Well, Ain't That Fancy Schmancy! (Not So Much.) A Sept. '13 PTR. Shock-UPDATED 7/2!

[Stasieki]

We loved POR. Nice size, yummy counter service, good pools. Does have a relaxed feel to it. And now that I think of it we got tons of towel animals there (nit that its a deal breaker) but def made for a magical stay for out kids.

 

[merbobear]

Sorry you had to do a resort switch, but your new plan still sounds amazing! Your attitude of "we are there for 9 nights, which a lot of people don't get to do" (sorry I paraphrased) is perfect, and that is how I feel as well. We are going on our 3rd trip soon (like.... in one day soon! SOON!!) and we are staying 9 nights. I always try to remind my dd(5) that she is very lucky to be going to Disney at all, let alone for such a long time!

Even though your plans look amazing, just a quick suggestion if you still were trying to fit a Contemporary stay in somehow...Have you looked into renting points and staying at BLT? It's worth taking a look, if you haven't already. Renting points works out to be a lot less expensive than a cash reservation!

 

[lsenquiz]

Gabriel reached his AR goal on 5/7 also Gotta admit I am not a huge fan of AR.

Our September trip is currently undergoing some changes so there is a chance we might be at AoA when you guys are. It is very unusual for us to make resort changes (since we usually rent DVC points I always make my reservations 11 months out) but our September trip includes a Disney Crusie and that is throwing my off big time.

So Glad Sawyer is better. Those ER visit certainly can blow a hole in the budget!

 

[1000HappyWishes]

Hopping on a bit late for the party, as a lurker in your last (and ongoing) TR. Sorry to hear about the resort changes, but at least (hopefully) it'll all be worked out now. And glad to hear Sawyer's bout in the hospital wasn't anything major.

 

[evabraniff]

Been following, guess I should probably post something! We just got home late Tuesday night from our weeklong stay at CBR. We're planning a return trip in Sept 2014!

 

[Fantasyland Mom]

I'm glad Sawyer is okay! Poor little guy.

So in terms of the whole resort thing... It's a bummer to be disappointed like that about everything. I mean, you kind of have your heart set on one thing, and then to have it all change up on you really stinks. BUT at least the kids seemed to take it pretty well, which is definitely a great thing!

And, honestly, POR is a place we've thought about staying if we didn't do DVC. We almost decided to stay there for this trip if we couldn't do the DVC thing! I have heard nothing but awesome things about POR, and the market is supposed to be awesome food-wise, plus it's just decorated all beautiful!

I think the AoA Lion King thing sounds awesome! Lion King is such a good movie and the photos I've seen of that part of the resort are fantastic.

The boat rides to DTD are fabulous! When we stayed at OKW for our honeymoon I LOVED that boat ride over there. Plus, it's way faster getting there than it is by bus, that's for sure!

I think one way of cheering yourself up is that you guys will be in Disney again! And you aren't the only ones excited about being in Disney... because WE sure as heck are excited you'll be there at the same time as us!!

Hang in there, lady. It's going to take time to adjust to the change but either way, you're going to DISNEY WORLD!! And we're totally going to hang out! And it's going to be an awesome time, because we are clearly awesome people.

You know, having awesome and thoughtful friends has sure made the process easier! We can't thank you enough, and we are just as excited about seeing you guys as we are about being at Disney World. Seriously. You mean that much to us.

aw I'm sorry all that fell through!

You're right though, a nine day stay in Disney is something many will never ever have. So I hope that perspective helps a bit,
after all isn't it more about the parks... good vibes!

It is definitely more about the parks! We're blessed to be there at all, and that perspective has helped the adjustment period.

Ugh, that's no fun. And I'm glad Sawyer is doing well!

I've never stayed at POR, but growing up we spent a lot of time there visiting. I'm a pretty big fan of it. It has great theming, I used to LOVE the pool, and it's a nice, mellow area. It's not too long of drive/ride to any of the parks (besides AK), also, there are Beignets at the POFQ food court. That alone is wonderful!

As Dani mentioned, we thought very seriously about staying there. I'm going to be honest with you here, I actually much prefer the theme to the Contemporary. Don't get me wrong, I love how close the Contemporary is to the MK, but I actually think I would choose to stay at POR.

