January 10-29, 2016
Participants
Steve AKA Pop Pop. That would be me.
Barb AKA Grammy and my faithful traveling companion.
Stephanie Our Daughter and a WDW vet although she hasnt been since 2010 so a lot has changed. Her very first trip was on her 5th birthday.
Paul Stephanies husband and a relative newbie. Paul had one trip as a child, one as an early teen, and visited with us in 2010 for the Food and Wine Festival.
Paul John Koelbel III Better known as PJ. Steph and Pauls son, Steve and Barbs grandson. He just turned 3 years old and this is his first trip.
Sean (1.75 years old) Steph and Pauls son, Steve and Barbs grandson. He will be 2 years old in March and this is his first trip.
January 10-16, Beach Club Villas, Two Bedroom Villa
January 16-22, Beach Club Villas, Deluxe Studio
January 22-24, Marriott Residence Inn
January 24=29, Saratoga Springs Resort, Deluxe Studio
Planning
In December 2014, Stephanie let us know that she was interested in planning a trip with her brood. Im excellent at taking a hint and after discussing various timeframes, we decided on the first week of December 2015 arriving at Disney World the Sunday after Thanksgiving. I reserved a 2-BR villa at the Boardwalk Villas, sat back, and waited for Southwest to release airfare for those dates. When they did, we were shocked that the flight down was over $400 per person (the return trip was a more reasonable and normal $119). What? OK we shifted quickly to Plan B.
Plan B put us into January but I couldnt get us a week at the Boardwalk. The Beach Club was open, however, and a true Crescent Lake Snob shouldnt care which side of the lake hes on so I took it. Steph and family will be with us from Sunday Saturday.
Barb and I, since retirement, have been trying to spend as much of January in Florida as possible. Its our version of becoming Snowbirds just very gradually. I extended us a second week at the Beach Club, but in a Studio.
Of course, as time passed, we tried extending again but could find nothing available at Crescent Lake, Animal Kingdom Lodge or the monorail resorts so we booked Saratoga Springs. Saratoga is my least favorite DVC resort but thats based mostly on horrible transportation experienced during our one stay there in 2009. I hope thats improved because I actually enjoyed our room there (we had a patio overlooking the golf course).
So I have the Beach Club booked from January 10-22 and Saratoga Springs for January 24-29. The one wrinkle was I could not find any DVC rooms available for the Friday-Saturday of January 22-23. I booked a Residence Inn by Marriott, located about 4 miles from property and rented a car for that weekend. I could have booked All Star Music for $125 per night but I felt the Residence Inn (a King suite with full kitchen) would be a better value at a rate of $110 (Friday) and $127 (Saturday). Staying off-site with a car would also allow us some shopping at the Outlets and, possibly, an excursion or two.
We all booked our airfare ($119 each way and Barb and I used SWA miles for the return trip) and several dining reservations that Steph thought the boys would like. Steph was planning on packing lots of stuff, including many specific food items, for the two boys so we decided to give Garden Grocer a try. On our last stay, I saw them making many deliveries to Bay Lake Tower. Their prices are reasonable (much better than Disneys) and it will save me the long walk to the Hess (now Speedway) station for beer, coffee creamer, etc.
Our friends, the Goergens, are heading down on January 17 and asked if wed like to meet up for lunch at the Grand Floridian Caf. Sue had read something positive about it and none of us has been there previously so we booked a reservation for January 19.
Lastly, 60 days prior to the trip, we booked our Fastpass+ reservations. Without really knowing what the boys would like, this was a bit of a guessing game but I didnt think itd be a big deal either way. We can always adjust.
I spent the weeks leading up to the trip attempting to get a better rental car rate from Alamo, and find rooms at Crescent Lake for the last week. I tried daily even multiple times daily, and nothing.
Lastly, a note from your humble author This trip report will be different from my usual tomes. I just didnt have it in me to write a day-by-day, blow-by-blow account of a 19-day trip. It likely would have frustrated me, bored you and served little purpose. Instead, Ill try to summarize our experiences by category: travel, resorts, dining, etc. Hopefully, that will serve a purpose without putting anyone to sleep. Here goes
Travel
We flew Southwest and it was fine, as usual. Theyre mostly punctual although Steph and Pauls return flight was delayed by about 30-minutes.
The boys did well on the flights, which was a bit of a relief. On the trip down, PJ sat between Steph and me while Sean was between Barb and Paul. Sean spent most of the flight watching Frozen on a laptop while PJ enjoyed several episodes of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse on an iPad. Neither slept which was a surprise. Seans eyes might have closed for a few minutes but that was it (except Im fairly certain Paul nodded off a couple of times).
We did have one interesting experience on our flight down. .. one of the passengers became ill and it warranted a call out for any doctors that might be on board. There were several including the couple seated two rows in front of me. I noticed because during the beverage service, at about 8:15am, they both ordered double Jack Daniels and Coke. I was hoping they werent selected and, if they were, no surgery would be involved. Another doctor, thankfully, attended to the sick passenger.
While walking the long corridor to Disneys Magical Express on Level 1, we came upon a lone suitcase in the middle of that very wide aisle. We paused and there was no one nearby that looked remotely like an owner so under the guidance of If you see something, say something we reported it to a couple of Airport Information employees who seemed more annoyed than anything. We kept walking and I glanced back a couple of times. No one claimed or moved it and we heard no explosions so I can only guess its owner was found. Why someone would leave it in the middle of a corridor like that is a mystery.
Disneys Magical Express was fine. Im a bit weary of lengthy speeches from the driver who asks multiple times if we enjoyed Disney World (I cant hear you). It did, however, get us to and from the resort in reasonable time. Our checked luggage also arrived without delay.
During our stay, I modified my car rental reservation with Alamo from 4-days to a full week. The difference in cost was reasonable and Barb and I thought we could take advantage of the extra days. Picking up and dropping off at the Dolphin hotel (especially dropping off) is very civilized and super-easy. Its also nice having park transportation right there as well (or the walk to Crescent lake, Epcot or DHS).
I had reserved a Toyota RAV4, which is very similar to the Honda CR-V that I drive. They had given away their last one to the renter at the counter so I was given a fully loaded Chevrolet Traverse XLT instead. Unlike the stripped down Elantra I had last November, this vehicle had more features than I would or could use a few I couldnt even figure out (there were 5 or 6 buttons on the rearview mirror). I was able to pair my IPhone in just a couple of minutes and was listening to my tunes via Bluetooth right away. The only downside was its size much larger than what Im used to, including three rows of seats but it didnt take long to adjust.
Garden Grocer was also a homerun. I received a text from them when the groceries were delivered to the resort (well before the room was ready). They pack the refrigerated items separately so Bell Services can store them properly. I also received a follow-up phone call from them later in the day, just making sure everything was OK. I will definitely use this service again.
Resorts
As I write this, the Beach Club Villas have begun an extensive refurbishment. Our 2-BR villa (room 478) was in need it just seemed a bit worn. It was a dedicated unit as opposed to a lock-off. It was located at the very end of the building on the 4th floor, as long a walk as possible from the lobby. Thankfully, at the Beach Club Villas, thats only about 175-200 yards. Ive been in a similar situation at Kidani when the round trip to the room is literally a half-mile.
