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)
Okay...I have returned to my Beautiful Room at the Swan..Hop in the shower... and it's about 10:00 pm when I realize that my food consumption for the day was really not all that massive - a cinnamon roll.. some cold french fries.. and a hot dog .. oh.. and let's not forget the lemonade
.... so.. it's not surprising that I am actually hungry... but I am also beat and in no mood to start trekking over to the Dolphin to get something... so.. I decided..hey... room service... why not?? I've never done it.. and I deserve it... I check out the menu... decide on a salad with grilled chicken... and then I remember the bottle of wine my boss gave me.. I pop that open.. change into my pj's and wait for room service sitting on my couch with my feet up... 
who's better than me?? A knock comes on my door.. and it's room service... now.. is it just me or is anyone else totally impressed by the Swan Room Service?? They set up your little table.. there is a little fire underneath the table to keep things warm.. (they had my bread in there) and everything tasted Fabulous!!! The delivery guy even teased me about my pj's.. suggesting that I took the wrong one's out.. perhaps I meant to wear those at Universal... (I had on my Tweety ensemble.. slippers and all!!) 
I recovered quickly and said that this was the only way Tweety could ever get into the park.... He found that amusing and was on his way.. of course offering any assistance at all... Such nice people work here... Well.. after my salad and glass of wine (and a little Law & Order 
) I decide I need to get into bed if I have any intention of making it through tomorrow's Grueling schedule... NYE!!!! After all the reading on the boards I was terrified of getting locked out of a park and having nowhere to spend NYE... I had booked my Keys to the Kingdom Tour for the morning in Magic Kingdom.. and had then planned to stay there the entire day.. but changed my plan of action thinking that I would like to be able to walk back to my hotel after NYE and decided to transfer to Epcot in the afternoon.... So.. with these plans in my head.. I put in for a wake up call.. and set the alarm clock in the room.. I need to be at the MK by 8:15 am... and I don't want to be late!!!
.. I finally put my head to the pillows.. and AHHHHHH>>> Those Heavenly Beds... 
I am asleep in no time... (okay... here comes the theatrical stuff... Cue Smoke Machine.... Cue Music.... This is the Dream sequence....It's NYE morning.. I am awake in plenty of time for my Keys to the Kingdom Tour.. I have so much time actually that I head on up to the Lounge and grab some breakfast.. I still have enough time that I decide I will walk through Epcot and grab the monorail to the MK instead of taking the bus (remember.. this is a dream.. I KNOW that EPCOT is not open yet!! ) as i am walking through EPCOT.. I see there is absolutely NO line for Mission to Space (Okay.. now you know this is a dream
) and I decide to hop on as I have Plenty of time!!! 
Well.. wouldn't you know it.. the ride breaks down with me on it.. and I see my Tour going down the drain.. next follows a series of failed attempt to get out of EPCOT and on my way to MK.. I keep ending up in Universe of Energy for some reason... and Figment keeps popping up??!!??? 
(Cue: Scary Music.. Cue Smoke machine... Cue: Lighting change Dark & Eerie) I am panicking.. why Can't I get out of EPCOT...I am so confused.. but then I sense that it's getting lighter.. and I feel the sun... I go towards it.. and I OPEN MY EYES... I am now awake... Whew.. it was only a dream!!! .. I chuckle and turn to look at the clock (it must be early since I haven't gotten my wake up call) Oh.. good it's only 8:07 
What??? 8:07??? I am supposed to be at the MK by 8:15... OMG!!! I jump up... and am truly in a panic... I grab some clothes (Thank goodness I showered last night!!!) Call Bell services and ask if there is a Taxi in the front of the hotel.. they tell me yes.. (here's my thinking.. the tour really starts at 8:30.. it takes about 10 min by taxi.. and then 5 min on the monorail to get to the gates... I might make it!!) I am dressed and out of the room and in the taxi by 8:12.. Not bad!!! 
But I am still in a panic... I tell the taxi driver what my dilema is.. and he is up for the challenge... but the NYE traffic into the parks is already working against us.... I suggest that he drop me at the Poly so I can jump on the resort monorail... but he thinks that the Gate Guard may slow me up..... so I listen to him and have him drop me off at TTC.. (hindsight... should have had him drop me at Contemporary.. and I could have made a run for it!! )..he pulls up and I have one foot out of the car before he is at a complete stop... I have $10 in my hand.. foolish me.. remember you are at Disney... he says $16... What?? Gee.. and we think NY taxi drivers are a rip off!!! I throw a $20 at him and I hit the ground running..... Come on Mickey.. let's go... It is now 8:25...I hesitate only for a moment at the monorail seeing that the MK express has at least a 20 min wait.. (OH the Sea of Humanity).. and head left to the resort monorail... I take the ramp at a run.. and the pink monorail is entering the station.. Oddly only one other family is with me on the ramp... I turn to them as ask.. Does noone else really know that they can do this??? They put their fingers to their lips and say.. let's just keep it our little secret!! I agree especially on a day like today.. where this short line may just save my tour!! 
