Why Not Just Queue Up Another Disney Trip? Link to New TR 6/24 p136!

[MEK]

Your pictures, as always, spectacular.

Thanks!

But that cheesecake really has my eye at the moment since I am back to dieting. I am just drooling.

Tell me about it! I am trying to start a diet as well and it is definitely going so well with all the food around. I think I'm going to have to wait until Jan 1st to really get started!

Have a great trip, MEK.

thanks! It was great!

Gorgeous sunset pics!

thanks!

I am seriously hungry just looking at this update, so many yummy noms!

This is one of those times when I'm glad I can't see pictures. Just too darn tempting sometimes!

Have a wonderful wonderful trip!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

thanks! It was a lot of fun - just too short! I used to say 4 nights was not enough, but now I have to say that 5 nights is not enough. It needs to be at least 6!

Hope you have a magical trip!

I am sooooo looking forward to all of the pics!

Thanks Caitlin! We had a wonderful time. I started out a little slow with the pics, but got back up to speed quickly enough. I hope I got some good ones! I know I got a ton of Osbourne light photos.

Have a very merry trip!

Thanks Anita! It was a great trip, just a little too short. I see you are ready to make a return in just a couple days. I hope you have a wonderful time as well.

Love your pictures of Charleston!! Such a beautiful city!!

Thanks Jen! It really is a gorgeous city and I can't wait until I have th chance to go back. Amazing place.

Hope you have a great trip!!!!

We had a wonderful time. And what IS the scoop on this January trip rumor??? Do tell!

I hope you're having a great trip Mary Ellen!

Thanks Glenn! It was a blast. My favorite part was the fabulous weather. Boy do I love Florida in December.

Hello! Well...I know you're in Disneyworld and I hope you're having a magical trip. All of the pictures of Charleston are beautiful. I really want to take a drive through there someday...on the way to Disneyworld, maybe?

Thanks Tina - we had a great time! Eveyone really enjoyed it.

Charleston was fabulous. You know I definitely recommend it if you ever get a chance to visit. I would say that on the way to Disney world would work just fine.

I'm so late catching up, loved all the updates.

Hope you're having a fabulous trip! The decorations were so magnificent!

You are not late at all. I am the one who is SO FAR BEHIND NOW! ugghhh - I can't stand it, but little by little I will catch up.

The trip was fabulous and I agree that all the decorations were so much fun. The detailing was great! Christmas decorations just add so much to the parks!

 

[MEK]

Little by little I am getting to all my replies. Please be patient. I also hope to have time for a real update tomorrow evening. Fingers crossed!

 

[Pinkocto]

Don't rush, enjoy the Holidays, we'll be here when you have time

 

[MEK]

I missed your send-off, Mary Ellen, but thank goodness for Facebook updates! I am laughing all your posts on there! Hope you survived your Dawa Bar stop. LOL!

I think I may have posted too many drink pictures because my friends at home think all I do is drink. I think I only posted 3 drink pictures on three different days. Anyway - loved the lost on safari. I drank the first one so fast because I was thirsty and then it hit me all of a sudden - woo!

Welcome home Hope you had a fabulous trip!! I know we all can't wait to hear about it

Tracy

We had a great time, but I feel sad that I'm home already. My trip was just too short. Normally I feel pretty ready to go home and I'm prepared for it. But this time I felt like I was kicking and screaming all the way to the airport.

Welcome home, MaryEllen. Loved the FB updates, and can't wait to read about the trip.

Thanks! I hope I can do an update tonight - or at least finish up a few details on the HHI trip!
We'll see. I have so much to do. that's the only bad thing about a pre Christmas vacation.

Welcome back Mary Ellen!

I'm glad you had a great time and can't wait to hear all about it!

Thanks! We had an awesome time and I can't wait to write all about it. It will be my entertainment for the winter months ahead.

I don't work for DVC, but welcome home anyway!

Ahh - thanks! I need someone to welcome me back to Delaware, even though I really don't want to be here and would much rather be back in the sun and warmth.

Welcome back! Can't wait to hear all about it.

Thanks! We had a great time. Different than the girls trips. Less relaxing and restaurant time and more commando park time. I'm not sure if that's good or bad, just different.

Welcome back!!! Glad you guys had a great time!!

Thanks - it was hard to leave! I think my next winter trip is going to have to be in January. You've got the right idea, although I did love all the Christmas decorations.

