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Thread: Sue (Holland) Rayford, Boardwalk Villas, Dec 4-8, 2013

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    Sue (Holland) Rayford, Boardwalk Villas, Dec 4-8, 2013

    Who/When/Where:

    Who: Sue (55), DVC member
    SB (56), my husband
    Dates: December 4 8, 2013
    Travel Method: Personal car
    Resort: Disneys Boardwalk Villas Resort
    Experience: Very experienced (14th stay at this resort)

    INTRODUCTION:
    I booked this trip 11 months ago as a quiet little trip to see the Osborne Lights and the lights on the castle in Magic Kingdom. Since I knew Id be out at night and December can be chilly, I thought a boardwalk view might be a waste, so I opted for the much cheaper standard view and booked a 1-bedroom villa rather than a studio. Once SB started working again I realized hed be able to join me for the first 2 nights, and I thought about inviting my son & his girlfriend (fianc by the evening of 12/4/13) but realized they would be on a HAL (Holland America Line) cruise that week. Thats where they are now, and Chris will be proposing at a nice dinner the night of 12/4/13) while theyre docked in San Juan.

    I then decided to invite my childhood best friend Linda, but due to a number of issues happening in her life she eventually decided this wasnt a good time to be taking another trip. Thats 100% fine by me Im as happy solo as I am with a friend along, and Ill see her in May in Hilton Head (unless something else happens with her <g>). So, Ill have the 1-bedroom villa to myself the last 2 nights, which is very nice!

    Although when I booked I didnt know of other friends being here, as it turned out it will be a trip fairly full of seeing old friends and meeting others for the first time. On my arrival day Im meeting a group of friends for afternoon drinks at Big River Grill before SB arrives. The next day he & I are meeting dvc friends for lunch offsite at Ale House. I know I say I dont like to leave the property, and thats true but in this case Im willing to make the exception. The day after that should be just us, and then on Saturday I hope to attend the big radp internet newsgroup meet and later join a smaller meet hosted by Jenny (weve met a few times before). In between all of that I want to see Osborne Lights again, and see the lights on the castle.

    SB & I have fastpass+ reservations made for each of the 3 days hell be there. After that Ill probably just play it by ear, and hope to get some time by the pool. Our Tables in Wonderland expired and Im not planning to renew until the April trip, so I didnt book any table service reservations. I do have a $25 birthday credit to use at either Rainforest Caf or T-Rex, and if we do decide to visit a table service restaurant many give a dvc discount. SB loves that food kiosk on the boardwalk though, so we might be fine with counter service!

    The weather looks beautiful around 80 by day, 60 for a low overnight. Itll be nice to not be sweating and nice to not need gloves and warm jackets!



    The plans so far are:
    Wednesday 12/4: Work, Drive to WDW, Big River Grill, Epcot
    Thursday 12/5: Ale House, Studios, Osborne Lights
    Friday 12/6: Animal Kingdom, Magic Kingdom
    Saturday 12/7: Pool, Epcot Meets
    Sunday 12/8: Drive back to Gainesville


    DAY 1 Wednesday 12/4/13
    Who: Sue (55), DVC member
    SB (56), my husband

    Plan: Work, Drive to WDW, Big River Grill, Epcot

    Actual: The work day went very quickly which is a good thing! I was out the door at noon and pulling out of the garage at 12:14. In between I got home, got changed, packed the cooler and made a quick restroom stop! The drive down was uneventful, and so much easier than the 3-hour drive from Ft Myers. I was busy on the phone with a work issue, then with Chris and a couple other people along the way. Chris is in San Juan with Amanda, and unfortunately its raining. It sounds like theyre having a great time so far, and Amanda has no clue hell be proposing tonight!

    I arrived at Boardwalk Villas around 2:15 and was able to find a spot in the very busy self parking lot. I swear this lot is a mile from the building this is a big negative to staying at this resort. Still, its better than when they force guests into the lot even further away! At the front entrance a cast member met me and brought me inside to have a seat while she got my packet. This is how it should be no standing at a noisy front desk or being herded like cattle! They have a gingerbread store/kiosk in the lobby now, and its so ugly and disappointing compared to what theyve had in previous years. It looks like they really took the cheaper, easier route and of course seized the opportunity for revenue from selling gingerbread items.

    She came right back with my packet and the good news that the villa was ready. I had her check my magic band and it was NOT active. Id received yet another set of bands (for the early January trip) today and purposely checked the My Disney Experience website to make sure all the extra bands were inactive so the bands for this trip would work. Sadly, that did no good. The cast member asked me to wait while she got a manager to fix it, and then came back saying the manager had to do some stuff in the computer and Id need SB to stop by the front desk to have the same thing done. Thats an unnecessary pain in the butt!

    I went to the villa and my requests were met Im on the top floor and pretty close to the elevator. Everything looks great its a cute little villa. I love the living room lamp with the base that looks like a stack of coffee cups! The kitchen is small but completely adequate for my/our needs. The living room has a sleep sofa, the dining area is a table with only 2 chairs but there are also 2 chairs at the counter on the outside of the kitchen. The stack washer/dryer is in a closet near the entrance, and theres a larger closet in the entryway. The master bedroom has the king bed and the bathroom is actually 2 large rooms. One has a huge Jacuzzi tub and a vanity sink. The other has a pedestal sink, toilet, and shower stall. Theres a walk-in closet off the bathroom. The balcony is a single longer one that runs from outside the living room to outside the bedroom, rather than 2 separate smaller ones. Im very happy with it, and the location.

    I unpacked and texted some more with Chris, then about 3:15 headed outside. I saw people leaving the Welcome Home Wednesday (dvc event) so I went over and was able to get the baseball caps they give out at the end. Theyre the same ones we received 2 years ago, so no big deal. But, SB will make use of them. I was due to meet 3 friends at Big River Grill at 3:30 but 1 had texted to cancel out (sick) and I eventually spotted one of the others on a bench. The third was delayed on a bus I saw her text later that evening.

