queenmum2
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Jul 17, 2006
- Messages
- 445
I posted earlier that DH had surprised me with a birthday trip to WDW. Well, we're back and we had a great time.
Cast: Me (Tracie), DH (Billy), DS (Tyler - 9) and DD (Sarah - 7)
We got the kids out of school as early as we could without them being counted absent on Friday. We were on the road by 11:00 and drove through to Lake Buena Vista, stopping only for gas/potty/food. After coming to a grinding stop in rush-hour Orlando traffic (and some pretty thick traffic in Jax), we arrived at the Boardwalk Inn at around 5:30.
The BWI is gorgeous - straight out of 1930s Atlantic City - with the bell staff in knickers and everything. Our room was nice enough - not as "themed" as our previous two WDW Hotels (Poly 2003; WL 2006). It was nice to have two queens AND a day-bed, which was JUST big enough for Sarah to sleep on.
The BEST thing about the BWI is the actual boardwalk. It is build around a "lake" which overlooks two other Disney hotels (Beach and Yacht Clubs) and has shops, restaurants, an arcade, carnival-type booths, etc. In the evening, performers wander up and start up shows - magic, juggling, etc. The kids got to be volunteers in a number of them. Sarah got picked for the juggling show and was a hoot (a dad in the audience said afterward "She was AWESOME"), playing along with the guy and giving him the sassy attitude she usually gives ME. Tyler got to be in one with this Russian guy who balances all manner of things on this knife he holds in his mouth. He also got to be in a magic show. The kids love this stuff! Anyway, in the evening when they put on the lights, the effect of this place is quite charming.
Friday night, we ate at Big River Grill & Brewery. The place was crowded and noisy - and the food,just OK. But the beer was good! Billy's sister and her "other", Harry, met us down there and we hooked up here for dinner.
Saturday morning, we were up and out for breakfast at BOMA in the Animal Kingdom Lodge. We had to drive over there because there was no direct resort-to-resort transportation. But it wasn't a bad drive -- the signage around WDW is pretty reliable. We've done the breakfast at BOMA before and it didn't disappoint this time. YUM!
We drove back to BWI and hopped on a bus for the Magic Kingdom. Since we had just one part-day at the MK, I was focused on doing only the things that are AWESOME or iconic; starting in Fantasyland, we hit Mickey's Philharmagic (the best 3-D experience EVER) and it's a small world. We got Fast Passes for Peter Pan, but ended up not using them. We went from there over to Frontierland for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. Tyler chickened out of that when we were there in October-- he'd suddenly developed a fear of rides. With MUCH coaxing and soothing, we got him on it. I was glad - he thought it was fun. But there was no getting him on Splash Mountain. Luckily, Harry wanted to go on it (Billy's not a big fan of flume rides and Ody doesn't like getting wet) so he and I went on Splash. I don't think I've ever ridden it before...or it's been 20 years so it was like the first time. Anyway, it WAS fun but I got SOAKED and Harry - who was right beside me - was almost bone dry!
After Splash, we had some lunch and went to Adventureland for Pirates of the Carribean. We had a medium-short wait (20 minutes or so). It was fun, as usual. After Pirates, we booked over to Tomorrowland for Buzz Lightyear. We got Fast Passes for that, then took in the new show "Mike Wisowski's Laugh Floor". That was really a cute show. Don't miss it if you go to WDW. Afterward, it was time for our FP for Buzz.
After Buzz, we decided to make our way toward the exit - it was parade time, so we parked and watched it from a distance. Then we hit the ice cream shop on the way out. It was really hot - not as hot as I know it GETS at WDW, but hot enough that they had to eat that icecream FAST because it became a puddle pretty quickly.
We hopped the bus back to BWI and checked out the pool. It is a nice pool area and the slide looks like an old-time roller coaster. The downside is that the exit to the slide has you coming out of the mouth of a clown. Billy said that it would give him nightmares!
After a quick swim, we showered and dressed and went over to the Grand Floridian for dinner. We ate a Narcoosee, which is right on "Bay Lake" and you can see the MK from there. My Dad and Step-mother met us there for dinner (they were in Orlando visiting her son). Dinner was really wonderful,but pricy (dining reviews will follow on the DR board). After dinner, we strolled out on the walk which overlooks the bay and watched the fireworks from the MK. It was cool - they dimmed the lights there at the restaurant and piped in the music from the fireworks so it was actually like watching them IN the park (only better because we didn't have to sit on the ground armpit to armpit with other people!)
We got back to the hotel around 10:30 and fell into bed.
Sunday, we got up and had breakfast at Spoodles on the boardwalk. It was a nice breakfast. We walked over to EPCOT (nice to be that close) and started hitting the highlights there. First, we went over to "The Land" for Soarin' fast passes. AWESOME. After getting our FP, we went over and walked on to the Finding Nemo ride. It's a pretty cute attraction - more for the kids, but the theming is nice. Then we took in "Turtle Talk with Crush" - which is a very cute show.
