My very first trip report ..... I've been waiting a very long time to be able to do this 
The Cast
Beth - 41. Loves Disney and planned the trip.
Sherry - 43. Came along for the ride, but was excited.
Dad - 76. Only came for the drive. He went to visit friends in Tampa/Zephryhills. Didn't do Disney.
Wednesday, October 10
Woke up VERY early in the morning .. too excited 'cause I knew this was the day I finally got to leave for Florida and Disney! Oh my gosh ... all these months of planning and reading the message boards and talking with ya'll .. and the time was finally here.
Spent most of last night packing my bags, trying to figure out what to take with me .. and kept having to take the cats out of the bags (I think they wanted to go play with the MOUSE).
So on Wednesday morning, I went and cashed that all-important paycheck, picked up my prescriptions (more on that later) and packed up my car!
First thing to do was go pick up my Dad. He lives about 20 miles east of me so that was no big deal. We were actually going to drive his truck down and leave my car for my sister-in-law to use while we were gone (sis-in-law and brother live next door to my Dad).
When I got to my Dad's he teased me horribly about the number of bags and stuff that I was taking. I just thumbed up my nose .. after all .. we're driving and a truck at that .. there's room for everything . RIGHT? Get everything transferred from my car to Dad's truck, made sure SIL has keys to the car and away we go. We finally leave Dad's house around 2ish as he just HAD to attend Rotary today. MEN.
Next stop - Indianapolis to pick up Sherry. This isn't too long of a drive from Kalamazoo - only about 3 1/2 hours. Straight down I-94 to 69, and then SOUTH. Just love the thought of finally going SOUTH. Get to Sherry's apartment around 5:30ish and go out to eat. Head back to her apartment and watch TV. I developed a horrible migraine and took some medication (love that vicadine) and went to bed.
Thursday, October 11
Sherry woke everyone up EARLY . around 6 am and got up moving for the day. By 6:30 we were out the door and on the road. Sherry was driving. Good thing since she was most familiar with Indy and we would have gotten us hopelessly lost. And actually Sherry ended up driving the entire day. We didn't stop for breakfast for a few hours and then drove and drove and drove.
Since I was the shortest, I ended up in the back (Dad's truck is a cab and a half) with Dad and Sherry in the front. Trip was mostly uneventful ... except I hate going through Monteagle. When I see the ramps for the runaway trucks, it gives me the creeps. So, of course, Sherry and Dad teased me horribly
We stopped for the night at Valdosta, Georgia. So this would only leave us about 4 hours of driving the next day ... and we would finally be at DISNEY ... and checking in at All Stars Music. I was in heaven. I couldn't wait. I was driving everyone crazy. (Ya'll should have been there with me ).
Friday, October 12 - THE DAY
So we get up Friday morning, Sherry is going to drive, starts the truck up .. and it makes horribly, terrible funny noises - and it won't go in reverse. Dad climbs under the truck and discovers the tie-rod is broken. We have absolutely no idea how the tie-rod broke. None of us remember hitting anything hard enough to break it. So Dad bends the shield thingie (my official name) so it doesn't make the horrid noise and we carefully drive the 100 yards or so to eat breakfast. The waitstaff is great .... they tell us of a repair place just down the road that will take care of us.... we just have to wait til they're open. So much for getting an early start today
The guys at the repair place were terrific! They couldn't repair it ... but they called like ten different places trying to get the part they needed -- no one had it. So, like any self-respecting guy, they wired it. Told us to drive very carefully and sent us on our way.
Made it to Disney
Pulled onto Disney lands at about 12ish ... yeah I can't believe I'm finally here. After about 9 months of planning, and excitement ... I'm here. Look at all these wonderful signs ... they prove I'm here. Oh, I'm supposed to be reading the signs to help find All Stars (oops
). We do find the resort ... and its fantastic. Although I didn't get the major request I had ... which was to be in Calypso (bummer) ... I did get a non-smoking room (yeah). We were in Broadway.
part II coming up
The Cast
Beth - 41. Loves Disney and planned the trip.
