TRAPPED-PARENT
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Feb 7, 2002
- Messages
- 550
Spring Break Family Vacation 3/26-4/6/03
Family: DH & Self (48), DS (18), DD (17)
This is our 9th trip to WDW as a family. The kids were 3 & 4 on our first visit together. Except for that first visit, we have always camped at Ft. Wilderness in the 1500 loop. Our last visit was in March 2001. Over the last year, my DH has had back surgery, my father has been diagnosed with cancer, my in-laws both passed away, changes are happening fast and furious at our companies, and the winter acts like it is never going to end. WE REALLY NEED THIS VACATION!!!
Pretrip
Purchased 4 3-day PHP from Ticketmania ($700). Reserved and paid in advance for 9 nights basic site at Ft. Wilderness through Disney Club ($544). Four passes for mini-golf were also included. Reserved tee times for two rounds of golf for husband (first time taking clubs) at Osprey Ridge and Eagle Pines at twilight rates. Also make PS for Ohanas.
Since we were driving down from SW Michigan with our camper, I had new tires put on ($80) and the wheel bearings repacked ($60). It was almost time for the 30,000-mile service on the van, so had that done as well ($200). Miscellaneous purchases of food/film/batteries, etc for the trip (est $200).
DH and Kids notified their employers of vacation time. I made arrangements to take a full two weeks off work, stopped the mail and paper, and called the school advising them that kids would miss 2 half-days of school for family trip.
Day before departure, made salads for the cooler and went to the store for fresh bread/rolls. Had everything packed in the camper, cooler, and van before getting to bed by 9:00 pm.
Day One (Wed, March 26) Drive from home to Valdosta, GA
Got up at 2:45 am. Poured coffee into thermos and put fresh pot on to brew for travel mugs. Took shower and got everyone else up. Dressed and then hooked up the camper and checked lights with help of DS. Put all last minute items in van and departed the driveway by 3:35 am. I think the only things that were forgotten were my husbands pillow (however, I had packed an extra just in case as this has happened before) and setting the thermostat in the house to a constant level. Once on the road we said our customary family prayer for a safe trip and for Him to look after my parents (father has cancer).
The drive was pretty uneventful (just me and DH switching off) even though we spotted about 35 police cruisers beginning south of Atlanta all the way to just north of the Florida border!! Boy, were we watching our speed!! We pulled into our hotel in Valdosta, GA by 7:40 pm after driving about 1,035 miles in 16 hours.
We stayed at the Hampton Inn ($80) which was very clean and had an excellent staff we even got a call after 15 minutes to make sure that everything was alright; additionally, our room had a fridge and we were left 4 bottled waters and packages of cookies! We ordered pizza from Papa Johns (2 for 1 special), had a beverage from the cooler and got to sleep about 10:00 pm.
Day Two (Thu, March 27) Arrival at Ft. Wilderness
Got up with a wake-up call and had breakfast in the lobby. Again, we found this particular Hampton Inn to be just a bit above others that we have stayed. After a stop at the gas station, we were on the road by 7:15 am. We arrived at Ft. Wilderness at 10:45 am, checked-in, received our resort IDs and literature, then purchased e-ride night tickets ($51) for the next day (3/28). [Total miles were 1,264 w/ a drive time of 19.5 hrs not bad!!]
The good news was that they could put us in the 1500 loop near the comfort station, which was exactly where we wanted to be. The bad news was that the paperwork had not been turned in from the previous people so they didnt know if it was vacated yet and could not tell us which site they had assigned. We drove into the campground and found that a couple of sites that might possibly be ours were vacated. Since our swimsuits were packed somewhere in the camper we were not able to enjoy the pool so we took the van and camper to gas-up while we waited. We went to a place near Crossroads and the traffic was awful! We got back at 11:45 and checked no your site is not ready yet. We made sandwiches and had a picnic in the parking lot and checked no your site is not ready yet but we can give you another one not near the comfort station no thats okay, we are here for 9 nights so will wait. 12:15 checked no not ready yet. 12:30 checked no not ready yet, are you sure you dont want another site? 1:00 (posted check-in time) yes, we have it ready site 1504!!! (Note: This was one of those vacated earlier, so dont know why they couldnt get someone to check/clean it earlier!!!) Yea!!!! We didnt want to complain, but we are just sweating in the heat and humidity!!!
