Cool pictures of the Swan and Dolphin -- we have never even walked through there, so it was fun to see the inside. I am still laughing about using Brooklyn as a decoy to snag a photo of the cute waiters!
Until then, we had only walked and boated by the resorts. I am glad I got to see the inside of each of them, since I have heard so much about the good teacher discounts. Now that I know what they are like, I am pretty sure that I will never take up one of those offers - not because they are not beautiful places, but just because they are not really my style.
From what I hear, I may be using Brooklynn as a decoy again whenever we make it to Chefs de France.
It is great that Disney does have those pharmacy items...however expensive they will mark them up to be! This trip, we are going to attempt to be as prepared as possible (but we all know we're going to end up buying the $50 Advil at some point...)
We try to have everything possible in small portions, too, but it is nice to know that Disney has us covered in case we forget something. I noticed that they even have moleskin, in case I ever run out of that. That's a must, since a tiny blister can have a huge impact on a trip.
So let's discuss the events that led up to this point. Mom wanted to visit the Swan and Dolphin and we had our own vehicle so we decided to stop there on our way out. I was driving and it was pouring down rain so I dropped Mom, John and the girls off at the door under the overhang. I gave John my bag (containing my wallet, phone and everything) I was just going to park the car and come in so no big deal right? Wrong! The parking lot I started toward was valet parking only so out onto the road and into the general public park your own car lot. Except this lot you have to pay $20 to park in, regardless of how long you stay. I was not paying to park when I could park in the Yacht Club parking lot for free and walk. So I turned back out onto the road and headed into the Yacht Club parking lot. I got to the security gate and reached for my purse to get my ID and KTTW card. Yep, the purse that is in John's possession at the Dolphin. I was so frustrated at this point and then I remembered that I had Bella's KTTW card in my back pocket. Flashed that beautiful card and parked the car. THen started the long WET walk to the Dolphin. By the time I got there my family thought I had been kidnapped.
John and I then walked over to Epcot to get a sombrero from Mexico. By the time we made it out I looked like a drowned rat. There was a photopass guy at the International Gateway and he took our picture. I will post it when I get home so you can get a visual.
You were having such an adventure, Jill, while we were walking around nice and dry taking pictures and looking at good-looking waiters.
Nice S&D pics! Looks like a neat place. Jill, I'm sorry to hear you were a bit waterlogged! That's no fun!!
I'll miss you all on NYE but I'll be there in spirit!! We'll meet up again soon. If there are any meets, even in TN or Atlanta, I would drive over & make a long weekend of it & see everybody.
Have a great week! It'll be nice to have the time to pack
& get ready, and not be rushed.
When Opry Mills opens back up, I'd love for everyone to come here. We could do the Nashville Zoo and then go to the mall. They had a great food court - lots of choices, but they also had a Rainforest Cafe. It is my understanding that Rainforest will be re-opening.
I got a lot of clothes washed yesterday, and I threw some things out. I cleaned out the fridge, too. This morning, I made chocolate chip pancakes, bagged them in threes, and put them in the freezer for when I'm gone. I also made banana-pineapple-nut muffins to take with me on the trip for breakfasts in the room.
Just dropping in to say hi!
Prayers going out to Aunt Joan and family! Such a hard thing to deal with.
Hope you all have a wonderful trip!
Test results still aren't back. Thanks for your good thoughts and prayers.
We will have a great trip. When are you going next?
Hugs, prayers, and pixie dust to everyone who needs it right now. I am so sorry to hear so many of our Dis friends and families having such a difficult time.
MeMom - I use my DBFF Lauren as my decoy sometimes for photos...or I just pretend I'm playing around with my camera settings!
$20 to park regardless of how long you stay? That seems like robbery to me!! I hope it was a mighty nice sombrero! That's lucky that at least you had Bella's card with you Jill!
Thanks for your support of lots of DIS friends.
I may have to use the decoy trick to get a good share of pictures of my handsome Naveen.
My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. I also lost my Dad to cancer and it is the hardest thing to go through..
It is a painful thing to watch a person die of cancer. I watched three deaths - all just horrible. My grandmother's was not as prolonged as my grandfather and my dad, but just watching full of life people slowly dwindle away is very, very sad.
After a while, though, the memories that come immediately to mind are not of the death process, but of the good and the funny moments in their lives.
My grandmother loved to eat, and she loved to plan the parties. I picture her up there making a list and teling everybody the Christmas menu on a daily basis. There will be a butter cake with chocolate icing, and there will be a coconut cake.
