marlyn
05-20-2007, 12:04 PM
Well...here it begins, finally. I have been so busy since my return that I just haven't been able to manage this report. Most days I will do 2 days at a time since I was there for so long (15 nights) and there is no way I can remember what rides I did on what day. Suffice it to say that we pretty much did absolutely every single ride and most more than once...some more than that. (such as 20+ Buzz etc... )
Cast of Characters:
Me :)
My 11 year old twin boys
my parents celebrating their 50th Anniversary
Dates:
April 20 - May 5 2007
Resort: All Star Movies
Day 1 Friday April 20
Our Travel day.The countdown (http://family.webshots.com/photo/2782449610056953537JztfrX?vhost=family) is done and we are off. We departed out of Vancouver at 12:00 noon. We had to fly to Toronto (4 1/2 hrs) and then had only 1 1/2 hr connection in Toronto until our flight to Orlando. Since we were flying domestic from Vancouver to Toronto we had to get off plane, pick up our bags at customs, clear customs, put bags back on carousel and then get to gate. Normally 1 1/2 hrs is enough time unless.....
When we are sitting at gate we notice our flight out of Vancouver is delayed 1/2 hr. "It's alright" we think since we will still have 1 hr to get to plane in TO. We board plane and then we sit, and sit....finally the pilot comes on to notify us that there is a problem with a door and a mechanic is attempting to repair. OK, so NOW silent panic kicks in.
Finally it is fixed and off we go. Flight was uneventful until we land. Now we are down to 1/2 hr until we have to be at new gate. Pilot announces that we have to wait for incoming traffic before we can taxi in. We wait...and wait for about 4 planes. My kids are starting to get very upset and I am getting an ulcer.
When we finally get into gate it is about 10 minutes at the most until our next plane leaves. We get separated getting off plane but all just RUN to get to customs. My one son is with my Dad and my other son is with my Mom and I. We get to customs and my Dad and other son are missing. Missing!!!
I have the bags, they won't let us out of secure area to go find them.It is past the time that the plane is to leave now...they tell me that they have to offload us. They phone down to gate (we have not yet cleared customs) and they tell the plane to offload us. then they tell me there is no other plane to Orlando that night. It is after 9:00 pm now. Just then my dad and son come around corner. they had accidentally gone to regular baggage claim instead of "connecting passenger" baggage claim. There were 2 men behind the desk, one said it was too late when they arrived...but the other one said he would call the gate.
WE MADE IT! They held the plane and they rushed us through customs and we RAN. Couldn't breathe when we got on plane, and spent the entire flight shaking my head because i couldn't believe we had made it!
Landed at MCO, took DME to resort. Loved DME and would do again for sure! It was about 12:30 am when we boarded the DME bus and by the time we got to resort,after stops at Yacht & Beach Club, Pop Century, Coronado Springs, it was almost 2:00 am. I had requested a preferred room but when I checked in they said I had Mighty Ducks. We had stayed Mighty Ducks last time and my boys were sad we didn't have Toy Story. I said I would get up in morning and see what i could do.
We went to room...so excited despite the time. Still not believing we had made it and weren't spending night in Toronto airport. We had adjoining rooms (http://family.webshots.com/photo/2271196510056953537aRYUbK?vhost=family) and found this (http://family.webshots.com/photo/2203208100056953537JwBnWp?vhost=family) in my room and this (http://family.webshots.com/photo/2922129640056953537bPgPPc?vhost=family) in my parent's room window.
Our rooms were on the very end of the building facing the pool (http://family.webshots.com/photo/2945301020056953537SntjKJ?vhost=family) , and right by the Dalmations (http://family.webshots.com/photo/2484751160056953537JnlPNx?vhost=family) building. All we had to do was go down stairs and we could cut through Dalmatians to get to Food Court. I started thinking maybe we would keep these rooms...but kids really wanted Toy Story so I said I would try to change in morning. We all crashed into bed. Slept like the dead for a grand total of 4 hrs!!
Why I woke up at 6:00 am I have no clue, but I went to front desk to see about switching buildings. As I was walking to front I noticed cheerleaders EVERYWHERE in Dalmatians and Fantasia area. They were practicing their routines anywhere they could find space. There were none in our Mighty Ducks section, but they seemed to be everywhere else. Turns out it is World Cheer leading competition. 9000 cheerleaders! So...needless to say I was quite content to stay put where we were. (for the record...Disney couldn't get me into preferred anyhow and did rebate me the difference).
