The "I'm Stuck on Figuring Out a Title for my Trip Report" Trip Report - UPDATED 7/5 About This Page:

[Wendyismyname]

Originally Posted by lauriep

Loving the photos.

A question about the crocs... A few years ago I wore regular crocs exclusively at WDW and ended up with polka-dot-tanned feet! Did you get Mickey-tanned-feet?

Not this trip, but I did last year!

[Wendyismyname]

Saturday June 13, 2009
I awake at 4am. No, I am not kidding, 4am. I spring out of bed and do my morning routine and prepare to head down for coffee. Shouldn’t be any trouble at all! Do you know that they don’t have their coffee going at 4am? Gasp! Okay, so I head for the food court because I know from reading my trusty PassPorter, is open 24 hours. Well, one thing we’ve never taken the time to find before was Gasparilla Games. So, I hunt and hunt. Do you know that there is NO ONE in the lobby at 4:15am? Do you want peace and quiet? Be there at 4:15am. It was amazing!
I head towards the Grand Floridian Café, I knew I was going in the right direction at least. I saw a cleaning cart outside the bathrooms. Imagine the wide eyed shock the lady had when she came out and saw me! I asked: where is Gasparilla?? And received confusion??? Crap, now what am I going to do? Okay. Next I asked COFFEE?? (oh please, please understand that!). Ah, café!! Si si! Thank goodness for finger pointing. Just FYI, I do believe they outsource the cleaning crew, maybe for the 3rd shift because these were not GF uniforms.

Finally, I had great success with finding the coffee machines! There was a great CM there busy cleaning up and most importantly, had just made fresh pots!! He helped me with the creamer machine too. It was plugged. The machine keeps it so cold that it sometimes freezes in the drip thing!

Back up to our room and I just had to go out on the balcony and enjoy the morning, my favorite time of the day. Ben joined me and we had good coffee and great conversation, with him telling me that once again I’ve done such an awesome job in vacation planning. We talk about our good fortunes in this trip, our blessings with our family and our shock of Carlee not joining us on this trip!
Some pictures of such a great morning:








Sorry these next couple are blurry!




Sunrises are my favorites






Before too long, Miss Gabby woke and decided to join us.


It wasn’t much longer before we all got up and got moving. We went upstairs for breakfast at 7am. What a fabulous breakfast too. They had the best fresh fruit, cheeses, sliced ham and turkey, yoghurt, cereal, coffee, and sweet pastries.
The kids enjoyed some cereal and a tiny bit of fresh fruit before being too full. Ben ate everything offered, I swear he did. I had some ham and cheese, fresh fruit and coffee. Oh my goodness it was great.
We went back to the room and called bell services to transfer our bags to Kidani. When he went into the spiel about doing the transfer between 1 and 3pm I kindly informed him that it doesn’t always happen that way and I told them about our experience at the BWI on May 1 when our luggage didn’t arrive at the CR until after 5pm. I told him I know it isn’t his fault, but they(the resort as a whole)needs to work on it in a timely manner. He was surprised that we’d had such a problem!
We left the room and stopped at the concierge desk on the way. I needed to tell them about our shower. You could pull the whole faucet away from the wall. The shower came away also. I thought they should get that fixed before someone stuck their finger behind there and got it pinched or something.

With that, we walked away ending our magical one night stay at the Grand Floridian. Would any of us stay there again. If the price was right, oh heck yeah!

[Cam22]

More great photos! The GF sounds wonderful and I don't blame you all for simply enjoying. I did miss you at MK Wishes Meet, but I completely understand that bone-tired feeling.

[buzzspal2]

What could be better than a disney sunrise. More Please

[skateycat]

i love that pic of ben in his complimentary bathrobe! i am so glad you all got the chance to do concierge at GF. definitely on my list of all time favorites! and you and your family SO deserve that nice trip!!!!

[orionchika]

What such a wonderful beginning to a grand time!!! Shame about the CM's attitutde when you tried to exchange.... but glad you were able to find another use....I have wanted to stay at GF, maybe I will next go around.... Can't wait for next installation.....

[Desurae]

What beautiful morning pictures!!! A very nice day way to start the day (after coffee is found.... must have coffee)

[chezp]

What wonderful updates Wendy!

How neat that Michael got a special birthday celebration - I love that and, for once, how cool that you were up early and got to enjoy the views out on the balcony.

Thanks so much for sorting out that exchange for me, even with the nightmare over the receipts. If only I'd have thought when I bought those pyjamas that they were for a birthday IN FOUR MONTHS TIME - then I wouldn't have had a problem!

[Wendyismyname]

Originally Posted by chezp

What wonderful updates Wendy!

How neat that Michael got a special birthday celebration - I love that and, for once, how cool that you were up early and got to enjoy the views out on the balcony.

Thanks so much for sorting out that exchange for me, even with the nightmare over the receipts. If only I'd have thought when I bought those pyjamas that they were for a birthday IN FOUR MONTHS TIME - then I wouldn't have had a problem!

Well since you have admitted to being the problem.............it's all your fault. I can see why they did start the barcode program though. Hey, you say you got them already? That was pretty fast and I hope that he doesn't outgrow them before his b-day. But if you think he will, speed mail them to me and I'll exchange them again in a couple weeks!

[elisa1006]

Great updates. So glad you chose to enjoy your time at the GF. Looks beautiful!

[vfair]

Great updates. Loved the photos. So glad the chill pad is working for your laptop.

[mcc0313]

What a great first day. Lunch sounded delicious at T-Rex, and the room at the GF was beautiful. Glad that even though it was only one night you got to really spend some quality time there...especially on the balcony watching WDW wake up....I love sunrises as well.

Hope the move from GF to Kidani works out better than your transfer mixup from May that you and Cheryl went through. Can't wait to hear more.

[KMB733]

Great updates Wendy! the pictures of the sunrise at GF, so beautiful!!!

[krisk11]

Nice pictures of the sunrise. I've never seen a sunrise at Disney and probably never will. I enjoy my sleep too much and am usually up too late the night before.

[Colexis Mom]

Great updates and pictures! Glad you had a great time at the GF!