Family, Friends, & Celebrities- A MAGICAL Birthday TR!!! *UPDATE*8/27! Final thoughts

[galnar]

Really enjoyed your TR, thanks for sharing. Your family is adorable.

 

[yinyanggirls]

Thanks for taking the time to share the experience with us!

 

[Mommy2LittleVols]

I really enjoyed reading about your trip, Tim! Very much looking forward to the next one!

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

Thanks for sharing the trip, and we'll look forward to the next one!

 

[KatMark]

We really had a great time this trip. It was a different experience for us renting the house and going with our friends. I just wanted to recap a few things and express some feelings before this TR ends. This was my post after we arrived home on Tuesday night 3/16:






The house
It was great having the house. We did miss staying in the park a little but having 3000+ square feet to spread out was awesome. We ate a few meals there and being able to get the kids to bed and hanging out with our friends was key. I think the kids liked it too because of the Disney themed rooms.

The one downfall was not having pool heat for the week. I started writing a letter to the owner on the flight home. I emailed him and they were very understanding. I got refunded for what we paid for the pool heat. They also told me they would be looking into what had happened and why I had such a hard time dealing with and getting answers from the management company. I believe that they will look into this. Would I stay at this house again? I would give it another try.



The Magic
This was truly amazing! From talking to Crush, pulling the sword from the stone, dancing with Cinderella & Prince Charming, meeting PUSH, getting pirate bandanas, the kids being picked in DTD to talk on the mic, getting the hottub working for 1 night, decorating the Christmas tree, getting pixie dust, meeting some celebrity DISers, having Michael Jackson join us, cakes, the girls getting so much attention after BBB, etc...

I think the best part was spending time with Melody's grandmother for 4 days before the Disney part started. It was really important for Melody. I still can't believe how fast her health deteriorated after our return home. I am so happy that we did get to see her just one last time before she passed away.



CBR -vs- any other moderate

The only other moderate that we've been to is CSR. Let me start with the pirate room. We LOVED the pirate room. Even Juliana got a kick out of it. The one part about the room that stunk was the beds. It was like having a mattress on concrete. CSR has queen beds that are better than my mattress at home.. very comfy! CSR rooms have an upscale look- I will not compare them to a pirate room since they are totally different.

The pool was very nice. The zero entry was neat to have. The kids pirate ship was awesome. I wish we had more time to play in it. The slides to the main pool were fun and were tube slides...the slide at CSR is longer and open. I think I liked the slide at CSR better, but it is very close. I also like having the pool bar in the pool area at CSR instead out of the pool area at CBR. (not a big deal)

There are so many bus stops at CBR. I felt that the bus was driving in the resort just as long as it took us to get to MK. CSR has 5 stops.

The grounds at CBR were very neat and well kept.(except for the garbage next to our room for 24 hours) I didn't like the walk we had to Ol' Port Royale. It was long. I prefer the look of the buildings to CSR. I also prefer the feel and look of CSR to CBR.

With all this said, would I stay at CBR again? Yes. I know there are a few other resorts we would like to try. I hope I have the time and money to try them all!



Going with Friends

We had a great time with our friends. It was nice for Juliana to have friends with her. It was also smart for us to split up a few times and schedule a day or 2 off to get our stamina back and not get burnt out. I think our friends have gotten bitten by the Disney bug. They want to know when we are going to go back with them. They are thinking about going again in March. Unfortunately, we cannot go with them because of Melody's pregnancy, but I can see us traveling to WDW with them again.





I want to thank everyone for following along and being patient with me. I never thought this TR would of taken 5 months to write! If you haven't joined me on my newest PTR, what are you waiting for???? The link is: The TRIP of all Trips... Ana's MAW PTR...
Come on over and help me plan Juliana's Make-A-Wish trip.

If you have any questions let me know as I will keep this thread open for a week or 2.

Tim

You called it -- I was in bed.

Great recap. I'm glad you remembered the comparison (yes, Ana is still our "CSR girl").

As always, I enjoyed following your family's trip (although there were a lot of long stretches for the next update ), and I am so looking forward to following Ana's MAW trip.

 

[TarzansKat]

Thanks for the overall review, Tim. I really enjoyed reading your whole report, and now I'm looking forward to turning my attention to your pre trip report!

 

[brookelizabeth]

5 months isn't bad at all! I just finished my DECEMBER TR last month!

Great re-cap! Recalling all your magical memories made me tear up. I love Disney!

We've only done CSR in the mod category, which we loved! After seeing your CBR pictures and review I'd like to give it a try sometime too. The kids pool looks just awesome.

Thank you for a great TR!

