We carry moist towelettes. A *Mostly* Germ-Free TR ........

[Trentmom]

O



[



We stayed at the AKL on the 2002 trip. In my recollection EVERY bus was an insanely long wait at that resort! We were s



[



How far in advance can you start those PTRs? I don't want to jump the gun. I don't have any solid plans yet. Just dreams.....



Thanks, Amy! I'm still reading your TR too! I think next time I have to get him something, I'll just spin around and point. ha! Thanks for reading and for the compliment. I think the cab idea was smart too! I don't usually think on the fly like that. Go me!

Well, as far out as you like. My trip is booked for OCt 2008 and I started my pre trippie about a month ago

 

[Muffinygood]

It's all typed guys! I just can't seem to get the darn video to upload to Photobucket. bear with me.....

 

[DisneyJo]

Are you still in your PJ's It's almost time for me to put mine back on

 

[Disneyolic]

It's all typed guys! I just can't seem to get the darn video to upload to Photobucket. bear with me.....

Photobucket has been a little stinky lately. It may say you uploaded a video but not show it. However, it is there. Simply go to another folder or leave the site and go back. It will "magically" appear! Good luck!

 

[Muffinygood]

The last update of the last day...oh, bummer. Well, maybe I can make this TWO updates. Yes, that’s it. Then we can at least have a couple of extra days.

The Bell desk is retrieving our bags for us. It’s about 3:30 pm. Our Magical Express bus will arrive in front of the resort at 4:30 pm. They tell us to be there at 4:15 pm. Ok, that’s plenty of time to visit the restroom. Ah, I’ll miss the clean potties at WL. All over Disney actually! I don’t think I’d even contemplate changing into my swimsuit in a “regular” bathroom. NOPE. But, the restrooms outside of Whispering Canyon in the lobby of the WL are SO clean. You won’t hesitate. We make our potty stop and decide to take a last walk around the hotel.

We walk out the back exit near Roaring Forks and snap one more picture of the hotel from the “pool perspective.”

If you look at this photo, you will see the main building with the large windows. To the right of that (and the chimney) is a “tower” of sorts. There are three balconies, one on top of another in a row. We were the middle one. That would be room 5064. In case anyone likes the room view we had. It was quite nice. And we had an amazing view of the geyser. It was VERY quiet, not a peep outta anyone. And though our room corridor opened onto the lobby (sort of in a diagonal way) we never heard the lobby “noise” I’ve heard described on other threads. Nor did we hear Whispering Canyon. Just so you know....

We finished our outside tour and went back inside. I decided to snap photos of the large totem poles inside the lobby. They are pretty neat.

Our next stop was the Mercantile. We need to get snacks for the airport and bus ride. I have to interject here and say that this little store is really well stocked. I noticed this on our other visits to this store. I’m sure it is because they have the villas onsite and those people don’t want to have to go to a grocery store every time they need milk or butter. Whatever the reason, it’s nice to be able to grab poptarts or nilla wafers when you want them. They also stock soy milk in a smallish container. This was WONDERFUL for us because those little boxes of cereal aren’t much help to us without soy. Both DS and myself are milk intolerant. We ask the CMs if they have WL pins. No, and he says they haven’t had them for weeks. I guess they sold out during the summer crowds and haven’t received any to restock them. Well, at least we know what happened to them! He suggests that we ask the pin cart near the lobby just in case they’ve gotten some in. He said they restock every day or two and the Mercantile doesn’t restock it’s pins that often. We select our snacks (N picks Goofy Gummy Bears -I know they aren’t bears, but whatever.....And I select Nilla Wafers since I’m not 100% better yet. We next decide to walk over to the pin cart on our way to Roaring Forks.

The pin cart has a decent selection. AND....................SCORE! WL pins!!!! Yay! Two of them! One features the totem pole out front of the Mercantile. And I forget the other. I think it may have been Chip and Dale. I purchase two of the totem pole ones and one other pin (YOAMD) for DS14. N and I are soooo excited that we found our pins finally! I scour the “tinkerbell section” for new ones. That’s what I collect! Nothing leaps out at me. So, we go down the long ramp to Roaring Forks to refill “the cup” one last time. We decide on Green Tea w/ Jasmine. Yummy!