I was also confused when I saw our balconies yes, there were three. This was a dedicated 2-BR so its never divided up into a studio and 1-BR combo. So why didnt we have one long balcony instead of three tiny ones? Its another mystery.
Our studio at the Beach Club (room 327) was better. It seemed a bit fresher. We had dropped down to the third floor and scored a room just one away from the elevators so it was very convenient. And, on the subject of elevators its 2016. Why cant I unselect a floor yet?
One item worth mentioning was the view. Our 2-BR looked over the canal with the quiet pool off to the left. It did afford us a very nice view of the new DHS fireworks (Symphony in the Stars and more on that later). Our studio not only gave us a view of those but also Illuminations. The views werent perfect and there were trees blocking some of the lower fireworks but, it was still enjoyable.
As I mentioned, we were not able to secure any DVC rooms for the second weekend so I booked us into the Marriott Residence Inn in Lake Buena Vista. Its only about one mile from the Disney Springs entrance on 535 so it was very convenient and had lots of shopping and restaurants nearby. Because of extensive business travel (years ago), Im a lifetime Platinum Elite member of Marriotts Rewards program so I get an upgrade, if available, on each stay. I had reserved a 1-BR King Suite (with full kitchen) and they offered a 2-BR as an upgrade. I politely declined when we decided we really couldnt use the extra room. The Residence Inn also offers a free hot breakfast each morning as well.
Our last week we stayed at the Saratoga Springs Resort, my least favorite DVC property. Like Old Key West, it impresses me as more motel than hotel. I think that has more to do with the fact that all the rooms have outside entrances, rather than doors off an interior hallway. Like OKW, its also very spread out. We were in room 4836, located in the Paddock section. Our view was to the interior of the resort nothing special. I had requested a location near the Disney Springs walkway and we couldnt have been any further away from that.
On the plus side, our building was a mere 50 feet from the Carousel bus stop so thats the one we used. We were about .4 miles from the main facilities (Carriage House) so it was a quick 4-5 minute walk. Im also happy to report that the bus service was much improved over our last stay. The longest wait was 10-15 minutes but most were less than 5.
The real downside to Saratoga Springs is that using any of the facilities (bar, restaurants, marketplace, spa, etc.) requires either a bus ride (in our case, with three stops) or that 4-5 minute walk outside in the elements. On a rainy day, you can see where venturing to the lobby or restaurant can be an issue (and it rained, hard, on our last two days here).
Weather
In a word, sucky (thats a word, right?). OK, Ill be more descriptive. Weve been to Disney World many times in January and have experienced everything from hot to cold to rainy and most variations in between. This trip was consistently cold. Not bone-chilling cold or Northeast cold but a majority of days with highs in the high-50s to low-60s. Not bad for park touring but awful for swimming. I typically wear shorts most days in Florida. On this trip, we only had 5 or 6 days (of 19) where shorts were an option. We used the hotel pools only 4 times.
As I mentioned, it rained our last two days. Were able to find suitable entertainment (a movie) or visit parks when the rain wasnt coming down in buckets. We did get caught in a downpour on our last night when we chose a Disney Springs bus (thats a no-no) as internal resort transportation at Saratoga Springs. We had to change buses at Disney Springs during a monsoon and the bus stops there offer only minimal protection.
Theme Parks
Touring With Toddlers
The first thing I learned was we werent going to be able to do much. Steph and Paul have the boys on a fairly regimented schedule for naps and, if they dont get them, crankiness and meltdowns are more probable. Couple that with the fact that it just takes longer to get anywhere with loading and unloading the stroller, parking it and either carrying children or walking at their pace.
That said, I thought the boys did great. Sean was his typical happy, smiling, shy self almost all the time. PJ was great except when he wasnt, which was about 5% of the time. His big problem was that he enjoys a certain amount of freedom at home. In a backyard, hes free to roam, roll down a hill, ride a trike, push a wagon, etc. At Disney World, he would sometimes try to exercise that freedom (i.e. he was a flight risk) and, on a couple of occasions, hed take off on his own by ducking under a rope (not much of a duck for him) and the chase was on. Thankfully, that only happened a couple of times.
Mostly, Sean is shy and coy and PJ is the charmer. On one of the warmer days, we were talking about wanting a cold beer. We decided to dine at the ESPN Club. Our server was a young girl named Ariel. She introduced herself and turned to Sean saying, Hi, cutie. He smiled, lowered his eyes and shrunk away. She turned to PJ and said, Hi. He answered with, Hi, Ariel. Im PJ Koelbel. They all really want beer. She started to laugh and said, OK then. He then added, And Im REALLY hungry. Im not sure if that comes across here as cute as it was in person.
An even better example occurred when we went to Chef Mickeys. We walked from the MK and entered the Contemporary on the ground floor. A CM was there, stickers in hand, and greeted us. He squatted down to child height and started to get his stickers while asking, So, where are you guys going? PJ put his hand gently on this mans shoulder and said, Were going to have breakfast with Mickey. Would you like to come? The CM was so enamored I saw him retelling the story to his co-workers after we walked away.
OK, enough of the cuteness. What about the parks?
Magic Kingdom Not much new to report on. There have been some subtle changes in Pirates of the Caribbean that will get you wet. A little on the drop and then a few of the cannonball explosions in the water in the first scene can splash into the boat.
We did have a Fastpass+ for Wishes, mainly because I wanted to try it. There are two fenced areas in the hub designated for this but my advice is to get there early. By the time we got there, the crowd was thick enough, and it was dark, that finding the entrances was all but impossible. Nevertheless, we still had good viewing spots nearby.
The projection show on the castle, Celebrate the Magic, has changed a bit and we all liked it a lot. I think that, just maybe, seeing it from a bit closer than usual may have helped. We watched Wishes from the same spot and enjoyed it. PJ loved it but Sean was a little put off by the noise.
The castle lights and Christmas decorations were still up for the first part of the trip so it was nice that the boys were able to see them. The answer to what will become an ongoing trivia question What was PJs and Seans first WDW attraction? its a small world.
Epcot Im saddened to report that my favorite park needs some updates. Soarin is closed (adding the new film, third screen and digital projection). Innoventions is mostly closed and whats there is not terrible interesting. Imagination is lame and Ellens Energy Adventure is in need of an update. Mission: Space, Test Track and Spaceship Earth are whats left.
The boys did enjoy The Seas With Nemo and Friends especially the aquariums. They also enjoyed the boat ride in Mexico.
Captain EO has (thankfully) been replaced with three Pixar short films all in 3D. We liked Get a Horse and For the Birds. Not so much for LaLuna.
The construction in Norway looks to be quite a bit more than just a re-do of the Maelstrom boat ride. Looking over the walls, it appears theyre constructing the entire kingdom of Arendelle. More than a few buildings are there.
