Trip Number 9 ~ It's the Most Wonderful Time of Year ~ Christmastime at the GF & Poly

[sjs314]

ShellySo glad thanks to you I got to see the decorations at BC/YC. We both became ill the day we were going to head over there and ended up coming back from Epcot about 1pm and ended up spending the rest of that day and night in our room and unfortunately the next day we had limited time since ME was picking us up at 4pm so never did get over there.

OMG I was debating about buying Clarence I loved him!

We loved the YC just not SAB. We used the quiet pool which was right near a smaller hot tub no clue if the set up is the same but much better than SAB, I think you will like it and saving $1000 is Great! Love Your Agency

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

I still hate it so bad that y'all had such a bad time at the BC!! Maybe this YC trip will redeem that whole area for you!! I think I personally might like the decor of the YC over the BC~it's a little more Nautical...well, it used to be,,not sure if they have changed it any since the last time I looked at all the pictures of the rooms.
And add me to the haters club~Clarence is evil

I really do hope the YC redeems the whole area for us!! If not we probably won't go back to either, even with a $1000 savings! Really hoping SAB isn't such a zoo this time!

Oh Clarence is a lot of fun if you just give him a chance!!

I hope you love it as well! We didn't mind SaB but I think that it was because when we stayed at the BC, we had just gotten off the Fantasy and SaB felt like a football field compared to the pools on the ship It didn't feel crowded at all to us! Maybe a little loud, but we liked the energy. Had it been more of a "relax by the pool with a book kind of a day" I would have felt MUCH differently.

And I will definitely be coming to you for one of those deals if the day comes we stay at the Poly or the YC!! It's nice having the DVC points, but it's also nice being able to rent them out and stay at other resorts or see somewhere new. I'm not sure if I told you over here or not, (I seriously have the worst memory ever....) but we sold off all of our remaining points after our January trip for a cruise to Alaska this year! We leave on my birthday (46 days!! ) for Vancouver.

I'm excited to see somewhere else, but I will definitely be missing Disney. This will probably be the longest stretch without us going. It will be at LEAST a year and a half between trips. Maybe almost 2....

SAB was nightmare last time. So crowded and so LOUD all the time! Definitely not ever a - 'let's go relax by the pool' kind of place.

Yeah, you had mentioned going on an Alaskan Cruise. That will be nice.

I'd like to try other places, but in the end we always just want to go back to Disney!! There is only 8 months between our last trip and the next one and I don't know how we are going to make it!! I am sitting here listening to Reddy Creek Radio thinking that I am never going to make it until August.

ShellySo glad thanks to you I got to see the decorations at BC/YC. We both became ill the day we were going to head over there and ended up coming back from Epcot about 1pm and ended up spending the rest of that day and night in our room and unfortunately the next day we had limited time since ME was picking us up at 4pm so never did get over there.

OMG I was debating about buying Clarence I loved him!

We loved the YC just not SAB. We used the quiet pool which was right near a smaller hot tub no clue if the set up is the same but much better than SAB, I think you will like it and saving $1000 is Great! Love Your Agency

I didn't realize you and your DH had gotten sick on your last trip. That stinks. I'm sorry you missed the YC & BC decorations. Hope you enjoyed the pics!

Clarence is awesome!! My kids are so bummed we aren't staying there.

Well hopefully our YC room will be nice and clean. And SAB won't be quite as crazy this time. If it is we will just have to find that quiet pool and relax there. Oh and spend a lot of time over at the BW.

 

[Grumpy's Wife]

The decorations are just beautiful. That's for sharing.

 

[ddluvsdisney]

I love the BW!! I also love the BC I know you had a bad experience but its one of my favorites.

I never did see the Christmas decorations at the BW area. Can't wait to go this year!!

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

The decorations are just beautiful. That's for sharing.

You're welcome!

I love the BW!! I also love the BC I know you had a bad experience but its one of my favorites.

I never did see the Christmas decorations at the BW area. Can't wait to go this year!!

You'll be able to go lots of times of the year now!!

 

[Mndisneygirl]

I
And I will definitely be coming to you for one of those deals if the day comes we stay at the Poly or the YC!! It's nice having the DVC points, but it's also nice being able to rent them out and stay at other resorts or see somewhere new. I'm not sure if I told you over here or not, (I seriously have the worst memory ever....) but we sold off all of our remaining points after our January trip for a cruise to Alaska this year! We leave on my birthday (46 days!! ) for Vancouver.

I'm excited to see somewhere else, but I will definitely be missing Disney. This will probably be the longest stretch without us going. It will be at LEAST a year and a half between trips. Maybe almost 2....

