Checking in and day 1 at the parks
Bob from Sunray made great time from the Orlando Train station to Pop
Century. I went to the check in line, no wait and checked in.
My parents were meeting me there, and their flight was due to land about an
hour after I arrived. We requested 2 rooms that had interconnecting doors
on the ground floor in the 50's or 70's. They assigned us rooms that were
on the ground floor, adjoining in the 80's.
Before I left, I asked my mother what was more important, since I was going
to be getting there and checking in first. Ground floor,
close to the food
court was more important then close interconnecting rooms. So they found
two rooms in the 70's that were on the ground floor but not adjoining. I
thought this was ok, checked into my room. My room was in the part of the
70's building right next to the Mickey phone. They didn't tell me my
parents room number, but assured me it was close to
mine.
I checked in, refreshed myself by taking a shower and started to check out
my parent's flight. It was due in after 12 and was a couple of minutes
early. They called me when they landed and were waiting for the Magical
Express bus to take them to Pop Century. I sent an email to the Travel-WDW
yahoo group to ask how long it should take from airport to Pop and Terrie
answered my about an hour.
While waiting in the room, was watching the news about the Earthquake that
people felt in
happened, so I don't think I would have noticed it.
While waiting, a fellow NY Yankee fan made a comment about my cap. He was
a CM working at the Pop. We spoke a little about who was pitching and such.
He told me he once, half kidding, refused to check in someone who had a
Sure enough, I spotted my parents getting off the bus a little after 1. The
person checking in my parents refused to do so for a NY Yankee fan. Told
him I am already checked in and this is just my parents. Again, half
kidding, I hope, he checked them in. We confirmed the complimentary frig
for my father's medicines. And I proceeded to show them their rooms.
My room was right by the Mickey phone facing the courtyard, my parents were
on the other side of the building, all the way at the end of the building,
facing the lake. My mother wasn't happy and went to guest relations to see
what could be done.
They couldn't do anything for us today, but if we like, they will move us to
a new room in the 60's rooms tomorrow. We will have adjoining rooms with an
interior door.
My original plan was to go to Animal Kingdom, do something, eat lunch at
Flame Tree BBQ, then head to Disney- MGM Studios,
where we have Fantasmic
Package booked at
It was after 3 when we got the room situation taken care of. No time to go
to DAK or even have a decent lunch since we will be having a buffet for
dinner.
I had my father pick out a refillable mug for use for the trip. I already
purchased mine. Paid for both using reward money from Disney
Visa card. We
all just had a snack before heading to the busses to go to Disney-MGM
studios. I had nachos and cheese.
We got there about
stop at Pop to getting to the entrance.
We went on Great Movie Ride, they only had one tram
working, the gangster
scene. My father enjoyed it, first time he saw it. I took some video of
the ending montage to Great movie ride. I think the difference, I noticed,
they added Pirates and removed Lion King, but have to watch it again to be
sure.
We went to H and V a little early to check in, no problem. They had flank
steak which was good. Also had some cold shrimp, trying to practice how to
remove the shell in one step for tomorrow we will be at 'Ohanna.
The service
was great, which for me means they will have a new beverage for me before I
finish my old one. This happened at all the places I ate at last year. No
problem with service.
After we ate at H and V, we had some time to kill before heading to
Fantasmic, so we went on Sounds dangerous. Not my
favorite, but my mother
likes Drew Carey and my father never saw it. Both left not careing
for the
show.
It was now about
something else we could do before Fantasmic. We were
thinking maybe
the backstage tour. A CM saw us looking a little puzzled and said we
could do both. But by the time we got to Backstage
tour building, we saw
barriers in front of the entrance. A CM told us it was closed since
So we went to Fantasmic and saw that. It looked
threatening, rain wise.
When we commented about it. The CM said, he hoped for
a little magic and the
rain would hold off. The rain held off till about 10 minutes left to the
show.
My father left his ecv outside the seating area, but
by the time we got back
to it after the show, there was just too many people
there to maneuver it so
we could leave. We just stood there for about 10 minutes, till a cm started
to direct traffic away so he could maneuver it. We still couldn't move till
the crowds thinned out more.
Our plan at this point was to go to Magic kingdom to see Hall of Presidents
since it was the last day before a rehab, but the rain and the long day
finished that idea.
My parents landed a little after
didn't get to their room. Since I had changed rooms when I arrived, there
was some worry that their luggage was misdirected. But when we got back to
their room it was there.
I packed almost everything back into the two pieces of luggage, except for
what I need in the morning and left it by the window for them to move while
we are in the parks. I wasn't thrilled with doing this, since I was leaving
my laptop, not in the safe, but in my backpack. But everything turned out
well.
Tomorrow is
enjoyable day then today was.