• Sue's Spring at Saratoga Springs - Plans

    From Sue/WDW1972@21:1/5 to All on Mon Apr 12 15:58:47 2021
    Who/When/Where:

    Who: Sue (62), DVC Member
    SB (63), my husband (Wed/Thu)
    Tiana & Jonell, friends (Wed/Thu)
    Chris (34), son (Sat)
    Amanda (32), daughter-in-law (Sat)
    Ari (4), grandson (Sat)
    Dates: April 13 – 18, 2021
    Resort: Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort
    Experience: Very Experienced – 19th stay at SSR

    INTRODUCTION:
    This was booked as a solo trip (which now sounds ridiculous given the 7 people on some part of this trip <g>), slightly expanding the time I’d normally spend since my cruises have been canceled lately (for the past year +). At 7 months it wasn’t
    possible to get Beach Club Villas, and Boardwalk either wasn’t available or I abandoned it in fear of having noisy neighbors in the connecting 1-br (the connecting door is poorly located close to the bed in the studio). Bay Lake Tower was available,
    so I booked that since it had been a while since I stayed there.

    As the months wore on, and monorail access to Epcot still wasn’t happening, Bay Lake was quickly losing its appeal. We stayed in a 2-br villa with Chris & family at Saratoga Springs last November or December, and fell in love with the refurbished
    rooms there. Transportation sucks, but I figure as a solo I could deal with it since my park time would be so limited. I switched resorts, booking preferred view to be certain of getting a refurbished studio, and requested Congress Park thinking
    although I’m not a fan of Disney Springs since I’m right here I can easily wander over and at least get some steps in.

    Fast forward a few months and SB kept asking when he was going to Disney again. A studio for 5 nights just doesn’t work for us (ok, for me when it’s the both of us <g>). I don’t want to spend the trip bickering over when to turn off the tv, what
    to have on the tv (if anything), etc. I didn’t have the points to upgrade to a 1-br villa so I suggested he, Tiana & Jonell come down for a couple days and I’d book them (Tiana & Jonell) a studio for the night. They were all in agreement, and
    availability at Saratoga is pretty easy to get, so I booked the studio for 1 night. I’ll have to give up my pool time while they’re all here, which is the only negative – if it was just me, the trip would be spent relaxing around the resort and
    maybe going to a park later. Last trip I didn’t do a single attraction, although I did go into Epcot every day for Flower & Garden Festival since I could walk in from Beach Club Villas. Coming from Saratoga with the pain in the butt bus stops and the
    long walk through Future World, Epcot falls down on the priority list.

    I’ll arrive solo Tuesday, and did book Epcot so I’ll head over there for some part of the afternoon or evening. SB, Tiana & Jonell arrive Wednesday so I booked Hollywood Studios (my least favorite) since Tiana & Jonell have never seen the Star Wars
    stuff. I’m not sure I’ll bother trying for Rise of the Resistance, and if I do I probably won’t tell them unless I get a really low boarding group number because we’ll only be there a few hours at most. Hopefully we can do the Runaway Rail
    thing first thing, and Toy Story Midway Mania, then walk through the Star Wars stuff – maybe hit Smugglers Run if time permits, or Star Wars. Tiana talks about Rock n Roller Coaster so they may want to ride that. SB wanted to do a restaurant meal, so
    I booked Planet Hollywood for lunch. It’s been many years since I ate there, and it’s close to the resort so assuming their room is ready Tiana & Jonell could move their stuff over. After that we’d planned to hit Epcot, but with being full from
    lunch who can eat at Flower and Garden???? I think a better plan would be to hop to Animal Kingdom, where the only priorities are the safari & Flight of Passage.

    Thursday we have Animal Kingdom booked, but assuming we do that Wednesday via hopping we’ll hopefully rebook for Epcot. This lets them enjoy the food and lack of lines by being there before opening, and since Epcot opens at 11 we don’t have to get
    up as early. They’ll all be heading home at some point that day – if it’s early enough, I’ll head to the pool.

