Travel dates - November 22-27, 2006
Travel method - personal vehicle
Resort - offsite
Accommodations - standard room
Ages - adult
Experience - veterans
Comments - this wasn't our first Thanksgving at Disney World but it certainly was a bit unusual. Big hint - always know your limitations when you go to Disney World and don't overdo it.

Another Thanksgiving Trip – November 22 – 27, 2006

Cast of Characters

Me – Sheri (44) – recently unemployed accountant. I had some major medical stuff happen in 2006. I now have a broken neck and had to go through two brain surgeries to remove a blood clot. Needless to say, my time going on attractions will be a bit limited.

Husband – Rich (46) – Item Controller at a hospital laundering facility. Don’t ask me what the title means, he just does everything in the purchasing department that no one else will do.

We’re both Annual Passholders, Disney World veterans and live outside the Atlanta metro area in Brasleton, GA.

Why We Are Going

Yeah, we know Thanksgiving is a busy time. But we alternate Thanksgiving with Mickey and Thanksgiving with the relatives. This year, it’s Mickey. We are giving up our Falcons tickets for the escape. With my medical problems and not having a job, it’s needed as well. Tempers get high, and some pixie dust is needed.

Hotels

I wish I could go back to using the word “resort” as on-site with Disney. There are annual passholder rates out there but Thanksgiving is always a black out date. And the Niklewski Credo has become “cheaper is better”.

I belong to the Trip Rewards program with the Days Inn and its sister hotels. I earn points for every stay and the chain is decent. It’s by no means top of the line but fine for our needs. The first place I look for any accommodations is the Days Inn website. I turned to that for some cheap options.

The first hotel was for a stop on the way down Wednesday night. We go halfway the first night so we can enjoy Disney World a little more on our real first day. No exception with this trip. But a nice surprise. We normally will stay off Exit 5 of I75 south of Valdosta. There is another Days Inn just a bit south of there over the Florida border in Jasper, FL. Every time in the past four years that I’ve tried to book that hotel, there has been no availability. But, much to my surprise, there was this time. And at a cheaper rate. We’d have a bit more to drive but “cheaper is better”. I talked with Rich about it and he was fine with the slightly increased driving time. More than likely, he’s driving that leg of the trip. And he was really fine with the decreased cost.

Next up was the Kissimmee offsite hotel. In October, we made a quick trip for the Food and Wine Festival. We stayed at a Days Inn (surprise!) on Highway 192 near Old Town Kissimmee. Rich said the hotel was fine and they had an awesome place right there for breakfast ($3.99 for adults). I found that same hotel with a very good price. After a very brief discussion with Rich, I booked it. “Cheaper is better”. The drive to Disney World is very quick and easy.

Plus, I get to earn points for each of these stays.

Eating

As soon as I booked this trip, I knew I had to get some sort of reservation for Thanksgiving dinner. I knew that most of the Epcot restaurants would be booked and we’ve eaten at almost all of them. I called and asked for availability at the Cape May Buffet for 8:00. Very doable. I wanted something after the Off Kilter sessions (see Touring section for that). I booked it. Everything else will be off the cuff. I know we’ll make use of the breakfast option at our hotel.

Then I over thought with our financial situation and looked at several lunch options at the Epcot resorts. We might do one of those on Thanksgiving. Epcot gets so crazy on Thanksgiving night and I wanted to make sure we were taken care of with the Cape May reservation. We will play this one by ear. If we decide on a lunch place (no reservations), I will cancel the dinner reservation.

Touring

Totally up in the air except for Thursday. Our favorite band, Off Kilter, usually performs Sunday-Thursday so this will be the only time for us to see them this trip. If they are performing (the schedule is not carved in stone), we’ll see them for all their sessions on Thursday. Their last set starts at 7:30 and won’t get over until close to 8:00 so that’s why the dinner reservation at Cape May might be cancelled. Neither one of us wants to race over there after the show.

Friday and Saturday are totally up in the air. We haven’t been to Magic Kingdom for quite a while so that is an option. We also haven’t been to Animal Kingdom in a couple of trips. We have to take in consideration my “limitations”. I have been to Disney World twice since everything happened and it hasn’t interfered with anything except not being able to go completely on some attractions. We just compensate for that. For example, at Twilight Zone, we both go through the preshow and then I take the express elevator and Rich does the drop. At Mission:Space, we both take the green side of the attraction (less intense). I know the attractions I can’t go on. Rich and I have been through the list and the only disappointment is Expedition Everest. I love that ride but will wait in the nice viewing area for Rich. Neither of us if going to put my life in danger.

The Week Before

This is exactly why I don’t over plan Disney World trips. On Monday, I logged into Steve’s entertainment site to check Off Kilter’s performance schedule. Steve updates the site on Sundays so this week’s schedule would be there and I could check for Thursday. Well, Off Kilter is now performing earlier in the day and ending earlier in the evening. Their last performance is at 6:15 so that Cape May Buffet reservation is entirely doable. Rich and I had been discussing this reservation for a while now. Rich said the last time we were there, he wasn’t that thrilled with the buffet. The things he liked (fried items) weren’t there anymore. I could easily get my money’s worth just on the steamed clams and mussels. But if Rich went into the dinner not expecting much, he wouldn’t enjoy himself. So I threw Thanksgiving caution to the wind and called Disney to cancel it. Turns out I’m glad I did. They had it down for Garden Grill. But I cancelled it anyway.

As I was emailing Rich during the day, he knocked me over with a surprise. He casually asked if I would mind if we extended the trip by a day. Oh, hell no, no one wants another day at Disney World! He said he had asked his boss for the day off earlier but was saving it as a surprise for me. His excuse was we would avoid some of the holiday traffic on Sunday. Right. He enjoys Disney World just as much as I do.

I’m glad he told me about this today because when I went to the Days Inn site to check the reservation and the cancellation policy, I realized that today (Monday) was the last day I could cancel without a penalty. I had a job interview that afternoon but wanted to make sure I had all this taken care of. I first checked to see if a check in on Thursday and a check out on Monday was even possible. It was and at the same rate as the first reservation but even better. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights were $40.46 and Sunday night went down to $31.46. With taxes, our total lodging for Kissimmee would be $172.69. Not too bad. I cancelled the original reservation with hours to spare.

With an extra day (and a non-holiday one), I had to now go back and actually write down the park hours and activities. With the extra Sunday, we’ll probably do all the Off Kilter sessions again. Yes, we really like the band. Their music has gotten us through some very tough times and the last year has been no different. They don’t play the same thing over and over again so each set is different. One of the holiday events we really like are the holiday storytellers at the different countries around the World Showcase. We try and see as many as possible. I also really like the holiday of lights at Epcot. And now the viewing of the holiday version of Illuminations will have to be Sunday night. That has to be the last thing I see on a holiday at Disney World.

Any and all “plans” I had for this trip basically got tossed out the window just two days before our departure.

But I did think about a nice table service lunch for us. I really didn’t want to limit our touring to having to be at a certain park at a certain time. I knew on Friday and Saturday we’d be doing Animal Kingdom, MGM, and possibly Magic Kingdom. That made my choices extremely easy. There’s nothing table service at Animal Kingdom except Rainforest Café and we’re not impressed with that restaurant. Magic Kingdom is not definitely in our plans so there’s no way I’d put us in that park at a certain time. That left MGM. There are only two table service places we’d really consider. We had done 50’s Prime Time Café in May and I was the one that didn’t enjoy it. That left Sci-Fi Dine In which I love for the ambience. I love watching the old B movie trailers and how everything is set up like a drive in theatre. I still remember drive in theatres. But what I’m really looking forward to is the “commercials” that try and get you into the drive in’s snack shop. I can’t help but to laugh at a prancing hot dog. I called on Tuesday and didn’t expect much. Sci Fi can be a popular restaurant and it’s a holiday weekend. Much to my surprise, I got a seating for two for Saturday at 1:20. Perfect. Now, I think we are set.

Day One – Wednesday, November 22, 2006 – Where Is Everyone?

I have to get a job because staying at home the day before a Disney World trip is not a good thing for me. My mind goes overboard when it shouldn’t. I made so many lists and even had a pad of paper next to the bed last night to write things down if I woke up with something I forgot. I set the alarm for 7:30 so I could get things ready. That probably only took an hour total but I took my time throughout the day to get it done. And how that day dragged. Rich and I emailed each other and that helped. I kept checking the Atlanta traffic too. It’s always bad anyway but add to it the most traveled day of the year and you have one heck of a mess.

