Day 1377: No Lost Time

In the face of a hurricane and the parks at Walt Disney World closed for the day, one might think there would be some lost time. Luckily, we're annual passholders, which means that it doesn't really matter what days we go to the park, and while I absolutely felt for those that missed out on a day at the most magical place on Earth, there was still plenty to see and do! 

Fortunately, we were staying at The Boardwalk for this particular trip, which was especially lucky since we were on the waiting list for months and it went through only weeks before our flight to Florida. This meant a couple of things. First, that we'd have the surrounding resorts to explore once the curfew was lifted, and second, that we had a few special extras offered at the resort while the parks were in lockdown, like Goofy and Pluto, who walked around The Boardwalk for hours keeping guests entertained! 

Plus, there's definitely something to be said about basically having forced time to spend at your resort. The resorts that make up Walt Disney World are all spectacular, unique in their own ways, and definitely worth exploring in their own, but even I must admit that they sort of get the short stick most of the time I spend in Florida. After all, there's usually so much to do in the parks that I don't spend much time at the resort, with the exception of frequently spending time around Old Key West. I spent extra time at Coronado Springs when I stayed there in July as well and between these two trips, I've really found a new enjoyment in exploring the places we stay.

So maybe next time spend a morning or afternoon looking around your resort, even if there's not a hurricane to force you to stay. Try out some of the restaurants, relax by the pool, or, if you're like me, get some work done in a little nook or cranny that most people don't recognize. It's a great way to spend an afternoon where you don't really want to mix and mingle with park goers and will open your eyes to a whole other side of Disney! I know I'm excited to explore a new resort in January - All Star Music! 

Have a magical day!

Day 733: Saratoga Springs

Originally when we planned this trip, we started out staying where we usually start out staying: Old Key West. Since we've been DVC members since 1996, and our home resort is OKW, it's just where we always begin. Occasionally we'll stay at another DVC resort, often times Bay Lake Tower, which is the only location other than Old Key West that I believe we've stayed with our points more than once, and I'm pretty sure we'll be back there in the future. January 2015, at that point, actually was planned for a different resort: Wilderness Lodge. I've never stayed there, and was pretty excited about the prospect of staying at a new resort. Wilderness Lodge has been on my list for a while, and that made it all the better. 

And then Megan and Ashley both decided to tag along, so the plans changed yet again. At that point, there were very few options on where to stay, but Saratoga Springs was one of them. Since it's right next door to Old Key West, I have to say that I felt like I should stay there sometime as well. Plus, staying at Saratoga with my friends meant that we, for the first time, would have a two bedroom unit. This, of course, is huge for us since we generally only have the one bedroom or a studio. 

It's sort of funny actually, that we've never stayed there before. My parents were actually at the grand opening of the resort years ago, but we never got around to actually staying there. So of course, this seemed like the perfect chance, and we weren't let down. 

While I definitely still prefer Old Key West and Bay Lake Tower, Saratoga Springs is a wonderful resort. It's closeness to Downtown Disney is a huge plus, as we actually walked back from the shopping district twice during the trip (much to the dismay of our hurting feet). It reminded me a bit of BLT in that respect, as I love walking from the Contemporary to the Magic Kingdom and it's actually one of the main reasons I love staying there. That convenience factor has become more important to me over the years, especially as I love staying out until 1 or 4 in the morning in the Disney Parks more and more. Being the last guests in Magic Kingdom in July of 2013 was really magical, and I can't wait to do the same thing again the next time I stay at Bay Lake Tower. 

But Saratoga also offered a little bit of my home resort feel. The reason I love OKW so much, aside from the fact that it's my home resort and I've stayed there more often than all the other places combined, is the quiet, home like feel of the entire resort. It's very laid back there. You can walk all over the resort, you can play in the sand at the playground (like we did...pictures are below), you can play ping pong at 10 at night with absolutely no one around you. While we didn't spend a lot of time at Saratoga, I definitely feel like that side was there too, and maybe that's to be expected with it's closeness to OKW and setup. 

In case you were wondering, "The Kid" is my brother, "Lizzard" is me, "Frank" is my friend Ashley and "Shovell" is Megan. We have weird nicknames, and don't even get me started on Daviiiid. 

