Trip Report THE ONE FOR MOTHER’S DAY IN MAY (duh)🥑COMPLETE🥑

Welcome home!
Said no one in my house upon my return.

Who went? Well.....if you have read any of my previous trip reports (Christmas, February, March and April) you know I multitask when in Florida. This trip was no different. My oldest son, X, was finishing up his second year of college in SoFlo and I went down to help him pack up and move out.
The original plan (why is there always a plan A, B.. etc?) was to pack him up, drive his truck to WDW and put it on a transport. Then we would spend a few days in WDW and fly home. I even bought the plane tickets. But, do you know how much it cost to transport his car from Florida to Long Island? Just north of OMG!!!! Plan B: no transport, no flight home. We would be driving. We also had to trim 1.5 days from our Disney stay to allow for travel time. (Heavy sigh)

We stayed at Saratoga Springs in a studio,
May 10-13. I bought him a two day park hopper as he does not have an AP like the rest of the family.

Ok, we have the who, what, where, when and why. Lets get to it!

DAY ONE/MAY 10
I woke up at 4:00 am and left the house at 4:43. Ant drove me to the airport and we got there at 4:57 (he was driving slow this morning). My flight was at 6:10 going into Fort Lauderdale. My son’s school is equidistant between FLL and West Palm (PBI) and they both have the early morning flight. One is 6:00am and one is 6:10am so I usually book the cheapest. However, if I am renting a car I prefer FLL. PBI has their car rental offsite and it can be a hassel.

The morning before, at 6:10am I had checked in and gotten A37😮. What? I havent seen the A’s since SW started charging for better boarding assignments. Maybe the flight is empty?

The flight was not empty! The announcement came that there would be about 10 empty seats. I sat in an aisle in row 4. ROW 4!!!!
There was a gentleman at the window and our middle seat remained empty. Go figure. I have decided that I do not love sitting up that close. I am not sure why but it felt different, bumpier or something. Perhaps I was thrown off because I had a shortened horizon to look at? Or maybe I am just used to the back? Who knows.

It was an uneventful flight and we landed 20 minutes early. My son had a 10:00am final (seriously, who gives finals on the very last day of class?) and couldn’t be there when I landed. I could wait but it would take him 30 minutes each way which would have us close to noon. We still had a few trips to make to the storage unit and I wanted to be on the road to Disney by 1:00. We decided I would Uber.

Walking to the ride share area I passed the shuttle for the tri-rail. The tri-rail is a train that originates in Miami. I am not sure how far north it goes, I think it goes to West Palm. Thus the tri, as in three airports (I think). Anyhow, there is a station not 5 minutes from my son’s school. I made a mental note to look into that for next time.

I found Marco, my Uber driver and said, “hello, how are you today?” He said, “NO English”. Great. We hit some traffic and my 30 minute $36 drive became a 45 minute just shy of $50 (with tip) drive. On the plus side, I had time to research the tri-rail. If I read correctly there is a Free shuttle from FLL to the station and my trip to Boca Raton would cost $5! and take 30 minutes. Sorry Marco. No more Uber from FLL for me!

I had Marco drop me at a Dunkin Donuts near my sons school. (Yes, @VincciL , the one on Yamato). I got a tea and an egg sandwich and sat at a table outside.
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It sprinkled the entire time. Of course it did. It’s ME!!! This picture is of the sprinkles on the table.
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This picture is of a lovely palm tree I was sitting under.
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I do love palm trees.

I was sitting there, eating, checking TR’s to see what @Back!Elbow!Shoulders! @NunuBelle and @NothatDonald were up to in their livish reports. I also knew @Tuvalu had left the day before and wanted to see if she made it home safely. A man pulls into a parking spot just in front of me. Then another man drives up and words are exchanged. Man1 cut off man2 or something. Man1 invites man2 to say it to his face. Man2 parks. Man1 gets out of his car and he is a huge bald guy (why are the always bald?) Man2 gets out of his car and he is smaller than man1 but not small. They are yelling, cursing etc. Man1 gets in man2’s face. Man2 pushes man1 away. Uh oh. Do I call 911? This is not going to end well. Man1 just keeps going back in man2’s face. Man 2 is, esentially cornered and keeps pushing man1 away. What do I do? Millers Ale house had just opened and I was hoping someone in there, having dealt with belligerent drunks, would know what to do. A scrawny, barely post pubescent guy comes out of Millers. Really? But another guy and his wife happen to be walking by and the guy (we can call him guy3) is bigger than man1 and man2 put together. Now man1 is throwing out racial slurs (man2 is hispanic man1 has to be a FLID) guy3 puts himself between the men. Man2 says he just wanted a cup of coffee. Guy3 says “I will buy you that cup of coffee” and walks him into DD with his arm still around him. Man1 turns to run his errand, notices me for the first time and says “sorry, that was bad” then went into Jersey Mikes to get his sandwich.

All before 11:00am.
 

Darstarr

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
In the Parks
No
I love your TR's!! Enjoyable as always!! Can't wait to hear about the next one. God bless you on all that driving--I don't know that I could be in the car that long.
Thank you for reading!
As for the driving...
When I was in school (NY) I had to drive home (Cali) for an internship. Made it in 3 days. Pre cell phone. Pre GPS. Just me and Route 66. (and a trip tik from AAA)
 

Darstarr

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
In the Parks
No
I really enjoyed your stories that the CM's relayed because part of the reason why we all keep returning to WDW is due to that magical feeling we all get which in part is due to the CM's! Glad to read that your trip home went smoothly and that you have another trip planned for August!!! I really enjoy reading your TR's. :) Thanks for sharing another WDW adventure with us!
Thank you for reading and reacting/responding! It makes the TR’s that much more fun when there is audience participation.
The CM’s at SSR I find to be some of the best!
 

