The New Lizard Lounge

[ead79]

Goofy's Muse, I'm sorry to hear about your DD's foot! Ouch! I hope she heals quickly! Moving can be so stressful, so I hope it goes smoothlly from here on out and the house gets finished in time too. Building a house is certainly a long process.

Nancy, thanks for the good wishes about finding a new job. I figure that life is just too short to have to spend 8 hours a day somewhere you don't like! I can totally relate to the guilt thing too--I'm Southern and Baptist, LOL! I just know that you and Kady will have a blast on your next trip!

 

[luvdzne]

OMG, how on earth did I post on the wrong thread! I guess it is still early, please ignore my post.

 

[MinnieSummer]

Okay all of you Poly fans, I have a question. I'm currently booked there for Christmas. 2 rooms, one must be handicapped accessible for my DM and both MUST have connecting doors. When I made the reservations (I had to make two seperate ones in order to get the passholder rate for each ) they "linked" the two rooms but can't guarantee that they will be adjoining. Does anyone know how this works? Also, I'm back to that same question -- what about the decorations? Also, since I doubt that my DM will want to stay in the parks with us all day, is the Poly really the right choice or would I be better off staying at AKL or WL since they have more going on in the Lobby? I would love to do GF but with two rooms it is out of the budget.

 

[ead79]

MinnieSummer, from what I understand, requests for connecting or for adjoining rooms (connecting has the door in the wall that connects the two rooms and adjoining rooms are just two rooms next to each other) can't be guaranteed. I have no clue how it works, but it is my understanding that you can contact Disney's special assistance group that can help make sure you get an accessible room for your DM. Maybe they could help be sure you wind up in a connecting room as well. I wish I knew how to contact them, but hopefully someone else will.

As far as Christmas decorations go, the Polynesian has them, but they aren't super elaborate. They fit well with the island theme though and are pretty. Last year they also had a neat replica of the Poly made from gingerbread on the second floor of the Great Ceremonial House. I agree with you that the AKL and WL have more going on in their lobbies, but I also think that the Polynesian has some wonderful restaurants, which may come in handy if your mom comes back to the hotel early without y'all.

I will say that both the WL and AKL have really elaborate and very pretty Christmas decorations, so if that's a major concern you might be better off there. But they don't have the convenience of the monorail (which would be handy travel-wise for your DM), so factor that in as well. If you're looking for a very Christmassy feel, then the WL is probably your best bet other than the expensive GF.

I hope that helps a little!

 

[MinnieSummer]

Elisabeth: Your point about the monorail is valid especially since we will be spending Christmas Day evening at Epcot for the CP Dinner package. HAve you heard if there are any plans in the works for better decorations at the CR? I think she would enjoy the Grand Concourse there but I was seriously dissappointed in the decorations in previous years.

This has been such a hard year for my DM and I want this trip to be very special for her as it will be the first without her DH of 57years. I can't plan alot of things to do as her health isn't great and she tires easy so the place we stay is very important.

The other option my DH came up with is the BC but I don't know anything about it except that we love breakfast at Cape May. She has stayed at AKL before and really liked it. I'm not fond of WL and the boat transportation to MK just wont work for DM (do they have bus transportation to MK now?) but I think she would like the atmosphere there. The mods are out as they don't really have anything going on that she would enjoy.

Any suggestions?

 

[ead79]

I haven’t heard anything about the decorations at the Contemporary this year. I’m hoping they will change them to fit with the new décor scheme since the rehab, but we’ll see. In years past the CR has definitely had the sparsest decorations, so hopefully they’ll jazz it up a little bit.

The Beach Club has pretty decorations, as do the Yacht Club and BoardWalk Inn. Of the three, the BoardWalk Inn is my favorite. They have gorgeous decorations, plus they tend to have things going on both in the lobby from time to time (like carolers) and outside the rear of the resort on the BoardWalk itself. Will your DM be renting an electric scooter? If so, she could enjoy some relaxing time scooting around the entire BoardWalk area and even head over towards the YC and BC to check them out too. If not, she could keep closer to the BoardWalk itself and browse the shops or enjoy the restaurants. At night the BoardWalk livens up even more with strolling acts (like juggling, a rolling piano player, and carnival style games).

So other than sticking with the Polynesian for it’s monorail access and good restaurants, my other recommendation would be the BoardWalk Inn.

 

[Angel16]

Hi everyone, I am sorry I have not been in the lounge for awhile. I have been very busy at work lately with a new employee and some staffing issues. Our DD and SIL (the one who just got home from Iraq) are in visiting.

