mirage0306
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Apr 22, 2009
Dude. You are funny. I'm in!
Week at Walt Disney World? More Like Weekend at Bernie's: A July '12 TR COMPLETE 5/23
- Thread starter MarieTheCat24
- Start date
RachelNinja
Sometimes I'd rather live in VMK than in real life
- Joined
- Jul 16, 2007
Hi Kara! I've read your previous reports, but I'm not sure if I commented on them before (I also just followed you on Twitter; I'm loveandsushi). I figured that since you JUST started this one, I can keep up to date with it!
I totally agree with Hercules and "Go the Distance"! In fact, my latest TR is "Mr. and Mrs. Weak Sauce Go the Distance" because of how much my DH and I love that song. We have good memories about it since he had to sing it during our church coffeehouse's musical, and I used to watch him dreamily, haha. This was before we got back together, so I grew to L-O-V-E the song because it meant I had a reason to watch him!
I totally agree with Hercules and "Go the Distance"! In fact, my latest TR is "Mr. and Mrs. Weak Sauce Go the Distance" because of how much my DH and I love that song. We have good memories about it since he had to sing it during our church coffeehouse's musical, and I used to watch him dreamily, haha. This was before we got back together, so I grew to L-O-V-E the song because it meant I had a reason to watch him!
Happy Duck
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- May 18, 2012
Ahhhhh! I totally get what you mean about underrepresented movies. My favorite movie is Pocahontas! (Although, Disney has made it that if I happen to see something with her on it, I'll buy it...) I'm excited for your TR. You stayed at my favorite resort!!!
ddstratton
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jan 29, 2007
Joining in! I just finished reading your last TR, and will go back and read your first one now.
We stayed at POFQ on our last trip. It is a gorgeous resort.
We stayed at POFQ on our last trip. It is a gorgeous resort.
MarieTheCat24
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jul 23, 2007
WELCOME! And THANKS!
Thanks for coming! And thank you!!Woohoo! Excitement! Can't wait for the rest of the report.
Love the teaser POFQ pictures...pretty!
Hi! Well, thanks for joining in on this one!
That is such a sweet story.
YAY THANKS!
MarieTheCat24
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jul 23, 2007
Pocahontas is a great movie.
It's strange that all of the mid to late 90s movies have minimal presence in the parks. WELCOME!! THANKS!!Yayy! I'm in! You're funny
Thank you! POFQ is a gorgeous resort. We had such a pleasant stay.
MickeyisBeast
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Apr 25, 2009
Joining in! I saw from lurking on your last TR that we were just in Disney at the same time, you got there the day after us 
MarieTheCat24
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jul 23, 2007
JULY 6TH PART ONE - The Arrival
Prior to the Disney leg of our trip, we spent five days visiting my grandmother. She lives in the Tampa area, so we drove down from Ohio and stayed with her. It was basically five days of doing nothing but floating around the pool. Being able to unwind and relax before running around WDW for a week was nice.
Other highlights of our stay w/Grandma:
~ DEER! My grandmas property backs up into a wooded area and tons of deer came to visit us each day. It reminded me of my deer-face-making frump friends Jess (Disneyfreak508) and Kristen (Disneyfreak616). I assumed they sent their pals to visit me.
~ Cinnamon Butter is great on rolls, but its also just as great on its own. Not gonna lie, I ate the stuff straight out of the little plastic cup thingy the restaurant served it in when I had absolutely no room left for more rolls. I even considered putting it on the last few bites of my steak, but I really had no room for that either. Basically, the point of all this is that taking Cinnamon Butter Shots should be a thing we all do on the regular.
~ Dad and I watched the Nathans Hot Dog Eating Contest like we always do on the 4th of July. Everyone says its disgusting/vomit-inducing, but I think its fascinating. Those guys are like food-devouring machines. Its really something to be revered.
~ My 22nd Birthday! I had a Birthday Apple Pie instead of a Birthday Cake because, well, I really dont like cake all that much. I like cupcakes, but not cake. Im weird like that.
The night before we left for Disney (which was my birthday), I painted my nails, ate a lot of Birthday Pie, organized (and reorganized) my park bag, charged my camera...usual pre-Disney stuff. I tried to go to bed at a decent hour (12 AM), but that didnt happen. I sat in bed in the dark for a while, but eventually gave up and watched House Hunters until like 3:30 AM. I kept telling myself Id go to bed as soon as the episode ended, but then I got sucked into the next one and it was just a spiral of people whining about the lack of stainless steel appliances and seemingly not understanding the concept of paint. DONT DWELL ON WALL COLOR, YOU IDIOTS! IT SHOULD BE THE LEAST OF YOUR CONCERNS!
