Fabulous February Friends TR About This Page:

[mickeyforlife]

I just started reading this TR and I can see right now its going to be a fun one.

[cindybelle]

Originally Posted by ilovedisney247

Cindy--you might want to look into renting DVC points to stay club level at AKL

That's on my bucket list for sure, trying out a Villa. I should definitely look into that for the Sunrise Safari experience. Thanks Heather!

Originally Posted by southerngirl1014

Ok I am totally in love with this TR. I would comment on everything but its too hard to do that on my phone. It is just all so fabulous!

Many thanks! I love sharing my stories and pics with others who understand my Disney bliss -- you know how often we're surrounded by people who think we're obsessed. Well, I don't deny that term either, but I prefer "Disney bliss."

Originally Posted by cubfancolleen

Or just buying DVC points! I'd love to see you with Deevey at a member meet! She may not know what hit her!

Colleen, a couple years ago I looked into DVC, created a spreadsheet etc. and simply couldn't see it being cost-effective for me -- and that's without considering the annual personal property tax effect. But I should definitely try renting points.

Hey Sheri, did you rent DVC points for your weekend trip with David a couple days ago, or did you book the whole thing with Disney?

I would definitely appreciate advice from those who have rented DVC points & those who have experienced the Sunrise Safari. to everyone who has added comments & questions so far. I hope to get time to add photos & to continue my story -- maybe during lunch or after work today.

Stay tuned!

[skateycat]

sorry, but i think miss cinderella was busy entertaining brent and liz that day. i only recall snow white, mulan (my very favorite), ariel and that other one, what's-her-name....oh yeah, belle. (he he he...that's what you get for critiquing my acting....understudy, foo!)
hey, if you rented dvc points for concierge at akl, i think i'd consider staying there again with you....and doing the safari. ok...get that in motion, miss spreadsheet wielding, super planning, annual pass burning a hole in your pocket miss thang....
no, david and i stayed on the bounceback, 'member? i booked it right before you and i checked out on thursday.
anyway, maybe this should be our next trip....

[cindybelle]

Originally Posted by skateycat

hey, if you rented dvc points for concierge at akl, i think i'd consider staying there again with you....and doing the safari. ok...get that in motion, miss spreadsheet wielding, super planning, annual pass burning a hole in your pocket miss thang....anyway, maybe this should be our next trip....

Sheri, I am SO holding you to this! And you know my anal self will get cracking on it the moment I have time!

[cindybelle]

Yes, dear , I am using my lunch hour to work on this TR for YOU. And you're

Tuesday, Feb 7: Sheri, who had fallen asleep one hour before I did the night before, slept one hour later than I did Tuesday morning. How is that fair I ask you!

There was no rain in the forecast, so I suggested swimming at Stormalong Bay rather than spending the entire day at the Magic Kingdom. Sheri (the Floridian) said, “It’s awfully cold!” and so I (the sturdy Midwesterner) retorted, “It will be 75 by the time we finish breakfast, and the pool is heated!” I convinced her that I could not possibly stay at the Beach Club for 3 nights without trying out the pirate slide.

I suggested going with “bed head” hair to breakfast, checking the air temp on our walk back to the Beach Club, making a decision, and then swimming! (I can be quite persuasive, especially when I stomp my feet and hold my breath. )

But I get ahead of myself. Kouzzina’s breakfasts are a marvel to behold and even better to eat. So much so that I ordered TWO breakfasts – the oatmeal AND the marvelous Classic Golden Waffle - with Whipped Mascarpone Cheese, Honey, and Chopped Pecans and choice of Bacon or Chicken Sausage $10.49.

It's a very beautiful restaurant from the outside:



And from the inside:






What? No photos of us? Ahem -- see "bed head" hair reference above.

But here's the FOOD:



Sorry, I didn't get a clear photo of the yummy waffles -- Sheri got the chicken sausage and I got the crispy bacon, and we both enjoyed the heck out of these delicious, fluffy waffles.



Oh heck, here’s the entire menu: Kouzzina by Cat Cora - Breakfast - Boardwalk

[cindybelle]

On the walk back around the boardwalk, Sheri decided it might be just warm enough for her to stick her toes into the pool. Yippee!

On the walk:


And we decided a photo of us would be OK as long as it was taken from far away:


See how the pirate ship is beckoning! "Cindy and Sheri, come on over -- the water's fine!"


And it was a very comfortable morning, so let's go for it!


