Could we go any slower

Lola (our GPS) timed our arrival at 8:05 (or in that vicinity)since we left Austell. We were passing through Ocala, Florida around 6:30, light traffic, making great time, and happen to look up at the GPS and she said , “Arrival Time – 10:05” ?  What ?   We were about to get on the Turnpike when this happened, and the GPS showed all lanes closed on the Florida Turnpike South.  I called 511 (State Patrol Road Conditions) and they agreed with the information from Lola and gave us a detour route.  That delayed us by an hour and we finally arrived an hour late, at 9:00.   Starving, we knew the sister resort at Port Orleans, Riverside, had a sit-down restaurant, so we made quick reservations and at a quick dinner!  Good food - Dennis and Kelsi had Crawfish Etouffe  and Lauryn and I split Steak and Crawfish Macaroni. 

Disney’s new “On-line Check-In” with Magic Bands is wonderful.  They texted me our room # and we were able to go straight to our room, by passing the front desk all together.  With the luggage in the room, Kelsi and I made a quick trip to the front desk to pick up a package and her birthday button and came back to the room where Dennis was sound asleep  - lights on, glasses on,  he just hit the bed and crashed.   We were all tired and planned to do a quick un-pack and go to bed. Tomorrow would come soon and we had a busy day, but first things first.  Where’s my Lysol ?

Lauryn was sitting on the bed, cracking up, with Kelsi, as I opened all the drawers and sprayed Lysol in each, then the bedspread (no, I didn’t spray Dennis), bathrooms, and sink area.  The shoes we had worn all day had walked through dirty service stations and rest areas, so I sprayed the bottoms of each before storing them under the bench in our room at The French Quarter Resort.  And yes, teasing ensued – but hey, I’ve been to Disney one time when everyone got sick and I don’t care to repeat that – so caution is better and I’ll take the ribbing about being the Lysol germ-a-phobe.   

Nothing else for this day – it’s bedtime – we have a breakfast date with Sophia the First in the morning – but first…. Oh my how am I going to sleep tonight? And Why did I promise Kelsi I would ride “THAT” ride tomorrow………………

Pre-Trip Report: Nana and Bop Take on 2 Teens and The World - without Avis!

Pre-Trip Report

May 29  - June 2  2016

Nana and Bop Take on 2 teens and The World

I don’t normally do a pre-trip report, but I have really enjoyed reading them and received so many good ideas, I thought I would give it a go for this trip.  In all honesty, as I begin this I have five (5) more sleeps until travel day and I am so excited, so this writing is my calming therapy until “go-time”.

Let me introduce our scenario, the players and our plans as we dive into the fun:

Background:  My DH and I are in our 50’s -60’s (yes, he’s older than me) and have five (5) grandchildren.  We try to take them to Disney or on a cruise each year, but only two at a time, unless mommy and daddy tag along, so we rotate between the five.  This year, the lot landed with our two oldest, so with two teens in-tow this trip will be quite different than when we were chasing down princesses or Jake and standing in line for Dumbo… or will it?

Cast Members:

Nana (Penni)     58           I am a Disney addict and have been since age 5 before I ever stepped foot in a park.  My children and grandchildren have no doubt that I whistle while I work and dream of Disney.  I love the planning almost as much as trip itself.

Bop (Dennis)     64           He loves me so he endures the World with a smile and truth be known actually enjoys it with the grandchildren (and even just me) once he is there.  Otherwise, pixie dust rarely enters his mind.

Kelsi                       16           Loves all things Disney and has since I introduced her to the World at age 4.  She rode TMRR on that trip and as we came off the last hill exclaimed, “Bop, this is fun” -  she was hooked.  This is either trip 7 or 8 for her

Lauryn                  14           Loves being at home and creating in her own artsy world, but loves to experience family time and Disney also.  It has been a while since she has made a trip to The World, and is super excited to experience some new rides and thrills.