No matter what, it'll be a beyond wonderful trip.

It'll be beyond wonderful because you guys will be there!!
Brandon and I are getting pretty excited about POR. The kids are still a little bummed that their time at AoA won't be as long, but they're coming around, too. THANK YOU for thinking of us and sending those wonderful books. It's exactly what we needed at that moment.

So sorry the discounts did not work in your favor but you picked 2 great new choices and will have an awesome trip. I am sure AOA will be a big Hit.

I have Booked CR TPV and ad the same thing happen with the 5% discount and ended up switching resorts both times to BWI.

Yeah, I didn't realize when we first booked that it would have a different discount based on view.
Oh, well. Things worked out for the best, I think.

I am so glad Sawyer is ok. How scary!
I can tell you that AOA is amazing. The suites are adorable and so very, very, fun. The showers are amazing Walk in shower in the master feels very Woo Woo compared to other value accommodations!

Your kids sound like such troopers and their photo is adorable!

I have never been to POR but it is in the running for us to.

I feel you on the resort saga. I wanted a suite at AOA. We decided about a month ago that no discount could make it affordable for our family of 2 adults 1 child and an 'i don't count' infant. So we switched to Pop, then to AOA LM because we just <3 AOA and could not bear the thought of not being there. Then the discounts were released and my heart sank no LM room discounts...... so now we are not sure if we should just bite the bullet and pay our ressie with no discount. Move to Pop for free dining or go for POR preffered to get in AB, only reason we are considering it is because my oldest loves Alligators!!


Now that I have nearly highjacked your PTR......

I knew that lots of other people would be disappointed when I saw the LM rooms were excluded. That stinks for you!!
AB would be perfect for an alligator lover! Alligators everywhere!!

 

[Fantasyland Mom]

So exciting to think of a DISmeet!

I'm glad that Sawyer is feeling better. Stinky that he had the infection.

Ok, so I am totally with you on the resort changing issues. I've been through that whole thing and my theory has become "well, at least I'm in Disney..." but it doesn't really lessen the sting. However, Disney IS still Disney... With that said, I stayed at POR on my first trip back to Disney in 2009 and really liked it. We stayed in Magnolia Bend and really liked the ambience and theming.
I know it's frustrating to see all your plans changing, but just remind yourself that you will be in Disney with your family! Oh, and meeting me...

It is a sting, for sure.
But meeting you? AWESOME!

Hey Jen I'm quietly following along. Love all the PTR planning. The planning is almost my favorite part. I think you will love the lion king suites and where they are located its very convenient to the main pool, bus stop and food court but there is no pool directly outside your window to keep the kids up late cause there is absolutely NO soundproof to the walls they do show the movies under the stars in the lion king courtyard so that may or may not be good for your family. I've never stayed at POR but my best friend stays there every year and refuses to try anywhere new she says there can't be anywhere better. PS Glad Sawyer is doing good cant wait to hear more.

I'm so happy you're following!!
Glad to hear your first-hand experience there. It makes the LK switch sound pretty good! And if your friend says there's nowhere better than POR, then we must have picked a pretty good switch.
Thanks for your well wishes for Sawyer.

Aw poor Sawyer! I'm glad he's doing okay though. Nothing scarier than a little person in the hospital!

Grr that is a frustrating story of resort changes. I'm sorry things were aligned so much not in your favor.

However, here's my encouraging words:
1. You're going back to Disney yay!!!
2. Julia may be sad now (and you too!) but once you guys get there and see POR, I'm sure you'll enjoy it and forget about the sadness.
3. Now you just have an excuse for another Disney trip rotfl! You have more resorts you need to hit!

LOL! All good points!! And I'll take any excuse for another Disney trip!

We have stayed at pors and I have to say it is my favorite resort. I would request a 1st floor room as they have no elevators in alligator bayou. Dragging luggage for 5 and double strollers upstairs is no fun!!

OH!! I'm calling them today! Thanks for the heads-up! Brynn uses a medical stroller sometimes, and it's pretty big, plus the stroller for Sawyer, which was a double last year for Julia, too, when she needed it (still undecided about that this year)...then our luggage (we pack a house, essentially)...yeah, NO STAIRS!

