You don't know what you got until you don't got it- TRIP REPORT! 10/2-10/9

[SDSorority]

HOWDY FOLKS!

DH and I just got back from our week at the World, and boy o boy... what a trip it was! I'm getting the pictures loaded and will be rearin' to go!!

Before I start, I want to share a few things I discovered this trip.

1- HOLY CRAP DO YOU WALK A LOT!! Now, in all of my trips, I of course knew this already, but this trip, we wore pedometers. We averaged 21,000 steps a day, which equates to about 7 miles...3.5 straight hours...1000 calories burned per day!! At the end of the trip, we were close to 50 miles walked! DH's feet are feeling it!! Mine are fine though. 2 pairs of well broken in shoes were a good idea.

2- We spoke English at Disney... and were one of the only ones it seemed!!! The majority of the people spoke Spanish.

3- I LOVE the park-by-park crowd calendar from touringplans.com. It was dead on every single day!!!!

4- Fastpasses are my best friend. I will never stand in a line longer than 20 minutes ever again. Ever.

5- No need for Bonine or Dramamine!! Sea Bands, Motionease, and Ginger Pills worked GREAT for me!!!

6- You really REALLY don't know what you have until it's gone. We started the trip at the Westgate... and then proceeded to call the after-hours reservations number at 12am... (((LET'S BEGIN THE TRIP REPORT!!!)))

 

[SDSorority]

First of all, here are the players....

DH and Me, in the back.

We are vegetarians, and this was our first trip the the world as such.

We are also cheap . DH's friend owns a timeshare at the Westgate Vacation Villas just South of Animal Kingdom. He asked us if we wanted to use his timeshare since he wasn't going to be using it this year...for free... so of course we said YES!!!!

We landed in Orlando around 7:30pm, and went to pick up our car... a compact from Alamo. After checking in, we were able to go pick out our car. Since at home we're used to driving Toyota/Honda, we decided to go for a little gray Yaris. We got in, cleaned the steering wheel and all of the commonly touched surfaces (hello germ freaks... ) and away we went. Little did we notice until we got OUT of the lot that the doors and windows were manual....not automatic. BLAH! Oh well.

So we drive over to Walmart... get there around 8:30pm. UGGGHHHH Walmart. Anyway, we get our groceries and head to the car, around 9pm. Upon putting the groceries in the car, we get approached by a guy trying to sell off a stack of clothes and a hair straightener. He was a little... icky. We quickly told him 'no', and got in the car. Happy start to the trip.... but it gets better.

 

[SDSorority]

So we drive to the Westgate Vacation Villas in Kissimmee, and by this time, it's about 10pm. We drive to the main building and check in at the VIP Desk (gag). We got our 'Welcome Packet' and a guy got in a golf cart and we followed him in our car to our 'villa'. He warned us about the lovebugs, which I was WELL aware of (traumatic childhood...shivvers... ), and proceeded to show us to our room. He walked with us into our room and showed walked around with us to check and make sure everything was ok. After he left, we lugged the bags up, as well as the groceries. The villa was ok... it was a 1-bedroom, 1 bathroom with a living room and a kitchenette. In the bedroom it only had a double-size bed, but we checked for bedbugs and we were all clear, so I didn't care.

We got the groceries put away by around 10:30pm and I began to make lunches for the next day. While in the kitchen area, DH was looking at our 'welcome packet' and flipping the channels on the tv. STACEY!! We saw Stacey!! She proceeded to tell us about the must sees (that we already knew about lovestruc) but it was still good to hear!)... and then everything that was good went very very bad.

OUR DOOR OPENED.

DH and I looked at each other, wondering if we heard what we thought we heard. Sure enough, our room adjoined with another, and the other guests were able to unlock the adjoining door, but we were not. We called security and the guy came in and checked out the door. He said "oh... well... they shouldn't have a key to this door.... I'm sure it was just a fluke" and left. No offer to move our room. No checking in on the other family. NOTHING.



We were NOT happy. By this point, it was 12am. I was tired. We didn't know if we wanted to stay there or what. DH then said to me... 'soo.... do you think the Values would have any vacancy tonight?' I said "oh, well, I don't know, but I can call". Of course, the 407-wdisney call center was not open, and the internet at the villa was disconnected due to 'servicing', so we called a friend back home to get an alternate number.