And there was hardly anyone to bother us.

[cindybelle]

So we struggled into our swimsuits (not an easy feat after eating two breakfasts, let me tell you). And I said, "I'm not going to test the water -- I'm heading right for the slide on top of that pirate ship." And so that's how we got in.

You can see some of the circular steps leading up to the slide:


The shipwreck is quite




Here I come!


And here's Sheri!


Now, Sheri will tell you that I made her climb those steps and come down that slide a gazillion times before I managed to get her in the whereas she managed to record my exit from said slide in just one "take." However, she exaggerates terribly.

I managed to get that shot of her after only about 100 tries.

We had FUN, let me tell you. The water was delightfully warm, and there were only two children using the slide (other than the two of us "big kids"). One little boy became friends with me when I started asking him for tips on getting down the slide faster. Then he'd stand at the bottom and critique each of my landings. "That was a GOOD one!" he'd announce, and then we'd walk back to the steps again. He informed me that he knows all the state capitals and most of the U.S. presidents in order -- I was impressed, let me tell you!

[cindybelle]

“There are many parts to Stormalong Bay, but the most noticeable aspect of this water complex is the life-size shipwreck located across the sidewalk from the main pools that connects one of the tallest water slides on Walt Disney World ® Resort property to Stormalong Bay. This massive slide, which is accessed by a climb up the mast, is over 150 feet in length and actually takes riders over the sidewalk below en route to its splashdown in the main pool!” (from the Internet )

Sheri wanted to swim the Lazy River, and so we did. But we mostly went down the big slide.

I took these shots from the platforms above the slide:









And Sheri pointed out the movie sign -- oh look, Beauty and the Beast will be showing Wednesday night! (Like we're gonna be at the room at that hour -- right. )



And from the public restrooms on the Yacht Club side, more great nautical details:

[DrDolphin]

Breakfast looked very wonderful!! Can't wait to hear about your morning at SAB!!

[cindybelle]

We decided we’d enjoyed the pool enough by 11:30 or so, and then headed back to the room to make ourselves presentable for Mickey and his friends at the MK. I am SO GLAD we took advantage of Stormalong Bay. Sheri!


It was exciting to see the construction fence, many portions of which are decorated to entice us back to the MK after the new Fantasyland opens.

Umm – Belle? Could I see what you’re reading?






Lumiere is my favorite Disney movie star of all -- yes, I love him even more than I love Goofy. (But don't tell the Goof, OK? He's pretty sensitive. )




Let's face it -- it's going to be supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!

[cindybelle]

We enjoyed It's a Small World and then Mickey's PhilharMagic ()


And then since the lines were long for Peter Pan etc., Sheri suggested a spin on the carrousel. Which I still say is Cinderella's Golden Carrousel and not what's his name's. (And I'm sure Brent agrees with me on this. )


Doesn't Sheri look exuberant!


And then since I didn't want to extricate my camera from around my neck while on a moving carrousel , I simply leaned forward and took this one of myself -- and somehow managed not to fall off. I tell you, I am talented!


And I'm so glad Sheri suggested this ride, because when my horse was UP, I managed to take a pretty decent shot of the Beast's Castle.

[chezp]

Oh wow, what a fun start to the morning. That breakfast looked so and I always love spending time in Stormalong Bay - I did laugh at Sheri's reaction to the idea!

[KMB733]

What a great time you're having!!

[cindybelle]

Then we enjoyed Haunted Mansion – Sheri hadn’t experienced the new “cemetery” queuing area, so I made her touch everything.



See -- her acting is getting better already, and after just a bit of coaching from moi.






I love the pipes on the pipe organ!

[cindybelle]

And since I’d never really examined the pet cemetery before, I took this pic of Mr. Toad for my friend Debbie in St. Louis, who still mourns the loss of Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride.


Whoops -- how could I fail to tell you that we'd stopped at a certain Aloha Isle as soon as we'd reached the MK? Mine is the huge one -- I've got to have me a Dole Float on every trip, rain or shine, hot or cold.


And of course the PhotoPass photographers would not stop hounding us for pictures. Honestly, what we’ll put up with for our fans!





Wasn't it nice of Disney to shoot off fireworks in the daytime just for US?

And then -- and I'm not putting this on, folks -- a band started playing some rock music and Sheri started dancing and then I started dancing, and suddenly a Disney photographer was grinning and snapping our pictures like mad!