Like a Bad Meal (V Keeps Coming Back) - THE END! 1/12/09

[ArielSRL]

Also, Char learned what was eating her gardenia blossoms and what to do about it. That’s right – they had a real, live horticultural expert from the one and only University of Florida – GO GATORS! - on hand to answer any plant questions you might have. To be honest, I didn’t really think they’d be able to answer more than some basic questions, but the lovely UF – GO GATORS! – expert was da bomb! Char told her what her garndeia buds looked like and the UF – GO GATORS! – Super Plant Woman drew a couple pictures of bugs, asking Char which they looked like. Char pointed to one and UF – GO GATORS! – Super Plant Woman said “That’sblahblahblahblahbuganditblahblahblahgarndeiabudssoyou’llwantotblahblahblahspraythemwithblahblahblahbittyblahblah.”

Okay, now. Just go ahead and tell me if you are going to continue mentioning that Swamp lady anymore so I can stop reading this TR!!

GO DAWGS!

LOL. Couldn't help myself.

 

[Lauralee131]

When I last left off, Char was still on her way to WDW and I was taking a photographic tour of BCV. After exploring the public areas of my new weekend Home, I decided to give Storm Along Bay (SAB) a glance or two.

It was an absolutely gorgeous morning – sunny, warm, dry-ish and just enough clouds in the sky so as to provide depth in photos! I strolled out of the BCV entrance and through the Solarium connecting the BCV path to the BC interior. No pics of the Solarium yet, because it was pretty full of folks downing some breakfast chow whilst perusing maps and guidebooks. Really, there were a lot of people in there, getting ready to start their touring days.




START their touring days??

It was 9:15am – what were they doing hanging around the resort planning their days?! It was hard, but I resisted screaming out to the masses, “Get a move on people! Parks are open and you’re losing valuable touring time – do you want to spend the next eight hours complaining about the long lines and large crowds? Move, move, move!”

BWAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHA!!!! Amatuers!!

No, I didn’t scream it. I didn’t even say it under my breath. I just shook my head a bit and walked by with a knowing smile upon my face. After all, what good does our advanced DIS knowledge do if the masses are informed, too? Best to leave them in the dark, says I.

I second that!!

Anyway, after a short walk through the BC lobby, I made my way to the SAB entrance on the far BC end, next to the shipwreck, and headed on in. To my surprise, the pool was not yet open – it didn’t open until 10am – so I had ideal photographing conditions. Woo hoo!

In my not even remotely humble opinion, SAB is paradise! Can you believe, in all my years of Disney-going, never before had I been within the SAB gates? Sure, I’ve walked by it numerous times, but this was my first time seeing every nook and cranny of the place. And let me tell ya – much like a Thomas’ English muffin, SAB features MANY nooks. And crannies, too. Oh yeah, I knew for sure that I’d be returning later that day for pool time. No question. For sure. Absolutely. Done deal.

Wow - beautiful pictures. I've cruised thru this area before but it looks so much more inviting when:

A) It's empty; and
2) Now that I'm a DVC owner and don't have to break the bank to stay there!!

BTW - which camera did you use to take these pics? The good one? The little one? Do tell!!

I’m a tabloid junkie. I swear it’s only on vacation!

Not that there's anything wrong with that! I too am weak...I don't know why

Personally, I would’ve just splurged on the Annual Pass and made more WDW trips. I’m Fuzzy like that.

Ya gotta spend it to save it!

Heh heh. Mom always said I had a “flair for the dramatic.”

Yes, another future-classic V photo...I love it!!

It was soooooo nice to be able to enjoy every bite of my yummy Turkey & Muenster sandwich slowly and without interruption by my small child.

Ahhhh...almost like a fully-dressed Calgon-take-me-away moment...

And perhaps doubly so for Char, whose darling Baby B had just turned two.

Poor Char...I'm sure she really needed the break. I don't miss those days, that's for sure. Nor do I miss the entire 3rd year.

4 was a little easier, but....

During our journey to the Festival store, my cell phone rang… and it was BCV telling me our room was ready! Woo hoo!! But we weren’t ready to leave yet, so I wrote down the room number and we continued with our plan.

OMG - THEY called YOU?? Awesome!!