Rich was cut loose at work around 2:30. Honestly, nothing much was getting done there anyway. Half the people were already on vacation, including Rich’s boss. Rich was home around 4:00 although the hour and a half in between when he told me he was leaving and when he actually got home were agonizing to me. He had to stop at Publix because he had a coupon for a free 12 pack of a Coke product when he bought 4. And Coke products were on sale at Publix this week, 4 for $10. Can’t really beat that. He’s addicted to Diet Coke in the morning and I like Sprite so we eagerly hunt out bargains anytime we can.

Since I had just about everything in the car, Rich didn’t get to spend too much time at the house. He needed to put the suitcase in the trunk (no way I’m allowed to hoist that thing) and then do a final check on where I put the extra food and water bowls for the cats. We have a service coming in on Friday and Saturday but the cats are our babies and really hate when we leave them. I had been getting extra attention during the day from a few of them (Meeko and Nemo), a couple didn’t care (Belle and Gus), and king cat Todd was down right pissed off. He’s the oldest and when a suitcase comes out, he pouts. We were on the road by 4:30. Into Atlanta traffic the day before a holiday. If we made it south of the airport by 6:30, it would be a miracle.

And we hit the traffic immediately going south on I85. A five mile slowdown until we joined I985 and then we started flying along. Northbound on I85 was completely packed all the way from our exit (120) back to Spaghetti Junction (exit 96). And I mean packed. Folks heading north for the holiday. We reached Spaghetti Junction (so named because that’s exactly how it looks – like a bowl of spaghetti) and prepared for the worst. The top most ramp from I285 to I85 was packed. We took our exit from I85 to I285 east bound, rounded the curve and took a deep breath. It’s taken us as long as a half hour just to get off this ramp. Our chins hit the car floor. I said “where the hell is everyone?!” Rich said “we’re good for now but wait for it”. Completely smooth sailing all along. The only trouble spots were for the sun. It was very nasty today and just setting. Right in everyone’s faces. You really couldn’t see. At one spot, we were trying to read the signs for how far it was to get to I675. I got about a dozen sun spots in my eyes trying to read the signs. 2 more miles and the risk of my sight.

We made it onto I675 and the merge with I75 is always bad. We again held our breaths. It was pretty bad but nothing for Atlanta traffic. We did encounter more traffic than we wanted and couldn’t go the speed limit until well south of the Speedway. It was worse on the northbound side, though. We broke free of everything and had no slowdowns for the rest of the trip! Neither one of us could believe it. We stopped at the rest stop just before I475 (seems to be a tradition) and then continued on to the Florida border.

On this leg of the trip, I proved just how much I know my husband. I had looked at what fast food places were near the Days Inn since we hadn’t stayed here before. Burger King was across the street and there was a McDonald’s “nearby”. So I was prepared for the question. He didn’t even have to ask it. He said “you know we are making good time….”. I jumped in and said “I knew it!” He wanted to wait until we got to the hotel to get dinner. That’s why I looked to see what fast food places were nearby for dinner.

We made it to the Days Inn at exit 460 just across the Florida border shortly before 9:00. Amazing time for the day before a major holiday weekend. Check in was painless except both of us holding our breaths to see if a new credit card we had received and activated that day would go through. Clear! We were in room 104 which was just down the sidewalk from the office. We didn’t even have to move the car. We quickly unloaded the car and then went for dinner. Rich got the double cheeseburger combo and I got the Whopper combo and we were back in the room before 9:30. We were taping our favorite shows at home but were able to watch one of them at 10:00. Then more TV watching until midnight. I set the alarm for 7:00 and we turned in.

This Days Inn was fine for the night. We only needed it for sleep and for that, I’m glad. It was cheaper than the normal Exit 5 one we use. But it was worn. For being a Days Inn, I’d give it three starbursts (the Days Inn rating). For the hotel itself, I’d give it a one starburst. The sidewalk to the ice machine was uneven and, trust me, I took notice. The bathroom was extremely small. Only a shower and a toilet but you couldn’t really turn around in it. The next morning would prove a chore because the bathroom steamed up with the shower right away. This was passable but that’s it.

Day Two – Thursday, November 23, 2006 – A Very Unorthodox Turkey Day

I have learned to check the alarm to see if it’s still on from the prior guest. What I haven’t learned is to check to make sure it’s on the correct AM/PM setting. Ours wasn’t so the alarm, which was set for 7:00 AM didn’t go off since the clock was set on PM. Grr. Fortunately, I woke up at 7:30 so we didn’t loose that much time. We got ready and then went to the office to check out and grab some breakfast. Another good thing about the Days Inn chain is that most of them will offer a continental breakfast of some sort. Neither one of us can eat breakfast that early in the morning so I have Ziplocs available for storage. We got gas at a nearby Shell station (and paid the extreme Florida prices) and were on our way close to 9:00.

We did have an animal encounter while we were packing up. Probably why it took us so long. After we were showered and ready, Rich took the first load out. I had heard loud meowing but thought it was across the parking lot. Rich came back and said “if you miss the cats, come outside”. I did. There was a beautiful light orange tabby cat sitting on the pole right outside our room. I thought he was cute (knew the sex later from a back angle) and went over to pet him. I left the door to our room open. Big mistake. Did I mention we have five cats that we treat like our children? Tabby Boy just jumped down and seriously sauntered into our room. And took command. He purred, he wanted to be petted (of course, I complied), he jumped on the bed. Rich came back and said the cat was so nice. He didn’t notice said cat was in the room. When he did, he said “do we have another cat?” Tabby Boy felt well fed, still had his front claws and was not neutered (sorry Bob Barker). A definite “alley cat”. When we checked out, we asked about the cat. He was a friend of the hotel so he was well taken care of. While we checked out, that sucker was sitting on the roof of our car and proceeded to jump on the roofs of all the other cars near us. And I swear he kept looking right at us the whole time. He sauntered away from us when we were leaving just as he sauntered into our lives. Here’s to you Tabby Boy. Live long and prospuuuuurrrrrr.

The drive down to Kissimmee was pretty much uneventful. We expected a backup at the turnpike toll booths and got a slight one. We had to laugh at all the cars jumping lines. It really didn’t matter and the lines moved very fast. We paid our $2.50 and continued on. I should mention that we were behind a fellow Georgian from another county (one we don’t like and is in the newspaper quite often). The signs are numerous and very clear on what the toll is. Of course, this guy gets to the booth and THEN turns to his passenger to get the money. He not only needed change (understandable) but also a receipt. Slight Grr.

Smooth sailing on the turnpike and off the exit to the other toll road to get to Disney World. This one cost $1 we gladly paid to avoid Route 27 or I4. We got off the turnpike and went onto Disney property with the lovely purple signs. We are home! We were going directly to Epcot, not only because Off Kilter was going to be on in a little over an hour but because of the offsite policies with checking in. More and more hotels are not letting you check in until after 4:00. I knew this Days Inn was one of them. I had attempted to check in here at 3:40 in March and was denied. Check in would have to wait.

Rich parked and we had to decide what kind of outerwear to take with us. He took a windbreaker and I took a light sweatshirt for later and put on a hooded sweatshirt when we got out of the car. We both were dressed in jeans and T shirts. The day would turn out to be absolutely beautiful with temperatures around 70 degrees. This was two days after it snowed in the area and was cold, windy and miserable at Disney World. If you travel to Disney World in the late fall and winter months, pack for any kind of weather since it could change in a day.

I had my first of many overheard conversations on our walk. A little girl was riding her bicycle with training wheels along the Boardwalk. With her were her mother and grandmother. The girl would get too far ahead for comfort so the grandmother would call her back. One time the grandmother shortened the girl’s name to something like a nickname. The mother corrected her and said “her name is Jasmine, not Jazz” (not the real name). The grandmother said “I’m her grandmother, I can do whatever I want”. I had to laugh because that reminded me of someone in our family that feels the same way. And it’s not me with Marlie and Mitchell.

We slowly walked over to Epcot and were amazed that there was no line yet to get into the ESPN Club. No one wants to watch Thanksgiving Day football? Rich was feeling the effects of either his Mexican lunch or the Burger King dinner of yesterday so he was not interested in a standard lunch. That was fine with me since I had eaten my Days Inn continental breakfast in the car. His was still in the Ziploc bag. We just beat the boat traffic into Epcot and were officially back where we belonged. I usually get an entertainment guide and never use it and today was no exception. What was unusual was the young teenage girl who was sitting where the park maps and entertainment guides are. She never moved as I reached behind her to get a guide. She was blocking at least half of the holder and there were several strollers also blocking the way. The first encounter with people being totally clueless about what their actions do to those around them. We moved on ignoring their actions.

