The Ever Morphing Trip Report

[GeminiAngel]

Decided to post this here on The Dis too.

HI ALL!!! We are back, I have a headache, everyone in the house is quite & tired out. Now that's the mark of a great trip!!

If you are just joining me for the first time, click below for my pre-trip report to get you caught up & if you want more info about us.
The Ever Morphing Trip - Pre-Trip Report:
http://wdwenchanted.com/showthread.php?t=15


Brief recap:

Where did we stay? & how long?

Me, Kev, Nova, Mom & Dad - Old Key West, Feb 3rd to Feb 10th
Jimmy & Barbara - Saratoga Springs, Feb 5th to Feb 9th
Dawn & Kelly - CSR, Feb 3rd to Feb 10th


Cast:

Me - Traci 39 & wanting to plan another trip NOW!!
Kevin 45 - Wonderful, Fun loving husband
Nova 7 - Just wants to have fun, after all that's a kids job.

Mom 63 - First Timer, what a trooper this woman is!!
Dad 67 - First Timer, Had a rough go of it. Enjoyed what he could

Jimmy 37 (my cousin) - First Timer, was doubtful & now a believer
Barbara 45 (Jimmy's wife) - Veteran, and was thrilled to be going back

Dawn 29 (friend of 24 yrs!) - First Timer, Fell in love
Kelly 40 (boyfriend of Dawn) - No opinion!?

There was a surprise in store for me & Mom that I did not know about. How could this mostly amateur clan pull that off? Stay tuned.......


A few thoughts before I start with day 1.

The room theme was not my favorite, I thought it was blah.
Mousekeeping was great & the place was well kept. Grounds were very nice but just OK for me. Mom & Dad had a great view, and LOVED their room, the grounds, just everything.

There are plenty of pictures of their room to be seen. Photos of my room will come later in the report as I forgot to take pics until the last day of the trip!

The room was very large and served what we needed.
The bed reminded me of my bed at home, and a few mornings I woke half asleep thinking I was at home.

Even though our room was located at the point where the buses turned around, Noise was never a problem. We were assigned building 21 (Millers rd),
so I was nervous about how far away from hospitality house we were.
Turned out to be only a 7 min walk, very good!

SEE YA REAL SOON!

 

[GeminiAngel]

Tuesday Feb 3, 2009 - Travel Day, Day 1
We awoke at 3am. Everyone was ready to go! and super excited!
I put on Peter Pan to intesify the situation while we got ready.
We had waffles on paper plates with plastic cutlery. I had a 5am order for 2 cabs since we had 5 people and 5 pieces of luggage, plus 2 carry-on's.

It all went off without a hitch. The cab ride was quick, security check point fast and smooth. the flight to Atlanta went by very fast thanks to the activity folder I made for Nova. We had sandwiches & snacks on the plane that mom & I had fixed, so by the time we reached atlanta we were stuffed!

Boarded the plane an hour and a half later, and on our way to orlando!!!

For as bad as the reservation service is for AirTran, the flight crew is wonderful.


At McCarran International

Kevin all excited at take-off

Enroute

Wait!!! I think I see Orlando!!

We made it!!! Were really on the Magical Express!

After arriving and checking in we immediately went across the breeze way and ate at Olivia's. Kevin & Dad had the slow roasted prime-rib. It was to die for, very tender. Mom had the special, Fried Chicken. She hates gravy and it came smothered. After wiping it off it was all good. Nova had the kids chicken tenders meal & I had The free range chicken breast. The warm potato salad was the best!

Like I said I was less than thrilled with the theme of our studio (2116), but Kevin just loved it. We went over to Mom & Dad's to see how they like their studio. Expect.... It wasn't a studio at all!!! They were upgraded to a one bedroom!!! Very awesome for them, they really needed this vacation.

After ooing and ahhing at the amount of space they had, Dad and I set out for Conch Flats General Store to get basic supplies. Now that they had a full kitchen, Dad was hell bent on cooking breakfast tomorrow morning. and the morning after that, and after that..........

Coming up: Hurry up & Relax!!!!

 

[GeminiAngel]

Wed 2/4/09

We hit the ground running. Excited to start our adventure.
Kevin is golfing today at Lake Buena Vista, 11am. Mom, Dad, Nova & me are going to wander around the MK. Followed by our afternoon tea @Grand Floridian for the 4 of us.
We arrive after our 2min walk to Mom & Dad's and as promised, Dad had bacon & eggs cooking up.

