LoriABil
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Sep 11, 2008
- Messages
- 1,351
After a fun, if not short, morning at Disney's Hollywood Studios - and more food than anyone could imagine eating - we found ourselves "home" at the BC.
Bobby and Z love this resort. Bobby loves the view of the Boardwalk. Z loves the pool. I have to admit that looking at the pictures now, I do like it myself...
We had a little time to swim before we had to get dressed in our ghoulish attire for Mickey's not So Scary Halloween Party! Storm Along Bay is so expansive, and fun! This is the first time I've felt more relaxed since Z had taken swim lessons and was able to go into deeper water. I didn't have to watch him as close...well, not like a hawk at least. I still found myself watching him, even when I knew he was likely perfectly safe!
If you have never been to Storm Along Bay, it's like a miniature water park. There is a ship (that "ship-wrecked" on BC and YC's beach). The fallen mast is the water slide. If you climb into the ship (from the beach) you will find steps to the slide. You will also find a smaller slide and a kiddie pool. The slide enters the pool near the Epcot side. And if you think one slide for 2 resorts would be crowded, think again. There are hidden whirlpools, hot tubs, sand bars and a lazy river. The only part of the pool that seemed crowed to me was the whirlpool when a new family had just arrived. This seems to be the coolest thing to kids, who love to get in and ride in circles!
The "Ship Wreck" You can see people on the deck to the slide. The small pool is "hidden" on the deck.
This is the first time we realized that the "Sinking Sands" buoy was serious. The entire pool has a soft sand bottom, but here, the bottom will "give way" and you sink to the bottom. If you stay there, the sand will suddenly stop sinking, and your foot gets stick. This was one of Z's favorite pastimes - getting stuck in the sand!
The sand bar is shallow, so the water is warm. This is on the Yacht Club side of the pool, where most small kids play. It is also nearest Hurricane Hannah's
A pretty Waterfall, behind which is hidden a hot tub! There are only two hot tubs that we found, and they were always busy!
When the lifeguards change shifts, there is always a dance party. The kids get on either side of the pool and dance to things like Cha Cha and Cotton Eyed joe Re-mix. Z actually did this a few times, after some goading by the DJ! Then all the kids get beads, which is apparently some kind of magic kid currency. Kids will do anything for those beads, including air guitar contests and lip syncing.
And soon it was time for Mickey's not So Scary Halloween Party! DH and I dressed in our matching Mickey shirts and Z put on his Giraffe costume (without the tail and hat, which I stowed in the back pack) and we headed out to eat at the Wilderness Lodge.
Under the pretense of “checking out” the Wilderness Lodge for our Grand Gathering, I made an ADR for Whispering Canyon Cafe. (I love barbecue!) Getting there was a little convoluted, but not too bad. We took the bus from the BC to MK, then caught the bus to WL. We made it in plenty of time for our ADR, which was a good thing, because we took a wrong turn at the bus stop and ended up going to the back of the resort, all the way to the pool!
This is a beautiful resort, with a nice pool and cozy feel. The grounds are breathtaking. But, all that said, we have a cabin in the mountains 3 hours away, and it reminds me of that. When I am in Florida, I want to know I am in Florida. I can drive 3 hours to be in a mountain lodge!
But actually being there – and eating there – changed my mind. The food at WCC was wonderful, and the service was outstanding! We typically eat a buffet on nights there is somewhere to be because it saves time. But this was a family style buffet. So we obviously didn’t factor in enough time. Our server asked if we were going to MNSSHP, and when she found out we were, she went out of her way to make sure we didn’t have to ask for a thing. She even took our card and had the bill taken care of before we were done with our first plate! And when DS refused dessert because he was antsy to get to the party, she wrapped up cookies in a “to go” box. “Carry them in your back pack and he can eat them later,” she said. When we opened them, there were 3 huge cookies in there! She was so great, and it was a fun place to eat. But all that aside, the food was delicious! Even Bobby, who doesn’t love barbeque, wants to go back!
So this is the only picture we have of our shirts, because the Photopass photographer didn’t scan our card right, and the only picture of us as a family at night is lost out there in pixel land! But we also wore our shirts to DS’s school fall festival, so we got our picture made there!
