Frolicking Pants & Chicken Necks!_How this Dorky Mom & Daughter Do DisneyWorld! *7/24

[scooby9932]

Welcome, One! Welcome, All!

You're invited to join us on our Disney World Adventure! On this momentous trip, we'll discover mysterious frolicking pants, we'll encounter a newly hatched chicken neck, & experience the coronation of the Polky Dot Princess! And that's just the beginning of the fun... Read on for more decidedly dorky Disney delights!

But first, you might want to dip your toes into our pre-trip report. Here's the link:Oh, Snap! A Pre-trip Report from DDF & SP! Now that you have a little back history…on with the story!

We begin our tale in the back woods of Louisiana on a balmy April morning. Imagine if you will the chirp, peep of tree frogs, the wump, wump of bull frogs, and the hum of the crickets as the first, weak rays of sunlight glint over the woods to light upon the farmhouse nestled deep in the woods. Inside, an exuberant near-40 year old (that’s me) is nestled snug in her bed, eyes wide open, a big, goofy grin splitting her face. Visions of Dole Whips dance in her head. Her toes tap a rhythm with the ticking of the clock. She waits, listening for the telltale sounds that others are awake, knowing it’s too early to get up & risk a groggy, grumpy traveling partner. Finally, a little before 6 a.m., she hears the faint squeak of a nearby bedspring. Could it be? Is the Sparkly Princess awake? Unable to hold back one moment longer, she jumps out of bed, opens her door & is met with a vision she thought never to behold! Sparkly Princess is awake, wide eyed, and wearing a smile – and it’s not even noon yet!

Ok, ok. I'll break into the story here to give a little back history on the characters of this story:

CAST:

Sparkly Princess (SP for short): That's right. That's my DD's nickname on this DIS here & at home. She's my one & only - my bestest friend, my travel buddy, my everything. Since I divorced while still preggers with her, it's been just the 2 of us from day 1. We're the ORIGINAL Gilmore Girls. That's right - they stole from us! We're convinced! And did we see one penny from the producers? Noooo...

Ahem. Sorry bout that. Anyhoo...

SP is newly 20. She's outgoing - always making new friends. Her friends always kid her that she goes to a public restroom & always comes out with a new friend. She's a princess through & through. While I grew up more of a tomboy, she was born wearing her sparkly tiara, loving all things bright, shiny, and of course, PINK. Her favorite princess is Cinderella. Her favorite stuffie character is Figment.

SP is a photographer - actually she has 3 jobs (baby photographer @ Woman's Hospital, wedding photographer on weekends, and Freelance photographer in her own business). Whew - makes ya tired just reading all that, huh? Luckily, she was lucky enough to be able to take off from April 28 through May 11 to join me on this trip. We share the same dorky tendencies, screwball humor, and love of Disney. Makes for a perfect Disney travel combo, right?

Now, for a non-Disney pic. Hmmm, seems I don't have many of those on my puter. The only recent one I could find has her boyfriend, Steven, in the picture. Oh, well. He'll figure into our trip report, so here goes:

Then there's...

Me: I'm 39 - the big 4-0 is just a week away. I was born in LA, grew up going to Disneyland every year - even after moving to the Deep South when I was just knee-high to a grasshopper. I LOVE Disney. I'm obsessed! I don't care what people think about that! My favorite princess is Aurora ('cause her name is mine, only in French). My favorite stuffie character is Winnie the Pooh.

I'm a fiercely independent, strangely shy sometimes, single working mom. I have been battling Lupus for years, and for the last 5, cancer. I'm currently back on radiation/chemo. But, so far nothing's stopped me. And yearly trips to Disney are my reward!

I work full time still & also design & make jewelry on the side. Keeping busy is therapy for me. SP is my saving grace. Having her in my life has made the negatives if not inconsequential then certainly easier to handle.

My best job title is Mom. I'm also mom to my adorable shih-tzu, Rufus! Shhh! Don't tell him he's a d-o-g, k? He has NO idea.

Oh, here's a pic of me. It's one of those stretched arm, MySpace-y things. I was documenting my hair growth after chemo. I'm scary hairy! This was just 4 months of growth! Not that I'm complaining!

And 'cause he's just so darned cute, here's my Pookie boy, Rufus:

Now that you have a bit of background on the cast, I'll finish this first post with our trip itinerary, a roadmap of where we were, when we were, but the HOW we were you'll just have to wait for!

The broad itinerary:

• Tues., April 28 - Leave home (south Louisiana) & drive to Lake City, FL
• Wed., April 29 - Drive to Disney - Check in at Polynesian - Magic Kingdom
• Thu., April 30 - EPCOT Future World
• Fri., May 1 - Relax, Grand Fla. Tea, Epcot
• Sat., May 2 - Animal Kingdom, DTD
• Sun., May 3 - Epcot a.m., 1900 Park Fare Dinner, MK EMH
• Mon., May 4 - EPCOT World Showcase
• Tue., May 5 - MK All Day
• Wed., May 6 - Drive to St. Petersberg/Clearwater - Stay at Beach
• Fri., May 8 - Drive to Destin, FL - Stay on Beach
• Sat., May 9 - Drive remainder home

See ya next time. I'm hoping to get our PhotoPass pics edited tonight!

