I was at Disney on 9/11/01

[Mickey4Me]

It's strange that even though I sometimes have trouble remembering what happened yesterday, I can remember the events of one single day that occured almost 3 years ago like it just happened.

I was living and working in PA at the time. My job called for lots of travel and most of my plans were made months ahead of time. I had an assistant who would make all my travel arrangements and give me a schedule for the month of when and where I was supposed to be.

I had two trips scheduled in Sept. - one to the West Coast and one to Canada. About a week prior to 9/11/01 I looked at my schedule and realized that I was scheduled to leave for the West Coast trip on my daughter's birthday - Sept. 11. I had my assistant change my travel plans so that I would be heading out to Canada on 9/12 and do the west coast trip the following week. That way I could be home for DD's 17th b'day.

I had a meeting scheduled at the office for 9:00 AM on 9/11. On my way through the break room to the conference room, I saw the TV and was horrifed to see the events that were unfolding. I immediately asked my assistant to make sure that none of our associates in the field were on the scheduled flights. About 30 min. later, she came to the door of the conference room and was white as a sheet. I immediately started a mental checklist of where all my people were scheduled to be that day and if any could be involved. The look on her face really scared the *&#@ out of me.

I left the meeting to talk to her and that's when she told me that she had just gotten off the phone with the corp. travel dept. They had called to see if I had made my flight that day!?! Seems that my original schedule to fly to the West Coast that day had been on American flight #77 out of Dulles into LAX. That was the plane that hit the Pentagon. Seems that they had changed my flight plans but still had the original itinerary in the computer. When what she told me started sinking in, I just went sort of numb and spent the rest of the day in a sort of "out of body" state. I kept thinking...What if DD had been born on a different day? What if I had decided to take her with me to LA for her b'day? What about all those other people on that ill fated flight? It could have very easily been me.....

I went home earlier than normal that day and was so happy to see DD and DH there. DD decided that she didn't want to go out for dinner as planned because she didn't feel like it was right to celebrate anything that day. We ordered pizza instead and stayed home glued to the TV. Later that evening I told DH the whole story and how my orig. travel schedule had me on the Dulles flight (I used to always fly out of BWI or Dulles). It was one of the few times I've ever seen DH openly weep and I wish I hadn't told him. I never did tell DD.

When I think about that day now, my thoughts go to the passengers on the 4 planes. I can't begin to imagine what they were feeling, thinking the last min. before their plane crashed. I keep putting myself in their position and seeing it through their eyes. I know the events of that day changed many people's lives. I know it did mine. I now take nothing for granted in my life and make sure that my job never takes priority over family, friends.

 

[CapeCodFam]

I was at home very excited for my first trip ever to WDW.(me, ds's 3&5, dh)Our travel day was suppose to be June 17th, but everything was closed. As scared as we were dh said if Logan And WDW open we would still go. Well, we did go. It was great to get away from it all. Great for my ds5 who heard about it at school. He was asking a lot of tough questions. Disney was very quiet. IT was great to see other young families on the plan, and as my ds puts it, not letting those bad men win. Disney felt very safe wich was what we all needed.

God bless our troops.
joy

 

[zurgswife]

DH and I were at WDW on 9/11......When it all started I think we were on test track. We decided to head back to the BWV and change DH's shoes...he was getting blisters. DH's sister was also at BWV....we usually called them at night to go to dinner...but I decided to see what they were doing that morning. When I called SIL she says turn on the TV....well we sat there for a while and watched the buildings being hit and fall. I tried to reach my kids at home to let them know I was OK...but couldn't get through until much later. It was very surreal...DH couldn't stand it and needed to go to the parks...we headed to MGM....he didn't want to go to MK because he felt it would be a target. We love Millionaire....so about 11am we head in to see a Millionaire show....We discuss between the 2 of us if they might revamp the beginning of the show where Regis talks about flying to NY....When we head out the street are completely empty and there was a line of CM's pointing you toward the front gates....we knew what had happen so we understood....Lots of people were bewildered....We were one of the last groups to escorted out.....We headed back to BWV watched a little more TV...check on our rental car..to see if we could keep it...."They said if you might need it then call and let them know where you would be taking it"

We then head over to the YC/BC pool BW pool was closed....you could just tell the guys that were there and worked in NY....It was so sad to see these guys on cell phones all day.....