And here is DS as a giraffe! I made the shirt with iron-on felt. Which does not do too well on rides like Splash Mountain. I’m just saying, that was a one-time wear…I can’t believe I even brought it home with us!
When we arrived, DH wanted to go straight to Haunted Mansion. He has not done this since he was in college, and he missed it the last 2 years we went to MNSSHP. So this year, he was going. Z and I went to Splash Mountain, and saw a Goofy’s Candy Co sign we had never noticed before. It led up under Splash Mountain, which was cool at first, but my little giraffe began walking slower and slower as we went through the walkway. He even let kids go around him who were behind us. But eventually, we saw the glowing light of the candy bucket, and our sack was filled.
The kids ahead of us went around again, but Z asked to go on Splash Mountain. We went twice, then found DH waiting for us at the entrance. “You have to go to the Haunted Mansion,” he said. I gave him the look. “No, really; they really go out for Halloween! There are CMs dressed up outside! You really need to go!” So I took a deep breath, and as Z and Bobby went up the steps to Splash Mountain, I walked – alone – to Liberty Square. And made a left. And walked alone toward my nemesis… The Haunted Mansion. And then I saw a Photopass station. So I stopped and stood in line and had my pic taken with the Hitchhiking Ghosts. Then I saw another line in front of the Horseless Carriage. So I got into that line. Then I was out of ways to put off the inevitable. So I got in line. And the CMs are very good. They look very ghoulish. I admired their ability to ham it up, and their costumes and make up. And then I left the line. That’s right…I chickened out. And so now we know where Z gets his bravery! Long story short, DH laughed and laughed and still laughs to this day. And when Z is old enough, I’ll go then. The End.
So after more rides and ridicule, it was time to see the parade! The Boo to You Parade, IMHO, is the best parade in the Magic Kingdom! In fact, it is the best parade in all of the parks! Maybe even the world! So I got an awesome place spot for the parade right across from Town hall in Frontierland. So we waited with a snack of a pretzel and sodas, which we shared. I remembered the cookies in our back pack, and we shared one of those, too. While getting the cookies, I saw a package of glow sticks. I had forgotten all about these! So I quickly got DS, DH and I some glow bracelets and necklaces to wear. And then, the hooves started. Did she get a picture this time?
Nope. But I will get that picture if it’s the last thing I do!
Even without a photo of the Headless Horseman, it was a great parade!
I think Smee was laughing at me for running out of the Haunted Mansion!
As you can see, everyone wanted to be a pirate this year!
But there were also other Bad Guys... er, girls...
And, of course, the Good Guys!
We had about 15 minutes until the fireworks, so DH and DS decided they would go one more time on Splash Mountain. And so I waited and waited. I got a photo of the HM. And I watched as people steadily streamed toward the castle. But not me. I waited some more.
I took this photo while playing with my lens settings. It is out of focus and eery. I like it.
And as the announcement and the fireworks started, my little giraffe and his daddy came running up. “We got stuck at the top! We saw some of the fireworks!” Great. DH tried and tried to get us to a good viewing spot, but the best left was on the walkway dock in Frontierland. So we watched my favorite fireworks show from the side of the castle. A new perspective. Great. The moral of the story is: Do not be late to a fireworks show that you really want to see. Or, if you get stuck on Splash Mountain, stay there. You’ll have a better view.
Here is one of the only weird-angle pics for Haunted HalloWishes.
It looks like Liberty Square is under siege. Well, it is scary...
But I soon enough got over it – we were at the MK after all! This was the first year DS wanted to Trick-or-Treat, and we ended up with two gallon Zip-Loc baggies full of candy! (When you go toward the end of the night, they just pile it into your bags. Even when you ask for a little.)
We went to Tomorrowland, where our family picture that never was was taken. After unsuccessfully trying to talk DS into Space Mountain, we rode Space Ranger Spin a lot!
Then we actually went to Carousel of Progress! We had never done that one before, and will probably never do it again. But we all agree – you have to do it once! Then, Bobby and Z rode AstroOrbiters while I waited in line to get a photo with Buzz. That never showed up o our Photopass card, either. I don’t think I will ever pre-pay for the photopass card again! How do you know if anything will actually be on the account once you log in? And there is no way to track pictures that aren’t attached to your card. Sigh*
This is the first trip that so much went wrong in one night! But it was magical! And I will go back again and again. And maybe even go to the Haunted Mansion. But I won’t wait for anyone who is late for the fireworks.
