Geomom
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- May 17, 2010
A bit about us:
Travelling: DH (46), me (43), DD 13, DD 9
Disney trip dates: 10/11/13-10/14/13
Own at OKW--got BWV pool/garden view by waitlisting!
Celebrating our 20 yr. anniversary!
We have the Premium AP from that great discount last year!
Third trip this year--first time ever for doing 3 trips in a year.
Before the trip: 10/2/13: Our actual anniversary...we finally told the kids about this trip. I had a gift bag with new Disney theme shirts for all of us, the Magicbands, and the itinerary. Gave the bag to the kids to open. DD13 reads the itinerary and is all excited. DD9 looks at it and goes 'Again? I just want to relax that weekend.' (Not to worry...she came around, she just doesn't like flying.) Both kids love their Magicbands--I customized them with their favorite colors. Kids will miss 1 day of school.
Thursday 10/10/13: Kids go to bed in their Friday clothes as we have a 6:45AM flight the next morning. We pack DD13's 8th grade homework...what a lot of work for 1 missed day!
****************
Day 1:
Friday 10/11/13: DH and I got up at 4AM to shower/get dressed. Woke kids up at 4:20AM and threw sweatshirts on them...it's 47F outside. Get going by 4:30AM. 1/2 hr drive to the airport in Manchester, NH. Check our luggage with Southwest and encounter the biggest line we've ever seen for security here...but it only takes 15 minutes to get through. Grab some breakfast from Dunkin Donuts and board Southwest. We had one of the 'fun' flight crews--the kind that reminds me why I love flying Southwest. Uneventful flight. DD 13 works on her homework. We land in Orlando 27 minutes early--and the crew reminds us to tell our friends this...since they know we'd tell them if we arrived 5 minutes late! At the airport, kids and I change into shorts. DH has been wearing shorts since he got up at 4AM. We all put on our Magicbands and head to Disney's Magical Express. Our Magicbands work! They scan them and we're put in line, then put on a bus. Boardwalk is the second stop. There is a greeter who meets us as we walk in, she takes our info, we sit in the lobby and she brings us our packet. We get anniversary buttons. Even better--our room is ready and it's only 11AM! Fantastic! We're in a dedicated studio on the 5th floor. (I like to passively make requests...just to see where we end up--when I did online checkin I had clicked 'near elevator' and 'high floor'.) That's what we got--2 rooms away from the elevator, top floor. Pool view. Wow, the dedicated studio has more room than the other studios! First time in a dedicated. We had a 'day bed'...really more like a big bench seat. Maybe a 3-5 year old would be able to sleep there, but that's about it...and you'd need something to keep them from falling off it at night. We enjoyed having it as extra seating. After exploring our room, we left our carry on bags there and headed to the Food and Wine Festival for lunch! Gorgeous weather--mid 80's and sunny! Walking down the boardwalk, I realized how much I missed staying here! I just love the way the boardwalk feels. Our Magicbands worked as tickets as well--really enjoying these! We grabbed a festival guide and Food and Wine passports--one for each kid and one for DH and I to share.
Lunch!
DD9: Greece: Spanakopita. Spanakopita is her favorite food--she loved this version!
DD13: Scotland: Seared Scottich Salmon with Cauliflower Puree, Watercress & Malt Vinegar. She loved it!
DH and I: Greece: Griddled Greek Cheese with pistachios and honey--I found it a little too oily and rather salty. Everyone tried a bite of it.
Scotland: Vegetarian Haggis with Neeps & Tatties. This was really yummy, much better than I expected. DD13 tried it and liked it as well.
Drinks:
DH--Scotland--Innis & Gunn Original beer--came in a plastic Festival keepsake glass.
Me--Desserts and Champagne--Moet & Chandon Nectar Imperial AND Moet & Chandon Ice Imperial. The Nectar was sweeter than the Ice...I should have had the Ice first with lunch foods and the Nectar with dessert.
Desserts:
Desserts and Champagne--we ordered 2 dessert trios--kids split one trio, adults the other. Trio consisted of Chocolate Orange Cupcake--very yummy--everyone liked it! Hazelnut Chocolate Cheesecake--another winner! Morello Cherry Pistachio Mousse--mixed reactions on this one--top layer was like cherry flavored jello...no one liked that layer. Middle layer was the pistachio mousse and that was good. Bottom layer had chunks of cherries and was pretty good...not sure it went with the pistachio though...
