Why did we plan out this entire trip?! A 2nd Honeymoon Report...sorta.The End. 5/21

[englishrose47]

Thanks everyone for saving your places! Currently we are upgrading to Windows 7 so the PC has been tied up. I am going to get to uploading the pics within the next day or so and then the report can begin!

I'll be waiting !!

 

[jordanyosh]

Hey Kat.

 

[BlueBayou]

Sorry you had a rough year. Great teaser for the trip report. Can't wait to hear more.

 

[KathyRN137]

Ready when you are!


Kathy

 

[Disneyland_Mama]

 

[KatGarcia]

Since I have yet to get on my pc to upload the pics (KC has been working from home and that takes precedence) I thought I would do a little back story since I didn't do a TR.

I work for the World of Disney NYC, since June. When I first became a cast member (CM) I wanted to plan a trip. So after a debate over it we decided to go a few days before Halloween and stay for a few days. KC never really wanted to spend the $ but agreed because he knew it would be my only shot at a CM trip since the store is closing the end of the year.

Then we started having problems. Big problems. We basically spent about a month or so living in the same house but pretty much seperated. The first thing to give was the trip to WDW. I got the deposit on the room back and that was that. I resigned myself that we weren't going and who knew what would happen in the future.

Then things got better. We went to couples therapy and things got better and better. Eventually we made a full reconciliation and have been great ever since.

KC had 2 weeks vacation coming in the first week in November, so I got those days approved at work too. Then he decided (yep his idea!) that we should go on vacation, and where did he wanna go? WDW!!!

We planned the whole thing in about 2 weeks. The kicker for deciding to go was the Jet Blue $31 flight if you flew on Halloween. We jumped. Originally we tried tog et our friend Pants to come with us, but it was too short notice so soon the trip was being billed "our second honeymoon".

I booked a room at the awesome CM discount at the hotel we stayed at on our honeymoon, POFQ. I booked return flights. We even found a ride from a friend to and from the airport. And then I found out about a CM dining plan option. Added that. Then, together, for the first time, we planned the meals together. It was really cool. We both had a hand in the planning, and that was a huge step for us.

So Halloween day came and we were packed and ready to leave that early afternoon......

Stay Tuned.

Move straight to installment #1 HERE!

 

[englishrose47]

I'm Tuned !!!!

 

[praisehisname]

That's so cool that you guys planned it together! Don't leave us hanging too long!

 

[DisneyJo]

I'm still here and can't wait to read all about it

 

[KathyRN137]

I know you guys love Pants, but I'm glad you made it just the two of you!


Kathy

 

[KatGarcia]

So sorry for the delay! I was uploading all my pictures to webshots tonight and after a few hours and 345 pictures ...they are all out of order! I just don't have the motivation to fix 'em right now...but thats one step closer!

Thanks for hanging in there.

 

[MyMuse]

I'm allllll caught up!

 

[Native NYer]

Glad everything worked out for you and KC.

Can't wait to read more!!!

 

[KatGarcia]

Due to the flight deal we got through Jet Blue we had a mid afternoon flight. I am used to the earliest flight but it was too a good a deal to care about the times. SO our friend, Dan, came to pick us up around 1:20 that afternoon. It was so nice to have a ride to the airport. He saved us about $100 in cab fare by dropping us off and then offering to pick us up as well.

The flight wasn’t until 4:30 but I am super airport paranoid and always wanna make sure we have ample time should secuirty be backed up. So by around 2pm we were headed into the airport. We checked in at a self serve kisok and headed to security.

I never understand how people travela nd don’t have things ready to go when they get up to secuirty?! Take your shoes off, remove your jacket, empty your pockets, liquids in a ziplock. I mean this is not new, what gives people?!

I somehow managed to pack us into only carry on items so we had our 3 bags and were on the way quickly. One thing I always forget is that KC has an Archos, which is a media player than also plays movies. That is considered a DVD player to the TSA. So they asked if I have one and I say yes. The guy opens the bag and I went to take it out and he freaks on me and says “You can’t touch it”. I hoped he guessed which tinkerbell carrying case it was in then. He also decided to search my deadly shaving gel container as well. He found both things to be satisfactory and sent me on my way, after messing up my carefully stuffed….er…packed bag.

Semi –drama aside, we headed in to check out the new Jet Blue terminal.
REALLY NICE.

KC saw a store he needed to see…

We got a pumpkin something or another Jamba Juice to share and sat at a table for a while. Eventually we wanted to park it at the gate and we both played some DS and listened to our respective mp3 playing devices.

