Trip Commando Anonymous – A 7 Step Plan w/Pics (The End)

[Minnie]

I almost decided not to give this trip writing business a go but I’ve been so down in the dumps since we returned that I decided to say what the heck and give it a whirl. If nothing else it will help me preserve the memories for future years when my son thinks it is un cool to go to WDW with this mom and grandma

This trip was intended to be pure relaxation from a busy life that has literally had my mom and me down and almost but not quite out for about the past year. We sooooo needed this trip and I sooooo wanted to curb my commando ways and find a way to relax. Somehow though best laid plans aren’t always well best followed. So that is how the title for this trip was born

Let’s step back just a minute and introduce the cast members of this trip.

Mom – Otherwise known as Grandma or the most wonderful mom/grandma on the planet. Without her these escapes to WDW would not be possible. This is the wonder woman that bought my and my son’s first annual passes

Son – Otherwise known as as he is a handful even at age 12. He is very immature for his age due to medical issues but has recently turned a corner and this trip was his reward for a complete year on the A honor roll (major accomplishment for this ADD child)

Me – Otherwise known as an A type personality, trip planner extraordinaire, and trip commando.

Traveling Plutopants – Otherwise known as the best dog of the Maelstromers. This little guy comes complete with his own box and passport

UCD – Otherwise known as Uninvited Creepy Dee that will show his nasty face later in the week. Stay tuned and be warned as he stalked the BC pool area

Pretrip:

I’ve got a secret to share with just you Disers. Did you realize that there are those among that are not WDW lovers ((gasp))!! So many do not understand why we needed to take this week long trip after our quick weekend getaway less than two months ago. Well any good Diser could tell you that a weekend trip is just not enough and that APs cannot be allowed to sit unused. Why they just shrivel up and expire

So with my dad and fiancée being indulgent but still thinking we’re a little crazy they gave their blessings (like they had a choice ) and we booked the airfare during an Airtran special deal on non-stop flights.

As the trip planner extraordinaire it was up to me truly to stalk the resort board and decide where we were staying. While my mom and I really preferred to head back to our “home” at the Wilderness Lodge my son was set on the Beach Club. The Travel Channel special had ensnared him and I made the mistake of saying that this trip was for him due to the extra special hard work he had done this year to make a complete turn around at school. Only those of you with children that have struggled in school would understand when I literally did cry every quarter at report card time but this last year in happy amazed tears at what my ADD child was finally accomplishing

So what did this now teary-eyed softy of a mom do?? Well of course I stalked the resort code board for the AP rates and made those ten zillion calls (sorry CRO) to finally secure our week long stay at the coveted Beach Club Resort.

At this point the planning went into over drive. I had PSs or for those new to the game ADRs to make. I had a spreadsheet with dates and times to plan out how to best use those extra magical hours. I had a rental car to book – scored a great convertible through Thrifty (or thought I had anyway). This ended up being a very large joke on us but that will be revealed during Step 1 of the trip

I even planned in a day away from WDW ((gasp)) to take my space crazy son to Kennedy Space Center and the ocean. One of these two turns out great one is an absolute waste of well everything. Can you intrepid reader guess which? The answer to this quiz will be posted during Step 3

Up next: Step 1 - Traveling, BC check-in, Mama Melrose & Fantasmic

 

[discominnie1]

More more more

Please

 

[novdisneydreams]

Great Start ! Looking for more ...

 

[KarlaG4Kids]

I hope you don't take too long to post step 1, I'm already very interested. I think we would get along just FINE...I've been referred to as the Disney World Natzi by my family!!!

 

[Minnie]

I hope you don't take too long to post step 1, I'm already very interested. I think we would get along just FINE...I've been referred to as the Disney World Natzi by my family!!!

I take that as a compliment don't you

Breakfast for my pre-diabetic mother??? Come on do you really need to eat??? Okay I'm not quite that bad but close. There are fast passes to get people. Move it move it.....

 

[Minnie]

Now this is really not quite the joke it sounds like. A couple years ago we had one of those middle of the night (okay it was 5 am but that is middle of the night unless you are going to EMH hours at WDW). Anyhoo we stayed at a local motel with free transport to the airport across the way. Arrived in plenty of time at the front desk to find…. No airport transport. Running way late and still across town . We made it as the last passengers on the plane. Then later that same trip we got lost returning the rental car and made another last dash on to the plane. So ever since my mom has become just slightly paranoid and we are 9 times out of 10 extremely early (hmmm well let’s just say you can read about that 1 time out of 10 during Step 7). Sorry mom… LYMI.

Okay so anyhoo my mom arrived at my house at the crack of dawn or the beginning of EMH hours at the MK and we loaded all the luggage and headed towards the airport. In the luggage was my trust brand spanken new top of the line laptop I would be taking extra special care of that baby as it was my link to the MBA program that didn’t see Disney as an excuse to take a week off (see Step 2 for info on this) – once again Sorry mom…. LYMI.