Ahaha, there is no problem with plugging an ad in there for your TR, that’s awesome! Also great that you decided while eating at CM that you would (try to?) do a stay there! Those are some great reasons to do the Contemp, I know that I would LOVE to be able to walk to MK, and the monorail, I mean, c’mon, it’s my love! Though the contemp doesn’t really appeal to me, I really want to do Bay Lake Tower, with an MK view of course, but that is just too much out of the price range!

Oh no!!! That makes NO sense that Nemo would be blocked out!! At least there’s Lion King! I mean, I would be pretty upset if I ended up in Cars, I mean, I know it’s just the theme of he room, but I just don’t care for cars and have never seen the movie!

Sucky about the Contemp view! Boourns. Aw man, I know those nights, those thoughts of not wanting to have to cancel or change anything. I’m really scared that FD isn’t going to work with what I have booked, and the last thing I want to do is change resorts. Eck. Glad that Sawyer’s okay though!

AHHH add in another bonus point to Port Orleans!! That’s where we’re staying!!! I mean, we are over at French Quarter (for now that is….if things work out with FD) So we’ll most likely get a chance to see each other!! I know we’ll be at the resort sometime in the afternoon on the day we arrive. I’m still deciding if I’m going to the MNSSHP that night, as Mom and her friend aren’t doing it, so I’ll be kicking around.

I can definitely get excited about saving that much money!! I do have to say, it’s a little ridiculous how expensive AoA is, like, really, it’s a freaking value, it should be cheaper than a deluxe, even if it is a suite. It’s insane, but glad you guys get to stay there for a bit, I’m sure the kids will love it, and even not in a Nemo suite at least you’ll get to check out the whole Nemo section and pool and stuff!

I absolutely know we'll be over at POFQ a few times, so we'll run into each other for sure (and if not there, then at the parks or MNSSHP!). Julia wants to use their water slide, and I want beignets!
Also, thanks for offering pixie dust for the kids. You are amazing. You're just a magical person!

Try this and see if it doesn't make you feel better:

sorry, I cant get the link to post

But be sure to check out the POR thread, it will make you feel much better

I'm going to be looking there today, as I get to lounge around a lot for Mother's Day!

I stayed at POR in Oct. 10(I think it was 10 lol could have been 09? ) and I fell in love with it. I was staying at FQ though. The room we got was in a perfect spot, close to the hot tub/pool, kiddie play area, laundry & a very short walk to the food court and bus stop. It is very relaxing and I found it to be peaceful.

I will be honest I didn't care for the food court. I didn't actually eat there but that is because I just didn't see anything on the menu that looked very good. I did try the beignets and they were just very......blah to me. They just didn't leave me as fulfilled as a funnel cake with that yummy fried goodness. lol However, I used that boat over to DTD several times. LOVED that. The pool is great for adults and kids.

The boat is a big selling point for sure!
We paid for a preferred room, so hopefully it'll be nice and close to everything.

I can't wait to read more. I've been reading your latest TR and I finished the first one.

We are in the process of firming up our dates for September as well. Just have to decide on a place to stay and where we're going to eat. Dh made me promise though that if we have an early morning flight, I would not book an ADR for that night :::::sigh::::: I said that could be our Downtown Disney night, I guess. LOL.

I have an ADR problem. I just can't stop!! I'd have an ADR at DTD, too. Just couldn't resist it!

Hmm, now that's a possibility...Maybe I'll just make it a little later this time around...

SEE?!? It's a good idea. Blame it on me if he doesn't like it! I'm a bad influence!

Glad to hear that Sawyer is okay...but still scary just the same.

We've stayed at POR the last two times and we loved it. Great atmosphere and my kids both loved it. We were there when my oldest was 2 1/2 and then again when she was 6 1/2 and my youngest was 3. They really enjoyed themselves. I think this time around, we're going to see if we can try the Coronado Springs, just because we've never stayed there before.

Well that sounds good, then! They'll be 7, 5, and 3.

Ah man! That sucks about all the resort changes. At least Lion King is an awesome movie (my favorite) and Brynn will still get to see all the outside Nemo stuff. I hope you get the chance to try the Nemo pool as well.

I'm sorry to hear Sawyer was sick. I hope he's all better soon.

