Better Late Than Never/"How I Learned 2 Love Myself" - May 2007 Trip Report

[emmaleigh47]

Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale, a tale of a spontaneous Disney Trip.

This is a true story of two classmates who decided to take a spontaneous graduation trip to the land of happiness - ORLANDO/WDW for nine glorious days and nights. I had never been away from home that long (or away from my husband for that long either), but figured "its the land of happiness, what could possibly go wrong." Well, let's just say that I had a great time... but lesson learned - never go on vacation with anyone you don't know well, because you REALLY will know them well by the end.

So where did it go wrong.... stay tuned.

First, lets tell you a bit more about the players...

Me 27 years old and true lover of all things Disney. Was looking forward to this trip because the first time I went was with DH's family and I was not allowed to plan or say anything. This time all of the planning was up to me, and I was determined to have a better time. I planned all of the park days, meals, experiences, etc because my friend did not want to do it. I especially love DHS and Epcot and honestly don't care as much for the MK as most people.

Nan: 35 years old and hadn't been to Disney since the 1990's. Wasn't into planning, but did make it clear that she likes breakfasts and late dinners. Doesn't like to stay up too late though, and definately cranky if she doesn't get sleep. Loves animals and shows, not big on the thrill rides.

We stayed off site (silly I know) so no DDP -- and honestly I didnt even know much about it at the time. No EMH either for obvious reasons. We stayed at the Sheraton Celebration, something we would definately regret later.

My trip style: I am not a total commando (have yet to be present for a rope drop) but do like to go all day and rest at the end of the day. She seemed okay with that idea.... little did I know how quickly things would change.

 

[emmaleigh47]

Now before I can continue, I have to give you some background information which will be helpful.

My first trip to Disney was in 2003 with my then future husband and his sister/husband, mother, and father. His sister, well let's just describe her as assertive to be nice. This is the women who told me that she hated my bridesmaid dress because it made her look fat and insisted on ordering it from a different bridal salon even though there was a risk the dye lot wouldnt match. Alas, I digress. When we took the trip I knew nothing about Disney and we did everything that she told us. We were up super early, and home super late and it was an exhausting trip. I only wanted to do one thing "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" and was told that "we didnt have time for that. LOL, perhaps the reason I dont like MK was because we spent ALL morning in line for Dumbo and Pooh and didnt get to Tomorrowland until 3pm. So, I tried super hard to include Nan in the planning, but she just didnt want it. She kept saying "whatever you think" LOL

One more thing you should know about us. Nan and I are nurse practitioners, in fact this trip was a celebration graduation present after surviving years of graduate school and working on that dreaded thesis. We both have a wealth of medical knowledge. Nan currently works in occupational health and I currently work in Cardiology (not sure why you need to know that, just felt like telling you)

Next episode.... getting to the airport!

 

[curlz2tite]

Looking forward to your report

 

[jackdis]

I'm here.....thanks for the link in your siggie!!!

 

[spencers_girl]

Reading along.

 

[addicted2dizney]

I'm in.. looking forward to hearing about your trip!

 

[emmaleigh47]

It's Sunday, time to start the trip. Being that we are from a small town and that I took the first flight, we decided to drive to Milwaukee and send the night at a hotel (which also houses the car too for the week). Yesterday was one of the most magical days ever - Nan and I finally graduated from graduate school, NO MORE THESIS EVER! After graduation I went out with my best friend and then home to finish packing, armed with a list from the DISboards. LOL, in fact, dummy me taped the list to the bedroom wall and when I took it down, it took the paint with it. OOPS!

Nan had invited my husband and I to a family cookout before we left for Milwaukee. DH did not want to go, but he did want to see me off so he did stay. Wow, all of these people.... lol and DH looked like he wanted to shoot himself (very shy hates being with people that he doesnt know). It started raining cats and dogs but we needed to leave. Nan commented that she didnt like to drive in the rain. I offered to drive, alas she said she would "figure it out somehow." Geez, thats exactly what I like to hear from the person driving me in a large city...."

We arrive at the hotel and I am starved... need food now! Offered about ten different restaurant choices, felt like I was dealing with Goldilocks because every choice was too far, didnt want to walk, too close to drive, too spicy, too boring. So where we end up.....

Mcdonald's --- dead serious it was the only place that she did not veto. After dinner I was excited, but knew that I had to get to bed because we had to be up early......

 

[emmaleigh47]

So the alarm goes off the next morning and I pop out of bed and into the shower. I wake up Nan who hollars "I'm awake, I'm awake can you shut up and leave me alone" I assumed that anyone speaking that much had to be awake (and how can you sleep with a trip to Disney on your mind) so I got into the shower to get ready. I come out of the shower and Nan has not moved, not ONE inch. I wake up her finally, and she accuses me of never waking her up. "I have to take a shower or I will just feel icky." I point out that it is not 2 hours and 45 minutes prior to the flight and we NEED to get going. Nan insists on taking a shower, so I actually packed up some of her stuff so that we wouldnt be late. She emerges about 15 minutes later and I am mad. Bad enough that you had to take a shower but seriously a 15 minute one. Then she wants to blow dry her hair. Okay at this point I draw the line, there is like 2 hours to the flight. I hollared "that is what ponytails are for" as I packed her blow dryer. I told her that I didnt want to miss the flight... and she agrees.

