Maybe I'll do a trip report? Don't read! I haven't decided! NEW for 1/31! Read it!

[Hedy]

So far, so good.

 

[UtahMama]

Yayyyy! I was mentioned TWICE, thanx!

Ack, I hate driving while tired. And adding a 2 yr. old to keep entertained IN HER CAR SEAT AT ALL TIMES

Add some Jolt brand cola and your equally tired and jittery and anxious to pass through the magical arch. It makes Check In sooooo much smoother if you appear dis-sheveled and ready to SNAP any moment ....

 

[NAB]

Now you know you can't drive 8 hours straight with a two year old.

We travel a lot in a car over the summer. My kids were pretty good and we pulled over if they got cranky and needed to run or just stretch. Those car seats don't have much padding on the seat you know. My mom was always good at entertaining them too. She sits in the back with them all the time.

Too funny about the orange juice.

Can't wait to hear more about going to the parks while you guys are so tired. Jeanie I am sure is ready to go since she slept most of the time.

 

[PrincessV]

Withlacoochee's good, sure, but it doesn't hold a candle to FL's Itchneetucknee River.

So, are we there yet?!

 

[Backstage_Gal]

Great update, Cel, you are funny!

 

[lexmelinda]

And here, I think I channeled Utah’s hisper (hisper = whisper + hiss).
“DRINK THE JUICE! NOW!”
I don’t even remember if she drank it. We’re just going to say she did. Cuz she loves to make me happy, right?

Ahhh. What a great family memory.

Yep....good times! That's what family trips are for, silly!

Your all night driving reminded me of my first trip to Disney....spring break 1972. My newly divorced mother and her friend decide to jump in my mom's VW Beetle and take their four kids to Disney. (two 9 yr old girls and two 11 yr old boys...not small kids!) We kids let down the back seat and we slept three laying down in the back and the odd kid up in the mom-who-wasn't-driving's lap. Now illegal in all 50 states. Good times!

RE: stopping at McDonalds...when DS was two and would get fussy our answer to "how do you make the baby happy" was always "give it what it wants." Works every time!

Tammy....my husband won't let me drive when he's in the car. I know how you feel!

OK....ready for more....

 

[Tink-ing]

A bit before we left, Tink-ing posted on Mel’s trip report “And I've always wondered about the name of the kid's area at TL. 'Catchakiddiecreek'. Like, as a childless Disney-goer, do I just go over there and catch a kiddie to take home? Like, say, picking your own strawberries?”

So it got me thinking.
(A very bad habit, I know)
If Ketchakiddee Creek is for picking up unwanted kids, what in the world is the Withlacoochee river for!?!?!?!

I would say this was funny at the time because I was sleep deprived and had been staring at the road for too long, but it’s still funny now.
At least to me.

I'm not going to even begin to try to discern for you what Withlacoochee Creek is for. Because I like the DISboards. And I refuse to be banned. For life.

But I admit I giggled a bit too.

Alas, I am also sleep deprived.

Enjoying the TR, Cel. Thanks for the cameo!

 

[DonaldTDuck]

Wasn't Xavier Cugat Withlacoochee? (anyone?)
Cel- the official free orange juice is at the Florida Welcome Station. It's a right of passage. And onced again, all ducks are lucky- lucky they're not a mouse or dog or big goofy thing. Lovin' the report.

 

[AGPrincess]

UGH! I extremely dislike driving...especially when my dad's in the front seat...then he's constantly commenting on my driving and making me even MORE nervous!

Can't wait for more!

 

[Jelly1]

This is a great report too. I've only read the first page, now I have to go study. Thanks for pointing the way over here celerystalker.

