AtlantaDisneyDreamer
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jan 11, 2014
I thought it might be informative for other guests to admit and explain those times that something went terribly wrong with our Disney vacation planning.
In spite of all of my meticulous research and planning, we still managed to have a Griswold Family Moment (remember Vacation?) on our most recent trip.
We had an 8:10 am pre-park opening breakfast at BOG, and I was determined not to miss it. After reading many threads and starting a couple of my own on the topic here, I decided not to chance it with Disney transportation from our resort (POFQ). We could control our arrival time if we drove rather than chance being late due to a Disney bus running behind (I have been at a bus stop in the morning where people missed an early breakfast because they waited nearly an hour for a bus to arrive).
Now understand that I had been talking up my planning genius for months with my family- I am the Disney Guru (according to me). So on our BOG breakfast day, I woke up everyone at 6 am cheering, "It's a big day at the MK!" and finally managed to get everyone up and ready. I talked up the breakfast and the fact that we could get into the park early and get to ride SDMT with no wait and wasn't I so smart for knowing this? So we piled into the car and drove to the TTC. We were the third car in the parking lot at 7 am. Woohoo! We climbed out of the car and packed the stroller and got the kids together and happily walked to the TTC. And up to the monorail. With a sign that said that service would begin at 8:30.
No one was around, save for a few CMs who seemed to be getting ready to start their day. We saw a CM standing near the ferry boat. We walked over. He said, "Ferry service doesn't run until 8:30." I said, "So, how do we get to MK for our pre-park opening breakfast?" He said, "I don't know anything about that. Maybe they are running buses." Aha! So we have to take a bus.
We walked back over to the bus information area. We asked a bus driver where we go for service to MK. He informed us that no buses were taking guests to the MK yet and they won't until at least 8 am. I asked him how we were supposed to get to a pre-park breakfast. He said people take buses from their resorts. I asked him how people who are not staying on-property are supposed to get to pre-park opening breakfasts. He just shrugged. He said he would ask someone else and walked off. We saw him asking several CMs and everyone seemed as if they had never heard of such a thing as leaving from the TTC for a pre-park breakfast. (Sorry, folks! We are closed for two weeks to clean and repair America's favorite family fun park.)
So there we were, this lone family standing at the quiet TTC in the wee small hours of the morning, looking lost and completely uninformed. Total Griswold vacation moment. At this point, my husband had lost all faith in my Disney planning genius and began in good humor to poke fun at my less-than-apt planning for the morning.
The bus driver returned and kindly offered to get us to MK one way or another. He flagged down a white Disney van, and soon the van drove over to us and offered us private transportation to MK. The van driver told us that Disney would do just about anything to help out their guests. That certainly seemed to be the case that morning. Our breakfast and our day (and TWO rides on SDMT without a wait) were saved by the kindness and pity of a Disney bus driver.
And I still don't know how people who drive to the parks are supposed to get to a pre-park opening breakfast.
So what are your Griswold family moments??? Anyone?
In spite of all of my meticulous research and planning, we still managed to have a Griswold Family Moment (remember Vacation?) on our most recent trip.
We had an 8:10 am pre-park opening breakfast at BOG, and I was determined not to miss it. After reading many threads and starting a couple of my own on the topic here, I decided not to chance it with Disney transportation from our resort (POFQ). We could control our arrival time if we drove rather than chance being late due to a Disney bus running behind (I have been at a bus stop in the morning where people missed an early breakfast because they waited nearly an hour for a bus to arrive).
Now understand that I had been talking up my planning genius for months with my family- I am the Disney Guru (according to me). So on our BOG breakfast day, I woke up everyone at 6 am cheering, "It's a big day at the MK!" and finally managed to get everyone up and ready. I talked up the breakfast and the fact that we could get into the park early and get to ride SDMT with no wait and wasn't I so smart for knowing this? So we piled into the car and drove to the TTC. We were the third car in the parking lot at 7 am. Woohoo! We climbed out of the car and packed the stroller and got the kids together and happily walked to the TTC. And up to the monorail. With a sign that said that service would begin at 8:30.
No one was around, save for a few CMs who seemed to be getting ready to start their day. We saw a CM standing near the ferry boat. We walked over. He said, "Ferry service doesn't run until 8:30." I said, "So, how do we get to MK for our pre-park opening breakfast?" He said, "I don't know anything about that. Maybe they are running buses." Aha! So we have to take a bus.
We walked back over to the bus information area. We asked a bus driver where we go for service to MK. He informed us that no buses were taking guests to the MK yet and they won't until at least 8 am. I asked him how we were supposed to get to a pre-park breakfast. He said people take buses from their resorts. I asked him how people who are not staying on-property are supposed to get to pre-park opening breakfasts. He just shrugged. He said he would ask someone else and walked off. We saw him asking several CMs and everyone seemed as if they had never heard of such a thing as leaving from the TTC for a pre-park breakfast. (Sorry, folks! We are closed for two weeks to clean and repair America's favorite family fun park.)
So there we were, this lone family standing at the quiet TTC in the wee small hours of the morning, looking lost and completely uninformed. Total Griswold vacation moment. At this point, my husband had lost all faith in my Disney planning genius and began in good humor to poke fun at my less-than-apt planning for the morning.
The bus driver returned and kindly offered to get us to MK one way or another. He flagged down a white Disney van, and soon the van drove over to us and offered us private transportation to MK. The van driver told us that Disney would do just about anything to help out their guests. That certainly seemed to be the case that morning. Our breakfast and our day (and TWO rides on SDMT without a wait) were saved by the kindness and pity of a Disney bus driver.
And I still don't know how people who drive to the parks are supposed to get to a pre-park opening breakfast.
So what are your Griswold family moments??? Anyone?
I can't remember any Griswold moment's from our last 2 trips, but I'm sure there must be some! You did just save us from the same Griswold moment you just had. We were planning to drive to Mk for our pre-park opening at BOG, but now I think we'll take the bus.
) so I asked him to meet us at CB and we'd bus over to the MK. DH and I headed to the bus stop; Ed drove by and honked as we arrived and went to park his car. He walked up and I was making introductions and telling him I was excited for him to get to know my family...talking away when DH interrupts with..."aren't we suppose to catch the bus?" as the MK bus is driving away! 
and got "eye rolls" from both of them. 
Worked out well though...we drove Ed's car over and before parking he took us "back stage" to see the monorail barn, Disney University, holiday storage warehouse, CM apartments, etc. Very interesting "tour" of the places that "make the magic"! (and I LOVE Christmas Vacation! Always the first "movie of the season" that I watch!) 
