The Whimsical Spirit of the Conch Republic - a June TR - Day 4-Part 3 updated 7/17

[jecskc]

I have really enjoyed reading your trip report... I noticed ya'll have on South Carolina shirts.. We are from SC too. We are in Prosperity. Where are ya'll? We are going to Disney in September!

Thanks for reading and stopping to say hello !!

We live just on the edge of West Columbia almost in Lexington !! So you are just up the road from us !! Gooo Gamecocks !!

We are going in September, too. The 7th - 14th. Can't wait !!

 

[jecskc]

Love the update! So many great pictures!

I can't wait to see Storybook Circus. It just looks so cute!

Funny you talk about the splash area. In my last update on my PTR, I was talking about how I will need to distract my 4 year old from that area. I can definitely see a meltdown happening right about then. But, I plan to bribe him with promises of riding race cars & Buzz Lightyear. Let's hope it works!

I would just bring a change of clothes (bring underwear, too) and some flip flops. Put the flip flops on him and send him in. Let him play and get soaked. Then, change his clothes and put his park shoes back on. Let him have fun !!

 

[Marsheliz]

Oh wow, that's neat. You are right, GO COCKS.
Since you are going the same direction we are- what is a good hotel that is halfway? We have an infant and a year old and are thinking about leaving he night before.
We are going September 21-25th. Where are yall staying this time?

 

[jecskc]

Oh wow, that's neat. You are right, GO COCKS.
Since you are going the same direction we are- what is a good hotel that is halfway? We have an infant and a year old and are thinking about leaving he night before.
We are going September 21-25th. Where are yall staying this time?

We always drive straight through. DH can make it in under 7 hours. If I were you, I would get up super early (when the baby wakes up) and go. I wouldn't waste the money on a hotel room. But that is just me and everyone is different. Sorry I can't help with that ..... We have a DVD player in the car. That really helps with our kids. But I don't know if yours are old enough for that to hold their interest. I do remember travelling with little ones can be very taxing.

Man ... we will just miss you ... we are staying at Wilderness Lodge Villas.

At least you will get to do Food and Wine. Have a Parisian Cosmo Slushie for me !!!

 

[Marsheliz]

We did that last time and just kind of want to stay somewhere halfway so we dont have to be stuck in the car for what will seem like forever.. Only bad thing about Disney. :/ And my mother has Stage 4 cancer and I don't know if she can handle being in car that long (sick).
Are yall DVC members? How do you get into doing that?

 

[jecskc]

We did that last time and just kind of want to stay somewhere halfway so we dont have to be stuck in the car for what will seem like forever.. Only bad thing about Disney. :/ And my mother has Stage 4 cancer and I don't know if she can handle being in car that long (sick).
Are yall DVC members? How do you get into doing that?

I am soo sorry about your Mom. You know .... cancer SUCKS. But the one (and only) good thing I can say about it is that it gives you time to say goodbye. At least that was the case with my DH's parents.

I can totally understand you wanting to stop. Maybe start a thread on the Theme Park Strategies board and see what people say. I will ask my friend Pixie Princess. She drives from Atlanta which can be over 8 hours and sometimes they stop, but I am not sure where.

We are DVC members. We rented DVC points last June 2011 (trip report in my signature - the one about the lollipop). After staying DVC, my DH was hooked and we bought in right then and there. Have LOVED it ever since !!!

 

[Pixie Princess]

I think it would be cool to be evacuated from a ride. You know, see some behind the scenes stuff.

Whew! I didn't want to say that for fear that I might come across as some crazy Disney geek, but I see I'm in good company. It was pretty cool getting walked off that ride. For the blue train there wasn't much to see, but it was neat seeing the evac process in action. And let me tell you, when they tell you stay seated until a CM comes to get you, you really should. They were very specific about where we could step and where we couldn't lest we fall through structure to the ground below. Personally, I would not want to take my chances strolling along looking for the way out.

