The Cast:
Alex (that's me): Male, 29, the compulsive planner in the family. First Disney trip since 1987!
Crystal (DW): Female, 30, deprived of her childhood dreams, making her first visit ever.
Friday, September 28 - Check-In, Shopping, Boardwalk
Weather upon leaving Cleveland: Damp, 50 degrees
Weather upon arrival in Orlando: Overcast, 80 degrees.
We arrived at the airport as instructed a full 2 hours before our flight. Everything went smoothly and it only took us 30 minutes to get from the front door to our departure gate. Lines were long but moved quickly. Our bags were not searched. Our flight left on time and actually landed 15 minutes early. After a very smooth Dollar Rent-a-Car pick-up, we headed for our hotel, the Buena Vista Suites. Hotel staff acted as if we were the first customers they had seen all week! We were immediately accosted by the bellhop and concierge. The desk clerk exclaimed "Wow! We have customers!" Our Deluxe King Suite is HUGE, although it definitely shows signs of wear.
Fisrt stop of the day is Florida Mall. DW needs a new swimsuit, an item that is impossible to find in Cleveland after Labor Day. Three hours of exhaustive shopping later we hit our first official Disney stop, the Boardwalk. We perused the shops, walked the entire perimeter of the lake and had dinner at the ESPN Club. The food was a pleasant surprise. The Red Wings are top-notch and the entrees were definitely above average in terms of pub food. While we were eating and enjoying some exciting late-season baseball games, a fellow Mets fan in the restaurant tried to pick a fight with a Braves fan. Luckily the Braves fan was good-natured about it and there was no incident, but as a Mets fan and a native New Yorker I was embarrassed. I guess the peace and harmony is over already
We capped off the evening with a moonlight stroll along the Boardwalk and a couple of ice cream cones. We loved the Boardwalk and decided that's where we want to stay on our next trip! The crowd at the Boardwalk that night was encouraging. Not crowded, but definitely lively. Hopefully we'll see some decent crowds at the parks. Never thought I would say that, but after seeing all the news reports about the decline in tourism, it would be nice to see some people.
Alex (that's me): Male, 29, the compulsive planner in the family. First Disney trip since 1987!
Crystal (DW): Female, 30, deprived of her childhood dreams, making her first visit ever.
Friday, September 28 - Check-In, Shopping, Boardwalk
Weather upon leaving Cleveland: Damp, 50 degrees
Weather upon arrival in Orlando: Overcast, 80 degrees.
We arrived at the airport as instructed a full 2 hours before our flight. Everything went smoothly and it only took us 30 minutes to get from the front door to our departure gate. Lines were long but moved quickly. Our bags were not searched. Our flight left on time and actually landed 15 minutes early. After a very smooth Dollar Rent-a-Car pick-up, we headed for our hotel, the Buena Vista Suites. Hotel staff acted as if we were the first customers they had seen all week! We were immediately accosted by the bellhop and concierge. The desk clerk exclaimed "Wow! We have customers!" Our Deluxe King Suite is HUGE, although it definitely shows signs of wear.
Fisrt stop of the day is Florida Mall. DW needs a new swimsuit, an item that is impossible to find in Cleveland after Labor Day. Three hours of exhaustive shopping later we hit our first official Disney stop, the Boardwalk. We perused the shops, walked the entire perimeter of the lake and had dinner at the ESPN Club. The food was a pleasant surprise. The Red Wings are top-notch and the entrees were definitely above average in terms of pub food. While we were eating and enjoying some exciting late-season baseball games, a fellow Mets fan in the restaurant tried to pick a fight with a Braves fan. Luckily the Braves fan was good-natured about it and there was no incident, but as a Mets fan and a native New Yorker I was embarrassed. I guess the peace and harmony is over already
We capped off the evening with a moonlight stroll along the Boardwalk and a couple of ice cream cones. We loved the Boardwalk and decided that's where we want to stay on our next trip! The crowd at the Boardwalk that night was encouraging. Not crowded, but definitely lively. Hopefully we'll see some decent crowds at the parks. Never thought I would say that, but after seeing all the news reports about the decline in tourism, it would be nice to see some people.
