ILoveLegos
05-06-2011, 05:49 PM
Not Quite a Mom on the Disney Moms Panel
Training Trip: December 10 – 14, 2010
Resort: Disney’s Yacht Club
Participants: 14 new Disney Moms Panelist &
Johnetta (single girl, without kids – Auntie of 7)
December 10, 2010.
I had a 12:55 pm flight out of EWR with a scheduled landing time of 3:32 pm. My folks dropped me off at the airport super early at my request; I was nervous and wanted to have a leisure breakfast before my flight. On my way to the food court, I was approached by fellow New Jersey Panelist Jill – she recognized me! We were so excited to see each other; it was our first Moms Panel (MP) encounter! Jill had a flight that was 2 hours earlier than mine (I told you I was early for my flight). She was bringing her parents and son along for the training trip. I thought that was super cool, I should have done that!!! After a brief chat, she returned to her family and I got breakfast. I pulled out my “Adventure Journal” which came with a Target blue-ray edition of ‘Up”, and began to record my thoughts as I ate a tiny breakfast. Basically I was excited and nervous to be embarking on this adventure. Since I was so early, I took a lot of laps around the terminal, also my boarding area had two other flights that had to depart before mine.
Previously, I decided to check a bag without putting the Magical Express (ME) tag on it because I knew that I needed things in it right away once I was in Disney World. I would have to pick up my own bag from the luggage carousel instead of letting ME take care of it. Eventually my plane boarded and the flight was smooth. My seat-mates were two teenage boys who were excited to be travelling to the theme park capital the Orlando, Florida is. Now that the airlines do not serve food, and since I never thought about lunch, I was “starving” when my plane landed in Orlando and unfortunately my blood sugar levels were a little low. I often have to deal with hypoglycemia – if I am not diligent to eat small snacks fairly regularly. I planned to pick up my checked bag, change out of my warm winter fleece top & turtleneck in the bathroom and grab a bite at the food court (I didn’t want everyone to meet me sweaty and dizzy – that is not a good first impression). Oh, by the way, my plane landed 40 minutes early but, no one was there to connect the “tube” to the plane so we had to sit there for a while until the plane could unload. I was glad to be early since I was expected at my first event at 5:00 pm and my flight times cut it pretty close.
Due to my physical condition (hypoglycemic), I did not hear the announcement that I should report to the area adjacent to the luggage carousel, so I wasted 20 minutes watching some unclaimed bags go around and my bag never appeared. After a while it dawned on me that the announcement that they kept repeating was for me, my bag had taken an earlier flight! There it was waiting for me the whole time. Okay, by this time I was really hot in my winter fleece. Now, I could have just taken it off there but mine was a pullover and the turtle neck under it was hot too – I needed a bathroom to change my clothes. That led to my next blunder. Now, I know that I should always choose the largest stall when I go in the bathroom with luggage (a checked bag, a carry-on and a laptop). But, I have to admit that by this time I was dopey and I did not want to take the handicap stall incase someone came in who really needed it. So I squeezed into a tiny stall with all my baggage – I looked like Alfredo Linguini from Ratatouille struggling with his bicycle in the movie! Well, somehow I got everything & me in that stall and then changed. I didn’t drop anything in the toilet, but I came real close once. Then I struggled to get back out. The cleaning lady must have thought I was nuts, LOL!
Okay two tasks down, but I really needed to eat. My hands were visible shaking now and I was especially wobbly in my legs. I chose Chick-Fil-A because it had a short line and it is so tasty! I should have just grabbed two Krispy Kremes to go, LOL! I got chicken nuggets which taste great, the waffle fries with lots of ketchup and a diet coke! I should have gotten a sprite – I didn’t need the caffeine and I did need the sugar! I sat down to eat with my hands shaking pretty violently now – I loaded up on the ketchup and soon I stopped shaking! Then I remembered that I hadn’t called to let my family know I had landed safely. It is our household rule and I knew I was cutting it close to my deadline at Disney – I had to call then or else I would forget!
I made some quick calls & texts to home. I checked in with everyone back home and realized that I now had less than an hour to make it to my room, refresh and meet in the lobby of the Yacht club. I sprinted through the airport (not quite as fast as O.J. Simpson in the Samsonite commercials – yes I’m dating myself). On the way, the Coke Cola kicked in and I had to return to the bathroom in a hurry (yup, the same one) and the same cleaning lady was there – but this time I wisely chose the handicapped stall! I know she thinks I’m nuts!!!
