Florida flowers and Caribbean cruising - the trip report! THIS SECTION COMPLETED 4/12 - Page 21 - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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Enjoying every bit of your TR. As usual great photos and details.
Thank you so much!
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Your review of the Bloc hotel was terrific. I think it is a great concept for an overnight at the airport. I have always had a fascination with airports, and having worked at several, I would be happy saying there.
You've worked at airports? How cool!
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Great flight. I am always tickled when the plane is not crowded. The food and beverage service was impressive right from the get go.
I was looking forward to your review of Saratoga Springs Resort. The THV's seemed drab and outdated to me. I haven't a clue what it costs to be a dvc member, but I am sure that SSR facilities aren't quite the same drawer that others are. Saratoga Springs is one of our favorite summer hangouts, but the real city also has problems with parking and traffic, so I guess Disney got that right.
It certainly wasn't one of our favourites and, given the Treehouse Villas were one of the more recent additions, I was surprised the facilities weren't better.
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So sorry, but I had to chuckle at Mark's buffalo dip being spicy. Donna nailed the "wing" explanation. They are spicy, but once you've lived in the Buffalo area (Lewiston) you understand the addiction.
You never know, one day we make it to the Buffalo area, then we can find out for ourselves.
I couldn't quite figure out why you checked out so early but I'm guessing you had the dining plan at BLT and needed to use a credit for breakfast?
Not necessarily. We knew we'd be awake early and as the Magic Kingdom was open from 7:00am, I figured that would be our best bet. Obviously it's much easier to get there from Bay Lake Tower than Saratoga Springs, so I figured we may as well check in there first.
Sorry you guys did not sleep well. Wow! That was an early checkout!! It sounds as though you are being gracious but were a bit disappointed in the Tree House Villas. .
I think that's fair. I was a bit disappointed by them, although in fairness to them, I'm not sure what else I was expecting, as when you get inside them, you realise they only had a certain amount of space to work with, as far as the living area goes anyway. I was certainly disappointed by the Jacuzzi bath - that could've (and to my mind should've) been so much better....
No, we've been offered the Sunpass option before and we always turn it down, because the only time we ever use Toll Roads (unless we get horribly, accidentally lost, which has happened before!) is on the way from and back to the Airport, and then we always pay cash.
This was a separate hard sell from the Dollar guy – he said, "all roads around Florida are now cashless, look at the map" then went off to get some printed off paperwork. I studied the laminated map on the desk, and saw all the cashless tolls are in Miami and further down South, so stuck to my guns and said we didn't need it.
This may very well change in the future, I don't know, but as of November 2014 this was the case.
No worries, and for the heads up. We didn't get the hard sell, but Mark noticed the map and I was very confidently (thanks to you! ) able to say that we didn't need it.
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Anyway, Cheryl, back to you - sorry you had such a bum deal at the Turf Club, we have eaten there a couple of times and had really amazing food, but to be fair we have never tried the starters, only the entrees.
Maybe that's where we went wrong...
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On our first night in the USA we usually do book an ADR, but for Trail's End - a buffet might be a better bet for you than a set meal, as you can just pick at whatever you really fancy then. We find this works really well for us as we are usually SO tired that we have no idea what we want to eat until the food is actually staring back at us! Then we are always surprised by how revived we feel after eating, if only for just long enough to sustain us through Wishes on the beach at Fort Wilderness Campground!
That's a good point, although I know we've had miserable experiences in the past with buffets on our first night - the Cape May Café springs immediately to mind.
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You never know, one day we make it to the Buffalo area, then we can find out for ourselves.
Well, if you are ever in the Buffalo area, please let me know! I'd love to meet up with you! And in case you were not aware, we've got Niagara Falls just a stones throw away!
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Originally Posted by chezp
Not necessarily. We knew we'd be awake early and as the Magic Kingdom was open from 7:00am, I figured that would be our best bet. Obviously it's much easier to get there from Bay Lake Tower than Saratoga Springs, so I figured we may as well check in there first.
Ah, that's the reasoning! I could not figure out why you were headed to MK so early!
Loved the pictures from the Tree House Villas....they are very pretty, I have often thought my mother would love staying there but for us, I just feel (and probably as we don't have a car) it is just so far out from everything.
Sorry dinner was not up to par , I am hoping the meals shot straight up the meter going forward. Love the sunrise pictures by Bay Lake, so beautiful.
Well, if you are ever in the Buffalo area, please let me know! I'd love to meet up with you! And in case you were not aware, we've got Niagara Falls just a stones throw away!
Well.... if things work out, we will be visiting Toronto and Niagara Falls hopefully in April 2016, so maybe we can meet? I'd love to... I was originally looking at flights into Buffalo, funnily enough, but my tentative plans keep being revised and now I'm thinking it's more likely we'll fly into Montreal and then do a road trip down....
Loved the pictures from the Tree House Villas....they are very pretty, I have often thought my mother would love staying there but for us, I just feel (and probably as we don't have a car) it is just so far out from everything.
That's the problem I have with Saratoga Springs generally - like you, I feel it's so far from everything, which is why I never end up staying there.
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Sorry dinner was not up to par , I am hoping the meals shot straight up the meter going forward. Love the sunrise pictures by Bay Lake, so beautiful.
I can say we had much better meals than the Turf Club during the vacation - still a couple of duds to come along the way, but generally very good.
Well.... if things work out, we will be visiting Toronto and Niagara Falls hopefully in April 2016, so maybe we can meet? I'd love to... I was originally looking at flights into Buffalo, funnily enough, but my tentative plans keep being revised and now I'm thinking it's more likely we'll fly into Montreal and then do a road trip down....
That's cool that you had some company for your stupidly early morning, even though it was only "runners on a bus"! I'm curious if you could hear the fireworks that went off every time a corral started? Enjoying your adventures!
Well, I'm glad you finally got to stay at the Treehouse Villas even if it wasn't the best place. It's certainly unique!
Believe me, runners think it's weird to be awake, dressed, and walking around that early in the morning too. At least until we see other crazy runners doing the same thing, then it starts to feel normal. Day after day after day.......
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That was an early checkout!! It sounds as though you are being gracious but were a bit disappointed in the Tree House Villas. 
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for the heads up. We didn't get the hard sell, but Mark noticed the map and I was very confidently (thanks to you! 
I was originally looking at flights into Buffalo, funnily enough, but my tentative plans keep being revised and now I'm thinking it's more likely we'll fly into Montreal and then do a road trip down....
Day after day after day.......
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