gtrist4life
Choose wisely
- Joined
- Mar 4, 2003
- Messages
- 787
Day 6 12/17 Have to Go 
- Downtown Disney - Good-byes
THE CAST
Our Group - Disney nuts and recently new DVC members
Me (The planner of all this, Age 39)
DW (Co-planner and voice of reason Age 39)
DD (Age 15 at start of trip, Age 16 at end of trip)
DS (Age 8 and overall good sport)
The Outlaws - Last time at WDW in 1996 with Our Group
MIL (Mother in Law Age 65)
FIL (Father in Law Age 74)
The Sisters Group - (Mom and Aunt M went with us last year, Aunt D and Rhon havent been since early 70s)
Mom (My mom Age 65)
Aunt M (My moms sister Age 69)
Aunt D (My moms sister Age 62)
Rhon (Aunt Ds daughter Age 42, has MS, but you wouldnt know it from seeing her)
SILs group (Never been)
SIL (DWs sister age 40 Did visit MK once in the early 70s)
BIL (age 38, self proclaimed Not a Park-er)
Niece (age 18 months)
Nephew (age 3)
M&J Brother and Sister in law from NYC (Have been a couple times over the last 10 years)
M (DWs brother age 36)
J - (Ms wife age 41)
Woke up around 7:40 and decided to go get my refillable mug of tea at the Pepper Market and see M&J off. They were due to be picked up by FL Tours at 8:30 and I met them at the waiting area outside the hotel. They really had a good time and thanked me for planning a lot of the trip.
After they were on their way, I went back in and got a paper and sat outside El Centro to relax and reflect a bit on the trip and beauty of the resort. Didnt read much of the paper and saw FIL go into the Pepper Market area to get his morning cup and danish.
Made my way back to the room and DW was up and decided to call FIL and see if he wanted to do a power walk around Lago Drago. After they returned. Everyone got ready and started the large job of packing everything up. I then called bell services and our 11!! Bags were picked up and I rode with the CM to the holding area. We then met the Outlaws, SIL and crew in the lobby to get a few final pictures in front of the Christmas tree before goodbyes to SILs crew and their last trip to the breakfast buffet and on to their pickup with FL Tours. It was funny at the start of the trip BIL had said he was not going to come back. At Cinderellas Castle for lunch, this turned into Not until the kids are 15; Now as they were getting ready to leave it was maybe when their 8 and 5 LOL Disney magic works again.
We head on to the bus stop and pick up the Downtown Disney bus at about 11:30 and start to plan on where to eat. It was windy and starting to cloud up again. Forecast for this evenings low was 36!! A little touch to make the parting easier perhaps? Still had to go back to temps in the teens The Outlaws joined us on the bus ride and for lunch at Bongos. This was our first time here, atmosphere was great, but food was just okay. It was good, but just not spectacular. After lunch, we wandered through the west side and towards the marketplace. DS was stopped by a CM and he played guess which hand the pin he wanted to trade him was in. After a few minutes of fun, DS walked away with a Mickey lanyard pin. The lanyard pins are highly sought after and DS was now up to 2 new ones for this trip. After taking a good look at the nearly completed first part of SSR I stopped at a DVC booth and asked how SSR sales were going. They quickly pegged me as a member and said, its going great and that half of the sales are from referrals. The first 4 buildings will be ready in May, then 8 more will be built. To me, it looks a bit more like Boardwalk in person than what the pictures or sketches show.
We split up from the Outlaws and then wandered through World of Disney. DS wanted to go to pin trading. We went to the Villains area and DS was stopped by another CM in a electric scooter and he scored another lanyard pin! After wandering the store a bit and running into Rhon and Aunt D, me and DS headed toward the pin trading store and promised to meet up with DD and DW at Ghiradellis at 1:30. DW and DD had met up with the Outlaws when we arrived at the Ice Cream shop and they were well into a couple of large sundaes. I went outside and found Mom and Aunt Mar sitting on a bench in the sun soaking it all in.
We basically hung out here for the rest of our time and after a cell phone miscommunication with Aunt D and Rhon about when to head back, we did head back at around 3:30. Aunt D and Rhon were waiting in the lobby for us upon our return, and they, Mom, and Aunt Mar went to the Pepper Market for a a bite to eat. We hung out in the lobby, and DS and DD got in a few arcade games before our FL tours shuttle van arrived at 5:00 to take us to the airport and back to the cold weather of Ohio. All in all a great trip.
Dont think well do December again, and it was hard to spend enough time with everybody, but any trip to Disney is fun. We were all tired when we landed and it took a few days for most everyone to recover, but we cant wait to get back and experience some more of that Disney magic!
