Nala & pride "A Bucket Full of Magic" TR - Page 13 - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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Nala!! Oh my gosh!! Before I even start to read this, I have to tell you that I just finished reading your pre trip report and it is wonderful as always, but!
I know that I haven't been around for awhile, but HOW ON EARTH CAN KIARA BE 12??????????????
Okay. Now I can safely read on.
Tara
P.S. How the heck are you guys??? I still have your gorgeous book that you made me!!
Nothing like a kick in the pants from my TRM to get me back on the ball.
With that said..........................
I was the first awake and a quick look at the clock told me it was way too early to get up and start moving. Being that it was only 5:45 AM, I figured I either needed to go back to sleep, or lay very quiet for the next few hours. As hard as I tried to fall back asleep, it didn’t happen. I was too excited. But, I did manage to lay still until I heard Kiara rustling about on the trundle bed below me. The hour was then not quite so obscenely early, that of 6:45, so I figured I would get up and ready for the day. Sarafina and Grumpy were quick to follow, and once we were all cleaned up and packed up, Grumpy started making trips to the Toaster with our bags. By 8:30 we were ready to close the door on our room at POR for the last time and head to the BC to continue our adventure.
There was one place we hadn’t visited during our short stay at POR, and it was one I was hoping we could work in. I really wanted to visit the FQ, to not only see their holiday decorations, but to also check out the resort itself. I suggested to Grumpy we drive over there for breakfast, and he was surprisingly game for the idea. We made the short drive to the FQ and headed straight for the food court.
WOW! This place was much busier than we had seen the food court at POR, and after a few minutes of being there, we were once again glad we had picked what seemed to be the quieter option between the two resorts. Knowing Grumpy’s intolerance for crowds, I told him to tell me what he wanted to eat and I would get it while he took Kiara to search for a table. He was quick to agree and the two of them were off in a flash. I did the same for Sarafina and sent her off on her merry way to join them. Thankfully, the service was quick, despite the crowd (which most of them just seemed to be milling about in a bit of a daze) and I was able to join the pride in a short time.
Once breakfast was done, we walked around the resort to check out the decorations and, of course, the pool. Much to my surprise and delight, Kiara loved the jazz playing alligators, and not only posed for some pictures, but demanded I take them.
The gift shop was next on our list, where Sarafina was able to fulfill her desire to purchase a hoodie, and once that was done, we were ready to load up and head home. Home! The moment had come.
Grumpy was confident in his navigational abilities and was certain he could get us to the BC with no problem. While I thought possibly we were going the wrong way, I was not about to say anything, as my sense of direction seemed to be completely off this trip. When we began passing warehouse, (all Disney ones) both Grumpy and I knew something was off. We followed the road we had turned on to it’s end and found ourselves turning on to a road that was clearly out of the bubble.
I, in a joking manor, started screaming to Grumpy “Turn around, turn around, TURN AROUND! WE ARE OUT OF THE BUBBLE!” Grumpy laughed, found the nearest place to make a U turn and turned back down the road we had turned off. Whew! That was way to close of a call to reality than either of us was willing to deal with. We headed back down the road, found our way to DTD, and somehow managed to finally find our way to the BC. All was now right in our world.
Traffic at the BC was quite heavy from the guard shack to the portico, and we had to wait for cars to clear before we could park and unload. Our time finally came and when a CM from bell service approached us I informed him we were checking in to CL. He called over another CM, who checked our name against his list, stated our room was ready, and began the long process of unloading the Toaster of the baggage of three women, who had packed for a twelve day trip, with no weight restrictions. It took a while.
Once the unloading process was finally completed, Grumpy hopped in the Toaster to park it and the CL CM turned Sarafina, Kiara and myself over to a bell service CM, named Iggy, to escort us to our room. As we made our way into the lobby, Iggy chatted with us and he was an absolute sweetheart. As we stepped through the lobby doors, I saw that my beloved home was all decked out for the holidays. And the display did not disappoint me. In front of us was a beautiful carousel made of gingerbread.
But, as beautiful as the lobby was, I was searching for something, or rather someone, else. My dear friend and CM Teena. Through emails with Teena before we left home, I was aware that her hours had been cut to zero, and the possibility of her working when we were there, was slim to none. Receiving this news was, to say the least, heartbreaking. Teena was the main reason we fell so in love with the BC. To us, the BC wouldn’t be the BC without her there. My eyes quickly scanned over all the beautiful decorations, and all the guest that were filling the lobby, and finally I saw the person I so wanted to see. Teena!!!!!
I’m not sure who got a hold of her first for a big hug, Kiara or myself, but both of us got one. We started chatting about the Disney cruise she had just come off the day before, and everything else in our lives we had been discussing through emails since the last time we saw each other. I introduced her to Sarafina and as we were all chatting away, Teena noticed poor Iggy standing by with our luggage on a cart. She then asked him if he wanted to take our luggage to storage and he told her our room was ready and he would be happy to take it there if that was OK with me. Of course it was, and I felt terrible about holding him up. Iggy was very gracious about me taking up his time while I chatted with Teena, but once I gave him the nod, he headed up to our room to unload the cart.