It was just after noon and I like to get to Canada and the Off Kilter sessions about a half hour before their show. So we didn’t have that much time. Rich admitted that he could use something to eat, like a pretzel. He is a Disney World pretzel connoisseur and has said the pretzels have gotten more consistent in taste. We knew there were pretzels in America so we headed there, taking in the sights but not really doing anything in the countries. When we arrived in America, the pretzel/turkey leg stand was not open. It figured. It takes the stand alone places in World Showcase a while to open up. I had mentioned that I wouldn’t mind a couple of egg rolls from Lotus Blossom Café in China. Rich wanted to make sure my food needs were taken care of (my appetite has been monstrous since the accident and the surgeries) so we headed around to there. But the pretzels in Germany were out. Rich has declined these for a couple of years because they used to be “too dark”. After carefully inspecting them from a distance, he proclaimed them suitable so we got one to share. I thought this was a great pretzel but Rich thought they were a bit light. Which is why I liked them. We have such different tastes in food and it’s amazing that we get along the way we do. We continued our walk around World Showcase which I didn’t think we could do before Off Kilter started. But we made a complete circle with time to spare and my favorite seats available. Rich got us a Moosehead to share which I just sipped at.

The guys came out and much to our surprise, had a different bassist! We had never seen Mark actually substituted for. It didn’t deflect from their set at all and the substitute even sang the songs Mark usually does. After the set, someone asked where Mark was and was told that he would be back on Monday. Whew, the other guy (“Diamond” David Horvath) did such a good job that we were afraid he was a replacement and not a substitute. One of the members of the band came down to talk to us and asked where we had been. We hadn’t been to their sets since Memorial Day weekend. We chatted for a while and found out this band member wouldn’t be there on Sunday! Well, we’ll see how the band manages with two members on vacation.

My favorite seats were in the shade and after a bathroom break where I found the sunshine much better, we switched to the other side of the seating area in the sun. During the first set, my butt vibrated. I had my cell phone in my back pocket and had received a call. I don’t bother to turn my phone off during Off Kilter because you’d never hear it ring anyway. I had a message from my dad and stepmother, who were celebrating the holiday with my stepsister in the Florida Keys. I used the time before the second set to return the call. We exchanged greetings and learned that it was freezing in the Keys. Whaa? Turns out the temperature there was 67 degrees which is frigid to my parents. They lived in the Keys for years and think anything less than 80 degrees is downright cold. They live in north Florida now so we’re wondering what their heating bill looks like.

We enjoyed the second set warm in the sun and then Rich wanted another walk around World Showcase. He needed to call his parents and wanted to do that on the walk. I nixed that idea right away (the call, not the walk) since I absolutely hate when people walk around Disney World yakking on a cell phone. I’m not talking about trying to connect with others in the party. I’m talking about transacting business and having personal conversations. Go off to the side and do those things. One of my biggest peeves at Disney World.

We did another walk around World Showcase, this time hitting Mexico first. Rich had another Moosehead and I picked up a wine in Norway. Where the “cheaper is better” didn’t work. Rich realized he should have waited for his beer until now since the same size Budweiser in Norway was only $5 where the Moosehead in Canada was $6.50. And the wine at Norway is $5.50 or $6.50. The white zinfandel that was $5.50 was out so Rich got me a chardonnay which turned out to be $6.50. $2.50 wasted on these transactions! But I made up for it. I found four pennies on the walk around (more on that later).

We took our time on our walk and barely made it back to Canada for the third set of Off Kilter. We had to stand which was fine. Still a great set. After this one, Rich needed to call his parents so we found a quiet bench near the United Kingdom for the task. Everything was fine back in Maryland except some parental comments about something we needed to do but Rich didn’t have the time. Excuse me people, Rich has a job, you guys are retired. And the conversation turned into the typical anti-American government crap. Rich at least had the decency to move away from me during that part of the conversation. Just like our tastes in food, Rich and I have opposite opinions on our how government is run. I never discuss politics with his mother. But we had our family obligations done for the day. Except for our son and his family but we knew where they were and didn’t want to interrupt them.

It was getting a bit chilly and we hadn’t checked into the hotel yet so we discussed what to do for the rest of the evening. We mutually decided to see the 4:00 set of Off Kilter and then head out to check into the hotel and find some dinner. We had to stand again for Off Kilter but that was fine again. Actually, it might be better to stand. Those hard wooden benches aren’t that easy on the butt.

After the set, we headed out and noticed the crowds were picking up. It still wasn’t a mob scene. And the ESPN Club still didn’t have a line! It was tempting but Rich had suggested going to a buffet across the street from the Days Inn. He expressed an interest in getting a salad. That’s the equivalent of Paris Hilton saying she is retiring from the public eye. The only thing he’s had to eat all day was 3/4 of a pretzel so the offsite buffet, here we come.

We made a stop at the Swan’s gift shop for a newspaper. Rich has an addiction to newspapers that he inherited from his father. It’s not an apple a day that keeps the doctor away. It’s a newspaper a day. Rich got his 50 cent paper but had to pay tax on it. 4 more cents. Which was the 4 cents I picked up on the walk around World Showcase. Rich just grumbled that it was 4 cents we were giving to the American government. I hit him.

We got to the Days Inn which is such an easy drive off of Disney property. On the way, I realized that those coupons I had carefully poured through before we left just might have one for the buffet Rich mentioned. I looked and yes! 10% off the bill. I know it’s sounding like we are going overboard with being frugal but, yes we are. I’m not working and we have a mortgage to pay so we cut costs every chance we get.

Onto the hotel and check in. No problems except they had me down for two rooms. Nope, cancelled the first one and do not charge me for it. We were in room 1041 which was a pool view. Not that we were going to use the pool but it got us off the parking lot. The price was the same so why not? It took us three trips to unload. It wasn’t that we had that much but I have to watch what I lift and carry. It’s frustrating because I know what I can do but Rich swoops in and takes things from me. I was lucky when I was “allowed” to take his laptop in. He had to take mine because it was heavier.

This room and hotel was a step above the one in Jasper. I will continue to use the Jasper Days Inn when available since it’s cheaper than the one off Exit 5 and it gets us a little bit closer to Disney World. I just know not to have very high expectations. This room had two double beds instead of the king bed but it was just nicer. The hotel itself was nicer. The bathroom was bigger. We could actually turn around in it. For an economy hotel near Disney World, I do recommend this Days Inn.

We relaxed in the room for a little and then it was time for dinner. Rich wanted to walk and I wanted to drive. It wasn’t that far but I didn’t trust us getting across the busy Highway 192. Rich won out and I was trying to be nice to him for giving me one extra day. Heck, for giving me this vacation at all. So we walked. Fortunately, we do have a light to get in and out of the Days Inn and for crossing Highway 192. The bad part is that we didn’t even get halfway across the highway when the orange hand started flashing. The last half was pretty harrowing since we had a lot of vehicles making a left hand turn without regards to us pedestrians. We were right but we really couldn’t argue with a couple of SUVs and a bus. We finally made it in one piece.

Now I have to interject some personal feelings. Since the surgeries, I have been wearing a hat in public. My head was shaved and I lovingly refer to that huge thing on my head as a lobotomy scar. I am not ashamed of it but wear the hats to ward off the inevitable “what happened to you” comments. People hear “brain surgery” and act like I’m a saint for walking around. It’s not that big of a deal. My hair has grown in almost enough to cover the scar. On Monday, the hats get retired and I’m going with a mod look of very short hair. The scar is visible only when my hair is wet and barely there when my hair is dry. It’s a big milestone for me. Halfway to dinner, I realized I didn’t have my ball cap. I shrugged it off and went on with life. No one looked at me like I had a green face so those hats really will get retired on Monday. I’m wearing them now just so the kids don’t stare.

The buffet is Sizzlin Grill at Highway 192 and Holiday Trail. It’s $10.99/adult and I believe a kid eats free for each paying adult. If not, it’s $8.99 or something for a kid. I thought there would be a problem since there was a line to pay up front. Drinks were extra so, being the frugal people, we ordered water. From there, it was pain free. The buffet was extremely plentiful. I can’t even go into what all was there. I can tell you what we had. Rich did a big salad, then went back for a cheeseburger, meatballs, some other things. He can’t even remember everything the next day. I took one plate and did grilled chicken (which wasn’t that great), fried chicken (very good), corn on the cob, and a huge Thanksgiving favorite of mine (because I never get it any other day of the year) – mashed potatoes and gravy. And not those new wave fru-fru mashed potatoes with the skins on and lots of lumps. I’m talking old fashioned mother made mashed potatoes and gravy. I was in heaven. After I got the hot food, I went to the dessert area and loaded up another plate. With different jellos (orange, strawberry, blueberry (??), lime, and lemon), chocolate pudding (also available were vanilla and tapioca). There also were fruits at that table along with regular desserts.

