Frolicking Pants & Chicken Necks!_How this Dorky Mom & Daughter Do DisneyWorld! *7/24

[scooby9932]

Welcome, One! Welcome, All!

You're invited to join us on our Disney World Adventure! On this momentous trip, we'll discover mysterious frolicking pants, we'll encounter a newly hatched chicken neck, & experience the coronation of the Polky Dot Princess! And that's just the beginning of the fun... Read on for more decidedly dorky Disney delights!

But first, you might want to dip your toes into our pre-trip report. Here's the link:Oh, Snap! A Pre-trip Report from DDF & SP! (http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2024333) Now that you have a little back history…on with the story!

We begin our tale in the back woods of Louisiana on a balmy April morning. Imagine if you will the chirp, peep of tree frogs, the wump, wump of bull frogs, and the hum of the crickets as the first, weak rays of sunlight glint over the woods to light upon the farmhouse nestled deep in the woods. Inside, an exuberant near-40 year old (that’s me) is nestled snug in her bed, eyes wide open, a big, goofy grin splitting her face. Visions of Dole Whips dance in her head. Her toes tap a rhythm with the ticking of the clock. She waits, listening for the telltale sounds that others are awake, knowing it’s too early to get up & risk a groggy, grumpy traveling partner. Finally, a little before 6 a.m., she hears the faint squeak of a nearby bedspring. Could it be? Is the Sparkly Princess awake? Unable to hold back one moment longer, she jumps out of bed, opens her door & is met with a vision she thought never to behold! Sparkly Princess is awake, wide eyed, and wearing a smile – and it’s not even noon yet!

Ok, ok. I'll break into the story here to give a little back history on the characters of this story:

CAST:

Sparkly Princess (SP for short): That's right. That's my DD's nickname on this DIS here & at home. She's my one & only - my bestest friend, my travel buddy, my everything. Since I divorced while still preggers with her, it's been just the 2 of us from day 1. We're the ORIGINAL Gilmore Girls. That's right - they stole from us! We're convinced! And did we see one penny from the producers? Noooo...

Ahem. Sorry bout that. Anyhoo...

SP is newly 20. She's outgoing - always making new friends. Her friends always kid her that she goes to a public restroom & always comes out with a new friend. :rotfl: She's a princess through & through. While I grew up more of a tomboy, she was born wearing her sparkly tiara, loving all things bright, shiny, and of course, PINK. Her favorite princess is Cinderella. Her favorite stuffie character is Figment.

SP is a photographer - actually she has 3 jobs (baby photographer @ Woman's Hospital, wedding photographer on weekends, and Freelance photographer in her own business). Whew - makes ya tired just reading all that, huh? Luckily, she was lucky enough to be able to take off from April 28 through May 11 to join me on this trip. We share the same dorky tendencies, screwball humor, and love of Disney. Makes for a perfect Disney travel combo, right?

Now, for a non-Disney pic. Hmmm, seems I don't have many of those on my puter. The only recent one I could find has her boyfriend, Steven, in the picture. Oh, well. He'll figure into our trip report, so here goes:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3487/3469245362_6cc67c08e4.jpg

Then there's...

Me: I'm 39 - the big 4-0 is just a week away. :cool1: I was born in LA, grew up going to Disneyland every year - even after moving to the Deep South when I was just knee-high to a grasshopper. I LOVE Disney. I'm obsessed! I don't care what people think about that! :laughing: My favorite princess is Aurora ('cause her name is mine, only in French). My favorite stuffie character is Winnie the Pooh.

I'm a fiercely independent, strangely shy sometimes, single working mom. I have been battling Lupus for years, and for the last 5, cancer. I'm currently back on radiation/chemo. But, so far nothing's stopped me. And yearly trips to Disney are my reward! :woohoo:

I work full time still & also design & make jewelry on the side. Keeping busy is therapy for me. SP is my saving grace. Having her in my life has made the negatives if not inconsequential then certainly easier to handle.

My best job title is Mom. I'm also mom to my adorable shih-tzu, Rufus! Shhh! Don't tell him he's a d-o-g, k? He has NO idea. ;)

Oh, here's a pic of me. It's one of those stretched arm, MySpace-y things. I was documenting my hair growth after chemo. I'm scary hairy! This was just 4 months of growth! Not that I'm complaining! :rolleyes1
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3440/3385794684_f502e18d57.jpg

And 'cause he's just so darned cute, here's my Pookie boy, Rufus:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3355/3331730090_39ae082869.jpg


Now that you have a bit of background on the cast, I'll finish this first post with our trip itinerary, a roadmap of where we were, when we were, but the HOW we were you'll just have to wait for!:laughing:

The broad itinerary:


Tues., April 28 - Leave home (south Louisiana) & drive to Lake City, FL
Wed., April 29 - Drive to Disney - Check in at Polynesian - Magic Kingdom
Thu., April 30 - EPCOT Future World
Fri., May 1 - Relax, Grand Fla. Tea, Epcot
Sat., May 2 - Animal Kingdom, DTD
Sun., May 3 - Epcot a.m., 1900 Park Fare Dinner, MK EMH
Mon., May 4 - EPCOT World Showcase
Tue., May 5 - MK All Day
Wed., May 6 - Drive to St. Petersberg/Clearwater - Stay at Beach
Fri., May 8 - Drive to Destin, FL - Stay on Beach
Sat., May 9 - Drive remainder home


See ya next time. I'm hoping to get our PhotoPass pics edited tonight!:cheer2:

TOC:



And They're Off! (http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=31909672&postcount=7)
Car Woes, Taco Bell Search, Cool Hotel (http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=31929054&postcount=12)

Arrival Day! (http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=31988578&postcount=18)
We Interrupt this Trip Report...for A Snake Bite Story (http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=32041733&postcount=21)
Mini Life Update...Or Why I Haven't Posted the Next Installment Yet (http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=32098519&postcount=35)
Our 1st Park - Magic Kingdom! (http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=32111173&postcount=38)
Epcot Future World & Lapu Lapu Time! (http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=32332005&postcount=55)
The Disney Hollywood Studios Day That Wasn't (http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=32859058&postcount=69)

[Leleluvsdis]

:cool1::banana::yay::woohoo:YAY:banana::cool1::woo hoo::yay:

Can't wait to hear how you trip went!!!

[Lady Lallie]

Yay your TR has started!! Great start, I really can't wait to hear all about your trip! :woohoo:

[snoopy two]

You are the Gilmore Girls; only prettier!

[autumnpalm]

YAY you're back!!! I can't wait to read your TR!:thumbsup2:thumbsup2

[scooby9932]

:cool1::banana::yay::woohoo:YAY:banana::cool1::woo hoo::yay:

Can't wait to hear how you trip went!!!

We had a great time! Over way too soon, of course.:rolleyes:

Yay your TR has started!! Great start, I really can't wait to hear all about your trip! :woohoo:

Thanks! I hope to have the first day up soon.

You are the Gilmore Girls; only prettier!

Aww, thanks so much!:hug:

YAY you're back!!! I can't wait to read your TR!:thumbsup2:thumbsup2

I've been keeping up with yours, too! You got WAY more pictures than we did. I was so busy having fun, I kinda forgot my camera most times. :confused3

[scooby9932]

Day One, Part 1 - Traveling Along

So, where were we? Peeping frogs, buzzing insects, excited me…Oh, yeah. SP was awake! And ready! Two near miracles already. This must surely portend of a trip filled with pixie dust & magic, right? Right. pixiedust:

I had loaded most of the luggage, etc. into the car the night before because it was supposed to rain the morning of our departure. I woke up the boys (er, dogs) and we snoogled & went outside to do our business & played a short game of fetch & then had our hair brushing - you know, the usual morning routine!

I hated waking them - they were snuggled in Rufus's bed together & so darn cute!
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All that was left was eating some breakfast, and packing up the last minute make-up bags, SP’s stuffie Eeyore, and our purses.

About 2 hours down the road, SP gasped. :eek: I asked what was wrong & she said that in all the hub bub of taking care of the last minute details, saying goodbye to the dogs and my parents, etc., Eeyore didn’t get packed. What was she going to do without a stuffie to hug while sleeping? Oh, boy. Same thing happened last year. That’s how Eeyore came into our little family.

Turns out my mom had grabbed Eeyore & put him back in SP’s room figuring she wasn’t taking him as “what 20 year old needs a toy to sleep with?”. SP, that’s who! No worries, we solved this problem later that night.:thumbsup2

Anyhoo, we were off & only 20 minutes behind my “scheduled” (i.e. wished for) time of departure of 7 a.m. The weather was still holding steady with just some wind and cloudiness.

Driving & Smiling - We're on our way!
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We put in some Disney tunes & enjoyed the ride. We made our first gas stop in Covington as I hadn’t topped off the gas the day before. The tank didn’t register Full like usual, but I just figured that the gas pumps at that Exxon were “watered down” or something.

P.S. - Forget how bad I look in this shirt - I had packed all my others! :rotfl:

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Within minutes we were back on the road & into Mississippi before long.


Weather Note:
The further east we drove, the better the weather got. When we left our house at 7:20 a.m. it was already 83 degrees F outside & 70% humidity. The previous week we had been in the 90’s each day with high humidity. When we got to Lake City, FL it was 83 degrees and 40% humidity. Louisiana got pummeled with rain while we were gone, but we didn’t see any rain at all. And there was a breeze each day. And most days were cooler & drier than at home. Woot! Hard to believe for Florida, huh? I tell people all the time that Louisiana is hotter & wetter than Florida, they just don’t believe me.

On with the report!

SP was already making noises about being hungry. I directed her to the big bag o’ snacks in the backseat. She wanted Taco Bell. In a BAD way. :lmao: I told her that at 9:30 a.m. it was a bit early for tacos. So, she made do with some Pizza flavored Pringles, a Capri sun, and a pack of gushers. Let me just say that SP was SUPER snack-y this trip! popcorn:: I couldn’t fill that girl up. Made my food buget down right laughable this trip!::yes::

We started looking for Taco Bell around Biloxi & didn’t see one at all in Mississippi. By the time we hit the Alabama border, SP was claiming starvation & a desperate NEED for tacos! I told her we’d find one soon, but if she saw a sign for one in Mobile, just forget it. I do not pull over in Mobile. I hate their interstate system. It confuses me & the drivers confound me at every turn. I just like to drive through the tunnel, get over the long bridge after, and then breathe easily again. Soon we neared Mobile & SP was still on the look-out for Taco Bell.

I told her that the only way she was getting a taco in Mobile was if someone on the side of the road was tossing them into car windows as we drove past. She thought this was hilarious!

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3380/3484373357_ffd4ae7932.jpg

No worries, however, as Alabama was just as Taco Bell un-friendly as Mississippi had been.

Sad Side Story: While driving along, SP was constantly on her Blackberry, as usual, and noticed a MySpace message from her friend, Emiley, saying she was so sad. SP called her to see what was going on & found out that one of their mutual friends had died in a horrible motorcycle crash the night before. He was coming home after work & a car hit him head on, decapitating him. :scared: He was only 22. And his wife is pregnant. Just incredibly sad. :sad: It took the starch out of us for a little while there, I'll tell ya. Sure makes you thankful & think about things, ya know? SP had to call her best friend, Jacob, to tell him. He'd just moved to Mississippi & she wasn't sure anyone knew his number to call him. So she did. He was inconsolable.

Ok, on with the story. Again.

We'd made it through 3 states already & were soon into Florida!
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We enjoyed our usual Little Cups of Sunshine.
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Then we grabbed a few pamphlets & guides while at the Welcome Center. SP found the snack machine & came skipping up to me like a little kid: “Can I get something from the machine, Mom, puheeeeze?” Oh, boy. Turns out the vending machine had “the best pastry” choices. Well, if they’re the BEST pastries ever, what could I say? The decision making is on! Big Texas Cinnamon Roll or the Cream Cheese & Cherry Danish? Hmmmm…. The suspense!

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She went with the Danish!

Soon we were back on the road & I’m starting to hear my own stomach growl. It was nearing 2 p.m. & I hadn’t eaten since 6:30 a.m. After much cajoling, I finally convinced her that the Dairy Queen looking over Pensacola Bay would be a great place to eat. So, we stopped & both had chicken finger baskets. Yum!

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3623/3485189062_942b512ce5.jpg

Then, since it was really hot by this time, we both had ice cream – SP had the Chocolate Extreme Blizzard & I had the Hot Fudge Sundae with Candied Pecan Sprinkles. Yummy!

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3580/3484369055_db1ba48a14.jpg


Next up…Car Trouble?!?!?!:scared1:

[Leleluvsdis]

Sounds like a good trip so far!!

I am so sorry to hear about SP friend. It is so sad. I had a friend get killed 2 years ago at 24 when we was in a police persuit and hit a tree at 60mph.

:eek::eek::eek:Car trouble!!!! Sounds like the end of our week

[autumnpalm]

Oh, I am so sorry to hear about SP's friend. That is just heartbreaking. My prayers will be with his family.:hug:

I loooovveeee DQ chicken finger baskets, YUM! Good choice!!

You and your daughter remind me so much of my mom and myself.:goodvibes

How is everything going with your house? I remember reading about it on your PTR. I hope it's going okay.:grouphug:

And uh oh... car trouble is never good!:scared1:

[mickeystoontown]

Hey there! I'm from Louisiana too....West Monroe. NOBODY understands it when I tell them we are from Louisiana and the Florida weather is a breeze for us. They just look at us funny.:confused3

I totally understand you not wanting to get off the interstate anywhere near Mobile. For years and years, we got turned around in Mobile. It was (and still is) a long standing joke in our family. When you get to Mobile, you sit down, shut up and don't say anything until we are through that **** tunnel. We also won't stop anywhere for the night (we leave around 6 p.m.) until we are well past Pensacola. That's just a no-no in our book.

