The Great Pink Mickey Croc Tour..last pics 08/09, last words 08/15

[MAGICFOR2]

Me being the talker that I am, I realized that there were a few last comments I had intended to make. Don't know if anyone is still reading, but here goes:

1. Transportation - even though the Disney transportation is free, and we loved the ME service, we figured out that we wasted about 10 hours waiting for the bus. We always seemed to be watching for the one that never came! 10 hours is a full day of vacation wasted!

**My advice - if you are going to be returning to the resort during the day and then going back out, it would be better to just rent a car and save the time waiting for the bus. Exception: SOG. We never experienced any of that frustration when using the SOG system three years ago!

2. Dining Plan - We loved it! It was so nice to have our meals pre-paid, and not have to worry about our budget. Also, we got the opportunity to try places we would never have eaten at OOP. Even if we had a car, I don't think we would want to spend time driving out to eat outside the park, unless we didn't have the DDP, in which case we would have gone out looking for "cheaper."
**Having to plan our days around our ADRs got tiring, especially with the bus issue. In the future, I would make our ADRs for TS at lunch, and grab CS for dinner. Also, maybe we could get in without ADRs at some locations for lunch.
**I really think Disney should hold some tables for "walk-ins" - it is really frustrating for people who don't know about the 180 day rule to get a sit down meal. Also, DVC promises priority seating for walk-ins, we noticed both at WDW and DL that "there are no walk-ins available" at any place we checked with or observed.

3. Disney Photopass - be sure you hunt down that camera person every chance you get! It seems that prior to photopass, we were constantly accosted by photographers - now with photopass, we only got a few photos - never saw the cameras We purchased the picture CD, but it only had 19 photos on it.
**I made the photo memory book available on photopass - fun and easy! I love the way it came out and the quality. You do have to be sure the quality of the photos you are using is good.
**Advice - be sure which version you want - either all of your photos, or integrated with photopass park photos - once you start the project, it doesn't let you change your mind.

4. Touring with kids - anticipate taking time to do the "small things." It is really funny how the seemingly mundane experiences were the favorites of our niece and nephew - these are the memory makers.

5. Finally, let yourself be a kid! I think all of us know that here, or we wouldn't be the Disney Nuts we are! Experience the magic every time as though it were the first time!

Okay, I promise I am finished - thanks for indulging me one last time, and happy planning!

 

[loribell]

Hey Tammie! Just finished up your great TR. So sorry you had so much trouble with the bus system. We just got back ourselves from two wonderful weeks @ SSR. Moved around a bit, with adding in Universal too. Ended up with three different rooms in the Grandstand.

If we were in a hurry and had just missed a bus we would head over to the bus stop at the Springs and catch it instead of waiting for the next bus to come. I don't think we ever waited for more than 15 minutes.

Our biggest problems also came while we had extended family with us. Things never go as planned when there are extra people with us and we don't get nearly as much done, especially if there are kids there that aren't used to the touring. But you gotta love the memories that were made by having them there, especially Jedi's thoughts about wishes!

 

[MAGICFOR2]

Hey Tammie! Just finished up your great TR. So sorry you had so much trouble with the bus system. We just got back ourselves from two wonderful weeks @ SSR. Moved around a bit, with adding in Universal too. Ended up with three different rooms in the Grandstand.

If we were in a hurry and had just missed a bus we would head over to the bus stop at the Springs and catch it instead of waiting for the next bus to come. I don't think we ever waited for more than 15 minutes.

Our biggest problems also came while we had extended family with us. Things never go as planned when there are extra people with us and we don't get nearly as much done, especially if there are kids there that aren't used to the touring. But you gotta love the memories that were made by having them there, especially Jedi's thoughts about wishes!

Thanks for reading, LoriBell! You're right, we really did make some good memories - we are still laughing about jedi falling off the chair at HDDR!
I never thought of catching the bus at Springs - guess I didn't know we could beat it there - thanks for the tip! Glad you had such a great time - wouldn't it be great if we could just live there?

 

[Debbie6221]

Me being the talker that I am, I realized that there were a few last comments I had intended to make. Don't know if anyone is still reading, but here goes:

1. Transportation - even though the Disney transportation is free, and we loved the ME service, we figured out that we wasted about 10 hours waiting for the bus. We always seemed to be watching for the one that never came! 10 hours is a full day of vacation wasted!

**My advice - if you are going to be returning to the resort during the day and then going back out, it would be better to just rent a car and save the time waiting for the bus. Exception: SOG. We never experienced any of that frustration when using the SOG system three years ago!

I agree 100%!!!!! We do rent a car now but we also spend too much money staying on monorail resorts as well! Yikes! AKL bus service gave us NO trouble but we were there only two nights. I can tell you horror stories about when we were at Blizzard Beach and Downtown Disney!

3. Disney Photopass - be sure you hunt down that camera person every chance you get! It seems that prior to photopass, we were constantly accosted by photographers - now with photopass, we only got a few photos - never saw the cameras We purchased the picture CD, but it only had 19 photos on it.
LOVE Photopass! It's the best chance too of getting everyone in a picture as a group!

Tammie! You did a great TR!!!! Loved it!!!!!! Glad you are my DisPal!

 

[MAGICFOR2]

Me being the talker that I am, I realized that there were a few last comments I had intended to make. Don't know if anyone is still reading, but here goes:

1. Transportation - even though the Disney transportation is free, and we loved the ME service, we figured out that we wasted about 10 hours waiting for the bus. We always seemed to be watching for the one that never came! 10 hours is a full day of vacation wasted!

**My advice - if you are going to be returning to the resort during the day and then going back out, it would be better to just rent a car and save the time waiting for the bus. Exception: SOG. We never experienced any of that frustration when using the SOG system three years ago!

I agree 100%!!!!! We do rent a car now but we also spend too much money staying on monorail resorts as well! Yikes! AKL bus service gave us NO trouble but we were there only two nights. I can tell you horror stories about when we were at Blizzard Beach and Downtown Disney!

3. Disney Photopass - be sure you hunt down that camera person every chance you get! It seems that prior to photopass, we were constantly accosted by photographers - now with photopass, we only got a few photos - never saw the cameras We purchased the picture CD, but it only had 19 photos on it.
LOVE Photopass! It's the best chance too of getting everyone in a picture as a group!

Tammie! You did a great TR!!!! Loved it!!!!!! Glad you are my DisPal!

Thank you, Debbie! I am glad we are pals, too! Some day we'll have to have a Worry worts meet!