We saw Illuminations three times. I clued in our friends, Sue and Wayne, on our newest, secret viewing spot and they reported that they really liked it. Barb and I saw it once with a Fastpass+, which puts you in Showcase Plaza absolutely the very best viewing spot there is. A word here on Fastpass for Illuminations We walked by at 8:15 and the line to enter wrapped around past the shops and along the lagoon railing probably 200-250 people. Assuming the line started forming earlier, I ask Why get a Fastpass for something so you can wait an hour in line? We joined the back of the line at 8:45, entered in about 3 minutes and had a primo spot to stand and watch. I saw folks enter at 8:57 and had no problem getting a good spot. The pavement here slopes toward the water so theres little chance of not being able to see everything.
Disneys Hollywood Studios My new favorite park. Yes, I know theres lots closing down to make way for Star Wars and Toy Story lands but it still has Tower of Terror, Rock n Rollercoaster, Star Tours, the new Launch Bay and Path of the Jedi film, Toy Story Mania, Great Movie Ride, Muppetvision, the Frozen Sing-a-long you get the idea.
And it now sports the best fireworks show at Disney World. Symphony in the Sky is themed to Star Wars and is downright awesome. See it from Hollywood Blvd.! Its 10 minutes of non-stop pyromania accompanied by that fabulous John Williams score and the finale! The closing bursts fill the sky and are absolutely bone-rattling. A must see.
On our first day, after riding Toy Story Mania, I happened to notice the door at the rear of One Mans Dream. It was 9:30 and the meet and greet with Sorcerer Mickey had just started. Theres no signage so we were second through the door. When we were able to walk up and first saw Mickey, Sean was his usual shy self. PJ, on the other hand, was star struck! He had seen Mickey often but only in books and on television. When he saw the Big Cheese in all his glory, he was stunned. He quickly approached and Mickey pulled him in for a hug. As we posed for photos, PJ held Mickeys hand and kept looking up at him as if he couldnt believe he was really there.
On the negative side, it appears that One Mans Dream will be leaving. Theyve replaced the film at the end with a 15-minute trailer for Zootopia.
Animal Kingdom Not much to report here. We took a few safaris. Wild dogs have been added and theyre a bit scary. We also visited the Pangani walking trail and spent some time with the gorillas. We saw both shows: Festival of the Lion King and Finding Nemo: The Musical. Lion King is an every-trip kind of thing for us. I enjoy Nemo but thats good for every couple of years.
Dining
Counter Service
Im happy to report that the demise of counter service dining at Walt Disney World is not complete but you have to know where to look. We had positive experiences at:
Artists Palette This counter service restaurant and market is within the Carriage House at Saratoga Springs. The offerings include some grab-and-go stuff as well as a few made-to-order items. We had two lunches and one breakfast here and all were good. I especially like the operation you place your order and are given a sign with a number to place on your table. You then grab any other items (drinks, etc.) and check out. The cashier affixes your receipt to the sign and you then seat yourself. In a very short time, a server delivers your meal. An added bonus is that they accept Tables in Wonderland here and, because its counter service, theres no gratuity added on so its a net 20% discount.
Columbia Harbour House My favorite spot in the Magic Kingdom. Yes, I almost always get the Anchors Aweigh (tuna sandwich) but its consistently good.
Boardwalk Bakery and Beach Club Marketplace I lump these two together because theyre similar in offerings and provide good food for quick meals. The Marketplace offers much more in sundries and merchandise but, from a food standpoint, I think theyre both very good.
The Writers Stop This little, off-the-beaten-path establishment is a favorite for a muffin and coffee and a nice, quiet place to sip, rest and read. Unfortunately, I learned its closing in April to make way for the new construction.
We did invoke the Russo Rule and made it to Ghirardelli for two hot fudge sundaes. Heres where I had the realization that, as an adult, Im not eating near as much ice cream as 10-year old me thought I would.
On the negative side, one of my favorite places in Animal Kingdom is sliding. I always enjoyed Pizzafari because they offered a very good personal pizza with an equally good Caesar Salad and they took Table in Wonderland (see Artists Palette, above). Sadly, the Caesar Salad has been replaced with a (not quite as good) Antipasto and theyve changed the supplier and/or recipe for the pizza. Its still OK but not quite what it used to be.
We tried, once, to have lunch at the Earl of Sandwich but the line inside filled the entire queue (three switchbacks), continued outside the railing for an additional switchback, and then stretched all the way around to the back door. That was at 1:30pm. No thanks.
Table Service
We made a conscious change for this trip no signature restaurants. Typically, once or twice per trip, wed dine at California Grill, Jiko, Narcoossees, etc. Honestly, Ive grown weary of paying $175-$200 for a dinner that is less than memorable. Ive discovered I can really enjoy a good meal for a fraction of the cost at places like
Be Our Guest Weve now had lunch here once and dinner twice and its about to become my favorite restaurant on site. The theming is extraordinary and the ballroom is beautiful. We had a very nice dinner of Braised Pork for me and Ratatouille for Barb (she loves eggplant). We added two quartinos (http://www.examiner.com/article/quar...ing-popularity) of wine (the quartino is becoming ubiquitous at WDW and thats a very good thing) and a shared dessert and the bottom line after Tables in Wonderland and including tip was $65. I enjoyed this dinner as much as any other. Whats not to like about dining while watching snowfall over the French Alps?
Ohana Still a favorite of mine. Appetizers, salad and a great dessert are included but the highlight is what comes off the fire pit. Cmon, you had me at grilled meat.
Hoop-Dee-Doo Revue If youve never been, I once wrote an article describing it (https://www.mouseplanet.com/8786/The..._Musical_Revue). Ive now seen this show 4 or 5 times and it doesnt get old for me. I practically know the script by heart but the cast is always good enough to pull it off and keep me laughing. I liken it to re-watching favorite old TV shows. I still laugh at some of the great moments from the Carol Burnett show (Gone With the Wind, the Dentist and anything with Tim Conway in it). The Hoop Dee Doo has the same effect. Im also happy to report that the boys liked it as well. Im sure some of the humor went over their heads but the voices, expressions and movements of the cast had them laughing. And they thoroughly enjoyed the spoon on the washboard part. By the way, the foods pretty good as well.
Chef Mickeys Its a breakfast buffet and, as such, is terribly overpriced but you get the Fab Five up close and personal for photos, autographs and general tomfoolery.
Big River Grill and Brew Works We met Sandi Femino here for lunch and she confirmed what Ive been saying for years: this is the best burger on property.
Grand Floridian Caf First time here and we joined our friends, Sue and Wayne, for lunch. We enjoyed it very much. Good food and service and a great Bloody Mary. I also learned there is a bartender there named Stephen Russo. I dont think were related but Im willing to accommodate a bartender in the family.
Barb and I enjoyed dinner at the Turf Club at Saratoga Springs. Good, reasonably priced food in a nice location. It was a cold and rainy night or we might have opted to dine outside on the patio/deck. It looked very nice out there.
