TSM standby-less test Oct. 6-9

[cakebaker]

Seriously, that's funny stuff. Here's my take on it:

Allowing the kids eat bowls of cereal on their beds, and allowing them to watch TV only in their shared BR

How fun! We didn't allow messy eating on the bed- maid service is such a pain! Instead, we forced them to go the parks and eat- they hated it- they much prefer doing on vacation what they can do at home instead.

Walking through their rooms on my way to bathroom 3 times per night

I sure missed waking the little one up at night. Unfortunately, we had 2 bathrooms, one off the private bedroom so didn't get to experience that joy!

Not allowing them to sit outside on patio or swim in private pool

I made mine stay underwater to listen to the piped music - playing at the fountain area was sheer torture. And then just to further make him angry, I'd force him into the game room where I made him play for hours on end.

Allowing them to walk to the front gate and wait for me to pick them up. They really like the uncertainty of whether or not the next Dodge Caravan will be "theirs." They do grumble a bit at night when we reverse action, but I remind them "it's magic."

Never got the opportunity to do that- the busses were almost always waiting for us and we had to hurry to get to them actually. Sorry busses! And that monorail ride- I'd avoid monorail resorts just not to have to have my drive home be mere seconds. How boring! Getting in a 120 degree car and scalding your thighs after a hot afternoon in the parks has got to be the best time ever! Lucky you!

Allowing them to eat at the same restaurant every day.

I'm jealous! The literally unending supply of different dining available made it impossible to justify even eating twice at the same place.

Making them walk to clubhouse for a $2.50 pop

Why didn't I think of that instead of bringing a case of favorite beverages Disney doesn't have and storing them in our fridge?

Allowing them to put on cold, damp swimming trunks

That's always a treat- but silly us, we bring 2 suits each for stays for those times we don't stay at a villa. That way we can let them dry.

[/QUOTE]

 

[OtherScott]

Seriously, that's funny stuff. Here's my take on it:

How fun! We didn't allow messy eating on the bed- maid service is such a pain! Instead, we forced them to go the parks and eat- they hated it- they much prefer doing on vacation what they can do at home instead.

Mine would have preferred to wait until we all dressed, brushed hair and teeth, walked to the bus stop, waited on bus going to the park we had chosen, ridden it to the park, walked into the park, sat down at a restaurant and ordered food (instead of going to rides), ate, and then went to rides.

But hunger pangs + a bad dad prevented that kind of magic. Kids suffered through eggs, pancakes, cereal at "home," or bagels w/cream cheese, fresh fruit and a travel cup of juice for the road.

I sure missed waking the little one up at night. Unfortunately, we had 2 bathrooms, one off the private bedroom so didn't get to experience that joy!

Private BRs are great but we refuse to use them. Same with 3 leather sofas. Wife and I sit in dark on extra bed in kid's room.

I made mine stay underwater to listen to the piped music - playing at the fountain area was sheer torture.

If only Windsor Hills had a community pool with a slide and a clubhouse with market and game-room and theater, to go along with private screened in house pool...oh, wait.

This is the thing my kids (who have 3 community pools in our sub-division) hate - occasionally having a pool to themselves, where they can jump in during any window of free time that exceeds 7 minutes.

They also hate that their grandfather, who refuses to wear shorts in public (don't ask me why), and their grandmother, who refuses to get in a public swimming pool (for reasons a bit more obvious), get in the private pool almost everyday. (Yes, gandpa wears shorts in pool! Nobody swims nekkid!)

They also hate "chicken fights," jumping off my shoulders/being thrown, hot-tubbing at 10.

And then just to further make him angry, I'd force him into the game room where I made him play for hours on end.

The one in the converted 2-car garage? With foosball, billiards and Pop-a-Shot? Or the x-Box hooked up to the 55" HD on the wall?

Never got the opportunity to do that- the busses were almost always waiting for us and we had to hurry to get to them actually. Sorry busses!

Didn't a bus idling 3 feet from your front door bother you? What about stopping at everyone else's front door?

And that monorail ride- I'd avoid monorail resorts just not to have to have my drive home be mere seconds. How boring!

I hate that they no longer allow off-siters on the monorail. We still manage to park valet at Contemporary for Chef Mickey and ride monorail - employees keep forgetting to ask me where we're staying. We sneak onto "Resort" monorail at night, but don't tell anyone.

Getting in a 120 degree car and scalding your thighs after a hot afternoon in the parks has got to be the best time ever! Lucky you!

We've found that the sun sets in Orlando in the evening. Wife keeps wanting me to turn on AC with 3 climate zones so the kids and grandparents will be comfortable while enjoying beverages from the cooler, and playing with iPad and DVD, but I refuse.

The downside is that sometimes I run out of excuses for not staying on the precise route home, which leads to occasionally stopping for ice cream on the way home.

