Trip Report THE ONE...(February 2020)*COMPLETE*

Ladies, gentlemen, boys and girls of all ages and fellow Magicians, as you can see, I am having a little trouble with the title of this trip report. It could be “THE ONE FOR MY BEST FRIEND’S BIRTHDAY”, or “THE ONE WHERE I LEFT MY BRAIN AT HOME.” Or there is, “THE ONE WHERE I GOT A GLIMPSE OF A DISNEY LEGEND”. There is also, “THE ONE WHERE WE JOINED THE RESISTANCE”.
I think I will begin title less and let all you good people have a say when it is over.

We always begin with the why.
A small bit of background first:
M and I have been friend’s since college (a looong time). M’s family has a small family business. When my kids were little my job got to be too much (70-100 hours a week) so I left. When my youngest started Kindergarten M’s family asked me if I would come work for them part time. It is not what I went to school for but it offered me flexibility for the kids, and besides, how do you say no to family?
So some of you may have figured it out, M is not only my friend, but my boss as well.

M is a great friend! No really! Die hard Met fan who will go with me to see the Dodgers when they are in town and actually root (root root) for the Dodgers.

M had a birthday coming up. M’s sister and two grown nieces are big Disney fans and we are always talking about what is new with the parks, food and the shopping. Poor M, always left out. So I asked if he wanted to go for his Birthday. “YES”, was his answer BTW. (Plus, my oldest son, X had a lacrosse game in Jacksonville so we got to see that as well.)
M hadn't been to WDW in 20 years! So we got the time off from HR (M’s sister) and I started planning.
I will say, taking a newbie (after a 20 year absence you revert to newbie status-this is the way) to WDW is fun! I got to see everything through his eyes, like it was the first time. Plus, if I made a miscalculation or left something out—he had no way of knowing!!! M’s only request: “can we ride the teacups?” (and he asked X to score 5 goals for him as a birthday gift-stay tuned for that)
“Of course we can!” My family will never ride the teacups with me so I haven't been on them in at least 10 years. This was off to a promising start!!!

 

[Swissmiss]

You’re lucky that you weren’t on a flight late taking off and coming here ... last flight has to land before midnight. If they know it won’t land by midnight, they usually won’t let the flight take off. If they think it has a chance, they’ll let it take off, but if it won’t land by midnight it gets rerouted to another airport two hours away in another country... and then they may eventually organize a bus to get you to here! Needless to say, I never take late flights home.

 

[Billy6]

We got the rental car, a Ford Flex which was on my short list because I need a new car. (Dont worry @bee , I am not getting ready of the caly4nia mobile) BTW the Flex is off the short list. Too big.

You need a new car, huh?

Phone, not so much?

 

[Darstarr]

I hate taking the late flights out because we always seem to be delayed.

This! This right here!!!
Why do I always let people talk me into things I know are a bad idea???
I hope you have better luck!

 

[Darstarr]

The flight paperwork HAS to be completed and correct before the flight leaves in case the flight crashes. They need to know who all is on board. There may be some other paperwork that I'm not privvy to but every time I've had a paperwork delay it was the roster of passengers. Usually because someone changed their name at the front desk at the last minute or bought a last minute ticket or something like that.

They also called it “the log”. I was thinking of Manifest.

Thank goodness we were not on flight 828
Also, we had almost an hour delay waiting for the inbound plane. Couldn't they do “the paperwork” in that time? We were all checked in and waiting.
And waiting....

 

[Darstarr]

You’re lucky that you weren’t on a flight late taking off and coming here ... last flight has to land before midnight. If they know it won’t land by midnight, they usually won’t let the flight take off. If they think it has a chance, they’ll let it take off, but if it won’t land by midnight it gets rerouted to another airport two hours away in another country... and then they may eventually organize a bus to get you to here! Needless to say, I never take late flights home.

Wow!
I usually fly out of our little local airport. It is suppose to have rules like that too. But it depends on who you ask. I am not in the flight path so I don't know if they abide by the rules or not. But either way, they wouldn't send us to another country! That is, wow! Wow!

 

[Darstarr]

You need a new car, huh?

Phone, not so much?

