Are You Ever Coming Home?...No! I am playing with Wizards, Farkles and Sparkling Friends completed 10/21/2017 - Page 23 - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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I can’t believe this trip of a lifetime is coming to an end! The time just flew by. I know people at home, namely Skip, were missing us, but we felt like we hadn’t been gone long at all. Claire is like me too…..she would have gladly stayed another 2 weeks.
I got up and got ready and made my way to get something to eat. I let Claire sleep in a bit as I knew she needed it.
I took it back to the room and ate it along with some water. We had a few bottles left yet and I was trying to get those drank up rather than tossing them.
After that I decided I better take a walk around the resort and take some pictures. I had neglected to explore since we had been so busy…and tired.
I went back to the room and got Claire up and ready. We then packed the rest in our bags, reweighed and did a little shuffling and then we took the checked bags up to the resort airline check in desk to get those on their way. They weighed them and 2 of the 3 were overweight. I knew then and there their scales were off. I had weighed mine with 2 scales and both had them about 2- 5lbs or more underweight, yet they were coming up close to 5 lbs overweight. UGH! I opened the 2 that were under and took out a packing cube from each and they were then under. I have since heard others saying it seems that scales have been wrong lately too.
I took the cubes back to the room and we put them in the carryons. We had room, but it did make them fuller and more heavy to deal with.
We lounged around a bit and then headed back to the front to wait for Magical Depress. We passed by the gift shop and saw this cute quiz on the whiteboard outfront.
I am so happy we ended up changing our flight to later in the day. We got to get enough sleep and I was able to explore the resort a bit. We felt more relaxed for sure leaving at this time instead of buttcrack thirty in the morning.
We got on the bus and made our way back to MCO…..Boo Hoo!!!!
We made the stop and I asked if it this was for A or B and the driver said everyone gets off here. In the past they always told us which airlines were at each stop and made a stop at both places. It’s been a while since I rode ME, so maybe that has changed.
We soaked up the last of the Florida sunshine and then went in and headed to the precheck TSA line. I had gotten global entry last year and it includes TSA precheck (though in some cases you could possibly be excluded, though it’s rare) and it is so wonderful. Claire can go through with me until she is 13 (which is coming up fast). Once she turns 13, I am going to get her at least precheck as well and possibly global entry since the price difference is minimal. Global Entry has already paid for itself as far as I am concerned. If you fly at least twice a year, I think it’s totally worth it. I have used it for 4 round trip flights already (and have 2 more round trip flights this year yet) since I have gotten it. Claire has done 2 of those round trip flights with me. It is good for 5 years, so I see myself using it many more times. It’s only $100, though you do need to schedule a meeting to get fingerprinted and interviewed, and right now, with the amount of times Claire and I have both used it, it has come to around $8.40 per use. By the end of this year, with my other scheduled flights it will then average about $6.25 per use….and I have 3 ½ years left on it then still!
Now the precheck line isn’t always short, but it is shorter usually than the regular lines and moves at a faster rate in most cases. We moved along and the TSA agents were shouting stuff, but it was hard to understand them. One in particular was yelling at people a lot. We put our bags through and prayed we weren’t singled out because she was really touchy. She would tell people things like “come on! You are in the precheck line…you should know what to do by now”. And really how does she know it’s not some ones first time coming through the line. And some people just get selected randomly to come through it.
We waited for our bags to come through…and waited and waited. There was a guy who was getting the what for. He had a bottle of water in his bag and they kept putting his bag back and forth. The TSA officer kept asking him stuff and he wouldn’t answer. I think English was not his first language. He was holding up the line. Then the belt stopped and nothing would come through. They kept trying to fix it and were having issues. Basically someone had to put half their body inside to find a blazer stuck in the belt and that is why it wouldn’t go through….and you can guess who’s blazer it was…the man who had been having issues bringing water in his bag. Finally after that our bags came through and we were off.
My theory is to treat these agents with as much kindness as possible and you will fare much better than playing stupid or getting snippy.
We stopped off at McDonalds and got some lunch. While in line, someone commented on my Samantha Brown carry on. People always love them.
After we had our fill we headed off to our gate and took a seat.
I was just staring off and I noticed this huge bug skittering across the floor. It was funny, because people walking would see it and jump over it. Eventually someone was brave enough to squash it.