We weren't able to get a flight out 2 days later when we were scheduled to leave so we drove our rental home to Philly.....Long drive...so a terrrible accident outside Florence SC...the driver was thrown on to 95...it was 11pm at night....very sad....Lots of rental cars on the road for the next 18hrs......DH and I had decided to get a cute little sports car for the days we were tooling around Orlando...boy did I wish I had rented a full size car...by the end of the trip I was peeling myself out of that little car.....Only humorous side to those few days....

For those few days that we were at WDW the staff at WDW did an amazing job to help everybody get through it...

 

[Pkdcoastrs]

Well I wasn't in WDW on Sept 11, though I was there a few weeks before that.

I do live 7 miles from NYC in Bergen County, NJ so I was near all that went down. I was in gym class (senior year high school) when I saw my one teacher run to the closet in the gym that had the phone. All of a sudden some of my classmates came upstairs from the locker rooms and said "a plane hit the World Trade Center". If I could describe the feeling that tookover my body, I would, but man did it feel horrible. For the next couple of weeks I wasn't the same person. I wasn't even directly affected (no relatives injured/passed away), but I still felt like I was in the middle of it all being so close.

My dad teaches in North Bergen which is just up the river in NJ from it, all he kept saying that day was the amount of smoke coming into the classrooms was a lot.

I look back and now I still can't believe it happened. The new terror alerts don't help more (Newark and New York City)

I remember reading these message boards and thinking to myself what it must have been like to have been in WDW (or anywhere) other then your own home.

Well sorry this post slid a little from the main idea of being there, but it's always good I guess to tell your own story and see how it was in relevance to your own.

 

[Alysa]

Mickey4Me – you must be joyous just to see your DD's shining face every morning. Perhaps you are meant to do some great thing in life...

My prayers to all those touched by this terrible tragedy.

 

[Banshee]

Originally posted by linnettevl
I saw the plane hit World Trade Center
I felt the earth tremble

We were there too Linnette. We were right there on the street remember people screaming and my friend was screaming that how did this happn how did they not see the building? And I just knew that it wasnt an accident. I remember screaming at her we have to get out of the city this isnt an accident the city is under attack. I grabbed her arm and started running and wound up losing my shoes and running bare foot. I called my DH on my cell. and told him what was going on and the phone cut out and wouldnt work again. we made it home that evening to southern ocean county in nj. It finally hit me when I saw my DH and my DS and they both started crying. We had just found out the week before that I was pregnant with our second DS. It is a day that will be etched in my memory forever.

 

[YCFAN]

My husband was in France on business. The plant manager over there approached the Americans in the building and simply said "your home office has called and asked me to have each of you call your wives." Of course they closed down international flights and my husband ended up standing in line at Charles De Gualle airport in Paris for three days. Because he flies so much he is what they call Chairman Status as a frequent flyer. On the third day they opened up the first flight and had one seat left to fill. They saw his Chairman Status ticket and pulled him out of line and put him on the plane. He had flown out of Charlotte but he didn't care where the plane was going as long as it was going to the USA. The plane was flying to Philadelphia and he said when they came into US airspace as they flew over they could see the smoke from the WTC. He said not another word was spoken on the plane. When the wheels touched down on the runway in Philadelphia the whole plane broke out into cheers and clapping. They were so glad just to be back on American soil!

 

[Cailin'sMom]

I should have been in the WTC on 9/11.

I had been scheduled to go for a seminar in 6 WTC, (not one of the Twin towers, but too close for comfort.) However, I had been doing most of the traveling for our office so I asked that someone else make the trip. A guy out of our New Orleans office actually made the trip. He was in 6 WTC when the planes hit. Everyone in that building got out OK, but he said that it was the most horrible experience that he ever had.

When I saw the 2nd plane hit, the first thought that went through my mind was that I was supposed to be there.

My heart goes out to all the families that lost loved ones in the WTC.

 

[OhioTony]

We were there 10 days later, after much debate on keeping our plans or to cancel. To cancel, in my mind, was to admit defeat. We drove from Ohio. World events were ALWAYS in the back of our mind. The park was described as "a ghost town" in comparison to the usual crowds by many employees. We waited in line for NOTHING. I remember riding Splash Mountain 3 times without getting out of the logs, they just let us ride through. I remember our family of four,plus Grandma, at one point being the only people on the bus to MGM from our resort, and the only ones on the monorial to EPCOT. It was not untill the weekend that we noticed more crowds. This was our kids 1st disney experience. We will be returning again late Sept 2004.

Although we enjoyed our time there, it took our minds of these terrible events, I hope to see WDW as it should be seen. Through the smiling faces of MANY kids & adults!!!

God Bless!

