floridafam
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Mar 26, 2003
- Messages
- 8,803
We had reservations for months for AKL CL and were looking forward to the Sunrise Safari on Christmas Day.
DH's Grandfather passed away 2 days before we were to leave. We decided to postpone the trip as we had to get DH to Michigan and spend the majority of what was to be our check-in day purchasing a suit for DH, plane ticket, overcoat (couldn't find one here in sunny Florida), etc.
DH was scheduled to fly in and out of Orlando on NWA-who were fantastic in helping us with a "compassion" fare on the exact days DH needed for departure and arrival back in Florida.
So....the children and I would stay at WL while DH went to Michigan and we would be right there in Orlando when he got back from the funeral.
Saying goodbye to DH on Christmas was brutal. We arrived at WL CL at about 3pm and he had to leave for the airport by 4pm. Everyone was crying as we watched the taxi pull away from WL.
I tried for the next 3 days to keep the kids and myself happy. Adam, a CM at WL CL said they would do everything they could to make our stay magical.
We took it easy at the resort that night and enjoyed the concierge offerings-veggies, pulled pork, cheeses, etc.
The next day we went to do a little shopping at DTD and had an awesome lunch at Rainforest Cafe! When we returned, there was a shopping bag in our room with a Mickey and Minnie in it and a letter stating it should be set up in the room for the children. I double checked with Adam to make sure this was actually for us and he said that it was but it was supposed to be set up with balloons, cards, etc. as a way to cheer the kids up. I thought this was a very nice gesture.
The next couple of days we just toured around the resorts and took it easy at the Lodge. The buses and monorails were packed. A lot of people seemed to be sick and I suggested to the kids that we minimize our time on crowded buses so we could be healthy when Daddy returned.
We didn't go to any parks. This trip was meant to just relax. It was way too cold to swim until the day we checked out. We managed to make the days go by quite quickly with various different activities.
Tuesday, Daddy came back. We checked his flight status and were looking down at the lobby in hopes of catching a glimpse of him about an hour after his flight landed. He got off the elevator as we were talking to some of the CL CM's and the kids must have hugged him for an hour.
He was very glad he was able to be with his family in Michigan. I'm glad he was able to go but I was also very glad to see him back in Florida.
I asked Carmelo (I think that's his name) if there was anywhere I could buy a Vanilla Coke for my DH. He said they could get some but I did not want them to go to any trouble. About an hour later, he and another CM (I forget her name-shorter, reddish hair)(someone help me if you've recently stayed at WL CL) knoked on our door with a basket full of Vanilla Coke for my DH.
How nice! They really went out of their way to make us happy.
We checked out the next day and Carmelo and the other CM, I will think of her name, said they would have our fridge stocked with Vanilla Coke when we return in May. I thought they were joking but they were serious. They really went above and beyond.
DH got sick from our meal at Artist Point, which was prety terrible and he did not feel well until this afternoon but that's about the worse thing that happened.
We left Orlando after a quick stop to the Apple Store (like Toy's R Us to my DH) and Build a Bear Workshop for DD.
I'm SO GLAD to be home! Any questions, feel free to ask.

DH's Grandfather passed away 2 days before we were to leave. We decided to postpone the trip as we had to get DH to Michigan and spend the majority of what was to be our check-in day purchasing a suit for DH, plane ticket, overcoat (couldn't find one here in sunny Florida), etc.
DH was scheduled to fly in and out of Orlando on NWA-who were fantastic in helping us with a "compassion" fare on the exact days DH needed for departure and arrival back in Florida.
So....the children and I would stay at WL while DH went to Michigan and we would be right there in Orlando when he got back from the funeral.
Saying goodbye to DH on Christmas was brutal. We arrived at WL CL at about 3pm and he had to leave for the airport by 4pm. Everyone was crying as we watched the taxi pull away from WL.
I tried for the next 3 days to keep the kids and myself happy. Adam, a CM at WL CL said they would do everything they could to make our stay magical.
We took it easy at the resort that night and enjoyed the concierge offerings-veggies, pulled pork, cheeses, etc.
The next day we went to do a little shopping at DTD and had an awesome lunch at Rainforest Cafe! When we returned, there was a shopping bag in our room with a Mickey and Minnie in it and a letter stating it should be set up in the room for the children. I double checked with Adam to make sure this was actually for us and he said that it was but it was supposed to be set up with balloons, cards, etc. as a way to cheer the kids up. I thought this was a very nice gesture.
The next couple of days we just toured around the resorts and took it easy at the Lodge. The buses and monorails were packed. A lot of people seemed to be sick and I suggested to the kids that we minimize our time on crowded buses so we could be healthy when Daddy returned.
We didn't go to any parks. This trip was meant to just relax. It was way too cold to swim until the day we checked out. We managed to make the days go by quite quickly with various different activities.
Tuesday, Daddy came back. We checked his flight status and were looking down at the lobby in hopes of catching a glimpse of him about an hour after his flight landed. He got off the elevator as we were talking to some of the CL CM's and the kids must have hugged him for an hour.
He was very glad he was able to be with his family in Michigan. I'm glad he was able to go but I was also very glad to see him back in Florida.
I asked Carmelo (I think that's his name) if there was anywhere I could buy a Vanilla Coke for my DH. He said they could get some but I did not want them to go to any trouble. About an hour later, he and another CM (I forget her name-shorter, reddish hair)(someone help me if you've recently stayed at WL CL) knoked on our door with a basket full of Vanilla Coke for my DH.
We checked out the next day and Carmelo and the other CM, I will think of her name, said they would have our fridge stocked with Vanilla Coke when we return in May. I thought they were joking but they were serious. They really went above and beyond.
DH got sick from our meal at Artist Point, which was prety terrible and he did not feel well until this afternoon but that's about the worse thing that happened.
We left Orlando after a quick stop to the Apple Store (like Toy's R Us to my DH) and Build a Bear Workshop for DD.
I'm SO GLAD to be home! Any questions, feel free to ask.