TOC:



And They're Off!
Car Woes, Taco Bell Search, Cool Hotel

Arrival Day!
We Interrupt this Trip Report...for A Snake Bite Story
Mini Life Update...Or Why I Haven't Posted the Next Installment Yet
Our 1st Park - Magic Kingdom!
Epcot Future World & Lapu Lapu Time!
The Disney Hollywood Studios Day That Wasn't

 

[Leleluvsdis]

YAY​

Can't wait to hear how you trip went!!!

 

[Lady Lallie]

Yay your TR has started!! Great start, I really can't wait to hear all about your trip!

 

[snoopy two]

You are the Gilmore Girls; only prettier!

 

[autumnpalm]

YAY you're back!!! I can't wait to read your TR!

 

[scooby9932]

YAY​

Can't wait to hear how you trip went!!!

We had a great time! Over way too soon, of course.

Yay your TR has started!! Great start, I really can't wait to hear all about your trip!

Thanks! I hope to have the first day up soon.

You are the Gilmore Girls; only prettier!

Aww, thanks so much!

YAY you're back!!! I can't wait to read your TR!

I've been keeping up with yours, too! You got WAY more pictures than we did. I was so busy having fun, I kinda forgot my camera most times.

 

[scooby9932]

Day One, Part 1 - Traveling Along

So, where were we? Peeping frogs, buzzing insects, excited me…Oh, yeah. SP was awake! And ready! Two near miracles already. This must surely portend of a trip filled with pixie dust & magic, right? Right.

I had loaded most of the luggage, etc. into the car the night before because it was supposed to rain the morning of our departure. I woke up the boys (er, dogs) and we snoogled & went outside to do our business & played a short game of fetch & then had our hair brushing - you know, the usual morning routine!

I hated waking them - they were snuggled in Rufus's bed together & so darn cute!

All that was left was eating some breakfast, and packing up the last minute make-up bags, SP’s stuffie Eeyore, and our purses.

About 2 hours down the road, SP gasped. I asked what was wrong & she said that in all the hub bub of taking care of the last minute details, saying goodbye to the dogs and my parents, etc., Eeyore didn’t get packed. What was she going to do without a stuffie to hug while sleeping? Oh, boy. Same thing happened last year. That’s how Eeyore came into our little family.

Turns out my mom had grabbed Eeyore & put him back in SP’s room figuring she wasn’t taking him as “what 20 year old needs a toy to sleep with?”. SP, that’s who! No worries, we solved this problem later that night.

Anyhoo, we were off & only 20 minutes behind my “scheduled” (i.e. wished for) time of departure of 7 a.m. The weather was still holding steady with just some wind and cloudiness.

Driving & Smiling - We're on our way!

We put in some Disney tunes & enjoyed the ride. We made our first gas stop in Covington as I hadn’t topped off the gas the day before. The tank didn’t register Full like usual, but I just figured that the gas pumps at that Exxon were “watered down” or something.

P.S. - Forget how bad I look in this shirt - I had packed all my others!

Within minutes we were back on the road & into Mississippi before long.


Weather Note:
The further east we drove, the better the weather got. When we left our house at 7:20 a.m. it was already 83 degrees F outside & 70% humidity. The previous week we had been in the 90’s each day with high humidity. When we got to Lake City, FL it was 83 degrees and 40% humidity. Louisiana got pummeled with rain while we were gone, but we didn’t see any rain at all. And there was a breeze each day. And most days were cooler & drier than at home. Woot! Hard to believe for Florida, huh? I tell people all the time that Louisiana is hotter & wetter than Florida, they just don’t believe me.

On with the report!

SP was already making noises about being hungry. I directed her to the big bag o’ snacks in the backseat. She wanted Taco Bell. In a BAD way. I told her that at 9:30 a.m. it was a bit early for tacos. So, she made do with some Pizza flavored Pringles, a Capri sun, and a pack of gushers. Let me just say that SP was SUPER snack-y this trip! I couldn’t fill that girl up. Made my food buget down right laughable this trip!

We started looking for Taco Bell around Biloxi & didn’t see one at all in Mississippi. By the time we hit the Alabama border, SP was claiming starvation & a desperate NEED for tacos! I told her we’d find one soon, but if she saw a sign for one in Mobile, just forget it. I do not pull over in Mobile. I hate their interstate system. It confuses me & the drivers confound me at every turn. I just like to drive through the tunnel, get over the long bridge after, and then breathe easily again. Soon we neared Mobile & SP was still on the look-out for Taco Bell.

