Our Seemingly Silly Semi-Illogical Four Day Whirlwind Trip

[kpk89]

Hi Kay!
I am really wondering who DOES stay at the Grand Floridian, and feels at home there. Because I have only ever heard people say they went over there for dinner/breakfast/tea and that they enjoyed how beautiful it was, but would never stay there.

Anyone?

And, just borrow a kid for watersliding. Preferably one who is a little "nervous" and requires handholding to the top of the slide. Then you'll have no choice but to go down the slide too, with completely verifiable good reason.

Not that good reason is required, mind you.

Thanks for your reporting! Can't wait to hear about HDDR!

 

[SunKat]

Loved the most recent installment!! Once again, the pictures are fabulous. I love seeing things that I haven't seen before...the pool at the GF, the ferries, the geyser. Yay for you for going on the waterslide! I have to admit, I've never been on any waterslide at Disney. Not at the Beach Club, or CBR orrrrr Typhoon Lagoon. Yet, when we go to the local water park, I go on all the slides. I have to give it a go on my next trip.

Oh yes, the Hoop De Doo. You asked why I didn't like it. Well, this is going back 15 years, but I remember that it took forever and a day to get there from the BC. We drove to the Hoop De Doopty parking lot. Got on the Hoop D bus. Stopped at the Hoop D campsites. By the time we got to Pioneer Hall, we ended up with one of those tables up in the balcony. I thought the food was pretty bad. While the performers were extremely talented, I just found the whole thing too Hee-Haw-ish for my liking. My husband called it the Hoop Dee Don't. On the bright side though, I did get to play a washboard. I thought the HDDR was cute but couldn't understand why it got such rave reviews. Maybe we'll go back someday as my DD has never been. Now I can't get that dang song out of my head. I'm curious to see if you liked the show or not!

I'm glad to read you weren't slacking on your pool hopper duty. I actually caught some poolhoppers once. It was at the BC (pre-fence, pre- ID checking). In talking to a father and daughter in the pool they told me they weren't staying at the hotel at all. They were from Kissimmee and came to the BC every w/e to swim. I turned them over to the authorities.

 

[celerystalker]

One of those three prong canes might work reasonably well in lieu of a walker.

It would also be good to clear the slide of pesky kids as you slide down.

Sage Advice # 2: “Don’t worry, no one knows you here.”

Hey! I used this one today as I was strolling through a gas station in my business outfit (gray slacks with black sweater) and my nice bright red disney crocs to look at a map to figure out where I was going. I also figured since the dumb clerk never finished his personal phone call so I could ask for directions, he didn't worry that I didn't know him either.

shouting as loudly as possible at the departing boat, “We hate you! We hate you!”

Is this really true? How stupid of people. Granted, the Captain could have shook his head no, but HATE? what a bunch of weirdos.
Hey! I know! Make a special segment about the resort for Non-Disney lovers - they have to serve time as CMs for all the rude people.

Meanest Mom EVAH! - I need to read your new trip report. Also, I want to stay at the Grand Floridian. I just can't face the price right now. So I resort to Pop.
Ha!
But it's true. It's number one on my wish list.
Then AKL.
Then one of the Epcot ones - only because of the closeness, not the theme.
Then Pop. I'm weird. None of the moderates appeal to me in the slightest.
And I Looooove Pop. But I want to be all frou frou at the GF.

 

[iluvsushi]

On that happy note, let me present Sage Advice # 1: “Who cares if someone looks at you funny. In a minute they’ll forget all about you.” This was good advice until the advent of the digital camera; now I’m not so sure. With my luck, someone’s vacation pictures will immortalize me in some ridiculous pose. Then I’ll have to fall back on Sage Advice # 2: “Don’t worry, no one knows you here.”

I hate to burst your bubble about point #2. More than once I've unexpectedly run into friends, acquaintances, or coworkers while on vacation. "It's a small world after all...it's a small world after all..........."

-Iluvsushi

 

[jw50]

TO BE CONTINUED. . . .

Anytime soon?

 

[Kay7979]

Hello again, faithful readers and friends!

Ditch Mexico, and come on down, I'll take vacation 30 miles from my house! Give me enough time to go bathing suit shopping though! You know, staying or vacation there is different than driving to work there. Although many people enjoy the priveledges. Lately I have started thinking about staying for a few days on vacation there, though. Heck, I could go ride the busses even!

Backstage_Gal: There’s no way I’m ditching our trip to Cabo San Lucas, but I would LOVE to get together with you next time we’re in Orlando. Next trip (next fall) we’ll stay in our own timeshare, which we haven’t stayed at in years. We’ll stay in the same little one bedroom unit we had for our honeymoon, and I know I’ll get all sentimental. You’ll have plenty of time to shop for a swimsuit between now and then, and we can swim in “our pools or yours.” The pools at our resort are nothing fancy. No waterfalls or slides etc. but there are 13 to choose from with as many spas, and we have sand volleyball, basketball, peddle boats, mini-golf, and an array of daily activities on site.

