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Thread: Sue (Holland) Rayford, Main F&W Trip, Boardwalk & Bch Club Villas, Oct 29-Nov 5, 2017

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    Sue (Holland) Rayford, Main F&W Trip, Boardwalk & Bch Club Villas, Oct 29-Nov 5, 2017

    Who/When/Where:

    Who: Sue (58-59), DVC Member
    SB (60), my husband
    Pete & Judy, DVC friends
    Chris (31), son
    Amanda (29), daughter-in-law
    Ari (15 months), grandson (11th WDW trip)
    Dates: October 29 November 6, 2017
    Resort: Disneys Boardwalk Villas Resort and Disneys Beach Club Villas Resort
    Experience: Very Experienced 24th stay at BWV and 42nd stay at BCV

    INTRODUCTION:
    This trip is our main Food & Wine trip, with our good friends Pete & Judy. They always stay at Boardwalk, and since I also have a contract there and hate the studios (due to the connecting door location), we have a 1-bedroom villa booked there for the first 6 nights. When traveling with SB, it really helps to have the extra space. Chris & Amanda (& Ari also referred to as the Hollands) can only be here at the end of the trip, for Friday & Saturday nights. I booked them at Beach Club Villas and I will move to my own studio over there for Saturday & Sunday night to end the trip. This way I can drop my stuff in their studio on Saturday, until my studio is ready later in the day. Id planned to do the same with our stuff on arrival day dropping it at Pete & Judys to avoid having to wait for bell services to deliver it once the villa was ready. But, their plans changed and they likely wont be around when we arrive (we probably wont see them until Monday). In the end we worked it out that theyd leave a key for me at the front desk. I know I could drop my stuff with Bell Services, but then Im left waiting for them to bring it up when Im ready, and I would be homeless until my villa is finally ready. Had it been pool weather that wouldnt have been a big deal, but with a forecast high of 68 or 69 I dont see myself lounging by the pool today!

    When SBs work schedule came out, they needed him to work on Sunday. That wasnt a big deal, since Sunday is the transition/get settled day and frankly its easier to do that solo. We also always planned to take 2 cars, since SB was going home before me. We left it that Sunday would be my day Id drive over and hit the outlet before going to Boardwalk. I was able to push our Soarin fastpass back to late afternoon, but now SB wont be there in time. I also booked Soarin for all of us on November 1st. That was great until Pete texted to say they were going to spend the morning in Hollywood Studios that day (with lunch at Mama Melrose) and wanted me to drop them from the fastpasses at Epcot. Ok. I dropped them, but kept SB & me I wasnt going to deprive him of Soarin and didnt want to change our plans. Its great having this technology to book this stuff and change it before the trip!

    For the first time we didnt book any restaurant meals, which is 100% great in my opinion! Our time with Pete & Judy will be short just Monday through Thursday, and I prefer to enjoy Food & Wine Festival. The couples alternate each year treating each other to lunch to celebrate either my birthday or Petes birthday. This year is our turn, but rather than waste precious Food & Wine time sitting in an ordinary restaurant (wed do it if we were together on a Saturday since that day sucks for Food & Wine Festival), I booked us all for the Caring for Giants tour at Animal Kingdom instead. Pete & Judy love behind the scenes stuff, and well get to learn more about the elephants and be brought to a special viewing area to see them on the savannah. Were doing this on Halloween morning.

    Id hoped to book Flight of Avatar for that morning, but of course at 60 days I couldnt get it until the 4th or 5th day of the trip. But, when they released more slots a month later I was able to get it, so now we have it at least twice during the trip! The weather is expected to be nice not hot & humid like the last few trips, and hopefully well enjoy pool time in the afternoon. SB may opt for air conditioning and television instead. If SB is still with us on Saturday, I may give Yak & Yeti a try. I have a $25 birthday credit and some friends rave about the burger there, so he might really enjoy that. If hes not there, Ill still suggest it to Chris & Amanda.

    The plans so far are:
    Sunday 10/29: Drive to WDW, Epcot
    Monday 10/30: Magic Kingdom, Pool, Epcot
    Tuesday 10/31: Animal Kingdom, Caring for Giants, Pool, Epcot or AK
    Wednesday 11/1: Pool, Epcot
    Thursday 11/2: Pool, Animal Kingdom, AK or Epcot
    Friday 11/3: Pool, Epcot
    Saturday 11/4: Animal Kingdom, Pool,
    Sunday 11/5: Epcot, Pool, Epcot
    Monday 11/6: Drive to Gainesville


    DAY 1 Sunday 10/29/17
    Who: Sue (58), DVC Member
    SB (60), my husband

    Plan: Drive to WDW, Epcot

    Actual: This morning I got up around the usual work day time, so I was finished with the bathroom well before SB got up to get ready for work. Id packed up almost everything last night, and put most of it in the trunk then. I relaxed online with my cappuccino and cereal for breakfast, to use up the leftover milk. SB started work at 7, and I stopped by the office sometime after that to do a few things before hitting the road right at 8am. The drive down was smooth sailing, and even I-4 wasnt crazy.

    I went straight to the Premium Outlets on Vineland, just for the Character Warehouse. Now besides a big chunk of the parking lot dedicated to valet parking (for a fee), they have another large chunk blocked off for premium self-parking (for a fee). This money grubbing is just ridiculous. It was early enough I found one of the few free spaces in the area, but otherwise I would have just parked in the big free garage.

    I got to Character Warehouse just as they were unlocking the doors, and I was dismayed to see a huge crowd at each of the 2 entrances! They werent giving anything away, so Im not sure why this store had such a big crowd and the others were just normal. As soon as I got inside, other customers were grabbing stuff off the shelves, putting them in the baskets they were carrying. I managed to walk around, and it was all the normal stuff nothing out of the ordinary. I did see one item I picked up as a holiday gift for a co-worker, but by 10 minutes after opening the line to check out was ridiculous! The roped area/queue was completed filled up. I decided it simply wasnt worth it, so I put the item back and left the store pulling out of the parking lot 15 minutes after the store opened.

    I made a quick stop at Publix for some beer for SB, then drove onto Disney property and to the Boardwalk. Thankfully this time they werent playing obnoxious parking games (using secret passwords, or expecting registered resort guests to park in the next county), and I was able to pull into the large self-parking lot without a problem. I took a load of my stuff with me and stopped at the front desk, wondering how THAT was going to go. Boardwalk is notoriously bad for getting your room ready at a decent time.

    As expected, my villa was not ready, and youd think with me being here in person (and saying 10:30 on my online check-in thing), theyd expedite it, but I wont hold my breath. I may walk down to the front desk later, though. They had the key Pete had left for me, and I learned were going to be on the same floor & section of hallway as them. I walked to their villa and was pleased when the key worked, lol guess I had my doubts with Disney technology!

    Theyre in the turret room, which is on a corner. They like this room and requested it specifically, and I can see why. It feels a bit bigger, and the layout is entirely different. The living/dining/kitchen is one big open space, that flows from living room at one end to kitchen at the other. Theres no booth just a table & 4 chairs similar to Old Key West. The balcony wraps all the way around this area, and theres another separate one off the bedroom. I imagine they have a nice view of the Illuminations fireworks from here, too. I put my stuff in a big empty corner of the living room (it looked odd to have this empty space there should have been a chair or potted plant or something) and went back to the car for another load. This room is right by the stairwell that goes down to that path to the bus stop and parking lots, so I used that for a shortcut. I saw closer parking spaces, so I moved the car too, now that I know well be in this vicinity.

    After dropping off this load (the other cooler and another gallon of water) I walked over to Epcot, arriving around 11:45. There was a line to get through bag check, which I think was the tail end of the mob from the most recent Friendship. It moved pretty quickly, and soon I was in the park. Its nice to be here and not be sweating, lol! The wind is pretty brisk, but it feels great and Im wearing jeans and a long-sleeve shirt!

    I turned right into France and was surprised to find no lines at most of the kiosks I passed. There was nobody waiting in France, so I got the goat cheese tart for my lunch and took it to one of the small tables along the water. I saw on the menu it has spinach but evidently last time there wasnt much in the one I got. Today there was quite a bit, to the point I was using the fork to pull it out. I still enjoyed the tart, but I had known thered be so much spinach I probably would have passed on it. I continued walking around World Showcase, and checked in the regular wine shops in Italy & Germany, and confirmed theyre doing 3-ounce pours now as well. Sorry, but $7 or more for 3 ounces is just ridiculous.

    When I came around to India I stopped (again, no wait) and got the chenin blanc, which I remembered liking last trip. Its also only 3 ounces, but at least its $5 instead of $7, lol! It is very good, too went well following the goat cheese tart. The best part is with the cooler weather, the wine doesnt get too warm to enjoy.

    By the time I got near Mexico the lines at the kiosks were pretty long, and at the entrance by World Showcase they were crazy long. I guess it works to my advantage that most people dont seem to even try to think things out at all. If theyd only walked 5 minutes into World Showcase to start sampling, they wouldnt spend 20 minutes standing in each line! Canada was insane on the Future World side but a walk-up on the other side. Again, check it out before blindly following the herd into the first line you see! Or not, lol I like having a wait-free option available to me <g>.

    At International Gateway I headed back to Boardwalk, and picked up the beer and last gallon of water from the car before going up to Pete & Judys villa. I got the laptop out and set up camp at their kitchen table, which had easy access to an electrical outlet, and updated the report. At 1:30 I was shocked to see the email telling me my room is ready!!!! Its funny when I was here this morning I passed a specific room with a housekeeping cart outside and said maybe thats mine. Thats the number they gave me, but surely it didnt take 2 hours to get cleaned, lol!

