Melora
Disney Dreaming
- Joined
- Jun 26, 2003
- Messages
- 2,555
Disney World here we come!
Our limo driver was waiting patiently by the luggage carousal for us. Happy Limo! Happy Driver!
He helped us collect our luggage after Jeff parked his dad (who wanted to help..No I dont think so) by the door.
The driver brought the car around and we piled like sardines into the back. The limo was smaller than the one that picked us up in LA. Only one row of bench seats facing the passenger side which all of us squeezed onto, then the grandparents once again facing forward along the back. There was a working DVD player and the kids turned on Monsters INC.
We had asked for a grocery stop so the driver pulled up to a Kash and Karry (Oh I could be wrong, but thats kinda what I remember it being called). Grandma got out with me and shopped for her own stuff while I ran through the market at top speed trying not to keep anyone waiting for too long. I filled a whole cart in less than 5 minutes. (Water bottles, laundry detergent, diapers . All the stuff that costs a fortune at the world but is too bulky to schlep all the way across the US)
Everyone was completely amazed that I got in and out so quickly. The only problem was what to do with the 10 bags I had purchased. The extras that didnt fit in the trunk (most of them) ended up on our laps.
The ride there was surprisingly short thanks to the DVD that was still playing and when the driver pulled up to Old Key West, it truly was like coming home. The driver helped us unload nad didn't overcharge us.... a real plus
We headed up to our room on the second floor and found that Grandma and Grandpa were safely 4 rooms over. A wonderful bellmen helped us with our bags and then we headed down to Olivias for dinner.
Tables for 9 are always hard to come by but they accommodated us nicely and the food was good.
Here is a good time to mention the fun eating with Grandma and Grandpa. Now with 5 kids at one house (3 being teens) you might expect that when food is put on the table they plow into it with a kind of frenzy so as not to miss anything. But this is not the case. Unless something is left unattended and alone in the refrigerator with no one around to see them snag it, everyone usually asks if they can have the last of something. The grandparents do not have the same point of view.
Rolls are placed on the table and by the time the basket reaches me (waaaaaaay down on the other end as far away from where the food is placed as possible) there is nothing but crumbs rolling around. I wonder if I can find one of the bigger pieces and butter it. As I am staring into the void, Grandma, her mouth full of roll, and 2 more rolls on her plate says Well ask the waiter for more, I got one extra for the baby, he just loves them.
The baby (as everyone calls the talking walking 3 year old) has disappeared under the table and is studiously ignoring his rolls. No problem, grandma will help him finish.
The waiter did bring some more rolls, placed right in front of me (thank you Sir, you get a big tip). This is one of the primary reasons we never order family style with the elders.
After our meal, we retired for the evening to our room, bursting with the excitement of our first day tomorrow.
Bright and early (well extra bright and way too early for those of us from the west coast) we were ready to head off to Epcot. My reasoning was it was a good way to get the grandparents, who have never been here, feet wet and being a Saturday it was probably the best choice to avoid crowds.
We got through the process of picking up our annual passes (cheaper than buying admission for 9 days and this way we can come back in the next year and its free) and headed to the entrance. It was at this point I discovered the folly of the backpack I chose to bring. With all 5 of its zippered pockets. I had to unzip each and every one and then my fanny pack too.
While everyone else was quickly and happily through the security check I was stuck having each compartment looked through. Fortunately I made it through without incident and off we went.
Our first stroller rental and our first discovery that Jeffrey had a hidden talent as a siren. To activate simply place him on his bottom in any stroller rented from WDW and an up-until-now-unknown switch activates and the loudest most persistent wail I have ever heard comes spewing forth from his mouth. Did I mention I was not amused? Well neither was he and after 10 minutes of me insisting he stay put and 10 minutes of everyone else in our party pretending not to know us, I begrudgingly let him out to walk.
