Wow! And did you say, "No Characters?!" Finale
About This Page:

Diz · 08-12-2004, 08:19 PM

Destination:

A Magical Gathering at Walt Disney World

Date:

August 3-10 WDW

Travel: August 1-2 and 11-12

Adventurers:

Me and DH (16 trips so far)

DS#1 (Luke)and DS#2 (Chat) (15 trips so far)

DD (already there for 3rd internship - this one is her management internship so we won't count the days she's been to Disney!)

MIL (Dianne)(3rd Trip)

DNIECE (Ashley)(2nd Trip)

DNIECE (Jenn)(1st WDW trip)

DNEPHEW (Dustin)(2nd Trip)

DNEPHEW (Matt)(1st WDW trip)

Resort:

Port Orleans - Riverside

Celebration:

Making Memories with Grandma

About a week and a half before our trip came about, I met with my MIL to discuss all the plans I had made. Her

nickname is Super Dingbat...no kidding! And she really is one. She never grasped the idea of meal vouchers, disney dollars, or much else!

After the long itinerary, she looked up and said, "We better play down the Characters. The kids are teenagers and they won't be interested in the characters.

Maybe we should do no Characters!" I almost fainted!

We're going to WDW and you want no characters! I put my foot down and said, we are going to the Magical Gathering Grand Gathering Events (which had characters attached) and we were under no circumstance cutting out the Once Upon a Time Breakfast with the Princesses! She agreed, but still insisted it might be better with "No Characters!"

Well I wiped the dirt off my backside from fainting and decided there will be characters! Little did I know at that time, there'd be all kinds of characters during our trip!

D-Day finally came. DH and I were to leave home and drive to Philly to pick up everyone. We were scheduled to leave around 11 (to arrive around 1). The best plans always have glitches in them. We just couldn't get out of work on time. We finally left work about 1 pm which had us arriving in Philly around 3 pm. We had lunch at McDs, $10.21. Now, we are 2 hours late...you'd think everyone would be ready, right?! Nope. MIL was shopping...the teens just ordered pizza, hoagies and pizza steaks. So we loaded the van and DH and I went around the corner to get gas for the van and ice for the cooler. We were just rounding the corner back to the house when MIL called and asked where WE disappeared too! She's really a Super Dingbat! The teens had literally eaten all of the food within 5 minutes! They were hungry and quick...something that sticks with us throughout our Dtrip!

We load up the gang and off we go. It is around 4 pm. We head to I-95 and get ready for the long haul. We were about ready to leave PA and enter DE when my MIL says, "Are we there yet!" DH was ready to attack her!

He had a special gift for the trip. It was a t-shirt. It read, "Don't make me pull over!". So he read the shirt to her. It started a good old time between everyone! We were trying to figure out exactly what we could do to make him pull over!

The rest of the drive is rocky so bear with me and trust me, the remainder of the trip has it's glitches but it was wonderful! The driving down was hard on everyone!

We had just passed a rest area -- beautiful one with lovely restaurants -- when MIL said, "Can we stop?". It's not even an hour into the trip and all I could think was, no...we're not stopping every hour on the hour, are we?! We'll never get there!

DH tells her we really should wait for the next rest area -- they are usually cleaner and safer, but she insisted we stop right away because she saw a sign for a Travel Plaza. DH and I just look at each other and

. We pull over and MIL and the gang hop out of the van. That's when we find out 2 of the teens smoke and needed a smoke badly with just a little under an hour driving! That would be the last smoke stop. We stop for hunger, we stop for bodily functions...we don't stop for teenage smoking.

Well, after her visit to the Travel Plaza, MIL agreed totally. She came out shell-shocked. She was scared to death from people she met inside. Not only was it a Traval Plaza, it was a bus stop and there were many homeless men hanging around. She told the gang, "we're only going to stop where your aunt and uncle feel it's safe."

Well, now that we have that settled, let's go to Disney!

We stopped a few more times (but not every hour on the hour). We finally stopped for dinner at Popeye's Chicken (DH's favorite place). A Taco Bell was next door so it gave the teens an option. We ate in to give everyone a break from driving. DH and I had 2-pc meals and drinks for $11.48. After everyone ate and stopped in the restroom, we were off again. This time we were hoping that everyone would begin to fall off to sleep. No such luck.

