Our Drama-Filled May 2010 Bay Lake & Beach Club Trip Report(OMG-ITS MY FINAL UPDATE!)

[BigEeyore]

I am finally getting to catch up on your TR! Your BCV pictures are just beautiful, especially the ones you took early in the AM.
I vote for #2 also.

 

[2BoysMom]

Did I hear that IASW was closed down for refurbishments or they will be closed for refurbishments? If the former is correct, did you see any changes on your ride?

(Sorry, IASW is a family tradition in this house.)

 

[njtinkmom]

I vote for #1 - so much so I used it as my background on my computer - I hope you don't mind! Actually there are quite a few that I may need to borrow - ! Keep up the great report and pictures!

 

[lisaviolet]

Wow TigerLaw - fantastic TR - lovely pictures - great energy!!! Just found your TR, thank goodness. Loving it.

Adored your BCV pictures - so peaceful. Loved your location. On my last vacation my parents were in a studio in that location and even though it's a long haul - I loved the view over the canal.

I vote for #1 - which is quite strange since I am forever partial to vertical shots.

And as far as the blurry background effect. I have a P and S as well. I don't know a lot about photography but I spent my entire last vacation trying to perfect that. A professional photographer told me to put it on "portrait" (which Ms. Crystal already said ) or "sports" mode and have the zoom right out. It worked and I went a tad picture crazy.

And I love how you're putting the shots side by side. It will save me the agony I usually have of choosing photos next time. Yes, I will out and out steal your creative choice.

SO LOVING your TR TigerLaw. Thank you for sharing it with all of us.

 

[lisaviolet]

I vote for #1 - so much so I used it as my background on my computer - I hope you don't mind! Actually there are quite a few that I may need to borrow - ! Keep up the great report and pictures!

 

[TigerLaw]

Based on everyone's feedback, the winner is..... PICTURE 2!!!


thanks everyone for the insights - I also realized today that I got ahead of myself again in terms of the fact that the castle pics were from a part of the trip report I haven't posted yet, but oh well!

thanks again and the trip reporting shall continue on!

 

[supersuperwendy]

We were at BLT at the same time as you! We were only there for 2 nights before going to Kidani. I really loved it!

 

[TigerLaw]

Thursday May 20th (cont.)

After we were done w. HoP, we split up, with Melissa going back to the BCV to hit the pool and take a nap. I stayed at MK, rode space and jungle cruise (had an awesome skipper!) got some more FPs and took some more pics:











Saw pirate goofy for the first time that I could recall



Our great skipper Caroline!





And finally, the Mayor of Main Street, U.S.A hangin’ with a hottie!

 

[TigerLaw]

After I finished bumming around MK, mid-afternoon, I came back to BCV. Funny story though was that in coming back, the bus driver made everyone get off the bus at YC, citing “construction”. This meant I had to walk through the YC lobby, all the way around stormalong bay, just to get to the BC lobby, where I went to the front desk to ask what happened. Basically, they said they didn’t know and sorry, but that was about it. Once I FINALLY got back to the room, I rested for a bit, before we headed back to MK where we had a 5pm ressie for the Plaza Restaurant. This was the first time for us to eat at the Plaza and we both liked it as new food option for us at MK. I got a cheeseburger and I can’t remember what Melissa got there - fast, relatively cheap and good - who knew?!?

From there, we hit the people mover, then used a FP for buzz and a FP for pooh (which was now running). We next hit the haunted mansion, which had a bit of wait, before heading over to Frontierland to ride the mountains. Unfortunately, Big Thunder was down, so we rode Splash twice in a row (again w. my saved-up FPs). BT was still down, so we hitched a ride on the MK railroad and did a lap around the park. When we got off the RR, Big Thunder must have just reopened, so we got a ride in and lined up for a second ride when it went down again. Rather than wait in line, we just left the ride. We ended up doing HM again and tried to do philharmagic, but it was DOWN w. technical issue too! (first time I ever saw that down).
We finally ended up riding the people mover one more time to kill time before heading over for the Wishes dessert party.

Here are some more MK pics:









As for the dessert party, they had changed the party a bit since last year, and the changes were for the better. We had a great front row seat (I’m guessing b/c I booked it the day it opened up might have help that). So we stuffed ourselves w. dessert, watched spectro from our seats, and then watched the fireworks.

Here are a couple party pics:













After the fireworks, we decided to make a run for it and leave with the masses (the park closed at 10pm and the fireworks were at 10 as well). We got on the first BC bus and they did actually drop us off at the beach club too, so that was a plus! .

COMING UP: ITS FINALLY TIME TO ROCK AND ROLL, AEROSMITH STYLE!

 

[Luckymommyx2]

Love all the pics but the elephants are my fav! I also noticed those amazing chocolate covered strawberries! Does this tr ever have to end?! Maybe you can stretch it until your next trip!

 

[LouisianaDisneyFan]

I vote for #1 - so much so I used it as my background on my computer

I also was inspired by tigerlaw's gorgeous photos... the blue castle jumped out at me. Here's a screen shot of one of his great blue castle shots that I edited to be a wallpaper with our favorite Disney characters standing in for various family members (character graphics are edited too). THANK YOU for your kindness in sharing your memories with us, tigerlaw!