Also, Char learned what was eating her gardenia blossoms and what to do about it. That’s right – they had a real, live horticultural expert from the one and only University of Florida – GO GATORS! - on hand to answer any plant questions you might have. To be honest, I didn’t really think they’d be able to answer more than some basic questions, but the lovely UF – GO GATORS! – expert was da bomb! Char told her what her garndeia buds looked like and the UF – GO GATORS! – Super Plant Woman drew a couple pictures of bugs, asking Char which they looked like. Char pointed to one and UF – GO GATORS! – Super Plant Woman said “That’sblahblahblahblahbuganditblahblahblahgarndeiabudssoyou’llwantotblahblahblahspraythemwithblahblahblahbittyblahblah.”

Listen, I live in a condo. I don’t do outdoor plants. I’m a big girl – I can admit that I tuned out.

Yeah, I'd have tuned it out too...

But Char – Char was positively triumphant as we left the Festival store. She knew her enemy and was ready to wage battle. For the gardenias. Whatever.

Ok, so some time has passed...how goes the battle now? Who's winning?

We still had some time to kill before our Soarin’ FPs were due and we both had a craving for something tasty. Something sour-ish. And cold. And laced with tequila.

Now you're talking!

Oh yeah. The margaritas were calling. And we picked up on the first ring.

I love it!!

We did NOT get our delicious cups o’ fun-juice form the stand, but from Cantina de san Angel counter service. I’ve had margaritas from both venues, and the Cantina puts more liquor in their batches. I swear. Not that we’re a couple of lushes, Char and I. But we were without children, without parents, without commitments of any kind. Read: we wanted us some tequila. In our ritas.

That's my girl! I prefer the Cantina to the stand myself. They make the greatest Ritas...Mmmmmm....making me thirsty just thinking about it!

I’m afraid, I failed to get any pictorial evidence of the drinks in question. But I assure you dear readers, the drinks did not fail to live up to our expectations. They were the perfect accompaniment to our loooooong conversation. No joke – we plopped down at a waterside table and talked for more than an hour and a half. That’s right – a good chunk of our touring day was spent sitting in the Cantina. No rides, no attractions, not even any F&G Fest features were toured. For an hour and half.

How nice. Sounds like a perfect day!

She left me (not that I’m bitter)

Well good...so long as you're not bitter...

Again, without interruption by the two little guys in our lives whom we love and adore, but away from which we desperately need time now and again. I can’t tell you how much good that hour and a half long cchat did us both. It was like a weight had been lifted form our collective shoulders, leaving us free to….


SOAR!

Woooo Hooooo I looooove Soarin' with a buzz on!!

Post-Puddy, we took a trip on Spaceship Earth (SE). Char hadn’t yet seen the new additions and I was overly excited to show her the cool stuff at the end.

Sure. Char looks enthused here, but she wasn’t nearly as impressed as I’d been with the new and improved SE. I believe her words were, “Yeah, I still don’t like it.”

I love the look on Char's face! Too funny!

But what? She still doesn't like it?? What's up with that??

Good thing I love her so much.

Good thing!

Ahhhh....3 words come to mind...

OOOOH LOOK! Photopass!!!

Hmmmm....not quite sure WHAT to think of this frog....

In the Tiki Tiki Tiki Tiki Tiki Room....
In the Tiki Tiki Tiki Tiki Tiki Room....

Make it stop! I can't get that song out of my head now!!!

I swear, at that point we thought it was maybe early afternoon, but it was actually nearing 4:30 and we needed to go to our villa for cleaning and changing before dinner!

Spoken like a true mom!

So much for choosing EP so we could participate in all the F&G events we’d missed the previous year. Oh well. We’d had a terrific day and were looking forward to seeing our room.

I hope there'll be pictures...

Next: Does Char’s amazing room view mojo come through once again?

 

[Lovemy3babes]

LOL! You are so right about Disney secrets. I hesitate when giving out our touring tips because that might eventally catch up to me crowd-wise some day. The margaritas sound yummy!

 

[kykatt2]

This frog disturbs me for some reason.

I'm with you CE.. however I was anticipating V demonstrating the pose for us
Very Dissapointed.

 

[puggymom]

After all, what good does our advanced DIS knowledge do if the masses are informed, too? Best to leave them in the dark, says I.

Absolutely girlfriend!

