Our fun week at WDW

[wdwgrannyb]

Cast: Me, Darla,57
DH, Richard, left WV in his 50’s and returned home in another decade of his life
DD, Rikke, 37, her DH stayed home with the 2 year old DD
DGS, Carl, 5
DD’s friend Cheri, 34
Cheri’s DD, Lindsey, 5 aka Linzy

Day 1 Saturday, November 29, 2003

Snow delayed our leaving the Pittsburgh airport on time. After not being able to sleep the night before because I was so excited about going—the plane was late—BUMMER!! It only ended up being a half hour late, so it wasn’t too bad and the pilot made it up so we arrived on time!!! The good news was AirTran is offering upgrades to first class for an additional $35. So we took it. DH is tall and likes to stretch his legs, sure made the flight easier. Tiffany Towncar was a no show upon our arrival in Orlando. I had to call them and they sent “Omar” right over. Omar----not the most friendly person, spoke only when necessary, and who let us load and unload our own luggage. We asked for a grocery stop, only not needing 30 minutes. We told Omar, we would be 10 minutes, only to come out from the store---and no Omar. 35 minutes later, up pulled Omar, he had gone to the car wash. I tipped him, but I don’t feel he earned it. I thought Tiffany Towncar was one of the better services, hummmmm.

Check in at the Polynesian went smoothly and my request for Tokelau, 3rd floor, quite pool side was honored. It was 3 pm, but the room wasn’t ready so we put our luggage in bell services and went for some lunch. After lunch, we checked and the room was ready. This was our first time at the Poly and I was happy with our room(3944). When you slid the balcony door open and stepped out, you could hear Christmas music playing, see the palm trees swaying and to the right—THE CASTLE!!! It doesn’t get any better than this!!!—Heaven!!!

Our DD, DGS and DD’s friend and DD had arrived the day before and we were to meet them in MGM. I gave Rikke a call and we headed out to MGM. Walking down the middle of the street toward the hat I heard “Grandma!!!”” and I knew his voice! Carl!!-- came running. We embraced and he was so excited about his day so far. We live in West Virginia and DD and her family live in Ohio, so we don’t see them so easily, so it is a pleasure to see them. After hearing all about his day, we headed up to get a seat for Fantasmic. It was chilly, so we bought blankets and hot chocolate. DD’s friend, Cherie has only been to MK and Epcot once and then did both in a day! On the other hand, DD and DGS have both been going to WDW since birth! After Fantasmic, we headed for Epcot for IL and beavertails!!!! After the fireworks, we all headed back to our rooms. I needed to unpack and relax with a cocktail, I’m on vacation in the best place in the world! I stood and stared at the Castle with all the pretty lights before I went to bed.
Life is good!



Day 2 Sunday, November 30, 2003

We awoke to that great Florida sunshine! Today was Cherie’s 35th birthday.
DD wanted to do Animal Kingdom today, so off we set after breakfast at Capt. Cook’s. On the Kilimanjaro Safaris we saw more animals then I’ve ever seen. The kids loved it. Then off to Bug’s Life, the Lion King show , Camp M/M and the parade. Lots of pictures later, we grabbed a bus back to the Poly to change our clothes as DD had made ressies for the CLP and dinner at the Garden Grill. We had a little time to spare so I took videos and pictures around the resort, so pretty. When we left the Poly we asked if Cherie and DD and kids could set up front on the monorail, as it was her BD and they got to. That was a big thrill for all of them. They only seat 4 so we rode in the regular cars. I had Cherie go in Guest Relations and get her birthday badge. Our setting at the CLP was for the 6:45 pm show with Andy Garcia, what a cutie!!!! And very personable! Cherie was impressed. Dinner was at 8:10 pm. I had DD tell them when we checked in it was Cherie’s birthday so they brought her a cake after dinner and sang HB to her. She had the biggest grin on her face. Doesn’t it make you feel good to see other people happy! And I believe everyone should celebrate their birthday! She had talked to her DH earlier in the day, as he was in Las Vegas(his holiday) and he hadn’t mentioned her birthday. (he did later). After dinner the girls decided they wanted to get the kids to bed, so we parted. DH and I had a Margarita in Mexico and walked around the WS taking in the music and lights. It had warmed up from the night before, so it was a pleasant walk. It doesn’t get any better than this!!! Life is good!!!

Day 3 Monday December 1, 2003

Awoke to another day of sunshine.
Had breakfast at the Kona Café and Tonga toast—yummmmyyyy!!!

