The cha cha trip or Could there be LESS magic, the trip is not ruined yet...!

[michellem1118]

The Cracker Barrel is a much better choice than Applebee's.

I'm surprised you're having a hard time finding a TGI Friday's... they're all over the place, especially in the southern USA.

 

[AnnieDan_Artlover]

Thanks Swwake for the link to the 2nd food porn thread!
I'm not sure I'd ever go through the whole 1st one, but at least I'll know where to post my pix now! (and I'll know where to look for the latest ones too if I need some info!).

As for Cracker Barrel... It's the only restaurant in my list I've never been to.
So I know I loooove Applebee's. It's a little on the expensive side (if I remember right), but it was wonderfully delicious.
I did a lot of work today on the itineraries and I went back to check on the CB menu... And I guess it's true that tastes are a personal thing... because I can't even remember why it appealed to me in the first place! The food may taste real great, but the items don't appeal to me at all. It may be comfort food, but I really don't want to go to a restaurant to eat stew or a hamburger steak... I want to eat something we don't make at home (or very rarely).

So we crossed the Cracker Barrel off the "to-do" list. ...I have a guess as to why I thought it would be a good choice for us... We love the Cracker Barrel cheese... I must have thought the 2 were related and it would be more like a bakery type of place... (like a french boulangerie).

But we added one : IHOP. Mama was looking for what was then called House of Pancakes and hoping it still existed. Lucky for us Google sent us straight to the right place! Mmmm, that looks good! It will be hard to choose what to eat if we go only once! (when you know you'll go back, you can tell yourself "well, I really want those 2 things, so I'll get that one today and I'll take the other one next time" KWIM?)

Right now, the itinerary is done and 2 meals aren't scheduled. If we're lucky we'll be able to find one of the not-to-be-missed restaurants for a 2nd go. Because at the moment, we're only going once at each. (which is still good : we found all of them!).

All breakfasts should be taken at the motels, which all include it in the price (either continental or hot). Or maybe we'll once or twice decide to skip the motel's breakfast (especially if it's continental) and find the nearest IHOP or Waffle House...

Concerning TGIF(and many others, but at the time I wrote, I had the most trouble with TGIF), the trouble I had wasn't finding them per say. It was finding them very close to our route (Mama doesn't want to veer from the highway, like 2 turns after getting off or more than 5 min. is waaaayyy too far!) and finding them at meal times! A TGIF or Applebee's straight off I-95 is worth nothing if we pass it at 10am...

But I was able to put each to-do place at least once in the itinerary.
One TGIF, one IHOP, one Applebee's, one Taco Bell, one Friendly's and one Olive Garden
Sadly, the OG means one meal we won't take at Disney... since it's the one near DTD... I couldn't fit any other else in, so we'll eat there just before arriving. It'll be hard : we'll be like 5 min. away from the resort, and we'll stop to eat! Maybe we'll decide to go to the resort first and go back... or we'll let it go and hope we can find another one on our way back. I guess it'll depend on our hunger level!

I'll leave it at that for tonight, it's really late and I'm very tired.

 

[AnnieDan_Artlover]

OK, I have my notes of what I can remember from the deleted post, and of all I've been thinking of writing and didn't have time to since then...
Do I have to warn you about a long post, or are you getting used to it anyways?

First, on with the Deluxe resort epic...
I had told you about thinking about the monorail resorts for the pratical side of it, and wondering if there could be AP discount for those. I hadn't done any research on those resorts before, since I just knew they were too pricy (it's about the research I did!). I didn't remember how much more, though... OUCH! Twice what we're paying for POFQ... and then some!
So I wrote Rhonda and asked her about an AP discount. She told me there could be, but there wasn't any availability!!! I guess there is availability, if we wanted to pay full price... but there isn't for discounted AP rooms. I asked her what she thought the approximate price could be with the AP discount, so we would know if it was worth asking her to look for a cancellation or not...
NOT.
Oh, it would be a hefty discout, about 1000$ off. But at 5000$, it's more or less 2000$ too much!
I couldn't believe that it was so much more than AKL!!!

That's when I learned that bit of trivia : AKL was supposed to be a moderate! Hah, that explains a lot!

Mama thought for a second of going for the cheapest monorail resort anyway...
I learned later it was to get back at my dad, who was accusing her of spending too much money... and it had nothing to do about the trip! He was drunk again and was accusing her of spending like crazy because she said she wanted to change the living room coffee table! (a table that we've had for more than 10 years and that had been a hand me down from my grandma!)... He said "don't you see yourself going?!" It's real ironic, an alcoholic saying something like that... Does he see himself going?!
Gosh, do we ever need this trip!!!

We both prefered not putting all our money on the resort, and have more for other things, and not feel guilty if we wanted to indulge along the way.

Then, Mama offered me to go to AKL since it did have the AP discount, even though she really couldn't care less about it.
I'm still surprised and kind of proud of myself, since I answered no.
But I had a reason for it and I told her : I wouldn't want to feel guilty for a more hefty tag price, prefer we put the money on other things, don't want to feel bad if I need to ask her to lend me some money, etc.
We decided not to go for value, because we could afford a little more, and because I needed to make sure we were in a calm resort in case I need to sleep during the day, early at night or late in the morning... But going for monorail resort isn't essential.
So... I almost could get AKL with Savannah view, which was my dream resort... and I said no!!!!!!
But it will give me peace of mind and won't give Mama a weapon later. Which are 2 very important things.

A couple of days ago, we went to the drug store (pharmacy?... I never know how to call it in english) to buy some stuff we needed, and mostly, to buy a lot of stuff for the trip.
I'm what you could call the obsessive preventive packer. It's why I was the perfect stage manager (well, it's what my stage manager teacher told me!). I've always been the one to have in my school bag/pencil case/purse what anyone needed. Cisors? check. extra pen? check. Plasters? check. Aspirin? check. Post-it? check.
I usually need a very big purse, because I carry a little of all medication, and everything I have needed once, could need and once regretted not having with me...

It's the same for a trip, but exponant 3.
And on pharmacy level, I'm worst, because my first real trip alone (meaning not with the school nor my parents) was with my then best-friend, which was then on the eve of being resident doctor (and now is proably a cardiology specialist)... Which means she thought of every possible illness we could be needing medicine for and made me buy it. Oh, nothing special, just things you should always have in your medicine cabinet, but that I didn't have (pepto-bismol, immodium, gravol, etc.)
And since we cross the border, we better have them in the right bottles.
And if you have almost empty bottle of something, you better buy a new one for the trip! So for us, it was also new bottles of Tylenol, Advil, Aspirin, etc. I'm scared I'll catch a cold (weak immune system, remember?), so I'll buy Benylin, too. It's basically a new pharmacy kit!
Of course, if we were keeping our pharmacy in good shape at home, it wouldn't be happening, because we'd have all this medication right on hand, still good (but we should still buy some, because we need to leave some for dad!). But I have a hard time convincing my parents that a good cleaning of that cabinet each year is important, that it's essential to put away the medicines that have passed the "best before" date and that when we either put them away or emptied them, we should always renew the stock. Because when you don't feel well, especially if it's in the middle of the night, it's too late.

My dad thinks it's stupid to get so much stuff for the trip, since we're not likely to use any. And he's right, we're not. But if we need any of it, we'll have it! And that's the idea! If I get drowsy while we're driving, I won't have to wait while we find the next drug store to feel better, we'll have what we need right there with us! When you feel bad, it's important, especially on a trip! And everyone knows how much more you pay your medicine (or other pharmacy products) in Disney!
Plus, all this stuff will come back with us and will be in our cabinet for us to use if we need it. Like I said : it's all things we should always have in there anyways! It's just we need to buy it all at once now because we didn't care to do our job before... I did it once and it went to waste, or we finished it, and we didn't replace it.

It cost us more than 200$!
My "to-buy" list is getting a lot smaller... finally!

Talking about pharmacy... it makes me think about beauty products.
Gee, I guess I'm not travelling often enough, because it's the event of the year. I mean, it's like, when you don't go out often, you take the longest time to get ready, wonder for days what to wear, you get all dolled up, etc. And you sometimes realize you put on too much makeup and got dressed too much for the event compared to others. But you were so excited to go out that you wanted to go full out! But those used to go out only did the minimum : They took a shower, put some nice enough clothes on and some makeup, KWIM?
Well it's the same for this trip. Like many only maybe try to lose weight and do their epilation : "because there'll be swimsuits" and that's it, well I'm here putting on anti-cellulite patches and lotion since the beginning of the month (is it working? not sure. I think last time I did I saw kind-of-a-result), I changed my regular lotion for a better one that did give results before the holidays (it's Nivea Q-10 firming lotion. It's not that firming, but some strech marks almost disappeared! And when I went back to my old St-Ives lotion, it stopped getting better, and some marks even started returning). I also started teeth whitening. I'm trying to not forget washing my face and putting my face lotion (Dove, one each for morning and night). I scheduled my laser epilation for my legs and armpits (they were due... armpits are almost done, legs are halfway. Should be done forever next year!!!), plus wax for bikini. Now I'm wondering if I'll add a pedicure... I mean, I'm not putting color on my toenails anyway, and I won't be walking much so... But I do have some rough skin I can't seem to remove myself... It'll depend on the price. Plus I'll start putting my Dove "non-tanning tanning" lotion starting about 2 weeks before we leave (no real tanning for me! It's just enough so I don't look too pale and don't scare people away by looking green and about to faint. Which I do, but...)
'cause see, I want to look good in those pix! But I just want to look and feel good. It's my dream trip, I'd like to feel good, not feel bad. Not to have people look at me with a "urgh" look, but with a "yeah" look!
Mama asked if I was hoping to find a guy there (kind of laughing at me). No, not really. Not that I would mind, either. I mean, if the guy's a CM in Disney, he should be a guy for me, right? And the guy playing Prince Charming wouldn't be bad either! But it's not the reason behind this.

Yeah... my big floppy belly and my floppy arms are buggin me big time.
I told you before I'd explain it. It's time.
I'll go back a while, but it won't be long.
When I was a kid, I was really skinny. When I was a teen, I was neither skinny nor fat. I know now I was in what they call my healthy weight (perfect weight for my height). But I was dancing. Meaning surrounded by other teens dancing... most were older than me by the way. Most were thin. And the dancing milieu isn't what you could call healthy about weight either. (But I wasn't in the worst place, like a professional school).
So I thought I was fat.
It didn't come from my teachers (except one, but not until later), nor my mates. But I as dancing, looking in the mirror, and I had a tummy where the others didn't (well, even anorexics feel like they have one, but let's say mine was bigger!), my legs were bigger, etc. My body was more wobbly... I stood out.
Of course, in some classes, I wasn't the biggest, there were real obese girls, and then I realized I wasn't that fat.
But Mama was always telling me I couldn't go far in the dancing world being as fat as I was and I should lose weight.

The fact is, as a teenager, Mama had an anorexia crisis and lost so much weight she had to go to the kids store to get underwear... So she still sees people kind of in a weird way when it comes to size. (I don't think she's truly anorexic, since it's a horrible illness and people just don't cure themselves out of it and get over this. You always have to work on this if you're anorexic and I've heard it's always a burden. But I think she has a tendency to food illnesses).
So she always sees me fatter than I am. But what happened is, she put so much pressure on me to lose weight that I did the contrary. But mainly, my body really doesn't has a fast metabolism. One year in my late teens, I didn't eat much for lack of time and I danced about 10 hours a week, but didn't even lose a pound!
Anyways, so I always saw myself as fat.
As I got older, I realized I wasn't that fat. Especially when I saw pix of myself younger. (I wore a size 12 at my prom and had been even smaller earlier). I hold a little grudge against Mama for all those years of feeling bad about myself for nothing... Anyways. I did put on a little weight while I was in the university, didn't eat right, had to stop dancing, weird schedules, etc.

