Quick Memorial Day holiday weekend get-away to WDW!

[Dodie]

DH has a new job and very little vacation time, so we decided to take advantage of the Memorial Day holiday to do a quick, 3-night trip to WDW! (It's just us - no kids.) It was to be our first stay at the CBR.

After a horrible experience with Delta, we finally arrived at the CBR on Saturday morning at 10:00 a.m. instead of Friday night at 11:00, as planned.

Although the check-in line was very long, we only waited about 20 minutes for our turn at check-in. We were able to purchase E-Ride Night tickets for that night (Saturday) and were thrilled about that, particularly considering the loss of the first part of our vacation. After check-in and grabbing a quick bite to eat in the food court, we took a 4-hour nap (just so we would be coherent after our all-night drive - see link above) and then hit the MK!

Although crowded, we used Fast Pass and took advantage of E-Ride Night to enjoy all of our MK favorites! (We also skipped the nighttime parade to take advantage of the shorter lines.) If one of these nights is available during your stay, I would highly recommend it! We made it back to CBR at about 1:00 a.m. and crashed.

Next day it was off to MGM so DH could ride his favorites, RnR and ToT. We were at the gate when it opened at 10:00 (late it seemed to me on a holiday weekend). It was a Star Wars weekend, so there was a processional of Star Wars costumed characters at the park's opening and there were several stations set up throughout the park with special Star Wars signings and such. We used Fast Pass again and managed to see everything we wanted to see by about 2:00 p.m., ducking back to the CBR for a quick nap before a night at Downtown Disney/PI.

Unfortunately, we waited for a bus from CBR to Downtown Disney for an hour. Buses to everywhere else came 2-3 times during that hour. We tried calling the transportation line from the phone at the bus stop but it was busy. (I think everyone else at CBR was calling too.) Several of us finally stopped one of the other bus drivers (to MGM I think) to ask what was going on. He said "they're running" and "I don't know, but I'll call it in."

When the bus finally came (after an hour) it was full and we barely got on. We had to turn people away at the other three stops at CBR. The bus driver was rude about it too. Said it wasn't his fault. Of course, people were angry at the other stops because they'd been waiting for an hour too. He said he'd call another bus to come and get them. I hope he did.

Anyway, our night at Downtown Disney (once it got started) was topped off with a visit to our all-time favorite: The Adventurer's Club! AWESOME!

We spent Monday at Epcot (my favorite park). Although our time was abbreviated, we were able to do TT with a Fast Pass and rode through Living with the Land, which is something we hadn't done in years! We also made the entire World Showcase loop before departing the park at 4:00 to head for MCO for our flight home.

Even though we started out poorly, we had a great time. I had doubted the viability of trying to do a 3-night trip, but it's not like we are newbies who have to see everything. It ended up being just perfect!

If you have specific questions about the Delta experience, our stay at CBR, or doing a holiday weekend trip like this, please feel free to ask.

 

[snuggles]

I'm glad your trip ended in a happy note. Sometimes things try to mess with the magic, but they are quickly forgotten. Thanks for sharing your trip.

 

[dzneelvr]

Dodie
How come things like that happen only when there's no extra "give" in the Schedule?
I'm glad you were able to plan your way out of what could have been a nightmare.

Even though we live in No. Illinois, we gave up last trip trying to wait out the delays at OHare that had plagued us our last 4 trips down to WDW. My DH is a "driver" and it bugged him terribly that by the time we drove into OHare, waited, got delayed, waited some more, etc., we could've driven and been there same time.

So that's what we did in July and it went fine. We finally had control over when we'd arrive (no more 3am blurry -eyed trying to get MEARS or a limo to WDW from the airport) and how we could spend our first day. Made alot of sense to us.

I've spent many years business travelling by air and discovered long ago that the airlines cannot practice "customer service" because their flight schedules are so uncontrollable--for a number of good reasons; some not so good.
WDW has become a driving trip for us from now on.

Thanks for sharing.

Dollywood in 2003
WDW in 2004

 

[Minniespal]

Even although your trip started badly, glad you were able to finish it on a high note!!!!

 

[VickiVM]

I was searching posts regarding Memorial W/End because we're contemplating next year beginning a week stay on Memorial Weekend since the kids will be out of school for the summer. I also read your post about your flight nightmare!! UNBELIEVABLE.
I kept thinking in my head "What if it were us and our 3 school-age kids." No way could we be wandering around the Atlanta airport at that time of night with no plan. I bet my 3 kids whining would get Delta to cough up a few seats on a flight, though.

Anyway, I see you have visited various times of the year. What were your general impressions of the crowds and ride wait times? Did you do any sit-down meals and how were the wait-times for those?

Thanks.