I’d love to say that, following our lovely, adult-beverage-festooned evening, we enjoyed sleeping in, minus our little ones to wake us at the crack of dawn.
Really.
I’d love to.
Not gonna happen. Apparently you can take the moms away from the kids, but you can’t take the kids out of the moms.
THAT doesn’t sound right at all! 
What I mean is: we woke up early anyway. Not too early. Around 8ish. But not sleeping late, either. Oh well. We still got to enjoy something we miss out on with the boys around… Sunday morning TV! Oh yeah, I indulged in some quality time with Meet the Press (the last I saw before Tim Russert died) whilst Char got dressed and we both enjoyed not having to answer a million questions upon waking.
Speaking of waking, it took some time to remove the wrinkles form my face. My chest. My arms. And legs. Yes, wrinkles. From THIS:
That is one of the fancy, new, super high thread-count Wamsutta sheets they’ve installed in the Deluxe resorts. And which Mousekeeping clearly does not know how to process. Both sheets and pillowcases are absolutely covered in these knife-edge creases, I’m guessing thanks to a rolling press. MICKEY: LAY OFF THE PRESSING!!!!
Hummpphh.
Oh, and we ate breakfast. Which did NOT come in my luggage. For once. For our grown-ups only trip, we opted to partake of the Beach Club Marketplace’s offerings. So we headed on over via the Solarium, where I snapped the shot I’d missed earlier…
I hadn’t seen the Marketplace since they added it to the BC gift shop space, and I wasn’t at all sure what to expect. I’m happy to report that it far exceeded my expectations – much larger than I’d envisioned with some decent food options. I’ll also point out that the service was superb; every CM in there was exceptionally friendly and helpful!
We both grabbed cups of warm brown water, mine heavily laced with hot chocolate, and some grub. I had a croissant with eggs and cheese, while Char got the same plus a yogurt parfait.
The food was meh. The brown water was as expected – carp. The egg sandwiches were just lackluster. Could’ve used a little salt, pepper, something. Still, they were filling, which was the hope. We had no lunch planned and needed breakfast to keep us going for a while.
Anyway, we made our way back to the room after that. We changed into swimsuits, packed up and left our awesome little studio.
We did not leave our bags with Bell Services. Figuring there had to be a showering spot near the pool, we rolled our suitcases with the afternoon’s change of clothes right along with us to a couple of lounge chairs on the far side of the pool area.
Just take a moment to envision that.
There weren’t many people out yet, but I expect we looked a mite bit silly in our swim cover-ups, wheeling our suitcases around the pool.
Suitcases installed behind the backs of our chairs, we settled in to catch whatever rays we could. Which wasn’t many – it was completely overcast and looking like rain. But. When we picked up towels and got our wristbands, the CM taking care of us said he felt sure the clouds would pass and there’d be no rain. He looked trustworthy, so we stayed.
Well, lo and behold, don’t you know after about 45 minutes of sunning and reading fashion magazines, the sun burst out of the clouds and illuminated Stormalong Bay! You could actually feel the pool crowd vibrate in delight as they rushed to slather on the 50SPF. It was looking to be a great day.
We only got in the water a couple times, since the air wasn’t that hot and the pool wasn’t that warm, but when we did first get in.... it was love at first step! Why? Two words:
Sand.
Bottom.
It was like a fantasy for me. See, I’m allergic to Iodine. Iodine is in salt. Salt is in ocean water. The beach is not a happy place for V. As far as swimming goes, anyway. For much of my life, I’ve thought, “If only I could find a chlorinated ocean!”
I did, I did!!!!!
It was very, very cool. In addition to the sandy bottom, the area in which we swam had jets here and there making funny little currents and eddies in the water, making it fun to just walk around. These guys liked it, too…
They were the cutest little family! Mom, Dad and eight ducklings. Only, one of the ducklings was having a hard time keeping up. It didn’t appear to be a runt, but it seemed easily distracted, had some trouble paying attention to where Mom was and tended to drift off a lot.
I saw it coming and sure enough, it happened. Mom got out of the water and took off toward the other side of the pool.
One duckling hopped out and followed her.
Then three more.
