Sit down! Buckle up! & Hang On! Mickeystoontown's Gang is going to Walley World! 5/15

[francis6306]

We usually go straight through Hattiesburg past the colleges and hospital and then get on 98. The route they are talking about turns off before you get into Hattiesburg. I'll have to look at the hwy. #s and post them. She said that it cuts off 20 minutes of driving.

My cousin lives and teaches in Hattiesburg. She moved there after getting married and she said that the destruction was horrible.

I still cannot believe that nobody was killed in that storm! What a miracle, huh? USM doesn't look quite the same… we had some beautiful family pictures done right in the path of the storm after Catie was born.

At least you have lots to look at on your drive across. Our drive down consists of a few corn fields, spattered with a few bean fields-at least until we get to TN. And I think I drove in a back way the last time, because we came across the Toll road and really didn't get to see anything exciting. We entered near AKL and drove over to Coronado.

I live in East Central IL and I know oooh too well how many cornfields are between here and TN!!! It's CRAZY!

Well, originally we were going to drive straight through. My DBF has driven to Boise, Idaho and back from Illinois before with only 2 drivers and he said it would be "no big deal."
….
So, I told the DBF that I had the points and that we should stop on the way down so he could see some sights in Atlanta, GA. (He always talks about wanting to visit there and I have been there before so I found a nice Hilton just outside of the big city). Its about 10 hours to get there from where we live in IL, and we have done that long of a drive before no problem.

Awe! Atlanta is where I'm originally from! Actually just north of there in Marietta! The Atlanta area is SO much fun! You will want another day there after one night!

 

[scottny]

Personally I do not believe some of the people who post on the resort threads of bugs and such unless I see pics. I had a waterbug on the bed in AKL which is deluxe. POR is beautiful and been there 4 times. You should try it. FQ looks nice.
LOL. Love the photo tour of changes.
Um, I do not know what to say about the Elvis tree.
If I saw a snake that size I would be flooring it down the highway.
I would think someone is honking at me in the tunnel and they would get a gesture.
I would love to see a gator on the way. The adult stores no thanks. Order on internet much more private. LOL
That is a cute ice cream stand.
The room does look pretty.
POR food court is much better but DTD would beat them all not to mention the boat ride alone.
I have never had a beignet. One day maybe. Not a fan of powdered sugar.
Caught up. Now I am considering FQ. It does look pretty.

 

[jusero]

I am like you with food ... especially if I am wearing a light color. I remember a few years ago I was sitting at Epcot holding my funnel cake (which is my must-do each year) and a gust of wind came along and I really did look like the guy in your photo. I had powdered sugar all over me which, to my three-year-old (at the time) grandson thought was the funniest thing he had ever seen. And when you are laughing so hard you are crying ... with a face full of powdered sugar ... it makes for a nice, sticky mess.

 

[AvasMommy526]

I didn't quote your last response bc it's a pain on my iPad but we are staying at Bay Lake Tower this trip! Very excited and with my DD turning 2 during our trip, I figure this will be a good thing as we should be spending quite a bit of time at my beloved Magic Kingdom!!

POFQ looks great, I definitely want to stay there sometime and visit NO someday! I love, love beignets! Only one problem, and truthfully this makes me sound like a complete dum dum (and I promise I am not) but I can not seem to figure the correct pronunciation!! Anywayyyyy I too end covered in powered sugar too lol!

 

[lilpixiebabe101]

POFQ looks great, I definitely want to stay there sometime and visit NO someday! I love, love beignets! Only one problem, and truthfully this makes me sound like a complete dum dum (and I promise I am not) but I can not seem to figure the correct pronunciation!! Anywayyyyy I too end covered in powered sugar too lol!

Closest that I can tell you is Ben (like a man's name) + Yay (as in "Yay! I'm excited).

 

[MissLiz]

Oh, I see how you are! I go away on vacation and you start your PTR. So, now I'm on page what? 13? 14? Boo!

