Valentine
<font color=purple>BL II - Purple Team<br><font co
- Joined
- May 22, 2001
- Messages
- 1,431
Finally.... after the realization hit me that I COULD actually go to Disney on my own... here I am!!!
Cast of Characters:
Me - Kathy, Single 39 (OMG!!!)
Pal Mickey - My constant sidekick throughout this trip (thought I killed him one night.. but more on that later)
Knock..Knock.. Knock... Taps my boss on my door... "Are you up yet??" she asks.. What??? Is she kidding?? I've been up forever.. shower taken... bags packed.. Mickey strapped up and ready to go..... "Hey Pal... I sure do like having a friend like you" .... Okay..let's go!!! After some after christmas shopping ... we are on the way!!! I-4... ooooooo ...Gotta Love those billboards... and the familiar "Epcot Resorts" exit... it's real!!
We pull up at the Swan... and I extract myself and my bags from the car... say my thank you's and goodbye's and it begins... My first truly solo trip... (insert dramatic music and Slo-Motion for my entrance into the swan... think Gone With The Wind) Since this was my first stay here at the Swan...I had no idea what the Lobby set up was... I just happened to end up at the check in desk...there was no-one else there.. that's why I thought I was in the wrong place... just a very happy gentleman..who kept typing away and commenting that I was getting a beautiful room... great view... nice room... very nice... Okay.. Okay.. but.. is it ready yet???? come on... .don't keep me in suspense... He types some more... I show my Starwood card that I made sure I got (thanks to all the advice here)... he raises his eyebrows... types some more.... 
(will I get an upgrade?????) Hey.. look at me... don't I look like a nice person?? and I am ALLLLLL ALone.... It would be sooooo much nicer if I had a balcony to spend some time on.... 
a bit more typing.. and he says... Unfortunately.. your room is not ready yet... as check in is at 3:00.....yadda...yadda... yadda... I said no problem... checked my bags.. and went in search of some lunch..... That's when I hit my first disappointment.... Since I was booked for club level... I asked if it would be alright to go up to the lounge.. even though my room was not ready... they said sure.... and then said.. oh wait.. let me check the hours... They are not open right now... they are only open in the morning and the evening... 
what??? Had I known that I would not have booked club level.. But.. Hey..Who Cares.. I'm going to Disney!!!! ... Soooooo... off to explore... I make my first stop in the gift shop at the Swan where I purchase a Disney waist pack.. my best investment ever... a ring... and some postcards..(Uh..Oh... I don't think I ever mailed those!!! DUH!!) I strolled around a bit more and then decided to head on over to the Boardwalk to grab some breakfast.. a Cinnamon roll from the Bakery.. and some Tea... I sit down at a table and people watch... that's when the realization hit.... I'm AT Disney!!!! I am really here!!! After my decident breakfast (well sorta brunch!!) I decide to head on over to MGM to activate my AP.. so ..I grab Mickey and off we go.... I decided that I want to walk to MGM since the boats seem to take forever sometimes... so.. off I go.. down the lovely path next to the Swan .... hmmmmmm.... where is this path going??? Isn't MGM That way???? Next thing I know I am walking along a street..and people driving by are staring... as if to say.. and WHERE is SHE Going???? (that's what I wanted to know!!!) So I just waved and kept walking 
In actuality.. I had figured out where I was going.... I had to cross the bridge to get to the other side.. to continue on my journey.... (note: you need to walk on the path next to the Boardwalk for the shortest route to MGM. It was a Lovely walk.. and the next thing I knew... I was walking up to MGM. 
what a great Tree!!! It was a lovely sunny day and all was well with the world 
I pass through security.. and go over to Guest Services... A very short line... and I have my AP in my hands....A Full Year of Disney Fun... my next trip dates start flying through my head!!!! 
Through the gates I go... :::::::BUZZZZZ:::::::: and Mickey is off... He tells me stuff neat stuff... and makes me laugh at some corny jokes... and I stroll down and watch some street performances.... I am in no rush... so I meander over to Rock-N-Roller Coaster just to see what the line is like... because the place was swarming with people...more than I have EVER seen at MGM.... I window shop.. and breathe in the Disney Air.... Listen to Mickey.. and Stop dead in my tracks when I read 180 minute standby time... Fast Pass REturn 10:00 - 11:00 PM Tower of Terror... Fast Passes Gone... Wait time... 120 min... OMG!!!!!! See ya later Tower of Terror... I decide to walk over to the Great Movie Ride and see what was up there.... as I get there... Mickey informs me that the wait time for the Movie Ride tends to be shorter later in the day.. and that I should come back later.. Hmmmmmm... good advice Mickey.. thanks!!! So... I decide to just do a 360 of the park with no thought of getting on any attractions.. so.. I turn around and almost run over a very small child who has walked up to me so that he could talk to Mickey... He hugged him.. and kissed him right on his nose... (I was wearing him clipped to my waist pack.. so he was definitely small kid height) I let him talk to Mickey for a while and told his mom where she too could get one... Ahhhhh.. my first bit of Disney Magic... a happy child!! And now today's bit of Disney Magic.. It's time to go home.. I will post part 2 of this installment of "Hey, Who Cares I'm Going to Disney" later this evening......
