My PO-RS, GF, and BCV Vacation With A Disability
- Thread starter Janet2k
- Start date
CaliforniaDreaming, on one of these vacations, our families are going to wind up staying at the Grand Floridian at the same time. And when that finally happens, we will have an absolute ball discovering all the little nuances of that resort, you can count on that.
Rascalmom, since you have food allergies too, I must admit that it was great having the chef catch the food issue. I didnt expect it, but it sure was nice knowing that someone was looking out for me.
MJS, I hope they continue the My Disney Girl Princess Grand Tea Party. It is an elaborate production, so Im sure they are contemplating how they will offer it in the future. My guess is that it will be offered during Disneys busier seasons. That would make the most sense. It will be interesting to see what they do. Hopefully, they wont keep us waiting too long. As to whether or not I will be posting a dining report, probably not (I love to eat but am so horrible with describing what ingredients are in the dishes). But I will definitely be posting information regarding my Beach Club Villas stay, so hang in there with me. I had a wonderful time at the Beach Club.
Helenk, you want more? Ill give you more.
I will now post about my Grand Floridian room. See below.
Rascalmom, since you have food allergies too, I must admit that it was great having the chef catch the food issue. I didnt expect it, but it sure was nice knowing that someone was looking out for me.
MJS, I hope they continue the My Disney Girl Princess Grand Tea Party. It is an elaborate production, so Im sure they are contemplating how they will offer it in the future. My guess is that it will be offered during Disneys busier seasons. That would make the most sense. It will be interesting to see what they do. Hopefully, they wont keep us waiting too long. As to whether or not I will be posting a dining report, probably not (I love to eat but am so horrible with describing what ingredients are in the dishes). But I will definitely be posting information regarding my Beach Club Villas stay, so hang in there with me. I had a wonderful time at the Beach Club.
Helenk, you want more? Ill give you more.
I will now post about my Grand Floridian room. See below.I thought it was about time that I described my Grand Floridian Resort room to you folks. I must admit that you have been awfully patient with me. If the situation were reversed, I would have probably been begging by now for not only a room description but also some room photos.
My room was in the Main Building of the Grand Floridian Resort, and it was a deluxe concierge room. The room was beautiful, especially the bathroom. The bathroom? you ask. Shes kept us waiting for days for a room description and shes mentioning that the bathroom was beautiful? Is she feeling okay? Yes, I am, thanks to having spent a few weeks in various Walt Disney World resort rooms that had handicap-accessible bathrooms. Those bathrooms were heavenly, ~sigh.~ Especially my Grand Floridian Resort rooms bathroom.
As you know, months ago I had injured my leg, and because of that injury, had spent several months off my feet. Immediately preceding my vacation, my final cast was removed. I was then given a removable cast. When I was wearing my removable cast, I was allowed to place some weight on my leg but not my full weight. And when I was not wearing my cast, I was not allowed to place any weight on my leg. As you can understand, the cast was removed for showering, and thus I was unable to stand. Now you know why having a handicap-accessible bathroom with a roll-in shower and a bench seat was a necessity for my vacation. Thanks to Disneys Special Needs Department, handicap-accessible rooms were assigned to me for my stays at the following resorts: Port Orleans Riverside, Grand Floridian, and Beach Club Villas.
Since Im on the subject of the handicap-accessible bathroom, please let me describe it for you. As with all Disney deluxe resorts, the bathroom was comprised of a separate vanity area and a separate toilet and shower area. Click here for photo.
The vanity area had two sinks, a wall-mounted hair dryer, a wall-mounted makeup/shaving mirror, a wicker hamper, and lots of counter space. Click here for photo. I should also note that the paneling beneath the counter was cut away so that I could roll my wheelchair right up to the counter in order to comfortably wash my hands. Click here for photo.
The toilet and shower area of the bathroom contained wall-mounted handrails that allowed me to easily transfer myself from my wheelchair to either the toilet or the roll-in showers bench seat. I really needed those handrails.
Above the toilet was a shelving unit that contained bath towels, hand towels, washcloths, a box of tissues, spare rolls of toilet paper, a shower bonnet, a pad of notepaper, and a pen. There was even a wall-mounted telephone directly next to the toilet. Click here for photo.
The toilet and shower area was large enough to accommodate my wheelchair. I found plenty of room to maneuver about in between the toilet and the shower. Click here for photo.
For those of you who are unfamiliar with a roll-in shower, it is a shower that you can actually roll your wheelchair right into. I didnt roll mine inside the actual shower, only next to it, where I grabbed the wall-mounted handrails in order to transfer myself from my wheelchair to the showers bench seat. It sounds a little complicated, and it is the first few times you do it, but you eventually figure out the easiest way to transfer yourself and you stick with that formula. Click here for photo.
The height of the showerhead could easily be adjusted. The showerhead could even be removed from the wall bracket in order to become a handheld shower (it just doesnt get any better than that). Click here for photo.
I was very, very happy that I had a handicap-accessible bathroom with a roll-in shower. My vacation would not have been so nice had I not had that specially designed bathroom.
My room was in the Main Building of the Grand Floridian Resort, and it was a deluxe concierge room. The room was beautiful, especially the bathroom. The bathroom? you ask. Shes kept us waiting for days for a room description and shes mentioning that the bathroom was beautiful? Is she feeling okay? Yes, I am, thanks to having spent a few weeks in various Walt Disney World resort rooms that had handicap-accessible bathrooms. Those bathrooms were heavenly, ~sigh.~ Especially my Grand Floridian Resort rooms bathroom.
As you know, months ago I had injured my leg, and because of that injury, had spent several months off my feet. Immediately preceding my vacation, my final cast was removed. I was then given a removable cast. When I was wearing my removable cast, I was allowed to place some weight on my leg but not my full weight. And when I was not wearing my cast, I was not allowed to place any weight on my leg. As you can understand, the cast was removed for showering, and thus I was unable to stand. Now you know why having a handicap-accessible bathroom with a roll-in shower and a bench seat was a necessity for my vacation. Thanks to Disneys Special Needs Department, handicap-accessible rooms were assigned to me for my stays at the following resorts: Port Orleans Riverside, Grand Floridian, and Beach Club Villas.
Since Im on the subject of the handicap-accessible bathroom, please let me describe it for you. As with all Disney deluxe resorts, the bathroom was comprised of a separate vanity area and a separate toilet and shower area. Click here for photo.
The vanity area had two sinks, a wall-mounted hair dryer, a wall-mounted makeup/shaving mirror, a wicker hamper, and lots of counter space. Click here for photo. I should also note that the paneling beneath the counter was cut away so that I could roll my wheelchair right up to the counter in order to comfortably wash my hands. Click here for photo.
The toilet and shower area of the bathroom contained wall-mounted handrails that allowed me to easily transfer myself from my wheelchair to either the toilet or the roll-in showers bench seat. I really needed those handrails.
Above the toilet was a shelving unit that contained bath towels, hand towels, washcloths, a box of tissues, spare rolls of toilet paper, a shower bonnet, a pad of notepaper, and a pen. There was even a wall-mounted telephone directly next to the toilet. Click here for photo.
The toilet and shower area was large enough to accommodate my wheelchair. I found plenty of room to maneuver about in between the toilet and the shower. Click here for photo.
For those of you who are unfamiliar with a roll-in shower, it is a shower that you can actually roll your wheelchair right into. I didnt roll mine inside the actual shower, only next to it, where I grabbed the wall-mounted handrails in order to transfer myself from my wheelchair to the showers bench seat. It sounds a little complicated, and it is the first few times you do it, but you eventually figure out the easiest way to transfer yourself and you stick with that formula. Click here for photo.
The height of the showerhead could easily be adjusted. The showerhead could even be removed from the wall bracket in order to become a handheld shower (it just doesnt get any better than that). Click here for photo.
I was very, very happy that I had a handicap-accessible bathroom with a roll-in shower. My vacation would not have been so nice had I not had that specially designed bathroom.
Now that Im done with the description of the handicap-accessible bathroom, Ill describe the rest of the deluxe resort room for you.
When I first saw the door to my room, I immediately noticed two peepholes: one at the usual height and one at a lower height for someone in a wheelchair to view through. Click here for photo.
In the rooms entryway, immediately on the left, was a large closet. This closet had mirrored doors. Sitting on the closets floor was the rooms electronic safe. I should note that this electronic safe was different than the one I had during my last Grand Floridian stay (in the Cypress Suite). This new safe was contained inside a small shelving unit; it was on the top shelf. The bottom two shelves were open, and my husband quickly placed his shoes and shoe polishing items there. The safe required the user to select a personal code when locking it (it was easy to operate):
Electronic Safe Photo # 1
Electronic Safe Photo # 2
In the rooms entryway, immediately on the right, was a wall-mounted mirrored hat stand. Click here for photo. We soon filled its little shelf with cups, toys, candy, booklets, and other trinkets. And we soon hung our hats and beach cover-ups upon its hooks. The one thing that I must admit about my family, and youll see this as you view my room photos, is that we always make ourselves at home. Always. That is a good thing.