We set everything up with a minimum of commotion (I really get stressed out during the set-up process when everyone is not doing what they know needs to be done!!! Ugh!). Oh, no its starting to cloud up now its drizzling! We break out some beers and sit in the chairs under the awning. Please note that when I say we had beers, it is just my DH and me the kids partake in NON-alcoholic beverages from the cooler.
Well that cooled things off a little, however, we are in Florida so we get our shorts on and head out to take the bus to Downtown Disney. We just couldnt understand why people were wearing long pants when they were in Florida!
Another side note: Somehow during preparation for this trip I have (I think) pulled a muscle on the front of my leg not a problem sitting or standing, but walking makes me look like Chester from Gunsmoke (for you youngsters Im limping!). We wonder whether I will need to get a wheelchair for our visits to the parks we just say a prayer that I will miraculously get better!
Once at DTD we wander through the stores and then walk around PI over to Westside. We wanted to go to some different restaurants on this trip so decide to eat at House of Blues. We were seated on the back porch, which was okay, except that it started to get a bit cool. The food was just so-so and the atmosphere of the place just wasnt all that special. Four meals, 10% DC discount, tax and tip came to $45. By this time, it looked like it might start to storm, so we started to head to where the buses were. Uh Oh, we waited too long quick, duck into Virgin Megastore! Of course, once there we had to buy something, so my DD got t-shirts for herself and her boyfriend, as well as a CD ($24).
Okay, it looks like the monsoon is over boy did it get cold! Im freezing standing here waiting for the bus. Boy, I wish Id worn long pants and a sweatshirt. When is our bus going to come? Okay, here it is. The bus driver has to unload a couple of kids in wheelchairs before we can leave I hope my leg gets better.
Back at Ft. Wilderness we unload at the Outpost and wait for our Yellow bus we wait and wait. All the other colors of buses show up, but no yellow. My DH has already decided he can walk faster than it will take for a bus and has been gone for 20 min by the time the bus comes. I would have walked too expect for that darn ole leg!!
Well, when we get back to the campsite, I take some Motrin hoping that will help my leg. Meanwhile, my DH and DD decide to buy me some Aspercreme (I think they just dont want to push a wheelchair the next day) and go off to Goodings. I put some of that liquid gold (LOL from Goodings its so expensive, you see oh well) on and sure enough I find that dreams really do come true (or did that prayer have something to do with it?).
Family: DH & Self (48), DS (18), DD (17)
This is our 9th trip to WDW as a family. The kids were 3 & 4 on our first visit together. Except for that first visit, we have always camped at Ft. Wilderness in the 1500 loop. Our last visit was in March 2001. Over the last year, my DH has had back surgery, my father has been diagnosed with cancer, my in-laws both passed away, changes are happening fast and furious at our companies, and the winter acts like it is never going to end. WE REALLY NEED THIS VACATION!!!
Pretrip
Purchased 4 3-day PHP from Ticketmania ($700). Reserved and paid in advance for 9 nights basic site at Ft. Wilderness through Disney Club ($544). Four passes for mini-golf were also included. Reserved tee times for two rounds of golf for husband (first time taking clubs) at Osprey Ridge and Eagle Pines at twilight rates. Also make PS for Ohanas.
Since we were driving down from SW Michigan with our camper, I had new tires put on ($80) and the wheel bearings repacked ($60). It was almost time for the 30,000-mile service on the van, so had that done as well ($200). Miscellaneous purchases of food/film/batteries, etc for the trip (est $200).
DH and Kids notified their employers of vacation time. I made arrangements to take a full two weeks off work, stopped the mail and paper, and called the school advising them that kids would miss 2 half-days of school for family trip.
Day before departure, made salads for the cooler and went to the store for fresh bread/rolls. Had everything packed in the camper, cooler, and van before getting to bed by 9:00 pm.
Day One (Wed, March 26) Drive from home to Valdosta, GA
Got up at 2:45 am. Poured coffee into thermos and put fresh pot on to brew for travel mugs. Took shower and got everyone else up. Dressed and then hooked up the camper and checked lights with help of DS. Put all last minute items in van and departed the driveway by 3:35 am. I think the only things that were forgotten were my husbands pillow (however, I had packed an extra just in case as this has happened before) and setting the thermostat in the house to a constant level. Once on the road we said our customary family prayer for a safe trip and for Him to look after my parents (father has cancer).
The drive was pretty uneventful (just me and DH switching off) even though we spotted about 35 police cruisers beginning south of Atlanta all the way to just north of the Florida border!! Boy, were we watching our speed!! We pulled into our hotel in Valdosta, GA by 7:40 pm after driving about 1,035 miles in 16 hours.