    We got a table and sat there chatting. We had a really weird waiter. Hed ask if we were ready to order and when Id say we needed a minute hed practically jump out of his skin rushing back inside away from us. It was really odd. While the 3 of us were sitting there (Lynn & Princess & me), Lynns husband Mark showed up & joined us. Princess had the asiago artichoke crab dip and a mojito, I had a glass of pinot grigio, and Lynn & Mark had cokes. Princess used her Tables in Wonderland card to get us 20% off thank you! While we were sitting there a little girl was in awe of Princess tiara and I think she was asking her mother if she was a real princess. We all had a nice time, and remembered to take a photo before leaving the area. Lynn & Mark headed to Epcot and Princess was heading back to Magic Kingdom. I hung out on the boardwalk briefly, then went upstairs to the villa.

    I set up the computer and got started on the trip report but got sidetracked with emails and didnt get very far. Chris & I had been texting while I was at Big River, so I knew what was going on down there. They had a rainy day in Old San Juan, having to carry their shoes going back to the ship since it had rained so hard the streets were flooded. He sent me a photo of them he took with his phone before going to dinner.


    Hed made arrangements with the Pinnacle Grill, HALs specialty restaurant. Hed dropped the ring off this afternoon and agreed with the manager on a plan. They had a fabulous dinner, and after they ordered dessert the staff waited until the photographer arrived. Then they brought out a fake order of their volcano cake for each of them. This comes in a little white pot with a lid, and has ice cream and sauce on the side. There was also a cake that said Will you marry me? and Chris got down on 1 knee. The ring was in the pot on Amandas plate and she started crying but said yes of course. Chris said everyone was clapping, and a few other people cried, lol!

    Anyway, back to this trip <g>. SB arrived around 6:15 and we immediately headed out. We stopped at the front desk to have them check his magic band and after a while we were told the same thing I was told it wasnt tied to his account. He went and sat down in the lobby and I stood at the desk while a manager tried and tried and tried to make it work. Finally she said it would work for the room door but not for anything else. I was getting irritated by now it was 6:40 and our Soarin fastpass ends at 7! We had enough time to make it, without this magic band crap. They did print our fastpass+ reservations for us, so well have proof at the attractions that SB really has them.

    We walked quickly over to Epcot and didnt really have a wait to get in. I had his Premium Annual Pass in my hand but had him try his magic band just for the heck of it. Wouldnt you know it worked just fine. Hmmmm. We hurried over to Soarin, and Chris called to report on the proposal dinner so I talked to him as we walked. We got down to Soarin at 6:58 so I told Chris Id call him back. We tried SBs magic band at the fastpass reader and sure enough it worked just fine. Im thinking the cast members were wrong when they said my band and his band wouldnt work so next time Im not going to even bother saying anything.

    Soarin was good we ended up with the front row and had a nice view. From there we walked over to Test Track and did our fastpass+ over there. We designed a nice looking car, and enjoyed the ride. Once that was done we were just into our Maelstrom window so we walked to Norway and rode that. SB swears hes never ridden that before, which I find really hard to believe after all these years! But, maybe hes right.

    The 3 fastpasses worked really great, and our timing was perfect. I asked him what he wanted for dinner and he said pizza from the Boardwalk window, lol! I want to try the macaroni & cheese at Sommerfest (Germany) but I decided to do that Saturday night. We stopped in America to listen to a couple minutes of the Candlelight Processional, with Ashley Judd narrating. She seemed to do a nice job. We left the park via International Gateway and walked back to Boardwalk.

    The pizza window was doing a booming business, and theyre very quick here. I had called Chris back and was talking to him some more, until we ordered our food. I got a slice of cheese pizza and he got a slice of pepperoni pizza. It wasnt bad not the best weve had, but not the worst either. In all my trips here, this is the first time Ive gotten the pizza.

    We went up to the villa, arriving right at 9pm just in time for General Hospital! At 9:30 Illuminations started and we could see the high fireworks from our villa. Its great being back here, and we were amazed by how less busy Epcot is when its not Food & Wine! It was so easy walking around World Showcase! The warm weather is really great at night, too I was comfortable and shorts & a shirt, with no jacket. Everythings so pretty here all decorated for the holidays.

    Tomorrow were meeting dvc friends for lunch at Ale House, then later in the day will spend some time in the Studios. Im still being treated for an eye issue and the drops make me more sensitive to sunlight (pupils are dilated) and my vision is much blurrier than normal, so touring in late afternoon & evening is easier for me since I can wear my glasses and not be blinded by the sun. Hopefully Ill be back to normal in time for the next trip (and cruise).


    DAY 2 Thursday 12/5/13
    Who: Sue (55), DVC member
    SB (56), my husband

    Plan: Ale House, Studios, Osborne Lights

    Actual: We both slept really well last night, and it was silent in the villa (no noise from outside our villa). With a standard view, we overlook the front entrance but were partway down the hill so our view is the grassy area. We were up just after 6:30 and after puttering around indecisively for a little bit I put on my running stuff and went out for a walk/run to Hollywood Studios and back. The sky was a real pretty orange when we got up, and I wanted to get my vampire eyes back inside before the sun actually started shining brightly. Quite a few runners were out, enjoying the comfortable running weather.

    When I got back to the villa I made breakfast, loving having the full kitchen. SB had 2 eggs, 3 sausage and toast. I had 1 egg, a slice of bacon, and cappuccino. Another old friend will be arriving Saturday, so I hope to meet up with him at some point. With Epcot meets at 5 & 7:30 I decided to go ahead and book some fastpasses for that evening. I was limited by the new tier system they have, but was able to book Spaceship Earth, Soarin and Living with the Land. Of those, Im sure Soarin is the only attraction Id actually need a fastpass for. The others will likely be walk-ons, but the system forces you to take book 3 attractions.

    At 9 I went in to shower & get dressed. We were out the door just before 10, and drove over to the Premium Outlets closest to WDW. Since it was still fairly early it wasnt horribly crowded, so we picked a good time to go over there! We didnt find much at Character Premiere, although SB bought a pair of earrings for me for Christmas. Theyre the same earrings Id bought before, but had lost one along the way somehow plus they were actually marked down from cheap to cheaper <g>.