Nine Dragons Barb is not a big Chinese food person but I finally got her to give this restaurant a try. We were seated as walk-ups (after the woman at the desk in front us asked 15 questions before being seated). We both enjoyed the food and the service. Our server, Ching Tan, had only been here for 3 weeks and was very chatty and willing to share her experiences of living in Hong Kong.
Another first for us was the Plaza Restaurant. I was surprised to be able to make a 6:20 reservation while on the bus to MK. The host thought nothing of our reservation not yet being in the system since I made it so late. As it turned out, I erred and made the reservation for two days out I had to cancel it later. Nevertheless, we were seated and completely shared a meal of Italian Wedding soup, the Plaza Club Sandwich and a Brownie Sundae.
Via Napoli has been a favorite but I was a bit disappointed this time. We enjoyed salad, eggplant parmigiana and spaghetti and veal meatballs. The salad was just hard to eat. It was mostly field greens and either very small or chopped small. Nothing was stab-able so you ate it by scooping it. Barb said my meatballs are better and I think shes right. When we paid, our server took away my Tables in Wonderland card AND my drivers license. Ive never had that happen before.
Park Peeves
No report of mine is complete without a few curmudgeons observations. A few new ones here, as well as an old favorite or two.
Im on record with my dislike of seeing children in the hot tubs / spas located by each pool. It was at its worst here, particularly at Saratoga Springs. I once counted only three adults in the pool while the spa sported six children under the age of six, happily splashing around on the stairs. Its not good for them (or healthy) and is in violation of the posted rules which state children under the age of 15 must be supervised by an adult. Now get out of my spa (and off my lawn).
A second peeve (and this ones been building gradually across the last 2-3 trips) has to do with the fact that everyone in front of me in a queue has a complex transaction. The woman in front of me at Nine Dragons was one. It happens a lot at counter service restaurants (damned Dining Plan!), hotel front desks (how many questions can you have at check-in?) and car rental desks. The couple in front of me at Alamo rented a Garmin GPS device and I waited 10 minutes while they got a primer on its use and it seemed as if it was the first piece of electronic equipment they had ever seen! When I reached the counter, I signed and initialed and walked away in 90 seconds.
Similarly, I waited five minutes checking in at the Be Our Guest restaurant while two CMs dealt with two guests. When I (finally) reached the counter, it was:
Hi. I have a reservation under Russo.
What time?
5:30.
Ah, here it is. OK. Im giving you a pager. Please stay around or on the bridge and, when the pager lights up, give it to the Cast Member at the end of the bridge and youll be seated.
Thank you.
Youre welcome. Next?
Total elapsed time: 45 seconds. It was a theme on this trip.
Im also on record railing against the silliness of using flash photography to take pictures of dark scenes. The illumination only serves to destroy the Imagineers intentions and it POs your fellow guests. I find it particularly silly when someone uses a flash to illuminate fireworks or, like in Fantasmic!, a water projection located 200 away. I found Fantasmic! used his cell phone to record the first 10-15 minutes of the show, complete with the light on. He extended his arm fully so it was over my shoulder. What he did was to successfully illuminate the 8 people sitting within 12 of him and did absolutely nothing for the scenes he was attempting to record. He ignored my stares and not-so-subtle comments and only stopped when, presumably, his cell phone battery failed.
Mouse-elaneous and Random Thoughts
Security There is a definite increase in Security presence at all park entrances and Disney Springs. The metal detectors are being used and, thankfully, dont seem to be causing any real delays. It appears the agents try to keep a steady stream of guests going through. When a guest is exiting, theyre grabbing the next person coming through bag check (or the Guest Without Bags entry point). That seems to make it purely random.
Makers Mark and Amaretto di Saronna cost more at the Belle Vue Room than they do at Marthas Vineyard (Beach Club). Im not sure what to make of that.
I complained about a lack of hot water in the mornings at the Beach Club. It was taking a good 15-minutes for the shower to get warm. I was told it was because it was cold outside. That night, the temperature dove to 45 degrees. I live in Upstate New York. Nuff said.
As we entered the Rose and Crown, Carl (the bartender) was walking through the customer area. He saw me, smiled, said Hey. How are you? and shook my hand. Im flattered but not sure what to make of a Disney World bartender knowing me that well.
If you know the walking path from the Boardwalk to DHS, the area just past the overpass is great for viewing Symphony in the Stars. You wont be able to hear the music but its a great view (and photo spot) for the fireworks.
I got my first haircut at the Harmony Barber Shop. Liked it.
There is tons of Star Wars stuff all over the resort but particularly at DHS. Ive come to the realization that Im absolutely positive I would kill myself within 3 minutes of owning a light saber.
Our studio at the Beach Club had a VHS player.
Random comments overheard while walking one night in the Test Track area:
So is this the race track or something?
Them cars are still movin
Steve, will you shut up about others comments?
We visited Sandi at her place in Lake Ashton. I was super-impressed with her home, the area and the tremendous clubhouses (yes, two), golf courses and amenities there. Card rooms, tennis courts, racquetball, bowling alley, their own restaurant and bar. I dont know if well ever pull the trigger on a move to Florida but, if we do, this place is high on the list.
By the way Sandi met us for lunch at Big River and brought fudge. I like fudge.
Stephanies comment: Disney does a lot of things right, but they dont do balconies. Shes right.
At the Beach Club, I kept hearing fireworks around midnight. They must be testing something new?
The two young girls sitting next to me in Fantasmic! sang the hell out of Journeys Dont Stop Believin. I was very impressed.
At the Character Warehouse I bought a very nice 2015 varsity jacket for $12.99. Ill likely only wear it at Walt Disney World but still $12.99!
No Chinese people in a food court ever seem to eat at the Chinese restaurant. I suppose thats meaningful.
We saw a woman breastfeeding in line at Kilimanjaro Safari. I admired her dexterity. It couldnt have been easy.
The woman seated next to me in Its Tought to Be a Bug tried desperately to grab the butterfly. At the end, she literally jumped out of her seat screaming, I hate bugs. Uh, lady. Youre in the wrong ride.
During Flights of Wonder, the bald eagle uh, did what birds have been doing to my car forever. It was pretty impressive in volume and timing.
It appears theyre constructing stadium seating for the Rivers of Light show in Animal Kingdom.
I had a latte from the Trolley Car Caf (Starbucks) in DHS and it was tepid at best and took forever to get served. Im not a Starbucks fan.
Final Thoughts
While it was great sharing Walt Disney World, for the first time, with Sean and PJ, I have a sense it might have been better had we waited another year or two. That said, there was much more positive stuff for them. Particularly, it was terrific seeing them interact with characters Ill never forget PJ being in awe of meeting Mickey or Sean giggling at/with Minnie. At any rate, Im sure the Koelbels will be back again in a year or two.
Was 19 days too long for the parks? I think wed agree that it might have been. Last years two weeks was just about right so were thinking of limiting next years trip to two weeks on-site followed (and/or preceded) by a week or two of some off-site activities.
For those who have expressed appreciation for past trip reports and the ability to take a trip with us, vicariously, I apologize for abandoning the day-by-day approach. Hopefully, this report has delivered a bit of that flavor along with some useful information.
