We are in Orlando! And you know how I know this? Besides the fact that our plane landed after 2 quick hours? Wanna know? Huh?
Well, as soon as we step off of the plane
SMACK
HUMIDITY!!! AAAAAAaaaaaahhhhhh
. Something we havent felt in months. And being from Indiana, we love our humidity!
As we emerge from the airport monorail as I call it, we are looking for the friendly ME people with the big, white hands
hmmm.. none around
well, I guess we can go this way.. um
sure?
Can you believe it? The Disney snobs that we are trying to become..
we had to ASK someone where the ME counter was. Unacceptable. Next time, we wont have to ask. I will get used to that airport eventually. Im still a rookie, I guess.
The line looks very long at the ME counter, but it moves quite quickly. I think thats because Disney knows how to do business. Every station has a cast member working it, so people are being taken care of in a hurry.
Unlike the darn airline counters. I hate those things
one or two employees trying to take care of millions of travelers.. blah!
After check in, we go the Festival of Nylon Ropes
aka, the ME waiting area. Its hilarious how organized it is.. with all of those rope barriers and stuff. We get RIGHT on the bus.. HOORAY!! If we hurry, we can make Illuminations!!
NOPE! We get on our bus
and SIT
and SIT
. And SIT.. all of the people who were waiting on busses for other resorts eventually end up on our bus. Thats all fine with me, but couldnt they have just decided that right away? Its like they are trickling in every few minutes. Im thinking, Wait, those people were standing right next to us in the CSR line.. why didnt they just put them on the bus with us when we walked out here 20 minutes ago?!? At least I had time to admire the details on the seats.
We obviously were on
DCL busses. But ME was using them. I believe MEARS runs all of those busses anyway.
Eventually we pull away, and leave behind any opportunity to make it to Illuminations. But I do refrain from any complaining. That is our rule at Disney. No griping, whining, or complaining, at Disney.
Besides, just pulling away and seeing all of the Disney logos on the sides of the ME and DCL busses make me smile. Anyone else? Do you just have to grin when you see Mickey on the sides of those busses? Maybe Im just a sap.
The cute ME video comes on and they show Mickey and Minnie getting on the ME bus. Im wondering to myself if they will show Mickey and Minnie waiting a half an hour to leave
but they dont. Im listening very intently to the video (much more so than I listened to the safety procedure on the airplane) when I hear them mention The Happiest Celebration on Earth
huh?
That is SO last year!! I guess the ME busses are the last ones to get on board with the Year of a Million Dreams. Oh well.
Luckily, SSR is the 1st stop. Well, that makes up for our half hour wait! We breathe in the resort air when we step off of the bus and make our way into the lobby. All I can say is
WOW!!
Its glorious. Enormous. Magestic. And still decorated for Christmas. Cool!
I just cant believe were here!!
The CM that checks us in seems a little over it
not what I expect from a CM
but you know, not EVERYONE can be chipper and happy, can they?
We are asking about the 5K run that is going to be happening the next morning. We need to be at MGM by 6:30 to pick stuff up, but our CM was having trouble trying to figure out where and when the busses would be picking up runners in the morning. We heard several different versions from her, and the folks my DH talked to on the phone.. but when we leave to go hunt for our room, we are confident that the busses will be running throughout the resort starting pick up at 5 am. So we can catch the bus at our closest bus stop. That really does have importance tomorrow morning, really
We decide to WALK to our room
even though we are located in the Carousel
which is pretty far from the main buildings, especially when you dont know where you are going! You know when you are trying to find something for the first time, it just seems so far away!
But we got there, and our room is really close to the bus stop. I am a big, fat loser for not taking pics of the room. But we were just too excited and hungry.. and I forgot. Sorry.
We considered walking to DTD for dinner, but again, we were hungry. So we went to Artists Pallete (The quick-service/gift shop at SSR) for a late dinner. DH had some cheese and fruit (he didnt want to fill up before the race) and I had a DELICIOUS chicken/artichoke flat bread
awesome!
We dragged ourselves back to the room (which seemed a little bit closer this time) and CRASHED!! That alarm clock was going to go off SOON
Of course, DH wouldnt need it
Stay tuned to find out how HE woke up!
I love your TR so far and I am looking forward to reading more of it! I think to move it to the regular boards you need to contact the moderator of the TR boards...I thought I read that somewhere else. Anyways, keep up the great work, I'll be waiting for more! 
Ooh your TR is great so far! Im glad you put pictures of your luggage up because when I got my tags I had NO clue what to do with them! I just got them the other day. I was like what does AK Pop Classic mean? 
Now I realize that its our hotel and the "area" its in! Loving the red luggage - I JUST BOUGHT SOME RED LUGGAGE (i am loving my red luggage! 
) <--not sure if my ONE SUITCASE counts as luggage, but we can pretend! Okay now Im rambling! Loving the trip report and cant wait to hear all about the adults only trip since I will be going on one just like it in 24 DAYS! 
Oh and one last thing - your bedspread/sheets are AWESOME!
What a way to dampen the mood.
(That’s the sound of DH and me FLYING out of the door!) Don’t mean to be rude but… DISNEY IS WAITING!!
Are you for real?! What a drama queen!!