As I entered the main area of the resort room, I saw a sofa table. Click here for photo. Of course, when I first saw the table, it was empty (but not for long, thanks to my family).
Looking beyond the sofa table, I could see that the room was nicely sized. Having a deluxe room obviously gave us more floor space than a standard room would have. I have a few photos where I tried to get this point across, but they didnt turn out too well:
Floor Space Photo # 1 (click here)
Floor Space Photo # 2 (click here)
The resort room contained two queen-size beds. The bedspreads had the cameo theme. Click here for photo.
There was a little seating area in one corner of the room. It had a table, two chairs, and a floor lamp. Click here for photo.
In the center of the room was another seating area. It had a sofa, an occasional table and lamp, a coffee table, and an armoire that contained the television. Click here for photo.
A small wet bar that contained a sink was located behind louvered doors. If you had an in-room party, it would come in handy. Click here for photo.
My daughter was happy to see the minibar. She found all sorts of goodies inside it: M&Ms, Skittles, Oreos, Wheat Thins, PEZ candy, Grand Floridian mugs, cereal, milk, V8, juices, Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite, water, beer, wine, and alcohol. I should note that the minibar could only be opened by the key that was issued to me upon check-in:
Minibar Exterior Photo (click here)
Minibar Contents Photo # 1 (click here)
Minibar Contents Photo # 2 (click here)
Minibar Contents Photo # 3 (click here)
The rooms balcony was pretty much the standard size. It contained two chairs and a small table. Click here for photo.
The balcony had a nice view of the gardens and the quiet pool. You could even see the Magic Kingdom Theme Parks Space Mountain ride in the distance if you looked towards Narcoossees. And if you looked towards the Polynesian, you could see Disneys Wedding Chapel:
Balcony View Photo # 1 (click here)
Balcony View Photo # 2 (click here)
Balcony View Photo # 3 (click here)
Housekeeping did a wonderful job in keeping our room clean during the day. And when we returned to our room in the evening, we loved finding that turndown service had been done:
Turndown Service Photo # 1 (click here)
Turndown Service Photo # 2 (click here)
I dont believe my family has ever had towel animals before while staying at the Grand Floridian. One day my daughter received a chickadee, and the next day she received a male and female character (I thought they looked like gnomes). They were darling. Click here for photo.
It was wonderful having a deluxe room at the Grand Floridian Resort. The extra room made it easy for me to maneuver my wheelchair around in. If I could have changed one thing about the room, however, I would have widened the doorways by a few inches. Dont get me wrong, my wheelchair fit inside the current doorways. However, extra inches would have been nice (who says that size doesnt matter ). My guess is that every person in a wheelchair has this same request they want wider doorways. Other than that, I loved the room. It was a heavenly place to recuperate in.
When I first saw the door to my room, I immediately noticed two peepholes: one at the usual height and one at a lower height for someone in a wheelchair to view through. Click here for photo.
In the rooms entryway, immediately on the left, was a large closet. This closet had mirrored doors. Sitting on the closets floor was the rooms electronic safe. I should note that this electronic safe was different than the one I had during my last Grand Floridian stay (in the Cypress Suite). This new safe was contained inside a small shelving unit; it was on the top shelf. The bottom two shelves were open, and my husband quickly placed his shoes and shoe polishing items there. The safe required the user to select a personal code when locking it (it was easy to operate):
Electronic Safe Photo # 1
Electronic Safe Photo # 2
In the rooms entryway, immediately on the right, was a wall-mounted mirrored hat stand. Click here for photo. We soon filled its little shelf with cups, toys, candy, booklets, and other trinkets. And we soon hung our hats and beach cover-ups upon its hooks. The one thing that I must admit about my family, and youll see this as you view my room photos, is that we always make ourselves at home. Always. That is a good thing.
As I entered the main area of the resort room, I saw a sofa table. Click here for photo. Of course, when I first saw the table, it was empty (but not for long, thanks to my family).
Looking beyond the sofa table, I could see that the room was nicely sized. Having a deluxe room obviously gave us more floor space than a standard room would have. I have a few photos where I tried to get this point across, but they didnt turn out too well:
Floor Space Photo # 1 (click here)
Floor Space Photo # 2 (click here)
The resort room contained two queen-size beds. The bedspreads had the cameo theme. Click here for photo.
There was a little seating area in one corner of the room. It had a table, two chairs, and a floor lamp. Click here for photo.
In the center of the room was another seating area. It had a sofa, an occasional table and lamp, a coffee table, and an armoire that contained the television. Click here for photo.
A small wet bar that contained a sink was located behind louvered doors. If you had an in-room party, it would come in handy. Click here for photo.
My daughter was happy to see the minibar. She found all sorts of goodies inside it: M&Ms, Skittles, Oreos, Wheat Thins, PEZ candy, Grand Floridian mugs, cereal, milk, V8, juices, Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite, water, beer, wine, and alcohol. I should note that the minibar could only be opened by the key that was issued to me upon check-in:
Minibar Exterior Photo (click here)
Minibar Contents Photo # 1 (click here)
Minibar Contents Photo # 2 (click here)
Minibar Contents Photo # 3 (click here)
The rooms balcony was pretty much the standard size. It contained two chairs and a small table. Click here for photo.
The balcony had a nice view of the gardens and the quiet pool. You could even see the Magic Kingdom Theme Parks Space Mountain ride in the distance if you looked towards Narcoossees. And if you looked towards the Polynesian, you could see Disneys Wedding Chapel:
Balcony View Photo # 1 (click here)
Balcony View Photo # 2 (click here)
Balcony View Photo # 3 (click here)
Housekeeping did a wonderful job in keeping our room clean during the day. And when we returned to our room in the evening, we loved finding that turndown service had been done:
Turndown Service Photo # 1 (click here)
Turndown Service Photo # 2 (click here)
I dont believe my family has ever had towel animals before while staying at the Grand Floridian. One day my daughter received a chickadee, and the next day she received a male and female character (I thought they looked like gnomes). They were darling. Click here for photo.
It was wonderful having a deluxe room at the Grand Floridian Resort. The extra room made it easy for me to maneuver my wheelchair around in. If I could have changed one thing about the room, however, I would have widened the doorways by a few inches. Dont get me wrong, my wheelchair fit inside the current doorways. However, extra inches would have been nice (who says that size doesnt matter
). My guess is that every person in a wheelchair has this same request they want wider doorways. Other than that, I loved the room. It was a heavenly place to recuperate in.Since I am constantly adding photos to my on-line photo album, I thought I would post the main link to it (in case any of the links that I have given in prior posts have become obsolute). Please click here for my main on-line photo album.
CaliforniaDreaming
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jan 27, 2001
- Messages
- 5,954
Janet, wonderful photos. And, I really do hope our paths cross one of these days at the GF. Maybe in a year or two I'll be able to do another October trip, which I absolutely loved. 
From the balcony of my Grand Floridian room, I viewed many presentations of the Magic Kingdoms Wishes fireworks show. It was a pleasant surprise to be able to view the fireworks from there.
I especially like this photo because you can see a few fireworks on the left-hand side of it while you see Narcoossees and Space Mountain on the right-hand side -- click here for photo.
Click here to view my on-line photo album of the fireworks view from my balcony, or click here to view a photo slideshow of the fireworks view from my balcony.
I especially like this photo because you can see a few fireworks on the left-hand side of it while you see Narcoossees and Space Mountain on the right-hand side -- click here for photo.
Click here to view my on-line photo album of the fireworks view from my balcony, or click here to view a photo slideshow of the fireworks view from my balcony.
CaliforniaDreaming
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jan 27, 2001
- Messages
- 5,954
More great photos, thanks Janet! I'll tell you one thing - after reading your report and seeing photos, don't be surprised if I book a couple nights at the GF for my next trip. 
I'll tell you one thing - after reading your report and seeing photos, don't be surprised if I book a couple nights at the GF for my next trip. 
helenk
I wish I was in Disney World
- Joined
- Jan 4, 2000
- Messages
- 8,559
Great photos Janet. I stayed at the GF in '99 and seeing your pictures make me want to go back again. Next year we are trying the Poly because my daughter liked the looks of it, but maybe my next trip after this one coming up....
During my familys vacation, the Cast Members of the Grand Floridian Resort couldnt have been nicer to us if they had tried. I have already mentioned how wonderful the Concierge Pre-Planning Cast Member was who had handled our pre-arrival needs (and even some post ones). As to the rest of the resorts staff, there was not one group of folks who did not treat my family with kindness and respect. We were always greeted with a Good day and a smile. The service was wonderful.
