Happily Ever After Begins Here -- An Oct. 2012 TR Updated! 11/17!

[Missyrose]

Welcome back from your trip! I'll have to head over to the new TR today.

Somehow I missed the update with your Characterpalooza pics! Looks like you got a great batch. I would have loved to see Meeko or Mary Poppins for ours! Our last trip was our first time since knowing about Characterpalooza, so it was really fun to surprise my parents with it. They had no idea! It was so fun and I can't wait to do it again!

Franklin's pictures from Voyage of the Little Mermaid and ToT are stunning, as always!

Thanks! Characterpalooza was so much fun, hardly any lines and LOTS of characters. I can't wait to try it again in May!

I noticed your ticker and it looks like we'll be there around the same time in October. Have you booked your resort?​

 

[Missyrose]

We last left off with us dodging raindrops on Hollywood Blvd. We were in a bit of a rush because we were late for a very important date with a new restaurant (well, new to us at least). Hollywood Brown Derby!

It is a gorgeous restaurant, very old Hollywood glamour.

We were both pretty cold and starving, so we were ready to eat! Franklin went with the salmon.

I had the world-famous Cobb salad...

… and a bowl of the potato leek soup.

And we shared a slice of the equally world-famous grapefruit cake.

Everything we ate was spectacular. I especially liked the Cobb salad, it's as good as everyone says!

We paid the bill and headed back out into the damp night. We had plans to head over to Bay Lake Tower to watch Hallowishes from the Top of the World Lounge. If you are a DVC member who is staying on points, you are allowed up to the lounge at the top of Bay Lake Tower and we’d never been before.

So we hopped in a cab and headed for BLT. The checked our membership card and KTTW card at the desk in the lobby and they escorted us to the elevator.

The lounge upstairs is beautiful! Very sleek and modern, but luxe at the same time.

Franklin set up his tripod on the terrace and we waited.

It had been raining on and off all evening. So it wasn’t all that surprising that 9:30 came and went with no fireworks. Then 9:40, 9:50... At around 10 I tweeted the MNSSHP official Twitter account to ask if the fireworks had been canceled that night. I got a quick response that they had, which brought a groan from the dozen or so of us who were on the terrace.

Franklin packed up his camera equipment and we made our way downstairs and over to MK. There were plenty of people streaming out of the park. And most of them were NOT HAPPY about their party being a washout. We talked with a bunch of people at the bus stop and on the bus. Apparently the only characters that were available to meet were the ones in Town Square Theater. The parades had been canceled and the fireworks too. People were offered tickets to another party, but for those who wouldn't be at Disney when the next party happened, they were out of luck.

I sent up a little prayer for a much dryer evening the night of our Halloween party and settled in for the ride back to BC. That’s where we’ll stop for now, with another Disney day in the books. Have any of you ever eaten at Brown Derby? Or better yet, what’s your favorite signature restaurant?​

 

[teekathepony]

Wow, what a gorgeous restaurant! I'll have to look up the Cobb salad, looks yummy.
What a shame about the fireworks. Sounds like some really unhappy party-goers! It's unfortunate that they won't do more for the poor people who paid for the party and got almost none of the benefits.

 

[Shazzasmd]

Oh darn, I got all excited to see Franklin's amazing fireworks photos

But all the HS photos were wonderful

 

[Splashboat]

Just have to tell you your TRs are outstanding. You tell your stories mostly with gorgeous pictures and support with descriptions - makes me feel like I am there -well done!

 

[2xcited2sleep]

Love, love, LOVE the Brown Derby. So yummy. Beautiful pictures, as always. Glad to hear your recent trip was filled with fun and new experiences...off to read now!

 

[natebenma]

What a great looking meal. I haven't been to the Brown Derby. I did get the Grapefruit Cake from Starring Rolls. I didn't end up eating it until a day after purchasing it- it was ok, but I probably need to give it another shot and try one when it is fresher.

I haven't been to any signatures- well, Le Cellier, but before it was elevated to that status. And we definitely love it!

I have read a couple of great dining reviews of meals at Artist Point- I think I would like to try that. Or California Grill.

