Beach Club Babe
06-07-2007, 07:56 PM
Saturday, May 26th, Day 7
Unfortunately, we leave today!
On the bright side, our flight does not depart until 8:45 PM, so we have the majority of the day.
We wake as usual, then call for luggage services to retrieve our bags and store them until later.
Now one would think that we had nothing left to accomplish at Magic Kingdom, but both girls want to head right back there. This will cause us to cancel our ADR at Marrakesh. We expect to find very heavy crowds since it is Memorial Day Weekend. Surprisingly, the crowds have not yet arrived. Ridiculous as it sounds, one of our main objectives is a ride on the Speedway for Emily. She really wanted to ride this all week and we could never squeeze it in. Not so surprisingly, Ashleigh has no interest in that, but would love one last ride on Pirates. We split up and Ron takes Emily, while I ride with Ashleigh. Afterwards, I call and find out that Ron and Emily are just getting on their ride. We agree to meet them over there. On the way, Ashleigh decries that she needs 1 last ride on Splash! I do not feel like riding, so Ashleigh rides alone. I met up with Ron and Emily and we went to meet The Mad Hatter and Alice, then waited for 5 minutes until Toontown opened. We just had to meet the rest of the Princesses! As we were waiting, a Dream Squad member gave Emily some temporary tatoos. OK, that makes 3 out of 4 of us that won, even the smallest of things. Shortly thereafter, we were meeting with Aurora, Cinderella, and Belle in her yellow gown. When we were finished, Ashleigh was waiting for us.
We headed back toward Fantasyland where Emily noticed she hadn't yet ridden the Mad Tea Party. So close! She wanted us all to ride together! We got in line, and Ron ducked out at the last minute! Just before our turn, Alice and The Mad Hatter came skipping over and changed the wait time sign from 5 minutes to 40 minutes! Obviously a joke, but the lady behind us was not amused. Right in our ear, blared the shrillest and most nasaly voice, "40 MINUTES!!" Our inside joke of the day was to hold our noses and say, "40 minutes!" The Mad Hatter and Alice then hopped on the ride and we even managed to snap a pic. It was now our turn, and I was doing OK. Of course, we weren't spinning our cup at all. That was no fun to the girls, so Ashleigh began spinning and so did my head! I did survive, though! Just for good measure Emily and I the rode the carousel one more time. We then rode iasw, which would be our last MK ride of the trip. The park was indeed filling up fast, and we had a little unfinished business at MGM.
We could not leave though, without getting some caramel corn, and lemonade in a souvenir cup with Jack Sparrow's face on it! We began the walk down Main St. and it began to rain for the first time of the whole trip!
At MGM, there was no trace of rain as it was very bright and sunny. Since Emily was a little whiny and didn't want to wait for the Animation Tour, we just ducked through the gift shop to see which characters were out. The 1st ones we saw were The Incredibles. Emily has always been a little leary of them, but surprisingly, she couldn't wait to meet them. While in line, we could see Bowler Hat Man, but by the time we finished, he had gone in, which was OK since Wilbur came out in his place. Better yet, while we were waiting for him, Louis came out and joined him. Emily has a strange fascination with Louis, so that made her extremely happy. Once we finished meeting The Robinsons, Frozone was out, and well, we've never met him before so back in line at least for Ron and Emily. Ashleigh begged me to do that voice changer thing with Ursula. Emily was content to color the characters for a little while, before we coaxed her out of there.
Emily was begging to see Ariel again, so we got fps and just wandered around a bit, soaking up our last bit of Dismosphere! For some reason, I got completely drenched during the show. I don't think the water was working properly, as usually you only get a misting. In fact, I didn't get that wet on Splash Mt! After the show, it was time for what we really came here for, The Beauty & The Beast show. Well, really to see Four For a Dollar, but Belle and the Beast too!
We could have still made it over to our ADR at Marrakesh, but it was a good thing we canceled. Emily was really hungry and tired. We wouldn't have made it to Epcot without her passing out again, and we really didn't want to have to carry her until we could pick up another stroller. The decision to cancel was a good one.
