Me - Heidi age 33
Hubby - Ryan age 33
McKaylee - dd age 10
Miles - ds age 9
Tanner - ds age 5
May 8, 2004
Our Trip Home
The wakeup call went off and it felt like we had only been asleep a few hours. Got the kids up, got their bags packed and we set off for the Topsider breakfast buffet for one last time. It was ok for a continental breakfast but much better than getting to the dining room at 6:45 for a sit down breakfast.
They finally cleared the ship and we went down to the atrium. The disembarkation is probably one of the easiest and best weve ever experienced. We walked off, found a porter who loaded our very heavy luggage (had quite a bit of alcohol in it to bring home since the prices were ridiculously low on the Islands) and then we stood and waited for our Limo. About 8:40 it showed up and we loaded up the car and set off for the Hyatt.
As before it was stocked with Soda and Water, there was a GIANT Minnie Mouse on the seat as a ride along and the kids watched Sinbad on the DVD player. Our driver George was kind enough to stop at the Delta curb to see if we could check our luggage in yet but Delta said the earliest was 6 hours before and since it was only 10 and our flight didnt leave until 5:05 we had to wait. He then drove us down to the Hyatt entrance and we unloaded our luggage with the bell service there.
The bellman was kind enough to take a picture of our family and George with the limo in the background. We tipped George and he set off and the bellman told us they would store the luggage for us and when we were ready just to call down and they would take the luggage with us over to Delta to check it. Tipped him and went up to the registration desk. I think this has to be one of the best ideas I received from this board because I cant imagine sitting in an airport for 8 hours with 3 kids.
Got our room and went to check it out. Beautiful hotel and the kids of course wanted to swim so we got their suits on them and set out to find the pool. After the small crowded pools on the ship this pool was ENORMOUS and no kids in it. Of course stupid mom forgot to pack the sunscreen in the day bag so we only spent about an hour.
At 11 we went down to get some lunch as we were starving. We ate very slowly and then went back to the room so the kids could once again go swimming. It was SO hot on the pool deck and we didnt want them out in the sun for very long and mom and dad didnt bring their suits so we were dying of heat.
About 2:15 we went back to our room and dd wanted to take a shower. When she got out we called bell service to meet us to check in our luggage at Delta. We met the bellman who was very nice and he escorted us over to the Delta check in. Just when I thought my days of long lines of people were over we hit that area. We decided it would be MUCH quicker if we went to Curbside so outside we went. The bellman got us a curbside attendant very quickly and we tipped him and he left.
The curbside attendant tried to get us checked in but his computer wouldnt let him do it. I started to panic thinking how badly I wanted to come home and that we werent going to be able to. Delta changed our flight time and number many times after we booked and I feared theyd changed it again and didnt bother telling us even though it showed we were confirmed on the flight. We booked 4 tickets on FF miles and we purchased 1 ticket for me. Since they changed all of the flight stuff so many times I was assigned a seat 13 rows behind hubby and the kids. I was pretty bummed out but thought I might be able to change at the gate. He finally got us all checked in (after going inside for about 10 min) and we tipped him and went back to the room.
I really needed a stiff drink after that scare but I didnt get one. Got back to the room and waited until about 3:15 until we went to check out. Got that over and done with and set off for security. We stood in the security line for about 10 minutes and then we were through and off to our gate.
I tried unsuccessfully to get my seat changed to the same row as my family and I was wigging out about it. Hubby and I decided that 2 hours into the 4 ½ hour flight I would go sit with the kids and he could go back to my seat. I had a window seat and he had an aisle.
Finally they boarded the flight and we walked on. I helped get them situated and then I set off down the plane for my seat. I got situated and wondered who I would get to sit next to me when all of a sudden my worst nightmare showed up. It was a 2 year old little boy and his dad and behind them were his 4 year old brother and 11 month old brother. The dad, the baby and the 4 year old had the same thing happen to them that happened to us and he was at the back of the plane. The mom and the 2 year old sat by me.
We were waiting to get cleared to back out of the space when the pilot informed us that we had a mechanical problem of a landing switch that needed to get fixed so we sat on the ground for an extra 30 min. About this time the dad brought the 11 month old up and went back to his seat. The 2 year old was all over the place and I tried to help the mom out with the 2 year old while she dealt with the baby. Finally after a very long wait we were cleared to go.
We took off and the flight from he@@ started. Between the baby screaming his head off, the 2 year old kicking me and driving me nutty and the boy in back of me kicking my chair to a beat the whole time I thought I was going to go insane! Of course no food was offered again except to purchase but we did get complimentary beverage service. Thankfully the pilot made up some time and we landed only 5 minutes later than we were scheduled too but it was one of the longest flights of my life. Hubby decided hed rather stay where he was so I got the full flight time with smaller kids than my own.
We finally got off the plane, called my parents to come and pick us up and set out on our mile long hike to the baggage claim. Got our extremely heavy luggage (even got tagged as heavy) and went outside to wait for our ride. I have never been so glad to see my house!!! It was big and peaceful and I didnt have to deal with motion!
Click here: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=566885 for my random thoughts on our experience!
Click here http://community.webshots.com/user/hydster to see our pictures. Still waiting for regular film to come back these are just the digitals (and I didn't upload many that included me!)
