FINAL UPDTD 8/16 - The "Don't mess with the CMs/take less photos TR" Jun14 @ BWV

[KatMark]

You da best!


You did four too!

I hope we can as well. I feel like I know so many people fairly well here on the DISboards that I've never seen in person. It is nice to finally meet and put a voice with the person you see online!

It sure is; I have a local DIS meet next week that I am very much looking forward to.

It's so close and such a nice walk. There are no crowds to fight since WS doesn't open until 11:00am. Rumor has it that other countries are contemplating opening up for breakfast as well!

That would be lovely, especially with how crowded that Boardwalk Bakery gets at times.

Thank you ma'am!

You are welcome sir.

Sighhhh.....we're just two ships passing in the night...or in this case, passing in EPCOT!

So sad.

Now on to the other updates of yours:

Love Soarin' and I am very excited about this new video thing they are offering.

Wow...DW did Test Track and Mission after her start to the morning? I am impressed.

I was hoping to get to Sunshine Seasons this coming trip, but with Food & Wine I don't think we will.

We looked for PrincessCaitlin but we never did see her.

What beautiful pictures on your walk back to the Boardwalk. A nice rest before dinner is a good thing.

We like Coral Reef...probably more for the ambiance, but we ate lunch there this trip (haven't gotten to that day in the TR yet). Did you miss the Chocolate Wave on the dessert menu? But ice cream is a nice treat too.

Well, look at that...we both did four updates today. I think we should get some kind of medal.

Have a good weekend; we are off to Iowa to see the youngest son and his wife.

 

[archdandy]

A lot of people (including DH and myself) love 'The Chocolate Wave' from Coral Reef, its delicious! So chocolate-y and warm I'm so glad your DW recovered from her migraine, I know how much those darn things can get in the way of life.

 

[MidnightParade]

I am so excited to hear about the ToT video! And that its starting right away too and not down the road(and potentially after our trip). Hopefully the 7DMT pic will be up and running soon as well. Very very cool! Thank you for sharing!

Erf! Rough start to the day, but you guys seemed to handle it like pros! So happy it worked out. All that "fresh air" on Soar'in must have helped too! (yay for incoming new Soar'in video too!)

I'm looking forward to one day staying at BW and then we can do the walk over for breakfast in France. What an awesome option!

What a nasty long wait at Coral Reef! Happy that you could still enjoy yourself. It seems like a very cool atmosphere!

 

[khertz]

Poor DW! Not the best way to start off a Disney day, but I'm glad it was a manageable migraine and that y'all were able to salvage the rest of the day.

I hadn't heard about the ToT ride video...how cool! We'll have to make sure we get Memory Maker next trip. We had skipped it the past few trips because a lot of the rides with photos are ones we have to ride alone since DS wasn't tall enough. Now that he is, it will be worth it for some ride photos with him in them!

I have yet to try that new ice cream shop in France, but caramel ice cream sounds sooooooooo good right now!

 

[saintstickets]

Love Soarin' and I am very excited about this new video thing they are offering.

It sounds like it will be great. I'm not sure how long the video will be but it's just another thing we'll have to buy!

Wow...DW did Test Track and Mission after her start to the morning? I am impressed.

I'll be nice and say she's a gamer instead of saying she's a stubborn, headstrong, bullheaded, persistent, tenacious....oops....did I say that?

I was hoping to get to Sunshine Seasons this coming trip, but with Food & Wine I don't think we will.

I doubt we will this trip either. Too many other options for eating during F&W.

We looked for PrincessCaitlin but we never did see her.

I barely recognized her since it was so dark.

What beautiful pictures on your walk back to the Boardwalk. A nice rest before dinner is a good thing.

It is becoming more and more of our routine as we get older!

We like Coral Reef...probably more for the ambiance, but we ate lunch there this trip (haven't gotten to that day in the TR yet). Did you miss the Chocolate Wave on the dessert menu? But ice cream is a nice treat too.

We're kinda spoiled on seafood because we live so close to the Gulf so it's not always 1st on our list. I didn't see that dessert at CR.

Well, look at that...we both did four updates today. I think we should get some kind of medal.

That sounds like an excellent idea!!

Have a good weekend; we are off to Iowa to see the youngest son and his wife.

You as well...have fun with the family!

 

[saintstickets]

A lot of people (including DH and myself) love 'The Chocolate Wave' from Coral Reef, its delicious! So chocolate-y and warm I'm so glad your DW recovered from her migraine, I know how much those darn things can get in the way of life.

