Last day at WDW for this trip: Hollywood Studios

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Nov. 16, 2009, Monday-- Yet another moving day.

Shifting today from Animal Kingdom Lodge to Beach Club Villas at Yacht and Beach Club Resort near Epcot. Had to be out of room by 10 a.m. -- not really any animals visible this morning. Took the ice cube chest out empty and moved the car closer, and packed the remainder of the cold stuff in a large plastic bag, so I was able to get that and everything else out to the car in one trip with the Wonder Wheeler beach cart -- I love it.

Drove on over to the Beach Club and they actually got me a room almost right away, by about 10:30 a.m. It’s a first floor handicapped studio, and I really like it -- wonderful accessible bathroom, with roll-in shower (no tub). Would like to have it at home. Nice bright, light room decorated in a beach theme of course. Better kitchen and bath amenities than the AKL villa studio (except the fridge wasn’t turned on, and the tray was full of water, that I proceeded to spill in the bathroom getting it emptied -- easy mop-up with towels). Just a few little things different (like more little soaps, and some paper cereal bowls, and a can opener -- the DVC studios just had paper plates and plastic utensils {it doesn’t have any knives, tho, just lots of forks and some spoons - a mistake}) . I just have a little ground level two plastic chair patio, with no view (unfortunately with cigarette litter around -- at least the room seems smoke-free). The bed feels less comfortable than some others I’ve had on this trip, but I’m so worn out by now, that I should be able to sleep okay. Check-out isn’t until 11, which is nice; the last 3 or 4 places I’ve been on this trip, check-out was at 10 -- and housekeepers were checking on me way before that to try to get in and work on my room.

This place is a huge complex, and it was easy to get lost finding the big Stormalong Bay pool -- which is also huge (unfortunately the water slide was broken -- I had been wanting to try it). There’s a $3.00 an hour charge for tubes for the small lazy river (or $10.00 a day), and the water seemed a little cool, so I decided to save my energy for walking around Hollywood Studios. Good thing, because I burned up a lot of energy getting lost and getting back to my room. So, if you ever stay here, the first time you go exploring from your room, take your property map (there is some signing outside, and a few maps, but they may not be located near the place you get lost!). There are a lot of activities just at the resort -- you could stay here for several days, and not even go to any of the parks.

Had lunch in the room and then took the boat over to the Studios. Spent the afternoon wandering around there, didn’t go on any rides. I did walk thru the queue line for Tower of Terror, up to the “chicken elevator“ -- it was a walk-on for riding; not crowded at all today. Took photos, hammed it up for Photopass photos, and enjoyed the Tune-In Lounge between the 50’s Prime Time Café and the Hollywood and Vine restaurant --it’s one of my favorites; had Mom’s pot roast for dinner at the bar and visited with some folks there. Used my “Tables in Wonderland” 20% discount card, so it was about $30 for the pot roast, a Salty Dog cocktail, an Abita Turbodog beer, and the tip. I love the way it’s decorated with old 50’s stuff and showing black and white TV clips. I was mostly whiling away the time until the Osborne Family Spectacle of Lights went on at 6 -- it’s a spectacular show with over a million holiday lights in lots of scenes, that are choreographed to music. It’s even better than I remembered (or maybe they’ve added to it) -- sorry the kids missed it (they had to get back to work and school).

The weather was perfect today; they were showing a movie (The Jungle Book) out on their constructed sandy beach, when I got back to the resort on the boat. It was warm enough to have spent time at the pool -- there just aren’t enough hours in the day here -- or there’s just not as much energy left in this old broad anymore.

Now that I kind of know my way around here, I really like this place. Close to my room, there are a couple of pretty public living/drawing rooms, if one needs a little more relaxing space than the studio allows (not a problem since I’m on my own now). It’s all very open and bright, whereas the Animal Kingdom Lodge is very dark -- lots of atmosphere, tho, and there are the animal viewing locations over there. So, it’s a matter of choices -- lots more water and other activities here, lots of animal stuff over there. It was easier to park closer to the room here to unload from the car, but that may not be true at busier times of the year. It’s also very close to two parks: Epcot (could walk, but can also boat) and Hollywood Studios nice boat ride, unless you‘re in a real hurry). AKL is rather far away from everything except Animal Kingdom (and not walkable to anything).

Mentally, I want to spend a few more days here, but physically, I think I’m overdue for starting to head home. I’m planning a couple of totally relaxing days at Hilton Head, so that I should be recovered when I do get home.

Odd note: they sell a pack of the room-sized Disney-label toiletries in the gift shop (soap, shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, lotion) for $15.95; a larger size bottle of conditioner is $14.00. They just had single beers (range in the neighborhood of $5-6.00 each); not the 6-pack for $31.50 like Coronado Springs Resort had.

Had another helpful Photopass man today -- John from Ft. Lauderdale, he found some photos we were missing from Epcot, that I really wanted, and I ran into him three times in the Park. And George, who took some great shots of us in front of the MK castle, when fireworks were going off, was the first one I ran into yesterday, at the front of MK on my birthday. I really enjoy the Photopass service -- it’s rather spendy, but really worth it (compared to the price of the whole trip, having the pictures is a great bargain, even tho it seems like a lot when you order the CD with all the pics).

I managed to go “bagless” today, which is kind of nice, altho I did still have to wrangle my seat cane, my visor, sunglasses, camera and regular glasses (that was only an issue because I was putting them aside for the photos a lot). A string backpack is really handy -- am glad I have weaned myself off the big backpack with lots of “in case of” stuff and snacks that I used to carry.

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