So I'm going to Disney World in January.

[Mr Mannn]

Its not my fault. Some one posted a Disney vacation thread in this very forum and lit a fuse under me.
I had to do it too.

I went to Dis Boards http://www.wdwinfo.com/chat.htm  because I saw that forum in the previous thread.
Its a real help to planning things...but its members are Disney nuts who all seem to have annual passes.
Right now on Dec 14th, it is 80 degrees. 68 was the low.

I'm about 5 years too early. Avatar Land is being built right now in Disney's Animal Kingdom park.
and Star Wars Land is going to open around that time in Disney Hollywood Studios park.

anyways I'm staying in a "budget" Disney Hotel, for $118 bucks a night. I could have gotten another hotel in Orlando for like $60 a night, but car rental and $15 bucks a day parking at the parks evens it all out. With Disney, transportation is free. There are fancier hotels...but why? I'm only gonna be sleeping there.
--So bottom line: Disney gets 100% of my vacation dollar: food, lodging, and fun.

Oh yes the hotel. Its theme is the last few cartoon blockbusters from Disney. I'm not in the Cars wing...no I reserved late, so I got the girly Little Mermaid room. Still, there is a 40 food statue of the Little Mermaid. I wanted a boobs level room (the "shells suite." I can't afford that), but I'm in the head. I have to open her eyes if I want to look out. I wonder if I can dump garbage out her nose...

The package just for me was $1200. Not bad. I'm going solo so it should be a real easy pace. I hate to say, I have bigger plans to eat very well over there, I got the Disney dining plan and I get a free restaurant dinner and a quick service meal every day. And one snack a day is free too.
--I will eat like a king!

There is some weird service where you can get your picture taken with an animated character, like a teeny tiny Tinkerbell perched in your hand. If I can get them to let pose like I'm about to swat her with a rolled up newspaper, I'll post it here.

[Chris_]

so I got the girly Little Mermaid room

Take pictures.

[ExGeeEye]

Brr.

Yeah, I know it's Florida.

All's I can say is I've been to DW in December, March, and July.

July was best.  December was worst.

YMMV.

[EagleKeeper]

You need to, at the very least, look for a grumpy dwarf t shirt.

You know, arms all folded gangsta style, glaring at you out of the corner of his little dwarf eyes.

I got one the last time I was at DW, I liked it so much that I rendered it to flinders by just wearing it.

[Chris_]

Mr. Mannn's Disney Vacation

[obumazombie]

When I was in the south Pacific, every day was 85 degrees, humid, sunny and 12 hours long right along the equator.
All I was missing was the Disney World to complete the package.

[thundley4]

Mr. Mannn's Disney Vacation

That kind of looks like Monica Lewinski.

[Mr Mannn]

That kind of looks like Monica Lewinski.

Its not. There is no stain on the blue part of the dress.

[Wineslob]

Its not. There is no stain on the blue part of the dress.

 

You'll have a blast.

 

[Scoobie]

You need to, at the very least, look for a grumpy dwarf t shirt.

You know, arms all folded gangsta style, glaring at you out of the corner of his little dwarf eyes.

I got one the last time I was at DW, I liked it so much that I rendered it to flinders by just wearing it.

I got this one for Sparky when we went in July:




 

[Karin]

Have a great time, Mr. Mannn, and take lots of pictures to share with us!  Won't it be nice to eat something besides microwaved, freeze dried food?   

[Mr Mannn]

Have a great time, Mr. Mannn, and take lots of pictures to share with us!  Won't it be nice to eat something besides microwaved, freeze dried food?   

I'll try with the pictures. No camera at the moment.

As for eating, I only eat freeze dried Hamburger on a regular basis. But yes, it will be nice to eat really well.
There is a place called the Whispering Canyon Cafe. It serves endless milkshakes. I'm gonna try to have lunch there. I'll order a kids meal, eat mac & cheese, and drown myself in milkshakes.
Its at one of the most beautiful Disney Hotels: The Wilderness Lodge. You have got to see the pictures to believe it.

