No kids; AKV/BWV split stay; V&A; BM Tour; Lots of pics & video

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Time to check out some Christmas decorations. First stop is the BWV...

We will be moving here Wednesday. A view from the veranda outside the lobby...

 

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You enter the lobby and the first thing you see is this...

Info about the decoration...

 

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There will be some more pics later when we check in to the BWV. For now, on around the boardwalk circling Crescent Lake. We pass a couple of popular night spots...

 

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You don't realize looking at a map how close everything is to each other. Just past the boardwalk are the Swan & Dolphin resorts...

 

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Next around the lake is the Yacht Club resort and their lobby...

 

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Then there is the pool area...

 

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And then there is this iconic fixture on the lake. Notice the top of the Dolphin resort on the left side of the picture. I told you these resorts are close to each other...

And then it is on to the Beach Club Villa Resort...

 

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Next up is the Beach Club...

 

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And in the lobby of the Beach Club...

 

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A quick walk back to EPCOT to ride Soarin'. We love this ride. Can you smell the orange blossoms, the sea shore and the pine forest? Then it is on to the monorail to the Polynesian Resort...

...and the tree in their lobby...

 

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We decided to grab lunch here at Capt. Cook's. For once, we were not impressed. It was average to okay at best. The cheese flatbread was good and how can you mess up a Dole whip but my bacon-cheeseburger was so-so and very dry. I guess it did not help that the service left a lot to be desired. We were surprised because, believe it or not, this was our first time at WDW where the CM's were not friendly. They weren't rude, they just did not speak except to tell you the price. Oh well...it was Monday after all.

Walking around the resort we saw the source of the water to the pool...

And then there is the pool itself. Recognize that structure in the background? There is a crane barely visible that was operating in the Fantasyland expansion.

 

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We hopped back on the monorail and headed to the Grand Floridian to scope out where Victoria & Albert's is located. We have ADR's there tonight. I'll post all the GF pics later. Next up is the Contemporary Resort. Inside the CR is a gingerbread tree and a guard house with a gingerbread roof...

 

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Next we decided to take the breezeway to Bay Lake Towers. It is not a breezeway, it is a modified hurricane wind tunnel!!! Hang on to your hats as you cross over!! There were very few Christmas decorations here. We decided to not brave the breezeway again so we walked out on the ground level back to the CR. Here's another huge decoration on the side of the CR. I'd hate to have to hang that ornament!!

 

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Now it is back on the monorail to the TTC and then transfer to a bus to make our way back to the AKV. We have 8:30 ADR's at Victoria & Albert's and we have to get dressed. This is the only restaurant at WDW that has a dress code. Men are required to wear a coat (tie optional) and women must wear either long pants or a dress. No shorts and mickey t's here! It is a 5-star restaurant and has been for many years. We have never dined here so we are looking forward to it. The basic dining room meal is a 7 course meal that takes about 2.5 hours. You can get a wine pairing with each course. I called last week and they said we could split one wine pairing and DW and I would get a half-glass of wine with each course. It is not the same wine for us both so we received the appropriate wine with the course we each ordered. We are driving and I definately did not want to drive back after 7 full glasses of wine!

We make it back to AKV and on the way to our room, we look out one of the observation decks and close by were these critters....

 

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Our ADR at Victoria & Albert's is at 8:30. It takes about 40-45 minutes by bus from AKV to the Grand Floridian and only about 20 minutes by car. Since we will be dressed, we decide to take our car. Since we are staying at a Disney resort, valet parking at the GF is comped. We arrive early to see the decorations at night. These pics are a combination of earlier in the day and at night.

Just outside the entrance is a bed of poinsettias. Here is one view earlier in the day and later that night...

 

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The main entrance to the Grand Floridian....

Just inside the doorway....

 

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The main lobby tree....

Another tree on the 2nd floor....

 

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The famous gingerbread house in the main lobby....

 

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Two more pics of the gingerbread house....

 

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These two vagabonds just wandered in off the street. Is that a fleur-de-lis on his tie?