Instead, we opted for a counter service meal at Backlot Express. Emily did indeed fall asleep before I could get back with the order. We had to get a box to take with us. After lunch, I still needed to get something for Courtney. So we went shopping and with Ashleigh's help, I settled on a big purse for her. Good choice, as she indeed loved it. We then tried in vain to find Ashleigh the shirt she had seen, but everywhere we looked, was out of her size. Emily popped up from her nap and ate her meal on a bench on Sunset Blvd.
It was getting late, and there wasn't much left that we hadn't done, we decided to head back to Pop a little early. Ashleigh and I finished up our last minute shopping and sent those postcards, that, despite my best intentions, never get mailed until the day we leave. Emily was having a grand time playing with kids and watching cartoons. Then it was the dreaded time to retrieve our luggage and wait for the DME bus to pull up. I still I really hate leaving!
This was made all the worse by the fact that the DME bus was late, very late! People kept coming to wait, some for later arrival times than ours. It was a mob scene! When the bus showed up about 1/2 an hour late, everyone rushed the driver! All the Johnny come latelies were pushing past everyone and it was working. A lot of people were getting upset! The driver handled the situation very poorly! Anyone, who made the biggest stink was being allowed to get on first! Their luggage and the rest fo their family members were way in the back, but we were all supposed to clear away for them to come through! You had to beg and plead with the guy to get a seat on the bus! It really wasn't good. I was nearly to the front when, the driver helped yet one more person that was behind me and I lost it! I started making a very loud complaint! He snapped back at me to calm down, that the bus wasn't going anywhere without him, but he would take me next! Obviously, that was the only way to get his attention, and it shouldn't have been. Once we did get on the bus, we got the very last seats available! Well, hello buddy! I guess that bus was going somewhere if you didn't take me next!:mad: He also did a bad job of keeping track of how many he had let on the bus, as he let more people on only for them to have to get back off! It was nearly 6:30 now and our pick-up was scheduled for 5:45! Most of those people on the bus were scheduled for a later pick-up, but there were plenty of people with a 5:45 pick-up time still waiting back at Pop! The driver even told us that it was supposed to take nearly 45 min to get to the airport, but he would try to make it in 20!
Once off the bus, of course the people who boarded first were given their luggage first. They ignored the skycaps, handled their own luggage, and made off to check in like they were kings of the world! I guess it all paid off in the end for us, though. We waited, got our luggage, grabbed a sky cap, and he helped us avoid an enormous line at check-in. Probably not on the up and up, but his friend helped get our luggage through, mainly because we had our boarding passes printed. All the people who had cut us were getting their just desserts as they stood their wondering how we could have possibly made it through so quickly.
There was absolutely no line at security, so we found our way right to our gate and a few people were starting to line up. We decided sit in line with the rest at pre-board. Apparently, people even find the need to cut in line here. There were 2 parties ahead of us and had been for about 20 minutes, when boarding began. Another family thought they'd just cut in just as we statrted boarding! The Dad was grinning like a cat who swallowed a canary! Well if it means that much to you, by all means go on ahead! We were again seated in the third row, directly behind this man and 2 kids, his wife switched with him at the last minute, later I figure out why, they were whiners and loved to pick fights with each other. We boarded on time and backed away from the gate. 15 minutes later we were still sitting near, but not at the gate. Then the announcement came! We would have to return to the gate, but the pilot didn't know why. We sat at the gate for another 20 minutes or so, before the Captain returned to tell us that the lighting on the 2 runaways that they use at PHL had been struck by lightning, and they would have to look for another runway. Luckily, it didn't take much longer and we were on our way!
We landed about 40 minutes late, and headed for baggage claim, happy to be away from the line-cutters. Luckily, it didn't take too long until our bagge arrived. I called the parking lot where we had left our car, and they were there in about 5 minutes to pick us up. We settled the bill, which only cost us about $50.00 for the week and were on our way! We arrived home about 2:15 AM to find Courtney, who had tried to wait up for us, asleep in our bed and Matt asleep in his. We woke him briefly to let him know we were home and he went back to sleep. Ashleigh went right off to her bed, and Emily, who fell asleep in the car, was placed into hers. I had to wake Courtney fully to get her out of our bed. Since she was now awake, she and I stayed up talking for about another hour, before finally collapsing!
