[pbharris4]

Our trip was from July 24th-Aug 1st (including travel time by car). We took my MIL & FIL with us and they hadn't been there since like 1976 or something like that. We drove down in separate cars with FIL trying to keep up with us going @ 80mph. Well, FIL wanted to stop for breakfast in Richmond and then had to pee like every hour for the first 3-4 hours, which is OK, but I have a 13 month old and her "schedule" wasn't on the same track as FIL's so it seemed like we'd never get there! We stopped in Savannah, GA for the night (a very dirty Hampton Inn there..my DD's kness were black w/ dirt). We didn't get there until 6:30pm and we had left at 6:45 am. We'd lost about 3 hrs w/ all the stops. The moment I stepped out of the car in GA the humidity hit me. My glasses fogged and I knew it wasn't going to get any better. The next day we met a former employee of my DH's in Jacksonville and then we were off!

BTW, my FIL hates to drive on I-95 or any highway with more than 2 lanes let alone traffic...plus he's not used to things at fast pace..so he got a very rude awakening when we got to WDW!!!


We pulled into BW and we wanted the bellhop to take our bags & the valet to take our car (DVC members get free valet parking) and my FIL was very concerned that he wouldn't get his car back as he's never used valet service before or a bellhop. We got there about 4:30pm and the check in took FOREVER!! Last time we stayed @ BCV & it didn't take half of the time it took here. We also got our tickets to the SOA show as well. I told my DH to ask for a view upgrade (we had a 2 bdr villa through DVC) since we had a standard room view. She said it was predetermined @ booking, but we ended up on the 1st floor about 4 doors down from the health club & we walked out of our patio doors & right there was the pool & clown slide!

As far as the room goes..it was spacious. The kitchen seemed smaller than
@ BCV & it was clean, but as far as decor goes..it needs updating. It's ok, but there seems to be a lot of aqua, blues & pinks at some of the DVC resorts, but here it looks rather old. The bathroom in the studio part is pretty small compared to the 1 bdr part of the villa. The fan didn't work either so everything in the bathroom smelled mildewy-yuck..I'm also allergic.

That 1st night we went to Cape May Cafe for the Clambake-BTDT a few times before and I love it! They loved it too! We were all so tired. My 8 yr old is used to traveling. My 13 month old did pretty good, but that 2nd day & the last 1-2 hrs are rough!!!

On Monday we had breakfast @ Cape May Cafe's Character Meal (we've done this before too) everyone liked it. Our baby didn't like the characters (no surprise there-she will when she's older). We hung out @ the pool most of the afternoon. FIL started to laugh so hard @ something that his false teeth FLEW out of his mouth & into the pool!!! THAT was funny. Then we saw a woman who had all black on ..get up from the side of the pool & she had sat in a HUGE GLOB of white gum. And it was a stretchin'!!! From her butt to her calf!! If it were me who sat in gum..I would've laughed too!! I'm not making fun..it was just funny.

It's been a long, long time since I felt humidity like that..my gosh!!! Later that night we went to Fulton's Crab House @ DD. Been there before too. LOVED it once again. While we we there, of course, a T-storm hit and someone said it wasn't as bad as the usual ones. HA! I'd really hate to see those! After waiting for 45 mins. We just ran for Mickey D's through all the puddles (I had to take my shoes off because I kept losing them in all the humongous mid-calf puddles! Luckily, all the stores pretty much run into each other. My 8 yr DD is terrified of lighting/thunder since 2 months prior 2 trees fell on our house & did $40,000 worth of damage. I hope she gets over that. We made it to Ghiradelli and got some sundaes! Megs & I had a smores Sundae & DH had the Brownie Sundae. Thank goodness they don't have one of them around here! I be there every weekend!