What a bummer about the fireworks show, but even worse news for the people at the party!

The picture you did show from the lounge was spectacular!!!

 

[shan23877]

Joining in really late!

Loving your TR, and your DF's photos are gorgeous.

Gonna head over to the new TR now!

 

[Missyrose]

Wow, what a gorgeous restaurant! I'll have to look up the Cobb salad, looks yummy.
What a shame about the fireworks. Sounds like some really unhappy party-goers! It's unfortunate that they won't do more for the poor people who paid for the party and got almost none of the benefits.

It is a simply stunning restaurant. It's kinda hard to believe it's in a theme park. I felt really bad for those unhappy partygoers. Disney does make a big deal when you buy the tickets that the parties are held "rain or shine." But that's not much comfort when your costume has gone soggy, the characters have evaporated and the parade/fireworks canceled.

Oh darn, I got all excited to see Franklin's amazing fireworks photos

But all the HS photos were wonderful

I got all excited to see Franklin's Hallowishes photos from that view too! I promise, we get there eventually!

Just have to tell you your TRs are outstanding. You tell your stories mostly with gorgeous pictures and support with descriptions - makes me feel like I am there -well done!

Awww thank you so much! Franklin and I both have a blast recreating our trips for you guys. It's an amazing way to get to relive a wonderful trip!

Love, love, LOVE the Brown Derby. So yummy. Beautiful pictures, as always. Glad to hear your recent trip was filled with fun and new experiences...off to read now!

The Brown Derby is definitely on our must-do-again list. It was an excellent meal.

What a great looking meal. I haven't been to the Brown Derby. I did get the Grapefruit Cake from Starring Rolls. I didn't end up eating it until a day after purchasing it- it was ok, but I probably need to give it another shot and try one when it is fresher.

I'm not even a fruity-dessert person, but I loved this cake. It was that perfect balance of acidic and sweet.

I haven't been to any signatures- well, Le Cellier, but before it was elevated to that status. And we definitely love it!

I have read a couple of great dining reviews of meals at Artist Point- I think I would like to try that. Or California Grill.

We just ate our first dinner at Le Cellier (we'd always eaten lunch there) and even we had sticker shock at the "signature" prices of the new all-day menu.

What a bummer about the fireworks show, but even worse news for the people at the party!

The picture you did show from the lounge was spectacular!!!

I felt so bad for those partygoers. They were cold, wet and just not feeling very magical.

I loved the view from Top of the World Lounge. I may do all my trip journaling up there during our May trip. After all, it will be just a elevator ride away!

Joining in really late!

Loving your TR, and your DF's photos are gorgeous.

Gonna head over to the new TR now!

You're not late, you're right on time! And we're so happy to have you join us (here AND on the January TR!)​

 

[Disney9.9.10]

So many beautiful photos!! I love them all. I am not a ride person so I've never been on ToT, but I love the theming in there. That rain sounds awful, I can understand why the party goers were so upset that night

 

[khertz]

Thanks! Characterpalooza was so much fun, hardly any lines and LOTS of characters. I can't wait to try it again in May!

I noticed your ticker and it looks like we'll be there around the same time in October. Have you booked your resort?​

We will be at Bonnet Creek from the 22nd through the 30th! I have seen you around on the FB planning group, but didn't realize our trip dates would overlap!

What a bummer that the fireworks got washed out! That pic of the park from the balcony of the lounge is stunning. I can only imagine how the fireworks photos would have come out! I hope that was not a bad omen for you party night. I am so worried about a rained out party on our upcoming trip. We are doing the Halloween party for the first time, and we are in it almost exclusively for the character meets, parade, fireworks, and shows. If all of those are cancelled because of rain, I will be so upset!!

 

[Missyrose]

So many beautiful photos!! I love them all. I am not a ride person so I've never been on ToT, but I love the theming in there. That rain sounds awful, I can understand why the party goers were so upset that night

I've never been on ToT either (and probably never will ), but I agree that the theming is incredible and a total must-see!

It was a Disney downpour, it just lasted for a few hours instead of the typical 20 minutes.