We had decided to do MK today. Boy, the first look down Main Street at the Castle and ----Heaven!!!
We had our pictures taken as a group, then individually. I love the close up with Tinkerbell sitting in my and DH’s hand—so cute! Same for DD and DGS. We did all the must sees and Goofy’s new show in FL was a Christmas show. I got to do the electric slide with Goofy!!!!! We all loved the new 3-D show with Donald Duck!!! This, of course was a long day. We didn’t make any PS for MK, as I hate to be tied to a schedule. We did fast food at Peco’s Bill. Carl was tired after a long day of going at it and he tested his mom. Thank goodness, mom is understanding and keeps her cool(I’m proud of her, she never looses her temper). She and Cherie had ressies for Fairy Godmothers to babysit that night so they could go shopping at DTD and get the kids in bed early as the next night was MVMCP.

DTD
I always have my picture taken with Santa Clause. I DO believe! Every year I only ask him for one thing---the right 6 numbers!(lottery) Only thing is, I never get it. LOL!!! Oh, well, I still believe. Now on to SHOPPING!!!!! Why is it they sell everything I want? Just when I think I won’t buy anymore----I find something I just can’t live without!! LOL! Boy, I’m going to miss the Disney Club next year. I had used the new credit card, just to get rewards to spend, only to find when I went to check out, after shopping ALL over the store and carefully selecting just the right presents and souvenirs, the card that I was told WAS activated, wasn’t! OH BOY!!! I wasn’t going to put it all back, so I only got my Disney Club discount.
When we returned to the room, I called and got it straightened out. On to bed, as I had ressies for the Yuletide Fantasy Tour on Tuesday morning.

One last look at the Castle for the night and I was out like a light! Life is good!!



Day 4, December 2, 2003.

I had a wake up call in for 6:45 am, as I needed to be in Epcot by 8:30 am for the Yuletide Fantasy Tour. That early in the morning I got to ride up front on the monorail, as no one was going to the park that early. The fellow who was driving it was all bundled up in his winter coat, all buttoned up under his chin and the heater blasting. I had on shorts and a Christmas t-shirt and by the time we arrived at Epcot I was sweating! It really wasn’t that cold, but to him it must have been, although I saw him again and he still was wearing that coat! There were 35 of us on the tour. We all were given name tags and divided into two groups. My group leader was Lisa, who has been with Disney for 15 years. We loaded on a bus(Mears, at that) and headed to the back of Epcot. It was cool getting to see all the behind the scenes and what takes place when it isn’t open yet. On stage is what it is called when you enter the park, off stage is all the behind places. No pictures were allowed off stage and no pictures of any Disney doings while on stage(meaning any cleaning or repairs being done, etc.) . Everyone respected that request, with no one trying to sneak a pix, they say it has been tried. We were taken to different lands and explained why they decorate the way they do and their traditions. For example, Norway is decorated with all white poinsettias to represent snow. Then off to Animal Kingdom Lodge,(we learned about how WL and AKL are designed by the same man and have reasons behind everything they did) the Grand Floridan and MK. On the way into MK, while passing one of the waterways, there was an alligator on the bank watching a heron. Up further on the bank was a gardener trimming some bushes. Lisa told us you can find alligators in many of the ponds and waterways all over WDW. They go where they want to go, so she said NEVER go after a golf ball if hit in the water. After MK we were leaving by the same waterway and we looked and the alligator was still there watching the bird, but the gardener was gone!! We all laughed---poor man! LOL We then were taken to the warehouses where all the christmas stuff is stored and got to see how they make ribbon, they do their own, and meet some of the folks who put together the decorations. It was great! There are 25 people who do all the decorating for all the parks, resorts and cruise ships. By the way, the new tree in the GF IS the same height, 40’. The old tree took 20 hours to assemble and the new one only 8 hours and has new cool burning lights. The other guide, Debbie has a daughter who is a pastry chef at the GF and she did all the painting of the characters, done in white chocolate on the gingerbread house. There are several hidden Mickey’s on the house too! After the tour we were given a special ornament and a limited addition of 1500 pin. Mine is 171. Lisa told us there was a lot of chatter about the pin on the internet, she hoped she wouldn’t see ours on Ebay. I hopped the monorail back to the Poly and met up with my DH, who took a break for the morning. DD and all were at the MK, we met up with them to eat at the CP for the kids. Then we ran back to the Poly to change for MVMCP. I had hand made 70 black Mickey icons wearing red Santa hats with white fur and sewed them to red fleece coats DD had made, so we would all match for the party. We got lots of compliments on them. DH didn’t wear one (lol) but he did wear a red fleese with a black turtleneck, he’s such a sweetie! The party---- what fun, we took everything in(all the shows), the kids conked out before midnight, thank goodness for strollers. DGS loves Buzz Lightyear and on the way out of TL we ran into him and had our picture taken with him, we wheeled DGS up in the stroller and Buzz put his hand on his head and we took his picture. Poor Carl, didn’t even know he was with Buzz, lol. (He did see him another day). DD and Cherie took the kids back and DH and I rode some rides until midnight. I had forgotten they started taking pixs in the Buzz Lightyear ride, so when we come out I had to buy it, we were so intent on getting those aliens! We called it a night at midnight and fell into bed.------but hey, not before I went out and took that last look at the Castle for the night! Life is great!!! Tomorrow a surprise for DH.


