An APRIL Adventure in Autism: 2008 (8/8) Time to Say Good-Bye....

[KathyRN137]

What a lovely day so far.

Hmmm water and mice?? Wondering what that means?

Heh Heh Heh!

I think it's actually an older reference...

Some of you got it, I think!

* But don't give it away!!


Kathy

 

[KathyRN137]

how great to have the pool and laundry to yourself too!

...Only because it was 8:45 in the morning!!

I'd never let the kids get me up that early to go swimming at home!!


Kathy

 

[mommytothreeboys]

Woo-Hoo! I did it....I'm all caught up! (Granted it's 10:45 and I'm still in my PJ's and nothing in the house has been done, but whatever! )

First..my DH would NEVER agree to a road trip to Disney with the kids. I think it sounds kinda fun, but alas, I believe we will be flying for our trips. The only way he would do it is if we had 2 weeks and we could make a "mini vacation" of the drive itself...stopping to see the sights, etc.

I literally teared up when I saw the WDW sign on your arrival. What a sap!

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the Yoda shirt Ed was wearing! My oldest son, Dan, is 14 and has always been on the small side. He bought a pin this trip that said the exact same thing...TOO FUNNY!

Kudos to your for going on Star Tours...I get very motion sick and it's one of the rides I just don't attempt! Cool Dream Team story...LOVE IT! One of the best things about WDW is being able to share the magic!

The "farting Billy" story CRACKED ME UP!!! I have boys and totally get the Potty Humor...unfortunately as the only girl in the family I sometimes have to point out the "time and place" factor!

We have never done Rafiki's Planet Watch because I was under the same impression as you..glorified petting zoo. But it sounds cool and maybe we'll do it next time...still trying to pin DH down on when that will be!

Sounds like a great start to a relaxing day! Can't wait to hear more! In fact, with all the Aunt Rae references I feel like I'm left out of, I need to go read your other report too......

Ok...another time! ...now I really must shower and get this day moving! LOL!

 

[KathyRN137]

Woo-Hoo! I did it....I'm all caught up! (Granted it's 10:45 and I'm still in my PJ's and nothing in the house has been done, but whatever! )

In fact, with all the Aunt Rae references I feel like I'm left out of, I need to go read your other report too......

Ahh, a true DISer you be!! Laundry and dishes matter not when reading trip reports!!

If you do decide to read the November '07 report, you'll have to book more than just a morning! That turned out to be a doozie!

Kathy

 

[GRUMPY160]

hi

 

[KathyRN137]

Hi yourself, Grumpy!


Kathy

 

[KathyRN137]

Chapter 17: Bossy Betty and the Bewildering Boat Blunder


Wednesday, 4/23/08
Old Key West Resort



We had just spent the last two hours splashing around in the sparkling clean water of the quiet pool, but we were not done with our Resort-Day fun just yet! After a quick trip back to the room to dry off and change clothes, we were soon hoofing it to the small marina, which is located near the Hospitality House and the large main theme pool.



I suppose we could have walked over to the nearby bus stop, waited a little, then hopped onto any one of the buses in order to get there... they always seemed to stop at the HH before heading out to the parks. But, honestly, it felt like it would be just as easy to walk. For some reason the resort map made the distance look much greater than it actually was; it could not have taken us more than ten minutes. In any case, it was a lovely walk and we enjoyed looking at all the picturesque buildings and the lush vegetation growing along the paths and the nearby fairways.



Once at the marina, I stopped in at Hank’s Rent ‘N Return to inquire about renting two of the Sea Raycers... mini-motorboats built for two. (The old models were called “Water Mice” and I still prefer to call them by that name... just seems more fitting, ‘ya know?) I was a bit surprised (and dismayed) not to see any of the little watercraft docked in the water... the gentleman at the game room had told us the night before that these little boats were rented on a first-come-first-served basis. Oh well, it was lunchtime and we had not eaten, so Ed took the kids with him to order burgers and hot dogs from Good’s Food to Go while I stood in the small line at Hank’s.



Now, in addition to several lifeguards who strolled in and out of the office, there was an older female CM working “the rental desk.” From the little snippits of conversation that I overheard between her and them, and between her and the guests in front of me, this woman gave the impression of being one of those co-workers who likes to “be in charge” and tell the others what’s what... although there was no indication on her name tag or in her uniform that she was any kind of a supervisor. Suffice it to say... she struck me as being a little bit bossy.