Thankfully my mom has embraced technology and had printed out our boarding passes ahead of time so we easily dropped off our checked luggage, made a quick stop for snacks, and still had plenty of time to enjoy free high speed internet access (last such service for 7 days). Why its $10 bucks a day at WDW resorts and free in the airport is just another one of Disney’s best kept secrets along with those darn AP rate release dates

Our flight was painless but coming back well gentle reader let’s just say I’ll save that for Step 7. Luggage went fairly quickly considering they were dropping 5 planes worth on one carousel and we headed towards the Thrifty buses.

This is where we should have realized the gig was up. Packed in like sardines and they were trying to add on more should have told us something about the service that was heading our way….. Hertz – not exactly

Have to end it here but when I return we’ll deal with the first “fun” encounter with Thrifty.

 

[KarlaG4Kids]

Minnie

Boy....I really do like you! OF COURSE it is a GOOD thing! Our families wouldn't have had nearly as great of times if we weren't "SHOWING" them the best of WDW! Keep up the good work!

 

[scrap4u]

So far so good! I can't wait to read more!

 

[fizz13]

Loving the start, am very intrigued by your promise of much to come, keep it comin

 

[Alicnwondrln]

nice start cant wait to read more

 

[bahsdad]

you got my attention

 

[Minnie]

Thank you to all that have posted. My DS will be a teenager (13) in less than a month now so these trips and the memories they allow us to make are priceless

I love a great deal nearly as much as I love WDW so the email from Thrifty for a convertible for cheap was a deal I just couldn’t pass up. Well you know what they say about great deals and too good to be true….

After the sardine can they called a bus emptied we stood in awe over the lines. They went as far as the eye could see in all different directions. I dropped my son off with the luggage in front of the Sea World video (knew for certain no muscle would be moved) and mom and I jumped in line. I have never understood what takes some folks so long to handle the rental car counter. It’s pretty easy really. Hand over your confirmation, say no to the upgrade rip off, the insurance and the $900 per gallon gas refill, sign your life away and go grab your car. Not too tough but apparently some folks just don’t follow the logic

Since I could tell that I’d get my first gray hair before the line moved along my mom and I played guess the vacation of those at the counter. This one couple with the four stepping stone toddlers you could just see running you over with the four wide Disney strollers on the way to Winnie the Pooh. The other couple with the two kids that were already arguing over the rental car you could already see the meltdown as they argued in the middle of the Happiest Place on Earth

Oh well finally it was our turn and DS was still amazed by the commercial so we were ready to go. We went all the way through handing over the confirmation and saying no to all the rip off crap, but wait no car. Hmm something was up but what was it? I’d seen convertibles in the lot so I knew they had them. After multiple calls in a language I don’t speak the Thrifty lady told us our number and we drug my son away from Sea World, took our lives in our own hands and crossed the tuna can line over to see….. A van???? What come on now even little ol have no idea what that light means on the car knows that is not a convertible

My trip commando instincts are on over drive my this point. In my mind I see the grains of beach sand and pixie dust slipping away so I leave my family at the lot and march back into Thrifty. Now my mama didn’t raise no fool so I knew to be nice. However the jerk at the counter and I nearly tangled as he was sure that there was a convertible and that I must have mistaken the number. Okay buddy your talking to an accountant I think I can read the number 19!!!!!!!

I took a deep breath battened down the A type attitude and ask him to take a walk with me. He was having none of that and instead walked out a door into the back. I waited and waited and waited and finally he said I needed to sign this new form and had a new car number for me. No apology no sorry to waste your pixie dust beach sand slipping Florida sunshine time. Nada nothin. We trooped back out through the sardine cans and found our convertible. A pretty navy blue, black top, black interior Chrysler Sebring that was also pretty blazin hot. Oh well we had a car and we were keeping it. We somehow found a way to fit all the luggage in the tiny trunk (those suckers are deceiving – there is no fricken way a family of 4 could get all there luggage in that sucker unless all they brought was Mel’s 16 string bikinis

We laughed and waved goodbye to Thrifty safe in the knowledge that we had escaped and would not have to deal with them again for a week – well ya know how sometimes when you laugh it is not always you who laughs last????? Yep I betya do but I’ll leave that for Step 2.

Gotta go again. Up next we’ll check in at the Beach Club, slurp up some Beaches & Crème, and give SAB a whirl to finish up Step 1.

 

[Minnie]

Gentle reader I last left you when we were laughing about our escape from Thrifty. We then headed out to pay those required tolls on the way to our favorite place on earth. On one of our newbie years we were unaware of how simply driving down a road cost more than gas it cost tolls. Now we began to wonder if just perhaps the Florida highway department had been to Disney a few times and saw the dump shops and figured a toll both set up every few moments would be similar after all it wouldn’t shock those coming back at all and heck it would even be helpful to the tourists – sort of a welcome to Disney prices.

We made it through the traffic – rush hour at 5pm on a Saturday??? Okay so be it we made it through. We followed the directions to the Epcot area resorts (thankfully we did our research this round, ever try to find the WL and not know it is near the Magic Kingdom??? Fun times – not) and easily found the entrance to the Beach Club.