Here’s a few of our favorites:

Favorite Park:

Bop        Hollywood Studios

Nana     Epcot

Kelsi       Magic Kingdom

Lauryn  Magic Kingdom

Favorite Disney Character:

Bop        Rapunzel (well maybe just when she smacks Flynn with the skillet)

Nana     Pocahontas

Kelsi       It used to be Ariel year after year – I will have to see if this has changed

Lauryn  Sophia the 1^st (and yes, we are having breakfast with her on our first Park morning).

Favorite Restaurant:

Bop        Whispering Café , Cape May Seafood Buffett, or Liberty Tavern (He’s my foodie)

Nana     Whispering Café or Cape May Seafood Buffett

Kelsi       Nine Dragons

Lauryn  Cinderella’s Castle

Favorite Ride:

Bop        Splash Mountain, People Mover, Test Track

Nana     Space Mountain

Kelsi       Tower of Terror, Space Mountain

Lauryn  Space Mountain

Itinerary

I failed to mention earlier that we only have 4 nights, 2 park days  and 1 off day (to enjoy the Resort):

Arrival: Sunday evening, (dinner time) May 29, 2016

Resort: Port Orleans, French Quarter

Monday  A.M.   Hollywood Studios: (3 Fast Passes: Tower of Terror, Rocking Roller Coaster, Star Tours)

                                Breakfast with Sophia the First (Lauryn’s pick) at Hollywood and Vine

                                A few more rides of choice (Great Movie Ride, etc)

Monday P.M.    EPCOT

                                Lunch – somewhere in the World Showcase – Counter Serv or Flower & Garden Food                                    stands.

                                Dinner – Nine Dragons

                                Stand in line (cause I know a FP will not be available by mid-day Monday) for Soarin’ and

                                Track (guess I could hope for some pixie dust).

Departure Day is finally here and I am typing this in the truck somewhere on I-75, still in Ga. It has been an eventful month already and today just capped it off.  Bop had 2 kidney stones (did you know the price for having those externally blasted is $38,000)??  Thank goodness for Insurance, although they tell me I will still owe after Ins pays, of course – what else?  And several other family car issues erupted. Then today: well, the story is too long to recount -  but just read this.  It is a complain letter I just finished emailing to Avis Customer Service…  For those of you who read my blog for our family cruise back in September – yes, de ja va all over again.

This is not a question but a complaint. I am a travel agent and have personally used and recommended Avis for years.  After today, I cannot say that I will ever do that again.  I reserved a car at the Thornton Rd Lithia Springs Ga Avis facility - I have rented here several times before.  My reservation was for 12:00 noon on Sunday.  The sign on the door says they open at 11:00 a.m. and the website said 11:30. So Noon should have been fine.  We arrived at 11:35 to find people standing outside waiting with the doors locked and said they were told that they (workers) had gone to lunch and would not be back until 12:15.  Strike one - not good, but ok - since I was early anyway, We went back home, got all our luggage and had someone bring us back to pick up the rental SUV for our vacation (that we had been planning for a long time)!  We arrived back at 12:25 to pick up our car and first of all, were greeted with and unfriendly "do you have reservation" (no hello, no welcome to Avis, no may we help you). Then they proceeded to tell us they did not have a vehicle available for us.  A renter (now sitting at the facility) had a vehicle rented for yesterday(Sat) but didn't show up until today. So they had to give her the car, and left us stranded.   That is horrible customer service. If they rented her car out yesterday, then she should have had to wait.   We came on time, expecting a vehicle and were packed with grandchildren ready to leave on vacation.

What is the purpose in reserving a car?  After we left and got on the road (in our vehicle that we had not planned to drive) - they called us to let us know they had a vehicle they could get for us about 8 miles away (too late - we are already gone - but more importantly, if that vehicle was available, why was it not sitting there waiting for us)?

Not happy with Avis -  your reputation just took a very big hit with me.

You definitely do not try harder.

So we are in my husband’s wonderful BIG red Ram truck. We really love it – and it’s roomy – just not good on gas.

Ok – Here we gooooooooooooooo!

Oh, and if you are wondering where the title of this Blog came from – that would be my wonderful grandchildren making fun of my obsession with Lysol – you’ll hear more about that later J