The ABC's of a FALL Trip with Friends, Food, Wine, and a Conference- A is for: A Very Long Day Begins (11/1)

[Steppesister]

That's terrible. I wonder how the damage occurred. Disney should definitely reimburse you for a new laptop, It sounds like it can't be repaired.

I really don't know. I suspect it was dropped or got smashed against the side of the transfer vehicle? I hope at least they re-imburse for the HARDWARE. I added some extra software that I know won't be covered. I think the repair shop will have to remove the casing to charge it? Maybe?

 

[Steppesister]

Wow. Thats just not okay. I mean… it’s a laptop. Maybe don’t let the gorillas at AK handle the luggage transfers?

No, not okay. To be fair, I hadn't told them it was fragile.

Samsonite!!! Wasn't that OJ Simpson?

 

[Steppesister]

Crossing my fingers that things get sorted quickly for you. Such a passion that this happened.

Quickly would be great. Of note: Mary Ellen said another one of HER friends has the exact same thing happen and it took about a month for her to be reimbursed. Soo....

 

[Steppesister]

Oh, you are kidding me!!!! That's just terrible. I'm so sorry that happened in the first place, but the extra headache of having to deal with all of that after the fact is even more frustrating! I hope Disney makes it right for you. And quickly!

It is. SUCH a huge hassle in a mega way. NOT how I wanted to spend my Monday "Admin Day" . And the worry of not getting my files off the other one. It took Mary Ellen's friend a month to see any cash.

 

[Steppesister]

Congrats on the new laptop… although I imagine you wish you didn’t have to get it!

The letters/keys were worn on a few of them, so it'll be nice to have a laptop that isn't "old" looking. When I called Dell, they told me it's almost exactly 3 1/2 years old.

 

[Steppesister]

Oh my gosh! How does that even happen?! I've always been comfortable (maybe a little too comfortable) having Disney handle our bags, but I will definitely rethink this in the future!

So sorry you have to deal with this but hopefully the new computer is up and running soon!

I"m sure bags get tossed a little too aggressively now and then and I should have told them it was fragile, but I also thought that being in a bag... IN a bag... would have protected it. Mary Ellen also had a friend whose laptop got wrecked and it took a month for her to see any reimbursement.

 

[summerlvr]

I also had a laptop damaged during a luggage transfer. But since it was a transfer from Disney owned All Star Movies to Marriott owned Dolphin, no one would take responsibility, so guess who was out of luck on that one? Yep, me.
I guess that just goes to show how rough they are with our luggage. I have never let Disney transfer my luggage since then. I always Uber myself and my bags to the new hotel.

 

[Paulaparm]

Oh wow…so sorry that happened! Pixie dust headed your way!

 

[pkondz]

No, not okay. To be fair, I hadn't told them it was fragile.

DON'T TELL THEM THAT!!

Samsonite!!! Wasn't that OJ Simpson?

I'm not sure? Maybe? I do know that there was a gorilla or chimp or orang that threw a suitcase around.

 

[buzzrelly]

I"m sure bags get tossed a little too aggressively now and then and I should have told them it was fragile, but I also thought that being in a bag... IN a bag... would have protected it.

I would have thought that too. In fact, I had mine in the front of my carry-on last week and gave it to bell services for safe-keeping. Now I'm thanking my lucky stars nothing happened to it!

 

[Steppesister]

A is for: A Very Long Day Begins
​

I've decided to stoop to using my Dad's old desktop, an ancient Mac that I have no idea how to use and struggle with. It's as slow as me on a treadmill. But the Trip Reporting must go on. Besides, while I wait for my new laptop to arrive and I diddle around getting it all set up, I thought I'd try and put up the Travel Day drivel that no one really gives two whips about anyway.

Let's back waaaaaay up.... it feels like a lifetime ago already. Almost as long as this work week felt being back. I digress...

Oct 19th arrived as did our dreaded middle-of-the-night departure time. While I could have easily left on Saturday, I chose to skate into vacation with a good night's sleep.

I almost kill myself with the hilarity of that ridiculous hope.

I often choose the red-eye as it buys me a whole Disney day but usually regret that choice around 2:30AM when I'm getting up to head to the airport in Nashville.

If you'll recall, my travel partner was a colleague, Lori, another nurse practitioner from a different office. Her husband made the gracious offer to drive us to BNA at that unholy hour. Even more gracious was that they invited me to spend the night with them to save some time in the morning; such a nice offer! I got a chuckle out of their daughter’s pajamas, which happened to be the exact same pink Minnie Mouse jammies I was bringing on the trip.