On one occasion my daughter and I found ourselves at the Front Desk, inquiring about where to purchase a postcard stamp (my daughter had written a postcard to her classmates back home). The Front Desk Cast Member asked my daughter to hand over the postcard because he was going to personally place a stamp on it and mail it for her. I had a dollar bill in my hand and tried to give it to him. I told him that we fully expected to pay for the stamp, we just didnt know where to purchase it. He said it would be his pleasure to take care of the postage for us. I again tried to pay but he wouldnt hear of it. His generosity was completely unexpected.
Very late in the evening, I sometimes found myself visiting the concierge desk. Two late-night visits particularly come to mind. During one visit, I needed a Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue reservation canceled; and during another visit, I wanted a copy of my current resort bill. At each visit I was greeted with a smile and a pleasantness that was refreshing, especially considering the lateness of the evening (well after 9 PM). At no time did I feel like I was bothering anyone or being an inconvenience; I always felt welcome. And when I stopped by the concierge desk during the day, I felt just as welcome. Everyone smiled and treated me with courtesy. In my humble opinion, the Cast Members seemed to enjoy their jobs and wanted to make sure that my familys needs were taken care of. It was a pleasure to work with them. I knew that if I needed anything at all, they would have taken care of it for me without a word. What a wonderful feeling to have.
The Cast Members who worked in the Royal Palm Club's concierge lounge were also wonderful. They always asked how my familys day was going and if we needed anything. On one occasion, my husband asked where a specific Pre-Planning Cast Member was. Instead of telling him to go down to the third floor to ask for him, she disappeared for a few minutes and reappeared with the Cast Member in question. What a nice thing to do.
Housekeeping was right on the ball, too. I have an amusing story to pass along. After having spent a few days in the resort, I suddenly found myself having to go back to my room late one afternoon to pick something up that I had needed. As I was entering my room, from behind me I heard a voice asking, Are you checking in? I turned around and saw that it was a Housekeeping Cast Member. I said, No, Ive been staying here all week. She looked at me kind of odd because I was obviously not the person whom she had run into all week long. She then stated, I havent seen you before. I could tell she was wondering whether or not I belonged in that room, and I was impressed because she obviously knew who her guests were. I then said, Ive been here all week with my husband and my daughter. At that point she said, Oh, then it has been your mother who I have seen in that room. I laughed. Yes, anytime I needed anything from my room, my mother would go get it for me. Being in a wheelchair made it hard for me to just bop into my room in order to retrieve something which I had forgotten (plus, my mother was getting a big kick out of taking care of me, the daughter with the broken leg, so I never denied her the pleasure of being a mom). Housekeeping was definitely on the ball and keeping an eye on my room. I felt safe.
Every Cast Member who I encountered during my vacation was nice. There were times when they offered to push my wheelchair for me, and there were times when they flirted with me (especially the two greeters, Larry and Richard). I cant say enough good things about the staff of the Grand Floridian Resort. What a lovely team of Cast Members.
On one occasion my daughter and I found ourselves at the Front Desk, inquiring about where to purchase a postcard stamp (my daughter had written a postcard to her classmates back home). The Front Desk Cast Member asked my daughter to hand over the postcard because he was going to personally place a stamp on it and mail it for her. I had a dollar bill in my hand and tried to give it to him. I told him that we fully expected to pay for the stamp, we just didnt know where to purchase it. He said it would be his pleasure to take care of the postage for us. I again tried to pay but he wouldnt hear of it. His generosity was completely unexpected.
Very late in the evening, I sometimes found myself visiting the concierge desk. Two late-night visits particularly come to mind. During one visit, I needed a Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue reservation canceled; and during another visit, I wanted a copy of my current resort bill. At each visit I was greeted with a smile and a pleasantness that was refreshing, especially considering the lateness of the evening (well after 9 PM). At no time did I feel like I was bothering anyone or being an inconvenience; I always felt welcome. And when I stopped by the concierge desk during the day, I felt just as welcome. Everyone smiled and treated me with courtesy. In my humble opinion, the Cast Members seemed to enjoy their jobs and wanted to make sure that my familys needs were taken care of. It was a pleasure to work with them. I knew that if I needed anything at all, they would have taken care of it for me without a word. What a wonderful feeling to have.
The Cast Members who worked in the Royal Palm Club's concierge lounge were also wonderful. They always asked how my familys day was going and if we needed anything. On one occasion, my husband asked where a specific Pre-Planning Cast Member was. Instead of telling him to go down to the third floor to ask for him, she disappeared for a few minutes and reappeared with the Cast Member in question. What a nice thing to do.
Housekeeping was right on the ball, too. I have an amusing story to pass along. After having spent a few days in the resort, I suddenly found myself having to go back to my room late one afternoon to pick something up that I had needed. As I was entering my room, from behind me I heard a voice asking, Are you checking in? I turned around and saw that it was a Housekeeping Cast Member. I said, No, Ive been staying here all week. She looked at me kind of odd because I was obviously not the person whom she had run into all week long. She then stated, I havent seen you before. I could tell she was wondering whether or not I belonged in that room, and I was impressed because she obviously knew who her guests were. I then said, Ive been here all week with my husband and my daughter. At that point she said, Oh, then it has been your mother who I have seen in that room. I laughed. Yes, anytime I needed anything from my room, my mother would go get it for me. Being in a wheelchair made it hard for me to just bop into my room in order to retrieve something which I had forgotten (plus, my mother was getting a big kick out of taking care of me, the daughter with the broken leg, so I never denied her the pleasure of being a mom). Housekeeping was definitely on the ball and keeping an eye on my room. I felt safe.
Every Cast Member who I encountered during my vacation was nice. There were times when they offered to push my wheelchair for me, and there were times when they flirted with me (especially the two greeters, Larry and Richard). I cant say enough good things about the staff of the Grand Floridian Resort. What a lovely team of Cast Members.
Mickey Mouse woke us up this morning, bright and early. I just love hearing his voice on the telephone, but I let my daughter answer it this morning.
I found it hard getting out of bed because my leg was stiff and swollen, but if I didnt get moving, I was going to be forced to walk the plank. You see, my daughter was scheduled to sail the seven seas this morning. If I didnt get her down to the Grand Floridians marina in time for the
Pirates Cruise, there was going to be a mutiny in my resort room, and it wasnt going to be pretty. And so I got my weary body out of bed and rolled myself into the shower.
Most of you know that my daughter has attended the Pirates Cruise many times over the years. Please click here to view my Pirates Cruise on-line photo album, or please click here to view a slideshow of the Pirates Cruise. (Ive updated it with a few new photos, including two photos of the latest version of the pontoon boat, er, pirate ship). My daughter loves the Pirates Cruise. Now that she is older, Ive finally asked her to relay this event to me. I have included her words below. Please note that I am hearing the details of this event for the first time, just as many of you will be hearing it. Im sure well both be a little surprised by what goes on with the littlest pirates to sail Walt Disney Worlds Seven Seas (Lagoon, that is).
- - - - - - -
For the Grand Floridians Pirates Cruise, the kids arrive at the marina. While the parents are signing in, the kids get a bandanna, a life vest, and a name tag. When its time for the cruise to begin, were told how to behave (a lot of safety stuff gets mentioned). Afterwards, we get to board the pirate ship. Its a big pontoon boat that is decorated with a really cool pirate flag on the back of it.
After our ship left the marina, Bobbi and Naomi asked us, Do you guys know where a piece of the treasure map is so we can get started? I raised my hand. Bobbi whispered in my ear, Have you done this before? I told her I had done it maybe five or six times already. Bobbi said, Okay, then I need you to be the secret keeper. The secret keeper is a person who has done the cruise before, and they have to keep the secrets of the cruise quiet so as not to ruin the cruise for the new pirates.
After Bobbi was done with me, I went back to my seat and sat down. I said to myself, Okay, I can do this, I can do this (meaning, keeping the secret). My partner (a boy) had done the cruise before, too, so the two of us sat there and kept quiet.
We again were asked if we knew where a piece of the treasure map was. The other pirates tried guessing where it was but they kept guessing it wrong. I raised my hand again. Bobbi called on me, and I said, The map is in a clear bottle in the water. Our boat was stopped in the middle of Seven Seas Lagoon when I said this. Bobbi said, Okay, lets all go searching in the water. Everyone get your swimsuits on! The pirates all laughed and my partner said, Okay, lets go back to the hotel, change into our swimsuits, get back in the boat, and then put some scuba gear on! Naomi said, Are you CRAZY?! And Bobbi said, I think he is SUPER CRAZY! And Susan said, Oh, would you guys just please be quiet?!
