Trying again in 2010 or 9 "Christmassy" nights at the AKL in December.

[Leash]

Sorry I haven't posted much lately but I just haven't had anything worth posting.

But now a small update. Mom was able to reserve a portable oxygen concentrator for Dad yesterday!
There is a new model of the one he usually takes and when I called the medical equipment rental company they said the new model is very popular so we should make the reservation ASAP so Mom did. I'm very happy because Dad gets a bit "antsy" about traveling because of his health and needing oxygen and was not looking forward to it because his usual concentrator is big and heavy. But Mom did some looking and found this new model that is much smaller and lighter with better batteries so rather that needing 4 batteries for the flight he only needs 2. Knowing he is going to have this new and improved model has put Dad in a better mood about the travel part of the trip so that puts me and Mom in a better mood knowing that Dad is happy and won't be whiny on travel days.

Also Dh discovered a program that lets him turn his laptop into a wireless router! So now we don't have to buy an extra router for the trip and don't have to worry about bringing more electronics through security. We tested it on Monday and I was able to stream Netflix on my netbook using him as the router!

I just love it when things work out well!

 

[Leash]

Been a bit since I updated this but honestly I've not really had much to update about so....

I still don't have much but figured I should post something so - we made the final payment on the trip yesterday so that is one less thing to have to think about. The only things we really have left to do are some shopping to pick up little things for the trip and DH and I both need some new pants, my jeans from last year are too big and his pants are looking ratty. Packing of course though I have started doing a little with things that are just for the trip or that we won't need before we go.
I have to book the limo to take us to the airport the morning we leave because I just don't trust a cab to get to our house on time early in the morning, but I can't book it till a few weeks out. Mom has to schedule oxyen for Dad for the hotel with Apria but again that needs to be done just a few weeks out.

So for now I'm in a holding pattern but at least the are some fall festival things and Halloween to keep me busy for a bit. I am also going to start planning for Thanksgiving soon but since we leave the following Monday we are really going to cut back on the normal "feast" since we won't be home to eat the leftovers.

On another note DH left this afternoon for a short business trip. He went through the metal detector at security and the metal bar in his leg didn't set it off. Hopefully the same thing will happen when we leave next month which will make it just a little easier to get through security considering all the other stuff that will complicate it I am happy for anything that makes it easier.

 

[exwdwcm]

yeah for the final payment and oxygen!!!! i need to book a limo service for us too- our flight is so early, no way am i even asking friends or family to take us. lol!!

So glad you had a great trip to DL. I think the magic feeling can also depend on what you are used to. Thinking back I know I felt some magic when we went to WDW but not as much as we feel at DL. But I think part of that is we have been to DL so many times that my memories add to the magic feeling. Whereas at WDW we had never been so had no memories so the magic was there but different.

good point, i guess i feel the connection to WDW since that is where i have most of my memories, especially as a kid. i only visited DL once as a teenager (you know in that awkward, i am too cool for DL stage). so it makes sense my 'magic' is stronger at WDW and yours at DL. i didn't think of it that way. now i don't feel as bad for thinking DL just didn't 'do it for me'. it was still fantastic, but just not the memories and same old traditions that i have at WDW. of coruse, i can start new ones there too- right?

 

[Leash]

So excited, our Magical Express paperwork was waiting for me when I got home last night! We only got 4 luggage tags, which I understand is the standard now, so I called this morning and asked them to send 2 more. Since we are flying Southwest we get to bring more bags so there will be 6 bags for the 4 of us. I'm having dinner at Mom and Dad's tonight and Mom has requested I bring the packet with me so she can look at it (excited? naw). Now just waiting to get the packet with the actual vacation info and then I shall be in vacation heaven.

I'm working my way through the list of all the little things I have to buy for the trip, including a new pair of shoes for DH ($110 ouch). I started doing laundry so that I can pack things that I won't need before the trip. I'm just glad there is a lot of stuff going on this time of year otherwise I would be going out of my mind waiting, we're at 34 days and 20 days of work!