We will be at Bonnet Creek from the 22nd through the 30th! I have seen you around on the FB planning group, but didn't realize our trip dates would overlap!

What a bummer that the fireworks got washed out! That pic of the park from the balcony of the lounge is stunning. I can only imagine how the fireworks photos would have come out! I hope that was not a bad omen for you party night. I am so worried about a rained out party on our upcoming trip. We are doing the Halloween party for the first time, and we are in it almost exclusively for the character meets, parade, fireworks, and shows. If all of those are cancelled because of rain, I will be so upset!!

Yay Kristy! We'll have to do a Dis meet in October. Bonnet Creek is supposed to be amazing (with a fabulous pool!), I actually was helping a co-worker plan a Disney trip and we were looking at that resort for them.

There was a brief sprinkle on our party night, but nothing that changed anything at the party. We had a great night! You will LOVE the Halloween party, it's one of the best things Disney does. ​

 

[Missyrose]

I promise, I'm putting up an actual chapter right after this one. But I had something I wanted to share with all of you. Franklin and I did an engagement photo shoot with our wedding photographers a few weeks ago. There was one photo in particular that I wanted to share with all of our Disney friends...

I had gotten a set of Mickey ears embroidered with our wedding date and that photo ended up being my personal favorite of the bunch. And just for fun, here are a few more of our favorites.

​

 

[Missyrose]

Welcome to a brand new Disney day. This was truly a new kind of Disney day for Franklin and I, we were taking... wait for it … a resort day! Que the horror music. We slept in (CRAZY!). We had a leisurely breakfast planned (WHAT?!?!?). The only plans for the day were to spend the day at the pool (WERE WE NUTS?)

If we hadn’t sealed this before, Day 3 of our October trip officially marked the beginning of our laid-back Disney existence. This was the first time we’d be spending the day at Disney without any park time planned. And let me tell you, we loved it! So without further ado, I give you Missy and Franklin’s most laid-back day at Disney. Ever.

Like I said, we slept in. With no rope drop to hurry off to, we had a breakfast ADR at...

It was our first time inside Yacht Club.

It’s a gorgeous resort! You can feel how it’s Beach Club’s sister resort, but yet it has a totally different feel. It’s more tailored than Beach Club and the colors have a richer hue. We’ll get to do a real comparison between the two resorts next October, because Franklin and I booked Yacht Club, Club Level for our honeymoon! Our dates were covered under the bounce back offer in our room on our January trip, so we decided to splurge and book the CL stay for the honeymoon and we can’t wait! P.S., you’ll notice my ticker says Disney and Aruba, and that’s totally correct. We’re planning for five nights in Disney, followed by seven nights in Aruba! Ahhhh, it’s going to be amazing.

Enough about the future trip, let’s stick with the trip at hand. We were seated almost immediately.

For those of you who aren’t familiar, Captain’s Grille has a buffet and an ala carte menu. I was torn between getting an omelette or doing the buffet. Our waiter made the decision for me, he said the kitchen would make me an omelette as part of the buffet. Sold.

Franklin knew what he wanted without looking at the menu: the lobster omelette. He’d zeroed in on that when I’d sent him the online menu during the trip planning.

First up from the buffet was some cereal and fruit.

I also grabbed a plate of Mickey waffles! Note: all those sausage links weren’t for me, Franklin wanted some too.

They brought out both our omelettes at the same time. Here’s Franklin’s.

I had gotten ham and cheese scrambled eggs (I’m a bit of an egg snob. I hate runny eggs and that’s all you get on buffets, so I’m always happy when I can order my eggs well done).

No runny eggs here!

All the food was really good, Franklin LOVED his omelette. He said there was lots of lobster.

We made our way back to Beach Club, because it was pool time!

And that’s where we stayed, for hours. It was a beautiful day out, it was warm and sunny, but not too humid. Perfect weather for bobbing along the lazy river.

Our pool afternoon also gave Franklin time to photograph the pool and the resort in more detail.

Yes, Stormalong Bay is everything everyone has ever raved about. It’s fun and gorgeous. And maybe because we were there in October, but it wasn’t nearly as crowded, chaotic and overrun with screaming kids as I had been led to believe.

