BLT -- A Sandwich or a Resort? Nov 09 TR (12/9 Lessons Learned)

[Marshay]

Today is Wednesday, November 18th

Goal: try to convince Jerry to stay another day or week!

Reality: go home and try not to cry


We get up, do the final packing and check out of our room. Magical Express is to pick us up at 11:50am for our 3:05pm flight. We arrive in the lobby at 11:15am. Too early for ME but too late to really do anything else.

I pay our room charges. I've been using the Disney Visa credit card for lots of bills prior to the trip, so we had built up a nice little reward of just over $300. Our bill for all the restaurants, snacks, groceries and souvenirs came to $381. So we only had to pay $81 which was basically the price of the Belle Doll Outfit, 2 Princess Christmas Tree ornaments and the Mr. Potato Head parts!! All of which are Christmas presents.

ME arrives and takes us to the airport.

On the flight home Elizabeth isn't happy and she's "that baby". She's crying and crying...I nurse her and that helps a little but she's just not happy. She falls asleep from exhaustion and stays asleep the whole time.

The next day Jerry takes her to the doctor and we're expecting her to have the flu or RSV .. nope! Just an ear infection. No wonder she was crying on the plane.

[Marshay]

LESSONS learned:

1) If you see something you really like or a picture you really want or something to do/see, you must do it then and there. Don't assume you will have time or the opportunity to do it later. (this is from my Sept 07 report but bears repeating)

2) Plan on doing laundry every day. In the past we did it every 2 days...but this time we took less outfits and just did a quick load each day. Of course, this is so much easier since there is a W/D in the DVC 1BR. Also, between 'diaper explosions' and spills, we had to do laundry.

3) I remembered to start saving toiletries that are nearly empty and brought them along for the trip to throw away.

4) Having one goal per person per park lets everyone enjoy the day more and feels like you have accomplished something when you make those goals.

5) The DDP is not good for us right now. We don't have a schedule anymore with a young child along and we didn't miss the extra food either. We saved a lot more money and didn't eat all the extra sweets.

6) I LOVE BLT -- it is worth the extra points!! All 3 of us can't wait until we go back to BLT. If we have enough points, I'm hoping to get a Lake View. That would be awesome but even if we just get a standard room like we had, I know the view will still be lovely.

7) Do On-line Check-in. When we arrived, we only had a choice of 2 rooms. I thought by waiting until we arrived to check-in, we might have a greater choice of rooms or at least could talk to the CM to get us a special room. However, they had assigned all the rooms available that day to those who checked in and I wasn't really given a choice. Might as well just do the on-line check-in next time.

8) We can still have a fun vacation together even though it doesn't go as planned. Although being sick at Disney is not fun, you can still enjoy your time. We learned that we can arrive in late morning and stay through until 8pm or so and still accomplish a lot.

9) Pack up your park "stuff" the night before so it doesn't take as long in the morning. I'm now aware that I won't be able to do the get up and out the door in 45 minutes any longer. It took us about 3 hours! YIKES!! But it is what it is.

10) Always have another Disney trip lined up ... it makes going home a bit easier!

[kaoden39]

I think number 10 is so true.

[praisehisname]

Love the updates and all the pictures. I can't believe your trip is over. Hope to see another report from you soon!

[betsywdw]

Hi Marsha! I just read your trippie and really enjoyed it! Love the tips...especially 1, 8 and 10...could not agree more! I was happy to see you report on BLT too since we are doing a split stay there in February! Glad that you enjoyed it so much! Btw...the girls are just adorable!

[Trentmom]

sounds like a diffferent kind of vacation, more slow paced

but sounds like you all still had fun

I definitely agree with number 10

give us details for your summer trip? is that July?

[Marshay]

Originally Posted by kaoden39

I think number 10 is so true.

Yes it is. WDW is just so large, you can't possibly do it all...you just got to keep going back!

Originally Posted by praisehisname

Love the updates and all the pictures. I can't believe your trip is over. Hope to see another report from you soon!

Well, since you mentioned it ... check out my siggie!

Originally Posted by betsywdw

Hi Marsha! I just read your trippie and really enjoyed it! Love the tips...especially 1, 8 and 10...could not agree more! I was happy to see you report on BLT too since we are doing a split stay there in February! Glad that you enjoyed it so much! Btw...the girls are just adorable!

