Larock Family WDW Trip

Disney Trip 2003

November 29th thru December 7th

Day 1 – Travel Time

Cast of characters – Mommy, Daddy, Nina (6) and Julia (5)

We left Wilmington for the Baltimore Airport at about 3:30pm. This was the first time that we elected to fly in the evening to Florida instead of during the daytime. It was a good thing we left early. There was so much more traffic than we planned because of the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. While we traveled, Julia slept which was great because we knew we were in for a late night. John and Nina dropped Julia and myself off at the curb while they went to park the car. We wheeled the luggage in and then sat coloring by number until the other two arrived. While we waited, we got a phone call from Nina as she rode the bus! The fun had already begun.

We checked in at the Southwest station. I am always impressed by how quickly their lines move. The girls stood and watched the luggage going by on the belt and started saying “goodbye” as each piece passed us. The ticket agent was very amused by it all.

From there we went through security and then grabbed some takeout at Nathan’s: chicken tenders and a turkey wrap, and had a picnic at the gate. Our flight was delayed by about ½ hour so we had a chance for Nina to do some of the homework that she’d been assigned during our trip. Even Julia pulled out the little homework booklet that I had made for her and did some coloring and practiced writing her numbers. Once everyone started lining up to go on board, the girls struck up a conversation with two other girls about the same age waiting in line for departure.

Once aboard the plane, Nina sat with her dad and Julia and I sat across the row. A very nice woman sat down next to us and when Julia asked what the button on her armrest was for, the lady broke in and told her that if she pushed it the wing would fall off! The look on Julia’s face was priceless! It didn’t take her long to figure out that though that the woman was just kidding. After a few moments conversation, we learned that our seatmate had attended Dartmouth and was now working at Cape Canaveral.

Our flight was pretty uneventful and we arrived in Orlando at about 11:00pm about ½ hour late. Nina and I picked up the luggage while Julia and Daddy went to get the rental car. Pretty soon, we saw them come for us in a white mini-van that Julia had chosen.

On the ride to Coronado Springs, Nina fell asleep so Julia and I were the first to enter the lobby and see the wonderful Christmas decorations that we would see throughout our trip. The lobby was quiet and while Julia played in the kid’s station, Katie our Cast Member, checked us in and gave us directions to our room, Cabanas 8152.

The first thing we noticed is that the parking signs don’t give you a great indication of where your room is relative to where you parked and so we walked a bit further than we needed to. John went back and moved the car so that it would be easier in the morning. We loved our room. It was set in the back, quiet but right near the dig site and the bus stop. I was really pleased with the room assignment we’d been given. We quickly unpacked, made arrangements for a wake-up call and then we all climbed into bed for a bit of sleep before Mickey rang to wake us up!

Day: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9