January 2009. . . Calling all Snowbirds ~ Part V

[Mndisneygirl]

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!! To all of you smart, beautiful, incredible moms, aunts, guardians, sisters, daughters, wives, girlfriends, fiancees, friends...

Hope you all have a wonderful, relaxing day!

I second that!! You are all awesome! I am having a great one so far! We're off to brunch soon. I already got breakfast in bed, poems and songs!


On an unrelated note - does anyone know how to get the DISradio on an ipod? I've been trying, and just can't get it to work. I might have to venture to another, more technical thread.

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY SNOWBIRDS!!!

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

I've spent the past 2 Mother's Days at Disney. So it is a little sad not being there right now!

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

Okay, so since we are talking about food lately here is a list of all of the TS restaurants we have been to and our opinion!

2005 - We did not do the DDP and only did 3 ADR's. . .

Rainforest Cafe - okay food, slow service, good atmosphere
Crystal Palace breakfast - excellent food, service, atmosphere, & character interaction
Planet Hollywood - good food, okay service, good-but loud atmosphere


2007 - We did the DDP and had 6 ADR's. . .

Garden Grill lunch - poor food, slow service, good atmosphere, good character interaction
Crystal Palace breakfast - excellent everything again!
Coral Reef - okay-to-good food, good service, good atmosphere
Hollywood & Vine dinner - okay food, good service, okay atmosphere
Donald's Restaurantosauras breakfast (no longer available) - good food, good service, good atmosphere, good character interaction
Chef Mickey's dinner - excellent everything!


2008 - We did the DDP and had 7 ADR's. . .

Mama Melrose - good food, slow service, excellent atmosphere
LeCellier - excellent everything!
Ohana breakfast - good food, excellent service, good atmosphere, excellent character interaction
Chef Mickey's dinner - excellent everything!
Cape May breakfast - good food, poor service, good atmosphere, good character interaction
Crystal Palace dinner - excellent everything!
Sci-Fi Dine-In - excellent everything!


2009 - We did the DDP and had 7 ADR's. . .

Chef Mickey's dinner - everything was good, not as great as the previous 2 visits, but it could just be that I am getting a little tired of the place!
1900 Park Fare dinner - okay food, good service, good atmosphere, excellent character interaction
Mama Melrose dinner - okay food, good service, good atmosphere
Tusker House breakfast - good food, slow service, good atmosphere, good character interaction
Plaza Restaurant - good food, slow service, good atmosphere
Big River Grille - excellent everything!
LeCellier - excellent everything!

 

[Mndisneygirl]

On an unrelated note - does anyone know how to get the DISradio on an ipod? I've been trying, and just can't get it to work. I might have to venture to another, more technical thread.

Never mind. I found my answer! Yay! Now I can listen all the time and when I get my iphone in July, we can listen in the car! All Disney, All the Time!

 

[Disney Mommy 3]

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!!! I hope your days are filled with love and blessings! I wish I could give every one of you a great BIG HUG!!!!

Our pastor spoke this morning about the importance of mothers--not just Biblical moms, but even throughout History. Don't forget that we do have the most important job & it's awesome to be able to be wives and mothers!!! So, I salute you all today!!!!

 

[BellaSoleil]

Hi girls! Happy Mother's Day! I'm having a great day with my family. G took me to McDonalds for lunch (at my request...sounded good at the time) and Tinkerbell has been asleep for an hour. I planted flowers with my mom and now I'm enjoying the air conditioning. Just me and my man hanging out!:


Okay, so here's my question. I'm thinking of booking AKL for this trip. What do you think about booking it with a two year old... my only real concern in transportation.

Also, I would be booking it with the hopes that a great discount would come out. If it doesn't, could I switch to POP or a mod? Isn't it only after a certain ammount of time that you get charged to downgrade?

Hope this makes sense.

 

[drakes]

Happy Mothers Day!

I had a great day and was spoiled..

I finally got my wii fit that I have been asking for since thanksgiving! I also got a pretty pink ipod! My dd was sick of me taking hers.
My mom, sister and our children all got together for brunch and then a movie (monsters vs aliens- cute but it was not disney)

I did get a surprise, we may be having 2 trips in 2010.
This means I would plan a value for Jan 2010 and then hope for a deluxe in oct 2010! If not Oct 2010 then definitely Jan 2011. I suggested bump it up to Oct simply to try the world at a different time of year! And I promised the next time I went to WDW it would be for halloween!So I broke that promise so now I need to pay the penalty.

I was reading the POP FAQ and do like the feedback about the buses! As some may know I was tossing the idea of CBR ( dd wants a water slide) but to me it may not be worth it for the 2 of us to have a place to sleep.

Anyhow! I'm off to do wii fit!

 

[drakes]

Hi girls! Happy Mother's Day! I'm having a great day with my family. G took me to McDonalds for lunch (at my request...sounded good at the time) and Tinkerbell has been asleep for an hour. I planted flowers with my mom and now I'm enjoying the air conditioning. Just me and my man hanging out!:


Okay, so here's my question. I'm thinking of booking AKL for this trip. What do you think about booking it with a two year old... my only real concern in transportation.

Also, I would be booking it with the hopes that a great discount would come out. If it doesn't, could I switch to POP or a mod? Isn't it only after a certain ammount of time that you get charged to downgrade?

Hope this makes sense.

I don't have the answer to your question, but understand your dilemma. My concern would be getting a room. Our Jan 2009 booking was a headache because of us switching resorts due to the deal. It may be worth the gamble.. think about it, make a list - that seems to help alot of us on here

I would love to have our trip at AKL or Poly, but I know for this trip it won't be possible, I'm actually thinking to save money with a value so we can do 2 trips!