    We wandered around a bit, and saw a really cute leather jacket in the window of Wilsons Leather. SBs not much of a shopper, but this caught his eye so we went inside and I tried it on. Its a brown/red color, short, and is really soft/supple. I figured Id get some wear out of it in Gainesville, so he bought it for me for Christmas. He tries, but he hates to shop and prefers that I pick out my gifts. So, I do, and then I wrap them up and try to act surprised on Christmas day.

    By now it was 11:10 so we drove over to Millers Ale House to meet the others. Darla, Deb & Donna pulled in just after we got out of our car, which was perfect time. Darla & Donna are old dvc friends from the 1990s, and Deb is Darlas twin sister. Weve all known each other for a long time, although its been years since Ive seen Donna.

    We went inside and chose a high-top table with 8 seats, so we had room for Patti & Ray when they arrived (also long-time dvc friends). Ray and SB had never met, but they hit it off very well. It was a fun lunch, with lots of conversation flowing constantly. I really enjoy my dvc friends. Unfortunately Rich & Deb werent able to make it on this trip, but we thought of them.

    For lunch Deb & Darla split nachos, Donna had burger sliders, I had the apple walnut salad and SB had the seafood combo (huge plate of fried seafood). Patti just had onion rings and Ray doesnt eat lunch. They really just came for the company <g>. Deb & Darla just come here for the desserts, and who can blame them? The desserts are outstanding! They both ordered the Captain Jacks Treasure, which is a huge piece of ice cream cake with oreo cookie crumbs, heath bars, caramel, and hot fudge. Darla shared hers with me & Donna thank you again Darla! One of these days SB & I need to go to our Ale House just for this dessert.forget the rest of the menu! The food is fine here, but this dessert is so big wed need to get it when thats all were eating!

    After lunch we took some photos, then went our separate ways. SB & I drove back to Boardwalk and hes now napping and Im watching General Hospital. Our fastpasses dont start until almost 4pm, so were enjoying more down time. After General Hospital I walked over to the Swan & Dolphin to see their holiday decorations. At the Swan they have a beautiful big Santas workshop scene made entirely of chocolate! It smells so good in there, too. Its a mere 5 million calories, lol! The Dolphin has their giant white (fake) poinsettia tree in their lobby beautiful from a distance, but kind of ugly up close. They look like Dollar Store poinsettias <g>.

    Back at the villa SB was still barely moving I think too much lunch is the culprit, or too much fried food for lunch! We needed to get moving if we were going to make it to our Toy Story fastpass. Turns out his shoulder was hurting & he was really tired, so we decided Id go without him. Without him there was no need to take the slow boat, and no need to use some of the fastpass+ reservations Id made. I headed out around 3:45 and walked to the Studios.

    It was an easy and very pleasant walk one benefit to SB staying back at the resort is I get to walk rather than take transportation. Given a choice, Ill almost always choose walking the exception would be if it was hot or raining! I talked to Chris on my way to the Studios. There was pretty much no wait to get through bag check or into the park, which was nice. The park didnt feel that crowded either, although I knew it would get busier at Osborne Lights. I stopped in the shops along the left side of the street and bought a cute pair of Mickey earrings, but didnt find anything else I needed.

    I walked over to Starring Roles, wanting to check out the famous butterfinger cupcake, but the doors were locked. I later learned they close at 3pm which is ridiculous! I checked the Villians shop and later Writers Stop, but neither of them have those cupcakes. I was well within my fastpass window, so I walked over to Toy Story Midway Mania and was on the ride fairly quickly.

    For whatever reason, after the second room my shooter stopped working. No matter where I aimed it, it shot up over the scene, towards the left. I tried the other gun, and it did the same, so the problem was with my car. It sucked, and when I got back to the unloading area I told the cast member. He asked if I wanted to go through again, and of course I said yes but not in this car! They had me stand under the nightlight and then sent other people through in that car. I guess it must reset itself each time the ride begins.

    Soon I was in another car and this time it worked perfectly. I achieved the high score for the vehicle, at 158,900. At this point it was around 4:15 and I had fastpass+ reservations for Great Movie Ride from 4-5 and Little Mermaid 6:05-6:15. I used the very slow Disney app on my smart phone to try to change the fastpass from Great Movie Ride to Star Tours, but it wouldnt give me Star Tours as an option. The standby wait was 20 minutes, which is too long for me. I played with it some more, trying to change the Mermaid fastpass to something else and Star Tours came up then so I took it.

    I wandered around the park a bit, and then at 4 used my fastpass+ at Great Movie Ride. It really wasnt needed, as the standby line was very short. I was hoping for the western scene, since a friend had gotten it this week, but unfortunately they were only running 1 set of 2 cars and it did the gangster scene yet again. The cast member working as the tour guide had the most annoying voice high pitched, loud, and painful to hear. She sounded like a cartoon chipmunk!! In the gangster scene we got a reprieve when another lady replaced her but this one had an accent and English might not have been her primary language, so that combined with her trying to use the gangster dialect meant I couldnt understand a lot of what she was saying. Then, she tried to steal the jewel & was killed, bringing back the loud obnoxious chipmunk for the rest of the ride the longest ride of my recent life, lol!

    At the unloading area I took my bleeding ears and left the building. I had about 30 minutes until 6pm, so I wandered a little bit. As I approached Star Tours the standby wait said 10 minutes, so I joined that queue and walked right into the loading area. Our vehicle wasnt even full, so the cast member told me to pick any row, any seat I wanted. It was the winter scene, followed by the city, which is probably my favorite.

    I was back outside around quarter to 6 and called SB to check on him as I walked to the Osborne Lights. He was feeling better, so we talked about dinner and agreed to get something together when I returned to the resort. I was surprised to see the Osborne Lights start before 6pm, but that worked for me since I didnt have to stand around waiting for it. It was pretty busy, but much less crowded that it will be on a weekend night, so I enjoyed being able to check out both sides of the street. I didnt take many pictures since Id taken so many when I was here with Lori a few weeks ago.