We arrived at 3:30 sharp, with plenty of time to check-in and get coffee for our 5:30 departure. As per usual, I got absolutely zero sleep, so had already been cooked by being up 18 hours when we left. It would be a long, long, long day ahead. Lori, if you’re reading this, this is no commentary on your lovely guest room. I just have a really hard time sleeping the night before travel in any circumstances.

I breezed through security until I hit the agent. No, no, I didn't HIT the agent, but she took one look at my boarding pass and asked me, "Do you normally have TSA Pre-check?" I said "Yes, I do", to which she replied, "Well not today you don't." UGH, I hadn't checked my boarding pass so had to go allllllll the way back to the ticket counter and have that added. I finally breezed through security, until I was foiled again!!! WORST security experience in a super long time. Not one but BOTH my bags were selected for further pillaging. It was then that Lori rubbed this grossness in my face that she was at the gate with her coffee already. Seriously?! I had to laugh because she had just told me the story of her getting booted out of her TSA pre-check privies because she was once flying with her sister who somehow forgot (?!) to take a large hunting knife out of her bag and that was that. Like how...?!

Anyway, they found my little baggie of white powder and had to swab it. No, geez. Not that kind of white powder. Sheesh. I had packed some laundry detergent in a baggie "just in case" because Disney charges what I could get a nice glass of merlot for here in sleepy old Bowling Green, KY for laundry powder. I know because I've been stupid enough to do laundry at Disney before.

So, that got swabbed and then it was time for the other bag. Luckily, they didn't see or find my little, tiny scissors for cutting up my moleskin. Thank God. I used them multiple times during the trip. #foreshadowingthere I was finally on my way and made my own latte stop. A cuppa at 4:30AM always tastes great. And always compels me to choose an aisle seat for the flight. Except I didn’t. I ended up with a window, which is fine as you will see.

I enjoyed my little quiche slices I'd packed for my traditional in-flight meal and marveled at the incredible view from my portside window. Just absolutely stunning with the crescent moon and morning "star" coupled together and hanging over the glow of a brand new day. I couldn't keep that gift to myself and pointed it out to the guy next to me, who was amused that he happened to have the PERFECT soundtrack on his earbuds playing... Dune, the movie. Super cool.

​

We arrived a few minutes early and were gliding off to Disney on the Fake-o-Rail in no time.



We had both only packed in carry-on, so it was easy peasy to grab and go. Getting a Lyft took no time and I'd ordered it to take us to EPCOT with a 5-minute stop at Coronado to drop our bags off. Why waste one minute of park time?! Lori wanted to put her shorts on and Bell was so quick she even had time to do that before we raced off with our driver. It's always a teensy bit risky as they will take off without you if you are not back in the car within 5 minutes, so you roll the dice a bit with Bell Services being busy. We were so early though that I was pretty sure we'd be quick about it.

And with that, from landing to park, was literally about 1 hour. EPCOT was waiting for us to show us all of her wonders.

I apologize for the long-winded text with a sad lack of photos, but let's face it, you've seen quiche and coffee. I was remiss in not getting my airport carpet photo; hopefully, you can overlook my trip reporting fail and follow me to the next chapter in which the Great Pig Out of 2025 begins.

 

[luvpoohandcompany]

I am in awe of your greatness I mean seriously, 1 hour from airport to EPCOT is pretty amazing!
Can’t wait to hear all about your trip

 

[buzzrelly]

"Do you normally have TSA Pre-check?" I said "Yes, I do", to which she replied, "Well not today you don't." UGH, I hadn't checked my boarding pass so had to go allllllll the way back to the ticket counter and have that added. I finally breezed through security, until I was foiled again!!! WORST security experience in a super long time.

Oh no!! That's terrible!

marveled at the incredible view from my portside window. Just absolutely stunning with the crescent moon and morning "star" coupled together and hanging over the glow of a brand new day.

Sooooo gorgeous!

 

[disneyAndi14]

I’m here, excited to hear all about it and when you took your computer out in the room, yikes. I heard the cracking noise and knew something was wrong!
I hope it all gets resolved soon!
Nice to be at Epcot early in the day, even without sleep

 

[Wood Nymph]

We take the first flight out most of the time. But we don't do a full park day. We like our naps.

My sister has global entry and she has had trouble getting TSA pre-check. I think she finally straightened it out.

Your travel time from the airport to Epcot was fantastic.

I'm looking forward to your report.

It was the most fantastic weather ever and we felt really lucky to have it.

