imported_PolyGirl40
03-02-2002, 01:43 PM
PolyGirl40’s Escape From New York; The 2002 Sequel -- Day Ten
Monday; February 18, 2002
Cast of Characters
Carol -- PolyGirl40 -- Disney Vacation Commander in Chief
Tony -- Dear Husband & Dad -- Advisor on Fiscal Affairs.
Jeremy -- #1 Son (15)
Shayne -- #2 Son (7)
Good-bye Polynesian , Hello Omar, Final Thoughts and Overall Trip Summary.
This was it. Time to say good-bye to our little piece of paradise. :( I had scheduled a 6 a.m. wake-up call. Needless to say; I was wide awake and showered by the time the phone rang. Our pattern for our departure day has always been a breakfast at the Kona Cafe. I canceled our PS for this morning. We found the Concierge Lounge extremely convenient for breakfast and wanted to enjoy the view one more time.
We gathered up all of our belongings and called bell service to retrieve our luggage. They arrived promptly. We strolled down the hall to have our last Polynesian meal. It was bittersweet. I missed my fur-babies back home in New York. However - who is ever ready to get that sudden dose of reality?
After a long walk around the beach and many Thank-yous to the staff we headed for the Great Ceremonial House by 8 o’clock. To our surprise Ibex was already there. It was Omar himself. He thanked us several times for the repeat service. We loaded up the van and left. :( How dreadful is it to go under that last purple sign? Everyone was very quiet.
Our plane trip back to New York was uneventful. We arrived 10 minutes late due to high winds. We had checked 6 bags at MCO. Tony quickly gathered up 4 of them. We waited and waited and waited. The conveyor belt finally shut off. We of course assumed they were loading more bags. However, my gut feeling was not pleasant - as we were the only people still waiting. An attendant came out to check on us. Two of our bags were missing. He went to the computer and punched in our claim numbers. Nope - Nowhere to be found. He gave us a phone number to call. He assumed they missed the plane and would be put on the next flight leaving Orlando.
I cannot understand how this happens. We were over 2 hours early checking in. Four of our bags arrived with us. Major Ugh moment. We called that evening upon arriving home. One bag turned up in the system. It was on a flight to Boston. The Boston bag ended up in Newark and then to JFK in New York. It was put on a flight to Hartford, Ct. two days later. Bag number two; never left Orlando. It was finally put on a flight back to Hartford and met up with Bag number one. Our detoured luggage was delivered to us by courier the following afternoon. Some 48 hours later. graemlins/crazy.gif We were thrilled to get our belongings and grateful the little side trip did not happen on the way down. So ends our vacation.
Trip Highlights;
Food!
Dinner:
We have nothing but praise for the Disney restaurants. Everything/one was amazing.
Our best overall meal was; Le Cellier. I think it was the melding of perfection by our entire table. Jeremy loved the pretzel bread. Tony could not get over how fantastic the shrimp cocktail was. I found the mushroom risotto to be out of this world. Shayne still talks about the Smores’. All of this in combination with the service and atmosphere made for an excellent experience. We will be back there with bells on. It’s hard for me to rank any one place. All were spectacular for various reasons. However - for me the California Grill will stick out above all else because of the sunset.
Lunch:
San Angel -- Teppanyani and 50’s Prime Time Cafe rank the highest above all.
Breakfast:
Crystal Palace remains our favorite for a buffet. We loved the food at Boma - but the character interaction at the Crystal Palace is priceless. Kona Cafe continues to be our choice for a sit down meal. Their coffee and bacon are still the BEST. graemlins/tasty.gif Plus - Tony swears the Tonga Toast is Heaven sent.
Lodging
Animal Kingdom Lodge:
We enjoyed our stay. I agree with all visitors that give praise to the Savannah rooms. The entire ambiance is lost if you do not have a view of the animals from your balcony. The bathroom situation was a minor negative. For other guests it may not be a factor. My family gets ready in the morning at different times. Therefore the separation of the sink and tub area was not practical for us. I also found the rooms to be very small for Deluxe standards.
My opinion of the Lodges have not changed. They seem like hotels to me. I prefer having guests scattered about. I found the public areas to be extremely hectic. Chaotic at times. I’m glad we stayed but will not split my resort time again. I like to unpack and get settled upon arriving. Though our transfer went smoothly - I did not like the packing and unpacking aspect of it. (I knew I wouldn’t) Also - if you are used to the transportation options received at a monorail resort - you will miss them sorely. A bus only resort is not a positive thing. I must add that the buses serving the Animal Kingdom Lodge were very efficient. We never had longs waits.
Polynesian Resort:
What can I say that I haven’t already said? We still love it. Our vacations at the Polynesian only get better. We are so familiar with the surroundings. It’s comforting to feel so at home. The concierge was fantastic. I was totally spoiled by the Lounge. It will be hard pressed not to stay in the Hawaii building again.
Various Ramblings:
Many have asked; “Has Disney Lost The Magic”. I can adamantly say; No. Magic is there for the taking. I had the pleasure of meeting so many first timers. We talked of the splendor known as Magic. Where else can you eat lunch in Mexico and dinner in Canada? Having all of your daily troubles be washed away? Savor moments with your family that will never occur again? Watch the glimmer in the eyes of your children as the characters interact with them? See and feel the excitement generating from the many attractions shared? Trust me - the Magic is there.
