Dr. Jones and the Spitting Camel - Link to Alaska Cruise TR 9/18

[Poolrat]

What a great recap Cynthia.

You gave me some things to think about and great insight to things I had no idea existed.

Thank You

 

[KatMark]

Terrific recap on teh resorts and the dining, Cynthia.

We've been iffy on Yacht Club, but you've given us reason to reconsider.

And, as you know, we are doing Raglan Road in six weeks and we can't wait.

 

[MAGICFOR2]

Hopefully they are going on Tuesday as that's when the boat leaves I forgot they were going, how cool would that have been if they were on our same cruise!



They do, just plain odd and always felt like it added 5-10 minutes to the trip to go there.




I'm not sure what my ideal next family trip is, it'd probably be 5 day WDW, 3 US simply b/c to move for 2 nights makes me crabby. If we moved. More likely it will be a 7-8 day WDW without moving and we will be fighting crowds at US, that is, if we go with my side of the family.

Plans are very much up in the air at present but more on that later.



I know, spoiled rotten for sure and hard to go back to anything less! Hard to actually compare as really they all were great.

Oops! I keep getting Tues and Weds mixed up all weekend I have a party to do Tues, hope I don't forget and try to do it Wed instead!

We leave for Phoenix on Thurs and Jim's DB may be coming to stay Tues and Wed for a business trip and then fly with us on thurs - it is him we are going to visit - I'm kind of in limbo I guess! (does that sound like a plausible excuse?)

 

[eandesmom]

You thought of everything!!!!!! Great recap and review! That could be really helpful for someone. But I have to stay that I miss the WL and really want to stay there soon. I didn't experience the long hotel corridors fortunately. I didn't notice the linens, but maybe the DVC linens are all the same. Who knows!

Thanks again for the great review!

Or maybe we are just weird. It is a lovely resort and I'd stay there again. Not my first choice simply due to how "homey" it is for us but over the holidays it would be wonderful!!!

Wow! Talk about thorough! Nice job Cynthia. I'll have to come back and re-read this every so often as my planning progresses.

Thanks! It's nice to see your ticker up and running!

What a great recap Cynthia.

You gave me some things to think about and great insight to things I had no idea existed.

Thank You

Thanks!

Terrific recap on teh resorts and the dining, Cynthia.

We've been iffy on Yacht Club, but you've given us reason to reconsider.

And, as you know, we are doing Raglan Road in six weeks and we can't wait.

YC probably isn't for everyone but we absolutely loved it. Overall it was everyone's favorite, not just mine.

Oops! I keep getting Tues and Weds mixed up all weekend I have a party to do Tues, hope I don't forget and try to do it Wed instead!

We leave for Phoenix on Thurs and Jim's DB may be coming to stay Tues and Wed for a business trip and then fly with us on thurs - it is him we are going to visit - I'm kind of in limbo I guess! (does that sound like a plausible excuse?)

Yep! that works, I can't keep my days straight either.

 

[FauntleroyFAN07]

great recap thanks for taking the time to list it all.

 

[GreatBiscuit]

Excellent review C!

Thanks for the breakdown!

 

[eandesmom]

great recap thanks for taking the time to list it all.

Excellent review C!

Thanks for the breakdown!

My pleasure! I hope it's helpful when you unleash that park beast.

 

[englishrose47]

Terrific summary Cynthia !!! I am sooo glad to hear your approval of Raglan Road !! It is definately one of my all time favorites !! I agree with TE it is great but I could scip it however , others I travel with LOVE it !!! So it stays on the list!!

 

[eandesmom]

Terrific summary Cynthia !!! I am sooo glad to hear your approval of Raglan Road !! It is definately one of my all time favorites !! I agree with TE it is great but I could scip it however , others I travel with LOVE it !!! So it stays on the list!!

I'm just ready for a break from TE, too many other new places still to try or favorites to go back to. I adore RR!

 

[treece2122]

Longtime lurker, but I just had to make an appearance to tell you that I DEVOURED your trip report over the past few days. What an amazing trip you had! And thanks so much for your thoughtful insights and reviews....very helpful in planning my own (very far in the future) WDW vacation.

I'm heading over to your Alaskan cruise PTR to check that out and I'm sure I'll be adding cruising to my list of future vacation ideas too. Especially since the Wonder will leave from Seattle next year, right in my own back yard!

Thanks again for the wonderful report and enjoy your upcoming cruise!

- Christine

 

[tinacaplan]

What a great review. Thanks for sharing it. I have to say that I totally agree with you on the bed linens, as well as buffets. I really prefer the former and have discovered that I seriously dislike the latter. YC is beautiful and that lobby is beautiful. But you have given me something to think about with your WL review. Hadn't considered it, but maybe I might now.

 

[eandesmom]

Longtime lurker, but I just had to make an appearance to tell you that I DEVOURED your trip report over the past few days. What an amazing trip you had! And thanks so much for your thoughtful insights and reviews....very helpful in planning my own (very far in the future) WDW vacation.

Thanks for delurking and ! It was am amazing trip

I'm heading over to your Alaskan cruise PTR to check that out and I'm sure I'll be adding cruising to my list of future vacation ideas too. Especially since the Wonder will leave from Seattle next year, right in my own back yard!

Thanks again for the wonderful report and enjoy your upcoming cruise!

- Christine

I know, part of me wishes we were leaving from Seattle but there is something very exciting about leaving out of Vancouver instead.

