Growin'upDisney
<font color=blue>I've been to Disney since I was k
- Joined
- Aug 12, 2003
- Messages
- 964
Cast of Characters
Me = Tausha
DH = Chris aka Panda
DM = Julie (my mom)
DSF = Erick (my stepfather) aka Dude
We headed back to the Poly on the Monorail soaking in this last ride from Epcot. I made a mental note to schedule more time here on our next trip.
Since we had overstayed our allotted time at Epcot and had PSs for Boma at 7pm, there was no time to visit another park this evening. So we relaxed a bit at the Poly and watched to dark skies hover for a while. We begrudgingly started to pack. Realizing right away that we bought way more stuff than we could carry home in the bags and suitcases we had. I made another mental note to pack that extra empty suitcase so many DISers mention in their reports.
I was still missing my sunglasses and tried on last-ditch attempt to see if anyone had turned them into the Lost and Found at the Grand Floridian. I had to leave a message with the Lost and Found and let them know we were checking out the next day. I had very little hope of getting them back at this point.
The skies had opened up and started to pour buckets of rain as we changed to head to dinner. When we arrived at the Animal Kingdom Lodge the covered driveway was packed with people. It looked like those oft mentioned cheerleading groups were all checking in at once. I skillfully maneuvered the car toward the valet check-in without running over anyone. For the first time all week the valets looked as if they were really working hard.
We headed into the Lodge and found a very different sight than or visit earlier in the week. The Lodge was now brimming with activity. Lots of people milling about, waiting to check it, sightseeing, etc. We headed to Boma and boy was the place packed. We received our pager and headed upstairs for a drink. This is a great bar area but is kind of loud. It overlooks Boma and the noise filters from downstairs. After a short wait we were seated. I reviewed this on the restaurants board but wanted to say that I loved this place and DH didnt really care for it. Hes not too adventurous an eater and wasnt impressed. The rest of us would definitely try this again.
The rain kept us away from the night viewing of the Savannah. I already made lots of mental notes that I want to stay here next time. On our way out on of the large light fixtures had been lowered over six stories to have the bulbs changes. DH, an electrician, wandered over and talked to the 4, count them 4, electricians that were needed to change the light bulbs. Theres a joke in there somewhere
It was pretty neat to see the light fixtures lowered down from such a height. They really do pay attention to every detail. Our drive back to the Poly was uneventful. We thought about heading back over to DisneyQuest but knew that we still had packing to get to and we wanted to be up early to enjoy one last day at MK.
So DH and I finished packing what we could fit into a suitcase and realized we would need to buy one of those large plastic $3.00 bags to carry the rest of our goodies home. We went to sleep knowing this was the last night we were going to spend in what felt like a home away from home.
Mickey woke us for the final time this trip and we quickly headed out the door for a last infusion of the magic at MK. Thanks to the wonderful Poly concierge staff we were able to get a 12pm late checkout so that we could get to a park for a short while. We arrived as the gates were opening and made our way down Main Street. We headed right to Fantasyland and waited no more than 3 minutes for any of the rides there. Within 1 hour we had finished all but Pooh which had yet to come on line that morning.
So we headed to Tomorrowland for a final ride on Space Mountain. Again there was no wait. Here it was Saturday morning and the park was hardly ¼ full. I definitely like the attendance levels in January.
Back over to Fantasyland for an Adventure with Pooh and it was time to head up Main Street and finish up some shopping. This was a weird moment for me. On almost all of the 30 something visits to Disneyland my final moments in the park are at night with Main Street all lit up and the castle glowing behind me. Its just a vision I always have in my head as my last image of a DK trip. Well this time we were leaving by 11:15am and it just didnt feel right. It felt like we werent supposed to be leaving.
Its at this point I think I decided I needed therapy for my addiction to this place and all things Disney. Vacations are meant to end but I just get too darn sad at the end of a Disney vacation. DH knows how I get and made sure to try to cheer me up.
As a final treat to the Magic we were able to secure another ride in the nose of the monorail and shortly out of the MK station we stopped and watched another monorail being brought into service. A first for us.
