Pods-n-El & The Love Bug(S)- September 24-29th,2010 at AKV Concierge! Updates 11/30

podsnel · Oct 1, 2010

Well...here we go AGAIN!!! Trip Report #....I don't even know! Aren't you people sick of reading about my little slice of a Real Housewife of NJ's life yet?? :rotfl:

Well, I am THRILLED if you're back for more, and THRILLED if you're new to my insanity. My name is Ellen and I am married to Pods, the most EXCITING CPA I have ever met. :confused3

We have been married 24 years, and have 3 handsome sons who are growing up tooooooooo fast- Sean, 16, Tyler, 13, and Timmy, 11. Sean is autistic, and he is doing GREAT this year- attends a wonderful school in North Jersey and has begun job training at Goodwill, which is working out well, and next week he begins rock climbing after school. Tyler is playing football right now, but his true love is baseball which he plays all spring and summer. And my baby, Timmy, is already in the 6th grade and currently playing Fall Ball (baseball) because he is ANOTHER baseball nut, who also plays travel ball all Spring & Summer AND he plays drums in the middle school band. Plus there's Summer, our beautiful and sweet Golden Retriever, who is all of 3 years old. Aaahhhh....don't they all sound nice? And BUSY? And TEENAGER-like? THEY ARE!!! That's why WE NEED A BREAK from all the family joyfulness, so for two Septembers in a row, we have left the kids and dog at home and headed to DISNEY!! :yay:

Yea, I know, poor us. Sooo....if you're interested in reading about a trip for grown-ups that involves all the things you really can't or shouldn't do with your kids in the most magical place on earth....well....you're in the right place, baby!! :thumbsup2

This is us last year at V&A's-

MEK · Oct 1, 2010

First - Yeah ME!!!!!

So glad Sean is having a great year so far! Can't wait for the whole crazy story of this year's trip!

podsnel · Oct 1, 2010

We were up and out of the house by 6:10, driving ourselves to Newark airport. Now, I had told Pods I was booking a car service, but he put the Kibash on that one, saying we could just park at the airport it was so easy- he does it for his golf trips. Okay......so, we drive around the airport a couple of times before he turns into the lot, where we will park for 6 days (as opposed to 4 on his golf trip) for $24 a day... :scared1:

Ummm...yea...the car service that would have dropped us and BOTH SETS OF GOLF CLUBS at the terminal curb was $65 each way....including the tip....now, I'm no CPA, but, ummm, isn't that cheaper, honey???? Anyway, we lug the two sets of clubs, the two duffle bags, & the camera bag across the lot, up the escalator, wait for the tram, stuff in the tram, ride for 5 minutes to the terminal, get out of the tram, go upstairs, find out that's wrong, so go downstairs, ask Pods if he is enjoying carrying 2 sets of clubs around the airport during his surprise un-scheduled marathon, finally find the RIGHT check in area (because God forbid there is a sign directing you ANYWHERE during construction in Terminal C), check in and then carry the golf bags to the oversize area, ask Pods once more if that was fun and is he glad we'll get to do it in reverse when our vacation ends....then head to security, etc, and hop on the plane. Travel is AWESOME!!! :rotfl:

Anyway, we were fortunate to have upgraded to First Class for the flight down to Orlando the morning before for $79 each (and THAT I would not back down on- even he agreed that rocked!). We enjoyed the comfy seats, free headsets, and of course, the bathroom shared with only 12 other people on our 2 1/2 hour flight. Well, I enjoyed the bathroom- apparently, Pods did not, because when we landed, he said he had to make a pit-stop. :scared1:

WHAT?????? You can't pee when you get off the plane!!! You forfeit the "i was in first class and got off the plane faster than everyone to get the last seats on the DME" advantage!!! Well...of course, who knows what can happen, but really- you get off the plane, and you MOVE!!! Because it is no fun getting to the front of the DME line and watching the DME wave goodbye. But, what do I know- I don't know EVERYTHING....so...we get to the front of the DME line, and Pods, with a big smirk on his face, says, "Thank-you" to the nice CM who opens the rope immediately and takes us to the bus.