I did know that storms were predicted in Columbus. I had texted Amanda to let her know we had left on time. As we got to Columbus we were informed that it was storming badly and we would not be able to land for awhile. Of course our flight did not have wifi, so I couldn’t let Amanda know we would be landing late. I also tried to turn my data back on to see if I could text her….but no service this high up. We circled for an hour before we finally were able to land.
Once we did and turned out phones back on, the text came in. Amanda said she had looked online and knew we would be late, so she didn’t rush to get us. The rain had been so bad she had to pull off the road for a bit till it let up. She still arrived early and was waiting at McDonalds parking lot.
I told her we had landed and that we were told bags might take a bit since several flights just landed all in a row. I would let her know once the bags came through. We were in no rush.
We exited the plane and used the restroom and then went to check on our luggage. Another flight’s was coming out currently, so we walked outside. The rain had stopped for the most part and the weather wasn’t too bad. After a bit we went back inside to see if our bags were coming, but not yet. We kept Amanda updated.
Once our bags started coming in from our flight we gathered them and I had Claire sit at a bench outside the door and I brought them to her one by one to guard. We let Amanda know they were coming out so she could make her way towards us.
I went back to fetch the last bag off the belt and the handle was broken! UGH! This was a brand new bag, used for the first time on this trip.
I walked out to Claire and showed her the bag and complained a little bit.
And airline employee was out there and told me to take the bag in and show them to make a claim. I told her I would just do it at home and she told me it had to be done at the airport. I have always done it online in the past, but it was never this bad or obvious. Usually I notice a rip or something when I get home. I decided to go back in and see what could be done.
It was hopping in this little room, with people looking for bags that didn’t make it in because of the storm….or they were on one flight but the bags were actually coming in on the next one due to some delays. One lady left her cell phone on the plane.
When it was my turn the ladies were really nice and could see what my issue was. They had me fill out a form and took the bag. They would send it in for repairs. I was given 2 big duffles to carry everything in.
I took another picture just to have a personal record and then transferred everything into the duffles.
Amanda had arrived and Claire texted me that they were loading the luggage and spotted a tear on my other bag.
The ladies said if it was bad to come back in and they would empty that bag too and send that off.
Amanda and Claire took off to circle around so they wouldn’t get in trouble for sitting there and I finally came out to wait. A text then came through with a picture.
You have got to be kidding. At this point I was too tired to go back inside to take that bag and the 2 duffles I had were super heavy. There is a reason I have 4 wheels on my luggage. I said I would file a claim with the manufacture as this luggage is guaranteed to hold up. Just an FYI…it is Samantha Brown luggage through HSN and they are complete idiots there. They will not admit to any issues and the warranty is pretty useless. They said they would give me $20 to get it repaired. I actually just now have taken it in and the local guy is going to put a patch on it. I am sure it will not match, but at this point, I just don’t even care.
So Amanda and Claire pulled back around and we crammed the 2 duffles in the car.
In the meantime, Skip had been calling and I told him I would get back to him later as it was crazy right now and we had to circle the air for over an hour. I called him back and he told me not to hang out too long as there would be storms at home tonight. I told him we were going to get something to eat before taking off. He didn’t think this was necessary and he was driving me nuts. One thing that drives me crazy is being told what to do. I knew he was missing us, and we would get home as soon as we could, but we were hungry and a little cranky too.
We finally took off and headed off and decided the Cheesecake Factory is what was needed for dinner. I didn’t take any pictures, but the food was great as always and hit the spot.
We headed back to Amanda’s and loaded our luggage back into my car and then started home. We have about a 2 ½ hour drive when we add in our bathroom breaks and at first we were making good time. It started getting dark at about the halfway mark and then there were a few rain showers starting. By the time we made it to our favorite McDonalds for a bathroom break it was raining pretty hard.
We went in and got some drinks and they had these on display.
What a small world! If you remember way back towards the beginning of the cruise I had mentioned we started watching the movie “The Founder”, which was about McDonalds and it’s original owners and then how this man basically stole the company from them…..this was the original mascot and look of the stores. I mentioned it to the lady who was working. She was a manager and she had no clue about any of it. LOL. I still need to rewatch that movie and watch the end. I found it really interesting.
