Inching My Way Closer to the Castle Final thoughts/future trips 4/2p90 The End 4/4p92

[MEK]

I have to admit part of me is a little sad about switching from the Swolphin. But. And it's a big BUT, given that I'm on a red eye, DME is a humongous plus. In my bleary eyed state, finding a different shuttle spot to depart from makes me cringe just thinking about it. Now really though...the swan at least looks like a swan, I must say. The Dolphin though...really isn't, it's actually a Mahi Mahi or Dolphin fish! And it's a rather ugly fish if you ask me. Those beds are Heavenly, I'll give them that, and rolling the luggage down to move to the BC did sounds kind of fun but I love saving money even more. I am uber excited to eat at bluezoo though...and have a blood orange martini! Or something equally as exotic. Steak huh? Who knew!

Yeah - me too! But I wasn't too crazy about the whole Mears shuttle thing.
But I know I will have another opportunity to stay there and eating there really makes up for it! And I do love to save $. I always translate it into how many drinks I can buy with the $ I saved. And it would be awesome if Jen could drop us and our luggage off to get checked in. But I am OK with the regular transfer method.

Mahi Mahi! No wonder I get confused!

Bluezoo should be great. And I am all for a blood orange martini.

I

I am excited to stay at POR, I really hope we get the mansions. I'm looking forward to beignets and that boat to dinner, that will be a blast! And maybe a little yehaw! All never dones!

I hope you like POR. I really think you will be pleasantly surprised. At least, I hope you will be. I just think the landscaping there is great and I do love the mansion section.

I promise you biegnets on arrival and I think the plan to go to DTD for dinner is great. And if we can catch a little Bob on the way home, even better. But this time I want my picture taken with him.

Reminds me, we should check out restaurant.com on coupons....maybe I'll do that today since I'm getting nothing else done. I actually took a sick day. I NEVER take sick days (unless it's to actually watch the kids lol) but just felt marginal at best and SO not into it so...there you go. It would be one thing if I was actually playing with the kids, it's they have break (all week) but instead I'm sitting here doing nothing useful.

Yes - we should get the Bluezoo coupon when its the $2.00 special.

I hope today was restful for you. I hope you are feeling better.

I really need a vacation!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! A real one. And I really need a couples only one. Pathetic when you take your sick day and look at potential trips the entire day. Of course nothing really pencils out...and I think that's what's making me sick!

That and the giant crate that is arriving on Friday...aka the plane. My DVC in a box. Sigh. Even though it's Jeff's deal, I think I'm a little stressed about it.

I digress. But it does explain the bazillion emails you all got from me today.

I have been known to spend hours looking at vacation options as well. I spent hours looking at cruises and hours looking at a quick ski trip. So much wasted time because nothing panned out.

I think Denny definitely needs a vacation, so I am back to the drawing board trying to figure out what we can do together (or with Nick).

I hope you guys are able to work up a nice couples trip!

DVC in a box! And one that flies, too! Self transporting DVC!

I was bad with the emails today too because my student was in the OR so I had some breathing room.

CONGRATS on your new contract!!!!!!!! Sending pixie dust that it flies through ROFR.

Thanks for the good wishes of plenty of pixie dust. I need it!

I've never taken the boat all the way from one to the other either. Boat to and from DHS to YC. I don't think we ever took the boat to Epcot, we always walked.

Denny and I took the boat once from Epcot to HS. That was our grand 3 park day. We had been up early to MK, then to HS, then we decided to walk to Epcot to see the Candlelight Processional. When it ended and we started to leave I realized I had completely hit the wall and walking back to our car at HS was completely out of the question - hence the boat.

 

[MEK]

I like your "non-dolphins"! I remember shortly after that place opened and seeing those and thinking, "What the heck? Those aren't dolphins!!" My dad always said it looked more like a Carp.

Mahi - mahi? Carp? You're right - it just looks like a super generic fish. So much so that I rarely notice it. Hence, my inability to figure out which building it which?

Congratulations on your new DVC contract, hope it works out for you!

Thanks! I really hope its passes ROFR. Our first contract didn't and that was so disappointing. But if it doesn't, then it wasn't meant to be. Of course, with our first contract it was much easier to select a new one. With an add-on the options are much more limited.

I Love those balloon pics that you took.

Thanks! I love taking balloon shots. You can never have too many!

Fabulous photo boat tour! I do admit, I enjoy staying at the Swolphin (Swan, in particular). The Epcot resort area as a whole is gorgeous, I'm so happy to see it here! Makes me want to go back this minute.