With the exception of the bad news you guys received, it looks like you are having a great time.

Waitin' to read more!

[scooby9932]

Sounds like a good trip so far!!

I am so sorry to hear about SP friend. It is so sad. I had a friend get killed 2 years ago at 24 when we was in a police persuit and hit a tree at 60mph.

:eek::eek::eek:Car trouble!!!! Sounds like the end of our week

Besides that tragic news, we were really having a great time. Oh, no! I hope your car trouble wasn't too bad!:hug:

Oh, I am so sorry to hear about SP's friend. That is just heartbreaking. My prayers will be with his family.:hug:

I loooovveeee DQ chicken finger baskets, YUM! Good choice!!

You and your daughter remind me so much of my mom and myself.:goodvibes

How is everything going with your house? I remember reading about it on your PTR. I hope it's going okay.:grouphug:

And uh oh... car trouble is never good!:scared1:

Thanks for the prayers. It's always such a shock when something like that happens.

I love DQ chicken fingers! SP doesn't like the white gravy, but I love it. Yum.

The house repairs are coming along. The new roof is on, the ceilngs are up & floated. Still have lots to do...first off is restoring electricity! Then it'll be easier to work inside. Thanks for the good thoughts & :hug:.

Yep, car troubles stink. Luckily, it could have been worse. I'll explain in the next installment which should be up in just a few minutes.

Hey there! I'm from Louisiana too....West Monroe. NOBODY understands it when I tell them we are from Louisiana and the Florida weather is a breeze for us. They just look at us funny.:confused3

I totally understand you not wanting to get off the interstate anywhere near Mobile. For years and years, we got turned around in Mobile. It was (and still is) a long standing joke in our family. When you get to Mobile, you sit down, shut up and don't say anything until we are through that **** tunnel. We also won't stop anywhere for the night (we leave around 6 p.m.) until we are well past Pensacola. That's just a no-no in our book.

With the exception of the bad news you guys received, it looks like you are having a great time.

Waitin' to read more!

:welcome: to a fellow Louisianian! Bonjour! Laissez les bon temps roulez!Thanks for joining in!

Isn't it so true? People just don't believe us about our weather. Until they come visit, that is. Once they're melting from heat & it's Thanksgiving, THEN they start to believe! ::yes::

I'm glad I'm not the only one who dislikes the road system in Mobile! Don't get me wrong, I'm sure it's a perfectly lovely city. I just don't ever want to stop to find out. :rolleyes:

How do you like driving forever on I-10 & LEANING the whole way? We are always so happy to turn onto I-75 & get back on even ground. We joke about the numb bums we get while driving I-10. :tilt:

[scooby9932]

Day One, Part II:

After finishing our ice creams, SP & I made a last pit stop break before getting back on the road.

The sun was beating down & shining off the waters of Pensacola Bay as we drove over the bridge. Small islands of reeds were out in the water & SP was talking about how wonderful it would be to set up camp on one & just live by the water. I was telling her how I would visit with a boat on occasion. Where SP is a water person, I’m more of a “like to look at the water” person. :rotfl2:

As our car began to climb a hill just after the bridge, I noticed the Check Engine light come on. :crazy2: Oh, no! Not car trouble. Pleeze, oh, pleeze - Not now. Oh, the expense. I didn’t have much left in savings after the trip & the cost of repairing my house. Oh, boy. To pay for the car, we might have to cancel the beach portion of our trip! SP will be SO disappointed! Horrible thoughts just tumbled one right on top of another. I don’t respond well to stress these days. I used to have the patience of Job. Now, after much stress through the years, I’m more like Donald Duck. QUACK!!:donald:

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At the first exit, I pulled into a gas station. First things first, I checked to make sure I had screwed the gas cap on tight enough. Then I checked the oil levels, the radiator fluid, the transmission fluid, the battery cables. Everything looked good. The temp gauge in the car was normal, no leaks, good fluid levels, no hissing radiator, no obviously loose hoses, all clamps looked good. So what could it be? My small bit of car knowledge had run out.:scratchin

That was when I decided to look at the little car manual guide they give you. Ha! That thing is useless. Under the section for Check Engine all it had was to take the car in to your dealer for service. Fat lot of help when you’re several hundred miles away from your dealer. Sheesh! :sad2:

So, I did what any self respecting girl does in that situation. I called Daddy! After reviewing everything I’d checked with Dad, he told me it was most likely the Oxygen sensor had gone out. Nothing to worry about, but costly to replace. Good news was if that’s what it was, I could wait until I got back from my trip to get it replaced. To try to figure out if that’s what it was he asked me a few questions.

Did I notice

When I last filled my tank, did the needle not register full like usual? Aha! And I thought they had a quick-release pump set up so people didn’t register a completely full tank. Some stations do this, you know. And I DO know. I happen to work for the biggest of the “Big Oil” companies. I definitely didn’t feel I had a Tiger in my tank, though.

Did I notice:

a reduction in gas mileage? Why, yes, Yes I had! I had been blaming the Exxon for “watered down” gas, but it was my car all along. I had just assumed that particular Exxon had put in more Ethanol than required (3%) and I know that affects your gas mileage negatively, even if it does help the environment - a bit.

And no flames, please - I'm actually an environmentalist. I have been a certified tree hugger for years. I have the cards to prove it. And the re-useable shopping bags, water bottle, recycle bins, etc. I was environmentally aware before it was "in." Dont' hold my job against me. It's a paycheck. Okey dokey - Off my soapbox now. Ahem.

So, figuring it was the O2 sensor, I sighed a HUGE sigh of relief & we got back on the road, with me now noticing every little noise/jerk/funny feeling the car made. Oh, joy. QUACK! :cool2:

Still, we were on the way to Disney, so I tried my best to not stress over it. Really. And as the days went on, I stressed less & less. I STILL have to get the darn car to the dealership & get that thing replaced! I’ve just been so busy with Dr. appointments, chemo, radiation, house repairs, work, etc. Plus I was waiting on my next pay check.

Anyhoo, on with our tale.

We made it through Tallahassee, passed by the Suwanee River area, the Chattahoochee River, sang all the associated songs, lost an hour near the Sneads exit. Egads. It went from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. in an instant! No fair!

Soon we were off I-10 (thank goodness – I hate the crooked highway) and onto I-75 South. Where truckers have to stay in their own lanes. Yippee! It had been an 18 wheeler heavy day so far. I guess Tuesdays are big “Big Rig” travel days.

We made Lake City, Florida in no time & found our first hotel of the trip. The new Comfort Inn on Hwy 90 is really beautiful. Just built & opened a couple of months ago.

Out of all the hotels we stayed in this trip, it was by far the nicest. I know, blasphemy! Better than a “deluxe” Disney hotel? You betcha. :rolleyes1 Cleaner room, comfier beds, nicer amenities, FREE high speed wi-fi, free deluxe breakfast, refrigerator, microwave, seating area with pull out sofa, chair & ottoman, table, flat screen TV (with real channels), DVD player, Nintendo, work station, climate control on floor level, thick walls. Ok, that pretty much says it, but I’ll go into more detail of the Poly once we get to that part.

Here are some pics of the hotel in question. She took A LOT of pictures. It is decorated exactly like SP wants to do her place once they finish fixing up the house. And she gets some decorating money. You get the idea.

Anyway, since it's been picture light on this portion of the report, here you have just a sampling of the hotel pics SP took:

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After dropping our bags in the room, calling home to let them know we did indeed make it, and spiffy-ing up a bit, we headed back out to get the promised Taco Bell dinner. Wouldn’t you know? Florida is Taco Bell friendly? And there was one just ¼ mile down the road from our hotel. Right next to Wal Mart!

Finally, SP got her fill of tacos – well, actually since she doesn’t actually eat red meat, not tacos but the Chicken Ranch Taco Salad (calling this thing a salad is crazy – it’s in a fried shell for goodness sake!). I had the chicken supreme chalupas. Yummy! No food pics, we were just too hungry. In fact, we failed the food pic challenge for the majority of our trip. You’ll just have to take my word for what we consumed!

SP & I decided to hit up the local Wal Mart. I needed to pick up some much needed medication I’d forgotten to pack & also wanted to see if I could find SP a stuffie that unlike the ones in WDW, didn’t cost as much as my cell phone bill. Kidding…sorta.

SP spotted some clothes right off that she just HAD to try. She ended up getting 2 pairs of board shorts, which admittedly were really cute.

I found her a cute stuffed, super cuddly Panda bear. I promptly named him Parsnip. Don’t ask me why. It’s the first thing that popped into my head. SP has had me name every doll/stuffie/blanket/pet/etc. her whole life. She thinks I come up with the best names. Actually, my parents have me name their animals as well. Weird. I just pick the first name that pops up most times.

Anyhoo, with board shorts & Parsnip the bear in hand we made our way to the checkout. It was fun paying since their sales tax is so low compared to ours. I mentioned this to the check out lady & she asked if we’re taxed on food & medicine. SP & I both laughed & said at the same time, “Of course we are. We’re from Louisiana. They tax you for air there.”

Soon after we were back in our hotel room, where SP got on the phone with Steven & I took the opportunity to grab dibs on the bathroom. I enjoyed a nice, hot soak in the tub (after cleaning it out with my Lysol wipes, of course) and then hit the hay. SP was off her phone call & back to texting Steven again.

Side Note: The whole trip she & he texted back & forth, non-stop. You’ll notice in pictures, she always has her phone with her. All I heard was a mix of “bleep bleep bleep” or “bah-dunk” or “bzzzz” depending on which sound she had selected. I told her, “I think he could expand his vocabulary a bit, don’t you? Tell him bleep, bahdunk, bzzz for me, okay?” Of course, she didn’t. So, I told her, “When we get back the first thing I’m going to say to him is “bleep bleep bleep, bah-dunk, bzzzzz.” And I did. He looked at me like I was crazy. I told him, well that’s all I heard from you for the last 10 days! SP & I had joked about it the whole trip. She was surprised I actually said it, though. We all laughed once he caught on.:laughing:

Anyhoo, with SP in her own little world typing away on her computer, texting Steven, and listening to her iPod, I soon grew bored of my own company & went to sleep. It was up early the next day to head to Disney World!

Up Next…Aloha, and Welcome Home! We Made It!

[mickeystoontown]

:welcome: to a fellow Louisianian! Bonjour! Laissez les bon temps roulez!Thanks for joining in!

Isn't it so true? People just don't believe us about our weather. Until they come visit, that is. Once they're melting from heat & it's Thanksgiving, THEN they start to believe! ::yes::

I'm glad I'm not the only one who dislikes the road system in Mobile! Don't get me wrong, I'm sure it's a perfectly lovely city. I just don't ever want to stop to find out. :rolleyes:

How do you like driving forever on I-10 & LEANING the whole way? We are always so happy to turn onto I-75 & get back on even ground. We joke about the numb bums we get while driving I-10. :tilt:

We have to take Hwy. 98 from Hattiesburg to Mobile and it's sooooo boring. We absolutely hate that section of the drive. I completely agree with you on the I-10. While the road conditions aren't bad at all, it's another boring drive.

We are usually pretty okay when going into Mobile on the way to Florida so long as everybody remains quiet and they let me concentrate. Well, except for that one time when we ended up at the boat docks with all the workers. But, on the way back, we used to get turned around EVERY time. We would end up in the plight of the city. I had to stop at a gas station and ask for directions and it was scary. I told my husband that if the cashier told me "you don't want to ask me I ain't even from here" (from the old Vacation movie), I was gonna die. Wouldn't you know it....she did!

My daughter had friends come visit from Georgia and Tennessee and they couldn't stand the Louisiana temperatures in April!

Okay, on with the trip report.

[Lady Lallie]

Sounds like a great trip so far....minus the check engine light. That would have completely freaked me out but it sounds like you handled it very well! :thumbsup2

[scooby9932]

We have to take Hwy. 98 from Hattiesburg to Mobile and it's sooooo boring. We absolutely hate that section of the drive. I completely agree with you on the I-10. While the road conditions aren't bad at all, it's another boring drive.

We are usually pretty okay when going into Mobile on the way to Florida so long as everybody remains quiet and they let me concentrate. Well, except for that one time when we ended up at the boat docks with all the workers. But, on the way back, we used to get turned around EVERY time. We would end up in the plight of the city. I had to stop at a gas station and ask for directions and it was scary. I told my husband that if the cashier told me "you don't want to ask me I ain't even from here" (from the old Vacation movie), I was gonna die. Wouldn't you know it....she did!

My daughter had friends come visit from Georgia and Tennessee and they couldn't stand the Louisiana temperatures in April!

Okay, on with the trip report.

Oh, my gosh! I get so flustered if I get turned around in a strange city. And that cashier! Too funny. Although, I'm sure it was anything but funny at the time.

Sorta reminds me of when I was driving alone in west Texas while visiting my grandfather on his cattle ranch. I was about 16 & had gone to the store, but somehow got turned around when I left. The roads out there go on for miles with no road signs or signs of life either. My trusty map didn't help a bit. How do you find your way if you don't know where you are? And this was WAY before cell phones & GPS.

Anyway, it was turning dark, which just makes me more flustered. I finally spotted a small gas station/store & rushed in thinking this would be my saving grace.