Disney has a lot of hotels that are far to expensive to be believed, the Wilderness Lodge is one of them. Seriously, you're only gonna sleep there. Why pay $200 or $300 a night? I'll stick with my girly mermaid room, thank you.

[JLO]

Have a wonderful vacation Mr Mannn!   

Please do share pics with us. 

[Mr Mannn]

Have a wonderful vacation Mr Mannn!   

Please do share pics with us. 

I promise I will find a way to get some pics. But this is a solo trip, so I most likely will not be in them.

But here is a treat, The Wilderness Lodge is a mere boat ride away from the Magic Kingdom park.
[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VKoERwW-lQ#t=127[/youtube]
The hotel is on the pricey side, $284 a night in the off season. Still it sports some great restaurants.

[Mr Mannn]

This is my hotel...the Art of Animation resort. I don't get spiffy boat rides, just bus service. But it'll do.
[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvPYc9XW1Hk#t=31[/youtube]

[Linda]

Have fun and I hope the weather is great for you when you come here.

[Mr Mannn]

I did find some pictures of the mermaid room. I was NOT kidding when I said girly.
Take a gander...


this next one was a shock to me...it reveals a really cheap part of my room. Not gonna bother me, but if more that one person is going to use the room, they're gonna be sorry!

Look at the cheap plastic curtain. Its not hiding a window, its replacing the doorway to the bathroom. I'm paying $118 bucks a day for a cheap plastic curtain?!!

One of the gals at DisBoards said she was going to Honeymoon in this room, cause she loves the mermaid movie. I can just see her pretending not to hear the husband in the bathroom after dinner at the Mexico Pavilion in Epcott. Rude introduction to marriage 101.
--Reversed, the hubby will be silently cheering, "Thats my girl!" Cause guys are just crude like that.

[Chris_]

That does look somewhat shabby.   

Are those solid headboards fixed to the bed frame or are they just hung on the wall like pictures?

[Mr Mannn]

Forgot the last one. Don't tell Pretzel Warrior but there is a life size Ariel on the shower curtain.


Woe is me.

[Mr Mannn]

That does look somewhat shabby.   

Are those solid headboards fixed to the bed frame or are they just hung on the wall like pictures?

I don't know. they could be great big stickers on the wall.

But I've learned my lesson. Next time I'll be spending my $100 bucks a night in Orlando and sleep somewhere decent.

[Chris_]

You're probably not going to find much better for $100 a night.  For some reason, the last half-dozen hotels I've stayed in were all La Quinta and they're nothing special.

[Texacon]

Make sure you ask for ketchup at the Whispering Canyon ...

Just saying.

KC

[Karin]

You have GOT to be kidding me about them using a plastic curtain for a bathroom door.  They should be ashamed of themselves, calling themselves a hotel and all.  Unacceptable! 

[Mr Mannn]

You have GOT to be kidding me about them using a plastic curtain for a bathroom door.  They should be ashamed of themselves, calling themselves a hotel and all.  Unacceptable! 

Kinda hard to believe, aint it?

[freedumb2003b]

This is my hotel...the Art of Animation resort. I don't get spiffy boat rides, just bus service. But it'll do.
[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvPYc9XW1Hk#t=31[/youtube]

If you have a chance to change hotels -- DO IT NOW!!!

There are 3 hotels that are really run down and Art of Animation is one of them.  It is like a really large, really badly run Motel 6.  The food is expensive and awful (they will sell you a reusable cup for like $50 per cup or else you can pay $5 for a coke).

Don't let the cute characters throw you.  That is ALL they are is concrete formations.  And if you are unlucky, the walk to the bus stop will be long.

Unless you get one of the premier Disney hotels, look into non-Disney unless getting in 1 hour early to different parks (the schedule rotates) is important (really only worth it for Wild Animal Park since the animals all go to sleep by 9:00AM and won't move for the rest of the day).
 
Just some words of great caution...