I have a few pictures of SSR I will insert when I get home. Let me just begin by saying that our second studio was much nicer than our first. It wasn't the greatest view. In fact, the view was a dead on view of the Congress Park bus stop, but it was clean, quiet, and free and noxious odors.
I was happy to unpack. I do like the storage in the studios. I like how you can hang things in the closet and how your laundry bag and empty suitcase can fit in the closet and be out of sight. My DH is not real clean and tidy with his stuff, but I like to be. So I quickly put my clothes away and stored my suitcase.
It was partly cloudy, but warm enough to go to the pool. Our room was closer to the Congress Park pool than the Paddock pool. I love the CP pool because of the great DTD views. The only thing that struck me funny about the pool was that the tan umbrellas were really starting to fade. Geesh - I sound so picky now, but I couldn't help notice how the pool area just doesn't look quite as nice with faded umbrellas. Again - DH blamed it on the sagging economy.
Well, as I was changing into my bathing suit, DH had his gnome moment. "Did you unpack any of my clothes? Have you seen my bathing suit?? I know I had it out before we left home. Did you do something with it?"
"Yeah - you know - as a matter of fact I did see that bathing suit, didn't know what it was, and decided to use it as a dust rag!! Why ever would you ask, you silly gnome?"
uggghhhhhh. "Just wear your running shorts. You don't have time to get one now".
So, yeah, my DH is really a gnome, but I let him slide. This time. I was on vacation and his silly bathing suit, or lack there of, was not going to get to me. I was excited to go "sit a spell" in the hot tub and the go to HS for our passholder tour. We didn't have time for too much hot tubbing. We quickly went back, took showers, dressed and got ready to drive to HS. This is when I decided to really look at my confirmation for the American Idol passholder tour. IT SAID TO CHECK IN 1/2 HOUR EARLY!
What - there was no way we were going to get there 1/2 hour early. 20 minutes maybe, 1/2 hour - NEVER! That meant we had to be there at 4pm and it was, ohhh, 3:48.
I don't know why I take all these Disney instructions so literally. But I did - I went into semi panic mode and said - "We need to go....NOW".
We did get to HS by 4:10pm and the most unwelcome sight I have ever seen greeted us. I can't post this pic now, but there was a line twenty deep at each turnstyle and getting longer. OK - I knew that DS was the park to avoid, but come on....Why aren't the lines moving????????
Turns out the computer had crashed and no one could get through the gates. We waited another 10 mins or so until they finally started to let people come in manually and each of us had our tickets stamped. When the CM stamped my ticket, I said, "where does the AI passholder tour meet?" The CM told me to go back to the attraction and look for signs. Gee thanks. I'll do that. (Please note that there were no instructions on my confirmation to tell me where to go for the tour)
I was basically speed walking (as close to running as I could) to get there as fast as possible. DH said, "Gee you are really determined to see this, aren't you?" "H---, yes", I replied. I was taking advantage of the passholder perk even if it was going to kill me to get there.
When I got back to the AI attractions I saw no signs, no fanfare, no nothing. I asked another CM and a security guard who were outside of the attraction.
The both said "We, don't know, but tell us if you find out"
So then I did what any reasonable person would do. I had to speed walked back to Guest services (which is where I should have gone originally). They told me the entrance was behind the attraction, across from the ABC commissary. So back we went.
We finally found it. The time was 4:28. We were technically 28 minutes later than are 1/2 hour early arrival time of 4pm (are you following me here) Out of breath, I asked, "can we still get in?"
I guess you're going to have to wait to see what those CM's say.
Even my DH laughed for 5 minutes straight. He really does make the perfect gnome!
again!!