Did I say walk? What I intended to say was I let him out to trip people who did not see him (everyone), to disappear without notice behind a trash can or to decide to join another family and be happily toddling off with a pair of legs that looked similar to our own. I was forever apologizing to unsuspecting patrons as they danced about trying to not step on him or smiling sheepishly as I removed his hands from peoples rear ends. Well you do have to admit that most rears are just about the right height for a 3 year old to goose as reaches out to hold your hand.
You could always see us coming in a crowd. There was a wave of people bouncing about trying to keep their balance or hopping 3 feet in the air as they suddenly felt a small little hand caressing their backside. Followed by a wave of Im sorry. Opps, Jeffy, Watch Out, Oh Gosh, sorry about that, Jeffy get over here, OH Im terribly sorry It was either that or the siren.
We did somehow make it to Mission Space. What a beautiful gorgeous building. I LOVE space stuff. It makes me all tingly to look at it. I am in awe. The kids are beyond excited. Everyone is piling their things on the stroller (which has become a rolling locker) and are making plans about who is going with who. Even Grandpa has decided he is going.
Suddenly I do not feel so well. I need to sit. Panic has set in. I cant go on that. Ill get sick. I read about all those people losing their last meals or being sick all day.. Uh-uh, no way!
I find myself swept forward with the group, jostled into the building, trying to explain that I have changed my mind, all the time this feeling of panic flowing through me to my very core. Everyone kept patting me and telling me it was going to be OK. In other words no one took me seriously. To this day I barely remember anything about the pre-show except standing there feeling my heart pounding in my temples. Everyone around me is smiling, laughing, giddy with anticipation. A small child (4 maybe 5 year old) stands next to me calmly smiling and waiting. Do these people not realize they are going to die? Or worse, puke all over the place? I reasoned I was the only one with enough common sense to know this, otherwise everyone else would be as panic stricken as I was.
They opened the doors and ushered us into the hallway right outside the loading area. I had been placed in the group with the teens. Chris, Sarah, and Emily. Jeff went with his dad and was one capsule over. Alex, the smartest of the group, had stayed behind.
The doors opened and the CM called us to get in place. As I walked slowly towards the door, I took one last look at Jeff, knowing I would probably never see him again.
Our limo driver was waiting patiently by the luggage carousal for us. Happy Limo! Happy Driver!
He helped us collect our luggage after Jeff parked his dad (who wanted to help..No I dont think so) by the door.
The driver brought the car around and we piled like sardines into the back. The limo was smaller than the one that picked us up in LA. Only one row of bench seats facing the passenger side which all of us squeezed onto, then the grandparents once again facing forward along the back. There was a working DVD player and the kids turned on Monsters INC.
We had asked for a grocery stop so the driver pulled up to a Kash and Karry (Oh I could be wrong, but thats kinda what I remember it being called). Grandma got out with me and shopped for her own stuff while I ran through the market at top speed trying not to keep anyone waiting for too long. I filled a whole cart in less than 5 minutes. (Water bottles, laundry detergent, diapers . All the stuff that costs a fortune at the world but is too bulky to schlep all the way across the US)
Everyone was completely amazed that I got in and out so quickly. The only problem was what to do with the 10 bags I had purchased. The extras that didnt fit in the trunk (most of them) ended up on our laps.
The ride there was surprisingly short thanks to the DVD that was still playing and when the driver pulled up to Old Key West, it truly was like coming home. The driver helped us unload nad didn't overcharge us.... a real plus
We headed up to our room on the second floor and found that Grandma and Grandpa were safely 4 rooms over. A wonderful bellmen helped us with our bags and then we headed down to Olivias for dinner.
Tables for 9 are always hard to come by but they accommodated us nicely and the food was good.
Here is a good time to mention the fun eating with Grandma and Grandpa. Now with 5 kids at one house (3 being teens) you might expect that when food is put on the table they plow into it with a kind of frenzy so as not to miss anything. But this is not the case. Unless something is left unattended and alone in the refrigerator with no one around to see them snag it, everyone usually asks if they can have the last of something. The grandparents do not have the same point of view.