They are actually pretty excited now about the LK suite. The only thing Brynn likes nearly as much as sea creatures is "zoo" animals, so when she was the giraffes over the couch, she was instantly happy! They do like the movie a lot, too, so that helps.

Oh Jen I'm so sorry. That really stinks, but the CR will always be there-you can keep it on your list for next time.

Marita is right you should start following the POR Q&A thread. I've been lurking on it since we changed our reservation, and not one person has negative things to say about it.

Also you should check out SoNotAPrincess's most recent TR (she posts on my PTR). She loves POR and has so many amazing pics of the resort. Her TR is one of the main reasons that we switched from AoA to POR. (and after the dust settled, POR Royal Guest Room is cheaper than a LM room at AoA which I think is ridiculous. Isn't it a value? They had to know that this would be a popular resort. The prices are outrageous!)

And, if you need still more encouragement, try to find one of Marissa's (CandleontheWater) old TRs too. She also swears by POR.

The boat ride to DTD is awesome (from our experience at POFQ), the beignets are delish, and there are so many pools to choose from!

As for the LK switch-the rooms still look great, and Brynn can swim in the awesome Nemo pool!

Having said all that, I feel your pain. I'd be a sad, pouting fool right now. Hopefully by the time the trip rolls around you'll have been able to get genuinely excited about the resorts you've settled on. And, by then I hope to have many positive things to say about POR for you. Hang in there.

I pulled up the TRs a few days ago and haven't gotten around to reading them (very busy), but I certainly will! Thanks for the suggestions!
I am happy to hear encouragement, but that you also understand the difficulty. I can't wait to hear all you have to say after your trip. I'd say take lots of pictures, but I know you will!!

Hi I'm reading your current TR (and loving it) so I thought I'd stop in here too.

I'm glad that Sawyer is okay - that must have been so scary for you.

I'm sorry that your plans didn't pan out the way you wanted them to. It is true that many families don't get to go to Disney at all, but it still stinks that you had to change what you had your heart set on.

I'm happy to have you on both reports! Thanks for reading and for your well-wishes!

Oh that is disappointing when you have your heart set on something.We stayed at OKW and loved the boat to DTD, plus we went to the food court - riverside Mill it was great ate there a lot when stayed at OKW as quite close by car. $1100 is such a huge difference in price. We also ate a few times at the art of animation resort and had a good wonder round there what an amazing place. You have 2 great places to stay. When I looked into staying in one of the family suites I was shocked by how much it was, I agree it is almost priced as a deluxe. So not on our list for the moment but will look forward to finding out what its like to be a staying guest, rather than a resort lurker

You're right, it's a HUGE savings. I think we ended up with two good places, and I'm really happy about the savings. We can do a lot more activities with that money! I can't wait to tell you all about it.

So sorry to hear that your plans didn't quite work out the way you planned...

Disney really seems to be cutting back on any promotions due them being very profitable the last few years. I think we will continue to see less & less of them.

We are a family of 5- so we also struggled to find accomadations that would work for us & not completely make us broke (we ended up renting points for AK).

I think you'll be happy with your choices in the long run . POR is supposed to be beautiful & AoA will be fun! Can't beat that combo for both adults and kids!

I think they're phasing out the discounts, too. They're doing well--why would they need many? Especially with the good views or new resorts.
I'm excited to try both places. After all, they're still both new to me, so I can check them off my list!

Oh, the drama!

First, I'm glad Sawyer is OK and feeling better...that's the most important thing!

Second, boo hiss to having to miss out on the Contemporary this go 'round...I feel your pain because I adore CR!

But there is an upside! (With Disney, there almost always is!)

POR is an awesome resort...the absolute BEST (IMHO) food court, beautiful grounds, two great pools, and Yee Haw Bob! Alligator Bayou is closer to most of the amenities (pool, bus stops, food court, etc.). You may want to consider a ground floor room as I don't think the AB buildings have elevators. The resort has a very laid back vibe about it....I may be biased, but I think you guys will really enjoy it!

I have your TR pulled up and ready to read, just haven't found the time yet! We watched some videos of POR and saw those good things you mentioned. We're getting excited! I am calling Disney today to tell them we need ground floor for sure.
I am happy for a laid back vibe...I know AoA won't have one, LOL!!

