AlphaTroop
Earning My Ears
- Joined
- Aug 5, 2010
- Messages
- 8
We are back and I am not happy about it. Sad to know we are no longer in the happiest place on earth. However, with all the responsibilities such as school, work, and bills, it seemed as if we had to extract ourselves from the world of make believe for a mere 355 days before we can return home.
We are a family of four with two boys, ages nine and five. The two of them were in school for a grand total of three days before the wife and I took them for a surprise vacation to Walt Disney World. I am not certain the school was too fond of the idea, but it was the only time I was able to get time off of work.
Our trip begins on the twelfth of September when we departed to see my brother-in-law and sister-in-law in South Carolina. We tried to make this trip as cost effective as possible and decided to drive to our locations from New Jersey. Believe it or not, the drive was not as bad as I envisioned. I remembered as a kid that my father took my family to Florida by car and I thought I should try the same thing (at least once...right?). We saved a lot of money this way and thankfully did not kill eachother on the way.
We embarked on the journey in the evening (8 PM) and got to the small town of Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina at about 7 AM on the 13th. Once there, I was tired no longer and the kids were ready to go as they slept the whole way from New Jersey. My sister-in-law took us to a fantastic "whole in the wall" cafe named the "Charleston Cafe." If ever in the area, you would be wise to treat yourselves to this eatery. We all agreed breakfast there was especially good. (Forgive my extreme ignorance, I would love to post two or three photos here, but I simply do not know how to do so on the Disboards...sorry).
The next morning, the family and I decided to do a little sight seeing in and around Charleston. A beautifully rich and historic city, no doubt, and it did not disappoint. Fort Moultrie and Fort Sumter were a definite treat for me (history major and lover of all things Civil War). Simply walking around the historic district of Charleston imparts a sense of freedom and "rightrous" rebellion that we Americans now forget. If our fathers only knew how complacent we have become with our liberties...
Enough politics...We left South Carolina on the morning of the 14th and were headed southbound on 95 to Florida. My children, 5 and 9, were told that Daddy had training in Alabama. They were truly confounded that they too had to spend a vacation in Alabama with the only amenity being a pool. As we entered into the Orlando area, I was certain the children would pick up on the Disney signs and begin to question why we were so close to DisneyWorld, but instead they both had their heads looking into their hands while playing their DSI's. Finally arriving into Walt Disney World (prior to the main archway) DS 5 looks up and says "Mickey!" after seeing the big "mickey" at the gate. DS 5 puts his head down and continues to play his hand held game. A wrong turn leading us away from Disney World forces us to once again go through the bug archway. This time, DS 5 yells "look Donald!" My wife finally asks the children if they would like to know where they were really going on vacation, DS 5 responds with much hope..."Mickey's House?!" Once confirmed, DS 9 looks up with a befuddled expression and DS 5 lets out a series of high pitch squeels that lasts for about 5 seconds at a time (the expression I was hoping to get). Awesome!
I was able to finally lead the family into the right place, we arrived at Disney's Boardwalk Villas. DW was excited to see the beauty of the Resort's exterior and could not wait to check out the one bedroom villa we had booked. Surprised to see we were able to check-in right away, we made a bee-line for room 3100. The one bedroom villa was everything I had hoped for, but not for the wife. The decor of the villa left a lot to be desired in her opinion and she wished for something a little more up-to-date. A call to member services and the DW had us booked for Saratoga Springs from the 16th to the 21st.
As I agreed with DW about the room's lack of welcoming decor, I argued that the Boardwalk was prime rela estate. The view of the Beach Club, the short walks to Hollywood Studios, Epcot, and the Beach Club itself were reasons to stay. Nevertheless on the sixteenth we would be moving from the Boardwalk.
After unpacking, we headed straight down to Epcot for an early dinner at Tutto Italia. I have to admit, I was not pleased with the food at Tutto and upset I did not try "Le Cellier" (found out Le Cellier had an opening about one hour after we ate ). After chow, the kids did the rest of Epcot. Test track was fantastic and it started the trip to Disney on the right foot.
I will not bore you all with each small detail of the trip, but will go over some of the key points that I believe should be shared. Remember I said we were trying to save money on this trip? My wife and I decided we could not do both Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party and the Water Park and More Option, we had to choose only one. Seeing that the two would be approximately the same amount of money and there were many more options along with the Water Park option...well, we made a mistake. We chose the Water Parks . Fun as they were (Typhoon Lagoon's swimming with the sharks was awesome) it did not hold my attention. We should have spent the money on the Halloween Parade. Oh well, you live and learn. The kids did not seem to mind as they enjoyed the rides and the fantastic wave pool at Typhoon Lagoon.
We spent more time at each park than we ever did before. We found things off the beaten path and tried enjoying the sights of the parks, rather than run through every attraction. This really allowed us to relax more and make the best of our time. Our days at the Magic Kingdom were spent trying to find "Push" the talking trash can. Unsuccessful as we were, DW says that was the best part of the trip. DS 5 loved Space Mountain and practically killed me on the Tomorrowland Speedway (memories that will last a life time...I would out the video of his driving up, but I don't know how to do that either).
