Trip Report The GRAND Birthday! *COMPLETED*

“Hey, Ma ~ you’re about to celebrate a BIG birthday. What are you going to do next?”
“I’m going to Disney World!”

If it were only as simple as it sounds in the commercial. But we all know that real life rarely aligns with what is portrayed on TV....or for that matter (dare I say?) social media. My mother was hitting a milestone on 2/1/2019 and I wanted to take her to her favorite vacation destination to celebrate. (The fact that it also happens to be mine was a bonus!) However when I presented the idea to her back in the fall, she was reluctant to accept my offer.

Ten years ago our extended family went to WDW to celebrate her last big birthday. During that trip, paramedics were called because my infant nephew was experiencing breathing difficulties; my sister-in-law got either food poisoning or a bad case of stomach flu which necessitated a doctor coming to her resort room (and an extended stay); and my dear Woody came down with similar symptoms which resulted in an ambulance ride to the ER on the night we arrived home.

Needless to say that was the end of our extended family vacations.

I had to clarify with Mom that I wasn’t planning a big gathering. Still, she wasn’t sure she wanted to go. My father was recovering from some recent health challenges and she was uncertain she’d feel comfortable leaving him. She asked for some time to think it over.

Meanwhile I jumped on some cheap airfare and booked the hotel, figuring it was worth the risk. Just before Thanksgiving, with my dad’s blessing, Mom decided she would like to go.

“Where will we stay?” she asked.
“It’s a big event. Where do you think we should stay?” I answered.
Mom paused and without waiting for her reply I continued: “It’s going to be a grand celebration, so we must stay at the Grand Floridian!”
Mom choked up and said, “I never thought I’d ever be able to stay there.”

Well now she has! And we had a wonderful time at the resort and in the parks. There was even a surprise or two.

As for this:
That's the interesting thing -- something new, fun, or outright bizarre happens on all your trips, and that's what keeps us coming back for more. It's kinda like a written version (with photos), of a Tuvalu WDW reality show. :p Looking forward to the next installment in the series.
Stay tuned for the bizarre!

I wish this trip could have been mother/daughter/granddaughter. Sadly, Em was unable to join us.

Who: Tuvalu and Mom
When: January 29 - February 2, 2019
Where: Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa (the “and Spa” gets me every time!)

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Songbird76

Well-Known Member
❤❤❤

Thanks everyone for the birthday greetings! Although it hardly seems right that Em got to spend her birthday at Disney....and Mom got to spend her birthday at Disney....and I’m sitting at home with a cat in my lap.

To be fair though ~ Woody has planned a special evening for us tonight and Em is whisking me away this weekend for a girls trip to Chattanooga. I am blessed. :happy:
I am so sorry I'm late to the party! Busy week and this is the first time I've gotten to check in this week! Happy birthday!! I'm sorry you didn't get to spend it in Disney!
 

Tuvalu

Premium Member
Original Poster
Hope you and Em are enjoying your weekend in Chattanooga! Sorry I missed your birthday. Valentine’s Day. First grade teacher. Too tired for anything after school! Can’t wait to hear all about your Mom’s celebration!
Happy belated birthday to you and your Mommy! Hope you and Em are having a delightful weekend!
Thank you ladies! Em and I had a super fun long weekend!

Was just there on your Birthday! 🎂🎈🎉🐈. I rode the Wildest Ride in the Wilderness for you 😂.
How thoughtful of you! 🚂

All caught up and glad to see I'm not behind in the trip report :)
You are right on time....starting now!
 

Tuvalu

Premium Member
Original Poster
Tuesday, January 29

Mom and I were booked on a 10:50 am flight from Atlanta to Orlando. No need to get up at zero-dark-thirty to get to the airport in time, right? That would be true if not for the unpredictability of rush hour traffic. Make that rush HOURS....a typical morning of slow commuting lasts from 6:30 - 9:30 am. Add in a fender bender somewhere....or inclement weather....and travel time increases exponentially. We decided to allow ourselves plenty of time to get to the airport.

Yesterday a “winter storm warning” was issued, closing all government offices and schools for today. Ordinarily this would be a cause of concern for travelers ~ but here in the great state of Georgia, a “winter storm warning” can be issued for RAIN.

RAIN??!

Yes folks, today’s forecast called for rain. Not snow, hail, sleet or ice.....RAIN. But there was a slight possibility the temperature might dip to below freezing in the wee early hours.

Are you done laughing yet?

Mom and I decided to stick with our original plan to leave early. Woody was our chauffeur. We left home, picked up Mom and drove the traffic-free interstate to the airport in record time, arriving almost three hours prior to our flight. Thank you, Governor Kemp, for clearing the roads for Shirley and her mother!

