Who invited Milton to her 21st Birthday?? An October 2024 Trip Report UPDATED November 20, 2025!

[pkondz]

Contacted Disney support and they "suggest using the US website, as it would be the most current and up-to-date, in case there are any differences on the menu."



HOWEVER.... there are no shrimp mac n cheese on either menu. And this is a tragedy of the highest order!

 

[buzzrelly]

Ah ha! A little more digging shows a difference between the Canada web site and the US web site. What the heck???

It's like, "Shhhhh...we do have Mac and Cheese but don't tell the Canadians!"

Contacted Disney support and they "suggest using the US website, as it would be the most current and up-to-date, in case there are any differences on the menu."



HOWEVER.... there are no shrimp mac n cheese on either menu. And this is a tragedy of the highest order!

Haha! Thanks for your thorough investigation! We can all rest easy knowing Canadians can still eat Mac and Cheese (just don't ask for it with but shrimp)!

 

[buzzrelly]

OCTOBER 8, 2024
BACK AT THE BEACH CLUB

Finishing out this day, we got back to the Beach Club shortly after 7pm...


Would you believe Grammy and Ava were still at the pool?? We changed quickly and headed over to meet them. Unfortunately, very soon after our arrival the rain started in again.
Allie wasn't happy...


My poor mom was all bundled up trying to stay dry and warm,


But Ava (and plenty of other kids) didn't care a thing about the rain and was swimming the evening away...


We watched the tops of the Epcot fireworks from there and then headed back to our rooms...

The next day was a resort day while we waited for Milton to hit the next night.

That's next!​

 

[pkondz]

It's like, "Shhhhh...we do have Mac and Cheese but don't tell the Canadians!"

“So where ya from?”
“Canada.”
“Oh that’s nice… NO MAC N CHEESE FOR YOU!”

We can all rest easy knowing Canadians can still eat Mac and Cheese

Woot!

just don't ask for it with but shrimp

Unfortunately, very soon after our arrival the rain started in again.
Allie wasn't happy...

She does not look like a happy camper.
Oh dear!

My poor mom was all bundled up trying to stay dry and warm,

Not what one hopes for when lounging poolside.

But Ava (and plenty of other kids) didn't care a thing about the rain and was swimming the evening away...

It’s amazing how they’re all the same that way.

 

[Steppesister]

Yeah, not great. But I guess it's better than nothing Sucks since I'm sure you weren't planning on shelling out the money for a new one just yet!

As expected.... less than half of the cost of my new one.

 

[Steppesister]

Oh dear. Major pouty pool face.

 

[missjackiemcg]

I feel like the rain has a way of foiling our pool plans pretty often!!! I miss when the pools stayed open later at night, too. I hate giving up nighttime park touring to get back to the pool before it closes, but a night swim is just so fun!

 

[yaksack]

We were at the AKL Kidani when Milton stopped by.

 

[buzzrelly]

“So where ya from?”
“Canada.”
“Oh that’s nice… NO MAC N CHEESE FOR YOU!”

On a side note, guess what I made for dinner last night? I guess all this talk about Mac & Cheese gave me a craving for it!

Not what one hopes for when lounging poolside.

Especially for my mom who is cold when it's 85 degrees anyway!

 

[buzzrelly]

I feel like the rain has a way of foiling our pool plans pretty often!!! I miss when the pools stayed open later at night, too. I hate giving up nighttime park touring to get back to the pool before it closes, but a night swim is just so fun!

What time does it close? I don't think I've ever swam (or wanted to) after like 10pm!

 

[buzzrelly]

We were at the AKL Kidani when Milton stopped by.

Oh wow! It was quite the experience, wasn't it?!

 

[buzzrelly]

OCTOBER 9, 2024
ALE AND COMPASS

When we we planning, this day was a rest day as Allie and Clay were supposed to fly home later today. I had made a reservation for 10am for the six of us at Ale & Compass but when we were all getting ready Ava was sleeping and my mom didn't want to wake her up so just the four of us headed over to breakfast.


