The visit that never ends: POFQ SSR AKL with DS 5 and DD 5 months

[Yarbogash]

Gonna just post general impressions and random thoughts.. This trip is a last Disney hurrah for a time. We udually do WDW and DL each year but due to rising prices and shifting interests we decided to do one big trip and then hold off for a few years till some of the new stuff is finished. We will be doing 3 days POFQ booked via cheaptickets, 7 days 1 br at SSR via rci exchange, 2 days AKL Kidani studio via renting points from an owner. And 4 days thrown in at Indian Rocks Beach for a change in pace. First time at any of these places. Am interested in seeing how these different booking options work out as we have previously when staying onsite just booked direct.

Day 1: Flew into Tampa because of scheduling issues. Bad traffic on 4, loooong drive with unhappy kids (DS 5, DD 5 months). And yours truly could not figure out how to turn on the head lights on in the rental. In our car at home they just come on automatically. So it gets dark and I'm fumbling and it just stayed dark. Thankfully we make it there before pitch blackness sets in but good reminder; check out all the controls before you leave the rental lot!
First stop is POFQ. Made it there alive but late and stressed.Was so hoping Disney had it all right; we got the email with our room #, had MB's from previous visit, walk up to room and it works. We are in and nice room! Clean, in very good shape, bigger than I expected based on some reviews. Towel Mickey waiting. As I heard a pack n play fits nicely behind the curtain to the side. Hidden Mickeys are found and per tradition discoverer gets a prize.After setting up we get a look around and eat at Sassagoula Floatworks. Beautiful resort. Very chill but still fun ambiance. Big change from our last stay on property at AoA which was a bit of a zoo at times. Floatworks was ok. Big negative was I'd been eagerly anticipating trying the jambalaya and it was quite dry and bland. I'll probably give it one more try just because I love jambalaya and maybe it was an off batch. Upside cheese balls from Scat Cats were delicious!Later got a look at the lobby. Magical. They nailed the theme without going overboard. And this us a theme that would be easy to abuse so well done.Downside to online check in is you miss the initial welcome and introduction to the resort that you'd normally get by first visiting the lobby. If a WDW resort is a story you don't want to start halfway thru. At our next stops, SSR and AKL, will try to remember to start in the lobby no matter what.Going to sleep and wife says 'I really like it here. This place is really nice.' Agree.

 

[Yarbogash]

Day 2: Epcot
To me Epcot is weird. Nice but weird. Front end and back end are just so different from each other. And one part is aging a lot better than the other. I like it but the incongruity becomes more obvious each year. But this is DS's favorite park for one reason, Mission Space. It's his favorite ride (green team only), or was when he was 4. Will it still have the same allure? Yes, he still flips out over it. Still focuses intently on doing his job and wants to ride it again and again. When he was 3 he liked riding The Land over and over. How times have changed. This year we introduce him to Test Track. He has not previously liked fast rides but he loves Test Track start to finish. I think the whole experience, from designing your car to the games and showroom at the end is fun as heck. I've never wanted to buy a Chevy more and for a 'Toyota guy' that is saying something. My wife loves the world showcase, I actually like Ellen's Energy Adventure so Epcot is a family fave. But I still think it's weird.