Well I know you are an Epcot resort gal. I really would like to try the Swolphin. I enjoy hearing from people who love those resorts. They are definitely on my must try list. I am really looking forward to dinner there and walking over from the BC and exploring in May.

I have some more boat tour pictures coming up!

Also, I adore that Queen of Hearts doll.

I have to say, I was never really a fan of the Queen of Hearts until this trip. That doll is pretty cute. Very different. I know Jen Loves her.

 

[Wonders10]

Hello Ladies!

i can't remember if I have posted on your TR, but I am seriously loving it! Sad its coming to an end.

And because I am in one of those moods, pictures of a dolphinfish and a picture from the Dolphin hotel:

I can sort of see the resemblance, but still think it was a stupid name for the hotel since many people don't know there is a dolphin and a dolphin fish. Can't wait to see how the rest of your trip turned out!

 

[MEK]

Hello Ladies!

i can't remember if I have posted on your TR, but I am seriously loving it! Sad its coming to an end.

And because I am in one of those moods, pictures of a dolphinfish and a picture from the Dolphin hotel:

I can sort of see the resemblance, but still think it was a stupid name for the hotel since many people don't know there is a dolphin and a dolphin fish. Can't wait to see how the rest of your trip turned out!

Wonders 10! OMG - Thank you for posting those pictures! They are Perfect! That is one scary looking fish! Did you catch that????? Nice job! I think I would have been afraid to touch it. If I saw that thing come out of the water I would probably drop the reel and run.

So glad you have been following our TR. It's been a lot of fun writing it. And we're not done yet, so stay tuned!

 

[Wicket's Mom]

As usual I love your photos. I do love that boat ride, we always take it from DHS to the Boardwalk & Epcot.

I haven't heard of the Bluezoo. Where is it located?

 

[MEK]

As usual I love your photos. I do love that boat ride, we always take it from DHS to the Boardwalk & Epcot.

Thanks! That boat ride was a lot of fun. I really enjoyed it and I am glad we decided to take the ride over to Epcot.

I haven't heard of the Bluezoo. Where is it located?

This is terrible to admit - but I don't know whether it is in the Swan or the Dolphin. Let me go check...........

..............OK - Just checked and its actual in the Dolphin. Here's the website incase you're interested. It supposed to be really, really good!

http://www.swandolphinrestaurants.com/bluezoo/

 

[glennbo123]

Just read your post on the add-on -- Congrats! Will you be able to close before the DVC changes regarding resale take effect?

 

[eandesmom]

But I know I will have another opportunity to stay there and eating there really makes up for it! And I do love to save $. I always translate it into how many drinks I can buy with the $ I saved. And it would be awesome if Jen could drop us and our luggage off to get checked in. But I am OK with the regular transfer method.

exactly! I figure that change bought us each at least one blood orange martini, or burnt orange cocktail or whatever it's called.

I hope you like POR. I really think you will be pleasantly surprised. At least, I hope you will be. I just think the landscaping there is great and I do love the mansion section.

I promise you biegnets on arrival and I think the plan to go to DTD for dinner is great. And if we can catch a little Bob on the way home, even better. But this time I want my picture taken with him.

It's all good, however it works out! I'm excited to stay there. We'd never do it on a family trip due to the double beds, so it's perfect!

Yes - we should get the Bluezoo coupon when its the $2.00 special.

Christine might already have one so is going to check

I hope today was restful for you. I hope you are feeling better.
I have been known to spend hours looking at vacation options as well. I spent hours looking at cruises and hours looking at a quick ski trip. So much wasted time because nothing panned out.

I think Denny definitely needs a vacation, so I am back to the drawing board trying to figure out what we can do together (or with Nick).

I hope you guys are able to work up a nice couples trip!

Well the kids had something last week they were fighting off and that's likely it. Usually when they are sick I don't even take the sick day, just work from home. Today I just didn't want to work or do anything and felt a little feverish, just kind of woozy and crabby for no reason. HOpefully I'll snap out of it, it's rather unbecoming lol. Actually what I REALLY hope is it dumps a ton of snow tonight so I "have" to stay home tomorrow too.

Not that I got anything done today other than being depressed about tring really hard to plan a couples trip and nothing really panning out that's reasonable.

We are long overdue.

DVC in a box! And one that flies, too! Self transporting DVC!

Except he has to BUILD the thing in the box first. And frankly, flying it all the way to Orlando freaks me out a little, that's a lot of hopping! But realistically we are looking at 2 years to build it he thinks.

