Re: Just returned from WDW-trip report-days 1 and 2
- From: Greg <gregrph@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sat, 02 Aug 2008 01:51:32 -0400
On Fri, 01 Aug 2008 09:34:05 -0500, Rudeney <rudeney@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
Greg wrote:
Since we live about 3hrs away down in the Ft. Lauder5dale area,
You lucky guys, living so close!
You know what? I think if I lived any closer, I would go so much! I
moved here from upstate New York and thought I would be at the beach
everyday! Nope, not gonna happen! It stops being special when it is
so accesible. Yes, we go once or twice a year, but that's about it.
Somehow when you go away on vacation, you are out of your environment
and you feel special.. Even staying off property is cool. We are
more apt to go to a cheap breakfast place, visit other attractions and
do other things. I see all those people up there working hard in the
tourism industry trying to make a living day in and day out. I'll bet
if they were to stop in their place of employment as a guest, they
would get that special feeling that people on vacation get. So, yes
it IS nidce to live close enough to drive, we only go once or twice a
year.
Before kids were born, my wife and I would go a little more often,
especially if friends or relatives were visiting. Once kids came, we
didn't go for 4-5 years, then their first few visits were nightmares.
Only in the last year or two have they started to enjoy it. They
still get tired towards the end of the day but they don't complain as
much.
Since it was mid-morning when we left, the kids were hungary by the
time we got off the turnpike.
Yeah, I've dealt with a few "Hungarian" kids myself! ;-)
I have one who is small for his age, hardly eats a meal but once in
the car, "I'm hungary" comes out!
These cabins are real nice! Some things that people might not realize
about them is that they sleep 6, have no one above you, below you or
on either side! You don't hear doors slamming, people talking in the
hallways, showers running when you are still trying to sleep, there is
a FULL SIZE refrigerator and freezer WITH ice maker!, set of dishes,
cups, bakeware, silverware settings for 6, dishwasher WITH dishsoap,
luid soap for handwashing dishes, paper towels, and microwave! If you
are staying long enough to have non-park days, it is VERY easy to
bring supplies for your own meals and save quite a bit of money in
doing so.
I've heard good things about the cabins - a lot of room and a good price.
Fri-7/25 Happy Birthday Timmy & Andy! Teenagers... I can't believe it
already! Anyway, up early for breakfast then off to Epcot. Arrived
right after opening. Went to Guest Relations for the birthday
buttons, then off to Test Track! Tyler said he would try Soarin' but
was adamant about not riding Test Track. He is just barely over 48"
tsll. He was hesitant about riding it but his friend David(who is
bigger than he is) wanted him to ride. Tyler would ride only if he
could sit between Mom & Dad. So, with Timmy, Andy & David in the
front, Mom, Tyler & Dad in the back, we were off. Of COURSE the first
words out of Tylers mouth were "that was fun!".
This sounds so familiar! My granddaughter Katie was the same way. IWell, we took Tyler on Big Thunder Mountain first. He didn't have any
think she was around 8 years old when she started trying the thrill
rides. Each new one was such a chore to get her on, but then all she
wanted to do was ride over and over again.
preconceived notions as to what it would be like. It looked fun!
Afterwards, he liked it a little bit but was a little rough on him.
Next visit he wanted to go on Splash Mountain, so we went. Again, he
thought getting wet would be fun. It's scarier at the top! He's not
up for it for awhile! Now he's cautious but is learning to re-trust
us. If we tell him waht to expect, if there is a drop or something
fast, we tell him so he's prepared. The only ride he wanted to do
again was Soarin'. I think he will try the others again when he is a
little older.
My other two are like Katie! If they like it, they want to go again
and again!
Next stop, Club Cool. We all tried the drinks. We agreed that
Mexico's was the best but we would have liked to try China's. It was
watermellon flavor but all the stations were out.
The last time I was there, half the flavors were out. Maybe it's just
coincidence, but it seems like back when it was Ice Station Cool, it was
much better with the flavors almost never being completely out.
Then, over to the
Electric Umbrella for lunch.
Blech! That and Pecos Bill are two places I refuse to eat. While the
food is not that much different than other counter service, they just
always seem nasty and crowded.
Yes, noisy, crowded, sticky floors, dirty. They can't keep them clean
enough. The kids wanted to go, they were hungary, it worked.
I did buy a Passporter book before making reservations. It seems that
the better Disney restaraunts would cost more than twice the price of
a night at the resort that we stayed at! We paid $169/night x 4
nights at the cabins. Some prices were $70 per person x 5 people is
$350 for 1 meal for a family of 5 if you want it to be any good!
Are you sure those prices are $70 "per person"? Most of the
table-service places average about $27 for an entree and $9 for an
appetizer. I guess if each person had appetizer, salad, entree and
dessert then maybe, but I'd guess the price is closer to $40-$50 per
person. We generally order just one appetizer for the table and rarely
have dessert, but if so, only one for the table. Of course a glass of
wine or two can kill any budget.
Some of the restaraunts (I don't have the book in front of me) had
$50, some had $70. I assumed that was the price of an average meal.
I've seen a steak dinner at Disney priced $32+ where the same at home
would be about $20-$22. The portions also seem very small. I KNOW
I've read posts here where people say that Disney gives you WAY too
much food, I haven't seen the evidence yet!
.
The
Garden Grill restarunt was overpriced for the variety/quality of food
that we received. I think it was $28-$29 per person, all you can eat.
It's been three years or so since I've eaten there. The food was good
but nothing exciting.
Even when we go to red Lobster at home, dinner+tax+tip comes to under
$100 TOTAL. The food is better, better selection but even THAT price
is high and is a special treat for us!
Hmm, I have to nix the Red Lobster. Ours is not very good. We do have
a local place called The Fish Market that is fairly inexpensive and
offers very fresh seafood with a hint of Greek style cooking. It's a
"low-frills" place though, more like counter service, but the food is
excellent. When we want "real" seafood, though, the Gulf Coast is only
4 hours away!
Didn't notice a sulfur smell/taste to the water. Smelled/y tasted a
little chlorinated but by no means bad or offensive or undrinkable.
That includes the parks and resorts.
I don't really pay attention to it, either. Oh, and as a side-bar,
Katie has gotten to where she won't drink "tap" water. In fact, she
demands "upscale" water like Evian and Fiji. So last night, we did a
blind taste test. She had tap water, filter water from the fridge, and
a few brands of bottled water ranging from Publix brand to Fiji. Guess
what? She had a very hard time choosing a favorite and only one stood
out as tasting better (Deer Park brand spring water). Her least
favorite? Fiji!
Here's a like to pictures: I haven't really edited them, just took
out out of focus pictures or really bad exposure pictures!. No
captions
http://www.kodakgallery.com/Slideshow.jsp?mode=fromshare&Uc=lyls0tn.7bztbdkz&Uy=-nbsldd&Ux=0&UV=836766229838_767662510211
Good shots! Thanks for sharing them!
Part2, day 3 & 4 coming tomorrow
Can't wait!
- References:
- Just returned from WDW-trip report-days 1 and 2
- From: Greg
- Re: Just returned from WDW-trip report-days 1 and 2
- From: Rudeney
- Just returned from WDW-trip report-days 1 and 2
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