    I moved my stuff over in several trips, unpacking everything before going back for more. It worked very well, as I was in no rush. When I unpacked the suitcase I realized the outfit I originally was going to wear today was missing when the weather turned cool I pulled out jeans to wear, but never put the original stuff into the suitcase. The bottom half was going to be worn again, with a different top oh well. I called SB to have him take it when he comes down, and learned hed gotten off work at noon and was already on Disney property! I gave him the room # and went to wait for him in the living room.

    He called to say hed locked the car keys in the trunk (sigh) and wasnt kidding. This is after he lost his keys last Sunday, but thankfully someone found them and turned them in Friday. I assumed he was calling because hed locked the car too, but then he said I dont suppose theres any way to get into the trunk from the inside of the car so I asked if hed locked the car. He said no, lol! Problem solved I told him about the lever to lower the back of the back seat, which let him get into the trunk. Dummy me didnt even think of the much simpler trunk release button by the drivers seat and he had no clue of that either. What a couple of idiots we are!

    SB got settled, and found a football game on tv. He decided that sounded better than Soarin and Spaceship Earth, and I agreed that was fine for him! I left a little after 3 to walk back to Epcot and use the fastpasses. Hes not a big fan of Spaceship Earth, and Im not a big fan of football. When I left he was in his underwear, on the couch, with a beer in his hand. DVC really is home away from home, lol!

    This time I pretty much got into Epcot with no wait at all, simply by choosing the bag check lane with no people and then the band reader that was empty. Of course, multiple people were at the other table and band readers. I was well within my fastpass window so I headed straight for the Land. World Showcase was very busy almost gridlock at times. The lines at the Food & Wine booths were much longer than before, too. As a solo I was able to bypass most of the people who were barely creeping along.

    At Soarin there was a short wait, but not as bad as it can be this time of day. The standby wait was posted as 50 minutes but it looked a bit longer. I was sent to the last row in the middle section, pretty much dead center so I didnt have any distortion this time. Once I finished here I went straight to Spaceship Earth, which had a huge crowd in the standby line. Unfortunately, I didnt think to check the standby wait time.

    It was a nice ride, and since I ride so often I just hit random answers at the end. That way I have a shot at seeing something I havent seen before. Today it was all about health and living in the city. Once that finished I tried calling SB to suggest if hed rather not come to Epcot tonight (given the crowds) I could bring him the rotisserie chicken from Seasons in the Land. Of course, he didnt answer his ringer is muted. I decided to get it anyway, figuring if he didnt want it tonight he could heat it up another time but I knew it wouldnt last long once he saw it <g>.

    I got a couple oatmeal raisin cookies from the bakery, and then went to the registers to pay for everything. Today they didnt have any of the nice paper shopping bags, so I made do with a clear plastic bag to carry it back to the resort. World Showcase was still busy but seemed slightly better. The lines at some of the kiosks were still pretty long, though. I walked back to Boardwalk and found SB laying on the bed watching a football game, but he came out to the living room to eat his chicken dinner. He said it was great!

    I tried calling Pete to see what their plans were, but wasnt able to reach him. Just as I decided to head over to Epcot Pete called. He was done for the day the past several days spent with people who arent here all the time was more than his body can take. Judy and their granddaughter Zoe were on the way to Epcot, so I contacted Judy and met up with them over there.

    At the entry there are 2 bag check lines. The one on the right was shorter, so I joined that side, but then I noticed the people ahead of me had a million bags. The longer line on the left was full of people who at most had a cell phone, lol! I hopped over there and was in the park in no time I was the first one with a bag on that side! This is what I mean about it pays to pay attention a little bit.

    I was meeting Judy & Zoe by Patagonia & Hawaii, but as I passed through Canada the registers on my side pretty much had no wait so I jumped in and got the cheese soup with pretzel roll. I brought it with me to meet the others, and we all enjoyed our assorted food. Their granddaughter Zoe is attending college in Sarasota and had come over for the weekend. She seems like a very nice young lady, and she must be talented since shes at the Ringling school there.

    We continued walking, and ended up with an incredibly LOUD group right behind us for a while. Its pretty bad when youre in a really crowded area yet there are just 4 people who are heard way louder than everyone else combined. We stopped in China for Zoe to get the duck & some cold tea and Judy to get the pot stickers. I waited near the exit, and had a bench for us until a couple came over and sat down just as Judy & Zoe were ordering. I didnt want to tell them to go away, so I got up and asked a solo lady at a stand-up table if we could join her.

    Zoe said the duck was really good, and once they were finished we walked the rest of the way to International Gateway. Zoe was heading out to drive back to Sarasota, so she & Judy returned to the Boardwalk. I turned around and started a second loop through the countries. For the most part the crowd was a bit lighter and several of the kiosks had lines that werent too long. It was windy and pretty chilly, though! I actually loved it, as it was such a welcome change from previous Food & Wine trips this year.

    I knew Id walked a lot today, which means I burned more calories than usual, so I needed to take in more calories to help offset that. Not too long ago I purposely dropped the excess weight Id added over the past few years, but now Im at the point I need to add some back. Getting that low wasnt intentional, but is a factor of probably underestimating what calories I burned each day. So, what else could I eat to add calories? A fattening bratwurst from Germany!

    This is the first time weve gotten it this year, having been unimpressed with the switch from pretzel roll to a regular hoagie style roll. To my surprise, when I got there tonight I saw theyve switched back to a pretzel roll! I ordered it and ate it while walking it wasnt so outstanding I need to rush back for another one, but it hit the spot and definitely filled me up. Good thing I like pretzel rolls, since I had 2 today!

    As I approached the entrance to Future World I detoured to the Chocolate Studio and got a chocolate raspberry torte to take back to the villa. With the cool weather it held up great, lol! I was back at Boardwalk by 8, and SB was camped out in the bedroom waiting for the world series game to start so I turned on HGTV in the living room.

    We noticed the light out on the balcony was lit, and I couldnt find any switch to turn it off. This was not going to work, as I like to have the drapes open but dont want a light shining in the bedroom! I called the front desk and they had someone call me to say its on a sensor but they could send someone up to deactivate it. I said that would be great. Just a couple minutes later a female maintenance person was at the door, and she simply lifted the globe and unscrewed the light bulb, lol! Boy, more rocket science! She was really nice, and it only took her a minute. If I want to sit out there and read I can screw the bulb back in, then unscrew it when its time for bed. I told her Id try to remember to screw it back in before we leave, and she said not to worry about that because the cast member should be checking it when getting the room ready for the next guest. Key word there is probably should, lol.

    I poured a glass of wine and ate some trail mix while finishing up the report. Id eaten a couple bites of the chocolate raspberry torte its delicious, but Im too full to really enjoy it so Ill save it for the future.

    Today had some irritating or challenging moments at times, but overall Im thrilled to be back here and happy to not be sweating my way around Food & Wine! I do like our villa, and was pleased/relieved I didnt have to wait until 4pm for it to be ready.

    Tomorrow were going to Magic Kingdom for the morning Pete & Judy will meet us there after the 1st fastpass. After that hopefully well do some Food & Wine for lunch, since Epcot shouldnt be very busy on a Monday during the day. Hopefully Petes recovered enough to enjoy himself, and hopefully SB is able to walk without issues. If not, it may be Judy & I wandering around tomorrow night!


    DAY 2 Monday 10/30/17
    Who: Sue (58), DVC Member
    SB (60), my husband
    Pete & Judy, DVC friends

    Plan: Magic Kingdom, Pool, Epcot

    Actual: We turned the lights out at 10:30, with SB having the option of continuing the games (baseball & football) in the living room but he didnt want to get up. The baseball game in particular was running really long, and sleep was more important! The villa is quiet & comfortable, but then the 1-bedroom and large units always are. Its just the studios that can be a problem (noise from neighbors or the hallway).

    I was up just before 5, and used the little bit of light from my fitbit to find my toothbrush, toothpaste, etc so I could brush my teeth in the other half of the bathroom where I could close doors to keep the light out of the bedroom. I made my cappuccino and got online while listening to the local news, getting up to take my shower around 6:30. Its only in the upper 40s right now, but the high will be 68 later.

    After I showered and dressed I started leaving lights on and opened the drapes more to help wake up SB. He was up a little after 7, and I made us breakfast before he showered. Its wonderful having the full kitchen to make breakfast each morning! We were pretty much ready to go by shortly after 8, but that was too early since wed be standing in the cold waiting to get into the Magic Kingdom! We hung out in the villa until we left at 8:25.

    When we got to the bus stop I was dismayed to see it was packed full, and spilling out onto the ramp from the resort. Although it was barely 8:30 the estimated arrival time for the MK bus was 8:54 or 8:55 (it kept changing back & forth). An Animal Kingdom bus arrived and picked up most of the passengers, and then our bus time changed to 9:00 as more people arrived. Another Animal Kingdom bus arrived, and then our time changed to 8:49. The bus actually pulled in behind the AK bus, and we were onboard at 8:44. So much for accuracy in those time screens, lol! The bus was full, but we had seats. SB actually offered his to a lady with a couple kids but she declined. It made sense, as it was easier for her to control them by standing between them <g>.

    At the Magic Kingdom the bag check didnt take too long, mainly because I chose a line where most of the people ahead of me had nothing more than a cell phone (1 person had a fanny pack) and SB had no bags. We were in the park right at 9, which was park opening today. We walked down Main Street and turned right into Tomorrowland, where we walked right onto Buzz Lightyear. I dont really like this, but I figured it was an opportunity for SB to beat me since hes never won on Toy Story <g>.