 

[Pixie Princess]

AWESOME picture!!! I LOVE it!!! You are right, THAT right there is why you go to Disney. Or seeing your little girl (in my case) light up with joy when she finally sees her favorite princess in person. Or, even when they get older and they do silly stuff, like oh I don't know, heave the "log" at the Brave Highland Games so hard that they nearly take out the nearby shade umbrella. Good times, good times.

That splash pad rocks! Your pictures are much better than mine. I was cursing myself for not bringing the good camera with me. I wanted to some good pics of the water spraying from the various animals, but I couldn't get close enough to get good shots with my phone. I would have been soaked through and we were leaving that day. You are absolutely right. A change of clothes is in order for those that choose to splash and play.

 

[Pixie Princess]

We did that last time and just kind of want to stay somewhere halfway so we dont have to be stuck in the car for what will seem like forever.. Only bad thing about Disney. :/ And my mother has Stage 4 cancer and I don't know if she can handle being in car that long (sick).
Are yall DVC members? How do you get into doing that?

I am soo sorry about your Mom. You know .... cancer SUCKS. But the one (and only) good thing I can say about it is that it gives you time to say goodbye. At least that was the case with my DH's parents.

I can totally understand you wanting to stop. Maybe start a thread on the Theme Park Strategies board and see what people say. I will ask my friend Pixie Princess. She drives from Atlanta which can be over 8 hours and sometimes they stop, but I am not sure where.

We are DVC members. We rented DVC points last June 2011 (trip report in my signature - the one about the lollipop). After staying DVC, my DH was hooked and we bought in right then and there. Have LOVED it ever since !!!

Hey Marsheliz- So sorry to hear about your mom! I don't think I travel the same way you'd go from Prosperity. I travel down I-75, and I imagine you do the I-26 to I-95 thing. My sister went on a cruise just prior to Christmas and they stopped in Savannah on their way down from NC. Seems like that would be right around the half-way mark for you.I Facebooked her and asked where they stayed. I'll let you know what she says. If Savannah seems like a good stopping point, I can also ask my MIL if she has anywhere she could recommend. She and my FIL visit Savannah every so often. I'm not sure if they stay in the city or more outside of the city.

I would also suggest asking for recommendations on the Transportation board and possibly the resort board as well as TPAS. If by some chance you do travel down I-75 through GA, just let me know. I can shoot some recommendations your way. We've only split the trip up once, and in that instance we went most of the way down, so my personal experience wouldn't be too valuable. But I've made enough trips that way that I know where I'd stay if I needed to.

Good luck! We'll be down there right after you. Sept. 28- Oct. 2.

 

[marDgreen88]

They weren't kidding when they said Splash and SOAK, huh?

THAT PICTURE IS PERFECT!!!

 

[Nermel9]

Joining in! I have to go back and get caught up, I just wanted to make sure to sub!

 

[jecskc]

Whew! I didn't want to say that for fear that I might come across as some crazy Disney geek, but I see I'm in good company. It was pretty cool getting walked off that ride. For the blue train there wasn't much to see, but it was neat seeing the evac process in action. And let me tell you, when they tell you stay seated until a CM comes to get you, you really should. They were very specific about where we could step and where we couldn't lest we fall through structure to the ground below. Personally, I would not want to take my chances strolling along looking for the way out.

I read on someone's TR that they evacuated EE when the train was stuck on the hill. I gotta say, that would be cool and scary at the same time.

AWESOME picture!!! I LOVE it!!! You are right, THAT right there is why you go to Disney. Or seeing your little girl (in my case) light up with joy when she finally sees her favorite princess in person. Or, even when they get older and they do silly stuff, like oh I don't know, heave the "log" at the Brave Highland Games so hard that they nearly take out the nearby shade umbrella. Good times, good times.

That splash pad rocks! Your pictures are much better than mine. I was cursing myself for not bringing the good camera with me. I wanted to some good pics of the water spraying from the various animals, but I couldn't get close enough to get good shots with my phone. I would have been soaked through and we were leaving that day. You are absolutely right. A change of clothes is in order for those that choose to splash and play.

