"Do You Mind?" - Disney Adventures with Teens August Trip Report

[Grandma Bonnie]

She has always been quite small. We went to the doc today and she is 5'1" and 89 lbs.

I know and she was a very tiny one.

Gee Whiz!! She's almost as tall as I. I'm only 5'3" But we won't discuss the comparison in lbs. Let's just say I could easily match her pound for pound twice.

Susan, you weren't so big at birth either. You came into the world with six pounds and 10 ounces on your skinny little bones.

 

[swwake]

Do these items look familiar to anyone?

And LOOK! Since our reservation was transferred to AAA, we got these useless parking passes for the car we're not renting, a useless Hertz upgrade for the car we're not renting, a useless free car seat for our rental car (which, you guessed it! we're not renting), and a mostly-useless discount card for places we don't plan to eat.

Our luggage tags get a really pretty and prestigious AAA logo on them!

And here's the pouch that it all came in. You can't tell, but the bottom is sliced open, so everything falls right out. I am so impressed with the high quality of AAA's merchandise.

Oh yeah, and there's my AAA TA's card. Does anyone want it? Going once.....

Going twice.....


Anyway, I am VERY excited that we got our docs. I called her today to ask for some assistance on determining the cost differential to switch our origin to Austin and she said she couldn't help me, but "let's see. I think maybe something came in for you today.... Oh yeah, it's some travel documents." So nonchalant, she was.

I said "when can I get them?" She told me she has to hold them until I decide whether to change our flights because she "will have to order new airport transfers". She can't even refer to it as Magical Express.

I called her back later and left a message saying that I am not changing my flights (even though we still might) and when can I get my stuff?

She did not return my call. Kathleen is such a wonderful, helpful woman. I highly recommend her to each and every one of you.

I emailed her and said "I'm not trying to be pushy, but I am anxious to have something tangible. When can I get them?" Hmmm...she wrote back almost immediately. Within an hour, I was at her office.

So excited to finally have this stuff!!

 

[Grandma Bonnie]

Here are more pictures from our trips. I will start with our WDW trip in 1997. I can't find the MGM pics. I know we had one of all of us in front of ToT. I swiped these from my scrapbook and the pages are all warped, so please forgive me.

Katie and Mickey. She was 5 years old.

Mommy and Dude with Mickey. I think this might have been Toontown Fair or whatever it is called. It was something different back in 1997.

All of us at Epcot

Maybe this was China? The hair wrap was from out by the pool at the ASMu resort.

I'm guessing Mexico?

Mom and Katie in DTD

Somewhere in WDW - maybe DTD? Maybe Epcot? Maybe MK?

Hoop De Doo Musical Review (looks more fun than I remember it being)

The above is ANOTHER reason that I'm not taking my camera. When I take a camera, I take ALL the pictures and there is never any proof that I was along for the trip!!!!

 

[swwake]

He's in concert at the Garden Wednesday night at in DC on the 29th. I'm getting to one of those concerts. I want George to carelessly whisper in my ear!

Do you think he'll pull you up on stage for a slow dance? I wanna go!!! Think maybe scott would go with you?

 

[Native NYer]

Ok your AAA travel agent seems like a weirdo. Why wouldn't she just give you the documents the first time you asked???

Congrats on getting your documents!!!

If you have to change your flight, just call Magical Express yourself. She seems pretty useless.

 

[Native NYer]

Do you think he'll pull you up on stage for a slow dance? I wanna go!!! Think maybe scott would go with you?

I'll have to exercise restraint. I may just run to the stage, pushing the hordes of screaming people out of the way.

Hmm I think Scott would.

 

[swwake]

Here's more random stuff.

I bought these yesterday to go in the ship-ahead box:

A toothbrush holder for Katie. I hope Caitlin has her own.

And the luggage I bought.

Much more useful stuff than the premium parking pass and the Hertz upgrade. You think?

 

[Native NYer]

You have totally convinced me NEVER to book through AAA.

Your pics reminded me that I need to buy gum.

 

[Grandma Bonnie]

Too bad Mom's not around to defend herself. She's too busy off buying condos and such... (I'm not kidding - we should update y'all)

Well, will wonders never cease......proof that I was at WDW.

And about those fanny packs......I always wore mine in front.....so wouldn't that make it a "tummy pack"?

And about the condo buying.......that will be my cliff-hanger for now.

 

[swwake]

Ok your AAA travel agent seems like a weirdo. Why wouldn't she just give you the documents the first time you asked???

Congrats on getting your documents!!!

If you have to change your flight, just call Magical Express yourself. She seems pretty useless.