 

[lexmelinda]

 

[NAB]

 

[celerystalker]

So after our refreshing juice stop, we were on the road again. Tammy went back to sleep. I forced my mother to talk to me.
She tried Disney trivia questions off the top of her head.
Heh.
I got them all right.
Duh! She learned me well!
Ok, y’all. I swear I’m not making this part up.
About the last hour of the drive, I started getting REALLY loopy (Me? Loopy? Never!). So I’d take my water bottle, pour water in my hand and throw it on my face.
Hehehehehe.
It got us there, didn’t it?
I even paid my tolls without getting the toll booth person TOO wet.
We arrived at Bonnet Creek around 12:30 EST – so we were on the road 11 and a half hours – just as I estimated.
Darn, I’m good.
We also called Randy’s mobility as we got close so they could meet us. Great idea, right?
He arrived right as we did. So I’m talking to him on the cell phone, trying to corral Jeanie, Tammy and my mom, trying to get the documents and credit card I need, all after driving for one billion miles and having no sleep.
Argh.
And EVERYONE (that being Tammy and my mom) was SO helpful!
I learned something on this trip.
People will nod and say “ok” to me just to get me to shut up. Even if they haven’t heard what I said. Particularly my mother and Tammy. This will be a theme.
After I tried REAL hard not to have a meltdown because Tammy did not grab the credit card I needed, I passed Jeanie off to her, stationed my mom in the courtyard to meet the ECV guy and I headed on in to check in.
I asked for the ever elusive epcot view.
So we could watch illuminations from our balcony. They didn’t have one available. But they did have a room ready RIGHT NOW! That we could stay in for our ENTIRE stay!
Woooo!
I said we’ll take it!
And then the Randy’s mobility guy comes in with my mom and the wheelchair. In the lobby. And I’m trying to check in.
And he’s trying to teach me stuff.
And there’s a two year old.
And there’s a Tammy.
And there’s other people cuz it IS a public lobby, after all.
And we have to go to this other table to get our parking permit.
And it’s crazy!
So I send Tammy to the parking permit guy and tell her ahead of time we do not need to sign up for a tour.
She nods and says “ok.”
And has no clue what I mean.
So I get checked in.
I get the papers signed for the Randy’s guy.
I get my mom turned around and headed out of everyone’s way.
I take Jeanie to go follow up with the parking permit guy.

See, he’s not really a parking permit guy.
He’s an evil high pressure salesman.
The people at the front desk were super sweet and funny –
But they are not allowed to give us our parking permit.
You have to talk to the sales people so they can make you sign up for a presentation.
By the time I make it to the table, Tammy’s become best friends with this guy. He knows where we’re from, who’s with us, how long we’re staying and he even knows that I’m volunteering at Give Kids the World.
I say ok. Can we go?
And Tammy explains that she needs to go to a new member’s seminar.
I say no.
Then the guy gets huffy.
And says we have to.
I say “Why?”
He says there have been changes to the points system.
I say “I know. I read the manual.”
He says it’s mandatory.
ARGH! I’m sleepy and you’re going to make me spend part of my vacation listening to your sales pitch when we just bought 4 months ago?
I didn’t say any of that I just looked at him really mean.
And he said “You don’t both have to be there. She can go while you’re volunteering. And I’ll make sure they give you $75.00 in gift certificates.”
“Can we talk about this later?”
“If you don’t schedule it now, we’ll have to call you every day until you do. “
“Fine. Do it on Tuesday. Let’s go.”
Jerk.
Tammy is still oblivious.
So we figure out where our building is. And I ask how my mother can drive her wheelchair there. They say she needs to take the road.
Ha!
So I point in the direction she needs to go and tell her to meet me in the lobby.
And Tammy, Jeanie and I head for the car.
My mother keeps thinking there is a sidewalk for her to use.
So she starts asking people that work there for help.
I can see all of this from the car.
She eventually gets some poor little man to walk with her while she drives the electric wheelchair. It was really funny watching them.
Eventually he left her and I got right behind her in the car and honked at her.
Hehehehehe.
I’m so evil!
She made the go around motion at me and scowled at me.
Somehow we all make it to the building and after about ten trips up and down the elevator, everything is unloaded.
Here’s some pictures of the place.