I'm jealous! The literally unending supply of different dining available made it impossible to justify even eating twice at the same place.

My kids are always asking, "Can't we eat chicken fingers just one more time? The resort chicken fingers are waaaay different than the ones at the park!"

Why didn't I think of that instead of bringing a case of favorite beverages Disney doesn't have and storing them in our fridge?

You got me there. Those Disney fridges are virtual beverage caves! My fear is that I'd have too much cold stuff!

That's always a treat- but silly us, we bring 2 suits each for stays for those times we don't stay at a villa. That way we can let them dry.

I'm with you on this one. I mean, who wouldn't prefer dried out swimmers to fresh outta the dryer swimmers? But my naggy wife insists it's better to pack 1/2 as much instead of twice as much.

And if that isn't enough, what the heck and I supposed to do with all this extra $$$ ?!?

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[cakebaker]

Let's just leave it at I love my stays on site, you love yours off site.

I won't picture you and your family with your faces poking thru the gate, pitifully staring as I ride rides during emh and you can not picture us cramped in a room, sharing a toilet, starving and piled on top of each other.

Neither is very accurate.

 

[PrettyFlower2]

You are right about November..frankly, I'm thinking I won't be able to get as much accomplished as my July trip! No 7DMT, BTMR, F!, Narcoosies, le Cellier or BOG. Most restaurants are booked. I tried booking lunch anywhere in MK, absolutely nonee except QS. Seems like my deluxe dining plan will be not so deluxe. Don't get me wrong, we got Citrico, Jiko, monsieur paul, boma, etc so those should be good, but November seems like it's going to be packed.. (and its not even thanksgiving weekend...we will still have a blast I hope.

 

[OtherScott]

Let's just leave it at I love my stays on site, you love yours off site.

I won't picture you and your family with your faces poking thru the gate, pitifully staring as I ride rides during emh and you can not picture us cramped in a room, sharing a toilet, starving and piled on top of each other.

Neither is very accurate.

Sorry, been there, done that, can't un-see it

 

[lugnut33]

Shockingly, I've stayed on-site (DVC owner) and off-site and I loved both of them. Both have their advantages and disadvantages. I'd do either one in a heartbeat.

 

[Canuckbiggs]

Is that a pic of a room costing thousands of dollars where someone is forced to sleep in a pull out chair?
























Sorry I had to.

Decent view for sure.

 

[cakebaker]

Shockingly, I've stayed on-site (DVC owner) and off-site and I loved both of them. Both have their advantages and disadvantages. I'd do either one in a heartbeat.

I've stayed off site on the first night in town and on the last night before- does that count?

Ok, it was Downtown Disney, but that's a big step for me!

 

[cakebaker]

Is that a pic of a room costing thousands of dollars where someone is forced to sleep in a pull out chair?






















Sorry I had to.

Decent view for sure.

I went to sleep every night with a view of the TOT outside the window of my 2 bedroom villa, in my private bedroom with my private bathroom that had the most amazing jacuzzi tub-

But I'd sleep on the floor for that view.

 

[Canuckbiggs]

We do a hybrid.

We stay in 4 BR/4 bath house (Windsor Hills) with full kitchen, living room and pool, but I bring the magic by:

Allowing the kids eat bowls of cereal on their beds, and allowing them to watch TV only in their shared BR

Walking through their rooms on my way to bathroom 3 times per night

Not allowing them to sit outside on patio or swim in private pool

Allowing them to walk to the front gate and wait for me to pick them up. They really like the uncertainty of whether or not the next Dodge Caravan will be "theirs." They do grumble a bit at night when we reverse action, but I remind them "it's magic."

Allowing them to eat at the same restaurant every day.

Making them walk to clubhouse for a $2.50 pop

Allowing them to put on cold, damp swimming trunks

Jesus!

That is perfect!

Well done.

 

[Canuckbiggs]

I went to sleep every night with a view of the TOT outside the window of my 2 bedroom villa, in my private bedroom with my private bathroom that had the most amazing jacuzzi tub-

But I'd sleep on the floor for that view.

The view of a fake tower? For what? About $450 a night?

Each ensuite in our house has it's own jacuzzi. Plus we have a hot tub connected to our private pool.

And my cost for the house is $140 a night!

 

[FLchick415]

The view of a fake tower? For what? About $450 a night?

Each ensuite in our house has it's own jacuzzi. Plus we have a hot tub connected to our private pool.

And my cost for the house is $140 a night!

That's what they prefer. So what? To them, it has value. It doesn't to you. That's fine.

 

[surferdave]

I hope Buzz enjoys the direction the thread has taken next time he drops in to comment on how it's still going.

 

[cakebaker]

The view of a fake tower? For what? About $450 a night?

