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- Feb 6, 2000
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Day 1 - May 28th
Mom and I get up, showered and dressed for our flight. We hear distant thunder, but all the news reports said the rain was supposed to be several miles to the South of us. As we pile everything into the car to leave at 3am, the heavens open up and we get a pouring rain. Our hearts sank, we just knew that our Delta flight would be delayed
As we drove the 40 miles to the San Antonio airport, the roads were dry. When we got North of downtown, near the airport, it was obvious that it had rained hard, but that the sky was now clear. Our 6am flight to DFW was on time 
and our connecting flight in Dallas was only 2 gates away. After a bumpy flight (the cabin attendants couldn't serve beverages) we arrived in Orlando about 11am, we retrieved our checked baggage, and headed down the elevator to the rental car area. The Emerald Aisle was low on inventory, but there was a beige Buick Century covered with water spots. The inside was very clean, so we took it. The car only had 1400 miles on it, and drove like a dream. By noon we were checking in at OKW - our room was even ready!!!!!! It was starting out to be a good vacation. We were in studio 2225, at the end of Miller's Road.
After unloading the luggage, we had lunch at Olivia's and drove into Kissimmee to Publix to get some bottled water (we like the little 8oz bottles), bread and fruit for breakfast. After returning to our room and unloading the groceries, we decided to go to DTD to look for a pack that would fit easily on the back of a wheelchair to carry our water, rain ponchos, sunblock and hand cleaner gel. Mom had forgotten to bring hers from home. Not finding anything we liked at DTD, we tried Eckerd's and Walgreen's without success, and decided on Perkin's for dinner. Then we returned to the room, I prepared the coffee pot for in the morning, we showered, put on our PJs and perched in front of the TV until bedtime.
Day 2 - May 29th
This morning we were up late (for us) about 8am, I turned on the coffee and peeled the grapefruit while Mom dressed and put on her face. After breakfast, I decided that maybe we could use my carry-on bag draped over the back of a rental wheelchair, so we headed off for EPCOT. I drive to the parks, we used to always take the busses, but I like the flexibility of a car. After renting the wheelchair, I could tell that it would be a hassle using my carry-on all week, but we hadn't found anything better. Since the park was already open, we headed over to get a Fastpass for Test Track, then to Universe of Energy, Spaceship Earth, the Land boat ride, then to Imagination, to see if maybe they had a quiet opening of the new Figment ride. The CM standing nearby said that as far as she knew, it would be Saturday, no earlier. So we went to see Honey, I Shrunk the Audience, and continued around to the Norway pavilion for a late lunch at the buffet (one of our favorites). We went on over to the American Adventure after lunch. By now, it was getting pretty hot outside, so we worked our way back towards Norway, wandering through the gift shops to stay cool. Mom always buy Laila at the Norway pavilion and I've been buying Geir, too, this trip was no exception. After having our purchases sent to OKWs general store, it was time to use our FastPass for Test Track. I don't know about you, I like FastPass, but I seem to criss-cross the parks more than before. After that, we wondered through the gift shop where the Centorium used to be (I can never remember the new name). We found a small microfiber backpack with pull strings that looked like it may work well on the wheelchair, so I purchased it and put it into my carry-on. We meandered over to the Living Seas, hoping the ride - which was down in January - was now operating. It wasn't so we did a quick walk through, as the Manatees were closed off, too, and there just wasn't a lot to see at Sea Base Alpha. The e-mail postcards were blocked off in Innoventions - I guess they're going to be replaced. The House of Innoventions attraction had a LONG line, so we skipped that, too. We'd decided to have a quick bite in the Land food court, then find an area for the Tapestry of Dreams. We found a bench near the China Pavilion, and sat to wait for the parade. Another family sat next to us, and asked if it was also a good seat for the fireworks. I told them that I'd never watch Illuminations from this spot, but we were going to try. Well, after the parade we turned around on our bench and faced the lagoon. There was a tree in their way, but Mom & I could see OK, I wasn't going to move, we were there first. The other family said "I thought you said it was a good spot!" and continued to get argumentative 
Finally, they left saying "Geez, I'm glad we don't come to Disney but once every 12 years!"...I had to agree with them, I'm glad they didn't either. When I got back to the room, I cut the lower strings on the backpack I bought, and thought I'd put knots in the strings to hang it when I rented the wheelchair the next day.
Day 3 - May 30th
Although it was Gay Day at Animal Kingdom, I decided to go to the Studios that day...I figured AK would be crowded. Upon entering the park we rented the chair, and I tied knots to adjust the backpack closed. It worked wonderfully for the rest of the trip. I made a lunch PS at PrimeTime, and we started off to the park. We did the Great Movie Ride, Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast before lunch. Mom had pot roast and I had fried chicken, both were delicious, we topped it off by each ordering a hot fudge sundae (Mmmm). Sometimes, you just have to wonder what parents are thinking!!! During lunch, another family was seated next to us. They looked to be in their late 30s with a 6 month old baby. The baby was being very good, coddling and cooing as little ones do...then the Mom felt like she had to entertain the baby, so she's stomp her feet and make faces until the kid screamed...then as soon as she quieted down again, the mother would start in and make her scream again...HELLO, NOT EVERYONE WANTS TO HEAR THAT! The baby would have been fine if the mother had just held her, loved her, and fed her. You can't blame the 6 month old...it was the parent. That seemed to be a prologue to the rest of the day, kids were screaming in MuppetVision and the Walt Disney exhibit, too. People were stepping over and around the wheelchair, then coming to a dead stop and wondering why their heels were getting caught (DUH)?!! We decided to leave early and return to the room. We had burgers at Olivia's for dinner, and continued to read books we'd started on the plane.