As always, thanks for reading.
Participants
Steve AKA Pop Pop. That would be me.
Barb AKA Grammy and my faithful traveling companion.
Stephanie Our Daughter and a WDW vet although she hasnt been since 2010 so a lot has changed. Her very first trip was on her 5th birthday.
Paul Stephanies husband and a relative newbie. Paul had one trip as a child, one as an early teen, and visited with us in 2010 for the Food and Wine Festival.
Paul John Koelbel III Better known as PJ. Steph and Pauls son, Steve and Barbs grandson. He just turned 3 years old and this is his first trip.
Sean (1.75 years old) Steph and Pauls son, Steve and Barbs grandson. He will be 2 years old in March and this is his first trip.
January 10-16, Beach Club Villas, Two Bedroom Villa
January 16-22, Beach Club Villas, Deluxe Studio
January 22-24, Marriott Residence Inn
January 24=29, Saratoga Springs Resort, Deluxe Studio
Planning
In December 2014, Stephanie let us know that she was interested in planning a trip with her brood. Im excellent at taking a hint and after discussing various timeframes, we decided on the first week of December 2015 arriving at Disney World the Sunday after Thanksgiving. I reserved a 2-BR villa at the Boardwalk Villas, sat back, and waited for Southwest to release airfare for those dates. When they did, we were shocked that the flight down was over $400 per person (the return trip was a more reasonable and normal $119). What? OK we shifted quickly to Plan B.
Plan B put us into January but I couldnt get us a week at the Boardwalk. The Beach Club was open, however, and a true Crescent Lake Snob shouldnt care which side of the lake hes on so I took it. Steph and family will be with us from Sunday Saturday.
Barb and I, since retirement, have been trying to spend as much of January in Florida as possible. Its our version of becoming Snowbirds just very gradually. I extended us a second week at the Beach Club, but in a Studio.
Of course, as time passed, we tried extending again but could find nothing available at Crescent Lake, Animal Kingdom Lodge or the monorail resorts so we booked Saratoga Springs. Saratoga is my least favorite DVC resort but thats based mostly on horrible transportation experienced during our one stay there in 2009. I hope thats improved because I actually enjoyed our room there (we had a patio overlooking the golf course).
So I have the Beach Club booked from January 10-22 and Saratoga Springs for January 24-29. The one wrinkle was I could not find any DVC rooms available for the Friday-Saturday of January 22-23. I booked a Residence Inn by Marriott, located about 4 miles from property and rented a car for that weekend. I could have booked All Star Music for $125 per night but I felt the Residence Inn (a King suite with full kitchen) would be a better value at a rate of $110 (Friday) and $127 (Saturday). Staying off-site with a car would also allow us some shopping at the Outlets and, possibly, an excursion or two.
We all booked our airfare ($119 each way and Barb and I used SWA miles for the return trip) and several dining reservations that Steph thought the boys would like. Steph was planning on packing lots of stuff, including many specific food items, for the two boys so we decided to give Garden Grocer a try. On our last stay, I saw them making many deliveries to Bay Lake Tower. Their prices are reasonable (much better than Disneys) and it will save me the long walk to the Hess (now Speedway) station for beer, coffee creamer, etc.
Our friends, the Goergens, are heading down on January 17 and asked if wed like to meet up for lunch at the Grand Floridian Caf. Sue had read something positive about it and none of us has been there previously so we booked a reservation for January 19.
Lastly, 60 days prior to the trip, we booked our Fastpass+ reservations. Without really knowing what the boys would like, this was a bit of a guessing game but I didnt think itd be a big deal either way. We can always adjust.
I spent the weeks leading up to the trip attempting to get a better rental car rate from Alamo, and find rooms at Crescent Lake for the last week. I tried daily even multiple times daily, and nothing.
Lastly, a note from your humble author This trip report will be different from my usual tomes. I just didnt have it in me to write a day-by-day, blow-by-blow account of a 19-day trip. It likely would have frustrated me, bored you and served little purpose. Instead, Ill try to summarize our experiences by category: travel, resorts, dining, etc. Hopefully, that will serve a purpose without putting anyone to sleep. Here goes
Travel
We flew Southwest and it was fine, as usual. Theyre mostly punctual although Steph and Pauls return flight was delayed by about 30-minutes.
The boys did well on the flights, which was a bit of a relief. On the trip down, PJ sat between Steph and me while Sean was between Barb and Paul. Sean spent most of the flight watching Frozen on a laptop while PJ enjoyed several episodes of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse on an iPad. Neither slept which was a surprise. Seans eyes might have closed for a few minutes but that was it (except Im fairly certain Paul nodded off a couple of times).
We did have one interesting experience on our flight down. .. one of the passengers became ill and it warranted a call out for any doctors that might be on board. There were several including the couple seated two rows in front of me. I noticed because during the beverage service, at about 8:15am, they both ordered double Jack Daniels and Coke. I was hoping they werent selected and, if they were, no surgery would be involved. Another doctor, thankfully, attended to the sick passenger.
While walking the long corridor to Disneys Magical Express on Level 1, we came upon a lone suitcase in the middle of that very wide aisle. We paused and there was no one nearby that looked remotely like an owner so under the guidance of If you see something, say something we reported it to a couple of Airport Information employees who seemed more annoyed than anything. We kept walking and I glanced back a couple of times. No one claimed or moved it and we heard no explosions so I can only guess its owner was found. Why someone would leave it in the middle of a corridor like that is a mystery.
Disneys Magical Express was fine. Im a bit weary of lengthy speeches from the driver who asks multiple times if we enjoyed Disney World (I cant hear you). It did, however, get us to and from the resort in reasonable time. Our checked luggage also arrived without delay.
During our stay, I modified my car rental reservation with Alamo from 4-days to a full week. The difference in cost was reasonable and Barb and I thought we could take advantage of the extra days. Picking up and dropping off at the Dolphin hotel (especially dropping off) is very civilized and super-easy. Its also nice having park transportation right there as well (or the walk to Crescent lake, Epcot or DHS).
I had reserved a Toyota RAV4, which is very similar to the Honda CR-V that I drive. They had given away their last one to the renter at the counter so I was given a fully loaded Chevrolet Traverse XLT instead. Unlike the stripped down Elantra I had last November, this vehicle had more features than I would or could use a few I couldnt even figure out (there were 5 or 6 buttons on the rearview mirror). I was able to pair my IPhone in just a couple of minutes and was listening to my tunes via Bluetooth right away. The only downside was its size much larger than what Im used to, including three rows of seats but it didnt take long to adjust.
Garden Grocer was also a homerun. I received a text from them when the groceries were delivered to the resort (well before the room was ready). They pack the refrigerated items separately so Bell Services can store them properly. I also received a follow-up phone call from them later in the day, just making sure everything was OK. I will definitely use this service again.
Resorts
As I write this, the Beach Club Villas have begun an extensive refurbishment. Our 2-BR villa (room 478) was in need it just seemed a bit worn. It was a dedicated unit as opposed to a lock-off. It was located at the very end of the building on the 4th floor, as long a walk as possible from the lobby. Thankfully, at the Beach Club Villas, thats only about 175-200 yards. Ive been in a similar situation at Kidani when the round trip to the room is literally a half-mile.