    Once I was finished at the lights I left the park and walked back to Boardwalk, once again enjoying being able to walk instead of standing in line for the boat! It was absolutely beautiful outside perfect temperature to be comfortable without needing a jacket or long pants. I went up to the villa and we tried to figure out where to go to get something to eat. I didnt feel like having to touch either car, so we decided to see how bad the wait was at Big River Grill, and if it was awful wed go to Yacht Club for the Ale & Compass lounge.

    Big River wasnt too busy, and I could see a few empty tables where people had just left. We checked in at the podium and were told it would be 10-20 minutes for an outside table, which we agreed to. They gave us a beeper and we sat on a bench. Not 5 minutes later our beeper went off and we were seated at a great table on the boardwalk. It was such a perfect atmosphere/ambiance!

    Our server was very good and not weird like the guy yesterday! We decided to share a bowl of the beer cheese soup and the brewburger. I also had a glass of wine and SB had iced tea. The soup was very good, and came out almost immediately. The burger followed at a nice pace, and it was excellent as always. They make a great burger here! Our server had arranged to have it split in the kitchen for us, so we each had a plate with half a burger and some kettle chips. I cut my half in half again and gave half to SB since I dont want more than a quarter of a burger that size (especially after soup). We got a 10% discount on the food for being dvc members, so that took the sting out of not having Tables in Wonderland right now.

    After dinner we walked over to Boardwalk Bakery, where SB got a piece of carrot cake and I got an oreo cupcake. On the way back we stopped to watch a magician performing along the boardwalk, and was impressed at his tricks. Once his show ended we went up to the villa for the night. SB tried his carrot cake and declared it superior to Publix. I tried a small bite but my vote goes to Publix. My cupcake is in the fridge Im too full for it right now.

    Today was a really nice day. It was great seeing my old dvc friends again, and that dessert at Ale House is probably the best restaurant dessert anywhere! I love the magic bands and fastpass+ program, and really enjoyed Osborne Lights again. Capping off the day with a nice dinner outside on the boardwalk was perfect Im so thankful I had the sense to buy into dvc all those years ago, because without it none of this would be possible.

    Tomorrow were headed to Animal Kingdom in the morning, and then Magic Kingdom by late afternoon.


    DAY 3 Friday 12/6/13
    Who: Sue (55), DVC member
    SB (56), my husband

    Plan: Animal Kingdom, Magic Kingdom

    Actual: We slept really well again last night, and I got up with the alarm at 6:15. We werent leaving the villa until about 8:30 but I like having time to relax online in the morning, enjoying my cappuccino, etc. I showered & dressed, then made my cappuccino. Well have breakfast at Rainforest Caf over at Animal Kingdom a little later.

    We left the villa about 8:30 for the long hike to SBs car in the parking lot. Parking here is really ridiculous. Its not a good resort choice if you plan to use your car a lot. We drove over to Animal Kingdom and boarded the waiting tram, arriving at the entrance just before 9. Bag check went fairly quickly, and then we saw they had a huge mob at the entry. I have to assume they werent letting people in at all before 9, rather than letting them in & holding them up near the Tree of Life. Once it started moving it mostly went quickly, as long as the people in line had a clue.

    We walked back to Harambe and it was at this point SB asked where Rainforest Caf was. I told him back at the entrance and he didnt know why we were here by the safari. He thought we were eating first, and I thought wed agreed last night wed do the safari right when the park opens, and THEN go eat. That certainly makes a lot more sense <g>. We decided to get in line, but the standby queue was filled in all the way to the entrance and it wasnt moving. Most likely they hadnt started loading trucks yet, letting the line fill in. The standby wait time was posted as 5 minutes, but theres no way it would only be 5 minutes. I hate when Disney pulls crap like this! When the park opens at 9, the attractions should be running immediately!

    We bailed out of line, decided to skip the safari and go have breakfast. The first Lion King show was 10:30, so wed barely have time to make it there after breakfast, knowing how slow Rainforest Caf can be. We checked in at the elephant and were told it would be a 15-minute wait for a table. Really????? I looked at her incredulously and she said theres no wait if we sat at the bar, so thats what we did. There were a lot of filled tables more than I expected. But, there were also whole empty sections, where Im assuming they dont have staff scheduled to cover.

    We took 2 seats at the bar and SB was happy to discover we were facing ESPN on tv <g>. We ordered breakfast orange juice and the breakfast of bandits for him, breakfast sliders for me. The bartender asked to check my Landrys card to make sure my birthday credit was on there, and thank goodness he did. A manager came over saying it wasnt on there, but shed go work on it. She was gone for quite a while but eventually came back to say the credit had somehow gotten deferred but it was back on there now. I was really glad the bartender thought to do this early, so we werent waiting around frustrated at the end of the meal!

    SBs breakfast was a big plate of scrambled eggs, potatoes, sausage & toast it was all very good. Mine had 3 sliders (scrambled egg, cheese & bacon on a small bun) plus the potatoes and was also very good. The check ended up coming to $24.97 and my $25 birthday credit took care of all of it! We just left $5 for a tip and were on our way. After eating wed decided wed both rather just relax at the pool instead of going back into the park. I thought he might have wanted to see Lion King again before it closed for 6 months, but he didnt really care about it & that was fine by me.

    We walked back to a waiting tram, got the car, and drove back to Boardwalk Villas. Once in the room he turned on ESPN and watched that for a bit while I went ahead down to the quiet pool (about 11). When I got outside I saw loungers in the sun right at the Jacuzzi by the main pool so I set up camp there and called SB to let him know where Id be. The dilated pupils make the sun kind of rough, so I mostly spent time with my eyes closed. As a result, I didnt see SB circling around looking for me. It was not that busy, and there was only 1 other person in this area, so Im not sure how he missed me, lol!

