pink_tink8i8
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jan 14, 2008
Welcome back!!! We've missed you!
Wendy & Chuck's PJ and TR Merged 2/4/08 Escape SBP/JIKO: Updated 9/19-Pleasure Island
- Thread starter MistressOfAllEvil
- Start date
Huzzah! You're back!!! WOOHOO
YOUR BACK!!! I CAN'T WAIT TO FINALLY SEE THE REST OF THE PICTS AND THE TR!! SO HOW HAVE THINGS BEEN??GOOD HERE, I JUST STARTED BACK TO COLLEGE IM ONLY 3 CLASSES FR MY DEGREE SO I'M DOING ALL ONLINE CLASSES!! GLAD TO SEE YOU BACK!!!
YOUR BACK!!! I CAN'T WAIT TO FINALLY SEE THE REST OF THE PICTS AND THE TR!! SO HOW HAVE THINGS BEEN??GOOD HERE, I JUST STARTED BACK TO COLLEGE IM ONLY 3 CLASSES FR MY DEGREE SO I'M DOING ALL ONLINE CLASSES!! GLAD TO SEE YOU BACK!!!
accountingbabe08
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jan 3, 2008
to the 
Wendy we miss you. Glad your on a break from classes. I'm enjoying my break also. I'm going to summer school so I can graduate in December.
Wendy we miss you. Glad your on a break from classes. I'm enjoying my break also. I'm going to summer school so I can graduate in December.
Mama of Indybride
Farmboy, fetch me that pitcher.....
- Joined
- Feb 24, 2008
Thank Goodness you are back!
Can't wait for the end of your TR!!!
I'll be watching!
Can't wait for the end of your TR!!!
I'll be watching!
jennifaerie
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Feb 9, 2008
Hey Wendy! I saw you first through Carrie, and I finally saw Randy's pictures, and WOW! Just fantastic (understatement of the year).
figmentfan814
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Mar 12, 2007
Glad to see that you're back
MistressOfAllEvil
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- May 10, 2007
Day 1, Part 2 - Friday, February 1, 2008
We arrive at MCO just before 2pm. Keep in mind we were supposed to be there before noon. I get off the plane and smell the Florida smell and feel my skin and hair plump! We were finally in FLORIDA! Despite that fact that I was tired and freaked out and stressed, we were there and it somehow made me feel better. Chuck had to calm me down a couple of times because I morph into a child complete with bouncing and squealing. After we disembark we head to luggage claim to get our bags. I ignored Chucks negativity about the bags being lost and didnt bother to gloat when all three of our checked luggage materialized on the belt.
While we were waiting for my luggage, my sister started blowing up my phone. She had landed right around the same time that we had and she was lost!?! I spent a significant portion of time explaining to her how to take the tram to get to baggage claim. After she got her bags, we met up near the car rental. However she was signed up with Magical Express. She left my niece and her bags with me while she went outside to have a cigarette. Katie dumping Amya became a theme for the weekend. More on that later. Meanwhile, Chuck was getting our car from National.
I had every intention of documenting this trip!
(Please ignore my red-eye! I still havent edited any pictures yet and probably wont until I go to print them out.)
While I was waiting, I received a call from Keith at Carolyn Allens. The last we had spoken, my plane was on-time and I would be in Orlando by noon. It was now after 2pm. However, he was very kind and reassuring and told me to just head over. So, I accepted my first mission.
After Chuck finished up at the national counter, we pointed Katie and Amya in the right direction for magical express and headed down our emerald row to pick out our car. We ended up with a Toyota 4Runner and I feel in love with the thing. Not only did it have tons of room and was very comfy inside, it drove like my car. I didnt feel like I was driving a big ol truck. I avoid driving Chucks Silverado at home for this reason.
Turns out that Chuck paid the extra $10/day for the GPS in the rental. Now, I was fairly confident that I could get around without it, but I tell you what, it sure did come in handy when my brain was on wedding overload and I couldnt focus long enough to remember back to my CP in 2006 to figure out how to get somewhere. We started off to Carolyn Allens using a hybrid of the directions I had printed out the night before and our handy-dandy GPS.