When I got sick, I had to try a lot of medication until we got the right ones.
One that I tried wasn't right and didn't help. But one side effect was it made me put 40lbs in 2 months. I'm not sure about that, but I think it's more, and faster, than what a pregnant woman puts on. After about a year, we finally found the right medication and when my body became adjusted to it, I started to lose weight. I'm now back to about my weight of 10 years ago. When I started losing weight, I lost some of it fast before it stabilized. So what did I get? The results of a pregnant woman. But worst than some, since it wasn't gradual at all, and since I couldn't exercise. I still can't.
So I have the floppy, cellulite covered belly, floppy arms, saggy breasts, and both arms and breasts with large, long, deep strech marks. I even have strech marks on my sides! Those things don't go easily! I hate it.
Things people don't think about as "side effects" of both medicine and illness! ...Moving on.


I've almost finished my packing list. Oh, I'm sure I'm saying that now, and then it'll get reworked ten times... Since Mama hates packing lists and didn't intend on making one, I included her stuff on mine... Not because I want to control her stuff, but because when you have a packing list, you're less likely to forget stuff especially when you get back!
I usually print 2 copies of my packing list, one for when I leave, and the other for when I get back... to check off all I'm putting back in the bags... So I'm sure I'm not forgetting anything back there!
I have one for the clothes, the pharmacy (it's the longest, because I'm really detailed, all medication is noted, for example... it's the best way not to forget one of your meds! Only the emergency kit isn't detailed), the "hobbies/electronics", the "others" and the "essentials" (like IDs and tickets). Oh, and I added a little list for what to bring on the drive, like a small pillow for the non-driver and stuff. And just writing about it, I'm realizing I forgot stuff!


Today, I also wrote to most my friends and family to offer them my services as "fairy godmailer" and "Disney shopping mule"... I guess most of you know what a fairy godmailer is? Just in case : in short, it's writing a letter to a kid passing yourself for a character and getting the character (the child's favorite) to sign it. I guess you could get the character to sign it first, too! I don't think anyone in my family intends to go to Disney soon, but I think having a letter from your favorite character saying he/she thinks about you could mean a lot to a kid.
I did this today because, if anyone decides to go with that, I'd like to write the letters before I leave, so I would only have to get the autographs once there (or pick the postcards and put the text on it, depending on the choice). If it's a letter, I'd like to design a stationary and of course I'll need to create the letter! I'll have enough to think about on the trip, I don't want to have to find inspiration for letters then!
As for the "Disney shopping mule"... it's because over here, we don't have many shops with Disney items, we don't have Disney stores and shipping with disneyshopping costs a lot, because they use UPS. So I offered to buy stuff for them, and they'd pay me back. I don't think I'll buy so much stuff that I'd go over the duty limit of Mama and me combined. Nor that it would take me too much time.
I'm sure I could add a little shopping to mine, to buy that "Winnie kid's plates" or that "Mickey plush toy" etc. that maybe they have wanted forever, or saw from someone that recently came back from WDW.
I'm sure most of them won't accept my offer, not wanting to put the strain on me. Some simply won't want anything or won't have any idea of what they'd like me to buy for them.
But maybe some will be happy I offered it and it makes me happy to help and share the magic!

I now have some shirts designs done (2 complete shirts and one side of a 3rd), and one wheelchair side too.
I love this so much that I even got ideas for non-trip shirts I could do later, when I get back! While browsing the web for cliparts I saw some Carebear cliparts and it gave me ideas... If I'm able to print the designs right and the ironing goes well, and if I'm able to find cheap shirts or tanktops I like, I'll start a tradition! Maybe I could even do some for my friends! (oooh! And for the twins!).
My creative juices are flowing!
Now if I could only go to the store, to buy the transfer paper, find the tank tops and make sure my printer prints those right!

I got a problem though. I posted about it on the Creative DISigns about it : On my "mother-daughter trip" shirts, I wanted to have one side of the shirts identical for both of us, and the other side different, one design for me, one for Mama, with something that linked us together. For example, on Mama's it would say "Ginette aka Mama" and on mine "Annie-Danielle aka..." there's the problem... how does a mom call her daughter? What's the nickname of "daughter"? (like "mama" is the nickname of "mother"?).
I thought of "kiddo", but Mama think it's too boyish (I'm not fond of it either), I though of "baby", but Mama isn't fond of it (and I think it's a little too "hey babe, want to get a drink?"). I got a suggestion from a fellow DISer who, as a mother, calls her grown-up girls "baby girl"... Which clears a little the confusion with "baby", but I'm still not sure.
As of now, my favorite option is to put "queen mama" on her shirt and "princess" on mine, which would do the trick. And is very "Disney"...
But I can't believe there isn't a nickame for "daughter"!?!
What do you prefer?

Just before I close the show :
My dad was in very good spirits this morning... I was on the edge about talking to him about the dog... The thing is, I know if he really is thinking about getting one and I don't talk to him about it, we could be getting into a mess (like him getting a dog not for us at all, not a puppy we could train, etc.). But as I've said, it's hard to know how to talk to him without him getting mad or not having him change his mind on the subject! It's such a complex thing... I wonder how I could do it if I didn't have my bachelor's degree in psychology!
After all, I decided not to talk to him. I wonder if I chose right and regret it a little. I think if he seems in as a good mood tomorrow morning, I'll speak to him...

Up next : Why you'll most likely lose me for a whole week!

 

[AnnieDan_Artlover]

But first...

We'll be staying at the Comfort Inn in Frederick PA and then at the Howard Johnson in Florence SC on our way down to WDW, and at the Holiday Inn Express in Florence SC and at the Hampton Inn in Gettysburg PA on our way back. (There may be a mistake in that, I have trouble remembering which motel belongs to what city and which belongs to what state, sorry! I toyed with so many options while making the itinerary that my already bad memory is having much trouble... The little hamster in my head is dizzy)

Today I decided to check how I could get more money. I didn't get very far, because I veered off my plan, did other things and then got too tired. But I can tell you the plan (first, let me tell you, I know : it's a bad plan, it's about getting credit. But I don't have any money. And I hate asking Mama for money. I know, it's the best credit there is, since there's no interest, but I hate the condemnation she puts in with the money...).

So the plan is :
1)Try to push the limit of my oldest credit card (which has been the same for more than 5 years, and aout 5 times less than one of my other cc!).
2)Try to get a cash advance from a feature there is with my bank (I usually use this to buy things in a store, it's like credit directly from the bank, but it goes with your cc... but you can use it to get money in your account... I could also try to push that limit to get more... In fact, that one would be better than the cc if I can get only one, since the interest rate is lower. It's equal paymets.).
3)Try to push the limit of another credit card. They offered it to me when I changed it just lately, but I didn't understand the question right and stupidly said it wasn't necessary... (I thought the lady was just confirming the amount, since I was changing from the old to the new card!) Now I'll ask for it. But it's OK if I don't get it.
4) Put my old iPod for sale on more websites (like ebay, even though I hate it). It's been on sale on a free local website for more than 6 months without any result (except one "sale" that didn't go through, and 2 exchange offers).
It would be an easy 250$... or more if I'm lucky on ebay. After all, it's worth more than 400$!

The only thing I was able to do on that money front today was check if I could buy something useful for the trip with my Aeroplan or Airmiles rewards. Aeroplan was a real joke. My rewards need to multiply by 10 before I can buy anything...

But I learned I had enough miles to pay our night at the Holiday Inn Express!!!
I'm able to help Mama to pay the trip!
I needed to enroll in the Privilege Club, and then call Airmiles so they would transfer the number of points needed on the PC card so I could pay for that night. I need to wait until tomorrow to book it (until the points are transfered in the system). So I'll try to book the new room first (it won't be under the same name anyways!), and unless there's no availability, I'll wait until I have it secured before cancelling our 1st ressie. (but maybe I'll have to cancel it first... maybe we took the only 2 queen non-smoking room?! We'll see).
That was such a good news! Because it bugs me so much not to have the money to help Mama. I wanted to pay so much more...

OK, so finally, I come to the point :
Why will you most likely lose me for a whole week?
Because starting Tuesday March 18th, the figure skating Worlds championship begin and will be on air live and in their integrality, which mean about 8 hours of skating on TV each day for 6 days straight, which me and Mama will watch religiously.
Everything, from the compulsories to the exhibition gala. Every skater, from the worst to the best. Men, Ladies, Pairs, Dancing. E-ve-ry-thing. Aaaaaahhh.
And of course, between the skating we'll have to make lunch and dinner and other chores because my dad won't be doing it to help us.
And I'll probably try to do a little WDW planning here and there if I can. But it means there's a good chance that, starting Tuesday, and until next Monday, I won't have enough time to come regularly to the DIS.
I promise I'll think about you!

 

[Marjol]

Hi!

I must admit I didn't read most of your pre-TR so far (it's a LOT ), but I noticed you're there around the same dates that I am, so I just wanted to say hi!

 

[AnnieDan_Artlover]

...and a couple hours of sleep!

Ouch, ouch, ouch!!!

Tuesday was a medical day... I had my third Synvisc injection in my left knee.
God, I could swear this knee's making me pay for having it injected even though it's not as bad as the right one... Each injection hurt waaaay more than those in the right knee... And the last one was even worst, as the doctor missed a little, and shot a drop or 2 of the product under the skin as he was removing the needle (nothing important, really, except it makes for a major burning feeling for a while).
After a little more than 48hrs, I can now softly, slowly, bend my knee, put weight on it and start walking normally (don't have to be careful not to use it too much anymore). But if I bend it while there's weight on it... hurts a lot. If it's like the other times, it'll be all forgotten in 1-2 days, back to normal. (which means, still can't put weight on it and bend it, or it'll hurt later, still can't use it a lot, like walking a lot or standing for a long time, etc.). But if the shots worked, in a month or two, I should be able to do those things and not hurt as bad...
If I'm really lucky, the benefits should keep on going and I shouldn't need to go back in a year, like most people (I think that, if I have benefits but it wears off, I wouldn't do it all over again, too costly).

But this Tuesday, I also had a test : Arthro-MRI. I've been waiting for about 10 months for this test. I was happy it was the same day, since it meant we wouldn't need to go back to the city (the test was supposed to be next week), which is an hour drive away .
But I didn't realize what the test implied pain in my wrist on top of my knee, and more injections, and not the least. No, in fact, I knew there would be an injection, but I didn't realize what kind nor how many. I only thought it was named and arthro-MRI because it was a MRI of an articulation... Alas no. The "arthro" part is the name of a procedure in itself.
And I knew all about it.
About 10 years ago, I had an arthro-graphy in my right knee. In my mind, it's the test that stood out, even with the plethora of tests I went through in my life, as the one that hurt the most. Even after 2 minor surgeries, it was still "Yeah, those hurt, but that arthro-graphy thing was even worst". Sometimes I even had stinging pain in my right knee and it felt like it was some kind of phantom pain from that test... After all these years, I still remembered the exact feeling and pain of that test.
But I didn't make the connection. Had I made it, I would've realized that, then, I had the same "arthro" part, but with only a radiography instead of an MRI. But in my mind, the arthro-graphy was "that" test. Now I know better...
But it's better that way... If I'd thought, even for a second, that the arthro-MRI was the same kind of test, I would have gone into it walking backwards and in slowmotion, and would've stressed about it for a long time!

