Double, Double, Toil & Trouble: a Halloween-inspired trip of “two’s” – an October 2016 TR

[Lynne G]

Well possums are only really active in the middle of the night. We have them here, and unfortunately, at least one is seen killed by a car on the busy street near us, during the summer. They are larger than most cats.

Great review of the Texas meat place. Unless we get a good discount, I tend to stay away from buffet type restaurants.

Spring trip coming up fast. I was looking at end of August to celebrate my little one's 16th birthday, as she wants a trip. Much more expensive, with air higher than we paid at Christmas. Ugh, all the kids are on vacation then too.

On the other hand, my fall trip is coming together. Much more reasonable air, and way too high rental, but too early to get a good coupon. I will continue to rinse and repeat ressies. Oh, and I will miss ya. Sniff. 1 to 13, with late afternoon flight out. On well. I still have not set my Christmas plans yet.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Friday, October 21st

Today was resort switch day: as we packed up our belongings to load into the car in preparation for our move over to the Sheraton Vistana Resort, we marveled at how quickly the first week of our two week vacation had flown by. It made me rather sad, to be honest: at the end of the trip, after flying home, Steve would be returning to Michigan and our next extended time together wouldn’t be until almost Christmas. The thought put a huge ache in my heart, and I had to make a conscious effort to push it away .


We ate breakfast in the villa with the rest of our grocery supplies, and checked out of Cypress Palms via phone before the 10 am deadline. We texted Lisa and Joe to let them know we’d meet up with them later, and then we pondered how to best spend this transitional vacation day.


It was too early to check in at the Vistana (while we had been permitted to check in early on most of our previous trips, this was MUCH too soon in the day to expect a villa to be vacated and cleaned) so Steve asked if there was anywhere in particular that I wanted to go. When I hesitated with an answer, his spider senses kicked in and he apparently read my mind: there was somewhere we had driven by earlier in the week (when we had gone to the Nike Clearance Store to shop for some things for Jake) that had definitely piqued my interest. Without me having to say a word, he quietly steered the car in that direction and we were pulling in here within just a few minutes:

I would be lying if I said I wasn’t missing my babies something fiercely by this point in the trip. They were still so little and still so new to our family, so I was fearful that they’d forget their momma over the course of two weeks. Before heading into the store, I texted the director of Fixed For Life who was caring for the kittens, just to check in and see how they were doing (she had been sending me updates on a semi-regular basis since we left, but I hadn’t heard from her in a couple of days, so it seemed like a timely opportunity to touch base). I heard back from her almost immediately with an amusing text that they were giving the rest of the residents a run for their money…….even thought they were, by far, the youngest of the bunch. It made my heart smile to know they were raising hell and having a ball, and not just sulking in a corner .


We don’t have this chain of pet supply stores in Canada, so there were tons of new and fun things that I would have loved to have brought them home: as I danced my way through the cat toys and treat displays, Steve reminded me with a wink that there was a weight allowance for our luggage of which I needed to be mindful. That was the subtle “try not to go overboard” I probably very much needed, so I picked out a few items that I thought they’d love and kept my purchases to a reasonable level .


After our kitten shopping was completed, it was still too early for lunch and too early to check in, so we pondered our options. As we were still in Kissimmee and had time at our disposal, I suggested we use the Groupon I had pre-purchased before our trip for an attraction that had appealed to Steve: the Museum of Military History.

Regular priced admission to the museum is $7 per person, and thanks to a couple of stackable coupons and offers through Groupon, I ended up paying $1 total for admission for two. We had passed the museum on several of our previous trips, and each time Steve has said “someday, we’re going to stop and go inside”. When the Groupon offer came up, we couldn’t pass it up.

Pulling into the parking lot, we wondered if the museum had opened yet for the day……there was only one or two other vehicles in the general vicinity. I double checked the business hours on my phone, and indeed they had opened at 10 am: so, we hopped out of the car and headed inside.

Indeed, we were the only guests there so we received a warm and personal greeting from the staff at the welcome desk. We presented our Groupon (which was accepted with no problems) and given a short explanation on the lay-out of the museum. He noted that all of the staff members were veterans themselves, and would be happy to answer any questions as we toured through. We were encouraged to take as much time as we liked and he ushered us beyond the desk and into the first exhibit area.

