You make me wanna SMOKE! ... April 23-30, 2013

Duzzygirl

Mouseketeer
Joined
Sep 3, 2010
Picture this ... 18 people go on vacation to Walt Disney World together. Chaos, confusion, and puking ensue.

My husband and I quit smoking in October of last year. Also, we hardly drink. We picked up smoking again (I swear for THAT week only), and I saw my husband drink more than I've seen him drink in 5 years. THANK YOU to the awesome people we met in the *secret spot* (the miniscule smoking area) at POP Century for giving me something to look forward to. You were all so much fun, and made the stress of the day melt away.

A little background:
Hubs, nephew (4), and I went on vacation with the hubs' family. There were 18 of us total. Most had never been. My Dad-in-law paid for this vacation, flights, rooms, tickets, dining plan, etc. My husband is not a WDW fan. I love it. We do not have children.

As photos upload, I'll update. :)
 
Monday, April 22, 2013 ...

Felt like the longest day ever. After work I went home, then the hubs and I went to my folks to trade our pup for my nephew.

Here's the little turd sleeping soundly, resting up for the travel ahead. Something I found hard to do. I was so excited. Morning seemed as though it would arrive.

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Tuesday, April 23, 2013 ... Travel

4:30 a.m. Oh there you are. Never thought you'd get here, now I'm not so happy to see you. Didn't actually get out of bed until 4:45 - 4:50 a.m. Ugh. So not a morning person. Anyhow, we got our showers, stuff together, little man up, and out the door by 5:22 a.m.

Out like a light for about two of the three hour drive. Lucky him.
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We pulled up to airport parking just as everyone else was getting there. Couldn't have timed it any better. Pile into the shuttle and head to the airport. My step-mom-in-law gave me our booklet with our DME tags, luggage tags, etc. Dad-in-law checked everyone in and handed out our boarding passes.

My nephew loved watching the goings on with the planes.
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The airline, even though we were all in the last zone to be boarding, let all 18 of us board directly after first class. Hubs and my nephew ...
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Our group ...
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Stepping on to the plane ...
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Plugged his earphones in and was ready to go ...
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Flying pics ...
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Florida coast ...
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We've arrived at MCO!!
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Tuesday, April 23, 2013 ... DME/Checking in ...

Quick and simple process. Awesome. AND I got an isle seat in the second row. Little man on the bus ...
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We're getting closer!
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Woot!!
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Little man waiting in line to check into POP ... He did so well. Loved dragging his own bag and wearing his backpack. No whining. I KNOW he was tired. We all were.
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Our first towel *animal* ...
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We were checked in and in our rooms by 3'ish, maybe a little earlier. Time to relax. I'd hoped little man would nap. He, however, had other plans. Bouncing off the walls, well, the beds really. Hubs napped. I watched my nephew go crazy. lol

Up next ... Where it all started to go wrong ... :furious:
 


Tuesday, April 23, 2013 ... Blah

We had reservations for 'Ohana at the Polynesian for 18 people at 6:55 p.m. I had to pick up my Photopass+ at Downtown Disney so I had it for our Chef Mickey's in the morning. So, Logan and I were ready and out the door before 5 p.m., at DTD, back on a bus for the Poly by 6:00 p.m. I told everyone I'd meet them there.

It took 45 minutes to get to DTD (after waiting forever for a bus), maybe 10-15 minutes to get my Photopass+, and back on a bus to the Poly. So, I was on a Poly bus by 6 p.m. I'd already realized I may be late, just because I had *that* feeling. THEN there was something wrong with the bus parked in front of us. Somehow it backlogged the buses and then I saw the rest of my crew get off a bus, and wait in line to get on a Poly bus. I asked our driver if we could let them on. He told me no as we were already out of the bus parking/pickup lane. Great. Then we move on to Pleasure Island, bus driver change. Fantastic. I didn't get to the Poly until 7:14 p.m. That's 1 hour and 14 minutes from the time I boarded the bus. ONE HOUR and 14 MINUTES. I was late. I checked in. They asked if my party was there. I said, next bus. 15 minutes tops. I'd been checking in with the Hubs. She said that should be fine as it'll be about 15 minutes until a table is ready for the group. FIVE minutes later, my buzzer thing goes off. Naturally my group is not there. I told the girl they were moments behind. She wrote on the slip, 15 minute hold. I watched her talk to her manager. She came back to me and told me not a problem. Let her know as soon as the rest of the group is there, and we'd get seated. No joke, 5 minutes later they were there. I went up to check in again, and what? No table for TWO hours?!?

You know, I know the transportation system can be iffy. Hence the trying to get to the Poly from DTD about an hour ahead of time. So, yeah ... We didn't get a table for all 18 of us until around 9 p.m.

