Could the Dream Turn the Grump into a Believer? Charleston Update 10/13

[klacey1]

Your bag is gorgeous! I can't imagine how anxious you must have felt-- so glad it was returned to you safe and sound!

 

[Happydog]

Oh my word I would have been FREAKING out about my bag if that had happened to me!!! YIKES!!! I had no idea! I am so glad that had a happy ending, though! I must say you got some great photos from the Kennedy Space Center, weather looks great! We had lots of clouds and a rain storm... I will be posting my shuttle pics on my TR!!! Good grief! Is our trip really coming on Friday??!!

Oh and great photo of all of you!!!!

 

[Wicket's Mom]

I knew that you meant it was awaiting launch. I hate when men get in that we gotta rush home mode. When I got our airfare for our last trip I got a late flight so we could spend a whole day at WDW before leaving.He usually wants to take the earliest flight home.

He's really bad when driving, he won't stop. At least Don stopped even though it was for a short time. My DH won't stop at all. Were you driving the 22 hours in one long strech? We drove to Florida July 2010 straight though. That was one long a** 15 hour trip. Especially when we had to do it twice in one week.

Bob wears what I tell him, it took a long time to get him trained!

 

[MEK]

Oh Michelle - you must have been SICK about the D&B. To spend all that money and to have left it behind and to not know its fate. Ugghhhhh! So very glad it was safe and sound!

Your last group shot is so awesome. Better than any PP picture.

Too bad you had to rush through KSC. The bus tour is very cool and I actually only did part of it. I went for the whole day and got there around 10:30, but because I had a 700pm ADR back at Disney and it was Thanksgiving weekend I couldn't even begin to see the whole place. I am planning to go back in June.

I really enjoyed your TR and I hope you have time to post some Charleston pictures before you go away! I need them for research purposes!

 

[wdwgirl03]

Great report. You guys sure got to do a lot of fun things on your trip. I would love to do the KSC some day.

Love the D&B!

Yay for your next trip being a couple days away!

 

[RinkyTinkyTinky]

The group photo of all of you on the stairs is wonderful! What great memories!

I love that astronaut photo op at KSC with the boys and Don!

A real alligator!

My DH would have been the same way about rushing to leave. He NEVER allows us to enjoy our departure day on any vacation. He's always ready to go, go, go! It drives me nuts, so I feel for you. In fact, my DH acts like the vacation is over the night before. All he wants to talk about is what we need to do to leave "first thing in the morning." I'll never understand them!

Love your bag! I am so glad to hear that you got it back! I can only imagine how sick you felt over that! I know that was a VERY long 5 days!

 

[SoonerGirl]

Michelle,

I would have literally been sick those 5 days! Not sure how you managed. I your purse!! It is probably one of the prettiest D&B I have seen.

Too funny about Don and his shorts at Palo! Men will never learn that us women are always right!!!

Too bad that you didn't get to see the shuttle at the space center. I have not been there since I was a child. Boy, it has changed.

Can't wait to see your pictures from Charleston. We were there several years ago when Tropical Storm Gaston blew through. It is such a beautiful town. Did you make it out to Ft. Sumter? I wanted to go there but time didn't allow.

Yay for 3 days!!!! You are getting so close!

Erika

Thanks, I really like my Dooney! I struggled trying to decide between that one and the basic cruise design, but in the end I figured that I could always get the other one on another cruise, the Dream bag was only going to be available for a limited time.

I'd like a do-over for KSC sometime, I feel like we didn't really get to experience it.

I'm going to do my best to post my Charleston pictures tomorrow. I should be able to since it will be mostly pictures and not much babble, I just need to find time to sort through them and get them uploaded

You would think they would send things left behind on the ship to the terminal lost and found Oh well, I know you were thrilled to get your purse back! I would have been so upset if that had happened to me! We had to turn around once and go back to Pop Century for my pillow luckily we hadn't gone too far!

I think anything that was 'lost' during the cruise and left unclaimed was probably transfered to the terminal lost and found soon after everyone was kicked off the boat. I assume that since my bag wasn't found until the cleaning of the stateroom that there probably wasn't time to transfer it.

I agree about 2nd seating being nice for that last breakfast.
I cannot believe you left that coveted bag on the ship. So glad they found it & sent it to you. When we cruised on the Magic in 2007, I had meant to buy the CD of the music for Twice Charmed & forgot. Eric called them to get it for me & they shipped it to us without a charge. That was some of the best we have ever received.

Sad that your report is over but glad you will be writing another one very soon.

Can't believe I leave for my cruises in 11 days! And although I will be a little less mobile b/c of my darn stress fracture, I fully intend to enjoy myself to the fullest.

I know! I still can't wrap my head around the fact that I left the bag!

How nice that Eric was able to get that CD for you, and even nicer that Disney shipped it for free! Gotta love that customer service!

Like I told you on FB, I think you will still a great time on your cruise, the trip will just a bit different than what you had originally thought

I cannot believe Don didn't allow you to re-book!!!!!! Mr. Frugal could have saved a BUNDLE! What a huge bummer!!! I'm so sorry, I thought for sure he was IN.

So, so, so relieved you got your D&B back - it's adorable! I don't think I had seen that pattern yet.

Looking forward to the trip to Charleston and hearing all about the amazing-I'm super jealous-girl's trip this week! I so wish I could hop on a plane and join you ladies.

I am still trying to figure out his reasoning behind the whole, no re-booking thing, I just don't get it

I wish you could hop on a plane too!

Oh no on it being time to leave I love the group picture you got before going your separate ways.

Great pics of KSC! A shame that you didn't get to watch the shuttle launch.

Wow at the bag drama! I'm soo happy to read it was found and returned to you. It looks great!

Have a great Disney World trip - can't wait to hear all about it!

I really like that group picture too! It's on the short list of the ones that might end up in my frame

Yes, bag drama, indeed! I still can't believe I did that!

 

[Disneygrl36]

2 questions that I have thought of since I posted:

Do the D & B Dream bags come in wristlet form? I really love my D & B sketch wristlet & would love to have a cruise line one too. I am not a big purse girl, but love the wristlets.

With my new injury, I am wondering about the aqua duck. I am thinking you have to climb a bunch of steps to get up to it & that there prolly isn't an elevator right? I am guessing I won't get to ride it. Oh well, I bought a small waterproof camera that can video so I guess I can give that to Eric & he can videotape the ride for me.

 

[SoonerGirl]

Your bag is gorgeous! I can't imagine how anxious you must have felt-- so glad it was returned to you safe and sound!

Me too

Oh my word I would have been FREAKING out about my bag if that had happened to me!!! YIKES!!! I had no idea! I am so glad that had a happy ending, though! I must say you got some great photos from the Kennedy Space Center, weather looks great! We had lots of clouds and a rain storm... I will be posting my shuttle pics on my TR!!! Good grief! Is our trip really coming on Friday??!!

Oh and great photo of all of you!!!!

I kept the ordeal with my bag pretty quiet! Anita and Jen knew because I texted Anita when I realized what I had done - I needed a sympathetic ear, because I wasn't getting one from the boys in the car I also texted her when they found it so that I had someone to cheer with, for some reason Don wasn't jumping up and down with me

I think the only other person that knew was Katie (kschafer) and that was just because I met her for drinks when we were in Iowa at a baseball tournament. I had my bag and just had to tell her the story!

Glad someone got to see the shuttle......

Yes, our trip is really coming up on Friday!!! I go from being like this to being like this and then back to this

I knew that you meant it was awaiting launch. I hate when men get in that we gotta rush home mode. When I got our airfare for our last trip I got a late flight so we could spend a whole day at WDW before leaving.He usually wants to take the earliest flight home.

He's really bad when driving, he won't stop. At least Don stopped even though it was for a short time. My DH won't stop at all. Were you driving the 22 hours in one long strech? We drove to Florida July 2010 straight though. That was one long a** 15 hour trip. Especially when we had to do it twice in one week.

Bob wears what I tell him, it took a long time to get him trained!

No we did not do the whole trip in one stretch. We stopped in Birmingham for the night and then went the rest of the way the next day.

Well, I've had 25 years to get Don trained, I've succeeded in some areas, but in many he is staying quite stubborn and will likely never get where I want him to be

Oh Michelle - you must have been SICK about the D&B. To spend all that money and to have left it behind and to not know its fate. Ugghhhhh! So very glad it was safe and sound!

Your last group shot is so awesome. Better than any PP picture.

Too bad you had to rush through KSC. The bus tour is very cool and I actually only did part of it. I went for the whole day and got there around 10:30, but because I had a 700pm ADR back at Disney and it was Thanksgiving weekend I couldn't even begin to see the whole place. I am planning to go back in June.

I really enjoyed your TR and I hope you have time to post some Charleston pictures before you go away! I need them for research purposes!

Well I hope that someday I can get back to KSC and do the bus tour too, I'm still bitter that we didn't do it...

I am going to do my very best to get those Charleston pictures posted for you!

Great report. You guys sure got to do a lot of fun things on your trip. I would love to do the KSC some day.

Love the D&B!

Yay for your next trip being a couple days away!

It really was a great trip and lots of fun was had! The last day wasn't exactly what I envisioned, but the trip as a whole was fantastic!

The group photo of all of you on the stairs is wonderful! What great memories!

I love that astronaut photo op at KSC with the boys and Don!

A real alligator!

My DH would have been the same way about rushing to leave. He NEVER allows us to enjoy our departure day on any vacation. He's always ready to go, go, go! It drives me nuts, so I feel for you. In fact, my DH acts like the vacation is over the night before. All he wants to talk about is what we need to do to leave "first thing in the morning." I'll never understand them!

Love your bag! I am so glad to hear that you got it back! I can only imagine how sick you felt over that! I know that was a VERY long 5 days!

Isn't that astronaut photo funny? KSC is pretty cool! Jared left wanting to work for NASA, Justin didn't get quite as much out of it, mostly because he was texting the whole time! He had been without his phone for 4 days and had sooooo much to catch up on He was as much to blame as Don was for our quick trip to KSC, once he started talking to his friends he realized how much he missed them and wanted to be home. His baseball team had a double header the next night too and he thought if we left early enough he might make at least one of those games.

I was so relieved that they found my D&B! There was a real possibilty that they could have cleaned the room and not seen the bag. It wasn't like it was out in the open, it was still in it's shopping bag behind a chair that was in the corner next to the door leading out to the verandah. It would have been easy to overlook - thankfully they didn't!

 

[SoonerGirl]

2 questions that I have thought of since I posted:

Do the D & B Dream bags come in wristlet form? I really love my D & B sketch wristlet & would love to have a cruise line one too. I am not a big purse girl, but love the wristlets.

With my new injury, I am wondering about the aqua duck. I am thinking you have to climb a bunch of steps to get up to it & that there prolly isn't an elevator right? I am guessing I won't get to ride it. Oh well, I bought a small waterproof camera that can video so I guess I can give that to Eric & he can videotape the ride for me.

I am almost positive that I saw wristlets. I know they had them for the regular cruise design, and pretty sure they had Dream ones too.

Yes, there are quite a few stairs to get up to the Aquaduck, no elevator that I saw. They may or may not let Eric take the camera on the ride, I've heard of people being turned away that tried to take one with them. Because of that I didn't even try and take my waterproof camera. I didn't want to wait in line for 20 minutes only to have them not let me on because I had my camera with me. You might ask a CM at the line entrance first just to be on the safe side.

 

[jenjolt]

I remember being panicked for you when you texted us about your purse!!! I was so relieved when you told us they had found it and you were going to get your purse back!!

Love your pictures from KSC! That is definitely on my to do list in the future!!!

Speaking of to do lists I have a lot to be doing considering I fly out tomorrow evening!!!! LOL

See you soon!

 

[RinkyTinkyTinky]

Just wanted to pop over here and tell you to have a wonderful and safe trip! I am totally jealous that you are only packing for one person! I can't wait to hear all about this trip when you get back. I know you will miss your boys, but it will be fun to be with people who love Disney as much as you do. Have a fantastic time!!!

 

[Disneygrl36]

I am almost positive that I saw wristlets. I know they had them for the regular cruise design, and pretty sure they had Dream ones too.

Yes, there are quite a few stairs to get up to the Aquaduck, no elevator that I saw. They may or may not let Eric take the camera on the ride, I've heard of people being turned away that tried to take one with them. Because of that I didn't even try and take my waterproof camera. I didn't want to wait in line for 20 minutes only to have them not let me on because I had my camera with me. You might ask a CM at the line entrance first just to be on the safe side.

Yeah for wristlets.
I figured the Aqua Duck was going to be a no go for me. I doubt I would have been able to talk Eric into actually taking the camera anyway as he isn't really the biggest fan of taking pictures/video.

 

[Disneygrl36]

Oh yeah & have a great time on your girls trip!

 

[KatMark]

Have a great trip with the girls, Michelle.

 

[Lovemy3babes]

Girls trip, girls trip, girls trip!!!!!

Can I come with you?

Please?!

Have the best time Michelle! You deserve it.

 

[SoonerGirl]

I remember being panicked for you when you texted us about your purse!!! I was so relieved when you told us they had found it and you were going to get your purse back!!

Love your pictures from KSC! That is definitely on my to do list in the future!!!

Speaking of to do lists I have a lot to be doing considering I fly out tomorrow evening!!!! LOL

See you soon!

Yes, I laughed when Anita told me that whole car cheered when she announced that my purse had been found! I was beyond relieved!

Oh, I think KSC would be right up your alley!

Hope you are all packed and ready - I'll see you tomorrow night! Wow, it felt really good to type that!!

Just wanted to pop over here and tell you to have a wonderful and safe trip! I am totally jealous that you are only packing for one person! I can't wait to hear all about this trip when you get back. I know you will miss your boys, but it will be fun to be with people who love Disney as much as you do. Have a fantastic time!!!

Thanks Rinky, yes I will miss my boys. I'm missing a baseball tournament and a football game for Jared and I will miss Justin getting his drivers permit - that one kinda makes me sad. I tried to talk him into waiting until I got back, but everyday counts when you just can't wait to drive!

Yeah for wristlets.
I figured the Aqua Duck was going to be a no go for me. I doubt I would have been able to talk Eric into actually taking the camera anyway as he isn't really the biggest fan of taking pictures/video.

Well, you'll just have to book another cruise so that you can ride it next time

Oh yeah & have a great time on your girls trip!

Have a great trip with the girls, Michelle.

Girls trip, girls trip, girls trip!!!!!

Can I come with you?

Please?!

Have the best time Michelle! You deserve it.

Thanks ladies! I'm so excited now, I just can't wait!!

Yes, Kelli, come on down, the more the merrier!

 

[SoonerGirl]

Ok, as promised, here are the pictures from our trip to Charleston in August. There are alot!

We arrived on a Thursday evening, and didn't do much that first night. We got checked in the hotel. We stayed in the Historic District at the Andrew Pinckney Inn. It was older, but very charming and the staff was wonderful! We got settled into our room

Then went back across the street to the lobby of the hotel where we were able to look through a book of restaurant menus and the lady working made some recommendations and then made a couple of reservations for us. On this night we ate at a seafood restaurant just a couple of blocks away called Hanks. It was really good! Sorry, no food porn - I only do that in Disney!

I took this photo of the hotel when we came back from dinner

The next morning we went to Boone Hall Plantation, it's been featured in many movies, most recently, The Notebook, also parts of the mini-series Queen were filmed there, and it was the Main family home in the mini-series North & South. It was beautiful! Especially the row of oak trees lining the drive up to the main house - simply breathtaking! There are also 9 slave homes that are still standing on the property. Each of the slave cabins presents a different period in black history, it was very interesting to go through each one. The last one was a live presentation on the Gullah Culture - definitely worth seeing. I would highly recommend Boone Hall Plantation to anyone going to Charleston, but get there early, we arrived right at opening and left probably around 1:00, and it was getting really busy when we left. Here are my pictures from Boone Hall - none of the inside of the house though because photos weren't allowed inside.

Continued in the next post

 

[SoonerGirl]

That night we ate dinner at a steakhouse called Halls - oh my gosh, it was FANTASTIC! Seriously, it was so good that we made another reservation for Sunday night before we left. It was pricey, so be prepared, but I would highly, highly recommend it.

We did a little walking around after dinner and I took some pictures. I loved looking at all the cemeteries and reading the headstones, some were so old that you could barely make out what was written on them, we saw a few from the 1600s!

The next morning we took a carriage tour. We used Palmetto Carriage and were very pleased with the knowledge of our guide.

I took this while we were waiting for our tour - I was disappointed that my camera lens was still foggy, because I really like this photo!

These were the guys that were going to pull us around for the next hour or so

I didn't take any pictures on the tour, it was just too hard in a moving carriage, not to mention trying to dodge the other people in the carriage.

Afterwards we took a walk around Waterfront Park

Continued in the next post

 

[SoonerGirl]

Then it took us a ridiculous amount of time to find where to catch the ferry to go out to Fort Sumter. We finally asked directions and found out we weren't even anywhere close!

Eventually we found it

Here's Don sitting on the ferry waiting to go

A couple of pictures on the way over

Old mortar shells lodged into the walls

It's kind of hard to make out, but there was a pod of dolphins hanging out around the fort

After we got back we decided to eat a big late lunch and then just go light for dinner. We ate at Charleston Crab House, and again had no complaints about our meal, it was really good.

Then we took a little break back at the hotel, it was really hot and we were ready for some down time. After a little nap we headed back out. We decided to walk down to Battery Park to check that out.

Pictures I took on the way

Continued in the next post