Trip Report
Walt Disney World August 2011
Background information:
We had originally planned to bring the kids to Walt Disney World in August of 2010 to celebrate our tenth anniversary. Unfortunately, John got laid off from his job of 9 years in December of 2009. He remained unemployed for about six months--enough time for the little odd jobs around the house to get started, but never really finished.
He landed up with a great job (at that point any job would have been “great”), and was back to working by July 2011. That was definitely good, but it meant we couldn’t take a trip to Disney—or anywhere for that matter. So last summer, we went nowhere except the little pool in our backyard. It was actually fine. The kids and I had fun and John got adjusted to his job (and the job to him).
In August of 2010, we booked a trip to Disney. We had initially thought we would invite a couple of relatives, but before we knew it, more of the Bailey family was coming than were remaining at home. At first, I felt guilty about foisting my entire family on John for a week of what was meant to be an immediate-family trip, but the more I thought about it, the more I thought that the more the merrier. I honestly don’t think my parents will make it back to “the World.” And as my nieces are in their 20’s, we’re less and less likely to see them as they are making their own ways in the world.
So planning took on a frenzied pace and the trip loomed closer and closer. I made plans and spread sheets. I made dining reservations. I got excited. We went on the trip and then it was over. There would have been a feeling of “What next?” but what was next was school a week away and that led to panic and stress.
Cast of Characters:
John, the kids (Jack and Anna), and Me
My parents, Margie and Howie
Karen, Valerie, and Geri—sisters and cousin
Liz, Haley, and Kristy—nieces and cousin
Big Anna—Liz’s friend
Alex—Kristy’s friend who came out to celebrate Kristy’s 21st birthday with us
Here is the report:
Thursday, August 18, 2011
We had purchased our flights to Orlando in February. The price of the flights was amazing ($65 per person per flight), but the departure time was 6:05 a.m. on Friday, August 19, 2011. So we tried to figure out our options for getting to the airport on time.
I had thought we could spend the night at my in-laws (as they live closer to the airport than we do) and hire a limo or car service to bring us to the airport. My father-in-law offered to drive us in, too. John thought we should stay at a hotel, use their “park and stay” option, and use their shuttle to get to the airport. Rather than argue with John over what would be a better option, we went with the hotel. So John made reservations to spend Thursday night at the Comfort Inn and Suites in Revere.
On Thursday morning, I got the kids up and dressed and brought them over to Judy’s house for a little while. There were things I needed to get done that would be accomplished more easily without them around.
I stopped at Stop and Shop and bought snacks for the flight down to Florida. There would be no food on the flight and we would be travelling during breakfast time. While there, I was texting with John. I’m not sure why we just didn’t talk on the phone, but we were texting furiously.
I went home and finished packing up the bags. Packing was not as easy as I thought it would be. I had wanted to bring too much stuff, and had been throwing things in the suitcase as I thought of them for months. I trimmed down some, but didn’t want to leave anything behind. I did leave behind the closet organizers. I had thought that they would help me organize the kids’ clothes, but they didn’t make it in the suitcase. That was fine, by the way. We were able to be organized with the space we had. I pulled stuff out of the suitcase. Put it back in. Moved it around. I had a panic attack because I had run out of room and still needed to pack our shoes! We definitely needed shoes! I searched through the house looking for bags. We were flying Southwest, so we could bring with us 8 bags. Thanks to some careful reshuffling, I ended up able to pack our shoes and some extra bags just in case.
By the time I had done everything I needed to do, it was close to 2:30. I had wanted to check into the hotel early-ish so that the kids could swim in the pool. So I loaded up the car and headed toward Judy’s to get the kids. They were excited to go and excited to stay at a hotel. They had stayed at one hotel before when we went to New York for a family gathering earlier in the summer. The experience was still fresh in their minds. They hadn’t been able to use the pool at that hotel; time had run out. So they were very excited about getting to use the pool at this hotel.
We got to the hotel just after 4. I hadn’t really factored in traffic. I’m sure we missed much of it, but we sat for a while. I decided that I’m really a South Shore girl. Once you get through the tunnel, things just aren’t the same. The birds stop singing and the air is grey. OK. Probably not, but it just seemed that way.
Parking was limited at the hotel and for a moment I thought that we wouldn’t be parking or staying. It wasn’t a big lot to begin with and it was pretty full. When we got there, there were two empty spots. One was for me, and the other for the guy who came in behind me. The spot was not as close to the actual hotel as one would like, but it was a space. Since pickin’s were slim, we took what they gave us.
The kids and I brought in some bags and checked in. I have to admit right here and now that the sight of the children rolling their suitcases behind them and wearing their backpacks was super cute.
Once we’d checked in and changed, we headed to the swimming pool. The pool was not as nice as we thought it would be, nor as big as it appeared in the picture on line. But it was bigger than what they were used to, and it had the novelty of being something different. There were a couple of families there already. One was just getting out and the other stayed and played with my two. Anna bossed around the little girl. They played well together; the little girl taking the bossing considerably well. That family left and another family joined us. This family was not so amiable. I think they were put off by my children—particularly Anna. By the time the other family arrived, my kids were cannonballing off the side of the pool at Anna’s command. The mom was pretty frazzled, too, as she had the three kids who wanted to do what Anna was doing, but no dad to help her out. Anna was in a floaty suit, so I didn’t really worry, but her three were free range and not really able to be as wild. At about 6 p.m., we went back up to the room to get dry and wait for John. The kids probably could have played longer, but I was cold and I wanted to give the other family a break. Plus, we had to get dressed, get dinner and go to bed so we could get up prior to the crack of dawn to go to the airport. He walked in the door pretty much immediately after we came back upstairs. We dried up, got dressed and headed to the restaurant attached to the hotel: Margarita’s.
The appetizers were not very good, but the sangria was good and the entries themselves were good. I forget what John had, but he liked it. I had fried shrimp tacos that were really yummy. I believe the kids had quesadillas, but don’t quote me. Everyone was excited.
Then we went back up to the room. The kids went to bed relatively easily. You could tell they were excited, but they were good about going to bed. The whole thing was cool for them because they were staying in a hotel on a pull-out sofa bed. What could be better?
While the kids were in bed, John checked us in at the hotel at Disney using on line check in. He watched the Patriots’ pre-season game that was on. I think he was excited, too.
I showered and then went to bed. I had a hard time falling asleep (because I was soooo excited!). Once I did finally fall asleep, I heard the hall door opening. Anna had gotten out of bed and had opened the door to the hall. Fortunately, she hadn’t gotten out and when I called her, she closed the door and climbed back in bed. I put the latch up on the top of the door and then lay back down, waiting for her to attempt another escape.
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| The Necco Wafer Factory was the view from the airport hotel. |
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