Tuesday the inlaws stayed and slept more (they weren't used to traveling that far). We headed out to Epcot. Forget the walk, it was too hot..we took the boat. Even then..you're sweating profusely before you even get off the boat. We headed straight down to FW...what lines! We went straight to TT for fast passes. My baby at this point was tired and hot and poor DH had to go back and let her take a nap and come back later. My older DD and I went on The UoE ride. It was nice & cool. It was loud & I'm glad the baby didn't go on it as she hates loud noises. It kind of made me a little motion sickness. Those widescreen & 360 screens so it it to me everytime!

DD & I grabbed a quick bite @ the burger place there and then headed back to TT. It was a fun ride. DD enjoyed it too. I got FP's for DD & Dh for MS. We then met DH & other DD in England. We walked some, but then it was time for them to go back to MS so the baby & I shopped. We bought candy in every country except China (I couldn't find any) so my other DD could try it. So far the Japanese candy is the only one we don't like. It was just so hot & I didn't want the baby to get overheated. I even have a clip on fan for her stroller. Dh met us in Norway and it looked like another storm was brewing so we hightailed it back to the hotel & got there just in time. We didn't get to do too much @ Epcot. We did go back for Illuminations (Inlaws babysat)..what show! We've seen it from the bridge @ BC before, but it's even nicer in the park!! We had PS for Marrekesh but didn't make it because of the rain-I was bummed. I really wanted to try it!

Wednesday-we hung out went to DD, DH, DD's & I went to the outlet center & Nike store. My DH was changing the baby in the car Meghan & I waited around the building for them and there were a few women and several children waiting there against the building. This other young woman was talking on a cell (loudly) & was saying "Where is she? Where is she?" Well, about 5 seconds after that she comes up to the crowd of women & kids and starts beating & I mean beating this 7-8 yr old girl on the back. So hard it knocked her off the stroller she was messing around on. Several people looked..including a tall, well built 30ish man (who was right next to her-he should've said something (she couldn't beat him up). I should've said something. My mouth was just wide open. I couldn't believe I had witnessed something like that. That poor girl. Even though she left her mother..she didn't deserve a beating!! I felt like crying. How can people be that way to their kids?

Later, we went to the SoA. We packed everyone into my Highlander (I think my FIL was crazy scared to drive anywhere down there AND also afraid of riding the bus w/o us for extreme fear of having to ask for directions or getting lost). Anyway, we did valet because it looked like we may be hit w/ another T-storm. (We didn't know we had to pay for it-who cares it was worth it. We thought DVC members get free valet throughout WDW, but it's only Free Parking @ the Parks and Free valet @ DVC resorts.

I love the Poly. it reminds me of Hawaii. My sister lived there a few years & I was fortunate to spend 3 weeks there. It's such a relaxing atmosphere. We had been to the old show & went to this for the inlaws. Thankfully, we didn't get the rain that was forcasted (a 70% too!!!) We had seats right up front! The food was pretty good. Pretty much the same as before. I didn't care for the show as much. There was too much talking & role playing and not enough dancing and fire dancing. I thought they danced more in the old show. But it was still nice. Then we rode the monorail around and got ice cream on the BW. That place comes more alive @ night!!! They had a funny little show going on. That was fun!

Thursday was MGM day. By now we were getting used to the heat. We got one of those spray bottles w/ a fan (an ABSOLUTE MUST during the summer there) and I just stopped using makeup since it was just melting off anyway. We would just spritz everyone every so often. The in-laws did their own thing in the park that day & we met up for lunch @ 50's Prime Time. Megs & I went for the FP to ToT. Then the baby & I shopped in the nice A/C stores while Megs & DH went to see the B&B show. He also took her to see Goofy & Pluto. Then Megs & I went on the ToT. What a ride. I'm more of a roller coaster & flume ride gal, not a freefall one! Well, when I saw it falls & then comes back up & falls again, etc. I thought I could do that. As we waited in line in the "boiler room" for some reason I thought of the book The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom If you've read it..remember the beginning? I immediately changed what I was thinking since we were so close to getting on. DD was afraid @ 1st (because of creepiness) and then whoosh! She kept screaming (well we BOTH did). Her head was on my arm the whole time. Finally, @ the bottom! WHoa! We just HAD to get an I Survivied the ToT shirt! I am not going on that ride again! In fact, I started typing this last night and had to finish this a.m. and I guess because I was thinking about it, I had a nightmare about it not working and my DH was on it and then we all fell and then I woke up. (You know that nightmare where you are falling thing???? I've had them several times.)

