Wilderness Lodge, Narcoosee's and Hollywood Studios
On Saturday, after three fun days at the Renaissance Hotel, we checked out and headed over to Disney's Villas at Wilderness Lodge. We stayed at the main lodge last year, in a two-room deluxe room, but this year we wanted even more space, so the villas were perfect.
When we first got here, we were assigned a 5th floor room facing the bus-stops/road. It wasn't a horrible room, but I had really wanted one on a lower floor (the fifth floor balconies have solid walls in instead of slats) and facing the pool/lake. When I called to ask for a room change, they said there wasn't anything available, so I was willing to settle. The boys, including Chris, got changed for the pool, and I went back to the lobby to check on a package delivery. While I was there, I asked again about a room change (figuring that the people on the phone didn't really know anything) and was told that there WAS a room available. They arranged to move all of our bags into it and we headed to the pool to relax. The new room was perfect. Fourth floor, facing the lake, with a slight view of the pool. Ahhh.
That night, we had reservations for dinner at Narcoosee's at The Grand Floridian hotel. We took a taxi over there (for a grand total of ten bucks) and made it in plenty of time. The boys started off cranky (particularly Sam) but by the time the bread arrived, they had cheered up substantially. Chris and I both had the same thing: lobster bisque, followed by filet mignon with fingerling potatoes and shitake mushrooms. It was wonderful, and perfectly cooked. The lobster bisque was amazing. The boys had grilled chicken (Sam) and flatiron steak (Tom) and they both ate it up. Sam had vanilla ice cream for dessert and Thomas had a special request: a bowl of whipped cream, which they kindly did not charge us for. Heehee.
Sunday was our Hollywood Studios day. We arrived shortly after the park opened and headed right for Toy Story Midway Mania, a ride where you are in a moving car with 3-D glasses and a pop-gun contraption. You are moved through various rooms with carnival-like attractions where you shot your gun at things and racked up points. Both boys really enjoyed it, but Thomas did not like the line at all. Even though our wait was pretty short (ten or fifteen minutes, tops), there were just too many people and the animatronics scared him. That ride is what made me decide to definitely get a GAC (guest assistance card) for him so that we could enter attractions through a separate entrance if things were too busy for him.
After that ride, Chris rode the Rockin' Rollercoaster while the boys and I collected the GAC at guest services and strolled through a store and got some popcorn. Chris arrived just as we were getting the popcorn, and after a bit of aimless wandering (honestly, Hollywood Studios is a terrible park for young boys - the rides are either boring for them or too scary/intense, and most of the shows are princess themed), we headed to the Disney Junior Live show. The boys LOVED it. They were up dancing and singing and it was great to see them so happy.
We rode the Toy Story ride one more time after that show, and then headed to lunch at Hollywood and Vine. H&V is not known for good food, but the character interaction is supposed to be great, and it didn't disappoint. The characters (Jake from Neverland Pirates, Handy Manny, June from Little Einsteins, and Agent Oso) spent plenty of time with the boys, plus there was singing and dancing pretty much every ten minutes or so. Thomas, especially, loved it.
We had one more show we wanted to see before leaving, and that was the Lights, Motors, Action car stunt show. It was brutally hot, but we sat in the shade in the stadium and I had the boys stroller fans and kept us pretty cool waiting for the show to start. Both boys loved the show, and Chris and I thought it was pretty great too.
Then, it was back to the Wilderness Lodge and its pools. Oh, how the boys love the pools and the waterslide. It has been so great to see Thomas swimming around (without a swimmie!) and Sam's confidence has been sky-high, jumping in the pool and racing for the waterslide that he refused to even look at last year!
We had a good meal at Whispering Canyon Cafe, right in the main lodge, and the boys loved playing with the Lincoln Logs while waiting. They both ate a ton of food, especially Sam, who usually eats like a bird!
Sam wanted to swim after dinner, but Tom wanted to play in the room, so I stayed with him while Sam went with Chris. I think the individual alone-time was just what they needed, and after a fun little bath, they headed right to bed.