Snacks in hand we return to the lobby and still have a few minutes to kill before our ride comes. We go to the corner near the check in desk where they have couches and a tv playing Mickey cartoons. Except that it’s GONE! They’ve moved all the furniture out of this area so that they can refinish the wood floors. There is a LARGE area blocked off where they are running those loud floor buffers and I only know this because when I looked off our balcony earlier this day I saw into the “blocked part.” So, no cartoons. I snap this photo of N looking totally pooped.

We decide to take a break in the chairs over near the large fireplace. Then I get inspired to take a video of the lobby for my DH. I know the video is AWFUL but I didn’t consider posting this on the DIS when I shot it. I added the music because I sound weird. Really. I never knew that’s what I sounded like. And then Photobucket was being a real stinker (As DM said) and forced me to upload it in TWO parts. ARGH. First up is the view is from the back part of the lobby. The small geyser we videoed earlier in the TR is there, then the elevators. Next you see the hallway that leads outdoors to the busses and the Villas. The Mercantile is next to this hallway. You can see where they’ve closed off to finish the floors. The large windows over the entrance to the lobby. The Whispering Canyon restaurant is to the right of those doors (from my perspective, it would be left if you were entering. ) That’s where part one ends. Part two starts as I pan past the WC, you can see the HUGE fireplace. It’s really, really large. It’s made up up all the layers of the actual Grand Canyon. N and I enjoyed reading the information boxes located near it that detail each layer and what time period it was from. Up above that fireplace is our room. If you look above the American Flag, that was our floor and our room was pretty much right there. The last view is out the back. If you went to the left, you hit the pin cart. Then the Artist Point Restaurant. Then you would go down a ramp to the pool exit and the Roaring Forks. I hope you enjoyed my little tour! For you regulars at WL, sorry.




Again, sorry about the low quality video. Just thought someone might get something from it....

The bus arrives right on time. We are waiting on the bench when it pulls up. RIGHT ON TIME! The driver comes to the bench and announces that the 4:30 ME is there, and we can hand our bags to him. He walks us over to where it’s parked. It is myself, N and two girls who look like sisters. We all look very sad. Alejandro (our driver) comes aboard and says that we should sit back and relax. The drive away from “home” is sad. I shoot this photo of the topiaries while we wait for the luggage to be loaded.

Aren’t they sweet? Our last view of the Wilderness Lodge is this.

We’re on the bus to the airport. N and I chat about all the cool stuff that we did. He says that was the funnest birthday he’s ever had. That makes me smile all the way to Orlando!
It’s sort of weird, they don’t play the video on the overhead tvs for you on the way back to the airport. Or, maybe it was an oversight, because they weren’t even on. Just an observation. I’ll do the last update on our airport time, trip home and the first day of school (for N, he missed the REAL first day!)

Thanks for reading guys!

 

[Muffinygood]

Are you still in your PJ's It's almost time for me to put mine back on

I nearly was, Jo! I got out of them at 2 and got back in at 9. We went to see Harry Potter 5 again. N hadn't seen it because he was determined to finish the book before he saw it. WELL, let me tell you, it was the only theatre showing in within 100 miles of us! Good thing we got to it. I know (I think...?) that today is your surgery. I've had two (glaucoma) and my prayers and good wishes are with you Jo!

Photobucket has been a little stinky lately. It may say you uploaded a video but not show it. However, it is there. Simply go to another folder or leave the site and go back. It will "magically" appear! Good luck!

Yep. Noticed that. Darn Stinky Photobucket. I had to post it in TWO pieces. ARGH. Not happy about that but what can you do?
Thanks for the tips, they helped.

 

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

Those videos made me wish I was back at the WL right now! I love that place.

 

[dismom9761]

Sad to see this ending. Congrats on getting the pins and the pictures/video are great. Have a good day!

 

[scottny]

you found the pins you were looking for.

thanks for posting the videos I have never been there and it looks really nice.

you r heading to the airport and no videos on the bus.

I would be excited also having a birthday like that.

 

[Disneyolic]

Thanks for the videos. They were not bad at all! It brought back some memories of the one night that we stayed there. I think it is so wonderful that N said it was his best birthday ever!

And, no, they did not play any video on the way back to the airport on ME for us either. I think it would have made everyone sad and it's just a "rub it in your face" that you're not there anymore ...