    Once I pointed out the joy stick he spent most of the ride spinning our car around so I couldnt hit anything, lol but I still beat him by over 10,000 points (we both had pitiful scores). Next we walked onto People Mover for a chilly ride around Tomorrowland. Pete texted to say they were just arriving & we agreed to meet near Peter Pan. They were planning to shop a little up Main Street before meeting us at the exit.

    SB & I headed to Peter Pan and rode with a minimal wait (fastpass), and when we got off we could see Pete & Judy waiting. They then decided to use their fastpass after all, so when we came out of the exit they were in the fastpass queue. He texted to say they were riding and I texted back that we see them they spotted us when they turned the corner. We sat on a sunny bench next to Small World while they rode Peter Pan.

    Pete & Judy had experienced a number of glitches at Boardwalk so far, including not getting their housekeeping service that should have been performed last Friday, so they were given 2 extra fastpasses anywhere in Magic Kingdom for all 4 of us. It was almost time for our fastpass window at Mine Train, so we stopped there. Pete & SB decided to sit it out, so they waited at a table while Judy and I rode. It was fun, but we got put up near the front of the train (the back is better). After picking up the men we used the first extra fastpass at Buzz Lightyear.

    Pete & Judy enjoy this, and theyd missed out on a fastpass earlier in the trip. The standby line was out the door, but with fastpass we breezed right in and had a very short wait! This time SB rotated the car a lot again, but he did it right from the start and was effective in beating me by a small margin, lol!

    We walked over to Adventureland and used the other extra fastpass at Pirates of the Caribbean. This had a crazy long standby wait (40 or 50 minutes if I remember correctly) but with the fastpass we pretty much had no wait at all! We did get wet even though we were in the 4th row both at the bottom of the hill and again in the cannonball area. They really should do something about that its not necessary or desired.

    Before we left the building I used the MDE app to cancel Pete & SBs Mine Train fastpass. We were now close to the Big Thunder fastpass time, so we walked over there. Pete & Judy decided to wait at the exit so it was just SB & me riding. We had to wait 5 minutes before we could enter the queue, and it was a fun ride (near the back, lol)! I then tried to use the app to cancel Pete & Judys fastpasses but kept getting an error message. I finally did it at one of the kiosks near the restrooms.

    With the fastpasses canceled I was able to use the app to book us fastpasses for Soarin this evening. We headed out of the park, stopping at one of the shops on Main Street to pick up a shirt for Zoe. We rode the monorail to the TTC and transferred to the Epcot monorail. Entry into Epcot wasnt too bad, but I still hate entering at the front. Today it worked out very well though, as it forced us past some of the Food & Wine booths that SB wouldnt have wanted to walk to from World Showcase!

    Our first stop was Flavors of Fire, where we shared the piggy wings and SB got a beer flight from indoors. Pete & Judy got the piggy wings and the corned beef dish, sharing both. They really liked both items. The next stop was the Cheese Studio, where SB got the beef stroganoff and Pete got the garlic herb cheese tart. Judy and I each got the white wine from Austria at this booth. SB enjoyed the beef, and Pete liked the cheese tart but thought it was very filling and too big (I agree).

    While we were at a counter enjoy the Cheese Studio food, a lady arrived with scallops from the next stand Wine & Dine. We stopped there next, and SB got a double order of the scallops (3 of them). He said they were very good, and was impressed by the size (for the price, at Disney standards, lol).

    We headed out to World Showcase, and Pete & Judy decided to exit at International Gateway. SB stayed on to do a loop around the countries with me. In Italy he got one of the limoncello margaritas, and then in Germany we shared the bratwurst in a pretzel roll. After that we were pretty much done for this round, so when we approached International Gateway we headed back to Boardwalk. SBs legs were starting to bother him, and he would have ridden the boat but wed just missed it. So, we walked back in much less time than it would have been waiting for the boat to arrive.

    We got back just in time for General Hospital, so we watched that while I updated the report. It ended with a great cliff hanger, so I hope we get to see it tomorrow. After the show SB soaked in the big jacuzzi tub, hoping that would make his body feel better. After that he took another shower and then found last nights World Series game on some channel. I called my dad in Boston and while talking to him noticed SBs tv showed a rocket was about to launch from Cape Canaveral. Just as I said it, it launched and I commented that we may be able to see it from here. I looked out to the balcony and the rocket was seen clear as day it was amazing! What we saw was mainly the long flame behind it, and eventually it left a plume of smoke, but we were able to watch it rise higher until it turned slightly and disappeared from sight. It was still visible on the tv for a little bit longer, then the tv returned to regular programming. This was an unexpected surprise, and how lucky we discovered it just in time to see it! We do see Illuminations fireworks from this room too.
    Pete & Judy came by to pick us up at 5, and we found the boat waiting at the dock so we rode it over to Epcot. We were among the first off the boat, so we didnt have to wait at bag check and entry. After coming up the hill we turned right towards France to make our first loop.

    In America we stopped for SB to get the lobster roll, which he enjoyed. Pete & Judy spend time in Maine each year, and said the size and price is comparable to what they see up there. That surprised me, lol! Pete, Judy & I had some wine. In Germany Pete & Judy shared the noodle thing (like mac & cheese with ham), while SB got a beer from the brewery stand and the rest of us had wine.

    World Showcase wasnt as busy as the previous nights, but it wasnt exactly dead. The more popular booths had lines, with some longer than others. The less popular places generally had no wait. We continued the loop and headed into Future World to use our Soarin fastpass. I think this is the first time we got the new theater, as the walk to and from was different than we remembered. We got the center section, second row, so the view was great. I cant wait to see how they like Flight of Avatar compared to this!

    We went back to World Showcase and ended up doing another loop, just walking and talking. It was such a pleasant evening! In Spain Pete got the charcuterie in a cone, and just raved about it! Id eat part of it, so its an option if SB wants it some future day. We stopped again in Scotland, where Pete got the salmon. It had been sitting under the heat lamp, which he said you never do with this type of salmon. From there we exited the park and since the boat had just pulled in we rode back to Boardwalk. SB did really well walking, and said the jacuzzi tub made a big difference for him! Hopefully hell do that every day.

    Back at the Boardwalk we stopped by Boardwalk Bakery and SB got the gigantic slice of Italian sandwich (on Petes recommendation). Pete was also raving about the carrot cake slice, so SB added 2 of those one for each couple. From there we headed up to the villas and parted ways for the evening. SB loved the sandwich, but only ate half Pete was 100% right on this one. He said the carrot cake was all mine, so I tried it and sadly Pete was 100% wrong on this one. Publix is far superior, and half the price, lol! I choked down half of it to not waste it, but its not something Ill ever get again. I need to get Pete & Judy to try Publix slice of carrot cake (not the bar thats awful) next time!

    SB turned into watch some football in the bedroom just after 8:30 and I stayed out in the living room to watch HGTV while finishing up the report. Today was a really nice day pretty much perfect in every way! Its so nice being back here, and having comfortable weather. I love Food & Wine Festival, and sharing it with friends is great.

    Tomorrow we have Flight of Avatar and then our Caring for Giants (elephants) tour. Hopefully itll warm up enough for the pool, and then we can return to Epcot for Food & Wine for the evening. Life is good!


    DAY 3 Tuesday 10/31/17
    Who: Sue (58), DVC Member
    SB (60), my husband
    Pete & Judy, DVC friends

    Plan: Animal Kingdom, Caring for Giants, Pool, Epcot or AK

    Actual: We slept well again last night, and this morning I got up just after 4:30. I enjoyed the quiet time in the living room with my cappuccino and online stuff. SB was up around 6:30 and joined me out there. After my shower I made the same breakfast as yesterday, then he took his shower.

    Shortly before 8:30 Pete & Judy knocked on the door and we headed to the bus stop. Once again the bus arrival time was posted as being 25 minutes away, but it came in about 15 minutes. We went straight to Animal Kingdom, and arrived just before 9. We chose wisely at bag check again, and then at the entry all the lanes were full except for the passholder lane. Fortunately we are passholders, so we breezed right into the park. I saw the sign saying Disney resort guests go left, so they must have opened up early for resort guests even though its not an early entry day.

    We went straight to Pandora and got held up where they were letting a huge line of people cross. The cast member explained this was the standby crowd for Flight of Avatar, which currently had a 3-hour wait. She also said with our fastpass shed let us through and wed go down to the left and right inside to the ride just as it should be, lol! When we reached the entrance, sure enough, the standby time was 180 minutes already. We bypassed huge masses of people and walked right into the pre-loading room. Even skipping all that, it still takes a while to get on the actual attraction.

    Once we were in the pre-show room, they ran into some problems and played the recalibrating and rescanning thing a few times (annoying). Pete was feeling dizzy, and I think he hadnt eaten breakfast this morning. At one point in that room he needed to leave, so a cast member helped him to the exit. The rest of us stayed to ride the attraction and met him outside the shop at the exit.

    Finally we were on our banshees. This was only the second time for me, and the first for Judy & SB. This ride is so cool! After it was over, SB kept saying that was the best ride hes ever done it was amazing! Judys not sure shell ride it again. I hope Pete gets to do it on Thursday. We found Pete waiting outside the shop, and walked slowly over to Harambe to check in for our Caring for Giants tour and to get him something to eat.

    While I checked us in, the others stood in line at the food area outside the safari. SB got a Gatorade-type drink, while Pete & Judy got a soft pretzel. We were going to get one as well, but the lady in front of us got the last one. We signed our waivers, got our name tag lanyards, and then waited about 10 minutes for the tour to begin.

