Value Resorts and Inside Staterooms? Bah Humbug! 30 days of Disney fun! 02/10 Day 30

Do you find Debarkation Day quite hectic? We did, kinda like Embarkation Day too (but that's another story).

Ooh back to Disney now, looking forward to reading all about it :teeth:
 
I'm so sad our wonderful Disney Wonder cruise is over. I remember I got the route 66 breakfast too that morning. How fun you got to go to WDW after your cruise we headed straight for the airport and back home. We got some great pics and video to remember it by. And we made new friends!:hug:

It was a wonderful cruise and we found some true and wonderful friends there!
We stayed for another 9 days at Disney after our cruises and we really enjoyed the time there too!


I had the route 66 too. It's just very basic..Nothing special..I guess they don't want you to linger. :rotfl2:

You are right - last day's breakfast is not very magical ..... I call it the "and now get off my boat" breakfast! :rotfl2:

Ahh Disney World time! :goodvibes

More Disney fun to come! :thumbsup2

Do you find Debarkation Day quite hectic? We did, kinda like Embarkation Day too (but that's another story).

Ooh back to Disney now, looking forward to reading all about it :teeth:

I did find it hectic the first time around, especially since I didn't know what to expect. After that, when we knew how everything worked we didn't bother much any more.
I find the evening before we have to leave REAL hectic! It's when we need to squeeze everything we bought (and we buy A LOT) into our suitcases and after 11 nights of cruising that can be quite a task. ;)

And so far we have "sailed" through embarkation as well. I actually commented on being in the fastpass check-in line! :rotfl2:
 
Day 20, September 2

A sad Goodbye to the ever so WONDERful Disney WONDER and a happy Hello to the Deluxe Disney Dining Plan and Old Key West - Part 2

We needed to check in at Old Key West AND get to our reservation at LeCellier before 12 noon. Soon we were happily driving along the freeway and about an hour and 15 minutes later we went under that most famous and well photographed arch that meant we were nearly back home at Old Key West.
A very short time later we stopped in front of the guard’s house and we heard that welcoming sentence again, “Welcome home”.

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We drove to the Hospitality House, parked our car, I took my new DCL Dooney and Bourke bag and in we went. All we wanted was to check in, pick up our Keys to the World and off we would go to Epcot for lunch.
There were two Cast Members checking other people in, so we just got in line and waited, but as soon as another Cast Member saw us, she waved us over to another desk and asked if she could help.
We told her that we wanted to check in and that was when she realized all the Disney Cruise Line gear we were sporting. So she started if we had just gotten off a cruise and how we had liked it and would we recommend it and and and ……
Needless to say that we had a very nice and fun conversation and she told us that she was saving up for a Disney cruise and so looking forward to going on one herself. Then it was back to business and she checked us in. I asked if there was any chance we could have a villa on a higher floor and she said that we were on the second floor anyway, would we want to be any higher or if it was okay.
We just don’t want to be on the ground floor, so we were happy with it. She processed our keys, took out the map, and wrote down the location and room number and we were just stunned that our room was actually ready and we could put our stuff in right away. So we drove back to Turtle Pond Road and we happily noticed that our villa was right close to the bus stop and even closer to the quiet pool. We had to search for the staircase to our villa a bit, but then we quickly took a look around the villa,

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before we walked back to our car to unload. It took about half an hour until we were settled in, fridge filled with the rest of the drinks we still had and luggage stowed before we were ready to head out again.
It had been getting close to our ADR time, so we decided to just push our luck and head to the Beach Club to try and park there and head for the International Gateway to enter Epcot. So, when we drove up to the Beach Club Guard House we were happy to find out that they did not even ask why you were there, we just showed our room key and again we heard that very soothing phrase “Welcome home”. So we parked our car, headed to the Beach Club,

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then further on to the International Gateway and over to Canada.
We arrived there just in time for our reservation and while we were getting in line we could not help but notice that they were already turning guests without an ADR away.
The waiting area was full of people and once we had checked in we were told to grab a seat if we could find one and that it would be a bit of a wait. So, when another party was called we finally got to sit down and there were Cast Members there to entertain the waiting guests, so we had a fun time waiting. We actually did not wait longer than about 5 minutes and then we were called to our table.
Once we were seated and handed the menus our server came by almost immediately to introduce herself and to ask about our choices of beverage. We both ordered a Diet Coke and when they were served she also delivered