Kevin enjoying breakfast

Now I realize I need to call Dawn & Kelly! They arrived late last night!

*Rant*
When reservations were first made with AirTran. Dawn & Kelly were supposed to meet up with us in Atlanta (flying out of Phoenix), as we had the same connection to Orlando. AirTran made sure that wasn't going to happen though. Dawn's flight was switched, and would now be arriving at 10pm instead of 5pm with us.
*Rant Over*

I call Dawn's cell, and of course I woke her up. I come to find out They missed their flight and are still in Phoenix!!! I must say that is completely Dawn's fault. She always runs late. So now she tells me they are arriving tonight instead. Good thing it was a day with no major park plans. Dawn was to shop at the outlet today, then join us for dinner tonight.

Kevin finishes off breakfast, and off to the driving range he goes.
Dad starts to clean the kitchen! Wiping down the range, & counter tops
I tell him to just relax and leave it for once. He won't do it. So here we are waiting to start our day, and he's playing Susie homemaker.

Mom starts yelling at him to just relax & hurry up and get ready!! We want to leave!!

Finally. Only by the grace of God, off to the bus stop on Miller's rd we go.

Some room Photos

While waiting for the MK bus, a few others come by first. Then here comes an Epcot bus. So at spur of the moment plans change and off to Epcot we go! Leaving thoughts of MK behind us.

Comming up: Tea for 3

 

[GeminiAngel]

Wed 2/4/09 continued

While enroute, Dad & Nova decided they really wanted to do SpaceShip Earth first. Then Nova decides to let out some gas and help the bus move faster. Poor thing was so embarrassed!

Upon arriving at Epcot the spiel comes on "Please take your belongings, and watch your head & step as you disembark, Please take small children by the hair (hand)" At least that's how my Dad said it. That gave me and Dad a small private chuckle for the entire trip.

When we arrived to Epcot it was 10am & very cold, for me it was getting a little late. I had some things I really wanted to do before our 2pm tea. So we jumped on Spaceship Earth. No pics, but Dad and Nova looked really cute in their spacesuits. We laughed ourselves silly. Mom almost fell asleep on SE. It wasn't her thing.

We jumped on the Highway in the Sky to TTC, grabbed some pastries, hot chocolate & coffee at an outdoor kiosk right there before the ferry boat. They really should put out some tables, that would have been great. Maybe they do in better weather?

Nova really wanted to take the ferry over to MK, so that's what we did.
Did I mention it was very cold! We froze all the way over to MK! Everyone was huddled in the back of the boat. I'm surprised we didn't flip head over heels from the weight!

It was cold, but a beautiful clear day

Going up Main Street, Dream Along with Mickey was already in progress so we grabbed a spot. It wasn't too crowded.

Mom & Dad were surprised at what a big production this was. DisneyLand in CA is nice, but they felt the shows are not the same grand scale as the show in WDW are. We followed this up with Dad wrecking a photo of the castle.

On to POTC, Then the Pirates Tutorial. Oh boy, Capt JS!!! Mom & I were swooning!

It was now getting to the time that we needed to leave for our tea. Dad at the last minute declares it would be too girly for him, and makes a mad dash for the bus back to OKW. Which, he was right. Not too many men were there.

On the way to GF.

A quick stop in the gift shop at GF, and I bought Nova a Belle dress and had it delivered back to OKW. We waited in the lobby on one of those very comfy couches they have.

Sorry for the blur's, I don't take the best of pictures. Neither does Mom.

Nova primping up

On to the afternoon tea! It really was great. Mom & Me both had the Grand Tea. Nova had the Mrs Potts tea.
Mom- Gardenview Blend. I didn't care for it, tasted like grass.
Me- Vanilla Rooibos, yummy!
Nova- Mad Hatter, she loved it. Fruity and we put lots of sugar

The chocolate strawberries were to die for! As was the English Trifle.

We were Stuffed. And Having finished Mom's Glass of Domaine Ste Michelle, I was looped, slightly.

coming up: late afternoon & dinner plans.

 

[GeminiAngel]

With my happy little buzz, an excited 7 year old daughter, and a full Mother. We headed up to the monorail station at the Grand Floridian to make our way back to TTC & on to Epcot, for the second time today.