Christie had called a gazillion times while we were on the plane, so I decided to call her. The phone cut out while we were in the garage at the airport so I waited to call until we were on the road. I had explained to Christie more than once what our plans were but she was very persistent in know where we were going and what we were doing. She kept offering to help out if we needed her to do anything. I ran through it with her again. She cant try Chucks tux on for him. She cant retrieve my boxes from French Quarter for me as she is not me and her ID would not match my name or reservation (more to follow). She cant get the super secret attendant gifts that I had waited buy until I was in Florida. So really there was nothing she could do to help us out. We were busy and had things we needed. That didnt stop her from calling every so often wanting to know what we were doing and where we were. While this wasnt communicated to me, Im guessing that everyone (by everyone I means Chucks mother) was disappointed that we didnt land in Florida and then immediately go to Fort Wilderness to hang out. This was the women who kept asking if everything was done for the wedding and couldnt understand that everything for the wedding wouldnt be done until the wedding was done. So, Im sure Christie was feeling pressure from her mom which she then passed along to me through several phone calls. Anyhow, I got off the phone with Christie as Chuck and I were trying to find the bridal shop and I was supposed to be navigating.
When we arrive to where the GPS directed us, we almost couldnt find the shop. It was in a strip mall and kinda hidden. I was expecting something a bit more.
I dont think that the location or store front in anyway took away from the service or experience. I was just caught off guard. I took a couple of pictures to document and thought to myself that future brides might want to know what the place looks like.
We go inside and both Sue and Keith are there. They are both very friendly and kind and Keith immediately is pulling out Chucks tux and putting it in the dressing room. Let me back track and say why we ended up just going to the store for the fitting. After I found out that we were going to have a rental car, it just seemed easier. I had already finagled the appointment a couple different times because of Anthonys every changing involvement in the wedding. I thought it would be a lot more difficult to be at the resort for the appointment than it would be to just drop in. That and I had hoped that if there were and severe issues with Chucks tux, they would be better able to resolve them by going in on Friday rather than waiting until Sunday.
Chuck tried on his tux and lo and behold, his pants are way too big in the waist. This however is NOT Carolyn Allens fault. Its Chuck; he went and lost around 20 lbs between when we submitted his measurements and right before the wedding. The waist band was adjustable and the coat was so long, you really couldnt tell. Keith pinned the hems of the pants because they were a bit long and then Chuck changed back into his own clothes. Keith promised to take care of the alterations for Chucks tux and then drop both Chuck and Anthonys tuxes off at the resort. We took the hats with us because everyone was worried about them being crushed at bell services. While we were there I also paid for my dress steaming that way I wouldnt have to worry about it the day of. And it turns out that Sue would be the one coming out for the steaming. It was at this time that they made the very kind gesture of Sue offering to go to the guys room the day of the wedding after she steamed my dress to do any minor alterations that Anthonys tux may need. I thought that was really kind of them. We finished up there and headed back out in to the balmy weather.
It was now just after 3pm and I was starting to panic a little. I had shipped ahead all of our mickey ear ornament favors as well as our gifts for our parents and my niece. Well, my planner had let me know that I needed to get the favors over to Francs by 5pm on Friday. Otherwise I had two one-hour windows on Saturday when someone was going to be there. I wanted to just get it done on Friday so that I didnt have to worry about the timing on Saturday. So as we left Carolyn Allens I figured we could run to French Quarter, I could get my packages and then run them over to Francs. Easy peasy. Not so much.
Chuck starts complaining that hes hungry. I can blame him. We had breakfast way back at 5am and then we split a snack box on the plane. Im hypoglycemic and hes diabetic. So were pretty tuned in to keeping our blood sugar on track. Despite the time running out, I agreed to eat at this independent sub shop in the same strip mall as Carolyn Allens. I ordered a veggie sub that left me full, if not satisfied. Once I rushed us through there (hello indigestion) we started to make our way to French Quarter. We were only 20 minutes away, but afternoon traffic was starting to pick up. We finally make it to FQ at five past 4pm. Francs closes at 5pm.
Chuck stays up in the loading area with the car while I run in. There are about a gazillion people in line in front of me to check in. Okay, maybe only 4. Finally I get to the window and this is where the stress becomes amplified. I explain that I have a reservation, but do not want to check in. Im getting married on Monday and I have shipped ahead some things that I would like to retrieve to take to Francs by 5pm. Things I learned (or already knew and re-learned): The left hand does not know what the right hand is doing at Disney. The resort registration cast members want to check you in. Its what they do. It may be all they do. They also hear wedding and give you just married pins. This is where I receive our first set.
