Day One-Thurs Mar 8-ungodly hour for rising-05:00; worst food of day - toss-up between airplane food and ASMo food-court; variety of pixie dust - the "getting there - home at last" stuff (the best); Park of Day - Animal Kingdom.
4:45am - Grr. Only about 3 hrs sleep and work before alarm went off. Hope adrenaline will kick in and get us trough day! Stayed at airport hotel owing to cheaper/dailing flights from Montreal opposed to small selection/higher fares from Ottawa. Have quick showers and out the door, through walkays to Mirabel Airport (big while elephant, but is good news for us as airport almost deserted at 5:45 in am). Flight to take off at 6:20 departs just 10 minutes late; not bad, and uneventful.
9:10 - Hurrah! Arrive Orlando at 9:10, but, dear Lord, customs and Carousel of No Progress (baggage) takes about two hours! Finally get to National, grab nice car (the white kind) and get out around 11:30. Drive to 192, stopping at McD's drive-tru and then Publix for groceries. Old guy there insists on helping with groceries as clever ruse to give out his card with glamorous picture of shack he owns "for next time." Ya, right. Thinking he should get lost, we do, and end up backtracking and Wasting Time in Kissimee (should be a song title?).
1:30ish - Hurrah! Finally arrive All-Star Movies! Is wonderful. Weather (which had been unseasonably cool earier in week) glorious, has warmed up, sun is shining and all is right with The World! Check-in quick and easy process too; next to no lineup. Given room immediately in Woody, nice and close to everying. Woo-hoo! Drover over to lot, lugged up luggage (so that's where it gets the name!), threw a few things in drawers and headed out to Animal Kingdom.
2:30ish - Yippee! Animal Kingdom at last! Planned to visit this park first as was one of our half-days. Horrified upon arrival to find out park only open till 5:00 rather than 6:00 (had made PS for Rainforest at 6:00 as was told way back by CM that AK closed at 6:00 this time of year...Urrgh...why hadn't I check DIS? Should know better. Oh well, must be flexible and roll with punches. Met by Goofy and Mickey at entrance. Couldn't ask for better reception than that!...well, could ASK, but probably wouldn't get one! Stopped for quick photos and autographs in brand-new book, then high-tailed it back to safari. Stand-by time said 15 mins, so opted to join it rather than fastpass, then got in line, though it looked too long, and tried to find our way out (needed machete!) Grabbed fastpasses and went to Camp Mickey-Minnie for snack (kids remembered yummy cookies from Chip n' Dales. Was major mistake (not the cookies, but whole ordeal - should either have grabbed FPs right off bat or stayed in stand-by line, as getting out took twice as long as fifteen minute wait. Regardless, must roll with punches and carry on. Came up with "brilliant" idea of getting extra FPs for Dinosaur, trekked (way) over to Dinoland, tried different (room) cards, but machine wouldn't put out, snarkily saying "you already have valid fastpasses or this is not a valid ticket" - smart machines - thought we could fool them, but unable to pull wool over FP eyes! Urrgh! More time wasted, more pointless steps taken! Finally time for Safari FP though, so trekked back to Africa. Hurrah! Safari wonderful; had good guide (and usual poacher story). Don't like that they've put animal names so far up above in truck - kids used to like identifying animals but now is too difficult. Should maybe bring binoculars next time.
After Safari, kids wanted to see Tarzan Rocks as had seen Lion King, TTBAB, Colors of the Wind, etc. on previous trips. Should have gotten FP for Dinosaur while in neighbourhood, but didn't think of it (drat). Had lovely orange & strawberry popsicles they sell right outside Tarzan. Show was v.g., but not one of D's best. Then, only about 45 minutes before AK closed. Acck! What to do? Didn't seem like enought time for both Dinosaur and Kalhi River Rapids, so had to make Sophie's choice and chose Kalhi. Sign said 10-min standby, but really walked right on. Fabulous blast! Kids loved it, dad quite surprised at drop, all-knowing mom knew all and got what she expected. Somehow, all seemed soaked. Dried off a bit while walking along Maharaja Jungle Trek (nice).
Then AK closing - Quick, must decide whether to stay an shop for an hour (girls had no problem with idea!) or return to hotel. Shopped some, but didn't relish idea of sticking around soaking wet for Rainforest PS, so decided to call it early night and go back to ASMo for supper and swim. Left thinking had done entirely too much walking for fare too rides and attractions. Made solemn vow to have better touring tactics henceforth!
6:00pm - Uck! ASMo food court leaves lots to be desire. Had Chicken caesar wrap and was vile horrible excuse for meal. Couldn't eat half of it - really smelled bad (the chicken- not me!) DH's fajitas only slightly better. DD and DS pleased with hot dogs and pasta, but they hardly have developed palettes and at least one has been known to eat dirt off floor! Then DD, DS and DH went for swim, while Bridget, knowing ti would be a little cool getting out after sun went down..not for faint of skin...took wonderful photos and award-winning video of aqua-frolicking family.
9:30 - Eeek! Quickly! Get out of pool kids! It's Thurday, and we've already missed first half of Survivor! Ran frantically to room, not even stopping to play in Andy's Room. Mitch voted off, followed closely by rest of us being voted off to sleep after sinfully early morning and long tiresome day!
