Friday, October 29, 2010 - Pop, Airport, Chicago
I woke up somewhere around 9am, I think. I called my brother to wish him a happy birthday, then called housekeeping to inquire about a late checkout and was given one for 12:30. I got up, washed my face, combed my hair, threw it in a ponytail, and then stepped out of the room into the coolest morning of the trip. It was actually somewhat chilly, since I was wearing my bathing suit! Still, I went down to the Hippy Dippy pool and went in the water. I think I lasted about five minutes before I got cold and got back out.
I went back to the room, got showered and dressed in Chicago weather-appropriate clothes (jeans and a t-shirt, hoodie draped over my luggage), and gathered my camera and an extra pair of batteries to go around the rest of the resort and take pictures of the icons and stairwells. Not much commentary here, since this is all self-explanatory.
After taking pictures, I went back to the room to throw my last few things into my carryon. I'd packed a backpack to use as a carryon on the way back, since I knew I'd be buying stuff, so I used my peace bag as a second piece of checked baggage (yay Southwest) and my backpack for carry-on. I sat down to watch some TV, just killing time until I felt like checking out. There wasn't really anything on, so I wound up watching Maury and Steve Wilkos. Bleh.
My view, once again.
My room number.
After leaving the room with my things, I went to Classic Hall to check out and make sure I hadn't had any accidental charges to the room (I accidentally broke something in the room and they didn't charge me for it, thankfully) and I did indeed have one last CS credit to use. So I went into Everything Pop, found a table and dropped my stuff there, then went to the food court to pick out something to eat.
My last meal credit - yes, another cheeseburger, so sue me. Nothing else sounded good.
After eating, I went into the lobby to sit and wait for the DME bus to come get me. I couldn't check my bags at the Resort Check In, since I was doing the Customer of Size ticket and they require you to check in at the airport. That worked out fine, though.
Finally, the bus came and we all got on and loaded our stuff.
I wasn't particularly happy about leaving Orlando, but such is life, right? You have to do what you have to do, and right now, I have to live in Chicago.
When we got to the airport, the Southwest line was fairly short, so I checked in very quickly. The clerk at this desk was apparently very proficient and checked me in with no difficulty, even with the double seat. So I'm not sure what was so difficult at Midway, since the woman's badge said she'd been working there for a long time. But oh well, it happens. After checking in, I headed for the bathroom and then through security. Security took forever, but it always does. I got through with no problems, boarded the mini monorail, and went to my gate. I think we boarded through the same gate I'd arrived from the week before.
On the way down the concourse, though, I passed this gate display.
I thought it was neat.
While waiting, I decided to check on my iPod and see if there was a WiFi network available. There was, so I popped online and checked my email and a few posts on the Dis. Finally, they started boarding. Once again, I preboarded due to the ticket type I had, and sat down with a book. I'd read V For Vendetta (my favorite graphic novel ever) on the flight to Orlando, so I read Watchmen on the way back. I'd also brought The Losers with me, but didn't get around to it. The flight to Fort Lauderdale was uneventful and even though I was issued a boarding pass for a connection, it turned out that we were on the same plane, so I didn't have to leave to make my connection.
That flight had a minor issue before departing. There was a woman traveling alone who had some sort of mental instability (I think she may have had early onset Alzheimer's or something), but the flight attendants refused to board her since they didn't think she'd be okay on her own, which caused a scene. Aside from that, the flight was all right. The guy sitting behind me was a jerk and kept talking about how welfare is bad and how health care reform is bad and how everything he didn't agree with or services he didn't use were bad. I wanted to punch him in the face, but I didn't.
We eventually landed in Chicago about twenty minutes late due to weather (I think?) and I got off the plane and headed to baggage claim to meet whoever was picking me up. It was supposed to be my mom, but it turned out that my dad was down at my brother's house anyway, so he came to get me, since Josh's house is closer to Midway than ours is, which is where my mom was. So we talked about the trip while we waited for my bags, which took a little bit to come out. Finally, the conveyor belt started to get filled with bags and then mine popped out. We headed out to the parking garage, paid for his parking, and discovered that the baggage handlers had bent the telescopic handle on my big suitcase, which is annoying, but what can you do. It still works, you just have to pull hard.
On the way home, we stopped at White Castle to pick up dinner, since I hadn't eaten since that cheeseburger at Pop. Yes, we stopped for cheeseburgers. It was my dad's idea, not mine. Once we got home, I gave him the mugs and my mom the lantern and votive holders, but she knew that I'd really bought them for myself. I told them about the trip and how much fun I'd had, and then went upstairs to throw my laundry in my basket and call my best friend while I unpacked.
After a couple hours, I crashed into bed. I finally completely emptied my suitcase last night and put it away in my closet. I also finally finished doing my laundry from the trip today before I left for work (at least, the last load was in the washer... maybe my mom switched it).
In 201 days, I'll be going to
Disneyland to meet up with franandaj and her DP, and I also have my trip with my best friend and her husband planned in 10/11. I also now have a THIRD trip planned for 2011, in the first week of December with two friends and one friend's son. So, this TR may be over, but I'll be posting links for my two new TRs soon! I'm doing a DLR PTR and a double WDW PTR, so those links will be coming once I get them started!
PS: I do still have my Photopass pics coming once I get the CD, so those will be posted once they get here! Stay tuned for those!
I did know there were characters there, though, so that's probably why.
I LOVE going on Pirates when there is no one on it! 
I think she liked it.
Apparently so! I was tempted to just ride the train around again and again, but I got bored of that and got off 
The WDW one is a double PTR 
It was great getting to meet you and hang out with you in the parks 
It was nice to meet you and your family! 
), but no one else in my family has been to DLR. So we'll see if I like it 
I'll be paying for the account on Friday when I get paid, so just check it sometime on Friday evening or on Saturday 
Talk about wanting to punch people! 
