It didn't take the kids any time at all to turn on the TV and find the cartoons. However, they discovered that, very wisely, Disney does not broadcast Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon, or other competitors. It's all Disney, baby!
There was also a channel that broadcast this spunky girl going from park to park riding rides, having a rip roaring, good time at Disney World. It was on a continuous loop so it played over and over and over on the same channel.
I couldn't remember the name of it so I Googled it - Top Seven channel. Most of the comments were my sentiments exactly, like this one:
The Top Seven channel features a goofy woman named Stacy giving you a quickly moving tour of theme park highlights. I love love love Stacy. She is simultaneously fun, annoying, energetic, crazy, weird, wild, and completely compelling. I'm completely addicted and watch her at least a dozen times each trip.
Strangely enough, my boys were addicted, too! The Top Seven channel was their favorite. At first it was, "I'm going to ride that!" Then it became, "We rode that!" The older two would stand right in front of the television many a morning while getting ready and wait for their favorite parts. "Hey, Mom! Watch this! Remember that?" It was such fun to watch them and Stacy is annoyingly addictive.
I couldn't get the original video to work, but this is a 9 minute montage. Take a peek...
Triple Mountain Whammy. Wham! Wham! Wham!
Enough lounging, we soon decided to load everyone back in the car and go get MawMaw's Annual Pass. Friendly Cast Members told us MGM's Guest Relations would be the best choice since the parking lot is fairly close to the entrance.
Indeed. We parked only a few rows back. Didn't even need to take the tram.
By the time we got there it was dark. We could see spotlights casting beams into the sky. This was a sight we would see every night and look upon with delightful familiarity. I think because it meant something exciting was happening somewhere.
We got the Annual Pass and headed back to the car. The boys were so excited about the next day. Their anticipation was at a particularly elevated level since the next day we were scheduled for MGM! (A few months after we left, the name was changed to Disney's Hollywood Studios.)
Exiting the parking lot, we decided to hit the grocery store for a few necessities. The closest was Goodings just outside Disney property to the east. We drove past Downtown Disney, snaked through the non-Disney hotels on Hotel Plaza Boulevard, and exited Disney property crossing over Apopka-Vineland Road into the Crossroads shopping center.
Our grocery list consisted of milk, oj, soda, cheese, cereal, bread, eggs, and butter. You know, the basics. Due to their captive audience, the prices were steep, but you pay for convenience. We paid over $5 for a half gallon of orange juice and over $3 for store brand cereal. We were aghast at the prices, but CB didn't flinch.
Although fully stocked with food, we weren't particularly keen on cooking dinner back at OKW and since we were visibly road-weary, we weren't suitably dressed for a sit-down restaurant. After circling Crossroads' offerings we settled on Taco Bell. Our order totalled $17. I chuckled and announced in my airline pilot voice that this would be our cheapest meal the entire week!
The next day would be MGM! Since Rockin' Roller Coaster was closed during our visit, CB was focused on the Tower of Terror.
"I don't know if I'm going to ride that," said FM#1.
My sentiments exactly.
April 1, 2008
March 9, 2008
The Best Hotel EVER!
We were in Building 49.
Now, according to the Unofficial guidebook, Building 49 was one to be avoided. Looking at the map it really is only a hop, skip, and a jump to the main road, Buena Vista Drive. They must've figured there would be a lot of road noise. Mais no. Not for us. I never heard any noise from the road at all. I couldn't even see the road and only knew it was there because I saw it on the map.
After checking in, we curved through the resort until the road dead-ended in a cul-de-sac. Looking for our building.....there it is on the right.....where to park.....gee, I guess we'll take this spot right in front of our room!
Could it get any better?! This mere parking spot is Magic Moment #6 because everyday except the last day we were able to park in the same spot right in front of our room.
This is quite a bonus at a Disney World resort. Most of the hotels have a main parking lot and you have to walk quite a distance to your room. Something I wouldn't relish while hauling luggage or tired kids after a full day of Disney fun. But Old Key West (OKW) is laid out like an apartment complex with two- and three-story buildings dotting the property. Parking is right in front of your building.
Magic Moment #7. We opened the door and our hotel was everything we expected. It looked exactly like it did in the pictures. The boys found some hidden Mickeys. It felt great to finally be here.
We unpacked, taking advantage of ample closets and drawer space, and stowed our luggage out of sight in the entry closet not to be disturbed until the end of the week.
MawMaw and the boys had two queen-sized beds, two closets, their own TV armoire, and their own bathroom with an extra vanity area.
This was a great arrangement. MawMaw bunked with FM#3 so she had plenty of room to stretch out. There were four drawers in the armoire so they each got one. The boys shared the closet in the bedroom while MawMaw took the one right off the bathroom. And she had the extra vanity all to herself, except for an occasional tooth brusher.
This was our kitchen. It came complete with anything we needed to prepare a meal. Housekeeping came daily and would even load and run the dishwasher. They'd also leave a fresh supply of coffee which we enjoyed every morning - especially MawMaw!
The island was Snack Central, the perfect place for sodas and MawMaw's chocolate chip and sugar cookies. We munched on them everyday when we got back and they somehow lasted until the very last day when we finished them off.
These pictures were taken on our last day so you can see we definitely made ourselves at home.
Sorry for the dark photos. They looked fine when I took them. I guess my vision was tainted by my love for OKW!
The dining area which opened up to the balcony was home to breakfast, an occasional dinner, and a wicked game of Pirates Dice!