Instead, I was waiting anxiously for that test, since it could mean a surgery to repair the problem, an explanation, etc. I thought it would only be a small injection in my veins of a contrasting liquid (like I've had many times before), at worst, an injection in the muscle, like when I get my depo-provera every 3 months, or in the joint, like when I get the Synvisc... not fun, but nothing to worry about.

But no.
(TMI warning! )

First it was the X-rays. Nothing there. 4-5 pix. Only trouble was getting there, sitting on the little stool (on roulettes!) and getting back in the waiting room with my still throbbing and very stiff knee...

But then... It was like a small surgery, with doctor and nurse with masks and the whole procedure, even the sterile field! (you know, that little paper or sticky plastic with a cutout in the middle they put on the patient in a surgery?). I couldn't believe it... Now, what was I getting myself into exactly?!

I got 3 injections. For each, it was first a little anesthetic, then the doctor would take a radiography to check where the needle was in my wrist, play with it a little, take more X-rays until it was exactly right, give me a little more anesthetic, and then change the needle adapter to put the product to color the ligaments in the MRI... Which put a lot of pressure in my wrist (heck, in my arm!). I saw my wrist grow! (mostly, I felt it!), especially the first one. Let me tell you, it was painful.

The first 2 injections went OK. But then came the third.
The doc had a lot, a whole lot of trouble finding the right place for the needle. He never removed it from my skin, but he lifted it, moved it around, pushed it down further, etc. about 25 times. Scraping a bone and touching at least a nerve many times in the process (I know because 1)I sadly know what it feels like 2)he once told me "it touched?" 3)I could see the radiography monitor and I know my biology...)
Luckily, I had anesthetic... In fact, for this one injection, he played so much with the needle that he had to give me anesthetic 2 times more than for the others...
All the time he was playing around to find the right spot, I couldn't help thinking "OMG, what will it be when it will defrost?" (that's the expression we use for when the anesthetic stops working). With my experience, I knew that when work is done inside, especially when you mess around and touch nerve and bone, after the anesthetic is gone, it hurts a lot!

I wasn't happy with the doc... He couldn't understand a word I was saying, except "yes" and "no". (in french, of course). I mean, I'm in Quebec, the official language is french. He's supposed to have passed a french exam to be able to practice. How could he pass this exam when he's got a minimal french speaking vocabulary and absolutely no understanding? Each time I was trying to speak to him, he always assumed I was trying to tell him it hurt, and said "it hurts?"... (on one occasion, I had been telling him not to worry, that I had been a doctor's assitant... he hadn't understand a word! And I had repeated twice!).
After a while, I stopped trying. But just imagine if I had been trying to explain something importang for my condition? I just couldn't believe it... And would you be surprised, with that situation, the doctor didn't give me any information or tips on what to do/not to do afterwards! (like put ice or heat, use the wrist or not, etc. You know, normal things you tell a patient after a procedure).

When that was finally done, it was right into the MRI machine, for a whole hour of loud banging and roaring noise... All squeezed into that hole. I hate that part. I'm not claustrophobic (I would die, I guess!), not at all. It's just I get such a headache from the noise (at least they give you earplugs!) and it's dull and long. It's like being in your local mechano's machines!
And with the add-on part they added to put my wrist in, I had even less space on the small table, so I was squeezed all on one side, with my right arm in a weird position and my left arm crossed over me, almost falling off the table. Argh! And NO MOVING! In the end my elbow and my shoulder were burning from the bad position they were in, I was almost crying it hurt so bad. My wrist started to defrost and since I had nothing to distract me, it really was hurting bad! Worst : I had snoozing moments, and during one of them I had a spasm... result, I somehow moved! We had to do a whole segment of the test... the longest! 8 whole minutes. I was so mad!

It was finally over.

When I got home that evening, after a very long day (for me, at least : we left home at 9am and got back around 5pm... and hurting plus stress is always very tiring for anybody), I was pretty much ready to collapse . I had trouble walking back from the car to the house!


Now, as I've said, the knee is pretty much allright, and it won't be long 'till it's back to normal.
As for the wrist, it's another story.
First, let me tell you I'm re-learning the hand and fingers are very closely related to the wrist.
See, the doctor only made injections in the wrist. In the joint itself, between the bones where you'd put you're watch.
But I not only have a hard time moving my hand up and down (like saying "hi"), side to side or turning it (like the "so-so" sign)... and it doesn't have to be a big movement! But I have trouble using my fingers for the simplest thing : for example : using my keyboard hurts! One or 2 movements can be OK, or hurt only slightly, but repetition is awful. I knew the theory of the finger muscles going all the way to the wrist... now I feel it deeply!

Lucky I have my orthesis. I can put it on, very, very loose, and it protects the wrist as well as prevents me from making a move I can't yet do without thinking about it (like when sleeping). I try to remove the orthesis whenever I'm not doing anything, like when I'm watching TV.

I think I remember my knee hurting a lot and not being able to walk on it for a full week when I had my arthro-graphy... but it was about 10 years ago, I don't remember if there were as many injections, and I think there were no bone scrathing/nerve touching involved... Plus, I wasn't ill with CFS then... I don't heal as fast (scars take longer to heal, for example).
I'm still hoping, but it's already been 48 hours+ and it's really not going too well. I mean, it's still a little swollen (not a lot, but it still swells very easily and the color still changes easily too), and I still can't move it at all, or almost... I would be surprised if I'd get from there to totally recovered in 5 days!

I really hope it wasn't in vain and they'll find a tear and I'll have a surgery!

Sorry it was all OT...
Next post : Train or car? We're starting to doubt ourselves!

 

[AnnieDan_Artlover]

OK. Now on to the real serious stuff : Disney matters!

While me and Mama were stuck in traffic Tuesday we started talking and all our plans went out the window... we started doubting our plans.
It all started when we talked about friends of the family who will go to WDW next year, not flying, not driving, but by bus! That family is taking their grandma, and grandma's got a phobia of flying, but they don't want to drive down, so they opted for the bus.
Bus is out of the question for us.
It's uncomfortable, it's not flexible, you're too close to other people, etc. But there's one main reason : I learned while on school trips that long bus trips make me sick!
I don't get sick in cars, airplanes or trains, but I get sick in buses if the trip is longer than an hour.

But it got us to thinking of the train again.
We really wanted to take the train to go to WDW but changed our minds and we went for the car instead. So we made all our plans to go with the car. Now the motels are all reserved, the itinerary is done, we even know which restaurant we'll eat at for most meals, since I want to go back to some restaurants we don't have here in Quebec...

But.
The more we talked about it the more we realized train could be great.
We're still not sure. Not sure at all. We spent a lot of the waiting time on Tuesday talking about it. At the end of the day, we had decided that I'd make the research for the train, make a spreadsheet to compare train vs car, look for other DISers thoughts and experience on the matter and that we'd then make our final decision. But at the end of the day, we almost thought I'd do that for nothing, since we were again leaning on the car side. But we said I should do it anyway, because we wanted to be really sure and didn't want to say at any point "maybe we should've..."

Today I started the research for the train, and I got all excited on the train again.

I should explain that it wouldn't be our first train travel experience. Since my childhood, I've often took the train with Mama to go to Montreal for the day (in those days, Mama didn't have a car, and since she didn't like to drive, it was perfect). We have a train station about 15 min. walk from our house, but there aren't many stops : only one very early in the morning going to Montreal and the other late afternoon from Mtl.
In 2002 we went to Hamilton (Ontario) by train for the canadian national championships (figure skating, again!). It meant taking a train from Montreal to Toronto (about 5hrs) and another from Toronto to Hamilton (which was more a suburb train) for a couple hours. At the time I lived in Montreal. We really loved it.
2 years ago, we decided to take the train for a 4 day trip to Québec City (which is about 3hrs 1/2 drive from our home, and took a little longer by train). We took the train at the local station and then switched at Montreal. Again, we loved it.
Also, when I lived in Montreal and didn't have a car, I used to take the suburb train to come back here, my parents picked me up (that train isn't as close, it's about 20 min. drive)...

The train means you don't have to care about an itinerary, don't need to concentrate on anything. You can read, play, talk, listen to music, use your laptop, both can relax and watch the scenery, etc.
But at the same time, you have to worry about your luggage, the weight and size of the souvenirs and gifts you buy, of bringing extra luggage for those. It means less flexibility (no more stopping at Arlington cemetary to see the blooming cherry trees), you have to carry your luggage around from the car to the train, from the train to the taxi and back. And between the trains since we would have to take a first train to New York and then a second from NY to Orlando... But about that : maybe Amtrak has a way so we could check our luggage at Montreal and not care about them until Orlando? Like connecting planes? That would be the best. Only worry about our carry-ons (and put our stuff for the NY hotel night in that).

I don't think the cost would be much different between car/train, so I don't think that will be a factor in either direction...

The main reason we ditched the train when we first planned the trip was the time of the second ride, between NY and Orlando : 22-24hrs.
We worried that I would arrive in WDW exhausted, because I would've been able to sleep well enough. Not only would I be in uncomfortable reclining chairs, but I could be surrounded by strangers. What if we have noisy "neighbours"?
In comparison, driving would let me sleep in a bed each night, and no overstimulation, since we'd be in our car, in our little "bubble". Music only if I want to, windows closed (A/C). Plus total climate control, etc.
But I found that there are small compartments with facing reclining chairs for the day (we could both see the scenery!) that make 2 bunk beds at night (the chairs make one, the other pulls from the wall). I could sleep OK, and we wouldn't have noisy neighbours! Plus, the toilet and sink are in "room"... And a shower is even available. And there is "personal" climate control!
Now, a window for both of us, a little table and a setting that would have us face each other, privacy, a kind of bathroom (I hate having to get up to go to a lousy public bathroom in trains or planes) and beds... now that would be good!
But it's kind of costly. (still, it's what it feels, but I didn't compare the total cost with the driving cost, so maybe it isn't that costly).
But what if we'd get it only for the trip down, when it's the most important?!
I put the numbers down as a possibility, and we'll see...
(NY-Orlando only : it's about 500$ for reserved coach seats only, no meals included, 725$ for the beds going down and coach seats getting back, and about 1000$ for beds roundtrip... Meals are included with the beds)

I should note that as a disabled person, I could receive a discount (don't know how much) and, if I understood right, special accessible seating. I'm not sure if it means more ample leg space in the coach seating (hope so), but as for the "beds room" I'm not sure it would be a good thing and maybe I wouldn't ask for it : maybe the virtual 360 visit wasn't good, but I got the feeling there was just one seat in front of the window. I wouldn't want to be seated in my w/c for the whole ride... (but there was a 2nd window, because the room takes all wagon width so a w/c can turn. I think Mama would love not feeling constrained. I know she didn't like a bed wagon she once rode because of that...)
I don't know if I can have the discount without using the special seating/rooms. If not, I don't care, I prefer being comfortable!