Then we each went back for more. Me for my deadly two plates, Rich just for one. This was also billed as a steak buffet but we never even saw that part. There was peel and eat shrimp along with fried popcorn shrimp. Vegetables were the corn on the cob, green beans, and peas. Soups were clam chowder (a little light on the clams and potatoes but tasty) and chicken noodle. There was also soft serve ice cream with lots of toppings. The service was great as our many plates were taken away quite often and Rich’s water was refilled without him asking. After this meal (we had ice cream after being quite satisfied – you can’t pass up ice cream), we had a hard time walking out of there. Not that we wanted more but because we really couldn’t walk with everything we ate. Total was $21.16 which included tax and the ten percent discount. Not a traditional Thanksgiving dinner (although there was turkey at some point) but it was more than half of what Cape May Buffet would have cost us. “Cheaper is better”. And in this case it was because we enjoyed this more.

Getting back to the room was an adventure. Crossing Highway 192 was not as bad until the end. Then we had the Idiot From Hell. We made it 7/8 of the way across and were still OK with the lights. Until The Idiot. He was in the right turn lane on Highway 192. He had a red light and a “right turn on red after stopping” notice. He didn’t even slow down, look to see if anyone was coming from the left, or even care. He just tore through for his right turn. We were inches from him and he seriously barely missed us. I yelled “hey, thank you very much!” and Rich yelled something that won’t make it into the report. Rich yelling that is an indication at just how close it was. The guy pulled into our Days Inn and I really wanted to go and give him a piece of my mind. But he wasn’t near our room. Rich was upset as well. Honestly, any sudden movement on my part could be very dangerous, let alone being hit by a car.

We did make it back to the room and painfully got into our nighttime clothes just so our bodies could expand. It may seem sacrilegious to be in our room at Disney World on a night when Magic Kingdom was open until midnight, but we were on vacation and wanted to crash. We watched our normal Thursday night lineup of TV shows. Well, we didn’t watch the 10:00 show because it was on NBC and the reception was horrible. We had taped all these shows at home so no big deal. It was just nice to chill in the room. First day of vacation was a hit.

Day Three – Friday, November 24, 2005 – Out of Synch, Rich Picks the Wrong Queue Line Every Time

Oh, this day started out wrong, had some good moments, and ended bad. Rich and I just fell so totally out of synch it was ridiculous.

We were woken up “naturally” by the people outside not realizing just how loud their talking can be. Some little kid was so excited to be going to Disney World. Then the housekeeping cart went slowly rolling by. It sounded like a plane taking off. So we were up at 8:30. I worked on the report and Rich watched ESPN and had his breakfast of Diet Cokes. Then he showered and was ready to go. I had just a bit more to finish the report and asked if we could stay in the room a little longer. Then I noticed Rich looked very antsy. He wanted to go. By our standards, it was still early. I got the hint and got ready myself. When I was done, I wanted some breakfast. We still had all three of his blueberry muffins left over from yesterday and that’s all I wanted. I have to eat when I’m hungry. I blame it on the surgeries. Rich wanted to get going so we had a little tiff about all this and I grabbed a muffin and a bottle of water to go and ate in the car which I hate to do. Not a good drive onto Disney World with both of us in a mood.

Our goal today was Magic Kingdom. Now, we love the original park but don’t do it often since it’s usually crowded and there are more kids (love kids, can’t really tolerate them at Disney World when they are out of control and the parents don’t care). We took the Boardwalk bus and that was kind of strange. No buses for a while and then a Magic Kingdom one came. We had a person in a wheelchair so had to wait until she was loaded. But then a second Magic Kingdom bus came up right behind the first one. I directed Rich over there and he thought this bus wouldn’t load until the first one did. Nope, we were on and gone right away. Most of the people waiting for the first bus were still standing there.

We made it to Magic Kingdom and waltzed through security (I made Rich take the bag) and the turn styles. Main Street was a mob scene with many characters out. We hit the first store on the right to dodge the people traffic. There’s a hint. Especially if you are staying at a Disney resort and can take advantage of package delivery. Do your Main Street shopping in the morning. The stores aren’t crowded at all, the Cast Members are perky, and you can have your packages delivered to your resort. If we were staying onsite, we would have had a mug and a cookie waiting for us right now.

We skipped through the shops to avoid the crowds out on Main Street. The castle did look great and all but I’m not a big fan of poising for the perfect shot with the castle in the background. I had mentioned to Rich that the Pirates of the Caribbean was redone to incorporate the movies into it. That was the plan. We were waylaid first by The Enchanted Tiki Birds, though. Others might feel this is lame but we do enjoy it. There wasn’t that much of a wait before the preshow and then we were in for the show. Very enjoyable and something we haven’t done for a while.

Pirates of the Caribbean was next after we fought our way through the crowds at the Aladdin ride. I knew Magic Kingdom could be quite crowded today but hoped for the best. Do a few things and then bail. Pirates was a 50 minute wait and there’s no way we are doing that. Sure, I wanted to see the changes but not after 50 minutes. We passed but checked out the shop. Our granddaughter, Marlie, is a Pirates of the Caribbean fan. She has this really hellacious poster of Johnny Depp as Jack Sparrow in her bedroom. First thing she sees in the morning. It would give a normal kid nightmares. But then again, Marlie is not that normal for an eight year old. She’s a true Niklewski. We did find one thing for her Christmas present but didn’t buy it at that time. We didn’t have package delivery and did not want to carry this through the park. We’d come back later.

I wanted Rich to enjoy at least one mountain at Magic Kingdom so we forced our way over to Splash Mountain. Easily one of my favorites at Disney World but something I can’t do again. If they could stop the ride right before the drop and get me off, I’d love it. You know, right before the vultures tell you about heading to your doom. I’d get off the boat quickly, I swear. But that’s not going to happen. The Fastpass distributors were closed down and no one was being let in to the stand by line. Splash Mountain was shut down for the time being. Rich was not going to ride a mountain this trip. Splash Mountain is one attraction that I really mourn not being able to ride. It’s tempting but just thinking about the thud at the end of the drop tells me I am being extremely wise.

We moved on through Frontierland. I was getting a bit nibblish and mentioned that to Rich. Not hungry but a little something would be fine. Of course, it was noon by this time and every counter service place and kiosk was mobbed. Just about everything else was mobbed too. We ended up at the Haunted Mansion and it’s something I can do. They have really changed the queue from the last time we were here. Rich grumbled a bit but it’s really more efficient. The 20 minute stand by line was pretty accurate. We were “entertained” by the family in front of us. I guess Mom and Dad had a miscommunication earlier. They were supposed to meet somewhere and Mom went to see the parade and hand signaled that to the Dad. Dad wandered off and was over by the Aladdin ride. Mom contacted Dad by borrowing someone’s cell phone and was not happy with everyone meeting at the Haunted Mansion. For most of the queue line, she kept harping to either her brother or his brother about how stupid Dad was. And the harp was at maximum volume. The brother didn’t help by siding with Mom. This continued at the high volume all the way up to the entrance. Jeez, let it go! Of course, I mentioned to Rich that it sounded like us this morning. He was not amused.

The Haunted Mansion was great as usual and since we haven’t seen it for a while, more enjoyable. I did make sure I was OK when the doombuggy went backwards and down the little hill. It sucks to have to be so careful but I do want to live to see my great-grandchildren. On the way out, we probably bothered a lot of people who just wanted to rush to the next attraction. We finally took the time to see the pet cemetery outside the exit (or Pet Sementary if you are a Stephen King fan). Very well worth the five extra minutes it took. It’s kind of frustrating to know the little secrets of Disney (like the key under the mat at Muppets) and almost getting trampled by people rushing through.