This two-bedroom villa sleeps 8 people with two of those on the sleeper sofa. The living area was where we'd plop down at the end of the day, watch TV, and scarf down the cookies.
A couple of evenings I relaxed on that love seat while MawMaw rubbed my feet. Only a mom would do that. Prior to our trip I had some sort of tendon problem or bone spur, but after all the walking I did at WDW, I haven't had any trouble with it!
This is one part of the master bathroom...my part.
Although the boys enjoyed the jacuzzi tub, too. You can glimpse our master bedroom through the shuttered opening. CB's bathroom area was next door with the shower and vanity. Remember the stop at Walgreen's in Tallahassee for shower soap? It wasn't really necessary. Disney supplied us with chunky round bars of hand soap, big round bars of bath soap, along with body wash, shampoo, and conditioner from a line called H2O Plus.
I used some of it, but also hauled some home. They sold full-sized bottles in the gift shop, Conch Flats General Store, and I recently found it at Ulta here in town! When I smell it, it takes me right back there to Building 49.
In what I like to call The Master Wing we had a closet, our own TV armoire, and access to the balcony. Off the hallway and bathroom was a full-sized laundry room complete with a little box of Tide sitting on the washing machine. We did laundry a couple of times during the week and Mousekeeping replenished the detergent. Knowing we'd be able to do laundry saved me from packing a ton of clothes.
This place was truly like coming home at the end of each day. We could come through the door, grab a snack, chill out on the couch and watch TV - much like we do at home. For those who wanted to take a nap, we each had our own private bedroom.
Magic Moment #8. We could even feed the ducks if we wanted.
Now, according to the Unofficial guidebook, Building 49 was one to be avoided. Looking at the map it really is only a hop, skip, and a jump to the main road, Buena Vista Drive. They must've figured there would be a lot of road noise. Mais no. Not for us. I never heard any noise from the road at all. I couldn't even see the road and only knew it was there because I saw it on the map.
After checking in, we curved through the resort until the road dead-ended in a cul-de-sac. Looking for our building.....there it is on the right.....where to park.....gee, I guess we'll take this spot right in front of our room!
Could it get any better?! This mere parking spot is Magic Moment #6 because everyday except the last day we were able to park in the same spot right in front of our room.
This is quite a bonus at a Disney World resort. Most of the hotels have a main parking lot and you have to walk quite a distance to your room. Something I wouldn't relish while hauling luggage or tired kids after a full day of Disney fun. But Old Key West (OKW) is laid out like an apartment complex with two- and three-story buildings dotting the property. Parking is right in front of your building.
Magic Moment #7. We opened the door and our hotel was everything we expected. It looked exactly like it did in the pictures. The boys found some hidden Mickeys. It felt great to finally be here.We unpacked, taking advantage of ample closets and drawer space, and stowed our luggage out of sight in the entry closet not to be disturbed until the end of the week.
MawMaw and the boys had two queen-sized beds, two closets, their own TV armoire, and their own bathroom with an extra vanity area. This was a great arrangement. MawMaw bunked with FM#3 so she had plenty of room to stretch out. There were four drawers in the armoire so they each got one. The boys shared the closet in the bedroom while MawMaw took the one right off the bathroom. And she had the extra vanity all to herself, except for an occasional tooth brusher.
This was our kitchen. It came complete with anything we needed to prepare a meal. Housekeeping came daily and would even load and run the dishwasher. They'd also leave a fresh supply of coffee which we enjoyed every morning - especially MawMaw!
The island was Snack Central, the perfect place for sodas and MawMaw's chocolate chip and sugar cookies. We munched on them everyday when we got back and they somehow lasted until the very last day when we finished them off.
These pictures were taken on our last day so you can see we definitely made ourselves at home.
Sorry for the dark photos. They looked fine when I took them. I guess my vision was tainted by my love for OKW!The dining area which opened up to the balcony was home to breakfast, an occasional dinner, and a wicked game of Pirates Dice!
This two-bedroom villa sleeps 8 people with two of those on the sleeper sofa. The living area was where we'd plop down at the end of the day, watch TV, and scarf down the cookies.A couple of evenings I relaxed on that love seat while MawMaw rubbed my feet. Only a mom would do that. Prior to our trip I had some sort of tendon problem or bone spur, but after all the walking I did at WDW, I haven't had any trouble with it!
This is one part of the master bathroom...my part. 
Although the boys enjoyed the jacuzzi tub, too. You can glimpse our master bedroom through the shuttered opening. CB's bathroom area was next door with the shower and vanity. Remember the stop at Walgreen's in Tallahassee for shower soap? It wasn't really necessary. Disney supplied us with chunky round bars of hand soap, big round bars of bath soap, along with body wash, shampoo, and conditioner from a line called H2O Plus. I used some of it, but also hauled some home. They sold full-sized bottles in the gift shop, Conch Flats General Store, and I recently found it at Ulta here in town! When I smell it, it takes me right back there to Building 49.
In what I like to call The Master Wing we had a closet, our own TV armoire, and access to the balcony. Off the hallway and bathroom was a full-sized laundry room complete with a little box of Tide sitting on the washing machine. We did laundry a couple of times during the week and Mousekeeping replenished the detergent. Knowing we'd be able to do laundry saved me from packing a ton of clothes.
This place was truly like coming home at the end of each day. We could come through the door, grab a snack, chill out on the couch and watch TV - much like we do at home. For those who wanted to take a nap, we each had our own private bedroom.
Magic Moment #8. We could even feed the ducks if we wanted.
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