    They walked us backstage to a mini bus, where we were driven behind the berm of the elevator habitat. Besides the 4 of us, there were 7 or 8 other people on the tour, so it was a nice small group. It lasts an hour, and only costs $30/person. We later learned that 100% of the proceeds go to the Disney wildlife conservation fund, so thats pretty cool. The bus dropped us off at the elephant area and we had a big area where we could watch them as they moved around, much closer than people get on the safari trucks. There were several adult females, along with a few kids the youngest one being a baby. There were a few different elephant workers who talked about them and answered questions it was very interesting. We also had a lady from Africa who worked as a safari guide over there she was also very interesting.

    Once our time was up we were driven back to the starting point and we walked back into Harambe. Overall, each of us thoroughly enjoyed the experience and thought it was great! I definitely recommend this tour, and we wish they had similar tours for some of the other animals. It would be so great to get up close to the giraffes, but I guess we can do that for free at Jambo House & Kidani Village. How about the cheetahs or lions??

    We headed out of the park, which was quite crowded. Before we started our tour, the standby wait at the safari was 55 minutes. Yuck! We saw our bus waiting, and since they were doing a driver change we got there in plenty of time. Back at the Boardwalk SB & I went down to the boardwalk to get lunch. Id decided on what I thought was like a caprese from the Boardwalk Bakery, so he ordered his food from the Boardwalk to Go stand. Once I saw the sandwich, I realized it wasnt like a caprese at all more like a pizza on focaccia bread. That isnt what I had in mind, so I just got us a couple oatmeal raisin cookies.

    We found a table by the water, and I ate some of his fries for lunch, while he had the rest of the fries and a chili cheese dog. After lunch it was up to the villa, where I changed into a swimsuit and went down to the quiet pool for about an hour. Pete and Judy came down after Id been there a while, and stopped to say hello before going to their spot in the shade. Theyd be staying longer than me. I set the alarm on one of the phones, so a couple minutes before 2pm I knew to go upstairs to join SB watching General Hospital while I updated the report.

    General Hospital was pretty disappointing not much happened today. Thats how it goes with soaps, though. I puttered around inside for a while, then poured a glass of wine and took it and the laptop out onto the balcony for a while. SB hung out in the living room watching TV.

    Pete & Judy stopped by to get us at 5 and we walked outside to find the Epcot boat waiting at the dock. There were lots of Halloween activities starting at the resort, and it would surely be busy (and noisy) later. We rushed over to the dock and one of the cast members undid the chain so we could board that boat instead of waiting for the next one.

    As we docked at Epcot, SB mentioned hed forgotten his magic band! I said Id walk back to the resort and get it Id be faster than the boat and Ive hardly done any walking today. They waited for me at International Gateway. It didnt take long for me to get back to Boardwalk, get the magic band off the dresser, and return to Epcot. It was nice walking at my pace, too. SB cant move that quickly, and its hard to walk slower than whats normal for me.

    We entered the park and decided to head left for a change. In Ireland the sausage was of interest, but while SB & Pete were waiting to see one, a big group of people joined the queue so by the time someone got one they no longer wanted to wait as long as it may have taken <g>. We continued on to Canada, where Pete & Judy shared the cheese soup with pretzel roll and SB & I shared the filet mignon. They thought the soup tasted a little different than it did when we used to always eat at Le Cellier. The filet was excellent tender, flavorful, and just perfect.

    At Hawaii we stopped while Pete got the spam hash, which he said was pretty good but not good enough to finish it all. Im thinking the potatoes may have been better than the spam but Im not sure. In Africa Pete & Judy had the spinach & paneer cheese samosas, which they said were very spicy. We also had some wine.

    The next stop was Spain, where Pete had the seafood salad (with octopus he loved it) and SB got the paella again. Judy tried some of the seafood salad, but mainly we just had our wine. The next country was Italy, where SB got the limoncello margarita, and once again it was very icy and not very flavorful. I think this should be the last one of these, as theyre not the same as previous years.

    By now it was only 10 minutes until the 6:45 Hanson concert so we decided to take seats near the back. Judy got some wine in America and SB got some popcorn. Everything was fine until the band came out, and then at least 2/3 of the audience stood up and remained standing. I didnt really care if I saw Hanson or not, but its a bit annoying when there are seats yet people stand up and block any view. We stayed for a bit, but left during the 3rd song. Pete thought all their songs sounded the same, and I wasnt thrilled looking at peoples backs while listening to songs I didnt know.

    We continued around, and at International Gateway Pete & Judy decided to head back to the resort. SB & I did another loop, and by the end he was starting to limp a bit. We did stop in Ireland for the sausage since there was no line, and it was pretty good. I doubt Id order it again, but Im glad I tried it there were 2 sausages atop some potatoes. We continued the rest of the way around without getting anything else, and then left via International Gateway. The boat wasnt in sight, so we walked back to Boardwalk.

    As we approached we could hear the Halloween festivities (blaring music being played), so the party was still happening. There were quite a few kids in Halloween costumes. We stopped at Ample Hills Creamery for some ice cream, and ate it outside at a table on the boardwalk. I had a small butter pecan praline cone, which was excellent and also huge. They put it in a cup, as it was too big and too soft to stay on top of the little cone. SB had a large cup of chocolate and vanilla (boring!!!), which was originally a waffle cone but the cone shattered so we dumped the ice cream in the cup and I gave the pieces of cone back to the cast member. He offered another one, but there was no point.

    After stuffing ourselves with our ice cream, we went up to the villa. I was really glad our room wasnt right off the lawn, like it was a few years ago, as the party noise is really loud inside the rooms! Were in for the night, and SB is watching the World Series out in the living room tonight. Hopefully Ill get to sleep at a decent hour.

    Today was another great day, with perfect weather. SB absolutely loved Flight of Avatar, and says its by far the best attraction hes ever done. We all really enjoyed the tour with the elephants, too. Tomorrow is an even more relaxing day mainly pool time and then Food & Wine again later. I could easily do that every day!


    DAY 4 Wednesday 11/01/17
    Who: Sue (58), DVC Member
    SB (60), my husband
    Pete & Judy, DVC friends

    Plan: Pool, Epcot

    Actual: I slept really well and didnt wake up until after 4. I didnt get up until just before 5 though, and was shocked to find SB was awake & online out in the living room. I was looking forward to my usual quiet time alone, but he came into the bedroom and ended up dozing off so it worked out. I made my cappuccino, and since he was awake at the time I did our laundry. These washers & dryers are a bit noisy theyre probably the cheapest ones Disney can buy!

    Its hard to believe its already November just 2 months left of the year, and 25 days until my HAL cruise. Its also Amandas birthday today, so Happy Birthday Amanda! Besides doing laundry, I also downloaded and went through the photos Id taken thus far. It was a nice, lazy morning! SB woke up around 7:30 or so, refreshed from his nap. We just hung out for a while, and then I checked online for breakfast options. He loved the buffet at Captains Grille, but thats no longer an option. Theyre doing the regular menu in Yachtsman Steakhouse until the restaurant reopens later this month under the new name Ale & Compass but not the buffet. The stuff at Swan & Dolphin looked too overpriced, and we did NOT want a character meal!

    We settled on Whispering Canyon Caf he could get the skillet (all you can eat) and they had a banana bread French toast with bananas foster sauce that was right up my alley! I made a reservation for 9:30, then we took our showers and headed over there by car. We ended up arriving by 9, but it wasnt busy so we were seated right away. I brought the camera, but unfortunately forgot to take pictures when the food was serviced.

    We didnt know if a beverage was included with the skillet, and didnt think to ask. The beverages didnt have prices on the menu, either. I stuck with water, but SB had 2 glasses of orange juice and a glass of milk, adding over $10 to the check! Thats a bit much, in my opinion but well know better next time. We have a whole kitchen we should have brought him a thing of orange juice the day we arrived. His skillet looked good 2 Mickey waffles, scrambled eggs, hash browns, bacon, fat sausage link, big soft fluffy cheddar cheese buttermilk biscuit, and a pot of sausage gravy. I tried a bite of the biscuit and it was delicious! My banana bread French toast was 3 slices of banana bread cooked as French toast, with the bananas foster stuff on the side it also came with bacon (or you could choose sausage). The bacon was delicious, but the banana bread was incredible!!!! I love banana bread anyway, and this was warm, moist & delicious even without any sauce. I ate just over 1.5 pieces and brought the rest home with us. Itll be delicious even cold! We did get our 20% passholder discount, so that almost offset the crazy beverage prices, lol.

    After breakfast we drove back to Boardwalk, where I changed into sneakers and went out to do some walking. I walked to the Studios and back, then did one loop around Crescent Lake. Its so great being here!!! Once that was done I changed into a swimsuit and went down to the quiet pool for a couple hours or so, setting an alarm for 1pm so I didnt stay out too long. SB chose to stay in the villa watching tv and betting on horse races online.

    The quiet pool was absolutely delightful, and quiet! The only people there spoke at a normal volume, and there were no screaming children. It was very peaceful, just as it should be! It would be so nice to spend a week or two (or a month) doing just this breakfast, relax by the pool, then Food & Wine at night!

    When I went back upstairs SB was happy with his tv and computer, but was looking forward to General Hospital. I got cleaned up & changed, then poured a glass of wine and went out onto the balcony to update the report. The weather is just perfect this trip I know thats a big part of why Im so happy this time.