Teena and I went back to chatting and she suddenly broke sentence and stretched her arms out to someone coming up behind me. It was Grumpy. She had now received a huge hug from all of us. After the two of them caught up, we figured it was time to head upstairs, get checked in and see our room. Teena informed us that she hoped we would be happy with our view, and from her saying that, I was excited to see it.
Getting to the CL was going to be a problem, as we had not yet received our keys, but Teena flagged down the same CM that had unloaded us, and he escorted us to the fifth floor. While Sarafina and I sat down to complete the check in process, the CM who brought us up volunteered to take Kiara and Grumpy to our room.
Once Sarafina and I were done checking in, we headed down the hall to locate our home for the next five nights. We stepped into the room to find it in perfect order, short of the pile of luggage that had come off the cart, and I noticed Grumpy was standing there with a huge grin on his face. Before I could ask, he said “Wait to you see our view”. I asked him if it was good and he told me to see for myself. I bolted to the balcony door, stepped outside, and let out a squeal of glee with what I saw.
Wow! What a view!!!!! And once again on this trip, we had been blessed with yet another upgrade.
I stood on the balcony, snapping pictures and marveling at the view, and with Sarafina, who was now by my side, I turned and asked her if this is what she was looking for in a resort. She was smitten, and I could tell the BC was growing on her very quickly. Sarafina stepped back in the room, but I couldn’t pull myself off the balcony just yet. After a few minutes of being alone out there, I noticed something that caused me to loudly say “Oh my gosh!!!!” Grumpy stepped out on the balcony at that moment and asked what I was so excited about. I turned to him and said “ I can see the Tower of Terror from my house!” I hadn’t noticed it before (and when I finally did, Princess Sharon came to mind for some reason ) and Grumpy, with raised eyebrows said “You just now noticed that?”
I couldn’t help but laugh about the fact that I was a little slow to notice something like the TOT looming on the horizon, but I had good reason to be less than super observant. Since the moment we had stepped foot in the BC, my heart overtook my brain. And with good reason.
The feeling that I had been expecting two days ago finally hit me. We were home. We were in our happy place. And what a homecoming it had been. We had received an upgrade to a room that gave Sarafina the one thing she had asked for on this trip, that of something to look at. And, behind the desire to make sure my family enjoyed their trip, I had received the one thing I wanted most, that of seeing my dear friend.
I couldn’t have asked for more, and I realized as I stood alone on the balcony, in awe of our view, there really is no place like home.
I know that I haven't been around for awhile, but HOW ON EARTH CAN KIARA BE 12??????????????
OMG! Tara!!!!! So good to see you back.
Funny how the little ones have the nerve to grow up on you in a blink of an eye. As you can see in the pictures, she is not that itty, bitty, teenie little girl you met six years ago. (has it really been that LONG?)
Awesome update Nala! I can't help but wonder if we may have had the chance to meet at FQ on your breakfast stop over. My DD and I were staying there for our trip and just wonder if we may have had a close brush with each other and never knew it. Your welcome home to the BC had me teary eyed at your reception from Teena and your emotional attachment to the resort! Can't wait to hear more!
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A Fairy Godmother wannabe -
Look what a little Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo can do!
Glad you could spend a little time exploring FQ before heading home. I am so glad Teena was working when you arrived; I know what a special place in your heart she holds.
Loving the upgraded view...this trip just keeps getting better and better, huh?
danielle
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~Shoot for the moon, if you miss, you will land among the stars~
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Awesome upgrade at BC! Your view looks almost identical to the one we had in November. Our room was right next to the concierge work room, first room on the right straight down from the lounge. So wonderful for Sarafina, too!
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Oh my gosh!! Before I even start to read this, I have to tell you that I just finished reading your pre trip report and it is wonderful as always, but!
Disney Magic - Oct 2015
and after a few minutes of being there, we were once again glad we had picked what seemed to be the quieter option between the two resorts. Knowing Grumpy’s intolerance for crowds, I told him to tell me what he wanted to eat and I would get it while he took Kiara to search for a table. He was quick to agree and the two of them were off in a flash. I did the same for Sarafina and sent her off on her merry way to join them. Thankfully, the service was quick, despite the crowd (which most of them just seemed to be milling about in a bit of a daze) and I was able to join the pride in a short time. 
We started chatting about the Disney cruise she had just come off the day before, and everything else in our lives we had been discussing through emails since the last time we saw each other. I introduced her to Sarafina and as we were all chatting away, Teena noticed poor Iggy standing by with our luggage on a cart. She then asked him if he wanted to take our luggage to storage and he told her our room was ready and he would be happy to take it there if that was OK with me. Of course it was, and I felt terrible about holding him up. Iggy was very gracious about me taking up his time while I chatted with Teena, but once I gave him the nod, he headed up to our room to unload the cart. 
PassPorter Guide Author
So glad you found Teena - how wonderful! 
Hope your stay at the BC is magical!!
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