Well, I started talking to the cashier & asking directions. The clerk (a 20-something woman) just shakes her head no. I ask again, "Could you point me in the direction of "town name"." She again shakes her head no. This goes on for a couple more minutes. I'm starting to wonder why this woman refuses to help me. :confused: Then from the back a guy walks out & starts speaking to her in Spanish.

She sighs loudly, and starts very animatedly talking back, gesturing to me, and shaking her head. The guy turns to me and says, "She just got here from Guatamala yesterday & doesn't understand a word you said. To get to "..", just take a left on the highway & you'll see a sign at the crossroads about 5 miles from here."

Ah, mystery solved. Of course I find the clerk who doesn't speak my language.:rolleyes: If only she had spoken French, I might have had a chance!

His directions were spot on, btw.

[autumnpalm]

That Comfort Inn looks awesome!:thumbsup2 Love the turquoise colour.

I'm glad you finally got your Taco Bell... I am a huge TB fan!:cheer2:

Can't wait to hear about your arrival at WDW!

[scooby9932]

That Comfort Inn looks awesome!:thumbsup2 Love the turquoise colour.

I'm glad you finally got your Taco Bell... I am a huge TB fan!:cheer2:

Can't wait to hear about your arrival at WDW!

The Comfort Inn was really nice! And turquoise & brown with splashes of beige just look so good together decor-wise.:thumbsup2

[scooby9932]

Day 2: Part I

BREEEPPP!! BREEEEEEPPP!!

OMG! What IS that NOISE?

Yep, you guessed it. The infernal alarm clock was going off next to my head. Oh, boy! I’m spoiled by my escalating bells alarm at home that gently wakens you. This thing blasted away & sounded like the Fire Alarm at work. Certainly gets the job done, though.

I roll over to turn it off & notice SP with her back to me, texting away on her Blackberry. Geez, Louise. I hope she at least went to sleep last night.

I croak out a good morning & SP turns around & chirps out a cheery “Good Morning!”

W-O-W. It’s 6:30 in the morning & SP not only spoke, it was in happy tones? Disney Magic must have traveled up to Lake City or something. SP is Never cheery first thing in the morning. Plus, she’s awake & raring to go before noon? 2 mornings in a row? Must be some kind of miracle! Think it will last? You’ll have to keep reading this TR to see…

So, after fumbling around a bit & getting reasonably presentable, SP & I trudge down to the free breakfast. SP chooses her usual Danish, plus a poached egg & some bacon. I choose a bowl of Raisin Bran & a banana. We both have some seriously good Strawberry-Kiwi juice.

After people watching & munching our breakfast, we head back up to the room to get fully dressed, packed up, and on our way.

We checked out & I packed our bags back into the car. It’s a delicate process. You see, on the way down & the last night on the way back I insist on taking only a small suitcase & our toiletries into the hotel. That way, we don’t have to unpack ALL our stuff until we’re actually spending some real time in a room. So, I have a system to the packing. It’s complicated. Engineers are impressed with it’s efficiency. SP is impressed how it all manages to fit into the trunk & backseat. I’m just happy our tail end doesn’t drag on the pavement as we drive down the road!:lmao:

Anyhoo, packed & nourished, we head back onto I-75 for the 2.5 drive to Disney World. The way is pretty familiar up to the point of the toll roads. Once we get onto the Toll Road, it’s a different story as we’ve not been to this resort before. So, I have SP hold onto the Disney Bible so she can read to me from the Mapquest map I have printed out.

It’s smooth going for the most part. I have my $2.50 in exact change ready for the toll booth. We pull out & get back on the road, but at that moment SP announces she has to use the restroom. Now?, I ask. NOW!, she asserts. And you didn’t know you had to go at that exit before the toll booth? I ask. Not really, she says. Hmmph. Not really. Great.

We had just paid $2.50 for the privilege of driving on the road. Now, we had to exit the road & wouldn’t you know there’s construction going on. The roadway is not clear, signs are turned funny or missing altogether. We finally find a Texaco station & SP takes care of business.

I’m grumpy because I noticed that to get back onto the toll road, I’d have to pay another toll. Even though we’d just paid one less than 1/4 mile before. And I hate construction that makes it look like the road is missing & it’s not clear which way to go. I grump at SP. She responds by getting upset with me & things get a mite nasty for a couple of minutes. She refuses to answer me when I ask “is this the right lane to get back on the road?” She just stares out her window. SP is more like Miss Grumpy Pants now. That’s how she reacts if I get upset while driving. It’s not pretty. :sad2:

Finally, I find the little gravel path to follow back to the road, pay the $0.50 reentry toll & we’re on our way again. SP is still in a funk. I tease SP out of her funk by saying that was the most expensive bathroom break I was willing to pay for.

I haven’t had to pay to go to the restroom since I was a little kid & you had to put the quarter into the slot on the public bathroom stalls to gain access. Anyone remember those? My sister, mom, and me would all crowd into one stall so it wouldn’t cost so much. Ah, the good ole days!

Anyway, after teasing & making jokes for a minute, she comes out of her funk & all is back to normal. Seriously, though, $0.50 just to get back onto the toll road? Now I see why Floridians don’t have to pay sales tax on food & medicine. They make all their money on toll roads.

Finally, we take the exit off the toll road that leads us to the resort. Soon we come across this sign & we both start sing-songing “we made it, we made it.”

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3409/3545910791_38a413b649.jpg

Before long, we’ve managed to decipher Disney’s signs & make it to the guard shack at the Polynesian. After parking the car, SP & I head into the resort.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3619/3490809649_fe8dbd7984.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3385/3555291204_20d5d0c515.jpg

The lush landscaping is pretty. The lobby is dark & cool. The line for check in isn’t too long & before I know it we’re talking with a CM.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3327/3554482789_ed82c2782e.jpg

She gives us our KTTW, a Birthday button for me to wear, and 2 leis.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3346/3493389111_769c6ae6ef.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3553/3493388971_c04180bd64.jpg

It was only after we walked away, that I realized she had said we were in Tuvalu. I was thinking of Tokelau. I had wanted either Tokelau or Tahiti so we’d be sure to have a patio/balcony & be close to the TTC.

So, we made a bee line back to the desk to see if we could change. She was able to get us into Tahiti – 3rd floor, corner room, balcony. I was very happy with this room assignment. 3rd floor meant no stomping above our heads. Corner meant only one wall shared with another room. Balcony meant a place we could go for a bit of privacy. Perfecto.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3573/3546716244_9787433ecd.jpg

We made a quick stop by the restrooms & inquired about my scooter & Garden Grocer orders & then went back to the car to pull it around to the closest parking lot to Tahiti. This is another reason I liked this building assignment – the parking lot was not too far away.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3412/3546716342_f85d37463c.jpg

We made 2 trips back & forth to the room from the car hauling in luggage, snacks, etc. The first thing I did was a bed bug check. Seeing that all was okay, we hauled our luggage into the room.

Than I did some sanitizing & started organizing the “kitchen” area, our closets, the bathroom, desk area, credenza, etc., until it was like a mini-home – everything with a place & everything in its place. I HAVE to do this. Otherwise, I just can’t function.

SP is perfectly happy slinging her belongings every which way, living out of multiple piles, digging through said piles to try to find her stuff, etc. General chaos which she says is a structured chaos. I don’t believe her, though.

While I organized our room, SP took a shower & got ready for our 1st official day at Disney World. Then I grabbed a quick shower & got ready as well. While I was in the shower, bell services showed up with our Garden Grocer order. He’d failed to bring the items from the refrigerator, though, so he went back to get them.

While he was gone, I looked through the bags & discovered that our Granola Bars & Breakfast bars were missing from the order. When he came back, he had our milk & OJ, but said there wasn’t anything else & he’d searched for the 2 items, but came up empty. I was a bit upset, as it had cost me about $9 for those items. Oh, well.

Here are some pics of the room:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3640/3554482595_25e8bb2303.jpg

We got a Mickey Towel!
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2483/3555282994_6951d70272.jpg

Balcony Views:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3619/3545911663_20d5254f77.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3409/3545911133_5f4020bd12.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2436/3546716486_c6d1f5b761.jpg

A view of my feet from the super comfy chair & ottoman.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2464/3550144674_d0b12947e1.jpg

SP doing what she does best!
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3634/3550144662_6b14ae368a.jpg

I, as usual, chose the bed closest to the door. It’s a safety thing I’ve always done because SP is a sleepwalker. Yep, that’s right. She walks & talks & will try to cook, bathe, go swimming, etc. – all in her sleep.

I could tell some tales! I will share the following story, though:

Worst Instance of SP Leaving the Building While Asleep:
When she was 8, we were on a Girl Scout camping trip. The cabin we were in was right by a lake. It was also designed strangely with doors leading out of the cabin at the end of a long, narrow hallway, so there was no way to set up my sleeping bag in front of the door. The girls were in one room and the Troop Leaders in another (council rules at the time).

I’d warned everyone that she sleepwalks & to please keep the cabin doors latched & be on high alert. We even took some spare mattresses & leaned them against the doors. I’d also made SP wear a necklace with a small bell on it so I’d be sure to hear her if she moved.

Well, around 2 in the morning, I hear a crash & wake up realizing it was the screen door slamming I’d heard. I start running toward the door. SP had woken up, taken off her necklace, moved the mattress out of the way, unlatched the screen door & was walking into the lake, taking her nightie off over her head when I caught up to her.

I grabbed hold of her & pulled her out of the water. When I asked what she was doing, she said she was hot & thought she’d go for a swim. Oh, yeah, of course. You might be interested in knowing that it was January & cold out at the time. I talked her back inside, warmed her up by rubbing her with towels, dressed us both in fresh sweat suits & had her sleep next to me – to heck with the rules that state girls must sleep separate from troop leaders. Everyone had witnessed the event & it was all anyone talked about for a long time. However, poor SP didn’t remember any of this the next morning when we woke up. The council changed their rules after that event. Girls with special needs could have an adult sleep next to them.

SP still walks in her sleep, just not as actively as before. But in any case, I always take the bed closest to the door just in case. All of this also explains my tendency to be a really light sleeper.

Anyhoo, back to our story.

As soon as I was dressed & ready, we headed out. Along the way, we saw a Duck with her babies:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2471/3554475045_ca1f9d14eb.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2474/3549324061_a459c58b00.jpg

They were swimming in the little volcano stream leading to the big volcano pool:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3360/3555283088_9aeaba245e.jpg

First things first, we walked to the Great Ceremonial House & got some lunch at Captain Cook’s. We both had the Turkey Club sandwich. I ordered the Polynesian chips & SP ordered the steamed Asian veggies. The sandwich was good. It was pretty big, though, and one would have sufficed for the 2 of us. The chips were a mix of sweet potato, white potato, and corn chips deep fried to a hardness I just don’t like. SP said it was like Kettle Chips. Whatever, I was afraid of breaking a tooth on them, so didn’t eat them. Her Asian veggies were on the soggy side & kinda cold, so she didn’t eat many of them & ate my chips instead.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3338/3554475285_97d849fe9a.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2472/3555283302_0ed67d9e54.jpg

Happy to be in WDW:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3553/3550141670_63c72f8061.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2185/3546716112_9fa8ea127e.jpg

Next, we looked briefly through the shop, BouTIKI:

SP gets friendly with a tiki god:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3301/3493389713_bcbee9092e.jpg


We had bought the refillable mugs, so we filled these up again with Lemonade before heading to the front desk to get my scooter. Once they brought my scooter out, we headed toward the TTC to catch the ferry to Magic Kingdom.

At this point, it was around 12:30 p.m., so we had a lot of time to enjoy on our first day in the parks. Normally we don’t do the parks on our arrival day, but had really made good time by driving to Lake City the first night instead of Tallahassee which we’ve always done before. We both felt it was a much easier trip that way & decided we’d drive a bit further the 1st day out from now on.

Next up: Magic Kingdom & Sore Shoulders

[mickeystoontown]

You and I could be related. We do a whole lot of similar things (besides hating Mobile and I-10). Because our drive spans two days (well, 1 1/2), I too, pack just a bag for our toiletries and a "first night at the hotel" bag. I don't want to haul all of our stuff out for just one night.

I hate toll roads because I think it's ridiculous to pay to drive on a road.

I like to tidy up our room when we get there. I'm not a clean freak but I do like things in their place because when we travel there are three (four if our daughter gets to come along) and it can get really messy if you don't straighten things up. Our mousekeeper probably loves our room!


I really enjoyed your Poly pictures. I would absolutely love to stay there but it's out of our budget.

Looking forward to reading more.

[scooby9932]

You and I could be related. We do a whole lot of similar things (besides hating Mobile and I-10). Because our drive spans two days (well, 1 1/2), I too, pack just a bag for our toiletries and a "first night at the hotel" bag. I don't want to haul all of our stuff out for just one night.

I hate toll roads because I think it's ridiculous to pay to drive on a road.

I like to tidy up our room when we get there. I'm not a clean freak but I do like things in their place because when we travel there are three (four if our daughter gets to come along) and it can get really messy if you don't straighten things up. Our mousekeeper probably loves our room!


I really enjoyed your Poly pictures. I would absolutely love to stay there but it's out of our budget.

Looking forward to reading more.

I know our Mousekeeper liked at least my side of the room! I got several towel animals, etc. left for me (or at least, on my side of the bathroom shelf & on my bed which I made before leaving each day), but poor SP didn't get any! :lmao: I teased her it was because her side was always so messy!:rotfl:

The Poly was really pretty. But, in all honesty, except for the transportation options & larger room, I didn't think it was worth the extra money. SP & I both thought the layout of POR was better. And it's not like I have to worry about staying deluxe again - we were only able to because of the b4/g3 deal.

