All Work and No Play makes Smee Grumpy: an Oct.'19 "work" TR *New PTR link 4/8*

[kittylady1972]

Ugh...wow that beginning of the trip already sounds annoying. Glad you were able to make some new friends and hitch a ride. We love HDDR so I'm with you on not being friends with anyone who thinks it is inappropriate.

 

[SimplyGoofy]

What?! You stayed at the Wilderness Lodge? I'm shocked.

You'd think they would've planned that day's activities a little better - to require business casual dress and then spring a scavenger hunt on you? Especially in that heat?! Good grief. At least they could've recommended comfortable shoes with the business casual note!

Trying to do a scavenger hunt with that many people is like herding cats. At least you had some tasty fruity beverages to make it better!

Dinner at the HDDR sounds pretty fabulous, though. I've really enjoyed it both times I've been (and I've never been scandalized at the "inappropriate" show ). Not only did you have good food (and free drinks!), but you were able to enjoy the entertainment as well!

 

[dawnmichele]

That picture is from May but this is the first time I've worn my Hello....It's Smee shirt and not had people I'm with say they love it! WTH is wrong with all of them???


As a lover of both Disney and Todd Rundgren -- personally I'm in LOVE with that shirt!
Did you make it? Where did it come from?
L O V E it

 

[ArielSRL]

I'm here!!!

That picture is from May but this is the first time I've worn my Hello....It's Smee shirt and not had people I'm with say they love it! WTH is wrong with all of them???

Exactly! What is wrong with them???!!!???

 

[ArielSRL]

So you know what I really hate? When someone starts a TR and then disappears for like 2 weeks..

Oh wait, I did that here. I'm sorry!!!

I didn't even notice...oh yeh, because I'm late to the party, as usual. LOL

The lovely "fruity drink" we NEEDED, from Trader Sam's walk up window:
Tahitian Torch
ByeJoe Dragon Fire Spirit, Tropical Juices, Passion Fruit, and fresh Lime Juice

Sounds yummy!

Still another one or two said, "does it have to be an alcoholic fruity drink?"

This didn't quote everything I wanted to. I thought I included your big lettered response! In any case, I totally agree wih your response!

For what turned into about an hour. Yup, because right after we got off the monorail broke down with like 3 of our group on it who hadn't fit in our car.

What?????

Her response was along the lines of "yeah this $**((^^&&& s**cks we should just &&**#$ leave". And I pretty much started singing YOU GOT A FRIEND IN ME!!!

HAHA

Blackberry Lightnin'
Ole Smoky Blackberry Moonshine, odwalla® Lemonade and fresh Blackberries

Yum!

I did hear down the line there were some who thought the show as inappropriate partly due to the lead female performer lifting up her skirts and petticoats sometimes during the show and going "whoo!!!"

You are kidding me....

 

[ariane37]

Who's ready for Xmas now?? Me? NOPE! Well I almost finished my shopping today with my mom but I still have a few odds and ends to grab and I'm waiting on the Amazon Fairy to drop off lots of goodies. It's amazing how hard it is to stop buying for grandchildren! Also getting excited for our January WDW trip with @Jenny Sanders and her DH Joe along with some other friends we'll see along the way like Renee @ArielSRL and family and hopefully Caroline @disneyAndi14! For now let's move on to day 2 of my "work" trip........................

DAY 2 OCTOBER 24TH
PART 1: I'LL TAKE A RESORT FOR $100 ALEX; ANY RESORT

As I had mentioned in my last update, we had an early start to our day but we weren't minding (yet). Disney had announced a couple days before that they would be testing the new MVMCP fireworks on this morning and since we had this view from our room



there was definitely a chance we'd be able to see them! Disney did have signs up around the resort apologizing for the inconvenience as this was going to happen around 6:30am give or take. I did NOT find it to be an inconvenience at all! I was up and out of the shower when they started and while I stood and watched for the most part I did take a few pictures:








FYI I saw the fireworks earlier this month when we did the Christmas party and I really loved them! Probably because it was truly a mostly fireworks show rather than projections and if you don't know yet, I'm not a fan of projections.

This was a great way to wake up! Cathy watched also while we got ready as it went on for almost 25 minutes. We had a bus getting us at 7:45 so for breakfast we grabbed something quick from Roaring Fork. Any guess what I got???






YES! The Breakfast of Champions (or as @pkondz would say his most favorite snack in WDW) was out at 7:30!! I had fireworks and a Magic Bar before 8am; I was a happy gal.