If ever you get a chance to be at the Magic Kingdom for the Celebrate It Parade, be sure to go. Unequivocally the best parade! Very captivating and very well done. Both DS 9 and DS 5 were too shy to dance, but were goaded on by myself and DW. What an absolutely great parade.
We typically left the parks at about midday and returned to the parks for dinner, shows, or park attractions during the evening. As many times as I have been to Disney, I never stayed for one fireworks show. I made it a point this time and demanded that the family check out "Wishes!" Again, Disney did not disappoint. DW was not a happy camper when we waited for the show to go on, but was all ears once Tink ziplined across the park from the castle. What a sight that show was! Really good stuff!
The food is always noteworthy. Ohana's dinner was the best and by far had the best dessert. Great food and I could not be happier while there. We had a great view for the fireworks show and the servers continued to pile on the shrimp, steak, pork, and chicken . The best breakfast had to be the Crystal Palace. Excellent french toast and their scrambled eggs were definitely made differently from the rest of the buffets. We also liked the buffet at the Tusker House. Boma was not real treat for the kids and DW----DW was on a diet (she really does not need to be on one either----if I get the pictures up you will all see how perfect she is). I, however, loved the meats at Boma and the spices one could choose for said meats. Good, not Ohana good, but good nontheless. What I really liked about Boma (and Disney for that matter) was the chef at Boma, Allison. DS 9 has a severe peanut allergy and due to that fact Disney's policy is to have the chef come and speak to the parents of the child with the allergy. Allison came to speak with us and expressed concern that all the food may have been contaminated with nuts (due to the restaurant being buffet style). Allison, walked with DS 9 and had himn pick out what he wished to eat. Allison then prepared the meal herself, separate from everyone else so that he would be able to have dinner without any worries. We have to call Disney and let them know how special she made our son feel. Disney truly does not disappoint.
Lastly, Our departure from the Boardwalk was sad for me; however, I am easy to please and seek the comfort of my family. Therefore, I didn't fight the change. We went to Saratoga Springs where the room was decorated much nicer; however, nothing was at your finger tips. You have to walk or drive to the Artist Pallette and the main pool is drive away as well. Do not get me wrong, I can see where I may want to stay there in the future. The peace and serenity of the resort is great, but I am not at that age yet. I am very active and do not mind running around on vacation. Oh well. The wife, too, admitted that she missed the Boardwalk at the end of our stay.
OK, I have rambled too long. I attempted to cut the trip report as much as I could to give you all a peek into our vaca. Hopefully it will be helpful to some. If I ever figure out how to post the pictures, I will do so without hesitation. Please forgive my grammar and spelling mistakes----I type way too fast for my own good and often do not check anything.
We are a family of four with two boys, ages nine and five. The two of them were in school for a grand total of three days before the wife and I took them for a surprise vacation to Walt Disney World. I am not certain the school was too fond of the idea, but it was the only time I was able to get time off of work.
Our trip begins on the twelfth of September when we departed to see my brother-in-law and sister-in-law in South Carolina. We tried to make this trip as cost effective as possible and decided to drive to our locations from New Jersey. Believe it or not, the drive was not as bad as I envisioned. I remembered as a kid that my father took my family to Florida by car and I thought I should try the same thing (at least once...right?). We saved a lot of money this way and thankfully did not kill eachother on the way.
We embarked on the journey in the evening (8 PM) and got to the small town of Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina at about 7 AM on the 13th. Once there, I was tired no longer and the kids were ready to go as they slept the whole way from New Jersey. My sister-in-law took us to a fantastic "whole in the wall" cafe named the "Charleston Cafe." If ever in the area, you would be wise to treat yourselves to this eatery. We all agreed breakfast there was especially good. (Forgive my extreme ignorance, I would love to post two or three photos here, but I simply do not know how to do so on the Disboards...sorry).
The next morning, the family and I decided to do a little sight seeing in and around Charleston. A beautifully rich and historic city, no doubt, and it did not disappoint. Fort Moultrie and Fort Sumter were a definite treat for me (history major and lover of all things Civil War). Simply walking around the historic district of Charleston imparts a sense of freedom and "rightrous" rebellion that we Americans now forget. If our fathers only knew how complacent we have become with our liberties...
Enough politics...We left South Carolina on the morning of the 14th and were headed southbound on 95 to Florida. My children, 5 and 9, were told that Daddy had training in Alabama. They were truly confounded that they too had to spend a vacation in Alabama with the only amenity being a pool. As we entered into the Orlando area, I was certain the children would pick up on the Disney signs and begin to question why we were so close to DisneyWorld, but instead they both had their heads looking into their hands while playing their DSI's. Finally arriving into Walt Disney World (prior to the main archway) DS 5 looks up and says "Mickey!" after seeing the big "mickey" at the gate. DS 5 puts his head down and continues to play his hand held game. A wrong turn leading us away from Disney World forces us to once again go through the bug archway. This time, DS 5 yells "look Donald!" My wife finally asks the children if they would like to know where they were really going on vacation, DS 5 responds with much hope..."Mickey's House?!" Once confirmed, DS 9 looks up with a befuddled expression and DS 5 lets out a series of high pitch squeels that lasts for about 5 seconds at a time (the expression I was hoping to get). Awesome!