 

[Mndisneygirl]

Woohoo for your new contract!!!

to help you pass ROFR!!!

we've been constantly eyeing the DVC resale deals too. There were a couple great small ones for OKW and SSR but you would have to jump on those fast, they were gone in a flash!!
I'm not in a position to buy again for a while, but you never know, I could scrounge up a little $$ if the perfect deal came around! John from the podcast thinks that the resale market will get even better after March 21 when the new rules for resale usage go into effect. I can't remember the specifics, but his logic sounded good to me! Hope he's right!

 

[glennbo123]

You know what? I entirely missed your "AP Drama" post. Don't know how that happened.

I think Glenn inspired me to dig a little deeper with the photobucket edits, and I really didn't like this picture much, so I changed it....

Well, good! Your pictures, and especially your angles are inspiring to me.

This does not look at all like Oprah Winfrey. I mean, Come on?

If you would have told me it was Katie Couric, I'd have believed it. I'm dead serious. No way does that look like Oprah. Their Michael Landon is spot-on though.

 

[brookelizabeth]

I loved your tour of the boat ride!!! I will be there in less than FOUR days! I agree, the Swolfin resort area is beautiful. I'm not terribly fond of those colors, but with the palm trees and all that there, it just works. Inside they are are stunning resorts!

Congrats on the contract!!!! Do you think you will get to close before March 20?

 

[jenjolt]

WOOT WOOT congrats on the add on MEK!! That is fantastic news!!! I'm so excited for you and Denny!!!! YAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAY!!! Sending lots of pixie dust that you will get through ROFR easily!!!

 

[Native NYer]

Yay!!!! More DVC points!
I hope you pass ROFR.

 

[podsnel]

YAY for more points!!!! I think it will be GREAT to have them for Christmas stays! WOOHOOOOOOO!!! And dinners at Artist's Point! WOO HOOOOOO!!!! It's so exciting, isn't it?

 

[Wonders10]

Wonders 10! OMG - Thank you for posting those pictures! They are Perfect! That is one scary looking fish! Did you catch that????? Nice job! I think I would have been afraid to touch it. If I saw that thing come out of the water I would probably drop the reel and run.

So glad you have been following our TR. It's been a lot of fun writing it. And we're not done yet, so stay tuned!

no not me in that pic! I haven't even gone fishing ever.

 

[All7OfUs]

And because I am in one of those moods, pictures of a dolphinfish and a picture from the Dolphin hotel:

I can sort of see the resemblance, but still think it was a stupid name for the hotel since many people don't know there is a dolphin and a dolphin fish. Can't wait to see how the rest of your trip turned out!

I like your "non-dolphins"! I remember shortly after that place opened and seeing those and thinking, "What the heck? Those aren't dolphins!!" My dad always said it looked more like a Carp.

Congratulations on your new DVC contract, hope it works out for you!

I Love those balloon pics that you too.

I vaguely remember that now from my Lou Mongello books (?), but was just mostly in the mood to give ME some carp crap. Thanks for the pix! I love those little tips and secrets and factoids about the parks and resorts. Who knew they'd use such a confusing set up there?

MEK: HUGE congrats on your DVC buy in! Here's some big wishes of good luck on the ROFR to go through!

 

[podsnel]

I vaguely remember that now from my Lou Mongello books (?), but was just mostly in the mood to give ME some carp crap. Thanks for the pix! I love those little tips and secrets and factoids about the parks and resorts. Who knew they'd use such a confusing set up there?

MEK: HUGE congrats on your DVC buy in! Here's some big wishes of good luck on the ROFR to go through!

Isn't it supposed to be a Chinese or a Japanese interpretation of a dolphin? I think I remember something like that from somewhere...well, that's specific, ellen!

 

[Nermel9]

I love your DHS pics!

The boat tour was fun too, I've never taken a Friendship boat to Epcot, either...or DHS, actually! The Swalphin is so pretty, I sometimes consider staying there since it's so much cheaper than actual Disney deluxes, but I know I'd miss the Disney theming!

 

[MEK]

Woohoo for your new contract!!!

to help you pass ROFR!!!

Thanks! Send me all the pixie dust you have!!!!!

we've been constantly eyeing the DVC resale deals too. There were a couple great small ones for OKW and SSR but you would have to jump on those fast, they were gone in a flash!!
I'm not in a position to buy again for a while, but you never know, I could scrounge up a little $$ if the perfect deal came around! John from the podcast thinks that the resale market will get even better after March 21 when the new rules for resale usage go into effect. I can't remember the specifics, but his logic sounded good to me! Hope he's right!