The cell phones began to ring! Each teen had a cellphone and 2 of them had them permanently attached! They talked for hours, not caring there were others in the van. It was nearing midnight and the 2 were still on their phones and getting louder and louder. One of the other teens asked their grandma, "are they going to talk all night?". My MIL asked the 2 "are you going to talk all night?" Their response, "we have free minutes until 7 am so what's the problem?"

I am neutral 9 out of 10 times during this trip. It was a Grandma and the teens trip and I didn't want to interfere...but boy, was it hard keeping my mouth shut!

MIL thought for awhile. The teen who originally asked, talked again "Gram, I can't sleep with them talking so loudly." This time my MIL said, "Okay, at midnight (in three minutes) your time is up. No more talking on the cellphones."

You would have thought WWIII began. The girl of the 2 whined. The boy just got angry. He listened first. The girl took a little longer to adhere to the new rule. But it didn't end there. I'm typing this now laughing because they didn't turn off their cellphones. So every time they'd ring, they'd answer and say, "I can't talk. I don't know why I can't talk. I just can't talk. No. I have free minutes. My Grandmother said I can't talk. I don't know why she says I can't talk. But I can't. I'll catch up to you the next time we stop." Every single time it would ring. It drove me crazy! I wanted to say, just turn them off! But I was being a good DIL and keeping out of it. I didn't want to be the reason the trip was ruined for anyone.

And they were true to their words. The second they were out of the van, out came the cellphones (and the cigarettes) and the entire time 2 of them would talk (and smoke). Through the night, they slept little. They were up most of the night. I laugh because the 2 of them were just waiting for a gas stop or a rest area so they could smoke and talk. I was also so thankful that my Dteens don't smoke! At 4:00 am I'm like, "Why can't you guys drive yet! I'd love to be sleeping right now." That's when 2 of them tell me they drive all the time, even though they don't have licenses.

It was good for them to be awake while I was driving though. DH and I have a system. He listens to what he wants to while he drives and I listen to mostly Disney when it's my turn. So the teens who are not Dteens either had to listen to their walkmans or listen to my music. They absolutely loved Disney Mania2. They were surprised it was Dmusic! It began a Dexperience between them and me that would just grow over the next 10 days. It was so much fun showing them my love for Disney and especially my love for WDW. By the end of the trip, they understood me so much more than when we began...and I them. I don't know how much my MIL bonded with them, but a great bond started between us.

We arrived too early in FL to be able to go into the Visitor's Center. Oh, I hate when that happens! We were over an hour early. I suggested we eat breakfast (everyone was up anyways) and then come back to get brochures. MIL didn't like that idea. She just wanted to get going. We were doing excellent time, but I was a dutiful DIL and off we went. We stopped around Daytona Beach for breakfast at a Bob Evans. At this point, one of the telephone talkers was exhausted. She had fallen asleep. When we stopped, she refused to get up. MIL said let her sleep. So off we go inside, minus one. We had a great breakfast. The food was okay, but the teens were opening up more and more. They talked about what they hoped to do at Disney, what they hoped wouldn't happen (pictures...but they didn't get their wish here!). It was a wonderful time. We left with an omelet in hand for the sleeping one. Not long after we were on the road again, she woke up and ate part of it. By the time we stopped at a rest area she'd given up and threw the rest away (while dailing a number on her phone and pulling out a cigarette to light). LOL!

MIL thought we would end up in WDW around 3-4 pm. She was absolutely surprised we arrived around 11am. I tell her it takes awhile from Philly, but not 24 hours. She really didn't understand. We did, however, do excellent time with stopping for dinner, breakfast and many rest areas...not to mention gas stops for the 12-pass van. That was a lot of stops there!

It was a rough trip, but it ended up being okay. We worked through difficult times and started to "warm up" to each other. We were building a foundation that would only continue to grow stronger.

Trip Highlights:

*Teens trying to find ways to make DH pull over the van.

*Teens excitement growing with each new state we came to.

*MIL deciding, yes DIL you were right...we should have flown.

*Dmusic paving the way to a great vacation.

**DrDolphin** · 08-12-2004, 08:58 PM

Great beginning to the report. I can't wait to read about how you and the teens bond....

luvnwdwgal · 08-12-2004, 09:37 PM

Wow, I gotta give you credit, if it had been me traveling with all those teens, I would have locked the cell phones and the cigarettes in the glovebox until we got to WDW! Looking forward to the next installment!

Tracy M. · 08-12-2004, 10:08 PM

OMG what a way to start off, you have far more patience that I do

(which is most likely why I don't have kids!).

