Taking Grandma to Meet Mickey---3/11 thru 3/18 at VWL***New PART 6 Page 3 Post 33*

[JessetheCowgirl]

The Cast:

Grandma---fiftysomething---grew up watching the Mouseketeers; first time to WDW; loves her grandkids and loves Disney

DH---thirtysomething---works long hours and NEEDS a vacation; adores his kiddos and looking forward to spending a whole week with them!

Me---thirtysomething---did the planning, the packing, the shopping---everything trip related; hooked on WDW and thrilled to be bringing my Mommy with us

DS7---First born, overachieving, daredevil. Looking forward to riding Expedition Everest.

DS4---More cautious than big brother, but highly competitive with him. Looking forward to staying at the Wizard of the Oz (which is how he pronounces Wilderness Lodge )

DD2---Almost 2. Since she's the 3rd child, she loves NOISE and ACTION. Doesn't want to sit still or miss anything.

*************************

The plan: squeeze in as much Disney fun as Grandma can take in 1 week.

*************************

Arrival day: Leave central Texas around 9:00 to drive to DFW. We make our first potty stop 15 miles from home. One of the joys of traveling with small children. Traffic is smooth; airport check-in no problem. We curbside check our 4 bags and lug everything else to security. 3 kids. 3 adults. 3 backpacks. 1 cooler. 1 double stroller. 1 big, bulky carseat (hey, I thought DD would travel better sitting in her old faithful carseat). 2 carryons. 2 purses. Did I mention that I packed light this trip

The security line moves quickly with no problems, other than DS4 misplacing a shoe. The screener said he could leave his on, but while I was distracted with DD he decided to kick his shoes off. Literally, KICK his shoes off. Did you know Crocs can travel quite a distance when launched off a 4 year old's feet??

We made it through and gathered our things. Locked up DD2 and DS4 in the stroller and headed to the airport food court since it was lunchtime. Woo hoo! We spy a McDonald's. The perfect pre-flight meal for the kiddos. After lunch we get DS4 to take his benadryl. He was a little congested and has a history of ear problems. Aside: the boy does NOT like medicine. DS7 has always guzzled it down like it was the best treat ever. DS4 has fought it since birth. As a baby he would spit it right back at you. Then his pediatrician showed me the wrestle-to-the-floor-immobilize-hold combined with the shove-the-syringe-to-the-back-of-throat and blow-in-the-face-to-induce-swallowing technique. That was when DS around 6 months old learned the throw-up-at-will-and-show-them-who's-boss countermaneuver. Okay--too much information there. Aside over.

Now that DS4 is old enough to bribe, the medicine taking is a little better. We just need Hershey's chocolate and time for him to drink 0.001 milliliters of medicine per sip Chicken nuggets, fries, medicine, and chocolate down---all we need is our final potty break and we'll be ready to board our flight.

 

[dismom9761]

Great start!can't wait to hear more.BTW I completely understand the medicine issue-never thought of chocolate thing.

 

[pumba]

fantastic pre trip .........this is a trip report board and that is what you are doing...
Thanks for the beginning of your vacation...

By the way the pedi told our daughter to give the kids benydryl to help with the ears on the flight and also made them a little drowsy.......worked for us

 

[JessetheCowgirl]

Arrival day continued:

so we head off to our gate with about 45 minutes to spare. Sitting in the area are several of those families with calm, quiet children. Just like Horsegirl saw. Except these kids are in Texas. We saw one family with two young daughters who sat PERFECTLY still playing their Gameboys and did not talk ONCE to their parents. What is up with that? Actually, I DO know the secret. I saw their mom pass out DOUBLE doses of benadryl

We unharnessed DS4 and DD2 from the stroller so they could run off some steam before the flight. And let's just say they were NOT still. Crawling under chairs playing peek-a-boo. DS4 spinning in circles until he gets so dizzy he falls. DS7 asking nonstop questions. "Why is the time different in Florida?" "Can pilots get speeding tickets?" "Does the toilet flush out into the sky on the plane?" "What if the pilot has to go to the bathroom?" "How long does it take to get there? How many minutes is that? How many seconds is that? Yeah, but how many FLORIDA seconds is that?"