    I went inside at 2 and we watched General Hospital together in the living room. Once that was done I texted Pete to see what they were doing. SB & I had fastpasses for Living with the Land and Soarin, so we decided to head over to Epcot before 3:30. Pete & Judy wanted to meet up with us afterwards, closer to 5. We started walking out, and SB started mumbling about going all the way over to the Land. Its aggravating that he is so incredibly lazy walking shouldnt be any big deal if you take any reasonable amount of care of yourself. To keep the peace, and since hes not here as often or as long as me, I agreed to miss the fastpasses. But, that left us with a big chunk of time to kill before Pete & Judy met us and I knew by the time they did, SB would be ready to head back to the resort. Again, aggravating.

    SB wanted alcohol, so we stopped at the Boardwalk Joe stand for the first time ever. He got a pina colada, which was very good. We sat on a bench facing the water, since we cant take the drink into the park. Once he finished, we continued walking into Epcot. Bag check went quickly and the entry wasnt crowded but once again they had only 2 sets of 2 band readers open. The rest were roped off. One set was for passholders, and although hardly any guests were there, when the guy behind me went to that line he was asked if he was a passholder and then told he had to go over to the other empty line. I guess thats the rule, but it was almost odd to see Disney enforce anything, and with nobody waiting at either entry, what would be the big deal to let him enter?

    We walked up the hill and turned left into United Kingdom. SB had been wanting Mexican food, so we went to the cantina in Mexico. I figured that would be a good place to kill time before Pete & Judy got to the park. I managed to find us a table while he ordered a margarita and food. I was shocked by all the food on his tray, but found out the bowl of guacamole and the plate of nacho chips with more guacamole & diced tomatoes came free with his 3-taco meal (which also came with rice and black beans). It was a LOT cant imagine 1 person eating all that! We didnt even finish it with me helping. The food was good, but I would have liked salsa rather than guacamole.

    After eating we continued walking around World Showcase, and Pete texted as we got into America. They were on the boat to Epcot, a bit ahead of schedule. He texted again when they got off the boat, and we were at France at that point, so we ended up meeting on the bridge. As expected, SB was tired of walking and went back to Boardwalk. Pete, Judy & I walked, going towards France.

    Pete had wanted the bratwurst from Germany, but when we got there the line was longer than he liked so we skipped it. He & Judy shared the beef tenderloin tips in Africa, which they both thought were very spicy. The meat was also kind of tough. We continued walking and went into Future World so they could buy the Epcot Starbucks mugs for friends of theirs. That seemed simple enough, but when we opened the door the inside queue was full of people. It didnt make sense that someone just buying mugs would have to stand in line with the hordes of people ordering coffee or food, so I left them in the long line and went to check it out. The guy in charge said sorry but he didnt have staff to do it any other way!

    I wanted to get my November passholder button, so I ran over to the Festival Center to get that while they were in line at Starbucks. While in there I also got a ghiradelli sample. Pete & Judy were just coming outside of Starbucks when I got back over there. We stopped at the food stands right around the other side of Club Cool, and they shared the loaded macaroni & cheese and the dessert with avocado cream. I found us a shady spot to sit. They something hot (white pepper maybe) was in the macaroni & cheese, as it was also somewhat spicy. It was a pretty big portion, too bigger than the portion SB or Chris got last year.

    We went back to World Showcase and decided to do another loop, although I dont think they got anything else to eat. We stopped in America and sat at a table outside the counter service place for a while drinking wine and catching up on different things in our lives. We left not too long after the Hanson concert started, and finished the loop. It was a beautiful evening, and the sky was really pretty as the sun set. I wish I hadnt left the camera back at the villa!

    When we got back to International Gateway I decided to do another loop, so we said goodnight and they headed to the resort. It felt more crowded in some spots, but as a solo I could easily maneuver my way through the crowds. I stopped in Brazil and got the cheese bread, which was ok. At first I thought it wasnt cooked all the way, but then I remembered thats the cheese filling <g>. I made one more stop, in Greece finally. I got the Borgatsa (dessert), which was very good. Its sweet like baklava, but with vanilla custard and without nuts. Im glad I finally tried it.

    This time at the International Gateway I decided to leave the park, and as I approached Boardwalk I saw Id missed a couple calls from SB. Id told him Id bring him some wings for the baseball game, and I guess he was getting hungry. We touched base, then I stopped at the Boardwalk to Go stand and got him an order of wings and a regular hot dog. It was ready pretty quick, and I took it up to the villa, where I was in for the night.

    Today was another really nice day very relaxing and pleasant. Hopefully tomorrow will be more of the same, with pool time for me. Pete & Judy are most likely not going to Animal Kingdom tomorrow, so Pete wont get to Flight of Passage this year. SB (at this point) is saying he doesnt want to miss that, so it looks like he & I will still use that fastpass and were planning to meet Pete & Judy offsite for Joes Crab Shack later.


    DAY 5 Thursday 11/02/17
    Who: Sue (58), DVC Member
    SB (60), my husband
    Pete & Judy, DVC friends

    Plan: Pool, Animal Kingdom, AK or Epcot

    Actual: Once again I slept well, getting up with the alarm at 5. I enjoyed my quiet time, and then threw on some clothes and went out for a walk just before 7. I took half the leftover banana bread French toast with me and as expected, its just as good cold! SB was asleep when I left, but he was awake when I returned. I did just over 7000 steps, walking the Boardwalk hallways then to the Studios & back, then around the lake. I stopped at Beach Club Marketplace to get him a side order of the potatoes, then headed back to the villa.

    I made breakfast, and we talked about our plans for today, both agreeing that this Joes Crab Shack thing wasnt what either of wants to do. Ill text Pete later and let them know. Last night Pete had suggested it might be better to just do Food & Wine again, and we think hes right especially since theyre having lunch at Big River Grill with a friend today.

    Pete texted back saying they agreed with the change, so were set for the day. It was just after 9, so I changed into a swimsuit and headed down to the quiet pool. I set us up on a couple of chaise lounges and SB joined me in a few minutes. He enjoyed the hot tub for a while, then floated around in the pool with a couple of noodles. I stayed on my chair reading, except when I went over to talk with him.

    Around 10 he went back inside to watch a show on ESPN (First Take), and I stayed by the pool. It was nice & quiet again today, and didnt start getting busy until around 11:30 or so. SB called before noon to check on lunch plans, and we agreed to do the Boardwalk to Go stand together. I met him at 12:30 at the bottom of the elevator, and we walked over there. I ended up having a most disgusting lunch onion rings and French fries! The onion rings sounded appealing, but they were pretty greasy. In hindsight I should have just eaten the fries. SB had a hotdog, burger, and the rest of the fries & onion rings. I had a beer in the cooler so I got a paper cup from the Boardwalk Bakery & poured the beer from the bottle (doubt glass is allowed out there) for SB.

    After lunch we went back up to the villa so I could take my shower. I asked SB if we were still going to Animal Kingdom (I had my doubts he was really going) and he insisted we were using both of our fastpasses. I texted Pete to let him know. Theyre not joining us, sadly but well meet them afterwards for Food & Wine.

    I think it may have been 20 or 30 minutes before SB changed his mind, so were not going to AK to use our fastpasses, lol! In a way Im relieved, because of the chance wed get over there just for Flight of Passage (see Lori I got the name right now, lol) and it would either be down or the fastpass line would be backed to a ridiculous length. Now well chill out until its time to go over for Food & Wine. We sure are lazy, lol but were enjoying the trip.

    After General Hospital I put the rest of the laundry in, and then went down to the Screen Door to buy Amandas birthday gift card. While there I saw the Dooney & Bourke purses Id suggested to SB for my birthday (he ended up buying a few different items) and stopped to look at them in person. I saw a size I hadnt seen before bigger than the one I have but not as big as the one I was thinking of. I took a picture of them side by side and showed them to SB when I went back to the villa. He was ok with either one, so I went back down to look them over more closely and the smaller size/style was cuter and worked better for me (still a little bigger than what I have). Once that was decided I looked at all of them in that size to find the pattern placement that looked the best, and made the purchase. Itll be a Christmas present from SB, so I wont use it until after I open it Christmas morning.

    After dropping the purse off in the villa (and showing it to SB) I headed out to walk around the lake since it was so nice. Pete still hadnt replied to my text, so they may have fallen asleep this afternoon. They were both fighting colds, so they were under the weather. If we dont hear from them by 5, well head on over to Epcot without them. Just as I typed that, he texted, lol does he have a spy camera in here or something??? We agreed theyd come by to get us in 10-15 minutes. Judy is still coughing a lot, so well see how she does. It sure sucks getting sick on a trip!

    They arrived right on time, with Pete bringing a couple wheat pennies for a friend of mine. We headed out, and saw the Epcot boat pulling in perfect timing! We rode over to Epcot and made sure to get off the boat quickly so we got through bag check and entry without much wait. We turned right this time, and made our way around the countries.

    The first stop was Germany, where SB & I shared the bratwurst with pretzel roll and the schinkennudeln. Pete & Judy shared the bratwurst and a wine. Next was the refreshment outpost, where SB got a Miller Lite. After that we stopped in Thailand, where SB got the seared shrimp & scallop cake. Pete & Judy shared one as well. We also had wine. Oddly, the wine Pete bought here was something youd expect in Germany (Gewitrztraminer). He commented that Germany & Thailand are close yes, if your GPS is seriously flawed, lol! The shrimp & scallop cake was alright per SB, but not worth repeating.

    As we passed the entrance to Future World, SB got the banana almond soft serve sundae from Almond Orchard, and I helped him eat that. It was delicious! Its a big portion, too and reasonably priced by Disney standards. We stopped again in Canada, where Pete & Judy each got the cheese soup with pretzel roll. When we approached International Gateway they were all good for one more loop, but nobody stopped to get anything. We just walked and talked our way around the world. The weather was ideal, and for the most part the crowds werent bad at all. It was very pleasant!