I told her that the only way she was getting a taco in Mobile was if someone on the side of the road was tossing them into car windows as we drove past. She thought this was hilarious!

No worries, however, as Alabama was just as Taco Bell un-friendly as Mississippi had been.

Sad Side Story: While driving along, SP was constantly on her Blackberry, as usual, and noticed a MySpace message from her friend, Emiley, saying she was so sad. SP called her to see what was going on & found out that one of their mutual friends had died in a horrible motorcycle crash the night before. He was coming home after work & a car hit him head on, decapitating him. He was only 22. And his wife is pregnant. Just incredibly sad. It took the starch out of us for a little while there, I'll tell ya. Sure makes you thankful & think about things, ya know? SP had to call her best friend, Jacob, to tell him. He'd just moved to Mississippi & she wasn't sure anyone knew his number to call him. So she did. He was inconsolable.

Ok, on with the story. Again.

We'd made it through 3 states already & were soon into Florida!

We enjoyed our usual Little Cups of Sunshine.

Then we grabbed a few pamphlets & guides while at the Welcome Center. SP found the snack machine & came skipping up to me like a little kid: “Can I get something from the machine, Mom, puheeeeze?” Oh, boy. Turns out the vending machine had “the best pastry” choices. Well, if they’re the BEST pastries ever, what could I say? The decision making is on! Big Texas Cinnamon Roll or the Cream Cheese & Cherry Danish? Hmmmm…. The suspense!

She went with the Danish!

Soon we were back on the road & I’m starting to hear my own stomach growl. It was nearing 2 p.m. & I hadn’t eaten since 6:30 a.m. After much cajoling, I finally convinced her that the Dairy Queen looking over Pensacola Bay would be a great place to eat. So, we stopped & both had chicken finger baskets. Yum!

Then, since it was really hot by this time, we both had ice cream – SP had the Chocolate Extreme Blizzard & I had the Hot Fudge Sundae with Candied Pecan Sprinkles. Yummy!

Next up…Car Trouble?!?!?!

 

[Leleluvsdis]

Sounds like a good trip so far!!

I am so sorry to hear about SP friend. It is so sad. I had a friend get killed 2 years ago at 24 when we was in a police persuit and hit a tree at 60mph.

Car trouble!!!! Sounds like the end of our week

 

[autumnpalm]

Oh, I am so sorry to hear about SP's friend. That is just heartbreaking. My prayers will be with his family.

I loooovveeee DQ chicken finger baskets, YUM! Good choice!!

You and your daughter remind me so much of my mom and myself.

How is everything going with your house? I remember reading about it on your PTR. I hope it's going okay.

And uh oh... car trouble is never good!

 

[mickeystoontown]

Hey there! I'm from Louisiana too....West Monroe. NOBODY understands it when I tell them we are from Louisiana and the Florida weather is a breeze for us. They just look at us funny.

I totally understand you not wanting to get off the interstate anywhere near Mobile. For years and years, we got turned around in Mobile. It was (and still is) a long standing joke in our family. When you get to Mobile, you sit down, shut up and don't say anything until we are through that **** tunnel. We also won't stop anywhere for the night (we leave around 6 p.m.) until we are well past Pensacola. That's just a no-no in our book.

With the exception of the bad news you guys received, it looks like you are having a great time.

Waitin' to read more!

 

[scooby9932]

Sounds like a good trip so far!!

I am so sorry to hear about SP friend. It is so sad. I had a friend get killed 2 years ago at 24 when we was in a police persuit and hit a tree at 60mph.

Car trouble!!!! Sounds like the end of our week

Besides that tragic news, we were really having a great time. Oh, no! I hope your car trouble wasn't too bad!

Oh, I am so sorry to hear about SP's friend. That is just heartbreaking. My prayers will be with his family.

I loooovveeee DQ chicken finger baskets, YUM! Good choice!!

You and your daughter remind me so much of my mom and myself.

How is everything going with your house? I remember reading about it on your PTR. I hope it's going okay.

And uh oh... car trouble is never good!

Thanks for the prayers. It's always such a shock when something like that happens.

I love DQ chicken fingers! SP doesn't like the white gravy, but I love it. Yum.

The house repairs are coming along. The new roof is on, the ceilngs are up & floated. Still have lots to do...first off is restoring electricity! Then it'll be easier to work inside. Thanks for the good thoughts & .

Yep, car troubles stink. Luckily, it could have been worse. I'll explain in the next installment which should be up in just a few minutes.

Hey there! I'm from Louisiana too....West Monroe. NOBODY understands it when I tell them we are from Louisiana and the Florida weather is a breeze for us. They just look at us funny.

I totally understand you not wanting to get off the interstate anywhere near Mobile. For years and years, we got turned around in Mobile. It was (and still is) a long standing joke in our family. When you get to Mobile, you sit down, shut up and don't say anything until we are through that **** tunnel. We also won't stop anywhere for the night (we leave around 6 p.m.) until we are well past Pensacola. That's just a no-no in our book.

