FREE DINING WDW/CRUISE TRIP REPORT September 19-30, 2007 About This Page:

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FREE DINING WDW/CRUISE TRIP REPORT September 19-30, 2007
Cast: Me, 41, Disney Fanactic, Trip Planner
DH, 54, Converted Disney Fan, Trip Taker and Enjoys all of my efforts.
Dates: Sept 19 - 30, 2007, Plane, Rental Car and 3 day Disney CRUISE – 1st timers!
Port Orleans Riverside – Alligator Bayou, Room # 2164/ Wonder, Stateroom 6321

Day 1
Hi there. DH and I have no kids and we have vacationed every fall at WDW since they started the “Free Dining with Hurricane Season” two years ago. It’s a terrific value for us and we love going to the all the different and new restaurants that we would never pay for on our own. Yes, I know you pay full price for the rooms, but let’s face it, eating at the world is no small change these days. This trip was planned the moment Disney Visa came out with the offer and was planned through Jessica at MFL travel. Thanks Jessica! It took me 3 years to talk DH into his first ever Cruise, but I did it. It helped that he had no ideas on what to get me for our anniversary so I offered it up as a mutual present and a add-on to our existing trip. It timed out perfectly at the end of our parks trip. I wanted the cruise on the end to try to recover from our self admitted "Commando Style Touring".

We have perfected our vacationing as a team. It involves me flying before my DH. I have more vacation time and he has less patience and is a magnet for every crying infant and kid that kicks the back of his airplane seat and I don't like to hear him complain, so in the interest of our marriage, I fly before, get the car, get the boxes, get the groceries, wait in all the check in lines and pick him up at the airport the next day. It works for us. We then fly back together.

I left for WDW on Wednesday evening, Sept. 19th, one day ahead of DH. Even with an hour delay from Madison to Milwaukee, I made the connection in Milwaukee in 15 minutes and so did my luggage. Unbelievable. My vacation is off to a terrific start. I had a priceline car waiting for me from Budget in Orlando. I always find Priceline can give me really great deals, this time a full sized car for $13.00 a day. This was my first experience with Budget and I have to say I wouldn’t recommend them, just my opinion. The staff at the airport counter were just short of rude and extremely slow. Since I’m traveling alone, I scurried to the rental car counter before getting my luggage and beating the crowd. Yes, the sense of competitiveness exists even on vacation. I had asked for a 4 door vehicle as I find the 2 doors too heavy and difficult to deal with, and hate pulling up the back seat to throw the luggage in the back. They gave me a 2 door, and a car that seems much smaller than a full size. I asked nicely if there were any full size cars with 4 doors per my request and she said “No”. So I went outside to the car they suggested, it was a small two door Mitsubishi Eclipse and not what I had planned on. I simply went up to the booth in the parking lot and asked nicely for a 4 door, and they promptly gave me a Chrysler Impala – very spacious and nice. Of course, when we returned the car we found out that they had someone else’s name on that car (it had been reserved that first night by someone else) and it was a hassle to get it fixed – good thing we were really early for our flight. I would not recommend using Budget if you can avoid it. That said, I would still rent again through Priceline. I took 417 with my M&M container of quarters to Disney, planning to stop at the SuperTarget on John Young Parkway, but I got in so late that they were closed. Bummer. Oh well, I’ll get groceries tomorrow.

When I arrived at POR, the young college program CM from Ireland was very nice but obviously new. I had reserved POR Alligator Bayou and requested a ground floor corner room. I got neither. This is the first time I’ve ever had a section request denied at Disney in many years of trips. I totally understand nothing is guaranteed but I’ve never had them put me in the wrong section. I asked nicely if we could remedy it, as it was my DH’s only request for the whole trip. I should insert here that I’ve stayed at every moderate and POR is our very favorite with FQ second. We just love the feel of the place and we always rent a car to get to all the other resorts for dining, so the bus service is not an issue for us. We love AB because it feels like you are out in the woods somewhere. I am so surpdised at what a different feel the Magnolia Mansions have from the Bayou and again how different the French Quarter is also…it’s all a matter of what you prefer. So the CM went out of her way to call housekeeping and low and behold, they had a clean room in AB section and it was even a corner room on the second floor. Perfect. I had to tell her that I had two boxes waiting for me. She confirmed they had them but said it was too late for a bellperson to deliver them. This was a surprise. It was around midnight. I was disappointed but told her I would pick them up the next day. I got to my room and unloaded the luggage from the car. It was now near 1am and I was ready for bed when there was a knock at the door which kind of freaked me out. It was a bellperson and he had my boxes!! How awesome. Now off to bed. Travel wears me out! PS It’s hot here.

That's all for Day 1 , Day 2 coming soon - I'll post as soon as I write them!

[KrisLuvsDisney]

Off to a great start. Sorry about Budget.

I can't wait to hear about the rest of your trip

[mcc0313]

Great start....glad after the all the hassle you got the car and almost the room you wanted...can't wait to hear more...

[DrDolphin]

Great start!! Sorry about Budget - but can't wait to read more.

[DyanKJ130]

Great start! I'm glad they were able to move you into AB. We POR & AB!! Can't wait to hear how your first full day goes!

