Four resorts, one long weekend, and a birthday to remember!

[sherryberry 35]

So, I'm one of those that hasn't been here for a while.  The last couple of years have been busy - I have a sister that was diagnosed with cancer two days before a Disney trip and she was hospitalized for blood clots shortly after said trip. After surgery and radiation, she is now cancer-free! I also ended up having surgery later that year. We also had a drunk driver come down our street and total my other sister's car, in front of our house, while we were in bed (she was taken to jail, barely able to walk and my sister got another car).  We've all had enough excitement for a while. Even with all of that going on, we made sure to head down to Disney as much as we could.

 

Last year, for the first time in my life, I spent my birthday at Disneyworld! That's kind of a big deal because I have a December birthday and we work retail.  We were able to work out our days off between two weeks so we could have a long weekend (Thursday through Sunday). Kenneth is a DVC member, but we were planning this trip fairly last minute.  It was hard to get three nights together in one room, and especially hard to get cheap rooms (a studio room). We were grabbing any reservation we could get as we found them. This ended up getting us three nights in a one-bedroom villa at three different resorts.  I also found a deal for B resort, that included breakfast, for Wednesday night.  So, that's four different resorts for the weekend and moving every day.  It was worth it to me, to celebrate my 38th birthday at Disney.

 

Since we had to work Wednesday, we had to make the most of our time to be able to hit the road at a decent hour.  We used our lunch hour to run home and grab the dogs and drop them off for boarding. After work, we got on the road and pulled up to B resort late that night. 

 

 

We went to bed shortly after getting into our room. The next morning, we went downstairs to enjoy our breakfast at the restaurant on property. We opted for the buffet, which was made to look like it was set up on the bed of a pickup truck.  We enjoyed it a lot and were glad it was included in our reservation.

 

 

After filling our bellies and getting cleaned up, we headed out of B resort and headed to the Wilderness Lodge, for the second resort of the trip.  We certainly don't need a one-bedroom villa and don't want to spend that many points, but it really is nice to have a king-size bed and a big tub to soak in.  Here's the one-bedroom villa we were in.

 

 

I LOVE the Wilderness Lodge! It's such a beautiful resort, and even more beautiful when it's decorated for Christmas!

 

 

 

[DaveInTN 3,247]

Wow!  A truck buffet, AND Wilderness Lodge??  This is starting off great!

Oh, and looks like I'm first!  

[Mrs.TN22 12]

I'm in!  the buffet looked great!  like the truck!  looking forward to more!

 

[Grumpy and Grandma 740]

23 minutes ago, sherryberry said:

I LOVE the Wilderness Lodge! It's such a beautiful resort, and even more beautiful when it's decorated for Christmas!

 

 

 

X-2 Our favorite as well. Oh, 3rd

[sherryberry 35]

Looking back at pictures, it appears that we hung out in the room when we first got there. We headed out that afternoon for the "gingerbread and Christmas decoration" tour.  We took a boat to the Contemporary, from the Lodge. First gingerbread display!

It smelled fantastic in there! Is that smell really all coming from that gingerbread or is Disney adding that smell? After admiring this display and trying to count "hidden" Mickeys, we jumped on the monorail and scooted on down to the Poly. There wasn't a gingerbread display and the tree isn't that big since this lobby isn't as tall as the Wilderness Lodge or Grand Floridian. But, of course it was a beautiful tree!

Instead of getting back on the monorail and going through security again, we walked over to the Grand Floridian from the Poly.  Of course, the decorations here are impressive!

I also tried one of the gingerbread shingles. I didn't really like it. And it was, like, $9.00. Fail.

Looking back at my pictures, it appears that we headed to Animal Kingdom from there.  It looks like we rode Everest and had dinner at Yak and Yeti. That's us in the front row of Everest.

 

Yak and Yeti dinner. Following are wok-fried green beans, sweet and sour chicken, and chicken tikka masala (so spicy and soooooo good).

And that ends our Thursday of our long weekend at Disney.  I'll try to get another update in tomorrow.

[sherryberry 35]

Wow!  A truck buffet, AND Wilderness Lodge??  This is starting off great!
Oh, and looks like I'm first!  

Yay, first! I hope you’re starting to feel better! This was one of the best trips ever!

I'm in!  the buffet looked great!  like the truck!  looking forward to more!
 

Thanks! That buffet was really good. Especially the creamy, cheese grits. They do grits really good down here in Florida. In Georgia, you usually get grits with butter. I like mine creamy with lots of cheese.