The boat was moving now and it bumped into something that sounded like glass. Naomi looked over the side of the boat and saw it a piece of the map in a glass bottle that was floating in the water. Naomi reached out to grab the bottle and Bobbi almost pushed her in the water. Bobbi said to Susan, I did that because I know that Naomi is going to want to keep the whole treasure chest to herself.
Naomi put the bottle down in the boat and asked, Who bumped me? All the pirates pointed at Susan. Susan said, Put your hands down! The pirates put their hands down. Then Bobbi pretended to be innocent because Naomi was looking at her kinda weird. Bobbi said, I didnt do anything!
The boat continued on to the Polynesian and docked at the marina. The pirates got off the boat and walked over to some coconut trees. The group split up. Naomi had five pirates, Susan had five pirates, and Bobbi had five pirates. I was in Bobbis group.
Bobbi walked up to a big, plump coconut tree and said, All the strong people come over here. All the strong people walked over there.
Susan walked her group over to a thin coconut tree. She said, All the weak people come over here. Bobbi said, Wait a minute! Wait a minute! What do you mean by weak people?
Naomi said, Would you guys stop it, we have to get to work. Its getting late. So Naomi walked over to a just-right coconut tree and said, All the weak and strong people, come over here. And Bobbi said, Youre going to take all the groups? But Naomi said, No, just my group.
All three groups shook their coconut trees at the same time. Naomis tree had a coconut fall out and splatter all over the ground. It was a regular coconut and there was no map in it.
Bobbis tree had a coconut fall out. It fell and broke and a piece of a curled map fell out. Everybody ran over to look at it. Bobbi asked me to pick up the coconut and the map, so I did.
Naomi asked, What are we going to do with the coconut and what are we going to do with the map because we have no tape to fix anything? I gave the coconut to Naomi. She went and traded it with a Polynesian Cast Member for pieces of tape. With the tape, everyone taped the two map pieces together so we would know where we were going next.
The pirates went back to the marina and got on the pirate ship. Susan held up the map and asked, Does anybody know what hotel this is? Everybody but the secret keepers raised their hands. They all got the answer wrong again. The secret keepers raised their hands next and Susan called on them. One of the secret keepers said, That looks like the Wilderness Lodge, which was the wrong answer. Susan then called on me and I answered, The Contemporary. Susan replied, Very good!
The pirate ship left the Polynesian and headed out to sea. We headed towards the Contemporary.
When we got to the Contemporary, we got off the boat. We headed near some plants and stopped. Susan said, Everybody stays in this area. You can go wherever you want, but stay in this area. After I say, three, you all can spread around and look near the plants for another piece of the treasure map. She then counted, One. Two. Twenty-two, and everybody started spreading out. Susan said, Wait a minute! Did I say, three? All the pirates replied, No! and so we came back together into a group. Susan said, One. Two. Three! Now you can go! and everybody spread out.
The pirates searched in the soil near the plants because that is where the piece of the map was supposed to be. I found a shell and saw a piece of paper in it. I pulled the paper out and saw that it was a piece of the treasure map. I yelled, Here it is! and everybody gathered around. Susan took the shell and traded it with a Contemporary Cast Member for some tape. Everyone then helped tape the new piece of the map to the rest of the map. We now had piece three out of four of the treasure map. Only one more piece to go.
The pirates boarded the pirate ship and headed out to sea again. Naomi said, I have a great idea. How about if you guys find the treasure for me and I get to keep the whole thing to myself? Is that a great idea or what? Raise your hand if its yes. I raised my hand. I was being silly. Bobbi said to me, Put your hand down!
Naomi then said, Raise your hand if you dont want me to keep the whole treasure chest. Everybody raised their hands but me. Bobbi and Susan said to me, Are you INSANE?! I said, Maybe! and everybody started laughing.
The boat started up again and headed towards Wilderness Lodge. The boat stopped in the water before we got to the Lodge. All the pirates went to the back of the boat to talk except for Naomi who stayed in the front of the boat.
Susan and Bobbi quietly asked us, Does anybody have an idea about how to keep Naomi from getting the whole treasure for herself?
I was the only one who raised my hand. I said, Why dont we say, Naomi, if you want us to find the treasure for you, you have to stay on the boat and look for the map because we lost it. Then we get off the boat and look for the fourth piece of map without her. We can pretend that we found the treasure but well tell her that two mean pirates came and stole it away from us and ran down the path with it.
Susan and Bobbi asked if there was more to my plan so I said, Yes. We should say to Naomi, If you want the treasure, go down the path and quickly find the pirates and get the treasure from them. And I bet Naomi will say, Will you guys sit here and wait for me? and well say yes but we really wont wait for her.
Susan and Bobbi liked the idea so everybody went back to their seats on the boat. Naomi said, What took so long? What were you guys talking about? My partner told her, Oh, nothing. We were just planning some games in case we got bored on the way to Wilderness Lodge. Naomi said, Oh, and Bobbi started the boat back up.
The pirate ship headed to Wilderness Lodge. Bobbi said, How do we get to Wilderness Lodge? The pirates said, Dont you know? and Bobbi said, No, Ive never been there before. The pirates told her left then right. Bobbi asked the pirates if they could give directions in pirate-talk. She told them that left was port and right was starboard.
The pirate ship made it to the Wilderness Lodge. The pirates got off and got ready with their plan to keep the treasure away from Naomi. We all said together, Naomi, we lost the map and we need you to find it because it fell in the boat somewhere and we dont know where it is. Naomi stayed in the boat to look for the map. The pirates then left the boat and Naomi.
Bobbi said to us, Were looking for a little black bag with a skull and two bones in an X on it. We began looking around. Susan said, You guys have to be really good detectives. Look under the table, on the chairs, and in the sand.
I found the black bag in the sand and opened it up. I took the piece of treasure map and gave it to Bobbi. Bobbi pulled the rest of the map out of her pocket. Luckily she had saved some tape and she taped the map together.
Susan said, Now we need someone very, very smart to hide it so when we cry Naomi, she wont see it. Everyone raised their hand and I got picked. I hid the map in my life vest.
The pirates sat down on the benches and started crying out, Oh, Naomi! Naomi! She came running out, rushing towards us. She asked what was wrong.
I said, We found the treasure and two pirates, one with a black beard and one with a red beard, stole it from us!
Naomi asked where the two pirates went, and I told her they went running down the path. I told her if she wanted the treasure, she had to go down there and quickly get it from the pirates. Naomi asked us if we would wait for her, and we told her we would.
Naomi went running down the path. The rest of us quietly tiptoed back to the boat. When we got to the boat, Bobbi started it up and we left the marina without Naomi. Naomi saw us and we yelled at her from the water, Wait right there, Naomi, and well come and get you. Our boat moved a little bit further away and we yelled, Na-na, na-na-na! You cant drive a boat! Naomi said, You guys are insane! Our boat left her there on the Wilderness Lodge dock and we headed over to Fort Wilderness.
When we got to Fort Wilderness, we left the boat. We walked down a trail and around some gates. Bobbi said, Now you guys have to watch out for booby traps. We spotted a booby trap. It was a swing that was pulled down and made into a circle on the ground. There was a little mousetrap inside the circle on the ground, and we stayed away from it. We continued down the path on a boardwalk along the waters edge. We eventually found a pirate hut. We saw food and a treasure chest there. Bobbi climbed over the fence and quietly, in case there were pirates around, sneaked over and grabbed the treasure chest.
Naomi appeared and snuck back into our group. A few pirates noticed her and told Susan about it. Susan told Naomi that if we allowed her back into the group, she had to share the treasure with everyone. Naomi agreed. Then Bobbi handed the chest to Susan and climbed back over the fence. All of us ran back to the boat. We boarded the boat and headed back to the Grand Floridian.
On the way back to the Grand Floridian, we were served peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, Rice Krispies treats, chocolate chip cookies, and apple and grape juice.
Our boat made it to the Grand Floridian marina. As the pirates left the boat, we were given loot bags and a telescope. Everyone had a good time on the cruise. I love the Pirates Cruise!
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Shiver me timbers. That sure was one long story, aye? (I didnt expect my daughter to go into so much detail.) The Pirates Cruise sounds like a lot of fun. I wish Disney offered something like it for adults. How come the kids get to have all the fun?
I found it hard getting out of bed because my leg was stiff and swollen, but if I didnt get moving, I was going to be forced to walk the plank. You see, my daughter was scheduled to sail the seven seas this morning. If I didnt get her down to the Grand Floridians marina in time for the
Pirates Cruise, there was going to be a mutiny in my resort room, and it wasnt going to be pretty. And so I got my weary body out of bed and rolled myself into the shower.Most of you know that my daughter has attended the Pirates Cruise many times over the years. Please click here to view my Pirates Cruise on-line photo album, or please click here to view a slideshow of the Pirates Cruise. (Ive updated it with a few new photos, including two photos of the latest version of the pontoon boat, er, pirate ship). My daughter loves the Pirates Cruise. Now that she is older, Ive finally asked her to relay this event to me. I have included her words below. Please note that I am hearing the details of this event for the first time, just as many of you will be hearing it. Im sure well both be a little surprised by what goes on with the littlest pirates to sail Walt Disney Worlds Seven Seas (Lagoon, that is).
