Thanks Tracy.
Wow today has flown by. I got a good start on getting organized, unpacked and am just here with dd since ds is on his first trip without mom and dad! He did call to say he arrived safe and sound and said he'd call me every day to check in. We'll see.
I have no food in the house, so took dd to Chick Fil A for lunch where I behaved very well, got a chick sal sandwich and fruit. But did eat about 1/4th of her sandwich after she got full. Have been slamming the water, and had a slim fast for breakfast. Dinner will hopefully be a turkey burger and a salad as long as I make it to the grocery store.
I am not doing a formal trip report but I will recap a few things quickly. Loved our stay at All Star Music. It was super clean, we had great mousekeeprs which was nice since so many people seem to be having horrible experiences with that lately. Go figure. We had nine nights there. I won a music trivia concert at the pool games that Friday and let dd pick out a prize (she got a HSM game). I got all the oldies right. I smoked the young group of bikini clad twentysomethings whom I might add worked as a team against littled old me! It pays to be old and an avid listener of 1980's music!
Old Key West was also great, it was soooo nice to be in that one bedroom after that small value room. One afternoon it poured rain and the four of us just sat out on the balcony watching the storm chatting waiting it out, and then headed over to MGM for Fantasmic. I think that was my favorite moment of the trip. Somehow we didn't get on Expedition Everest, the day we did AK, dh's aunt was so tired and we just felt like we couldn't leave her to wait (it was also raining) while we road. We barely did a thing at AK, that park is huge and I found out hilly. At least it felt that way pushing that wheelchair.
We did the
DDP the first 9 nights. Can I say I am sort of not wanting to do that again unless we can ever go when its free? The food was fine, but I felt like all we did was eat. We had to take cabs several times due to the fact dh's aunt even before she threw her knee out just couldn't keep up with the walking in that heat. With heat indexes of over 100 most days, it really took its toll. And given some of the stress I was having with them, the cocktails I kept ordering at dinner took their toll on my budget. I came in more over budget than any trip we have ever done to WDW. Major bummer. Too many cabs and drinks and of course the gratuities add up big time on the DDP. Once we were off the DDP we did much better with money. We did eat one full serve off the DDP at O'Hana. Our good friends from home were at the Poly (lucky them) so we met them at Blizzard Beach then met them at O'Hana for dinner. It was their 15th wedding anniversary and what would have been my mom's 74th birthday. So that was a really nice evening. But with tax and tip it was around $200. Just insane how expensive the food at WDW is. Universal is no better. And we misssed the one and only meal I was really looking forward to: Sci Fi. That day cousin was sick, aunt was exhuasted and I knew walking back into the park was just too much for her. So I cancelled it and we did Olivia's instead which was just an easy cab ride over to OKW and much easier for her. But I have to say, I won't be doing the DDP anytime soon. I love the food at WDW but need a break from running around from ADR to ADR. I think we'll do the Quick Serve plan next trip. And do Sci Fi!
My wacko highlight of the trip was when I took my swimsuit off after Blizzard Beach one afternoon to shower. I had been in the lazy river for hours with dd, sometimes out of the tube to get a bit of exercise, and at some point a visitor from the river made its way into my suit! When I took it off, something fell out, it was a dead frog! I guess it got in there and my big knockers suffocated the poor thing! I was howling for Dan to get in the bathroom and pick it up. Of course this got back to our friends and all evening it was the talk of the trip. Dead frog in Amy's bossom. I will add this thing was about the size of a large cricket. But very icky.
I could definitely tell all the walking, aquasize and biking at the gym helped with my stamina. But I felt fat and yucky the whole time. I am so sick of looking like a fat, out of shape, middle age hag. I only have one picture with me in it the whole trip. I wouldn't let anybody take my picture. Having to get in the fat seat on Hulk and Dueling Dragons was a total humiliation. I did the test seat on Dueling Dragons knowing that I'd need the bigger seat. I accidentally tried out the regular seat and it wouldn't snap, although dh said I gave up too quick before he could really get it in there. So I just walked off humilated and had our friends take the kids. Dan stayed with me, but then a few minutes later, I realized I had gotten into the regular seat, not the modified one. So I went back over, tested out the modified one and it fit fine with plenty of room to spare. So I got to ride. But it was embarrassing. My friend Jody fit fine, she's about 25-30 pounds less than me so I know that's what I need to lose to get out of the fat seat. I swear when I want to overeat, I'll remember the humiliation of needing a special seat. If that won't kill the craving, what will?
As of today I am at 8 pounds up so at least I lost 4 pounds of water last night. I realized I can't go back to WW until the 10th due to the holiday which is fine. I just have to do this.
And we are going back to WDW in March. We have the points, we can do 8 nights in a studio and still have plenty of points left to do a two bedroom with my nephew and his girlfriend in October of 2010. I have also decided we aren't taking my sister with us that trip. The week with dh's family made me realize that WDW is not a great trip for people with mobiity issues. She'd need a wheelchair due to her MS. She also hates crowds and hates Disney. So I think its best to just let that idea go. Someday, maybe she can come on a cruise with us. That is way more her style.
Did you have a drink for me yet? Inquiring minds want to know. 
That is so cool that you got to go to Sea World!
We used to have one here in Ohio and I miss it sooo much. 
I've never been to the one in Orlando though. One day. 
We will keep her and her family in our thoughts and prayers. 