We then met @ 50's Prime Time. It was pretty good. I didn't think there was a lot of menu choices but it wasn't bad. I'd eat here again, but it's not my fave. Then we went to PHD and no wait! Yay! McKenna LOVED that. SHe was tired of being cooped up in her stroller or the car seat and was able to sit & stand. (She's not walking just yet). FINALLY, something for her. Then we were going to do the backlot tour & as we walked past Millionaire there was no wait & we got in! McKenna was napping so DH sat outside & we went in. It was pretty neat. MIL & FIL liked this AND it was cool. (Although I felt bad McKenna was outside..I told DH to take her into a store to keep her cool)...by now it was around 3pm & we decided to leave. We went swimming again & then ate @ the Big River Grille & Brewery @ the BW. None of us really liked it. The meatloaf was pretty charred around the edges. My salad wasn't that good ( the Balsamic I am used to is more sweeter), but just all around not that great). We also watched Epcot's fireworks from the bridge near BC later that night.

Friday we packed up & went swimming again. Then we rented one of those surrey bikes made for 6! You should have seen us! It was hot and those hills don't look big until you try to pedal up them..the worst was the one by the Dolphin & Swan hotel! Meghan couldn't reach the pedals & MIL/FIL are older..MIL just got over radiation & FIL has a rod in his back & is on blood thinner due to getting clots in his legs. So this left the majority of the heavy pedaling to DH & I. OK...Thank goodness my DH is a strong man. I am very out of shape AND I have asthma. So the air quality was VERY POOR to begin with, but to be exercising in it! We made it once around and I got off. I was having trouble breathing. So I took the baby w/ me & went straight for the A/C. They went around 1 more time & said it wasn't any easier with me & McKenna off of it. How hysterical guess we need to get into shape!

We rode the bus to DD (next time I'm taking & umbrella stroller..the one we have is HUGE & HEAVY..not good on the buses. We ate at the Earl of Sandwich @ DD. Not much seating in there, but the sandwiches were good. Different, but good. I really liked them. The bread is different too (but it's a lot of bread!) DH had the Ham BBQ, DD had PB & J, I had turkey w/ Brie & the inlaws had chicken w/ artichokes & spinach. Surprise they didn't like it. I thought it was good. I warned FIL that MIL wouldn't like it. So we all switched our halves of sandwiches until someone got what they wanted. Oh, we went to the West Side & in the Virgin Megastore & all of a sudden the escalators just stopped. I was standing about 4 feet from them. Several people almost fell forward & then a swoman screamed so I ran to her (as did several others) and her 6-7 yr old boy's toe was caught in the escalator. She was able to free him. Thank goodness. It looked like it ate the top part of his sandal when they were getting ready to get off. His sandal might have been falling apart or his foot was on the edge as it started to go down & got caught. It took off his big toe toenail. I think a lot of us were on the verge of crying. Thankfully, it didn't take off his toe or foot. From now on I will be extra careful when my kids on on those things. Some 8 yr old about a year or 2 ago in Alexandria, VA or one of the Metro stations died because I think a string from a jacket got caught & choked him to death.

Then we ate dinner at BaC @ BC. They have really good burgers & shakes! A nice relaxing last day. (except for the bike thing!) All in all it was a good trip. We had a good time & I think MIL/FIL did too. For them, I think they didn't realize how much it had grown and being "small town folks" (BTW...Fredericksburg/Spotsylvania, VA is no longer a small town by any means) who rarely venture out anywhere besides Nags Head or Richmond..they did pretty good. I think it was an eye opening experience for them as to how much is out there in the world. They always went to their beach house in the Outer Banks, NC and not many other places and I think they were intimidated.