I think we'll be back at POR next time. Or maybe even try POP since I hear so many good things about that resort.

[scooby9932]

to announce a personal milestone! Yep, yesterday was my 40th Birthday! And, boy, what a day it was!

I got bitten - by a SNAKE!

To read about it, check out my post on the Community Forum:

So, yesterday I was bitten...by a SNAKE! (http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=32041563#post32041563)

Okay, we shall soon return to the regularly scheduled TR! :laughing:

[mickeystoontown]

I know our Mousekeeper liked at least my side of the room! I got several towel animals, etc. left for me (or at least, on my side of the bathroom shelf & on my bed which I made before leaving each day), but poor SP didn't get any! :lmao: I teased her it was because her side was always so messy!:rotfl:

The Poly was really pretty. But, in all honesty, except for the transportation options & larger room, I didn't think it was worth the extra money. SP & I both thought the layout of POR was better. And it's not like I have to worry about staying deluxe again - we were only able to because of the b4/g3 deal.

I think we'll be back at POR next time. Or maybe even try POP since I hear so many good things about that resort.

We are CBR lovers but we are staying at Pop this August. It's our first time in a value. I am going in with the opinion that we are absolutely gonna love it. It's going to be absolutely perfect. I figure it's all about positive thinking.;)

If you liked the Poly, you would probably like the theming of the CBR and it's SOOOO much cheaper.

to announce a personal milestone! Yep, yesterday was my 40th Birthday! And, boy, what a day it was!

I got bitten - by a SNAKE!

To read about it, check out my post on the Community Forum:

So, yesterday I was bitten...by a SNAKE! (http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=32041563#post32041563)

Okay, we shall soon return to the regularly scheduled TR! :laughing:

Holy ***t! What a way to celebrate your 40th miracle birthday. If I got bitten by a snake, I'd have been in the hospital from a heart attack. I am super duper afraid of snakes.

[heaven2dc]

First of all, belated Happy Birthday! Wow - I read your story and I would be so freaked out!!

I'm loving your TR!! So many milestones you have overcome and still are - you are so brave :hug: I'm glad you have been able to enjoy spending time at the happiest place on earth with your daughter. (I got to spend 4 days in December with my only daughter & her 14-mos old son and I will always treasure those few days even tho we tend to bicker a little even on vacation. I'm the one who pouts :rotfl2:)

[Trista_Daisy]

I'm on board! Hooray for Louisiana! :goodvibes Looks like you gals had a good time so far! Can't wait for more!

[melissatarv]

Enjoying your report!! Using it to pass my time till I leave...13 more days!!

[scooby9932]

We are CBR lovers but we are staying at Pop this August. It's our first time in a value. I am going in with the opinion that we are absolutely gonna love it. It's going to be absolutely perfect. I figure it's all about positive thinking.;)

If you liked the Poly, you would probably like the theming of the CBR and it's SOOOO much cheaper.



Holy ***t! What a way to celebrate your 40th miracle birthday. If I got bitten by a snake, I'd have been in the hospital from a heart attack. I am super duper afraid of snakes.

Thanks for the info on CBR. We'd actually booked CBR originally before the 4/3 deal came out. The only thing that worries me is the distance from the different sections to the main building. This was SP's biggest complaint about Poly - not being near the GCH or having to even go near it unless on purpose. Plus, she can't find her way out of a wet paper bag with both sides open :rolleyes1, so navigating the paths in Poly was impossible for her & she didn't like that. I just followed the signs, but I have to agree about the buildings being separated. While it was great to be close to the TTC, we never really got to take advantage of our refillable mugs. Or see the shops much. I think that's why SP likes POR so much - we had to go right by the main building to & from our bus stop every day so dropping off mail, getting refills, browsing the shop a bit each day, etc. was way easier.

Yep. It was a whale of Birthday! ITA with the heart attack thing. My adrenaline did go crazy, even with all my "calming" techniques. My ticker must be in better shape than I thought!

Although, I do always handle stressful situations with a calm, organized demeanor only to fall apart later. I've worked as a First Responder before & calmly got through some pretty horrific accident situations.

The only exception, of course, is when I'm driving in a stressful situation! Then I just freak out & demand silence! Or "Help!" :rotfl:

First of all, belated Happy Birthday! Wow - I read your story and I would be so freaked out!!

I'm loving your TR!! So many milestones you have overcome and still are - you are so brave :hug: I'm glad you have been able to enjoy spending time at the happiest place on earth with your daughter. (I got to spend 4 days in December with my only daughter & her 14-mos old son and I will always treasure those few days even tho we tend to bicker a little even on vacation. I'm the one who pouts :rotfl2:)

Thanks! And :welcome: to my TR! Thanks for posting.

Oh, I don't know if I'm brave or just incredibly hard headed. I think my mother would vote for the hard headed! :lmao: But, seriously, thank you. :flower3:

My DD & I really do enjoy traveling together, though. And, believe me, DD & I bicker on occasion too. Don't all moms & daughters - at least a little?

I hope your 4 days with DD & DGS were super magical! pixiedust:

I look SO forward to taking my grandbabies to WDW. I can't wait to share the magic with them. I tell DD all the time that she's welcome to join us, but it's certainly not a requirement! You should see her face when I tease her with that. Priceless. I don't think she'll ever want to skip trips to Disney.

[scooby9932]

I'm on board! Hooray for Louisiana! :goodvibes Looks like you gals had a good time so far! Can't wait for more!

Oooh! New posters! I love it. :thumbsup2 :welcome: & Howdy, Neighbor!

I love your avatar, btw. The Cinderella fountain is a favorite picture spot of mine. I try to get a good one each trip.

Here's the one I got at the p.m. EMH this past trip:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2468/3546681280_2d390ed194.jpg


Enjoying your report!! Using it to pass my time till I leave...13 more days!!

Thanks for joining in!

Wowsa! 13 days will be gone before you know it. I hope you have a Wonderful, Magical time. pixiedust:

Say "hi" to Mickey for me, I'm sure he'll remember me. We're buds.;)

[autumnpalm]

Oooh I love your room at the Poly. The corner balcony is awesome!:cool1: And the view looks great, too!

Bummer about the grocery order. That would've bugged me, too.:headache:

Your daughter's sleepwalking stories sound really scary! I have a friend who sleepwalks and her mom's favourite story to tell is when she was about 6 or 7 and her mom found her using the garbage can in the kitchen as a toilet!:laughing:Maybe trying to scare off future husbands? At least SP isn't quite THAT embarrassing.:rotfl:

Oh, and the Cinderella fountain photo is beautiful!:flower3:

[Trista_Daisy]

Oooh! New posters! I love it. :thumbsup2 :welcome: & Howdy, Neighbor!

I love your avatar, btw. The Cinderella fountain is a favorite picture spot of mine. I try to get a good one each trip.

Here's the one I got at the p.m. EMH this past trip:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2468/3546681280_2d390ed194.jpg



Thanks! I love any and all things Cinderella (not just Disney!). :lovestruc I wish I had my very own Cinderella fountain in my front yard! I could jump in whenever the Louisiana summer gets too hot (everyday!):rotfl: Can't wait for more of you're trip! You and your daughter remind me of my mom and I! :thumbsup2

[mickeystoontown]

Hey Trista Daisy, what part of Louisiana are you from? I am from West Monroe.

[Lady Lallie]

Oh, the Polynesian looks so lovely. I have decided I am deluxe girl at heart and hopefully that is where I will staying from now on.

I read your snake story and I just can't freaking believe it!!!!! What a night!

[Trista_Daisy]

Hey Trista Daisy, what part of Louisiana are you from? I am from West Monroe.

I live in Shreveport! :thumbsup2

[mickeystoontown]

I live in Shreveport! :thumbsup2

Cool!

[scooby9932]

Oooh I love your room at the Poly. The corner balcony is awesome!:cool1: And the view looks great, too!

Bummer about the grocery order. That would've bugged me, too.:headache:

Your daughter's sleepwalking stories sound really scary! I have a friend who sleepwalks and her mom's favourite story to tell is when she was about 6 or 7 and her mom found her using the garbage can in the kitchen as a toilet!:laughing:Maybe trying to scare off future husbands? At least SP isn't quite THAT embarrassing.:rotfl:

Oh, and the Cinderella fountain photo is beautiful!:flower3:

The corner room was really nice! Yep, SP has been having sleepwalking/night terrors her whole life. She has been found doing some pretty amazing things in her sleep! No bathroom stories other than the time I found her in the bathroom standing over the toilet screaming "I want my Mommy!" over & over. I don't know who she thought she was talking to, though. :rotfl:

Thanks! I love any and all things Cinderella (not just Disney!). :lovestruc I wish I had my very own Cinderella fountain in my front yard! I could jump in whenever the Louisiana summer gets too hot (everyday!):rotfl: Can't wait for more of you're trip! You and your daughter remind me of my mom and I! :thumbsup2

Ooh, a Cinderella fountain in the yard! Now that's a great idea! :thumbsup2

Oh, the Polynesian looks so lovely. I have decided I am deluxe girl at heart and hopefully that is where I will staying from now on.

I read your snake story and I just can't freaking believe it!!!!! What a night!

The Poly is really lovely. You'll love staying there. Especially the transportation options!

I live in Shreveport! :thumbsup2

It's great to see Louisiana posters!

I used to travel to the Monroe/Shreveport/Bossier City area a lot. My daughter was in a sorority-like charity organization (Rainbow Girls - part of the Masonic Lodge) that had us traveling back & forth to the other assemblies all the time. The Monroe & Shreveport assemblies were the biggest & most active out of all the state.

It's about a 4 hour drive from my house to Monroe, mostly through cotton/soybean fields, but SP & I love the drive. She loves to pull over & pick up stray cotton from the sides of the road. Don't ask me why!:lmao: She has all these baggies of the stuff saved from the time she was a little girl. I keep telling her she should learn how to spin yarn! :laughing:

[scooby9932]

So, I've not posted any updates lately. Sorry *ducks in shame*

But, I have some GREAT excuses! :lmao:

First, I've been busy hand raising an orphaned kitten. The day after we got back from Disney, SP found a tiny newborn kitten just sitting in our driveway crying. We waited for the momma cat to claim it, but hours went by & she never came.

I can't just let an animal suffer, so I took it upon myself (SP is VERY allergic & my folks don't care for cats too much) to raise the poor thing. I went to the store & got kitten formula & a bottle, plus litter, litter box, and cuddle toys.

Well, it's been 3 weeks of bottle feeding every few hours. She's getting bigger all the time. I estimate her to be 4 weeks now. I named her PITA Marie(first part is the acronym as she cried a lot at first :rolleyes1 & the 2nd for the Aristocats as she has the little side swoops of hair on her face).

She's really a sweetie. She's litter trained & cuddly. I'm just about ready to wean her to cat food, so she should be a bit more self sufficient! Then maybe I can get someone to adopt her. I'm not allowed to keep a cat - for health reasons. Anyone want a sweet kitty? :flower3:

Here's a couple of pics:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3385/3589151315_d11184e018.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2483/3589954172_aba08a02b0.jpg

Then, I had my birthday. Which was pretty adventuresome if you read the snake bite story. :scared: But, it wasn't all bad, as I did receive some beautiful flowers! Aren't they gorgeous?!?

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3589/3589954788_8f5870850c.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3334/3589147005_1c76965c7d.jpg

Next, I spent the weekend cleaning house & shopping for the big 4-0 party this weekend. SP & I did take some time on Sunday to go see the new Disney Pixar movie UP in 3D. I have one word: AWESOME! You must, must, must go see it! We cried, we laughed, we cheered. And the 3D effects were great - not too in your face, IYKWIM. I give it a :thumbsup2

And, SP's best friend since they met on their 1st day of 3yo preschool flew down to visit & come to the party. SP picked her up from the airport yesterday. She & her family moved to New Hampshire about 3 years ago, so it's been a long time since we've seen her!

In other news, I've started Week 3 of chemo & radiation. I got my 3rd chemo infusion yesterday & have had 12 radiation treatments so far. Only 3 more chemos & 18 more radiation treatments! HooHah!

As for radiation target sites, I have six on my legs, 2 on my hips, and 1 for my collarbone for a total of 9 sites. The radiation burns are worst on my collarbone area as the skin there is so thin/delicate. I only worry that I'll look funny once it's over. Only one side of my chest & neck will be darkened (like a tan) with the other really white. Pretty silly looking, I bet. :rolleyes: Let's just hope it works!

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3404/3589152487_cd2653a488.jpg

SO.....That's been my life for the last few weeks. :upsidedow

I have written up my next installment of the trip report & hope to get it online soon.

[mickeystoontown]

Oh my goodness that little kitty is adorable. I have been asking for a kitty for the past two Mother's Days and haven't gotten one yet. We did adopt a puppy last June so I can't complain. His name is Oddball like from 101 Dalmations. All of our pets have had Disney names. Go figure!

I am so glad that you had friends come in for your B-day party. You totally deserve a happy B-day and it seemed like you did have a good one (well with the exception of the snake bite.;)) I love the flowers you received. That's my kind of flower arrangement....not too froo-frooey.

Girl, if the radiation and chemo works, I wouldn't care if I you looked like a spotted pony! Just so you get better.

Lookin' forward to reading more of your adventure.

[scooby9932]

Oh my goodness that little kitty is adorable. I have been asking for a kitty for the past two Mother's Days and haven't gotten one yet. We did adopt a puppy last June so I can't complain. His name is Oddball like from 101 Dalmations. All of our pets have had Disney names. Go figure!