I called the other number and talked to the lady on the phone. She said "you can go to All Star Sports as a walk in for $115 plus tax tonight". By this point, it was 12:30am.... and DH and I were just so tired and didn't know what to do. We didn't feel comfortable staying in a room that another family could walk into (who would?!), but it was so late that by the time we would pack up and go to Sports it would almost be morning anyway.

I ran around the villa and found a way to kind of lock us into our room by using our suitcases as makeshift doorstops... ... and we decided to get ready for bed and call first thing in the morning to try to get a room onsite for the week.

Unfortunately, DH and I kept kicking each other in the double bed... not fun... and the family next door was SO LOUD that we didn't get any more than 2 hours of sleep... if that

 

[SDSorority]

7am on the nose I call to try to get us into an onsite hotel, almost in tears hoping we can get in.

THANK GOODNESS I had a PIN code. With that, and a VERY VERY VERY wonderfully helpful CM , I was able to book All Star Movies for the week for $78 per night except for Friday night, which was going to be $86. Same room, entire week. We quickly (QUICKLY!!!!) packed up our things into the car and drove to front lobby area to check out.

The front desk DIDN'T EVEN ASK US why we were checking out 6 days early, so we proceeded to tell them about our unhappy experience. And... yet... they didn't care. We should have known.

So on our way out, we saw TONS of people getting their 'tour' (aka timeshare presentation holding chamber) of the Westgate in the little golf carts. I felt bad for those people. The service we got there didn't compare at ALL!! to Disney. We really didn't know how GREAT it was staying at Disney until we didn't do it. That's the Disney difference I guess!!

We sped out of there and headed to ASMo. Once we pulled on Disney property, DH and I both gave a big collective ((sigh)). We were home.

We checked in, and the nice CM at the front upgraded us to a king room overlooking the pool because it was our anniversary. He also gave us our pins.

We were HOOOOME!!! We settled into our room...

(these were taken that evening)

Then it was on to dining ressie #1- Sanaa.

What a neat place!! We split (thanks wdwinfo.com...)

Indian Style Bread service - Choose from four breads, Naan, Roti, Paratha or Paneer Paratha. Choice of three accompaniments. Mint and onion Raita, Cucumber Raita, Coriander Raita,Mango Chutney, Garlic-ginger Pickle, Mango-lime Pickle, Roated Red Bell Pepper Hummus, Tamarind chutney. - $8.99

and

Lentils/Curry Veggies/5 Grain Pilaf (Vegetarian Sampler)

Since we were wearing our pins, our waiter brought us an anniversary cake, too!!

 

[SDSorority]

After lunch, we headed over to Animal Kingdom.

I LOOOOVED having a car this trip. We could scoot around town on our own time, park for free, get off property for groceries if necessary.... it was wonderful. We made sure to take a picture of where we parked each time so we could find it without any problems.

Once at Animal Kingdom, we headed right to EE. Here is something I should have prefaced a little bit. I am prone to motion sickness and claustrophobia. This trip was the first trip that I was determined to not use Dramamine/Bonine to help with my motion sickness, but rather use 'natural' remedies. So, I got Sea Bands, Motionease, and Ginger Pills, and used them all religiously. EE was my first EVER coaster NOT being sedated by Dramamine/Bonine (read: drowsy), so I warned DH that my true colors were really going to shine through.

I am happy to report that other than cotton mouth, I had NO motion sickness symptoms upon 'dis-embarking'. NONE! No dizziness... no nausea, nada!!

Since I did ok, we went over and rode Dinosaur, and attempted Kali for the very first time. WE GOT SOAKED. COMPLETELY SOAKED. Yep, the unfortunate ones that were at the bottom of the hill. BLAH!!! But that's ok- we rode EE again and dried off some . Knowing that we wanted to walk around Epcot that evening too, we walked back to the car to go to the hotel to change into dry clothes.

Ahhhhhhh Epcot. Our FAVORITE place. We parked at DHS and took the boat over. It was a better get-away for us than parking at the front of the park.

By the time that we got there, we rode a couple of rides and then watched RoE from TT area.

It was nice to feel at home finally. Once back at the hotel, we felt like our vacation had started. Just a minor hiccup at the beginning, but it was all up hill from there!!

 

[MarelloDisney]

1- HOLY CRAP DO YOU WALK A LOT!! Now, in all of my trips, I of course knew this already, but this trip, we wore pedometers. We averaged 21,000 steps a day, which equates to about 7 miles...3.5 straight hours...1000 calories burned per day!! At the end of the trip, we were close to 50 miles walked! DH's feet are feeling it!! Mine are fine though. 2 pairs of well broken in shoes were a good idea.