    When we came around again they were all ready to leave, so I said my goodbyes to Pete & Judy, and they took the boat back with SB to return to the Boardwalk. I continued walking, getting to America shortly before the 6:45 Blue October concert. I got a pinot grigio and took a seat in the back, not having any idea who Blue October is. As luck would have it, this family of obese people came just after the concert started, and parked their butts on the benches in front of me that were clearly marked as being for parties with someone in a wheelchair. The man was massive in terms of weight and height, and of course he sat in the spot where he completely eliminated my view of the stage. It was like being in an alley, looking at the wall of a building, lol! His wife and kids moved down to appropriate seats, but he remained which wasnt a big deal I guess since I didnt need to see the group.

    None of the songs were familiar, but the music was ok. I checked facebook while listening to them, which wasnt rude since I couldnt see them <g>. Plus, I was in the very back row, so nobody was behind me to possibly be disturbed by my phone. After the concert I continued walking, stopping in China for the pot stickers. The line is always long here, but it moved fairly quickly and I wasnt in a rush. They were pretty good!

    Walking again, I detoured out to the Chocolate Studio for another chocolate raspberry torte since Id finished the one I bought earlier in the trip. Once I had that, I headed out of the park via International Gateway. I was almost to Boardwalk when SB called, looking for food. I asked what he wanted and he said wings and a coke. I only had 1 free hand, so I told him hed have to get his own coke (which I knew he wouldnt get up and go find one). I stopped at Boardwalk to Go and got him an order of 10 (small) wings, then headed up to the villa. With both hands full, I kicked on the door to have him let me in!

    I tried a bite of one of the wings way too greasy for me! He seemed to enjoy them, though. I ate a bite of the torte but was craving Ample Hill Creamery. I made the mistake of asking SB if he wanted anything, because he said a candy/caramel apple. He surely cant eat a whole one at one time, and its not something that keeps well after the skin is broken. I suggested a cookie, and then he wanted milk.

    I headed out, stopping first at the Screen Door for the milk. The half-gallon was only $.20 more than the quart, so I bought the big one. Passholders get 20% off, so that helps. Next I went to Boardwalk Bakery and got 20% off an oatmeal raisin and a white chocolate macadamia nut cookie. Finally, I got to Ample Hill Creamery, which had a line of people waiting inside. Id come this far, I decided to wait, and it moved pretty quickly. I tried the peanut butter and the coffee toffee ice cream, but wanting to avoid caffeine I went with a small cone of the peanut butter one. It was delicious, and loaded with chunks of peanut butter.

    Once I finished my cone SB got some milk and the oatmeal raisin cookie. He doesnt know about the other one, so that will be for tomorrow. I finished up the trip report, and will be retiring to the bedroom for HGTV, which he watches football out here in the living room.

    Today was another nice, relaxing day I love days like this here at Disney! Tomorrow should be more of the same, but unfortunately Pete & Judy will be home in NJ. Chris, Amanda & Ari will arrive in the evening, so itll be good to see them again!


    DAY 6 Friday 11/03/17
    Who: Sue (58), DVC Member
    SB (60), my husband
    Chris (31), son
    Amanda (29), daughter-in-law
    Ari (15 months), grandson (12th WDW trip he was here last weekend for 3 days with his parents and maternal grandmother)

    Plan: Pool, Epcot

    Actual: After waking briefly around 1:40, I didnt wake up again until the alarm went off at 5. I got up and made my cappuccino, then settled in online. SB was awake before 6, and joined me in watching the local news. Around 6:45 I got dressed and headed out for a walk 8000 steps this time (hallways, Studios & back, then around the lake). Once again I stopped at Beach Club Marketplace, where I was ever so impressed to see a mom & child in line there wearing pajamas!!! She was only wearing socks on her feet. Really people is it THAT hard to throw some clothes on before going out in public? It just proves the point having money for dvc doesnt mean you also have any class.

    In any event, I got a scoop of the potatoes and a biscuit for SB, then walked back to Boardwalk to make breakfast. Around 9:15 I changed into a swimsuit and went down to the quiet pool. For whatever reason they had signs up that the pool was closed, but the gates werent locked or anything. I was the only one out there for a little while, then slowly others came out too. Nobody went near the pool until cast members came & tested the water, then removed the signs. Perhaps someones kid didnt have a swim diaper last night and messed it up for everyone else.

    SB came downstairs and went into the pool, so I grabbed us some noodles and joined him. The water felt cool at first, but it wasnt too hard to get used to. I was 80.6 degrees according to another cast member who must have been asked by one of the guests. Once again it was really pleasant out there, and even quieter than yesterday! Around noon clouds started building up, and shortly after 12:30 we decided to head back inside.

    I got my wallet and went down to the Screen Door to get another gallon jug of water and a coke for SB, then came back up to take my shower. I also packed up the stuff well put in SBs car when we go out later. At 2 we watched General Hospital boy do I miss the Soap Net days when I could watch it later at night on these trips, lol!

    After General Hospital SB took his shower, then we headed offsite to Joes Crab Shack. It was going to be a cheap meal free birthday appetizer, wine for me, lemonade for SB and wed share the chicken club sandwich. Well, with SB nothing goes as planned. We had the free appetizer, he had 3 hurricanes, I had 2 glasses of wine (not happy hour), and instead of sharing my sandwich he ordered a seafood platter! I should know better with him, lol! We had a nice time, and they spaced the food out so we werent rushed. But, my chicken club wasnt the same as years ago, and frankly it sucked. Last time it was the best sandwich Id ever had. Now I wish Id looked for something else. Oh well. I ate part of it and the rest is in the fridge no doubt SB will eat it later.

    Chris & Amanda were on the road by 5, but now SB is saying hes too messed up to meet them in Epcot. Well see. This is his grandson, after all <g>. As I type this hes asleep on the couch. I walked over to Epcot around 6:30 just to walk around and see how the crowds were. This is half marathon weekend, and the start of the dreaded NJ week. I ended up doing one loop, just walking around seeing how crowded it was, but not stopping to get anything. It was busier than previous nights, and while some booths had very long lines, some of the others were fine. Next year my trip will start on a Friday night, so Ill come over but wont expect to be able to try much without waiting for it.

    I headed back to Boardwalk Villas and Amanda had texted saying theyd be there in under 30 minutes. SB was watching a basketball game and was willing to come with me if I wanted him to, but I was fine with him staying behind even though he was talking earlier about how nothing is more important than spending time with our grandsons when we have the opportunity <g>. I gathered up a bag of stuff from our fridge and went outside, seeing the boat that would be going to Yacht Club next was disembarking guests. I got into the line a little late, and the cast member put up the chain without seeing me. When I got to the bottom of the ramp he started undoing the ropes, so I stepped over the chain and the guy from the other boat yelled that I cant do that. I remember in elementary school learning that cant means not able, and clearly I had just done it, but I held my tongue and didnt get rude. When the guy from my boat approached I asked if I could board the boat, and he said yes. I went to the front door, and surprised the driver, who had already pulled away from the dock. He wasnt very far, so I just stepped on, then stepped over the rope in the front and took the first empty seat.

    Yacht Club was the next stop so I got off there and walked over to Beach Club. I didnt see Chris or Amanda in the lobby, so I went outside and sat on a bench. I texted Amanda to say I was there and she replied back that they were checking in! I went inside and found them theyd parked by BCV and walked over, so I missed them. Ari was adorable in a pair of Oshkosh short overalls, running around carrying an empty happy meal box.

    They got their room number, and I learned that my studio was close to theirs (for tomorrows check in). Theyre on the 2nd floor and have an oversized balcony a room weve had before on a higher floor. I put my stuff in their fridge, Chris changed Aris diaper, and then we headed over to Epcot.

    We ended up doing one loop, starting with the UK side so we could get to Norway to use our Frozen fastpasses. Last time Ari got a bit scared on the hill, and this time his eyes got big but he didnt cry or anything. The rest of it he clearly liked, although not as much as Small World. Chris got a beer in Germany, but other than that we didnt stop anywhere. The crowds werent too bad at this point, either. We left via International Gateway and walked around Crescent Lake, with me making my departure when we passed Boardwalk.

    I headed up to the villa and found SB enjoying the basketball game. I got changed and packed up what I could, then had a glass of wine and finished up the report. When Illuminations started at 10 I took the laptop and wine out to the balcony since it was our last night here and I hadnt watched the fireworks yet.

    Today was yet another nice relaxing day, with the only disappointment being that chicken sandwich. Tomorrow I move to Beach Club Villas for a couple solo nights, and were spending the first half of the day at Animal Kingdom with Chris & Amanda & Ari!


    DAY 7 Saturday 11/04/17
    Who: Sue (59), DVC Member
    SB (60), my husband
    Chris (31), son
    Amanda (29), daughter-in-law
    Ari (15 months), grandson (12th WDW trip)

    Plan: Animal Kingdom, Pool,

    Actual: I got to bed later than usual, but slept well. Id set the alarm earlier and relaxed online with my cappuccino while SB continued sleeping. I showered and got dressed, and was hungry early since Id gotten up so early (4am). At 6:30 I went out to the kitchen and my noise somehow woke him up <g>. I made us breakfast, and Amanda texted just after 7 to say Ari was up and Chris was in the shower.

    The Wine & Dine 10k is this morning, but hopefully should be done before we head out. It starts at MK parking lot and ends at the Epcot parking lot. Tomorrow is the half marathon, with the same starting & ending points. After breakfast SB took his shower, and we were out the door before 8.