A fourth, fifth and sixth repeated this maneuver.
Number seven struggled. It took some serious hopping, but he made it over the pool edge and went running to catch up.
Number eight was busy doing who knows what, swimming in no particular direction and inspecting specks on rocks. Next thing we knew, Eight came to, looked around wildly and began calling to mama, who responded from afar with a short, no-nonsense “quack.”
Eight cranked his little toes into overdrive and sped off toward the steps. He hopped. And hopped. And hopped. But he just could not get himself out of the pool. He swam around some more, looking more and more frantic, and continued to call, but mama was no longer responding.
At this point, a handful of kids and a couple parents were with us in the pool, watching this Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom-worthy scene play out. The kids, trying to help, went after Eight, which just made the baby panic more.
Eight swam from side to side, up and down the channel. Looking and calling, calling and looking.
Finally, when I’d just about decided this was one of those circle of life things, Eight made a monumental effort – I swear, you could almost hear him grunt! – hopped as hard as he could, flapping his little wings and
made it out of the pool! He took off toward where mama was last seen and we all hoped for the best. A bit later, one of the kids came back to report that he’d seen the ducks on the other side of the pool and all eight ducklings were once again accounted for.
PHEW!!!!!
It was during this relaxing time spent NOT tramping around parks, nor yet getting up at the crack of dawn to make rope-drop, that I fell hook, line and sinker (NOTitanic) for my idea of Disney World as Lake House.
I’d first mentioned the concept some time ago in private with my good buddy Lauralee. I think I mentioned a bit more with some others here. Maybe even in a pervious TR. But it was
this trip in which the idea solidified itself…
Disney World is My Lake House!
When I was in middle/high school, a lot of my friends’ families had houses on Lake Erie, either on the American or less expensive (then) Canadian side. I spent most of my summers at those houses, where we roamed pretty freely on the beaches all day and well into the evenings, when we’d tuck into cool sheets that smelled like summer and fall instantly into the deepest of sleeps only achieved through the combination of water and sun.
Those are some of my favorite childhood memories and I always said I’d buy me a lake house someday. Well, living in FL, and less than five miles form the Gulf of Mexico, that dream had yet to be realized.
Until now.
Disney IS my Lake House.
With the duck drama ended and our skin nicely cooked, Char and I set out to find some showers. Rolling our suitcases once again.
As it turns out, the pool showering/changing facilities are in the fitness center. Which has LOCKERS for your suitcases.
D’OH!
Well, now I know for next time. The BC/YC supplies a great facility there – three shower/changing room stalls, a bunch of toilets, a couple sinks and blow-dryers. It was so nice to be able to shower, change and primp post-swim. Char and I vowed to remember this option on future trips. It would be nice to not drive the two hours home stinky and chlorinated.
But.
We weren’t going home. Yet.
We had another fun-filled festivity planned. Tea at the Grand Floridian!
No bussing for this trek, I was all about the driving. So I got my car back from the valet and headed out toward the GF. Remember Char’s aversion to valet parking? She tried to say, “Let’s just self-park and walk,” but I cut her right off on that one. The GF self-park lot was across the flippin’ street AND I get free valet with my Disney Dining Experience card!
FREE valet. With the DDE card. Remember that.
Now, I’ve never been a big fan of the GF. I don’t hate it, but I don’t love it, either. It’s a little too frilly for my taste. I much prefer the tropical feel of the Poly or the clean lines of the Contemporary. I’ve never stayed at the GF and I’ve never missed doing so.
This little visit may have changed by opinion. Quite a bit.
Our reservation was for 2pm and we were about 20 minutes early, so we checked out the ladies’ clothing shop. Char tried on a couple of tops whilst I tried not to throw up every time I saw a price tag. I’m all about paying for quality, but this was ridiculous!
Char didn’t buy anything, and we went downstairs to check in for tea. The Garden View Lounge wasn’t open yet (2pm is the first seating), so I snapped a quick pic before they let people in…
It wasn’t at all stuffy or formal, but very relaxed and comfortable-feeling. V likey!
Once seated, Char perused her choices on the menu. I already knew what I was having:
The Grand Tea – the big one. All the trimmings.