My DD tossed her log backwards over her head instead of forward. It was pretty funny. Yep, that photo of her on the Barnstormer is going in my scrap book for sure. I just love it !!!

I don't really feel like I got great photos f the splash pad for the same reason. I did not want to get too close. The water that thing puts out is crazy !!!

 

[jecskc]

They weren't kidding when they said Splash and SOAK, huh?

THAT PICTURE IS PERFECT!!!

It s the king of splash pads !!! If you need to cool off, it would be the place to be. If you are wearing a white shirt ???? Not so much. Because you will be soaked.

Love that photo !!! Thanks !!

How many more days ??? Can you stand the waiting ???

 

[jecskc]

Joining in! I have to go back and get caught up, I just wanted to make sure to sub!

Hey girl !!! Happy to have you stop in !!!

 

[Marsheliz]

Thank you so much for the pointers ya'll. We may just have to drive and chance trying to find a hotel along the way when we get tired. Can't wait until you finish your trip report

I would love to do the DVC but I am not exactly sure how it works

 

[jecskc]

Thank you so much for the pointers ya'll. We may just have to drive and chance trying to find a hotel along the way when we get tired. Can't wait until you finish your trip report

I would love to do the DVC but I am not exactly sure how it works

Glad we could help.

Think about taking a DVC tour. The DVC kiosks are everywhere so you can set one up anytime. They SAY it takes about an hour and a half, but ours took over 3 hours. So be prepared that it will take a while. They do have a nursery for your children.

DVC is similar to a timeshare and you buy a certain number of points to use each year. Some people see it as a good value ..... some don't. Personally, I feel like it is more of a luxury than a financial investment. But we are fortunate enough to afford the luxury and we very much enjoy it.

 

[jecskc]

Day 3 – Part FIVE

After riding the Barnstormer, since it was so crowded, we headed over to see Mickey’s Philharmagic because the lines were so long for everything.

I took some photos on the way.

Loved Philharmagic as usual.

Then we went over to check the line for BTMRR.

We got in line even but it wasn’t moving. Even the Fast Pass line was backed up, so we decided to do it later when we could get a fast pass for it. So we got out of line and headed over to POTC and rode that with about a 5-10 minute wait.

It was time for DS and I to ride Space Mountain, so we went back to Tomorrowland while DH and DD went to get us FP’s for BTMRR and then ride the carousel and the teacups.

We had two sets of fast passes for Space Mountain.

We waited a while to get on even with fast passes, so we decided not to use the second set and just gave them to a very happy lady and her little girl. The little girl asked, “you mean we can ride right now ?? No waiting ??” They were super pumped. We were glad that they went to good use.

We got back over just as DH and DD were getting on the Tea Cups.

After they were done, we headed over to Haunted Mansion.

We had just enough time to use our FP’s for BTMRR (sorry no photos) and then it was time for our ADR for Liberty Tree Tavern.

 

[amandaw]

Fun afternoon! I love that y'all gifted a set of FP's! I love doing that - feels like you're helping to spread pixie dust!

We ate at LTT last May for the 1st time. We enjoyed our dinner there - especially the turkey.

 

[jecskc]

Fun afternoon! I love that y'all gifted a set of FP's! I love doing that - feels like you're helping to spread pixie dust!

We ate at LTT last May for the 1st time. We enjoyed our dinner there - especially the turkey.

I always try to gift fast passes. There is no point in letting them go to waste.

Yes, we enjoyed our dinner there. I show food porn in the next update

 

[Pixie Princess]

Thank you so much for the pointers ya'll. We may just have to drive and chance trying to find a hotel along the way when we get tired. Can't wait until you finish your trip report

I would love to do the DVC but I am not exactly sure how it works

My sister got back with me, and they stayed at a Hampton Inn off I-95. She said she believes it was the one near the airport. She had no complaints about the place. I wish I knew more about that part of state that I could recommend other potential stopping points. I have lived here over 20 years and have never been to the coast. Something is not right about that. Hmm... I feel a weekend trip coming on....