Sharon & Family - December 2008

Day 1

Just to give you a bit of background.....This trip was just myself and DD (8) (DH decided to stay home and hunt). Our trip was Dec. 14- 21,2008. We flew SW nonstop from Pitts-Orlando. Pitts is a bit over 2hrs from our house. This is our 1st time using Magical Express and staying on property at All Stars Movies.

We left our house at some ridiculous hour of 5:15am (up at 3:30am). Weather was surprisingly good on our way down to Pitts. Left the directions to the airport (it has been many,mnay yrs since we were at the pitts airport, wanted to be sure) on my bed. Had the GPS, typed in Pitts Intern airport(no address, on bed), got directions, that took us to God only remembers where. Not the airport!! Stopped at a police station we just happened to come across and asked directions (got a real strange took from policeman), it turned out we were at the opposite end of the airport someplace in a town, we had to drive in essance all the way around to the front for parking. Got there, checked in okay, no issues here. Took off, great weather.It was DD 1st trip on airplane. All went well. She thought it was cool, taking off and landing. Didn't like be in the air as much, lots "when are we gonna land" questions.

1st time flying SW, would fly again, very nice flight down. Funny pilot, got in almost a 1/2 early. Not thrilled about no guarentee with your seating and being with your party. That was a bit tense, worried I couldn't find 2seats together, but we did. An older (probably 70's)gentleman threw a FIT b/c him and his wife couldn't sit together and it was her 1st time flying. She was standing next to my row and he was yelling at the flight att. I said excuse me, but we do have 1 seat you could sit in, it's my DD 1st time flying as well and I could "hold" your hand along with hers and we could all keep each other distracted. She seemed okay with it and a bit "relieved" He wasn't too happy, she sat down next to me and he went a few rows back on the other side of the plane. she jsut sat down and buckled. This other guy, maybe 30's sitting behind DD (who had the window seat). Said excuse me to the older gentleman, "you two want to sit togheter?" Well duh?? the whole plane knew it. But he was nice and they did some musical seats and he ended up next to me and the older couple together right behind us. And she did ask my DD a couple of times how she was doing, etc.And of course he was very plesent after that and enjoyable to talk to. The WHOLE plane was going to WDW. Everyone one was either talking about it, wearing Disney clothes, or something. All but this one lone lady, who just wanted to go home to Orlando, she said and her flights home are always like this. And the plane was PACKED!!!

Get to Orlando, smooth flight, very fast. We landed a few mins after 11am, flight due in at 11:35am. got off the plane maybe 11:10ish. went to find ME, got off the elevator and a ME agent standing there said "follow the line to the end if you are looking for ME" I said what? that line? it stretched on and on and on and on. There were hundreds and hundreds of people in this line (NOT kidding). He goes, "OH, don't worry, it's only about 10 mins long." HAH! NOT!! The line took 45min. to JUST to get to the desk to spend all of 20secs there verify some info, which resort your going to, how long your stay, how many suitcases, and your return info home. That's IT! Then we get herded to another line. It's for the buses!!!!!I have know idea how long we waited in that line, a very long time. It's now 2;00pm ish, give or take a few, I"m guessing we are tired, hungry, HOT, my DD has been up since 4am, it's not like we could get to sleep early the night b/f, etc. We barely made it onto the 3rd bus for the resorts. and I mean BARELY and only b/c I spoke up. The bus was full, had 1 seat left. the attendant asked the 1 person in line "how many people in your party" they said 5, she asked the next, they said 3, she started to walk away, I spoke up, excuse me, we have just 2 in our party, can we get on. She says yeap. On the bus we go, finally! After stopping at Sports, and Music, we are at Movies. It is now 2:58pm B/c I ask if we can get into our room a bit early b/c we are soooooooooo tired (I had been going for nearly 12hrs now, and DD 11hrs) and needed a rest and it's been a LONG experience just from the airport. (It took us almost 4hrs from the time the plane landed till the time we were at the check in counter!!!! According to most of you, it should of taken an hr to 1 1/2hrs.) She checked and we could. got checked in pretty quickly. We were put in the Fantasmic building and DD started crying b/c she wanted the Dalmation really bad (and she's hot, tired and hungry and tired of waiting and disappointed, she break out in tears, which is really not like her). CM heard our conversation, asked about it, and said she would check to see if any rooms were open now and available. And there was one. That was our 1 and only "Magical Experience" of the trip. It wasn't big, but it was big for DD, and in a sense me too, b/c it made DD happy, especially after our long trip. We also requested a frig for medical reason, that it was in the new room when we got there. We stayed in the Dalmatian building towards the back or left of the walkway, for those of you who stayed there b/f. We were on the 2nd floor, around back, next to the very end. where the other building and pool was (I think it was sports,sports themed but could never get it in my head, how it's sports, when sports was the 1st stop, then music, then movies).