 

[pkondz]

an ancient Mac

that I have no idea how to use and struggle with.

This appears to not be the case, as is evidenced by the chapter you posted... photos and all.

It's as slow as me on a treadmill.

Oh, come now... nothing is that slow.

Let's back waaaaaay up.... it feels like a lifetime ago already.

To a Mayfly, it is several lifetimes...

I chose to skate into vacation with a good night's sleep.

You consider getting up at 2:30am "a good night's sleep"????

Her husband made the gracious offer to drive us to BNA at that unholy hour.

Very nice of him.
I would've just rolled over and mumbled something like "Don't slam the door on the way out."

Maybe that's why I'm not married anymore....

I got a chuckle out of their daughter’s pajamas, which happened to be the exact same pink Minnie Mouse jammies I was bringing on the trip.

As per usual, I got absolutely zero sleep, so had already been cooked by being up 18 hours when we left.

Nothing like a good night's sleep!

I breezed through security until I hit the agent. No, no, I didn't HIT the agent

"As I finish this chapter from my jail cell..."

"Well not today you don't." UGH, I hadn't checked my boarding pass so had to go allllllll the way back to the ticket counter and have that added.

Not one but BOTH my bags were selected for further pillaging.

Both?!?!?

As I said... "As I finish this chapter from my jail cell..."

It was then that Lori rubbed this grossness in my face that she was at the gate with her coffee already. Seriously?!

her sister who somehow forgot (?!) to take a large hunting knife out of her bag

Just... how???

Anyway, they found my little baggie of white powder and had to swab it. No, geez. Not that kind of white powder. Sheesh. I had packed some laundry detergent in a baggie "just in case" because Disney charges what I could get a nice glass of merlot for here in sleepy old Bowling Green, KY for laundry powder. I know because I've been stupid enough to do laundry at Disney before.

I've wondered about that... I've taken little baggies of drink powder when the kids were little. Never had an issue. Which kinda surprised me.

Luckily, they didn't see or find my little, tiny scissors for cutting up my moleskin.

So... what did they find? In my experience, if they flag your bag, they hunt until they find what they're looking for.

I used them multiple times during the trip. #foreshadowingthere

Uh, oh.....

Beautiful!

We arrived a few minutes early and were gliding off to Disney on the Fake-o-Rail in no time.

Best first ride of the trip!


(also the worst last ride... but let's not jump ahead of ourselves.)

It's always a teensy bit risky as they will take off without you if you are not back in the car within 5 minutes,

Really! Huh. I'd think if they took off because you took 6 or 7 minutes that they'd risk getting a bad review.

And with that, from landing to park, was literally about 1 hour.

Fast!

I apologize for the long-winded text with a sad lack of photos, but let's face it, you've seen quiche and coffee.

We want quiche! We want quiche! We wa... okay, I'll stop.

I was remiss in not getting my airport carpet photo; hopefully, you can overlook my trip reporting fail

I'm really not sure if I will continue reading. This is almost unforgiveable.

the Great Pig Out of 2025

 

[Steppesister]

I also had a laptop damaged during a luggage transfer. But since it was a transfer from Disney owned All Star Movies to Marriott owned Dolphin, no one would take responsibility, so guess who was out of luck on that one? Yep, me.
I guess that just goes to show how rough they are with our luggage. I have never let Disney transfer my luggage since then. I always Uber myself and my bags to the new hotel.

Besides myself, this is the third incident of this I’ve heard about. I just don’t understand how this keeps happening! I guess it’s no different than baggage handlers at the airport. Schlep And Chuck.

The only reason I had done it was because I was headed straight to a park and I guess I didn’t want to pay the extra time and/or money for an Uber.

 

[Steppesister]

Oh wow…so sorry that happened! Pixie dust headed your way!

I’m certainly hoping for the best! It’s in the shop as I type this and I hope the estimate for repair is a hefty one.

 

[Steppesister]

DON'T TELL THEM THAT!!

I'm not sure? Maybe? I do know that there was a gorilla or chimp or orang that threw a suitcase around.

Now that I think about it, I think the O.J. Simpson ad was for a car rental company. Enterprise? National?

 

[Steppesister]

I would have thought that too. In fact, I had mine in the front of my carry-on last week and gave it to bell services for safe-keeping. Now I'm thanking my lucky stars nothing happened to it!

Definitely a lesson learned! I was also a bit sad that my brand new bag that I got that was supposed to be only for carry-on was all scuffed up by baggage handlers when I decided to check it in instead of carry it on. I’m hoping that a bit of magic eraser TLC will fix it.