Back on the road again and the rain had let up a bit. Yippee! Well about 20 minutes later it started to pour….and I mean pour. I could not see at all and the highway was super black with no lights. The few cars on the road were all going at a snails pace. I was tempted to pull over, but I was afraid someone wouldn’t see me and hit us. I trudged on slowly and I could hear Skip’s voice telling me “I told you so”.
As we got closer to home it did let up and we could drive at a normal speed then. I was never so happy to see my house when we pulled into my driveway. I grabbed the suitcases and put them in the house and we said hello to Skip, who was already in bed….and we were not far behind. It had been a long travel day and it was great to be back in our own beds once again.
The following day consisted of emptying suitcases and lots of laundry duties. We had a lot of stuff, but it was actually the fastest I have ever unpacked and got things put away.
And of course, real life came crashing back.
And that’s the end folks! Thanks for reading along with me as I relived our fabulous vacation.
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Sorry to see this come to an end, and what a pain about the luggage. Ugh.
By the way, I looked up the new terminal at Orlando, as previously a member of staff told it would be a drop off for luggage, which I figured couldn't be right. It's not. It's going to be home to 100 gates and will be linked to a train station. From what I've read, it's scheduled to open as early as 2019....
Great trip! Lousy ending with the damage to the luggage, though. And the customer service doesn’t sound good. I’ve never purchased anything from QVC, and don’t think that makes me any more likely to.
What a long travel day to end an amazing trip! I hate that baggage handlers are so rough on luggage. I never even knew about filing a claim. I hope your bags look good when fixed. Sounds like the airline had better customer service than QVC.
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What a great trip you all had! Too bad with the damage to your luggage and hope you can get some reimbursement for it. Nice photos of ASM on your last day.
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October 6, 2017-Enjoying an amazing dinner at Victoria & Albert's with PP's Dot and Drew
My TR from my most recent trip is now underway. Includes: Universal Studios Florida, Disney World and Sea World Orlando Trifecta TR -Updated December 10th! TR is now COMPLETED!
Thank you so much Jenn for the awesome trip report, as always! Your fireworks photos were picture perfect! So what is next for you in the travel world?
Sorry to see this come to an end, and what a pain about the luggage. Ugh.
By the way, I looked up the new terminal at Orlando, as previously a member of staff told it would be a drop off for luggage, which I figured couldn't be right. It's not. It's going to be home to 100 gates and will be linked to a train station. From what I've read, it's scheduled to open as early as 2019....
Oh boy! I can't wait to see it when it's done!
Quote:
Originally Posted by cubfancolleen
Great trip! Lousy ending with the damage to the luggage, though. And the customer service doesn’t sound good. I’ve never purchased anything from QVC, and don’t think that makes me any more likely to.
It's HSN....and I have heard others say the customer service is awful there.
I did get it patched and it doesn't look great but better than the rip.
Quote:
Originally Posted by pamcarey
What a long travel day to end an amazing trip! I hate that baggage handlers are so rough on luggage. I never even knew about filing a claim. I hope your bags look good when fixed. Sounds like the airline had better customer service than QVC.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Yes, the Southwest people were really great!
Quote:
Originally Posted by SuperDave
What a great trip you all had! Too bad with the damage to your luggage and hope you can get some reimbursement for it. Nice photos of ASM on your last day.
I got it fixed, I just need to go find my receipt now and send that in. Sadly, it looks patched, but it is better than before at least.
Quote:
Originally Posted by benchley
What a great trip and another fantastic trip report. Thank you
Thanks
Quote:
Originally Posted by momtolexi
Thank you so much Jenn for the awesome trip report, as always! Your fireworks photos were picture perfect! So what is next for you in the travel world?
Thanks! Next trip is Nov. 14. I am heading to Fort Lauderdale for a work trip...then the week after to NYC for Thanksgiving with the family.
This vacation was amazing! It was wonderful to sail with so many great friends.
I am really happy we were able to fit some Disney World time in too. When I started planning this cruise, my first thought was cruise only. Then I went to 1 day in the parks, thinking that Animal Kingdom would be top priority….then when flights were so much cheaper coming in 2 days early and leaving 2 days later, it actually worked out perfectly. Tickets are good for 14 days from the first use, so we had them timed out perfectly to use before expiring.
We experienced a lot of new first for us, which is always a nice touch for anyone. We have been to the parks many times, but there are still so many new things to experience.
2 new to us resort stays, new dining places, new attractions and rides….plus mixed it with many of our favorites.