Sherry - 43. Came along for the ride, but was excited.
Dad - 76. Only came for the drive. He went to visit friends in Tampa/Zephryhills. Didn't do Disney.
Wednesday, October 10
Woke up VERY early in the morning .. too excited 'cause I knew this was the day I finally got to leave for Florida and Disney! Oh my gosh ... all these months of planning and reading the message boards and talking with ya'll .. and the time was finally here.
Spent most of last night packing my bags, trying to figure out what to take with me .. and kept having to take the cats out of the bags (I think they wanted to go play with the MOUSE).
So on Wednesday morning, I went and cashed that all-important paycheck, picked up my prescriptions (more on that later) and packed up my car!
First thing to do was go pick up my Dad. He lives about 20 miles east of me so that was no big deal. We were actually going to drive his truck down and leave my car for my sister-in-law to use while we were gone (sis-in-law and brother live next door to my Dad).
When I got to my Dad's he teased me horribly about the number of bags and stuff that I was taking. I just thumbed up my nose .. after all .. we're driving
and a truck at that .. there's room for everything . RIGHT? Get everything transferred from my car to Dad's truck, made sure SIL has keys to the car and away we go. We finally leave Dad's house around 2ish as he just HAD to attend Rotary today. MEN.Next stop - Indianapolis to pick up Sherry. This isn't too long of a drive from Kalamazoo - only about 3 1/2 hours. Straight down I-94 to 69, and then SOUTH. Just love the thought of finally going SOUTH. Get to Sherry's apartment around 5:30ish and go out to eat. Head back to her apartment and watch TV. I developed a horrible migraine and took some medication (love that vicadine) and went to bed.
Thursday, October 11
Sherry woke everyone up EARLY . around 6 am and got up moving for the day. By 6:30 we were out the door and on the road. Sherry was driving. Good thing since she was most familiar with Indy and we would have gotten us hopelessly lost
. And actually Sherry ended up driving the entire day. We didn't stop for breakfast for a few hours and then drove and drove and drove.Since I was the shortest, I ended up in the back (Dad's truck is a cab and a half) with Dad and Sherry in the front. Trip was mostly uneventful ... except I hate going through Monteagle. When I see the ramps for the runaway trucks, it gives me the creeps. So, of course, Sherry and Dad teased me horribly
We stopped for the night at Valdosta, Georgia. So this would only leave us about 4 hours of driving the next day ... and we would finally be at DISNEY ... and checking in at All Stars Music. I was in heaven. I couldn't wait. I was driving everyone crazy. (Ya'll should have been there with me
).Friday, October 12 - THE DAY
So we get up Friday morning, Sherry is going to drive, starts the truck up .. and it makes horribly, terrible funny noises - and it won't go in reverse. Dad climbs under the truck and discovers the tie-rod is broken. We have absolutely no idea how the tie-rod broke. None of us remember hitting anything hard enough to break it. So Dad bends the shield thingie (my official name) so it doesn't make the horrid noise and we carefully drive the 100 yards or so to eat breakfast. The waitstaff is great .... they tell us of a repair place just down the road that will take care of us.... we just have to wait til they're open. So much for getting an early start today
The guys at the repair place were terrific! They couldn't repair it ... but they called like ten different places trying to get the part they needed -- no one had it. So, like any self-respecting guy, they wired it. Told us to drive very carefully and sent us on our way.
Made it to Disney
Pulled onto Disney lands at about 12ish ... yeah I can't believe I'm finally here. After about 9 months of planning, and excitement ... I'm here. Look at all these wonderful signs ... they prove I'm here. Oh, I'm supposed to be reading the signs to help find All Stars (oops
). We do find the resort ... and its fantastic. Although I didn't get the major request I had ... which was to be in Calypso (bummer) ... I did get a non-smoking room (yeah). We were in Broadway.part II coming up
