TrickyFish
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Jan 13, 2005
- Messages
- 429
I hope you all enjoy this trip report.. its my first, but I love reading all yours and wanted to try my hand at one!
Cast of Characters
Me (Moxie) 24, second (well third, but I dont count the first) trip to WDW
Dexter (or Dex) 25, 13th trip to WDW
CR Ageless, Dexters father, 16th trip to WDW
Dee Also ageless, Dexters mum, 16th trip to WDW
Dex and I have been dating for over a year and half. Together we share a love of The World and a cozy (read small) one bedroom apartment (and gasp, shock horror, were not marriedmy mother has gotten used to it). It was the morning of our flight to WDW that our cozy (cough tiny) little apartment decided to lose electricitybefore I dried my hair. In my world, this is a major snafu.
So off to breakfast we went, glaring at the electric company trucks as we drove past, hoping to have restored power when we returned. But no luck. It had been over an hour and we were still without power. Luckily, it was midafternoon so we didnt need lights. Unluckily, it was hot as hades, and we live on the top floor. Luckily, we had already cleared out the fridge for our trip. Unluckily, we still had a LOT of food in the freezer. But, what could we do? Mickey and Continental hold flights for no man, and there was no way I was about to miss my flight to save some pineapple sherbert and frozen veggies.
Disgusted at the heat soon swelling the apartment, and at my unstyled hair, we hopped in our cars to CR and Dees house where we were to park our cars and await Grandpas arrival to take us to the airport. Oh! But I need to go to the ATM. And we might as well stop at Starbucks.. After all we have a long night ahead of us!
Flash forward and were at the airport. About three hours early since Grandpa doesnt like driving in rush hour traffic and our flight is at 5:15. Have you ever been to Cleveland Hopkins Airport? Spending a lot of time there is highly NOT recommend. In fact, I think its hazardous to your health. And the health of those around you as you lose your sanity from boredom. Its not like MCO with all those nice little shops. Its hell, with a nic fit.
Eventually we landed in MCO. And this is where the fun begins. See, it was our plan to hop off the plane, skedaddle onto Magical Express, quickly check into the resort and hop into EPCOT for EMH. We landed at 7:15pm. We have to be at EPCOT by 9:00pm. See the insanity of this plan yet?
CR, Dee, Dex and myself made our way through MCO at breakneck pace. It seemed like we walked forever before seeing one of THEM. Thats what I called the CMs who worked ME. I just kept saying we had to find THEM. The people with the hands. (Insert jazz hands movement here because you cant refer to people wearing Mickey gloves without making some type of jazz hands movement). Anyway, the first one of THEM (which I eventually devised as Magical Expresser Helping Tourists, backwards), was very pleasant and helped us figure out where we needed to go. The second one of THEM we encountered obviously forgot the pixie dust in her coffee because Ive seen Grumpy be more pleasant.
The lines for ME were sectioned off by resort and I couldnt really find a rhyme or reason as to how the busses showed up or how the lines were released to busses. We waited in line about 15 minutes before we were loaded on to our bus. The busses were tall, and very plush, with a twinkly star pattern in the red fabric. All in all very cozy and spacious.
Anyway, now remember, were fighting a timeline and Im starting to get VERY nervous. It took forever to load our bus. For. Ever. It didnt take long to load on people but the doors for the luggage compartment was open for a long time, so Im almost wondering if they put some luggage on WITH us. We eventually departed MCO and our driver, John Christophe, had some problems with the video. Actually he seemed to have a problem with driving as well. He did get the video part right, eventually, and we watched a cute, character filled, mind numbing presentation about the wonders of ME. But then JC also almost sideswiped a little white sedan whilst holding a private conversation on his cell phone, and I kept wondering why near death experiences by thoughtless ME drivers wasnt in the video?
It came to be about 8:20pm and we pull into POP CENTURY. What?! Why!! No, we need to get to Coronado Springs. CORONADO SPRINGS. Unload people at PC. Watch clock. Almost 8:30pm. Wait.. why does that sign say Animal Kingdom Lodge. WHY ARE WE GOING TO AKL? Its 8:45!! I wanted to throw something hard at John Christophes head, but all I had that wouldve made any dent was my very old GameBoy and my iPod, neither of which were going to be sacrificed to the ME gods. Eventually we departed ways with AKL and made our way to CSR. By this time it was very dark and very late. Honestly, there was no way in the World that wed made it to EPCOT on time.