I am so glad that you had friends come in for your B-day party. You totally deserve a happy B-day and it seemed like you did have a good one (well with the exception of the snake bite.;)) I love the flowers you received. That's my kind of flower arrangement....not too froo-frooey.

Girl, if the radiation and chemo works, I wouldn't care if I you looked like a spotted pony! Just so you get better.

Lookin' forward to reading more of your adventure.

PITA Marie is such a sweet kitty! I got her successfully weaned yesterday. :woohoo: If you'd like to adopt her, let me know! She's going for the bargain price of FREE - with food & kitty litter! :thumbsup2

Oh, I'm sure hoping this round of chemo/radiation works. And you're right - who cares what I look like. I just get a bit self conscious at times. :blush:

Next installment is coming right up!

[scooby9932]

Our First Park - Magic Kingdom!

After picking up the scooter, I spent about 10 minutes trying to figure out how to adjust the handles so they’d be closer to me. The handle was a stretch & my arms were fully extended to drive the scooter. Not the best setup for me. SP & I looked & prodded, but couldn’t figure out how to do it. :confused3

Finally shrugging it off, we were all settled & ready to head to our first park of the trip, the best park of all – Magic Kingdom!

SP & I were full of good cheer & energy as we headed to the TTC to board the ferry to MK. I do have to say that the best thing about staying at the Poly is the transportation options. There’s nothing better than being able to just scoot onto the ferry or monorail most days.

We took the winding paths from the GCH to the TTC, SP just brimming with excitement. She was super full of energy, even with getting little sleep the night before.

Here’s some views from the MK ferry terminal:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3383/3589131477_17e91fab68.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3615/3573090567_65936e5924.jpg

We boarded the ferry just before it was set to sail & were across the lagoon in just minutes. The breeze through the portholes was wonderful!

We exited the ferry & made our way through the security checkpoint & the turnstiles. We did get some PP pictures taken in front of the RR Station, but I have to wait for the CD to get here before posting those.

I spotted a pressed penny machine right off & SP got her 2nd pressed penny of the trip. So many had been updated & added since last year, so she was able to completely fill up the book we bought our last trip.

We grabbed some times guides & a brochure & then headed straight for the Exhibition Hall. We spent a bit of time looking at the picture frames, pins, and photo books before heading back to the displays to get our cut-out pics. The area was closed off, though, for some AAA package event, so we left without our yearly pictures. Oh, well, we’d get back to it at sometime during our trip, right? Uh, actually, no, we never did! Oh, well. Just one more reason to go back!:rotfl:

I then asked SP what she’d like to accomplish on our ½ day in MK & she said she really wanted to look through some of the shops & just wander. So, that’s what we did.

Next I took the requisite photo of SP next to Goofy in front of Tony’s. I have pictures from all the trips so I can compare SP growing up in Disney.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3413/3528634621_3f7364763c.jpg

Next up, SP wanted to go into the hat shop to look for some new ears for her hat. She just wanted new ears, not the whole thing. She soon found some fuzzy pink ones she liked, but chose to wait til later to buy them. Guess what? Yep, we never got around to getting them. Oh, well – yet another reason we have to go back! :rolleyes1

While in the shop, I encouraged SP to go listen to the old style phone on the wall. While she was listening & smiling at me giving the thumbs up sign, a man was watching her with interest – kind of like he thought she was crazy! When she hung up, she spotted him & told him the secret & he was super appreciative. He told her he thought she was just being weird listening to a decoration on the wall! He called his 2 young daughters over so they could hear the conversation. Their little faces were so cute! :goodvibes

Next, we headed into the Confectionery to just soak up the smells. We watched them make the Rice Krispy treats, just enhaling the yummy smell! We looked at some of the unique & cute cakes they’d made out of the treats and SP decided she wanted one for her birthday cake next year. I’m going to try for a castle rice krispy cake, decorated with white chocolate icing & silver dragees. Talk about fancying up an easy dessert!

On our way out, we had our first sighting of the castle! Ahhh....
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3383/3589939024_6723ed6d9a.jpg

We had a few pics taken by PP with Tinker Bell & the castle. Still waiting on the CD & then I can post those pictures. Then we spent a good bit of time looking through the shops.

Before our trip, I asked SP to figure out 1 or 2 souvenirs she wanted in particular on this trip. Since we’d be tacking on a beach vacation to this trip, I needed to set a budget for souvenirs.

I had decided I wanted another watch for my one souvenir from Disney. SP hadn’t told me yet what she’d decided on so I asked her again. She said she wanted a Mickey or Minnie inspired ring for Mother’s Day. The last Mother’s Day ring I’d given her had grown too small & she wanted something to replace it with. Since Mother’s Day was the next Sunday, it was good timing, too.

Why does SP get a Mother’s Day gift, you ask? Well, it’s been our tradition that I give her something special (usually a piece of jewelry) for Mother’s Day because I want to celebrate her on that day as well. After all, I wouldn’t be a mother without her. All of SP’s friends think she’s so spoiled when they hear this. But, we don’t care what others think - it’s always been such a nice ritual for the 2 of us.:lovestruc

Anyway, we went into the watch maker’s shop to look since it had lots of jewelry. SP searched through lots of rings. We spent probably 30 minutes just looking with her trying on & trying to decide. Finally she found one that she really liked & it looked really good on her hand. Plus, it fit the requirement of not being “scratchy” – she can’t wear any jewelry that might scratch or pull as she works with babies.

I then looked through the cheaper watches to see if they had a design I liked. The one I got last year was not obviously “Disney” as you had to look close to see the Mickey head detail. Most of the cheaper watches were a bit too “Disney” juvenile looking. So, I headed over to the counter just to see what their nicer watches looked like. Sure enough, I found the one I wanted!

Since they had a special of getting a Mickey/Minnie throw for $15 with a $50+ purchase, I also got one of those for SP. She’s moving out soon & needs a bit of Disney to wrap around her. I had them send the watch & throw back to the resort for me, but SP put her new ring on immediately. She is so happy with it!

Here’s a picture she took of her ring the next day on the Poly beach:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3601/3591754395_e8f299c792.jpg

Next, we spent some wandering time. We got more PP pictures in front of the Walt/Mickey statue. Then, while SP took a phone call from Steven, I took some pictures around the hub. It was very uncrowded - a great day to be in the Magic Kingdom!

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3306/3589131915_4e55e1cd3a.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3410/3573090455_05e521f020.jpg

After her phone call, we decided it was definitely time for a snack – it was Dole Whip time! So we headed toward Adventureland. The lines were super long, however, so we decided to skip the ice cream & go ride a few rides instead.

The Jungle Cruise was a walk on, so we boarded that. I love this ride! One of my first & most lasting memories of Disney is from when I was 6 and the captain of the boat asked me to be “skipper” on our trip. That CM lives on in my memory because he was so nice & really made me believe! :wizard: I truly thought I was steering the boat, that I saved everyone from the hungry hippos & the squirt of water from the elephant. It’s the most magical memory I have of Disney. Even though it was in DL and not WDW.

You know how JC can be great if your skipper is really into the act or it can be kind of dull if they’re not? Well, we lucked out this year & got a really great skipper. He even told a few jokes I hadn’t heard before. Everyone on the boat had a blast! A CM can make all the difference in a ride like that. Even SP, who always thought JC was a snooze, said it was great this time.

We needed to make a pit stop, so headed to the tunnel. On the way through I spotted another pressed penny machine & SP added to her collection. We then decided to wait until p.m. EMH that Sunday to do POC, so we left the tunnel & entered Frontierland & made our way toward Liberty Square. I wanted to make a quick tour of the Christmas Shoppe. We browsed around the shop & then headed to the Haunted Mansion.

There was absolutely no line, so we didn’t even enter through the handicapped entrance! Within moments we were in our doom buggies enjoying the 99 haunts!:woohoo:

After HM, we decided it was about time for some supper. We wanted to eat at Columbia Harbour House, but it was already closed. You really do need to check those times guides since some eateries in MK close at 5 p.m. on weekdays. We thought for a bit and suggested giving an impromptu table service dinner a shot. The crowds were so light I was pretty sure we could get into the Plaza Restaurant. SP agreed, so we started through Fantasyland to get back to Main Street. And met with a real surprise.

There was no one around! There weren’t even many strollers to be seen! With little to no lines, we decided to take in a few attractions/rides before dinner.

SP agreed to watch Mickey’s PhilharMagic since she’d insisted we skip it last year. She was convinced she’d get motion sick, but knew I really loved this attraction. We walked right into the theater waiting room area to wait for the next show. The sign said only 5 minutes!

While in line to go in, we unfortunately were situated right next to a couple that clearly had no idea of PDA boundaries. :scared1: It was disgusting! I won’t go into details, but I would have been horrified to see this kind of behavior in an adult night club, much less the waiting area at Disney World filled with youngsters! There was no CM around, or I would have alerted them right away. It was awful. All the parents around us were busy, busy distracting their kids. YIKES!

After a great show (and SP didn’t get motion sick at all!), SP & I headed out & noticed there was no line at IASM. SP insisted we go on since she knows it’s my favorite ride. It was awesome, as usual!

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3605/3589939444_f076be1100.jpg

I love this little guy:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3637/3589940088_ce902c2e52.jpg

I took lots & lots of pictures. I wanted a reference since SP has asked that I decorate her nursery (when that time comes) like the blue/white room in IASM. I love decorating babies' & kids' rooms! It's so much fun. :cool1:

I'm going to make a hot air balloon like this one to hang from the ceiling, but with a pulley system so she can use the basket as a holder for stuffed toys. I've made lots of papier mache, so I know I can do it!
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2476/3592604232_4b9262306b.jpg

On our way past Sir Mickey’s, SP wanted to look in to see the Jack the giant peeking through the roof since she’d missed it last trip. While in there, SP found the cutest hoodie that she really, really wanted.

I asked her to wait, however, as she might find something better later & besides, she has about 15 hoodies already. But SP gets cold easily & was sure she’d need it on the trip. SP kept talking about the hoodie all evening &even the next morning! It even had lime green mickey heads in the inside lining print! It really was a very cute hoodie. But, it was also $59! Yowza! So, I convinced her to write it down in her notebook so we could maybe get it later if she hadn’t found something else she liked better.

A view from the castle on our way back to Main Street:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3539/3546756814_c922b35d2f.jpg

Now it was finally on to dinner. We checked at the podium and sure, enough, they were taking walk ins. They handed us a buzzer thingy & told us it would be about 15 minutes.

I parked my scooter along with the strollers so I wouldn’t have to worry about it in the restaurant. Then SP & I found a yellow umbrella table right across & sat in the shade to wait. SP kept noticing the smell of waffle cones & started to really crave one. I told her we’d get her one after dinner. After only about 5 minutes our buzzer started buzzing, so we made our way in.

The decorations in here are really neat. I told SP they should have Mary Poppins in this area since it’s so Victorian. But, alas, Mary is only ever in British Victorian times! We were seated next to a lovely couple from New Jersey. We talked to them a bit as we waited for our food.

I noticed SP drooping a bit & asked her if she was ok. She said she was starting to get really tired from the trip down, unpacking, etc. I told her it was fine with me if we just went home after dinner & skipped Wishes in the park. SP was all for this idea. We decided to watch Wishes from the Poly Beach & call it an early evening.

Soon our waitress brought our selections. SP had ordered the Vegetarian Sandwich, minus cucumbers. I had the Chicken Sandwich. We both had fries on the side. Both sandwiches were really good!

The service was a bit slow & rushed, IYKWIM. While it took forever to get our food, the staff was constantly rushing about. The noise level was a bit much, too, but not as bad as other places.

All in all I think the prices are too much for the limited selection of salads & sandwiches available. But it was filling & tasted good, so we were pretty happy overall. I wouldn’t make an ADR for this place, though.

As soon as we were finished & I had finally gotten the waitress to process my check, we headed out. I told SP she should get in line at the Ice Cream parlor is she still wanted ice cream while I got my scooter. She said that no, she was just too tired to bother. Poor SP was really dragging by now!

I got my scooter & we headed out of the park. It was getting close to Fireworks time and we wanted to get back to our room in time. Luckily the ferry arrived before too long & we made it across & to our hotel with just a few minutes to spare. I told SP to go on to the beach & get us a seat while I boogied up to the room to drop off my scooter, pick up her DSLR camera & would meet her back on the beach.

I grabbed the camera, a flashlight, and a couple of towels to wrap up in as the wind had kicked up at this point. The beach was just down the stairs located just outside our room, so I made my way down. Must have been kinda slowly, because once on the beach, I couldn’t find SP anywhere. I started walking along the beach & finally spot her on her way back outside. She’d gone looking for me.

We got settled on the hammock & just in time! The Electric Water Pageant was just starting as well & it ran the whole time Wishes was playing.

SP wrapped up in a towel & took that opportunity to push for the hoodie. “Gee, if I had a hoodie, you wouldn’t have needed to bring out the towel. Plus it would stay on better. And I could take better pictures with one on as I wouldn’t be shaking with cold.” Blah blah blah. Finally I gave in & promised to look for the hoodie the next day at Mouse Gears. Geesh! That kid.:rotfl2:

Wishes from the Poly beach is a whole different experience than in the park. You can see the whole of the fireworks show. The castle is in view, but kinda tiny. The music wasn’t piped in – at least not the speakers on the Tahiti beach. I still recommend seeing it from the Poly beach at least once as I liked seeing them in their entirety. We got some good pictures, but SP hasn’t downloaded them from her DSLR yet.