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For the Grand Floridians Pirates Cruise, the kids arrive at the marina. While the parents are signing in, the kids get a bandanna, a life vest, and a name tag. When its time for the cruise to begin, were told how to behave (a lot of safety stuff gets mentioned). Afterwards, we get to board the pirate ship. Its a big pontoon boat that is decorated with a really cool pirate flag on the back of it.
After our ship left the marina, Bobbi and Naomi asked us, Do you guys know where a piece of the treasure map is so we can get started? I raised my hand. Bobbi whispered in my ear, Have you done this before? I told her I had done it maybe five or six times already. Bobbi said, Okay, then I need you to be the secret keeper. The secret keeper is a person who has done the cruise before, and they have to keep the secrets of the cruise quiet so as not to ruin the cruise for the new pirates.
After Bobbi was done with me, I went back to my seat and sat down. I said to myself, Okay, I can do this, I can do this (meaning, keeping the secret). My partner (a boy) had done the cruise before, too, so the two of us sat there and kept quiet.
We again were asked if we knew where a piece of the treasure map was. The other pirates tried guessing where it was but they kept guessing it wrong. I raised my hand again. Bobbi called on me, and I said, The map is in a clear bottle in the water. Our boat was stopped in the middle of Seven Seas Lagoon when I said this. Bobbi said, Okay, lets all go searching in the water. Everyone get your swimsuits on! The pirates all laughed and my partner said, Okay, lets go back to the hotel, change into our swimsuits, get back in the boat, and then put some scuba gear on! Naomi said, Are you CRAZY?! And Bobbi said, I think he is SUPER CRAZY! And Susan said, Oh, would you guys just please be quiet?!
The boat was moving now and it bumped into something that sounded like glass. Naomi looked over the side of the boat and saw it a piece of the map in a glass bottle that was floating in the water. Naomi reached out to grab the bottle and Bobbi almost pushed her in the water. Bobbi said to Susan, I did that because I know that Naomi is going to want to keep the whole treasure chest to herself.
Naomi put the bottle down in the boat and asked, Who bumped me? All the pirates pointed at Susan. Susan said, Put your hands down! The pirates put their hands down. Then Bobbi pretended to be innocent because Naomi was looking at her kinda weird. Bobbi said, I didnt do anything!
The boat continued on to the Polynesian and docked at the marina. The pirates got off the boat and walked over to some coconut trees. The group split up. Naomi had five pirates, Susan had five pirates, and Bobbi had five pirates. I was in Bobbis group.
Bobbi walked up to a big, plump coconut tree and said, All the strong people come over here. All the strong people walked over there.
Susan walked her group over to a thin coconut tree. She said, All the weak people come over here. Bobbi said, Wait a minute! Wait a minute! What do you mean by weak people?
Naomi said, Would you guys stop it, we have to get to work. Its getting late. So Naomi walked over to a just-right coconut tree and said, All the weak and strong people, come over here. And Bobbi said, Youre going to take all the groups? But Naomi said, No, just my group.
All three groups shook their coconut trees at the same time. Naomis tree had a coconut fall out and splatter all over the ground. It was a regular coconut and there was no map in it.
Bobbis tree had a coconut fall out. It fell and broke and a piece of a curled map fell out. Everybody ran over to look at it. Bobbi asked me to pick up the coconut and the map, so I did.
Naomi asked, What are we going to do with the coconut and what are we going to do with the map because we have no tape to fix anything? I gave the coconut to Naomi. She went and traded it with a Polynesian Cast Member for pieces of tape. With the tape, everyone taped the two map pieces together so we would know where we were going next.
The pirates went back to the marina and got on the pirate ship. Susan held up the map and asked, Does anybody know what hotel this is? Everybody but the secret keepers raised their hands. They all got the answer wrong again. The secret keepers raised their hands next and Susan called on them. One of the secret keepers said, That looks like the Wilderness Lodge, which was the wrong answer. Susan then called on me and I answered, The Contemporary. Susan replied, Very good!
The pirate ship left the Polynesian and headed out to sea. We headed towards the Contemporary.
When we got to the Contemporary, we got off the boat. We headed near some plants and stopped. Susan said, Everybody stays in this area. You can go wherever you want, but stay in this area. After I say, three, you all can spread around and look near the plants for another piece of the treasure map. She then counted, One. Two. Twenty-two, and everybody started spreading out. Susan said, Wait a minute! Did I say, three? All the pirates replied, No! and so we came back together into a group. Susan said, One. Two. Three! Now you can go! and everybody spread out.
The pirates searched in the soil near the plants because that is where the piece of the map was supposed to be. I found a shell and saw a piece of paper in it. I pulled the paper out and saw that it was a piece of the treasure map. I yelled, Here it is! and everybody gathered around. Susan took the shell and traded it with a Contemporary Cast Member for some tape. Everyone then helped tape the new piece of the map to the rest of the map. We now had piece three out of four of the treasure map. Only one more piece to go.
The pirates boarded the pirate ship and headed out to sea again. Naomi said, I have a great idea. How about if you guys find the treasure for me and I get to keep the whole thing to myself? Is that a great idea or what? Raise your hand if its yes. I raised my hand. I was being silly. Bobbi said to me, Put your hand down!
Naomi then said, Raise your hand if you dont want me to keep the whole treasure chest. Everybody raised their hands but me. Bobbi and Susan said to me, Are you INSANE?! I said, Maybe! and everybody started laughing.
The boat started up again and headed towards Wilderness Lodge. The boat stopped in the water before we got to the Lodge. All the pirates went to the back of the boat to talk except for Naomi who stayed in the front of the boat.
Susan and Bobbi quietly asked us, Does anybody have an idea about how to keep Naomi from getting the whole treasure for herself?
I was the only one who raised my hand. I said, Why dont we say, Naomi, if you want us to find the treasure for you, you have to stay on the boat and look for the map because we lost it. Then we get off the boat and look for the fourth piece of map without her. We can pretend that we found the treasure but well tell her that two mean pirates came and stole it away from us and ran down the path with it.
Susan and Bobbi asked if there was more to my plan so I said, Yes. We should say to Naomi, If you want the treasure, go down the path and quickly find the pirates and get the treasure from them. And I bet Naomi will say, Will you guys sit here and wait for me? and well say yes but we really wont wait for her.
Susan and Bobbi liked the idea so everybody went back to their seats on the boat. Naomi said, What took so long? What were you guys talking about? My partner told her, Oh, nothing. We were just planning some games in case we got bored on the way to Wilderness Lodge. Naomi said, Oh, and Bobbi started the boat back up.
The pirate ship headed to Wilderness Lodge. Bobbi said, How do we get to Wilderness Lodge? The pirates said, Dont you know? and Bobbi said, No, Ive never been there before. The pirates told her left then right. Bobbi asked the pirates if they could give directions in pirate-talk. She told them that left was port and right was starboard.
The pirate ship made it to the Wilderness Lodge. The pirates got off and got ready with their plan to keep the treasure away from Naomi. We all said together, Naomi, we lost the map and we need you to find it because it fell in the boat somewhere and we dont know where it is. Naomi stayed in the boat to look for the map. The pirates then left the boat and Naomi.
Bobbi said to us, Were looking for a little black bag with a skull and two bones in an X on it. We began looking around. Susan said, You guys have to be really good detectives. Look under the table, on the chairs, and in the sand.
I found the black bag in the sand and opened it up. I took the piece of treasure map and gave it to Bobbi. Bobbi pulled the rest of the map out of her pocket. Luckily she had saved some tape and she taped the map together.
Susan said, Now we need someone very, very smart to hide it so when we cry Naomi, she wont see it. Everyone raised their hand and I got picked. I hid the map in my life vest.
The pirates sat down on the benches and started crying out, Oh, Naomi! Naomi! She came running out, rushing towards us. She asked what was wrong.
I said, We found the treasure and two pirates, one with a black beard and one with a red beard, stole it from us!
Naomi asked where the two pirates went, and I told her they went running down the path. I told her if she wanted the treasure, she had to go down there and quickly get it from the pirates. Naomi asked us if we would wait for her, and we told her we would.