 

[Trentmom]

I am so glad you got your WL Pins

Great pics!! Cool Video I love the music, too. Beside myself and my hubbt and his cousin, everone we know can't stand Frank Sinatra.. I love him, though

This has been a great report and thanks so much for sharing it with us

 

[Muffinygood]

Those videos made me wish I was back at the WL right now! I love that place.

Me too Lessa! I loved the WL! It's my new favorite!

Sad to see this ending. Congrats on getting the pins and the pictures/video are great. Have a good day!

Thanks Amy! I'm sad it's over too. But, thankfully, yours is still going. Well, and Lessa's and DM's. In fact, DMs might last till she goes NEXT time. Ha! That way we won't have withdrawl....

you found the pins you were looking for.

thanks for posting the videos I have never been there and it looks really nice.

you r heading to the airport and no videos on the bus.

I would be excited also having a birthday like that.

You just go there and have dinner Scott! You must! I wish I could recommend a place to eat, but barring Roaring Forks Snacks, we didn't get to try any of them. DM is probably right about the reason they don't show the videos. It would make me sad...

Thanks for the videos. They were not bad at all! It brought back some memories of the one night that we stayed there. I think it is so wonderful that N said it was his best birthday ever!

It made my Mommy heart just swell up! He's so sweet. I told him that it was the best birthday I ever went to TOO!

And, no, they did not play any video on the way back to the airport on ME for us either. I think it would have made everyone sad and it's just a "rub it in your face" that you're not there anymore ...

YES! I agree! In fact, I told Scott.

I am so glad you got your WL Pins

Great pics!! Cool Video I love the music, too. Beside myself and my hubbt and his cousin, everone we know can't stand Frank Sinatra.. I love him, though

This has been a great report and thanks so much for sharing it with us

thanks Trentmom! Even my boys (10 and 14) love Sinatra! They got totally hooked on him after we went to Vegas the first time and the song with the Bellagio Fountains was Luck be a Lady Tonight.

Glad you like my TR! That makes me feel so good.

HEY EVERYONE:
UPDATE SUNDAY! I will get it typed up and posted on Sunday. Got only one photo for it but it says it all. Thanks for reading along with me. I really loved telling this story. The trip was great (even though I was sick) and I will never ever forget the wonderful time we had just N and I. It was a present for me and it wasn't even my birthday. I plan on setting up the link for my Pre-trip for Xmas for you guys with the last update.

Thanks again everyone! :love:

 

[Disneyolic]

Thanks Amy! I'm sad it's over too. But, thankfully, yours is still going. Well, and Lessa's and DM's. In fact, DMs might last till she goes NEXT time. Ha! That way we won't have withdrawl....

I wish this were true about mine lasting that long...

 

[scottny]

how sad in 2 days it will be over. At least you are going back again soon so we will have that report and then I am a month after you.

 

[Trentmom]

[






thanks Trentmom! Even my boys (10 and 14) love Sinatra! They got totally hooked on him after we went to Vegas the first time and the song with the Bellagio Fountains was Luck be a Lady Tonight.

Glad you like my TR! That makes me feel so good.

HEY EVERYONE:
UPDATE SUNDAY! I will get it typed up and posted on Sunday. Got only one photo for it but it says it all. Thanks for reading along with me. I really loved telling this story. The trip was great (even though I was sick) and I will never ever forget the wonderful time we had just N and I. It was a present for me and it wasn't even my birthday. I plan on setting up the link for my Pre-trip for Xmas for you guys with the last update.

Thanks again everyone! :love:

I would love to go to Vegas someday. Was there a lot to do for young kids??

I am so excited that the final update is going to be up on Sunday......It has been a good read....

I am also eve more excited, that you wil be starting your pre-trippie, so we will have someting else to read from you

 

[DisneyJo]

I somehow missed this last installment, glad you got out of your PJ's finally

Sounds like you had a great room and hooray you found WL pins N is so sweet about it being his best Birthday ever We had a video on our return ME, it was all about ABD

 

[Muffinygood]

This is my last update! I’m sorry it’s over. But, now I can get back to reading YOUR TRs and living vicariously through you.