IdahoDisneyMom · 08-12-2004, 11:09 PM

I can't wait to read what happens next! Keep em coming!
Stephanie

TinkerBelz · 08-13-2004, 03:23 PM

It's amazing how each trip report is SO different and yet so throughly interesting. Thanks for the report. Looking forward to more. I'll be traveling with two 14 yo's next Fall - one is mine and one is her best friend. Although neither smoke! The one has a cell phone but we particuarly picked her as she's very respectful to us and she wouldn't dare talk on her phone all night. LOL

Yvonne

Nick and Ryans Mom · 08-15-2004, 09:56 AM

[ QUOTE ]
It's amazing how each trip report is SO different and yet so throughly interesting. Thanks for the report. Looking forward to more.

[/ QUOTE ]

Big Baloo · 08-13-2004, 03:35 PM

Okay, you have the patience of a saint! Can't wait for the next installment-- <font color="purple"> </font>

Diz · 08-13-2004, 09:08 PM

The fun finally begins! We pull into POR-Riverside and park the van. Everyone is so happy to be free of the confining walls!

The check-in is backed up, but I didn't care. I just walked right in line and waited for the freedom of a room! MIL came behind me, but she tired quickly. Before long she was leaving the line looking for a comfortable seat.

About 15 minutes later, a CM called me over. I walk up smiling and saying to myself, just swipe my card and send me on my way! She was, though, a trainee. It took a while because I had 3 rooms under my ressie. In the middle of everything, DD-DS#1&DS#2 show up! Now I haven't seen them for a while so of course being a mom, I turn to them hug them, kiss them, and start talking to them. The CM doesn't even notice because she's still in a daze trying to figure out 3 rooms on one ressie. She finally figured it all out, we were in my favorite section...Alligator Bayou...but we had 3 connecting rooms. I wasn't too happy because I wanted as far away from the teens as possible! No really, DH and I were back-up for the week so we were planning on a romantic getaway. I had requested a King room for the occasion. The plan was that we would meet up with everyone once a day for a meal or magical gathering event. I thought, that's okay. We'll still have time alone. The good thing was...the rooms were ready! No waiting. Just move right on in.

When all was done, I find DH and he's all alone. He has no clue where everyone disappeared. I figured the teens found the arcade and yup, I was right. MIL was shopping already. So I figure I'll walk over and check the rooms out just to be sure all is okay. We were in Bldg 24 - 2462-2463-2464. Good thing I checked. All the keys were not working...and there was no King Room

. So back to Guest Relations to get the keys fixed for everyone and to ask if there was any King Room. There was a CM I was familiar with, Stanley, but he was busy. I really wanted to get him because I have seen him handle very difficult situations with extreme patience. So I waited and just as another CM was beginning to call me over, Stanley was free!

I explained what was wrong...the keys not working...and I asked if one of the rooms could be changed to a King Room. At first he thought I wanted all 3 rooms changed. I said, no...I just want one changed to a King Room. So I explained DH and I were looking for a little romance. He smiled and disappeared in the back. He came out and said, Eric (room assigner) and he had found the perfect room. Then he said, Room 8420. My heart sank. I knew that meant one thing...no favorite section...I was being sent into exile...Magnolia Bend! I have never, ever stayed there. I've always changed rooms if the CM gave us "those" high numbers. I look at Stanley, his excitement, and I think quietly for a moment...room by the teens...King room all by ourselves...the King Room won!

I finish with Stanley and we load up the van and head off to AB with MIL and the teens. We get to the doors and you'll never guess what happened...one room's keys worked...the other didn't. Ahhh! I say to DH, let's go to our room and make sure our keys work so we only have to make one trip.

We drive to Magnolia Bend...I'm aching for AB. We walk up to the Mansion...find we are on the 3rd floor...and find our room - 8420. And was Stanley ever right! I walked in and it was the most romantic room! It had just been renovated, used only for 6 nights since renovation according to the mousekeeper we ran into. It overlooked a beautiful sitting garden (benches and trees and the waterway). I was glowing! It was to be a very romantic room! While I'm smiling, off to Guest Relations again!

We had another CM. She fixed the keys. I told her how pleased I was with Stanley. She smiled and said, yes he is really good at his job. We take the keys over to MIL and they work!

We make plans to unpack, swim and rest before we head off to DD for dinner and fun. DH and I had driven through the night so we opted for rest first. A nap was in order! We sank into the King bed and it was heaven!

The teens went swimming and had a blast! They even headed back over to the arcade for some more game time. MIL took them for a tour of Port Orleans so they would know where everything was. It was a wonderful afternoon.