Rolls are placed on the table and by the time the basket reaches me (waaaaaaay down on the other end as far away from where the food is placed as possible) there is nothing but crumbs rolling around. I wonder if I can find one of the bigger pieces and butter it. As I am staring into the void, Grandma, her mouth full of roll, and 2 more rolls on her plate says Well ask the waiter for more, I got one extra for the baby, he just loves them.
The baby (as everyone calls the talking walking 3 year old) has disappeared under the table and is studiously ignoring his rolls. No problem, grandma will help him finish.
The waiter did bring some more rolls, placed right in front of me (thank you Sir, you get a big tip). This is one of the primary reasons we never order family style with the elders.
After our meal, we retired for the evening to our room, bursting with the excitement of our first day tomorrow.
Bright and early (well extra bright and way too early for those of us from the west coast) we were ready to head off to Epcot. My reasoning was it was a good way to get the grandparents, who have never been here, feet wet and being a Saturday it was probably the best choice to avoid crowds.
We got through the process of picking up our annual passes (cheaper than buying admission for 9 days and this way we can come back in the next year and its free) and headed to the entrance. It was at this point I discovered the folly of the backpack I chose to bring. With all 5 of its zippered pockets. I had to unzip each and every one and then my fanny pack too.
While everyone else was quickly and happily through the security check I was stuck having each compartment looked through. Fortunately I made it through without incident and off we went.
Our first stroller rental and our first discovery that Jeffrey had a hidden talent as a siren. To activate simply place him on his bottom in any stroller rented from WDW and an up-until-now-unknown switch activates and the loudest most persistent wail I have ever heard comes spewing forth from his mouth. Did I mention I was not amused? Well neither was he and after 10 minutes of me insisting he stay put and 10 minutes of everyone else in our party pretending not to know us, I begrudgingly let him out to walk.
Did I say walk? What I intended to say was I let him out to trip people who did not see him (everyone), to disappear without notice behind a trash can or to decide to join another family and be happily toddling off with a pair of legs that looked similar to our own. I was forever apologizing to unsuspecting patrons as they danced about trying to not step on him or smiling sheepishly as I removed his hands from peoples rear ends. Well you do have to admit that most rears are just about the right height for a 3 year old to goose as reaches out to hold your hand.
You could always see us coming in a crowd. There was a wave of people bouncing about trying to keep their balance or hopping 3 feet in the air as they suddenly felt a small little hand caressing their backside. Followed by a wave of Im sorry. Opps, Jeffy, Watch Out, Oh Gosh, sorry about that, Jeffy get over here, OH Im terribly sorry It was either that or the siren.
We did somehow make it to Mission Space. What a beautiful gorgeous building. I LOVE space stuff. It makes me all tingly to look at it. I am in awe. The kids are beyond excited. Everyone is piling their things on the stroller (which has become a rolling locker) and are making plans about who is going with who. Even Grandpa has decided he is going.
Suddenly I do not feel so well. I need to sit. Panic has set in. I cant go on that. Ill get sick. I read about all those people losing their last meals or being sick all day.. Uh-uh, no way!
I find myself swept forward with the group, jostled into the building, trying to explain that I have changed my mind, all the time this feeling of panic flowing through me to my very core. Everyone kept patting me and telling me it was going to be OK. In other words no one took me seriously. To this day I barely remember anything about the pre-show except standing there feeling my heart pounding in my temples. Everyone around me is smiling, laughing, giddy with anticipation. A small child (4 maybe 5 year old) stands next to me calmly smiling and waiting. Do these people not realize they are going to die? Or worse, puke all over the place? I reasoned I was the only one with enough common sense to know this, otherwise everyone else would be as panic stricken as I was.
They opened the doors and ushered us into the hallway right outside the loading area. I had been placed in the group with the teens. Chris, Sarah, and Emily. Jeff went with his dad and was one capsule over. Alex, the smartest of the group, had stayed behind.
The doors opened and the CM called us to get in place. As I walked slowly towards the door, I took one last look at Jeff, knowing I would probably never see him again.
Can't wait to read more!!