Can you believe, in all my years of Disney-going, never before had I been within the SAB gates?

SERIOUSLY?!?!?!?!


OMG, SAB is such a great pool, I love that sand bottom and as you said all those nook and crannies!

Personally, I would’ve just splurged on the Annual Pass and made more WDW trips. I’m Fuzzy like that.

Oh yeah I hear ya

I like your crocs, which ones are they, love the neutral color.

Listen, I live in a condo. I don’t do outdoor plants. I’m a big girl – I can admit that I tuned out.

I live in a house and sort turned out reading about it

This pic is disturbing

 

[puggymom]

I'm with you CE.. however I was anticipating V demonstrating the pose for us
Very Dissapointed.

 

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

This one is my favorite. LOVE it!

I think I secretly wish for an afternoon just like that. I'd love the chance to just sit, visit, and watch the World go by. With a tasty beverage. And really wonderful company.



ETA: Go Gators. (I have to say that, right? Although, if you think about it, someone from UF should really call me and say "Go Kate and her DH!" considering all the $$$ we're giving them.)

 

[askelton]

No, I didn’t scream it. I didn’t even say it under my breath. I just shook my head a bit and walked by with a knowing smile upon my face. After all, what good does our advanced DIS knowledge do if the masses are informed, too? Best to leave them in the dark, says I.

Great job, great job!

In my not even remotely humble opinion, SAB is paradise! Can you believe, in all my years of Disney-going, never before had I been within the SAB gates? Sure, I’ve walked by it numerous times, but this was my first time seeing every nook and cranny of the place. And let me tell ya – much like a Thomas’ English muffin, SAB features MANY nooks. And crannies, too. Oh yeah, I knew for sure that I’d be returning later that day for pool time. No question. For sure. Absolutely. Done deal.

I think my sister is staying there in August and since I'll be babysitting, I can check it out for myself.

With some time yet to kill, I settled into one of those fabulous rocking chairs on the BC’s back porch and dove into the latest issue of OK! Don’t hate me because I’m a tabloid junkie. I swear it’s only on vacation!

I read at the hair salon.

Personally, I would’ve just splurged on the Annual Pass and made more WDW trips. I’m Fuzzy like that.

AP=gud.

Also, Char learned what was eating her gardenia blossoms and what to do about it. That’s right – they had a real, live horticultural expert from the one and only University of Florida – GO GATORS! - on hand to answer any plant questions you might have. To be honest, I didn’t really think they’d be able to answer more than some basic questions, but the lovely UF – GO GATORS! – expert was da bomb! Char told her what her garndeia buds looked like and the UF – GO GATORS! – Super Plant Woman drew a couple pictures of bugs, asking Char which they looked like. Char pointed to one and UF – GO GATORS! – Super Plant Woman said “That’sblahblahblahblahbuganditblahblahblahgarndeiabudssoyou’llwantotblahblahblahspraythemwithblahblahblahbittyblahblah.”

Gators? You mean Vols!

It's the vaulting frog.

 

[scottny]

ok all caught up.

great pics. they r beautiful.

 

[willwriteforears]

START their touring days??

It was 9:15am – what were they doing hanging around the resort planning their days?! It was hard, but I resisted screaming out to the masses, “Get a move on people! Parks are open and you’re losing valuable touring time – do you want to spend the next eight hours complaining about the long lines and large crowds? Move, move, move!”

No, I didn’t scream it. I didn’t even say it under my breath. I just shook my head a bit and walked by with a knowing smile upon my face. After all, what good does our advanced DIS knowledge do if the masses are informed, too? Best to leave them in the dark, says I.

*blinkblink* You mean people don't naturally get to the parks early in order to maximize their touring? I don't think I'm the same species as they are.

Gorgeous pictures! Maybe you're looking for the perfect lighting and framing and stuff, but I would've been thrilled if my pictures turned out like the ones you posted.

 

[PrincessV]

Right. Our secrets aren't secrets if we tell everyone.

Exactly!

AWESOME, AMAZING pictures! WHoa... took my breath away! You definitely got some nice shots!

Thank you, thank you!

Actually she's looking a little, hmmmmm....square?

That was too funny! I should've left it that way...

Sounds like a wonderful day V, how lovely to just chat with an old friend with Margaritas in a beautiful setting

I always forget just how nice that is, y'know?