The museum was laid out in such a way that you passed through time as you made your way from the first exhibits near the entrance to the final displays near exit. Each time period was sectioned off in its own small room, and featured artifacts, photographs and other period items, many donated by families of the fallen and survivors alike.

Steve was totally engrossed as he stopped to read the plaques, the newspapers, and the other informational pieces in each exhibit. He’s been fascinated by military history (and history in general) for his entire life, so this was right up his alley.

Steve poured over every single item in each display, and as I toured through with him, I have to admit…I found it all very humbling and profoundly sobering. While Steve found it overwhelmingly interesting, it just made me so sad . For me, it all just represented so much loss. Of course, the quietness of the facility probably had a lot to do with that……being alone inside (with the exception of the scant number of staff), it really did enhance the seriousness and grim realities of many of the displays.

Steve could have happily spent the remainder of the day in their library. Seriously. I had to pull him away from the books.

I was quite surprised at how much time we spent inside……while I had expected it would be a half-hour diversion at best, we were inside for well over an hour.

We were both pretty quiet as we left the museum and headed back out to the car. It had been a very interesting entry on our itinerary, but humbling and sobering for sure.

Time was now heading onward to noon, so we decided to have an earlier lunch and see if we could get ourselves back into a more vacation-y state of mind. We decided to try another new restaurant in an effort to continue the broadening of our horizons, and we headed here:

It was just down the road from the Vistana, so heading there afterward would be quick and easy .

As you are all well aware by now, we love Italian food. Olive Garden, Carrabba’s, and Maggiano’s have all been resounding successes, and Romano’s Macaroni Grill was one of the few remaining Italian restaurants in Orlando that still remained on our to-do list. Heading inside, we found the restaurant completely empty save for the staff . We were seated promptly by the sole server and provided menus to peruse.

Our bubbly young waitress brought us a loaf of fresh bread to the table, along with some oil for dipping. It wasn’t the best bread we’ve had, but it was still good.

We opted for the three course lunch special, which started us each with a mozzarella fritta (a triangle-shaped piece of fried cheese with marinara for dipping). Unfortunately, I missed snapping a picture of the starter before we ate them. They were good, but unremarkable. Having raised Jake (a fried cheese connoisseur), we consider ourselves experts on mozzarella sticks. TGI Fridays are far superior, but these were still good.


The second course was salad: Caesar, to be exact. I’m not a salad lover, so Steve got to have mine and his. Again, he said it was perfectly fine …. nice and fresh …. but neither the best nor worst Caesar that he’d ever eaten.

Considering our pasta selections were ordered from a dedicated lunch menu, we were surprised at the size of the entrees when they arrived at our table. Definitely good quantities (enough for me that it would have been a perfectly acceptable portion for dinner) and the amount of pasta exceeded our expectations. Steve had the Fettuccine Gorgonzola (spinach, crispy prosciutto, mild gorgonzola sauce):

….while I opted for the Sausage & Peppers Rigatoni (sausage, bell peppers, onions, imported romano, basil, pomodoro sauce).

Steve really enjoyed his fettucini dish: while not up to the quality of his favourite Steak Gorgonzola at Olive Garden, he still thought this was quite good. My rigatoni, however, was just “okay”. I ate it, but I wasn’t impressed by it…..and I wished through the meal that I had ordered the fettuccini gorgonzola as well. The sausage was spicier than I liked and the rigatoni was not as soft as I had hoped (making it seem very chewy). I was definitely not blown away.


The cost was very reasonable (I think it was about $10 a person for the three course deal) so the bill was under $25 with Steve’s lemonade (I had water) and tax. We paid, left the tip (service had been great), and both agreed that Romano’s would probably be a one-and-done destination for us. We were glad we tried it, but there was nothing crazy great about it to bring us back for a second visit.


While we were still VERY early to check into the Vistana (4 pm is their posted check-in time), we decided to head to the Welcome Center to see if there was a chance that our villa was ready . It was unlikely, of course, but it was worth a shot.

Coming up: checking in at SVR, and introducing the nieces and nephews to Disney Springs.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

A) I didn't even know we have a Texas de Brazil here.

B) Umm those donut photos are making this whole "Low sugar" (as i'm finding out that's what I love more than the soda I gave up for lent) thing hard! I really want donuts now!

God bless ya for being able to give up something like sugar for lent. I might last a day......maybe .