Only to be stopped by the NEXT CM who says, "What are you doing? That bus is FULL! Two other people just got the last seats!!" (No doubt the people in row 31 on our plane).

It was nooooo joke.

Well, I'll skip the next part, 'cuz this is a family show and all...but let's just say Ellen- score 2, one for being able to add, one for understanding how to get on the bus, Pods- score negative 20 for being a caveman hipster doofus, by the time we got to the Lodge. :rotfl2:

Which was beautiful. Which was also concierge. Which makes up for all things prior. After a little confusion, we went upstairs to check-in and were given a studio with a pool view- the last room at the end of the 6th floor, to be exact-

Look! Toothbrushes! Mouthwash!

Our pool view-

This was my second time to be lucky enough to score AKV Concierge with my AKV points- and I have to say, I think the pool view is prettier than the savannah view up there! I really liked it alot. We washed up a little bit, then headed over to the lounge for a snack before going to Epcot for the day. This was what they had out during the day after breakfast until 3 pm-

We grabbed a handful of nuts and some homemade granola bars, along with a couple of sodas, and ventured out to the bus-

Next up- I'm running to the DITCH!! :woohoo:

dort · Oct 1, 2010

Sign me up :thumbsup2

, have enjoyed your trip reports in the past.

winkers · Oct 1, 2010

NikkiLovesWDW! · Oct 1, 2010

So glad you started already!! Can't wait for you to get to the Ditch! Viva Mexico!

BTW, back to school night was great! They LOVED the video! Thanks for asking!

WannaBeADisMom · Oct 1, 2010

I'm here!!!! Did I make Page 1?!?!?! Can't wait for another Ellen TR!!! ('cause I never talk to you, you know! :rotfl2:

)

cdotla · Oct 2, 2010

Whooo Ellen! I am hoping on board! Can't wait to hear all about your trip!

MEK · Oct 2, 2010

Oh my Ellen. I was totally cracking up with the plane thing. I have been on plenty of trips where I had to schlepp skis through the airport and it is no fun! I just want to add that every time I travel with Denny or any of my boys the refuse to use the bathroom until the get off the plane. :confused3

I can time it perfectly so I go right when they start the initial descent and the seatbelt sign is still off.

Anyway - your room is absolutely beautiful. That's what a studio should look like, not the 2X4 size of the studio at BLT. I love AKL. gorgeous view! I think the pool view is prettier than the savannah, too. You can go see those animals anytime you want. Very nice!

podsnel · Oct 2, 2010

MEK said:
First - Yeah ME!!!!!

So glad Sean is having a great year so far! Can't wait for the whole crazy story of this year's trip!

Congratulations!! You're so fast!! Thanks for reading along-

dort said:
Sign me up , have enjoyed your trip reports in the past.

Thanks so much! I'm so happy you're here! :goodvibes

winkers said:

Yay!! Cherie, lady of the Pole Porn, is reading!! :scared1:

NikkiLovesWDW! said:
So glad you started already!! Can't wait for you to get to the Ditch! Viva Mexico!

BTW, back to school night was great! They LOVED the video! Thanks for asking!

I KNEW they would love the vid! Now you're teacher of the year! :banana:

I just found out I get to come to the Tenure ceremony (is that what it's called?) should I wear my Mickey Ears in tour honor? :earboy2:

WannaBeADisMom said:
I'm here!!!! Did I make Page 1?!?!?! Can't wait for another Ellen TR!!! ('cause I never talk to you, you know! )

I'm sorry....do I know you???? :rotfl:

cdotla said:
Whooo Ellen! I am hoping on board! Can't wait to hear all about your trip!