Greetings, good to see that you are back. Get ready for Christmas, then get back to us!

That's the plan! I figure there will be plenty of DIS time during the upcoming winter months.

Welcome back! And now its almost Christmas!

Thanks.

I know - I am starting to panic a little bit for Christmas. I still haven'y started wrapping. Hopefully by tomorrow all the wrapping paper will be half price.

I'm glad you enjoyed OKW, I just called Sunday to make our request for a villa close to the hospitality house. I hope we get it!

Smart move. I really liked being close to the Hospitality House. I totally lucked out on that one because they had me in a ground floor studio, but I had requested a 2nd floor. That was one of the few available. I loved being able to walk to the main pool, the gift shop, and, of course, the Gurgling Suitcase!

I know what you mean about the weather. It really is amazing to walk around and not be sweating...

It really was. It's been three years since I was there in the "nice" weather and it was fabulous. almost intoxicating. Unfortunately, its making me dread June just a little.

Have a wonderful Christmas!

Thanks - you too! I hope you have a fabulous Christmas at the world!

Welcome home, Mary Ellen! Loved all your pictures on Facebook! Looking forward to reading all about your trip, so hurry up and get your Christmas prepping done.

Glad you enjoyed my silly pictures. I would really like to finish up my HHI report tonight so I can start on Disney right after Christmas. I do love reliving my trips!

Welcome home! From the pictures you posted on Facebook, it certainly looked as if you had a great time!

Thanks! We really did have a blast and it was so nice that Nicholas was able to miss a few days of school to go with us. I think he really enjoyed it since his last trip was in 09.

Welcome home! Can't wait to hear all about it.

Thanks! Well, by the time I get to the nitty gritty you will be vacationing there again. I'm so jealous!

MEK, a reason for non flash pictures is that some museums consider all of their exhibits exclusive property of the museum. They want to control all images & they are copywrighted.

I took plenty of pictures in the museums & houses at Williamsburg. They are ok as long as no flash is used.

I know - that's what I was trying to say. I just didn't say it too well, did I?

Williamsburg definitely was more laid back when it came to picture taking. The best was when I visited the historic houses in Odessa Delaware (just a few miles from my house). I was able to take tons of pics. I didn't bring my camera thinking pictures would be restricted, so I had to use my phone. But I still got a few good shots!

Don't rush, enjoy the Holidays, we'll be here when you have time

Thanks Pam. I appreciate your patience! I so type A I just hate getting behind.

 

[jenjolt]

Welcome Home Mary Ellen!! I'm so glad you had a fantabulous trip!!! I really enjoyed following you on FB and I can't wait to hear more about it!! Isn't the weather in the winter at Disney wonderful!!

Hope you and your family have a very Merry Christmas!

 

[KatMark]

Merry Christmas to you adn the family, MaryEllen.

 

[mickeystoontown]

merry christmas!

 

[Poolrat]

Mary Ellen, For you and your family wishing you a Merry Christmas

 

[Pinkocto]

Merry Christmas!!! Hope you had a fabulous day!

 

[MEK]

Thanks for all the wonderful holiday wishes. I promise replies, but I thought I might have a few minutes to wrap up my HHI trip this morning.

Our last day of the trip was Friday October 28th. Time to pack up and hit the road home. We decided not to rush out of there in the morning and I was up early so I could take one final trip down to the beach house. I decided to run there. I calculated that its about 1.5 miles for anyone who wants to know and may walk there in the future.

Hello Beach House (I took these pictures with my phone)

It was before 8am so I figured the beach house might be locked and I was right.

I could see through the slats in the closed gate, but I could not get in. It was such a bummer, because as I was trying to figure out a way to get to the beach, the sun was rising on another gorgeous day. Check out that little sliver of sunrise next to the column in the middle.

Well - Do you really think a locked gated was going to keep me off the beach?????? Heck NO!

I decided to look to the right of the building and that's when I realized that there is an actual parking area under the beach house. I was also able to scoot around the outer aspect of the fence and......TA DA......I was in! I was able to walk around the outside of the beach house to the beach. Of course, I missed the best part of the sunrise, but the morning was absolutely spectacular. WOW!

It made me a little sad to realize that Disney would never have accommodations with a sunrise view. I bet it would be awesome to stay in one of the resorts that actually face the beach.