I think Texas de Brazil is easy to miss because its so close to the traffic chaos of the outlets on International Drive. You can't take your eyes off the road for a second in that area.

Ok! That sounds good! I've been planning to go back to Floreans we'll just head there after lunch.

It's about the size of a cupcake but I thought it was reasonable too. They are great quality.

So weirdest thing ever we saw a possum in our neighbors flower box this winter! I had never seen one in person either.

View attachment 226007

They are the strangest looking animals.....those long noses are bizarre. How cool to see it poking around in the flower box! Must have been looking for bugs?

Well possums are only really active in the middle of the night. We have them here, and unfortunately, at least one is seen killed by a car on the busy street near us, during the summer. They are larger than most cats.

Great review of the Texas meat place. Unless we get a good discount, I tend to stay away from buffet type restaurants.

Spring trip coming up fast. I was looking at end of August to celebrate my little one's 16th birthday, as she wants a trip. Much more expensive, with air higher than we paid at Christmas. Ugh, all the kids are on vacation then too.

On the other hand, my fall trip is coming together. Much more reasonable air, and way too high rental, but too early to get a good coupon. I will continue to rinse and repeat ressies. Oh, and I will miss ya. Sniff. 1 to 13, with late afternoon flight out. On well. I still have not set my Christmas plans yet.

I think the end of August has become a pretty popular time for northern families to visit Disney......crowds are a bit lighter once the southern states return to school mid-month, and the airlines have gotten wise. I know we went three times at that time of year when Jake was in high school and taking time off during the school year was impossible with his classes and sports. What a special way to celebrate her sweet 16, though.....will you probably go anyway, even if airfare doesn't drop?

Ah shoot, I am sorry we miss each other by one lousy day . Our timing stinks!

Edited to add.....my rental rates for our October trip are terrible so far, too. In excess of $300 for a full size or above, when my spring rates are half that. Hoping for a drop between now and then. Checking everyday and knowing I'll catch it when it happens.

 

[Mrs Doubtfire]

We passed the museum on our way to GKTW. I wonder how much foot traffic it does get? It all seems very well set out.

 

[JaxDad]

Oh man, this picture brought back memories! I used to have to train in the chem suit as pictured on the right, doing runway repairs, in south Florida in the summer! It was pretty brutal. I'll definitely have to visit the museum. Thank you!

 

[dancin Disney style]

travels home, my friend. I hope you had a spectacular trip and a safe flight and drive home. I sure wish you were coming back to better weather here.

Thank you! We made it safe and sound and right on time. I was chatting with a few people at baggage claim that had been delayed twice that day but finally arrived in Buffalo around the same time as us which was midnight.

Now my car on the other hand did not fair quite so well in the storm. LOL. We always leave DH's Yaris at the airport because it's got a few bumps and bruises already. That poor little car was buried in the snow right up to the bottom of the back window(one side too). This was me when I saw it....

After I finished digging it out the shuttle driver was in the hotel lobby and asks if I needed help with my car. Oh well, he wasn't there when I started and I really didn't feel like waiting.

Anyway, home now and back to work. It appears I was missed here!

 

[Ruthie5671]

I would be lying if I said I wasn’t missing my babies something fiercely by this point in the trip. They were still so little and still so new to our family, so I was fearful that they’d forget their momma over the course of two weeks.

Have you always been a cat lovin' person???

The military museum looks amazing. My brother is in the Army and he never really talks about his deployments or the things he has seen. I cannot even fathom.

 

[pigletto]

I just love reading all the accounts of the new things you've tried. The military museum looks very interesting. My grandpa was a WW2 vet and lost his leg in a foxhole when he was 19. We all grew up with the severity of war on our minds. He wasn't one to talk about it much but stories are whispered and passed on through the years. Sobering indeed.

On a MUCH happier note, my super awesome bonus May trip.. the one I booked and then cancelled because of our sinking dollar? It's back on baby. We have free flights, free entertainment (Universal AP's), booked free one way rentals to and from the FLL airport with airmiles, and are staying in a suite with a kitchenette and can do all of our breakfasts and lunches in room. So our out of pocket costs are food and our Cabana bay suite. We decided we'd be crazy not to take the opportunity. We love our trips. If we have to buckle down a bit more to make both of these trips work we will. We just want to keep them both on the agenda.

So we have a spring trip again too!

