yepod
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Aug 18, 2001
- Messages
- 2,578
Introduction Me 49, DW 39, DD 2 ½, all HUGE Disney fans
Note: See my restaurant report posted 12/14 for meal details.
DAY 1 (12/1 Sat)
We arrived at the airport at 4AM for our 6AM flight. The driveway @ the front of the terminal was closed as security hadnt arrived yet to open the guard booth, so we had to schlup the luggage from long term parking to the terminal. Does this list sound familiar (if not good for you)?!?! We were taking 2 huge suitcases (you know, the ones if you put a motor on them you could ride em!), 1 large suit case, 3 carry on bags, 1 stroller & 1 car seat (oh boy!) Only 1 other family was there (we joked about being late!) but check-in didnt open until after 4:30. We thankfully had no problems at check-in or with security. Arrived at CBR Noonish. Got 1st floor as requested but nowhere near Port Royale (food & pool) as requested. Stayed in Barbados 16. (Wed rather save our walking stamina for parks instead of LONG walks from room to food court, pool, bus etc. so we were disappointed with location. (Stayed at DXL last year for 1st time on property & thought THAT was a long walk, also CM then wouldnt honor our request for 1st floor so suffered with stroller & DD 1 ½ years old, up & down stairs for the week. In retrospect DL/POR is a shorter walk!) I know were just old, out of shape wimps! Dont get me wrong, we do like the moderate resorts for size of room & overall layout. Werent allowed in the room for 3 hours. What did I expect, Disney to help us before minimum check-in time?! I just read a post from a travel agent who recently visited AKL that tipped maid service $20 to get into room early, what a great idea! We werent smart enough to pack our shorts & t-shirts in a convenient bag. So we caught the internal bus to Port Royale, ate lunch & hung out at one of the beach areas, DD loved playing on a hammock & in the sand with her new shovel & pail she got with her chicken finger meal! Played & took pictures until we were allowed to go to our room to freshen-up & change. Headed to the MK (the bus service was EXCELLENT this year, better than last year!) We got our 1st APs EVER with DC discount & the savings with this purchase alone paid for our DC membership. Between savings on National car rentals ($20 less than with AAA discount on a recent rental), Disney Store & Downtown Disney World of Disney this card is GREAT). We then caught Spectro Magic parade for DD (our only opportunity this trip) & then FITS Fireworks at the castle! From this point on, our DD had her mouth hanging open & that big-eyed stare the majority of the trip! She enjoyed so much more this year than last! We SO look forward to enjoying her experiences on our 2002 trip! Dinner at Tonys, a 1st time for us & very enjoyable (I told DD that Lady & Tramp were out back eating sgetti & she was thrilled!)
DAY 2 (12/2 Sun)
Took the bus to the MK. Loved the Christmas decorations on Main Street! Headed to FantasyLand. We all rode Snow White (DDs favorite movie, more on this later), DD & DW rode Cindys Carousel, we all road IASW with me making smart comments under my breath. One of the times we did the ride this trip the DH from the couple riding behind us was making similar comments to mine & we both encouraged each other! Of course then the DHs beat us both down (Im sure we deserved it NOT)! Our DD loved it though so Ill always endure for that alone. Then we road Peter Pan. Then on to the sidewalk in front of the CP where as we waited for lunch PS time, I took video of Cindys Surprise Celebration in the front of the castle. Looked like a good show, sorry we didnt see this closer. DD loved CPs Pooh & Piglet (Pliget to her!) but fell asleep for Eeyore & Tigger . This was our first experience waving napkins over our heads & we all loved it. We have eaten here many times before & never saw this happen before! Got some great pictures & video (including some of DD asleep in DWs arms while Eeyore & Tigger hug them both!) as well as all the autographs. DD loved meeting all the characters this trip. (I will reference loved the characters as LTC from now on in this report.) Last year at 17 months DD was thrilled with all the characters at a distance but was scared & cried when they came close up! We freely admit that last year we came selfishly for ourselves & to enjoy the reactions of our baby. (Ya Ill admit the same for this trip actually!) Friends had advised us that at around 2 to 2 ½ years their kids started to remember their Disney trips. This was totally true & we feel this is an ideal age as we saved money bringing her at under 3 years old, but still she will remember this trip (evident already in her comments)! Back to CBR for R&R. Late in the afternoon we went to DD for shopping & dinner at Wolfgangs Express. DD rode the carousel. We met 3 great CMs, 2 at World of Disney (Cynthia & Maggie) & 1 at Gourmet Pantry (Sylvia C). Bought a set of Magical Moments pins & LOTs of other cant live without stuff including our 100th year hats & shirts. We try to save all of our major shopping for WOD at DD as this is one of the few places on property where you get the 10% DC discount & you can find most of the same things the parks offer here in ONE HUGE store! The CMs at WOD told us they cant tell us all the places the pins go off, but they did hint that close by (I forget the store) there is a Magical Moments pins wall advertisement outside that sets them off. This was a nice preview of things to come.