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the famous LeCellier bread trio and some butter. For this part of the trip we were on the Deluxe Disney Dining Plan and were both able to order a starter. There was no doubt in our mind what it was going to be. We were going to share anyway, so we ordered

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a bowl of the Canadian Cheddar Cheese Soup, made with Moosehead Beer and Smoked Bacon, which we love. It is wonderful to dip the Pretzel bread in it, but even better to dip our second starter,

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the Spicy Chicken and Chipotle Sausage, with Roasted Corn Polenta and Sweet Onion Jam. We enjoyed our first course and soon after we had finished it our main courses arrived. I had ordered

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the Salmon Croque Madame Sandwich, with prosciutto, poached egg, and Blue Cheese Mornay Sauce and a side of Potato Salad, which was something totally different than what I usually order but it was so good! Unfortunately the portion was huge and I did not manage to finish it. Tom had

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the Le Cellier Mushroom Filet Mignon - with wild mushroom risotto, white truffle and herb butter sauce. He really enjoyed it too. There was still dessert we had to conquer. I thought of playing it save and ordered

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the Maple Creme Brulee, which was nice but nothing special. Tom was brave enough to order

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a huge chocolate overload, the Chocolate on Chocolate Whiskey Cake - finished with Honey-Thyme Anglaise and a Chocolate-Vanilla Walnut Sauce, which he enjoyed very much, but he had to give up on finishing it too.
Once we had settled the bill we walked outside into the blazing heat of an early September Florida afternoon. We strolled through Canada, slowly walked over to England and watched one of the Cast Members drawing games onto the ground

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and finally walked through the British Gardens.

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We walked back to the car and decided since it was still early in the day, to do some shopping and fill up our fridge. So we drove over to Publix and spent quite some time shopping for groceries, snacks, drinks and a few things to take home to Austria with us.
 

I'm sad the cruise is over, but really excited to be back at WDW for more vacation- especially because we leave 2 weeks from Wednesday for 5 nights at BCV. :goodvibes Thanks for parking there and posting a pic!:thumbsup2
 
I'm sad the cruise is over, but really excited to be back at WDW for more vacation- especially because we leave 2 weeks from Wednesday for 5 nights at BCV. :goodvibes Thanks for parking there and posting a pic!:thumbsup2

Yes, that cruise was over, but I still have three more to review in my 2011 trip report! :laughing:
You are going to stay at BCV? Oh, how wonderful! Take lots of pics for me please! :goodvibes :hug:
 
I'm sad the cruise is over, but really excited to be back at WDW for more vacation- especially because we leave 2 weeks from Wednesday for 5 nights at BCV. :goodvibes Thanks for parking there and posting a pic!:thumbsup2

:cheer2:Have a wonderful trip, Ellen - if I don't see you here before! Okay, even if I do!:rotfl2:
 
Karin, I'm sad to see you back on dry land, but excited to see your next 2 weeks at OKW!!! I have considered OKW for our trip in 2013 with all our kids and grandkids, because the rooms are so big. Now I'm looking at your trip with new eyes!;)
 
As usaul a great update Karin !!! We went to the Beach Club this month and got the Kitchen Sink for the guys !1They LOVED it !! The Beach Club is beautiful!! The pools there are amazing !!!
 
Karin, I'm sad to see you back on dry land, but excited to see your next 2 weeks at OKW!!! I have considered OKW for our trip in 2013 with all our kids and grandkids, because the rooms are so big. Now I'm looking at your trip with new eyes!;)

Yes, it was sad to get off the WONDERful Disney WONDER, but we had a lot to look forward to, another stay at OKW AND our bestest friends, Mary Ellen and Joe were flying in a few days later.

You should definitely consider OKW for your 2013 trip, Tammie. It's a beautiful resort, it doesn't feel like a hotel, more like a small community. The units are HUGE!!! We love the space we have in our 1 bedroom. :thumbsup2


As usaul a great update Karin !!! We went to the Beach Club this month and got the Kitchen Sink for the guys !1They LOVED it !! The Beach Club is beautiful!! The pools there are amazing !!!