 

[vrajewski10513]

We just went to the Texas de Brazil here in Buffalo at the Galleria Mall recently. We thought it was AMAZING as well! Idk if you have one near you guys now but we purchased the VIP pass for $62.99 and it entitles us to 12 half priced meals! I believe it expires 6 months after you purchase it. And you can share them as well. My father bought one for my moms birthday dinner and all 9 of us got 1/2 price.

 

[afan]

I love that you got stuff for the kittens. I always bring something back for Dude, most often a toy because it's the easiest to find even if I have to get it from a grocery store.

 

[Raeven]

We don’t have this chain of pet supply stores in Canada, so there were tons of new and fun things that I would have loved to have brought them home: as I danced my way through the cat toys and treat displays, Steve reminded me with a wink that there was a weight allowance for our luggage of which I needed to be mindful. That was the subtle “try not to go overboard” I probably very much needed, so I picked out a few items that I thought they’d love and kept my purchases to a reasonable level .

No chain pet supply stores (I've never really thought about chain pet supply stores but it seems weird to not have them).

You should bring another suitcase for kitten gifts!

Regular priced admission to the museum is $7 per person, and thanks to a couple of stackable coupons and offers through Groupon, I ended up paying $1 total for admission for two. We had passed the museum on several of our previous trips, and each time Steve has said “someday, we’re going to stop and go inside”. When the Groupon offer came up, we couldn’t pass it up.

That's a good deal!

While Steve found it overwhelmingly interesting, it just made me so sad . For me, it all just represented so much loss. Of course, the quietness of the facility probably had a lot to do with that……being alone inside (with the exception of the scant number of staff), it really did enhance the seriousness and grim realities of many of the displays.

It does seem very serious and sad. It really so much loss.

Romano’s would probably be a one-and-done destination for us. We were glad we tried it, but there was nothing crazy great about it to bring us back for a second visit.

I think we went to one when I was younger. I never wanted to go back so I assume it wasn't great. We have a lot of non chain Italian restaurants around here, but I do enjoy some Olive Garden once in awhile so I agree it's definitely better than the Macaroni Grill.

They are the strangest looking animals.....those long noses are bizarre. How cool to see it poking around in the flower box! Must have been looking for bugs?

They are! It stopped moving when it saw us so I'm not sure what it was doing. We never saw it move so it must've saw us first. Actually we weren't even sure it was real until it was gone the next day It was so still even when I walked up for the picture. Guess it was "playing possum".

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

We passed the museum on our way to GKTW. I wonder how much foot traffic it does get? It all seems very well set out.

I wonder that, too. It's within walking distance to Cypress Palms. I wonder if many of the families who stay there (particularly those with military backgrounds) make a point of stopping?

I have to admit, for the $1 admission price, I wasn't expecting much.....and what I was expecting was a lot more "commercial" than it actually turned out to be. I am glad we went .

Oh man, this picture brought back memories! I used to have to train in the chem suit as pictured on the right, doing runway repairs, in south Florida in the summer! It was pretty brutal. I'll definitely have to visit the museum. Thank you!

My heavens, I have no idea how you would stand the August humidity in that suit . That's enough to kill a person on its own. I'm guessing that fabric is not exactly moisture wicking .

Thank you! We made it safe and sound and right on time. I was chatting with a few people at baggage claim that had been delayed twice that day but finally arrived in Buffalo around the same time as us which was midnight.

Now my car on the other hand did not fair quite so well in the storm. LOL. We always leave DH's Yaris at the airport because it's got a few bumps and bruises already. That poor little car was buried in the snow right up to the bottom of the back window(one side too). This was me when I saw it....
View attachment 226085
After I finished digging it out the shuttle driver was in the hotel lobby and asks if I needed help with my car. Oh well, he wasn't there when I started and I really didn't feel like waiting.

Anyway, home now and back to work. It appears I was missed here!

Glad to hear that you made it home as planned, though what a bummer to return from the sunny south to a buried car . Not the "welcome back" that anyone wants to find. I hope you got yourself a hot Tim Hortons coffee as your reward for all the digging.

It's snowy and white here again today: the kind of snowfall with the big, chubby flakes that make you want to turn on Christmas music and put up the tree. It would be pretty and festive if it were December . March has been awfully insulting, weather-wise.

Have you always been a cat lovin' person???