MEK said:
Oh my Ellen. I was totally cracking up with the plane thing. I have been on plenty of trips where I had to schlepp skis through the airport and it is no fun! I just want to add that every time I travel with Denny or any of my boys the refuse to use the bathroom until the get off the plane. I can time it perfectly so I go right when they start the initial descent and the seatbelt sign is still off.

Anyway - your room is absolutely beautiful. That's what a studio should look like, not the 2X4 size of the studio at BLT. I love AKL. gorgeous view! I think the pool view is prettier than the savannah, too. You can go see those animals anytime you want. Very nice!

Yes, well, when I was writing that, I was thinking, this doesn't sound like so much stuff compared to all the crap MEK was lugging around the airport in September!! :rotfl2:

But the golf clubs are HUGE, as I'm sure you know. Without the clubs, we really only had clothes & a camera bag because of the OL- thank-GOD for the OL!!!

I like the savannah view better in other rooms at AKL- but for DVC Concierge, on the 6th floor, you can't really see too much. So the pool was much prettier-

And I agree- the BLT studios are really little- all the villas are small- but I still really like it there!

OK- have to go get Tyler from Football now-

E

NikkiLovesWDW! · Oct 2, 2010

podsnel said:
I KNEW they would love the vid! Now you're teacher of the year! I just found out I get to come to the Tenure ceremony (is that what it's called?) should I wear my Mickey Ears in tour honor?

I'll wear mine if you wear yours!

I haven't heard anything about the ceremony! When is it?

anbouk · Oct 2, 2010

Making this one trippie....sounds like it will make an EXTRA-FUN read !!! :rotfl:

I remember being part of a USVirginIsles trippie you had and that was a HOOT! Can't wait..... :banana:

dizneeat · Oct 2, 2010

Ellen, I am here too. :flower3:

At least I know how to sign on here!

Great start! First class :thumbsup2

, pitstop

OMG, AKV looks devine! I guess I need to save a little more and stay there some time in the future!

Can't wait for more! popcorn::

rentayenta · Oct 2, 2010

Gawd, I heart AKV. I am so in. :thumbsup2

englishrose47 · Oct 2, 2010

Subbing to hopefully be on Page 1!!!!

Sleeping*Beauty · Oct 2, 2010

Wow, AKL Concierge is my dream stay. I can't wait to see more pics.

englishrose47 · Oct 2, 2010

All caught up!!!I didn't see a pix of the DOGHOUSE where Pods was staying !!!!!! :rotfl2:

dahall · Oct 2, 2010

Nice to meet you, :flower3:

I can't wait to hear more. Sounds like a good time was had by all. :cool1:

manntra · Oct 2, 2010

First Sherpa Mary Ellen...now it is Sherpa Pods :rotfl2:

And he didn't even have to be a Sherpa if he had listened to you in the first place!! :sad2:

Hopefully you didn't have to wait TOO long for the next bus after the one you should have been on left :rolleyes:

I sooooo have to stay concierge at AKV.....I think I would actually prefer to have pool view because I have heard that when you are up that high the savanna view isn't really the best :confused3

I can't wait to be back in the ditch :drinking1

I can hear it calling to me and its getting louder and louder!! :laughing:

Tracy

tinytreasures · Oct 2, 2010

I'm in

Pods-n-El & The Love Bug(S)- September 24-29th,2010 at AKV Concierge! Updates 11/30

<font color=blue>just skippin' around, amusing mys

DIS Legend

<font color=blue>just skippin' around, amusing mys

Mouseketeer

<font color=blue>I was stuck in that position and

"Are you seeing an increase in lateral forces?" "S

WDW...it's my "happy place"....

Trish

DIS Legend

<font color=blue>just skippin' around, amusing mys

"Are you seeing an increase in lateral forces?" "S

FINALLY....DVC!!!

DIS Legend

DIS Legend

DIS Legend

Waiting For My Prince

DIS Legend

Mouseketeer

DIS Veteran

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