    Friday is a pool morning for me, and then a 1:30 lunch at the Boathouse. Not sure what else I may or may not do. Saturday Chris, Amanda & Ari are up for a day trip so I’ll join them at Magic Kingdom and we’re all doing lunch at Skipper Canteen.
    Sunday I head home, most likely early since I’m not doing any parks. I can’t believe during a 5-night “solo” trip I only have 1 day where I can relax by the pool & be lazy!

    The plans so far are:
    Tuesday 4/13: Drive to WDW, Epcot
    Wednesday 4/14: Hollywood Studios, Planet Hollywood lunch, Epcot or Animal Kingdom
    Thursday 4/15: Animal Kingdom, Pool, Epcot
    Friday 4/16: Pool, Boathouse lunch, maybe Epcot
    Saturday 4/17: Magic Kingdom, Skippers Canteen lunch
    Sunday 4/18: Drive to Gainesville

    Sue/WDW1972

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  • From Steve Soares@21:1/5 to All on Tue Apr 13 08:19:00 2021
    A couple of thoughts. You could take a bus from Disney Springs to Beach
    Club to get to Epcot. Try the Polite Pig at Disney Springs. I bet your
    husband will love it!

    Steve S.

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  • From Sue/WDW1972@21:1/5 to Steve Soares on Tue Apr 13 17:38:54 2021
    On Tuesday, April 13, 2021 at 8:19:07 AM UTC-4, Steve Soares wrote:
    A couple of thoughts. You could take a bus from Disney Springs to Beach
    Club to get to Epcot. Try the Polite Pig at Disney Springs. I bet your husband will love it!

    .
    True - I did that on a previous trip, when I was solo. With this crowd, they're going to want to do Soarin & other attractions, so we might as well come in from the front this time.

    Sue

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  • From Rudeney@21:1/5 to All on Tue Apr 20 11:12:16 2021
    On 4/12/2021 5:58 PM, Sue/WDW1972 wrote:

    INTRODUCTION: This was booked as a solo trip (which now sounds
    ridiculous given the 7 people on some part of this trip <g>),


    LOL!


    Fast forward a few months and SB kept asking when he was going to
    Disney again. A studio for 5 nights just doesn’t work for us (ok,
    for me when it’s the both of us <g>). I don’t want to spend the trip bickering over when to turn off the tv, what to have on the tv (if
    anything), etc. I didn’t have the points to upgrade to a 1-br villa


    What? You have like a gazillion points! How can you not have enough?! :-P


    so I suggested he, Tiana & Jonell come down for a couple days and I’d
    book them (Tiana & Jonell) a studio for the night. They were all in agreement, and availability at Saratoga is pretty easy to get, so I
    booked the studio for 1 night.


    OK, so a trip for 1 is now a trip for 4...


    Last trip I didn’t do a single attraction,
    although I did go into Epcot every day for Flower & Garden Festival
    since I could walk in from Beach Club Villas. Coming from Saratoga
    with the pain in the butt bus stops and the long walk through Future
    World, Epcot falls down on the priority list.


    How about this: Walk to Disney Springs, take a bus to the Beach Club,
    and then enter World Showcase like a true Crescent Lake Snob? Well,
    except for the absolutely horrible bus service to Disney Springs!


    --

    - RODNEY

    Next WDW Vacation?
    Who knows!

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  • From Rudeney@21:1/5 to Steve Soares on Tue Apr 20 11:13:43 2021
    On 4/13/2021 7:19 AM, Steve Soares wrote:
    A couple of thoughts. You could take a bus from Disney Springs to
    Beach Club to get to Epcot.


    LOL! I know I'm a week late, but I suggested that, too! But Disney
    Springs bus service is usually pretty bad, so it might be less annoying
    too just enter Epcot through Future World.


    --

    - RODNEY

    Next WDW Vacation?
    Who knows!

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