She's On Top of the World, a September 2018 TR at Copper Creek Villas and Cabins (Completed 12/20)

I can't believe I missed seeing this until now - ya'll are like one of my favorites to read. All caught up now.
 
This is such a great report! Loving all the photos and details. Getting me super excited to stay at Copper Creek in February! Looking forward to reading more.
Great, thanks! We're glad that you are enjoying following along, and that you joined in.

Great pics for a moving dark ride.
It adds to the challenge, and we definitely were not going to use a flash, so we're pretty happy with the results. It goes to show you don't need flash for decent pics.

Crystal Palace sounds yummy
It really is. Despite having the fun characters, it really is a meal that we do mainly for the food. (Which is rare for a character meal, but we'll take it!)

Melissa I love your Mickey dress where did you get it?
The dress is a Lularoe Carly. That print can be rare and hard to find, so I was glad to get it. I love my Disney Lularoe stuff!

I am really enjoying your report. Can't wait to read/see more!
Thanks! We're glad that you are enjoying it, and we should have more to post soon.

I can't believe I missed seeing this until now - ya'll are like one of my favorites to read. All caught up now.
Aww, thanks so much! We are honored that you enjoy reading about our trips. We have fun writing about them (and taking them too!)
 
When we left off we were up in the room getting ready to head to Typhoon Lagoon.

The kids actually enjoyed spending some time in the room, and they definitely made it feel like home. Better than home in some ways, because they found that the couch cushions come off and were perfect for making a fort.


Luckily the cushions on our couch at home don't come off or we'd never have anywhere to sit. They had a ball making a fort.

Once we were ready for the water park we went down to the lobby about 12:30, and our Minnie Van arrived at 12:35. We loaded the car and left at 12:41. Our driver, Keith, was a retired teacher from Cleveland. We got to TL at 12:56.


We grabbed a locker and stashed all our stuff then went out to have fun. Our first stop was Misadventure Falls. It’s a family raft ride with no height restrictions. They just say no infants. I took both kids and had I ridden it without them first I probably wouldn’t have taken them on it.


But that would have been a shame because they both LOVED it. They laughed the entire time.


It surprised me and Grandpa too, since we were in our own raft, but it worked out fine. After that we hopped in the lazy river and headed for Ketchakiddie Creek, which we knew Marshall would enjoy.




We chased the kids around there for a bit until we got bored. The kids could have played all day.


We were ready for lunch so we walked over and got some food. The kids got chicken strips and we split some too, and Grandpa got the burger which was quite good. The best part was that Marshall got a bucket and a shovel, which greatly excited him.


Like really excited him. We took the bucket over to the sand so he could dig and play with his shovel.

Allie wanted to do Misadventure Falls again, so Grandpa and I took her on it twice while Melissa supervised the digging.

Then Allie wanted to check out the wave pool so we went down and checked that out for a couple waves. Then I took her on Misadventure Falls again.

And Marshall happily dug in the sand. Finally we all went for one more Misadventure Falls ride again. We headed out of the park at 4:05, and the Minnie Van arrived at 4:09


The Minnie Van transportation worked amazing for the water park. Marsh surprisingly didn’t fall asleep on the way back to the resort. It was just that fast.


We got back to WL at 4:24, less than 20 minutes after we left the park. This would have taken over an hour with the two bus combination that we would have had to take.

It was a great way to save some time.

We went up to the room and showered to get ready for our night at Disney Springs. Grandma and Grandpa left at 5, since they were having dinner at Boatwrights at Port Orleans Riverside. We left the room at 5:30, and were on a Disney Springs bus by 5:40. It got to Fort Wilderness at 5:48, and loaded until 5:54, then arrived at Disney Springs at 6:08.

Marshall fell asleep on the bus and conked out for a much needed nap.

We had a little time to kill before dinner so we went over to the Vera Bradley store to check out the new Disney print. Unfortunately all they had left was blankets and lanyards.

While we were in there it started pouring, and we could see the sheets of water coming off the roof at the end of the covered walkway. It cleared up quickly though, like a typical Florida thunderstorm.

Jon fell in love with the Black Mickey duffel so he got that and had it monogrammed.


We got over to the Boathouse at 6:45 and were seated immediately with Marshall asleep in the stroller.



We were impressed with the boat that was cut out for a booth.



There was plenty of space to park the stroller and we enjoyed a nice quiet dinner. We got the calamari appetizer and Allie really liked it. We waited a bit to tell her what it was but she didn’t really care. She liked it.


And it was an excellent dinner. I decided to go with the Barbecue Bacon Burger because it sounded good and I am so glad that I did.


It is a serious contender for the best burger I’ve had, and I am a Burger guy. Jon and Brandy got a Steak, and it looked good too.