The bus ride to the airport was rather uneventful. As I mentioned in the last update, they did not play a video on the ME bus. I assume it was broken as some of you have mentioned that they DID show a video on your return trips. The bus driver was wonderful. He made sure to ask us what airline we were flying so that he could drop us at the right part of the terminal. We exited the bus and retrieved our bags. N and I did not check luggage coming down to FL and we were going back the same way. That’s a good and a bad thing. Usually, it’s good because you don’t have to wait forever at baggage claim to retrieve them. Of course, we wouldn’t have had to do this on the way DOWN because ME would have handled all of that. But, returning home was a different story. The baggage claim in our small airport is ridiculously slow. I’ve waited almost an hour sometimes for my bags to show up. Our flight was scheduled to arrive at 10 pm, and since N had to attend his first day of school the next day, i thought it best not to have to wait for bags too.

We quickly made our way to the terminal wing that we were supposed to be in. That done, we found our security entrance and waited patiently for our turn. Hauling my laptop out of it’s case, removing our TWO, TSA approved, quart sized ziplocs with toiletries, removing shoes, making sure N did that too, and getting all our luggage onto the conveyor belt SOLO was quite interesting. I never fully appreciated all the help my older DS and DH are on our vacations! We made it through security without having to do any songs and/or dances. YAY! They were actually quite pleasant. (I don’t know whose TR I was reading but someone mentioned that they thought MCO’s security to be the rudest they’d encountered....I did not find this to be so. And we go to FL pretty frequently)

The flight home was at 7:45 pm. We arrived at the Orlando airport somewhere around 5:25 pm. That gave us plenty of time to make it through security and wait at the gate. As we were walking to the gate, we decided to find something to eat. N was not thrilled at his choices. I think we had a burger king, a sandwich shop, ice cream (a no-go for us milk intolerant peeps), starbucks and pizza. He decided that he’d like an Odwalla orange juice (yummy, fresh squeezed tasting...) and a lemon poppy seed muffin. I got a VENTI green tea with Jasmine and a scone. That was all he wanted. He did have a rather large lunch so that was fine with me. We also had our “treats” from the Mercantile at the hotel.

We found seats at the terminal and had our snack/dinner. I’m pretty sure that it was around 6:30 pm by this time. They didn’t have our flight up on the board at the gate yet, as there was another one leaving for Ohio there still. Just to make sure, I pulled out our boarding passes that the desk at the WL printed for me that morning. I just wanted to be sure that we were at the right gate. When, lo and behold, what do I notice?

>

>

>

We aren’t seated together! ARGH! Obviously, I am NOT going to ride APART from him all the way home....

I walk up to the gate agent (who’s helping to load the OH flight...) and mention this to him. He says that our gate agent will be there in 15 minutes and that I can take it up with him or her then. I say, “Ok, I’ll do that.” N and I finish our snacks and clean up our mess. N is halfway through his new book, a present from his big brother before we left. Thankfully, I had remembered to pack it during “Ninja Packing.” The time comes then for us to go back to the new agent. He is very funny and says, “Are you sure you don’t want separate seats? Aren’t you sick of him yet?” Ha! NO, I say. I am not. He fixes the seat mix-up nicely and I go back to N.

The rest of our time at the gate is pretty boring. Except for this ONE lady who insisted on YELLING into her cell phone the WHOLE hour until they board our flight. She was about 3 rows away from us and SO loud. I heard every single word she said on her phone. There was a big guy with a crew cut sitting behind us reading a Maxim magazine. That’s only important because N was facing his way and I kept trying to relay “telepathically” to him to turn the ding dang page. He was reading an article about “you know” and it was in HUGE letters and I didn’t want to have “that talk” with N at gate 23B in the MCO airport.
So, anyway, the lady is SHOUTING into her phone. “YEAH, I’M IN FLORIDA. YEAH, RIGHT NOW! NO, I DON’T THINK THAT YOU SHOULD DUMP HIM. HE’S AN *&^%$%^& BUT YOU SHOULDN’T DUMP HIM. MAYBE HE’LL GROW OUT OF IT. WELL, NOT ALWAYS BUT MAYBE HE WILL. YEAH, I’M GONNA GO TO THAT BAR WHEN I GET HOME. I NEED A NEW MAN TOO.”

