"Do You Mind?" - Disney Adventures with Teens August Trip Report

[swwake]

Hmmm, daughter, I never knew you had CIA/FBI experience.

You forget about all the work I do with HUD and all the senior Presidential appointees who are keynotes at our conferences. A good friend of mine just left his post as the Asst. Deputy Director of HUD and he had two secret service men who shadowed him - except that one night that we went to dinner in DC and got a little rowdy - but that's classified!

HAH - I tell no lies!

 

[MeMom]

Close-up of the Mickey lamp. I thought this was just so cute! You can also see the seahorse wallpaper.

I have wanted that lamp for so long, but I've never seen it for sale. It would go great with my Old Key West themed downstairs den. Wonder what a guest would have to pay if it just accidentally "went missing"????

I am kidding, of course, but I really do wish I could find one...and for a reasonable price!

 

[dddisrunner]

Great update Susan! So happy that you had such a smooth arrival and pleasant check in experience Grandma Bonnie looks so happy with her b-day button. I cracked up at the girls turning their backs to you when you were taking their picture LOVE those rooms, the details and theming are awesome! Looking forward to whats next

 

[Grandma Bonnie]

You forget about all the work I do with HUD and all the senior Presidential appointees who are keynotes at our conferences. A good friend of mine just left his post as the Asst. Deputy Director of HUD and he had two special service men who shadowed him - except that one night that we went to dinner in DC and got a little rowdy - but that's classified!

HAH - I tell no lies!

Well, Shut My Mouth!!!!!

 

[AZMickeyfans]

I'm jumping over from Farrah's TR. I saw your link and am subbing late! Can't wait to catch up!

 

[heath-and-javens-mom]

hey! Just got all caught up! I love the looks of BC.
The girls look like they are sick of pics already- what r they gonna do for another 6 days! LOL!

 

[scrappinDW]

Just found your trip report!!! Can't wait to read more. I am taking my two fourteen year old grandson's next year. It will be good to find out what your teenagers liked the best.
Grandma Bonnie, it is good to know there are other Grandma's like me who LOVE Disney World. I have a trip planned for December and a Cruise and WDW with the grandkids.
Pam

 

[xoktenox]

subbing in a little late, i need to get quicker at finding these!

 

[swwake]

Really enjoying your report.

Thank you!!

That room looks lovely!! What a terrific location!!

Wow -- 5 adults in one room -- you guys really are brave!!

Please remind me, how far in advance did you ship out your stuff?

We loved the room. And it really wasn't much of a problem. We synchronized our showers perfectly. Now, I wouldn't try SIX! I shipped using the estimator on UPS's website so that it would arrive 2 days before we did. That gave room for a day or two if it got delayed. We arrived on a Saturday. I shipped on a Monday so that it would arrive Thursday.

I am caught up! Your room looks fantastic, perhaps I must investigate Beach Club more! Hehehe.

I know. I love the room!

I have wanted that lamp for so long, but I've never seen it for sale. It would go great with my Old Key West themed downstairs den. Wonder what a guest would have to pay if it just accidentally "went missing"????

I am kidding, of course, but I really do wish I could find one...and for a reasonable price!

Everyone loves that lamp. Let me know if you find one for sale!

Great update Susan! So happy that you had such a smooth arrival and pleasant check in experience Grandma Bonnie looks so happy with her b-day button. I cracked up at the girls turning their backs to you when you were taking their picture LOVE those rooms, the details and theming are awesome! Looking forward to whats next

Thank you! I think Grandma Bonnie was just happy to be in WDW. The girls weren't yet in perfect hair and make-up and would have much preferred that I wait another 30 minutes or so for them to get dolled up. I really like the rooms. They feel more "adult" than the earlier versions I have seen pics of.

I'm jumping over from Farrah's TR. I saw your link and am subbing late! Can't wait to catch up!

Welcome!! I just love Farrah's report. She is moving much faster than I am though!

hey! Just got all caught up! I love the looks of BC.
The girls look like they are sick of pics already- what r they gonna do for another 6 days! LOL!

Hey lady! I have been very busy with travel and work this week and just found myself with 8 pages to catch up on with your TR! How will I do it?? Glad you're home safely. Hope you find another mug like the one you lost.

Just found your trip report!!! Can't wait to read more. I am taking my two fourteen year old grandson's next year. It will be good to find out what your teenagers liked the best.
Grandma Bonnie, it is good to know there are other Grandma's like me who LOVE Disney World. I have a trip planned for December and a Cruise and WDW with the grandkids.
Pam

It will be fun with the teens. They find plenty to do. I will fill you in.

subbing in a little late, i need to get quicker at finding these!