For me it is not just the fear of going down the slide but the fear of no longer being able to go down the slide gracefully. Whats that saying.... a bull in a china shop. Only it is more like a.....I don't know. Use your imagination.

Maine-iac: Graceful, bah! Is anyone graceful on a waterslide? And with many of these slides you’re going through a tunnel, so people in the pool aren’t gawking at you, anyway. I would not let a concern about being graceful keep me from sliding.

Well, I go off on Spring Break and come back to find you've all gone on a tour, tea and slide ride! How much fun!! Kay, I've had a blast just reading your last episodes--I felt I was there with you, too. Glad to hear someone else has trouble with cutie-patootie shoes, too. I see people swishing right along in them lookin' all fabulous and I just can't understand how they do it!

Lookin' forward to the Hooptie-Doo Review!

Bari: It’s good to hear from you. Welcome back from Spring Break. I hope you had fun. Yes, I have covered quite a bit of ground, literally and figuratively in the last few episodes. I’m so glad that you enjoyed them!

OMG - I have been lurking and reading this (all 50!!!! pages of it) over the last 3 days. This is so wonderful, Kay, and you are truly an amazingly talented writer.

We are taking our DD5 for her first ever Disney trip in 10 days and this report is just so much fun! I am getting so excited and anxious to see and do everything Disney.

Your pictures are amazing and I loved exploring Wilderness Lodge with you - especially since we are staying at Contemporary and may not have time to make it over to WL to look around. But now, thanks to you, I feel like I have been there and won't be disappointed if I can't poke around WL myself.

Thanks also for the tips - need first row for Soarin; request turn down service; go to Turtle Talk with Crush; etc. I have written them all down and they will go on our "not to miss" list with us to Disney.

I have to say, though, the brilliance of the Disney Grande Ghetto resort was the BEST! You described it with such detail and gusto...I found myself wishing it were true, so that I could stay there!! (not sure what thay says about me....)

Anyway, please do keep it coming. I'm sure you are tired and burnt out by all this - but you simply must finish this before I go to Disney. You have 10 days

Jill72: Welcome! I love greeting new readers, and I don’t suppose I will have many more since this report is finally winding toward a conclusion. I’m glad you’re enjoying my story and learning useful tips as well. That’s nice to hear. I definitely won’t be done in ten days, however, since I rarely post more than one episode per week, and the next one is only partially written.

Really enjoyed the slide adventure and love your pics!!

TigerKat: Thanks. Slide lovers, unite!

Kay, I've been enjoying your reports. Your pictures are beautiful. I'm a value resort girl myself - by pocketbook, not choice and I love seeing the pictures of the deluxe resorts. I did stay at the Boardwalk once and thought it was beautiful. I look forward to hearing about the Hoop-Dee-Do. I only saw it once, about 10 years ago and had mixed feelings about it. I have been debating trying it with my husband and kids. Keep up the good work.

SmallWorld71: Thanks for the kind comments. I wonder if HDDR has changed at all in ten years. Probably not very much. I hope my comments in the next episode are helpful, but in the end, everyone’s tastes differ, and you still have to decide whether it’s worth the expense to you. The new seating system is both good and bad in that you can assure yourself of a first floor seat, but you have to pay more. Before, you might simply luck out and get a good seating assignment at the same cost.

Hi Kay!
I am really wondering who DOES stay at the Grand Floridian, and feels at home there. Because I have only ever heard people say they went over there for dinner/breakfast/tea and that they enjoyed how beautiful it was, but would never stay there.

Anyone?

Thanks for your reporting! Can't wait to hear about HDDR!

kpk89: I used to hang out on the resorts board a lot, and yes, there are many loyal fans of the Grand Floridian. People said that although it was formal they never felt it was stuffy. They claimed that everyone’s kids laughed, played, and ran just as they do at the Value Resorts.

Everyone seems very interested in my opinion of HDDR. It would be fun to take a poll in advance and see what everyone expects me to say. Not that it would change what I write; I’m just curious.

Hoop De Doo. You asked why I didn't like it. Well, this is going back 15 years, but I remember that it took forever and a day to get there from the BC. We drove to the Hoop De Doopty parking lot. Got on the Hoop D bus. Stopped at the Hoop D campsites. By the time we got to Pioneer Hall, we ended up with one of those tables up in the balcony. I thought the food was pretty bad. While the performers were extremely talented, I just found the whole thing too Hee-Haw-ish for my liking. My husband called it the Hoop Dee Don't. On the bright side, though, I did get to play a washboard. I thought the HDDR was cute but couldn't understand why it got such rave reviews. Maybe we'll go back someday as my DD has never been. Now I can't get that dang song out of my head. I'm curious to see if you liked the show or not!