First the cast member asked if I would like to check in. I had already told her that I didnt, I just wanted to retrieve my packages to make it to Francs by 5pm. I assured her I would check in later in the evening. She then explains to me that all packages shipped to FQ actually go to Riverside (I guess despite being sister resorts, Riverside is the bigger, bossier, package hording sister.) She then asks me yet again if I want to check-in. I think maybe she thought that the packages could be delivered to my room?!? NOOOOOOO. I do not want to check in. I want to retrieve my packages to drop them at Francs before 5pm! So then she picks up the phone and calls over to Riverside. And shes on hold. Im not sure what shes doing. I dont know if shes confirming that theyre there or what. While shes on hold, she recommends to me to just go over to Riverside as that will be faster than waiting for them to bring the packages over to FQ. Well, duh. I wouldnt expect to wait for them to bring them over.
After that fiasco I trot (somewhere between a fast walk and balls-out run) back to the car and direct Chuck to Riverside. He again waits in the drop-off area while I run in...Behind the horde of people that had just been dropped off by that magical express bus! Im seriously number 8, 576,201 in line. Im waiting and freaking out and Chucks calling to see where Im at and Im telling him to cue up the Grand Floridian on the GPS. Finally I get to a window. I launch into my story and beg for my boxes. The cast member goes back and returns with only two of my three packages. He then informs me that I wont be able to carry all three at once. I say that I dont care. Just give them to me. He offers to hold on to one of the packages that I dont need right away and I can come back for it later. I dont want to come back later. Please just give it to me now. He retrieves the third package and I make one attempt to carry all three. It didnt work. I couldnt. He then offers to call a bell hop to help me carry them out. Seriously, in the time I waited for bell services, I couldnt have made three round trips to the car with the packages. Instead I wait. And start to twitch. I ask the cast member to please call Francs and let them know that Im a bride and Im on my way to drop something off and worse comes to worse I may be there 5 minutes late. Again, no idea what Francs is. Keeps calling it Franks. I recommend he call the Disney operator. I must have explained four times that it was the bridal boutique by the wedding pavilion. He kept calling it a store and/or restaurant. Whatever. Finally the bellhop arrives with a luggage cart. I dont need a luggage cart. I need an extra set of hand to carry one box! So fine, I put my three boxes on his luggage cart and they look so small and lame on his luggage cart. I feel lame. But that doesnt stop me from taking off. Im maneuvering and weaving and trying to get back to the car with the packages. The kid is just moseying along. I notice that theres a college listed on his name tag along with the earning my ears ribbon so I ask him if hes CP and he says that its his first week. I tell him to hang in there. Not every guest is a crazy bride like me. He laughs nervously and I get this vibe that he should have been cast as a dishwasher vs. a bell hop. This is just too much guest interaction for this kid!
It is now ten to 5pm and Im instructing Chuck to put the petal to the metal. Lets go man!! We roll up with a couple of minutes to spare and park right in the circle drive. We carry the boxes into Francs and someone materializes. I explain my situation and she leads me to what certainly must be a backstage area. Its an office/storage room. I give her the two boxes with the ornaments (keep the one with the frames for our parents for the welcome dinner) and nervously watch them find there home on the floor with a handwritten not scrawled on them. I would also like to note that the DFTW cast member that helped us wasnt very outgoing or friendly. I dont know why I expected something more but she just seemed apathetic.
Perhaps my dissatisfaction with every cast member we encountered has something to do with the bridal haze I was operating in.
With that done, I felt a lesser time pressure. However there was still more to do. We needed to go to DTD to get the Cirque tickets I was getting Christie and to Coronado Springs to get a gift certificate for Jenna for a massage. My parents had also mentioned having dinner. Yet I didnt have concrete details on when their flight got in or anything. As we headed to DTD-West Side to go to Cirque I gave my mom a call and got her voice mail. I bought the tickets for Cirque and then headed into the gift store to purchase a card to put them in. But there were no cards. No individual cards. There were only box sets of cards! I was so distraught. I approached a cast member to see if they carried individual cards and she confirmed that they did not, but then she went backstage to see if they had any floating around. We waited a loooong time. But when she reappeared she had the perfect card in her hand! I was so happy and grateful. From there I told Chuck we could either head to Guest Services at Market Place to exchange our vouchers or to Coronado Springs to get Jennas gift. He opted for Marketplace.
