mudpuppysmom
12-18-2008, 03:20 PM
I'm going to call this trip the snowball trip because it started forming the day before we left (the snowball that rolls down the hill so to speak.....you know it gets bigger as it rolls down hill).
On this trip we had a total of 8 people most of the time:
Me: the planner and coordinator
DH, DS#1 (6) and DS#2 (6 months)
DSis , DN#1 (11), DN#2 (3) DSis BF (sisters BF)
We stayed at AKL
When: Dec 9-16
The day before we left my DN#1 ended up going to the ER for a severe nose bleed and had her nose packed (my DSis thought they would cauterize it, but they didn't).
Also my DSis thought it would be good if we flew in the night before we started our trip officially, so we did. I won't fly in the night before again -- I just did not like it. We also had to make alternate accommodations b/c AKL did not have rooms available for us when we decided to fly in the night before, plus it would have been expensive to just sleep for a few hours as we got in around midnight. So, DSis ended up staying somewhere out by Universal (her BF had points so she stayed for free). We tried to book her a room at SOG, but she would not have it, so we stayed there b/c it was less expensive than the hotel she stayed at. I went to bed at 1 am and then got up at 2 remembering I forgot my hairbrush at home!! Yes, in my sleep I remembered I forgot my hairbrush. At 7:30 am I marched down to the AAFES store and asked if they had any -- a little brush that you would give a little girl for her doll is what I ended up with, but I made it work! Got ready then went out to pick up my DSis and her kids. Upon arrival DSis tells me she was up all night with DN#2 sick....then I got a nosebleed!! I never get them, so it was odd! Go back to SOG to meet DH and my kids -- we buy our tickets and then off to AKL to check in.
Upon arrival at AKL we were greeted by a valet CM and we told him we would be checking in. They took our bags to hold for us until our room was ready. We waited a minute or two to check in (no line really YEAH!!). I had previously called to make sure we could get a microwave to sterilize my DS#2's bottles (his dr. suggested that we do it and wrote us a script to the effect it was medically necessary to have them sterilized so we would not look like we just wanted a microwave). The CM behind the desk insisted they had no microwaves on the entire property. I asked to speak to the manager. When Wil (the manager) came out we intro'd ourselves and he asked what he could do to help. I noticed he was from Pittsburgh and told him that was where we werer from also. He then told me whatever I needed taken care of -- it would be done! Turns out he was from right where some of my family is from and he knew my cousins husband! So, he tells me that the microwave will be in our room when we get back around 3 pm. We left to go to the store (I needed to get nursery water, diapers, wipes and bottled water for us, plus a few snacks for the kids). We got back around 3 pm and our rooms were ready. Now, we had requested connecting rooms and the CM that checked us in informed me that it was honored. Well, we got to our room and they did not connect to each other -- they connected to other rooms, but not ours respectively. Next, I noticed no microwave. I knock on my DSis's door and she opens it and looks disgusted. I asked her what the problem was.....she said -- THIS is the view we get? Turns out we were upgraded from a std room to a savannah room!! I said, I didn't look outside so I thought we were seeing the parking lot....I was excited that we had gotten a savannah view!! She took me outside and said, "This is where they put the people they don't have room for!" There were two ostriches there....I must admit, it wasn't the best savannah view, but it was a view of the animals. We were on the Ostrich Trail in room 2257 and she had 2253. We heard construction noise the whole week we were there (not loud, but you could hear it). The animals we saw all week included two ostriches, a zebra and two giraffees -- that was all, so a total of five animals (and we spent a LOT of time at the hotel). I told my sister we were lucky to be upgraded so be happy!
Back to the microwave saga (and connecting room deal). I called Wil and informed him no microwave and discussed the connecting room. He again said it would be taken care of momentarily. I told him we were going to MGM for the evening so no big deal (I still had two bottles left). He also said we would have to move tomorrow if we wanted a connecting room, that was all he could do as there was nothing available in the entire resort tonight. We got back from MGM and still no microwave. I again called Wil. He said he was personally calling the runner immediately. THAT time the microwave showed up in less than 10 mintues! So now I could clean bottles.
At MGM we kicked around a bit....the girls were a little tired and I was just as tired. We did a few things then DSis asked about eating dinner. I told her we usually eat at Backlot, but she wanted to tri Sci Fi, so we did. DSis did not enjoy it at all. DN#1 and DN#2 ate nothing. DS#1 ate his entire plate, but I think he was just watching the movie and was distracted. DH and I both had a reuben and it was OK. We won't be back here though just because of the food. The service was fine, nothing spectacular though. We saw the Osborne Lights and everyone was liking them!! On our way out we caught GMR and TSMM (I like it more than Buzz!!) it broke down though right in front of Mr. Potato Head! I heard him sing, One Potato, Two Potato a few tooooooo many times!!!! I did enjoy it and if the wait were less than 60 minutes I would definitely get in line again (although we generally don't do anything over 20 minute waits).