I'm glad to read you weren't slacking on your pool hopper duty. I actually caught some poolhoppers once. It was at the BC (pre-fence, pre- ID checking). In talking to a father and daughter in the pool they told me they weren't staying at the hotel at all. They were from Kissimmee and came to the BC every w/e to swim. I turned them over to the authorities.

SunKat: It sounds like the inconvenient and lengthy expedition to the show got you off on the wrong foot. It really isn’t the easiest place to get to, and that’s exactly why I decided to book it for this trip while we were staying “next door.” The balcony spots wouldn’t be bad for a regular show, but sitting up there is not ideal for a dinner show. I’ll get into that in my report. The show seems to get rave reviews, as you noted, but many of you readers don’t sound so keen on it. Must be only people who love the show write reviews about it.

You caught a pool hopper who was a remorseless multiple offender? Where is the Pool Hopper electrocution kit when you need it! I seriously would have turned them in. I know a lot of people will think that sounds mean, but the scope of that kind of abuse would absolutely push me over the edge.

Is this really true? How stupid of people. Granted, the Captain could have shook his head no, but HATE? what a bunch of weirdos.

celerystalker: Yes, it is really true. No artistic license was used in the writing of this vignette. The mother didn’t shout, “We hate you,” just the kids. All three of them in unison, like some sort of “Borg” hive mentality hatred, I guess! I wonder if the kids are always that easily incited to riot!

I hate to burst your bubble about point #2. More than once I've unexpectedly run into friends, acquaintances, or coworkers while on vacation. "It's a small world after all...it's a small world after all..........."

-Iluvsushi

iluvsushi: I had to laugh at two things: First, your use of the It’s a Small World tune since you say you have never been to Disney, yet you and everyone else in the world knows that song! Second, you are right about running into friends, acquaintances or coworkers on vacation. Once I was in a not too well-known city in Japan, and I met a girl who lived about a mile away from me back home in my tiny “city” of 16,000. Now what are the chances of that!

To be continued. . . . Anytime soon?

Joe, thanks for remaining onboard reading. I’m glad you haven’t jumped ship yet. I’m working intermittently on the Hoop-De-Doozie installment now. It will be ready by this weekend.

 

[Grammyof2]

We find a couple unoccupied lounges in the shade, which is fine with Lowell. He could get a tan at night walking past a car with its headlights on.

This line is priceless

Finally caught up, it took awhile

Doing tea this fall. Can't wait but I am going to take a few finishing classes before I show up

 

[LITTLEKID58]

Great TR TFS

 

[Suzflee]

You’ll have plenty of time to shop for a swimsuit between now and then, and we can swim in “our pools or yours.” The pools at our resort are nothing fancy. No waterfalls or slides etc. but there are 13 to choose from with as many spas, and we have sand volleyball, basketball, peddle boats, mini-golf, and an array of daily activities on site.

Kay - which one is yours? this sounds like the one we traded for - Vistana - and we did have waterslides and waterfalls Hardly saw any of the resort except for the half day we took to sleep in and pool hop, legally of course

 

[Maine-iac]

Maine-iac: Graceful, bah! Is anyone graceful on a waterslide? And with many of these slides you’re going through a tunnel, so people in the pool aren’t gawking at you, anyway. I would not let a concern about being graceful keep me from sliding.

Thanks for the " is anyone graceful on a waterslide". However I remember a time when I had some control on my decent. I now have no control.

 

[Kay7979]

Hello again! Thanks for reading.

Finally caught up, it took awhile

Doing tea this fall. Can't wait but I am going to take a few finishing classes before I show up

Grammyof2: Hi, I’m glad to see you’re still reading. I believe I heard recently that you’re about to become “Grammy of 3.” Congratulations! Don’t worry too much about your manners at tea. If we didn’t get kicked out, I’m sure you won’t!

Great TR TFS

LITTLEKID58: Hello, new reader! Welcome. I see you live in Kissimmee. It must be great to live near “the Magic.”

Kay - which one is yours? this sounds like the one we traded for - Vistana - and we did have waterslides and waterfalls Hardly saw any of the resort except for the half day we took to sleep in and pool hop, legally of course

Suzflee: I am familiar with Vistana. For that matter, I’m familiar with most ALL the local timeshare resorts, but ours is at Westgate Vacation Villas. The resort chain is known for the most tenacious salespeople on the face of the earth, and that has turned off a lot of people, which is too bad because it’s a nice resort. Rather than high rises, the buildings are all two and three story, and have more of a townhouse community feeling. I like that. We have owned there since 1997 but have only stayed there a couple times. Usually I trade and we go somewhere else. I’m using this unit to trade into Cabo San Lucas this fall.