The flight left on time and was going to get us in about 20 min ahead of schedule. I actually remembered to take some pics while on the plane!

We arrived at Orlando Airport at 7:20 and had no checked bags to get so we headed for the ME desk. We booked the trip so last minute that we couldn’t take advantage of the new booklet and go option. BUT there was NO LINE at the desk! Not a soul. KC was too tired to take my picture so no proof. We waited on the line for our bus for about 20 minutes before one came for POFQ. We grabbed the front seats and were on the way.

Jordan, KC said that was for you.

We were to be the 2nd stop after Saratoga Springs. On the way into SSR the bus driver was a mad man. He almost hit the bus directly in front of us turning into the resort! KC turns to me and says

“I almost got some Magical Whiplash there”.

I about died in my seat!!!!! So “magical whiplash” was our new saying for the trip, because we got hit with it in other ways later on, several times.
We got to POFQ by 9pm. So far on the schedule I had assumed we’d be on. So far. We did online check in, which was easy. I did get a first floor room, which I don’t usually like, but the other available room was much further away so we kept the 1st floor room and set out to find it. We were in building #6 room #6138. It seemed far at first but it was easy to get to everywhere from there and we liked it just fine.

Some room pics….

It was Halloween so we got some candy at the check in desk too.

We were planning on dropping our stuff off and heading straight to the boat (something we both LOVED on our honeymoon and were excited to do again) and head to DTD for some grub. As I am taking out my room key I realize it says “QSR” on it. I wonder what the heck that is and realize that the wrong dining plan has been put onto the ressie! I ask KC to call while I get our stuff together. He calls and is told exactly this “You checked in already, no changes can be made.” That’s it. Obviously I am not going to accept that answer, and I shouldn’t have to. This is Disney darn it and no is not an option here.

I go back to the CM that checked us in and tell her of the issue. I explain to her that I got the wrong dining plan, and that the CM who added it for me over the phone never specified which one it was and I never thought to ask. It’s the quick service plan, which is: 2 quick service meals, 2 snacks and a mug each. We had ressies at several table service places and it was a big deal for us to keep them. After all we planned this trip together and it had the potential to be a great 2nd honeymoon.

The CM can’t really help us so she calls guest services. She tells the woman on the phone I am a CM and then the woman (whose name I never got, unfortunately) asks to speak with me. I spend half hour on the phone, across the desk at POFQ, with this woman. She cannot help me she says. I misread the dates for this CM option and no changes can be made because we have already checked in. Mind you this was 20 minutes after check in. I ask her if there is someone higher up than her that can help me, she won’t escalate me. All through this I am shaking and trying not to cry because she is ruining my 2nd honeymoon as we speak. KC was so upset he walked away and had to calm down elsewhere. He was almost in tears. I ask her if she can put the reg dining plan on the ressie and we will pay full prince, not the CM discount. She says she cannot. I keep asking if there is anyone else who can override this and she is adamant about there being no options. While I am explaining to her about all the nice 2 table service plans we have she has the nerve to say things like “Well maybe you’d have needed the deluxe dining plan” and “well you can get a steak for a quick service credit over at CSR”. KC was on the verge of going home, it was really that bad. He is rarely like that, but we worked very hard to get where we are together now and the plans were crumbling right before us.

Finally, after half hour and repeating myself over and over again and speaking to this CM twice, there is nothing to resolve. I leave the quick service meal plan on the ressie because it’s paid for and a really good deal, and decide we will work it out somehow. The whole thing was bad BUT the end of the conversation really did me in. This CM (whose name I wish I got because I would have fried her to her managers) said to me “I am so glad you have dealt with this so well, having a good demeanor is so important in a cast member. We wouldn’t want any negative cast members visiting the resort. I have even heard of negative things getting back to the cast members managers, and you wouldn’t want that.”

SAY WHAT?!

If I wasn’t in the presence of children at the time, and in the middle of the lobby, that CM would have heard how NY ghetto I can be. I am usually very much of the watch your mouth in WDW way, this time, after we walked away I fired out the expletives. The whole thing was a mess but her comments just sent me over the edge.

I thanked the CM behind the desk for trying, because she really did want to help me, and went to find KC. I found him by the fountain, fuming and sad at the same time.

We sat on a bench and had a good cry. Talk about some Magical Whiplash. I told him I was sorry I misread the CM deal and I hoped the whole trip wouldn’t be ruined. We decided not to let it get us. We would figure it all out. I also had discount coupons for any meal for CM’s so we decided we’d just cancel a few ressies and deal with it.
Tears dried, we headed to the boat, to relax and go get some very much needed food.