How did I miss that?!?! I guess I'll have to go back now.
DW has dealt with migraines her entire adult life. It has been much worse and I'm glad this one was manageable.

 

[saintstickets]

I am so excited to hear about the ToT video! And that its starting right away too and not down the road(and potentially after our trip). Hopefully the 7DMT pic will be up and running soon as well. Very very cool! Thank you for sharing!

I'm looking forward to it too. Only 46 days until we leave for our next trip!

Erf! Rough start to the day, but you guys seemed to handle it like pros! So happy it worked out. All that "fresh air" on Soar'in must have helped too! (yay for incoming new Soar'in video too!)

That's what it was! I could ride Soarin' for an hour!

I'm looking forward to one day staying at BW and then we can do the walk over for breakfast in France. What an awesome option!

We originally bought into DVC at Old Key West and love the resort atmosphere there but once we stayed at the EPCOT resort area, we knew it was where we wanted to call home. I would still stay at OKW in a heartbeat but during F&W or F&G, it is so convenient to stay at BWV or BCV.

What a nasty long wait at Coral Reef! Happy that you could still enjoy yourself. It seems like a very cool atmosphere!

It was very nice. The divers appeared in the tank when we first got there but somehow I lost most of those pictures. I sure hope that tank never leaks!

 

[saintstickets]

Poor DW! Not the best way to start off a Disney day, but I'm glad it was a manageable migraine and that y'all were able to salvage the rest of the day.

Thanks and ditto!

I hadn't heard about the ToT ride video...how cool! We'll have to make sure we get Memory Maker next trip. We had skipped it the past few trips because a lot of the rides with photos are ones we have to ride alone since DS wasn't tall enough. Now that he is, it will be worth it for some ride photos with him in them!

I'm glad he's tall enough now especially if they add something to SDMT!

I have yet to try that new ice cream shop in France, but caramel ice cream sounds sooooooooo good right now!

It was real good and they have lots of flavors!

 

[saintstickets]

It's time to put this puppy to bed...

Friday – June 6, 2014

Today is a do nothing day. The only plan we have is breakfast at Kouzzina. This ADR was added after our extra night waitlist came through. With Kouzzina closing in September, we wanted to try both the dinner and the breakfast as we have heard great reviews about both. I made the dinner ADR for the first part of the trip and the breakfast ADR for our last full day. That way, if the dinner wasn’t that great, we still had time to cancel the breakfast ADR and not be charged the $10/person cancelation fee if canceled within 24 hours. We didn’t have to cancel because dinner was great and breakfast didn’t disappoint either.

We were seated near the open kitchen.





You can see the two wood fired open ovens which I’m sure had a lot to do with why this restaurant will reopen with an Italian menu. I suspect those ovens will be used for flatbread and pizzas.

Two of us started off with the all-natural lemonade topped with wildberry foam



In order of appearance, we had 1) spinach, tomato and feta scrambled eggs with breakfast potatoes and bacon, 2) golden waffle with whipped mascarpone cheese, honey and chopped pecans with bacon, 3) stacked Kouzzina breakfast with two poached eggs, Kalamata olive toast, artichoke spread and sweet potato hash with bacon and 4) breakfast skillet with eggs, pequillo peppers, Nueske’s bacon, onions, potatoes, Greek cheese and topped with arugula.









OMG, I’m salivating and feeling stuffed just looking at the pictures while remembering this breakfast! I can’t even begin to tell you which one was the best. I had the breakfast skillet and it was fantastic. Everyone else loved their selection so much, I don’t think any of us shared with the others! There is only one rating to give this meal

A+

It was that good. IMO, it is the best breakfast we have had at WDW…better than the Wave at the Contemporary and better than Olivia’s at OKW. We don’t normally eat so much for breakfast and there are a few other places we haven’t tried but in our experience, breakfast at Kouzzina is #1! And naturally, they are closing it…sighhhhh.

After we waddled out (and I mean literally waddled!), there were no plans for the rest of the day. Again, we split up with DD and DSiL going their way and DW and I heading into EPCOT. We were on a mission for only two things this morning…ride Soarin’ again and go to the Club Cool to try the new flavors



Thailand, South Africa and Zimbabwe were our favorites. I took a SMALL sip of Beverly to see if it was as I remembered and it had not changed at all…YUCK!!!!

