LWatson
I Still Do!!!!
- Joined
- Apr 23, 2009
- Messages
- 1,431
Okay so we have been back a week now, but havent had internet thanks to our Cable provider. So we arrived Nov 10th after a 6hr flight from El Paso, to Orlando. We found the DME area at MCO, and got good news when we got there. They are now doing luggage and such for Southwest at the Value Resorts. YAY. Well, we waited maybe 30min for the MEARS bus for the Values to arrive. During that time they let the kids run around some of that pent up energy from sitting still for 6hrs. Then we got on the bus and headed to our resort (all star sports). We were the first stop, so it was really nice.
We got there and checked in quickly and headed up to our rooms. We liked the decor of the outside of the hotel, but the noise level and the teens that over ran everything on their school trips were really annoying. We figure next time we will either spend the money for Shades of Green again (which we were half tempted to leave to) or go w/ a Moderate at Disney.
After setting up our stuff in our room and changing into our Mickey's Very Merry Christmas party shirts we headed to the MK and got our tickets. Lets just say we did not enjoy our night at all since it poured rain the entire time we were there. All the shows and parades and characters were canceled. The ride lines were horrible since that was the only thing you could do. They did however tell us that our tickets for that night could be used sometime in the next year for a free day at the MK since our night was completely rained out pretty much. So, that was nice. DH and I might take a trip to Orlando and do the MK one day and Universal for 2 days sometime this summer just the 2 of us. I do have to say though the castle was beautiful.
The next day we went to the MK (and again it was raining, but not as much) and had a more enjoyable time. We had pretty short lines while we were there that day. It was just HUMID. We did have a nice surprise of my Aunt and Uncle being in the same park as us that day, and we havent seen them in a year. So, we spent some time w/ them!!!! We had lunch at Tony's that day and it was super!!!!
Thursday we spent at Hollywood studios. It was cold and sprinkling that day, so pretty much nobody was there. We had a blast there. We rode Toy Story Mania 2x and had a fun fun lunch at Hollywood and Vine's Play and Dine. The kids really enjoyed that one and the food was good for a buffett. We did catch the one person my oldest son really wanted to see this trip (Frozone from The Incredibles) and a ton of other characters that day. He also rode his first 40inch ride that day (star tours).
Friday was Epcot. It started out really well and ended really well, but we had one hiccup that made me irritated about an hour into the day. Our oldest had ridden Test Track and we did the rider swap thing. he rode first w/ my husband got off and I went up w/ him. He was measured 3x on his first ride (at the entrance, and 2x at the ride itself to make sure). He was measured again at the entrance when I took him up and they said yes (his head was hitting the bottom of the bar). We get him up there and they measure him again and tell me he was and inch too short so he cant ride. they wouldnt stop pushing on his head telling him to stand still, so he just finally slouched and was basically done w/ the whole thing. So, I took him downstairs to my husband and we were pretty irritated that 4x he was measured and cleared and the last time they basically were forcing his head down. We talked to the supervisor there about it because he really wanted to ride. She took him out to the pole and measured him again and he was hitting it, but it was his hair hitting not his head, so he couldnt ride. We appologized for being buttheads about it, but that he was really wanting to ride again so we asked. She said she understood completely and that if he had just ridden that they should have known and let him ride again. She gave us 2 fastpasses which I tried to turn down, but she insisted because I had made it up there and didnt get to ride. That was the only time I was irritated (but it wasnt w/ his height it was with the fact that I made it all the way up there and had to walk all the way back down w/o riding and he was crying about it) that day, but I understood the reason. We had a really wonderful time at the World Showcase. Dinner was at Garden Grill and that was SOOOO NICE. We thought by it being all you can eat it was a buffett but it wasnt it was brought to our table and we could choose what we wanted. They were even able to accomodate our seafood allergy. The characters came to the table like 4x in the 30ish minutes. It was really a good time for us and a must do next time.
The following day was Breakfast at Tusker House which was fun and pretty good food, we were just crowded in a tiny room on the side. Our kids enjoyed it. We did animal kingdom for a little while, but w/ it being soooooooo hot we left (and Dinosaur was closed because it broke). We went back to the room and napped till about 4pm when it was time for Chef Mickey's. It was okay. The Characters were less interactive than at the other locations we had been to. But, it was fun to have Mickey dance w/ our youngest because it was his birthday we were celebrating (we arent having a big party for him since he only knows 1 other kid his age). We also liked the picture we got at Tusker House better than the one at Chef Mickeys since we actually stood w/ a character not a figurine.