Welcome! You're not too late! We haven't even finished Day 1 yet!

 

[swwake]

to bring you



the annual




First Day Of School Pictures

Ok, I have a confession. These are make-up pictures. I was out of town on Katie's first day of school, and with my meetings and early morning workouts, it was several days after the first day of school before we could get the shot.

I had to do it though. We have pictures from all 11 years (K-10) so far. I could't miss this one. Once I put them all in a scrapbook or something, nobody will know they weren't the first day. Well except Katie and me... and all of the DIS.

On a bittersweet note, there is only one more of these pictures to be taken. I can't believe it!

 

[Charleston Princess]

If you hadn't said anything, I never would have known that was a make-up photo!

Look at Katie with those car keys in her hand!!!

They grow up so quickly, don't they???

 

[swwake]

If you hadn't said anything, I never would have known that was a make-up photo!

Look at Katie with those car keys in her hand!!!

They grow up so quickly, don't they???

I know, but I cannot tell a lie.
I know - hard to believe she's driving. This kid currently has not one but TWO cars! (Long story - she's only driving one, and it's the crappy one. The other one looks like it will be ready to go on Monday.) I don't want her to grow up

 

[swwake]

Part II, Chapter 3
Saturday, August 9
Strolling the Boardwalk​

Having established that our room was perfect for our party, we decided to head out and explore the resort and find something to do before dinner. It was about 6:30 now and our dinner reservation was for 8pm at bluezoo.

First, we walked around the outside of the Beach Club on the Crescent Lake side.

This butterfly was in the courtyard as you exit the back side of the lobby. Mom said she didn’t even notice it when I took the picture, so she would look for it later in the trip.

A few more pictures from our stroll along the beach.

I tried to get a panorama of the Boardwalk from a distance. How did I do?

Hey, there’s one of the Friendship boats!

Here’s the pan, all put together. There’s a little gap. I’m obviously no pro!

Here is the ship at the Beach Club that’s where you can climb up to slide down the slide into Storm Along Bay.

I didn’t try this slide, but the girls did one day. It looks like it’s in the dark, and you walk right under it as you walk the pathway beside the beach.

From this point, we continued along the walkway, to the right, past the light house and the Yacht Club, past the Dolphin and Swan, into the Boardwalk area. There were several street performers out that night. Here is a magician who was magically placing wine glasses inside wine bottles and making them disappear.

I’ve always had an affinity for magic (hasn’t everyone?) and I quickly figured out this trick. I think maybe I’ve performed it before with one of the many magic kits I received from Santa over the years. Regardless, the kids really were enjoying themselves.

Don’t ask me who the lady in the blue is. Clearly she wanted to be in my pictures. It’s a pretty color, don’t you think?

Since I was bored with the magician, I found something else to do while my group was busy being amazed. From this vantage point, I took a couple of pictures of the Beach Club.

It was getting close to sunset. Isn’t it pretty?

Continuing along the Boardwalk, we noticed that they indeed had a few of the midway-style games that Katie and I thought they wouldn’t have. Also, there was the familiar smell of popcorn and funnel cakes in the air. Several of the self-propelled surreys were moving around (we saw many of these all week – must be a popular thing for families to do during “down time”).

We explored all the way down to the ESPN Club and back to the center section. We all decided that we wanted to check out the Boardwalk Inn’s lobby, in part to see what we had missed by choosing BC over Boardwalk. Here is a shot of the inside.

I still feel like it’s a little busy and gaudy. Maybe that’s the feel they’re looking for. I just don’t need to have so much “stuff” around.

And here’s the chandelier:

I kinda liked this chandelier. It was HUGE!

Next, we walked back outside and found – lo and behold – our FAVORITE art gallery! It’s called Wyland Galleries. Wyland is a marine life artist whose work is very different and full of life. It is beautiful. I think the first time I saw one of his galleries was in Las Vegas. When Katie was younger, she loved dolphins and thought she wanted to be a marine biologist working with dolphins when she grew up. Chris and I fell in love with Wyland’s work and knew Katie would love it if she could ever see it.

A few years ago, we took a girls trip to San Francisco, and there’s a Wyland Gallery right there on Pier 39, so Katie got to see it then. She did love it. So for Christmas that year, we ordered her a poster-size print.