For some reason, I didn’t take any more of the interior. Hopefully my mom did.
Anyway, it was beautiful! And large! And super cool!
So after everything was unpacked, it was maybe 2 or so.
And we were AT DISNEY WORLD!
So –
Hmmm.
Should we nap?
Go to the pool?
Go to Wal Mart?
Play minature golf?
Or –
How about we use those annual pass vouchers that are burning a hole in Tammy’s Wallet?

 

[UtahMama]

A Cliffhanger!!!

I hate being so tired and grumpy that every ounce of humor is depleted. So topped with a toddler, a Tammy, a mother, a sales person, a bunch of strangers, and trying to check in...I'd have had a "special moment" You did great, you're only human, sister!!!!

Love the Nemo skirt on Jeannie! Very cute!

Bonnet Creek looks very nice! Nice a new and modern and comfy. Better than cramped and tacky, I'd say


(Hi Tammy!!!! How're you feeling???))

 

[Hedy]

Sounds fun!

 

[NAB]

Wish I would have made it over there to see inside myself. Looks really nice. And you get to stay there again.

Hubby does all the driving on long trips. I sleep. Or try to but it is hard to do when the kids are in the back asking you something every 5 minutes.

I used to sleep when were on family vacations too and when we had to stop for the night I was ready to go. Is that what Jeanie was like?

 

[Backstage_Gal]

Thanks for the update, Cel! I hate people pestering me. I even hate mail! (although hubby loves it) I dont mean personal mail, business mail. I registered for "DO not call " list 3 times, and what what do I get at least 3 or 4 times a day? "Call fromTolll-Free number" I even picked up a few times and threatened with a suit, but it didnt help

I looks like a lovely place, Cel, it really does. I just learned recently that a uy I used to work with is GM or some sort of high level manager there now.

Not sure that is worth anything, but you never know.

Tammy, hope you are feeling better

 

[Tink-ing]

So I send Tammy to the parking permit guy and tell her ahead of time we do not need to sign up for a tour.
She nods and says “ok.”
And has no clue what I mean.
So I get checked in.
I get the papers signed for the Randy’s guy.
I get my mom turned around and headed out of everyone’s way.
I take Jeanie to go follow up with the parking permit guy.

See, he’s not really a parking permit guy.
He’s an evil high pressure salesman.
The people at the front desk were super sweet and funny –
But they are not allowed to give us our parking permit.
You have to talk to the sales people so they can make you sign up for a presentation.
By the time I make it to the table, Tammy’s become best friends with this guy. He knows where we’re from, who’s with us, how long we’re staying and he even knows that I’m volunteering at Give Kids the World.
I say ok. Can we go?
And Tammy explains that she needs to go to a new member’s seminar.
I say no.
Then the guy gets huffy.
And says we have to.
I say “Why?”
He says there have been changes to the points system.
I say “I know. I read the manual.”
He says it’s mandatory.
ARGH! I’m sleepy and you’re going to make me spend part of my vacation listening to your sales pitch when we just bought 4 months ago?
I didn’t say any of that I just looked at him really mean.
And he said “You don’t both have to be there. She can go while you’re volunteering. And I’ll make sure they give you $75.00 in gift certificates.”
“Can we talk about this later?”
“If you don’t schedule it now, we’ll have to call you every day until you do. “
“Fine. Do it on Tuesday. Let’s go.”
Jerk.

I won't share with you what I likely would've done if this had been me being "sales attacked" when I was exhausted and all I wanted was my darn parking permit. But it would've likely involved me telling Mr. Pushy Permit Dude where he should put the $75 worth of GCs and then subsequently needing someone to post my bail.

I'm just sayin'. You've already bought into their property. You'd think they'd tone down the sales pitch a bit.

So –
Hmmm.
Should we nap?
Go to the pool?
Go to Wal Mart?
Play minature golf?
Or –
How about we use those annual pass vouchers that are burning a hole in Tammy’s Wallet?

