Marchin' Through the Grand Floridian TR About This Page:

[ilovedisney247]

:HappyBirthday: !! I'm not sure how I missed this, but I'm all caught up! I really like all of the offerings at La Cava! I keep ordering different ones each trip--so that I can try them all! I'm so jealous of your rate at the GF! I can't wait to stay there some day! (Perhaps when they do a DVC add on?) I've also never been to Tony's but your photos have me questioning why we've skipped it all these years!

[Ariel&Alice]

Great TR so far! I really can't wait to read more! Sorry about you're nearly misfortunate morning of arrival, and so glad it got better!

[lindawdw]

Hi Cindy, I was so excited to see that you posted another TR!!! You were so lucky to stay at the GF for a work conference! Loved all your F&G Festival pictures. The Ditch pics were great too. We went there in January with friends and had a great time. Thanks for the link to the Ditch margarita recipes Can't wait to hear why it took so long to get back to the GF!

[OCEANGRLLG]

Great pics!

[cindybelle]

OK, so it's still Tuesday afternoon, and I'm feeling mellow from my jalapeno margarita (just one, remember ) and I've walked around "the world" twice, taking in the beautiful afternoon, the flowers, etc. Sometime in there I got the call from the GF letting me know my room was ready, and I figured my luggage (and purple folder) would probably be waiting for me -- and I knew it was time to dial back the Disney enthusiasm and get ready for the conference enthusiasm. (I'm sure you won't be surprised to hear I'm generally about everything I do -- whether it's Disney or my job, I throw my whole self into it. And I absolutely learning more about HR at conferences.)

So around 4:30 p.m., I figured it was time to head back to the GF, unpack, enjoy the resort, and generally get into a conference state of mind. I wasn't in a hurry, but I was getting pretty tired. (I had arisen at 3:45 a.m. to make my 6:30 a.m. flight, etc.)

I took the monorail from Epcot back to the Magic Kingdom and then had a choice: to get back on the monorail or to take a boat back to the GF. Since it was a beautiful afternoon and the GF was "right there" in front of me, I opted for the boat. (The dock is just a few steps further than the entrance to the monorail ramp.)

Look -- the GF is right THERE.




Well, remember it's spring break time at WDW, so there are people everywhere. Like at the boat dock. There was a pretty long line, but I figured I'd stand there until a boat showed up and then make a decision. You know those boats only hold maybe 30 people, right? Well, you guessed it -- most of the line didn't get on, including yours truly. And it had taken the boat a LONG time to show up.

Of course, everyone in line was chatting about whether we should get on the monorail instead. A man behind me said, "You know you can also walk to the GF from here." I said, "I'd rather walk than stand" so what the heck? I began walking on the path to the right of the dock. And walking. And walking. But I kept telling myself, "There must be a bridge."

And I truly did enjoy watching the GF getting closer.




Oh look -- there goes the little boat that I couldn't get on.




And the GF was definitely looming larger, so maybe the fellow in line knew what he was talking about.





As you've no doubt guessed, the fellow in line was wrong. I finally came to a dead end -- of course, I could have jumped into the water and started doggie paddling for the GF shore, but I'm not that good of a swimmer. I glanced up and saw the monorail above me and wondered, "If that guy is on that monorail, I hope he feels terrible right now."

There were two park benches at the dead end, I assume for poor souls like me who wander into the wilderness -- there wasn't anybody or anything around. So there was nothing to do but retrace my steps back to the boat dock.

And that's when I was rewarded for my efforts. How is this?




Yep, there are 10 ducklings with Mom! She flapped her wings a bit, but I kept my distance and admired her brood. So that was worth the extra walk!
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[shanmac]

Glad to see you got a little reward for your efforts. Sometimes you make wrong turns so you can see the little bits of amazing that WDW has to offer

[cubfancolleen]

Awwwww!! I love baby ducks! That was a great consolation to the fact that you got bad info on walking to the GF! When I read that the guy said that, I thought, really, I never knew that! Guess that's why!

[cindybelle]

Back at the boat dock, the line looked just as long as before. A couple families and I chatted for a few minutes and then decided to tackle the monorail together. We boarded the same car and started sharing experiences. I showed my duckling picture.