General Observations:
Put your child’s name in the front of their Autograph books and Passports. The CM’s and characters usually always look for it. Therefore they can write personally to your child. It’s a nice touch to open the book and see “To Shayne, From your Pal Mickey Mouse.”
Take the time to see everything offered at the 100 Years of Magic Celebration. The parades are fantastic and enjoyable. My one disappointment is not getting back to see the new parade added to the Animal Kingdom Park.
Save enough time to *Meet*. I regret not being able to touch base with Rob and Jeanne. Our schedule was either to rigid or not firm enough. Of course back tracking around the World did not help.
Take the time for the World Showcase. The entertainment is wonderful and not to be missed.
Who Wants to be a Millionaire is addicting. graemlins/laughing.gif
Cinderella’s Royal Table is not just for little girls.
Check all pockets before sending your husband to do laundry.
Do not miss One Man’s Dream.
Cab Fare may vary. graemlins/doubleeek.gif
Frunch is the best juice.
The British Invasion are even cool when you’re 15. :cool:
magical moments pins can withstand the washer & dryer.
Cousin Mark and Geppeto rock!
Save room for dessert! They are a must when fine dining.
Coffee & Dessert = Perfect
If you have the time - Sea World is a great way to spend a day.
Make Priority Seating arrangements. You can always cancel if your plans change.
Spending Summary:
Let me just preface this by saying; We save diligently for our yearly vacation. We certainly could go much cheaper. However - we choose not to. We have very little family time for fun. Our businesses do not afford us that luxury. My husband always figures a splendid vacation to WDW costs $1,000 per day with everything included. We came in under budget from last year and stayed 3 days longer. We took advantage of “Value Season” pricing - as well as booking everything ourselves.
Total Spending for Nine Days; 3 Adults - One Child:
Resort Cost = $2,187.00
Plane Fare: Nonstop/Round trip from Connecticut = $858.00
Additional Transportation Costs = $165.00
Passes for WDW & Sea World = $1,374.74
Restaurant Meals = $1,670.40
Miscellaneous = 1,177.22 Includes snacks, arcade, souvenirs and tips.
Total Vacation = $7,431.36
Thanks for taking the time to read my trip reports. I hope they were able to answer questions or help when making restaurant and park decisions. As you can see/read - We had an awesome time.
graemlins/mickey.gif
[ March 02, 2002, 06:20 PM: Message edited by: PolyGirl40 ]
Monday; February 18, 2002
Cast of Characters
Carol -- PolyGirl40 -- Disney Vacation Commander in Chief
Tony -- Dear Husband & Dad -- Advisor on Fiscal Affairs.
Jeremy -- #1 Son (15)
Shayne -- #2 Son (7)
Good-bye Polynesian , Hello Omar, Final Thoughts and Overall Trip Summary.
This was it. Time to say good-bye to our little piece of paradise. :( I had scheduled a 6 a.m. wake-up call. Needless to say; I was wide awake and showered by the time the phone rang. Our pattern for our departure day has always been a breakfast at the Kona Cafe. I canceled our PS for this morning. We found the Concierge Lounge extremely convenient for breakfast and wanted to enjoy the view one more time.
We gathered up all of our belongings and called bell service to retrieve our luggage. They arrived promptly. We strolled down the hall to have our last Polynesian meal. It was bittersweet. I missed my fur-babies back home in New York. However - who is ever ready to get that sudden dose of reality?
After a long walk around the beach and many Thank-yous to the staff we headed for the Great Ceremonial House by 8 o’clock. To our surprise Ibex was already there. It was Omar himself. He thanked us several times for the repeat service. We loaded up the van and left. :( How dreadful is it to go under that last purple sign? Everyone was very quiet.
Our plane trip back to New York was uneventful. We arrived 10 minutes late due to high winds. We had checked 6 bags at MCO. Tony quickly gathered up 4 of them. We waited and waited and waited. The conveyor belt finally shut off. We of course assumed they were loading more bags. However, my gut feeling was not pleasant - as we were the only people still waiting. An attendant came out to check on us. Two of our bags were missing. He went to the computer and punched in our claim numbers. Nope - Nowhere to be found. He gave us a phone number to call. He assumed they missed the plane and would be put on the next flight leaving Orlando.
I cannot understand how this happens. We were over 2 hours early checking in. Four of our bags arrived with us. Major Ugh moment. We called that evening upon arriving home. One bag turned up in the system. It was on a flight to Boston. The Boston bag ended up in Newark and then to JFK in New York. It was put on a flight to Hartford, Ct. two days later. Bag number two; never left Orlando. It was finally put on a flight back to Hartford and met up with Bag number one. Our detoured luggage was delivered to us by courier the following afternoon. Some 48 hours later. graemlins/crazy.gif We were thrilled to get our belongings and grateful the little side trip did not happen on the way down. So ends our vacation.
Trip Highlights;
Food!