Now, I just need to find out how to create a screen saver so Tink can fly all over the place...

 

[heathers4um]

based on your TR alone, I think I have finally decided my 'no-park trip' isnt going to be a no-park trip at all! AP's here we come!!

 

[TigerLaw]

Love all the pics but the elephants are my fav! I also noticed those amazing chocolate covered strawberries! Does this tr ever have to end?! Maybe you can stretch it until your next trip!

LM, I'll see what I can do, but no promises!

I also was inspired by tigerlaw's gorgeous photos... the blue castle jumped out at me. Here's a screen shot of one of his great blue castle shots that I edited to be a wallpaper with our favorite Disney characters standing in for various family members (character graphics are edited too). THANK YOU for your kindness in sharing your memories with us, tigerlaw!

Now, I just need to find out how to create a screen saver so Tink can fly all over the place...

LDF, you're killing me with all this better use of my pictures - stop making me look bad!

based on your TR alone, I think I have finally decided my 'no-park trip' isnt going to be a no-park trip at all! AP's here we come!!

Glad to help!

 

[LouisianaDisneyFan]

LDF, you're killing me with all this better use of my pictures - stop making me look bad!

You know what they say... the final product can never be better than the ingredients you start with! Your photos inspire. =)

 

[TigerLaw]

Friday, May 21st

Parks Visited: MGM and Epcot
Dining: Sci Fi (lunch) and Cape May Clambake (dinner)

Friday morning, we headed over to MGM for the first day of Star Wars Weekends (SWW). We actually weren’t really focusing on SWW this day, as that would be my focus on Saturday while Melissa hung out at the pool. Our focus was RnRC, as this was the first day it was open during our trip (it had been under a brief rehab). Given it was the first day of SWW, I assumed we would need to leave early for the park, so we left maybe like at 8am. Usually, when we drive over to MGM, we park pretty close to the front, but this time, they directed us to some other part of the lot we had never been at before. We got to the line maybe 40 minutes before park open and eventually, some of the SW characters came out on the roof:



Eventually, they open the ticket machines and we ended up at a rope drop line at the turn down sunset blvd. For some reason, we didn’t get let in until like five after 9am (we could see people getting let into other parts of the park). I got FPs for RnRC before we rode it w/o much of any wait. When we came out, the stand by line was already SIXTY MINUTES LONG!! We ended up doing the single ride line, which took like 10-15 minutes. I then got a second set of FPs (with a 1pm return time!) and then we split up, with me going to get Toy Story Mania FPs w. my DVC card and riding Tower, and Melissa trying to ride the single ride line again. Unfortunately, Melissa never even got inside the ride, as they stopped taking on single riders (something we had never seen before). As for my FP trek, I had to wait in actual lines just to get FPs for TSM (and had lines for my second FP set at RnRC as well). Tower’s line was at 30 minutes, but I used another of my instant FPs, so it was no big deal wait-wise. After I finished my Tower ride, we met back up and used one of our RnRC FPs for our third ride on this very crowded day, before heading over around 11:20 for an early lunch at Sci-Fi. Here is ANOTHER EXAMPLE of the two person seating issue, as we always have to “hitchhike” with another family in one of the 6 person “cars”. Nonetheless, the food was good as always (I love their shakes).



After lunch, we rode TSM a couple times and then called it a day at MGM. The crowds were just insane between SWW and the first day RnRC was back open - so that plus the heat made us head for the pool and taking a nap before our night at Epcot.

Here are some of my MGM pics for that day:







COMING UP - CAN I CLOSE OUT EPCOT DURING AN EMH NIGHT?!?

 

[dianeschlicht]

based on your TR alone, I think I have finally decided my 'no-park trip' isnt going to be a no-park trip at all! AP's here we come!!

LOL! Well, that is a great decision! Even after 14 years of multiple Disney trips a year, we still go to the parks EVERY DAY!

Thanks for the great report, TigerLaw!

 

[TigerLaw]

LOL! Well, that is a great decision! Even after 14 years of multiple Disney trips a year, we still go to the parks EVERY DAY!

Thanks for the great report, TigerLaw!

Since we have been DVC members (qs far as I can remember) we have never gone a DAY w/o going to a park - what's that like anyway?!?

 

[blestmom]

I'm loving your trip report, and all the great photos!

 

[bbluvsdis]

I am still loving this report! Great photos. I also cannot manage to go a day without going to a park. I think if we could stay for 2 weeks I might be able to skip the parks for a few days!

 

[yekcoh_99]

Wishes dessert party.

As for the dessert party, they had changed the party a bit since last year, and the changes were for the better. We had a great front row seat (I’m guessing b/c I booked it the day it opened up might have help that). So we stuffed ourselves w. dessert, watched spectro from our seats, and then watched the fireworks.

I LOVE your trip report and pics!! Especially of BCV. We'll be taking our first trip home next year and I can't wait. We've visited the grounds, but have never stayed. I'm so anxious to experience the hotel, location and SAB!!

I've never heard of the Wishes dessert party. What can you tell me about it? Good for kids or more for adults?

Thanks again!