You must be going on one of the first cruises to Alaska this summer! We are going at the end - August 19! If you are going DCL (which I presume you are), PLEASE let me know all about it!
I feel the same way - we were at WDW in October and don't know when we'll be back since we're doing the cruise in August. It's going to be tough!

Shelly - great pics of the decorations - I love the gingerbread carousel!

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

Shelly - great pics of the decorations - I love the gingerbread carousel!

Thanks!

 

[Bethislucy]

Late to the party but enjoyed reading through your reports so far. Sounds like a nice trip even with a few bumps along the way.

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

Late to the party but enjoyed reading through your reports so far. Sounds like a nice trip even with a few bumps along the way.

Beth! So glad you have joined us. It was a great trip! Lots more to report on. Hope you enjoy! Feel free to post anytime.

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

After our Epcot resort tour we quickly walked back over to Epcot for our 1:30pm ADR at LeCellier for lunch.

We got there about 5 minutes or so before our ADR time. There were people everywhere. I made my way up through the crowd and got us checked in. I knew from the looks of things that they had to be running behind. Plus Jodi had told me that they had to wait well past their 2:00 ADR time a few days before.

So we went outside and waited a while.

And a while longer. And a while longer. Finally we made our way inside and stood there for a bit. Then a little bench came open and we took a seat. The CM at the podium was trying to make everyone's wait more pleasant by asking us some Disney trivia. It was a nice gesture, but we were very hungry and not in the mood!! The kids were complaining that they were starving. We are used to having lunch a few hours earlier and only had this late ADR because of the whole fiasco of them not releasing any LC ADR's right away because of the Candlelight Processional packages.

We waited a while longer and it was now after 2:00 and I said to DH – we've got to get these kids something to eat and I am getting a migraine! I hated to be one of those people, but I went up to the desk and asked how much longer it would be. And magically, we were next!

So we were finally seated. The service was pretty good and quick once we were seated. We placed our orders and then our server brought us some breadsticks.

The kids both got a little salad with their meal, which they didn't want, so DH & I ate them. They were okay. The ranch dressing was a little bitter though.

DS11 got elbow pasta, which usually comes with turkey marinara, but he got his plain with butter on the side.

I don't even remember what DS13 got and for some reason I don't have a picture. Maybe he got the same as DS11 and that's why I didn't take a picture. IDK. I'll have to ask him...

I got the Prime NY Strip Steak. I wanted a baked potato, but it wasn't available during lunch, so I had fries instead.

I asked for it well done and that's what I got! Extra well done. It was okay, but didn't have a lot of taste. The last time I was at LC several years ago I asked for it well done and it came out bleeding. I never send things back, but that thing was still alive! It came back out with the outside well done but the center of the streak still medium rare at best. So I was glad it was done this time, but it was a little overdone.

DH got the filet mignon with risotto. He liked it a lot.

When it came time for dessert DH & I were pretty full, but I have always made room for the delicious Campfire Smores dessert they have at LC. Sadly for me they no longer have it. So we didn't get anything. The kids both got the Chocolate Mousse!

All in all we had a decent meal. Wasn't happy with how long past our ADR time we had to wait to be seated, and my steak could have been a little less um...hard. DH enjoyed his meal a lot but has always felt that LC is way over-priced for the atmosphere and what you get.


Total Bill:$85.55
Rating: 7 out of 10


And now we needed to get out of there and back to Soarin before our FP's ran out! They were good for 2:30-3:30 and we figured we had plenty of time since our lunch was at 1:30. But considering we weren't seated until after 2:00, it was now after 3:00.



Up Next: Soarin, Living with the Land, Mission Space, and Spaceship Earth!

 

[sjs314]

Shelly we missed our Le Cellier ADR in Dec as that was the evening we were sick all day and night, when I cancelled because of illness. They did not charge us

Loved your story about the not so well done steak last time, My friend who I went to WDW with in 2006 asked for their steak "burnt" since they did not want to see any blood, boy was it ever Burnt

I think Le Cellier always runs late I know we waited about 45 mins in March

 

[JoBird]

We had the same feeling about LC this trip. It was good, but not "oh-my-gosh-this-is-wonderful-I'm-so-happy-I-waited-two-hours-for-a-table-not-to-mention-it-was-a-pain-in-the-butt-to-book-it", good.


Sadly, with the changes to the menu and what you get for the money, we won't be back in the foreseeable future. They just cram you in there so tight--- It was bad before with what you paid, now they took the Burger off the menu and that was what the kids loved and they upped the prices and still smush you in there. Yep, not going back.