I asked if we could sit in the cone. No go. it was already occupied.

The plan was to make our way up the right side of Future World to the International Gateway with a few stop along the way of course!
Living with the Land.

I wondered if they made my tea with the vanilla grown here.

On to an attraction I never did before, Journey into your Imagination.
And the fun pavilion afterwards. Just love that purple dragon!

Freezing!

Bopping along through Canada, lucky us catches "Men in skirts"
Off Kilter! They are awesome!

At the near by pin kiosk, Nova decides she needs two more pins for already weighed down lanyard. We purchase those and walk though the International Gateway towards Yacht Club where we plan to meet up with Dad & Kevin in the lobby. While approaching the Beach Club, we stroll along the beach getting our shoes full of sand. But who cares, were on vacation.

It was a tiring day, and I'm looking forward to dinner in a big way.
Taking a breather in the lobby of YC

Nova & Daddy

He only thinks he's the Captian

I take my tired dogs, and we march back over to Beach Club for our 7:05 ADR at Cape May. We were so not impressed with this meal. It was just OK.
But Kevin did love the mussels

We had noted it was our 8yr anniversay (feb 24), They brought us out some sort of chocolate mousse & made a big deal about it, with clapping and cheering. That was the best part of the meal

Back to OKW for us by cab. I think I was asleep before we entered the room!

Kevin loved his day of golf. Dad went and took a big ole nap upon his return from the MK. Everyone did what they wanted to do. It was a great first day of fun!

Coming up: A day of surprise!

 

[GeminiAngel]

OMG! How the heck could I have forgotten this?

While on Living with the Land with Mom & Nova. My phone goes off.
Who the heck could it be? Why Lara, aka Sarilas! I called her back after we got off the boat, we just touched base about how we couldn't wait to meet on Friday.

 

[GeminiAngel]

Thursday Feb 5th 2009

Kevin magnolia golf course 10am
animal kingdom for lite touring.
epcot world showcase late afternoon (latest 4'ish)
6:30pm dinner at biergarten @germany, epcot world showcase
open evening plans

I squint open my eyes to a dark room. Where the heck am I? I think it was 5am or so. I couldn't go back to sleep. Trying not to wake Kevin or Nova, I went to the only other private room in this place. Yup, the bathroom. I took me a nice hot shower. My calves were already aching! Its only been one day! What a whimp I'm becoming. :lol:

Finally the other two get up, and I toss Nova in the shower. Today we must wash her hair. With all the conditioning, creme rinse, etc... It takes about an hour to get dry after she's out of the shower. For those who have no Idea why I'm going on about her hair, please see my alopecia blog, the link is in my signature.

Over to Mom & Dad's for pancakes, bacon, & oatmeal. Dad announces he slept funny on his neck. He's in really bad pain, and cannot turn his head to the right. This does not mix well with his osteoporosis. Still, we all head out in the freezing cold to AK for the morning, while Kevin heads for the Magnolia Course.

We jumped on the safari first thing. Mom and Dad loved it even though there weren't many animals out. The male lion was standing, first time I ever saw his lazy butt do that, and growling very low. It was pretty cool.

I then had a great idea that Nova loved. Let's go to Rafiki's Planet Watch.
So glad we did. They were taking x-rays of a sea turtle from The Seas that was egg binding. I also knew I could find a quiet spot here to call Dawn, who ( oh please help me) should be here on property in WDW now.

Hip Hip Hooray!!! Dawn is here and knew from my itinerary that we would be in AK this morning. So she is already on the bus over. I then get a call from my cousin Jimmy and wife Barbara that they too have arrived in Orlando.
Jimmy is spending the day with his friend Joe who lives in Orlando, and having dinner at T-Rex (which they loved). So we won't be meeting with J&B until tomorrow morning.

While waiting for Dawn to come over to Rafiki's Planet Watch, Nova made some new friends.

Off to bed with me!!

Coming up: Mom & Me get a great surprise.

 

[jordanyosh]

It looked cold.....

That's a unique trip where everyone does what they want from day 1....I like that approach. I'm gonna have to think of that.......

 

[GeminiAngel]

It looked cold.....
That's a unique trip where everyone does what they want from day 1....I like that approach. I'm gonna have to think of that.......