X-2 Our favorite as well. Oh, 3rd

It’s such a nice resort, isn’t it? Being next door to the Fort helps. :)

[dblr....Rennie 224]

I like the truck buffet kind of a neat theming. We prefer a 1 bedroom even if it's just the 2 of us, I like the extra space and if I wake early I don't disturb the wife, Plus we do not get down often so we are using up points so they don't expire, hate not using our points.

[mouseketab.....Carol 1,261]

Very nice!! I've wondered about the B resort. We've stayed at the Holiday Inn next door sometimes for first night arrival, and enjoy that also.

[Cortezcapt (Derek) 156]

Sounds like a great and much needed trip. 

[caveat lector 181]

Wow, great pictures. When we were DVC, we never had a chance to stay at WL.  Seeing those pics makes me wish we had.

[sherryberry 35]

I like the truck buffet kind of a neat theming. We prefer a 1 bedroom even if it's just the 2 of us, I like the extra space and if I wake early I don't disturb the wife, Plus we do not get down often so we are using up points so they don't expire, hate not using our points.

The one-bedroom was so nice! We try to come down a few times a year, so we don’t usually have a hard time getting through our points. Most years, we are borrowing from the next use year.

Very nice!! I've wondered about the B resort. We've stayed at the Holiday Inn next door sometimes for first night arrival, and enjoy that also.

The room at B resort didn’t have a very clean feeling to me - I don’t think it was really dirty, maybe it just has a lot of wear and tear right now. The lobby is beautiful, though! And the bed was quite comfy, and that was very important to me after getting in so late (I think we arrived around midnight, after going in to work at 5:00 am that same day).

Sounds like a great and much needed trip. 

Thanks! Best birthday ever! I was very lucky to have had that opportunity.

Wow, great pictures. When we were DVC, we never had a chance to stay at WL.  Seeing those pics makes me wish we had.

It had been a long time for us, since we had stayed at Wilderness Lodge. What I love the most about this resort is all of the little nooks and hang-out areas all over the place. The DVC building has a lot of great places to relax all around the lobby.

[momof3kids-Yvonne 596]

First, prayers of Thanksgiving for your sister being cancer free. Prayers too that it was only the car of your other sister that was damaged by the drunk driver. Cars are replaceable. I do hope the driver has gotten the help she needs and something like this never happens again.
What a wonderful way to celebrate a birthday! I love WL too. If we ever stayed at a deluxe resort, it would definitely be my first choice.

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[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Awesome start to your report.

Thanks for sharing about the B resort. I've been there a couple of times to drop off rental cars- there's an Enterprise desk in the lobby. I was able to take their free bus to Epcot from there. I always thought it might be s good place to stay for a cheap room. It looks like a decent place.

Not a big deal, but those signs they post at the gingerbread displays bug me. How did they use 998 pounds of flour for the Contemporary gingerbread house, but only 800 at the Grand Flordian's?  The white backdrop at the Contemporary is a piece of plywood they use every year. The only things made out of gingerbread are the flat, one dimensional, castle and the Cinderella figures. How did that use more flour than the whole house they built at the Grand Floridian? Liars!

TCD

[fladogfan aka Gretchen 259]

I'm in and on the first page.

Great way to celebrate a birthday.

[h2odivers...Ray 952]

 I’m in. Great start to your TR. I too, like TCD, have dropped off rental cars at the beach resort a few times. And I get promotions to stay there all the time. Looking forward to reading more. 

[Tony 27]

I'm in! Great pictures, Love Disney at Christmas. Thanks for sharing- Resort hop till ya drop

[twiceblessed....nacole 433]

What an awesome way, to celebrate your birthday!

LOVE, LOVE that truck buffet.  So stinkin' cute!!

The Wilderness Lodge, is our favorite... it's the one hotel, we would like to stay in (I'm not a hotel person, I like my own germs... lol). 

[DaveInTN 3,247]

1 hour ago, Tri-Circle-D said:

Awesome start to your report.

Thanks for sharing about the B resort. I've been there a couple of times to drop off rental cars- there's an Enterprise desk in the lobby. I was able to take their free bus to Epcot from there. I always thought it might be s good place to stay for a cheap room. It looks like a decent place.

Not a big deal, but those signs they post at the gingerbread displays bug me. How did they use 998 pounds of flour for the Contemporary gingerbread house, but only 800 at the Grand Flordian's?  The white backdrop at the Contemporary is a piece of plywood they use every year. The only things made out of gingerbread are the flat, one dimensional, castle and the Cinderella figures. How did that use more flour than the whole house they built at the Grand Floridian? Liars!

TCD

And they make an entire carousel with horses and characters at the Beach Club with only 96 pounds of flour.  LOL.  

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

1 hour ago, DaveInTN said:

And they make an entire carousel with horses and characters at the Beach Club with only 96 pounds of flour.  LOL.  

