Dalspot ... Karen 21 Posted June 2, 2015 Report Share Posted June 2, 2015 Oddly enough, there is one property that does charge for parking - and that is Shades of Green. $5/day. I'm surprised that Disney doesn't charge a parking fee for the WDW resort hotels. They charge for parking at the Disneyland hotels, and as Travisma said, these fees are pure profit. As greedy as Disney has gotten, I am really surprised they've held off as long as they have on this. TCD Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Travisma 1,317 Posted June 2, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 2, 2015 After the Indy show we split up for a while. My one daughter, granddaughter and some friends of theirs they ran into went over to the dance party. My other daughter wanted to get to the two special Star Wars shops before they closed at 7:30, so we went with her. There were no lines now, we walked right into both of them. If you like, I mean really like Star Wars, than these were the places for you. The X-Wings Collectible Shop was mostly collectibles and exclusives, and they all had “exclusive” prices. A small matted picture was $40. You could select a figure, then they would scan your face and sculpt it onto the figure. The small 7” figures were $120 plus $25 shipping and the larger 15” ones were $1000. Makes me wish I had kept my daughters Ewok Village Playset and all of the extra figures from back in the early 80’s. I could’ve probably sold it and retired by now! We saw Stormtroopers up close! We all met up at Star Tours. It’s interesting, I guess each section you load into has a different movie? I’ve been on it twice and both had different planets you visited, then you had some of the same footage near the end. We had FP for the Fantasmic late show, so it was time to explore and have fun. First stop, Cinderella's Carriage. I guess getting to hold the glass slipper is new the last week or so? Waiting for their turn I saw these guys holding the marquee up. Our turn We are Action Figures! Tried to balance out taking the shots without flash that just glared against the plastic windows. Her package got shaken up, she's upside down! Probably spent more time trying to take this shot then all the other pictures combined! Captured Rebels Taking our time heading over toward Sunset and came up on Toy Story Mania. The sign said the ride was closed at 8:30. They were shutting down everything on the back side I guess due to the fireworks show. But the attendants were still outside and the door was open. They said just go on it. Score!! We walked right thru the pre-ride area and didn't hit a line until the top of the stairs, and that moved quickly. I think our total time in line was less than 10 minutes. Back outside we took a detour over to the Disney Junior area for a photo op. The hearts were my daughters friends kids and I wasn't sure if they would want their pictures posted. Time to head toward the late show for Fantasmic! But first people were starving, and we got to see the Star Wars fireworks. Last week we were right at the stage. This time we were sitting at Fairfax Faire on Sunset, and they looked totally different, and seemed to have more color to them. On to Fantasmic! It’s still a mess to get in and out of that place, but we made it and got good seats a little to the left of the middle. It was a great show, but no different than I remembered from about 5 years ago, which I guess is a good thing. I was surprised that they didn’t have any newer characters on the steamboat at the end. Paging Anna and Elsa! We said our goodbyes at the exit. My 2 daughters were heading back to the All Star Sports, and us and now 2 granddaughters (funny how that happened) headed back to the Dolphin via the boat. We missed a boat as we were walking over to the landing, but another one came about 2 minutes after we got to the dock gate. Guess a lot of visitors were staying at other resorts. It was the 4 of us and 1 other woman on the way back to the Dolphin. Kids wanted to pose and play by the fountain. Back up in the room we got them tucked in. Did a little decorating to make it homier, and to give them a night light! DollarTree is the greatest! Sunday Fun to follow… BradyBzLyn...Mo 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Travisma 1,317 Posted June 2, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 2, 2015 Oddly enough, there is one property that does charge for parking - and that is Shades of Green. $5/day. I don't remember that, but it's been years since we stayed there. My daughter was still in the Marines and we took my granddaughter there. That is one nice resort. We couldn't believe how big the rooms were. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tri-Circle-D 2,059 Posted June 2, 2015 Report Share Posted June 2, 2015 Great update, Mark! We all met up at Star Tours. It’s interesting, I guess each section you load into has a different movie? I’ve been on it twice and both had different planets you visited, then you had some of the same footage near the end. It doesn't matter what section you're in, as they can randomly combine segments of the show in each of the simulators. That way, each ride is a little different, and you never know what planets you may visit. It's a great idea, and makes the ride a lot of fun. For some reason, we seem to end up on Hoth a lot. TCD Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023 Posted June 2, 2015 Report Share Posted June 2, 2015 All caught up - nice job getting in for a quick weekend at the Dolphin! We've poked around at the Swan before when we've been there for dinner, but haven't wandered over to the other side. We need to do that. The pool looks really terrific. Great photos of your little princesses, and love the "nightlight." :) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