Overall, Saratoga Springs is a lovely resort. I would probably stay there again...if there weren't a multitude of other resorts I'd like to stay at. I think that's the problem with Disney World (one of the few). There are so many great places to stay that it's incredibly difficult to decide where to stay. You have to choose between your favorites, in my case BLT and OWK, and new resorts such as Wilderness Lodge or, as my brother wishes, The Polynesian. Granted, I've checked quite a few resorts off my personal list, but there's still plenty to go! 

Have a magical day!

(Note: This blog post was written on January 11 due to the Disney Trip!)

Day 576: The Disney Bucket List

We're all familiar with Bucket Lists. I think that, aside from my lifetime one, I've had more bucket lists than I can count, although sometimes they're more of just to-do lists than anything else. But it helps me get stuff done, and keeps me motivated for the next project. Plus, Bucket Lists are fun. You just get to sit and imagine all the different things you could do and then say "alright, I'm going to do them."

You can have bucket lists for just about anything, although the general point is to have one with things you want to do before the end of your life. However, there are bucket lists for every season, for when you're in college, and most certainly for when you go to Walt Disney World.

Lately, the Disney Pinterest has had these Bucket Lists appearing, and while I've been to Disney so many times that I no longer need to know the things I "have" to do before I leave the parks, it IS fun to go through each list and see what I personally have and haven't done. It's a pretty good mix, and it just goes to show that even the most seasoned Disney veteran still hasn't done absolutely everything.

So I sort of knocked it out of the park on this Disney Dining Bucket List. I got 5 out of 5, which isn't surprising at all. I'm always dining in the different Disney restaurants, and I always try to pick one or two more off the list of places I haven't dined before, such as a fairly recent trip to the Rose and Crown, where I hadn't eaten previous to July 2013. 

But when it comes to Resorts, there are a lot of different places I haven't stayed, and on this one I only got 3/5. That's not bad at all, especially considering these resorts are all the super pricey ones and some people don't get to stay on Disney property period. However, I do hope that I'll check off new resorts soon, and I know for a fact that I'll be staying at Saratoga Springs for the first time this coming January. Just another thing to cross off the ultimate Disney Bucket List. 

I mean, seriously, my Disney bucket list has things like "See all the fireworks shows in the same night" and "stay at all the resorts." Not "Stay at one resort and call it good." I'm a bit more ambitious than that. 

Have a magical day! 

(Note: This blog post was written on August 25).

Day 494: Right at Home

Day 13 of the Disney Photo Challenge: A picture of your favorite "Home" Resort. 

Blast from the Past: 

I often get the following questions/answers...

Other Person: "Wait, how many times have you been to Disneyland?" 
Lizzie: "It's Disney World...and over 20 times."
OP: "20!?!"
L: "Yes."
OP: "Are you rich?"
L: "No."
OP: "Then how do you get to go to Disney so much if you aren't rich?"

It is, honestly, one of my pet peeves when people ask me if I'm rich. I HATE IT. I am not rich. My family owns a business, we take a trip to Disney once a year as a family vacation...as a tradition, and that's it. And my house only looks big because we have a double deck, a sunroom and a "tower" which isn't anything more than where our kitchen table sits. That's it. Sorry for disappointing you. 

Anyway, one of the main reasons I am able to head to Florida with my family is because we are long time Disney Vacation Club Members. My parents joined back right at the beginning in '96, and it's the reason we got to ride in a limo. Anyway, DVC is is kind of like a time-share, but you buy into one of the Disney Resorts, and then are able to use the points you get yearly to help pay for your stay at a Disney resort...and you can pick any resort with the DVC program. When my parents bought into DVC, the only option was Old Key West. So that's our literal "home." The OKW resort has some of the best rooms on property...and it's great for our family. Everything is close, but the one-bedroom includes a Master Bedroom, a bathroom that's more like a double bathroom than anything, including a whirlpool tub, a laundry room, which really helps for packing, and a full kitchen/dining room plus living room...which includes both a pull-out couch and chair (yes...a chair). The theming is awesome, based on classic Key West Style...specifically Conch Flats (also the name of the "town" that Old Key West makes). There's rental stuff, for shuffleboard, ping pong, two tennis courts, a basketball court and plenty of bikes and boats. Plus there's two pools at the resort. 