The military museum looks amazing. My brother is in the Army and he never really talks about his deployments or the things he has seen. I cannot even fathom.

I love the way that Americans support and appreciate those that serve in the military. Patriotism here is so much stronger than it is back in Canada (and I grew up in the same town as Canada's largest air base).

As for being a cat-lovin' lady.....yep, I've been that way since I was a little kid. We had a beautiful white persian, a stray that we took in when I wasn't much more than a kindergartener, for my entire childhood: that beautiful girl lived a rich 19 years before she passed away. Steve and I got kitten from the huane society shortly after we married in 1993, and we loved that little ball of fluff until she died much too soon of an incurable feline auto-immune disease when Jake was 2. Losing her broke our hearts, and I swore off cat-ownership forever......until a couple of months later when we spied a teeny, tiny little bundle of fur, who had been beaten by some beast so badly that her jaw had been broken, at the shelter in a local pet supply store. Jake had just turned 3, and while we definitely didn't need any more chaos in the house than a preschooler already provided, she needed us. We loved and pampered that gorgeous wee lady for 16 years, until she passed from renal failure. I cried for her for months.

After Patches, I said no more cats. We had freedom to travel without the burden of pets, and that made sense for this time in our life. Jake moved into his own place in September, and I was totally unprepared for how empty the house would feel without him. Fate put Violet and Dash in our paths, and all of a sudden, we were bringing two bouncy, pouncy, fluffy babies home. We couldn't help but feel they needed us.....little did we know that it was probably more of a case that *we* needed *them*. With Jake out on his own and Steve in Michigan, I think I would have gone crazy in an empty house. They were my lifeline and my comfort on many lonely nights. Now, so far away from friends and family, they continue to be a source of love and comfort to me on days where I'm missing my loved ones and Steve is working long hours. It's funny how things work out.

I am just grateful that Steve loves the two rascals as much as I do. They're not my cats......they're OUR babies. And my goodness, do I love him for that .

I just love reading all the accounts of the new things you've tried. The military museum looks very interesting. My grandpa was a WW2 vet and lost his leg in a foxhole when he was 19. We all grew up with the severity of war on our minds. He wasn't one to talk about it much but stories are whispered and passed on through the years. Sobering indeed.
On a MUCH happier note, my super awesome bonus May trip.. the one I booked and then cancelled because of our sinking dollar? It's back on baby. We have free flights, free entertainment (Universal AP's), booked free one way rentals to and from the FLL airport with airmiles, and are staying in a suite with a kitchenette and can do all of our breakfasts and lunches in room. So our out of pocket costs are food and our Cabana bay suite. We decided we'd be crazy not to take the opportunity. We love our trips. If we have to buckle down a bit more to make both of these trips work we will. We just want to keep them both on the agenda.

So we have a spring trip again too!

Wahoo!! That is the BEST NEWS!! And as for all the freebies.......WOW! You couldn't have passed up this trip if you tried......it just would have wrong.

Your dates don't coincide with ours at all, do they? (If I remember correctly, you are a week or two after us) I was kind of hoping for a Dismeet someday. After so many years of chatting on the Dis (and feeling like I "know" you) it would be great to finally get a chance to say hello in person .

We just went to the Texas de Brazil here in Buffalo at the Galleria Mall recently. We thought it was AMAZING as well! Idk if you have one near you guys now but we purchased the VIP pass for $62.99 and it entitles us to 12 half priced meals! I believe it expires 6 months after you purchase it. And you can share them as well. My father bought one for my moms birthday dinner and all 9 of us got 1/2 price.

Well now.....that's VERY tempting . I am going to see if our Detroit location offers that pass . We could use the entitlements in six months, no problem.....that's only one dinner out for the two of us each month. Steve wouldn't need any convincing to eat at Texas de Brazil once every 30 days . Thank you for the GREAT tip!

I love that you got stuff for the kittens. I always bring something back for Dude, most often a toy because it's easiest to find even if I have to get it from a grocery store.

Not only did we pick up some fun stuff for our two little rascals, we also brought a few things home for our grandcat, Moo. Jake adores his wee baby too (he's just a month younger than Violet and Dash) and we love spoiling that little fella as much as we like indulging our own. We ended up buying three of everything we decided on . What can I say, I'll wear the Crazy Cat Lady hat proudly .

No chain pet supply stores (I've never really thought about chain pet supply stores but it seems weird to not have them).