I got a couple of not-so-great pictures on my little Canon. I still have to figure out the best way to capture fireworks. I know I needed a tripod! And probably a higher quality camera. :rolleyes:

You can just barely pick out the castle in this one:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3631/3591796081_652ac6c37f.jpg

A weird close up of the red/green fireworks:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3307/3591795703_c19d57318a.jpg

The Grand Finale:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3300/3591795277_4ab4b9ac8b.jpg

After the show was over, we made our way to the automatic sliding doors to take the elevator back up to our room. I can do stairs DOWN, but not UP. SP was falling asleep on the way!

I, too, was exhausted & my shoulders were really hurting. Figuring it was the scooter handlebars setting, I made a mental note to myself to call the rental agency the next morning to try to figure out a way to fix them or trade for a new scooter. After taking turns showering, I took an Advil & promptly fell into bed. Both SP & I slept like logs that night.

Up next – Epcot Future World!

[Dis_Yoda]

I'm really enjoying your trip report :)

[mickeystoontown]

What better way to start off a WDW vacation that at the Magic Kingdom. I'm placing bets that SP gets that hoodie:thumbsup2

By the way, I've started a trip report from our August, 2008 CBR stay. The stress of waiting on our August, 2009 trip was getting to me so I decided I needed a project. The link is in my signature.

Lisa

[Sue88]

I'm am loving the report and am glad you are showing the Polynesian. I have not read many reports of that resort.
Could you please explain further about the "phone" on the wall in the shop and what you hear on it. I don't think I have heard about that and I love trivia stuff like that.
Looking forward to reading more!!!:banana:

[scooby9932]

I'm really enjoying your trip report :)

Thank you! And :welcome:

What better way to start off a WDW vacation that at the Magic Kingdom. I'm placing bets that SP gets that hoodie:thumbsup2

By the way, I've started a trip report from our August, 2008 CBR stay. The stress of waiting on our August, 2009 trip was getting to me so I decided I needed a project. The link is in my signature.

Lisa

I would be willing to wager that you're right about the hoodie! :thumbsup2

Oh, goody, a trip report! :banana: I'm going to start reading today.

I'm am loving the report and am glad you are showing the Polynesian. I have not read many reports of that resort.
Could you please explain further about the "phone" on the wall in the shop and what you hear on it. I don't think I have heard about that and I love trivia stuff like that.
Looking forward to reading more!!!:banana:

Thank you! And :welcome:!

The Polynesian is really nice. I didn't get as many pictures as I'd hoped as we just don't spend too much time at the resort, but there are a few more coming up in the next few installments.

The phone is on the wall in Le Chapeau on the right hand side. If you pick it up & listen hard (the volume is pretty low), you'll hear snippets of a conversation between 2 women. It's really cute and just another little detail that makes Disney so special. :lovestruc

If I'm not mistaken, there used to be another phone in Tomorrowland somewhere you could listen to as well but we never found it. It might still be there. Someone on these boards is bound to know about it, though.:thumbsup2

[mickeystoontown]

I knew I was probably right about the hoodie. You know why I knew? Because I would have broken down and bought it too.:thumbsup2

[scooby9932]

Just popping in to say I haven't forgotten my trip report. I've just been really bogged down with work, chemo, radiation, etc., and haven't gotten the next installment finished yet. Bad DIS'er! :rolleyes1

I did enjoy a wonderful 40th birthday party on Saturday. Many friends & family joined us for a celebration of life & to give my doctors a big "raspberry" for their predictions. It was a really nice day. I have to get the pictures up on Flickr so I can post here. SP did a wonderful job with designing a cupcake cake in the shape of the number 40 with my favorite flower, daisies, decorating the top. :thumbsup2

Hopefully I'll be able to get some more writing done before the week's end.

Happy Wednesday!

[mickeystoontown]

Just popping in to say I haven't forgotten my trip report. I've just been really bogged down with work, chemo, radiation, etc., and haven't gotten the next installment finished yet. Bad DIS'er! :rolleyes1

I did enjoy a wonderful 40th birthday party on Saturday. Many friends & family joined us for a celebration of life & to give my doctors a big "raspberry" for their predictions. It was a really nice day. I have to get the pictures up on Flickr so I can post here. SP did a wonderful job with designing a cupcake cake in the shape of the number 40 with my favorite flower, daisies, decorating the top. :thumbsup2

Hopefully I'll be able to get some more writing done before the week's end.

Happy Wednesday!

You know, I was going to post today and ask if you were feeling okay. You and longing2batdisney were on my mind last night and I said a little prayer for you both. Glad to know you had a fantastic celebration.

[princess.chell]

Jumping in late, just read all of your posts.
Your trip sounds so fun already! I always love reading mom and daughter trip reports because I still remember the weekend trip my mom and I took like 7 years ago.
Can't read to read more! Hope your chemo and radiation is going as well as it can. My mom had cancer too four years ago so I know how trying it can be on your body. Hope your feeling well.

oh. btw. I'm mighty jealous of your daughters job(s)! I absolutely love photography and am trying to find a way to make a career out of it (I'm only 17). She's got the coolest job(s) in the world, IMO.

[scooby9932]

You know, I was going to post today and ask if you were feeling okay. You and longing2batdisney were on my mind last night and I said a little prayer for you both. Glad to know you had a fantastic celebration.

Thanks for thinking of me! I'm doing ok, just some minor nausea & fatigue. The worst is the radiation burns that are starting to make my skin super tender. I look like an overcooked lobster from my right shoulder over to the middle of my chest & the whole right side of my neck. The other sites aren't as tender or red, I guess because the skin is thicker/tougher on my legs/hips.

Thanks for the prayers. I really appreciate them.:hug:


Jumping in late, just read all of your posts.
Your trip sounds so fun already! I always love reading mom and daughter trip reports because I still remember the weekend trip my mom and I took like 7 years ago.
Can't read to read more! Hope your chemo and radiation is going as well as it can. My mom had cancer too four years ago so I know how trying it can be on your body. Hope your feeling well.

oh. btw. I'm mighty jealous of your daughters job(s)! I absolutely love photography and am trying to find a way to make a career out of it (I'm only 17). She's got the coolest job(s) in the world, IMO.

:welcome:!! Thanks for joining in.

Thanks for the well wishes. I hope your mom is doing well?

You're absolutely right - SP has some truly great jobs! She's wanted to be a photographer since she could first hold a camera. Keep reaching for your dreams - they do come true.

And it's never too early to start. SP started a portfolio at 13 & had paying jobs by 15. At first, though, she just took pictures for "word of mouth" pay, if you know what I mean. She generated a good bit of business that way. She also had her first published photo in a magazine at 14. If you love what you do, you're never too young to go for it.

Good Luck!:thumbsup2

From my experience in helping SP along the road to a photography career, I have some advice, if you'd like:

Take as many pictures as you can. Practice, practice, practice.
Search internet group sites where members can critique photos you post & you can learn from some great mentors.
Build a portfolio.
Ask friends/family to model for you so you can get the hang of portrait photography.
Play with lighting. A LOT.
Take some courses in photography. There are some great online/distance schools.
Subscribe to a couple of photography magazines to keep up to date on equipment & trends.
Ask a photographer if you can "intern" with them so you can learn to use the equipment without having to invest in it yourself. SP did this a few times & learned so much! She got "paid" with experience. :goodvibes
Have fun with it! You learn a lot when just goofing around. Sometimes SP got her best shots when trying new things.
If you can, find a niche. Something you provide that other local photographers don't. SP travels to people's homes & other locations that have meaning to them so they feel more comfortable. This is especially helpful since she sort of specializes in children's portraits. People really like having professional photos of their families in meaningful locations.


I wish you the best of luck in making a career out of it! SP is super lucky, especially in this economy to have a job(s) she loves & get paid well for. You can do it, too. :cheer2:

[autumnpalm]

Love your MK pictures! And thanks for the review of the Plaza... I've heard a lot of mixed reviews about it so it's nice to hear good, detailed one.:thumbsup2

SP's ring is so pretty! I really like it... hmm... now I am wanting to buy some Disney jewelry on our next trip.:laughing:

The IASW nursery idea sounds too darn cute.:goodvibes What a lucky grandchild you're going to have!

And the Exposition Hall cutout area was closed for AAA when we were there too.:rolleyes:

[princess.chell]

My mom is doing well. 2.5 years remission and counting! :cool1:
I hope you are doing well! Hasn't been an update in a while...hope everything is going okay and you are feeling well!!

Thanks so much for the advice!!! It's great to see another success in photography in this economy. I intern with a photographer who started her own portrait business and is thriving. You daughter is just another example for me that photography can work and I can do what I love. :goodvibes

[scooby9932]

Love your MK pictures! And thanks for the review of the Plaza... I've heard a lot of mixed reviews about it so it's nice to hear good, detailed one.:thumbsup2

SP's ring is so pretty! I really like it... hmm... now I am wanting to buy some Disney jewelry on our next trip.:laughing:

The IASW nursery idea sounds too darn cute.:goodvibes What a lucky grandchild you're going to have!

And the Exposition Hall cutout area was closed for AAA when we were there too.:rolleyes:

SP really loves her ring. You should definitely get you a sparkly piece of Disney jewelry!

Oh, my grandchildren are going to be so spoiled! I can't wait! It's going to be so much fun introducing them to Disney magic. I've already bought a set of Princess books that I've inscribed to my future granddaughter(s) & a set of classic Disney stories for my future grandson(s), also inscribed. I'm nothing if not prepared!:upsidedow



My mom is doing well. 2.5 years remission and counting! :cool1:
I hope you are doing well! Hasn't been an update in a while...hope everything is going okay and you are feeling well!!

Thanks so much for the advice!!! It's great to see another success in photography in this economy. I intern with a photographer who started her own portrait business and is thriving. You daughter is just another example for me that photography can work and I can do what I love. :goodvibes

CONGRATULATIONS to your mom! That's wonderful news.

I'm doing okay - just lacking in energy & fighting off a cold I caught. The chemo & radiation take their toll. I'm 5 chemos & 22 radiation treatments down. Only 1 more chemo & 8 more radiation treatments to go. :woohoo:

I'm glad to hear that you're doing well with your photography! Never give up the dream. :goodvibes

[MrsSpratt]

First off, I adore your Mother's Day tradition. Supercool.

Secondly, you are in my prayers! I hope your poor skin is holding up!

[Joyciemc]

Just wanted to say I'm loving your report!

Also, has anyone ever mentioned that SP resembles Natalie Portman?

Looking forward to more!

[scooby9932]

First off, I adore your Mother's Day tradition. Supercool.

Secondly, you are in my prayers! I hope your poor skin is holding up!

Thank you and :welcome: to my TR!

I love our Mom Day tradition, too.

Thank you for the prayers! My skin is raw & red & hurts like the devil. But the payoff will be worth it, I hope!

Just wanted to say I'm loving your report!

Also, has anyone ever mentioned that SP resembles Natalie Portman?

Looking forward to more!

Thanks! And :welcome: to my TR!

Yeah, SP gets the Natalie comment quite often as well as Anne Hathaway & Zoey Deschanel. I think it's her smile. Out of all of them, I see Zoey Deschanel as the closest in looks overall. Plus when SP sings she sounds a bit like Zoey does in ELF. :goodvibes

I'll be adding another chapter shortly.

[mickeystoontown]

Glad to hear that you're soldiering through the treatments. My prayers are still with you and your family. :love:

I look forward to reading your next installment. I hope that you'll come over and read my trip report too. I have a lot of mishaps in there that'll give you a chuckle or two. Sounds like you need some chuckling right now.

[scooby9932]

Thursday dawned bright & clear. SP & I were up & dressed in record time. I packed up our bags & loaded the scooter with the essentials. After grabbing a quick breakfast of donuts & orange juice, we headed out. First we took a side trip to the GCH to mail SP’s letter & fill up my mug with some lemonade. Then we headed out toward the TTC to catch our first monorail of the trip.

We made our way up the ramp & got into the handicapped queue for the monorail. There wasn’t anyone else in line for the monorail at this time. We talked to a really sweet CM who was there on the College Program from Las Vegas. I can’t remember his name for the life of me, but he was a real cutie. He was asking how we liked the hot & humid Florida weather. He was surprised to find that we didn’t think it was hot or humid at all yet since it was way hotter/muggier back in Louisiana. We talked about swamp coolers & desert heat for awhile. I grew up traveling back & forth through the southwest & had relatives in Phoenix & west Texas, so I knew what he was talking about. SP was confused about swamp coolers & now says she has to see one.

In just a few minutes the monorail came into the station. By this time about 20 people were in line. The low crowds boded well for the day! Our new friend put the ramp down for us & I boarded the monorail. This was the 1st time I’d ridden the monorail with a scooter. It was great! Easy peasy.

SP on the monorail:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3359/3633757780_dd03923892.jpg

Within 10 minutes we were at Epcot & disembarking. Wow! This is by far the best part of staying at the Poly. We never waited more than 5 minutes to board the ferry or monorail & the trip never lasted more than 15 minutes.

Once off the monorail we made our way to the security check in & saw a bit more crowds, but still light.

Once inside, SP & I had a few PP photos taken in front of the Princess topiaries. The F&G Festival was amazing as usual. The topiaries were great – I think they had many more this year than last throughout the park.

We also got a few shots of our own:

SP's favorite Disney couple:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2480/3632945399_e148d1687f.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2456/3632945717_51e6ec5b0a.jpg

My favorite Disney couple:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3643/3633801718_b262be6d57.jpg


Next up was Spaceship Earth. SP & I must go on this first thing each trip. We entered through the back entrance & only had to wait about 5 minutes before we were taken up the ramp to board. We enjoyed it just as much as usual!

