I had a BLT for Thanksgiving with a little Holiday & Birthday Cheer:NEW END & new PTR

[mousescrapper]

10 days, 6-8 people, 2 resorts, 2 Birthdays, lot's of Photopass Pictures, some Princesses and a Pirate and LOTS and LOTS of lights, pixiedust and Holiday Magic....

Dates: Friday November 19th -Sunday 28th

This will be a slightly different kind of report...vs going through each day: we were there for 10 and going over each moment of the trip, I plan to give you the highlights (good and bad).

So without further delay...let's start this latest Mouse Scrapper Family Trip Report....

The CAST:

So who am I?

Mouse Scrapper, Scrappie, Julie...I am a Disney fanatic and lover...This was my 8th trip to WDW and the 4th w/ my husband and children. I love to plan, go and experience all things Disney. At home I stay at home w/ my 4 children, work as a lunch room supervisor and volunteer at my childrens' schools and at our church.

DH: Matt enjoyed his time, taking lots of pictures and hanging out w/ the girls in the pool, loved his night out alone "his 60 minute MK experience" and was glad his parents shared some time w/ us.

My husband's Parents: the trip was a bit more strenuous on them than either Matt or I expecteted...they say they had a good time though


The kids:

Nathan 11 1/2 had a ton of fun pin trading, some great new firsts and overcame some challanges as he tours Disney w/ Aspergers and ADHD

Rebekah 11 1/2 enjoyed staying up late, talking w/ the characters and riding BTMRR 3 times...but she also had to overcome some challanges this trip.

Rachel a new 8 celebrated her birthday while we were there, loved meeting Jasmine and Alice. Had the most fun at BBB and loved going in the pool.

Naomi-Ruth a new 4 celebrated her birthday too, hated BBB, had some moments of pure "I'm 4" but she had the most fun of all


Up NEXT: getting there and where we stayed....
thanks for reading,

J-​

 

[mousescrapper]

post # 12 Our arrival and POP!

Post # 32 I see it, I see BLT: arriving at our "home"

Post # 41 Living it up at BLT: making ourselves at home, special touches, more of the luggage saga and a blow-up...

Post # 52 More about BLT: pool, taking the boat and more...

Post # 53 The Monorail

Post # 66 Viva Las Veags a mini TR 12-15-10 part 1 of 2

Post # 67 more Vegas baby...part 2 of 2 mini Veags TR

Post # 78 Dismeets: 2-week Safari & the 2 Rachels

Post # 91 What did we get...our souvenir piles

Post #100 Our Disney Thanksgiving (extra pix's in next post too)

Post # 102 A HDDR Angel...

Post #112 Happy Holidays

Post # 123 Happy New Year (my yr in review)

Post # 137 The best EVER sandwich...

Post # 154 Cupcakes for Breakfast

Post # 155 It's tough being a Princess

Post # 156 More Princesses....

Post # 173 Dining like Royalty...CRT

Post # 190 Turning 8 down the Rabbit hole...Rachel's b-day part 1 of 3

Post #191 Rachel's b-day Part 2 of 3

Post 192 Rachel's b-day Part 3 of 3

Post # 209 MK fun

Post # 210 More MK... little things & lines

Post # 211 More MK... Pirates pg 15

Post # 212 More MK.. IASW, Peoplemover & firsts

Post # 213 More MK... Toontown and Faries

Post # 214 More MK... Night time thrills

Post # 215 More MK... Wishes

Post # 243 Talking about Food Part 1 (Pop food ct, Seasons, CHH, FTBBQ, MSICP)

Post # 256 More Food part 2

Post #258 and 3 (Studio Cat Co,Contempo Cafe, EU, PVH, Liberty Inn)

Post # 266 EPIC EPCOT POSTLet’s get started… 1 of 7

Post # 267 EEP World Showcase and Storytellers 2 of 7

Post # 267 EEP some new things 3 of 7

Post # 277 EEP the little things-details part 4 of 7

Post # 279 EEP Shows-Entertainment part 5 of 7

Post 280 EEP Characters and my Fav pix part 6 of 7

Post 286 Last Epic Epcot post...in the dark part 7 of 7

Post # 295 AK experience

Post # 296 more AK

Post # 297 more AK

Post # 307 Our DHS experience...

Post # 308 more of DHS

Post # 322 One last story...a magical moment

Post # 335 Saying good-bye..THE END (and a new PTR)

 

[DisMomAmy]

First? Now I have to go read!!

 

[meredy338]

Wow! Never made a first page before!!! Can't wait to read along. Leaving for BWV and BLT tomorrow!

 

[disney<333]

I'm here!!

 

[MaryAz]

Whoo Hooo, first page!! Can't wait to read all about it!!

