Amy's Fabulous Split StayTrip Report!!!! (Finally)... - Page 2 - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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Okay, starting from left to right... there is a nice long shelf at eye level - you can see a little bit of it, it has 4 hooks underneath too that you can hang purses, totes etc on as well. Underneath that shelf is a large trunk, I have my big red suitcase on top of it, the trunk has a big slide-out drawer, which I fit about 6 days of clothes inside. Next to that is the giant whiskey barrel, which houses the fridge. You can see the beautiful 32" flat screen tv on top of the 4 crates - those are actually individual dresser drawers, they are all nice and deep and roomy too. Then the table & two chairs. There was an outlet on the lower wall between the tv & the table & chairs, we brought a power strip so we could plug in all of our cell phone chargers & camera stuff all together so it wasn't scattered about the room, and it worked out quite well. Next, you have the front door, and we had a "connector" room, so there was another door over there too. We brought a twin air mattress, so that fit quite comfortably between the bed & the front door, no problem, the boys took turns sleeping on it because they didn't want to sleep together, and it worked out well.
Here's a closer look at the details on the barrel and the crate/drawers! And, you can also see some of the carpet/plank floor too!
Great start! I never thought about using a power strip. We will definately be taking one with us on our next trip!
Love the pictures. So I am assuming you should get to park and then run and get a fast pass for TSMM?
Ooooh- before I forget - you just reminded me of something important I wanted to mention, a great tip I wanted to pass along, as well as a procedure they've put in place at DHS....
First off, if you want to do it right, go to Hollywood & Vine for breakfast before park opening! I know, most of you may not have little ones that care at all about Playhouse Disney - neither do I - my boys are 7 & 15!
But it never books up and the service is great, and the food is fantastic PLUS.... it gets you in a perfect position for park opening/rope drop.....when you're done with breakfast, preferably around 8:45 - 8:50, walk over to the little area near the lake by the boat, just under the billboard with Jessica Rabbit on it:
Once you get over to this area, there will be a CM or two that will tell you you must stay there until they can take you further with the crowd at rope drop. There is no "just rope drop" at DHS anymore! Now, because the TSMM craze has gotten out of control, one of the CM's was telling us that little kids have actually gotten trampled, people have gotten pushed, punched, knocked over, it's gotten really ugly. So, now a slew of Toy Story Mania CM's come to the rope drop and "orderly" lead the crowd over to Toy Story Mania every morning. You're not allowed to run, or go ahead of the CM's or the crowd infront of you, or they will stop everyone and wait, or they will ask you to sit, or leave! There is also about 50 other CM's along the route making sure everyone stays together and doesn't "cut" the group or stray into another area or run or cause trouble. It was strange, but orderly, it felt like we were in school or something. BUT.... if you were at breakfast at H&V and you were smart enough to take that side route and the CM's blended you with the crowd, then you were lucky enough to be very near the front of the line!
Do not ride & then get a fast pass, the fast passes might be gone for the day by the time you get off the ride! get a fast pass right away, it probably won't be good until after 10:00. get in the regular line, you might be able to ride a couple times before the line starts to get long, and then save your fast pass for later in the day. The CM at TSMM told me that the fast passes don't expire past their time window, they are good that whole day, so you can go back later that day and use it, and trust me you will love this ride so much you'll want to ride it over and over and over again! Oh- and see if you can find all the hidden mickey's! There's a great "painted" blue one in the regular queue line just past Potato Head, that's all I'm saying, not telling you any more - if you guys want to see say PLEASE and I will post the pic. I just don't want to spoil it for any one who wants to hunt for it.
__________________
~Amy~
Last edited by Buffalogirl18; 05-08-2009 at 09:47 PM..
Breakfast at O'hana! The boys showered the night before, so Tony and I got up at 6:30 and got showered and dressed and we got the boys up at 7:00, just in time to get dressed and brush their teeth. We were at the bus stop by 7:20, the bus to MK was there in 2 minutes flat! I swear our driver knew a back route because he took roads I hadn't seen before, and we got there in about 11 minutes!!! We hopped the monorail, and we headed over to Poly for breakfast at O'hana. We did not have an ADR for O'hana, I had tried several times to get one for this trip, but every time I called, it was all booked up for this week! But, also every time I called, different CM's told me that if I were going to O'hana at 8am on a Tuesday, there really was no need for an ADR, going that early they were sure to get me in, people are no-shows at most character meals that early any day of the week . I was hesitant to trust that, but I figured if it back fired we could just eat at Kona instead. Well, I walked right up to the O'hana podium and they said "sure, no problem, we have plenty of tables, come right in!". First they lay you (haha) and then you get a family pic taken (which is way expensive and cheesy), and then you get seated. The place is huge, and the food comes family style. There's two breads - one cinammon raisin, and the other a coconut pineapple, both were delicious. You'll get a bowl of fruit - pineapple, grapes, strawberries, melons. A big platter of eggs, bacon, sausage, potatoes & biscuits. Then they come around with Mickey waffles too. They will keep refilling your bowls and platters as stuff gets low! The food was great. There's a parade/dance thing with the characters - Lilo, Stitch, Mickey & Pluto, where the kids get up and do sort of a conga line around the restaurant with maracas and shakers & stuff. Then they come to the table for pics too. The kids had a ton of fun, and even DH said this one goes on our must-do list for next year too!