Welcome Jordan!! It was great. We got away from each other for a bit.

 

[jordanyosh]

Welcome Jordan!! It was great. We got away from each other for a bit.

No opportunity for complaining either! Well.....at least it reduces the chance of complaining

 

[Sabrina90744]

Hi!! Just found your report, can't wait to read all about your adventures, wasn't it freezing those first few days!!

 

[GeminiAngel]

Hi!! Just found your report, can't wait to read all about your adventures, wasn't it freezing those first few days!!

Welcome!! Oh yea it was cold!!

 

[winkers]

Holy cow woman!! I can't believe how much you've got posted already!

 

[GeminiAngel]

Thu 2/5 - continued

After signatures & photos Dad wanted to check out the sound booths, while Nova, Mom & me check out some bugs & snakes. My phone rings and its Dawn telling me she is standing near Pocahontas meet & greet. Now I'm looking all around for her & Kelly. I had never meet Kelly before and was anxious because I think this guy is gonna be the "one" for Dawn. Ah, There you are!! We hug, Mom & Dad hug Dawn, Nova grabs onto her.

Where's Kelly? Dawn says Kelly started a new job so he couldn't come. I start to say Okay? so...... and out pops Dawn's mother Lorraine, her sister Heather & Heather's 6mo baby Tristian instead!

You must know the history here to understand how overwhelmed Mom, Dad & I were. I've known Dawn since she was 5 (now 30), and I've known Heather (20) since she was born. Mom, Dad & Lorraine (53) the best of friends. Lorraine and I are famous for our slapstick sarcasm. Good friends all those years, actually more like family. Lorraine stayed with me for 24hrs at the hospital when Nova was born. Dawn & Lorraine are Nova's Godparents.

Three years ago Lorraine's brother fell ill, they all up and moved to Phoenix, AZ. We've missed them terribly since. :frown:

Mom & Lorraine's tearful reunion at Rafiki's Planet Watch

Dawn, Heather & Tristan

We were so loud everyone was looking at us! :whistle: oops.

-----------------------------------------------

We left RPW chatting away and catching up on things. Dad's neck was really becoming a bother to him & he decided he needs to go back to OKW.
We see him to the exit :frown:, and head to Pizzasafari for some lunch. I don't know if it was the happy high I was on, or if the pizza really isn't all that bad. My main course was a Chicken Caesar salad. Loved it.

We head for DinoLand and Dawn, Heather & Nova ride Primeval Whirl. That is way too spinnie for me! Mom & Lorraine went for a smoke break :no:. I know there will be lots of these. Mom, Lorraine & Heather all smoke. I baby sat Tristan. What a great baby. So happy.

We followed PW up with Dinosaur! Nova hated it. Mom & I sat out with Tristan. I called Kevin and told him about the switch-a-roo, he was excited and couldn't wait to see them.

Then I heard it. The call of the Yeti. Well not for me but I knew Dawn & Nova couldn't wait to ride it. Again Mom & I sat out with Tristan. Hard to believe even though I'm not riding anything I'm still having a really great time.:biggrin:

On a slant

Nova fell in love with Expedition Everest!! Lorraine said never again. :lol:
Dawn & Heather also enjoyed it very much. On the way out, I bought Nova an Ice cream sandwich. Shaping up to be a great day!

Coming up: Time to leave AK and head for World Showcase

 

[jordanyosh]

Probably having too much fun to notice that ur not going on many rides for sure that and the surprise of having close friends show up unexpectedly!

 

[winkers]

What a great suprise!!

 

[angela3676]

Hi!!! Just found your trip report. I'm all caught up and waiting for more. You and your family seem to be having a great time. Thanks for sharing.

 

[heaven2dc]

I just love stumbling upon great TR's! What a great family you have and even greater the surprise

Can't wait to read more

 

[GeminiAngel]

I just love stumbling upon great TR's! What a great family you have and even greater the surprise

Can't wait to read more

Hey!! Welcome to the party! Thanks for calling my first TR great!

 

[GeminiAngel]

Probably having too much fun to notice that ur not going on many rides for sure that and the surprise of having close friends show up unexpectedly!

That is exactly correct! I was just happy to not be at work, & to be surrounded by people I love.

What a great suprise!!

It was very overwhelming. We made so much noise, forgetting where we were for a minute!