Grumpless In Orlando UPDATED! 10/18

[mommytocalliesue]

SO JEALOUS of your upcoming trip!! I'm already planning our next one....I would like to go in June...and even though DH wouldn't go....I don't think he'll let us go that soon. So I'm thinking either October or June of 2014....but I don't think I can wait that long!!

We were in the same vicinity as your room...just on the first floor...it was a pretty view!!

Can't wait to read more! And by tomorrow...your pics should be resized. I find it takes at least 24 hours for them to change size!!

[eandesmom]

Very very exciting basketball update. We are just starting to feel all of that too with Kendall and soccer and it's exciting, and scary, all at the time time. You should be proud and how exciting for Justin.

The AEP program sounds like a wonderful experience, I swear I read about those trips and I want to become an agent myself!

Your travel day seems very smooth so far, always a wonderful thing (except for the ungrateful traveler when all you were trying to do was help).

Love your room location and view but oh, those Juliet balconies are tiny!

It is better than nothing though, I will grant you that.

You're there!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Lovemy3babes]

Yay for an update Michelle! I am going to try writing a report as well. We'll see if I can keep up and still make it interesting.

First off though, how awesome for Justin! What a HUGE compliment! He sounds like a great kid.

Hurray for another trip. What an awesome perk of your job!

Love your teeny tiny balcony. The view was gorgeous however! Beautiful.

[alwayspooh]

I am sssoooo jealous but also happy for your upcoming trip and congrats to your son. That is something to be proud

Isn't that the best feeling when you go under those beautiful Disney arches. You can now really start relaxing!! Your back at your disney home and the vacation has officially started even though I say it starts as soon as you get out of bed to catch that plane!

Your room is beautiful but I'm not sure what to think of the mini balcony.

Sorry there internet and phone service were terrible but maybe that was a sign to leave it all alone and have fun even though I can't live without my phone!

I can't wait to hear more!

[DisneyDoc5]

subbing in Michelle! Looks like fun! We leave in a week for 1 night at AoA and week on the Fantasy, excitement level is off the charts.

We have similar lives, I am a Disney Travel Agent as well and our agency is Ear Marked. I am professionally a physical therapist, but staying at home with the kids for a few years and the TA works great! I also have 2 boys 13 and 10, and a daughter 8. My DH is a Disney liker, not lover, I am proud to say I partially converted him. He is a fabulous dad so I think that he loves Disney because he sees the joy it brings all of us. But we have had our 'moments' of disagreement over my Disney addiction and he actually told me I needed help once. I can see the tide changing in the next few years as the boys get older, but thankfully they are all Disney addicts, so that helps.

Anyway, looking forward to the TR. We are bringing my mom, also 64, alone on the cruise (this was my 40th birthday present and I wanted her there for it).
Have a magical day - back to work!
Erin

[DisneyDoc5]

I totally agree with everything, bummer on the Mears bus, we have had the mini balcony - honestly when kids were younger I was fine with it, but now it would be nice (loved our balcony at Poly last big trip), laughed when you said you wanted to mention the yellow tags to the people in front of you - I have the same problem of always wanting to 'help' the clueless people while we are there! Funny thing is, we often do strike up those 'helping' conversations and my DH (partial grump at times) pipes in from time to time, always cracks me up when he shares his 'forced' Disney knowledge.

LOVE the BC, our first trip ever was there so it has a special place in our hearts! Erin

Congrats to your son on the basketball scouting, keep us updated!

[SoonerGirl]

Originally Posted by ariel1025

Ahhhh, check-in day, my favorite day of any vacation. The entire trip stands before you and every single thing gets you excited!!

I love Southwest for their on-time arrivals as well, but lately they have been much more expensive than other airlines out of Albuquerque; even when you account for paying to check your luggage

I had no idea there were balconies that small or that internet service was so bad inside the rooms

But, hey, you're at Disney which is all that really matters

Oh, and, way to go Justin My Husband played basketball at Newman University (in Wichita). So I know how exciting the idea of playing can be - even at a small school. And getting looked at, as a Junior, that is A-mazing!!

Congrats on getting into the AEP program too!

Yes, even the traveling part, which I HATE, is exciting on the that day, so much to look forward too

SW fares are usually comparable or cheaper than the other airlines here, but I very rarely pay for airfare. Don travels a lot and he flys SW whenever he can, so he has tons of miles. I use those

I have not had one resort that I have stayed at at WDW where I have good service in the rooms, maybe it's my carrier, but receptions stinks for me there!

