"Her Name Was Definitely Mary". Our 1st anniversary trip, May 2011 *NEW 9/6

[klacey1]

Your fall trip looks like a lot of fun! Very relaxing! I'm LOVING the idea of a haunted pub crawl, haha.

 

[Joyciemc]

Wow, that is a long ToT line! That's how I remember it from my last family trip, before fast passes existed!

I think Pizza Planet looks so cute! I really want to eat there someday!

I love the Muppets! I love Bean Bunny, he's my favorite!

The first time I rode ToT was in 1998, when I went with friends after graduation (we were there over July 4th). No Fast pass then, and we waited in soooo many lines- ToT was one of the longest! Glad those days are over!

"Maybe... MAYbe BEAN could set off the fireworks!" Ben and I both say that a lot, usually when one of us says the word 'maybe'.

Your fall trip looks to be a good one. No TR? Oh well.. you can share on your PTR for the next WDW trip....

I figure since it's not a WDW trip, a TR wouldn't really fit here... but it will give me an excuse to start my next PTR super early

Your fall trip looks like a lot of fun! Very relaxing! I'm LOVING the idea of a haunted pub crawl, haha.

My favorite thing about Savannah (so far, having never been): no open container law! Getting a drink 'to go' sounds like fun!

 

[Stringbean&Wingnut]

Your trip plans sound like so much fun! The haunted pub crawl sounds especially awesome!!

 

[Stefy]

Ooh sounds like lots of fun, esp the haunted pub crawl

 

[emma212010]

Fun day at DHS! So sad it's your last full day though! BUT your trip in September sounds so fun! Oh, and I LOVE your tank top! That is so cute!

 

[Joyciemc]

Your trip plans sound like so much fun! The haunted pub crawl sounds especially awesome!!

Thanks! I'm really looking forward to this one, now that the details are taken care of!

Ooh sounds like lots of fun, esp the haunted pub crawl

I hope it will be! I'll be sure to share details when I get back.

Fun day at DHS! So sad it's your last full day though! BUT your trip in September sounds so fun! Oh, and I LOVE your tank top! That is so cute!

Thank you, it is a fun shirt! It's really thin, though- almost see through!

 

[Joyciemc]

Once the bus pulled into the Old Key West driveway, we were very excited to catch our first glimpse of this resort. Having never stayed at one of the bigger resorts with multiple bus stops, for some reason we just assumed the first stop would be at the lobby (we made this mistake at Saratoga Springs, too… when will we learn?). When we got off the bus, we realized that we weren’t exactly where we wanted to be. But it was a very nice day, and the walk didn’t look long- we could see the Hospitality House area from where we were standing. It also gave us the chance to take in the gorgeous resort. Seriously, how pretty is this?

When we finally arrived at the desk to check in, a very nice CM welcomed us home. When he learned we were only staying one night he said, “That’s no fun!” And I had to agree- I was really wishing we were just starting our week, not ending it!
We got our room assignment and asked how long the walk was. Because we wanted to see more of the place, Ben and I decided to walk it. But we’d need to fuel up so we’d have the strength!

The Gurgling Suitcase is a fun little (it is tiny) bar near the pool. Very inviting and cozy. We each got a specialty cocktail called a Turtle Crawl to drink on our way to our room.

These were very yummy!

The walk wasn’t bad, but we did start to get pretty hot by the time we made it to our building. We were staying on Old Turtle Pond Road, just across from the bus stop. Ben and I couldn’t get over how much it felt like we were in a suburban town, not a resort. I don’t mean that in a bad way; it was very relaxing and felt like a whole new side of Disney.
We found our room and I took a ton of pictures while Ben called bell services to check on our bags.

It was very nice, but obviously not as new as Kidani (duh), which was most obvious in the kitchenette. The fridge was a little dingy, as were the cabinets. Not bad, just couldn’t compare to the super newness of Kidani! Ben found out that our luggage wasn’t there yet, but they would deliver it when it showed up. So we figured we’d walk over to check out the quiet pool near us. As we left the room, I took some pictures and we heard a phone ringing…

The quiet pool wasn’t all that close, and by the time we got over there, we were hot! We scoped out the Turtle Shack Snack Bar and were very disappointed in their drink selections. If we liked Bud Light, we’d have been all set… but we don’t. So we just turned right around and walked all the way to the Hospitality House. Which was really stupid, but we still didn’t understand the bus stops. Our only point for going over there was to get another round of Turtle Crawls!

Once we were back at our room, the bags still had not shown up, but we had a message… that phone ringing had been ours, telling us our bags could be dropped off as soon as we called them to say we were in the room. So when Ben called, the bags hadn’t arrived at OKW, but 2 minutes later when we left the room they were there. Who thinks the guy Ben talked to just didn’t bother to look until after he hung up the phone?
After we called back, we just laid around waiting. We watched a show about roller coasters which was actually very interesting! But I still managed to fall asleep.
The bags appeared before too long, and we were able to get ready to the Magic Kingdom. We got the bus at the stop near our room, and finally learned the route the buses take around the resort!