Ahem.
Nevertheless, I got a solid three hours of sleep before my alarm went off. Almost immediately, the HOLY CRAP IM GOING TO DISNEY TODAY stomach butterflies showed up. I really missed those guys.
Dad meticulously piled everything into the car, we said goodbye to Grandma, piled ourselves into the car, and pulled out of the driveway at 7:08 AM.
The drive to Disney was uneventful. I ate a Pop Tart and stared out the window. Fun stuff.
Then we drove past this, and that Pop Tart almost came back up I was so excited.
Whenever Im approaching Disney property, I get crazy frantic. Like, about-to-burst-open-and-dump-Mickey-head-confetti-everywhere frantic. I mean, Im sure I was smiling like a lunatic. But really, if youre coming to Disney and you dont have a ridiculous smile on your face, youre the real lunatic.
The last of the green road signs. Adios, Real World!
And heres the big moment:
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
Driving through those beauties and knowing you have an entire trip ahead of you is such a magical moment. Its the best feeling ever.
I made sure to snap a picture of the purple Disney road signs.
And the adorable mouse-ear-topped sign leading us toward the French Quarter.
And heres our home for the next week - Disneys Port Orleans French Quarter!
When we pulled up to the security gate, the guard couldnt find our reservation on his list. He flipped through all the pages on his clipboard several times and I got progressively worried. I mean, he still let us through and Mom had the reservation confirmation paperwork with her so we could demand a room or whatever if they tried to be all No room for you!, but it was weird. How awful would it have been if Disney lost our reservation? Its scary to think about. I probably wouldve had a nervous breakdown right there in the lobby.
Anyway, we parked the car and headed inside. The main building is quite aesthetically pleasing. The green iron/steel/whatever the heck kind of metal it is contrasts nicely against the brick.
Im kind of obsessed with each of the resorts welcome mats. They speak to me. Its like Hey, Kara! Just in case you forgot, youre at Disney World and its amazing and youre about to be hit with a giant burst of air conditioning so enjoy it and have a magical day!
The fountain wasnt working for the first few days of our stay. We probably should have asked for our money back. Or, at the very least, I shouldve made an angry THE BROKEN FOUNTAIN RUINED MY VACATION. PRICES KEEP GOING UP AND WATER FEATURES KEEP GOING BROKE message board post. Thatll show em.
I could lie and say I was going for a super awesome artistic shot here, but Snappers, my camera (yes, he has a name), makes those kinds of decisions for me. I never change the setting. Sometimes I turn the auto flash off, but I dont like to get too crazy.
Mom and Dad went to check us in, and I wandered around to take pictures.
Clearly, Katie was still tired.
Looking up in the lobby.
This way to Registration.
Theres a bit of greenery in the lobby.
I like that Port Orleans was born in 1991. Right in between Katie and I (92 and 90 respectively).
Heres the Check-In desk:
They were giving balloon swords to little kids when they (well, when their parents) checked in.
Check-In is on the left, and the Concierge desk is on the right. Behind me, not pictured, is a door to Jackson Square, the resorts gift shop.
Our room wasnt ready which wasnt surprising as it was only a little after 9 AM, but we were told that we would be in Building 2, so we decided to walk down there and check it out.
Here are some photos of the lobby courtyard:
The part of a building you can see in this picture is Sassagoula Floatworks, the food court/mug refilling location/keeper of the Mickey Rice Krispy Treats.
PALM TREES.
The pool is located at the end of that walkway.
To get to Building 2, you turn to the right off of the courtyard and take this path:
Its so pretty! And so shady and cool! The trees are much appreciated in July.
Building 2!
Before heading to our first park of the trip, we moved the car over to the lot for Building 2. We had only been there for a few minutes, but already I was impressed at how small the resort felt. It reminded me a lot of the Polynesian, layout-wise. Unlike the other Moderates, it felt intimate, which we all really liked. After staying in the Ranchos at Coronado Springs last summer, it was nice to be in a building near the lobby. No walking 30000 miles to fill up our mugs! That meant there would actually be something left in the mug by the time we got back to our room. Hooray!
After dumping the car, we high-tailed it over to the bus stop and, because my family is full of bus luck, a bus to the park of our choice was pulling in.
