Greetings from SSR!

[DMKEDM]

Arrived this afternoon around 1:30 to 80 degrees and sunshine and oh the joy of being back at WDW! And extra joy at being back at SSR...I do so love it here!

Had requested a downtown disney view/Congress Park...they assigned me the Paddocks (which would have been fine), but I thought I'd see if we could try the Grandstand since we could not get a room at Congress Park...they had a studio ready right then...first building, next to the pool...the view is nothing exciting (parking lot & buildings), but we're not "sit-on-the-balcony-and-look-out" people anyway, so no big deal...

The room is clean and lovely and I really like the Grandstand...it's awesome being the first bus stop! And it's just a building away--very short walk--over to the Carriage House and all the "stuff" there...

My son is flying down from his college town tomorrow, so this afternoon/evening (and most of tomorrow) I'm on my own...I find I'm enjoying it, altho I'll be in heaven when my son arrives...haven't seen him in "forever" (his school started last August)...I went to the Grandstand bus stop, deciding I'd just go to whichever park the first bus was going to...wound up at Magic Kingdom...it's all dressed up for Christmas and looks lovely! It was "manageably crowded" (got there around 3 and stayed til around 5:30)...

The resorts are not yet decorated...they will be by Friday, but as of today there's nothing up at SSR...it'll be exciting to wake up one morning this week and see it transformed!

Bus service is great...waited only 5 minutes for a bus to MK, and only 10 minutes for one back...

I think I'll wander over to Downtown Disney this evening...I really want to go to Epcot, but I think my son would kill me if I didn't wait for him ... Epcot's our favorite!

No doubt I'll be back on the DIS later ... hope everyone's having a lovely pre-Thanksgiving weekend...wish you were all here w/us~ Dani

 

[binky503]

Glad you had a nice day for yourself. I always wish that one day I will be able to do that,. Enjoy your time with your son and have a wonderful vacation. SSR is our home resort and I sure wish were were going soon. Have a nice time.

 

[paults]

glad your enjoying yourself wish we were there. We had to move our OCT trip to Dec then move it to FEB 08.
have fun. we own at BWV but love it at SSR we stayed in CP and GS and love them both
Epcot our fav too that's why we own at BWV.
Have fun with your son

 

[lisaviolet]

Dani,

It's so wonderful to hear about a relaxing, wonderful vacation for you. It's like the double the fun of any other TR because it's you. Have a wonderful time.

Lisa

 

[KevGuy]

Nice to hear your enjoying yourself! I'm heading to SSR in April and hope to get in Congress Park myself, but will think of Grandstand if it is not available. I like the first bus stop thing myself.

 

[DMKEDM]

Lisa--what a nice thing for you to write....thank you...

Just got back from a really good chef's special (meatloaf stuffed w/cheese, brocolli & mashed potatoes) at Artist's Palette...still thinking about walking over to Downtown Disney...half of me really wants to; the other half just wants to sleep...no clue at this point which half will win!

A bit of planning input...it didn't matter to me at all, as I didn't need anything tonight in my checked luggage...but it took Magical Express 7 1/2 hours to deliver luggage! Twice as long as it's ever taken before...but there's a steady stream of people showing up here today (i've never been here before when it felt so "busy")...I guess it's the DVC Sunday-Friday "thing?" Don't know...anyway...anyone planning to arrive here in the next couple of days, you might want to give a second (or third) thought to what you want to have with you...7.5 hours is quite a long time to wait!

I called Bell Services around 5:30 to check...got a mite worried that the airlines might have misplaced my luggage...but it wasn't lost...it's just taking some time...my flight arrived just after noon...the luggage got to SSR around 5...it got delivered to my room a bit before 8...

As noted, once I knew it wasn't lost, it didn't matter at all to me...I had with me what I needed for the day...but worth knowing for those still packing to arrive later this week...

I'm liking Grandstand more & more...it's so pretty at night! Of course, so is all of SSR...but it really does "look" different from Conress Park...and oh how I love that tiny small walk from our villa (building 8) to the Carriage House/Artist's Palette...and I can't wait to swim in the pool...it's a seriously cool pool...I plan a morning swim tomorrow...after that I think I'll head over to Animal Kingdom...I want to do some of the nature walks (something DS doesn't find appealing at all)...I'll save the rides for when he arrives...

Got an email from him just a bit ago...he says he's "crazy excited" about traveling down this way tomorrow, and has "warned me" not to do our favorite things w/out him...so I'll be good and wait for him to go to Epcot and to ride our favorite rides...

Have I mentioned yet how much I LOVE it here? (grin)...talk about preaching to the choir!

Bliss...life is pure bliss right now...I'd say I'm looking forward to Diane's DisMeet on Sat (and actually I am)...but since that will be our last day here, I am in no hurry for it to arrive...

Hope everyone else has as good a Monday as I anticipate having!

 

[Sammie]

Have a fun time and can't wait for your impression of the new lights on the Castle, the photos of it have been remarkable, the best Disney has ever done.