    He sat in the Jacuzzi for a while, which had no kids for a change. The button to turn on the jets is pretty far away, but I found it for him. I rolled over and did some reading facing away from the sun but even that was a challenge. He eventually came over to the chairs and laid down for a while, then went and sat at Leaping Horse Libations for a froo-froo drink. I was still full from breakfast and hadnt touched the wine Id brought, so I just stuck with my bottle of water. Around 1 we decided to head up to the villa. He opened the bottle of Presidente (beer) Id brought him from home and laid down to watch ESPN for an hour until General Hospital. I poured a glass of wine and went out to the shady balcony with the computer. It was very nice out there with a gentle breeze!

    I planned to come back in at 2pm, but came in about 20 minutes earlier since it was still bright even in the shade. SB was thinking of skipping the Magic Kingdom and heading home to make tacos for dinner, lol! I figured hed end up going home earlier than planned, so it wasnt a surprise and isnt a big deal. Hes actually really enjoyed this trip, but for him the time in the parks isnt the priority. I packed up a few things for him to take home with him, and sent him on his way just before General Hospital started. Later I realized I forgot about the rest of his carrot cake, so Ill have to finish that. Im glad we both ate part of the oreo cupcake last night!

    I watched General Hospital and got ready to go during commercials since my first fastpass is from 3-4pm. I also realized/remembered today theyre shooting the Christmas parade at Magic Kingdom (for broadcast Christmas morning), so its really a terrible day to be heading over there. But, this is my only night to see the castle lights so Ill have to deal with whatever is happening. To be on the safe side though, I decided to leave a little bit early and headed out the door around 2:45. I can catch the last 15 minutes of General Hospital on SoapNet later tonight.

    I thought about driving over, since I have friends staying at Bay Lake Tower but in the end decided to just take the bus. This is risky, since itll probably be mobbed getting out of the park later. But, leaving for a deluxe or dvc resort is usually a LOT more pleasant & civilized than leaving to head to a value resort or moderate. On my way through the lobby I noticed nobody was at the front desk except several cast members so I stopped there. My Disney Rewards card expires 12/31/13 and I knew I had something on there but had no idea how much. I asked the cast member to pull up my account and apply it to the rewards card, so Id know how much was left. As it turned out my account balance was almost $5 higher than the rewards card balance so that worked out perfectly it brought the rewards card down to a zero balance and Ill just keep using the magic band when I buy anything.

    As I approached the bus stop the Magic Kingdom bus pulled in, so my timing was perfect! The bus was barely half full, too. We stopped at Swan & Dolphin before heading to MK. I was the first one off the bus (I move fast so many guests seem to have molasses on the bottom of their shoes or something) and there was hardly any wait at the bag check, so I was in the park really quickly.

    The first thing I noticed is lots of cast members carrying or rolling filming equipment down the street, so I knew filming of the parade was finished for today. I also noticed the pretty garland that is strung across Main Street was missing. No doubt it had to come down for the filming. It was still down when I left, so they didnt put it back up for tonights Christmas party. Itll probably go up after the park closes tomorrow.

    I used my smartphone to check attraction wait times and saw that the park was very busy! I was already in my first fastpass window, for Big Thunder Mountain. The standby time was 75 minutes! The fastpass line was also very long (backed up to the outside, but the standby line barely moved and snaked around inside on both sides). I timed it, and was walking out of the attraction about 20 minutes after entering the fastpass line.

    They were loading both sides, and when it was my turn I was going to be put in the front car. That simply will not do not when Id only get to ride once. I asked if I could please wait for the next train & ride in the back the cast member looked a little irritated but couldnt say anything other than yes. So, that 20 minutes included a few minutes of unnecessary waiting but it was worth it to have the back row! Of course, I spent most of the ride with 1 eye closed and the other shaded by my hand since it was a bright sunny day.

    In fact, it was rough for a while I walked in shade whenever possible, but the sun was a killer on my eyes. Its not doing any damage its just uncomfortable. I was going to ride the train but they had the entrance to the station roped off, as if it was closed. So, instead I walked along that boardwalk in Frontierland and talked to SB when he called. Haunted Mansion had a 20 or 25 minute wait, and I could see the crowd backed up to where the Keel Boats used to be so I skipped that. I walked through Fantasyland since I was in my 4-5 window for the new mermaid attraction. Along the way I peeked into Gastons Tavern (not real busy) and looked in the small shop next door.

    When I got to the attraction the standby line was only 20 minutes, so I thought about maybe changing my fastpass to Peter Pan and doing the standby line instead, but the app is so slow I didnt want to deal with it. A family was in front of me wondering why their magic bands wouldnt work, blocking my access. Finally the dad checked his smartphone and saw their time was still 30 minutes away. God forbid you should do that BEFORE blocking the entrance, lol! I zipped right in and right onto a clam mobile. Ill admit I had low expectations after reading other peoples opinions online, but I liked it. Its very similar to Nemo at Epcot, but if you take away the live fish over there, I think this one beats Nemo by a wide margin. Even with the fish at Nemo, I like this one better. Its certainly no E Ticket but its a cute little ride Ill do once in a while if I dont have to wait for it.

    Next I walked over to the Storybook Circus thing to see if a dvc friend was working, but I didnt see her. They do have some yummy looking high-calorie treats in there, but I didnt dare get anything. I thought about the train again, and it was running, but the station here was mobbed so I decided to walk to Tomorrowland instead. As I passed Space Mountain I was shocked to see fastpasses still available, and the standby wait was only 30 minutes. Why is Big Thunder 75 minutes and Space only 30???

    I had time to kill so I stood in line to do the PeopleMover, encountering an ill-behaved little boy named Byron. I know his name because of the high number of times his ineffective grandmother would admonish him and of course he ignored her every time. At 4 or 5 years of age hed mastered the brat curriculum. When it was time to board he pushed ahead of me, and grandma again started with Byron, come back here but I told her to just (PLEASE) go ahead. This worked out great, because Byron was in the last car of a train and I got the front car (my favorite) of the next train! I didnt see the little brat er, I mean darling, until we were back at the unloading station, and then I ditched both him & grandma.