We went on back to Soarin and enjoyed that before heading over to get FP for Test Track. We had lunch in Mexico (good food at the Cantina...and a beer is EIGHT DOLLARS :blink: ), then went back over to Mission Space (Billy, Harry and I rode on the Orange Team - the "more rigorous training" - while Ody took the kids over to the dump shop and the arcade/play area). After that, it was time to go over to Test Track.
Oh wait - I think we did Mission Space and Test Track BEFORE lunch -- but anyway, I digress... Test Track was fun, as usual.
We finally made it to the world showcase and walked over to France to see the "mime" guy. Don't let the word mime turn you off -- he didn't have a painted face...it was a different type of show, but it was good. Sarah remembered it from last time. After that, we cruised over to the US - stopping in the UK to get a picture with Alice in Wonderland. At the U.S. pavillion, we took in the Voices of Liberty (8 or so voices in perfect harmony) and then watched the American Adventure. I figured that would fulfill the educational requirement for Tyler...it was a good show, a little too long though so I took a few exteded blinks.
By now, it was time to head back over to the hotel (we took the boat this time) to get ready for dinner. Now, here I must tell you the AWESOME luck we had with the weather. Except for it being hotter than I like, we were very lucky. As soon as the boat pulled up at BWI, some big rain drops started falling...not tons, but enough to know that the rain was starting. We were able to walk at normal speed to the hotel. By the time we got to our room, it was storming! Loud thunder, torrential rain, wind, etc. We worried about getting over to bluezoo for dinner (we had planned on walking). But about 30 minutes before time to leave, the rain stopped. Perfect timing!
We ate at bluezoo in the Dolphin Hotel. This place has a "celebrity chef" - Todd English - who has restaurants in LV and I think Boston. The food was AWESOME! Pricy, but awesome.
We left there and took in Illuminations back in EPCOT. Wonderful! We found a reasonably good viewing point near the boat launch back to our resort -- it was down some stairs in the France area. It was not the BEST vantage point we've had, but it was still good. It was still a bit windy, but I was glad that the rain had cleared out so we could see Illuminations!
We returned to BWI and did a little shopping before heading back up to bed.
Monday morning, we got up and packed for our return trip home. We didn't have any breakfast reservations - just planned on stopping at the bakery or something. Well, there was a bit of a line at the bakery so we decided to venture over to the Yacht and Beach clubs to see what they had. We ended up at the Beach Club - Cape May Cafe. I had completely forgotten that this was a character meal. But we put our name on the list and got in within about 10 mintues. This was a nice way to end the trip - seeing Goofy, Chip & Dale and Minnie Mouse.
The food was tasty, too.
We checked out and were back on the road home by about 11:00 am.
So that's it for our quick trip trippie!
Tracie
Cast: Me (Tracie), DH (Billy), DS (Tyler - 9) and DD (Sarah - 7)
We got the kids out of school as early as we could without them being counted absent on Friday. We were on the road by 11:00 and drove through to Lake Buena Vista, stopping only for gas/potty/food. After coming to a grinding stop in rush-hour Orlando traffic (and some pretty thick traffic in Jax), we arrived at the Boardwalk Inn at around 5:30.
The BWI is gorgeous - straight out of 1930s Atlantic City - with the bell staff in knickers and everything. Our room was nice enough - not as "themed" as our previous two WDW Hotels (Poly 2003; WL 2006). It was nice to have two queens AND a day-bed, which was JUST big enough for Sarah to sleep on.
The BEST thing about the BWI is the actual boardwalk. It is build around a "lake" which overlooks two other Disney hotels (Beach and Yacht Clubs) and has shops, restaurants, an arcade, carnival-type booths, etc. In the evening, performers wander up and start up shows - magic, juggling, etc. The kids got to be volunteers in a number of them. Sarah got picked for the juggling show and was a hoot (a dad in the audience said afterward "She was AWESOME"), playing along with the guy and giving him the sassy attitude she usually gives ME. Tyler got to be in one with this Russian guy who balances all manner of things on this knife he holds in his mouth. He also got to be in a magic show. The kids love this stuff! Anyway, in the evening when they put on the lights, the effect of this place is quite charming.
Friday night, we ate at Big River Grill & Brewery. The place was crowded and noisy - and the food,just OK. But the beer was good! Billy's sister and her "other", Harry, met us down there and we hooked up here for dinner.
Saturday morning, we were up and out for breakfast at BOMA in the Animal Kingdom Lodge. We had to drive over there because there was no direct resort-to-resort transportation. But it wasn't a bad drive -- the signage around WDW is pretty reliable. We've done the breakfast at BOMA before and it didn't disappoint this time. YUM!
We drove back to BWI and hopped on a bus for the Magic Kingdom. Since we had just one part-day at the MK, I was focused on doing only the things that are AWESOME or iconic; starting in Fantasyland, we hit Mickey's Philharmagic (the best 3-D experience EVER) and it's a small world. We got Fast Passes for Peter Pan, but ended up not using them. We went from there over to Frontierland for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. Tyler chickened out of that when we were there in October-- he'd suddenly developed a fear of rides. With MUCH coaxing and soothing, we got him on it. I was glad - he thought it was fun. But there was no getting him on Splash Mountain. Luckily, Harry wanted to go on it (Billy's not a big fan of flume rides and Ody doesn't like getting wet) so he and I went on Splash. I don't think I've ever ridden it before...or it's been 20 years so it was like the first time. Anyway, it WAS fun but I got SOAKED and Harry - who was right beside me - was almost bone dry!