We drive over (I was just too tired to walk it) and go to guest services. We trade in our vouchers no problem. We then get another set of just married pins. And then I ask my burning question: Can you confirm a dining reservation for me that I made quite awhile ago? See, what happen was, I made the reservation at Ohanas for our welcome dinner pretty much at 6 months out. Right before we left MI I searched frantically for the reservation number. I was silently panicking and hadnt shared with anyone that I couldnt fine it anywhere. What if the reservation had disappeared? What was I going to do with 15 people who were expecting all-you-care-to-eat meat on a skewer in a Polynesian setting? I wait with baited breath while she punches the keys and studies her monitor. What feels like forever (but was only a few oxygen deprived seconds) she writes down our reservation on a handy dandy Disney issued form. It has my name, the reservation number and the number of the party. My reservation has been confirmed! I was so ecstatic. Only now that Ive avoided disaster do I clue Chuck in on my shortcoming!
We walk out and my Mom calls letting me know that theyre on Magical Express. I ask her what the plan is, if they still want to get together for dinner. She asks to call me back after they get checked in. Fine. Chuck and I take a much need break from the action by resting on a bench outside of World of Disney. While sitting, we brainstorm ideas for dinner and I pick House of Blues. I like HOB. They used to have an ahi tuna salad that I loved. Then Chuck and I decided we should call and see if Chucks family wants to join us since we know theyre itching to see us. (I had fielded several more calls from Christie before this point.) I call Christie up and let her know whats going on where she politely declines saying that they are getting ready to eat and Mom and Dad dont like HOB anyway, its too loud in there. Okie dokie. At least I offered. My mom hadnt called back yet so I try to call her. No answer. So then I called my sister who answered and had to track down my Mom. She finally gets on the phone and makes an argument for a restaurant in Celebration that I promptly shoot down. Times a ticking and we have to pick up Beth and Jenna at the Airport around 8:40pm. I encourage her to come to DTD and meet us at HOB. She agrees and tells me that my sister is sick and wont be coming. (My sister is always sick, its a theme.) No problem. I leave Chuck on the bench and head back into Guest Services to see if we can make an ADR for HOB. No such luck. The official word (given to me by the cm): they dont make same day ressies for dtd restaurants. No worries, Chuck and I get back in the car and drive back to the West Side. He lets me out to put our name on the list and he goes to park the car.
I walk up to see if theres a wait and theres not. But were not ready to be sat, were still waiting on my parents and niece. So I wait in the outside bar area for Chuck and then we wait together. After some time, I call my mom again and she tells me that theyre still waiting for a bus. Apparently they had just missed the previous one. I notice that the restaurant is starting to get busy so I head back up. Theres now a wait, so I put my name down for five. I call my mom again and theyre on the bus. Chuck and I wait some more
waiting
waiting
still waiting
After a few pictures Chuck and I decide to move closer to the restaurant to ensure that we hear our name when its called and to keep a better look out for my parents. Just as we get called, my parents and niece arrive WITH MY SISTER. I inform the hostess that were now a party of six instead of five and she doesnt even flinch! We are sat and I start to freak out as it is quarter past 7pm and weve still gotta make it back out to the airport. Theres nothing remarkable about our meal. I dont even remember what I ordered other than it wasnt good. We did take a picture:
My step-father is taking the pic and that's my Mom on the right. My sister isn't visible except for her arm and hand.
My sister sat like a bump on a log sniffling and coughing. This is irritating to me. Especially since she was sick at my shower too and actually left to sleep in the car right after the food was served. I asked her why she came if she felt so bad. I told her she needed to rest and not be sick for the wedding. She claimed that she didnt want to miss out on the festivities. Im thinking she didnt want to miss out on the food. After we finished up dinner and it became apparent that Amya was getting antsy, we decided to leave. Besides Chuck and I had to head to the airport to pick up Beth and Jenna.
