Day 2 with Grumpy in Magic Kingdom and Saratoga Springs

[ccsreno]

Day 2:
The Cast:
Grumpy: 39 yr old- likes to sleep late, never been to WDW
Snow White: 38 - last time at WDW was 1985

Day 2: I woke up bright and early at POR, with the Mickey and Stitch call - (I noticed Saratoga Springs didn't have this feature on the phone). Grumpy refused to budge, so I took a shower and got dressed behind the big curtain that seperates the POR bathroom from the bedroom. I was ready to GO, so I decided to leave Grumpy in bed and drive to Saratoga Springs to check in for our reservation for May 5-May 11th. I lucked out, and was able to get a room right away!! We stayed in the Paddock, in room 6112 - nice room, like brand-new, not a great view, and a long, long, long, long, way from Disney transportation..
Fact: If you stay at SS, either drive, rent a car, or specifically request a room nect to the bus or boat - otherwise you will be walking your fanny off! We ended up driving from our room to the bus stop or down to the boat.

After I have finished checking in and looking around SSR, I drove back to POR and begin to try to get Grumpy up and moving - I finally have to literally push him out of the bed (he wasn' happy)

We decide to drive to Magic Kingdom, and we get there at 9:00 - no lines, easy parking, until I get to the front ticket exchange, and realize I left my ID in the car!! So, here we go all the way back to the parking lot...
FACT: Check to make sure you have your ticket and ID before you leave the room..(Grumpy forgot his once, and ended up losing his ticket TWICE!!!)

Anyway, finally, we arrive We walk down Main Street and got to meet the Mayor, saw the barbershop quartet, and ate at the Main Street Bakery - we got a huge cinammon roll, an apple turnover, and an egg croissant - all Fabulous - then we go to Space Mountain - no lines, and it is Grumpy's first ride at WDW!! Wow - I forgot how intense it is, (or maybe now that I am older it seems more intense, haahaa).
I wanted to get FastPAsses for BTMRR and SM, so we headed that way, but ended up in Fantasyland. Now, I had done some serious planning before our trip, but once there, we decided to just go with our hearts...so we rode Pooh next - my husband said it was his FAVORITE ride of all the parks!! I think he just liked the part of the ride that was all "trippy", haha- maybe it took him back to his wilder days

It was a beautiful day, no lines, light crowds, and we did Mickey's Philharmagic - (my favorite),Small World, Tea cups, Hall of Presidents, Haunted Mansion, Tiki room, Swiss treehouse, and had Dole Whips. Grumpy got to meet Jasmine while I was in the bathroom - he was like " WOW "- she was really gorgeous, I can't believe how really pretty she was, and on and on until I smacked him. Just kidding. I just thought about it.

We ate at Pecos Bills - very good cheeseburgers and great topping bar -including sauteed mushrooms and onions, and:
Fact: If you are Florida resident and like to eat and drink like us (a lot)- get a Disney Dining Experience card - it's $85, but it saved us about $200 on food, drinks, and alcohol

Next, Grumpy said he was ready to go -it was about 2:30 - so we went back to SSR and unpacked and hopped in the QUEEN sized (boo!) but, extremely comfortable bed, and crashed until about 6:00. (After this little nap, Grumpy slept on the Queen sized sleeper sofa- moderately comfortable, but I brought pillows and blankets from home, so it was ok.) I can't sleep with him unless we are in a king sized bed - I am spoiled from our huge bed at home

After the refreshing nap, we took our time getting ready for dinner, and decided to take the bus to EPCOT for our Reservation at Bistro de Paris. Little did we know it took us a good hour and 15 minutes to get to get from the bus stop to France!! We were speed-walking through EPCOT - I don't remember much except we didn't know our way around and just barely made our reservation!