4:45am - Grr. Only about 3 hrs sleep and work before alarm went off. Hope adrenaline will kick in and get us trough day! Stayed at airport hotel owing to cheaper/dailing flights from Montreal opposed to small selection/higher fares from Ottawa. Have quick showers and out the door, through walkays to Mirabel Airport (big while elephant, but is good news for us as airport almost deserted at 5:45 in am). Flight to take off at 6:20 departs just 10 minutes late; not bad, and uneventful.
9:10 - Hurrah! Arrive Orlando at 9:10, but, dear Lord, customs and Carousel of No Progress (baggage) takes about two hours! Finally get to National, grab nice car (the white kind) and get out around 11:30. Drive to 192, stopping at McD's drive-tru and then Publix for groceries. Old guy there insists on helping with groceries as clever ruse to give out his card with glamorous picture of shack he owns "for next time." Ya, right. Thinking he should get lost, we do, and end up backtracking and Wasting Time in Kissimee (should be a song title?).
1:30ish - Hurrah! Finally arrive All-Star Movies! Is wonderful. Weather (which had been unseasonably cool earier in week) glorious, has warmed up, sun is shining and all is right with The World! Check-in quick and easy process too; next to no lineup. Given room immediately in Woody, nice and close to everying. Woo-hoo! Drover over to lot, lugged up luggage (so that's where it gets the name!), threw a few things in drawers and headed out to Animal Kingdom.
2:30ish - Yippee! Animal Kingdom at last! Planned to visit this park first as was one of our half-days. Horrified upon arrival to find out park only open till 5:00 rather than 6:00 (had made PS for Rainforest at 6:00 as was told way back by CM that AK closed at 6:00 this time of year...Urrgh...why hadn't I check DIS? Should know better. Oh well, must be flexible and roll with punches. Met by Goofy and Mickey at entrance. Couldn't ask for better reception than that!...well, could ASK, but probably wouldn't get one! Stopped for quick photos and autographs in brand-new book, then high-tailed it back to safari. Stand-by time said 15 mins, so opted to join it rather than fastpass, then got in line, though it looked too long, and tried to find our way out (needed machete!) Grabbed fastpasses and went to Camp Mickey-Minnie for snack (kids remembered yummy cookies from Chip n' Dales. Was major mistake (not the cookies, but whole ordeal - should either have grabbed FPs right off bat or stayed in stand-by line, as getting out took twice as long as fifteen minute wait. Regardless, must roll with punches and carry on. Came up with "brilliant" idea of getting extra FPs for Dinosaur, trekked (way) over to Dinoland, tried different (room) cards, but machine wouldn't put out, snarkily saying "you already have valid fastpasses or this is not a valid ticket" - smart machines - thought we could fool them, but unable to pull wool over FP eyes! Urrgh! More time wasted, more pointless steps taken! Finally time for Safari FP though, so trekked back to Africa. Hurrah! Safari wonderful; had good guide (and usual poacher story). Don't like that they've put animal names so far up above in truck - kids used to like identifying animals but now is too difficult. Should maybe bring binoculars next time.
After Safari, kids wanted to see Tarzan Rocks as had seen Lion King, TTBAB, Colors of the Wind, etc. on previous trips. Should have gotten FP for Dinosaur while in neighbourhood, but didn't think of it (drat). Had lovely orange & strawberry popsicles they sell right outside Tarzan. Show was v.g., but not one of D's best. Then, only about 45 minutes before AK closed. Acck! What to do? Didn't seem like enought time for both Dinosaur and Kalhi River Rapids, so had to make Sophie's choice and chose Kalhi. Sign said 10-min standby, but really walked right on. Fabulous blast! Kids loved it, dad quite surprised at drop, all-knowing mom knew all and got what she expected. Somehow, all seemed soaked. Dried off a bit while walking along Maharaja Jungle Trek (nice).
Then AK closing - Quick, must decide whether to stay an shop for an hour (girls had no problem with idea!) or return to hotel. Shopped some, but didn't relish idea of sticking around soaking wet for Rainforest PS, so decided to call it early night and go back to ASMo for supper and swim. Left thinking had done entirely too much walking for fare too rides and attractions. Made solemn vow to have better touring tactics henceforth!
6:00pm - Uck! ASMo food court leaves lots to be desire. Had Chicken caesar wrap and was vile horrible excuse for meal. Couldn't eat half of it - really smelled bad (the chicken- not me!) DH's fajitas only slightly better. DD and DS pleased with hot dogs and pasta, but they hardly have developed palettes and at least one has been known to eat dirt off floor! Then DD, DS and DH went for swim, while Bridget, knowing ti would be a little cool getting out after sun went down..not for faint of skin...took wonderful photos and award-winning video of aqua-frolicking family.
9:30 - Eeek! Quickly! Get out of pool kids! It's Thurday, and we've already missed first half of Survivor! Ran frantically to room, not even stopping to play in Andy's Room. Mitch voted off, followed closely by rest of us being voted off to sleep after sinfully early morning and long tiresome day!
(I'm a Survivor fan, too 