You should bring another suitcase for kitten gifts!

That's a good deal!

It does seem very serious and sad. It really so much loss.

I think we went to one when I was younger. I never wanted to go back so I assume it wasn't great. We have a lot of non chain Italian restaurants around here, but I do enjoy some Olive Garden once in awhile so I agree it's definitely better than the Macaroni Grill.

They are! It stopped moving when it saw us so I'm not sure what it was doing. We never saw it move so it must've saw us first. Actually we weren't even sure it was real until it was gone the next day It was so still even when I walked up for the picture. Guess it was "playing possum".

We have a PetSmart back in our hometown (as well as a few small chains and independents) but no Pet Supermarkets. Moving to MI, we have been quite impressed by how many pet places there are here.....not only a lot more pet supply stores, but also pet resorts, pet groomers, and even pet nannies (one of whom we have hired for when we go back to Canada to visit family, and again when head to Florida next month). I am sure part of the difference is coming from a small, non-urban area to Metro Detroit. Big City Living has its advantages sometimes.

 

[disneyAndi14]

We have had a snowy March as well, woke up to about 5 inches of new snow Friday morning, yuck! Looks like a good morning of trying new things before you return to your favorite resort.

 

[chicagoshannon]

March has not been kind. I did have a feeling it was coming, though, since we hadn't had much of a winter at all. I just hope that next time it warms up it stays that way!

We have 3 cats. Max and Oscar are 16ish and then we have little Pringles, who is 1.5. The kids wanted a cat that would let them love on it so we caved in. I posted a picture of Duncan and Pringles (with glowing, scary eyes) on Facebook the other day. You might have seen it. lol

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Friday, October 21st (continued)

The Welcome Center was BUSY when we arrived just before 1 pm. There was a long line of guests waiting to check-in snaking through the middle of the room, all waiting in the general check-in line, but no one in the Diamond Lane row .

For those of you not familiar with the system, the Vistana has a wonderful online system that allows you to submit any pre-arrival requests and other information in advance of your visit (generally about 2-3 weeks prior to your check-in date) which allows the resort to pre-assign your room based on your wants and needs, and expedite the check-in experience. By submitting your Diamond Lane requests, it also allows you to bypass the general check-in lines and proceed straight to a dedicated Diamond Lane attendant [generally a much faster process than the standard check-in row]. We’ve done Diamond Lane on every stay, and had our specific requests (top floor, close to the Fountains pool) honoured on virtually every occasion……so again this trip, our form had been submitted two weeks in advance and we were happy to avoid that HUGE line and be served immediately by Diamond Lane.


Well, didn’t that get the other folks all fussed up .


The loud, obnoxious group of women at the front of the regular line actually starting yelling. I kid you not. “HEY, WE’VE BEEN STANDING HERE FOR ALMOST AN HOUR! WE WERE FIRST! WHY SHOULD THEY BE ABLE TO WALK RIGHT UP TO THE COUNTER?”. A guest services agent immediately came over and tried to calmly explain that we were Diamond Lane guests and as such, were entitled to use the dedicated Diamond Lane check-in line. Well, that just accelerated their yelling and I seriously thought there might be a brawl. “OOOOHHH, DIAMOND LANE [insert snooty mocking tone here ]. THAT DOESN'T MAKE THEM ANY MORE DAMN SPECIAL THAN WE ARE. WE WERE FIRST! THIS IS RIDICULOUS! WE DEMAND TO BE NEXT!”.



Oh, it was awkward . Never in my life have I witnessed such horrible guest behavior. I think that the guest services team also feared that things might get physical because a few extra staff were called from the back and they quickly took care of the loud, nasty ladies and their entourages of spouses and children. It burned my britches a bit that their shameful actions yielded them the immediate, personal service that they seemed to feel they deserved (I hate, hate, HATE to see poor behavior rewarded ….but oh well) but I could see why the Vistana staff wanted to stop things before they got worse. We just prayed that they were assigned to a different section of the resort than we were: if they acted this immature in the check-out line, can you see what kind of guests they would be a the pool?


The Diamond Lane attendant apologized sincerely and profusely. She felt bad for the spectacle, and it showed. She further apologized that our villa was not yet ready (as we knew before arriving, we were well ahead of the customary 4 pm check in time) but promised to text us as soon as the room was prepared.