The day was done and by the time I got everything cleaned up and bottles made for the next day it was nearly 11:30! Off to bed we went with Day 1 behind us!
On this trip we had a total of 8 people most of the time:
Me: the planner and coordinator
DH, DS#1 (6) and DS#2 (6 months)
DSis , DN#1 (11), DN#2 (3) DSis BF (sisters BF)
We stayed at AKL
When: Dec 9-16
The day before we left my DN#1 ended up going to the ER for a severe nose bleed and had her nose packed (my DSis thought they would cauterize it, but they didn't).
Also my DSis thought it would be good if we flew in the night before we started our trip officially, so we did. I won't fly in the night before again -- I just did not like it. We also had to make alternate accommodations b/c AKL did not have rooms available for us when we decided to fly in the night before, plus it would have been expensive to just sleep for a few hours as we got in around midnight. So, DSis ended up staying somewhere out by Universal (her BF had points so she stayed for free). We tried to book her a room at SOG, but she would not have it, so we stayed there b/c it was less expensive than the hotel she stayed at. I went to bed at 1 am and then got up at 2 remembering I forgot my hairbrush at home!! Yes, in my sleep I remembered I forgot my hairbrush. At 7:30 am I marched down to the AAFES store and asked if they had any -- a little brush that you would give a little girl for her doll is what I ended up with, but I made it work! Got ready then went out to pick up my DSis and her kids. Upon arrival DSis tells me she was up all night with DN#2 sick....then I got a nosebleed!! I never get them, so it was odd! Go back to SOG to meet DH and my kids -- we buy our tickets and then off to AKL to check in.
Upon arrival at AKL we were greeted by a valet CM and we told him we would be checking in. They took our bags to hold for us until our room was ready. We waited a minute or two to check in (no line really YEAH!!). I had previously called to make sure we could get a microwave to sterilize my DS#2's bottles (his dr. suggested that we do it and wrote us a script to the effect it was medically necessary to have them sterilized so we would not look like we just wanted a microwave). The CM behind the desk insisted they had no microwaves on the entire property. I asked to speak to the manager. When Wil (the manager) came out we intro'd ourselves and he asked what he could do to help. I noticed he was from Pittsburgh and told him that was where we werer from also. He then told me whatever I needed taken care of -- it would be done! Turns out he was from right where some of my family is from and he knew my cousins husband! So, he tells me that the microwave will be in our room when we get back around 3 pm. We left to go to the store (I needed to get nursery water, diapers, wipes and bottled water for us, plus a few snacks for the kids). We got back around 3 pm and our rooms were ready. Now, we had requested connecting rooms and the CM that checked us in informed me that it was honored. Well, we got to our room and they did not connect to each other -- they connected to other rooms, but not ours respectively. Next, I noticed no microwave. I knock on my DSis's door and she opens it and looks disgusted. I asked her what the problem was.....she said -- THIS is the view we get? Turns out we were upgraded from a std room to a savannah room!! I said, I didn't look outside so I thought we were seeing the parking lot....I was excited that we had gotten a savannah view!! She took me outside and said, "This is where they put the people they don't have room for!" There were two ostriches there....I must admit, it wasn't the best savannah view, but it was a view of the animals. We were on the Ostrich Trail in room 2257 and she had 2253. We heard construction noise the whole week we were there (not loud, but you could hear it). The animals we saw all week included two ostriches, a zebra and two giraffees -- that was all, so a total of five animals (and we spent a LOT of time at the hotel). I told my sister we were lucky to be upgraded so be happy!
Back to the microwave saga (and connecting room deal). I called Wil and informed him no microwave and discussed the connecting room. He again said it would be taken care of momentarily. I told him we were going to MGM for the evening so no big deal (I still had two bottles left). He also said we would have to move tomorrow if we wanted a connecting room, that was all he could do as there was nothing available in the entire resort tonight. We got back from MGM and still no microwave. I again called Wil. He said he was personally calling the runner immediately. THAT time the microwave showed up in less than 10 mintues! So now I could clean bottles.
At MGM we kicked around a bit....the girls were a little tired and I was just as tired. We did a few things then DSis asked about eating dinner. I told her we usually eat at Backlot, but she wanted to tri Sci Fi, so we did. DSis did not enjoy it at all. DN#1 and DN#2 ate nothing. DS#1 ate his entire plate, but I think he was just watching the movie and was distracted. DH and I both had a reuben and it was OK. We won't be back here though just because of the food. The service was fine, nothing spectacular though. We saw the Osborne Lights and everyone was liking them!! On our way out we caught GMR and TSMM (I like it more than Buzz!!) it broke down though right in front of Mr. Potato Head! I heard him sing, One Potato, Two Potato a few tooooooo many times!!!! I did enjoy it and if the wait were less than 60 minutes I would definitely get in line again (although we generally don't do anything over 20 minute waits).
The day was done and by the time I got everything cleaned up and bottles made for the next day it was nearly 11:30! Off to bed we went with Day 1 behind us!