After Splash, we had some lunch and went to Adventureland for Pirates of the Carribean. We had a medium-short wait (20 minutes or so). It was fun, as usual. After Pirates, we booked over to Tomorrowland for Buzz Lightyear. We got Fast Passes for that, then took in the new show "Mike Wisowski's Laugh Floor". That was really a cute show. Don't miss it if you go to WDW. Afterward, it was time for our FP for Buzz.
After Buzz, we decided to make our way toward the exit - it was parade time, so we parked and watched it from a distance. Then we hit the ice cream shop on the way out. It was really hot - not as hot as I know it GETS at WDW, but hot enough that they had to eat that icecream FAST because it became a puddle pretty quickly.
We hopped the bus back to BWI and checked out the pool. It is a nice pool area and the slide looks like an old-time roller coaster. The downside is that the exit to the slide has you coming out of the mouth of a clown. Billy said that it would give him nightmares!
After a quick swim, we showered and dressed and went over to the Grand Floridian for dinner. We ate a Narcoosee, which is right on "Bay Lake" and you can see the MK from there. My Dad and Step-mother met us there for dinner (they were in Orlando visiting her son). Dinner was really wonderful,but pricy (dining reviews will follow on the DR board). After dinner, we strolled out on the walk which overlooks the bay and watched the fireworks from the MK. It was cool - they dimmed the lights there at the restaurant and piped in the music from the fireworks so it was actually like watching them IN the park (only better because we didn't have to sit on the ground armpit to armpit with other people!)
We got back to the hotel around 10:30 and fell into bed.
Sunday, we got up and had breakfast at Spoodles on the boardwalk. It was a nice breakfast. We walked over to EPCOT (nice to be that close) and started hitting the highlights there. First, we went over to "The Land" for Soarin' fast passes. AWESOME. After getting our FP, we went over and walked on to the Finding Nemo ride. It's a pretty cute attraction - more for the kids, but the theming is nice. Then we took in "Turtle Talk with Crush" - which is a very cute show.
We went on back to Soarin and enjoyed that before heading over to get FP for Test Track. We had lunch in Mexico (good food at the Cantina...and a beer is EIGHT DOLLARS :blink: ), then went back over to Mission Space (Billy, Harry and I rode on the Orange Team - the "more rigorous training" - while Ody took the kids over to the dump shop and the arcade/play area). After that, it was time to go over to Test Track.
Oh wait - I think we did Mission Space and Test Track BEFORE lunch -- but anyway, I digress... Test Track was fun, as usual. We finally made it to the world showcase and walked over to France to see the "mime" guy. Don't let the word mime turn you off -- he didn't have a painted face...it was a different type of show, but it was good. Sarah remembered it from last time. After that, we cruised over to the US - stopping in the UK to get a picture with Alice in Wonderland. At the U.S. pavillion, we took in the Voices of Liberty (8 or so voices in perfect harmony) and then watched the American Adventure. I figured that would fulfill the educational requirement for Tyler...it was a good show, a little too long though so I took a few exteded blinks.
By now, it was time to head back over to the hotel (we took the boat this time) to get ready for dinner. Now, here I must tell you the AWESOME luck we had with the weather. Except for it being hotter than I like, we were very lucky. As soon as the boat pulled up at BWI, some big rain drops started falling...not tons, but enough to know that the rain was starting. We were able to walk at normal speed to the hotel. By the time we got to our room, it was storming! Loud thunder, torrential rain, wind, etc. We worried about getting over to bluezoo for dinner (we had planned on walking). But about 30 minutes before time to leave, the rain stopped. Perfect timing!
We ate at bluezoo in the Dolphin Hotel. This place has a "celebrity chef" - Todd English - who has restaurants in LV and I think Boston. The food was AWESOME! Pricy, but awesome.
We left there and took in Illuminations back in EPCOT. Wonderful! We found a reasonably good viewing point near the boat launch back to our resort -- it was down some stairs in the France area. It was not the BEST vantage point we've had, but it was still good. It was still a bit windy, but I was glad that the rain had cleared out so we could see Illuminations!
We returned to BWI and did a little shopping before heading back up to bed.
Monday morning, we got up and packed for our return trip home. We didn't have any breakfast reservations - just planned on stopping at the bakery or something. Well, there was a bit of a line at the bakery so we decided to venture over to the Yacht and Beach clubs to see what they had. We ended up at the Beach Club - Cape May Cafe. I had completely forgotten that this was a character meal. But we put our name on the list and got in within about 10 mintues. This was a nice way to end the trip - seeing Goofy, Chip & Dale and Minnie Mouse.
The food was tasty, too.We checked out and were back on the road home by about 11:00 am.
So that's it for our quick trip trippie!
Tracie
