Canadian Buffoon's Solo Disney Vacation - Update 07/08! pp99 - Here today gone tomorrow

[queenbetsey]

awww ponzie don't worry about 50, I mean really the big 5 0 isn't all bad. I mean being half a century old doesn't mean you are old or anything like that. and besides pretty soon you will qualify for senior discounts just like lance does now, lol. (I will be at the senior discount age in July) I mean at least I think it wasn't so bad being 50... now we just settle for being "that cute little old couple" at the parks.

 

[bankr63]

$8???? Good Lord! I can't even wrap my head around that.

$8!!

I know, huh? And admission to MK is expected break $100 today with the new pricing - I'm afraid to look at how it's actually gone, even though we've got lots of days left on our NE 10 day WPFAM tickets (which apparently I won't be able to buy anymore).

Hmmm.... I don't think it was my first coaster. I remember the one at the local fair as probably being first.
Still. First one I rode that was really fun, though.

I don't remember my first (ahem, coaster Pkondzi!) but I do remember waiting for HOURS for The Beast at Kings Island - which was the best coaster I'd ridden up to then (and still a favorite!)

I doubt it was product.
I, and I'm not just saying this, would've guessed your age about 20 years or more younger.
Seriously.

I agree, there's no WAY you're up there with us Laura (and I've got a couple of years on Pkondzi), besides, I'll bet your user name is a dead giveaway...

Thought so. Just clarifying.
It's my midlife crisis purchase.

See Laura, he's middle aged!

Gulp, does that make me mii, miiiid, middl,..... Nope, can't say it!

I know! And I need an ultra-wide zoom in the worst way.
Except I don't want a cheap one that I'll regret (I've had enough of those in my past,)
but I can't quite justify the expense right now.
What made it worse was really wanting the wide... for Disney!

You know that's odd. We are a big Canon household with 3 Canon EOS DSL's of various vintages and a couple of extra Canon point-and-shoots. When we go to the parks, the big guns usually stay behind; I've only brought mine once when we went back for the fireworks in the evening. I can't be bothered keeping it safe on the rides.

I think I like you.
Anyone who refers to me and uses a) logic to describe me and; b) calls me sir.

Well.... You may have just won the contest.

Hey wait! I called you sir too!





Oh yeah, but I've been reading your TR's long enough to know you are ANYTHING but logical!

I would never stoop so low as to use a dooty joke...



Sorry, I crack myself up sometimes.
"Never stoop so low..."

It's Howdy Dooty time,
It's Howdy Dooty time...

Oooohhh, it's like my very own fan club!
Wait...

yeah, wait, isn't it the girls who need the fans in middle age?

This isn't a good thing, is it.

Well, probably not for you, no...

Hi Heather! I was hoping I could coax you out of hiding!

Probably... So...
Bye Heather! It sure was nice seeing you!

But inquiring minds want to know....

I know you and TM were facing some workforce changes at the office. Since you both seem really busy, did you survive?

Geesh. Does that make me sound desperate?
Well, I am. So I guess that's okay then.

Always, my friend, always...

 

[bankr63]

Whoa, whoa, whoa! Do we have to use our company manners? Elbows off the table? straighten up the house? change out of the jammies?

No, no no, Sandy. I'm sorry but, Canadian's are "polite" in that we apologize for everything, even if it's not our fault. Nobody said we had "manners". Elbows on the table, no problem. Changing out of your jammies? Well if by jammies you mean long underwear? Welcome to the party!

 

[KRIS10420]

Hi Kris! Thanks for popping in!

Geez, "extraordinary piece of literature"????
Talk about putting the pressure on. Hope I don't disappoint!

But I have a remedy for that, so I can relax.
Here goes.

Prepare thine self for crushing disappointment!!!

Too subtle?

NEVER! You haven't disappointed yet so I highly doubt this report will be any different (I also just noticed that my wish for a like button has been granted which is good because this thread, much like real life, is already speeding along and I may need to rely on that just to say that I am still here )

Looking forward to the next chapter

 

[pkondz]

LOL You'd think my fingers were exhausted and I couldn't type the extra few letters Let's just pretend I kicked out any potential thread trolls.

Well, thanks for that! Although I tend to get more whacky than trolls.

My favorite is when people (mostly kids, LOL) type '2' instead of 'to'.
Ooooohhhh. You just saved yourself from typing one letter!

Ok, that is completely weird! Nope, no clue you had mentioned me! Was scrolling thru new TR just because and there you were! Had to say hi, it's been far too long! Shan says hi and we would like you to tell your three beauties we think of them often! We must get together!

That is such a strange... but wonderful! coincidence!
We'd love to get together with you guys again.
I think Ruby's just about due for a Keg visit????

woo hoo jumping on the Ponzi-mobile to go along for the ride

Hi Betsey! Welcome aboard!
You know the rules, but just to refresh you, no spitting on, slapping, elbowing or poking the TR writer.
Mocking, insulting, jeering, etc. are all acceptable.

Whoa, whoa, whoa! Do we have to use our company manners? Elbows off the table? straighten up the house? change out of the jammies?

Oh, goodness no!
I said polite 'cause it's the polite thing to say.
In reality we're just as obnoxious as the next guy.


Well, maybe not that guy... but most guys.

