So here is my shot at a Disney World trip report. I’m going to break it down by days, spare a few details and try to stick with information that can be useful to future Disney trippers. I will also feature some our trials and tribulations, because those are what makes the trips so real.
So here’s what we’re working with:
Myself, 41 year old dad
Dear wife, 41
Dear son, W., age 11, will be 12 in July
Dear son, C. just turned 9 a few weeks ago
We did a split stay, starting off at PORS from Saturday, May 6- Thursday, May 11 and then switching to CR May 11-May 13
Day 1, Saturday, May 6- Ok, so we had driven from our home in Birmingham, Al all the way to Gainesville on Friday night. So Day 1 finds us waking up on campus at UF. I had never been to UF before, and had planned on driving around the campus, showing the kids the stadium, the Tim Tebow plaque, some of the buildings and then going to breakfast across town. But DW and the two kids were not having it. They were ready to get to Disney. So we headed on down the road.
We are a “Disney trip every 3 years” type of family. This was our 4th trip down with kids. Prior to this trip, all we have ever known were the value resorts. Pop x 2 and AoA. Our previous trips were during October and December, so we have never really taken advamtage of the pools the resorts had offered. This trip, I wanted to bump up in resort class and enjoy the thematic pools, which is what lead us to PORS.
So we pull in to the parking lot of PORS, and the first thing my wife says, is “Is this a Disney hotel?” Being used to the throngs of people that are in and around the hotel lobbies of the values, stepping in to the lobby and on the ground of PORS, the first thing you notice is that there is no hustle and bustle. We walked through the lobby and to the main property, and we were really taken aback by the tranquility of it all. It was…quiet. We walked back in to the food court. Same deal. A few people picking up their selections or eating, but mostly quiet. Back outside, we walked to Old Man Island, the middle section with the feature pool. Sure, there was a crowd here, but again, nothing like we had come to expect from a Disney pool. We walked around the grounds. I pointed out which building and room I had requested through touring plans (Alligator Bayou, room 3908), steps away from the quiet pool. I showed them the mansions, pointed out the boat to Disney Springs and then we headed back in to the food court. I had not gotten a text letting me know my room was ready, so I headed to the front desk to check the status while the wife and kids hit the gift shop. As I’m in line, I check the MDE app and notice it has assigned me a room. Alligator Bayou, room 3905. Close enough!! So I grabbed the family and we moved the car around and began unpacking.
Once inside the room, everyone threw on their bathing suits and we hit Old Man Island. The slide was a cool feature for kids and adults alike. We hit the slide a few times. The kids starting exploring the rest of the pools water fall features while the wife and I enjoyed a Pina Coloda and some beers. We hung out at the pool for about 2 hours before we went back to our room to get ready for our ADR at Boatwrights.
I’d heard good things and bad things about Boatwrights. After eating dinner there, I have to say that both sides are right. I got the steak, the wife got the shrimp and grits and both kids got the kids chicken. Honestly, it was no better than anything you can pick up at your local Logan’s steak house. My steak, ordered medium, was a little tough and had some jelly stuff on top of it that I wasn’t crazy about. My wife liked her shrimp and grits and the kids enjoyed their chicken. In all our previous trips to Disney, this was our first time getting a meal and not being on the dining plan. I almost spit my drink through my nose when they brought the $130 bill. Sure, we got an appetizer between the 4 of us, we got one desert to split, my wife had a glass of wine and I had two beers. But still…$130? I chalked it up to “Everything cost more inside the Disney bubble”. That applied for pretty much every meal we had.
As far as night time entertainment was concerned, we had the options of either Moana in the courtyard, or Yeeha Bob. Our waitress told us that Yeeha Bob would be there Saturday and then be back on Wednesday. The movie Wednesday was Cinderella. So we figured best to knock out Moana tonight and come back to Yeeha Bob. I’m glad we did. I had not seen Moana. It was pretty cool to watch it in the courtyard between the mansions, under the stars, at PORS. It’s a really cute movie.
