Disney Nomads ... 3 Resorts in 8 Nights! ALL NEW 9/2!

[Thumper_Man]

We just met, and it's like you've known me for years.

Oh, you know what I forgot to mention before? Have you read that thread on the Boardwalk's resemblance to the hotel in the Shining? Because as much as I loved the resort, that's about all I could think about as I was lost in its long halls.

Hi Mirage.

Off topic. I see you're from Santa Fe. I was born and raised in Santa Fe, and I still work in Santa Fe. TMW and I live in Rio Rancho now. Always nice to see some fellow New Mexican's on the Dis.

 

[Thumper_Man]

I can see how good at sharing you are.


It doesn't surprise me at all that Ponzi started it.

I won't jump you in a parking lot but I WILL cut you for them.

Holy Moly! I know I'm behind on the TR's, but do we really need to go to this extreme. There are plenty of smiley's to go around.

 

[bankr63]

I won't jump you in a parking lot but I WILL cut you for them.

She's going to cut a deck of cards to see who wins right? What else could she have meant?

Being a Canadian, I'm just going to have to apologize to TMW every time I use one now... (sorry) (sorry) (think Python...)

 

[laura74]

She's going to cut a deck of cards to see who wins right? What else could she have meant?

Being a Canadian, I'm just going to have to apologize to TMW every time I use one now... (sorry) (sorry) (think Python...)

(sorry)

 

[Thumper_Man's Wife]

I can see how good at sharing you are.


It doesn't surprise me at all that Ponzi started it.

I won't jump you in a parking lot but I WILL cut you for them.

Yikes...Um...I mean...Ahem...

Come on Punk...Make my day!

On the inside I'm actually doing --->
And now I'll have to go out in public looking like

so I don't get jumped or Cut.

She's going to cut a deck of cards to see who wins right? What else could she have meant?

I like the idea of the deck of cards...I think your right on the money there...I mean, Our sweet innocent Laura would never threaten harm to...Oh who am I kidding!

Being a Canadian, I'm just going to have to apologize to TMW every time I use one now... (sorry) (sorry) (think Python...)

(sorry)

 

[laura74]

Ok. Where are you getting all these smileys? Tell me or I'll....

 

[pkondz]

Ok. Where are you getting all these smileys? Tell me or I'll....

Don't tell her! Keep her guessing! Uh... Laura? What are you... Hey! Don't...

 

[laura74]

Don't tell her! Keep her guessing! Uh... Laura? What are you... Hey! Don't...

LOL. I could use a new LOL smiley. I'm sick of these.

 

[pkondz]

LOL. I could use a new LOL smiley. I'm sick of these.

 

[laura74]

Show-off.

 

[pkondz]

:

 

[shan23877]

What the heck is going on around here? It took me an hour to catch up on all the chatter!

Thanks for the recommendation Laura, I subbed to Mirage's report.

And Ponzarino? I think you're a show off too.

 

[laura74]

What the heck is going on around here? It took me an hour to catch up on all the chatter!

Thanks for the recommendation Laura, I subbed to Mirage's report.

And Ponzarino? I think you're a show off too.

Yeah! What she said!

 

[pkondz]

What the heck is going on around here? It took me an hour to catch up on all the chatter!

Thanks for the recommendation Laura, I subbed to Mirage's report.

And Ponzarino? I think you're a show off too.

Yeah! What she said!

 

[Thumper_Man's Wife]

Careful Ponzi...She was willing to cut me for my smileys, You don't want to be on the receiving end of this...

 

[laura74]

Careful Ponzi...She was willing to cut me for my smileys, You don't want to be on the receiving end of this...

All right you two. Stop showing off all your smileys. I'm going to have to find some new ones and make you jealous.

 

[laura74]

We let the happy couple enjoy their champagne and I hand our Tables in Wonderland card to Alice. She says, “Thanks! Let me just get the manager to adjust your check.”

Hey, wait a second. Last night Skippy sighed when he said HE had to go get the manager. I thought we must have done something wrong with the card. This is just normal operating procedure? That Skippy needs a Disney attitude readjustment.

“Sheena,” I say. “Wait until you see this discount. If you guys join the vacation club you can get one of these cards too.”

“Or we could just have dinner with you.”

Hmm. Point taken. She’s going to be a tough nut to crack, that Sheena.

“Ok, well. Come up and see our room. You will definitely want to join when you see the bathrooms.”

“Sure Laura.”

After paying our $347 discounted check, we head back to the room.

“See Sheena? Isn’t this great? We’re walking back to our room. Look how close we are. Look at the view of the castle. Don’t you want to stay here?”

I’m not sure why I’m so gung ho about getting them to join DVC. Maybe I want to be reassured that we did indeed make the right decision. Maybe I want to make sure that they’ll keep coming back with us.

Maybe I want that referral bonus.

We open the door to our room and the angels sing. Laaa!