    We drove over to Beach Club Villas and took my suitcase & small cooler into Chris & Amandas room. Ari was just finishing his breakfast, so we all hung out there for a bit. Once everyone was ready we headed for the bus stop, stopping at the lobby so I could go to the front desk to let them know Id arrived. It looked like wed just missed the Animal Kingdom bus, but another one came in about 10 minutes.

    At Animal Kingdom we had a brief delay at bag check, but were able to enter the park quickly using the passholder lanes. We were a little bit early, but we headed straight for Pandora again, to use our fastpasses for Flight of Passage. We did the baby swap, so Chris, SB & I rode first while Amanda waited with Ari near the exit. We stood still inside for a bit, because I think they werent actually running yet. They also didnt seem to be using the standby queue just yet, which was backed up all the way to Africa & back, extending as far back as the big store across from Tiffins. It looked like another 3-hour wait.

    With the fastpasses we walked right up to the entrance, but then got held in the long rows before going into the first of the preshow booths. Soon things started moving, and this time the preshow stuff went smoothly without delays or repeating calibration. We were in seats 1, 2 and 3, and Chris noticed that rather than individual rooms, they actually have one movie screen that several groups of 16 riders experience at the same time (multiple floors).

    The attraction was great fun, and since we were down lower than Tuesday some of the experience was slightly different just like Soarin seems a little different from the top row vs the bottom row. You see things differently. We all really enjoyed it! It took about 30 minutes from the time we entered the queue to the time we exited, which wasnt too bad.

    We found Amanda and SB & I took Ari over to Harambe while Chris & Amanda did the attraction. We stopped at the restrooms there, where the dancing/drumming guys started performing. Ari loved that, so we stayed there until theyd finished. We then went over to the drums so Ari could get out of the stroller and play a bit, then when Amanda texted to say they were off the attraction we moved over outside the Dawa Bar to meet them as they arrived.

    We went straight to the safari, luckily getting into the queue ahead of a rambunctious part of 19 adults and kids. Bit groups are generally a pain for others around them. I didnt notice the standby time, but we breezed past an awful lot of people! We ended up in the back row of the truck, which is the bumpiest but it wasnt bad. We had a pretty good safari lots of giraffe and elephants, and good sightings of the hippos out of water. The male lion was also sitting with his head up.

    When we left the safari we saw one of the male silverback gorillas out, and evidently some obnoxious children were doing something that would disturb him. We arrived as the cast member was rushing over telling them to STOP that immediately, or the gorilla would probably throw something they didnt want at them and then shed laugh at them. The brats parents thought that was funny, but hopefully they stopped whatever we were doing. We kept moving, preferring not to be in the line of any poop throwing.

    We walked over to Asia and checked in at Yak & Yeti. I didnt bother to make a reservation, because I have the Landry Select card, so we basically go to the front of the line in terms of seating. Our name was called within a couple minutes, and we were taken to a table by the window upstairs. None of us had ever eaten here, so it was new to us. Amanda ordered Ari a kids meal, and they brought that out first. He had macaroni & cheese with corn and steamed vegetables (carrots & broccoli). Amanda got the kobe beef burger, and Chris got the siracha seafood. I had potstickers and SB had the 44 Farms burger. Everything was good, and Amanda raved about her burger. The shoestring fries that came with the burgers were a bit cold, but it didnt matter since everyone was stuffed! I applied my birthday credit to the check, then we settled the balance & headed for the exit.

    Our bus stop was empty, so we assumed wed just missed it. The Boardwalk/Swan/Dolphin bus was sitting at the next stop, so we rode it to Boardwalk and walked over to Beach Club Villas from there. We needed to keep Ari from falling asleep, so we fed him animal crackers on the bus, and then when he got drowsy in the stroller we let him walk/run the last part of the trip.

    As we got off the bus I received the email that my room was ready, and Im just around the corner from them. SB & I moved my stuff over and I put things away. He sat down to watch the football game, and it looks like Gainesville will be in mourning again this week. The Hollands settled down for a nap, hoping Ari would sleep until about 3. I got online an updated the report.

    Ari ended up not going down for a nap too quickly, and then he slept for a long time! I went out for a walk around 3 or so, not going too far away in case they texted saying they were ready to go. SB had left around 2:30 to visit the race track in Tampa. Its another gorgeous day in terms of weather!

    I was back in the room before 4, and took the laptop and a glass of wine out to the balcony so I could watch the HAL ships sail from Port Everglades on a couple webcams. My November ship is still on the way to Florida, and my March ship is in Curacao today. My 2019 ship is still being built, over in Italy <g>.

    Ari and Chris were up by 5, and we walked over to Epcot. The boat had arrived before us, so there were lines at the bag check area. I moved over to the longer line of people without many bags, and beat them into the park slightly. As expected for a Saturday during Food & Wine Festival, it was very busy & crowded! Amanda was hoping for the warm chocolate thing in Ireland, but the line was insane. In fact, in United Kingdom there was a ridiculously long roped-off line of people waiting to get into the Rose & Crown Pub! Id never seen that before. They also had 2 big sheriffs deputies standing inside the door, so maybe things get a bit out of hand on Saturdays?

    Ari was going to need to eat, and he really enjoyed the macaroni & cheese at Electric Umbrella on our last trip, so we entered Future World and walked over there. Amanda & I took Ari to a table while Chris got him a kids meal. The mac & cheese was a big hit, and Ari ate more than half of it. He devoured the yogurt smoothie that came as a side, and they saved the apple slices for while we were walking around. Once Ari was fed, we headed out to get stuff for the adults.

    Chris wanted to stop at the booths in Future World, so we went over there first. He ended up getting the beef skewer and the peanut butter white chocolate mousse from Earth Eats. He said the beef was really good, and he & Ari both liked the mousse. After eating we walked back to World Showcase and made our first loop. Amanda wanted the pork slider from Hawaii, so she got in that line while Chris & I took Ari over near the lake. She wisely got 2 of them, since she had to stand in line that was her dinner. We let Ari out of the stroller to run around some, and he enjoyed looking at the water through the railing.

    Once Amanda was back we continued walking. India had a crazy long line, and so did Germany. Chris & Amanda wanted some beer, so Chris stood at the stand with the shortest line (not a F&W booth) while Amanda & I made a restroom stop with Ari. We were done before Chris, so we waited inside the area with the trains, which Ari enjoyed watching. Soon Chris arrived with his beer and the pomegranate beer for Amanda. I had some wine, and Ari stuck with ice water since hes not 21 years old yet.

    As we approached America the Living Colour concert was going on, and Ari was rocking out in the stroller. We stopped outside the theater so he could enjoy the concert, and it was fun watching him enjoy the music. From where he was seated in the stroller he couldnt see the band, but he could hear them and see the lights above them on the stage. He would clap after each song, lol! Just before the concert ended we moved along, stopping when we got to France.

    As usual, the outer side had a really long line, but the inside had just a couple people in line. Chris & Amanda took Ari & got an empty table, while I got in the short line and got the goat cheese pudding thing. Tonight it didnt have as much spinach, which was great! I ate half of it, and let Chris have the rest we both like this. We offered a bite to Ari, but he wasnt interested. We continued walking, and there was still a line outside Rose & Crown Pub, and the line in Ireland was beyond ridiculous. The roped area was full and the line extended back a long ways just nuts!

    We continued around for another loop around World Showcase. Chris got the lamb t-bone in Australia, and enjoyed that. India finally had a short line, but since Id had the goat cheese thing I wasnt hungry for the korma chicken. We stopped in Germany, where Chris got the apple strudel and the bratwurst while the rest of us watched the German group performing on the state. Ari was intrigued he seems to like any live music, which makes him a good candidate for a HAL cruise, lol! Amanda took him out of the stroller and let him walk around right in front of the stage with the other kids. He mostly stood as close as he could get to the performers and just stared at them, lol!

    After the food was eaten we continued at some point we stopped to let Ari play with the drums at Refreshment Outpost, but that was probably before Germany. In America Living Colour was doing their last concert for the night, but we didnt stop this time. We did stop in Morocco, where I got the chocolate baklava to take back to the resort. We continued past International Gateway to check out Ireland, and this time the line was much shorter so Amanda got her chocolate thing. I used to always get this, but I dont really care for the irish cream stuff they add on top. Id rather stick with the chocolate raspberry torte!

    Amanda ate her chocolate as we headed to the exit, and we made a loop around the lake. At Boardwalk we stopped at the bakery. I got an oatmeal raisin cookie since Ari had loved the one I had last time. Chris got a white chocolate macadamia nut cookie and something else. From there we continued around the lake past Swan, Dolphin, Yacht & Beach. Ari started to seem drowsy, so I broke off a piece of the oatmeal raisin cookie and he perked right up to take that. When it was gone he looked back for more.

    Once we got inside the resort we let him walk the rest of the way, to keep him awake to have his bath & get ready for bed. I went to my studio, and a short time later Amanda came over saying their fridge wasnt working and she had to toss most of what shed put in there. What little bit she saved went into my fridge.

    I tried to transfer the photos from my camera, but couldnt get the card reader to work. After posting the report Ill restart the computer and see if that does the trick I tried probably 10 times before giving up. When Illuminations started at 10pm I could see the fireworks from my bed, which is always nice.

    Today was a really nice day, although it really didnt feel like a birthday it was just another day. Thats not a complaint, as it shouldnt have to be your birthday for the day to be terrific! I never thought Id want to be at Food & Wine on a Saturday night, but it was nice hanging out with the Hollands despite the crowds.

