Friday, July 28, 2006 MGM
It was here.
Our last day.
We decided to go back to MGM. We had to be home no later than 6:00 so Randy’s could pick up the
scooter.
We slept later than planned-I didn’t do my back up alarm right away. I knew everyone was really tired.
Eventually we loaded up in the RV, anxious to be on our way. As Dad is closing the gate/lift there is a disconcerting crunching sound.
Mom: "What was that?"
Dad: "The lift I think." He then tries to unfold the gate/lift.
Nothing.
Just a futile grinding sound.
Oh my gosh, we’re trapped in the RV!
…At least it has a bathroom…
We are all a bit freaked and I am thinking, “It’s our last day and it was already going to be short…Noooooo!”
Mom calls the rental company. We leave a message for someone to call us back. Finally, thirty minutes later, someone calls back and we explain the situation. Emphasizing the fact that there are disabled people in wheelchairs who can’t get out any other way. I guess they don’t get it because their solution is to go to the nearest rental area and switch RVs…
Um, hello! We can’t get out!
They figure that the wheelchairs can drop down through the regular door. Yea, right. Even if this was possible, Dad customized this RV-taking out a chair, filling in the steps with wood, cargo strap tie downs, oxygen tubing set up, and then the sheer amount of stuff to transfer.
Mom is in tears and Dad is mad.
I am praying mightily.
Dad comes in and grabs a cargo strap. We hear Dad heaving and pulling until something comes loose…
And the lift works!
The chain had crumpled in the track, preventing it from moving. Dad pulled the chain out and voila-it works.
After a prayer of thanks, we’re on our way.
The first stop at MGM is Tower of Terror. This is Dad’s favorite ride. I was able to see the pre-show and the creepy hotel and take the chicken elevator.
While we waited for Dad, I did a pin trade. I had caught on to the importance of Cast Member pins and always had my eyes peeled for them. I spotted a Maleficient.
Hmmm. Not a character I want to collect. We did sit in that section during Fantasmic and it is a Cast Member pin…I traded. When I got home, I discovered dizpins and my first trade involved that pin for this
pin. Romance scenes are my favorite thing to collect.
After Dad got off Tower of Terror we headed to Disney Animation. This was something Danielle really wanted to see. The Mushu/CM interaction explaining how characters are developed was cute and funny. After the show, you are taken to a room with a bunch of interactive areas. There is also a character meet and great.
We just did the character voices. You put your speaking or singing voice in different movie scenes. The mike is a bit out of reach for some wheelchairs (like mine) so it doesn’t give the same quality results. I tried to find the drawing activity for Danielle with no luck. After playing around and posing for pictures, we headed out.
There was a very nice shop with beautiful pictures on the way out. It would have been nice to look around and revel in the talent…but Dad and most of the family wanted to revisit Lights, Motors, Action.
First Danielle and Mom had to use the restroom. I looked around a different store and found…the Wishes CD!
Must.
Have.
Mom eventually acquiesced. Yay! Just listening to it makes me teary-eyed.
It was looking a bit like rain and getting close to show time. We zoomed over and joined the masses entering the theatre.
Now there were a lot of tour groups during our trip. And, generally, they seemed disinterested in following the rules.
I saw several encounters with CMs: a guy that didn’t want to put his shirt on and almost got violent, groups doing loud native cheers and asked to be quiet, groups getting in front of barriers during parades, taking up the whole path and being asked to move to let others past, a few stragglers showing up minutes before a show and throwing a fit when the show was full, and having little respect for lines. Maybe it was ignorance
…But if I was going somewhere I would make a point to know the rules and not fight with authority figures…
Anyway, the tour group in the LMA line was one of the line disrespecters. They literally shoved their way up to the guy with the flag. Now the least they could’ve done is say excuse me and point. The most appropriate thing to do, in my opinion, would’ve been to gather to one side at the large area where you split off to the different seating areas. I got a bit annoyed with people constantly shoving past and bumping my wheelchair or leaning on it.
Eventually we did get seated, taken up by the same French CM who recognized us. I don’t know how much I enjoyed it. To begin with, it was my least favorite show and I kept thinking about how we had to leave
I wished that I could’ve seen One Man’s Dream, maybe Beauty and the Beast with that missed character interaction, and done The Great Movie Ride again…but, alas, it was not to be.
As it is we had to rush to the RV after Lights, Motors, Action and speed home. The guy from Randy’s pulled up right behind us…
And then it was time to pack. Hours of preparing everything we could. And then in the morning Dad had to pack all the regular stuff (breathing equipment, mattress pads, bathroom bag, etc)
It was probably a good thing that we had to be back at a definitive time for the scooter because we needed the time to pack…
I settled into my last sleep in the Mickey room, reflecting on all the memories.
Because now it was over…
And we had to drive all the way back!
Next update, Saturday, August 18, 2007 "On the road again" and World Series?!
Country road, take me home -Page 32, Post #473
Catch up when I get back 
Have a good visit with your relatives. I hope the doctors appts werent too exhausting.
Thanks for offering your website journal
I'll PM you for it. Take care and I will stay tuned.