Now what was on our agenda for today? Resorts; lots of resorts. We were starting out with tours of the Disney Springs resorts and I was looking forward to this. While it's been years since we've stayed offsite you can probably guess that lots of people do NOT stay onsite lol and therefore I/we do get a good # of requests for offsite accommodations. And while I'd been to just about every Disney resort (minus 2 and that changes by the end of the trip) I had yet to be at any DS area resorts! I do also come across TR's that include offsite stays and now I'd have some insight into those too.

We were split into our groups; Minnie and Mickey on one bus and Donald/Daisy on the other as we toured opposite of each other. Our first stop were the Townplace and then Springhill Suites: I don't want to post pics of 7 regular old hotels so I'll stick to my favorites and these weren't them. They weren't bad at all! These are actually called Disney "Gateway hotels" rather than Good Neighbor so they do not get the 60 FP window but there is transportation to the parks. And an FYI on the transportation from here and the GN resorts; these buses can only go to the TTC for MK drop offs and most of these resorts share buses. So if you're at say the Doubletree you'll share with the other GN resorts on that side of the highway and then the resorts on the other side share therefore making multiple stops.

Next up were the Hilton resorts! Hilton Orlando LBV and the Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace. These were NICE. Although the price point puts them around that of moderates most of the year but you're getting a bit more space. These are also GN hotels so you get 60 day FP. A little more info for anyone who cares:



Here are some pictures from the Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace. The rooms were nice and spacious and the views were fantastic!



This is a Disney Springs view or a Downtown view, can't quite remember but it's a bookable category and must be really pretty when DS is all lit up at night:



They also have a character breakfast on Sundays in their newly renovated restaurant Letterpress



So cute! I want to say Pluto and Goofy? Not 100% about that because not 100% of the information that goes into my head stays there. I'm sure I could google but hey, feel free to do that for me!

Pretty much all the GN resorts and the Gateway ones had a Disney store where you could buy tickets



And then we went outside to look at the grounds which were also impressive for a non-Disney resort! That's continued in the next post

 

[ariane37]

DAY 2 PART 1 CONTINUED

I was impressed with the Hilton resorts so far and that continued as we toured the outside of the BV Palace.






Lazy river! And a neat chair, not sure what you'd do on it but I think kids would like it:






Now after 4 resorts I was absolutely ready for lunch and luckily it was time. It's fun touring all these resorts and I did enjoy seeing the Hiltons, but it does get to a repetitive point - lobby, rooms, restaurants, pool. We were going to DS for lunch and since we all had the regular DDP we were instructed to use a QS credit as our TS credits were pretty much all accounted for.

Our buses took us across to DS and dropped us off by the Cirque theater which you may know is on the farther end than most of the QS places. Someone had mentioned this to our owner who did ask the drivers if they'd bring us to the other side but apparently they were restricted to that one drop off area. We had about 50 minutes for lunch and lots of other agents were mentioning places like WPE, Polite Pig, Chicken Guy. Between having to walk a bit to get to these places and knowing that along with all other DS guests 101 agents were descending on them, we were thinking Blaze or even Pizza Pointe.

BUT then we walked by Splitsville and saw 2 agents sitting outside enjoying a beverage and I said, "gee that looks nice!" I said this to our little group of 4 and wouldn't you know it, they agreed an out of pocket TS right in front of us sounded wonderful! So we ended up at a table on the bottom level with no wait:



That's the beautiful Nicole next to me, my friend Cathy across from me and then with the backpack is another agent Annie whom I actually met here on the boards! She isn't on anymore and I unfortunately can't remember her DIS name but we all had a pleasant lunch with good food and some fine beverages:



That's my
Watermelon Smash
Watermelon-infused vodka muddled with fresh watermelon, lime juice, simple syrup and garnished with fresh mint

and it was so good! I know Nicole had wine and I think Cathy had a mojito while Annie stuck with water in case we needed her to drive the bus back

Now it was time for another 3 GN resorts As I said it's great to be able to tour all of these but 7 in a day is tiring! It's how it has to be done to get it all in though and these FAM trips are not slow paced or for the weak of heart. I was seriously unimpressed with the Doubletree but I did like the Wyndham Lake BV and besides the Hilton resorts wouldn't hesitate to stay here. There's another character breakfast:



And the resort has a few "hidden Mickey's" throughout. There are TWO in this picture, do you see them both?