Okay.. we are on the monorail.... and I am chanting to myself... If I miss the tour.. it's okay...I'll just spend some time at the MK .. then head on over to Epcot... It's Okay.... .. the monorail pulls into the MK at 8:35... Maybe.. Maybe... I take off on a run again.... UH OH!!! Security lines are full and OMG look at all these people!!! I figure all is lost now.. and just take my time getting through security.. and the park gates....I head on over to City Hall just to let them know that I tried.... and apologize for my lateness... as i walked up to the table.. I had on my most sheepish look... and was apologizing when they asked if I was Kathleen.. I said yes.. and they said that it was okay that I was late.. it seems other folks were also having trouble getting here with the crowds (Yeah.. but did they wake up at 8:07?? ) so.. they were going to put me on the 9:00 tour.. and I was floored... I thanked them over and over.. they asked me to decide on what I would like for lunch.. and offered me coffee and water for the tour......and now that I had 20 min decided I needed some breakfast....but..I did not want to walk away from the check in table because when you looked all around you there were PEOPLE EVERYWHERE... I was afraid I wouldn't make it back....even the tour guides were concerned about the sheer number of people...(It turns out that they closed the MK at 9:00 that morning.. reopening it after 11:00).. I ended up having a cup of the complimentary coffee they offered.. and got to know some of my fellow tour companions while we all stood in the garden next to City Hall... watching wave after wave of people entering the park... I had never seen this many people in one place at one time...(it turns out that this pattern would be repeated later this evening!!) At 9:00 our tour guide Matt gathered us all together around him.... we all prayed for our safety (only kidding!!) we were given the low - down .. rules, directions, what to do if we got seperated.. etc.... and with that he turned toward the crowd... Lifted his stick (yes he did have one!!) and we held our breath... Tune in for the next installment of - "Hey.. who cares I am IN Disney!! - Tour through the Kingdom.. and the sea of dirty looks....
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)
Okay...I have returned to my Beautiful Room at the Swan..Hop in the shower... and it's about 10:00 pm when I realize that my food consumption for the day was really not all that massive - a cinnamon roll.. some cold french fries.. and a hot dog .. oh.. and let's not forget the lemonade
.... so.. it's not surprising that I am actually hungry... but I am also beat and in no mood to start trekking over to the Dolphin to get something... so.. I decided..hey... room service... why not?? I've never done it.. and I deserve it... I check out the menu... decide on a salad with grilled chicken... and then I remember the bottle of wine my boss gave me.. I pop that open.. change into my pj's and wait for room service sitting on my couch with my feet up... who's better than me?? A knock comes on my door.. and it's room service... now.. is it just me or is anyone else totally impressed by the Swan Room Service?? They set up your little table.. there is a little fire underneath the table to keep things warm.. (they had my bread in there) and everything tasted Fabulous!!! The delivery guy even teased me about my pj's.. suggesting that I took the wrong one's out.. perhaps I meant to wear those at Universal... (I had on my Tweety ensemble.. slippers and all!!) I recovered quickly and said that this was the only way Tweety could ever get into the park.... He found that amusing and was on his way.. of course offering any assistance at all... Such nice people work here... Well.. after my salad and glass of wine (and a little Law & Order ) I decide I need to get into bed if I have any intention of making it through tomorrow's Grueling schedule... NYE!!!! After all the reading on the boards I was terrified of getting locked out of a park and having nowhere to spend NYE... I had booked my Keys to the Kingdom Tour for the morning in Magic Kingdom.. and had then planned to stay there the entire day.. but changed my plan of action thinking that I would like to be able to walk back to my hotel after NYE and decided to transfer to Epcot in the afternoon.... So.. with these plans in my head.. I put in for a wake up call.. and set the alarm clock in the room.. I need to be at the MK by 8:15 am... and I don't want to be late!!! .. I finally put my head to the pillows.. and AHHHHHH>>> Those Heavenly Beds... I am asleep in no time... (okay... here comes the theatrical stuff... Cue Smoke Machine.... Cue Music.... This is the Dream sequence....It's NYE morning.. I am awake in plenty of time for my Keys to the Kingdom Tour.. I have so much time actually that I head on up to the Lounge and grab some breakfast.. I still have enough time that I decide I will walk through Epcot and grab the monorail to the MK instead of