We walked back to the Poly from the TTC and asked a bellhop to help with the bags. As we entered the room the message light was blinking on the phone. Lo and behold it was the Grand Floridian Lost and Found saying they had 2 pairs of sunglasses and werent sure if either of these were the ones I had described so I needed to come and identify if one was mine.
Youre kidding me right? Could my magically perfect most wonderful vacation have such a happy ending?
We drive to the GF and after a long wait in line I am escorted to another part of the hotel where we are met by the Keeper of all Things Lost and Found. And there in here hands were my glasses. A true magic moment. I thanked them profusely and promised to tell all my DIS friends about their kindness.
Our last Disney experience was lunch at Whispering Canyon Café at the Wilderness Lodge. I had meant for us to get over here earlier in the week to see this place but it just never worked. We looked around a bit while waiting to be seated. I really like this place and may opt to split our next stay between here and the AKL.
Lunch was Ok but since our server was not into the action we failed to get into the action and the fact that our next stop w the airport probably didnt help us to be into the action.
The airport was uneventful other than the plane taking off late. The weather in and around Orlando and the Gulf Coast made for a very bumpy ride to Dallas. I love to fly but HATE HATE HATE turbulence. Needless to say I could have used one of delswifes Xanax. But instead I kept a death grip on the armrests and focused on my magazines.
The second flight was much better than the first. And we arrived back in the Bay Area a little ahead of schedule. We trekked over to long-term parking and crammed the car to the top with luggage. On the ride home I reflected on the week and started formulating our next trip in my mind. Dude and Mom dropped us off at home near midnight. And while I was glad to be home the sadness still lingered.
But my focus quickly turned to the events that lay ahead. Because tomorrow was the holiest of days in my household and we had a big celebration planned. You see DH didnt know that we would just be arriving home from a week long vacation when he invited 15 or so people over to our house to join in the celebration. So there was food to be prepared, beer to chill, and predictions to make because tomorrow would mark the end of the most perfect week with the most perfect of days
Super Bowl Sunday.
(Afterthoughts to come in separate post)
Me = Tausha
DH = Chris aka Panda
DM = Julie (my mom)
DSF = Erick (my stepfather) aka Dude
We headed back to the Poly on the Monorail soaking in this last ride from Epcot. I made a mental note to schedule more time here on our next trip.
Since we had overstayed our allotted time at Epcot and had PSs for Boma at 7pm, there was no time to visit another park this evening. So we relaxed a bit at the Poly and watched to dark skies hover for a while. We begrudgingly started to pack. Realizing right away that we bought way more stuff than we could carry home in the bags and suitcases we had. I made another mental note to pack that extra empty suitcase so many DISers mention in their reports.
I was still missing my sunglasses and tried on last-ditch attempt to see if anyone had turned them into the Lost and Found at the Grand Floridian. I had to leave a message with the Lost and Found and let them know we were checking out the next day. I had very little hope of getting them back at this point.
The skies had opened up and started to pour buckets of rain as we changed to head to dinner. When we arrived at the Animal Kingdom Lodge the covered driveway was packed with people. It looked like those oft mentioned cheerleading groups were all checking in at once. I skillfully maneuvered the car toward the valet check-in without running over anyone. For the first time all week the valets looked as if they were really working hard.
We headed into the Lodge and found a very different sight than or visit earlier in the week. The Lodge was now brimming with activity. Lots of people milling about, waiting to check it, sightseeing, etc. We headed to Boma and boy was the place packed. We received our pager and headed upstairs for a drink. This is a great bar area but is kind of loud. It overlooks Boma and the noise filters from downstairs. After a short wait we were seated. I reviewed this on the restaurants board but wanted to say that I loved this place and DH didnt really care for it. Hes not too adventurous an eater and wasnt impressed. The rest of us would definitely try this again.