I did manage to snap this. It was my first time seeing the Characters in Flight balloon.

We walked from the marketplace to the West Side, to calm down some. Free samples at Ghiardelli never hurt either. We got to Wolfgang Pucks and was disappointed again. Where did my macadamia nut chicken go???? Seriously? This night got worse and worse. I would have stopped somewhere else but I was craving that chicken.

We decided we were to hungry to go anywhere else so we picked stuff out anyway. I had the 4 cheese flatbread and KC had the spicy chicken sandwich. We shared carrot cake and a key lime pie. They had really good iced tea too. The cashier said they still make the chicken in the restuarnt but the quick service no longer serves it.

The first meal…after a long and dramatic day.

We took the bus back to the hotel from the West Side right after eating. I just wanted to go to sleep and hope the next day would be better. I was so over Disney at that point that if we hadn’t paid for everything already I would have left. Maybe. I sure felt that way that day anyway. I settled us into the room a bit and we were out cold by 12:30am.

Will the next day be any better?????

Go stright to the next update: HERE!

 

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

So sorry the trip had such a rocky start.

 

[Belle_373]

“I almost got some Magical Whiplash there”.

I love it!

Some room pics….

POFQ looks so beautiful. I can’t wait to stay there one day.

I spend half hour on the phone, across the desk at POFQ, with this woman. She cannot help me she says. I misread the dates for this CM option and no changes can be made because we have already checked in. Mind you this was 20 minutes after check in. I ask her if there is someone higher up than her that can help me, she won’t escalate me. All through this I am shaking and trying not to cry because she is ruining my 2nd honeymoon as we speak. KC was so upset he walked away and had to calm down elsewhere. He was almost in tears. I ask her if she can put the reg dining plan on the ressie and we will pay full prince, not the CM discount. She says she cannot. I keep asking if there is anyone else who can override this and she is adamant about there being no options. While I am explaining to her about all the nice 2 table service plans we have she has the nerve to say things like “Well maybe you’d have needed the deluxe dining plan” and “well you can get a steak for a quick service credit over at CSR”. KC was on the verge of going home, it was really that bad. He is rarely like that, but we worked very hard to get where we are together now and the plans were crumbling right before us.

Finally, after half hour and repeating myself over and over again and speaking to this CM twice, there is nothing to resolve. I leave the quick service meal plan on the ressie because it’s paid for and a really good deal, and decide we will work it out somehow. The whole thing was bad BUT the end of the conversation really did me in. This CM (whose name I wish I got because I would have fried her to her managers) said to me “I am so glad you have dealt with this so well, having a good demeanor is so important in a cast member. We wouldn’t want any negative cast members visiting the resort. I have even heard of negative things getting back to the cast members managers, and you wouldn’t want that.”

SAY WHAT?!

If I wasn’t in the presence of children at the time, and in the middle of the lobby, that CM would have heard how NY ghetto I can be. I am usually very much of the watch your mouth in WDW way, this time, after we walked away I fired out the expletives. The whole thing was a mess but her comments just sent me over the edge.

I thanked the CM behind the desk for trying, because she really did want to help me, and went to find KC. I found him by the fountain, fuming and sad at the same time.

I can’t believe the nerve of that CM. Hopefully the rest of your trip was a lot more magical.

 

[praisehisname]

“I almost got some Magical Whiplash there”.

The whole thing was bad BUT the end of the conversation really did me in. This CM (whose name I wish I got because I would have fried her to her managers) said to me “I am so glad you have dealt with this so well, having a good demeanor is so important in a cast member. We wouldn’t want any negative cast members visiting the resort. I have even heard of negative things getting back to the cast members managers, and you wouldn’t want that.”

Um...is that a threat???

We sat on a bench and had a good cry.

The first meal…after a long and dramatic day.

Mmmm...looks good!

 

[englishrose47]

Oh Kat what a tragic way to start your "Secondmoon"
Quesion what is the option at ME for getting thru quiker ???

POFQ was almost where was staying! It is the only other resort I realy am inteesed in other than Pop!! I just don't like BIG reort , my sense of direction is sooooo bad I'd be MIA for most of the trip

Magical Whiplash Good one KC!!!!

 

[DisneyJo]

OMG Kat that's outrageous, have you done anything about it since getting home? Now I understand why you weren't surprised IYKWIM

 

[Disneyland_Mama]

Wow, that's a bummer about the DDP. I think I probably would have just passed on the whole QSP shebang, KWIM?

I wonder what the CM on the phone would have done if the tables were turned, right? I doubt she would have kept her cool.