Some guys....

Sorry.

(drumming fingers)

Patience! I'm working on it!
(Well, not right now, 'cause I'm doing this... but soon.)

awww ponzie don't worry about 50, I mean really the big 5 0 isn't all bad. I mean being half a century old doesn't mean you are old or anything like that. and besides pretty soon you will qualify for senior discounts just like lance does now, lol. (I will be at the senior discount age in July) I mean at least I think it wasn't so bad being 50... now we just settle for being "that cute little old couple" at the parks.

Oh, I'm not feeling bad.... I can't wait for the senior discounts.
Heck, just the other day, I used my powers as an old fart.
Wanna hear the story??

Sure. I'll post it below.

I know, huh? And admission to MK is expected break $100 today with the new pricing - I'm afraid to look at how it's actually gone, even though we've got lots of days left on our NE 10 day WPFAM tickets (which apparently I won't be able to buy anymore).

I just checked.
$105.

Still worth it.

I don't remember my first

Really????
I didn't think anyone could forget their fir....

(ahem, coaster Pkondzi!)

Oh.

I agree, there's no WAY you're up there with us Laura (and I've got a couple of years on Pkondzi), besides, I'll bet your user name is a dead giveaway...

I remember thinking the same thing.
"Maybe she was born in '74?"

Nah. No way.

See Laura, he's middle aged!

Gulp, does that make me mii, miiiid, middl,..... Nope, can't say it!

I'm only using the term as it's popularly coined.
I prefer to think of it as quarter aged.
I fully intend to see my 200th birthday.

You know that's odd. We are a big Canon household with 3 Canon EOS DSL's of various vintages and a couple of extra Canon point-and-shoots. When we go to the parks, the big guns usually stay behind; I've only brought mine once when we went back for the fireworks in the evening. I can't be bothered keeping it safe on the rides.

When I bought my first camera, I tried a few out and was impressed with the Minolta.
So that's the way I went.
I kinda wish I'd gone Nikon, but...
Now I'm too heavily invested to switch.

I'd never bring all my gear... but one more lens (the wide I need) would've been nice.

Hey wait! I called you sir too!

Uh, huh.
And, wait for it..
3...
2...
1...

Oh yeah, but I've been reading your TR's long enough to know you are ANYTHING but logical!

There it is.

yeah, wait, isn't it the girls who need the fans in middle age?

I can't believe you went there! Oh, you're going to be in so much trouble!

Wait... Does A+ read this?
Don't worry ladies, revenge is nigh!

I know you and TM were facing some workforce changes at the office. Since you both seem really busy, did you survive?

Apparently they did. I think only Bunny boy had to change offices, but it looks like that was a good thing
since now he can commute with Heather.

NEVER! You haven't disappointed yet so I highly doubt this report will be any different (I also just noticed that my wish for a like button has been granted which is good because this thread, much like real life, is already speeding along and I may need to rely on that just to say that I am still here )

Looking forward to the next chapter

Well, I'll try my best. Thanks for the vote of confidence.
(Although now I am sorely tempted to write the next chapter in pidgin English.)

 

[pkondz]

Just a little something to keep you occupied while I put some finishing touches on the next chapter.

A few people have mentioned my age and to not worry about it.

Oh, I'm not worrying.
I'm reveling!

There's a certain amount of power that comes with getting older.
I wouldn't go so far as to call it respect.
Maybe... a grudging acknowledgement?

Anyway, I told queenbetsey that I'd tell a story, so here it is...

(Don't get excited, it's not that great a story. But it illustrates my point.)


I took Kay and a friend to see a concert about a week ago.
She's only 14 and I was a little concerned about her well being so I also got a ticket for myself.
(I needn't have worried, she would've been fine, but... read on)

The concert was for some heavy metal type band that she likes.
When I was purchasing the tickets, I noticed that there were no assigned seats.
"Uh, oh." I thought. "Rush seating. This could get ugly."
Hence, my going with.

I think even without the rush seating, I probably would've gone with her anyway... 14.
We get to the concert and everyone (well most) is very nice. Very polite. Very... Canadian.
She and her friend wanted to stand closer to the stage, I... did not.
So I gave her a little room and went to lean against a back wall.
There was a group of teens in the area and they were all complaining (mildly) about this big garbage can.
I will admit, it was in an odd place, set against the wall, but right in the middle of the space.
One brave girl was nudging it slightly with her foot, to move it a fraction of an inch out of her way.

I'm old. I can see when something is stupid.
(Oddly enough, it still doesn't prevent me from doing stupid things. Huh.)
I turned to this girl and said. "Save my spot and I'll take care of the garbage can."
She agreed.
I grabbed the garbage and walked it over to the side of the room and out of the way.

That girl looked at me like I was a conquering hero.


Took everything I had not to burst out laughing.



Still would trade it in to be 25 again.

Link to next post - So I lied​

 

[Sandy Mouse]

When I bought my first camera, I tried a few out and was impressed with the Minolta.
So that's the way I went.
I kinda wish I'd gone Nikon, but...
Now I'm too heavily invested to switch.