Char eventually settled on the Prince Edward’s Tea, which involved some patés. Bleeeh.
My first course consisted of Earl Grey tea, a glass of sparkling wine, and finger sandwiches, one of each:
Cucumber w/ watercress – not bad!
Chicken salad – wowee!
Shrimp salad – yum!
Egg Salad – very nice!
Pear w/ gorgonzola – da bomb!
It also came with some little tart that tasted a lot like the caramelized onion jam from Rose & Crown’s cheese plate.
We, of course, took pictures of one another with our tea and treats…
Take note of the Anomaly known as My Hair. Not looking too bad you say? I agree. But, note also the sunglasses perched atop my head. They remained there throughout the meal because they were the one thing keeping the Anomaly from not looking a lot like Bozo the Clown. Gramma, having come off of a streak of winning cuts, was allowed to trim my hair about a week prior to this trip. And it was not good. Not horrendous either, but not good.
sigh
It’s always something.
Anyway, having enjoyed our first course very much, we equally enjoyed our second course. And third course. And fourth course. I think. It’s all a little Fuzzy right now, but somewhere in there I know I ate:
A scone with Devonshire cream
Another tart of some sort
Trifle with strawberries and more Devonshire cream
I’d been a little worried that, waiting until 2pm to eat “lunch”, the tea wouldn’t be filling enough.
Oh.
It was filling. VERY filling.
I felt rather like the overstuffed armchairs at the table behind us as we finished up and rolled ourselves out of the lounge. I can’t say enough about the tea – it was fantastic in every possible way! In fact, I’ve been trying – in vain thus far – to add it to several planned trips since then.
It was still gorgeous outside and Char and I decided to stroll the GF grounds, hopefully working off some of that cream in the process.
Remember how I never really wanted to stay at the GF? I changed my mind. The grounds were just lovely… and soooo relaxing! Both pools were reasonably busy, but still felt relaxed and resort-ish. It all felt very comfortable and made me want to stay awhile!
We eventually made it back to the lobby and headed back upstairs to check out the Basin White store. They sell all sorts of neato soaps and bath things in there. I lasted about twelve seconds before the scents overpowered me and induced the beginnings of an asthma attack. I left and took some lobby pics while Char shopped for some gifts.
It wasn’t long before she was done and we were waiting for the valet to bring around my car.
For which I’d paid $10.
I completely
forgot to use my DDE card for free valet!
I drove us back to Char’s car, where we parted ways and I drove back home. It had been a terrific, relaxing weekend that we both really needed. At that point, I thought my next trip would be in August and, once home, I set about planning it and writing this TR.
About a week after this trip, I came to work and found a cute little box tied with a ribbon on my office chair. Upon opening it, I discovered a lilac-scented soap from Basin White. During my twelve seconds in the store with Char, I’d seen that soap and gushed about how realistic it smelled. I also may have waxed poetic about how much I’ve missed lilacs since moving to Florida. We had them all across the back fence in the house I grew up in and the scent of blooming lilacs is permanently intertwined with youthful summers in my memory.
Sweet, sweet Char had purchased a lilac soap when I left the store and secretly delivered it to me at work via a co-worker of mine. Truthfully, it makes me itch, so I can’t use it as soap. But it sits in my bathroom and every time I smell it, I’m reminded both of summer vacations and good times with my friend.
Also not long after Trip #2, I got a hankerin’ for some more time with The Mouse. Leo kept asking when we might go back to a water park. Work was getting stressful and I just wanted to get away for a bit.
About two weeks before the July 4th holiday weekend, I found myself online, checking to see what kind of availability might be had at a (yeah, right!) Annual Passholder discount… for July 4th….
Stay tuned for Trip #3!
Just think of it as your planned resort for the NEXT trip! It's worth the wait.
I'm also hoping you'll allow me to pick your brain a bit... your timing couldn't be better, as I'm in dire need of a curatorial interviewee this week! 
I'll PM you.
I'll be sitting right here waiting. Well, unless I have to go use the little girls room. Or get something to eat. Or tend to my son. But I'm waiting!
and that is a good thing. 