Darstarr

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
In the Parks
No
For you @Darstarr :
View attachment 387120

Sorry I am not sending the Aperol Spritz it was in ... but it was too good to share 😉
Beautiful! Thank you for thinking of me🌴

Excellent TR as always. Such a bummer we missed each other at AK
I know!!! ( say that like Monica Gellar!)
One day, my friend, we will meet.
And thanks for reading!

@Darstarr , what an enjoyable TR!! Thank you for letting us all tag along. :happy: Until next time . . . (I'm sure there will be another TR from you!!) ;)
There should be another trip if all goes according to plan. I will be driving X back to school and took the advice of all the good people here saying I had to make a stop at WDW.

Excellent report, as always. :)
Thank you so much for reading. We have some overlap coming up. Eyes peeled👀

Loved it! Can't wait for the next episode of the @Darstarr show!
Ha ha ha. 8:00pm Thursday nights!!!

Another great TR
Thank you for joining me!!!
 

Darstarr

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
In the Parks
No
Loved the mother/son aspect of this TR.

Laughed out loud at this. Story of my life with both of our kids, especially when driving home after an out of state volleyball tournament with my daughter.
Can't wait to read about your future adventures.
I was really really hoping he would be up by 9:00 and take over the driving. Nope.
When my husband and I drive we have it down to a science. He takes the first 5 hours while I sleep, then I drive the next 10ish. Then we are practically there. X didnt get the memo☹️
 

DisneyGigi

Well-Known Member
Beautiful! Thank you for thinking of me🌴


I know!!! ( say that like Monica Gellar!)
One day, my friend, we will meet.
And thanks for reading!


There should be another trip if all goes according to plan. I will be driving X back to school and took the advice of all the good people here saying I had to make a stop at WDW.


Thank you so much for reading. We have some overlap coming up. Eyes peeled👀


Ha ha ha. 8:00pm Thursday nights!!!


Thank you for joining me!!!
👀 - almost there! A margarita on me, if we bump into each other, not an avocado one for me though. 😬
 

Darstarr

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
In the Parks
No
Loved following along, and I enjoy all of the TR's that take a long time to complete. It spreads the fun and anticipation out. Like a good book you are reading and don't want it to end!
Thanks. That is really nice of you to say. And here I thought I was just procrastinating😂

Loved following along, looking forward to the next one. Mighty brave if you to visit during the height of hurricane season, given your knack for bringing bad weather!
Ooooh. Yikes. Did not think of that. And I know of a few other regulars that will be there at the same time. If you all are reading this: bring an umbrella! I will buy extra bottled water and some canned goods for my room😉🌪

Just because the trip report is done doesn't mean you can't keep posting. Always enjoyable to hear what your family is up to.
Thank you! I will be here, reading intently!
There are some good TR’s going on right now!!!
 

Darstarr

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
In the Parks
No
The avocado complete made me LOL... thanks for sharing your short time! Can't wait for your next trip!
🥑thanks for reading and posting!!
I can and can’t wait for my next trip. On the one hand, Disneyworld! On the other hand, I will be saying goodbye to X until Thanksgiving.
Unless...maybe I sneak another trip down???

Thanks for sharing yours and X's WDW adventures with us. I enjoyed reading along!
So funny that you used the avocado emojis to "complete" your TR!
I felt this TR would not be complete without an avocado emoji. Here is another one🥑
And another 🥑
😂
 

PolynesianPrincess

Well-Known Member
Thank you so much.
Kona Cafe’s atmosphere is really bad. And the uniforms. Ugggh. They have a chance to do something really cool but they pick the ugliest colors and most unattractive cuts and styles. For both the decor and the uniforms. And the dinner menu. Like I said, it is all over the place. Kona needs a huge make over!!!
And New Yorkers dont talk to people. Maybe thats why I talk when I am on vacay, because no one talks to me IRL😎

I feel like the décor is like Brady Bunch-esque inside the whole lobby and in the restaurants. Like it was cool and tropical back in the day but now... not so much. Thy need to update it with fun colors and paint schemes and uniforms and food. Make it like you're really somewhere warm and tropical!
 

Darstarr

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
In the Parks
No
Where? - Pop
When? - Aug.19 - 27
Why? - Spontaneous idea for a first WDW solo trip, and 'cause YOLO! 😊
Ha ha. If you get tired of being solo PM me.
I should be there and be solo the 25th in the morning and afternoon. (If I get X moved in in a timely fashion!)

Word is the skyliner will open on August 28th. But only to DHS, not Epcot.
That would be brilliant! We check out on the 28th but we have some time in the morning. I would love me some Gondola action!!!

Fun report, as always! :happy: Looking forward to August!
Thank you for reading along!
August is so close, yet so far. I start to miss X when I think about it😢

I feel like the décor is like Brady Bunch-esque inside the whole lobby and in the restaurants. Like it was cool and tropical back in the day but now... not so much. Thy need to update it with fun colors and paint schemes and uniforms and food. Make it like you're really somewhere warm and tropical!
Nailed it!!!
So much potential....
 

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