With the exception of the bad news you guys received, it looks like you are having a great time.

Waitin' to read more!

to a fellow Louisianian! Bonjour! Laissez les bon temps roulez!Thanks for joining in!

Isn't it so true? People just don't believe us about our weather. Until they come visit, that is. Once they're melting from heat & it's Thanksgiving, THEN they start to believe!

I'm glad I'm not the only one who dislikes the road system in Mobile! Don't get me wrong, I'm sure it's a perfectly lovely city. I just don't ever want to stop to find out.

How do you like driving forever on I-10 & LEANING the whole way? We are always so happy to turn onto I-75 & get back on even ground. We joke about the numb bums we get while driving I-10.

 

[scooby9932]

Day One, Part II:

After finishing our ice creams, SP & I made a last pit stop break before getting back on the road.

The sun was beating down & shining off the waters of Pensacola Bay as we drove over the bridge. Small islands of reeds were out in the water & SP was talking about how wonderful it would be to set up camp on one & just live by the water. I was telling her how I would visit with a boat on occasion. Where SP is a water person, I’m more of a “like to look at the water” person.

As our car began to climb a hill just after the bridge, I noticed the Check Engine light come on. Oh, no! Not car trouble. Pleeze, oh, pleeze - Not now. Oh, the expense. I didn’t have much left in savings after the trip & the cost of repairing my house. Oh, boy. To pay for the car, we might have to cancel the beach portion of our trip! SP will be SO disappointed! Horrible thoughts just tumbled one right on top of another. I don’t respond well to stress these days. I used to have the patience of Job. Now, after much stress through the years, I’m more like Donald Duck. QUACK!!

At the first exit, I pulled into a gas station. First things first, I checked to make sure I had screwed the gas cap on tight enough. Then I checked the oil levels, the radiator fluid, the transmission fluid, the battery cables. Everything looked good. The temp gauge in the car was normal, no leaks, good fluid levels, no hissing radiator, no obviously loose hoses, all clamps looked good. So what could it be? My small bit of car knowledge had run out.

That was when I decided to look at the little car manual guide they give you. Ha! That thing is useless. Under the section for Check Engine all it had was to take the car in to your dealer for service. Fat lot of help when you’re several hundred miles away from your dealer. Sheesh!

So, I did what any self respecting girl does in that situation. I called Daddy! After reviewing everything I’d checked with Dad, he told me it was most likely the Oxygen sensor had gone out. Nothing to worry about, but costly to replace. Good news was if that’s what it was, I could wait until I got back from my trip to get it replaced. To try to figure out if that’s what it was he asked me a few questions.

Did I notice

• 
  When I last filled my tank, did the needle not register full like usual? Aha! And I thought they had a quick-release pump set up so people didn’t register a completely full tank. Some stations do this, you know. And I DO know. I happen to work for the biggest of the “Big Oil” companies. I definitely didn’t feel I had a Tiger in my tank, though.

Did I notice:

• 
  a reduction in gas mileage? Why, yes, Yes I had! I had been blaming the Exxon for “watered down” gas, but it was my car all along. I had just assumed that particular Exxon had put in more Ethanol than required (3%) and I know that affects your gas mileage negatively, even if it does help the environment - a bit.

And no flames, please - I'm actually an environmentalist. I have been a certified tree hugger for years. I have the cards to prove it. And the re-useable shopping bags, water bottle, recycle bins, etc. I was environmentally aware before it was "in." Dont' hold my job against me. It's a paycheck. Okey dokey - Off my soapbox now. Ahem.

So, figuring it was the O2 sensor, I sighed a HUGE sigh of relief & we got back on the road, with me now noticing every little noise/jerk/funny feeling the car made. Oh, joy. QUACK!

Still, we were on the way to Disney, so I tried my best to not stress over it. Really. And as the days went on, I stressed less & less. I STILL have to get the darn car to the dealership & get that thing replaced! I’ve just been so busy with Dr. appointments, chemo, radiation, house repairs, work, etc. Plus I was waiting on my next pay check.

Anyhoo, on with our tale.

We made it through Tallahassee, passed by the Suwanee River area, the Chattahoochee River, sang all the associated songs, lost an hour near the Sneads exit. Egads. It went from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. in an instant! No fair!

Soon we were off I-10 (thank goodness – I hate the crooked highway) and onto I-75 South. Where truckers have to stay in their own lanes. Yippee! It had been an 18 wheeler heavy day so far. I guess Tuesdays are big “Big Rig” travel days.

We made Lake City, Florida in no time & found our first hotel of the trip. The new Comfort Inn on Hwy 90 is really beautiful. Just built & opened a couple of months ago.