As for us, it was nice to just get away. We've had a lot happen in the last few months & it was good to just forget about it for a week. The last few years we went down in Jan & Feb. and have gotten spoiled. It's defintely different in the summer. If we go again next year we may fly because the baby didn't do so hot on the way back. Or we may go to Disney's Hilton Head Resort until she's 4. I defintely want to GO & stay at the GF when she's 4 so we'll be on the monorail. When we take her when she's 4 we'll go in late January or early Feb or something like that. I'll take Meghan out of school for a week. The weather is much better & you can do alot more of the parks/rides in a day too. The lines aren't as long and it's a great break from the winter. When we go in the summer from now on..I think we'll do a water park, Disney Quest, Cirque du Soleil and shopping/relaxing..maybe Cape Canaveral..just not park things. To me..in that heat and those crowds it's not that fun. When you pay so much for a ticket & you can't do as much I'd rather do that at another time when it's less crowded. JMO. We are DVC members so we'll go back (a lot) too!

I'm glad we went and we still had a great time desoite the heat & crowds. We'll plan a little better next time. And well, it'll just be us this time to worry about.

[Dana]

I was so excited to return from work today and see a new trip report. I love reading them after working my butt off..lol Kinda a reminder why I work Your report was excellent. I am so glad you all had a great time. I could not believe the woman beating her kid like that in front of all of those people. I can understand being scared and frightened when loosing a child, but beating her? hmmm not me. I would have probally flipped out on her. or maybe not...maybe as shocked as you all were, I would have sat there gaping. I never want to find out what I would do. I would have laughed at the "gum lady" too, but would have laughed even harder if it happened to me Thanks for sharing the report. It made my day to get a little disney dreaming in.

[llama]

Thanks for sharing your trip with us. Glad you had a needed break. I've been doing a lot of whining recently about wanting to be at WDW, but your report reinforced my decision never to go in the summer. It's January & February for us. It's so upsetting to see parents abusing their children. Even if she was scared to death, the little girl didn't deserve to be beaten. And it's so hard to know what to do. Though once my husband told a woman to stop yanking her son's arm. He got a nice " ****-off" for that!

[pbharris4]

I love reading trip reports too! Sorry about the spelling, etc. I think it's good to go both during the summer & winter. Winter for the parks, summer for everything else (well..you could always squeeze MK in!!!) But who could afford 2 trips a year? Not me, really so we'd have to change off some years. Both of your trips will be here soon! I wish I could with you!

[sandanv1]

Sounds like a great trip. Traveling in a group can be tricky, but you seemed to handle it well.
I can relate to those Florida Storms, we are living them right now. They can cause lots of flooding and the lightning can be a killer. And I avoid WDW during the summer months, even lifting the blackout dates didn't entice me. I experience WDW reading trip reports during the summer.

[TINA]

Thanks for the trip report sounds like some fun memories. We went in May last year and found the weather way to hot, my DD has ashma and drove me crazy. We ended up going back in Nov just becouse we felt we had missed out on so much due to the weather. We will keep going in Nov till all the children are through with school(exams are in Dec). After that my xmas gifts will be WDW.Tina

[Dana]

Originally Posted by pbharris4

I love reading trip reports too! Sorry about the spelling, etc. I think it's good to go both during the summer & winter. Winter for the parks, summer for everything else (well..you could always squeeze MK in!!!) But who could afford 2 trips a year? Not me, really so we'd have to change off some years. Both of your trips will be here soon! I wish I could with you!

I wish mine were sooner....but oh well. My turn will come. No worries on spelling and grammer errors. I make them all the time..lol Thanks again for the report.

[pbharris4]

OK...I'm ready to go again!!! After being home for a week or so...I wish we had stayed 2 weeks!!!!

[TinksFriend]

Nice report...That surrey rental sounds like a pain!