Off to the airport we go. Through security, now there is 1 hour and 30 minutes to the flight. Off to the metal detectors - I travel with a stuffed panda that I sleep with (its a medical thing, decreases compression of the nerve in my hand). Well I always bring it in my carry-on. Well going through security, something came back positive with my bag, so they searched it and these airport people were eyeing my panda (like maybe there was something inside it). I was totally freaking out ... but in the end they left my panda alone. But Nan, well she did not listen to the 3oz rule and lost alot of her hair stuff (shampoo and conditioner) and then she started to make a scene demanding a manager. I just took her over to the sign that said no more than 3OZ.... like seriously who doesnt know that by now...

I look down at the clock, and it is like 40 miuntes to the flight. Nan declares "Im hungry, I need to get something to eat on the plane." I informed her that if we dont move it we wont even have a plane to get on. She spends a few minutes arguing with me as we are rapidly walkiing to the gate asking multiple times to stop.....

I am determined we are going to make that plane.....

 

[littleteapot]

I'm in

 

[addicted2dizney]

Wow, it's amazing Nan made it through grad school given the fact that she can't figure out if she's not actually near the plane, she can't board the plane!

 

[loribell]

This sounds like it is going to be a fun trip. NOT!

 

[emmaleigh47]

This sounds like it is going to be a fun trip. NOT!

LOL, people generally post one of two types of trip reports. Either something magical and wonderful happens.... or its a disaster of a trip and they need to vent about it. I'll let you guess which one this report is.

 

[Amy7979]

I'm in!

 

[addicted2dizney]

eagerly waiting the next installment!

 

[Heluvsme]

I'm in!

 

[Villainess]

Actually I'm eating a Hershey bar, butthey don't have an icon for that!

You're airport encounter sounds like mine! (See my trip report link below!)

 

[emmaleigh47]

Sorry guys -- work got in the way of trip reporting, darn cardiac pts. I will update tomorrow though, forgive me!

 

[emmaleigh47]

So we are walking fast to the gate to avoid missing the plane when I hear them announce our names overhead. "Can we run?" I say to Nan, but of course she will have none of that. "I hope you are not going to be this militant for the whole trip; this is vacation you know." I reply, "well if we dont get on this plane there really wont be much of a vacation."

Thankfully we get to the gate, a little out of breath, and the ticket attendant takes pity on us. She offers to take our carryons and stow them with the luggage because there is no way there will be any room above since this is a full flight. Nan is upset "what will I do on the plane" but she does finally give the lady the bag. I felt bad, here she offered to do something nice and Nan makes her feel bad. On the plane we go, "I have to have a window seat otherwise I will throw up" Nan loudly exclaims in front of the entire plane (funny she failed to tell me about this earlier). I would soon find out what she would do with her window seat --- about 15 minutes into the flight she was sleeping.... and snoring loudly!

The flight was uneventful, she slept the whole time and I spent the time watching BTVS on my laptop quietly. We arrived, got our luggage and went to the get the rental car. Now Nan had offered to be the driver because although I am a great girl, driving is not my forte -- lets just say Im not very good. So we go to the get the car, and Nan wants a little one -- well they dont have one, just a little SUV -- OMG she is throwing such a huge fit, wants to go to another company -- but finally after the little meltdown they magically managed to find a smaller car (me thinks they just wanted to get rid of us) and off we go.

Its too early to check into the hotel, we are staying at the Radisson Celebration offsite. Nan drives past a Bennigans and decides that she is hungry for lunch. Now, I have to admit that being from Wisconsin, I have never been to a Bennigan's but Applebees is my favorite restuarant, so I figure I will like this --- nope I will LOVE THIS! I have spent the last year looking for a Bennigan's in every state that we went to and never finding another one. Now I hear they are closed or something

Well after lunch, we check into the hotel. We have an ADR for Planet Hollywood at 6:30pm and I am barely able to keep myself awake. Nan cannot understand why I am so tired (lol only one of us slept on the plane) so I just asked for a 45 min rest period. I didnt think that was unreasonable -- although during my rest period Nan had the lights on and the TV on loud including laughing loudly at the TV show (no idea what she was watching)....but I must have been DARN tired because I slept through the whole thing after a couple of minutes. At 45 minutes exactly, she woke me up because she was ready to go to DD. I got up....after all its Disney and I was super excited and off to dinner we went.

We pulled up *well took twice as long because she wouldnt listen to my directions* but I was still in a great mood .....so excited its Disney! We get to the front of PH and she takes one look at the stairs and proclaims "dont they have an elevator or escalator" I just kinda giggled .. "nope sorry, if you want to get fed I guess you have to climb some stairs."

We were quickly seated and the server was great. About 15 minutes into the meal Nan states "its too loud in here to focus on the food" LOL, its PH did you think it was going to be quiet? But the meal was actually SUPER good. Nan made a comment about the starving children in Africa when she saw that I still have about 1/3 of my meal left. "If you are going to make that comment every meal we go to, its going to be a long trip. I almost never eat what I am served, sorry." After dinner, we went to DD and it was a great time... looking for stuff, laughing, and shopping including honestly getting lost in the Disney store *all those nooks and crannies*. After shopping, Nan decides that she wants dessert so we actually went back to PH and had a great time..... we left DD at 11:15pm and home to the hotel to get good night sleep. Little did I know.... that would be the last late night of the trip.

Stay tuned to hear about our trip to DHS, why Mary Poppins reminds me of the color green, and how I ended up at Fantasmic alone.....

 

[hershey4]

Can't wait to hear the rest. Don't keep us waiting - please post quickly!!

 

[addicted2dizney]

Can't wait to hear the rest. Don't keep us waiting - please post quickly!!

same here.. great updates so far!