We send the kids to one last potty stop and change the baby, hoping we can make it 2 1/2 hours to MCO with no potty trips and no diaper changes. Then, we hear the BIG announcement. "The flight is overbooked (it IS spring break for 99% of Texas). If anyone would be willing to give up their seat, we will book you on the next flight 3 hours from now AND give you a $250 voucher for future travel." Hmmmm. . . Not as good as Horsegirl's 1st class offer, but WOW!!!! 6 of us=$1500=almost a FREE trip next year!!!! We are DVC members which means FREE (well, prepaid) resort; I bought non-expire 10 day tickets this go round which means FREE tickets for next trip (well, prepaid) and now our FLIGHT could be FREE next year???

"Oh, Honey? Did you hear that? The kids are really having fun running around the terminal. We have a McDonald's right around the corner, a bathroom 20 feet away, Gameboys, diapers, and BENADRYL!! We could hang out here for 3 more hours!! Ummmm, yes, I know. We would have to call the towncar service. Ummmm, yes, I know. We are already arriving at dinnertime." So DH's counter offer---he'll agree IF we can sleep in tomorrow and not hit the park at opening. "But tomorrow is our AK day---and DS7 HAS to ride Exp. Everest. So we HAVE To be there at opening. So we HAVE to catch the bus by 8:00am". No free flights for us---we stuck with Plan A.

Time to board! Our party is split up---I guess I bought tickets too late to get 6 seats together. So. . . we are 3, 2, and 1. Both DS4 and DS7 want to sit with Grandma. Wait! That won't work. The 3 seats together is our only window seat. DD2's car seat HAS to be a window seat. I will be by her in the middle. So one DS needs to be with me. Okay. DS 7 can go with me and DD. Grandma is with DS4 and DH is by himself. Hmmmmm. . . how did THAT happen? DH doesn't have to entertain any children this flight? Or change any diapers? Or pick up dropped crayons that have rolled under the seat in front of him? Or answer any questions about the physics of flight, time zones or airplane bathrooms?I can only hope he will get to sit with someone else's child.

As we all settle in, everything looks good. But then DS4 realizes that he does NOT have a window seat. He REALLY wants a window seat. And his benadryl is kicking in, which is making him a little loopy. So now he is crying. But in public he is a quiet crier. Grandma says when the mystery window seat person arrives, she will ask him to change seats. Well, we ALL know that is NOT going to happen. But DS4 is convinced that he is about to score a window seat. Then mystery man arrives. No, he prefers the window, sorry.

Uh oh. DS4's cry is not so quiet now. DD2 has just discovered that sitting in her carseat puts her feet in a perfect position to kick the seat in front of her with great force. She laughs hysterically. Little girl in front of her is not laughing. She's peering back at us between the seats. I apologize for DD2 who is not actually 2 yet and therefore can't apologize herself. Then, I take off DD's shoes. To make her kicking a little weaker. And start digging out snacks. And toys. DH is sitting with strangers across the way, all adults. None are crying. None are fighting over the window seat. None are kicking seats. I think he is pretending he doesn't know the crying kid or the kicking kid.

How long is this flight??? Is that Florida time or Texas time? I think I need some Benadryl.

 

[jimmiej]

Not sure why, but after reading your report, I'm even more excited about our adults-only trip in July! Just kidding! Our kids are adults now, but we have been there, done that!

 

[Deb in IA]

What a coincidence!! Jesse, we were there at the same resort at almost the same time as you!!

We were at VWL, room 5557, from 3/11 to 3/17!! We probably saw you at
some point!

Here's our trip report:
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1063867


By the way, wasn't the WEATHER awesome that week???

 

[JessetheCowgirl]

What a coincidence!! Jesse, we were there at the same resort at almost the same time as you!!

We were at VWL, room 5557, from 3/11 to 3/17!! We probably saw you at
some point!

Here's our trip report:
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1063867


By the way, wasn't the WEATHER awesome that week???

We were just below you---4511 at VWL. If you saw 2 little boys fighting over who got to push the elevator button along with a little princess struggling to get OUT of her stroller, THAT WAS US!!!!!

And yes, the weather was FABULOUS!!!! We are already planning to return in March next year.