I arrived at the Magical Express desk and checked in. How excited I was to be heading there finally! In the wait for the bus line, I was talking to a couple who was bringing their niece to Disney for her first visit. I told them that I was there for Moms Panel training – the wife had been a panelist hopeful and was glad to meet me. In line, way in front of me, but since we were in a queue that went back and forth she was in earshot, there was fellow panelist Emma from UK! She said, “Johnetta, is that you?” Well we had a spirited meeting right there. By this time, Emma let people go in front of her so we could go through the line together! Wouldn’t you know that when we got to the front of the line for boarding the bus, only Emma was taken and I was stopped? Well Emma told them that we were traveling together and asked if she could take the next bus – the cast member complied and she came back in line for me! Isn’t she super nice? We asked a fellow traveler to take a picture of us. Eventually we boarded the ME bus and nervously noted how close we were cutting it to our deadline.
Usually I just enjoy the ride to WDW, but this time I thoroughly had a blast. Emma & I talked and laughed and took pictures. Then a man behind us asked if we were there for the Moms Panel – we told him that we were and he told us so was he, it was Wes – a fellow Panelist one of our two new dads!!! Now we couldn’t contain our enthusiasm! Soon we were passing under the great purple welcoming arch! Well, we were the last stop of 3 resorts: Port Orleans Riverside, Boardwalk and Yacht Club. When we got to the hotel, we were the last three people on the ME bus. We had 15 minutes to spare before we were due in the lobby at 5:00 pm! There was no line at check-in and each of us was simultaneously assigned our rooms by the cast members behind the desk. Since everything was complimentary – it was very quick! We all rushed to our rooms. Emma hoped to be able to shower before meeting in the lobby since it was a long flight for her.
I left everyone and ran to my room. At check in, I had been given a large folder with lot of information in it. I used my speed reading skills to see that I need my theme park ticket, ID and media pass. I grabbed those things and changed again into a more suitable dinner wear (the polo shirt I was wearing was good enough, but I wanted to make a good first impression so I dress up a little bit more). At a few minutes past 5:00 pm, I ran out of my room to the elevator and popped into the lobby to find – a large group of people hugging each other and talking excitedly. I walked up to the first person and say hi! Then I heard JOHNETTA!!! (You know kinda of like NORM!!! on Cheers.) Have you ever met 30 best friends for the first time all at once? Well between our supervisors, returning Panelists and everyone (except Emma – she was still in her room) – that is what I experienced at that moment!
Training Trip: December 10 – 14, 2010
Resort: Disney’s Yacht Club
Participants: 14 new Disney Moms Panelist &
Johnetta (single girl, without kids – Auntie of 7)
December 10, 2010.
I had a 12:55 pm flight out of EWR with a scheduled landing time of 3:32 pm. My folks dropped me off at the airport super early at my request; I was nervous and wanted to have a leisure breakfast before my flight. On my way to the food court, I was approached by fellow New Jersey Panelist Jill – she recognized me! We were so excited to see each other; it was our first Moms Panel (MP) encounter! Jill had a flight that was 2 hours earlier than mine (I told you I was early for my flight). She was bringing her parents and son along for the training trip. I thought that was super cool, I should have done that!!! After a brief chat, she returned to her family and I got breakfast. I pulled out my “Adventure Journal” which came with a Target blue-ray edition of ‘Up”, and began to record my thoughts as I ate a tiny breakfast. Basically I was excited and nervous to be embarking on this adventure. Since I was so early, I took a lot of laps around the terminal, also my boarding area had two other flights that had to depart before mine.
Previously, I decided to check a bag without putting the Magical Express (ME) tag on it because I knew that I needed things in it right away once I was in Disney World. I would have to pick up my own bag from the luggage carousel instead of letting ME take care of it. Eventually my plane boarded and the flight was smooth. My seat-mates were two teenage boys who were excited to be travelling to the theme park capital the Orlando, Florida is. Now that the airlines do not serve food, and since I never thought about lunch, I was “starving” when my plane landed in Orlando and unfortunately my blood sugar levels were a little low. I often have to deal with hypoglycemia – if I am not diligent to eat small snacks fairly regularly. I planned to pick up my checked bag, change out of my warm winter fleece top & turtleneck in the bathroom and grab a bite at the food court (I didn’t want everyone to meet me sweaty and dizzy – that is not a good first impression). Oh, by the way, my plane landed 40 minutes early but, no one was there to connect the “tube” to the plane so we had to sit there for a while until the plane could unload. I was glad to be early since I was expected at my first event at 5:00 pm and my flight times cut it pretty close.