I was also confused when I saw our balconies yes, there were three. This was a dedicated 2-BR so its never divided up into a studio and 1-BR combo. So why didnt we have one long balcony instead of three tiny ones? Its another mystery.
Our studio at the Beach Club (room 327) was better. It seemed a bit fresher. We had dropped down to the third floor and scored a room just one away from the elevators so it was very convenient. And, on the subject of elevators its 2016. Why cant I unselect a floor yet?
One item worth mentioning was the view. Our 2-BR looked over the canal with the quiet pool off to the left. It did afford us a very nice view of the new DHS fireworks (Symphony in the Stars and more on that later). Our studio not only gave us a view of those but also Illuminations. The views werent perfect and there were trees blocking some of the lower fireworks but, it was still enjoyable.
As I mentioned, we were not able to secure any DVC rooms for the second weekend so I booked us into the Marriott Residence Inn in Lake Buena Vista. Its only about one mile from the Disney Springs entrance on 535 so it was very convenient and had lots of shopping and restaurants nearby. Because of extensive business travel (years ago), Im a lifetime Platinum Elite member of Marriotts Rewards program so I get an upgrade, if available, on each stay. I had reserved a 1-BR King Suite (with full kitchen) and they offered a 2-BR as an upgrade. I politely declined when we decided we really couldnt use the extra room. The Residence Inn also offers a free hot breakfast each morning as well.
Our last week we stayed at the Saratoga Springs Resort, my least favorite DVC property. Like Old Key West, it impresses me as more motel than hotel. I think that has more to do with the fact that all the rooms have outside entrances, rather than doors off an interior hallway. Like OKW, its also very spread out. We were in room 4836, located in the Paddock section. Our view was to the interior of the resort nothing special. I had requested a location near the Disney Springs walkway and we couldnt have been any further away from that.
On the plus side, our building was a mere 50 feet from the Carousel bus stop so thats the one we used. We were about .4 miles from the main facilities (Carriage House) so it was a quick 4-5 minute walk. Im also happy to report that the bus service was much improved over our last stay. The longest wait was 10-15 minutes but most were less than 5.
The real downside to Saratoga Springs is that using any of the facilities (bar, restaurants, marketplace, spa, etc.) requires either a bus ride (in our case, with three stops) or that 4-5 minute walk outside in the elements. On a rainy day, you can see where venturing to the lobby or restaurant can be an issue (and it rained, hard, on our last two days here).
Weather
In a word, sucky (thats a word, right?). OK, Ill be more descriptive. Weve been to Disney World many times in January and have experienced everything from hot to cold to rainy and most variations in between. This trip was consistently cold. Not bone-chilling cold or Northeast cold but a majority of days with highs in the high-50s to low-60s. Not bad for park touring but awful for swimming. I typically wear shorts most days in Florida. On this trip, we only had 5 or 6 days (of 19) where shorts were an option. We used the hotel pools only 4 times.
As I mentioned, it rained our last two days. Were able to find suitable entertainment (a movie) or visit parks when the rain wasnt coming down in buckets. We did get caught in a downpour on our last night when we chose a Disney Springs bus (thats a no-no) as internal resort transportation at Saratoga Springs. We had to change buses at Disney Springs during a monsoon and the bus stops there offer only minimal protection.
Theme Parks
Touring With Toddlers
The first thing I learned was we werent going to be able to do much. Steph and Paul have the boys on a fairly regimented schedule for naps and, if they dont get them, crankiness and meltdowns are more probable. Couple that with the fact that it just takes longer to get anywhere with loading and unloading the stroller, parking it and either carrying children or walking at their pace.
That said, I thought the boys did great. Sean was his typical happy, smiling, shy self almost all the time. PJ was great except when he wasnt, which was about 5% of the time. His big problem was that he enjoys a certain amount of freedom at home. In a backyard, hes free to roam, roll down a hill, ride a trike, push a wagon, etc. At Disney World, he would sometimes try to exercise that freedom (i.e. he was a flight risk) and, on a couple of occasions, hed take off on his own by ducking under a rope (not much of a duck for him) and the chase was on. Thankfully, that only happened a couple of times.
Mostly, Sean is shy and coy and PJ is the charmer. On one of the warmer days, we were talking about wanting a cold beer. We decided to dine at the ESPN Club. Our server was a young girl named Ariel. She introduced herself and turned to Sean saying, Hi, cutie. He smiled, lowered his eyes and shrunk away. She turned to PJ and said, Hi. He answered with, Hi, Ariel. Im PJ Koelbel. They all really want beer. She started to laugh and said, OK then. He then added, And Im REALLY hungry. Im not sure if that comes across here as cute as it was in person.
An even better example occurred when we went to Chef Mickeys. We walked from the MK and entered the Contemporary on the ground floor. A CM was there, stickers in hand, and greeted us. He squatted down to child height and started to get his stickers while asking, So, where are you guys going? PJ put his hand gently on this mans shoulder and said, Were going to have breakfast with Mickey. Would you like to come? The CM was so enamored I saw him retelling the story to his co-workers after we walked away.
OK, enough of the cuteness. What about the parks?
Magic Kingdom Not much new to report on. There have been some subtle changes in Pirates of the Caribbean that will get you wet. A little on the drop and then a few of the cannonball explosions in the water in the first scene can splash into the boat.
We did have a Fastpass+ for Wishes, mainly because I wanted to try it. There are two fenced areas in the hub designated for this but my advice is to get there early. By the time we got there, the crowd was thick enough, and it was dark, that finding the entrances was all but impossible. Nevertheless, we still had good viewing spots nearby.
The projection show on the castle, Celebrate the Magic, has changed a bit and we all liked it a lot. I think that, just maybe, seeing it from a bit closer than usual may have helped. We watched Wishes from the same spot and enjoyed it. PJ loved it but Sean was a little put off by the noise.
The castle lights and Christmas decorations were still up for the first part of the trip so it was nice that the boys were able to see them. The answer to what will become an ongoing trivia question What was PJs and Seans first WDW attraction? its a small world.
Epcot Im saddened to report that my favorite park needs some updates. Soarin is closed (adding the new film, third screen and digital projection). Innoventions is mostly closed and whats there is not terrible interesting. Imagination is lame and Ellens Energy Adventure is in need of an update. Mission: Space, Test Track and Spaceship Earth are whats left.
The boys did enjoy The Seas With Nemo and Friends especially the aquariums. They also enjoyed the boat ride in Mexico.
Captain EO has (thankfully) been replaced with three Pixar short films all in 3D. We liked Get a Horse and For the Birds. Not so much for LaLuna.
The construction in Norway looks to be quite a bit more than just a re-do of the Maelstrom boat ride. Looking over the walls, it appears theyre constructing the entire kingdom of Arendelle. More than a few buildings are there.
