Hi, we just got back last night. Here is the 1st instalment.
Disney PhD Family does WDW again May 6th to 12th 2006 (and Vero Beach too.)
Well another May trip to WDW and we are pretty excited.
Me, 35 years old
DH just shy of 35 years old
DD Little PhD 5 years old (8th trip to WDW.)
DD baby PhD 21 months old (not so much a baby any more, but for clarification sake.) 4th time to WDW.
Saturday May 6th, off the airport at 5:00 am as planed. We arrive at DTW shortly before 6 am and get in line. Good thing we were early things go really nuts just a few min after we arrived. The flight was bumpy, very bumpy, but we got there safely. Both girls were good, the portable DVD player was priceless, but both did nap for the last hour of the flight. We even arrived at the gate early, but had to wait 30 min for plan now in our space to move. After finally getting off the plane (1 hour after landing.) we had our 1st encounter of the Dis kind. Crazy4piglet. We were aware they were on the same flight, but didnt see them before boarding. Apparently they were caught up in that crazy mess after 6:00 am. It was great talking with them (they live in our home town too.) She has the cutest little (or not so little) baby.
After getting the luggage there was an hour wait at National. We seem to have started a pattern of good luck, not so good luck that carried on for the rest of the trip. It did seem to fad away to mostly good luck though. You win some, you lose some. We picked out our mini van ($120 for the week including tax.) and Little PhD asked what is that. Pointing to the panel above the seats. I tell her not to get excited, all vans dont have DVD players like ours at home. I fold it down, and Vola! A DVD player!
Pretty cool since we bought a portable one, we had lots of DVDs. (oh and leather seats too, it was a nice van.) Chalk one up for win some. 
For getting to Orlando at 9:00 am, we sure had a hard time getting to our room at SSR resort. We had lunch at Chick-fil-a, a most every trip, shopped at Publix and I even ran into the outlet to pick up a few things (and spent less then $50, my DH was amazed.)
IT wasnt until 2:00 that we were in the room at SSR resort. Room 3701, right above the sample DVC rooms across from the main pool in the springs. We could see the pool from our balcony. I must say I have NEVER had a more quiet stay at WDW in 10 years (this trip is actually our 10th anniversary of going to WDW.) We never heard a noise, and I know we had neighbors in the one bedroom next to us. It was so peaceful. The 4 of us fit just fine in a studio this time, since it was May and we didnt need as much clothes (as in Jan when we needed winter clothes, takes up more room.) All and all we were very comfortable.
We headed over to MK around 4:00 by bus. It was rather funny, little PhD must of made 20 friends on this trip (especially getting to Orlando). Any times there was another child under 7 and over 3 they were off playing. Time for new APs (thanks to DVC discount), no wait at all at Guest Services and we had a super friendly and helpful cast member. We called our friends who had been staying at Vero Beach earlier and then got to WDW yesterday to meet up. They drove and it took a while, but we meet them at the entrance to MK. (all I can say is thank God for cell phones with nationwide plans.) We only had enough time to take a spin on the carousel before our 5:30 ADRs at Crystal Palace. When I checked in there was a problem, someone my ADRs had been canceled. (for a group of 8.) but they got us in anyway. While we were waiting the kids discovered something fun. A mother duck and baby ducklings. Very cute. However another women found them too and decided to pick a baby duck up. Well hell knows no furry like a mother worried about her baby. That mother duck was not happy and was flying at the womens head. Really what was she thinking.
We had a great meal and the kids had so much fun (my friends have 2 boys the same ages as our girls.) Baby PhD wasnt so sure about being close to Pooh and friends, but my friends baby went nuts for them. The chief never came out to discuss my DDs food allergies, (milk and eggs.) but I remembered a lot from the last trip and stuck to safe things for her (like fruit and turkey lunch meat.) They did bring our soy ice cream for her though. If you are at CP near closing time, they let you take a group photo with all the characters. It was pretty neat. 7:00 closing for grad night, but we had enough time after dinner for the older kids and dads to ride BTM before closing time. (with little weight.) The kids played on the SM play area and you could see the CM getting ready for grad nights. It was strange leaving Adventure Land while it was still light out, but the place was empty. They had a band set up and cast members were wearing grad night black shirts.
While we might have been up since 4:30 am, but that didnt stop us. 7:00 p.m. is just too early to go to bed (and the girls had a nap at least in the car and airplane.)
Our friends drove to MK, so they had to move the car, we took the monorail and planed to meet at the light up sidewalks. We got there in just 20 min, and waited for our friends. I get a phone call after another 20 min, where is light up sidewalk again??? (not on a map.) I had to make fun of him for that when ever they said they knew the way (this was their 3rd trip to WDW, but 1st where I wasnt their personal tour guide.