Our Wonder cruise report "A prayer for Halley"
http://www.disboards.com/showthread...2Bfor++Halley

 

[madhouserobey]

i was working in the watergate buildings in dc. had just called pregnant wife to tell her to turn on the tv .was on the phone with her when the second plane hit.told her everything was all going to be all right to calm her down.i stayed on the phone with her for a few minutes and hung up .just then the office i am working in get a phone call saying the pentagon was just hit. ran out of the building and they were evacuating the kennedy center .so when to rt 50/66 bridge over the potomac river and watched the pentagon burn and could hear the explosions from the pentagon. the whole time trying to get a hold of my wife .to tell her i was ok.but the phone line were jammed.findly got a hold of my mom.she was smart enough to send my dad up to stay with my pregnant wife .it was so surreal watching people walking over the bridge because they were afraid to take the subway and also hearing but not seeing the fighter jets flying overhead. the second part to the story is that the building i was has the saudi medical attache and the yemen embassy.i rode the elevator with some and they would not evem look at me ,eyes to the floor the whole time,real nice huh did not even have enough guts to say anything or offer apologies .but the next day sept 12 someone try to run their car though the front doors of the saudi embassy which i had the pleasure to see the car on the front steps .police came from every direction. not a day i will soon forget .

 

[mmausse]

I've read these posts and they all brought tears to my eyes. Not just for the horrific tragedy and the lives that were needlessly lost, but also for the true human kindnesses, American kindnesses, that were given to people that were stranded far from home by WDW and the car rental companies.

Where was I when the world stopped turning?

I had worked at the Pentagon until 4am and was sound asleep when the call came in from my office. I had overslept. But they told me to stay home - they were glad I "was" home instead of at the meeting. The meeting area was hit.

All day long I stayed glued to the TV and cried.

The next day I went with fellow EMT volunteers to look for survivors at the Pentagon. NOTHING could ever prepare you for those sights (& I won't go into detail here, afterall this is a family friendly site) but worse than the sights were the odors. And we all had to be very stoic because the press and media were out with long range cameras, watching our every move and our faces when we came out. What was even sadder were relatives who would thrust pictures of missing loved ones at you, asking you to look out for them.

To do this day, I am still gravely saddened by the losses our country felt and the personal tragedies of the deaths as well as the survivors and their on-going struggles.

Prayers and Pixie Dust to us all.

 

[sters]

I'm interested in your stories, because I was really curious what "the happiest place on earth" was like on the saddest day on earth (at least for Americans).

 

[janeossie]

I wasn't there on 9/11 but my friend and I flew out on the 16th. We were on one of the first few UK run planes out of the UK and decided that if it were going so were we as we would be admitting defeat. Mum wasn't happy and would've prefered us to stay at home but I'm very stubborn and wouldn't let terrorists beat us!

We actually had a number of people from where I work in New York and area on vacation on 9/11 and until we got word that everyone was ok it was worrying. One person had been getting one of those photo postcards the day before and had sent it on that day. It was a very strange feeling seeing that card.

Jane

 

[mushumadness]

I flew into new york in nvember 2001, on my way to florida, it was a very different place to what it used to be.

we flew by virgin jumbo there were only 70 people on my flight compared with the normal full plane. It was very unusual going through passport control, in the uk. my entire family traveled that day and the check in staff actually asked us if we had changed our wills to reflect the fact that if anything happened we would all go togther.

we got to florida, it was very quiet in the parks, and there were thank you for travelling banners in frount of all the hotels, very strange thing to see.

On 9/11 I was on a bus and the first I knew about it was when an american guy who had some sort of radio on near me, asked to use my cell, i let him of course, and we are still in touch now, turns out he worked for on of the firms on the upper floors of the first tower they lost nearly everyone. So strange how someone on a bus with you can suddenly have so much change in the space of seconds. I returned home, as I didnt think the city was a safe place to be and I watched the news for the rest of the day.

I still fly, but I always get the what if? feeling before I step onto a plane

 

[#1hockeymom]

I have nothing to add, I just want to say that I have been following this thread and have been thoroughly moved reading every post. I love what Mmause wrote about human kindness and hope that that is what we keep out of that horrific day, in the long term. Thank you to all for posting your stories.