Naomi went running down the path. The rest of us quietly tiptoed back to the boat. When we got to the boat, Bobbi started it up and we left the marina without Naomi. Naomi saw us and we yelled at her from the water, Wait right there, Naomi, and well come and get you. Our boat moved a little bit further away and we yelled, Na-na, na-na-na! You cant drive a boat! Naomi said, You guys are insane! Our boat left her there on the Wilderness Lodge dock and we headed over to Fort Wilderness.
When we got to Fort Wilderness, we left the boat. We walked down a trail and around some gates. Bobbi said, Now you guys have to watch out for booby traps. We spotted a booby trap. It was a swing that was pulled down and made into a circle on the ground. There was a little mousetrap inside the circle on the ground, and we stayed away from it. We continued down the path on a boardwalk along the waters edge. We eventually found a pirate hut. We saw food and a treasure chest there. Bobbi climbed over the fence and quietly, in case there were pirates around, sneaked over and grabbed the treasure chest.
Naomi appeared and snuck back into our group. A few pirates noticed her and told Susan about it. Susan told Naomi that if we allowed her back into the group, she had to share the treasure with everyone. Naomi agreed. Then Bobbi handed the chest to Susan and climbed back over the fence. All of us ran back to the boat. We boarded the boat and headed back to the Grand Floridian.
On the way back to the Grand Floridian, we were served peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, Rice Krispies treats, chocolate chip cookies, and apple and grape juice.
Our boat made it to the Grand Floridian marina. As the pirates left the boat, we were given loot bags and a telescope. Everyone had a good time on the cruise. I love the Pirates Cruise!
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Shiver me timbers. That sure was one long story, aye? (I didnt expect my daughter to go into so much detail.) The Pirates Cruise sounds like a lot of fun. I wish Disney offered something like it for adults. How come the kids get to have all the fun?
Thanks for writing that wonderful description of the Pirates Cruise. I felt as though I was right there along side of you in the boat! Somebody named Brian is reading this Thread also and he said to tell you 'Hi'. Tell your Mom to start planning our next trip together again! See you soon!
CaliforniaDreaming & Helenk, I hear the GF calling your names... (Kinda like the old Bali Ha'i song from South Pacific, eh?!)
Sammie, you are absolutely correct the old Grand is back. The new management has done a wonderful job with turning the place around. I am awfully glad that I decided to give the resort another chance. I have no regrets at all. It was a magical vacation.
Nutz4dzny, I read your post to my daughter. She said to tell Brian hello for her. She was happy to hear that you liked her story about the Pirates Cruise. She was so happy that she dictated to me the story of the Wonderland Tea Party. See below
Sammie, you are absolutely correct the old Grand is back. The new management has done a wonderful job with turning the place around. I am awfully glad that I decided to give the resort another chance. I have no regrets at all. It was a magical vacation.
Nutz4dzny, I read your post to my daughter. She said to tell Brian hello for her. She was happy to hear that you liked her story about the Pirates Cruise. She was so happy that she dictated to me the story of the Wonderland Tea Party. See below
While my little pirate had been terrorizing Walt Disney Worlds seven seas during the mornings Pirates Cruise, my husband and I had been swimming in a safer body of water the Grand Floridians swimming pool.
It had been another beautiful Florida day. The weather had been absolutely perfect for frolicking in the water. The two of us had thoroughly enjoyed ourselves, and as always happens while vacationing in Walt Disney World, time flew by. Before we knew it, we had to pick up our pirate or wed be walking the plank. So we dragged our soggy bodies out of the pool and headed over to the marina where we retrieved Captain Hookette (Hooks little sister). She snarled an Arg! at us and we took her up to the concierge lounge to grab some potato chips and a couple cups of ice water. Then it was back down to the pool for the three of us.
After swimming for a bit, it was time to dress my soggy little girl into something a little more appropriate for a tea party. I had brought her tea party attire down to the pool earlier that day, so I took her inside the pool house bathroom in order to towel her off and dress her up. Then my husband and I brought her over to 1900 Park Fare for the start of the Wonderland Tea Party.
Most of you know that my daughter has attended the Wonderland Tea Party many times over the years. She loves it. Please click here to view my Wonderland Tea Party on-line photo album, or please click here to view a slideshow of the Wonderland Tea Party.
Like Alice In Wonderland, I am a curious person, so I asked my daughter to relay the Wonderland Tea Party event to me. The following is what she told me.
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While the parents sign-in for the Wonderland Tea Party, the kids go get name tags to wear. If theyre a little bit early, there is a TV to watch and some chairs to sit on.
Before we went into the tea party, Bobbi and Naomi and Susan said, Now you guys have to watch out for two sneaky people. Those people are Alice in Wonderland and the Mad Hatter.
The doors opened and we entered. We all found a seat to sit in at the great big table. Then the doors closed and Susan said, The two seats at the end of the table are for Bobbi and Naomi because they have to take a little nap in the chairs so they can get some rest. Then the tea party started.
We heard two knocks at the door. We tried to tell Bobbi, Susan, and Naomi that Alice in Wonderland and the Mad Hatter were knocking at the door, but every time Naomi opened the door, it would be the wrong door and no one would be there. Finally she opened the right door. Standing there was Alice and the Mad Hatter. When the Mad Hatter stepped in, he said, Helloooooooooo, mustards! (He likes the word "mustard" so he called us mustard.)
Alice sat next to me and the Mad Hatter sat next to the boy who was wearing the Mad Hatter hat (it was the boys eighth birthday). The chairs Alice and the Mad Hatter sat in were really the chairs that Susan had told us Naomi and Bobbi were going to sit in I think Susan had been tricking us.
Naomi said, Hey, those are mine and Bobbis seats! and Alice said, We have two extra seats, and she pointed near the birthday boy and also across the table near the boy's sister.
We next got things to eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, grapes, chicken nuggets, and tea. The tea was really apple juice.
The Mad Hatter said, Lets sing a song. A funny song! He began singing, Im a little tea pot, short and stout. Here is my handle, and here is my other handle!
Alice said, Thats not the right! Lets sing it properly. Im a little tea pot, short and stout. Here is my handle, here is my spout. When I get all steamed up, hear me shout: Tip me over and pour me out!
The Mad Hatter said, Lets sing another song thats funny! Chicken nuggets, chicken nuggets, chicken nuggets. Chicken nuggets, chicken nuggets, chicken nuggets! (Sung to the tune of Clementine.)
Alice said to the Mad Hatter, Did you fall off the wrong side of the bed today because I know you sleep in a bunk bed and I know you sleep on the top! (She was just kidding.)
The Mad Hatter was like, Hhhmmmm I wonder if thats true? Nah!
So Alice said, Lets sing it the proper way. Oh my darling, oh my darling, Oh my darling, Clementine! But the Mad Hatter said, Hey, thats not the proper way. I know the proper way Ill tell you the proper way. Then he sang, Ketchup, ketchup, ketchup, ketchup! He said that was the song that goes with the Chicken Nuggets song.
Alice said, Lets sing my song thats called, Sorry. Then she sang, Sorry. Sorry. Im so sorry! Im so sorry, my dear little one. Im so thankful I won the race to Sorry Land. And Im so sorry, my dear little one. I see you crying out loud. Im dreadful sorry.
The Mad Hatter said, I know a song about sorry. Sorry, sorry. Sorry, sorry! (Sung to the tune of Clementine.)
Alice said, Do ALL your songs always go like that? And the Mad Hatter said, Uh- huh! Then Alice said, Im sure you did fall off of the wrong side of the bed today.
Naomi quietly began singing, Chicken nuggets. Chicken nuggets. Chicken nuggets! (Sung to the tune of Clementine.) And Alice asked who was singing that song. We all pointed at Naomi. Naomi said to us, Put your hands down!
Then Alice said, Do you know your proper manners?
The Mad Hatter said, Oh, yes, yes! Goody-goody! Can I say the proper manners? Then he said, One. Two. Twenty-three. Twenty-five. One hundred. He was being silly and Alice knew it.
Alice said, I said proper manners. Before anyone takes a bite of their food, Ill show you your proper manners. Now this is how you say them. Please. Thank you. Excuse me. Have a nice day. Youre welcome. No elbows on the table. Put your napkin in your lap. Then she said there was one last magic word that she made up for the tea party, and she asked if anyone could guess what that special word was.
I raised my hand and Alice called on me. I said, Welcome to our tea party, and Alice said, Very good!
Then Alice said to everyone, Lets do the conga around the room, and everybody got up, including the Mad Hatter, Naomi, Bobbi, and Susan.
Alice said, Lets all sing, and the Mad Hatter began singing, Chicken nuggets. Chicken nuggets. Chicken nuggets! (Sung to the tune of Clementine.)
Alice said, No, lets sing the Im a Little Tea Pot song. Everyone sang the song together and danced around the room.