The cool thing about the Wyland Gallery at the Boardwalk is that many of the pieces included Disney characters like the Little Mermaid and Tinkerbelle. We saw one that we fell in love with and strongly considered purchasing, but, alas, it was just our first day at Disney. We would have plenty of opportunities to buy it later in the week.

Another cool thing about the gallery is that they feature various artists. That evening, the featured artist was actually there, on location, and you could walk up to him and discuss his work. We didn’t get involved, but it was still cool that they did this.

We didn’t take any pictures here. I never feel comfortable taking pictures in an art gallery. Not sure if it’s allowed. I was just checking the website to see if there were any pictures I could share in the TR, and guess what I found? An entire Wyland HOTEL!! That’s right – in Waikiki! I might have to check that out for a future vacation.

So, after spending a good amount of time browsing and playing in the Wyland Gallery, we contined backtracking along the Boardwalk. We stopped for a few minutes to see this guy juggling some cups.

Not only was he quite a good juggler, he was also a great entertainer. He got the audience involved and the kids laughing. We had fun watching him.

It was about 7:40 now and our tummies were starting to rumble. So we headed back along the boardwalk toward the Dolphin for dinner. By this time, my feet already had blisters on them from walking in my cheap gold flip flops, so I was walking VERY gingerly.

It was fun to explore all around the lake and the outside of the Swan and Dolphin, which are also very beautiful hotels. Here is a picture I took at the entrance to the Dolphin.

It was very nice and relaxing to just explore and see what the resorts were about with ample time to stop and take it all in. I think it’s great to plan for some low-key strolling and exploring on the first day of any vacation.

Answers to questions from above:
• What favorite gallery did we visit? Wyland Galleries
• What other resort did we explore? Boardwalk (and the outsides of Yacht Club, Swan and Dolphin (in hindsight, why didn’t we go inside these?)
• What performing CM(s) did we watch? Magician and juggler
• What mode of transportation did we use? Feet!

Next up: bluezoo for dinner

 

[Grandma Bonnie]

Part II, Chapter 3
Saturday, August 9
Strolling the Boardwalk​

Next up: bluezoo for dinner

Finally!!! The GOOD part!!!!! FOOD!!!!!

 

[dddisrunner]

Great update Susan and BEAUTIFUL pictures! You don't give yourself enough credit. I love how it seemed like you were taking in every single detail and commiting it to memory! It really comes through in your report! How cool that the actual artist of some of the works was actually there!

 

[Grandma Bonnie]

Grandma Bonnie, it is good to know there are other Grandma's like me who LOVE Disney World. I have a trip planned for December and a Cruise and WDW with the grandkids.
Pam

I'll go to WDW at the drop of a hat (and a few$$$$)
If you've never been there in December, you are in for a treat. It's my favorite time to go there. Don't miss Mickey's afterhours party and the night parade with real snow on main street.

 

[Grandma Bonnie]

Thank you!!

Thank you! I think Grandma Bonnie was just happy to be in WDW.

Didn't anyone notice that I look more refreshed after traveling via "silver bird" for a few hours than I did in the far back of the SUV sharing space with two grown Golden Retrievers for 12+ hours?

 

[vdarrell]

Didn't anyone notice that I look more refreshed after traveling via "silver bird" for a few hours than I did in the far back of the SUV sharing space with two grown Golden Retrievers for 12+ hours?

Me thinks you looked great in ALL of your pictures.
I wish I had the extra $$$$$to send to you so you could go in Dec. with DH and I.

 

[DisneyJen]

Didn't anyone notice that I look more refreshed after traveling via "silver bird" for a few hours than I did in the far back of the SUV sharing space with two grown Golden Retrievers for 12+ hours?

But you miss out on all that wonderful golden fur and drool on the silver bird (Trust me as the Mom of two goldens I know ).

Loving the trip report!

 

[swwake]

Great update Susan and BEAUTIFUL pictures! You don't give yourself enough credit. I love how it seemed like you were taking in every single detail and commiting it to memory! It really comes through in your report! How cool that the actual artist of some of the works was actually there!

Thank you! I had a small spiral notebook that I kept with me in my backpack. Every evening and any time we were on buses or waiting in line, sit-down meals, etc., I was taking notes. Without them, I wouldn't be getting through this!

But you miss out on all that wonderful golden fur and drool on the silver bird (Trust me as the Mom of two goldens I know ).

Loving the trip report!

Dontcha just love your goldens? Ours have been very snuggly lately. I think it was the weather with Ike threatening.