 

[BellaSoleil]

I don't have the answer to your question, but understand your dilemma. My concern would be getting a room. Our Jan 2009 booking was a headache because of us switching resorts due to the deal. It may be worth the gamble.. think about it, make a list - that seems to help alot of us on here

I would love to have our trip at AKL or Poly, but I know for this trip it won't be possible, I'm actually thinking to save money with a value so we can do 2 trips!

I hear great things about POP transportation and bad about AKL. Trans is a BIG thing to me- especially with a two year old.

 

[Momto2PrncChrmgs]

We've never stayed at AKL (it is my DREAM resort), but we did dinner at Boma when Drew was 2 and I just remember sitting and waiting for the bus to pick us up, it seemed really dark and seemed to take forever! But I'd still stay there if I could afford it! I'm pretty sure we'll do POP in Jan and hopefully lengthen the stay to 8 nights!! I'd rather do cheaper hotel, longer stay, but that's just me!

 

[Momto2PrncChrmgs]

Never mind. I found my answer! Yay! Now I can listen all the time and when I get my iphone in July, we can listen in the car! All Disney, All the Time!

Do Share...

 

[crzyred]

My best friend today asked me to be Godmother to her 2nd child!! I am quite surprised by this, since both she and her husband come from larger families. I'm over the moon! Hehehe!

Happy Mother's Day to all you.

 

[Monny2AE]

I hope everyone had a great weekend. We went to Hershey Park for the day today. It was nice. The whole time all I kept thinking was how I would SOOOO much rather be at Disney. Amusement parks are so cheesy compared to Disney. I've become spoiled by Disney I guess.
As we were leaving my dh turns to me and says "That was fun but it's no Disney!" I've never loved him more! I'm so glad he's on board for this next trip. He was on the fence for the last one (worried about finances and the economy more than anything) but this trip he's much more excited and I'm very thankful.

My best friend today asked me to be Godmother to her 2nd child!! I am quite surprised by this, since both she and her husband come from larger families. I'm over the moon! Hehehe!

Happy Mother's Day to all you.

Congratulations! What a wonderful Mother's Day gift for you!

 

[Momto2PrncChrmgs]

FYI-I looked up Toy Story 3 on imdb.com because I just can't wait. All the info we've discussed so far was on there...release date of 6/10, Andy's going off to college, it's supposed to be 3D, all the same names have signed on (and according to some of the interviews, Pixar brought them in and showed them to movie, minus the real voices. Tom Hanks stated that he's already been in for recordings a few times)! YIPPEE!!! I can't wait, it sounds AWESOME!

 

[coffeehousemom]

Soleil, we have stayed at ASMo & POP I liked the themeing better at Movies but the busses were better at POP. We always had a seat at POP BUT the drawback to POP is that the queue for them is always the last one.

IMO I would do POP take my own stroller & save the room $$ difference for souvies. I think Belle would really like the oversize stuff that surround the resort. The rooms are smaller but there are only 3 of you. Maybe pay for preferred & get a King bed?

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

Okay, so here's my question. I'm thinking of booking AKL for this trip. What do you think about booking it with a two year old... my only real concern in transportation.

Also, I would be booking it with the hopes that a great discount would come out. If it doesn't, could I switch to POP or a mod? Isn't it only after a certain ammount of time that you get charged to downgrade?

Hope this makes sense.

I am thinking about doing the opposite. . . Booking a moderate and hoping for a great deal and then upgrading to a deluxe if one comes out!

I think you can make any changes up to 45 days prior to your trip and not be charged. After that there is a charge - I am thinking $50, but I'm not sure.

Trixie stayed at AKV in January and I don't remember her having any bus issues.

 

[danceintherain]

Hi girls! Happy Mother's Day! I'm having a great day with my family. G took me to McDonalds for lunch (at my request...sounded good at the time) and Tinkerbell has been asleep for an hour. I planted flowers with my mom and now I'm enjoying the air conditioning. Just me and my man hanging out!:


Okay, so here's my question. I'm thinking of booking AKL for this trip. What do you think about booking it with a two year old... my only real concern in transportation.

Also, I would be booking it with the hopes that a great discount would come out. If it doesn't, could I switch to POP or a mod? Isn't it only after a certain ammount of time that you get charged to downgrade?

Hope this makes sense.

Our experience with the AKL buses was perfectly fine. Disclaimer: I have nothing else to compare it to.

The only park we had trouble with was MGM. It seemed that every time we were trying to go there the bus just didn't want to come. Also, when we were there it seemed we had to wait longer to get on the bus to go back.
I think part of the issue was that while we were there the MGM bus stopped at one of the Water Parks on the way to MGM.
At night all the buses were crowded, which isn't surprising. Also, some times in the mornings we had to cram into the buses, but we never had to wait for a second bus.
However, the AKL buses only serve AKL, and there's only one bus stop. I suppose this might change now that the DVC part is opening.

We loved our stay at AKL, but we didn't have a two-year old with us.

I do think if you do a Savannah View room though, your baby girl would love seeing the animals.

 

[BellaSoleil]

I just checked the ADR calculator on the dining boards. I get to make my ADR's at the beginning of October. That's so far away!

 

[Disney Mommy 3]

Soleil~ Have you considered the cont.? If transp. is a big deal(of course it is with a baby!!) you are right there!!! I haven't been to AKL, but, I would just think cont. would be soooo much more convenient. The only other place we really love (deluxe) is the Beach Club--if you are going to Epcot a few times, it's awfully convenient just to walk over there. We eat there for most dinners and walk 'home'! We love it!!! check the room rates and see what's best for you-but when my daughter was tiny, we stayed at the Cont.