I bet a Disney Park on 3 hours sleep after 12 hours driving and a pushy parking prat is quite the experience. Can't wait to hear about it.

 

[dabluestreaker]

I really hate how Cel leaves us all hanging....

Okay, the trip down and why I didn't drive...much...I had been at work from 8:30a until 10:30p trying to get EVERYTHING turned in that I possibly could so as not to lose my $150 incentive. Well...that didn't happen. I lost it. and really quite upset about it. For those of you who have no clue what I do for a living...I'm a coordinator for adults with Mental Retardation and other developmental disabilities. I coordinate EVERY service these adults need such as the residential providers, day providers and any therapies. Since I'm a state related employee, I don't make much money. And I have a college degree to boot.

Anyway, when I did drive, I kept trying to fall asleep, rode tails, and everything else that Amber says I did. Now, typically even that does not irritate her to the point that she makes me pull over. She was just SUPER excited about getting to WDW. (So was I.) So that my friends, is really why Cel had to DRIVE to WDW.

Ok, seems like I have a million and one things to add to this...but I'm way off kilter right now. We've been back home since 10/1 and Crystal, Jeanie's mom called me the other day and said that we brainwashed her daughter. Apparently she asked Jeanie if she wanted to go and Jeanie responded that she wanted to go to WDW and see Mickey, Goofy, Donald and Minnie. Jeanie's dad has strep in his arm (the elbow region) and they said that if it got any bigger in the next 24 hours, they would have to put him on IV antibiotics in the hospital. Well, Crystal called us yesterday to ask us to keep Jeanie for the weekend. She KNOWS that Jeanie is Amber's weakness. And of course I'm not up for much since my surgery. So, at first Amber said that Crystal had to bring her to us. Then Amber and I went to Wal-mart because she is BORED and needed another stitchwork to work on. Then she decided we'd pick Jeanie up afterwards. Today, we went to Pumpkinfest here in town and while we were having lunch, Jeanie told me she wanted to go to WDW. I told her she had to talk to Aunt Amber. Yep, we have the kid brainwashed. Sometimes I wish that Crystal would give Jeanie to us. Anyway, we'll have a child someday....

Another thing that I think is fair to add in my defense I have a hearing impairment and wear hearing aids. When I'm exhausted (and sometimes when I'm not) it's hard for me to hear. And Amber is bad about sometimes giving half orders. And I'm easily confused. But hey, we got $75 in Mickey Dollars.

Lastly, for all my concerned friends...
This surgery has really kicked my butt. At the very start, the doctor told me I'd only be off the Thursday of my surgery and then Friday. Then I'd have the weekend to recuperate and could return to work on Monday. On Monday morning, my ear started hurting like something was stabbing it. Amber went to work and I was here by myself. I called the doctor's office crying and they told me it was just the muscle. They said to call back around 2 if I was still hurting and ask to speak directly to the nurse and she'd order me some Valium to relax. At one, I called again crying. I'm serious you all, the pain was BAD. (and for the record, I'm not one who can stand a lot of pain.) She called some Valium in to my pharmacy, Amber picked it up on her way home from work, and I was off the rest of the week. I went in on Friday for my follow up, and have a mild infection in my ear (it really is disfigured right now) and was put off for another week. Today was my first real outing and I got to hurting so bad that I made Amber leave the Pumpkinfest early. Tommorow we have nursery duty at church and a potluck (It's our Church's 11th Anniversary). I'm hoping I can make it okay. If worse comes to worse, I'll go hole up in the nursery and nap for a bit.

Needless to say my job is really being buttheads about this. I have several visits that I've not been able to complete, so now they have to have someone else cover them. And they have to send me my database so that I can complete my notes to have them turned in on time (by the 5th-wish is my return to work date). I'm so fed up with this treatment that I'm looking for a new job. You all keep me in your thoughts!

 

[celerystalker]

So what do we do after no sleep and a million hours of driving?