The rain kept us away from the night viewing of the Savannah. I already made lots of mental notes that I want to stay here next time. On our way out on of the large light fixtures had been lowered over six stories to have the bulbs changes. DH, an electrician, wandered over and talked to the 4, count them 4, electricians that were needed to change the light bulbs. Theres a joke in there somewhere
It was pretty neat to see the light fixtures lowered down from such a height. They really do pay attention to every detail. Our drive back to the Poly was uneventful. We thought about heading back over to DisneyQuest but knew that we still had packing to get to and we wanted to be up early to enjoy one last day at MK.
So DH and I finished packing what we could fit into a suitcase and realized we would need to buy one of those large plastic $3.00 bags to carry the rest of our goodies home. We went to sleep knowing this was the last night we were going to spend in what felt like a home away from home.
Mickey woke us for the final time this trip and we quickly headed out the door for a last infusion of the magic at MK. Thanks to the wonderful Poly concierge staff we were able to get a 12pm late checkout so that we could get to a park for a short while. We arrived as the gates were opening and made our way down Main Street. We headed right to Fantasyland and waited no more than 3 minutes for any of the rides there. Within 1 hour we had finished all but Pooh which had yet to come on line that morning.
So we headed to Tomorrowland for a final ride on Space Mountain. Again there was no wait. Here it was Saturday morning and the park was hardly ¼ full. I definitely like the attendance levels in January.
Back over to Fantasyland for an Adventure with Pooh and it was time to head up Main Street and finish up some shopping. This was a weird moment for me. On almost all of the 30 something visits to Disneyland my final moments in the park are at night with Main Street all lit up and the castle glowing behind me. Its just a vision I always have in my head as my last image of a DK trip. Well this time we were leaving by 11:15am and it just didnt feel right. It felt like we werent supposed to be leaving.
Its at this point I think I decided I needed therapy for my addiction to this place and all things Disney. Vacations are meant to end but I just get too darn sad at the end of a Disney vacation. DH knows how I get and made sure to try to cheer me up.
As a final treat to the Magic we were able to secure another ride in the nose of the monorail and shortly out of the MK station we stopped and watched another monorail being brought into service. A first for us.
We walked back to the Poly from the TTC and asked a bellhop to help with the bags. As we entered the room the message light was blinking on the phone. Lo and behold it was the Grand Floridian Lost and Found saying they had 2 pairs of sunglasses and werent sure if either of these were the ones I had described so I needed to come and identify if one was mine.
Youre kidding me right? Could my magically perfect most wonderful vacation have such a happy ending?
We drive to the GF and after a long wait in line I am escorted to another part of the hotel where we are met by the Keeper of all Things Lost and Found. And there in here hands were my glasses. A true magic moment. I thanked them profusely and promised to tell all my DIS friends about their kindness.
Our last Disney experience was lunch at Whispering Canyon Café at the Wilderness Lodge. I had meant for us to get over here earlier in the week to see this place but it just never worked. We looked around a bit while waiting to be seated. I really like this place and may opt to split our next stay between here and the AKL.
Lunch was Ok but since our server was not into the action we failed to get into the action and the fact that our next stop w the airport probably didnt help us to be into the action.
The airport was uneventful other than the plane taking off late. The weather in and around Orlando and the Gulf Coast made for a very bumpy ride to Dallas. I love to fly but HATE HATE HATE turbulence. Needless to say I could have used one of delswifes Xanax. But instead I kept a death grip on the armrests and focused on my magazines.
The second flight was much better than the first. And we arrived back in the Bay Area a little ahead of schedule. We trekked over to long-term parking and crammed the car to the top with luggage. On the ride home I reflected on the week and started formulating our next trip in my mind. Dude and Mom dropped us off at home near midnight. And while I was glad to be home the sadness still lingered.
But my focus quickly turned to the events that lay ahead. Because tomorrow was the holiest of days in my household and we had a big celebration planned. You see DH didnt know that we would just be arriving home from a week long vacation when he invited 15 or so people over to our house to join in the celebration. So there was food to be prepared, beer to chill, and predictions to make because tomorrow would mark the end of the most perfect week with the most perfect of days
Super Bowl Sunday.
(Afterthoughts to come in separate post)