12:15Pm and 3 kiosks down! We decide to visit the Festival Center for the first time ever. Pass the Ocean Spray Cranberry bog on our way and get 4 free packs of Craisins. Yum! Walk around the festival center and check out what is going on...a tasting seminar is just getting out...hmmm...we need to try to get into this one later today if we have time. We stop at the Ghirardelli Chocolate Experience--everyone gets a free milk chocolate caramel square...and DH and I get extra for celebrating our anniversary. Yes!
We all ogle the chocolate sculptures...and then get sucked into buying chocolate. We got the fill your own tin for $12, some bars we'd never seen, and a Chocolate cookbook that DD13 wanted. We still have plenty of time before our first fastpass+, so we go on Spaceship Earth (I ride with DD13 who presses Deutsch as the language choice (this is her second year of German at school)...luckily I've been on this ride often enough to know what's going on), then we go on the Land ride...where I'm reminded that 'one' of these trips we really need to do the Behind the Seeds tour. When we get off the Land it's time for our 'Soarin' fastpass+. (I'm really really loving these Magicbands now!)
We stop at the Cool Spot and get some free 'world' soda to quench our thirst, then head back over the Festival Center at 3:30PM where we stand in line for the 4PM free tasting seminar--for Kerrygold Butter.
DD9 is ecstatic...she LOVES butter. They pass out tickets at 3:45PM--yay we got there early enough to get tickets! We sit right up front. 2 men from Ireland talk about Kerrygold, then lead us through tasting 4 types of butter--unsalted, spreadable, garlic and herb, and salted. We taste it plain and on crackers, then taste a shortbread cookie made with kerrygold butter. We all receive Kerrygold branded pens, plastic measuring spoons, and a coupon for a free kerrygold product. ***This tasting was so much fun--if anyone is at the food and wine festival while the Authentic tasting seminars are taking place--go to one, just make sure you're there at least 30 minutes early.***
Now it's time for our second fastpass+--Test Track. DD9 is worried about this ride. She went on it last trip and loved it...but she doesn't remember that...and yes, she went on it this trip and loved it. Silly girl.
We decide to just skip our third fastpass of Mission Space and go get dinner instead.
Dinner (spaced out over 2hrs):
DD9: Argentina--Beef Empanada; China--Mango Silk Ice Cream Ribbon
DD13: Argentina--Grilled Beef Skewer with Chimichurri Sauce & Boniato Puree; Singapore--Seared Mahi Mahi with Jasmine Rice & Singa Sauce; China--Mongolian Beef in a Steamed Bun (It tasted good, but it was not how we expected it to look...it was more like a Chinese taco--the thin bun was folded in half like a tortilla with beef wrapped inside it.)
DH and I: Argentina--Grilled Beef Skewer with Chimichurri Sauce & Boniato Puree (yummy); Mexico--Taco de Rib-Eye with Salsa de Chipotle (spicy); Singapore--Lemongrass Chicken Curry with Coconut & Jasmine Rice (spicy)
Drinks (spaced out over 2 hrs):
DH: Mexico--Tequila Flight
Me: Argentina--Terrazas Reserva Malbec
Adults shared: Singapore--Singapore Sling--yummy but strong; China--Kung Fu Punch--tasty.
We stopped in Mexico to do the boat ride, stopped in Germany to visit the Karamel shop, and started heading to the International Gateway to go back to the Boardwalk. Park is getting much more crowded...especially near any beer kiosks, everyone is tired from getting up at 4AM, and DD9 is begging to go to the pool. Stop at the Boardwalk Bakery to get breakfast pastries. We're back to the room by 8:15PM. Hit the Boardwalk pool...which is surprisingly cold to us. Stay for an hour plus, then go to bed. Everyone is asleep by 9:45PM. DH and I are SO glad we didn't try to do the Halloween Party--it wouldn't have been worth it.
End of Day One--we hit 7 kiosks today...only 23 to go...
Travelling: DH (46), me (43), DD 13, DD 9
Disney trip dates: 10/11/13-10/14/13
Own at OKW--got BWV pool/garden view by waitlisting!
Celebrating our 20 yr. anniversary!
We have the Premium AP from that great discount last year!
Third trip this year--first time ever for doing 3 trips in a year.