Peace
G4L
- Downtown Disney - Good-byesTHE CAST
Our Group - Disney nuts and recently new DVC members
Me (The planner of all this, Age 39)
DW (Co-planner and voice of reason Age 39)
DD (Age 15 at start of trip, Age 16 at end of trip)
DS (Age 8 and overall good sport)
The Outlaws - Last time at WDW in 1996 with Our Group
MIL (Mother in Law Age 65)
FIL (Father in Law Age 74)
The Sisters Group - (Mom and Aunt M went with us last year, Aunt D and Rhon havent been since early 70s)
Mom (My mom Age 65)
Aunt M (My moms sister Age 69)
Aunt D (My moms sister Age 62)
Rhon (Aunt Ds daughter Age 42, has MS, but you wouldnt know it from seeing her)
SILs group (Never been)
SIL (DWs sister age 40 Did visit MK once in the early 70s)
BIL (age 38, self proclaimed Not a Park-er)
Niece (age 18 months)
Nephew (age 3)
M&J Brother and Sister in law from NYC (Have been a couple times over the last 10 years)
M (DWs brother age 36)
J - (Ms wife age 41)
Woke up around 7:40 and decided to go get my refillable mug of tea at the Pepper Market and see M&J off. They were due to be picked up by FL Tours at 8:30 and I met them at the waiting area outside the hotel. They really had a good time and thanked me for planning a lot of the trip.
After they were on their way, I went back in and got a paper and sat outside El Centro to relax and reflect a bit on the trip and beauty of the resort. Didnt read much of the paper and saw FIL go into the Pepper Market area to get his morning cup and danish.
Made my way back to the room and DW was up and decided to call FIL and see if he wanted to do a power walk around Lago Drago. After they returned. Everyone got ready and started the large job of packing everything up. I then called bell services and our 11!! Bags were picked up and I rode with the CM to the holding area. We then met the Outlaws, SIL and crew in the lobby to get a few final pictures in front of the Christmas tree before goodbyes to SILs crew and their last trip to the breakfast buffet and on to their pickup with FL Tours. It was funny at the start of the trip BIL had said he was not going to come back. At Cinderellas Castle for lunch, this turned into Not until the kids are 15; Now as they were getting ready to leave it was maybe when their 8 and 5 LOL Disney magic works again.
We head on to the bus stop and pick up the Downtown Disney bus at about 11:30 and start to plan on where to eat. It was windy and starting to cloud up again. Forecast for this evenings low was 36!! A little touch to make the parting easier perhaps? Still had to go back to temps in the teens The Outlaws joined us on the bus ride and for lunch at Bongos. This was our first time here, atmosphere was great, but food was just okay. It was good, but just not spectacular. After lunch, we wandered through the west side and towards the marketplace. DS was stopped by a CM and he played guess which hand the pin he wanted to trade him was in. After a few minutes of fun, DS walked away with a Mickey lanyard pin. The lanyard pins are highly sought after and DS was now up to 2 new ones for this trip. After taking a good look at the nearly completed first part of SSR I stopped at a DVC booth and asked how SSR sales were going. They quickly pegged me as a member and said, its going great and that half of the sales are from referrals. The first 4 buildings will be ready in May, then 8 more will be built. To me, it looks a bit more like Boardwalk in person than what the pictures or sketches show.
We split up from the Outlaws and then wandered through World of Disney. DS wanted to go to pin trading. We went to the Villains area and DS was stopped by another CM in a electric scooter and he scored another lanyard pin! After wandering the store a bit and running into Rhon and Aunt D, me and DS headed toward the pin trading store and promised to meet up with DD and DW at Ghiradellis at 1:30. DW and DD had met up with the Outlaws when we arrived at the Ice Cream shop and they were well into a couple of large sundaes. I went outside and found Mom and Aunt Mar sitting on a bench in the sun soaking it all in.
We basically hung out here for the rest of our time and after a cell phone miscommunication with Aunt D and Rhon about when to head back, we did head back at around 3:30. Aunt D and Rhon were waiting in the lobby for us upon our return, and they, Mom, and Aunt Mar went to the Pepper Market for a a bite to eat. We hung out in the lobby, and DS and DD got in a few arcade games before our FL tours shuttle van arrived at 5:00 to take us to the airport and back to the cold weather of Ohio. All in all a great trip.
Dont think well do December again, and it was hard to spend enough time with everybody, but any trip to Disney is fun. We were all tired when we landed and it took a few days for most everyone to recover, but we cant wait to get back and experience some more of that Disney magic!
Peace
G4L