 

[Fantasyland Mom]

Sorry to hear about the room changes Glad to hear Sawyer is ok!
It sucks to get your hopes up and then have to make a change. It also sucks that as parents we worry so much about disappointing our kids and yet they are hardly phased most of the time! Lol! But I do like your choices though and keep your head up because there is always NEXT TIME!
Anyway, I did get to stay at Alligator Bayou two years ago. I didn't get one of the renovated rooms but I saw pics of the new ones and they look really cool! I must say that we LOVED POR! It was very peacefully and the pool was fantastic. I only have a few pictures on my Christmas report but you're more than welcome to check it out. (Hint, Hint) I wish our stay there was longer because it seemed to be alot to explore just on the property. We did get lost going to the bus stop so make sure you get your barrings straight before heading out to the parks. The food court was great and I loved the shop there with a boardwalk in the back. You won't be disappointed, I promise!

As a side note...I just joined Instagram and started following you as well

I will definitely check it out! I'm always on the look-out for new TR and PTR!
I am getting happier and happier about our choices! I do think it's a place that Brandon and I will enjoy a lot more, but I do think it has lots of fun options for the kids, as well.

Oh my gosh! I'm glad Sawyer is okay. And ya know what? I'm sure that someday the Contemporary will happen for yall! It's an awesome place, but the way I see it, as long as you get to go to Disney, you'll be happy anywhere! I've never stayed at POR... but I'll let you know what I think in a month.

I thought, "NOOOO! Marissa will be so disappointed!"
I can't wait to hear your view of it (AND glad I guessed right!!).

That's stinky about your changes......BUTTTTTTTTTTT at least you have something to look forward to on a future trip!

Will this change many of your park day/meal plans? Glad the kids were easy peasy lemon squeezy about the change of plans.

This isn't going to change our park day or meal plans. The only thing that will change much is that we won't be able to walk to MK all those days . We did end up canceling one of our ADRs, but it wasn't related to the resort change. More on that later .

OH, I do not think those are bad changes at all! Then again I am a BIG fan of the Port Orleans resorts! As far as the AoA one, the big lure there is the cool atmosphere and pools, which you get no matter which section you stay Honestly though I think you will love love love POR! I'm particularly smitten with POFQ, but know that with baby coming we will have to switch to POR once baby reaches a certain age.

With that said, I think the rules that Disney goes by are RIDICULOUS.... 5% off one room but not the other..FD for one section but not the other?? Jeeesh. So much for magic and pixie dust. With THAT said, it's Disney, yall love it, you'll be fine in a broom closet, just like we would be. We've just become spoiled!

Hope little man is feeling better. Sick kids are just stressful! Jack sick during wedding/Disneymoon couldnt have been worse timing but we lived and tell a great story later

OK, gonna add you on IG too! Holla!

You are ABSOLUTELY right on all points!
We'll be visiting POFQ a few times while we're there, so we'll think about you!
Sawyer is about 99% better now...thanks for thinking of him!

Hello,

I've personally never stayed at either of the resorts but my best friend stayed at Port Orleans Riverside and LOVED it when she was a little bit older then Julia is now.

I know that you and I followed each other on instagram but I just wanted to let you know who I am here on dis. So, I'm Judy_Judy94 on instagram. Thanks for the follow.

I know I'll love it, but I worried about the kids...good to hear kids enjoy it, too!
I love seeing your fun Instagram pictures. They make me feel young again! I remember all those moving out at the end of the semester times! Seems like yesterday. (Yeah, 30 is old now )

We loved POR. Nice size, yummy counter service, good pools. Does have a relaxed feel to it. And now that I think of it we got tons of towel animals there (nit that its a deal breaker) but def made for a magical stay for out kids.

I've heard good things about the food court.
Towel animals would be great! Our kids love them! (Okay, me, too!) I hope that happens while we're there.

Sorry you had to do a resort switch, but your new plan still sounds amazing! Your attitude of "we are there for 9 nights, which a lot of people don't get to do" (sorry I paraphrased) is perfect, and that is how I feel as well. We are going on our 3rd trip soon (like.... in one day soon! SOON!!) and we are staying 9 nights. I always try to remind my dd(5) that she is very lucky to be going to Disney at all, let alone for such a long time!