The Mad Hatter said, Lets sing the song MY way. Im a little tea pot, short and stout. Here is my handle, here is my other handle. When I get all steamed up, let me pout. Tip me over and welcome to my house!
Everyone laughed and went back to their seats. We sang Alices favorite song, Sorry. Sorry. Im so sorry. Im sorry my little one. I hear you crying out loud. Im very sorry. Sorry, my little one.
The Mad Hatter said, Lets sing my favoritest song and he sang, Chicken nuggets. Chicken nuggets. Chicken nuggets! (Sung to the tune of Clementine.)
Then something really funny started to begin. The Mad Hatter said, Lets sing a song about Alice! and he began singing, Alice! Alice! She sings so bad! I can barely hear her. To the top of my voice, I can hear her screech! Oh-oo! Oh-oo! Shes not so lovely. And shes so, so, so, so bad at SINGING! (He was just kidding Alice.)
Alice said, Oh! You are so mean. The Mad Hatter said, Im just joking, okay?
Alice said, Everyone, lets sing the Shell Be Coming around the Mountain song.
When it came to the part about wearing the pink pajamas, Alice sang, Shell be wearing pink pajamas when she comes. Shell be wearing pink pajamas when she comes. Shell be wearing pink pajamas; shell be wearing pink pajamas; shell be and before Alice could finish the song, the Mad Hatter yelled out, Wearing pink pajamas when she FARTS and BURPS! Everyone laughed.
Then Alice and the Mad Hatter said they had to leave because they had to get ready for the parade in the Magic Kingdom. Before they left, everybody got a picture with Alice and the Mad Hatter.
After they were gone, Naomi said, Now, lets go hide behind this statue. Ill have someone pick out three magic words, and they can be any word silly words, nice words, funny words, and boring words.
Naomi asked me to pick the three words, and I picked fart, burp, and poo. All the kids laughed out loud.
Naomi said, I cant say those words. Im not going to say those magic words! So Naomi asked Susan to say the magic words.
Everyone was hiding behind the table at that time. Bobbi said, Before Susan says the magic words, Im going to tell everyone what to do. Were going to walk very low so our parents or grandmothers or brothers or whoever brought you to the tea party wont see you through the door. Now quietly go back to your seats. Get your flowers and your pictures. Lay the flowers on your lap and put the pictures right in front of you.
Then Bobbi said, All the parents are looking, so Im going to have you say three times out loud, No PEEKING! And all the children said, NO PEEKING! three times out loud. Then we went back to our table and sat down. We put the picture in front of us and hid the flowers on our laps beneath the tablecloth.
Naomi said, After I say the three magic words, you guys are gonna pretend youre sleeping. Once your parents come in and find you sleeping, Im going to say the three magic words again. Then you guys are going to wake up and pull the flowers out of your lap and say out loud, SURPRISE!
And so Naomi said the three magic words, FART! BURP! POO! and we pretended we were sleeping, and I snored. Susan and Bobbi opened the doors and the parents came in and found their children at the table sleeping.
Naomi said the three magic words again, FART! BURP! POO! and the parents said, Ewww! and everybody pulled the flowers out of their lap and held them up in the air and yelled, SURPRISE!
Then all the children and parents left, and the Wonderland Tea Party was over. Everyone had fun at the party. I want to do the tea party again!
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After hearing my daughter describe the Wonderland Tea Party, I must admit that I am curiouser and curiouser than ever before about it. It sounds like the party was fun. Why doesnt Disney offer a party that is unique and memorable for the grown-ups? Or do they? Stay tuned
It had been another beautiful Florida day. The weather had been absolutely perfect for frolicking in the water. The two of us had thoroughly enjoyed ourselves, and as always happens while vacationing in Walt Disney World, time flew by. Before we knew it, we had to pick up our pirate or wed be walking the plank. So we dragged our soggy bodies out of the pool and headed over to the marina where we retrieved Captain Hookette (Hooks little sister). She snarled an Arg! at us and we took her up to the concierge lounge to grab some potato chips and a couple cups of ice water. Then it was back down to the pool for the three of us.
After swimming for a bit, it was time to dress my soggy little girl into something a little more appropriate for a tea party. I had brought her tea party attire down to the pool earlier that day, so I took her inside the pool house bathroom in order to towel her off and dress her up. Then my husband and I brought her over to 1900 Park Fare for the start of the Wonderland Tea Party.
Most of you know that my daughter has attended the Wonderland Tea Party many times over the years. She loves it. Please click here to view my Wonderland Tea Party on-line photo album, or please click here to view a slideshow of the Wonderland Tea Party.
Like Alice In Wonderland, I am a curious person, so I asked my daughter to relay the Wonderland Tea Party event to me. The following is what she told me.
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While the parents sign-in for the Wonderland Tea Party, the kids go get name tags to wear. If theyre a little bit early, there is a TV to watch and some chairs to sit on.
Before we went into the tea party, Bobbi and Naomi and Susan said, Now you guys have to watch out for two sneaky people. Those people are Alice in Wonderland and the Mad Hatter.
The doors opened and we entered. We all found a seat to sit in at the great big table. Then the doors closed and Susan said, The two seats at the end of the table are for Bobbi and Naomi because they have to take a little nap in the chairs so they can get some rest. Then the tea party started.
We heard two knocks at the door. We tried to tell Bobbi, Susan, and Naomi that Alice in Wonderland and the Mad Hatter were knocking at the door, but every time Naomi opened the door, it would be the wrong door and no one would be there. Finally she opened the right door. Standing there was Alice and the Mad Hatter. When the Mad Hatter stepped in, he said, Helloooooooooo, mustards! (He likes the word "mustard" so he called us mustard.)
Alice sat next to me and the Mad Hatter sat next to the boy who was wearing the Mad Hatter hat (it was the boys eighth birthday). The chairs Alice and the Mad Hatter sat in were really the chairs that Susan had told us Naomi and Bobbi were going to sit in I think Susan had been tricking us.
Naomi said, Hey, those are mine and Bobbis seats! and Alice said, We have two extra seats, and she pointed near the birthday boy and also across the table near the boy's sister.
We next got things to eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, grapes, chicken nuggets, and tea. The tea was really apple juice.
The Mad Hatter said, Lets sing a song. A funny song! He began singing, Im a little tea pot, short and stout. Here is my handle, and here is my other handle!
Alice said, Thats not the right! Lets sing it properly. Im a little tea pot, short and stout. Here is my handle, here is my spout. When I get all steamed up, hear me shout: Tip me over and pour me out!
The Mad Hatter said, Lets sing another song thats funny! Chicken nuggets, chicken nuggets, chicken nuggets. Chicken nuggets, chicken nuggets, chicken nuggets! (Sung to the tune of Clementine.)
Alice said to the Mad Hatter, Did you fall off the wrong side of the bed today because I know you sleep in a bunk bed and I know you sleep on the top! (She was just kidding.)
The Mad Hatter was like, Hhhmmmm I wonder if thats true? Nah!
So Alice said, Lets sing it the proper way. Oh my darling, oh my darling, Oh my darling, Clementine! But the Mad Hatter said, Hey, thats not the proper way. I know the proper way Ill tell you the proper way. Then he sang, Ketchup, ketchup, ketchup, ketchup! He said that was the song that goes with the Chicken Nuggets song.
Alice said, Lets sing my song thats called, Sorry. Then she sang, Sorry. Sorry. Im so sorry! Im so sorry, my dear little one. Im so thankful I won the race to Sorry Land. And Im so sorry, my dear little one. I see you crying out loud. Im dreadful sorry.
The Mad Hatter said, I know a song about sorry. Sorry, sorry. Sorry, sorry! (Sung to the tune of Clementine.)
Alice said, Do ALL your songs always go like that? And the Mad Hatter said, Uh- huh! Then Alice said, Im sure you did fall off of the wrong side of the bed today.
Naomi quietly began singing, Chicken nuggets. Chicken nuggets. Chicken nuggets! (Sung to the tune of Clementine.) And Alice asked who was singing that song. We all pointed at Naomi. Naomi said to us, Put your hands down!
Then Alice said, Do you know your proper manners?
The Mad Hatter said, Oh, yes, yes! Goody-goody! Can I say the proper manners? Then he said, One. Two. Twenty-three. Twenty-five. One hundred. He was being silly and Alice knew it.
Alice said, I said proper manners. Before anyone takes a bite of their food, Ill show you your proper manners. Now this is how you say them. Please. Thank you. Excuse me. Have a nice day. Youre welcome. No elbows on the table. Put your napkin in your lap. Then she said there was one last magic word that she made up for the tea party, and she asked if anyone could guess what that special word was.
I raised my hand and Alice called on me. I said, Welcome to our tea party, and Alice said, Very good!
Then Alice said to everyone, Lets do the conga around the room, and everybody got up, including the Mad Hatter, Naomi, Bobbi, and Susan.
