jeleebeene
<font color=9999CC>Has a caffeine-free Stitch!<br>
- Joined
- Apr 25, 2002
- Messages
- 1,725
This is the 4th trip that DH and I have taken together, and they only get better every year.
Me-27 and all around Disney lover and planner.
DH Tom-26 loves Disney and lets me do all of the planning.
Pre-trip
After over 6 months of planning, the day finally came when we left for the magical place called Disney World. We drove from Knoxville, TN and began at midnight on 7-26/27 to our destination. We were staying at Hotel Royal Plaza for our first night, and then transferring to PO-FQ.
The drive down was pretty uneventful, until we arrived into Florida. Had to make the stop at the visitor's center and gather pamphlet after pamphlet. As we got closer to Orlando, billboards became my favorite thing to spot. I will not give away what they say, but there are some cute ones this year!
We arrived into Orlando around 10:30am and checked into the Royal Plaza. The lobby is nice, and the clerk was very pleasant and was able to get us a room already done. This pleased us until we got into the room. I guess I go into somplace with higher expectations that what I should, because I was VERY dissapointed with the room. We stayed in the "wing" portion of the hotel, and it was very run down. There were water spots all over the ceiling and running down the walls, the air didn't really work, and the vent looked like it was going to fall off. I didn't let it damper anything, though, cause I was in DISNEYWORLD!!
We unpacked the car, rested a bit, and then changed our clothing. We went down toward the lobby, so DH could call his folks to say we made it, as I wandered the souvenier shop. I know, I know, not even an hour into the hotel and I am already shopping, but what can I say??
After browsing, we then head to the car and begin our drive to Cocoa Beach. I told DH that I wanted to go to a beach on the Atlantic side this trip, as we always go to Clearwater. I enjoy Clearwater, but wanted something different. The drive is pretty quick, about 45 minutes, and we were there. A Disney Cruiseliner was docked, so we got as close as we could and took some pictures. DH now wants to take a cruise, who swore after seeing the movie Titanic, that he would never set foot on an oceanliner. So, in a couple of years, we will try the Disney Cruise Line.
We were getting a little hungry, so we stopped at a McDonalds across from Ron Jon Surf Shop. Yeah, I know, we drove around 600miles on vacation and eat at a McDonalds...
We decided after eating to park in the parking garage, and go through the shops before walking to the beach. The shop is nice, but very busy. We purchased shirts, and the headed down to the beach. The waves were not as big as I had imagined, but there was a nice breeze. I walked along the sand near the water and took some pictures. I didn't stay too long, as I can sunburn easily, but I was happy to see the ocean.
We climbed back into the car, and headed back to Orlando. I wanted to check out the Character Warehouse I heard so much about on these boards, so we headed to Premier Outlet Mall and Belz just to check out the stores. Not a whole lot of difference in price, although DH found a Mickey tee for $4.99, which is a great price!
As we returned to the hotel, a slight rain began, but that was ok as I was on vacation and nothing was going to put a frown on my face. We ran upstairs, freshened up, and then headed to Planet Hollywood for dinner. It was pretty good, we had hamburgers, mine with mushrooms and DH just had cheese. We usually don't like to eat here because of the long waits, but we only had to wait about 20 minutes this time.
After eating, we walked through some of the shops at Downtown Disney, especially Pooh Corner. I just LOVE the smell of honey in the air. I bought a stuffed Pooh with a nightcap and he still smells like the store - I went in this store many times just to take in the smell.
We went to investigate the new Once Upon a Toy and it is a cute store. My favorite thing about it was the Mr. Potato Head bins. You can build your potato head anyway you want, as long as the items fit into the box. I had alot of fun building mine, and for about $13.00, a very cheap souvenier.
It was now around 10:30pm when we decided we better head back to the hotel and get a good nights sleep as our Disney vacation officially began in the morning, when we check into PO-FQ.