    At this point I still had about 15 minutes before my Space Mountain window opened at 5, so I walked right into Carousel of Progress. I dont normally do this, and although I appreciate its a Walt classic, its really dated & need some work. I sat at the far end, near the back, thinking Id play suduko on my phone, but the announcement of please dont XXX included the use of cell phones so I just watched the show. It hasnt changed in a while, and the dad looks like hes high on something in the first couple scenes. Then, in the last scene hes lost his mustache wonder why.

    At some point Id checked my work blackberry and saw that the Governor had decided to give state employees a paid day off 12/24 as well. This sounds great until you realize Christmas is Wednesday, and 12/24 is Tuesday, so I guess Ill be off Sat/Sun, work Monday, be off Tue/Wed, work Thu/Fri, etc. Still, any day off is a gift, and I really AM appreciative. Im sure the fact that hes running for re-election has nothing to do with it, either <g>.

    By now it was past 5 so I went to Space Mountain and used my fastpass there. While in the loading area I saw Id missed a couple calls from Michael, so I emailed back to let him know Id call after this attraction. The ride ended up being really great, and it felt faster than normal (perhaps because later in the day the track is warmer). The people in the rocket behind me were hysterical with their screaming & laughing they were almost as much fun as the ride itself!

    When I got back outside I found a quiet spot near the restrooms and called Michael. Wed had a situation happen at work which resulted in a resident getting hurt, and he was going to wait for my return Monday but ended up going ahead & making a decision on a certain action. I agreed, and would have done the same in his place. We chatted a bit, then after I hung up I went back for another ride on PeopleMover (minus Byron this time), and got off that around 10 minutes before 6.

    By now the sun had set & it was easy on my eyes, lol I was loving it! I didnt love the crowds, though. Rather than waiting for the castle ice lights in the hub I stopped on the bridge coming from Tomorrowland. It was much quieter over there, and except for 2 other people everyone else just paused for a photo and kept going! I took some pictures of the castle as the light faded, and played on my smartphone. I was hoping with the party starting at 7 (park closed at 7 to regular guests) they might light the castle at 6, but they didnt.

    It was 6:25 when Mickey & Minnie came out to start the pre-show, and I stayed in my spot until after all of the lights were lit. I then moved to the hub to get a front view for a couple shots, and then turned around to head out of the park. As soon as the castle lights came on they played an announcement saying the park was closing in 30 minutes, and the party was sold out. In other words, get the hell out!

    Main Street was mobbed, as expected. I got over to the sidewalk and actually moved faster there. I cut through the Confectionary, which had a huge line of people waiting to get something. They were forcing people to exits on the far right side, which was annoying since I was on the left side. But, I got out of the park and made my way to the bus stops quicker than most. Theyve got all the new bus stops open now, and I cant believe how many of them there are! It seems like some arent labeled, so Im assuming thats where the stop next door is to a resort with a massive number of guests (like a value), so they can fit the waiting people into queues. Boardwalk is all the way over at stop #13, which is right across from some of the All Stars. Youd think wed have a closer spot than this.

    A handful of people were waiting in the queue so I got in line and waited for the bus to arrive. By the time it did, it was standing room only. I had my seat, and played with my phone for most of the ride back. Thankfully Boardwalk is the first stop, so that was nice. I went up to the villa, getting there around 7:30.

    I was hungry, so I cut up some cheese & crackers and poured some wine, and took it all to the balcony with the laptop so I could eat while finishing up the report. Later I plan to enjoy the big jetted tub and transfer/upload/edit the photos on the camera. I need to remember to catch the last 15 minutes of General Hospital, too!

    Today was another nice day but I cant believe how quickly time is passing!! I might have enjoyed Magic Kingdom more if my eyes werent so sensitive to the sun, but honestly I generally dont want to be in that park when its this crowded. If it wasnt for the lights on the castle I never would have gone over but I do enjoy seeing that once a year! Im still loving this villa its so fabulous to be able to vacation in this way!

    Tomorrow will be another warmer than normal day, so Ill probably spend the morning at the pool (with my eyes closed if necessary) and then head to Epcot later in the afternoon.


    DAY 4 Saturday 12/7/13
    Who: Sue (55), DVC member

    Plan: Pool, Epcot Meets

    Actual: I turned in about 11 last night, enjoying the luxury of having this villa rather than a single room. I slept well these beds are so comfortable, and its so quiet in the 1-bedroom villas. Id set an alarm for 6:30 on my personal phone but forgot the work phone (in the bathroom) was still set for 6:15. I got up, turned off & went back to bed. It went off again at 6:20 since Id hit snooze rather than dismiss, and then when the personal phone went off at 6:30 I got up <g>. I dressed, grabbed the camera, an headed out to walk around the lake. Along the way I took a few photos and then stopped in both Yacht Club and Beach Club to see their holiday dcor. Im happy to say neither of those resorts had cheaped out & replaced the pretty displays with a stupid gingerbread store.

    Yacht Club had the usual tree plus the train village. Take time to look at the details of the train village, as its really cute & well themed to the resort & wdw. Beach Club had their gingerbread carousel, which is always nice to see. I noticed their ugly little gingerbread store was gone. Instead, there was a sign saying gingerbread stuff was for sale in the Marketplace. Boardwalk could easily do this, having gingerbread for sale in the little shop off the lobby that rarely has any shoppers in there!

    As I came back around to the Boardwalk I stopped at the bakery and bought a pecan sticky roll. It was huge, with lots of pecans, but Im not crazy about the pastry they use for it. Its the same dough they use for the crappy cinnamon rolls (not the nice ones that used to be at the Main Street Bake Shop and are now at Gastons at MK). When I got back to the villa I made my egg and slice of bacon, then cut a portion of the pecan bun to eat with my cappuccino. It actually tasted good, but Id prefer a better (firmer) dough.