(Continued in next post)

 

[saintstickets]

(Continued from previous post)

After a few more samples at Club Cool, we headed off to Soarin’. When we first got up this morning, I got online in the room and got two FP+ reservations for DW and I to Soarin’. As is usual when I am in a line, I have a face that people seem to be at ease with and want to talk. It happens in the grocery store at home and in every line at WDW. This couple in front of us were about our age and were from Tennessee. They were from a town about an hour away from where DS1 and DDiL live. One thing led to another and they asked where we were staying and we told them BWV. They said they thought about staying there but the prices were too high and we told them we were DVC members so we didn’t pay the cash price. They were somewhat familiar with DVC but the entire conversation then became us explaining how DVC works. Don’t get me wrong. I LOVE helping people understand DVC and will carry on a conversation for hours if someone is truly interested. They were definitely interested but we were strapping our seat belts on in the theater and the wife was still asking questions! She was even asking questions when the ride began and a CM cleared his throat as a signal to hush! LOL

We enjoyed the ride as we always do and when it was over, she started asking questions again! I wouldn’t have minded at all talking to them but she couldn’t get her seat belt undone and the crowd kind of swept us away. We hesitated as we were leaving to see if we could find them and go somewhere to answer any more questions but they were nowhere to be found. I don’t know if she’s still trapped on the ride or what but if she is reading this TR, email me and I’ll answer any other questions I can!

DW and I headed back to the room to change because we were going to spend a few hours here







We found a couple of chairs in the shade and then walked over here



For this



It was fairly quiet. No rushing. No park commando jaunts. No FP+ to get to. No ADR to make. No long lines. I was going crazy!!

Well sorta…I am trying to learn to chillax (chill out and relax) on vacation which is something I have never done. When I go somewhere there are things to do, places to go and people to see. DW loves to go to our Company condo in Destin, FL and lay on the beach for hours on end. I can last about 45 minutes and that’s only if there is enough tweeny weeny polka dot bikini scenery to view! Did I say that? Oh well.

The creepy clown slide and the CMs playing games with the kids were enough to keep me occupied for a few hours before DW took pity on me and said let’s go back to the room.

(Continued in next post 2)

 

[saintstickets]

(Continued from previous post 2)

DD and DSiL were already back in the room. They had eaten lunch at Via Napoli and liked it. They said the large pizza was huge and the proof was they had returned to the room with their leftovers. After DW and I got dressed, we walked around the boardwalk for a while, went in a few shops and then decided to eat a light dinner at the ESPN club. They have a typical bar menu and have a fair selection of adult beverages. I had to try the “Monk in the Trunk organic amber ale” and DSiL had Session Black dark lager. Both were good and hit the spot. No pics of the food since it is nothing unusual. We had burgers, turkey sandwich and a chicken Caesar salad. Decent food but a bit overpriced for what it was however it is Disney. They had a live broadcast airing from the restaurant and were playing games with the customers during the commercial breaks. I could definitely see going here during your vacation if there were a game you wanted to watch while you were at WDW.

Overall, I would give this restaurant a rating of

B-

We will go again if there is a game to watch. If you just want a burger though, then I would go nearby to Big River Grille and Brewing Works. They have great burgers and a much larger menu for those in your party that want something else.

After we finished, DW and DD had to stop in the photo booth there on the Boardwalk. DW and DD would kill me if they knew I posted these so naturally
I have to post them







(Continued in next post 3)

 

[saintstickets]

(Continued from previous post 3)

Okay...now I know I have to finish this TR before DW and DD see that last post!!

Again, we parted ways with DD and DSiL going back to EPCOT for more shopping or whatever they did. DW and I were walking around the BW resort and noticed a sign that said there was a marshmallow roast at the BW Community Hall. Well now, I’m always up for a burnt marshmallow! As you can see from the pics, everyone else was there with their children. I guess you could say DW was there with her “child” since I’m young at heart!







We then walked next door to the quiet pool and tried not to disturb a couple of swimmers with no clothes on!









(Continued in next post 4)

 

[saintstickets]

(Continued from previous post 4)

Back out on the Boardwalk, DW just had to get one of her favorites



It’s messy and it’s the closest thing we can get to New Orleans Café du Monde beignets outside of Jackson Square but a good ole funnel cake is hard to pass up.

Not a bad view as we sat on a bench on the Boardwalk eating our no-calorie snack (I had water so it washes away the calories. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it!)



The sun has set and we head back to the main BW pool. It looks even more creepy at night.