Here's some pictures of me "breaking in"

And the beautiful morning

Yes - there really is a person out there on a wake board (I think that's what its called). Our kayak tour guide told us these are quite popular, but a ton of work and really not that much fun.

However, I think it was a quite fabulous morning to be out in the ocean.

Another view of the sky

The beach houses behind me

It's nice that HHI gives you bags. That sure doesn't happen here in Delaware.

I really had a lovely visit to the beach. I took a 15 minute walk and picked up as many shells as I could stuff in the pocket of my running shorts.

You can see that I certainly wasn't alone that early in the morning

I also amused myself my making hidden mickeys in the sand

I walked back to the beach house on the Palmetto Dunes side

One last picture as I left the beach

This is when I realized that Palmetto Dunes actually shares the Beach House, although at first glance it does not appear that way. But there is a separate side entrance to the Signals and there are a separate set of rest rooms on that side of the building

Cute seating area

By now the beach house was unlocked, so I took one last look inside

So hard to leave this

But, alas, I had probably been gone too long already and I'm sure the girls were already up, so I started to run back.

I took this picture just as a reminder that there are other close places to rent bike, ect right near the BH

I stopped to take a picture of this beautiful golf course, although the picture does not do it justice

And one last picture of the marina near the resort

P and L were already up and packing and may have been a bit irritated with me for not doing the same, so I busted into overdrive and started taking things out to the car while they went for a final short walk to try to find T-shirts.

If I thought getting the backs up the stairs was hard, getting them downstairs was worse, especially the cooler. I could not control its descent and its was picking up more and more speed as it was barreling down the steps. Fortunately, there was a wonderful groundsman who came to my rescue and helped me with the cooler and some other luggage.

Now where else would that happent????? No where but Disney!

Continued in next post.......

 

[MEK]

Continued.........

I did take some final pictures of the villa before we left HHI. Just to refresh your memory.........

First of all - this was the gorgeous morning view that greeted me before I left to go running on our final day

These are close-ups of the tiles that were in the kitchen backsplash

Villa pics

I also got a good look at the second bedroom

Continued

 

[MEK]

Continued.......

On our way out of town we thought there was going to be a farmer's market that day. I can't remember the name of the place, but it was one of those nature places. Apparently, we misunderstood the person who told us this. We were hoping for one final taste of the island by perusing the produce and seeing what the local artisans had to offer. Oh Well!

We were disappointed, but prepared ourselves for the long drive home.

Here's how we did it.

P drove the entire state of South Carolina.

I drove the entire state of North Carolina.

L drove most of Virginia through rain, rush hour, and dark.

I closed the trip by taking us from Northern VA across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and home!

But, of course, we had one more important stop on the way home.

Any guesses???????

Come On - Thinking Caps!!!!!!















We stopped here for lunch!

Yup - South of the Border.

L specifically requested this since she remembers visiting there as a child. Apparently this was a regular stop for her family on the way to and from Florida.

And - Yes - there are fireworks to be had at Rocket City

And you can totally get your flea market on here

And what stop would be complete without a look-see in the Myrtle Beach Shop

But the only one of these great destinations we entered was........

Ah, Yes - Pedro's Diner!

This was a killer flash back to the 70's. I mean, come on, even the cars in the parking lot look like they belong there.

This place was totally what I remember diner food being like as a kid. Thin hamburgers on a plain old white roll (slightly toasted, of course), straight up french fries right out of the fryer, and soda fountain coca cola.

The waitress has the thickest southern accent I have ever heard. We really could not understand her. But she was still adorable, despite her speech impediment.

L sort of apologized for having us stop there, but I was actually into it. I loved it for what it once was and how its stayed true to its origin. And it made me realize that we had much better portion control back in the 70's and 80's. And that's definitely not a bad thing, if you know what I mean.

Pedroland park definitely looked closed for the season

It was actually chilly now and we all had to hunt around for our jackets and sweat shirts and I had to put socks on with my sandals ( A major What Not to Wear N0-NO).

I thought about checking to see if the Reptile Lagoon was still open, but...well, you know.....

I almost took a picture of the motel, but quite honestly, it was just too depressing. Notice the pink flamingos!

Bye Pedro. See Ya Real Soon! (not!)

It was my turn to drive and I took a cup of the worst coffee I have ever had "to go". Yuck!