keith_h 420 Posted June 2, 2015 Report Share Posted June 2, 2015 Is the Star Tours HD much different than the one that used to be at Epcot? Still trying to decide if there is a good enough reason to spend a day at a Disney park or to spend all of it at Universal this trip. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tri-Circle-D 2,059 Posted June 2, 2015 Report Share Posted June 2, 2015 Is the Star Tours HD much different than the one that used to be at Epcot? Still trying to decide if there is a good enough reason to spend a day at a Disney park or to spend all of it at Universal this trip. Yes, Star Tours is far superior to the old Body Wars attraction. Star Tours now features 3D, and the variation in the film clips makes the ride a new experience each time you ride it. That said, there's no way that DHS in its current sad state can stack up against one of the Universal parks. TCD Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023 Posted June 2, 2015 Report Share Posted June 2, 2015 That said, there's no way that DHS in its current sad state can stack up against one of the Universal parks. Agreed. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
keith_h 420 Posted June 2, 2015 Report Share Posted June 2, 2015 Thanks. If it is 3D with glasses I won't go. If I don't wear my glasses everything is fuzzy and trying to wear 3D glasses over or under them never works either. So I guess Universal it is. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Travisma 1,317 Posted June 2, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 2, 2015 Seeing Dave's TR and his great view photos, reminded me that I forgot to add these two less than perfect night view photos. That's Cinderella's Castle to the left side, mid photo is Space Mountain, and to the right of SM is the Contemporary and Bay Tower Part of the Yacht Club Quote Link to post Share on other sites
momof3kids-Yvonne 594 Posted June 5, 2015 Report Share Posted June 5, 2015 My brother still has all his original Star Wars action figures and other toys. My son was hoping he would pass them on to him in his will, but he had two sons. So it looks like Drew will miss out.I like how your granddaughter number increased when you were headed back to your resort. Cousin time is so much fun! Do the girls live close enough to see each other often? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DaveInTN 3,247 Posted June 5, 2015 Report Share Posted June 5, 2015 It has to be a totally different experience taking grandkids to Disney compared to your own kids. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Travisma 1,317 Posted June 5, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 5, 2015 My brother still has all his original Star Wars action figures and other toys. My son was hoping he would pass them on to him in his will, but he had two sons. So it looks like Drew will miss out.I like how your granddaughter number increased when you were headed back to your resort. Cousin time is so much fun! Do the girls live close enough to see each other often?Tampa and Avalon Park (NW of Disney) off the Beachline.We got together the last 2 weekends. Usually we see each other 1 or 2 times a month.They are pretty close, they act like sisters sometimes, the way they argue and love each other. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Travisma 1,317 Posted June 5, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 5, 2015 It has to be a totally different experience taking grandkids to Disney compared to your own kids.Oh it definitely is in some aspects, and others it's eerily similar.I saw where your kids have a wide range of ages.Once the Grandkids were able to start running around we rapidly found out that chasing a 2 year old at 53 and 57 is a lot different than chasing one when you are 26! We try to do some of the same things with the grandkids that we did with their moms, one of the reasons we go to Disney and the Fort. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DaveInTN 3,247 Posted June 5, 2015 Report Share Posted June 5, 2015 Once the Grandkids were able to start running around we rapidly found out that chasing a 2 year old at 53 and 57 is a lot different than chasing one when you are 26! I guess that doesn't sound much different than chasing Anna at 47. LOL! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Travisma 1,317 Posted June 5, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 5, 2015 I guess that doesn't sound much different than chasing Anna at 47. LOL!You quickly realize that youth with fast short legs trumps old age with slower long legs! And climbing thru the tubes and tunnels on the play sets isn't quite as easy as it used to be. Where you once looked graceful, you now look like someone having a spasm. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DaveInTN 3,247 Posted June 5, 2015 Report Share Posted June 5, 2015 You quickly realize that youth with fast short legs trumps old age with slower long legs! And climbing thru the tubes and tunnels on the play sets isn't quite as easy as it used to be. Where you once looked graceful, you now look like someone having a spasm. LOL! That's probably why I send Anna's older sisters in after her. Don't know what I'll do when they are all moved out. I'll come back to you for advice then. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Travisma 1,317 Posted June 5, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 5, 2015 Let’s wrap this report up. Had a good nights sleep. Got up and tried to figure out what we were going to do before our Lion King FP kicked in at 11:30. My one daughter (other one had left for the airport) called and said she would stop by McDonalds and pick up breakfast. So that meant pool time! My wife and the 2 grandkids got ready and headed down. I stayed behind to finish packing up and taking the stuff to the car. Boy, it’s a lot easier packing up from a hotel stay instead of camping. Found everyone sitting in the cave behind the waterfall. Kids had already been in and out of the pool. Had our breakfast and drove over to AK. Got there a little before 11, and ended up in the dreaded left hand lot, ¾ of the way back from the entrance. It already felt like it was 100 when we got out of the car. There