Day 2 - This was a Magic Kingdom Day and since the park was open till 2 am - we felt no need to rush! Actually, DH got up early and went to the grocery store - I woke to coffee and bacon and eggs and potatos and fresh BIG strawberries!!!! YUMMMM - I was so glad he'd went and gotten that over with. We were going to use wegoshop - but, since we had a car and had read some questionable things here - we decided to go ourselves. So, after breakfast we headed to MK. It was busier than we thought it would be - long wait times but we were able to do all the rides we wanted to do. We had lunch at Cosmic Rays - it was odd because the castmembers wouldn't let you get a table unless you actually had food - I guess thats good, but we'd never encountered that before - we had the typical burgers/ribs - it was hot so being in the AC was good. After lunch we rode more rides - again, wait times were long. We were over in toon town, DH and DS were in line to ride barnstormer, I had walked into the store when all of a sudden, a downpour like no other happened, it was raining so hard............ they made it over to the store, which was jammed pack with everyone trying to get out of the rain - they were so soaking wet that we had to buy DS a new shirt (see in the pics below) He had actually been wearing one of the shirts I"d made for him - I was glad the design didn't run though - it's still good as new! After the rain stopped we headed to Pirates Small World! We had dinner resv. at Chef Mickeys - they've expanded CM's - its bigger than it used to be and the waiting area is much larger and nicer - the way they take your pic is different too. Anyway - DS was excited to see the characters - we always do CM and are always happy with it, however, this time, not so much. It was a 6:30 resv. so it was fairly early in the night, but the food was just not good....... not a lot of variety, it was just very lacking - we didn't enjoy it and decided we'd skip it next time! This is a big deal, as it was a MUST do for us! After dinner, we went back to MK to see the parade - it was AWESOME - except for the woman who barged in front of me and took my spot - where we'd been standing for 30 min. - we were right near diamond horseshoe - and had a next to the flower boxes - standing, well the lady sitting on the box right in front of me got up and moved - so I was about to sit as she told me she was leaving, I actually had to move over so she could get out (it was packed) - this lady comes from out of nowhere and shoves me over - I said "UMMMM EXCUSE ME"""" - and she said - the other lady left, I want to sit here - I said, I'm sitting here and we've been here waiting all this time - she didn't move - not an inch - THEN had the GALL to actually move another womans baby carrier that was on the other side of her - that lady was with some others and was standing in the doorway of the saloon to rock her baby - her family started yelling at this woman to not touch or move thier stuff. Then this lunatic starts waving people over............ thats when I lost my mind, I told her there was NO WAY she was bringing anyone else over to get in front of all of us - she tried, she was waving her entire family over - the people all around were saying things to her, fussing at her, she didn't care -when her family all rushed over - they were told in no uncertain terms by many people standing there they were not getting in front of all us who had been waiting - and they didn't. However, eventuallly though she kept pushing and shoving enough to get her 2 kids up in front of her. I couldn't believe her or how rude she was - she should be ashamed. That was the one and only bad experience on this trip - it was otherwise completely lovely and everyone was nice and polite!
Some pics from Chef Mickey's
After the parade we headed back to the lodge - it was a long, fun day - but it was late and we were tired!!
Day 3 coming up!
Too bad about your view. Since we had a pool view I can't comment on the animals too much. But when we were there in April everytime we walked by the open viewing spaces there were no animals there either. I wasn't sure if we were just missing them.
but can't wait to read more.
It was our first stay as DVC members as well........... we've been to the lodge MANY times - but this time it was SO different - which I didn't expect. The room was AMAZING - when you walk in the door you'll actually gasp and your mouth will fall open - at least that's what happened to me! I guess I was kind of "expecting" what I knew......... meaning - the rooms we usually stayed in - which was almost always a bunk bed room............. this was just almost unexplainable. It is VERY big and you'll wonder WHY on earth you haven't been vacationing like this all along.................... 
it's very deep - so DH could enjoy it. ( make sure to do the cascade cleaning though - we did, then we felt comfortable using the jets). Funny - when DS was in there he used bubbles and the tub is so deep we could barely see him......... there is also a iron/board which was great. I loved having a wash/dryer in the room!!! YAY - no lugging dirty laundry anywhere! our balcony was huge, obviously the length of 2 rooms - it was nice sitting out there! The villa was VERY CLEAN - it was really like a home - we enjoyed it very much.
then we headed to Epcot - we got FP's for TT and then we went over and rode Soarin and Nemo. We walked around in Mousegear and then DH and DS went to Mission Space.......... yeah, I don't do that one!!! LOL then we did test track - then we went over and did living with the land. We had lunch at Sunshine Seasons - DS got the Sushi, I got a sandwich and DH only got a drink - he wasn't hungry!! He did eat half my sandwich though and part of my fruit tulip............. 
(...love, love, LOVE the pix!) I can't believe how big your DS got!