Glad to see you are going back to CBR. Love that resort! You are going to make me want to plan a trip at the end of May, but I don't think that is going to happen. We just spent a week on the Disney Fantasy and will be celebrating my 40th birthday at WDW at the beginning of Sept. I think my wallet would kill me if I tried to fit anything else in!

Can't wait to hear about your plans!

 

[pktbMouse]

Oh, I see how you are! I go away on vacation and you start your PTR. So, now I'm on page what? 13? 14? Boo!

Glad to see you are going back to CBR. Love that resort! You are going to make me want to plan a trip at the end of May, but I don't think that is going to happen. We just spent a week on the Disney Fantasy and will be celebrating my 40th birthday at WDW at the beginning of Sept. I think my wallet would kill me if I tried to fit anything else in!

Can't wait to hear about your plans!

Ohhhh MissLiz....you only live once...I say go for it...lol

 

[Angies1274]

You certainly have an interesting drive to Disney! We have often thought about driving since it would save us a ton of money but I'm not sure how the boys would do...it's 23 hours for us.

I can't wait to hear what you think about POFQ!! It looks like such a pretty resort. We still haven't decided where we are staying next year. I'm having such a hard time narrowing it down to one resort.

I'm excited to hear more of your plans!!

 

[Urugami]

Wait... You can't do this yet.. I'm only half-way through your last Trip Report!
Oh, well.. something new and highly entertaining to subscribe to and fall behind in..

PS.. HAHAHAHA!!! I just noticed how the Space Shuttle slider is moving along the Caribbean Beach beach in my ticker! Looks like it belongs there.

 

[KatMark]

Oh good...it looks as if I missed only one update.

First, can you please take the rain and thunderstorms back? I really don't want them. Luckily we didn't have any rain in Florida last week.

We have visited the POFQ a number of times and love their little food court.

I'll probably get stoned for saying this...but I did NOT like the beignets at all.

 

[HiHoOffWeGo]

I agree their beignets are not good. My wife is a chief and said they do not taste like the real thing. I would rather use the POR food court any way. Only a 5min walk from POFQ.

 

[lilpixiebabe101]

I agree their beignets are not good. My wife is a chief and said they do not taste like the real thing. I would rather use the POR food court any way. Only a 5min walk from POFQ.

I feel like we need to detour on our trip, so I can taste them. See if they are Cafe Du Monde worthy. (Best beignets in south Louisiana.)

 

[AvasMommy526]

Closest that I can tell you is Ben (like a man's name) + Yay (as in "Yay! I'm excited).

Thank you!! This is what I thought it was lol!

 

[mickeystoontown]

Look out hammock, I’m headed your way!

Wednesday, May 22nd

How we’ll start off this morning will depend on how the evening before ended. If we didn’t have time to walk around the Port Orleans resorts, we’ll take a bit more time doing so. One thing that I do want to make sure that we do is get a real “feel” for the Port Orleans resorts just in case we want to stay at one of them in the future. We aren’t big on breakfasts and usually like to just snack on something light. However, we may eat breakfast at Port Orleans:

There’s those darn mess-making beignets again!

Around my 60 day mark, I did online check-in for our Caribbean Beach Resort packages and I stated an arrival time of Noon hoping that it would increase the odds of our rooms being ready despite the fact that official check-in isn’t until 3:00 p.m. If we don’t eat breakfast at French Quarter, I’m sure that we’ll be ready for lunch so we’ll go ahead and head over to Caribbean Beach Resort. Look out hammock, I’m headed your way!

As we make our way towards the Custom House, I’ll have my fingers crossed that our rooms will be ready. I like to get my “stuff” all organized the first day so that we aren’t living out of a suitcase. I hate that!