DD#2 is a photographer, and she thoroughly believes in Nikon, but she does not take the good stuff to WDW.
She has handed one of her cameras to me at various events and told me to get pics while she went closer or off to the side. By the time I figure out how to turn it on, the whole thing has ended.
I'm not a bad photographer, in fact I'm pretty OK, but only with my little point and shoot. I researched them for a couple of weeks before buying, so I know mine was the best one for the money a couple of years ago, but it's still just a point and shoot.

 

[KatMark]

I hated turn 50 a few years ago , but I always feel better because my husband reaches all those milestones before me (including having turned 60 a couple of years ago).

And aren't you nice to move the garbage can.

 

[courtneybelle]

Hi!! I found my way over here from Roni's TR. I'm glad you could make the trip work and made the decision not to stay at the roach motel…

I hope you made it to Prime Time!! So much fun. And I hope you snagged some LeFou's Brew, or as my dad calls it, LeBouf's Frew.

I'm sure you made some little princess's day by dropping your A&E FP+! Hopefully that led to some good Disney karma for you.

 

[pkondz]

DD#2 is a photographer, and she thoroughly believes in Nikon, but she does not take the good stuff to WDW.
She has handed one of her cameras to me at various events and told me to get pics while she went closer or off to the side. By the time I figure out how to turn it on, the whole thing has ended.
I'm not a bad photographer, in fact I'm pretty OK, but only with my little point and shoot. I researched them for a couple of weeks before buying, so I know mine was the best one for the money a couple of years ago, but it's still just a point and shoot.

Seven hundred and eighty two years ago, when I was looking to buy my first SLR (no such thing as that newfangled digital yet),
I read somewhere that before buying, try the camera.
So I did.
Minolta (now Sony) had this feature that I really liked.
To focus a Canon, for example, you pressed the shutter half way down.
With the Minolta, you just held it up to your eye (no live viewfinders either. Heck, no viewfinder at all!)
That did it.
Plus at the time (might still be ) they were the fastest at autofocus, I believe.

If I want someone else to use it, I put it on auto and just show them the shutter button. "Press here."

And there'll be one time on this trip that I didn't do that... and really, really, really wish I had.

I hated turn 50 a few years ago , but I always feel better because my husband reaches all those milestones before me (including having turned 60 a couple of years ago).

And aren't you nice to move the garbage can.

I'm older than Ruby, so I always hit these milestones first.
Her command? "I do not want to celebrate turning 50! No party! Got it?!?!?"

Yes, ma'am.


And that's what I aspire to. Garbage can relocater extraordinaire!
(Geez, I should've tried harder to find Push...)

Hi!! I found my way over here from Roni's TR. I'm glad you could make the trip work and made the decision not to stay at the roach motel…

Hi Courtney! Welcome to the nut house!

You're glad! It was about the last thing I wanted.
But if it came down to a choice between roach motel or not going to Disney...
The choice would've been easy... I was going!!!

I hope you made it to Prime Time!! So much fun. And I hope you snagged some LeFou's Brew, or as my dad calls it, LeBouf's Frew.

Wait and see and all will be reviled.

Revealed. Revealed!
Or maybe both. I dunno.

So... Your Dad calls it LeBouf's Frew, hunh?
I should know that.
Wanna know why?

Right about now, your current TR has about 61,000 views (<phew!> that's a lot! Congrats!)
I would guess that, oh... about a couple of hundred of those are mine.

I've clicked on the thread, or the link in your siggie so many times...
(well, I guess about a couple hundred, since I just freaking said that!!)
And each time, for whatever reason, I've done the same thing.
"Oh! Right! This one! I want to read this! Looks like a good one!"
And then I look at the time, or I have to do some chores, or I have to get to work, or.... whatever.
So I say to myself. "Okay, not right now, but next time for sure."

I have no idea why I don't just subscribe to it so it'll be in my face and I stop forgetting.
But, nooooooo.

So I'm making a resolution right here, right now.
(And you're all witnesses, so no weaseling out of it!)
As soon as I get my next chapter up, I'm going over there and reading it!!!!!

(And I'm subscribing now... DONE!)

I'm sure you made some little princess's day by dropping your A&E FP+! Hopefully that led to some good Disney karma for you.

I hope so, that would be nice.
And as far as the Karma?
You be the judge!

 

[queenbetsey]

Just a little something to keep you occupied while I put some finishing touches on the next chapter.

A few people have mentioned my age and to not worry about it.

Oh, I'm not worrying.
I'm reveling!

There's a certain amount of power that comes with getting older.
I wouldn't go so far as to call it respect.
Maybe... a grudging acknowledgement?

Anyway, I told queenbetsey that I'd tell a story, so here it is...

(Don't get excited, it's not that great a story. But it illustrates my point.)


I took Kay and a friend to see a concert about a week ago.
She's only 14 and I was a little concerned about her well being so I also got a ticket for myself.
(I needn't have worried, she would've been fine, but... read on)

The concert was for some heavy metal type band that she likes.
When I was purchasing the tickets, I noticed that there were no assigned seats.
"Uh, oh." I thought. "Rush seating. This could get ugly."
Hence, my going with.

I think even without the rush seating, I probably would've gone with her anyway... 14.
We get to the concert and everyone (well most) is very nice. Very polite. Very... Canadian.
She and her friend wanted to stand closer to the stage, I... did not.
So I gave her a little room and went to lean against a back wall.
There was a group of teens in the area and they were all complaining (mildly) about this big garbage can.
I will admit, it was in an odd place, set against the wall, but right in the middle of the space.
One brave girl was nudging it slightly with her foot, to move it a fraction of an inch out of her way.

I'm old. I can see when something is stupid.
(Oddly enough, it still doesn't prevent me from doing stupid things. Huh.)
I turned to this girl and said. "Save my spot and I'll take care of the garbage can."
She agreed.
I grabbed the garbage and walked it over to the side of the room and out of the way.

That girl looked at me like I was a conquering hero.


Took everything I had not to burst out laughing.



Still would trade it in to be 25 again.

 

[queenbetsey]

yep we have been there with the concert thing. we went to the house of blues in anahiem with the girls. a group they liked was playing there (I will be honest I also really like them) along with a lot of other bands for (I am not making this up, skaloween,) the nice kid at the security pat down noticed I was rather stiff in the mid section so I showed him it was a brace and told him about the surgery a few weeks earlier, he escorted us to the balcony for handicapped seating, best seat in the house and our girls felt very grown up being at the stage with out parents... the parents who were right above them with eyes on all night long. lol so they got their space we still had them in our sights ... good for you for going to that show ponzie. for the record I actually like a lot of the ska music out there and have been known to blast reel big fish or surburban legends as I slide into the parking lot at school I may be old but I will never really grow up..lol

 

[pkondz]

yep we have been there with the concert thing. we went to the house of blues in anahiem with the girls. a group they liked was playing there (I will be honest I also really like them) along with a lot of other bands for (I am not making this up, skaloween,) the nice kid at the security pat down noticed I was rather stiff in the mid section so I showed him it was a brace and told him about the surgery a few weeks earlier, he escorted us to the balcony for handicapped seating, best seat in the house and our girls felt very grown up being at the stage with out parents... the parents who were right above them with eyes on all night long. lol so they got their space we still had them in our sights ... good for you for going to that show ponzie. for the record I actually like a lot of the ska music out there and have been known to blast reel big fish or surburban legends as I slide into the parking lot at school I may be old but I will never really grow up..lol

Good for you for not growing up! Who wants to do that?
"Hello, good sir. I am a stuffy and stodgy adult. Please be so kind as to not engage in any frivolity whatsoever."

No. Just... no.

One thing, though...

Last time... my ears rang for three straight days.
This time?
ear plugs.

Dang it. I am getting old!

 

[pkondz]

Okay. Got to take care of something over on my contest thread,
then I'll be back to put the finishing touches on the next chapter.
Hopefully I'll have it up in an hour or so.

 

[courtneybelle]

You are too kind! I promise only about 20,000 of those views are mine! (And 10,000 are my mom, realistically).

I'd be honored to have you over, but no pressure-it's pretty long. You could always just skim and look at the pictures, a la Gaston.

 

[pkondz]

I'd be honored to have you over, but no pressure-it's pretty long. You could always just skim and look at the pictures, a la Gaston.

The pleasure will be all mine, I'm quite sure.
And yes. I know it's long. That was the problem!
"Okay! Let's start... uh... shoot, I've only got five minutes.... Next time!"
But next time will be soon... tomorrow, looks like, 'cause I'm almost done here.

 

[pkondz]

So I lied.

I said that the next post... this post... would begin on departure day.
But it won't.

A million apologies Effendi!
Please forgive me!


Or not.

But I promise that we'll not only get to departure day,
but I'll get you all the way to Disney.

Okay?


We start this chapter, the day before departure day.

Don't worry. I'll be brief.

What?

Is anyone else having a Back to the Future flashback?
"Calvin? Why do you keep calling me Calvin?"
"Well, that is your name, isn't it? Calvin Klein? It's written all over your underwear."

No? Just me?
What. Just because it belongs to Universal and not Disney?


Back to the present.. er, recent past.
February seventh to be precise.
Of 2015 to be even more precise.

And by now you're thinking: "I thought he said he'd be brief! Good grief!"
You're rhyming is wonderful, but your scansion is terrible.
(And you obviously don't know me very well at all.)


Where was I... Ah, yes! February seventh, 2015. Departure day eve.
Sure I can say that.
Christmas Eve
New Year's Eve
Mardi Gras... uh.... scratch that one.

I woke up that morning at my usual, when working a day shift, God-forsaken five a.m.
I was in a good mood, since today I could get my boarding passes!
You can get (at least in Canada... YMMV) boarding passes twenty four hours in advance.

And that was just what I was going to do!

My flight out of blisteringly cold Winnipeg was at eight thirty a.m. so I had a few hours to wait.
I got to work by six thirty and waited as the next two hours craaaawled by.

Finally! Eight thirty! Time to get 'dem passes! Woot!
(Yes. So excited that I was doing jumping jacks... or not.)

I quickly logged on to WestJet’s website and impatiently waited for the check-in page to load.
Okay, what do I need here.
Departure city.
First name.
Last name.
All easy peasy, chicken queasy so far.
Reservation number.

Ha! You thought you could get me on this one, didn't you!

Well guess what? I'm way ahead of you! I have my booking confirmation right here.
With my reservation number, thankyouverymuch!

Click <next> which of course is seat selection, I belie...

What's this?

Because I'm traveling to the States, they need my passport?

But... but... I don't have my passport with me!





Okay, okay. Buck up soldier. It's not the end of the World, ya know.
(see what I did there?)

Trust me. My shift couldn't end quickly enough.
As soon as it was over, I high tailed it back home.
I burst through the door.
(I still have to fix it. It's a veritable magnet for criminals now, ya know.)

Ruby: "How was your day?"
Me: "Fine. Just gotta do something..."
Elle: "Dad! Guess what? I made honour roll at school!"
Me: "Uh, great, hang on, okay?"
Kay: "I burned the school down and now I'm going to prison!"
Me: "Great, great. Just a sec, okay?"
Dog: "Bark, bark, barkitty, bark, bark, woof!"
Me: "In the bedroom, tall dresser, third drawer, beside the socks."

I quickly strode up to the computer, jiggled the mouse to wake it,
(Come on! Come on!)
Logged onto WestJet’s site...
Departure city.
First name.
Last name.
Reservation number....

Passport number!

I GOT THAT!!!

Sheesh, they don't make these things easy to read, do they?
Hang on... is that an O or a Q?

Q

There. Done. Wasn't so diffi....
"We're sorry, but you may not check in at this time as your flight to the United States is more than 24 hours away."

AAAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!!!

I yelled so loud that the dog dropped her chew-toy that she'd taken out of the sock drawer in the tall dresser and ran away.
Great. Now we need a new dog.
(Oh, don't worry. She came back eventually.)

While the first leg of my trip was departing at eight thirty a.m.,
the second leg from Toronto to Orlando wasn't leaving until eight forty four p.m.!
I still had five more hours to wait!!




Eventually I was able to check in.
Departure city.
First name.
Last name.
Reservation number.
Passport. (Pretty sure that's a Q...)
Number of bags...

Here's where I made the final decision.
Up until now, I was a little doubtful.
But... time to bite the bullet.

Number of bags?

Zero.

This started my quest to make this the most pain-in-the-butt free and speedy commute possible.

Step one. No checked bags.
I figured I could bring everything I needed for a five night stay in a carry on.

Barely.
But just do-able.

You're allowed one checked bag and one 'personal item'.
That would be my camera bag.
I bought a small one and sacrificed versatility for compactness.
All I would bring was my camera (Sony A77 DSLR), medium zoom (28-80),
a fast prime for dark shots (50mm, f1.4), a gorilla pod, remote shutter release and a lens cloth.
Also I'd stick in a couple of blister Band-Aids, body glide and a bit of cash for emergencies,
as well as my to do list.

So that was step one.

Step two coming up.

WestJet doesn't have first class or business class... but it does have 'Plus' seats.
For an extra thirty to fifty bucks... per leg!... you can have: (this from their website)
Extra legroom seats which include food and beverages from our on-board menu, advance boarding and seat selection.

Now for a typical family of four
(which ours just happens to be... no dog, you don't count... oh all right! You count. You just don't fly with us, okay???)
you're looking at an extra six hundred and forty bucks!!!
But when it's just me... it's just over a hundred and a half.

I can do that.
Some costs are avoidable, others... well... Maybe I don't want to avoid them!

I picked the same seat for both legs.
1F
Which means first row, window.

Yes, the aisle should be slightly faster for getting off the plane.
But I reasoned that if I was in the top three, I would be doing pretty well.

All that was left, was to finish packing,
(boy I sure hope everything fits in that carry on)
get some sleep, then... fly away off to Disney World.

Now it's right about here that I normally would end the chapter.
Eliciting such comments as: "Great! We're two chapters in and Ponzi hasn't even left the house yet!"

Which would be a fair assessment.

But not today.
I will get to Disney... This post!


February eighth.
Five a.m.

I have plenty of time before my eight thirty five flight,
but I have things to do first.
Check email, in case WestJet wants to tell me that I've been bad and can't go anymore.
(Apparently, WestJet doesn't know me very well. There is no email prohibiting me from flying.)
Check on Winnipeg, Toronto and Orlando weather.

Hmmm...
Winnipeg's okay.
So's Orlando.
Toronto forecast for later on is a little sketchy, though.
Not too bad, shouldn't be a problem. Keep fingers crossed, but not too hard.

Head outside to shovel the driveway and walkway.
Hopefully, the little bit of snow we had overnight will be all that we get for the next few days.
I know Ruby can shovel if she has to. I just don't want her to have to.
Forecast is encouraging for the week I'm gone, so I'll keep my fingers crossed on that, too.

Shave, shower, yadda yadda yadda, eventually six thirty rolls around and it's time to go.
I forego my winter parka and gloves in favour of a thin shelled wind breaker.

I'm ready to go.

But not before (at their request) I wake each of my daughters so we can say goodbye.
I give them hugs or kisses, depending on each girl's ickyness rating of their father and exchange farewells.
I feel rotten, ashamed and selfish and figuratively flagellate myself for going to Disney World without them.
I need to constantly remind myself that I've taken them both on trips to Toronto, Niagara Falls, Vancouver,
West Edmonton Mall, Mall of America (too many times to count), Disney World (twice), Hawaii and Europe.
It was my birthday and darn it! I need to celebrate me!

It doesn't work. I still feel like a cad.

Ruby drives the cad to the airport.


Since Ruby works in a building on airport property, she has a parking pass, so we park for free.
Far, far away from the terminal building.

Did I mention that I traded in my nice warm coat and gloves for a thin windbreaker?

The walk to the terminal is long.
And cold.
Quite cold.
Fairly cold.
Flipping cold!
I almost didn't make it.

Halfway there I collapsed into a snowbank and told Ruby to go on without me.
She, of course, dressed appropriately for the weather, was a little surprised.
Whether at the vision of me, lying in a snowbank, or the fact that I was turning a pleasant shade of blue, I know not.

Thankfully, a rescue St. Bernard came by, farted on me and buggered off.

But the heat from the dog's air biscuit was just enough to get me going.
Well, maybe it was the smell...
Either way, I made it to the terminal, without being terminal.

Upon arrival, Ruby asked if I wanted breakfast.
I've never been a big fan of early, early breakfasts and I wasn't really in the mood now.
But I was more than happy to order an OJ or something if she wanted to eat.
Apparently, she didn't feel like eating either.
So after a quick goodbye, I headed towards security, she walked off to work.


Security was quick and easy.
There weren't too many people there, yet.
I grabbed a couple of bins, threw my jacket (the one that turns out to be woefully inadequate for winter),
wallet, phone and iPod in one.
And my carry on and camera bag in the other.
I waltzed through the metal detector with nary a beep.

The agent asked me to go through it again, this time "Walk. Don't dance, okay? Just walk."

I humbly complied.

A few seconds later, I was at my gate, awaiting boarding.

I didn't feel like breakfast and I felt like pizza even less, but...
"Hello, Pizza Hotline? Yeah, I'm looking at one of your ads right now and your pizza sure looks good!
Could I get a medium ham and mushroom delivered? Great. How long? Twenty minutes? Perfect, I've got an hour to kill anyway.
My address? Well I'm not at home, could you deliver it to the Winnipeg airport? Gate seven. Thanks."

I'd love to see them try to get it through security without a boarding pass.
Plus, for extra fun, I'd tell them I could only pay cash and I'd need exact change,
just to see if he'd beep when he waltzed through the metal detector.
Best case scenario, I'd be feeding the security agents lunch with confiscated pizza.
Hmmmm.... maybe I should ask the agents what their fave pizza is....

I refrained from calling for pizza and instead sashayed up to the window.

Ah! My chariot awaits.

Doesn't it look cold out there?
Try it with just a wind breaker.
Nah. Of course you wouldn't. Nobody's that stupid!



Right on time, they announced that they were starting pre-boarding.
Families with small children, passengers requiring extra time and passengers seated in emergency exit rows only.
I was starting to get excited. I was in a Plus seat, I'd be next!

A vacation, for me, has many starting points.
Decision to go on a trip.
Planning for the trip.
Booking the trip
Last day of work before the trip.
Packing for the trip.
Leaving for the trip.
Arriving at the airport.
And, finally, getting on the plane, which makes it all real.

"We are now boarding our Plus passengers, those who are seated in rows one through six."
I sashayed up to the check in desk and looked with disdain upon the common masses straining at their collective leashes,
wishing they too could be among the privileged, the few, the upper crust.

The common masses threw stuff at me. Heavy, hard, stuff!
I hung my head in shame. Who was I to put on such airs? I was no better than they, perhaps worse.

But I'm still getting on the plane before them!!!!


Once on board, I stuffed my carry on and camera bag in the overhead compartment and settled in.
Turned out I had the entire row to myself! Sweet!

Here's a shot of the legroom I had, by choosing the first (bulkhead) row.

Aaaaaahhhhh....

We pushed back from the gate and were airborne pretty much on time.
Once we started levelling off, the cabin crew announced that they would be serving complimentary non-alcoholic drinks and a small snack
(pretzel sticks or cookies, I believe).
It was then that I remembered that I got free food as part of the extra cash I'd paid!

Sweet!

(Wait... So then it's not really free, is it. I don't care... it feels free.)

I grabbed the menu and opened it up.
The menu was divided in two.
For flights less than two and a half hours there was a selection of snacks,
for longer flights they had sandwiches.

I was starting to feel hungry, by now (free = hungry. it's a rule.) and a sandwich would hit the spot.

Wait.

How long was this flight anyway?
Hmmm... Departs at 8:35, arrives 12:04 (one hour time change)
That's.... two hours, twenty nine minutes.
Surely that's close enough for a sandwich right?

Don't call me Shirley and no, apparently not.

There wasn't really anything on the snack list that I felt like, but.
Free food people! Hello!!

I thought about the wine and cheese combo, but
a) it was a little early for wine, and;
b) I was already whining enough about not getting a sandwich.
(I mean really. A good stiff headwind would've made the flight eligible, right?)

So I settled for the Lite-Bite* and an orange juice.
* Beef salami slices, multigrain crackers, soft cheese wedges.

I'm not really a fan of salami, but... when in Rome...
or in this case a metal tube hurtling at four hundred miles an hour through the sky...

The salami was as expected, kinda gross, but the crackers and cheese were fine.
Overall, for airplane food, I'd give it a hesitant thumbs up.
Did I mention it was free???
The ruling might have changed, otherwise.


We arrived in Toronto either on time, or slightly ahead of schedule.

Which was lucky.
Lucky for them!
I would've demanded a sandwich otherwise.

Since I was in the first row, with nobody else, I was first off the plane.
It was around noon.
I had almost nine hours to kill before my next flight.

Why the rush?

When life gives you lemons, toss 'em in the fridge and make a Margarita.

When I booked my flights, I had no choice but to settle for the lengthy lay-over.
I was delighted.
You see, my sister lives in Toronto.
I usually get to see her three times a year.
She flies in for Dad's birthday in the spring.
Flies in for a summer vacation.
Flies in for Christmas.
Doesn't happen every year. But usually.
And while she's in town, life goes on, the kids have school, Ruby and I have work, kids have after school activities, etc. etc.
Upshot is I don't get to see her nearly as much as I'd like to.

I'm lucky.

And I know it.

I have a great sister and a great relationship with her.
So an eight hour window of time to fill?
In Toronto?

Yes!


I grabbed my carry on and camera bag and set off.
Since I had no luggage (a moot point, really. Since it would've been tagged through to Orlando anyway.)
I bypassed the carousel and was out the door into the waiting area about two minutes after the plane door opened.
Maybe I shouldn't say that. It's insensitive.
... about two minutes after the door with the very nice personality opened.

I surprised my sister. She had just bought a coffee and settled in on a bench to wait the half hour or so until I showed up.
The look of shock on her face was priceless.
Could be that it was just really hot coffee, though, I guess.


I won't go into details of our visit.
Suffice to say that it was wonderful, full of laughs and banter and over far too quickly.
She even made me some delicious pancakes for lunch!
(Much, much better than the Lite-Bite)

She was taking a very good friend of hers out to celebrate his milestone birthday,
so she dropped me off back at the airport around five or so.


I went back through security.
Then I had to go through border control.
I knew the drill, so I wasn't worried.
I put my best 'I'm not a terrorist' face on, handed over my passport and prepared to answer the standard questions.
"Where do you live?"
"Winnipeg."
"Where are you going?"
"Disney World."
"Leaving anything behind in the States?"
"No."
"Are you constipated?"

OH COME ON!!!!
Et tu, Brute?

"No."
He hands back my passport and bids me adieu.

I set off in search of my gate.
I found it right away and saw something that really surprised me.
Never seen it before, haven't seen it since.
Not even on the return trip.

At the gate, there were tables set out for waiting passengers.
Each table had two seats.
Each seat had an iPad.
To use the iPad, all you had to do was input which city you were flying to.
The iPad then told you how long until boarding was scheduled to commence.
Later, I found out, an alarm went off when there were only a few minutes left before boarding.
You could also click an icon at the bottom of the screen and order food.
A waiter/waitress would bring your food out to you when it was ready.
Pretty sweet set up!
Only problem was the iPad seemed slow, maybe because so many people were on them?
I found it less frustrating to just use my iPod.
Each table also had recharging ports, so that was convenient.

A veritable oasis for ignoring your fellow traveller!

As you can see from the pic, each table seats two, then there's a small gap and another two-top table beside it.
There was a woman sitting kitty corner from me who was busy making several phone calls.
I wasn't trying to eavesdrop, it's just that she was talking fairly loudly and I couldn't help but overhear her conversation.
Turned out she was flying to Orlando too.
But not at all for the same reason as most of the rest of us.
Apparently her father had suffered a stroke and was in ICU in an Orlando area hospital.
She was panicking that her Dad's ex would interfere with his care and was trying to arrange things on the fly.
She finally wound up her phone calls and looked absolutely miserable.
I handed her a napkin and asked her if she was all right and listened to her as she told me her story.
Makes you realize that you should be thankful for the times when you're happy.
There may be dark clouds on the horizon.

Sorry for the moribund turn this just took. It's just something that struck me.
The two extremes of people sitting at (almost) the same table, going to the same place, but for very different reasons.

Mine, of course, being a get away from the excess of estrogen that pervades my home.
Wife, two teen daughters, heck, even the dog and guinea pigs are all female!


The flight was scheduled for departure at eight forty four p.m.
I think around nine I figured out that we wouldn't be leaving quite on time.
All of a sudden, I hear my name being called.
"Would WestJet passenger pkondz please report to the gate agent."
Uh, oh. Wha'd I do now?
Remember when I couldn't tell for sure if my passport number had an 'O' or a 'Q'?

Yeah. It was neither. I'd read the wrong number.

After a brief, yet painful, panic attack,(I'mnotgoing!I'mnotgoing!I'mnotgoing!)
the agent cleared it all up and I was good to go.
Odd that this hadn't come up when I went through U.S. border control...


Eventually, they started boarding and again, I was with the privileged upper crust and was seated early.
Same exact seat, 1F, but this time I had two other people beside me.
Ah, well. Still had all that leg room. Ahhhhhhh....

After de-icing, we were airborne at five after ten.
One hour and twenty minutes late.

At the time, I was a little worried, since I knew it meant getting in even later than the already late arrival time I was dreading.
It was only a few days later, I found out that they cancelled about two hundred flights that evening!
So a delay of under an hour and a half was pretty minor, considering what could have happened.

This flight was scheduled to be just under three hours, so I asked for, and got, my sandwich.
It'd been a long time since lunch, so I was getting pretty hungry.
Turkey and provolone sandwich*, Pringles sour cream & onion chips and Sprite.
Usually I'll have Coke, but I didn't want the caffeine to keep me up.
Big day tomorrow, ya know.
*Smoked turkey breast, provolone cheese, paprika mayonnaise, sun-dried tomato torta

The sandwich may not look like much, but it was pretty good.
This time, I give it a thumbs up with no qualifications.

I also watched a movie. One I'd never heard of before.
I've since learned that it's been nominated for an Oscar this year for Best Picture!
And it won three Oscars. Film editing, sound mixing and best supporting actor (watch it. you'll see why)

It's called Whiplash.

If you get a chance to watch it, it's very good.


We touched down in Orlando at 12:22a.m.
We reached the gate sometime between 12:25 - 12:30a.m. (I forgot to check until after I was already off the plane.)
Why am I being so precise with the times?
Because I want to show you what travelling light and sitting up front does.

Although I was sharing my row with two other people, I was still first off the plane.
The person in the aisle got up and moved aside (read, back) for the middle person who did the same for me.
Fools!!!

Without any bags, I bypassed the luggage carousel and was on an almost empty airport shuttle within minutes.

Exiting the shuttle, I made my way to DME. There was one couple being helped and a family in line who were busy looking for something.
The other available agent waved me through and I was on board the bus at 12:40a.m.

At 12:45a.m. we were on the road.

Total elapsed time from the time the plane's wheels touched down to pulling out of the airport on DME?

Twenty three minutes.


The trip to ASMu was uneventful.

There were five others on the bus.
We made a quick stop at CSR and possibly ASSp (Don't remember... I'd been up for over twenty hours by then.)
I arrived (I do know that I was the only guest checking in to ASMu) at about 1:30a.m.
I went to check in and received one thing I was looking forward to and one unexpected thing.

The thing I was looking forward to was my green magic band.
Why green?
Look at my avatar.
The other thing I got was a Birthday button.

Uh....

I made the mistake of telling the booking agent that I was using my birthday money to pay for this trip.
But I certainly did not want people telling me "Happy Birthday!" months after the fact!

The CM told me that due to construction, I would have to re-exit the lobby and walk around the building to get to my room.
No big deal... as long as that room wasn't forty seven miles away in Country Fair section!
I was completely prepared to emulate Nebo.
Demand the CM circle the exact room location on a map and then demand a better location if it didn't suit my needs.
CM: "Okay, you're in room 9547 in Jazz section."

I was flabbergasted! I just assumed I wouldn't get it!
Maybe I should have requested Calypso! (Although I think I recall reading that all of Calypso is family suites.)
Stunned, I walked out in search of my room.

I don't remember if I just figured it out, or if the CM told me, but my room was on the second floor.
I had requested first floor, but I really didn't care that much.
For those who want to know, here's a map where my room was located.

The dotted line is the path I had to follow to/from the busses since the pass-through was closed.
Note it takes me by the DSA.
It didn’t bother me, but I wonder how many glares the smokers got?
Or how many complaints Disney got?

I eventually saw this:

I was at my room at 1:33a.m.

The view? A nice view of trees, no parking lot.
Did I take a picture? Of course not!
There's a really good reason.

Because I'm stupid!

Oh, well. Pretend you see trees.
Moving on...

Now.... The acid test.
Will the magic band work?
Or will I be marching back to the lobby?
I held up my wrist and... voila! We're in!

Step inside and take a look around!

Gotta love the Mickey head towels on the bed!

The first thing I noticed was that there was no tub.
I was in an accessible room.
Hmmm... perhaps they'd read my European TR.
(I wound up in a wheelchair at the end of that one.)

At this point it could've been a dungeon.
I didn't care.

I was in Disney!!!!!

I unpacked, set the alarm and hit the sack.
It was two a.m.
Pretty sure I was asleep before the clock ticked over to two oh one.

Coming up!
Which park do I visit first? And when? (Remember, it's already two a.m.)
And my first big surprise! (of two)

I can't wait to tell you all about it!

Link to next post! - The contest​

 

[mmeb144]

You didn't get your magicband in the mail before your trip?

And, you actually got close to the room you wanted?

I'm shocked. Shocked I tell you.

 

[pkondz]

You didn't get your magicband in the mail before your trip?

Nope.
They don't ship the magic bands internationally.
For us foreigners, we have to pick them up at check-in.

And, you actually got close to the room you wanted?

I'm shocked. Shocked I tell you.

You're shocked!
I almost fell over!
I was so ready to make him get back on his computer and start gettin' busy.
When he said "Jazz section" my mind went completely blank!
"Uh... What do I do now???"
I felt like Ralphie from A Christmas Story... "<nods> Football."
Only I got my Red Ryder, carbine action, two-hundred shot range model air rifle!

 

[Backstage_Gal]

Ponzi, Oh Ponzi, how I love your reports!
You make me feel like I am right there with you....
Cant wait to read the rest. (and I do know for you it was only 12am, ha!)