Well, that's a thought because he probably figures people will drop the prices lower because of the changes. Now the points aren't as "valuable" because they can't be used in all capacities.

I keep thinking that everyone who wants out is selling now and everything is sale pending. But my use year is March so it makes sense for me to buy a contract that has its March points coming, so that factored into my decision.

You know what? I entirely missed your "AP Drama" post. Don't know how that happened.

Yeah - that was some drama. But fortunately it all worked out well and I won't be dealing with any drama in May.

Well, good! Your pictures, and especially your angles are inspiring to me.


.

Well, thanks to you I started to explore all the different photobuckets edits and there are some cool ones I didn't know about before. So thanks!

If you would have told me it was Katie Couric, I'd have believed it. I'm dead serious. No way does that look like Oprah. Their Michael Landon is spot-on though.

Agreed. At the risk of sounding racist, I think the artist was white and they just couldn't break out of the "white mold" and give Oprah some of the facial characteristics that make her unique. They made her look like some generic white woman.

I loved your tour of the boat ride!!! I will be there in less than FOUR days! I agree, the Swolfin resort area is beautiful. I'm not terribly fond of those colors, but with the palm trees and all that there, it just works. Inside they are are stunning resorts!

I am so excited for you!!!!! I wish we were getting to meet you in May, but I am excited that you have such an awesomely long trip coming up.

I can't wait to see the inside of both the resorts! I am going to spend some "quality time" checking them out.

Congrats on the contract!!!! Do you think you will get to close before March 20?

It doesn't have to close by then, it just has to be approved by Disney by then. So I interpret that as meaning passing ROFR. At least that's the way it reads in the contract.

I think it was a good time for me to buy because my use year is March.

WOOT WOOT congrats on the add on MEK!! That is fantastic news!!! I'm so excited for you and Denny!!!! YAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAY!!! Sending lots of pixie dust that you will get through ROFR easily!!!

Thanks Jen! I really hope everything goes smoothly, but if it doesn't then it wasn't meant to be! Thanks for the major pixie dust.

Yay!!!! More DVC points!
I hope you pass ROFR.

Thanks Jen! I hope everything goes well. Thank you for the well wishes!!!!!

YAY for more points!!!! I think it will be GREAT to have them for Christmas stays! WOOHOOOOOOO!!! And dinners at Artist's Point! WOO HOOOOOO!!!! It's so exciting, isn't it?

I always had VWL in the back of my mind as a possibility. I didn't love the decor when I stayed there, but I loved the way the resort was set up. And I loved Ranger Joe.

I would have loved 100 points at AKL but there were NO small March contracts, ever. I have been scanning the TSS for well over a year and there is never anything in my use year, low points, at AKL. In fact, all the small point March contracts are few and fare between and no they are flying off the hook.

Oh and I LOVE Artist Point!

no not me in that pic! I haven't even gone fishing ever.

Psych! Well I was about to be very intimidated by your skills considering I am creeped out by my one experience catching small fish. I couldn't even get a 4 inch fish off the hook to throw it back in.

I vaguely remember that now from my Lou Mongello books (?), but was just mostly in the mood to give ME some carp crap. Thanks for the pix! I love those little tips and secrets and factoids about the parks and resorts. Who knew they'd use such a confusing set up there?

carp crap! I love all those little factoids, too. They are so interesting.

MEK: HUGE congrats on your DVC buy in! Here's some big wishes of good luck on the ROFR to go through!

Thanks! I am very excited for this add-on. I think it will be a perfect amount of points for me. Thanks for the well wishes!!!!

Isn't it supposed to be a Chinese or a Japanese interpretation of a dolphin? I think I remember something like that from somewhere...well, that's specific, ellen!

You guys have me curious now. I think I need to do a little research on this matter!

 

[MEK]

I love your DHS pics!

The boat tour was fun too, I've never taken a Friendship boat to Epcot, either...or DHS, actually! The Swalphin is so pretty, I sometimes consider staying there since it's so much cheaper than actual Disney deluxes, but I know I'd miss the Disney theming!

Yeah - I would miss the Disney perks. And then they tack on all these extra charges and that bothers me. Plus no ME and no dining plan. I don't think I could do it for a whole trip, but I would like to try it for a couple nights!

I do recommend the boat ride. It really gives a nice perspective of the resorts.