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3637/3632972127_4503124615.jpg

After SE, we decided to head towards Test Track to get a fast pass. On the way, we took a detour through the butterfly garden. I managed to get a few good butterfly pictures.

Butterfly Warning for AutumnPalm – scroll down quickly – the little beasties are too cute for me to leave out of my TR. :rotfl:

In the butterfly garden:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3622/3633808140_00bacecae5.jpg

Minnie's Butterfly Garden Topiary:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3609/3632963405_6ae5b3a45c.jpg

Out along the path leading toward Odyssey Buidling:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2464/3633808526_01272b22be.jpg

Tink in the garden path - Don't you just love the little air plants as her slippers?
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3650/3632963623_8242f10460.jpg

Once we got to TT, we noticed that the stand-by line was only 10 minutes, so we hopped right on.

I have to say I’ve never fully appreciated this ride before. I’ve always worn glasses that had to be taken off so I’ve never been able to really “see” as we go around the track. It was exhilarating.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3400/3632971115_5f7b41fb87.jpg

After our ride, I convinced SP to go on the Energy ride with me. After a bad experience (Rain on my scooter, nasty CMs, etc.) on her Senior Trip, we’d not been back on this ride. To avoid any problems this time, I nice-as-you-please just drove right by where they told me to park my scooter & parked it underneath the awning outside the exit doors. This way we’d avoid having it get wet in any sudden downpour! :thumbsup2

SP was nervous we’d get in trouble, but I told her to just be quiet & act like we knew what we were doing. I had to get into a regular wheelchair & have her push me through to the entrance. Once inside after the pre-show a CM took over & handled loading me onto the ride vehicle. We both really enjoyed the attraction this time. When the show was over, we wheeled right out the exit doors & found my scooter still there – dry & cool.

We decided to head toward the Land pavilion by way of Mouse Gears. We spent quite a bit of time looking around & deciding on future purchases. The one purchase SP had to make right then? You guessed it – the must have hoodie! Once we were finished in the shop, we headed back out toward the Land. On the way we got some more PP pictures done. I should have the CD in a few days & can add the pics when I do.

We also stopped to enjoy a show by the Jamminators. These guys are super enthusiastic & so talented. I love percussion!

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3395/3632963009_7c4fc652e8.jpg

Once in the land we went right for the Living With the Land ride. Both SP & I really love this ride. I was so looking forward to the Mickey head pumpkins…but they weren’t there! Still, it was a great ride. SP taped it all so we could share with my dad when we got back home. He loves leaning new ways to grow vegetables.

When we disembarked a CM quizzed us about the ride. We passed with flying colors. I asked why no Mickey pumpkins & he said it must be because it’s a fall crop. I don’t know – all I know is that they had them the same week last year. Oh, well.

After our ride, we decided to get some lunch at Sunshine Seasons. SP grabbed her regular – grilled salmon with smashed potatoes & carrots. I ordered the ¼ rotisserie chicken, with the potatoes & carrots. We both shared a piece of chocolate cake. It was really good. I’m always really happy with whatever I get at Sunshine Seasons.

Next, we headed back out & turned toward the JIYIWF ride. Figment is SP’s favorite stuffy character so she was super happy to go on this ride. She’s like a little kid. Afterwards, we spent some time playing in the Kodak Image works lab area. SP sent a postcard to Steven.

Then it was back out into the sunshine. We made our way toward the sand sculptures & looked at the booth about Disney’s Earth. Then SP decided she wanted to spend some time in Innoventions.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3656/3633775884_e45d19c0ae.jpg

After Innoventions, we grabbed our first Mickey ice creams of the trip & enjoyed them while people watching by the fountains.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2450/3529455972_39737ea092.jpg

While sitting there, I finally notice a lever on the tiller portion of the scooter that will move the arms closer to my body. Aha! I finally was able to drive the thing without killing my shoulders! I’m just sorry to say it took me that long to find it! :blush:

It was early afternoon at this time. SP & I decided to head back to the resort for some swim time.

Spaceship Earth from the monorail platform:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2432/3632971911_5ba707767c.jpg

SP acting goofy on the monorail:

Oh, so tired & hot!
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2053/3528644371_c33d84384e.jpg

I'm gonna getcha!
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3595/3529456316_5c484a29ba.jpg

I took a pic of my Mickey tattoo that I'd bought at the Dollar Tree before the trip. The sheet had 15 or so tattoos, but this one lasted the whole trip!
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2423/3529456922_41a8af08d2.jpg

We hopped back on the monorail & were back in our room in about 20 minutes. SP & I took quick showers & changed into our swimsuits. Then we headed toward the main pool. Once we got to the pool, we found a couple of recliners & just sit back & relaxed.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2481/3633808402_6d2c50c8d6.jpg

I got us a Pina Colava from the beach hut bar. It was tasty, but nothing too special.

SP took a dip in the water, while I just people watched some more when I wasn’t reading my book. Pretty soon SP got hungry, so I sent her to get some flat bread pizzas from Captain Cook’s. She got a plain cheese one for her & a pineapple/Canadian bacon one for me. They were SO good!

Once it started to grow dark, SP & I decided to go back to the room to get cleaned up again. Once we’d rested a bit & taken showers again, we got dressed & headed out.

As I was backing out of the elevator, SP gasps & jumps back into the elevator. I ask what’s wrong. She screams, “Snake!” I ask where & she points to the ground right beside my scooter. The little guy squiggled quickly against the wall in the lobby & hid behind the little table there. I had SP call the front desk to report the sighting.

For the whole story, click here: Snake in Poly Lobby (http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=31835370&postcount=66)

Once we got to the GCH we decided to window shop at the stores.

Next, we decided to go ahead & get a Lapu Lapu to split as we’d seen so much about them on these boards. Wowza! That is just one super strong drink. Lots of rum! Neither one of us actually drank our ½ of the drink. Still, SP says I was being unusually silly on the drive back to the room.

The Lapu Lapu:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3405/3632987423_d55af14718.jpg

My reaction to the 1st sip:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3610/3633801258_293b0d2168.jpg

Somer's reaction - Note - you can see the new hoodie she got that day!:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2476/3633801466_7b882a00a8.jpg

Here's a pic of the beautiful palm trees on the way back to our room:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3384/3633785560_eea3d31df2.jpg

Once back in the room I got our stuff organized for the next day, plugged in my scooter to charge, & crawled into bed. I was exhausted & feeling a bit worn out. SP stayed up so she could get the most out of the $10.99 we spent for high speed internet.

Up next – What was supposed to be our Disney’s Hollywood Studios Day, but Wasn’t.

[scooby9932]

Glad to hear that you're soldiering through the treatments. My prayers are still with you and your family. :love:

I look forward to reading your next installment. I hope that you'll come over and read my trip report too. I have a lot of mishaps in there that'll give you a chuckle or two. Sounds like you need some chuckling right now.

Thanks for the prayers! :hug:

I'm on my way over right now to read your report. I've been off the boards lately & haven't been a good poster or reader. I hope I can improve on that starting now! :thumbsup2

[mickeystoontown]

See! I told you my bet was on SP getting her hoodie and I was right! I would have done the same thing if my daughter, Lacey, had been with us. For some reason, she can never have too many hoodies. Tell SP, it's one of the cutest hoodies I have ever laid my eyes on.:thumbsup2

What is it with you and snakes? Do you have some kind of snake magnet around your ankle? Do you wear snake charmer perfume? First you get bitten by a snake on your birthday, albiet not at Disney but still, and then you spot one at the Polynesian resort. Remind me not to follow you around 'cause I am terrified of snakes!

[mickeystoontown]

Thanks for the prayers! :hug:

I'm on my way over right now to read your report. I've been off the boards lately & haven't been a good poster or reader. I hope I can improve on that starting now! :thumbsup2

Well, I don't know why in the world you haven't been on the Disboards lately. It's not like you have other things on your mind right now! You know I am just kidding. I certainly understand why you haven't been posting or reading lately. Just take care of yourself.:hug:

[princess.chell]

Glad to read another update from you! As always enjoying the report. Your trip sounds fantastic! I can't wait to read more!

And glad to hear that you are doing well! Your almost to the end too! Yay!! :cool1::cool1::cool1::cool1:

[scooby9932]

I haven't fallen off the face of the earth or anything! I swear!:rotfl:

Just been really REALLY busy with work, doctors, and stuff.:sad2:

While I'm finally finished with 30 radiation treatments & 6 weeks of chemo :woohoo:, I am really struggling with fatigue. I also caught a nasty cold from SP's friend who came to visit. She was sick when she came but didn't tell us until I got sick just a few hours after hugging her hello. I'm still trying to kick the cough from that nasty virus. I also developed a horrible toothache last Friday & was down all weekend taking pain pills & putting ice on my face. With my reduced immunity, I'm not allowed to have dental work performed just now. So, it's just grin & bear it. The toothache is better now, but still painful.

And...I can't miss any work. The controls audit is coming up & I'm a big player (lucky me). And they moved our offices last week. So, with all the extra hours at work plus packing boxes, moving stuff, and unpacking, it's been hectic to say the least. :rolleyes1

And, if that is not enough ...

SP is going through a bad bout with her back. She's had back pain for years (since she was 8 & got hurt at her father's house), but lately it's been getting worse & last week she started having pain go down her leg with her foot going numb.:scared:

Since the old pain was limited to the upper back with muscle spasms, etc., this new pain is disturbing. The orthopaedic doctor was no help back when we first started trying to get help. Luckily, her chiropractor has been a blessing and was able to help alot with her discomfort. But he couldn't help with the new pain.

So, it's off to find some help. She saw a neurosurgeon last week who ordered new MRI's. She got those done & we went back to him yesterday.

The good news is that it's nothing with her spine - only the same 10 degree compression curve (from the injury when she was 8) and 1 slightly bulging disk, but nothing surgical.

So, we have to try some more tests.

Next Tuesday she's going for a Nerve Conduction test series - they basically treat her like a voodoo doll - stick her with pins & run jolts of electric shocks up & down the nerves in her legs.:scared1: Pleasant, yes?

Then on Wednesday she has a myelogram. They'll inject a dye into her spinal cord (like a tap) & do some CT scans. Then she has to lie flat for 24 straight hours to give her spinal column a chance to heal fully. She's not a happy camper about this test. She's scared to death, actually. Poor baby. :sad1:

So, that's why I've been neglecting my TR. I hope to add the next day soon. It's a work in progress.

Prayers & pixie dust are appreciated!

[heaven2dc]

Oh my goodness....what a week you have been having! We have all been praying for you that everything would go well with you but never dreamed you would be plagued with more problems :sad1: You are such a trooper to endure what you have plus now your daughter has all these tests to go through.

We hope all turns out well with her and that you get rested and get your strength back :grouphug:

We will wait patiently for an update :surfweb:

[scooby9932]

Oh my goodness....what a week you have been having! We have all been praying for you that everything would go well with you but never dreamed you would be plagued with more problems :sad1: You are such a trooper to endure what you have plus now your daughter has all these tests to go through.

We hope all turns out well with her and that you get rested and get your strength back :grouphug:

We will wait patiently for an update :surfweb:



Thanks so much! I knew my DIS friends would understand. :hug:

[princess.chell]

Wow. That's quite a time you've been going through! My thoughts and pixie dust are going out to you and your daughter :tink::tinker:

I too will be waiting patiently for your next update. Wish you both a speedy and full recovery. :hug:

[mickeystoontown]

I know that a lot of folks (certainly not Disers) say "you're in my prayers" but you really have been in mine. Isn't it funny how tight we can get here on the discussion boards.

[CAJUNWDWFAN]

Another Louisianian reading your TR. We were there at WDW same time as you for our honeymoon! April 26th to May 3rd. And we were in the Tahiti Building Second floor! Howdy neighbor!

[scooby9932]

Wow. That's quite a time you've been going through! My thoughts and pixie dust are going out to you and your daughter :tink::tinker:

I too will be waiting patiently for your next update. Wish you both a speedy and full recovery. :hug:

Thank you! SP is at the Neurologist now getting the Nerve Conduction series. We have the Myelogram tomorrow. Hopefully they can figure out what's going on so we can start to get her feeling better!

I hope to get an update sometime this week. *crossing fingers*

I know that a lot of folks (certainly not Disers) say "you're in my prayers" but you really have been in mine. Isn't it funny how tight we can get here on the discussion boards.

:hug: Thanks so much! And it is really wonderful how this board brings people together. I can't thank you enough for keeping me in your prayers.:flower3:

Another Louisianian reading your TR. We were there at WDW same time as you for our honeymoon! April 26th to May 3rd. And we were in the Tahiti Building Second floor! Howdy neighbor!

Well, hello there neighbor! First off, Congratulations on the wedding! I hope you had a magical honeymoon! And :welcome: to my TR. I hope to get some more updates posted soon.

What part of Louisiana are you from?

[CAJUNWDWFAN]

What part of Louisiana are you from?

I'm from New Iberia but live in Lafayette.

[scooby9932]

I should have a report update posted in a few minutes. Hopefully, there's still people reading along. :upsidedow


Non Trip Report News

So, the last time I posted, we were dealing with SP's mysterious back issues. Well, after exhaustive & might I say, very expensive, tests they still don't know exactly what's going on.

They thought she might have Lupus. :scared1:

But the blood work came back negative. While I'm THRILLED about that, I know from experience that blood work most often doesn't confirm the Lupus diagnosis. So, I haven't told SP, but I'm still worried. What if I passed on this horrible disease??:sad1:

The only other explanation the doctors have is that that nasty flu virus she battled for months might have moved into her nervous system, causing the trouble. They said sometimes a virus will take months to clear out of your nervous system. I'm hoping that this is what is wrong.