Once we finally made it to CSR we shoved our carry on bags at Dee and Dex and I ran for Bus Stop #1: both in order to wait for the EPCOT bus and also because we needed a cigarette badly. (Yes, were smokers, but were the good always smoke in the designated area smokers, I promise).
Eventually Dex and I, as well as CR and Dee, made it on the Epcot bus and we were surprised to note we werent the only ones trying this devilish plan. I was confused. Dont you have to be IN the park by close in order to get a wristband for EMH? Apparently not. It was well after 9pm by the time we got to Epcot and we entered with no problem. CR, Dex, and myself headed for the wristband location near the Electric Umbrella while Dee headed to Guest Relations to figure out where we could get dinner, as we all skipped on the airline food. Weve got all the room keys, no problem getting her a wrist band, right? Well, not from this woman. The woman checking the keys was very stringent in that you had to have the wrist band PUT on you by the CMs. Well, knowing how Disney magic works, we just flashed our best Pluto eyes at the wrist banding CM and got one for Dee anyway. We did have her room key, after all! Its not like we just wanted an extra.
HURRAH! We are in Epcot and have our bands!! What do we do now? Food. Yes food.
We headed to The Land and the counter service restaurant there in. The only counter that was open was the sandwich one and I must say it was quite scrumptious. We deemed that the line for Soarin was much too long and would have to wait for another day so Dex and I decided to wander World Showcase. WS was very empty and made for some great night time shots of the topiaries around for the Flower and Garden Festival. We went round by way of Canada, but got stopped at the bridge to France, so there ended our night Epcot. Oh well, it was back to our very comfy (if not Hidden Mickey deprived) room at Coronado Springs for a good nights sleep before the long days ahead of us.
Oh and by the way, I called the apartment and the answering machine answered! That means the powers back on. Lets just hope nothing is rotting away in the freezer for the ten days until we get back
Cast of Characters
Me (Moxie) 24, second (well third, but I dont count the first) trip to WDW
Dexter (or Dex) 25, 13th trip to WDW
CR Ageless, Dexters father, 16th trip to WDW
Dee Also ageless, Dexters mum, 16th trip to WDW
Dex and I have been dating for over a year and half. Together we share a love of The World and a cozy (read small) one bedroom apartment (and gasp, shock horror, were not marriedmy mother has gotten used to it). It was the morning of our flight to WDW that our cozy (cough tiny) little apartment decided to lose electricitybefore I dried my hair. In my world, this is a major snafu.
So off to breakfast we went, glaring at the electric company trucks as we drove past, hoping to have restored power when we returned. But no luck. It had been over an hour and we were still without power. Luckily, it was midafternoon so we didnt need lights. Unluckily, it was hot as hades, and we live on the top floor. Luckily, we had already cleared out the fridge for our trip. Unluckily, we still had a LOT of food in the freezer. But, what could we do? Mickey and Continental hold flights for no man, and there was no way I was about to miss my flight to save some pineapple sherbert and frozen veggies.
Disgusted at the heat soon swelling the apartment, and at my unstyled hair, we hopped in our cars to CR and Dees house where we were to park our cars and await Grandpas arrival to take us to the airport. Oh! But I need to go to the ATM. And we might as well stop at Starbucks.. After all we have a long night ahead of us!
Flash forward and were at the airport. About three hours early since Grandpa doesnt like driving in rush hour traffic and our flight is at 5:15. Have you ever been to Cleveland Hopkins Airport? Spending a lot of time there is highly NOT recommend. In fact, I think its hazardous to your health. And the health of those around you as you lose your sanity from boredom. Its not like MCO with all those nice little shops. Its hell, with a nic fit.
Eventually we landed in MCO. And this is where the fun begins. See, it was our plan to hop off the plane, skedaddle onto Magical Express, quickly check into the resort and hop into EPCOT for EMH. We landed at 7:15pm. We have to be at EPCOT by 9:00pm. See the insanity of this plan yet?