I got the coconut shrimp. I really enjoyed it, but I had a bite of the burger and wished I had ordered that.

We decided to skip dessert here (since AJ from Disney Food Blog talked Melissa out of the S’mores Baked Alaska) and instead headed to Sprinkles for cupcakes.

I was anxious to try the cupcake ATM and was kinda jealous that Jon had already done it last time we were in DS and I missed it.


Unfortunately when we got there it was temporarily out of order, so we decided to go inside and wait in line. While we were there a group walked up behind us and it was Craig Williams and Ryno Clavin from the DIS Podcasts.
It turned out they were super nice, and were willing to pose for a picture with us. It really was quite a celebrity sighting for Brandy and me, because we both watch a lot of their podcasts.


They were star struck.

After that we headed through the shops of Downtown Disney and headed to the Christmas store, where we ordered our traditional customized ornament. We have done this every trip since our honeymoon, and for this one we picked a Blue Mickey shape with "Our 1st DVC Trip" added to it.


I love this tradition and it's always one of my favorite souvenirs from the trip. It's not going to be long until our entire tree is Mickey head ornaments.

Then we met back up with Grandma and Grandpa who had really enjoyed their dinner at Boatwrights and had ridden a boat over from Port Orleans. We got some spice rub from the cooking store.

I love the Butchers Rub from the spice place, I use it on and in all kinds of things all year. I ran out early this year so it was nice to replenish my supply.

Then we walked around the Co-Op some more looking at DVC merchandise. I got a DVC license plate frame for my truck. By then Allie was pretty tired, and we only had the single stroller, so we headed for the bus.

We were on a bus at 10:01, and there was enough room that everybody had a seat. We got to CR at 10:21, then WL at 10:30. We stopped by the mercantile to buy some coffee to brew in the room in the morning. As was becoming tradition, we fed Marshall in the room, but Allie was so tired she went straight to bed. I was even in bed before midnight.
 


Then with DVC, coffee packets are not provided for you in the room?
There were a couple of packets in the room, but also there was a price sheet for additional items. We figured out that buying some in the Mercantile would be cheaper and easier than requesting more. The in room coffee was better than the stuff we bought though, so it wasn’t that great of a deal.
 


I wanted to try the Cupcake ATM but I totally forgot on our last trip!

Have you been to both waterparks? Do you have a favorite for kids?

Yeah we wanted to try the cupcake ATM, but the key result we were looking for was a yummy dessert and that was met either way. The line was short too, so it wasn’t a big deal.

Our favorite water park is Typhoon Lagoon, but they both have their benefits. We felt that Blizzard Beach seemed more crowded when we visited them both on prior trips. Both have nice areas for small kids, and things to excite more adventurous older ones. The big wave pool is unique to Typhoon Lagoon, but is still a little intense for Allie. The chairlift is cool at Blizzard Beach, but Melissa isn’t fond of heights. We enjoy them both, but doing them takes so much time that it is hard to squeeze one (let alone both) into a trip.
 
Can you talk to me about taking the boat versus the bus to MK from WL? Do the boats run early enough for rope drop?
 
Can you talk to me about taking the boat versus the bus to MK from WL? Do the boats run early enough for rope drop?
Our preference is to take the bus when we are in a hurry The boat ride is prettier but we find the buses to be faster.
There are early-morning boats, usually starting about an hour before rope drop. If you miss the first boat though you could have to wait a while for another one.
You also have the option of a blue flag boat which start running earlier and in the early morning run straight to the contemporary. You then have a decent walk to MK (which is why we don’t tend to do it) but it is an option.
We love the boats but they usually aren’t our choice for early in the morning.
Great review of The BOATHOUSE! I can’t wait to try it in January.
We really enjoyed it. It was nice with bread service and attentive waiters, but my highlight was that exceptional burger. You should have a great meal.
 
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Luckily the cushions on our couch at home don't come off or we'd never have anywhere to sit. They had a ball making a fort.
Our kids loved making forts with our cushions. There were eleven cushions from the couch, love seat and armchair that they could use, along with blankets and pillows, to make great forts. :)

After that we hopped in the lazy river and headed for Ketchakiddie Creek, which we knew Marshall would enjoy.
The lazy river was always my favorite feature at water parks, There is a small one at the Beach Club pool, which is nice, too. :)

We chased the kids around there for a bit until we got bored. The kids could have played all day.
The play area looks like fun but it also looks very bright in the sun. I would need sunglasses for that.

The best part was that Marshall got a bucket and a shovel, which greatly excited him.
Hurricane Hanna's at Storm Along Bay serves the kids meals in a bucket with a shovel. I'm just getting you ready for BCV some day. ;)

Then Allie wanted to check out the wave pool so we went down and checked that out for a couple waves.
We took the kids to Typhoon Lagoon ages ago and they really liked the wave pool.