 

[disney54us]

I could tell your sooo enjoying and relaxing. Your attitude about luggage, tell us all your just kicking back! All is good in the 'world' , so enjoy soak up some heat for those of us in the cooler climates. Keep us updated, if you have time and if not trip report when you get back

 

[dbprimeaux]

We also love the grandstand...can't beat being the first on the bus stops !! We were in room 81XX first floor...literally about 120 feet from the bus stop !! It was so great!! We will be back home from Feb. 2nd-9th, 2008.

 

[PBader]

Enjoy your vacation and the time with your son

 

[FormrCastMbr]

We were in the 8 bldg last week and loved it. Our view was facing the carriage house...not the best but, like you, I loved the Grandstand for the pool, bus stop and closeness to the restaurants and main pool...

I really just wanted to say...Have a great time!

 

[summergolf]

Have a great time with your DS!!!

 

[BroganMc]

First off, I'm so envious!!! 80 degrees and sun? And here I am freezing my bones in a cloudy sky at the football game in Maryland.

Enjoy your trip!

Secondly:

and oh how I love that tiny small walk from our villa (building 8) to the Carriage House/Artist's Palette...

Oh my, yes it is a beautiful walk. Here it is last May when those crepe myrtles were in bloom. Talk about a tree-lined path.

 

[Ksp]

Dani,
You sound like you are really enjoying your time there - 80 degrees? Lovely! We will be there in only 36 hours or so.....I wonder if we will be in the Grandstand area, too. I hope so - we haven't had a chance to stay there yet.

Either way, I can't wait to get there! I will see you at Diane's DIS meet on Saturday, too.

Enjoy your vacation and have fun seeing your DS, too!! I'm bringing both DS and DD (as well as DH!) this trip - DS is in college, DD is a senior in high school this year - maybe we'll be able to make Thanksgiving at Disney a college staple, who knows?

See you Saturday, and maybe we'll meet at Artist Palette during the week, too!
~Kay

 

[Disney_Mama]

Happy to read that you are having a great time. Sounds like it is only going to get better. We were in the same building on our last stay as well. Loved the closeness of everything.

 

[alldiz]

Glad your enjoying your trip.....
Having a day by yourself in Disney.....taking the 1st bus to anywhere

And just knowing it will get even better when your son arrives....
talk about heaven on earth....
Enjoy.....can't wait to go back to SSR or any DVC
Kerri

 

[tomandrobin]

Have a great trip! Sounds like like you are really geared up to have a fantastic time. You seem to have that "zen" thing going on in your posts so far.

Thanksgiving week is a very busy busy week, not New Years or Easter, but busy. Plus not that DVC is selling the last building now, the resort is really starting to be full on a regular bases.

How you trip goes well and have a great time!

Grandstand is our favorite section too!

 

[Cheryl N. WI]

Sounds like you're having a great time! Enjoy the time with your DS doing your favorite things together! I can't wait to read about how SSR decorates for the holidays as we are planning on being there next year for Christams! After reading all the great comments, I think I will request the Grandstand area for that trip.

 

[DMKEDM]

Hi, everyone: DisneyWorld is being transformed before our eyes! Woke up this morning to SSR having been decorated over night (it's GORGEOUS)...so went on my resort hopping tour after all...Grand Floridian is not yet decorated (altho the big gingerbread house is up and beautiful!)...Poly is decorated and is lovely...didn't stop at Contemporary (we're going there Thursday for our T-giving dinner at CA Grill) and didn't make it over to Wilderness Lodge either (going there Sat for Diane's DisMeet)...

Walked "the cirlce" to Downtown Disney...started from behind Grandstand and walked the golf cart path over the bridge to Cirque, and then thur West Side and Pleasure Island to Earl of Sandwich for a b'fast muffin and yogurt cup (yum)...picked up a bus to Grand Floridian from there, and when I got hungry around noon, bussed back to MarketPlace, had some pasta at Wolfgang Puck Express (yum again)--got a pizza to have on hand for DS' arrival (around 10 tonight) and walked back to the Grandstand via the Congress Park walkway...

It was a lovely morning/early afternoon...

Swam the Grandstand Pool (for exercise) this a.m. It was wonderful! Then, for the last hour or so I sat in the picnic area next to the pool and wrote out a few Christmas cards (I love Christmas cards, despite the hours (or maybe because of the hours) it takes to do them...I brought them w/me, knowing I'd have "downtime" yesterday & today...and my-oh-my it was pleasant sitting poolside and writing them out...only got about 1/3 of the way thru my list...but I did have fun doing it...)

Now, I still have 6 hours or so before DME brings my DS to me (he has called 3 times already today...to tell me he had finished his school 'to do's' and was now ready to pack; then to tell me he was ready to leave for the airport, and then to tell me he was at the airport and getting ready to board his plane...yes, he's a bit excited!)...the call of Epcot is getting very loud...do you suppose I could "get away" w/wandering over there and just not telling my son that I went? (Grin)

It's so beautiful here...I love WDW all dressed up for Christmas! And I'm so happy that I'll be seeing my son in just a few hours...life is good.

More later, or perhaps tomorrow...may all of you have wonderful trips such as this one every time you go!

 

[jakenjess]

It sounds like you're having a fantastic time already! You must be so excited for your son's arrival. It will be a truly magical vacation for you. Thanks so much for sharing it with us!