Teejay32
<font color=green>Wanders off too much<br>
- Joined
- Jan 18, 2000
- Messages
- 4,053
Just DD and Me
A Disney Trip report, May 1st-5th, 2001
Just last February I took a vacation alone to Disneyworld. Our previous family trip in Feb 2000 was outrageous eight people, three preschoolers, family squabbles, cramped hotel rooms and such. Days after our return my father-in-law, who had joined us on our trip, passed away suddenly. A weird sort of nostalgia sent me back there at the same time this year (that and the endless 20º weather) with a group of people I met on the DIS. I traveled alone, but had companions waiting, and the first blast of Florida sunshine at the airport took a winters worth of stress right out of me. It was a very unusual thing for me to do, but I was so glad to have gone.
A few months later I decided that my daughter could use that too. Shes five, a fun companion, wise beyond her years, still joined to my hip though. The whole year 2000 was rough with the loss of her Grandpa. Her stomach was giving her trouble in all sorts of ways motion sickness, heat sickness, acid reflux, and psychological triggers were possibilities. Her pesky little sister gets most of the attention in our house. (An altogether different child, is my other DD.) Faced with a whole bunch of medical testing for this kid, and a fair share of guilt, I said Lets go to Disney first. Want to? She was apprehensive, but happy. Off we went on a Tuesday night.
We were meeting my friend Robin at Dixie Landings on Wednesday, but to get a much better flight we left the evening before. The first night we stayed at Holiday Inn Maingate East, and the next 3 nights at Dixie, or Port Orleans Riverside. We did MK and Epcot only, and a few resort restaurants including AKL. The following is a bunch of scenes from our little trip.
~Tuesday night~
Holiday Inn Maingate East
Tiffany Town Car was a great idea. Mindful of the fridge and microwave that would be in our hotel room, we stop at Publix supermarket first for supplies. I feel that every good vacation should start with warm croissants in the morning. HIFS has nice grounds, friendly staff and decent, clean rooms. We watch Rugrats while eating dinner in the restaurant.
DD is excited about the pool area a large rectangular one, a kiddee pool, and a hot tub. Its a little chilly out at night, and one of the staff says theyve had unusually cold weather for this time of year. Plenty of room for us at the poolside chairs. DD hangs out on the pool steps with the 5-year-old set, and has a buddy within minutes. Theyd like to try the hot tub next and I join them. Its occupied by a family: One Grandma, two Moms and an Aunt Somebody are there, and a few kids. Grandma has a loud voice and a few tattoos. Shes a riot. I laugh along with them and feel very at ease. Back to the big pool we go, where a few more people have arrived. We watch, way off in the distance, some fool bungee-jumping off a tower. At least we think it was bungee-jumping. The folks around me start speculating about what else it could be, and will we hear emergency vehicles soon? Were laughing hysterically. I think Im overtired now. DD agrees to go back to the room without protest.
DD goes right to bed. Suddenly sits up and yells, Mom, look! Shes lost another tooth. Alright, Ill hold it until we get back from our vacation. Oh no, Ill put it under my pillow right here. But sweetie, were far away from home, how will the tooth fairy know where you are? She knows, she mumbles, half-asleep. In minutes shes snoozing.
I report in to the folks at home, make Tooth Fairy arrangements, and fall on the bed exhausted. What a comfy bed. I dont even miss my computer. In the darkness Im smiling; a thousand miles from home, we made it, were having a great time. This was a good idea after all.
Wednesday morning
My eyes open at 6 AM. Nobody woke me up in the middle of the night, how strange. Its very sunny outside. I call room service for a pot of tea, and it arrives quickly. A while later I call the front desk for a toothbrush. (They dont mind this.) It also arrives quickly. I breakfast in peaceful bliss.
When DD is awake and has eaten, we walk over to some stores on Rt 192. Its a shock for a strictly on-site person like me, to see so many fun things outside of the parks. A Disney sub-culture, if you will. I could live here; I love the weather, the sand, the road crew everything. I buy cigarettes back at the hotel; the elderly cashier asks for ID since one has to be eighteen to buy them (I am 30), and I love her too.
Back at HIFS we check out and catch the shuttle to Magic Kingdom. I will miss the little fridge and microwave but were going to Dixie Landings. Im the only one with carry-on luggage on the shuttle. Also, the remainder of my case of Diet Coke is at the bottom of one bag its heavy. The bus driver has a sign on the windshield, Gratuities Greatly Appreciated. He entertains us with Disney facts and stories on the longish ride. So not to accidentally kill anybody with my two-ton bags, we are last off the bus at MK. Im watching the elderly driver help people off the bus nobody is tipping him, why? Then I see it going down the stairs a basket overflowing with bills, attached to the railing. Hah! Good for him. I add to it, and we start the mile walk to the Magic Kingdom.
continued...