We do what any good bunch of Disney fanatics does – we went to Disney world!!!!!
Or we tried to.
First, I have to tell you a cute Jeanie story.
On the day we went to pick her up from her mom’s, you’ll remember that she went back to work with me.
Where I discovered she has a fear of elevators.
I thought at the time it was just because I had to wake her up to get her in the building and when she was fully awake, she’d be fine.
I was wrong.
For some reason, elevators (which she calls “gator”) are frightening. And she expects you to hold her. And when you are carrying tons of stuff or maneuvering a stroller, it’s kinda hard to hold her. So I taught her that elevators are fun. (“Gators fun!”)
And she would hold on to the wall and say “Gator. Fun.” While she had a petrified look on her face. Hehehe. Anyway, by the end of the trip, she believed that gators are fun.
So remember it’s our first day.
And she’s still traumatized by the “gator.”
So the four of us head out to the elevator.
Me with the stroller, Tammy holding Jeanie’s hand and my mom in her ECV. Or ECV. Which one is it, anyway?
So Jeanie pushes the button.
And my mother drives on to the elevator.
And rams into the next wall.
And bounces off.
And the elevator proceeds to close.
With my mother yelling “Y’all! Stop it!”
And somehow my mother’s purse (which is around her neck) gets stuck in the door (allegedly. It’s not like it was outside the door or anything and we watched her get hung).
And we keep pushing the button, but that elevator is gone!
So we start laughing.
Cuz it’s funny.

Eventually she returns.
Mad.
At us.
Cuz WE made the elevator close on her.

Imagine what's going through poor Jeanie's head. That evil gator tried to eat Ms. Patricia! Ack!

I waited until we got to the vehickul (that's a shout out to the mamacantfindya clan!).
And inspected the damage.
The front of the ECV is cracked. And a small piece of plastic is broken off.
Hmmm.
They won’t be upset about that, will they?

Then we have a “Coming to Jesus” meeting.
That’s what my family calls them.
I outlined for Tammy and my mother both that getting angry was not going to solve anything.
Just because she chose to drive into the elevator does not make it our fault.
I understand frustration, but this is going to be a LOOOONG trip and we need to not be so mean to each other!
And I promised I would try my best not to yell at them.
Our plan of action was to have me and Tammy (with Jeanie) go into all elevators first so that we could hold the door open for my mother.
She still, for some reason, refused to drive straight into the elevator so that she could back straight out.
For the ENTIRE TRIP she would drive into the elevator and then turn towards the right so she ended up in the corner.
Grrr.




So we put the ecv (which is heavy. And a pain to take a part) and the single stroller in the Pilot and load on up!
In Disney World!
Can you believe it?
Woo!
I think we only get turned around once. Or maybe that was on the way to bonnet creek.
Anyway, we get to Epcot and I’m kinda nervous.
See, if you have an annual pass, you get to park for free.
But I didn’t know if the voucher would count.
And I didn’t want to go to Downtown Disney to activate the voucher cuz that seemed like a waste of time. And I wasn’t sure they would actually do it anyway cuz all the info on the net about the different types of tickets and who sells what where is very confusing.
So we just went to the parking guy and he waved us on through after looking at the voucher.
Score!
I knew from reading on here that we needed to drop my mom off at the front since we couldn’t take the ecv on the tram. So I followed the lines to the guest drop off spot and there was a parking spot within sight of the entrance. Woo! Double Score!
So we unloaded.
Here’s my mom getting ready for our first park!

Wanna see what Jeanie thought of her first moments on Disney property?

That’s right. She was so overwhelmed, she had to take a nap.
Heh.
It’s nice that sleeping kids don’t mind if you weigh them down with Pal Mickey and diaper bags and such.

We were able to exchange our vouchers with no problem – I made sure to double check that the expiration date was based on today’s date and not the date I purchased them and we were off!

So where can we go with a sleeping child?
Hmmm.