We've FALLen for WDW...An October 2010 PTR! New 10/14 TR Link Added

[DisneyCrafter]

I vote for AKL CL!

I figured you would be on board with me! Now, I just get to play the waiting game...AGAIN...for the room discount to be extended. I have a feeling that will be another couple months. We'll see.

Well, as you know I LOVE CSR, but I also love the theme of AKL and want to stay there one of these days. However, CL is lost on us and we have absolutely no desire to ever do it. So it really is a matter of which is a priority to you.

I enjoy the theme of both resorts, however, it is definitely my dream to stay in a deluxe. CL is definitely something I would enjoy as well. It would just make my trip feel extra special. We are trying to do a more laid back approach to Disney this time around.

AKL CL sounds fab, I would go for that

I think we will go for that as long as everything works out! If it doesn't work out CSR still sounds like a great resort!! I would just love to wake up and head to the lounge for some breakfast, and return for our breaks in the late afternoon to some appetizers and refreshments. Or wake up and sit on the balcony with a cup of coffee in the mornings. Oh jeez-I need to stop talking about it otherwise I will want to make it happen no matter what!

 

[KatMark]

I enjoy the theme of both resorts, however, it is definitely my dream to stay in a deluxe. CL is definitely something I would enjoy as well. It would just make my trip feel extra special. We are trying to do a more laid back approach to Disney this time around.

Then I definitely think you should do AKL.

 

[DisneyCrafter]

Then I definitely think you should do AKL.

Thanks for your advice! I really like the look of the rooms at CSR, though. Also, that we can get a massage at the resort. The bus service also sounds like it would be better at CSR. I'll just have to see how things work out!

 

[SOUTHERNtinkerBELLE]

Do it - switch to AKL! It's such a pretty resort! Oh how I would love to stay CL...anywhere!

 

[DisneyCrafter]

Do it - switch to AKL! It's such a pretty resort! Oh how I would love to stay CL...anywhere!

Weird-you must have been writing this post the exact second I was commenting on yours!

I realllllllly want to switch to AKL, but right now to switch the price difference is like $1400, I have to wait until they extend the room discount, which I really hope they do!

 

[SOUTHERNtinkerBELLE]

Weird-you must have been writing this post the exact second I was commenting on yours!

I realllllllly want to switch to AKL, but right now to switch the price difference is like $1400, I have to wait until they extend the room discount, which I really hope they do!

We were definitely posting at the same time! I so hope they extend the discount for you! I think AKL is a place everyone should stay atleast once - it's almost like an attraction in itself. I'm definitely keeping my finger's crossed that you get to switch!

 

[KatMark]

Thanks for your advice! I really like the look of the rooms at CSR, though. Also, that we can get a massage at the resort. The bus service also sounds like it would be better at CSR. I'll just have to see how things work out!

You can get a massage at the AKL too.

 

[DisneyCrafter]

We were definitely posting at the same time! I so hope they extend the discount for you! I think AKL is a place everyone should stay atleast once - it's almost like an attraction in itself. I'm definitely keeping my finger's crossed that you get to switch!

Thanks! When do you think you may return to WDW? Where are you going for your honeymoon?

 

[DisneyCrafter]

I now interrupt this Disney PTR for a mini TR from our unexpected weekend trip to Saugatuck, MI.

DH has been swamped with school work (and working the standard salary job) and I had a very stressful week with the kids I babysit for so on Thursday I decided to book a room at a B&B in Saugatuck, MI to take advantage of the beautiful weather we were going to get.

It was probably one of the best times we've ever had together. I get teary eyed now just thinking about how fantastic it was. (Did I mention I'm a total mush?)

I thought I would share some of our amazing-ness with you! I hope you enjoy!

We were able to get a room at the Twin Gables Inn. Our room overlooked the harbor and the Inn was just beautiful and had that feel and decor that I envision when I think of a B&B.

Here is a picture of our room the "Chardonnay". It was lovely and cozy. Sure, it was quite small but most of the reviews of B&Bs lately, have small rooms, I think it's something that is to be expected.

Here are a few pictures of the B&B itself.

This is the sunroom/porch where we ate breakfast both mornings overlooking the harbor. I have to share with you what we ate for breakfast (no drooling pictures, however, sorry!) because it was just delicious.

Saturday morning we were served melon salad and homemade coffee cake. The coffee cake was a carrot cake base with some dried fruit and a drizzle of icing. It was so moist and delicious. DH loved it most. Our entree was "cornflake pie". The cornflakes served as the topping and added just the perfect amount of crunch without being overbearing or soggy. It was eggs, cheese, green onion, green pepper, bacon and sausage. Heavenly!