MinnieSummar, your Christmas trip to WDW will be a welcome rest for your whole family. How long are you staying? Will you be there for Christmas Day? I do have a couple of suggestions for you and your mom. I would plan to rent a ECV from a private company (off site) this will make things so very much easier for your mom. There are several companies you can rent from, they deliver right to the resort and have them waiting for your arrival at the front desk. They also pick them up from your resort the day you depart. You are able to use them around the resort and during your travels. They are very easy to travel with especially if you are staying at a monorail resort. When we were at the Poly last year we liked to take the ferry to the MK as we were closer to it then the GCH. I plan on using the ferry again this year as we will have strollers with the childeren.

If your mom uses an ECV she will have much more mobility and energy to enjoy herself without having to use it for walking through the parks. If she does want to go back to her room she can easily stop at the GF and enjoy their lobby, music and Christmas decorations. There is a very nice walkway from the Poly to the GF which is wide and easy to navigate. That would be another option for going to and from the GF.

Tim has used a ECV the last two years due to his heart condition and the heat while we have been visiting. We have rented from Walker. They have been wonderful, and gave us a discount for a week rental.

If I can help you with anything else please let me know. We will be there after Thanksgiving. This will be our first Christmas/Thanksgiving trip. Sending you continued prayers and

Angel

 

[MinnieSummer]

ANGEL16: Your post was so timely. We just got back from a quick weekend at CR (free upgrade to Tower Room which was awesome ) for my DD's birthday. While we were there I was talking to a woman in an ECV. She said she started out the trip in a regular wheelchair, which is what we had planned for DM but that a CM suggested switching to an ECV. She said it was the best thing that had happened for her entire party. If you could please give me the name that you rented from -- I didn't even think to get the company she used.

I also checked out various hotel options while there. The DVC won't work because DH and I would end up sleeping on the pull out sofa (sorry but I'm spoiled and that's not happening) and my DD would end up sleeping with her Gragra, which she wouldn't mind except that Gragra might end up with bruises as my DD dances in her sleep (she also sleep walks which is a whole other issue). I didn't realize there was a walkway between Poly and GF. If I changed some of my meal plans to GF instead of BC we could walk back and forth which would work also. The rooms at Poly and BC or BWI seem to be just about the same in size so location is going to be the deciding factor. Although I'm still leaning toward saying the heck with everything else and going with the decorations at AKL. I'm actually going to e-mail pictures of the various hotels to my DM and let her decide where she wants to stay. That way no one can blame me when the hotel isn't exactly right and no one would blame her because, well, she's old.

By the way, this weekend trip was incredible. From the free upgrade, to the MNSSHP, to breakfast at Ohanas, to AK. Everything was really great. I just wish I was still there, laying by the pool, reading a book, but --- I'm at work playing on the computer instead.

 

[ead79]

MinnieSummer, I like your decision strategy--let the grandma decide! LOL! I like your style!

I'm glad to hear that y'all had such a nice trip! Do you have pictures of your tower room? I love the new look of the rooms and can't wait to stay there one day!

I think Angel's suggestion about renting an ECV from a private company is a great one. That way you can use it around the resorts instead of just in the parks like Disney's ECV's.

 

[MinnieSummer]

Sorry for some reason no one thought to take a picture of the room or the view which was beautiful, especially in the morning as the sun came up over bay lake. From our balcony we looked straight down to the pool from the 11th floor. My DD loved it and was really upset that we missed the Boat Parade but we were in the parks. It would have been really cool to watch from the balcony. As for the rooms, they are indeed very nice. The beds are the most comfortable I have slept in at a hotel in a long time. The theming is also very nice, very "contemporary". I would have like to see the original, "out there" colors remain as now it is sort of boring but the style itself is great. Now, if they would just do the lobby and 4th floor, and plan some Christmas decor that was worth looking at, CR would be my new favorite resort (the free upgrade may be swaying my opinion a little here). All in all, it was a great birthday for my DD. We ended up spending Saturday at AK instead of taking out the boats as planned because her friends that came up had never been there and she wanted to show them around. It's so much fun to see a park that you've done a thousand times through the eyes of a new visitor, especially when it is a child.

 

[ead79]

That sounds like a fun birthday for sure! I have heard that they are going to rehab the lobby so that it matches the new color scheme better, which sounds good to me. Let's keep our fingers crossed that some new decorations for Christmas accompany that change.

 

[minniesota]

Good morning everyone!