“Isn’t this nice? Druid, I know you want to stay here. Sheena, look! Granite counters! A washer and dryer right in the room! You have to see the shower in the master. It’s like getting rained on…in a good way!”

Everyone agrees that the villa is beautiful. If it were up to Druid, and a DVC rep were standing here, they’d be signed up in a heartbeat. Sheena’s no pushover though, and I can see she’s not convinced. She has this notion about taking her family to Ireland or something. Silly Sheena.

It’s decided that we’ll watch Wishes from the Top of the World Lounge. Maybe this perk will reel them in.

“Ok you guys,” I say. “The lounge is supposed to be just for DVC members staying at the hotel, so act natural and let us do the talking.”

“Oh please, Laura,” Sheena says. “I’m pretty sure Disney isn’t going to turn down a few more people buying overpriced drinks.”

“Look, I only know what I read and some people on the DIS boards say everyone’s supposed to be a member to get in.”

I don’t tell her that Nebo and Smidgy were able to get in by sneaking up the stairs because a) she’d probably want to do that, and b) she’d want to know what the heck a Nebo and Smidgy are. I don’t want to get into a conversation about message board friends right now. I’ll just keep that in mind for Plan B.

As we walk to the podium, I remind them to just act natural.

“Hello, Mr. Podium Man,” I say. “We’re all DVC members staying here on points and we would like to visit the Top of the World Lounge please. Here’s my card. See, I’m a DVC member. And here’s my key card. See? We’re all staying here on points. Yup. All of us.”

Yeah, that was smooth.

Mr. Podium Man could care less and directs us to the elevator.

I wait for the inevitable told-you-so, the giggling. Surely, someone is going to call me on all this unnecessary subterfuge. I decide to beat them to it.

“Ok. So maybe it’s not that hard to get in. Although I DID show him my IDs so maybe that’s why he didn’t ask for everyone else’s. I must have an honest face.

Or maybe there’s no one in the lounge.

Well, look at that. It’s actually kind of happening here tonight. It must be my honest face after all. This place looks like the place to be. There are actual people here laughing and having a good time. Maybe this will get them to buy DVC.

We grab seats and I’m pleased to see that Skippy has the night off. Our new waiter comes over and many germ cubes are ordered. (I’m not going to name him. We won’t be here that long.)

Look! Germ cubes!



Little Tour Guide Mike asks me, “Aunt Laura, did you know there’s a whole bunch of rooms and hallways in the basement of the Magic Kingdom. They’re called utilidors and that’s where all the cast members are. There are secret doors all over so they can pop up exactly where they’re supposed to be.”

“Yes, I did know that, TGM. And did you know that they’re not actually in the basement? The Magic Kingdom is actually built on the second floor.”

“Oh. Did you know when you’re in one land, you can’t see another from it?”

“Yes. And did you know that in the parks, a trash can is never more than 30 steps away from you?”

Ok. I know he’s 10. I should just be a good aunt and act amazed at his knowledge. I forget myself when challenged with Disney trivia.

“So Druid, Sheena, pretty cool, right? Don’t you want to join DVC now so you can come back here?”

“We can just go with you again,” Sheena says.

Rats! (Oops. Is that a bad thing to say at Disney?)

We watch Wishes and Sheena and Druid generously pay the check. Thanks guys!

I fit in one last incentive. “You guys have a long trip back to Animal Kingdom Lodge, huh? You have to walk back to Magic Kingdom, wait on line for the bus and then take the long ride back. Hey, if you were staying here, you’d be home already!”

“Nice try, Laura.”

Oh well. I still have a few more days to work on her.

Goodbyes and hugs are exchanged and we head back to the room.

Editors Note: I’m going to do something really crazy here. We are going to start Day 4 right here, right after the end of Day 3. I’m not even going to put it in a separate post. I know. Crazy, right? I’ll put a few more spaces between the days so no one gets confused. Are you ready?








This is our first resort switch today. I’m not too concerned about packing since we didn’t fully unpack. Mr. Squid, however, is concerned about the leftover food in the fridge.

“So what are we going to do with all this stuff? We can’t just throw it out. We paid $7.99 for this Gouda.”

“There’s not much of it left, Squid. Why don’t you just throw it out?”

I can see this won’t sit well. Mr. Squid doesn’t like throwing perfectly good things away. Our basement is a testament to that. I’m sure not many of you can say you have a box full of Franklin Mint Native American portrait plates. (I’m sure when his Dad bought them they were Franklin Mint Indian plates.)

I watch him contemplate the situation. He’s leaving everything on the counter for now while he mulls it over.

I ask Monkston to disassemble her Lego office cubicles and jam everything back in the container while I finish getting ready.

Do you ever have one of those mornings when you hate everything you put on? When I bought this top, I thought it was cute, but now in the sickly yellow glow of the Bay Lake Tower bathroom, it doesn’t look so hot. What was I thinking with the pink paisley? What was J Crew thinking?

Maybe it’s the shorts. I’ll try another pair. I get the ironing board out again. Yes! I iron on vacation. I’m sure I’m not alone. They do provide an iron, don’t they?