 

[exwdwcm]

So excited, our Magical Express paperwork was waiting for me when I got home last night! We only got 4 luggage tags, which I understand is the standard now, so I called this morning and asked them to send 2 more. Since we are flying Southwest we get to bring more bags so there will be 6 bags for the 4 of us. I'm having dinner at Mom and Dad's tonight and Mom has requested I bring the packet with me so she can look at it (excited? naw). Now just waiting to get the packet with the actual vacation info and then I shall be in vacation heaven.

I'm working my way through the list of all the little things I have to buy for the trip, including a new pair of shoes for DH ($110 ouch). I started doing laundry so that I can pack things that I won't need before the trip. I'm just glad there is a lot of stuff going on this time of year otherwise I would be going out of my mind waiting, we're at 34 days and 20 days of work!

yeah for ME tags! how fun- makes it seem right around the corner, doesn't it? ouch on the new shoes for DH- tennis shoes? i know, so glad October was busy, the time has flown, now we are just a month out!

 

[happenin2you]

Your trip is coming up really soon! Are you ready?

 

[Leash]

We are leaving for the airport in about 25 minutes, plane is scheduled to land at MCO at 5:50 PM! I will log in here tonight so if you guys want some info or pics of certain things let me know.

 

[exwdwcm]

woo hoo- have a fabulous time!!

 

[happenin2you]

Hope you had a safe flight. How was security at McCarren?

 

[Leash]

Sorry I haven't been on yet, late nights and early mornings.

Happenin2you - security was really easy. I went through the metal detector and DH went through one of the imaging machines and we were both done in about 1 minute. There was really no line to speak of, it took longer to get our stuff out of our carryons and into bin than it did to actually get through security.

I have been writing up a breif update and should have time to post it tonight and I will try to keep it "live" each night.

Having an awesome time BTW!!

 

[exwdwcm]

Sorry I haven't been on yet, late nights and early mornings.

Happenin2you - security was really easy. I went through the metal detector and DH went through one of the imaging machines and we were both done in about 1 minute. There was really no line to speak of, it took longer to get our stuff out of our carryons and into bin than it did to actually get through security.

I have been writing up a breif update and should have time to post it tonight and I will try to keep it "live" each night.

Having an awesome time BTW!!

so glad you made it safely and are having a good time- can't wait to hear more!!!

 

[happenin2you]

Sorry I haven't been on yet, late nights and early mornings.

Happenin2you - security was really easy. I went through the metal detector and DH went through one of the imaging machines and we were both done in about 1 minute. There was really no line to speak of, it took longer to get our stuff out of our carryons and into bin than it did to actually get through security.

I have been writing up a breif update and should have time to post it tonight and I will try to keep it "live" each night.

Having an awesome time BTW!!

Thanks so much! I've been worried about major security delays. I know I flew a lot right after 9/11 and all the extra security stuff took an extra 2 hours each time. Just wanted to make sure I wouldn't have to be there ridiculously early.

So glad to hear you're having a blast! Keep up the fun!

 

[Leash]

I don’t know how to change the title of this thread to make it into a trip report so I’ll deal with that later (if anyone can give me a tip on that let me know), in the meantime I will start writing the report and then add the pictures once I get them into Photobucket and once I get through today I will try to update it when we get back to the room each night to keep it fairly live.
A word of warning, we are taking a very relaxed pace with this whole trip so if you are commando style you may want to rip your hair out and throttle me, you have been warned.

Day 1 – Monday 11/29 –AKL & DTD
It was an early morning but got ready and out fairly quickly and despite the limo driver getting a little lost we got to the airport in good time. Security was pretty easy and our flight left about on time. The flight was uneventful which is always good.
We landed about 20 minutes early, around 5:30 and headed for Magical Express. We got right on the bus but sat for about 20 minutes waiting for more passengers. We end up being the 4th and last stop so we got to AKL about 7:30 which was about 30 minutes later than I thought but it was fine. Check in was quick and easy. We got room 4425 on the zebra trail and have an awesome savannah view (pics to come) though we couldn’t see much since it was dark.
After we dropped our carryon bags and freshened up we headed for Wolfgang Puck Express in DTD and had an awesome dinner (first time any of us had eaten there. After dinner we headed back to the room, our luggage had arrived so we unpacked and went to bed (we were still on Vegas time so we went to bed very late).

