Spectromagic and PMS; A Cautionary Tale Updated!

[Hannahsmom]

A catchy title, huh? I was going to title my trip report Freegrubbers Do Disneyworld, which would have been in honor of the thread posted on the Dining Board back last Spring, but now after the trip, I feel this title best suits our story.

If you are actually reading this trip report I promise I won’t leave you hanging halfway through our trip….cough…vw_guy…..cough….and I will be posting this Report in its entirety on this thread, as I don’t want to clog the Trip Report Board with just my story. But here is my disclaimer, I did use TourGuideMike for this trip, and per my agreement with him, I cannot divulge certain information, lest I will have have to kill you (Not really, but they would send me nasty IM’s and talk about me on the TGM Boards).

I also will not be touching most of the hot button topics of the Disboards. And frankly I couldn’t care less about pool hopping or mug reusing. “To Each His Own” is my motto. But I will say, we DID use Magical Beginnings Extra Magic hour (FABULOUS), we DID NOT use a stroller for our 6 year old, and she outlasted us most days, and we DID use the Dining Plan however we wished to use it, without any problems. Well, I lied, DH did have some difficulty at Auntie Gravity’s in Tomorrowland. Even though the menu had the DP logo on all the items, the CM would not let them get Ice Cream. He said it was an old menu. DH did not push the issue. Oddly, they could have gotten a root beer float, which included ice cream and soda. Whatever. And lastly, rudeness knows no age, gender, race or sexual orientation. But we did seem to run into a large amount of families that seem to have absolutely no concept of common courtesy or manners. They certainly did not ruin my vacation, but I may rethink visiting the same time next year.

Now to the nitty gritty. This was our family’s first trip by ourselves. Alone. Our past trips consisted of various family members from both sides. My daughter and I also went on a Princesses on Vacation vacation with a couple of friends of mine a few years back. But this was our very first time by ourselves. We (from here on out when I say “We” I mean DH; Jay 34, DD; Hannah 6 and me; Carrie 35, but don’t tell DD, she thinks I am 24) were a little apprehensive at first, but after awhile we quite liked the idea of being on our own. Don’t get me wrong, we enjoyed all our past trips, some more than others, but when you travel with others there is a lot of waiting. Waiting for them to catch up. Waiting for them to get to the bus stop. Waiting for them to get to the agreed meeting place. Waiting. Waiting. Waiting. I am generally a patient person, but at Disneyworld waiting is wasting. It was very nice not have to compromise on anything all week. We could’ve used a “Date Night”, but it didn’t work out. I had booked Hannah at the Neverland Club for last Wed. night, but in her words, “No way Jose”. I even thought if she could just see it she would be game. We took the time out of our day to get over to the Poly, found the Club, walked in and found it was closed for a private function. Crap. I have to say, I was not terribly impressed with the two women that were at the desk. I explained to them about Hannah’s apprehension, but they offered very little help to ease the situation. Thanks for all your help ladies. It looked like it was going to be dinner for 3 at the California Grille.

Boy, time flies when you are long winded. Have to get ready to pick up Hannah from her first day of first grade. I will get on with it later. Promise.

P.S. If you see vw_guy, tell him I'm still waiting for the rest of his TR.

 

[sorul82?]

OMG!! We just returned from a trip with a group of 11. Our 5 plus 6 in-laws. I soooooo understand about all of the waiting, waiting, and waiting!! We almost lost two ADR's because my MIL can't seem to get anywhere on time.

I can't wait to hear more of your report!

 

[teentoddlermom]

I've been with extended family, and many more times with just ourselves (family of 4) I agree, too much waiting around for everyone, different eating and sleeping schedules, etc.. It is so much better for me to not be with extended family. I know there are lots of opinions, but to each his own. Looking forward to the rest of your report!

 

[hucifer]

I must admit, your title drew me in. The rest of it did not disappoint me! I look forward to the rest of your report.

And yeah, VW guy is one FANTASTIC writer who left you all in a cloud of dust. Hopefully he'll finish his TR.

 

[Hannahsmom]

Okay let’s see, I think I started to get a little ahead of myself. I should at least explain that this trip was a surprise for Hannah. It didn’t exactly start out that way, but it just kind of morphed into a total surprise. I just didn’t think I could have taken a whole summer of, “How much longer until Disney World” or “How many more days?” Plus, I didn’t want her to wish away the summer, like I did.

We actually had thought about not going to Disneyworld this year. I know…I know, I can’t believe I said that either. But it’s true. But when they offered Free Dining again, who could refuse. I think our planning conversation went something like this;

Me: Honey, how do you feel about going to Disneyworld this year?
Jay: I thought we were going to take this year off?
Me: But they are offering Free Dining again.
Jay: What resort are we staying at?

Boy, I love my Husband. He lets me plan away. He nods when appropriate and feigns interest when necessary. But I do the same for anything sports related. This is our secret to a good marriage.