Oh, you are soooo gonna love BLT!! Make sure you definitely set aside a night to go up to the lounge and see the fireworks. I can't remember if I wrote that in my TR or not, but I did that one night and it was AWESOME! Just remember to bring a coat and hat, b/c it gets windy up there on the roof (if you don't want to go in the actual lounge).

Also the bridge connecting BLT to the Contemporary is NOT enclosed, only covered. I thought for sure this was going to be enclosed but once again the wind can whip through there and make it quite cool, esp in February.

Originally Posted by Trentmom

sounds like a diffferent kind of vacation, more slow paced

but sounds like you all still had fun

I definitely agree with number 10

give us details for your summer trip? is that July?

Yep, I just started a new July 2010 trip report. It'll be a family reunion (parents, sister-family and us) and both Rachel and I will be celebrating our birthdays (she turns 5 and I turn 40 ).

Click the link in my siggie to join in.

Oh, and WELCOME BACK!!

[cherbear]

What a whirlwind of a day! It sounds like you all had a good time despite some mishaps. Elizabeth's faces are so funny with the Fab 5!! And Rachel just GLOWS when she is with the characters. She's at such a great age, you can tell she is in Heaven when she sees them.

I saw your new pre-trip and saved it in my User CP...I laughed at your "saved posts" I didn't want to post anything if you needed some more space. hehehe

[Trentmom]

Originally Posted by Marshay

Yes it is. WDW is just so large, you can't possibly do it all...you just got to keep going back!



Well, since you mentioned it ... check out my siggie!




Oh, you are soooo gonna love BLT!! Make sure you definitely set aside a night to go up to the lounge and see the fireworks. I can't remember if I wrote that in my TR or not, but I did that one night and it was AWESOME! Just remember to bring a coat and hat, b/c it gets windy up there on the roof (if you don't want to go in the actual lounge).

Also the bridge connecting BLT to the Contemporary is NOT enclosed, only covered. I thought for sure this was going to be enclosed but once again the wind can whip through there and make it quite cool, esp in February.



Yep, I just started a new July 2010 trip report. It'll be a family reunion (parents, sister-family and us) and both Rachel and I will be celebrating our birthdays (she turns 5 and I turn 40 ).

Click the link in my siggie to join in.

Oh, and WELCOME BACK!!

oh wow..that should be fun

the link in your siggie is cut off on my computer, but I found you

will be right over to join

[mousescrapper]

I understnad your decision to drop DHS in the end...on our last day of our trip in march we were headed there and the whole time I was thinking this is not how I want to end or trip and when we got there we turned around and went to MK instead and had a great day

I'm glad the crowds were so low for you that arriving late in the day worked out great! What a bummer on missing out the free tickets...but you are probably right in doing so...and I'm sure once your girls are older it will work out!

I agree on the backgrounds for the characters in Epcot...but very cute pictures and I love the girls matchy Minnnie dresses.

Originally Posted by Marshay

LESSONS learned:


2) Plan on doing laundry every day. In the past we did it every 2 days...but this time we took less outfits and just did a quick load each day. Of course, this is so much easier since there is a W/D in the DVC 1BR. Also, between 'diaper explosions' and spills, we had to do laundry.

I don't need to deal w/ the diaper thing anymore...but can't wait to have the flexibility of a W/D in our room w/ a fam of 6 this will be so handy

3) I remembered to start saving toiletries that are nearly empty and brought them along for the trip to throw away.

that is a great tip


6) I LOVE BLT -- it is worth the extra points!! All 3 of us can't wait until we go back to BLT. If we have enough points, I'm hoping to get a Lake View. That would be awesome but even if we just get a standard room like we had, I know the view will still be lovely.

I am so happy you loved it there...I get to make our ressie very soon in 10 days stop by my PTR if you'd like...just got it started


8) We can still have a fun vacation together even though it doesn't go as planned. Although being sick at Disney is not fun, you can still enjoy your time. We learned that we can arrive in late morning and stay through until 8pm or so and still accomplish a lot.

good for you!


10) Always have another Disney trip lined up ... it makes going home a bit easier!

LOVE IT!!!!!

I'll be by to visit you on your next trip too...

Scrappie J~