Now theres a bug : with the train, the schedule doesn't work out : we'd need to sleep one night in NY. We'd get in NY either in the evening or late morning (depending on way we're going), and need to leave around 8am or 11am (again, depending on way). Mama would like the closest hotel to the station. Sadly, there doesn't seem to be a hotel really close. The closest hotels from Penn Station are at least 2 blocks away... And they are E-X-P-E-N-S-I-V-E!!! Like 300$ a nigh expensive. Mama was OK with spending up to 200$ if necessary (if the hotel was across the street or upstairs from the station), but I'm not sure 300$ a night, twice in the trip, for 2-blocks-away, will do it.
I personally think it's not worth it and you're better off with a taxi and a cheaper hotel. Not a cheap hotel in an unsafe area, but just not Midtown Manhattan...
Hey, maybe we could even catch a Broadway play on our trip back with that money we'd save by staying a little further from the station...! (yeah, we'd get in NY around noon and only leave the next morning! My dream! ...I know, I have a lot of dreams!)

I'm really torn.
The research is not finished yet.
I must finish collecting the info and putting it together, making the comparison spreadsheet first. I must also check the DIS for reviews of people who did use the Amtrak way. I'm hoping for some who did both car and train for comparisons!
Then we'll be able to decide.

But I'm torn between the freedom of doing what we want when we want, of bringing as much as we want and not necessarily putting it all in suitcases, not necessarily packing everything right... Not caring of what we're buying...
About not worrying about handling all this. Not worrying about having Publix (or another place) delivering water and Gatorade to our room, but making our purchases ourselves along the way. Going to those restaurants I liked. Having Mama discover Arlingtong cemetary and see the wonders of the Washington D.C. area cherry trees in bloom. The wonderful feeling of driving in spring with music I love in the speakers. Leaving from home with the car and getting back home at the end of the trip, not needing any lift from dad or anybody. Never feeling trapped or dependent because we'd have the car.
Or not having to care about the time, road construction, my concentration. Not having to worry if me driving will make me too ill to enjoy the trip. Not having to worry if the trip will make me too ill to drive back. Not having to worry if I'll be too ill to drive at the end of the day and if then it'll be too dark for Mama to drive... Less stress with the train. Having the possibility to enjoy the scenery. To use the laptop en route, not only at night at the hotel. To review my notes and my Passporter before the trip too. To leave WDW a little (or a lot) later on the last day. To spend a little time in NY, maybe even go see a Broadway play!
No stress of having to find your way (even with the GPS, sometimes it can be stressful).

Both have positives and negatives. Not all are of equal value. It's a really hard decision.

I think for us the 3 major factors are
1) My illness and how it will impact on it
2) The luggage
3) The flexibility and freedom aspect

Review or talking 'round in circles, as you see fit :

About my illness. We had stopped thinking about the train because we didn't think we could use room-type compartments with beds. Meaning didn't know about it, meaning it didn't go through our minds.
We thought a 24hrs ride could make me too ill and ruin my first day (or days!) in the World. But if I can sleep in a bed... it's not a problem anymore.
In that case, the advantage goes to the train, since it's obvious even splitting the drive on 3 days, it'll be draining my energy and hard on the joints too.

I'm very scared it'll be too much. Each time I'm talking or thinking about it, each time I'm planning around the drive, I'm scared and it stressed me out. But it doesn't mean I can't do it or that we shouldn't do it. It doesn't mean it's impossible. I'm just being honest and realist. I know I can do a lot under adrenalin, but I don't know my limit in that area and wouldn't want my limit to be reached 2 days after I'm in WDW because of that drive... I love to drive, I've said it often and I look forward to this drive to WDW. But I'm a scared it would be too much. And even though it was Mama's idea too and she would be able to take the wheel if needed, I wouldn't want that, because she'd be soooo stressed out that she wouldn't be good company. In fact, there's even a good chance she wouldn't be good company while I'm driving, because even if I'm the one driving, she'll be stressed out... That's one of my "cons" for driving, but I keep it to myself.

As for the luggage. It's a definite "Pro" for driving. As I've said, driving, we wouldn't necessarily pack everything in the luggage, or in suitcases. We would use sports bag, backpacks, etc. I also intended to bring what is now my Disney box (a rubbermaid plastic box), empty, to bring back gifts and souvenirs. We couldn't do that by train. The good news is, by train, we could bring more luggage than we probably would. 3 pieces of checked luggage each, 2 carry-ons each plus purses and laptops. And we could add 3 pieces of luggage each for 10$ each piece. I don't think we would ever need 12 bags plus 4 carry-ons, plus 2 purses, plus the wheelchair, plus my laptop...
I was counting 2 carry-ons, 2 purses, teh laptop, the w/c and only 5 bags (maybe 7 max on the trip back, with the gifts/souvenirs).
Problem is, they don't accept sports bags and we don't have much "real" luggage stuff (suitcases). I guess we have enough... We have 3 sets. One that has more than 40 years (ugly orange-brown), most of the zippers are broken, some holes, etc. I'd be very embarassed to use it. My own, almost 15y.o., very average but dying, with zippers not zipping anymore, holes, and stuff. The other set is at least 20 y.o., pretty dirty (the kind that's not washable anymore) and we'd be a little embarassed about that one too. Mama didn't want to pay for a new luggage set, even under 200$. Maybe if we'd take the train and would have other people carry it and see it, she'd change her mind. I mean, not only would people see us carry those things around, but if the zipper doesn't zip, meaning the suitcase doesn't stay close, you can't really use it as a checked luggage...
But our main problem about luggage would be having to carry it around!

Finally, about flexibility and freedom. Car wins again. I mean, for the train, we'd need dad to get us to Montreal and back. We'd need a taxi in NY to get us to our hotel and back (and probably to get us around the city if we go out to eat or something). I didn't do the research yet about the Orlando station location vs WDW, but I'm pretty sure we'd need a taxi to get us to WDW and back... and I'd need a taxi again for my shopping morning. I thought of maybe doing 2 outlets, but I wouldn't do it if I need a taxi! We hate using taxis, plus those costs add up...
Also, once we're in WDW, we won't be able to just decide to go somewhere, we'd need to call a taxi (and pay for it!). But then again, I realize it's not that flexible with the car, either. Not with Mama in it anyways. We wouldn't go anywhere on a whim. We wouldn't decide to go and visit someplace because we saw a sign on the side of the highway... No way! What if it tires me too much and she has to drive afterwards, and then it's dark before we get to the hotel?! What if it adds up and gets me too tired for WDW? No, to be really flexible on our drive there and back, we would've needed to make it a 4-day trip and it's not the point. We're driving down to WDW, not doing a road trip...

So, on these 3 important points for us, the car wins 2/3. But are those 3 points equivalent importance-wise? I'm not sure.
Like Mama said, the luggage problem isn't like something problematic for the whole trip, not even for the whole ride : the carrying part is only for a couple of minutes, a couple of times, and we could get a buggy (maybe even a helper!) and since there's almost no limit (compared to our needs anyway), just adding collapsible luggage makes for the souvenirs/gift problem. Worst case scenario : shipping. Car is still better for this, but it's not like there's no solution with the train.
For the flexibility/freedom. It's not something dramatic. It's mostly something that would make it better by car. But if going by car makes for a worst trip, we would gladly let go of this advantage. And again, it's not like there's no solution with the train. We can use taxis and my dad can take us to Montreal and pick us up.
The most important aspect is my health, it's obvious.
And second is how we feel about the whole thing. What we want the most and what we feel will make us happier.

More I talk about it, more I learn about it, more I feel like the train is the best option. But I don't want to go too fast and regret it.
I didn't even talk to Mama about what I found today. I want to finish the spreadsheet first.

Back with more soon... or maybe only in a week, depending on our skating schedule!

 

[Marjol]

If I were you, I'd definately go by car, although I have to admit it is a looooooong drive!

The advantages of having a car with you are great. We're renting a car because of those advantages.

And the fact that you don't have to worry about luggage is great too...

 

[michellem1118]

If I were you, I'd definately go by car, although I have to admit it is a looooooong drive!

The advantages of having a car with you are great. We're renting a car because of those advantages.

And the fact that you don't have to worry about luggage is great too...

I agree with Marjol on this. The beds in the sleeping compartments of trains aren't necessarily the most comfortable, so there's no guarantee you'd sleep well - hotel beds are more likely to give you a good night's sleep. Plus, to get to affordable hotels in Manhattan, you'd have a pretty long taxi ride... not b/c the distance is that far, but because traffic in midtown is horrible and it takes forever to go anywhere. My parents are coming up to visit NYC for the Easter weekend, and the cheapest hotel they could find ($150/night) is all the way by the airport - a 30-45 minute taxi ride from Penn Station. (And its not just b/c its Easter weekend, this is a problem every time they come to NYC to visit).

Plus, as this is your trip of a lifetime... with the car, you can always make the drive home take longer to stop & do other things, or to rest/recover. If you get tired on the train, there's no way to stop, to get off & walk around, etc.

 

[AnnieDan_Artlover]

Seems we're going down to Florida on the train!

I'm happy, I'm excited, I'm relieved.
I'm very, very happy , because I really like travelling by train (even though I also really like driving, especially in the spring... it's just really different kinds of travel).
I'm excited , because I always wanted to try sleepertrain... plus, the beds in the roomette are like bunk beds, one on top of the other... and as a kid I always wanted bunk beds so I could sleep in the top one!!! (of course, as a single kid, you can guess I never got it! They later made those top-bed-only with desk under it, but not when I wanted a top-bunk-bed so much...)
I'm relieved , way more than I thought I would be (in fact, I didn't thought I would be at all until recently, and the relief level surprises me. Meaning the drive was stressing me way more than I thought).

In fact, it seems I'm not the only one who's relieved... When we talked about our hesitation to my dad (altough at the time I was leaning very much towards the train and Mama was very much undecided), he thought the train was a very good idea, and he thought mostly that it would be safer. Meaning 1) there are more chances of having an accident on the road than in a train and 2) there are less chances of me getting too ill to have fun at WDW by using the train then driving.
Grandma too said to Mama, when informed of our choice, that she would be less anxious about us if we weren't driving down.

As for Mama's feeling, well some parts of using the train stress her (but there is always something to stress her! The littlest things stress her. She leans toward anxiety trouble, in the psychological trouble sense. My grandma, I suspect, truly suffers from it. The good thing is, Mama realizes that so she's trying to work it out a little, not wanting to be like her. But even with my psychology bachelor's degree, not only can't I treat her, but even if I could, it's hard for a mom to have her daughter tell her what to do or how to change her way of thinking, etc... Anyways, all this to say she stresses easily), but the train stresses her much less than driving.
Now she's worried we won't be able to get the tickets, being only a month away...
Now the decision's taken, she's really happy about it and getting excited. I think it's obvious the drive was stressing her a lot (even though she was saying it wasn't, or not too much), because she doesn't act the same and participates more in the planning, suddenly, like packing.


OK... now, it seems like I didn't listen to Marjol and michellem1118 advices...
That's not the case at all.

I'm very, very happy you've both taken the time to give me your opinions and help me in our dilemma, and it helped us! It did!
Because none of the options are perfect options with all pluses and no minuses. Your information, along with what I had gathered on the DIS the facts I found elsewhere on the web helped us figure out what we wanted and make an informed decision.

So just to answer your posts :
*Having a car with us would indeed be great... but we'd only use it once while in WDW itself : for one morning shopping "spree" to the Disney outlet, for which I can use a taxi.
Of course, we'll need to use either a taxi or towncar service between resort and station, but that's another question. The question was : it would've been useful to have the car with us at Disney. After really thinking about it, we realized we really would not use the car!
So in our train vs car comparison, it would be a point for the car, but it doesn't really count for us, if I can say it like that.