Day 5 Wednesday, December 3, 2003

I am always awake early, too many days of HAVING to get up to work. But today I wanted to be awake before dawn and before DH awoke. I was—and I carefully and quietly crawled out of bed and decorated the room with banners, signs hanging from the canopy over the bed and streamers---it was Richard’s 60th birthday! He told me I took him to Florida in his 50’s and he was coming back in another decade of his life! I then laid back down until daylight and when he woke up and saw it all he just smiled. DH is a shy person, not one to be fused over or in a spot light---but hey, he was 60!!!!!!! While he was in the shower I put a sign on the outside of the door. I had informed the front desk when I made our ressies and when we checked in about his day, but nothing was done, that’s OK, I did my own planning ahead. Speaking of doing things, our maid never did any cute things for us or the kids room, even though I left her butterflies made out of money everyday. After breakfast at the Kona Café we headed off to Epcot---I hadn’t done Mission Space yet! DD, Cheri and Linzy didn’t really care for it, DGS did. I had to see for myself, DH wasn’t thrilled about it, after hearing all the warnings and seeing people sitting with their head in their hands, but he wasn’t about to come home and have me telling our friends he wouldn’t ride, lol. I must admit I was alittle nervous, but couldn’t wait. Well--- I LOVED IT!!!! We spent the rest of the morning doing TT and HISTK and in Innovations, then headed off to MK to meet up with the rest of the gang. This was their last day, as DD had to go back to work on Thursday. When we walked them to the end of Main Street and I kissed Carl goodbye, he said, “Grandma I wish I could stay with you”---OK, melt my heart----“I’m so sorry sweetie, we’ll be back next year.” With a tear in his eye, they left---and I was feeling really guilty for not keeping him with us. We spent the rest of the afternoon riding and doing the shows. We ate at LT, very good meal, then headed back to the resort. Just as we got on the monorail there was a quick shower, by the time we reached the Poly it had stopped. DH took a little nap while I walked to the beach to record the fire works from MK. We decided to go to PI for the evening. Our bus driver was a speed demon! The bus was packed and he had that bus laying on it’s side going around turns! He told lots of stories and had everyone laughing and we got to PI in record time!—alive!! We love the Adventure’s Club, we set up on the second level watching the action below and enjoyed a drink. We did go down to the Treasure Room and the Mask Room for a couple of shows. We watched the WestEnd Boys for awhile outside then headed back. It was midnight. Yep------one look at that Castle, then out like a light! It doesn’t get any better than this!

Day 6 Thursday, December 4, 2003

Awoke to another day in paradise—the sun was shining and the ducks were swimming in the pool----yep!---a pair of ducks were having a morning swim—too cute! After breakfast at the Kona Café we set off to MGM. I LOVE the ToT!! I could ride it over and over and over! And, I did! I rode every elevator to see the new drop sequences, then went back to the one I liked the best. DH had a different favorite, so we rode it again. It got so the Bell Hop out front was saying “Welcome back AGAIN, Darla” LOL (I have a guest of honor badge, that’s how he knew my name) Ok, so this body didn’t have enough, I went on RR. DH wouldn’t go. We went to the Beauty and the Beast show next then on to WWTBAM. I finished 3rd twice! It was such a beautiful day we finished some of the other attractions then went back for a swim before dinner. The ducks were gone. We had dinner at Planet Hollywood, we had Prime Rib, which was excellent. We then went to Epcot and walked around the WS and watched CP from the outside and then IL. Back at the resort I packed two boxes for shipping home! It is going to be a Disney christmas for both of the grandkids. DH and I went to the front desk and since it was so late we didn’t have any trouble getting them off. It was still warm out so we took a walk around the resort and decided to go for a midnight swim in the big pool. I love that zero entry. Sure didn’t have any trouble falling to sleep, but not before that look at the Castle! Life is good!!!

