~ Rachel Made it to DISNEY! Christmas at AKL ~ Oh. My. Gosh! ~ 1/22

[maroo]

I'm glad the iphones kept you distracted from being sick. I've never been one to get carsick, so I have trouble predicting what will do it for Tessa. She gets sick very easily, on short drives, long ones, straight roads, curvy ones, while watching dvds or just chilling. I don't get it. I don't know where Lake City is so I'm in suspense to see how far you have to go on day 2.

I was glad for the iPhone, too! Several times on this trip! Very useful little tool.

Lake City is about 8 hours from Jackson. Orlando is about 2.5 (maybe less) from Lake City - but I can usually make it in two.

I'm here and I'm looking forward to reading all about this trip!

Yea! Thanks for posting!

 

[jenb1023]

Woo-hoo an update! I love my iPhone too but I don't know enough about it and what it can do. Maybe you should teach a class! Since it is just the two of them I can see how they would have a system worked out - what a nice friend you are to observe and respect that. Sounds like a good start to the trip so far - I can't wait to read more!

 

[pipersmom]

Hooray for making good time! I do not have an i-phone, but last time she was at club med one of the RTs had one, and Piper loooved it. They played scrabble and all kinds of stuff! I think it's prob a good thing I don't have one..I'd be addicted!! Never had to deal with the carsick thing here, thank goodness..those drives to WVa would kill us otherwise! Can't wait to see how everything plays out!

 

[shannn]

I saw your post on Leisa's report and ran right over.

Unless it's my husband, I don't like anyone but me driving. You did good giving up control! Thank goodness for that iphone. I couldn't live without mine!!

 

[maroo]

I just saw on Liesa's PTR that you started this! Then I get here and you started your TR over 2 weeks ago!

WHEW! Now that I got that off my chest... I can't wait to hear all about it!

I missed your post earlier!

You have not missed anything...just a little introduction...we have not even gotten there yet!

Woo-hoo an update! I love my iPhone too but I don't know enough about it and what it can do. Maybe you should teach a class! Since it is just the two of them I can see how they would have a system worked out - what a nice friend you are to observe and respect that. Sounds like a good start to the trip so far - I can't wait to read more!

I would love to teach a class!

Let's see........ Now where in the world would I start?!? Do you use the "Maps" function? That has saved me a number of times from getting lost!

Do you have the game "Line Up"...totally addicting!

Hooray for making good time! I do not have an i-phone, but last time she was at club med one of the RTs had one, and Piper loooved it. They played scrabble and all kinds of stuff! I think it's prob a good thing I don't have one..I'd be addicted!! Never had to deal with the carsick thing here, thank goodness..those drives to WVa would kill us otherwise! Can't wait to see how everything plays out!

Yeah...I am a total iPhone addict. I have no idea what I did with my time before I had an iPhone and the DIS.

I saw your post on Leisa's report and ran right over.

Unless it's my husband, I don't like anyone but me driving. You did good giving up control! Thank goodness for that iphone. I couldn't live without mine!!

Well...... I didn't always give up control. More on that in the next update.

Thanks for joining in and for posting!

 

[KathyRN137]

Hi Maroo!

Darn it all, I can't read this now b/c I've got to get back to work, but I wanted to pop in and say hello. I'll be back later for sure!


Kathy

 

[maroo]

Hi Maroo!

Darn it all, I can't read this now b/c I've got to get back to work, but I wanted to pop in and say hello. I'll be back later for sure!


Kathy

Hello, Kathy!

Welcome back! I have missed ya!

 

[jenb1023]

I would love to teach a class!

Let's see........ Now where in the world would I start?!? Do you use the "Maps" function? That has saved me a number of times from getting lost!

Do you have the game "Line Up"...totally addicting!

Nope - no maps or Line Up! I can call, text, get my e-mail and use the facebook app. I need help - LOL!

 

[maroo]

Nope - no maps or Line Up! I can call, text, get my e-mail and use the facebook app. I need help - LOL!

lol

Call me! But I guess you should call me on another phone...?

I am staying with Lauren for a little while until we get water turned back on. So call me and I can give you their number and I can help you with the phone.

I *should* be able to update this later today. I am only working half a day since we have no water at work.

 

[KathyRN137]

I *should* be able to update this later today. I am only working half a day since we have no water at work.

Yikes! That'll put a wrench in the works...

Glad the next update is forthcoming, though.


Kathy

 

[jenb1023]

lol

Call me! But I guess you should call me on another phone...?

I am staying with Lauren for a little while until we get water turned back on. So call me and I can give you their number and I can help you with the phone.

I *should* be able to update this later today. I am only working half a day since we have no water at work.

You are so sweet! I will give you a call when I am at home and can call from a landline and look at my iPhone. So sorry you guys are still without water! Woo-hoo for an update!

 

[maroo]

We arrived in Lake City. I had our reservation confirmation number stored in my iPhone. I was really trying to anticipate everything we would need. I had addresses, phone numbers, confirmation numbers…everything…at the ready.