I got it covered.
Besides yours is new

 

[Darstarr]

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 8th

The only room picture I took. I was impressed that there were three hooks to hang towels for reuse

My son’s game was on his schools schedule for 1:00. We got up and ate our complimentary breakfast

then headed to Wal mart, because when in Florida....
Then I got an email from my husband, the game was at 12:00. And a text from my son, the game was at 12:00 but his coach thought it was at 1:00 and they wouldnt be there in time so the game was at 12:30.

M and I were close and got there about 11:30.

M had asked X to score 5 goals for him, for his birthday. The Coach came over to say hello and M may have mentioned that to him.

Game time weather check:

Game got off to a rough start but with less than a minute to go we were up by three. Coach was yelling “yellow, yellow!” Which means stall, run around, waste time and most of all, DONT shoot the ball. At this point X had 4 goals, and the ball, and he was right in front of me, and his man was playing him very loose, and now there was 30 seconds, and now I was screaming “GO X GO!” And X went. Goal number 5. Happy bday M!

This part right here:
M went into the mens room. Spectators had been in and out for the past 2 to 3 hours. He walked in and on the floor in front of him was a quarter. ()

He brought it out and gave it to X. Coach walked by and said “happy birthday” in a sideways, but not snotty tone.

I told X if coach gets mad because he called yellow tell him “yes, but my mom said go.”

The boys ate and we chatted. I wanted to be at BLT by 7:55 so I could watch fireworks from Top of the World Lounge. Plus they have an amazing chocolate cake and M loves‘S chocolate cake. I thought it would be a nice way to start his birthday trip at Disney. And thanks to the time change of the game we might make it.

I bid my boy goodbye and M and I took our leave. Next stop: wawa. I know. You thought I was going to say Disney World. M loves wawa! (This man has a seriously horrible diet).

M was the copilot and was in charge of finding us a wawa once we got on the road. We set off southbound. He found a wawa. “Why are we going North?!?”

I deemed M the worst coplilot ever. He accepted the title without arguement. Goodbye HEA! Hello Philly cheesesteak with nothing but meat and cheese. I am telling you, he has horrible eating habits! And, is it even considered a Philly cheesesteak without the peppers/onions or whatnot??? Who is from Philly? Please weigh in on this.

We got to BLT about 7:45. Sounds good? But we still had to drop the car at the Dolohin. We brought our stuff to the room, *put the beer in the fridge, and left to return the rental car just as the fireworks were starting.

We took the car to the Dolphin then a bus to MK then walked back to BLT. I stopped at the front desk to say hello to Ginney from Brooklyn.

Then up to TotWL for drinks served by Daniel from Glenn Falls NY.

But no chocolate cake

When we got back to the lobby I remembered I had forgotten to get M his birthday button. Ginney from Brooklyn had a line but there was a maintenance man handing out stickers to kids. He asked if he could help and did! Aaaah, the Disney touch

* @bee please notice priorities!

 

[Back!Elbow!Shoulders!]

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 8th

The only room picture I took. I was impressed that there were three hooks to hang towels for reuse
View attachment 448948

Well done hotel! I don’t mind reusing towels but it’s annoying to have nowhere or perhaps a single hook to put them.

 

[MickeyCB]

While waiting I watched a woman pick her nose. She was up to her knuckle. Also, she was flinging her findings on the floorDid she know it is cold and flu season??? How could she not? Her husband was coughing and hacking without covering his mouth.
“M, you know that couple will be sitting behind us right?”

just

 

[dizfan917]

I don't know anything about the FLEX, but I just bought a 2020 Hyundai Kona Limited in Lime Twist and I Iove it!! my license plate is DIZ FAN, of course!

 

[Swissmiss]

Wow!
I usually fly out of our little local airport. It is suppose to have rules like that too. But it depends on who you ask. I am not in the flight path so I don't know if they abide by the rules or not. But either way, they wouldn't send us to another country! That is, wow! Wow!

It probably only happens once a year, because the last flights in land around 11ish. And the airport itself straddles the border, so technically you could say they are just landing about 2 hours away ...

It‘s taken me a couple of pictures in your posts before I’d ask: you’ve cut your hair? It’s adorbs! (Isn’t that what the kids are saying these days?)

 

[lindawdw]

That was so incredible that X scored 5 goals for M's birthday!!! Love your new haircut. You certainly accomplished a lot in the first day!

 

[Darstarr]

@dizfan917
I do love Kona

 

[Darstarr]

It probably only happens once a year, because the last flights in land around 11ish. And the airport itself straddles the border, so technically you could say they are just landing about 2 hours away ...