Due to my physical condition (hypoglycemic), I did not hear the announcement that I should report to the area adjacent to the luggage carousel, so I wasted 20 minutes watching some unclaimed bags go around and my bag never appeared. After a while it dawned on me that the announcement that they kept repeating was for me, my bag had taken an earlier flight! There it was waiting for me the whole time. Okay, by this time I was really hot in my winter fleece. Now, I could have just taken it off there but mine was a pullover and the turtle neck under it was hot too – I needed a bathroom to change my clothes. That led to my next blunder. Now, I know that I should always choose the largest stall when I go in the bathroom with luggage (a checked bag, a carry-on and a laptop). But, I have to admit that by this time I was dopey and I did not want to take the handicap stall incase someone came in who really needed it. So I squeezed into a tiny stall with all my baggage – I looked like Alfredo Linguini from Ratatouille struggling with his bicycle in the movie! Well, somehow I got everything & me in that stall and then changed. I didn’t drop anything in the toilet, but I came real close once. Then I struggled to get back out. The cleaning lady must have thought I was nuts, LOL!
Okay two tasks down, but I really needed to eat. My hands were visible shaking now and I was especially wobbly in my legs. I chose Chick-Fil-A because it had a short line and it is so tasty! I should have just grabbed two Krispy Kremes to go, LOL! I got chicken nuggets which taste great, the waffle fries with lots of ketchup and a diet coke! I should have gotten a sprite – I didn’t need the caffeine and I did need the sugar! I sat down to eat with my hands shaking pretty violently now – I loaded up on the ketchup and soon I stopped shaking! Then I remembered that I hadn’t called to let my family know I had landed safely. It is our household rule and I knew I was cutting it close to my deadline at Disney – I had to call then or else I would forget!
I made some quick calls & texts to home. I checked in with everyone back home and realized that I now had less than an hour to make it to my room, refresh and meet in the lobby of the Yacht club. I sprinted through the airport (not quite as fast as O.J. Simpson in the Samsonite commercials – yes I’m dating myself). On the way, the Coke Cola kicked in and I had to return to the bathroom in a hurry (yup, the same one) and the same cleaning lady was there – but this time I wisely chose the handicapped stall! I know she thinks I’m nuts!!!
I arrived at the Magical Express desk and checked in. How excited I was to be heading there finally! In the wait for the bus line, I was talking to a couple who was bringing their niece to Disney for her first visit. I told them that I was there for Moms Panel training – the wife had been a panelist hopeful and was glad to meet me. In line, way in front of me, but since we were in a queue that went back and forth she was in earshot, there was fellow panelist Emma from UK! She said, “Johnetta, is that you?” Well we had a spirited meeting right there. By this time, Emma let people go in front of her so we could go through the line together! Wouldn’t you know that when we got to the front of the line for boarding the bus, only Emma was taken and I was stopped? Well Emma told them that we were traveling together and asked if she could take the next bus – the cast member complied and she came back in line for me! Isn’t she super nice? We asked a fellow traveler to take a picture of us. Eventually we boarded the ME bus and nervously noted how close we were cutting it to our deadline.
Usually I just enjoy the ride to WDW, but this time I thoroughly had a blast. Emma & I talked and laughed and took pictures. Then a man behind us asked if we were there for the Moms Panel – we told him that we were and he told us so was he, it was Wes – a fellow Panelist one of our two new dads!!! Now we couldn’t contain our enthusiasm! Soon we were passing under the great purple welcoming arch! Well, we were the last stop of 3 resorts: Port Orleans Riverside, Boardwalk and Yacht Club. When we got to the hotel, we were the last three people on the ME bus. We had 15 minutes to spare before we were due in the lobby at 5:00 pm! There was no line at check-in and each of us was simultaneously assigned our rooms by the cast members behind the desk. Since everything was complimentary – it was very quick! We all rushed to our rooms. Emma hoped to be able to shower before meeting in the lobby since it was a long flight for her.
I left everyone and ran to my room. At check in, I had been given a large folder with lot of information in it. I used my speed reading skills to see that I need my theme park ticket, ID and media pass. I grabbed those things and changed again into a more suitable dinner wear (the polo shirt I was wearing was good enough, but I wanted to make a good first impression so I dress up a little bit more). At a few minutes past 5:00 pm, I ran out of my room to the elevator and popped into the lobby to find – a large group of people hugging each other and talking excitedly. I walked up to the first person and say hi! Then I heard JOHNETTA!!! (You know kinda of like NORM!!! on Cheers.) Have you ever met 30 best friends for the first time all at once? Well between our supervisors, returning Panelists and everyone (except Emma – she was still in her room) – that is what I experienced at that moment!