Debbie

 

[disneynay]

My sister and I were in EC on 9/11. We had just been on the Living with the Land ride and were shopping in the little garden shop next to Food Rocks. I noticed a CM with a name tag from our home town and said hi. He told me that a commuter plane went down in PA. I remember saying "oh" like it was no big deal. I didn't realize what was going on. We left the Land pavilion and rode another ride( I can't remember what... blocked out the memory).
Then we were going to shop at DD, and left the park. I remember hearing people talking on our way out and thinking it's weird that the CM's don't stamp my hand for re-entry. Well, on the bus we heard all about it from a tourist who had a two way and was getting messages.
We went back to Dixie Landings and watched awestruck from the big tv in the lounge. I remember just being scared and thankful that my sis was with me, but wanting to go home. We called our folks, and got 1 day passes from guest relations because the parks closed.
We went to MGM the next day and my sis rode the Rock-n-Roller Coaster for the first time. I rode the TOT for the first time in years. Hey,if the world was going to end we had to be brave.
We also had the hurricane on Friday, the day we went to finish EC. We observed the moment of silence in the American pavilion. We made it there in time despite the blowing rains.
Looking back on our video, we did alot before we heard about the attack that we did not remember. We will never go on vacation without cell phones again!
Did the WDW lose any of the magic? Yes/no. We did not make our annual pilgramage the following year, but went last year and will do so again in October of this year. But, we will never, ever go in September again.
It was nice to read so many stories of those that were affected.

 

[MUFFYCAT]

I wish I was at WDW. I work at Rockefeller Center in Manhattan, which is midtown. We heard a plane very close and just thought the airports are flying them low that day. A few minutes later a co-worker's wife called to tell us a plane hit the WTC. We all thought that was wierd being that it was a clear day. As he is still talking to his wife he screams out another plane hit. The office went numb. We could see the smoke filling the sky. My first thought was my kids they were 10 snd 7 at that time. I was worried that the older one might think it was my building. The school didn't say anything to the younger grades, my older daughter found out because her teacher's father worked in the building and didn't know where he was( he got out fine). I called my neighbor right away to pick them up from school.
To make matters worse my husband was in upstate Cooperstown. I did talk to him and he was driving home right away. The phones went dead at about 9:30. We all left, I tried to get to the LIRR (commuter train ) before that halted, but missed the last train by 2 minutes.

The next few hours were very searel. Penn station closed, I live too far to walk home so I sat outside with other people. We figured we wait all day and night because at least we're lucky to be alive. We had no idea how bad it was because everything was dead. The only think ypu heard were police and ambulice sirens. The smoke was extremely thick. I listened to some stories of some people who were there, then took the subway out before they halted.
We finally got on a train 6 hours later arrived home at 7:00 p.m.
I held my girls so tight , their ribs must have cracked. I was thankful they were okay.

New York was unbelievable the next few days. We all hung together and helped out wherever we could.

 

[CMAKmom]

On 9-11 I was just arriving for work at the nursery school where I teach. Moms and Dads started arriving as the news was unfolding. They dropped their 3 yr olds off not knowing what was going on and we said if u want to comem back and pick them up earlier. The thing I will always remember is watching these innocent children playing with the toys and each other oblivious to the terror going on in NYC . Our Director kept coming in w/ bulletins and gradually parents came back to pick up their kids. I will always remember these children as my 9-11 class.

 

[CMAKmom]

On 9-11 I was just arriving for work at the nursery school where I teach. Moms and Dads started arriving as the news was unfolding. They dropped their 3 yr olds off not knowing what was going on and we said if u want to comem back and pick them up earlier. The thing I will always remember is watching these innocent children playing with the toys and each other oblivious to the terror going on in NYC . Our Director kept coming in w/ bulletins and gradually parents came back to pick up their kids. I will always remember these children as my 9-11 class.

 

[Goobergal99]

Well, all of these posts bring me back to 9/11. For me, I had just finished my first week of college classes and was working on a paper while my DD watched playhouse Disney. All of a sudden, the phone rang and it was my mom calling from work, she wanted to tell me that a plane had crashed into the WTC and asked me to turn on the TV. Shannon was just two years old at the time and I remember her getting upset because I was turning off her cartoons. I stayed on the phone with my mom when I saw a plane hit the second tower, at first I thought it was just a replay of the first incident, until I expressed this to my mother and she told me that she was watching as well and that was not a replay it was another plane.

I raced upstairs and woke up DF, who had worked the night before. He sort of just rolled over and then when he finally did wake up, the world was really chaotic, the towers were beginning to fall, the pentagon had been hit and there were still like 9 or 10 unaccounted for planes still in the air. I remeber how terrified I was that night, we live Philadelphia and could here the millitary bombers flying above the house, it was scary!