It was dark by this time and after watching the fountain and playing with the lights in the side walk, we took the kids on Spaceship earth. I full thought all 4 kids would be fast asleep by the end, but they werent. In fact my friends son (5 years old) LOVED spaceship earth. It was his favorite ride at all of WDW. He thought we really went back in time, and out in space.
We had good luck with the bus, got right on one, and even all got a seat. (maybe our luck was changing?)
Kids were asleep on the bus, but the baby woke up when we got back to the room. We bought her music CD from home she listens to at night to fall asleep and it worked like a charm. The bed was comfortable, (a bit small compared to the king we got used too at home.) but we all had a great nights sleep.
More as soon as I type it.............
Disney PhD Family does WDW again May 6th to 12th 2006 (and Vero Beach too.)
Well another May trip to WDW and we are pretty excited.
Me, 35 years old
DH just shy of 35 years old
DD Little PhD 5 years old (8th trip to WDW.)
DD baby PhD 21 months old (not so much a baby any more, but for clarification sake.) 4th time to WDW.
Saturday May 6th, off the airport at 5:00 am as planed. We arrive at DTW shortly before 6 am and get in line. Good thing we were early things go really nuts just a few min after we arrived. The flight was bumpy, very bumpy, but we got there safely. Both girls were good, the portable DVD player was priceless, but both did nap for the last hour of the flight. We even arrived at the gate early, but had to wait 30 min for plan now in our space to move. After finally getting off the plane (1 hour after landing.) we had our 1st encounter of the Dis kind. Crazy4piglet. We were aware they were on the same flight, but didnt see them before boarding. Apparently they were caught up in that crazy mess after 6:00 am. It was great talking with them (they live in our home town too.) She has the cutest little (or not so little) baby.
After getting the luggage there was an hour wait at National. We seem to have started a pattern of good luck, not so good luck that carried on for the rest of the trip. It did seem to fad away to mostly good luck though. You win some, you lose some. We picked out our mini van ($120 for the week including tax.) and Little PhD asked what is that. Pointing to the panel above the seats. I tell her not to get excited, all vans dont have DVD players like ours at home. I fold it down, and Vola! A DVD player!
Pretty cool since we bought a portable one, we had lots of DVDs. (oh and leather seats too, it was a nice van.) Chalk one up for win some. For getting to Orlando at 9:00 am, we sure had a hard time getting to our room at SSR resort. We had lunch at Chick-fil-a, a most every trip, shopped at Publix and I even ran into the outlet to pick up a few things (and spent less then $50, my DH was amazed.)
IT wasnt until 2:00 that we were in the room at SSR resort. Room 3701, right above the sample DVC rooms across from the main pool in the springs. We could see the pool from our balcony. I must say I have NEVER had a more quiet stay at WDW in 10 years (this trip is actually our 10th anniversary of going to WDW.) We never heard a noise, and I know we had neighbors in the one bedroom next to us. It was so peaceful. The 4 of us fit just fine in a studio this time, since it was May and we didnt need as much clothes (as in Jan when we needed winter clothes, takes up more room.) All and all we were very comfortable.
We headed over to MK around 4:00 by bus. It was rather funny, little PhD must of made 20 friends on this trip (especially getting to Orlando). Any times there was another child under 7 and over 3 they were off playing. Time for new APs (thanks to DVC discount), no wait at all at Guest Services and we had a super friendly and helpful cast member. We called our friends who had been staying at Vero Beach earlier and then got to WDW yesterday to meet up. They drove and it took a while, but we meet them at the entrance to MK. (all I can say is thank God for cell phones with nationwide plans.) We only had enough time to take a spin on the carousel before our 5:30 ADRs at Crystal Palace. When I checked in there was a problem, someone my ADRs had been canceled. (for a group of 8.) but they got us in anyway. While we were waiting the kids discovered something fun. A mother duck and baby ducklings. Very cute. However another women found them too and decided to pick a baby duck up. Well hell knows no furry like a mother worried about her baby. That mother duck was not happy and was flying at the womens head. Really what was she thinking.
We had a great meal and the kids had so much fun (my friends have 2 boys the same ages as our girls.) Baby PhD wasnt so sure about being close to Pooh and friends, but my friends baby went nuts for them. The chief never came out to discuss my DDs food allergies, (milk and eggs.) but I remembered a lot from the last trip and stuck to safe things for her (like fruit and turkey lunch meat.) They did bring our soy ice cream for her though. If you are at CP near closing time, they let you take a group photo with all the characters. It was pretty neat. 7:00 closing for grad night, but we had enough time after dinner for the older kids and dads to ride BTM before closing time. (with little weight.) The kids played on the SM play area and you could see the CM getting ready for grad nights. It was strange leaving Adventure Land while it was still light out, but the place was empty. They had a band set up and cast members were wearing grad night black shirts.
