fairy god aunt
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Jan 27, 2003
- Messages
- 141
Cast: Me -aunt of princesses and obsessive planner; MomMom of princesses ("MM")- recently diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and using a wheelchair for the first time; Sherri ("S") -- mother of princesses, MM's daughter and my sister; Mick ("M") - father of princesses; Princess Marie -- almost 8, 3rd trip to DW; Princesses Christa and Noelle - 3.5 year old twins, 2nd trip to DW
Goals: Crystal Palace lunch and Cindy Dinner
Our journey begins with a 7 a.m. flight out of Atlantic City airport, which is only about a 10 minute drive. Because of a change in seating policy, we were not able to preselect seats but people who booked after us were. Because of MM's mobility concerns, it is crucial that we get seats up front so we plan to leave at 4 a.m. Well, that doesn't happen, but we still manage to get there by 5. Well, not early enough. MM is put in a front row, but they have assigned the rest of us to be in the exit rows -- smart considering we have 3 children with us. We are assured it won't be a problem, they'll change it at the gate. But then Marie's blinking tinkerbelle sandals hold us up in security! I am concerned aboout MM being by herself. What is she needs something? I ask if we can upgrade and be together. (Spirit allows upgrades to "Plus" for $40 more at the gate.) No luck, only one seat left -- fine we'll take it and put MM there so she'll have extra leg room and more attention if she needs help. Nope -- too late -- can't give her the seat because she already has one assigned. Someone else will have to take the seat and switch in flight. Hello-- MM can't move! So she can't switch in flight! So, MM stays put and now we are all on the plane literally begging the other passengers to switch to the exit rows. (People are really rude -- they act like we assigned ourselves to the exit seats!) Finally, two people agree to move -- M and Christa have seats. They announce that we can't leave until someone else switches with us. Finally, two more switch and S and Noelle have seats. Marie then gets one near S and I am assigned the last row -- wait a minute, what about the upgrade seat. Oh yeah, I can have it. I hurry to the front, pay my $40 and we are off. The other "Plus" passengers are annoyed because they paid more -- hey -- the policy is the policy, it's not my fault. Once in flight, MM predictably would rather not change seats.
We check in -- great one room is ready and our faxed request for a connecting Big Pine Key rooms with balconies are met. We need fat pens before lunch at CP so me and MM take off; the gang will meet us at CP after the bags arrive in the room. In each of our prior two trips we had lunch at CP on the first day so it is kind of a tradition. Me and MM get the pens and get stuck in a down pour on the way to CP. Pushing the chair isn't bad but trying to get a poncho on MM in the middle of a downpour and then getting mine on is difficult. We arrive at CP, put our names in and are called about 15 minutes later. Where is the gang? We shouldn't have split up. Maybe they're lost? MM gets annoyed. Finally, they show up -- S's video camera is gone -- it didn't make it to the room. But no time to frown -- we need to meet Pooh. The girls are wonderfully excited but the food is so so. After we decide to go back to the hotel. I am now realizing that it is unlikely we'll be back today so we now just wasted a day's pass on lunch. I am starting to get depressed when Tiffany calls and says they found the camera. Yippee!! Who cares that we just spent an extra over $300 just to have lunch.
After unpacking, a swim for the adults and naps for the girls, we head over to Cindy's dinner. We highly recommend this! Of all character meals, we got the most attention at this one and the food was great! Prince Charming danced with each of the girls (on his knees with the twins) and Christa especially could not stop beaming and flirting with him. They were all dressed as Cindy so maybe that's why they got so much attention. I can't say enough good things about this dinner -- it is a must do for our next vacation.
Goals: Crystal Palace lunch and Cindy Dinner
Our journey begins with a 7 a.m. flight out of Atlantic City airport, which is only about a 10 minute drive. Because of a change in seating policy, we were not able to preselect seats but people who booked after us were. Because of MM's mobility concerns, it is crucial that we get seats up front so we plan to leave at 4 a.m. Well, that doesn't happen, but we still manage to get there by 5. Well, not early enough. MM is put in a front row, but they have assigned the rest of us to be in the exit rows -- smart considering we have 3 children with us. We are assured it won't be a problem, they'll change it at the gate. But then Marie's blinking tinkerbelle sandals hold us up in security! I am concerned aboout MM being by herself. What is she needs something? I ask if we can upgrade and be together. (Spirit allows upgrades to "Plus" for $40 more at the gate.) No luck, only one seat left -- fine we'll take it and put MM there so she'll have extra leg room and more attention if she needs help. Nope -- too late -- can't give her the seat because she already has one assigned. Someone else will have to take the seat and switch in flight. Hello-- MM can't move! So she can't switch in flight! So, MM stays put and now we are all on the plane literally begging the other passengers to switch to the exit rows. (People are really rude -- they act like we assigned ourselves to the exit seats!) Finally, two people agree to move -- M and Christa have seats. They announce that we can't leave until someone else switches with us. Finally, two more switch and S and Noelle have seats. Marie then gets one near S and I am assigned the last row -- wait a minute, what about the upgrade seat. Oh yeah, I can have it. I hurry to the front, pay my $40 and we are off. The other "Plus" passengers are annoyed because they paid more -- hey -- the policy is the policy, it's not my fault. Once in flight, MM predictably would rather not change seats.
We check in -- great one room is ready and our faxed request for a connecting Big Pine Key rooms with balconies are met. We need fat pens before lunch at CP so me and MM take off; the gang will meet us at CP after the bags arrive in the room. In each of our prior two trips we had lunch at CP on the first day so it is kind of a tradition. Me and MM get the pens and get stuck in a down pour on the way to CP. Pushing the chair isn't bad but trying to get a poncho on MM in the middle of a downpour and then getting mine on is difficult. We arrive at CP, put our names in and are called about 15 minutes later. Where is the gang? We shouldn't have split up. Maybe they're lost? MM gets annoyed. Finally, they show up -- S's video camera is gone -- it didn't make it to the room. But no time to frown -- we need to meet Pooh. The girls are wonderfully excited but the food is so so. After we decide to go back to the hotel. I am now realizing that it is unlikely we'll be back today so we now just wasted a day's pass on lunch. I am starting to get depressed when Tiffany calls and says they found the camera. Yippee!! Who cares that we just spent an extra over $300 just to have lunch.
After unpacking, a swim for the adults and naps for the girls, we head over to Cindy's dinner. We highly recommend this! Of all character meals, we got the most attention at this one and the food was great! Prince Charming danced with each of the girls (on his knees with the twins) and Christa especially could not stop beaming and flirting with him. They were all dressed as Cindy so maybe that's why they got so much attention. I can't say enough good things about this dinner -- it is a must do for our next vacation.