Sorry you got a migraine from having to wait. I could tell in that picture your head was hurting--- your eyes look like mine do when I get one.

Can't believe you were cutting it so close to your FP time with having to wait. I wonder if they would have given you a grace period if you told them your ADR at LC had been held up??

 

[JoBird]

And I will definitely be coming to you for one of those deals if the day comes we stay at the Poly or the YC!! It's nice having the DVC points, but it's also nice being able to rent them out and stay at other resorts or see somewhere new. I'm not sure if I told you over here or not, (I seriously have the worst memory ever....) but we sold off all of our remaining points after our January trip for a cruise to Alaska this year! We leave on my birthday (46 days!! ) for Vancouver.

I'm excited to see somewhere else, but I will definitely be missing Disney. This will probably be the longest stretch without us going. It will be at LEAST a year and a half between trips. Maybe almost 2....

hey Heather!

You totally have to stay at the Poly! IDK why, but I thought you had stayed there once-- one of your Sept trips? I must have gotten confused. There's too many trips to keep track of with everyone!

Okay I want to know about your cruise.
Are you going DCL? Did you exchange points for it?
Just curious how that works, I saw where you said you sold off your points so I didn't know what you meant-- since you said you aren't going back for almost 2 years!


How will you be able to stand not going? You'll have to be in touch with Shelly and she can get you a deal at the Poly!

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

Shelly we missed our Le Cellier ADR in Dec as that was the evening we were sick all day and night, when I cancelled because of illness. They did not charge us

Loved your story about the not so well done steak last time, My friend who I went to WDW with in 2006 asked for their steak "burnt" since they did not want to see any blood, boy was it ever Burnt

I think Le Cellier always runs late I know we waited about 45 mins in March

Oh that stinks!! At least they were nice and didn't charge you the cancellation fee.

I can not for the life of me figure out why a steakhouse has so much trouble preparing a steak correctly. Makes me mad, especially for what they charge there!! I can go anywhere around here and ask for a well done steak and it is just that -- well done. Not bloody and not burnt!

In the past when we've had to wait past our ADR time at LC when we have finally gotten seated there have been a number of empty tables and I always wondered why we had to wait. But this time the place was full. Every single table. Packed in there like sardines.

We had the same feeling about LC this trip. It was good, but not "oh-my-gosh-this-is-wonderful-I'm-so-happy-I-waited-two-hours-for-a-table-not-to-mention-it-was-a-pain-in-the-butt-to-book-it", good.


Sadly, with the changes to the menu and what you get for the money, we won't be back in the foreseeable future. They just cram you in there so tight--- It was bad before with what you paid, now they took the Burger off the menu and that was what the kids loved and they upped the prices and still smush you in there. Yep, not going back.

Sorry you got a migraine from having to wait. I could tell in that picture your head was hurting--- your eyes look like mine do when I get one.

Can't believe you were cutting it so close to your FP time with having to wait. I wonder if they would have given you a grace period if you told them your ADR at LC had been held up??

Yeah, exactly - not that good. Not even close!!

I'm not thrilled with their "all day menu" either. Ridiculous prices.

I was trying to smile there and hide my pain!!! Guess I wasn't doing a very good job! It felt like someone was stabbing me in the right eye.

I wondered that too about the FP. I am guessing they would have said -- too bad!!

 

[JoBird]

Nah---- anyone else seeing the pics probably wouldn't have even noticed it, you still looked pretty!! I just know you in real life and know the Headache look I have, and you just looked like you had it in comparison to how you normally look.


Was that confusing??? Reading it back it seemed like it was, so I'll just shut up and go shop.

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

Nah---- anyone else seeing the pics probably wouldn't have even noticed it, you still looked pretty!! I just know you in real life and know the Headache look I have, and you just looked like you had it in comparison to how you normally look.


Was that confusing??? Reading it back it seemed like it was, so I'll just shut up and go shop.

No, I fully understand that I looked like crap that day!!

Between the overcast, the drizzle, 2 cold rides on TT, and no food -- yeah, not my best look.


Have fun shopping - again!!

 

[Disney Mommy 3]

Jodi...that is funny you mentioned her eyes in the picture, I was going to comment on it also!! LOL!! Not that you look bad Shelly~but as a fellow headache girl, I know the look And the crazy thing is that the time before last we went there I got a bad bad headache while waiting...I was laying against the railing by the door with my eyes closed,...they had messed up our ressies and we had to wait like 45 min more or something crazy....I even had our ressie conf # with me and they said they were sorry,but there was just no where to put us until a party of 5 left. Not good....this last trip was better..my kids both loved what they had, and we did too,...I always get the Filet and it has never been a disappointment...not sure if we will go next trip or not~if we have 2 TS credits to burn I will, but if not we won't do it.