It‘s taken me a couple of pictures in your posts before I’d ask: you’ve cut your hair? It’s adorbs! (Isn’t that what the kids are saying these days?)

Yes I did cut my hair and thank you!
You sound real hip btw.

 

[Darstarr]

That was so incredible that X scored 5 goals for M's birthday!!! Love your new haircut. You certainly accomplished a lot in the first day!

Yes, lots of driving with a horrible copilot!
You know us moms, always multitasking!!! Any chance I get to see my son, I will take it! I dont even care about goals. I wish I could say the same for M. He is obsessed with X’s stats etc.
Thanks for noticing!You all are more aware than my family

 

[Tink86]

@Darstarr I enjoy your trip reports! My daughter is looking at Lynn University. Can I ask how you like it? Aside from the lacrosse? Thanks for sharing!!

 

[Darstarr]

@Darstarr I enjoy your trip reports! My daughter is looking at Lynn University. Can I ask how you like it? Aside from the lacrosse? Thanks for sharing!!

Thank you for reading. I will DM you and we can chat Lynn.

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

Your hair looks really cute in the pictures. And Kona....yum!

 

[Darstarr]

Your hair looks really cute in the pictures. And Kona....yum!

Thanks!
We look like hair twins! And now Kona twins

 

[Darstarr]

SUNDAY FEBRUARY 9th
(AKA the day I forgot my brain)

Today was the day! Hollywood studios and Rise of the Resistance. I had been studying and practicing the best methods to get a boarding group. I had read every post (skipping the few spoilers) in the thread and asked questions when necessary.
In the beginning there were two methods: #teamscratch, with such loyal followers as @KevinPage and @disneygeek90 . There was also #teamrefresh which I dont recall loyal followers because I dont think it has proven the test of time. Then came #demarke method put forward by @Demarke and quickly embraced by many, including kevinpage who had been a #teamscratch loyalist and OG.
I have an old phone running on an even older OS. I believed the from scratch method would serve me best. It was all I could think about. It was in my head, over and over. I did not sleep for weeks and I could not figure out why. 8:00am this morning it would be time to see if I had the right stuff...

We awoke at 6:00.

Good morning Florida and Walt Disney World!

Good morning Epcot! I see you.

Good morning boats

Good morning panoramic view.

Good morning breakfast. (No beer this morning)

Good morning moon.

We were at the bus by 7:00. The bus came at 7:15 and we were at HWS by 7:30.

Good morning Hollywood Studios!

Everything was going smoothly. We just had to be tapped in by 8:00. I went to tap in and...blue
NO NO NO!!!
The CM asked if I had a ticket.
“Yes! I have an annual pass!” I was starting to panic. I knew M would be of no help. He is a great guy but mostly useless, especially in this situation. He is also a nervous nelly so I had to appear calm. But

“Maybe it’s not activated,” said the CM.

I am now freaking out big time and not even trying to hide it from M.

My savior with a tablet came over and scanned my band. “Oh yes, follow me to guest services. And take this green slip it will allow you in this tapstyle without a wait once you are through.”
Through??? With that big line??!!?!
My phone was off as per #teamscratch protocol. “M! Time?!” M fumbling for phone....
Me: “You have ONE job until further notice! When I ask for the time you tell me what it is! Got it!?
He might have answered “yes maam” but I heard nothing, I looked at the long line and I got that empty hollow feeling in the pit of my stomach.
But, the line was long because no one was going in the building. The CM’s were coming out to us and those 20 (yes I counted) people in front of us had been helped. It was my turn. “M! Time?” “7:51”
The CM tood my AP card and my license and took two steps then, “oh my gawd!”, as she turned around to face me, “I am not wearing my nametag today but that is where I am from.”
Ok, what to do? I am seriously interested in talking to her but tick tock, you know?
We talked. I had to. Worse case maybe she could get us in a backup BG if this took too long. Her little brother played little league with X and my husband was their coach.
It’s a smal world after all

She returned.
Me:“M?”
M: “7:57”
Her: “I gave you each three extra fast passes for the day.”
Me: speechless but so very grateful.

We went back to the designated tapstyle and I tapped in. Buzz Lightyear purple and green we are a go!

I turned my phone on and went through the #teamscratch steps.

Hello boarding group