Trip Report: A Week at Old Key West Part 2

Kay7979

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Day 2 was one of our resort hopping days. Every time we go to the World we have to have Tonga Toast at the Kona Cafe at the Poly, washed down with Kona coffee. Unfortunately the day we picked was the day of the marathon, and we were stuck in traffic for about an hour and a half. Good thing DH is a patient man. It was a bad start to an otherwise great day, but we got to the Poly eventually, without flattening any of the runners. I love the lobby, the sound of the waterfall, and all the greenery. Lucky for us, at the beginning of the second week in January, the resorts still had most of their Christmas decorations up. That was an unexpected treat that we would enjoy for the next couple days.

After the bananna stuffed french toast crusted in cinnamon (you have to try this if you have never had it before) we walked the grounds and absorbed the tropical atmosphere, then continued down the beach to the Grand Floridian. The GF had the most amazing multi-story Christmas tree, great wreathes decorated with bows and Victorian ornaments, and garlands winding up their majestic staircases. We took a leisurely walk up a level or two to see the decorations from various vantage points, walked around the gift shop, then went out to catch the monorail. The monorail is good entertainment in itself. We road the loop and eventually got off and took the boat from MK to the Wilderness Lodge.

WL still had their magnificent tree up, and wreaths decorated with a more rustic and earthy theme than the GF. It was fun to see how the various resorts carried their own themes into their Christmas decorations. The Villas also had a great tree. We sat a while in the Iron Spike room before taking a leisurely stroll back to the Lodge. From there we walked the wooded path that leads to Fort Wilderness. We took a look at the Clydesdales and at the animals in the petting zoo, walked around the resort and looked at the public buildings, then took the boat back to the Lodge.

By dinnertime, it was time to explore Port Orleans Riverside. I love the style of their public buildings and the marina area there. I like Boatwright's dining hall and I also like the atmosphere at the food court. The architecture of the building with the working waterwheel outside is captivating to me. I stayed at this resort years ago the first time I stayed on property, and it was when they first opened as Dixie Landings. This resort is still one of my favorite places, on or off Disney property. We just had a simple meal at the food court but everything was tasty. After dinner we headed back to Old Key West and had a relaxing evening in the condo after all that walking. I decided to bake some muffins for the next day's breakfast, so whipped up some blueberry and some lemon poppyseed muffins. The smell made the condo seem all the more homey and inviting. After that it was time to soak our tired muscles in the two person whirlpool in the master bath, and catch a movie on TV. Of course we have to run out onto the deck and watch the Epcot fireworks at 9:00. That's always a nice end to a great day.
 
A fun day for all - and ending with a good soak in the whirpool - thanks for posting
 
I've been looking for someone who has actually walked the pathway between WL and FW.

We're staying at the WL and our friends are camping in a loop near the boat dock. Is it a 10 minute stroll or more of a hike? Bear in mind that my kids are 8, 10 and 4 and I'm sure that I'll be carrying the 4yo on my shoulders.

What is the actual distance and how long do you think it would take for an average 10 year old to walk from the WL to FW?

Thanks.
 
















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