We got back to WL at 4:24, less than 20 minutes after we left the park. This would have taken over an hour with the two bus combination that we would have had to take.
I would have taken a taxi, too. It takes much to long for any trip that involves two forms of Disney transportation.

Grandma and Grandpa left at 5, since they were having dinner at Boatwrights at Port Orleans Riverside.
Boatwrights is a good restaurant, especially when on the dining plan. The boat ride to Disney Springs is nice, too. I can see where that would work out well. :)

Jon fell in love with the Black Mickey duffel so he got that and had it monogrammed.

We got the calamari appetizer and Allie really liked it. We waited a bit to tell her what it was but she didn’t really care. She liked it.

They were star struck.

There were a couple of packets in the room, but also there was a price sheet for additional items. We figured out that buying some in the Mercantile would be cheaper and easier than requesting more. The in room coffee was better than the stuff we bought though, so it wasn’t that great of a deal.
 
Our preference is to take the bus when we are in a hurry The boat ride is prettier but we find the buses to be faster.
They are early-morning boats, usually starting about an hour before rope drop. If you miss the first boat though you could have to wait a while for another one.
You also have the option of a blue flag boat which start running earlier and in the early morning run straight to the contemporary. You then have a decent walk to MK (which is why we don’t tend to do it) but it is an option.
We love the boats but they usually aren’t our choice for early in the morning.

We really enjoyed it. It was nice with bread service and attentive waiters, but my highlight was that exceptional burger. You should have a great meal.

Thanks for the info!
 
Our kids loved making forts with our cushions. There were eleven cushions from the couch, love seat and armchair that they could use, along with blankets and pillows, to make great forts. :)
Yeah, our poor children are deprived at home since our cushions don't come off, but they had fun in the Villas, and found even more building materials in the cabin!

The lazy river was always my favorite feature at water parks, There is a small one at the Beach Club pool, which is nice, too. :)
Ours too, the lazy rivers are the best. I was bummed that we didn't complete the whole lap in it this time. Allie still remembers and talks about the "a-choo house" at Blizzard Beach where the cabin sneezes and sprays water on the lazy river. She wanted to visit Blizzard Beach just to see it.

The play area looks like fun but it also looks very bright in the sun. I would need sunglasses for that.
Yeah, there was a dark cave we could kind of hide in for a bit, but it was pretty bright.

Hurricane Hanna's at Storm Along Bay serves the kids meals in a bucket with a shovel. I'm just getting you ready for BCV some day. ;)
That's good, because it will happen sometime. We did stop by there for mug refills this time at least.

We took the kids to Typhoon Lagoon ages ago and they really liked the wave pool.
Yeah, it is pretty impressive. Allie liked the little slide off to the side a few years ago, but this time went more into the main part of it.

I would have taken a taxi, too. It takes much to long for any trip that involves two forms of Disney transportation.
We generally try to make the transportation part of the fun, but when you're just trying to get back and get dry clothes, it is a lot of needless extra time. We already feel like the biggest downside of the water parks is the time they take away from other stuff, and with the Minnie Van or a taxi this cost is significantly less.

Boatwrights is a good restaurant, especially when on the dining plan. The boat ride to Disney Springs is nice, too. I can see where that would work out well. :)
We loved Boatwrights when we celebrated Allie's fifth birthday there. Grandma and Grandpa did too, and that's why they wanted to return. They also didn't want to use two dining credits for a single meal at Boathouse, which makes sense.

Thanks for the info!
You're welcome, anytime. You'll se what we did use the boats more later in the trip, but not on our earliest days.

I started this tradition in 1999 with my daughter's 1st Christmas!! I'm so excited they still have this store! It's been a few years since I've been :(
That's neat. We are so glad that with all the changes at Disney Springs that this store is relatively consistent. They are even better about the personalization than they were a few years ago, when we were really limited as to what they would put on the ornament and we could only get a date. We absolutely love those ornaments and can't wait to put them on the tree each year. (And that's coming up before long...)
 
I woke up on Tuesday about 5:30 and decided to go ahead and get up. I left the room a little after 6:00, and took Lobby pics on my way down the stairs in the lobby. I like taking the open staircases down to the 2nd floor when I'm not in a hurry. I stopped by the front desk to apply some gift cards and see about resolving the earlier issue with charging my card. It was more complicated than I expected, but a nice manager came and helped out, and assured me that now our room charges would be split to different cards. This wasn't what I really wanted, but I didn't want to miss the sunrise so I went with it. Then I filled my mug at Roaring Fork and then went to Geyser Point for the sunrise.




I sat around down there and posted some pics on the WL thread.








While I sat there I noticed an armadillo in the bushes. We've seen them a few times at WL, and they're always a surprise.