Out of all the hotels we stayed in this trip, it was by far the nicest. I know, blasphemy! Better than a “deluxe” Disney hotel? You betcha. Cleaner room, comfier beds, nicer amenities, FREE high speed wi-fi, free deluxe breakfast, refrigerator, microwave, seating area with pull out sofa, chair & ottoman, table, flat screen TV (with real channels), DVD player, Nintendo, work station, climate control on floor level, thick walls. Ok, that pretty much says it, but I’ll go into more detail of the Poly once we get to that part.

Here are some pics of the hotel in question. She took A LOT of pictures. It is decorated exactly like SP wants to do her place once they finish fixing up the house. And she gets some decorating money. You get the idea.

Anyway, since it's been picture light on this portion of the report, here you have just a sampling of the hotel pics SP took:

After dropping our bags in the room, calling home to let them know we did indeed make it, and spiffy-ing up a bit, we headed back out to get the promised Taco Bell dinner. Wouldn’t you know? Florida is Taco Bell friendly? And there was one just ¼ mile down the road from our hotel. Right next to Wal Mart!

Finally, SP got her fill of tacos – well, actually since she doesn’t actually eat red meat, not tacos but the Chicken Ranch Taco Salad (calling this thing a salad is crazy – it’s in a fried shell for goodness sake!). I had the chicken supreme chalupas. Yummy! No food pics, we were just too hungry. In fact, we failed the food pic challenge for the majority of our trip. You’ll just have to take my word for what we consumed!

SP & I decided to hit up the local Wal Mart. I needed to pick up some much needed medication I’d forgotten to pack & also wanted to see if I could find SP a stuffie that unlike the ones in WDW, didn’t cost as much as my cell phone bill. Kidding…sorta.

SP spotted some clothes right off that she just HAD to try. She ended up getting 2 pairs of board shorts, which admittedly were really cute.

I found her a cute stuffed, super cuddly Panda bear. I promptly named him Parsnip. Don’t ask me why. It’s the first thing that popped into my head. SP has had me name every doll/stuffie/blanket/pet/etc. her whole life. She thinks I come up with the best names. Actually, my parents have me name their animals as well. Weird. I just pick the first name that pops up most times.

Anyhoo, with board shorts & Parsnip the bear in hand we made our way to the checkout. It was fun paying since their sales tax is so low compared to ours. I mentioned this to the check out lady & she asked if we’re taxed on food & medicine. SP & I both laughed & said at the same time, “Of course we are. We’re from Louisiana. They tax you for air there.”

Soon after we were back in our hotel room, where SP got on the phone with Steven & I took the opportunity to grab dibs on the bathroom. I enjoyed a nice, hot soak in the tub (after cleaning it out with my Lysol wipes, of course) and then hit the hay. SP was off her phone call & back to texting Steven again.

Side Note: The whole trip she & he texted back & forth, non-stop. You’ll notice in pictures, she always has her phone with her. All I heard was a mix of “bleep bleep bleep” or “bah-dunk” or “bzzzz” depending on which sound she had selected. I told her, “I think he could expand his vocabulary a bit, don’t you? Tell him bleep, bahdunk, bzzz for me, okay?” Of course, she didn’t. So, I told her, “When we get back the first thing I’m going to say to him is “bleep bleep bleep, bah-dunk, bzzzzz.” And I did. He looked at me like I was crazy. I told him, well that’s all I heard from you for the last 10 days! SP & I had joked about it the whole trip. She was surprised I actually said it, though. We all laughed once he caught on.

Anyhoo, with SP in her own little world typing away on her computer, texting Steven, and listening to her iPod, I soon grew bored of my own company & went to sleep. It was up early the next day to head to Disney World!

Up Next…Aloha, and Welcome Home! We Made It!

 

[mickeystoontown]

to a fellow Louisianian! Bonjour! Laissez les bon temps roulez!Thanks for joining in!

Isn't it so true? People just don't believe us about our weather. Until they come visit, that is. Once they're melting from heat & it's Thanksgiving, THEN they start to believe!

I'm glad I'm not the only one who dislikes the road system in Mobile! Don't get me wrong, I'm sure it's a perfectly lovely city. I just don't ever want to stop to find out.

How do you like driving forever on I-10 & LEANING the whole way? We are always so happy to turn onto I-75 & get back on even ground. We joke about the numb bums we get while driving I-10.

We have to take Hwy. 98 from Hattiesburg to Mobile and it's sooooo boring. We absolutely hate that section of the drive. I completely agree with you on the I-10. While the road conditions aren't bad at all, it's another boring drive.

We are usually pretty okay when going into Mobile on the way to Florida so long as everybody remains quiet and they let me concentrate. Well, except for that one time when we ended up at the boat docks with all the workers. But, on the way back, we used to get turned around EVERY time. We would end up in the plight of the city. I had to stop at a gas station and ask for directions and it was scary. I told my husband that if the cashier told me "you don't want to ask me I ain't even from here" (from the old Vacation movie), I was gonna die. Wouldn't you know it....she did!