were enough people in the tram line to fill 3 of them, so we decided to walk. RANT: We hadn’t used the parking lot trams in ages. I was really surprised how inefficient they had become. I guess we have to thank the lawyers for that. They now have doors, you get to hear 32 safety announcements, the last car monitor has to walk every car to make sure people listened to the 32 announcements and check the doors. Of course by then other people have arrived and they either let them on, or tell them and gesture to them that everyone has to stand behind the yellow line, and that means you mister rules don’t apply to me. So a ½ hour after boarding you get to leave. So we head on over to the Lion King after fighting the bag check/turnstile crowds. At least with the FP we were in a line out of the sun and the exit doors were open blowing cold air onto us. Hadn’t seen the show in years, it was still good. Guess by now it could be considered a classic. We walked out of the show into a wall of people and oppressive heat and humidity. Our next FP for Primal Whirl wasn’t for another hour + and the Nemo one wasn’t until late in the day. We all looked at each other melting and decided to head back to the hotel pool. That was the best idea. Kids got to swim, we got to relax. Hung out most of the day. We had just started packing up when the rain came in. We were heading over to Beaches and Cream and managed to miss the majority of it. Once we got over there the sky opened up for about an hour. We were going to get a kitchen sink since my oldest granddaughter's birthday was the upcoming Thursday (yesterday). We get over they, get met by the two CMs at the door and get politely asked for our reservation? Said we didn’t have one. “Oh, we can fix that, take this pager and come back in about 2 hours!” What the! I’m not waiting until 6 to eat ice cream and then drive back to Tampa. We ended up getting the small one that you take home, since you can get that in the to-go line. They have a good racket going on there. The little one is only $4 less than the big one, and you get less than ½ the amount of ice cream. While waiting in line we saw 4 empty tables inside, they had been empty for a while, and while we were outside 2 more emptied and we didn’t see anyone allowed into the shop itself. Birthday Girl Cousins After ice cream it was a nice stroll back over to the Dolphin and we headed out. Another trip to the Wonderful World of Disney under our belts. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dblr....Rennie 224 Posted June 5, 2015 Report Share Posted June 5, 2015 We have given up using the trams always seems faster walking. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Travisma 1,317 Posted June 5, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 5, 2015 LOL! That's probably why I send Anna's older sisters in after her. Don't know what I'll do when they are all moved out. I'll come back to you for advice then. My wife took my granddaughter to Busch Gardens a few years ago and let her go on Jungala the first time by herself. It has rope bridges, cargo nets, etc and goes up about 3 stories. So my wife spots my GD up on top and tells her it was time to go. Well my GD knowing my wife couldn't get to her laughs and starts going higher. This lasted about a 1/2 hour before she got her out of there. My other GD was at Chuckie Cheese and went way up their climbing tower with the big tubes. Same thing, would not come out, and she knew we couldn't fit to go get her. So that is what you've got to look forward to! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Travisma 1,317 Posted June 5, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 5, 2015 We have given up using the trams always seems faster walking.We were at HS 2 weekends ago and drove over. I bet the tram wait was going to be at least 45 minutes and there were more people walking to it. We parked and walked in. Those lots don't seem to be as bad as AK. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Memphis 105 Posted June 6, 2015 Report Share Posted June 6, 2015 Great report. We used to use Priceline a lot a few years ago and got some great deals. We could regularly get $100 rooms for $35 and even some $200+ rooms for $75. But with all the add on fees they have now and the way they combine Priceline fees and taxes so you can't really tell what their bottom line deal is using the bidding sites it's really tough to get a good deal. Great job on getting your deal. Good score getting TSM at almost a walk on. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Travisma 1,317 Posted June 6, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 6, 2015 Great report. We used to use Priceline a lot a few years ago and got some great deals. We could regularly get $100 rooms for $35 and even some $200+ rooms for $75. But with all the add on fees they have now and the way they combine Priceline fees and taxes so you can't really tell what their bottom line deal is using the bidding sites it's really tough to get a good deal. Great job on getting your deal. Good score getting TSM at almost a walk on.My wife was the Priceline queen. She had it down to a science as to what hotels we were getting when we did the blind bids. But that changed a while back with the way they changed the boundaries and the ratings. We got the Dolphin using Hotwire. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Littleolwoman.aka.Kristie 119 Posted June 6, 2015 Report Share Posted June 6, 2015 So reservations are needed at beaches n cream now? Good to know I guess. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Travisma 1,317 Posted June 6, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 6, 2015 So reservations are needed at beaches n cream now? Good to know I guess.Yup reservations to sit down and have ice cream. Make sure you make a reservation for potty time or you may be holding it until you get back to your site! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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