 

[Charleston Princess]

I'm here!!! Lovely pictures of the family, Julie!

 

[WelovMickey!]

I'll be here reading! Can't wait to hear more.

 

[mousescrapper]

First? Now I have to go read!!

how do you do that? ...have you been practically first on every report of mine

Wow! Never made a first page before!!! Can't wait to read along. Leaving for BWV and BLT tomorrow!

Welcome along....you will LOVE BLT!!!! I have tons of pix to share...have a great trip

I'm here!!

Hi Barbara...missed meeting you guys...but can't wait till Jan!

Whoo Hooo, first page!! Can't wait to read all about it!!

isn't it a thrill to make first page

I'm here!!! Lovely pictures of the family, Julie!

thanks Jackie...I wanted to do pix like your intro's but forgot to dup pix of each us...but these fit our trip

I'll be here reading! Can't wait to hear more.

Hi and Welcome....I am uploading the other 150+ pix to photobucket now...hope to get another post up before heading into a snowy Chicago for the night

J~

 

[Native NYer]

I'm here!
The photos are adorable.
Can't wait to read all about your trip.

 

[jillyb]

I'm here!!!! Can't wait to hear about your trip!!

(Everytime we passed BLT I thought of ya'll )

 

[mousescrapper]

Heading out on a chilly Nov morning…was pretty easy. It was cold standing in line to check our bags at Midway Airport, but once again very easy. The security line was long and hectic! We even saw Matt’s parents in the line a few rows over from us…it seemed crowded but not horrible. I brought breakfast from home for the kids and we spent an alarming amount on drinks…just under $14.00

Mickey and Minnie were excited when our plane arrived at the gate…they were ready to go home too.

Boarding was a bit frazzled as I tried to take the girls to the washroom one more time and Matt was waiting w/ Nathan to board, when we got back. I was last in line for family boarding, but because Matt boarded first w/ Nathan, he saved us our 6 seats. It worked out pretty well.

The plane left promptly for Orlando at 8:20 am (CTS)!

Now do you recall at the end of my PTR, how I was sick…well now I know why they say don’t fly sick especially w/ head cold issues. I have never experienced such ear pain before…and my head was clogged for almost the whole trip…it was horrible. My left ear is still all messed up and of course I’m getting back on a plane in 6 days for a trip to Vegas…oh well

Also I did something on a plane I have never done before…now don’t go there…this is a family report….I put contacts in. Good thing we didn’t hit turbulence.

Plus the major highlight (sorry no pix)…guess what we saw coming into Orlando?

The EPCOT globe!!! It was pretty cool; I haven’t seen it since 1998.

We arrived to MCO a little early

on the minnie-monorail


and took our time making it down to the DME check-in, after using the restrooms and several of us changing into shorts and taking off long sleeves. Once organized we were on our way. We didn’t have to go through the check-in line, just straight through w/ our booklet being scanned. We boarded a very full bus. Matt’s parents seemed a bit disorientated…so I am not sure if I explained this process clearly or not.


Here is Naomi-Ruth happy to be on our way to Disney

We had a great bus driver too….he was asking if people were excited…apparently I was the only one. He also asked if anyone was celebrating birthdays. And I said we have two…he led an applause for the girls.



We arrived at POP,

the twins were born in the 90's

I played w/ lot's of these toys from the 80's

w/ no issues and were able to get rooms ready right away!!! We had connecting rooms and Matt’s Parents (MP’s) were just 2 away. The girls got their Birthday pins:

Here is one of our room numbers:

And this little fellow was waiting in the window:

We were in the 70’s section….Disco Baby!

At first Matt was like why did we get three rooms? Why didn’t the MP’s just bunk w/ us for one night….I was like they don’t want to be squashed w/ us…and anyways…they napped most of the afternoon and didn’t head out w/ us to MK the next morning…so it would have been rough if we shared…I knew what I was doing….ugh!

After getting organized, our 6 plus my FIL headed to the food court for lunch. We were hungry! The kids wanted to check out some of the stuff just below our room, like this Twister court:

And this would be one of several occasions where Naomi-Ruth would “disappear”…she left the room and went after them…Matt and I clueless. It was a bit of a scare…but she didn’t think she was lost.

Now on my lists of things to buy were those plastic Mickey straws…which I saw here, but chose to wait on….remember this for later….way later…..

After eating we looked around in the gift shop, it was a nice place. Rachel was insistent on getting a new plush….but I said no…we have way too many!!! Nathan was already going crazy over the pins, and had to be told many more times through the trip…just relax. You don’t want to spend all your money on pins.