Before the trip: 10/2/13: Our actual anniversary...we finally told the kids about this trip. I had a gift bag with new Disney theme shirts for all of us, the Magicbands, and the itinerary. Gave the bag to the kids to open. DD13 reads the itinerary and is all excited. DD9 looks at it and goes 'Again? I just want to relax that weekend.' (Not to worry...she came around, she just doesn't like flying.) Both kids love their Magicbands--I customized them with their favorite colors. Kids will miss 1 day of school.
Thursday 10/10/13: Kids go to bed in their Friday clothes as we have a 6:45AM flight the next morning. We pack DD13's 8th grade homework...what a lot of work for 1 missed day!
****************
Day 1:
Friday 10/11/13: DH and I got up at 4AM to shower/get dressed. Woke kids up at 4:20AM and threw sweatshirts on them...it's 47F outside. Get going by 4:30AM. 1/2 hr drive to the airport in Manchester, NH. Check our luggage with Southwest and encounter the biggest line we've ever seen for security here...but it only takes 15 minutes to get through. Grab some breakfast from Dunkin Donuts and board Southwest. We had one of the 'fun' flight crews--the kind that reminds me why I love flying Southwest. Uneventful flight. DD 13 works on her homework. We land in Orlando 27 minutes early--and the crew reminds us to tell our friends this...since they know we'd tell them if we arrived 5 minutes late! At the airport, kids and I change into shorts. DH has been wearing shorts since he got up at 4AM. We all put on our Magicbands and head to Disney's Magical Express. Our Magicbands work! They scan them and we're put in line, then put on a bus. Boardwalk is the second stop. There is a greeter who meets us as we walk in, she takes our info, we sit in the lobby and she brings us our packet. We get anniversary buttons. Even better--our room is ready and it's only 11AM! Fantastic! We're in a dedicated studio on the 5th floor. (I like to passively make requests...just to see where we end up--when I did online checkin I had clicked 'near elevator' and 'high floor'.) That's what we got--2 rooms away from the elevator, top floor. Pool view. Wow, the dedicated studio has more room than the other studios! First time in a dedicated. We had a 'day bed'...really more like a big bench seat. Maybe a 3-5 year old would be able to sleep there, but that's about it...and you'd need something to keep them from falling off it at night. We enjoyed having it as extra seating. After exploring our room, we left our carry on bags there and headed to the Food and Wine Festival for lunch! Gorgeous weather--mid 80's and sunny! Walking down the boardwalk, I realized how much I missed staying here! I just love the way the boardwalk feels. Our Magicbands worked as tickets as well--really enjoying these! We grabbed a festival guide and Food and Wine passports--one for each kid and one for DH and I to share.
Lunch!
DD9: Greece: Spanakopita. Spanakopita is her favorite food--she loved this version!
DD13: Scotland: Seared Scottich Salmon with Cauliflower Puree, Watercress & Malt Vinegar. She loved it!
DH and I: Greece: Griddled Greek Cheese with pistachios and honey--I found it a little too oily and rather salty. Everyone tried a bite of it.
Scotland: Vegetarian Haggis with Neeps & Tatties. This was really yummy, much better than I expected. DD13 tried it and liked it as well.
Drinks:
DH--Scotland--Innis & Gunn Original beer--came in a plastic Festival keepsake glass.
Me--Desserts and Champagne--Moet & Chandon Nectar Imperial AND Moet & Chandon Ice Imperial. The Nectar was sweeter than the Ice...I should have had the Ice first with lunch foods and the Nectar with dessert.
Desserts:
Desserts and Champagne--we ordered 2 dessert trios--kids split one trio, adults the other. Trio consisted of Chocolate Orange Cupcake--very yummy--everyone liked it! Hazelnut Chocolate Cheesecake--another winner! Morello Cherry Pistachio Mousse--mixed reactions on this one--top layer was like cherry flavored jello...no one liked that layer. Middle layer was the pistachio mousse and that was good. Bottom layer had chunks of cherries and was pretty good...not sure it went with the pistachio though...
12:15Pm and 3 kiosks down! We decide to visit the Festival Center for the first time ever. Pass the Ocean Spray Cranberry bog on our way and get 4 free packs of Craisins. Yum! Walk around the festival center and check out what is going on...a tasting seminar is just getting out...hmmm...we need to try to get into this one later today if we have time. We stop at the Ghirardelli Chocolate Experience--everyone gets a free milk chocolate caramel square...and DH and I get extra for celebrating our anniversary. Yes!