For a wide-angle look, here’s Franklin’s panoramic shot.

How pretty is this resort?

And so is the villas building.

While Franklin was snapping away downstairs, I was up on our balcony. Enjoying the Dis and also this view!

For everyone who says there are no good views at BCV, I would like to present that photo as Exhibit A.

I know there wasn’t much “story” in this chapter, but it was a truly lovely morning and afternoon. We really got to unwind and also explore the details of the resort. It was sooooo worth it to spend a day like that. And I promise, there’s more action in the next chapter.​

 

[shan23877]

Beautiful engagement photos!

And, great resort and pool photos too! That sounds like a perfect vacation day, but I'm like you-I can never do it! Maybe one of these days when we finally book the Beach Club!

 

[natebenma]

We were seated almost immediately.

For those of you who aren’t familiar, Captain’s Grille has a buffet and an ala carte menu. I was torn between getting an omelette or doing the buffet. Our waiter made the decision for me, he said the kitchen would make me an omelette as part of the buffet. Sold.

Franklin knew what he wanted without looking at the menu: the lobster omelette. He’d zeroed in on that when I’d sent him the online menu during the trip planning.

First up from the buffet was some cereal and fruit.

I also grabbed a plate of Mickey waffles! Note: all those sausage links weren’t for me, Franklin wanted some too.

They brought out both our omelettes at the same time. Here’s Franklin’s.

I had gotten ham and cheese scrambled eggs (I’m a bit of an egg snob. I hate runny eggs and that’s all you get on buffets, so I’m always happy when I can order my eggs well done).

No runny eggs here!

All the food was really good, Franklin LOVED his omelette. He said there was lots of lobster.

​

Great review of the Captain's Grille!!!

Did you happen to see the animated pictures where the sailboat sails from one picture to another? If not, you will have to check it out on your next visit.

 

[natebenma]

I know there wasn’t much “story” in this chapter, but it was a truly lovely morning and afternoon. We really got to unwind and also explore the details of the resort. It was sooooo worth it to spend a day like that. ​

You know I loved it!!!

I have added a couple of Franklin's photos to the thread, but I really need a chunk of time to sit down and figure out which pictures to use. Dang 25 photo per post limit! I already have like 16 separate posts, and two just for the pool! Thinking of expanding to three.

I'm so glad to hear you had a nice, relaxing resort day.

Your engagement pictures are spectacular. You two are so cute together! Is this the same photographer you will be using for your wedding?

 

[Tiggerrn2]

I absolutely LOVE your favorite engagment photo!! It is so cute!
This summer we did an all resort, no Disney parks, trip. (We did go to Sea World one afternoon, Blizzard Beach one day to use really old tickets, and one day at Discovery Cove-highly recommend.) I have to say it may be one of my most memorable and enjoyable trips. When you haven't spent the money for park tickets and you don't feel the pressure to "get your monies worth" spending every waking moment in the parks, you really get the time to stop and smell the roses, so to speak. We enjoyed our pools (we did a split stay at CSR and Poly), entertainment on the Boardwalk, resort shows, and checking out all other resorts for dining and what they have to offer. So I totally understand how you could spend a down day at Disney!
Especially enjoying SAB! That pool is most awesome! And, as always, Franklin's pictures are beautiful!

 

[khertz]

Your engagement pictures came out fantastic! Getting the wedding date embroidered on Mickey ears was a great idea too. What a cute couple!

Also love the Stormalong Bay pics. The Yacht Club is so pretty! That's great that you were able to book your honeymoon with a bounce back offer too. We have tried twice for a resort day and failed both times, but I am positively making it happen this trip, no questions about it! Downtime in Disney can be so therapeutic after many long days tromping through the parks from sunup to sundown!

 

[tb1972]

Hi Missy,
I was just curious - how did you like doing a split stay? We have 8 days coming in May with a split. Some seem to enjoy the experience of trying new DVC resorts and others feel it is a hassle. I hope you and Franklin enjoyed your time at both BCV & AKL!
Tabatha