I didn't want to say it. But she is. She has nice teeth too. Wish I had had my camera today, so I could show you.

I think she just wants to be in control and feel like she's contributing to this vacation that I have planned. She wants me to think I'm getting my money's worth out of the membership fee. Do you think she gets a commission after they transferred the reservation and it didn't help me at all? Personally, I'd rather all the money go to the Disney company.

Oh yeah, and they made it all formal. I had to check in with my membership card, then wait while they advised her I was there (I saw her sitting alone at her desk - just didn't know it was her). Then she came around the corner trying to be all professional, handshake and all. Then made me sit down while she painstakingly went through every piece of paper with me. As if I can't understand what Magical Express is, and how to read a coupon for 2-for-1 Sea Raycers. And she had to explain to me the sheet of paper that says "thank you for booking your vacation through AAA". Lady, I can READ. OK?

I'll have to exercise restraint. I may just run to the stage, pushing the hordes of screaming people out of the way.

Hmm I think Scott would.

This is a test of the SWWAKE Broadcast System. We are trying to determine if scottny is reading along. If this had been an actual George Michael Emergency, your local broadcaster would have somehow let you know.

 

[Grandma Bonnie]

Soon you will be doing what I did today (hint: obgyn with a 16 year old)

TMI, Susan!!!!

 

[swwake]

You have totally convinced me NEVER to book through AAA.

Your pics reminded me that I need to buy gum.

Others have had good experiences with AAA. Maybe because they didn't go do it all themselves THEN try to save a buck by switching.

I LIVE off that gum. I have a pack-a-day habit.

 

[Grandma Bonnie]

It was really not bad. They didn't do an exam. Just pee-on-a-stick, blood pressure, and a lot of discussion. It was the first appt. We talked about taking care of yourself. We got a breast self-exam card. We discussed Gardasil and Katie was told to go home and research it, then decide for herself. The NP was AWESOME!! Katie thought the whole thing "sucked" and was "gross" and "discusting" and "ewwww". I often marvel at her sense of humor. Chris and I were talking at dinner tonight about how funny she is and how much we enjoy being around her. She was making the NP laugh saying "when I'm on the rag, it really suuuuccccckkkksssss..." I could tell the NP was holding back a huge cackling laugh, trying to be professional. Me? I just let it all out and totally cracked up.

See what you have to look forward to?

Again, I say.....TMI, Susan!!!!!!

 

[Charleston Princess]

Hurray for travel documents and travel sizes and new suitcases!!!

 

[Native NYer]

I didn't want to say it. But she is. She has nice teeth too. Wish I had had my camera today, so I could show you.

I think she just wants to be in control and feel like she's contributing to this vacation that I have planned. She wants me to think I'm getting my money's worth out of the membership fee. Do you think she gets a commission after they transferred the reservation and it didn't help me at all? Personally, I'd rather all the money go to the Disney company.

Oh yeah, and they made it all formal. I had to check in with my membership card, then wait while they advised her I was there (I saw her sitting alone at her desk - just didn't know it was her). Then she came around the corner trying to be all professional, handshake and all. Then made me sit down while she painstakingly went through every piece of paper with me. As if I can't understand what Magical Express is, and how to read a coupon for 2-for-1 Sea Raycers. And she had to explain to me the sheet of paper that says "thank you for booking your vacation through AAA". Lady, I can READ. OK?

This is a test of the SWWAKE Broadcast System. We are trying to determine if scottny is reading along. If this had been an actual George Michael Emergency, your local broadcaster would have somehow let you know.

AAA makes themselves appear useful. If I need a flat tire changed, I'll call them. But when it comes to vacations, I'll handle it myself.

A George Michael emergency

Others have had good experiences with AAA. Maybe because they didn't go do it all themselves THEN try to save a buck by switching.

I LIVE off that gum. I have a pack-a-day habit.

That gum is great. But I'm not addicted. I have other habits

 

[Grandma Bonnie]

I broke down and changed my ticker.

I have to talk Katie out of US/IOA. Any ideas? We have the park hopper water fun and more, and we're already planning an afternoon at DQ.

Now, that change didn't hurt, did it, Darling? Change is good (So they tell me!)

I bet that by Thursday, Katie will be perfectly happy hangin' by the pool for a change.....especially if we can find a cabana boy!!!

 

[swwake]

So here's the itinerary update.

After Miss Smarty Pants told me that she can't help me because we didn't let AAA book our air, I called NWA and sat on hold forever. As I was doing that, I was clicking around on the website. I finally figured out that I could change it online and supposedly nothing would change until I confirmed the new itinerary and pricing.