Kids were still sleeping so I just wandered around soaking it all in.....
Cast of Characters:
Me :)
My 11 year old twin boys
my parents celebrating their 50th Anniversary
Dates:
April 20 - May 5 2007
Resort: All Star Movies
Day 1 Friday April 20
Our Travel day.The countdown (http://family.webshots.com/photo/2782449610056953537JztfrX?vhost=family) is done and we are off. We departed out of Vancouver at 12:00 noon. We had to fly to Toronto (4 1/2 hrs) and then had only 1 1/2 hr connection in Toronto until our flight to Orlando. Since we were flying domestic from Vancouver to Toronto we had to get off plane, pick up our bags at customs, clear customs, put bags back on carousel and then get to gate. Normally 1 1/2 hrs is enough time unless.....
When we are sitting at gate we notice our flight out of Vancouver is delayed 1/2 hr. "It's alright" we think since we will still have 1 hr to get to plane in TO. We board plane and then we sit, and sit....finally the pilot comes on to notify us that there is a problem with a door and a mechanic is attempting to repair. OK, so NOW silent panic kicks in.
Finally it is fixed and off we go. Flight was uneventful until we land. Now we are down to 1/2 hr until we have to be at new gate. Pilot announces that we have to wait for incoming traffic before we can taxi in. We wait...and wait for about 4 planes. My kids are starting to get very upset and I am getting an ulcer.
When we finally get into gate it is about 10 minutes at the most until our next plane leaves. We get separated getting off plane but all just RUN to get to customs. My one son is with my Dad and my other son is with my Mom and I. We get to customs and my Dad and other son are missing. Missing!!!
I have the bags, they won't let us out of secure area to go find them.It is past the time that the plane is to leave now...they tell me that they have to offload us. They phone down to gate (we have not yet cleared customs) and they tell the plane to offload us. then they tell me there is no other plane to Orlando that night. It is after 9:00 pm now. Just then my dad and son come around corner. they had accidentally gone to regular baggage claim instead of "connecting passenger" baggage claim. There were 2 men behind the desk, one said it was too late when they arrived...but the other one said he would call the gate.
WE MADE IT! They held the plane and they rushed us through customs and we RAN. Couldn't breathe when we got on plane, and spent the entire flight shaking my head because i couldn't believe we had made it!
Landed at MCO, took DME to resort. Loved DME and would do again for sure! It was about 12:30 am when we boarded the DME bus and by the time we got to resort,after stops at Yacht & Beach Club, Pop Century, Coronado Springs, it was almost 2:00 am. I had requested a preferred room but when I checked in they said I had Mighty Ducks. We had stayed Mighty Ducks last time and my boys were sad we didn't have Toy Story. I said I would get up in morning and see what i could do.
We went to room...so excited despite the time. Still not believing we had made it and weren't spending night in Toronto airport. We had adjoining rooms (http://family.webshots.com/photo/2271196510056953537aRYUbK?vhost=family) and found this (http://family.webshots.com/photo/2203208100056953537JwBnWp?vhost=family) in my room and this (http://family.webshots.com/photo/2922129640056953537bPgPPc?vhost=family) in my parent's room window.
Our rooms were on the very end of the building facing the pool (http://family.webshots.com/photo/2945301020056953537SntjKJ?vhost=family) , and right by the Dalmations (http://family.webshots.com/photo/2484751160056953537JnlPNx?vhost=family) building. All we had to do was go down stairs and we could cut through Dalmatians to get to Food Court. I started thinking maybe we would keep these rooms...but kids really wanted Toy Story so I said I would try to change in morning. We all crashed into bed. Slept like the dead for a grand total of 4 hrs!!
Why I woke up at 6:00 am I have no clue, but I went to front desk to see about switching buildings. As I was walking to front I noticed cheerleaders EVERYWHERE in Dalmatians and Fantasia area. They were practicing their routines anywhere they could find space. There were none in our Mighty Ducks section, but they seemed to be everywhere else. Turns out it is World Cheer leading competition. 9000 cheerleaders! So...needless to say I was quite content to stay put where we were. (for the record...Disney couldn't get me into preferred anyhow and did rebate me the difference).
Kids were still sleeping so I just wandered around soaking it all in.....