My dad is singing gospel songs, and my grandfather is painting a snowy village scene on the windows.
They are all happy and healthy.
Sounds like an adventure! I think we have all been there at some point. Thank goodness you had one KTTW card in your pocket!
We had our first experience with rain at Disney on this last trip and I have to say that I don't know how people make it who have rain the entire time. It REALLY throws a wrench in your plans, especially when you are crunched for time.
Memom, I agree with you. The Swan and Dolphin look pretty nice, but they aren't for me either. They would probably be my last resort choices along with All Star Sports.
I have stayed at Sports twice, and the only downside was the groups of young ball players who were a little loud. They weren't bad - just unattended and a little rowdy in the gift shop on one of our stays there. I liked my location in Surfs Up better than the one in the Tennis section, but both were fine. It would be the last of the three All-Stars I would choose, yet I would choose it over Swan and Dolphin. Most people would probably think that would be a poor choice, but we all like different things.
It looks like we're going to have some rain on our trip, but we know it won't rain every day all day, so we'll handle it when it comes. That might be a good time to get all those indoor resort pictures.
I like that you used Brooklyn as a decoy for the cute waiters.
Thanks for the second shot.
I opened our paper this morning to discover a familiar name in the obits. A woman that I had the pleasure of teaching her children to swim had succumbed to breast cancer. The doctors and scientists have made great strides and I hope they continu to find ways to prevent this disease from taking more lives.
Jill, I don't blame you for taking one for the team and parking at the Yacht club and swimming to the Dolphin and then ino EPCOT. I look forward to that picture.
Sorry to hear about your friend. It does make things sadder on/near holidays. A lady at church lost her daughter on Mother's Day several years ago, and I thought that was so very sad.
I'm sorry Jill had to walk, but I am glad we got to meet up at Yacht Club in the end, since I rarely make my way over there.
Thanks for the pics of Swan and Dolphin. We spent one night at the Swan in Dec. 09 (drove fast, got there early) and while it is a beautiful hotel with very nice amenities, it definitely does not scream DISNEY! I would like to stay there if it were in NYC or someplace like that.
That's what is so great about WDW. They have a hotel or resort to suit everyone's taste, style and budget!!!
Yes, I know I'm preaching to the choir here.
I think I am like you - if we were in NY or Vegas or somewhere, I would like a Swan or Dolphin just fine.
I want to stay at all the resorts for at least one night.
I used to think I would not care to stay at GF, but it has really grown on me. I think we might do that on a girls trip sometime.
Love the Swan pics!
I can't believe it was $20 to park the car. That's much worse than the pricey Advil.
Can't wait to see the drowned rat pic!
You have a very nice hotel, Julie!
Hope you are reading this from your mom's house now.
That place also is a little too fancy for me. I guess we're low-key MeMom. I did have to buy Nyquil at WDW before. I think it was around $9 so not too bad when you're sick on vacation. The cost is worth feeling better for sure!
Definitely low-key for me.
If you saw my house and my wardrobe of three dollar
Walmart t-shirts, you might think possibly tooooo low-key.
My prayers for everyone who has been mentioned here. It is such a sad time to be ill or have someone you care about be ill. My grandmother died on christmas eve when i was pregnant with my daughter. It is such a mixed happy/sad day still. I will share some happy news. A friend of our family's granddaughter was diagnosed last year at 20 months old with a brain tumor and was given a 50/50 chance. This poor baby went through surgeries, chemo etc.and has lost her sight yet she is always smiling from the pictures. She is officially in remission! There are still
miracles and I for one need to remember that.
So a happy and healthy holidays to all of you dis ladies and gents.
So glad to hear that good things are happening for your friend's little one.
We do not have to look far to see the troubles and struggles of others until our own issues don't look all that bad.
Oh, Jill, that is so something that would happen to Charles and me! I am so glad you posted the picture, so I could have the visual, too.
She just really need a sombrero!
It was a different way to end a trip, for sure, but we all had good laughs from it. The girls and I were quite happy hanging out at Yacht Club watching cartoons in a luxurious lobby while Jill and John were out prancing in the rain.
The Yacht Club people, however, probably wondered why the poor Pop people were spending so long in
their lobby.
You'll always laugh when you look at it!
So I am not as miserably behind!!!
I hope things get better for everyone.
wooohooo!!!!
What are your dates?