I missed your report---I will check it out later tonight. For some reason my 3 kiddos expect me to fix them dinner now.

 

[JessetheCowgirl]

Not sure why, but after reading your report, I'm even more excited about our adults-only trip in July! Just kidding! Our kids are adults now, but we have been there, done that!

No offense taken! I adore my kids, but an adults only trip every once in a while sounds WONDERFUL!!!!

 

[TLinden16]

Wow. What a journey you've had already! DH got off way to easy. I hope you made him make up for the kidless flight later.

Thanks for posting.

 

[pumba]

thanks so much for part two. I am also laughing!! When we took our daughter and her two small children to Disney they were those kids. One crying because she wanted the window and one kicking the back of the chair. BUT FINALLY the benadryl kicked in. doctors orders of course.
Thanks again for your report

 

[JessetheCowgirl]

Part III and we're still on the plane:

Not long into our flight, DS4 stops crying. It seems that Grandma has distracted him with a snack or something, and Mystery Window Seat Man has made him an origami bunny rabbit out of a magazine page. Mystery Man tells Grandma he has a 4 year old son at home who also loves the window seat.

About 10 minutes more and the Benadryl fully kicks in. DS4 is out like a light. Sound asleep. The kid hasn't napped in at least a year, so this is quite a shocker.

DD2 loses interest in kicking Mystery Little Girl's seat since Mystery Little Girl has fallen asleep and has quit playing peek-a-boo everytime DD kicks. Soon DD falls asleep, too, and stays asleep until just before landing

DS7 has been playing Gameboy, but now decides to study the Emergency Airplane Procedures card. So of course, questions soon follow. "Is my emergency flotation device in the seat cushion or the seat back?" "Where is the oxygen mask?" "If we crash into water, does a boat pick us up?" followed shortly thereafter by "I need to go to the bathroom."

So, do I leave DD2 alone to take him? Get Grandma to take him and leave DS4 alone? I can't do either. I just saw the movie "Flight Plan" about 2 weeks prior. I'll ask DH, who is sipping his drink over in the Grown-Ups Only section while looking through some paperwork he brought with him.

Me: "Honey, DS7 needs to go to the bathroom". Him: "Okay." But he's not standing up---he just looks back down at his paperwork. So that's not "okay, I'll take him"; it's "okay, he can go". Thanks, hon

Ugh. Mommy dilemma. Can I send him by himself? Is it safe? The bathrooms are for ONE person at a time. So he WOULD be in there by himself. And I can SEE the bathroom door. Okay, DS7 can go alone. So he does. And comes back with more questions. "What's the blue stuff in the potty?" "Where did it go when I flushed it?" "Is the toilet seat a flotation device?" etc etc.

We land at MCO, wake up everyone who needs waking up, reclaim DH from the Grownups, say goodbye to our temporary Mystery friends, and head to "the airport monorail" as my DS's call it.

Our FL tours towncar driver is waiting with a sign with our name on it. Don't we feel so important? Last trip we splurged on a limo---this trip we went with a van. Last trip the limo was parked out front and waiting, air blowing, a big Mickey Mouse sitting on the seat, Finding Nemo playing on the DVD, drinks (water, sodas) on ice waiting for us. We never touched our luggage last year, either. The limo driver pulled it off the belt when we pointed it out, loaded onto a cart, and wheeled it out to the limo.

This year was much different. Mr. Van Driver with the sign just stood off to the side and watched us unload the luggage. Then said "Follow me" as WE wheeled the luggage, kids, carseat, stroller, etc outside. There was no van waiting for us. He said, "Wait here. I'll pull up in a minute." So we stand on the curb waiting for him. When he arrives he does load the luggage. But the van is HOT since it had been parked, not running. And the DVD is NOT loaded. And there are NO drinks. Hmmm. . .the extra $60 I saved by going with a van instead of a limo is not looking so worth it now.

So, I ask if we can watch a DVD and he hands me the remote. By the way, he's driving now---FAST. I can't get it to work. He says he doesn't know how---this isn't his normal van. DD2 is really squirming because A---she has been strapped in a carseat for about 6 1/2 hours total so far today and B---she can see the TV screen but no movie. We finally figure it out and watch a little bit of Bambi 2. Once the movie starts DD is content.