Once the gentleman in front of me had obtained a ball so that his family could play on one of the nearby volleyball courts, I stepped up to the window and gave her my best Gee-I’m-just-so-happy-to-be-here-at-Disney smile. “I’d like to rent two of the Water Mice…er… I mean, Sea Raycers, please!” I had my resort ID and my wallet out, ready to go.“Bossy Betty” picked up a clipboard, looked at it quickly and then said, curtly, “We don’t have any right now, you’ll have to come back later. Next, please!”



I blinked a few times. It must have been from all the pixie-dust flying off this woman! With Disney smile intact, I asked her politely when they might become available. “Dunno,” she replied. “People take them out for as long as they want, I don’t know when they’ll be back. You’ll have to come back later.”



O-Kaaayy. This sounded like an improbable arrangement. (When we rented a surrey bike on our previous trip, we had to indicate whether we wanted it for a half-hour or an hour before we took it out.) I persisted to annoy her with my apparent boat-rental ignorance.



“Well, do you have some sort of a sign up list...” From the look on her face, I could tell that Betty considered me some kind of idiot. She cut me off with, “There’s no list, you just come back later. It’s first come-first serve... no reservations!”



I persevered, politely. “But how am I supposed to know when to come back if you can’t tell me when the other people are returning?” I’m a blonde, as you know, and sometimes it helps if you play a little dumb. (Although I didn’t think it was a particularly dumb question.) One of the young lifeguards had entered the office and was taking a key ring down from a peg on the wall. Seeing, perhaps, that Bossy Betty was about to blow her top, he leaned into the conversation and informed me that, unfortunately, my best option was to wait around by the rental window until the other guests returned with the boats, then jump right in and claim them before someone else did.



“I just told her that, twice!” fumed Betty, obviously miffed at Likable Lifeguard's apologetic attitude. He shrugged. I shrugged. What could I do but wait?



Fortunately, the picnic tables for patrons of Good’s were situated right on the “boardwalk” next to the marina, so I decided to join Ed and the kids and eat my lunch... all the while keeping an eye out for the returning boats. I must say that it was cause for a tiny bit of agita and I couldn’t really enjoy my food. What if I spotted the boats, jumped up and ran to the rental window, only to find that there were other guests in front of me who wished to rent those very boats? “First come, first served” rather necessitated being “first” at the window, so I ate a hurried lunch and went back over to loiter by the rental office while Ed took the kids inside to get something at the store.



On the surface, this seemed to be a good plan. Unfortunately, the rental office was just outside the line of sight for the marina and I could not hang around the window and watch for the boats at the same time. So, I spent the next 15-20 minutes or so pacing slowly back and forth between the rental window and the steps leading down to the marina. Every time another guest approached the window, I became anxious that they would request a boat rental and we would wind up competing for the same watercraft!



It was, by now, almost one o’clock and I was beginning to think that we might not be able to rent the water mice after all. We had tickets for the Pirate & Princess Party at the Magic Kingdom that night, and we would need a certain amount of time to get back to our room, shower, change, and get over to the park reasonably early. Things were looking fairly doubtful when all of a sudden, two water mice came ‘round the bend in the waterway! Hooray!



I called Ed and told him to hotfoot it over with the kids and I stood at the window and waited. And waited. Finally, one of the lifeguards came up the stairs with the family who had rented the boats. They took off, laughing, and the lifeguard came into the office and scribbled something on the clipboard, then left. I presented myself once more to Bossy Betty.



“Two of the boats just came back,” I reported. “I’d like to rent them for one hour, please.” Betty checked the clipboard and her brows knit together in a frown. “Only one boat is available, you can rent that.”



Okay, wait a second. I distinctly saw two boats returning just then. I made the mistake of attempting to point this out to Betty. “If you’ll just come outside and take a look” I suggested, “you’ll see for yourself that there are two boats there!” She was unmoved. “We have one boat available, one of those boats is out of service; its waiting to be fixed.” Although she could not see the boats in question from inside the office, Betty stuck by what was supposedly written on that darn clipboard and insisted that there was only one boat available.



