The Empty Nesters Magical Mystery Tour *1/28* Link to New Girl's TR p141

[Leshaface]

Happy Anniversary!

 

[Mndisneygirl]

Hi Everyone! Thanks for the anniversary wishes! Having a great day! Little bit of a slow start thanks to food & wine yesterday, but we had a great day at MK today. We are having dinner at the Cali Grill tonight. We checked into the VGF yesterday and the studio is amazing. I love it!!!! Just perfect. Even our standard view room has a lovely view of the Poly and it's pretty cool seeing the monorail whiz by. Oh and our villa at VWL was lovely too. I love the refurb. MNSSHP was fun. One more day of the parks then it's time to cruise. Wonderful vacation so far!

THIS is awesome!!!

 

[annmarieda]

So it would seem you are so popular that your popularity has kept your thread at the top of my subscription list. I am trying a new approach to getting caught up and staying caught up. See the way I have always done it is to read from the bottom up. So the thread with an update farthest back in time gets read first until I hit the one with the most recent. Doing that though means that while I may keep up on those that are slightly active. Ones like yours never drop down far enough. So it is good you are so popular...but bad cause I seem to have totally neglected this subscription (as well as a few others - yes, I am talking about you Kathy and Karin!!!) So please forgive me. It has been since AUGUST! My goodness time is flying by.

It is horrible because you posted an update to your plans back on 8/29... and just reading it now I know that the trip that they were about has happened.

Let me just say -

I hope the party went well. I too got my dh to wear a costume and yes...we were both pirates. He was a tad more "traditional" wear as I wore a sparkle skirt and mickey pirate ears.. I was surprised my own dh was willing to dress up.

A late happy anniversary to you. If memory serves it is your 25th, correct? Funny that we were celebrating our 25th this fall too. (we celebrated on the trip but ours was in September)

This was such a great pic! I know it may be corny..but it definitely screams holidays to me and is postcard/christmas card worthy! I always love your pictures...all of them. This one however just made me pause as it really did invoke a feeling of the holiday season in me.

 

[teekathepony]

Very happy to hear you're having a great time, and belated Anniversary wishes to you and Denny!

 

[cstorm65]

I'm trying to get all caught up on these TR's! Great last update. Sounds like you had a good meal at Sci Fi. We are trying that for the first time at Christmas this year. And now you get to do a little relaxation and exploring something new. Sounds like a fun time.

 

[MEK]

So we are back! We got home on Tuesday night. Rolled into bed at 12:15am Weds am. And since then I have worked 40 hours this week. I am finally just chilling today enjoying the cold, crappy weather. NOT! You know I had to mope around for two days straight with vacation brain. I am finally coming out of my stupor.

We had an excellent time. It was a great trip. We got to see Dawn, Caitlin, and Dale. We also got to meet up with Ellen (Podsnel) in WDW and on the cruise. We loved Castaway Cay. We did a walking food tour (thanks to Ellen) on our Nassau day. Great way to spend a rainy day. Of course, we signed up for another cruise (a dummy cruise), since we have no idea where we want to go.

If I had to comment on what impressed me most on the cruise it would be how hard the employees work. Our stateroom host and our servers were absolutely tireless and amazing. We also had a wine pairing dinner at Palo which was out of this world.

After the cruise we spent a night in Cape Canaveral at what was once called the Ron Jon Resort and is now part of Holiday Inn Vacation Villas. One word - AWESOME! I loved it there. We were able to walk to the beach from our BIG 2 BR villa and watch the Dream sail back out to sea. It was really remarkable to watch it in person. We spent this time with our Daytona friends, K&T, who drove us to the airport Tuesday night.

We loved the resort so much that I went ahead and booked it for two nights during our Feb trip. K&T really have no interest in coming to WDW, so we will meet with them there and watch some more cruise ships. There's a lovely Exploration Center there and I want to go to Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. The beach was really nice. It seems like a fairly quiet area with a lot of potential.