Our van driver gets us to WL in record time. We all get so excited to enter WDW property. It is just starting to get dark. We see the monorail. Spaceship Earth. The Magic Kingdom sign. The Wilderness Lodge sign. We're here!!! We're here!!! Grandma is oohing and aahing at everything. The Wilderness Lodge lobby takes my breath away---I tear up everytime we walk in.

The check-in line is short. The kids head over to the kiddie TV area. Then they show Grandma the Totem Pole and the bridge. I get our keys---we had requested 2 adjoining non-smoking rooms for one night. We are switching to our 2BR at the VWL the next day. (Gotta save those Saturday night DVC points!!).

We get the 2 rooms on the 6th floor. Nonsmoking, next door to each other. But get this---on the reservation they had me, Grandma, and the 3 kiddos in one room and DH BY HIMSELF in the other room. Hmmm. . . I ask him if he called ahead and arranged this? Grandma and DS4 take DH's room, and he comes with me, DD, and DS4.

We head down to the mostly closed Roaring Forks to get dinner---pizza for the kids, sandwiches for the grown-ups, chips, drinks, and fruit. It's pretty good and Disney priced---almost $50. Since there is little seating here during the rehab, we head upstairs to eat in the room and watch WDW Top 10.

Early to bed---we're catching the first bus to AK in the morning!!! And what do you think Grandma's first Disney Attraction will be????

 

[Joann]

More more more!! I am enjoying this thanks

 

[B&Lmom]

Hey fellow Texas girl....
What's it with AA overbooking flights from DFW to MCO. We flew out on 3-12 and they offered the same deal.... travel voucher for $300 and a guaranteed seat on the flight out THE NEXT MORNING! Uh.... no way....

Did you make it home ok on Friday? Our plane was delayed for many hours on Sat. because of the floods of biblical porportions in the metroplex. I think some guy named Noah started building an ark in Grand Prairie!

 

[JessetheCowgirl]

thanks so much for part two. I am also laughing!! When we took our daughter and her two small children to Disney they were those kids. One crying because she wanted the window and one kicking the back of the chair. BUT FINALLY the benadryl kicked in. doctors orders of course.
Thanks again for your report

Now all you need is a Questioner and that would match our trio

 

[JessetheCowgirl]

Hey fellow Texas girl....
What's it with AA overbooking flights from DFW to MCO. We flew out on 3-12 and they offered the same deal.... travel voucher for $300 and a guaranteed seat on the flight out THE NEXT MORNING! Uh.... no way....

Did you make it home ok on Friday? Our plane was delayed for many hours on Sat. because of the floods of biblical porportions in the metroplex. I think some guy named Noah started building an ark in Grand Prairie!

I don't understand the overbooking, either. Do people really ever NOT SHOW UP for a trip to WDW??? Our flight home was actually Saturday the 18th---right into the Great Flood. But our flight was early in the morning which I am usually NOT happy about. But it seems we just made it in before the Great Flood and the cancelled flights, thank goodness.

So you were stuck at MCO??? For hours??? UGH!!! I'm glad you made it home safe and sound at last.

 

[HaleyB]

Great report. Does the toliet seat float?

 

[B&Lmom]

So you were stuck at MCO??? For hours??? UGH!!! I'm glad you made it home safe and sound at last.

No, we weren't stuck at MCO. I had signed up for the AA flight notification service that sends messages to your cell phone if the flight time changes. Our original time was around 5pm and we ended up leaving around 9pm. BUT because of the messages left on our phone we had a head's up about the later time and didn't get to the airport until around 6:30ish. More time for shopping and pin trading at Downtown disney!!

It was hard to come home after the beautiful weather we had in Orlando last week. How depressing to hear the pilot announce "weather in the Dallas area is rainy and 48 degress"!

 

[Kimmielee]

You are doing a great job!!! I can't imagine doing it with 3 kids.... I only have one to concern myself with!

Your reports are well written! Keep 'em coming!!!

 

[Dustmouse]

Howdy from Houston! Great trip report! Waiting anxiously to see how Grandma fairs.....

 

[BlueBayou]

Great trip report! Can't wait to hear more.

Sher