Lovely. So, I finally lose my temper with her and say to N, “clearly she’s from Michigan.” N says, “Yeah, she sounds like it.” I reply, “Yup.” And Maxim guy turns around (thus confronting a perfect stranger) and says, “Why do you say that? “ I say, “Because the rudest people on earth are from Michigan.”
*****DISCLAIMER*****
I realized that this may offend some people who are from Michigan and/or have relatives here. I am sorry. Clearly this is only MY opinion. I don’t expect you to agree. Simply an observation that I’ve made after living here for 14 years. Please don’t take it to heart. After all, I don’t know you. And the lady I am referencing IS being rude.

Well, he didn’t say much he just grunted and turned around. Again, he is probably a Michigan native and was offended by my comment. Sorry but the evidence is over-whelming at this point and so, what can he say? Rude lady shuts up when they announce, “flight blah blah blah to Flint, MI is boarding at gate 23B.”

This is the part where the carrying your own luggage is NOT good. I have to get our luggage, and us onto the plane, hoist it all up into the overheads by myself and then get strapped in. Unfortunately, Airtran now boards according to Zones. We end up with Zone 5 and 6 (Though we are seated next to each other) That means that the other 4 zones have already boarded and put THEIR luggage into the overheads. This makes it really hard to find room for ours. Luckily we spy enough room for them near where we are seated and get it up there without hurting anyone, including ourselves.

There is a man seated in the window seat and then N and then myself on the aisle. He says hello and asks us where we are going to. We say home. He proceeds to tell us his entire life story (the last several years at least) including the death of his wife, alienation of his children and the woman he met at a bar in an airport whom he is now going to visit. He says he isn’t really looking for a physical relationship as he’s still mourning his wife but he likes the company. GREAT! Thanks so much for sharing that with my 10 YEAR OLD! I finally tell N to put his headphones on so that he can’t hear this weirdo ranting. I feel bad for old people when they are clearly lonely but he seems to be bent on saying inappropriate things near N so I have to do what I have to do. I finally put my headphones on too, though I don’t have them actually on, just so he stops talking. In my head, I nickname him Slingblade (if you’ve seen the movie you’ll understand) and try to close my eyes for a while. After an hour or so, I decide that I’ll never be able to doze off with N in the seat next to him. I don’t know why but my Mommy sense is tingling now. So, N goes to the restroom and I scoot in and let him have the aisle. Call me paranoid, but this guy is setting off my radar.

We survive the flight and deplane to my cell phone chirping that I have a message. I listen to it and it’s DH! “Welcome to the Flint airport, where the time is 10 pm. “ He says he’ll meet us at the curb. The walk down to the car is quick and on the way I thank N for letting me celebrate his birthday with him all alone. He says, “sure.” He’s really tired.

The ride home was uneventful and we unpacked and got N off to bed. He’s not thrilled that he has to go to school tomorrow but he’ll live. I made myself a chicken sandwich and some chips before bed. Funny that it’s really only the 2nd or 3rd meal since I left four days ago! We watched tv for a while and I told my DH about the guy on the plane. He says that happens to him alot on business flights. Weird people out there. I have never been so happy to see my bed! I think I slept like the dead.

The next morning I got to see my DS14, and my mom and got N off to school. He had a great first day. I did laundry all day! And spent the next couple of days before my mom left for home going shopping with her. It was a very nice visit, though pretty short for me.

I know there weren’t any photos for this TR update but I have one that I’ve been saving for the WHOLE TR practically. It’s from the first day at the pool. N was so happy! He said it was the funnest pool in the whole world. I just thought this photo summed up our trip sooooo well that I’d save it for last.

So, thank you for reading our DRAMA filled TR. I will be starting the Pre-TR today even though I don’t have many details yet. So, look for the link in my signature. I will be going back to reading your TRs now! See you at the Pretrippie!

Mel

 

[DisneyJo]

Glad you got home safely even if you did end up nearly deaf from all the chatter

Off to read your PTR please try not to be ill this time

 

[KatGarcia]

Ewwww creepy guy on the plane! That is why I force DH to sit in the center seat at all times LOL, he deals better with things like that than i do.

I love the last pic!!!!!!

I'm on my way over to your new TR! YAY!

 

[Disneyolic]

That was a wonderful end to a TR. Enough detail, yet not boring. Flying home is always the worst part of a vacation. It's the end. At least you are planning your next vacation. Good for you! And that picture of N at the end is great.

Thanks for sharing your vacation, the good, the bad, the better, and the best (thought I was going to say ugly huh?).