One is a bit cut off but I was in a food coma of sorts and also fading! Back to the Lakeside Restaurant where the character dining is:



Our last hotel was the Double Tree which as I said I wasn't impressed with but we did get their famous cookies before we left! And I snapped this picture of a park bus as it pulled up there:



You'll see Epcot and AK are sharing a bus and that also is common for the DS resorts except sometimes during super busy times.
By this time lots of us were DONE. All the rooms and little cafeterias had started looking the same especially after lunch and on the short trip back to our starting point I may or may not have taken a short nap. My opinion since you asked is that while some of these resorts are really nice amenity and location wise not to mention clean, I would only stay there if I were doing Orlando things and not a Disney-centric trip. You may disagree and I'll allow that; some like the Double Tree and Best Western will come in less than a value depending on dates and you will get more room in some cases but when you figure in the transportation and just plain convenience I will continue to recommend to anyone who asks that they stay onsite!
I would have LOVED to return to the WL and take a real nap but it was almost 5 and all 101 of us had big plans for that night! Our buses were bringing us to the GF so it would be an easy commute to our evening destination.

UP NEXT:
DAY 2 PART 2: IT'S REALLY VERY SCARY!

 

[ariane37]

Ugh...wow that beginning of the trip already sounds annoying. Glad you were able to make some new friends and hitch a ride

It was even though in theory I liked the idea of the scavenger hunt. It definitely turned it around when I hitched that ride!

What?! You stayed at the Wilderness Lodge? I'm shocked.

I knew I'd surprise you

Trying to do a scavenger hunt with that many people is like herding cats. At least you had some tasty fruity beverages to make it better!

Ugh trying to get 101 people to do the same thing - ANYTHING - is like herding cats! Although some things were much easier than others. And the drink certainly helped!

Dinner at the HDDR sounds pretty fabulous, though. I've really enjoyed it both times I've been (and I've never been scandalized at the "inappropriate" show ). Not only did you have good food (and free drinks!), but you were able to enjoy the entertainment as well!

I definitely think the night ended well and I enjoyed it It was cool doing HDDR with "friends" as opposed to family for a change although of course I love doing it with my boys too!

That picture is from May but this is the first time I've worn my Hello....It's Smee shirt and not had people I'm with say they love it! WTH is wrong with all of them???


As a lover of both Disney and Todd Rundgren -- personally I'm in LOVE with that shirt!
Did you make it? Where did it come from?
L O V E it ❤

Hello and !! And thank you I can assure you that if I had made that shirt it would look like crap lol, I ordered it from a website called TeePublic! I've gotten quite a few shirts there and I love them all.

'm here!!!

Yay!! Glad to see you here!

Exactly! What is wrong with them???!!!???

Definitely not EPIC-trip material.....................

What?????

I KNOW! Can you imagine a group of us standing there doing that? We'd have been texting the ones left on the monorail like "sorry guys, meet you at the bar!" Whatever bar was closest lol

 

[SimplyGoofy]

That sounds like a fun (yet certainly draining) day. I'm glad you have a new perspective on some good offsite accommodations. My family stayed at one of the DS Hilton hotels years ago - although I don't remember it very well, I know my parents liked it.

Your lunch at Splitsville sounded good! I think you made the right call with the OOP lunch rather than trucking all the way across DS to rush though lunch while dealing with crowds.

 

[missjackiemcg]

It's amazing how hard it is to stop buying for grandchildren!

My Mom has had that problem since the moment she found out Jimmy was coming!!

This is a Disney Springs view or a Downtown view, can't quite remember but it's a bookable category and must be really pretty when DS is all lit up at night:

This looks like the view from the room my Mom and I stayed in back in 2015. The whole hotel and pool were under construction at the time, as it was just bought out by Hilton at the time. Lit up at night, it was absolutely gorgeous!!! That trip also solidified for us that we would never stay offsite again! LOL

 

[Jenny Sanders]

because not 100% of the information that goes into my head stays there.

LMBO!!!!!!! Do you like how I censored that????

Also getting excited for our January WDW trip with @Jenny Sanders and her DH Joe

Well, DUH!!! OMG! We are soooooo excited!!!!! Only 27 more days until we get to Disney and 29 until we see you and Steve!!!!!

 

[ariane37]

That sounds like a fun (yet certainly draining) day.

Yes and yes lol that sums it up. I know it sounds like running a marathon would be more draining but up down, in and out of the bus, parading through all those halls.........I'm so happy I get to do this but YES tiring!

My family stayed at one of the DS Hilton hotels years ago - although I don't remember it very well, I know my parents liked it.