After a short wait we were seated and we all decided to add the continental buffet on to our meals...


We started with some breakfast cocktails, Mimosa for me and Bloody Mary for Mike...


I can't recall what everyone got but I believe Mike ordered the eggs...


And I ordered what has got to be the best waffles I have ever had...

These are the dark chocolate waffles with a cherry compote and they are absolutely amazing. I have been back to Ale and Compass twice since then just to get these and I skip the continental buffet add-on since it's mostly carbs anyway and I don't really need a carb with my carb if that makes sense! This day I ended up eating two and bringing the last one and the bacon back to my mom in the room and she loved it.

Allie got the standard Mickey waffles...



This breakfast is so good and not crazy expensive or crazy crowded so it's a nice way to relax on a day off from the parks.

Continued in next post...

​

 

[buzzrelly]

OCTOBER 9, 2024
A WALK AND BEACHES AND CREAM


Mike and I were getting antsy already sitting around the room so we decided to take a walk. Looking back, we should have gone into EPCOT because I'm sure it was super uncrowded...I am not sure why we didn't.
We had to "settle" for walking around Crescent Lake.

A quick screen shot of the radar shows how rainy this day was...




Over at one of the shops at The Boardwalk, this cracked us up...

What a good idea! We didn't need it though since we had some food in the room
and had gotten some sandwiches at the Beach Club Marketplace just in case.

Mike and I made it back to our room and relaxed a bit more before we all headed to our reservation at Beaches & Cream that evening. On the way the lobby was PACKED with families and the Cast Members were throwing a dance party. Some of the characters from Cape May Cafe were even out there dancing with the kids. They really just made the best of a not great situation and I'm betting those kids will remember the dance party more than they'll remember the hurricane happening.



It was pretty crowded in Beaches & Cream and it made me feel lucky that we were at a resort with so many amenities, restaurants, etc. I'm guessing a lot of the people eating there this evening were staying at the beach or Yacht Club.

It was a perfect night for Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup which is what I got...


Mike got the burger which is somewhere under all that lettuce...



Continued in next post...​

 

[pkondz]

On a side note, guess what I made for dinner last night? I guess all this talk about Mac & Cheese gave me a craving for it!

Especially for my mom who is cold when it's 85 degrees anyway!

But... but... but... How?!?!?

I had made a reservation for 10am for the six of us at Ale & Compass but when we were all getting ready Ava was sleeping and my mom didn't want to wake her up

What time did you head out?

We started with some breakfast cocktails, Mimosa for me and Bloody Mary for Mike...

Classic breakfast choices.

And I ordered what has got to be the best waffles I have ever had...

Really! (Mind you they sure sound good.)

I don't really need a carb with my carb if that makes sense!

Yep!

Looking back, we should have gone into EPCOT because I'm sure it was super uncrowded...I am not sure why we didn't.

But good idea!

On the way the lobby was PACKED with families and the Cast Members were throwing a dance party.

I'm betting those kids will remember the dance party more than they'll remember the hurricane happening.

Probably so!

It was a perfect night for Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup which is what I got...

mmm... sooooo good.

Mike got the burger which is somewhere under all that lettuce...

I was underwhelmed by their burger... and I had high hopes for it!

 

[buzzrelly]

But... but... but... How?!?!?

She's old! Aren't all old people always cold??!

What time did you head out?

Probably just before 10...she must've been pooped from all that swimming the day before!

Really! (Mind you they sure sound good.)

Oh, they are divine and a must-do for me if not every trip then a couple times a year!

I was underwhelmed by their burger... and I had high hopes for it!

Oh really? I don't think Mike minded it. Next time get the grilled cheese...it's hard to mess up!

 

[buzzrelly]

OCTOBER 9, 2024
HURRICANE MILTON


Of course we had to end our dinner at Beaches & Cream with the best sundae on property,
the No Way Jose...


I think my mom got the All-American with some slivered almonds...


The walk back to our room was peaceful.
It was so weird to see Stormalong Bay all closed up and everything battened down...