Phew! On to Epcot on Monday!
When we first got here, we were assigned a 5th floor room facing the bus-stops/road. It wasn't a horrible room, but I had really wanted one on a lower floor (the fifth floor balconies have solid walls in instead of slats) and facing the pool/lake. When I called to ask for a room change, they said there wasn't anything available, so I was willing to settle. The boys, including Chris, got changed for the pool, and I went back to the lobby to check on a package delivery. While I was there, I asked again about a room change (figuring that the people on the phone didn't really know anything) and was told that there WAS a room available. They arranged to move all of our bags into it and we headed to the pool to relax. The new room was perfect. Fourth floor, facing the lake, with a slight view of the pool. Ahhh.
That night, we had reservations for dinner at Narcoosee's at The Grand Floridian hotel. We took a taxi over there (for a grand total of ten bucks) and made it in plenty of time. The boys started off cranky (particularly Sam) but by the time the bread arrived, they had cheered up substantially. Chris and I both had the same thing: lobster bisque, followed by filet mignon with fingerling potatoes and shitake mushrooms. It was wonderful, and perfectly cooked. The lobster bisque was amazing. The boys had grilled chicken (Sam) and flatiron steak (Tom) and they both ate it up. Sam had vanilla ice cream for dessert and Thomas had a special request: a bowl of whipped cream, which they kindly did not charge us for. Heehee.
Sunday was our Hollywood Studios day. We arrived shortly after the park opened and headed right for Toy Story Midway Mania, a ride where you are in a moving car with 3-D glasses and a pop-gun contraption. You are moved through various rooms with carnival-like attractions where you shot your gun at things and racked up points. Both boys really enjoyed it, but Thomas did not like the line at all. Even though our wait was pretty short (ten or fifteen minutes, tops), there were just too many people and the animatronics scared him. That ride is what made me decide to definitely get a GAC (guest assistance card) for him so that we could enter attractions through a separate entrance if things were too busy for him.
After that ride, Chris rode the Rockin' Rollercoaster while the boys and I collected the GAC at guest services and strolled through a store and got some popcorn. Chris arrived just as we were getting the popcorn, and after a bit of aimless wandering (honestly, Hollywood Studios is a terrible park for young boys - the rides are either boring for them or too scary/intense, and most of the shows are princess themed), we headed to the Disney Junior Live show. The boys LOVED it. They were up dancing and singing and it was great to see them so happy.
We rode the Toy Story ride one more time after that show, and then headed to lunch at Hollywood and Vine. H&V is not known for good food, but the character interaction is supposed to be great, and it didn't disappoint. The characters (Jake from Neverland Pirates, Handy Manny, June from Little Einsteins, and Agent Oso) spent plenty of time with the boys, plus there was singing and dancing pretty much every ten minutes or so. Thomas, especially, loved it.
We had one more show we wanted to see before leaving, and that was the Lights, Motors, Action car stunt show. It was brutally hot, but we sat in the shade in the stadium and I had the boys stroller fans and kept us pretty cool waiting for the show to start. Both boys loved the show, and Chris and I thought it was pretty great too.
Then, it was back to the Wilderness Lodge and its pools. Oh, how the boys love the pools and the waterslide. It has been so great to see Thomas swimming around (without a swimmie!) and Sam's confidence has been sky-high, jumping in the pool and racing for the waterslide that he refused to even look at last year!
We had a good meal at Whispering Canyon Cafe, right in the main lodge, and the boys loved playing with the Lincoln Logs while waiting. They both ate a ton of food, especially Sam, who usually eats like a bird!
Sam wanted to swim after dinner, but Tom wanted to play in the room, so I stayed with him while Sam went with Chris. I think the individual alone-time was just what they needed, and after a fun little bath, they headed right to bed.
Phew! On to Epcot on Monday!
How annoying that after we both put in requests for your room they STILL didn't honor them! Oh well, I'm glad it turned out ok. I love the boys smiles in the pictures from Hollywood and Vine!
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