Alice said, Lets all sing, and the Mad Hatter began singing, Chicken nuggets. Chicken nuggets. Chicken nuggets! (Sung to the tune of Clementine.)
Alice said, No, lets sing the Im a Little Tea Pot song. Everyone sang the song together and danced around the room.
The Mad Hatter said, Lets sing the song MY way. Im a little tea pot, short and stout. Here is my handle, here is my other handle. When I get all steamed up, let me pout. Tip me over and welcome to my house!
Everyone laughed and went back to their seats. We sang Alices favorite song, Sorry. Sorry. Im so sorry. Im sorry my little one. I hear you crying out loud. Im very sorry. Sorry, my little one.
The Mad Hatter said, Lets sing my favoritest song and he sang, Chicken nuggets. Chicken nuggets. Chicken nuggets! (Sung to the tune of Clementine.)
Then something really funny started to begin. The Mad Hatter said, Lets sing a song about Alice! and he began singing, Alice! Alice! She sings so bad! I can barely hear her. To the top of my voice, I can hear her screech! Oh-oo! Oh-oo! Shes not so lovely. And shes so, so, so, so bad at SINGING! (He was just kidding Alice.)
Alice said, Oh! You are so mean. The Mad Hatter said, Im just joking, okay?
Alice said, Everyone, lets sing the Shell Be Coming around the Mountain song.
When it came to the part about wearing the pink pajamas, Alice sang, Shell be wearing pink pajamas when she comes. Shell be wearing pink pajamas when she comes. Shell be wearing pink pajamas; shell be wearing pink pajamas; shell be and before Alice could finish the song, the Mad Hatter yelled out, Wearing pink pajamas when she FARTS and BURPS! Everyone laughed.
Then Alice and the Mad Hatter said they had to leave because they had to get ready for the parade in the Magic Kingdom. Before they left, everybody got a picture with Alice and the Mad Hatter.
After they were gone, Naomi said, Now, lets go hide behind this statue. Ill have someone pick out three magic words, and they can be any word silly words, nice words, funny words, and boring words.
Naomi asked me to pick the three words, and I picked fart, burp, and poo. All the kids laughed out loud.
Naomi said, I cant say those words. Im not going to say those magic words! So Naomi asked Susan to say the magic words.
Everyone was hiding behind the table at that time. Bobbi said, Before Susan says the magic words, Im going to tell everyone what to do. Were going to walk very low so our parents or grandmothers or brothers or whoever brought you to the tea party wont see you through the door. Now quietly go back to your seats. Get your flowers and your pictures. Lay the flowers on your lap and put the pictures right in front of you.
Then Bobbi said, All the parents are looking, so Im going to have you say three times out loud, No PEEKING! And all the children said, NO PEEKING! three times out loud. Then we went back to our table and sat down. We put the picture in front of us and hid the flowers on our laps beneath the tablecloth.
Naomi said, After I say the three magic words, you guys are gonna pretend youre sleeping. Once your parents come in and find you sleeping, Im going to say the three magic words again. Then you guys are going to wake up and pull the flowers out of your lap and say out loud, SURPRISE!
And so Naomi said the three magic words, FART! BURP! POO! and we pretended we were sleeping, and I snored. Susan and Bobbi opened the doors and the parents came in and found their children at the table sleeping.
Naomi said the three magic words again, FART! BURP! POO! and the parents said, Ewww! and everybody pulled the flowers out of their lap and held them up in the air and yelled, SURPRISE!
Then all the children and parents left, and the Wonderland Tea Party was over. Everyone had fun at the party. I want to do the tea party again!
- - - - - - -
After hearing my daughter describe the Wonderland Tea Party, I must admit that I am curiouser and curiouser than ever before about it. It sounds like the party was fun. Why doesnt Disney offer a party that is unique and memorable for the grown-ups? Or do they? Stay tuned
I should mention that my daughter also dictated to me her suggestion for improvement. She said, If I could change one thing at the tea party, I would have Alice and the Mad Hatter there for the whole time. Hhhhmmmm
It sounds to me like we have a future Diser on our hands. She not only knows her events, she can think of a way to improve them.
With the Wonderland Tea Party over, my family suddenly found our dance card free. I decided to let my doctor dictate the rest of my day. So what was the medicine that she had prescribed for me? Why, swimming, of course.
Before I left on vacation, my doctor had told me that exercising my leg while in the warm water of the swimming pool would be some of the best medicine found anywhere. After having spent a major portion of my day already in the swimming pool, I knew she was 100% correct. So it was back to the pool for us. You didnt need to twist anyone's arm.
For months I had been unable to walk without the help of my cast and a walker. However, in the swimming pool, I could attempt to walk, and boy did it feel good. I should mention that my leg did hurt while in the pool, but the pain was manageable. I guess what I really meant by the phrase and boy did it feel good was the simple fact that I could walk again unaided (if you ignore the fact that the water was aiding me, that is ). It sure was nice to be able to do something for myself for a change. A real confidence booster.
And so, after picking up our daughter from the Wonderland Tea Party, my family found itself walking through the Grand Floridians lobby on our way to the swimming pool when we bumped into my parents. They were standing at the Front Desk, with my Mom on the telephone leaving a message for us. They had arrived in Florida a day or two ahead of schedule. We were surprised but very happy to see them (we hadnt seen them since Christmas). So after exchanging hugs and hellos, we all walked outside to the pool and spent the rest of the afternoon there. My daughter was thrilled to be with Grandma and Grandpa. And my Mom was thrilled to see that even though I had a broken leg and was in a wheelchair, I had one big silly grin upon my face. She could finally stop worrying about me. All was right with the world, and in the World (Disney, that is).
Before I left on vacation, my doctor had told me that exercising my leg while in the warm water of the swimming pool would be some of the best medicine found anywhere. After having spent a major portion of my day already in the swimming pool, I knew she was 100% correct. So it was back to the pool for us. You didnt need to twist anyone's arm.
For months I had been unable to walk without the help of my cast and a walker. However, in the swimming pool, I could attempt to walk, and boy did it feel good. I should mention that my leg did hurt while in the pool, but the pain was manageable. I guess what I really meant by the phrase and boy did it feel good was the simple fact that I could walk again unaided (if you ignore the fact that the water was aiding me, that is
). It sure was nice to be able to do something for myself for a change. A real confidence booster.And so, after picking up our daughter from the Wonderland Tea Party, my family found itself walking through the Grand Floridians lobby on our way to the swimming pool when we bumped into my parents. They were standing at the Front Desk, with my Mom on the telephone leaving a message for us. They had arrived in Florida a day or two ahead of schedule. We were surprised but very happy to see them (we hadnt seen them since Christmas). So after exchanging hugs and hellos, we all walked outside to the pool and spent the rest of the afternoon there. My daughter was thrilled to be with Grandma and Grandpa. And my Mom was thrilled to see that even though I had a broken leg and was in a wheelchair, I had one big silly grin upon my face. She could finally stop worrying about me. All was right with the world, and in the World (Disney, that is).
I am so glad to read that the service has improved at the RPC. It was so bad when we were there in 2002. Do you think that the managment change at the GF is the cause? Do you think that your experience is the exception (given some of you preplanning work), or has service there improved? The CMs at the RPC seemed unhappy when we were there - and we stayed for about 2 weeks, so we saw many different CMs at different times.
Janet.... Just wanted to thank your daughter for the very detailed description of both the Pirate Cruise and the Tea Party. My kids, Son - 7 and Daughter - 6,have done both several times as well and have described both to me, but your daughters description was much more detailed and helped me to understand both better. (I think she must get this from you).
Also, wanted you to know that although it appears that I have been patient waiting for the rest of your story, I do run to my computer every morning to check for updates. Once again, thank you for your wonderful writing, looking forward to more!
Also, wanted you to know that although it appears that I have been patient waiting for the rest of your story, I do run to my computer every morning to check for updates. Once again, thank you for your wonderful writing, looking forward to more!
E
erikthewise
Guest
Janet,
Thanks also to your daughter for the detailed description of the Pirate Cruise. Our boys 10 and 7 will be doing it (first time) on Monday Dec 1! Since this year was the 10 year old's last chance, I gave it the CRT treatment and managed to snag a PS.
Your report in this thread belongs in the Trip Report Hall of Fame. Make sure you keep your own copy so it can be reposted or republished in the future.
Thanks also to your daughter for the detailed description of the Pirate Cruise. Our boys 10 and 7 will be doing it (first time) on Monday Dec 1! Since this year was the 10 year old's last chance, I gave it the CRT treatment and managed to snag a PS.
Your report in this thread belongs in the Trip Report Hall of Fame. Make sure you keep your own copy so it can be reposted or republished in the future.
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