Hope all is well in the lounge these days. Just wanted to pop in and say hello and let you know you're in my thoughts even though it's been hard to put my feet up and stay long these days.

Things with my dad continue to be a challenge. He completed two weeks of whole brain radiation for the 13 brain tumors (result of melanoma) and is recovering from that. Lots of fatigue, some unsteadiness and hair loss of course. The hope is that he will regain his strength and the tumors will be controlled so his quality of life will be as good as possible. He's still doing pretty well, manages to exercise 30 minutes a day, take an occasional hike in the woods, cheer on his beloved MN Twins and attend all his church functions.

He loves WDW about as much as I do so my DH and I are planning to take my parents to the GF in mid-Dec. I've booked 2 honeymoon rooms in RPC and am busy planning an itinerary. We will spend a lot of time at the resort so I hope our room location provides a great view as well as close proximity to the lounge. I emailed IPO but haven't heard back yet - I'll give them a few days. I hope ADRs won't be too difficult to get -I know we are well within the 180-day mark! Well, I sent them some suggstions and we'll see what they come up with. I just hope my dad is feeling well enough to go with us. Keep him in your prayers.

And if any of you have any ideas about how to make this trip even more special for him let me know. Have a good weekend, everyone!

 

[MinnieSummer]

MINNIESOTA: It's so strange that your post came up this morning when I checked my e-mail. I kept thinking of you all weekend. Wondering how your family was coping. Your DD must be pretty amazing to keep up his exercise schedule while treating the tumors. I hope he is able to continue at this level for a long time. I know what you are going through. The trip to WDW sounds like a perfect plan. One of the reasons I'm trying so hard to make this years Christmas trip so perfect is because of the suffering my DM has gone through this year. WDW memories are great things to hold on to so have a great time and make enough memories to last a lifetime.

I've finally settled on a resort for our Christmas trip -- and convinced my DH it was the right ting to do. We're staying in Grand Floridian. It's booked and deposit placed so I told my DH that it can't be changed without a penalty (he doesn't need to know otherwise -- I'm bad I know). It just made more sense to stay there. The decorations are better, the entertainment is better, the locations is better ... and my DM will love it.

 

[minniesota]

MinnieSummer - Oh yeah! A Christmas stay at GF! Will you be there on Christams Day or is your trip before? I'm sorry I can't remember if you're a GF veteran or if this is your first stay. Seems to me you've stayed there in the past. ANyway, are you making any building requests? Have your started with ADRs yet? Will you attend MVMCP? My plans feel so tentative with my dad's situation but I am going to make some nonetheless. Have fun planning!

 

[Nancyg56]

Good Morning Ladies! Just dropping by to see how the Holiday getaways are coming along.Minniesota: I'm happy to see that you are planning a famiily vacation, and that your Dad is going to join you. I would not underestimate his willpower and inner strength, he seems to be a man who is determined. I cannot imagine having the treatment that he has recieved and continuing the routine that he has managed. I am in awe. I have no suggestions in regards to activities that will make a magical vacation more magical, there are more knowledgeable people here than I. But I would encourage you not to try too hard. My family's best memories of our vacation were of the unplanned times we spent together. I wonder if just spending time together in a lovely location already filled will magical memories may be what your Dad would like. In any case, I know that you will have a wonderful time with your family, who as always remain in my prayers.

Minniesummer: You are so funny! Your Mom will love the ambiance of the GF, and I am sure that your DH wants her both of you to have a little time to just relax and rocoup after the past year. I cannot think of a more beautiful place to enjoy the CHristmas decorations. We stopped by last year to see the Gingerbread House, and I was mesmerized by the decorations throughout the lobby. It had been years since I was at Disney during the Christmas season, back then there was only the CR and the Poly. The decorations at teh CR were stunning, so when I saw them in January I was appalled. Not at all what I had remembered. Then into the GF, and that was what decorating for the Holiday should be! I know that you will have a wonderful time.

I have some wonderful news to share. Chris is due to leave Iraq the 17th of October. He has landed in Maine the past two times, so if he can, he will let us know when they are scheduled to come through.DD and I want to go to the airport to see him land and change planes. I don't want to get my hopes too high becasue everything is pretty up in the air, but if he has a timeframe, we are there! We do not get to see them come home as a group because he is based out of Camp Pendleton. He is coming home the first week in November. Please keep him in your prayers he is so close.......

Tammy: I keep thinking of your talented children. THey must have started at a young age, but when do you know when they have found their niche? I have been watching Kady at her soccer practice, and she seems to take after me . DD wants her to play, and she does enjoy it, but oh my.....she is too funny! DH says I need to stop waving to her as she is too easily distracted as it is, but she is so darn cute! DD says soccer and Karate, but I think more dance and gymnastics.