Someone needs to audit the Contemporary's gingerbread chefs. They must be selling sacks of flour out the back door. 

If only we knew an auditor  

TCD

[DaveInTN 3,247]

29 minutes ago, Tri-Circle-D said:

Someone need to audit the Contemporary's gingerbread chefs. They must be selling sacks of flour out the back door. 

If only we knew an auditor  

TCD

As much as I love a good fraud investigation, I'm guessing Disney has quite a large internal audit staff that can handle a flour investigation.  Call me when there is beer disappearing.   

[sherryberry 35]

First, prayers of Thanksgiving for your sister being cancer free. Prayers too that it was only the car of your other sister that was damaged by the drunk driver. Cars are replaceable. I do hope the driver has gotten the help she needs and something like this never happens again.
What a wonderful way to celebrate a birthday! I love WL too. If we ever stayed at a deluxe resort, it would definitely be my first choice.

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Thank you so much. With everything that happened, we were very lucky in all cases. We still have two more resorts to visit before this trip report is over!

Awesome start to your report.
Thanks for sharing about the B resort. I've been there a couple of times to drop off rental cars- there's an Enterprise desk in the lobby. I was able to take their free bus to Epcot from there. I always thought it might be s good place to stay for a cheap room. It looks like a decent place.
Not a big deal, but those signs they post at the gingerbread displays bug me. How did they use 998 pounds of flour for the Contemporary gingerbread house, but only 800 at the Grand Flordian's?  The white backdrop at the Contemporary is a piece of plywood they use every year. The only things made out of gingerbread are the flat, one dimensional, castle and the Cinderella figures. How did that use more flour than the whole house they built at the Grand Floridian? Liars!
TCD

Lol, so true about the numbers they’re reporting. I do wish there was more to the contemporary gingerbread display. The house at GF and the carousel at BC are much more impressive.

I'm in and on the first page.
Great way to celebrate a birthday.

I wish I could celebrate like this every year!

 I’m in. Great start to your TR. I too, like TCD, have dropped off rental cars at the beach resort a few times. And I get promotions to stay there all the time. Looking forward to reading more. 

Thanks for joining in! There’s much more to come!

I'm in! Great pictures, Love Disney at Christmas. Thanks for sharing- Resort hop till ya drop

Disney decorated for Christmas is the best!

What an awesome way, to celebrate your birthday!
LOVE, LOVE that truck buffet.  So stinkin' cute!!
The Wilderness Lodge, is our favorite... it's the one hotel, we would like to stay in (I'm not a hotel person, I like my own germs... lol). 

You should stay one day!

[sherryberry 35]

So, we left off ending our day at Animal Kingdom on Thursday night. Friday morning, we were making a move from Wilderness Lodge to Old Key West.

Goodbye for now, Lodge!

Hello Old Key West resort! The one bedroom villas at Old Key West are huge!

After getting everything into our room, we hopped on a bus to go to Epcot.

 

 

[sherryberry 35]

And of course, since it's the holiday season, they had food booths around World Showcase.  We tried a few things while we were there. In Japan, I had some soba noodles. They were good. Just like what I'm used to eating.

In America, Kenneth tried the pecan tart. We were actually surprised at how large this one was. I think Kenneth liked it. I don't eat pecans, so I can't comment on this one.

I also tried the rice cream, in Norway. This was not at a food kiosk. It was at the bakery, in Norway. The rice part was not sweet, just very creamy. So, it paired very well with the sweetness of the strawberries on top. I liked this one.

That night, we went to Hollywood Studios. We didn't explore much of the park. We went to go see the projections on the Tower of Terror and to watch the Jingle Bell, Jingle Bam (is that right?) show. We watched the Jingle bell show from in front of Hollywood and Vine.  I LOVE the retro Christmas decorations at Hollywood Studios and the Christmas music that they play is the best! I'm one of those people that plays Christmas music year-round, but I prefer more of the traditional artists like Nat King Cole and Bing Crosby. I don't really care for the modern artists doing Christmas music.

After Hollywood Studios, we went to downtown Disney  for dinner. We had a craving for some Earl of Sandwich and I had a free birthday cupcake coupon from Sprinkles.  I got my usual chicken bacon avocado wrap from Earl and Kenneth had the Original. We both also had pasta salad. We split the cupcake - dark chocolate, if I remember correctly.

[dblr....Rennie 224]

Old Key West is great for the size of the rooms and even the patios are larger there, you can actually fit more then a couple of people compared to the one at other resorts.

[momof3kids-Yvonne 596]

That pecan tart looks delicious.
Like you I prefer the traditional artist singing the Christmas songs instead of the newer artist redoing them.

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