Then we sat down by the pool to watch a Disney film I think you might be familiar with





DD and DSiL joined us to watch “Frozen” and it was a great way to end a very laid back day.

(Continued in next post 5)

 

[saintstickets]

(Continued from previous post 5)

Saturday – June 7, 2014

This was our travel day. We have 610 miles to go to get back home. I made a promise to take less pictures this trip and I did just that. I took 904 pictures this trip and posted to this TR only 340 compared to my last two TRs where I posted an average of 532 pictures. I also promised not to harass any CMs and I fulfilled that promise. For that, I got a nice goodbye from a few folks you might recognize



It was really difficult on this trip to not pick at any CM (you say harass, I say pick at, have fun with…tomato…tomahto) so to satisfy the burning desire I have that is part of my DNA, I hatched a plan to scratch my itch.

For those of you that drive to WDW, you are familiar with a certain “gentlemen’s club” that has billboards along I-75 between Gainesville and Ocala. These signs advertise this place with the phrase “We Bare All” and have a silhouette of a very shapely young woman. As we are driving along I-75, I pull off the interstate into their parking lot



DD is asleep already. DW looks at me and says, “What the hell are you doing?” I look in the rearview mirrow and DSiL’s eyes are as big as saucers!

I told DW that I was tired and needed a pick-me-up to keep me awake so I thought we’d go in for a while. After a few eye-rolls and head shakes, she said, “Get back on the interstate!” with that voice that I’ve heard so many times before where I know there is no discussion, the decision is final, DONE!

It was worth it for DW’s reaction and especially the look on DSiL’s face. Too bad DD wasn’t awake to participate and enjoy my bit of jocularity. I can only imagine what DSiL told her when they got home.

And with that, I was able to squelch my ingrained appetite to hassle, heckle, tease, “poke the bear” and yes, harass without involving a Disney CM.

Here endeth this TR.

 

[archdandy]

Your DW is a saint for putting up with you! LOL

When is your next trip again? I know you told us but I cant remember. Please tell me your doing another TR?!

 

[saintstickets]

One more thing...

A note about our upcoming trip in October. DW and I are going on a Disney cruise for the first time! DW has been twice on a cruise in her youth with her parents and I have never been on a cruise ship. We will follow up the cruise with a trip to WDW for F&W with one of our sons. DS1 and DDiL were both supposed to join us for the WDW portion of this trip but DDiL got accepted into nursing school and could not take the time off. We couldn’t cancel our 2BR villa at BCV and change to a 1BR so DS1 decided to join us alone. Here is our itinerary…

Oct 1 (Wed) – Arrive in Port Canaveral around 6pm. We have reservations at the Radisson there at the port. We are able to leave our vehicle at the hotel while on the cruise and the hotel will shuttle us to and from the cruise terminal.

Oct 2 (Thurs) – Boarding time for the Disney Dream is 10:30am. We have a category 4C oceanview stateroom with verandah. (I hope DW doesn’t get any ideas to push me overboard. Maybe she’s forgotten the Café Risque joke by then?)

Oct 3 (Fri) – Dock at Nassau about 9:30am. DW has an onboard massage at their spa at 9:15am. Once she is finished and dressed, we will disembark, find a souvenir shop for a gift or two and get back on the ship to explore while it is less crowded. We have 6:00pm dining reservations at Remy’s onboard and the Pirate deck party is at 9:45pm.

Oct 4 (Sat) – Arrive at Disney’s Castaway Cay around 8:30am. Go ashore and I will TRY to chillax until our jet ski reservations at noon. This is an hour long guided tour around the island. Get back onboard and attend one of the shows offered that night.

Oct 5 (Sun) – Arrive back at Pt. Canaveral about 7:30am. Disembark, shuttle back to the Radisson, pick up vehicle and drive to the BCV. The Saints are playing Tampa Bay in NOLA so we’ll probably eat at the ESPN club and watch the game. DS1 arrives at MCO at 2:25 so he will board MDE and arrive at BCV about 4:00pm. ADRs at Via Napoli at 7:00pm.

Oct 6 (Mon) – DHS today. FP @ 9:05am -Tower of Terror; FP @ 10:25am – Star Tours; FP @ noon Toy Story Mania. ADR @ 7:00pm at California Grille

Oct 7 (Tue) – MK/EPCOT today. FP @ 9:25am – BTMRR; FP @ 1:35pm – Splash Mtn; FP @ 2:55 – SDMT. F&W reservation for the Hibachi Experience in Japan from 4:30-6:30pm

Oct 8 (Wed) – AK today. FP @ 9:25am – Kilimanjaro Safari; FP @ 10:45am – Expedition Everest; FP @ 11:50am – Kali River Rapids. ADR @ 6:50pm at Polynesian Resort Ohana’s.