There’s the pretty Custom House:

This is as good of a time as any to say the following: While we are Caribbean Beach Resort lovers all the way, we really were ready to try another resort. Well, John, Hunter and I were. Lacey and Jesse were up to staying anywhere so long as they were in Disney. When we knew for a fact that Mama was going, it made more sense to stick to the CBR since Mama knew her way around and felt comfortable staying there or going back to the resort by herself. Mama is 79 years old. While she’s in pretty good health, she ain’t no Spring chicken and that means that there will be times when she will be at the resort by herself.

Our priority was to make sure that we stayed somewhere she felt safe. (Not that she wouldn’t at another resort but she’s familiar with the CBR since she’s been there a couple of times.) We know that we’ll be going back to Disney time and time again and we’ll try something new another time. This didn’t feel like the time to do it. Hence, the changing back and forth between resorts. It just didn’t feel “right” to try something totally new.

Please know that I’m not complaining one little bit. I wouldn’t trade the time spent with my mother for anything in the world. We’re making memories that will last a lifetime.

Anyho....hopefully, our rooms will be ready and my request for a downstairs room in Martinique will be granted. While some of Martinique is considered preferred, there are some building in that village that are not. Both times that Mama went to Disney with us, we were in Jamaica and she asked if we could request another village. Martinique seemed like a good choice since it’s near the food court.

If the rooms are ready, we’ll unload our things before going over to the food court for a bit of lunch. Mama has raved over the bread sticks and Florentine soup and talks about it almost as much as she talks about the multi-grain bread that we stashed away and took home for her last trip. I’m sure that Hunter will be ordering pizza and I have no idea what John and I will get. I’m betting that it will all taste pretty darn good since we’ll be back “home”.

With the store being right off the food court, I know that we’ll want to make a trip through and take notes on what we want to come back and pick up later in the trip.

By this time, I know that the hammocks and beach chairs will be calling our names. Helllllooooo hammocks!

**Up next: VooDoo and Rock N Roll.....They're good for the soul! Whaaaaat?

 

[mickeystoontown]

Those photos of FQ are getting me even more excited for my summer vacation. Though we will be staying in POR Royal Room per the girls' request. that is for the mother/daughter trip in August. Staying POP with the boys with a final night at Beach Club to enjoy the pool/resort in July.

At least you have lots to look at on your drive across. Our drive down consists of a few corn fields, spattered with a few bean fields-at least until we get to TN. And I think I drove in a back way the last time, because we came across the Toll road and really didn't get to see anything exciting. We entered near AKL and drove over to Coronado.

I am very excited for you to have a new resort to try out. Can't wait to hear what you think-even if you only have the one day. Take the long walk down to Riverside, though. Very pretty!

Oh we have lots of crop fields too! Just chose not to post pics since they aren't nearly as interesting at humongous snakes and dozens of alligators.

We are still undecided on whether or not to take the toll road. Toll roads are usually so boring.

Our plan is to walk all of Port Orleans...French Quarter and Riverside.

Like you, i always manage to drop things on myslef while eating, however i don't usually end up like him!

We had beignets a few times on our trip. I thought meh, but maybe thats because i don't love having my food covered in powdered sugar.

I think the food court was very creepy and i didn't like it, but to each their own. I don't like giant people heads staring down at me for some odd reason

Yeah, I guess that picture was a little bit of an exaggeration but not by much.

I can certainly see why the beignets aren't your cup of tea.

I'm fairly sure that I can handle the creepy food court guys. Our office is on the same block as the courthouse, a bail bonds business and the probation and parole office. I'm used to creepy guys.

POFQ is a small footprint and will not take long to see. I like the POR food court for more choices the set up at the main building is more spread out. and you must stop by the lounge for the show. The boat ride to DTD is a must. Above all relax and have fun. The walk along the river to POR is left about 5 min.

If we eat dinner at French Quarter, maybe we could walk over to Riverside and have a light breakfast. I hadn't thought about that.

Well Lisa, another Louisianian joining in. That weather was horrible today. Was not excited to work under glass windows today!!! Excited to hear more about your trip and to read back on your TRs!