Justin really wants to play basketball in college and I honestly don't think he cares where he does it, if it's at a small school, I don't think that will make a bit of difference to him. It is truly his love!

Originally Posted by PrincessInOz

Firstly, congrats for making a return journey to the World....and super exciting to be part of the AEP. So excited for you!

Secondly, hope that there are big things ahead for Justin and that the basketball helps him get to where he wants to go. Always wonderful to feel "special" when you're a teen.

Your update was great. Loved seeing you in the bus with Jared. That is a small balcony....but a terrific view.

Looking forward to more....(and my e-popcorn is never ending!)

I'm so excited for the AEP I can't even tell you!

Justin loves the sport of basketball, always has, he will stay in the gym and shoot for as long as the coaches will let him stay. If he has an opportunity to play in college, any college, that will be a dream come true for him.

We did have a nice view from our tiny balcony

Originally Posted by saintstickets

Congratulations on the AEP selection and your son's potential college scholarship! That's great news on both accounts! Love your TR and the BC pics. DW and I hope to stay there next year during F&W. Looking forward to more of your TR.

Thank you! Oh, the Beach Club would be the perfect location for F&W! So easy to pop right over and snack your way around the world

Originally Posted by KatMark

I'll come back to comment on the update tonight, but wanted to comment on your news.

First, congrats to Justin....that is awesome.

Second, do you know who else is in Disney in December????? And during some of your dates?????

Eeeeek! We will have to see if we can work out a quick meet!

Originally Posted by KatMark

Great update, Michelle. I'm sorry that you, like us, got the Mears bus. But as you said you can't tell once you are inside of the bus.

What beautiful pictures of the Beach Club. I would really like to stay there next August for our 30th anniversary trip if I can swing the extra cost...it's so beautiful and I'd love to be able to walk to Epcot.

That is one tiny balcony.

The Mears bus did put a bit of a downer on my mood when I saw it, but we still got the video and it still got us to where we really wanted to go, it all was good!

Do you have APs? The AP discount was really great, knocked over a $1,000 off the cost of the room. If you don't have them, you might consider getting them for your December trip and then you could use them for August too, they will pay for themselves in two trips and then you'll have the room discount on top of that.

Originally Posted by IheartDDuck

Yay to another WDW trip! And you'll be able to see the new FL and Test Track. Pretty sweet.

And, how cool that the two coaches from the college came to watch your son. That's definitely something major!

Vertically challenged lady giving you a dirty look? I find people on planes to just be weird. Like, all of a sudden they just have no manners anymore and they just don't want anyone to interact with them. Bizarre.

Boo, Mears bus! So not Disney magical.

Beautiful room at the BC. We're always in a villa with DVC, so I live vicariously through others photos of the standard rooms.

I was pretty excited for Justin when he told me that he was one of the kids the coaches came to watch. I honestly believe that the player that graduated last year that was with them had something to do with that. He took Justin under his wing when Justin was a freshman and was a really great mentor to him. They have a very similar game so I think he saw a lot of himself in Justin.

I've quit trying to figure people out, I've no idea why it seemed to offend that lady that I helped her with her bag, but it did - people are weird

As soon as I stepped off that bus at the Beach Club and was immediately greeted by a CM, I totally forgave Disney for making me ride in a Mears bus

[KatMark]

Originally Posted by SoonerGirl

Eeeeek! We will have to see if we can work out a quick meet!

I will be very disappointed if we don't meet. I'm sure we can work something out and will put a sticky in my file to be in touch with ou late November once everyone's plans are more "ironed" out to try to figure it all out.

Do you have APs? The AP discount was really great, knocked over a $1,000 off the cost of the room. If you don't have them, you might consider getting them for your December trip and then you could use them for August too, they will pay for themselves in two trips and then you'll have the room discount on top of that.

Yes, Andy bought us AP's for our September trip so that we would have them for December and next year (also got the TIW card as well). I'll have to watch for when the AP rates come out for August. Do you know when that usually is? I like to book by April or May, especially if we end up renting points again.

[SoonerGirl]

Originally Posted by mommytocalliesue

SO JEALOUS of your upcoming trip!! I'm already planning our next one....I would like to go in June...and even though DH wouldn't go....I don't think he'll let us go that soon. So I'm thinking either October or June of 2014....but I don't think I can wait that long!!