We, meaning me, chose the Port Orleans French Quarter. We stayed there a few years ago when we where there over 4th of July. We really liked it. The theming was nice, landscaping was beautiful and we liked how small it was. We stayed at POP Century last fall and although we liked it, the beds were horrible and the Resort put us into Sensory Overload. Plus it is soooo big, and it was really crowded last year. So when I mentioned POFQ as the resort of choice this year I got the appropriate nod from Jay. And from there the trip snowballed.

The original plan was a week in September. September 17th -24th, to be exact. Yes, we are “those” parents that take their child out of school. We did it last year, she survived. And thankfully we live in a great school district that does not punish you for taking your kids out for family time. Our plans changed when it was confirmed last spring that our District was not starting school until the day after Labor Day. So then the trip was changed to Aug. 26th – Sept. 4th. But wait; if Jay can take Aug. 25th off we can leave Fri. morning. That worked. So I booked with Disney, 10 night’s hotel with 10 day MYW tickets and 10 days of Dining. Now all I needed was plane tickets. So I watched. And watched. And waited. I hate the airfare game. I paid $500 last year for all 3 of us to fly and by god; I was not going to pay more than that. I checked Sidestep multiple times a day. I downloaded DING from SWA. One day I found a great fare on NW, but when I went to book it I missed it. This waiting went on for a couple of weeks. I was starting to sweat. Then one day I got lucky. Air Tran had run a special for travel on certain days of the week. Sadly, Friday was not one of them but Thursday was. Jay and I managed to take the afternoon off on Thursday, since our flight left at 3:00. Do you see where I am going with this? Our 10 night trip just became 11 nights. Oh darn. I ended up spending $350 for all. Not bad, persistence pays off. So in my twisted Disney math, I decided since we were saving so much on airfare, we could splurge a little on a hotel. And as luck would have it Disney released discount codes for the general public at the same time. So Viola! We were going to stay the first night at the Beach Club. That way, we would also save on any water park admission, since we would just spend Friday afternoon at Stormalong Bay. At least to me, this makes sense. As I explained this all to Jay, I got the appropriate nod. We were good to go.

We flew into MCO on Airtran. Our flight down was a piece of Xanax frosted cake, with Xanax sprinkles. Oh yeah, it was also served with a cup of hot Xanax. Did I mention I hate to fly? And boy, that week leading up to departure day was a humdinger, thanks to the present terror alert. Oh, let me take this opportunity to thank all the DISsers that felt the need to post all their anxieties on the board that week. Thanks. Thanks a lot. I do have to say that I did not worry about gaining any weight last week, since I lost about 5 pounds pre-trip from having no appetite due to stress.

Needless to say we arrived in Orlando in one piece, obviously. We were off the plane at 5:20 p.m., and on the ME bus by 5:35 p.m. Thankfully, we were one of the first ones off the plane, and I new exactly where to go. Just a heads up, the ME representative told me that the ME desk will be moving to the other side of the terminal this fall.

Okay Dokey. I need to start some dinner, Jay called and asked what his appetizer selection would be tonight. I hung up on him. So I am guessing he will be home soon. I’ll try to get back to this tomorrow afternoon. Ciao!

 

[keliblue]

You are to funny I can't wait till your next installment

 

[hucifer]

I love your writing! And I'm just like you...when I'm stressed I lose my appetite and subsequently lose weight. Oh well. Could be the opposite!

 

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

I so enjoy reading TRs... This one has got me hooked and you're only just off the plane. We leave in 16 days (but who's counting? It's not like I have a dry erase board in my pantry with a huge count-down. Ahhh, the big red *X* through the green number!)

Enjoy dinner...we'll be waiting!

 

[Hope73]

Your conversation sounds like ours. "Honey I know we just got back from disney in Jan, but they are offering free food in sept." 20 more days and we are off again. Some frineds say how can you stand it but I love it.

I have taken my mom with us all of the times we were there and her slowness can drive me nuts. This time is is me my 2 kids my mom and aunt who has never been married. I may need drugs to be patient for this trip or beer.

 

[Mischa]

I'm hooked too!

I love reading the TRs too! We just got back from Disney this past May (my DH's first trip and he is definitely hooked! It was my 4th trip - I'm already hooked!) I've already booked SSR for this December and for May '07 too. We're staying at SSR because during our trip to WDW this past May we became DVC members too. (Told you we were hooked - hook, line & sinker!)

Great TR so far can't wait for the rest!

 

[oybolshoi]

Great start so far - I'm eagerly looking forward to the rest. Your sense of humor comes through loud and clear (kinda reminds me of my and my DH, who is also a Jay!).

 

[Hannahsmom]

Allrighty then, let’s see, where were we……………..I believe we had left the airport on ME. Let me just say here that I don’t see what the gripe about ME is. Anytime I don’t have to schlep my luggage around, well, YIPEE! Although, I haven’t had the displeasure of not having my luggage “magically” appear in my room. But in my experiences ME is quite nice. Jay thought the driver could not drive any slower, but he also thinks he is Mario Andretti, so his opinion doesn’t really count.

