Trip Talk - Cheating on Disney

Yes I cheated on Disney okay not on Disney itself, but on the Disney Resorts. Our niece Kendall got married on October 13th, in Tampa (Congratulations Kendall and Garin).

Now of course being a "Disney" person you always have to think of a way to squeeze that Disney trip in when possible, so being that close to Orlando we had to go!
Our oldest son was the only other person from our family able to make the wedding so we booked our plane tickets. My husband and I were coming from Chicago and our son was coming in from Elizabeth City, NC. As we planned to fly into Orlando the Thursday before the wedding and arrive late in the day we will sometimes just stay close to the airport. I told our son who travels quite extensively for the Coast Guard that I have always wanted to stay at the Waldorf Astoria at Walt Disney World, my husband and I have been fortune it enough to have stayed at the one in New York and London and I just wanted to add this one to our list, but felt bad to cheat on the Disney resorts. He called me and told me he could book the Waldorf at a military rate did I want him to do it? Sure, why not!

In between the time we booked and the day we left I was able to change our flight and we arrived at noon and way before our son who was scheduled to arrive at 8:00 pm. He told us we could try to check in if we wanted to see if they would let us. So off to the Waldorf we went.......................

The Waldorf is actually on Disney property and is located right in the front of the Pop Century on Bonnet Creek Drive, so if you have ever wondered what was down that road, along with the Waldorf, which is at the end of it, there is also a Wyndham, Wyndham Grand and a Hilton. We arrived at the hotel and we were greeted by two valets who took our car and opened all the doors for us, (I could get used to this). At the registration desk we were allowed to check-in due to the fact that our id's had the same address as our sons (it also helps that he as the same name as my husband). As we were checking in the agent stated to us that our son has status with Hilton; okay? As such they were giving him an upgrade; okay? He then says a very significant upgrade; okay? Then he asks do we need two beds? I look at him wanting to say of course we do and he says well the bedroom has a king, but the couch pulls out to a queen, not wanting to upset him (and the upgrade), I say that will work and he gives us our keys and he sends our bags up to us. (He also gave us each at tin box that said Waldorf on it and it was filled with their own made trail mix.) He also told us to have our son stop at the desk when he arrived as they had something special for him, hmmmm; I wonder what that could be on top of the upgrade.

As we opened our door to the SUITE! Yes, suite, we realized this was not your normal upgrade. The bellman arrives and tells us there is only one suite higher than this one, which is the Presidential Suite, but he tells us he likes this one much better. There is a master bedroom suite with a full bath, a soaking tub (which was calling my name) a full shower and two sinks. Another powder room was right off the entrance. As you walked down the hallway on your right was a long bar with refrigerator, ice maker, water, glasses, espresso maker, etc. Around the front of that and to the right was the front room with the pullout couch. Off the bar area was the balcony which gave us a FULL view of all of Walt Disney World. The person who checked us in told us that at 9:00 pm that night we would be able to see Wishes form there. The view was spectacular!

My husband and I decided to do lunch at the pool bar Aquamarine, which was nice a quiet and had quite good food. I had the Lobster and Shrimp wrap and Paul had the Asian Chopped Salad and we shared their specialty S&P House Cut Fries as an appetizer. After lunch we went shopping to the Disney Outlet store and returned in the late afternoon to wait before leaving to pick up our son from the airport.

He was due to arrive at 8:30, but his flight arrived 15 minutes early and we waited for him in the baggage claim area wanting him to hurry so we could make it back to see the fireworks! Do you believe my husband made it all the way back to the hotel in time for us to see the last 5 minutes of the fireworks! They gave you a different perspective on them as we could see the Wishes ones, and also Epcot, which was quite closer to us than you would think. Out son picked up the envelope the person mentioned when we checked in, in it were coupons for free drinks at the Peacock Alley Lounge and breakfast for two downstairs at Oscar's.

We went on line the other night because we will be headed back to Walt Disney World in December for a D23 event and will now be arriving around 11:00 pm on the Friday night before and will need a room for one night, on a whim I checked the Waldorf again and the room we stayed in came up and I almost had a heart attack, it came up at $1029.00 a night!

In all I think we more then got our money's worth out this stay.