Here is Matt having a rootin tootin time:

Next up was swimming

We stopped for a few pictures and a pout:

We first went to the hippy dippy pool.

And here are my pretty toes…do you approve Missy?

But then well something got in the pool….so we headed into the 1950’s section to the other pool

Bekah had just finished a unit on the dangers of smoking in Health and thought this looked like a cigarette box

….but Nathan and Bekah were bored, or moody, or just something…not in the Disney mood at all. But the little girls, especially Naomi-Ruth had a blast!

Now once that sun starting setting behind the buildings…it was a bit chilly. I also noticed a few decorated windows…Disers maybe?

I should talk about our luggage before moving on to Day 2 and our second resort….

I had wanted just one bag to be delivered to the room on the first day…as we really didn’t need everything for just 1 day/night…but this proved to be a huge headache….


Lesson 1) learned this trip…don’t mess w/ the Disney Luggage Service.


While we were at the pool, the bags arrived from the airport…and apparently the Value resorts get theirs last in the line…we have never waited more than 2 hrs upon arriving at the hotel for our bags it was almost 5….but they delivered everything up to the MP’s room…and they were napping. My FIL said we didn’t want everything…so they took it all back…even though when I acquired at Bell services they said it was all in our room. Which it was not. Then Matt called Bell Services and the poor guy brought it all back up. I should have just kept it all….more on that later.

Let’s recap our quick experience at POP!


I have stayed at value twice in my Disney vacationing career….once as a young married couple w/ friends (As Sports) and now this time w/ the kids.

Value is not my thing…not because I’m a snob. But we need our space…and I think the buses would grow weary on us. For what you pay the value is GREAT! Fun themes, lots to see and “do” for young and old. The food court was very spacious and nice offerings…didn’t think the food was blah (will talk more about food/dining later in the TR)…the gift shop was very nice too. So overall great for 1-night!

I thought everything was very well done and would recommend it or stay for just a quick overnight if the opportunity arose again.

Resort switching was fairly easy…but like I said before don’t mess w/ the system and you’ll understand why in my next update….plus I feel this added to some unneeded stress at the beginning of our trip…I why we didn’t quite feel the groove till Day 3.


Thanks for reading,

Up NEXT: our overall experience and LOTS of pictures of Bay Lake Tower….

Did we love it?

What didn’t we like?

How was our view?

Did we make the right decision buying into DVC?

Did I actually eat a BLT?

J~​

 

[disney<333]

Great update! Looks like the kids had a great time in the pool. I'm sure you must of loved waking up to cold Chicago weather and then being in a warm pool just a few hours later.
I think I might try POP one day for a quick weekend. When Disney releases those rates of $54 a night, it's hard to say no.

 

[GoofTroop]

Looking forward to your TR.

I'm in the far south suburbs of Chicago.....I have 4 children (3 boys, 1 girl). All 3 boys are on the spectrum (2, ages 17 and 5 are HFA. My 10 year old falls more into the moderate part of the spectrum).

Elizabeth

 

[WelovMickey!]

Great first day! I am just jumping inside wanting to know about your first experience at BLT. I know you LOVED it! We had our first time at BLT in Dec. 2009. It was fabulous! Not much to complain about. A light and the blinds quit working but maintenance was quick and so nice when they came. So actually nothing to complain about! We had a standard view and at night we were able to lay in bed and watch the fireworks! We get to go home in September!!

 

[stich626]

mmmmmm A blt sounds good right now. loving the trip so far.

 

[KathyRN137]

Yay! You've started!

I loved that you decided to start out nice and easy with some R&R at the pool(s). And good job staying strong on the pins and plushies! Way too much trip ahead of you to start buying souvies just yet!

So sorry your ears got messed up... hope they're better for Vegas (Baby!)


Kathy

 

[MRYPPNS]

Great start Scrappie...I really like the style of this report!

I'm sure that you explained ME fine to your in-laws....I bet they weren't prepared for how quickly you go from being on a plane to being on the bus headed for the resort.

I'm with you on the Value resorts...I think they'll good for a max of maybe a family of 2 adults and one grade school aged child. But POP does have one of the best food courts!

 

[thegreggersmom]

Great start -- and cute family! I am anxious to hear about your BLT experience with kids. We'll be there next fall.

 

[irish dancer]

I'm here! Glad I didn't miss too much!

Looks like a good first day. It always takes us a day or two to get in the groove, I think the kids just need time to adjust to the new surroundings and pace of WDW.

Good for you on staying strong on the souvies. We instituted a rule a few trips back that nothing is bought until we have been to each park once which is usually a good part of the way through the whole trip. That way they can see what is available everywhere before they spend 'their' money.

Can't wait to hear all about BLT. Someday I hope to stay there.