Hubby - Ryan age 33
McKaylee - dd age 10
Miles - ds age 9
Tanner - ds age 5
May 8, 2004
Our Trip Home
The wakeup call went off and it felt like we had only been asleep a few hours. Got the kids up, got their bags packed and we set off for the Topsider breakfast buffet for one last time. It was ok for a continental breakfast but much better than getting to the dining room at 6:45 for a sit down breakfast.
They finally cleared the ship and we went down to the atrium. The disembarkation is probably one of the easiest and best weve ever experienced. We walked off, found a porter who loaded our very heavy luggage (had quite a bit of alcohol in it to bring home since the prices were ridiculously low on the Islands) and then we stood and waited for our Limo. About 8:40 it showed up and we loaded up the car and set off for the Hyatt.
As before it was stocked with Soda and Water, there was a GIANT Minnie Mouse on the seat as a ride along and the kids watched Sinbad on the DVD player. Our driver George was kind enough to stop at the Delta curb to see if we could check our luggage in yet but Delta said the earliest was 6 hours before and since it was only 10 and our flight didnt leave until 5:05 we had to wait. He then drove us down to the Hyatt entrance and we unloaded our luggage with the bell service there.
The bellman was kind enough to take a picture of our family and George with the limo in the background. We tipped George and he set off and the bellman told us they would store the luggage for us and when we were ready just to call down and they would take the luggage with us over to Delta to check it. Tipped him and went up to the registration desk. I think this has to be one of the best ideas I received from this board because I cant imagine sitting in an airport for 8 hours with 3 kids.
Got our room and went to check it out. Beautiful hotel and the kids of course wanted to swim so we got their suits on them and set out to find the pool. After the small crowded pools on the ship this pool was ENORMOUS and no kids in it. Of course stupid mom forgot to pack the sunscreen in the day bag so we only spent about an hour.
At 11 we went down to get some lunch as we were starving. We ate very slowly and then went back to the room so the kids could once again go swimming. It was SO hot on the pool deck and we didnt want them out in the sun for very long and mom and dad didnt bring their suits so we were dying of heat.
About 2:15 we went back to our room and dd wanted to take a shower. When she got out we called bell service to meet us to check in our luggage at Delta. We met the bellman who was very nice and he escorted us over to the Delta check in. Just when I thought my days of long lines of people were over we hit that area. We decided it would be MUCH quicker if we went to Curbside so outside we went. The bellman got us a curbside attendant very quickly and we tipped him and he left.
The curbside attendant tried to get us checked in but his computer wouldnt let him do it. I started to panic thinking how badly I wanted to come home and that we werent going to be able to. Delta changed our flight time and number many times after we booked and I feared theyd changed it again and didnt bother telling us even though it showed we were confirmed on the flight. We booked 4 tickets on FF miles and we purchased 1 ticket for me. Since they changed all of the flight stuff so many times I was assigned a seat 13 rows behind hubby and the kids. I was pretty bummed out but thought I might be able to change at the gate. He finally got us all checked in (after going inside for about 10 min) and we tipped him and went back to the room.
I really needed a stiff drink after that scare but I didnt get one. Got back to the room and waited until about 3:15 until we went to check out. Got that over and done with and set off for security. We stood in the security line for about 10 minutes and then we were through and off to our gate.
I tried unsuccessfully to get my seat changed to the same row as my family and I was wigging out about it. Hubby and I decided that 2 hours into the 4 ½ hour flight I would go sit with the kids and he could go back to my seat. I had a window seat and he had an aisle.
Finally they boarded the flight and we walked on. I helped get them situated and then I set off down the plane for my seat. I got situated and wondered who I would get to sit next to me when all of a sudden my worst nightmare showed up. It was a 2 year old little boy and his dad and behind them were his 4 year old brother and 11 month old brother. The dad, the baby and the 4 year old had the same thing happen to them that happened to us and he was at the back of the plane. The mom and the 2 year old sat by me.
We were waiting to get cleared to back out of the space when the pilot informed us that we had a mechanical problem of a landing switch that needed to get fixed so we sat on the ground for an extra 30 min. About this time the dad brought the 11 month old up and went back to his seat. The 2 year old was all over the place and I tried to help the mom out with the 2 year old while she dealt with the baby. Finally after a very long wait we were cleared to go.
We took off and the flight from he@@ started. Between the baby screaming his head off, the 2 year old kicking me and driving me nutty and the boy in back of me kicking my chair to a beat the whole time I thought I was going to go insane! Of course no food was offered again except to purchase but we did get complimentary beverage service. Thankfully the pilot made up some time and we landed only 5 minutes later than we were scheduled too but it was one of the longest flights of my life. Hubby decided hed rather stay where he was so I got the full flight time with smaller kids than my own.
We finally got off the plane, called my parents to come and pick us up and set out on our mile long hike to the baggage claim. Got our extremely heavy luggage (even got tagged as heavy) and went outside to wait for our ride. I have never been so glad to see my house!!! It was big and peaceful and I didnt have to deal with motion!
Click here: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=566885 for my random thoughts on our experience!
Click here http://community.webshots.com/user/hydster to see our pictures. Still waiting for regular film to come back these are just the digitals (and I didn't upload many that included me!)