BTW is the water at SAB fresh or salt?

Fresh!

Is there any other way for a senorita to enjoy her margarita?

There is! It's almost - not quite, but almost - as good whilst walking around after dark during a F&W Fest.

Is that a SAND-BOTTOM pool I see?!?!

That very subject will be covered in an upcoming installment!

GO NOLES!

Hey! There'll be none of THAT nonsense missy!

I love the WoL too. You know why? That's where I worked during my college program internship.

I forgot about that!

I forget the name of the restaurant too but I always laughed when it advertised itself as healthy and lite food and then sold chili cheese dogs.

LOL, and what about the fully-loaded waffles topped with a mountain of whipped cream?!

Off topic here: I may (strong emphasis on the may) be moving to Lakeland. I am going there for an interview in a couple weeks and then I'll know if I've been offered the job. Anyway, do you know much about it? All I know is that it's pretty and about 30 minutes from WDW.

I don't know a whole lot, but Char's in-laws live there and looove it!

Yep just another awesome epcot event I'd love to see...and sip those yummy ritas while doing it!

It's pretty neat, though nothing in comparison to F&W. One thing I've noticed ove rth past couple years - there are less and less displays at the F&G Fest than there used to be.

What a great day. I would love to have a day like that at EPCOT. Maybe if my solo weekend happens next year

Do it!!

So....you only read the tabloids on vacation???? Yeah, we believe you!

Ummm...

Okay, now. Just go ahead and tell me if you are going to continue mentioning that Swamp lady anymore so I can stop reading this TR!!

Nope, she's done. But it's probably safe to expect a whole lot more Gator propaganda as we gear up for football season!

GO DAWGS!

Okay, THAT one I probably deserve.

BTW - which camera did you use to take these pics? The good one? The little one? Do tell!!

The teeny-tiny one (Canon SD1000)!

Ya gotta spend it to save it!

Ooo, I like the the sound of that!

Poor Char...I'm sure she really needed the break. I don't miss those days, that's for sure. Nor do I miss the entire 3rd year.

I hear ya. I love Baby B to death, but being with him - even with Char there - is exhausting!

Ok, so some time has passed...how goes the battle now? Who's winning?

Y'know, that's a good question! I'll have to ask Char today...

OOOOH LOOK! Photopass!!!

Hahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!

 

[PrincessV]

LOL! You are so right about Disney secrets. I hesitate when giving out our touring tips because that might eventally catch up to me crowd-wise some day.

I know. I always find myself offering reconmmendations when someone mentions going to WDW... and almost instantly regretting it!

I like your crocs, which ones are they, love the neutral color.

Those of my absolute faves... Carpis in Khaki/Pearl!

ETA: Go Gators. (I have to say that, right? Although, if you think about it, someone from UF should really call me and say "Go Kate and her DH!" considering all the $$$ we're giving them.)

You're absolutely right... on both accounts!

I think my sister is staying there in August and since I'll be babysitting, I can check it out for myself.

Yay - you will NOT be disappointed!

AP=gud.

I'm actually considering the full-year baby next time around!

ok all caught up.

great pics. they r beautiful.

Hi Scott - thank you!

*blinkblink* You mean people don't naturally get to the parks early in order to maximize their touring? I don't think I'm the same species as they are.

I know! I'm always amazed.

This frog disturbs me for some reason.

This pic is disturbing

I'm with you CE.. however I was anticipating V demonstrating the pose for us
Very Dissapointed.

It's the vaulting frog.

I was SO disturbed by that stupid frog, I had to take a picture!!!

 

[Disneyland_Mama]

How did I miss this all weekend????!!!!

I'll be back to properly post, but didn't want you to think I ignored your latest. I know how much you depend on my witty responses to your lovely postings.

 

[Tinkerbellarella]

Hey! There'll be none of THAT nonsense missy!

Sorry. BF would've felt a disturbance in the Force if I hadn't retorted to a "Go Gators!" with a good "Go Noles!"

 

[1Princess1Prince2006]

No Whispering Canyon for us - none of us do well with a lot of noise and noting on the menu sounds very good. But it could be worth it for the Gramma entertainmnet alone!

