June 29, 2011: January 2011

Swimming Pool Choices

There are three pools which are maintained at 82 degrees. The Hippy Dippy pool is the feature pool and is shaped like a big flower. It has 4 sprayers that spray water into the pool. There is a bar here and you can get fake tattoos and hair wraps.

The bowling pin pool is a quiet pool by the 50's buildings. The theme is carried through around the pool as well.

The third pool is the computer pool and it is found near the 1990's buildings. The pool is a monitor and the keyboard is a squishy material. The service buildings look like floppy disks.

Pool hours are 8am to midnight and lifeguards are on duty 10am -10pm.

Mini-Golf

On Disney property there are two separate miniature golf courses. Each one consists of two separate courses, so in total there are four distinct courses to play. I am hoping we have time for all of them.

At Blizzard Beach Waterpark you'll find WinterSummerland Miniature Golf Course. They are both Santa Claus themed. One is snow and one is sand. The sand course was a lot of fun when I played it last year. We will try the snow course this time around for sure.

Over near the Dolphin and Swan Resorts you will find the other course, Fantasia Gardens. It's something different! The first course, Fantasia Gardens, is inspired by Fantasia and is similar to most mini-golf courses. The second, Fantasia Fairways, is very different though. It is like a regular course on a miniature scale. It is hard! As long as you have fun with it it's not so bad.

The great thing about Disney mini-golf is that it is priced reasonably and you can even get another round half off if you golf again in the same 24 hours.

On-Site Transportation

Because we use Magical Express and don't rent a car, we get to know Disney transportation pretty well. If you have a little patience and remember how many people they are moving in and out of there it's not so bad.

In the past we've used mostly the buses to get to where we wanted to go, catching an occasional monorail. This time with all our dinner ressies, we'll be mixing it up some. We may even catch a boat a time or two.

Of course I prefer to sit on the buses. Standing is hard on the body, but it's not that long a trip. The Fourth of July is always a busy ride but we know that. Amazingly enough, others on the bus don't :)

To not have to pay for a car for the week is great for us and we actually relax on the bus rides. I never relaxed when my husband was getting lost around Orlando when he drove.

Importance of Nightly Prep

I have never really been a morning person. This is really true now. However for the 10 days of our trip we have to be on the bus for breakfast at 6 or 6:30. That means I need to be prepared the night before.

I like to shower the night before because of long hair issues. I also don't have to fight my husband who needs the shower to wake up.

What else needs to get done? Well we need pins ready to trade, pennies ready to press, autograph book pages ready to go, reservation numbers ready, water bottles set, camera and phones charged, and I need a clear picture of what's going on the next day because my husband will rely on me to know. I am sure I have forgotten something that I won't figure out until day 2. Our day ends at about 10 so I should have everything set by midnight.

It's okay. I don't sleep much while were there anyway. Why waste time sleeping while I'm at Disney World?

Agenda for Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Magical Express

Complimentary Airport Transportation Service - Disney's Magical Express Transportation

Complimentary airport transportation service, known as Disney's Magical Express Transportation, is complimentary roundtrip airport transportation and luggage delivery for Guests of select Walt Disney World Resort hotels.

Begin your vacation the moment you step off the plane. Bypass baggage claim and avoid the hassle of having to find transportation and drive, as Disney's Magical Express service transports you from Orlando International Airport to your Walt Disney World Resort hotel, and deliver your bags to your room.

How It Works

Reserve Disney's Magical Express Transportation when you book online or by calling (407) WDW-MAGIC or (407) 939-6244. Guests under 18 years of age must have a parent or guardian's permission to call.
Upon landing at Orlando International Airport, skip baggage claim and proceed to the Disney's Magical Express Welcome Center in the Main Terminal Building, B side, Level 1. Disney's Magical Express service will collect your luggage and deliver it directly to your Walt Disney World hotel room within 3 hours after you check in at the resort. Luggage delivery service provided by Disney's Magical Express is available for flights arriving between 5:00 am and 10:00 pm daily. For airport arrivals after 10:00 pm, Guests may collect their luggage at Baggage Claim and transport it with them on the motor coach.
International Guests flying into Orlando International Airport from another country must follow the U.S. Customs and Border Protection process and claim luggage after disembarking the plane. After completing the process, proceed to the Disney's Magical Express Welcome Center in the Main Terminal Building, B side, Level 1. Disney's Magical Express service will recollect your luggage and deliver it directly to your Walt Disney World hotel room within 4 hours after you check in at the resort. Luggage delivery service provided by Disney's Magical Express is available for flights arriving between 5:00 am and 10:00 pm daily. For airport arrivals after 10:00 pm, Guests may collect their luggage at Baggage Claim and transport it with them on the motor coach.
Sit back and relax as Disney transports you to your Disney Resort hotel in an air-conditioned motor coach.
As your vacation draws to a close, you'll receive a Transportation Notice advising you of the pick-up time and place for your motor coach ride back to Orlando International Airport. Please note that it is your responsibility to bring your luggage to the pick-up point.

Please note that you cannot reserve the luggage service exclusively. You must be present on the motor coach to have your luggage transported to a Walt Disney World hotel.

Resort Airline Check-In Service

If you're departing domestically on a designated airline, enjoy the convenience of our Resort Airline Check-in Service, which allows you to receive your return boarding pass and check luggage at your Walt Disney World hotel, bypassing airport check-in completely.

Simply visit the Resort Airline Check-In Desk located at your Walt Disney World hotel up to 3 hours prior to your flight departure time. A valid government issued photo I.D. and your hotel room key are required to participate.

Resort Airline Check-In Service is available with the following airline carriers:

AirTran
Alaska Airlines
American Airlines
Continental Airlines
Delta Air Lines
JetBlue Airways
Southwest Airlines
United Airlines
US Airways

House of Blues

About House of Blues Orlando
House of Blues Orlando opened in 1997 and is located in Downtown Disney West Side. The famous water tower, which founder Isaac Tigrett spotted on a train ride through the mid–west, stands over 100 feet tall and is a recognizable landmark to the Downtown Disney promenade. Guests at the House of Blues Orlando are treated to the artwork of Mr. Imagination, including his famous Arch. In keeping with tradition, the House of Blues Orlando displays the "Crazy Quilt" and keeps a metal box of mud from the Delta Mississippi underneath its stage.

This is a personal favorite of Jim and mine. We will dine here twice on our trip . It is not on the dining plan but it does take Restaurant.com. I could go and just eat their mashed potatoes. but their sweet potato fries are awfully good too.

Eating is always followed by shopping at the HOB store next store as Jim

is a huge Blues Brothers fan!

Artist's Point

Artist Point restaurant in Disney's Wilderness Lodge Resort draws inspiration from the sprawling dining rooms found in National Park lodges across the Pacific Northwest region that encompasses Washington State, Oregon and British Columbia.

Artist Point serves specialties from the Pacific Northwest where the focus is on seafood, sirloins and game. Though menu options change seasonally, the kitchen's signature dish is a cedar plank-roasted salmon. For dessert, the chef's special creation is an Artist Point cobbler: seasonal berries and house-made black raspberry ice cream.

This is suppose to be one of the more romantic restaurants on property :)

June 29, 2011

Day 1 The Departure

Planning Our Agenda Has Begun

Sunday, January 16, 2011

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