So I'm scribbling notes about timed and flights and even dates. I figured out that we could fly from Austin for a minimal difference in price, but only if we flew out on Friday morning at 6am, arriving MCO at noon. Flying out on Saturday was completely cost-prohibitive.

I did some quick math (savings on round-trip gas, dog boarding fees, etc) and convinced myself that doing the Friday flight from Austin was the better option, at only an overall increase of $98.50 for all of us together. Less than $20 per person.

Plus, it gives us another half day in Orlando and/or the WDW area to play around, and extends our first day Saturday to a FULL day.

However - The glitch is this. Now we would need a hotel room for Friday night in Orlando. I might be able to use points for this. But then how will we get around? Do we get a room near the airport, then use ME on Saturday to get to BC? Or do we get closer to WDW and rent a car or take a town car or something? I found a Radisson maingate for only $72 for the night. That sounded good.

But then we wouldn't get to use ME. That was the clincher for me. After agonizing over the weekend about whether to claim our luggage or let ME take care of it, and finally reaching closure on that issue, now I'm facing it again. Only this time, we don't get the WHOLE magical experience of being immersed in Disney fun the minute we skip off the jetway.

Oh yeah, and that little thing about how the $500 we save on boarding fees, I realized, wasn't really a savings. Because, whether my sister takes care of the dogs in Austin or my dad keeps them at his Jackson kennel, I still save $500. So that was just bad math.

At the end of the day, I decided we'll keep our original itinerary and do the 11-hour road trip part of the adventure. We'll have plenty of fun.

Maybe we'll play Zip in the car.

 

[swwake]

Hurray for travel documents and travel sizes and new suitcases!!!

I know - yay!!!

After Miss Smarty Pants told me that she can't help me because we didn't let AAA book our air, I called NWA and sat on hold forever. As I was doing that, I was clicking around on the website. I finally figured out that I could change it online and supposedly nothing would change until I confirmed the new itinerary and pricing.

I forgot to finish that thought. While I was clicking around, somehow Katie's reservation got mysteriously lost in the oblivion that is nwa.com. So I had to get BACK on the phone, wait on hold AGAIN, only to be told that Katie's reservation had somehow gotten disconnected from the others in all my wild clicking. They gave me a new confirmation number for her, and I was able to pull it right up. Whew!

Is there something truly wrong with me when I begin quoting myself?

 

[Native NYer]

So here's the itinerary update.

After Miss Smarty Pants told me that she can't help me because we didn't let AAA book our air, I called NWA and sat on hold forever. As I was doing that, I was clicking around on the website. I finally figured out that I could change it online and supposedly nothing would change until I confirmed the new itinerary and pricing.

So I'm scribbling notes about timed and flights and even dates. I figured out that we could fly from Austin for a minimal difference in price, but only if we flew out on Friday morning at 6am, arriving MCO at noon. Flying out on Saturday was completely cost-prohibitive.

I did some quick math (savings on round-trip gas, dog boarding fees, etc) and convinced myself that doing the Friday flight from Austin was the better option, at only an overall increase of $98.50 for all of us together. Less than $20 per person.

Plus, it gives us another half day in Orlando and/or the WDW area to play around, and extends our first day Saturday to a FULL day.

However - The glitch is this. Now we would need a hotel room for Friday night in Orlando. I might be able to use points for this. But then how will we get around? Do we get a room near the airport, then use ME on Saturday to get to BC? Or do we get closer to WDW and rent a car or take a town car or something? I found a Radisson maingate for only $72 for the night. That sounded good.

But then we wouldn't get to use ME. That was the clincher for me. After agonizing over the weekend about whether to claim our luggage or let ME take care of it, and finally reaching closure on that issue, now I'm facing it again. Only this time, we don't get the WHOLE magical experience of being immersed in Disney fun the minute we skip off the jetway.

Oh yeah, and that little thing about how the $500 we save on boarding fees, I realized, wasn't really a savings. Because, whether my sister takes care of the dogs in Austin or my dad keeps them at his Jackson kennel, I still save $500. So that was just bad math.

At the end of the day, I decided we'll keep our original itinerary and do the 11-hour road trip part of the adventure. We'll have plenty of fun.

Your brain has been on overload! I'd have a headache!!!

Could you leave Friday, but stay in a Disney hotel? You could still use ME.

The road trip will be a fun way to start the vacation.

Maybe we'll play Zip in the car.

Just don't play canasta in the car

 

[Native NYer]

Is there something truly wrong with me when I begin quoting myself?