We stayed at the Hampton Inn ($80) which was very clean and had an excellent staff we even got a call after 15 minutes to make sure that everything was alright; additionally, our room had a fridge and we were left 4 bottled waters and packages of cookies! We ordered pizza from Papa Johns (2 for 1 special), had a beverage from the cooler and got to sleep about 10:00 pm.
Day Two (Thu, March 27) Arrival at Ft. Wilderness
Got up with a wake-up call and had breakfast in the lobby. Again, we found this particular Hampton Inn to be just a bit above others that we have stayed. After a stop at the gas station, we were on the road by 7:15 am. We arrived at Ft. Wilderness at 10:45 am, checked-in, received our resort IDs and literature, then purchased e-ride night tickets ($51) for the next day (3/28). [Total miles were 1,264 w/ a drive time of 19.5 hrs not bad!!]
The good news was that they could put us in the 1500 loop near the comfort station, which was exactly where we wanted to be. The bad news was that the paperwork had not been turned in from the previous people so they didnt know if it was vacated yet and could not tell us which site they had assigned. We drove into the campground and found that a couple of sites that might possibly be ours were vacated. Since our swimsuits were packed somewhere in the camper we were not able to enjoy the pool so we took the van and camper to gas-up while we waited. We went to a place near Crossroads and the traffic was awful! We got back at 11:45 and checked no your site is not ready yet. We made sandwiches and had a picnic in the parking lot and checked no your site is not ready yet but we can give you another one not near the comfort station no thats okay, we are here for 9 nights so will wait. 12:15 checked no not ready yet. 12:30 checked no not ready yet, are you sure you dont want another site? 1:00 (posted check-in time) yes, we have it ready site 1504!!! (Note: This was one of those vacated earlier, so dont know why they couldnt get someone to check/clean it earlier!!!) Yea!!!! We didnt want to complain, but we are just sweating in the heat and humidity!!!
We set everything up with a minimum of commotion (I really get stressed out during the set-up process when everyone is not doing what they know needs to be done!!! Ugh!). Oh, no its starting to cloud up now its drizzling! We break out some beers and sit in the chairs under the awning. Please note that when I say we had beers, it is just my DH and me the kids partake in NON-alcoholic beverages from the cooler.
Well that cooled things off a little, however, we are in Florida so we get our shorts on and head out to take the bus to Downtown Disney. We just couldnt understand why people were wearing long pants when they were in Florida!
Another side note: Somehow during preparation for this trip I have (I think) pulled a muscle on the front of my leg not a problem sitting or standing, but walking makes me look like Chester from Gunsmoke (for you youngsters Im limping!). We wonder whether I will need to get a wheelchair for our visits to the parks we just say a prayer that I will miraculously get better!
Once at DTD we wander through the stores and then walk around PI over to Westside. We wanted to go to some different restaurants on this trip so decide to eat at House of Blues. We were seated on the back porch, which was okay, except that it started to get a bit cool. The food was just so-so and the atmosphere of the place just wasnt all that special. Four meals, 10% DC discount, tax and tip came to $45. By this time, it looked like it might start to storm, so we started to head to where the buses were. Uh Oh, we waited too long quick, duck into Virgin Megastore! Of course, once there we had to buy something, so my DD got t-shirts for herself and her boyfriend, as well as a CD ($24).
Okay, it looks like the monsoon is over boy did it get cold! Im freezing standing here waiting for the bus. Boy, I wish Id worn long pants and a sweatshirt. When is our bus going to come? Okay, here it is. The bus driver has to unload a couple of kids in wheelchairs before we can leave I hope my leg gets better.
Back at Ft. Wilderness we unload at the Outpost and wait for our Yellow bus we wait and wait. All the other colors of buses show up, but no yellow. My DH has already decided he can walk faster than it will take for a bus and has been gone for 20 min by the time the bus comes. I would have walked too expect for that darn ole leg!!
Well, when we get back to the campsite, I take some Motrin hoping that will help my leg. Meanwhile, my DH and DD decide to buy me some Aspercreme (I think they just dont want to push a wheelchair the next day) and go off to Goodings. I put some of that liquid gold (LOL from Goodings its so expensive, you see oh well) on and sure enough I find that dreams really do come true (or did that prayer have something to do with it?).
Shame we couldnt meet.
