Steve smile that big before!

He has a sinister side.

YES!!! R2 and C3PO!!!! That would be awesome.

I would love that! I've only seen them at those Star Wars events and on the Star Wars cruises.

I have never scene the messages below before. Is that because you guys scored so high?

Hmm, not sure!

I keep forgetting this is August, before I saw you AFTER Singapore.

Yeah I know, my TRs are all over the place!

I can't even imagine that. Our work is "different" and we have a certain amount we need to do before we can go so there's always pressure and we never make it out in time. This next VGC stay should be interesting the way we have scheduled ourselves.

Haha should be interesting to read!

That looks really tasty, something like Fran and I would share as well.

It was very good!

So I'm guessing you guys keep a lot of the toiletries and such in there so that you only have to pack clothes in your suitcases? We pack a lot of kitchen comforts, and laundry supplies because we always like our trips to the East Coast to be longer ones....

I have a lot of toiletries and random stuff that I know I'd only use at disney, I think we have some neck fans and even a handheld fan as well. Also Steve's Han Solo backpack which takes up so much room but he loves it, LOL.

That's totally classic! OMG! I guess that's a new thing with the new resorts to have your names displayed. They didn't do that for us at BCV in October, but did one our Riviera stay this last time.

So funny, it wasn't what we were expecting but oh well, it's too bad they didnt' charge the Mollo family too.

I see though that one person has to suffer without a nightstand.....just like most studios.

Oh right, I did not realize that!

Huh, they moved the check in area? Also that used to be a hidden Mickey, but it's missing one of it's ears. I remember photographing that when we stayed there a few years back.

Yeah the check in is all in the lobby of the Gran Destino tower now.

Wow. Looks totally dead.

It was pretty late at night but yeah there wasn't anyone there.

Yes, I am! We went yesterday, and a couple days before and we're going next week, as well as staying next weekend. #IknowhowluckyIam

Lucky duck! We're heading down this weekend for another VIP tour!! I'm so excited!

Next time we do a tour with six people, we have to try this and see if it's real!

That would be so much fun! This would probably take several attempts to get right

I live there, too!

Hello neighbor!!!!

 

[KathyM2]

We had a very special DIS meet that day - with @MeghanEmily and her DH Nate! I was in line to meet Wreck it Ralph when I saw them and I asked if they would like to be in the pictures with me, and so Meghan did.

So fun!! Somehow I keep missing these two ) Hoping to meet up some day! I love that you got PP pics together!

I think it's a better deal to just order the food a la carte at Tambu lounge.

What a great idea!! Although...I do like to have a bit of everything, but like you, I don't eat enough for that price tag!

 

[missangelalexis]

I love your Stitch shirt!

Sounds like a nice day/night at Epcot and dinner at Ohana! Some great DISmeets too!