Screech goes the ironing board.

“Mommy? Can you help me find something to wear?”

Shoot. Not much time to indulge my neurosis. These shorts will have to do. Meh. Not so cute, but I already cut the tags off so I’m committed.

I see the counter is cleared off so I guess Mr. Squid figured out what to do with the perishables.

I get out an outfit for Monkston and run around the villa to make sure we have everything packed. This resort switching isn’t so bad. It took all of 15 minutes to throw everything back in the suitcases. All we have to do now is call the bellman and head out to the bus. Easy peasy.

No foreshadowing there folks.

It really is easy. The bellman is at our door in 10 minutes and we’re off.

The plan for today is to go to Hollywood Studios and then walk over to the Boardwalk and check in. Or check on our check-in since we did it online already. Something like that.

Today is our lucky day because as soon as we get to the stop, a Hollywood Studios bus pulls up!

We aren’t the only ones on the bus today. Sitting across from us is a couple who look to be in their mid-60s. I know they’re a couple because the wife is wearing a Tweedle Dee t-shirt with an arrow that says “I’m with Dum.” And he of course is wearing the Tweedle Dum shirt.

Now, two things strike me about this. One, these two look pretty humorless. They’re sitting silently with their mouths in a straight line. I try not to giggle. I wonder whose idea these t-shirts were. Maybe their grandkids bought them? Neither one of them looks happy to be wearing them.

But who am I to talk in my hot pink paisley shirt?

The other thing I wonder is if they always remember to sit so that the arrow on her shirt points in the right direction.

We stop at the Polynesian and the driver comes back to make room for a wheelchair.

A family comes on the bus, mother, father and two tween sons, one in a wheelchair. I’m sitting next to the handicapped area of the bus so I get up so the mom can sit next to her son. The father and the other son sit together further up front.

My guess is along with his physical impairments, this boy is autistic. He shouts, “Shut up! Shut up!” intermittently on the way to the Grand Floridian.

The mother is so good with him. So calm and loving.

“Shut up! Shut up!” He laughs.

She gives him a notebook to write in and this calms him down for a while.

The bus stops and he gets agitated again. “Shut up! Shut up!”

On walks a fit guy who looks to be in his 60s. He’s like my dad in the way he talks to everyone like he’s known them forever.

“Great shirts!” he says to Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum. They smile!

He stands next to me, across from the mother and son.

“Shut up! Shut up!”

He turns to me and asks if I want to see something.

Ok.

He takes out a photo of a very overweight man.

“That was me a year ago. My doctor told me I had to lose weight or I’d be in real trouble. So look at me now. I took up running. I just ran this morning.”

“That’s great!” I say.

I’m not sure why he’s telling me this. I guess he’s just friendly and this is an ice breaker.

He turns to the mother sitting across from us and shows her the photo. She’s also duly impressed.

“Shut up! Shut up!”

He asks the mother what’s the matter.

She then tells him that he’s not really telling anyone to shut up. He has autism and the bus rides make him uncomfortable. When he’s nervous he recites lines from his favorite Toy Story movie.

The man asks more questions about his condition, not in a rude way. I admire that he’s so matter of fact. She doesn’t seem at all offended by his curiosity and, in fact, seems eager to talk about her son's condition. I guess people don't usually ask.

I look at Monkston in her Mickey ears and I’m thankful she doesn't face these challenges.

And right here is probably where I should say, “How could I have been so neurotic about picking out an outfit this morning? This is meaningless in the great scheme of things. I should just be glad I’m healthy and my family’s healthy and thank God that my biggest problem this morning was pink paisley.”

And that’s all true!

But the shirt is still uncute.

 

[monymony3471]

<-----Proud mom of an autisic son, Asperger's. Yes, we do like to talk about our children as much as anyone else. They are unique, and amazing, just like anyone else.

I kick myself for not purchasing DVC 10 years ago when we looked into it. 10 years ago price was much more affordable than today's price!

Still without a DVC membership.


Oh, me and hubby will be that couple and wearing those shirts. Can't wait for unsuspecting person to comment on it and hear my response!

 

[laura74]

<-----Proud mom of an autisic son, Asperger's. Yes, we do like to talk about our children as much as anyone else. They are unique, and amazing, just like anyone else.

Agreed! Every child is special.

I kick myself for not purchasing DVC 10 years ago when we looked into it. 10 years ago price was much more affordable than today's price!

I bet! I wish we had bought when we started going to Disney in 2006.

Oh, me and hubby will be that couple and wearing those shirts. Can't wait for unsuspecting person to comment on it and hear my response!

Somehow I think you'll have a smile on your face though.

 

[mirage0306]

We lost much of a piece of chocolate cake from the BW Bakery when we switched to AKL. That was some dang good cake, too. RIP, awesome cake that never got to be in my belly.

We are not buying DVC (certainly not anytime in the future that I can see!), but your posts make me want to. The villas sound beautiful.