Unfortunately, we leave today!
On the bright side, our flight does not depart until 8:45 PM, so we have the majority of the day.
We wake as usual, then call for luggage services to retrieve our bags and store them until later.
Now one would think that we had nothing left to accomplish at Magic Kingdom, but both girls want to head right back there. This will cause us to cancel our ADR at Marrakesh. We expect to find very heavy crowds since it is Memorial Day Weekend. Surprisingly, the crowds have not yet arrived. Ridiculous as it sounds, one of our main objectives is a ride on the Speedway for Emily. She really wanted to ride this all week and we could never squeeze it in. Not so surprisingly, Ashleigh has no interest in that, but would love one last ride on Pirates. We split up and Ron takes Emily, while I ride with Ashleigh. Afterwards, I call and find out that Ron and Emily are just getting on their ride. We agree to meet them over there. On the way, Ashleigh decries that she needs 1 last ride on Splash! I do not feel like riding, so Ashleigh rides alone. I met up with Ron and Emily and we went to meet The Mad Hatter and Alice, then waited for 5 minutes until Toontown opened. We just had to meet the rest of the Princesses! As we were waiting, a Dream Squad member gave Emily some temporary tatoos. OK, that makes 3 out of 4 of us that won, even the smallest of things. Shortly thereafter, we were meeting with Aurora, Cinderella, and Belle in her yellow gown. When we were finished, Ashleigh was waiting for us.
We headed back toward Fantasyland where Emily noticed she hadn't yet ridden the Mad Tea Party. So close! She wanted us all to ride together! We got in line, and Ron ducked out at the last minute! Just before our turn, Alice and The Mad Hatter came skipping over and changed the wait time sign from 5 minutes to 40 minutes! Obviously a joke, but the lady behind us was not amused. Right in our ear, blared the shrillest and most nasaly voice, "40 MINUTES!!" Our inside joke of the day was to hold our noses and say, "40 minutes!" The Mad Hatter and Alice then hopped on the ride and we even managed to snap a pic. It was now our turn, and I was doing OK. Of course, we weren't spinning our cup at all. That was no fun to the girls, so Ashleigh began spinning and so did my head! I did survive, though! Just for good measure Emily and I the rode the carousel one more time. We then rode iasw, which would be our last MK ride of the trip. The park was indeed filling up fast, and we had a little unfinished business at MGM.
We could not leave though, without getting some caramel corn, and lemonade in a souvenir cup with Jack Sparrow's face on it! We began the walk down Main St. and it began to rain for the first time of the whole trip!
At MGM, there was no trace of rain as it was very bright and sunny. Since Emily was a little whiny and didn't want to wait for the Animation Tour, we just ducked through the gift shop to see which characters were out. The 1st ones we saw were The Incredibles. Emily has always been a little leary of them, but surprisingly, she couldn't wait to meet them. While in line, we could see Bowler Hat Man, but by the time we finished, he had gone in, which was OK since Wilbur came out in his place. Better yet, while we were waiting for him, Louis came out and joined him. Emily has a strange fascination with Louis, so that made her extremely happy. Once we finished meeting The Robinsons, Frozone was out, and well, we've never met him before so back in line at least for Ron and Emily. Ashleigh begged me to do that voice changer thing with Ursula. Emily was content to color the characters for a little while, before we coaxed her out of there.
Emily was begging to see Ariel again, so we got fps and just wandered around a bit, soaking up our last bit of Dismosphere! For some reason, I got completely drenched during the show. I don't think the water was working properly, as usually you only get a misting. In fact, I didn't get that wet on Splash Mt! After the show, it was time for what we really came here for, The Beauty & The Beast show. Well, really to see Four For a Dollar, but Belle and the Beast too!
We could have still made it over to our ADR at Marrakesh, but it was a good thing we canceled. Emily was really hungry and tired. We wouldn't have made it to Epcot without her passing out again, and we really didn't want to have to carry her until we could pick up another stroller. The decision to cancel was a good one.