I'm sure it was one of the nicer hotels back then too

My Mom has had that problem since the moment she found out Jimmy was coming!!

I believe it!

This looks like the view from the room my Mom and I stayed in back in 2015. The whole hotel and pool were under construction at the time, as it was just bought out by Hilton at the time. Lit up at night, it was absolutely gorgeous!!! That trip also solidified for us that we would never stay offsite again! LOL

I remember you telling me about that - when I book clients in the DS hotels I always hope it solidifies for THEM not to stay offsite again lol!
Oh and BTW - I've enjoyed watching that countdown go from a 3 digit # to 1!

Well, DUH!!! OMG! We are soooooo excited!!!!! Only 27 more days until we get to Disney and 29 until we see you and Steve!!!!!

I get so excited when I think about it and once the holidays are over hopefully the days go quick!!

 

[disneyAndi14]

We have always liked Splitsville!
We have never stayed outside of the Disney bubble on our mom/daughter trips.
It is interesting to hear about the DS resorts, do they all have resort fees?

 

[LeiaIsAPrincess2]

I'm late but I'm here!

Have you ever had the pleasure of traveling with 100 other people? Scanning in to a park or getting in to a restaurant as a party of 101?

This gives me anxiety But I'm kinda jealous of your job!

For us and many other agents this meant light summery dresses and for quite a few agents this meant putting on heels, which I still can't fathom in Disney!

Uh, that's a big nope for me

WHY YES, YES IT DOES!!! WHY DRINK FRUIT WITHOUT ALCOHOL???

Exactly!

Disney did have signs up around the resort apologizing for the inconvenience as this was going to happen around 6:30am give or take. I did NOT find it to be an inconvenience at all! I was up and out of the shower when they started and while I stood and watched for the most part I did take a few pictures:

So cool!

Your tour of the hotels sounds really interesting too!

 

[Wood Nymph]

FYI I saw the fireworks earlier this month when we did the Christmas party and I really loved them! Probably because it was truly a mostly fireworks show rather than projections and if you don't know yet, I'm not a fan of projections.

You had a great view of the fireworks. I can just about guess where your room was located by where the castle is in the picture. I love watching fireworks from WL. The hallway windows on the 4th, 5th and 6th floors have a great view and handy for people in rooms that don't have a view.

You had a really long day with all those resorts to look at. I would be done by lunchtime.

 

[missjackiemcg]

Oh and BTW - I've enjoyed watching that countdown go from a 3 digit # to 1!

I know, right?!!?! It was like 500 something when we booked, I think LOL Today's countdown is my favorite!!!! O.N.E.

 

[ArielSRL]

Who's ready for Xmas now?? Me? NOPE! Well I almost finished my shopping today with my mom but I still have a few odds and ends to grab and I'm waiting on the Amazon Fairy to drop off lots of goodies. It's amazing how hard it is to stop buying for grandchildren!

I'm almost ready. I'm supposed to be done with the boys' gifts but I still buy if I see a good deal. Need to get something for my folks and brother and SIL, but I think I am doing gift cards so that will be easy.

Also getting excited for our January WDW trip with @Jenny Sanders and her DH Joe along with some other friends we'll see along the way like Renee @ArielSRL and family and hopefully Caroline @disneyAndi14!

Cannot wait!!

That's my
Watermelon Smash
Watermelon-infused vodka muddled with fresh watermelon, lime juice, simple syrup and garnished with fresh mint

and it was so good!

Sounds so good!

My opinion since you asked is that while some of these resorts are really nice amenity and location wise not to mention clean, I would only stay there if I were doing Orlando things and not a Disney-centric trip.

Yeh, I think we are in the same boat. I did ask Chad once because they had some specials running and he said nah. I've have never stayed off property since the first time I stayed on property.

 

[ariane37]

We have always liked Splitsville!

I've bowled/eaten there twice with the family, love the food and atmosphere

We have never stayed outside of the Disney bubble on our mom/daughter trips.

The first 2x we took the boys, in 2006 and 2007, we used our timeshare points (not DVC) and stayed offsite. Back then I didn't mind since I didn't know what I was missing lol plus the 2nd time we had all 4 boys and my MIL. But we haven't been off since our first onsite stay in 2009 at OKW! Except the one trip in 2015 that was supposed to be just Universal but turned into a 3x visit to DS and one day in MK

It is interesting to hear about the DS resorts, do they all have resort fees?