Day 7 Friday, December 5, 2003

Slept alittle later this morning and it felt good. We did breakfast at Captain Cook’s then off to the Animal Kingdom. I wanted to see Deb from the wdwig.com website. She was having a meeting there today, along with a few other meets. I guess I hadn’t checked before I left for Florida, but the site was changed so I missed the meet. I went to the Flame Tree BBQ waterside tables and no one was there. We asked around, but no one knew about the meet. It was at the Pizzafari I found out later. Sorry I missed it. We did Bug’s Life and decided to go to Epcot and Mission: Space!!! Love that ride! We waited for the longest time all week on TT, but had a nice conversation with the lady ahead of us while waiting in line. DH says I somehow always end up knowing everyone around me by the time we leave for home! He, on the other hand is very shy. I have never met a stranger, I just love people. DH wanted to have dinner at the Garden Grill again which was OK with me. Decided after dinner to go back to the room and pack as we were leaving on Saturday for home and I wanted to go to MK for the tapeing of the parade. After that we headed over to DTD to walk around and stop in PI for awhile to enjoy the music and have one last round of jokes in the Adventure’s Club. Then back to the resort to for the last night I will get to see the Castle before going to bed---I want to take it home with me!!!!!! Good night Castle! Life is good.

Day 8 Saturday December 6, 2003

Awoke early and ate breakfast at the Kona Café then hopped the monorail over to MK-----got off the monorail and----WHOOOOAAAAA-----people, people everywhere!!!!! Guess everyone wants to be in the movies! LOL! Didn’t seem like this many people here last year for this. Found a spot just to watch the making of a great parade and watch the celebrities. It was chilly this morning even though the sun was shining brightly, but the programmer kept telling everyone to look like it was warm. It did warm up as the morning went on. We decided we better head back and call Bell Services. Didn’t have to wait long. We had asked for a late check out and it helped. Tiffany Towncar was due to pick us up at 12:30 pm. I had thought about calling and asking them to not send Omar, but decided the odds of getting him again were small and I was glad I didn’t call, I really didn’t want to cause trouble for him, although I think he needs another profession, away from people. “ Jerry” was our driver and by the time we arrived at the airport I knew all about his life! LOL—DH just grins. Hey, people love to talk about themselves, what can I say!

Had an easy check in and went to the gate-----OH NO---flight delayed due to snow storms up north!!! Yuk!! I need to get home!!! I’m having a surprise Birthday party for DH that will be in progress when we arrive!! I have the best niece in the world, she is the one in charge for me, getting the cake, the decorations up and the balloons for DH. I call her and tell her what’s going on, we will be late!! Here’s what is happening: my sister-in-law ‘s birthday is 12/9(turning 61), her son’s(my nephew) birthday is 12/4 who turned 40 and DH’s birthday was 12/3 who, as you know turned 60. Well, they each thought the party was for each other, which meant that they all were surprised! My niece, it’s her mom and brother, was behind all the preparations. It was being held at our local American Legion club and we had a band. In stead of being home by 7:30 pm we made it at 10:30 pm. DH was surprised and we all had fun until 3 o’clock in the morning!!! After walking around WDW all week we danced the night away! Hey, we were with all our friends and family! Isn’t life grand!!!

Here are some sights and sounds from the week---

A man riding a handicapped scooter throwing his cigarette on the ground as he whisked by us

A father telling his children that the seats were “ tooken” and the oldest(approx. 15) turned to her mother and said “ the seats are tooken”----- they said this in a serious voice

A young couple with a boy who looked about 4 or 5 sitting on the wall outside Universe of Energy in Epcot eating an apple—the young fellow decided he didn’t want it so they told him to throw it in the bushes there, so he put it in the brown paper sack and threw it in the bushes.

Parents allowing a baby to crawl on the floor of Captain Cooks, then placing food in her hand to eat

A “lady” throwing her cigarette in the plants at the Poly

A few “tired” parents yelling at their equally “tired” children

And overheard at the airport while waiting on our flight home, a man sitting behind me talking on his cell phone telling the listener what a terrible week it was--- “poured the rain and was cold”—the worst vacation he had ever taken, never again at this time of year----further on in the conversation, he had stayed at WDW all week!

Guess we all look at life differently
Darla

 

[Marla Hellwig]

Sounds like a perfect WDW vacation to me - thanks for posting!

 

[Byrd]

Sorry to see it end. Thank you for taking the time to write.
Byrd

 

[IloveDMB]

Sounds like everyone had a great time! Thanks for sharing your trip with us, it sounded absolutely magical.

As for the guy on the cell phone, guess it's like the Half Empty/ Half Full glass thing, you know?

 

[lagirl]

Thanks for the trip report. Sounds like you had a magical time!

 

[wdwgrannyb]

a PS I forgot to memtion---DD told us after we returned home that DGS thought that since he left us there we were going to be living in WDW with Mickey! I wish!!! lol

 

[swankybeth]

Thanks for sharing your trip with us. It sounded very magical!