Even though your plans look amazing, just a quick suggestion if you still were trying to fit a Contemporary stay in somehow...Have you looked into renting points and staying at BLT? It's worth taking a look, if you haven't already. Renting points works out to be a lot less expensive than a cash reservation!

I looked into renting from your suggestion, and it is a big savings, but we still can't swing it. We could likely do fine in a studio, which we could afford, but now that Sawyer's going to be three, we have to go the one-bedroom route, which is too much. It's really the dining that kills us. We have too many restaurants we want to eat at, and we need the dining plan. When that's not free, we end up blowing the budget.
I'm loving seeing your pictures on Instagram from the trip!! Keep 'em coming, and have a great time!

Gabriel reached his AR goal on 5/7 also Gotta admit I am not a huge fan of AR.

Our September trip is currently undergoing some changes so there is a chance we might be at AoA when you guys are. It is very unusual for us to make resort changes (since we usually rent DVC points I always make my reservations 11 months out) but our September trip includes a Disney Crusie and that is throwing my off big time.

So Glad Sawyer is better. Those ER visit certainly can blow a hole in the budget!

Let me know if you do AoA! That would be great! (Or we would think so, not sure if you'd like it!)
CONGRATS to Gabriel! I hate AR, honestly. I feel like it's stressful for the kids and takes the fun out of reading. But I'm glad our kids met their goals, at least, so that's a positive.

Hopping on a bit late for the party, as a lurker in your last (and ongoing) TR. Sorry to hear about the resort changes, but at least (hopefully) it'll all be worked out now. And glad to hear Sawyer's bout in the hospital wasn't anything major.

You're not late at all---this party is just getting started! Thanks for joining!

Been following, guess I should probably post something! We just got home late Tuesday night from our weeklong stay at CBR. We're planning a return trip in Sept 2014!

I hope to hear all about your CBR trip! I've finished up with the CBR portion of our TR and have moved on to the Poly portion, but I'm interested to see if your experience was the same.
Thanks for posting; I'm glad you're here!

 

[evabraniff]

I hope to hear all about your CBR trip! I've finished up with the CBR portion of our TR and have moved on to the Poly portion, but I'm interested to see if your experience was the same.
Thanks for posting; I'm glad you're here!

There's not much to report, really, since we pretty much just slept there. We did manage to get an early check in with a room ready at 8am, and requested a crib then... When we returned to the room at 8:30pm, there was no crib. I called and requested it again was told "oh so sorry, it'll be there in 10 min", gave the little man(2) a scrub, made the older one (7) shower (yes. Made.) and this is an hour later. Still No crib, called again, more apologies.

Long story short... 2 hours and 7 calls later (one to a manager), we got a crib, and the night refunded.
We also never got any towel characters.

Also, on day 3, we had no hot water when we got up. Maintenance said it was a known issue. Thankfully we'd all showered the night before, and it was back on when we returned around 9pm.

 

[Fantasyland Mom]

There's not much to report, really, since we pretty much just slept there. We did manage to get an early check in with a room ready at 8am, and requested a crib then... When we returned to the room at 8:30pm, there was no crib. I called and requested it again was told "oh so sorry, it'll be there in 10 min", gave the little man(2) a scrub, made the older one (7) shower (yes. Made.) and this is an hour later. Still No crib, called again, more apologies.

Long story short... 2 hours and 7 calls later (one to a manager), we got a crib, and the night refunded.
We also never got any towel characters.

Also, on day 3, we had no hot water when we got up. Maintenance said it was a known issue. Thankfully we'd all showered the night before, and it was back on when we returned around 9pm.

Did you read about our toilet issues there? Obviously plumbing is an issue for them!!
I am telling you, maintenance, housekeeping...they were just not on top of their game this time.
No towel characters, either, except for check-in.
We mostly just slept there, too, and didn't even use the pool because we were gone so much. The other issues (like the people trying to get their money refunded in the laundry room for over two hours, our toilet, housekeeping, maintenance) just clouded over even that short time! The first time we stayed there was much better, for sure.