By this time, Ed had arrived with the kids and I explained the situation. We were about to give it up, but Tricia was very disappointed and proceeded to let us know about it in typical “tween” fashion. She had so been looking forward to driving! Fine. Billy was very antsy and making a lot of stimming noises... he wanted to get going! We decided that Ed and Tricia should go out in the boat, at least. Billy was wearing his swim trunks; I could take him over to the main pool while the two of them were boating.



We filled out the necessary paperwork, etc, and soon Tricia and Ed were down by the boat(s) getting fitted for life vests, which are required at all times when renting the Sea Raycers.

Do you see two boats? I see two boats!!

Billy and I waved to them as they took off, making slow circles around the marina area so Tricia could get the hang of driving. (If you’re 12 or older you are permitted to drive if the other person in the boat has a valid driver’s license.) Still, that other boat was just sitting there and it was really bugging me! I grabbed one of the lifeguards who had just helped Ed and Tricia and I asked him about the boat. He said that as far as he knew, it was in perfect condition and was available to rent.




“Would you please come with me and tell that to the cast member working in the office?” I asked. (The Disney smile was in full effect, of course!) We returned to the office and I listened as Likable Lifeguard told Bossy Betty about the available boat. With much flustering and blustering, Betty facilitated the rental and soon Billy and I were out on the dock getting our life jackets on.



The other two were still circling around nearby and they could now see that we had success with renting the boat and would be joining them. “Look, Mom!” shouted a very elated Tricia. “I’m driving!!” I waved to her, but I was a bit distracted. I clutched Likable Lifeguard’s arm as he slowly helped me into the Sea Raycer next to Billy.



Did I happen to mention that I am deathly afraid of tipping over in a little boat??


Kathy

 

[All7OfUs]

This lady obviously has a problem with NOT liking her job, and is clearly NOT working at the right place- The Happiest Place on Earth...did they teach you that phrase, lady??!! Sheesh! Not only did she have a little 'tude, but I think she even had a problem knowing HOW to DO her job.

Anyway, the day was saved! Hurray for your persistence!

Liesa

 

[KathyRN137]

Anyway, the day was saved! Hurray for your persistence!

You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar!


Kathy

 

[DisMomAmy]

Sounds like Bossy Betty needs a vacation of her own!

So did you & Billy tip over?

 

[mommytothreeboys]

Sounds like Bossy Betty woke up on the wrong side of the Bed! You handled it very well...good for you!

I am SO not a boat girl, so I'm interested to see how this turns out for you. Cool that Tricia could drive...I'm sure she LOVED that independence!

I was when you said the situation gave you agita! We use that term here all the time! LOL!

 

[Heluvsme]

You were SOOOOO nice to Bossy Betty! You're a much better person than I would've been. Your display of patience and kindness is something to be admired!!

Can't wait to read how the outing went!!

 

[KathyRN137]

You were SOOOOO nice to Bossy Betty! You're a much better person than I would've been. Your display of patience and kindness is something to be admired!!

Thanks, but that's probably just from years of nursing experience. People aren't always their best selves when they're sick...

Thanks for reading!

Kathy

 

[KathyRN137]

Cool that Tricia could drive...I'm sure she LOVED that independence!

Oh, just you wait and see!

That's the part she has been looking forward to the most!!

I'm sure any 12 year old would think it was fun!

Kathy

 

[KathyRN137]

So did you & Billy tip over?

I don't want to give anything away, but....


Kathy

 

[chicagoshannon]

WOW! I'm impressed you kept your cool. I would have had to walk away and let DH deal with it.

Sounds like Tricia was having a blast!

 

[KathyRN137]

Sounds like Tricia was having a blast!

Someday Madeline will be behind the wheel of one of those babies!!

(Nice ticker!)


Kathy

 

[chicagoshannon]

Someday Madeline will be behind the wheel of one of those babies!!

(Nice ticker!)


Kathy

yeah she probably will be and she'll probably be trying to push us out of the thing so she can have it to herself.

we booked our trip yesterday.

 

[irish dancer]

Wow, Bossy Betty certainly sounds like a very un-Disneylike CM. I'm glad you persisted and got your boat. We've never done the Sea Raycers and won't be able to for a long time since we're a family of 5 but we've taken out a pontoon boat all together and it's fun!

Can't wait to hear how the rest of the day goes, especially the P&P party.

 

[mom2mek]

Maybe Bossy Betty works part-time at Universal!

Just kidding....(sorta)

I'm glad you finally got your boat - I hope you didn't tip over

Sara