We were in the same vicinity as your room...just on the first floor...it was a pretty view!!

Can't wait to read more! And by tomorrow...your pics should be resized. I find it takes at least 24 hours for them to change size!!

Have you even been in October? It is a GREAT time to go! I love the fall decorations, the Halloween party and Food & Wine - seriously, my favorite time to be in WDW! The weather has cooled down, but it's still warm enough to wear shorts and swim - perfect!

Originally Posted by eandesmom

Very very exciting basketball update. We are just starting to feel all of that too with Kendall and soccer and it's exciting, and scary, all at the time time. You should be proud and how exciting for Justin.

The AEP program sounds like a wonderful experience, I swear I read about those trips and I want to become an agent myself!

Your travel day seems very smooth so far, always a wonderful thing (except for the ungrateful traveler when all you were trying to do was help).

Love your room location and view but oh, those Juliet balconies are tiny!

It is better than nothing though, I will grant you that.

You're there!!!!!!!!!!!!

I honestly never even once considered that he would play basketball in college, I thought he may have a chance in baseball, but not basketball. Don't get me wrong, he's talented, but I guess I'm just one of those parents who tries too hard to not see my kids through rose colored glasses, kwim? He's going to have to grow another couple of inches though, he's only 6'...

I downloaded the preliminary itinerary for the AEP and I'm just so excited, I can't wait!

Knock on wood, but we rarely run into any problems when traveling. The only time we do is when we fly American.........

I was really shocked at how small the balcony was, they don't look quite that tiny when you are looking at them from the outside, but boy are they!

Originally Posted by Lovemy3babes

Yay for an update Michelle! I am going to try writing a report as well. We'll see if I can keep up and still make it interesting.

First off though, how awesome for Justin! What a HUGE compliment! He sounds like a great kid.

Hurray for another trip. What an awesome perk of your job!

Love your teeny tiny balcony. The view was gorgeous however! Beautiful.

Your report will be great, I've always enjoyed the one's you've written in the past, so I really hope you do one!

No kidding, most people complain when they have to go to a work conference, Disney agents get excited

The view from our tiny balcony was nice, Jared expecially loved to stand out there and watch what was going on.

Originally Posted by alwayspooh

I am sssoooo jealous but also happy for your upcoming trip and congrats to your son. That is something to be proud

Isn't that the best feeling when you go under those beautiful Disney arches. You can now really start relaxing!! Your back at your disney home and the vacation has officially started even though I say it starts as soon as you get out of bed to catch that plane!

Your room is beautiful but I'm not sure what to think of the mini balcony.

Sorry there internet and phone service were terrible but maybe that was a sign to leave it all alone and have fun even though I can't live without my phone!

I can't wait to hear more!

I get just giddy as we approach the arches, every time - it never gets old! I was excited to get a front seat on the bus so I could grab a picture of them this time - of couse, I wasn't excited about the dead bugs on the windshield that made it into my photograph

I haven't found a Disney resort yet where I get good reception, maybe it's AT&T

Originally Posted by DisneyDoc5

subbing in Michelle! Looks like fun! We leave in a week for 1 night at AoA and week on the Fantasy, excitement level is off the charts.

We have similar lives, I am a Disney Travel Agent as well and our agency is Ear Marked. I am professionally a physical therapist, but staying at home with the kids for a few years and the TA works great! I also have 2 boys 13 and 10, and a daughter 8. My DH is a Disney liker, not lover, I am proud to say I partially converted him. He is a fabulous dad so I think that he loves Disney because he sees the joy it brings all of us. But we have had our 'moments' of disagreement over my Disney addiction and he actually told me I needed help once. I can see the tide changing in the next few years as the boys get older, but thankfully they are all Disney addicts, so that helps.

Anyway, looking forward to the TR. We are bringing my mom, also 64, alone on the cruise (this was my 40th birthday present and I wanted her there for it).
Have a magical day - back to work!
Erin

Hi there Erin and

Wow, so very jealous of your upcoming trip! I'm dying to sail on the Fantasy!! I tried to get a Little Mermaid room at AoA for the few days before the conference but there were none available. At least I will be close enough to walk over and check it out and it is on the list of resort site inspections for the AEP so that good!