My daughter had friends come visit from Georgia and Tennessee and they couldn't stand the Louisiana temperatures in April!

Okay, on with the trip report.

 

[Lady Lallie]

Sounds like a great trip so far....minus the check engine light. That would have completely freaked me out but it sounds like you handled it very well!

 

[scooby9932]

We have to take Hwy. 98 from Hattiesburg to Mobile and it's sooooo boring. We absolutely hate that section of the drive. I completely agree with you on the I-10. While the road conditions aren't bad at all, it's another boring drive.

We are usually pretty okay when going into Mobile on the way to Florida so long as everybody remains quiet and they let me concentrate. Well, except for that one time when we ended up at the boat docks with all the workers. But, on the way back, we used to get turned around EVERY time. We would end up in the plight of the city. I had to stop at a gas station and ask for directions and it was scary. I told my husband that if the cashier told me "you don't want to ask me I ain't even from here" (from the old Vacation movie), I was gonna die. Wouldn't you know it....she did!

My daughter had friends come visit from Georgia and Tennessee and they couldn't stand the Louisiana temperatures in April!

Okay, on with the trip report.

Oh, my gosh! I get so flustered if I get turned around in a strange city. And that cashier! Too funny. Although, I'm sure it was anything but funny at the time.

Sorta reminds me of when I was driving alone in west Texas while visiting my grandfather on his cattle ranch. I was about 16 & had gone to the store, but somehow got turned around when I left. The roads out there go on for miles with no road signs or signs of life either. My trusty map didn't help a bit. How do you find your way if you don't know where you are? And this was WAY before cell phones & GPS.

Anyway, it was turning dark, which just makes me more flustered. I finally spotted a small gas station/store & rushed in thinking this would be my saving grace.

Well, I started talking to the cashier & asking directions. The clerk (a 20-something woman) just shakes her head no. I ask again, "Could you point me in the direction of "town name"." She again shakes her head no. This goes on for a couple more minutes. I'm starting to wonder why this woman refuses to help me. Then from the back a guy walks out & starts speaking to her in Spanish.

She sighs loudly, and starts very animatedly talking back, gesturing to me, and shaking her head. The guy turns to me and says, "She just got here from Guatamala yesterday & doesn't understand a word you said. To get to "..", just take a left on the highway & you'll see a sign at the crossroads about 5 miles from here."

Ah, mystery solved. Of course I find the clerk who doesn't speak my language. If only she had spoken French, I might have had a chance!

His directions were spot on, btw.

 

[autumnpalm]

That Comfort Inn looks awesome! Love the turquoise colour.

I'm glad you finally got your Taco Bell... I am a huge TB fan!

Can't wait to hear about your arrival at WDW!

 

[scooby9932]

That Comfort Inn looks awesome! Love the turquoise colour.

I'm glad you finally got your Taco Bell... I am a huge TB fan!

Can't wait to hear about your arrival at WDW!

The Comfort Inn was really nice! And turquoise & brown with splashes of beige just look so good together decor-wise.

 

[scooby9932]

Day 2: Part I

BREEEPPP!! BREEEEEEPPP!!

OMG! What IS that NOISE?

Yep, you guessed it. The infernal alarm clock was going off next to my head. Oh, boy! I’m spoiled by my escalating bells alarm at home that gently wakens you. This thing blasted away & sounded like the Fire Alarm at work. Certainly gets the job done, though.

I roll over to turn it off & notice SP with her back to me, texting away on her Blackberry. Geez, Louise. I hope she at least went to sleep last night.

I croak out a good morning & SP turns around & chirps out a cheery “Good Morning!”

W-O-W. It’s 6:30 in the morning & SP not only spoke, it was in happy tones? Disney Magic must have traveled up to Lake City or something. SP is Never cheery first thing in the morning. Plus, she’s awake & raring to go before noon? 2 mornings in a row? Must be some kind of miracle! Think it will last? You’ll have to keep reading this TR to see…

So, after fumbling around a bit & getting reasonably presentable, SP & I trudge down to the free breakfast. SP chooses her usual Danish, plus a poached egg & some bacon. I choose a bowl of Raisin Bran & a banana. We both have some seriously good Strawberry-Kiwi juice.

After people watching & munching our breakfast, we head back up to the room to get fully dressed, packed up, and on our way.

We checked out & I packed our bags back into the car. It’s a delicate process. You see, on the way down & the last night on the way back I insist on taking only a small suitcase & our toiletries into the hotel. That way, we don’t have to unpack ALL our stuff until we’re actually spending some real time in a room. So, I have a system to the packing. It’s complicated. Engineers are impressed with it’s efficiency. SP is impressed how it all manages to fit into the trunk & backseat. I’m just happy our tail end doesn’t drag on the pavement as we drive down the road!