Next up was something I never thought Rich would ever agree to do. The Hall of Presidents. The next show was only six minutes away so we enjoyed the time looking at the presidential pictures and trying to remember the sequence. Our trivia guy asks a lot of presidential questions and while I can get most of them, I’d like to get all of them. Disney World can be educational. Into the show which wasn’t that full but we had to go by not one but two groups of people who just didn’t get the concept of moving down the row. Everyone together now – “if you are the first in your row, move down”. We trampled some toes on the way but had good seats. Actually no seat is a bad one unless the person sitting in front of you is eight feet tall. Slight Grr. The show was great and we hadn’t seen it in years so it was like a new attraction. I was amazed that our current president, George W. Bush, received some polite applause. Not to bring up politics but no matter what they are, please support whoever is residing at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Rich, the anti-American government person, did enjoy this. He’s not converted but I’m working on it.

Then the Magic Kingdom nightmare. Yes, it was the day after a major holiday. We knew that. But weren’t these people supposed to be out shopping? Oy! Fantasyland was beyond packed. I now was getting hungry and wanted food. Not to be. We got to Pinocchio’s Village Haus and I suggested that. Rich had the look of a deer caught in the headlights. It was such a mess that we couldn’t even communicate so I screamed to forget it and move on. That we did and saw Tomorrowland was just as bad. Cosmic Ray’s was not an option. My stomach was growling and I’m not a nice person when that happens. Cue for the day.

We decided that we needed to get out of Magic Kingdom. On the bus on the way in, I heard a family saying they were staying until midnight, when the park closed. I wouldn’t wish that on my worst enemy. It was early afternoon and the crowds were building. Sorry, but I’m not going to be a part of it.

The only problem was we really wanted to get Marlie part of her Christmas gift. Which was at the Pirates of the Caribbean gift shop. We couldn’t get it any other place. So we trudged back over there, really fighting the growing crowds. It proves we really love our granddaughter because this item only cost $3 and we crossed the entire Magic Kingdom with almost capacity crowds. This girl owes us!

We finally made it to the Pirates gift shop and made a bathroom stop. Once we met back up, Rich had the item and headed for the cash registers. First Line of Hell of the day. Rich was second in line to check out but the woman in front of him needed a size check or something. The cashier just disappeared. The line next to Rich was fine and there was even a third line opened up but Rich was stuck behind the other woman. Why is it when another register is opened, the people at the end of a line are helped first? This transaction took about ten minutes and was only resolved when Rich finally went in front of a person in the next line and asked the cashier to help him first. A three dollar purchase and ten minutes out of our lives. Yes, Marlie is worth it.

Then we fought our way back to Main Street. I only suffered a shin bruise from a wheelchair pusher in the process. Small price to pay. We went through the shops on the other side of Main Street this time to get out of there. People were already lining up for the 3:00 parade and it was just after 2:00. We’re just not parade people so that amazes us.

We stopped briefly in the Fire House on the way out. I am so, so, so disappointed. On my first trip after 9/11, I came in here and really appreciated the tribute to the fire departments all over the country. Now the only thing that has survived are the patches. Everything else is Disney plush. The last time I was here, I couldn’t stay because of my emotions. This time, I couldn’t stay because I felt sick at the betrayal. Not a great way to end a trip to the Magic Kingdom.

After escaping the hordes, we boarded the monorail and did the TTC exchange over to Epcot. On the way over, we saw a pretty big wedding just ending at the Pavilion. I won’t comment on our thoughts. I sort of knew we’d end up at Epcot. We usually do. Rich had suggested either Lotus Blossom Café for what was now a very late lunch or trying something new – the Yakatori House in Japan. Either one was fine with me.

What was not fine with me was how we had to get through the entrance into Epcot. This is THE worst entrance at Disney World. I have complained about this before. The security check is there and everyone has to go through it. There is no “no bag” line. And the entrance turnstyles are immediately after the security checkpoint. We spent an easy fifteen minutes waiting to get in. The Cast Members were great but there were at least thirty people in our line and that times fifteen minutes to get in means how many dollars not spent inside Disney World??

Somewhere along the line, Rich’s mind settled with the Yakatori House in Japan. We headed over to the right of World Showcase to get there. It was our typical stroll, really not doing too much but enjoying what we could. We did notice increased crowds. We made it to the counter service restaurant and I realized all the outside seating was taken. The lines inside were a bit much but not that bad. Rich and I looked over the menu and decided on a couple of entrees we could share. We got the Shogun Combination (teriyaki chicken thigh, sukiyaki beef, and steamed rice) and Japanese Curry (curry sauce with onions, carrots, potatoes, and beef over steamed rice). A Diet Coke (go figure) was the beverage. I left Rich in line when a table for six opened up to grab a couple of seats.

The lunch was fine and different. It was a change from burgers. The chicken thigh (which is our least favorite part of a chicken no matter how cheaper) was shredded and pretty tasty. We have a family joke about chicken thighs so ignore the reference. I’m not sure we’ll be rushing back here again. The dining experience was certainly enlightened by a group of four that shared our table. It was grandmother, mom, and two young daughters. Rich and I were at a table for six and more than willing to share the extra space. The foursome had only ordered drinks – three green teas and one bottle of water. They made an absolute mess of the table. And then left without taking their trash and disposing of it. Very rude. Of the three green teas, one was almost finished, one was half finished, and one looked like it was untouched. What a waste. At least one of the girls took the bottle of water with her. A few minutes later, a couple of adult females needed a place to sit so I motioned them over. They were unsure because of the left garbage but they pushed it aside to have their lunch. When Rich and I were finished, we threw everything away. The really bad thing is the mom of the group realized they should have bused the table and said something to the grandmother on the way out. The grandmother just waved it off. Really nice lesson for your granddaughters.

We stopped in America for their displays and so I could go into the gift shop. I am such an American patriot that I have to stop in here every trip. There’s rarely anything new but I don’t care. I get my dose of red, white and blue. There was one new thing that I really wanted but didn’t get. An automated American flag that plays three different patriotic songs. Tacky I know, but that’s me.

Rich chose to get a good old American beer at the Liberty Inn. He thought maybe the lines would be too long but we went in and these “lines” were almost non-existent. This was the Line From Hell #2. There was only one woman in front of Rich. He ordered his beer and paid. Then he waited for his beer. I was over by the condiment table. Rich waited and waited and then waited some more. I stood and stood and stood some more. I finally started helping myself to the pickles on the condiment bar. Again and again and again. It turned out that the woman in front of Rich had two orders to be filled. She got one and then wanted the other one. But that order had been taken at a different cashier. It wasn’t even in this station. Rich finally got his beer right before I was going to attack the tomatoes on the condiment bar.

We continued on with our walk and completed it at the Christmas tree. We looked at each other and at least for that moment were in synch. We just turned around and went the other way. We really don’t do a lot on these walks but watch people and enjoy the atmosphere. I suggested that we end up back at the room and maybe stroll around Old Town tonight. Rich was interested in that mainly because Old Town usually had a display of vintage cars. I was more interested to see if one store had any discounted NASCAR things. Okay, the season just ended last weekend and I’m going through withdrawals already.

We left Epcot and had to make a stop. For what? A newspaper. The Swan gift shop was fine yesterday, let’s try it again today. Sold out of the local paper (which in my opinion, isn’t that much of a paper anyway). Rich was bummed and thought he’d just do without for the day (horrors!). I suggested we check out the Dolphin so we went over there.

It’s been a very long time since we’ve been in the Dolphin. And that really was at the ground level for the laundry when we stayed at the Swan. Neither one of us liked the Dolphin’s lobby at all. Way too ritzy for us. The menu for Blue Zoo was out and I showed it to Rich. A bit too much. We didn’t even go near Shula’s. This is fine for people who like all of this but we are Days Inn people. We don’t need much and appreciate what we have. Not saying the Dolphin is a bad place. It’s just not for us.

We had to hunt down the Dolphin gift shop. I believe it’s called Daisy’s Garden. It’s way off the lobby but it has the typical Disney gift shop items. It was sold out of the local paper as well. Rich sucked it up and decided to get a USA Today. A bit more expensive but it was a newspaper. The third Line from Hell. For 75 cents (plus tax). This time, the woman (why is it always women?) in front of Rich needed to make an exchange and it was taking forever. There were two other people behind the counter but neither one of them made a motion to help the other customers. They just stood there looking at their co-worker trying to make the exchange. After a good long five minutes or so, Rich threw the paper on the counter and walked out. He was, well, a word that rhymes with dissed. No newspaper for Rich today. I mentioned stopping at the Hess station on the way out but that was “too much trouble” since it was on the other side of the road.

Back at the room we relaxed for a bit and I changed shoes, hoping it would help my aching feet. Then we headed for Old Town. Old Town is a place for us. The people staying at the Dolphin probably never would set foot in here. It’s basically carnival type rides and junky shops. Now you know why we like it. We checked my shop for discounted NASCAR stuff and while they had some things, they sure weren’t discounted.

