bbowers
Dog Mommy
- Joined
- Mar 23, 2003
- Messages
- 641
TRIP DATES: May 30-June 5, originally, shortened to June 4 (more on that later)
BACKGROUND: The software company I work with moved their conference from Palm Springs to Orlando just as I had decided not to go this year. Changed my mind and scheduled DH to go with me. (We have a WDW vacation scheduled for Nov, but this was too good to pass up - writing off some hotel and rental car expenses, etc!) Priceline'd the DTD Hilton and got a great deal on an Alamo intermediate using the TV code ($140/wk including taxes). Also Priceline'd the Renaissance near the airport since our flight in was arriving at 11 pm.
THE TRIP: About a month before the trip, DH picked up a computer at work and screwed up his back - sciatica down one leg. Unable to sit or stand for very long (if it was just the standing, we could do a wheelchair, but it's the sitting, as well), he was unable to make the trip, and I couldn't reschedule since it WAS partially business. Depression all around for a while, but then I decided to make the most of being at WDW by myself for the first time. There was still depression on the DH end of things, of course. And now I had to hide my growing excitement... Also scheduled time with my childhood best friend, who lives in Port Charlotte and has 2 young sons (almost 4 and 6 months).
So, as we counted down to the last minute and the cortisone shot didn't help my husband, my girlfriend then e-mailed me that their computer system at work had crashed and she may have to work all weekend. I flew out of South Bend, IN into St. Louis and in St Louis we found out our flight was delayed for 2 hours. So, the trip was starting out behind the eight ball.
Got to the Renaissance at 2 AM. The good news - the Alamo guy didn't even attempt to sell me insurance. Someone in the parking garage asked me about it, though, because they HAD paid for it, so apparently either they had the other counter guy, or I had a look of "do not even THINK of pissing me off any more than I am right now" on my face. Or, more likely, a "night of the living dead" sort of look - who wants to argue with a corpse?
Up around 6:30 - obviously the excitement was getting to me. Normally I am an "8 hour a night or beware the consequences" sort of gal. After showering and shuffling about, I called my girlfriend and YAY, she could make it today after all. We had orginally planned Sea World on Sunday, but when DH dropped out we decided that MK on Saturday would be best for the little ones. I know, I know - this was MK on a Saturday. It's not like I haven't heard the warning against that a million times... We decided to meet about 12 inside the turnstiles.
It was 8:10 by then, and I was off to MGM. I had my first ever annual pass burning a hole in my purse. Yee haa! At the gates, I asked if DVC members got free parking (I must have been thinking of the free valet parking) and the parking guy said "No, but go on in anyway". Oh, yay, pixie dust the first moment I set foot in a park. Got my annual pass voucher converted to an annual pass by Beth from Michigan (what a coincidence, we agreed - since I'm from Michigan, as well). Then it was off to RNRC, but it was already FP only. Grabbed one, did TOT (didn't particularly like my drop sequence), then grabbed a cookie while waiting for my FP time. Rode RNRC (I LOVE THAT RIDE), then went back to the Star Wars area to find a shirt for Jane of Arizona's husband. Got that while watching Darth Vader give light saber lessons.
Next off to MK. This was about 11 or so on a Saturday which is an EARLY MORNING day for the MK. I was able to park close enough I could walk to the TTC! Incredible. I didn't realize early June could be this slow! Girlfriend called - construction on her route. Rescheduled for 12:30. Grabbed a Casey's hotdog to tide me over (supposedly she and the kids were eating on the way), then went and sat out at the entrance at 12:15. They finally arrived about 1 - I'm not a kid person, but she had psyched the oldest that they were meeting "Aunt Beth at Mickey's house", and getting a hug from a little person was sort of cool.
We promptly started back for FantasyLand and my new best little buddy pronounced the castle "beautiful". They did the Speedway, then Barnstormer. Next we rode the train all the way around, then decided on some food, since they hadn't eaten on the way up after all. Hit Pinnochio's (served immediately) and was surprised at the quality of food. While DF cleaned up the baby, I took little buddy on PPF. Did IASW, then Pirate's. It was 5 by then and in this heat, everyone was dragging. Decided that was enough and headed out. I carried my bud to the monorail. It had been a good 4 hours, though - we never had to wait more than 20 minutes, and that was for PPF.
I then checked in at the DTD Hilton. They told me about their resort fee, but it was optional. Asked for a room on the PI side and got it - twins. Napped a bit, then showered and raced over to Artist's Point for what was SUPPOSED to have been a romantic dinner our first full day in Orlando. As it was, it gave me a reason to pig out and update my journal. Nice waitress, good food (except the dessert). Back to the Hilton and crashed.