 

[rusafee1183]

Well, the plus side to them having you wait almost an HOUR, is that you got really beautiful pictures outside! But still, I would have been fuming. I don't eat breakfast very often, and when I do it's relatively small. So, when I am hungry for lunch I am READY NOW.

We haven't been back to LC since they switched from 1 to 2 TS credits. We haven't had the dining plan for several years, so I don't know what it was that really kept us away ... I think it just put a bad taste in my mouth about them? IDK.

I'm sorry that it was just OK, and that really stinks about your Smores! I know you love them so much!! I always wanted to try them, so it looks like I missed the boat

Do you think you'll go back?

You must be going on one of the first cruises to Alaska this summer! We are going at the end - August 19! If you are going DCL (which I presume you are), PLEASE let me know all about it!
I feel the same way - we were at WDW in October and don't know when we'll be back since we're doing the cruise in August. It's going to be tough!

Shelly - great pics of the decorations - I love the gingerbread carousel!

Hey there! We are sadly NOT going on DCL this time Our last 2 cruises have been on DCL, and they were both amazing so I am a little nervous to go on Norwegian. We are going with a large group of friends, and they aren't really "Disney people" so they weren't willing to spend the extra money to go on a Disney ship.

But, my DH and myself have been on both the Magic and the Fantasy (O.M.G. the FANTASY ) so I can definitely give you a lot of details about both ships if you are interested!

hey Heather!

You totally have to stay at the Poly! IDK why, but I thought you had stayed there once-- one of your Sept trips? I must have gotten confused. There's too many trips to keep track of with everyone!

Okay I want to know about your cruise.
Are you going DCL? Did you exchange points for it?
Just curious how that works, I saw where you said you sold off your points so I didn't know what you meant-- since you said you aren't going back for almost 2 years!


How will you be able to stand not going? You'll have to be in touch with Shelly and she can get you a deal at the Poly!

Hey Jo!

Nope we have never stayed at the Poly! Sadly. Someday we will though! And, I told Shelly I would ABSOLUTELY use her as my TA if we booked there!! She has an amazing amount of knowledge and I know she really cares about making people's trips magical.


And about renting my points... well, I was stupid. But I meant well!!

Sorry Shelly!

When we first got our points, I was SO happy and just wanted to share them with my family. So I booked a big trip for my mom, dad, brother and sister to come with Bob and myself. And then my aunt wanted to book a trip, and pay me to rent my points. So - I booked both of these and had to "borrow" from the next year to do it. (we only have 120 points a year) Well, she backed out and then my family trip fell apart because my dad lost a few of his clients and couldn't afford to go - so the points I borrowed from next year still needed to be used THIS year. So, I used what we needed to go with Bob and my sister in January and then rented the rest (some to a friend and then the rest through David's) since I knew we wouldn't be going before the end of the year again.

We used that money to book Alaska and we won't get more points to use until this December. My girlfriend is getting married in April and we need to travel for that, and we figured that this was a good opportunity to FINALLY see WDW decked out for Christmas! So, Dec 2014 it is

 

[monica23535]

Hi Shelly, what a pain having to wait for your table, especially when you're head is hurting.


I just love the pretzel bread there, especially dipped in the cheese soup

Sorry your steak was a little cremated, the fries looked awesome though!

Kind of wish they went back to their old menu, I don't know anyone who prefers it now.

 

[danceintherain]

All in all we had a decent meal. Wasn't happy with how long past our ADR time we had to wait to be seated, and my steak could have been a little less um...hard. DH enjoyed his meal a lot but has always felt that LC is way over-priced for the atmosphere and what you get.


Total Bill:$85.55
Rating: 7 out of 10

We had the same feeling about LC this trip. It was good, but not "oh-my-gosh-this-is-wonderful-I'm-so-happy-I-waited-two-hours-for-a-table-not-to-mention-it-was-a-pain-in-the-butt-to-book-it", good.


Sadly, with the changes to the menu and what you get for the money, we won't be back in the foreseeable future. They just cram you in there so tight--- It was bad before with what you paid, now they took the Burger off the menu and that was what the kids loved and they upped the prices and still smush you in there. Yep, not going back.

That's my feeling about it. We really loved it the one time we did it (on the dining plan when it was only 1 credit) but I just can't justify spending that much money for what you get anymore.
Luckily, I can get around planning on it again by telling DH that we should really try everywhere else in Epcot first.
I honestly don't understand why it's still as popular as it is?