So, from Westside we head back to the airport. Theres a myriad of reasons why we were picking them up and they all had to do with me not wanting to call Disney the 187, 516th time before the wedding to set up Magical Express for them. I really did do a lot more that I think anyone should to help people make arrangements. But, I felt responsible. So this is how we ended up back at MCO at 9:30pm. Yes, we were late picking them up. Then we made the trek back to the furthest reaches of property, also known as Pop Century. This is where all the stress and anxiety and sleep deprivation start to cause tension between Chuck and me
We arrive at MCO just before 2pm. Keep in mind we were supposed to be there before noon. I get off the plane and smell the Florida smell and feel my skin and hair plump! We were finally in FLORIDA! Despite that fact that I was tired and freaked out and stressed, we were there and it somehow made me feel better. Chuck had to calm me down a couple of times because I morph into a child complete with bouncing and squealing. After we disembark we head to luggage claim to get our bags. I ignored Chucks negativity about the bags being lost and didnt bother to gloat when all three of our checked luggage materialized on the belt.
While we were waiting for my luggage, my sister started blowing up my phone. She had landed right around the same time that we had and she was lost!?! I spent a significant portion of time explaining to her how to take the tram to get to baggage claim. After she got her bags, we met up near the car rental. However she was signed up with Magical Express. She left my niece and her bags with me while she went outside to have a cigarette. Katie dumping Amya became a theme for the weekend. More on that later. Meanwhile, Chuck was getting our car from National.
I had every intention of documenting this trip!
(Please ignore my red-eye! I still havent edited any pictures yet and probably wont until I go to print them out.)
While I was waiting, I received a call from Keith at Carolyn Allens. The last we had spoken, my plane was on-time and I would be in Orlando by noon. It was now after 2pm. However, he was very kind and reassuring and told me to just head over. So, I accepted my first mission.
After Chuck finished up at the national counter, we pointed Katie and Amya in the right direction for magical express and headed down our emerald row to pick out our car. We ended up with a Toyota 4Runner and I feel in love with the thing. Not only did it have tons of room and was very comfy inside, it drove like my car. I didnt feel like I was driving a big ol truck. I avoid driving Chucks Silverado at home for this reason.
Turns out that Chuck paid the extra $10/day for the GPS in the rental. Now, I was fairly confident that I could get around without it, but I tell you what, it sure did come in handy when my brain was on wedding overload and I couldnt focus long enough to remember back to my CP in 2006 to figure out how to get somewhere. We started off to Carolyn Allens using a hybrid of the directions I had printed out the night before and our handy-dandy GPS.
Christie had called a gazillion times while we were on the plane, so I decided to call her. The phone cut out while we were in the garage at the airport so I waited to call until we were on the road. I had explained to Christie more than once what our plans were but she was very persistent in know where we were going and what we were doing. She kept offering to help out if we needed her to do anything. I ran through it with her again. She cant try Chucks tux on for him. She cant retrieve my boxes from French Quarter for me as she is not me and her ID would not match my name or reservation (more to follow). She cant get the super secret attendant gifts that I had waited buy until I was in Florida. So really there was nothing she could do to help us out. We were busy and had things we needed. That didnt stop her from calling every so often wanting to know what we were doing and where we were. While this wasnt communicated to me, Im guessing that everyone (by everyone I means Chucks mother) was disappointed that we didnt land in Florida and then immediately go to Fort Wilderness to hang out. This was the women who kept asking if everything was done for the wedding and couldnt understand that everything for the wedding wouldnt be done until the wedding was done. So, Im sure Christie was feeling pressure from her mom which she then passed along to me through several phone calls. Anyhow, I got off the phone with Christie as Chuck and I were trying to find the bridal shop and I was supposed to be navigating.
When we arrive to where the GPS directed us, we almost couldnt find the shop. It was in a strip mall and kinda hidden. I was expecting something a bit more.
I dont think that the location or store front in anyway took away from the service or experience. I was just caught off guard. I took a couple of pictures to document and thought to myself that future brides might want to know what the place looks like.
We go inside and both Sue and Keith are there. They are both very friendly and kind and Keith immediately is pulling out Chucks tux and putting it in the dressing room. Let me back track and say why we ended up just going to the store for the fitting. After I found out that we were going to have a rental car, it just seemed easier. I had already finagled the appointment a couple different times because of Anthonys every changing involvement in the wedding. I thought it would be a lot more difficult to be at the resort for the appointment than it would be to just drop in. That and I had hoped that if there were and severe issues with Chucks tux, they would be better able to resolve them by going in on Friday rather than waiting until Sunday.