Sunday was a pool day in the morning and Hollywood Studios at night. We arrived just in time for the Block Party Bash and had a super time w/ that. Then we headed over to dinner at 50s Prime Time Cafe. It was okay. We want to try SciFi next time though. We rode some rides and had some fun. We waited for the EMH to kick in and we headed over to the Playhouse Disney Dance Party. My kids had a blast dancing w/ Mickey, Goofy, Pluto and Minnie. After that we headed to Rock'n Roller Coaster and OMG THAT WAS SOOOOO FUN!!!!!!! I really enjoyed it.
The next morning was MK again and the Pirates league. That was fun. It was 50% off for Disney World Resort guests, so I did it w/ my son also. It was fun to do not only for him, but for me too. I would so suggest this for anyone. They are so fun and really go all out w/ it. We had lunch that day at Crystal Palace and decided that it was better than last time we ate there, but still not one of our favs. After lunch we rode some more rides for a bit then headed back to the hotel. We got the kids some dinner and got them ready for bed. We had Kids Nite Out come for 4 hours and DH & I went to Downtown Disney. If you havent gone to TRex b4 its a must do. It was so cool. We are deff doing that next trip (not on the DDP). We also shopped a bit, but we wanted to get back to pack since we left the next day.
Then we left on Tuesday. During the day we stayed at the hotel and walked/played/etc. Deff taking an earlier flight next time though. LOL.
Over all we had a great trip. We had the few rude cast members (like one lady who we asked to see her pins for trading and she was like "here whatever"), but we didnt let it ruin our trip. We do want to try a diff resort next time. While the food was good, and the decor was fun the noise and the ammount of teens just left to run loose wasnt worth it for us. Oh and the fact that my husband also couldnt fit on the bed (length).
Oh just as a note to those who have kids who barely hit the 40in mark....ride the rides in the morning as by the afternoon or after a few rides around they are too short. We learned this by the Epcot thing, and by DS riding StarTours and that afternoon couldnt ride Tower of Terror. He was always hitting the bar in the morning but not by the late afternoon.
Oh and a warning to anyone doing laundry at ASSports if you make your shirts...DONT. I washed most of our shirts there on Sunday and all of them but like 2 sets came out ruined. I washed the sunday/monday shirts at home w/ the same detergent and they came out fine. Avery's hold up better than the generic ones from Michaels too.
We got there and checked in quickly and headed up to our rooms. We liked the decor of the outside of the hotel, but the noise level and the teens that over ran everything on their school trips were really annoying. We figure next time we will either spend the money for Shades of Green again (which we were half tempted to leave to) or go w/ a Moderate at Disney.
After setting up our stuff in our room and changing into our Mickey's Very Merry Christmas party shirts we headed to the MK and got our tickets. Lets just say we did not enjoy our night at all since it poured rain the entire time we were there. All the shows and parades and characters were canceled. The ride lines were horrible since that was the only thing you could do. They did however tell us that our tickets for that night could be used sometime in the next year for a free day at the MK since our night was completely rained out pretty much. So, that was nice. DH and I might take a trip to Orlando and do the MK one day and Universal for 2 days sometime this summer just the 2 of us. I do have to say though the castle was beautiful.
The next day we went to the MK (and again it was raining, but not as much) and had a more enjoyable time. We had pretty short lines while we were there that day. It was just HUMID. We did have a nice surprise of my Aunt and Uncle being in the same park as us that day, and we havent seen them in a year. So, we spent some time w/ them!!!! We had lunch at Tony's that day and it was super!!!!
Thursday we spent at Hollywood studios. It was cold and sprinkling that day, so pretty much nobody was there. We had a blast there. We rode Toy Story Mania 2x and had a fun fun lunch at Hollywood and Vine's Play and Dine. The kids really enjoyed that one and the food was good for a buffett. We did catch the one person my oldest son really wanted to see this trip (Frozone from The Incredibles) and a ton of other characters that day. He also rode his first 40inch ride that day (star tours).