BACKGROUND: The software company I work with moved their conference from Palm Springs to Orlando just as I had decided not to go this year. Changed my mind and scheduled DH to go with me. (We have a WDW vacation scheduled for Nov, but this was too good to pass up - writing off some hotel and rental car expenses, etc!) Priceline'd the DTD Hilton and got a great deal on an Alamo intermediate using the TV code ($140/wk including taxes). Also Priceline'd the Renaissance near the airport since our flight in was arriving at 11 pm.
THE TRIP: About a month before the trip, DH picked up a computer at work and screwed up his back - sciatica down one leg. Unable to sit or stand for very long (if it was just the standing, we could do a wheelchair, but it's the sitting, as well), he was unable to make the trip, and I couldn't reschedule since it WAS partially business. Depression all around for a while, but then I decided to make the most of being at WDW by myself for the first time. There was still depression on the DH end of things, of course. And now I had to hide my growing excitement... Also scheduled time with my childhood best friend, who lives in Port Charlotte and has 2 young sons (almost 4 and 6 months).
So, as we counted down to the last minute and the cortisone shot didn't help my husband, my girlfriend then e-mailed me that their computer system at work had crashed and she may have to work all weekend. I flew out of South Bend, IN into St. Louis and in St Louis we found out our flight was delayed for 2 hours. So, the trip was starting out behind the eight ball.
Got to the Renaissance at 2 AM. The good news - the Alamo guy didn't even attempt to sell me insurance. Someone in the parking garage asked me about it, though, because they HAD paid for it, so apparently either they had the other counter guy, or I had a look of "do not even THINK of pissing me off any more than I am right now" on my face. Or, more likely, a "night of the living dead" sort of look - who wants to argue with a corpse?
Up around 6:30 - obviously the excitement was getting to me. Normally I am an "8 hour a night or beware the consequences" sort of gal. After showering and shuffling about, I called my girlfriend and YAY, she could make it today after all. We had orginally planned Sea World on Sunday, but when DH dropped out we decided that MK on Saturday would be best for the little ones. I know, I know - this was MK on a Saturday. It's not like I haven't heard the warning against that a million times... We decided to meet about 12 inside the turnstiles.
It was 8:10 by then, and I was off to MGM. I had my first ever annual pass burning a hole in my purse. Yee haa! At the gates, I asked if DVC members got free parking (I must have been thinking of the free valet parking) and the parking guy said "No, but go on in anyway". Oh, yay, pixie dust the first moment I set foot in a park. Got my annual pass voucher converted to an annual pass by Beth from Michigan (what a coincidence, we agreed - since I'm from Michigan, as well). Then it was off to RNRC, but it was already FP only. Grabbed one, did TOT (didn't particularly like my drop sequence), then grabbed a cookie while waiting for my FP time. Rode RNRC (I LOVE THAT RIDE), then went back to the Star Wars area to find a shirt for Jane of Arizona's husband. Got that while watching Darth Vader give light saber lessons.
Next off to MK. This was about 11 or so on a Saturday which is an EARLY MORNING day for the MK. I was able to park close enough I could walk to the TTC! Incredible. I didn't realize early June could be this slow! Girlfriend called - construction on her route. Rescheduled for 12:30. Grabbed a Casey's hotdog to tide me over (supposedly she and the kids were eating on the way), then went and sat out at the entrance at 12:15. They finally arrived about 1 - I'm not a kid person, but she had psyched the oldest that they were meeting "Aunt Beth at Mickey's house", and getting a hug from a little person was sort of cool.
We promptly started back for FantasyLand and my new best little buddy pronounced the castle "beautiful". They did the Speedway, then Barnstormer. Next we rode the train all the way around, then decided on some food, since they hadn't eaten on the way up after all. Hit Pinnochio's (served immediately) and was surprised at the quality of food. While DF cleaned up the baby, I took little buddy on PPF. Did IASW, then Pirate's. It was 5 by then and in this heat, everyone was dragging. Decided that was enough and headed out. I carried my bud to the monorail. It had been a good 4 hours, though - we never had to wait more than 20 minutes, and that was for PPF.
I then checked in at the DTD Hilton. They told me about their resort fee, but it was optional. Asked for a room on the PI side and got it - twins. Napped a bit, then showered and raced over to Artist's Point for what was SUPPOSED to have been a romantic dinner our first full day in Orlando. As it was, it gave me a reason to pig out and update my journal. Nice waitress, good food (except the dessert). Back to the Hilton and crashed.