    I hung out in the villa doing stuff online, and then around 9:45 went down to the pool. At first I went to the same spot as yesterday (creature of habit), but then realized Id rather be on the other side a section back from the main pool. It wasnt busy at all and was really nice out there except for the ridiculous number of little kids/babies who would cry. I was really close to the kiddie pool, which was not usable yet thanks to someones kid having an accident in it evidently. I heard the cast member telling a parent that they pool has to stay closed until the entire amount of water gets cycled through the filter after its been treated about an hour. Personally I think the rules should be the same here as on the cruise ship nobody in diapers allowed.

    I spent about 2.5 hours out there, dozing a bit at first and then reading. Today I had the sense to put wear sunglasses, and when I was sitting up reading added a dvc baseball cap as well. I may have looked awful but at least I was functional. SB called & I talked to him for a little while, but he was at work and venting about word stuff the last thing I felt like listening to while here, but I played the supportive wife role <g>.

    Around 12:30 or so I went inside and back upstairs, pleased to see my trash & towel service had been done. I washed out my swimsuit in the kitchen sink, then took my shower. I finished drying my hair and put the swimsuit out on the balcony to dry faster, then ate the rest of the crackers with some cheese and a glass of wine. My first fastpass was 2-3 at Spaceship Earth, but I knew I could either do that standby or just skip it. My next 2 fastpasses were 3-4 at Living with the Land and 4-5 at Soarin, so arriving at the Land pavilion around 3:45 would let me easily knock out both of those without waiting in between.

    I spent time catching up on the Cruise Critic message boards, and Pete & Judy called as well. I chatted with them for a while what a nice surprise to hear from them. Just after 3 I left for Epcot, wearing my (non-prescription) sunglasses since it didnt really matter if things were blurry there. At Magic Kingdom yesterday it was just too crowded, and I wanted to be able to see the wait times, so I had to wear my (prescription) glasses.

    There was no wait to get into the park, although it was pretty busy inside. I headed towards France and walked through World Showcase before heading into Future World to arrive at the Land around 3:45. Living with the Land had a standby wait of 10 minutes posted, but it looked much longer than that. I think Soarin was 80 minutes. With my fastpass+ I bypassed most of the line and ended up behind a slow family with a guy in a scooter. The cast member loading the boat sent them to the last couple rows, and sent me to the front row of the 2nd boat, then put everyone else in the first boat. It was really nice having nobody behind me talking or making noise it was almost like my own private boat since the other family was so far back.

    When I got off the boat it was time for Soarin so I walked over there and was seated in the 2nd row near the middle. It was very nice especially with fastpass+ making it so quick! I used my smartphone app to change my unused Spaceship Earth fastpass from 2-3 to 6-7, in case I decided to ride it later. Of course, at that time of day a fastpass wont be necessary, but there wasnt anything else I wanted in the list of what was still available.

    I decided to head over to the UK to wait for Jennys 5pm meet, and as I approached Imagination ran into Jack Marshall & John Hayes (both from radp separate guys). I was talking with SB as I was walking and ended the call with him so I could talk with Jack & John. They decided to walk over to UK with me for Jennys meet. Once there we found Jenny, her friend Kathy (who Id had dinner with in France several trips ago), Sandi Femino, and a few other people. Johns wife Susan and daughter Sara arrived Id met them all many years ago one time. It was a nice bunch, and people sat/stood around chatting and we listened to the band perform back there (forget the name they replaced British Invasion). After the concert people headed off their separate ways.

    I made another loop around World Showcase, and got caught up in the people leaving Candlelight Processional. It really jammed things up, so I wandered around in the courtyard of America to let the crowd thin out some. In Germany I went to Sommerfest and ordered the Nudel Gratin (mac & cheese), which Pete & Judy had raved about. Its a very large portion for $3.49 and it was very good but very filling. I couldnt finish the top layer of cheese, but I did enjoy it. I sat on a bench while eating, then continued on my way.

    After I took a photo of the Epcot Christmas Tree at the entrance to World Showcase I turned into Future World and decided to use my Spaceship Earth fastpass after all. While I was on the ride I got a call from John Brokaw, whod finally arrived at the park (from the airport). I could barely hear him over the attraction soundtrack, but I told him I where I was and said Id call when I got off the attraction. Wouldnt you know after starting the backwards descent the ride stopped. We sat there for a while, and a cast member carrying a flashlight came walking through eventually. I was so sick of the please remain seated message! Finally we started again, only to stop for a shorter period a little bit later.

    When I came down the exit, John was waiting there. He introduced me to his friend Kyle and we stood around chatting for a little while. I think the last time I saw John his son was little and mine was just a kid. Now his son is working at WDW in the college program and mine is 27 years old, so its probably been a good 15-17 years. It was nice seeing him again, and meeting Kyle. They left to meet Johns son (also John) on his break, and I walked back over to the Land.

    I bought a carrot cake cupcake from Seasons, since it was cool enough to carry it back to the villa. Theres not a whole lot of icing on it, but maybe that makes it a little healthier, lol! I noticed the holiday display on the upper level, and took a photo before leaving the pavilion and walking back to Boardwalk.

    When I got back to the villa I went online to deal with a problem at home. SB had hesitated telling me, but the living room tv picture is not working. This happened about a year ago, and we had to wait a week or 2 for Geek Squad to come out and it started working again on its own before then. The guy checked it but could find nothing wrong. Now, Im pretty certain my extended warranty is expired, so Im reluctant to put money into an older (2010) LCD model when better models cost less today. SB loved the picture on the LG tv in the living room of our villa, so we ordered a 47 LG LED that will be delivered this Wednesday. Now that thats done, the tv at home will start working at any moment <g>. But, I dont want to risk being a 1-tv family, since Ive gotten used to leaving him to his sports & violence in favor of watching HGTV <g>.

    I tried a bite of the carrot cake cupcake, and its actually pretty good. I might make a small cup of cappuccino to go with it while Im watching HGTV in bed later. I still need to pack, which shouldnt take too long and I might wander outside for one last evening stroll on the boardwalk before settling down for the night.

    Today was another absolutely delightful day! I loved taking it easy and spending time by the pool this morning, and coming home to the villa afterwards is just wonderful. It was a real treat meeting up with everyone this evening, and this weather has been so ideal. Its nice to not have to wear long pants or jackets its like fall but without the sweating!

