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Hello all...
It looks as if I finally have time to sit and write at least part of our trip report.
Date of the trip was Sept 7th to the 17th, extended through the 18th...
DH (Dale) and I on our honeymoon finally, after a year and a half and multiple cancellations, we are finally going. I bought the airline tickets this time LOL. Crashing our honeymoon, are our cousins, Kathy, her DD and DS Taylor and Jordan, her mom, Dino, later in the trip.
We all decided that for cost and convenience that we would stay at ASSports. I faxed them a room request on the 6th. Received a phone call from them on the 7th, confirming adjoining rooms in the baseball section of the hotel, which is where we wanted to be. Now I am the newbie on the trip and had no idea how much farther away from the bus stops that was. I had yet to look in my Passporter and see. That will teach me to listen to my cousin...
DH and I arrive at the airport, Sacramento, CA, 2 hours before our flight on the night of the 7th, both of us anxious to go. I realize about a million things I think I forgot to pack and drive DH nuts. Our flight left on time, albeit crowded, but left us sitting next to a lady who was also on her way to WDW. We talked the entire flight to Atlanta.
At Atlanta, we meet up with our cousins and catch our last plane to Orlando. Now I was dreading getting into Orlando, because before I had heard everyone talk about Mears, I had already purchased our transfers for all of us. We get there and there at the gate was a Mears representative to meet us, holding up one of those neat little signs with our name on it, he asks for our luggage descriptions and says he will get our luggage for us. Well, we all decided it would probably be easier if we all went down there to claim the bags, how do you describe a black roll around suitcase to differentiate between all the others. He gathers all our parties luggage, and takes us to a van that was specifically just to take us to our hotel.
As we are on our way, he asks if we would like a tour of WDW on our way to the hotel. This is 8:00 am, so we say sure that would be great. He shows us all the different resorts, and then takes us to Assports. We get there at about 9:30 am.
As Kathy and I check in, we send the rest of the gang to the food court to get breakfast. The luggage was taken care of for us, check in was a breeze. DH and I had decided against the honeymoon plan due to budget restrictions, but had made sure that everyone knew that we were on our honeymoon. When I checked in, there at the front desk was a package for us, containing matching watches and pins that were of Cinderella and her Prince with their carriage. It was a wonderful surprise. WDW stated that because they had messed up part of our reservation, they were including this with our room. What foul up there was I still am unsure of....
They had also upgraded our tickets to Ultimate Park Hoppers. I had only gotten us Park Hopper Plus. This was a great surprise. It also meant that our one day at a water park wasn't going to cost us extra.... I was a happy camper.
Kathy and I go meet the gang and we eat breakfast and decide where we want to start the day. Our rooms won't be ready until later, none of us our worried, so that gives us close to a whole day wherever we want. The decision was to start at MGM. DH has the camcorder and says he wants to film my reaction to everything. Yeah! I so love being on camera. The thing is he has been here before I have not....
Out to the bus stop we go. Kathy sees the bus we want and gets it to wait for us. Never follow my cousin. She got us on the bus for Typhoon Lagoon, and Blizzard Beach. Luckily we aren't the only ones. When bus driver Fred realizes this, he finishes his route, says he ahead of schedule and will personally take us over. Thank you Fred!!!
We finally make it to MGM, there is a lot to see and do. The first thing everyone wants to do is the Indiana Jones Stunt Show. After that is Star Tours, skip WWTBAM, head to Rockin Roller Coaster, with no line. We went on that about 5 times in a row. They did make us get off. Jordan didn't want to go, we kind of tricked him to getting on, then he didn't want to get off. Funny how that happens. Then there was the ToT that DH said no to, but since I insisted he agreed reluctantly. We got on and his legs started shaking, I felt so sorry for him. We had about 4 long drops during which time DH went white as a sheet. When we got off he asked when we could go again.... LOL!
At this point we were all hungry, decided on the 50's Prime Time, fell in love with Aunt Brenda, and I was then introduced to a Florida rainshower. Of course we left the ponchos in our luggage. New ponchos purchased we went to Beauty and the Beast, visited alot of shops and I was dead on my feet. 36 hours of no sleep will do that to you... We decided that the hotel sounded like a good idea. Since it was still pouring down rain, we got settled in the room, had a snack, then discussed what to do next. DD was voted on, went shopping, and made it back to the hotel by 2 am. I was beat and DH and I had a surprise waiting for us. The next morning at 9 am was scheduled a photo shoot for our honeymoon at Epcot. We had to get up....earlier than planned. Sunday was to be our relax in the morning then go do something day. It wasn't going to happen.....
Needless to say we overslept Sunday Morning. Mickey called at 6:05 am, DH answered and went back to bed. The alarm was set correctly the time was not. I woke up at 8:30 am, in a panic. Got DH up, he went to get ready, I got on the phone spoke to the photography people they said not to worry they could still do this is we could get there by 9:30. Ok not a problem.
We were on a bus to Epcot by 9 am, not bad huh?, and at Epcot by 9:15. Into Epcot and then realized we needed to get all the way to past the UK in less than 15 minutes. Something I had not mentioned to the group is that 3 weeks prior to this I had knee surgery. Walking, running and I do not go together. DH wants to get the camcorder out and tape Epcot while there are not many people in it. I start for the gift shop at the International Gateway in hopes that DH will keep up. CM at the entrance to the nations asks me where I am going, laughs when I tell him the story and says he will get DH to catch up. Apparently he told DH that I was threatening divorce by order of the Mouse is he didn't catch up to me in the next couple of minutes. he also mentioned that DH could make this up to me by the order of the Princess' if he wined and dined me at the Royal Table..... I like this CM.
We met the photographer, and sorry to say I cannot recall his name. The session was fun, the pictures beautiful. We received them at home yesterday. Since it was still before 11 am and the nations were not "open" as of yet, we were told we could wander through the nations until they did open if we wanted to. It was so peaceful and beautiful there. DH and I were able to spend quite a bit of time reflecting over the lagoon with each other. I have to admit that was probably our most romantic bit of time together since our wedding.
At 11 am we met our cousins at the Biergarten for lunch. It soon became a favorite spot with us. We spent most of the early afternoon exploring nations, went to future world, visited Spaceship Earth, Test Track. As it was approaching time for TON parade, we went back to the nations via the Canada side. Played with the statue in France, ended up with a wonderful spot to video the parade from. It was wonderful to have the people in the parade interact with DH and the videocamera and all the little kids in front of us. DH and I try to make sure that there is always space in front of us for the kids to see the parades and shows as DH is 6'2" and I am 5'2". We realize that he blocks a lot of the more vertically challenged people like me from seeing.
Since we caught the early parade, we spent more time exploring the nations, and at 8:30 realized we did not yet have seats for Illuminations. I remembered that Paul had mentioned he would be near Italy, so we headed over there. Unfortunately, I never saw Paul, but we did get some wonderful seats up on the bridge. Illuminations blew us away. That was the most wonderful show I had ever seen. I wished we had thought to video it. Later on we would, but did not know this at that time.
Since the park was closed we slowly headed out of the park only to realize that Test Track was still open. Three rides later they kick us out, and I get my first glimpse of the illuminated sidewalks at Innoventions. What a wonderful sight. Out of the park we go to DD, for food, shopping, and returned to the room by 1 am again.. what a long wonderful day....
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