Where were we headed? Tune in next time, friends. Or try to zoom in and read the bus marquee. Or check my Twitter. Or just guess. You have a 1 in 4 chance of being right.
Prior to the Disney leg of our trip, we spent five days visiting my grandmother. She lives in the Tampa area, so we drove down from Ohio and stayed with her. It was basically five days of doing nothing but floating around the pool. Being able to unwind and relax before running around WDW for a week was nice.
Other highlights of our stay w/Grandma:
~ DEER! My grandmas property backs up into a wooded area and tons of deer came to visit us each day. It reminded me of my deer-face-making frump friends Jess (Disneyfreak508) and Kristen (Disneyfreak616). I assumed they sent their pals to visit me.
~ Cinnamon Butter is great on rolls, but its also just as great on its own. Not gonna lie, I ate the stuff straight out of the little plastic cup thingy the restaurant served it in when I had absolutely no room left for more rolls. I even considered putting it on the last few bites of my steak, but I really had no room for that either. Basically, the point of all this is that taking Cinnamon Butter Shots should be a thing we all do on the regular.
~ Dad and I watched the Nathans Hot Dog Eating Contest like we always do on the 4th of July. Everyone says its disgusting/vomit-inducing, but I think its fascinating. Those guys are like food-devouring machines. Its really something to be revered.
~ My 22nd Birthday! I had a Birthday Apple Pie instead of a Birthday Cake because, well, I really dont like cake all that much. I like cupcakes, but not cake. Im weird like that.
The night before we left for Disney (which was my birthday), I painted my nails, ate a lot of Birthday Pie, organized (and reorganized) my park bag, charged my camera...usual pre-Disney stuff. I tried to go to bed at a decent hour (12 AM), but that didnt happen. I sat in bed in the dark for a while, but eventually gave up and watched House Hunters until like 3:30 AM. I kept telling myself Id go to bed as soon as the episode ended, but then I got sucked into the next one and it was just a spiral of people whining about the lack of stainless steel appliances and seemingly not understanding the concept of paint. DONT DWELL ON WALL COLOR, YOU IDIOTS! IT SHOULD BE THE LEAST OF YOUR CONCERNS!
Ahem.
Nevertheless, I got a solid three hours of sleep before my alarm went off. Almost immediately, the HOLY CRAP IM GOING TO DISNEY TODAY stomach butterflies showed up. I really missed those guys.
Dad meticulously piled everything into the car, we said goodbye to Grandma, piled ourselves into the car, and pulled out of the driveway at 7:08 AM.
The drive to Disney was uneventful. I ate a Pop Tart and stared out the window. Fun stuff.
Then we drove past this, and that Pop Tart almost came back up I was so excited.
Whenever Im approaching Disney property, I get crazy frantic. Like, about-to-burst-open-and-dump-Mickey-head-confetti-everywhere frantic. I mean, Im sure I was smiling like a lunatic. But really, if youre coming to Disney and you dont have a ridiculous smile on your face, youre the real lunatic.
The last of the green road signs. Adios, Real World!
And heres the big moment:
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
Driving through those beauties and knowing you have an entire trip ahead of you is such a magical moment. Its the best feeling ever.
I made sure to snap a picture of the purple Disney road signs.
And the adorable mouse-ear-topped sign leading us toward the French Quarter.
And heres our home for the next week - Disneys Port Orleans French Quarter!
When we pulled up to the security gate, the guard couldnt find our reservation on his list. He flipped through all the pages on his clipboard several times and I got progressively worried. I mean, he still let us through and Mom had the reservation confirmation paperwork with her so we could demand a room or whatever if they tried to be all No room for you!, but it was weird. How awful would it have been if Disney lost our reservation? Its scary to think about. I probably wouldve had a nervous breakdown right there in the lobby.
Anyway, we parked the car and headed inside. The main building is quite aesthetically pleasing. The green iron/steel/whatever the heck kind of metal it is contrasts nicely against the brick.
Im kind of obsessed with each of the resorts welcome mats. They speak to me. Its like Hey, Kara! Just in case you forgot, youre at Disney World and its amazing and youre about to be hit with a giant burst of air conditioning so enjoy it and have a magical day!
The fountain wasnt working for the first few days of our stay. We probably should have asked for our money back. Or, at the very least, I shouldve made an angry THE BROKEN FOUNTAIN RUINED MY VACATION. PRICES KEEP GOING UP AND WATER FEATURES KEEP GOING BROKE message board post. Thatll show em.