taking the bus (remember.. this is a dream.. I KNOW that EPCOT is not open yet!! ) as i am walking through EPCOT.. I see there is absolutely NO line for Mission to Space (Okay.. now you know this is a dream ) and I decide to hop on as I have Plenty of time!!! Well.. wouldn't you know it.. the ride breaks down with me on it.. and I see my Tour going down the drain.. next follows a series of failed attempt to get out of EPCOT and on my way to MK.. I keep ending up in Universe of Energy for some reason... and Figment keeps popping up??!!??? (Cue: Scary Music.. Cue Smoke machine... Cue: Lighting change Dark & Eerie) I am panicking.. why Can't I get out of EPCOT...I am so confused.. but then I sense that it's getting lighter.. and I feel the sun... I go towards it.. and I OPEN MY EYES... I am now awake... Whew.. it was only a dream!!! .. I chuckle and turn to look at the clock (it must be early since I haven't gotten my wake up call) Oh.. good it's only 8:07 What??? 8:07??? I am supposed to be at the MK by 8:15... OMG!!! I jump up... and am truly in a panic... I grab some clothes (Thank goodness I showered last night!!!) Call Bell services and ask if there is a Taxi in the front of the hotel.. they tell me yes.. (here's my thinking.. the tour really starts at 8:30.. it takes about 10 min by taxi.. and then 5 min on the monorail to get to the gates... I might make it!!) I am dressed and out of the room and in the taxi by 8:12.. Not bad!!! But I am still in a panic... I tell the taxi driver what my dilema is.. and he is up for the challenge... but the NYE traffic into the parks is already working against us.... I suggest that he drop me at the Poly so I can jump on the resort monorail... but he thinks that the Gate Guard may slow me up..... so I listen to him and have him drop me off at TTC.. (hindsight... should have had him drop me at Contemporary.. and I could have made a run for it!! )..he pulls up and I have one foot out of the car before he is at a complete stop... I have $10 in my hand.. foolish me.. remember you are at Disney... he says $16... What?? Gee.. and we think NY taxi drivers are a rip off!!! I throw a $20 at him and I hit the ground running..... Come on Mickey.. let's go... It is now 8:25...I hesitate only for a moment at the monorail seeing that the MK express has at least a 20 min wait.. (OH the Sea of Humanity).. and head left to the resort monorail... I take the ramp at a run.. and the pink monorail is entering the station.. Oddly only one other family is with me on the ramp... I turn to them as ask.. Does noone else really know that they can do this??? They put their fingers to their lips and say.. let's just keep it our little secret!! I agree especially on a day like today.. where this short line may just save my tour!! Okay.. we are on the monorail.... and I am chanting to myself... If I miss the tour.. it's okay...I'll just spend some time at the MK .. then head on over to Epcot... It's Okay.... .. the monorail pulls into the MK at 8:35... Maybe.. Maybe... I take off on a run again.... UH OH!!! Security lines are full and OMG look at all these people!!! I figure all is lost now.. and just take my time getting through security.. and the park gates....I head on over to City Hall just to let them know that I tried.... and apologize for my lateness... as i walked up to the table.. I had on my most sheepish look... and was apologizing when they asked if I was Kathleen.. I said yes.. and they said that it was okay that I was late.. it seems other folks were also having trouble getting here with the crowds (Yeah.. but did they wake up at 8:07?? ) so.. they were going to put me on the 9:00 tour.. and I was floored... I thanked them over and over.. they asked me to decide on what I would like for lunch.. and offered me coffee and water for the tour......and now that I had 20 min decided I needed some breakfast....but..I did not want to walk away from the check in table because when you looked all around you there were PEOPLE EVERYWHERE... I was afraid I wouldn't make it back....even the tour guides were concerned about the sheer number of people...(It turns out that they closed the MK at 9:00 that morning.. reopening it after 11:00).. I ended up having a cup of the complimentary coffee they offered.. and got to know some of my fellow tour companions while we all stood in the garden next to City Hall... watching wave after wave of people entering the park... I had never seen this many people in one place at one time...(it turns out that this pattern would be repeated later this evening!!) At 9:00 our tour guide Matt gathered us all together around him.... we all prayed for our safety (only kidding!!) we were given the low - down .. rules, directions, what to do if we got seperated.. etc.... and with that he turned toward the crowd... Lifted his stick (yes he did have one!!) and we held our breath... Tune in for the next installment of - "Hey.. who cares I am IN Disney!! - Tour through the Kingdom.. and the sea of dirty looks....