*As for the luggage... yes, that was the most bugging point, or close, for us about the train : Having to watch the weight and size of our suitcases, pack more carefully. Carry all of the luggage between car and station, between station and taxi/towncar, between taxi/towncar and resort and back. But... we would've had to carry it all from car to resort anyway, of course... it's just one time more... but of course with the car we could have decided to leave some in the car (but on the other side, I'm sure we wouldn't have!). We'll use the red caps, ask for all the help we can and need, take our time, etc. And we'll hope we can check our luggage in Montreal and Amtrak will transfer it at NY so we won't have to bother about it until we get in Florida.
Of course, what will bother us the most is the fact we'll need carry-ons (especially for the NY night), but we can deal with that. If that's the most bothersome thing to have, to make sure I have a healthy (or the healthiest possible) trip, it's a small price to pay in our minds.

*The most important fact, Marjol said it : "I have to admit it is a looooooong drive!". And the more we thought about it, the more we were worried about that. And I was more than I wanted to admit or show. Mostly because, since there wasn't another option, I didn't want to bother or scare Mama.
You need to remember I'm not a little sick sometimes. I'm really ill.
I can be OK doing too much for my own good for awhile, but I never know how long that "while" can be and the consequences can be really ugly. It can mean having to stay in bed for weeks and suffer bouts of paresis. It most often means not being able to sit upright for long (and if that were to happen, the wheelchair in WDW would be of no help at all) and weakening my immune system. It also means worst headaches and pains, less concentration ability, getting to an intolerable level of overstimulation more easily, etc. All things making for a miserable Disney trip.

The more I was thinking of the drive, the more I was getting stressed. Each time I talked (or writed) about it, I was really worried. Planning the itinerary last week I was almost panicking. Seeing the hours of driving adding up, even with the rest periods, made me scared.
I soooo didn't want to get to Disney and crash! Or being OK for just a couple of days, then crash before the end of the trip!

Maybe I'd be OK, I don't know. But there's no way of knowing, and now that there's another solution, I don't think taking the chance of ruining my first trip to WDW would be the right time to see if I'm able or not.

Of course, Mama could've taken the wheel would I been too ill to drive, or could drive the whole way just so I'm sure not to get ill.
Trouble is, as I've told you, she really hates to drive. But on top of it, she has bad night vision, so she really wouldn't have been able to drive after dark. So to the stress of driving would be added the stress of getting to the hotel before darkness.
But also, it would drive me crazy to sit in the passenger seat all the time and not drive, as I love to drive, especially on those kind of trips! Also driving me crazy would be seeing her all stressed out (and stressing me out!), when I could have fun driving and have her less stressed in the passenger seat!

In fact, even in the passenger seat she'd be pretty stressed.
So on top of the "my health" reason, there was the "less stress" reason.
Of course, being a stressed person, Mama will find reasons to stress with the train, like the times at the stations (where to go, how to deal with the luggage), but those are shorter and few, not like the whole time!

And of course, in the train, I'm sure I won't have to deal with excruciating pain in my legs and back. Well in the roomette at least, since in coach I just don't know. But there's a chance I have more leg room in the Mtl-NY train since they say they have special disabled seating... And of course, I can get up and take a short walk... but I don't like doing that. In the roomette though, I can get up and either do a couple of steps in our "room" (I know it's so small I can barely walk, but still, I can get up and do some steps as much as I need) or I can go to the lounge car. My dad's minivan has good leg room, but it's not comparable.

*As for the roomette's bed not necessarily being super comfortable and not garanteeing a good night's sleep, we're aware.
Not only that, but the rocking of the train, the stops, the possible noise, etc. could all mean we won't sleep. But I'm usually good at sleeping anywhere, a bed is not that necessary (hey, I'm so tired all the time now. I feel like I never sleep so...), it's more for the noise level and the private "bathroom" that we prefer the roomette, but of course having a bed gives us a better chance at sleeping. Mama's the one who could have a problem sleeping, she even has problem in any hotel when it's the first night... she needs to get "adujsted", unless she's really, really tired. So the same problem could happen driving. But she doesn't care as much, as she says : it's more important I get a good night's sleep, since my health is more fragile.
As for the motels we would be getting down the drive, well I don't know, but I've had bad experiences in motels where I wasn't able to sleep well, so in my mind, a motel with "a real bed" isn't a garantee either! And there's surely a better chance we sleep than in coach!

*On the midtown Manhattan hotel side... I was very happy to learn from someone "from the place" that my guess of taking a taxi to get cheaper hotels(further) was an impossible dream and that it wasn't worth it to look further into it!

But even if it had been possible, Mama prefers to pay and be close, in a place that looks good and is safe. Remember the 800$ difference we would've paid if we'd taken the AP discount and swtiched to AKL with Savannah view? Well here it goes. She also likes the idea of being very close to Times Square and being able to do a little sightseeing (she never been to NY).

But I have a question, michellem1118... Do you know if the Holiday Inn Express Madison Square Gardon (near Penn Station - West 29th, between 7th and 8th) is in a safe location, like if we want to walk from Penn Sation or to Times Square at night, when we get there from Montreal? (not like "2am at night", but "between 9pm-11pm, dark, at night")

*Finally you told me the greatest advantage of driving is the lack of schedule and the fact we could extend the trip if we want, stop somewhere along the trip back to do something or just rest if the trip to WDW had made me too ill to drive...
See, that had been the first plan! We even had planned to split the trip back in 2 parts and stop somewhere about Myrtle Beach for a day or two of beach vacation... But after suggesting that, much to my disappointment, Mama decided she didn't want to do that that much. And after I looked into pricing, we realized it was much more pricey than we thought. Plus, on the dates we'd have been in Myrtle Beach, there will been a bikers convention. Not the peace and quiet we were looking for I looked for other locations about midway in our drive back, but it was either not the type of place we wanted or too costly... or both. Finally, we let go of the idea.
Especially since we realized we had tickets for a show on May the 17th!
Oh, it wouldn't be the end of the world if we missed it, but unless there's a beach vacation, an urge to stay longer in Disney or a medical problem, I don't think we would've extended our trip.
And you know what? I still think either is possible even with a train trip. People do it even on plane trips! In fact, you just need to have availability on your new return dates, that's it. But it's highly unlikely. Sadly!

Mama really isn't one to "stop and smell the roses" when driving (heck, she even hates making a short shopping stop in route to Costo... which is Sams Club for you Americans).
Maybe if we would be doing a roadtrip and the plan was to be flexible, have no ressie, sightsee along the way and stop whenever we see something interesting.
Of course would we be driving, we could stop to rest if I needed to! (we had also planned at least 1 hour for each meals and 20 min. rests for each 2 hrs of driving). But each time I mentioned something like stopping if we saw some interesting museum announced on the side of the road or maybe going off the highway to see if I could see some red dirt in Georgia (yeah, I'd like to see that), she almost panicked.
Of course, I'm sure she wouldn't have been as bad on the trip back, and maybe if she'd been feeling like it, she'd have decided we should give the beach vacation a try, or would've been more relax to stop and try something interesting announced along the road. But maybe not, and maybe I would've just been too ill to drive and she'd just been too stressed to want to have any fun.
Or maybe we'd just want to come back home as fast as possible, sad that our trip is over and not in the mood to do anything.

I agree and know fully that the train is not flexible, that you can't stop nor change the itinerary. But the thing is I don't think we would do it more in the car. Not with Mama, not with my illness, not in the kind of trip we were planning.
Maybe in a different trip. We'd have to see some other time...
(I'm hoping for a roadtrip later, combining train and car, to cross the USA and Canada. Crossing through the USA, going to all places we want to see, like going to California and then going to Vancouver to take the sightseeing train to cross Canada all the way back here).

You have to remember that we know what a train trip is about. Maybe not a 10+ hour train trip, but still (well, maybe I don't, but Mama does. She used a sleeper train once and it was one much worst than the one we're using : One where you needed to put the bed back in the wall to go "to the bathroom"! With only one bed for 2 people...).
We love travelling by train and for us it's not only a way to make sure I put everything on my side healthwise, a less stressful way to travel for Mama, but a fun way to travel and an experience in itself.

There would be problems and downsides in driving too, and not only are the downsides about equal for us in train and car travel, but the most important advantages are in using the train.

Oh, and I forgot one good advantages : maybe we'll go see a broadway show on our night in NY on our trip back!!!
We should arrive too late in the ride down (about 8h30pm) but the train should get in NY around noon on the trip back. Even with a huge delay, we should be OK!
Right now Mama's not sure. It's not that she doesn't like musicals and doesn't want to see one in Broadway, in fact we have planned for a year to soon go to NY (by train!!!), maybe in 6 months or so, for a couple of days, to see some plays, hit the museums and sightsee. I've been to NY about 10 years ago and loved it, but didn't catch a play (highschool trip). I love musicals, it's what I prefer and one of my numerous dreams is to do just that : see many musicals on Broadway (yeah, I know they're not all necessarily ON Broadway).
So, Mama's not sure. It'll depend on the cost.

michellem1118, do you know a good place for discounted musicals tix?

I know right Disney's Lion King is still on... I've looked at the website and seen there are tix for the exact night we could go. The prices could be OK. They start at 50$. But I guess the middle priced would be better. I saw there were handicapped seating, but I couldn't see where they were. I would need to call. I wonder what the price is? Maybe they have special seating in all 3 tiers?
I've seen it in Toronto about 8 years ago and it was the best thing I ever saw. I saw it with my dad (I was there for an audition... for Disney!!! But I had been too long without taking dancing lessons -you loose the ability to learn new choreography quickly-, hadn't been taking singing lessons long enough... but most of all, it was my first pro audition, so I didn't know the tricks... like to get in front of the class in the dance part, which means I couldn't see the teacher... and thus had a whole lot of trouble learning the choreography! -learning from the others, some who are bad dancers, is very tricky!- And the pianist played my song in the wrong key... I think I never sang that high!
Argh, not my best memory... I felt so unworthy. Still, I had a good time and was proud to be in a real pro, Disney audition. At the time I didn't know I never would be able to do another...) My dad did a good thing booking us in a 4-star hotel in downtown Toronto and turning this audition in a little father-daughter trip (it's a 5 hour drive and the audition was in the morning, so we had to stay for the night anyways, but we could've stayed outside the city and leave the same day, or I could've had to drive in the night and get to the audition exhausted). We got to that wonderful hotel the day before, did the revolving restaurant in the CN tower and after the audition, toured the city before going to the musical. My dad paid a fortune because there were no tix left and he had to purchase them through concierge! But he had his mind set on that show...

The Lion King show was so good, my dad cried at the end, and that was a first! (Of course I cried too, as were pretty much the whole audience). Not because it was sad, if I recall right. Only because it was sooo beautiful and so overwhelming.
I always wanted to see it again and mostly, I always wanted Mama to see it too. At the time, I felt so bad she wasn't there to see that wonderful thing.

But at the same time, I'm wondering if there would be another show we should be seeing, that would be more "worth it".
But... what better way to end our Disney trip of a lifetime than to see together, in NY, the best Disney musical?!

 

[dreamer17555]

First off congrats on the train. While it does mean having more of a set schedual I think it also takes a lot of worry off of your mind and that is worth it IMO.

I saw the Lion King Musical and I agree it is so moving and amazing. It just really captures your heart. That being said I would look into trying another show. There are so many wonderful ones to see and though I have yet to see it but with the Disney theme I would look into Mary Poppins. I have heard amazing reviews. There is also the Little Mermaid but the reviews are pretty harsh about it... Still they are Disney Shows and worth looking into.