Chuck tried on his tux and lo and behold, his pants are way too big in the waist. This however is NOT Carolyn Allens fault. Its Chuck; he went and lost around 20 lbs between when we submitted his measurements and right before the wedding. The waist band was adjustable and the coat was so long, you really couldnt tell. Keith pinned the hems of the pants because they were a bit long and then Chuck changed back into his own clothes. Keith promised to take care of the alterations for Chucks tux and then drop both Chuck and Anthonys tuxes off at the resort. We took the hats with us because everyone was worried about them being crushed at bell services. While we were there I also paid for my dress steaming that way I wouldnt have to worry about it the day of. And it turns out that Sue would be the one coming out for the steaming. It was at this time that they made the very kind gesture of Sue offering to go to the guys room the day of the wedding after she steamed my dress to do any minor alterations that Anthonys tux may need. I thought that was really kind of them. We finished up there and headed back out in to the balmy weather.
It was now just after 3pm and I was starting to panic a little. I had shipped ahead all of our mickey ear ornament favors as well as our gifts for our parents and my niece. Well, my planner had let me know that I needed to get the favors over to Francs by 5pm on Friday. Otherwise I had two one-hour windows on Saturday when someone was going to be there. I wanted to just get it done on Friday so that I didnt have to worry about the timing on Saturday. So as we left Carolyn Allens I figured we could run to French Quarter, I could get my packages and then run them over to Francs. Easy peasy. Not so much.
Chuck starts complaining that hes hungry. I can blame him. We had breakfast way back at 5am and then we split a snack box on the plane. Im hypoglycemic and hes diabetic. So were pretty tuned in to keeping our blood sugar on track. Despite the time running out, I agreed to eat at this independent sub shop in the same strip mall as Carolyn Allens. I ordered a veggie sub that left me full, if not satisfied. Once I rushed us through there (hello indigestion) we started to make our way to French Quarter. We were only 20 minutes away, but afternoon traffic was starting to pick up. We finally make it to FQ at five past 4pm. Francs closes at 5pm.
Chuck stays up in the loading area with the car while I run in. There are about a gazillion people in line in front of me to check in. Okay, maybe only 4. Finally I get to the window and this is where the stress becomes amplified. I explain that I have a reservation, but do not want to check in. Im getting married on Monday and I have shipped ahead some things that I would like to retrieve to take to Francs by 5pm. Things I learned (or already knew and re-learned): The left hand does not know what the right hand is doing at Disney. The resort registration cast members want to check you in. Its what they do. It may be all they do. They also hear wedding and give you just married pins. This is where I receive our first set.
First the cast member asked if I would like to check in. I had already told her that I didnt, I just wanted to retrieve my packages to make it to Francs by 5pm. I assured her I would check in later in the evening. She then explains to me that all packages shipped to FQ actually go to Riverside (I guess despite being sister resorts, Riverside is the bigger, bossier, package hording sister.) She then asks me yet again if I want to check-in. I think maybe she thought that the packages could be delivered to my room?!? NOOOOOOO. I do not want to check in. I want to retrieve my packages to drop them at Francs before 5pm! So then she picks up the phone and calls over to Riverside. And shes on hold. Im not sure what shes doing. I dont know if shes confirming that theyre there or what. While shes on hold, she recommends to me to just go over to Riverside as that will be faster than waiting for them to bring the packages over to FQ. Well, duh. I wouldnt expect to wait for them to bring them over.
After that fiasco I trot (somewhere between a fast walk and balls-out run) back to the car and direct Chuck to Riverside. He again waits in the drop-off area while I run in...Behind the horde of people that had just been dropped off by that magical express bus! Im seriously number 8, 576,201 in line. Im waiting and freaking out and Chucks calling to see where Im at and Im telling him to cue up the Grand Floridian on the GPS. Finally I get to a window. I launch into my story and beg for my boxes. The cast member goes back and returns with only two of my three packages. He then informs me that I wont be able to carry all three at once. I say that I dont care. Just give them to me. He offers to hold on to one of the packages that I dont need right away and I can come back for it later. I dont want to come back later. Please just give it to me now. He retrieves the third package and I make one attempt to carry all three. It didnt work. I couldnt. He then offers to call a bell hop to help me carry them out. Seriously, in the time I waited for bell services, I couldnt have made three round trips to the car with the packages. Instead I wait. And start to twitch. I ask the cast member to please call Francs and let them know that Im a bride and Im on my way to drop something off and worse comes to worse I may be there 5 minutes late. Again, no idea what Francs is. Keeps calling it Franks. I recommend he call the Disney operator. I must have explained four times that it was the bridal boutique by the wedding pavilion. He kept calling it a store and/or restaurant. Whatever. Finally the bellhop arrives with a luggage cart. I dont need a luggage cart. I need an extra set of hand to carry one box! So fine, I put my three boxes on his luggage cart and they look so small and lame on his luggage cart. I feel lame. But that doesnt stop me from taking off. Im maneuvering and weaving and trying to get back to the car with the packages. The kid is just moseying along. I notice that theres a college listed on his name tag along with the earning my ears ribbon so I ask him if hes CP and he says that its his first week. I tell him to hang in there. Not every guest is a crazy bride like me. He laughs nervously and I get this vibe that he should have been cast as a dishwasher vs. a bell hop. This is just too much guest interaction for this kid!