Thank you, Rosie!
I am so happy you made it to Beaches and Cream and had a Kitchen sink! It's a fun thing to do ..... we went this year as well, with some wonderful new friends, but I cannot reveal to much ...... gotta keep the anticipation! :rotfl2:

Stormalong Bay is awesome! You cannot beat the sandbottom pool and lazy river. :cloud9:
 
Day 20, September 2

A sad Goodbye to the ever so WONDERful Disney WONDER and a happy Hello to the Deluxe Disney Dining Plan and Old Key West - Part 3

So we drove over to Publix and spent quite some time shopping for groceries, snacks, drinks and a few things to take home to Austria with us.
We then went down to Kissimmee and started looking for souvenirs and postcards. Since we were in Kissimmee already we could not help ourselves, but drive on until we would see that welcoming “Hot Now” sign at Krispy Kreme. Unfortunately we were still very full from lunch, but we picked up half a dozen,

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had one at the shop and took the rest home with us. When we had finished shopping we finally drove back to Old Key West,

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hauled everything up to our villa and then crashed on the couch in the living room. After a few refreshing drinks we did a few loads of laundry, watched a little TV, sat out on the balcony and talked about the fun time we had already had during this year’s vacation.
At around 7pm we got ready to go out again. We had a reservation at the California Grill that evening and we wanted to hop over to the Magic Kingdom to watch the Main Street Electical Parade before that.
So once we arrived at the Contemporary we walked upstairs to check out the stores, then hopped on the Monorail and went over to the Magic Kingdom.
There were long lines getting into the park and we were amazed at how full the park still was. We had a little time to kill before the parade, so we walked over to one of our favourite rides, the Peoplemover.
Once we had taken in the sights and sounds of the Magic Kingdom from our ride vehicle we slowly walked back to the Main Square to wait for the Parade to begin.
We were amazed we actually found a good spot and waited for a while. The parade was awesome as always and since it was one of the first Disney parades we ever experienced, it brings back some great memories.

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It was all over far too soon and we found ourselves swept out of the park. We had to fight the crowds who wanted to get to the Monorail and walked back over to the Contemporary.
We were a little early, signed in and were told that they were running about 20 minutes behind. Well, that’s the usual sentence you get checking in and we went upstairs, buzzer in hand.
There were several groups waiting and we went to find a seat, but right there and then the buzzer went off. We could not believe it!
We were led to a four top right opposite the sushi station and our friendly server welcomed us. She was very sweet and friendly but there was a huge problem. The fireworks were to start in about 5 minutes, so we asked if it was okay to go outside and watch them. Yes, it was okay, she was going to get our drinks in the meantime.
So we hurried outside to the viewing platform, found a nice spot and a little while later the fireworks started.

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They were wonderful as always and it never fails to amaze me to see how far away from the Magic Kingdom the fireworks are actually launched. We both love the fact that they pipe in the music, so you can experience the full magic of these fireworks.
Once Wishes was over we walked back inside and our drinks were already on the table.
 
I love the pictures of the parade and fireworks. I was sad we missed getting to see the fireworks on our last visit, but we did get to see the Electrical Water Parade from the PR, we were watching Gnomeo and Juliette on the beach and they paused the movie till the parade passed.
 
Nice pics of the ELP, Karin! I just love how cheerful that music is with the parade. Perfect timing to get to the CG just in time for Wishes!
 
Great fireworks! I love how relaxed your day was....with a trip to Krispy Creme too. I could got for one about NOW!
I can't beleive you can stil lremember what you did and it's been over a year with a few more trips thrown in.
 
I love the pictures of the parade and fireworks. I was sad we missed getting to see the fireworks on our last visit, but we did get to see the Electrical Water Parade from the PR, we were watching Gnomeo and Juliette on the beach and they paused the movie till the parade passed.

Tom and I just love the MSEP! It brings back so many happy memories of our visits to Disneyland with my mother. :love:

And fireworks from the Contemporary are a must do for us ...... it is such a nice bonus if you eat at the California Grill.
I didn't know they paused the movies on the beach during the Water Pageant! :goodvibes That's so neat! They really think of everything! :cloud9:


Nice pics of the ELP, Karin! I just love how cheerful that music is with the parade. Perfect timing to get to the CG just in time for Wishes!