Each ensuite in our house has it's own jacuzzi. Plus we have a hot tub connected to our private pool.

And my cost for the house is $140 a night!

So what? I don't care where you stay. Why are you trying to convince me how great it is? I wouldn't stay where you stay if it was free. It's of no value at all to me. I also don't care that you don't like where I stay. Actually, it's really bad taste to ask someone how much they pay for something. It's also none of your business what I pay for my lodging.

You seem to feel the need to prove how great you've got it, which only proves to me you're not real confident that you're getting a great deal after all.

You do like the on site perks, tho.

 

[Canuckbiggs]

Mine would have preferred to wait until we all dressed, brushed hair and teeth, walked to the bus stop, waited on bus going to the park we had chosen, ridden it to the park, walked into the park, sat down at a restaurant and ordered food (instead of going to rides), ate, and then went to rides.

But hunger pangs + a bad dad prevented that kind of magic. Kids suffered through eggs, pancakes, cereal at "home," or bagels w/cream cheese, fresh fruit and a travel cup of juice for the road.



Private BRs are great but we refuse to use them. Same with 3 leather sofas. Wife and I sit in dark on extra bed in kid's room.



If only Windsor Hills had a community pool with a slide and a clubhouse with market and game-room and theater, to go along with private screened in house pool...oh, wait.

This is the thing my kids (who have 3 community pools in our sub-division) hate - occasionally having a pool to themselves, where they can jump in during any window of free time that exceeds 7 minutes.

They also hate that their grandfather, who refuses to wear shorts in public (don't ask me why), and their grandmother, who refuses to get in a public swimming pool (for reasons a bit more obvious), get in the private pool almost everyday. (Yes, gandpa wears shorts in pool! Nobody swims nekkid!)

They also hate "chicken fights," jumping off my shoulders/being thrown, hot-tubbing at 10.



The one in the converted 2-car garage? With foosball, billiards and Pop-a-Shot? Or the x-Box hooked up to the 55" HD on the wall?



Didn't a bus idling 3 feet from your front door bother you? What about stopping at everyone else's front door?



I hate that they no longer allow off-siters on the monorail. We still manage to park valet at Contemporary for Chef Mickey and ride monorail - employees keep forgetting to ask me where we're staying. We sneak onto "Resort" monorail at night, but don't tell anyone.



We've found that the sun sets in Orlando in the evening. Wife keeps wanting me to turn on AC with 3 climate zones so the kids and grandparents will be comfortable while enjoying beverages from the cooler, and playing with iPad and DVD, but I refuse.

The downside is that sometimes I run out of excuses for not staying on the precise route home, which leads to occasionally stopping for ice cream on the way home.



My kids are always asking, "Can't we eat chicken fingers just one more time? The resort chicken fingers are waaaay different than the ones at the park!"



You got me there. Those Disney fridges are virtual beverage caves! My fear is that I'd have too much cold stuff!



I'm with you on this one. I mean, who wouldn't prefer dried out swimmers to fresh outta the dryer swimmers? But my naggy wife insists it's better to pack 1/2 as much instead of twice as much.

And if that isn't enough, what the heck and I supposed to do with all this extra $$$ ?!?

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I LOVE IT!!

I'll buy you a beer if your are not staying at Disney Nov 6th-16th!

 

[magicbob]

So... how about that standby-less test at TSMM?

Discuss.

 

[cakebaker]

So... how about that standby-less test at TSMM?

Discuss.

I think it ended yesterday- could've been longer than that. Time flies when you're having fun.

 

[faneuil]

I like living 8 miles away from the magic. Cause honestly, for me, nothing beats my own bed.

Where do I fit in to this debate?

When I did visit as a tourist, I loved being onsite. I liked the Cabins at Fort Wilderness the best. Boat to MK!

 

[famy27]

I must have missed something. Why are we talking about onsite v. offsite stays? Did something new about FP+ only occur that impacts offsiters, or is this a digression ?

(I've done both, but now it's onsite only for me. DVC units eliminate many of the onsite issues. Luckily, we've been able to get two-bedrooms for the cost of values, so it's kind of a no-brainer for us. Digression over)

 

[grimley1968]

So... how about that standby-less test at TSMM?

Discuss.

I thought the sucker punch nature of it stunk, but would be okay with it if there was adequate notice given. My thoughts on FP+, onsite versus offsite, the Cincinnati Bungles, driving versus using Disney transport, Roy versus Walt, Ford versus GM, Coke versus Pepsi, why Mickey has one dog as a pet and one dog as a peer, etc. are less clear.

Staying onsite means smaller rooms than offsite, but easier access to The Magic of Standby-Less Tests.

This thread got so close, so close, to finally dying. But it's still a chuggin', chuggin', chuggin' along. Go thread, go thread, go thread!

I got one sentence on topic that time.