Cast of Characters:
Me - Kathy, Single 39 (OMG!!!)
Pal Mickey - My constant sidekick throughout this trip (thought I killed him one night.. but more on that later)
Knock..Knock.. Knock... Taps my boss on my door... "Are you up yet??" she asks.. What??? Is she kidding?? I've been up forever.. shower taken... bags packed.. Mickey strapped up and ready to go..... "Hey Pal... I sure do like having a friend like you" .... Okay..let's go!!! After some after christmas shopping ... we are on the way!!! I-4... ooooooo ...Gotta Love those billboards... and the familiar "Epcot Resorts" exit... it's real!!
We pull up at the Swan... and I extract myself and my bags from the car... say my thank you's and goodbye's and it begins... My first truly solo trip... (insert dramatic music and Slo-Motion for my entrance into the swan... think Gone With The Wind) Since this was my first stay here at the Swan...I had no idea what the Lobby set up was... I just happened to end up at the check in desk...there was no-one else there.. that's why I thought I was in the wrong place... just a very happy gentleman..who kept typing away and commenting that I was getting a beautiful room... great view... nice room... very nice... Okay.. Okay.. but.. is it ready yet???? come on... .don't keep me in suspense... He types some more... I show my Starwood card that I made sure I got (thanks to all the advice here)... he raises his eyebrows... types some more.... (will I get an upgrade?????) Hey.. look at me... don't I look like a nice person?? and I am ALLLLLL ALone.... It would be sooooo much nicer if I had a balcony to spend some time on.... a bit more typing.. and he says... Unfortunately.. your room is not ready yet... as check in is at 3:00.....yadda...yadda... yadda... I said no problem... checked my bags.. and went in search of some lunch..... That's when I hit my first disappointment.... Since I was booked for club level... I asked if it would be alright to go up to the lounge.. even though my room was not ready... they said sure.... and then said.. oh wait.. let me check the hours... They are not open right now... they are only open in the morning and the evening... what??? Had I known that I would not have booked club level.. But.. Hey..Who Cares.. I'm going to Disney!!!! ... Soooooo... off to explore... I make my first stop in the gift shop at the Swan where I purchase a Disney waist pack.. my best investment ever... a ring... and some postcards..(Uh..Oh... I don't think I ever mailed those!!! DUH!!) I strolled around a bit more and then decided to head on over to the Boardwalk to grab some breakfast.. a Cinnamon roll from the Bakery.. and some Tea... I sit down at a table and people watch... that's when the realization hit.... I'm AT Disney!!!! I am really here!!! After my decident breakfast (well sorta brunch!!) I decide to head on over to MGM to activate my AP.. so ..I grab Mickey and off we go.... I decided that I want to walk to MGM since the boats seem to take forever sometimes... so.. off I go.. down the lovely path next to the Swan .... hmmmmmm.... where is this path going??? Isn't MGM That way???? Next thing I know I am walking along a street..and people driving by are staring... as if to say.. and WHERE is SHE Going???? (that's what I wanted to know!!!) So I just waved and kept walking In actuality.. I had figured out where I was going.... I had to cross the bridge to get to the other side.. to continue on my journey.... (note: you need to walk on the path next to the Boardwalk for the shortest route to MGM. It was a Lovely walk.. and the next thing I knew... I was walking up to MGM. what a great Tree!!! It was a lovely sunny day and all was well with the world I pass through security.. and go over to Guest Services... A very short line... and I have my AP in my hands....A Full Year of Disney Fun... my next trip dates start flying through my head!!!! Through the gates I go... :::::::BUZZZZZ:::::::: and Mickey is off... He tells me stuff neat stuff... and makes me laugh at some corny jokes... and I stroll down and watch some street performances.... I am in no rush... so I meander over to Rock-N-Roller Coaster just to see what the line is like... because the place was swarming with people...more than I have EVER seen at MGM.... I window shop.. and breathe in the Disney Air.... Listen to Mickey.. and Stop dead in my tracks when I read 180 minute standby time... Fast Pass REturn 10:00 - 11:00 PM Tower of Terror... Fast Passes Gone... Wait time... 120 min... OMG!!!!!! See ya later Tower of Terror... I decide to walk over to the Great Movie Ride and see what was up there.... as I get there... Mickey informs me that the wait time for the Movie Ride tends to be shorter later in the day.. and that I should come back later.. Hmmmmmm... good advice Mickey.. thanks!!! So... I decide to just do a 360 of the park with no thought of getting on any attractions.. so.. I turn around and almost run over a very small child who has walked up to me so that he could talk to Mickey... He hugged him.. and kissed him right on his nose... (I was wearing him clipped to my waist pack.. so he was definitely small kid height) I let him talk to Mickey for a while and told his mom where she too could get one... Ahhhhh.. my first bit of Disney Magic... a happy child!! And now today's bit of Disney Magic.. It's time to go home.. I will post part 2 of this installment of "Hey, Who Cares I'm Going to Disney" later this evening......