While we might have been up since 4:30 am, but that didnt stop us. 7:00 p.m. is just too early to go to bed (and the girls had a nap at least in the car and airplane.)
Our friends drove to MK, so they had to move the car, we took the monorail and planed to meet at the light up sidewalks. We got there in just 20 min, and waited for our friends. I get a phone call after another 20 min, where is light up sidewalk again??? (not on a map.) I had to make fun of him for that when ever they said they knew the way (this was their 3rd trip to WDW, but 1st where I wasnt their personal tour guide.
It was dark by this time and after watching the fountain and playing with the lights in the side walk, we took the kids on Spaceship earth. I full thought all 4 kids would be fast asleep by the end, but they werent. In fact my friends son (5 years old) LOVED spaceship earth. It was his favorite ride at all of WDW. He thought we really went back in time, and out in space.
We had good luck with the bus, got right on one, and even all got a seat. (maybe our luck was changing?)
Kids were asleep on the bus, but the baby woke up when we got back to the room. We bought her music CD from home she listens to at night to fall asleep and it worked like a charm. The bed was comfortable, (a bit small compared to the king we got used too at home.) but we all had a great nights sleep.
More as soon as I type it.............
) but a wait was wee bit long. While standing in line baby PhD was demanding to eat (believe me we feed her already) I didnt have anything in my bag but water. A lovely women next to us offered a banana that baby PhD ate right up. Thank you!!!!! 
While I know you can sometimes find some rude people at WDW, you can also find the nicest too! 
By the magic of cell phones we were able to hook up with our friends again and headed over to Toon Town (after getting fast passes for Winnie the Pooh and playing in the 100 acre woods.) The older kids road Goofy 
while my friend and I shopped. Little PhD got one of those crowns where you put the jewels on it. 
I got some extra ones because a friend asked me to pick some up. Her DD had lost all of hers. (so hint if you buy one, get a few extras just in case.) 
Little PhD got used to having dessert after every meal. Not real life for us. My friends found it difficult because their son is under 3 and not on the plan. We didnt find it much of a problem because we mostly had the girls share meals (except when DDs allergy was an issue.) After the guys and older kids headed in line for splash mountain. I couldnt find my walkie talky and looked all over for it. My friend finally did in the bag of things I just bought at the store. The babies were tried, but we waited in a 20 min line for small world (it was a bear with baby PhD wiggling out of my arms to run away.) That was the longest time I have ever waited for IASW. However the kids loved the ride and feel asleep right at the end. We strolled over to take pictures of DHs and kids on Splash Mountain and Dh let just know on the walkie talkie when they were coming up. We had the cameras all ready. Wait a min, why are the kids crying???? 
Apparently they liked it, until the drop at the end. I think DD would have been fine, but when she saw her friend start crying, she didnt want to be left out. Time to head back to the room for a swim. My friends drove, but brought their things in the car so they could join us at SSR. We got lucky with the bus, and made it back to the room before them. 
Just as we were walking to the pool, my friend drove up. I took them back to the room to change while DH took the girls to the pool. 
and the big slide. It is easy to rent life jackets and they have noodles all around to use. The life guards and staff are very interactive (like a DVC resort should be) and music and fun all around. My friends had a blast (they were staying at Pop, it was the only place they could book, and they werent impressed with it. Of course coming from Vero it is a bit of a dispointment. 
Now I know many people say they either have great or terrible service here. It was all of us 1st time there, and with the dining plan I was willing to give it a try. We got in around 5:10, and had a great seat facing the aquarium right in the middle of the restaurant. Our sever was very attentive and nice. She was great about DDs allergies. We both had salad with scallops and we used DDs appetizer for shrimp cocktail. I had steak and DHhad crab cakes. Both were good, but not the best we ever ate. (Morton of Chicagos prices, but not quality.) However we didnt mind because we were on the dining plan. Our bill would have been $160 though, 
thank goodness for the dinning plan. It was a long meal, we didnt leave until 7:00. The service was good, but we did have to wait for our food a while. However we were a group of 8, and that in and of itself can take a while. Our server not only did great with DDs allergies, but also helped my friends out who for some insane reason started south beach diet just a few weeks before this trip. They were very excited when she offered sugar free cheesecake for dessert. 
It was pretty funny. 
They were rather engaged for a while. Then the divers came over with a black screen and a sign that said "pricey please." 