Hey there! Glad to have you!

 

[mickeystoontown]

Thanks for the POFQ pictures...got me excited for our trip in Nov. In fact I got our airline tickets today and we decided to add a day so now it is 8 nights because it was cheaper to fly Fri after Thanskgiving instead of Sat.....yeah love that Disney Math!!!!!!! Still hoping for some kind of discount from Disney!

Yay for getting your airfare booked and adding an extra day! Isn't is amazing how Disney Math differs from "regular" Math?

I finally made it over . Now I have to go catch up on everything.

Dana! I'm so happy to see you here! Caught up yet?

Very interested to see how you like POFQ. We tossed that resort around a little for our next trip! Not gonna lie, all those creepy clown guys... we put those in the CONS column!

I'm anxious to see what we think of it too!

Well, originally we were going to drive straight through. My DBF has driven to Boise, Idaho and back from Illinois before with only 2 drivers and he said it would be "no big deal."

So, I thought it WAS a big deal and was trying to figure out what to do when I got a letter in the mail about my Hilton Honors program saying that I had 26,000+ points that were about to expire. So, I told the DBF that I had the points and that we should stop on the way down so he could see some sights in Atlanta, GA. (He always talks about wanting to visit there and I have been there before so I found a nice Hilton just outside of the big city). Its about 10 hours to get there from where we live in IL, and we have done that long of a drive before no problem.

We are, however, driving straight through on the way back...I have somewhere to be June 10th so we didn't have time to stop then!

Heck yeah! I'd use those points up before they expired too! I wish you luck in seeing the sights of Atlanta. Lacey went to college in a town about 90 miles away and I hated driving around Atlanta. Scared me poopless!

 

[mickeystoontown]

Haha all the comments about those "creepy clown guys". Those are just a way of life down here! Farther south you get the more you see them!

I'm pretty sure that the creepy clown guys won't bother us either. Even up in North Louisiana, we see those sorts of decorations.

That's the Fountain!! The one my sister fell in. She was taking a pic of some of under those coins above the door.

I really like POFQ, I wanted to stay there or CBR in 2011 but I let DH pick and he chose Riverside. Maybe next time.

I'm sorry but I am laughing again just thinking aboutyour sister falling into the fountain.

POFQ looks gorgeous. I hope that you like it there!

I hope that we do too!

 

[mickeystoontown]

I still cannot believe that nobody was killed in that storm! What a miracle, huh? USM doesn't look quite the same… we had some beautiful family pictures done right in the path of the storm after Catie was born.

I couldn't believe it either. I saw video of the tornado and the after effects. It's horrible.

I live in East Central IL and I know oooh too well how many cornfields are between here and TN!!! It's CRAZY!

We have acre after acre of crops to look at on the way to Disney. It's so boring!

Awe! Atlanta is where I'm originally from! Actually just north of there in Marietta! The Atlanta area is SO much fun! You will want another day there after one night!

If I ever go back to Atlanta, I need to get tips from you. I hated driving around and through Atlanta.

Personally I do not believe some of the people who post on the resort threads of bugs and such unless I see pics. I had a waterbug on the bed in AKL which is deluxe. POR is beautiful and been there 4 times. You should try it. FQ looks nice.

He had pics! It was definitely roaches.

LOL. Love the photo tour of changes.
Um, I do not know what to say about the Elvis tree.

I guess us Louisiana folks have an active imagination.

If I saw a snake that size I would be flooring it down the highway.

Me too!

I would think someone is honking at me in the tunnel and they would get a gesture.

You know me....I love a horn to honk!

I would love to see a gator on the way. The adult stores no thanks. Order on internet much more private. LOL

But the adult stores offer showers!

That is a cute ice cream stand.
The room does look pretty.
POR food court is much better but DTD would beat them all not to mention the boat ride alone.

We thought about going to DTD to eat dinner. Still undecided on that one.