 

[evabraniff]

Did you read about our toilet issues there? Obviously plumbing is an issue for them!!
I am telling you, maintenance, housekeeping...they were just not on top of their game this time.
No towel characters, either, except for check-in.
We mostly just slept there, too, and didn't even use the pool because we were gone so much. The other issues (like the people trying to get their money refunded in the laundry room for over two hours, our toilet, housekeeping, maintenance) just clouded over even that short time! The first time we stayed there was much better, for sure.

Yes! My DH even said "ugh it's like we're living her TR!"
We spent about 1 hour in the pool. Went to the pirate ship child area but because my DD is over the height limit, they wouldn't even let her through the gate. Not even to just relax. So I took DS in the big pool, for about 3 minutes, then he wanted to go to the ship, so I took him over there alone and there were kids TALLER than my DD in there! ***!? Anyway, we played a little, he yelled at some kid for sliding in his pirate slide, and then he slipped and hit his head on the pool floor, not ONE lifeguard came to see if he was ok.

Ugh.

 

[Fantasyland Mom]

Yes! My DH even said "ugh it's like we're living her TR!"
We spent about 1 hour in the pool. Went to the pirate ship child area but because my DD is over the height limit, they wouldn't even let her through the gate. Not even to just relax. So I took DS in the big pool, for about 3 minutes, then he wanted to go to the ship, so I took him over there alone and there were kids TALLER than my DD in there! ***!? Anyway, we played a little, he yelled at some kid for sliding in his pirate slide, and then he slipped and hit his head on the pool floor, not ONE lifeguard came to see if he was ok.

Ugh.

That really sucks. The first time we were there, things were perfect. I mean, I was really excited about going back! This time kind of ruined it for me. Even if we could go back (we can't, since Sawyer will be three in July), I know we wouldn't. I kind of wish we hadn't last trip. At least then I'd have a good image of it in my mind instead of it being replaced with this one! Something has definitely changed there in the last couple of years.

 

[lsenquiz]

CONGRATS to Gabriel! I hate AR, honestly. I feel like it's stressful for the kids and takes the fun out of reading. But I'm glad our kids met their goals, at least, so that's a positive.

I feel the exact same way. The first thing Gabriel said when I picked him up on the day he got his AR points was "yeah! now I do not have to read all summer". This coming from a child who used to love to read and be read to. Now reading is just a stressful chore to him (and me!).

 

[Fantasyland Mom]

I feel the exact same way. The first thing Gabriel said when I picked him up on the day he got his AR points was "yeah! now I do not have to read all summer". This coming from a child who used to love to read and be read to. Now reading is just a stressful chore to him (and me!).

EXACTLY. Julia used to disappear up to her room for hours to read when it was her idea (and still does when it's the weekend or school break)...there's something very different about being told you HAVE to do it. (And you know that her mean teacher telling her anything makes it horrible.) Last year it was voluntary, and this year required. It kind of makes the prizes lose value when your grade depends on you doing it anyway.

 

[evabraniff]

My daughter, Carmen, LOVES reading and loves AR- for the prizes. Lol

She's in 2nd grade, reading at a 6th grade level- she has read so many series (diary of a wimpy kid being her fave), she says she will be starting Harry potter soon! (Good thing her nerdy mom has the whole series )

 

[inkedupmomma]

what are these ar points yall speak of?

 

[evabraniff]

what are these ar points yall speak of?

Accelerated reader- it's an elementary school program for kids who are reading well above their grade level

 

[inkedupmomma]

Accelerated reader- it's an elementary school program for kids who are reading well above their grade level

Oh, they dont have that at our school district! Wish they did, but then again I think what yall have been talking about would happen with my little ones.

 

[nannye]

I'm jumping on board!

Here's another plug for POR riverside! We stayed there in a royal room last summer. I dont want to be anywhere else! It is so relaxing and lovely! We are going in August and will stay there again. This time I am requesting the reg mansion. No royal room for us, too $$$$$ and I dont have much desire to stay in the bayou!

 

[heatherlizz602]

Oh my goodness.....you're babies are adorable in that picture!!

Glad to hear Sawyer is doing better! And also, Congrats to Julia and her Accelerated Reader achievements...definitely something to be proud of

I would love to put in my two cents about the resort choices but I've never been to Disney World.......ya I know...just to Disneyland...Hopefully soon though. I do think AOA Lion King should be awesome...I love Lion King!!

Hope you had a good Mother's Day!! Can't wait for more!