 

[alliebelle3]

Great update! The grounds at OKW look beautiful and the rooms look pretty spacious. How was the bus service? I know you were only there one night, but is the bus service as bad as I hear?

 

[Shannon84]

Your fall trips sounds like so much fun...from my experience you have picked some wonderful cities to visit I think Savannah is so beautiful and fun to visit!!


Old Key West looks like a beautiful resort and those Turtle Crawls look yummy

 

[annmarieda]

It looks beautiful there...even if it is older. Great update!!

 

[klacey1]

OKW is beautiful! Haha, I was SO happy that we got upgraded to a preferred room when we stayed at POR-- we were close to the main bus stop and never had to walk any where else. I was thrilled-- I KNOW I'd find the multiple stops confusing!!

 

[khertz]

OKW looks beautiful! I haven't visited a lot of the resorts, and OKW is not one that seems to be as popular, so I've never seen pics of it. Absolutely gorgeous! Too bad you only got to enjoy it for 1 night.

The plans for your anniversary trip sound amazing! What a great way to experience Disney without being in WDW.

 

[Joyciemc]

Great update! The grounds at OKW look beautiful and the rooms look pretty spacious. How was the bus service? I know you were only there one night, but is the bus service as bad as I hear?

It really is a lovely resort. The bus service wasn't bad for us... though the place is so huge, I could see it being a problem depending on where you are staying. The Turtle Pond bus stop was where we were, then it would stop at a few places (Hospitality House last) then head out to the park. On the way back, it did the opposite. It took us a bit to get accustomed to, but it wasn't bad... and we never had a long wait for an OKW bus from the parks.

However, Ben and I did agree that we would be most likely to stay here again if we had a car with us.

Your fall trips sounds like so much fun...from my experience you have picked some wonderful cities to visit I think Savannah is so beautiful and fun to visit!!

Old Key West looks like a beautiful resort and those Turtle Crawls look yummy

OKW felt like a different kind of vacation, I'd like to stay there again sometime when I had more time to relax.

It looks beautiful there...even if it is older. Great update!!

It is beautiful!

OKW is beautiful! Haha, I was SO happy that we got upgraded to a preferred room when we stayed at POR-- we were close to the main bus stop and never had to walk any where else. I was thrilled-- I KNOW I'd find the multiple stops confusing!!

Yeah, I'm not cut out for that kind of resort... I like to be able to see and use the lobby on my way in/out of the hotel. But if we had a car, we'd be fine there.

OKW looks beautiful! I haven't visited a lot of the resorts, and OKW is not one that seems to be as popular, so I've never seen pics of it. Absolutely gorgeous! Too bad you only got to enjoy it for 1 night.

The plans for your anniversary trip sound amazing! What a great way to experience Disney without being in WDW.

I knew nothing about OKW before getting there, and was really impressed by it. I really really wish we had been there longer!

 

[ronnmel]

I didn't know the rooms at OKW looked so pretty! I'm usually not a fan of the room decorations at deluxe resorts (aside from AKL), but I could definitely see myself staying at OKW!

 

[SOUTHERNtinkerBELLE]

OKW looks really nice! It actually looks a little more current than what I had imagined. I'm glad to hear the only dated things were the fridge and the cabinets.

 

[AKL LOVER]

Love the rooms at OKW--they are so big!!

I'm so glad you guys decided to go to Savannah! You are going to love it. Do a walking tour of all the squares--there is so much history there. Or you could do a carriage tour for that. We've done both and they were equally good. You can also visit the square where they filmed the bench scenes of Forest Gump. The traffic in that square actually runs in the opposite direction than it did in the movie. Kind of bizarre--Not sure why they changed the flow of traffic for the movie. The shops and bars on the riverfront are a blast--and they have fabulous during the day and happy hour prices!! Love that open container law We've been to both Old Forte Jackson and Fort Pulaski--they are both are short drives from the historic district and very cool places to visit if you are into history. Oh and there are a ton of old cemeteries that you can visit that have a lot of history and ghost stories linked to them--including Bonaventure which was in the movie Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. Speaking of that movie, there's also a mansion in the city used in that film. If you do one of the city's ghost tours they talk about several people that are buried at the cemeteries, so you can visit their graves. As you can see, I really love visiting that city. We've been several times!

OK, done taking over your thread with talk of Savannah--now back to your regularly scheduled Disney trip update!!

 

[Stefy]

OKW is a beautiful resort, very classic looking

 

[Joyciemc]

I didn't know the rooms at OKW looked so pretty! I'm usually not a fan of the room decorations at deluxe resorts (aside from AKL), but I could definitely see myself staying at OKW!

The rooms were very pretty. And we had a cute balcony- I took a picture of the view, but not the balcony, oops...

OKW looks really nice! It actually looks a little more current than what I had imagined. I'm glad to hear the only dated things were the fridge and the cabinets.

From what I understand the rooms have been renovated recently. But it didn't seem like the renovation extended to the kitchenette.

Love the rooms at OKW--they are so
big!!