    Tomorrow I have to leave for home time to get back to the real world. Before I go Ill probably spend a couple hours at Animal Kingdom. Ill get the album finished once I get home, and put the link/url in the final days report.


    DAY 5 Sunday 12/8/13
    Who: Sue (55), DVC member

    Plan: Drive back to Gainesville

    Actual: Last night I went back out to the boardwalk and arrived just as a juggler was setting up for his show. I stopped to watch, and he was very good! He did all of his juggling while balancing on a board on a rolling tin can placed on top of some stacked up things so he was up in the air. After the show I went back inside for cappuccino & cupcake, then headed to the bedroom by 10 for House Hunters and House Hunters International.

    I got up at 6:15 and checked the Port Everglades webcam. One of the HAL ships (either Chris & Amandas or ours) had just pulled into the harbor and was heading for a dock. In the dark I couldnt read the name. On the wider angle camera I saw the other ship docking, but since they werent going to the same spots they sailed from, I couldnt figure out which was which that way either. In any event, its a little bit late for them to be just arriving.

    I finished the pecan sticky bun with my cappuccino, taking the last egg and the bacon back home in the cooler. I realized my original plan to do the safari didnt make much sense. Id need sunglasses to see comfortably, but since theyre not prescription the animals would be a blur. So, Ill save the safari for next time. I was able to move my Primeval Whirl fastpass window up to 9-10am, so Ill do it standby and then use the fastpass+ and probably ride Dinosaur as well. When I got the cupcake last night my receipt has a coupon for 20% off in the 2 larger stores at Animal Kingdom, so Ill take a look in there as well.

    I packed up my stuff and was out the door around 8:20. After stopping to fill the gas tank at Hess I drove over to Animal Kingdom. I arrived around 8:45 and walked into the park. I was happy to see they were letting people in already, and they werent even being held by the tree of life. I walked over to Dinoland and stopped at Primeval Whirl. They didnt open the queue until 9, and I was the first rider of the day (no, they dont do anything special). Another couple came along and were in the car behind me.

    It was a fun ride, and my car spun quite a bit. Back in the unloading area they asked if I wanted to go again and I said yes. The couple behind me did the same. I could have gone around again since there was nobody waiting to board, but I decided twice was good enough. I walked over to Dinosaur and went right into the pre-show, which had already begun. There were a total of 15 other people in the pre-show with me, so once the doors opened we were all on the attraction quickly. They didnt even seat anyone else in my row each party had their own row.

    When we got back to the station the cast member asked if anyone wanted to go through again a few people did, and the rest of us chose not to. I like the ride, but its not something I need to ride over and over again <g>. Having done the 2 attractions I intended to do, I went to the 2 shops to see if I could use my 20% off coupon but didnt find anything I needed to buy. Thats probably just as well, between the tv going on the fritz and my medical care for my eye <g>. So, I headed out of the park and was driving away at 10am. It was an easy drive home and now Im doing laundry and getting settled.

    The photos from this trip are on shutterfly at:
    share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0AZNGTdm2bMWjHmg

    This turned out to be a really nice trip. The weather was warmer than normal (by about 10 degrees), but while that would be horrendous news for an October trip, it was great news for a December trip. It was warm but not humid, and I never needed warm clothes to stay comfortable. There was no rain, either. I LOVED LOVED LOVED having the 1-bedroom villa, even when I was solo. Its just such a treat to have what feels like an apartment/home rather than a hotel room! I never heard a peep from neighbors, or from people in the hallway. Im not impressed with the ugly gingerbread store in the lobby its out of place, and nobody ever seemed to be buying anything there.

    I also really love the whole magic band thing, and the flexibility it gives me to be able to ride a few favorite attractions later in the day instead of having to rush to the park at opening in order to get a fastpass with a fairly quick return time. I dont spend many hours in the parks at one time, so pulling a fastpass thats good 3-4 hours from now just doesnt work for me. With My Disney Experience I could plan my day in advance, and make adjustments on the fly. The systems not perfect, but its easy to see the benefits and make them work for my trips.

    Some of our best time spent was outside of the parks like the evening we had dinner at Big River Grill and caught an entertainers act on the boardwalk. I really enjoyed spending time with so many people I dont see that often. I guess the only way the trip could have been better is if it had been longer!

    Sadly, this was my last trip until next year. That actually sounds worse than it is, since the next trip begins January 2, 2014 just a few weeks away. <g> Ill be spending a few nights at Boardwalk Villas (in a studio this time) to catch some Comedy Warehouse shows, with SB joining me for the final night after he gets off work. Then we head south to board HALs Nieuw Amsterdam for a week. That portion of the trip will be sent to the cruise report list, since its not Disney.

    Thank you in advance and thanks for reading!

    Sue (Holland) Rayford
    WDW1972

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  3. #2

    Thanks Sue,
    I have sent it to my Kindle.


  4. #3

    Thanks for another great trip report. Glad you had a wonderful time. Ive got to try more of these great Disney cupcakes you keep finding. Usually Im too full or I find something else interesting to eat. But Im making a list.
    Starring Roles butterfinger cupcake
    Boardwalk Bakery oreo cupcake
    Seasons carrot cake cupcake
    Mara chocolate butterfinger cupcake

    Michael and Kellis August 2016 Trip with 25 Friends and family
    http://mousepad.mouseplanet.com/showthread.php?234828
    Common Walt Disney World Wild Birds http://bochnik.com/disneybirds/disneybirds.htm
    Our other Disney Trips (including our Disneymoon): Kelli and Mike's Adventures http://www.bochnik.com/

  5. #4

    I'm glad you and SB had a great time. Though I'm really starting to get withdrawl symptoms reading about your trip.

    Oh and Merry Christmas.

    Cheers Larry.

    Check out my Disney Blog - Photographing Disney, Mainly Photos but some of the old Larry Humour/Humor - http://www.photographingdisney.blogspot.com

  6. #5

    SUE WE WERE THERE 12/7-12/13 and it was hot !!!


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