We saw Illuminations three times. I clued in our friends, Sue and Wayne, on our newest, secret viewing spot and they reported that they really liked it. Barb and I saw it once with a Fastpass+, which puts you in Showcase Plaza absolutely the very best viewing spot there is. A word here on Fastpass for Illuminations We walked by at 8:15 and the line to enter wrapped around past the shops and along the lagoon railing probably 200-250 people. Assuming the line started forming earlier, I ask Why get a Fastpass for something so you can wait an hour in line? We joined the back of the line at 8:45, entered in about 3 minutes and had a primo spot to stand and watch. I saw folks enter at 8:57 and had no problem getting a good spot. The pavement here slopes toward the water so theres little chance of not being able to see everything.
Disneys Hollywood Studios My new favorite park. Yes, I know theres lots closing down to make way for Star Wars and Toy Story lands but it still has Tower of Terror, Rock n Rollercoaster, Star Tours, the new Launch Bay and Path of the Jedi film, Toy Story Mania, Great Movie Ride, Muppetvision, the Frozen Sing-a-long you get the idea.
And it now sports the best fireworks show at Disney World. Symphony in the Sky is themed to Star Wars and is downright awesome. See it from Hollywood Blvd.! Its 10 minutes of non-stop pyromania accompanied by that fabulous John Williams score and the finale! The closing bursts fill the sky and are absolutely bone-rattling. A must see.
On our first day, after riding Toy Story Mania, I happened to notice the door at the rear of One Mans Dream. It was 9:30 and the meet and greet with Sorcerer Mickey had just started. Theres no signage so we were second through the door. When we were able to walk up and first saw Mickey, Sean was his usual shy self. PJ, on the other hand, was star struck! He had seen Mickey often but only in books and on television. When he saw the Big Cheese in all his glory, he was stunned. He quickly approached and Mickey pulled him in for a hug. As we posed for photos, PJ held Mickeys hand and kept looking up at him as if he couldnt believe he was really there.
On the negative side, it appears that One Mans Dream will be leaving. Theyve replaced the film at the end with a 15-minute trailer for Zootopia.
Animal Kingdom Not much to report here. We took a few safaris. Wild dogs have been added and theyre a bit scary. We also visited the Pangani walking trail and spent some time with the gorillas. We saw both shows: Festival of the Lion King and Finding Nemo: The Musical. Lion King is an every-trip kind of thing for us. I enjoy Nemo but thats good for every couple of years.
Dining
Counter Service
Im happy to report that the demise of counter service dining at Walt Disney World is not complete but you have to know where to look. We had positive experiences at:
Artists Palette This counter service restaurant and market is within the Carriage House at Saratoga Springs. The offerings include some grab-and-go stuff as well as a few made-to-order items. We had two lunches and one breakfast here and all were good. I especially like the operation you place your order and are given a sign with a number to place on your table. You then grab any other items (drinks, etc.) and check out. The cashier affixes your receipt to the sign and you then seat yourself. In a very short time, a server delivers your meal. An added bonus is that they accept Tables in Wonderland here and, because its counter service, theres no gratuity added on so its a net 20% discount.
Columbia Harbour House My favorite spot in the Magic Kingdom. Yes, I almost always get the Anchors Aweigh (tuna sandwich) but its consistently good.
Boardwalk Bakery and Beach Club Marketplace I lump these two together because theyre similar in offerings and provide good food for quick meals. The Marketplace offers much more in sundries and merchandise but, from a food standpoint, I think theyre both very good.
The Writers Stop This little, off-the-beaten-path establishment is a favorite for a muffin and coffee and a nice, quiet place to sip, rest and read. Unfortunately, I learned its closing in April to make way for the new construction.
We did invoke the Russo Rule and made it to Ghirardelli for two hot fudge sundaes. Heres where I had the realization that, as an adult, Im not eating near as much ice cream as 10-year old me thought I would.
On the negative side, one of my favorite places in Animal Kingdom is sliding. I always enjoyed Pizzafari because they offered a very good personal pizza with an equally good Caesar Salad and they took Table in Wonderland (see Artists Palette, above). Sadly, the Caesar Salad has been replaced with a (not quite as good) Antipasto and theyve changed the supplier and/or recipe for the pizza. Its still OK but not quite what it used to be.
We tried, once, to have lunch at the Earl of Sandwich but the line inside filled the entire queue (three switchbacks), continued outside the railing for an additional switchback, and then stretched all the way around to the back door. That was at 1:30pm. No thanks.
Table Service
We made a conscious change for this trip no signature restaurants. Typically, once or twice per trip, wed dine at California Grill, Jiko, Narcoossees, etc. Honestly, Ive grown weary of paying $175-$200 for a dinner that is less than memorable. Ive discovered I can really enjoy a good meal for a fraction of the cost at places like
Be Our Guest Weve now had lunch here once and dinner twice and its about to become my favorite restaurant on site. The theming is extraordinary and the ballroom is beautiful. We had a very nice dinner of Braised Pork for me and Ratatouille for Barb (she loves eggplant). We added two quartinos (http://www.examiner.com/article/quar...ing-popularity) of wine (the quartino is becoming ubiquitous at WDW and thats a very good thing) and a shared dessert and the bottom line after Tables in Wonderland and including tip was $65. I enjoyed this dinner as much as any other. Whats not to like about dining while watching snowfall over the French Alps?
Ohana Still a favorite of mine. Appetizers, salad and a great dessert are included but the highlight is what comes off the fire pit. Cmon, you had me at grilled meat.
Hoop-Dee-Doo Revue If youve never been, I once wrote an article describing it (https://www.mouseplanet.com/8786/The..._Musical_Revue). Ive now seen this show 4 or 5 times and it doesnt get old for me. I practically know the script by heart but the cast is always good enough to pull it off and keep me laughing. I liken it to re-watching favorite old TV shows. I still laugh at some of the great moments from the Carol Burnett show (Gone With the Wind, the Dentist and anything with Tim Conway in it). The Hoop Dee Doo has the same effect. Im also happy to report that the boys liked it as well. Im sure some of the humor went over their heads but the voices, expressions and movements of the cast had them laughing. And they thoroughly enjoyed the spoon on the washboard part. By the way, the foods pretty good as well.
Chef Mickeys Its a breakfast buffet and, as such, is terribly overpriced but you get the Fab Five up close and personal for photos, autographs and general tomfoolery.
Big River Grill and Brew Works We met Sandi Femino here for lunch and she confirmed what Ive been saying for years: this is the best burger on property.
Grand Floridian Caf First time here and we joined our friends, Sue and Wayne, for lunch. We enjoyed it very much. Good food and service and a great Bloody Mary. I also learned there is a bartender there named Stephen Russo. I dont think were related but Im willing to accommodate a bartender in the family.
Barb and I enjoyed dinner at the Turf Club at Saratoga Springs. Good, reasonably priced food in a nice location. It was a cold and rainy night or we might have opted to dine outside on the patio/deck. It looked very nice out there.
Nine Dragons Barb is not a big Chinese food person but I finally got her to give this restaurant a try. We were seated as walk-ups (after the woman at the desk in front us asked 15 questions before being seated). We both enjoyed the food and the service. Our server, Ching Tan, had only been here for 3 weeks and was very chatty and willing to share her experiences of living in Hong Kong.