I could lie and say I was going for a super awesome artistic shot here, but Snappers, my camera (yes, he has a name), makes those kinds of decisions for me. I never change the setting. Sometimes I turn the auto flash off, but I dont like to get too crazy.
Mom and Dad went to check us in, and I wandered around to take pictures.
Clearly, Katie was still tired.
Looking up in the lobby.
This way to Registration.
Theres a bit of greenery in the lobby.
I like that Port Orleans was born in 1991. Right in between Katie and I (92 and 90 respectively).
Heres the Check-In desk:
They were giving balloon swords to little kids when they (well, when their parents) checked in.
Check-In is on the left, and the Concierge desk is on the right. Behind me, not pictured, is a door to Jackson Square, the resorts gift shop.
Our room wasnt ready which wasnt surprising as it was only a little after 9 AM, but we were told that we would be in Building 2, so we decided to walk down there and check it out.
Here are some photos of the lobby courtyard:
The part of a building you can see in this picture is Sassagoula Floatworks, the food court/mug refilling location/keeper of the Mickey Rice Krispy Treats.
PALM TREES.
The pool is located at the end of that walkway.
To get to Building 2, you turn to the right off of the courtyard and take this path:
Its so pretty! And so shady and cool! The trees are much appreciated in July.
Building 2!
Before heading to our first park of the trip, we moved the car over to the lot for Building 2. We had only been there for a few minutes, but already I was impressed at how small the resort felt. It reminded me a lot of the Polynesian, layout-wise. Unlike the other Moderates, it felt intimate, which we all really liked. After staying in the Ranchos at Coronado Springs last summer, it was nice to be in a building near the lobby. No walking 30000 miles to fill up our mugs! That meant there would actually be something left in the mug by the time we got back to our room. Hooray!
After dumping the car, we high-tailed it over to the bus stop and, because my family is full of bus luck, a bus to the park of our choice was pulling in.
Where were we headed? Tune in next time, friends. Or try to zoom in and read the bus marquee. Or check my Twitter. Or just guess. You have a 1 in 4 chance of being right.
__disneygirl
well, all that's left now is the happy ending.
- Joined
- Aug 4, 2005
Again we are twins. I LOVE CINNAMON BUTTER. I told my mom not to buy it anymore. The same thing with cinnamon bread. I ate like 5 slices of that in one day. It's heaven. The two of them combined... forget it. But I would always eat more out of the container after applying it to the bread. It's just SO GOOD.
OMG @ that Mickey head pole! That is so awesome.
HAHAHAHAHAHA YES. I seriously can't with some of the things that people post on these boards sometimes. "There was a bit of paint chipped off the railing at The Backlot Tour. They didn't even offer us free fastpasses! My children were crying, my husband was furious, we ended up getting into a huge fight. Our vacation was ruined. How can they let this happen? I didn't save money all year to have our family trip sabotaged in such a way. My husband and I work hard and spend our hard earned money on Disney so our children can have a nice time and something like this has got to ruin it?! The decline in quality at Walt Disney World is a tragedy."
Ahhh POFQ. I WILL stay there someday soon. I love that you said it had a more intimate feel than the other moderates! That's awesome. The more I hear about this place, the more excited I am to finally stay there.
OMG @ that Mickey head pole! That is so awesome.
HAHAHAHAHAHA YES. I seriously can't with some of the things that people post on these boards sometimes. "There was a bit of paint chipped off the railing at The Backlot Tour. They didn't even offer us free fastpasses! My children were crying, my husband was furious, we ended up getting into a huge fight. Our vacation was ruined. How can they let this happen? I didn't save money all year to have our family trip sabotaged in such a way. My husband and I work hard and spend our hard earned money on Disney so our children can have a nice time and something like this has got to ruin it?! The decline in quality at Walt Disney World is a tragedy."
Ahhh POFQ. I WILL stay there someday soon. I love that you said it had a more intimate feel than the other moderates! That's awesome. The more I hear about this place, the more excited I am to finally stay there.
Grumpy's Wife
Dollar Tree gal here
- Joined
- Jan 28, 2005
Hi Kara 
I've read both of your other trip reports and am looking forward to reading along on this one.
I've read both of your other trip reports and am looking forward to reading along on this one.
JessicaFaye508
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jun 10, 2008
OMG THE FIRST UPDATE! 