Sunday morning was berry parfait made with strawberries and blueberries with berry cream and granola. Yum! We also had a homemade cranberry scone served with a little strawberry jam and whipped cream. Oh my gosh-I am drooling just thinking about it. The scone was cooked PERFECTLY. It wasn't dry but it wasn't too soft. (It reminded me of perfectly cooked french bread.) The entree was eggs napoleon; scrambled eggs and a cheese sauce with grape tomatoes in between puff pastry. It was good but not as delicious as the cornflake pie. I commented to DH that it could have used some chopped ham or even a veggie diced with the egg to give it a little more POP in your mouth.

This is the "food" area of the common room. There was a small coffee pot with fresh coffee, cocoa, and a variety of tea. There was a microwave and popcorn. There was also homemade trail mix and oyster crackers seasoned with their secret dill blend. They also had corkscrews and a hutch filled with mugs and wineglasses.

This is the TV area of the common room. It was a great place to sit and enjoy a glass of wine and read. (DH also completed some HW here on Saturday afternoon.) They also have 3 other sitting areas, one of which is the boardgame nook.

continued in the next post...

 

[DisneyCrafter]

We arrived around 8pm EASTERN time and were able to meet one of the innkeepers (we were expecting a lot more stop and go traffic than there was-don't get me wrong there was definitely traffic AND construction (it's a part of life here in the Chicagoland area). We thought about ordering a pizza but decided to look through their binders of menus available to find a local place. DH found a place and I said sure let's check it out but when we got there it looked more like a place that you can eat in but it's really designed for carry out so we turned our car around and headed to our second choice, The Butler!

DH had 2 beers at dinner and I had to drive home (shows you how often we drink-lightweights!). He had a burger (what else is new) and it was sooooo delicious (I may have snuck a few bites...). I had a chicken club sandwich with avacado and bacon. It was okay. It was piled so high I couldn't fit my mouth around it so everything fell out and the avacado wasn't quite ripe enough so I ended up having to pick it off. The best thing we ate though was the appetizer. We had freshly made pita chips with a "feisty feta" dip. The dip was amazing, it had quite a kick to it but went perfect with the AMAZING pita chips. We went back on Saturday afternoon for a drink and some more pita chips and tried 2 of the other dips (pub cheese and spinach) but the feta one was definitely the best!

We purchased a bottle of wine with dinner to take back with us and enjoyed a class while watching Wedding Crashers before going to sleep.

Saturday morning we had breakfast at the Inn and then sat down with the things to do binder and found some things that intrigued us.

We decided to head to South Haven for the morning. It was a 20 minute drive and had a nice downtown area with little shops and I had been there about 9-10 years ago with a friend for a vacation and wanted to reminisce. DH found a cat magnet for our fridge and we got some chocolate and cookies. After going to South Haven we decided to stop for lunch at...

The decor was great! Antiques filled every nook and cranny. They even had old postcards at our table to look through. Some where from the early 1900's! Their pie was AMAZING. DH had their homemade apple cider which was so great. DH was hinting at getting a gallon of the cider but we didn't grab one of the way out-oh well, next time!

After that we headed back to the Inn so DH could get some HW done and I could take a little nap.

continued in next post...

 

[DisneyCrafter]

After napping and freshening up for the rest of the day, DH and I headed out to downtown Saugatuck for some shopping and dinner. After a "little" shopping...

I CAN EXPLAIN! They had a store called "The Olive Mill" that had a bunch of olive oils and balsamic vinegars to choose from and you could taste them all. I chose a garlic one and a truffle one. They also had a store that was a wine tasting experience! We each got to try 5 wines and DH and I each chose one. DH chose "Briarwood Sunset" and light red wine and I chose Cranberry which is quite sweet but delicious. I also had bought a cherry wine from the store where I got those kitchen gadgets. The bottles of wine were all less than $10.00. They are from winerys in Michigan. I also went crazy in a Spice Store and picked out a bunch of different spices. I can't wait to try them out!

After some shopping we stopped at the Butler for a drink and some more pita chips (as I mentioned earlier). We then decided to go back to the Inn to look through the menus again and I also logged onto their computer and went on tripadvisor to find a great place for dinner. We decided on...

...an italian restaurant!

There was a 45 minute wait but I think we only waited 30 minutes and we made the time go by faster by walking on the boardwalk hand in hand just enjoying the great weather. We sat down and I looked at the drink menu and HAD to order the mini martini called "I can't help falling in love" because that was DH and I's first dance. Dinner was good, not as good as our favorite Italian restaurant back home but still good.

After dinner we headed back to the Inn to sit on the sunporch and wait for sunset...

When it got closer to sunset we decided to walk across the street to the open area to get better pictures. Here are just a couple of the ones I took:

After that I was feeling pretty full from all of the food we ate that day so we headed back up to the room and watched a little TV before going to bed.

Sunday morning after loading up the car and eating yet another delicious breakfast we headed over to Mt.Baldhead to climb the 282 stairs to the top. Whoa!

I think DH's face says how we felt during...

My legs still hurt...I don't think the flip flops were such a good idea...

but...we made it!

continued in next post...