It's our favourite parade - it is one of those pieces of music that gets stuck in my head for hours and it is one of the few I don't being stuck in my head! :rotfl2:

I hoped to have timed it right to make it to the Contemporary after the parade and watch Wishes from there, but I was surprised myself at how well the timing worked out! :thumbsup2


Great fireworks! I love how relaxed your day was....with a trip to Krispy Creme too. I could got for one about NOW!
I can't beleive you can stil lremember what you did and it's been over a year with a few more trips thrown in.

That's the bonus of staying for so long, you can really take it easy and don't have to hurry from park to park. :cloud9:
And as far as remembering all the details -
a) we take a gazillion photos every day, so it is kind of easy to "retrace" our steps and
b) I type out all our days as soon as we get home to use it for our homepage, so I actually have the written stuff all laid out and only have to upload pics and fill them into the text. ;)
 
Great update :)

Loving your MEP pics, such a pretty parade :)

I love CG dinner, I think it has to be in my top 3 Disney World restaurants. The fireworks are amazing from there, I agree that it is pretty cool to see just how far from the castle they are set off. Even more amazing seeing Hallowishes from there too :)
 
Great update :)

Loving your MEP pics, such a pretty parade :)

I love CG dinner, I think it has to be in my top 3 Disney World restaurants. The fireworks are amazing from there, I agree that it is pretty cool to see just how far from the castle they are set off. Even more amazing seeing Hallowishes from there too :)

Thank you, Stefy!

We love the MEP ... brings back VERY fond memories! ;)

As you know, we just LOVE the CG too .... especially if we get Ron as our server. We were SO spoiled this year by his service! :cloud9: (I should get that part in my other review pretty soon ..... so look out for it!)
 
Day 20, September 2

A sad Goodbye to the ever so WONDERful Disney WONDER and a happy Hello to the Deluxe Disney Dining Plan and Old Key West - Part 4

Once Wishes was over we walked back inside and our drinks were already on the table.
Our server was quick to put

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some of their sourdough bread onto our table, as well as

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some butter with rock salt. We then placed our orders for dinner.
Sitting opposite the sushi station, it was pretty easy to talk Tom into ordering some sushi. He loves it and so he ordered

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the Spicy Kazan Roll, Crab, Shrimp, Bay Scallops, Tuna and Fireball Sauce. I tasted a tiny bit and it was very nice ......... and hot. He really enjoyed it a lot. I cannot say no to the flatbreads they offer, they are just so good. So I gave in and ordered

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the "Chef's Garden", Heirloom Tomatoes with Baby Mozzarella, Balsamic Onions and Micro Basil. I tried hard but couldn't finish it all ...... and we still had two more courses to go. Tom had chosen fish for his main course. Tom's dish of choice was

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the Seared White Sea Bass, Portabellas, Baby Brussel sprouts, Brentwood Corn, Chipotle Salsa and Tomato Vinaigrette. Here is where tasting each other's dishes is such a treat! Because this was just outstanding. But I was lucky with my choice as well. I had

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the Herb-grilled Lamb Chops with Kiln-dried Garbanzo Beans, Summer Vegetable Vinaigrette and Mint Chimichurri. Even though not something I would order every day, this was really wonderful.
As always we were stuffed right after our entree, but our sweet server "insisted" we had dessert! Even though we felt full, she didn't have to twist our arms.
Tom said he wanted something "light", so he got

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the Sweet Celebration, Florida Peach Crostata with Brown Sugar Sour Cream and White Peach Ice Cream. I know that there is always something on the menu there, that I love and so it was easy to order

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the Valhrona Chocolate Cake, warm chocolate cake with molten center, Cherry Compote and Cherry Chocolate Ice Cream. This is one of my favourite desserts at Walt Disney World. We both worked hard to finish our desserts, but we both had to give in halfway through.
We had had a really late reservation and when we finally left the restaurant it was almost empty and they had already started to clear down several parts of the restaurant and prepare them for the next day. We said our goodbyes, picked up our car and went back to our home at Old Key West.
Since we had gotten up rather early that day, we were both ready to go to bed once we had finally made our way up to our villa.
 
Mmmm California Grill is fantastic. The Valrhona Chocolate cake is lovely, I agree. :goodvibes

While we had a wonderful experience during "this" trip, stay tuned for our 2011 California Grill experiences ...... they were out of this world! :cloud9:
As is the Valhrona cake! :lmao:
 












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