 

[jenseib]

I'm so sad it's over! I'm glad you shared it with us. It surely gave me some new ideas to try!

 

[eandesmom]

GREAT recap! Such fun stories and magic throughout, I enjoyed being along for the ride.

 

[Must C Mickey]

Was lurking throughout your tr but wanted to say thanks for another great Disney adventure. I will be following along on the maw trip.

 

[that's nice]

Really enjoyed your TR, thanks for sharing. Your family is adorable.

Thanks for taking the time to share the experience with us!

I really enjoyed reading about your trip, Tim! Very much looking forward to the next one!

Thanks for sharing the trip, and we'll look forward to the next one!

Thank you guys for reading!!!!

You called it -- I was in bed.

I know... it's ok though.

Great recap. I'm glad you remembered the comparison (yes, Ana is still our "CSR girl").

I should of mentioned I liked the food choices at CSR better.

Keep this on the DL... shhhhhhh.. don't talk about what I am about to tell you on the PTR (Mel is lurking over there) but I am going to book 2 nights at CSR Decemer 7 & 8 just in case we are able to extend our trip by 2 days. We talked about booking an All-Stars

As always, I enjoyed following your family's trip (although there were a lot of long stretches for the next update ), and I am so looking forward to following Ana's MAW trip.

HEY!!!!!!!!
I knew that was going to happen because of work.

Thanks for the overall review, Tim. I really enjoyed reading your whole report, and now I'm looking forward to turning my attention to your pre trip report!

Thanks!!! See you there... when you are off baby duty!

5 months isn't bad at all! I just finished my DECEMBER TR last month!

OK... I guess I don't feel that bad!

Great re-cap! Recalling all your magical memories made me tear up. I love Disney!

Awwwww... I know there was more... I just couldn't remember them.

We've only done CSR in the mod category, which we loved! After seeing your CBR pictures and review I'd like to give it a try sometime too. The kids pool looks just awesome.

The kids pool was my favorite part of CBR. Lots of fun!

Thank you for a great TR!

Thanks!

I'm so sad it's over! I'm glad you shared it with us. It surely gave me some new ideas to try!

Thanks for reading!

GREAT recap! Such fun stories and magic throughout, I enjoyed being along for the ride.

Thanks! We were very lucky with all the pixie dust we received this trip.

Was lurking throughout your tr but wanted to say thanks for another great Disney adventure. I will be following along on the maw trip.

Thanks for following (and de-lurking!)

Don't be a stranger and jump in the PTR whenever you feel fit!

 

[MaryAz]

Another great TR!! I really have enjoyed all of them. Thanks for sharing your trip with us. Off to catch up on the PTR!!

 

[PopArtGal]

What happens if you order a soda for breakfast at WCC?

 

[PopArtGal]

Isn't it fun though to come home and that feeling of "wow I love my home" lol

And the fun of unpacking and enjoying the souvies we bought.

 

[KatMark]

Keep this on the DL... shhhhhhh.. don't talk about what I am about to tell you on the PTR (Mel is lurking over there) but I am going to book 2 nights at CSR Decemer 7 & 8 just in case we are able to extend our trip by 2 days. We talked about booking an All-Stars

My lips are sealed.

 

[that's nice]

My lips are sealed.

See what happens when I type at night... I can't even spell December!


She should just get her own s/n and join in the fun! I think she mostly reads my main updates... but I'm not sure. Don't call her a lurker though... she doesn't like that term.

 

[KatMark]

See what happens when I type at night... I can't even spell December!


She should just get her own s/n and join in the fun! I think she mostly reads my main updates... but I'm not sure. Don't call her a lurker though... she doesn't like that term.

I do that all the time...I don't check my spelling because I'm so used to just hitting spell check and I don't do that here. I wrote over on Liesa's report that you should NOT do All Stars--Pop Warner will be there at that time.

 

[that's nice]

I do that all the time...I don't check my spelling because I'm so used to just hitting spell check and I don't do that here. I wrote over on Liesa's report that you should NOT do All Stars--Pop Warner will be there at that time.

Thanks for the all-stars tip!

 

[that's nice]

Another great TR!! I really have enjoyed all of them. Thanks for sharing your trip with us. Off to catch up on the PTR!!

Thank for reading Mary. I guess I am behind on my reading... I need to catch up on your too!

What happens if you order a soda for breakfast at WCC?

Not sure? Are you gonna try it and report back to us?

Isn't it fun though to come home and that feeling of "wow I love my home" lol

And the fun of unpacking and enjoying the souvies we bought.

Yes & Yes!!!!!

 

[PopArtGal]

I don't think we'll be doing WCC. We are shy people who probably wouldn't enjoy being teased