We all ogle the chocolate sculptures...and then get sucked into buying chocolate. We got the fill your own tin for $12, some bars we'd never seen, and a Chocolate cookbook that DD13 wanted. We still have plenty of time before our first fastpass+, so we go on Spaceship Earth (I ride with DD13 who presses Deutsch as the language choice (this is her second year of German at school)...luckily I've been on this ride often enough to know what's going on), then we go on the Land ride...where I'm reminded that 'one' of these trips we really need to do the Behind the Seeds tour. When we get off the Land it's time for our 'Soarin' fastpass+. (I'm really really loving these Magicbands now!) We stop at the Cool Spot and get some free 'world' soda to quench our thirst, then head back over the Festival Center at 3:30PM where we stand in line for the 4PM free tasting seminar--for Kerrygold Butter.
DD9 is ecstatic...she LOVES butter. They pass out tickets at 3:45PM--yay we got there early enough to get tickets! We sit right up front. 2 men from Ireland talk about Kerrygold, then lead us through tasting 4 types of butter--unsalted, spreadable, garlic and herb, and salted. We taste it plain and on crackers, then taste a shortbread cookie made with kerrygold butter. We all receive Kerrygold branded pens, plastic measuring spoons, and a coupon for a free kerrygold product. ***This tasting was so much fun--if anyone is at the food and wine festival while the Authentic tasting seminars are taking place--go to one, just make sure you're there at least 30 minutes early.***Now it's time for our second fastpass+--Test Track. DD9 is worried about this ride. She went on it last trip and loved it...but she doesn't remember that...and yes, she went on it this trip and loved it. Silly girl.
We decide to just skip our third fastpass of Mission Space and go get dinner instead.
Dinner (spaced out over 2hrs):
DD9: Argentina--Beef Empanada; China--Mango Silk Ice Cream Ribbon
DD13: Argentina--Grilled Beef Skewer with Chimichurri Sauce & Boniato Puree; Singapore--Seared Mahi Mahi with Jasmine Rice & Singa Sauce; China--Mongolian Beef in a Steamed Bun (It tasted good, but it was not how we expected it to look...it was more like a Chinese taco--the thin bun was folded in half like a tortilla with beef wrapped inside it.)
DH and I: Argentina--Grilled Beef Skewer with Chimichurri Sauce & Boniato Puree (yummy); Mexico--Taco de Rib-Eye with Salsa de Chipotle (spicy); Singapore--Lemongrass Chicken Curry with Coconut & Jasmine Rice (spicy)
Drinks (spaced out over 2 hrs):
DH: Mexico--Tequila Flight
Me: Argentina--Terrazas Reserva Malbec
Adults shared: Singapore--Singapore Sling--yummy but strong; China--Kung Fu Punch--tasty.
We stopped in Mexico to do the boat ride, stopped in Germany to visit the Karamel shop, and started heading to the International Gateway to go back to the Boardwalk. Park is getting much more crowded...especially near any beer kiosks, everyone is tired from getting up at 4AM, and DD9 is begging to go to the pool. Stop at the Boardwalk Bakery to get breakfast pastries. We're back to the room by 8:15PM. Hit the Boardwalk pool...which is surprisingly cold to us. Stay for an hour plus, then go to bed. Everyone is asleep by 9:45PM. DH and I are SO glad we didn't try to do the Halloween Party--it wouldn't have been worth it.
End of Day One--we hit 7 kiosks today...only 23 to go...
We decide to head to the other end of the pool to avoid being squirted. Of course...the other end is the 'clown face' end...which DD9 had no problem with...until she saw its' eyes lit up! 
Oh well! Made her deal with it. I swam right up to the clown to show her there was nothing to fear. We spent a good hour at the pool, then off to bed.
Our Toy Story Mania Fastpass+ time is at 11:10AM...we get there a little early, so shop at the little Toy Story stand. DD13 is looking for something Slinky Dog related for her social studies teacher. DH finds a Slinky Dog pin that is perfect! Aha, now we know what to get ALL her teachers--pins! 
The cast member at the store mentions that the Toy Story Mania paper fastpasses were gone by 9:30AM. Yikes! Really really glad we have our Fastpass+ for this ride! We go on Toy Story Mania...then decide to get lunch before heading back to the Boardwalk--everyone is hungry and DH and I weren't excited by the pool bar choices when we saw the menu last night. 
DH took the next day off, so he can have a day to recover from...our Whirlwind Food and Wine Weekend!