Then we had our final breakdown of the day. I needed food. Rich can eat one meal a day and be fine. I can’t do that anymore. Rich has been a saint through all this but he’s not at home during the day and doesn’t see what I eat. Sometimes I have two lunches. I was a petite person before the accident and the surgeries and could stand to gain a few pounds. Rich could stand to lose a few pounds. So now I needed something and Rich was fine. There was an A&W place at Old Town where I could get a hot dog. Fine by me. But I suggested we go to some of the convenience shops along Highway 192 to get a newspaper. There was a Pizza Hut along the way. Rich loves pizza. So much that I had to put him on a once a month pizza diet. As we walked by the Pizza Hut (the newspaper search was futile) the second time, he again drooled. I gave in and said we could eat there if he wanted. That started the “miscommunication” between us. Rich said (and this is exactly what he said) “I’m not hungry but I could eat a pizza”. What the heck is that supposed to mean? I started to go into the restaurant. He said no. Wait a minute, what did you just say? I just didn’t get what Rich was saying. You can be married for 25 years and still not communicate very well. Somewhere along the line, I said I could use something light, like fruit. Rich interpreted that as meaning the only thing I wanted was fruit. We spatted at each other all the way back to the room. Without food.

After a good argument where all these assumptions came out, we finally settled down and became adults. Back to Old Town and A&W (which both of us really wanted anyway) for some hot dogs. Rich then said he thought I wanted a sit down restaurant kind of place with a server and drinks, etc. Hell, I didn’t care, I just wanted food!

We watched something on TV and then turned in around midnight. We had aching legs and feet. Maybe we are getting too old for this stuff? Nah.

Day Four – Saturday, November 25, 2006 – Never Plan Anything

We could sleep in a bit this morning. I did make sure I was ready for my shower right after Rich was done with his morning routine. No arguments today. We had enough drama yesterday. Today was our seating at Sci Fi and I repeatedly told Rich we could skip it if he wanted. He had suggested Animal Kingdom first and then MGM. But it was late enough that going to Animal Kingdom would be a waste of time to do first. The park was open until 7:00 so maybe we could switch the order of the parks. We headed out to MGM.

We made a quick stop at Publix for some essentials and to get cash back for the day. I also mentioned to Rich that he might consider getting a newspaper so we wouldn’t have a hunt today. He thought that was a brilliant idea. Whew, redeemed myself from yesterday.

After parking, Rich wanted to take the boat to save some leg damage. On the walk, we had a young lady behind us talking on her cell phone. Loudly. She was relaying the information to her friend who must have lived on the other side of the moon where screaming is the norm. What was being communicated was the horrible fact that Palio’s at the Swan was closed and being converted into something else (Il Mulino). This evidentially was THE worst news in the entire solar system that day. Jeez, get some priorities in your life.

Fortunately, a boat came within about five minutes and we were away to MGM. We had a bit of a show in front of us. A young couple who had to be joined at the hips. They cuddled and kissed all the way to MGM. Rich dubbed them RichandAmy from the Zits comic strip. We’d see them throughout the park. Sometimes joined, sometimes we could see daylight in between them.

I asked Rich which of the trill rides he preferred, Rock N Roller Coaster or Twilight Zone. He said Rock N Roller Coaster. And then had time to think which is always deadly. As we are walking down Sunset Boulevard, he changed his mind to Twilight Zone because that’s the one I’d do most of it with him. I told him to stop trying to make me happy. How many times do you tell your husband that? I almost had to physically shove him over to Rock N Roller Coaster.

But it wasn’t to be. The stand by line was over an hour and the FastPass return time was 4:00-5:00. I didn’t think we’d be here that late. It was around 11:30 by now. So we went over to Twilight Zone and that return time was 1:40-2:40 which would be great for after our 1:20 lunch. What to do until then? MGM doesn’t hold a ton of thrills for us but it does keep us entertained. I suggested The Great Movie Ride since we haven’t done that in a long time. Wait time was about twenty minutes and they have got to change the movie clips in the holding area. Yeah, they are repetitious but every time we see them, we say we’ve got to watch (fill in the blank) again. Into the show and it was great. Our guide was very good and we had the gangster scene. RichandAmy were somewhere in this group. Another young lady caught my eye. She was a couple of rows ahead of us and her head swiveled around so much and her mouth was open just about the whole time. I think The Great Movie Ride is going down as a favorite in her book.

Next up was One Man’s Dream, another one that we haven’t done in a long time. Rich was really impressed with the history in the display. I could have stayed for hours. But the announcement came on that the movie was about to start so we went in there. One of these days, I’ll come here by myself and really take my time. Once the movie started, I went into my Philly Girl attitude. I just hate when people are rude. Rich takes it in stride but I don’t. If people are being rude and spoiling life for someone else, I have to let them know. A group of a dad and four teenagers were a few rows behind us. Once the film started, the teenage boy, trying to impress the girls I’m sure, started saying things like “oh, I love you Walt” in a falsetto voice. The girls clearly thought the comments were so funny and responded to them. Hey kids, you are here because of this man, shut up! So I turned around and said “why don’t you just leave?” They shut up after that.

The film was very inspiring. Not just because it was about Walt but how many times he was broke and had to build himself up again. I kind of felt that way with the last year. Hey, break your neck, get over it. Brain surgery, get over it. Keep going on with life.

After the film, we moved over to New York Street and I kind of knew where Rich was heading. It was an indirect route but we were going to Sounds Dangerous. Lame, I know, but Rich loves it. Along the way, they had the cars from, well, Cars. Rich was very intrigued by them so we watched for quite a while. We still haven’t seen the movie (have the DVD though) so it was interesting watching my husband watching some cars. Then it was Sounds Dangerous time. Can they please change the trivia on the holding area? It’s the same as when this attraction first opened. Can’t they put up some Lost questions? Or Desperate Housewives? We get The Practice which was retired a long time ago. Actually, it became Boston Legal but that’s another story.

The show was okay. I might opt to sit outside in the future. But we had a couple of interesting encounters with the people sitting to our right on the aisle. Husband had put the camera into the bin that holds the headphones. Wife remembered that when they were leaving and retrieved it. On the way out, she was berating the husband for forgetting the camera. Rich asked me if those were the people next to us. When I said yes he ran to catch up with them. Wife had left her glasses under her seat! Not sunglasses or cheap ones. The prescription ones. Wife just about fell over herself thanking Rich. Husband was quite amused and said that the glasses probably cost more than the camera. Good deed done for the day.

It was after 1:00 and Rich knows me very well. I am never late for an appointment. I am where I’m supposed to be at least ten minutes ahead of time. So we headed to Sci Fi for lunch. I checked us in and then utilized the restroom. The infamous restroom. I had my encounter with Steve Tyler of Aerosmith outside of these bathrooms. No Philly Girl attitude but we didn’t see each other and I almost knocked the man down. My claim to fame.

As I was heading out of there, I almost knocked over Rich! He was being led to our car and I’m sure he was a bit panicked because I wasn’t there. The Sci Fi was almost completely full but we got into the back seat of our car and were introduced to the family in the front two seats. We both ordered burgers and I do have to laugh at our tastes. There were two cheese options and three topping options. Rich ordered his burger with cheddar cheese and bacon. I ordered mine with Swiss cheese, onions, and mushrooms. Can’t get any more varied than that. The film clips here have changed slightly. My dancing hot dog was very abbreviated. But the lunch was enjoyable and Rich had a blackberry flavored Sprite. Not to my liking and he sipped it slowly because he figured he would not get a free refill. But he did, much to his surprise. Our server was great with everyone in the car. We did get the speeding ticket and had to pay the fine. Great choice for lunch. It wasn’t cheap but it was enjoyable. The only downfall of the whole thing was in our opinion all hamburgers should be served with a pickle spear. These weren’t.

After the lunch, it was time for Twilight Zone. Rich had actually forgotten about our FastPasses. Great, do some drops on a full stomach. The stand by sign said 20 minutes but the welcoming Cast Member said 40 minutes. The line certainly looked longer than 20 minutes. We walked right on with the FastPasses. When we were in the library, a little kid lost it. I love the library because it’s spooky. Kids don’t share my opinion. Dad was wise and took the kid out before the doors closed. But that set up a domino effect with the other kids there. I think this was a record for how many kids could yell in Twilight Zone. All of them calmed down a little bit after the TV show started. We were right in front of the TV and could barely hear Rod Serling for a bit. Then into the boiler room and another RichandAmy sighting – no daylight in between them this time. At the elevators, I bid farewell to Rich and took the Express Elevator out of there. The Cast Member in my elevator asked why I wasn’t riding. I told him and he agreed that I shouldn’t ride. Later, I told Rich that everyone should just sit there and watch as people come out of the drop part. The reactions are great. This time, four little girls (plus a guardian) came running out and did high fives yelling “we did it, we did it!” Sitting time for me was less than ten minutes. Definitely worth it.