Instead, we opted for a counter service meal at Backlot Express. Emily did indeed fall asleep before I could get back with the order. We had to get a box to take with us. After lunch, I still needed to get something for Courtney. So we went shopping and with Ashleigh's help, I settled on a big purse for her. Good choice, as she indeed loved it. We then tried in vain to find Ashleigh the shirt she had seen, but everywhere we looked, was out of her size. Emily popped up from her nap and ate her meal on a bench on Sunset Blvd.
It was getting late, and there wasn't much left that we hadn't done, we decided to head back to Pop a little early. Ashleigh and I finished up our last minute shopping and sent those postcards, that, despite my best intentions, never get mailed until the day we leave. Emily was having a grand time playing with kids and watching cartoons. Then it was the dreaded time to retrieve our luggage and wait for the DME bus to pull up. I still I really hate leaving!
This was made all the worse by the fact that the DME bus was late, very late! People kept coming to wait, some for later arrival times than ours. It was a mob scene! When the bus showed up about 1/2 an hour late, everyone rushed the driver! All the Johnny come latelies were pushing past everyone and it was working. A lot of people were getting upset! The driver handled the situation very poorly! Anyone, who made the biggest stink was being allowed to get on first! Their luggage and the rest fo their family members were way in the back, but we were all supposed to clear away for them to come through! You had to beg and plead with the guy to get a seat on the bus! It really wasn't good. I was nearly to the front when, the driver helped yet one more person that was behind me and I lost it! I started making a very loud complaint! He snapped back at me to calm down, that the bus wasn't going anywhere without him, but he would take me next! Obviously, that was the only way to get his attention, and it shouldn't have been. Once we did get on the bus, we got the very last seats available! Well, hello buddy! I guess that bus was going somewhere if you didn't take me next!:mad: He also did a bad job of keeping track of how many he had let on the bus, as he let more people on only for them to have to get back off! It was nearly 6:30 now and our pick-up was scheduled for 5:45! Most of those people on the bus were scheduled for a later pick-up, but there were plenty of people with a 5:45 pick-up time still waiting back at Pop! The driver even told us that it was supposed to take nearly 45 min to get to the airport, but he would try to make it in 20!
Once off the bus, of course the people who boarded first were given their luggage first. They ignored the skycaps, handled their own luggage, and made off to check in like they were kings of the world! I guess it all paid off in the end for us, though. We waited, got our luggage, grabbed a sky cap, and he helped us avoid an enormous line at check-in. Probably not on the up and up, but his friend helped get our luggage through, mainly because we had our boarding passes printed. All the people who had cut us were getting their just desserts as they stood their wondering how we could have possibly made it through so quickly.
There was absolutely no line at security, so we found our way right to our gate and a few people were starting to line up. We decided sit in line with the rest at pre-board. Apparently, people even find the need to cut in line here. There were 2 parties ahead of us and had been for about 20 minutes, when boarding began. Another family thought they'd just cut in just as we statrted boarding! The Dad was grinning like a cat who swallowed a canary! Well if it means that much to you, by all means go on ahead! We were again seated in the third row, directly behind this man and 2 kids, his wife switched with him at the last minute, later I figure out why, they were whiners and loved to pick fights with each other. We boarded on time and backed away from the gate. 15 minutes later we were still sitting near, but not at the gate. Then the announcement came! We would have to return to the gate, but the pilot didn't know why. We sat at the gate for another 20 minutes or so, before the Captain returned to tell us that the lighting on the 2 runaways that they use at PHL had been struck by lightning, and they would have to look for another runway. Luckily, it didn't take much longer and we were on our way!
We landed about 40 minutes late, and headed for baggage claim, happy to be away from the line-cutters. Luckily, it didn't take too long until our bagge arrived. I called the parking lot where we had left our car, and they were there in about 5 minutes to pick us up. We settled the bill, which only cost us about $50.00 for the week and were on our way! We arrived home about 2:15 AM to find Courtney, who had tried to wait up for us, asleep in our bed and Matt asleep in his. We woke him briefly to let him know we were home and he went back to sleep. Ashleigh went right off to her bed, and Emily, who fell asleep in the car, was placed into hers. I had to wake Courtney fully to get her out of our bed. Since she was now awake, she and I stayed up talking for about another hour, before finally collapsing!