koswalt
09-04-2001, 11:34 AM
Me (age 37)
DH (age 45)
DS (age 11)
DS (age 9)
DS (age 6)
Day 1 -- Saturday.
Left the house at 9AM. Someone (me) overpacked the suitcase so it exceeded the maximum allowable 70lbs by 8lbs. DH quite p*ssed off (already?). Depart Dulles / Washington DC 11:30 AM United, late departing. DH upgraded DS-6 and me to First Class. Yippee! Arrive Orlando 1:30 PM. Picked up mini-van from Avis. Didn't run right, had to return it. Cheerfully exchanged by Avis. Back on the road by 2:30. Drove straight to Epcot. (MISTAKE: Assuming family would not be too worn out from travel to tour a park on Day 1.)
Arrive Epcot main gate about 3:15. (Family: "We're hot and tired, can't we go to the hotel instead?") DH checked on AT&T privileges at Spaceship Earth. (LESSON: AT&T Lounge only open during business hours, M-F.) Walked on to Spaceship Earth. (DS-6: "That was my favorite ride, can we do it again?") Stopped for Coke and snack (ME: "I've waited over a year to get here, we've been traveling since 9AM, do we REALLY have to stop for a snack NOW????!!!!") Went through Ice Station Cool. Zoomed video camera in on family's faces as they tried Beverly ........ no big deal. Kinda lemony-spicy. They didn't hate it; ME: disappointed. Tried for Test Track FP--return time 8:50-9:50 PM. (Curious why FP time was AFTER official closing time). Standby line 1 hour, didn't wait. DS-11, DS-9: disappointed.
My "new" camera broke; ME: starting to crack. Walked on to Cranium Command, a few mildly startling moments. No wait time posted for Universe of Energy so DH would not wait (uh-OK?). Waited 25 minutes for Living with the Land in the 6PM timeframe. Another snack at Electric Umbrella (uncrowded at about 7:00 PM). Family too worn out to stay for 7:20 PS at Rose & Crown and Illuminations, so we left. :mad:
Checked in at Holiday Inn Family Suites (HIFS). Everyone but DH loved it. He is used to traveling like an executive and this place was totally family/kid oriented. DH complained about 20 minute wait for inhouse buffet ("I'm not waiting 20 minutes to eat at this dump.") Sent DH to arcade with kids, I hit the bar (hard!). Ate unplanned meal at inhouse buffet (kids ate free).
DH (age 45)
DS (age 11)
DS (age 9)
DS (age 6)
Day 1 -- Saturday.
Left the house at 9AM. Someone (me) overpacked the suitcase so it exceeded the maximum allowable 70lbs by 8lbs. DH quite p*ssed off (already?). Depart Dulles / Washington DC 11:30 AM United, late departing. DH upgraded DS-6 and me to First Class. Yippee! Arrive Orlando 1:30 PM. Picked up mini-van from Avis. Didn't run right, had to return it. Cheerfully exchanged by Avis. Back on the road by 2:30. Drove straight to Epcot. (MISTAKE: Assuming family would not be too worn out from travel to tour a park on Day 1.)
Arrive Epcot main gate about 3:15. (Family: "We're hot and tired, can't we go to the hotel instead?") DH checked on AT&T privileges at Spaceship Earth. (LESSON: AT&T Lounge only open during business hours, M-F.) Walked on to Spaceship Earth. (DS-6: "That was my favorite ride, can we do it again?") Stopped for Coke and snack (ME: "I've waited over a year to get here, we've been traveling since 9AM, do we REALLY have to stop for a snack NOW????!!!!") Went through Ice Station Cool. Zoomed video camera in on family's faces as they tried Beverly ........ no big deal. Kinda lemony-spicy. They didn't hate it; ME: disappointed. Tried for Test Track FP--return time 8:50-9:50 PM. (Curious why FP time was AFTER official closing time). Standby line 1 hour, didn't wait. DS-11, DS-9: disappointed.
My "new" camera broke; ME: starting to crack. Walked on to Cranium Command, a few mildly startling moments. No wait time posted for Universe of Energy so DH would not wait (uh-OK?). Waited 25 minutes for Living with the Land in the 6PM timeframe. Another snack at Electric Umbrella (uncrowded at about 7:00 PM). Family too worn out to stay for 7:20 PS at Rose & Crown and Illuminations, so we left. :mad:
Checked in at Holiday Inn Family Suites (HIFS). Everyone but DH loved it. He is used to traveling like an executive and this place was totally family/kid oriented. DH complained about 20 minute wait for inhouse buffet ("I'm not waiting 20 minutes to eat at this dump.") Sent DH to arcade with kids, I hit the bar (hard!). Ate unplanned meal at inhouse buffet (kids ate free).