It is now ten to 5pm and Im instructing Chuck to put the petal to the metal. Lets go man!! We roll up with a couple of minutes to spare and park right in the circle drive. We carry the boxes into Francs and someone materializes. I explain my situation and she leads me to what certainly must be a backstage area. Its an office/storage room. I give her the two boxes with the ornaments (keep the one with the frames for our parents for the welcome dinner) and nervously watch them find there home on the floor with a handwritten not scrawled on them. I would also like to note that the DFTW cast member that helped us wasnt very outgoing or friendly. I dont know why I expected something more but she just seemed apathetic.
Perhaps my dissatisfaction with every cast member we encountered has something to do with the bridal haze I was operating in.
With that done, I felt a lesser time pressure. However there was still more to do. We needed to go to DTD to get the Cirque tickets I was getting Christie and to Coronado Springs to get a gift certificate for Jenna for a massage. My parents had also mentioned having dinner. Yet I didnt have concrete details on when their flight got in or anything. As we headed to DTD-West Side to go to Cirque I gave my mom a call and got her voice mail. I bought the tickets for Cirque and then headed into the gift store to purchase a card to put them in. But there were no cards. No individual cards. There were only box sets of cards! I was so distraught. I approached a cast member to see if they carried individual cards and she confirmed that they did not, but then she went backstage to see if they had any floating around. We waited a loooong time. But when she reappeared she had the perfect card in her hand! I was so happy and grateful. From there I told Chuck we could either head to Guest Services at Market Place to exchange our vouchers or to Coronado Springs to get Jennas gift. He opted for Marketplace.
We drive over (I was just too tired to walk it) and go to guest services. We trade in our vouchers no problem. We then get another set of just married pins. And then I ask my burning question: Can you confirm a dining reservation for me that I made quite awhile ago? See, what happen was, I made the reservation at Ohanas for our welcome dinner pretty much at 6 months out. Right before we left MI I searched frantically for the reservation number. I was silently panicking and hadnt shared with anyone that I couldnt fine it anywhere. What if the reservation had disappeared? What was I going to do with 15 people who were expecting all-you-care-to-eat meat on a skewer in a Polynesian setting? I wait with baited breath while she punches the keys and studies her monitor. What feels like forever (but was only a few oxygen deprived seconds) she writes down our reservation on a handy dandy Disney issued form. It has my name, the reservation number and the number of the party. My reservation has been confirmed! I was so ecstatic. Only now that Ive avoided disaster do I clue Chuck in on my shortcoming!
We walk out and my Mom calls letting me know that theyre on Magical Express. I ask her what the plan is, if they still want to get together for dinner. She asks to call me back after they get checked in. Fine. Chuck and I take a much need break from the action by resting on a bench outside of World of Disney. While sitting, we brainstorm ideas for dinner and I pick House of Blues. I like HOB. They used to have an ahi tuna salad that I loved. Then Chuck and I decided we should call and see if Chucks family wants to join us since we know theyre itching to see us. (I had fielded several more calls from Christie before this point.) I call Christie up and let her know whats going on where she politely declines saying that they are getting ready to eat and Mom and Dad dont like HOB anyway, its too loud in there. Okie dokie. At least I offered. My mom hadnt called back yet so I try to call her. No answer. So then I called my sister who answered and had to track down my Mom. She finally gets on the phone and makes an argument for a restaurant in Celebration that I promptly shoot down. Times a ticking and we have to pick up Beth and Jenna at the Airport around 8:40pm. I encourage her to come to DTD and meet us at HOB. She agrees and tells me that my sister is sick and wont be coming. (My sister is always sick, its a theme.) No problem. I leave Chuck on the bench and head back into Guest Services to see if we can make an ADR for HOB. No such luck. The official word (given to me by the cm): they dont make same day ressies for dtd restaurants. No worries, Chuck and I get back in the car and drive back to the West Side. He lets me out to put our name on the list and he goes to park the car.