I have never had a beignet. One day maybe. Not a fan of powdered sugar.
Caught up. Now I am considering FQ. It does look pretty.

You'd definitely have to tell them to go light on the powdered sugar 'cause beignets are covered in it.

I am like you with food ... especially if I am wearing a light color. I remember a few years ago I was sitting at Epcot holding my funnel cake (which is my must-do each year) and a gust of wind came along and I really did look like the guy in your photo. I had powdered sugar all over me which, to my three-year-old (at the time) grandson thought was the funniest thing he had ever seen. And when you are laughing so hard you are crying ... with a face full of powdered sugar ... it makes for a nice, sticky mess.

I'm the world's worst on dropping stuff on myself. Darn I ask if there's a picture of you with the powdered sugar all over your face? I'd love to see it!

 

[mickeystoontown]

I didn't quote your last response bc it's a pain on my iPad but we are staying at Bay Lake Tower this trip! Very excited and with my DD turning 2 during our trip, I figure this will be a good thing as we should be spending quite a bit of time at my beloved Magic Kingdom!!

POFQ looks great, I definitely want to stay there sometime and visit NO someday! I love, love beignets! Only one problem, and truthfully this makes me sound like a complete dum dum (and I promise I am not) but I can not seem to figure the correct pronunciation!! Anywayyyyy I too end covered in powered sugar too lol!

I'm jealous! I'd love to stay that close to the Magic Kingdom. Just imagine the short walk that you'll have. Lucky!

Closest that I can tell you is Ben (like a man's name) + Yay (as in "Yay! I'm excited).

Oh, I see how you are! I go away on vacation and you start your PTR. So, now I'm on page what? 13? 14? Boo!

Glad to see you are going back to CBR. Love that resort! You are going to make me want to plan a trip at the end of May, but I don't think that is going to happen. We just spent a week on the Disney Fantasy and will be celebrating my 40th birthday at WDW at the beginning of Sept. I think my wallet would kill me if I tried to fit anything else in!

Can't wait to hear about your plans!

Hey Miss Liz! Sorry that I started without you! Will you forgive me pretty please? With powdered sugar on top?

I'd love love love to go to Disney more often but my wallet protests as it is. I forgot to look at your signature....are you writing a trip report?

Ohhhh MissLiz....you only live once...I say go for it...lol

Ditto!

 

[mickeystoontown]

You certainly have an interesting drive to Disney! We have often thought about driving since it would save us a ton of money but I'm not sure how the boys would do...it's 23 hours for us.

I can't wait to hear what you think about POFQ!! It looks like such a pretty resort. We still haven't decided where we are staying next year. I'm having such a hard time narrowing it down to one resort.

I'm excited to hear more of your plans!!

23 hours! If you broke it up into a couple of days, it might not be so bad.

I can certainly understand the wondering on where to stay next trip. I'm using this trip to scope out possible "leads".

Wait... You can't do this yet.. I'm only half-way through your last Trip Report!
Oh, well.. something new and highly entertaining to subscribe to and fall behind in..

PS.. HAHAHAHA!!! I just noticed how the Space Shuttle slider is moving along the Caribbean Beach beach in my ticker! Looks like it belongs there.

Hey! At least I have handy dandy links so it's easy to skip all the chit chat that I tend to do.

I took a peek at your ticker and, like you said, the space shuttle looks right at home on the CBR ticker.

Oh good...it looks as if I missed only one update.

First, can you please take the rain and thunderstorms back? I really don't want them. Luckily we didn't have any rain in Florida last week.

We have visited the POFQ a number of times and love their little food court.

I'll probably get stoned for saying this...but I did NOT like the beignets at all.

It looks like the storms are headed our way again this evening. They are predicting thunderstorms, possible hail and tornados. I do want them!

I certainly won't be throwing any stones...beignets are something that I'm not a huge fan of. Not to say that I won't try them again. Gotta take one for the team.