It's where my family has always stayed, although I've been to plenty of other resorts too, and it's part of the reason we're able to go back. The DVC costs a lot, but when you travel there every year like we do, it pays itself off within about 4 years. It's not the only reason, but it's one of them. 

And my favorite part of Old Key West? No matter if it's 9 in the morning, noon or 2 A.M., when you pass security to get into the resort, you can always expect the security guard to give you a "Welcome Home." And they're right...I am home.

Back to the Future: 

Oh, for sure Old Key West...that's not going to change, at all.

But there's one other resort that's wormed its way into my heart as well, and since I know I talked a bunch about Old Key West already, I'll tell you a little bit more about Bay Lake Tower.

BLT (Yes, B.L.T.), is the DVC portion of Disney's Contemporary Resort, and connects to the main building via a pathway on the fourth floor. I've only had the chance to stay at BLT twice, but the second time especially was well worth it, getting to stay on the top floor and visit the Top of the World whenever I wanted. I think I spent more time up there than I did just about anywhere else on that trip.

The two resorts are vastly different, with the Contemporary being closer to Magic Kingdom (within walking distance), therefore right in the middle of the action, while Old Key West is spread out a bit further, with the closest park being Epcot, although Downtown Disney is just a boat ride away.

Will BLT ever actually overpower my love of OKW? Goodness no, but it does deserve an honorable mention!

Have a magical day!

(Note: This blog post was written on August 19).

Day 89: Old Key West

In a few weeks I'll be headed to a state FBLA competition, and a couple of my friends and I are more than excited to head out. We, of course, were wondering if there would be a DVD player in our condo (which apparently there isn't), and it occurred to me that I just assumed at first there would be one. Why? Disney.

The truth is, most of the hotels I've stayed in have in fact, been Disney ones. I've gone on many other various trips, but most were only for night or two and I had no reason to use the TV other than to watch the news and weather with my parents, along with the occasional old TV show late at night. So why would I need a DVD player? But I just expect it, because Disney resorts have these kinds of things. 

Granted, not every resort has a DVD player (although I grew up as a lucky child at Old Key West, so there was one), but the point still stands. There are many amenities at Disney resorts that you don't have at other resorts throughout the world, and it's just another reason that Disney is rightfully ranked among the top vacation destinations in the world. 

And not-so-randomly, it got me thinking about Old Key West and how it's changed over the past few years with it's renovations. So I looked up some pictures...and it occurred to me just how much these rooms have changed!

Let's start with the living room, which is pretty changed. The couches are redone, and the most obvious part is the new wood floor. I remember walking into one of the redone rooms (not long after the first set opened...we were some of the first to stay) and just being really confused with the wood floor, since I had in every way grown up with the carpet. But I've come to like the new room much more than the old one. Looking back now, it just looks outdated. Plus, I could never complain about the fact that the pull out chair gives both my brother and I a bed of our own. 

Heading into the master bedroom, I have to say that the new headboard just makes it look a lot nicer, and the redone chair and bedspread. All amazing. I do miss the picture on the wall though  as it looks a little blank. But here too, I like the new room. Sure, I certainly miss climbing around on the bed-end shaped like hearts, but it's a price I'm willing to pay. The bathrooms are pretty much the same though, so those could use some updating, but I'm ok with them staying the way they are too.

Finally, the second bedroom. I've never actually stayed in this second room, but I have to say that I love the updated one much more. The colors work well (and I'm not just saying that because blue is my favorite color). It just seems brighter. The pink and green went well together (and still do on the outside of the buildings) because that's the Key West style, but this new blue color just freshens up the room if you ask me. 

That's really about all I have, but like I said...DVD players...very important. Everyone should be more like Old Key West and have those in rooms. Just saying. 

Here's today's Disney History: 1969: Two children come across the lifeless body of a homeless man in an abandoned tenement building on East 10th Street in New York City. Because no one identifies the body, the deceased is buried in an unmarked pauper's grave on Hart island. A fingerprint check in 1969 will identify the corpse as Bobby Driscoll, 31, the voice of Disney's Peter Pan. It is also discovered that the cause of death is a heart attack.

Have a magical day!