Then I headed back up to the lobby and got to the Mercantile once they opened at 8:00 and bought some bacon, since we were planing on a lazy morning in the room.

I started frying bacon when he got back and the smell woke everyone up. I made breakfast sandwiches and they were really good.

Almost everyone got up with the smell of bacon, Allie slept in until 9:45. Grandma and Grandpa came up to the room to hang out while we finished getting ready, and we left the room just after 10:00.

We were headed to MK, so we made our way down to the dock.


A big boat came at 10:24 and we hopped right on and left at 10:29, getting to MK at 10:38.


We had a quick friendly security check, then went into the park, headed for Haunted Mansion. Brandy, Jon, and Melissa stopped at Starbucks.

Starbucks was a great treat.

Since the line was long and Main Street was a little busy, the rest of us continued on towards Haunted Mansion.

We parked the stroller and all waited in the fastpass line.

We were able to convince the kids to all ride Haunted Mansion, which they wouldn’t do last year.

I think Allie even had fun.

She is less terrified of hitchhiking ghosts now. We got out just in time to head for Be Our Guest. Walking to New Fantasyland took just long enough and we got there right at our reservation time. The line to order wasn’t too bad, and we were able to order in three groups and all sat together at a big table in the middle of the main room.



We shared two French dip sandwiches along with a potato leek soup and the kids meatloaf, plus a strawberry cupcake.



The french dips were really good, Allie's meatloaf, not so much. She has this rule that we should never order a mickey check meal, this is on that menu and she was definitely right.

It is kind of funny that she has learned to fear the Mickey check. Probably not the healthy eating effect they are going for. The sandwiches and cupcake were good, although I didn't love them as much as the ones we had here a couple of years ago. It was nice for a QS meal, but not on our list of must-dos for next time.

No, this meal didn't impress me as it has in the past. Although the atmosphere of course is amazing.

After lunch our fastpass window was open for Enchanted Tales with Belle, so we walked out there and did that. Allie didn't want to participate in the show this time, I guess she's getting too big for that. Marshall didn't want to do it either, so we just sat in the audience.

It kinda made me sad a little bit, she is getting too big too fast. This was one of her favorites to participate in just a couple years ago.

I know, she's getting big too quick. Another sign of that is she really wanted to do Seven Dwarves Mine train, but we hadn't been able to get a fastpass for it. Since we saw that the standby wait was down to 35 minutes we decided to go for it. We got a baby swap pass, and Melissa rode Pooh with Marshall while the rest of us went on 7DMT.


Marshall had a ball playing in the line and he made a little friend. It was a fun thing to do just the two of us.

The timing worked out well and we met up after 7DMT, but we decided not to use the baby swap pass since it was hot and we had other things we wanted to do. This upset Allie a bit, and Grandpa too, but we moved on and did the peoplemover.



It's one of my favorite rides and I wanted to make sure I rode it. Plus it was hot and I didn't want everyone to have to wait while I rode 7DMT.

After Peoplemover we were about done, but Jon and Brandy headed over to ride Space Mountain and we decided to catch Carousel of Progress. I may have napped through a couple of the scenes, but it was cool and dark.

He definitely fell asleep. Marshall enjoyed the show.

After that we headed out of the park, doing a little shopping on Main Street on our way through. We left the park at 3:00, and a big boat came at 3:10, left at 3:14, and had us back to WL at 3:23.



We went up to the room to cool off of just a bit and get ready to head back out. Read all about our busy evening in our next update.

We had an epic adventure in store....
 
I love your WL pictures. I think that the courtyard trees are getting too big. They really block the gorgeous view.

While I sat there I noticed an armadillo in the bushes. We've seen them a few times at WL, and they're always a surprise.
I keep looking for armadillos and have never seen one. I guess I need to look in the bushes next time.

We got out just in time to head for Be Our Guest. Walking to New Fantasyland took just long enough and we got there right at our reservation time. The line to order wasn’t too bad, and we were able to order in three groups and all sat together at a big table in the middle of the main room.
I love to eat lunch here because the braised pork is delicious. We ate here lst month and it was really nice to sit in an air conditioned restaurant. It was really hot out.

It kinda made me sad a little bit, she is getting too big too fast. This was one of her favorites to participate in just a couple years ago.
I would be a little sad, too, if the kids didn't want to participate. This show is adorable and I really enjoyed watching our grandchildren participate. :)
 
I'm keeping my eyes peeled for armadillos when we're there! Definitely don't see those in Maryland!

The french dips were really good, Allie's meatloaf, not so much. She has this rule that we should never order a mickey check meal, this is on that menu and she was definitely right.

I got both my kids that meatloaf because they love meatloaf at home and it is just not good. :crazy2:
 

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