CR, Dee, Dex and myself made our way through MCO at breakneck pace. It seemed like we walked forever before seeing one of THEM. Thats what I called the CMs who worked ME. I just kept saying we had to find THEM. The people with the hands. (Insert jazz hands movement here because you cant refer to people wearing Mickey gloves without making some type of jazz hands movement). Anyway, the first one of THEM (which I eventually devised as Magical Expresser Helping Tourists, backwards), was very pleasant and helped us figure out where we needed to go. The second one of THEM we encountered obviously forgot the pixie dust in her coffee because Ive seen Grumpy be more pleasant.
The lines for ME were sectioned off by resort and I couldnt really find a rhyme or reason as to how the busses showed up or how the lines were released to busses. We waited in line about 15 minutes before we were loaded on to our bus. The busses were tall, and very plush, with a twinkly star pattern in the red fabric. All in all very cozy and spacious.
Anyway, now remember, were fighting a timeline and Im starting to get VERY nervous. It took forever to load our bus. For. Ever. It didnt take long to load on people but the doors for the luggage compartment was open for a long time, so Im almost wondering if they put some luggage on WITH us. We eventually departed MCO and our driver, John Christophe, had some problems with the video. Actually he seemed to have a problem with driving as well. He did get the video part right, eventually, and we watched a cute, character filled, mind numbing presentation about the wonders of ME. But then JC also almost sideswiped a little white sedan whilst holding a private conversation on his cell phone, and I kept wondering why near death experiences by thoughtless ME drivers wasnt in the video?
It came to be about 8:20pm and we pull into POP CENTURY. What?! Why!! No, we need to get to Coronado Springs. CORONADO SPRINGS. Unload people at PC. Watch clock. Almost 8:30pm. Wait.. why does that sign say Animal Kingdom Lodge. WHY ARE WE GOING TO AKL? Its 8:45!! I wanted to throw something hard at John Christophes head, but all I had that wouldve made any dent was my very old GameBoy and my iPod, neither of which were going to be sacrificed to the ME gods. Eventually we departed ways with AKL and made our way to CSR. By this time it was very dark and very late. Honestly, there was no way in the World that wed made it to EPCOT on time.
Once we finally made it to CSR we shoved our carry on bags at Dee and Dex and I ran for Bus Stop #1: both in order to wait for the EPCOT bus and also because we needed a cigarette badly. (Yes, were smokers, but were the good always smoke in the designated area smokers, I promise).
Eventually Dex and I, as well as CR and Dee, made it on the Epcot bus and we were surprised to note we werent the only ones trying this devilish plan. I was confused. Dont you have to be IN the park by close in order to get a wristband for EMH? Apparently not. It was well after 9pm by the time we got to Epcot and we entered with no problem. CR, Dex, and myself headed for the wristband location near the Electric Umbrella while Dee headed to Guest Relations to figure out where we could get dinner, as we all skipped on the airline food. Weve got all the room keys, no problem getting her a wrist band, right? Well, not from this woman. The woman checking the keys was very stringent in that you had to have the wrist band PUT on you by the CMs. Well, knowing how Disney magic works, we just flashed our best Pluto eyes at the wrist banding CM and got one for Dee anyway. We did have her room key, after all! Its not like we just wanted an extra.
HURRAH! We are in Epcot and have our bands!! What do we do now? Food. Yes food.
We headed to The Land and the counter service restaurant there in. The only counter that was open was the sandwich one and I must say it was quite scrumptious. We deemed that the line for Soarin was much too long and would have to wait for another day so Dex and I decided to wander World Showcase. WS was very empty and made for some great night time shots of the topiaries around for the Flower and Garden Festival. We went round by way of Canada, but got stopped at the bridge to France, so there ended our night Epcot. Oh well, it was back to our very comfy (if not Hidden Mickey deprived) room at Coronado Springs for a good nights sleep before the long days ahead of us.
Oh and by the way, I called the apartment and the answering machine answered! That means the powers back on. Lets just hope nothing is rotting away in the freezer for the ten days until we get back
Hey neighbor!
okay that's enough!
I'm over in the western-- um south western-- suburbs. DBF was raised over on the east side, though! 