Bobby and Z love this resort. Bobby loves the view of the Boardwalk. Z loves the pool. I have to admit that looking at the pictures now, I do like it myself...
We had a little time to swim before we had to get dressed in our ghoulish attire for Mickey's not So Scary Halloween Party! Storm Along Bay is so expansive, and fun! This is the first time I've felt more relaxed since Z had taken swim lessons and was able to go into deeper water. I didn't have to watch him as close...well, not like a hawk at least. I still found myself watching him, even when I knew he was likely perfectly safe!
If you have never been to Storm Along Bay, it's like a miniature water park. There is a ship (that "ship-wrecked" on BC and YC's beach). The fallen mast is the water slide. If you climb into the ship (from the beach) you will find steps to the slide. You will also find a smaller slide and a kiddie pool. The slide enters the pool near the Epcot side. And if you think one slide for 2 resorts would be crowded, think again. There are hidden whirlpools, hot tubs, sand bars and a lazy river. The only part of the pool that seemed crowed to me was the whirlpool when a new family had just arrived. This seems to be the coolest thing to kids, who love to get in and ride in circles!
The "Ship Wreck" You can see people on the deck to the slide. The small pool is "hidden" on the deck.
This is the first time we realized that the "Sinking Sands" buoy was serious. The entire pool has a soft sand bottom, but here, the bottom will "give way" and you sink to the bottom. If you stay there, the sand will suddenly stop sinking, and your foot gets stick. This was one of Z's favorite pastimes - getting stuck in the sand!
The sand bar is shallow, so the water is warm. This is on the Yacht Club side of the pool, where most small kids play. It is also nearest Hurricane Hannah's
A pretty Waterfall, behind which is hidden a hot tub! There are only two hot tubs that we found, and they were always busy!
When the lifeguards change shifts, there is always a dance party. The kids get on either side of the pool and dance to things like Cha Cha and Cotton Eyed joe Re-mix. Z actually did this a few times, after some goading by the DJ! Then all the kids get beads, which is apparently some kind of magic kid currency. Kids will do anything for those beads, including air guitar contests and lip syncing.
And soon it was time for Mickey's not So Scary Halloween Party! DH and I dressed in our matching Mickey shirts and Z put on his Giraffe costume (without the tail and hat, which I stowed in the back pack) and we headed out to eat at the Wilderness Lodge.
Under the pretense of “checking out” the Wilderness Lodge for our Grand Gathering, I made an ADR for Whispering Canyon Cafe. (I love barbecue!) Getting there was a little convoluted, but not too bad. We took the bus from the BC to MK, then caught the bus to WL. We made it in plenty of time for our ADR, which was a good thing, because we took a wrong turn at the bus stop and ended up going to the back of the resort, all the way to the pool!
This is a beautiful resort, with a nice pool and cozy feel. The grounds are breathtaking. But, all that said, we have a cabin in the mountains 3 hours away, and it reminds me of that. When I am in Florida, I want to know I am in Florida. I can drive 3 hours to be in a mountain lodge!
But actually being there – and eating there – changed my mind. The food at WCC was wonderful, and the service was outstanding! We typically eat a buffet on nights there is somewhere to be because it saves time. But this was a family style buffet. So we obviously didn’t factor in enough time. Our server asked if we were going to MNSSHP, and when she found out we were, she went out of her way to make sure we didn’t have to ask for a thing. She even took our card and had the bill taken care of before we were done with our first plate! And when DS refused dessert because he was antsy to get to the party, she wrapped up cookies in a “to go” box. “Carry them in your back pack and he can eat them later,” she said. When we opened them, there were 3 huge cookies in there! She was so great, and it was a fun place to eat. But all that aside, the food was delicious! Even Bobby, who doesn’t love barbeque, wants to go back!
So this is the only picture we have of our shirts, because the Photopass photographer didn’t scan our card right, and the only picture of us as a family at night is lost out there in pixel land! But we also wore our shirts to DS’s school fall festival, so we got our picture made there!
And here is DS as a giraffe! I made the shirt with iron-on felt. Which does not do too well on rides like Splash Mountain. I’m just saying, that was a one-time wear…I can’t believe I even brought it home with us!