Although the hotel room was a bummer, the hotel itself is nice and I would stay here again, but only in a tower room. The weather was hot, but managable, and it was a great first Pre-Disney day!
tomorrow: Check-in, Epcot and MGM!!
Me-27 and all around Disney lover and planner.
DH Tom-26 loves Disney and lets me do all of the planning.
Pre-trip
After over 6 months of planning, the day finally came when we left for the magical place called Disney World. We drove from Knoxville, TN and began at midnight on 7-26/27 to our destination. We were staying at Hotel Royal Plaza for our first night, and then transferring to PO-FQ.
The drive down was pretty uneventful, until we arrived into Florida. Had to make the stop at the visitor's center and gather pamphlet after pamphlet. As we got closer to Orlando, billboards became my favorite thing to spot. I will not give away what they say, but there are some cute ones this year!
We arrived into Orlando around 10:30am and checked into the Royal Plaza. The lobby is nice, and the clerk was very pleasant and was able to get us a room already done. This pleased us until we got into the room. I guess I go into somplace with higher expectations that what I should, because I was VERY dissapointed with the room. We stayed in the "wing" portion of the hotel, and it was very run down. There were water spots all over the ceiling and running down the walls, the air didn't really work, and the vent looked like it was going to fall off. I didn't let it damper anything, though, cause I was in DISNEYWORLD!!
We unpacked the car, rested a bit, and then changed our clothing. We went down toward the lobby, so DH could call his folks to say we made it, as I wandered the souvenier shop. I know, I know, not even an hour into the hotel and I am already shopping, but what can I say??
After browsing, we then head to the car and begin our drive to Cocoa Beach. I told DH that I wanted to go to a beach on the Atlantic side this trip, as we always go to Clearwater. I enjoy Clearwater, but wanted something different. The drive is pretty quick, about 45 minutes, and we were there. A Disney Cruiseliner was docked, so we got as close as we could and took some pictures. DH now wants to take a cruise, who swore after seeing the movie Titanic, that he would never set foot on an oceanliner. So, in a couple of years, we will try the Disney Cruise Line.
We were getting a little hungry, so we stopped at a McDonalds across from Ron Jon Surf Shop. Yeah, I know, we drove around 600miles on vacation and eat at a McDonalds...
We decided after eating to park in the parking garage, and go through the shops before walking to the beach. The shop is nice, but very busy. We purchased shirts, and the headed down to the beach. The waves were not as big as I had imagined, but there was a nice breeze. I walked along the sand near the water and took some pictures. I didn't stay too long, as I can sunburn easily, but I was happy to see the ocean.
We climbed back into the car, and headed back to Orlando. I wanted to check out the Character Warehouse I heard so much about on these boards, so we headed to Premier Outlet Mall and Belz just to check out the stores. Not a whole lot of difference in price, although DH found a Mickey tee for $4.99, which is a great price!
As we returned to the hotel, a slight rain began, but that was ok as I was on vacation and nothing was going to put a frown on my face. We ran upstairs, freshened up, and then headed to Planet Hollywood for dinner. It was pretty good, we had hamburgers, mine with mushrooms and DH just had cheese. We usually don't like to eat here because of the long waits, but we only had to wait about 20 minutes this time.
After eating, we walked through some of the shops at Downtown Disney, especially Pooh Corner. I just LOVE the smell of honey in the air. I bought a stuffed Pooh with a nightcap and he still smells like the store - I went in this store many times just to take in the smell.
We went to investigate the new Once Upon a Toy and it is a cute store. My favorite thing about it was the Mr. Potato Head bins. You can build your potato head anyway you want, as long as the items fit into the box. I had alot of fun building mine, and for about $13.00, a very cheap souvenier.
It was now around 10:30pm when we decided we better head back to the hotel and get a good nights sleep as our Disney vacation officially began in the morning, when we check into PO-FQ.
Although the hotel room was a bummer, the hotel itself is nice and I would stay here again, but only in a tower room. The weather was hot, but managable, and it was a great first Pre-Disney day!
tomorrow: Check-in, Epcot and MGM!!