The movie ended about 10:00. So we leisurely strolled back to our room through the beautiful mansions and might time bayou scenery. On to bed! We have an early start and a busy day tomorrow in Animal Kingdom.
So here’s what we’re working with:
Myself, 41 year old dad
Dear wife, 41
Dear son, W., age 11, will be 12 in July
Dear son, C. just turned 9 a few weeks ago
We did a split stay, starting off at PORS from Saturday, May 6- Thursday, May 11 and then switching to CR May 11-May 13
Day 1, Saturday, May 6- Ok, so we had driven from our home in Birmingham, Al all the way to Gainesville on Friday night. So Day 1 finds us waking up on campus at UF. I had never been to UF before, and had planned on driving around the campus, showing the kids the stadium, the Tim Tebow plaque, some of the buildings and then going to breakfast across town. But DW and the two kids were not having it. They were ready to get to Disney. So we headed on down the road.
We are a “Disney trip every 3 years” type of family. This was our 4th trip down with kids. Prior to this trip, all we have ever known were the value resorts. Pop x 2 and AoA. Our previous trips were during October and December, so we have never really taken advamtage of the pools the resorts had offered. This trip, I wanted to bump up in resort class and enjoy the thematic pools, which is what lead us to PORS.
So we pull in to the parking lot of PORS, and the first thing my wife says, is “Is this a Disney hotel?” Being used to the throngs of people that are in and around the hotel lobbies of the values, stepping in to the lobby and on the ground of PORS, the first thing you notice is that there is no hustle and bustle. We walked through the lobby and to the main property, and we were really taken aback by the tranquility of it all. It was…quiet. We walked back in to the food court. Same deal. A few people picking up their selections or eating, but mostly quiet. Back outside, we walked to Old Man Island, the middle section with the feature pool. Sure, there was a crowd here, but again, nothing like we had come to expect from a Disney pool. We walked around the grounds. I pointed out which building and room I had requested through touring plans (Alligator Bayou, room 3908), steps away from the quiet pool. I showed them the mansions, pointed out the boat to Disney Springs and then we headed back in to the food court. I had not gotten a text letting me know my room was ready, so I headed to the front desk to check the status while the wife and kids hit the gift shop. As I’m in line, I check the MDE app and notice it has assigned me a room. Alligator Bayou, room 3905. Close enough!! So I grabbed the family and we moved the car around and began unpacking.
Once inside the room, everyone threw on their bathing suits and we hit Old Man Island. The slide was a cool feature for kids and adults alike. We hit the slide a few times. The kids starting exploring the rest of the pools water fall features while the wife and I enjoyed a Pina Coloda and some beers. We hung out at the pool for about 2 hours before we went back to our room to get ready for our ADR at Boatwrights.
I’d heard good things and bad things about Boatwrights. After eating dinner there, I have to say that both sides are right. I got the steak, the wife got the shrimp and grits and both kids got the kids chicken. Honestly, it was no better than anything you can pick up at your local Logan’s steak house. My steak, ordered medium, was a little tough and had some jelly stuff on top of it that I wasn’t crazy about. My wife liked her shrimp and grits and the kids enjoyed their chicken. In all our previous trips to Disney, this was our first time getting a meal and not being on the dining plan. I almost spit my drink through my nose when they brought the $130 bill. Sure, we got an appetizer between the 4 of us, we got one desert to split, my wife had a glass of wine and I had two beers. But still…$130? I chalked it up to “Everything cost more inside the Disney bubble”. That applied for pretty much every meal we had.
As far as night time entertainment was concerned, we had the options of either Moana in the courtyard, or Yeeha Bob. Our waitress told us that Yeeha Bob would be there Saturday and then be back on Wednesday. The movie Wednesday was Cinderella. So we figured best to knock out Moana tonight and come back to Yeeha Bob. I’m glad we did. I had not seen Moana. It was pretty cool to watch it in the courtyard between the mansions, under the stars, at PORS. It’s a really cute movie.
The movie ended about 10:00. So we leisurely strolled back to our room through the beautiful mansions and might time bayou scenery. On to bed! We have an early start and a busy day tomorrow in Animal Kingdom.