It was getting close to parade time (“ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, in just five minutes….”) so we wanted to avoid the main street. We had basically done everything we wanted to do at MGM. Muppets can wait until another time. Rich led us back to the High Octane drink place next to the Flatbread Grill. At the bar, we were behind a very obnoxious guy. He was second in line and just before he was going to be helped, he whipped out his cell phone and made a call. He continued with the call all during the time he was being helped and served. He did leave $1 tip but threw it across the bar and it landed on floor on the other side. Philly Girl came out and I said rather loudly, “that is just rude”. The guy didn’t care.

We enjoyed our drinks with the clouds rolling in. We ended up having to move under cover when it started to rain. Then Rich noticed that we could have gotten our beer and wine at the Flatbread Grill and saved the tip. No “cheaper is better” here either. The weather so far has been absolutely wonderful. I needed a jacket at night, though. Tonight I was fortuitous as I had put my newly purchased Dale Jarrett windbreaker/rain gear in our bag. Perfect for the evening. The rain ended fairly quickly and we headed out. To where? Of course, Epcot! Just for a walk around.

Rich really wanted to take the boat but the line was way too long and there was no boat in sight. So we took the walkway. Pleasant walk but I’d pay for it tonight and all day tomorrow. I guess I’m just out of shape these days. The entrance at the International Gateway was a nightmare. We have never seen it that crowded. Not even when a boat unloads. Only two turnstyles were opened and both of them didn’t read any cards the first time through. The lines were backed up beyond the security checkpoints. People were getting very testy. A family had dinner reservations in China at 5:00 and decided to leave their Epcot resort at 4:50 to make it. Did I mention how punctual I am? If I had a dinner reservation for 5:00, I would have left my resort no later than 4:30. But that’s me. We finally made it through and escaped the hordes.

All we wanted here was just another walk around. There were lots of the holiday storytellers out which was very nice. I realized I was getting very tired even though it was early for us. We had come to Disney World since the surgeries but that was only for a quick 24 hours and the Wine and Food Festival. I was tired and sore after that trip. I was now getting the same way and we were still on vacation.

After our walk, we made our way back to the car and the hotel. More relaxation and rest. I really have to carefully examine my limitations on walking around like this. It’s not like I can’t do a lot but I guess just not all at once. I’ve taken ten days trips to Disney World and never had a problem. I will have to condition myself to a slower pace and more breaks. Fortunately, Rich and I are usually in synch (except for yesterday) so this is not an impediment on our vacations. I’d pay for my overdoing it tomorrow.

While we were relaxing, my phone rang and it was our son, Chris. Calls from Ohio always get me nervous since Chris and his family are so far away. I knew it was Chris because the Ohio people have a special ring tone on my phone. I answered and my fears went away. Chris wanted to know the temperature and time for how to make hamburger on toast. I told him and then reminded him to toast the bread. He said “oh yeah, that would help”. It’s the little things that keep a family close.

Day Five – Sunday, November 26, 2006 – Never Overdo It at Disney World

I woke up feeling very sore and dizzy. I thought maybe I was having a reaction to my medication. It just felt like when I first got home from the surgeries. But Disney World awaited and it was our last day so I sucked it up and didn’t tell Rich how I felt. Stupid.

We hadn’t done Animal Kingdom yet and skipped it in May because I was in the neck brace and didn’t want to walk around the uneven grounds. This is easily our second favorite park (guess which one is first?). We are animal lovers so the positive message is something we appreciate. We are also environmentalists so that message is also appreciated.

On the way to the Boardwalk, Rich noticed I was walking a bit funny. I told him I felt just a little, well, off kilter. He asked if I wanted to go back to the room. I laughed it off and said it would get better. We caught the Boardwalk bus to the Animal Kingdom and I think I royally pissed off these two women. The Boardwalk bus will make stops at all the Epcot resorts before getting to the Boardwalk. So the bus can be crowded. I was prepared to stand but saw a seat in between a couple of ladies. I took it, grateful to sit down with how I felt. I didn’t realize it but the ladies were traveling together. So why did they leave that seat in between empty when other people were boarding the bus and had to stand? Rich stood because it was easier. Another peeve of mine with the Disney World buses. Wasted space.

We made it to Animal Kingdom and through the turnstyles. The holiday people were heading home so the crowds weren’t bad at all. We didn’t even have to take our shortcut to avoid the entrance gates. I really wanted Rich to go on Expedition Everest since he’d only been on it once during the Annual Passholders sneak preview. I had made a quick trip by myself in March and rode it a second time.

The stand by line was well over the posted 40 minutes. I took Rich to the Singles Rider Line where he had that deer caught in the headlights look again. It’s legal to do this! I went over to the viewing area and found a spot on a ledge to watch the trains coming down the drop. I was amazed at how many people could spot the other members of their party coming down the drop. It was all a blur to me. I hadn’t seen any warning signs outside the attraction and was hoping it could be in my future. I absolutely love this ride. Splash Mountain and Expedition Everest are the two attractions I really will miss. The wait for Rich was about twenty minutes but the day was, again, beautiful so I didn’t mind at all. When Rich came off the ride, he said there’s no way I’m ever going on it again. He said the warning signs were all over the place inside and he’d never let me on it. He said it was rougher that he remembered it. OK, scratch that one off my list.

There are a lot of things I can’t do at Animal Kingdom, unfortunately. Rich suggested Kali River Rapids but I can’t do that one. For the record, the other attractions I can’t do are Primeval Whirl, Dinosaur, and the Safari. I suggested one of the treks. Rich always forgets which one is which. I said Asia has tigers, Africa has gorillas. The tigers won this time. I think he was missing the cats. The walk was enjoyable even with my wobbly state.

We both needed a bite to eat and I thought that would help me. We got a pretzel and beverages at the kiosk outside the Beastly Bazaar and sat in the Flame Tree BBQ seating area for a break. I certainly needed it. Very nice break.

After this, Rich suggested we leave and go back to the room or over to Epcot for some more Off Kilter. Me, being the stubborn one and thinking I was just fine, said no, we’d continue to It’s Tough to Be a Bug. There was only a ten minute wait so we started going down the queue. We didn’t get very far. I started to feel very claustrophobic in about twenty feet. I just couldn’t do it. Rich got me out of Animal Kingdom and back on the Boardwalk bus. This time, I didn’t piss anyone off. I felt just plain exhausted.

We got back to the room (that walk from the Boardwalk to the car seemed to last a lifetime) and I definitely needed a long break. Football was on the TV so that kept Rich occupied while I slept. I really didn’t want this trip to end on a negative note. We had discussed dinner options and I gave into Rich’s pizza addiction. He hadn’t had any pizza for the month of November (he’s limited) so he went over to Old Town and got a Flippers pizza for him and a tuna salad salad (not sandwich) for me.

We had discussed the nighttime options and I thought I’d feel so much better with the nap. Off Kilter was on at 6:15 and then I really wanted to see the holiday Illuminations at 9:30. After our dinner, we headed once again to Epcot. On the walk, I realized I wasn’t all that great. But this is Disney World, we go on.

I somehow got to the Off Kilter stage and was grateful to get a seat. I felt fine when sitting down, just freaky when standing up. Just like right after the surgeries. This set of Off Kilter had two substitutes (a different bassist from Thursday and the keyboardist) but the set was just as enjoyable as when all five of the original guys are there. After the last set of the night, we needed a bathroom stop and made use of the United Kingdom facilities.

When I came out, I thought about it. Staying at Epcot for the next two hours to see the holiday Illuminations. I love this show and purposely put it off until my last night. I couldn’t do it. I sat down on the ground to wait for Rich to come out. And cried. I hate being this helpless. But there’s no way I could stay. Rich came out and understood. He helped me back to the car and then to the room. I was done for the trip. Rich watched football and I kind of did. Not a great way to end a Disney trip but put things smack into perspective. I cannot overextend myself. At least not right now. It’s only been two months since the surgeries. I’m still healing.