I was stressed. Can you tell?

I had planned MONTHS for this trip. I have tried to think through every detail. We had no less than four “Disney” meetings where we discussed each part of the trip. I ran everything by them, especially the “big” stuff. They received multiple copies of my excel sheet “planner."

But Joyce was making me a little nervous. She was pretty stressed when we checked in the hotel...wondering if I had "even bothered to write down the confirmation numbers."

We did not have any problem when we checked in. They were expecting us and had our keys all ready. In minutes we were unloaded and in our room, which was kindly located on the first floor just a short walk from the front door. Score!

The room was AWESOME! For only $90 (plus tax) we had a room that could sleep “six” and free breakfast. Two Queen beds and a pull out sofa. But when Joyce saw the room, she announced that she could not sleep with Rachel on that “small” bed.

Uh…that is a queen bed. And she will be sleeping with Rachel on a queen bed this whole trip. We have certainly discussed this. We even talked about getting two rooms so that we would have plenty of space and each get our own bed. In fact, the whole point in asking for a bunk bed room at the AKL was so that Rosemary and I would not have to share a bed (we would be on the little bunk beds) and Joyce and Rachel would share the queen. So, this announcement had me freaked!

Joyce decided she would sleep on the floor. Uh, ok. At this point, I made a conscious decision to not worry about this.

I mapped out our plan for the morning and tried to figure out when we needed to be on the road. Ideally, we needed to check in the AKL around noon so that we could load our stuff in the room, take a quick restroom break and hopefully be on the bus going to Epcot by 1:00 so that we could get our tickets, GAC card and get to Le Cellier by 2:00. This was the tightest schedule I had for the whole trip. We really needed to be on the road by 9:00 to give us a cushion to make it.

But, they wanted to sleep in a while. Rachel really needs her sleep in order to stay healthy for this trip and they normally go to sleep around midnight each night and she sleeps about nine hours. So she normally sleeps until 9:00 AM CST - which is 10 AM WDW time.

They wanted to get McDonald’s in the morning, we needed to go to the store and needed to get a full tank of gas. I figured that would take about an hour. Which means we needed to be heading out of the hotel around 8:00 am (7:00 CST – ouch!)

That was NOT going to happen. They wanted to sleep until 9:00 EST and Joyce was surprised to find out that our reservation was so early in the afternoon.

But, I remained calm. It was only 160+ miles to the AKL from where we were. Going 80 – we could make it in two hours. …so maybe if we get on the road between 9:30 and 10:00?

It took about an hour or so to get all of the medical stuff done for Rachel. This includes a breathing treatment, taking all of her medicines, some physical therapy stuff, bathroom stuff, getting dressed, etc. So we were in bed (or on the floor ) between 11:30 and midnight EST.

My mind was going over all of our plans. Have I forgotten anything? Are we going to make it? What am I going to do about our sleeping arrangements? Eeek…I am stressed!


It's a FIGHT!

 

[maroo]

Yikes! That'll put a wrench in the works...

Glad the next update is forthcoming, though.


Kathy

The update is here!! More tomorrow, too. I hate the beginning of this trip...so I want to sail right by it and get to the GOOD stuff!

Not having water....is such a pain!

I don't have it at home either...so I am at Lauren's house. Schools, clinics, restaurants, offices...closed all over the city.

You are so sweet! I will give you a call when I am at home and can call from a landline and look at my iPhone. So sorry you guys are still without water! Woo-hoo for an update!

We are hoping for water tomorrow! You would think I live in blank-a-stan!

 

[TarzansKat]

I think sometimes we just have to take it all in stride. Seems like so far you were doing a stand up job of it, hon.

 

[praisehisname]

So glad you made it to your hotel safely! Can't wait to hear what time you get on the road!

 

[maroo]

I think sometimes we just have to take it all in stride. Seems like so far you were doing a stand up job of it, hon.

yeah...key words....

so far....

Do you feel the tension?

So glad you made it to your hotel safely! Can't wait to hear what time you get on the road!

I am too!! We were very blessed to not get in that awful weather above us! This trip has TONS of blessing moments!

 

[yinyanggirls]

Oh boy. You're making me nervous!

 

[maroo]

Oh boy. You're making me nervous!

he he!

I promise I will update this sometime before midnight and fill you in!

 

[kdzbear]

I have finally made it over to this new trip report and I am caught up. It sounds as if you made good time driving. I am sorry to hear about all of the stress with the hotel. I had that once when traveling with my family, my sister and a family friend. I can't wait to hear how it all turns out. I hope you get your water back on soon!

 

[KathyRN137]

At this point, I made a conscious decision to not worry about this. It was Joyce’s choice where she slept. If she didn’t want to share the bed with Rachel and wanted to sleep on the floor…well. Ok.

Absolutely right... each member of the travel party is responsible for how they respond to each situation... no one can control that!


Kathy