So how did you like physical therapy? Justin has expressed a real interest in the field. I'm sure he would want to lean in the direction of sports medicine.

Yes, as the kids get older their interest in Disney lessens somewhat. Jared still loves it, but Justin has hit the age where he feels like we've been there, done that, I want to do something different (pretty sure that is his father's bad influence over him )

Originally Posted by DisneyDoc5

I totally agree with everything, bummer on the Mears bus, we have had the mini balcony - honestly when kids were younger I was fine with it, but now it would be nice (loved our balcony at Poly last big trip), laughed when you said you wanted to mention the yellow tags to the people in front of you - I have the same problem of always wanting to 'help' the clueless people while we are there! Funny thing is, we often do strike up those 'helping' conversations and my DH (partial grump at times) pipes in from time to time, always cracks me up when he shares his 'forced' Disney knowledge.

LOVE the BC, our first trip ever was there so it has a special place in our hearts! Erin

Congrats to your son on the basketball scouting, keep us updated!

We had a full sized balcony at AKL last year and we loved it! I was slightly disappointed in the mini balcony, but not enough to let it dampen the trip or make me change my opinion about the resort.

I really had to bite my tongue not to tell those people about the DME tags. I was afraid that instead of sounding helpful, I would sound like a know it all, so I just kept my mouth shut

[SoonerGirl]

Originally Posted by KatMark

I will be very disappointed if we don't meet. I'm sure we can work something out and will put a sticky in my file to be in touch with ou late November once everyone's plans are more "ironed" out to try to figure it all out.

Yes, Andy bought us AP's for our September trip so that we would have them for December and next year (also got the TIW card as well). I'll have to watch for when the AP rates come out for August. Do you know when that usually is? I like to book by April or May, especially if we end up renting points again.

I was just coming to look at your plans for the 10th again, but I got sidetracked doing replies here I'm pretty flexible those 3 days before the conference so I'm sure we can work something out!

You can't really put a finger on when Disney will release the AP rates, I actually booked well before and then just called and had the AP rate applied once it was released

[Poolrat]

All caught up and yes pulling up and having the CM walk you i while you sniff the lobby- ( wait that is me ) is great.

I can't wait to do that on Sunday - Sat will be at POP so I can walk over to AoA

[MHTeacher]

Glad to have finally made it over to your trip report.

Good to hear you loved the Beach Club...I had a feeling you would! Lucky girl for getting a trip again in December-even if it is a working trip!

[jedijill]

I'm back and caught up!

Jill in CO

[DisneyDoc5]

To answer you question about PT:

I love being a PT and it's a great career for men and woman. I got into it as a patient myself, I had several knee surgeries as a result of my athletic career in high school and had to have PT. I went into it thinking sports med, but ended up specializing (most PT's are specialized like doctors) in rehab (post spinal cord injury, head injury, prosthetics, stroke rehab), acute care (post surgical, inpatient care, joint replacements), and some home care. I really don't like sports medicine because it seems repetitive to me, another knee, another elbow, but that's what is nice about PT, you can focus on your interests and get a job at the drop of a hat. I have taken the last 3 years off to be a stay at home mom (of course then the Disney TA thing took off and I do better with that then PT at the moment!), but it's been a nice break from medicine after 12 years. I miss patient care and co-workers, I don't miss the health care systems, regulations, administrators, etc. Have your son spend lots of time shadowing PT's to get a real idea of what it is about. You basically get a pre-med degree before grad school that requires strong grades in the sciences. Let me know if you have any other questions, if you were closer I could help with the shadowing, but that's not going to work!

[mommytocalliesue]

Originally Posted by SoonerGirl

Have you even been in October? It is a GREAT time to go! I love the fall decorations, the Halloween party and Food & Wine - seriously, my favorite time to be in WDW! The weather has cooled down, but it's still warm enough to wear shorts and swim - perfect!

No!! That is one time I've never been....and I'm really thinking of going next October. It won't be as long of a trip as we're used to...but I'm hoping for lower crowds so we'd be able to do as much!! We'd fly out Oct. 12 and come back the 18th...and it would probably just be me and the kids. But Carson will almost be 4...and should be tall enough to do almost everything...hopefully! I'd just have to take my 3 personal days...and pull Callie out of school for 3 days...but I think it would be so worth it!! And we'd probably stay at the new Art of Animation hotel....which I know they'd love!!! Thanks for advice!!