akasleepingbeauty
My favorite place to run is Disney!!
- Joined
- Jul 6, 2000
Our Happy Group:
Me, 36, compulsive planner, hoping all goes perfect
DH, 44, good sport, in need of a good vacation
Teen DD, 15, excited but in a cool way
Youngest DD, 13 months, oblivious to goings-on, just her generally happy self
My parents and sister (25) were traveling in our group as well. This is the first time we have all traveled as a group and it went surprisingly well!!
I will warn you now - these daily reports are going to be long - really really really long. So, if you don't like detailed reports go ahead and hit that back button now!!
I wrote this information as much for me as for all of you. I want to remember as much of it as possible - hence the ad nauseum detail.
Read, skim, or skip completely - whatever works for you!! I will post these by days and then add some general overviews on certain subjects. Please ask questions if you have them!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~
6/2 Disembarkation and Returning Home
As expected, morning came too early. DH and I awoke about 6:20 and quietly began getting ready for the day. Both DDs continued sleeping until about 7:00. We, obviously, did not make an attempt to go to our breakfast seating just too early for us. I was sorry to miss seeing our servers one last time but I just knew it wouldnt be a good idea.
So, last minute packing is finished and the girls are now up. DH heads to Topsiders to get us all a quick breakfast snack. I knew that the adults could most likely do without if necessary but no way youngest DD could go without breakfast. So, we had a quick snack of baked goods and fruit.
Finished getting everyone dressed and one last look to make sure we didnt forget anything (which it turns out we did oh well). Teen DD and I really wanted to get a peak at the luxury suites up on Deck 8 but DH wasnt interested. So, DH stayed with youngest DD while teen DD and I went upstairs. We had to maneuver around cleaning carts and vacuums but we did manage to see a category 3 suite (bigger than I expected and very nice) along with the Roy Disney Suite (also very nice neat wet-bar etc.). We really really wanted to see the Walt Disney suite but unfortunately the door was closed and there were no room stewards around. Maybe next time
Back to our room to meet up with DH and younger DD. Gathered our stuff up, put youngest DD in the backpack carrier and headed to the atrium to meet up with my parents and sister. I decided to stop by lost and found at the guest services desk one last time to look for a lost hair bow, sippy cup and/or baby spoons all of which we had managed to misplace during the week. No matches shoot. But while there, I noticed a mother and daughter being given what looked like a complete set of trading cards. The mother was trying to get another set and the CM told her it was only one set per stateroom.
So, I sent teen DD to the desk to see if she could get some since we had not been successful in completing our set. The CM asked which ones she already had and told her she would get the others (in other words, she wouldnt just give you a complete set). Teen DD could not remember exactly which ones but made a pretty good guess. So, we ended up with a near complete set pretty easily. I did not remember ever reading this on the boards and therefore was excited to be able to share it when I returned.
Finally, time to face the music and get off the boat. It was hard to go but off we went. We proceeded to collect our luggage 5 minutes tops to get them all. Breezed through customs without a hitch. Checked in our bags at the Delta counter so thankfully we did not have to pack them in the rental van.
My uncle once again took DH to the rental car counter at the Radisson. Once again took about 30 minutes and he was back with the car. We packed our carry-ons and stroller in the van and installed the car seat. We said our goodbyes and loaded up in the van to head to Orlando.
It was now about 9:10 and out flight was scheduled to depart Orlando at 12:55 p.m. We decided to go to Downtown Disney for lunch and a bit of quick shopping before heading to the airport.
We had lunch at Wolfgang Express (good but pretty expensive) and hit a couple of stores. It was now 11:30 and time to go. We stopped to fill the rental van with gas and onto the airport.
We arrived at the airport and turned in the rental car without any problem. Since we had checked our bags at the port we went directly to the gate. Unfortunately, I could not justify a stop at any of the airport Disney stores since we did not have a lot of extra time at this point.
They were boarding our rows as we walked up so we got in line and onto the plane in a matter of just a few minutes. Went through the whole car seat, carry-on, baby handling mess and then we were ready to go.
The plane departed on time and arrived a few minutes early. Same car seat, carry-on, baby handling mess on the way off the plane but we are getting good at by now. The luggage took a while to arrive so DH went and got our van from the parking lot. Just as he arrived back at the baggage claim, the last bags were coming off the bag carousel.
Even more creative luggage packing required since now 2 of the bags have been expanded and one is now really full. Luckily, DH is very good at this and we were on our way in just a few minutes.
It was an uneventful ride home. We were glad to see the house was still standing no fires or burglaries etc. while we were gone. It was hard to believe that the trip was really over. We had such a great time but it did go fast.
We have since discussed when we can go back. Although I would like to go back ASAP, it will probably not be until 2004 when teen DD graduates from high school. It will also be our 10th anniversary that year so maybe we can justify a one-bedroom suite.
Once again, thanks to everyone who posted trip reports, gave hints and feedback and just generally made the DIS boards the best source of trip planning information anywhere!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Links to other days' trip reports
Day 1: http://www.disboards.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=45110
Day 2: http://www.disboards.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=45111
Day 3: http://www.disboards.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=45112
Day 4: http://www.disboards.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=45114
Day 5: http://www.disboards.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=45116
Day 6: http://www.disboards.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=45117
Day 7: http://www.disboards.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=45119
Day 8: http://www.disboards.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=45121
Day 9: http://www.disboards.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=45123
Me, 36, compulsive planner, hoping all goes perfect
DH, 44, good sport, in need of a good vacation
Teen DD, 15, excited but in a cool way
Youngest DD, 13 months, oblivious to goings-on, just her generally happy self
My parents and sister (25) were traveling in our group as well. This is the first time we have all traveled as a group and it went surprisingly well!!
I will warn you now - these daily reports are going to be long - really really really long. So, if you don't like detailed reports go ahead and hit that back button now!!
I wrote this information as much for me as for all of you. I want to remember as much of it as possible - hence the ad nauseum detail.
Read, skim, or skip completely - whatever works for you!! I will post these by days and then add some general overviews on certain subjects. Please ask questions if you have them!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~
6/2 Disembarkation and Returning Home
As expected, morning came too early. DH and I awoke about 6:20 and quietly began getting ready for the day. Both DDs continued sleeping until about 7:00. We, obviously, did not make an attempt to go to our breakfast seating just too early for us. I was sorry to miss seeing our servers one last time but I just knew it wouldnt be a good idea.
So, last minute packing is finished and the girls are now up. DH heads to Topsiders to get us all a quick breakfast snack. I knew that the adults could most likely do without if necessary but no way youngest DD could go without breakfast. So, we had a quick snack of baked goods and fruit.
Finished getting everyone dressed and one last look to make sure we didnt forget anything (which it turns out we did oh well). Teen DD and I really wanted to get a peak at the luxury suites up on Deck 8 but DH wasnt interested. So, DH stayed with youngest DD while teen DD and I went upstairs. We had to maneuver around cleaning carts and vacuums but we did manage to see a category 3 suite (bigger than I expected and very nice) along with the Roy Disney Suite (also very nice neat wet-bar etc.). We really really wanted to see the Walt Disney suite but unfortunately the door was closed and there were no room stewards around. Maybe next time
Back to our room to meet up with DH and younger DD. Gathered our stuff up, put youngest DD in the backpack carrier and headed to the atrium to meet up with my parents and sister. I decided to stop by lost and found at the guest services desk one last time to look for a lost hair bow, sippy cup and/or baby spoons all of which we had managed to misplace during the week. No matches shoot. But while there, I noticed a mother and daughter being given what looked like a complete set of trading cards. The mother was trying to get another set and the CM told her it was only one set per stateroom.
So, I sent teen DD to the desk to see if she could get some since we had not been successful in completing our set. The CM asked which ones she already had and told her she would get the others (in other words, she wouldnt just give you a complete set). Teen DD could not remember exactly which ones but made a pretty good guess. So, we ended up with a near complete set pretty easily. I did not remember ever reading this on the boards and therefore was excited to be able to share it when I returned.
Finally, time to face the music and get off the boat. It was hard to go but off we went. We proceeded to collect our luggage 5 minutes tops to get them all. Breezed through customs without a hitch. Checked in our bags at the Delta counter so thankfully we did not have to pack them in the rental van.
My uncle once again took DH to the rental car counter at the Radisson. Once again took about 30 minutes and he was back with the car. We packed our carry-ons and stroller in the van and installed the car seat. We said our goodbyes and loaded up in the van to head to Orlando.
It was now about 9:10 and out flight was scheduled to depart Orlando at 12:55 p.m. We decided to go to Downtown Disney for lunch and a bit of quick shopping before heading to the airport.
We had lunch at Wolfgang Express (good but pretty expensive) and hit a couple of stores. It was now 11:30 and time to go. We stopped to fill the rental van with gas and onto the airport.
We arrived at the airport and turned in the rental car without any problem. Since we had checked our bags at the port we went directly to the gate. Unfortunately, I could not justify a stop at any of the airport Disney stores since we did not have a lot of extra time at this point.
They were boarding our rows as we walked up so we got in line and onto the plane in a matter of just a few minutes. Went through the whole car seat, carry-on, baby handling mess and then we were ready to go.
The plane departed on time and arrived a few minutes early. Same car seat, carry-on, baby handling mess on the way off the plane but we are getting good at by now. The luggage took a while to arrive so DH went and got our van from the parking lot. Just as he arrived back at the baggage claim, the last bags were coming off the bag carousel.
Even more creative luggage packing required since now 2 of the bags have been expanded and one is now really full. Luckily, DH is very good at this and we were on our way in just a few minutes.
It was an uneventful ride home. We were glad to see the house was still standing no fires or burglaries etc. while we were gone. It was hard to believe that the trip was really over. We had such a great time but it did go fast.
We have since discussed when we can go back. Although I would like to go back ASAP, it will probably not be until 2004 when teen DD graduates from high school. It will also be our 10th anniversary that year so maybe we can justify a one-bedroom suite.
Once again, thanks to everyone who posted trip reports, gave hints and feedback and just generally made the DIS boards the best source of trip planning information anywhere!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Links to other days' trip reports
Day 1: http://www.disboards.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=45110
Day 2: http://www.disboards.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=45111
Day 3: http://www.disboards.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=45112
Day 4: http://www.disboards.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=45114
Day 5: http://www.disboards.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=45116
Day 6: http://www.disboards.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=45117
Day 7: http://www.disboards.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=45119
Day 8: http://www.disboards.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=45121
Day 9: http://www.disboards.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=45123