Day 4 - May 31
I had a lunch PS at Brown Derby. It was Gay Day at the Studios, there were a lot of traditional families there, too. I don't know if there were fewer kids there that day or not, it seemed like an average day. They were all quite well behaved, it made for a very enjoyable day, not having the wheelchair stepped over by a commando family. While the park opened at 9, it seemed that none of the shows was starting until about 10:30. We browsed through the shops, then got into the first Indiana Jones show, headed over to Star Tours and had a wonderful lunch. The drink special that day was orange flavored vodka, grand marnier and a splash of orange juice. Mom and I don't drink alcohol often, but they were GOOD. We had Cobb Salads for lunch, Mom had sugar-free berry tart with ice cream, I had a mixed berry home-made shortcake. It was a delightful meal. After lunch I got FastPasses for Millionaire, and we went on the tram tour, the new Pearl Harbor pre-show is much better than the previous show. We still had time before our FastPass, so I asked if we could wait inside where it was cool, the CMs let us into the waiting area. There was a bench, so I could sit and stay cool, too. Just before the show, the CM asked if we'd like to sit in the Fastest Finger seats. That was fun! I made it to number two on the list, I was happy with that. The people that made it to the hotseat were all very entertaining, and we really enjoyed the show. We got to the wheelchair area for the Stars parade, and we both got the munchies for a NY style hot dog. After the parade, we went to NY street, but no vendor could be found. We finally wound up getting hot dogs at the fast food place near Indy Jones. They were tasty. We did MuppetVision, again. It was time to line up for Fantasmic. They opened the gates just as we got in line, so we were seated pretty quickly in the handicap area. A cool wind came up, and then a heavy rain, that lasted about 10 minutes - we had our ponchos, so we stayed dry. The clouds cleared and there was no lightning, so the show went on as scheduled, it had been canceled the night before. It was beautiful, everyone made their cues, and the show was one of the best we had seen.
Mom and I get up, showered and dressed for our flight. We hear distant thunder, but all the news reports said the rain was supposed to be several miles to the South of us. As we pile everything into the car to leave at 3am, the heavens open up and we get a pouring rain. Our hearts sank, we just knew that our Delta flight would be delayed
As we drove the 40 miles to the San Antonio airport, the roads were dry. When we got North of downtown, near the airport, it was obvious that it had rained hard, but that the sky was now clear. Our 6am flight to DFW was on time and our connecting flight in Dallas was only 2 gates away. After a bumpy flight (the cabin attendants couldn't serve beverages) we arrived in Orlando about 11am, we retrieved our checked baggage, and headed down the elevator to the rental car area. The Emerald Aisle was low on inventory, but there was a beige Buick Century covered with water spots. The inside was very clean, so we took it. The car only had 1400 miles on it, and drove like a dream. By noon we were checking in at OKW - our room was even ready!!!!!! It was starting out to be a good vacation. We were in studio 2225, at the end of Miller's Road.After unloading the luggage, we had lunch at Olivia's and drove into Kissimmee to Publix to get some bottled water (we like the little 8oz bottles), bread and fruit for breakfast. After returning to our room and unloading the groceries, we decided to go to DTD to look for a pack that would fit easily on the back of a wheelchair to carry our water, rain ponchos, sunblock and hand cleaner gel. Mom had forgotten to bring hers from home. Not finding anything we liked at DTD, we tried Eckerd's and Walgreen's without success, and decided on Perkin's for dinner. Then we returned to the room, I prepared the coffee pot for in the morning, we showered, put on our PJs and perched in front of the TV until bedtime.