I walk up to see if theres a wait and theres not. But were not ready to be sat, were still waiting on my parents and niece. So I wait in the outside bar area for Chuck and then we wait together. After some time, I call my mom again and she tells me that theyre still waiting for a bus. Apparently they had just missed the previous one. I notice that the restaurant is starting to get busy so I head back up. Theres now a wait, so I put my name down for five. I call my mom again and theyre on the bus. Chuck and I wait some more
waiting
waiting
still waiting
After a few pictures Chuck and I decide to move closer to the restaurant to ensure that we hear our name when its called and to keep a better look out for my parents. Just as we get called, my parents and niece arrive WITH MY SISTER. I inform the hostess that were now a party of six instead of five and she doesnt even flinch! We are sat and I start to freak out as it is quarter past 7pm and weve still gotta make it back out to the airport. Theres nothing remarkable about our meal. I dont even remember what I ordered other than it wasnt good. We did take a picture:
My step-father is taking the pic and that's my Mom on the right. My sister isn't visible except for her arm and hand.
My sister sat like a bump on a log sniffling and coughing. This is irritating to me. Especially since she was sick at my shower too and actually left to sleep in the car right after the food was served. I asked her why she came if she felt so bad. I told her she needed to rest and not be sick for the wedding. She claimed that she didnt want to miss out on the festivities. Im thinking she didnt want to miss out on the food. After we finished up dinner and it became apparent that Amya was getting antsy, we decided to leave. Besides Chuck and I had to head to the airport to pick up Beth and Jenna.
So, from Westside we head back to the airport. Theres a myriad of reasons why we were picking them up and they all had to do with me not wanting to call Disney the 187, 516th time before the wedding to set up Magical Express for them. I really did do a lot more that I think anyone should to help people make arrangements. But, I felt responsible. So this is how we ended up back at MCO at 9:30pm. Yes, we were late picking them up. Then we made the trek back to the furthest reaches of property, also known as Pop Century. This is where all the stress and anxiety and sleep deprivation start to cause tension between Chuck and me
figmentfan814
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Mar 12, 2007
So glad to see the update and to see that you're going to continue your report. It sounds like you had a crazy first day too. We had so many errands too, but thankfully most of our guests didn't arrive until the next day, so we didn't have to worry about fielding their calls or meeting up. We ended up having to pick up someone at the airport too, it amazed me how people didn't have some of these things arranged in advance. Looking forward to seeing more soon!
lpizzuro123
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Mar 30, 2005
Good to see you back on the boards and love the pictures. Looking forward to more.
Linda
Linda
Glad your back! Can't wait to read and see more..
Looking forward to reading more.
accountingbabe08
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jan 3, 2008
Day 1 part two sound a little nuts. BTW I'm glad to see your back.
mcarthur205
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Nov 3, 2005
Wow, what a busy first day! I'm exhausted just reading about it LOL! Can't wait to read more.....
WENDY!!!!!
Glad to see your back and continuing your TR!!!
Wow that sounds like a busy day. Thanks for posting pics of Carolyn Allens. You're right, they are very handy to have!
I like that in your stressed out, bridal haze you remembered all of your fellow brides who might need your pics later!
Glad to see your back and continuing your TR!!!
Wow that sounds like a busy day. Thanks for posting pics of Carolyn Allens. You're right, they are very handy to have!
I like that in your stressed out, bridal haze you remembered all of your fellow brides who might need your pics later!
meryll83
All it takes is faith and trust...
- Joined
- Nov 23, 2006
Good to see you back, don't keep us in suspense as long this time before your next installment! 
I like that dress in CA's window, if I didn't have mine sorted already I'd be on a right mission now trying to find out what dress that is!!
I like that dress in CA's window, if I didn't have mine sorted already I'd be on a right mission now trying to find out what dress that is!!
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