-Becca-

 

[AnnieDan_Artlover]

Well, seems we won't be doing the train thing after all.
No relaxing, no sightseeing while chatting, no reading, no checking the Passporter, no laptop thing.
No new experience.
No Lion King on Broadway.

Just yesterday, after almost a whole week of going back and forth and wondering what to do, after finally having decided, we were thinking how happy we were to finally having chosen the train. We were relieved and realizing we felt different about the trip : we were now feeling we would be going on vacation... not getting there, then having a trip... I have a hard time explaining it (and translating the little I can explain). But we were really happy and getting excited.

I decided to try and call Amtrak today to make the reservations, even if it's Easter Monday, in case they were open, because we were anxious to have this done, to know exactly what we were dealing with and mostly, because we were scared there wouldn't be any roomettes available...

The Amtrak office wasn't closed and there was still availability. I have the ressie on courtesy hold until next week.

1st bad news. Well not really bad, just not as good as it could've been : disabled discount cannot be combined with another one. So we'd "only" get 15% off. Still, for both roudtrips, Mtl-NY and NY-FL, it would cost about 1000$. It's like we'd get the Mtl-NY ride free! And remember, meals are included in the roomette ride.
Not bad.

2nd bad news. The train we wanted for the trip back from Orlando isn't available for the accessible roomette... So we'd be leaving at night instead of around noon. Oh, I'm kind of happy we'd stay a couple hours longer in WDW... altough, I'm guessing staying longer with the feeling of rush-because-we-leave-soon-and-don't-want-to-be-late wouldn't be that fun. Plus, we have Chef Mickey's that morning, and leaving that late would ruin the feeling of "seeing Mickey and leave"... having Mickey and friends be the last thing in our minds... But mainly... leaving later means no Broadway show!!!!! Now, that really makes me sad. It wasn't a sure thing, but I was going to root for it as much as possible... now it would be completely impossible and leaving WDW a day later just for that (there was accessible roomette available at the earlier train the next day) would be... hum... exaggerated.

3rd and worst news. What makes us reconsiderate.
There isn't the possibility to check luggage on the Mtl-NY train!!!
Which means if we take the train, we'll be stuck with only 4 carry-ons for the whole trip!!! I agree, we could use the biggest possible carry-ons (some sport bags can contain a lot, and are accepted as carry-ons... altough I don't know if they'd still be in the 50lbs limit once we'd pack them to full capacity!). But I'm not sure we could fit 4 sports bags, packed to capacity, plus my laptop and maybe one briefcase (we'd need to use those, since they don't count... play the system KWIM?) on the overhead compartments... Which would mean we could be stuck with them, on top of our purses, on our knees and near our feet... A 10 hour ride with a bag on my knees and with my feet twisted on one side because I have a bag under my seat would be very, very long and uncomfortable.

I just can't believe you can't check luggage on a train if you take one later that does have checked luggage!!! It's so stupid!!!
They're likely to lose our money because they're so stupid! I understand you want to have security, save money and time, etc. OK, don't accept checked luggage for people just using the train from Mtl-NY... but if they then continue on a checked luggage train, offer it!!! What good is it to me that I can check luggage from NY to Orlando if I can't have it in the previous train?!
They're so going to hear from me!!! Oh, I know, probably won't change anything, but I won't let them get away with that without even tell them how I feel about it!

I'm sooo mad!

Now we're back to square one...

But we don't feel like driving anymore!
We don't really feel like flying either (and I don't think the luggage part would be better, huh?).

I checked Amtrak and Via rail (canadian counterpart) maps, hoping we could take another train to NY, or take another route completly, like driving to the US, to a station in the northeast and take one or 2 trains to get to Orlando... but Via doesn't have any train going to the USA and all Northeast Amtrak trains have the same no-checked luggage policy (WTH???). And there aren't any other routes from Northeast USA to Orlando. It's all leading to NY and then NY-Orlando... The only other choice is the Autotrain, but like many other said : as long as we'd be driving to get to the first Autotrain stop, should as well drive all the way down.

I guess we'll look at the possibility of packing all our stuff into carry-ons. But the problem would be in the way back, with gifts and souvenirs on top of it... Of course we could hope the policy wouldn't be enforced, or I could play the naive girl ("I didn't know, I'm french, I didn't understand.../I could check the luggage on the last one!"... whatever). But still, we'd need to fuss a lot.
It's stress we thought we were leaving behind with using the train!
Like Mama said : with all that trouble, using the train doesn't feel fun anymore.

I can't believe we would now be super happy because our train seats/roomettes would've been reserved and our trip would almost be finalized, if it were not for this stupid no-check policy!!! One little stupid thing makes all our trip plans go down the drain, and not in a good way like last time!!!

We just talked about flying instead. We didn't like the idea much. We liked the idea of extending the trip a little. And Mama doesn't like flying in itself... yep, it stresses her (and scares her a little too), but she did it before. She just said she'd prefer driving herself, and that speaks volumes! But she's not sure, so I looked into it.
Well, at first, it looks great... Only a 3hr trip!... Now, I'd like that. But I know you need to get there extra early, way too much IMHO. The 8am flight would mean a very tired girl, especially with the excitment of the night before... (sleep? what sleep?). And we'd need to get both bew passports...
And of course, the luggage thing wouldn't be cleared! Difference is, you can check some and even can have "too much". Just pay for it. OUCH! I found the fees for extra luggage... Ridicule.
The flight fare is pretty high too, more costly than the train with sleeper! (of course, I didn't shop around, just took a look to have an idea. But usually, in my experience, in Canada, Air Canada is the cheapeast... 1300$ for roundtrip in economic!).

So I guess we don't have a choice than to get back to driving... We're toying with adding a day each way to make it more safe and less tiring... I don't feel like doing the itinerary all over again, though (the hotels en route wouldn't be the same of course by adding a day).
And I'm not sure I'd want to have a 4-day drive in front of me after the trip...

The good thing about flying is, since the better rate would be on the friday, we'd could leave WDW later and still save money! (yeah, fuzzy disney math!)

Argh, I really don't know what I want to do anymore. None of the ways to get there appeal to me, none is right for us!!!
The easiest way is the more "dangerous" for my health, the more tiring and the more stressful.
The more fun and relaxing way is the less flexible and asks for us to do some fussy Disney math with our packing. We could need to pay a lot of money in shipping, in case souvenirs and gifts can't be brought on board and I need to ship it here (even with USPS, shipping from US to Canada can be pretty costly).
The shortest way and best one for my health could also mean we add Disney days, but it's not completely OK on luggage either and it's the more costly one too. Oh, and maybe as stressful than driving, for Mama.


I really just can't believe it.
I'm bummed.
Listening to Disney music, and it can't even put the smile back on my face...

I'll seek more info, especially on flying, and we'll compare everything, once again... Maybe we'll be able to decide...

 

[swwake]

Ok Annie - here's my 2c. I think you should re-consider flying. Unless your mom's fear is really high, it would probably be the most comfortable and economical option for you. On the surface, it sounds more expensive, but, as compared to:

the train - you won't need the "free" meals they provide, since you will be flying for only 3 hours, you'll save on the $800 (is that what you said?) hotel room in NY (is that both ways?), you'll "save" on the broadway tickets (I know you really wanted to do this, but if you are flying, there's no option anyway, so you won't be tempted).

driving - consider the hotel cost on the way there and back, that gas is nearing $4 US per gallon and it could be a very expensive trip.

Also consider the small price you will pay for the convenience of a short trip (plane ride) vs. the train or a car. Based on how you describe your condition, it seems you wouldn't be too comfortable being "cooped up" in the car for several hours a day either.

If you fly, yes, you get to the airport 2 hours early, which is early early morning, based on what you said above, but some people (including myself) can sleep on the flight. Also, you could build in some rest time as soon as you get to the resort.

You would still not have a car at WDW, but you could consider that taxi to the shopping center (or consider a 1-day car rental from the agency in the Dolphin, which might be less expensive than a round-trip cab ride).

You do still have similar luggage issues (though not the same - as you CAN check bags) to the train, with flying, but consider that if you drove, you might pack more luggage anyway because you're adding days to the front and back of the trip and need more clothes, etc. So you may still be limited on space in your car.

Anyway, just my thoughts. I hope this doesn't complicate the situation for you. And if Mom is uncomfortable flying, I guess you can go ahead and rule that out anyway.

I'm sorry you're having so much trouble with this decision, but soon (within days) it will be all worked out and you will feel that sense of relief again.

We considered driving, and we love a good roadtrip, but we ultimately decided to fly for the convenience of it.

 

[michellem1118]

But I have a question, michellem1118... Do you know if the Holiday Inn Express Madison Square Gardon (near Penn Station - West 29th, between 7th and 8th) is in a safe location, like if we want to walk from Penn Sation or to Times Square at night, when we get there from Montreal? (not like "2am at night", but "between 9pm-11pm, dark, at night")

First, I'll address the quote above - if you end up on the train, w/ a night or two in NYC, 29th St. is quite a walk from Times Square... you'd be one block too far west (and east-west city blocks are LONG), and about 10 blocks south of the southernmost parts of Times Square. If exploring in the Times Square area is important, I'd pay the extra money for a Times Square hotel for one night, then the further away hotel for the other direction. Although I know you're trying to keep costs down, so I don't know if that'll work.

But - it does seem to me that perhaps flying would really be your best option, and on www.travelocity.com I'm seeing flights with a connection for under $350 from Montreal to Orlando, which would be by far the cheapest option as well. And with American Airlines, you can check two bags per person, plus have a carry-on & your laptop on the plane with you, which should be more than enough, even to account for souvenirs and such. Even paying for an extra bag coming back, you'd still save money and time, and most importantly, stress.

 

[AnnieDan_Artlover]

Thanks so much guys!

It really feels great knowing I can have help and feedback!!!

I smiled for the first time in hours...

Well the train really is out of the question. (oh, never say never, of course, but...)
It's down to drive or fly, fly or drive.
And down to time vs space, pretty much!

Mama isn't so much afraid of flying that we wouldn't consider it. At dinner, she was like "so this is it, we're flying if that's what you prefer!". So she'd be OK.

But I don't know what I want to do!!! Don't know what's best.

Only thing... she'd prefer paying a bit more to have a direct trip... because it's the liftoff and landing that get to her... Not only that, but the turn around between flights, you know, finding your way to the next one, and the thought of missing it in case of a delay...
I can't believe you took the time to look at those prices, thank you so much michelle!!!
Same thing as for that hotel in NY... more money for more comfort and peace of mind. She won't pay for nothing, she's no "spendy" (I just invented that word, I think), but she's not worried about spending if she really think it's worth it. Depends on the matter.

By the way Swwake... yeah, it was indeed 700$. But it was for both nights! (phew!).

Recap :
We love the idea of getting there in 3 hours.
It's not too much stress (none for me).
We're not too worried about luggage. I was a little worried about all those rules now with gels, liquids and such, but it's only for carry-ons. Pfff. We don't need gel in carry-ons! Don't need cisors either. (well, I usually carry one pair, but I can live without it until we land!). And as you say, a total of 5 hours, including the airport wait, can't be compared to 3 days.
Mama really likes the idea of the ME which carry your luggage right into your room for you...
We'd also be pretty excited to have to stay longer in Disney to get a better airfare on the way back (dammit! )
As for the cost, pretty even between car and plane, I guess. I had figured pretty much everything in the budget : meals, gas, motels, tips...
4$/gallon, really? Does anyone know how much per liter that is??? I had calculated our gas expenses at about 1$/liter, and had been told it was cheaper than that in the US, but maybe it isn't the case anymore... (I had figured about 400$ just for gas). But wait a minute... I just used the AAA calculator yesterday, and it gave me the same thing, more or less...