Thankfully, Hubs' Dad opened a tab at the bar. lol

I even told the Manager I wasn't feeling any pixie dust. I thought my sister-in-law was going to pee her pants. I'd have completely understood if I felt it wa my/our faults. However, I still don't feel that way. It should NEVER have taken over an hour to get to the Poly from DTD. Ever. RIDICULOUS.

Anyhow, thankfully, the food was kind of worth the wait. It was a hit. We had fun. My poor nephew didn't make it much past the appetizers though. Fell asleep on my lap.
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Celebrating birthdays ... (Nephew and Sister-in-law)
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Dancing around ... (Nephews)
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Celebrating Engagements ... (Sister-in-law)
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Up next ... Fireworks from the Poly Beach. Missed the electrical water pageant as we were eating. *sigh*
 
Tuesday, April 23, 2013 ... Let the FUN begin!

Since my nephew was sleeping and the Hubs had NO desire to watch fireworks. He offered to take little man back to the room so I could watch the fireworks. So, I asked some of the kids if they'd like to accompany me. I ended up three nieces and a nephew. We had fun. They played around on the beach while I took pictures.

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My partners in crime and I ...
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Instead of grabbing another bus back to DTD, we hopped the monorail to MK. However, I missed the stop. I thought there was a stop after MK. I was so confused. So, we rode it around twice. The kids had a blast on it. While on it, we saw the electrical water pageant below us.

I ended up getting a call from my Dad-in-law scolding me for having, not all of them, but one of them out so late. She'd been sick. I got agitated as if she was so sick, maybe her Mom shouldn't have let her come with me. Her Mom now swears to me she didn't say anything to her Dad. He just called on his own. Anyhow, nothing like making a 36 year old feel like a child. lol Anyhow, we got off the monorail, hopped a bus to POP from MK. There was quite a line, but three buses. Made it in no time. I got huge hugs from all the kids as I dropped them all off at their rooms. I really think it's a part of the trip that they'll really remember. We had a good time.

Here was my nephew when I got into the room. I was proud of the Hubs for getting him all ready for bed. lol
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While I was winding down ... My husband came up missing. I kept calling/texting. No answer. He eventually came back. Nearly drunk. Said he was with his step sister. He'd smelled like smoke. I asked him about it. He said he was sitting by a couple that was smoking. I was suspicious, but more to come on that later. ;)
 
Wednesday, April 24, 2013 ... Chef Mickey's

ADR at 9:15 a.m. So, we got up 6:30-7:00 a.m.'ish. Ready to go and on a bus to MK to catch the monorail to the Contemporary. No more bus to bus. Catching that monorail at MK as often as we can. lol

Hardly a wait for the bus at POP. Got to watch some of the rope drop at MK while waiting on the monorail. So, needless to say, we were definitely on time for this ADR.

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My nephew would have NOTHING to do with the characters. NOTHING. Little turd.

After breakfast we headed to the bus area at Contemporary to head to Animal Kingdom. It seemed as though their buses were more infrequent than buses at POP.
 


Wednesday, April 24, 2013 ... Animal Kingdom

We had my step-sister-in-law and her three with us. So, we met my step-brother-in-law, his fiance, and their son at the park. We really had a great day. Warm. A little packed. Though, wait times didn't seem very bad.

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Little man and his chariot ... We decided our sanity is worth $15 (less when we realized to rent for more than one day).
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Ride fun ...
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My nephew's face here is priceless (little guy up front) ... The whole car is our crew for the day ...
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Whole *car* is our crew ... First two on second picture also belong to us ...
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Little man was too short for Everest. So, I sat out with him as I'd ridden it several times before ... He didn't seem to care. lol
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Pictures out and about ...
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Wednesday, April 24, 2013 ... Animal Kingdom - continued

We're going on a safari!
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Photopass ...
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Our second (and last as we started to put up our privacy please sign) towel *animal* ... (I'd left the mousekeeper a couple dollars he second and last days)
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We got back to the room early. So, we relaxed, swam in the bowling pin pool as someone puked in the Hippy Dippy pool, and headed to DTD. Hubs came up missing again ... Hmmm

Put little man on the Carousel.
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Picked up Logan's ears at World of Disney.
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Found everyone again, and we ate at Pollo Campero.

Again, while I was getting Little man down at the hotel, Hubs came up missing. This is starting to get annoying. Well, beyond annoying.
 