The restaurant is nice- elegant, and upscale, except for the rude, hungry hordes of people trying to get reservations - some lady took it personally that I had an ADR and was sincerely chewing the head off of the hostess! Once we got in, we sat sweating in the overheated and overcrowded dining room (this is upstairs from the Chefs de France). First my complaints: 1) Bad AC - it was HOT the entire time we were there. 2) No music 3) We sat at a banquette - so we were practically at the same table as another family 4) The server took forever to wait on us - Grumpy was ready to walk out! 5) Our Frech waiter could barely speak English - we couldn't understand a word he said all night
Now, the good: 1) We had the Chef's Tasting Menu with wine - $135 per person - worth the price if you are sincere foodies like us 2) I will try to remember the basics - we had an amuse-bouche with champagne, then for appetizers Grumpy had scallops and I had the seared tuna, then a arugula salad with pine nuts and goat cheese and a glass of Rose wine (I'm sorry, but I didn't take notes on this dinner). Then we served a granita topped with raspberry sorbet served with a "shot" with apple-jack liqueur. For the entree we both had a pinot noir, Grumpy had rack of lamb, and I had the beef tenderloin. This was followed with a cheese plate and a glass of Port (the port was basically yucky, for lack of a better term, haha - we both thought so). Then, finally, Illumination fireworks began, but to be honest with you, I was pretty loopy form all the wine and the long day, and I really just remember going, oh, wow, look - fireworks, or somethun out there..)
Then, we both got a sampler plate of 4 different desserts - creme brulee, chocolate lava cake, fruit soup (I didn't like this, but Grumpy did) and I think ice cream. who knows at this point?

Anyway, to be honest with you, I don't remember the trip back to SSR, but I remember that the bed felt like heaven and I hope we didn't keep any neighbors up with all the snoring. Tomorrow - it's all about EPCOT and meeting some nice people in England - with PICTURES!!

 

[ccsreno]

Day 3- May 6th
Saturday dawned bright and early for everyone else, however Grumpy and I slept in late, then hit the pool at SSR - very nice pool, I love the design and colors! We got some sun, then swam a little, then I went to check out the spa - It was first-rate, and I wish I would have made a reservation, but I didn't have time to schedule it in I got Grumpy to hit the Arcade where I kicked his butt on pinball - then we checked out Artist's Palette - I thought it was beautiful in design, but it really is going to be too small for the ninety billion rooms they are building at this place! We got a roast beef and blue cheese sandwich to go and I bought some Band Aids for the blister between my toes from wearing my "fancy" flip flops and running through EPCOT the precious night and we went back to the room.
Now, my husband and I need the Internet for work and to make some adult wishes on the Kentucky Derby, so we try to hook it up - no luck! Weird - Grumpy calls the front desk, which transfers us to WDW computer center - they can't fix it over the phone, so they send Mousekeeping over with a new cable - still no luck -we run virus scans, make adjustments, and finally decide to leave for EPCOT - because, who needs computer stress when you are at WDW???
We smartly drive to the bus stop, hop on, and go to EPCOT. The plan is to do the World Showcase, but we get trapped trying to get there in a reasonable amount of time.
First there is line for 30 minutes searching bags - of course, I brought my teeny tiny purse in and have to let the nice officer look at my camera and wallet.
Then, once in the park the crowds were a little scary we were being bumped left and right and the wait for Soarin was 80 minutes (all FP are gone) and everyone looks sunburned and frazzled - so we go over to Innovations and do some rides - Journey into Imagination (can you say 6th grade science class?) boring for us old farts..then Honey i Shrunk the Audience. We probably would have enjoyed this a lot more, except the kids in the families behind us were screaming and crying at the top of their lungs at the snake effect, and begging their parents to leave - however, the Mom and Dad refused to budge.
(Ok , just a quick rant here about Mom and Dad's we saw - 1) please don't waste your time and money going to WDW if you have to carry a stroller around all day - the majority of kids under 5 were either crying, sleeping, or facinated by a bug on the ground above all else 2) Don't do the 3-d shows - these mostly scared the crap out of all the kids 3) Don't keep your kids in tha parks all day - we saw parents with children that were overheated, sunburned, exhausted, and overwhelmed every single day - really- it is not fun for anybody to put the children through this.)
After witnessing the ultimate meltdown by the kids at HISTA, we needed an adult beverage, and headed off to England, briefly swinging through Canada for a quicky - beer, that is, before our arrival at the Rose and Crown.
More to follow as I try to figure out how to load up pictures -

 

[Dad's Not Funny]

I hope you were able to get the computer running...we are staying at SSR in Oct. and DW will not be happy if she can't get online. I am enjoying hearing your details about SSR and agree with your comments about the long walks. Being near DTD makes it worth it though

 

[Dad's Not Funny]

 

[ccsreno]

We finally go the computer issue resolved- there are two ports in the room -we had plugged into the one by the bed - never could get it to work - we moved the computer to the plug by the desk, and finally success!! By the way, they charge $9.95 per day for internet access.