Claire hadn’t been to all 4 parks in 3+ years, so this really made her happy.
The cruise was just fabulous. We enjoyed each of the ports and the new ones were super exciting for us. We loved the 4th of July fireworks and I don’t think next year sitting at home will even be comparable. I am sure Claire and I will think about how we had been sailing the year before.
Not only did we visit many new ports, but we also did new things on the ship. And we actually took it easy a little more this time too. Playing games with our friends in Cabana’s is not something we would have ever thought to do normally, but we had so much fun and one of our best memories.
Being able to eat with both Cass’s family and Patty’s family made for a great mix for us.
I now know that 10 days on a ship is still not long enough for us. I know Claire agrees after all the tears she shed.
Were things perfect? Nope! We had a few issues here and there and by looking at a lot of Claire’s pictures you would think she had a horrible time…but she didn’t. That is just what she does to me when I go to take her picture. I told her some day she will wonder why I have all these pictures of her with a nasty look. I’d like to say it’s a phase, but she has been doing it off and on since she was 3. LOL.
Since this trip I have actually changed the company I work for, so I no longer can call these lovely people my co-workers….but I will call them friends for life. I am still doing the same thing I had been doing, but it was time to make the change and do what works for me better. I still have mixed feelings…LOVE my new company so much, but I do miss the comfort of my close co-workers from the old. The plus side is, this was NOT a work trip, so I can still do non work trips with these lovely ladies in the future.
And even some work trips too! I am actually going to CruiseWorld in Nov. and Brook (as well as a few other ladies I know) will all be there too. I am excited about this next trip and what it will have to offer…unfortunately no cruises. LOL. And on top of that, I was selected to arrive early and tour Fort Lauderdale for a few days prior with a group. (14 of us total).
After that, my next official vacation is over Thanksgiving, where I will be heading to NYC with my family for a few days. Once again, I may catch up with Brook again and possibly a few other past co-workers.
I do have a deposit on a cruise for Next Oct. and I hope to do it, but it will depend on a few other things and it may get changed eventually.
I want to thank everyone who has read and followed along as I relived this great vacation. I am so happy to have made these memories for not only myself, but for Claire. I am a big believer in making wonderful memories with your kids. When she looks back at things we have done together now, most of her memories have to do with a place we have traveled to and the fun we had together. I hope she keeps these memories forever!
Great final thoughts! Thanks so much for sharing your trip with us - it has really helped in the planning of our forthcoming southern Caribbean cruise.
I didn't realise you'd changed companies. Hope all is going well with the new one and how wonderful to have so many friends from yoru previous company.
Great final thoughts! I really enjoyed reading your trip report and even more I enjoyed meeting you and Claire!
it was so nice to meet you too! I was totally surprised to see you, but I will admit I have not been on these forums as much as I would like to over the past year or so.
Quote:
Originally Posted by chezp
Great final thoughts! Thanks so much for sharing your trip with us - it has really helped in the planning of our forthcoming southern Caribbean cruise.
I didn't realise you'd changed companies. Hope all is going well with the new one and how wonderful to have so many friends from yoru previous company.
I hope it helps. They are such beautiful ports.
I literally made the change in like 3 days. I am still servicing all my clients from my other agency, but all new are being made with my new agency.
So I am doing some juggling, but for me, this will be the best way to go. I feel so happy and I am more organized now. LOL
Sometimes I amaze myself ...I was going through this report to remember something I needed to tell someone and I realized I never posted my last night on the Fantasy post...after we got back on the ship from Castaway Cay.
Not sure how I missed that one....anyways...
I went back in and edited that last post from the day to include the rest of the day.
So if you are interest...you certainly can ready more.
PassPorter's Free-Book to Walt Disney World It’s hard to believe anything is free at Walt Disney World; but there are actually a number of things you can get or do for little to no cost. This e-book documents over 200 free or cheap tips to do before you go and after you arrive. You could save a considerable amount of money following these tips. Perhaps more importantly; you can discover overlooked attractions and little-known details most people whiz by on their way to spend money. Click here to see free sample pages from the e-book! Get this popular e-book free of extra charges when you join the PassPorter's Club for as little as $4.95. A club pass includes access to all our other e-books; e-worksheets; super-size photos; and more! This e-book is also available for separate purchase in the PassPorter Online Store for just $5.95.
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Nice photos of ASM on your last day.
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