Anyhoo, packed & nourished, we head back onto I-75 for the 2.5 drive to Disney World. The way is pretty familiar up to the point of the toll roads. Once we get onto the Toll Road, it’s a different story as we’ve not been to this resort before. So, I have SP hold onto the Disney Bible so she can read to me from the Mapquest map I have printed out.

It’s smooth going for the most part. I have my $2.50 in exact change ready for the toll booth. We pull out & get back on the road, but at that moment SP announces she has to use the restroom. Now?, I ask. NOW!, she asserts. And you didn’t know you had to go at that exit before the toll booth? I ask. Not really, she says. Hmmph. Not really. Great.

We had just paid $2.50 for the privilege of driving on the road. Now, we had to exit the road & wouldn’t you know there’s construction going on. The roadway is not clear, signs are turned funny or missing altogether. We finally find a Texaco station & SP takes care of business.

I’m grumpy because I noticed that to get back onto the toll road, I’d have to pay another toll. Even though we’d just paid one less than 1/4 mile before. And I hate construction that makes it look like the road is missing & it’s not clear which way to go. I grump at SP. She responds by getting upset with me & things get a mite nasty for a couple of minutes. She refuses to answer me when I ask “is this the right lane to get back on the road?” She just stares out her window. SP is more like Miss Grumpy Pants now. That’s how she reacts if I get upset while driving. It’s not pretty.

Finally, I find the little gravel path to follow back to the road, pay the $0.50 reentry toll & we’re on our way again. SP is still in a funk. I tease SP out of her funk by saying that was the most expensive bathroom break I was willing to pay for.

I haven’t had to pay to go to the restroom since I was a little kid & you had to put the quarter into the slot on the public bathroom stalls to gain access. Anyone remember those? My sister, mom, and me would all crowd into one stall so it wouldn’t cost so much. Ah, the good ole days!

Anyway, after teasing & making jokes for a minute, she comes out of her funk & all is back to normal. Seriously, though, $0.50 just to get back onto the toll road? Now I see why Floridians don’t have to pay sales tax on food & medicine. They make all their money on toll roads.

Finally, we take the exit off the toll road that leads us to the resort. Soon we come across this sign & we both start sing-songing “we made it, we made it.”

Before long, we’ve managed to decipher Disney’s signs & make it to the guard shack at the Polynesian. After parking the car, SP & I head into the resort.

The lush landscaping is pretty. The lobby is dark & cool. The line for check in isn’t too long & before I know it we’re talking with a CM.

She gives us our KTTW, a Birthday button for me to wear, and 2 leis.

It was only after we walked away, that I realized she had said we were in Tuvalu. I was thinking of Tokelau. I had wanted either Tokelau or Tahiti so we’d be sure to have a patio/balcony & be close to the TTC.

So, we made a bee line back to the desk to see if we could change. She was able to get us into Tahiti – 3rd floor, corner room, balcony. I was very happy with this room assignment. 3rd floor meant no stomping above our heads. Corner meant only one wall shared with another room. Balcony meant a place we could go for a bit of privacy. Perfecto.

We made a quick stop by the restrooms & inquired about my scooter & Garden Grocer orders & then went back to the car to pull it around to the closest parking lot to Tahiti. This is another reason I liked this building assignment – the parking lot was not too far away.

We made 2 trips back & forth to the room from the car hauling in luggage, snacks, etc. The first thing I did was a bed bug check. Seeing that all was okay, we hauled our luggage into the room.

Than I did some sanitizing & started organizing the “kitchen” area, our closets, the bathroom, desk area, credenza, etc., until it was like a mini-home – everything with a place & everything in its place. I HAVE to do this. Otherwise, I just can’t function.

SP is perfectly happy slinging her belongings every which way, living out of multiple piles, digging through said piles to try to find her stuff, etc. General chaos which she says is a structured chaos. I don’t believe her, though.

While I organized our room, SP took a shower & got ready for our 1st official day at Disney World. Then I grabbed a quick shower & got ready as well. While I was in the shower, bell services showed up with our Garden Grocer order. He’d failed to bring the items from the refrigerator, though, so he went back to get them.

While he was gone, I looked through the bags & discovered that our Granola Bars & Breakfast bars were missing from the order. When he came back, he had our milk & OJ, but said there wasn’t anything else & he’d searched for the 2 items, but came up empty. I was a bit upset, as it had cost me about $9 for those items. Oh, well.

Here are some pics of the room:

We got a Mickey Towel!

Balcony Views:

A view of my feet from the super comfy chair & ottoman.

SP doing what she does best!

I, as usual, chose the bed closest to the door. It’s a safety thing I’ve always done because SP is a sleepwalker. Yep, that’s right. She walks & talks & will try to cook, bathe, go swimming, etc. – all in her sleep.