The teens were ready to go to DD. MIL was now ready for a nap. So they are quizzed on what to do if they get misplaced and off they go to DD via ferry. That is such a great plus for Port Orleans! DH and I linger a while longer at the resort and head over in time for dinner at Planet Hollywood.

We are on our way when the teens call us frantic...they can't get a hold of Grandma. "She may still be sleeping. She'll miss our first dinner together." So DH and I head back to the resort, check the rooms and no MIL. We try her cell phone. No answer. She had given the teens a lecture about never leaving without their cell phones so we can always get a hold of them. Boy, did the teens give her a hard time about this!

We get to Planet Hollywood about 7:30. By this time, the teens are famished! They just want to eat. We wait another 10 minutes and no sign of her. I finally make one of those 1 out of 10 decisions...I tell the teens to go in alone. We'd wait for MIL and we'd eat with her. They did not need to be told twice.

DS#1 took control...he showed his CM ID and was given front of line priority seating. Within minutes, they were inside even though the line was way past the stairs.

After about a half an hour, MIL shows up. She got lost. She forgot her cell phone in the room. At this point I thought, should I have made the teens wait? And I decided, if she's going to be mad...she'll be mad. If she was, she never showed it. She checked on the teens inside at their table. She requested a table nearby but the restaurant was packed and after a half an hour, we took whatever table was available because if we waited much longer we wouldn't be eating with the teens anyways because they'd be done.

The teens loved being alone! DS#1 just took total control...talking to the waiter, making sure everyone was okay with their dinner choices, getting refills, paying the bill.

Boy, is he growing up fast!

The teens are on the top level, we are seated on the first. Every few minutes one of them would stop by to check on us! LOL! It was a great dinner after all. MIL was okay with it all and the teens felt grown up eating all by themselves at PH!

After PH, we toured Pleasure Island and DD. A little shopping was done

A lot of laughs...and a great time together.

The teens wanted to talk to me about what was happening the next day. So after we went back to the resort, I brought out a little surprise. I had typed up a daily itinerary...explaining each park, dinner, event. It was 1/2 page size and they were able to take one page a day and stick it in their pockets. They loved it! I even made them a notepad to write special thoughts, keep a list of things they wanted to do or stuff they wanted to buy and I gave each of them a special name with Tinkerbell or Peter Pan on each page for a Magical Gathering theme. I also gave them Calling Cards that had on the back of them the adult's cell phone numbers in case they needed to get a hold of us in an emergency.

When I got back to our room, MIL called to tell me that the teens hadn't put them down yet. They were having so much fun reading about everything and getting excited just thinking about what was to come ahead. She thanked me for making such a wonderful surprise and said it must have taken forever because I even included pictuers of each park/restaurant/event. Little did she know, I loved every minute making it!

Finally, everyone went swimming one more time before calling it a night.

It was a magical start to our Magical Gathering.

<font color="blue">Quick addition: </font>

While writing this last night, I was caught up in Hurricane Charley and got sidetracked. Wanted to talk briefly about Planet Hollywood and the Hotwiresavingsclub.com certificates.

We purchased the PH cards - $300 and received $5 back for every $25. It was almost immediately credited to our cc even before we left for our trip. That meant we got $300 of food, tax, tip and souveneirs for $240. Nice savings.

They were easy to use. The staff knew what they were and didn't give us a hard time at all. The teens were able to have appetizers, dinner, drinks and dessert. They were very concerned, though about the tip. Four of the six (not the 2 I'm now calling Stitches because Here Comes Trouble comes to mind when I think of them)...well four of them put their own money together to give the waiter a tip. The tip was to be included on the bill (parties of 6 or more) but for some reason the waiter didn't do it and the teens caught it. Nice kids! When I found out they gave up their own money, I quickly took the tip out of my mickey bag and paid them back. For the adult bill, we used the cards for everything including tip. Woo-hoo, the hotwire savings are working so far!

**DrDolphin** · 08-13-2004, 09:46 PM

Wow!! Glad you got the King Room - a dose of romance for you and DH!!

luvnwdwgal · 08-13-2004, 09:54 PM

It certainly sounds like you're all having a great time! Looking forward to more!!

jakenjess · 08-14-2004, 07:22 AM

Sounds like a wonderful first day! I'm happy to hear everyone is having such a good time. We're leaving in six days for our own Magical Gathering. Looking forward to more of your report!