Robin's 1st Time West of Chicago and DL Girls Trip!! *Updated 3/26* - Page 3 - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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Instead of driving and having to deal with traffic, parking and paying for gas I decided to take the Michigan Flyer shuttle to DTW (Detroit). My flight was due to leave at 8:40 but I wanted to be there in plenty of time so I decided to take the early shuttle…at 4:30 am. UGH. I dropped Belle off a doggy camp the night before. Packing consisted of throwing everything I needed into three suitcases, two big ones and one carry-on (airlines love to lose my luggage). I woke up at 3:00 am and was out the door by 3:50. I pulled into McDonalds only to find the McDonald’s delivery truck parked next to the drive-thru sign. I pulled up to the window and placed my order there. I let her know I probably could have backed up to the sign but it was way too early in the morning to attempt backing up. She thought that was funny. The bus was not there yet when I arrived at the Michigan Flyer office in East Lansing. I parked my car on a side street and went into get my ticket and parking pass. The bus pulled in when I was in there and the driver came in the office. I asked him if there was any way I could load my bags right from my car to the bus. He said that was fine and showed me where to park. I pulled up behind the bus and he helped me unload my bags and he put them on the bus for me. I parked my car in the parking garage and made me way back down to the bus. We left right at 4:30 and were on our way to Detroit.
Check-in was pretty easy. There was no line and it looked like everyone knew what they were doing. The agent put the bag check stickers on my two large suitcases and I made my way to security. I made it though security in less then 15 minutes. I still had a couple of hours to spare so I grabbed a cup of coffee at McDonalds and then made my way to the gate. The last flight had just left when I sat down. Three people came up to the gate and asked, “Did the flight just leave?” Opps…they were late and missed their plane. I took out my portable DVD player and found an outlet. I watched two episode of Entourage. The plane boarded on time and I made my way to my seat. The flight to Atlanta felt really short. I took a nap and read alittle. In Atlanta the gate for my flight to LAX was as far as you can get from the gate where we had landed. UGH…it too me about 20 minutes to walk from one gate to the other. When I got to the gate I looked around for Cindy who would be my roommate at Howard Johnson for the week. I called her cell phone and she didn’t answer. There was a massage on my phone from her when I hung up. We were calling each other at the same time. I looked around the crowd of people and found someone fitting Cindy’s description looking around. I called her name and she smiled and came over to greet me. We hugged and chatted a bit about our flights and the last 24 hours worth of events.
Our plane boarded a bit late. Apparently the flight crew had to walk from gate C…which is where Cindy and I had landed a half hour before! Finally we were on the airplane on our way to LAX. When I got on the plan I found my seat. I turned around and knelt on the seat and introduced myself to the couple sitting behind me. I told them that this was my first trip West of Chicago. I then said, “This is one big a** plane.” They laughed and said it was the largest plane they had ever been on. There were two seats on either side and three in the middle. I think I had been on a bigger plane when I flew to Florida when I was 5…ummm…in 1979. On the plane I watched two more episodes of Entourage and the deleted scenes from The Departed. I also watched an episode of Friends and part of Toy Story 2. I tried to watch the movie Marie Antoinette (the in-flight movie) but it was putting me to sleep. I so glad it was clear and there were few clouds in the sky. The view was breathtaking. We flew right over the miles and miles of farmland, the Rocky Mountains, the Grand Canyon and a race track (Santa Anita??). I was totally in awe of the beauty of such remote locations. I said to the couple sitting behind me, “It is just so amazing that something so barren can be so beautiful.” Our plane landed just before 3 and we all disembarked. Cindy met me at the gate and we made our way to catch the shuttle to to to….DISNEYLAND!!
Rocky Mountains…look at the snow caps. The photo does not do the mountains justice. They were just breathtaking!!
The Grand Canyon? Maybe? I don’t know for sure but it sure looks big, red and a canyon.
I just thought this looked cool…look at the green grass and the jagged hills? No rolling hills like Vermont.
The City of Angels! Yippie we are finally here!!
See the speck of white on the top of the hill toward the middle of the photo?? That is the Hollywood sign!
Santa Anita Racetrack?? Maybe?
Holy cow…five lines either way AND a carpool lane! I MUST be in California!
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Robin Twitter name: @NKsDogwalker Find me on FB: robinkay6573@yahoo.com 38th Birthday with Mom, Dad and friends 2011 Next Trip: Cruise on Jewel of the Seas for Christmas 2012
Last edited by RobinKay6573; 03-13-2007 at 01:14 PM..
Reason: added date
Robin your pics from the plane were AWESOME! I'm so happy that the skies were so clear when you all flew in that day. I've never seen So Cal look so gorgeous. But, for all y'all reading... It doesn't usually look that way! I kept telling all the natives in the parks that week that I was afraid that the amazing weather and views would cause even more people to think that California's a great place to live, and we've got ENOUGH people. Can't wait for more Robin!
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Karen, aka Zack's Mom - Lover of all Things Disney and the San Francisco Giants!
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I pulled up to the window and placed my order there. I let her know I probably could have backed up to the sign but it was way too early in the morning to attempt backing up. She thought that was funny. The bus was not there yet when I arrived at the Michigan Flyer office in East Lansing. I parked my car on a side street and went into get my ticket and parking pass. The bus pulled in when I was in there and the driver came in the office. I asked him if there was any way I could load my bags right from my car to the bus. He said that was fine and showed me where to park. I pulled up behind the bus and he helped me unload my bags and he put them on the bus for me. I parked my car in the parking garage and made me way back down to the bus. We left right at 4:30 and were on our way to Detroit. 
On the plane I watched two more episodes of Entourage and the deleted scenes from The Departed. I also watched an episode of Friends and part of Toy Story 2. I tried to watch the movie Marie Antoinette (the in-flight movie) but it was putting me to sleep. I so glad it was clear and there were few clouds in the sky. The view was breathtaking. We flew right over the miles and miles of farmland, the Rocky Mountains, the Grand Canyon and a race track (Santa Anita??). I was totally in awe of the beauty of such remote locations. I said to the couple sitting behind me, “It is just so amazing that something so barren can be so beautiful.” Our plane landed just before 3 and we all disembarked. Cindy met me at the gate and we made our way to catch the shuttle to to to….DISNEYLAND!! 
I MUST be in California!
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Pixie Dust
Can't wait to read more!
Can't wait for more Robin!
PassPorter Guide Author
So glad you've started!!
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