Day 2 11/30 - DHS
Didn’t get up too early so we had to scramble to make it to or ADR at 50’s Primetime but we made it with a few minutes to spare and had a great lunch, though my stomach was upset from being stressed about traveling the day before so I couldn’t eat much what I did eat was tasty. We spent the rest of the day in DHS just looking at things and going on rides as we came to them. We went on Rock n Rollercoaster to see if it would be ok for Dad but Mom said it would be too hard on his back and his oxygen tank might fall out so we didn’t go on again. We hit tower of Terror and The Great Movie Ride and One Man’s Dream. We got to see both the Indiana Jones and Lights Motor Action shows which we all thought were great. Then after it got dark we wandered around the Osborne Lights for a bit. We headed back to AKL and had dinner at The Mara and went to bed a little earlier.

Day 3 12/1 – MK
Got in to the park before opening for breakfast at Crystal Palace so got some nice pics of a nearly empty Main Street. Had a really good breakfast then headed off for rides. We started in Adventureland and did just about everything there and in Liberty Square and Frontierland before heading back to the hotel for a rest. DH and I headed back in time to see the MSEP which was great as always, I grew up on that parade so I will actually go early enough to claim a spot whereas I don’t do that for any other parade. This makes 2 out of 2 trips that I have not seen Spectro but I plan to get to it someday. For dinner we took the boat over to the Wilderness Lodge and had a great dinner at Whispering Canyon. Our waitress saw our anniversary buttons so she made Mom and Dad and DH and I have a kissing contest in front of the whole restaurant since both couples are celebrating anniversaries. We caught a cab back to AKL and went to bed.

Day 4 12/2 – EPCOT
Got a real late start since we were all so tired and didn’t get into EPCOT till noon. We were just doing world showcase so we started with Canada. We made it through France, with a stop for lunch at Sunshine Seasons, before Mom and Dad went back to the hotel to change for dinner. DH and I had worn our “nice” clothes to the park so we stayed and just wandered till it was time to meet Mom and Dad at the monorail station. We took the monorail to the Contemporary for Dad’s birthday dinner at the California Grill. They sat us in the small room all the way in the back which I was not happy about since I had been telling Mom and Dad about watching the fireworks from our table, but turns out Dad was happier there since it was quieter. We went outside for Holiday Wishes and came back in for dessert. Everyone left full and happy so the birthday dinner was a success. Caught a cab back to the hotel and turned in.

Day 5 12/3 – AK
Got to the park about an hour after opening and intended to head straight back to Everest for fastpasses but got sidetracked a lot on the way. Finally made it and got the passes and started toward the safari but ended up buying ponchos (it was cold today) and riding Kali rapids. It was fun but too short and since there was no line DH and I just stayed on but Mom and Dad had enough so they got off. Pants were not covered by the poncho so got seriously soaked the second time so we got off after that. We were hungry so headed for lunch. DH decided he wanted Pizzafari but no one else did so he got his food and then we all headed over to Flame Tree so we could get food and eat. Went on Everest after that and loved it so we got fastpasses right away and headed for the safari and the walking trails. Used our second Everest pass then headed out since the park was about to close. Relaxed in the club lounge and the room for a bit (Mom did laundry) then headed downstairs for our Boma ADR. Had a great dinner then headed up here to get clothes ready for tomorrow and head to bed (which is what I will do right after I post this).


So that is our trip so far, I will try to update it every night for the rest of our stay so let me know if there is anything you want to know and I will try to get the answer.

Our schedule:
Sat. 12/4 – EPCOT and dinner at Tutto Italia
Sun. 12/5 – EPCOT no particular dining plans
Mon. 12/6 – MK fireworks dessert buffet
Tue. 12/7 – AK early dinner at Yak & Yeti
Wed. 12/8 – Leave for the airport mid-morning so probably just hang around the hotel