See, there was a “small” event occurring at the end of the week and the governor was determined to keep the city of Atlanta from becoming a laughingstock in the eyes of the world....even if it meant closing schools and government offices for rain.

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No one connected with hosting the Super Bowl wanted a repeat of this:

Mom and I breezed through security and then sat at our gate for a long time.

Atlanta’s definition of “winter storm.”
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I picked up a Jersey Mike’s sub and a couple bottles of water for us to share aboard the plane. It was a good decision, as there was no beverage/snack service during the flight because it was “too bumpy.” (It wasn’t. 🙄)

Ready to get this party started!
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(Mom got better with selfies by the end of our trip.)
 

myhappyplace

Crazy Cat Lady
The weather related closings in Georgia never cease to amaze me (as does the traffic but that's a different story). This coming from a Pennsylvania girl who moved here almost 7 years ago. At least down here the closings mean, as a teacher, I sometimes get the day off, whereas in PA it just meant you had to leave for work earlier to get there on time.

Loving it so far!
 

Tuvalu

Premium Member
Original Poster
Rain?


Max
For your friends and neighbors...

0168b1b5852da8ec2014200f32ea127f.jpg
I suppose using “rain” as a “snow day” makes a little more sense than using “there might be a fuel shortage from Hurricanes Rita and Katrina” as two “snow days” on September 26 & 27, 2005.

(Yes, this really happened. The Governor closed schools and government offices in anticipation of a hurricane fuel shortage....in North Georgia....completely out of the path of both storms. There wasn’t a cloud in the sunny sky on both days and the temperature was near 80. 🙄)
 

Tuvalu

Premium Member
Original Poster
Tuesday, con’t

Don’t you just love when travel runs smoothly? That’s how it was today for Mom and me. We landed on time and since we were near the front of the aircraft (a miracle in itself because we boarded as B22 & 23) we were one of the first ones off the plane.

Then we had a fonorail car to ourselves!
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“Mom, go stand by Mickey.”
“Why?”
“It’s a thing we do.”

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We made our way down the escalators and completed the half-mile walk to Disney’s Magical Express.

What a sweet sight!
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We boarded a bus with two other families and pulled away five minutes later.

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Traffic conditions were ideal, because exactly 20 minutes later we were driving under the Welcome Arch!
 

Tuvalu

Premium Member
Original Poster
The bus made a stop at the Contemporary first and then continued on to Wilderness Lodge. I thought this was odd, since we had to pass WL on our way to the Contemporary. However I knew we’d be last no matter what the drop-off order.

Hello, GF! We’ll be home soon!
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And we were! Touchdown to arrival, one hour and five minutes.
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A greeter met us at the bus. He asked if it was our first visit to the Grand and I said no, but it was my mother’s and we were here to celebrate her birthday.

Immediately he pulled out a Birthday Button for her.
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We then went inside to check in. My brother had informed me he’d sent a package to the resort under my name and it would be waiting for us at the front desk.

The CM who assisted us said our room was ready (yay!) and excused himself for a moment. I thought perhaps he was going to retrieve the package but he came back with a second Birthday Button for Mom. (She actually liked #2 better as he had drawn a Mickey head alongside her name.) I inquired about a package and after checking his computer screen he said, “Yep, be right back!”

Package in hand, we went in search of our room.
 

Tuvalu

Premium Member
Original Poster
There are five outer buildings at the GF in addition to the main building (which houses only club level rooms.) I have stayed in three of them and each has pros and cons. I really don’t have a favorite.

This would be my second stay in Boca Chica.
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Mom was taken aback by the beautiful fresh floral arrangement in the lobby.

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Our room was on the first floor. Those of you who have read my prior reports know I favor height and balconies. But I wasn’t dismayed by this location. We wouldn’t have to wait on elevators. And as you’ll soon see, patios at the GF are enclosed just like a balcony.

Additionally, first floor rooms have higher ceilings than rooms on the upper floors which makes the ground floor rooms feel larger.

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“I wonder what the poor people are doing today?” Mom murmured, overwhelmed by the lushness of the room.
My heart was happy ~ cause Mama was happy!
 

Tuvalu

Premium Member
Original Poster
Now that we were situated, it was time to check out the contents of the package.

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My nephew thought it was important that his grandmother have her favorite dessert for her birthday: Angel Dips!
An Angel Dip is a triangular slice of angel food cake covered in dark chocolate ganache. It is a specialty offering from their neighborhood bakery in Louisville.

In the box were TEN Angel Dips, individually wrapped.

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Let’s just say that several of them made it back to Georgia.....much to Em’s delight!
 

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