Drove from KY - Staying@ BRV on Rented points from www.dvc-rental.com. Deluxe Dining. DS and DH trying “pin-trading” for 1st time.
Arrived Orlando 9/29 - stayed @ Hyatt Place by Universal on Points. After long drive just enjoyed pool and ordered Pizza
9/30 - 830am arrived @ WL, checked our bags with Bell Services, picked up rented scooter from Buena Vista - checked in to make sure dining was connected to our magic bands and changed our pin #s which we had forgot from trip 2 years ago. Headed to HS. DH via bus on ECV. Me, DS, DM and DD-on cane, via car. Glad I drove - was able to park 2nd row of Accessible parking. Walk was hot and long - but not as long as I had thought and not near as long as bus stop. DH arrived about the same time 9:30 via bus. received room ready text as we were walking in the gate. (received room in area listed 3rd choice on our fax request - ended up being perfect room and location for us) RM1516 HS: headed to muppets, but 10 min stand by for Star Tours - so went on and did that. Then muppets, then shopping @ store beside muppets - looking for muppets pins - no luck. 1045 checked in Sci-Fi, DM and I did RCD (5 min wait)while we waited for Sci-Fi to open. Straight from RCD to Sci-Fi - everyone enjoyed their meals, except DH who had the BBQ platter. Watched part of Star Wars stage show - too darned hot, in sun, headed for INDY early - were in lower level ECV seating. Most liked this location, but I liked view from top last time better. Headed to AS2 - 25 min wait - not too bad, at least mostly shaded. Enjoyed ride. Then TSMM FP(a hit as always), Headed to Frozen FP, stopped @ Chinese Theatre for Photopass pic, then onto show, I LOVED that show -Great actors and I’m not a crier - but started to tear up at the “disney magic” toward the end. 
. grabbed 4th FP to LMermaid(had let Star Tours expire - they didn’t want to ride again). Bought refillable Toy Story Popcorn bucket on the way. Entire crew enjoyed Little Mermaid.Overall crowds not bad - but heat mid-day was ROUGH- (I don’t know how you guys do this in the summer, all 3 of our trips have been in Oct - but don’t remember it being this hot before.) Stopped to do a little shopping on the way out - but headed back to Resort around 4 to cool off, start “pin trading” and rest for a bit before our 715PM Whispering Canyon ADR. Called us to table @ 735PM. Food was ok, but not as good as I had remembered. Exception was my DM’s Pork Shank that was AMAZING and my son’s mac and cheese which was also VERY good. “Antics” were fine, but seemed to be at a minimal tonight. Ketchup and stick horse races were all that we saw. Back to room to bed to get some rest before PPO GG ADR@ EPCOT in AM.
Day2 - EPCOT
DH took Bus, I drove the rest of us. DH always tried to be at Bus Stop at least an hour and 1/2 before any of our ADRs - which was a good thing - a couple of times, he made it there about the same time we did. He said this day wasn’t too bad. He had just missed a bus - so caught the next one and arrived about 10 min after we did. We were 8th in line @ gates. Gates opened right around 745, but due to bag check trainee - literally took 10 minutes before we were through bag check. Some people in line with us were so rude, making comments under their breath. I felt bad for the trainee - he was just trying to do everything correctly and do a full check, they did end up sending a seasoned person over to replace him - but really people -they are just doing their job. Our GG ADR was 815, but we were checked right in around 805 and given a table. We stopped on the way there to rent an in park ECV for my DD- who realized after our “1/2 day @HS” yesterday, that he was going to need one. GG breakfast was REALLY good. It is now our FAV character breakfast. Great character interactions, and we were full and headed to soarin’, just ahead of the rope drop crowd. 
Soarin’x1, skipped FP LivingLand(DS wanted to skip) , Figment, tried SE, but line already 25 min wait. Headed to MSGreen FP. Did MS, DS very disappointed that Mission Space Interactive Activity area was closed. Luckily we had a 2nd Epcot day planned. Then Test Track car experience area and Test Track FP. Snack Credit Croissant Doughnut on way to 3 Cabelleros(DS favorite ride)rode x3. More pin trading. By now it was around 1230/1, getting crazy hot again, stopped for poutine, dole whips, and maple bourbon cheesecake with snack credits.All very good. DS wanted to head to SE and then back to resort to swim - so snagged 4th FP and did with no wait - just had to use a different entrance for ECVs which was a little confusing. @around 2pm, DH headed “around the world” on his ECV to pin trade and used a couple more snack credits on Lobster Roll and Bao Bun Chicken from Japan. Said both were very yummy. The rest of us headed back to resort to cool off and swim. BRV Pool is AMAZING - we all loved it and said the best pool we’ve ever been in. Perfect temp, our cane users loved the zero entry, and the way it is shaped, it never felt crowded. Were able to snag a cabana every time we went. Hot tub also nice, but not very powerful jets. DS did some pin trading @ WL. DH arrived @ WL a couple hours later. We all headed to 815 ADR@ Ohana for dinner via car. SADLY this was our WORST MEAL of the trip, maybe our Worst meal ever @ WDW. 
. Noodles and potstickers were decent. Wings were not as good as we remembered from our prior trips. Meat was very inconsistent, some cold/some warm off same skewer. Seemed to be no rhyme or reason. We held out thinking our bread pudding would save the day, but we were wrong. It was dry, flat and sauce was not even as buttery and yummy as we had remembered. We saw numerous tables complaining - so they knew there were issues this night. Since we were on dining plan and had tons of credits, we let it go. By now it was getting late and we just wanted to get out of there and get home. To be fair, some family members went 3 nights later and said it was amazing - their best meal of the trip, and described it like we remembered it - so must’ve just been an “off night”. FUNNY thing happened while we were there tho - They asked people to gather up to hula. We couldn’t see person on the mic, but could hear him, so when a group of people got up, my DS11 followed them. STRAIGHT out of the RESTAURANT - SMH. I got up as soon as I realized what was happening - and found him roaming around the 2nd flr of lobby. He said “Mama - these people were talking about going back to the room - I don’t think this is were we are learning to dance”. LOL. Next UP Day 3 -Tues - EMM/MK/Cali grill . . .
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Thanks for the report! I was really interested in your report about the BRV pool. I don’t think I have even seen any pictures! They do not rent the cabanas? How many are there?
@PrincipalTinker. I remember 6 cabanas, but there could’ve been another set of 3 around the other side - I truly don’t remember - sorry :(. They are first come -first serve, no cost at this time. Even when there were 5-10 other families @ the pool, we never saw more than 1 or 2 others being “claimed”. I didn’t take any pictures of them, but had cushioned lounger, cushioned sofa, small table and either another cushioned lounger or maybe a couple of chairs? seemed like they were set up a couple of different ways and we used different ones different days. They are mostly covered with a metal type roof in the middle and wood slats/planks between the you and the cabana on the other side. The pool is shaped kind of like a fidget spinner(I’m sure there is technical shape term - but that’s what it reminded me of. 3 separate entry areas - 2 with steps and 1 that was zero entry. No slide, which we actually preferred, but nice “mining” theming water falls from rocks in background on the other side of chairs. Geyser Point, which has quick service and mug refills, just steps away. We didn’t use restrooms there, but there were some right in the pool area. I noticed there were always tons of towels and frequent Cast Members coming by to straighten chairs, etc.
Thank you! It was still under construction the last time I stayed there and I will be there in February. I love quiet pools and I am very excited! I hope it will be warm enough to swim!