Matthew forgot his glasses, so Tony had to go back to the room to get them, while the three of us went to Magic Kingdom. One problem with that - I have NEVER set foot down Main Street or set eyes on that Castle for the first time on any trip without my husband by my side - and this time was not going to be any different! It was really bothering me that he wasn't there with me, but it seemed silly to both of us for all of us to go back to the resort to get Matt's glasses. So, we went in, and just milled about Town Square, and the shops on the left hand side, and I kept my "blinders on" as we moved to the left side to get to the shops, but we did not go on the street or look at that Castle, we stayed inside the shops and spent money instead!!!
Tony called me about 20 minutes later, and as the phone rang I thought "wow, he is making really good time!", but sadly, no, he was still waiting at the MK bus stop for a bus to CBR!!!
So, I told him to just come in, and we would get Matt's glasses after lunch, he only needs them for distance anyway, he is slightly near-sighted, nothing major. But, just as we finally decided, a bus for CBR showed up, so he took it. Finally at 10:30 he was back with us at MK, and we were able to take that magical stroll down Main Street together as a family and see the Castle, but by then all the "oomph" was taken out of it! I just looked at the Castle, sighed, and said "ooh, yay, it's the Castle " I normally get all silly, and teary, and squeeze Tony's arm, and he will give me a big kiss - not this time! He was crabby from having to trek back to the room on all the stupid buses, I was bummed at the lack of magic from the delays....it was less than perfect.
So, off to Buzz Lightyear to kick some galactic bootie!!! Maybe that will cheer us up!!!
__________________
~Amy~
Last edited by Buffalogirl18; 05-08-2009 at 10:42 PM..
Great start and photos (although I can't see a bunch of them in the 9:00 and 10:30 posts ). The pirate room looks really cool....that shower wall is the neatest thing. Glad you're having a wonderful time at DHS. Looking forward to more
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How sweet of you to want your DH with you when you walk down Main Street and see the Castle. I wish my DH loved Disney like me, I would love to have that to share with him. My girls and I make the best of our time at Disney though, so I will have those memories forever. Glad you are making some great memories with your family.
Great start and photos (although I can't see a bunch of them in the 9:00 and 10:30 posts ). The pirate room looks really cool....that shower wall is the neatest thing. Glad you're having a wonderful time at DHS. Looking forward to more
Sorry- anybody else having trouble seeing pics? I may have been posting them the same time some one was replying because it went down on me twice at those times....hope it's okay now, seems to be when I look at it - let me know if it's not.
Great start on the TR. Love the room at CBR. Glad you had a great time at DHS and got to enjoy TSMM, we love that ride. After the long day traveling I am not surprised you were all tired, I think canceling the dinner at H&V was a great choice and it gave you the opportunity to enjoy Shutters, you dinner sounded delicious.
Sorry that there were some delays before you got to do your customary walk down Main Street, hope that a ride on Buzz put everyone in good spirits by the time you made it out.
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BUT.... if you were at breakfast at H&V and you were smart enough to take that side route and the CM's blended you with the crowd, then you were lucky enough to be very near the front of the line! 
Liz 
so much for the excellent details about CBR! It truly looks like an awesome resort.
But, also every time I called, different CM's told me that if I were going to O'hana at 8am on a Tuesday, there really was no need for an ADR, going that early they were sure to get me in, people are no-shows at most character meals that early any day of the week 
" I normally get all silly, and teary, and squeeze Tony's arm, and he will give me a big kiss - not this time! He was crabby from having to trek back to the room on all the stupid buses, I was bummed at the lack of magic from the delays....it was less than perfect. 
). The pirate room looks really cool....that shower wall is the neatest thing. Glad you're having a wonderful time at DHS. Looking forward to more
Teresa
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