One couple had a 5-year-old daughter. They were on their final day at WDW and for once thought they'd given themselves plenty time to go back to the GF, shower, and change -- because they'd booked Cinderella's Royal Table that night. As you can imagine, the daughter kept murmuring, "But I don't want to see Cinderella." She looked really tired. Of course, Passporters would have known better than to save a prepaid character dinner for the final night, but I assumed these were well-meaning "amateurs."

Another couple had 2 daughters that looked about 6 and 8. They weren't complaining, but they looked exhausted as well.

Can you guess what happened next? Well, we stopped at the Contemporary Resort.




And then the TTC. And then the train stopped.

We didn't sit still very long before a Cast Member asked us all to disembark while they checked something. (By this point, my new friends and I were thinking the boat would probably have gotten us to the GF by now. . . .)

Then -- yes fans, it's true -- we were told the train we'd been on needed servicing. So we could either get in line again or a Cast Member from the monorail who was getting off work said he would walk us to the boat dock at the Polynesian.

So we walked. And we walked. And we walked. And then we got to the Poly's dock and gazed longingly at the GF while we waited for the boat.



And of course once the boat arrived, where do you think it took us? Back to the Magic Kingdom dock! And our skipper got off and a new skipper walked up and asked us to disembark because we'd reached our destination and -- as one -- we said we will not get off this boat and you don't want to mess with us because we've been trying to get to the GF for over an hour, and so would he please take us there

And he did. It was during the boat ride that the passengers determined that I was the big "winner" for taking 90 minutes total to get from Epcot to the GF -- it was exactly 6:00 p.m. when the boat pulled up to the GF dock. And one of the mothers said, "You're awfully chipper considering how long this has been for you." (Of course, I didn't have a sweating, whining child on my lap, with whom I would go to CRT for a noisy final meal. But I didn't mention THAT. )

Instead I replied, "Hey, I'm in Disney World! It's a beautiful day, and I've seen some amazing things. And now I'm going to enjoy the Grand Floridian AND feel like I've 'earned' it."

And what do you think Disney had waiting for me in my room (besides my elusive purple folder)?



That Mickey is about 6 inches tall and made of solid white chocolate! And I admired him for all of 10 minutes before I broke off his feet and consumed them.


My beautiful room was in building 9, just behind the Summerhouse. I had one of the newer dormer rooms which I loved.



And look! I have a lagoon view!





Not such a bad first day after all, was it?


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[ilovedisney247]

Ooopps! Well a little exercise never hurt right? Glad you got to see the ducklings! (You can walk to the Contemporary from MK and you can walk to the TTC from the Poly!) Glad you made it back to the GF eventually!

[cubfancolleen]

WOW, what a trip!! Now I recall you warning of your 90 minute trip back to the GF! You have such a great attitude, though - you're right, you're at WDW, and making a fuss really doesn't get you there any faster (well, mabye it did on the last leg of your trip!)
I am so impressed you waited 10 whole minutes to eat Mickey's legs! I think I would have caved much sooner.

[cindybelle]

I loved my room.




So glad to be on the top (5th) floor:







And more of my beautiful view:







Sorry, I was so eager to unpack that I sort of trashed the sink area before I remembered to take a pic. (I am a complete slob. )
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[cindybelle]

For once, all my clothes looked great after unpacking -- no need to iron anything. Wow, that's amazing! And that gave me more time to enjoy the resort.

Looking down from the 5th floor:




Back over at the main building, I started checking for characters in the marble flooring.


Mickey's dog, Pluto:




Who was part of a much larger floor design:




And of course the Mouse was in the House:





I really like this Peter Pan grouping.




I ran into a Cast Member who escorted me to the back side, where I could purchase snacks etc. I wasn't terribly hungry so nabbed a salad (and beer -- purely medicinal -- got to have some cold beer in the refrigerator whenever I'm at the Happy Place).

I took it easy that evening and went to bed at a reasonable time so I'd be ready for a full day of seminars. And yes, my bed was very comfy so I great.
.
,

[skateycat]

ha ha ha....i was waiting to see if the medicinal beer made a showing. and i can imagine your delight at finding the mama and her brood at the end of the long hike. great room, by the way.....foo, double foo that i could not join you!

[goofysdtr]

Well, if that isn't just the longest trip ever from Epcot to the GF! One of the things I appreciate about you, though, Cindy, is how you find the good in every situation . . . the ducks . . . the beautiful day . . . being the "winner".

Your room was lovely!

[elbodans]

i only read a few posts so far, but i'm joining in! i'm super jealous of your GF stay!!!!