By the time we hit Virginia it was even more overcast and starting to rain. I give L props for driving that section. The rain had mostly stopped by the time I took over, which had to be around 8:30 or 9pm. P has a bridge phobia and said she didn't want to drive across it at night.

Well, bring it! I took that bridge, but here's when something unusual happened (and maybe you won't think so, but I did so I will digress).

I have an EZPass in my car. I have had one forever and I am certain I am one of their best customers. I LOVE my EZPass, LOVE IT!!!!!! I never have to touch someone's hand or search for money or get in the slow lane or get behind someone needing directions. It's just absolutely awesome. I takes me up and down the east coast without a hitch.

I considered putting my EZPass in P's car for the trip, but decided against it since my account was almost closed recently because my son was violating tolls in the car he was driving (we have 3 cars tied to 2 EZpasses). Well, I felt like it took an act of God to keep my account from closing. Ok, I'm exaggerating, but that's how much I LOVE my EZpass. I won't bore you with the details, but all tolls were paid, my transponders were checked, and my son stopped going through toll booths without the EZpass in the car.

So, the point of my story.

Well here I am at the bridge at the regular toll booth (which I haven't seen in 15 years) and out comes this blue, vinyl gloved hand. Well, I completely lost it. I was like "what????? You all wear gloves now to collect tolls? Really? Oh, that is just too much?????"

So the toll collector looks at me like I'm crazy and I look at her likes she's crazy and my friends think I am either insane or just loopy from the long drive and I secretly think to myself that this is the reason EVERYONE should have an EZpass.

So - the moral to the story - P now has an EZpass because they offered a get a transponder free promotion with all new accounts. Smart move P. You'll never regret it!

We arrived at L's house around 11pm, exactly 11 hours after we left HHI and I think I was home about 30 minutes later.

Final thoughts -

GREAT trip!

I am honestly so glad that my GF's picked HHI over WDW. It was wonderful to try something new that was laced with the Disney love. I had a hunch I would love HHI, but I didn't know how much.

In addition to loving the resort and the cast members and Shadow, of course, I also loved the amazing hospitality of the south. I loved the Spanish moss, the cities of Charleston and Savannah, the wonderful food and drink, the beautiful buildings, the rich history, and the wonderful people.

I guess that about sums it up!

If you ever get a chance to visit, don't pass it up! It's an amazing experience, especially for this northeast girl who has spent way too much time living in Delaware and Pa. I am already planning a return for Denny and I in October 2013. But this next trip will be at least a week.

So I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas, a happy Hanukah, and a fabulous holiday season!

My next update will be the start of our December WDW trip, which was a great trip as well.

And for a parting picture.......

 

[MEK]

We are visiting relatives again today, so please forgive me for not getting to replies, but I will as soon as I can!

 

[Pinkocto]

Great update. HHI is definitely on my list due to your marvelous pictures and attention to detail.

 

[eandesmom]

I am dying over the vinyl gloved hand, that is a riot! A lovely last morning although that drive home does NOT sound fun at all!

 

[Poolrat]

I have not been through a tollbooth in ages but the gloved hand .....

I would have been caught off guard too.

A wonderful end to a wonderful trip. That drive did sound long but then again I don't even usually drive to FL and that is only 8 hrs.

 

[Stringbean&Wingnut]

Maybe I'm strange, but I would totally wear gloves if I was handling that much money/touching that many hands throughout the day! I don't think that's weird at all!

Glad that you enjoyed HHI! It seemed like a lovely and relaxing place!

Can't wait to hear about your WDW trip!!

 

[rndmr2]

Great ending to your TR, those sunrise pics were beautiful! Love the pics from South of the Border! We used to stop there on our trips to/from WDW driving from Philly. We used to go in the stores just to look around and take pics. My parents were both smokers and cigs were cheap there too. We did stay in the hotel once too, it wasn't the best hotel we ever stayed in but it wasn't too bad at the time.

Hope you had a great Christmas and can't wait to hear about your WDW trip.

 

[IheartDDuck]

I love all of your early morning pictures. I will always lament the fact that sadly, I am not an early riser, and will likely never get pictures that great.

That toll booth story is too funny. I would have been the same way! You wear gloves now! Get out of town.....We have IPass here in Illinois, same concept. So nice not to have to worry.

 

[jenjolt]

Loved hearing about your trip to HHI! You took some great pictures!!

Now I have to tell you I'm especially looking forward to your pictures and your TR for your December trip!! CAN'T WAIT!!