A Disney Trip report, May 1st-5th, 2001
Just last February I took a vacation alone to Disneyworld. Our previous family trip in Feb 2000 was outrageous eight people, three preschoolers, family squabbles, cramped hotel rooms and such. Days after our return my father-in-law, who had joined us on our trip, passed away suddenly. A weird sort of nostalgia sent me back there at the same time this year (that and the endless 20º weather) with a group of people I met on the DIS. I traveled alone, but had companions waiting, and the first blast of Florida sunshine at the airport took a winters worth of stress right out of me. It was a very unusual thing for me to do, but I was so glad to have gone.
A few months later I decided that my daughter could use that too. Shes five, a fun companion, wise beyond her years, still joined to my hip though. The whole year 2000 was rough with the loss of her Grandpa. Her stomach was giving her trouble in all sorts of ways motion sickness, heat sickness, acid reflux, and psychological triggers were possibilities. Her pesky little sister gets most of the attention in our house. (An altogether different child, is my other DD.) Faced with a whole bunch of medical testing for this kid, and a fair share of guilt, I said Lets go to Disney first. Want to? She was apprehensive, but happy. Off we went on a Tuesday night.
We were meeting my friend Robin at Dixie Landings on Wednesday, but to get a much better flight we left the evening before. The first night we stayed at Holiday Inn Maingate East, and the next 3 nights at Dixie, or Port Orleans Riverside. We did MK and Epcot only, and a few resort restaurants including AKL. The following is a bunch of scenes from our little trip.
~Tuesday night~
Holiday Inn Maingate East
Tiffany Town Car was a great idea. Mindful of the fridge and microwave that would be in our hotel room, we stop at Publix supermarket first for supplies. I feel that every good vacation should start with warm croissants in the morning. HIFS has nice grounds, friendly staff and decent, clean rooms. We watch Rugrats while eating dinner in the restaurant.
DD is excited about the pool area a large rectangular one, a kiddee pool, and a hot tub. Its a little chilly out at night, and one of the staff says theyve had unusually cold weather for this time of year. Plenty of room for us at the poolside chairs. DD hangs out on the pool steps with the 5-year-old set, and has a buddy within minutes. Theyd like to try the hot tub next and I join them. Its occupied by a family: One Grandma, two Moms and an Aunt Somebody are there, and a few kids. Grandma has a loud voice and a few tattoos. Shes a riot. I laugh along with them and feel very at ease. Back to the big pool we go, where a few more people have arrived. We watch, way off in the distance, some fool bungee-jumping off a tower. At least we think it was bungee-jumping. The folks around me start speculating about what else it could be, and will we hear emergency vehicles soon? Were laughing hysterically. I think Im overtired now. DD agrees to go back to the room without protest.
DD goes right to bed. Suddenly sits up and yells, Mom, look! Shes lost another tooth. Alright, Ill hold it until we get back from our vacation. Oh no, Ill put it under my pillow right here. But sweetie, were far away from home, how will the tooth fairy know where you are? She knows, she mumbles, half-asleep. In minutes shes snoozing.
I report in to the folks at home, make Tooth Fairy arrangements, and fall on the bed exhausted. What a comfy bed. I dont even miss my computer. In the darkness Im smiling; a thousand miles from home, we made it, were having a great time. This was a good idea after all.
Wednesday morning
My eyes open at 6 AM. Nobody woke me up in the middle of the night, how strange. Its very sunny outside. I call room service for a pot of tea, and it arrives quickly. A while later I call the front desk for a toothbrush. (They dont mind this.) It also arrives quickly. I breakfast in peaceful bliss.
When DD is awake and has eaten, we walk over to some stores on Rt 192. Its a shock for a strictly on-site person like me, to see so many fun things outside of the parks. A Disney sub-culture, if you will. I could live here; I love the weather, the sand, the road crew everything. I buy cigarettes back at the hotel; the elderly cashier asks for ID since one has to be eighteen to buy them (I am 30), and I love her too.
Back at HIFS we check out and catch the shuttle to Magic Kingdom. I will miss the little fridge and microwave but were going to Dixie Landings. Im the only one with carry-on luggage on the shuttle. Also, the remainder of my case of Diet Coke is at the bottom of one bag its heavy. The bus driver has a sign on the windshield, Gratuities Greatly Appreciated. He entertains us with Disney facts and stories on the longish ride. So not to accidentally kill anybody with my two-ton bags, we are last off the bus at MK. Im watching the elderly driver help people off the bus nobody is tipping him, why? Then I see it going down the stairs a basket overflowing with bills, attached to the railing. Hah! Good for him. I add to it, and we start the mile walk to the Magic Kingdom.
continued...