Day Six – Monday, November 27, 2006 – Get Me Home

I had set the alarm on my phone since I don’t trust the hotel alarms anymore. It was punctual at 8:00. Rich did his thing while I packed up things. I felt a bit better but not a lot. We loaded up the car and then drove up to the front to check out. Then we tackled the buffet for breakfast. I may have felt not great physically but my appetite sure was screaming.

As like the last time, we grabbed multiple plates. This time, though, I took two big ones and a smaller one for fruit. Did I mention this is a great bargain for $3.99? Good food although the potatoes this time were a bit on the cool side. Rich noticed they had oatmeal and absolutely loved that. Once again, we rolled out of there.

Rich started driving and would do the entire drive. I felt bad but we agreed that I shouldn’t be behind a wheel. I napped quite a bit on the way home. I felt a bit better by the time we were home but not that great. I did get a call on the way and had an interview set up for Tuesday. We stopped at Wal Mart for a frozen pizza for me for dinner and Rich decided to have his leftover Flippers stuff. We were still full from breakfast. The cats were glad to see us although they left a few “presents” for us throughout the house.

Final Thoughts

Obviously, my physical problems were the bummer of the trip. Once we were home, it took me days to overcome the effects. Rich was great with everything, just like he’s been great since May and the accident. This was Thanksgiving and the one thing I’m most thankful for is my husband. He’s my rock. Even though we can have miscommunications at times.

The Days Inn in Kissimmee still remains a bargain and a favorite of ours. If you want offsite and a decent hotel, this is the place. It doesn’t offer a free breakfast but the Safari restaurant is a fantastic deal at $3.99.

The Sizzlin’ Grill was a great find. $10.99 for a great buffet. We will definitely use this for an offsite option in the future.

The Sci-Fi Drive Inn was great for us. Excellent service, good food, great atmosphere. There are very few places in MGM that we frequent but this one is definitely on our repeat list. Not every trip but enough.

We missed a ton of Christmas stuff. Osbourne Lights, lighting of the Epcot tree, Lights of Winter, and my favorite of the holiday Illuminations. But that was fine because as of Friday, it was Christmas all over Disney World and that was enough. Even though it was hectic at Disney World, I recommend going at this time of the year. It just becomes Christmas almost overnight.

There will be more Disney trips in my future. Limitations or not. I have to add one – rest often during the touring. I thought I was doing that but what I realized after I was home was just sitting isn’t enough. I’m still surrounded by the whole Disney experience. I sat for the lunch at Sci Fi but still had the whole show going on around me. Same thing at the waiting area at Expedition Everest. It’s total Disney emersion. I still don’t understand how that family at Magic Kingdom was going to stay there until midnight without a break. I will need to come up with things I can do at Disney World that just doesn’t continually smack me with the whole experience. The shorter trips are fine, it’s the longer ones that I’ll need to deal with. One thing I thought of after we were home was I should have rented a wheelchair at Animal Kingdom and then another one over at Epcot for the evening. I would have been fine that way. It’s still early in my recovery so I will have to learn what I can and cannot do.

We’ll do our normal Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day weekend in 2007. I’d also like to do the Food & Wine Festival again, especially if there’s a musical group performing for the Eat to the Beat concert series that we like. The next really big trip might happen in June, 2008. My mother-in-law mentioned that she wanted to get the family together again (this would be the third time) for a trip “sometime”. My daughter-in-law and I already determined June, 2008 will work quite well. Our granddaughter will be 10 and our grandson will almost be two. Since I can’t go on some of the rides that Mitchell can’t, he has a built in wait-with person. Rich and I did this for Marlie’s first trip so I get to spoil Mitchell all by myself. The joy of having grandchildren – you can give them back.

Thanks for posting another report! Glad you are on the mend and I hope you've found a new job. Great for telling the REAL stories too--not just the good parts. I find that refreshing!

This was great to read you are such an encouragement to life in gereral! my family and I are going this year from the 18-26th of November so we get to experience Christmas time at the park. I am hoping that Monday and Tuesday it might be a little less crowded so we can enjoy so of the rides more.

I love your trip reports. Thanks so much for sharing. Stay well!!

Ellen

This was great to read you are such an encouragement to life in gereral! my family and I are going this year from the 18-26th of November so we get to experience Christmas time at the park. I am hoping that Monday and Tuesday it might be a little less crowded so we can enjoy so of the rides more.

The only days that will be mega-crowded are Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and Saturday. Sunday might be a bit crowded if people haven't left for home yet and the Wednesday before Thanksgiving will start to get full with people who want to be at Disney World for the entire Thanksgiving Day.

You'll have fun - we're blowing off my in-laws this year and going back to Disney World again for Thanksgiving.

Sheri, you are such a trooper-3 trips to WDW within months of your accident and surgery! ( And to lose your job on top of that.) Those of us you read your reports regularly know that you go to WDW for many 3 day weekends, mostly for the music groups and the relaxation, not the "rides". Glad you could enjoy the ambiance, etc to get away from the pain and anxiety of "life", and can still enjoy some attractions. When do we find out how the job hunting went? Are the kids and grandkids joining you for Thanksgiving this year, or the 2 of you? Always look forward to your reports and was wondering why we hadn't heard from you in a while earlier this summer, now 3 reports from 2006 explaining how you were a little too busy for trip reports. Enjoying catching up though, keep us informed.

Sheri, you are such a trooper-3 trips to WDW within months of your accident and surgery! ( And to lose your job on top of that.) Those of us you read your reports regularly know that you go to WDW for many 3 day weekends, mostly for the music groups and the relaxation, not the "rides". Glad you could enjoy the ambiance, etc to get away from the pain and anxiety of "life", and can still enjoy some attractions. When do we find out how the job hunting went? Are the kids and grandkids joining you for Thanksgiving this year, or the 2 of you? Always look forward to your reports and was wondering why we hadn't heard from you in a while earlier this summer, now 3 reports from 2006 explaining how you were a little too busy for trip reports. Enjoying catching up though, keep us informed.

Thanks, Sue. Unfortunately, I am still looking for a job. But I've been making the most out of staying at home. My house has never been cleaner and I've found I have a knack for doing paper crafts so I keep my days pretty busy. Plus looking for jobs which is never easy.

I'd love for the grandkids to join us for any Disney trip but the oldest (nine) would have to fly to Atlanta from Toledo on her own which is not possible. Her mother has a fear of flying and the thought of putting her first born on a plane with no one else is not something I can talk her into. And the little one is still too little. He just turned one.

But - we are planning a family trip for the week after Thanksgiving of 2008. That should be very much fun as we'll be going with my in-laws and hopefully my parents as well. So four generations of the family together on both sides.

Take a look here:

http://jobview.monster.com/getjob.asp?JobID=62761411&JobTitle=Full+Charge+Bookkeeper+-+Faith+Based+Company&fn=1&q=accountant&sort=di.dt&rad=50&cnme=braselton&sid=24&brd=1&cy=us&vw=b&AVSDM=2007-09-27+16%3a06%3a00&pg=1&seq=2

If I'm not mistaken, that would be 7-8 miles from Braselton. Not sure of your target salary but....if it helps pay WDW bills, does it matter? :cool:

Thanks Spectro - that's actually on the list of applications I'm sending in today! I'd love to work in Gainesville - opposite direction of all the rush hour traffic.

Hi. I always enjoy reading your trip reports. My family and I will be at WDW this Thanksgiving as well. Maybe we'll see you at Epcot enjoying OffKilter! Stay well and rest up for your next trip. And coming from a nurse, please use the wheelchair next time you go, you'll still enjoy yourself.:)

Hi. I always enjoy reading your trip reports. My family and I will be at WDW this Thanksgiving as well. Maybe we'll see you at Epcot enjoying OffKilter! Stay well and rest up for your next trip. And coming from a nurse, please use the wheelchair next time you go, you'll still enjoy yourself.:)

Well, we will be at the Off Kilter stage all Thanksgiving Day if they are performing. That will be the only day we'll get to see them.

Thanks for the suggestion of the wheelchair but after one more surgery, I am happy to say that the blood clot that had caused the problem to begin with is completely and totally 100% gone. I'm probably in better shape now than I was before the surgeries. I still have my attraction limitations due to another problem but anything from the surgeries is back to normal. Well as normal as I was before the surgeries.

Another great trip report, thanks! I'm so glad to hear the blood clot is a thing of the past and you're back in good health! Looking forward to reports of your Memorial and Labor Day trips (I hope they happened). And happy to hear you get to go back to the World this Thanksgiving, you can see the holiday Illuminations this year. It'll make it even more special since you missed it last year. I would just love to see WDW at holiday time ... hopefully someday.