We really enjoyed our vacation and felt we celebrated our tenth anniversary in style. Here are some notes:
- The scooter was worth every penny for me. Without it my energy level would have been much lower and I would have had a lot of back/hip pain. I wouldn't hesitate to do it again. We rented from Apple Scooters but looking at the rentals at the hotel, Buena Vista seems to be the favorite for most folks.
- If you rent a scooter, be sure to bring something brightly colored to attach to the handlebar when you come back to it. They all look alike and for some reason, I kept thinking I had a red one. LOL!
- Something to clip on the back of the scooter seat is handy to hang things. While mine had a little basket, my purse took up that room. Stu used our Mickey Mouse clip to hang his backpack, helping HIS back.
- If you can, request a cup holder. I didn't have one and missed it.
- Bring a shower cap for the scooter controls for rain - I have a couple of cheap hotel ones in my travel stuff. It worked perfectly to cover the controls in the rain.
- Any time you are stopped for more than a few seconds - yes, SECONDS not minutes - turn the scooter off. It's not like a car - as soon as you turn the key back on, you can move.
- DO bring the charger, yes, it's a pain but better than finding yourself stranded. We only almost had an issue one day. We did so much walking/scooting that it JUST made it back to the room.
- Be prepared to get stopped going through the security check, they have to check the back storage area where the charger is usually stored (and where we ended up storing our mugs).
- We found FANTASTIC water bottles, ice cold for hours. Saved us. Amazon! Wish we had bought these years ago instead of multiple cheap options.
- When you are on a scooter, prepare to be INVISIBLE! Everyone is looking at eye level, the only ones that truly see you right away are kids at the same eye level. Even then, be prepared to stop quickly when people are ready to walk into you or when they stop abruptly in front of you. BRING YOUR PATIENCE!
- Don't be intimidated by getting on/off the buses. If you can't parallel park the scooter, they will park it for you! Just follow their instructions...some buses require you to get off the scooter but the newer ones have seat belts and you get to stay on it (I liked that).
- Use Fast Passes for the most popular rides. Because we were staying in the resort, we could book ours 60 days in advance. There was still one new ride in Pandora that we never could get. Next time!
- Download the Disney app - it has so much valuable information and can help you get the most out of your visit.
- While we loved the deluxe dining plan, we wouldn't do it again. But we would do the 2 coupon dinners at both Brown Derby and Sanaa. They were more than worth it.
- Buy a small power bank for your smart phone if you are using the Disney app. We each had one plus a short cable for our phones. Really helped. This one is about the size of a deck of cards but thinner. We just charged it in the hotel each night along with our phones and other items.
Our intent was to have everyone gather since we hadn't see them all in a couple of years. I have two brothers living in the area along with three nieces and their families. In addition, one cousin lives in the area and another used to but has moved further north but both hoped to make it. Well, all good plans have to be prepared.
- My middle brother had a heart attack and had to have an emergency stent put in.
- His wife had a massive COPD attack and was hospitalized in the same hospital.
- Their oldest daughter had an attack of pancreatitis and gallstones and, yup, same hospital.
We headed out after breakfast on Sunday and somewhere along the way, just north of Jacksonville I think, they were paving BOTH sides of US1.
But we did make it back to the RV in Folkston and by Tuesday we were packed up and headed back to our home in Tennessee. That's the next chapter...LOL!
Ciao for now!
Stu and Donna