Dinner:
We have nothing but praise for the Disney restaurants. Everything/one was amazing.
Our best overall meal was; Le Cellier. I think it was the melding of perfection by our entire table. Jeremy loved the pretzel bread. Tony could not get over how fantastic the shrimp cocktail was. I found the mushroom risotto to be out of this world. Shayne still talks about the Smores’. All of this in combination with the service and atmosphere made for an excellent experience. We will be back there with bells on. It’s hard for me to rank any one place. All were spectacular for various reasons. However - for me the California Grill will stick out above all else because of the sunset.
Lunch:
San Angel -- Teppanyani and 50’s Prime Time Cafe rank the highest above all.
Breakfast:
Crystal Palace remains our favorite for a buffet. We loved the food at Boma - but the character interaction at the Crystal Palace is priceless. Kona Cafe continues to be our choice for a sit down meal. Their coffee and bacon are still the BEST. graemlins/tasty.gif Plus - Tony swears the Tonga Toast is Heaven sent.
Lodging
Animal Kingdom Lodge:
We enjoyed our stay. I agree with all visitors that give praise to the Savannah rooms. The entire ambiance is lost if you do not have a view of the animals from your balcony. The bathroom situation was a minor negative. For other guests it may not be a factor. My family gets ready in the morning at different times. Therefore the separation of the sink and tub area was not practical for us. I also found the rooms to be very small for Deluxe standards.
My opinion of the Lodges have not changed. They seem like hotels to me. I prefer having guests scattered about. I found the public areas to be extremely hectic. Chaotic at times. I’m glad we stayed but will not split my resort time again. I like to unpack and get settled upon arriving. Though our transfer went smoothly - I did not like the packing and unpacking aspect of it. (I knew I wouldn’t) Also - if you are used to the transportation options received at a monorail resort - you will miss them sorely. A bus only resort is not a positive thing. I must add that the buses serving the Animal Kingdom Lodge were very efficient. We never had longs waits.
Polynesian Resort:
What can I say that I haven’t already said? We still love it. Our vacations at the Polynesian only get better. We are so familiar with the surroundings. It’s comforting to feel so at home. The concierge was fantastic. I was totally spoiled by the Lounge. It will be hard pressed not to stay in the Hawaii building again.
Various Ramblings:
Many have asked; “Has Disney Lost The Magic”. I can adamantly say; No. Magic is there for the taking. I had the pleasure of meeting so many first timers. We talked of the splendor known as Magic. Where else can you eat lunch in Mexico and dinner in Canada? Having all of your daily troubles be washed away? Savor moments with your family that will never occur again? Watch the glimmer in the eyes of your children as the characters interact with them? See and feel the excitement generating from the many attractions shared? Trust me - the Magic is there.
General Observations:
Put your child’s name in the front of their Autograph books and Passports. The CM’s and characters usually always look for it. Therefore they can write personally to your child. It’s a nice touch to open the book and see “To Shayne, From your Pal Mickey Mouse.”
Take the time to see everything offered at the 100 Years of Magic Celebration. The parades are fantastic and enjoyable. My one disappointment is not getting back to see the new parade added to the Animal Kingdom Park.
Save enough time to *Meet*. I regret not being able to touch base with Rob and Jeanne. Our schedule was either to rigid or not firm enough. Of course back tracking around the World did not help.
Take the time for the World Showcase. The entertainment is wonderful and not to be missed.
Who Wants to be a Millionaire is addicting. graemlins/laughing.gif
Cinderella’s Royal Table is not just for little girls.
Check all pockets before sending your husband to do laundry.
Do not miss One Man’s Dream.
Cab Fare may vary. graemlins/doubleeek.gif
Frunch is the best juice.
The British Invasion are even cool when you’re 15. :cool:
magical moments pins can withstand the washer & dryer.
Cousin Mark and Geppeto rock!
Save room for dessert! They are a must when fine dining.
Coffee & Dessert = Perfect
If you have the time - Sea World is a great way to spend a day.
Make Priority Seating arrangements. You can always cancel if your plans change.
Spending Summary:
Let me just preface this by saying; We save diligently for our yearly vacation. We certainly could go much cheaper. However - we choose not to. We have very little family time for fun. Our businesses do not afford us that luxury. My husband always figures a splendid vacation to WDW costs $1,000 per day with everything included. We came in under budget from last year and stayed 3 days longer. We took advantage of “Value Season” pricing - as well as booking everything ourselves.
Total Spending for Nine Days; 3 Adults - One Child:
Resort Cost = $2,187.00
Plane Fare: Nonstop/Round trip from Connecticut = $858.00
Additional Transportation Costs = $165.00
Passes for WDW & Sea World = $1,374.74
Restaurant Meals = $1,670.40
Miscellaneous = 1,177.22 Includes snacks, arcade, souvenirs and tips.
Total Vacation = $7,431.36
Thanks for taking the time to read my trip reports. I hope they were able to answer questions or help when making restaurant and park decisions. As you can see/read - We had an awesome time.
graemlins/mickey.gif
[ March 02, 2002, 06:20 PM: Message edited by: PolyGirl40 ]