Thursday, April 25, 2013 ... Epcot

LOVED all the flowers!
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I should have guess by this face, that today was not going to go well. :(
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Anyhow, we had the same group as yesterday, plus my step-mom-in-law. We rode the Ellen Energy ride (can't even think of the name of it), then on to Mission Space. My nephew wasn't big enough. So, Hubs sat out as I'd sat out the day before for Everest. When I was asked about the ride, I told them they were enclosed. I told them there was spinning. I told them you'd feel some G's, pressure on your chest. My step-brother-in-law insisted it was Soarin' and he'd rode it 20 years ago. Ummm. No. You didn't. However, he chose not to listen. Described a completely different ride, and everyone got on.

You can imagine my surprise when we got off and they were sick and upset that it wasn't as they thought it was. :confused3 Really?

Anyhow, they were all sick. Step-mom-in-law and niece went back to hotel. Step-mom-in-law puked twice on the bus. Hubs and I felt horrible. Everyone else just kind of disappeared and left us. Seriously. Just left us. No words. Nothing.

Not long after, a friend of mine from high school showed up. She'd moved to FL with her husband and kids several years ago. It was nice seeing her.

By that time though, Hubs was jacked at the rest of the family for not listening, and just disappearing. We had ADRs for that evening at Akershus for 7. Anyhow ...

Had a nice afternoon with my friend. Even walked out to the Boardwalk, where my nephew had a complete melt down. Thank goodness there was hardly anyone there. Poor kid was just tired, I'm sure. However, it just added to my husband's mood.

Logan cheered up with the aquarium and Turtle Talk.
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My friend and I by my favorite topiaries ...
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My Hubs' Dad called asking if it'd be a good evening for them to hang out together in the countries. On that call, we found out that the rest of our party would not be coming back. Not because they'd told us, but because his Dad said they went to do something else. Really? Thanks for the heads up. We'd have been waiting for the rest of our party. Lord knows I now know better than to check in without them all present. Hubs was able to get a hold of his sister. She and her oldest daughter came down to eat with me and Logan.
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Hubs and his Dad ...
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Thursday, April 25, 2013 ... Epcot/Evening

Just some of the decor around Epcot
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Logan was big enough for Test Track and he was SO excited. I let him design the car. LOVED it. He just kept saying, "Aunt Dude, I'm so excited! I'm so tall!" lol Even on the ride when you bust through and go outside. He squealed and giggled. Made how angry I was earlier about his outburst completely disappear. (Little guy in center in the back.)
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Photopass opportunity ...
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Thursday, April 25, 2013 ... Epcot/Evening

Spaceship Earth fun
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Happened to exit just in time to see my nephew, niece, sister-in-law, and I on the map.
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Hopped a bus, texted Hubs. He said he was by the pool. Good. Pool is on way to room. Got to hotel, took Logan to room. Hubs came in and said he'd take Logan to the pool to hang with the kids. I informed him I did not want to get in to pool. Hubs said he'd watch him.

I relaxed in room for a bit. Then headed out. Got to the pool to realize Hubs was at the bar and the rest of the adults were drinking on their lounge chairs. Fine. That's great. All their kids are older and can swim. Logan cannot. His swimmies barely hold him up. The water is over his head. He was hanging on the steps with one of my other nephews. However, I pulled him out and grabbed a life jacket. I was super JACKED at the Hubs and all the other adults. What the hell? Maybe i was over reacting, but anyhow. Put a life jacket on him. It was kind of pushing him face forward. Wasn't quite working out. The other kids were playing ball. Hubs was getting me a drink at that point. Logan wanted to swim. I wanted NOTHING to do with the pool. It was nearly 10 p.m. Past little man's bed time. So, I just kind of yanked him out and we went to bed.

About 30 minutes later, the Hubs came a searching. He'd assumed little man made me angry. I explained that you can't leave a 4 year old in the pool supervised by children. I was pretty livid. Logan was asleep at that point. Hubs could tell I'd reached my breaking point. Tired of waiting for people who apparently were never going to show. Tired of no help with Logan. After all, it wasn't our idea to take him. Hubs said he had something to share with me. So, I let his step brother's fiance know we were going for a walk. We unlocked the connecting room doors and listened for him.

Hubs showed me where he'd always come up missing to ... the smoking area! lol HE'D been there the past two evenings, drinking and smoking up a storm. I was like, WTH!?! I was so angry he hadn't shared. He said he was afraid to tell me as he was ashamed. He thought I'd be upset with him. I was like yeah ... I'm upset you didn't share EARLIER.

Seriously, met some GREAT people sitting there. It was a great way to spend the night after little man went to sleep. Left the connecting rooms unlocked, and I still ran down to check on him every half hour or so.
 
I cannot see your pictures. I went in to take a look and I do not see a problem.

My dh smokes and we always meet the friendliest people and always end up chatting. For awhile.
 

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