The Cast Members were still putting out boxed lunches in the Marketplace. and there were plenty to go around...

And when we got back to the Villas there were Cast Members signing out DVDs in the lobby. We didn't get any but I thought it was a nice option to keep people busy in their rooms. I think the shelter in place started at 8:30 so we headed up to our room around that time.

Milton hit sometime in the middle of the night and honestly, I didn't hear a thing.
I slept through the entire hurricane.
I think that speaks to the sound proofing of those rooms!

My mom was up sometime around 3:30am and captured this video...

And that was it...thankfully. When we got up the next morning there was fallen branches and leaves but the CMs were already hard at work cleaning up.
Mike and I did take a walk around and got some of the mess on video...

They had the gates to EPCOT closed as we walked by...


And that was that. We had been talking about Milton for days and days and he was finally in our rear view mirror. I think the anticipation leading up to the hurricane was actually worse than the hurricane itself, but of course we could not have known that and maybe we were just lucky. Also, Disney does an amazing job and just handled the whole thing so well but I'm sure this isn't the case for most Floridians who worry about their homes and lives during these events so I don't want to make light of it at all. So while I would not plan a trip to be there during a hurricane, if I did find myself there during another one I can rest assured knowing Disney will do everything to keep everyone as safe as possible.

We had a pretty chill day just hanging around the resort. We did keep checking to see if SAB had reopened but it's such a huge pool and they had a ton of lifeguards in there picking out the debris by hand. Definitely not how I thought they would do it but I guess I don't even know how else they'd get it all out! It looked like a very labor intensive process!

Of course, as soon as it opened Ava was dying to get back in and we all had nothing else to do so that's what we did!

That's next!​

 

[yaksack]

The day of Milton's arrival we were in the hot tub at Kidani. It was me, my three DD and one of their boyfriends. I told them to remember this day. You can tell people you were in a hot tub during a hurricane at WDW.

 

[buzzrelly]

The day of Milton's arrival we were in the hot tub at Kidani. It was me, my three DD and one of their boyfriends to remember this day. You can tell people you were in a hot tub during a hurricane at WDW.

Definitely an experience you won't soon forget!

 

[pkondz]

She's old! Aren't all old people always cold??!

I’m old and I’m not normally… wait. Canadian. It doesn’t apply here.

Probably just before 10...she must've been pooped from all that swimming the day before!

That’d do it. Of course!

Oh really? I don't think Mike minded it. Next time get the grilled cheese...it's hard to mess up!

I expected a lot more from the burger. More than just “didn’t mind it”. It was just okay. But it looks amazing. And yes. Grilled cheese all the way there.

Of course we had to end our dinner at Beaches & Cream with the best sundae on property,
the No Way Jose...

I 100% agree with this!

I think my mom got the All-American with some slivered almonds...

Never tried that one

It was so weird to see Stormalong Bay all closed up and everything battened down...

I bet!

there were Cast Members signing out DVDs in the lobby. We didn't get any but I thought it was a nice option to keep people busy in their rooms.

I’ve never even turned the TV on there. Surprised they don’t have Disney movies available to stream or watch.

Milton hit sometime in the middle of the night and honestly, I didn't hear a thing.

I slept through the entire hurricane.

My mom was up sometime around 3:30am and captured this video...

It was a dark and stormy night…

And that was it...thankfully. When we got up the next morning there was fallen branches and leaves but the CMs were already hard at work cleaning up.

Phew!

Mike and I did take a walk around and got some of the mess on video...

Not too bad.

Also, Disney does an amazing job and just handled the whole thing so well but I'm sure this isn't the case for most Floridians who worry about their homes and lives during these events so I don't want to make light of it at all.

Good point. Could’ve been worse… and has been.

We did keep checking to see if SAB had reopened but it's such a huge pool and they had a ton of lifeguards in there picking out the debris by hand.

Huh. I’m a bit surprised by that too.

Of course, as soon as it opened Ava was dying to get back in

Of course.