Thank you, Minniepal, BlueBayou, KimmieLee, and JoAnn for reading!
OhMari and Pumba---I'm glad someone can relate to the joys of giving medicine to kids!
HaleyB--the toilet seat question was one of MANY that DS7 can ask and my answer is "I really don't know the answer to that". We did ask a Flight Attendant and she said it is no. So, note to self---be sure to NOT be in the bathroom in the event of an "emergency landing on water".
And another Texan has stopped by---Hi, Dustmouse
And to OhMari---Grandma is my MOM
who is the most patient, caring, positive person I have ever known---except maybe for HER mom---the GreatGrandma.
on with the show:
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Part IV: Grandma's First Day at the Parks (Sunday March 12)
I never mentioned that our rooms looked great---everything clean and Mousekeeping had left a Towel Mickey on one of the beds. I didn't bring a UV light to check for spots or body fluids---thanks, 20/20 for trying to turn me into a Germaphobe. As a mom who survived potty training two BOYS, I do understand how body fluids can get on everything---comforters, walls, floors, sofas, chairs, even CEILINGS. Thank goodness 20/20 hasn't brought a UV light into our home.
Everyone slept soundly, except ME!!! I can never sleep the first night at WDW---too much adrenaline flowing. I mentally go over our itinerary umpteen times. Do we have enough ADR's? At the right restaurants? On the right days? Should we really go to AK on our first day? We always go to MK first! But Tour Guide Mike says to avoid MK today, as does Touringplans.com. Okay, okay---we will stick with the Plan and trust the "all-knowing" ones.
I manage to sleep 3 hours or so before Mickey calls at 6:00am. Florida time. Rally the troops and finish repacking. We are checking OUT of WL and IN to our S-P-A-C-I-O-U-S 2 bedroom at the Villas of WL. I confess. Since our DVC purchase 3 years ago, I am now a DVC snob. I cannot, and WILL not, put our family of 5 into one hotel room again. I NEED space. I NEED a separate Living Area. I NEED a washer and dryer. I NEED a full-size refrigerator and a microwave. I NEED 3 TV's and 2 Bathrooms. Yes, I am now so spoiled that we get two connecting rooms at any "normal" hotel we stay in. Unless DH manages to get one room to himself
I get the three kiddos dressed and head downstairs to check into VWL. There is no line at 6:15 am. I tell the CM that I am checking in so early in hopes of scoring the BESTEST room EVER at VWL. She laughs and says all of our requests have been met (nonsmoking--DS4 has asthma---and nonhandicapped---my 2 DS's would surely flood the entire VWL with a walk-in doorless shower). She also says we have a GREAT view---woo-hoo---and gives me the call-back card along with all of our keys.
Next I go to Roaring Forks to buy a Disney-priced breakfast---bagels, donuts, fruit, milk, 2 Coffees for DH, diet Coke for me and Grandma---we hate coffee! This was around $30. Luckily we won't buy breakfast again. I have a grocery delivery coming to the Villa tonight. And a surprise basket from Feralpeg---peggysweetsandmore.com. There is a short line at Roaring Forks with one VERY slow cashier. And a few VERY slow customers. I found this trip that the Dining Plan option combined with the Room Charge option was just too much for many guests to keep straight. At every snack bar or counterservice check out the conversations went something like this:
(CM totals food---Guests hands over Key to the World card)
CM: "Dining plan or charge to the room?"
Guest: "Huh? What do you mean?"
CM: "Do you have the dining plan or do you want to charge it to your room?"
Guest: "Oh. I have the dining plan. What can go on the dining plan?" while eyeing tray full of food.
CM: "Well, your sandwiches and fruit and drinks can count as your Counter Service credit. But the extra bagel you will have to pay for or do a room charge"
Guest: "Okay. How many counter service credits do I have left?"
And on. And on. Ugh.
I get the food upstairs and call bell services to pick up and store our bags for the day. DH keeps asking WHY we are doing this. Why didn't we just check in to VWL in the first place? Because A--it would eat up 75 points of our precious point allotment which equals to $750 that I could rent those points for (or $900 is I followed the advice of the rent-only-at-$12 per point and quit driving down DVC point value threads) and B---The DVC board is full of horrible late check-in stories and we didn't arrive til after dark last night. Luckily, before I have to explain all of this, bell services arrives. He loads up the luggage. We tip him $20---it's ALOT of luggage. And we would like to see it ALL again.
We now head downstairs to catch the AK bus. With 3 kids. And Grandma. And the double stroller. And a very stuffed backpack. And a small icechest.
We make it and see lots of people waiting for the Epcot, MK and MGM busses, but only 2 other families waiting for the AK bus. Woo Hoo! The All-Knowing Ones were right!!! I know that a fellow DISer is also going to AK today. And staying at the VWL. And celebrating her 14th anniversary, as are my DH and I. So I am convinced this one family is hers. But I'm shy. And don't like to embarrass myself. But I have no problems with embarrassing DH. So I whisper to him---
"Go ask her if she is "Canwegosoon"."
DH: "HUH?"
Me: "From the DISney message boards. That's her screenname. She's supposed to be going to AK today."
DH: "You mean one of your computer friends?" (rolling eyes) "You ask her."
Me: "But you know how shy I am. Please??? I know that's her! She looks about my age and they are on their anniversary trip, too" (batting eyes)
DH caves. And asks. And she must be shy, too. Because her DH answers for her. No, she is NOT Canwegosoon. But she can be if it will get them special privileges or something. HAH!!! Not a DISer, but a funny family. I find out later that poor Canwegosoon was still upstairs with very sore feet and could not get Bell Services to pick up their bags. I feel somewhat responsible. Mr. Bellman CM may have been tied up unloading our hoards of bags. Or gone to buy breakfast at Roaring Forks with the generous tip we gave him. Oh, wait. We're at DISNEY. That tip will only buy him 1/2 of a breakfast. Anyway, sorry we missed you Canwegosoon.
We arrive at AK and walk the 5 miles from the busdrop off to the gates. The kids are excited. We are excited. Grandma has no idea what to expect, but she is excited, too. Along with 1000 other people who are already here and it is 20 minutes til opening.
We enter the gates and are squashed in the middle of a MOB of people watching the opening. And when the rope drops, we head to. . . where else??? Expedition Everest!!! Through the Dinoland shortcut thanks to the advice of experienced EE DISers. Grandma will LOVE it. We think. And if she doesn't she will still PRETEND like she did. Because she is always so positive. And trusting. She follows us and hops on EE not really knowing WHAT she is about to ride.
And the Disney magic begins for Grandma. Zooming down a mountain. Backwards. With a Giant Yeti on your tail. In the dark.
Oh my gosh... ok, here's me on Friday morning getting ready for work.... in the house we are living in, the toilet is right smack dab next to the vanity where I get ready. DS(6) was in the shower and decides he has to potty. So, I fight the urge to tell him to do it in the shower because I know eventually, he's going to do that anyway.... but hey, I do the right thing and put a towel down for him to drip on, while standing at the commode. Ha... soon, I feel my newly showered, barely dry foot get SPLASHED with "something". EEEEWWWWW... dare I look? 
so back to our regularly scheduled trip report! I want to hear how Grandma did on EE!!!
DH, Grandma, and DS7 ride first and get a babyswap for later. I take DS4 and DD2 to get fastpasses for the Safari and wait on the Expeditioners. 
Loving your trip report! 
I can't get mom on anything faster than It's A Small Word 