Click Below to go to Report 2 (Day 3 & 4)
Report 2 (Day 3 & 4)
Note: See my restaurant report posted 12/14 for meal details.
DAY 1 (12/1 Sat)
We arrived at the airport at 4AM for our 6AM flight. The driveway @ the front of the terminal was closed as security hadnt arrived yet to open the guard booth, so we had to schlup the luggage from long term parking to the terminal. Does this list sound familiar (if not good for you)?!?! We were taking 2 huge suitcases (you know, the ones if you put a motor on them you could ride em!), 1 large suit case, 3 carry on bags, 1 stroller & 1 car seat (oh boy!) Only 1 other family was there (we joked about being late!) but check-in didnt open until after 4:30. We thankfully had no problems at check-in or with security. Arrived at CBR Noonish. Got 1st floor as requested but nowhere near Port Royale (food & pool) as requested. Stayed in Barbados 16. (Wed rather save our walking stamina for parks instead of LONG walks from room to food court, pool, bus etc. so we were disappointed with location. (Stayed at DXL last year for 1st time on property & thought THAT was a long walk, also CM then wouldnt honor our request for 1st floor so suffered with stroller & DD 1 ½ years old, up & down stairs for the week. In retrospect DL/POR is a shorter walk!) I know were just old, out of shape wimps! Dont get me wrong, we do like the moderate resorts for size of room & overall layout. Werent allowed in the room for 3 hours. What did I expect, Disney to help us before minimum check-in time?! I just read a post from a travel agent who recently visited AKL that tipped maid service $20 to get into room early, what a great idea! We werent smart enough to pack our shorts & t-shirts in a convenient bag. So we caught the internal bus to Port Royale, ate lunch & hung out at one of the beach areas, DD loved playing on a hammock & in the sand with her new shovel & pail she got with her chicken finger meal! Played & took pictures until we were allowed to go to our room to freshen-up & change. Headed to the MK (the bus service was EXCELLENT this year, better than last year!) We got our 1st APs EVER with DC discount & the savings with this purchase alone paid for our DC membership. Between savings on National car rentals ($20 less than with AAA discount on a recent rental), Disney Store & Downtown Disney World of Disney this card is GREAT). We then caught Spectro Magic parade for DD (our only opportunity this trip) & then FITS Fireworks at the castle! From this point on, our DD had her mouth hanging open & that big-eyed stare the majority of the trip! She enjoyed so much more this year than last! We SO look forward to enjoying her experiences on our 2002 trip! Dinner at Tonys, a 1st time for us & very enjoyable (I told DD that Lady & Tramp were out back eating sgetti & she was thrilled!)
DAY 2 (12/2 Sun)
Took the bus to the MK. Loved the Christmas decorations on Main Street! Headed to FantasyLand. We all rode Snow White (DDs favorite movie, more on this later), DD & DW rode Cindys Carousel, we all road IASW with me making smart comments under my breath. One of the times we did the ride this trip the DH from the couple riding behind us was making similar comments to mine & we both encouraged each other! Of course then the DHs beat us both down (Im sure we deserved it NOT)! Our DD loved it though so Ill always endure for that alone. Then we road Peter Pan. Then on to the sidewalk in front of the CP where as we waited for lunch PS time, I took video of Cindys Surprise Celebration in the front of the castle. Looked like a good show, sorry we didnt see this closer. DD loved CPs Pooh & Piglet (Pliget to her!) but fell asleep for Eeyore & Tigger . This was our first experience waving napkins over our heads & we all loved it. We have eaten here many times before & never saw this happen before! Got some great pictures & video (including some of DD asleep in DWs arms while Eeyore & Tigger hug them both!) as well as all the autographs. DD loved meeting all the characters this trip. (I will reference loved the characters as LTC from now on in this report.) Last year at 17 months DD was thrilled with all the characters at a distance but was scared & cried when they came close up! We freely admit that last year we came selfishly for ourselves & to enjoy the reactions of our baby. (Ya Ill admit the same for this trip actually!) Friends had advised us that at around 2 to 2 ½ years their kids started to remember their Disney trips. This was totally true & we feel this is an ideal age as we saved money bringing her at under 3 years old, but still she will remember this trip (evident already in her comments)! Back to CBR for R&R. Late in the afternoon we went to DD for shopping & dinner at Wolfgangs Express. DD rode the carousel. We met 3 great CMs, 2 at World of Disney (Cynthia & Maggie) & 1 at Gourmet Pantry (Sylvia C). Bought a set of Magical Moments pins & LOTs of other cant live without stuff including our 100th year hats & shirts. We try to save all of our major shopping for WOD at DD as this is one of the few places on property where you get the 10% DC discount & you can find most of the same things the parks offer here in ONE HUGE store! The CMs at WOD told us they cant tell us all the places the pins go off, but they did hint that close by (I forget the store) there is a Magical Moments pins wall advertisement outside that sets them off. This was a nice preview of things to come.
Click Below to go to Report 2 (Day 3 & 4)
Report 2 (Day 3 & 4)