Hehehe I'm glad our deer friends arrived safely! They wanted to wish you off on a magical Disney vacation!
An all-american birthday PIE! You're awesome. I LOVE PIE.
YAY FOR POFQ!!! Isn't that lobby AMAZING!?
It just feels so welcoming. "Aesthetically pleasing" is the absolute perfect way to describe it!
LOL I'm obsessed with the resort rugs too. I ALWAYS take pictures of them. I would like one of each, please. I will put them in my house.
The size of POFQ is what makes me love it so much. I LOVE the smaller resorts. They just have a more "homey" feel.
I can't wait for the next part! I'm going to guess either Magic or Animal kingdom! Wait, I think you went to Animal Kingdom first if I remember correctly. It's one of those kingdoms, though. I can see it on the bus! EEEE YAY I CAN'T WAIT FOR MORE!
Hehehe I'm glad our deer friends arrived safely! They wanted to wish you off on a magical Disney vacation!
An all-american birthday PIE! You're awesome. I LOVE PIE.
YAY FOR POFQ!!! Isn't that lobby AMAZING!?
It just feels so welcoming. "Aesthetically pleasing" is the absolute perfect way to describe it!LOL I'm obsessed with the resort rugs too. I ALWAYS take pictures of them. I would like one of each, please. I will put them in my house.
The size of POFQ is what makes me love it so much. I LOVE the smaller resorts. They just have a more "homey" feel.
I can't wait for the next part! I'm going to guess either Magic or Animal kingdom! Wait, I think you went to Animal Kingdom first if I remember correctly. It's one of those kingdoms, though. I can see it on the bus! EEEE YAY I CAN'T WAIT FOR MORE!
NCDisneyMom
DIS Cast Member
- Joined
- Jun 22, 2004
Stumbled upon your TR, and can't wait to read the rest, as we were at POFQ from the 8th - 14th...and also in building 2! I'll be watching your pictures to see if any of us are in the background. Can't wait to read more!
Can't wait to read more!
marDgreen88
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Sep 3, 2011
Hahah, my backyard leads into the woods like your grandmother's, so I totally know how you feel when you see deer! No matter how many times I have seen them, it's still very exciting. The raccoons that go through our garbage in the wee hours are kinda cute too. And I totally agree about House Hunters. Most people have such petty hangups about places. It's so weird. 
I'm totally the same way with the resort welcome mats! I love when things are individualized.
Dear God, yes. HAHAHAHAHA.
I know where you're going (you know, keen memory and all) so YAY. I freaking love that park. It's my second favorite.
I'm totally the same way with the resort welcome mats! I love when things are individualized.Dear God, yes. HAHAHAHAHA.
I know where you're going (you know, keen memory and all) so YAY. I freaking love that park. It's my second favorite.
onelilspark
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Oct 23, 2008
I love POFQ for the same reason, it's so small compared to the other resorts that I feel like I'm totally immersed in the theme. ...that and I'm lazy when it's breakfast time.
LifeIsDis
"It's kind of fun to do the impossible."
- Joined
- May 22, 2012
The first update! 
Im guessing you guys went to the Texas Roadhouse. I know that is where the amazing cinnamon butter lives. Must be a pretty fun place to live. And those rolls they give you are so good. Enough about food but I could read and look at food pictures all day, so Im sure you dont mind me talking about food. I better stop now and finish reading the update.
DISNEY WORLD!!!!
I just love the purple Disney road signs. They are just perfect.
I really think you should post on the thread complaining how the fountain didnt work so you should get money back. Those people are ridiculous. I mean, what am I supposed to say to them? Im sorry a CM didnt tell you to have a magical day. I can totally understand why you would want your money back.? Craziness I tell you.
I just love looking at pictures of French Quarter. Its so pretty!
Im guessing you guys went to the Texas Roadhouse. I know that is where the amazing cinnamon butter lives. Must be a pretty fun place to live. And those rolls they give you are so good. Enough about food but I could read and look at food pictures all day, so Im sure you dont mind me talking about food. I better stop now and finish reading the update.
DISNEY WORLD!!!!
I just love the purple Disney road signs. They are just perfect.
I really think you should post on the thread complaining how the fountain didnt work so you should get money back. Those people are ridiculous. I mean, what am I supposed to say to them? Im sorry a CM didnt tell you to have a magical day. I can totally understand why you would want your money back.? Craziness I tell you.
I just love looking at pictures of French Quarter. Its so pretty!
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