In the meantime, SP is going to Physical Therapy 3x a week. Hopefully they'll be able to provide some relief.

Oh, and did I mention that she was fired from her job when she told them she had to take 2 days off for her myelogram?!? :furious: Yep, her boss said, and I quote: "You'll have to choose: your job or your health. If you don't cancel the tests, than you don't have a job here anymore." :eek: Needless to say, she chose her health. I mean, what the ???

Yep, bloody *&S!*#. And, yes, I know that it's illegal to do this. But not technically since she hadn't yet worked there a year. Believe me, I checked with some lawyer friends. They said we could fight it, but it would cost a lot of money & time. We chose not to pursue a legal case against them. From what one of her co-workers tells her (they're good friends), this isn't the 1st time they've done something like this. Maybe some day someone will call them to task on their actions. But in the meantime I just think, "Karma & all that.":mad:

So, SP is without her primary job. And she did so love taking the babies' pictures. But, I'm certain that this one closed door will lead to an even better opportunity down the road. At least she doesn't have to worry about being able to make the Physical Therapy 3X a week.

*sigh* I almost hate to say what else has been going on. People might not want to read this thread anymore, scared they'll get a piece of this black cloud hanging over my family.

My dad has some health issues. He had back surgery in 2007 & they told him at the time that he'd need more some day on another disk. Well, he's been in a lot of pain. But they told him to do some exercises first to see if that will help. In the meantime, he just has to deal with a lot of pain. He can't sit. He either has to lie down or stand to be comfortable.

And they discovered blood in his stool.

And his prostate exam was worrisome.

So, he had tests run & it looks like the prostate is just inflamed. Whew! His dad died of prostate cancer. He's on pills now to help.

He now has to go in for his colonoscopy next Wednesday to see what's going on there. Everyone's trying to keep upbeat & positive. But it's still worrisome. He turns 75 next Friday, so that's a great milestone.

Ok, that's pretty much it. Oh, and we have been going through an audit at work. BLECH! I've been working 10+ hours every day & am just so tired. But that's a temporary problem. They're leaving week after next.

BTW, prayers are so welcomed! We really need them.

On the good news front, SP & I are going to New Orleans the weekend of Aug. 7-9 to see the Disney Train & just tour around & relax away from the worries at home. We're both really excited about our "mini trip."

Also, I received a PIN code for Free Dining in Nov/Dec. SP & I just have to figure out if we can afford to go for a short Christmas trip. We've both wanted to see DW at Christmas with all the decorations, etc. I hope I can swing it. Without her job & with all the extra medical bills, it will be a miracle if I can. But hope is eternal.

[scooby9932]

Friday, May 1:

So, the last I left off, we had drunk ourselves a little silly on Lapu Lapu. I was feeling kind of poorly & went to bed early. SP stayed up late web cam talking to Steven.

Friday morning I wakened to the sound of the alarm going off & SP saying, "Are you ever going to get up?" Apparently I had slapped the snooze button a few times & didn't even remember doing it!

Once I was awake enough, I look over to see SP wide awake in bed texting on her phone. I ask her how long she'd been up & her reply was a big sigh plus "since the alarm first went off at 6:30 this morning! We were supposed to try for rope drop at DHS, remember?" I looked at the clock to discover that it was now 8:00 in the morning!

I apologized & asked why she hadn't woken me. She just looked at me & said, "Mom, if you could see yourself right now, you wouldn't ask that question. It's obvious you don't feel well."

Oh.

I did get up & manage to look at myself & had to agree with her. My joints were aching something fierce & I just didn't have much get up & go. Because I really don't like DHS, I wasn't sad to not go. The only thing I was sad about was missing out on Toy Story Mania. And since neither of us had ever been on it, we wouldn't really know what we were missing.

SP & I talked it over & we both agreed that we could easily skip DHS & not really be sad about it. So the decision was made to just hang around the resort until it was time for our Grand Flo tea.

I climbed back in bed & slept some more while SP entertained herself.

Once I awoke for good around 9:30, I took a nice hot bubblebath to ease my joints while SP caught up on some more texting/email.

The bath had helped some & I was feeling stronger if not less tired & worn out. I guess the sun exposure the day before had taken more out of me than I liked to admit.

So, after getting our bathing suits on & collecting a bag of stuff for the "beach", we headed out the back way & rode along the path leading toward the pool.

There were few people around at this time. Luckily, I was able to score a nice beach cabana with a view of the Grand Floridian.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3598/3550141658_8b8daf101b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2597/3752545859_e992910cbe.jpg

SP wanted to sunbathe, so she pulled a lounger a bit away from where I was sitting, but close enough we could still talk.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2165/3529463538_f2e9a94332.jpg

After a few minutes of just sitting there resting & enjoying the view, I started reading one of the books I’d brought with me. It was a really good story & I was pretty absorbed in it. I noticed out of the corner of my eye a little blond head peek around the corner of the cabana. When I turned to look I see this cute little boy just grinning at me. Not being able to see if his parents were nearby, I stood up & looked around. Sure enough, chugging along with another little boy and a baby girl was a very pregnant mom headed our way. I could hear her calling, “Don’t you bother that nice lady, Brandon!”

When she got closer, she apologized & said he’d just run off headed straight for my cabana. I told her it was fine. Brandon continued to play in the sand next to my lounger despite his mother’s continuous pleas to leave me alone. She kept apologizing saying he was just so outgoing & seemed to really like me. I told her again that it was fine & I didn’t mind a little company. We talked a bit & I commented that I liked Brandon’s LSU Tigers swim trunks. Turns out they were from Louisiana, just an hour or so away from us. We talked LSU & Louisiana for awhile. It truly is a small, small world!:thumbsup2

SP finally notices that I’m talking to a group of people. She’d been dozing on her lounger while listening to her iPod. While she & the mom talked a bit about babies & Woman’s Hospital, Brandon started to build a sand castle with me. Brandon & I chatted a bit. I couldn’t understand most of what he said as he was so little & mumbled a bit. When I asked him how old he was he held up 3 fingers. He seemed perfectly content to just sit near me & play in the sand.

After a while, they left to meet up with her husband who had been at a convention at Coronado Springs. Realizing we had been out there for awhile, I turned to SP & asked if she had put on more sunblock. I noticed she was getting pink. She told me she was fine & didn’t need any.

By this time, SP was getting hot & decided to try out the pool.

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While I was taking pics of SP, I noticed a small duckling in the pool frantically swimming around calling for it's mama. A lot of people were talking wondering where the mama duck was. Someone said they saw her head toward the GCH. Several people tried to herd the duck to the shallow end, but because this is where most of the "rowdy" action happens, the duck wanted no part of it. Some tried to catch the duck, but couldn't. SP sees the poor thing trying to get out of the pool, but it couldn't leap up & out. So, she swam & caught the duckie & placed him on the sidewalk. Everyone cheered!:cool1:

After a bit more time on the beach, we packed up & headed back to the room to get ready for our tea at the Grand Floridian. We hadn’t eaten much all day, just nibbled a bit here & there on snacks we’d brought with us. We were both hungry!

I got a shower first as I take MUCH shorter ones than SP. After I was dressed, I started to clean the room a bit, organizing receipts, etc. SP was in the shower & when she got out I heard her gasp, “Oh, no!”

I went to see what was wrong & boy did I laugh! SP was standing in front of the mirror looking at her face & saying, “I can’t believe I did that.” She had suntanned with her big sunglasses on & looked like a raccoon! :rotfl: She had a slight sunburn on her face, but her back & shoulders were really rather red & sore looking, so I rubbed her down with Noxema to kill the burn. I couldn’t stop laughing at her raccoon eyes, though. I started to call her Meeko. She was a bit put out at first, but soon saw the humor & was joking back with me.

You can see the sunglasses that left the Meeko eyes here:
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Make Up does wonders to hide the worst of it:
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I wanted to be sure to get there on time so we left a bit early to catch the monorail over to the Grand Flo. When I asked if she’d like to walk over, SP groaned & said, “No thanks. I’ve walked a lot already & will be walking so much more over the next few days. Let’s just ride the monorail.”

When we got to the GCH monorail station, a really nice CM, Jeffrey, was waiting there. He saw my birthday button & had everyone sing me “Happy Birthday”. He was super nice & full of news about the College Program. We chatted for about 10 minutes until the monorail came.

We arrived at the Grand Flo about 45 minutes early. I guess I planned a bit too well. So, SP & I walked around & visited the shops on both floors. We both enjoyed the Basin store & had fun sniffing all the soaps & bath bombs. SP got a few pictures of the grand lobby area, etc.

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While the Grand Floridian was absolutely beautiful, we both decided that as a resort, we wouldn’t want to stay there. It was what we like to call a bit to “fwa fwa” for us. Too fancy & the shop ladies were a bit snooty. Seeing as how we were actually dressed up for the tea, we felt that if we were to wear our usual Disney clothes, we’d feel really out of place.

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Even the restroom is fancy! I remarked to SP that she should go in & enjoy the great water pressure. While waiting for her to come out, I hear several people exiting remarking about the great water pressure! :rotfl:
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After making a quick trip to the restrooms, I suggested we go outside to get some pictures. Well, SP had gone into full-on “meaniny” mode. That’s our word. When SP gets hungry, especially if she’s not had any vegetables, she gets mean & whiny. So we say “meaniny.” Oh, well, she was not a happy camper. She couldn’t even find nice things to say about the pretty roses.

We took a few outside pics & then headed in to wait in the air conditioning.

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We decided to check in about 25 minutes early & luckily they weren’t busy at all & took us right in. Well, as hungry as SP was, she couldn’t find anything on the menu of food choices that she really liked. She didn’t want anything sweet, so we settled on splitting a plate of the sandwiches. We got watercress, chicken salad, pear & cheese, and shrimp salad. SP ordered the princess tea and I ordered English Breakfast. Wow – for the price you pay, you’d think there would be a few more “sandwiches” on the plate. The tiny little scraps of bread with filling in no way helped SP with her “meaniny’s.”

We enjoyed the tea, but wouldn’t do it again. I don’t know if it’s because I collect teaware & have regular teas that I put on at home or what, but I just wasn’t that impressed. Plus it was too expensive for my tastes for what you get.

I have this same pattern teaware at home:
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SP was now truly starving & had a fierce craving for hummus. The only place I knew to have hummus was the Tangierene Café in Epcot. So, after a quick trip back to our room so SP could change clothes (she didn’t want to wear the dress she had on), we headed on to Epcot.

On the monorail trip around to the Poly we stopped a minute by Space Mountain. We both lamented that it was closed:
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Now, we hadn’t planned on Epcot this night. I knew the crowds were supposed to be pretty bad. OMG!!! They were awful. I was so caged in between people trying to drive my scooter along that I was very uncomfortable & had a hard time breathing.

People were so smushed in near me that I couldn’t catch a clear breath, plus what I was breathing in wasn’t pleasant. IF you’ve never ridden on a scooter, you might not know this, but our view is of people’s armpits & butts. Not a nice sight. An even nastier smell after a long hot day in the sun!:scared:

Anyway, we finally made our way to Morocco. SP went in to get us some Chicken Schwarma plates. I held a table that had taken me about 15 minutes to score.

How was the food, you ask? Um, is it me or is the “chicken” they serve here maybe not really chicken? It was the weirdest texture – like it had been soaked in water & was really spongy. Neither SP nor I like it at all. And we LOVE Greek/Lebanese food. We go for chicken schwarma at Albasha’s here in Baton Rouge at least once a month. This was simply inedible.

At this point I begin wondering if our low opinion of everything so far this day was because we were tired & not feeling well. But after reviewing it again later, I stick with my original opinion. The hummus was passable, but the salad, tzitzi sauce, flatbread, and chicken were gross. We ended up throwing most of it in the trash. Thank goodness hummus is filling.

After dinner, the crowds had thinned out the tiniest bit. We toured Morocco a smidge.

SP looking like she's mad or drunk or both. She was actually just trying to mimic the camel, but this one lady kept trying to get in the picture with her & she was starting to get annoyed. :laughing:
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Then it was off to Norway for some pastries. We were both in better moods, but still feeling a bit edgy due to the crowds. Finally, we made it to Norway.

Now, this was good food! The pastries were even better than usual. SP had a cherry Danish and I enjoyed the school bread. Yummy. We were finally full & satisfied.

A much happier SP with her cherry danish!
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After a long, out of sorts day, we were both tired. SP was feeling the effects of her sunburn. So, we decided to make our way out of Epcot & to the monorail to go back to our room. We had no interest in seeing Illuminations this night. The crowds had thickened again & it was abysmal getting around. We finally got back to the Poly & collapsed into bed.

I had no fun writing about this day. While we laughed & had some fun, it wasn’t the worst day ever, but it was the worst day we’d ever had at Disney World. I was just glad it was over.

The next promised to be a fun day…Animal Kingdom!

[shannn]

I hope it's okay if I join in. You and SP are just darling together and I love your mother's day tradition. I love to read about adult trips and compare them to my hyper-planned, gotta-meet-Tinkerbell ones!! I can't wait to actually experience an adult trip in December with my BFF. :thumbsup2

My mom has been fighting cancer for the past 6 years (started as breast, now metastasized to her bones & liver). She just finished a round of chemo and is on a break until September when she'll do scans again. I've been trying to convince her that she should use a scooter when we go to DW in October. While she can walk, she gets fatigued very easily and I think it would be a great option for her. Sounds like you use one pretty regularly?

I hope your chemo/radiation treatment is successful and you are able to put cancer behind you!! I will definitely say a prayer for both you and SP. :wizard: