Goofmeister
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Oct 17, 2003
- Messages
- 213
Cast:
Sam (30) - the Planner, (1985,1987,2000) Trip # 4
Angie (30) - Eeyore nut and researcher, (2000) Trip # 2
Samantha (3.75) (2000) Trip # 2
THE Drive
The interesting thing about life is that life is an interesting thing. OR: So youre going to be pregnant at Disney.
Let me start off by saying: we were so exhausted from our trip, that the thought of writing a trip report brought tears to my eyes. But now that I am planning our next trip, and the exhaustion has worn off, the old Disney mania has returned - with fangs.
I learned a few things; some of which I knew some of which I couldve prevented some things you just have to experience. Part of our problem, (see how easy it is to spread the blame) was the countdown and buildup to the trip. I love countdowns, and planning and dreaming. Staring at the maps and imagining all the fun we were to have, was well fun, and helped the time pass. However, things didnt always go as I had thought.
And having a pregnant wife was an interesting wild card. Early in the first trimester is prime time for nausea, food aversions, and fatigue, and that was just me. Ok, she did fine, but in hindsight wed been better off later on in the pregnancy. Im digressing here, but one of the fun things we did on the 20-hour drive was to discus baby names. I kept trying to work in a Disney World themed name, but none of the ones I came up with were even given a second thought. I did get some stern looks and a few boos, though. We didnt decide on a name then, even though Tigger Walter Price wouldve been a great name. We could have called him TW.
The best days of our trip, were those that we didnt plan. We went with the flow. We didnt necessarily do less, but we did it at our pace. The less enjoyable days were those that we forced the plan. Ah, but this was Disney, even the worst of days is better than best at work (unless you work at Disney).
THE DRIVING DAYS
There is something special about the adventure of driving to your vacation. We drove last time, and it was fun. Ive flown post 9/11, but my wife hasnt. She never liked flying anyway, which gave us an additional excuse to drive again. As far as I was concerned once we parked at the hotel, I wasnt driving again until we left. I like the Disney transportation. It feels good just saying it.
"Hello, Im Sam and Ive liked Disneys transportation from the start."
"Hi Sam. Welcome to DTS Anonymous."
I like not having to look for your car or fight traffic when youre bone tired from the parks. Nothings perfect, but it works well most of the time. Now, back to our story.
Our journey took us through Dallas stopping in Shreveport, Tallahassee, and finally ASMo.
My wife had been planning and purchasing items for a cool princess (of course) backpack jammed with toys and games and coloring books. She even made an alphabet-coloring book complete with Disney characters for each letter (Even X, eXpotition). We gave the backpack to Samantha on the day we left. It was a great surprise, and she had lots of things to do on the drive.
The key to successful road trips however is the TV/VCR.
Im not the one responsible for packing. I mean Ive packed before, and I could pack again. I am capable of packing. Somehow, in my marriage, my role in packing has been delegated to loading the car, and staying out of the way.
I am, however, responsible for helping Samantha choose (from an embarrassing large collection of Disney tapes) which tapes to take. She puts her choices, one by one, into a stack until she has every single tape in a teetering tower of death. I try to whittle her down to six or eight good choices (that my wife and I can stand to listen to repeatedly) and keep the tower from toppling on us both. (Its the home version of Tower of Terror.)
The tapes were selected and the car was skillfully loaded. We pulled out with first tape playing in the VCR. There was blissful silence from the back seat. Then about an hour into the trip the little LCD TV dies, and cannot be revived! Luckily, we found a Target nearby. We couldnt find a TV/VCR that we liked (and that they had in stock) but we did find a TV/DVD player there. Oh well, we have been slowly replacing our Disney tapes with DVDs anyway. So, we picked up the DVD player and a Rollie Pollie Ollie DVD.
Now, we were sitting in the parking lot of Target trying to figure out how to install and operate this new contraption. Obviously people could see us in our car struggling with boxes and Styrofoam and an English/Japanese manual flying about. Some jerk decided to park an empty shopping cart just behind our new car. Who does that? I of course dont see it and hit the cart. AAARRGH! Luckily there was no damage, but what the of all the AAARRGH! I wish I could roar like a lion. Wouldnt that be cool? When you really got mad at someone you could utter a terrifying loud ROARrr. Birds in nearby trees would take flight. And the targets of your anger would wet themselves in fear. Too intense? Youre probably right.
I had planned to drive through Dallas prior to rush hour. But, two hours later (and several hundred dollars poorer), we were headed toward Dallas, staring down the barrel of rush hour traffic. I hate driving through Dallas with all the odd construction, and traffic, and rubber-neckers.
Normally, it shouldve taken us an hour to pass through the metropolis. Two-and-a-half mind-numbing hours later we escaped gridlock. Samantha kept us entertained with Rollie Pollie Ollie and the Great Defenders of Fun again, and again and again. My daughter loved this movie, and was very content to just watch it even when she had other choices. Why take six movies when one will do?
About a half-hour from our hotel the semi in front of us blew out a tire which came apart and hit us.
We arrived in Shreveport tired and sick of being in the car. We unloaded and inspected the vehicle. Yea! There was no damage from the truck tire. We climbed into bed while visions of oranges and Disney danced in our heads.
We were practically popsicles by morning. Somehow instead of turning the heat down, I turned it off. After shivering all night at the nice Courtyard by Marriott, the drive to Tallahassee was without adventure. We stopped for lunches and dinners at McDonalds or Burger Kings with indoor playgrounds to help Samantha blow off some steam.
Stayed in an OK-but-we-will-never-stay-here-again Hampton Inn off of I10 in Tallahassee. There was a TV Guide listing with an advertisement for Pizza Hut hanging from the door to our room. When Samantha saw this she declared, I dont want to stay in the pizza room.
The next day we left for Disney. It seems to me that there is some kind of time continuum problem from Gainesville to WDW. One hour outside the continuum is one hour. But inside it, its more like three or four hours. However, I really liked the billboards advertising Disney, and the orange groves along Floridas Turnpike on the way to I4.
Years later, we finally arrived on property. The fact that we were back didnt hit me until we walked into the lobby of ASMo. There was just something about the aroma of the lobby that brought back sentimental memories of our first trip. I am slightly embarrassed to admit it, but tears came to our eyes.
Part 3.
Sam (30) - the Planner, (1985,1987,2000) Trip # 4
Angie (30) - Eeyore nut and researcher, (2000) Trip # 2
Samantha (3.75) (2000) Trip # 2
THE Drive
The interesting thing about life is that life is an interesting thing. OR: So youre going to be pregnant at Disney.
Let me start off by saying: we were so exhausted from our trip, that the thought of writing a trip report brought tears to my eyes. But now that I am planning our next trip, and the exhaustion has worn off, the old Disney mania has returned - with fangs.
I learned a few things; some of which I knew some of which I couldve prevented some things you just have to experience. Part of our problem, (see how easy it is to spread the blame) was the countdown and buildup to the trip. I love countdowns, and planning and dreaming. Staring at the maps and imagining all the fun we were to have, was well fun, and helped the time pass. However, things didnt always go as I had thought.
And having a pregnant wife was an interesting wild card. Early in the first trimester is prime time for nausea, food aversions, and fatigue, and that was just me. Ok, she did fine, but in hindsight wed been better off later on in the pregnancy. Im digressing here, but one of the fun things we did on the 20-hour drive was to discus baby names. I kept trying to work in a Disney World themed name, but none of the ones I came up with were even given a second thought. I did get some stern looks and a few boos, though. We didnt decide on a name then, even though Tigger Walter Price wouldve been a great name. We could have called him TW.
The best days of our trip, were those that we didnt plan. We went with the flow. We didnt necessarily do less, but we did it at our pace. The less enjoyable days were those that we forced the plan. Ah, but this was Disney, even the worst of days is better than best at work (unless you work at Disney).
THE DRIVING DAYS
There is something special about the adventure of driving to your vacation. We drove last time, and it was fun. Ive flown post 9/11, but my wife hasnt. She never liked flying anyway, which gave us an additional excuse to drive again. As far as I was concerned once we parked at the hotel, I wasnt driving again until we left. I like the Disney transportation. It feels good just saying it.
"Hello, Im Sam and Ive liked Disneys transportation from the start."
"Hi Sam. Welcome to DTS Anonymous."