We had to stop at CBR first to let off approximately 5 people, but for some strange reason, those 5 people took forever to get their hiney’s off the bus. Move it people! Move it! Move it! Some of us would actually like to get to their resort before the end of the day. We had packed our bathing suits in our carry-ons so we could get some time in at Stormalong Bay. By now it was almost 6:30, and thanks to my DIS surfing, I knew SB closed at 8:00. Tick. Tick. Tick.

Thankfully there was no one on the bus that was staying at Boardwalk, or God knows how much longer it would have taken. It was 6:45 when we pulled into the drive of the Beach Club. Not too bad, considering we left our home at 12:00 that afternoon. At this point (after surviving the flight, of course) I was so happy we flew. We walked at a brisk pace into the lobby, running would have been wrong, skipped to the front desk and announced our arrival. Don’t you just love this moment in your vacation? The promise of all the magic ahead of you. We were surrounded by all those happy families. Some just getting back from the parks, some dressed for dinner and some just hanging out (probably waiting for family members). We were dusted in Pixie Dust. That was until I heard the woman at the other end of the Front Desk ranting to two CM’s behind the desk. <Insert record scratching noise here> She was actually quite upset about something. Very upset. She was almost crying. I would have felt bad for her, if she weren’t sucking the magic out of my moment. I tried to listen without actually eavesdropping. Jay accuses me of being nosey. I like to call it informed. Mind you, I am no Gladys Crabbitz, but knowledge is power. I couldn’t get much out of their conversation. “Garble, Garble, Garble. What am I paying for? Garble. Garble. Garble. You are trying to rip me off! Garble. Garble. Garble.” The two male CM’s behind the desk had the appropriate concerned look on their faces while they nodded. They must be married. I have to say she would have had a bit more credibility had she not been holding a Tinkerbell pen.

The CM that checked us in was oblivious to the show at the end of the counter, and to her credit she set a record for fastest check-in. Sadly, I never found out if the Tinkerbell Pen Lady found her happy ending. When we walked away from the desk she was still ranting and the CM’s were still nodding.

I liked the Beach Club, it was on our (meaning my) short list of Resorts I wished to stay at. But I wasn’t really prepared for how maze-like the halls were. I don’t actually remember our room number, but we were on the 3rd floor, by the quiet pool. But our view was of the other side facing the BCVs. We had one of those rooms that had a 1 person balcony that you would be able to spend hours relaxing out there……….standing…….one person at a time. But, if you bent over and tilted your head in an awkward angle, you could see the Epcot Ball. We had a view! We have arrived!!!

The room passed muster. No signs of bedbugs and no cheerios under the bed. I was surprised to find that at the Deluxes you not only get Mickey soaps, but Mickey lotion and a Mickey Shower cap. So this is how the other half lives. So after we checked out the room, jumped on the beds and filled our Ice Bucket (we didn’t really need ice, but it’s a tradition) we were ready for Stormalong Bay. If you are a DIS regular, I am sure you are aware of the hype associated with “The Bay”. I mean come on; it is the only Resort in Disneyworld that had to build a fence to keep the Riff Raff out. I could probably make a lot of money selling the wristbands on Ebay (Kidding, don’t send me hate mail).

We found our way back downstairs (surprisingly) and out to “The Bay”. Jay and I were ready for a dip in the hot tub and Hannah was all jazzed to ride the Pirate ship water slide. We found the entrance to the pool area, walked right on in. Funny. I thought the entrances were guarded at all times. As we walked through the pool area we also noticed that there was no one actually in the pool. What the $%^#? As could really only happen to me, Stormalong Bay was closed early that evening. I bet you are asking why? Why would the most popular Resort Pool close an hour early? Apparently, someone had pooped in the pool. Crap.

Oybolshoi, what a mouthful. Can you say that 3X fast?

 

[oybolshoi]

Why would the most popular Resort Pool close an hour early? Apparently, someone had pooped in the pool. Crap.

I know it probably wasn't funny when it happened, but I have such a great visual in my head thanks to this that I'm going to be laughing all evening. The only thing that would have made it better is if Carl the groundskeeper from the movie Caddyshack had shown up to clean the pool.

Oybolshoi, what a mouthful. Can you say that 3X fast?

Yes, I can!
It looks worse than it really is, but that's what taking Russian as foreign language in college does to a girl...she comes up with weird user names for chat-boards. At least I know that no one else is likely to have it when I register somewhere.

Thanks for sharing - you tell a great story!

 

[disneyde]

Good read........now we know what Tinkerbell pen lady was complaining about the horror of paying top dollar and having brown floaties in the pool.

 

[TwinkieMama]

Holy Diaper Leak Batgirl!

Pool poops happen even at Disney...

As for your trip report:

I like it! Very much!

More please!

 

[Cass]

Oh man, the pool was closed? what a bummer (literally)!

Looking forward to hearing more.

 

[DisneyGirl4188]

I'm already hooked. Can't wait for more.

 

[dawn8226]

Excellent TR.

More, please.

 

[ralphie]

Me too!!!

 

[PrincessV]

Good stuff, good stuff for sure!
Oh, but not the Baby Ruth gift to the pool gods - not good stuff at all.