Our trip was from October 4-11, 2005 and included FREE dining, MNSSHP and more! I'll post a bit from each day's report here, then invite you to read the rest on my Disney blog - like the days themselves, these reports are LONG!
The Cast:
Me Mom, (34), perpetually exhausted control freak, but Im working on it
Captain Planner Dad, (37), former naysayer who has embraced Disney wholeheartedly
Tinkerbell DD (15), moods are like the weather in Southwestern Ontario wait five minutes, itll change
Dory DD (13), a bit absentminded, but game for anything
Shopaholic DD (8), cant decide if her favourite attraction was Space Mountain or the gift shop
For the first time ever, weve got no send-off party driving us to the airport. With six pieces of luggage, golf clubs, a wheelchair, carry-ons and five people, were a vanload all by ourselves. We locate Airlines Parking near Detroit Metro around 5 a.m., the machine spits out an orange ticket and a man with a flashlight waves us over to Section Seven. Now we just have to wait for the shuttle. I still cant quite believe that, not having made contact with another human being, my minivan will still be here in a week, but sometimes, you just have to trust. I file it under the list of things Ill worry about seven days from now.
The airport is good practice for WDW. Hurry up, line up, wait, line up some more. As Id hoped, the guy at the Spirit desk sees our party of five with wheelchair and moves us up to Row Six. This is why I dont take the automated route for anything if it can be avoided. I dont use the self checkout at the grocery store, I go into the bank instead of using the ATM and I insist that a real person dispense my boarding pass at the airport. What can I say? We all have our quirks.
At long last, we board the plane, and Im surprised that the flight isnt full. After weeks of watching people fret over rising fuel prices, the Northwest strike and Delta going into receivership, Id expected more people would be taking advantage of Spirits low fares. Lucky us is all I can say. En route, we eat the breakfast/lunch weve brought from home. Eat lots kids I dont want to carry this stuff around!
Arrival at MCO presents us with our first test of the plan. The idea of putting all of our luggage in the hands of Magical Express freaked me out a bit, so one of our checked suitcases contains everything the five of us will need for the first 24 hours. And no, I wasnt about to carry it on we carried enough, thank you. The 24-hour bag has flown without the yellow tags. While Captain, Tinkerbelle and Shopaholic wait for assistance in disembarking (i.e. lets hope our wheelchair made it onto the right plane), Dory and I leap from the plane and race to baggage claim. We will meet up with the rest at the ME desk.
Does the gang reach the ME desk successfully? Why does Disney give away free pins? And does Hoop Dee really Do it? Read the rest of the story at my Disney blog:
http://www.movershakerbirthdaycakebaker.blogs.com/remember_the_magic
Shelley
The Cast:
Me Mom, (34), perpetually exhausted control freak, but Im working on it
Captain Planner Dad, (37), former naysayer who has embraced Disney wholeheartedly
Tinkerbell DD (15), moods are like the weather in Southwestern Ontario wait five minutes, itll change
Dory DD (13), a bit absentminded, but game for anything
Shopaholic DD (8), cant decide if her favourite attraction was Space Mountain or the gift shop
For the first time ever, weve got no send-off party driving us to the airport. With six pieces of luggage, golf clubs, a wheelchair, carry-ons and five people, were a vanload all by ourselves. We locate Airlines Parking near Detroit Metro around 5 a.m., the machine spits out an orange ticket and a man with a flashlight waves us over to Section Seven. Now we just have to wait for the shuttle. I still cant quite believe that, not having made contact with another human being, my minivan will still be here in a week, but sometimes, you just have to trust. I file it under the list of things Ill worry about seven days from now.
The airport is good practice for WDW. Hurry up, line up, wait, line up some more. As Id hoped, the guy at the Spirit desk sees our party of five with wheelchair and moves us up to Row Six. This is why I dont take the automated route for anything if it can be avoided. I dont use the self checkout at the grocery store, I go into the bank instead of using the ATM and I insist that a real person dispense my boarding pass at the airport. What can I say? We all have our quirks.
At long last, we board the plane, and Im surprised that the flight isnt full. After weeks of watching people fret over rising fuel prices, the Northwest strike and Delta going into receivership, Id expected more people would be taking advantage of Spirits low fares. Lucky us is all I can say. En route, we eat the breakfast/lunch weve brought from home. Eat lots kids I dont want to carry this stuff around!
Arrival at MCO presents us with our first test of the plan. The idea of putting all of our luggage in the hands of Magical Express freaked me out a bit, so one of our checked suitcases contains everything the five of us will need for the first 24 hours. And no, I wasnt about to carry it on we carried enough, thank you. The 24-hour bag has flown without the yellow tags. While Captain, Tinkerbelle and Shopaholic wait for assistance in disembarking (i.e. lets hope our wheelchair made it onto the right plane), Dory and I leap from the plane and race to baggage claim. We will meet up with the rest at the ME desk.
Does the gang reach the ME desk successfully? Why does Disney give away free pins? And does Hoop Dee really Do it? Read the rest of the story at my Disney blog:
http://www.movershakerbirthdaycakebaker.blogs.com/remember_the_magic
Shelley
No, really Dh I have grown out of it.... 