Oh yeah, and... rent a car for a day at the Dolphin could cost less than a roundtrip cab, really??? Wow! I should check that out too!!! Well, if we don't drive of course...

OK, continue recap :
We love the idea of having kind of our home on wheels with the car.
We could bring more stuff, like all my orthesis (couldn't do that on the plane).
No packing stress at all (I know, I've said that a million times already. But I'm trying to decide, so I'm doing this for myself too...)
Those wonderful restaurants along the way (mmmmm)
No need for a lift.

I still can't do it.
I imagine myself one way, than the other, and can't decide.
I'm running around in circles.

See ya later.

 

[michellem1118]

You're about on target, figuring gas at ~$1/litre. The conversion is gallon price x .275 = litre price... so your estimation is nearly perfect.

Looking at your list, it appears the pros of flying outweigh the pros of driving... having done a road trip to Disney before, I'd fly every time, just because the long drive exhausts me so much. I imagine that would be more true if I were ill...

 

[lonegungal17]

Just wanting to let you know I'm enjoying your pre-trip report. I liked the part about using the croc as your pet for the trip. I'll be doing something similar since I have to leave my kitty at home for 17 days. Your Belle costume is lovely and wish I would have seen it first, I want to see pictures of you in it and the Faolan in the croc exchange thread. I'm still hoping for a Pirate and Princess Party for our trip in August because I have a Tinkerbell costume I wore last year and a Mulan costume I got for this year but no party so far. It's too bad about the train situation, I love taking the train over flying anyday but at least if you fly you get all that extra time.

Mel

 

[AnnieDan_Artlover]

Hi all!

Hey Mel, welcome to the longest PTR ever!
I'm really glad you're enjoying it!

I see you're also going to Cedar Point on your next trip... have you ever been or is it your first time? I went once before, on my Northeastern US roadtrip with Alex, and we had a blast. It's the best attraction park ever! (No no, I'm not betraying anyone, I didn't say theme park! calm down everyone! ) We did what was, at the time, the highest and fastest rollercoaster : Top thrill dragster . It was really... undescribable! We'd like to go back again...
(plus, it's Snoopy's home!!!)

OK, on to our business...
We finally chose.
And chose flying.
After reading all your comments, after calling Sophie and emailing Alex and getting their feedback...
After realizing our reasons for preferring to drive were pretty much trivial and thus, clearly mainly false reasons not to change our first plan (or not to fly, for Mama)... We made the decision.

I mean, of course it would've been easier on the luggage side if we'd drive down. But really, compared to the risk of making my illness even worst, compared to the stress (not that high, but still), compared to the fatigue... how does it compare?
We were comparing apples and oranges...

But I realize (the bachelor in psychology is always near!) what made the decision so hard, for me at least, is I've been planning this trip and thinking about it for more than 6 months now, and it had been a certain type of trip : 3 days down, 3 days back. A time to get there and back. An evolution of the scenery. A climax in the excitation because you're getting there slowly. Etc.
Plus, I'd already made the plans, in much detail, for driving... and on top, I had made all the plans for going there by train... If we we're flying, it would mean scrapping the plan a second time and doing it all over again, but this time, for something that didn't even appeal to me!
Typing, I realises it's also because it means having to modify our plans because of my illness.
Adding a day to the drive because of it didn't seem bad, it could just be because we wanted to take it slow and relax. I could still fool myself.
Taking the train, even though it was to make sure I wouldn't make myself ill driving, wasn't feeling like it was because of my illness, because it was our first choice and because we love traveling by train. We used the train well before I fell sick.
But chosing the plane is solely because I'm ill. It's not because we want to save money or time, not because we prefer that mean of transportation... Mama hates it and will use it only because it's safer for my health!
I realize it's proably half of the reason I'm so bummed about it.
When your illness limits you, be it in what you can do or in your choices, it's always really hard emotionally. I had to live with many mournings like that, especially in the months after the diagnosis, when I realized I'd likely be like that, if not forever, for many years... But even if it gets better, you never get used to that... each time you learn of a new thing you can't do, or can't do as you'd like, it's really, really frustrating and depressing.

But at least for once, there are good sides (I must say, I always find good sides... or else, I wouldn't be alive, I think... For instance, I keep telling myself I'm in a permanent vacation -do you use that term? or is it only the term "leave"?-, or that I'm in a real, real long sabbatical leave... Or in veeeerrrryyyy early retirement... The good sides are, in the times I feel good, I can do things I like... altough there are so many things I like I can't do anymore...)

Good sides to flying : of course, the transport time is now really short! Only 3 hours in the plane! Counting the lift to the airport, the wait there, and the time with Magical Express form MCO to our resort, it should take us, total, 7hrs! Instead of 55hrs!
We're not saving money over driving, but at least we're about even.

But the best, best, best side of flying is : we're now spending way much time in the World! Because we'll be spending 2 more days!!! It's now confirmed!
So in total, our trip will be shorter by 2 days (18 days instead of 20), but we'll be spending it all in Disney, including 16 whole days!!! (you could say 16 days in a half in the World... We arrive in midday... and can't do a thing on the last day). And staying 17 nights.

So, new schedule :
We'll leave the house at 6am on April the 29th
Leave Montreal at 8h30
Hopefully, arrive in time at MCO, which is 11h30am.
Which means we should get to our resort around 12h30pm with DME... Our room probably won't be ready and our luggage won't get there until mid-afternoon... No problemo, we'll either take a plunge in the pool, check out the resort or take the boat to DTD, then to Epcot and hop on the monorail to take a look at the parks without really getting into anything... Getting a feel of the place.

(I'll post the park and ADRs new and improved schedule later)

We'll leave POFQ on May 16th with DME much too early for our flight (4hrs), just because it's not a US domestic flight (unless canadian flights aren't considered international flights? Because it would be stupid to get there 3 hours early, if we only need to register 1 hour early!...). We'd prefer sleeping a little later, take our time to have breakfast and finish packing, and maybe get one last look at our favorite park or take a stroll around POFQ... Anyways.
Leave MCO at 2h30pm
Hopefully arrive in Montreal on time, which is 5h30pm
Get our luggage, kiss dad and get in rush hour traffic jam to get home...


The more we thought about it, the more we were happy about the extra time. Now, if I'm ill a little, or too tired to go to a park a day or two, we won't be worried. And the afternoon naps won't be rushed.
The plane, with the 2 added days as a side-effect, really is better for my health and our stress level in that way!

But extra days meant days unplanned and ADR opportunities!

I had trouble planning those days today, because it had been so long since planning the others (about 6 months!). I had trouble remembering how I'd done it!
I must say, I'm sad about one thing... I had "the perfect plan"... Not anymore...
I don't mean perfect as in : it couldn't be touched. I'm repeating over and over that it's only a guide. But for certain things, especially ADRs and our Backstage Magic tour, they were on certain dates for a reason. For example : I had put the tour on our last day, so seeing the backstage wouldn't spoil the magic. We weren't supposed to go to any park after that. And we were supposed to finish with Chef Mickey's breakfast. Go there, eat, hop in the car and leave. It would be our last thing, our last memory. Something to help us stay in a good mood for the long drive ahead.
And to end with a bang!

Now, we can't have a character breakfast for our last morning... maybe we could, if we got up super early, but we don't want to. We'd be too tired and too stressed out. And even if we could've, Chef Mickey, in my mind, is the only one who could be the one to have which could qualify as "a bang" to end the trip... Mickey's the highest ranked character for a breakfast meal.
I offered Mama to check if I could change the tour to our new last full day, but she says she doesn't care, that in fact it could be fun to go to a park after the tour. She says "we're not kids anymore, that it shouldn't spoil the magic : it's not like we think it all happens by magic... we know people work behind the scenes and machinery is involved". I do agree... But I had put it last because 1)I wanted to end up with a bang and to 2)didn't want to spoil the magic, because she was scared of that.
So backstage magic tour isn't moving...

I tell you, even though sometimes Mama still doesn't want to get involved and all, she's really changing her attitude torward the trip on some levels... Like ADRs...
She now wants ADRs for some restaurants I talk to her about and ADRs don't bother her as much. If I talk to her about a good restaurant, it's not "we're not going to Disney to eat" anymore, now it's "why didn't you get us an ADR for that one?"... I much prefer that attitude, it's much more fun!

So today I sent an email to Rhonda, my fabulous TA at DU with new ADRs (she IS fabulous! After all, she was able to get us AP rates for our first 15 nights, and then add our 2 nights to our original ressie even this late -no discount at all though, no CAA, no AP - and, to this point, was always able to get us our preferred times for ADRs!)...

Garden grill for our arrival dinner. Yeah, Chip n Dale!!!
I really hope we can get it... But I'm not too worried, since I've heard it can be a good last minute choice and you could easily just walk-in... We'll take the latest possible time, in case there's a delay or we want to take a nap... Also because, at the time we'll get at MCO, we'll have lunch kinda late...

Spoodles for our fifth day dinner (after a full day at AK, if we follow the plan). Only if the ADR is necessary or/and if there's no penalty for cancelling or not showing up.
I really want to try Spoodles and I think it would be the best time to try it, but I'm not sure about that day, especially since we'll have lunch at Tusker House... I don't know... I told you I had lost my planning abilities... I'm not sure Spoodles fits well after AK nor that 2 ADRs, especially dinner after lunch, is a good idea. We wanted to avoid this at all costs... But I don't have enough days!

I asked Rhonda if she thinks an ADR is necessary, in early May, for Rainforest Café (either in AK or DTD), because I'd really like to try it. But if ADRs not necessary, we won't get one... If it is, we'll get one for DTD, after the backstage magic tour... I was going to make an ADR for the new T-Rex, but it's not open yet...

I was able to convince Mama to give Coral Reef a shot... I know the comments and reviews were both ways, some good and some bad, but I want to give it a shot. I really love aquariums and it seems so beautiful. Mama said she didn't want to go because it would feel too weird to eat what you're looking at... plus we don't like seafood. But there's also chicken and beef, so not only could we eat something we like, but we could eat something not in the aquarium and have fun looking at the fish without feeling weird!
We're trying to get that ADR (not too worried about that one either) for May the 14th (dinner).
I'm a little worried, though... We're having our breakfast at Chef Mickey's that same morning... Do you think a character meal (or buffet breakfast, mainly) could make us feel like we're stuffed for the day and like we don't want to have table dinner, especially since we're not having it extra early (9h30)?
I know it's at the other end of the day, but I know our type : if we have brunch, we don't feel right for the other meals of the day. I also know Chef Mickeys isn't a brunch, but it looks like a pretty huge meal stil...
Has anyone done Chef Mickeys and a table dinner?
I asked for a late seating (7-8pm), but I'm a little scared...