Those same people were still at the check-in desk as we made our way back through the Welcome Center and to the parking lot, and made a point of turning to mutter a few loud rude remarks at us as we passed by. We ignored them, of course, but could not believe they were STILL feeling the need to be nasty, all because of the check-in process . Sometimes, the human race can be very disappointing.


Getting back to the car, we texted Lisa and Joe to find out where they were, and they had taken the kids to Disney Springs to redeem their MNSSHP paper tickets for the hard plastic cards at Guest Services. They were there waiting their turn right now, so we headed to the parking garage and told them we’d meet them there shortly. By the time we parked the car in the Lime garage and made our way down into the Springs, they were just walking out of Guest Services with their hard tickets in hand……we couldn’t have timed it better if we tried. The kids greeted us with squeals and hugs and asked if we would stay and tour Disney Springs with them for the afternoon, and as they each took our hands, we assured them we’d be happy to stick around.


The kids wanted to go into the World of Disney, so that’s where we headed first. As we were strolling over to the store, I asked Lisa if she wanted the kids to meet whatever character was there at that particular time, and she had no idea that character meets were even offered here. She was quick to double check that we wouldn’t mind waiting with them….of course we didn’t mind at all, but I thought it was sweet of her to worry about us regardless….and we assured her that we would be fine to hang out as long as necessary so the kids could meet one of their Disney idols. The check-in for the meet-and-greet was easy to find and we were handed a buzzer by one of the young CM’s and told it would be about a half hour wait.

There was certainly lots to look at and pass the time. For the first while, we ladies toured around the girly stuff (jewelry, princess dresses, and dolls) while the guys headed off to peruse the more “manly” sections of the store. We eventually stumbled upon the three of them, proudly modelling the Star Wars Mickey ear hats .

True to their original estimate, the buzzer sounded within about 30 minutes of our original check-in, and we rounded up the troops and made our way back to the meet-and-greet entrance. There were three or four families ahead of us, but the friendly CM monitoring the small line came over to chat and get everyone excited with his whispered announcement that we would be meeting Snow White today. Until now, the character behind the curtain was a complete surprise, only to be found out in the moments before the meet. The girls were over the moon! Johan was a bit disappointed that it was a princess and not, say…….Buzz Lightyear.

It was hot in the line and the few families ahead of us took a good amount of time (well, a good amount when gauged by small kids…..ANY time to wait is a long time!) so Johan grew a little more cranky as the seconds ticked by. When it was finally our turn to spend time with the lovely Snow White, he decided he was having NOTHING of it….no way, no how. We all respected his choice, and let the girls (who had instantly been struck mute at the first hello by the lovely and gentle princess) enjoy their moment with the beloved character.

Alaina was completely in awe. She just stared at her with wide eyes and a little smile and couldn’t take her eyes off Snow White.

Snow White was so gentle and sweet, though, and she took those little faces in her hands and spoke softly to them, and had them chatting with her as soon as they were able to find their voices. It was one of the most relaxing, peaceful Disney character meets that I had ever witnessed: completely unrushed and so very perfect for their first character interaction ever.



Bless her heart, Snow White [while seemingly engrossed in her time with the two girls] had fully noticed little Johan clinging to his dad’s hand on the sideline with his frowny face staring downward to the floor. After spending a wonderful amount of time with his sisters, she quietly tiptoed over, got down to his level, and quietly inquired “Well hello, little Prince. What is your name?”.

Snow White has magical powers . She somehow, in her own non-invasive way, managed to break through the five-year-old grumpies and was soon the recipient of high-fives while she gushed about his strong muscles. Lisa, who had originally been heartbroken that he wouldn’t take part in the experience (and that there would be no evidence of his presence in the photos that were being taken), stood quietly to the side with her eyes filled with tears. Photopass was capturing the whole thing and she would have precious memories of this moment for ALL of her kids, after all .



Once we had wrapped up at the World of Disney, we took the kids and toured around some of the other places in the Marketplace. We took the kids in for the free chocolate samples at Ghirardelli, but it was the Lego Store that truly fascinated them.

They were thrilled to see the huge Lego sculptures scattered about: their favourite, by far, was the serpent in the lagoon. When I told them that the serpent was built entirely from Lego bricks, they were filled with questions: How long did it take them to build it, Aunt Gina? How many bricks did it take? How many people worked on putting it together? None of which I could answer, of course……but we all had a lot of fun factoring in with our best guesses .

