...embrace the unexpected, and laugh along.
Our first visit, we had an evening free w/o the kids thanks to Grandma & Grandpa. DW and I had an ADR (then called a Priority Seating reservation) at the Contemporary at 9:30 so as to watch "Wishes" from the observation deck before going back to WL. Long story short, everything went wrong at the MK, we waited 1 1/2 hrs for a ride with a typhoon for a finale. Parade's cancelled, Wishes is probably cancelled and by the time we get off SM, it's time to leave. We head for the boat dock which is fortunately covered because it's still raining. Slowly, the line moves ahead, and after over an hour in line, 10pm approaches. We eventually decide that it would be ridiculous to try for our Extravagant Dessert On The Observation Deck thing. Well go back and grab something wonderful at the Whispering Canyon Café. (Grumble, grumble, grumble.)
Eventually, we become aware of the group of people directly in line behind us. They include a younger family, husband, wife, infant maybe 6 mos old. No umbrella, no raincoats, no ponchos or jackets, theyre all in t-shirts, soaking wet and chilled from the wind. The Mother has the infant in her arms trying to keep him as warm as possible. Theyve been standing in this line for almost an hour, and I realize...theyre talking about getting back to their car!
Haltingly, I intrude and ask if theyre going to the TTC.
Yes, we are, they reply. Theyre on a day trip from about three hours drive away. I then have to tell them that this boat doesnt go to the TTC, it goes only to the CR, FW, WL, and then back here. Their faces just fell. They were cold, they were wet, they were facing a 3-hour drive, and theyd been waiting for an hour in the wrong line. We peered down the bank in the dark to where the TTC boat loaded. The waiting dock was packed with people, but at the time it wasnt covered, and the rain was still falling steadily. Suddenly, my wife blurted out,
The buses! They can catch a bus from the lodge. So we tell them,
Look, stay right here and follow us. This boat goes to the lodge and well get off there and take you to the bus stop. Its a two minute ride from there to the TTC. If you go down to that dock, youll be waiting another hour in the rain. They agree and finally the boat comes for us.
We get to the dock of the WL and disembark. Running through the rain, we go into the main lobby. The WL tries to mimic the seasons at national parks and apparently, its Winter in Yellowstone so the ambient temperature of the lobby is 20 degrees. The water runs off of us and pools at our feet, freezing almost instantly. (I love AC.) We run through the lobby to keep from freezing to death, pelting down the thankfully covered walkway to the bus stop. At that moment, a TTC bus pulls up and they walk right on. Over their shoulders, with pleading, grateful expressions, they call out,
Thank you! Thank you so much!
We didnt even learn their names. Its shameful, people coming in and out of your life like that, and you dont even know their names.
Liz and I head back for dessert at WCC. Were sitting there, eating I dont know, something fabulous when we hear it:
Whompf! Whompf-whompf! Whompf! I notice a swelling, green glow from the direction of the Magic Kingdom. Wishes is going off, delayed, but Im sure still spectacular. I look at Liz, and we sigh.
Best laid plans, right?
We created a lot of memories on that trip, and the next one. But nothing tops the time everything went wrong, and it was still alright. So the moral of this ridiculously long story is this: My agenda is not a set of laws which Must Be Obeyed. If you look around you may find the items on your laboriously constructed, exquisitely planned agenda are the least important thing in your day. And, in the words of a certain lady pirate,
"They're more like guidelines, anyway." 