For our last dinner, on May 15th, Le Cellier...
I'm really, really scared we won't be able to get it.
I asked Rhonda to also try it for the 14th, so I'll have 2 chances instead of one. But I'd prefer to get it for the last day.
I asked for an early dinner, since we'd go to MK afterwards for Spectro and Wishes! (a good way to end the trip, don't you think?!).
See, Mama didn't care for ADRs and didn't want to eat there at all (why eat at a canadian restaurant in Disney?)... but then I told her about canadian cheddar cheese soup... and it's one of those time she asked "why aren't we going?"...
So now I'm trying. I'd like to try that cheese soup myself... (or else, why would I have talked about it to Mama?)
I only hope that, if we can't get the ADR now, someone will cancel between now and us leaving... Or between then and the 15th!

Mama was also disappointed when we chose to let go of our character breakfast at 1900 Park Fare, with Mary Poppins and Alice... I think I'll ask her tomorrow if she'd like me to try to get the ADR for that as well... I must admit, Mary Poppins is one of my all time favorite. I love that movie. But when I saw the pix of the impersonations of her and Alice I was a little disappointed... I never experienced it, but I think I'll prefer interacting with faceless characters and get my affection dose through hugs of huge plush "things" than try to fake it with obvious actors... Because with an actor in a Mickey suit, you can more easily get into it... with a girl my own age in a Mary Poppins suit... not looking much like Mary Poppins... well... not as much!
But Mama's doing a lot to please me in this trip and if she wants to do this meal, I have no problem with it. Plus, I've heard the meal in itself is really good. It's just I discarded it because I had to choose. (Mama had made me feel like I had to limit character meals... she doesn't seem to feel that way anymore).

The way it is now, we're spending the equivalent of 4 days in MK, 2 days in HS, 3 days in Epcot and 2 days in AK. We're spending a day at a water park (still undecided which one), half a day shopping and one evening at Fantasia Gardens... Almost the equivalent of one day of resorts exploring... About a day at DTD. And our 2 last days are completely open : anywhere we feel like going back to.

We should see each Flower Power Concert once (BJ Thomas, Arlo Guthrie, The Searchers, The Tokens and Davy Jones, once each. I love all types of music -really!-, and I really like the oldies, so I'm pretty excited! Especially about The Tokens, BJ Thomas and Davy Jones). Fantasmic twice (once with the package, the other without). The P&PP (including it's special parade, show and fireworks). Wishes many times, including from the Poly and Grand Floridian beaches (where we'll be to watch the Electrical Water Pageant). Spectro twice (it's one of the things I'm looking forward to the most, one I've been dreaming of for years!). Each afternoon parade twice (Dream along with Mickey, Jammin' jungle parade, Bock party bash). IllumiNations at least twice...

We'll also try to catch as much as the entertainment available in the parks, if not all of it (like HSM2 pep rally in HS, the castle show in MK, etc.) and to get a little of the Cinco de Mayo festivities in DTD, if there are any this year.

I'm curious to see, at the end of the trip, how much of it we'll have been able to do and if it'll have been possible or not to catch all of it.
The not-to-be-missed for us is to get at least once what is set to be twice, and to not miss Fantasmic and Spectro.


Next post : What did I forget to say?

 

[AnnieDan_Artlover]

I think I understand why my posts are so long... apart from the fact I speak a lot!

It's because I'm not posting separatly for each topic... I just write once and put in everything I think about or everything that happened... If I didn't post for 3 days, I don't put up 3 different post, I just put up a bigger post...

I'll try to do better...

But think about it : maybe it means it'll be better in the TR... I'll have the topics pre-separated for me! It'll either be separated by day, or if too much happened (or if I put too much detail in it! ), I'll separate it even more... At least, I'll have some hint as to where to cut!

OK, so here we go...

I was looking at my notes of what I didn't want to forget to tell you, and I had lots of trouble understanding them... It's because I didn't want Mama to understand it if she'd found the notes by mistake...
I contacted WDW Florist and orderd her Mother's Day gift basket! Custom-made...
I had looked through the pages and pages of gift baskets and bouquets on their website, and nothing inspired me, or it was too much, or too costly, or contained things she wouldn't like, etc.
I started with email, to ask if it would be possible to deliver in the room while we'd be at the brunch... and it is!!!
I also asked if I could custom-made the bouquet and gift-basket, and I could.
Finally, I didn't get her a bouquet, because we were thinking of driving, and we would've been leaving only 3 days after she'd get it... we would've lost the flowers! We're now leaving a little later, but I still think it's not worth it. For the price... (min. 40$) Plus, if nothing has changed, she'll get a rose at the brunch!

I got her a mickey head-shaped box (black), with hand soap and lotion, body wash, hand towel with embroided mickey head and her name (should I put something else instead? Like our last name, or "mom" in french? I mean, I guess we'll just leave it near the sink in our bathroom, so maybe she'll feel weird if it's her name... Or maybe I should put the extra money for the body towel... but they only have white towels, and here the white towels get yellowish... Note that we do have white towels... it would be white for a while... then we could just try to color it... I really don't know what to do!!! Don't even know if I could change it now, but...)
To that I added a pack of nuts, 3 fruits (pear, apple and orange) and Ghirardelli chocolate (don't even know if they put only one piece or more).
And I finished with a Mickey coffee cup. There was a Minnie cup, which maybe could've been more feminine, but I don't think she'd like that as much. In fact, I'm not even sure she'll like the cup much, but I felt like there wasn't much Disney stuff in my Disney gift basket!
I wanted the silk mickey head-shaped box they advertize for some romantic gift basket... super cute, it has a top and you can re-use it... But I couldn't! I guess it's only if you buy the kit... I was willing to pay for it, KWIM? But I couldn't have it... So disappointed. We can re-use the box I'm getting her, but it doesn't have a top and it's not like it would look good out and about in the house... in a closet, maybe...
And instead of a bouquet, there'll be a sunflower in the middle!
That I'm really happy and proud about.

The service was good, but I found the customization to be pretty limited.
Many things I wanted weren't possible, or variations of what I wanted didn't exist (like the tower wich was only available in white. I also wanted a glass with Disney or Mickey stuff etched on it... they only have wine glasses... When it's for your mom and your dad is alcoholic, you don't want wine glass... that's why I got the coffee mug).
I also felt like I was lucky to have done my homework, because I didn't get any feedback. At one point, I almost felt like the lady had put the phone down and went elsewhere. I mean, I knew she was there and attentive to what I was saying, but she didn't react, didn't offer any input, etc.
I had to ask her if she thought I should add anything to the basket, if something else would go well with it, etc. (she said she thought I did a good job and it would be a very good basket...)
Surprising for a commercial company... they usually always suggest something more you could buy to make more money!
But the lady was still great, like when I told her we would be driving too soon after Mother's day, she didn't try to sell me a costly bouquet anyways and agreed the flowers would die in that situation.
She asked me about Mama's favorite color and flower and she was the one who made me think of sunflower... I hadn't forgotten Mama liked them, but I never would've thought it was possible to put that big a thing in a gift basket!!!
I'm not sure she'll like the gift basket or it's content (I wasn't too happy about what I was able to put in it... But I had shopped around the web and it still was my best option), but I'm pretty sure she'll be impressed and happy about the sunflower!

And all this for... 100$
I asked dad for his help (I never pay that much for a gift, and usually my parents help me for gifts that are too costly when they are for each other... meaning dad will help me for mom's gifts and Mama will help me pay for dad's gift, if they're too costly, which doesn't happen too often, unless they're the one making the suggestion... like Mama saying "we should buy this together for father's day".).
He wasn't too happy about it and at first didn't get it and said "just use my credit card"... hum... isn't Mama paying the bills? So we agreed that he'd give me some cash money when we'll leave, acting like he wants to help me have some spendig money on the trip... (it's not unusual for him to do that anyways...). But he could also just give me the cash some time before the trip and Mama would never know about it.
I didn't like asking him about it, but I don't really have the cash for that, and I already have paid the 100$ for the Epcot brunch... And mostly, if I had wanted to buy such a costly gift to my dad, Mama would've cashed in.
I hope I won't have to remind him... if he doesn't give me the money before we leave I'll just do without it, but I'll be mad.

Talking about money : I was happy today! I was able to get more credit!
I know, it's nothing good. But when it's what you gotta do...
I was able to add 2000$ to my "Disney fund" (well... my "Disney fund" is cash, this is more of a "possible" money thing... Maybe I won't use it all... I hope not!)
I'll be able to pay the photopass CD, to pay some meals and to pay all my own expenses!!! That's the best feeling in the world! Knowing I won't have to bother Mama with that!

Last thing for tonight :
Yesterday I went to Walmart... Bought a bunch of things for the trip. I had a loooong list. Cost a whole lot too : about 375$. Mama paid a third and I paid the rest. (she wasn't there, but I split the check).
Bought medication (like Benylin pills in case I catch the flu again while in WDW), pharmacy products (like the anti-itch creem from Aveeno), transfer paper (30 sheets total) and mostly, tank tops for iron-ons.

Now, I was kind of mad. I'm not sure it's because we live in Canada (even if our $ is now at parity with the US$, we still pay between 10% and 40% more for items, depending on the store and the category -clothing, electronics, etc.) or only because it weren't simple t-shirts, but let me just say, I've heard many DISers say there bought Tshirts at Walmart for iron-ons at about 3$each... All the tank tops I saw were either 8$ or 9$!... There were almost no Hanes and I didn't see any Fruit of the Loom tank top. There wasn't a good choice and I'm still not sure those I bought will work, but since I want to make a lot of iron-ons, it cost me a fortune!
I'm sure of one thing : there were no Tshirts at 3$ each... I saw one pile of Fruit of the loom Tshirts and they were 2/10$. But they were men's Tshirts and even if I'd like them, I couldn't have used them for iron-ons (dark grey)
I try to make myself feel better by thinking I'll wear those tops after the trip anyways, so it wasn't wasting money... and they'll be good memories at the same time... Just hope the iron-ons will stay on and live through washing...

A lot of things I was looking for were not available at Walmart and there wasn't much choice. The transfer paper, for example, was only available for light color fabric.

The worst part is I bought 4 tank tops for Mama, including one that wasn't for iron-ons, but that I found cute (I'd bought a blue one for her and a pink one for me). I tried all... She usually wears what doesn't fit me anymore because it's too big (she stopped smoking so she gained weight), so I can usually know what fits her. But nothing I bought for her fits her!!!
She usually doesn't wear tank tops, at least not outside the house and not without a jacket over it... But she decided she'd wear them in Disney, without jackets, because of the heat. She's really self-conscious (overly so...) so it needs to be perfect (in her opinion) or she won't wear it.

I now have the feeling my iron-on DISigns won't work... Either the tank tops I bought won't have the right fabric type (most have ridges... if it's not right I'll return those too) and/or Mama will not find any tank top she likes.

I was so disappointed that none of what I bought her fit that I was almost mad at her... Because I had spent so much time choosing and trying out the stuff... I had almost passed out in the changing room for that... and for what? Nothing...
Or yes, for something : a life lesson : never again buy clothes for Mama!

On that, I'm saying good night!

 

[swwake]

Hey Annie - Thanks for the posts. I was wondering what you had decided. Since I'm at work and have a late start this morning, I'll have to read all the way through later. I just skimmed.

I am glad you decided to fly. And I really don't think it's even 1/2 because of your illness. Anyone on these boards I believe would elect to fly and get two extra days at WDW over driving or choo choo, if it were affordable. I think most people who drive do it because they don't have it in the budget to fly, or because they live so close to Orlando that it would take the same amount of time to fly as to drive, and driving is usually cheaper.

Yay for more food, fun and relaxation time! I think you're going to be happy with the decision.

I'll read through and catch up later....