 

[JoeFixes]

You have to post a picture of you and your husband. I need to put a face to all these adventures! Your writing is awesome. We are going next week and can't wait to make some of the incredible memories you've written about. Thanks for the stories.
8 days!!!

 

[JoeFixes]

Oh sorry. Hadn't read far enough I guess. I found you.

 

[nebo]

Hello Special Kay. You just might remember that you're sitting at OUR table right now. Number 21. And wasn't that just the most perfect spot?
Just, whatever you do, when you describe the dinner, DO NOT forget about the strawberry shortcake. Tiggerbell will go off on you. I do have one issue I'd like to take up with you.
YOU THOUGHT THE SLIDE THERE WAS GOOD?
No, I haven't been to Sarasota Springs to compare it to, but , Geesh! I think I stopped half way down and walked the rest of the way.
It was quicker.

Looking forward to the rest, finally pretty much caught up. You're the best.
steve

 

[tiggerbell]

Hello Special Kay. You just might remember that you're sitting at OUR table right now. Number 21. And wasn't that just the most perfect spot?
Just, whatever you do, when you describe the dinner, DO NOT forget about the strawberry shortcake. Tiggerbell will go off on you. I do have one issue I'd like to take up with you.
YOU THOUGHT THE SLIDE THERE WAS GOOD?
No, I haven't been to Sarasota Springs to compare it to, but , Geesh! I think I stopped half way down and walked the rest of the way.
It was quicker.

Looking forward to the rest, finally pretty much caught up. You're the best.
steve

Ummm.... excuse me??? And maybe I think Kay's the best, too, huh???

 

[Suzflee]

Bring on the strawberry shortcake - I need the fix as it sounds like our local crop might have gotten hit by the big freeze

 

[Kay7979]

HI, EVERYONE!

Oh sorry. Hadn't read far enough I guess. I found you.

JoeFixes: Hi, new reader! Have a great time on your trip. You’re on the final count down now! Thanks for checking out my “story” and taking time to let me know you’re reading.

Hello Special Kay. You just might remember that you're sitting at OUR table right now. Number 21. And wasn't that just the most perfect spot?
Just, whatever you do, when you describe the dinner, DO NOT forget about the strawberry shortcake. Tiggerbell will go off on you. I do have one issue I'd like to take up with you.
YOU THOUGHT THE SLIDE THERE WAS GOOD?
No, I haven't been to Sarasota Springs to compare it to, but , Geesh! I think I stopped half way down and walked the rest of the way.
It was quicker.

Looking forward to the rest, finally pretty much caught up. You're the best.
steve

nebo: Yes, I haven’t forgotten that we “shared” a table. Don’t worry, strawberry shortcake has a prominent place in the upcoming episode! As for the WL slide, I thought it was pretty good for a resort pool slide. I’ve been to a few water parks and obviously there’s no comparison to those, but for a short slide, it’s decent.

I’m glad you’re still reading my report. It’s nice to have you on board. I hope your back is better these days. you’ll need to be feeling your best for your next trip.

Ummm.... excuse me??? And maybe I think Kay's the best, too, huh???

tiggerbell: One thing we’ll all agree on is that I have some of the best readers! .

Bring on the strawberry shortcake - I need the fix as it sounds like our local crop might have gotten hit by the big freeze

Suzflee: Shortcake coming up tomorrow, I hope. The episode is being fine tuned and should be ready soon. Let's hope the strawberry crop survives the freeze. Strawberries are one of my favorite foods.

 

[Goofyfan1]

A great TR I am only on page 2 and your Public service announcement was hilarious Well Back to perusing the next page

 

[mikamah]

Just loved this episode, but I missed the pic of you on the waterslide!?! Perhaps you could repost it. And now you have my nosy curiosity up. You said 50 year old woman, and I remember you posting a pic a while ago where I thought you looked so much younger than I thought you were. I figured you were around my age- 43, but when I saw the pic, I saw you were way younger. If your report wasn't so long, I'd try to find that picture.

Your photos are awesome. What a beatuiful blue sky in the geyser pics. I'm sad your trip is coming to a close. When do you go to cabo san lucas? We went there last january and it was beautiful there. I can't give you any sage advice, because we never left our resort. My son was 4, and the beach and pool were all he needed. Happy hour by the pool was all I needed. The sunrises were amazing every morning. I'm sure you'll have a great time.

 

[Kay7979]

A great TR I am only on page 2 and your Public service announcement was hilarious Well Back to perusing the next page

Hello, Goofyfan1. I'm glad you found me. You have a lot of episodes ahead of you, and I'm sure you'll find many more smiles and laughs along the way. Welcome aboard!