I'm so glad you guys decided to go to Savannah! You are going to love it. Do a walking tour of all the squares--there is so much history there. Or you could do a carriage tour for that. We've done both and they were equally good. You can also visit the square where they filmed the bench scenes of Forest Gump. The traffic in that square actually runs in the opposite direction than it did in the movie. Kind of bizarre--Not sure why they changed the flow of traffic for the movie. The shops and bars on the riverfront are a blast--and they have fabulous during the day and happy hour prices!! Love that open container law We've been to both Old Forte Jackson and Fort Pulaski--they are both are short drives from the historic district and very cool places to visit if you are into history. Oh and there are a ton of old cemeteries that you can visit that have a lot of history and ghost stories linked to them--including Bonaventure which was in the movie Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. Speaking of that movie, there's also a mansion in the city used in that film. If you do one of the city's ghost tours they talk about several people that are buried at the cemeteries, so you can visit their graves. As you can see, I really love visiting that city. We've been several times!

OK, done taking over your thread with talk of Savannah--now back to your regularly scheduled Disney trip update!!

THANK YOU for your Savannah info! We are so looking forward to it and love hearing from people who have visited there.

OKW is a beautiful resort, very classic looking

It is! There is a very comfortable vacation-y vibe going on there, too

 

[Joyciemc]

Here's a shortish update to finish up Day 8!

We had planned on heading to the Magic Kingdom a lot earlier, but between the confusion about our bags and me falling asleep… we headed over a bit late. We had planned to eat lunch at Olivia’s at OKW, but at some point that idea got scrapped. So when we got to MK, we needed food before anything else.

Dinner was Pecos Bill’s for some burgers and a generous trip to the fixin’s bar. The food is pretty yummy here, but those gross whole wheat buns keep showing up everywhere we try to eat. They are annoying!
After dinner, we were very happy to see the Liberty Belle operating! It was on our list of first-time things to do, but then scheduled for refurb. I hadn’t realized we would still be at WDW when it opened back up. We climbed aboard and enjoyed our cruise.

I love how remote and wilderness-ish this is! It is hard to believe you are still in the MK over here!

We were so excited to find a ‘secret’ room on the boat! Remember this picture from waaaaaay back at the beginning of this TR?

Ben got a picture there, too

We also rode Jungle Cruise again, even though there was a bit of a wait. Ben chatted a bit with a kid in line who guessed that Ben was a wrestler. The ears give it away every time!
We took pictures in line, mostly of stuff that seemed interested but then turned out not to be…
But there is one of us:

We had a great skipper again this time, and it was a very fun ride!

By this point, I was really hankering for one of my traditional MK treats: a hot fudge sundae in a waffle bowl. These things are sooooo good… the fudge melts the ice cream and turns the waffle bowl into a delicious gooey mess. I love them!
Because it was getting near to Electrical Parade time, there was quite a wait at the ice cream parlor, but I insisted we wait! The line moves fairly quickly here, and it didn’t take too long. We did have time for another ‘Chris from Orlando’ sighting, though

I know it’s blurry, we were trying to be sneaky. When we got our receipt, we saw that this CM’s name was not Chris- despite what the name tag said.
Once we had our ice creams, we walked down to the side street where the music lesson window is. It was so completely quiet over here, with the hectic craziness of the parade just a short distance away. It was a great way to spend some time.

We did get to see quite a bit of the parade, too!

While we were over here, we watched the balloon vendors go off stage when the parade was beginning, and then come back once it had ended. When one of the CMs stopped to sell to a guest, a balloon got loose. Because they are weighted, it didn’t float away, just sorta stayed there. A family walked by (strollers would go all the way down the street where we were to use the ramp off the curb) and the dad picked up the balloon. Then he saw us and kind of chuckled and let it go again. But the mom was right behind and she scooped it up for real. She saw us and asked if we thought she’d get arrested. Ben answered that probably not, but it wasn’t paid for so it was still wrong. I don’t know if she heard, but I hope maybe her kids did. Stealing a $10 balloon is not huge, but it annoyed me that it did not even occur to her to realize that this just got loose from the CM standing just a few feet away and was not just placed there for her to find. I bet the CM (who was busy selling this whole time- I had no idea how many balloons people buy!) would have just told her to keep it anyway.

After our ice cream break, we realized that we had not seen Philharmagic yet this trip! So that is where we headed next.

This is one of our favorite attractions, and Ben really enjoys it since he got Lasik surgery. The 3D effects where pretty much lost on him before. Once we were done here, the park was closed and we headed out. It didn’t take long for a OKW bus to appear, and very few people were waiting. What a nice change!

 

[ronnmel]

Once we had our ice creams, we walked down to the side street where the music lesson window is. It was so completely quiet over here, with the hectic craziness of the parade just a short distance away. It was a great way to spend some time.

I love this picture! It's crazy the contrast between how busy the street is for the parade, and how quiet your little corner is.

I get so frustrated when I see parents doing bad things (even if it's something small like this) in front of their children, setting bad examples.