As we pulled in my mom and I looked at each other and the distance from the guest parking to the possible room locations and said as one “valet”!! We pulled up and heard magical words that would have saved us major bucks over the last year – the DDE card provides free valet parking – who knew???? Apparently no one but the valet guys but that is a story for Step 7.

After this find we headed in to the Beach Club with our luggage, settled my son down in front of the cartoons – surprise surprise – and mom and I headed over to check in. We went through all of the normal stuff – was never asked for our AP by the way (only place so far that has is the Pop?????) and was quickly given room keys.

Now here is where I was hoping for a little tiny sprinkle of pixie dust but allas it was not to happen. I had only made two room requests – full balcony and a day bed and you guessed it none of those were granted. We were given a room that if you craned your neck you could see the lake but the tiny balcony didn’t even have room for a chair so it simply wasn’t going to do.

I knew that if you got lucky and were very nice the CMs would try to help you. I asked pretty please if anything else was available as my son is a kicker and I really really really needed that day bed. The CM working with us was a real sweet heart and since they were not busy both front desk CMs tried to help us but no other rooms at the inn happened to be available. She said wait just a moment and headed for the back….

Here is where our pixie dust shower happened. While we couldn’t move this evening they would provide us with a roll away for no charge and had a perfect room with a full balcony, no smoking, upper floor, close to the pool and you guessed it – the all important day bed!!!!!!!! Woohoo!!!!!!!!! Thank you to the CM that worked so hard to make this work for us.

Here is something I was soooo proud of and soooo thankful to all the help that I had received on the Dis earlier in the year. This spreadsheet making overplanner had impressed her mom and got exactly what we wanted, waiting one evening was not bad at all.

I have to leave you here but will return to take you on a tour of Beaches ‘n Crème and SAB.

 

[jackdis]

Love it so far!!!!!!!

 

[Backstage_Gal]

Just want to say, great report, Minnie!!! Keep it up, I enjoy reading it, very entertaining. Just sorry you didnt like the BC so much.

 

[sharkbait89]

We will be staying at the Beach Club starting this Sat. Did you get free valet pariking with your DDE for your whole stay? I thought there was probably some sort of time limit like just long enough to dine?

 

[roberrl187]

I am hooked. Great report. I look forward to the next installment.

 

[Minnie]

First thanks again to everyone that has posted

Just want to say, great report, Minnie!!! Keep it up, I enjoy reading it, very entertaining. Just sorry you didnt like the BC so much.

Marita - Thank you so much sweetie for reading and posting on my TR. I know I said I wasn't planning on writing one but I've been so depressed since we got back that I needed to do something to keep the Disney feeling going

BTW - It wasn't that I didn't like the BC it was that it didn't hold up the WL which is a standard that I hold all resorts to. It was our first stay on property and so far nothing has compared. The BC has some great things going for it (location, location, location) and all the CMs were outstanding it just wasn't the WL

We will be staying at the Beach Club starting this Sat. Did you get free valet pariking with your DDE for your whole stay? I thought there was probably some sort of time limit like just long enough to dine?

Yes we did get free valet with our DDE card. We thought the same thing you did but the valet told us differently. This is also good for every resort you go to so just let them know when you arrive. (I’ll send you a PM with the details).

 

[Minnie]

Okay I last left you as we were enjoying our pixie dust shower from the CM. When we reached our room for the night I could only wish that it had been the full balcony and the day bed because the location was perfect. Right above the main exit of the Beach Club on the 4th floor. If a chair would have fit it would have been a great partial view of the lake. Oh well it would work for the night at least. We decided to live out of the suitcases for the night to be ready to move in the morning

Here is a picture from the teeny tiny balcony (will add later)

We were starving at this point as the McDonald’s biscuit from the morning was a long way away at this point. It was close to dinner time but we decided to give Beaches ‘n Crème a try to see if they could seat us. After teasing my son with SAB we asked to be seated. They only had the counter available without a wait so we decided to grab it. This was a great decision as they happened to make not 1, not 2, but 3 Kitchen Sinks right in front of us. I couldn’t believe the production that goes into making these. My review of all restaurants will go on the restaurant board but I will say if you get a chance go! The food was simple yet fabulous

At this point my son was pool ready. We headed back to the room to change. Once in we found the promised roll away had already been delivered so I would be surviving this vacation kick free!!! The service we received at the BC was wonderful from start to finish. We quickly changed into swimwear and headed for the SAB.

This is where we first learned about the SAB maze. Surely gentle reader you have heard about this too? Since the SAB is gated the guests of the resorts have to follow a maze to enter this sanctuary. The first time we went the wrong way which took us clear out to the pirate ship and back around to the entrance. Since it was later in the day the towel guard (CM) was not in action so we quickly gathered some towels and found a chair to sit down on. This is the first time when SAB let us down. Imagine my son just steps away from the pool with almost a toe in the water. When……

Woops sorry I’ve gotta go again. I’ll pick back up here next time.

 

[KarlaG4Kids]

OK...now cut that OUT! You don't want me to commit computer murder when I get frustrated and can't read any more! Don't leave me hanging here!