Paul Rodgers
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Jul 24, 2017
I figured after a year and a half, it might be time to show everyone what our 2016 Disney Trip looked like! It was seven days of excitement, some fun, and some frustration too! So let us set up the story:
Chapter 1: “You’re not really going to Florida by yourselves, are you?”
We all decided to bring carry-ons, rather than pay the extra for our luggage to be stored under the plane, so loading our three bags into the back of my car at 12:00AM on Sunday wasn’t that bad. I had just gotten off my shift at the restaurant I started working at (last week), and we had plans to hit the diner before heading to the airport. We knew we wouldn’t be really eating again until noon, so we wanted something to keep us alive. By 12:30, we were at the diner, and by 1:30, we were back at my house, laying in my bed (Alex on a Yogibo), waiting for our ride to show up. Our ride was Erin, my boss from my real job, who agreed to drive us to the Airport months ago. I drove her family to LGA over the summer, and she agreed to drive me us to Newark in the wee-hours of the morning. I think I picked the better straw.
Annie and Alex slept most of the two hour ride to Newark while I stayed awake and conversed with Erin. In fact, we were conversing SO HARD that we missed the exit and arrived at Newark about twenty minutes later than we wanted. It was also snowing so we factored that in as well. But showing up late didn’t affect us at all because the airport wasn’t even open yet! We sat against a pillar outside of security watching the Dunkin’ Donuts get setup. This was increasingly difficult because I COULDN’T EVEN GET COFFEE BUT I SMELT IT. Alas, they opened up security, frisked Alex and his sling, and let us continue through.
Inside the airport, once again, nothing was open. We were starving (being teenagers) and wanted to get coffee before getting on our 5:45AM flight. It seemed like the hour we waited to board was the longest hour in the world, but when we finally got on the plane, we all knocked out like we were doing shots of Tylenol PM.
We landed just before 8:30AM in Orlando. The plane to the bathroom, to the train, to the lower level and outside of the check-in area for Disney’s Magical Express. “Go ahead, put the top of that Magic Band to the Mickey on her computer.” I told Alex. I had previously explained to them what MagicBands were, but I don’t think they really grasped the concept yet. It turned green, and we proceeded into our lane. Shockingly, we were allowed right onto a bus (after the classic ‘Sorry, you’re not getting a free cruise, we’re just short on buses today’ joke from a Mears Cast Member).
Annie sat in the row ahead of Alex and I. “Dad just texted me, and he said… quote on quote ‘You guys aren’t really going to Florida by yourselves, are you? How are you even getting around?” Annie read. I laughed. “Here, take a picture of us in Florida and send it back”:
- Week of Thanksgiving 2016
- 6 Nights/6 Days
- Disney’s Pop Century Resort
- Disney Deluxe Dining
- Park Hopper
- Alex - At 15, he thought he could chop down that tree on his own, and he couldn’t. With his shoulder ending up between the tree and the ground, his first Disney Trip was spent in a sling. Picky eater, sarcastic, and meme loving. (Brother of Annie)
- Annie - Coincidentally, Annie will be spending her 18th birthday at Disney World. We didn’t plan it that way, but her birthday lands on the week of Thanksgiving. Big on thrill rides, not big on babies, and can no longer enjoy a cupcake…. See why by the end of our story! (Sister of Alex)
- Paul (myself) - A self-egoed Disney Expert who just got back from a different Disney trip just a month before this. At 20 years old, he is all go-go-go and doesn’t want to waste a minute. He also is a perfectionist and wants everything to be perfect! (Cousin of Annie & Alex)
Chapter 1: “You’re not really going to Florida by yourselves, are you?”
We all decided to bring carry-ons, rather than pay the extra for our luggage to be stored under the plane, so loading our three bags into the back of my car at 12:00AM on Sunday wasn’t that bad. I had just gotten off my shift at the restaurant I started working at (last week), and we had plans to hit the diner before heading to the airport. We knew we wouldn’t be really eating again until noon, so we wanted something to keep us alive. By 12:30, we were at the diner, and by 1:30, we were back at my house, laying in my bed (Alex on a Yogibo), waiting for our ride to show up. Our ride was Erin, my boss from my real job, who agreed to drive us to the Airport months ago. I drove her family to LGA over the summer, and she agreed to drive me us to Newark in the wee-hours of the morning. I think I picked the better straw.
Annie and Alex slept most of the two hour ride to Newark while I stayed awake and conversed with Erin. In fact, we were conversing SO HARD that we missed the exit and arrived at Newark about twenty minutes later than we wanted. It was also snowing so we factored that in as well. But showing up late didn’t affect us at all because the airport wasn’t even open yet! We sat against a pillar outside of security watching the Dunkin’ Donuts get setup. This was increasingly difficult because I COULDN’T EVEN GET COFFEE BUT I SMELT IT. Alas, they opened up security, frisked Alex and his sling, and let us continue through.
Inside the airport, once again, nothing was open. We were starving (being teenagers) and wanted to get coffee before getting on our 5:45AM flight. It seemed like the hour we waited to board was the longest hour in the world, but when we finally got on the plane, we all knocked out like we were doing shots of Tylenol PM.
We landed just before 8:30AM in Orlando. The plane to the bathroom, to the train, to the lower level and outside of the check-in area for Disney’s Magical Express. “Go ahead, put the top of that Magic Band to the Mickey on her computer.” I told Alex. I had previously explained to them what MagicBands were, but I don’t think they really grasped the concept yet. It turned green, and we proceeded into our lane. Shockingly, we were allowed right onto a bus (after the classic ‘Sorry, you’re not getting a free cruise, we’re just short on buses today’ joke from a Mears Cast Member).
Annie sat in the row ahead of Alex and I. “Dad just texted me, and he said… quote on quote ‘You guys aren’t really going to Florida by yourselves, are you? How are you even getting around?” Annie read. I laughed. “Here, take a picture of us in Florida and send it back”:
