The $6,688.00 Disney World Trip - It's a wrap 6/30, Has it really been a year? 3/2 Link to new TR 4/18

Great update!

I agree our ToT is much better as GoTG! I do miss ToT though; the I love the theme.

The ride in DCA was just not nearly as good at the one in DHS, but Guardians is a whole lot of fun!

Fun seeing Ellen, she's so sweet!

Dinner looked good, sorry the shrimp was a disappointment.

Ellen made us forget that the shrimp was overcooked!

Cute Marie band!

Thanks! I love my Marie band!

The Skyliner looks a little scary to me. Cute selfie!

It is scary, especially when you are in there all by yourself. I got over it, but every time we came back to the depot, I held my breath.

We like Tony's too! The few times we have gone with the kids we ate there and had good food and service each time. Does it still get a bad rap?

Did it get a bad rap? I thought it was nice. We only ate there once though.
 
It wasn't until around 9AM that I woke up
What????
It was still 6AM on my body clock
Ah! Okay. That's more like it.
Since we were staying a while I always like to unpack and put things in the closet and drawers and such. If we are staying 4 nights or longer I don't want to live out of a suitcase.
::yes::
I'll unpack if I'm staying more than one night.
While I was unpacking there was a knock on the door. It was housekeeping and they wanted to come in and change the towels or do something. I thought that was odd since we don’t get trash and towel service until the 3rd or 4th day of the stay. She seemed adamant about doing it, and I told her that she could come back after noon. I hoped we would be gone by then since our FP opened at 12:25PM.
Um.... hello? It's morning?? Go away.
Fran had pulled the covers back over her head so I knew she wasn't ready to get up yet.
Yes, I would think that would be a pretty good sign.
I was lucky enough to have a friend pick it up for me and then through the friend of a friend network it was delivered just a week before my trip.
Nice. :) Good to have friends who can help out. :)
Fran said she didn't care what we did, or if we even went there. Ugh, I hope I can get her out of this funk.
Uh, oh...

:hug:
So I opened up the app and looked for what was available for tonight and lo and behold there was an 8:20 reservation available, so I snagged it and canceled the Monday night one.
Yuss! Score!
I just made some bacon, the pastry we got the night before, and V8 juice on the side.
Nope! I could not drink V8 with pastry. That's a hard no for me.
She was pretty sure the water had never been hooked up, but to fix it she would need a work order. She had me call the front desk and within moments she was back to fix it (she just waited in the hall).
Wow! That's a very good maintenance person!
We took down her name so that we could give her a good word, that helps CMs a lot.
How?
I mean how does it help, not how to do it.
While many of you might think this is cool. I'm still a little traumatized that it's first accident happened the first day on my arrival of the last trip.
I know. But... they really are very safe.
Plus the fact that Fran and I have to ride in separate cars and several cars apart. Only one scooter can travel in the gondola.
Oh.

:(
I'm sorry. I didn't think of that. For some reason, I guess I just assumed you'd both be in the same car, but of course not. :sad2:
Sorry for my being obtuse.
Here is me being brave taking a selfie in my solo car.
:hug:
Once we finished our leg from the Riviera, we had to transfer to another line for the Studios.
How bad was that? Or wasn't it too bad?
We arrived at DHS without incident and I was only slightly traumatized waiting for Fran's car to arrive.
Awww... poor Alison. :(
we headed to our first FP which was Star Tours. They had all new scenes, at least to me! It was very cool!
Oh! Maybe I need to ride this again. I've been happy to skip it lately.
I was scared off by the fact that the single rider line could be as long as the standby line sign.
Really! Huh!
Rosie's American Grill won with the Chili Cheese Dog
How was that?
Fran won't use those little yellow corn ear holders that we have at home, but she said she would use these.
Why?
We decided to head to Disney Springs and Jock Lindsey's Hangar Bar.
Great place. I like it there. :)
While the skyliner might be cool, it's kinda lonely riding a by yourself. Even if we don't talk to each other on the busses, the fact that we are in a space together is calming.
Yeah... I can see that.
Serious suggestion... If you think you'll be riding it more (Like if you know you'll be staying at the same resort in the future), maybe invest in a couple of two way radios? Stash them in your purses (or a locker) when you get to the end terminal?
Of course if you have two phones with good voice plans, then just do that.
But maybe that would help you feel less lonely? You could talk. Point out things. Just be reassured.
When we got to the bus stop there were already two scooters waiting. At 3:52 a bus pulled up and they boarded. The driver said he would send another bus our way. Sure enough at 3:59 another bus to DS was pulling up!
Nice!
We missed getting to sit in the diving bell by less than a minute.
Well... poop! That thing looks fun. :)
I ordered the Fountain of Youth, cause it was a blue drink.
:laughing: Of course!
When they bring you the collectible mug, the waitress told her to give him a name and feed him twice a day.
:laughing: Did you? Do you???
Our waitress told us fun stories about some of the stuff on the walls, the only thing I remember was the coin that got seared into one of the bad guy's hands was on a wall somewhere.
Reallly!!! The real one? How cool is that!
The room has all kinds of neat stuff going on, we were seated near this ancient ice making machine. It would bubble, make some noise, and then it put out one of those cool sphere ice cubes like they serve at 1901.
Cool!

Um... sure, what the heck. Pun intended!
I swear for this day we had @pkondz's bus pass cause the moment we pulled up at the bus stop, I turned around to see a Riviera bus pulling up to take us home.
You're welcome to borrow it any time.
We took the elevator two floors up, and Fran asked, "Where do we go?" And as soon as we got out of the elevator she said, "Oh, it's just like the Fantasy." Tell me if you understand that reference cause I had the exact same thought!
No clue. Cruise virgin here. (But not for too much longer!)
As soon as she saw us, she jumped out of her chair, came running over giving us big hugs, and saying, "Oh my god! I haven't seen you in forever," and all sorts of other nice things.
Awwww! :goodvibes
They brought us bread and oil with balsamic while we perused the menu.
Did you have to request the balsamic again?
While we were waiting, the fireworks at Epcot went off. They gave us some notice to go out on the terrace so we could watch them.
Nice. :)
 
Yup, my mom and I were there at the same time! It was quite a trip, it was my mom's first adventure with a scooter and my first adventure trying to play road block to make sure she has room to move. The Saturday before we left at Epcot was tough.

Yeah, that's a good way to explain it. Road block. People are so rude and just jump right in front, or cut in front of scooters.

Do you mean the Saturday after you saw us at B&C? We were there that day too and we left it was so bad.

I never lock my suitcases either. I figure there is a set key that will unlock them all so if someone really wants to steal from it they will find a way. I've never had an issue and don't typically get searched, but I fly out of PHL and I'm sure they aren't as meticulous as LAX.

I figure only some people have that key, so at least it keeps out the people who don't have that key.
 
Bravo! What a nice community.

DIS folks rock! Well, maybe not all of them were on the DIS.

I love blue drinks. My kids don't understand it, but there's something extra special about a blue drink. I just ordered one a few days ago at Craftsman and was told that there weren't any blue drinks on the menu, but my waiter offered to get me a Blue Hawaii. He said he had to walk the bartender through how to make it, but woot! I got my blue drink.

I can't believe that they don't have a blue drink on the menu. Don't all the bars at DL pretty much have the same menu? I could have sworn there was a blue drink on all the menus. I think I've had it.
 


Yeah, that's a good way to explain it. Road block. People are so rude and just jump right in front, or cut in front of scooters.

Do you mean the Saturday after you saw us at B&C? We were there that day too and we left it was so bad.

I figure only some people have that key, so at least it keeps out the people who don't have that key.
Yup, that Saturday. We had a late breakfast at Garden Grill then had a FP for Frozen and that was enough for the day. I LOVE the festival of the arts, but the downside of all those artist tents is that it made getting around on such a crowded day even more difficult. My mom was stressed trying to navigate the crowds and I was feeling claustrophobic too so we just went back to the boardwalk early to wait for scooter pickup and DME.

Most of my souvenirs other than clothes go in my carryon. And if they are in my suitcase they are usually something breakable so I put them in between the clothes in my laundry bag. I’m sure that inadvertently provides a bit of a deterrent as well!

I’d love to hear what you thought of the loading and unloading process of the skyliner with a scooter at Rivera. I know the at the other stations they pull cars off the main line, but since they can’t do that there we opted not to bring scooter when we went to visit the resort though it would’ve been nice to have.
 
On that trip, she didn’t get to do exactly what she wanted to do, you might remember that she feigned illness to go back to the room, and then I GPS tracked her all over Epcot shopping and “doing her thing.”
I saw the title of your TR and decided to read it. This made me actually laugh out loud and I have decided Fran is my new favorite person! Love it! Can't wait to read the rest of the TR!
 
:welcome:

Hi!! I feel like I've known you and Fran forever. I've been reading your TR's for a long time now, but never commented before. My interest began due to Fran's scooter and how she negotiates the World and DCL with it. I'm amazed that she goes off by herself (especially on the ships). How does she get on and off the elevators and in and out of doors by herself on the scooter?

I'm glad that our escapades were able to inspire you! She's never been one to let anyone restrict her from doing things she wants. I asked her how she navigated the elevators and she said,

"Quickly!" :laughing:

It's actually not that difficult as long as you realize that you may have some elevator doors close on you, but at least they open back up!

I bought a Pride Victory10 shortly after reading the first TR of yours that I had discovered. Needless to say your adventures took away alot of the fears I had about owning my own. We usually drive from South Jersey so it travels with us in the SUV. I missed what happened after Fran's Scooter died and you had to dispose of it at OKW.. Did she get a new one?

Is the Victory a model that disassembles into pieces for travel?

She's used my scooter for a couple months while she searched Craigslist. Eventually she found one that a woman had purchased for her husband who never got out of the hospital. The battery was dead, but other than that it was brand new and the same model for about 1/3 the price.

Also, I'm a long time Band Parent. My daughter marched in high School as a clarinet player, but transitioned to the Colorguard during College and eventually marched with an International World Class Colorguard in WGI. I admire anyone who can play an instrument and move along at the same time - KUDOS to you!

Kudos to you for being a band parent. A lot of them work really hard! I prefer playing while sitting over standing or marching.

Well, Nice to "meet" you and Fran! Loving the trip reports!

Dot

Nice to meet you too, Dot!
 


Yey! another Franandaj trip report! Love them.

:welcome:

After a long Hiatus we are 90% likely to be heading back to WDW this year so lapping up all the details, especially everything that has changed since we were last there (Magic Kingdom was 2012 and the others 2009 :sad2:).

Congratulations! That's a long time to go without visiting! Kind of like us before we bought DVC!

Although I am also trying to persuade my husband on a California or Paris related Disney trip first 🤞😉

If you come to CA, I can come out and meet you!

Thanks for taking the time to do these, I really enjoy them :flower:

Thanks for reading and commenting! :)
 
I'm here, just lurking away and enjoying all of yours and Fran's trips... As you can tell, I've been on the Dis boards a long time, I just don't post much... I'll try to do better..

:welcome:

It's just so much more fun when folks comment on the updates and I know people are actually following along!

Your Marie magic band is adorable!!! :love:

That's why I had to have it!
 
I meant we paid cash to rent a room, so it has nothing to do with DVC points. If you wanted a room there, Disney has them available in the regular hotel website. Sorry for the confusion.

Thank you for clarifying. It seems they might be doing a lot of that in hopes of selling more DVC.
 
I'm so glad you liked the Marie band...I thought it was super cute. Happy my friends were able to find it and always happy to deliver in person to you!

Jock Lindsay's looks like so much fun...We should put that on the list of places to go for the big 50th trip. Your dinner looked great too...too bad about the overcooked shrimp. Seeing Ellen and Brook would be the highlight though! I spent a memorable Cinco de Drinko with Ellen and I would love to meet Brook IRL.

Jill in CO
 
there was some speculation as to Disney's motives in changing our plans. It was Michael @Flosbolna's husband who echoed my thoughts.

Ohh you guys are clever! I was just like 'wow! kinda cool!"

I'm pretty sure he couldn't find our reservation in his little iPad so he brought us inside where we waited in a virtual queue for someone to help us.

ahhh ohhhh- warning flag...

because I'm sure the ones that were supposed to be waiting for us at our hotel were sitting at SSR getting lonely.

I'm guessing they issue new bands with each stay?


I think I like it! That's a lot of cupboards- is there much in them?

The living room area was very nice.


Nice! Was it comfy?

There is a white cat which alludes to being Marie and the cat in the Grammaphone alludes to Berlioz. Also notice the hidden Mickey in the wrought iron. I thought that was a nice touch!

Very suitable for you two!
Nice hidden mickey!

was so happy to still have a tub with bubbles!


Yay, glad it was a decent tub still.

Disney says they are being environmentally conscious and that’s why they are doing it…..

Sure Disney, sure...

collapsible laundry basket! So cool!

I have a couple these- they are handy indeed!

one thing I griped about was laundry, how sometimes it didn't dry and how the stupid machine-in-one washer/dryer didn't work.
I never mentioned the four loads of laundry I ended up doing throughout the week, because they were a non-issue.

Glad it was a non-issue, you've def had some annoying issues

It wasn’t very hard to find one, the hardest choice was which one to pick.

Geez! Pretty empty indeed!

I got a can of wine.


Wine in a can is very handy sometimes...

They were cold, needed salt and just generally disappointing. We weren't going to complain though. We rarely do over stuff like this, sometimes it's just too much work to complain.

If it's something I really want to eat, or am still hungry, I generally complain, in this situation I'd be meh too.


Is that a salt/pepper shaker beside your mug?
 
Is the Victory a model that disassembles into pieces for travel?

Yes, it disassembles for travel. I needed a heavy duty one, so even broken apart the back wheel assembly is pretty heavy. The other thing that is a drawback is the scooter has to be assembled to charge it. I had a smaller DRIVE scooter before (long story) that the battery was in a case and could charge separately. That was great, and this is a pain but we deal with it. Otherwise its a great scooter, never a worry about it not being powerful enough.
 
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2 updates already?! Good thing it's my monday!

I was getting worried if you would make it here before I got too far along.

Holy Cow!! You've done loads already!
Ok, I just took a break and got up to part 1 of the first post...

Hopefully you'll get caught up before I post Day 3!

do remember this! :lmao:

She did it again this trip, but I forgot to track her! :laughing:

I gotta get back to WDW just to try the marshmallow ones!

I wish they had the marshmallow swirls at DL.

We realllyyy gotta try TS's too!

Next time you come, it needs to be an adult trip and we'll go!

Man it was hard waiting til Dec for our last trip...

I'm sure we will go before October 2021, but it's hard not knowing when that will be.

Need that Strawberry Soup!

I should make some when it warms up. Right now we have Clam Chowder and chili in the fridge.

Lol! Is that the peanut butter one?

No. It was caramel. I'd have to look it up on the TR to figure it out.

I love this "tickled pink" pic of Fran!

She is just so pleased with her hatbox ghost! :laughing:

Is it any good?

It's called Capzasin. It's active ingredient is Capsaicin which is a kind of pepper. She didn't seem to think it was that effective. She only had me put it on once.

I actually laughed out loud at this! Good thing I have my own office!!

That's funny!

I always like to do that

It beats fumbling around in the closet at dark o'thirty.

Wowzas! When we left in Dec, our driver totally took us to the wrong one..rather annoying!

That's why I don't like "drivers" especially ones who don't know where they're going.

Wowzas again! Busy? Or just the distance?

Busy. The drive should have taken 5 maybe 10 minutes without traffic. It was stopped the whole way from before where we enter the airport.

That sounds just wonderful

I'm still sad about that. :sad:

Box cutters and plastic knives...

She's one tough broad!

I have a secret love of bologna lunchables..weird hey? I rarely get to a store other than Costco, but if I do, and I'm hungry, bologna lunchables it is!

Huh. I've never seen bologna lunchables. I like my bologna sandwiches with potato chips. Reminds me of childhood.

Oreos?! Yum! Ours have Kit Kats!

I think I'd rather have Kit Kats.

You're pretty close to the beach!

My old house was even closer. There's no beach near our house. All the waterfront is Marina and docks or waterfront dining.

That looks pretty good, but Chinese food is funny that way- can look good but not be...

The Orange Chicken part wasn't bad. We ate most of that. The noodles just had a strange seasoning.
 
She's used my scooter for a couple months while she searched Craigslist. Eventually she found one that a woman had purchased for her husband who never got out of the hospital. The battery was dead, but other than that it was brand new and the same model for about 1/3 the price.

I assume California has Goodwill stores. Here in NJ Goodwill has a division for medical equipment. They have a warehouse sale in the medical division every so often and put thousands of new and used medical equipment pieces on sale at a very discounted price. Everything from hospital beds, walkers, crutches, wheelchairs, canes, blood pressure monitors, and scooters. I was able to buy a brand new never used scooter for a third the price of what a new one would have cost - $400. I ended up selling it for what I paid because it wasn't powerful enough.
 
Next time you come, it needs to be an adult trip and we'll go!

Fingers crossed!

I'm sure we will go before October 2021, but it's hard not knowing when that will be.

I bet, that does seem very very far...

I should make some when it warms up. Right now we have Clam Chowder and chili in the fridge.

Mmm chili..I went to make it the other day as I cooked off a load of ground beef (and prob some ground pork too, can't remember) the other day for taco meat, spag sauce, and chili but couldn't make the chili as realized I had no chili powder or kidney beans...

Huh. I've never seen bologna lunchables. I like my bologna sandwiches with potato chips. Reminds me of childhood.

Yup they have them here too, reminds me of childhood too, bologna was the only lunch meat we had, and that was only when it was on sale. Otherwise it was peanut butter sammies.
 
Yes, @franandaj Tony's used to get hammered on the boards. I was planning our first trip in like 2007 I think and was hesitant to try but we really liked it. Good food and good service. Is it 5 star? Nope but I am not eating Italian in MK expecting it to be. :dogdance:
 

I'm sorry. But you'll just have to wait for the next update.....

Oh! I had no idea. I just figured it was the anniversary of the purchase.

That would get too confusing especially with resale.

Well... If I do, it'll literally (figuratively speaking) a whirlwind tour. Like... fly down one day. Stay a day, two at the most, fly back.

That doesnt sound fun. Especially with the hassles you have to get there.

I'm totally okay with that.


:rolleyes:

:duck:

Actually, I'm OK with it too, just the friends that we were having dinner with that night wouldn't have been able to find much to each at that Brunch. But that's a few days away.

Ice cream and nap? Sure!

:cat:

Really! I liked the old layout... hope I'll like the new one.

You'll see in a few updates. I have a feeling you won't. If it was the charm of the little place you liked. They definitely did not retain that. On the other hand you can get a table there now!

Uh, oh... foreshadowing...

Well not really. I generally don't talk too much about getting home. Let's just say that the suitcase they searched on the way home didnt even get it's lock back on or a zip tie like they did on the way there when they couldn't get the lock back on. :sad2:

:laughing:

but okay... I don't have PreCheck, so that would make a huge difference for me.

Then again you take a taxi to the airport and dont need to go to the remote lot and back. I'm sure you'd be fine.

Uh... I was under the impression that it was a pain at first... but after you got used to the idea, you liked it?

Well the room was spacious, but you'll see as things unfold over the week.

Huh.
Actually hoping to finally see the Grand Canyon this summer... but I have my doubts. Ask me why in an email or PM if you wish. I won't share on an open forum.

OK!

I know it's not "elbow room" per se... but just needing/wanting the space. I get that. Sorry about the Seattle leg, though. That sounds... very unpleasant. :(

That was the last time we flew with only one seat, or in normal seats.

My trips used to be years, even a decade apart. So bringing an old band wouldn't have been an option.

We finally surrendered all of our old version 1.0 MBs to the hotel desk upon leaving this trip. The batteries didn't work or they lost their programming.

I saw you post that earlier. :)

Wasn't sure if you read the chatter.

You'll never run out!

If I used them. :sad2:

Perhaps... can you donate them?

I would in a heartbeat, but she would have a fit.

Nope. I had young kids. "Oh, look... she dumped her cheerios... Good thing we have maid service!"

But with DVC, you only get it on the 7th day....

Ah!
I don't see why not... just never seen them before.

I actually keep a couple cans in the fridge. Some aren't bad.

Figured as much. Good job, though. :)

I have some more coming up, let's see if you can spot them!
 
Yes, @franandaj Tony's used to get hammered on the boards. I was planning our first trip in like 2007 I think and was hesitant to try but we really liked it. Good food and good service. Is it 5 star? Nope but I am not eating Italian in MK expecting it to be. :dogdance:

We tried Tony's on our first trip in 2011 because of your review and we liked it.
 
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I'm sorry. But you'll just have to wait for the next update.....
Oh yeah? Well, maybe I'll just keep reading! So there!
That would get too confusing especially with resale.
Huh. If you say so. I really have no idea.
That doesnt sound fun. Especially with the hassles you have to get there.
Nah. If it's a quickie, then I only have a carry-on. Makes it quicker at customs.
You'll see in a few updates.
popcorn::
I have a feeling you won't
oh...
If it was the charm of the little place you liked. They definitely did not retain that. On the other hand you can get a table there now!
Too bad. I did like the charm. And... I never really had trouble getting a table.
Let's just say that the suitcase they searched on the way home didnt even get it's lock back on or a zip tie like they did on the way there when they couldn't get the lock back on. :sad2:
:sad2:
Then again you take a taxi to the airport and dont need to go to the remote lot and back. I'm sure you'd be fine.
This is true.
Well the room was spacious, but you'll see as things unfold over the week.
Uh, oh...
I would in a heartbeat, but she would have a fit.
well... poop. Do it and "forget" to mention it? Does she actually check the stash?
No. Nevermind… that wouldn't be very honest.
But with DVC, you only get it on the 7th day....
Ohhhh… right.
I have some more coming up, let's see if you can spot them!
Okay! :)
 

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