I hope all is well with everybody, and look forward to hearing more vacation planning.

 

[MinnieSummer]

Nancy: I pray he gets home safely and that he doesn't get one of those extended stays that I keep hearing about. I can only imagine the feelings that must swim through you when you think of what he is doing, the fear and the pride and the love. If I were in your shoes and got to watch him get off the plane at the airport I would probably be sobbing uncontrollably. I will pray that he gets home when planned.

Minniesota: We have never stayed at GF before but it has always been my dream. It was supposed to happen last year but with everything going on with my Dad and the expense of frequent, unplanned trips to PA it just wasn't in the budget. Actually, it's not in this years budget either but I decided I didn't care -- I used the guilt trip on my husband, you know, this has been a horrible year, my Mom deserves sometink wonderful, the hotel is so convenient for two of the parks we plan to go to, etc. I thought I may have to do the tears but he caved when I said my Mom deserved it. No Mother-in-law issues on this front thankfully. As for reservations, thats a tuff one as I don't know how much my Mom will be able to do and I don't want to make plans for in the parks and have her not be able to go sooo On Christmas Eve morning we have reservations at 1900 Park Fare, and for Dinner we reservations at Jiko. On Christmas Day we have reservations for the Candlelight Processional Dinner Package at Coral Reef but at 2:00 so it's more of lunch. I haven't really thought too much about the other things. We arrive on the last day of MVMCP so I'm not sure that we will attend -- although we might go up earlier in December for it. I think that first day will be more about settling in and investigating and shopping.

If anyone has any suggestions of things that I can do with my Mom that don't involve going to the parks, please let me know. I'm counting on the resorts themselves having teh great entertainment that I've seen in the past.

Does anyone remember if the Bell Choir plays at Grand Floridian? I heard it two years ago but can't remember which resort we were at.

 

[Goofy's Muse]

It has been one heck of a long haul but we are finally settling into our new place! Our two closings and the move all took place a week ago Friday. I kept thinking about the old wive's tale about rain on a wedding day as being good luck... we had 2 inches of rain that Friday plus another 2 that Sunday, so let's hope the same rules apply! I suspect most of our grass seed got carried away that weekend, but of course, there's always next spring!

I'm loving all the talk about GF at Christmas. I so wish I could be going, too! We loved our Christmas stay at GF, but really, we loved visiting all the resorts that trip. I've burned just about all my 2006 vacation time on boring, move-related chores, so I've vowed to myself that my 2007 time is for play, play, play! Plus our 25th wedding anniversary is just on the horizon and Goofy is really feeling those ocean breezes (from the cruise deck) calling him!

Let's keep the lounge open late tonight for an extra cordial with some chocolate covered strawberries. There's enough for everyone!

 

[MinnieSummer]

Hi everyone. I'm once again requesting your prayers -- my DM is in the hospital and things don't look good. In the last week she has fallen several times and her diabetes is out of control. Yesterday it went so low they coulnd't get it to register. It took several hours to get it up to 90 where it stayed until this morning when it shot up over 400. Normal for her is around 120. They can't get a handle on what is going on but she keeps telling the nurses that my Dad is calling her. As close as they were I always expected them to go together or within a short time of each other but I'm just not ready for that. I'm totally losing control -- can't breath and have shingles. I spent the morning in the Doctors office and am now sitting in my office trying to remember what it is I have to do. I just kept thinking that you all would pray for us and that things would somehow work out. Thanks and sorry for this post but ...

 

[TammiMcMan]

Oh Minnie , I don't know what to say. You've been through so much already. Unfortunately, this is really typical. My dad prayed and prayed that he would go right after my mother. The possiblilty of losing both parents close together is so hard on the kids, regardless of age. I know it's breaking your heart, but if your dad is truly calling to her, then you need to be strong and tell her it's okay to go. I feel my parents strength around me all the time and I know that they are together. My dad was so lonely when my mom passed on, I think it was a worse pain for me to see him go through that, then when he passed on himself.

My thoughts and prayers are with your family. Please take care of yourself.

 

[Nancyg56]

Minniesummer, my heart is breaking for you. I am so sorry that this is happening so soon after your Dad passed. It is so hard, but if this is meant to be, I pray that you will be strong and let her go. Your faith has helped you to get through the past year, maybe place this in His hands, He knows what is best. I will pray for your Mom and for you, my thoughts are close by.


Nancy