The whole restaurant was laughing. We knew we had to include this in the trip report. I wonder who else was there that night. 
next and Little PhD didnt want to so we spilt up. It was great getting to meet a Dis member I have talked so much with though. Enough time for small world and grab some fast passes for Peter Pan before we ate lunch at Pecos Bills (yummy hamburgers and toppings.) We had to run to make it to the hub to meet another Dis member Sharla. I meet Sharla last year when I agreed to let her use a picture of little PhD in a books she is writing about scrap booking at WDW. When I contacted her to let her know we were going back turns out she was going to be in WDW at the same time. On our way there, who did we run into, but crazy4piglet and her family! We had a great visit with Sharla, took some pictures and played at 100 acre wood for a while before she headed off. If anyone is interested here is her website. 
and ride peter pan before heading back to the room for another relaxing swim. Little PhD made a friend while waiting for the bus, they sat together and got along very well. They had a lot in common, and they were heading back to the room to swim too. DD was able to play with her friend there too. I think my DD liked the pool at SSR as much as SAB. Once again another great afternoon swim. At least this time our ADRs werent until 6:30 so we had some time to take a bath and relax some. The ADRs did really put a crimp in our schedule. We took the car back to be sure we would be on time, and we parked all the way out at Donald 64, it was way out there. Took the monorail in and headed to Tonys. The food wasnt bad, it was an ok meal, but not the best. Once again soy ice cream for DD, but better then nothing. I still kind of wish we went to Kona Café instead, but it was a fine meal. (and the price didnt bother us with the dining plan.) 
Baby PhD was very impressed. The boat ride back to TTC and the LONG walk to the car was hard. The kids were asleep in the stroller, it was easier to walk then to fold it up. 
It wasnt in the forecast, but most of FLA was happy about it. They needed rain bad. By time we were packed and ready to head out it was over and things were drying out. It was clearing up to be a nice day, but a hot and steamy one. We headed to Epcot with our van full and spend the day there. Went to Sorin to get fast passes, and ran right into my DDs friend from the pool yesterday. Then over to Figment. 
Then out to play in the Tinker Bells Garden 
for the flower and garden festival. We decided to eat so we headed back to the land yet again. The food court was crazy, but it was good food. The whole meal plan thing was a bit tricky to figure out, but we did ok. After it was getting hot out so we headed over to WS to wonder England (and pose with Mary Poppins.) We checked out the Candy there, but it all had milk in it, maybe another trip when DD outgrows this allergy.
and a Itsacadozi bar (no dairy). We enjoyed those and then headed into the Living Seas. 
Baby wasnt so sure at the time, but didnt cry. We wondered for a bit looking for where to spend our last snack options before we leave. We stopped at the camera center under space ship earth and got our free print. It was so funny, while baby wasnt sure when we took the picture, she was crazy for it after. It was all she could talk about! She loved Donald. 
We took a picture of it.
As a mother I hate it when my kids are ill. The weather was nice, it was a bit breezy, and hazy, so the sun wasnt blinding hot or anything. We dressed and sun screened and headed down to the pool and beach after breakfast in the room. (all rooms at Vero have a VCR in them and you can rent tapes for free if you are a member, we brought a few from home.) We loaded up the double stroller and headed out. All the signs of hurricanes were gone, unlike last year. The new boardwalk to the beach is done, and looks great. There is a new playground next to the mini golf and it looks sturdy (I can also post a picture if anyone wants.) We stopped at Eb and Flos to check out a life jacket for Little PhD and sign her up for the Merry Unbirthday Party that day. (free sign up the day of, 1 hour with out parents for ages 4 and up.) There is another one for kids 2 to 4 not potty trained with parents. We left most of our stuff on a table near the pool and headed to the beach. (It wasnt too busy at the pool, there were lots of seats open the whole day.) 
This year Little PhD didnt mind the splashing water in her face (it always bugged her in the past.) She about lived on that ship. I was able to check out a floater for baby too. (blow up tube, and used the bike air pump to pump it up.) FYI there is also a ton of games and other things you can check out over night, but Ebb and Flos closes at 7:00 so do it before then and keep them in your room. 
When it was time to make the smores I remembered, DH always does that. I swear my contacts almost fused to my eyes, but I cooked us some pretty good Marshmallows. 
Oh man. Well I would have to worry about it later. I decided to let them hold the bag for us at Eb and Flos and we headed out of the gates and through the tunnel under the main road (with Peter Pan and gang painted on it) across the street. For some reason I was thinking the bike path was right close by, but the map said to turn right and head south down the road. The kids loved riding on the back of the bikes. Baby PhD yelled Weeeeeee and Bike the whole way. 
Stopped at Mickey Ds for a drive though breakfast. The only thing Little PhD likes is a hash brown and it is the only thing milk and egg allergic baby PhD can eat, so 4 hash browns and 2 sausage biscuits it was for us. It was only $4 for that order! I cant believe it, it is $7 at home. (Hash browns 2 for $1 and a dollar each for the sandwiches. DH thinks we should move to Fla.)
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They have had quite a turnover at Shutters the past few months and it hasn't been good.