Friday was Epcot. It started out really well and ended really well, but we had one hiccup that made me irritated about an hour into the day. Our oldest had ridden Test Track and we did the rider swap thing. he rode first w/ my husband got off and I went up w/ him. He was measured 3x on his first ride (at the entrance, and 2x at the ride itself to make sure). He was measured again at the entrance when I took him up and they said yes (his head was hitting the bottom of the bar). We get him up there and they measure him again and tell me he was and inch too short so he cant ride. they wouldnt stop pushing on his head telling him to stand still, so he just finally slouched and was basically done w/ the whole thing. So, I took him downstairs to my husband and we were pretty irritated that 4x he was measured and cleared and the last time they basically were forcing his head down. We talked to the supervisor there about it because he really wanted to ride. She took him out to the pole and measured him again and he was hitting it, but it was his hair hitting not his head, so he couldnt ride. We appologized for being buttheads about it, but that he was really wanting to ride again so we asked. She said she understood completely and that if he had just ridden that they should have known and let him ride again. She gave us 2 fastpasses which I tried to turn down, but she insisted because I had made it up there and didnt get to ride. That was the only time I was irritated (but it wasnt w/ his height it was with the fact that I made it all the way up there and had to walk all the way back down w/o riding and he was crying about it) that day, but I understood the reason. We had a really wonderful time at the World Showcase. Dinner was at Garden Grill and that was SOOOO NICE. We thought by it being all you can eat it was a buffett but it wasnt it was brought to our table and we could choose what we wanted. They were even able to accomodate our seafood allergy. The characters came to the table like 4x in the 30ish minutes. It was really a good time for us and a must do next time.
The following day was Breakfast at Tusker House which was fun and pretty good food, we were just crowded in a tiny room on the side. Our kids enjoyed it. We did animal kingdom for a little while, but w/ it being soooooooo hot we left (and Dinosaur was closed because it broke). We went back to the room and napped till about 4pm when it was time for Chef Mickey's. It was okay. The Characters were less interactive than at the other locations we had been to. But, it was fun to have Mickey dance w/ our youngest because it was his birthday we were celebrating (we arent having a big party for him since he only knows 1 other kid his age). We also liked the picture we got at Tusker House better than the one at Chef Mickeys since we actually stood w/ a character not a figurine.
Sunday was a pool day in the morning and Hollywood Studios at night. We arrived just in time for the Block Party Bash and had a super time w/ that. Then we headed over to dinner at 50s Prime Time Cafe. It was okay. We want to try SciFi next time though. We rode some rides and had some fun. We waited for the EMH to kick in and we headed over to the Playhouse Disney Dance Party. My kids had a blast dancing w/ Mickey, Goofy, Pluto and Minnie. After that we headed to Rock'n Roller Coaster and OMG THAT WAS SOOOOO FUN!!!!!!! I really enjoyed it.
The next morning was MK again and the Pirates league. That was fun. It was 50% off for Disney World Resort guests, so I did it w/ my son also. It was fun to do not only for him, but for me too. I would so suggest this for anyone. They are so fun and really go all out w/ it. We had lunch that day at Crystal Palace and decided that it was better than last time we ate there, but still not one of our favs. After lunch we rode some more rides for a bit then headed back to the hotel. We got the kids some dinner and got them ready for bed. We had Kids Nite Out come for 4 hours and DH & I went to Downtown Disney. If you havent gone to TRex b4 its a must do. It was so cool. We are deff doing that next trip (not on the DDP). We also shopped a bit, but we wanted to get back to pack since we left the next day.
Then we left on Tuesday. During the day we stayed at the hotel and walked/played/etc. Deff taking an earlier flight next time though. LOL.
Over all we had a great trip. We had the few rude cast members (like one lady who we asked to see her pins for trading and she was like "here whatever"), but we didnt let it ruin our trip. We do want to try a diff resort next time. While the food was good, and the decor was fun the noise and the ammount of teens just left to run loose wasnt worth it for us. Oh and the fact that my husband also couldnt fit on the bed (length).
Oh just as a note to those who have kids who barely hit the 40in mark....ride the rides in the morning as by the afternoon or after a few rides around they are too short. We learned this by the Epcot thing, and by DS riding StarTours and that afternoon couldnt ride Tower of Terror. He was always hitting the bar in the morning but not by the late afternoon.
Oh and a warning to anyone doing laundry at ASSports if you make your shirts...DONT. I washed most of our shirts there on Sunday and all of them but like 2 sets came out ruined. I washed the sunday/monday shirts at home w/ the same detergent and they came out fine. Avery's hold up better than the generic ones from Michaels too.