I like not having to look for your car or fight traffic when youre bone tired from the parks. Nothings perfect, but it works well most of the time. Now, back to our story.
Our journey took us through Dallas stopping in Shreveport, Tallahassee, and finally ASMo.
My wife had been planning and purchasing items for a cool princess (of course) backpack jammed with toys and games and coloring books. She even made an alphabet-coloring book complete with Disney characters for each letter (Even X, eXpotition). We gave the backpack to Samantha on the day we left. It was a great surprise, and she had lots of things to do on the drive.
The key to successful road trips however is the TV/VCR.
Im not the one responsible for packing. I mean Ive packed before, and I could pack again. I am capable of packing. Somehow, in my marriage, my role in packing has been delegated to loading the car, and staying out of the way.
I am, however, responsible for helping Samantha choose (from an embarrassing large collection of Disney tapes) which tapes to take. She puts her choices, one by one, into a stack until she has every single tape in a teetering tower of death. I try to whittle her down to six or eight good choices (that my wife and I can stand to listen to repeatedly) and keep the tower from toppling on us both. (Its the home version of Tower of Terror.)
The tapes were selected and the car was skillfully loaded. We pulled out with first tape playing in the VCR. There was blissful silence from the back seat. Then about an hour into the trip the little LCD TV dies, and cannot be revived! Luckily, we found a Target nearby. We couldnt find a TV/VCR that we liked (and that they had in stock) but we did find a TV/DVD player there. Oh well, we have been slowly replacing our Disney tapes with DVDs anyway. So, we picked up the DVD player and a Rollie Pollie Ollie DVD.
Now, we were sitting in the parking lot of Target trying to figure out how to install and operate this new contraption. Obviously people could see us in our car struggling with boxes and Styrofoam and an English/Japanese manual flying about. Some jerk decided to park an empty shopping cart just behind our new car. Who does that? I of course dont see it and hit the cart. AAARRGH! Luckily there was no damage, but what the of all the AAARRGH! I wish I could roar like a lion. Wouldnt that be cool? When you really got mad at someone you could utter a terrifying loud ROARrr. Birds in nearby trees would take flight. And the targets of your anger would wet themselves in fear. Too intense? Youre probably right.
I had planned to drive through Dallas prior to rush hour. But, two hours later (and several hundred dollars poorer), we were headed toward Dallas, staring down the barrel of rush hour traffic. I hate driving through Dallas with all the odd construction, and traffic, and rubber-neckers.
Normally, it shouldve taken us an hour to pass through the metropolis. Two-and-a-half mind-numbing hours later we escaped gridlock. Samantha kept us entertained with Rollie Pollie Ollie and the Great Defenders of Fun again, and again and again. My daughter loved this movie, and was very content to just watch it even when she had other choices. Why take six movies when one will do?
About a half-hour from our hotel the semi in front of us blew out a tire which came apart and hit us.
We arrived in Shreveport tired and sick of being in the car. We unloaded and inspected the vehicle. Yea! There was no damage from the truck tire. We climbed into bed while visions of oranges and Disney danced in our heads.
We were practically popsicles by morning. Somehow instead of turning the heat down, I turned it off. After shivering all night at the nice Courtyard by Marriott, the drive to Tallahassee was without adventure. We stopped for lunches and dinners at McDonalds or Burger Kings with indoor playgrounds to help Samantha blow off some steam.
Stayed in an OK-but-we-will-never-stay-here-again Hampton Inn off of I10 in Tallahassee. There was a TV Guide listing with an advertisement for Pizza Hut hanging from the door to our room. When Samantha saw this she declared, I dont want to stay in the pizza room.
The next day we left for Disney. It seems to me that there is some kind of time continuum problem from Gainesville to WDW. One hour outside the continuum is one hour. But inside it, its more like three or four hours. However, I really liked the billboards advertising Disney, and the orange groves along Floridas Turnpike on the way to I4.
Years later, we finally arrived on property. The fact that we were back didnt hit me until we walked into the lobby of ASMo. There was just something about the aroma of the lobby that brought back sentimental memories of our first trip. I am slightly embarrassed to admit it, but tears came to our eyes.
Part 3.
My son likes it as well. No rental car for us! Thanks for the great reports!!