I gotta say I agree with you to this one! We loved our stay at the WL but not so much this restaurant. When you could hear them banging on pots (or whatever they use) as soon as you step out of your room (all they way up on the 8th floor at the end of a long hallway) you know it'll be a loud place to eat!

Great, great, GREAT pics of Stormalong Bay! And that was only with your teeny tiny camera, not the big one right? You take excellent photos! What kind of camera is it again, BTW? I may need to invest in one considering the screen on mine just cracked this past weekend.

And your day sounds so lovely. Good friends. Good drinks. Good chatter. Can't wait to see how the rest of your weekend turns out!

 

[Disneyland_Mama]

No pics of the Solarium yet, because it was pretty full of folks downing some breakfast chow whilst perusing maps and guidebooks. Really, there were a lot of people in there, getting ready to start their touring days.

START their touring days??

It was 9:15am – what were they doing hanging around the resort planning their days?! It was hard, but I resisted screaming out to the masses, “Get a move on people! Parks are open and you’re losing valuable touring time – do you want to spend the next eight hours complaining about the long lines and large crowds? Move, move, move!”

MY EYES!!! MY EYES!!!!

No, I didn’t scream it. I didn’t even say it under my breath. I just shook my head a bit and walked by with a knowing smile upon my face. After all, what good does our advanced DIS knowledge do if the masses are informed, too? Best to leave them in the dark, says I.

ITA!!

Lovely, simply lovely.

With some time yet to kill, I settled into one of those fabulous rocking chairs on the BC’s back porch and dove into the latest issue of OK! Don’t hate me because I’m a tabloid junkie. I swear it’s only on vacation!

Uh huh... right.

Dude! I have got to stop and smell the roses! I know I have walked past this a couple of dozen times and have never "seen" it!

Heh heh. Mom always said I had a “flair for the dramatic.”

Ya think?

It was soooooo nice to be able to enjoy every bite of my yummy Turkey & Muenster sandwich slowly and without interruption by my small child. And perhaps doubly so for Char, whose darling Baby B had just turned two. We took our time, talking and catching up over lunch. By the end, were ready for our next stop: the Festival store.

Ahhhh! That's just the ticket! I long for the days of hot food.

We did NOT get our delicious cups o’ fun-juice form the stand, but from Cantina de san Angel counter service. I’ve had margaritas from both venues, and the Cantina puts more liquor in their batches. I swear.

ITA!

Next: Does Char’s amazing room view mojo come through once again?

Ooh, that's right - Char's got the room mojo!

Great installment as ever, V! Miss ya!

 

[PrincessV]

As we set out for our room inspection, I tried hard not to think of Char’s and my room mojo. Hers is stellar. Mine sucks. Remember my string of stinky rooms? And parking lot views? Char, on the other hand, had in the past scored us an immaculate room and courtyard view at All Star Sports, a Raratonga room mere steps from the lobby at the Poly, and last fall’s windfall – an Animal Kingdom Lodge pool view room at a stadard room price! Sure, they accidentally CHARGED me for that “free” upgrade, but they quickly removed the extra cost from our bill, so Char still gets credit for that one.

So yeah, I tried not to think about all the potentially great views we might score. And instead tried to visualize “asphalt and cars, asphalt and cars, asphalt and cars…”

Arriving at BCV, we headed up the elevator to….

Well, some floor, I forget which one! I think 4.

Exited the elevator, turned left…. And there it was! Mere steps away from our vertical transport!
1 point for Char’s Room Mojo.

Slid in my room key… and the door opened!
2 points for Char’s Room Mojo.

Walked, turning on the light… clean, clean, clean and NO funky smells!
3 points for Char’s Room Mojo.

The room was super cute! Blue’s not my favorite color, but it worked well there. Between the beachy colours, white-washed wood and wicker chairs, it absolutely felt like being by the shore.

Never mind that the “shore” is a combo pool/man-made lake.


Now. One thing left to check. The View.

Judging by how we’d turned on our journey through the hallways, I already had some idea. And I was pretty sure it was not a parking lot view. But I had no idea what else it might be.

I headed toward the porch, camera in hand, and saw…









Barbara Walters???!!!!







No, no, no – not THAT View.






THIS is what awaited my wondering eye…

OMG, it was like the Disney Reservation Gods took my two favorite places – the beach and Paris – and combined them in one resort room!
10 points for Char’s Room Mojo.