I could tell some tales! I will share the following story, though:

Worst Instance of SP Leaving the Building While Asleep:
When she was 8, we were on a Girl Scout camping trip. The cabin we were in was right by a lake. It was also designed strangely with doors leading out of the cabin at the end of a long, narrow hallway, so there was no way to set up my sleeping bag in front of the door. The girls were in one room and the Troop Leaders in another (council rules at the time).

I’d warned everyone that she sleepwalks & to please keep the cabin doors latched & be on high alert. We even took some spare mattresses & leaned them against the doors. I’d also made SP wear a necklace with a small bell on it so I’d be sure to hear her if she moved.

Well, around 2 in the morning, I hear a crash & wake up realizing it was the screen door slamming I’d heard. I start running toward the door. SP had woken up, taken off her necklace, moved the mattress out of the way, unlatched the screen door & was walking into the lake, taking her nightie off over her head when I caught up to her.

I grabbed hold of her & pulled her out of the water. When I asked what she was doing, she said she was hot & thought she’d go for a swim. Oh, yeah, of course. You might be interested in knowing that it was January & cold out at the time. I talked her back inside, warmed her up by rubbing her with towels, dressed us both in fresh sweat suits & had her sleep next to me – to heck with the rules that state girls must sleep separate from troop leaders. Everyone had witnessed the event & it was all anyone talked about for a long time. However, poor SP didn’t remember any of this the next morning when we woke up. The council changed their rules after that event. Girls with special needs could have an adult sleep next to them.

SP still walks in her sleep, just not as actively as before. But in any case, I always take the bed closest to the door just in case. All of this also explains my tendency to be a really light sleeper.

Anyhoo, back to our story.

As soon as I was dressed & ready, we headed out. Along the way, we saw a Duck with her babies:

They were swimming in the little volcano stream leading to the big volcano pool:

First things first, we walked to the Great Ceremonial House & got some lunch at Captain Cook’s. We both had the Turkey Club sandwich. I ordered the Polynesian chips & SP ordered the steamed Asian veggies. The sandwich was good. It was pretty big, though, and one would have sufficed for the 2 of us. The chips were a mix of sweet potato, white potato, and corn chips deep fried to a hardness I just don’t like. SP said it was like Kettle Chips. Whatever, I was afraid of breaking a tooth on them, so didn’t eat them. Her Asian veggies were on the soggy side & kinda cold, so she didn’t eat many of them & ate my chips instead.

Happy to be in WDW:

Next, we looked briefly through the shop, BouTIKI:

SP gets friendly with a tiki god:

We had bought the refillable mugs, so we filled these up again with Lemonade before heading to the front desk to get my scooter. Once they brought my scooter out, we headed toward the TTC to catch the ferry to Magic Kingdom.

At this point, it was around 12:30 p.m., so we had a lot of time to enjoy on our first day in the parks. Normally we don’t do the parks on our arrival day, but had really made good time by driving to Lake City the first night instead of Tallahassee which we’ve always done before. We both felt it was a much easier trip that way & decided we’d drive a bit further the 1st day out from now on.

Next up: Magic Kingdom & Sore Shoulders

 

[mickeystoontown]

You and I could be related. We do a whole lot of similar things (besides hating Mobile and I-10). Because our drive spans two days (well, 1 1/2), I too, pack just a bag for our toiletries and a "first night at the hotel" bag. I don't want to haul all of our stuff out for just one night.

I hate toll roads because I think it's ridiculous to pay to drive on a road.

I like to tidy up our room when we get there. I'm not a clean freak but I do like things in their place because when we travel there are three (four if our daughter gets to come along) and it can get really messy if you don't straighten things up. Our mousekeeper probably loves our room!


I really enjoyed your Poly pictures. I would absolutely love to stay there but it's out of our budget.

Looking forward to reading more.

 

[scooby9932]

You and I could be related. We do a whole lot of similar things (besides hating Mobile and I-10). Because our drive spans two days (well, 1 1/2), I too, pack just a bag for our toiletries and a "first night at the hotel" bag. I don't want to haul all of our stuff out for just one night.

I hate toll roads because I think it's ridiculous to pay to drive on a road.

I like to tidy up our room when we get there. I'm not a clean freak but I do like things in their place because when we travel there are three (four if our daughter gets to come along) and it can get really messy if you don't straighten things up. Our mousekeeper probably loves our room!


I really enjoyed your Poly pictures. I would absolutely love to stay there but it's out of our budget.

Looking forward to reading more.

I know our Mousekeeper liked at least my side of the room! I got several towel animals, etc. left for me (or at least, on my side of the bathroom shelf & on my bed which I made before leaving each day), but poor SP didn't get any! I teased her it was because her side was always so messy!

The Poly was really pretty. But, in all honesty, except for the transportation options & larger room, I didn't think it was worth the extra money. SP & I both thought the layout of POR was better. And it's not like I have to worry about staying deluxe again - we were only able to because of the b4/g3 deal.

I think we'll be back at POR next time. Or maybe even try POP since I hear so many good things about that resort.