We're back from a huge trip to WDW, totaling 14 nights! We had a wonderful time, with the exception of an illness that kept us in the villa for a couple of days. Learned some important things about traveling with extended family though, that was the only downfall.
We arrived in MCO at about 11:30 pm, and since we were arriving so late we had decided to spend the first night at All Star Movies, my son (6) really wanted to see all the big characters. Magical Express worked very smoothly, no complaints there. ASMo is cute, but I can't imagine spending more than one night there. Not my cup of tea at all. I need somewhere a lot less "in your face". I can't imagine being able to wind down and relax there. We left the next morning at 10 am and boarded a bus for MGM, then transferred to a SSR bus to check into our studio.
The next three nights the four of us (dh, ds, dd, and me) stayed in a studio at SSR. We were in the Paddocks, room 5423 (?) I think. Right off the elevators on the fourth floor in the building right next to the quiet pool. It was ready at check in time (about 11am I think). I loved loved loved our stay at SSR. We had been there last year in a 1BR and had a construction view so I wasn't quite as blown away, but this time our view was of the fountain and it was so lovely at night. The studio was surprisingly roomy (we had never stayed in a studio before) but I did miss the in unit laundry. Also the freezer in those little fridges is a joke, LOL. The sofa bed was pretty comfy, a little too hard for me but apparently I could have requested an egg crate topper, I wish I would have known that earlier. I love the house salad with chicken at the Artist's Pallette, I'm actually craving one right now but I have no idea what type of dressing they use. Yum.
On Tuesday the 9th we left Saratoga and walked to Downtown Disney to board a bus for Wilderness Lodge to check into the 2BR villa since MIL/FIL/SIL and her two kids (8 and 1) would be arriving late that night. The walk through congress park was fun, the kids played on the playground for a bit and we noticed and commented on how much more grown in the vegetation/landscaping were - how pretty it was. I think I actually would prefer the other locations though, I liked the serenity at the paddocks and downtown disney is pretty loud at night.
The room at VWL wasn't ready quite yet but I was told to call back after we had eaten lunch to see, sure enough an hour later it was ready. It was room 4511, great location! We had a very nice first day there, the only thing that went wrong with the room was the dishwasher pump broke on I think day three or four, but they fixed it right away the next morning so no trouble there.
Magical Express on the way back was interesting, the bus driver made two comments about how his salary depends on tips. I've never heard any one at Disney expressly do that before. We forgot how many people there was to tip when you use shuttles/bellhops/curbside checkin/ and the luggage people at the airport. Good thing my FIL had some cash (note to self: pay back FIL)
One comment on the bus service, I much prefer it at SSR. No stops anywhere else, I really disliked that at VWL. Stopping at Ft Wilderness or Grand Floridian can add 10 minutes to a trip.
I missed the great Pacific Northwest winter storm while we were gone - have to say I'm not sorry in the least about that, the snow is completely melted now.
We arrived in MCO at about 11:30 pm, and since we were arriving so late we had decided to spend the first night at All Star Movies, my son (6) really wanted to see all the big characters. Magical Express worked very smoothly, no complaints there. ASMo is cute, but I can't imagine spending more than one night there. Not my cup of tea at all. I need somewhere a lot less "in your face". I can't imagine being able to wind down and relax there. We left the next morning at 10 am and boarded a bus for MGM, then transferred to a SSR bus to check into our studio.
The next three nights the four of us (dh, ds, dd, and me) stayed in a studio at SSR. We were in the Paddocks, room 5423 (?) I think. Right off the elevators on the fourth floor in the building right next to the quiet pool. It was ready at check in time (about 11am I think). I loved loved loved our stay at SSR. We had been there last year in a 1BR and had a construction view so I wasn't quite as blown away, but this time our view was of the fountain and it was so lovely at night. The studio was surprisingly roomy (we had never stayed in a studio before) but I did miss the in unit laundry. Also the freezer in those little fridges is a joke, LOL. The sofa bed was pretty comfy, a little too hard for me but apparently I could have requested an egg crate topper, I wish I would have known that earlier. I love the house salad with chicken at the Artist's Pallette, I'm actually craving one right now but I have no idea what type of dressing they use. Yum.
On Tuesday the 9th we left Saratoga and walked to Downtown Disney to board a bus for Wilderness Lodge to check into the 2BR villa since MIL/FIL/SIL and her two kids (8 and 1) would be arriving late that night. The walk through congress park was fun, the kids played on the playground for a bit and we noticed and commented on how much more grown in the vegetation/landscaping were - how pretty it was. I think I actually would prefer the other locations though, I liked the serenity at the paddocks and downtown disney is pretty loud at night.
The room at VWL wasn't ready quite yet but I was told to call back after we had eaten lunch to see, sure enough an hour later it was ready. It was room 4511, great location! We had a very nice first day there, the only thing that went wrong with the room was the dishwasher pump broke on I think day three or four, but they fixed it right away the next morning so no trouble there.
Magical Express on the way back was interesting, the bus driver made two comments about how his salary depends on tips. I've never heard any one at Disney expressly do that before. We forgot how many people there was to tip when you use shuttles/bellhops/curbside checkin/ and the luggage people at the airport. Good thing my FIL had some cash (note to self: pay back FIL)
One comment on the bus service, I much prefer it at SSR. No stops anywhere else, I really disliked that at VWL. Stopping at Ft Wilderness or Grand Floridian can add 10 minutes to a trip.
I missed the great Pacific Northwest winter storm while we were gone - have to say I'm not sorry in the least about that, the snow is completely melted now.
( I'm on of those folks who have to lift the lid to steam quite often myself.)
My little girl was also 
I really did enjoy the post and just hated that you felt down while being at the happiest place on EARTH!~