And.

She’s now required to come along on all future trips. Heh heh.


In case you’re wondering, that was the view to the right. This was the view to the left…

Meh. Nice. Not asphalt. Nor cars. But not Eiffel Tower replica, either.



Maybe it was the feel of cool air after walking in the sun for hours.
Maybe it was the margaritas.
Maybe it was the feeling of quiet solitude surrounding our little piece of The World.
Maybe it was the fact that we both juggle single-parenthood, homeownership and jobs every day of our lives and haven’t had a full 8 hours of sleep in years.

Whatever the reason, Char and I were both suddenly and inexplicably (perhaps not the latter – see that last “maybe” above) exhausted.

By the time I’d pulled out my cosmetics case and placed it on the sink counter, Char had the sofa bed open, made up and was climbing in for a rest! So much for a swim at SAB before dinner.


Before I continue, a word about Char and the sofa bed. I did not put her there. I did the right thing, the good friend thing, and offered her the bed. She resolutely refused, stating that I’d paid for the points on which we were staying and should be the one to sleep in the bed. This whole situation is only a little ironic, when you consider that I never gave Gramma a choice; she got the sofa bed.


Anyway, whilst Char rested, I took a shower and changed into fresh clothes for dinner. We didn’t really have time for swimming anyhow – our Rose & Crown ADR was fast approaching.



Remember when I made that ADR? And we thought Char’s sister Erin would be joining us? And then Erin canceled her trip? Well I never changed the ADR, so it was still for a party of three. Our friend Bree happens to live in Orlando, so we asked if she wanted to meet us for some Epcot that day. Bree declined, as she already had plans for the day, but said she’d love to meet us for dinner. So, once we had ourselves together, we headed back to EP, stopping at the France pavilion to check out the F&G Fest offerings…

Sorry – I know it’s big. But I just love hydrangeas!

The F&G Fest displays in France were all about perfume and presented by French fragrance giant Guerlain. There were a bunch of little boxes on stands, each representing a Guerlain fragrance, and each had a sniffing spot, along with some information about what you should be smelling. We sampled them all. And pronounced them all “yucky.” It’s weird, nearly all Guerlain perfumes carry the same icky undertone.. L’heure Bleu, Shalimar, Samsara… they all have it. The lone exception is Jardins de Bagatelle, which is like some kind of flower bomb. And I should know – I wore the stuff back in middle school.

Yeah, we weren’t too impressed by the Guerlain fragrance garden. It mostly left me longing for a Chanel garden instead. I take a break from my signature Coco during the hot months and I was already missing it. In case you’re wondering what I was wearing that day – a little something I like to call Eau de Mouse. Glass bottles don’t travel well with me, so I was swathed in the aroma of WDW resort room, coupled with stale suitcase and a hint of heavily chlorinated water.


After our stinky little French detour, we walked over to the Rose & Crown to check in and wait for Bree. Buzzer-thingy in hand, we copped a squat on the curb opposite the R&C and enjoyed some people-watching whilst waiting for our friend.


It wasn’t that great.

A couple of Matching Families, and a teenager in all stripes. Nothing worth photographing. It’s a good thing Bree showed up quickly.

And not long after she arrived, our buzzer-thingy buzzed (go figure) and we headed in…



…and right back out of R&C! They seated us on the patio, a placement about which we weren’t thrilled, as we all enjoy the pub atmosphere there. But it was busy, so we settled in without complaint.

Okay, one complaint.

That table was so sticky, a residue of Vera Bradley-patterned fuzz was left behind after I set, and then removed, my bag on its surface. Eeeeeewwwww! We asked our server to wipe it off as soon as we saw her… and again when she brought our drinks… and AGAIN when she brought our food. Finally, I just wet a piece of my napkin with water from my glass and wiped it the best I could.

Aside from the sticky table, though, our server was great! You’ll see why in a minute. First, the meal:

We all ordered our pub drinks, Shandies for Char and Bree and a Black & Tan for me. As we sipped, we waffled about what to order while we caught up on each others’ lives. Eventually, we decided to share the cheese plate, I think Char just got the Potato & Leek soup, Bree went for the Bangers & Mash, and did two appetizers – a salad and the Samosas (Indian-inspired pockets stuffed with spiced vegetables served with greens and tamarind and mango sauces). Everything was superb! I mean really, really fantastic. R&C is two for two now on great meals.