Oct 9 (Thur) – EPCOT today. Graze during the morning for DS and I at the F&W kiosks. DW has a massage at the Yacht/Beach Club spa @ 11:30am. DS and I will attend the Beer Beverage Seminar @ noon in the Festival Center. DW will join us at some point for more grazing the kiosks. All three of us will attend the Culinary Demo @ 5:00pm in the Festival Center with Jiko’s chef cooking a beef dish.

Oct 10 (Fri) – Lazy day. Swimming at BCV’s Stormalong Bay and possibly more F&W kiosk grazing. DS’s flight leaves this afternoon @ 3:55pm so I guess MDE will pick him up around 1:30-2:00pm. DW and I will stay one more night and we have ADR at Victoria & Alberts main dining room for 5:15pm. We are on a waitlist for either the Chef’s Table or Queen Victoria’s Room.

Oct 11 (Sat) – Travel day back to Mississippi with no stops on I-75 at a certain club.

That’s our next trip. If the cruise goes as well as we anticipate, we will book another cruise while onboard to get the 10% discount. The next cruise will be a 7 day Alaska cruise on the Disney Wonder in August, 2015. On that cruise we will do more excursions including a dog sled ride on the glacier, a whale watch boat trip and maybe a train ride in the mountains. For that trip we will fly into Sacramento, CA to see DS2 for a few days before the cruise and then either fly or take AMTRAK to Vancouver to board the Disney Wonder.

Our next trip to WDW will not be until Dec, 2015 @ the BWV. We have not been during the Christmas season since 2010 so I am looking forward to that trip.

Penciled in trips after that are May, 2016 @ BCV for our first F&G trip and Oct, 2016 @ BWV for F&W again.

I don’t have anything planned for 2017….yet!! Hopefully there will be a cruise in there somewhere too. It all depends on this Powerball lottery ticket I bought last trip to Florida. I just know I’ll win something…doesn’t everyone?

 

[saintstickets]

Your DW is a saint for putting up with you! LOL

So true...so true!

When is your next trip again? I know you told us but I cant remember. Please tell me your doing another TR?!

You asked right when I was posting the previous post!

 

[MidnightParade]

Buahahahah! You are hilarious with that stop on the way home! Love it!

What a wonderful relaxing last day! Nice to beable to make last minute FP+, stroll over to Epcot and then back for a dip in the pool! With nudists too! Seriously I read that before I scrolled down to the pic and for a moment I was wondering if some people "enjoyed" Epcot a little too much and wondered over to take a swim after! (Cause you know anything is possible at Disney!! )

I very much look forward to your October TR! It's coming up soon! (That is of course if your legs will be healed yet after DW and DD see those pics you posted )

Thanks so much though for sharing your June trip with us! It was a delight to read!

 

[saintstickets]

Buahahahah! You are hilarious with that stop on the way home! Love it!

You know...you'd think DW would be used to my quirkyness after 32 years but that stop proved I can still surprise her!

What a wonderful relaxing last day! Nice to beable to make last minute FP+, stroll over to Epcot and then back for a dip in the pool! With nudists too! Seriously I read that before I scrolled down to the pic and for a moment I was wondering if some people "enjoyed" Epcot a little too much and wondered over to take a swim after! (Cause you know anything is possible at Disney!! )

I'll admit here on the DISboards (but not to DW) that a day of non-uber planning was not as bad as I thought it was going to be. If anyone repeats that to DW I'll deny, deny, deny!!

I very much look forward to your October TR! It's coming up soon! (That is of course if your legs will be healed yet after DW and DD see those pics you posted )

I'm still debating about whether to do a PTR, wait until I get home to start or no TR at all. Of course a lot depends on if DW successfully pushes me off the verandah while on DCL! I've told her I temporarily canceled my life insurance for the duration of the cruise so she won't have any incentive!

Thanks so much though for sharing your June trip with us! It was a delight to read!

Why thank you so much! It is definitely a labor of love to do a detailed TR and kind words make it all worth while!

 

[disneybarbie]

thank you for sharing your trip - great report!

I hope you really enjoy the Dream cruise .. we have been on two now and love Disney Cruise Line! And followed by Food & Wine festival.. perfect trip

Emma x