I also must mention that we had our first stay at VGF. OMG! Loved it here!

We had a standard view facing the monorail with the Poly and the Wedding Chapel to our left. Denny could not have been happier. Who knew that he could spend so much free time just watching the monorails come and go. He may never want a lake view room. And the split bathroom - amazing! I highly recommend staying at this resort and I am so glad we bought this contract to be able to treat ourselves from time to time.

Anyway. I could go on and on, but I won't. I should be back with replies soon and a real update as well!

 

[teekathepony]

Welcome back Mary Ellen! Sounds like a wonderful adventure and I can't wait to hear all about it!

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[KatMark]

Welcome home, friend. I can't wait to hear all about it.

 

[eandesmom]

welcome back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Congrats on booking another cruise and that is so cool that you enjoyed staying at Cape Canaveral that much, I'm going to have to remember that. I really want to stay at VGF someday, your room sounds perfect! I am kicking myself for not booking a dummy, we didn't due to the 18 month rule but they changed it to 24 again and while that still might be a stretch it isn't entirely impossible. Super annoyed.

 

[Pinkocto]

Welcome home!!!! Sounds fabulous, can't wait to hear all about it

 

[dizneeat]

Welcome back, Mary Ellen!!!

Sounds like a GREAT trip. I cannot wait to hear all about it, but before that, catch your breath and relax a bit from being back to work.

 

[LuvEeyore]

Glad you are back. Glad you got some DIS meets in and enjoyed your cruise. Can't wait to hear more.

 

[khaleesi]

Welcome back!!! Sounds like a great trip... and happy belated anniversary!

 

[jedijill]

Welcome back! Sounds like a great trip!

Jill in CO

 

[natebenma]

Welcome back. Glad to hear you had such a nice time during all of the legs of your trip. I am intrigued about the walking food tour in Nassau...

 

[MEK]

Well you say dismal but you still won a beaver (very popular in Canadia) and a cute little bunny.

Good point! And, spoiler alert - I don't think I did any better this past trip and neither did Denny!

Holy that's a wicked deal. I wish they did deals like that for AP (well, obviously not ticket related but something as good).

It really was a great deal. I think we got our money's worth. I'm sort of bummed that we didn't get to Universal, but I'm happy we got to have some F&W. I'm considering getting another one for February and then just upgrading it when we get there.

Oh yeah of course you went to the Drive in for the food which is why Sci-Fi is so popular.

Exactly!

I have really fallen for the Citizens of Hollywood. I plant to make that a must do from now on.

They were awesome! I totally enjoyed the show. I love all the street performers. They are so entertaining.

OK, that sunglass reflection shot is fabulous.

I wish I could take credit for that. It was pretty clever!

My goodness Bo sure is a popular fella.

He has a lot of girlfriends, that's for sure. Such a player!

OMG the Mickey Power pole!! I love that thing. I always make a point to show that to newbees.

That always such a fun landmark. There are a lot of details to look at at HS. It's funny how easy it is to miss them because all your attention goes to the "hat".

You know I may have visited there when I was a kid. The whole sponge thing really sounds familiar and we did spend a lot of time in Tampa.

It was a cool place. And it was a nice location for our trip. I probably wouldn't pick it again just because it was a little off the beaten track, but what are you going to do during the high season. Some of the hotel rates were just ridiculous.

Dad's Lemonade is Dale and Caitlin's favorite

That drink is so yummy! Sorry I never had time to get one last trip. We cut our HS visit super short and basically ran from one ride to the next to Fantasmic. I ran out of time. Boo!

I love to stop and watch the Streetmosphere Performers at DHS. So fun!

Me too! They are really the best!

Great shot with you in Denny's glasses

Thanks!

And lastly, you'll be here soon!

We had such a fun time seeing you guys - not once, but twice. It was awesome. So glad you hooked us up for the ETTB concert. That was a lot of fun! And thank you again for the wonderful ornament. It made it home safe and sound and I can wait to use it!