We were in our room at 3:20pm (told the wrong direction to our building or we would of been in there a bit earlier). The CM who checked us in,wasn't very strong in her English and we had a bit difficulty understanding, and she said, go out of the door and take a left and then right. Which we really needed to take was a right and another right. We actually laid down for about an hour. DD was out within seconds. I on the other had, just laid there, worring with my luck I'll no sooner fall asleep and then our luggage would arrive. But it didn't so I laid awake.

Got up, went to DTD for a bit. Had dinner at Planet HOllywood. Nothing spectacular, but it was good. It was early for dinner yet, so we got seated (after standing there for 5min watching staff chat).Wouldn't you know it, our waitress is from my hometown. Graduated from a rival school. 1st person to actually have a conversation with in Disney and she is from hometown. Too funny I thought. I got a turkey club with fries and ice water. DD got chicken tenders with fries and a Sprite. They gave a lot of fries. I could of saved some $$ and shared her fries b/c they come with her dinner and she's not a big fry person, there was a ton on our plates. So I took 1/2 sandwich back with me, and ate the fries. Walked around a bit in DTD, shopped some.

Left to take bus to AKL. There was a meet and greet at 7:30pm with our TMFL Mike and Binnie at one of the villas there. On our way there, I looked for my info paper, couldn't find it (yeap, back on the hotel bed, lol). I knew we were to meet in the lobby at AKL, but not sure where in the lobby. Walked in, nothing "jumped" out at me, no signs, etc. So I asked these CM at this desk, they asked me a bunch of questions, after a few mins. said "ask Bell Services, we work for the Boma restaurant, we don't know". (then WHY ask me a bunch of questions???) Onto Bell Services, again blah, blah,blah, ask me a bunch of questions, she said "humm she don't know ask DVC" I said they aren't toghter, it's not DVC, but she insists. So off we go (are tired and I'm still dragging DD around). Ask DVC guy, blah, blah, blah, get asked a bunch of questions, not sure he says, go as the conceige desk. off we go, go wait for CM to acknowledge us, blah, blah, blah, get asked a bunch of questions, looks on her computer, asks some more questions, she doesn't know, but will ask her manager. off she goes, comes back "don't know anything about TMFL or any meet and greet. No Mike, No Binnie, nothing. Still don't see anything that jumps out at me, no sign, etc. Well it's now 8am.DD wants to go back to the room, We are tired, asked everyone we could, we call it a night. We leave to go back to the resort. Now my impression of AKL was great, but thought that for the $$ you spend to stay there, the bus walk was on the far side (and isn't it up hill when you are dropped off at the bus stop going up to AKL?) Heck it was closer at Movies to our building that it was from bus stop to AKL. Ask the bus driver best way to get back to movies. Says come on he'll take us to Studios, then we have to take another bus to Movies. Okay got on. We get to this stop, we go to get off, and I'm on the steps to get off, he YELLS at me "NOOOO" "not get off" this is AK. Like I knew that, he said bus was going to Studios, not AK. Scared the heck out of me. So we get back on. and we leave, there is a bus there that says resorts, so he did stop and ask that driver if he was going back to resorts, and he said no.We go to Studios, driver points out where to go, etc. and have a good holiday. So maybe he was a bit regretful for YELLING at me. Finally we get back to our room. I call Mike, said hey we were there and couldn't find anyone and told him the story that no one had a clue. (directions, stated we were to meet in front of the fireplace, the tiny clue that I was missing was sitting on the bed).

Also when I got back to the room talked to the person who said they would be able to drop off some water and pepsi, since that person would be there all week and have a car and would be going to a grocery store. Not sure if anyone remembers when I asked for any suggestions, garden grocer.... my order wasn't enough, could I pack in suitcase, etc. Well this person had volunteered and we did touch base a couple of times, and just b/f I left for Disney, that person still said "no problem". Well wouldn't you know it...They said the week had been busy and crazy, and that night, his DD was sick and they were hoping to leave the next day and they wouldn't be able to drop off the stuff. Well, that was just great. I guess the way the day had been going it shouldn't surprise me. I was mad, but more mad at myself for counting on that person, for not having a back up plan or packing a few bottles of water in my suitcase.

Well that was it, I had enough. OFF to bed!!! The day got off to a good start (maybe b/c I still felt it was the night b/f b/c we got up so early). And rapidly went down hill!!!!! So our 1st day didn't turn our like we planned or even closely.

I'm hoping tomorrow will be better!! Off to MK.

Well I will go for now, and finish up later. But just to let you know, the next day doesn't start off good at all!!!!

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