 

[DisneyCrafter]

After sweating and my minor grumpy moments we trotted back down the steps (so much easier) and into the car to drive to Oval Beach. I had read that it was one of the best beaches in the US. I can see why...

My favorite picture from our trip...

After sitting with our toes in the water and our well you know whats in the sand (some of you had to have heard that song) we walked along the beach for a while and I found some pretty rocks and seashells to use in my crafting and we sadly got back in the car to head home just as the beach was starting to become more occupied. We stopped on the way home for some icecream at a little farmer's market. DH and I are already planning our next trip out this summer. It was so romantic, relaxing, and...perfect.

 

[KatMark]

What a wonderful weekend you guys had. We've never done a bed and breakfast and I've not been to Michigan since I was 13 years old. Mark and I will have to look into this.

 

[DisMomAmy]

Looks like an amazing weekend!!

I can't believe you climbed all of those stairs! And in flip flops!

 

[tinkgurl]

WWWWWoooWWWWW! That is a lot of steps! And you went all the way to the top?! How awesome!

 

[wdwgirl03]

Looks like a fun mini trip!

 

[Stefy]

Looks like you guys had a lovely weekend. The B&B looks gorgeous, loving all your pics

 

[EpcotIsMyFave]

What a great mini-trip! We love Saugatuck and South Haven. I've actually stayed at the Twin Gables as well! It was for my SIL's wedding in 2000, we stayed in the Petite Syrah room, and it was fantastic. Tiny, but adorable. It looks like they've updated a bit and the walls are a different color, it looks great.

You ate at Cranes! We pick apples there every fall and ALWAYS get a dozen cider donuts and jug of cider to take home. I've only eaten there once, since when we go there is usually a few hour wait due to the apple pickers and hay riders!

I guess we need to get back there, it's been over a year. Luckily for us it's only about a 45 minute drive.

Thanks so much for sharing your mini TR with us!

 

[DisneyCrafter]

What a wonderful weekend you guys had. We've never done a bed and breakfast and I've not been to Michigan since I was 13 years old. Mark and I will have to look into this.

It was our first time staying at a B&B as well but it was so nice we will definitely stay at a B&B again! You really do need to look into it, it is only about a 2-2.5 hr drive (and that's from the south suburbs) and it is so reasonably priced. We didn't hold back on spending at all and including our room we spent less than $700 for the everything.

Looks like an amazing weekend!!

I can't believe you climbed all of those stairs! And in flip flops!

Yeah, I was so pumped for it and DH was unsure but halfway up DH was like "Let's go!" and I was panting and saying "Waitttttttt." Luckily after every 2 flights (40 steps) they have two benches to rest.

WWWWWoooWWWWW! That is a lot of steps! And you went all the way to the top?! How awesome!

282 to be exact. There was a mom and her 2 kids behind us and I kept telling myself that if they could do it, I could too! It was definitely a great view but not something I would do again.

Looks like a fun mini trip!

It was really fun and relaxing! Definitely something we needed after a stressful week.

Looks like you guys had a lovely weekend. The B&B looks gorgeous, loving all your pics

Thanks. We are already planning to go back sometime this summer, most likely August.

What a great mini-trip! We love Saugatuck and South Haven. I've actually stayed at the Twin Gables as well! It was for my SIL's wedding in 2000, we stayed in the Petite Syrah room, and it was fantastic. Tiny, but adorable. It looks like they've updated a bit and the walls are a different color, it looks great.

You ate at Cranes! We pick apples there every fall and ALWAYS get a dozen cider donuts and jug of cider to take home. I've only eaten there once, since when we go there is usually a few hour wait due to the apple pickers and hay riders!

I guess we need to get back there, it's been over a year. Luckily for us it's only about a 45 minute drive.

Thanks so much for sharing your mini TR with us!

The Petite Syrah I think has to be the SMALLEST room they have. We peeked in it as it wasn't occupied when we were there. If we go back to TGI as opposed to trying a new B&B later this summer we want to stay in a room on the first floor, they are the largest. New innkeepers took over in 2004, that's probably when they did the updating. The wedding must have been beautiful. We took a walk in the back and saw they have a big open field near the pond, that must be where they put up a tent and such for the reception.

A few hour wait? There were only maybe 4 other tables occupied when we were there. DH and I both had chili and while it was good, it wasn't hot (temperature wise) enough. The pie was delicious, though. When we return to the area we will definitely have to try the apple donuts and take some cider home with us! We are about 2-2.5 hours from the area, not too bad!

 

[Charlefours]

Sorry not been her for awhile--missed update notice. :rolleyes

Great new bag! I have a change jar going too that I started in March. I figure if anything, it would give DD press penny money.

Wow, you are going to be having a busy summer! What am I most looking forward to this summer? Going back to visit my coworkers and friends in Northern IL in June, eating from our garden and swimming/playtime at the lake and outside in general.

Great Top 10 list of why WDW. I love the planning part too!!

What a great recap of your MI trip. Great last picture!