 

[MEK]

The real question is...is that a good or a bad thing that I knew immediately what drink you were talking about?

I totally cracked up when I read this!!!!!!

Great update, Mary Ellen. Love all the photos of Sci Fi and glad you and Denny enjoyed your lunch there.

Thanks Kathy! Lunch was really great! It was such a great way to kick off our trip! And we bought more of that beer as soon as we landed in Florida last trip!

The photopass pics are great and really love what the photographer did with you in Denny's glasses.

Pretty creative! I like it to and tried to do it myself this trip, but I'm not quite sure if I nailed it or not.

Love the street characters at the Studios.

So. Much. Fun.

Great picture with Bo.

He's my boy - I have to hang with him every trip!

I'm with you...I like the sponges you buy at the store better.

Those sponges, although they may be picturesque, just look nasty to take in the shower.

Dinner looks yummy.

It was SO good. I love spanikopita. Spoiler alert - I ate it a second time before we headed back to WDW.

If I don't get back here, have a great trip!

Thanks Kathy. We had such a great time! It took me several days to get out of the post vacation funk. Can't wait to get back!

Oh, and great job on the FP+ selection at the last minute.

Thanks! I made a few modifications and I ended up getting some pixie dust FP's rounding out the complete selection!

 

[Wood Nymph]

Hi Mary Ellen,

It was great to meet you and Denny. I really glad that our trips overlapped. We really enjoyed our breakfast. I can't wait to read more about your trip. The VGF look fabulous and I would love to stay there someday.

 

[MEK]

I was behind, but caught up now

Yay!

It's going to take me FOREVER to get caught up on the DIS!

I've never seen AS Sports before and it looks really cool! Love the basketballs, very clever.

Those basketballs really are super cute and pictures just can't do the Hoops Hotel justice. It's one of those things you just need to see for yourself.

I get that way sometimes too with rides. Sometimes even with Star Tours I have to refocus.

Ugh - I hate when that happens. Its like the rare time you are at a park and you can just keep getting back on a coaster. Well, I can't. I need to recover between rides. So lame!

Oh my gosh, really cool ToT photos! And you're definitely not a wimp! You're brave to take pictures on that ride at all.

ToT was a lot of fun. During this past trip I got to ride with some other DISers and I learned that if you put your hands above your head it is so much better and not scary at all. Who knew?

Cool link about the rebel spy. Now i'll be on a mission to have someone in our party picked as the rebel spy.

Let me just say, and this is a spoiler alert, but following the tips in that link helped yours truly to become a rebel spy. Yup. Truth!

I still need to go see a OMD. I'm terrible.

No you're not. You've been to the mothership - DL. How can you be terrible? Just tuck aside a half hour on your next trip. The movie is totally worth it.

I think Danielle needs to have a TSM Workshop I recently broke the 200,000 which works for me, but now I want to get into the 250,000 range.

200,000??? Kudos to you. That's fantastic. You could both give the workshop.

Uh, if you weren't watching the movie, what were you doing?!

My mom absolutely loves dining at ScFi! She would eat here twice every trip if she could.

We really enjoyed our linch there. It was the perfect meal to kick off our Feb getaway.

I love that picture of you in Denny's glasses! How fun!

That was pretty creative. I tried it again myself this trip. I don't think it worked too well.

I

really love staying at B&B's. So much more cozier and friendly than a hotel. And a hot breakfast in the morning is always a good thing.

It wasn't really a B&B, but a similar concept. I really enjoyed staying there. The bed was super comfy and I loved having the kitchen.

Oooooh how I love Greek food! Have never tried Spanikopita but i've heard good things about this dish.

You would LOVE Tarpon Springs. There is a Greek restaurant on every corner. It's crazy. Far too many to choose from.

 

[MAGICFOR2]

Welcome home, Mary Ellen! I'm glad you had such a great trip! I was wondering if you and Ellen were on the same cruise. Funny how we only think of Disney, but Florida has a lot of offer even (gasp!) if you are not in the World!