joedisney
Earning My Ears
- Joined
- Sep 1, 2000
- Messages
- 70
I have been asked to repost episode 1 as it did not make it over from the old website.
As promised, here is episode 1 of our trip to Disney from January 10 through 20, 2000. We spent 7 nights at the GF and 3 at the YC. I am an avid DISer, having found this wonderful site back in July. The thorough planning contributed considerably to our enjoyment. Anyway the cast of characters: I'm the dad -38, mom's (pregnant) -34 and the three boys are 8, 5 and 18 months.
I don't have time for the full recap just yet, but let me start with the dubious beginning to our trip. Do remember while reading, however, that this eventually became the best vacation we have ever had.
Tuesday evening (1/9): Come home to a message from Delta that our direct flight (arriving at 1:45 pm) to Orlando has been canceled and we are now booked on a flight through Cincinnati arriving in Orlando at 7:00 pm. There, in the blink of an eye, day one of my beautiful schedule gets shot right out the window. After voicing my great displeasure to the Delta Representative, I soon realize that they have nothing better to offer. They did offer $75 vouchers per ticket for future travel (hmmm.....future travel.....annual passes....more on this later.)
Wednesday (1/10): The big day finally arrives. We decide to go to the airport a little early to see if we can slime on a better flight. Not. We check in and time goes by quickly as we have donuts and play in the kids play area at the Delta terminal. Soon we are off on a torturous six hour journey. The 18 month old slept a whopping half hour on the first leg of our flight, keeping him out of trouble for the remaining time was quite a challenge. Snacks, books, toys and crayons worked for about 10 minutes, the rest of the time he could best be described as a wailing octopus. Not a fun trip so far, but heck, I'm paying good money for this trip and I'm quite sure the magic of Disney will take hold as soon as we debark the plane...
Things are better as soon as we get off the plane and octopus is allowed to stretch his many limbs. I figure things are looking up when the National car dude tells me I can choose from the Emerald Aisle even though I did not reserve the car with my EA card. Minivan, I think, or maybe a nice SUV, I can hardly wait to see the selections. We gather our multitude of luggage, the double stroller, the car seat, the boys and the octopus and head out to the garage. The empty garage...at least in the two rows marked Emerald Aisle. Empty, that is, except for the lone Chevy Malibu. There must be some mistake I think, the commercial always shows such a big selection. Where are the minivans? Where the H..E...double hockey sticks is the magic?? After verifying with the attendant that, indeed, the Malibu was our only choice (at least I think that is what he told me in some strange derivative of the English language), we attempt to pack in our belongings and finish our journey to the land of make believe. Big stroller in first...big suitcase doesn't fit. Remove big stroller and put in big suitcase...big stroller not looking like it will fit...put in big duffel back...where will big stroller go?...put in boys mini bags...stroller?...stuff backpacks and carry-ons up front...stroller? Lay big stroller on top of duffel bag. Wheels stick way out. Push...push again...push really hard...push really hard again...piece of plastic flies into the air, but stroller moves in...one last super duper extra hard shove and wheels pop under the trunk lid...quickly slam trunk closed. whew...Off to the Grand Floridian, things are bound to get better now....or will they?
As promised, here is episode 1 of our trip to Disney from January 10 through 20, 2000. We spent 7 nights at the GF and 3 at the YC. I am an avid DISer, having found this wonderful site back in July. The thorough planning contributed considerably to our enjoyment. Anyway the cast of characters: I'm the dad -38, mom's (pregnant) -34 and the three boys are 8, 5 and 18 months.
I don't have time for the full recap just yet, but let me start with the dubious beginning to our trip. Do remember while reading, however, that this eventually became the best vacation we have ever had.
Tuesday evening (1/9): Come home to a message from Delta that our direct flight (arriving at 1:45 pm) to Orlando has been canceled and we are now booked on a flight through Cincinnati arriving in Orlando at 7:00 pm. There, in the blink of an eye, day one of my beautiful schedule gets shot right out the window. After voicing my great displeasure to the Delta Representative, I soon realize that they have nothing better to offer. They did offer $75 vouchers per ticket for future travel (hmmm.....future travel.....annual passes....more on this later.)
Wednesday (1/10): The big day finally arrives. We decide to go to the airport a little early to see if we can slime on a better flight. Not. We check in and time goes by quickly as we have donuts and play in the kids play area at the Delta terminal. Soon we are off on a torturous six hour journey. The 18 month old slept a whopping half hour on the first leg of our flight, keeping him out of trouble for the remaining time was quite a challenge. Snacks, books, toys and crayons worked for about 10 minutes, the rest of the time he could best be described as a wailing octopus. Not a fun trip so far, but heck, I'm paying good money for this trip and I'm quite sure the magic of Disney will take hold as soon as we debark the plane...
Things are better as soon as we get off the plane and octopus is allowed to stretch his many limbs. I figure things are looking up when the National car dude tells me I can choose from the Emerald Aisle even though I did not reserve the car with my EA card. Minivan, I think, or maybe a nice SUV, I can hardly wait to see the selections. We gather our multitude of luggage, the double stroller, the car seat, the boys and the octopus and head out to the garage. The empty garage...at least in the two rows marked Emerald Aisle. Empty, that is, except for the lone Chevy Malibu. There must be some mistake I think, the commercial always shows such a big selection. Where are the minivans? Where the H..E...double hockey sticks is the magic?? After verifying with the attendant that, indeed, the Malibu was our only choice (at least I think that is what he told me in some strange derivative of the English language), we attempt to pack in our belongings and finish our journey to the land of make believe. Big stroller in first...big suitcase doesn't fit. Remove big stroller and put in big suitcase...big stroller not looking like it will fit...put in big duffel back...where will big stroller go?...put in boys mini bags...stroller?...stuff backpacks and carry-ons up front...stroller? Lay big stroller on top of duffel bag. Wheels stick way out. Push...push again...push really hard...push really hard again...piece of plastic flies into the air, but stroller moves in...one last super duper extra hard shove and wheels pop under the trunk lid...quickly slam trunk closed. whew...Off to the Grand Floridian, things are bound to get better now....or will they?