Once we were done eating, the talk continued. Apparently for a while. Because our server came back to ask if we’d like to stay and watch Illuminations.


And, you’re gonna love this, we collectively said, “Eh.”


No joke – our server had to talk us into staying! Our reasons for not being overjoyed? Well, we’ve all seen the show a bazillion times, being local and all. Plus, I really wanted a Grey Goose Slushie from France as my dessert.

Know what our server said?


A. You’ve not truly seen illuminations until you’ve seen it from the R&C patio.
B. She’d go get me a Grey Goose Slushie if that’s what I really wanted!

HOLY CARP!


That was beyond cool, ranging far into the realm of totally rad. So Char and Bree placed their drink orders and we settled in for the show.

Sadly, it turned out our server couldn’t get my slushie after all, but she said there was no problem if I wanted to go grab one and bring it back. I thanked her profusely, but I’d been pondering the R&C drink menu in her absence. And I found My Precious.

A Single Malt Scotch Flight.

All was well in my world. And Char’s. And Bree’s. At that moment.

So we captured it.

We still weren’t sold on Illuminations being any better than the trillion times we’d all seen it before, but the drinks were going down nicely and we had seats, so we stayed put.






Let me tell ya’ll a little something.

If ever you have the chance to catch Illuminations from the R&C patio…. DO IT!!!

This was us through the whole thing:


Truly, we were stunned. It was magnificent. Stupendous. Extraordinary. Phenomenal. And a whole host of other words that mean, “So good I almost peed my pants!” NOJuliaRoberts.

We were so very appreciative of our server’s insistence that we stay, and we tipped appropriately. She rocked our World.


Bree then headed back toward Future World to join the mass exodus to the parking lot, and Char and I headed toward the BC. Or, more specifically, toward the Martha’s Vineyard Lounge. ‘Cause we were two moms with the night to ourselves. In other words, we weren’t done yet.

Martha’s Vineyard is one of my favorite spots for a drink at WDW. The BC/YC beach motif extends into this quaint little place, replete with overstuffed wicker furniture and lots of gleaming wood accents. All of which you’d see had I taken any pictures. Sorry. About that.

Char and I continued to chat while enjoying some beautifully poured Cosmos, and then called it a night.

It was such a gorgeous night, and an entirely fitting cap to a lovely day. Could the next day possibly be its equal?

Next: The bit about the "lake house"

 

[PrincessV]

Great, great, GREAT pics of Stormalong Bay! And that was only with your teeny tiny camera, not the big one right? You take excellent photos! What kind of camera is it again, BTW? I may need to invest in one considering the screen on mine just cracked this past weekend.

Thank you! Really, I just had it set on automatic, so it was nearly all camera and no V involved. It's a Canon DS1000 and I loooove it!

Dude! I have got to stop and smell the roses!

Yes. You do my friend.
Don't worry - I'll show you the way in a few weeks. Trust V.

 

[1Princess1Prince2006]

Wait...am I first???

Holy crap if I am. LOL

Wow...what GREAT room mojo Char has. I would DEFINATELY be taking her with me on all trips. LOL

And it soulds like you had a wonderful rest of day. And that is really some impressive sitting for Illuminations. I'll have to keep that in mind for future visits.

 

[jcc0621]

Thought you'd sneak this in before you left tomorrow eh

Exited the elevator, turned left…. And there it was! Mere steps away from our vertical transport!
1 point for Char’s Room Mojo.

Slid in my room key… and the door opened!
2 points for Char’s Room Mojo.

Walked, turning on the light… clean, clean, clean and NO funky smells!

THIS is what awaited my wondering eye…

Beautiful!

And, you’re gonna love this, we collectively said, “Eh.”

I am kind of Eh about Illuminations too. Been there...done that...bought the T-Shirt kind of feel

So we captured it.

Great picture!

Truly, we were stunned. It was magnificent. Stupendous. Extraordinary. Phenomenal. And a whole host of other words that mean, “So good I almost peed my pants!” NOJuliaRoberts.

WOW!

It was such a gorgeous night, and an entirely fitting cap to a lovely day. Could the next day possibly be its equal?

Next: The bit about the "lake house"