Pretty much all of them do yes, and many have parking fees. Plus at the Gateway Resorts there's a shuttle fee. However when these resorts are booked through a TA (Any TA) the resort fee is incorporated into the total price and is usually still less than booking on your own plus then you don't pay the fee once you're there. But really it's too much to remember, everyone just stay onsite lol!

I'm late but I'm here!

YAY Glad to see you here!

his gives me anxiety But I'm kinda jealous of your job!

Yes it wasn't the part of the trip I was looking forward to the most for sure! And while I did think ahead about 101 of us doing a couple things at once I actually didn't think about ALL of us scanning our bands or ALL of us on a buffet line at once That was interesting to say the least!

You had a great view of the fireworks. I can just about guess where your room was located by where the castle is in the picture. I love watching fireworks from WL. The hallway windows on the 4th, 5th and 6th floors have a great view and handy for people in rooms that don't have a view.

I've seen you mention before about watching fireworks from the hallway windows and then did so myself a time or two Seeing them in the morning from our room was an excellent experience!

I'm almost ready. I'm supposed to be done with the boys' gifts but I still buy if I see a good deal.

I do that too! I think I'm done with the boys and then see something on sale, and don't get me started on our granddaughter! And then do you believe about an hour ago Ricky texts me from his friends house that he wants a certain type of sneakers???? I already got him a pair that I thought he'd like as a surprise and they're wrapped so I either unwrap, return, and run out in the next day or so to find the ones he requested or just give him the wrapped ones and the receipt and tell him to go do the exchange

Cannot wait!!

Us too!!!!!

 

[suse66]

there was definitely a chance we'd be able to see them! Disney did have signs up around the resort apologizing for the inconvenience as this was going to happen around 6:30am give or take. I did NOT find it to be an inconvenience at all! I was up and out of the shower when they started and while I stood and watched for the most part I did take a few pictures:

What a perfect way to start the day!

I was impressed with the Hilton resorts so far and that continued as we toured the outside of the BV Palace.

It looks really nice, especially the lazy river!

My opinion since you asked is that while some of these resorts are really nice amenity and location wise not to mention clean, I would only stay there if I were doing Orlando things and not a Disney-centric trip. You may disagree and I'll allow that; some like the Double Tree and Best Western will come in less than a value depending on dates and you will get more room in some cases but when you figure in the transportation and just plain convenience I will continue to recommend to anyone who asks that they stay onsite!
I would have LOVED to return to the WL and take a real nap but it was almost 5 and all 101 of us had big plans for that night! Our buses were bringing us to the GF so it would be an easy commute to our evening destination.

I completely agree! We did a one night stay at Doubletree in 2015 before checking in to the Beach Club and it was nice. We liked the space and they had a full buffet breakfast included. Then I stayed at B resort in March which was fine for the price. But....transportation sucks, there is no Magical Express and there are resort fees that jack up the room rate. I am a bubble girl, through and through.

 

[pkondz]

Who's ready for Xmas now?? Me? NOPE!

Good grief... NO!

Disney had announced a couple days before that they would be testing the new MVMCP fireworks on this morning and since we had this view from our room

How could you not????

I really loved them! Probably because it was truly a mostly fireworks show rather than projections and if you don't know yet, I'm not a fan of projections.

ditto. I want to look at one thing, not constantly be trying to look at two things at once.

YES! The Breakfast of Champions (or as @pkondz would say his most favorite snack in WDW)

blech!!!!

you can probably guess that lots of people do NOT stay onsite

What? People do this???

These are actually called Disney "Gateway hotels" rather than Good Neighbor so they do not get the 60 FP window but there is transportation to the parks.

Huh. I didn't know that.

Although the price point puts them around that of moderates most of the year but you're getting a bit more space.

If the price point is that high, then why stay there? Just for a bit more space??? Not for me. I'm barely in my room anyways.

That's pretty, mind you.

And a neat chair, not sure what you'd do on it

One sits in a chair.

You're welcome.

BUT then we walked by Splitsville

I didn't know they had a TS in there... or even a QS. Thought it was just bowling with very limited snacks.

Watermelon Smash
Watermelon-infused vodka muddled with fresh watermelon, lime juice, simple syrup and garnished with fresh mint

You and I have very similar drink tastes. Too bad you can't seem to figure out where coconut should be in that hierarchy.

And the resort has a few "hidden Mickey's" throughout. There are TWO in this picture, do you see them both?

The trees and shrub?

By this time lots of us were DONE.