    Tomorrow were spending the morning at Epcot, and then Ill hopefully spend time at the pool before returning for my final Food & Wine evening for this year.


    DAY 8 Sunday 11/05/17
    Who: Sue (59), DVC Member
    Chris (31), son
    Amanda (29), daughter-in-law
    Ari (15 months), grandson (12th WDW trip)

    Plan: Epcot, Pool, Epcot

    Actual: I slept well in my new room, but I could definitely hear traffic noise from the road. Thats a drawback to rooms at this end of the hall, but for such a short trip my location didnt matter to me. I never did the media card reader to work last night, so I may have to hunt for the usb cord and plug the camera in the old-fashioned way when I get home.

    I got up when the alarm went off at 5, which was actually 6am yesterday. I like this time change, but may feel differently when it gets dark so early! I made my cappuccino and went back to bed to get online. This morning my next HAL ship is docked in Port Everglades, ready to begin the Caribbean season. In 3 weeks Ill be onboard!

    I took my shower and Chris came over to see what I wanted for breakfast. Theyd called to report their fridge not working, and mentioned all of their food (milk, eggs, yogurt, etc) had to be thrown out. The resort gave him a $50 credit to use. I finished drying my hair, while they moved their stuff over into my studio.

    We went down to Beach Club Marketplace around 7:15 and Amanda got a table outside while Chris & I stood in line to order the food. Pajama lady was there again, still in her black socks but no shoes. Amazing.

    Breakfast was good! Chris got the bounty platter (full breakfast), Amanda had the adult Mickey waffles meal, Ari had the kids Mickey waffle meal but with eggs instead of bacon, and I got the kids breakfast sandwich meal (cheese, tomato & scrambled eggs on goldfish bread). My meal also came with a small yogurt parfait and a beverage, so its a really good deal and more food than I imagine most kids would eat. Chris commented it would be good for him, lol!

    After breakfast we went back to my studio until it was time to walk over to Epcot. I knew today was the Wine & Dine half marathon but had assumed the runners would be running on the Boardwalk side and would be pretty much finished in 3 hours (around 8:30). I was wrong on both counts! They were running on the Yacht/Beach side, so we got held up until we could cross through a huge bunch of runners & walkers to take the path that goes under the bridge. They had the bridge reserved just for the runners. We were able to walk alongside them the International Gateway, as they had them detoured out to the left, where the big oval of grass used to be.

    Once we got through bag check & entry it was still just before 9 and they were holding guests at the top of the ramp. We could also see runners inside World Showcase all the torches were lit, and music was playing too. At 9 they started letting guests in, but it was a huge pain due to the runners. Disney did the best they could under the circumstances, but they should have started the run earlier so people would be finished by the time the park opened to guests! They had cast members who would divert the runners to a different path (one side of the road vs the other) and then other cast members would get as many of us guests halfway across the road into a holding pen. Once that was done, they diverted the runners back to the other side and once clear, they let us out of the holding pen to walk along that side of the road until we got past where the runners were entering World Showcase.

    We headed into Future World, and Chris & I walked on Living with the Land while Amanda took Ari to meet the Baymax characters a couple times. Both times he was eager and pointing at them from a distance, but up close he was scared of them. Guess giant marshmallow-looking guys arent his thing, lol!

    We met up and once again encountered the half marathon runners/walkers still not finished. They had them exiting World Showcase and running down the center strip into Future World. Once again they did the diversion/holding pen thing to get us across. Its amazing how long these people were taking to finish. While we were having breakfast at Beach Club Marketplace this morning we saw a guy whos already finished, and that was around 7:30 or so! By now it was after 10.

    Chris & Amanda went to use their fastpasses at Test Track while I went to the Festival Center with Ari. I was going to get a seating pass for a concert tonight, but forgot all about it. Thats just as well, as I have no need to sit in a crowd or actually see the band sitting in the back to listen works just fine. Chris & Amanda were going to meet us at the Festival Center after Test Track so they could get their November passholder buttons, but I realized they dont log the info when I got mine the other day, so I showed my and SBs passholder cards and the guy gave me 2 buttons. I texted Amanda to let her know, and we agreed to meet at the shop at the Test Track exit.

    Ari & I went to the Ghiradelli area for a chocolate sample and to see the chocolate sculptures, then sat on a bench to enjoy the chocolate. He loves chocolate, and devoured his half of the chocolate caramel square. We looked around at the merchandise one last time before walking over to meet his parents at Test Track.

    Once Chris & Amanda were finished we used our Nemo fastpass, and found the fastpass line backed up most of the way inside the building! At least it kept moving, but it was surprising. We enjoyed the ride, and afterwards watched the dolphin and manatees for a bit. They had several divers in the fish tanks, too.

    By now it was time to get some lunch for Ari so they could hit the road, so we walked back out to World Showcase. Amanda got the pork slider in Hawaii and Chris got the beef skewer in Patagonia. In Mexico Chris stopped to get a rib eye taco and their dessert thing, then met up with us in India. Amanda waited with Ari in the shade (the sun had finally come out and it was hot) while I ordered the chicken korma. I took most of it with us to the counter service in USA.

    Unfortunately, the counter service wasnt opening for another 10 minutes or so wed just assumed it opened at 11. They took care of a restroom/diaper change break, while I got a high chair moved over to our table and ate the chicken korma. When they returned, Chris waited for the place to open so he could order their lunch. I got a few of the empty paper cups they use for ketchup/mustard and we used them as toys for Ari to play with it kept him entertained the entire time.

    Once Chris returned with their food hot dog for Ari, kids hamburger meal for Amanda, nothing for him I went out to get the warm carrot cake from the Food & Wine stand. It was good, but not nearly as good as Publix. I should just skip carrot cake unless Im at Publix, lol!

    After lunch we walked back to Beach Club Villas, letting Ari run around a bit before they loaded up the car and headed home. I went down to the quiet pool and spent an hour there, before returning to the studio to update the report and relax online. Id moved my Spaceship Earth fastpass back, so I could stay to see my ship sail this afternoon. I may or may not still keep it (the fastpass).

    The fog was really thick this morning, with visibility down to only .3 miles on my way home, so I got thinking that it would be like that tomorrow and so I should think about heading home later tonight. I packed up the toiletries & everything, then checked the weather and didnt see any mention of fog tomorrow. I even tried the weather channel, so Im not sure what Ill be doing at this point. I really dont want to give up my last overnight here, but I dont want to drive in horrendous conditions, either.

    I spent the afternoon on the balcony doing my weekly reading of the Cruise Critic message boards before the ships were due to start sailing at 4pm. As usual, nobody was ready to sail at 4! I caught some 5pm local news/weather that called for fog again, so I decided I was leaving later tonight. I gave up on my ships by 5:30 they were going to be the last to leave. I put more stuff in the trunk, then walked into Epcot one last time.

    It had rained during the time I was back in the studio, and I hadnt even noticed it. The ground was wet but there were no major puddles. World Showcase was much less busy than this time yesterday! As I passed Ireland I thought of Amanda, because there wasnt any line at all, lol! In Canada the inside side was also barely busy perhaps 3 people, while the other side was pretty crowded. I thought about the cheese soup but didnt want it just yet.

    I turned into Future World and browsed through Mouse Gear, picking up the 2018 calendar. Ive made my own the last couple of years, but dont have the time to do it this year, so its easier to buy Disneys. Shopping done, I walked back to World Showcase and continued the loop around the countries. It was pretty congested in the usual areas, and of course China had a long line. I was shocked that Germanys line was pretty long too, but I joined the queue anyways and got the bratwurst in a pretzel roll. It was good and something I wont have again until next year.

    I continued walking, and kept going until I got to Canada again, but now the lines were long on both sides. It wasnt worth it to me (waiting to get the cheese soup), so I turned around and headed out of the park. I detoured to Boardwalk Bakery to get a couple oatmeal raisin cookies for SB, then stopped in Ample Hills Creamery and got a small butter pecan brickle ice cream cone for me. I ate it on the way back to Beach Club Villas, where I grabbed my suitcase out of the studio and went to the car.

    The drive back home was uneventful, and I was home in just under 2 hours. I just wasnt willing to risk heavy fog tomorrow morning not when I have a cruise coming up in 3 weeks! The photo are on Shutterfly the url is pix.sfly.com/SCp_gQJx.

    This ended up being a really great trip, in so many ways! Its about the longest SB has done (6 nights), and I was pleasantly surprised he lasted that long and did well vs heading home early. I loved our 1-bedroom villa its so nice having the space, the full kitchen, and the washer/dryer to keep up with laundry. I like the location too, with the boardwalk just steps away, and easy access to Epcot (& the Studios). It was great spending time with Pete & Judy again, and look forward to next time. We also enjoyed our time with Chris, Amanda & Ari and I was very happy with my Beach Club studio. Its fun to see how Ari grows and changes with each trip, and hes so much fun to have around. Hell be going on his 13th WDW trip next month, and will be doing the Christmas party, the luau (theyre staying at Poly) & a number of other things. Lucky kid!

    I dont think Ill be back to WDW until a quick weekend in early February. I do have a HAL cruise right after Thanksgiving, and were doing a family trip with both grandsons & their parents at the Disney resort in Hilton Head in mid-January. That should be interesting having 2 toddlers under the same roof, lol!

    Sue (Holland) Rayford
    WDW1972

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    Main F&W Trip, Boardwalk

    hi Sue! looks like a fabulous trip! How cute is that child? : - ) has to miss it this year -- retirement beckoned : - ) maybe next -- thanks for posting and letting me live F&W vicariously!

    Faith


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