Another first for us was the Plaza Restaurant. I was surprised to be able to make a 6:20 reservation while on the bus to MK. The host thought nothing of our reservation not yet being in the system since I made it so late. As it turned out, I erred and made the reservation for two days out I had to cancel it later. Nevertheless, we were seated and completely shared a meal of Italian Wedding soup, the Plaza Club Sandwich and a Brownie Sundae.
Via Napoli has been a favorite but I was a bit disappointed this time. We enjoyed salad, eggplant parmigiana and spaghetti and veal meatballs. The salad was just hard to eat. It was mostly field greens and either very small or chopped small. Nothing was stab-able so you ate it by scooping it. Barb said my meatballs are better and I think shes right. When we paid, our server took away my Tables in Wonderland card AND my drivers license. Ive never had that happen before.
Park Peeves
No report of mine is complete without a few curmudgeons observations. A few new ones here, as well as an old favorite or two.
Im on record with my dislike of seeing children in the hot tubs / spas located by each pool. It was at its worst here, particularly at Saratoga Springs. I once counted only three adults in the pool while the spa sported six children under the age of six, happily splashing around on the stairs. Its not good for them (or healthy) and is in violation of the posted rules which state children under the age of 15 must be supervised by an adult. Now get out of my spa (and off my lawn).
A second peeve (and this ones been building gradually across the last 2-3 trips) has to do with the fact that everyone in front of me in a queue has a complex transaction. The woman in front of me at Nine Dragons was one. It happens a lot at counter service restaurants (damned Dining Plan!), hotel front desks (how many questions can you have at check-in?) and car rental desks. The couple in front of me at Alamo rented a Garmin GPS device and I waited 10 minutes while they got a primer on its use and it seemed as if it was the first piece of electronic equipment they had ever seen! When I reached the counter, I signed and initialed and walked away in 90 seconds.
Similarly, I waited five minutes checking in at the Be Our Guest restaurant while two CMs dealt with two guests. When I (finally) reached the counter, it was:
Hi. I have a reservation under Russo.
What time?
5:30.
Ah, here it is. OK. Im giving you a pager. Please stay around or on the bridge and, when the pager lights up, give it to the Cast Member at the end of the bridge and youll be seated.
Thank you.
Youre welcome. Next?
Total elapsed time: 45 seconds. It was a theme on this trip.
Im also on record railing against the silliness of using flash photography to take pictures of dark scenes. The illumination only serves to destroy the Imagineers intentions and it POs your fellow guests. I find it particularly silly when someone uses a flash to illuminate fireworks or, like in Fantasmic!, a water projection located 200 away. I found Fantasmic! used his cell phone to record the first 10-15 minutes of the show, complete with the light on. He extended his arm fully so it was over my shoulder. What he did was to successfully illuminate the 8 people sitting within 12 of him and did absolutely nothing for the scenes he was attempting to record. He ignored my stares and not-so-subtle comments and only stopped when, presumably, his cell phone battery failed.
Mouse-elaneous and Random Thoughts
Security There is a definite increase in Security presence at all park entrances and Disney Springs. The metal detectors are being used and, thankfully, dont seem to be causing any real delays. It appears the agents try to keep a steady stream of guests going through. When a guest is exiting, theyre grabbing the next person coming through bag check (or the Guest Without Bags entry point). That seems to make it purely random.
Makers Mark and Amaretto di Saronna cost more at the Belle Vue Room than they do at Marthas Vineyard (Beach Club). Im not sure what to make of that.
I complained about a lack of hot water in the mornings at the Beach Club. It was taking a good 15-minutes for the shower to get warm. I was told it was because it was cold outside. That night, the temperature dove to 45 degrees. I live in Upstate New York. Nuff said.
As we entered the Rose and Crown, Carl (the bartender) was walking through the customer area. He saw me, smiled, said Hey. How are you? and shook my hand. Im flattered but not sure what to make of a Disney World bartender knowing me that well.
If you know the walking path from the Boardwalk to DHS, the area just past the overpass is great for viewing Symphony in the Stars. You wont be able to hear the music but its a great view (and photo spot) for the fireworks.
I got my first haircut at the Harmony Barber Shop. Liked it.
There is tons of Star Wars stuff all over the resort but particularly at DHS. Ive come to the realization that Im absolutely positive I would kill myself within 3 minutes of owning a light saber.
Our studio at the Beach Club had a VHS player.
Random comments overheard while walking one night in the Test Track area:
So is this the race track or something?
Them cars are still movin
Steve, will you shut up about others comments?
We visited Sandi at her place in Lake Ashton. I was super-impressed with her home, the area and the tremendous clubhouses (yes, two), golf courses and amenities there. Card rooms, tennis courts, racquetball, bowling alley, their own restaurant and bar. I dont know if well ever pull the trigger on a move to Florida but, if we do, this place is high on the list.
By the way Sandi met us for lunch at Big River and brought fudge. I like fudge.
Stephanies comment: Disney does a lot of things right, but they dont do balconies. Shes right.
At the Beach Club, I kept hearing fireworks around midnight. They must be testing something new?
The two young girls sitting next to me in Fantasmic! sang the hell out of Journeys Dont Stop Believin. I was very impressed.
At the Character Warehouse I bought a very nice 2015 varsity jacket for $12.99. Ill likely only wear it at Walt Disney World but still $12.99!
No Chinese people in a food court ever seem to eat at the Chinese restaurant. I suppose thats meaningful.
We saw a woman breastfeeding in line at Kilimanjaro Safari. I admired her dexterity. It couldnt have been easy.
The woman seated next to me in Its Tought to Be a Bug tried desperately to grab the butterfly. At the end, she literally jumped out of her seat screaming, I hate bugs. Uh, lady. Youre in the wrong ride.
During Flights of Wonder, the bald eagle uh, did what birds have been doing to my car forever. It was pretty impressive in volume and timing.
It appears theyre constructing stadium seating for the Rivers of Light show in Animal Kingdom.
I had a latte from the Trolley Car Caf (Starbucks) in DHS and it was tepid at best and took forever to get served. Im not a Starbucks fan.
Final Thoughts
While it was great sharing Walt Disney World, for the first time, with Sean and PJ, I have a sense it might have been better had we waited another year or two. That said, there was much more positive stuff for them. Particularly, it was terrific seeing them interact with characters Ill never forget PJ being in awe of meeting Mickey or Sean giggling at/with Minnie. At any rate, Im sure the Koelbels will be back again in a year or two.
Was 19 days too long for the parks? I think wed agree that it might have been. Last years two weeks was just about right so were thinking of limiting next years trip to two weeks on-site followed (and/or preceded) by a week or two of some off-site activities.
For those who have expressed appreciation for past trip reports and the ability to take a trip with us, vicariously, I apologize for abandoning the day-by-day approach. Hopefully, this report has delivered a bit of that flavor along with some useful information.
As always, thanks for reading.