WOW!!! I have been to Disney so many times. Maybe I should try wearing one and see what we do. LOL

 

[SDSorority]

WOW!!! I have been to Disney so many times. Maybe I should try wearing one and see what we do. LOL

Honestly, I was AMAZED. I came home and was 3 pounds lighter!!! And we ATE while we were there!!! It was crazy.

 

[SDSorority]

Hollywood Studios and Epcot day!!

We parked the car at Epcot, grabbed a fastpass for Soarin', and walked through the park to Hollywood Studios. Our touringplans showed that HS was going to be like a 0.7... so we decided to take advantage of it! First stop, fastpass for RnRC, then... ToT.

We got in line and were handed the infamous 'red card'.

The CM gave it to to DH and he looked at me like we won something . I had to reassure him that all we were doing was helping with wait time. Granted, there was no wait time ... we walked right on!

I was so scared to go on ToT. I had been on it once before in 2008... but this was the first time without being sedated by Bonine, so I wasn't sure how I was going to do. I hate to say it, but now I LOOOVE ToT! I still get nervous, but it's so fun!!

We then rode RnRC, and for whatever reason, it felt less smooth than 2008. DH and I felt pretty jostled around... and of course, that launch kills me every time.

ROCK ON!

Ok enough crazy rides... lets go do some calm ones!

Backlot- no bad dancing on the ride.

We did as much as we could before going over to Il Mulino at the Swan for dinner. I didn't get pictures, but DH got the Mushroom Ravioli and I got the Margarita Pizza. It was HUUUUUGE! DH helped me finish it off.

Then, we went to spend the rest of the evening at Epcot, again

As soon as we got there, since we already had a FP for Soarin, we got one for Test Track and then headed to the Land

Good thing we got that FPfor Soarin at the beginning of the day!! Ride wait was 65 min.

Living with the Land

CRUSH was awesome!!! I had never seen it before and it was HILARIOUS!!!!!!

Yay FP. LOVE TT.

 

[SDSorority]

MAGIC KINGDOM DAY!!!

I warned DH that we wouldn't be parking AT the MK... and I think he was a little startled that we parked so far away from the actual park. Oh well...

WE MADE IT!!

First stop, the newly renovated Space Mountain!! No wait at all.

I hate to say it, but I still don't like how jerky that ride is. Once a trip is enough for us!!

We grabbed fastpasses for Peter Pan, and got a surprise fastpass, too!!

.....since when do you need a fastpass for Mickey's Phil??? Oh well. We decided to get out of Fantasy Land for the time being and head over to the HM!

I love no wait!!

It was still early enough in the day that after HM, we hit up Splash with a 10 min wait. NICE!

DH loves drops. I scream.

We picked up a fastpass for BTMRR and headed over to the Jungle Cruise and Pirates.

This skipper was fabulous!!

To be continued...

 

[SDSorority]

DH and I had never been through the Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse, so why not?! (... we weren't very impressed...)

SOOOOoooo after a quick pb and j packed lunch, we headed over to use our FP's!

Nice ride...

One word of note- if you're going to ride Peter Pan... USE A FP. Geebus.

We went next door to Mickey's Phil and boy o boy was that fun!!!! We hadn't seen that one before and we liked it a LOT! The water startled me .

Back over in Tomorrowland, we rode the TTA, also for the first time.

AHHHHhhhhh

Had a great day!

This was the first day that we didn't have a ressie, so we decided to go to the Boardwalk for ESPN.

I love this place.

I got the Veggie Sandwich (LOVE THIS) and DH got the Nachos without the meat (subbed black beans)

The Nachos was a treat for him because he does NOT get this at home!!

After a GREAT dinner, since we were so close to Epcot, we decided to go over there for a little while.

What a great day!

 

[OhioDisneyLover]

Subbing......

I can't believe what happened to you at the first hotel. I would have freaked out! Glad you were able to get in at All Star.

 

[SDSorority]

subbing......

I can't believe what happened to you at the first hotel. I would have freaked out! Glad you were able to get in at all star.

so were we!!!!!

 

[lillylynnb]

Had almost the samething happened we had awonderful week at disney and we had one more till our trian ride home so i booked us at the Regal sun in DTD. NO MORE OFF SITE STAYS. IT WAS BAD AND THEY COULD CARE LESS. From now on if i cant stay onsite i will head home early.