When we arrived, DH wanted to go straight to Haunted Mansion. He has not done this since he was in college, and he missed it the last 2 years we went to MNSSHP. So this year, he was going. Z and I went to Splash Mountain, and saw a Goofy’s Candy Co sign we had never noticed before. It led up under Splash Mountain, which was cool at first, but my little giraffe began walking slower and slower as we went through the walkway. He even let kids go around him who were behind us. But eventually, we saw the glowing light of the candy bucket, and our sack was filled.
The kids ahead of us went around again, but Z asked to go on Splash Mountain. We went twice, then found DH waiting for us at the entrance. “You have to go to the Haunted Mansion,” he said. I gave him the look. “No, really; they really go out for Halloween! There are CMs dressed up outside! You really need to go!” So I took a deep breath, and as Z and Bobby went up the steps to Splash Mountain, I walked – alone – to Liberty Square. And made a left. And walked alone toward my nemesis… The Haunted Mansion. And then I saw a Photopass station. So I stopped and stood in line and had my pic taken with the Hitchhiking Ghosts. Then I saw another line in front of the Horseless Carriage. So I got into that line. Then I was out of ways to put off the inevitable. So I got in line. And the CMs are very good. They look very ghoulish. I admired their ability to ham it up, and their costumes and make up. And then I left the line. That’s right…I chickened out. And so now we know where Z gets his bravery! Long story short, DH laughed and laughed and still laughs to this day. And when Z is old enough, I’ll go then. The End.
So after more rides and ridicule, it was time to see the parade! The Boo to You Parade, IMHO, is the best parade in the Magic Kingdom! In fact, it is the best parade in all of the parks! Maybe even the world! So I got an awesome place spot for the parade right across from Town hall in Frontierland. So we waited with a snack of a pretzel and sodas, which we shared. I remembered the cookies in our back pack, and we shared one of those, too. While getting the cookies, I saw a package of glow sticks. I had forgotten all about these! So I quickly got DS, DH and I some glow bracelets and necklaces to wear. And then, the hooves started. Did she get a picture this time?
Nope. But I will get that picture if it’s the last thing I do!
Even without a photo of the Headless Horseman, it was a great parade!
I think Smee was laughing at me for running out of the Haunted Mansion!
As you can see, everyone wanted to be a pirate this year!
But there were also other Bad Guys... er, girls...
And, of course, the Good Guys!
We had about 15 minutes until the fireworks, so DH and DS decided they would go one more time on Splash Mountain. And so I waited and waited. I got a photo of the HM. And I watched as people steadily streamed toward the castle. But not me. I waited some more.
I took this photo while playing with my lens settings. It is out of focus and eery. I like it.
And as the announcement and the fireworks started, my little giraffe and his daddy came running up. “We got stuck at the top! We saw some of the fireworks!” Great. DH tried and tried to get us to a good viewing spot, but the best left was on the walkway dock in Frontierland. So we watched my favorite fireworks show from the side of the castle. A new perspective. Great. The moral of the story is: Do not be late to a fireworks show that you really want to see. Or, if you get stuck on Splash Mountain, stay there. You’ll have a better view.
Here is one of the only weird-angle pics for Haunted HalloWishes.
It looks like Liberty Square is under siege. Well, it is scary...
But I soon enough got over it – we were at the MK after all! This was the first year DS wanted to Trick-or-Treat, and we ended up with two gallon Zip-Loc baggies full of candy! (When you go toward the end of the night, they just pile it into your bags. Even when you ask for a little.)
We went to Tomorrowland, where our family picture that never was was taken. After unsuccessfully trying to talk DS into Space Mountain, we rode Space Ranger Spin a lot!
Then we actually went to Carousel of Progress! We had never done that one before, and will probably never do it again. But we all agree – you have to do it once! Then, Bobby and Z rode AstroOrbiters while I waited in line to get a photo with Buzz. That never showed up o our Photopass card, either. I don’t think I will ever pre-pay for the photopass card again! How do you know if anything will actually be on the account once you log in? And there is no way to track pictures that aren’t attached to your card. Sigh*
This is the first trip that so much went wrong in one night! But it was magical! And I will go back again and again. And maybe even go to the Haunted Mansion. But I won’t wait for anyone who is late for the fireworks.