Their favourite aspect of the store, however, was easily the Lego tables outside the store where they could create their own masterpiece in the warm October air. We were here for a LONG time, and I swear they could have spent the balance of the day there if we had allowed them to.

Eventually, though, the heat was starting to get to all of us so we decided to head out. That initially met with whines and complaints from three hot kidlets, but their griping was quickly stifled when Uncle Steve suggested we all head to a favourite ice cream shop for some sweet indulgences, our treat. That even had Joe and Lisa smiling , so we headed back to the garage to collect our vehicles and agreed to meet at Twistee Treat down the street.

On deck: ice cream (go ahead, pick ANYTHING you want!) and we finally get checked into our villa.

 

[JenLanDisney]

So sorry to hear about the bad behavior at the check in line, Gina. How stressful! I always wonder how surly folks have that much energy to put out negative vibes. So much easier to go with the flow. I hope you avoided them for the remainder of your stay.

 

[Mrs Doubtfire]

I can only hope those grumpy people were not placed next to you at your beloved Sheraton

And you learn something new every day. We have been visiting WDW for over 20 years and shave taken our daughter. From age 14 months and I never knew about the character meet and greet at the World Of Disney

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

We have had a snowy March as well, woke up to about 5 inches of new snow Friday morning, yuck! Looks like a good morning of trying new things before you return to your favorite resort.

Oddly enough, this morning's snowy assault is already starting to melt away this afternoon. We're in the low 40's right now, so with a little luck, it will all be gone by tomorrow. Here's hoping, anyway.

March has not been kind. I did have a feeling it was coming, though, since we hadn't had much of a winter at all. I just hope that next time it warms up it stays that way!

We have 3 cats. Max and Oscar are 16ish and then we have little Pringles, who is 1.5. The kids wanted a cat that would let them love on it so we caved in. I posted a picture of Duncan and Pringles (with glowing, scary eyes) on Facebook the other day. You might have seen it. lol

Well shoot, I totally missed the Facebook post! I will have to go back and check it out .

All of our trees have long since budded, so I'm just hoping that it doesn't harm the vegetation that started to sprout (albeit before its time, obviously). I don't know about you, but I'm ready for green grass, leafy trees, and flowers!!

So sorry to hear about the bad behavior at the check in line, Gina. How stressful! I always wonder how surly folks have that much energy to put out negative vibes. So much easier to go with the flow. I hope you avoided them for the remainder of your stay.

It was the first and only time we've ever encountered that kind of nastiness at SVR (or any other Orlando resort, for that matter). I sure hope they had a Disney day or two planned for their vacation. Lord knows they were in desperate need of some 'magic' .

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

I can only hope those grumpy people were not placed next to you at your beloved Sheraton

And you learn something new every day. We have been visiting WDW for over 20 years and shave taken our daughter. From age 14 months and I never knew about the character meet and greet at the World Of Disney

As far as I'm aware, it's something new that they introduced this year. No specific character is promised, so its the luck of the draw as to who you get (though from what I have heard, its generally one of the princesses). I wish they had more opportunities to meet characters outside of the parks, and more Photopass opportunities at Disney Springs. I hope this is wildly successful so that they decide to add more.

 

[pigletto]

Entitled people make me irate. Of course me yelling back at them that any idiot could have looked it up ahead of time and made an online request, and if their entitled mouthy butts had bothered to do any reading (provided that they were capable), they'd know that...well that probably wouldn't help much.
I also have a wonderfully level headed husband who would mutter "NO!" at me if I started to open my mouth. He knows.

I hope the stress and worry melted away quickly. People like that are their own karma.. they have to walk around life feeling like the whole world is out to get them. I can't imagine they are too happy or laid back. Personally I can only imagine that little scenario played out several more times if they visited any theme parks. Good freaking luck in Orlando if you're too precious to stand in a line and act like an adult.

The pics of the kidlets with SnowWhite are lovely!! I miss seeing those little smiling faces when they saw characters. Mind you, my son used to loudly and embarrassingly yell YUCK!! every time he saw a princess. You were never going to get him in a picture with one. Funnily enough he turned 13 today ... when I suggested a princess meal for the upcoming Disney trip he said Sure!. My how things have changed. Girls aren't so yucky anymore.