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FREE DINING WDW/CRUISE TRIP REPORT September 19-30, 2007
Cast: Me, 41, Disney Fanactic, Trip Planner
DH, 54, Converted Disney Fan, Trip Taker and Enjoys all of my efforts.
Dates: Sept 19 - 30, 2007, Plane, Rental Car and 3 day Disney CRUISE – 1st timers!
Port Orleans Riverside – Alligator Bayou, Room # 2164/ Wonder, Stateroom 6321

Day 2
Thursday I had an ADR at Chefs de France for lunch at noon. In the morning I ran around grocery shopping, went to the nearby Dollar Store to pick up a few last minute items and just took my time doing things. I also had to go to DTD to transfer rewards points to my Disney Visa Rewards card and upgrade DH’s ticket to a 10day plus ticket with no expiration. I preferred to do that myself so DH wouldn’t have a heart attack looking at the price – it was more than an Annual Pass! That’s hard to believe, but it will last him through this entire vacation, next years and more. It was nice to be at Disney and not running around like crazy. DH’s flight was to arrive at 10:30pm that night. Once I got to France, I went to the perfume store there and like Disney Magic, there was a sign outside informing me that reps from my favorite perfume Annick Goutal, from Paris, were there and there were gifts with purchase. Any woman loves the phrase “gifts with purchase” it’s like an aphrodisiac. I immediately went in and found out they had a brand new perfume with pure essential oil of orange blossoms. Perfect, it will remind me of Disney trips in Florida. A purchase was made and a gift received, which was a lovely small travel bottle of my choice of one of three Annick perfumes. WOW, two perfumes for one and I do travel a lot...too bad the gift bottle is glass! This was my first meal at CdF and it was wonderful. Lunch was so good that I immediately went up afterwards to the front desk area and asked if they by any chance had a ADR available for two for Saturday night….low and behold they did. She booked an 8:10pm (way too late for us) but she told me to just show up at 5:30 (our preferred time) and there would be “no problem” seating us. At lunch the restaurant had been only half full. Later the next day, I did check with our hotel concierge and secured a 6:10pm reservation for dinner there Sat and cancelled the 8:10pm, just to be sure. I was really surprised we could get such a good time for a weekend ADR at France.

I didn’t ride any rides that day and headed back to the room to make some phone calls to work and just relax. I had a 3:40pm ADR at the Garden View Tea Room at the GF. I’m a big fan of hot tea and since DH doesn’t drink it, this was my little treat to myself. I love the Garden View Lounge. It’s so light and pleasant. The tea is great, the scones and cream are great and the strawberries and whipped cream are to die for. Really good. In the early evening, I went over to DTD to accomplish all my tasks there and ended up at another favorite of mine, Portabello’s Yacht Club. If you like roasted garlic, this is your place! I like to sit at the bar tables and eat one of their appetizers, a four cheese thin crust pizza (delicious). Even if you order an appetizer they bring your freshly baked bread and just out of the oven roasted garlic cloves to spread on it….yummy! When I was done, I went to get the rental car and drive to the airport but low and behold it was a total downpour outside and me with no umbrella. The car was parked by the AMC theaters, a fair distance away, and I was too early to pick him up so I went back in and talked to the bartender some more and tried my first ever port…yuc. They kept me company until the rain slowed and I headed off right on time to pick up my DH. I noticed lots of lightning in the distance and the rain started to pour again once in the car. I found a public radio station and was amazed to hear tornado warnings for right now in an area just north of Orlando. Weird weather to be sure. Turns out the tornado warning wasn’t my biggest problem at the moment – getting to the airport was. I had planned on just taking 417 straight back to the airport, 15 mins maximum on the toll road late at night. I did not take into account that they are doing road work on the between the airport and 417 and they had set up detours that went very far and wide of my desired path to the airport. All I can say is thank goodness I had brought my portable GPS unit with me. I get lost easy enough but this detour went way out of the way, the back roads to 528 and the other entrance to the airport (where I had to pay more tolls in addition to the ones I’d already paid on 417!! ) It took me 40 minutes to get there, so if you are planning this trip in the near future, give yourself plenty of time to mess up. DH’s flight was about 10 mins late coming in and he had to collect luggage, so I was ok. Those parking security people where you pick up flight arrivals were not allowing anyone to stop so round and round I went for another 15 minutes until DH finally showed up complete with luggage. I travel so much for work that whenever I arrive at my destination with my luggage in the same day I was scheduled to, in the city I wanted, I now consider that a great success – travel is such a pain nowadays. Off we go back to WDW. Wait, is DH sneezing? Is he blowing his nose? He was fine yesterday – now he’s caught a cold on the plane. He never gets sick. Except last fall during our WDW vacation when he also picked up a cold on the way down. He blew his nose the entire trip….he makes fun of my taking Airborne tablets....but am I sick? Noooooooooooo. I get him back to POR-AB and he loves the room. I’m so glad I could get it for him. It’s late and we go back to bed. It’s really hot and very humid from the rain all evening…no wait, it’s always humid here, I forgot!

[disneydani]

Wow...you sure accomplished quite a bit in prep for DH's arrival! Glad he made it and hope his cold goes away as quick as it came on!

danielle

[DyanKJ130]

WOW! What a busy day for you! Not to mention the weather scare! Hope DH's cold goes away soon

[Jookiba]

Sounds like a great start-and I agree travelling nowadays has become a pain!!

You've certainly got alot accomplished thus far-can't wait to read more!

[Colexis Mom]

Great start Sorry you had all the issues before you had to pick up your DH More please

[mcc0313]

Wow...you got so much done on that first day...amazing and you fit in two wonderful meals (and you even booked again so DH would not miss it.... )

Another wonderful meal in France (I actually have been wanting to try France...maybe I could fit in a lunch...lol)

Can't wait to hear more on your trip.....

[bsblady01]

more please

[vfair]

Great start - can't wait to hear more!

[mickeycrazy]

Sounds like a wonderful trip so far. More please!