A Flower and a Foodie TR updated 5/16 About This Page:

[ilovedisney247]

Work has been crazy this weekend and is going to be for the next few weeks. I am hoping to get my photos uploaded tomorrow so I can start this TR. My house is sort of up in arms at the moment too. One of my roommates is moving out and the other has been visiting his family for a month or so. I'm so looking forward to having the house completely to myself for the next couple of months!

[chezp]

Sorry to hear you're having such a rough time of it right now.

[lauriep]

Hope things settle down for you soon!

[Colexis Mom]

Glad you made it home and got a bartender back! Can't wait to hear all the details of your trip! It was great meeting up with you! And Alexa had no recollection of moving her hands to the music of IllumiNations! Oh, and no POFQ resort wear at the store!

[honeybee723]

Welcome home, and I can't wait to read all about it.

[ilovedisney247]

I'm working on the photo upload right now and I should have the first update done very soon!

[ilovedisney247]

I worked late on Sunday night and it was a very busy night, even though it was predicted to be quiet. I was not at all tired and running on adrenaline so I stopped at Cosimo's on my way home for a cocktail or three. I chatted with the bartender and read the New Orleans Times Picayune and the Orlando Sentinel. Yes, I frequently read the newspapers on my iPhone to decompress after work.

I finally made it home and finished packing and put my head down at about 2:30am. The alarm went off at 4am and I wasn't thinking so I hit the snooze button a couple of times and then realized it was almost 4:30. I dove out of bed, grabbed my suitcase, and literally flew out to the car. My flight was for 6am.

I made it to the airport really quickly--no traffic in New Orleans at 4:45am. I parked at the USPark.net and was quickly picked up by their little shuttle bus and ferried across the street. Fortunately I had gotten smart and took the big liquids out of my bag and decided to just carry on for this trip because I was running late. The line to check bags was outrageous. The line for security was also longer than I've ever seen it before--but it figures--French Quarter Fest ended on Sunday and so did an ER nurse convention.

I was getting really nervous as I was waiting in line. I made it through security at 5:20. I hurried to my gate and realized they weren't boarding yet-so I grabbed a Subway Sandwich to have for breakfast. I never order the actual breakfast sandwiches--I feel like their eggs taste like absolutely nothing. So I picked up a Spicy Italian on wheat for during the flight.

They were lining up the A boarding group, as I arrived back at my gate. I found my spot at A 39 and got right on the plane. I'm going to try not to cut it that close in the future. I selected an aisle seat as close to the front of the plane as I could get. I've discovered that the closer you are to the front of a Southwest plane the more likely you are to end up with an empty middle seat. People instinctively move towards the back of the plane when they are in a later boarding group. I have also perfected the, "I'm not a nice person, you don't want to sit next to me glare." It worked. The flight was almost full, but the middle seat between me and the obviously working hard business man in the window seat remained empty. Things were already looking up for this trip.

My 6am flight landed about 20 minutes early and there was no one in line at DME at all. I was boarded on an almost full bus immediately and off we went. CSR was the first stop! That never happens to me! I felt a little bit bad for everyone else on the bus, because my boarding had actually cost them an extra stop. I was the only one who got off the bus at Coronado Springs.

I walked right up to check in and miracle of miracles my room was ready! Not only that but my request for a room in the Casitas building closest to the main building had been granted. I grabbed my luggage and trooped off to room 1377. My room was on the 3rd floor, right next to a set of stairs and equidistant from two different elevator banks. I noticed that a lot of the rooms around mine were suites, sadly mine was not, but it turned out to be a lovely room. My first impressions of CSR were really good.








Doors separate the bathroom area from the bedroom instead of a curtain.


Oopps Hidden Heather


The bathroom was still tiny--just like all of the values and mods.




The view--they were resealing this fountain during my stay




I already had a cute little towel animal to greet me!

It wasn't yet 11am, so I decided it was time to call my first audible. I made a lot of on the fly changes during this trip. I unpacked and while I was waiting for Bell Services to drop off my Owner's Locker, I made a lunch reservation for 1:30 at Tokyo Dining. Touring Plans just released the results from their reader dining survey for last year and the park restaurant with the highest "Thumbs Up" percentage was Tokyo Dining. I hadn't been to Tokyo Dining, so I figured this was a good use of my time.

Then I had a really scary moment. I hopped in the shower. All of a sudden I hear a male voice in my room. I scream. I grab a towel. I race out of the shower and find my room empty. I threw the security bar and finished my shower. Once I managed to get dressed again, I looked out to the hall and there is a cart full of air conditioner filters. I didn't hear the guy knock and probably scared the bejesus of some poor housekeeper who was just supposed to change the filter. Mental note--remember to throw the security bar whenever in the room.

Up next: Flower and Garden Fest and Tokyo Dining!

[cubfancolleen]

Great looking room! Glad you didn't end up giving anyone a show though!

[buzzspal2]

Nice resort Heather. I'm looking forward to more.

[lauriep]

The room looks great and it's amazing that it was ready that early! Glad you didn't have an encounter with the maintenance guy. I love arriving in time to have lunch in the parks.

[MayraLR]

Great pictures of the room! Sorry about the freaky male voice, it must have been quite a scare.

[OhToodles!]

Welcome Back!
The room looks great! So what time did you arrive at MCO and then at CSR? Seems pretty early, but such good luck that your room was ready.

Was Brandon supposed to be on this trip with you? I can't remember now.

[Dlandmom2]

Great room...I like the colors and the general look of everything. Congrats on getting your room so early! Looking forward to your review of Tokyo Dining.

[tcmary]

Great start. I like the looks of your room, especially the door separating the sinks from the room.

[Linnynad]

We just love, and I mean LOVE Tokoyo Dining!!! Curious to hear your take on it. But shhh........it really is a hidden gem. Soon I'm sure it will turn into one of those hard to get ADR's. Aren't all of the cooks females? I thought I remember hearing that.
CSR looks really nice too. Excited to hear more of your TR!