Update - post 9 - Off to DL for a couple days of R&R at the GCH!!

[YellowMickeyPonchos]

It's good to be a local that owns DVC!!! I think I'm even going to try to do a tryout report for Pete for the DL correspondent spot! What do you guys think - "Blue Bayou - magic or hype - one family's experience!" (Now to get an ADR...) We have a DTD view, so we plan on doing fireworks from the room tonight with some friends that don't have APs.

I'm so happy that we decided that since we had to abandon our WDW trip for next week, that we would take advantage of a little R&R while my husband has a couple vacation days. I still have to pack, but I have a goal of being out of the house in 6 hours and I think we can make it - it's 6am!!!

We had to borrow our points from 2009, since our friends are honeymooning with our 2008 ones, but what the heck! So worth it not to have to drive home at 10 or 11pm!

I'm going to take my laptop, just in case!!!

 

[magic2go]

Awesome! Have a ton of fun!

I think we've decided -- our next trip to any Disney place will be DL. So now I need to start learning about it! I know nothing! Except maybe that we'll be staying at GCH. We love the Animal Kingdom Lodge, and Wilderness Lodge -so that seems like the best choice for our once-in-a-lifetime trip!

Happy Holidays!

Kathie

 

[LMO429]

We enjoyed our experience at the Blue Bayou. The monte Cristo we felt was worth all the hype so much so we went back to the restaurants 2 times during our 4 day trip for seconds. The atmosphere is cute if you are along the water where the pirates of the carribean ride goes by. I felt it was a little to dark to really see anything but we enjoyed ourselves there both times. We didnt ask for a table along the water but were granted one, the second time we went we sat more towards the back of the restaurant and it lost a little bit of the atmosphere for us but the monte cristo was excellent. The second time we went we split the monte crispo between myself and my husband it was ALOT of food! We made an ADR for our first reservation before we got to DL, but when we were craving seconds we went to a hostess in Disneyland (by the plaza) and were able to get a second reservation because someone canceled during the busy Columbus Day weekend.

 

[calypso*a*go-go]

Have a great time Nancy!!!

 

[YellowMickeyPonchos]

We used to do the Bayou a lot before the rehab. We went once afterward and it was an awful experience. There has been a lot of similar buzz on the DL Boards, from folks who visited within the last couple months.

Our last time, we had a table by the water (which we have done many times before), but we had 2 families in our group with 2 toddlers - both not quite 2 at the time) and we had the WORST service. It was pretentious (keep in mind we are Napa Rose regulars and live in the Hollywood/Beverly Hills area - we know pretentious) and they did not attend us at all. We all commented (including our single guy friend) that it seemed like they really didn't like having young children in the restaurant and that they were acting like they were the best place on property - which wasn't justifying the increase in price costs and the loss of the discounted lunch prices.

I am willing to give them an open mind and another chance to do a fair review. We have experienced them at both ends of the spectrum (albeit the good was when we were childless...).

I want to evaluate this like Kevin does, looking at wait times (a complaint), service quality, and of course, food quality. I want to try to remove the "atmosphere" quotient and look at them like a regular restaurant.

The husband agreed, so we're going to see what we can do! I'll definitely do a follow-up here to let you guys know my findings!

 

[BRobson]

Have a fantastic time

 

[aspen37]

Have a great time!

 

[daneenm]

Ohhh, wish we were going with you. Have a great time!

 

[YellowMickeyPonchos]

And that was only 1 of the cool things that happened. (Typing this while sitting in our room at GCH...)

Upgrade to a Grizzly Rive Rapids DCA View, bounceback offer to stay one more night for $150 (we were on DVC points, so we said yes!) Our second thought was "God, they must be hurting if they are offering this to anyone!"

Free wireless internet....
Seeing the new DVC model home displays - OMG!!!!!

Santa photos with the GCH Santa - he's completely wonderful!

Riding in nosecone of Monorail Blue, while finding out that Monorail Orange has been delivered and is in the stable, and will be added on sometime in the near future. (Don't expect them to run if it's hotter than 82 degrees out.... They still don't have a solution for the lack of air conditioning in the passenger cabs - and the rails don't have/supply enough power to support adding it in.)

Watching my girls enjoy all of the above, even after the puking incident at 4am on our first night (bathtime for both - her little sister was sleeping in the line of fire - and a quick call to Mousekeeping all happened at the same time.....)

Probably more to come. I could do a review of Storyteller's Breakfast, Goofy's Kitchen Dinner, the Plaza chicken dinner, room categories and hints, shopping the Christmas sale, the new GCH DVC model home displays (very cool - and I mean this is one of the nicest ever....)It's been great, but oh - tomorrow is going to stink - we haven't wrapped any of the kids' Christmas presents yet!!!!!

 

[daneenm]

Sounds like you had a great time! I love DLr at Christmastime. We have not been in years in Nov/Dec...since the children have been in school. We are going to have to make a point of it sometime soon.

Glad you had fun.

--Daneen

 

[calypso*a*go-go]

Wow Nancy...I didn't even know DLR did bouncebacks! What a great offer for you. Can't wait to hear more details. Merry Christmas!