I was able to finally lead the family into the right place, we arrived at Disney's Boardwalk Villas. DW was excited to see the beauty of the Resort's exterior and could not wait to check out the one bedroom villa we had booked. Surprised to see we were able to check-in right away, we made a bee-line for room 3100. The one bedroom villa was everything I had hoped for, but not for the wife. The decor of the villa left a lot to be desired in her opinion and she wished for something a little more up-to-date. A call to member services and the DW had us booked for Saratoga Springs from the 16th to the 21st.
As I agreed with DW about the room's lack of welcoming decor, I argued that the Boardwalk was prime rela estate. The view of the Beach Club, the short walks to Hollywood Studios, Epcot, and the Beach Club itself were reasons to stay. Nevertheless on the sixteenth we would be moving from the Boardwalk.
After unpacking, we headed straight down to Epcot for an early dinner at Tutto Italia. I have to admit, I was not pleased with the food at Tutto and upset I did not try "Le Cellier" (found out Le Cellier had an opening about one hour after we ate ). After chow, the kids did the rest of Epcot. Test track was fantastic and it started the trip to Disney on the right foot.
I will not bore you all with each small detail of the trip, but will go over some of the key points that I believe should be shared. Remember I said we were trying to save money on this trip? My wife and I decided we could not do both Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party and the Water Park and More Option, we had to choose only one. Seeing that the two would be approximately the same amount of money and there were many more options along with the Water Park option...well, we made a mistake. We chose the Water Parks . Fun as they were (Typhoon Lagoon's swimming with the sharks was awesome) it did not hold my attention. We should have spent the money on the Halloween Parade. Oh well, you live and learn. The kids did not seem to mind as they enjoyed the rides and the fantastic wave pool at Typhoon Lagoon.
We spent more time at each park than we ever did before. We found things off the beaten path and tried enjoying the sights of the parks, rather than run through every attraction. This really allowed us to relax more and make the best of our time. Our days at the Magic Kingdom were spent trying to find "Push" the talking trash can. Unsuccessful as we were, DW says that was the best part of the trip. DS 5 loved Space Mountain and practically killed me on the Tomorrowland Speedway (memories that will last a life time...I would out the video of his driving up, but I don't know how to do that either).
If ever you get a chance to be at the Magic Kingdom for the Celebrate It Parade, be sure to go. Unequivocally the best parade! Very captivating and very well done. Both DS 9 and DS 5 were too shy to dance, but were goaded on by myself and DW. What an absolutely great parade.
We typically left the parks at about midday and returned to the parks for dinner, shows, or park attractions during the evening. As many times as I have been to Disney, I never stayed for one fireworks show. I made it a point this time and demanded that the family check out "Wishes!" Again, Disney did not disappoint. DW was not a happy camper when we waited for the show to go on, but was all ears once Tink ziplined across the park from the castle. What a sight that show was! Really good stuff!
The food is always noteworthy. Ohana's dinner was the best and by far had the best dessert. Great food and I could not be happier while there. We had a great view for the fireworks show and the servers continued to pile on the shrimp, steak, pork, and chicken . The best breakfast had to be the Crystal Palace. Excellent french toast and their scrambled eggs were definitely made differently from the rest of the buffets. We also liked the buffet at the Tusker House. Boma was not real treat for the kids and DW----DW was on a diet (she really does not need to be on one either----if I get the pictures up you will all see how perfect she is). I, however, loved the meats at Boma and the spices one could choose for said meats. Good, not Ohana good, but good nontheless. What I really liked about Boma (and Disney for that matter) was the chef at Boma, Allison. DS 9 has a severe peanut allergy and due to that fact Disney's policy is to have the chef come and speak to the parents of the child with the allergy. Allison came to speak with us and expressed concern that all the food may have been contaminated with nuts (due to the restaurant being buffet style). Allison, walked with DS 9 and had himn pick out what he wished to eat. Allison then prepared the meal herself, separate from everyone else so that he would be able to have dinner without any worries. We have to call Disney and let them know how special she made our son feel. Disney truly does not disappoint.
Lastly, Our departure from the Boardwalk was sad for me; however, I am easy to please and seek the comfort of my family. Therefore, I didn't fight the change. We went to Saratoga Springs where the room was decorated much nicer; however, nothing was at your finger tips. You have to walk or drive to the Artist Pallette and the main pool is drive away as well. Do not get me wrong, I can see where I may want to stay there in the future. The peace and serenity of the resort is great, but I am not at that age yet. I am very active and do not mind running around on vacation. Oh well. The wife, too, admitted that she missed the Boardwalk at the end of our stay.
OK, I have rambled too long. I attempted to cut the trip report as much as I could to give you all a peek into our vaca. Hopefully it will be helpful to some. If I ever figure out how to post the pictures, I will do so without hesitation. Please forgive my grammar and spelling mistakes----I type way too fast for my own good and often do not check anything.