What a great review. Thanks for sharing it. I have to say that I totally agree with you on the bed linens, as well as buffets. I really prefer the former and have discovered that I seriously dislike the latter. YC is beautiful and that lobby is beautiful. But you have given me something to think about with your WL review. Hadn't considered it, but maybe I might now.

I will say WL has a ton of younger kids and the ability to just take the boat to MK? Magical!!! it is a gorgeous resort.

 

[Sleepingbooty]

Excellent reviews, Cynthia! I forgot how long your trip actually was until you laid it out like that. Its interesting, I find that people who live out west tend to be possibly not as wowed by the Wilderness Lodge ambience - too much like home I guess. I also have some southern friends who have no desire to stay at Port Orleans, while it is one of MY favorites. I didn't really get it - but then I realized that if they (heaven forbid) created a midwesterned themed resort, I would have absolutely no desire to stay there! Actually, even the thought of that makes me laugh. I can't even imagine how you'd build a theme around that!

 

[eandesmom]

Excellent reviews, Cynthia! I forgot how long your trip actually was until you laid it out like that. Its interesting, I find that people who live out west tend to be possibly not as wowed by the Wilderness Lodge ambience - too much like home I guess. I also have some southern friends who have no desire to stay at Port Orleans, while it is one of MY favorites. I didn't really get it - but then I realized that if they (heaven forbid) created a midwesterned themed resort, I would have absolutely no desire to stay there! Actually, even the thought of that makes me laugh. I can't even imagine how you'd build a theme around that!

I have to tell you, I read this at home and spewed coffee. A Midwestern themed resort. I think Fort Wilderness and the Hoop de Doo review might be as close as you can get. Kind of sad really when you think about it that there isn't enough distinctive architecture to showcase a personality though...Although who knows...maybe Bay Lake Tower is themed after Chicago or Detroit.

It was a long trip.

 

[eandesmom]

As all good things must come to an end, we are getting close to that point on this TR! I do have a few souvie pictures to share basically of stuff for me, or gifts for others. The kids ended up with an obnoxious amount of stuff but it did help defray back to school clothes costs and I'm glad that's what they used their budgeted amounts on. Off the top of my head this is what I think they ended up with, plus a few pins and pressed pennies.

It is HP heavy, for me I just didn't see much merchandise that was different from the previous trip so just not much I even wanted.

Eric: Hat from Sandie and Paul. Wand from us as birthday present. Gryffindor shirt and Ridemakerz Car with his souvie $$. I think Sandie and Paul got him something else for his bday but they may have just chipped in on the car so it could have sound. lol. It was pricey but I can say that car has gotten a lot of use, and still does. He hasn't worn the hat as much (needed another one like a hole in his head but wanted it) and the shirt is on the verge of too small. WAH!

Evan: ESPN Disney shirt from Sandie and Paul, Necklace from DHS, Dobby Shirt, Jimmy Buffet Sailor Shirt, Hard Rock Cafe shirt with his souvie $$. He has gotten a ton of wear out of all of the shirts so they were very good purchases! I think he may have outgrown the ESPN one but the rest we had him get adult smalls so they still work and I've seen a lot of them this summer.

Kendall. Disneyworld T and Harry Potter T's from Sandie and Paul for Birthday, Sundress from Sandie. Thing 2 shirt and swimsuit with her souvie $$ Haven't seen anything but the Orange Disney shirt but she does wear that a lot still.

For the life of me I've no idea what T got. Very possibly nothing. Don't ask..don't get.

This may have been the extent of it. Guitar picks.

Jeff ended up with 2 or 3 new shirts, all, of course from Margaritaville. Oh, and a family room makeover.

As for me, I cam home with these goodies.

My favorite mug (though it is tied with my new AK one now). Not the same as the one that got away from the previous trip, but close.

A Buffet shirt...from my favorite CD set!

My $5 hard rock shirt (that I got as an add on for 5 when I got Evan's shirt)

Sundresses! Blue from the YC from Sandie, and the red from IOA

Gifts for my Mom and Dad for watching the cats

Birthday gift for Evan's best friend

Another one of Evan's friends had requested these

Eric's best friend's birthday present. This is the friend who it turns out prefers Ravenclaw....as it is the "highly capable of Hogwarts". I've seen him wear it a ton so don't think he minded Gryffindor all that much.

Said best friends may well be getting things from Alaska...knocks out my September birthday shopping!

Also, a picture of what I got back on our Spring Break trip that I hadn't taken a picture of. As Evan calls it...

Sparkly Pants!

I wear this a LOT. As you can see in those trek pictures.

Up next...one last update....BFP comparison and what's next??

 

[tinacaplan]

LOVE the sundresses you got. And while I'm not into HP, I can tell how cool those items are.

 

[MEK]

I don't know why I torture myself reading about souvies that I can't see. Glutton for punishment, I guess!

I have to say that there is NOTHING WRONG with cool guitar picks! I, personally, love that kind of stuff. go figure!

 

[KatMark]

Great purchases, Cythina. I love your "sparkly pants" and your sundresses. Sundresses are my mission this trip.

 

[GreatBiscuit]

Right nifty wares C!

That reminds me...I need more coffee.

 

[treece2122]

Super cute sundresses, love them! I wouldn't think you could find something like that at Disney, but just goes to show that they have everything!

- Christine