Day 2 - May 29th
This morning we were up late (for us) about 8am, I turned on the coffee and peeled the grapefruit while Mom dressed and put on her face. After breakfast, I decided that maybe we could use my carry-on bag draped over the back of a rental wheelchair, so we headed off for EPCOT. I drive to the parks, we used to always take the busses, but I like the flexibility of a car. After renting the wheelchair, I could tell that it would be a hassle using my carry-on all week, but we hadn't found anything better. Since the park was already open, we headed over to get a Fastpass for Test Track, then to Universe of Energy, Spaceship Earth, the Land boat ride, then to Imagination, to see if maybe they had a quiet opening of the new Figment ride. The CM standing nearby said that as far as she knew, it would be Saturday, no earlier. So we went to see Honey, I Shrunk the Audience, and continued around to the Norway pavilion for a late lunch at the buffet (one of our favorites). We went on over to the American Adventure after lunch. By now, it was getting pretty hot outside, so we worked our way back towards Norway, wandering through the gift shops to stay cool. Mom always buy Laila at the Norway pavilion and I've been buying Geir, too, this trip was no exception. After having our purchases sent to OKWs general store, it was time to use our FastPass for Test Track. I don't know about you, I like FastPass, but I seem to criss-cross the parks more than before. After that, we wondered through the gift shop where the Centorium used to be (I can never remember the new name). We found a small microfiber backpack with pull strings that looked like it may work well on the wheelchair, so I purchased it and put it into my carry-on. We meandered over to the Living Seas, hoping the ride - which was down in January - was now operating. It wasn't
so we did a quick walk through, as the Manatees were closed off, too, and there just wasn't a lot to see at Sea Base Alpha. The e-mail postcards were blocked off in Innoventions - I guess they're going to be replaced. The House of Innoventions attraction had a LONG line, so we skipped that, too. We'd decided to have a quick bite in the Land food court, then find an area for the Tapestry of Dreams. We found a bench near the China Pavilion, and sat to wait for the parade. Another family sat next to us, and asked if it was also a good seat for the fireworks. I told them that I'd never watch Illuminations from this spot, but we were going to try. Well, after the parade we turned around on our bench and faced the lagoon. There was a tree in their way, but Mom & I could see OK, I wasn't going to move, we were there first. The other family said "I thought you said it was a good spot!" and continued to get argumentative Finally, they left saying "Geez, I'm glad we don't come to Disney but once every 12 years!"...I had to agree with them, I'm glad they didn't either. When I got back to the room, I cut the lower strings on the backpack I bought, and thought I'd put knots in the strings to hang it when I rented the wheelchair the next day.Day 3 - May 30th
Although it was Gay Day at Animal Kingdom, I decided to go to the Studios that day...I figured AK would be crowded. Upon entering the park we rented the chair, and I tied knots to adjust the backpack closed. It worked wonderfully for the rest of the trip. I made a lunch PS at PrimeTime, and we started off to the park. We did the Great Movie Ride, Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast before lunch. Mom had pot roast and I had fried chicken, both were delicious, we topped it off by each ordering a hot fudge sundae (Mmmm). Sometimes, you just have to wonder what parents are thinking!!! During lunch, another family was seated next to us. They looked to be in their late 30s with a 6 month old baby. The baby was being very good, coddling and cooing as little ones do...then the Mom felt like she had to entertain the baby, so she's stomp her feet and make faces until the kid screamed...then as soon as she quieted down again, the mother would start in and make her scream again...HELLO, NOT EVERYONE WANTS TO HEAR THAT! The baby would have been fine if the mother had just held her, loved her, and fed her. You can't blame the 6 month old...it was the parent. That seemed to be a prologue to the rest of the day, kids were screaming in MuppetVision and the Walt Disney exhibit, too. People were stepping over and around the wheelchair, then coming to a dead stop and wondering why their heels were getting caught (DUH)?!! We decided to leave early and return to the room. We had burgers at Olivia's for dinner, and continued to read books we'd started on the plane.
Day 4 - May 31
I had a lunch PS at Brown Derby. It was Gay Day at the Studios, there were a lot of traditional families there, too. I don't know if there were fewer kids there that day or not, it seemed like an average day. They were all quite well behaved, it made for a very enjoyable day, not having the wheelchair stepped over by a commando family. While the park opened at 9, it seemed that none of the shows was starting until about 10:30. We browsed through the shops, then got into the first Indiana Jones show, headed over to Star Tours and had a wonderful lunch. The drink special that day was orange flavored vodka, grand marnier and a splash of orange juice. Mom and I don't drink alcohol often, but they were GOOD. We had Cobb Salads for lunch, Mom had sugar-free berry tart with ice cream, I had a mixed berry home-made shortcake. It was a delightful meal. After lunch I got FastPasses for Millionaire, and we went on the tram tour, the new Pearl Harbor pre-show is much better than the previous show. We still had time before our FastPass, so I asked if we could wait inside where it was cool, the CMs let us into the waiting area. There was a bench, so I could sit and stay cool, too. Just before the show, the CM asked if we'd like to sit in the Fastest Finger seats. That was fun! I made it to number two on the list, I was happy with that. The people that made it to the hotseat were all very entertaining, and we really enjoyed the show. We got to the wheelchair area for the Stars parade, and we both got the munchies for a NY style hot dog. After the parade, we went to NY street, but no vendor could be found. We finally wound up getting hot dogs at the fast food place near Indy Jones. They were tasty. We did MuppetVision, again. It was time to line up for Fantasmic. They opened the gates just as we got in line, so we were seated pretty quickly in the handicap area. A cool wind came up, and then a heavy rain, that lasted about 10 minutes - we had our ponchos, so we stayed dry. The clouds cleared and there was no lightning, so the show went on as scheduled, it had been canceled the night before. It was beautiful, everyone made their cues, and the show was one of the best we had seen.
